Archive: Arts & Entertainment

I like to revisit a new restaurant a year later and see if the early delicious hype is still on the table. Time can jade a restaurateur: the vagaries of food service workers, long often unappreciated hours, financial woes, economic recession… All take a toll upon food presentation and quality.

For example, of four people recently visiting the Imperial Kitchen Buffet on Graham Road, one incurred a salt migraine and two complained of lower intestinal upset. Why? As the numbers of people dining out reduce, the warmed food does not turn over fast enough and the fresh items in the kitchen may become less fresh over time. The staff at Imperial are above reproach for polite, helpfulness and the environment is a big improvement over previous interior landscapes, but they should pay strict attention to the temperature of warmed food and the turnover of fresh ingredients in the refrigerator.

A recent revisit to Mira Mediterranean Bistro  on Third St. in Ithaca resulted in the opposite finding. After one year in business, the degree of food quality, quantity, preparation, presentation, and staff service are all above reproach. The restaurant is frequented by a diverse clientele: Cornell professors, businessmen, senior citizens, young families, and the ever present graduate students. We asked the owner, Samira, if everything was the same in the kitchen. They had some changes in kitchen staffing recently. In spite of a chef transition that might have reduced food reliability, they were producing the same quality of taste and timing that they are known for.

This night we ordered two appetizers and split an entrée. My husband and I are trying to watch our waistlines.  We had to order the Calamari because I had rated it the ‘best in town’ previously and since then had not found any that could compete. The calamari is lightly smothered in delicate flaky batter, deep fried to crisp tender perfection, and served with the rich, spicy tang of  ‘smoked chili aioli’.

We also ordered a Mezze special of Black Truffle Gnocchi dripping in a herbed butter sauce. They came nestled in lightly sautéed baby spinach greens. Incredible! The gnocchi was light and tender. If you eat gnocchi, you know that these little potato dumplings can be dense starch bombs of epic proportion.  Not these. The texture was as light as marshmallow and the sauce compelling.

For the entrée we shared another special, the Rib Eye Steak (cooked medium rare) on asparagus and mashed potato. Evenly divided into two plates there was enough for each of us. Some restaurants have policies dissuading sharing entrees. I have always felt that it was the customers’ right to ask and it is an extra bonus that the request was not treated with dismay. The division onto two plates was accomplished in the kitchen without our request. Friendly with a capitol F.

Sharing the one entree allowed us to sample another mezze, the Fig and Olive Tapenade Flatbread. This mezze was rich and sweet. The thin, crisp flatbread was spread with a rich cheese, topped with a fig and olive tapenade. Before serving it was glazed quickly under direct heat. I would choose this over dessert any day.  Good thing, because we had no room for another bite. It is a shame to miss dessert but I’d rather have it for breakfast anyway when your taste buds are fresh and unburdened. We took the dense chocolate, cherry, bread pudding home with us for another day.

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