http://www.tangoongrand.com/
Here’s a quick overview of the place. Tango is part restaurant and part lounge. The lounge side has a beautiful bar, amazing cocktails, and a live pianist reminiscent of a downtown piano bar. The piano even functions as a table, so there are seats at the piano. You’re encouraged to sip your cocktails while you sing along with the pianist. While they were getting our table ready, we tried some different martinis in the lounge. We tried a pear martini and a pomegranate martini; you could taste the fresh ingredients in both. I would go back just to try more martinis. Also, they had a substantial bar menu, but we were there for dinner, so we didn’t get to taste any of it.
At dinner, we ordered three appetizers. We ordered: lobster risotto, duck confit, and bone marrow.
The lobster risotto (Main lobster, Arborio rice, truffle oil, local oyster mushrooms, and chives) was cooked perfectly, but I could have done with a tad less salt. It was the first time a restaurant hasn’t overcooked lobster in a while, so I was happy.
This was my first experience with bone marrow. I see chefs on television use it all of the time, so I was desperate to try it. I wasn’t disappointed, but I suspect there’s better quality out there. I only say this because there wasn’t much marrow in the bones. With that said, it was delicious. The caramelized onions and Dijon mustard sauce rounded out the dish nicely. There was a nice balance of savory and sweet, to me.
This was also my first experience with Duck Confit (Duck confit, seasonal jam, toasted nuts, baby arugula, goat cheese, and a vinaigrette). Confit is when a meat is poached or cooked in its own fat. I’m sure I gained a few extra pounds on this dish alone, but it was well worth it. The duck was tender, and it paired nicely with the goat cheese and jam, again blending savory with sweet.
For our entrees, we ordered a grilled meat plate and pasta with frutti di mare (fruit of the sea).
My meat plate had some skirt steak, lamb, and a small filet. It came with some veggies and a fried piece of polenta (yum!). The flavors were great and everything was seasoned well, but I suspect my dish was ready before the rest of our table’s entrees because the meat was a little cold, which I hate, and the veggies were a tiny bit undercooked.
My husband’s pasta dish was just as flavorful but much warmer. It’s in a loose saffron tomato sauce reminiscent of a cipollini. It had fish, mussels, shrimp, and scallops. I would go back just for this dish! If you love pasta and sea food, this is your meal!
The couple we went out with had the sea bass in a miso broth and the chicken, which is wrapped in bacon. They had good things to say about both dishes.
Lastly, we had dessert. Often, I pass up dessert because I’m simply too full; however, when crème brulee is an option, I always make room. It was an amazing brulee served with some fresh fruit. Next time, I’m cutting back on the appetizers and ordering two crème brulees.
Overall, I would recommend this place, and I know we’ll be back. They’re reasonably priced, and they have a variety of dishes and drinks If you visit Tango, please let us know about your experience. We’d love to hear about what you tried and how you like it!
