Eleven XI – CLOSED – Pam & Jeff Rate the Chef

Date Visited: Saturday, June 8, 2013

Tonight we decided to try a recently opened spot close to home. They have a nice cocktail menu with some unique choices, so we started there. Each day they have a drink special that is off menu, so Pam decided to try today’s special. The Daily Daisy had some interesting ingredients including quinquina. Quinquina is a French term used to categorize aperitifs made with a wine base in which the main flavor constituent is quinine. It was a nice cocktail with hints of cherry. Jeff ordered their twist on a Moscow Mule, a standard drink of vodka, ginger beer and lime served over crushed ice in a copper cup. They did a good job with it.

We started our meal with the Grilled Oysters topped with bacon, pico de gallo and parmesan cheese. The oysters were large and well cooked. The plate included 6 pieces, and we would have happily had more. Pam ordered a second cocktail called the Corpse Revived #11. It is made with gin, lemon juice, Lillet Rose, Combier liqueur and has an absinthe rinse. It was a very nicecocktail, and even Jeff, who detests gin, thought it was good. Jeff could not allow Pam to get ahead, so he ordered a classic drink called Crusta. It consists of Congnac with blood orange liqueur, lemon juice, Lazzaroni Maraschino and bitters. The drink was nice and not overly sweet.

To pair with the cocktails, we ordered a second appetizer of Beef Tartar. The presentation was nice, and the hand cut beef was tender and flavorful. The only thing that would have made it better was a quail egg, however Eleven XI did not receive their shipment on this day. We appreciate that only fresh ingredients are used! For her entree, Pam ordered the Short Ribs served with whipped potatoes and asparagus, but she substituted risotto for the potatoes. The short ribs are served caveman style over a 9-inch bone, but no knife is needed. The meat falls apart and is tender and flavorful, and was nicely complemented with the well cooked risotto and perfectly prepared asparagus. Jeff ordered the Pork Chop which comes with your pick of two side dishes, so he let the kitchen pick the sides. They chose to serve it with blue corn gouda grits and broccoli slaw. The pork chop was well seared and tender, although the rub was overly salty. The sides were a great choice to pair with the chop. Finally, we nearly passed on dessert, but we had heard too many raves about one of their signature desserts and the description was too much to deny. The Peanut Butter Tower is whipped peanut butter that is light and creamy. This peanut butter is then coated with chocolate and served over a bed of white chocolate shavings. Even though we were overly full, we found extra room for this dessert, and it was worth it. All in all, Eleven XI is a great addition to the Montrose area and will be a placeto which we will return. Please note that it is best to get a reservation for dinner, but if you don’t, move into their bar that is equipped with 3 TVs, a nice staff and full menu. They are also adding a lunch menu, so check them out!