![]() ![]() offered not a laundry-list of ingredients, but a truly informed and informative description of dishes’ different flavor profiles. I can’t remember a time when inquiries about menu items elicited so useful a description. Service is hospitable and truly knowledgeable. These include a champagne cobbler (plum & macerated cherry cordial, peach shrub, sherry, champagne) and a pisco sour (Macchu Pisco, egg white, lemon, and bitters). There are craft beers and countless whiskies, rums, tequilas, digestifs, and cordials from which to choose as well as a list of fascinating house cocktails. When the oenophile at my table could not decide which of three red wines to choose, the waiter kindly brought tastes of each to sample. Terra makes a big deal of its wine list, which is a catholic selection divided into New World, Old World, and Big American West categories. The made-in-heaven combo blankets a wafer-thin, crisp-edged crust. ![]() The selection of wood-fired pizzas includes a southern-accented charmer of pimento cheese (house-made, of course) and profoundly beefy ground ribeye. ![]() A great pillow of grilled swordfish (the most tender, ever) is surrounded by a ring of peppery parsnip puree, the inherent luxe of the fish and its brown-butter glaze balanced by capers and lemon. A web of melting Pecorino Toscano and a poached egg on top seal the deal. Wild mushroom pappardelle is a good example, in which the distinctive flavors of three or four kinds of wild mushrooms each shine through thanks to a subtle mushroom cream that cossets them and the flavorful flat pasta. Instead, what he makes is creative in the way it honors the intrinsic goodness of its ingredients. I get the feeling that Chef Mike Davis is confident enough that he doesn’t need to dance a jig to convince diners of his skill. Yes, meals are creative, but not show-offy in a way designed to wow dinner guests with the razzle-dazzle skills of a striving cuisinier. From its addictive signature hors d’oeuvre of Lamb Mac (smoky shredded lamb shoulder, poblano peppers, fontina, goat cheese) to after-dinner Southern Afogato made with house-churned Maker’s Mark ice cream, everything on the menu glows with creativity. Open since 2006, Terra has become a beacon for food-savvy diners near and far. Mission accomplished! It is a casual bistro, for sure: no tablecloths, brick walls, waitstaff informally attired but it also is extremely well-crafted. Terra is a restaurant on a mission: to exalt local produce using classic culinary technique. ![]()
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