During the spring restaurant week, I attended dinner at Coup des Tartes and had a great experience. As I pulled up to the restaurant, it was not what I expected, as the restaurant is in an old home. I entered the front door and was greeted by the host and sat a few moments after. After being seated, I looked around and noticed that this could be a home that could be found in San Diego and the tables were close to each other, but still enough room to have your own space. This restaurant is BYOB with a $9 corking fee. In my opinion, the fee is a bit high, since they did not even open the bottle of wine that we brought.
For my first course, I chose the escargot, which came out on a silver dish where each escargot was placed individually in its own special spot. The escargots were not in the shell and have a nice flavor of butter and garlic. They were nicely cooked, as they were not rubbery, as that could tend to happen with over cooked escargot. The escargot had a smooth texture at the beginning, and then it changes to a bit of a crunch as you consume them. Delicious!
For my second course, I had the opportunity to taste the fresh Alaskan Halibut and the filet mignon. I had an all natural grass fed Austrian filet that was topped with caramelized onions and an aged port glaze sauce. It was also served with haricot verts and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. The meat was perfectly cooked at a medium rare, where it was nicely seared on the outside and slight pink on the inside. The meat was juicy and full of flavor. As you take that first bite, it just melted in your mouth and made you want to take another bit. The port glaze provided a nice compliment, it wasn’t overpowering, while only enhancing the flavor of the meat with a sweet glaze. Yukon gold mashed potatoes were the perfect pairing to the main dish because it was perfectly whipped to a smooth texture. The potatoes were full of flavor, but again, nothing over powering.
In addition to the filet mignon, I was able to taste the fresh Alaskan Halibut. The Halibut was perfectly cook all the way through, while still being moist and tender. The flavor was perfect, not over powering and the coconut sauce was an amazing choice for this fish. Along with the Halibut, it came with a sea bean salad, which provided a nice texture and a little crunch with every bite.
To wrap up our delicious meal, I ordered the creme brulee, a classic choice that I never seem to pass up and a nice cappuccino. It looked perfect as they placed it in front of me and it took every ounce of my being to refrain from devouring it. The sugary top was not over cooked, so it only took the tapping of my spoon to break through to reach the delicious treat. The dessert has a nice creamy texture with a hint of sweetness, and then finished off with a crunch of the sugary top. I would have to say, that it was one of the best crème brulees I have eaten because it was not overly sweet and the little sugar biscuit that came with it, was a nice pairing.
Overall the experience was great and the atmosphere is very cozy. The food and service was great, where I didn’t feel rushed, but was well attended to. The only complaint that I would have is the $9 corking fee, where they do not even open the bottle or pour your wine for you. Call and make a reservation and you won’t be disappointed.
No comments:
Post a Comment