We had a drink in the bar - I ordered a cosmo and Rick had a gray goose on the rocks. I ended up sending my drink back as it had way too much lime. I ordered a Pinot Grigio instead. Not sure what they brought me since there was no Pinot Grigio on the menu, but it was light and crisp and I enjoyed it.
In the bar there was a cool selection of snacks - mixed salted nuts, wasabi peas and a smoky bbq corn snacks. Nice to have snacks with drinks :) The bar has big easy chairs in front of the fireplace, and cozy banquettes. A nice place to stop if you are out shopping.
After a cocktail, we moved to the dining room. It was more rustic than I imagined, but comfortable. We sat at a table that used to be a cartoonist's favorite spot (I forget his name now...). We talked about how we never had that "one haunt" where we would have a regular table with a brass plate declaring it so. Well, except the bar at the 99 in Portsmouth.
We ordered from the Restaurant Week menu, and noted that at Club 21 Restaurant Week lasts until July 31st. Good to know! For appetizers, I had the Mahi Mahi citrus ceviche with a neat fennel salad - together they tasted quite fabulous - Rick had a green salad.
For dinner, Rick had the chicken pot pie. He wasn't pleased. It tasted like old people food to me. I would have loved to have had more chickeny flavor, and I love tarragon - that would have been nice. I suppose, though there are lots of people who appreciate simply flavored fare. Rick really missed the traditional pastry pie crust.
I had the mushroom and butternut squash risotto - it was creamy and delish with lots of mushroom flavor. The butternut squash was in a small dice, and added color to the dish. It was just what I was looking for - some warm carb-y and cheesey goodness on a cold evening.
For dessert, I had the pear tart - the crust was very firm, but tasty, and the pears were delicate and delicious. There was just the right amount of cherry sauce on the side - any more would have over whelmed the pears, and it was just enought to add some dimention to the dish.
Rick had the
creme brulee - and yes, creme brulee is not a difficult dish, but this was perfectly executed. The crisp sugar coating was light and sweet, and the custard was just cooked enough to be silky and sensuous. I almost wished I had ordered this instead. Almost.
creme brulee - and yes, creme brulee is not a difficult dish, but this was perfectly executed. The crisp sugar coating was light and sweet, and the custard was just cooked enough to be silky and sensuous. I almost wished I had ordered this instead. Almost.
