My friend Juli and I were long overdue for a get together, so we decided to try one of my new neighborhood’s eateries that just so happened to also be participating in Restaurant Week. $33.10 for three courses isn’t bad at all when a typical Tryst entrée is $20-25, on average. In fact, it’s quite a steal – especially when the portions are ginormous.
Before I get to the food however, let’s talk about the booze. Juli and I were in the mood for fancy, expensive cocktails, so we decided to splurge, because splurging is necessary every once and a while (for my sanity). So, for my drink, I ordered the Peach Ginger Cosmopolitan ($12).
This was no wussy cocktail. The slap-in-your-face vodka lingered in the background while smooth, yet strong, hints of the ginger were potent enough to make my eyes bulge. The tiny hint of peach flavor was also necessary to mellow all of the strong vodka and ginger flavors out, providing a dangerously drinkable beverage.
While we waited for our food, we were also brought a basket of crusty bread with what tasted like a red pepper and olive hummus. It was delicious, but came only seconds before our first course did.
The three course menu included an appetizer, entrée and dessert – all of which were also available a la carte, if desired. For my appetizer, I opted for the Ward’s Farm Tomatoes ($9 a la carte), which was served with local burrata cheese, olive oil and vincotto.
This dish was a vibrant, delightful plate of various juicy tomatoes, thick, creamy cheese, and peppery arugula. It was perfectly light and fresh that I almost thought the burrata was unnecessary – and, if you know me, calling cheese “unnecessary” is something that never happens. The taste of the farm fresh tomatoes with the spicy arugula was just so perfect all on their own.
For an entrée, I ordered the du Breton All Natural Pork Chop ($23 a la carte), which was served with polenta fries, pickled nectarines and a peach barbeque sauce.
See what I mean about ginormous portions? The combination of the perfectly cooked pork with the tangy, pickled nectarines and spicy arugula was insanely beautiful, while the crispy exterior and fluffy interior of the polenta fries added a nice, additional texture to the dish. The peach barbeque sauce, however, was kind out of place, flavor-wise. My only other gripe: When the server asked how I wanted my pork cooked, I asked him to just have the chef prepare it the way he believes it should be prepared. Suddenly, I had three heads – and it took some teeth pulling to get the waiter to understand my request.
Finally, to round out an already terrific meal, I ordered the Cherry Turnover with Pistachio Ice Cream ($8 a la carte) for dessert.
As most of you already know, I’m not a huge dessert person (and, being the grammar activist that I am, let it be known that Tryst had dessert spelt “desert” on their menu), but I managed to eat every last bite of this dish. The cherry turnover was flaky, warm and buttery, and the creamy, ice cold ice cream was the perfect companion for it. The dollop of tangy berry sauce also added a nice, tart flavor to the sweet dish, and although the ice cream itself tasted more like vanilla, the candied pistachios were a fantastic touch to the plate.
In the end, Juli and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals at Tryst, and the $33.10 price tag for three courses was a great way to sample several dishes on the menu at a much lower price overall.
What Restaurant Week deals have you taken advantage of so far?
