Tom's Life Bits

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===== Fins is even better after move =====

//Greg Cox, Correspondent//

A few months ago, when William D'Auvray announced that he and 
his wife, Lisa, were moving Fins from North Raleigh to roomier, 
snazzier digs downtown, I received the news with mixed emotions. 
On the one hand, I was happy to see this obvious sign of success 
for a restaurant that I've long considered to be one of the very 
best in the Triangle.

On the other hand, I was a little concerned about the size of 
the new location, which - with a total of 250 seats in the 
dining room, two private rooms, bar and sidewalk patio - is 
roughly three times that of the old one. What's more, D'Auvray's 
plans included the Triangle's first robatayaki bar, where the 
chef would char-grill small cuts of sashimi-grade fish and other 
delicacies to order and serve them, sushi bar-style. I couldn't 
help but wonder: Had D'Auvray bitten off more than he could 
chew?

I needn't have worried. The new space is chic but warmly 
inviting, and spacious without feeling cavernous. If service 
encountered any wrinkles in the transition, they had been ironed 
out by the time I paid my first visit. And the food is, if 
anything, even better than before.

To smooth the transition, the chef retained many dishes that he 
had perfected at the old restaurant. Fans will be happy to know 
that perennial favorites such as plantain-crusted Chilean sea 
bass, crispy Tai snapper "Indonesian style," and baby lamb with 
a red curry-enhanced veal reduction remain on the menu. Of 
course, as those same loyal fans know, D'Auvray is supremely 
focused on the quality and peak seasonal freshness of his 
ingredients, and his presentations evolve accordingly. 
D'Auvray's signature hot and cold seafood indulgence, for 
instance, is a first course sampler whose half dozen or so 
offerings vary with the day's catch and the chef's inspiration. 
So does his sashimi selection, which sets a standard unmatched 
even by the area's best sushi bars (including the telling detail 
that it's served with real wasabi rather than the much harsher 
horseradish that is the norm elsewhere).

In a recent entree presentation, a crust of crushed Marcona 
almonds provided crunchy contrast to the sweet, delicate flesh 
of turbot, which was draped over a mound of emerald green fava 
beans and roasted cipollini. Warm white miso broth, poured 
tableside around the fish, completed the ballet of flavors and 
textures. D'Auvray's genius for culinary choreography was 
likewise evident in an offering of grilled loup de mer 
(Mediterranean sea bass), pink shrimp, Japanese eggplant, baby 
bok choy and lobster reduction-glazed shiitakes.

Fins is justifiably famous for its seafood, but those who 
venture ashore when ordering are also richly rewarded. On a 
recent menu, a "Vietnamese style" foie gras sandwich proved to 
be an inspired fusion of the Southeast Asian flavors of banh mi 
and the classic French pairing of foie gras and brioche. Another 
first course offering pairing veal sweetbreads and nuggets of 
Maine lobster against a backdrop of frisee and haricots verts in 
a black truffle dressing was every bit as luxurious as it 
sounds.

In short, Fins is one of those rare restaurants about which I 
feel comfortable saying, "Order anything you like. You can't go 
wrong." That includes the robatayaki offering, which D'Auvray is 
initially limiting to eight listings (among them, Chilean sea 
bass rib rack and miniature roulade of prime filet, arugula and 
enoki mushrooms). In fact, if you've ever wanted to order a 
tasting menu, this is the place. My dining companion and I did 
just that recently, instructing the chef to prepare what ever he 
wanted to, and not to stop until we cried "uncle." When we 
finally did, some 14 (small) courses later, we agreed that we'd 
just enjoyed one of the most memorable meals of our lives.

I suppose you could say I still have mixed emotions about the 
new Fins. But now those emotions are relief that one of my 
favorite restaurants has gotten even better, and - well, eager 
anticipation of my next visit counts as an emotion, doesn't it?

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