Dinner
Culinary Dropout was pretty busy the Friday night we were there. The bar area is a fair size and it was packed two people deep around it. The restaurant itself kind of sprawls out. It has fairly high ceilings and they mounted several flat panel TV's up high, so they can be seen from just about anywhere, but they do not detract from the overall atmosphere. I kind of liked being able to look up and catch the score of the game whenever I wanted to. The seating is a serious hodgepodge of furniture. Round tables, square tables, bench seats, wing chairs, and low backed lounge chairs with various fabric patterns make up the decor. This may sound bad, but it actually works (and the seats are very comfy, too). The place is fairly dim, but not like a cave. Noise levels were elevated, but we were able to carry on a conversation without any issues.
You can tell Culinary Droout wants to be more of a bar just by looking at the beer list vs. the wine list. The number of beers is twice as many as the wine, which is not a bad thing if that is what you're in the mood for. They have beers from all over the world and in any style you could want. The wine list is fairly small, with maybe 30 or so wines, but the selection is decent. Everything is available by the glass or the bottle and prices seem to be pretty much 2x retail. We had a bottle of Kinton Syrah that was $35. It's a fine example of a California Central Coast Rhone varietal: dark, rich, fruity, and just delicious.
The menu is a nice assortment of both small plates and entrées. You can mix and match your own antipasti as well. Prices range from about $12 and under for the appetizers and all the entrées are pretty much less than $20. There were so many good things to choose from that we ended up picking several different things from all over the menu. Here's a breakdown of what we ordered:
- Chilled Oysters - These were perfect, medium sized oysters from the Pacific Northwest (I asked what type they were and forgot, but they were similar to Hog Island oysters). All I know is they were exactly as I like them to be. Creamy texture and very silky. Just a squeeze of lemon and dash of hot sauce was all they needed to be a perfect starter dish for the meal.
- Artichoke Salad - This was actually a mix of artichokes, chopped asparagus, endive, and shaved parmesan. Let me just say that the salad is awesome. It was so good that my date would've probably dumped me for it...
- Butternut Squash Cannelloni - We were debating on having room for this dish, but it sounded so good we had to try it and was very worth it. I'm sometimes not a fan of this type of pasta because there's too much filling, but this one was done very well. The pasta pieces were a smaller size and the butternut squash filling was just the right amount. The sauce was not overly rich and overall it was a very enjoyable dish.
- Bistro Steak -This is a thin cut sirloin with a creamy peppercorn sauce that has just the right amount of spice to it without being overpowering. It is served with a side of french fries that are very tasty. The steak itself was cooked nicely and it's a satisfying large plate entree.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this restaurant, but left knowing I'd be back soon. The food was great and the service staff was very nice. The manager was also making rounds a swell. We share all our food and the kitchen split all of our courses onto two plates for us (that's always a nice and welcome touch). People coming here looking for high end bar food will not be disappointed. If you're expecting something special, well you'll need to look elsewhere as Dropout is geared more towards being a restaurant-sized bar that serves up good grub. And for most people on a Friday night, that's just what the doctor ordered...
Overall Grade = B+ (Very Good)
The EV Foodie
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