Romance at Balzac

I caved.

Eric made reservations at the fabulous Balzac Wine Bar for a late Valentine’s Day dinner and of course I went – not even kicking or screaming – because I was pleasantly surprised by his gesture. We ate a ton and didn’t pay a ridiculous amount for such a divine meal, nor did we shower each other with over-the-top gifts, just candy and a couple quirky things like the Stuff on My Cat book, which I find hilarious, and the exact same card (how often does that happen?).

I’ll admit it. I had fun.

We held hands, shared food – Balzac’s entire menu is meant to be shared, which is pretty romantic – and I even smiled (naturally). But! I still wore black, so I haven’t completely kicked my Valentine’s Day protest to the curb, although I feel a little hypocritical. But I guess there’s nothing wrong with celebrating love after all.

Eric came over around 7:30 and we exchanged our cheesy gifts – we weren’t going for expensive or glitzy, just simple and thoughtful – and then we drove to Brady Street, found parking right away and were immediately seated in a booth for two.

The single-room eatery was intimate and dimly lit with glowing chandeliers and dancing candles all around. It was the perfect Valentine’s Day spot, which was no secret considering the entire restaurant was brimming with hand-holding couples who were whispering sweet nothings to each other.

At times the underground hip-hop/funk music got a little loud, but it never hindered our conversations; it actually made the scene hip and fun as I'd occasionally pause from dinner to groove to the funky beats. Really, the young couple sitting next to us was more of a distraction – they couldn’t keep their paws off each other!

But before I lost my appetite, we selected two glasses of red Zinfandel from the three-page, staple-bound wine list that our waitress guided us through. A bartender hopped onto a chair and grabbed the bottle from a wine bin that was jutting out from the dark chocolate walls above me, and then served our wine in stem-less crystal glasses.

While we sipped our tart wine, we began to scan the menu and tried to pace ourselves, but the wealth of small plate options kept taunting our taste buds. What’s cool is that you can gradually order more and more plates at your own speed, so if you’ve already had one entrée and a dessert, but you still really want to try the scallops, you can! It's very unconventional, and I like that.

We ordered the Balzac cheese flight to start. Three types of cheeses came with different fruits, nuts, bread and crackers for pairing. We got generous helpings and many bites, so it was rather filling. Then, we ordered a delicate vegetarian strudel followed by savory lamb chops over a bed of grilled veggies, and finally a Guinness cake to round out our feast. The presentation was remarkable and because each plate was served with such artistry, I almost felt guilty about eating them.

Even though the portions weren’t Milwaukee-sized – it seems that most people rate food based on quantity and not quality – it ended up being a substantial meal for the two of us. Just because the menu boasts tapas and small plate fare, it doesn’t mean you get half the food and twice the price. Our dinner was very upscale, but affordable, which was perfect.

We spent two hours at Balzac and were thoroughly entertained through food and drink and great company.

Maybe this Valentine’s Day hoopla is something that can grow on me…

Comments

[Eric]

mmm guinness cake...yummy

[Karen]

That was pretty delicious, wasn't it? Actually, everything we ate is calling to me. We should go back there!!

[yo boy]

I'm surprised to see Balzac is still there. They must be doing something right, because Watermark Seafood had probably 3 people in it at the most at any one time for over a year back in the day. Oh and it was taxed. Kind of like Meglio pizza up the road on Kane and Humboldt; put a restaurant in the base of a condo building and suddenly it's okay to charge $20 for a 14" paper thin crust pizza with ingredients no fancier than what you'd find at Zaffiros but nowhere near as good. Say what you will for urban gentrification, but not everyone on the east side is wealthy and not everyone ever will be. I have never been to Ballsack (hahaha) but your article makes me want to give it an honest shot. Any single ladies out there? ...