Persimmon
Hot-Buttered Rum & Cider – Apple Cider, Rum, Compound Caramel Butter, Nutrmeg
Three Guarantees – Amaras Espadin Mezcal, Lustau Pedro Ximenez, Sherry, Lime, Jalapeno
Sourdough Bread, Salted Butter
Native Butternut Squash Soup, Caramelized Walnuts, Squash Seeds, Smoked Maple
Bucatini Carbonara, House Guanciale, Pecorino Romano Cheese, Black Pepper
Spaghetti Bolognese, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Black Spaghetti, Bottarga di Muggine, Chili Flakes, Breadcrumbs, Almond Oil
Pan Seared Foie Gras, Duck Neck Confit, Quince, Apple, Pear, Smoked Gizzard, Duck Jus
Boneless Chicken Wing, Thai Curry, Lemongrass, Peanuts, Thai Basil, Mint
Slow Roasted Venison Loin, Caramelized Sunchokes, Medjool Dates, Venison Jus
Native Apple Profiteroles, Ginger Ice Cream, Apple Compote
Ricotta Ice Cream, Concord Grape Sauce, Celery, Caramelized White Chocolate Blondie
Native Sweet Potato Cheesecake, Crunchy Autumn Garnishes, Whipped Cream
Dark Chocolate Semifreddo, Textures of Valrhona Chocolate, Hazelnuts
In a city where “fine dining” almost always means Italian Persimmon’s Champe and Lisa Speidel offer a rare alternative to Birch, the space in Fox Point visited days after Christmas found serving a seasonal array of plates built on quality ingredients and classic technique.
Described as “New American,” but built on global influence, an address at 99 Hope Street occupied since 2016 after several years in Bristol, it is passing by pictures of the namesake Fruit that guests find themselves in one of two rooms, a well-stocked Bar the focal point of one while an open kitchen can be seen from the other.
Dimly let and small in staff, only two waiters noted despite at least fifty diners spread across the Restaurant, it was after ordering drinks including viscous Hot Buttered Rum that the server began to make suggestions, house-fabricated Pasta an easy sell to this four-top but Dinner actually beginning with a bowl of Soup made from pureed Butternut Squash plus smoked Syrup, Nuts and Seeds.
A bit confused by the choice to serve over-proofed Sourdough, the flavor fine but Crust hard and virtually no body, it is fortunate that three bowls of Noodles came from a more subtle hand, the Bucatini not over-salted like so many others while both standard Spaghetti and one made with Squid Ink were al dente and complicated, the former undoubtedly incorporating some Offal into the Bolognese while shaved Bottarga added a creamy finish to the black Strands that were not too hot despite the inclusion of Chili Flakes.
Moving onward, the waiter’s awkward manners giving way to a little personality as he realized this was a knowledgeable group wanting to talk Food, it was at prices far lower than Boston or New York that Foie Gras and Venison were offered, the latter a marvelous piece of Meat allowed to display its full flavor profile alongside sweet and earthy accoutrements while Duck Liver was nicely seared and expectedly rich, as too was the fatty neck and smoked Gizzard that went well with locally harvested Fruits.
Underwhelmed by the Thai-inspired Chicken “Wing,” which was in reality a Roulade wrapped in crispy skin that found itself lost to too many Herbs, it was after a second round of Cocktails that Desserts arrived, the Profiteroles’ Choux unfortunately not standing up to Ice Cream and Compote but the rest all enjoyable with special mention warranted for Ricotta Ice Cream that used thinly sliced Celery imbued with Simple Syrup as a counterpoint to reduced Grapes and a sugary Blondie.
www.persimmonri.com
