Since this place is SO TINY, I'll give it a tiny review :)
- It's super small and they don't take reservations.
- The decor is very 90's - very much in need of a makeover...
BUT
- The food is fantastic - on the same level as X2O, Xaviar's, and Restaurant X (obviously) but with a much more casual vibe.
- Great service, attentive as always.
Also, they get props for serving espresso correctly: with the lemon rind. I order espresso in most restaurants in lieu of dessert and it's very rare that they give you the lemon rind with it. Yay!
WHY IS IT NO PLACE EVER OPENS EARLY BUT THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM OPENING THE DOOR 5 MINUTES LATE
Haven't been here in ages decided to stop bye.
Couldn't pick an app, Â finally just made it easy and took the most expensive. lump crab and fried potato slices with curry oil. Unfortunately with nothing to bind the round lump crab to the potato they would just roll off at every bite. The potato didn't have a crisp texture but a stale one. Add on the complete lack of flavor, Hey Waiter, can you pick up my lump crab off the floor, please.
Swordfish cut from the loin, firm, fresh, and a sauce that you wished was also smothered on your accompanying rice.
Unimpressed with the desert menu, picked a chocolate pecan pie. Took a few unfamiliar bites. Is this the right dish. " where's the pecans " answer in the crust. What I had was a overly sweet chocolate pie with a bad crust.....
In for lunch today with a friend at about 1:00 and, surpisingly, got prime corner seating at the bar. Typically this is late for lunch and bar seating would be out of the question (although table seating is quite nice too).
It does not get much better than this - the food is 5-star and so is the service. If you can't handle the "no reservation policy" you can always make a reservation next door at Xaviars. You just have to get dressed up for Xaviars.
The bread is always fresh and warm with a prefect crust. Today's rolls were no exception.
A glass of a nice crisp Provence Rose proved a good start for the weekend!
I started with a white asparagus vichysoisse - a perfect summer soup done to perfection. Â For an entree I chose the Mussels Mouniere (in a light vermouth cream) and they were small, fresh and scrumptious! I dunked away with that terrific bread.
My friend had the softshell crab, which he described as "amazing".
Service was attentive and spot-on. I had mentioned to my friend that I "might" let him try the soup, and out it came with two spoons - even though we had not asked directly.
Continues to be one of my favorite spots for a casual lunch or dinner.
I have eaten at the Freelance Cafe many times over many years. If I were only rating the food I would give it 4 stars, but it is the treatment I have received on my last two visits that makes me realize I won't go back again. The restaurant doesn't take reservations but when you arrive you may give them your name and then walk around Piermont until they call you on your cell. We gave our name, were told a table would be available in 20 minutes, settled in at the bar at another establishment, but never received a call. We had a nice time at the Sidewalk Bistro and would have gone back to the Freelance cafe but they never called. Last night, a Friday night, we tried again. We arrived between 8 and 9. There were 5 tables open and two seats at the bar. We were told no tables were available, that the seats at the bar would be taken, and we were welcome to leave our name. This leads me to believe that, as another reviewer wrote, certain people are treated very well and others are not. Having visited this establishment many times over the years it seems to have become pretentious and snobby and seems to cater to a certain group of regulars. Their menu is pricey and we have spent many dollars there, but we feel unwelcome. It is almost as if it is a private party. The maitre d names the diners at the tables by name  and states "I know Mr. and Mrs. Smith well and they will be leaving in 25 minutes". Sorry to cross this place off my list, but its personality has changed.
Review Source:Our aunt was in town and we thought it would be great to visit Piermont as we hadn't been there in almost a year. We had tried other restaurants on Ash and Piermont but we were looking for something a little more "upscale" to treat our aunt to. The reviews for Freelance Cafe on Yelp were impressive so we thought we knew what we were getting.
Boy were we wrong. There was about a 15 minute wait when we arrived (Sunday afternoon) and the host took our phone number down to call us when ready. The place is quite small, I wouldn't call it cozy, and the tables are close together. The bread and butter variant arrived and we nodded thinking this was a good sign of things to come. Unfortunately, our aunt being from Belgium needed some help understanding the "American" items on the menu, and at least twice the host (who was also our waiter) kind of reacted in a strange way to her question, not laughing at her, but a little pretentiously replying to her questions - almost as if it's a no no to ask questions about the menu. Two people at our table ordered the crispy salmon with rice, while I ordered the grilled jumbo shrimp dish.
Their Caesar salads arrived, and they were quite shocked at the size. My aunt being from Europe said that it was small even compared to European standards. Our main entrees arrived, our aunt really enjoyed the bok choy that was the side on the salmon, but she did not enjoy the coconut rice which looked like porridge, she didn't finish it. She said the salmon was average in taste, but the fact that it was breaded didn't allow the taste of the salmon to fully come out. My shrimp was uneventful, too dry for my liking, there were six of them, and the Asian inspired sauce was too dull, the rice noodles on top were less than a handful, and the side order of pommes frites were an absolute disaster - possibly the worst pommes frites I've ever had in a restaurant. They were salty beyond belief, and everyone at the table commented on the extreme amount of salt, they were also very thin and too burned, but the sodium content made them unbearable. For dessert we tried the special which was a walnut brownie with ice cream, it was about average, nothing too special.
Overall it was a very disappointing experience, especially for my aunt who offered to pay the bill, which was pretty outrageous (the bill, not the fact that she paid). We left not quite full and went straight to the ice cream shop. (We are all below average weight and appetite, and our aunt is very petite). I felt terrible about the entire thing and wonder if my fellow Yelp reviewers were amazed by the ambiance or decor or the "new" food experience they had here. I've had much better, especially for the price we expected at least average taste and portions. The only reason I'm not giving it 1 star is the bok choy and the bread, aside from that we will not return to this place nor recommend it to any friends or family, even if cost is no concern.
Absolutely amazing lunch here yesterday. Haven't spent a ton of time in Piermont, but will definitely be returning to this restaurant again.
The manager is extremely friendly, and the staff very courteous and helpful. Inside is modern and clean, with a bar taking up a large portion of the room - I can definitely see myself enjoying a glass or two of wine there in the future. It was quiet at lunch, but I'm not sure what the noise level would be like later on in the day.
French onion soup was excellent - they topped it with the perfect cheese instead of some of the less-expensive/unauthentic versions of cheese you sometimes see on french onion soup. I eat *a lot* of this kind of soup and this is one of the better ones I've had in years. My dining companions had heirloom tomato  salad and these coconut shrimp that I contemplated stealing.
Entree-wise, our server made a few suggestions and she was right on with them. Loved the veal medallions w/ fig & Marsala - nice salty/sweet combo. Shrimp w/ watermelon was a great lunch/end of summer choice. The mussels were great and loved the match-stick fries on top! The short rib may have been the winner overall for the table, and I will definitely be having that next time I go there.
Definitely worth checking out if you're in Piermont. Their wine list is fantastic - was able to pull a gorgeous '07 Austrian Pinot Blanc out of the 22 pages of wines that made everyone very happy.
Why has it taken me so long to review this place? My husband and I probably have dinner here once a month... the food is always good, the service friendly and attentive.
I adore the host... he is really great at his job. Â
My only complaint, which is minor, is I wish there was a little more variety with the menu... The specials do change, but they seem to be a list of regular specials. Regardless, we will keep going back to enjoy great wine and great food.
Over all a pleasant exsperience. However, not as impressive as I'd anticipated. If my review was based solely on the cusine then I would say "very good."
The exterior is unassuming set along the main street of this hamlet of Piermont adjacent to the Hudson river. The decor is mixed & unimpressive. The chairs are black & metal in the style of "early deli". Tables are marble but no table cloths. Silverware isn't substantial but dull & needs replacing. I so do not care for the interior & frankly a theme wasn't evident. Intimate table placement & many times throughout the evening, our neighbor's rear ends brushed uncomfortably across the edges of our table (Whoa).
Before I write about the food, which is apparently the main reason regulars dine here, there was a NYTimes review from 2002 on the wall near the restroom entitled something like: "Where the rich and powerful dine" hmmmmm interesting. It goes on to relate that the cusine is varied & seasonable & excellent yet, one need not dress up to dine here & many interesting, famous & wealthy choose to dine here for those reasons.
On to the food! Varied menu (each one dones a cover of famous old school Hollywood/music industry stars) many choices all w different sides, classic sauces, tender seasonal vegetables. Four of us on a Sunday evening had the following: orichetta w cauliflower & anchovies, tuna tartar- all good, nicely presented & nice favors, solid portion. I had the gazpacho w lump crab- not impressed by the texture which was reminiscent of tomatoe soup, lacked texture but had citrusy/cilantro notes & 2 teaspoon size pieces of crab- I declined to eat it so sent it back & had the fried green tomatoes w shrimp in a remoulade  instead. This was better w tang to the tomatoe & crunch from the cornmeal, shrimp was sliced in half & mixed w a bland creamy sauce- didn't understand as there was no spice & definately not a classic remoulade.
Entree: veal w figs, pork chop w mashed potatoes, soft shell crab w roasted tomatoes, fingerling potatoes- everyone enjoyed their entres & no one finished as the portions were solid. I had the Garganelli pasta w rock shrimp, rampini, w light lobster sauce - good not amazing the sauce had a wonderful delicate flavor, shrimp were cooked perfectly.
Dessert: cherrie clafoutis, Creme brûlée both very, very good. But, the caramelized sugar atop the brûlée did NOT crack when I entered the spoon but the velvety texture & strong evidence of fresh vanilla bean completely made up for that.
Full bar. Nice drinks & appropriate varied wine list.
No reservations & supposidly people wait for a table. We walked right in!
Service is attentive. The host is accommodating, pleasant & was a gem about my gazpacho return.
Big negative: the area btw 4 doors leading to the restroom was really shabby, walls & door handles were grimy, the carpet was dirty, gray, totally unacceptable. And the restroom itself is atrocious! Â It's an abomination- filthy, grimy, old, awful. And apparently no one had checked to freshen it (if thats even possible) bcz there was a pile of dirty linens, etc littering the floor. I was really shocked! I'd be hard pressed to believe that the rich & powerful would risk using such an unsanitary restroom. I've seen restrooms in gas stations better than this. Had I seen this before we dined I absolutely would not have eaten here.
It was a lovely Saturday and we wanted to try something new. Â So we chose to do an early dinner at Freelance. Â Of course the drive up to Piermont is gorgeous as we wound through Alpine, NJ and past a state park. Â I decided to go with an Asian theme. Â So we ordered the Chinese steamed pork dumplings. Â The description reminded me of Hawaiian manapua, served by street vendors. Â The presentation was more like the Chinese dish peking duck. Â The flavors were refined, both sweet and savory. Â We enjoyed our steak and shrimp dinners, paired perfectly with pinot noir. Â The wine steward delivers a nice balance of recommending and selling wine. Â We enjoyed his descriptions of wine and the reasons to pair a certain type with our entrees. Â Â The chocolate desserts were sinful. Â I preferred his chocolate souffle cake over my special. Â The whipped creme is amazing. Â Why dream of Freelance when you can experience it?
Review Source:This was the best meal that I've had in recent memory, and I'm lucky enough to eat often in NYC (and I'm a Yelp fanatic, so I eat good food). Â First off, big ups to the wait staff. Every single person we had interactions with--the host, the waiter, and the busboy--was not only courteous and competent, but full of personality. They were super interactive, friendly, and playful, which I really liked.
Now about the food. First off, the bread was warm, crunchy and delicious. They even gave it to us BEFORE we ordered, which restaurants never do (I figure they want you to order hungry). And then they came back and offered us more. Yes, please! We had a really remarkable salad (with pears and goat cheese, I believe, and a very unusual dressing). My boyfriend got the brie-stuffed chicken, which he thought was great. I got mushroom raviolis, which were fantastic but very small (granted that they were a "small plate," so that's fair). And then dessert. The boyfriend got a chocolate souffle, which is worth the drive from NYC by itself. Because it was his birthday, I let him eat most of it. Otherwise, no way. It was phenomenal. My pineapple upside-down cake was good, but paled in comparison to his.
This place is pricey, but worth it!
I had an exceptionally bad experience at Freelance. Casey was totally rude and dismissive. He really could care less that I was there for a special occasion and treated me like I was a worker. Perhaps I didn't appear fancy enough for him? He was super nice to certain people, not me. The bathroom smelled of urine, it was a complete mess. I kid you not, it was disgusting. The service was lousy on top of that. My water was never filled, empty beer bottles left on the table, bread wasn't served until my husband asked twice. The food was not worth the price.
The real point of this review is to let as many people know that Casey has no place there unless Freelance wants people to feel completely repelled by the place.
I recently found out that my co-worker's mother does restaurant review for the NY Times. I plan to let her know what Freelance was like for me. Hopefully Casey's karma will ripen sooner rather than later.
We fancied a day out to escape Manhatten! We were advised to travel to Piermont! Luckily we managed to arrive at 12.30 in time for lunch. No reservations sadly! Lunch was sublime! Starters were coconut shrimp, and chinese buns (both signature dishes). My artichoke soup was a special and was light and delicious. Â Main courses were inspired especially the Thai Shrimp and the Pork Chop with Spatzle (german pasta and cheese).
We had fantasic service! We even squeezed in dessert with homemade ice cream; chocolate ganache and apple fritters but these were good but we were getting full up! Delicious Pinot Noir by the glass.
Piermont was charming and the leaves beautiful and golden and this was a shining star amongst it!
Go and if you have to wait to get a table take a stroll along the front! Work up an appetite!
Freelance Cafe continues to maintain the status of 'best place to eat in the NY, NJ area'...not including NYC as that would be hard to say with so many places in the city; Â I could never pick just one. Â My recent visit to Freelance just solidifies their creative genius in the kitchen. Â Starting out with a squash soup that was out of this world, followed but wild mushroom ravioli drizzled in truffle oil, a dash of cheese-my favorite to date. Â I had a steak salad which was good but the mushrooms were still on my mind. If you have not been to a Peter Kelly joint, I suggest trying one ASAP. The love I have for this place resides in the deepest parts of my soul.
Review Source:Freelance Cafe is the most low key of Peter Kelly's restaurants. Â It's about 1/3 less expensive than Xaviar's. Â There are no reservations and 2 or 3 seatings, so you need to get there early or be prepared to wait. Â Casey runs the room expertly. Â The restaurant is small, with nowhere to wait. Â The bar is used for diners, so you can't pass time there. Â Casey will take your cell phone number and will call you when your table is ready. Â Once you make it into the restaurant, it's a lot of fun. Â The atmosphere is great. Â There are a lot of regulars and/or locals who seem to know each other. Â I find it charming, not a turn off. Â The wine by the glass is always a good deal. Â There were good microbrews available. Â I had some excellent Captain Lawrence IPA. Â The food is very good and the service is attentive. Â The meal is well paced. Â Our most recent visit wasn't the five star experience that we have had in the past. Â Freelance was our favorite, but I have come to prefer X2O. Â It's a very good restaurant in a charming location.
Review Source:This is a wonderful restaurant that is quietly tucked away in the charming town of Piermont! Our food was delicious, the staff was very attentive and we had a wonderful time. If you're in the area or heading back from Woodbury Commons, I HIGHLY recommend a stop here for dinner! There are many cute galleries around so you can enjoy a leisurely stroll before or after dinner. Very charming!!!!
Review Source:I have been going to Freelance Cafe for several years. Never have I been disappointed. Love the whole experience of it's location, atmosphere, service and impeccable food! Because of it's charming location, you can enjoy walking along the Hudson River and take in the beautiful view and quaint shops. Owner, Peter Kelly, never ceases to amaze me with how he successfully offers the best of everything with his culinary talents. Be sure to visit all of his restaurants. You won't be disappointed.
Review Source:Freelance is the no reservation version of the famous Xavier's. They even share a common kitchen. And the price is less.
Only superlatives flow from my keyboard when I think of this restaurant.
Won't go into details. Just go. You won't be sorry but get there early. Only two seatings and you don't want to get shut out.
Pretty amazing! We stopped here on our way back from a hiking excursion in the Palisades .
Though we felt like we were intruding in this small restaurant, we made an excellent choice (thanks to yelp, by the way). It is definitely a neighborhood place, everyone (else) knew one another.
I would have given it 5 stars, but I felt that my shrimp was a bit overcooked, but my meal overall was kicking with very unique flavors that was great for the price (I am used to overpriced meals in Brooklyn that don't always deliver). I ordered the Grilled jumbo shrimp w/ Thai spices and Kafir lime with spaghetti squash, pickled papaya, ginger & crisp rice noodles. Yum! My boyfriend ordered off the specials of the day which was brie stuffed chicken with a fig compote atop spinach. Delish!
We had a few lovely glasses of wine and Crème Brûlée for dessert!
And to top it off, Mikhail Baryshnikov and his partner arrived for dinner not too long after we did, so that was a treat! Â
I did noticed that we were among the youngest patrons there (early 30's), but I didn't feel totally out of place.
Overall, an amazing dining experience not too far from Manhattan!
We have been to Xavier's before and while that was good, it was a bit too fancy smancy for us. Â We had heard that Freelance is more casual, more reasonable cost, and tasty. Â We were surprised the wait was only 15 minutes for a party of four. Â We arrived around 745. The meal did not disappoint and though they share the same kitchen as Xavier's, I felt the food at Freelance was MUCH better. I tried a little bit of everyone's dishes.. The fresh hot bread... the arugula salad.. the coconut shrimp. Keep in mind the "small plate" pasta dishes are enough for an entree. Â (I had the bucatini as an entree). Â The veal and sweetbreads were also great. Â
Cost was about 200 before tip for a group of four.
My husband and I lived in NYC for 10 years, and recently moved out to Rockland. We had been spoiled in the city by the amount of wonderful restaurants literally right outside our door. After a long two years of testing and searching for great restaurants in our new location, we feel we have finally built up our "foodie bank".
That being said, Freelance Cafe and Wine Bar is our "Go to" restaurant. We always know that we are going to get, and that is excellent food and wine, as well as service.
What really brings me back every week is the seafood on the menu. We LOVE fish, and have had a hard time finding anything remarkable in the area. However, Freelance excels in these dishes. Â Albeit, Freelance is not a "seafood restaurant" per se, they consistently produce fresh, flavorful, cooked to perfection entrees and apps. The scallops in particular are our favorite, and the crab cakes are some of the best I've had - and I'm from Maryland originally!
A few of our other favorite dishes are the Onion Soup Gratinèe, Wasabi Crusted Tuna, Grilled Jumbo Shrimp, and  the Chinese Steamed Buns with Pulled Pork. Whenever we have ordered the fish specials, Panko Crusted Cod, Sea Bass, they have always been fantastic. The specials menu can be pretty great.
The desserts unfortunately are often hit or miss. I think generally the desserts on the standard menu are not so great. However, whenever they have a dessert on the specials menu it tends to be much better. We once had an amazing crepe with ice cream and raspberries - we wish they would bring back, as well as a slice of pretty delicious almond cake. If nothing on the specials seems enticing we usually just stick to after dinner wine.
The by the glass wine list has gotten more extensive over the last few years which I appreciate. I'm very picky about my wine, even if it's going to be a cheaper one. What is nice about Peter Kelly's restaurants is they have an impeccable Sommelier. Â I've had some really excellent glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and Rieslings, that would normally cost $12-$15 in other high end restaurants, but Freelance charges reasonable prices ranging from $7-$12 a glass.
My only real complaint is the bread at the begining of the meal. It's always hard as a rock and not very pleasant. But if that's my biggest complaint, it's not so bad. And maybe the 80s decor, but whatever, the food is my only concern!
Freelance does tend to have an "older" crowd (I'm in my early 30s), but I have noticed recently it is expanding a bit. Perhaps this well kept secret is getting out!
Lastly, Casey (the front of house) can light up any room, and it is an absolute joy to see his smiling face welcoming you back.
extremely delicious and unique food, but definitely pricey for certain items because of the portions. Â went here for lunch and had 1 appetizer, 1 dessert (of fruit/sorbet) and 4 dishes and we hit about $130 before drinks. Â
even with that said, the food is very tasty. Â i ordered the veal, fig n prosciutto medallions and it was one of the best veal dishes i've ever had. Â though there was barely any prosciutto, the fig marsala sauce was amazing. Â the chinese bun with pulled pork appetizers were quite the variety and definitely a great option for a starter. Â best part of it was the hoisin sauce, but only cause i've had much better (and more) pulled pork than was given. Â
overall great place, but very tiny (about 12 tables and the bar) and you will spend money. Â doing a lunch may be the better option for sure...go and enjoy unique dishes!
We stopped in for dessert one evening after dinner in Tarrytown and we were surprised and very happy. Â We're New Yorkers and had a day out north and while we did expect very good restaurants this close to Manhattan, Freelance blew us away. Â The dessert was delicious and fresh. Â I had some scotch, my wife had some sparkling white. Â Ambiance is nice: romantic, intimate, but not boring; though being around the age of 30 we were by far the youngest ones there (on a Saturday night at 10pm 90% of the people were college-kid'-s-parents!).
Next time we're going for the food!
For a restaurant with such a famous chef (Peter Kelly really hit fame once he won Iron Chef), it wasn't overly pretentious. The food was delicious: we had the scallops dish, crispy salmon, and grilled game hen. The sorbet dessert in almond tuile was a great way to end the meal.
Note: This place does not take reservations, so make sure to get there early to avoid a dinner rush.
Wonderful Wonderful! I love the food here! Â No better place for lunch in Rockland. There is always something interesting and new to try. Great place to go last minute with a small party as they do not take reservations, so you know you will get in. The staff is very attentive and accommodating.
Review Source:What a perfect way to end a day in beautiful Piermont on the Hudson. Â The food here is spot on and innovative. Â The kitchen is shared with Xavier's next door. Â Unlike Xavier's this place does not take reservations, so you don't have to wait months and months to experience Peter Kelly's kitchen. Â Food was great, service was stellar, tasty wines, charm abounded!
It has been a while since we enjoyed a meal at this place, so I cannot remember any specifics for you, but will update the next time we visit.
The guyere and salmon appetizer with cavier was delicious, as was the tuna tartar ap. we usually are very pleased with the app here. have gotten the scallops in the past.
Seems overall though, that the quality of the food has somewhat declined, especially for the main entrees, over the past two years. we used to go here more often before a menu change about two years ago and since then, things have just not been the same.
still always enjoy the pecan chocolate tart. the service is good. small intimate setting.
I've been coming to this restaurant for nearly a decade and it has never gotten less than five stars in my book. Peter Xavier Kelly's recent Iron Chef win against Bobby Flay had me that much more pumped up to have dinner here with my husband and friends. Dining at Freelance is always one of my first stops when visiting family near Nyack.
This visit, I was so disappointed. Was service off because Ned - the front of the house- was out that night? Or was it that our waiter was new and didn't know the menu or the wine list? Either way, the service was horrific. After ordering a bottle of wine, it took 25 minutes for the waiter to bring it to the table. After each course, empty plates sat on the table for more than 20 minutes. During our meal, no one came to the table to offer another drink and we had to chase down a different server to order a drink, ask for cheese for the pasta and more water. What was going on?!?! At nearly $100 a person, we shouldn't have so many problems and such bad, bad service. I'm sure Peter Kelly would agree. The food was under seasoned, the shrimp were overcooked and rubbery, the farfalle with chestnuts, sun-dried tomatoes in a prosecco cream sauce was overly sweet and could have passed for dessert and our friend's steak au poivre was drenched in a black pool of sauce! There was no love in this food.
The highlight of the night was the mizuna salad with cherries, Asian pear and bleu cheese. Nicely done! The unlikely combination is what this chef does best! But the chocolate soufflé cake was boring. What happened to all the innovative deserts they used to have? Where did the pastry chef go? I hope we just had an off night because it was a great disappointment. I'm rating this place three stars because I just can't bring myself to give it less-- I have such fond memories of this place - but based on the dinner, it was more like two.
Formal fine dining. Â Peter Kelly's restaurants are well known and well regarded, for good reason. Â While his take on modern American cuisine is no longer extremely unique, he really was on the forefront of re-inventing American cuisine for the last 10-15 years. Â
Freelance Cafe sits next to his ultra expensive, fine dining flagship restaurant, Xavier's. Â The food is slightly more casual, but also very innovative. Â Minus the high price tag, and impossible reservations of Xavier's.
They take no reservations. Â The restaurant opens at 5:30, and the line starts to form in advance.. Â My wife and I arrived on a Saturday night at about 5:15, and were third in line. Â Though it did not fill up immediately, by 6:00, it was packed. Â
It is a small dining room. Â Diners also took their meals at the bar. Â The familiarity between the staff and some of the customers indicated a good amount of "regulars." Â
The restaurant is adult casual. Â No need to dress up, but don't expect to see families with children. Â
In addition to a broad wine list, they offer several very good wines by the glass each night. Â I enjoyed a very earthy Pinot Noir.
The menu is divided between small plates and large plates, with an emphasis on seafood and game. Â There are some traditional cafe-type dishes, alongside more innovative modern dishes. Â Though most of the menu sounded delicious, the small plates were especially difficult to choose between.
My wife made a meal of 2 small plates. Â She went the more traditional route, with a French Onion soup and a beet and goat cheese salad. Â She found both to be perfectly prepared with fine ingredients.
I started with a small plate of Tuna tartare. Â It was prepared with avocado, rice pearls, over a citrus ponzu. Â The citrus sauce was very refreshing and added something new what would otherwise be a very standard offering. Â The rice pearls added nice texture, but the tiny hard balls of rice could also get uncomfortably stuck in your teeth.
For my mane course, I had the grilled game hen. Â It was served with pomme frittes, which were certainly not traditional french fries. Â It was a big heap of crispy finely sliced and well salted fries. Â They were good, but I could only eat a small part of the offering. Â Broccolini on the side was perhaps just a tad overcooked. Â The game hen was accompanied by a good sauce. Â The hen itself was good, but just a bit dry. Â Overall, the "large plate" was really a very large serving.
For dessert, shared a warm chocolate souffle cake. Â It really wasn't a souffle, but the case was rich and moist, served with homemade vanilla ice cream. Â Definitely a satisfying end to the meal.
Price was quite reasonable for such a complete, fine dining meal. Â For 1 small plate, 1 large plate, and a dessert, you can expect under $50 per person. Â And you really can easily make an entire meal of just 2 small plates. Â
I would definitely go back next time I'm in that area. Â And it certainly made me more interested in eventually trying Xavier's.
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