The E.U.

The E.U. or The European Union if you want to spell it out, serves a variety of European cuisine in a great environment, and with excellent service. It has been on my list of restaurants to check out for a while. It is a very popular dinner spot; we walked in and were added to the list for a table, but ended up just eating at the bar.

That was no problem. The bartenders were friendly and very helpful - the beer list was filled with unique and rare offerings, as was the wine list, and they could easily describe each and were happy to offer samples. The same went for their knowledge of the menu. We got recommendations on what to try and what to avoid. I was even able to convince them to give me the Sunday special on Saturday.

We tried the Charcuterie Plate, a selection of cured meats with house-made pickles and olives, which was pretty good. I enjoyed trying the different meats offered, and it served as a nice starter. Other appetizers we tried included oysters from the raw bar, and a seafood gnocchi (amazing...creamy sauce that was good to the last drop).

As I mentioned earlier, I was able to convince our bartender to give me the next day's special, a hangar steak (my favorite) with fries. It was great, the meat was juicy, tender and flavorful. The fries, served in a cone, Belgian-style, were crispy and well seasoned.

Overall dining at the European Union was a great experience. I really liked the atmosphere, the prices were reasonable (a little expensive, but great quality and service), and the food was great from start to finish. This is definitely a place to take out-of-town guests, just try for a reservation.