Friday night was a treat. My sister offered to watch the baby so that my husband and I, along with two close friends, could go out for dinner. This is something we used to do almost weekly in pre-baby life, but now has become a rare and special opportunity. When we have the chance to go out, we’re not going to waste it with a mediocre restaurant.
Wanting to stay close in the neighborhood, we decided to go to Fiddlehead.We have been there a few times, never really “wowed” but always happy after the meal. I believe a protege from Bin 36 had a role in opening it and it has a nice underlying tone of wine and cocktails.
The service is a little rough around the edges. I had this feeling that everyone working there wanted to be somewhere else. No one was flat out rude, but there was little to no attention to detail or going above and beyond service-wise.
So, I’m going to throw in a litter interjection; the review will continue in just a moment, but please bear with me. I used to work for one of the worlds largest high-end restaurant groups and I think it might haunt all of my other dining experiences because it taught me that service should be above and beyond every time. It’s hard going somewhere when the server just doesn’t care because that seeps into the rest of the night’s experience. I firmly believe going out to dinner is a two part equation: one part food, one part experience (i.e. service). If one is really strong and the other is lacking, it can change the skew of the evening. When they’re both up to snuff, that’s a great night out.
Okay- so as I was saying. The service was just fine, but nothing to write home about. The food on the other hand (remember that whole one part food, one part service? In this case, that food part was definitely the bulkier of the equation)… The food was delicious.
We started out with Mussels in an Allagash White broth. Our server said they could also be prepared with a white wine broth, but I think Mussels and beer are always a great match. They were delicious and the broth was amazing. The only problem was they gave us two skimpy pieces of bread and we were ready to start lapping the bowl for that broth. After two asks and about five-ten minutes later, we got more bread and wiped the bowl clean.
For the next round, I had an heirloom tomato and watermelon salad and I shared that with my friend, who also ordered the watermelon gazpacho (which you know I loved!). The salad was delicious. Crumbled French feta, mint and the crunch of the watermelon with the melt of the tomatoes made for a perfect dish. I was very inspired and will be making something similar the next time we have people over. The gazpacho was equally delicious. Tiny diced peppers, cucumbers and herbs were stacked in the middle of the bowl with the watermelon puree poured over as the plate was presented. The flavor had a kick; definitely some jalapeno heat but it matched perfectly with the coolness of the watermelon.
For the main course, I had the scallops special with clams and stuffed mussels with English peas and smoked tomatoes. The scallops were divine. Perfectly seasoned and seared. Such at treat finding mussels prepared so well. The real show-stopper, though, were the stuffed mussels. The Chef came out to check in on us and I couldn’t stop gushing about the mussels. They should have a permanent spot on the menu. The smoked tomatoes, however, were a bit of a distraction. The overpowering flavor and aroma trampled the delicate tango of the seafood, but I ate the components separately which worked out fine.
Every perfect meal should end with cheese.
We got a cheese flight with five types: Manchego, Drunken Goat, Irish Cheddar, French firm Bleu, and a creamy French brie. Nothing makes me happier than a cheese flight. I was very disappointed, however, with the lack of accompaniments (again, only two small pieces of bread, a few walnuts and three apple slices). I realize they are supposed to garnish, not carry the cheese plate, but sometimes it’s nice having a little more vehicles to enjoy the cheese.
Overall, the meal was delicious and it was a great night with our great friends. Like my previous experiences, the food carried the meal, the service was fine but not memorable, but the amazing company, conversation and laughs was the real star of the night.
chicagofoodie
