Cuisine:

• American
• Contemporary
• Others

Gracie's Description:
In its whimsical way, Gracie's seeks to fire the heart as well as please the palate. "Follow Your Dreams" is the motto of this Downcity landmark. Shooting stars, sunbursts and flickering candles in the capacious dining room set the mood for an evening of culinary reverie. Over the course of a seasonal seven-course tasting menu (a five-course or three-course version is also available) you expect at least some stumbles, but chef Joseph Hafner delivers one delight after another in his unfussy style. Collaborations with local purveyors include breads from Olga's and Plum Point oysters. One night, an impossibly tender ceviche of scallops was served with compressed kiwi and lime crème fraîche, paired with a sprightly citrus Napa Sauvignon Blanc from Honig. Potato gnocchi was suffused with brown butter and scattered with house-cured bacon, shaved Parmesan cheese from Farmstead and spring peas. A grilled foie gras was served on a slice of vanilla pound cake, flavored with salt, mint, almond and rhubarb. A soft-shell crab tempura over Kenyon Mills white corn polenta produced the evening's only minor gripe: a bit too much of the fennel and saffron broth made the crab soggy. An intermezzo of frozen lemonade, an entrée of pulled pork and tenderloin, and a course of sheep's milk cheese from Holland followed, with portions sized so we left after our three-hour dinner feeling quiescent, but not ready to pass out. Dreamy? We won't go that far, but Gracie's is enchanting.


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