Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Dinner at La Poste, Clifton

Thursday March 31

Though Holt has been going here pretty frequently with various interviewees (search "bleah" below), it was Barbara's first time at this newest avatar of our old local restaurant Tink's. The room is not much changed, except for some big white banquettes and a little wine room that would be nice for a small party. Because this building apparently used to be a post office, they play a lot on this theme, as with the blue napkins folded up into envelopes.

The wine service is interesting, if overpriced. For example, when we ordered one pinot noir, the sommelier offered us a different one at cut rate; it had a barnyardy nose, but good taste, and was oddly chocolatey.

The service is otherwise very attentive and considerate, and we soon got an amuse-gueule of hummus and fried wonton-style "pita triangles."

Our appetizers were: hot bacon scallops, i.e. two (good for sharing!) succulent scallops on a bed of baby spinach with a sort of hot bacon coulis and a foam of gorgonzola cream; and a fine crabcake seasoned with the classic Old Bay on a bed of greenery, with a dip of citrus vodka aioli and quartered pickled grapes, plus a slice of candied dried grapefruit that made for a piquant nibble.

The mains were a special of haddock, which I don't recall too well now; and a standard of veal shortribs in tomatoey sauce, nice and tender, piled on savoy cabbage and lapped with porcini cream, with luscious slices of fried sweetbreads and a sprinkle of currants.

We shared a forkful of two desserts with the rest of the table: a splendid cherry and white chocolate bread pudding and a slim slice of flourless chocolate cake (with some elusive spice) adorned with chocolate mousse, some dried strawberry slices, and Graeter's double-chocolate ice cream.

On the whole, more sophisticated than Tink's, and we're happy to have La Poste in the neighborhood.

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