Harry and Izzy's

Harry & Izzy’s

I had dinner with Payton Manning. This statement means very little to me as I was a little foggy on who exactly Payton Manning was, but apparently this is very exciting to some people. I'm also exaggerating a little. I had dinner a few tables over from Payton Manning. I didn't sit with him at his table, and frankly had I been invited, I would have declined. Of all of the people in the world I'd be breathless to meet, Mr. Manning isn't one of them. No offense. I'm sure he throws a real good football, but the ability to get a ball over a certain line means nothing to me.

This event took place at Harry and Izzy's, the sister to St. Elmo's Steakhouse. In a word:disappointing, and not just because it was Payton Manning there instead of Kristen Chenoweth. St. Elmo's is kind of a big deal. It is often featured in national magazine articles about America's best steakhouses. Harry and Izzy's was named after the founders of St. Elmo's, only a little more casual and the menu a little more expansive.

The decor is inviting and warm. I was a little surprised by the boxing stats on the wall, and the fact that it seems to be trying to be an upscale sport's restaurant. As you can probably guess, sport's places are not my cup of tea. The menu featured steaks, some salads, pasta, pizza, and sandwiches. They have a decent sized bottle wine list but a small glass wine list, and none of the wines were under $9.00 a glass. I ordered a pear martini and my husband ordered a vodka martini with a lemon twist. We ordered a cheese and fruit plate for an appetizer. None of the entrees really caught my fancy so I ordered the roasted beet salad and a bowl of the soup de jour-lobster bisque. My husband ordered the rack of lamb.

The fruit and cheese plate was kind of...lack luster. I've got to tell you that I got a better fruit and cheese plate at Deano's Vino in Fountain Square. I would have expected that the sister restaurant to St. Elmo's cheese plate would be transcendent and far superior to a cheese plate from a place with a name like Deano's Vino, but I was sorely mistaken. The cheese were less rich and flavorful. The aged Gouda was mild and I've never had a mild aged Gouda. The fruit was nice and fresh.

My beet salad was next. I must make a full disclosure. I don't like beets. Prior to Harry and Izzy's, I've never had beets at anywhere except MCL when I was 8 and I got them because I thought they were so beautiful, but I found that the beauty belied a nasty inner nature that tasted like burnt manure, much like a chick named Tina at my school who was beautiful but a bitch. Beets=Tina. I thought to myself that I should try them again at a fine dining establishment like Harry and Izzy's, because if I was ever going to enjoy beets, my best chance was having them prepared by a real chef. I don't like beets. They are still beautiful, red-purple jewels nesting in among vibrant greens...lovely but still have the inner nature of Tina. I was easily able to eat around the beets and enjoy the rest of my salad-orange slices, goat cheese, candied walnuts, all with the sweet inner nature of yours truly. The salad was delicious, but frankly something I could and would make at home (sans beets).

The description of my husband's rack of lamb was food erotica. "Lamb rack pan seared with orange zest, rosemary, mustard and red wine". It arrived on the table and looked fabulous. My lobster bisque also arrived, thick and rich in the bowl. The soup was lovely, but again lacked something. I can't tell you what but it just wasn't It. The lamb was perfectly cooked to medium rare but the orange zest was bitter and fought with the red wine for dominance. Again, it just didn't hit the mark.

We didn't get dessert. Maybe dessert would have been so good that I would have forgotten all of the not-quite-rightness of the meal.

We could blame my high expectations for my disappointment. When I go to a restaurant prepared to spend over $100 for two people, I want to be wowed, I expect to be wowed. I expect that when I take that first bite, my eyes will be compelled to shut and I will chew slowly, and my inner foodie will stretch and purr like a contented cat. I expect that each bite will fill my mouth with joy. I didn't have that experience.

I have heard from others that Harry and Izzy's make a great place to have lunch. The pizzas are great and the steak sandwiches are really good too. I doubt I'll go back, but if I did, it would be for lunch.

Oh, and Payton. He was kinda tall and kinda wide. He was wearing jeans and a blue and white button down shirt. He was with a group of guys-like 3 or 4 that I didn't recognize. I didn't hear or care to hear what they were talking about. A woman did approach Mr. Manning and ask for a photo. I didn't see if she got it or not. I didn't see if he was polite or not. I did spare a moment to feel sorry for him that he can't go out with his buddies without being approached, but then I remembered that he makes a bajillion dollars a year playing a game. Mo' money mo' problems Payton, remember that.