(no subject)

[lollardfish]

The girl and I went out to a pleasant, pricey, but mediocre dinner at Cave Vin, the French Bistro up the street. The sparkly rose was tasty and cheap (half-price wine night). The garlic frites and aioli were spectacular (cause fries are good!). The salt-cod croquettes on marinated peppers, golden raisns, pine nuts, and some really fresh olive oil were excellent. Shannon's chicken involtini was fine, but prosaic. The gnocchi and the lemony sauce under the chicken was tangy and good. My lamb on mashed potatoes (they probably called it potato puree) on porcini sauce was cold by the time I got it. I complained. They fixed a new plate of mash and sauce, threw my lamb on the grill, and returned it to me. The lamb was, therefore, twice-cooked, tough, and not at all what I wanted. Also the "french-cutting" was done sloppily, so the bone had little bits of stuff on it. At $23, which is a lot for a Minnesota entree, I was displeased. The creme brulee was half great. The other half was over-brulee'd.

All in all, a fine dinner. I wanted great though, and am feeling picky. But I liked my date, I liked the drink, and I liked the frites a lot. It's clearly a glass of wine and appetizer place, not a dinner place.

I think I'll go to France and see if I can find something better.

Comments

[thisc0rrosion.livejournal.com]

Excellent idea, come to Europe for your next date.

Although you won't find it is cheaper, you will find more reliably good food. Maastricht (the Dutch city I live in, nestled between belgium and germany) is pretty well known in the region as a 'restaurant and cafe' capital. The food is really reliably quite good, and many restaruants of the type that Cafe Vin was trying to reach. Come on over!

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I need to go to Flanders one of these years ... for research purposes. Next week it's the Loire!