Frank R.
Yelp
The buzz surrounding The Covey made me eager and excited to try the new Ketchum restaurant. That excitement was heightened as I entered the main dining room, a nicely appointed contemporary look with especially attractive lighting fixtures. The roaring fire in the open kitchen was the perfect accent to whet my appetite.
But following this initial high, some observations and incidents started souring my view of the establishment. For starters one of our fellow diners noted that the two kitchen workers on the salad station were handling the food with bare ungloved hands. Nobody ordered a salad. We ordered a bottle of wine that the wine list indicated was a 2016. After an initial pour, we discovered it was a 2018. Being off by one year may well be a result of running out of the posted vintage. But a two year difference suggests a certain neglect or indifference in their wine service, especially disappointing for a restaurant that features triple digital wine prices.
An appetizer special was described as featuring 'foie gras'. What came was pate of foie gras, a very different food item. Just as 'veal sausage' would not be suitable if the order was for 'veal', foie gras in pate form is a disappointment when the expectation is for the actual goose liver. And finally several in our party struggled reading the menu. It uses a poor font and too small a font size. The print seems to be produced to look like it was typed on an old Remington working with a too-often used typewriter ribbon with blotchy and fragmented lettering that further made reading the menu challenging.
These nitpicks would have all faded to nothing had the quality of the food excelled. Unfortunately that would not be the case. Our group shared several appetizers and a pasta dish family style, so we each were able to sample the offerings. The roasted Cauliflower was adequate, but totally undistinguished with no hint of the promised berbere spice. The Hamachi Crudo was likewise nice, but the distant flavors of rhubarb and blood orange were not enough to raise the level of the dish much above that of a simple sashimi serving. My misgivings aside, the foie gras dish was tasty. The goose liver immersed in a very creamy pate. But what made this dish is the 'watermelon jam' that sat atop the toast point with a schmear of pate. The flavors combined for a very delightful taste sensation.
We shared the Campanella pasta that included tomato water, stracciatella cheese and basil. The homemade pasta itself was very good. Trouble was the accompaniment. Despite its thin-sounding name, tomato water can be a luscious savory liquid. But not here. The dish was bland, the tomato water contributing little flavor to the dish. The basil was so scarce as to be unnoticed. The cheese, although quite tasty, was also apportioned less than generously.
Among the entrees, a Whole Trout dish received good comments, but something less than raves. A special Octopus dish, served cold, was enjoyed by one diner. While another pasta dish proved to be a significant improvement from the Campanella. Amatriciana is a pasta sauce native to Rome and its province, Lazio. Having spent much time to Rome, I became very familiar with the pancetta-infused sauce and can attest to the authenticity in the version served at The Covey. It would rank above average among the versions sampled within the seven hills.
The group consensus as we came away from the meal was general disappointment given the restaurant's very favorable reviews. Expectations may have been too high, but there was also consensus that the food quality, uneven but good at times, did not justify the elevated prices. No one sampled their ultra-premium dry-aged steaks, a couple of which command prices over $200. It may be in this segment that The Covey justifies its high regard among some diners. But I got little indication of this from their "Bavette" steak, a Hanger steak that was, like many of the other dishes, good but not distinguished.
One final nitpick: The Covey requires a credit card to make a reservation. No problem there. But you are told there will be a $50 PER PERSON change if the reservation is cancelled "at the last minute". I inquired as to what constituted "last minute", but no one could give me an answer. In other words, it is discretionary. 1 hour? 3 hours? 6 hours? 24 hours? A definitive time should be provided in fairness to guests making reservations.