Isabel Y.
Google
I genuinely loved my experience here at Arden to celebrate my anniversary! The entire space is covered in artificial, but well maintained flowers, plants, and chandeliers with warm lamps on the side that emit a light pink light. There are separate dining areas that provide a different experience from a cafe style in the front, to a conservatory feel in the back with lots of hanging baskets, to the main dining room that screams elegance and of course the bar that opens up to the sky amidst more hanging flowers. We visited during the holidays, so they also had a Christmas tree set up that changed colors and the fireplaces were lit up, adding another magical element to the space at night.
Personally I think we got the best seat in the house, which I recommend reserving ahead of time since it gets packed, inside the main dining room in the far back corner facing the bar and front of the house. You can see almost everything from there, but know that no matter where you sit, you’ll have a lovely view. Our server was also outstanding and gave us plenty of time to decide what we wanted without feeling rushed and pressured into anything. Note however that there is a 3% credit card fee, so unless you have a cash back or points system that matches or exceeds this charge, I recommend bringing cash.
Food-wise it was a hit and miss situation, which is why I couldn’t give it a full 5 stars despite enjoying my visit. To start we ordered the Tuna Truffle Crudo, which was crusted and blackened around the edges of the slices, yet raw in the middle. It was quite spicy, contrasted with a small dollop of avocado cream and crispy fried onions, radish and microgreens. While the sweet yet acidic sauce underneath had the potential to unite the entire dish with a fresh, bright flavor, it didn’t stick to the fish because it was so watery. You couldn’t taste it and the spice ended up overpowering each bite as a result. If the sauce stuck to the fish more, perhaps by turning it into a thicker syrup consistency, then it would be more balanced.
We also ordered the Shaved Brussels Sprouts, which unfortunately was not as appetizing of a salad as I was hoping for a few reasons. First, the vegetables were really dry, almost like they’d been cut ahead of time and left out until someone ordered. You could tell when you looked at the snap peas for example, which had that white hard edge from losing all its moisture. Also, raw brussel sprouts can be tough to work with, but if they scrunched them up with salt like cabbage or kale, they can release more of their juices and be easier on the palate both flavor and texture wise. Adding more vinaigrette to the plate would have done wonders on its own accord, especially because the dressing itself is delicious. I also really liked the added crunch of the crispy quinoa and think adding a pop of sweetness by adding dried cherries, cranberries, pomegranate or even bits of tangerine would have also elevated the dish.
Now the Charred Octopus with Romesco, a favorite dish on the menu, was absolutely the best thing I ate all night and I would come back for it specifically. I loved how well the octopus was cooked, with a nice char on the outside, thinly sliced and not in the least bit chewy. The potatoes were firm enough to retain their shape, but soft enough to melt in your mouth alongside the butter and chives. The romesco itself was also outstanding, seasoned really well and was just the right amount for the entree. It was flavorful and had a perfect thicker texture for dipping that wasn’t too watery, nor too chunky.
The Lobster Rigatoni was also very tasty, but it didn’t blow my mind. I liked that there were chunks of lobster in it as opposed to minced or ground meat, and the pasta was cooked al dente with a nice chunk of burrata on top. I enjoyed the vodka sauce a lot as well, but it didn’t have enough of it. Really what I craved in this dish was something that contrasted the heavy, creamy nature of the dish, like pops of acidity and nuts and perhaps fresh herbs like basil.