Ahh, Harvest.

What a fabulous restaurant. We haven't been in forever, until last night. We took our friends' kids, Whitney and Ian, for their first trip to this restaurant. *Back Story* We'd taken Whitney to L'Etoile when she was 10 for her birthday, that was fun to watch. So we wanted to do something similar for Ian, since we'd long ago missed the boat on his 10th birthday--and he's only recently become a less picky eater. Whit's home from BYU for what's left of the summer, and she wanted to do a fun dinner together before she goes back to take Polynesian dancing next semester (among other cool subjects).

I wasn't on the ball enough to get photos of our appetizers, and the photos I got of entrees and desserts are pretty lame too. I was trying to avoid using the flash because it's just annoying in a lovely dark restaurant to do such a thing. However, here's the scoop. Ian ordered the frog legs, surprising us. He only shared with his sister because they have blood between them. They looked fabulous, like little figs. I did get to try the potatoes that surrounded the fat little frog legs--those were delish. Jim had the sweetbreads with plump little bacon bits, yum. Matched his with a Leitz Riesling, punk. I tried the Lettuce Soup, with a stravecchio flan. Very interesting. Dark green and bitter-ish, acidic. Matched with a Las Brisas wine, part Sauv Blanc, part Verdejo, I think. Yum. Whitney went for the cannelloni, stuffed with lemon ricotta. Beautiful and tasty, served up with a little poof of purslane on top.

Nearly forgot the amuse beforehand--a tomato "consomme" with parsley oil on top. It was like tomato booze, without the alcohol. Delicious shooter. Like gazpacho without the cucumber chunks.

Then the entrees: Whitney and Ian duked it out with variations on a beef theme. She went for the hangar steak, he went for the tenderloin. Same prep on both, with beets and their greens and a blue cheese something underneath. Fascinating to taste the different textures and flavors of their beefs. I think I prefer the hangar steak, but the tender didn't suck either. Succulent is more like it. Jim went for the lamb, which looked just about raw, but was beautiful on top of some gorgeous little summer tomatoes and fennel. Paired up with a syrah to beat the band. I went for the trout, which I never order, and it was just great. The skin was all crispy, like it was a fried potato skin or something, not leathery or oily. Served on top of a cauliflower puree and summer corn and greens. Paired up with a rose, someone de Bergerac, not Cyrano.

I don't know where we found room for dessert, but we did. My old boss had been in the house earlier in the evening, but before he'd left he'd apparently left instructions with our waiter to buy us dessert! Very sweet of him. Ian went for his favorite, creme brulee. He boldly claimed that the creme he makes is just as good! As you can see, he liked it. I even thought it'd be okay if he licked the last of the sugar crunchies off the plate. Jim did the Angel Food Cake with Tarragon ice cream. Holy strange and wonderful, Batman. Paired that with a Stregga, which we'd never heard of before, something like grappa crossed with chartreuse. I want. I had the Lavender Panna Cotta in Strawberry Soup, delicious--creamy and wonderful, nearly sickly sweet. Coffee for me, in a little french press, what a treat. Whitney had a towering chocolate semifreddo that was rich and velvety.

We rolled out of there, and very grateful for our gift certificate and for Lorin's kindness in footing dessert. I wish it weren't so expensive, but it is truly an investment in great food and irreplaceable memories.

Who's coming with us next? There's some prix fixe events coming up soon!