Thoughts 19 Sep 2008 08:21 am
Carve in The Cannery East
We went to the Cannery East and had dinner at Carve. Obviously from the name a person would guess it was a steak house.
On a Wednesday evening around 7:30 there was no problem getting a table without a reservation.
Somebody commented that the restaurant is quiet and doesn’t feel like you were in a casino. It also doesn’t smell like the traditional casino restaurant. No stale smoke and no casino smell.
–Even without the smell of stale smoke all casinos smell alike. I’m not certain why but there is a unique aroma that goes well with the deliberately ugly carpet.–
The Prime Rib is kept in a warming drawer and looked hot and juicy. The chef carved the meat to order and trimmed off anything he didn’t like the looks of. –Unlike many places where they sort of hack off a chunk throw it on a plate and never look back.
We ordered fried calamari as an appetizer and then had Lamb Chops, Oysters Rockefeller and Surf and Turf for our main courses.
Our food arrived hot and was well presented.
The calamari was tender. –Which can be a bit of a trick since if it’s not cooked just right you wind up with something that has the texture of recycled tires.
The lamb Chops and the Oysters Rockefeller were both excellent.
My Surf and Turf came with a Lobster Tail that was actually the size you see in the commercials.
My steak on the other hand was a little tough and looked like the big brother of the NY Strip you get with the $1.99 breakfast specials. –This could have been due to my choice of meat. It seems to me that a Fillet Mignon was one of the options. Next time I’ll pay more attention.
The waiter was very attentive and knew everything on the menu including all the options without having to read over your shoulder to see what you were talking about. The menu also includes a very nice wine list.
Don’t ask me what the prices are because I have long since learned not to look at that part of the menu in any place that has one of those “upscale” names.
On the whole it was a very pleasant experience and I will undoubtedly go back. –Only next time I’m going to skip the appetizer and save room for that big ol’ piece of chocolate cake they had on the desert cart.