Dessert-ed

Decoupage is pleasing, but awaits patrons

By Kathy Gunst

DECOUPAGE: it’s an artform and an aesthetic at the Eastland Hotel

Here's a question for a critic: what’s the right time to review a restaurant? Should the reviewer be there at the opening, as in the theater world, or should she wait a few months until the bumps have been smoothed out? I waited six weeks before visiting Decoupage, the new restaurant in The Eastland Park on High Street in Portland. But it felt like I had wandered into a dress rehearsal.

The room was totally empty. The hostess was busying herself photographing the room, doing close ups of unoccupied tables. My friend and I were seated in the corner of the windowless room; it was over an hour before any of the other tables were filled. The only sound in the room, other than our nervous giggles, was the insufferable melody of the Pachebel’s Canon in D playing over and over through the sound system.

Why is no one at Decoupage? It appears that an enormous investment has been made in the restaurant. The entire room is decorated by Scott Potter, an internationally-recognized decoupage artist. As the hotel brochure explains, “The Restaurant Decoupage was conceived as an idea to present two fascinating and intricately designed art forms in combination. Master decoupager Scott Potter in the centuries old art of cutting and layering paper under glass. Executive chef Christian Struck’s artistry prepares and layers the many ingredients of cuisine.”

The room is splendid. The decoupage art — found on the walls, plates, flower pots — is stunning. Enter the dining room through the lobby and you are engulfed in a set from Dr. Zhivago. It was 85 sunny degrees outside, but the room couldn’t have been further from the glorious July night. All those velvet curtains, Florentine wallpaper, and upholstered chairs and banquettes left me imagining how wonderfully cozy the place will feel in the dead of February.

The food gives glimpses of a master chef at work. The menu, designed in three courses, is enticing and original. We began with the Toasted Arborio Dusted Sweetbreads which were crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender inside. Sitting atop a bed of cooked spinach with a mound of white bean puree and a drizzle of truffle oil, it was an excellent first course. The Sweet Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napolean (sic) was a spectacular presentation of a “tower” of roasted beets sandwiched with a simple, but flavorful goat cheese filling.

Because we were the only diners, the waiters had more than enough time to dote on us. Waiter # 1 was green — he was quite up front about the fact that he had just started work and didn’t know the answers to most of our questions. He was immediately joined by Waiter #2 who guided us expertly through the menu and helped us match wines for each course. When it came time for the Caesar salad, both Waiter # 1 and #2 appeared with a long table on wheels. The formality of preparing a Caesar salad tableside is long gone from most restaurants, but Decoupage is bringing it back with style. Waiter # 2 gently asked if we would “mind if I do some training here?” As he crushed the garlic, anchovies, and pepper into a huge wooden bowl, emulsified the lemon juice and olive oil, he taught Waiter #1 and us how to make a classic Caesar. As we watched him toss the Parmesan cheese and croutons with crisp lettuce leaves, we felt like we were watching a professional on the TV Food Network.

My friend ordered the grilled duck breast served with roasted corn spaetzle, grilled golden beets and sweet pea coulis, despite the warning from Waiter # 1. “There have been mixed reviews,” he admitted. And it was easy to see why. The duck was slightly undercooked (verging on raw) and a bit tough. The roasted corn spaetzle was a mush of corn and some sort of dumpling mixture that had a thoroughly unappealing texture. My dish, peppered scallops with spring asparagus risotto, fried julienne carrots, and a syrah demi, was far more successful. The plump, fresh scallops were perfectly tender, and the risotto was flavorful and light. The julienne strips of carrots that topped the dish begged to be crispy, like fries, but they were limp and added nothing to the dish. The syrah demi was an unexpectedly good sauce. The richness of the red wine, reduced and musky, complimented the sweetness of the scallops.

We chatted with our waiters, who must have been bored to tears. They were both friendly and interesting, but the whole thing felt a bit off — like we had to entertain them in these slow times. Dessert, recited by Waiter # 1, offered a poached pear, frozen strawberry cream, turtle cheesecake, and something called chocolate sushi, which I couldn’t resist. A gorgeous plate arrived — chocolate (being the seaweed) wrapped around coconut rice with tiny flecks of mango and kiwi. But one bite was all I could take. The chocolate was dark and bitter and the filling was dense with absolutely no sweetness. Both waiters wondered if we liked the dessert. When we told them “no,” they suggested we try something else. The frozen strawberry cream arrived — two triangles of strawberry ice cream with two ripe strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. One bite: ordinary tasting ice cream, complete with crystals of freezer burn. Dessert needs work. (Incidentally: they didn’t charge us for either dessert.)

Should you try Decoupage? Yes. Chef Struck can clearly cook, has a imaginative touch with food, and a good understanding of ingredients. Should you, wait a little while, unlike me. I think it would be best.