Dinner at Ink with Michael Voltaggio

Ok so I didn’t technically have dinner with Michael Voltaggio.  I did spend 95% of my dinner staring at him from my table which was right next to the open kitchen.  I think there were several moments that we made eye contact- it was special, you will just have to trust me.  =)

LT and I started off the night at the bar while we were waiting for our table.  Our cute and extremely helpful waiter made us some drink suggestions.  I went with the seasonal offering that was a warm bourbon drink. 

Up first was the Kale, Burrata, Pumpkin Seeds, Asian Pear and Yuzu.  I loved this so many things that I love that I would never had thought to pair together.  I am inspired to create my own burrata and kale dish. 

Next we had the dish that our server had recommended to us, the charred avocado stuffed with crab, topped with wild hen mushrooms, with whipped fish sauce and chicharron.  If you haven’t had grilled avocado, you haven’t lived. 

Beef tartare is one of my favorite dishes that I like to order no matter where I go.  It seems so simple, but I think it’s often these type of dishes that are a good measure of how great a restaurant is.  I LOVED M.Volt’s Beef Tartare, LT and I both agreed that we could have eaten a couple more orders of this.  It was served with hearts of palm, chimichurri, and powdered horseradish. 

This dish was a bit heavy but delicious.  Pigs Ears, Apples, Lardo and Brussel Sprouts.  The dish was really well balanced with a bit of salty, tart and savory bits all balanced throughout it. 

I’m a huge Chicken and Waffle fan, so I was eager to see what Michael would do with this dish.  LT was a little skeptical, but he let me order it since he is such a gentleman.  Good thing, cause we both really liked this dish!  The chicken was so moist with some smoked maple powder, burnt marshmallow and some hot sauce to top it all off.

Veal sweetbreads with charred cauliflower, smoked raisins and capers.  This dish was solid but did not blow my mind. (Sorry Michael)

I was not in love with this dish either, to be honest I wouldn’t have chosen this dish at all.  But since LT let me pick my chicken and waffles, I let him get this…  This was Sea Bass with a Lemon Brown Butter sauce. 

The dessert was amazing!!  My co-worker had told me to order this and she was right!  This is his apple, burnt caramel and burnt wood ice cream dessert.  Simply amazing!!  Love love the burnt wood ice cream.