Finally! Bar La Grassa! C.Y. loves this place and thought it was about time for the girls in our church small group to experience this new Isaac Becker venture - especially since Becker was one of the James Beard nominees for Best Chef Midwest (for both Bar La Grassa and 112 Eatery, which, by the way, is also fantastic!) ….oh well, maybe next year, right Chef?? (The title this year went to Alexander Roberts.)
Upon entering the restaurant, I was taken by Bar La Grassa's beautiful vintage style. The circular booths, prominent bar, and rich dark wood walls and floors all lend to the 1940's glam feel that the space exudes.
We were quickly seated (in one of the fun circular booths), and given an amuse of large white beans served in a tangy, crunchy mix of red peppers, cauliflower, and feta – yum! I could have just had that for my entrée! I was sad that we could each only have one bite (which, I guess, is the point of an amuse!), but luckily, I had the enticing menu to distract me - so many great options!
I decided to start with the Soft Eggs and Lobster Bruschetta. I thought the combination sounded a bit weird, but that is partly why I wanted to try it…and let me tell you, the combo definitely works! Absolutely amazing! Crisp buttery baguettes piled high with softly scrambled eggs and large chunks of tender lobster. My past few experiences with lobster have not been so great…I’ve just come to expect a few rubbery pieces scattered throughout the dish. Not so with this lovely Bruschetta! So good! But, like the beans, I was sad to see it end.
My sorrow was alleviated yet again by the arrival of my second dish: Gnocchi with Cauliflower and Orange. Wow! Just amazing! Creamy miniature gnocchi served in a rich buttery orange sauce. The sauce wasn’t overly sweet as the citrusy orange was balanced with the saltiness from what I believe were tiny bits of bacon. My only complaint with this dish is that there wasn’t much cauliflower – I was really hoping for more. Besides that, it was perfect!
I could have been talked into sharing dessert, but my friends were too full to even share something...Lightweights! And, since I’m a “peer pressure” dessert orderer, I skipped as well… even though I could have made room. Next time for sure!
And yes, there will definitely be a next time. Phenomenal food, excellent service, and of course, good friends who always make any meal better!
Additional Details:
1. Website: www.barlagrassa.com.
2. Have you ever heard of $3.00 valet? That's all they charge at Bar La Grassa!
3. Parking is pretty easy on this side of town. Plenty of meters (only enforced until 6p M-F) and ramp parking.
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