Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Prohibition Restaurant and Speakeasy

     
We didn't have to enter through a false brick wall door, or whisper a password, and liquour flowed freely and generously. But the servers dressed as flappers and mobsters, the black and white movie playing over the bar, and the small vintage chandeliers sitting at the tables draw you into the roaring '20s and '30s prohibition era theme. The music wasn't bad either. Not ragtime, but classic jazz and swing. The music was actually one of the elements I enjoyed the most.
     
     
     Five minutes after I walked into Prohibition, I was committed to the '20s throwback, so I ordered a 'Mary Pickford', a cocktail named after the silent movie actress known for her spunky sweetness. This mixture of white rum, pineapple juice, maraschino liqueur, and grenadine was pleasant but unremarkable, not at all like its namesake.
     We ordered the Classic Steak Frites and the Shrimp Chorizo. The medium New York strip we ordered was more of a medium well and lacked the pink tenderness we expected. John enjoyed the truffle fries more than I did. The truffle element is always lost on me, but that's my pathology. However, shredded confetti covered the fries, but what I assumed was cheese, had no flavor. I refused to ask what it was and tried to identify it, but failed.
     Four plump jumbo shrimp arrived over tostones (plaintain fritters) doused in the most savory sofrito (tomato-based sauce) which allegedly contained the chorizo (Spanish sausage). Sounds good, right? Well, only on paper. While the sofrito was exceptional and the tostones satisfying, the stunning shrimp were so overcooked, I had to chew them like gum. And, the chorizo is still on its way from Spain, I suppose.
    The dessert items didn't scream to be sampled, but the Kit Kat Bar caught Hubby's attention, so we took a shot. Except for their special, a homemade Tres Leches, all the sweets are outsourced to nearby bakeries. Our choice was an attractive rectangle with layers of cookie crust, dark chocolate fondant with hazelnuts, and milk chocolate mousse. It was good. That's it. Just good. And we only found one hazelnut.
     Loved the general vibe and the music, but the rest of the experience wasn't worth the inflated check. Sadly, Prohibition will not make it on my 'repeat' list.

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