Absinthe

We went here on Friday night and it was FABULOUS. We did not have reservations and were pleased to only have a twenty minute wait. This place was very crowded which makes sense because both the food and drinks were delightful. As we waited at the bar we ordered a Sacred Heart which is a specialty cocktail. This was a modern elixir that harking the strange and wonderful feeling that both tequila and the "green fairy" conjure. The bartender was nice and informative and warned us of the strong licorice taste that comes with ordering such a drink but we did not shy away. We found it to be strong but surprisingly tasty and refreshing and of course STRONG. We also ordered an Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA triple, a Belgian style IPA, which was over 9% and very tasty. We had not even finished our first round of drinks when the hostess came to seat us. We were seated in the front of the restaurant near the bar and very crowded but our table was next to a window which was nice. On a side note we have eaten here before with reservations and were seated at a very intimate table in the back room also next to a window, so if crowds and noise annoy you we suggest making a reservation.



Once seated we ordered the beef tartare, french onion soup and hearts of romaine to start off with. The beef tartare come out first and was fresh and balanced. The quail egg on top complimented the flavors of the beef well. We devoured this small plate and will definately order it again. Next cam the french onion soup and hearts of romaine. The soup is absolutly wonderful. when you dig into this soup you find layer after layer of cheese and the broth is packed with flavor. We did some investigating and found out that the broth is made out of veal stock which turns what could be an ordinary soup into a luxourious one. The hearts of romaine was simple, fresh and good.



For our entrees we ordered the skirt steak and the coffee crusted duck. The coffee crusted duck was very good and flavorful and was cooked to a perfect medium rare. However, the skirt steak was one of the best dishes we have tasted in a long time. It too was cooked a perfect medium rare and was so tender you did not need a knife to cut it. The meat literally fell apart in your mouth and the flavors were incredible. The steak was paired with asparagus and mashed potatoes and the flavors mended well. We would give Absinthe a total of FIVE STARS and we will be back again!