I like Carr's. I like that it uses local suppliers. I like its corner store that has interesting eats and bonsai trees in the window. I like that one walks down to the basement and is transported into a hip dining area that is warm and inviting, with its gold color-washed walls and a fantastic wine cellar. And I like the food. Most of the time.
I've had the pleasure of eating at Carr's several times now. The first time was when I had just moved here. We were wandering about downtown Lancaster. Carr's had set up an outdoor cafe in the alley. We stopped in for a quick bite and I had one of the best salmon salads I've had in a long time. Moist, yet flaky, a good balance of flavors; I knew I had found a place that I would visit again.
On another occasion, I had a lunch meeting at Carr's and went for the meatloaf. It was a masterful display of how home cooking could be so wonderfully sophisticated. Delicious medallions of meatloaf were settled on slices of hearty bread and served with a gravy that pulled it all together harmoniously. I had visions of being at home with the family around the dining room table ... while donning the latest Dolce & Gabbana spring fashion and laughing gaily at my brother's jokes.
Just recently, we visited again. The service was impeccable. Efficient and friendly, the server was a true resource in assisting us on making the right menu choices. I started with the Grapefruit Martini ($6.95), an item on the Seasonal Sippers drinks menu. The martini, though, wasn't as balanced as I would have liked. The base flavor was good and refreshing, but there was too much of an alcohol punch.
I went with the Grilled Dover Sole and Shrimp ($30). The presentation was beautiful. The caramel color of the browned butter, lemon, and caper sauce looked incredibly appetizing with the combination of squash, asparagus and other seasonal vegetables. All this topped with two nicely grilled sole fillets and shrimp on the side. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this dish nearly as much as my eyes were hoping. The sole had a great delicately grilled flavor. The shrimp was moist and lovely. So what was the problem? The sauce was so overwhelmed by lemon that all you could taste was the tartness. Now, capers generally have such a strong flavor that it risks dominating over all others. The fact that the lemon dominated the capers? Pucker up. The shame of it all was that the other flavors were fighting to come out and play, but they just couldn't.
My husband ordered the Grilled Medallions of Beef with Macaroni and Goat Cheese ($21). Now this was a fabulous dish. The filet mignon was tender, juicy and melted in your mouth. It was so good that I attempted to commandeer the dish, to no avail. The macaroni and goat cheese was a subtle upgrade of your comfort dish, and the subtlety was just enough to give it some flair without overwhelming it with the gaminess that is usually associated with goat cheese.
So what if I didn't like the dish I had at my latest visit. Because at the end of the day, I still like Carr's.
Write to Lina Bierker at living@lnpnews.com.
