Out Take Bistro
Encino California
We walked into Out Take Bistro at 7pm, were acknowledged by the staff immediately, but taken greeted and shown to our table a while later. Upon being seated, the sever assistant brought us bread and water. It took a while for the server to make her way over to the table. Once she arrived she did acknowledge they were experiencing a busier night than they were staffed for. Though the service was slower than one would desire, the waitress was very attentive to our needs.
For our first course we ordered the Calamari Friti. It was very tasty. The breading was light and crispy. The dish was served with a side of zesty marinara. The only critique of this dish is that it was over done and a bit chewy. Other than that it was quite tasty, to the point that before I knew it I looked down at an empty plate.
Our second course was the dollar salad. It was mixed greens tossed in a light miso dressing. It was a nice addition to our overall meal and the miso dressing gave it a more unique taste.
For our third course I got the Award Winning Braised Lamb Shank. It was served over a bed of fettuccini with a red wine herb reduction and a celery root puree. I will admit to being a bit skeptical when I read that it would be served over pasta. However I was pleasantly surprised to find that the red wine and herb reduction acted like a sauce. The lamb shank was nice and tender, using only a fork I was able to remove all of the meat from the bone. The sauce complimented both the lamb and the pasta. It was so good I even used a piece of bread to wipe the extra sauce off the plate.
My wife ordered the Roasted Ling Cod. It was served with a sherry wine vinegar and mushroom caper sauce and was served over a potato puree. The Ling Cod was cooked to perfection and the sauce did a brilliant job balancing out the flavor of the dish.
For desert we ordered the Profiterole. It came with roasted banana, vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauce. This was a wonderful desert that almost emulated the flavors of Bananas Foster, a desert of which I am a big fan.
Out Take Bistro has a great ambiance and great food. I definitely recommend Out Take Bistro for anyone who is looking for a higher end casual restaurant to dine at, whether you are going on a date or just a good meal. I give this restaurant the following ratings:
Food: 4.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
For more information about Out Take Bistro, visit:
http://www.outtakebistro.com
