Balliceaux is so-so

Balliceaux is the new kid in town and getting all the buzz. We've been there done that numerous times in Richmond. Sometimes the hype is warranted (Black Sheep, Lemaire, Cafe Rustica), other times it's not (Mezzanine, Cirrus, Dogwood Grill).

I wanted to be wowed by Balliceaux. I have been a fan of Russell Cook's dishes for many years and my hopes were high. I was a bit disappointed.

I was not disappointed in the atmosphere. It's a beautiful restaurant.

We arrived and Mckenzie and Peyton were waiting for us at the bar. I had a glass of Villa Appalacchia Pinot Grigio ($9). I am generally not a big fan of Virginia wines but this was very nice.

We were seated, bread with oil and water were served and for appetizers we ordered raw oysters ($12), crab cakes ($13) and the ham and cheese baguette with truffle fries ($9). The oysters were watery and flavorless. The crab cakes were good, but small and the horseradish accompaniment was fresh grated horseradish which was a bit off putting. I think a horseradish sauce would have worked much better in flavor and texture. I did not have any of the ham and cheese but it was well received by everyone and the truffle fries were crisp and flavorful.

For entrees Bob and I ordered the cremini mushroom carbonara with buccatini, smoked tomatoes, ricotta and farm fresh egg ($15). Mckenzie ordered the heritage burger with truffle fries ($10) and Peyton ordered the halibut ($20). The carbonara was fine, but did not seem like carbonara at all. The tomatoes and mushrooms overpowered the dish and the flavor and creaminess of the ricotta was hard to find. Mckenzie enjoyed her burger, which was cooked to the requested medium rare. Peyton had the best entree of the night and declared his halibut to be very good. With the meal we had a bottle of Domaine de Rome '07 Sancerre ($40) and Bob had a glass of d'Alba Dolcetto ($7).

Our server John did a very good job and helpful with input and recommendations.

Overall, our meal was fine but not outstanding. I would go back with friends who wanted to go or if I happened to be in the area. I think the potential is there and I recognize they opened very recently and likely have been overwhelmed by the positive press and popularity of the their place. I wish them all the best and will give them some time and try it again. Balliceaux Restaurant :: 203 N. Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA

A super-terrific experience in Atlanta....dinner at Rathbun's

This year I was fortunate to celebrate my birthday in Atlanta. It was a great weekend, despite the Hokies losing to Alabama. Dinner at Rathbun's was the culinary highlight.

Chef Kevin Rathbun, along with his brother Kent (who has his own restaurant in Dallas) beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America in "Battle Elk"and I was intriqued and took advantage of the opportunity to try one of the Rathbun brothers' restaurants.

Located in the old Stoveworks building, it is spacious and modern with lots of stainless but keeping the feel of being in an older site.

We were early and decided to order a bottle of Gruet Blanc de Noirs ($44) while we were waiting. This is one benefit of taking a cab to dinner. Gruet is one of our standby sparklings...it is dry and crisp and one would never guess it is from New Mexico.

We were seated along an outside wall of numerous tables and while the tables may seem too close together for some, it provided camaraderie throughout the evening and we were fortunate to be seated next to two fun and outgoing parties. I always enjoy making new friends and those who know me know I have never met a stranger.

We reviewed the menu and there were so many things we wanted to try and after consulting with our lovely waitress Shalini, we made our selections.

We started the meal with the Lamb Scaloppini with Pancetta and Goat Gouda ($8.25). The lamb was perfectly cooked and very tender and we were very pleased with the selection. We also shared the Greek Wedge with Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers Feta Cheese & Toasted Oregano Vinaigrette ($6.25) which they were nice enough to split for us. We wanted something flavorful, but not rich and this fit the bill.

For our entrees I chose the Crispy Duck Breast with Thai Risotto and Green Curry Essence ($23.75). Recently I have become increasingly fond of duck and this was one of the best duck breasts I have had. It was prepared medium rare and the Thai risotto had just the right amount of spice and creamy with a touch of coconut milk along with the curry.

Bob chose one of the specials, the 16 oz dry aged New York Strip served with purple bliss potatoes ($41.95) along with a side of Charred Corn & Gouda Cheese ($6.50). Bob deemed this one of the best, if not the best, steaks he's ever had.

Bob had a bottle of Fin du Monde beer ($6.50) with his meal and I had a glass of Chateau Sancerre ($13.50) with mine.

Since it was my birthday, they sent me a complimentary Peanut Butter Creme Brulee for dessert with "Happy Birthday" drizzled around the plate in chocolate and thankfully with no singing. We also ordered one of the Chef's Favorite Four samplings ($11) which included the Creme Brulee, a miniature Red Velvet cake, a Mini Chocolate Cube with Mexican Chocolate Mousse and the Dark Chocolate Orange Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Sabayon. Being extremely festive, Bob had a snifter of Amareto di Sarona ($7.50) and I had a glass of Smith Woodhouse 10 year Port ($8.50).

The evening could not have been better. Outstanding food, phenomenal service, great atmosphere and lots of festive people, including the nice couple from Alabama with whom we shared a cab back to the hotel and made my 45th birthday very special.

If you are in Atlanta, definitely go to Rathbun's
http://www.rathbunsrestaurant.com/cuisine.htm

A birthday feast....Mediteranneo

For my in town birthday dinner (we were in Atlanta for my actual birthday, post to follow) I chose Mediterraneo located at the corner of Winterfield and Robious in Midlothian. For my birthday dinner, I tend towards the places I feel special, which generally means a neighborhood place that not only makes great food but also ensures a great time.

For me, one of those places is Mediterraneo and since this is my first birthday since they opened, I decided it would be the place.

We sat at our usual place at the bar and had a glass of Albarino and reminisced with Joe about a ravioli dish (chocolate pasta stuffed with pheasant in a butter sauce) he let us try the week before when we had stopped in for a glass of wine. Joe is in the process of tweaking the menu and making some changes for fall and this unique offering should definitely be on there. The pasta was not chocolaty in the traditional sense, instead it brought a savory richness to the dish. I had never had pheasant and found both the texture and the flavor pleasing and the light butter sauce balanced it all out.

Now, on to the birthday dinner. I asked Joe to chose my birthday dinner for me. I am glad I did. Bob decided to have the same thing I did and he's glad he did. Joe started us out with a lovely shrimp salad. Medium shrimp poached to perfection and marinated in olive oil, citrus (not sure if it was lime, lemon or both), lots of fresh herbs, carrots and celery and served over mixed greens. This was a great summer salad and the marinade made a perfect dipping sauce for the homemade bread sticks and Foccacia.

Our entree consisted of tortoloni stuffed with fava beans, prosciutto and mascapone served in a brown butter sage sauce. This was one of the best pasta dishes I've had in a long time. Joe makes all of his own pasta and a dish like this takes full advantage of that fresh pasta. We also shared a bottle of Pinocchio with the meal.

Thank you Joe for making my birthday very special. I can't wait for the new fall menu to come out. .:: Mediterraneo Fine Cuisine ::.