Rustica Birthday

Let me start by saying I'm not picky. I'm perfectly happy eating bar food. I'm also happy to eat a fabulous expensive dinner.

I really just love to eat. But, for me the difference between nourishing myself and a true dining experience is profound. I had heard about Rustica before. Several people who's taste and judgement I respect told me it was great. So, of course my expectations were high. But my experience at Rustica blew me away.

Expectations are tricky. You know -  when someone tells you a movie is incredible, you can't wait to go see it, you hype it up in your mind, anticipating the joy, the sorrow and the sheer awe of the spectacle on the screen. But, almost always, you leave the theater disappointed. Not because it was bad, but because you expected it to be so much better. That was my fear as I walked into Rustica.

The restaurant opened last year on the Kalamazoo mall, its a small narrow room, the tables are small and close together. That arrangement could potentially make you feel crowded and cramped - and on another night, it might have. But on a Wednesday night, the restaurant wasn't busy and we were seated near the front window. We got a blast of cool air when the front door opened. But, fortunately the weather was mild and it was no big deal.

Rustica describes its interior decor as cozy, comfortable and casual - No argument from me, I agree.

Since this was a special occasion dinner (my birthday), we started with a bottle of wine. I won't waste too much time talking about wine. We chose a reasonably priced, but very delicious Spanish red. Rustica adds a nice touch to its wine service by pouring the bottle into a decanter there at the table. Impressive.

I can hardly wait to talk about my entree. Patience. First the appetizers:

I'm not really an appetizer person, but this occasion called for it. An experience more about the pleasure of eating than the nourishment it provides. I had the potato-leek soup with crème fraîche, croutons and chives.

It's difficult for me to get super excited about soup, but it was excellent. I am such a texture eater, and this soup was perfect in terms of texture. Not too thick and chalky, not too thin. Delicious potato and leek flavor complimented by the salty croutons. Excellent.

We also had the Rustica Salad. How awesome can a salad be... right? Its just salad. But this was nicely done; bibb lettuce with a very light and tasty shallot vinaigrette along with goat cheese crostini and olive tampanade.

Okay.. finally, the entrees.

You know.... I try to write well. But I'm not sure I can do justice to my dinner with words.
I had the Hanger Steak with mashed cauliflower, crispy shallots and balsamic jus.

I understand that is a fairly challenging cut of meat. It can be very tough if its overcooked. If its cooked right, it is full of flavor. Well, Rustica nailed it! The steak was slightly charred on the outside - red, tender and flavorful on the inside. Can I just say it was excellent? That won't really do it justice. I will say that I was in the company of a lovely woman. She's beautiful, smart and charming. But when I took a bite of that steak, her face got a little blurry and the sound of her voice faded into the background. It was like every other sense- sight, sound took a back seat so I could taste that food. Don't worry... I did share with her.

We also had the Grilled Arctic Charr with roasted fennel, braised chickpeas, spinach and pimentòn vinaigrette. This was the first time I've had charr, its described as similar to salmon or trout. The charr at Rustica was delicious. I found it to be a bit more mild than salmon - it was cooked perfectly and complimented well by the side dishes. Excellent.

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but since this was a celebration dinner, we decided to finish with the Michigan Apple Crisp with Nutmeg Gelato.

Hmmm... what can I say that wouldn't be redundant? I'll save the overused words of praise and try to give you a description in plain, journalistic-speak. Nevermind.... I can't do that! It was delicious! The apple crisp was warmed perfectly - the apple slices were still firm and tart, not flimsy and mealy. The combination of textures between the apples, the rich - but not too sweet - sauce and the crunchy, crispy topping made every bite thrilling. I really enjoyed the challenge of getting the right combination of ingredients, flavors and temperatures in every single bite.

Now, I have sung the praises loud and clear. Ultimately, I know that I'm writing this review for myself. But just in case anyone else reads it, I suppose I should give a fair assessment of the experience that could include things not so glorious. Um... it was a little bit drafty by the front door. Er... we got stood up by the couple that was supposed to join us (can I hold Rustica responsible for that?) Oh, I've got it! We had to pay! Yes, paying is very unpleasant.

I should mention again that we visited Rustica on a Wednesday night. It was pretty slow. I had heard of long waits for a table at the small restaurant, but we got right in. But if you do go on the weekend, be prepared to wait for a while. There is a small bar at the back of the restaurant where you can pass the time drinking and if the weather is nice, there is plenty to keep you occupied on the Kalamazoo Mall. But don't give up. It's worth it. Its about time Kalamazoo had a REAL decent restaurant. There are plenty of good ones, but not many with the sense of purpose that Rustica serves up. The menu is not meant to impress you with extravagant, expensive and complicated dishes. Each one is simple, crafted to let the quality of the ingredients shine through.

Lets hope Rustica raises the bar for other restaurants in Kalamazoo - making them worthy of my next birthday dinner. If not, I'm going back.