The interior of the restaurant is spacious with a Japanese esthetic in that lines are clean, materials are elegant, and colors are calming. This is true from the bar to the see through "wine cellar" (which divides the bar from the dining area), to the open kitchen, to the bathrooms.
The wine list is extensive and worldly with a variety of new and old world wines and many by the glass options.
The menu helpfully offer suggested wine pairings. The cocktails are also high end and well executed.
Prices are high here, but you get what you paid for. The beet salad may be a shock at $14 but it is one of the most well thought out plates I have ever encountered. There are multiple elements which are delightful to taste individually and balanced when eaten together. Golden beets are lovingly peeled and halved with the "tail" on. They are surrounded by a symphony of herbal green salad with parsley and pea shoots. Translucent slivers of shaved turnips and carrots add color and texture to the greens. Delving further, you will find crisp flash fried parsnip chips and candied walnut pieces to provide a hint of sweetness to this dish. Blood orange supremes and a candied orange slice impart elegance and add another depth of flavor. I find the requisite goat cheese with most beet salads superfluous, but in this case, the dollops of Broken Shovel goat cheese enhance the lightness and brightness of this dish. It is a wonderful start to the meal and not so filling that you can't imagine eating the entrees.
I must make note of the house made foccaccia. It is served warm, perfectly cooked, and airy. What stands out is the accompanying olive oil. It is clean and grassy without any bitterness; the exact opposite of my first experience with olive oil which tasted like melted candle wax.
On the recommendation of our knowledgeable and enthusiastic waiter I ordered the sustainably sourced Branzini (sea bass) from Turkey as my entree. The skin is left on both sides of the fish along with the tail but the head and bones removed. This makes for a impressive presentation. The skin is crisp until the last bite, even after a spritz of the thoughtfully grilled lemon half. It does not need more than the lemony, herbal gremolata garnish. The tempura zucchini fries are crunchy and sweet. The fennel, orange, and peashoot salad balances the unctuousness of the fish with some acidity and mild bitterness. The suggested wine pairing of Albarino with this dish was exceptional. It is acidic, medium bodied, with a long finish and pairs perfectly with the Branzini.
Don, torn between the quail special and the pork dish could not resist pork three ways. The dish is sure to please any carnivore. It comes with a perfectly caramelized cube of confit pork belly, four slices of grilled tenderloin, and a halved pork sausage (knackwurst). The meats are well cooked but all taste uniformly sweet. This is perhaps attributable to the reduction drizzled over the dish. Caramelized apple wedges, cubed carrots and parsley, and a very sweet root vegetable puree extend the sweet flavor profile. I find myself craving pickled vegetables for balance. A wine high in acidity would pair well with this cloying dish
We should have ordered cheese for dessert after all this sugar, but at the mention of a house pastry chef, we opted for the chocolate caramel creme instead. It is a three layer concoction served in an old fashioned glass with a base of pecan brownie, a caramel cremeux (soft pudding), topped with milk chocolate mousse. The only glitch of the meal happened at the finale when our dessert came before the freshly brewed coffee.
Happily, our meal did not leave me so bloated and sleepy that I couldn't enjoy the play. We will happily return to Charcoal knowing we'll receive top notch service and consistency in quality of the food.
 |
| open kitchen |
 |
| Beet Salad |
 |
| Candied orange section |
 |
| Branzini |
 |
| Duroc Pork three ways |
 |
| Chocolate caramel creme |
No comments:
Post a Comment