If you haven’t noticed, a certain contributing writer has been maxing out the company credit card by having elaborate dinners with Tinder dates at trendy locations around town. He does all of this in the name of “journalism.” We think it is a great idea, so we mustered up hunger for jazz, cheeseboards, and homemade mustard, and went to Degage Jazz Cafe to taste their menu. In the name of journalism, of course. Delicious, delicious journalism.
I’d love to say that this was a hard night’s work, but considering Degage’s elegant atmosphere, it was impossibly easy. From the moment we arrived, to the moment we left after our leisurely, two-hour dinner, we enjoyed the relaxed, unconcerned vibe of this intimate, French-inspired jazz lounge.
We were originally drawn to Chef Joseph Jacobson’s initiative to educate, entertain with flavors, and honor traditions with a unique and creative menu. His food is locally sourced, and a garden located outside of the building provides samplings of greens for Degage fare. The farm-to-table practice is a foodie’s draw, but we wanted to test out the flavors, which are lauded as Southern-inspired and effortlessly French.
Changing rhythm
We were coaxed into the lounge by the sound of a jazz guitar. Sitting at dimly lit tables, we opted for housemade cocktails: a spicy and strong dirty martini, and a refreshing, light-tasting cocktail, appropriately named The Herbal Remedy, that sung with notes of cilantro.
I ordered the Bruschetta + Cheese Board, adorned with edible flowers, a spread of roasted garlic, flash fried mozzarella, charred pickled onions, toasted house-made bread and smoked watermelon bruschetta. I tried to casually play off the cuisine like I was used to this kind of thing, but it became increasingly more difficult after assembling complicated, contemporary bites of— “oh my god did you try the cheese with the balsamic after soaking the bread in watermelon juice?” My composure, not my appetite, seemed to be the only thing truly tested.
As my date and I noshed in wait, we chose to order a few more appetizers. For journalism. When our dinner companion arrived, the table was set with Duck Nuggets and The Chef’s Cheese Board. The duck nuggets, made with duck confit were served with smoked watermelon “ketchup,” garlic chips, flower petals and pickled okra. The cheese board was as inviting as it was intriguing, featuring five complex cheeses in a frame of marmalade and mustard. I likened the cool, contemporary assortment to being seated next to Joan Didion at a bar, the ultra-hip girl with 1,000 stories behind her sunglasses, and an air of “you will be impressed, you will think of me for days, and I will turn you into a novella.” My finger-food sensibilities were enlivened as I spent the next half-hour assembling of toppings of toast, leaving behind a trail of breadcrumbs. Side note: upon research, I discovered that strong cheeses can imbue you with similarly strong dreams. I will never be the same.
The main course
For dinner, the three of us split a series of dishes: Scallops + Puppies, the Pasta Whim of the Moment, and the Alex + Mat’s Burger. The sea fare was stacked with three plump diver scallops, sugared with bourbon and dusted with coconut, accompanied by hush puppies stuffed with pickled okra, jalapeno, and served with cilantro fried green tomato relish, avocado oil, fennel pollen and burnt blood orange tartar. The dish was a playful, elevated response to Southern comfort. The Pasta Whim of the Moment, suggested by our server, was a comparatively simplistic risotto, executed perfectly, featuring incredible flavor and texture. The burger, stacked high with sweet potato spirals, avocado créme cheese, and apple smoked bacon, truly turned heads, as our neighbors in the lounge whispered to us through the jazz guitar, “what… is… THAT?”
Before leaving, we sat for a while on the outside patio, while sharing a slice of cheesecake. Candles dimly lit the conversation, as the fresh food and stiff drinks began to catch up with us. The jazz guitar’s notes fell, playing our outro.
5pm-10pm & bar until midnight, Tuesday-Thursday. 5pm-11pm & bar until 1am, Friday-Saturday. 4-9pm & bar until midnight, Sunday. Degage Jazz Cafe, 301 River Rd., Maumee.
For reservations, 419-794-8205 ext. 2.
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