My wife and I ventured back to 129 1/2 for a birthday celebration. I must admit that it was with some trepidation that I made the reservation. Our last try was rather underwhelming - the food just didn't measure up.
That was then, this is now.
The decor is still comfortable, the Jazz Combo was great and you can sit as close to or as far away from the music as you like.
The wine list has changed dramatically from the last time we were there. It is still a rather short list - but the quality is very good. There are good representative wines in most every major category at resonable prices - from around $20 to the $70 range. Almost all of the wines are available by the glass - a terriffic service for those that only want a glass with their meal.
The food, in a word, was excellent. We ordered the fried calamari as an appetizer. It was lightly battered and not over cooked - tender and delicious. Around $8 I think,
My wife ordered the "Bad Boy" - A stuffed pork chop that was surprisingly moist, the stuffing was well seasoned and flavorful.
I ordered the rack of lamb with a wine reduction sauce cooked medium and that is exactly how it came out. Perfectly cooked, tender and yummy.
Entrees ranged from about $15 to $30 as I recall.
The real revelation for both of us were the augratin potatos that came with our meal. They were spectacularly good! Made with gouda cheese with a parmesan topping they were not to "soupy" ( I hate that) tender but not mushy and they had flavors that were truely memorable!
The desert menu was tempting but we chose to abstain.
Over all a terriffic evening anchored by an excellent meal in a lovely restaurant - You really should give it a try.
