Restaurant Week Dinner: Aquavit

January 28th, 2010

1st Course: Artichoke Bisque w. Truffle Creme Fraiche, Soft Baked Farm Egg, & Smoked Venison
2nd Course: Whole Roasted Cornish Hen w. Parsnip, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, & Sage Bechamel
Dessert: Spice Cake w. Toasted Butter Pecans & Orange Sorbet

Aquavit is an establisment here in NYC. Since their opening in '87 they've been the prime source for gourmet Scandenavian cooking.

The decor screams old money but not in a way that makes you feel worthless (if you know what I mean). The waitress we had was fantastic.

I wish I could say the same for the food.

That's the reason why I am only showing the artichoke bisque. It's the only thing worth writing about. It was a sumptuous combination of flavors- the truffle creme fraiche paired well with the soft baked egg & venison & although it was rich it wasn't too heavy. I detected a subtle citron note that livened it up considerably. Everything after that was forgettable. The hen & cake were too dry & overall it was bland.