A few notes from a recent visit.
1) Quirkily Divergent Upstairs/Downstairs Clientele: On the first floor, seersuckered Atticus Finches drank red wine and fiddled with their bowties. On the third floor, a micromini twentysomething drank cocktails and fiddled with her nostrils. Befuddled golfer tanned tourists kept their eyes on their porterhouses. On the way out, the various crowds converged peaceably at the bar for a last drink before closing or starting the night.
2) Generous Parade of Proteins: Gourmet groaning board of a Chef’s menu included scallops on grits, foie with stewed apples, a delicious suckling pig, Big Eye tuna, and a large helping of rare beef. Spot on cooking temperatures proved the grill station’s acumen. Southern starches, herbs and greens were deftly and delicately deployed as “unders” and “overs”—no superfluous sides.
3) Masterful Southern Service: Waitress had a lovely lazy tongued Mae West way of speaking, but it was her perfect pacing of the meal and intuitive wine suggestions and service that will have us coming back. Barkeep and maitre d’ were equally affable and accomplished. This front of house can work anywhere and chooses to work here.
4) Dull Dessert Was Bitter Closer: A lone disappointment in an otherwise splendid meal. Chocolate mousse and raspberry confection was on the wrong side of La Maison de la Casa House, Continental Cuisine circa 1983: pedestrian idea and execution. How about some local fruit, and how about a pair of dessert tastes or courses? Perhaps a four/two savory sweet balance instead of five/one? That said, regular dessert menu options looked to be as good as the savories.
Gray and Grizzled Food Fan 
September 10, 2007 at 4:59 pm |
Next time order a la carte. You’ll get a better taste of what makes this a key player in the area’s fast developing refined regional cuisine.