vanpc's Profile
Blue Cottage (Branford, CT)
if anyone thinks this food has any flavor (i.e. taste) they shouldnt be on chowhound. service ok,place was clean but that's about it.
Is there any southern fried chicken available near Lenox, Ma
Would like to picnic at Tanglewood in August and am looking for a place to get some "southern fried chicken" for the picnic basket. Any ideas in or around Lenox
Berkshire Trip Report
For a number of years I have been a "taker" when visiting Chowyhound. I have learned where to go and why I should go to so many interesting restaurants that I may have missed without Chowhound. Now it is my turn to give back- -
A dining experience to me, should be an enjoyable adventure that touches all your senses like the play at Shakespeare & Company, the Sol LeWitt retrospective at MassMoca or the wonderful exhibit of Georgia O'Keefe at the Clark. So let's begin with help from previous posts on Chowhound
THE CAKEWALK BAKERY in Lee - only opened this April, this is a busy busy little shop and for good reason. Stopped around 3 p.m. for a Sandwich and Salad to take to that evening concert at Tanglewood. The multigrain bread made the roastbeef sandwich something special, the Berkshire Blue Salad of mixed greens, tossed with roasted walnuts chopped tomato and Berkshire Blue was a special hit because of the homemade balsamic vinaigrette (owner Verena would not give out the receipe when we came back the next day for more of just the dressing). By 3 p.m. the bakery was pretty much out of all baked goods for the day so I had to return at 7:30 a.m. the next morning for the Cinnamon Rose pastry (croissant dough stretched out, coated with butter and sinammon sugar and roller up and baked in a popover pan )to die for). Get there before 1 p.m. or your out of luck in selecting such wonderful bites.
CAFE ADAM - Previous posts have givin this small but friendly place good marks and our visit didn't let us down. Located on Rt 7 north of Great Barrington. The service made us feel we had come home and the wait folks were really happy that we had arrived. The space is attractive, the service attentive and the food prepared by someone who cared not only how it tasted but how it was presented (smoked salmon with sliced avacado and toasted sesame seeds on bread from the Berkshire Bakery just down the road, excellent). I tried a wonderful Croque Monseigneur. The menu was simple but creative and the food delicious.
JOHN ANDREW - Last year this was outstanding. This year we went on a Sunday evening and I think the owner/chef had the night off. First they were out of the crisp sweetbreads I had last year so I tried the asian grilled calamari (so tough I could hardly cut or chew the rings) and the salad of fried oysters served on mixed greens with an anchovy mustard Vinaigrette, with Parmesan Crisp was just OK with much too much vinaigrette. For a slow night (only 3 other parties in the back dining room) the service was unattentive. All in all this year JA only gets a "C+".
ONCE UPON A TABLE - We had planned going to Rouge in West Stockbridge for dinner however I found that members of Chowhound had given it mixed reviews (i.e. high prices, poor service, selective menu depending on where on happened to sit and silly sounding menu options) I selected OUAT instead. What a find!!! From the moment we arrived (greeted like family) this small (11 table) interesting restaurant was a feast for all senses. The owner and wait staff just never stopped smiling and making all diners feel like they were family. The menu was not your typical (chicken,veal,steak, salmon, tuna,etc) but showed a creativity seldom found in places today. Although crab cakes were not on the dinner menu for a appitiezer it was OK, they fixed up a plate for me anyhow and what a rich experience it was. I thought I had never had such a lovely crab cake (with a lightly dressed fresh mesclun green salad) before. My partner tried the Pot Pie of Escargot with butter, shallots, garlic and fresh herbs served under a puffed pastry. (she used her finger to get everybit of the sauce remaining in the dish) This was followed by Pecan Crusted Rainbow Trout roasted with honey lemon butter and served with roasted potatoes (out of this world) and green beans (not canned). You could tell that the chef not only loved preparing this meal but loved making it attractive on the plate. Alan O'Bient, the owner has also bought the Pillars in New Lebanon, NY (just west of Pittsfield) from the German couple who retired a couple of years ago. If it is anything like OUAT I have to try it on my next visit. The Pillars was great before but now it must be outstanding. I need to check Chowhound posting to find out.
All in all we ate well on this week's trip and enjoyed a feast for the senses no matter where we went, saw or did. Thanks Chowhound members!!!
what's new in the tanglewood area this year?
I am making my annual trip to Tanglewood in August and am looking for recomendations for great meals in the greater lenox area. Each year there are a few standouts that are memorable. Any ideas for 2009 would be appreciated.
South of Grand Central
We will be going to NYC next week and staying on East 40th St near Grand Central. Due to walking problems I am looking for suggestions for a very nice place to have dinner on Wednesday evening (6/3). Any suggestions?
vanpc
Bocca Restaurant-East Haven, CT
Well all good things must come to an end. I revisited in November and found it dissapointing to say the least. The food lacked flavor, the early bird specials were higher in price and not nearly as nice as earlier in the year. Too bad - -
what good restaurants are open on Christmas Day?
arriving in SF on 12/25. Looking for good places to eat around The Inn at The Opera (333 Fulton St) that evening. I'm told most places are closed on Christmas day, is that right?
vanpc
Bocca Restaurant-East Haven, CT
We have been to Bocca a number of times and found the food excellent and the service friendly and competent. This is a family restaurant and is the most popular in the area. It's too bad some want to know the name of the wait staff on a busy night. they do the best they can. Being a small restaurant it is expected that at some time they will run out of menu items. I appreciate the diner reviewing the restaurant but hope that reasonable people looking for a great meal in family surroundings will appreciate Bocca. It's one of the best buys around (i.e the early bird specials).
vanpc
Sad to say, bad service at John Andrews, Egremont, MA
I had a great experience this past week at JA. We were first taken to a table up front but asked to sit in the back near the big window. No problem. Had a better then great meal and terrific service by everyone. Can't wait to get back next year - -
Lenox, Lee and Great Barrington MA - I need help!!!
After going to Lenox Ma and Tanglewood for the past 12 years I was so glad that you mentioned John Andrews in this post. This was the best of the best of any restaurant in the area and that is saying something. The creativity and the ability of Dan Smith (chef/owner) to develop ideas into something that looks so good and tastes even better is just outstanding. The menu is a goldmine of new flavors and great ideas melded together to create a whole new experience in dining. To find it may not be easy but the trip was certainly worth while. Thanks to you for the tip. Chowhound really paid off on this trip.
Western MA-Berkshires/NH/VT Must Eateries
I just got back from a week at Tanglewood in Lenox Ma. Been going there for over 10 years and this year I finally hit a restaurant that was 2 cuts above the average. John Andrews in Egremont (just south of Great Barrington). The chef, Dan Smith creates dishes you will not find anywhere else and which taste and look so wonderful you wish you could have everything on the menu. I had crisp sweetbreads with potato leek cake, tuscan salami bits and capers. Supurb!!! Then for a salad I had the fried oysters which were so light and sweet they almost sang and were joined with baby greens, anchovy mustard vinaigrette and a parmesan crisp. Out of this world!!! and just wait till you get to the entrees (I won't spoil the surprise). This was one of the best and laid back quality restaurants I have visited in many a day. JA is not to be missed if you are within 50 miles of Egremont, MA
du Glace - French Bistro in Deep River Ct
good to read reviews on this new restaurant. Now if I only had an address -
Can you help me?
6/2008 heard from my surgeon that I had to try this place.
Charleston, SC Recommendations?
Just returned from Charleston. See my post "Ate Well In charleston". Breakfast/lunch at Diana's (Meeting St/N.Market St) and dinner at Cru Cafe and SNOB. Great food and service. For BBQ the locals go to Jim & Nicks on Meeting St. I thought all were top notch.
Ate very well in Charleston, SC
After checking out the Bulletin Boards on Chowhound during the past couple of months I wish to report on my trip last week.
First off we had two "tourist" meals (means grade C in food and service) at the Noisy Oyster and East Bay Crab House. If you like good food and appreciate good service in nice atmosphere skip these tourist traps.
Better then average lunches were at the Saffron Bakery & Cafe, near the Aquarium, Diana's on Meeting Street & N. Market, and Josephs on Meeting Street next to the Gibbs Museum, and Jim & Nicks BBQ on Meeting St (locals told us it was the best in the city and I believ them after our visit), All four places had a lovely selection, excellent service and were local favorites we found out.
For dinner we really enjoyed SNOB on East Bay St. The menu selection was great, the service terrific and the food just out of this world. I asked the server how the oyster stew and ginger pear salad was prepared and it a few minutes the receipes were hand delivered to us. The prices were very reasonable for the quality of this restaurant. You knew that you were in for a special meal as soon as you walked in to the place.
The restaurant that really impressed us was Cru Cafe on Pickney St. This is a small place (maybe seats 25 +/-) that you would walk by if you hadn't been told about it. The first visit (we had to go back again before leaving Charleston) was a chicken breast stuffed with cheese and jabalano pepper, rolled in panko, flash fried then roasted. Served split open with wonderful au gratin potatoes and veggies. To finish the meal I ordered the cheesecake with strawberries. This was a dessert I hadn't tasted in 45 years. Not your average or even great New York or Chicago cheesecake, Much, much better.
Upon our second visit to Cru we had double cut pork chops that you could cut with a fork they were so tender. The seasoning was terrific that it gave the whole dish a fresh new taste. The Chef de Cuisine, Ryan Sullivan had heard that I had loved the cheescake on our prior visit so he came over to introduce himself and describe how it was made. He went on to tell us about his terrific crew in the kitchen, where the different menu ideas came from and how pleased they have been with the reception from all the locals in Charleston. Cru got it's start as a catering operation and is considered the #1 caterer in the city. Ryan went on to say that SNOB was their biggest competitor. This is a place not to be missed if you want the very best in Charleston.
I really appreciated all the help from the postings on Chowhound. It made my job so much easier. I have to assume that people who post and read the postings are serious about food and have fun finding the very best in their travels
Where to eat in Savannah, GA??
thanks so much for your reply. I will try it out. Sounds just like I was looking for.
Where to eat in Savannah, GA??
Will be in Savannah, Ga for a day (staying in Charleston, SC) and would like to sample regional local food where the locals go. I want to skip the tourist places like Mrs. Wilkes, Lady and Sons. Are there any locals out there with favorites to recommend?
vanpc
