Here’s a recap of our recent Bruell eats:

On Saturday, I got together with my oldest and dearest friends to celebrate two birthdays at Chinato. Our husbands were there too, though you wouldn’t have known it until we left (boys on one side, girls on the other). For two of the couples, this was their first trip.

The night did start off a little shaky. There were 8 of us and they sat us in a table clearly meant for 6. Sure, we could have all fit, but we would have been packed like in sardines and no one wants to go through a meal without being able to lift your arms. That’s not conducive for an enjoyable night out (and knowing we were an 8 top is why I made rezzies nearly 6 weeks out).

The management quickly saw this was an issue and changed our table. Problem (easily and swiftly) solved. Unfortunately, the somewhat shaky service did continue throughout the night. I get it was crowded and I get it was a Saturday night. But I have to imagine we’d be a good table to have: fun group, lots of food, lots of alcohol and we weren’t in a hurry to get someplace. But there were small things throughout the night that made us all feel like it was a bother to wait on us and that our server had much better things to be doing with his time (forgetting to bring things out, rolling eyes when asking for oil for bread, rather condescending overall, etc.).

But on to what really matters – the food! And as all of our previous visits, the food was stellar. We started off with fried artichokes, mussels, involtini and ribollita for the table. For my dinner, I had my favorite fennel salad (seriously, I can’t go there without ordering this) and a half order of the pappardelle with creamed cauliflower, pecorino and peperoncini (love how there is zero cream in this velvety sauce).

Everything was top notch and happily devoured by all. If you haven’t been, I recommend going soon. And despite the off service this night, we have enjoyed wonderful service on past visits.

For our 4^th wedding anniversary, we went to Parallax. Now this has long been a favorite of ours since he first opened. We love sitting out front during the summer, cocktails at the bar, and the main dining room, too. And they have some of my favorite sushi in town. But I have to say, this was my first trip to Parallax were I didn’t leave wowed and completely content.

I started with the yellowtail, jalapeno, mango chirashi with avocado sushi rice, followed by the beet salad and finally the udon noodles with rock shrimp & pork belly (miso black cod – as always – for Jamie).

I stand corrected. I was quite content and overly smitten with my entrée. Plenty of pork belly and shrimp swimming in mounds of noodles. I was happy. But not so much with my two starters. The beets weren’t cooked enough and the chirashi was just bland (which was surprising given its accompaniments).

But everyplace has off days and perhaps this was one of them. Because like I said, we’ve been big fans for years now and one experience like this won’t change that.

Finally, dinner with friends at L’Albatros. My favorite outing of the three (meal wise) because of two things: Brandon and cheese. Zack is truly lucky to have found Brandon and us Clevelanders are lucky Brandon chooses to call Cleveland home (side note: read more about how Brandon Chrostowski ended up here in Fresh Water). Service was excellent as was the food. And if you’re a fan of cheese, you simply can’t leave until you have let Brandon share some of his favorites with you.

While the cheese is always my favorite part of my L’Albatros experience, I did also greatly enjoy my oysters and braised leg of lamb. And the overall atmosphere is my favorite of all three.

1. What five things should be in everyone’s pantry? Kosher salt, rice wine vinegar, white pepper, coriander (either fresh or dried), red pepper flakes. I generally prefer everything to be a little spicy.

2. What is your favorite spice to work with? Coriander because of its versatility.

3. First job? McDonald’s

4. Why did you become a chef? Became I love food and I hate paperwork.

5.  What’s it like working for Zack Bruell? How much liberty do you have with the menu? Zack is great to work for. He trusts me to execute his concept and expand upon it. We see eye to eye in terms of flavor profiles, so it is a very good relationship.

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland and which one do you miss? My favorite restaurant in Cleveland would have to be Bar Cento. The combination of the perfect French fry and great pizza is hard to beat. They also have amazing salads and I cannot wait until it is ramp pizza time.

7. Where did you grow up? Favorite meal from your childhood? Akron. Swenson’s hamburgers, creamed chicken.

8. You’re having a dinner party, top five songs on your playlist? I have no top five because I’m not really into set playlists. I prefer something more like Pandora because you never know what will come on. It would be some combination of Wilco, Erykah Badu, My Morning Jacket, Hall and Oates, and Calexico.

9. What book are you currently reading? What show do you never miss? Since my girlfriend, Colleen, is getting ready to have our first child any day, there has been a lot of baby books. Other than that, I read a lot of cookbooks, currently it’s Momofuku and Real Cajun by Donald Link. Right now we are watching Rescue Me and Nip/Tuck on Netflix.

10. If you could be any other person for a day, who would it be? Somebody with a boat, someplace warm and doesn’t have to work.

11. If you had 2 minutes with LeBron, what would you tell him? Remember that you are just a basketball player – a great basketball player, but just a basketball player nonetheless.

12 What’s your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? I love the selection of ethnic restaurants and markets. What drives me nuts is the lack of quality fried chicken and barbeque.

13. What is one dish at L’Albatros everyone needs to try? Escargot for an appetizer and the 1/2 roasted chicken for an entree. Both are classic brasserie dishes.   We use the same snails that they do at Charlie Trotters, Daniel, and Le Bernardin, so you could say that they are good quality.  For the chicken, we use a red wine and tarragon brine that makes it incredibly moist with great crispy skin.

14. Favorite cooking trick we could use at home? Making different pickled vegetables is a great trick for home cooks because they are easy and affordable to make, and they add an exciting layer of flavor to dishes.

L’Albatros Croque Monsieur Recipe courtesy of David Uecke, Chef du Cuisine (serves four)

• Brioche bread sliced (½ inch thick)

• Smoked ham sliced thin

• 4 tbsp whole grain mustard

• Swiss cheese sliced thin

• 4 tbsp whole butter

Method: Spread whole grain mustard on one side of each slice of bread.    Place one slice of Swiss cheese on each side of bread, on top of mustard.  Add five slices of ham per sandwich.  Put sandwich together and butter outsides of bread.  Cook in medium size nonstick pan or griddle until golden brown.

Goat cheese sauce:

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup fresh goat cheese

• ½ tsp ground fennel seed

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp white pepper

Method: Cook in medium size saucepan.  Heat heavy cream until it begins to simmer.  With a whisk, slowly incorporate the goat cheese.  Season to taste with fennel seed, salt, and white pepper.

To finish sandwich, top with goat cheese sauce.  Place under broiler until sauce browns slightly.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Glenn, the beer specialist at the University Heights store, not surprisingly suggests a good lager with this sandwich. “Although many beer styles will go very well with this classic sandwich, I would suggest Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest,” he explains. “This medium bodied amber lager has a malty base that is perfect with smoked ham. Although this beer is lightly hopped, it will not interfere with the subtle flavor of the goat cheese sauce. This beer’s dry finish will compliment the overall recipe.”

He adds that by finishing this sandwich under the broiler until the sauce browns slightly, allows the light sweetness of this malty beer to be distinguished.

For as much as I enjoy cheese, whether at home or dining out (I prefer cheese at the end of my meal versus something sweet), I’ve never participated in a structured cheese tasting. That is until L’Albatros extended an invitation for a few bloggers to participate.

Now, if you’ve been to L’Albatros, I don’t have to tell you about the food and how truly wonderful it is. You know this (and if you don’t, you’re missing out). And if you’ve dined here, chances are you’ve met Brandon Chrostowski and have already been wowed by their impressive cheese selection (the best in Cleveland) and his extensive knowledge. Well, imagine an entire evening of this.

We participated in the Italian cheese and wine tasting last week. For two hours, a group of 50 or so listened to music, sampled light hors d’oeuvres, and were taken on a trip throughout the regions of Italy where we enjoyed wines and cheese hand selected by Brandon, a certified sommelier, fromager and trained chef — a triple threat (read more about Brandon here).

The eight cheeses we sampled include: La Tur, Casatica di Bufala, Salva Cremasco, Pecorino Sardo, Testun al Barolo, Monte Veronese Malga, Taleggio Bergamasco and Blu del Moncenisio – plus carefully selected wines to accompany each.

Brandon won us over after our first visit to L’Albatros shortly after they opened. And this tasting just amplified what I like best about him. He’s knowledgeable, but not in a pretentious way. And he’s a wonderful storyteller who genuinely enjoys passing on his learnings and sharing the back story of each cheese- where it comes from, interesting facts, etc. So each guest walks away with something other than a new favorite cheese.

My personal favorite cheese of the night was the very first course, La Tur. This incredibly creamy cheese comes from Piemonte. It might just be one of the best cheeses I’ve ever tried. I was also impressed with the Testun al Barolo, but I truthfully don’t know if it was the floral hints of this cheese I liked so much or the great lengths Brandon went to for us to try (one hard-to-pronounce volcano  kept his order in Italy, and the horrible weather down south, where the only cheese monger in the US he was able to locate resides, was also affected by Mother Nature).  I actually enjoyed each course, with the exception of the last one – mostly because I’m just not into bleu cheese.

The staff was quite generous with the portions – for both the wine and cheese. They regularly came around to top off the wine and offer more cheese (though trust me, no one needed it). Like I said, we were guests, but the cost of this tasting (and most of their tastings), is $50. And I can tell you that is an incredible deal given all that you experience during the two hours. At the end, you have the opportunity to buy any of the wines and/or cheeses (I bought the vin santo del chianti, castello sonnino, Montespertoli. I didn’t care for the blu cheese it was paired with, but surprisingly liked this dessert wine).

The only thing I would have liked with this pairing was perhaps some greens or even sorbet about half way through, just to break it up (it is a lot of cheese, even for me, and you need something to cut through it all). But truly, even without, this was an impressive tasting and I highly recommend experiencing first-hand.

Parallax

The next day, I took a client to another of Zack Bruell’s restaurants: Parallax in Tremont. I’ve been impressed with this restaurant since the day he opened it. It’s always spot on and one of the best restaurants in town. We sat outside and I took advantage of it being a Wednesday when they offer the full sushi menu: sashimi combo of yellowtail, white tuna and tuna, plus a cup of the leek soup. I’m a fan of nearly everything I’ve tried there, but the sushi is among my favorite in town. Always fresh, inventive and completely satisfying. Sushi is available for lunch at Parallax everyday, but only a limited offering – except on Wednesdays. The entire sushi menu is available for dinner each night.

Bruell’s Seared Sea Scallops with Thai Curry

Add olive oil to sauté pan over high heat.  When smoking, place sea scallops in pan with butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 30-40 seconds on each side until golden brown and caramelized.  Remove from the pan.  In the same pan, add curry paste, brown sugar, coconut milk and fish sauce.  Whisk together over high heat.  Finish with chopped cilantro.

Roasted Eggplant with Fresh Tomatoes, Feta and Mozzarella Cheese Pomegranate Reduction (adapted from Table 45’s current winter menu)

Ingredients

Eggplant

Method: In a bowl, toss the slices in olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven until tender and cool in refrigerator. When ready to serve bring to temperature on the grill or oven.

Yogurt Sauce

Method: Add all the ingredients together and incorporate well; hold in refrigerator.

Pomegranate Reduction

Method: Place the pomegranate juice and vinegar in a small pot.  On medium to low heat reduce the mixture till little less than half.  Once reduce transfer reduction to another container and let cool.  The pomegranate Reduction should be thick where it can be slowly drizzled onto a plate.  If the mixture has been reduced too much you can always add more pomegranate juice until in thins up to where it can be drizzled.

Plating: Layer eggplant in the middle of the plate. Take sauce and drizzle along the outside of the eggplant. Garnish the top of the eggplant with feta cheese and tomato salad. Drizzle with pomegranate sauce.

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This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making these dishes at home, the wine experts have two recommendations:

• For the scallops: ZAZA, a  serious Rosé from Spain that could almost be called a light red.  Abundant berry flavors and surprisingly full body makes this a Rosé to get excited about.  ($9.99/bottle)
• For the eggplant: Alexander Valley New Gewurztraminer // Perhaps the best-value Gewurztraminer from CA. Perfumed aromas and pear and spice flavors make this organic-farmed wine great with Asian foods. ($8.99/bottle)

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New lunch and dinner menus at Parallax. Both menus will focus heavily on the cuisine of the Far East, including a lot of seafood options, from Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Thailand. Lunch options start at $8; $15 for dinner.  New lunch entrees include Japanese Fried Chicken with Napa slaw, hot rice and Japanese BBQ; Grilled Mahi with cilantro oil, Latin style creamed corn and South American pepper sauce; a Corn Fried Walleye Sandwich with sweet onion marmalade, Napa slaw and spicy mayo; and a Vietnamese Sub.   The dinner menu features entrees like Wasabi Pea Crusted Salmon with Ginger-Carrot Coulis and Edamame or Udon Noodles prepared “Japanese Carbonara” style.  Classic dishes receive an Asian twist like Grilled Hanger Steak with Vietnamese Pho and Steamed Mussels with Thai Sausage, Chiles and Lemongrass Broth or Bruell’s Monkfish “Osso Bucco,” flavored with Milanese Risotto and spiced with Ginger Orange Gremolata.

Speaking of Bruell, demo recently started for his latest endeavor, Chinato, on E 4th. At L’Albatros last week for dinner (“French Toast” and escargots for apps followed by the cassoulet and cheese – another outstanding meal), Brandon shared with us that while the team hopes to be open towards the end of the year, he feels January is more realistic. He also let us sample some Chinato wine, for which the Italian restaurant is named after. It’s a different wine – unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. In fact (and I know this comparison will make wine aficionados shudder – sorry), it sort of reminded me of Fire Water, perhaps more smell than taste. I didn’t care for it – but absolutely can not wait for this restaurant to open.

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There’s a new chef at Umami, Matthew Anderson, formerly of Sapore. In addition to some menu changes (though the restaurant’s theme will remain the same) this ultra tiny Chagrin Falls restaurant is once again back open for lunch.

I went last week with a coworker. I thought it was good – but not great. I really enjoyed my pumpkin coconut soup but thought the tuna with squash was overpowered in taste by too much charring. Nonetheless, I’m exited to see what becomes of the place and that it’s open for lunch. We’ll be back.

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Three Browns Sunday pre-game brunches left at Crop Bistro. Load up on brats, double-double lamb sliders, chipotle BBQ ribs, eggs and waffles and the macaroni and Amish cheddar topped with braised brisket. In addition, the Crop crew will be raffling off Browns-related books and on 12/27, meet Plain Dealer columnist Michael Heaton, son of beloved sports witer Chuck Heaton. The first 20 people to make reservations for the 12/27 and 1/3 brunch dates here will receive a FREE copy of Chuck’s book, Browns Scrapbook, on 12/27 and Scott Huler’s book, On Being Brown, on 1/3.

Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on these dates only (beer and wine available).

This was our third visit to the restaurant. On prior visits, we sat in the same room, the one that’s to the right of the bar. This time we sat to the left of the bar in the cozy brick room with a fireplace and views of the patio.

We started off with a wonderful bottle of the Normon petite syrah, of which I think I enjoyed the majority. I passed on the cauliflower soup for fear of making the same mistake on previous visits (filling up on soup and not being able to fully enjoy anything else) and instead opted for the beat salad. I peaked at nearby diners’ tables and they all seemed to be oohing and ahhing over the soup. Chef Bruell’s creativity really shines, in my opinion, with soups. None the less I opted to pass on what I know would have been wonderfully tasty for something that was just okay (the beet salad actually only had a hint of beets). Regardless, it’s not the salads that draw one into L’Albtros or keep bringing us back.

For dinner, I ordered the braised leg of lamb over pasta risotto and rosemary jus while Jamie once again chose the Saturday night special: beef bourguignon with pearl onions, mushrooms and burgandy reduction. Our server shared with us that this continues to be one of the most popular items and they sell out each Saturday by 8 p.m.

Wow. There really isn’t a better way to describe our meals. Before we even took a bite, we knew we were in for a treat based on aromas alone. When you can smell your dish approaching, you know it’s going to impress you. Jamie’s dish was even better than we remembered from our first visit. And the lamb – that just might be the best lamb I’ve had out in a long time.

And to top it all off – and what made Jamie bring me here in the first place – five glorious cheeses handpicked from Brandon Chrostowski, manager/fromager. Honestly, I would love to share exactly what I had, but I was feeling too good from the wine to bother writing anything down, and the more and more I turn 29, the less and less I can remember. But it doesn’t matter – just tell Brandon what you like and he’ll happily set you up on a wonderful journey that will delight your palate.

It was a perfect evening and a delicious way to end an already good day that started off at the farmer’s market at Shaker Square (purchases at Ohio Honey and Tea Hill Farms) and breakfast at Vine & Bean (more on that later).

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Speaking of Zack Bruell, if you’re a fan, you might be interested to know he’s offering his version of cooking classes: Take 45 with Zack at Table 45.

The interactive cooking demonstrations and tastings will feature Bruell preparing his signature eclectic fare, providing techniques, tips and insight in Table 45’s state-of-the art open kitchen. Sessions will feature a different theme every month; the first is Tandoori oven cooking.

Take 45 will take place every other Tuesday at 6 p.m., beginning June 23, and accommodates up to eight participants. The demonstrations cost $55 per person, including chef-prepared cuisine. Optional wine pairings are available for $25 per person. Reservations are required. Call 216-707-4045.

Obviously, we go out to eat quite a bit. I was thinking about why we never made it to Table 45 previously and I think it comes down to its location. Being inside a hotel, it’s somewhat hidden from the outside world and therefore never top-of-mind. On the flip side, its proximity to the museums and orchestra is ideal, especially since there are only a handful of places I would recommend dining in that area before an event. For the most part, we like to go to places where we can walk around after, sit on a patio or sit back and enjoy the crowd and atmosphere. I suppose if I really think about it, being situated inside that hotel in particular is the reason why we’ve never gone until recently, when Bruell’s PR person invited us to have dinner, thus completing the tour de Bruell (if you’re a regular reader, then you know I’m a big fan of Parallax and L’Albatros).

Table 45, which is named after Bruell’s favorite table at Parallax, sits on the first floor of the hotel. And while there are a few negatives associated with its location, one big plus is complimentary valet parking (just be sure to have your server validate you ticket). Like Bruell’s food, I also appreciate his taste in décor and how he transformed L’Albatros and Parallax. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Table 45. The restaurant itself is big and super contemporary with lots of blond wood. It’s clean and simple, just not my taste. It reminded me of a giant, cold, sterile conference room. Perhaps that’s because it’s in a hotel and surrounded by the massive Clinic. Perhaps he didn’t have much of a say in the design and the restaurant had to fit within certain confines. I’m not sure. But we both definitely preferred the atmosphere of his other restaurants over this one. With that being said, there were a couple elements we both enjoyed, specifically the flatware and bread and appetizer plates as well as a few booths that are somewhat hidden – plus table 45 itself, which is a glass-enclosed table located inside the kitchen and provides guests with direct access to the chef (who cooks just for you). I haven’t seen anything like this in our area before; ideal if you have a special occasion.

Table 45’s menu is globally focused, with extra nods to Indian cuisine (a big plus for me). We started off with the homemade naan which featured four different spreads (the hummus and olive tapenade the clear winners). From our table we watched the one chef toss the dough into the 800 degree Tandoori oven and a minute later, carefully pull out some of the best naan we’ve ever sampled. After dinner, we got an even closer look into the oven and all that goes into naan.

For appetizers, I had the tuna carpaccio with cucumbers, tomato, Feta and mint oil; Jamie went with the black bean soup topped with generous amounts of goat cheese. For salads, I tried the Belgian endive with shaved prosciutto and Parmesan, citrus slices and olive oil while Jamie had the wedge with Maytag bleu, eggs, red onion and caramelized lardoons. For our dinner, I chose a new item: the poached halibut infused with olive oil and herbs served atop lentils, saffron aioli, roasted garlic and smoked paprika broth. Jamie ordered the fennel-crusted short ribs with red peppers, potatoes and roasted fennel.

The tuna was outstanding, both in taste and presentation. Fresh, flavorful and incredibly satisfying. I loved the mint oil and cucumbers paired with the tuna. Jamie was also equally impressed with his soup, and so was I after the few tastes I had. I loved the texture of this soup and the creamy goat cheese. The salads were just ok – nothing memorable here. In fact, my salad was missing the one ingredient I was most excited about – the prosciutto.

As for the dinners, it’s been two weeks since we dined there and are still telling friends just how good both dishes were. My halibut was absolutely wonderful. I savored each bite and was truly impressed with this dish, same for the short ribs. While the ribs didn’t have as much fennel taste as I would have hoped for, they were tender, cooked perfectly and left Jamie speechless during most of the meal. Both dishes were executed beautifully and left us smiling the whole ride home.

Zack Bruell continues to impress us with is culinary know-how and creativity in the kitchen. I am a bona-fide fan. We truly have so much talent in this city and while some of my favorite chefs are no longer technically cooking on a daily basis, they are educating, training and passing on their points of view to the next generation, like sous chef Tom Shrenk who was in the kitchen the night we were there.

So while I may not be wowed with the space itself, based on this visit, the food is truly wonderful and a good choice if you’re in the area. Again, aside from L’Albatros and Michaelangelo’s, there isn’t much else I’d recommend if you have plans within the vicinity.

– Fire / Daily complimentary valet service now available. In addition, the spring dinner menu begins April 28. Also on the 28th, Fire will be serving house made hors d’oeuvres and cocktails featuring house made syrups at the bar from 4:30 p.m. -6:30 p.m. daily.

– Umami Asian Kitchen / Now open for lunch.

– Sarava / Summer hours resume Sunday April 19th (open every Sunday 5-9 p.m.). From Sunday April 19th through Sunday May 3rd, stop in for free dessert with a $20 purchase. Also, RIO rewards members get $10 off their check over $25 this month. If you aren’t a member, you can join on their site and earn points from both Sarava and Sergio’s.

– Cuffs Chagrin Falls / Wine tasting, April 16, $25 pp. Brian Lynch of Wilson and Daniels (burgandy portfolio)

– Lucky’s Cafe / Saturday dinner on April 18 featuring a four-course menu of Italian classics, like gnocci, risotto, pappardelle and eggplant parmesan. $35 pp with a portion benefiting the Red Cross.

– Happy hour @ L’Albatros. Mon – Sat , 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., enjoy $5 appetizers and $7 drinks (small plates like fried cauliflower, pome frittes, goat cheese tart, burger, mussels). I continue to be impressed by this restaurant and am really looking forward to the opening of their patio, one of the best in town.

– Ty Fun / 20% off your bill on Mondays

– Wine classes @ Blue Canyon. Beginning April 16 and lasting weekly until May 7, learn more about wine and sample some good food in a series of wine education classes. Each class offers 5 – 6 varieties plus food pairings. Cost is $30 per class or $99 for all four. Space is limited to 30 per class.

– A Cookie & a Cupcake is working on adding a patio that will be ready as soon as the weather cooperates.

– Grovewood Tavern celebrates 10 years of business with 10 entrees priced $19.99.

– Momocho / Spring menu changes should be in effect by end of April. Grilled corn on the cob will return plus the addition of soft shell crabs, plancha style (cooked on a griddle with a weighted press) and new taquitos. And of course, Momocho will have specials for Cinco de Mayo starting at 3 p.m.

– Openings / Jekyll’s (former Blake’s) in Chagrin Falls in now open. And the one I personally can’t wait for, The Greenhouse Tavern finally opens this Tuesday! Also, a very big congratulations to the team at GHT for becoming Ohio’s first certified green restaurant – that’s huge!

Finally, I went to the store today to pick up a few things for my Easter dinner contribution (cauliflower risotto with brie and almonds). While in line, I picked up a copy of Bon Appetit since I let my subscription lapse. Tucked between the pages of tempting recipes that I will someday attempt, is a coast-to-coast guide on the recipes and restaurants that make the U.S. the best place to eat in the world, titled The United Plates of America. Representing Ohio, is the walleye with herb dumpling at Lola and blueberry ale from Rocky River Brewing Company. More national ink for Cleveland – congratulations!

A few weeks ago, chef Zack Bruell’s PR person e-mailed me to extend an invite for dinner at Parallax on him as a way of saying thank you for the coverage and helping to drive traffic to his restaurants. This blog was started out of my passion for local food and Cleveland a few years ago. I don’t make any money on it and we always pay for our own meal. But on occasion, a chef will send something over to the table, or as the case last week, invite us to dinner. Although the gestures are greatly appreciated, it’s worth noting that I never let anything influence my posts. After all, if I’m not honest, I’ll lose credibility and people will stop reading.

I’ve written about Parallax a lot. It’s easily one of our favorite restaurants and on my short list of places I recommend when contacted for suggestions. The food and service are consistently good and there is always something new on the menu to try.

On our visit, we started off with two salads: seared scallop with tomatoes, bacon, arugula and white French dressing for me and warm goat cheese with endive and mustard vinaigrette for Jamie. For dinner, I went with the seared tuna with horseradish mashed potatoes and port wine sauce while Jamie had the popular Alaskan black cod with miso glaze. We also shared the unavo roll and each had a glass of the Woop Woop cab.

I’ve had the scallop salad before. I like the different textures and the scallops combined with the dressing. This time, however, the scallops were too salty. I ate them, and enjoyed the rest of the salad, but looking back I probably should have said something.

Our roll was really quite good. I’m not sure if people think of Parallax for sushi. I’ve gone several times for this alone. It’s always fresh, nicely prepared and really enjoyable.

My tuna was also quite good, especially the horseradish mashed potatoes. I was debating between that and the Thai seafood stew. Although the stew sounded rather tempting, in the end, I was very happy with my dish.

The black miso cod also delivered. This dish is a perfect example of how consistent the kitchen is. Jamie and I both have ordered the cod many times over the past few years and it’s always spot on.

While I’ve yet to try Table 45, between L’Albatros and Parallax, chef Bruell continues to earn high praises from us. And Natalie, too, considering she has already been to both at the ripe old age of 3 months.