Cry Wolf is still turning out wonderful dishes to eat with a great selection of beverages.  Frankie and I have become regulars there and this visit we sat up at the Chef’s Counter.  This is what they call the first 4 stools at the bar opposite the cooking area.  It’s a terrific view to watch all the different dishes being prepared and the people working seem to enjoy interacting with guests.  I think it’s fun to talk with them and get their opinions on what to order.  If you get a chance, go there.  It’s a fun experience and some really different and exceptional food.

 

We started with Foxley River Oysters that come with a chardonnay mignonette and shaved horseradish.  They are small oysters from Prince Edward Island and are delicious.  The mignonette is just the right accent for them.

 

Diver Scallop was raw and sliced onto brown butter then plated with seared foie gras and caviar.  This is a marvelous dish.  The melt-in-your-mouth scallops were perfect with browned butter but then add in a bite of the luscious foie gras and/or caviar and you’ve upped it to another level.  Don’t miss it.

 

Persimmon slices were topped with Chiriboga Bleu Cheese and pumpkin seed pesto.  The cheese is a mild one but the dish is filled with lovely textures and great flavor combinations.  The slightly tart persimmons were thinly sliced and a treat.

 

Warm Swiss Chard, Spigarello (Italian heirloom green in the broccoli family), and kale were tossed with shallot, bacon, Banyuls (fortified dessert wine), Golden raisins, honey, and pecans.  The greens were all fairly al dente and mixed nicely with the sweet and salty dressing.  The chunks of bacon and the raisins both added a burst of flavor when you mixed them in.

 

Honeynut squash was accented with roasted chanterelles, sage aioli and black garlic puree.  It was well cooked and soft in the flesh and mixed well with all the other ingredients.  The only change I’d make is to put more sauces in the open squash.  The whole vegetable is edible, skin and all.  Lovely color and flavor.

 

Ike Jime Cod was plated with Delicata squash, curry beurre blanc, and pepitas.  The thick filet of fish had a perfectly crisped skin and was great with the curry sauce.  The seeds gave it a bit more texture and the squash was wonderful.

 

Pork Jowl was served with crabapples, charred chicory, and pickled red pearl onions.  The jowl was caramelized to a darkness that made it hard to photograph but not hard to eat.  This was a stand-out dish.  The crispy, chewy exterior was divine and you didn’t even notice the fat content of the jowl.  The crabapples were tart but something fun and different to add to the plate.  Chicory was hard to cut but who cared with that fantastic pork on the plate?

 

Dessert is complimentary and consisted of 2 little morsels.  I couldn’t tell you what they were but trust me, they were good.