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| - 4.5 stars, truly. Chose to check out Prairie for a date night during Restaurant Week since my better half tends to prefer homier food and a relaxed atmosphere and because...whiskey. All these things were promised to me on Prairie's (well-designed) website and delivered in spades.
I really, really enjoyed my meal.
I had the two squash soup to start. Honestly, I don't really love squash but I do love soup so I wasn't sure about my order. Ended up loving it. It's very thick, almost a puree, but I think that adds to the decadent feel. Flavor was spot on and the toppings really enhanced the dish - just the right amount of fried leaks to add texture and olive oil to add a luxurious depth of flavor. And those croutons nestled into the soup were hands-down the best croutons ever. Can those become a menu item? Just kidding...sort of.
For an entree I chose the sprouted rice and mushrooms. I cannot get over how perfect the texture of the sprouted rice was - slightly chewy but still creamy. Yum! There were various types of mushrooms that leant a lovely earthy, meaty flavor to the dish. Sautéed kale was mixed in for the sake of greens. A lightly dressed arugula salad atop the dish offered a light/fresh component to give the palette a break from the rich thickness of the dish, making it so that I could clean my plate! Only thing I didn't care for were the couple thin slices of grapefruit atop the salad, just wasn't necessary and the bitter flavor didn't go with the rest of the dish. That is a nitpick though. I would absolutely order the dish again.
My dining bro chose the Campfire Mac n Cheese to start. I had a bite and loved the smoky flavor. After damn near licking the bowl clean, hubby announced "Finally, someone understands that Mac n Cheese needs a little spice" I don't know what the spice was, but apparently it was essential! He had chicken and biscuit for his main course, which he enjoyed. I tasted the biscuit and it was a tad dry but nothing some delicious, thick gravy couldn't fix!
Dessert fell a little flat. I liked that the bourbon bread pudding wasn't too sweet and the whipped cream on top was homemade and really delicious. Unfortunately it was overall a little dry...a small drizzle of caramel sauce or something would have helped. My husband had the cookie and ice cream. Cookie was warm and had chunks of dark chocolate, pretty tasty. He must have liked the ice cream because i didn't get a taste ;) I probably wouldn't order dessert again, but I'm also not a huge dessert person so this really doesn't detract from my experience or likelihood to enjoy another meal here!
Drinks were right up my alley. I had the Penn Pal (more or less a Manhattan) - rye whiskey, good vermouth, and heavy on the Campari. It was just slightly over-bitter and I. LOVE. THAT. I wanted to order something different for my second drink, but I had to have another Penn Pal. Got to sample the Woodford Lil' Mule, which is their take on a Moscow Mule. Made with bourbon (yes, please!) and with a stronger ginger flavor than most mules. You definitely have to like bourbon and ginger to enjoy this one. I think it's a great twist on the classic. Drinks were so on point for our tastes that we would probably come back solely for drinks and a shared appetizer.
Maybe it's odd to mention, but I find their logo to be very calming and inviting. Whoever designed it should be congratulated.
Looking forward to returning in the near future to see what else Prairie has to offer. The gentleman dining next to us said his burger was excellent and that the fries were perfectly seasoned (think I can guess what my hubby will order next time). Oh, and once Pittsburgh thaws for the summer there is some killer patio space to be enjoyed :)
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