| rev:text
| - Ocotillo is quite the handsome restaurant. From the outside, it makes a strong first impression -- especially at night. The architecture and lighting blend wonderfully into the surrounding environment. It's as inviting as it is sexy.
It's also pretty inventive. As I am wont to do, I began my evening with a cocktail. My #16 was a desert surprise of deliciousness. Were I not so OCD about wine with dinner, I would have happily sipped on this all night. The dining portion of the evening started just as strong. Many reviews are going to spend time talking about the Carrot Fattoush Salad. There is a reason for this. It's divine and when ordered without pita, it's gluten-free. The salad is an intensely deliberate mix of greens, carrot hummus, herbs (I don't know which; they've gotta be secret, like the Colonel made famous), feta, seeds, and coriander vinaigrette. Yes, that dressing is a real thing and it's spectacular. Not to be outdone, the cauliflower appetizer (a delightful concoction of the vegetable, kale pesto, lemon, olive oil, basil, mint, and peanuts) and the duck confit also pressed my buzzer and rang my bell. I was riding high off the incredible start to the meal and the evening. I turned to my friend with wide-eyed incredulousness as to what we were experiencing.
Strong start.
Unfortunately, the finish didn't compare. By no means was the second part of the meal poor. But the beginning of the evening was so stellar that coming down to earth where the mere mortals roamed was a comparative disappointment. The service which had been be-my-guestish turned a bit perfunctory. It get it: waiting on a large group with seemingly insatiable demands gets to a person. Again, I don't want it to seem as though things ever got rude. Just relative to the start, the shift was noticeable. I received a weak pour of an ordinary-tasting cab. Yes, first world. But relative to the cocktail, noticeable. My Ocotillo Chicken entree was more exciting on the page than the plate. The intoxicating description (chilies, citrus, honey, and herbs served with a roasted pecan and date potato salad) didn't live up to the execution. The chicken, while nicely cooked (juicy and not at all dry) was rather bland, especially when given the flavor bomb with which it was prepared. The potato salad lacked the interesting wow I anticipated given the unusual recipe. I didn't have a chance to taste the dessert options as none were gluten-free. I wasn't too put out. I'd had a very filling and -- on-the-whole -- satisfying meal. Yes, it was a bit uneven but nothing that should make anyone shy away from experiencing Ocotillo for him/herself. If I were to return, I would make an evening of the cocktail menu and vegetables. Both are just that good. Actually, they're better.
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