nexus976 "Bringing descriptive cuisine commentary to Southern New England!"

Have you ever been so impressed by the design and atmosphere of a restaurant only to have the actual meal not live up to the quality of the surrounding experience? This was my ultimate impression after visiting Ichigo Ichie (pronounced ITCH-EEE-GO ITCH-EEE-A), a high end Japanese Steakhouse recently opened in Seekonk, MA.

Hopes are high from the get go upon entering the restaurant, so much so that you may feel as if you’ve been transported away from southern Mass and straight into downtown Boston.

A darkened entryway with a star lit ceiling and large waterfall leads to the reception area. This front area leads out to a very spacious and beautiful rectangular bar. The decor feels very Feng Shui, is top notch and leaves no question of its quality. Kind of like modern Japanese design with future\minimalist dark stone, wood, glass and lots of great lighting.

Fans of the movie Blade Runner may appreciate the awesome looking sushi bar with the chefs working in front of a sharp blue toned lighting piece that looks straight out of the movie! Quality runs throughout from the bathrooms to the perfectly cailbrated Plasma\LCD sets showing HD broadcasts (something only AV dorks like me would notice!)

My wife and I went on a saturday night for a Hibachi table (the chef stands and cooks live in front of you) and folks who have been to these types of restaurants before know to expect a long wait. Unfortunately, it was an hour and twenty minutes (with reservation!), longer than I had ever waited for any Hibachi table before. The place was definitely bustling, but it appeared to be more of a poor seating decision than lack of spaces at tables.

After being initially impressed with the quality decor of the restaurant, deliciously potent drinks at the bar and overall happy atmosphere (we could constantly hear people laughing and having a grand old time from the Hibachi room), things took a turn for the surprisingly average with the actual meal.

We both ordered the Filet and Lobster Tail meal along with Tuna and Yellowtail sashimi (just the fish, no rice ball underneath) and a Lobster Tempura roll.

First came the sushi. The Lobster Tempura roll was excellently crispy, with perfect sushi rice and a delicious savory, sweet sauce. Strangely, I can’t understand why the chef left a piece of the lobster cartilage on one of the tempura ends. Why not make the entire piece edible? My only guess was to make the dish look larger. My wife also had to reach in and remove a piece of the lobster shell from her mouth between bites. Never a pleasant experience, but I would order this roll again, sans cartilage and lobster shell bits.

The Tuna and Yellowtail sashimi were fresh and probably not frozen, but nothing special. I felt I have had better at less elegant sushi joints.

Next came a fresh salad with ginger dressing. The greens, tomato and dressing were fresh and appeared house made, but the dressing lacked… something. It was slightly tangy, but the ginger was muted in a way that was noticeabley ho-hum.

Before you’ve even had two forkfuls of salad, a “mushroom” soup is placed in front of you. This was one of the worst items of the night. The insufficiently savory mushroom soup tasted vaguely of hot water, a couple of onions and no where near enough mushrooms. I counted 3 mushrooms, 1 and a half bean sprouts and two pieces of scallion in my bowl. I had three halting spoonfuls and put it aside.

Once it was time for the main event, our Hibachi chef (Jack), arrived and seemed really tired. He apologized and explained that his voice was hoarse from the nights activities. We completely understood and even though knife wielding, onion flaming hijinks is what you expect from this kind of place, I was more interested in the Hibachi food.

Grilled shrimp were up first. They were good. Fresh, albeit slightly squeaky bite from being almost overcooked. Seasoned with a soy, coriander sauce that would be much better if it wasnt used on EVERYTHING that touches the grill surface. The flavor stayed with us as an unpleasant aftertaste through until the next day!

Next came the fried rice which was not very good. The rice had no bite, was actually slightly soggy and lacking anything resembling a real flavor aside from plain rice and weak soy\coriander sauce. I had to add more soy sauce to give it any flavor.

The lobster tail was fresh but noticeably not very large considering the price for the meal. I actually ended up getting a piece of the lobster shell in a bite…disturbing. The accompanying seafood sauce, which as far as I can tell has a creamy mayonnaise base and possibly ginger, lacked any real flavor and didnt add much to the equation.

The filet mignon was the highlight of the hibachi experience. Extremely fresh, perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked, it almost made me forget about the previous lackluster offerings… Almost. The accompanying weak beef sauce, also a forgettable ginger\soy mix, is pretty unneccessary when you have an incredible piece of beef.

My wife and I both felt that even though there are things to recommend for the restaurant, they’re pretty evenly balanced with things to recommend against. We also feel that other, less elegant Japanese steakhouses easily rival if not succeed in better food than what Ichigo is currently offering.

I believe the main problem right now with Ichigo Ichie is that, along with being a fairly new it sets a high bar in its atmosphere and presentation. On top of the great, high end decor, the hostesses, bartenders and waitstaff were all very kind and accommodating. When all of these great quality elements are in place, you HAVE to exceed with exceptional quality food to match.

I hope that with more time and experience, Ichigo Ichie’s food can reach its own high standards of quality to become a truly unforgettable Japanese steakhouse experience.

Those who visit Provincetown are aware of the overwhelming amount of choices for lunch and dinner available. The Patio American Grill and Blue Bar is one of those myriad choices. We were initially attracted by the larger, open air dining out in front and the casual chic look of the place. Luckily for us, the dining experience turned out to be even better than the cool, understated decor and great service.

For an appetizer I ordered a half dozen oysters. The oysters were extraordinarily fresh, slightly briny and super clean. For fear of spoiling my dinner appetite I didnt order more, but be aware that around happy hour (4-5pm) the oysters can be had for the great price of a dollar a piece. An incredible value for superb, fresh from the ocean tasting oysters .

For dinner, I had an extraordinary wild mushroom ravioli with roasted green onions in a cream sauce. The pasta was light, obviously home made, and perfectly cooked. The wild mushrooms (picked from nearby Truro) tasted fresh and earthy and, mixed with the savory cream sauce, left an incredible floating aromatic aftertaste you didnt want to get rid of. The roasted green onions provide a slight crisp texture and understated savory taste to perfectly compliment the meal. Literally, a perfect pasta dish.

My dining companions had “Mama’s Meatloaf” and the Lobster “Sliders” with fries. I tasted them both and they were also excellent.

The meatloaf was moist and very tasty with fresh garlic and low key onion, served with sauteed garlic spinach and mashed potatoes. The gravy was savory, delicious and was not so heavy as to mask the flavor of all other components.

The Lobster “Sliders” (three small burger buns with shaped lobster patties inside) were also very good. Small, delicate burger buns are home made, soft and very fresh. The lobster is also generous, perfectly cooked and deliciously fresh, with a very light mayonnaise dressing that compliments, rather than hides, the great natural flavors.

Sides are a la carte, so one of my dining companions grabbed an order of french fries. Most restaurants treat french fries as a throw away, but even the fries at Patio get the gourmet treatment. They appear to be cooked french Pomme Frite style, meaning soaked in water to remove excess starch and then twice fried to make them light, and super crispy. I was full and yet continued to munch on these because they were so addictively delicious!

The only downside to the meal was that the mixed drinks (a Caipirinha and a Passion Fruit Margarita) had a bit of a heavy hand in regards to alcohol. This is certainly not a negative point for most people since at least you get what you’re paying for versus just juice or sour mix, but it did disrupt our taste buds enough to affect the next bite of food.

Patio American Grill and Blue Bar does everything right to make itself a highly recommendable dining option in the overcrowded Provincetown market. Aside from the excellent, well prepared gourmet food, you also get a great vantage point to people watch and excellent hosts and waitstaff who are very friendly and accomodating to your requests.

It really is the perfect Provincetown casual gourmet dining experience.

I was not aware that Acapulco’s Mexican Family Restaurant & Cantina in Franklin, MA was a chain restaurant. Upon checking the restaurants website, I learned that this restaurant is part of a New England chain of at least 13 others of the same name and menu choices. Do NOT let that stop you.

Every single one of my visits (at least several) to Acapulco’s has been consistently right on. The service is fast and friendly and the food comes out quickly and delicious.

When you arrive you’re given (quickly, I might add, yet again)complimentary chips and salsa which at some Mexican restaurants means “Tostitos” out of a bag and “Old El Paso” from a jar. Not here. The chips appear to be homemade and the salsa is also. The salsa is especially delicious as its saucier than most fresh salsas and you really get the cliantro, garlic and onion flavors with the tomato ripeness front and center .

Their “El Presidente” margarita ranks up there with the best classic margaritas I have ever tasted. A delicious sweet and sour mix with orange and lime flavors that somehow tastes fresh although I cant imagine someone is actually squeezing fresh oranges and limes daily to produce it. Regardless, its excellent. A “Must Drink”!

For an entree Ive tried (and keep returning to) the Combo Nogales plate which I configure as a Pork Chimichanga and chicken Enchilada. It comes with rice and refried beans. In one word- delicious.

The Chimichanga has what appears to be a fried flour tortilla wrapped around slow-cooked moist pork (almost a pulled pork consistency) and monterey jack cheese. The enchilada is what you expect from a good chicken cheese enchilada, which is to say a nice baked flour tortilla outside with well seasoned chicken and Jack cheese inside, all topped with a red sauce and lettuce. The chimichanga wins the battle of great flavors in this combo. The rice and beans are also well made and better than average. Light fluffy yellow spanish long grain rice with real deal tasty refried beans.

It should also be mentioned that the waitstaff are always extremely friendly (albeit a bit cheesy\quirky with the “Hola amigos” greeting) and the service is EXTREMELY fast. I dont think Ive had to wait longer than 10-15 minutes between placing an order and receiving it in return. Whether or not thats a cause for concern for some should be eradicated by the time you take a taste or sip of whatever you have ordered.

All in all, the moral of this culinary story is “Dont assume chain restaurants mean boring, over processed food”. If you love Mexican food then you’re guaranteed to love something at Acapulco’s in Bellingham.

This is an addendum to my review so I can complete adding dishes.

I have made my way around many, many Asian restaurants in many different parts of the country and world. From Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Cambodian, and Vietnamese, I have had many different takes on these dishes. I must say that Jackie’s Galaxy on Mendon Road in Cumberland offers the most consistent, delicious Asian food around Northern Rhode Island. I have been dozens upon dozens of times and they have seldom dissapointed in terms of food, friendliness and quality.

I have tried a little bit of everything from Jacky’s food menu and there has been very little that I would not order again. From the sushi down, to the fresh spring rolls (Nime Chow) to the Vietnamese style soup (Pho), it tends to be delicious, fresh, consistent food delivered quickly, even at times when the restaurant is packed with patrons. For detailed individual food reviews see the rated dishes below.

The alcohol drinks, aside from beer, wine and sake, are standard Chinese restaurant fare (Scorpion Bowls, Mai Tai) and are frequently delicious with the appropriate amount of liquor to syrupy sweet added. Sometimes they may be more syrupy than others, but not too often. Most of the time the alcohol content is definitely noticeable. They’ve been playing around with drinks of the moment like Mojito’s and Sangrias lately but I have not tried those yet.

The majority of the waitstaff are extremely genuinely friendly, non-intrusive (as some other restaurants waitstaff who seem overly concerned with “acting” frendly and asking you how your meal is every 5 minutes) and, if you come often enough, have incredible memory as to your likes, dislikes and other details about you. Everytime I go to Jacky’s with my wife, they seem genuinely happy to see us return.

Overall, in terms of service, delicious and consistent taste and value for your money I cannot recommend another Asian restaurant in the Woonsocket, North Smithfield or Cumberland region more than Jacky’s Galaxie on Mendon Road.

If the name of your restaurant conjures images of royalty, you’d better follow that up with food that’s fit for a King… or Queen in this case. Not so with Pizza Queen, the latest in a long line of sub-par, local business pizza joints to pop up in the Northern Rhode Island, Southern Mass region.

The place, located in Pulaski Boulevard plaza with Stop and Shop, took over the spot where Subway came and went in 2008. The decor is minimal and standard pizza joint fare, albeit clean and well lit.

I ordered a large cheese pizza and an order of mozzarella sticks. The lack of any sense of pride in workmanship, fresh ingredients or desire to stand above the rest is evident the moment you see the finished product.

The pizza appears to be a pre-formed frozen crust shell (it may be hand shaped but gives no indication of human hands molding it), with a layer of greasy, yellowish, quickly hardening plastic looking “mozzarella” cheese. You know, the kind that tears off in one gigantic piece the moment it drops below mouth searing temperatures.

One bite into the soggy, zero crisp crust was almost enough to put me off from the entire pie, but I continued strictly to attempt to deconstruct what exactly makes a bad slice.

The crust was bland and not crisp. Floury, doughy and nothing else. The sauce, obviously mass produced and from a can, tasted slightly sweet and metallic with no hint of any other flavor (basil, oregano,etc) except canned tomato. The cheese, greasy and plastic in appearance, has the paper mache-like ,off putting taste and texture of fake mozzarella (or "faux-zarella as I call it) and little else.

Hopes that the mozzarella sticks would be any better were quickly dashed at first taste. More of the same, lame “faux-zarella” with a layer of italian bread crumbs that tasted like something you would get hastily thrown on a middle school lunch tray. The kind kids may even try to trade for something else. The dipping sauce is the same canned tomato sauce.

The only reason I give Pizza Queen 2 stars is because, their dining room is clean and the folks behind the counter are friendly.

Obviously, after tasting this extremely mediocre fare, I will not venture back to try anything else. Before ordering the pizza, I had toyed with the idea to try the Lamb Gyro. Im very glad I didnt.

I must make it clear that I wasnt expecting greatness or gourmet quality pizza. I was just hoping for better, fresher ingredients and a sense of caring for the end product. There are other pizza places (Park Ave Pizza in Woonsocket and Pizzarelli’s of North Smithfield come to mind) that pull this kind of pizza experience off, without seeming to bend to the lowest common denominator.

If I sound overly harsh in my review, its simply because I dont understand the purpose of pizza places like this one (and many, many others). Do they exist simply to turn a profit at providing mediocre fair to a customer base that expects nothing more?

That sounds like the downfall of a dynasty to me.

I had high hopes for Pizzarelli’s since it overtook the old Mezzaluna spot on Eddy Dowling Highway in North Smithfield. Despite its huge fanbase in North Smithfield and Woonsocket, I was not that big of a fan of Mezzaluna and felt they had just serviceable pizza. But, it was still a good place to get a different kind of pizza (i.e, not Domino’s or Papa Gino’s or the absolutely awful Papa John’s), so I appreciated it being there.

Then, I saw Mezzaluna close down and Pizzarelli’s come into its space later on. I read about Luca and Michelle Gambardella’s roots (catering from the Bronx, where I was born and lived for 16 years!) and I couldnt believe my luck. I live minutes from the place on Eddy Dowling Highway and I truly feel that New York style pizza, when made correctly is some of the best pizza in the world.

I went to Pizzarelli’s about 3 weeks ago, near its opening day. The interior looks like a slightly less old and musty Mezzaluna with some nicer white linen tables and TV screens thrown in. Pretty minimalist, but I wasnt there for the decor. I grabbed a large cheese pizza to go, the ultimate test for the New York style pizza enthusiast. It did take a while to make(at least 30 minutes) but I was willing to wait if it was worth it.

When I got home and opened the box, the pizza smelled delicious but looked a tad bit off. It was obviously homemade (wasnt a frozen shell or preshaped), but it appeared to have more cheese on it than what I’m used to from NY style. No biggie, I figured, just a different technique possibly and pressed on.

The taste is reminiscent of NY style with not too tangy, faintly sweet and savory tomato sauce. Notes of garlic, oregano and it didnt taste like old canned sauce, which doesnt mean it wasnt. It just didnt taste like it. The mozzarella was good also with a good mellow savoriness, although the layer of topping itself was a bit thick, dialing down the sauce taste by a couple hairs too much. Which gets me to the most dissapointing part…. The slighty bland tasting and non-existant “bite” of the crust.

True New York style pizza crust to me means that incredible thin but not too thin, slightly chewy, slightly crispy crust bite that I know and love from good NYC pizza joints. The kind that immediately gives way to your teeth sinking thru with a pleasurable chewy crisp chomp. This was missing from my Pizzarelli pie. Even though I enjoyed the fact that they utilize corn flour to dust the bottom of the crust(always gives it a nice texture), the crust itself was lacking bite, chewy, bland-ish and definitely a bit too thick. I noticed that after 1 slice I was REALLY full and the dough was sitting in my stomach and not going anywhere. That to me is always a sign that the dough could use some more flattening. Or maybe, the oven needs to be hotter. I dont know, but something seems amiss.

Overall, I was dissapointed to see that Pizzarelli’s doesnt offer the true NYC style pizza I personally was looking for. Its definitely decent pizza and I am appreciative that the business is there (North Smithfield\Woonsocket needs fresh new business!)and happy to hear that others do find its flavors pleasing. I will definitely try at least one more time in the future with the pizza and an entree to see what else is offered. If anything changes I will update my rating to reflect that.

In the meantime, I will have to continue travelling to New York for the real deal NYC style experience.

Ive been here twice with a friend and his wife. The nicest thing about the place is the “rebellious” decor. Otherwise, I found the food middling at best.

On one visit, I had the “Worlds Best Pork Sandwich” and found it to be quite the opposite of its namesake. The bread is ok (toasted and pressed nice and flat like “cubano-style” sandwiches are supposed to be), but the pork is not seasoned especially well, while the other ingredients combine into nothing very special. Overall, it just tasted like the “Worlds Most Overhyped Pork Sandwich”. Not bad, but certainly not deserving of the worlds best title.

On another visit, I had “The Fidel” which is another “Worlds best” type cuban sandwich with black beans and rice. The sandwich was pretty much the same as above, but the black beans and rice were pretty flat and lacked distinctive seasoning. Overall, it did not capture what I come to expect from a Cuban style rice and bean flavor presentation (rich, seductive savory flavors, littered with notes of cilantro, slightly sweet calabaza\pumpkin, and cooking ham smokiness were nowhere to be found).

For drinks, I ordered a traditional Mojito on the first occasion and a Raspberry flavored one on the second. The traditional tasted of watered down, slightly sweetened lime juice with a vague taste of mint and the Raspberry was oddly less sweet than the Traditional, tasting of the earthy flavor of the berry but not even a hint of sweetness. Very dissapointing and the mixologist behind the bar counter should think about revising their recipe.

If you are not familiar with true Cuban food and its appropriate flavor spectrum, then this place will do the trick. Its flavors are average and the menu is serviceable and gimmicky enough to take your mind off of the cuisine. Otherwise, if you’re looking for an authentic Cuban cuisine experience, this place will leave you wanting.

Vohn’s restaurant is the newest entry in the Vietnamese\Southeast asian eateries popping up in Southern Mass. Its literally a stones throw away from another Thai restaurant (Thai Jasmine-also reviewed by me) and I cannot be happier with its addition. This is the real deal and rivals the best southeast asian cuisine I have ever eaten!

Vohn is the name of the very friendly female owner who will most likely take your phone order or direct you to your table. I was able to find out that Vohn is actually from Laos (Laotian) and brought her authentic cooking directly from Laos to the United States in 2008. Fans of this kind of cuisine could not be more fortunate.

I have sampled many of the authentic dishes on Vohn’s menu. I have not run into anything that has not been very good at the least.

The 5 star dish I cannot recommend enough is their Pho Soup(its pronounced FUH), a LARGE rich and hearty bowl of rice noodles with the most delicious beef based broth I have ever tasted (Do not, I repeat DO NOT, confuse this with the chicken broth based “Homestyle Soup”. It is NOT the same and cannot hold a candle to the delicious complexity of the Pho). I have it with Crispy Pork and the super rich, savory flavors of beef bone marrow broth along with onions, cilantro, thai sweet basil, sprouts, lettuce and jalapeno slices marry together to make an absolutely exquisite and layered soup. The fact that the Crispy Pork actually stays crispy in the broth is pure magic. Make sure to squeeze a bit of lime in and use some of Vohn’s hot sauces (Sweet hot sauce with hoisin and my addictive favorite, the SUPER HOT Chili oil) in the soup to maximize the flavor. The BEST Pho I have ever had, hands down.

Another 5 star highly recommended dish is their Pad Thai. Ive had many decent (and not so decent) dishes of Pad Thai but this one is now at the top of the list. Perfectly cooked noodles with scallions, sprouts, cilantro and thai sweet basil in a delicious slightly spicy and sweet pad thai sauce. The tamarind flavor really shines thru along with the other sauce flavors and theres just enough of the sauce to make the noodles deliciously moist. Have it with any choice of meat (generous amounts) and its even better.

The spring rolls are very fresh and delicious with a thinner than usual rice wrapper, rice noodles and sweet basil. The hand-made crab rangoons are light, crispy and have a lighter cream cheese crab filling. They come with a delicious, spicy sweet “duck” dipping sauce . The house fried rice includes generous amounts of meat with Vohn’s light and sticky steamed rice.

A quick note regarding the interior of the restaurant. It is clean, bright and casually welcoming. The staff is always smiling and very inviting. Most days you may see some of Vohn’s nieces or nephews respectfully playing near the front desk. You may get a very cute “hi!” or “goodbye” as well. A very nice way to be greeted!

I could go and on (obviously). Vohn has created an authentic Southeast Asian restaurant utilizing all of the freshest ingredients and time tested cooking techniques that make this the kind of food that leaves you wanting more. Vohn’s Restaurant’s friendly, down home atmosphere, generous food servings and bargain pricing makes it a clear winner and a must try for Southeast asian foodies!

Originally I had given this restaurant 4 stars noting the decent Pad Thai and a delicious Drunken Noodle as reasons to visit.

Unfortunately, Thai Jasmine’s food quality has taken a downturn as of late. Reviewing the restaurant now, I must adjust my rating. Over the past 5 visits in a span of several months, the Pad Thai has been really dry and the Drunken Noodle, while tasty, needs more sauce and moisture. The portions have also gotten smaller. This may be a sign of fiscal times but its noticeable and not appreciated.

I have tried giving the restaurant the benefit of the doubt, but these things happen. What makes it even more noticeable is that another Thai restaurant (Vohn’s Restaurant) has now been open across the street from them, and are currently making superior food.

Heres hoping that Thai Jasmine returns to its glory days.

When Thai Jasmine opened a couple years ago or so, I was elated. Im a big fan of Thai food and was finding it hard to satisfy my craving for authentic Thai in northern, RI.

I went to to Thai Jasmine soon after it opened, and upon meeting and speaking with the owners, discovered that they had moved their business from Boston to see what they could do in southern, MA. When I tasted their food, I knew they were the real deal. Authentic, savory, sweet, spicy Thai flavors of Fish sauce, tamarind, chili powder and sugar were popping all over the place. The smells and tastes were intoxicating and I was ecstatic.

Unfortunately, the cooking has seemed a bit off at Thai Jasmine since the earliest days when everything was absolutely right on. If I was to base the review on those earlier days I would give Thai Jasmine five stars. But as of right now, I can whole heartedly give them four. This is not to say that it is bad. Its simply that the flavors and textures (noodles in Pad Thai are sometimes dry and soggy) are not as fantastic as they were when they first opened up.

(For detailed food reviews please see below)- From the appetizers (Chicken Satay to crispy delicious scallion pancake with its accompanying sweet ginger sauce) to the entrees (Chicken Pad Thai and perfect Drunken Noodle), Thai Jasmine, with its distinct southeast asian flavors and freshness, is as authentic Thai as you’re going to find anywhere in northern,RI or southern, MA

In terms of service, they are very friendly although you may find yourself waiting for your take out or dine in order longer than you had hoped. Most of the time, the wait is definitely worth it.

If you are looking for good, authentic Thai food and flavors in the southern MA or northern RI viciinty, then Thai Jasmine is a must taste.

My wife and I visited Local 121 at the behest of some friends of ours who raved about the cuisine and the locale. As is usually the case, restaurant recommendations from friends can either be pretty on the mark or horribly, undeniably bad. Luckily for us, Local 121 on Washington Street in Providence is right on.

The underlying concept behind the restaurant, as stated and executed by owner and State Senator Joshua Miller and his wife Nancy, is to provide seasonal, unmodified and locally purveyed cuisine in a warm, casually elegant setting (which by the way is the former dining room of the superbly AS220 restored Dreyfus Hotel!). The second you walk into the intimate dining room (small with about 15 tables along with booths, but plenty of space for diners in attendance), its not very hard to immediately sink into exactly that kind of vibe.

The walls are painted black with dark brown and elegant white accents everywhere. The lighting is dimmed but not overdone and its easy to see everything. The chairs are extra large and very comfortable while the white linen tables are delicately appointed with a single fresh cut flower.

For an appetizer (or Small Plate as noted on the menu), we shared the “Crispy Beer Battered Point Judith Calamari”. It was accompanied with scallions and streaks of a lightly orange sauce that was composed of a citrus vinaigrette with honey and roasted garlic aioli. Unfortunately, this was the weakest item of our dining experience. The calamari were obviously fresh (not over chewy) and thankfully lightly battered, but the beer batter itself was surprisingly salty. There was not enough acid or contrast to the available sauce to compliment the calamari. A 2 star dish that fortunately was the only mediocre point of the meal.

For dinner, my wife ordered the Duck special of the night. It was a pan seared Duck breast cooked to absolute perfection accompanied with crisp cauliflower heads marinated in a red wine sauce. The duck breast had a thin layer of duck fat still on the skin that melted in your mouth upon tasting. The presentation was unpretentious and flawless with the duck and vegetable clearly presented and free of any unnecessary plate filler. Excellent 5 star dish.

I ordered the Quail wrapped with bacon(which I paired with a wonderful glass of Louis Latour 2005 Pinot Noir). Easily the best tasting and prepared quail I have ever eaten. Another 5 star dish. Subtle, earthy spices mingled with delicious smoky bacon savoriness and aroma in each bite of the perfectly cooked, delicate and surprisingly meaty quail. It was accompanied with a delicious polenta cake, black currants and a wonderfully refreshing baby spinach salad. Again, completely unpretentious, perfectly presented and absolutely delicious. Nothing but quail bones left on my plate.

For dessert, we shared a cup of the “Chocolate Chip Blondie Parfait” which, along with the Blondie, comes with a homemade sweet ice cream, butterscotch sauce, toasted walnuts and homemade whipped cream. The perfect finish to a near perfect meal. It was light, super fresh and wonderfully delicious. We both remarked that it was not “sickeningly sweet” as many desserts can be. We paired it with a glass of the Newport Vineyards Ice Wine which turned out to be the perfect dessert wine with this dessert.

Owners Joshua and Nancy Miller, along with Executive Chef Dave Johnson and the waitstaff (prompt, super friendly, genuinely warm and extremely accomodating) have a clear winner on their hands. The freshness of the food along with the clear and simple way it is presented is extremely refreshing in this culinary age of overpriced forced concept restaurants and molecular gastronemy. We felt relaxed, extremely satisfied and proud to support local business and purveyors in such a delicious way! We also came away with a strong sense of what a dining experience can be when a concept stops being a concept and meets true believers with well guided execution.