ArtBabe never gets to wear heels. I'm always game for a night where a woman can wear heels, especially if it means a restaurant in the financial district on a Saturday night. It's been a long time since I've been to Far Niente. They changed their location, although they remain in the Financial District. The decor has changed too, from a lighter, urban California atmosphere to a darker, more romantic setting.
Not intending to make it a Winterlicious destination, they offered us the Winterlicious menu. There's always good value in that menu. ArtBabe and I both started with the Goat Cheese Croquette. We both agree we don't get enough goat cheese in our diets. It was quite perfect. For the mains I had the Angus steak and ArtBabe had the snapper (we had padded our selves at lunch on AYCE sushi and she was hesitant to have fish for dinner but the rest of the Winterlicious menu didn't appeal to her).
I found the steak just okay. The real surprise was the pot pie it came with. When do you really get pot pies these days? I even stopped buying them 10 years ago. It was a nice trip down memory lane and kind of retro-creative. ArtBabe thought her snapper was good.
For dessert I had the chocolate cake. Nothing to write home about although the whip cream was delightful. ArtBabe had the mango sorbet which was awesome. It was a creamy mango-y bowl of goodness.
Service is awesome.
ArtBabe thought the woman's washroom was amazing. Something about a glass sink. The men's didn't seem to have that design.
I do have to knock them down a star for trying to pat themselves on the back for "winning" a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. It's quite well known these things are simply bought by restaurants (http://www.drvino.com/2008/08/19/fictitious-restaurant-wins-wine-spectator-award-of-excellence/). It's like trying to pat yourself on the back for having a quarter panel ad in Toronto Life.