Date night with the wife, and our first choice was closed--so Lily's was our happy plan B. There were a couple of points where they were less than perfect but overall a delightful experience.
We were seated promptly on this Thursday night; the indoor dining area was mostly empty, the outdoor patio was full, so we opted for indoor. The decor is pleasant if a little sterile--pale greens, gray-painted concrete floor, some hanging plants and artwork--tables adorned with a little candle-in-a-glass and a single flower in a ginger beer bottle. Operating as an honest bistro, the menu is a little all over the place--you can lunch here on a grilled cheese and a PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon?) for $7, and on Sundays they do brunch.
The best thing here was the service. Our table was visited by about five different employees, each one eager to please--they work as a team, seamlessly. I think one of the people was the owner, who engaged me in a lively discussion about gin which inspired me to order a second martini--and it proved she knows her gin!
So, it's restaurant week around here, and I noted that their specials were all items from the regular menu. My wife didn't want any of the restaurant week items and so went with their regular menu and ordered the scallops--she's a big fan, and thought theirs were good, but was surprised at how much she enjoyed the green beans on the side. I went with the restaurant week offer, 3 courses for a small price (I didn't look at my receipt--it was either 20.14, 25.14, or 30.14) and got the grilled peaches appetizer, the pork tenderloin, and the dark chocolate torte. We shared the appetizer and dessert.
Well, the appetizer made me happy. It was a halved peach, stone removed, and the center filled with chevre and nuts, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. So the peach was tart, the drizzle savory, the goat cheese creamy, and the nuts textural--I wondered if it needed more cheese, but gosh, it was good.
My entree is where the yellow flag goes up. This pork tenderloin is customarily done medium, and topped with a peach-habanero salsa. The salsa was uneven--some forkfuls had more peach and were balanced, others had more habanero and were not suitable for diners with sensitive palates. I happen to enjoy a good mouth-burn, so I didn't complain--but for the general American taste, I think the chef ought to tone down the hot peppers. The side of butter-sauteed zucchini and yellow squash was a nice complement.
Finally came the flourless dark chocolate torte with pepper ganache and whipped cream. Fabulous! The dark chocolate cake had such a texture, I rolled each bite around on my tongue savoring the texture and richness.
This restaurant's location has had a chequered past. Previously it was owned by a woman who operated it as a nice French bistro--then changed the concept to German with less success--and finally went to jail for insurance fraud. The new owners seem less pretentious and more grounded in their approach, so I have hopes that Lily's will be a dining option for years to come--I genuinely want to enjoy their food and service again.