I've found my thrill...

At Blue Hill!

RRR, Smocky & I made a highly anticipated visit to Dan Barber's farm-friendly, foodie-friendly mecca known as Blue Hill. Initial contact with the reservationist was extremely pleasant. On a second call to up the reservation to three once RRR came to town, I was equally impressed with the attitude-free response and quick accommodation of my request. The reservationist was efficient, polite, patient and friendly.

Smocky arrived at Blue Hill first and was escorted to our table without being asked to bide her time at the bar until the rest of the party arrived. Our server was uber-patient with our trio's staggered arrival and each time came to the table to make sure we had our drinks and were comfortable.

My wine of choice was a beautiful 2005 Nero D'Avola from Sicily. This wine couldn't have been more perfect for my palate if I had made it myself! Smocky had an equally superb 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State's Columbia Valley and RRR chose a 2005 Spanish Priorat. There is not a huge selection of wines by the glass, however, the few (and I am assuming) carefully chosen selections are some of the more superior wines I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying at a restaurant.

We were going to try the tasting menu however the lamb entree (not the loin) was the deciding factor in the group going a la carte.

RRR: Delicata Squash Soup with smoked Stone Barns shitake mushrooms and grilled Sea Bass over a pistou of winter vegetables and pureed basil

Smocky: Fennel and Calville Blanc Apple Salad with apple puree and roasted fennel and the grilled Sea Bass as well

Foodie: Chestnut Ravioli with Arugula Pesto and Berkshire Pork with fromage blanc spaetzle and Stone Barns escarole

Our appetizers were fantastic! The meatiness of the mushrooms were a nice compliment to the silky smooth texture of the squash soup which was light and satifsying. Smocky's fennel was roasted perfectly (making my homemade lunchtime fennel seem pathetic) and the arugula pesto made my appetizer a welcome departure from the typical winter ravioli. The filling of the ravioli would have been better served by larger sized ravioli since the pasta overwhelmed instead of enhanced the filling.

We enjoyed a side of brussel sprouts, delightful, but nowhere near the status of The Harrison's similar side dish. The bass was charred and pan roasted to the perfect texture and you can taste the freshness of the fish as well as the produce that enhanced it.

My pork was delicious; with a bit of pork belly on one side of the chop with a wonderfully crisp char on the outer layer and the other part of the chop lean pork reminiscent of a fresh ham. The spaetzle was small, chewy and flavorful. Nicely done Dan!

Desserts were equally impressive with an outstanding apple dessert served in a warm cast iron pot with almond and oatmeal crumble topped with cinnamon ice cream. The oats added crunchiness to the crumble that I have not experienced in other crumbles and we didn't stop until we hit the bottom of the pot!

The chocolate bread pudding with salted caramel and roasted peanuts and caramel ice cream didn't fare as well. It was a bit of a misrepresentation; the "pudding" had the consistency of a molten cake not the delightful sloppy mess of bread and chocolate we were expecting.

From start to finish, the service was outstanding! There wasn't a rush to turn tables; the staff was friendly and most importantly knowledgeable about the menu and the wine list. If a waitress can stand up to the RRR preparation inquisition she's tops in my book!

The tiny fruit fly buzzing about our table was a bit of a distraction and may be more indicative of the farm fresh ingredients in the back than anything else. The prices were a bit steep but the quality of the menu lets you know that you are getting what you pay for... a high-end restaurant without the pretension that often accompanies it.