We ordered tons of food (and drink), sat and chattered about food, made friends with the wait staff and got a kitchen tour. We were in the restaurant until 4pm! Then, out to the gardens -- which are, as you know, amazing whenever you go. I think everyone was really pleased.
I will say this off the bat, the food is uneven. Some menu items are wonderful - well prepared, imaginative and well presented. Others are just well presented. But it is always worth it, for the service, the atmosphere and the gardens.
What did we eat?
Beet salad with gorgonzola (a tad too salty)
Donna asked them to do the foie gras (not on the lunch menu). It was prepared with roasted nectarine in lavender and honey (gorgeous)
Corn chowder (good)
Lamb with tabbouleh (the tabbouleh lacked zip... needed citrus and salt)
Fresh pasta with summer veggies (good)
Risotto with spring peas (dry)
Salmon (great)
Blueberry swirl cheesecake (good and beautifully presented)
Warm peach crisp w ice cream (fabulous, but would have been nice with a bit of grated ginger)
2 bottles champagne
2 carafes rose
2 cosmos
1 martini
2 bottles of framboise lambic
Hedonistic?
Various pictures taken at Rats and the NJ Grounds for Sculpture with Donna Russell-Kane, Tinamarie Russell Fairfax, Sarah Russell and Cheryl Hornstein.
