It's been over a year since I left Primo, and for the first time last night, I went in for dinner. What a difference a year makes! Chef Hargrove is really making a niche for himself with the weekly menu options, serving rustic and authentic food.
I ordered the special of the evening, the costole di manzo, which was beef short ribs over cheesy polenta and root vegetables with a reduced pan jus. The short ribs were so tender and moist; they came apart easily with a fork. Beneath them were root vegetables diced and cooked just enough to maintain a crisp texture but cooked flavor. The combination of those things was only heightened by the cheesy polenta and pan jus. The sauce was earthy and smooth and very well rounded. I'm not sure what the cheese in the polenta was, but it was very mild and complemented the short ribs incredibly well. I created each forkful with a little polenta, a few vegetables and a small piece of the rib and then swept it through the sauce. The different components of the dish worked so well together. They were lovely on their own, but all together, they raised my palate to a new high.
My SO got a pork tenderloin that was crusted with dried ground apple, and brown sugar. It was served with an apple and fennel salad. The pork was cooked perfectly, very tender and able to be cut with a butter knife. The sauce was slightly sweet, but complemented well with the fennel in the salad. It was delicious also. My SO preferred his to mine. I, of course, preferred mine to his.
To end the meal we had a rosemary olive oil cake with lemon curd. It was more like a bread than a cake. The rosemary flavor was prevalent, but not overpowering (like rosemary sometimes can be). I would love to have a huge loaf of that stuff to have with butter for breakfast every morning.
Our server was Carly, the sister of forumite Jeremy Johnson. She was pleasant and attentive; our needs were all met and expectations exceeded. Allison also took excellent care of us also.
I again want to say how proud I am of and impressed by Chef Hargrove. I can't even imagine the prep time it takes for a weekly menu. He pulls it off with flair. That man is destined for culinary greatness. I can't wait to see what he's working on next!
Disclaimer: Yes, I was once the GM of Primo. However, my reaction to my experience there is totally unbiased. I really was knocked off my feet by the food.
