Overpriced and Oversalted

Dining at the Sunnyledge Boutique Hotel

The Sunnyledge wants to make sure you know that they are an exclusive and upper-crusty establishment. The decor says it all: oak paneling, lined drapes, and crystal chandeliers. In case you can’t visit, though, they spell it out for you in their promotional brochure, “Boutique Hotels are recognized for their elegance and personalized attention. Sunnyledge offers modern luxury in its finest form.” Its services for guests include “twice-daily maid service” and its accommodations include an “open-air veranda [that] offers a spectacular view of ‘Millionaire’s Row’ while enjoying one of our chef’s specialties.” At least the hotel’s promotional staff knew enough not to name their chef specifically; following a sequence of personnel troubles, the current executive chef, Heather Buechel, has not yet finished culinary school and is serving in an interim capacity.

The fare relies heavily on salt for its flavor, to the extent that your mouth puckers when eating some of the selections.

The menu we were offered was not the same one posted on their website, thus our appetizer choices did not include the Blackberry Brie that we had been looking forward to before we arrived. The Wild Mushroom Tart with Caramelized Shallots, Goat Cheesse, and Thyme Veloute ($8) might as well have been labeled a Salt Tart with Wild Mushrooms. Our other appetizer selection, Mussels steamed in White Wine with a Saffron Cream Sauce ($12), was good so long as you just ate the mussels with a bit of the sauce that clung to them. Were you inclined to taste the broth on its own, though, salt was once again the only flavor that came through—a disappointment to a couple members of our dining party who are accustomed to dipping bread into the mussel broth at other restaurants and wiping the plate dry. They were not inclined to do so at Sunnyledge.

Unfortunately, the bread that was brought to our table was probably the highlight of our dining experience. It was Portuguese Corn Bread and it came accompanied by a dish of real butter. It was slightly sweet and very tasty; Heather (a former colleague) has obviously not lost her knack for creating baked goods.

The Long Island Raspberry Duck with Raspberry Balsamic Demi ($25) was perhaps the best item we sampled that night. It was still pink, and the sauce that accompanied it was not overly sweet. The raspberry flavor was subtle, not syrupy, making this a pleasant dish to eat.

Also tasty was the Filet of Beef en Crut[sic] with Goat Cheese Butter, Port, Balsamic Reduction[sic] ($28). It was cooked to medium-rare, as requested, and matched well with the port balsamic reduction sauce. Really, for beef, the secret is in not overcooking it. After that, it takes care of itself. The disappointment here was that it was not en croûte. There was a small piece of pastry below the steak, but by no means was the steak in any sort of crust.

The Scallops Mariniére[sic] with braised Bok Choy and Orange-Grapefruit Au Jus ($26) were seared perfectly and, when matched with the sauce were very tasty. The braised greens, on the other hand, were quite salty and were not eaten.

The Seared Atlantic Salmon with Braised Leeks and Orange Buerre [sic] Blanc ($25) was requested cooked to a medium doneness, but was served quite well done. As a result, it was very dry, a fault that all of the sauce in the world could not have made up for, even if it was the well-executed orange beurre blanc that accompanied this piece of fish.

The other seafood selection that we sampled was Crispy Skinned Striped Bass with Spicy Roasted Tomato Coulis, Cilantro Oil, and Chilled Mediterranean Relish ($26). Translation: fish with salsa. And all you can really taste when you take a bite of the two together is the salsa. On its own, the fish was well-prepared, but matched with the sauce it was overpowered and may as well not have been there.

Every plate came accompanied by risotto and stir-fried vegetables (carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash). The risotto was (in accordance with the theme of the meal) too salty, though tolerable if eaten along with the vegetables. The vegetables may have very briefly seen some heat. The squash were definitely preferable to the overcooked squash I’ve received at many other dining establishments. The carrots would have been perfect in a salad, though in the context of stir-fried vegetables they were a bit, shall we say, crunchy (or, as my grandmother would have said, these carrots taste like they just came from the garden). Others in my dining party allege that raw is preferable to overcooked; I would have preferred somewhat cooked to either of the other options.

There were very few others in the restaurant on the Thursday night when we dined, so the kitchen was not sending out subpar food as a condition of being overworked. The valet told us that the restaurant was usually a bit busier than it was that night. Perhaps the level of business was an anomaly; or, perhaps the Sunnyledge has had a tough time building a catalog of regulars when they serve such overpriced and oversalted fare.

Rating: 1 1/2 Oranges

Sunnyledge Hotel
5124 Fifth Avenue, Shadyside
(412) 683-5014
www.sunnyledge.com

One Response to “Overpriced and Oversalted”

  1. tanabutler Says:

    I hope your comments lead to an improvement in their attitude, and a revamping of their commitment to the profession they’ve chosen—it’s hardly hospitality when incompetence drives people away. In these days, with the internet serving as an educational tool for everyone at every level, there is no excuse for serving subpar food in an extravagant environment.

    Too bad for you—and too bad for them.

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