Appetizer:
Hot Balls: Arancino - Mushroom & Fontina stuffed risotto, Goat cheese - with wildflower honey, Arancino - Spiced lamb stuffed risotto with mint
My friend asked me which one is which as she could not decipher. The flavours of each is not very strong....like it didn't punch you in the face. The mushroom flavour was not very full. The lamb flavour was very slight. The one with the most flavour is the goat cheese ball. It really had to be elevated by the sauce at the side. I actually had no issue with that because I often find the gamey taste of lamb and goat distasteful. She on the other hand was slightly disappointed about the legendary hot balls from Table 17.
Diver Scallops: Diver Scallops with Roasted with fresh bay leaves, served with sauce béarnaise & guanciale
I liked this dish. It was again on the heavier and saltier side. Everything plated works together harmoniously. The scallop balanced the béarnaise and the guanciale perfectly. The texture of the scallop is escalated by the crunchiness of the guanciale.
Entrée:
Haddock: Haddock with chanterelle mushroom, sprouts, truffled potato, radish
Perhaps our expectations for fresh seafood is a little high. We both felt the haddock is lacking in freshness. Fresh fish tends to hold together better. The sprouts were supposed to reduce the heaviness of the dish but it just wasn't enough.
Dessert:
Lemon Panna Cotta with Blueberry compote. This dessert hit all the right notes! The panna cotta was silky and smooth (like my legs...just kidding!) The delicious blueberry compote adds fruitiness (DUH!) to the plate! The lemon balm gives it a bite of citrus taste. It was awesome! The combination just sings in your mouth! I can eat that all day! Nom nom nom!
In the end, I wish the chef would balance the dishes with more acids, spices and fresh herbs instead of sodium and grease. We are definitely anomalies here. Table 17 had garnered a lot of loyal patrons over the years. I really wanted to fall in love with this cosy little restaurant!