Cav: Saved by the Chef

We went in the afternoon, when there were barely any people. You’d think that the staff would be more attentive then but, as I’ve discovered with a lot of restaurants (that don’t specialize in snacks), this is possibly the worst time to be dining out. Despite coordinating with the restaurant’s PR, my friend had a hard time confirming that yes, he did have a reservation.The service, even though there were no people, was horrible. There was only one bored waitress who couldn’t even be bothered to serve us water. To make things worse, Chef Mark came by and said that he hadn’t been informed of my friend’s arrival. He kindly implored us to reschedule the tasting because he wasn’t ready. My friend had no choice but to agree. We felt bad because we wasted an afternoon but Chef Mark was so nice about it, and it wasn’t his fault, really. We thought that since we had been by already, we would get better service from the staff when we returned.

We were wrong.

We were back again after a week. Same bored waitress, same lackluster service. In fact, she seemed annoyed that we were moseying in on her work time. She didn’t seem to have a problem serving the more tisoy and tisay customers that wondered in though. We were given food to try, one of each dish plus one glass of wine to be shared. The food wasn’t bad but the service had already left an awful taste in my mouth. It was hard to get dinner rolls, even harder to get a smile from the staff.

Again, Chef Mark wandered by, asking us how we were. He was very nice, so we just nodded and didn’t really say anything. He insisted that we return later that night because dining in the afternoon was boring, and that we should really see Cav during dinnertime, when the Chef was in his element.

How could we say no?

When we returned, we were met with a completely different experience. The place was crowded, you couldn’t get from the main door to the dining area without having to weave around someone. Yet the staff was alive, smiling and cordial to everyone. We were shown to our table by a nice young man who would, throughout the evening, make sure that all our needs were met. Even the food was different, and not because we were served different things. Food served in a lively restaurant by a cheerful staff tastes better. I looked around. We weren’t getting special service because we were now guests of the chef. We were getting the same service everyone else got. The night staff was simply better at their jobs. I found all my complaints about the afternoon melting away as dish after dish of sumptuous food was served.

We started with the Pierogi (tumeric. pumpkin velute. rocket sprout). The arugula blended well with the smooth, sweet pumpkin. The pierogi itself – with a texture akin to a flat, doughy gyoza -wasn’t needed because the pumpkin was already good on its own, but was a nice surprise.

Next came what was going to be my personal favorite, the Lamb Ragu (eggplant. zucchini. portobello. mushroom foam). The lamb all but melted in the mouth, its dense, slightly gamey flavor contrasting brilliantly with the lightly-flavored, airy foam, which tasted like a cross between pumpkin and mashed potato. The mushroom’s already meaty taste was infused with a deep, adobo-like flavor that married beautifully with the meat. The dish is surprisingly kid-friendly, and is one that must be savored to be truly appreciated (also an excuse for my tendency to eat very slowly). I wanted to lick the plate after.

My friend’s favorite was the Wagyu, which he talks about to this day, his eyes glazing over at the memory (lemon risotto. portobello. haricot vert). The daintily-presented dish may look small, but it sure is filling. I love that the meals are served in warm plates. I sort of wish I could order the plates on their own so I could press my cheek to them. Anyways, the wagyu is soft, tasting slightly of foie gras, the accompanying risotto smooth but with bite, the hint of lemon surfacing through the creamy rice.

We ended with the Chocolate Souffle Cake and the Banana and White Chocolate Brulee, the Valhrona-made souffle cake rich and – I seem to be using this phrase a lot in this entry – melt in your mouth, the accompanying raspberry coulis providing just enough tartness to keep the chocolate from getting too cloying. The brulee is creamy, with a slight, almost imperceptible tang; an elevated banana pudding complimented by a citrusy syrup that rounds up the flavors nicely.

We didn’t have wine with dinner (it’s what Cav is famous for, after all) but we didn’t mind. While some libation would have enhanced the meal’s flavors, we were happy to savor the dishes by themselves, letting them bask in their own little glories.