BRABO Restaurant August 2009

Art, Lance, and I just had the pleasure of dining at Brabo in Old Town Alexandria.  From start to finish the experience was a pleasure.  I found the restaurant through the internet – we knew we wanted something in Alexandria since it’s a fairly easy drive from our home and doesn’t require an hour on the Metro.  Brabo was rated fairly well on a few sites, so after running it by Art and Lance we decided that it would be a great location for our August celebrations. 

It’s located on King Street and has complimentary valet parking which made it quite a cinch to access.  The décor was nice and simple, the seating was comfortable and my request for good lighting in the reservation got us a great table by the front windows with plenty of natural light.  We started dinner around 6:15pm and it wasn’t until dessert that the light started to run out. 

Southern Pennsylvania Tomato Gazpacho Avocado Tomato Relish

After quite a bit of deliberation, and input from our server, I chose the Gazpacho for my started.  The presentation was fantastic – it was served in a bowl with just the avocado tomato relish in the center and the gazpacho was then poured around it from a small carafe.  The aroma of the gazpacho struck me immediately and it was all uphill from there.  I wanted to lick my bowl when I had finished.  The baby croutons on top were fantastically crispy and it was served with wasabi crème fraîche which added a great spiciness to everything.

We also got toasty warm baguette slices which were served with butter that had a few kinds of salt sprinkled on top.  I just wanted to show the gazpacho first, but the bread was served shortly after we sat down.

Hamachi Crudo Sweet Soy, Ginger Milk, Yuzu

I admit, I ordered this for the table to share solely due to wondering what hamachi tastes like after watching so much Top Chef.  Crudo is, apparently, very similar to sashimi.  The hamachi had a nice flavor, similar to other fatty fishes, but a bit fishier finish than tuna has.  We all tried it and even Art found it passable.  The sauce was sweet and complimented the fish well.

Pipe Dreams Farms Mixed Green Salad Raw and Braised Local Path Valley Vegetables, Lemon Vinaigrette

Lance ordered this salad.  While I didn’t get to taste it, it appeared to be very nicely dressed.  Each piece of lettuce had a nice bit of shine, just right.  The carrots, beets, and radishes all appeared to have been cut with a peeler or mandolin.  It was fresh, crunchy, and just the right amount of salad.

Parma Ham Wrapped Roulade of Caesar Salad Parmesan Tuile

Art had a hard time deciding which starter to order since many of them tickled his fancy.  He went with the Caesar and was not disappointed.  He was even kind enough to share with me one of the soft boiled quail eggs!  The presentation of this dish was great.  The lettuce was served wrapped in Parma ham, the dressing and croutons are on either side with the egg halves, and the Parmesan tuile on top was nice and crispy.  Every restaurant has a Caesar salad and every restaurant has their own take on that salad, this was a unique one and it succeeded.

Seared Chesapeake Rockfish Potato Gnocchi, Baby Artichokes, Wild Mushrooms

I had a very hard time choosing an entrée for myself.  I was only able to make a decision by telling myself that I was going to enjoy Brabo so much that I would want to return.  I ended up going with the rockfish because it’s a fish I don’t recall having before, it’s the Maryland state fish, and I love artichokes and well prepared gnocchi.  I was not disappointed at all!  The greens on the top are (I think) baby arugula.  The gnocchi were light and the artichokes melted in my mouth.  The fish is a mild white fish and didn’t have a strong fishy flavor at all.  Everything on my plate came together perfectly.

Grilled Lamb Tenderloins White Bean Puree, Ratatouille, Cumin Madeira Sauce

Art probably deliberated longer than I did over entrée choice.  I believe he made the right choice because he made such exclamations as “you must make ratatouille in the future” and “this is the best lamb I’ve ever had” and “I want to like the plate!”  I’d say his dish was a resounding success and, because he rocks, he gave me a taste.  It was pretty much perfect and the lamb was prepared fantastically rare.

Fell’s Point Bistro Filet Belgian Frites, Roasted Shallot Cabernet Sauce

For Lance, the entrée choice was an easy one.  He loves cow.  He loves filet… it’s what he orders most often when we go out and I can’t blame him at all.  He certainly got a winner at Brabo.  The filet was a beautiful medium rare and he said that the sauce reminded him of the stroganoff of his youth.  It didn’t have quite the same sear as you’d find at a steakhouse, since the filet was served sauced.  Since Lance also rocks, I got to taste the filet as well and it was wonderfully tender.  I guess I’ll have to try to figure out how to replicate the sauce at some point.  The fries were also lovely and served with…

… mayo.  They were Belgian frites after all, it’s only proper.  Three different kinds of mayonnaise no less.  Sadly I forgot to try them!

Fricassee of Irwin’s Mushrooms

Art ordered these as a side to share.  It was a nice blend of wild mushrooms with garlic and parsley.  Tasty and well prepared.

Dessert was a very hard choice.  The list of ice creams and sorbets our server gave us was fantastic and I would have been happy to have tried all of them.  The cheese plate would have been lovely to split as well.  The tart, brûlée, and mousse are their most popular desserts.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Terrine White, Milk and Dark Chocolate Mousse, Burnt Orange Cardamom Sauce, Pistachio Tuile

Both Art and Lance decided to go with the mousse.  Both of them found it tasty, Art loved the Orange Cardamom Sauce.  I tasted a bit of Lance’s mousse and I think it would have hit the spot if I had been in a chocolate mood.  Lance would like everyone to know that “terrine” means “in a bucket,” so now you know.

Tahitian Vanilla Crème brûlée Fresh Berry Compote

But I wasn’t in a chocolate mood, so I went with the Crème brûlée instead.  Between you and me, loyal readers, I think I made the right choice.  It was creamy and rich; I could see all the vanilla bean seeds through the dish.  The top was caramelized wonderfully and the serving size was just what I wanted.  I’m not a huge berry fan but I fished a strawberry out of the compote and it was tasty enough.  It couldn’t compare to the awesomeness of the brûlée though, so I just stuck with that.

Overall, this was a great dining experience.  Art was giddy like a schoolboy afterward and had nothing but praise for the meal.  Lance and I were also thrilled but maybe a bit less vocal!  The service was great, our server was attentive but didn’t hover, she was also knowledgeable about the food and able to answer all of the questions we had for her.  I was thrilled that they accommodated my request for a table with good lighting for photography.  I’m happy to say that we will be going back, so I’ll be able to try all those dishes I had to pass up on our first visit. 

After the meal we walked next door to The Butcher’s Block where Brabo sells many of the raw materials used in the dishes they prepare.  I came home with four lovely duck breasts which just counts as the icing on the whole Brabo experience. 

Total price, including tip, 4 bottles of cola, a double espresso, and no alcohol: $225.63.

BRABO Restaurant
1600 King Street
Alexandria, Virginia

Reservations: 703.894.3440