It was ok but it did not impress me. Though the food was mostly good and the space was nice, the…read moremenu was rather limiting, the dishes had flaws, and the service was a bit off with regard to timing.
I had a Black Manhattan cocktail, supposedly differing from an ordinary Manhattan by use of a different kind of bitters (Amaro) and "filthy cherries." These seemed like basic good quality maraschinos to me (3); nothing "filthy" about them. Nevertheless it was good, fruity, and ample strength.
The appetizer selection was small and heavy on bread-based items. (No free table bread was available - grrrr.) Most didn't appeal but the Roasted Garlic did, served with bread (2 kinds: a toasted crostini and a fresh crusty sourdough). The garlic was a whole head, sliced open for easy access and presented on a very hot plate, sweet and mellow from long slow roasting, and served with a choice of cheeses (molten blue, brie, whipped feta, or chèvre) - I chose chèvre and it was very good and a generous portion. A very simple dish not often encountered in restaurants. In retrospect this was the best part of the meal.
I felt a little rushed at times and impatient at other times. It took a very long time to get the appetizer so I had nothing to dilute the effects of the strong cocktail. But then more than once I was asked about my entree before I was ready; once when ordering the appetizer and another time soon after I received it and hadn't made up my mind yet. I held my ground and told them I wasn't quite ready, and they accepted that and I took my time eating.
There was an eclectic selection of wines by the glass. I had an interesting rosé from Slovenia.
My entree was a roasted fish filet (halibut I think? It's no longer listed on the menu) served over a tomato-based sauce. This sauce was richly scented and complex and the plate was attractively garnished with micro greens. But the fish was on the small side and the flavor was monotonous - no discernible browning on the top. The other component, probably an herby cucumber-yogurt sauce resembling raita, which should have been a cool complement to the hot tomato broth, instead was melting unattractively and dispersing into it.
Perhaps most disappointing, there was nothing else to this dish. It needed a starch or something (rice, boiled potatoes, or even more of those very good breads from the appetizer - wish I had saved some.) So it's good I got the appetizer first, or I would have left rather hungry.
Desserts were also very limited and most didn't appeal. I decided on the Clafouti, which is a baked tart, thicker and heavier than flan, with fruit (black cherries) It was way too hot, didn't have enough fruit, and ice cream would be a far better choice than the amorphous blob of whipped cream it was served with. I should have skipped dessert. It was so boring.
As for ambience: it's a crowded, noisy place but in a pleasing way. Very small, and I had reserved one of the 6 seats at the bar (I was dining solo). It's whimsically decorated, like with the grape-covered nude statue holding a candle. There was attractive artwork on the walls, some of which I believe was for sale. I did detect smoky odors coming from the kitchen that other reviewers have noted but I consider that a positive thing, not a negative.
So come here if you wish. Check it out and form your own opinion. As for me, I wasn't sufficiently impressed and wouldn't return.
