Margot Cafe and Bar - second visit

Late on a Tuesday night, I was excited to give Margot another shot. I showed up at 9 and requested a table. No problem, the restaurant had definitely slowed down. Left in the room were a few couples, young and old, schmoozing the night away. I sat at my table for one, ready to be “taken care of”. I really felt the romance this time (Atmosphere for romance +1). The only server left on the first floor was a man in his 40s, a distinguished and professional server. He was attentive but not overbearing, and knowledgeable but not overtly opinionated; he made menu suggestions based on how well-recieved the dishes were by patrons that night. He was however less enthusiastic than I would have hoped; I wanted to make small talk, but I suppose it was too late in the evening for that (Waitstaff enthusiasm -1). To start, lettuce with peaches...

Leaf lettuces, peaches, ricotta salata, and Marcona almonds, with a Banyuls vinaigrette $9 -
This salad was just exquisite. Bold, round sweetness of Banyuls wine with a slight tang of vinegar, nutty oil, and fresh, sweet peach made this salad luscious. The hard, salted ricotta and the toasty almonds cut through the sweetness with aggressive nut; a sort of savoriness. My only scruple was the slickness of the oil to vinegar ratio; near the bottom of the plate I was confronted with lettuce drowning in oil (Texture profile -1). Overall, this sex-laden dish was an incredible and creative match of flavors. I redeem Margot several precious points (Flavor pairing fundamentals +2, Flavor pairing originality +2, Dish sex factor +2).

I thought long about the selection of my main dish, and what would be the most complementing boozy beverage to pair. I knew I wanted fish, so I chose the ‘seared tuna, Romano bean and lentil salad, with bacon vinaigrette’. I presumed a Pinot noir would pair best with this bold preparation of tuna, my server agreed with my selection by stating, “Yes, a Pinot noir, it goes with everything...” Then and there, this statement and his demeanor provoked several thoughts of my own, “Was he just saying that to appease me? Does he actually think a Pinot noir goes with everything? Or does he think I ordered a Pinot noir in respect to its boom of popularity since the movie Sideways?”. Regardless of what he thought, I was more confident in my selection than he alluded. I know that Pinot noir would probably stand up to this tuna dish, but I was hoping he had something EVEN BETTER up his sleeve (Wine pairings -1).

Seared tuna, romano bean & lentil salad with bacon vinaigrette $24 - A generously portioned mound of room temperature lentils, romano broad beans, mirepoix, and crispy bacon sat beneath a fresh, rare-seared tuna steak (Doneness precision +1). A big bad bacon vinaigrette tied it all together. This super-porky fish dish was delicious, for lack of a better word (Flavor pairing fundamentals +1). The fresh, healthy attributes of tuna and lentils were completely undermined by bacon grease (Dish sin factor +1). And although the wine was nearly clobbered by the abundance of ‘bacony’ flavor, I still enjoyed the meal. After all, I did choose the wine myself. Overall, this second course confirmed my earlier impression of how rustic Margot is. The size of this dish was generous, with the tuna steak nearing 1/3 of a pound and the mound of legumes amounting to “more than I wanted to eat”. I was pleased with my entree, I retract no points, and have no nit picking to do.

Peach bread pudding (with ice cream... maybe? I forget) $8 -
Finally, I ordered dessert, why wouldn’t I? I even gave Margot another shot at bread pudding! This time, a peach version done in a medium-sized ramekin. This was more interesting than the one I had previously, yet was even more dry (Texture profile -1). I think there was ice cream included with this, so I was slightly pacified (Dish sin factor +1). But this final course lacked a ‘kicker ingredient’ (you will hear this term frequently). The ‘kicker’ adds a third or fourth dimension to an otherwise flat combination of flavors, here I would have liked cinnamon OR ginger. In this peach bread pudding, all I tasted was bread, a little bit of pudding, and under-ripe peach (Flavor pairing originality -1).

This night at Margot was more wholesome; I felt I could really understand where she was coming from. There lies an air of serious modesty in a casual atmosphere. Do not expect extravagant presentations and ‘5th dimension’ flavor profiles that take your buds to Venus. But do enjoy the crude sophistication of creative, yet safe meals composed of fresh, local ingredients. The creativity that goes into the daily menu should be fully appreciated; eat at Margot frequently, enjoy the menu’s coherent elegance.

www.margotcafe.com


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1. Menu cohesion 0
2. Pricing 0
3. Beverage pairings -1
4. Atmosphere for romance +1
5. Cleanliness 0
6. Waitstaff competence 0
7. Waitstaff enthusiasm -1
8. Overall management 0
9. Flavor pairing fundamentals +3
10. Flavor pairing originality +1
11. Texture Profile -2
12. Use of "easy-pleasers" 0
13. Use of salt 0
14. Doneness precision +1
15. Dish sin factor +2
16. Dish sex factor +2
17. Presentation 0
18. Dish practicality 0
19. Healthful dish execution 0
20. Kitchen speed 0

1st visit (100-33 = 77)
2nd visit (77+6 = 83)
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