Yep, you guessed it. Laura is out of town, so I get to try some place unusual. I figured a Tuesday evening downtown wouldn’t be too bad. Boy, was I wrong. The Greenville Drive are playing (is playing?) tonight, so the traffic, especially on South Main, is terrible. With that discovery, I headed back north to Addy’s Dutch Cafe on Coffee Street.
Background
I used to work a block from here. Back then (twenty years or so) this place was known as Richard’s, and was one of the best sandwich shops around. I remember many a good lunch here. The place has been Addy’s for nearly most of those intervening years. We had both been to Addy’s a couple of times, but it’s been quite awhile.
Atmosphere
Addy’s turned out to be a smoker’s dream. Apparently there is no non-smoking section, so my pollen-assaulted sinuses were further beleagered. The decor is very dark wood finishes, with the air of being quite old. Most of the downstairs space is taken up by a bar at the entrance, with some obvious regulars in attendance. I know there to be another room upstairs, but with so few around, it didn’t seem to be open.
Menu
The emphasis is on Dutch cuisine, and each of the dishes feature Duth seasonings and presentation. There were three beef dishes – biefstek, some other steak, and Filet au Poivre. One chicken dish, one duck, and a few seafood. Goulash is served on the rare occasion. There is also an ample supply of appetizers to keep the bar patrons happy.
Dinner entre’s were pricey, running from $15 to $23. Appetizers hovered just under $10.
Food
I started with a Grey Goose Citroen martini. This was incredible smooth and tasty, and I didn’t want to even ask how much it was going to set me back. A bit of dry bitter bread was broad out to cushion the booze.
I had ordered the Filet au Poivre. The steak was served with a rich brown mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes. Baked vegetables rounded out the dish. The steak was studded with peppercorns, and was quite spicy. The meat was tender and cooked to perfection. It was a satisfying meal, albeit very expensive.
Service
Service was efficient and friendly. Addy himself came out to say hello. Turns out tonight is his 49th birthday.
Conclusion
My meal was excellent, but I could have done without the smoke.