I enjoyed my experience at the Stumbling Goat. My pork loin was well prepared, and one of the best I have had. I couldn’t get enough of the pasta side that came with my dish. It was fantastic! I also tried a friend’s roast chicken, which was slightly spicy, but even better than the pork loin. The atmosphere was cozy and perfect for our group of 8. The ambiance was also ideal for a romantic date, as I saw several couples enjoying themselves.

My only complaints were that our waiter seemed a bit odd, and the service was slow. Our dinner took around 3 hours to complete. But these issues were fairly minor.

Easily the best restaurant in the neighborhood. I love the people! The food is exquisite – I’ve been overwhelmed with the quality of the food repeatedly. The service is intimate – they love what they do here, and they love the clientele. Things don’t move fast, so plan to enjoy a beverage, an appetizer and the bread while your entree is prepared.

They offer well-done classic cocktails. I’d stay in the martini zone – I wouldn’t expect a great marguerita.

This is a great place to bring a date that you’re passionate about. After you finish a meal here, you’ll want to throw off your clothes and have some desert! The only risk is getting carried away with the meal and getting so full that you konk out when you hit the sack. In case you haven’t gotten the hint: desert is not the high point of the menu here.

The menu is new each week. I looked at the menu online just now and there’s nothing on it that I’ve had before.

One more little secret: most of the wine list is offered at half the regular price on Tuesday!

I really want to love this place and I will come back to hopefully up the rating. This was my first time and I may have just picked the trifecta of ‘eh’ dishes. The good:

• great waiter (the bartender – I sat in the lounge). Knew his stuff, authentic, and attentive.
• great cheeses – from the grape reduction sauce to the delicately toasted bread to the absolutely amazing cheeses – do NOT miss this option
• super cocktails – I think I’ve found my new favorite drink – the Billy Goat. Sapphire, muddled with lemon and lime, finished with tonic. Super.
• great atmosphere – I felt very comfortable

The not-so-good:

• I had the Cuke soup for a starter (after the cheese). Great temp and texture, but the flavor was just lacking. It just wasn’t substantial – I tasted a hint of peppers on the finish, but it wasn’t enough to lift it out fo the ‘wow – that’s a lot of pureed cucumbers’.
• the Hanger Steak. I should have known better – I’m not a huge fan of hanger steak to begin with. I’m spoiled on super cuts of beef, so a piece of meat that, albeit, has great beef flavor, that is stringy/tough for $26 just doesn’t do it for me. Little prep – just simply grilled to a stage right before med-rare. Accompanying veggies and potatoes were good.

Wine was reasonable by the glass and had a decent selection.

Overall, it was OK tonight. I will go back, tho – the commitment to sustainable and local foods, the care in prep, the excellent bar and service, and the atmosphere mean I will try it again.

Why is it that I am so good at reviewing places when we’re out of town but I’m so lax when it comes to great spots in my own town? Well, I apologize to Stumbling Goat because this review is long overdue.

We’re in the neighborhood and have walked by Stumbling Goat more times that I care to admit without going inside. We finally made a reservation and ventured in for a proper culinary experience recently, and I am so glad that we did!

The ambiance is wonderful, cozy and romantic without seeming overdone. At our romantic table for two, it felt like we were the only two people on the world (but that we did indeed have a great chef with us). The staff was helpful but didn’t hover and every part of our meal was delectable….that’s hard to find!

Now that we know it’s in the neighborhood, we save our pennies for every opportunity to return to Stumbling Goat.