I'm still dreaming about it and scheming my way back to get more. The bland-looking circle of jiggliness sprinkled with black shavings at first made me think the dish was going to be boring like tofu. But oh no.... This was exquisite. This deserved 10+ stars on the lick-your-plate o'meter. This would inspire poetry in me if I were a poet. I wanted to call up every single one of my chowhoundy friends to say "THIS is what makes moving to Seattle worth it!" I'm talking, of course, about the Truffle Cauliflower Flan I had at Tilth last night.

Tilth is a restaurant in Wallingford known for its emphasis on organic and locally-raised, seasonal ingredients. It got a ton of press last year since it was named in the NY Times Top 10 Restaurants and chef Maria Hines was nominated for James Beard award for best chef, Northwest region (the award ended up going to Holly Smith at Cafe Juanita, another place I've heard great things about). We headed over there last night with my cousin, Brandon, who is a sophomore at the University of Washington. He had tried going to Tilth last year with his dad but they were turned away when they didn't have reservations. They were told the restaurant were booked 3 weeks out. Could the restaurant really be that good?

If the Truffle Cauliflower Flan is any indication, my answer is yes! I can still taste the creamy cool texture, the pungent earthy flavor. This little custard was exploding with truffle goodness, and if you know me, I swoon for truffles. Paired with it was a delectable fennel salad - slightly crunchy, nice sweet flavor offset by the little bit of lemon cream drizzled on the plate. I say A+ for this dish!

The rest of the meal was definitely good, but not as awesome as my Flan. We started with a 3 cheese plate, and my favorite was the triple cream, which was gooey and satisfying. Brandon's clam chowder had a wonderful presentation, and from the way he drank every last drop, I think he liked it. For mains, we all shared the St Jude Albacore Tuna With Israeli Cous Cous, Slow Cooked Pork Cheek and the Beef Short Ribs with Lacinato Kale. Scott and Brandon liked the Tuna, and while I thought it was good quality, I was grabbing at the couscous. The Pork Cheeks were a bit disappointing - wonderfully tender, but not enough flavor. The Short Ribs were terrific - nice and meaty, but not too heavy. With the kale, it was a very wintery dish.