America loves dinner and a show. Be it the flash and sizzle of a Benihana chef flinging shrimp into the mouth of a waiting patron or a sweaty knight handing a well-earned pennant to a greasy-palmed diner at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament.
Combine that showmanship with the excitement of high-stakes betting and prepare for the sumptuous outing that is dinner at Silks.
With a grand view of the gorgeous but gritty track at Remington Park Racing & Casino, the mixture of dusky natural and subtle artificial light makes this a definite romantic hotspot when trying to score points with that special someone.
And when the ponies are running, all bets are off.
Instead of going right to the main course, start off with some stellar appetizers. The Maryland jumbo lump crab cake ($9) is tenderly firm and seasoned with care, while the Fast Break Platter ($17) has a little bit of something for everyone. It features a palate-pleasing assortment of cheeses, meats and seasonal fruits.
Also recommended is the unique and confounding zucchini cake ($6) that should definitely be sampled at least once.
The time in between the appetizers and the main dishes was perfect, enough to
taste and talk, tempt and indulge, sip water and build up excitement.
Many times, a customer is still eating appetizers when the main course
shows up. At Silks, it was timed to perfection.
Speaking of
perfection, let’s talk about that pan-seared ahi tuna ($22). Impressed
with the crab cake, I thought I would push my luck and go for more
seafood. Luck be a tuna tonight. Covered in a zesty adobo sauce and
paired with your choice of a side (basmati rice, thank you very much),
it was unlike anything I’ve had in a while. It was flaky and firm with
an almost smoky flavor.
The
grilled bone-in pork chop ($22) was about as juicy and butterknife
tender as a cut of pork can get, and the Not So Yankee Pot Roast ($20)
with creamy mashed potatoes was enough of a taste bud marvel that it
inspired me to throw my mother’s pot-roast recipe in the trash can.
Finally,
hats off to the Bird on a Wire ($20), Silks’ signature Cornish hen. I
am happy to say that Silks’ process — marinating overnight,
painstakingly oven-roasting and topping with a rosemary Marsala sauce —
will have anyone singing its praises.
Various
desserts were sampled as well. They ranged from hazelnut and strawberry
crème brulee ($8) to caramel and banana bread pudding ($8) — both
great, mind you — but the must-order is the buttered pecan cheesecake
($8). This thing is so rich and decadent it might as well be the
reincarnation of Caligula himself.
No
photo-finish needed. Silks is a top-notch joint filled with high-class
ambiance and even higher-quality food. I would bet my whole paycheck on
it.
