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The cheese plate is truly exceptional with cheeses both local and far flung. The cheese man is thrilled about cheese and happy to share stories.

Food, service, and total package here is smart and wonderful.

Wow! We went on a whirlwind tour of 3 restaurants on Saturday night. This was by far the star! We had a roasted artichoke with lemon aioli and the mussels & pommes frites. It was fantastic. The mussels are fantastic. They were covered in wonderful fries. The aioli is spicy & it was amazing. It sounds crazy but it was incredible. The artichoke was also fantastic. We were thrilled and can't wait to go back.

According to Baudelaire it seems to me, the poet, like the albatros lives in another world. A world removed - distant - from most of us. The danger to the poet - as for the albatrose - is when she or he is taken in by those parts of life which make us small and petty.

Between the food and wine and atmosphere, an evening at L'Albatros gives us the chance to leave our small selves behind for a while. Like the poet, we can fly - if only for a few hours.

joy

I went to L'Albatros last night and will be posting about it in my blog tonight (I even have pictures!).

This place was AMAZING. It had some slight organizational issues and the server should have brushed up on the menu a little more... But I expected that, it being the first night the restaurant was open to the public. It was EXCEPTIONAL.

We had:
- Chicken Liver/Foie Gras Mousse with toast points
- L'Albatros (House drink made with Absinthe, pineapple juice and fresh mint)
- French Onion Soup
- Skate Wing (Jeff)
- Steak Frites (Me)
- Pineapple Tarte Tatin (Pineapple tart with puff pastry, caramel, and coconut ice cream on top)

I'll post more about it tonight (and I'll post some pictures)

(I'm at work and it won't let me log in here...But I'm on your "follower" list as Cara.)

Thanks so much for posting about your experience - can't wait to try. And good luck to you!

I was fortunate enough to attend the soft opening of this new east side gem last night and I must say that I left satisfied.
The restaurant has a very clean, minimalistic design to it. For the most part the entire place is draped in brilliant white which helps to provide a cozy feeling amongst the dim lighting. The bar was lively and seems like the perfect place to warm up with a beer and a cup of onion soup gratinee.
The menu is pretty extensive, loaded with classic French braises, pates and charcuterie, confits, and even a pair of vegetarian options.
To start my father and I shared the pork and veal pate and the sundried tomato and goat cheese tart. The pate was pretty good; sliced thick and served with assorted pickles and watercress. The tart, however, hit the spot. It was warm and loaded with enough goat cheese to cut through the savory crust and bitter frisee. For my entree I selected the pork two ways. I was presented with a large portion of melting pork shank, seared shortribs, fried cauliflower, and a very nice whole grain mustard sauce which was ideal for cutting through all the richness of the dish. I washed the dish down with a tall glass of Chimay which didn't hurt either. My father went with the servers suggestion of sauteed skate with brown butter. The skate was cooked perfectly to preserve the sweetness of the flesh. My father, who is not a very adventurous eater, cleaned his plate.
As far as the $15 check average, I believe you will have to show up for lunch. Dinner hors d'oeuvres, salads, and desserts averaged out at about $8 while entrees ranged from $12 - $28.
Overall I was impressed with my visit and capped the night off by having a great conversation with Chef Bruell about being a young cook trying to make it in this city. Who knows, maybe someday I will be preparing the wonderful food that I hope you all get a chance to try.

Thanks for the heads-up on the article tomorrow. Looking forward to checking out the new place - will probably try to go in the next few days - before the baby comes. It's next on my list for Metromix.

I"m a server/food runner for L'Albatros. Keep on Eye on The PD's TASTE section this Wednesday for the feature article on the restaurant. if you want to get in before the possible media incited rush, its open for Business tomorrow. 5:30pm.

its an amazing place!!

Hey Michelle,

I've tagged you in a blog game. Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Thanks!

-Cal

I'm going to try and hit this place this week. Parallax is one of my favorites. Table 45 not so much. This is going to fit a niche the east side is in need of. If I want to lay out bigger cash, there are plenty of options for dinner. But if I want something a little cheaper, well, I have to go to the west side.

golf for sure.

the old that place on belflower is a great venue. amazing patio. i can't wait to check it out!

He is a big golfer, so that would make sense. He was telling me about his golf game when I interviewed him.

in the poem "rhyme of the ancient mariner", the albatross was actually good luck. it only became a burden when the mariner killed it. (the negative connotation is the one that has survived, though.)

albatross is also a golf term. i believe it means a three-under-par shot -- as in birdie, eagle, albatross. mr. bruell is an avid golfer, i think.

Was it intentional to name a restaurant "The Albatross" which is symbolic of a terrible burden? Is this some sort of dark humor?