Had the good fortune of being invited to the soft opening this evening. We enjoyed The Place Downstairs and while they have changed the format they have not lost a step.
We started off with a prosciutto and melon salad that had melon and some peppery\mildly bitter greens wrapped in prosciutto. Some fig, roasted pepper, some very nice balsamic vinegar, and cherry tomatoes on top rounded a very nicely balanced dish.
They brought us a Tuna Crudo and my wife doesn't do fish that way, but I do and it was outstanding. Italian Sushi, very thin salami slices, couple of delectable but unknown additions, in addition to some lovely olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
We decided to sample the Primi menu so we could get a real taste of what they do. Bolognese, Carbonara, Gnocchi, and Agnolotti were among some of the best and yet lightest pastas we've had anywhere.
Most examples of Carbonara we've had, while good, had heavy cream as a base. This had pasta, cheese, bacon, and a farm egg that was incredibly rich while still being a light dish if you can do such a thing.
The Agnolotti was listed in the preview menus as having short rib, but they changed it to Oxtail and it is phenomenal. My wife asked about it and Michael said it was exactly what was listed which turned her off to the dish. I was enthused and decided to try it and it turned out to be one of her favorite dishes. Wonderful flavor and texture.
The ultimate compliment for the Bolognese is my wife said we could bring my Father-in-Law and he would love it. Again, a dish I don't normally associate with being light, but very light and very flavorful.
I ordered the Gnocchi with sausage, cheese, and tomato, and at the risk of being repetitive it was a dish that my wife would not order and enjoy. It was everything I thought it should be and different enough from what she expected that she enjoyed it too.
We'll be back, loved it.
