SPQR

Went to SPQR last evening - the first time since the chef change. Lots of changes; for starters, the dark, heavy, rustic earthenware plates are gone and have been replaced with pristine, clean more food-presentable white plates which shows the food off better. Secondly, the breakdown of the menu is much different; you used to be able to choose a series of starters in the $8 range from three...+READ Went to SPQR last evening - the first time since the chef change. Lots of changes; for starters, the dark, heavy, rustic earthenware plates are gone and have been replaced with pristine, clean more food-presentable white plates which shows the food off better. Secondly, the breakdown of the menu is much different; you used to be able to choose a series of starters in the $8 range from three categories and then a more expensive set of pasta and entrée offerings. Now there is Spuntini, 15 offerings from $7 to $15; Primi (pastas), 10 choices from $14 to $16, and Piatti, six offerings at $17 and $18.

Along with a carafe of Terenzi ‘Velobra’ Cesanese del Piglio, Lazio 2006, we ordered four different Spuntini and a Piatti (I've never been a fan of their pasta):

Local sardines, currant breadcrumbs, mutsu apple purée and lemon oil
Chicory salad with shallot agrodolce, bacon, and crispy anchovy
Yellowtail 'crudo,' finger lime, quince saba and fried prosciutto
Crispy pig's ear, pickled jalapeno, green tomato, and radish
Veal sweetbreads, wild fennel soffritto, and hamada farms fruit

The first dish to arrive were the sardines. I have to admit, for $8, I was really surprised to only get two. They were butterflied and flailed open and breaded. Very tasty, but gone in three bites. For that price, I was expecting at least three sardines.

Next was the chicory salad. This was a bit more ample, but still a bit pricey at $12. The bacon bits played off delightfully with the deep-fried anchovies. The whole salad was topped with a creamy grated cheese and was a very successful dish.

The yellowtail crudo arrived shortly afterwards. While called "finger lime," the flavor seemed more like fresh mandarin oranges. Very nicely prepared and perfectly fresh fish.

The crispy pig's ear was four perfect bites of salty wonderment and bright, spicy accompaniment.

The winner of the night was the presentation of sweetbreads. Gone are the days of the deep-fried dish with celery slivers. Now two large sweetbreads are skewered with a sprig of wild fennel. We had to ask about the "hamada farms fruit" as it tasted a bit like stewed, brunoise of tomatoes. Instead, it was a compote of pear, plum, pluots, and apricots. The sweetbread was rich and tender and perfectly delightful.

We also shared a Ricotta bavarese with sour cherry and Napa valley verjus along with glasses of Traversa, Brachetto, Piemonte 2008. A very creamy, rich dessert, the taste of the cheese paired perfectly with the strawberry sparkle in the glass. With a classic graham cracker crust, we realized what made it that much better was a predominant use of salt in the crust. At the very end, I had a single bite of the crunchy base as was rather delighted by the salt flavor.

When all was said and done, we spent $150. I think the costs are about 10% to 15% more than they should be for the portion sizes, but I cannot fault them at all on the quality, presentation, or service. With my friend and I seated in the window, our waitress was delightful and helpful, despite a very long line of customers waiting for tables. I am very impressed with the new menu, but am slightly saddened I can't stop in by myself and have an ample sampling of food for $24, the way I used to. Now it will be more like $30ish. The famed brussels sprouts are gone and I'm not sure that is a bad thing; they were good, but always too salty for my taste. And the existence of crowds shows that they are still doing good work.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (20 Replies) (by CarrieWas218, updated November 11, 2009)