Bresca*

I had a wonderful dinner at Bresca on 10-11-2017. It just opened in September so it’s definitely not in the Michelin Guide yet. It is, however, one of the most highly-anticipated restaurant openings this Fall. And man did it deliver! Between the gorgeous space and playful touches, everything was imbued with a bit of whimsy–not to mention the food was absolutely delicious!

Bistronomy is the name of the game here at Bresca. A portmanteau of “bistro” and “gastronomy” this is the idea of rejecting the formality of traditional fine dining while maintaining its technique in much more relaxed environment.

Bistronomy also revolves around seasonality and nature, as well as the chef’s personality. These are evident at Bresca in decor such as a preserved moss wall, adorable animal illustrations,  and an art installation called Stan the Fish (also a cocktail on the menu). The name Bresca even means honeycomb in Spanish, which also happens to be a ubiquitous shape in nature.

This focus comes through loud and clear in the playful cocktails!

Bee’s Knees (bees wax gin, truffle honey, citrus) . This is literally the most instagrammed cocktail I’ve ever seen. Turns out those cute little bee vessels are really honey pots and now I want one for that purpose! In terms of flavor, you can definitely taste the truffle in this. It’s a kind of savory note in an otherwise pretty citrus-y/refreshing drink. It’s good but now I’m curious what it would taste like using regular honey.

Rakija (herbed brandy, citrus, Demerara cordial, sparkling wine). This was the fan favorite at our table. It was really interesting–complex and somewhat herbal.

Siréne (vodka, oyster shell, dry vermouth, manzanilla, verjus, olives). This was a little on the boozy side for me but I enjoyed that it was more complex than a simple dirty martini.

Viens Avec Moi (Gin, green Chartreuse, citrus, absinthe, pineapple cordial). This is going to sound weird but this had the best ice ever. It was that sort of crushed ice that makes everything taste better. The drink itself was pretty Charteuse-y (or was it the absinthe?) so if you like those flavors you’ll enjoy it.

1906 old fashioned (bourbon, crème de Yvette, Demerara cordial, bitters). I normally never like bourbon drinks but this was darn good! It was really well-balanced and probably one of my fav old fashioneds ever.

How cute are these little notes? And yes, I will drink champagne, thank you! Now on to the food!

Radish crudite (seaweed brown butter, fleur de sel, green goddess). I dont usually like radishes but these were divine! The brown butter really stood out as did the green goddess dressing into which you dip the tops.

Pineapple carrot salad (grains, curry oil, parsley, date). This was AMAZING! This one of my favorite dishes of the night and possibly the month. I thought this might be a kind of muted flavor but the cilantro and acid really kicked it up a notch. Combine that with some crispy grains for texture and you have yourself a winner!

Pastrami beets (feta, rye toast, flowering cress). This was shockingly good given the fact I don’t usually like beets. The beets are marinaded in either vinegar or citrus, which I loved. That contrasted so nicely with the feta and the rye toast. (Disclaimer: this pic is after it was cut–it’s much prettier to begin with!)

Sea urchin linguine (truffle, chili, yeast butter, porcini). Oh. Em. Geeeee. I kind of wanted to hate this because I’m sort of uni-ed out at the moment. But I just couldn’t because it was soooo good!!! Whatever the sauce is on that pasta is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. It’s almost like pesto made with mustard. It was so f*&%ing good I want to go back just thinking about it.

Chestnut agnolotti (rabbit, sunchoke, pear, mustard seeds). This was really good. Again I expected a really dark, savory flavor and was pleasantly surprised by a kick of acid. It was still really rich and flavorful but so well-balanced.

Old a** entrecôte (70 day aged beef, binchotan grilled, maple wood, kombu, shiitake, stack of potato pave, chicken on the woods and braised onions, wedge salad with green goddess). This is Chef’s play on a steak dinner because as he puts it it’s the only way to get his dad in for dinner. The steak was good but those potatoes were out of this world!! I do not normally like potatoes and I would eat a million of these. They were buttery deliciousness and perfectly crisp; imagine an oversize tater tot made from au gratin potatoes. The onions and mushrooms were also great as was the wedge salad (again, love that green goddess dressing!).

Cauliflower cremeux (tonka bean, white chocolate, pound cake). The cauliflower is an awesome idea but detracts slightly from an otherwise very delicious dessert. I loved the pound cake and all the rest though!

Tropical ambrosia (tapioca, mango, meringue, passion fruit). Like the bee’s knees this little beehive meringue dessert is very on brand for the restaurant. But guess what? It’s also delicious! I’m very much a fruit dessert gal so the combo of fruit, sorbet, tapioca, and basil was right up my alley.

Overall this was a fantastic dinner! I wasn’t sure what to expect since there’s been so much buzz (pun intended) around this place. However, it definitely lived up to the hype–there are still dishes stuck in my head and that’s always a great sign!