M3 Restaurant has only been open for a few weeks, but you'd think it's a long-established favorite. The latest effort of an experienced family of restaurateurs, it could best be described as an upscale New American cuisine bar and grill, i.e. gastropub. The place was packed on a weeknight; always a good sign.
The atmosphere is a mix of sophisticated design and rustic, country kitchen, as though you're dining at Granny's table in the Old Country and Granny has excellent taste. There are a handful of TV's displaying sports programming, but with the audio muted I didn't really notice them. The service is above average, friendly, and efficient. Food and drink is well-paced, and the staff work together as a team. For me, service this good is the best sauce for any meal.
My group came hungry so I got to try a lot of dishes. With new soups made daily, the Cream of Artichoke and Mushroom was a must try ($4 cup). Fresh dairy was readily apparent, a stand-out when so many cream soups are rushed and thickened with starch. This excellent mix of garden flavors and seasoning made for a hell of a start.
The M3 Quesadilla ($11) is an almost flaky, crispy flour tortilla stuffed with andouille and chorizo sausages, roasted red peppers, red onions, cilantro cream, and melted cheese served with a sweet and spicy fruit salsa. Inspirational. Maybe one of the best things ever.
Doubling down on cheese, Stuffed Risotto Balls ($9) combined the classic rice dish with fresh water mozzarella, panko crumbs, served deep fried with with a tomato bisque dipping sauce. We could have eaten a bowl of that sauce, and the rest was literally amazeballs.
Fried Calamari ($10) is so easy to overcook, but this squid featured tender morsels in a crispy, seasoned coating served with sweet chili dipping sauce. So simple yet so satisfying.
Moving on to the comfort food, Prime Rib Stroganoff ($13) with tender bits of prime rib, wide egg noodles, parmesan, fresh herbs, and a dollop of sour cream. The flavor was more subtle than expected and could have used a bit more meat. A dash of salt and pepper helped bring it a bit more into "hearty" territory.
There's cheese and then there's White Mac-N-Cheese ($10), a blend of white cheddar, fontina, fresh water mozzarella, and asiago, combined with classic macaroni al dente and baked in a cast iron skillet with a toasted panko topping. Creamy, cheesy, heart-stopping. A mini basil parmesan loaf (with butter) was served with both noodle dishes. Fine enough, but would be better served warm.
More cheese? You bet. The M3 House Burger ($10) was basic and yet not. Served on a handmade, grilled bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion layered under an Angus beef patty with your choice of cheese piled on top (in this case, gorgonzola). Ordered medium by the diner, the burger wasn't as juicy as it could be but the flavor was solid. A choice of sides were available, a salad of mixed greens with tangy balsamic dressing in this case.
Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce ($11) was exactly that. Skin-on, pub-style chips with four pieces of beer-battered white fish and a housemade sauce with an almost hollandaise thing going on. Simple and delicious.
The marinated Lamb Chops ($18) were anything but simple, finished in balsamic fig butter and served with mascarpone polenta and roasted seasonal vegetables. The polenta was creamy-yet-chunky, a perfect side for the medium rare meat. I went caveman and gnawed every bit of savory succulence off those bones.
Rounding things out the manager did her job, talking my wife and I into a shared German Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream ($8). The dessert was served nice and warm in an earthenware crock, and nice and warm is exactly how we felt as we headed home. read more