after dinner sneeze

t says:  g and I need to get up to speed on some restaurants that we visited in December but didn’t quite get around to blogging about – so here we go:

Il Pittore.  Dec 2011, Dinner, Party of 2.  We went to Il Pittore after I took a fairly important exam (medical licensing exam).  It had been a long day and I wanted me some good-old-fashioned-pasta.  Normally we go to Melograno for such things, but we had an OpenTable gift certificate burning a hole in our wallet, so we figured that it’d be good to use it for something we’d never have done before (i.e. go to a Starr restaurant instead of a BYO).  Props:  The service was superb.  The food was very un-Starr-like (i.e. it tasted like someone was trying to turn out some good food for the sake of the food, itself, not just to conform to a restaurant’s theme).  The ricotta was quite delicious, reminding us of a lighter/springier version of Barbuzzo’s.  When coupled with the foccacia from the free bread basket (i.e. which was jaw-droppingly good on its own), you were left with a stunning combination.

ricotta + apple + thyme

The Paccheri tasted like what you imagine the ocean would smell like in a fantasy Disney world (clean, fresh, delicious seafood).

paccheri = clams + rock shrimp + salami pieces + broccoli rabe

The Corzetti was a unique mix of goat, mint, and chili oil – it was like Han Dynasty meets minty goat meets al dente pasta, with a pretty delightful result.  In retrospect, none of the food was “bad” – as a matter of fact – it was all at least “good” … but I’m going to be picky now …  Slops:  The portions are a bit small overall.  The pappardelle with wild boar is unfortunately not as good as Melograno’s which has a far deeper flavor and more strands of meat.  In retrospect, the pasta dishes as a whole were not as “deep” or developed as those we’ve had at Melograno’s, which usually tastes as if more was “going on” in the pot beforehand.  The EtOH is pricey, matching the “dressier” feel of the place vs. Noble that had been there before.  Conclusion:  Thus, it makes it hard to go to Il Pittore knowing that Melograno is so nearby … but what Il Pittore may be good for is for “classier” evenings when you want pasta on white table cloths without tons of ambient noise … like when parents are in town.

Pub and Kitchen.  Dec 2011, Lunch, Party of 2.  a and I went on a lunch adventure together.  We invited the girls, but they were too “busy”, claiming that “someone needs to work to make money” or some such nonsense.  Props:  Nice fun ambience – the worn wood look.  Food was “good”.  Slops:  Food was only “good”.  Allow me to illustrate:

pulled pork sandwich +chipotle mayo + cheese + fried pickle + slaw

As you can see in the above blurry picture, I had the pulled pork sandwich.  It tasted fine (like pork and sauce and cheese).  But it wasn’t as nearly as good as Village Whiskey.  And that makes me frown.  I hoped the slaw could punch it up, but it was insipid.  The fried pickle was the best thing on the plate.

a’s was a bit happier with his pot pie and his Brussels sprouts, but still, it’s not like they rocked his socks:

dude ... my camera skills SUCK

Conclusion:  The meal wasn’t bad, but maybe, just maybe, there’s a glimmer of hope that their dinner will step it up.  I’d give their dinner a try …