Acacia Mid-Town Part 2

We went to Acacia to participate in Richmond Restaurant Week and make a small contribution to the Central Virginia Foodbank. Last year we had a miserable experience at another establishment during restaurant week. Acacia restored our faith in restaurant week this year.

After we had exquisite drinks at the bar, we were seated in a modern grayed space with wisps of green for accent. We ordered wine - 2006 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape. Mmmm.


And then on to the difficult part - choosing what to eat. Acacia offered a great variety for the special menu. For an appetizer, my husband had Pan Seared Scallops/Cauliflower Puree/Brioche/Gremolata. He raved about the scallops! and wished it had been an entree selection. I ordered Curried Parsnip Pear Soup/Fresh Shrimp/Creme Fraiche. I raved about my soup! Continuing my exploration and budding romance with root veggies other than potatoes, I took a chance on the soup and was not disappointed. A great balance of flavors.

For the entree I went straight for the Duck Stuffed with Roasted Pears, Wrapped in Bacon, Carraway Gnocchi, Red Wine Braised Cabbage, Lingonberry Sauce. The duck carried a smokey flavor throughout and was oh-so-yummy. A delicious updated take on German-influenced cuisine. I could not have asked for anything better. And hubby stuck with seafood and selected Baked Crabcake, Cheddar Cheese Grits, Creamed Leeks, Greens, Herb Garlic Sauce. He also was well pleased with the flavors and tastes. And both entrees did not skimp on the food. While it was not an over-abundance, we were quite satisfied.

And then came dessert. A Parsnip Spice Cake/Fromage Blance Ice Cream/Pear Sauce for hubby. He was always a sucker for ice cream. This one was like a whipped cream ice cream and paired very well with the spice cake. I had the Vanilla Mascarpone Panna Cotta/Rich Chocolate Torte. I ordered it because of the chocolate (dense, intense dark chocolate), but the dessert was memorable because of the panna cotta. While not a usual panna cotta fan, this one rocked. It featured a grapefruity, puckery sauce that was out of this world.

We had a great dinner. We contributed to a worthy cause. Acacia gained two additional fans.