The food was terrific! The experience was amazing. We arrived and entered a beautifully ornamented hall. We were so enchanted by the artifacts and the tastefully decorated walls. We ambled slowly through the restaurant, a long indoor atrium ending in a lovely outdoor garden where there were additional tables on the terrace. But for tonight we were inside and seated adjacent to the terrace. There were two violinists playing such spirited and romantic music that we could not help but be astonished that they were in a restaurant and not a concert hall. It turned out that the couple at the table directly adjacent to us eat here every Wednesday and bring in these two musicians from 6:30 to 7:30. I never heard of bringing your own musical entertainment to your dining adventure. But the gent said that they have been doing this every Wed. for 6 years.
So, now to the food. We only drank water with our meal. (Doctors. suggestion). We ordered a Caesar salad for two. ($6.38 in US money). It was made by Arturo, the restaurant owner, in a large wooden bowl on a white-clothed table wheeled adjacent to our table. Each ingredient was added slowly and stirred briskly by hand. The classic dressing took a good five-six minutes to make. It was glorious to watch. And it was finally poured atop crisp romaine leaves (just the vehicle for delivering the dressing). We ate slowly, savoring each mouthful. The purity of ingredients coupled with the grace and deftness of the Maestro. WOW!
Our server, Captain Dan, had joined the staff in expectation of providing NYC service panache (where he practiced his craft in some high-end restaurants). He added to the charm of the dining experience by relating some of his NYC stories between courses.
For our entrees, Hubby chose the grilled shrimp brochette ($7.93) and I had the filet beef brochette ($8.46) . The plates were picture perfect and the food delicious. My beef and mashed potatoes were exquisitely prepared and my vegetable al dente. It was a very generous portion, as was the shrimp entree. (Can you hear the soft mooing of contented cows?) And then, to finish off our meal, we had a Kahlua chocolate/ sorbet/ parfait. Heavenly! ($6.38) --- palate cleanser and cordial rolled in one.
We quickly reserved a table for Friday Eve, to celebrate Valentine's Day. Need we say more about this jewel? read more