It was a birthday night... one of those nights where you got out looking for good eats and drinks. I had a full wallet and wanted to spend money (this never happens)...you know those nights, that are so far and few between in these depressing recession days, when you've had a bad week and all you want to do is find a great bar, great food and have good times with a great friend, This was one of those nights.
Well on this occasion it was my sisters birthday, and I wanted to try the new restaurant that "everyone" was talking about. So here's the scene, we had an 8 o'clock reservation but when we got to the restaurant there was 2 tables filled inside and 4 outside, hardly a full house, but this is never a problem for me as the crazier a place is ...the more busy, worse the service, and not nearly as much attention on me, which is the whole point of course...I'm joking (kinda).
The first thing I see is the chef (also a friend from high school), and I have to find out what's the best eats on the menu, and he claims the scallops and the pasta, any question to what we're ordering? When a chef tells you what's good on the menu, that's what you eat!
So just to start out the evening we needed to get some libations, I was aiming on getting my birthday sister plastered (she's super controlling so this was a big task, but she was a bit tipsy at the end of the night - we'll call that a success), but nothing-for-nothing this was great food.
Eats
Tomales Bay Oysters - Basil Dijonaise & Verdita Granita
Who doesn't like some great raw oysters before a meal, the trick to enjoying them is how you eat them, with a great sauce or mignonette and letting them slide down your throat, I know how that sounds, but if you chew them that's why you (you know who you are) don't like them, they're all about texture, and these were very fresh!
Mac n' Cheese - Orcchiette with Four Cheese's & Topped with Bread Crumbs
Ok, so very few people can rival my sister for Mac n' Cheese prowess - she does her's with 4 cheese's and 2 recipes, bacon and bleu cheese - this is the only alternative I'd ever eat otherwise. It was exceptionally creamy in the cheese sauce, the right amount of chewiness to the pasta, and covered with crispy breadcrumbs on top - to be fully fair the chef did bring out some of the bacon they were cooking up on the line...it was finished in DUCK FAT! Fantastically jaw dropping!
Scallops - Pan Seared Diver Scallops, Brentwood Yellow Corn, Romano Beans, Del Rio Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes & bacon-Sherry Vinaigrette
So this was the real highlight my evening (other than the drinks of course), and a recipe that I fully intend to steal (compliment, of course) - the first thing of note on this dish is how perfectly well the scallops were cooked, seared but not over cooked, so they finish cooking when they rest - having a exceptionally lush mouth-feel, butter and flavor. Then finished on top of a corn, heirloom tomato, and BACON-sherry dressing? Seriously good eats.
Pappardelle - Hand-made pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, House-made Red Wine-Fennel Sausage, Garlic, Arugula & Shaved Parmesan
Now where there are some pasta zealots it's kind of a hard sell for me, I love small amounts of pasta, but for me it's all about the initial bite, not buckets of pasta later - this would have made a good meal for both customers - the pasta is cooked al dente and had a great bite, robust flavor from the sausage and bitter arugula, and a rich, ripeness from the tomatoes - so this was perfect for stealing bites from my sister!
Drinks
Final Word - Plymouth Gin, Green Chartruse, Luxardo maraschino, Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice with Whiskey Infused Cherry
Bourbon and Whiskey Infused Cherries...stop, nuf said
The Birthday - Drink
For the life of me I don't know what was it this, but it tasted like a cold version of Hot Orange Cider over ice, with cloves, organic spiced rum and star anise! and they named it after my sister's birthday!
For the life of me I don't know what was it this, but it tasted like a cold version of Hot Orange Cider over ice, with cloves, organic spiced rum and star anise! and they named it after my sister's birthday!
Pancho Villa - Cazadores Anejo Tequila, Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice, Honey Syrup with Fresh Sage Leaf
Yum, Savory and Sweet
Yum, Savory and Sweet
Thir13een
1300 H St
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 594-7669
No comments:
Post a Comment