 |
| Beef Empanada |
 |
| Braised Short Ribs |
Sauces take center stage at the Icon. The kitchen has stayed with some tried-and-true recipes, like the beef empanada ($4.95), which I first sampled years ago. The slightly creamy garlic aioli sauce made the humble empanada shine. The empanada was flatter than I'm used to and contained shredded beef.
The braised short ribs ($12.95) were deliciously tender, presented atop a bed of mashed potatoes with marchengo cheese. The accompanying wine reduction sauce was rich, velvety, almost like chocolate. I could not taste cheese in my potatoes, but overall the dish satisfied.
Though others may balk, the small-to-moderate portion sizes were a relief as I had senselessly gobbled a half-bag of pretzels before the meal. This is a tapas bar, and every time I have come, Icon has delivered on quality in lieu of quantity.
I noted that the roasted chicken, a previous favorite of mine, is no longer on the menu.
I liked the festive, holiday decor, but I'm not sure about the people the Icon attracts. One drunken man walked up to me, shook my hand, and asked, for no reason, if I was "OK." Several bar customers yammering away at top volume were annoying, and I was thankful when they left. I felt like the higher prices made Icon's customers feel entitled to act in an obnoxious manner.
The service was adequate. Although initially slow to take my order, the waitress had a friendly, unassuming manner and tolerated my picture taking. One slightly odd thing was that the server leaned the menus against the wall on the baseboard. Do they not have a place to store menus?
An old Katherine Hepburn movie, Bringing Up Baby, provided distraction as I was dining alone. Definitely dress up if you come here. The young couple sitting next to me was dressed to the nines. As I felt keenly, one's plaid shirt and hoodie combo ain't gonna cut it! |
