After being lead through a beautiful dinning room with high ceiling and perfect lighting, we rounded a corner and were sat in a separate area being the main bar. It was a bit too dark and the AC unit above us and kept blowing out our candle. Our server seemed a bit frantic that he was given a new table and didn't stop to greet us for a good 5 minutes. It took a while for things to get going in a positive direction, but it was all uphill from there.
We started off with mussels in a green curry sauce. The mussels were cooked perfectly and the sauce was a good accompaniment, and one that I've never had.
As a second course we ordered the Little Gem Salad and the Shoestring Fries (unfortunately for my figure, I am a french fry connoisseur). The salad was a delicious “fancy caesar ” with whole anchovies and shaved parm on the top. The fries were crispy and had a great flavor but the fine cut made them cold almost immediately as they hit the table. Their saving grace was the lemon aioli, a unique perfect balance of flavors.
My entree won the gold medal for the night, although they were both impressive. I had seared rare tuna with charred octopus and crispy potatoes. My boyfriend had wood fire grilled halibut in a red wine fish bordelaise, and it was a close second. Both dishes were simple, fresh, and sophisticated.
We had the lemon tart for desert. I have to say that I left unsatisfied with the last course. It was a bit boring and lacked finesse and creativity.
The wine pairing for the evening was a 2009 Cotes du Rhone. The wine menu was decent but nothing to get excited about. Although I definitely want to try one of their tempting cocktails next time. Needless to say, we will return to the Optimist.
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