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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Review: Chalk

We've all heard mixed reviews about Chalk: spotty service, mediocre food. However, in the interest of my readers, I had to try it out myself. My mom wanted to see Hair at Falcon Theater, so since it was Mother's Day, we decided to try out Chalk, as it's fairly close to the theater.



We had what had to be the earliest reservations for dinner I'd had in ages-- 5:30. They weren't quite ready for us (and we were early), so we hung out in the bar drinking pomegranate fizzes, which are essentially an alcoholic Shirley Temple. They were good, but not terribly strong.



Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable. The chef had just changed menus to something a bit springier, and it featured a lot of citrus and ginger. Instead of the pork belly we'd seen everywhere in the colder months, he'd switched to pork cheeks. Monkfish, halibut cheeks, and filet were also featured on the menu.

We started out with the cheese and bread-- an assortment of cheese served with crostini and cranberry walnut bread. I really thought the cheeses would be more adventurous; instead, they were a bit pedestrian: white cheddar, port salut, mozzarella and asiago. It was served with a citrus mustard syrup-- bits of preserved orange and lemon rind in mustard, and a wine and berry reduction and some sugared ginger. Both were nice, and complimented the cheese well, but I would have liked to see more interesting cheese choices to match the interesting entrees.



As an entree, my mom got the scallops, which were paired with sunchoke and chorizo. She'd never had chorizo, and the waiter and I tried to describe it to her. I said it was "just spicy enough"-- not a wasabi-style "clear your sinuses" hot, but spicy and complex. She wasn't disappointed. She had never seen scallops this large-- and they were pretty darn big. My mom ate every bite-- I think she would have licked the plate had she had the chance.



I chose the pork cheeks, which were served with a citrus-ginger sauce on top of rolled oats. I'd never had oats served in a savory preparation, and though the texture was nice, I thought they were a bit bland and also a bit heavy for what was to be a spring menu. The citrus-ginger sauce, which had bits of preserved ginger, was a very nice, light compliment to the pork cheek. I'd never had pork cheek before, but knew that they were tender and relatively lean. I was not disappointed-- it was very tender, slightly meaty, and just a little sweet. They haven't replaced pork belly as my favorite part of the pig, but these are a nice spring alternative.



I had heard so many things about Summer Genetti's pastry that we had to get dessert. My mom got a mocha mousse covered in ganache. The people at the next table commented that it was a piece of art-- it was beautifully stacked with some homemade cookies and sugar swirls. According to the waiter, Chef Genetti makes everything from scratch-- the ice cream, the marshmallows, the mousse-- everything except for the sprinkles. I joked that she was slacking. I got the Flight of Cupcakes-- there were five: red velvet with cream cheese frosting, lemon with lemon frosting and preserved lavender, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, pistachio with pistachio frosting and yellow cake with bright pink frosting. The cake was okay-- maybe slightly on the dry side-- but the frosting was to die for. I ate three of them, and brought two home for Terry, who wasn't able to join us for dinner because he was busy acting.




Our meal was actually really good, though I walked in without terribly high expectations. I would go back, particularly because the menu will be changing every two weeks. I could do a less expensive meal quite easily: they have an extensive menu of sandwiches and sides, and I'd love to try their fries. And there are so many more desserts to try! Maybe I was there on a good night, or maybe the kinks have been worked out-- but I'd definitely recommend Chalk.

(And, as a bonus: My mom!)




9 comments:

Beefy Muchacho said...

Can't say that the oats sound like a good idea, and I'll have to agree that they don't seem to have a place on a lighter "Springtime" menu. Sounds like it's worth a try, just for the pork cheek.

valereee said...

Linked to your review from my blog!

Julie said...

Daniel-- the pork cheek and the buttercream. Mmmm.

Valereee-- yay! I'll have pics up in just a few-- been so busy!

5chw4r7z said...

We had about the same experience, very knowledgeable waiter. And every dish they brought out was better than the last. One difference I had gone in with high expectations, and they exceeded them. We had appetizers a main dish and of course desert and everything was a work of art and so over the top I felt bad about eating it.
But I did anyhow.

valereee said...

I was wondering where the snaps were...

Chris S said...

Best food pictures yet!!@ Natural light is a wonderful thing :)

Looks tasty, I'll have to check them out for more than desert. The pictures certainly make it look worth it, I had been holding off due to the notably mixed reviews...

Julie said...

Natural lighting is a fantastic thing! You'll see my Quarter Bistro review soon: it's dark and lit with red lightbulbs. Atrocious!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those ARE boring cheese choices! That alone makes me not want to give Chalk a chance, and the note that the cake was a bit on the dry side. If Betty Crocker mixes can produce a moist cake, a great pastry chef should be able to.

That said, cupcakes are all about the frosting for me, so 5chw4r7z and Ms. 5chw4r7z won't have to twist my arm too much to get me to Chalk the next time I'm in town...

Anonymous said...

Great review Julie, Chalk is a local hang for us, we were in for apps on Friday, there were a few menu changes recently. We usually graze and don't get to an entree but I might have to do the cheeks The rabbit salad was new and very good, avoid the sauce that comes with the calamari, way too sweet and vanilla, weird. My biggest JR eatery complaint is room temp red wine, it should be cellar temp 55 to 65 for most, when the temperature is too warm, wine will taste somewhat flat.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Review: Chalk

We've all heard mixed reviews about Chalk: spotty service, mediocre food. However, in the interest of my readers, I had to try it out myself. My mom wanted to see Hair at Falcon Theater, so since it was Mother's Day, we decided to try out Chalk, as it's fairly close to the theater.



We had what had to be the earliest reservations for dinner I'd had in ages-- 5:30. They weren't quite ready for us (and we were early), so we hung out in the bar drinking pomegranate fizzes, which are essentially an alcoholic Shirley Temple. They were good, but not terribly strong.



Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable. The chef had just changed menus to something a bit springier, and it featured a lot of citrus and ginger. Instead of the pork belly we'd seen everywhere in the colder months, he'd switched to pork cheeks. Monkfish, halibut cheeks, and filet were also featured on the menu.

We started out with the cheese and bread-- an assortment of cheese served with crostini and cranberry walnut bread. I really thought the cheeses would be more adventurous; instead, they were a bit pedestrian: white cheddar, port salut, mozzarella and asiago. It was served with a citrus mustard syrup-- bits of preserved orange and lemon rind in mustard, and a wine and berry reduction and some sugared ginger. Both were nice, and complimented the cheese well, but I would have liked to see more interesting cheese choices to match the interesting entrees.



As an entree, my mom got the scallops, which were paired with sunchoke and chorizo. She'd never had chorizo, and the waiter and I tried to describe it to her. I said it was "just spicy enough"-- not a wasabi-style "clear your sinuses" hot, but spicy and complex. She wasn't disappointed. She had never seen scallops this large-- and they were pretty darn big. My mom ate every bite-- I think she would have licked the plate had she had the chance.



I chose the pork cheeks, which were served with a citrus-ginger sauce on top of rolled oats. I'd never had oats served in a savory preparation, and though the texture was nice, I thought they were a bit bland and also a bit heavy for what was to be a spring menu. The citrus-ginger sauce, which had bits of preserved ginger, was a very nice, light compliment to the pork cheek. I'd never had pork cheek before, but knew that they were tender and relatively lean. I was not disappointed-- it was very tender, slightly meaty, and just a little sweet. They haven't replaced pork belly as my favorite part of the pig, but these are a nice spring alternative.



I had heard so many things about Summer Genetti's pastry that we had to get dessert. My mom got a mocha mousse covered in ganache. The people at the next table commented that it was a piece of art-- it was beautifully stacked with some homemade cookies and sugar swirls. According to the waiter, Chef Genetti makes everything from scratch-- the ice cream, the marshmallows, the mousse-- everything except for the sprinkles. I joked that she was slacking. I got the Flight of Cupcakes-- there were five: red velvet with cream cheese frosting, lemon with lemon frosting and preserved lavender, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, pistachio with pistachio frosting and yellow cake with bright pink frosting. The cake was okay-- maybe slightly on the dry side-- but the frosting was to die for. I ate three of them, and brought two home for Terry, who wasn't able to join us for dinner because he was busy acting.




Our meal was actually really good, though I walked in without terribly high expectations. I would go back, particularly because the menu will be changing every two weeks. I could do a less expensive meal quite easily: they have an extensive menu of sandwiches and sides, and I'd love to try their fries. And there are so many more desserts to try! Maybe I was there on a good night, or maybe the kinks have been worked out-- but I'd definitely recommend Chalk.

(And, as a bonus: My mom!)




9 comments:

Beefy Muchacho said...

Can't say that the oats sound like a good idea, and I'll have to agree that they don't seem to have a place on a lighter "Springtime" menu. Sounds like it's worth a try, just for the pork cheek.

valereee said...

Linked to your review from my blog!

Julie said...

Daniel-- the pork cheek and the buttercream. Mmmm.

Valereee-- yay! I'll have pics up in just a few-- been so busy!

5chw4r7z said...

We had about the same experience, very knowledgeable waiter. And every dish they brought out was better than the last. One difference I had gone in with high expectations, and they exceeded them. We had appetizers a main dish and of course desert and everything was a work of art and so over the top I felt bad about eating it.
But I did anyhow.

valereee said...

I was wondering where the snaps were...

Chris S said...

Best food pictures yet!!@ Natural light is a wonderful thing :)

Looks tasty, I'll have to check them out for more than desert. The pictures certainly make it look worth it, I had been holding off due to the notably mixed reviews...

Julie said...

Natural lighting is a fantastic thing! You'll see my Quarter Bistro review soon: it's dark and lit with red lightbulbs. Atrocious!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those ARE boring cheese choices! That alone makes me not want to give Chalk a chance, and the note that the cake was a bit on the dry side. If Betty Crocker mixes can produce a moist cake, a great pastry chef should be able to.

That said, cupcakes are all about the frosting for me, so 5chw4r7z and Ms. 5chw4r7z won't have to twist my arm too much to get me to Chalk the next time I'm in town...

Anonymous said...

Great review Julie, Chalk is a local hang for us, we were in for apps on Friday, there were a few menu changes recently. We usually graze and don't get to an entree but I might have to do the cheeks The rabbit salad was new and very good, avoid the sauce that comes with the calamari, way too sweet and vanilla, weird. My biggest JR eatery complaint is room temp red wine, it should be cellar temp 55 to 65 for most, when the temperature is too warm, wine will taste somewhat flat.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Review: Chalk

We've all heard mixed reviews about Chalk: spotty service, mediocre food. However, in the interest of my readers, I had to try it out myself. My mom wanted to see Hair at Falcon Theater, so since it was Mother's Day, we decided to try out Chalk, as it's fairly close to the theater.



We had what had to be the earliest reservations for dinner I'd had in ages-- 5:30. They weren't quite ready for us (and we were early), so we hung out in the bar drinking pomegranate fizzes, which are essentially an alcoholic Shirley Temple. They were good, but not terribly strong.



Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable. The chef had just changed menus to something a bit springier, and it featured a lot of citrus and ginger. Instead of the pork belly we'd seen everywhere in the colder months, he'd switched to pork cheeks. Monkfish, halibut cheeks, and filet were also featured on the menu.

We started out with the cheese and bread-- an assortment of cheese served with crostini and cranberry walnut bread. I really thought the cheeses would be more adventurous; instead, they were a bit pedestrian: white cheddar, port salut, mozzarella and asiago. It was served with a citrus mustard syrup-- bits of preserved orange and lemon rind in mustard, and a wine and berry reduction and some sugared ginger. Both were nice, and complimented the cheese well, but I would have liked to see more interesting cheese choices to match the interesting entrees.



As an entree, my mom got the scallops, which were paired with sunchoke and chorizo. She'd never had chorizo, and the waiter and I tried to describe it to her. I said it was "just spicy enough"-- not a wasabi-style "clear your sinuses" hot, but spicy and complex. She wasn't disappointed. She had never seen scallops this large-- and they were pretty darn big. My mom ate every bite-- I think she would have licked the plate had she had the chance.



I chose the pork cheeks, which were served with a citrus-ginger sauce on top of rolled oats. I'd never had oats served in a savory preparation, and though the texture was nice, I thought they were a bit bland and also a bit heavy for what was to be a spring menu. The citrus-ginger sauce, which had bits of preserved ginger, was a very nice, light compliment to the pork cheek. I'd never had pork cheek before, but knew that they were tender and relatively lean. I was not disappointed-- it was very tender, slightly meaty, and just a little sweet. They haven't replaced pork belly as my favorite part of the pig, but these are a nice spring alternative.



I had heard so many things about Summer Genetti's pastry that we had to get dessert. My mom got a mocha mousse covered in ganache. The people at the next table commented that it was a piece of art-- it was beautifully stacked with some homemade cookies and sugar swirls. According to the waiter, Chef Genetti makes everything from scratch-- the ice cream, the marshmallows, the mousse-- everything except for the sprinkles. I joked that she was slacking. I got the Flight of Cupcakes-- there were five: red velvet with cream cheese frosting, lemon with lemon frosting and preserved lavender, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, pistachio with pistachio frosting and yellow cake with bright pink frosting. The cake was okay-- maybe slightly on the dry side-- but the frosting was to die for. I ate three of them, and brought two home for Terry, who wasn't able to join us for dinner because he was busy acting.




Our meal was actually really good, though I walked in without terribly high expectations. I would go back, particularly because the menu will be changing every two weeks. I could do a less expensive meal quite easily: they have an extensive menu of sandwiches and sides, and I'd love to try their fries. And there are so many more desserts to try! Maybe I was there on a good night, or maybe the kinks have been worked out-- but I'd definitely recommend Chalk.

(And, as a bonus: My mom!)




9 comments:

Beefy Muchacho said...

Can't say that the oats sound like a good idea, and I'll have to agree that they don't seem to have a place on a lighter "Springtime" menu. Sounds like it's worth a try, just for the pork cheek.

valereee said...

Linked to your review from my blog!

Julie said...

Daniel-- the pork cheek and the buttercream. Mmmm.

Valereee-- yay! I'll have pics up in just a few-- been so busy!

5chw4r7z said...

We had about the same experience, very knowledgeable waiter. And every dish they brought out was better than the last. One difference I had gone in with high expectations, and they exceeded them. We had appetizers a main dish and of course desert and everything was a work of art and so over the top I felt bad about eating it.
But I did anyhow.

valereee said...

I was wondering where the snaps were...

Chris S said...

Best food pictures yet!!@ Natural light is a wonderful thing :)

Looks tasty, I'll have to check them out for more than desert. The pictures certainly make it look worth it, I had been holding off due to the notably mixed reviews...

Julie said...

Natural lighting is a fantastic thing! You'll see my Quarter Bistro review soon: it's dark and lit with red lightbulbs. Atrocious!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those ARE boring cheese choices! That alone makes me not want to give Chalk a chance, and the note that the cake was a bit on the dry side. If Betty Crocker mixes can produce a moist cake, a great pastry chef should be able to.

That said, cupcakes are all about the frosting for me, so 5chw4r7z and Ms. 5chw4r7z won't have to twist my arm too much to get me to Chalk the next time I'm in town...

Anonymous said...

Great review Julie, Chalk is a local hang for us, we were in for apps on Friday, there were a few menu changes recently. We usually graze and don't get to an entree but I might have to do the cheeks The rabbit salad was new and very good, avoid the sauce that comes with the calamari, way too sweet and vanilla, weird. My biggest JR eatery complaint is room temp red wine, it should be cellar temp 55 to 65 for most, when the temperature is too warm, wine will taste somewhat flat.