Lightweight Eats

A few months ago, Dan and I went down to Jack London Square for dinner. We first tried to go to Haven but didn't want to wait for a table, so we ended up going across the way to Bocanova.

This weekend, we finally made it back to Haven. It was a great decision!

The place is very modern chic--the perfect combination of rustic and industrial. We also love that they use the same plates that we do, locally made at Heath Ceramics, about an hour drive away.


Although I was a little bit skeptical that I'd be able to order a vegetarian entree, and was resigned to eating a side and an appetizer, their market vegetables didn't involve zucchini! Many restaurants have a Market Fish that rotates; Haven had a Market Vegetable dish, that involved Israeli couscous, fennel salad and charred cabbage, with plenty of butter. Incredible!

Dan had a chicken dish with seared avocado, corn and corn pudding. He ate all of it.

For dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake. It was rich and decadent and not a bit too big.

Things we loved:
- The service was spectacular. Our food came quickly, but we never felt rushed. Our water glasses stayed full.
- The portions left us perfectly satisfied. As I was eating, I desperately wanted seconds. But at the conclusion of the meal, I was content with the amount I ate.
- The quality of the food was superb. Not only was each dish artfully presented, it was lovingly prepared.

Things we loved a little bit less:
- My dish had a LOT of butter in it. It was delicious, but I think it could have been equally delicious with at least 25% less butter.
- Their selection of non-alcoholic drinks was pretty underwhelming.
- For our coffee, they brought cream out in a little bowl. I am not capable of pouring gracefully from a bowl into a mug, and the spoon was definitely not big enough for scooping into the mug. Pretty, but not very practical.

Overall, we very much enjoyed the experience, and look forward to going back!