Karma and Camus

The cure for existential munchies

Comments (0) By Stephen Lemons Thursday, May 5 2005

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Beef Wellington may sound like a cliché of the Kennedy era, but it's generally a lost art these days. Donohoe resurrects it for one of his entrees, but gives it a twist, using duxelles (a finely chopped mushroom mix) instead of foie gras inside the tender filet of beef, with tall triangles of puff pastry off to the side, all situated in a puddle of Prigueux sauce. Exquisite and memorable.

Less memorable is the poussin (or baby chicken) over prosciutto couscous. Too much like ordinary clucker; I'd have preferred duck or squab instead. Kudos for the soft meat of the beef short ribs in a veal sauce left over from the braising, and the fresh, cedar-planked salmon. The brined pork chop was nothing special, though edible.

Jackie Mercandetti

Wellington wiz Matt Donohoe shows off his riff on the classic dish.

Details

Herb-encrusted lamb chops: $15
Prime Filet "Wellington": $31
Cedar-planked salmon: $28
Chef's Choice crème brûlée: $8

602-212-2687 (www.theclarendon.net).
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. (Bar open until 2 a.m.)

401 West Clarendon Avenue (inside the Clarendon Hotel and Suites)

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For dessert, you must try either the passion fruit crème brûlée (topnotch), or the "tiga chocolate," a small tray with chocolate torte, chocolate panna cotta, and a cute lil' chocolate martini from the bar. Superbly original. Here's another argument against karma: Camus' chocolate trifecta was bestowed upon yours truly to inhale, and, as most of you know, I'm a very, very bad man.