Isabela on Grandview's seven-course meal becomes more like an event
High atop the city, Isabela on Grandview perches at the edge of Mt. Washington.
Two small dining rooms offer a spectacular bird's eye view of the city from white linen covered tables. The building itself is a former home that's been transformed into a two-story restaurant, which opened five years ago. The plain exterior doesn't do justice to the magic that goes on inside.
Isabela's seasonal menu is a complete prix fixe offering of $65 for a seven-course feast. Diners individualize each meal by selecting an appetizer, fish course, meat course and dessert, exquisitely planned by executive chef Kevin Hunninen.
Each course offers enough of a serving size to allow your generosity to extend to sharing a bite or two.
The meal also includes an opening "small bite," a salad and a between-course, palate-cleansing granite.
A bit of caution: Pace yourself -- and bring along your love interest or most charming friends. This is the kind of meal that is best savored slowly over the course of an evening with lively wit or words of romance. Your Isabela encounter is so much more than mere sustenance -- it's an event.
Our sumptuous dining experience began with the amuse bouche chef's selection. On this particular night, our appetites were excited with a fat Shrimp and a biting tang of wasabi cream on a slice of crisp cucumber.
The three appetizer choices included a tender Mushroom and Truffle Crepe with red pepper pesto.
The Grilled Zucchini, Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tart was an exceptional blend of flavors.
And the Copper River Sockeye Salmon was perfectly complemented with blueberry balsamic reduction.
The fish course follows, with selections ranging in flavors, textures -- and temperatures. For relief from the hot summer, choose the cold Curried Crab Salad with chili-mango coulis.
Beautifully browned Seared Sea Scallops were offered with an Asian-inspired sesame cucumber salad.
The meaty Triggerfish was presented with a fresh fennel-tomato ragout and beurre rouge sauce.
Then, onto the intermezzo, a daily creation of icy Granite . We enjoyed the bracing Cherry Watermelon flavor du jour .
Then we moved onto the meat course. Again, we sampled all the choices and found them appropriately seasoned and prepared with flair.
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin was enhanced with an exotic chipotle bearnaise and sauce rouenaise.
An inspired apple-rosemary jus complemented the Roasted Saddle of Jamison Lamb .
And Pepper-Dusted Beef Tenderloin was brought further to life with the addition of porcini mushrooms
Salad followed in the European style. It simply consisted of the freshest tender baby greens tossed with herb de Provence vinaigrette. Much of the produce at the root of Isabela's menu comes from local farms.
Desserts are the stuff sweet dreams are made from.
Layers of puff pastry were the building blocks of Fresh Berry Napoleon with Gran Marnier whipped cream. Cool and rich and just bursting with berries, this was a personal favorite.
Little more can be said of Cheesecake As It Should Be . The name says it all.
The Dark Chocolate Cake with Lemon Butter Cream was the yin and yang of desserts -- a perfect balance of bitter and sweet.
With the ever-changing menu at Isabela, chances are you'll be tempted by a different menu of innovative creations. But that's all the more reason to return with frequency. Additional Information:
Details
Isabela on Grandview
Cuisine: American contemporary.
Hours: 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Entree price range: Prix fixe menu of $65.
Notes: Full bar and wine list, including 12 wines offered by the glass. Reservations required. Valet parking. Major credit cards accepted. No smoking. No separate checks.
Address: 1318 Grandview Ave., Mt. Washington.
Details: 412-431-5882.
Ticket restaurant reviewers visit restaurants anonymously. They pay in full for all food, wines and services. Interviews are done only after meals and services have been appraised.
