I was invited to an intimate travel luncheon for 8
and yesterday went to BLT Steak for the first time only to be impressed a
lot, save for the NOISE. (www.e2hospitality.com).
I was actually invited to the opening of uber chef Laurent Tourandel's
first DC location and could not make it; it's a shame it took me years
to get there.
Our hostess offered up ORCHID Cocktails created
for her company (Orchid Hotels) which were champagne, a splash of
Chambord, Saint-Germain and whatever the local bartender chooses, as she
likes to say. They were oh so refreshing in the heat. Bread here is a
course in itself as the huge GRUYERE POPOVERS arrive to the table
steaming hot with a load of butter on the side. These have to big almost
as big as my head and easily would fill anyone up, so be sure to try
one, but split it with a friend!
She graciously ordered up way
too many starters including the plum juicy SHRIMP COCKTAIL with huge
shrimp, the so-so TUNA TARTARE with potato gaufrettes, which some of the
others at the table said was the best they ever had (they never had
mine)., quite tasty CRABCAKES and my first SOFTSHELL CRAB of the season
which was cornbread battered with Bacon Marmalade and Dandelion
Greens-YUM!
For my main I knew I was in a meat place and while
everyone else order gorgeous fish plates from the magnificent LOBSTER
COBB salad to Crabcakes, Tuna Salad, etc. I went for the KOBE BURGER
with Fried Egg, Pastrami and Cheddar Cheese. I pulled away most of the
bun and adored the meat and the pastrami as the egg oozed over my
medium-rare to rare perfectly cooked Kobe beef treat. It came with
fries, which were not indicated, so I ate some, but our hostess had
ordered so many sides, I left most of the fries to enjoy these treats.
She ordered fries as well, which went untouched on the table, but the
beautiful ONION RINGS were devoured quickly. PEAS & CARROTS here are
English peas and heirloom carrots with Yogurt And Nori, worthy of any
fine dining veggie plate, but it was the Simply Grilled FRESH RAMPS that
sent me to heaven. The one thing I did not get was the Jalapeno Mashed
Potatoes which I thought were mashed peas at first due to the color.
They were tasty, but won no award.
I was so full that I
couldn't even think of dessert and waddled out knowing I could not face
the gym that day. All I had for dinner was a salad!
There were oh so many yummy treats on the menu that I know I will return here to try some and not to miss those POPOVERS!
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