Dan R.
Yelp
How many times have you taken food out of a frying pan or off of a grill and put it on a plate?
Sitting at Present Company's "Chef's Table" tonight, we saw the chefs do this dozens of times, as well as swoosh on a ribbon of sauce or sprinkle on some finishing garnishes. The thing that impressed us was the degree of care and detail and precision they displayed to make sure that everything was placed "just so" and make those plates magazine-cover worthy.
Our anniversary dinner was easily a five star experience. Service was incredible, starting with our very personable server Sarah, who knew the menu and beer and wine lists forwards and backwards and inside and out and upside down. She was very attentive, very helpful and as pleasant as could be.
The Chef's Table is a long bar-like counter with stools, but instead of a bartender and a wall of liquor bottles on the other side, is the restaurant's open kitchen and talented chefs. We sat two feet away from them, and watched a team of talented pros crank out these gorgeous looking plates of food all night long.
They grilled, they heated pots and pans of sauces and vegetables and sides on the kitchen's ten burner stove. They grated and micro-planed and sprinkled stuff around like fairy dust. They worked as a team all night long and found time to chat with each other, confirm what orders were new and what was ready, shoot the breeze with us and check on how we liked our meal.
And man oh man, did we like our meal! It started off with two complimentary dishes - small toasts with pistachio butter and an asparagus vichyssoise with a dollop of crème fraiche.
We ordered a Kim Crawford Rosé from New Zealand ($10) and a Trappist Ale ($7).
The first real decision we had to make was how were we going to order, because you can go in a few different directions here. They have a five-course tasting menu with or without wine pairings ($75/$100), or you can order a la carte, or if you visit on Tuesday or Wednesday they offer a $40 prix fixe special.
We went the a la carte route and selected two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts.
The appetizers were "hand cut buckwheat pasta with spring onion, gruyere fondue, and pickled ramps for $12, and grilled octopus with lobster and carrot minestra, israeli cous cous, and sherry caramel for $17.
They were both incredible combinations of sights and tastes. They were both presented beautifully! The pasta sat on a green sauce base with all sorts of things sprinkled on top. It tasted so light and delicate!
The octopus was amazing- imagine a soup bowl full of lobster chunks, carrots, and cous-cous swimming in a dark gold minestrone like sauce with four hunks of the very best octopus I've ever had sitting above it all, like kings on a throne. I order octopus whenever I see it on a menu, and this was clearly the very best version I ever had- tender as could be and totally delicious.
Our entrees were grilled swordfish with crispy potato, english peas, and salted peanuts in a coconut red-curry sauce ($32) and a pesto wrapped lamb loin with chickpea and ricotta dumplings, and golden beets in a rosemary red wine jus ($35).
They were equally as gorgeous to look at and as delicious to taste, as were the appetizers.
https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=o5J2nFrMY3gQTsSCgMZumw&userid=cVrM2BvOvPV0Vi_rC8kepQ
https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=D8-5DpWdwH-4FHuxP_iGpA&userid=cVrM2BvOvPV0Vi_rC8kepQ
We wrapped things up with a Small French Press Coffee for $6, and a Cherry Clafoutis Luxado Gelato with Milk Jam ($8) and a White Chocolate Mint Cremeux ($9). We shared both and they were so good I can't put it into words.
Bottom line, our special occasion a la carte dinner of three courses each, plus two wines and a beer ran $155. It was worth every cent.