So what did we have in honor of Father's Day this evening? A nice Provencal red, slightly chilled but a very versatile food pairing wine with a nice bouquet on the nose and tongue.
For starters we split:
The Octopus a la plancha served with marcona almonds and a marcona almond puree, arugula, and a sherry vinegar. Crisp, flavorful, and alive -- this is octopus that delights across the board, no hints of that awful chewy-ness traditionally associated with the sea creature.
Then we had their chickpea and eggplant duo with homemade falafel, babaganoush, and a fresh hummus. Each element was vegetal and herbaceous with the right amount of savory kick without being too overwhelming -- every ingredient sung to the beat of its own drum but blended together for all right reasons.
And lastly as an appetizer we had their sheep's milk cheese with yogurt which was a trio of whipped manouri, a duo of green and black olive pastes and grilled manouri with tomato confit. Manouri is a semi-firm cheese that is crafted from the left-over whey of feta production. Firmer than feta and less brine-y, it has slight hints of sweetness and a milky creaminess. Great in this inventive appetizer.
For my main I had their appetizer duo of tabouleh which is the classic Greek style salad and then the cauliflower version with golden raisins, herbs, and nuts. A delish riff on a cultural classic done well.
Also with the mains we split crispy artichokes and a roasted beets side with pistachio yogurt that was out of this world. Gave me the idea to start experimenting in infusing flavors into the open backdrop of plain yogurt, hmmm...where can I go with this one?
Overall a fantastic meal enjoyed by all and a lovely celebration. What a treat it is to have a restaurant of this nature so close to home.
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