We began our experience at Bolla by discovering that valet parking was the only option. As any classy man in Dallas knows, Rob carried a wad of cash for just such occasions… He’s so smart.
We walked through the eye-candy of a hotel lobby and into the restaurant. Booth seating lined the walls and curtains separated the sections from one another . Our section was private for most of our dinner.
Rob looked at the wine list and noted that the domestic reds were all from California. I meant to have a word with the sommelier about that… but he recommended a red from Siciliy citing it’s complex volcanic soil for making it full and well-rounded. Indeed, it was earthy, lighty spicy, and certainly complex – a great compliment to a multi-course dinner.
In Budapest, we had ordered the tasting menu with complimenting wine selections and decided that, while tasty, we enjoyed having one wine we really enjoyed throughout the meal.
I ordered the Bolla-tini and was oh-so-pleased to enjoy a smooth, cold, and tasty quality vodka martini with two olives. Yum.
Rob knows that I don’t need sparkly jewelry or even expensive flowers, but prefer a multi-course menu served over an entire evening prepared by a chef who takes exquisite pride in his/her work.
He had already decided to order me the seven-course tasting menu which consisted of the chef’s choices for the evening and himself the three-course menu. We would, of course, share. Tasting as many dishes as possible is one of the joys of eating an amazing chef’s work!
I had written on our reservation that we were fans of David Bull and celebrating our anniversary. The wonderful chef he is, he came out to our table to greet us and answer any questions we had over the menu. We explained what we were thinking of doing because we wanted to get different dishes. He sent his server out later to tell us he could give us both the seven-course menu with different courses for each of us! While that was super duper nice, we still went with seven and three.
And this is how our meal went:
Both – Amuse Bouche – melon ball with goat cheese other sauces and bite-sized yumminess. I LOVE when I’m at a nice enough foodie place that the chef sends out an amuse bouche!
Rob – Beef Tartare with fried oysters, pickled chantrelle mushrooms, and pommery grain mustard. Delicious! The texture was superb as the beef melted in our mouths hit with the dashes of flavor from the pickled mushrooms and mustard. I don’t think I really noticed the oysters as they blended in nicely with the melty-tender beef. One of our favorites.
McKay – Heirloom Tomato Salad. This one was so good I almost cried! The heirloom tomatoes were picked at the height of freshness and wore their flavor proudly like a tomato should. It was a mix of wedges of yellow and red plus cherry tomatoes of varying shades with a fresh and amazing mozzarella prepared in-house and a concentrated version of balsamic vinegar that all together made something so much more than a regular caprese-style salad! I mean WOW!
McKay – Watermelon-Melon Salad with Crabcake. Such wonderful flavors! David Bull’s food has a wonderful talent of hitting all the parts of a diner’s tongue! That, combined with the wonderful textures he daringly blends, creates a taste experience that leaves one at a loss for words. It’s divine.
Rob – Risotto Cabanara – a Saffron Poached Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and Spring Vegetables. This one was amazing! Who knew simple egg and bacon could be so incredible! The bacon was thick and meaty, the best cut of bacon I’ve ever imagined. The egg, perfectly poached. And a bite with each element combined with whatever amazing sauce was there was heaven in a bite!
McKay – Potato Gnocchi with Artichoke-Tomato Confit, Parsley and Parmesan. In all honesty, I don’t remember much about this dish, except the wonderful pillow-like texture of the gnocchi. It’s like your tongue is bouncing a cloud. I know it was good, because I remember ooh-ing and aah-ing, but the specifics are very fuzzy now. :-)
Both of us! – Roasted Duck Breast with Buttered Spaetzle, Dandelion Greens, and Orange Quark. The chef was so NICE! He brought this out to us himself saying that he really wanted both of us to be able to enjoy this dish! I would write that I love David Bull, but think it may be inappropriate on my anniversary dinner blog. … but I do.
The duck was certainly warranted of the chef’s pride. It’s breast was tender and juicy with a crisp skin (which I think had more to it than just skin). And the sides were perfectly paired to show off the duck while providing complimentary texture, smoothness, and delight. Definitely a winner.
McKay – Quail. Unfortunately, Bolla’s current online menu does not include all the courses we were served and therefore was unable to jog my memory about this course. I’m sure it was amazing, but it’s paled compared to my memories of the other courses. I do still remember his quail dish from Austin’s Driskill Restaurant and know it was mind-blowing and succulent. I have no reason to believe his quail here is anything but.
Rob – Mint Crusted Rack of Lamb with New Potato Pie and Tarragon Peas, Lamb Bacon, and Jus. I think Rob hogged this dish to himself for most of the course. I remember the bacon once again being amazing, yet not imposing its flavor in an overpowering way to the other elements of the dish.
Dessert.
This is where my senses were stumped once again! Included with my tasting menu was the Coffee & Cream Semifreddo – Chocolate Pound Cake, Vanilla Cream, and Espresso Syrup.
My eye had been caught by another item on the dessert menu: the Chocolate Silk Tart – Blood Orange Confit, Salted Caramel, and Chantilly Cream. I asked if I could have that for my seventh course instead and I received both desserts!!! I KNOW! It’s like they know me! More dessert = better!
The Semifreddo was very very good, but the Chocolate Silk Tart simply blew me away! It was PERFECT! Smooth, luscious, rich, the complex flavors emerging at the perfect time – sweet, rich, salty, creamy, gooooood! I would go all the way back for just this one item! Okay, maybe that plus the heirloom tomato salad… Really I love this place!
Oh yea! Rob got the Cheesecake Cannoli for dessert with Berry Confit and Graham Cracker. It wins second prize in our dessert course. Wonderful and creamy, it simply could not compare to the wonder that was the Chocolate Silk Tart.
So, our meal was in a word AMAZING! I loved every second of our dining experience and left with David Bull’s food at Bolla Restaurant as another pinnacle of the foodie search for the amazing meal! Rob loves me so well.
