Cake

By Stephanie

Really, we have been eating the last month. Just nothing all that pretty to show you. Michael continues to give Vij's Cookbook a work out, and while the flavors are great, it isn't the prettiest food to photograph. We rely on Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants when we can't see to cook - Top Gun, Szechuan Chef, Thien Phat are the most typical hangs.

We can highly recommend Verve in Columbia City for pretty food that is good to eat, at prices that are reasonable and generously portioned. Garrett makes delicious sauces to go with things like beef cheeks and sweetbreads with gnocchi, but you can also get a crisp winter salad, a cheese plate, or a nice steak or roast chicken to go with their wine bar intent. Not drinking, that's okay too. Desserts are worth the splurge, made in house. They are also open for brunch Saturday and Sunday with wild boar chops to side up to eggs, or fig-ricotta stuffed french toast. Sorry, no pictures from the recent foray. The menu does vary.

You'll have to make do with my homemade cake, lemon buttermilk with homegrown plum compote and a side of Double Rainbow french vanilla ice cream.

Comments

[dkl]

I would disagree with your comment "prices that are reasonable and generously portioned."

While the food is tasty, we often find ourselves wondering why we keep coming back. For instance ordering the meat/cheese plate for $15 one would expect more than three paper thin slices of each meat and teaspoon sized chunks of cheese. Very sad. We actually now will just stop in and have a glass of wine and then head to one of the other restaurants nearby for dinner or appetizers.

The wine-by-the-glass selection is limited when compared to other wine bars and even some restaurants. It also has a very 'cold' feel to the space and it can get very loud.

It's a neighborhood joint and so we'll keep going back - but that's about the only reason.

[stephanie]

I know the retail price for that salumi - it is expensive. We've been thrilled with the salads, hot small plates, and large plates. Two of us made dinner from one salad and two small plates and are not small eaters. If you order a number of glasses of wine, it does add up. Thanks for your comment though.