After a lackluster experience at Equinox, I decided to give Restaurant Week another try. I made two reservations, and yesterday Jenn and I went to Farrah Olivia (This Friday I'm going to PS7 with Jenn and Wendy).
The restaurant, located in Alexandria, is as pretty as a picture. Casual and yet modern and impressive at the same time (check out the website for the interior design pictures). We sat outside, enjoying the nice evening weather and occasional honking cars.
Farrah Olivia provided 4 choices for each of the courses (quite impressive!). First, we were presented with a bread basket accompanied by 4 different spreads: sundried tomato (my favorite), butter with honey, cottage cheese with horseradish, and seaweed pesto (?). Both of us were hungry, and our bus boy was nice enough to replenish both the bread and the spreads.
For an appetizer, I had gazpacho made from tomatoes on one side and eggplant on another. It was divine: cool, refreshing, and yet spicy: and look at the presentation!
Jenn chose white grits with black liquid corn and candied red cabbage. We had no clue what that would look/taste like. The grits were formed into a ball with liquid black corn on the inside, and then deep fried: delicious! The candied cabbage was sweet and tender.
For the main course I chose a pork chop. Why? Because I still haven't attempted to cook pork, even after my Chef on Call with Nathalie Dupree. The pork was tender, juicy and was accompanied by smoked lentil puree, curry sauce, and sauteed peaches with onions and arugula (or maybe it was spinach). This was a lovely take on pork chops with apple sauce.
Jenn had a pan roasted chicken breast with curry banana crust and quinoa salad. The chicken was juicy, the banana crust was crispy (duh), but the quinoa salad was unfortunately slightly undercooked.
And then came the dessert. As soon as I saw "chocolate" on the menu, I knew that's what I was going to choose. I had espresso chocolate cheesecake with two sauces: one was yogurt-like, another one was puree of apricots. Dense, chocolaty, rich, smooth, yummmmmmmmmmmmm.
Jenn had coconut panacota. It was refreshing, light, sweet and fruity.
5 comments:
one word...WOW.
I'm now thinking of moving there!! Seriously, the food looks amazing & I haven't seen gazpacho presented in this way before. What works of art!
I shop at the Balducci's next door regularly but I have never been to Farrah Olivia. Your post has convinced me to make a visit.
How much did it end up costing you, if it's ok to ask?
That looks so awesome!!! Great shot of the soup
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