Restaurant Review: Tryst
Feb. 14th, 2005 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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jason237 and I had dinner at Tryst tonight. We've been meaning to try it since it opened in August, but this was our first time there.
We were running early, but were seated immediately at a four-top, which meant plenty of room for the two of us. Our waiter, Anthony, came by and introduced himself and explained the two menus: the regular dinner menu and a three course prix fixe for $110 per couple, and that they had added a palate cleansing course of sorbet to the latter. Despite a few temptations on the regular menu, we decided to go with the prix fixe, which did feel a bit prixy, but was certainly in line with the quality of ingredients and preparation.
jason237 started with the steak tartare, a nice mix of raw beef, capers, and onions in a tangy dressing, with two perfect slices of very flavorful garlic bread toasted to a perfect crisp that provided a nice contrast with the texture of the beef without falling apart at every bite. My starter was a lovely tartare of salmon and tuna layered with cucumber, accompanied by two local oysters topped with a very nicely flavored mignonette, washed down with a glass of Westport Rivers Cuvee RJR Sparkling Wine from right here in Massachusetts that was surprisingly tasty. jason237 tried their special occasion Sweet Tart, basically a cherry-tini--he enjoyed it, but childhood colds leave me unable to appreciate cherry-flavored alcohol.
My main course was the duck breast served over duck ravioli with a gorgonzola sauce and steamed baby vegetables. The duck itself was not the most tender I've eaten, but it had a wonderfully rich flavor and the filling of the light ravioli was even more intense, while the sauce was very delicate and provided a unifying element without competing with the primary flavors of the dish. Butjason237 definitely won that round with a pan seared halibut that might be the best simple fish preparation either of us have ever tasted. It was perfectly cooked--firm but moist--and the spice rub added interesting flavor elements without overpowering the halibut. It was served on a bed of asparagus risotto prepared to perfection--grains fully cooked, but still individual.
My wine was the Rex Goliath 47 Lb. Rooster Pinot Noir 2001 and had some fantastically smoky flavors that made it an excellent accompaniment to the duck.jason237 didn't fare as well with a white Burgundy that was too assertive for the gentle taste of the halibut.
The dessert course was a sampler including two dark chocolate covered strawberries--I peeled off the chocolate and enjoyed the fruit--a chocolate mousse cake thatjason237 said was very dark and rich, a sticky toffee pudding with maple walnut ice cream, and a fantastic lemon cheesecake with raspberry coulis. Their coffee tends toward the bitter, but that's easily doctored for those like us who prefer a more mellow cup with dessert.
The one area where Tryst is inconsistent is with their service. Anthony was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable about the food and wine, but he completely forgot to bring us the palate cleanser after making such a point about it. The other snafus were all about the timing and probably less under his control. Both times, our drinks arrived halfway through the courses for which they were ordered. Bread was wordlessly delivered to the table with a super-garlic olive tapenade--if it's not butter, I'd like a word of explanation before the server runs off. Our appetizers arrived before we'd had time to spread our bread, our dinners before the starter plates were cleared, and a server tried to takejason237's wine glass without asking, when he'd been saving the last sip--always an awkward moment. I know tonight's a busy night for restaurants, but turning tables around without making patrons feel rushed is an important aspect of the restaurant art. On the other hand, water service was prompt and the check was already in Anthony's hand when he came to ask if we needed a refill on coffee. Also, the couple that was seated next to us shortly after we started managed to knock a water glass to the floor while maneuvering into place and the hostess swiftly and politely moved them to a nearby table and a staff member was on hand with a broom before the patrons had stood up. The faults are forgiveable, but there's definitely room for improvement.
The decor is lovely--they've solved the problem of blank walls with textures, woodwork, and fabric panels, and opened up two of the mid-room walls at the top to increase the feeling of space without allowing the high ceilings to make the room seem cold.
Overall, excellent food and pleasant if not perfectly paced service made for a pleasant evening and we'll be back to try their regular menu on another night.
Tryst--689 Mass. Ave in Arlington, MA
jason237 and I had dinner at Tryst tonight. We've been meaning to try it since it opened in August, but this was our first time there. We were running early, but were seated immediately at a four-top, which meant plenty of room for the two of us. Our waiter, Anthony, came by and introduced himself and explained the two menus: the regular dinner menu and a three course prix fixe for $110 per couple, and that they had added a palate cleansing course of sorbet to the latter. Despite a few temptations on the regular menu, we decided to go with the prix fixe, which did feel a bit prixy, but was certainly in line with the quality of ingredients and preparation.
jason237 started with the steak tartare, a nice mix of raw beef, capers, and onions in a tangy dressing, with two perfect slices of very flavorful garlic bread toasted to a perfect crisp that provided a nice contrast with the texture of the beef without falling apart at every bite. My starter was a lovely tartare of salmon and tuna layered with cucumber, accompanied by two local oysters topped with a very nicely flavored mignonette, washed down with a glass of Westport Rivers Cuvee RJR Sparkling Wine from right here in Massachusetts that was surprisingly tasty. jason237 tried their special occasion Sweet Tart, basically a cherry-tini--he enjoyed it, but childhood colds leave me unable to appreciate cherry-flavored alcohol. My main course was the duck breast served over duck ravioli with a gorgonzola sauce and steamed baby vegetables. The duck itself was not the most tender I've eaten, but it had a wonderfully rich flavor and the filling of the light ravioli was even more intense, while the sauce was very delicate and provided a unifying element without competing with the primary flavors of the dish. But
jason237 definitely won that round with a pan seared halibut that might be the best simple fish preparation either of us have ever tasted. It was perfectly cooked--firm but moist--and the spice rub added interesting flavor elements without overpowering the halibut. It was served on a bed of asparagus risotto prepared to perfection--grains fully cooked, but still individual. My wine was the Rex Goliath 47 Lb. Rooster Pinot Noir 2001 and had some fantastically smoky flavors that made it an excellent accompaniment to the duck.
jason237 didn't fare as well with a white Burgundy that was too assertive for the gentle taste of the halibut. The dessert course was a sampler including two dark chocolate covered strawberries--I peeled off the chocolate and enjoyed the fruit--a chocolate mousse cake that
jason237 said was very dark and rich, a sticky toffee pudding with maple walnut ice cream, and a fantastic lemon cheesecake with raspberry coulis. Their coffee tends toward the bitter, but that's easily doctored for those like us who prefer a more mellow cup with dessert. The one area where Tryst is inconsistent is with their service. Anthony was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable about the food and wine, but he completely forgot to bring us the palate cleanser after making such a point about it. The other snafus were all about the timing and probably less under his control. Both times, our drinks arrived halfway through the courses for which they were ordered. Bread was wordlessly delivered to the table with a super-garlic olive tapenade--if it's not butter, I'd like a word of explanation before the server runs off. Our appetizers arrived before we'd had time to spread our bread, our dinners before the starter plates were cleared, and a server tried to take
jason237's wine glass without asking, when he'd been saving the last sip--always an awkward moment. I know tonight's a busy night for restaurants, but turning tables around without making patrons feel rushed is an important aspect of the restaurant art. On the other hand, water service was prompt and the check was already in Anthony's hand when he came to ask if we needed a refill on coffee. Also, the couple that was seated next to us shortly after we started managed to knock a water glass to the floor while maneuvering into place and the hostess swiftly and politely moved them to a nearby table and a staff member was on hand with a broom before the patrons had stood up. The faults are forgiveable, but there's definitely room for improvement. The decor is lovely--they've solved the problem of blank walls with textures, woodwork, and fabric panels, and opened up two of the mid-room walls at the top to increase the feeling of space without allowing the high ceilings to make the room seem cold.
Overall, excellent food and pleasant if not perfectly paced service made for a pleasant evening and we'll be back to try their regular menu on another night.
Tryst--689 Mass. Ave in Arlington, MA
