Eat Arkansas: Ashley's: It's all of that

Blogging food all over the state.

Ashley's: It's all of that

I'll be writing a full review for the Times, to run Dec. 27. But I can tell you I finally got a seat in Ashley's at the Capital Hotel Monday night and the result was the best meal I've had in Little Rock in years, maybe ever. Setting, presentation, service, food and wine were all first-rate. And, in its way, it was a bargain.

I had the $75 tasting menu -- five small courses, each with a small tasting of wine matched to the course. An amuse bouche (freebie starter) was included, along with rolls and after-dinner petit fours. There was hardly a discordant note. The meal was paced perfectly, about an hour and 40 minutes of culinary entertainment in a room on a level with Michelin-starred French restaurants. I don't mean to suggest $75 is cheap, but -- these ingredients, this cooking, this room -- it is a place not just for expense account visitors (and Stephens-related visitors filled a big nearby table). It would cost you a great deal more money in the world's large cities. It's a place that somebody of modest means might consider for a special occasion and walk away feeling like they'd gotten a real experience for the money. I'd much rather go to dinner at the Capital than a Hannah Montana concert.

My wife had the $45 three-course prix fixe menu option. And one glass of wine. With tax and a 20 percent tip, we spent $168. That's not a dinner tab many people will run up regularly, but you can also do it easily in any number of lesser restaurants around town without trying very hard.

The menu really does change, so it was the last day for my particular selection of courses:

Smoked trout with lemon dill potato salad, mustard greens and horse radish vinaigrette --paired with a semi-dry American rose.

Fried oyster risotto with fennel and lemongrass -- served with a crisp white Burgundy.

Black cod and creamed spinach with oxtails and wild burgundy snails -- served with a red Burgundy.

Grilled veal paillard with crispy sweetbreads, Point Reyes Blue cheese and a Meyer lemon marmalade -- served with California cabernet.

Pear creme brulee (a hollowed-out lightly poached pear filled with creme brulee) -- served with Canadian ice wine (and a bonus gulp of Hungarian tokaj.)

It's an evening I plan to repeat.

Posted by Max Brantley on December 12, 2007 09:09 AM | Permalink

Comments

I cannot WAIT to eat here. I think I'm going to ask for a meal at Ashley's as a Christmas present.

Posted by: jrwilkes | December 12, 2007 03:43 PM

Max: Did you happen to notice if any Arkansas wines were on their menu?

Posted by: MysteryShopper | December 12, 2007 06:40 PM

I did not notice any Arkansas wines, but the list was long and, beyond a quick perusal for low price points in all the categories, I didn't pay close attention because I was going with the pickson the tasting menu.

Posted by: maxb | December 12, 2007 07:54 PM

Arkansas wines? Are you frickin' joking? Not sure why Max didn't laugh you off the blog, but I hereby guarantee you that the sommelier at Ashley's doesn't have a palate refined enough for Post Pink Catawba or Wiederkehr Blush Muscadine.

Posted by: Big Fun | December 13, 2007 09:14 PM

The Mystery Shop/Big Fun dichotomy is interesting: how do you come up with an Arkansas-centric menu and maintain a first-class, best-of-the-best dining experience?

Answer: admit that some things in Arkansas aren't worthy of a five star restaurant, home grown wines included. I'd be surprized if they served possum, too.

Posted by: Amanita | December 14, 2007 09:03 AM

Well done, Big Fun. A perfectly executed denunciation of a completely ridiculous notion. I'm relieved beyond words that none of my favorite haunts inflict repulsive Arkansas wines upon the drinking public. I commend you for blasting that idea into obliteration, right where it deserves to be. Pick the shittiest, watered-down beer you can imagine and I'd bet it has far superior notes and qualities to the piss-poor Post Famille Chardonnay I ruefully tasted once.

Agreed, Amanita- there are some things restaurants just can't do here the way they do them elsewhere, given our land-locked, geographical status.

I recently went to Ashley's and have to admit that I won't be making any plans to return. It's just not my style. I found the atmosphere to be frigid- literally and figuratively. I felt like I was having dinner in Grandmother's dining room, if Grandmother was an obscenely wealthy Jr. Leaguer. We waited for nearly 20 minutes before a server even acknowledged our existence, which pretty much set the bar for the rest of our experience. It was an inexcusable way to start a meal, considering that there were only three occuiped tables when we arrived. Our appetizers were just sort of boring- - and we were so turned off by being snubbed by all the servers on the floor that we chose to eat dinner somewhere else.

Posted by: JenJens | December 14, 2007 01:05 PM

I am disappointed that JenJens experience at Ashley's wasn't as nice as mine...

mrs rosso and I celebrated our anniversary the same night Max and The Judge were there and it was outstanding...

I must admit I am not a big fan of stuffy places but our experience was great...

We didn't even look at the menu, we just let the kitchen take us where they wanted us to go. We had several of the items that Max mentioned and our service was excellent...

I'm afraid my bill was a little more than Max's, though. I overindulged on the spirits!

I highly recommend Ashley's...

Posted by: rosso | December 14, 2007 02:50 PM

Eat Arkansas

Blogging food all over the state.

Ashley's: It's all of that

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