Central Kitchen

Cecyl

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Had dinner there on a Saturday night with a companion. We shared a bottle of the less-expensive ($28 I think) Cotes du Rhone, which was quite nice after it had a chance to breathe. The wine was a little tight during the initial pour, which was slightly surprising.

For starters, she had the duck pate and I had the cheese with a crostini and some sort of berry compote. I'm not a fan of pate, but I think she rather enjoyed it. The cheese was a creamy goat cheese that fairly with the wine - neither overpowered the other.

The main courses were good. She had the halibut, which I think was a special for the evening. It was well-cooked and served with a sweet-tart sauce underneath, to balance out the saltiness. I only had a bite of it but it was quite delicious. My meal consisted of scallops (cooked perfectly) with a risotto that was just a bit overcooked, leaving it with the consistency almost resembling polenta. Nonetheless, I appreciated the fact that the chef came over to serve the meal and to get our comments as we were nearly finished. The place is small enough to add that personal touch, even in the midst of a very busy time.

Overall, the food was good but not great on that particular night.

The atmosphere was a bit hectic, I'll admit. Part of our experience was affected by a group of young women (early- to mid-twenties) who were EXTREMELY loud. I think they were friends of one of the cooks, since he kept coming over to check on them and help them get more chairs when they ended up with 6 or 7 people (at a 3-4 person table!) It got to the point that I could barely hear my companion speaking. This seems like a place that strives for a cozy, somewhat intimate atmosphere with a slight buzz. Unfortunately, the noise levels left me with the feeling of being in a large cafeteria, rather than in someone's kitchen.

I might go back but certainly not for a more intimate dinner.

neight

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Had dinner at Central Kitchen for a friend's birthday a while ago. Menu was very different. We ordered a few wines for the table and a few appetizers. I had a lentil and pancetta soup (v. good) and the crispy confit rilette (well done, but a little dry). The food and service were quite good, but a the price was a little much. I think I ended up paying around $80 which seemed exorbitant for the quality of the food. They also seem to have a problem w/ their doors -- every time someone came in a gust of freezing cold air went through the entire restaurant. Not sure if I'd go back, but it was a good meal nonetheless.