Last year we started a tradition of having a client/friends dinner at the Rose & Kettle and this year it worked out wonderfully where some 17 of us got together with mostly Young Artists from both Glimmerglass Festival and the Washington national Opera as well as several Glimmerglass principals this summer for a superb evening out. Photos of the event and my meal are on my FB page as well as a superb Happy Birthday rendition that rocked the restaurant for our dear friend Mel who will be 60 next week!
Our server Miriam did an awesome job considering the size of our group and the fact that it was very busy Saturday night with the place fully committed. We had numerous wines including a crisp Wachau Gruner Veltliner, a tasty Chateau de Campuget Rose and two yummy reds: Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo & Jean Luc Colombo Les Abeilles 2013 Cotes du Rhone.
Drinks here are fun too and the tasty Rosebud Margarita was very popular with Cointreau, Pomegranate Juice and El Jimador Reposada Tequila.
I am wary of crabcakes away from the DC area and this starter was HUGE with Sauteed Spinach and a superb Lemon Caper Aioli. I would have gladly had a smaller cake and less filler, but then, this is not DC and the cakes tend to be less pure; even so it was most tasty.
I would say that 2/3 of the table went with the Steak Au Poivre which is a NY Strip Grilled with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach and an amazing Bourbon Peppercorn Cream sauce (think gravy) and crispy Fried Red Onions on top.
Desserts were a tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Tart as well as Cheesecake with Blueberries as was indeed National Cheesecake Day (who knew?).
A terrific time and meal was had by all!
