jennypenny's Profile
Best Dinners in Berkshires
Despite some not great reviews, I still love John Andrews and their fried oyster salad, softshell crab, delectable desserts, and great wines. We've never have had a bad meal there. The servers can be a little aloof, but they warm up if you engage them.
I agree w/gb25, Chez Nous was not memorable for us. Food was average, setting was ehhhh, don't think we'll go back. Also, it was my birthday and, not to sound like a crybaby, they didn't do anything special - no slice of cake w/a candle - so they lost points. If we do find ourselves in Lee, we love the Indian restaurant Bombay Grill, overlooking Laurel Lake. They also have a plentiful buffet for lunch on Sunday.
The Southfield Store is lovely for lunch and treats. We didn't like Mexican night so much (Thurs) but stopped in during the film fest and had a drink and dessert at the tiny bar in back and it was positively charming at night. It's such a magical little place in the middle of nowhere.
Rouge is hit or miss. Sometimes its great and other times not. Service has never been good - always ridiculously slow.
Our new VERY FAVORITE place is the Shaker Mill Tavern in W Stockbridge. They offer something for everyone. Hubby loves the wings w/crumbled blue cheese. The burgers & fries are yummy. I had a delicious pork chop. The mussels were also very tasty. Even our picky vegan relatives were able to enjoy a delicous veggie meal. The prices are also very reasonable & the service is FAST. The staff is always accommodating and unpretentious. Somebody told us the chef used to work for Bill Clinton....That is our new go to place.
Need to try Brix, Once Upon a Table, & Allium.
Fine dining near Great Barrington
Wheatleigh is great - though expensive. I don't mind the price though b/c I always feel like I'm on vacation at that gorgeous location. It's truly transporting. Have a glass of wine before dinner and stroll the grounds. The food is sometimes a bit 'strange' for some - they sometimes offer things like sauteed fiddlehead ferns, rabbit, gamey stuff, etc. but still lots of fun.
John Andrews is still a favorite, despite the posts of bad experiences by some. I've always been satisfied, though we've had 'off' nights there - but I've had off nights everywhere I go. They have a very extensive wine list.
Southfield Store in Southfield, MA (north of GB) is a great place. It's owned by the Old Inn on the Green people and the food is tasty and the setting is bucolic. They have amazing pastries as well. Can't remember their wine list -- I had a delicous margharita though.
Sad to say, bad service at John Andrews, Egremont, MA
Sad to hear about your experience with the poor service.
I've been to JA about 3 or 4 times the past few months and have had good experiences, though I have noticed a few inconsistencies. The service is sometimes amateur and some servers have an air of snittyness, but we try to engage them and often have a great experience with them.
As for the food, I absolutely love their fried oyster salad, however, one of the 3 times I ordered it, the oysters weren't cleaned properly and grayish slimey stuff oozed out. I guess it depends who's in the kitchen on the night you go. I had a fabulous softshell crab dish recently and my hubby likes the huge pork chop though I found it a bit tough.
I still love JA but I don't go expecting it to be perfect. Some evenings they're at the top of their game and some not, so I can't explain it. The desserts are always wonderful though. Oh, and they have a great winelist -- we've discovered some excellent ones at JA.
Lobster roll in the Berkshires?
I didn't realize Pearl's had lobster rolls.
I can think of another place that serves lobster rolls.... It's called "The Red Barn" in Ghent, NY. It's near the Berkshires.....I haven't been there yet, but I'm anxious to try it -- I've been drooling over their website....www.redbarnfood.com and saw the lobster roll on the menu...yum.
Pittsfield/Lenox
Trattoria Il Vesuvio looks nice from the outside, but the food is awful. Probably the worst meal we've had in the Berkshires.
Chez Nous is good, Bombay Bar & Grill in Lee is excellent, Dragon is fantastic. We recently tried "Frankie's" in Lenox - where Spigalina used to be, and it was enjoyable for simple Italian (and quite reasonable).
old inn at southfield store.
Love the Southfield Store for lunch and delectible desserts, however, the Thursday Oaxacan night was a letdown. We travel to Mexico quite often and adore the food so we were quite excited to try out Oaxacan night. Unfortunately, our fish tacos were flavorless and our mole chicken was overcooked and gamey tasting. The margharita's and chips were great though....
Anybody know any good places near Chatham, New York?
Here's my 2 cents:
Blue Plate -- is a good choice for vegetarians and the menu ranges from 'eclectic' (satay) to 'homestyle' (meatloaf). They have a great burger and yummy fries. Upstairs has a cool NYC feel and the downstairs tavern is dark and cozy.
Lippera's -- Since they moved, indeed, there's been growing pains. The chef apparently worked at the Four Seasons in NY. The last time we were there they had to get their 'act together' in the kitchen as we waited forever for our food -- which was 'average' tasting (overcooked filet, boring swordfish). Desserts were great as they're from the bakery next door. Overall, it was quite pricey, however, the owners try hard so we will return. The tavern is quicker & more casual, however, I don't love the chairs. It's an aesthetic thing for me. I would really like the Lippera's tavern if the chairs weren't so ugly.
Jackson's Old Chatham House -- Is a real 'local' place. It has a certain charm about it though. They cater to mostly locals, hunters, families, & some weekenders. Service is slow, yet friendly. Our favorite dish is the "Veal Parmagiana". It's way better than Ciao's.
Ciao -- Not bad. Heavy, greasy, Italian food. A real family operation. They're waiting tables, cooking in back and hosting. Good if you want a carb overload.
That's it for the Chatham dinner joints. You could also catch a bite at the Pizza Den (Excellent Pizza - limited seating) or the Welsh pub -- I've never tried the food though.
P.S. The Chinese takeout place is terrible.
