The Huntsman Tallahassee recently opened in the building that was the home of the Cypress restaurant for many years. A number of folks from the Tallahassee Foodies group have recommended it, so we decided to try it for our July “Date Night.”
The Huntsman Tallahassee uses Resy for reservations like many other restaurants in Tallahassee do now. We booked ours for six thirty. We like to eat earlier. This building only has a small parking area next to it, so they provide valet parking. They are independent contractors, so bring cash or have one of the online cash payment apps configured to pay them. You can’t put it on your meal bill.
Cypress was actually the first place we went out to eat when we came up to explore Tallahassee back in 2018. That night we sat at the bar before dinner, so we went early to do it again. Surprisingly, all the bar places were occupied when we arrived just after six. They had our table waiting so we started a bit early. The dining room was pretty full as well. It was nice to see people out like this after the past few years.
Our server Angel came over right away and walked us through the menu. The Huntsman Tallahassee menu has five sections. These are Preparations (starters), Mains (composed meals with a protein and sides), A La Cart (proteins), Add-ons, and Sides. Each has a fairly broad set of choices. They also have “Guided Expeditions” which are 5 course tastings. They do ask that the whole table do these if you order them.
As the name implies, the Huntsman Tallahassee features game meats including antelope, venison, elk, and bison. They serve a number of beef cuts. They also offer seafood and vegetable choices.Teresa and I share plates, so we decided to do two dishes from the preparations list and one main. We decided to stick to a beef cut rather than one of the game choices for this visit.
Seared Scallops
We ordered the Seared Scallops to start. The scallops were fresh, plump, and perfectly cooked. They were served with a zaatar vinaigrette, sea island red pea hummus, cucumber, tomato, and olives. The veggies and vinaigrette complimented the scallops very well. The hummus was very tasty, but we were not sure it was the best compliment for the scallops. We did enjoy the dish and even the hummus was scraped clean when they took our plates.
Crispy Eggplant
The Crispy Eggplant is a really fabulous dish. The eggplant is sliced thin and the breading is very light and crisp. It is served with a pearl onion agrodolce, arugula, and mascarpone mousse. The flavors layer well. The agrodolce was just delicious. We think this will be one of their “signature” dishes over time.
16-Hour Smoked Wagyu Short Rib
They brought us some bread between the starters and the main course. It was served hot. The herbed butter is very good. The Smoked Wagyu Short Rib was served with a sorghum bbq sauce, herb potato salad, and cowboy beans. The ribs were very meaty and full of flavor. The sides were both prepared well, but we would have liked a bit more heat in both.
Dessert
We decided to splurge a bit for dessert. Teresa ordered the dulce de leche Creme Brulee. There are small churros on top. I decided to try the Bread Pudding. They make this with mexican hot chocolate and a reposado cream.
Teresa is very “picky” about her Creme Brulee. The creme was flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness. The top was crispy and the churros and fruit added an extra dimension. The hot chocolate bread pudding was also really well done. It was just “salty” enough to enhance the richness of the dish.
Tally’s New “Hot Spot”
We had a great meal. The service was very attentive. They paced our meal very well. We never felt rushed or like we were waiting. The room is very relaxing. The food was very well prepared. The food business is tough. It is great to see another solid, locally owned business with a unique concept and good delivery. We will definitely be back to try some of their more “exotic” dishes.