My best meal ever was at a small, family-owned Italian restaurant in my hometown. It was a warm summer evening, and my husband and I decided to go out for a nice dinner to celebrate our anniversary.
As we walked into the restaurant, the aroma of freshly baked bread and basil wafted through the air, making our mouths water in anticipation. We were seated at a cozy table by the window, and the friendly server brought us a basket of warm, crusty bread with a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
For the first course, we decided to share an antipasti platter with a variety of cured meats, marinated vegetables, and cheeses. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and the ingredients were all fresh and beautifully presented.
For the main course, I ordered the pasta carbonara, which was made with perfectly cooked spaghetti, creamy sauce, and crispy pancetta. My husband chose the veal marsala, which was tender and flavorful, served with a side of sautéed vegetables.
But the real highlight of the meal was the dessert. We couldn't resist trying the tiramisu, and it did not disappoint. The layers of fluffy mascarpone and rich espresso were heavenly, and the cocoa powder on top added the perfect finishing touch.
Overall, the meal was absolutely perfect – the atmosphere, the service, and most importantly, the food. It was one of those rare dining experiences that I will always remember and cherish.
A Food Writer's Best Meal Ever
This was an amazing evening of food, wine and friendship. The sweet Huckleberry Port Sauce was great foil to the rich Agnolotti. Dessert Birramisu A twist on traditional Tiramisu made with Sprecher Imperial Stout. The different ingredients in this course all worked together to produce a lovely result. Thank you for joining us. I picked up my crepe, shaped in a cone and wrapped in waxed paper, at the next window. That was my last meal with my best friend because two hours after I fell asleep next to him he passed away.
Drake, Peng Shepherd, Marshall Carr, Jr. A nicely seared crust and a soft, almost creamy interior. Rhubarb Consomme, Lemon Ginger Tapioca Another fun course served in a shot glass so no wine! The following statement can be applied to all of the courses I had at Twist: I've never experienced this flavor combination before. I have never been a huge Mussel fan, but this dish was fantastic. It was a very nice breakfast the next morning! The wet rub is fabulous and came out wonderfully. Meanwhile, make the filling. One night, I was pitch-black drunk hobbling back to our camp from the small town's only "club" when it began to rain.
Beyond the food, I was impressed with the commitment of the staff, especially Chef Justin Carlisle to provide their guests with a memorable experience. This version of the dish was one of the best I've had. Some of my favorites included housemade Tofu Tomato Broth, the Shimaaji with Red Miso, Radish and Soy Salt, the Lobster Dumpling in Lobster Bisque, the Cantaloupe Ice and and the Chocolate Ganache. Not coincidentally, it was also the best street food of my life. The ramp Puree was so good that I suggested to my server, Jeff, that they should serve it as a soup. I ordered an outstanding SideCar Cocktail while my friends enjoyed a couple of great unique beers.
I was almost in tears it was so good. The band was wonderful, but did not upstage the food. Wood Roasted Mussels with Fennel, Pernod, Cream, Saffron Aioli and Grilled Bread. Unfortunately, in my recent move I have misplaced my menu and notes, so I am going to write a Readers' Digest condensed review tonight and post a much more detailed update when I find them or visit Ardent again, whichever comes first. Grapes on Pizza are amazing! I arrived early to enjoy a drink at the bar and ease into my evening. One night I woke up to noises and a crash downstairs. Another Rich Comfort Food based course, this was amazingly tender, flavorful and rich.
I ate all the Scallops and half my meat and still had enough leftovers for 2 decent lunches. It was the crepe itself: mushrooms and Emmentaler cheese, with a light coating of egg cooked onto the inside of the crepe. High quality local ingredients blended together perfectly and the unique twist of Pomegranate in the Pico de Gallo made this dish stand out! The Scallops about 10 small ones were sweet and went great with the mushrooms and peppers they were served with. It was served chilled and almost mashed, but still maintained its crisp texture. Now on to the food. This dish looked beautiful. Since it was a combo plate, I was expecting a small piece of meat maybe 10 oz.
I started my morning with a wonderfully light and refreshing Prosecco Sangria and a small plate of assorted Pastries that included a Cinnamon Croissant Monkey Bread Muffin, Rosemary Scone and a Polenta Muffin. Consistency is vital for any great Restaurant! As I started to eat my breakfast, my server dropped off a small sample of that waffle. Quite an impressive show. I have had some amazing meals in my life and my recent dinner at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was one of the best ever! My last visit here was just as good as the others. Diane ordered the same thing, but the Sour version. Paired with a 2007 RockBlock Viognier "Del Rio Vineyard". This was a wonderful combination of flavors.
Next, I tried whole wheat crepes. Add So, naturally, I decided to try making all three types of crepes. The Sauce tasted really good on the Prime Rib. The moment I walked in I knew this was a special place. It only abated when I sipped the very ordinary and poorly chosen Kaliber non-alcoholic beer, a beverage I usually enjoy, but which was every last kind of wrong for the meal. When my order came out there were four different items on my plate. It's not that the crepe itself was bad, although it also wasn't terribly good.
Luckily, I had a little of my Pinot left from the previous course and that worked fine for me. Tender Rabbit over soft Polenta in an earthy Mushroom Sauce. It was absolutely heavenly. As I was getting ready to leave, the Chef who had been so nice to me all night signaled for me to wait. They even gave me a muffin for the morning and called a wheelchair accessible cab for me so I would not need to transfer into a regular one. The grilled Plums and Onions, along with the Saba Sauce provided a slightly sweet counterpoint.
