I came here on a visit and a tour the other day. Besides being very impressed by the school and everything it has to offer, I was pleasantly surprised to get a 12:30 reservation for lunch just before noon. It was the last table, so we got lucky. The restaurant was great. Attention to detail is not something that is overlooked. Everything was very nice and professional, but not stuffy or uncomfortable in any way. Our server was great. Extremely nice and had a lot to say about the food. One thing about having servers who also spend time in the kitchen, they are very interested in the food and know a lot about it.
I started with a piece of their honey wheat bread, a melon and sweet onion gazpacho, and a blackberry spritzer, which was the drink special. The bread was excellent. It had a great texture on the inside, and had a good crust. The melon and onion gazpacho was fantastic. Cool and refreshing, the flavor of the melon was what really shined. The spritzer was also great. There was a hint of blackberry, blackberry liqueur, and prosecco in the cocktail. Every ingredient stood out. Prosecco is great alone, and that made up most of the cocktail, with the blackberry liqueuer and juice adding a good sweet flavor.
For an entree, I had a pan roasted cod fillet served with a couscous with peas and raisins and a red tomatillo sauce. The couscous was light and fluffy, well seasoned with a hint of curry flavor. The fish was light and flazy and cooked perfectly. The sauce was excellent. It had an almost roasted red peppery flavor with a light smoky flavor that reminded me a chipotle peppers. For dessert, I had a trio of sorbets (mano, lemon, and raspberry). They were great. Not too icy. Very smooth texture, and the flavors in each were all outstanding. I had a great time here, and I am excited to get back, as well as try what else the Culinary Institute has to offer. And, of course, to maybe end up there as a student.
08/17/2009
Posted by guiltygourmet 
