The Meal Experience - The Fatted Calf Restaurant Critique - Assignment Example

4 December Restaurant Critique Just as the props and setting on-stage in a play convey more than words and add to the mood and emotional flavor of the script, the physical aspects of a restaurant provide a backdrop that contributes to a diner’s overall meal experience. Located in the quaint village of Glasson, The Fatted Calf is a family-friendly gastro-pub that offers unique, quality food in a casual dining environment. Formerly Farrell’s Village Inn, the restaurant offers a number of comfortable venues within which to dine. The pub lounge appears to house much of the original décor, with upgraded seating and some contemporary decorations. This area houses padded stools and benches around bars and a variety of tables. Warm, gleaming natural wood paneling accents the space, along with tiffany lighting, mirrors, signs and local artifacts on the walls. Hand-written signs above the bar list current menu offerings and specials. The dining areas offer a lighter, brighter contrast to the pub lounge. One dining area presents neutral tones, tiled floors, a fireplace, and complementary décor. Brick walls lead to another area with inviting wood flooring and additional privacy resulting from stained glass dividers. If the weather permits, the beer garden at the back of the establishment offers a grill for barbecue, with picnic tables and umbrellas to allow guests to enjoy the fresh air as part of their dining experience. All areas of the establishment are clean and appear to be well-maintained. The décor, use of local artifacts, comfortable seating, and organization of the restaurant lay the foundation for an excellent dining experience. Nothing in the setting detracts from the meal; everything is complementary, and the environment invites the guests to relax and enjoy themselves. The staff of The Fatted Calf supports this invitation to relax. From the initial greeting, throughout all courses, and into the end of the meal, the staff was very patient and nice. They answered all of our questions thoroughly, were personable, and maintained an exemplary level of service that allowed us to focus on the meal. Of particular note is the head chef and co-owner, Feargal O’Donnell, who created the original menu and attended us personally throughout the meal. Chef O’Donnell explained the menu in detail, emphasizing the use of local and artisan ingredients where possible in all of the dishes in the restaurant. This practice ensures freshness, while generating good will for the establishment. Our sample menu included Donald Russell Irish beef, Mossfield farm cheese, and Glasson mushrooms. O’Donnell’s pride in what he has created is readily apparent in the quality and presentation of the meal. Guinness treacle bread with butter and Tapenade awaited us at the table. Since this was not included on the menu, I had no expectation of this appetizer. The bread was hearty and robust with a nice, crisp crust and excellent texture. The tasty brown bread had a pleasant, fruity flavor and the Tapenade was lovely. The pureed texture of the Tapenade was an excellent complement to the bread, and the olives and anchovies in the mix added a salty accent that provided interest and blended well with the sweetness of the yeast and treacle. It was a great way to start the meal and allowed us to get a taste of what was in store for us for the rest of the evening. After the long trip on a very cold day, I was really looking forward to the soup starter. The menu promised a “Soupcon of chorizo and roast pumpkin, parmesan and white truffle foam”. Our staff served the soup hot and steaming, and everyone at the table thought it smelled wonderful. I expected a pleasant concoction with a complex palate of smoke and spice from the chorizo, a hint of sweetness from the roast pumpkin, and richness from the parmesan and white truffle foam. In reality, while I enjoyed the soup and it made me very warm, I thought it was too fiery. The spiciness of the chorizo with the additional spices in the soup base added too much heat. A little tempering in the spice mix would have made the soup better. I was surprised that the roast pumpkin did not offset some of the intensity. The chili peppers in the chorizo were overpowering when paired with the seasonings in the soup. I was disappointed that the dish was missing the parmesan and white truffle foam. I believe the sharpness of the parmesan and earthy, floral richness of the white truffle foam would have balanced out the dominance of the spices in the soup itself. These ingredients would have offered a pleasant and needed contrast to the dish. In addition, the white truffle foam would have added an element of fun and elegance, making it a truly memorable addition to the meal. As it was, while pleasant, the chorizo and roast pumpkin soup fell short of my expectations. The second starter was "McGeoughs black pudding and Glasson mushrooms, roast mallow bones". Triangles of French toast rounded out this portion of The Fatted Calf’s testing menu. I expected a hearty and basic course, with rich and simple ingredients, and I was not disappointed. The black pudding was smooth, spicy and intensely rich, lush cream complemented the earthy Glasson mushrooms, and the roast marrow bones added a meaty decadence. I liked this part of the meal a lot. It was simple, nice, and basically delicious. All of the elements of this course balanced each other perfectly, and it was a pleasant tempering to my palate after the fiery soup. The third part of our testing menu was “Seared applewood smoked scallop, confit pork belly, pomegranate and tomato molasses”. I do not eat pork, and appreciated the flexibility shown by the restaurant when they removed the confit pork belly, pomegranate and tomato molasses from the dish. However, I would have been even more impressed had the chef replaced this with something else, or re-engineered the molasses without the confit pork belly. I am not a fan of seafood. Consequently, the seared applewood smoked scallops were unappealing to me and I did not like this dish. The scallops might have been more tempting with some sort of accompaniment. Someone who likes seafood might have a different opinion, but I found the texture of the scallops to be hard and chewy. In addition, the smoky flavor of the scallops was decent, but the dish really needed something sweet or acidic to enhance it. I imagine the confit pork belly, pomegranate and tomato molasses was intended to do just this. I believe the molasses would have been sweet, tart, and tangy while imparting a fresh element to the scallops. Furthermore, an addition of this sort would have added interest and color to the dish making it infinitely more enticing. I would have liked to have been offered something in place of the molasses, and was disappointed that nothing was presented as an alternative. The resulting independent seared applewood smoked scallops were, to me, bland and unappetizing. The next course presented to us was “Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef, celeriac remoulade, beetroot jelly and Mossfield Farm aged cheese”. I did not know what to expect with the air-dried beef, as this is something I have never tasted before. However, the Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef was a perfect ingredient. The chef sliced the good, dark meat very thin and served it cold with the beetroot jelly. This course was by far, my favorite part of the meal. The Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef was excellent and tasty, with a superior, full flavor. The beef was fully cooked, but the texture was surprisingly tender and moist. The beetroot jelly was a perfect complement to the dish. It provided a tangy and refreshing enhancement that elevated an already excellent beef to something superb. Not only did it add impressive flavor, but the bright red color created visual interest and appeal. The crisp flavor of the celeriac remoulade further augmented the combination of flavors imparted by the Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef and the beetroot jelly. The sharp, mustardy celeriac created a contrast not only in flavor, but in color and appearance as well. The cheese served as a sharp and edible garnish to a dish that was thoroughly enjoyable. The marrying of flavors and textures across all ingredients was genius and easily the best part of the entire meal experience. Visually, this was the most enticing dish presented all evening. I would have been happy if this had been the only dish offered to me. Chef O’Donnell served “Carved loin of wild Irish venison, cider fondant potato, rabbit sausage, duck fat béarnaise” as the main course. I expected the carved loin of wild Irish venison to be a little gamy and tough, but was surprised by its tenderness and great flavor. The temperature of the meat was just right and the chef had cooked it perfectly. The texture was almost melt-in-your-mouth, and I enjoyed it very much. Had I not known it was venison, there was no gamy flavor that would have made me suspect it. The cider fondant potatoes were an excellent accompaniment to the venison. I have had fondant potatoes before and anticipated their rich, buttery goodness. I was not sure about the addition of cider, but found it to be a great complement. The sugary fermentation of the cider glazed the potatoes and made them an elegant and surprising addition to the main course. The potatoes were smooth and creamy with a bit of a bite that left me wanting more. I enjoyed the potatoes and appreciated the balance they provided to the main course. When considering this main course, I cannot discount the sauce. Bearnaise is an elegant addition to many dishes and Chef O’Donnell’s concoction was no exception. The duckfat béarnaise was a rich alternative to the classic butter and eggs version. This creamy sauce was sumptuous and decadent. It had a silky texture and flavor that married well with the venison and potatoes. I was pleasantly surprised at the complexity and flavor that the duckfat lent to this béarnaise. I enjoyed these three elements of the main course very much. The rabbit sausage, however, seemed to me to be a separate accompaniment. I did not feel that it made sense with the venison. Its flavor was pleasant, but it did not adequately complement or contrast the other elements of the course. It added discord to the otherwise balanced ingredients of the dish. It seemed to be an afterthought, something added to take up space, rather than a meaningful and integral part of the dish. Finally, the staff served a “Chocolate orange pot” as dessert. Chef O’Donnell served the dish in the traditional chilled manner of a pots de crème. I expected a silky, smooth dessert with rich, dark chocolate and a hint of orange to add interest. I was disappointed at the presentation, however. The individual servings seemed a little plain and could have used some garnishment to enhance the visual appeal. This was not my favorite part of the menu. I like chocolate and orange separately, but am not fan of mixing these two ingredients, though I know that some people do like the combination. The dessert was not too heavy, but the texture was not as smooth as I would have liked. The chocolate orange pot did not receive many compliments. I think that the orange played too large a role in the dish; it did not blend harmoniously with the chocolate. Instead, the two elements competed in a discordant manner. A subtle addition of the orange flavor would have been more successful, and garnishment of chocolate shavings or orange peel would have made the dessert more tempting. A recap of the experience reveals that Chef O’Donnell delivers a complete package in terms of environment, service, and meal in a successful and satisfactory manner. The location of the restaurant, and the warm and inviting décor, invite guests to come in and enjoy the experience. Nothing about the restaurant or service suggests that customers should feel rushed or uncomfortable. The servers are pleasant and patient. In addition, the staff is knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients comprising the menu items. Chef O’Donnell is experienced and innovative. His pride in what he has created shines in his eyes when he discusses the menu and restaurant, and it influences every dish served in the restaurant. It is clear that he takes great care in selecting the best local, artisan, and seasonal ingredients to pass great flavor and value along to his guests. The practice of using local ingredients creates additional goodwill for the restaurant and entices customers to support the establishment. Not only are a majority of the ingredients from local suppliers, but they are also clearly of the highest quality. The selections offered on the menu at The Fatted Calf are slightly above what one would expect from a standard gastro-pub, and the quality is excellent. In meal delivery, the restaurant excelled. The staff delivered the courses at the appropriate temperatures, and paced the meal at a steady cadence. We did not feel rushed at any point during the meal. The servers removed soiled dishes promptly and re-filled beverages throughout the meal. Chef O’Donnell personally attended us to answer our questions and describe the ingredients and meal preparation. For the most part, the menu items presented us with variety and great flavor. My favorite dishes were the Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef with beetroot jelly, and the carved loin of wild Irish venison with the duckfat béarnaise sauce. My least favorite parts of the meal were the seared applewood smoked scallops and the chocolate orange pot. The dishes I did not like seemed to lack balance; however, this opinion may have been influenced by my personal bias against some of the ingredients. The menu was a great sample of dishes that ranged from simple to complex as well as basic to elegant. Some of the dishes would have been more successful with some additional garnishment and visually interesting elements. Where visual appeal was present, however, such as in the course offering Donald Russell air-dried Irish beef, celeriac remoulade, beetroot jelly and Mossfield Farm aged cheese, the dishes succeeded beautifully. Overall, the meal was great and the entire experience was very pleasant. The restaurant accomplishes delivery of a complete and excellent experience to its guests. The environment is inviting, the staff hospitable, and the food tasteful, enjoyable and satisfying. Though some of the dishes lacked continuity, others demonstrated pure genius in their composition. Chef O’Donnell is engaged and proud of his restaurant and his culinary creations. The experience was one that I would repeat if given the opportunity. I enjoyed trying the different courses and being introduced to some ingredients and dishes that I have not encountered before. Even the dishes that I did not necessarily like have expanded my palate and broadened my gastronomic knowledge. Based on this experience, I would gladly return for another visit and happily recommend The Fatted Calf to my friends. Read More