Recess

Aaaaah, Recess. Last year, the week before our wedding, Tim and I treated ourselves to a meal at Recess.  It was our first time to venture over there, despite the number of times we had been to Room Four, and we were crazy impressed.  So when we were discussing where to go for our first anniversary, I immediately suggested we go back.  I'd love to make it an annual tradition, if we can.

I started my meal with a Robert the Bruce by Three Floyds Brewery ($3.50).  Tim and I enjoy a glass of wine now and again, but we're primarily beer people (well, he's a beer guy--I prefer mixed drinks, but have come to appreciate certain types of beer since we started dating).  Robert the Bruce is my usual choice when visiting Room Four--that, or Founder's Porter--and the incredibly reasonable prices they have on these semi-local beers is yet another thing to love.

Our first course that night was striped bass ceviche.  Over the past few years I've come to really enjoy ceviche.  I have finally gotten past my squeamishness over the fact that it's not, technically, cooked (although the citrus juices do cook the fish).  The bass, cut into pretty small pieces, was well-seasoned and bright from the lime juice.  The avocado component listed in the description (see the picture of our menu at the top, by the way) was more of a smooth puree, and it added a nice richness.  The tomatoes and micro greens also gave the whole thing a freshness.  I removed all of the cilantro--sorry, it's just gross--but if you enjoy that type of thing, there was plenty sitting decoratively on top.  The chips were small but there was a good fish-to-chip ratio.  Overall, a great starter.

Our second course was halibut, and it was perfectly cooked.  I'm telling you, they do right by fish at Recess and Room Four.  I mean, look at that picture.  I could eat it again right now.  It sat atop an "orange thyme jus"--a lovely broth with an interesting kick of the aforementioned orange (we could see bits of the rind in there).  And in the broth there was bacon adding smokiness, plus asparagus, carrots, and pearl barley.  It was just lovely and light.  Oh, and those green things on top?  Sunflower sprouts!  What?!  I know!  They were kind of like an enormous bean sprout, but because of their size they had a lot more texture and were almost more like spinach.  Really good.  Really, really good.


Third course was beef ribeye, perfectly cooked to medium rare and sitting on top of a yummy bed of mashed potatoes (or 'potato puree,' if you want to get fancy).  The interesting aspect of this dish was the "cauliflower salsa"--I can only guess what was in it, but it was salty and herb-y and texturally really interesting.  It's the green and white stuff in the picture.  Super interesting.  Between the meat and potatoes were mushrooms and ramps.  I've heard tell the legend of the ramp and was excited to finally try them.  I don't think there were many on there, but it was enough to impart an delicate green-oniony flavor to the dish.  Yum.  And there was a great sauce, I think made with the mushrooms and ramps.

  
Finally, we get to dessert.  I wasn't insanely excited by that night's offering, but of course it won me over once we got it.  Unlike most of the world, I'm generally not much of a "chocoholic," so I was unexcited by the promise of chocolate honey ganache with raspberry glazed bananas and hazelnuts.  But the end result was a great balance of flavor and texture.  The ganache itself was dark and rich (as you would expect pure chocolate and cream to be--it looks like a brownie in that picture, and it was a good-sized piece).  The raspberry glazed bananas took bananas to a whole new level...they maintained some of the texture of a banana, but tasted like the incredible raspberry sauce they had been tossed in.  And the hazelnuts added a needed nutty crunch.  A bite of chocolate, whipped cream, banana, and nut was close to perfection.  And again, this is coming from someone who would usually not choose a chocolate dessert.  Great end to the meal.

I won't wax on any further about how great this place (and Room Four) is.  You know I love it.  You know I think you should go!


Website:  Recess