I came with fiancé to Theodora for dinner and we were blown away. We had made a reservation through Resy (you need to make sure to refresh pretty soon after 9AM otherwise the reservations go pretty fast). We arrived on time and were seated promptly in one of the tables at the back of the restaurant. I was very surprised at how large the space felt. It is misleadingly small from the outside --the high ceilings, big windows, natural toned decor, and skylights really made the ambiance feel very refreshing and open. Our waitress was amazing. She had a fun personality and was not afraid to show it, giving the place a little bit more character. She explained the menu to us and how everything is meant to be shared. She also explained in detail what the daily specials were. For drinks my fiancé got a cocktail called La Cigua which was a little spicy, smoky, and had a refreshing flavor of cucumber. It was delicious without being too sweet. I ordered the Mara Cuya No.2 which was amazing and has become one of my favorite cocktails in the city: also with a perfect balance of smokiness, spiciness, and sweet tanginess from the passion fruit. I liked it so much that I actually ordered two throughout the night which is something I do rarely. For food we split a few things:
-Sourdough with ricotta: this is the best ricotta toast I have had in this city. Hands down beats the one from Misi in a heartbeat. The sourdough was perfectly fluffy on the inside and has a hearty nice crust to it. The earthy flavor of it was well balanced by the creamy sweetness of the ricotta and brown butter mix. The texture of the ricotta was divine: so fluffy, airy, and light but with a satisfying body at the same time. Each bite tasted like heaven, with little hints of the sage, sea salt, and honey. Truly a dream. I would come back for this alone.
-Ora king salmon crudo: another hit. Thick slices of raw salmon that were in this pickled, bright sauce. The colors were just as lively as the flavors. The salmon pieces were tender, had a little smoked hint to them, and tasted amazingly with the sauce and other refreshing pickled elements in the dish. Highly recommend this too.
-Florentine cauliflower: we decided to get a side of this cauliflower which we did not realize is another name for baby broccoli. This dish was also very bright, with bursts of umami from the manchego cheese and caramelized sweetness from the crispy shallots. The basil and dill dressing really tied everything together. No element was overpowering, this was perfectly balanced. The texture of the vegetables was also super meaty and hearty.
-Black cod: I have been to restaurants that are renown for their cod dishes but nothing has ever measured up to the cod we had here at Theodora. The fish was insanely tender, it truly felt like butter in the way that it dissolved easily, without flaking, and keeping an insane amount of moisture and flavor in the flesh. It was silky, smooth, buttery, and a little smoky. Best cod I have had at a restaurant, no question. The butter shallot sauce was divine and really let itself be absorbed by the fish without stealing the spotlight. It came with little eggplants that were caramelized to perfection and meaty.
-Albacore tuna skewers: this one was a daily special which at first we were hesitant to get since we did not want to stir away from their regular menu but oh boy this was probably one of our top dishes of the night. The albacore had nice grilled flavor, the inside was cooked medium, keeping a tenderness and juiciness to the fish that I simply did not imagine was possible with tuna. The skewer came over a bed of this deliciously creamy, tangy, and a little sweet tomato sauce, with corn, and sungold tomatoes. Incredibly well executed dish with the perfect balance of flavors, textures, and again, really highlighting the fish without any other element being too overpowering. Get them while they are still available!
-Octopus: this was truly some of the best cooked octopus dishes I have had. The meat was tender without being slimy or too chewy. The dish had smoky elements from the shallots, sweetness from the corn and squash, and then this delicious puree that was a little tangy/smoky at the bottom. My fiancé thought the octopus was amazing but that it was a little too masked in this dish. I felt like the combination of flavors was amazing and very unique without detracting from the octopus.
-Chocolate cake: This is a decadent, almost brownie like cake, with a nice crust, moist inside, and a rich, buttery chocolate flavor. The mascarpone whipped cream was light, and creamy, balancing the richness of the cake. It came topped with sea salt and olive oil which made it even more decadent. Not sweet at all!
Overall, the food was fantastic, the ambiance felt fresh and new, the staff was very kind. One of the best meals I have had and one of my new top places in the city. I highly recommend this place, worth the hype! read more