frasca

[mongo_jones]

trust us to be the only people to ever have had a less than stellar meal at frasca. that soup is just dull. the meatball could be good--the broth etc. that it was in was very good--the meatball itself was either overly salted or is a highly acquired taste. oh, won't someone try it?

 

i do sometimes think that everyone in boulder and environs is so excited to have frasca here that they may be bordering on idolatory--perhaps understandable and justified.

[rlm]

i do sometimes think that everyone in boulder and environs is so excited to have frasca here that they may be bordering on idolatory--perhaps understandable and justified.

Perhaps. However, on my first trip last August I had no idea if I was about to have a "Lucca Lucca experience" filled with mediocre food or a meal that would make my taste buds sing. Thankfully, it was the latter. I hope the hype doesn't make people go in with expectations that are impossible to satisfy though.

 

Mongo, are there comparable restaurants (in L.A., for example) you have frequented where you have been consistently satisified? You seem to have a high proportion of disappointing experiences, so I'm curious which places fulfill what you're looking for in a restaurant.

[CheeseMonger]

the meatball itself was either overly salted or is a highly acquired taste. oh, won't someone try it?

 

When I stopped by after work on Saturday I decided to stay and have a bite at the bar. I thought hard about that Meatball, just to see if my experience would compare. But, I was too tempted by the Agnolotti 21 orders, since it was early and I know I'd get it. What can I say - the word "bacon" was too tempting in the description. Next time- I promise.

[mongo_jones]

Mongo, are there comparable restaurants (in L.A., for example) you have frequented where you have been consistently satisified? You seem to have a high proportion of disappointing experiences, so I'm curious which places fulfill what you're looking for in a restaurant.

do i sound like such a snob? i'm just hard to please--level of difficulty rising proportionately with price. also, i didn't eat at fancy restaurants on a regular basis in los angeles, but some places where i was consistently satisfied were the water grill, michel richard's now defunct citrus, valentino and spago beverly hills--so it can be done. keep in mind, however, that i'd only been to these places a couple of times--perhaps if i'd eaten there more often disappointment would have eventually occured. there were also highly rated places that disappointed me on more than one occasion as well: puck's chinois on main, patina etc.. here in colorado i really liked the food at luca d'italia (service was another story).

 

but only half of our second meal at frasca was bad--the other half was very good. i think my disappointment stems largely from having convinced myself that it is a bulletproof restaurant. what i mostly look for in a restaurant is for all the food to be good--the more expensive the restaurant is the more i also look for things like no rugby scrum at the entrance. strange cheese-related behavior aside, the service at frasca has always been very good.

 

it is also possible that i don't get that meatball--this is why i keep hoping someone else has/will tried/try it.

 

by the way, i am beginning to suspect that this "21 orders" business is just cutesiness. we ordered our dinner at about 9.30 pm--when i asked the waiter if the "21 orders" was still available, he looked at me funnily and said "oh we always have everything on the menu" or something like that. then again this is also the guy who denied cheesemonger three times before the cock crowed that night.

[mike k]

Mongo, you are correct remembering my similar salt-encrusted visit. And I'm about as salt-phobic as a tuna. I would guess that the food is mostly great, the slips aren't noticed by everyone, and the chances of one being caught and reported here are just extremely low. Perhaps our coincidental experience has something to do with our other detremental similarities. I almost bought a bottle of Famous Grouse last week, but decided to hold out and see if we can arrange that tasting we really ought to have. But back to the subject at hand, that response to your 21 orders question is odd indeed.

 

A couple of nights ago on one of our rare dinners out, Mrs. K and I chose The Kitchen. (Not that we could have gotten into Frasca.) They had fresh burrata - did that come from you cheesemonger? The waiter said there are 2 producers in the US, and they don't order it too often. It was quite decadent. Not so amazing that I would have to order it again, but good enough that I might. I also had a perfect duck confit. Nothing else too special, but a very enjoyable meal and great service.

[CheeseMonger]

They had fresh burrata - did that come from you cheesemonger?

 

Actually, no. I supply The Kitchen, but the Buratta was once thing I wanted to *not* be the middleman (middlewoman? -person?) on. It's so delicate, I advised them to get it straight from the producer in CA so it will be super fresh, and if I get it for them, of course I have to mark it up, and, I don't ever want to have it for retail, unless by pre-order.

[rlm]

it is also possible that i don't get that meatball--this is why i keep hoping someone else has/will tried/try it.

You know, Mongo, I actually DID have the meatball once. And enjoyed it, per my notes, although nothing stands out in my mind about it. I’ve eaten there too many times now to remember everything I’ve had off the top of my head so I pathetically had to refer to MY OWN POST on this very board where I mention having the ball o’meat. They tweak the dishes from time to time, as mine was made with veal and ricotta. The one on the menu now mentions potatoes and carrots. Random stranger at bar tonight was raving about the meatball, although where that fits in the realm of food critiques I just can’t say.

 

Holyjeebus that Agnolotti is good though. I was a nice wifey and brought the Mr. back cheese and chocolates to go with his burger (he didn’t want to go out, I didn’t want to cook, and his level of skill in the kitchen does not surpass Kraft Mac). He might be the only person that has eaten food from Wendy’s and Frasca in one meal (it was going to be Chipotle, but Wendy’s was more convenient). I managed to snag a microscopic taste of each of the cheeses (Bonrus, Pecorino, Valdeon), but he wouldn’t let me near the chocolates. There was a cone-shaped chocolate wrapped in foil that was his favorite. The cheeses did not last long enough for him to proclaim a winner.

[fredbram]

Yowza! Another great meal at Frasca tonight. Housemade ricotta app w/rhubarb sauce, duck pate, split an agnolotti w/cannellini bean filling, and had pork belly w/a cooked chutneyish thing of dried apricots and a fresh chutneyish thing of grated apples, and lamb saddle w/potatoes, spinach and wild shrooms for entrees.

We let them do wine pairings which were mostly very good, the server was not as good as everything else about the meal, but everything else was very good and she was not bad (just a little condescending).

[mongo_jones]

fred, to think you had the opportunity to see what was up with the meatball and declined. very selfish of you.

 

question for rlm and other monday night prix fixers: are these now all wine dinners?

[rlm]

question for rlm and other monday night prix fixers: are these now all wine dinners?

Mongo, the paired wines have always been optional with the fixed Monday night menu.

 

We took a couple more friends to Frasca and they are now insanely in love with the place too (and one of them doesn't even like wine and nursed one beer throughout the entire meal). I had the creamy polenta as a starter, and Mr. rlm and I had the melt-in-your-mouth veal for two. Lots of beverages too (I love designated drivers). One of my friends almost went with the meatball as a main, but they ended up with the veal as well.

 

I noticed the marlin has been replaced with frog legs on the menu. Hmmmm.

 

Anyone tried the Hawaiian fish yet?

 

Will someone else please appease Mongo and try the damn meatball already?

[fredbram]

I briefly considered the meatball as an entree, but yes, I was selfish.

 

We're going back in early June with another couple--maybe I will subtly encourage some poor unsuspecting tablemate to order the meatball. Or not.

[CheeseMonger]

I'm slated for Saturday. I'm still considering that damned meatball, but the Pork Belly is calling to my porky belly.

[bolderite]

Do not miss the pork belly, no matter how much mongo wants company.

 

We dine tonight for Junior's birthday (kids these days). Mr. H lobbied hard for a monday night dinner on the theory of cost containment since both youngsters will no doubt order both an app and an entree. I told him he would just have to choose more prudently in the wine department.

 

I will report back with the appropriate caveat that I suggested others invoke in that "other" thread that we have a "relationship" with the owner and his wife.

[mongo_jones]

We dine tonight for Junior's birthday (kids these days). Mr. H lobbied hard for a monday night dinner on the theory of cost containment since both youngsters will no doubt order both an app and an entree.

one of the juniors should be an easy sell on the meatball...

 

next time i go to frasca i am telling them i have a "relationship" with the h's--let's see how many degrees of separation work.

[rlm]

Do not miss the pork belly, no matter how much mongo wants company.

Oh, god, yes, Amy's right--get the pork belly, CheeseMonger. I have to restrain myself from ordering it yet again each time since I want to sample more of the menu.

 

And wow--taking the kids to Frasca for the b-day. How nice are you! My parental units wouldn't even give me a party at Pizza Hut.