12 December 2009

Tonight For Dinner We Have.... Blue Ridge.

Esquire's Chef of the Year Barton Seaver's Blue Ridge Restaurant in Glover Park.  We didn't have reservations and had no trouble getting a table at 800pm on a Friday, never a good sign.

We started with the charcutrie plate (see below) in clockwise order:  bacon, brawn, and chicken liver mousse.

Bacon is bacon, fatty and sweet, but it has become ubiquitous.  Seriously I cant think of any restaurant that doesnt have bacon on the menu and on a charcutrie plate it is a bit much.  On this plate it dominated the chicken liver and the brawn.  maybe a person could turn bacon into little "caviar" balls and then eat it on toast, with egg and some onions!!!  Again, while a fan of bacon not a good compliment to the meat plate.

Brawn is head cheese.  It was ok.  I thought it lacked spice but my dinner mates informed me they could really taste dill!?  I was expecting more fat, the chunky kind, in the head cheese.  Actually, it seemed more like pate.  The flavor for me was muted.

The chicken liver mousse was not my favorite.  I had it last week at a holiday party and that mousse was smoother and creamier...Blue Ridges was whipped but it was also pasty and earthy.

I had the grass fed Maryland burger.  I assumed Rosetta Farms never got an answer.  It was thick but small like hockey puck size.  It was cooked right and it was juicy but i think it could have used some seasoning.  The fries were thin and crispy with herbs and garlic much like Good Stuff Eatery on the Hill.  The fries were tasty.

Pecan pie ala mode and some coffee.

I love pecan pie and ice cream.  i wish it was a B&J flavor.  That is why this dessert never fails.  It was good..not stellar.

The coffee was incredible froma french press it was nicaruguan estate from Dallis coffee. OMFG, awesome, so good, after a few sips I could taste smooth chocolate and it swirled in my mouth and just made my dumb ass happy.  I wanted a gallon of this coffee.  Easily the best part of the meal.

This restaurant has a bad reputation for slow service and inconsistent food.  I caught glimpses of it tonight but it didn't really harm our meal.  Our waitress was friendly but it took awhile for her to come over.  The food was close to being good but missed the mark.  Of course this is sustainable eating so you get what you get.

Im going back. I think it has tremendous potential.

No comments: