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V--a special place for a special occasion By Antoinette May Herndon Are you looking for a place to propose? Or maybe you're searching for the perfect restaurant to celebrate a very special occasion. An anniversary, perhaps, or a birthday? Romantics may already be scouting out the ideal Valentine's Day venue. Search no further. Have I got a place for you! I have to warn you though, it is pricey. Start saving. Murphys's V--if you haven't already discovered it for yourself--is a high rent kind of place . I put it on par with Taste in Plymouth, an establishment that could easily takes it's place on Union Square, in Mayfair or on the Champs Elysees. V owners Michael and Melissa Ninos have a splendid staff offering polished food and wine service. Presentations are gorgeous and cooked to perfection. Though V has been around for seven years, Charles and I had never been there. On a recent Sunday evening we were just coming out of a two day writers retreat in our home. The last attendees has finally left with their notebooks and manuscripts. One carried out a large box of kleenex. Really, are critiquing is ot THAT severe, but the two days had been intense. I was tired but also happy. I wanted to celebrate. I also wanted to be pampered. V's, it turned out, is just the place for that kind of |
thing. The atmosphere is elegant, intimate and romantic. There are several small dining rooms with dark polished floors, large gilt-framed mirrors against soft cream walls, cozy tables, mostly for two, and whirling ceiling fans. One room even has a fireplace. Happily, Sally and Dick Tuttle were also in a festive mood. V did not disappoint. The vibes were inviting right from the start. The menu was limited, as compared to Taste, but it was still easy for us to find inviting choices. I started off with a truly fantastic martini mixed specially for me by Lauren DeValle. I have never had a better one. It was perfect. $9 is a City price, but I have to admit it was the City at it's best. Charles ordered his usual Scotch over at $8 and the result made him a happy camper. Sally chose Chatom Sauvignon Blanc ($8) and was well pleased. Dick settled for cranberry juice ($2.50). "At least it looks like wine," he told us. It did, too, served in a big full-bodied glass. Sally and Dick each had halibut served with Spanish chorizo, bloomsdale spinach, purple potatoes and meurniere sauce. ($27) Imagine purple potatoes! But they really were purple, tiny little guys. Cute, tender, and round. A very pretty and innovative fish presentation Charles decided on Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon ($32). It was served with grilled artichoke, roasted garlic whipped chive potatoes, and bordelaise pt. reyes bleu. Filet mignon |
couldn't be served in a more elegant manner. It was very good, too. A doggie bag was never an option. Poor Chloe. My own favourite was Girmaud Farms Duck Breast. This was duck confit pain perdu served with braised endive and candied kumquats. ($33) I was delighted and could not resist ordering a glass of Stevenot Tempranill ($7) to enjoy with it. Not really wanting the evening to end, Sally and I shared a Lemon Mousse Cake at $18. No that wasn't the whole cake, just one slice. But it truly was good, a perfect finish to a really outstanding meal. Dick enjoyed a classy looking bread pudding at $9. Our server, Jenny Suqua, was top notch. I enjoyed the food, loved the restaurant's ambience. Now what can I say about all this? It was definitely not an average dinner out for Charles and I. To us, the prices seemed quite high, but there is no question that V fulfilled its promise.
My feeling is that, for most, V is a restaurant to plan for: a special place for a special evening. VITALS: V Restaurant & Bar, 402 Main St., Murphys. Phone: 728-0107. Wednesday through Sunday for dinner 5 to 8:15. Credit cards accepted.
Jenny Suqua is the "perfect" server. I don't think you will want the dining room shot. I know you want people, but there weren't many to begin with and they all cleared out. One of several intimate dining rooms at Murphys V Restaurant. |