text: What an absolute thrill it was to be at Marchue Bacchus for Valentines Dinner last evening with the estimable Iron Chef Alex Stratta formerly of Alex Stratta and Renoir helming the kitchen The restaurant is a favorite of ours but last night they outdid themselves nnThe butternut squash soup with accents of duck confit was dense flavorful and just the right portion to whet the appetite without squelching it The winter vegetable salad combined crunchy root vegetables creamy burrata and tangy balsamic dressing to harmonious effect The main course we both had the sea bass was incredible The fish was seared to a delicate crunch on the outside while remaining succulent and almost impossibly flavorful on the inside Dessert to share was a bowl of berries atop a dollop of mascarpone and was a sublime way to finish the meal nnWe were there towards the end of the evening when everyone must have been frazzled but the service was unfailingly polite and attentive And the fact that the restaurant pulled off such a delectable meal on one of the busiest nights of the year speaks volumesnnThat being said what could Marchue Bacchus do better If anything the service level does not always reach the amazingly high standards set by the kitchen Management is aware of this the owners are always on the floor and very responsive I have never met restaurateurs more committed to getting it right and I am quite confident they will do sonnIn the meantime Chef Stratta will be in the kitchen until he finds a permanent replacement for recentlydeparted executive chef Dave Middleton Being able to enjoy Strattas cuisine while taking in Marchue Bacchus beautiful lakeside ambiance and enviable wine selection is really quite something Hop on it