Date
1/13/10
Location
Miami, FL
130 N.E. 40th Street, Atlas Plaza, Miami Design District
What I ate
Roasted forelle pears stuffed with goat cheese
Grilled local wahoo with curried lentils
Who went
Kelly
Website
http://www.michaelsgenuine.com/content/home
Thoughts
Wow, what great food! I spend a lot of my time in a town relatively devoid of great restaurants, but I still get to indulge in a favorite past time of mine - reading menus of nice places I won't visit. I know, it sounds a little disappointing, but I really do enjoy seeing what people want to do and getting inspired to make my own creations. Luckily for me, I was able to do both with Michael's; I knew I was going eventually, but had time to scan the menu and create before I actually went there.
My first impression was that it seemed a pretty swanky place, a nice spot for some relaxing food and drinks to cap off a long work week or a good date location. The setup wasn't actually ideal for either - our table was very close to another and, not only was it a little loud in general, but we could hear the conversation next to us with no effort - but they still pulled it off quite well, making up for any shortcomings with the service and quality of food. Our waitress was at the table quickly, making good conversation and answering questions about the menu without seeming intrusive. It was pretty impressive how she and the bus boys were able to do a good job with the tables so close to each other, but I guess that just comes with practice.
Now on to the important part - the food. The pears were a tad small, but they worked well as an appetizer. They had a great roasted flavor with a little bit of sweetness that was far from overbearing. The texture and taste of the cheese worked well with the fleshy pears. They were probably not fork-and-knife food, but it seems like that's too classy an establishment to eat anything with your hands. It was worth the work, anyway. As good as the pears were, the entree was so much better. The fish was delicious and very well cooked. It was still quite succulent despite being grilled, and it had a bit of that blackened tasted to it. The fact that it was local, a wahoo, and a hearty serving was certainly nice, too. I was a little surprised by the rest of the dish, in a good way. I expected the focus of the dish to be good, but I really wasn't thinking about the supporting cast. The lentils were nice and al dente with awesome curry flavor. The fish was topped with a parsley gastrique which was one of the tastiest things I've eaten in a while. There was recognizable parsley flavor with a handful of spices that fully complimented the fish and lentils. As far as things I've had on one fork, a big bite of lentils and wahoo topped with the gastrique is very close to the top. When I read a menu and try to get inspired, I usually try to make something a bit different from what the menu reads. You can be certain that I'm going to try to recreate this dish as close to the original as possible.
P.S. Neither thing I ate paired with my St. Peter's Cream Stout, but it was all delicious, anyway.
Recap
Pros - awesome food, great entree portions
Cons - a little cramped, a little loud, a little expensive
Overall - No, you're not going to go here every day. You probably won't even go here more than once a month unless you're really raking in the big bucks. That said, if you're in Miami for a few days or for a year, you'd be missing out if you skipped a visit to Michael's. Take a look at the menu online - it changes slightly with the seasons - and make the trip there.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Cantina
Date
8/5/09 (I think)
Location
Where Martha's Cafe used to be
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Tuna taco, chicken burrito
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Larson, Suzie, Xander, Elise
Thoughts
This review is over 6 months late now, so my memory of it is kinda spotty. I was definitely sad to see Martha's go, but I think this place will be alright. The food was tasty and, despite some growing pains, it looks like they might stick around there for a while. I'm interested to see how things are now that they've been open for a few months.
If I recall correctly, both tacos were cooked well and definitely not dried out. The flavors weren't amazing, but they definitely weren't bland. I think they even had a nice little kick, but I could just be making that up at this point.
Recap
Pros - good food, pretty well priced
Cons - limited selection
Overall - If memory serves, it's a pretty solid place to go on the Corner. It would probably work well as a nice, quick dinner for someone who works near the Corner or had a long day on Grounds.
8/5/09 (I think)
Location
Where Martha's Cafe used to be
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Tuna taco, chicken burrito
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Larson, Suzie, Xander, Elise
Thoughts
This review is over 6 months late now, so my memory of it is kinda spotty. I was definitely sad to see Martha's go, but I think this place will be alright. The food was tasty and, despite some growing pains, it looks like they might stick around there for a while. I'm interested to see how things are now that they've been open for a few months.
If I recall correctly, both tacos were cooked well and definitely not dried out. The flavors weren't amazing, but they definitely weren't bland. I think they even had a nice little kick, but I could just be making that up at this point.
Recap
Pros - good food, pretty well priced
Cons - limited selection
Overall - If memory serves, it's a pretty solid place to go on the Corner. It would probably work well as a nice, quick dinner for someone who works near the Corner or had a long day on Grounds.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Brasserie Montiel Restaurant & Bar
Date
1/30/10
Location
2001 Commonwealth Dr.
What I ate
Duck Confit and Butternut Ravioli
Tamarind Glazed Smoked Pork Tenderloin w/ Basmati Rice and Caramelized Apple Chips
Poached Pear with Gorgonzola and Salted Pistachios
Who went
Ellen
Website
http://brasseriemontiel.com/default.aspx
Thoughts
My first impression of Brasserie occurred several hours prior to our dining experience. Unsure if the snow fall would affect our reservation, I received a call nearly two hours prior that the restaurant was indeed open and parking available. This was only the beginning of the professionalism shown by the restaurant staff for the entire evening. Further, this was a casual dining experience. Although not a place to wear jeans and a t-shirt, I felt comfortable wearing khakis and a button up for dinner.
The appetizer was a perfect way to start the meal. I have had my share of duck, and this was cooked extremely well. The sauce was flavorful, but not overpowering. Then, when the entree was served, I was amazed by the portion sizes. Unlike Boar's Head, or any other fine dining restaurants that I have been to, Brasserie served generous portions. The pork tenderloin was delicious though not as tender as I would have hoped. The rice and vegetables were solid, but I felt that they required additional seasoning or the tamarind glaze. The caramelized apple chips were good, but served more as decoration than food. The disappointment was in the dessert. Though I understood the concept behind the dish, and the magnificent presentation, the ingredients clashed with each other. Each ingredient is, on its own, exceptionally powerful and commanded attention, but ruptured the dish as a whole. Sadly, I was unable to finish this plate.
From the comments I could gather from Ellen, her meal was solid, but fell short of the level of fine dining I would have expected. Her appetizer of the carrot and ginger soup with micro greens and a sesame mustard vinaigrette appeared to be a mixed bag. The carrot and ginger soup was delicious, though Ellen commented that the salad had too much dressing. Her vegetarian tempura with three dipping sauces to me appeared to be underwhelming for fine dining; even with its aims to be "casual" fine-dining. Overall, the entree was nothing spectacular and we were both surprised by the lack of creativity or quality of the dipping sauces of ranch, chipotle ranch, and bleu cheese. However, this was made up for in dessert. She ordered the dark chocolate ganache and pomegranate coulis creme anglaise. This was well presented (though on a plate two or three times larger than necessary) and the portion was small. Yet, the richness of the chocolate made this the perfect ending to her meal.
Recap
Pros - great service, relaxed atmosphere, good portions
Cons - Meals were inconsistent
Overall - Overall I enjoyed my meal, the atmosphere, and the company. However, the meals were too inconsistent to classify this restaurant as Restaurant Week worthy.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Fossett's - Keswick Hall
Date
7/19/09
Location
Keswick Hall
701 Club Drive
What I ate
Summer bean bisque with scallop ratatouille
Bouille of Gryffon's Aerie beef, parsley pappardelle, beets, pea shoots
Virginia Gentleman cake with surrey peanut ice cream
Who went
Kelly
Website
http://www.keswick.com/web/okes/fossetts.jsp
Thoughts
First a little disclaimer - I'm writing this a little more than a month after we actually ate there. I was busy preparing for veterinary school and I'm going to try to write it from memory in a very short amount of free time I have (read: while I'm in class).
This place has the look and service you think of when you hear the term "country club". That is to say, at least what I think of when I hear the term. We had a great view overlooking the golf course, everything was very clean and shiny, and everyone was dressed quite nicely. Our waiter was conversational, but not overly talkative (see P.S.) and the other, umm, table attendants said nothing aside from asking if we wanted more bread. I did feel made fun of when I opted for tap water over the $8 bottle of water - the guy said I was in for "Albemarle's finest" with a bit of a mocking tone - but everyone was very nice otherwise.
The food was really delicious. My soup was very flavorful and had a great bean-y taste. The scallops were cool and refreshing. I'm going to have to learn how to make a bean soup like that. They also gave us some crusty bread and home-made cheese spread as an appetizer which was great; I could probably snack on a whole lot of that stuff. The two cuts of beef were, unsurprisingly, really tender and both well cooked and well seasoned. The vegetables didn't add all that much taste, but they did give a nice balance. Really, this is very closely related to a fancy beef stew, but it didn't matter because it was delicious. Regarding dessert, those of you who know me know that I'll be very content with most things bourbon-related. The cake was actually a little on the bourbon-y side for a dessert, but it was awesome and the peanut ice cream was both a good compliment and scrumptious (I'm running out of synonyms for "delicious") by itself.
Recap
Pros - really tasty, great service, great view
Cons - expensive, even for RW
Overall - I can see why it's so expensive to eat here usually. The food was really delicious - up there with the tastiest of RW - and the service was great. It had the atmosphere of an uptight, hoity-toity dinner but I really felt comfortable. I probably won't be back, but that's definitely not because of the food.
P.S. Ask me for the funny waiter slip-up.
7/19/09
Location
Keswick Hall
701 Club Drive
What I ate
Summer bean bisque with scallop ratatouille
Bouille of Gryffon's Aerie beef, parsley pappardelle, beets, pea shoots
Virginia Gentleman cake with surrey peanut ice cream
Who went
Kelly
Website
http://www.keswick.com/web/okes/fossetts.jsp
Thoughts
First a little disclaimer - I'm writing this a little more than a month after we actually ate there. I was busy preparing for veterinary school and I'm going to try to write it from memory in a very short amount of free time I have (read: while I'm in class).
This place has the look and service you think of when you hear the term "country club". That is to say, at least what I think of when I hear the term. We had a great view overlooking the golf course, everything was very clean and shiny, and everyone was dressed quite nicely. Our waiter was conversational, but not overly talkative (see P.S.) and the other, umm, table attendants said nothing aside from asking if we wanted more bread. I did feel made fun of when I opted for tap water over the $8 bottle of water - the guy said I was in for "Albemarle's finest" with a bit of a mocking tone - but everyone was very nice otherwise.
The food was really delicious. My soup was very flavorful and had a great bean-y taste. The scallops were cool and refreshing. I'm going to have to learn how to make a bean soup like that. They also gave us some crusty bread and home-made cheese spread as an appetizer which was great; I could probably snack on a whole lot of that stuff. The two cuts of beef were, unsurprisingly, really tender and both well cooked and well seasoned. The vegetables didn't add all that much taste, but they did give a nice balance. Really, this is very closely related to a fancy beef stew, but it didn't matter because it was delicious. Regarding dessert, those of you who know me know that I'll be very content with most things bourbon-related. The cake was actually a little on the bourbon-y side for a dessert, but it was awesome and the peanut ice cream was both a good compliment and scrumptious (I'm running out of synonyms for "delicious") by itself.
Recap
Pros - really tasty, great service, great view
Cons - expensive, even for RW
Overall - I can see why it's so expensive to eat here usually. The food was really delicious - up there with the tastiest of RW - and the service was great. It had the atmosphere of an uptight, hoity-toity dinner but I really felt comfortable. I probably won't be back, but that's definitely not because of the food.
P.S. Ask me for the funny waiter slip-up.
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!
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!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
C&O
Date
7/16/09
Location
East end of the Downtown Mall
515 East Water Street
What I ate
Vegetable soup
Roasted chicken with sweet potato souffle
Chocolate praline torte
Who went
Larson, Sarah Collins, Graham
Website
http://www.candorestaurant.com/index.html
Thoughts
Before I start, I want to say that my thoughts on this meal as I get further from it. That isn't to say it was bad, but the more I think about it, the less harsh my criticism gets. The meal was definitely my least favorite of the Restaurant Week meals, but that's setting the bar pretty high; it wasn't at all a bad meal. Also, thanks to my fellow diners for coming through at the last minute so I didn't have to eat alone.
My soup was decent, but pretty boring. I would've gone for the gnocci, but the other three chose that and I wanted to make sure we had a sampling of all of the offerings if possible; I apparently chose incorrectly. The chicken had some good flavor, but was just overcooked, making it dry and tough. It probably could've been saved were it covered in the gravy (which didn't do much more than add moisture) but the chicken was left to stand on its own. That said, the sweet potato souffle was one of the most delicious things I had all of Restaurant Week. Between that and the lasagna from the night before, I have realized that I actually do like sweet potatoes and will have to start cooking with them. The dessert was really well-done - the cake was rich and chocolatey, and the little toasted praline slivers gave a great crunch and taste to the crust. I also got to taste the blueberry and peach cobbler, which was even better (albeit slightly) than my torte.
Other than the dry chicken, the only thing that really disappointed me was the service. It wasn't bad for most restaurants, but for a place with the reputation of the C&O, it didn't seem up to par. The wait staff seemed disappointed we weren't ordering drinks. I understand that they probably made more profit with drinks during Restaurant Week than the food because of the food deal, but I really hope a waiter could have a better poker face. Our quarters were a little tight, but not a problem once we actually got seated. All in all, a good, but relatively disappointing offering for Restaurant Week.
Recap
Pros - tasty sides, delicious dessert
Cons - dry, overcooked chicken, mediocre service
Overall - It was a good meal, but it just wasn't great. Everyone I've talked to seems surprised because they've always enjoyed their visits, so I won't write it off, but there are a bunch of other restaurants on par with the cost here that I'll visit before coming back to C&O.
7/16/09
Location
East end of the Downtown Mall
515 East Water Street
What I ate
Vegetable soup
Roasted chicken with sweet potato souffle
Chocolate praline torte
Who went
Larson, Sarah Collins, Graham
Website
http://www.candorestaurant.com/index.html
Thoughts
Before I start, I want to say that my thoughts on this meal as I get further from it. That isn't to say it was bad, but the more I think about it, the less harsh my criticism gets. The meal was definitely my least favorite of the Restaurant Week meals, but that's setting the bar pretty high; it wasn't at all a bad meal. Also, thanks to my fellow diners for coming through at the last minute so I didn't have to eat alone.
My soup was decent, but pretty boring. I would've gone for the gnocci, but the other three chose that and I wanted to make sure we had a sampling of all of the offerings if possible; I apparently chose incorrectly. The chicken had some good flavor, but was just overcooked, making it dry and tough. It probably could've been saved were it covered in the gravy (which didn't do much more than add moisture) but the chicken was left to stand on its own. That said, the sweet potato souffle was one of the most delicious things I had all of Restaurant Week. Between that and the lasagna from the night before, I have realized that I actually do like sweet potatoes and will have to start cooking with them. The dessert was really well-done - the cake was rich and chocolatey, and the little toasted praline slivers gave a great crunch and taste to the crust. I also got to taste the blueberry and peach cobbler, which was even better (albeit slightly) than my torte.
Other than the dry chicken, the only thing that really disappointed me was the service. It wasn't bad for most restaurants, but for a place with the reputation of the C&O, it didn't seem up to par. The wait staff seemed disappointed we weren't ordering drinks. I understand that they probably made more profit with drinks during Restaurant Week than the food because of the food deal, but I really hope a waiter could have a better poker face. Our quarters were a little tight, but not a problem once we actually got seated. All in all, a good, but relatively disappointing offering for Restaurant Week.
Recap
Pros - tasty sides, delicious dessert
Cons - dry, overcooked chicken, mediocre service
Overall - It was a good meal, but it just wasn't great. Everyone I've talked to seems surprised because they've always enjoyed their visits, so I won't write it off, but there are a bunch of other restaurants on par with the cost here that I'll visit before coming back to C&O.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Cassis
There was so much interest in Restaurant Week that I was able to send two groups to restaurants both Wednesday and Thursday. Andrenne led the group that went to Cassis on Wednesday and volunteered to send me a review. I haven't changed her words at all, just made it fit into the normal format.
Date
Location
What I ate
I ate pan-fried oysters, medium-rare strip steak with fries and mustard sauce, and finished with an apple tart a la mode
Who went
Thoughts
Jose and Robby agreed that they were happy with their meals, who both got salmon as their
entree. Personally, I wasn't a fan of my steak, which they described as medium rare. As someone who grew up eating medium rare steak (basically still bleeding) at home every Friday night, I felt like I was eating a giant hunk of raw steak at Cassis. It was barely seared on the outside, and not even pink on the inside-- just a dark raw color. Because it was so uncooked, it was impossible to chew, and I couldn't finish the whole thing. It was just too unpleasant.
Recap
Pros - cool atmosphere, live music, good service
Date
7/15/09
Location
One of the first restaurants when you turn onto Water Street, before Mono Loco
210 W Water St, Charlottesville VA 22902
What I ate
I ate pan-fried oysters, medium-rare strip steak with fries and mustard sauce, and finished with an apple tart a la mode
Who went
Myself, Jose, Robby
Thoughts
Jose and Robby agreed that they were happy with their meals, who both got salmon as their
entree. Personally, I wasn't a fan of my steak, which they described as medium rare. As someone who grew up eating medium rare steak (basically still bleeding) at home every Friday night, I felt like I was eating a giant hunk of raw steak at Cassis. It was barely seared on the outside, and not even pink on the inside-- just a dark raw color. Because it was so uncooked, it was impossible to chew, and I couldn't finish the whole thing. It was just too unpleasant.
The oysters were good, but both Robby and I agreed that the apple tart left something to be desired. The crust was tasty and the ice cream high quality, but the apple filling was just half a skinned apple. The apple itself was a mealy texture and didn't have many spices to complement its flavor. I expect buttery layered apple slices with a healthy dose of cinnamon!
I'm not sure if restaurant week was a deal. The prices on the regular menu at Cassis are high-ish, but even if I got an appetizer, entree, and dessert, I could still easily come in under a pre-tax total of $25.
Recap
Pros - cool atmosphere, live music, good service
Cons - food less than impressive (even somewhat horrifying), restaurant week not a better deal than going there otherwise
Overall - Also, a con of restaurant week in general, why the boring menus? A lot of these restaurants are serving the beef/chicken/veggie standards, not really allowing for the spirit of adventure, unless they're daring enough to put something unconventional on the appetizer list. I would expect more creativity from these chefs who take so much pride in running the best kitchens in Charlottesville.
I would go to Cassis again, given that Jose and Robby were happy, and the tastes that I took of their dishes were pretty yummy, but I would definitely avoid the steak, or ask for a more thoroughly cooked version.
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