I somehow forgot to post this during Restaurant Week (I blame baby brain), but I couldn’t leave out our fantastic dinner at all’onda! We had gone to all’onda once before right when it opened and loved it, and I’ve recommended it ever since. While I kept saying we had to go back, their participation in Restaurant Week inspired me to make that reservation first.
Here was the Restaurant Week Winter 2015 Menu:
And the regular menu that night:
I was impressed that the Restaurant Week menu listed both the Short Ribs (for 2) and the Bucatini with smoked uni. Though both had an up charge, since both dishes are some of the best on the restaurant’s menu, it’s great to see there was the option to include them in a Restaurant Week tasting and the total cost was still a bargain.
We started off the menu and split the arancini. These were different from the squid ink ones we had last time, and instead came with black truffle and parmesan.
Very good, but not quite as original as the squid ink ones. (Nor as beautiful)
Back to the Restaurant Week menu, Mike went for the kale salad, which I thought was an odd choice from the other delicious things on the menu, but he enjoyed it.
One of our friends went for the scallop crudo which was fresh and delicious. Great combination of flavors.
I got the grilled treviso with kobocha squash and aged balsamic. (Looked it up: Treviso is a red radicchio)
It was packed with flavor and tasted just like the end of winter.
Our meal was quite the spread when it all came out.
We made fun of Mike for his entree choice as well… he got… the chicken. Now I love me a good chicken, but with all the amazing things on the menu, who gets the chicken? He seemed very satisfied with his selection and the skin was quite crispy and it was well flavored (sorry for picking on you, honey!)
Our friends split the short rib for two.
Which could not have been more perfectly cooked. It was so tender on the inside with a great, slow cooked flavor and nicely charred outside. A fantastic short rib.
I got the skate, which was awesome. Cooked so the ends were crispy, the inside tender, and the light sauce brightening.
We added some sides we loved last time to split for the table, including the brussels sprouts. The flavor of these sprouts is just fantastic. All the right sweet, savory, and crunchiness. Probably some of my favorite brussels in the city.
And then the polenta with miso cured egg yolk and wild mushrooms. Every bite was sensational and it was hard to not dip back in for more and more.
If the meal above was by itself, it would already be fantastic, but add on our favorite dish from the last time, the bucatini with smoked uni, and it rose itself back to star quality. This dish is just so fantastic. We got it without the spicy breadcrumbs and no one missed them. The uni with the exquisitely cooked pasta and the sauce… it’s just one of the best flavor combinations ever. I love this dish.
We were full… but never too full for dessert.
The olive oil cake with lemon and basil was moist and scrumptious.
But most of the table chose the hazelnut mousse with chocolate crumble and candied orange. A perfect way to end the meal with a bit of sweet and excellent execution.
all’onda was one of our favorite meals in 2014 (#4 on the list to be exact) and we left this meal equally, if not more impressed. If they participate in Restaurant Week in Summer 2015, make this your first reservation! And if you’re looking for a great restaurant to have a really great meal, you can’t go wrong here.
Total Nom Points: 8.5 out of 10
