Well & Truly Sated – Brasserie by Niche

Had a just plain lovely Saturday afternoon with my mom this past weekend.  Movie plus delectable dinner at Brasserie by Niche.

Naturally, we started with some cocktails and cheese gougères (hence the previous post).  My mom chose the Earth & Vine – it involved tequila, grape, lemon, and cassis flavors.  I opted for the Fleur Pourpre since it was basically a martini with crème violette (gin, maraschino liqueur, dry vermouth, lemon, and crème violette).  I have been wanting to get my hands on/try crème violette for a while – mostly to make this cocktail – and gin martinis never fail me, so it seemed the proper choice.  Was basically a very floral, and very pretty looking, martini.  No complaints.

So, there we were, sitting outside Brasserie’s charming restaurant front on a perfect early fall evening, drinking pretty cocktails – what else could I get but their bistro steak frites.  Plus, I had never been to Brasserie, and that seemed like a primo snapshot dish.  The butter/shallot spread on top of the steak was decadent goodness and there was an abundance of crispy, thin bistro fries.  I just wish there had (1) been little bit more of salty, beefy juice running around the plate so as to make full use of the fries, and (2) that my steak had been cooked medium rare as requested and not medium.  Come on guys, I know you can.

After my steak, I was pretty much stuffed-to-the-rote (“roh-tey” to use a mom-ism of my dinner date), but we were not going to wimp out on dessert.  Normally I leap to profiteroles or a tarte tatin – both of which they offer.  However, the pot de crème was speaking to me in come hither dulcet tones.  I had snagged a lone hersheys kiss on my way out of our movie at the Chase prior to dinner and it had awakened the chocolate beast within me.  A more substantial sacrifice was required!  I didn’t even make it through all the creamy, chocolatey goodness and the beast was sated.

(come to momma)

(I WILL HAVE CHOCOLATE!!  Creamy, creamy chocolate)