We were welcomed into the restaurant by Irene herself, and were led to our reserved table in the cozy dining room. It had a orange silk ribbon on it and a fancy "reserved" card, too. There was a clean white linen tablecloth and gleaming silverware resting on the folded linen napkins. A shiny drinking glass was next to our small appetizer plates. We were seated by our waitress, Nancy, and given our drinks. Our friends arrived and were led to our table, whereupon we greeted each other and they got settled in. For our first hors d'oeuvres, Nancy gave us two small plates of yummy hot bruschetta, with some kind of crispy bread on the bottom topped with tomatoes, basil, melted Parmesan, and melted mozzarella. It was an incredibly fresh, delicious, warm way to begin the meal. After we ordered, they took away the empty plates (the bruschetta did not last long) and brought a basket of warm, crusty bread covered with sesame seeds. I didn't taste it until my entree came, so sit tight for my review on that.
We got an abundance of appetizers, of course. Mine was the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli in marinara sauce with fresh shavings of Parmesan on top. The pasta, which was restaurant-made, was tender and flavorful, and the filling was creamy and vegetal, with a nice flavor of fresh nutmeg. The sauce, a bright, fresh, and light accompaniment, paired with the ravioli perfectly. The salty Parmesan added a nice sharp flavor. It was delicious!
For my entree, I chose the Meunière Amandine, a delectable-sounding fish main. The fish itself was like a normal meunière, with lemon, browned butter, and parsley. It was topped with chunks of crabmeat and sliced almonds, and a curled slice of lemon coated in more parsley. There were also sautéed green beans and a piped sweet potato mash on the plate.
The fish, if very subtle, was extremely tender and so was the crabmeat. The meat was snow white. The browned butter-lemon sauce on the fish was rich and delicious. The almonds were tasty when paired with the fish. The green beans were tender-crisp, and the sweet potato was my clear favorite. Smooth, creamy, sweet, and mildly spicy, these yummy spuds won me over immediately. I dipped a big chunk of the delicious sesame bread in the sauce, and ate it up in a few large bites. It tasted wonderful, worlds better than just slathering it with normal soft butter. All in all, a sensational meal.
But for me, a good meal is not complete without a delicious dessert. So when Nancy told me the dessert selection, I immediately chose my favorite. Guess. OK. Lemme tell ya. TIRAMISU! I adore this dessert, so when I heard they had a good version, I at once cried, "I'll have the tiramisu!" Daddy got the chocolate-hazenut truffle with crème anglaise. My dessert came beautifully plated, with a mint sprig and a few blueberries sprinkled on top of the large square of tiramisu. Chocolate sauce was drizzled on the plate as well. I ate the whole dessert by myself. I can hardly describe it. There was whipped cream everywhere throughout the dessert, and with the soft espresso infused ladyfingers combined in the square, it was absolutely wonderful. I snitched a large spoonful of Daddy's truffle, and it, too, was delicious. It was incredibly dark and decadent and chocolatey, and the white, fluffy crème was perfect with it. The dinner was expensive, but it was SO worth it.
The atmosphere at Irene's was delightful! It was incredibly cozy and warm, and as you looked out at the cold night outside, you just felt great. The service, as well, was perfect, and Nancy took very good care of us. So if you're looking for a great place to eat for a special occasion or for a date night, you'll be in luck if you're near Irene's. If you get a chance, stop by, and you'll get a meal to remember.
