I am only concerned with the execution of the items. It is imperative that every reader knows that the Big Boy does not rate on ambiance, presentation or service. It would be a 5-star joint all day every day if one skips the Mac & Cheese. In fact, I was giving them a 5 Star review all meal long, until this parted my lips. the cheese sauce was mild and exceedingly bland and the ham was just off base and unpleasant. I found the pasta to be soggy and not at all al dente. This was a complete and total let down after the awesome seared animal flesh and sea scallops that preceded it. This brings us to the final fare to be dissected, Benton's Country Ham Mac & Cheese. It was made from fresh ingredients, but something was just slightly off. The side Caesar salad, however, was, for lack of a better word, wonky. The oxtail bone marrow was the perfect balance to the meat and a fantastic blend of flavors. Yes, you read that correctly, this was one massive hunk of prime meat (designed to be shared?) The meat was practically mooing on the plate it was so rare and oh so delicious! However, the side of Brussels Sprouts were spongy and not at all crispy as they should have been. Moving on to the 50 oz Dry-aged Prime Porterhouse. This was a perfect start to a meal heretofore shadowed by the team approach of service (it was really bad). The salsa (chutney?) was complex with a multitude of flavors all combining to form the perfect accompaniment to the sea scallops. The puree was tart and spicy with a huge punch that really woke up the taste buds. The scallops were of the jumbo sea variety, tender, juicy and cooked to perfection. My nostrils drank in the amazing aromas as I eagerly grabbed my implements of culinary destruction and dug into the U8 Scallops. Before too long, Christian was seen returning laden with a scrumptious selection of savory sustenance. Hey, when food is this good I would sit on a bare floor to eat it. While the Ember made the food a knock out it did ZERO to change the interior. This previously was an Italian restaurant. Christian asked if there was anything else he could get me before he adroitly spun and ran (restaurant speak, not literally) my order to the back.Īwaiting my meal, I took the opportunity to glance around the place a bit. Christian was professional, attentive and did I mention he was attentive? I asked Christian if I could have an order of U8 Scallops, the 50 oz Dry Aged Prime Porterhouse and Benton's Country Ham Mac & Cheese. Christian saved the day in that regard, but I get slightly ahead of myself.Īfter being given ample time to devour the menu, a young man by the name of Christian approached and asked if I was ready to order. Like the previously reviewed Cafe Margaux, Ember & Oak appeared to incorporate the "team service" ideology where everyone helps (in reality no one helps). ![]() The one employee in the front of the house, William, seemed to be completely discombobulated by the crowd. With no Hostess/Host and no signage telling one what to do regarding seating, Ember & Oak upon the first impression, was in a total state of disarray. "The reputation of a thousand years may be undermined by the conduct of one hour." - Japanese Proverb ![]() Ember & Oak - Downtown Melbourne- 4.5-Stars
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