We've been wanting to try Tallgrass ever since we moved to Lockport almost 9 years ago. So when our neighbors invited us to join them for a culinary celebration, we jumped at the chance to join them. And let me tell you...it was totally worth the wait!
First off, if you are the type of person who goes to a restaurant strictly for the ambiance and atmosphere, this is not the place for you. The decor is a bit...strange. Mirrors everywhere (including the bathroom, and if you're pregnant like me, lets just say the mirrors weren't appreciated) and lots of paneling. We were the also the youngest customers in the dining area by oh, a couple decades. But if you're in the mood for fabulous food and awesome, down to earth service with little regard to decor, then you'll feel right at home.
It would have been fun to indulge in a cocktail or 2, but all the drinking was left to the boys since us 2 girls are expecting. Maybe next time we'll splurge on that 2004 bottle of Jordan Cab when we can all enjoy a glass. We did have a mocktail- cranberry, sprite and a splash of lime- and I actually didn't miss the vodka too much- I was too busy anticipating the joy of my meal. :) It took at least 1/2 hour to make final decisions regarding the menu- that's how wonderful everything sounded. I had a difficult time restricting myself to only 4 courses...but between the 4 of us, we got everything I wanted to try so in the end 4 courses worked. The cool thing about Tallgrass is you can customize your preferences and anything on the menu can be a main dish. I didn't ask if you could have dessert as your main. So we placed our order and then a platter of sliced bread appeared. We got to choose from 4 different types- herb, country, english and wheat. So very good.
First course:
Three Cheese Ravioli with Leeks, Pinenuts and Lemon Butter
Foie Gras with Crispy Proscuitto
Seared Ahi Tuna with Pickled Onion and Wasabi
Crisp Poached Egg with Prosciutto, Romaine and Caesar Dressing
The Three Cheese Ravioli was great. The leek cream sauce- even better. I was spooning up the remnants and eating it like soup! I had one bite of the foie gras. I'd never had it before because I'm not the biggest fan of glands period, and duck liver is no different. However, I was impressed by the complexity of the flavor. It started out sweet and salty, and then ended with the gamey, iron-y note I dislike. I'm glad I tried it though! The tuna. To die for. It was prepared just the way I like it and the wasabi sauce was also delish. Matt also loved it and now wants me to try to recreate it at home. Um, sure thing honey. I'll get right on that. Last was a play on a Caesar Salad. The egg was poached to perfection but the flavor of the dressing could have been a little more pungent for my taste.
Second Course:
Bruschetta Salad with Tomato, Avocado, Mozzerella, Basil, Radicchio
Duck Breast Confit
Assortment from left: Lobster Lasagna, Parmesan Egg,
Prawn Tostada, Smoked Salmon Gnocci, Lump Crab Beignet
The Bruschetta salad was incredible. I make a similar salad at home, but this was so much better. I think I need to add some garlic and frisee to my version and it would be pretty much on par! The duck was cooked amazingly well, but I didn't get a distinct flavor from it. But the assortment...mmmm. This was the perfect dish to order for my indecisive tendencies. A little bit of everything. The lobster lasagna was rich and creamy with a touch of lobster flavor. The parmesan egg was unbelievable. Think deviled egg meets parmesan mousse and that was the flavor and texture. I loved it. The prawn tostada was 2 bites of goodness, but it felt a bit out of place with the rest of the assortment theme. My first bite of the gnocchi was one of subtle smokiness. I had almost finished the dish when I discovered a nice chunk of smoked salmon at the bottom, which was wonderful paired with the light, airy texture of the dumplings, yet delectable all on it's own. The lump crab beignet was fried to crispy perfection. Delicious.
Prawn Tostada, Smoked Salmon Gnocci, Lump Crab Beignet
The Bruschetta salad was incredible. I make a similar salad at home, but this was so much better. I think I need to add some garlic and frisee to my version and it would be pretty much on par! The duck was cooked amazingly well, but I didn't get a distinct flavor from it. But the assortment...mmmm. This was the perfect dish to order for my indecisive tendencies. A little bit of everything. The lobster lasagna was rich and creamy with a touch of lobster flavor. The parmesan egg was unbelievable. Think deviled egg meets parmesan mousse and that was the flavor and texture. I loved it. The prawn tostada was 2 bites of goodness, but it felt a bit out of place with the rest of the assortment theme. My first bite of the gnocchi was one of subtle smokiness. I had almost finished the dish when I discovered a nice chunk of smoked salmon at the bottom, which was wonderful paired with the light, airy texture of the dumplings, yet delectable all on it's own. The lump crab beignet was fried to crispy perfection. Delicious.
Main:
Pork Tenderloin with Prosciutto over polenta
Grilled Salmon with Risotto and citrus segments
Beef Tenderloin and Short Rib with onion confit, potatoes,
green onion oil
The salmon was medium rare, a little undercooked for my liking, but then I'm not really a fan of cooked salmon anyway so this was my least favorite dish. Give me raw or smoked salmon any day over cooked salmon. The pork tenderloin was beautifully cooked. Contrary to popular belief, pork can be a bit pink in the center. It's most flavorful that way, at least to me. It had a real smoky bite to it. But as much as I love pork, I didn't especially love this preparation. My favorite main was- can you believe it?- my own. The short rib could have been a tad better (it didn't fall apart and to me, those kinds of short ribs are the best), or maybe I'm just not a fan of short ribs. I've ordered them several times elsewhere, and have never been impressed. But the beef tenderloin on the other hand...WOW. That was amazing. It was cooked medium rare and perfect and was super flavorful and peppery. It just worked. I tried to eat the beef, onion and potato all together for a perfect bite, but I found I preferred each component on it's own. Amazing. I never thought I'd say that about a piece of meat. :)
Dessert. I was so caught up in the arrival of the desserts that I forgot to take pictures. They were beautiful, and tasted even better, if you can imagine that. Matt is not a dessert person so he didn't order one, but he did have a few bites of mine. A square of brioche french toast topped with bananas, pecans and eggnog sabayon surrounded in a caramel sauce. Absolute heaven on a plate and everyone loved it. We also got the the chocolate quinted which was a chocolate truffle, chocolate souffle, chocolate pot de creme, chocolate and peanut butter crepe and a chocolate tower filled with fresh raspberries and cream. Wow. That was quite an assortment and all was delicious. I do love chocolate, but a few bites was plenty for me.
All in all, our experience was a 3 1/2 hour long success- just divine. There were a few moments of utter culinary joy and a disappointment or 2, but I would return in a heartbeat. Our neighbors, who graciously let us tag along, were an awesome addition to our evening. We had lots of laughs and lots of fun. Enjoy this little gem that our little town has to offer.
