Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Paul and Wendy Hamilton opened their charming Lafayette Square restaurant. But it’s not hard to believe that Eleven Eleven is as busy now as it was when it first opened. With new places opening every month, it’s not easy for established restaurants to keep their edge.
But Eleven Eleven still has the same things going for it as always: great atmosphere, solid food and generous portions. I’m convinced the fullness of entrees here is a big part of the equation, since you not only get several side dishes on the plate, but they’re real portions, not just window dressing.
And the dishes are well-conceived with innovative touches. A Salad Special ($8) was excellent, a blend of lettuces (including radicchio) dotted with sliced green olives, dried cherries, and slices of seeded cucumber. The dressing was creamy mustard-herb—very tasty.
A flatbread of Poached Pear & Fig ($11.79) offered a series of delicious flavors on a nice thin crust: black mission figs, soft pear slices, gorgonzola, caramelized onions and crème fraiche. It was heavy on sweet, but that balanced out with the pungent gorgonzola.
Port Wine Braised Lamb Shank ($28) sat on a sweet squash puree and came with large cubes of roasted turnip and sautéed spinach. I especially liked the presentation, with the sides all jumbled in a hearty stew-like way perfect for the season. The lamb was flavorful but not as tender as I would have liked (this dish should be fall-off-the-bone soft).
Crispy Idaho Red Ruby Trout ($23) had a delectable sauce, a mixture of ginger spice and sweetness. The two sides of fish had been lightly floured with rice meal just to add that light coating, and the plate contained orzo, sautéed broccoli and bits of fried spinach used as a garnish.
A special, Duck with Cherry Port Wine Glaze, was done well, with a moist breast sitting on gorgonzola mashed potatoes. Mercifully, the cheese was added with restraint, imparting a certain richness to the potatoes, but not the overly strong flavor gorgonzola can contribute. The sauce was very sweet, but the strong fowl tolerated it well. Broccoli florets, a good, earthy choice, were artfully dotted on the plate.
A Napoleon Crème Brulee dessert was delicious, with house-made caramel sauce underneath and caramelized banana slices.
[chef chat] >> wade waller
PEDIGREE | Johnson & Wales, College of Culinary Arts, Charlotte, N.C.
FAVORITE INGREDIENT | Lamb; we currently have two lamb dishes on the menu.
FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT | Cleveland-Heath
FAVORITE COOKBOOK | French Laundry by Thomas Keller
MOST MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE | A seafood place in Florida, actually Cape Canaveral, sitting on the dock and eating seafood appetizers for about three hours
[amuse bouche]
THE SCENE | Warm, inviting, Tuscan-style restaurant
THE CHEF | Wade Waller
THE PRICES | $9 to $12 starters, $18 to $25 entrees
THE FAVORITES | Salad Special, Crispy Idaho Red Ruby Trout, Poached Pear & Fig Flatbread
Photos by Bill Barrett
