This was my third visit to Branzino since I've lived in Seattle and while the gnocchi and pizza are a definite knockout, the Carve Crudo, a recent addition to the menu was a new and treasurable experience. The host was very friendly and although it took us nearly 20 minutes to decide on what to drink, he politely stepped back to give us more time so as to alleviate the unnecessary pressures most waiters impose on their patrons. We ordered several dishes to share, including succulent juicy scallops garnished with brussel sprouts, but the carve crudo gave me a whole new meaning to the steak tartar I grew up with.
Before the platter landed on our table, I mistakenly ordered more bread, assuming this was the only way one could eat steak tartar, my mistake. My friend Selina scolded and explained I needed to try things as the chef intended, and she was right. The colored petite veggies, decorated over the top felt like a garden had grown right out of the plate and the raw meat was the soil. Each vegetable was cooked, steamed or fried to perfection. The meat was marinated with olive oil and lemon juice and the Dr. Seuss looking vegetables included baby turnips, radishes, garden beats, baby carrots and shoestring potatoes, all fresh from the market. Before leaving, I had the opportunity to chat with the chef, Quinton Stewart, who gave me the run down on how he prepared the carve crudo.
For the curious but timid foodies, the WHO performed a study in the Netherlands and determined that one in every 6,681 are likely to get sick from steak tartar (WHO, 2009), that's a 0.015% probability. Need I say more? If you're craving a new twist to the traditional steak tartar Francais, this would be it. Bon Appetite!
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