Todd DeLand my personal blog

The Earle – 2.7.09

Alright, so Saturday at dinner Todd and I decided that we go out to dinner so much that we should start reviewing the restaurants.

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2008

The Earle

Great ambiance on the lower level of the Earle building off of Washington in A2.  Cozy feel with live music.

Drinks:  Pinot Grigio (They have a huge wine list, lots of bottles and a few house wines by the glass.)
Classic Manhattan:  great attention to ingredients, well balanced, two cherries

Appetizer:  Risotto balls stuffed with Mozzarella
Wonderful rendition of mozzarella sticks.  Just firm enough to not fall off the fork, but the cheese melted perfectly in your mouth.  Instead of typical marinara sauce for dipping, it was spiced up with some extra garlic and basil.  A great start!

Jessica's Meal

• Pork Tenderloin
  Slices of pork tenderloin sprinkled with rosemary, with an orange honey glaze, and served with honey-roasted sweet potatoes. Awesome meal.  I typically don't order pork, but the sauce and sweet potatoes were too appealing to pass up.  Great balance of sweet and acidic.  Veggies were great--perfectly crisp!

Rating: 8 of 10

Todd's Meal

• Sautéed Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper
  Rolled in coarsely ground black pepper, and served with a brandy sauce, garnished with mushrooms, served with potatoes. Proportioned just right, the black pepper was not too strong, but definitely noticeable.  The mushrooms were prepared just right, even for a guy who typically doesn't eat mushrooms.  The brandy sauce had the right amount of flavor to bring out the pepper.  The steamed vegetables were perfectly prepared and the highlight of the meal was the gratin!  Creamy, yet firm and crispy on top!
  

Rating: 8 of 10

We hope you enjoy our amature reviews.  We'll try to document our dining experiences in Ann Arbor for those of you who want some advice on the downtown restaurants!

'Til next time,

The Food Critics
Jessica and Todd