Eastern Standard

To kick off restaurant week Christopher and I had a wonderful little lunch at Eastern Standard yesterday. Half of the reason I wanted to go there was to sit outside - everytime I'm in the Kenmore area I think to myself how fun the place looks - and thankfully the not-so-great weather cleared up and we were able to sit and people watch.

Here were our options for each course:

First
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Vermont Feta and Basil
Beef Carpaccio with Capers, Arugula, and Sea Salt
Bleu Cheese and Lavendar Stuffed Figs with Pea Shoots, Green Almonds, and Candied Orange

Second
Housemade Lamb Sausage with Minted Yogurt, Cucumber, and Goat Cheese
Sautéed Calves Liver with Onion Rings and Sunchoke Purée
Pan Seared Haddock Filet with Blistered Tomatoes, Creamed Corn, and Potato Strings

Dessert
Peach Ice Cream with Blueberry Sauce
Chocolate Éclaire with Vanilla Bean Custard
Sainte-Maure de Touraine with Candied Cherry Tomatoes and Lemon-Thyme Cracker



To start out we each had a cocktail called the 'Jack Rose'. While reading an article on unusual cocktails in the September issue of Details, this very cocktail from Eastern Standard was mentioned, so I of course had to try it. Its constituents are AppleJack, type of apple brandy, Lemon Juice, and Cointreau. In the words of Ina, "how bad can that be?" It was very refreshing on a nice summer afternoon, and the brandy flavor wasn't too overwhelming for someone who isn't a huge fan of brandy (me!).

For starters I chose the Bleu Cheese and Lavender Stuffed Figs, an obvious choice for me. The figs were plump and flavorful, the bleu cheese creamy and just sharp enough, and the lavender provided for an interesting flowery finish. The accompanying greens were delicious, especially with a bit of candied orange peel in every bite. Christopher's Carpaccio was good, but nothing special. I was, however, pleased with how much beef was actually on the plate considering how skimpy some places can be with it.



For our second and main course, I opted for the Calves' liver. For as much as I enjoy liver, I always end up choosing some kind of steak over it when given the opportunity, so I am glad I finally gave it some attention. The sunchoke (a type of tuber) puree was a great accompaniment and helped balance the strong liver flavor, though toward the end of the dish I had had enough. The onion rings on top were a nice touch - not overly greasy, and great to mop up the remaining puree. Chris got the lamb sausage which was again, good, but nothing to rant and rave about.



Moving onto dessert I wanted something light, and so chose the peach ice cream. It had nice chunks of peach in it, and the fresh blueberry sauce was quite delicious. Chris had the éclairs, which, judging how he inhaled them were very good as well.




For a grand total of $20.08 minus the alcohol, I'd say we had a very reasonable and very delicious meal! I would definitely go back, especially to be able to sit outside and people watch again, even if its just for drinks.