New Nectar
Former Aioli owner branches out with intimate dining in Mount Lookout
JULIE FITZGERALD | CIN WEEKLY
The location couldn't be sweeter. Nestled on Delta Avenue in Mount Lookout, the new Nectar restaurant - with its big picture windows and earthy decor - looks as appealing as the name implies.
Wanting to distance herself from her previous venture, downtown's Aioli bistro, owner/chef Julie Francis has moved on with a completely different concept. First, the dining area is more intimate than Aioli's with a single room of tables and long bench seating against the walls. The menu has also downsized (less then 10 entrees total) to emphasize seasonal and organic foods with mouth-watering descriptions such as King salmon in a saffron butter sauce or risotto cakes with truffled squash sauce.
Likely, if you were a fan of Aioli, you'll like what Nectar has to offer. As for me, I'm a bit undecided about whether I fit in with it's fan base or not.
GETTING STARTED
A friend and I stopped in on a weeknight to check out the menu roughly two weeks after the early April opening. Having made reservations in advance was a smart move, as the place was packed at 7 p.m.
Moments after we were seated, the host let us know that the servers were overwhelmed and took charge of our wine order. Unfortunately, we were mostly finished with our glasses before our starter of endive and watercress salad with organic pears, spiced pecans, aged goat cheese and a tangy mustard-cumin vinaigrette ($7.50) arrived at our table.
Luckily, while we were waiting for this prettily-presented salad, we stayed occupied with Nectar's complimentary bread, butter and marinated olives, which was a nice touch. It gave us something to munch on while putting down a sweet white Muscadet wine ($6.50) and a mild red Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($11), which were both good selections.
APPEALING ENTREES
The dining room - painted a toasty pumpkin color and offset with wood tables - is one wide open space. While it's not so great for sound levels (it gets noisy), you do get to watch entrees parade past your seat while they're taken from the kitchen window to neighboring tables.
After eyeballing the risotto cakes served with oyster mushrooms, truffled squash sauce and a thin slice of jack cheese ($17), we had to try it. Also wanting to dive into a meatier dish, we tried the chile-rubbed New York strip ($23) with garlic potato puree and haricots verts (green beans).
We liked the clean, modern look of the entrees, which were served on sleek white plates. Just as impressive were the combination of ingredients: savory squash sauce and sweet potato risotto and salty Strip steak with creamy mushroom butter.
Still, we felt slightly underwhelmed with the overall taste and portion size, especially for the price tag (all entrees ranged from $17-$23). Maybe the idea of these unusual elements is more exciting than the reality. But Nectar's menu is expected to change often and I'm up for giving it another taste.
