Au Cheval: Dinner Review

Au Cheval is the sort of place I hate myself for wanting to go to. An upscale, hipster diner crowded with scenesters trying to order $8 bacon and $2 eggs--the only thing worse would be if they were featured in some sort of artistic magazine about the hidden gems of Americana while shilling beet salads and farm-to-table gorging. And yet, I want to go these places, and I do. 

It's smaller than I imagined, and there is a brief wait even on a random Tuesday night in fall. But despite our coats, my companion and I quickly find comfort at the bar, where we have a great view of the kitchen action.  The menu is unabashedly rich, but the food churned out is well made. They are all familiar flavors that won't surprise you, but they'll be done right. Salmon rillettes are a lovely mix of smoked and fat-poached fish, served with over-buttered toast, dainty pickles, and a delicate little quail egg. It's a great off-the-menu special for cutting through the excess of the rest of the night. 

The General Tso's chicken is more Korean, and highly reminiscent of the famed Crisp, though with moister meat and a more gentle, subtle touch. Unfortunately, subtlety is not necessarily something I ask of my fried chicken, and there are a few dry spots. I prefer it to the still-enjoyable Crisp, though it compares less favorably to Lawrence Ave's Great Seas' crispy, punchy, spicy mess of chicken. 

Then there are the fries, which I am concerned for A) why they are $10 and B) why it is a popular dish. I blame my companion! In a restaurant that is so reasonably priced (thank you $10 gourmet burgers!), this seems like a sad anomaly. They come with an ultra-thick garlic aioli I could caulk my bathroom with and a mornay, neither of which are more than fine. The egg is not nearly enough to saturate the fries with silky goodness, and the fries are strangely undersalted, though this turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Salt burns can abound even with the most well-seasoned of fries. 

But Au Cheval is still a more than pleasant evening. Too pleasant in fact. Our waitress' demeanor starts to turn sour somewhere in the night, and it is only when we are about to leave and check my watch that I realize we've easily gone from lightly lingering to outright camping. Guilt abounds. 

Luckily I still have the taste of a scoop of Black Dog Gelato in my mouth, a smooth and silky ball of pure, distilled peppermint, complete with a little pitcher of melted chocolate. Lovely. 

So go to Au Cheval. It's a bit of a scene. But when you waddle out, you understand it's not the sort of place to go to when you want to feel good about yourself. Attend a salad bar for that. 

3.5 out of 5 stars

Sapori Trattoria: Dinner Review

When I looked up Sapori Trattoria online, my immediate read was "slightly-above-average neighborhood Italian joint." Unfortunately, these eateries are a dime a dozen, fortunately, they're still above average. Just as suspected, Sapori is a casually elegant spot, its ambiance avoiding the checkered tablecloths-Frank-Sinatra-on-the-wall cliches.

The service is charming and quick, though I wish my server could help me choose between two disparate dishes, especially with a bit more description. Only, she seems so put on the spot, I feel sympathetic for her and give up. But after a pleasant but unremarkable bread service I end up with the cappellaci all'aragosta. To the pain of true Italians, I would describe cappellaci as ravioli-like pasta, and I have a rule (one I obviously play fast and loose with) about never ordering ravioli. Usually you end up paying $4-5 per raviolo along with the requisite self-loathing.

This one is the same: five cappellaci bathing in a sweet, creamy pink sauce, except there is skill involved here and I am actually full by the end. Unfortunately, the lobster inside is chopped up (the usual practice), where larger chunks would really help break up the monotony of texture. A touch of something else: crunch, acid, a burst of salt would help as well. There is a hint of mild sweetness from the crustacean, but otherwise it is mostly lost in the sauce, despite the latter's own lack of aggression.

It's a solid, inoffensive plate of food with fresh well-made pasta. If that's what you're looking for, Sapori is a good bet. I just wish my neighborhood's joint took a few more risks. That's one I would surely return to.

2.5 of 5 stars