A Night at Satterfield's

We arrived at Satterfield’s to find a pleasant surprise. Shortly after being seated, we discovered how lucky we were to be placed at a lovely booth-chair table. Our server, Lucky, was a good friend of mine in high school. It was lucky indeed that she was our server, because she was as knowledgeable as she was friendly, just as I remembered from back in school.

She recommended appetizers of Pan Seared Sonoma County Foie Gras, Crispy Braised Duroc Pork Belly and Stella Artois Tempura Fried Squash Blossom. We went for the Foie Gras ($15) and the Squash Blossom ($10). Both were delicious but the standout was definitely the foie gras. It was perfectly seared on the outside and soft and decadent on the inside. We both agreed it was so good, it did not need the Raisin Walnut French Toast that accompanied it, although the balsamic sauce played a savory-supporting role.

For the entrees, we knew what we wanted and did not ask for recommendations, though I feel certain the two we chose would have come highly recommended. Eric had the Pan Seared Maine Sea Scallops with Smoked Gouda Polenta Cake and Ragout of Snow’s Bend Summer Vegetables, Duroc Bacon and Charred Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette ($30). I chose the Pan Seared Tanglewood Farms Duck Breast with Grilled Alabama Plum, Baby Turnip, Radish and Gingered Muscat Reduction ($28).

We like to order a bottle of wine to share rather than purchase wine by the glass. It’s always fun to see how the parings match up as we generally order a meat dish and a fish entrée. We were recommended two wines and were given a taste of both before making our decision. We opted for the 2006 Daniel Schuster Pinot Noir. It was fruity on the nose with cherries and had a bold and peppery finish, possibly developing with a bit more aging. It pared well with both, though the full flavor of the wine burst forth when taking a sip after a succulent bite of the duck.

The scallops were seared to perfection, with a tasty crust and a creamy, buttery center. The Duroc Bacon was a great addition. Of course, bacon makes everything better. The duck was the star of the night. It was seared medium-rare, more rare than medium, and was delicious. I have found duck to be tough game to cook well, often ending up dry, or worse-- leathery. But this was tender, flavorful and delightful. Both of our dishes were served with deep, dark greens perched atop the main feast. These were a wonderful surprise; more flavorful and crisp than we were both used to eating. We were not disappointed by Executive Chef Haller Magee’s creations.

I had been looking forward to testing out the dessert menu. Becky Satterfield is the Pastry Chef and Owner of the Cahaba Heights restaurant and that interested me. The list of desserts was impressive, from fluffy Beignets to a Fig Tart to Coconut Frangipane, everything sounded like a nice finish to an outstanding meal. We opted for the latter and two shots of espresso. It consisted of Coconut Cake with a Bittersweet Chocolate Center, drizzles of Soft Bitter Caramel and a Coconut Sorbet. The cake was moist with a gooey chocolate enter. Eric wasn’t a fan of the chocolate, but then again, he isn’t a chocolate fan. I found it a nice counter to the subtle sweetness of the cake. The caramel drizzle added more flavor, but the best part of the dessert by far was the coconut sorbet. Light, airy and smooth with just the right hint of coconut flavor. It was so delicious that I was tempted to request a pint to go. Instead, we’ll return to Satterfield’s—a place we were lucky to have found.

If you would like to subscribe to this blog, please send an email with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line to {encode="nzito@wvtm.com" title="nzito@wvtm.com"} or you can click on the orange RSS link at the top of this page. To learn how to set up an RSS Feed, Click Here for a You Tube video that explains the two step process.