Cafe Absinthe

I am a new member to this forum! I have to say that I just had one of the best meals and service at Cafe Absinthe. I had my fantastic dinner there on Monday night. It is a very quite and cute atmosphere at least on a Monday night. I had a bottle of wine and it was to die for. I also had the Sea Scallops. The sauce that was added to Sea Scallops was made out of melted down lobster butter of some kind. The whole night was more magical then can be imagined. I would recommend this restaurant to any one that is looking for quite and romantic evening.

whatboy98 wrote: ... I had a bottle of mine ...

I didn't know Cafe Absinthe allowed you to bring in your own wine.

sorry about the miss typing the spelling of wine.. All fixed now thanks

nr706 wrote:

whatboy98 wrote: ... I had a bottle of mine ...

I didn't know Cafe Absinthe allowed you to bring in your own wine.

whatboy98 wrote:I would recommend this restaurant to any one that is looking for quite and romantic evening.

I'm not sure whether "quite" is a typo for "quiet" or "and" is a typo for "a." (It's one or the other, I know that much.) If "quite" is a typo for "quiet," this also comes as news to me! I've enjoyed Cafe Absinthe every time I've been there, but it's about the least quiet restaurant I've ever been. (Although it's been a few years--perhaps they've introduced some sound-deadening materials in the meantime? Or they're not doing as much as business as they once were, so the decibel level is down for that reason?)

I want to apologize to whatboy98 for my fellows. Guys, gals, can we all give up snarkiness for Lent? (or as Lent sympathizers for those of us who don't observe)

Sorry, I was having a bad day.

ahhh..I was gonna abstain(for Lent)...but, I too, enjoy Cafe Absinthe.

I'll give a thumb-up to Cafe Absinthe, too -- although based on only one visit about three years ago. I recall a very good foie gras appetizer with a well-paired wine, highly professional and friendly service, and a romantic and glamorous setting -- almost gothic, with the high ceiling and liberal draping. It was definitely not quiet, but we were there on a Saturday, not a Monday. I'd actually like to see what it's like there on a slow night; like dining in the Addams' family's parlor. One oddity I recall -- there were occasional strobe flashes, like the lightning effects at Rainforest Cafe. I kept wondering, are they trying to make us think papparazzi are swarming the place, or what? But maybe it was leaking in from the adjacent nightclub. The world (or I) may never know. But I like Absinthe and consider it, and Meritage, the two "grown up" dining places in or near The Crotch that warrant the attention they get (haven't tried Bin Cafe or the little Thyme offshoot, yet).

I want to apologize to whatboy98 for my fellows. Guys, gals, can we all give up snarkiness for Lent?

I actually want to know if "quite" was a typo for "quiet," because I want to find out if Cafe Absinthe is quiet now. (It didn't used to be.)

But maybe you didn't mean me.

"Quiet" and "Addams Family" both sum up how it struck me.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:I'll give a thumb-up to Cafe Absinthe, too --...

Jim, I'm not feeling you on this one, man. I went about 6 months ago and wasn't very impressed with the quality of the joint. It took several minutes to even get bread and water and the house was only at about 60%. I asked the waiter if the bartender could make a chocolate martini. He gave me this "honey please" look and said "of course he can make one". I said "Great. We'll take two then"... Another 10 min later he came back, without looking at me, and said "the bartender is not 'able' to make a chocolate martini. Can I get you something else?" I whipped around to look at the bar and saw ingredients to make at least 6 different types of Chocolate Martini's! Anticipating that I was about to get up, walk to the bar, slap the bartender and show him how to make a martini, my wife kicked me under the table and said to the waiter, "We'll just try some of your wines."

The food I thought was poorly made and obviously rushed onto the plates. I had the baked goat cheese salad, which had no dressing and the goat cheese was cold. The Beef Tenderloin I ordered med-rare came out med. I know that sounds picky, but if I'm gonna pay anything over $25 for a steak you better cook it how I asked you! After our food came we didn't see the waiter again until I had to flag him down to get our check. It also took a really long time for them to clear our plates. It prob took about 20 min.

But I like Absinthe and consider it, and Meritage, the two "grown up" dining places in or near The Crotch that warrant the attention they get (haven't tried Bin Cafe or the little Thyme offshoot, yet).

I'm gonna have to disagree here as well. I'm very yuppie sensitive. And a few of them can really kill a good restaurant for me. The table next to us had three girls, (about 24ish) all on their cell phones and three frat-boy types (26ish) all wearing jeans with un-tucked button downs and sunglasses on their heads (at night.) At least on my visit it seemed that the whole vibe catered to this crowd. I don't know if I would call it a "grown up" place. When I think of a "grown up" place I think of something like Albert’s Cafe or the Atwood Cafe.

I really don't mean to rip on the place, it's just that I can see what they're "trying to be" and they're not quite walking the talk. I think that with better management and service discipline inside and outside the kitchen they could be really-really good... But they don't.... so... they're not... sorry all. You'd have to drag me back there.

Greasy Spoon wrote:I really don't mean to rip on the place, it's just that I can see what they're "trying to be" and they're not quite walking the talk. I think that with better management and service discipline inside and outside the kitchen they could be really-really good... But they don't.... so... they're not... sorry all. You'd have to drag me back there.

Wow. I been there many times over the years, and never once did I feel like Cafe Absinthe had any sort of vibe or pretension that interfered with the dining experience. I haven't been there in over a year, so maybe it's changed. In fact, my comments regarding the place are along the lines of JiLS's. I also found the service to be very professional. If I had to quibble, I'd say that the menu was a tad ambitious and often the kitchen didn't execute the dishes as well as they could, but all-in-all, I've had solid experiences there.

Greasy Spoon, sounds like they've really gone downhill. When I used to frequent the place, back in the late eighties/early nineties ("the noisy years"), the food was exciting, innovative and well-executed, the service was terrific, and the customers were hip in that sort of way that makes you think they really are hip and not just trying to be (and also, that sort of way that makes you feel cooler just from walking into the place, not the sort of way that makes you feel like a geek because they're all cooler than you).

We went Saturday night, and can report:

1) The place was as crowded as ever--filled to capacity. Not when we first arrived (7:00) but certainly by 8:30.

2) Partially as a consequence of 1), the noise level was as high as ever--very noisy. Not objectionably so, necessarily, but one did have to speak up quite a bit to be heard by one's tablemates. The crowd size and acoustics were only partly responsible for the noise level; also sharing the blame (if you want to call it that) was the "background music" being played at well-above background levels. This was as I remembered it from years ago.

3) Service was professional and friendly. When we first pulled up in our car, no valet parker was present right away, but this was immediately and proactively addressed before we knew it by the manager coming out to let us know he would take care of things and we could just go inside. This was beyond the call of duty and much appreciated.

4) The food was very good--but not quite as special as I remembered it being on past visits some years ago. The ostrich appetizer used to blow me away; now it was merely "fine." My rack of lamb likewise. I would certainly deem the quality good value for money--no complaints. But the food used to strike me as verging on spectacular. Either my taste buds have "matured" and grown jaded through exposure to more spectacular offerings in the time since, or the food at Cafe Absinthe has declined a notch. On balance (with all the other positive factors), we'd certainly go back if the situation seemed right.

"I asked the waiter if the bartender could make a chocolate martini."

Is that served with olives or a twist?

Greasy Spoon wrote: ... I whipped around to look at the bar and saw ingredients to make at least 6 different types of Chocolate Martini's! Anticipating that I was about to get up, walk to the bar, slap the bartender and show him how to make a martini, my wife kicked me under the table and said to the waiter, "We'll just try some of your wines."

GS, I just about died when I read this, because I know exactly what you mean. I have been a bartender, which makes me a pain-in-the-ass to go out to drinks with (I have to specify what I want in my drink, and you know how annoying *that* can be) --- but, really. If you're a bartender, and can't make a chocolate martini these days, you have a problem. Bar service (especially if you're going to order cocktails) is an equally important part of the meal, but also includes having a decent wine list. (Even if not extensive, it's not difficult to have a few good selections and either a captain or a sommelier that knows about them)

It's probable that most (or many) people here couldn't tell you how to make a chocolate martini, but they don't work behind a bar by trade, either. And it's not like this place is the neighborhood pub that serves $1 PBR drafts.

I guess I just revealed one of my pet-peeves: "nice" restaurants with inexperienced bartenders. Maybe inexperienced is the wrong word; I never had a ton of experience myself (a few years' worth), but I always made a point to learn about what people liked and figured out how to make it.

Also interesting that someone mentioned Meritage... because I had a pretty bad experience there on Valentine's Day. I'm sure there's an existing post about that restaurant that I can add on to...

I must say that I'm partial to Cafe Absinthe considering it was the first date I had with my current wife. With that said, I'm a little baffled by the yuppie bashing. Aren't we hear to judge the food, and not the people that surround us when we dine out? I can't imagine that Cafe Absinthe is going out of it's way to attract a specific yuppie clientele. Admittedly, it is a downer when you have an annoying table next to you, and that can put a damper on a nice evening out. But if the food is sublime - then who cares!! Can't we all just get along?!?!

rmtraut wrote:I must say that I'm partial to Cafe Absinthe considering it was the first date I had with my current wife. With that said, I'm a little baffled by the yuppie bashing. Aren't we hear to judge the food, and not the people that surround us when we dine out? I can't imagine that Cafe Absinthe is going out of it's way to attract a specific yuppie clientele.

Glad you brought this up. I remembered the "yuppie-bashing" comment here when we were there Saturday night, so I was more aware than I might ordinarily have been of who was surrounding us and whether they fit any particular pigeonhole. I concluded that there was nothing a bit surprising about who was there: young and middle-aged people with money! But no behaviors or other "indicators" deserving of any particular pejorative descriptor.

YourPalWill wrote:"I asked the waiter if the bartender could make a chocolate martini."

Is that served with olives or a twist?

If it's got chocolate in it, it ain't a martini.

Actually if it ain't Gin it ain't a Martini!

Visited Cafe Absinthe earlier this week with a group of about seven. I thought the place was fine, bordering on unimpressive. The most memorable thing about the restaurant was our server's ability to vanish for stretches at a time when we needed her most. The restaurant was barely 1/3 full yet we were always asking bussers and other passing servers to send our server our way.

All in all the food is like B/B- "restaurant" food, just barely above average. Everything I sampled was fine but nothing made me want more. Started with the foie, which I admit I was excited to see, but was disappointed with the size of the portion. The slice was not only incredibly thin but also very narrow. The cheese plate was also an embarrassment, a selection of three indistinguishable semi-soft cheeses with no explanation from our server. The cheese was poorly sliced and completely unremarkable. The duck I had was fine, and I guess I enjoyed eating it. The sour cherry fried turnover was rather one-dimensional.

It isn't so much that the restaurant is bad--save for the service--but that it's just not particularly good.

I ended up at Cafe Absinthe last Friday night and enjoyed my experience.
I was with my wife and and a couple of her friends and one of their husbands. I had no idea where we were going, and had never heard of the place, so that may have helped.
A few other factors that could have skewed my view were the pint of Guinness and large glass of vino I had before we left for the place.
Our waiter was pretty good, although he screwed up our drink order (4 of us ordered dirty martinis and he brought them straight up) but was happy to bring us all small glasses of olive juice. After the martini the night gets a bit blurry.
I tasted two starters, the Foie Gras (which was pretty good) and the crabcake (i can't remember it due to the martini + I was happy to be eating foie gras).
I had the rack of lamb, which I thought was very good, very little fat, lots of meat and cooked med-rare like I asked. I am used to getting a lot of fat and not much meat (i'm not a big lamb guy). This was like a lamb fillet on a stick, most people probably may enjoy the fat, but I'm a lean meat guy.
I tasted the scallops, and the risotto from others' plates and was impressed. The scallops were big and melted in your mouth.
I asked the waiter to recommend a full bodied red < $50 and he chose a blend called Primus. Nobody got my "Jerry was a race car driver" joke, but the wine was really good.

If I was stone sober, made the plans myself, and had to pay the bill, it may have been different, but it was more then I expected that night. Definetly above average. I can't comment much on the other patrons, as I was enjoying the food and the company I was with.

MikeB wrote:(4 of us ordered dirty martinis and he brought them straight up)

Please don't take this as being nitpicky, as this is the internet and I'm not trying to come off as a pill, but you're confusing two different drink terms.

"Dirty" is a reference towards adding olive brine to a martini whereas "straight up" is a reference to a single liquor being served without ice.

"Straight" means a single liquor- you could order anything as a shot of something straight, but a martini never qualifies as it is gin + vermouth (two alcohols mixed together).

"Up" means served without ice, though usually chilled beforehand.

An unchilled shot is usually referred to as "neat".

So you could order a dirty martini "up"

I don't mean to take this thread on a tangent, but only order a dirty martini if you've walked by the bar and seen that they have a separate squeeze bottle for olive brine and not the brine that every barback's and bartender's fingers have been through through the nights.

Side note: At one time ordering whisky straight meant you wanted bonded whisky specifically.

jpschust wrote:I don't mean to take this thread on a tangent, but only order a dirty martini if you've walked by the bar and seen that they have a separate squeeze bottle for olive brine and not the brine that every barback's and bartender's fingers have been through through the nights.

I just flashed on the near countless times I've seen bartenders pour my "dirty' straight from the bar top olive container. I will console myself with the the thought alcohol kills germs.

jpschust wrote:I don't mean to take this thread on a tangent, but only order a dirty martini if you've walked by the bar and seen that they have a separate squeeze bottle for olive brine...

What's "dirty" about that?

GreenFish wrote:I guess I just revealed one of my pet-peeves: "nice" restaurants with inexperienced bartenders. Maybe inexperienced is the wrong word; I never had a ton of experience myself (a few years' worth), but I always made a point to learn about what people liked and figured out how to make it.

Yeah. Why can't they keep a good
reference book on hand to consult,
rather than just "winging it"?

Another pet peeve of mine is
waiters who try to "impress"
by not writing anything down
as orders are placed, only to
either bring the wrong thing
or return to the table multiple
times to ask questions.

I'd be the first to admit that I had to reference a book or a cheat sheet a time or two when I worked behind the bar. And yes, it's embarrassing to have to do that, but not as much as admitting you can't do it before you've looked at the ingredient list to see if you have everything you need. I mean, c'mon. I'm still kind of shocked. You couldn't make a 'chocolate martini?' It's like saying you can't make a Cosmopolitan.

I also agree with you about the server thing. It really doesn't bother me when people write the order down. At least then I know that my order should be correct!

Not to get off-topic, though. I noticed we've spent a lot of time complaining about the bar and I haven't read a ton about the food. There seems to be mixed reviews about that. Anyone else have recent input about this place?

I'm in charge of a dinner party for six from around the world (never met three of them, have no idea what they like), and called Cafe Absinthe directly and tried Opentable to make a reso. No response from the restaurant and opentable will not allow a booking. I was just there on March 3. Does anyone have any insight to what is happening? The last time this happened to me, I was in Mas on Friday and it was closed for good on Monday. If this place has closed, any suggestions for a varied but safe menu? I'm thinking maybe Piccolo Sogno as a backup for a Monday night. Spring is closed on Mon, and three in the group have been to Hot Chocolate and Le Bouchon, so need something different.

I'll answer my own post. Cafe Absinthe has decided to close on Monday nights. It would have been nice if they would have called me back to tell me this, but it took another phone call from me to confirm this. They need to change the website and opentable to this change. Off to Piccolo Sogno, but opentable shows them as booked, I'll try direct.