Jeremy S.
Yelp
Proper food!
Present Company offers something not common in the Greater Hartford area - a contemporary fine dining experience. For us, fine dining is not about a stuffy restaurant, opulent dated decor, or other things that I might associate with my grandparents. Present company offers a warm friendly environment, engaging staff, and perfectly-cooked food.
"High-quality cooking"
A certain tire company does not currently rate restaurants in Connecticut. If they did, I think that Present Company would earn a distinction and a star. It's that good. Having dined at Michelin star restaurants in the past, I believe that Present Company would qualify.
For our anniversary celebration, we sat at the Chef's Counter and ordered the 5-course tasting menu. It was obvious that we were in no rush, and the food arrived appropriately for us - no rush between courses, but we were never left wondering if someone had forgotten about us. Wine? We weren't sure what to order, so the staff sommelier came over to discuss our likes and dislikes and make some recommendations. One of us is vegetarian, the other is not. No problem here either - some courses we received were the same, some different. As the meal went on, we engaged in some conversation with most of the kitchen staff. It was always friendly and relaxed. Whether we had questions about the food or compliments to deliver, the interaction was fantastic and truly added to the special experience.
One of the things that I love about a proper tasting menu is that, as a diner, I know that by the end of the evening, I will not be hungry. I trust the chef to get me there in an unexpected, delicious way. Present Company did not disappoint - we had 5 courses of wonderful food, conversation, wine and experiences stretching over more than 2 hours. Hardly inexpensive, I would argue that this was good value for us as diners, and I'm already considering when we can return.
For us, the Chef's Counter was an integral and important part of our dining experience, and I would definitely recommend it!