erisire's Reviews

Lovely Limestone

The ambiance at Limestone is surprising. You enter in a strip mall, which generally doesn't bode well for any restaurant. Here, though, the decor is simple, but elegant, and the waitstaff are dressed in simple blue shirts with black ties. They all seem comfortable in the area, which is intimate and open at the same time. You get the feeling that the owners wanted you to feel that Jay Gatsby had invited you to his new restaurant. The music, light jazz that almost sounds as if it were played by a well preserved record player in the corner, provides a soothing backdrop. I began my meal at the bar, since I arrived early for my reservation, and had a lovely glass of Malbec. It was full of chocolate and blackberry, with enough coffee to make me feel like I was dining in Argentina. The bar comes complete with a cheese and olive course, which is a nice addition to any bar, in my humble opinion.

After being seated, the attendant to the waiter provided an amuse bouche of smoked shrimp and dill mousse that certainly lived up to its name. The flavor was nice and even and made my mouth hungry for the next big thing. The amuse bouche was an unexpected addition that I think every restaurant should provide. I'd much rather have a small expression of the chef's creativity than some silly bread. Far more interesting, and far less fattening! I ordered the "Feed Me Chef" a prix fixe meal that is a five course invention of the chef at the time of order. For an extra $25 you also get a lovely wine pairing with each course.

The first course was grilled quail, seasoned with paprika (very lightly) basil, and chive, on a bed of wilted spinach, covered in a truffle vinaigrette. It was soft and delicious. The wine pairing was a mouvedre/Grenache blend that brought out the basil and the cranberry flavor in the quail.

The second course was escargot, with a panko crust and wilted spinach. Before I talk to you about the food, I have to mention the wine, Mount Eden Chardonnay (not villa). Butter in the glass, folks. When I taste food that has a wine pairing, I generally taste it without the wine first, to better feel the contrast. Frankly, in this case the dish is nothing without the wine. Not that it isn’t good, a creamy sauce, mushrooms, etc; but the wine brings this to an almost intellectual level. The blend of flavors was so good that I almost told my server to forgo the rest of the meal and continue to serve me this one. The one negative I have is that there was a distinct burnt taste to the breadcrumbs that was completely complimented with the wine, but that was a little bit of a downside to this dish. Can I mention again how fabulous the wine was?

Course three was a bibb lettuce and greens salad with apple butter on a cheese crostini, figs and port vinaigrette. The wine was a Sancerre (100% Sauvingnon Blanc). Very appley, perfect for the salad. The blend of flavors was lovely, and the Sancerre added bite to the sweetness of the fig. The cheese evened it all out and made a lovely balance. I have to admit, though, that figs tend to make me feel a bit gritty in the teeth, so..

The fourth course was a grilled corvino (light and flaky whitefish) with a burgundy reduction, on top of pesto kemo (like a barley couscous) with leeks and peppers. Burgundy wine was the pairing. The dish had a Cajun feel with an Itailan base, due to the pesto. Delicious AND healthy! After a few bites, though, it seems a bit bland, that the flavor of the meat, kemo and veggies is overstated by the sauce, which is a perfect level of spice, but the fish and the leeks are delicate, so the combination is a bit off.

The fifth course, dessert, was served with a special cuvee, like a port, with tons of chocolate in the flavor. The dessert itself was a “chess pie”, which I’ve never had before but was like a pecan pie with chocolate syrup and much brown sugar. Lovely and topped with fresh whipped cream and vanilla bean ice cream. All in all this meal was wonderful, and the service was impeccable. I can’t help but feel, though, that the food could have been better paired with the wine. Not to complain, of course, but it could have been more awesome. Would I go back? Absolutely. Worth every penny and then some.

Reviewed on: September 10, 2007