Madison Restaurant Week – Dinner at Delaney’s Steaks Seafood and Wine

Delaney’s Steak Seafood and Wine – Madison WI – 449 Grand Cannon Drive

Second dinner out during Restaurant Week.  Sadly disappointing.

Where to start? ….

How about the positives.  Staff was friendly and attentive. Decor was nice. I really like the look of the wood, brick wall, pictures and light fixtures.

 

Another positive: Warm sourdough bread and cold butter are brought out to start you off.

 

 

Now about the actual meal.

 

First Course: Spinach Salad (feta cheese, strawberries, toasted almonds with a citrus vinaigrette.  Soup du jour (navy bean and ham)

The salad was very plain and extremely light on the dressing. Toasted almonds were nondescript.

The navy bean and ham was average. It could have easily come from a can.

 

 

 

 

 

Second Course: 6 oz Filet (garlic mashed potatoes, carrots with leeks, bacon-mushroom bordelaise with blue cheese crumbles) Grilled Pork Tenderloin (roasted potato medley, brussels sprouts and raspberry horseradish sauce)

Filet: It did have plate appeal, although the entire meal lacked SEASONING! Meat was tender, however I fear the person searing/cooking the meat failed to use even a sprinkle of salt or pepper. Carrots and leeks needed seasoning; garlic mashed failed to have any garlic flavoring or even a hint of seasoning and they were a bit on the dry side, needed the remaining butter leftover from the bread course and loads of pepper.  The bordelaise sauce had a tiny hint of flavor and helped with the dryness and bland flavors on the plate. I like blue cheese, but in this case it just overpowered the dish.  Perhaps a gorgonzola would have been better suited.

Pork Tenderloin: Again good plate appeal, however no seasoning!  Did they have salt and pepper in the kitchen?  The meat came out a bit under, I would have to say the center still had a bit of oink to it! My husband said the raspberry horseradish sauce was sweet and worked with the pork. I tried it with and without the pork. I think it tasted like ketchup. (YUCK, yup I said it YUCK)

Third Course – Desserts: Tiramisu and a Cream Cheese Mousse. Absolutely no plate appeal.  Tiramisu was just “ok” but who wants to pay for just “ok”? Cream Cheese Mousse was clearly the better choice.  It sat on a shortbread cookie, surrounded by a mixed fruit compote. A better presentation and they could have had a winner on that one.  I will actually be looking up a recipe for cream cheese mousse.

The prices varied depending on which entrée you choose.  The filet was $35 for the three courses and the pork was $25.

I would not recommend this restaurant for restaurant week. Nor would I go back to try anything on the regular menu. Madison has so manly other excellent local establishments and even some chains that serve a better meal. You’d be better off at Ruth’s Chris or Flemings.