Lobby on York

295 York
295 York Ave
Tel: (204)896-7275
Email: info@thelobbyonyork.com
http://www.thelobbyonyork.com/


October, 2010



The entrance from the parking lot looks quite austere but as you enter 295 York, you swear that you enter a sultan’s private harem room. Gold leaf vines dangle from the ceiling, adding opulence to an already ornate atmosphere. Construction continues in the parking lot and foyer so we still don’t know what the finished product will look like.

As your eyes feast on the dazzling dining room, your nose perks to the equally opulent aromas in the room. Our server informs us that the fantastic fumes flow from the sweet potato fries—a perfect place to start our dining adventure. Sometimes, I find the sweet and salty odd, and sometimes I find it oddly appealing, which is how I rate Lobby’s fries. The subtle sweetness of the potato marries wonderfully with the slight saltiness of the frying oil. The fries come a little greasier than I prefer, but none of the crispness is lost. Delicious.

The dinner menu offers an abundance of attractive items, including luscious and adventurous salads, a full slate of beef cuts, and a limited selection of seafood, each of which mercilessly grabs your attention. I would have a truly challenging task in deciding which of these beauties to select. Alas, the lunch menu does not feature nearly as many options and we’re here for lunch. I don’t need to choose from a hundred items but at least a dozen would provide adequate variety for my inclinations of the day.

We choose the fish taco, which we expect to be a…well…taco. Instead, a monstrous wrap, easily mistaken for a log, comes along. The wrap bursts with fresh vegetables, including generous slabs of avocado—one of the best tasting fruits around. Yes, avocado makes EVERYTHING taste better. The lightly fried fish blends perfectly within the wrap and the multitude of other ingredients. A light, citrusy dressing completes this delicious item. This is not what people call a traditional or basic dish; this is for people who love dynamic menus with evolving dishes. Some people prefer more conventional options, which is my mood today, but this surprise jolts me out of my status quo disposition.

Still, I follow with the classic seafood pasta, which often comes plain, boring or downright bad when done poorly; however, when done well, this simple meal can be a highlight. Lobby’s pasta is definitely a highlight. The plump and juicy shrimps cover the lightly oiled and herbed pasta, while the scrumptiously seared scallops complete this basically beautiful bowl. It doesn’t have to be fancy to be good and this perfectly prepared pasta tastes great.

The last time I visited the Lobby, they offered a selection of sushi on the menu. In judging sushi, I normally have the California rolls as a benchmark. If the rolls use Pollack, there’s no need to come back. If they have some canned crab meat, they’re in the majority. The few that use genuine lump crab meat will have me back and drooling for more, every time; you very rarely see this. The fresh crab California rolls tasted delicious and the tuna nigiri came every bit as good as the items that come from finer Japanese houses. Unfortunately, sushi no longer appears on the menu but we hear that it may come as specials.

Being an upper crust restaurant, Lobby offers the expected wide range of wines and beverages to choose from, at reasonable prices. Even though I find the lunch menu a bit limited, what we tasted does not disappoint. I absolutely cannot wait to dive into the gorgeously-looking dinner menu.


****½ /5

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