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| - Mixed bag. Appetizers mostly wonderful, entrees inconsistent. Came here with locals who are both familiar and affectionate toward E. & R. and even they were underwhelmed and disappointed with our dinner.
It's a comfortable place, to be sure. Inside is a bit more sedate, but still has a pulse. Outdoors, on the 2d Floor patio, is refreshing and luxurious - and also considerably louder with the music pumping. Our server was a pro: He offered guidance and encouraged ordering all at once to avoid interruptions to us. I can appreciate how that can help the flow for the kitchen and everyone, really, but it seem slightly disingenuous. Our party was catching up and a few beats behind that sort of pace: we needed a moment. The only other thing that felt a bit awkward is how much the appetizers were over-ordered. The irony is, I think the appetizers were the most interesting dishes we were served. I just think we had twice what we needed.
The portobello fries are wonderful. I wasn't crazy about the accompanying sauce, Herb Aioli, mostly because it didn't improve an already clear winner. We had several pair of oysters, too, and those were lovely and fresh. We also got the fried calamari which looked good, if almost too typical for a place that seems to thrive on invention. (Sorry, but I skipped it) There was a spicy cauliflower dish (Cauliflower, Chili de Arbol, Crispy Shallots & Onions) that I liked, not too spicy. I believe the sautéed jalapeño peppers came with the avocado toast, but don't quote me. We had an eruption of apps, and I did my best to keep it all straight. (I loved the jalapeños, by the way). The avocado toast -- not so much. I tasted mostly lemon and left it alone after one bite. There may have been one other appetizer (with octopus?), but I didn't try it. With so many apps (some double ordered), I was pretty much thinking that we got a tremendous amount of appetizers - with little regard for entrees, let alone dessert.
I love a great steakhouse, and I think that's what's going on here - but, honestly, maybe it was an off night. A New York Strip Steak didn't taste right and was sent back. I had the lamb chops (Colorado Lamb Porterhouse Chops, Peewee potatoes, dried apricots & violet mustard) which is not the typical cut I'm familiar with. The chops were seasoned very nicely, I thought they were just OK. The meat was tough, at times. And my requested medium-rare came out mooing (or rather baa-ing) at super rare.
We did have some positives in the Entree department. The butterfish (Horseradish Crusted Butterfish Roasted, root vegetables & tarragon pinot sauce) was received very warmly; it remains a big hit. The grass-fed cheeseburger also got high marks. Fries are extra (and at first they did forget the fries). Otherwise, the burger comes standard with what seem to be homemade potato chips: good, simple, not too greasy. The one meat entree that got high marks at our table was the Jumping Beef (Filet mignon tips, roasted tomatoes, red onions, crispy potatoes & Peruvian demi-glace). The Peruvian demi-glace does have a kick, but that will only make you enjoy each bite more slowly.
Some memorable sides and veggie plates include: Black Tuscan Kale (we boxed the remainder and made a tasty scramble the next day); The Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & White Cheddar is another well-seasoned winner.
I passed on dessert, but those who partook in the berry shortcake liked it a lot..
A nice surprise about Echo & Rig is that the corkage fee here is zero.
So, there's obviously a lot going on here. Some of the food we had was great; some of it really wasn't. I'm not so sure our local hosts are as eager to return, but there you go. And again, it may have been an off-night for Echo & Rig. We had our challenges just sitting still, ourselves, so I'm sure that didn't help, either. However, I would like to try them again. They have Brunch; they have a nice looking bar with tasting sounding cocktails. It's a lovely looking place with generally excellent service. (Music on the patio got turned up too loud at one point, but they were unable to turn it down.)
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