My family and I came here for the first time to celebrate my husband's birthday, and did not leave hungry or disappointed. We decided to order a few appetizers to try since it was our first time eating there, and because we were told the entree portions were smaller. The first appetizer we ordered was the Lamb Meatballs. I will say, ground lamb and the way these were cooked wasn't really my ideal texture. However, the pickled cauliflower with the chickpeas and carrots were delicious, and the yogurt and mint sauce helped bring everything together.
The most beautiful plate that we received was a Beet Salad. Along with beets, the salad also had carrots, cocoa nibs and two different sauces, topped with random mixed lettuce and micro greens (the greens seemed more for garnish, but did make it look beautiful). This plate would have been an amazing vegetarian entree also. The texture of the beets were very meaty and soft, and the cocoa nibs gave this dish a great crunch.
Since we went on a Friday, they had their Fried Whitefish on the menu. The fried fish came with a side of cabbage slaw with a lemon aioli and a grilled lemon. I wasn't a fan of the cabbage slaw. The dressing was very thick and I didn't taste a lot of lemon. It was almost like a tartar sauce (which most people like, I am not a fan), with cabbage mixed in. I also don't like fish, usually, or at least in large quantities. The fried whitefish was amazing. The batter gave it the nice crunch on the outside and it was moist and soft on the inside.
The Pan Seared Duck Breast wasn't a bad dish. If I eat duck, I almost have to ask them to over cook it because even though I'm sure that it was technically perfectly cooked, that chewy texture is something you either love or you don't. The apricot tomato ginger chutney was a perfect pairing flavor wise and brought a great sweet note to the dish.
The birthday man ordered the Ricotta Cavatelli with Lamb Ragu, yellow curry, mint and yogurt. It all sounds like a very strange combination of ingredients, but let me tell you, they work. When the ricotta is mixed in with the rest of the pasta, it becomes an unbelievably creamy dish that isn't overly heavy. There was no "floating grease" to be found, and was just enough sauce to coat the pasta. Getting a small piece of mint in that bite of pasta brought it over the top.
I ordered the Beef Short Rib with a fried grit cake, acorn squash puree, grilled kale and jus. Now, kale is okay, and the grilled kale wasn't bad, but the large amount of it that was sitting on top of my dish was overwhelming. I love charred things, but the taste tends to take over your pallet after a certain amount. The short rib was perfectly cooked. If you are able to get a small piece of everything on the fork, it all went perfectly together. That squash puree was to die for. Squash is a great winter comfort food for me, and pairing it with a tender and melt-in-your-mouth piece of beef was just amazing.
We ordered three desserts to share, and although I didn't get pictures of any of them (which the reasoning we will get into shortly), they were all delicious. The favorite at the table was the Basque Cake with a brown butter pear and creme fraiche. I kid you not, this cake tasted like a gooey massive spritz cookie with the perfect hint of almond (or was it amaretto?). And the soft pears were perfectly tender and juicy.
The prices in my opinion, for the fact that you are getting the most fresh ingredients possible, was perfect. You will go to many places in the area and pay that much for something that is 80% out of a bag or can, so complaining about the price (which I have heard from many people), is slightly ridiculous. The only downfall that I have, and bugged me tremendously, is how dark it was. I know restaurants like to set the mood with a romantic ambiance and low lighting, but had I not had to use my flash to take pictures, none of us would have really known what our food looked like at the end of the meal. Yes, taste is a large part of why people come back to a certain restaurant, but for many people like myself, you want to eat with your eyes first. I am going to assume that they are on a dimmer, and I would suggest letting people actually see the beautiful dishes that come to the table.
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