3 Center Street
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
(413) 232-4111
Rouge is quiet irresistible - my fantasy of the neighborhood bistro where you would be happy to dine every Friday to celebrate the end of the week. You enter to the side of a cozy bar area decorated with twinkle lights and a short flight of stairs leads up to a dining room with a cathedral ceilings featuring exposed beams. The chairs are red and the tables a cheeky silver Formica that winks at you. The ladies who acted as hostesses and servers could not be more charming - just the right amount of chat before becoming intrusive.
However, as most things in life, Rouge is a mixed bag.
I went there with my parents who were visiting for the weekend and we were all up to try something new. I will say, in general, we are "looking to like" sorts of people, my mother in particular. She is the kind of person who, when sitting eating breakfast at my wobbly dining room table with her coffee shaking in her mug whenever anyone uses their utensils, will protest that there is no problem at all. So while I think we would all agree that we would return to Rouge, it was not transformative dining bliss.
I thought the bread (baguette) was on the stale side - my parents thought it was just crunchy. You be the judge. We then started with an order of naan, hummus, and raita to begin. They served the hummus and raita in the kind of silver cups restaurants usually bring sides of ketchup or mayo in - not so easy to dig into with a piece of naan. But points for the successful cross-cultural combo of the naan and raita and the hummus.
For the first course, I had a salad special that was fabulous - romaine, frisee, avocado, bacon and a little quail sitting on top in a lemon dressing. Delicious - even as I felt sorry for the bird laying splayed on top the pile of greens. He gave his life for a good cause. My dad had the oysters which he also reported as entirely satisfying.
For the second course, I have less praise. I had a house feature - the oven crisped lemon chicken with asparagus and spinach gratin. The spinach was fantastic, and it's served as a separate tapas if you're so inclined to have it as a bite at the bar. Just the right amount of spinach to cheese - I'm not sure what the cheese was, but it was rich and had a bit of a bite to stand up to green. The chicken - disappointing. I think the pieces are braised and then crisped in the oven - one piece was tough and the other piece was still pink. Unfortunate. My dad had hamachi on a cedar plank special which he reported as being quite good.
My mom has this issue with portion size - she finds large portions just unappetizing to look at and despite our advice to eat what she wants, well, large portions just bug her. So she ordered two tapas. And ironically, they were quite huge. So this is good for those of you looking to share bar snacks - less good for my mom. One was goat Gouda in tomato sauce, which was basically fried cheese sticks in tomato sauce, and the other was vegetable tempura. I am not knocking fried cheese, by the way - it just wasn't what I was expecting from the goat cheese and tomato tapas I've seen in the past. And it would easily serve 2-4 as a starter. The tempura was larger than entree servings I've seen in restaurants, and it made me wonder if one should eat tempura outside of a Japanese restaurant - the batter was too thick.
And so we came to dessert and I have no complaints in this department. I was the only one to order dessert, and I had the caramello, which the server described rather unappetizingly as a "caramel substance." I persevered anyway and was brought a caramel delight that is somewhere between a pudding and caramel sauce. Unique and delicious. It would only have been improved with a bit of sea salt and a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings.
So - go to Rouge, but order carefully. And remember - tapas is for sharing!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
New restaurant coming to Lee!
The "Lee Renaissance" continues as Hot Harry's Burritos moves out, and Otto's moves in on Main Street. Operated by the couple the runs the solid Salmon Run Fish House, they intend this new restaurant to be oriented towards locals, providing breakfast all day and deli sandwiches. While I am a stalwart fan of Jill's Country Kitchen for breakfast, another option is never a bad thing, and Lee desperately needs a place to get a good sandwich. No offense, Cakewalk, but you get very crowded and your sandwich options are limited for lunch. I still love you, too.
I was particularly excited to see that the folks who are investing in this new restaurant as Salmon Run is consistent, friendly, and tasty - all the things you expect from a good deli.
I was particularly excited to see that the folks who are investing in this new restaurant as Salmon Run is consistent, friendly, and tasty - all the things you expect from a good deli.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Restaurant Review: Bombay, Lee MA
Bombay
435 Laurel St
Lee, MA 01238
http://www.fineindiandining.com/bombaylee.htm
Let me be frank from the beginning: don't go to Bombay. Got that? If you have no other options, go to the McDonald's on route 20 by the Mass Pike. Seriously. Don't go.
When I first bought the house in Lee in the spring of 2008, I spent a dinner with my new neighbors discussing dining options in the area. They were big fans of Bombay although they pointed out it was pricey. I tried it a few times, and while it did add up quickly once an appetizer or nan is on the order along with entrees, it rated "pretty good" Indian. There are a few top-notch Indian restaurants in my hometown of Waltham, MA, so I tend to assume all Indian food will at least be in the pretty good category, if not even excellent. There is one Indian place in Natick, MA where I had my first truly bad Indian meal, so I know it existed. But Bombay was good enough that I took my family there in the summer of 2008.
That was a weird visit, and I see I did not write it up at the time. It was before a Tanglewood concert, so the place was pretty full. It's not the best atmosphere because although it has a beautiful view of Laurel Lake, it's also in a Quality Inn. So off the rather small dining room, which has that lingering scent of Indian spices (and in an "open a window and clean this place" kind of way, not a "this smells delicious" kind of way), is a breakfast room with containers of cereal. I cannot imagine eating breakfast in a stuffy Indian restaurant. The service was pretty terrible. The waitstaff did not seem at all interested in the customers and it left a bad taste in all of our mouths. I don't really remember the food.
Anyway, speaking of bad tastes, tonight I was driving up the mass pike trying to decide what to get for dinner. I had just been looking at Indian recipes to use in the slow cooker I got for Christmas, so I thought I would splurge on Bombay and then have plenty of leftovers for lunches for the next few days - an indulgence tonight and then utilitarian the next few days - excellent.
So I picked up the order and spooned out chicken saag, lamb rogan josh, a vegetable samosa, and added some raita on the side. I also ordered a plain naan, which was a garlic naan. I like garlic as flavoring, not as the main event, and especially not as big hunks sitting on top of an oily nan. Ick. Where do I begin with the rest of the awfulness? The fact the entrees were incredibly oily? The flavorlessness of the saag? The big piece of gristle I bit into from the rogan josh? The chopped raw onion in the raita (at least that's what it tasted like)? The tough, tough, elderly crust of the samosa?
I spent too much money and now I wish I could go back in time and not eat any of it. I also have a whole pile of Indian food garbage on my hands.
I am drinking a beer now, trying to forget.
Don't go to Bombay. Seriously.
435 Laurel St
Lee, MA 01238
http://www.fineindiandining.com/bombaylee.htm
Let me be frank from the beginning: don't go to Bombay. Got that? If you have no other options, go to the McDonald's on route 20 by the Mass Pike. Seriously. Don't go.
When I first bought the house in Lee in the spring of 2008, I spent a dinner with my new neighbors discussing dining options in the area. They were big fans of Bombay although they pointed out it was pricey. I tried it a few times, and while it did add up quickly once an appetizer or nan is on the order along with entrees, it rated "pretty good" Indian. There are a few top-notch Indian restaurants in my hometown of Waltham, MA, so I tend to assume all Indian food will at least be in the pretty good category, if not even excellent. There is one Indian place in Natick, MA where I had my first truly bad Indian meal, so I know it existed. But Bombay was good enough that I took my family there in the summer of 2008.
That was a weird visit, and I see I did not write it up at the time. It was before a Tanglewood concert, so the place was pretty full. It's not the best atmosphere because although it has a beautiful view of Laurel Lake, it's also in a Quality Inn. So off the rather small dining room, which has that lingering scent of Indian spices (and in an "open a window and clean this place" kind of way, not a "this smells delicious" kind of way), is a breakfast room with containers of cereal. I cannot imagine eating breakfast in a stuffy Indian restaurant. The service was pretty terrible. The waitstaff did not seem at all interested in the customers and it left a bad taste in all of our mouths. I don't really remember the food.
Anyway, speaking of bad tastes, tonight I was driving up the mass pike trying to decide what to get for dinner. I had just been looking at Indian recipes to use in the slow cooker I got for Christmas, so I thought I would splurge on Bombay and then have plenty of leftovers for lunches for the next few days - an indulgence tonight and then utilitarian the next few days - excellent.
So I picked up the order and spooned out chicken saag, lamb rogan josh, a vegetable samosa, and added some raita on the side. I also ordered a plain naan, which was a garlic naan. I like garlic as flavoring, not as the main event, and especially not as big hunks sitting on top of an oily nan. Ick. Where do I begin with the rest of the awfulness? The fact the entrees were incredibly oily? The flavorlessness of the saag? The big piece of gristle I bit into from the rogan josh? The chopped raw onion in the raita (at least that's what it tasted like)? The tough, tough, elderly crust of the samosa?
I spent too much money and now I wish I could go back in time and not eat any of it. I also have a whole pile of Indian food garbage on my hands.
I am drinking a beer now, trying to forget.
Don't go to Bombay. Seriously.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Berkshire Mountain Bakery Honored by Bon Appetit!
One of ten best bakeries in the country - so the exceptional deliciousness wasn't just in my imagination....
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/01/top_10_bread_bakeries_in_america
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/01/top_10_bread_bakeries_in_america
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Red Lion Inn
www.redlioninn.com
The Red Lion is maybe the most well-known inn in the Berkshires, and there are dining options in the main dining room, the tavern, and the courtyard. The dining room is a bit stuffy for my taste, but the courtyard is delightful. However, the hallmark of any dining experience at the Red Lion is the haphazard, bordering on terrible, service. The food is good (in general) - a blend of seasonal, local ingredients and warhorses such as roasted turkey and prime rib. Actually, it's a little refreshing to see prime rib on a menu in a world of aioli, jus, confit and the rest. So between the charm of the courtyard setting and the good food, I keep going back. It's also one of the few places in the Berkshires where you can make a reservation for breakfast with a large group.
In any event, the service has been so bad in the past that once a waitress was fired in the middle of our meal. Last night was no exception. The pattern seems to be that very nice, ill trained people are hired for the summer season and seem over their head all through service. Last night, our very nice waitress had trouble juggling her tables, didn't get the descriptions of the specials correct (the lobster cake I ordered had truffle oil on it - and I hate truffle oil), and stood next to our table holding our bread basket, after a long wait, talking to the hostess. The bartender kept yelling out to the wait staff that he was out of stuff - mineral water, wine glasses, martini glasses. I ordered a glass of wine after the first course that arrived when I was almost done with my entree. One patron at the table next to ours was so tired of waiting for his glass of wine, he went up to the bar himself, which flummoxed the waitress completely. SO - be warned. This has been the experience regularly.
On to the food. For an appetizer, I had lobster cakes which were not what I was imagining - too heavy on stuffing that the rich lobster meat did not need. The salads my parents had were nice, however, and I had their house salad earlier this summer - local greens, oranges, Marcona almonds, goat cheese and maple vinaigrette. For a main course, my dad and I both had pan seared scallops on greens with a citrus vinaigrette and waffle chips. The scallops were done beautifully but the chips - we each had about three sad, lonely chips on our plates. My mom had a risotto with English peas, pureed carrots, and shiitake mushrooms, which she reported was delicious. However, the best course of the meal was dessert - warm brown sugar cake with peach ice cream and caramel sauce - gorgeous. Exactly the melt-in-your-=mouth experience you would expect form the description. And the coffee was excellent as well.
So go for the food and atmosphere and not the service... you have been warned!
The Red Lion is maybe the most well-known inn in the Berkshires, and there are dining options in the main dining room, the tavern, and the courtyard. The dining room is a bit stuffy for my taste, but the courtyard is delightful. However, the hallmark of any dining experience at the Red Lion is the haphazard, bordering on terrible, service. The food is good (in general) - a blend of seasonal, local ingredients and warhorses such as roasted turkey and prime rib. Actually, it's a little refreshing to see prime rib on a menu in a world of aioli, jus, confit and the rest. So between the charm of the courtyard setting and the good food, I keep going back. It's also one of the few places in the Berkshires where you can make a reservation for breakfast with a large group.
In any event, the service has been so bad in the past that once a waitress was fired in the middle of our meal. Last night was no exception. The pattern seems to be that very nice, ill trained people are hired for the summer season and seem over their head all through service. Last night, our very nice waitress had trouble juggling her tables, didn't get the descriptions of the specials correct (the lobster cake I ordered had truffle oil on it - and I hate truffle oil), and stood next to our table holding our bread basket, after a long wait, talking to the hostess. The bartender kept yelling out to the wait staff that he was out of stuff - mineral water, wine glasses, martini glasses. I ordered a glass of wine after the first course that arrived when I was almost done with my entree. One patron at the table next to ours was so tired of waiting for his glass of wine, he went up to the bar himself, which flummoxed the waitress completely. SO - be warned. This has been the experience regularly.
On to the food. For an appetizer, I had lobster cakes which were not what I was imagining - too heavy on stuffing that the rich lobster meat did not need. The salads my parents had were nice, however, and I had their house salad earlier this summer - local greens, oranges, Marcona almonds, goat cheese and maple vinaigrette. For a main course, my dad and I both had pan seared scallops on greens with a citrus vinaigrette and waffle chips. The scallops were done beautifully but the chips - we each had about three sad, lonely chips on our plates. My mom had a risotto with English peas, pureed carrots, and shiitake mushrooms, which she reported was delicious. However, the best course of the meal was dessert - warm brown sugar cake with peach ice cream and caramel sauce - gorgeous. Exactly the melt-in-your-=mouth experience you would expect form the description. And the coffee was excellent as well.
So go for the food and atmosphere and not the service... you have been warned!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
NY Times Berkshire Grown article
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/travel/22journeys.html?_r=2&emc=eta1
This article appeared today to underscore the Berkshires as a leader in the locally grown movement. Nudel gets more press than Allium but pssst - go eat at Allium. :)
This article appeared today to underscore the Berkshires as a leader in the locally grown movement. Nudel gets more press than Allium but pssst - go eat at Allium. :)
August Food Shopping
Great Barrington Farmers Market
www.gbfarmersmarket.org
Taft Farm
119 Park Street
Great Barrington, MA
www.taftfarms.com
Nejaime's Wine Cellar
60 Main Street Lenox, MA
www.nejaimeswine.com
I spent a few hours yesterday shopping, as I had never been to the Great Barrington Farmer's Market (Saturdays 9-1pm). The Lee market is on Friday AM, so this year I have yet to make it there. The Lenox and Lee markets are humble compared to Great Barrington and I have heard GB pales in comparison to Sheffield's (Friday mid afternoon) - but I haven't made it down to Sheffield yet for that event. GB had a number of farms with everything you would hope - except I couldn't find corn. I did get a pint of mixed variety cherry tomatoes that were perfect, however, and there were fresh beets, lettuces, greens of all kinds, etc. The folks working the booths were consistently polite and happy to discuss the best tomatoes for gazpacho versus the best for salads, for ex. The Berkshire Mountain Bakery booth had a selection as complete and well stocked as that at the main bakery in Housatonic. There were also several other bakeries represented, but I couldn't help but stick with the tried and true this time around. One the web site, several cheese makers and fresh meat from a farm in Lee were listed as vendors, but I didn't see them.
One note of caution - don't expect to find some kind of authentic "rural life" experience here - this a farmer's market for upscale weekenders and their many pure bred dogs. In fact, one beautiful giant schnauzer was keeping things lively - which made me contemplate the wisdom of whoever first decided to create a giant terrier breed in the first place. I am quite happy with a 30 pound one, thank you. I shudder to think of a giant, bouncing, too smart for her own good Wheaten.
To find corn, I stopped at GB's Taft Farm on the way home. Last year they were lamenting the rain but this year the produce was plentiful. I left with sweet corn (fabulous) and cucumbers (makes you realize how watery the supermarket version is - theses had a real melon-y taste). And I had a pick up a homemade cinnamon sugar donut - a treat even for those like me that don't really like donuts! There are pies and sweet breads aplenty, and a nice deli for sandwiches as well. Taft has more of a feel that it serves both the year round residents and us visiting weekenders.
Finally I stopped at Nejaime's Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop in downtown Lenox. I suspect the cheese monger at their Lenox store in a strip mall near the Pittsfield line is more knowledgeable, but in this location there was still an impressive selective of cheese. The wine prices are a bit on a the high side, but I have found their selection to be generally excellent.
www.gbfarmersmarket.org
Taft Farm
119 Park Street
Great Barrington, MA
www.taftfarms.com
Nejaime's Wine Cellar
60 Main Street Lenox, MA
www.nejaimeswine.com
I spent a few hours yesterday shopping, as I had never been to the Great Barrington Farmer's Market (Saturdays 9-1pm). The Lee market is on Friday AM, so this year I have yet to make it there. The Lenox and Lee markets are humble compared to Great Barrington and I have heard GB pales in comparison to Sheffield's (Friday mid afternoon) - but I haven't made it down to Sheffield yet for that event. GB had a number of farms with everything you would hope - except I couldn't find corn. I did get a pint of mixed variety cherry tomatoes that were perfect, however, and there were fresh beets, lettuces, greens of all kinds, etc. The folks working the booths were consistently polite and happy to discuss the best tomatoes for gazpacho versus the best for salads, for ex. The Berkshire Mountain Bakery booth had a selection as complete and well stocked as that at the main bakery in Housatonic. There were also several other bakeries represented, but I couldn't help but stick with the tried and true this time around. One the web site, several cheese makers and fresh meat from a farm in Lee were listed as vendors, but I didn't see them.
One note of caution - don't expect to find some kind of authentic "rural life" experience here - this a farmer's market for upscale weekenders and their many pure bred dogs. In fact, one beautiful giant schnauzer was keeping things lively - which made me contemplate the wisdom of whoever first decided to create a giant terrier breed in the first place. I am quite happy with a 30 pound one, thank you. I shudder to think of a giant, bouncing, too smart for her own good Wheaten.
To find corn, I stopped at GB's Taft Farm on the way home. Last year they were lamenting the rain but this year the produce was plentiful. I left with sweet corn (fabulous) and cucumbers (makes you realize how watery the supermarket version is - theses had a real melon-y taste). And I had a pick up a homemade cinnamon sugar donut - a treat even for those like me that don't really like donuts! There are pies and sweet breads aplenty, and a nice deli for sandwiches as well. Taft has more of a feel that it serves both the year round residents and us visiting weekenders.
Finally I stopped at Nejaime's Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop in downtown Lenox. I suspect the cheese monger at their Lenox store in a strip mall near the Pittsfield line is more knowledgeable, but in this location there was still an impressive selective of cheese. The wine prices are a bit on a the high side, but I have found their selection to be generally excellent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)