Home > The M.O. > Archives > 2008 > February > 13 > Entry
Wink and a smile
Arriving at the small space on Lamar Boulevard, we were greeted with warmth and familiarity by mâitre d’ Mark St. Clair, who showed us to our table. We perused the menu’s offerings, but this was generally a formality, as we were prepared to leave the culinary road to those who know best, the chefs. On this night, we wanted only to experiment with pleasure, not decision-making, so we ordered the chef’s five course tasting menu with wine pairing ($100/person).
Following an amuse-bouche of carrot and cardamom soup, the meal began with a light and delicious (it will be hard to find synonyms for which to replicate this word throughout my post) smoked salmon crespelle with crème frâiche. The divine salmon was topped with a bit of Rio Star grapefruit, the flavor of which was perfectly complemented by the 2006 Martin Codax Albarino, a crisp but gentle white wine that had its own distinctive hints of grapefruit.
After the plates were removed by our gregarious yet professional waiter Dickie, we had five to ten minutes to savor the lingering flavor of the salmon and enjoy the end of our wine (a timing that was repeated with consistency and perfection by the front and back of house staff), before being confronted with a succulent U10 scallop topped with a tender grilled gulf shrimp served in a savory lemon brown butter sauce. This dish represented what is unique about Wink. Although, some asperse the restaurant for its small portion sizes, the staff’s expert culinary skills left us no doubt that, while we may have been curious as to why the shrimp was sliced in half, we knew we were in good hands. Furthermore, once we had devoured the seafood (the richness of which was a perfect next step up from the light salmon dish), and admittedly passed over the plate once with the rustic ciabatta rolls offered us, there was not a drop of sauce to be found on the plate. As it should be. Too often a chef, or line cook, will leave your dish swimming in sauce, not only drowning out the flavor of the course, but leaving an aesthetical offense on your plate. Not so at Wink. The scallop and shrimp came with an earthy 2005 Chateau de Campuget Blanc that matched the intense but not overwhelming flavor of the brown butter and seafood.
Next up, duck leg confit with salsify, winter greens, crimini mushrooms and a fig balsamic. Here is the only part of the meal with which we took the slightest of exceptions. While perfectly cooked and wonderfully tender, the duck was quite salty, even for a confit. And we’re two unabashed lovers of salt. Despite the saltiness, the perfection of the cooking, subtle sweetness of the fig, balancing elements of the vegetables and earthiness of the 2005 Argiolas Perdera kept us from feeling the least bit slighted.
Fortunately we had another 10 minutes to rest before the grilled hanger steak arrived, accompanied by wilted spinach and hedgehog mushrooms. Once again, a perfectly grilled and succulent offering from the kitchen, paired with a 2006 Lioco Carignan-Petite Sirah blend from Mendocino County. Despite having satiated our appetites, we could have eaten portions of the steak until the restaurant closed.
The prix fixe concluded with a cheese plate paired with the Lucien Albrecht Rose, a sparkler from France that had a dry finish with crisp notes of berries. Much as the entirety of the meal to this point, the cheese plate proceeded from light to rich and savory, starting with a l’edel de celeron and finishing with a pungent St. Agur bleu topped with candied nuts.
While the cheese plate wonderfully rounded out the tasting menu, our craving for dessert could not be stopped, and without regard we bashed on to the Wink trio ($12). The dessert plate consisted of lemon meringue pot de creme, crème brulée, and el rey chocolate cake, all executed to perfection, and when eaten in order, a perfect succession from the tart and crispness of the meringue to the unbelievably decadent richness of the flourless chocolate cake with zinfandel-infused cherries.
Following our meal, Executive Chef and co-owner Mark Paul appeared from the kitchen and visited our table to discuss our dining experience, a personal touch that completed an exceptional night that bordered on culinary (and service) perfection.
As an aside, I have heard complaints about the portion sizes at Wink, to which I can only say that if you want to leave stuffed beyond belief as opposed to amazed and satisfied, there are plenty of fantastic steak houses sprinkled around town. It is true the portion sizes do not approach those of other restaurants around town, but the execution and flavor components of the dishes are beyond reproach. If you have a large appetite, I would not suggest avoiding the restaurant, but you may want to experiment with multiple appetizers, or just sit back and turn the controls over to the professionals at Wink and go with the chef’s tasting menu.
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