Two years ago, Jenn and I made it a tradition to dine at Allium on New Year's Eve. Like many people, we believe that new year should be spent reflecting on the year past and celebrating the year to come. However, unlike other new year revelers, we make no resolutions. We feel that the days spent around new year reflect how the year will unfold. Thus, we make it a point to reserve a table at our favourite restaurant on the last day of the year.

Here is Allium's signage during last year's new year celebration. That evening, the restaurant featured a special multi-course tasting menu.

Allium: New Year 2007
I distinctly remember the restaurant being heavily booked. Even though we contacted the restaurant almost a week and half prior, we had to take a later reservation. Save for some overcooked halibut, the meal was spectacular. I even got to try steak tartare for the first time.

This year, Allium chose to forgo its annual celebration and closed the restaurant from December 31, 2008 until January 9, 2009. After what had to be another successful year, I presumed that chef/owner Arup Jana wanted to give the members of his line and his front of house staff some rest. Happily, Jenn and I found this out early and invited friends to join us for a last-minute dinner during Allium's last evening service of 2008.

For appetizers, we ordered the crab cakes (cost: $11), which Jenn and I have had on several occasions before. True to form, they were delicious, crispy panko on the outside and moist crab on the inside. Served with a honey/apple relish and garnished with tiny pieces of crispy bacon, sweet and tart complimented savory and salty. The crab cakes themselves tasted of cilantro. One of our guests normally dislikes parsley or cilantro, but she enjoyed her crab cake.

For entrees, we ordered the steak frites (cost: $22), a dish that I remarked to our waiter, Jason, was failsafe French bistro fare. It is one of the flagship dishes that showcase the skill of two important cooks on the line. Good steak comes with a uniform sear. It must be succulent and cooked to the desired done-ness of the specific patron. Good fries are the staple of a bistro. They should be fresh cut, made to order, fried to crispy perfection, and never greasy.

At our table, we asked for 3 orders to be medium rare and 1, medium well. Here's what I was served.

Steak Frites

Regarding the Frites

Frites
They were indeed freshly made, expertly fried, and served piping hot. They came with a chipotle aioli in a quasi-European tradition.

Regarding the Steak

Steak
It was served medium rare: red with a warm center. Given its shape, lack of connective tissue, and lean but tender texture, I figure we were served uniformly carved slices of strip loin. Each slice was succulent and tasted as if it were crusted with other flavors on the griddle, somethings spicy and savory. The steak was served with "Allium" steak sauce, which tasted like a flavored pan dripping reduction. The only drawback to the dish had to be the overcooked broccoli florets that served as the bed for the steak. Mushy and and dripping with butter, they were an unfortunate addition.

Interestingly, the online menu for January lists steak frites with sauteed romanesco and onions. There were neither onions nor romanesco on my plate. According to the fourth edition of the "Food Lover's Companion", Romanesco is a type of "summer cauliflower" that hails from northern Italy. It has a pale lime green colour. Its florets are pointed, instead of rounded. Perhaps the line cooks substituted broccoli for romanesco during new year to practice plating the January version.

For dessert, while everyone ordered the creme brulee (cost: $7) that I often rave about to my friends, I ordered the intriguing rootbeer float ($8) from the drink menu.

Rootbeer Float

Profile
If I were in a diner, I would not hesitate to pair a hamburger with a milkshake. At Allium, I hesitatingly chose to pair my steak dinner with a collins glass containing dark rum, rootbeer, and a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. Oh it was sinful, juxtaposing rich ice cream in cold rootbeer in a French bistro. Were it not for the fact that the glass wasn't frosted and the float tasted of rum, the drink would have no place in a fine restaurant. Nevertheless, pairing rum with rootbeer is brilliant. Both share dark sugars and caramel tastes. Each extends the flavor profile with distinct flavors. Everything is carried well on melted ice cream. It was great.

Unfortunately, my better half interrupted my revelry with a spoonful of the custard from her creme brulee. While the sugar crust was thinly applied and the custard, creamy, something was different. The custard was heavier on the tongue and the vanilla flavour was missing something. This is when we inspected the bottom of the custard cup. We found none of the vanilla bean specks that were characteristic of the creme brulee that we remembered.

Something was amiss! During the evening service, Jenn and I noticed that the waiters kept turning patrons away because the restaurant was closing early at 9:00 pm. I wondered if Chef Jana were even on the premises. Under his attention, I doubt the inconsistencies with the meal would have occurred.

Cost (crab cakes, 2 steak frites entrees, 1 creme brulee, and 1 rootbeer float): $79.29 (after taxes, before tip)

That said, I hope my guests enjoyed their meal. Service was good and so was the meal. Its fundamentals were strong. Though, the meal was not at the level that earned Allium its 7th place finish in the November 2008 edition of Chris Knight's Top 10 restaurants in Ottawa.

Fear not! Jenn and I will check back with you later on this upcoming year. With so many great meals served to us, we have not yet lost faith.

Particulars:
Allium Restaurant
87 Holland Avenue
(613)792-1313
Click here for Allium's website.



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