The hostess approached to tell us our table was ready and led us into the dining room. There is one dining room and it is open concept, as well as open to the kitchen, so it was noisier than I expected; however EVERYONE in the room was thrilled to be there and truly enJOYing their evening with friends and family which made the noise electric and not overwhelming, a good noise. Plates are constantly being sent out from the kitchen at a steady pace and so your are engulfed in tantalizing clouds of fresh bread, cured meats, asian noodles...it is everything a restaurant obsessed with food should be.
Our server. I still remember his name and will probably never forget it; Shaun. Hands down, no competition, give the guy a raise...BEST. SERVER. EVER. Not only was he attentive, personable and genuinely nice, but he gave an excellent wine recommendation and we've been dreaming about that bottle ever since. Shaun suggested we order 3-5 dishes from the menu because everything was served family style and not to worry about the order of the delivery from the kitchen, because he would take care of that for us. We ordered the following items:
- Warm Pain De Campagne, Red Wine & Apple Butter
- Pork Belly, Spicy Slaw, Fried New Potatoes
- Tamales a la Xavi, Zucchini Pico, Salsa
- Korean Braised Goat & Dumplings {SPICY, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED}
- Shrimp, Charred Acorn Squash, Hot Pot Curry, Rice Noodles, Herbs
{I'm getting dizzy with delight just typing out the items we chose and staring at their menu thinking of the items I didn't get to try that night. We must go back soon. "Dear Suri, please take note, we must go back to Underbelly soon." "Got it." Thanks Suri.} Let's begin with our favorites...the bread {Warm Pain De Campagne, Red Wine & Apple Butter}. This is what I picture at the banquet table in heaven when all the followers of Christ gather together break bread with God the father and God the Son. I mean this bread was heavenly. The crust was thick and made that delightful "CRRRUUUNCH" noise when you pressed your knife or thumbs into it and then the inside was a steamy cavern full of light yet filling webs of delicious bread. Bread. What is it about bread? Is it the link it provides us to the last supper? There is just something so comforting about a good loaf of homemade bread. "Do this in remembrance of me."
Our second favorite was the Pork Belly. I LERRRRVE when my pork belly is seared with a crust on the outside and then you bite into rich, juicy, pork beneath, but what made this plate perfection was when you ate a bite of pork WITH a bite of spicy slaw. I'm seriously, salivating over pork belly at 8:24 a.m.
The tamales were good, but the zucchini pico was incredible and the perfect date for those full-figured tamales.
The goat...oh the goat. We have come to the one thing I would have changed with the order our food arrived to the table. This Korean braised goat had some serious bite and the dumplings were necessary to calm your mouth after each taste of the meat. They were rich and delicious, but I am not well versed enough in Korean cooking to know what made the goat so spicy. I do love a good spicy dish, but it blew out my taste buds so that it was too impossible for me to taste and enjoy the Shrimp and Rice Noodle Bowl that was served last. I wish I had eaten the Shrimp and Rice Noodles and finished with the goat. But regardless...
Divine. The entire meal was divine.
We were so full from our five shared plates we didn't even look at the dessert menu. Sad, I know. Despicable really, but I plan to order three plates next time so that I can indulge in dessert and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee at the end of our meal. Underbelly quickly earned it's spot at the top of my husband's favorite places to eat and I am certain you will feel the same way, so make your reservation today, because you will need a reservation to get a table. Gather round, order a drink, pass the plates and enjoy your time around the table at Underbelly.
