This would be my third time at Pago and I was eager to see the latest ever-changing seasonal menu. It was Rayna's first time. (She's a pescatarian like hubby.) Also, super-poor quality grainy pix due to dark ambient lighting.
Chevre Stuffed Figs - chevre mousse, roasted mission figs, Clifford's wildflower honey, herb oil - $9. First time eating green figs. The menu didn't say bacon, so the bacon strips sticking out from the tops were a complete surprise. Beautiful, savory and delicious, but in a too heavy, too hearty, too creamy sort of way. I would have enjoyed this more sans cream aka mousse.
Caprese - heirloom tomatoes, hand-pulled mozzarella, herb oil, Manadori balsamic, house made croutons - $12. Fresh, colorful, big, raw, organic and flavorful. I love that you can visibly identify every single ingredient. This dish is representative of the best of Pago, I think.
Pan Seared Scallops - charred heirloom tomatoes, roasted eggplant, curried beurre fondue - $22. Rayna rated it as just so-so. Our waiter was overly zealous about the curry sauce and breed of heirloom, but the sauce looked too heavy, thick and buttery for scallops.
Niman Ranch Truffle Burger - dijonaise, red onion, fries - $17. I am a total sucker for anything truffle and so I got suckered into ordering this from the mere mention of 'truffle.' The first few bites were heavenly and intoxicating. Medium-rare organic beef folded into thick shavings of truffle on top of smeared flavor-exploding mustard seeds, slathered in caramelized onion. That was the problem - too rich and intense to warrant more than just a few bites.
Fries were so much, a mountain of heavy, heavy, heavy.
Dessert. We ordered "whatever the lightest dessert is." Look - sheesh! What do the heavy ones look like? Our server kindly took it off our bill when we stopped eating after 2 teeny birdbites.
Our server was amazingly informed, articulate, smooth, enthusiastic... There is the possibility that I ordered completely wrong, but our meal confirmed everything hubby feared and dreaded - heavy, heavy, creamy, buttery, cheesy, heavy. I totally recommend this restaurant for the super-heartier diner, perfect for the ultra athlete who must maximize caloric intake!
