Meal Worthy of a Celebration

Quick recap: Hubby and I moved to Fort Worth for his new job.  It was a great opportunity and well worth the move from New York City.  When I finished school (my MBA), I packed up all my stuff and all of hubby's stuff and moved us down to Fort Worth.  Basically as the move finished, the final wedding prep was upon us.  I didn't stay in Fort Worth for more than a week before flying to South Florida to finish wedding plans and get married.  Once we got back to Fort Worth after the honeymoon, reality set in, and I started my job search.  I am proud to say that after an intense month and a half of searching, I got a job! 

Getting a job seemed like a worthy celebration, and hubby surprised me with dinner at Ellerbe Fine Foods, a market fresh high-end restaurant in Fort Worth.  We had heard great things about Ellerbe and had been looking for an excuse to try it out.  My getting a job was the perfect reason to go.  We got dressed up and psyched for a delicious meal out... and it did not disappoint.

Walking into Ellerbe, you notice the white washed walls and low-key yet refined atmosphere.  The sun streamed in through the windows and skylight of what once was a service station.  It reminded hubby and I of the restaurants we go to when we are in Napa Valley.  They serve fresh ingredients gotten at local markets and seem to have interesting stories to tell about the local vendors.  The meal overall was superb. 

 The atmosphere at Ellerbe was one of comfortable elegance.

Since this was a meal for celebrating, we decided to go all out.  We got a bottle of Sardinian red, which was surprisingly tasty.  We ordered appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  It was decadent but not overwhelming.  We started with a side of fried okra, which they are known for, and a charcuterie plate.  Both delighted the senses.  I am not normally a fan of fried okra, but you could tell it was freshly made and sourced.  The okra was juicy and the buttermilk dipping sauce added an extra element to the flavors.  The charcuterie came with three cheeses, two of which were from local farms no more than an hour from Fort Worth, and meats cured in house.

The light and crunchy breading held in the flavors of the fresh okra.

Local and in house preparation made the charcuterie stand out from others we have had.

For dinner, hubby had a pheasant stuffed with gruyere cheese and wrapped in pancetta.  The waitress explained that it was their take on chicken cordon bleu.  I was able to sneak a bite off of hubby's plate, and it was out of this world.  The pancetta provided a crunchy layer on the outside that led to the cheesy center.  I had the bacon wrapped salmon with herb farro.  It was delicious with complex flavors and fresh herbs.  My only note is that it was a bit too herby for my liking.  However, that did not stop me from eating the delicious meal.

Hubby's meal was fit for a king!

My meal was healthy but still flavorful.

Since it was a celebration in my honor and my favorite part of the meal is sweet, we decided to order dessert.  Although Ellerbe is known for their bread pudding (which was a tempting choice), we went with a chocolate marshmallow dessert that took me back to my childhood.  It tasted like s'mores, but the richness and depth of the flavors indicated that these were no ordinary campfire s'mores.  We almost ordered a second helping they were so good.

We closed our eyes as we savored the many dimensions of this outstanding dessert.

Happy weekend everyone!