The Black Sheep is a long space with a bar in the space out front and patio outback.  The lighting is lowered, music is loud, art for sale is on the walls, wooden benches line the wall to match up with small wood tables, walls are brick and votives are on the table.  It is a farm-to-table concept with a small menu of interesting items that is supplemented by a daily list of specials.  The bar serves up modern and classic cocktails as well as beer and wine.  The owners are James Beard nominated chefs Steven and Ellen Gedra, with Ellen being the baker and pastry chef.  The chefs prefer a farm-to-table approach and have learned the value of selecting the proper ingredients and then handing them with care.  It’s a small but inventive menu of small and large plates supplemented by interesting specials.  It was a tasty meal filled with flavors with a little twist to the ordinary.

Interior

 

Food

 

Tempura Squash Blossom was filled with crab rangoon and placed on top of a spicy chile sauce.  It was one large one to an order.  The sauce was excellent and filled with flavor and the filling was creamy.  The exterior was nicely crisped.  I liked it.

 

Panzanella Salad contains local heirloom tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, capers and Keyin’s bread.  It was filled with excellent ingredients and some flavorful basil leaves.  The chunks of bread soaked up the dressing and vegetable liquids to a good extent.  It could have benefitted from a touch of salt but was fine as it was

 

Pierogis and sour cream came 2 to an order.  The large semi-circles were on top of the sour cream.  The exterior had been nicely browned in a pan to give it a fun texture, especially in contrast to the smooth filling.  The sour cream added another taste component and some richness.  Very good.

 

Sishuan Style Stir Fried Eggplant was with Chinese chives and rice.  It was an Asian variety of eggplant which cooked up nicely creamy and was delicious with the rice and flavorful sauce.  It left a tongue tingling sensation in your mouth.  Thumbs up here.

 

Vegetable Lasagne was with tomato crema, parmesan fonduta, ricotta and topped with pesto.  Large square shaped noodles made the layers that were crisped on the edges and alternated with sundried tomatoes and liquid parmesan.  I would have liked more pasta to balance all the sauce and pesto but everything blended well.  It was very good.

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding was made with English date cake, whipped cream and toffee crumble.  Underneath the mound of whipped cream was the cake drenched in sweet butterscotch liquid. Some salt was mixed into something that balanced the sweetness perfectly.  One dish was plenty for 2 as this one was filled with rich deliciousness.  It was without a doubt the best version I’ve had of this dish.  Outstanding and yum x3.