Southwark

What an awesome dinner. Southwark had been on the list for a while and we were finally able to go. Perfect night to dig out back in the courtyard. Cocktails are great and clever. Wine list is small but solid and appropriate for the menu. The beef tartare toast appetizer was great, but the grated horseradish was a little too overpowering to appreciate the tartare. The duck was PERFECT. I say that rarely and it was perfect. Enough fat to want to eat the crisp. Little enough that fat wasn’t your entire bite. Perfectly cooked. The chive mezze rigatoni was in a fantastic yet simple sauce, you’d want to drink it. The double cheeseburger was solid but the fries really stole the show. Ended the night with the corn soufflé cake which is both the weirdest and most delicious combination of flavors. So impressed with the meal. Can’t wait to come back.

The quality of the food here, both in terms of ingredients and preparation, is simply exquisite. That considered, the merely slightly pricey menu is a bargain. This is fine dining, so the portions are reasonably modest, but appetizer + entree + dessert are plenty of food, and all can be had for under $100 pp even with a glass of wine or a cocktail. One slight downside: the indoor dining room can get rather loud. The acoustics of the building are not favorable for relaxed conversation. That said, it would take more than that to meaningfully detract from the excellent dining experience.

If you're feeling spendy and casual all at once, you can't do much better than a meal at Southwark. The cocktails tend sweet, but they're always thoughtful and balanced. The food leans salty, but it's full of impressive flavor and house-made ingredients. The service is never anything less than excellent.