Evangeline Tasting Menu

It all started with an innocent email from my husband to Erik Desjarlais last March inquiring whether Erik was offering a special menu to celebrate Evangeline's 1 year anniversary (April 18th).

Erik responded that likely they were going to celebrate in May, but suggested we come in for a Tasting Menu as my last meal before having the baby. My husband loved the idea and worked out the details with Erik about food preferences, allergies, etc. The day before the big night, the doctors broke the news to me that the little guy needed to join the world immediately.

As we waited in the prep room at the hospital, my husband was forced to send Erik the sad news from his Blackberry – "No Go tomorrow night. At hospital now. Baby arriving shortly." Of course Erik understood, but we had no idea when we would be able to reschedule the dinner. Between the sleep deprivation and Swine Flu scares, almost two months passed before we figured out the fine dining thing with baby.

Finally, with a sitter in place, and a few trial runs going out for shorter meals, my comfort level increased to the point that we could partake in a longer meal. It was worth the wait!

The Tasting Menu included some of our favorites from Bandol (Erik's former restaurant), and new dishes based on our preferences. The extraordinary three hour meal included 16 dishes over 10 courses:

Course 1 - American White Sturgeon Caviar, Crème Fraîche and Blini -- American Caviar is healthier to consume for the baby because it comes from less polluted waters. I find it has a fresher taste than Beluga and Ossetra. It is less salty, yet still retains the classic nutty and buttery taste.

Course 2 - Seared Black Bass with Australian Black Truffles and White Asparagus. The perfectly cooked fish was complimented by the earthy truffles; the asparagus was an ideal foundation of texture.

Course 3a - Maine Lobster Broth with Poached "Lobster Mitts" and Black Truffle Mousse. Simply decadent.

Course 3b - Duck Consommé with Roasted Yellow Beets, Goat Milk Ricotta Gnocchi with Chervil. My husband was pleased that the Gnocchi had the firmness to hold together in the consommé, yet still had a light, fluffy texture.

Course 4a - Roasted Ahi Tuna Loin with Maine White Bean Cassoulet and Braised Greens. This was my single favorite dish from Erik's former restaurant, Bandol.

Course 4b - Sautéd Spotted Skate Wing with Asparagus and Pearl Onions, Brown Butter, Capers and Lemon. This was my husband's favorite dish from Bandol. He is always disappointed when Skate is prepared in any other way.

Course 5a - Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Creamed Corn, Leeks and Lobster Butter Sauce. This was the highlight of the meal. I almost didn't offer my husband a bite because I knew he would beg for more. I love Erik's sauces, and this one showcased his well-honed sills.

Course 5b - Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Pommes Puree, Trumpet Royale Mushrooms, and Foie Gras Sauce. Lobster and Foie Gras Sauce is one of best marriages I've had on a plate. The meaty mushroom and potato starch added a zen balance to the dish. Incredible!

Course 6a - Aiguillette of Pekin Duck Breast with Fig, Collards and Foie Gras Sauce. The duck was tender, with a wonderfully crispy skin. Duck and fig together is one of my favorite combinations.

Course 6b - Roulade of Natural Chicken Breast with English Peas and Sweet Carrot Puree. The chicken was wrapped in bacon and roasted, leaving behind a heavenly smokiness. The carrot puree was amazing, as was the colorful presentation.

Course 7a - Kunik Cheese with Marinated Plums and Honey. The firm flesh of the plum paired well with the mild and buttery Triple Cream (Goat and Jersey Cow milk). The honey was a deliciously sweet accent.

Course 7b - Landaff Cheese with Figs, Roasted Sweet Peppers and Greens. The mild and semi-firm raw cow's milk cheese was itself, a perfect base for the other ingredients.

Course 8 - Strawberry Gin Sorbet with Shortcake Crumble and Vanilla Crème Fraiche. Utterly refreshing.

Course 9 - Crème Brulee - Near the end of the meal, it was prudent to serve it in egg holders, otherwise we would not have had room for the final course....

Course 10a - Cluizel Chocolate Chip Cookie, Milk Cocktail. The high cocoa content of the chocolate was balanced by the alcohol in the "milk cocktail."

Course 10b - Chocolate Pot De Crème with Crème Chantilly, Raspberries and Cinnamon. Chocolate is the perfecting ending to an extraordinary meal; the cinnamon pot de crème did not disappoint.

Wines:

We started with glasses of the Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose Champagne. I gained an appreciation for Rose Champagne in St. Marrten (of all places). The blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay create a more complex taste than traditional champagne.

After the caviar Steven opened a Kermit Lynch 2007 Chateau Graville Lacoste Bordeaux Blanc. The white bordeaux was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon; it held up well to a variety of the dishes, without being overpowering.

A 2006 Domaine des Corbillières Tourain Cabernet Franc came out ahead of the Duck and Chicken dishes. The mellow and fruit forward wine also paired well with the cheese course.

We ended with the evening with a glass of Duckpond Semillon. This is my new favorite dessert wine! It was sweet but light, without the syrupy characteristic of many ports and dessert wines.

During many courses, my husband became speechless, with only the sounds of satisfaction breaking the silence between bites. We both agreed that this was the best meal we have had in over year -- since we ate at Joel Robuchon. The amount of effort and level of execution of each dish showcased the talents of our favorite French Chef. Erik’s passion for the craft came across in each enchanting bite.

Erik will soon combine efforts with his talented wife, Krista with the launch of 12 Seats. After our Tasting Menu, I can only imagine the level of delight the collaboration will bring their 12 lucky guests. If you cannot wait until the first dinner on October 25th (almost sold out), Evangeline offers the Tasting Menu with 24 hours notice. I recommend going on a quiet night, as we did, such as a Tuesday or Wednesday, for a relaxed evening of well executed French inspired cuisine.

2009 Yarmouth Clam Festival Update

WCSH6 reports that the 2009 Yarmouth Clam Festival is still on, despite Red Tide:



The Festival runs July 17th to 19th. More information can be found at: www.clamfestival.com

Gnocchi Nirvana

Run - don't walk - to Bresca and order the Roman Gnocchi! Trust me, you will be glad you did.

We shared an appetizer portion last night - but never again! Going forward we each want our own portion - entree sized please - so we don't have to fight over the last bites.

Roman Gnocchi is made with semolina, milk and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Krista revealed that the light and fluffy texture is a result of the milk - and the amount of time cooking the dough before spreading and cooling it into discs.

This was the best Gnocchi dish I have tasted, and my new favorite non-dessert dish at Bresca (the panna cotta is to die for). If you have had Krista Desjarlais' Bruschetta before, you'll understand why the plump, perfectly cooked Charred Toy Tomatoes make the dish. The basil, goat butter, and shaved Parmesan add flavor complexity to the gnocchi.

There are so many compelling reasons to visit Bresca - now you have one more.

12 Seats

Erik Desjarlais, Owner/Executive Chef of Evangeline confirmed rumors and provided details about a new dining experience called "12 Seats." He and his new wife, Krista Desjarlais (formally Kern) - Owner/Executive Chef of Bresca - will prepare a 12 course meal each month for 12 guests. 12 Seats will be housed in the same location as Bresca.





Here are the details:

• The last Sunday of every month they will seat 12 guests, by reservation only, and cook a 12 course meal.
• A paired wine flight, as well as a limited 12 bottle list will be offered.
• There will be one seating at one big table (think the dinner scene from the movie Babettes Feast)
• Krista and Erik will collaborate on the dishes - all original - not selections from Evangeline or Bresca.
• Bresca will be transformed into 12 Seats, with a different decor, and a 12 Seats sign to hang over the Bresca sign.

The goal is to create a highly personalized experience; severe food allergies will be accommodated (dietary preferences will not). The dinner will be $120pp, excluding wine.

The first meal will be served on Sunday, October 25th. Reservations may be made by calling 207-838-FOIE(3643).
Update: 12 Seats has been postponed, see comments below.

Grace - Portland, Maine

Dramatic is the word that best describes the interior of Grace.

Whereas at many restaurants the bar is an afterthought - a staging area where diners wait for their table - at Grace, the large, circular bar is the focal point of the restaurant.

The effort made to incorporate elements of the historic church is readily apparent (check out Meredith Goad's article for a more extensive description of the renovations). By far, this restaurant has the most interesting ambiance of any Portland-area eatery. Request a table upstairs for a quieter dinner, and a birds eye view of the open kitchen, diners and bar patrons below.

The wine list at Grace features many recognizable bottles from California - priced with only a modest mark up from what you would pay retail. At the suggestion of our waitress, I ordered a glass of the Carmel Road Pinot Noir ($7) - a non-offensive, though unmemorable wine served in a stemless glass. My husband chose his favorite beer - Allagash White ($4) - on draft.

The Lobster Tacos - part of the bar menu at Grace -are not only a bargain at $5 (market price) for two, they are delicious! Soft corn shells contained a plentiful portion of lobster, cilantro, cabbage and red onion. Also part of the bar menu - and worth a taste - are the Truffled Deviled Eggs ($4) - with flavors of truffles, dijon mustard and mayonnaise filling a soft boiled egg.

The Chilled Avocado Soup with Peekytoe Crab Salad ($12) was refreshing, though I wouldn't order it again. Perhaps it was the addition of coconut - or maybe the avocado used wasn't ripe enough - but this soup lacked any "wow" factor. The same could be said of the loaf of house made oatmeal bread, though the presentation was nice - on a cutting board wrapped in a napkin.

I chose the Smoked Duck ($27) for my entree, while my husband opted for the Pan Seared Goat Cheese Gnocchi ($19). Other Entrees included cod, chicken, lamb and steak. The gnocchi dish consisted of soft pillows of goat cheese, beets and beet greens set in a vegetable consomme. Though the combination of flavors was interesting, my husband was not overly impressed with the dish. The amount of consomme made the entree more of a soup than he expected and the "gnocchi" quickly broke apart in the broth when he tried to fork or spoon them.

My duck was set upon a bed of quinoa and served with a hibiscus ginger jelly that overpowered the fowl. Without the jelly, the duck lacked its typical savoriness; I had to cover it in salt to give it flavor. The meat was tough and not cooked to my specification. I often find that quinoa is served with duck to absorb pan juices - unfortunately there weren't any in this dish to moisten the dry grain.

Sides can be ordered a la carte. We chose the Green Beans with Slivered Almonds ($5); fingerling potatoes and beets were the other options offered the evening we dined. The beans were fresh and cooked al dente.


For dessert we selected the Cinnamon and Chocolate Mousse Cake ($6) which I thoroughly enjoyed, though my husband thought the taste of cinnamon was overpowering (only order this if you really like cinnamon!).

The waitstaff appeared relatively relaxed for opening weekend, and were familiar with the menu items and wine list. Unfortunately, the kitchen was pushing plates out too quickly, so the pace of the meal was hurried, particularly given the price point. Hopefully this will be corrected once they get past the opening week.

Bottom line: We'll likely return to Grace with friends for the hip atmosphere, bar snacks and drinks. I would give them time to fine-tune their menu before trying dinner.

The Corner Room - Portland, Maine

The Corner Room completes Harding Lee Smith's trio of restaurants in Portland, which also includes The Front Room and The Grill Room.

Located at the corner of Exchange and Federal Streets, The Corner Room occupies the space that formerly housed the Salt Gallery. The interior has been transformed into a contemporary eatery, complete with tall ceilings, wood floors and whitewashed walls.

It was standing room only opening night. Many patrons had stopped first at Grace before moving on to try out The Corner Room. Portlanders love restaurant openings! The staff handled the crowd with expertise; there was little evidence of opening night kinks that plague many restaurants.

Value is what you can expect when visiting this restaurant. Wines are mostly in the $20-$30 range, while pasta entrees are all $9 for "traditional size" and $15 for large. Paninis are $8, while Pizzas are priced in the low-to-mid teens.

"Create your own" antipasti allows dinners to mix and match meats, cheeses, seafood and vegetables. We selected the Shrimp & Ceci ($6) and Eggplant Caponata ($4). Served chilled, the Maine shrimp were combined with marinated chickpeas, scallions, garlic and olive oil. This appetizer was light, fresh and delicious. The eggplant, pepper and onion medley also contained raisins, making it a bit sweeter than I expected, though it was wonderful when spooned on the soft Italian bread.

My husband described the mozzarella en crozza ($9) appetizer as "similar to french toast, but with cheese." Mozzarella cheese, on a Baguette slice, is dredged in flour and egg, then lightly fried, to create soft pillows. Paired with charred cherry tomatoes, this appetizer was outstanding! Equally impressive was the Roasted Beet Salad ($8) with arugula and Castelmagno cheese. Perfectly dressed with white balsamic vinegar, the medley of flavors worked wonderfully together.

I love fresh pasta so I couldn't resist the house made Pappardelle and Mushrooms ($9). Soft ribbons of pasta were tossed with meaty mushrooms, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley. Though the pasta was slightly overcooked and a bit starchy, I enjoyed the dish enough to finish every bite. My husband selected a special offered that evening - Pan Roasted Cod served with mussels ($15). The seafood was set in a Sambuca sauce that added an enjoyable touch of sweetness.

Our waitress - Jordan - was knowledgeable about the wines and menu items - impressive given that it was opening night. When we asked for her recommendation on full bodied red wines by the glass, she steered us to the Gabbiano Chianti ($6.50) and the Castello Moracia ($8) - both of which were excellent. The latter was my favorite as it had characteristics similar to those of Zinfandel - smooth with a slight pepper finish (it is so nice to enjoy wine once again with dinner!).

The only dish that did not impress was the tiramasu ($6); it was overly sweet for our taste and saturated in soupy custard. When we expressed our dislike, we were told it was an unfortunate casualty of a snafu involving "the Pepsi man and a refrigerator." I would have simply removed this item from the menu, rather than serving a sub par dessert. However, to the credit of staff, the item was removed from our bill when they learned that it was not to our liking.

My only word of caution for those visiting this restaurant is the noise level. While the noise makes for a festive atmosphere, I would think twice before having a business lunch or a quiet date night dinner at this restaurant. But for those seeking a fun, moderately priced meal out with friends, The Corner Room fits the bill. It definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of food, atmosphere and price.

Bottom line: In a city with many Italian food options, The Corner Room finds its niche as a moderately priced restaurant with creative cuisine.

2009 Q2 Update

The top 10 most read posts April thru June:

1. El Rayo Taqueria


2. The Farmer's Table


3. Evangeline


4. Best Restaurants in Portland Maine


5. Salt Exchange Portland Maine


6. 2008 Dining Guide


7. Miyake


8. Johnny's Bistro


9. Bresca


10. Emilitsa

Interesting Facts on the Stats:

• The blog had a 66% increase in the number of visitors compared to the same quarter last year


• Two of busiest days in this blog's history were May 22 and June 11th - the rush to read about El Rayo and the Salt Exchange.

Looking Back:

We enjoyed Father's Day Brunch at Five Fifty Five. If you haven't been there in awhile, the fresh baked cinnamon buns with vanilla icing are worth the trip alone. This is definitely my favorite local brunch spot.

Willard Scoops is now open in South Portland (across the street from Scratch Bakery). Not your everyday ice cream parlor, they feature such creations as Hot Chili Chocolate, Nutella and Salt Caramel ice creams. I tried a half dozen flavors before settling on a the chocolate coconut. Though Beal's is still my favorite (I love their triple chocolate frozen yogurt), I'll definitely return to Willard Scoops.

We made the rounds to our favorite restaurants the last few weeks before the baby was born. Among them was Hugo's, where we had the most incredible Truffle & Parmesan Cheese Puffs (part of the bar/snack menu). The puffs were light as air, but packed with wonderfully pungent flavor.

We celebrated our anniversary with dinner at Fore Street. They have a new (much improved) supplier for their duck - it was more tender and less gamey than the duck we have had there in the past. Paired with a goat cheese mash, it was fantastic!

When we found ourselves still hungry after lunch at the Salt Exchange, we stopped in at Miccuci's for an utterly amazing chocolate almond cannoli. I hope they still have these this winter, because they will be my choice to serve for Christmas Eve dessert.

Upcoming:

We are looking forward to two new restaurant openings: The Corner Room and Grace.

I will be heading back to work after twelve weeks off on maternity leave. I predict several nights of take out as I learn to adjust to my new schedule. Thankfully I discovered a relatively healthy pizza at Ricetta's The Florentine...with roasted chicken, tomatoes, onion and spinach. Combined with their spinach salad (hold the cheese and Prosciutto) and you almost have a healthy meal. Thankfully, Benkay is on my way home too!

We'll keep looking for restaurants that are "baby friendly." So far I've found that we can go to most of our favorite spots without issue, as long as we dine early. I always used to wonder who booked the 5:30 reservations...now I know.

Baby Update:

• He's thriving! Happy and healthy at ten and a half weeks, he is eating up a storm.


• Baby's first meal out was lunch at El Rayo. Despite the crowds and noise, he slept the entire time. Much to the delight of the diners around us, he also slept through his first dinner on the town - at Pacarino. Write-up coming soon...


• He had his first of what will be many dining experiences at Evangeline, Benkay, and Five Fifty-Five. Now that he is getting older, he always seems to want his bottle just as our meals are served...go figure.