Sprigs

ah...Sprigs. Mark discovered this place quite by accident - some months ago he was trying to find a spot for a business dinner between two of his company locations, and this one popped up during a Google search. Once he saw the menu - and showed it to me - we knew we had to try it out. The restaurant is located in a rambling antique (218 years old) house in Acton - feels quite homey, a really cool looking bar and a number of smaller rooms with tables. Intimate, but still lively. The owners are amazing - so friendly, making sure every table is thoroughly enjoying the experience. Last time we were there, they were so excited about the liqueur used in my martini they brought me some from the bar just so I could try it (and yes, it really is that good -  J Pear, a pear eau-de-vie - totally hooked on it now.) 

Last night was our second trip, and oh, baby...it was even better this time, I think. The drink menu was in the process of being reprinted, but luckily we knew exactly what we wanted : the absolutely delightful Pear Martini, made with  that J Pear :

pictures for this entry not the greatest, as I only had the BlackBerry and didn't want to use flash...

We started off with an appetizer I mentioned in my Melting Pot review...Brie and Black Truffle Fondue drizzled with imported Italian White Truffle Oil.

Sex in a fondue pot...mmmmm....

This is what the fondue at Melting Pot wants to grow up to be...the minute this hits your mouth you can't help but start moaning. Ultimate Culinary Orgasm, for sure. Sprigs also serves a delicious Olive Tapenade with some very tasty warm bread...we did start off eating the tapenade, but ended up using the rest of the bread with the fondue...and then attacking the fondue pot with teaspoons. Yeah, it's that good.

really, though...it's great tapenade !!

Sprigs serves tiny scoops of sorbet between courses, which I just love. The table next to us got Peach Champagne Sorbet, which sounded lovely...but we got Spiced Pear Sorbet, which was absolutely awesome...I think it involved more J Pear, but would need more to know for sure. Our friend Ben needs to get busy with Sarah's ice cream maker and whip this one up pronto.



The main courses are really the perfect size...not overwhelmingly huge, but not tiny precious things either (I hate that). Mark went with what I got last time...Sautéed Chicken Livers with Veal Demi-Glace, Madeira, Mushrooms and a Gruyere- Leek Bread Pudding.

absolutely terrible picture of an absolutely heavenly dish

Words cannot express how good this actually is...yes, it's liver. Get over it :) The bread pudding is the perfect foil. Neither of us was able to finish the dish - it's so rich and filling - but we were very happy to try. Luckily, I have the perfect home for the leftovers, which will be the next blog post.

I'm not usually drawn to beef dishes, but for some reason the House Made Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Braised Short Rib, Creamed Spinach and a Truffled Demi-Glace just called to me...and I am ever so glad I answered. The ravioli were perfect - perfect filling to pasta ratio, perfect flavor, perfectly cooked. The short rib was melt in your mouth - exactly as it should be - and the creamed spinach accented the whole thing perfectly.

I need to learn to cook short rib, I think....

I should also mention the wine list....it's huge, and really pretty reasonably priced, considering. We went with a 2007 Mauritson Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel which was absolutely perfect with both dishes.

Of course, there was no way we were going to skip dessert...this was a birthday dinner, after all - but we had to go light, and we had to split it. Lemon Raspberry Tart with a Citrus Short Crust, served with Blueberry Gelato fit the bill perfectly

lemon, blueberry, sweet, tart, perfect :)

So many things on this menu to try...really have to go back soon !!!