A high-priced meal almost always outweighs the quality of the food. But The 317, which serves a variety of delicious entrées, manages to balance taste and cost.

When I first walked into the new-American fusion restaurant at 317 Montgomery St., I was impressed by the restaurant’s modern décor. Each table had a tea light candle and fresh flowers on it, creating dim, ambient lighting. With white tablecloths, the architectural details were able to shine. We were seated behind beautiful glass panels that sectioned off a secluded two top table near the window.

The first thing I noticed on the menu was the high prices. Most entrées were around $25, while appetizers ranged from $9-$13. A little sticker shocked, I started looking at the dishes on the menu and became distracted by all of the delicious choices.

Shortly after being seated, our waiter came by to inform us that they had not received their liquor license yet since recently opening the restaurant, so the other drinks were on the house. I jumped at the opportunity and ordered an iced tea. I also asked the waiter if he could recommend anything on the menu. Stating that it was his first dinner shift, he could only suggest what others had ordered that evening.

To start, I ordered duck ravioli with raspberry demi foam, which was $10. It took a little while for the dish to come out, but our waiter swung by to let us know that one of the ravioli had exploded and that they were remaking it for us. When it came out from the kitchen, though, the presentation was delightful. Three ravioli sat layered on each other, drizzled in sauce and sprinkled with fresh greens.

And it tasted better than it looked. Inside each individual ravioli was a combination of duck meat and oozing melted cheese. The flavor of the duck helped season the dish, but the sauce really tied it all together. The sweetness of the raspberries complimented the meat well.

Next the steak and bleu salad arrived at our table. A hefty bed of greens had roasted red peppers, red onions, bleu cheese and a large portion of steak sliced and layered on top. Served with balsamic vinaigrette, the salad could have been a meal. The flavors of the different ingredients worked well together and the steak was chewy, but nothing special.

The best part of the meal was the roasted lamb rack, which came with homemade tater tots, served in roasted garlic cream. The tater tots were crispy on the outside and tasted like mashed potatoes on the inside. They also soaked up the flavor of the broth. The lamb, served with four pieces, was still on the bone and seasoned to perfection. It tasted so good I did not hesitate to use my hands. Also, the meat sat over a small bed of sautéed squash, which pulled all the flavors of the dish together.

I finished the meal with a cup of coffee and crème brulée, drizzled with caramel sauce. Having never tasted it before, I was hooked by the caramelized sugar and vanilla custard.

Though satisfied with the meal, I felt a little guilty about my hefty check. I noticed the lunch and brunch menu hanging in the window and realized some of the same dishes were featured earlier in the day at a less expensive price. I would suggest heading to this restaurant earlier to experience some awesome food with less damage to your wallet.

Published on October 7, 2013 at 12:19 am

Contact Nicole: nlfisher@syr.edu