Bluebird Tavern

Date
6/20/2014

Location
Downtown Burlington

86 Saint Paul Street, Burlington, VT

What I ate

Arctic char crudo bite

Cheese plate - smoked windsordale with pickled radishes, candied walnuts, and a maple-sherry gastrique

Octopus terrine with salami vinaigrette and fennel

Five-hour braised flatiron with roasted potatoes and carrots and jalapeno mashed potatoes

Maple Tap - frozen maple custard, poached rhubarb, oatmeal crust

Beer & Chocolate - chocolate mousse with stout curd and almond cake

What I drank

Maine Beer Company - Lunch

Website

Bluebird Tavern

Thoughts

Whoa!  I've been writing this blog for almost six years (!) and that has to be the longest "What I ate" section.  From the outset, the folks at Bluebird Tavern were nice and generous.  The amuse, cheese plate, and second dessert were given without asking, rounding out my meal and then some.  I went there after a long week of work, looking for a delicious, filling meal and was certainly not disappointed.

Though they certainly checked the box for quantity, they didn't neglect quality.  The crudo was light, tasty, and just the right kind of fishy - a nice way to start the meal.  I wouldn't have put those things together on the cheese plate, but each part was great and they worked off of each other.  I've come to the conclusion that I can't have a whole pickle plate to myself since it's just too much of that flavor, but they small handful of radishes were delicious.  The cheese didn't have a strong taste to itself, but it helped smooth the transition between the radishes and walnuts.  The house-made bread was also quite good.

I hadn't had octopus before and listened to a piece on it recently, so it was an obvious choice.  I'm happy to have gotten it, but I'm also glad it was sandwiched between all of the great food.  The octopus didn't taste like much by itself.  That may be a little unfair - the whole bite of octopus, dressing, and fennel was quite good - but I ordered the dish because I wanted to taste octopus.

After my long week, I was hoping for that full, content feeling after this meal.  The braised flatiron was a delicious, fancy way to do just that.  If I picked up my knife, it was only to cut a potato.  The occasional roasted carrot gave that little hit of sweetness that, with the background heat of the jalapeno mashed potatoes, kept the dish from being heavy.  This is probably a good place to mention that the beer was also delicious.  Their website says it has "intense hop flavors" but, either because I haven't had many beers that do that right or because of the context of the meal, I found it refreshing, a good complement to my food.  Thanks for the tip, Suzie!

Of course I still had room for dessert!  I had so much trouble deciding that I asked the waitress if she could talk the kitchen into some sort of small sampler.  I'm sure this annoyed them; sorry, Bluebird kitchen!  If I knew I'd be in town longer and could come back, I would have gone multiple times and tried each one.  I settled on the Vermontiest one of the bunch.  The textures were a little weird - I had trouble taking off small pieces of the crust, but it's entirely possible I was just doing it incorrectly.  The rhubarb was also just a bit too tart by itself.  That said, once I was able to get a bite of all three parts, it was easy to see why they were on the plate together.  I had to take most of the beer & chocolate home, but it was great, too.  The ribbon of almond cake through the mousse was a great touch.

The atmosphere was nice - small place with a nice, slightly rustic edge - and I was able to catch a little bit of World Cup from afar.  More importantly, my waitress was awesome.  She talked candidly about much of the menu and dealt with my curiosities, even when I was dangerously close to being a character on Portlandia.  When I dine alone, I generally want to just focus on the food.  She helped me understand my food and the restaurant, elevating my whole experience.  If my receipt is to be believed, her name is Lindsey.  I won't be back in Burlington any time soon, so someone reading this should go thank her for me.

Recap

Pros - Great food and plenty of it, nice, helpful waitress

Cons - Nothing stands out as negative.

Overall - Go for a special (or not-so-special) occasion.  I certainly spent more than I do on an average dinner, but it was well worth it.  If I lived in Burlington, this would be high on my go-to list for a nice night out.

Darbar India

Date
4/9/2014

Location
Downtown (?) Branford
1070 Main Street, Branford, CT

What I ate
Coconut soup
Vegetarian samosa
Hyderabadi mixed vegetables
Garlic naan
Kheer

Who came
Jolene, Michael, Helena, Rempe

Website
Darbar India

Thoughts
This is the hands-down winner for most foot/best value for restaurant week; I've never walked (waddled?) out so stuffed!  They didn't have to sacrifice quality for quantity, either.  Intrigued by the vegetarian menu, I deviated from my normal choices and was not disappointed.  The soup was quite good and a nice way to start the meal, though a little sweet.  The samosa was as tasty as expected.  The only drawback was that my meat-eating co-diners were given two samosas.  I can always use more samosas.  Indian cuisine is one of my favorites when it comes to shining the spotlight on vegetables as the main part of an entree and the Hyderabadi mixed vegetables further cemented this in my mind.  The garlic naan didn't taste like much, but was an excellent vehicle to sop up anything that was left behind.  The kheer could've used some addition, maybe a little bit of fruit or some almonds, but that and already being full didn't stop me from wolfing down the whole thing.

The dining room is big and open, great for a group.  The only negatives were with the service.  The waiter was friendly and attentive, but didn't seem to fully grasp the restaurant week concept.  The timing of service was also a little odd - this was only exacerbated by the fact that the restaurant was mostly empty.  The soup and samosas came out in rapid succession, while there were long waits for the entree and dessert courses.  This might've been more of a problem without a group as conversation helped cover up the delays, but they were still noticeable.

Recap
Pros - Delicious food and tons of it
Cons - Pacing of the meal was off
Overall - I still haven't had better Indian food in Connecticut.  Darbar is my go-to when I'm craving Indian food and restaurant week was no exception.  Go.  Get good food.  Thank me later.

Roìa

Date
4/8/2014

Location
Downtown New Haven
261 College Street, New Haven, CT

What I ate
Salad of blood orange, grapefruit, and shaved fennel with toasted nuts
Agneau braise a l'oignon (Braised lamb with onions, kale, peppers, and potato pancakes)
Poppy brioche bread pudding

Website
Roìa

Thoughts
In looking through the New Haven Restaurant Week menus, this was one of the ones that stuck out and it didn't disappoint; let's go right to the food.  I'm generally not a fan of grapefruit, but this seemed like a good opportunity to change that and I wasn't keen on the other appetizer options.  My only complaint was that there wasn't more of it.  It was delicious and I would've eaten a double-portion without hesitation.  The entree was even better.  The lamb was mixed with the delicious veggies and the potato pancakes acted as a great base, sopping up anything that was left behind.  This was also one of the largest portions for an entree I've ever had at any restaurant week, so they score a few bonus points.  The dessert was a bit of a letdown.  It was good, it just didn't carry through the momentum from the preceding courses.  Frankly, it has been about a month since I went and, while I can clearly remember how the salad and the lamb tasted, I'm drawing a bit of a blank on the bread pudding.

The place feels like it used to be a lounge outside of the symphony, but doesn't take itself quite that seriously.  The ceilings were tall and, while I liked the sense of openness, it did get a little loud once the place filled up.  Still, it had a general inviting feel to it, a little dark, a little warm, but not at all sedate.  The wait staff and kitchen were also very accommodating, finding gluten-free substitutions for my date and happily talking through both the menu and wine options.  Oh, and don't be thrown off by the sink in what looks like the hallway.  There isn't one in the restrooms, so that's what you use.  It seemed weird to me, but friends who know such things assure me that's something restaurants do.

Recap
Pros - Tasty food, helpful wait staff, comfortable atmosphere
Cons - A little loud at times
Overall - When the food is that good and the complaints are that weak, it's going to score well.  There are so many places in New Haven I still have to try, but I'll be heading back to Roìa before too soon.

La Belle Aurore

Date
1/30/2014

Location
Downtown(?) Niantic
75 Pennsylvania Avenue, Niantic, CT

What I ate
Beet and orange parfait with whipped ricotta and pistachios
Sliced tenderloin with maple dijon sauce, greens, and roasted potatoes
Citrus olive oil cake

Who came
Jolene, Michael, Talina, Rempy, Helena, Zurita, Erin

Website
La Belle Aurore

Thoughts
Hat tip to CT Restaurant Weeks for identifying this place.  I'm still exploring this town and the surrounding areas, so having a guide like that is helpful.  This was one of the few prix fixe menus and the farm to table aspect appealed to me, so away we went.

My food was tasty throughout, though a few parts outshined the rest.  The appetizer was delicious.  The earthy beets mixed well with the not-too-tart oranges and the different textures - light but rich (weird, I know) cheese, a slight crunch to the beets, the slightly different kind of crunch to the pistachios - kept the whole thing interesting.  I would've gladly eaten another one.  My steak was pretty good and the potatoes were salty and fried in a very satisfying way, but the greens were the best part of the entree.  As deep as we were in winter, the freshness was a welcome change.  I'm going to find their supplier and see if I can get some directly.  The cake probably wouldn't be great on its own, but it was a pleasant way to end the meal, to tie everything together.  It had the "clean" taste that I associate with olive oil cookies and cakes and managed to stay light and mild.  Their beer list was small, but had a few great options.  As a group, we did a pretty good job with variety, getting at least one of almost everything, so I'll let my friends comment on the other offerings.

It's a cozy place, tucked away in a little strip mall.  We were easily the biggest group there, but they were able to seat us comfortably.  It felt very homey, like a little cafe; I'm sure it's lovely in warmer weather.  There were a few times it felt like the service was a little slow - big gaps between courses, some delay in getting everyone's dish out - but it really wasn't a problem.  In fact, it helped keep conversation going.  I don't know if this is the same for a couple or a smaller crowd, but it a net positive for our big group.  During the meal, I felt like the portions seemed small, but this is another aspect that looks fine in retrospect.  I was certainly full at the end of the meal, so I guess it'd be unfair to say portion size was an issue.  All told, it was a fun night out with plenty of good food.

Recap
Pros - Local, tasty, creative food, solid beer list
Cons - Small?  I'm nit-picking, there wasn't much wrong
Overall - See the last line of the review.  The food is good and they work extensively with local producers.  I'm excited to go back and see how the menu changes with the seasons.

Clydz

Date
11/30/2013

Location
Downtown New Brunswick, by the court house
55 Patterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

What I ate
Antelope carpaccio
Braised python ravioli
Ostrich lorraine

What I drank
Tennesse Williams (Old Overholt, Carpano Antica, Scotch, maraschino, Benedictine, walnut bitters)

Who came
Mom, Dad, Dan, Julie

Website
Clydz

Thoughts
This is yet another long-overdue review, so I won't have much in the way of details.  Given the menu, Clydz is obviously not a place you go on a whim; it's a place for adventurous eating.  That said, there are plenty of less exotic proteins on the menu and, if my meal was any indication, they don't just sit back and let "Hey, python is cool!" carry the show.  Everything was delicious and the extensive drink menu was a great complement.

It's on the small side, space-wise, and is lit in a way that makes me think of a speakeasy (or at least my image of one).  The waitress was conversational and quite knowledgeable about both food and drink, something a little more difficult here than at most places.  Being in downtown New Brunswick can make the logistics tough, but it's worth making the trip.

Recap
Pros - Delicious, exotic food, great drink menu
Cons - Expensive, though not prohibitively so
Overall - It's a great place for a nice meal, especially for adventurous eaters.  If going in a group, I advise turning the hot and cold plates into a tapas-style meal.

Agricola

Date
7/16/2013

Location
Downtown Princeton
11 Witherspoon Street

What I ate
Pickled vegetable plate (cucumbers, zucchini, pearl onions, ramps, golden beets, green beans, rainbow chard stalks)
Braised beef short rib
Chocolate beet cake/peach pie/Meyer lemon cheesecake

Who came
Mom, Dad

Website
Agricola Eatery

Thoughts
I never got around to writing this full review and my memory is too foggy to do it justice now.  I'm eager to get back when I'm home; it feels like a good place to have a fancier-than-average meal.  The waitress was happy to answer my questions about their sources - I felt comfortable asking since they advertised it all over their menu.  The pickled plate is quickly becoming one of my favorite things at any restaurant and their's didn't disappoint.  At my asking, they sent me a copy of the recipe for the beets.  It didn't turn out nearly as well as what I had at the there, but it I'll try again sometime.  I didn't check out their bar, but it seemed quite well-stocked.

Recap
Pros - Tasty food with an emphasis on local sources
Cons - I can't remember anything that stands out
Overall - Go here for a nice night out in Princeton.  It'd probably be good for after drinks, though I may be looking for any excuse to have the pickled plate.