点评:My wife and I had their tasting menu last night and it was one of the best dining experiences of our lives. In fact, every course was at or near the pinnacle of like dishes for both of us, something we established after three courses when my wife exclaimed, "that is the best scallop I've ever had." Our server, Thomas, explained why the scallops were only seared on one side and how we might reproduce at least that element of their preparation at home.
Best tuna we've ever had: flown in each day and sliced by the head chef. My wife and I are both sushi lovers and tuna is our favorite fish, so to find fish of this quality in Indianapolis was an extremely pleasant surprise. The fattier piece would literally dissolve in your mouth. And while I can eat nigiri of that quality all day, the accompanying beet, cheese and cherry added truly unique elements to the dish.
Best lamb we've ever had: well-seasoned and served medium rare over a house-made mushroom ravioli. My wife, who typically avoids mushrooms, thoroughly enjoyed the ravioli and even at the large pieces of lightly-fried chanterelles that surrounded it.
Best zucchini bread and focaccia we've ever had (and we have spent many weeks in Italy), both being moist while respectively firm and airy the zucchini bread was the appropriate density and was moist without feeling undercooked, and the flavor of the apples made it, as Thomas rightly described, more like a cake than a bread.
The tomatoes served with burrata were incredibly flavorful, and they were grown in Cunningham's greenhouse on the south side of town. The herbs that seasoned that dish and several others were grown in the restaurant itself, on a "green wall" just past the front desk and adjacent to the kitchen, which I found myself observing after going to wash my hands.
The wagyu steak, while not my favorite cut of beef, has only been bested by a couple of specialized steak houses that we have been fortunate to patronize. I cut perhaps the smallest pieces of steak I've ever cut (aided by the provisions of a sharp, non-serrated steak knife), savoring each bit of the delightfully tender and flavorful meat. Thomas mentioned that, if on our next visit we were particularly hungry, that we could request a double portion of any of the proteins, which may be the move for those who skipped lunch.
The capriole cheesecake was, again, the best I can recall, with a lovely flavor and what I consider to be the perfect texture for a cheesecake. The perfectly-ripe berries that accompanied it looked like something from a magazine and tasted as though they were straight from the garden. The dish was lighter than I expected and was the perfect finish for a summer dinner.
Presentation was meticulous, and the staff was exceptionally knowledgeable and professional while also very personable. Thomas made excellent drink recommendations and, seeing that we were enthusiastic, explained some of the "why" behind what was included in the tasting menu.
In sum, the experience was exceptional, and easily the best meal we have had in Indianapolis. The only two meals that clearly surpassed this one in our memories were Alan Wong's in Honolulu (now, sadly, defunct) and the original Bice restaurant in Milan. I said to Thomas after our meal that I would gladly eat that entire meal again *at that moment,* a comment that I first uttered at Bice four years ago and one that I don't make lightly. This will be our special occasion dinner spot for the foreseeable future.
翻译:我和我的妻子昨晚吃了他们的品尝菜单,这是我们一生中最好的用餐体验之一。事实上,对我们俩来说,每道菜都达到或接近同类菜肴的巅峰,这是我们在吃完三道菜后确定的,当时我的妻子惊叹道:“这是我吃过的最好的扇贝。”我们的服务员托马斯解释了为什么扇贝只在一侧被烤焦,以及我们如何在家中至少重现其准备过程中的这一元素。
我们吃过的最好的金枪鱼:每天空运过来并由主厨切片。我和我的妻子都是寿司爱好者,金枪鱼是我们最喜欢的鱼,所以在印第安纳波利斯找到这种品质的鱼是一个非常令人惊喜的惊喜。较肥的部分实际上会溶解在你的嘴里。虽然我可以整天吃这种质量的握寿司,但伴随的甜菜、奶酪和樱桃为这道菜增添了真正独特的元素。
我们吃过的最好的羊肉:经过精心调味,半熟的配上自制的蘑菇馄饨。我的妻子通常不吃蘑菇,但她非常喜欢馄饨,甚至还喜欢周围的大块轻炸鸡油菌。
我们吃过的最好的西葫芦面包和佛卡夏面包(我们在意大利呆了好几个星期),两者都是湿润的,同时又分别坚硬和通风。西葫芦面包的密度合适,湿润,没有煮熟的感觉,苹果的味道正如托马斯正确描述的那样,它更像是蛋糕而不是面包。
搭配布拉塔奶酪的西红柿非常美味,它们是在城镇南侧的坎宁安温室里种植的。为这道菜和其他几道菜调味的香草是在餐厅本身种植的,位于前台旁边、靠近厨房的“绿色墙壁”上,我在洗手后发现自己正在观察它。
和牛牛排虽然不是我最喜欢的牛肉,但只有我们有幸光顾的几家专门的牛排馆才能打败它。我切了也许是我切过的最小的一块牛排(在锋利的无锯齿牛排刀的帮助下),品尝着每一块令人愉悦的嫩滑和美味的肉。托马斯提到,如果下次访问时我们特别饿,我们可以要求双份任何蛋白质,这可能是那些不吃午餐的人的举动。
卡普里奥尔芝士蛋糕再次是我记忆中最好的,味道可爱,我认为这是芝士蛋糕的完美质地。与之搭配的完全成熟的浆果看起来就像是杂志上的东西,尝起来就像是直接从花园里摘下来的。这道菜比我想象的要清淡,是夏季晚餐的完美收尾。
演示非常细致,工作人员知识渊博、专业,同时也非常风度翩翩。托马斯提出了极好的饮品推荐,并且看到我们很热情,他解释了品尝菜单中包含的内容背后的一些“原因”。
总而言之,这次经历非常出色,而且是我们在印第安纳波利斯吃过的最好的一餐。在我们的记忆中,唯一明显超越这一餐的两顿饭是檀香山的 Alan Wong 餐厅(遗憾的是,现在已经不营业了)和米兰原来的 Bice 餐厅。饭后我对托马斯说,我很乐意*在那一刻*再次吃掉整顿饭,这是我四年前在 Bice 第一次发表的评论,而且我不会轻易发表这样的评论。在可预见的将来,这将是我们特殊场合的晚餐地点。