Five Alls
He said:
I first noticed the Five Alls restaurant some years ago as I drove to the university. It possesses so little street presence that I could easily have missed it. I assumed for many years that it was simply a tavern. I now understand the two cues that implanted that thought into my subconscious: the restaurant’s name and its sign.
The simple black and white sign hangs in front from a cross beam attached to a simple pole, with seemingly hand-drawn lettering and five basic pictograms. The meaning of these icons goes along with the name of the restaurant. Although I didn’t initially understand the meaning, I think it nonetheless conveyed to me an impression of old England. Indeed, it should have. The name and sign both recall an old tradition of British inns. Apparently, “Five Alls” is a common name of such inns. The pictograms represent the king, who rules for all; the soldier, who fights for all; the priest, who prays for all; the lawyer, who pleads for all; and the farmer, who pays for all. Hence, the Five Alls.
At any rate, the restaurant is easily missed by drivers rushing past on Foothill Drive. It doesn’t have much curb appeal. I didn’t consider visiting the restaurant until I began writing restaurant reviews. Then, I mentally added it to my list of places to visit. Near the bottom of the list. Recently, however, one of my brother’s coworkers told us that the Five Alls is her favorite restaurant. This caused me to reconsider my first impressions. She had not only heard of the Five Alls; she had been there. She had not only eaten there; she liked it. And she not only liked it; it was her favorite restaurant. When I looked at their website, I began to understand why.
As we entered through a door almost hidden among the ivy growing on the wall, we found ourselves in a dark alcove. Once the door closed, the dim light provided only enough illumination to help us find our way to the reception desk. There, I began to notice the rich details of the interior. Tapestries and paintings hung on walls made with both stucco and hewn-wood panels, giving the sense of an old English manor. An iron fireplace, suspended by heavy chains, bore the worked-silver emblem of a lion. A series of stained-glass murals depicted the five characters and their alls.
We found our table already set with china appetizer plates atop pewter chargers. Stemmed pewter mugs held ice water. (I found that the pewter kept the water amazingly cold. That was nice). Linen napkins folded into fans sat atop the plates, held together by brass rings. The large menus were printed in gothic script, with Olde English affectations, which added another element of charm.
All meals at Five Alls are five-course dinners. The menu describes the various courses and offers 19 different choices for the main course, or “Principal Motions,” as they call it. I wanted to order the stuffed Pork Chop, but it was unavailable. Instead, I chose the Hereford Ribeye.
Our dinner began with hors d’oeuvres: spicy Scottish meatballs. I didn’t detect anything spicy in them. During the next course, I opted for the bowl of sugared strawberries instead of the cream of spinach soup. I wasn’t sure whether to use a fork or a spoon for the strawberries. I must have chosen incorrectly because my array of forks got out of sync during the salad course.
My Principal Motion came accompanied by mixed vegetables drizzled with Hollandaise sauce. The broccoli had either been frozen, or it was overcooked, rendering it a bit mushy. The baked potato, laden with cheese, fresh scallions, and bacon must have been placed in a broiler because the cheese melted into a shell over the split potato. However, the highlight of this course was the Ribeye. It was a large steak, cooked to a beautiful pink, and topped with mushrooms. The well-marbled, tender steak was full of flavor.
For the “Nominations to Close,” we got to choose from a list of sorbets and ice creams, accompanied by housemade almond macaroons.
The waiter was very attentive. By discreetly watching us from a distance, he could discern when we were ready to move from one course to the next. The leisurely pace gave us plenty of time to enjoy the food and the setting. The ambiance of Five Alls, coupled with a five-course dinner, created an enjoyable regal atmosphere. Even plain people like us can feel like a king or queen for a few hours.
She said:
Having studied the Middle Ages as part of my university degree work, I was enthralled by life in medieval England. After all, who doesn’t like reading stories about gallant, jousting knights; debating whether King Arthur and Fair Lady Guinevere were mythical figures or actual persons; and dreaming about living in majestic stone castles? Of course, life from 476-1500 AD wasn’t all roses and sunshine for the average Joe, but that’s a story for another day.
Upon entering Five Alls, I was pleasantly charmed and surprised. Everything was dim and dark, just as I envisioned a medieval dining hall in the center of England might have looked like 600+ years ago. Adding to my delight were the regal-looking high-backed chairs and the pewter dinnerware gracing the table. I especially liked the heavy pewter water goblet because it felt sturdy in my hand and kept my H2O perfectly cold.
As Brian already explained, our dinner was a five-course meal. The crab dip that was served with the housemade breadsticks was delicious due to the herbs and the creamy texture.
As for my entrée, I decided on the steak (cooked to order, medium rare) and lobster plate that came with Brussels sprouts and an all-dressed baked potato. The steak was perfectly cooked with sauteed mushrooms on top, and the lobster was just right. Some chefs get it wrong when it comes to seafood, but everything on my plate was delicious. The only complaint I have is that my food was served cold. My dining experience would have been improved if my meal had been served piping hot.
The raspberry sorbet that rounded off my dinner was very nice.
Conclusion:
Take your deserving place as your party’s king or queen as you step back in time to medieval England for a delightful five-course dinner. With so many courses, plan for a long evening at a leisurely pace.