Sublime dinner at Highlawn Pavilion

[PaulaJK]

Twinkling city lights, refined dining accoutrements and professional service provided the background last evening for Chef Mitchell Altholt's ' Tasting

Menu'. This is a new event at the Highlawn Pavilion, offered only on Thursday evenings. Clearly it has captured the chef's interest and imagination. In it he proudly displays culinary skills the equal of NYC venues. The menu changes weekly so what I am sharing represents the July 26th offering.

-Mise en Bouche was a tasty duck rilette w. pan toasted herb bread crisps.

-Tender filets of Rougt atop a confit of baby leeks were accented with spicey

red pepper coulis, the plate decorated w. swirls of squid ink

-Beneath the lid of white procelain cassarole/pot lay sweet buttery lobster

gently covered with lobster emulsion and garnished w. Hen of the Wood

mushroom & truffles.

Delicious!...but then, it all had been delicious. My spouse & I had just finished saying that we could probably skip the

-Summer Truffle Ravioli of root vegetables when they arrived. The pasta

itself was gossamer and the filling light and delightful simultaneously. We

could taste celeriac, truffles, trumpet mushrooms and purple/Thai basil although there were other ingredients too. We almost snarfed them.... and then wondered

where they had vanished to!

-North Carolina Squab, rosy, thinly sliced and silky textured followed, its accompaniments consisting of a Nappa cabbage & bacon fondue and a medallion of foie gras. This dish was rich yet light and just perfect for me.

-Exploratuer cheese w. Black Mission figs and a dash of balsamic followed by

-Cavaillon melon-sauterne soup w. a ball of citron sorbet provided the perfectly balanced ending to this repast.

Our wine--a pinot noir-- was recommended by Jan Zimmerman, Highlawn's extremely competent manager & wine maven.

We could not have asked for a more perfect evening. Just as I was regretting that Thursday are difficult for us to get away, I overheard a nearby waiter reciting the night's specials to his guests and realized that steak tartare and duckling l'orange would be quite fine on a weekend night! All was not lost.

I have long appreciated Mitchell Altholz's cuisine...but this tasting menu experience is special & if you are inclined, do try and visit on a Thursday

so that you can partake of it.

Edited July 27, 2007 by PaulaJK (log)

[PaulaJK]

I apologize for the above format. No matter what I did under

'editing', it posted differently from how it was spaced in the

original.

Any suggestions as how to avoid this?

[Rosie]

Lunch at the Highlawn is also a treat. Have always found Chef Altholz's cuisine to be exceptional.

[tommy g]

love the praises b/c our wedding is there in 2 months...although we have long loved the food, view and atmosphere too

[PaulaJK]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I am certain that it

will be a lovely event in every way.

I hope that 'the garden' @ Highlawn/Pleasantdale is still in season as wonderful

tasting produce from it is presenting on the Highlawn menu. Last night we had a

simple & simply delicious fresh tomato salad as an app. , the tomatoes home

grown.