Betony w/ Al

I had taken Leah to Betony for her birthday dinner earlier in the year. We had a wonderful evening and thought we had found a new fine dining gem (especially their incredible cocktail program), but learned shortly after that they would be closing their doors.

I did manage to make it once more for dinner with Al for our annual dining excursion. It wasn't quite the lavish experience full of complimentary courses that Leah and I experienced, but still a fantastic night out, especially considering it was Betony's second-to-last service before shutting down for good. 

Final view of the spectacular ceiling and bar area. 

We started with drinks from their aforementioned incredible cocktail program. Unfortunately I can't say what exactly some of them were on this evening, as they de-listed the website shortly after our visit and I wasn't able to make notes for my records. I do know that the bottom drink was their stellar milk punch, one of my favorite cocktails ever consumed. 

Once again I have to apologize for my phone, which kept processing images in this restaurant with these bands. Strange, as it only ever happened at Betony. 

Truffle Broth

Butter, Thyme

The aroma from this fragrant amuse-bouche was already in the air when we sat, and we continued to notice it throughout the evening as other guests who sat later received theirs. 

Bread Service

Dill Rolls, Whipped Yogurt

Scallop (Al First Course)

Cured, w/ Horseradish

Extremely light, clean, and refreshing. 

Toasted Grain Salad

Sprouts, Lebne

I would never order something like this, usually opting for richer and less, well, "vegetarian-y" cuisine. However, I recalled Mike Colameco raving about this when he visited Betony on an episode of Real Food, so I was very interested. It turned out to be a great, hearty dish with many contrasting textures. 

"Stone Soup"

Wish I could remember what was in this "premium" cocktail, as it cost $25. It was delicious though!

Squid "Noodles" (Al Second Course)

Squid and fluke sliced to resemble noodles. There was a light but buttery broth in the bowl, along with a few pieces of what Al guessed to be crispy fried fish skin. 

Foie Gras (Darren Second Course)

Seared w/ Wood Ear Mushrooms, Duck Broth

The mushrooms provided a pleasing textural contrast, and the rich broth gave the whole dish a wonderfully comforting flavor. 

My third cocktail (Al switched to a glass of white wine at this point). The ingredients listed were simply, "Scotch, Acorn, Parsnip". The parsnip foam was added table-side from an air canister. It was very fun and interesting tasting, and paired perfectly with my woods-y foie gras. 

Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso Ca' del Merlo 2008

Their wine guy was pushing some of the more expensive bottles pretty hard (I'm sure they had inventory to move on their last week of service), but this turned out to be quite worth it. A wonderful near-raisin-y flavor, but without being too rich. 

Whole Wild Scottish Pheasant for Two w/ Sides

Breast Meat w/ Jus, Roasted Shallot and Apple, Fried Sage, Potato Purée

Warm Potato Rolls w/ Butter

Foie Gras Parfait w/ Thyme Aspic and Savory Stuffed Rolls

Leg Meat w/ Cabbage and Herbs

Red Cabbage Gratin

Needless to say, this mesmerizing spread was a joy to behold and to eat, similar to the pig's head course Leah and I enjoyed previously. 

Al pulled a little hard bit out of his mouth thinking maybe he got a piece of bone. Upon closer inspection we realized it was a pellet of buckshot! Proof that the pheasant was indeed wild-hunted. He wanted to keep the shot to show his wife, but I accidentally lost it when he stepped away. Sorry buddy!

Classic Cheese Course (Al Dessert)

Candied Nuts, Black Currant Spread

Betony offered the option of a cheese course instead of dessert. Al opted for the "Classic" interpretation, with just the cheese and a few accompaniments. 

Composed Cheese Course (Darren Dessert)

I chose the "Composed" cheese offering, which arrived on this crispy fried noodle-like nest. 

I can't remember what this final dessert was for the life of me, but it was tasty. 

Hot Chocolate

Ambergris

On a whim, I decided to order their hot chocolate. For a supplement you could include ambergris - yes ambergris, the waxy substance found only in sperm whale intestines. It did add an interesting perfume-y quality - I wouldn't say it tasted great, but it was fun to try and ranks among some of the stranger things I've consumed. 

Mignardises

Final bite was two tasty little caramels. Another successful dinner with my best bud!