The point is...who cares how you say it...just get there fast! We arrived around 6:30 on a Friday night. We were a little early (on purpose) so we could enjoy a beverage at the bar. The misses ordered a rum and coke (gasp!!) and I decided on a Hendrick's martini. The bartender, Vinny, was very cool. I found out he's a beer guy like myself so we ended up discussing the nuances of midwest beer drinkers and their disdain for big hop beers (so sad). At least Vinny's my kind of beer drinker so I know I've got a hop-head nearby who just happens to be a bartender.
After our drinks and chat with Vinny, we migrated to our table escorted by Jody Richardson. Jody is Niche's sommelier and she later paired us with a fantastic '04 Mourvedre by Tablas Creek. Oh that reminds me...Niche has this cool premise where they source their wine and beer from US based establishments only. I thought that was pretty cool especially since their wine list is not only comprehensive but loaded with amazing vino.
Shortly after we were seated, Vinny (remember him...the bartender), brought us a bottle of beer from Wisconsin's own Capital Brewery. It was their Bavarian Lager. Demonstrating that not all midwest breweries shy away from bold beers. I have to admit that was above and beyond the call of duty. Nice work Vinny!
After enjoying the Lager, we started reviewing the menu. It was loaded with amazing creations from the kitchen. I'm a huge fan of duck so naturally when I saw they had Duck Nachos as an appetizer it was a no brainer. "Ma'am one order of Duck Nachos please!" Take a look at the presentation:
The misses and I decided on our main courses and we shared a salad. It was a seared yellow fin tuna salad. A pretty common dish these days thanks to the amazing flavor of seared yellow fin. This particular version was served with watercress and a light balsamic reduction. What I really liked about this dish was the drops of hot pepper oil drizzled on the plate. Again...I'm a freak when it comes to the heat so this was a welcome addition. It was subtle as was the balsamic reduction so you could really taste the seared tuna's fresh flavor. AND...the best part...Jody (our wonderful sommelier) recognized that our bottle of Mourvedre wasn't exactly the kind of vino that pairs well with seared tuna. So she brought us a chilled glass of Muscat. Well done Jody. That kind of service produces repeat customers!
So far Niche is becoming a much cooler word to say and as I begin to sip on my '04 Mourvedre I start thinking about my main course which is a mere minutes away. Choosing my main course wasn't easy. And to be honest I like to rate a menu by how difficult it is to choose a plate. If I have several options that make my mouth water then I'm digging the place. The menu at Niche was one of those types of menus. I finally narrowed it down to two: The Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chop or The Applewood Bacon Wrapped Venison Loin. You see...I'm a meat and game guy. I know...how TYPICAL. But you know what? I don't care...call it what you will 99% of the time I'm going with meat over anything else. And when I see bacon+venison+loin in one sentence...well let's just say "game" over...no pun intended (ok that was cheesy). So..."Ma'am, I'll have the deer wrapped in pig please!" I didn't really say that but that's how my brain interprets it. "Sir the chef likes to prepare this medium rare...is this ok?" Um...yeah. Check it out for yourself:
Was it as good as it looks? You betcha and then some. The venison was unbelievable. No...it wasn't gamey...it wasn't tough (that's for all you game haters that that think eating Bambi is a crime punishable by death). It was a buttery, velvet, succulent piece of loin that literally melted in your mouth like the finest Filet Mignon you've ever had. Here's the official description if mine seems a bit contrived: Applewood bacon wrapped Venison loin, goat cheese topped Yukon gold potato pave, crisp beet frittes, quick braised baby beet greens, rich veal glace laced "steak sauce" I've eaten venison for a long time. In fact I still remember to this day the most incredible venison chops to ever grace my tastbuds while sitting in a restaurant in Munich, Germany. That was 15 years ago and 3,000 miles away and ladies and gentlemen the venison at Niche takes the cake.
The misses opted for the Pork Tenderloin - a surprise selection since she's usually not a pork eater but I'm glad she did because I got to try it. It was spiced with Schichimi Togarashi so it had an Asian flair. Cooked to perfection as well. Juicy and slightly pink in the middle the way pork should be prepared.
Niche certainly impressed us with their amazing service, impressive wine list, and phenomenal menu. It's not the least expensive fine dining option in the Fox Valley but when you leave you don't seem to mind dropping that kind of cash. The staff at Niche make you feel welcome and attend to your needs without being too aggressive. The chefs (the unsung heroes to any fine restaurant) prepare amazing plates using creativity but most of all freshly sourced ingredients that produce well balanced flavors. Niche is the kind of place you should go to when you want to celebrate a special occasion, impress, or just treat yourself to an amazing culinary experience. All without the stuffy atmosphere that comes with most fine dining establishments. I know I'll be going back. I have a date with a New Zealand Lamb Chop...shhhh...just don't tell the misses!
Niche Restaurant
14 South 3rd Street
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 262-1000
http://www.nichegeneva.com/
1 comment:
Shannon, Rum and coke? You're not in high school anymore. You're allowed to order real drinks.
Chris, great blog entry! I share your thinly disguised disdain for people who say niche.
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