By Raima Saha, Co-Managing Editor
Warm, ambient lighting and vaulted ceilings lead the way to an 18-foot silk-screen depiction of the Buddha as my family and I enter Nectar Restaurant and Lounge. One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” plays in the air, an unexpected but not unwelcome choice in music.
An Asian and French fusion restaurant, Nectar uses fresh, locally sourced and sustainable ingredients in every dish. Included on the website is a list of local farms it works closely with, a nice touch to ensure transparency with its customer base.
We started off with the chicken curry dumplings served with a spicy red curry peanut sauce for $12. The perfectly crisped dumplings alongside the dipping sauce provided complex savory notes that balanced out the dish. The crispy calamari and edamame, $19, came with a spicy papaya and tamarind hoisin sauce. The calamari was white and rubbery and the edamame seemed to be an afterthought that didn’t complement the calamari.
For the entree, we ordered the wok Amish chicken and gulf shrimp for $29. The Vietnamese lime basil sauce was gelatinous and overly sweet, diminishing the simple flavors of the crispy chicken, shrimp and lots of vegetables. The portion size was smaller than expected, though it did come with a side of rice.
We also ordered the saffron-infused basmati fried rice for $17. The saffron gave the rice a subtle aroma that added flavor and went well with the veggies and chicken. The chicken lo mein for $19 did not disappoint either, with a garnish of baby greens adding levity and freshness to savory, smooth noodles.
To finish off the meal, we ordered the “hot fresh” mini doughnuts for $12 to indulge in a sweet treat. The “doughnuts” would be best described as mini churros, reinforced by their cinnamon sugar coating and three dipping sauces: spiced chocolate, raspberry vanilla and coffee caramel. Misnomer aside, the doughnuts were delicious, and each sauce provided a variety of flavors that satisfied my sweet tooth.
For $14, the Nectar Valrhona chocolate cake was divine, with rich raspberry coulis surrounding the decadent mousse. However, the raspberry coulis was pungent, and its tang overpowered the chocolate, making it difficult to eat.
Nectar is a higher-end restaurant with prices to match. The total came to $129.32 excluding tip for the four of us. At such a high price point, I expected more both in terms of quantity and quality. Maybe this dip was just a fluke, but I won’t find myself back here anytime soon.
Raima Saha can be reached at [email protected].
