Crispy Branzino Restaurants

"I visited on a Saturday evening to refresh my memory of what this kitchen offers as one of the area?s upscale Modern American eateries. The dining room has a cozy feel to go with its size. Noise levels rise as the evening progresses from quiet to moderate. I sat at the 12-seat bar with the bartender greeting me within a couple of minutes. Service was uniformly attentive and unobtrusive through my just over two hours there. The menu overall accommodates gluten-free appetites as stated by others and tends to have rich offerings with cheeses and creams to accent starches and sauces for more items than not. I ordered from both the standard menu and the advertised special menu: tuna tartare and potato-onion ravioli for appetizers, rockfish and pork chop for mains, and key lime pie and strawberry shortcake for desserts. An aperol spritz as an opening drink had an assuringly assertive flavor. The tartare texture was more chunky than other versions, but the flavors of the fish and avocado certainly came through with a great tasting siracha vinaigrette. The presentation shrouds the actual tartare under the shadow of the flatbread chip and arugula and pickled onion garnish, but an enjoyable start to my meal was certainly there. The ravioli itself had a welcome al dente feel and a clean potato taste in the inside. I felt the amount of cream could be cut to be more proportionate to the accompanying chive oil for more balance. The rockfish was cooked nearly perfectly, and I really enjoyed the creaminess of the Parmesan orzo contrasted with earthy and slightly bitter spinach. The pork chop was grilled to the suggested medium temperature and remained a little juicy. The cheesy grits were cooked splendidly as were the brussel sprouts garnish and a well-portioned smattering of bacon shards. The red wine reduction sauce was very smooth with a pleasing consistency and not too sweet or over reduced. Both entree plates returned to the kitchen as clean as I could reasonably make them. The restrained (and appreciated) key lime pie portion had subtle flavors throughout. I would have appreciated more assertive flavors from the tartness of the custard and brightness from the berries as well as a more syrup consistency in the compote (drops of blueberry stained water started to fall down my pie slice as I ate). The capper for me was the shortcake, a delightful rendition with just the right texture, sweetness, and butteriness to go with perfectly macerated strawberries and proper chantilly cream. The entire meal cost about $120 excluding tax, tip, and a very much nonstandard for the area 3% service charge for non-cash transactions. For the area, portions, and quality, I left feeling like I received a satisfying value for my overall experience and could return in the future for a special occasion or holiday eating when rich eating almost inextricably goes with the season."

##9 Seafood in Vienna

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#9 Seafood in Vienna

Village Green

4.5

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4.5

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City: Ridgewood, 36 Prospect StNJ 07450, Ridgewood, United States

Wheelchair Access, Accepts Credit Cards, Terrace, Wifi

##5 European in Ridgewood

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#5 European in Ridgewood

Lucy the Wolf

4.1

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4.1

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City: NORTHVILLE, 102 E Main StMI 48167, NORTHVILLE, United States

AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

##21 Fast Food in NORTHVIL...

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#21 Fast Food in NORTHVILLE

Monkitail

4.6

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4.6

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City: Hollywood, 3555 South Ocean Dr.FL 33019, Hollywood, United States

"Amazing dining experience from start to finish. Our waiter, Carlos did an amazing job explaining the 10 course tasting menu. We will be back!"

##9 Vegetarian in Hollywoo...

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#9 Vegetarian in Hollywood

The Cove Restaurant Bar Package Goods

3.6

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3.6

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City: Brigantine, 3700 Brigantine Blvd, 08203, Brigantine, US, United States

"Fried flounder was definitely NOT worth the $27 price tag for one heavily fried) thin founder filet (despite the pictures in reviews showing two) and fries. The rest of our meals were mediocre. Crab dip was the highlight. The music was nice, but just a bit too loud"

##11 Seafood in Brigantine

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#11 Seafood in Brigantine