Restaurant Report

We finally made it to the new restaurant (finally is perhaps an overstatement, as it has only been open since Tuesday, but we were supposed to go on Wednesday, only we couldn't because just two blocks into the half hour drive, both girls melted down and I decided I couldn't handle it) (it's been a long week or so, as S has been working 15 hour days, first to get ready for opening, then to handle the chaos of opening--he did manage to take E to school on her first day and make M breakfast on hers, but that's been about it from him on the parenting front).

I'm quite critical about restaurants, even restaurants where S works, but I have to say, this one is great. First of all, it's gorgeous. It's an old bar and grill that they stripped to the frame and rebuilt (and when I say they, I mean they: S built the shelves in the basement, the other sous chef P painted the booths, etc.). One wall is brick, the ceiling is high, there is a beautiful curved wood bar, the tables are polished wood with no placemats or cloths, there are banquettes covered in a mod dotted fabric (dots are a kind of visual theme) and Jacobsenish chairs and long skinny hanging lights and big windows along two sides, and I didn't even get a good look at the back garden.

We won't say much about the service except that they are working on it, but the food was excellent. M and I shared a mussels appetizer with the tenderest mussels I've ever eaten. Then M had the infamous grass-fed-beef hamburger that S spent so long pursuing, and she was in ecstasy. She said it was the best burger she ever ate and it tasted like steak. The fries were outstanding, and we deeply regretted not ordering the onion rings once we saw them arriving at other tables. I had the spinach and mushroom lasagna which I have to say I did not love. It was done well, but I like a higher pasta:stuff ratio in my lasagna. My side of green beans was delicious, however. E did not eat her cheese pizza--surprise!--but it was very good with a crispy crust and homemade sauce. Desserts...mmm. I had flourless chocolate torte with mango sorbet (amazing) and raspberry sauce; M had a brown butter blueberry tart; and E had...ice cream, of course (she did eat a bowl of rice after not eating the pizza, in order to earn dessert).

The place was totally packed and we can't wait to go back to try the grilled squid, the codcakes, the flatiron steak (M), the vegetarian sandwich (me), the hotdog (E), and of course the onion rings.

We wouldn't mind, though, if S spent a little less time there.