Gertrude's was packed tonight! I am glad I had a reservation because I doubt we would have been able to be seated as a walk-in since so many people had attended the luminaria event this evening.
We were seated promptly. The menu had all sorts of appetizing items with a wide range of proteins and a few vegetarian options. I had the venison and tried some of the Korean fried chicken. The venison was superb, full of flavor and I loved the slight kick of spiciness from the ancho chile rub. It was cooked perfectly at medium rare, and very tender. It was served with roasted potatoes, creamed greens, and a date puree. The roasted potatoes were perfect, and while I enjoyed the taste of the creamed greens they were served in a rectangular brick form so it made me think they had served me a frozen box of spinach on a plate. The date puree had good flavor but I didn't like the grainy texture of it. The presentation was unique. It reminded me a little of the mountains along Papago Peak. I also tried some of the Korean fried chicken which had a wonderfully crispy skin and tender meat. There were some pieces that were slightly over seasoned though and a bit too salty for my tastes though.
Service was good and we were checked up on as needed.
We finished our meal with a lovely panna cotta with berry sauce and diced dragonfruit. I loved the creamy panna cotta with the texture of the dragon fruit and tangy addition of berry sauce. The orange peel on top was a good way to make the presentation look better, but the actual taste of it was tough and leathery. If it had more of a candied flavor it would have perfected the dessert.
Overall it was a fine meal and a good way to spend our evening in conjunction with the luminarias event.