A "Top Chef" Experience

Yesterday, I received a slightly belated Christmas gift from my friend, Meg: lunch at Volt in Frederick, Maryland. While lunch was just one leg of a perfectly wonderful day of shopping, laughing and introducing Meg to Frederick, it was the undisputed highlight of the day.

I freely admit that my initial motivation for choosing Volt for my experience gift was a wee bit shallow: I watched chef/owner Bryan Voltaggio come in second (robbed, IMO, by his younger, snarkier brother) on "Top Chef" last year. Not many of the Top Chefs' restaurants are within reach, and I really wanted to go to one. I watch TV; so sue me.

It didn't hurt that Bryan himself is easy on the eye (not that I expected a sighting, especially at lunch), and I admired his commitment to creating seasonal menus that locally source as much food as possible. And if he made it to the finals of "Top Chef," the food would have to be good, right?

So did Volt live up to my expectations? Well, yes, it did. And that is a huge understatement. The experience started off great when we walked up to the entrance of the 1890s mansion. Inside, all was sleek white linen and dark wood; very cool, yet very warm and comfortable. Many young servers moved about the room, efficient and attentive, dispensing bubbly or still water, slender breadsticks seasoned with fennel and sea salt and, a bit later, calamata olive rolls so good they made you want to slap your grandmother.

We had the three-course lunch and every plate was a vision of food art. Not fussy, not prissy, but beautifully prepared and artfully presented by people who care about the food. They care about where it comes from, that it's pleasing to the eye, and that it tastes great.

There were so many colors (maroon carrot and purple beet purees, dark green Brussels sprouts and mustard greens, black Forbidden Rice) and textures (tender pork tenderloin, flaky rockfish, velvety maitake mushrooms, crunchy d'anjou pears) on each plate, and every bite was a revelation. It was, in fact, sublime.

(Since I am an amateur blogger and forgot my camera, the photo at left is from a review on the Baltimore Sun's website. While it's not one of the dishes we had, it gives an idea of the food artistry we experienced.) 

So, Bryan V. lived up to his "Top Chef" performance and delivered a truly memorable meal, made all the better by a perfect fall day and a good friend to share it with. Thanks, Meg.