Scowl, Nu?

Perfect Place for a Special Dinner

Review of: Quince Restaurant

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 5

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Quince is the perfect place for a special occasion dinner. It feels very homey, but elegant at the same time, with low lighting and simple cream-colored decor. I had what was probably the best glass of champagne of my life to start, and the meal only got better from there. The food is excellent – all three courses were delicious, but I’ll never forget the petrale sole with mandarin sauce and white carrots (so fresh…and so rich!) Dessert (which I almost skipped and am very glad I didn’t) was also amazingly good. Service is very professional and attentive, right from the moment you step through the door.

As a special touch (and a very nice surprise), they had printed a special menu for me that read “Happy Birthday Janet” at the top (they had asked if it was a special occasion at the time the reservation was made). At the end of the evening, they presented it to me rolled up and tied with a red ribbon. These little details really make dinner extra special.

Just as a tip as far as making reservations, we called a week ahead for a Saturday reservation and got one at 10 PM, but they offered to put us on a waiting list for an earlier one. We honestly didn’t think there was any chance of that happening, so we were pleasantly surprised to get a call on the afternoon of our reservation with an offer of an earlier one at 7:30. The meal is rather pricey, especially if you indulge yourself with all four courses and a bottle of wine, but it’s definitely worth it, even if it’s not a special occasion!

The Ultimate in Cozy Dining

Review of: Canteen

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Though I knew Canteen was small, when I got there I still had to marvel for a few minutes at just how tiny it is! It’s cute and cozy during dinner, with low lighting and plenty of candles. The books on the bookshelves at each table are a neat touch and a great conversation starter (one of my favorites that night was “Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone”). Like the restaurant, the menu itself is also small (the wine list is, too), with only four appetizers, four main courses and four desserts (plus one special dessert) to choose from on the night we were there. Service is friendly and amazingly efficient, and with a 9:15 PM reservation, we didn’t feel at all rushed. And the food? The food is excellent. Not necessarily knocks-your-socks off amazing, but very, very, VERY good. I started with a Spring Onion Soup with prawns, chose the Lamb Shoulder Confit with chickpeas, yoghurt and mint for an entree, and finished with a Tangerine Sorbet with champagne gelee and fromage blanc for dessert.

Best line of the night: “Would you like another roll? We have some just coming out of the oven.” Heaven!

The Ultimate in Cozy Dining

Review of: Canteen

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Though I knew Canteen was small, when I got there I still had to marvel for a few minutes at just how tiny it is! It’s cute and cozy during dinner, with low lighting and plenty of candles. The books on the bookshelves at each table are a neat touch and a great conversation starter (one of my favorites that night was “Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone”). Like the restaurant, the menu itself is also small (the wine list is, too), with only four appetizers, four main courses and four desserts (plus one special dessert) to choose from on the night we were there. Service is friendly and amazingly efficient, and with a 9:15 PM reservation, we didn’t feel at all rushed. And the food? The food is excellent. Not necessarily knocks-your-socks off amazing, but very, very, VERY good. I started with a Spring Onion Soup with prawns, chose the Lamb Shoulder Confit with chickpeas, yoghurt and mint for an entree, and finished with a Tangerine Sorbet with champagne gelee and fromage blanc for dessert.

Best line of the night: “Would you like another roll? We have some just coming out of the oven.” Heaven!

A LIttle Bit of Paris in South Park

Review of: The Butler & the Chef Bistro

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

I can’t believe I haven’t been here sooner, given that it’s so close to our apartment. Having exhausted all of our other Saturday lunch options in our neighborhood, we decided to give the Butler and the Chef Bistro in South Park a try. We were very pleasantly surprised – it is a very cute place with a real French feel – lots of French decor (and French music playing) and really cool cafe tables and chairs. I had an excellent Croque Monsieur that I’m still thinking about even the next day. The coffee was good as well; I’m going to note this as a new possible option for coffee-to-go in the area.

Their menu is made up of classic dishes that one would find in a Parisian bistro, including soup, salad, quiche, crepes and baguette sandwiches. One of the greatest things about the Butler and the Chef is that it’s open 7 days a week, which is great since most of the places around us are closed. The prices are a little high (the Croque Monsieur was $10, coffee was $2), but the food is of excellent quality, and the portions are substantial. Two chocolate truffles accompany the check, which is a nice touch. I’m looking very forward to trying some more of their dishes.

Promising New Restaurant

Review of: Coi

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

When we called Coi last month just to see if they were open yet, we found out that the first night they were open to the public was that Saturday (April 14), so we decided to go on a whim (even though first nights can sometimes be iffy).

You’d never believe that this place used to be Great Water Thai. The space has been completely transformed into an elegant dining room, with a lounge in front. The dining room itself is only 30 seats, so it’s not that large, but it’s comfortable and spacious enough that you aren’t sitting right on top of the people next to you.

That night they were only serving a four course prix fixe menu ($75), with a choice of one of three dishes (four for dessert) for each course, and the food was excellent. For an idea of the food, I started with the scallops marinated In delicate rosemary oil, which was really delicious, and then the asparagus soup with mint and blood orange scented Bellwether Farm ricotta, which was also excellent. I chose the poached and seared lamb rack for the main course, again excellent, and a surprisingly large portion as well. My dessert was a warm bittersweet chocolate tart with tamarind gelee and smoked yogurt, which was a really interesting and unique combination of tastes. They use local, organic and sustainable ingredients whenever possible, so every dish was fresh and full of flavor, in addition to being creative.

The chef, Daniel Patterson, personally thanked each diner for coming in. They plan to serve a nine course tasting menu along with a four course tasting menu each night, which will accommodate both real food lovers and people who want a shorter, more traditional meal.

A couple of interesting things to note: if you order sparkling water (they serve Gerolsteiner), they won’t leave the bottle on the table, but instead will personally pour it for you and always make sure that you have a full glass. Also, unlike most restaurants, the charge for sparkling water isn’t added to the bill. Nor is there a charge for the coffee (which is served in your own personal French Press). They do, however, add an automatic 18% service charge to the bill, which I have mixed feelings about. It says that they strive to give excellent service, but what about the times when they don’t? As the night went on and people started to leave, the staff did get a little distracted and were a little less attentive than they were in the beginning of the meal, but I’m chalking that up to the fact that it was their first night. All in all, an excellent dinner.

Top-Notch Seafood

Review of: Bar Crudo

By: Janet Glasser

Rating: 5

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Seafood lovers take note! Bar Crudo is a great alternative to going out for sushi. It’s a small place, with raw bar seating downstairs and some candlelit tables in the loft space upstairs. The seafood is fresh and wonderfully prepared — the crudo is good, the crab is really good, and the chowder is really, really good. They also have a really tasty cheese plate, which I loved. Service is ultra-friendly, but dishes do take some time to arrive at your table (all dishes are made to order), so if you’re in a rush this may not be the place for you. If you’re with friends, though, and want to enjoy some really great wine and conversation while waiting, it’s the perfect place. They also offer a substantial list of Belgian beers on the menu, a welcome surprise for beer lovers. All in all, a great place to unwind from a busy day/week with good food and drink.