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A Matter of Taste |
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| Pol-i-tesse 112 N. Second Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 236-2048  by Sue Barry Politesse, that quaint little gem of a restaurant in Shipoke, has uprooted and moved to Second Street in center city Harrisburg to be a part of the vanguard that may soon make Harrisburg a destination city to dine for. So what does that mean to the multitude of diners who were charmed by Politesse because of its intimate yet sophisticated atmosphere? The feel of intimacy has been abandoned for an updated urban look.
We detected some growing pains during our experience in the new digs — for one, the inexperience of our waiter; something absolutely never found in Shipoke. We had to beckon for him more than once and his knowledge of the menu was lacking. This should work itself out in a matter of time, though. The stylish food and fashionable presentations have changed very little at the new Politesse however, and as expected, the wine list has the same panache. Top notch grainy bread served with olive oil greets your arrival. Follow that with the Spring Onion and Tröegs Nut Brown Ale Soup ($5.50), deep in color and matched by flavor utilizing that great local Tröegs brew, this onion soup, offset with wild rice, needed no other embellishments to appease. For an appetizer, the standout was the House Special Risotto ($7.25). Perfectly cooked, arborio rice intensified with wild mushrooms, toasted pine nuts and aged Asiago cheese, was firm but creamy and extremely satisfying. A close second starter was Today’s Seasonal Pâté of ostrich ($6.50). When ostrich was offered as the game pâté, there was no need to even hear the fish choice. Sophisticated and succulent, the smooth-textured ostrich pâté was delightfully mild, offset with focaccia toast points and organic sprouts. Light and fresh were daintily cut rounds from a Vegetable Springroll ($7.25) which exposed a spiral of fine cut seasonal veggies surrounding a bed of baby greens and drizzled with blood orange and ginger hoisin.
Sirloin Tournedos ($23.25) topped with a roasted garlic puree on a bed of Hen of the Woods mushrooms with an espresso demi-glace were tender and juicy perfectly paired with crisp cooked green beans. A firm and silky Seared Salmon ($19.25) was served in a pool of fresh berry coulis finished with raspberry crème fraîche and showered with caviar. Cheese & Fresh Herb Polenta ($16.50) featured pan seared polenta moons, marinated grilled eggplant, and crumbled gorgonzola and was served with a spring vegetable ragout. Noticing on the menu that the sushi grade Sesame (sesame seed-crusted) Tuna ($20.75) is served medium-rare, one member in our party emphasized his request to the waiter that his tuna be served rare, barely seared (to get the full tuna flavor) only to have it served overdone. If you think the entree prices are a bit high, go to Politesse for lunch. For almost half the price (and smaller the dose), many of the entrees featured on their dinner menu are served at lunch. At grande finale time, a Very Chocolate Torte served with a bourbon sauce, Amaretto Crème Brûlée or Lemon Crepe might have your name on it ($6.50 each). In a light mood? Beck’s Red Raspberry Sorbet ($4.50), custom blended for Politesse may hit the spot. But, to pursue a flawless experience at Politesse, give it a few months, and don’t expect quaintness anymore. |
Pol-i-tesse Entrees - $16.50 - $28.50 Location Parking Handicapped Access Exterior Appearance Initial Interior Reservations Necessary Preferred Dining Attire Wait (to be seated) Wait (for service) Lighting Meal-time Music Dining Area Appearance Noise Climate Tables Chairs Booths Table setting Your meal Automatically served Cocktails Soups Salads Main Course Desserts Coffees/Teas Staff Attitude Staff Appearance Hospitality Cleanliness Wash Rooms Crowd (Qty) Crowd (attitude) Food (portions) Overall Service Payment Accepted
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I
personally like a sleek, contemporary image and a minimalist chic approach
to restaurant design, but for those looking for some vestige of the
Politesse they fell in love with, they won’t find that here. The new
Politesse is a different Politesse. It feels like any one of the new
American cuisine restaurants opening everywhere where chefs paint the
plates with sauces and stack their centers with layers. Attempts have been
made to bring some of the old along to the new — the banquettes, the art,
and the wine cabinets. But, these remembrances are overshadowed by the
wall of tinted glass and the use of gray, black and deep purple colors.
Dim lighting and white linen-covered tables for two line up with little
space between them, as owner Paul Odom meanders through the tight aisles
chit-chatting with guests.
New
Zealand green lip mussels (Politesse Mussels $9.25) presented in their
shells on a bed of sea salt and topped with chive and chervil butter,
garnished with caviar and a tomato concasse, unfortunately were cooked a
tad too long. And, the pan seared Sea Scallops ($8.75) in a sun-dried
tomato pesto were overwhelmed by proscuitto that was shaved too thick. The
sun-dried tomato pesto was better matched with the Harvest Raviolis (an
entree at $17.50) with the robust flavors of smoked mozzarella and
asparagus ravioli and wild mushroom ravioli.