Rachael S.
Yelp
Aster House left me quite ambivalent towards its food, ambiance and service, making this a challenging restaurant for review.
Initially stepping into the curtained entrance, Aster House is spacious, moody and beautiful. In the same vein, it's disjointed, cold and sparse. Seated close to the entrance, I remained in my jacket the entire evening due to the chill that permeated the space. The walls are a mix of materials and scattered plants appear misplaced amongst long hanging, golden light fixtures. It felt as if we were back stage at a play, where props are left haphazardly about the floor. The bar, nestled in the back corner, looked stately, but with the dark lighting, it took time for my eyes to adjust enough to make out even the larger details.
I will save the food for last and move to the service piece of the evening. Our waiter was kind but impeccably formal, if not overly so. When questioning between two smaller plates to share, they mentioned both being "the best we have" and proceeding to write down our order without reviewing other recommendations. We felt rushed, yet their formality made it feel like we were the ones at fault. After our two small dishes (see below), our waiter came back to take our main entree orders. Similarly, they stated the chicken was superior to the pork chop, although the pork chop was larger in size (agree with portion size, differing opinion on superiority). We then waited, and waited, and waited. About thirty minutes later, one of our dining mates remarked - there is no food coming out of the kitchen?! It was true. Every table was bare, save for cocktails, water, or wine.
Shortly after this remark, our waiter came back around. I don't recall their exact words but it started with an apology, mentioning the kitchen being backed up after just having received a large order. They asked if I had ordered the pork chop, right? And then apologized again, offering no time frame for when to expect our delayed dishes. As we looked around, there was no table larger than six, and it didn't appear as the space was brimming with activity. After another twenty minutes, our food arrived, somewhat warm but very tasty.
Pork chop: bone in, thick cut with excellent flavor and just the right amount of fat, this was one of the better pork cops I've consumed. Underneath the healthy portion size were salty, vibrant butter beans with small pieces of stewed kale. A rich and hearty dish.
Steak: a cut of prime New York strip, this was my favorite bite of the meal, leaving me wishing I had ordered it for myself. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, with decadent butter pooling on top, this was executed to perfection, and at a very reasonable price.
Chicken: certainly the smallest portion size, this little bird came to our table a bit dry and a bit cold. I didn't find the skin to be crispy and the cabbage and dijon cream accompaniment were lacking flavor and vibrance. Skip.
Aforementioned smaller plates: Wild Rice Fritters boasted a light and crispy exterior with piping hot, creamy wild rice to fill their center, almost like fried wild rice soup. The Chicken Liver Toast left much to be desired. A sad piece of floppy bread was spread thin with watered down, flavorless chicken liver. The sliced onions were the only redeeming quality. I would say a definite miss.
I write this review not to dissuade you from trying Aster House, because I think their main entrees are worthwhile, and if you like a dark atmosphere, it may be for you. I just wish they had been upfront with why our meal took over an hour after ordering. I also believe the chicken entree and chicken liver toast were genuinely poorly executed. Go for the steak and pork chop, and bring an extra layer!
