Kate: Local and Domestic Artisan Cheese Plate, Antipasti, Smoked Chicken Angnolotti, Pumpkin Flan
YAY! It is New Year's Eve and Paul and I saved some Christmas money to take ourselves out for nice dinner. In true Foodie fashion, we will avoid NYE parties and instead go out for a decadent dinner.
Since Cafe Rustica opened, we have been dying to go. We check the menu often, and were so anxious to try it. But, since we were saving up for a wedding, fancy dinner out was something we couldn't splurge on. Well, the time had finally come to check it out, and we are SO GLAD we did!
Cafe Rustica does not take reservations. But, they will do call ahead seating. Since there is not a huge amount of seating available, and it was New Year's Eve, we knew we needed to utilize this function. So, when we arrived, we had a short wait before being seated. Having already perused the menu, you would think that we would have a sense of what we wanted. FALSE. We still had to take a decent gander at the menu and ask for our excellent server's suggestions.
First off, she made an excellent wine suggestion for me. I wanted a crisp, white wine that would help me celebrate the new year. Her suggestion, Bin #3 (Sauv. Blanc/Semillion- Chat. Recougne, Bordeaux) was wonderful. Exactly what I asked for. Crisp. Clean finish. Light. Perfect!
We splurged a little and ordered the cheese board AND the antipasti. The addition of the fig jam (what!?! Seriously? Yes, seriously) and local honey were perfect additions for the cheeses. AND, the Antipasti with the picked vegetables (surprisingly delicious) and wonderful olives, was a perfect addition to the cheese board. We were practically licking the plate.
Then, came our meal. Presentation is excellent. Taste is even better. My pasta was rich, with this wonderful citrus-y finish that I wasn't expecting. It was a perfect portion. And the walnuts were a fantastic addition. Homemade pasta is so great, and this was no exception. Paul's pork chop was to die for as well. I, of course, had a bite or two. It was served with spaetzle and deliciously braised cabbage. Plus a house made mustard that really brought the whole dish together. Really, just a fantastic meal on both plates.
We did manage, shocking I know, to save room for dessert. We were going to be good and share one, but then, at the last minute, opted for a total splurge. Paul went with the tiramisu and I, I my friends ordered the pumpkin flan with ginger snaps. Holy Cow! You WILL clean your plate of all of the flan. Oh, so rich. And the ginger snaps, a perfect balance of flavors. Plus, the fresh whipped cream. Wow! If I was stranded on a deserted island and for some odd reason could only eat one thing, I think this dessert might be it.
So, really, all around experience, I will go so far as to say, it is the best in Kalamazoo. Amazing food. Great atmosphere. Just great! Go there, as soon as you can!
http://www.rusticakzoo.com/index.htm
+
YAY! It is New Year's Eve and Paul and I saved some Christmas money to take ourselves out for nice dinner. In true Foodie fashion, we will avoid NYE parties and instead go out for a decadent dinner.
Since Cafe Rustica opened, we have been dying to go. We check the menu often, and were so anxious to try it. But, since we were saving up for a wedding, fancy dinner out was something we couldn't splurge on. Well, the time had finally come to check it out, and we are SO GLAD we did!
Cafe Rustica does not take reservations. But, they will do call ahead seating. Since there is not a huge amount of seating available, and it was New Year's Eve, we knew we needed to utilize this function. So, when we arrived, we had a short wait before being seated. Having already perused the menu, you would think that we would have a sense of what we wanted. FALSE. We still had to take a decent gander at the menu and ask for our excellent server's suggestions.
First off, she made an excellent wine suggestion for me. I wanted a crisp, white wine that would help me celebrate the new year. Her suggestion, Bin #3 (Sauv. Blanc/Semillion- Chat. Recougne, Bordeaux) was wonderful. Exactly what I asked for. Crisp. Clean finish. Light. Perfect!
We splurged a little and ordered the cheese board AND the antipasti. The addition of the fig jam (what!?! Seriously? Yes, seriously) and local honey were perfect additions for the cheeses. AND, the Antipasti with the picked vegetables (surprisingly delicious) and wonderful olives, was a perfect addition to the cheese board. We were practically licking the plate.
Then, came our meal. Presentation is excellent. Taste is even better. My pasta was rich, with this wonderful citrus-y finish that I wasn't expecting. It was a perfect portion. And the walnuts were a fantastic addition. Homemade pasta is so great, and this was no exception. Paul's pork chop was to die for as well. I, of course, had a bite or two. It was served with spaetzle and deliciously braised cabbage. Plus a house made mustard that really brought the whole dish together. Really, just a fantastic meal on both plates.
We did manage, shocking I know, to save room for dessert. We were going to be good and share one, but then, at the last minute, opted for a total splurge. Paul went with the tiramisu and I, I my friends ordered the pumpkin flan with ginger snaps. Holy Cow! You WILL clean your plate of all of the flan. Oh, so rich. And the ginger snaps, a perfect balance of flavors. Plus, the fresh whipped cream. Wow! If I was stranded on a deserted island and for some odd reason could only eat one thing, I think this dessert might be it.
So, really, all around experience, I will go so far as to say, it is the best in Kalamazoo. Amazing food. Great atmosphere. Just great! Go there, as soon as you can!
http://www.rusticakzoo.com/index.htm
+ten golden forks out of five
(ok, I know that isn't a real rating, but, if it was, I would give it that!)
(ok, I know that isn't a real rating, but, if it was, I would give it that!)
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