A Twist on Midwestern Cuisine

It's another adventure with the wine club! Tonight we went to Haute Dish. Their known for taking unexpected twists to what are considered standard Midwestern fare. The atmosphere of the restaurant was surprisingly dark, but definitely energetic and "happening."

Our meal started out with a parsnip soup shooter:

It was a yummy warm sip of comfort. I love parsnips, but only discovered them in the last year ... and I have to say it was one of those things where I wondered where they were all my life. Yum.

Next up was the salad course. I had the poached egg salad, served over watercress and accompanied by bacon-wrapped chicken livers. The savory flavor of the livers were balanced with the bacon and the creaminess of the egg helped pull out the herbaciousness of the watercress. It was a more filling salad than I anticipated - and delicious to the last salty bite.

For the main course, I went a bit surprising for fine cuisine. I ordered the burger and fries. I know, I know, not my typical choice, but I have been craving a good burger lately ... and let's just say this didn't disappoint. The cheese, the bacon, the amazing mushrooms, sweet pickle ... and the sauces. A lovely spicy, horseradish mustard and garlic aioli. It was really one of the best burgers I have ever had. I was so full that I didn't even finish all the fries. 

But that doesn't stop one from ordering dessert ... and when I saw a pumpkin creme brulee with salted caramel on the menu ... I couldn't not order it.

I ate every last drop of that bit of loveliness. It was so good. And a perfect way to end the meal. (By the way, I had a nice mild Malbec.) It was really a great meal overall, we had excellent service and of course, as always, great conversation and company. Which, frankly, always makes the meal even better.