In Part 1 of my January Menu post, I covered Mission Beach Cafe's appetizers. Later in the month, cubes and I went back to sample the entrees. To my delight, Goat Cheese Ravioli was on the menu.
Throughout my pregnancy I've tried to enjoy ravioli. First in New York. Second at Farina in San Francisco (absolutely delicious!). Third in Monterey. Of the times I've ordered ravioli - with the exception of Farina - something went wrong. In New York, a new sous chef oversalted the sauce. In Monterey, a kitchen visibly in the weeds served up two orders of raw ravioli. As I can eat dairy while pregnant and I love ravioli, I've been craving it. So, when I saw Goat Cheese Ravioli on Mission Beach Cafe's menu, I had to have it. (To see full-size photos from this meal, visit Flickr.) The housemade ravioli was perfectly cooked. It was served with braised artichokes, shitake mushrooms, kale sprouts, gremolata, garlic, and Parmesan. The mushrooms gave it a nice meaty flavor - if I didn't know the dish was vegetarian I would have sworn there was meat in it. (I loved this entree so much that I had it again later in the month, and am hoping it's on their February menu.)
The other new appetizer we tried was the Little Gem Lettuces. They were served with citrus, avocado, buddha's hand, and watermelon relish. (We skipped the fennel.) Each bite was a delicate balance of sweet and sour, crunch with creamy goodness. Before getting pregnant I wasn't big on salads; now, I have a new found appreciation for a well conceived and executed salad.
Bon Apetit!
Eden
