Spring-review

Arrived at 7:15 for a 7:30 reservation, found my father at the bar perusing the menu and nursing a Tanqueray and tonic, and, after ordering the same, off we went to be seated. I imagine, quite correctly most likely, that no one cares about anything but food, so i'll get right to it. I started with a lobster ceviche (a stupid thing to order when you're going to Maine this weekend--but what the hell) which was a sort of terrine of wonderful diced lobster on top of a deconstructed gazpacho (or, i guess, a finely diced salsa cruda), all of which nested beneath a dollop of avocado mousse and a small pocket of American sturgeon caviar. This was quite a great summer starter. My father started with a smoky tomato soup with parmesan gnocchi. We were told that the tomatoes were smoked over oak, and the flavor was spectacular--i'm a huge fan of tomatoes in general, but this was exceptional. Possible entrees were such things as their usual Maine scallops with braised oxtail in a ginger soy emulsion (had it twice before and it's awesome), Australian (i think) Swordfish in a broth of morels, smoked bacon, and peas, and Monkfish wrapped in prociutto. This latter looked good to me, but I went instead with Halibut in a yellow tomato broth with Chinese daikon radishes and some other things--the halibut was perfectly seasoned and was indeed a thick cut. My dad went with the copper river special, and though I find the ubiquitous salmon somewhat tiresome, this particular dish really restored my faith in the fish--just a really good piece of fish. Our wine throughout was a 2002 Francis Tannahall Pinot Noir from the Willamette, perhaps in a nod to where we spent 8 years living. Service was wonderful throughout. The only glitches in the entire experience revolved around our after-meal experience--went with the 9 dollar cheese plate (the medium tier in terms of pricing) that was the most pitiful cheese plate i've ever had the misfortune of being served, and, less aggravating, they were out of the Guwurtz Grappa that i wanted but heartily endorsed a Massanez pear brandy that i sampled and rejected, going instead for a Basil Hayden bourbon, which was served in a rather large and wide cocktail glass--a nice move, as i have the entire glass and the small bulb of bourbon in the bottom rounding it out. All in all, that place has still got it.

Sorry--to clear up--the Willamette is a reference to Willamette Valley in Oregon.