BIRD FARM SOUTHThe Faithful Pilot Review
Friday is a fine day to let someone else do the cooking.
After a week at work, dinner out struck me as a great
idea. We met the Darling/Goranson couple in LeClaire,
Iowa at The Faithful Pilot restaurant.
A bit of history is appropriate here - The last time we
dined at the Faithful Pilot was +or- 2 years ago. It was
my birthday, maybe and there were 6 or 8 or us. We'd
had a less than stellar meal, a month or so prior to the
birthday dinner, but chalked that up to chance or maybe
serendipity.
Unfortunately, our meal on birthday night was again, quite
mediocre. I got 2 platefuls of medium cooked duck and
finally gave up. I'm generally opposed to red meat cooked
to more than medium rare and I prefer rare or raw.
I just didn't have an entree that night. None of the eight of
us have been back to the Faithful Pilot in the last couple
years.
On super bowl Sunday, we enjoyed a party at the Arp/Newell
household. Friends from youth, Kris and Paul Peacock also
attended the party.
Kris and Paul's son Brian is all grown up, (where the hell did
that time go?)and is a sous chef at the Faithful Pilot.
Ownership has also changed and thus, when we decided
where to dine last night, it was the Faithful Pilot and Le Claire
for the meal. AND GOLLY AM I GLAD!
Mike and I were seated immediately and would have been
happy if drinks had been offered. Instead, we waited 10 or
15 minutes with menus until the Darling/G couple arrived.
Finally, after their drink order was placed, we got drinks.
Other than that hiccup, our evening was stellar.
Of course, we all ordered different entrees, a couple
appetizers, a couple salads and different desserts. We
shared the duck breast appetizer, done to a perfect meduim
rare with smoked, grilled spinach. I love duck, but would have
rolled in a tub full of that spinach. DG ordered the cheese
trio and a blue, hard parm type and a medium soft cheese
were served with nice sesame flatbread. This was also a
wonderful starter, strongly flavored, but complementary to
our beer and wine choices.
Dan ordered the sea scallop special, served over good, tender
rissoto served in a corn husk and roasted asparagus. The
Darling woman had pasta with clams, mussels and shrimp.
The fettucine, in a lite cream sauce with asparagus and herbs
was excellent. I was feeling needy and ordered off the top
of the menu, rack of lamb, rare, with winter squash ravioli and
the roasted asparagus. DG ordered a hefty pork chop, stuffed
with nicely seasoned bread stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes
and veg. We shared a cesear salad and Dan & KD shared the
roasted beet salad.
Each and every entree was just done, even the shrimp, often
overcooked were tender and perfect. The scallops were
succulent and sweet, the lamb chops were rare as ordered,
tender and flavorful. DG's pork chop was done just beyond
medium rare. At the bone it was still a bit pink. I should know,
as I gnawed the bone clean. I don't even like pork chops.
It was grand. The Faithful Pilot chefs paid close attention;
clams and mussels were done but still tender. YUM!
As much as I wanted to get around every bit of the wonderful
food I was served, I did pack half of it home with me. In the
interest of Saturday dessert, I brought home a piece of the
flourless chocolate torte. The guys ate cheesecake and I got
around the flan. Mmmmm, crusty brown sugary glaze and
lovely soft flavorful custard. I was in heaven.
We are delighted that while the Faithful Pilot may have had
a bumpy spell in the past, the past is gone. We will visit
again and again.
After a week at work, dinner out struck me as a great
idea. We met the Darling/Goranson couple in LeClaire,
Iowa at The Faithful Pilot restaurant.
A bit of history is appropriate here - The last time we
dined at the Faithful Pilot was +or- 2 years ago. It was
my birthday, maybe and there were 6 or 8 or us. We'd
had a less than stellar meal, a month or so prior to the
birthday dinner, but chalked that up to chance or maybe
serendipity.
Unfortunately, our meal on birthday night was again, quite
mediocre. I got 2 platefuls of medium cooked duck and
finally gave up. I'm generally opposed to red meat cooked
to more than medium rare and I prefer rare or raw.
I just didn't have an entree that night. None of the eight of
us have been back to the Faithful Pilot in the last couple
years.
On super bowl Sunday, we enjoyed a party at the Arp/Newell
household. Friends from youth, Kris and Paul Peacock also
attended the party.
Kris and Paul's son Brian is all grown up, (where the hell did
that time go?)and is a sous chef at the Faithful Pilot.
Ownership has also changed and thus, when we decided
where to dine last night, it was the Faithful Pilot and Le Claire
for the meal. AND GOLLY AM I GLAD!
Mike and I were seated immediately and would have been
happy if drinks had been offered. Instead, we waited 10 or
15 minutes with menus until the Darling/G couple arrived.
Finally, after their drink order was placed, we got drinks.
Other than that hiccup, our evening was stellar.
Of course, we all ordered different entrees, a couple
appetizers, a couple salads and different desserts. We
shared the duck breast appetizer, done to a perfect meduim
rare with smoked, grilled spinach. I love duck, but would have
rolled in a tub full of that spinach. DG ordered the cheese
trio and a blue, hard parm type and a medium soft cheese
were served with nice sesame flatbread. This was also a
wonderful starter, strongly flavored, but complementary to
our beer and wine choices.
Dan ordered the sea scallop special, served over good, tender
rissoto served in a corn husk and roasted asparagus. The
Darling woman had pasta with clams, mussels and shrimp.
The fettucine, in a lite cream sauce with asparagus and herbs
was excellent. I was feeling needy and ordered off the top
of the menu, rack of lamb, rare, with winter squash ravioli and
the roasted asparagus. DG ordered a hefty pork chop, stuffed
with nicely seasoned bread stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes
and veg. We shared a cesear salad and Dan & KD shared the
roasted beet salad.
Each and every entree was just done, even the shrimp, often
overcooked were tender and perfect. The scallops were
succulent and sweet, the lamb chops were rare as ordered,
tender and flavorful. DG's pork chop was done just beyond
medium rare. At the bone it was still a bit pink. I should know,
as I gnawed the bone clean. I don't even like pork chops.
It was grand. The Faithful Pilot chefs paid close attention;
clams and mussels were done but still tender. YUM!
As much as I wanted to get around every bit of the wonderful
food I was served, I did pack half of it home with me. In the
interest of Saturday dessert, I brought home a piece of the
flourless chocolate torte. The guys ate cheesecake and I got
around the flan. Mmmmm, crusty brown sugary glaze and
lovely soft flavorful custard. I was in heaven.
We are delighted that while the Faithful Pilot may have had
a bumpy spell in the past, the past is gone. We will visit
again and again.
Posted by Lisa Strafford at 3/27/2010 10:38 AM 
Categories: Food
Tags: food restaurants restaurant reviews
Categories: Food
Tags: food restaurants restaurant reviews
You should be a food critic for a national magazine!!! I could almost taste everything you described!!
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