Monday, June 9, 2008

Fins


Fins Seafood Grill, Westlake
982 S. Westlake Blvd.
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone: 805-494-6494

Fins Creekside, Calabasas
23504 Calabasas Rd.
Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone: 818-223-3467

Website: http://www.finsinc.com/

The hubby and I were in a romantic mood last night and wanted to try something new. We’re big fans of Moz Buddha Bar, a sister restaurant of Fin’s, so we thought we’d try it out. We spent a little too much money, but hey – you only live once, right?

Our entrees were neither great nor bad - just okay. The problem is that the prices are so high you want to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Mostly we felt as though we’d paid for the ambiance, and ate some food while we were there.

I’d go back. But next time, I’d be happy with a glass of wine, munching on some bread and soaking in the atmosphere.

The Good:

Wine: They have many flavorful selections. I don’t think we’ve had one yet that we’re disappointed with. Maybe it’s the wine list, or maybe it’s just our luck.

Appetizer bread: It could have been that we were starving, but the bread was so good that we ordered more and polished off both plates, even though we were excited about our entrees. Served with super-creamy butter and olive tapenade.

Ambiance and design: Romantic, white linens, and candlelight. We took advantage of the late-night Sunday evening and enjoyed a majority of the restaurant to ourselves.

The Bad:

Raspberry chocolate chip cheesecake: Disappointingly dry. The crust was way too thick and heavy.

Music: Salsa, and loud. It didn’t fit into the romantic ambiance at all. But it didn’t really make you want to get up and dance, either.

Phones: For some reason, the phone at the front desk was outrageously loud and reverberated throughout the restaurant. It really put another damper on the ambiance.

The Indifferent:

Filet Mignon: Dry rubbed, with mashed potatoes, sautéed garlic spinach, and crispy onions. Nothing new or exciting to this combination, that's all.

Ravioli Florentine: The best part was the goat cheese sprinkled on top, which lent it a rich flavor. Otherwise, it would have tasted like any other ravioli. It also mentioned a parmesan crust on the menu, but I never saw anything resembling it.

Tiramisu: Not the most flavorful I’ve had, and it should be, given that it’s soaked in rum, Kahlua, and espresso! They layered it with chocolate chips which gave what should have been a creamy dessert an out-of-place crunch.

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