Our visit to Beckett's Table has been a long time coming given the buzz and hype, but we finally got there last night. Normally I would visit a few times before doing a review but after 6 courses with wine pairings I feel justified in sharing our first impressions.
Frankly there wasn't anything I would have changed. The urban atmosphere was our style - open kitchen, community table, warm welcome and appropriate attention from Chef Beckett, the wait staff and bartender. The food was inspired - bold combinations of local ingredients, artfully plated and presented with pride. The prices were good (I don't understand the reviews that say otherwise (?)...).
We started with a Pimm's Cup at the bar. It tasted just like our favorite Napoleon House Pimms in New Orleans - made with ginger ale and Sprite. We then joined our friends at the community table for a multi-course meal with wine pairings from Arizona's Sand-Reckoner vineyards. The winemakers were with us so we were able to get a play-by-play along the way. We had:
* heirloom tomatoes, crow's dairy feta, shaved carrots, baby herbs, evoo and goat quark
* tomato powder seared shrimp, black & white organic barley, "first of the season" ramps, green garlic chips, hearts of fire, white beets, seabeans and schrienders bacon
* mac-n-cheese with pancetta (we added this dish after we saw it ordered by another table)
*rabbit tenderloin wellington, morrel mushroom duxelle, wild rice
* chocolate torte, dark chocolate ice cream, quince reduction
* beckett's original grilled cheese with pancetta and tomato soup (for the ride home)
Everything was super good. And we had a lot of fun. That's what sharing a meal with friends is all about! If you like great food, created with love and served with passion I strongly suggest you give Beckett's Table a try. We'll be back.