Met some friends for dinner and to try Book Club. Had a lovely evening at one of the Kim Bartmann empire. Normally this would give me pause, I’ve not been particularly impressed with other offerings, but in this case it’s being run by Chef and Ower Asher Miller. If that doesn’t mean anything to you don’t worry, all it says to me is “not Kim”.
The space is nicely done with some changes from its earlier life as Cafe Maude. The most notable, to me anyway, difference being the removal of a quiet seating nook in the back. In the end this has the effect of opening the room but also amping the noise level.
We tried several items from across the menu:
Appetizers were:
Fried Oysters - crispy kale, sweet chili mayo, lemon
Green Curry Mussels & Dumplings - green curry coconut broth, chive dumplings, ginger, lemongrass, kefir, Thai basil
Crispy Fried Tofu - sweet ginger marinade, chili mayo
Korean Steak Satay - miso, tamarind, Fresno chili, ginger
Mains were:
Balinese Half Chicken - broccolini, lemongrass pickled vegetables, brown jasmine rice
Pork and Beans - 3-day porchetta, cannelloni beans, kale, rosemary, honey mustard sauce
Whole Fried Sea Bass - Nuoc Cham, lettuce cups, lemongrass pickles, brown jasmine rice
Fried Chicken Sandwich - lettuce, sweet pickle chips, white vinegar BBQ sauce
Dessert was:
Warm Chocolate Cake - Stuffed with raspberry preserve, vanilla ice cream
All of the appetizers were done to perfection:
The oysters still firm in their crispy shells, and accompanied a nice little mayo. The mussels just opened up and dripping with the curry while nestled in with little cloud like pillows of dumplings. The satay’s marinade was delightful and the steak done perfectly. And, finally, the tofu were clouds in an idyllic crunchy shell.
Thes mains were a mixed bag. The Sea Bass was tasty and beautifully presented. It was flaky and flavorful. The chicken sandwich was, perhaps not surprisingly, bland and chicken like. I didn’t find anything good or bad to say about it. The best thing to be said about the Balinese Chicken was the next day, when it was eaten as leftovers. Sometimes things need time to round out their flavors. The Pork and Beans were the standout here. The porchetta was zingy with spices and perfectly tender with a delightful little crust. I imagine the heal of this gem to be a delight that only the chef gets to enjoy.
Can’t go wrong on a night out with good friends. - 10/10
Book Club - 6.2/10
