"My company gave my wife and me a gift certificate to Second Empire for Valentine 's Day. We had never been and were really excited to read about the restaurant and to hear the rave reviews from friends. We were not disappointed. The house is a cozy and unusual setting for a meal out; while we sat in a somewhat brightly lit room off the downstairs tavern that did not have quite the ambience of the upstairs rooms, it was still very lovely. The service staff was extraordinary; from Ben who welcomed us to our table, to our main waiter Jason, to everyone who brought us water or bread or our meals, they were highly attentive and personable without hovering or being overbearing. Jason was especially knowledgeable, helpful, and engaging. He would have made a wonderful guest to share a dinner! The food was equally fantastic. We appreciated that the bread serving was four slices, not a whole loaf that we would have left behind. My wife began with the autumn salad Fantastic! while I had the French onion soup. Both were delicious. The soup was extraordinary in that the outside cheese was perfectly crispy on the edges and soft in the center, without leaving the broth inedibly hot. For our entrees we chose from the menu; my wife had the Icelandic char Outstanding! while I had the paella. It was absolutely marvelous; plenty of fish and just the right amount of rice, all with strong but not excessive spice. The wine list was extensive without overwhelming a novice like me. We had a sauvignon blanc that was a bit more buttery than our normal choices but was still plenty crisp and complemented our food perfectly. We were too full for dessert but I had a coffee driving while my wife had a Bailey 's coffee Delicious! . We look forward to returning, perhaps for a more casual stop in the tavern."
