l'etoile

Date
7/18/09

Location
On Main Street across from the Amtrak station
817 West Main Street

What I ate
Sweetbreads with bacon and shiitake mushrooms
Beef tenderloin with new potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and onions
Chocolate fondant

Who went
Mom, Dad, Dan, Julie

Website
http://letoilecville.blogspot.com/

Thoughts
Wow! This meal was one of the best I can remember having in a very long time. The food was great. The service was great. The vibe I got from the place was just comfortable. It was my brother's birthday (well, close to it) and I was able to touch base with the hostess before dinner, who was happy to add a candle to the top of his dessert. I also really like the lobby-like area complete with couches and magazines showcasing local food. Now, let's talk about the food.

Sweetbreads have been on my list of "somewhat obscure foods to try before I die" for a long time. I used to read how people liked them, but was really just curious as to how something so unlike what we usually eat was widely accepted in the culinary world. Now I know - they're absolutely delicious. A few friends went here earlier in the week, so I had been briefed that they were worthwhile, but I couldn't know just how good they would be. Everyone except my brother tried some and everyone (even my relatively squeamish mom) said they were very tasty. The mushrooms were pretty good, too, but I wasn't paying them much attention with the great sweetbreads. The steak was just a great example of how to cook at steak. It wasn't all that fancily dressed with lots of spices, vegetables, or sauces, but it was just a nice cut of meat that was treated really well. The accompaniments were good, but as with the sweetbreads, the headliner of the dish just took the lead and never looked back. My dessert was tasty and rich; it was a nice way to relax and wind down from the great meal. I had a bite of my sister's peach panna cotta, which was tasty and light.

At this point (dinner was two weeks ago, sorry) I don't really remember that many details about the peripherals, but I'll try to talk about that. Our waiter was nice and conversational, but not too talkative, though his helpers - guys refilling glasses, getting more bread - didn't say anything. I understand that "that's how it's done" but it was just a little odd. The art on the walls was quirky, but nice and they picked great dinner music. They played some big band classic standards (think Tuxedo Junction, Satin Doll, etc.) that just made the whole dinner that much better. I'm also excited to go back for their weekly price fixe ($27) menu on Wednesday and Thursday.

Recap
Pros - awesome food, great service, cool music
Cons - nothing, absolutely nothing
Overall - Again, it was an all-around awesome meal. The food was delicious and the peripherals were great, too. It's only sad I haven't been here before after 5 years of living in Charlottesville.

NOTE: You can sometimes find chef/owner Mark Gresge at the city market giving away some free samples. Check it out!