Dine Downtown Week - Brilliant!

This Dine Downtown week is a good idea. No, it's a great idea! A bunch of wonderful restaurants let you sample their wares for just $30. That $30 gets you three courses and that's a good, delicious deal.

My epicurean friend Nancy and I decided to try Mason's. I had been there once several years ago and remembered it being good, but expensive, so this was a great chance to go back. I think one of the reasons that it's expensive is that the service is fantastic. My napkin was placed on my lap, the water in my glass never dipped a half inch below the lip. The server was knowledgable and attentive. The other half of the equation is the food. A different server brought us a "gift from the kitchen" -- salmon tartar on a homemade sweet potato chip. Yum! A great way to jump start the palate. As for the Dine Downtown menu, there were two choices for appetizer, two for entree and one for dessert. Nancy chose the winter citrus and organic chicories with fresh goat cheese flan. I think she liked it, but I was busy devouring my Jerusalem artichoke, toasted cashew and wild mushroom soup with cashew cream. This is going to sound weird, but it had a light flavor of BBQ potato chips. That's a compliment though! The soup had a really rich, smoky flavor and could really have been a meal on it's own. For the main course, my friend opted for the sauteed Atlantic salmon filet with roasted garlic smashed potatoes and sauteed broccoli rabe. I chose the grilled hangar steak with house cut garlic fries and soft herb chimichurri. I will admit that after the soup I was half-full and wasn't able to eat my entire dinner. I loved the steak, but I have to say that the garlic fries were unbelievable. Big chunks of garlic and herbs with just the right amount of salt. At this point we're both stuffed. I'm not really a dessert person (and of all the desserts, bread pudding is pretty low on the list) so I figured I'd have a bite and call it a night. Instead, I found myself in love with roasted pear and candied walnut bread pudding with bourbon anglaise. It was served warm with fresh whipped cream that was absolutely divine. I ate the whole damn thing and by the time I got home my jeans were a size too tight.

I'm not sure what our meal would have cost on the regular menu, but I was quite satisfied for $30. Mason's is never going to be a weekly - or even monthly dining spot, at least not until this blog becomes a money-maker - but when Dine Downtown week rolls around next year I'd definitely consider coming back.