Oh So Boring…

On the evening of March 6, 2009, I went to a very nice dinner at Evening Star Cafe in Alexandria.  This dinner was with the foodies of DonRockwell.com (aka DCDining.com) and was quite yummy.  I give full thanks to Chef Will Artley and his staff.  It was good, gooder, goodest.  After the break, I’ll start describing the dishes with photos.

In the titles of the dishes, the bold indicated the title on the menu with its subtitle/descriptors in italics.  Also, forgive the photography.  A novice picture-taker combined with a point-and-shoot in low light equals overexposed and how!

First Course: Beef Tartare (Horseradish, Apples, Yucca, Beets)

A small roundel of beef tartare in a cucumber quick pickle. All but the yucca in the above “official” description were in the tartare. The yucca (aka cassava) was the tasty chip.

Second Course: Lobster Roll

This was an “off-menu” course, so I don’t have an official description.  What I can say is that on the left is some frisee that was dressed with a very nice, spicy vinagrette.  Yum!  On the other side of the balsamic (?) solidus is a “lobster roll”.  It was a lobster salad in some sort of skin.  I want to say yuba, but I’m not sure.

Third Course: Foie Gras (Spaetzle, Cider, Parsnip)

Okay, I’m not a big foie gras fan, so I wasn’t swooning over this as much as everyone else. Still, it was good. On the left is a foie gras “steak” over some very very good spaetzle. On the right is a foie gras and parsnip cappuccino. I know, I know, but it was actually not bad. Sort of a very creamy cappuccino. If I wasn’t told there was foie gras in it, I’d have never guessed.

Fourth Course: Crispy Rockfish (Fantasy Potatoes, Carrot Emulsion)

Ohh…the crispy skin.  Really, it was amazing.  The fish was great, the potatoes were great, but the skin…mmmmmmm…  It was…ohh.  As for the potatoes, they were sort of a fancy home fries.  They had some shrimp mixed in, and a whole lot of stuff I’m forgetting right now.

Fifth Course: Braised Shortribs (Pomme Puree, Marrow, Green Peppercorns)

This was the main meat course. The ravioli on top was a marrow ravioli, but the star were the shortribs. They were marinated in Dr Pepper (yeah), and were amazingly tender and good. Beneath that is the pomme puree (= yummy mashed taters), some spinach(?), and a sauce that I want to say had horshradish, but that could have been the green peppercorns.

Sixth Course: Will’s Candy Bar (Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Hazelnut Praline)

This was the dessert course. Yes, it was a good as it looks, overexposed and all. Rich rich rich.

Again, a great meal, a great dinner with great people.