This past weekend the wifey and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary. So I took her to one of the fancy places in Baltimore for a nice dinner. Needless to say it's def one of the top 3 meals I've ever had.
I started with a house made charcuterie platter that had mounds of paper thin meat drizzled in top notch olive oil. There was a spicy salami, two of my favorites sopresseta and mortadella with pistachios. Unbelievably good.
My second course was the best risotto I've ever had. Apparently they use this special risotto rice called Acquerello which is supposed to be the best rice. It was just made with fresh baby squash and parmasean. So simple but amazing. I could eat that every day and be happy.
Third course I had a strip steak with a porcini red wine sauce and baby potatoes and onions. The steak was from this local farm called Roseda farms. I've had burgers a bunch of times made from the same meat and they are the best burgers I've had so I wanted to try a steak. Same deal. Incredibly flavorful. Ate every bite. Could have eaten two of them.
Dessert was hard to decide but I went with something a little different and it turned out to be one of the most unique desserts. It was a burnt ricotta crostada with sweet pea sorbet over orange supremes all glazed with some local honey. It was brilliant. The sweet pea sorbet was the star. I couldn't believe how good it was given what it was made from. You could taste the peas but it was so clean and refreshing. Which was needed because the crostada was very creamy and it cut the richness of the dish. Plus the oranges and honey were just a perfect component.
No dinner is really worth what I ended up paying for this but this one came pretty damn close.
So what were the best meals you've ever had?
its a tough call, but the 2 most recent excellent meals i've had, in a restaurant were at Q in the Richmond District in SF, a gourmet/divebar place, the last time in there I started with pints of scrimshaw and homemade cheezy tater tots, but then the munchies and drunchies kicked in and I ordered some of their legendary Duck Confit (the chef told me it is a 16 day process) it was served on a bed of polenta with grilled asparagus and a cherry pinot noir sauce, fuckin ridiculous. Last week I went into Emmys Spaghetti Shack in Bernal Heights and had Salad Nicoise, followed by a Flatiron Steak served over handcut fries, grilled peppers and onions topped with a chili/lime/cilantro sauce.
i'd say both are mid priced restaurants given that its 10-20 bucks for entrees both have great character and crank out gourmet food in a relaxed atmosphere, no need for fancy clothes or other extraneous bullshit, just sit down have a drink and some damn good food.
http://www.qrestaurant.com (http://www.qrestaurant.com)
http://emmysspaghettishack.com/ (http://emmysspaghettishack.com/)
Quote from: James1214 on June 19, 2012, 01:25:23 PM
I ordered some of their legendary Duck Confit (the chef told me it is a 16 day process) it was served on a bed of polenta with grilled asparagus and a cherry pinot noir sauce, fuckin ridiculous.
That sounds amazing.
Harry's Bar in Venice Italy. Fried ham & cheese with a peach bellini...heaven.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/6cd481ee-6ef8-8d2a.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/6cd481ee-6f1a-ece3.jpg)
(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/579905_464979406847962_434850758_n.jpg)
the varsity plate version of the garbage plate. 'varsity' because it includes an extra meat selection. i went double cheese burger/hotdog plate w/ mac and homefries. onions and hotsauce. actual pic from last night.
Do they serve it from a trailer with paper and plastic?
Quote from: Gigi on June 21, 2012, 12:13:15 AM
Do they serve it from a trailer?
not as a rule, but they do have mobile capabilities for local events like carnivals and concerts..
Quote from: mortlock on June 21, 2012, 12:04:46 AM
(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/579905_464979406847962_434850758_n.jpg)
the varsity plate version of the garbage plate. 'varsity' because it includes an extra meat selection. i went double cheese burger/hotdog plate w/ mac and homefries. onions and hotsauce. actual pic from last night.
You are hilarious, and one of the more interesting people on the board.
James, any gourmet claim is nullified by the presence of tots. no matter how fuckin' cheezy they are
word.
yeah, that's pretty much bullshit.
here's an idea, go there and eat a meal then come back and tell me how wrong I am... you won't be able to. Q is fuckin Rad, and tots don't disqualify them whatsoever.
apparently you're unfamiliar with the rules and regulations of the food and drink forum
rules are meant to be broken, laws too
there is life outside the "tot"
Quote from: mortlock on June 21, 2012, 12:32:31 AM
Quote from: Gigi on June 21, 2012, 12:13:15 AM
Do they serve it from a trailer?
not as a rule, but they do have mobile capabilities for local events like carnivals and concerts..
Is this where you take your dates (if you have them) to dinner?
Quote from: Gigi on June 21, 2012, 10:17:38 PM
Quote from: mortlock on June 21, 2012, 12:32:31 AM
Quote from: Gigi on June 21, 2012, 12:13:15 AM
Do they serve it from a trailer?
not as a rule, but they do have mobile capabilities for local events like carnivals and concerts..
Is this where you take your dates (if you have them) to dinner?
i cant say its never happened.
Quote from: RAGER on June 21, 2012, 10:12:27 PM
there is life outside the "tot"
no, there is "not"*
* Ha, ha, I more or less hate Tater Tots, but why rain on James' parade? Show the man a little respect.
Just funnin'
Had escargot, lobster tail and bananas foster consecutively, all for the first time at a fancy place club where my grandpa was a member when I was like 13. Silly ass over the top meal, but I remember it to this day.