Friday, January 29, 2010

Esca Restaurant and Wine Bar


"Another week, another windmill, eh Sancho?"

"Yes, but this week we learned a lesson: sometimes a windmill can change its stripes."


We had dinner at Esca a couple of weeks after it opened and were not much pleased with the food, the service or the ambiance. But we knew that it takes some time and practice, no matter how well prepared the restaurateur, or how talented the chef, for a restaurant operation to get its feet under it and begin living up to its own standards. Our first reservation was a show of support for a new endeavor and we knew better than to be overly critical even though we had watched with eager anticipation for many moths prior to the opening of Esca Restaurant and Wine Bar. “Wine Bar” sounded very chic and very welcome!

Our obsessive-compulsive behaviors being what they are, however, we took notice of some glaring flaws on our first visit: poor service (what kind of restaurant/wine bar makes you wait twenty minutes for your initial champagne order, an order given as you sat down?), ordinary food (the lamb osso buco was swell, although accompanied by an eating lesson from the waiter who suggested “sucking out the marrow”, the salmon flatbread pizza unexpectedly thick, cold and lacking flavor), and the ambiance decidedly overbearing (recordings of Italian crooners a couple of decibels beyond high.). Where we craved peaceful elegance in our attractive booth, cadres of wait staff marched briskly up and down the clattering corridor, but did not serve us.

We went back for lunch a few weeks later. This time, seated inside in the window area (which brings up the question, “Will gourmands desire to sit outside on the corner of Route 66 and Main Street to eat and drink amidst the gas fumes and racket of that three lane intersection?”), Sancho's chair broke its leg when he sat down. Uninjured, we enjoyed a perfect accompaniment of fresh and dry rose’ with pannini and salads. There were continuing lapses with the service and unbearably loud music. (Perhaps on account of a great amount of tile, the sound level in general is pretty high.)

We waited six months before returning for dinner last week. Why? Well because we could tell that Esca was ambitious and committed to turning out something special. They were earnest, the wine list was deep and interesting, despite being over priced, and we had faith that they could get a handle on the service and, we were hungry for good food. We believed that by continuing to aim for perfection, Esca had a good chance to deliver a culinary thrill!

Meanwhile we read some criticism on the web and in the Middletown Eye. I have to say that some of these reviews were mean spirited to the point of viciousness. It appeared that Esca could do no right. Christmases were ruined. Office parties were nightmares. Graduations made people wish they had never gone to school. Inedible food served slowly. The music. You would think the reviews were written by the competition! And, although I am sure that some of them were, several trustworthy friends swore that they were never going back to Esca, for one of the reasons mentioned above.

This is when it helps to be ego-maniacal, pseudo-intellectual, self-proclaimed and self-serving restaurant critics – such dolts cannot take the word of friends or the masses at face value. The time to revisit Esca had arrived; time to see for ourselves if the anticipated great quality leap, now that the restaurant has had a chance to get into some sort of rhythm, had indeed occurred!

Esca is now “finding itself”. The meal we had last week was creative and innovative, complementing the rest of the menu, and delicious. Our waitress was so attentive, if not quite polished and professional, that we could forgive her some minor lapses. Dressed in black and whites, she kept our tablecloth free of crumbs, our wine and our water refreshed, and was eager to answer our questions even if she had to use her notes. For example, the Italian white wine we ordered, Falanghina from Feudi di San Gregorio (Campania), arrived with a more recent vintage than listed. Was it a better vintage? Kind of a trick question since we were happy with a younger, fresher example of this uncomplicated wine even before asking. But she handled the situation well and explained that the list was soon to be updated. The price of the monkfish special? (She didn’t know.) When we asked for another roll she said “yes” but it took another prompting ten minutes later to get one.

Nevertheless, on balance, it was a revivifying and positive change from the deadly standard service we have previously encountered on Main Street. Another positive, was the music. It was turned down low, thus allowing us our thoughts and our conversation. Inexplicably, at 9 PM, it went up two or three notches and caused us some dismay.

The best news is the food. The menu is trim and focused. There are numerous courses which use duck: duck confit as part of a salad or on a flatbread “pizza”, duck prosciutto, crispy duck confit ravioli with foie gras “foam” and an entree of crispy duck breast are offered. Australian lamb makes a few appearances, as does soppressata and prosciutto in various combinations. Esca cannot seem to make its mind up about how to identify its ingredients. It brands some items yet leaves other items disturbingly vague. We are informed, “Hereford Beef, 100% grass fed and humanely raised”, yet the olive oil is only referred to as “EVOO”. This means “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”, but it is such a bastardized category of oils that it has almost no meaning. More specific here would be better. Stemware is “Eisch”, (although my glass was not so labeled, Eisch is a brand unfamiliar to me as is the dubious concept of the “breathable” glass. However, it was a fine glass, of good quality, befitting a Wine Bar, and well-proportioned - comparable to the Austrian standard, Riedel). The Soppressata (Danielle) and the Calamari (Point Judith, R.I.) are also “branded”, but something specific should be said about their “aged balsamic vinegar”, or “Agrumato Oil”. My feeling is that if you are going to get into the name game in the first place, you might as well brand-name everything. And while I am being picky, they might as well correct the misprinted menu which recommends, "Consumers who are sensitive to food related reactions should not eat thoroughly cooked meats, poultry, and seafood.”

The appetizer “Foie Gras Brioche” is one of the best courses we have had in a long time. There are several additional menu items graced with this rich ingredient, but we have not yet sampled them. The foie gras at the center of the course is a potent, earthy, flavorful morsel surrounded by a soft egg with strips of duck prosciutto and green salad. All is topped with a yummy Hollandaise sauce. Paired with another outstanding appetizer, the “Pecorino, Prosciutto and Sangiovese Poached Pear”, with its fruity flavors augmented with toasted pine nuts, tangerine-agrumato oil, and balsamic vinegar, it was a complete meal for the hearty appetite of Sancho. The fun of sopping up the sauce with the warm rolls delivered as they came out of the oven was an incomparable hands-on, gustatory delight. It was hard to choose between the garlic, olive or parmesan rolls, all were very good.

The cool and crisp and playfully named “Fork and Knife” Caesar was good-not-great, with plump anchovies draped over the long stiff leaves of fresh Romaine lettuce, tempting the diner to eat without utensils. Purists will say that anchovies do not belong in a Caesar Salad but rather a coddled egg and Worcestershire sauce, but we enjoyed this more modern, innovative twist. It was a wee bit dry and could have used some fresh lemon juice. The Monkfish Special was outstanding. The monkfish, which had a firm lobster-like consistency, was delicious in a light broth surrounded by a few succulent mussels and scallops, and perfectly cooked red potatoes with actual potato flavor. Satisfying and soulful, it was just the antidote for a cold winter evening in Middletown. There was a full bowl but it was difficult to share, even as Sancho covetously eyed the rapidly diminishing portion from across the table.

To all those who had a less than outstanding experience at Esca Restaurant and Wine Bar, I would say give them another chance. The specials and the dishes are unique, such as the “Foie Gras Brioche”, and are worth the money. While prices are generally a bit high, I would rather have a special dining experience for a little more money than an inferior one at any price.

Bottom line:
Foie Gras Brioche: $20; Pecorino, Prosciutto, and Poached Pear $10; Knife and Fork Caesar $9; Monkfish Special Stew $25; Bottle of wine, $35.

Service: Pleasant and professional

5 comments:

Pete said...

I'm not certain if the experience was that much better, or if the reviewer was simply in a better mood, but this review is vasrtly superior (as a piece of written work) to the Amici's one from a few weeks back.

I applaud you, Mr. Quixote, for leaving behind the overly snarky, self absorbed, and super critical tone of the previous review.

the sobbing gourmand said...

we went to esca on the 4th of july and have not gone back, hideous lighting & horrible decor, incompetent service, my chair made a breaking noise as I was leaning back, the food was overpriced and not fitting the price even if it was all $5 less. this review is somewhat self serving and aggrandizing in my opinion. oh the foie gras brioche with egg, duck prosciutto and hollandaise was excellent for $20? it's duck liver, salted duck ham, and egg and butter sauce. of course it tasted good, it's probably 7000 calories and two days worth of cholesterol and sodium all rolled into one! this sort of overpriced heavy handed approach to food is a shame. I would be more impressed with a fine tuned delicate dish, that uses subtle flavors and maybe won't cause me to need a triple bypass in five years. and no, I don't work for the competition, but I know my way around food better than the average bear. let's be plain, middletown needs the max group, plan b, cafe routier, river tavern or billy grant's style of food & SERVICE. why do I still have to drive 20 to 30 minutes to get good food and service? ....and we are stuck with yet another disappointing experience, and money poorly spent. IE-- harbor park, dismal, yet so much potential... dear esca owners, and all the rest of you, take this as your notice, step up your service, pay your chefs more, and get that food right, or fine diners will contine to frequent west hartford, glastonbury, and the shoreline towns when they DO want to spend money....
frankly I'd rather wear a tuxedo to iguanas ranas 7 days a week for 3 meals a day let's see, 4 tacos and one soda, that's less than ten dollars, x21 plus tip is about 250$, you could eat all week for what one meal at esca would cost two people, and the food and service and atmosphere is better....
brutal yes, but I am embarrassed to bring out of town guests out to eat here, with the exception of o'rourke's of course, and I love this town, but we collectively need to STEP IT UP!

Starving Student said...

Sobbing Gourmand,

Are you really comparing Iguanas Ranas to Esca? They are completely different in nearly every imaginable way. If you would rather eat at a hole-in-the-wall mexican place that offers delicious food, then do; I do. But any comparison between the two can only be superficial and inane (or at best highly subjective) when you take into account the fundamental differences in image, vision, and clientele that the two restaurants embody. The "atmosphere and service" at Iguanas Ranas do not exist (I do not mean this harshly; I only wish to point out that "service" is generally limited to the cash register exchange and then possibly leaning over the counter to get your tacos. The decor of the dining area is that of a middle school Spanish classroom, complete with those white, removable ceiling panels if I'm not mistaken). And if serving every bite beneath a plantation of cilantro is not a "heavy handed approach to food," then I don't know what is.

Regarding Esca, the reviewers clearly state that most everything has been improved since their initial couple of unsatisfactory experiences near the grand opening; your first and only visit took place around the same time. Might the reviewers' and your similarly negative Esca only-child have a similarly lovable younger sibling?

Furthermore, I don't think bringing in a bunch of chain restaurants is what Middletown's dining options need, and it is certainly not conducive to the specialty-centric and diverse style of its cuisine. When you travel abroad, do you go to every Hard Rock Cafe so they can bewilder you with their unrelenting similarity? It sounds like you want not to experience a new or improved culinary identity in Middletown, but rather to import the same, reused identity from more affluent surrounding towns. No, thank you.

Like the reviewers, commenters of the reviews generally agree that Middletown dining needs improvement, but I would suggest that perhaps its last bastion of intrigue is fortified by the diversity of its choices.

I would contribute my two cents to the ongoing Amici debate, but I might need them.

Anonymous said...

Usually a restaurant has just one chance to please. The reviewers were good and generous to give Esca several chances. But I am not sure the improvement they found will make us want to go back after our experience there. We had been looking forward to the opening of Esca, excited about the possibility of having a fine Italian restaurant and a wine bar in Middletown. We waited two or three months before going there because we know that it takes time for a new restaurant to get settled. But our experience was disappointing in every way: food (mediocre); service (not only inexperienced, which was understandable, but also it seemed that no one had bothered to train and educate the hostess and servers about how to do their job in a friendly yet professional way); music (we love opera but an assortment of arias out of context, plus clichés of Italian music, all played loudly, was distracting and annoying); décor (if other aspects of the restaurant had been pleasant, the unattractive décor might have been a minor issue). The outdoor seating is a decorative addition to the busy Main and Washington Streets intersection but I would not care to sit there and listen to the traffic and inhale the fumes while eating.

Why some people find it necessary to defend and even celebrate mediocrity in local restaurants, Amici in particular, I do not know. There are local restaurants with better food and without the pretension. Sometimes I wonder if the owners or managers of some of our eateries which imagine themselves offering fine dining have ever even gone to restaurants outside of Middletown! It is not necessary to travel far to find excellent food served in a professional way in a pleasant ambience. Sorry , Esca, Amici: one chance is all you get, especially at those prices, when there are much better alternatives in nearby towns.

the sobbing gourmand said...

Response from the sobbing gourmand- to the starving student

"The "atmosphere and service" at Iguanas Ranas do not exist"...well I disagree, but if I did agree then yes indeed, and much like Esca! Your unfair characterization of the food at Iguanas Ranas is duly noted. I believe the cilantro is only served on the tacos in this fashion, as it is a rather authentic presentation. Quite different from 2$ to 20$ either way you slice it.

"Furthermore, I don't think bringing in a bunch of chain restaurants is what Middletown's dining options need, and it is certainly not conducive to the specialty-centric and diverse style of its cuisine. When you travel abroad, do you go to every Hard Rock Cafe so they can bewilder you with their unrelenting similarity? "

Sorry, but you misrepresented what I said rather neatly and I am pretty sure that only one of the restaurants (max group) I listed was a chain and in that a local successful fine dining chain (two locations maketh not a chain IMHO), which in my mind is quite different than your dismissive suggestion, but what witticism you present with your Hard Rock analogy! How trite! I think I went to one in Boston once, and it was to meet an ex who bartended there...soooo, nice try but no.

In fact what we are (apparently) both talking about here and what many others have said, is that the mediocre state of dining in Middletown is quite frustrating. My suggestion of the surrounding towns "more affluent, reused identity" is based on the general PRICE POINT AND ATTEMPT at esca and the places like it, while all still fall flat. If I am going to pay thirty dollars for an entree, sadly I will go elsewhere, mainly because I know what I get will be worth thirty dollars, whereas here, it's a crap shoot. Frankly, Middletown and our visiting diners from the surrounding towns will never be like chester, westbrook, glastonbury, or west hartford, and that frankly is fine with me. The point is, if you want to charge 4 and 5 star prices, make is 4 and 5 star quality. Otherwise why pretend!