From familyfriendsfoodfun.com

Sunday, November 21, 2010

a transformational experience at Alchemy

I recently purchased a $50 Serenitee Restaurant Group voucher through Local Ginger, the North Shore’s equivalent of Groupon. The voucher I purchased was good at any of their six restaurants: 15 Walnut in Hamilton, Cala’s in Manchester, Hale St. Tavern, Sushi and Oyster Bar in Beverly Farms, Latitude 43 in Gloucester, Backstage Bistro at the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, and Alchemy Tapas & Bistro in Gloucester. We’ve been to 15 Walnut, Cala’s, and Latitude 43 so we decided that our date would be at Alchemy. Todd has also checked out the cocktail menu, forwarded me a copy in an email with a cryptic note, “And their food looks good too.” He knew I’d be checking out the cocktail menu and beat me to it. The first drink on the menu was a Cherry Blossom: Artisinal Shochu with lemon ginger infused simple syrup with a splash of cranberry juice topped with dry Prosecco. SOLD!

The decor was warm and comfortable and I could see that there were leather seating areas, upholstered chairs for dining chairs, and a cozy alcove called “The Cave” for diners wanting a more intimate experience. I loved it the second I walked in. The curves of the bar, the curve of the seating that separated the bar from the dining room, and the curve of the hostess table. It was great. The brocade covered pillows on the chairs and the booths made it feel like you were in a friend’s living room. Even the lighting was perfect. As I waited for Todd to find a parking spot I carefully chose a table. I wanted to sit at one of the curved dining tables in the bar area. The good part about sitting in the rounded booth like that is we could sit next to eachother, see each other, and talk without having to crane our necks. Sitting in the chairs opposite, facing the window, wasn’t going to work – bad feng shui and a view of the outside. I wanted to see everything happening IN the restaurant and we had the power seats.

Our cocktails were original. Their cocktail menu was like a chemist’s to-do list. The bartender takes his time concocting the creative libations and puts on a show if you’re sitting at the bar. The warm, wheat bread was moist and chewy, but the butter was even better. There was freshly grated pepper and crunchy sea salt blended in so that when you took a bite you got a bit of salty crunch along with the chewy bread. The eggplant and our dinner arrived at the same time; with perfect timing since we had asked for it to be our ‘side’ to our dinners. I think that I could have eaten the eggplant all myself. It had a bite to it…that tangy bite that eggplant can have when it’s simply prepared. The pinch of fresh oregano and the roasted tomatoes and feta added subtle flavors that blended perfectly with the eggplant. The lamb sirloin special was out of this world. The chef had marinated the lamb in coriander, brown sugar and onions, and then grilled it to perfection. I could taste the smoky coriander and a little brown sugar. The cilantro salsa verde with it’s caper berry brininess and the sun choke puree were excellent accompaniments to the lamb. Every bite of the lamb was delicately dipped in the creamy green sauce. The combinations of flavors worked so well together and I shuddered and made some sort of utterance at every bite…kind of like when a child gets a piece of candy and does a candy dance… I was doing that in my seat with every decadent bite. All I could think of was how I could keep the meal from ending. I hope they offer this dish again as a special – or even put it on their menu permanently. It was THAT good. Todd was equally pleased with his meal, but I thought that the scallops (and they were local scallops!) weren’t as show-stopping as my dish. When I couldn’t eat a bite more of my lamb, Todd helped himself to it and made it disappear in seconds. In case you are wondering, I can’t put my fork down until I’m really done or my food disappears when I look away.

Our dinner was so delicious and so perfectly prepared that we decided to go back for their brunch today. We both ordered the Breakfast Burrito. BUT, this was no ordinary breakfast burrito; this burrito was made with lamb sausage, scrambled eggs, Vermont cheddar, and fresh salsa. The burrito had been griddled after it was prepared so it was perfectly crunchy on the outside which contrasted with the creamy and soft texture of the inside. It was served with hash browns and a small cup of fresh fruit. The fruit was crisp and fresh.

I definitely want to go back. soon. I’d like to sit on the sofa and have a drink first, then move to “The Cave” for dinner, and then sit at the bar for an after dinner Port. I’ll have to try all the fun seating areas.

p.s. I called the restaurant this afternoon to ask what ingredients were in the cilantro sauce. The hostess asked me to hold while she got the chef on the line. I was so excited to talk to him! He was more than happy to talk to me about where they source their food…and I’m happy to report that they support local farms. Not only do they try to use organic produce but they offer meat “that is grown with antibiotics, without growth hormones, without any animal by products in their feed, with lots of room to run around, and with full records from birth to table.”

As we (I mean I) say in our house, “It’s my new favorite restaurant.”

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