Princess Peach's Kitchen

Last night I made salmon for dinner, two ways: 1) broiled and topped with a Dijon mustard and garlic sauce, and 2) in an orange-soy-ginger glaze, topped with orange slices. I served it with rice pilaf and a salad of baby spinach, gorgonzola, granny smith apples, and almonds, with balsamic dressing and followed by a fruit and cheese plate. So I thought as a writing exercise I would review Princess Peach’s Kitchen.

Though always atmospheric and renowned for the head chef’s creativity, meals at Princess Peach's Kitchen can be hit or miss. Past specials that have hit the mark have ranged from traditional French dishes such as French onion soup, beef bourguignon, and cassoulet, while a variety of ethnic cuisines crop up on the menu from time to time: Moroccan tajine, Thai curry stir-fry, and some Indian favorites. Classic staples of the Princess Peach's Kitchen menu include Chef Matt’s specialties: penne alla vodka, Greek burgers stuffed with feta and spinach, and a spicy beef chili slow-cooked to perfection. The dessert menu varies seasonally, ranging from cheesecakes to pies and fruit crisps a la mode.

Yet there have been flops as well, such as the “blackened” Southwestern chicken chili experiment, and the rather deflated chocolate soufflé dessert. Where Chef Peach lacks in execution she makes up for in ambition, with adventurous dishes such as a pear ginger chutney that’s unlikely fusion of flavors is just bizarre enough to work.

This four-course Italian meal was no exception. The freshly baked onion foccacia bread and spinach artichoke dip appetizer complimented each other well, followed by Portobello enzo, warm Portobello mushroom caps topped with fresh spinach, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and drizzled in balsamic, classically made in Modena. The mushrooms sautéed to achieve a rich, meaty texture, taking the “mushroom burger” to an Italian domain. Spinach was the persistent theme of the evening, as the entrée of the night was spinach linguine with lobster tails, scallops, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and fresh spinach, tossed with freshly grated parmesan and basil-infused olive oil. Though the flavor combination marinated well the scallops were decidedly overcooked, and the pancetta-wrapped scallop side dish did little to mask their almost rubbery consistency. Be certain to request your meat rare when coming here: the chef has a tendency to overdo it. The wine list was not extensive this evening and a sauvignon blanc would have complimented the seafood better, but the pinot grigio paired nicely with the dessert course: chocolate ice-cream topped cookies (an all-American favorite) and a key lime cheesecake with a nice tart kick. Never lacking in dessert options, Princess Peach's Kitchen can be counted on to leave you feeling satisfied.

3/5 stars.