Sweet as Sinema

There is always a charm in nostalgia. Taking a look into the past, we can gain perspective on what we’ve gained, and what we have left behind. As we move forward, remnants of that past are often caught up in the wake. But sometimes, we preserve those momentos. In some cases, we recycle, reuse, and repurpose them, changing them, using their memory-laden mystique. Sinema did just that.

An old movie theater, the original neon sign still illuminates the parking lot. Marquees that used to hold movie posters, now show menus. Stepping inside, the original architecture is obvious. A curving stairway rides up the wall, newly carpeted, still elegant in its copper and brass. Old movies play on a huge projection screen at the top. Lounge chairs scatter the front bar, and taking the stairs, the upstairs bar is already rowdy with people. The upstairs bar has a “concessions” menu all its own, with snacks like corn nuts and house fries. But the true art is in their entrees.

We begin out meal with a tartine. The “hot shrimp” is served with a spiced butternut goat cheese and a chili aioli. The juicy shrimp, coated in a sauce not dissimilar from buffalo, sat atop crisp bread. The cheese cooled off the spice from the chili aioli. Our other appetizer, the foie gras, was whipped to a mousse consistency, specked with shaved truffle, and plated as a cannel instead of a brick. Paired with a sweet zucchini bread and curry cashew butter. The plate also had a floret of pear and micro greens. It was beautiful, rich, and sweet, I could have made it a dessert. The truffle was mild, and each part of the dish was delicious on its own, yet more so as flavors were combined.

We ordered two fish entrees, the halibut and barramundi, both fish I don’t usually find at my monger. Salsify, a root vegetable similar to parsnips but sweeter, was pureed with butter and cream and was splayed across the plate with a verjus vinaigrette, white and purple waves acting as a backdrop to a savoy cabbage slaw and marinated grapes. On top of all of this was the halibut, golden brown on the top, soft white flesh, yielding to the fork.

By contrast, the barramundi was a hardier stew. White beans, lamb sausage, and fingerling potatoes swam in a thin tomato broth flavored with Herbsaint (an anise-flavored liquor made by the Sazerac company). Seared skin-on, the barramundi was crisped on top, giving way to another soft-fleshed fish that was lightly sweet and very fresh.

We shared a dessert, recently added to the menu. It was like a string quartet, first violin was a pear, poached in red wine, tinting the lightly colored fruit. The submersion was delicate, as the fruit maintained its texture and firmness. A moist almond cake played second fiddle, and the crunchy cello was covered by toasted almond slivers. Adding a fourth layer of flavor and texture, a whipped goat cheese was slightly tart and smooth, almost like a thick frosting for the cake, cementing the pear in place.

I want to emphasize how artfully each plate was poised. My cell phone camera (and camera skills) don’t do the composition justice. Sinema is slightly outside of the downtown area, but it is certainly worth the trip. Thanks for sharing it with me.