Saturday, September 22, 2007

Kil@wat -- Milwaukee, WI

So, this is the first entry. I printed out my OpenTable reservation history and I am going to try to critique as many restaurants as I can remember. I am going to start from the most recent so I can ensure that I actually remember what I ate.

Kilw@at sticks out because it was honestly one of the best meals I have ever had. So, my meal:

Food:

  1. Bacon wrapped medjool dates -- These were absolutely amazing. My waitress suggested them so I ordered them. This is not something I would usually order. I am not a huge bacon person. However, 6 little presents came out and I figured I would eat 3-4 at most...I ate all of them. They were addicting. I have since tried to replicate these in my own kitchen and I came quasi close, but not the same.
  2. Olive oil and rosemary marinated mozzarella fresca -- This was simple and fresh. I loved it. I loved it because it was so simple and I could easily do this at home. This was a nice accompaniment to the figs because they were both so simple yet so fantastic. It really made me realize how great simple foods can be. I do not give credit to the chef but rather to the ingredients.
  3. Soup of the day -- This happened to be an and fennel based soup with a lobster salad. I questioned this with my server and she aptly provided me with a sample. This, once again, was amazing. It was like a portal into Fall. I loved this soup. I literally turned the bowl to the side to scrap out the remnants. The Lobster sald was added the perfect contrast to the soup. The most obvious ingredient besides the smooth lobster was the celery. I loved the texture of the celery with the rest of the soup. If you can order this, feel privileged.
  4. Hamachi samishi ceviche, jalepeno, lemon grass mint: I have never had hamichi. It was an elegant fish. It was firm and actually perfect for this ceviche. This was unlike any ceviche I have ever had. I am used to citrusy ceviches. This was more elegant and more filling. Strips of celery (once again) provided a nice contrasting texture and the thai flavors were magnificent. I really do not need to say anything else besides I advise you to order this.
  5. Sea Scallops, gingered shitakes, sesame, miso glaze: This was my final dish and once again was suggested by the waitress. On a side note if you have Heather as you server, please DO take advantage of her knowledge and experience of the menu. The scallops were done perfectly and with the shitakes and the temperature of this dish I essentially manipulated it to move into fall. I feel slightly bad for taking advantage of this dish. This was the perfect end to my meal. I opted for a more "tapas" like dinner and this dish was by far the most filling. I am sure Kil@wat has lovely main dishes but their appetizers were perfect for me.
Drinks:

  1. I started off with a Sauvignon Blanc. It was mid September and unusually cool. I honestly felt that I was about to rediscover my inner red wine but I opted for a last ditch effort to enjoy summer
  2. I supported my meal with 3 glasses of Albarino. I cannot remeber what the name of the wine was (and this is not because I did enjoy a few glasses of wine but rather because when I drank the wine, I did not have this blog started). I had first heard about Albarino a few weeks ago in a USA Today article stating that Albarino would be the "it' wine of 2008. So naturally being a snobby, snoody, yuppy suburban guy, I wanted to try it. It was actually quite good (could you not tell from the 3 glasses I had?) and it was nice to try something different. I felt it was more crisp yet velvety then Chardonnay. It went well with my meal and I was very pleased.
  3. Ended my night not with a creme brulee but a 12 yr. Mclellan Scotch neat. It was perfect and I need not say more.

All in all, fantastic meal. I had great service, fantastic food and amazing drinks. I highly advise anyone staying in Milwaukee enjoy this restaurant. I feel like I need to write more but I really don't want to. The food will explain itself if you try it.

3 comments:

Peggy said...

WOW Jimmy - you really are a gourmet! I have never tried any of those dishes or drinks! I really need to get out more. I am curious about the price of these meals. Just a suggestion maybe in future blogs to give some sort of price range for your budget concerned readers (c'est moi!) Also - are you influenced by the presentation at all - that might be another item to make note of. (Can you tell I watch the Iron Chef?)I'm looking forward to future entries! Love ya!

Anonymous said...

Jimmy - Though your entry was a little like reading a foreign language (how did I get into this foodie family?), I definitely appreciated - and enjoyed - your description of your meal. Actually made me hungry! Keep 'em coming! I've now added your blog to my favorites. Love! :-)

Peggy said...

Okay Jim Watson - I'm ready for another food review - let's get moving here! Some of us have to live vicariously through their nephews, don't cha know! Love ya!