The Silver Spring Penguin

As a black-ops Penguin taste tester, I knew my cover was blown when Nicaro’s manager greeted me at the hostess’s podium like this: “Hi, Jennifer! Glad you could make it over here.”

Not really sure how an average-looking Penguin like me stuck in his memory. Maybe it was that time we met at a meeting of local business owners. He sat directly to my left at a crowded conference table. I was catatonic, still recovering from an earlier meeting.

Suddenly, a soft beep. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an iPhone, that sleek, stunning, sexy piece of technology. He glided his finger across its smooth touch screen to hush the ringer, then set it on the conference table, about three inches from where my hand rested.

I could feel the drool pooling at the corners of my mouth. My left hand shivered. The room grew dark and quiet, until all I could see and hear was that beautiful creation. I couldn’t resist. Must … touch … iPhone!

He must have sensed my predatory stare and immediately slid the phone back into his pocket. I fought back the tears, instead releasing a soft sniffle, and returned to my catatonic state.

So maybe the first impression made enough of a mark on this guy, because he pegged me for The Penguin as soon as I stepped through the restaurant’s double doors. Did our previous encounter affect the quality of the food or service? Who knows. I only mention this in the interest of full disclosure.

So let’s get to the food. It’s pretty freakin’ good.

The menu sits under the all-inclusive fusion umbrella, but there’s definitely an emphasis on meat and seafood. Outside of the introductory salad (not reviewed), don’t expect too many vegetables on the table.

For starters, the lobster fritters ($11) are delicate rounds of lobster, enveloped in a crisp, scallion-accented batter. The lobster itself is like buttah — soft, velvety and slightly sweet. The batter’s bright flavor and light texture compensate for its volume on the plate. (Two of the four fritters served were slightly short on lobster.)

The accompanying garlic aioli is low on garlic, high on dill and lemon, and tends to overpower the fritters. Pass on the dip.

If one is to drop $24 on an entree, make it something out of the ordinary. The roasted duck breast (above) is a gestalt experience. The duck is seared, sliced thin and served rare over sauteed chanterelle mushrooms and lentils.

The meat is sweet where cooked, slightly bitter where it isn’t, and plays very well with a sweet jus drizzled on the dish. (According to the restaurant’s website, it’s a quince jus.) The mushrooms are quiet (almost invisible), but the al dente lentils balance the duck’s strong flavors with a smooth subtlty.

Under “fish”, the potato-crusted halibut ($25, left) is a thick, succulent fillet coiled in a thin thread of crisp fried potato. The fillet itself is moist, and the potato crunch offers a pleasant contrast in textures. A porcini mushroom sauce that surrounds the halibut is earthy and creamy, but not so that it drowns the fish’s flavor.

Nicaro’s dessert menu changes regularly, but the chocolate bread pudding ($7) should be a constant. The moist pudding is served warm, with creamy chocolate ganache oozing from its pores and pooling in the dish. A dollop of vanilla ice cream crowns the top. DAMN, that’s good eats!

The decor at Nicaro is subdued, almost sterile, and a little cold. However, the quick and friendly service makes up for the somewhat lifeless interior design.

Nicaro, 8229 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, (301) 588-2867.