Seriously underwhelmed.
Locals have been aching for this joint to open, what with the hype, pomp, and circumstance lasting for months, if not a year now. It seems like forever. And with the disappointing closure of Rock'n'oodles (a superb, diverse, and affordable pasta place) around the corner, people have been burning for a business to fulfill the need.
Esther's doesn't cut it. Not on this venture. For one, it's pricey. Which is fine, but if you're going to do your part to gentrify the Arts' District of all places, the quality had best be there. It's not. My dining companion and I each had a glass of wine at $10 a pop, no matter which you select; this model I like, but that's about it. We shared the Weiser's Parsnip Risotto, the squash agnolotti, and for dessert the butterscoth budino.
In short order:
The risotto was the best of the batch with its artful parsnip adornment, but at $16 for a vegetable plate, it's pushing its luck.
The squash agnolotti was the prime disappointment. We love pasta, but the flavor wasn't there. There was nothing exciting about it, and once again, I can do better at home. The squash was diced small, so barely recognizable as such. The quantity, or lack thereof, made both of our eyes pop when the plate was presented. $21? You're paying for the IDEA that Esther's Kitchen is high-end dining.
The butterscotch budino was tasty, but once again, lacking in quantity. It barely filled 1/4 of the glass it came in. Truly, our glass was half empty. Sad.
$70+ for that night, and for showing an out-of-towner a restaurant people have been excited about forever. Meh.
So yeah, I've experienced better, and for a whole lot less moolah. At these prices, and that quality, I won't be back.