Dinner at 246

Now that we have to plan to head down to 246, we tend to go on Saturdays. We made an online reservation just hours before we headed down there, mainly to ensure that their dinner rush wouldn't keep us from eating. But when we showed up around 5pm (right when they opened), the place was pretty empty so we had our choice of seats at the bar.

I had been craving mortadella either that day, so when I saw that they had Pine Street's mortadella on the menu, I opted to start with that. To compare it with the commercial stuff which is all I know, I found this to be a little rougher in texture, the fat had a crunch to it. Perhaps it was the thickness of the cut. It wasn't my favorite.

Josh got the fried okra which came with some melted goat cheese. He finished the entire large serving, so obviously, he enjoyed them.

It had been a long time since I had had a 246 meatball so I got one to supplement my appetizer. It came with a hearty sprinkle of crushed red pepper on top. Since I remembered how sad I was when the meatball was too spicy, I spooned it off. It was as good as I remembered.

For my first course, the gnocchi with roasted wild mushrooms and spicy pork meatballs. Alone, the sauce was a bit sharp, white wine and lemon and creaminess all together. With a balanced spoonful, it made more sense, but still... it kept me from completely loving the dish.

Josh got this salad, a mixture of fall -- radicchio, apples, and a bunch of other stuff. Pecans. He enjoyed it.

Josh got this trout for his main. Delicious and well-made, he said.

For me, the pork shoulder braised with apricots, olives and served on soft polenta. It took a few bites to get used to the balance of sweet/sour -- which wasn't quite an agrodolce but only part tagine -- but then it was great. The pork was so well cooked, soft and delicious. And enough fat to add in some extra flavor.

But it was too much to eat, so I brought the rest home, which I hope to enjoy before I head out on the road today as my lunch.