A vibrant menu and fine dining await in the Laurel Highlands(2)
Pan-seared sea scallops sounded too fussy, mixing a prosciutto, melon and watercress salad, a pomegranate mint vinaigrette and a rock shrimp and parmigiano risotto, all on one plate ($25). But what should have been a jumble of sticky flavors was surprisingly balanced, the salty hit of cheese and cured pork nicely offset the sweetness of the melon, and the pomegranate mint vinaigrette mostly disappearing beneath the other flavors.
Daily specials augment the menu, though some of these stick around for a while, like the oh-so-trendy grilled watermelon salad. A thick circle of ruby-red melon was gorgeously adorned with large chunks of Maytag blue cheese, sliced red and yellow Rainier cherries and a shower of bright green pea sprouts, dressed in a white wine vinaigrette ($12). While the taste didn't quite live up to the stunning vibrancy of its colors, the mix of sweet and savory flavors was refreshing and summery.
Wild Alaskan halibut was also decked out in seasonal finery, the filet gleaming white against a backdrop of orange and red hot house tomato slices, bright green pesto and gleaming circles of sundried tomato and saffron aioli ($29).
Not every dish lived up to the promise of its ingredients. Wild Striped bass with grilled sweet corn, local chanterelles and baby lobster read like a sure thing, and the components seemed to be cooked well, but a pool of white wine pan sauce drowned the lovely mushrooms in acidity and even overpowered the sweetness of the corn ($31). A side of bacon-roasted brussels sprouts featured seriously undercooked sprouts ($6) and a flavorful ribeye steak was hindered by soggy slices of portobello mushrooms and undercooked asparagus.
The expansive dining room (180 seats counting the patio) was relatively well managed. Even diners with reservations often waited a few minutes, but once seated, meals were well paced. The service style was a little less refined than the menu. Some servers were very chatty and should have paid more attention to basics such as replacing silverware and keeping water glasses full.
Desserts, unfortunately, were a serious letdown after the meal's strong beginning. Bananas foster seemed oddly unfinished, a bowl of slightly icy vanilla ice cream with a separate bowl of bananas sauteed in a sweet, one-dimensional hard sauce. A summer berry parfait simply layered berries with whipped cream and topped them with a couple of cigar-shaped tuilles. Neither the berries nor the cookies were special enough to make this interesting. Creme Brulee had clearly been bruleed in advance, as the sugar crust had started to soften, though I did appreciate the rich cream flecked with vanilla beans. After this winter's expansion, a pastry chef might be in order.
Dessert aside, Out of the Fire Cafe is a find (though certainly not a well-kept secret). It's a restaurant to be proud of in any location, and a newly delicious reason to visit the Laurel Highlands as often as possible.
