( 7) October 2007 - Dinner at Atlantica
The Organic Farm is pleased to offer this review of The Atlantica, a restaurant about a mile from the farm in Portugal Cove.
The Chef is Jeremy Charles. He comes to the farm on an almost daily basis to see what is growing. It has been both fun and interesting to have Jeremy around. He is usually in jeans and a wrinkled khaki shirt and never in his white Chef’s Coat, except for the day that he was accompanied by the En route Magazine Food Editor. We all recognize Jeremy’s clunky well-aged BMW and have taught him to park it out of the way of tractors, dogs and other traffic. He doesn’t put in his order from a list provided by Mike, the way other restaurants do. He walks the farm and greenhouses and keeps his eye on things. He snoops like a dog that smells bones, so he is the first one to get the spinach or arugula that is just coming in. Every time he comes out of greenhouse #3, which is where we grow sprouts for most restaurants in St. John’s, he has a quart or two of sprouts in each hand. Sometimes Alice, the woman who oversees sprouts and the restaurant picking and packing, walks around with a rolling cart with Jeremy, so she can organize the things he snatches on his walk-a-bout. Earlier in the year, the first fingerlings of the year were being dug for the Veggie Coop when Jeremy happened on them being weighed in the Farm Store. Alice came into the kitchen to say, “Jeremy saw the fingerlings and wants to know if he can have a few to try.”
This takes me to the next part of the story. Jeremy handed us an invitation to an evening of tasting at Atlantica. The invitation said it was to acknowledge the suppliers. We met a few people we knew like Emily and Carol from the Georgetown Bakery; we also met Jeremy’s Dad, who knew most of the people because he helps pick up the supplies.
I do not have the vocabulary to name or words to describe the many little dishes and snacks which Jeremy devised to show off his skills. To my credit, I did recognize the fingerlings from the farm. They were truly the size of your finger or thumb, had been stuffed, with tips of sour cream and caviar placed carefully on the top. Trendy, fashionable and also tasty.
All evening we were served little breads with various spreads, pastries, stuffed with spinach, maybe crab, etc. as well as dedicate clusters of grated and deep fried parsnip. Through much of the evening, Mike and I sat in a little alcove with windows, watching dish after dish circulate among the room full of people. It was a clear, beautiful night. As the ferry meandered by just below the window, I sipped on the wine provided and wondered how Jeremy and his helpers could put together such a spread, even if he did have all those local, fresh picked organic vegetables and herbs at his disposal.
The Reviews written by the Anonymous Gourmet are totally independent of the Organic Farm. However, the tasting event we attended, gave us the opportunity to sample some of the fine dining described in this and other recent reviews of the Atlantica. (Melba Rabinowitz)
We had a 6pm reservation because we like to eat early and because I wanted the chef to have time to prepare our meal without rushing. Our order was a "tasting dinner".
We were greeted at the door and after a minute or two of waiting, shown to our table. The restaurant is very airy, spaciously appointed, the tables are far enough apart so one can have a conversation without involving others.
Oh! The view! This alone is worth the trip out! We were there early enough to see the sunset, the waves lap the rocks and finally the lights come on around the Cove to light the dark. I could never do justice to the beauty of the scenery; you’ll just have to see it for yourself.
Our young waiter was well schooled in the art of waiting on tables. He explained the dinner - it would be of 8 courses and offered wines choices as well as the wine pairing at $50.00 and wines of a higher end for $100.00 extra per person, above the cost of the "tasting dinner" at $75.00 per person.
Service was fabulous! The meal started with a potato-leek cappuccino, then a summer salad of peaches, prosciuto ham, feta cheese and greens, followed by a bouillabaisse. All served beautifully, very hot, very fresh and prompt.
A small but perfect fillet of halibut with cauliflower, couscous, chanterelles, spinach and porcine mushrooms was the next course. I was trying to pick my favourite when the next plate arrived of tender pork with just a touch of cinnamon, orange and root vegetables. I love full flavours, so this one won out as my favourite.
A green apple sorbet to clear your palate and the final savoury course of beef tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes and tomato confit. We were very comfortably full as our waiter informed us of the triple dessert to come. Chocolate fondant, carrot cake and crème brulee all on one plate, diagonally placed, was absolutely irresistible. Their coffee has to be mentioned too, full flavoured and a great ending to a wonderful meal.
We chose the wine pairing with our meal, which was perfect and provided great enjoyment. Not only did it suit each course but we did not have to choose a single wine to go with all this beautiful food. Service in every way was commendable even to the point of a fresh serviette waiting at one’s seat when one left the table for a few minutes. I am extremely pleased and proud that we have restaurants of this caliber in and around St. John’s.