🚀 go-pugleaf

Anthony's opened last night and Sally and I took my partner and his wife
there for dinner tonight.  I hesitate to write this tonight, as the four of
us had such a wonderful time, it will sound like a commercial.  First of
all, there's something special about having four people approach your table
at once to make sure that your initial wishes are granted..... NOT for the
faint of purse, yet not very expensive... not necessarily dressy... slacks
and golf shirt are fine and many of the ladies in the house were in jeans.
We, however, were in suits and dresses and were very comfortable.  The dark
paneling that was Vallone's is gone and is replaced by bright colored stucco
walls with contemporary art (from Tom Andriola's New Gallery).  Much more
open and airy than before... primarily, I suppose, because Anthony's is open
for lunch, now.

We ordered several appetizers, and to follow through on our pact, we all
shared all appetizers and entrees.  The appetizers were, to start, Roasted
Acorn Squash Pacchettini, which was an al dente pasta "beggar's purse"
filled with roasted acorn squash and settled in a bed of sage-accented
butter, lemon sauce.  It was followed by a single Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare
that had all of the ingredients that you would normally associate with steak
tartare, but was topped with caviar.... served with crispy toast.  A
departure from the elegance of those two was an interesting tall glass
filled with Pommes Frit (cone fries)with three dipping sauces.  My favorite
sauce was anchovy-based, but all were good.

Entrees were (you won't believe this one.... somewhat surreal) Niman Ranch
Short Ribs!  They were braised in Autumn root veggies with wild mushrooms
and baby onions.... piled upon horseradish mashed potatoes.  Nelson had a
Stuffed Gulf Red Snapper with crawfish, shrimp and crab in a Coral Lobster
sauce.  Topped with Haystack Potatoes.  That one was really good.  Becky had
the Atlantic Salmon with Apple Smoked Bacon and Shallot crust.  They placed
it on a fricassee of Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes... served with Swiss
chard, artichokes and shitake mushrooms.  I ate as much of that one as she
did.  Sally had a Steak Salad, which was a prime filet resting on a bed of
greens, roma tomatoes, cukes and avocados.  That one was lite enough for a
lady... yet heavy enough for a man with a light appetite.  Wonderful.  I
held back and had a beautiful.... thick.... juicy..... charred rare....
bone-in 28 ounce ribeye.  THAT was an assurance that Vallone's is alive and
resting well in what is now Anthony's.  I had to be sure.

Desserts were obscene and I won't describe them in a family newsgroup...
but, well worth saving space for.  Most were chocolate, but I have to
mention the seriously tart Key Lime Pie.

It was a wonderful evening and all of us agreed that while we like to eat in
casual restaurants often, we all deserve this kind of pampering as often as
possible.  I have to hit the sack now... I had to write this review while
the visions of sugar plums were still dancing in my head.

Jack Tyler