NaHa - Chicago - chef Carrie Nahabedian

[ronnie_suburban]

Where do I begin? First, as much as I appreciate the world of fine dining, being the father of a 6 year old boy tends to impede the frequency with which I am able to experience it. Babysitters, while more plentiful than in days past, are still a limited resource for us. And, as such, our fine dining experiences are few and far between. Each one is loaded with added pressure and urgency; the inevitable acknowledgement that “we don’t get to do this very often.” Add to that the unavoidable discomfort that is innately attached to a 40th birthday celebration and how can a restaurant, a mere foodservice establishment, possibly do anything but fail? Naha does not fail. Naha speaks to me. Naha blows me away.

We pull up to Naha, 500 N. Clark in Chicago. I’ve heard about it, I know it’s reputed to be good, I know it scored a 25 for food in Zagat, but wtf is it? I was about to enter the domain of Chef Carrie Nahabedian.

Super modern interior…simply beautiful. Gorgeous floors (were they stone, wood, both?...sorry, but I don’t remember), several eye-catching ‘horizons’ all over the place (the bar, the windows, the art), but comfortable and comforting with deep mahogany (I think) elements throughout the room . The feeling is modern but with a soul. For example, a large U-shaped pit lines three walls of the lounge. The pit is cushioned softly with many pillows covered in earth tone fabrics. Rather than being austere or antiseptic, it is unabashedly inviting. But, we follow the hostess past it.

We continue to our table and the place is 2/3 empty. It’s 6:45 p.m. in the Second City and we’re practically ‘early birds.’ We walk through the space, make a left just past the first room, and head down an aisle that runs between rows of white-clothed table tops. We next pass a row of perfectly positioned and tastefully executed tall grassy plants (ferns maybe) which divide the front room into 2 zones. We come to what is, in my mind, the best table in the house. Front corner, windows on 2 sides facing Clark and Illinois streets respectively. There’s plenty of elbow room and I ask Julie, my wife, to trade seats with me--I want to watch the room, not the street. Our friends, Michael and Carole, raise a collective eyebrow at me and sit down opposite each other.

The menu is problematic in the most fantastic of ways. I cannot focus. Everything looks delicious and interesting…really interesting. I can’t absorb what I’m reading. There are 11 appetizer choices and each one of them looks to be worth trying. There are 9 entrée choices and each one of them looks to be worth trying.

The waiter, Russ, comes by. Big smile, and very disarming. I know this guy, right? Not sure about that, but he’s so friendly-looking that I feel like I do. He’s a cross between Will Ferrell and Gary Carter. We order some wine, a 2001 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet. I don’t really know wine, but I know that every time someone has ordered Montrachet when I’ve been around, I’ve really dug it. This is no exception. It is rich and moderately acidic, perfectly light and clean. We sip it into oblivion before we order anything to eat.

After much deliberation and a wee bit of heart ache, we narrow it down to 4 appetizers and leave several that sound great in the rear-view mirror.

Here’s what we order (directly from the menu):

Carole…Sweet Corn Soup, Roasted Red Corn, ‘Peeky Toe’ Crabcake, Wood-Grilled Yellow Peppers and Micro Greens.

Michael…Tartare of Native ‘Big Eye’ Tuna and Cured King Salmon with a Mosaic of Vegetables, Nicoise garnishes, Aigrelette Sauce and Toasted Brioche.

Julie…Gratin of Asparagus and Parmesan Cheese, Relish of Eggplant, Tomatoes and Genovese Basil.

Me...’Hudson Valley’ Foie Gras and Roasted Apricot ‘Tarte Tatin’, Green Peppercorns and ‘Minus 8’ Infused Natural Jus.

You see where this is going…lol. Un-frigging-believable. I taste all 4 appetizers and let me assure you that each one is special. Of course everything looks beautiful--the plates are works of art--but that is just subterfuge. This is real food, real portions and bold flavors--both familiar and innovative. But moreover, there is that capricious sense of humor that comes across loud and clear when the chef communicates with you through the artistry that is her cuisine. Yes, it’s still eating and the food itself is amazing, but there’s so much more going on. At the core of it, this is a case of one imagination communicating with another and the language is food.

How can I begin to describe the combinations of flavors, aromas, textures and overall presentations that we experienced during that first course? I’m going to try, but words cannot do justice to the multi-sensory orgy that took place at our table. It was synaesthetic overload.

It starts with a bottle of 2001 DuMol Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and steamrolls along from there. Generally speaking, Pinot Noir is probably my favorite red wine. The DuMol is a near-perfect rendition of it. It is smooth and bright at the start, devoid of any ‘woodsy’ notes, and it carries a slightly tannic note, followed by fruit at the end. Its shimmering ruby color screams, “drink me!”

The corn soup is sublime. Rich and creamy with undertones of peppers, the soup conveys the uniquely savory sweetness that epitomizes roasted corn. It is elegant, satisfying and comforting. The color is a deep and glorious gold and the kernels of roasted red corn punctuate it perfectly on at least three levels (visual, taste and texture). Zen in a bowl. The tender crabcake--an island in the center of the bowl--and delicious in its own right, is delightful overkill.

The tartare is formed into a small and perfect tower about the circumference of a silver dollar and maybe 2 ½ inches high. The rest of the plate is decorated lovingly with the ‘mosaic’ of vegetables and garnishes and is flanked by 4 crustless points of brioche toast. The tartare itself is over the top. Fatty and rich, it’s foiled perfectly by the acidic tartness of the vegetables, garnishes and sauce. Michael passes me a toast point which is weighed down heavily with a large portion of the tartare mixture and topped with some of the veggies and garnishes and a bit of sauce. I plunk the whole thing into my mouth and let it melt away barely needing to chew it at all. I try (failing miserably) to pick out each separate flavor component as it dissolves in my mouth.

The gratin is wonderful. Of course the asparagus is cooked perfectly and looks beautiful. The parmesan is pungent and works perfectly in the dish, tying the asparagus to the other elements in the dish. Simple and graceful, this dish just screams “SUMMER.” What satisfaction.

The foie gras is to die for. It’s seared and crispy on the outside and soft and rich on the inside. The apricot ‘tarte tatin’ on top of which the slab of foie gras is stacked is concentrated and tart. The reduction is both savory and sweet and it ties the foie gras and the apricot elements together perfectly. I don’t want to share it, but I do let everyone at the table have a small taste. There is just nothing like the initial, crispy crunch of a perfectly cooked piece foie gras, especially when followed by such carefully selected and rendered complimentary elements.

It is at this point that something special happens which sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Without prompting, Russ brings me a small glass of 2001 Huber Riesling Icewine (Austria). He sets it on the table and says something to the effect of “you just can’t fully enjoy the foie gras without this.” It is awesome; deep gold in color and very sweet. Needless to say, it goes perfectly with the foie gras. I pass the glass around the table. “Yums” “Oh yeahs” all around. I’m happy that Russ seems to fully understand why we are there. We are foodies in search of glory. We haven’t simply stumbled into Naha, it is our destination.

Yes, this is fine dining, but that doesn’t stop me (a true Ruffian at heart) from grabbing a piece of freshly-baked crusty bread and sopping up every bit of sauce left on my foie gras plate. To not do so, would be a tremendous waste and a serious insult to Ms. Nahabedian. I know if I send the plate back with tongue marks on it, she might laugh like I did when I tasted the dish, but one has to draw the line somewhere, right?

After a first round like that, I can only begin to wonder with excitement what the entrees will be like. Again, there are several that we just have to pass on but here’s what we order (again, directly from the menu):

Carole…Wood-Grilled 16 oz. Prime ‘Delmonico’ Rib eye steak on the bone with a Gratin of Macaroni and Goat Cheese, Oven-Cured Tomatoes, Oxtail Red Wine Sauce and ‘Fleur de Sel’.

Michael…Hot-Smoked and Mustard Seed Glazed Alaskan King Salmon with Oyster Mushrooms, Green Lentils, Savoy Cabbage and Sweet Onions, Balsamic Syrup and English Thyme.

Julie…Whole Roasted Baby Chicken, Warm ‘Red Thumb’ Potato Salad with Wood-Grilled Amethyst Onions, Applewood Slab Bacon, Hard-Cooked Quail Eggs and Marjoram.

Me…Rabbit and Yukon Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Radicchio, English Peas, Goldbar Squash and Summer Savory.

The bottle of Pinot is now empty, and our entrees are on the way. I have to make one more wine choice. WTF do I know about wine? I’m thinking Cabernet or Bordeaux. I consult Russ who, I think, is actually having some fun with us. He agrees with the cabernet choice and asks what I have in mind…do you want something ‘big’? Well, after the 2 previous bottles of excellent wine and given our entrée choices, where is there to go but ‘big’?

He recommends a 2000 Leonetti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla Valley. In a million years, I never would have chosen a Cabernet from Washington State. This is why I am happy to have him make the suggestion. I really learn something. As he places the cork in front of me, he makes a point of telling me that it is the ‘best bottle of wine in the house’. After tasting it, I can hardly disagree although it would be wonderful to know it with certainty. The Leonetti is big. It has a luxurious garnet-red color. The initial flavor is bold, deeply fruity and somewhat spicy and it has that textbook Cabernet finish, somewhere between oak and butter, which I love.

The entrees arrive and they are breath-taking. The salmon is outstanding. In spite of the fact that it is a huge piece of fish, the smoky flavor is present even in the very center of the large portion Michael sends my way. The lentils and mushrooms are beautiful and delicious and the balsamic syrup ties all the components together cleverly.

Carole’s steak is classic. Cooked medium-rare, it is as soft as butter. The cured tomatoes are out of this world; bright, salty, sweet and seriously smoky. The gratin of Macaroni and Goat Cheese is truly unique. Not only is it beautiful with an inviting layer of golden brown ‘something crunchy’ atop it, but it tastes amazing. It must contain a good deal of brown butter because the initial taste and aroma are almost toffee-like. But, the finish is decidedly savory and rich and even though it is goat cheese, it doesn’t taste overly-goatey (is that a word?).

Julie’s baby chicken is even better. The applewood bacon provides the base line of flavor upon which her amazing plate is conceived and constructed. Of course the chicken is crispy on the outside and memorably tender on the inside, but that barely begins to describe how wonderful it is. The flavors of chicken, bacon and onion create a synergy that is entrancing. The quail eggs make for a wonderful accent and the warm potato salad is not only tasty, but is a perfect vehicle for sopping up the delicious juices on her plate. I should mention that the plate is scattered with many chunks of the perfectly cooked and still crispy bacon, each one like a little treasure.

The rabbit is tender and flavorful. I expect it to be served ‘on the bone’ but I am not disappointed to see that the meat is already in nicely-sized pieces. I think, by this point, the wine will greatly affect my ability to navigate the bones <g>. The gnocchi are pan-fried and golden brown--a little crispy on the outside and then tender and light throughout. The sauce, which is more of a broth, is slightly reduced, meaty and rich. On that note, the squash, radicchio, peas and savory which accompany the rabbit, could be a meal unto themselves. I cannot believe how addictive the combination of flavors is. When I finish every forkable bite in the bowl, I wish for a straw to drink up the remaining broth. Again, the bread is beautifully functional in that regard.

We have created some serious momentum. So much so that under other circumstances we might skip dessert or maybe split one or two of them. But, we have to follow this path to its end. We cannot not deviate. We order cappuccinos and 4 desserts. Russ offers to bring us a sampling of dessert wines. We happily accept. He brings us more of the Icewine and also some 2001 Gordon Brothers Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Columbia Valley).

The desserts are as follows (again, directly from the menu)…

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart, Rich ‘Tanzanie’ Chocolate Ice Cream and Port Syrup.

Upside Down Roasted Pineapple ‘Financier’ Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee, Lemon Sorbet and Madeleines.

Almond Infused Goat’s Milk Cheesecake, Poached Summer Bing Cherries and Candied Lemon Ice Cream.

The desserts are all wonderful. I think the crème brulee and the cheesecake are somewhat redundant but both are still a lot of fun. In both cases highly flavorful and tart fruit is foiled nicely by the sweet creaminess of the main item. With the cheesecake, the fruit is some seriously infused bing cherries and with the brulee some very small and delicate berries. The pineapple cake is outstanding. It’s tender and sweet and the tiny and perfectly cut pieces of ‘brunoise’ pineapple are perfect texture-wise. They have a slight bite to them, followed by softness.

But, the chocolate tart is the trump card. It’s bitterness is offset by the scoop of beautifully rich (lighter chocolate) ice cream perched atop it. That scoop is, in turn, topped by a circular piece of what appears to be caramelized sugar, but somehow infused with chocolate flavor. Along the side of the bowl is written in some sort of chocolate syrup, the words “Happy Birthday”, thankfully, the restaurant’s only allusion to the occasion.

I’m not good at conceiving or making desserts so I’ll never understand how to construct a complex one. In my mind, marrying four different chocolate flavors would be akin to wearing four different shades of green. Shouldn’t they clash? By all empirical measure, yes. But this is altogether different. It reminds me that, when it comes to preparing food, especially desserts, I really know nothing.

We sit and chat while we finish our cappuccinos, sip the wines and pick at the desserts which were augmented when Russ brings out 2 sets of ‘3 dessert bites’. My memory is somewhat blurry here…one is possibly a little shortbread cookie, one is a flavored piece of chocolate candy or fudge and one is a little donut nugget, freshly-prepared and covered in crunchy cinnamon sugar. Yummy!

Finally, I can eat no more. We push up from the table and head for the exit. The place is completely full and totally alive. It’s 9:45, prime time in the Second City. I ask Russ to please tell the kitchen staff how much we appreciate all the hard work they’ve done on our behalf.

As we walk to the door, the hostess asks me “how was everything?” I laugh. I tell her “words cannot describe it.” Maybe what I should have said was “I’m going to have to write 5+ pages just to describe this experience in a completely inadequate way.” But what choice do I have? The meal is now a memory that I want to hold on to forever. In documenting it, I hope to prevent it from fading away and savor it for as long as possible.

NaHa

500 N. Clark St.

Chicago, IL

312 321-6242

=R=

[guajolote]

Wow.

What a great dinner. And what a great report. I hope you get to go to more of these dinners just so we can read the reports. I'll even babysit for you.

Happy Birthday, I'm glad it was so enjoyable.

[maggiethecat]

I know if I send the plate back with tongue marks on it, she might laugh like I did when I tasted the dish, but one has to draw the line somewhere, right?

This is my favorite line from the best restaurant review I've read since...well maybe when our own Lady T. reported from New York last month?

I have never heard of Naha, but I am now on a quest to eat there. Oh, Gawd.

Happy Birthday, Ronnie. This was your birthday present to me. More from you!

[tammylc]

I have never heard of Naha, but I am now on a quest to eat there.  Oh, Gawd.

Happy Birthday, Ronnie.  This was your birthday present to me.  More from you!

What she said.

A joy to read - thanks.

[Varmint]

I know if I send the plate back with tongue marks on it, she might laugh like I did when I tasted the dish, but one has to draw the line somewhere, right?

This is my favorite line from the best restaurant review I've read since...well maybe when our own Lady T. reported from New York last month?

Ronnie, knock yourself out on that impulse. My wife's family frequently engages in a practice that is referred to as "Competitive Lick-Offs." 'Nuff said.

[Rhea_S]

A most enjoyable review. I had to read slowly for once to savour every word and some parts I even read twice. Thank you very much!

[Lady T]

Now that reads like a celebration and a half! Many, many happy returns to you, Ronnie, and may every one of those returns be marked with a meal that wonderful!

[klinger75]

Ronnie, what a wonderful report I am glad you enjoyed Naha so much as it is one of my favorites in the city

Klinger

[Aurora]

Ronnie - Naha was a great choice. It's a really wonderful, unsung place which seems to be overshadowed by the likes of neighbors like Frontera Grill, Spago, and Keefers, but it really is one of the best offerings in the city. You celebrated well, and didn't miss a beat in the telling, so I thank you.

Happy Birthday!

[ronnie_suburban]

Ronnie - Naha was a great choice.  It's a really wonderful, unsung place which seems to be overshadowed by the likes of neighbors like Frontera Grill, Spago, and Keefers, but it really is one of the best offerings in the city.  You celebrated well, and didn't miss a beat in the telling, so I thank you. 

Happy Birthday!

Dawn,

It's funny you mention that because when I first learned we were going there, I was a little disappointed--not because I didn't think it would be good--but only because there are many, more renowned places in town that I still haven't tried. However, after the experience we had there, well...needless to say, I'm really happy that Julie chose it.

=R=

[duckduck]

Glad to see the post. I was drooling by the time you got to the icewine and foie gras. Enjoyed this so much! Thanks for sharing, Ronnie!

Randy girl

[guajolote]

I'm going on Saturday. The menu has completely changed since Ronnie went, though. What would you order?. I've seldom had pheasant or quail.

[MatthewB]

I'm going on Saturday. The menu has completely changed since Ronnie went, though. What would you order?. I've seldom had pheasant or quail.

That quail dish looks fab.

[tammylc]

From the starters, the scallops and acorn squash ravioli would be my picks. I'm not thrilled about the vanilla bean with the scallops, but I've had grapefruit with scallops before and thought it was inspired. And the ravioli just sounds yummy.

Nothing on the mains screams out at me, but if I had to pick my craving for red meat lately has me jumping at the the beef tenderloin and the Delmonico. I'd probably go with the tenderloin, since I haven't had much opportunity to really try black truffles. The veal chop also sounds kinda interesting.

Have fun!

[Alex]

I'm going on Saturday. The menu has completely changed since Ronnie went, though. What would you order?. I've seldom had pheasant or quail.

One of everything sounds good.

Short of that, I'd opt for the beets or onion soup to start, then the quail or duck breast. (Hmm. It must be autumn.)

Yum.

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm going on Saturday. The menu has completely changed since Ronnie went, though. What would you order?. I've seldom had pheasant or quail.

Oh WOW!...I'm immediately reminded of the feeling I had when I went there...as Alex said, I'll have one of each please

If I absolutely had to choose...the onion soup and the duck breast...

No wait! Make it the ravioli and the quail...

No, wait....

BTW, did you see Chef Nahabedian's Fall/Winter menu preview in the July/August issue of Food Arts? My friend (and fellow Ruffian/eGulleteer), Bilbo sent it to me. Most of the dishes mentioned in the piece are similar to (but not exact matches for) the ones shown on the menu.

I hope you have as great an experience there as we did.

=R=

[maggiethecat]

Geez, it would be hard to chose!

But maybe:

You Lucky Duck! (Or Pheasant. Or Quail)

Ravioli of Acorn Squash and Mascarpone with Young Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, Housemade Ricotta Cheese, Toasted Pinenuts and Apple Cider Cream

Hey...I love Brussel Sprouts! And the apple cider cream thing is beautifully autumnal.

And then:

Lacquered Aged Moulard Duck Breast with Roasted Quince, Niman Ranch Slab Bacon and Flageolets

Because I like the word laquered! (And quince and bacon and flageolets!)

But then....there was that pheasant....And the quail... I am seriously jealous.

Have fun!

[col klink]

Mrs. Klink and I recently had a very pleasant meal (one that we are completely unable to get in our home town) but were surprised by a couple of things based on earlier reports. We found the tables to be a little too tight and there wasn’t enough sound baffling so it ended up being rather loud –making it difficult to have a conversation without yelling and including the other patrons next to us. But I’ll go on to the food.

I was surprised that the menu has hardly changed since Ronnie went as far as we could tell. However, what they serve with a dish has changed (i.e. different sides/sauces). But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing since we definitely wanted the foie gras. I ordered the cannelloni appetizer to match and was pleasantly surprised by the cheese and spinach – a very simple dish that was complemented beautifully by the fine Chianti selected by our server. A Russian River Valley Muscat dessert wine -- very sweet and very tart – balanced the rich foie gras that was crispy on the outside and rich and succulent on the inside. The foie gras was served on toast points with a tarte tartin of something along with some fruit. If I had to find a fault with the dish I thought that they were trying to do too much with the sauce and all of the fruit – my standard for foie gras is still Harvest Vine in Seattle. All in all though, we were off to a fantastic start.

I ordered the lacquered duck breast (medium rare) on a bed of greens (possibly mustard) with what I believe to be a veal reduction spiced with anise. I’m definitely sure about the anise and I appreciated the simplicity of the sauce. The duck was tender and perfectly cooked to medium rare while the sauce enhanced the flavor without overpowering it. But considering the dish was $29 I expected a little more than a duck breast on a bed of greens. I'm not sure what "lacquering" means but the skin was nice and crispy, almost carmelized, but a little chewy. Though from experience, I know it's rather difficult to render the breast skin well without overcooking the meat. I’ll get to the wine pairing later.

Mrs. Klink ordered the baby chicken with parsnip mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, brussel sprouts and acorn squash squares. Now I’ve roasted quite a number of chickens in my day so I can speak with some authority - this was a decent chicken. The breast could’ve been a little juicier and the thigh was slightly underdone, but both were serviceable. Unfortunately the skin wasn’t as a crispy as I like but the dish as a whole worked better than the duck (though Mrs. Klink would say the opposite). If the chef had brined the chicken and crisped the skin, it would be a great chicken. I liked the parsnip taters and the brussel sprouts but I especially liked the mushrooms. The squash on the other hand seemed like it was steamed to al dente and all I could think about was how much better it would’ve been if the squash was roasted so the sides were crisp revealing a soft and sweet center that melts in your mouth. Our server paired a Californian Merlot that probably tasted a lot better than it was because it went so well with the dish. After we left Mrs. Klink felt a little sheepish about ordering the chicken since we roast so many at home and I've turned her into a chicken snob -- not to say that it wasn't perfectly acceptable chicken, but we both know chicken so well that's it's hard to be surprised anymore.

Unfortunately for me, I received a Californian Pinot Noir with my duck breast that tasted awful which is a real shame since the other three wines were beautifully paired. To be more specific though, it tasted of paint thinner. I couldn’t decide whether or not to make a fuss so I lived with it. Mrs. Klink had a hard time recognizing it but it was unmistakable to me. It was only after about 20 to 30 minutes and I had finished my duck that most of the paint thinner taste had gone but by that time the wine was incredibly boring. Since I don’t have enough wine experience I didn’t know what to tell our waiter and after reading all sorts of horror stories about sending wine back after not liking the bottle and still being charged, I played it safe.

We contemplated sharing a dessert but nothing really jumped up at us and the wine kind of soured me on ordering anything else. One other thing I was hoping for was a tasting menu -- with the creativity the chef has, she should easily be able to come up with one and give a more rounded experience to the customer and allow her to come up with more creative dishes. As to the wine, I probably should’ve mentioned something and I’m guessing that was a new bottle that they had opened.

But to surmise the meal, we both left pretty happy and fully sated. I could easily recommend this restaurant to anyone and if it weren’t for the fact that there are a number of other restaurants that I still need to try when I visit Chicago, I wouldn’t mind going back.

[tammylc]

What you describe as the "paint thinner" in your wine is often referred to as "volatile acidity" or VA. It is considered a flaw in the wine and thus you probably would have been safe sending it back. It can have a tendency to "blow off" after the wine's been open for while, which seems to be what happened to you - too bad it was boring anyway.

Doing a search of the wine board on volatile acidity would surely provide a little more depth than I'm capable of, iff'n you're interested...

[col klink]

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. Does it often taste of paint thinner?

[tammylc]

Yep. Common descriptors for VA include - paint thinner, acetone, vinegar - anything in that family.

[Michael M]

I have been planning on going to Naha this month for an anniversary dinner, but reading this and seeing the prices has me torn. For those here who visited - is it around the same price as Tru? If you've been to both, which would you go back to first?

[col klink]

I don't know if this came through, but I thought it was a good meal and I'm sure that the off wine was a fluke. I just don't think the meal was transcendant.

One thing I forgot to mention was that we thought we were a little rushed. Not really rushed, but when we spend that kind of change on a meal, I like it to last longer than it did. We were in and out in around an hour. I keep thinking how great it would be if Naha did a tasting menu -- getting to see more of the menu, slower pace, more hootch . . .

Something along the lines of Chef's Station in Evanston. Their food is well thought out and nearly perfect in implementation -- all at extremely reasonable prices. However, the atmosphere is more laid back. Who uses denim pockets to hold silverwear? Naha is definitely more "upscale" but more cramped and far noisier.

[ronnie_suburban]

On a whim, we popped into NaHa for dinner last night. I'd been wanting to get back there for a while and some plans we had to do so back in December were thwarted by weather. So, last night armed with a last-minute babysitter, we got in the car and headed south. When it was clear that there was almost no traffic, I dialed them up and asked if they had an opening for 2. Happily, they did and we were rewarded for our spontanaeity.

I started with a delicious composed salad of radicchio and romaine. The lightly dressed, similarly-sized leaves were stacked alternately into a neat, short tower which dazzled on the plate. It was a simple, logical and functional preparation which I immediately realized I could "borrow" and prepare at home. Atop the stack was a generous pile of shredded Serrano ham, shaved Manchego cheese and roasted peppers. I believe there was some other cheese on the salad as well, perhaps some mild goat cheese, but I forgot to ask. In any case, it was one of the best salads I've had in a long time.

My wife had the Canneloni with Acorn Squash and Oxtail. It was delicious. I wish I could describe it better, but I only had 1 small bite as she pretty much hoarded it for herself. With the appetizers we had a half-bottle of 2001 Gagnard Montrachet which was absolutely terrific. A real highlight for us.

My main course was Ocean Trout and Kurabota Pork Belly. The trout was served atop a heap of soft-but-not-mushy beluga lentils and topped with shreds of melted leeks. The ocean trout, which resembled salmon in many ways, was cooked perfectly: nicely-salted, a lightly crisp exterior and soft and slighty fatty and moist on the inside. On the other side of the plate was a nice mini-brick of braised and pressed pork belly. The belly paired with a cold salad of "celery root remoulade" and wild mushrooms. It was terrific. As good as my entree was, my wife's topped it.

She ordered a Brace of Quail (2 semi-boned quail) perfectly roasted and topped with thinly-shaved sheets of prosciutto. It was served with swiss chard, red onion and fingerling potatoes. The sauce with this dish, a rich (veal?) reduction was sublime. As good as my entree was, this one trumped it and because it was such a huge portion, there was plenty of it for me to try. As with previous trips to NaHa, the sauce here was so good, we were happy we had some bread on the table with which to sop it up. With this course, my wife finished the Montrachet and I had a glass of the Au Bon Climat/NaHa special house Pinot Noir. It was quite tasty.

Desserts, by Timothy Dahl, were transcendant. I loved my Espresso Panna Cotta which was served with a rich, home-made coconut gelato, slices of fresh tangerine, and some crispy ribbons of sugared pastry. My wife had the NaHa Sundae (caramelized "Lady Anne" Apple and Butterscotch Sundae, Pecan Praline, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Shagbark Hickory Nut Shortbread), which was also amazing. With the desserts, we split a crisp, cool glass of Moscato d'Asti, which was also terrific.

All in all, it was a delicious and very satisfying dinner. Service, by Terry K (and team), was terrific too. He started by asking us our time frame. When we explained that we were in no hurry whatsoever, he gave us our space. We never wanted for anything but we never felt rushed or intruded upon. Pacing was perfect. When we had questions, he provided great, detailed information when answering them. At the end of the meal, he even took care of the valet ticket for us.

It's no wonder to me that chef Carrie Nahabedian has been nomintated for a Beard award. She's so talented and turns out her refined Mediterranean fare in a truly distinctive manner. The food at NaHa is as comfortable as one could possibly desire and completely delicious. The dishes are comprised of premium ingredients and are plated beautifully. The food at NaHa really speaks to me and I already cannot wait to return.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

Happy b-day ronnie!

Thanks for the report. I need to get back to Naha to check it out again. I was sorely disappointed on my first visit, but I only hear good things from others like you.

u.e.