THE LOCAL

A new restaurant just opened up around the corner and has been getting rave reviews. Curious to see what it was about, a group of us decided to go check it out.

It's called THE LOCAL - and in the simplest of terms, it's a nice, laid back restaurant and bar.

 There was a slight wait for tables, so we put our name down and paid a visit to the bar to grab a drink and wait for our name to be called.

The set-up of the whole establishment is well thought out-- so although it was crowded, it never felt too packed. With a nice amount of bar-counter area, as well as standing room, we were able to comfortably and happily mingle about.

Once our name was called, we were brought to our table and handed our menus.
Within seconds, we were all "oohing" and "ahhing" over the selections.

Can you say "fried pickles," anyone?

 

Featuring what I'd call "pub food" with a creative and upscale flair - everything sounded equally delicious and naughty. Especially that lobster mac & cheese.

Although we wished to order the entire menu, we also knew that the doors to exit were only so wide.

Among the things we ordered, here are some of my favorites:

*The golden beet salad with Vermont goat cheese, pistachio pesto, baby arugula, and sherry vinaigrette. Nice and light, with a great mix of flavors - especially the pairing of the pistachio and goat cheese.

*P.E.I. mussels in an old brown dog ale and dijon cream sauce, served with some grilled bread. This was really tasty. I'd never think to have mussels and dijon together, but the sauce was lick-your-fingers tasty. The bread was a nice addition too - very handy for sauce mopping.

*Creamy Anson Mills polenta, with a beef & pork ragu, topped with a crispy poached egg and grilled bread. This dish intrigued me when I saw it on the menu, and continued to intrigue me as I tasted it. Quite rich from the creaminess of the polenta and heartiness of the ragu, you could definitely make a meal off of this guy. My favorite part about it... the crispy poached egg. Genius. I don't know how else to explain it other than as a fried, poached egg. Crispy yet gooey - it was the perfect topping.

*Caramelized onion, roasted spinach, and Vermont goat cheese flatbread. This was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. The caramelized onion made it for me. That, and the thin, crispy crust. There is no way you could only have one slice of this. 

 

 *And now for the favorite of my favorites... 

"The Grandfather of Meat" prime burger and hand cut fries.
 Probably one of the best burgers I've had in a long time.

And those fries... so. addicting.

 

 

Overall, I'd say our dining experience was a great one. The atmosphere, service, and food were fabulous; and as we were leaving, we were already discussing what we'd be ordering our next time back.

It's nice knowing there's a LOCAL place around to catch up with friends over a drink and enjoy  a casual and tasty meal.

xo Belle