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Varanese review!

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Melissa Richards-Person

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Varanese review!

by Melissa Richards-Person » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:57 am

(Split by moderator from "Varanese on Frankfort appears open" thread.)

Fully based on this thread, we went to Varanese last night. I'm happy to say, we will be going back frequently!

To Robin's early point, they have done a wonderful job remodeling the space - the garage doors and the neon are the only reminders of the Red Lounge, and the decor is understated and very, very nice. We were told that the plastic surrounding the indoor-outdoor part of the dining area is definitely only temporary. There are large floor to ceiling glass doors that had to be special ordered and are on their way. They will fold in sections, allowing the area to be open to the outdoors in nice weather, closed at other times. There is also a water wall in this area that we were told had leaking problems, so it was turned off until they get those issues solved.

No such issues exist in the kitchen, however!! We know it's a good sign when we want to order EVERY appetizer. We finally decided on three: the Stuffed Grape Leaves, House Made Potato Chips (one of the things that hubby really misses from Azalea) and the Curried Lamb Empanadas. We figured we'd decide if we were hungry enough for entrees after we had the apps. The Grape Leaves were my favorite, 5 leaves stuffed with rice, beef, pine nuts and dried cranberries, which was a nice surprise and added a slightly sweet note. That might strike those who like "traditional" grape leaves as odd or off-putting, but I thought it was a nice twist and really enjoyed it!

The Lamb Empanadas were also wonderful - the pastry crust had a nice, savory bite, and was not too thick to cut through or detract from the filling. This was NOT one of those empanadas that was all crust, very little filling! Curry is always a dangerous spice to work with - too many cooks overpower you with curry and you taste nothing else. Here, however, the curry was perfectly in balance with the other flavors - I tasted the nicely cooked lamb, the vegetables and all the ingredients with the curry as a complement. It makes me think that the Curried Lamb and Lentil Soup would be equally as tasty!

The Potato Chips (which are also served with all the sandwiches) were a great reminder of the ones we loved, with the addition of a green onion peppercorn dip and chipotle dip - hubby loved the green onion, I liked the chipotle.

In fact, hubby loved the appetizers so much, that when it came time to order entrees, he instead asked for another order of Grape Leaves and two more Lamb Empanadas. I wasn't hungry enough for an entree, so I ordered the Pistachio-Crusted goat cheese salad. Again, let's hear it for kitchens who actually know how to dress a salad! The baby spinach leaves were lightly coated in the tangy (and a bit creamy) tomato-balsamic vinagrette - adding flavor, not making them soggy! (Why, oh why can't other restaurants learn this lesson!) The goat cheese had a rather thick crust of pistachios and appeared to be fried, versus baked or sauteed. That made the crust a bit heavy, but not so much that it detracted from my enjoyment of the salad or the warm, soft goat cheese itself.

The wine list was fairly lengthy, with some interesting "by the glass" options like Renwood Viogner, which I ordered, and ranged nicely in both the red and white categories. There were also about 6 signature cocktails, which were not listed with prices, but sounded interesting. If I hadn't been driving, I probably would have tried the one with Lemoncello and a champagne float, among other ingredients.

While we didn't order entrees this time, we will when we go back, because the salmon over cream cheese grits sounded fabulous.

The dessert list had 6 options, but what really struck me were the flavors of ice cream that accompanied a number of desserts - oatmeal cookie dough, vanilla bean, etc. I asked if the ice cream was house made (YES!) and then asked if I could possibly order just a dish of ice cream (did I mention I LOVE ice cream?), which the kitchen obliged and I really appreciated! The server came back out and said that the Oatmeal Cookie dough ice cream had not set properly and they couldn't serve it, but would I like a dish of their vanilla bean. If the ice cream is any indication, the desserts were terrific! Rich without being cloying, smooth and dense with very little air, it had a wonderful deep vanilla flavor. Now I REALLY want to try the oatmeal cookie dough! Also appreciated that there was a "small bites" option, which is great when all you want is a little something sweet - last night, the "small bites" were a chocolate truffle and a chocolate-dipped strawberry.

Chef John came out to talk to and visit every table, and we enjoyed hearing how he put together the menu and his philosophy to create approachable food and flavors. Genuine and hospitable - a great guy.

For a brand-new restaurant, service was good. The server still seemed a bit uncomfortable - not yet familiar enough with the menu to make a confident recommendation, and a little overly concerned with getting the order for the next course without giving enough time for us to enjoy the course in front of us. We felt a bit rushed. However, she was very pleasant and we may have thrown her with the odd pacing and order requests (lots of apps, no entrees) We thought she did a good job overall.

We told him that we'd be back, and we definitely will - there are at least 3 more appetizers we need to try! I'd recommend it to anyone, although I know that will probably result in a much longer wait for a table!
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by Garrett Hord » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:26 pm

I had supper with a friend this evening at Varanese. I hate to sound so critical, but there were a lot of missteps with this meal. We sat inside due to the oppressive heat and humidity. It didn’t make much of a difference, since one of the large garage doors was open to the outside. Not only did this allow the heat and humidity inside, it also allowed swarms of flies. A server was overhead being told to turn off the air conditioning and run the fan alone.

The food started well enough, my friends’ pistachio encrusted goat cheese salad was very good, as was my fried green tomato salad. My only complaint was that the tomatoes were too close to being ripe, they lacked the tartness and bite of a really green tomato. The dressing and goat cheese crumbles were excellent.

My entrée of grilled salmon served on grits was a little off balance. The salmon was grilled beautifully and was smoky and flaky, but served with a far too sweet mandarin orange sauce. Fish this oily and fatty really needs an acid to cut through the richness. The grits were fine if not a little too firm, they had the consistency of cold mashed potatoes. The vegetable was offering was the ubiquitous zucchini, summer squash, and carrot medley.

My friends’ angel hair pasta (the only vegetarian option for him) was quite good except for the horrible habit that so many restaurants have of over-saucing their pasta. Angle hair pasta is so fragile that even a little too much sauce is overwhelming. The pasta was hard to see there was so much of it.

We didn’t have dessert. I just pushed my plate away after finishing my salmon, I was tired of swatting the flies from my plate, which were also present in my friends’ wine glass. While the glass of wine was replaced, he was charged for the wine as well as the chicken that was left out of the pasta.

While apologies were made for the flies and the heat, I don't see me going back anytime soon.
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by Robin Garr » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:36 pm

Garrett Hord wrote:I hate to sound so critical, but there were a lot of missteps with this meal.


Garrett, thanks for the detailed report. No problem with calling it as you see it ... that's what we do here! In fairness, though, I would point out for the record that Varanese has only been open for three days. While we all do expect a new spot to hit the ground running (after all, they're not offering "we're new" discounts), I personally wouldn't write off a place on the basis of a rocky first-week experience.
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by Steve Shade » Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:30 am

I believe I would have left as soon as I realized the door was open. It was probably still around 90 degrees at that time.

Can't imagine what they were thinking unless they had a/c problems.
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by Melissa Richards-Person » Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:14 am

I guess that based on Garrett's experience, they are still working through inconsistencies. The part about the flies is odd, since Tom and I sat outside when we went Tuesday night and didn't have any problem (maybe they were all inside! :-) I should also point out that we arrived close to 8pm, and therefore probably didn't have the same issues with heat and humidity (and it was cooler on Tuesday anyway)

My only question would have been - did you question the wine charge on the bill? A less experienced server might not have thought to re-check and deduct it, but a manager certainly should have been willing, given the situation. If you did raise the issue, and they refused, that's a completely different story.

I usually give a new restaurant two chances, and if I have two bad experiences, I don't go back. So far, I'm doing well with Varanese, but I can see where they could still be working out the kinks. Planning to go back on Sept 5th with a group of girlfriends, so we will see how things go at that time....
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by Christopher Lamb » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:42 am

Good morning all. Garrett, please allow me to begin by apologizing profusely for your experience. I am sincerely sorry for your inconvenience, and would very much appreciate the opportunity to rectify the situation to your satisfaction. In response to the air conditioning problem, we actually did have people working last night to fix the situation and, I believe we have resolved the situation. Additionally, for those of you who have questioned our parking situation, we do have an agreement which allows our guests to use the lot in front of Fabulous Finds/Nancy's Bagel Grounds. We also have an agreement with Commonwealth Kitchen Store, located immediately on the other side of the railroad tracks, allowing parking for our guests there as well.

It is my sincere wish that we can provide an atmosphere that is comfortable and relaxed for all of our guests. John, our owner/Chef, Sean, our General Manager, and I will be more than happy to accomodate any of your requests, including preparation of vegetarian dishes. I thank you Garrett for bringing these things to our attention, as well as you Melissa and all that have come out to visit us.
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by RonnieD » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:50 pm

What is the dress code for Varanese? Everything I have heard or seen suggests upscale (I thought I saw valets out the other evening!), but then today I saw some much more casual looking "now open" banners suggesting a more relaxed atmosphere.

I want to be sure the wife and I are properly attired lest we commit a fashion faux pas!
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casual

by Melissa Richards-Person » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:07 pm

From what we encountered on Tuesday, I would say casual to business/upscale casual. Hubby and I were in khaki walking shorts and polo/golf shirts and didn't seem out of place - table next to us was in shorts, table down the way, woman was in a top and matching cropped pantsuit outfit, and the man was wearing a button down and khakis. A few folks in the bar area seemed to be dressed a bit more stylishly/ trend-conscious, but overall it was a business casual vibe

Hope that helps
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by RonnieD » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:36 pm

It certainly does! Thank you! :)
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by Linda C » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:03 pm

We paid a visit last night. We've known John as members of the Cardinal Club, and saw several members there last night. At 8:30, they had a good crowd. I have mixed feelings about the inside. First, the hostess put us in front of the jazz trio and apologized about any probs we might have with the volume. I'm a musician, have played many places and this was an extremely quiet trio. Acoustic, except a small guitar amp turned away from the crowd. I can't believe anyone could complain- they were quieter than the "piped in" music of most places and the din of the crowd was louder. Kudos for John for adding live music. The water wall wasn't working, but it's pretty. My main beef was the strange gray/blue lights. I couldn't even begin to read the menu. My husband had to loan his reading glasses to a young couple beside us. I tried to use the candle, but it didn't help.

Okay, the important things. I had the crab cakes appetizer. For $9 you get two large delicious cakes drizzled with a creamy sauce and a hint of lime and cilantro. I've had his before- these are the finest in the 'ville, IMO. I ate one and saved the other for lunch. DH tried the calamari. It was pretty basic...good, not as good as Napa River's. Then again, I prefer mine grilled,not breaded, so Volare gets the vote.
We both were impressed with the appetizers and salad selections. I might just go that route next time, they looked so interesting. Appetizer portions were generous, too. A good bargain! We both had daily specials. Mine was the seared ahi (one server called it ahi ahi, lol) It was perfectly prepared and presentation was great. The side dish was some type of warm seaweed salad- I know that sounds strange, but it was yummy..I could have had a double order of that. WOW. The rice was dull and a bit clumpy. My DH had the blackened grouper, I believe. I could be wrong about the prep...it was a great hunk of yummy fish served over a bed of greens. It was also delicious. We enjoyed a bottle of Rombauer Zin...maybe not perfect paired with fish, but it's one of our fav house wines. Since we were sharing a pair of reading glasses, I didn't get to peruse the wine list very well, but my DH liked it. One odd thing, they don't serve bread in baskets here. We were offered a piece of bruschetta with fresh salsa topping prior to the meal. That was good and perfect for us; but for bread junkies, be warned.

We had perfect service, from the hostess to the hands on manager to every person who showed up at the table. Water was always filled, wine poured, smiles all around. Stephanie was our waitress. Ask for her; she was great. The friendliness of the staff really added to the nice, casual atmosphere. Chef John came out and made the rounds, what a great guy. I wish him lots of success. I think the place will do very well and I know we'll be regulars. And btw, we had no trouble finding a parking spot directly across the street in the lot.
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by Linda C » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:04 pm

We paid a visit last night. We've known John as members of the Cardinal Club, and saw several members there last night. At 8:30, they had a good crowd. I have mixed feelings about the inside. First, the hostess put us in front of the jazz trio and apologized about any probs we might have with the volume. I'm a musician, have played many places and this was an extremely quiet trio. Acoustic, except a small guitar amp turned away from the crowd. I can't believe anyone could complain- they were quieter than the "piped in" music of most places and the din of the crowd was louder. Kudos for John for adding live music. The water wall wasn't working, but it's pretty. My main beef was the strange gray/blue lights. I couldn't even begin to read the menu. My husband had to loan his reading glasses to a young couple beside us. I tried to use the candle, but it didn't help.

Okay, the important things. I had the crab cakes appetizer. For $9 you get two large delicious cakes drizzled with a creamy sauce and a hint of lime and cilantro. I've had his before- these are the finest in the 'ville, IMO. I ate one and saved the other for lunch. DH tried the calamari. It was pretty basic...good, not as good as Napa River's. Then again, I prefer mine grilled,not breaded, so Volare gets the vote.
We both were impressed with the appetizers and salad selections. I might just go that route next time, they looked so interesting. Appetizer portions were generous, too. A good bargain! We both had daily specials. Mine was the seared ahi (one server called it ahi ahi, lol) It was perfectly prepared and presentation was great. The side dish was some type of warm seaweed salad- I know that sounds strange, but it was yummy..I could have had a double order of that. WOW. The rice was dull and a bit clumpy. My DH had the blackened grouper, I believe. I could be wrong about the prep...it was a great hunk of yummy fish served over a bed of greens. It was also delicious. We enjoyed a bottle of Rombauer Zin...maybe not perfect paired with fish, but it's one of our fav house wines. Since we were sharing a pair of reading glasses, I didn't get to peruse the wine list very well, but my DH liked it. One odd thing, they don't serve bread in baskets here. We were offered a piece of bruschetta with fresh salsa topping prior to the meal. That was good and perfect for us; but for bread junkies, be warned.

We had perfect service, from the hostess to the hands on manager to every person who showed up at the table. Water was always filled, wine poured, smiles all around. Stephanie was our waitress. Ask for her; she was great. The friendliness of the staff really added to the nice, casual atmosphere. Chef John came out and made the rounds, what a great guy. I wish him lots of success. I think the place will do very well and I know we'll be regulars. And btw, we had no trouble finding a parking spot directly across the street in the lot.
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Quite a winner

by Lonnie Turner » Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:30 pm

Man, lots of us must have been there Sat. Sept. 8.
This was the first visit by my wife & me.
I can't remember the last time the salads looked so good I could barely get past that section to the entrees. I got the pecans/apples/goat cheese, etc, salad for starters. That's the only reason I couldn't finish the beef tips tortellini with shaved proscuitto & pine nuts in Gorgonzola sauce. It sounds rich and was but was not over the top. They balanced everything so well, the dishes, the service, atmosphere. I had a Doppelbock and my wife had one of the seafood specials with a glass of wine. It was the red kind. As noted earlier in the thread, the music was an enhancement to the whole picture instead of a distraction. Lighting was fairly low but we could still read the menus with ease. As middle-agers we bring a pocket flashlight just in case but it was not needed. There are a few highly thought of places in the metro we've not had the pleasure to visit yet, so I can only venture based on our experience that they seem to be going head-to-head with places like Avalon, Napa River and RockWall and doing a splendid job of it so far.

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