Vermillion (Old Town)

I often forget of all the options in Old Town for dinning, compartmentalizing all the restaurants there in my mind as colonial decor, mincemeat pie and servers with big buckles on their shoes -- belonging more in an amusement park than in a metropolitan city. But it isn't really like that. This week I was reminded again of the decent fare Old Town has to offer by Vermillion on King St., owned by the same people who do two of my other favorite restaurants -- Tallulah and Evening Star. I've also learned they have a 4th, relatively new one that does beer pairings in Old Town I believe called Rustica (?). The occasion for Friday night was dinner with the Clods and Mike, a classmate from college in town with the Air Force. We chose Vermillion primarily because of its convenience. I had been there before and remember it being decent -- but was there with such a large group, that the details of the restaurant were sketchy. The evening began downstairs in their lounge with mint juleps (because the Clods missed them for the derby) and I of course had my summer special of Hendricks Gin, cucumber muddle and soda. Vermillion puts sugar in their version making it more mojito-y -- but good nonetheless. Once upstairs, we took a difficult to maneuver booth given its velvet upholstery and the complete inability to slide in... The dinner selection was easy. We all chose the chef's tasting menu and wine pairing. This began with a taste complements of the chef of a bit of thin sliced ham and I'm not sure what else. Very tasty and always a classy touch. Our first real course was a crispy fried oyster atop shaved fennel and mint slaw. This was served with a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc. Our second course was a trout served atop blue crab, garlic and leeks. To make it fancy, it also had a roasted bell pepper froth -- that silly new culinary trend -- some call it whipped or flavored air. I think it looks like spit on my plate... nonetheless, this was one damn fine trout. This dish was coupled with a chardonnay from Argentina. Not a big fan of chardonnay here, but it wasn't half bad. Next we had the hangar steak over rye spatzel. I could have had this all by itself on a much larger dish. This was absolutely delectable, however it was coupled with a far-too-tart and in your face cabernet from Australia (or so says the menu... I could have sworn the waitress said it was a malbec... but it was way too bold for a malbec). We finished the meal with rice pudding fritters with dried cherries, pinenuts and a bittersweet chocolate sauce. Oh man -- this tops most any desert I've had at a restaurant. The desert was even paired with an old tawny port. All of that for only $61 was a bargain. The decor of vermillion was subtle and creative -- frames on the wall lit by distant lights to look as if the brick in the frame was the art. Modern, but comfortable and rustic. Our very large booth which could have accommodated 6 was awkward. That I can honestly say was my only complaint. The service and management were very attentive... the manager coming over to our table to answer my question about their relationship with those other restaurants I mentioned. This got him high marks in my book. Overall, a decent meal out in Old Town... no mincemeat on the menu and nobody wore buckled shoes.