Listening to: Les Jours Tristes - Yann Tiersen
After hearing so much about this restaurant, Dustin and I decided to give it a try. A word of advice: Make a reservation! Who knew they would be so busy on a Tuesday night? We skipped the table service and opted for a couple of seats at the bar. Honestly, I prefer sitting at the bar anyway. It affords the opportunity to meet new people, chat with the bartender, and maybe even discuss a dish with the chef. To start off our tasting of the autumn menu, I chose a seasonally appropriate cocktail...
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| Autumn Almanac |
Rye, George Paul apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, lemon, candied ginger
I believe the bartender substituted the ginger for allspice dram, because as soon as we sat down, I pointed it out on counter and expressed my affinity. Also, I didn't taste any ginger in the drink. It was smooth and rich; sweet, but not cloying. Orange on the nose, rye and vinegar upon sipping, flavors of allspice and clove on the end. Exactly what I wanted :)
I also recommend the "Old Sweet Song." This includes blended whiskey, peach shrub, and Punt es Mes. It was sweet and peachy, with a hint of bitter. Not bad for someone who abhors peaches (well, most stone fruits in general). Bittersweet, like grapefruit. I might substitute the blended whiskey (Crown Royal?) for Bulleit Bourbon next time.
The bar was cozy. In the corner was a bookcase filled with wine racks, cookbooks, family photos, house-roasted coffee for sale, and baskets of fresh lemons, persimmons, and kaffir limes.
Amuse Bouche
A cream puff of lemon verbena béchamel and dusted with zest of yuzu. Rich, yet fresh. Very tasty. Eat it in one bite or you'll have a mess on your tie.
Atmosphere
The hostess was very welcoming and accommodating; the bartender not so much. He barely said hello, never gave us his name. It was awkward because as we were seated at the bar, he was right in front of us the whole time. I could tell he was very busy and therefore didn't have time to spend his whole evening doting on us, but I would have like to at least known his name. What he lacks in friendliness he makes up for in creative cocktailing. Dustin is a picky drinker, but he loved every drink he had (Fernet Branca cocktail and Pisco Sour).
I liked that we were able to see into the kitchen from our seats. I spent a good deal of time watching the garde manger and service stations. It was like watching a cooking show without all the commentary :)
First Course
We opted for something vegetarian. Actually, Dustin is currently on a vegan diet for reasons which may be discussed in a future post, but he didn't mind switching back to vegetarian for this particular meal. Omaha has scant vegan offerings, so vegetarian is the next best thing.
We both indulged in a deconstructed bowl of "Winter Gourd Bisque." By deconstructed, I mean to say that the bowl was presented with all sorts of ingredients placed in the bottom, with the bisque being poured over top in front of us. Not only was it a fancy presentation, but also it meant that all the goodness beneath wasn't soggy. I can only describe the soup as a different flavor in every bite: candied nuts, ricotta cheese, a parsley and spinach panna cotta, scallions, butternut squash, and truffle powder. The texture was a mélange of crunchy and creamy. The panna cotta was a little off-putting at first as it was cold against the warmth of the rest of the dish, but yummy just the same.
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| Winter Gourd Bisque |
Main Course
We feared my use of flash photography might be annoying to the other diners, so I apologize for the poor lighting in this photo.
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| Sanders' Farm Half Rabbit |
I was served a rabbit (served several ways) with all the accoutrements. The leg was spice-rubbed and flavorful, not gamey. There were a few pieces of what I assume was rabbit breast, various organ meats (I tasted kidney and liver), and a fried medallion of some other part of the rabbit (not sure what). It was a rabbit meat feast! For those who have not tried rabbit before, I think it tastes quite similar to turkey, but much more tender. It also came with pieces of butternut squash, beets, and potato gnocchi, all atop a butternut squash purée. The menu also touted "jujube" as a garnish, but I don't recall seeing or tasting any. Oh well. Overall this dish was very good.
I hate to bring this up, but my enjoyment was diminished just a bit because I was so thirsty. The spice rub on the rabbit was indeed thirst-inducing, but the less-than-attentive bartender failed to replenish my drink. It's possible he couldn't see the empty glass as there were so many bottles and dishes cluttering up the bar. But I didn't know his name, so I couldn't flag him down. He seemed much more interested in the party of five theater buffs to my left, guzzling down bottle after bottle of wine. One of the first rules in sales is to never assume the client can't afford your product. Maybe he thought we wouldn't tip very well because we didn't dress up like most of the guests? I really cannot make any assumptions, except that it was a busy night. The food was delicious. The service was decent, but not great. I will DEFINITELY be going back. Everything deserves a second chance :) But for dessert, we went somewhere else. When we left, we received party favors of fresh-baked shortbread cookies to enjoy in the morning. How sweet!
For those looking for avant-garde haute cuisine, this is the restaurant for you! I highly recommend checking out The Grey Plume's website before dining, especially the philosophy and menu pages. There's lots of info about the food, where it comes from, and how it's made.
Bon appétit, mes amis!
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