Happy Birthday to me! My wife took me to one of my favorite local restaurants for dinner last night.
Carmelo’s is a traditional Italian restaurant with a casual atmosphere (typical of Austin), yet set apart by fine-dining levels of service. Carmelo’s is only a few blocks from my office and we left directly after work, so we were the first dinner customers and had even more undivided attention from the wait staff. We sat Hollywood style in one of the booths in the main dining room so that we could see and be seen, of course.
We began dinner with the customary hot bread and olive oil with Parmesan cheese and chunks of garlic. The waiter then helped us select a nice, dry Chianti – Banfi 2001 Chianti Classico Riserva.
This is what Wine.com has to say about it:
“This Chianti Classico exemplifies a modern approach to making this very traditional wine. It’s a satisfying middleweight with good flavor intensity and well-balanced structure, wrapping classic flavors in a sleek package. It has enticing aromas of tart red cherries, saddle leather and a hint of pungent dried herbs. In the mouth, it delivers bright flavors of dried red cherries against the classic Tuscan background of leather and oriental spice. The finish is long and aromatic, with crisp acidity supporting the lingering flavor of red Michigan pie cherries. There’s enough silky tannin and firm acid to warrant cellaring for five or six years. Time in the cellar will soften the wine’s sharp edges and enhance its aromatic breadth and intensity, transforming the coltish charmer into a soft, sumptuous seductress.”
What do I have to say about it? The wine was good. It tasted like grape juice, but with a kick. I liked it!
After we were served the wine, it was time for the whole raison d’etre for any visit to Carmelo’s – the Lobster Bisque. This silky ambrosia tastes almost perfect to my palate, blending lobster and tomato flavors without too much salt, and a hint of fresh cracked black pepper. My only complaint is that the smooth cream was broken-up by only two small chunks of lobster. I wished for more.
In fact, it was my insatiable lust for the Lobster Bisque that caused me to mistakenly order the Lobster Ravioli as my main course. Normally, I would have ventured into different culinary territory by ordering something like steak or veal. Instead, I simply ordered a variation of what I had just eaten. I was disappointed in myself. Worse, I was disappointed with it. The ravioli was inconsistent, with some bites being flavorful and others being quite bland, even tasteless. I only ate half. My wife enjoyed the Insalata Carmelo (fresh lump crab meat, shrimp, walnuts, mushrooms and artichokes on a bed of fresh spinach.)
We finished the meal with coffee and Bananas Foster for two, prepared table-side. The dessert was delicious, but not prepared with the flair with which I was trained to prepare them, back when I worked for the Old San Francisco Steak House. Unlike Carmelo’s, I used to cut the bananas at the table (rather than using pre-cut and undoubtedly chilled slices), which added more flair by way of fancy knife work. More importantly, rather than using brandy as the flammable agent, with it’s resulting pilot-light sized flames, I would use 151 proof dark rum in judicious quantities. Flames would shoot three feet into the air and I would have to pull back to save the hair on my face. Whoosh! The customers would enjoy their dessert with their hearts still racing and the flambé orders (and tips) would pour in.
All in all, it was a very nice birthday dinner. Carmelo’s has a cozy and romantic atmosphere, outstanding service, and good food for higher than average prices, which shouldn’t deter you, if you are seeking an excellent dining experience. At the end of our evening, an accordion player began playing music for the diners. His second song was the theme from The Godfather. Consigliere was pleased.
Please pin, tweet, and share! Most importantly, let me know what you think in the comments below.
