Sangria, Part Deux

The other day some good friends of our offered to babysit. To celebrate this rare occasion, we went to Sangria to eat and I have a few factual updates for you.

Fist of all, my first review still stands.

We asked the waiter what they had remodeled since it looked pretty much the same inside. We were informed that the floors were redone (I remember carpet, now a mix of tile and wood... looks nice) and the kitchen had some much-needed renovations done.

Hubby also informs me that it is in fact NOT a chain but was started and run by some chefs who wanted to settle in the area. A husband-wife team, if I remember correctly. So that's cool since I am all about supporting local businesses.

Well, this time we had our favorite again, the Drunk Steak as well as an appetizer and a dessert. The appetizer we chose the Avocado rolls which turned out to be avocado pieces fried in wonton wrappers and covered with some sort of sweet relish. Drool.

Since Hubby's favorite feature of the Drunk Steak is the garnish of fried plantains, he got an extra side dish of them, complete with a peach compote salsa that sent him directly into bliss. For dessert we opted for the Banana Tahiti cheesecake which came to us meltingly warm and swimming in a dulce de leche sauce. As cheesecakes go it was good but not the best I have ever tasted. The sauce made up for whatever the cake lacked though.

On this trip our waiter didn't meet my expectations at all. She was brassy and kept coming to our table when I had my mouth full asking if I liked my food. Pardon me, but this is a pet peeve of mine and I run into it constantly in this one-horse town. If you go to someone's restaurant to eat their food you expect them to give you something edible. You should not need to be asked five times throughout the meal if you like it. In my opinion, a good waiter should be quietly available in case something is wrong that needs fixing but otherwise he or she should let patrons alone to enjoy their meal and conversation. It irritates me to no end to be interrupted in the middle of a sentence to my dinner partner with a "You like your food okay?" GRRRR. Just keep my water glass full, bring the next thing at the proper time and leave me alone to enjoy it.

OK, rant over. Other than Annoying Waitress Lady, our recent Sangria trip was quite pleasurable.

Nectar, Part Deux

Restaurant Review Here.

It occurred to me tonight as Hubby and I sat at an intimate wooden table whose surface was cluttered with wine glasses, baguette plates, appetizers and salad forks, that if I was running a decent restaurant in a college town, I'd probably raise my prices sky-high too. We weren't paying for the food, delicious though it was, including some kind of creamy French cheese with an unpronounceable name that I'd commit some sort of a crime in order to eat it again, but we were paying to have a waiter who refilled our water glasses without being asked, who knew how to pronounce the name of not only the cheese but also the Argentinian wine and who smoothly made chatty conversation with us on his way past our table.

We were paying for a chef who had the audacity to cover his salad with Gruyere cheese and who served raw homeycomb. But most of all we were paying a price that was high enough to discourage the student population, even the ones in the posh fraternities and sororities thus keeping the atmosphere mellow and the clientele polite. For that in this town I would pay a lot.

The Broiler

Atmosphere: Quiet and intimate, good for businessmen
Food Quality: Very good
Food Taste: Also very good
Service: Top end of small town. Once in a while they miss something but they don't try to chase you out either!
Kid Friendliness: Would be okay if they'll be quiet and sit still.
Overall: A little overpriced but good food.
Cost: $15-$30 per plate? I don't remember.
Favorite: Sunday Brunch Buffet

I have been given coupons for the Sunday Brunch Buffet and have been taken to lunch there by employers, or I probably never would have gone. The salads I had for lunch were terrific; they had lots of interesting combinations and the ingerdients were quite fresh. The Sunday Brunch Buffet was the topper, though. A chocolate fountain with fresh strawberries, chafing dishes full of tempting potato creations and cheesy blintzes, a chef on hand ready to cook up a fresh crepe or omelette or slice off some roast beef. The only thing I ever found to be less than top quality was the breads and pastries were sometimes a little dry.

Swilly's

Atmosphere: Trendy and Sophisticated
Food Quality: Amazing. Always top-notch.
Food Taste: I love their chef's style! I guess she's been there for many years.
Service: Big-city quality. Fresh ground pepper on your salad.
Kid Friendliness: Get a sitter.
Overall: One of those Seattle-style places you have to know about.
Cost: $24-$40 per plate
Favorite: Don't go often enough.

We went there for a nice Valentine's Day date. The place was packed; we had to have a reservation, which we did. The dinner salad had nuts, caramelized red onions and Gorgonzola cheese on it, with some kind of mild house dressing. Matt got a seafood fettuccine dish which was good and I got the Northwest Seafood Stew which was out-of-this world good! We both agreed mine was better, hehe. I had the Sauvignon Blanc and I should have gotten a red, but oh well. Then we split this incredible dessert, something about molten chocolate with coffee ice cream. Perfect end to a culinarily delightful evening.

Sangria Grille

Atmosphere: Trendy, popular and noisy!
Food Quality: Outstanding
Food Taste: Amazing! The reason we go there
Service: Good
Kid Friendliness: not very. The waiters don't like to walk around high chairs and they have no kids menu
Overall: We love it!
Cost: around $14-$20 per plate
Favorite: Carne Asada (Drunk Steak). Wow. Drool.

We haven't been here for a few months because we haven't had a special occasion to use as an excuse and nobody gave us $50 just to go. But I needed to put this one on my blog because it is truly one of our very favorite places to eat. The food is always wonderful and the menu is really unique. This is one of the higher-end chain places that you usually only find in cities and I am so glad we have one!

Nectar

Atmosphere: Intimate and Sophisticated
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: Excellent
Service: Waiter was friendly but very professional
Kid Friendliness: No kids
Overall: Very cool.
Cost: $50 per person
Favorite: Creme Brulee!

Nectar's Wine Bar is a trendy little place right in downtown Moscow. It's designed to attract the high-end crowd with limited menu and a nice wine selection. I happened to go with a group of friends and only had a small salad. I'm sure if I had the cash I'd be a frequent patron; as it is I think it will be a special occasion favorite.

West of Paris

Atmosphere: Sophisticated and Intimate
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: To die for
Service: Our waiter really knew his stuff. Big city quality.
Kid Friendliness: Not appropriate for kids. Get a sitter.
Overall: We LOVE it here. If we were millionaires we'd eat here all the time.
Cost: $150 for two full-course dinners and wine
Favorite: The cognac quail. Wow.

Matt took me here a few weeks ago to celebrate his new job. We engaged a sitter and had an evening out. The waiters take their time; even the menu likens the meal to a multi-movement symphony. The amazing food and atmosphere make you want to spend not only the evening but the rest of your life there.

Of course it is spendy, but our friends mentioned that they will go there for an appetizer or a dessert and it doesn't break the bank. We just go there on extra special occasions.