Sleek atmosphere, beautiful art on the walls, and my dream kitchen sunk into the background. The kitchen was huge! I mean you could host the "La Nouba," performance back there; but I digress. I will leave the interior design and what the paper the menu is printed on to the other bloggers. We are here for the food....and the cocktails.
Speaking of... Meet the Rusty Bulliet
Bulliet Bourbon, bitters, sparkling water. Slice of orange and your off to a good start
"Stuffed Lake Meadow Eggs"
Blended with herbs, the chives are mellow, the basil is sweet, and the taste of anchovies lurk in the background. Think Sauce Gribiche, with a Caesar flair and upfront herbs. Pleasing take on a classic dish.
"Greens and Beans"
If there was but one side dish I could have with every meal, it would consist of greens and beans. Flavors of local greens, tomatos, roasted garlic, and house sausage are topping the list of preparations of said dish. I grew up in L.A. (lower Alabama) a.k.a the panhandle, so greens and black eyed peas were a childhood luxury. I will say that the giant limas are a nice touch, and now that I found a superb braised greens outside of my pot, I can have my greens and eat them too. Bravo Chef Blake, bravo...
"The 55"
O.k. I was dead set on the croque monsieur until I read the "55." I am usually not swayed by a burger, but I will tell you what made me changed my mind. The phrases "stuffed with gruyere and bacon," "smothered with onions," (only to assume they were caramelized...I was correct) and "house made pickles." The pickles were the final push to be honest, I eat cheese and bacon everyday, but a well crafted pickle is hard to beat. Oh, and this one was good, almost bread and butter-esque, just with a touch more love. Opted for the haystack fries to go along side; crispy, seasoned, and flavors of pecorino and rosemary throughout. Left on the plate was the house "ketchup;" a little too sweet to my savory and an aggressive star anise flavor. Not saying it is a bad thing, just not for me. I cannot leave this burger without mentioning the bun. They stuck to 'truth in menu,' for it is most certainly "soft," and it has this inviting sheen over the top that just screams "burger!"
"Jelly Doughnuts"
Dough hot out of the fryer, dusted with cinnamon sugar, and stuffed with farm fresh fruit is a tough contender to battle. I am almost convinced that the entire dessert menu was written for me. I can see myself taking a seat at the bar for dessert, like a kid in a diner except a Rustea instead of milk and the brown butter financier will replace my slice of of pie. It is a whimsical menu and I will be back to conquer the rest.
To come back to a full circle, I do appreciate the farm fresh ingredients, I am pleased that I had an option to order grass-fed beef, and I am comforted that 85% of what comes out of the kitchen is organic. I know Chef Blake is a marvelous chef and a tough cookie in the kitchen, and I love that about her. Knowing she has her hands on the reigns, I see no more but a thriving restaurant developing downtown. Keep up the good work
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