Dinner at the Cheese Board

Yes! Dinner at the previously-solely-lunch-and-catering Cheese Board! Last Wednesday night Mark and I went to the first in a series of monthly dinners at The Cheese Board. The food and service was so good we made reservations for the August dinner before we even got to dessert.

The first great thing! When we walked in we were greeted by the usual friendly people...they always seem happy to see us and make us feel welcome. Gigi Werbeckes and the dedicated Cheese Board staff did a wonderful job creating an atmosphere that was comfortingly familiar but altered in a way that made the room feel like a restaurant ready to serve a casual, but nice, dinner...large flower arrangements strategically placed, tiny candles on the table, and subtle lighting.

We started our dinner with the signature cocktail, a cucumber, basil, ginger, gin martini. We really like martinis and are endlessly fascinated by the flavors mimicked in the hands of a talented and creative mixologist. And really, you can't eat (drink?) too many vegetables. I was delightfully surprised before the martini even hit the table...by the cocktail napkin! Katlin dropped the bright-yellow napkin on the black and white restaurant background and I was instantly tickled by the effect. Don't know why...I just loved that napkin. And the martini was superb...just a little sweet, tasting of all the ingredients but none overpowering the others. Delish!

Next we moved on to the food. I won't go into tremendous detail because I'm not a food critic, I just love to eat tasty, inventive, whole foods, and when I can get it at a restaurant that buys local produce I want to spread the word. Suffice it to say that every course was delicious and we would have eaten seconds if we'd had any room left. We started with fresh summer corn soup and a mesclun salad with watermelon, shaved red onion, and a balsamic reduction. Then moved on to spicy baby back ribs so tender you wonder why they put knives on the table; Yukon mashed potatoes with cilantro and fresh corn; polenta cake with summer berries and peaches topped with mascarpone cream and honeyed almonds. All yummy!

Kaimi Coonrad, the Executive Chef, uses fresh ingredients to create dishes with clear yet complex flavors that entice with waves of depth in each taste experience. We had a wonderful time and meal, and look forward to the next experience in August. Only one thing would make it better...a Cheese Board in Sparks!