Brasserie Zentral - January 15, 2016
A lot of people talk about having lists. Sometimes it’s an actual checklist for what they want to get done during the day. Perhaps a shopping list for what they’re going to get at the market to make for dinner. Some children are encouraged to make wish lists for Santa so the gift giver can have an idea of what will delight their young desires. A lot of people put that one thing that’s just over the horizon and perhaps nigh impossible on a proverbial bucket list.
Alas, a lot of food enthusiasts also maintain a list, sometimes it’s a physical list, on some rapidly disintegrating scrap of paper kept in a wallet or purse, occasionally it’s kept in the notes application that comes with most smart phones. For me it becomes a mental litany of targets akin to Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, but instead of it being Queen Cersei, The Mountain, Ilyn Payne, et al. it’s Brut, Burch, Tilia, et al. My list also included Brasserie Zentral, albeit lower than it should have been. I’d heard good things, and I’d walked past it numerous times on my way to lunch, but for whatever reason it never rose high enough on my list to actually go during an evening.
I’d gone to Cafe Zentral a couple of times before it closed, trying to coordinate getting their great pretzel dogs with friends. Funny thing, it never worked, I’d go via the street and they’d go via the skyway and they’d get lost; or I’d go via the skyway and they’d take to the streets, and they’d still get lost. With the news that the brasserie was closing soon, and that news being lamented by critics, and friends, with opinions I trust, it jumped to the top of my list, much like La Belle Vie did.
News of the closing was short and trying to coordinate schedules was tough, so the late night reservation for 2 that would have been sat half an hour later than expected anyway became a solo spot at the bar. I’ve mentioned before but sometimes sitting at the bar is my favorite spot to dine in a restaurant. This time definitely fit into the favorites category. The three gentleman behind the counter were attentive, conversant about their craft & the local food scene, and over all a very genial bunch. I have confidence they’ll be plying their pours at other local watering holes and dining establishments soon enough.
As I’m wont to do, when presented with the option of a tasting menu and paired beverages, I’m usually inclined to go that route. Brasserie Zentral was interesting in that they had two distinct tasting menus, a newer “chef’s” style and one billing itself as “traditional.” After a cursory examination, and seeing that some of the dishes that were being grieved in my twitter feed were on the traditional list, I opted to go that route.
Speck & Beet Salad with shaved horseradish and arugula: Most tasting menus begin with an amuse-bouche, which basically functions as an introduction, a kind of “This is where we’re going, get ready.” This is one of the first times I’ve gotten an amuse that I immediately recalled when getting the first course and was retroactively disappointed. You’ll see why.
Rabbit & Smoked Eel Terrine with balsamic onion marmalade, roasted beet salad, mache, & grated horseradish: Notice the beets, the horseradish, and the arugula? The same beets as the amuse, minus the speck. The terrine itself was good. Subtle flavors, not too smokey, not too sweet. Expected textures, though I could have gone with something that added a contrasting or complimentary texture. Besides the deja vu from the beets, and a weird lack of salt, a very solid starter.
Trout Meuniere with seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes, & brown butter: Totally solid, nicely prepared fish that was still firm and flaky, the brown butter added a nice nutty sweetness and a touch of salt missing from the first course.
Foie Gras Supplement with duck fat granola: Sometimes you have a dish that looks and smells so good and discombobulating that you forget, or almost forget until a few bites in, to take a picture - it happens. This is one of those dishes. Brasserie Zentral’s foie dish was offered as an optional add on to the meal, and was prepared to order with the choice between cold or seared. I prefer the texture of warm foie to that of cold, so that was my choice. It’s probably for the best that I didn’t know this dish existed until right before it became unavailable. This hit my sweet spot when it comes to tastes and textures, not perfectly, but definitely near the bullseye.
Quark Spaetzle with Aged Gruyere, Braised Rabbit, Mushrooms, and Peas: Solid, I can see why this was a fan of a few local critics and foodies.
Klein Wiener Schnitzel with Viennese Potato Salad, Cucumber Salad, & Lingonberries: A nice version of the traditional. The cucumber salad was interesting, I’d never had it before, so I’m not sure if this is the best it can be or not. The potato salad was good.
Sorbet Mezzo: Standard palate cleanser, simply plated.
Seasonal Fruit Strudel of apples with vanilla ice cream: Good for what it is, and since it’s traditional, I can’t complain. I’ve been spoilt by some great pastry chefs’ creations lately, but sometimes homey and simple is good.
Petit Fours: I actually enjoyed these more than the strudel. Good brittle with a bit of chew instead of crunch, nice pistachio short bread, the salted chocolate and almond were good, and the pastry cup with caramel sauce and another brittle was another tasty bite.
This is the second time in the last half year that I’ve found myself at a tasting menu on the second to last day of service. I hope that trend doesn’t continue. I hope to make it to more places before I hear lamentations for them. Brasserie Zentral’s owners, chefs, and staff should be really proud of what they did in the time they had. Talking to a few other diners since their final service, it sounds like they’re definitely going to be missed.
I have nothing but praise for the way the bartenders and the rest of the staff treated me on my only dining experience in the restaurant. It didn’t feel like there was a lingering ghost, or lowered expectations, when I was there. It felt like a farewell party. I hope everyone is off to new and exciting adventures.