Brunch at Home Hill Inn

Home Hill Inn, truly, a hidden gem of a restaurant, located in rural New Hampshire, near my hometown.  Since discovering it on my last holiday visit, I now have an additional reason to visit my family! (just joking, Hi MOM!)

On my recent visit this summer, I was determined to make up for lost time, and experience all that Home Hill Inn had to offer.  I started with a visit for a six-course formal tasting menu, in the private room, with my mother and a group of her friends.  It was wonderful, as expected, and I quickly made a reservation for my next adventure: brunch!  Have I mentioned that I love brunch food?

I didn't actually know much about their brunch, as there are only a handful reviews of the restaurant on Yelp, and all are about dinner.  I had heard that unlike many restaurants, the executive chef actually works brunch service, which sounded encouraging.  And I did see many reviews of the Inn itself (the restaurant is actually part of a bed and breakfast) mention the fantastic breakfast, but unfortunately, that is offered only to Inn guests.  Brunch is offered to the public only on Sunday mornings.  I was in town for only one Sunday, and I had my priorities.  We were going to brunch at Home Hill!

I invited my mother and father to join me, along with my father's sister who was also visiting from out of town, and my grandmother, their mother.  Since I've reviewed the regular dining room before several times, I'll skip those details, and focus only on our particular dining experience this time around.

The brunch menu isn't huge, but contains a little something for everyone, including many different types of egg dishes (omelets, scrambles, benedicts, baked eggs, etc), along with more classic options like waffles, and lunch style dishes like lobster rolls and burgers.

As on my first visit, I found the atmosphere incredibly charming, comfortable, and just a really great place for a special, but not too formal, brunch.  It was light-filled, open, and bright.  Equally charming was the much older couple seated across the room, clearly regulars, on a first name basis with all the staff, who dinned with their newspapers and crosswords out.  They were so adorable.

Our service was much better at brunch than at our dinner a few nights earlier.  There were a few mis-steps (forgetting my grandmother's maple syrup and my home fries), but otherwise, it was friendly, comfortable, and informative.  Our server seemed genuinely happy to answer all my questions and tell me details about all of the dishes and their product sourcing (as I mentioned last time, they are uber local about their sourcing).

It turns out, like dinner, Home Hill serves a very good brunch (although the amazing brunch from Baker and Banker is still the most memorable brunch I've ever had!).  I highly recommend it if you are looking for a brunch spot near Lebanon, NH, and you can be sure that I will be making it a point to return again.  I wish it was offered on days other than Sunday however, as I am often not there on a Sunday, or have other plans that day since it is often the only day that high school and college friends who are still in the area are free.  I somewhat joking told my mom that next time I might just need to stay at Home Hill rather than her house, in order to have their morning breakfast.  She uh, was not amused.

Raspberry Bellini.

I wasn't planning to order an alcoholic drink at brunch, but when the server asked if we'd like any drinks to start, my mom asked about mimosas.  I was amused, as my mom isn't exactly known for being a drinker.  She did go for a mimosa, which she seemed to enjoy.  I decided to follow suit, and picked a bellini.  I had the choice of peach or raspberry, but couldn't make up my mind, and just had the server pick for me.

She selected raspberry.  It was made with Raspberry Liqueur from Flag Hill, a New Hampshire Winery and Distillery.  I told you they source everything locally, even the liqueurs!

It was sweet, sparkly, fruity, pretty nice.  I don't drink a lot of bellinis, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was a fun celebratory way to start the meal.

Bloody Mary.

My aunt went for the bloody mary.  Never my drink of choice, so I didn't try a sip, but she enjoyed it, and said it was flavorful, but not too spicy.  They won points for the serious stalk of celery :)

My father and grandmother didn't follow us in our morning drinking, but each had a fresh fruit juice, and enjoyed them.

Decaf French Press.

I also ordered a coffee, which is what I was intending to drink all along, decaf of course.  I remembered that on my first visit I was impressed with their decaf coffee at dinner, and was looking forward to some good coffee, which is so rare for decaf.

It was served in a small french press, with a stick of rock candy, and a small pitcher of cream.  I'm a little confused as to why it was in a french press however, as it didn't actually have any grounds in it.  Even more puzzling was the fact that I was instructed to give it another few minutes.  But there weren't any grounds.  Hmmm.

The server also specified as she sat it down that it was decaf, which is always a touch I greatly appreciate.  I always fear that someone will confuse things and bring me regular, and that extra clarification relieves me.

The coffee was again great.  Light, but with a fair amount of flavor, bitter, complex.  It didn't have any decaf funk to it.  Amusingly, it turned out to be Green Mountain Coffee's House Blend.  Nothing fancy, but it was fresh, it was well prepared, and I'd order it again in a heartbeat.  In fact, I did order a second one later that morning.

House Made Wild Berry Muffins.

After we ordered, we were brought a basket of muffins.  I wasn't expecting this, but it seems that they always bring a basket of muffins, instead of a bread basket, at brunch.  They weren't mini muffins, rather, full size, and one for each of us.  A large muffin can be pretty filling for me, and if I knew we'd be getting these, I probably would have opted to split an entree with someone.  Or maybe skipped the scone I had earlier fort breakfast that morning.

As I mentioned in my last review, they run an extensive bread program, with all breads made in-house, including the muffins. It sounds like they also make muffins for the inn guests at breakfast daily, with flavors changing all the time, as you'd expect, based on what is in season.  I'm still so impressed that a restaurant this size does all their own breads!

For us, the muffins were described as wild berry, which seemed to be blueberry.  They were good, not remarkable, but clearly fresh, served warm, and had an interesting citrus note to them.

The most memorable part of the muffin basket wasn't the muffins itself however.  It was the butter served with them!  Like all dairy served at Home Hill, it came from MacNamara Dairy, right down the street.  It was incredible butter.  Obviously, butter is always a great ingredient, but I honestly didn't know butter could be so delicious.  I love sauces and condiments in general, but butter isn't something I normally would rave about on its own, particularly just plain butter.  But this was seriously good butter.  If it was socially acceptable to do so, I probably would have tried some plain, just to really taste it!

Side dish: Fruit Salad.

All breakfast dishes were served with our choice of home fries, fruit salad, or mixed greens salad.  My mom is the only one who went the healthy route, opting for the fruit, while the rest of us all went for home fries.

Her bowl of fruit was brought out well in advance of the entrees.  It contained mostly just cantaloupe, from the Edgewater Farm down the street.  Super ripe, incredibly fresh.  Since I have a melon allergy, I didn't try any of it.  She enjoyed it, but wished there was more variety in her fruit salad.  There were only a few blueberries, and perhaps some honeydew, but essentially, it was a bowl of cantaloupe.

Eggs Benedict, House Cured Salmon, House Made English Muffins.  $15.

Home Hill is known for their Eggs Benedict.  They offer several varieties, and they change regularly.  Our choices that day for toppings were butter poached lobster, house cured salmon, heirloom tomatoes, or bacon.  Since we had so much lobster in the previous few days, my mom went for the salmon.

I of course needed to try a bite of it, as it was the dish I almost ordered myself.  It would have been my first pick if the english muffins were not sourdough, but, I'm a horrible San Franciscan who just doesn't like sourdough, so I decided against ordering it myself.

This was pretty textbook Benedict, which I don't mean in a bad way.  The eggs were perfectly poached.  Just the right amount of hollandaise, not swimming in it, but plenty available to soak up with the english muffins, which were, of course, house made.  The english muffins were perfectly toasted.  They were fresh and fluffy, and not too sourdough-y.  I could have easily ordered this dish and been happy.

It was garnished with scattering of sprouts, insanely fresh, tender, and far more flavorful than I knew sprouts could be.  I'm guessing they were picked just minutes before.  And as you can see, well seasoned with fresh pepper already on top.

As with all my meals at Home Hill, I was shocked by the price.  $15, which included the fruit salad, and the starter muffins.  My mother really enjoyed this, and would order again.  She continued to talk about it for days later.

Beet and Egg White Omelet: Shallot, Goat Cheese, Broccoli.  House Made English Muffins, Home Fries.  $14.

My aunt is vegetarian, and I think she was surprised by her plentiful choices.  She lives in Southern California now, but is not accustomed to rural NH actually offering her options!  There was the heirloom tomato topped benedict, a wild mushroom scramble, and several other dishes that I'm sure could have had the meat left off.  But she went for the healthiest option on the entire menu: a beet and egg white omelet.  More power to her, in resisting all the decadent options!

Like all the egg dishes, it was served with house made english muffins, and her choice of sides.  To go with the english muffins, our table had individual jars of jam, orange or raspberry.  They were the only thing during our entire visit that wasn't house made or local.  A bit surprising, as it seems like carrying local jams or jellies, or making them in house, would be right in line with their entire concept.

She liked her dish, and said she'd like to try re-creating it at home herself.  Her only criticism was the lack of seasoning.  I was a bit surprised, as all other dishes I've ever had there were notable in how well seasoned they were.  It also came garnished with the sprouts, which she remarked on how tasty they were.

Our table did not have any salt and pepper on it, so she had to ask for some.  We were brought in a cute wooden two sided serving dish, with large coarse salt and pepper.  None of the rest of of required additional seasoning.  Interestingly, the table next to us also asked for salt and pepper, and they were given standard shakers.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Baked Eggs: Herbs, Tomato, Zucchini.  House Made English Muffins, Home Fries. $17.

My dad went for the baked eggs.  Again, served with house made english muffins, and his choice of sides.  Like the rest of us, he went for the home fries.

I didn't try any of this, but it looked really good, served in its own little cast iron skillet.  If my dad was more of the sharing type, I certainly would have taken a sample.

 [ Not Pictured ]

Strawberry Waffle: Edgewater Strawberries, MacNamara Whipped Cream, Mac's Maple Syrup.  $13.

My grandmother is the only one who selected a sweet option: the waffles!

I eat waffles several times a week at work, otherwise, I would have been very tempted by this dish.  I wish I'd taken a photo, as it also looked great.  Topped with plenty of strawberries, again from the farm down the street, and fresh whipped cream from the dairy down the street (the ones who made that amazing butter).

My grandmother doesn't have the largest appetite these days, and I usually only see her nibble slowly on a few bites.  Let's just say, this waffle didn't stand a chance against her.  It was devoured.  Every little last drop of strawberry juice was even scooped up.  I kinda think if we weren't in a nice restaurant, she may have licked the plate :)

Seriously though, she loved this.  I noticed partway through her eating it that she didn't have any syrup.  I realized it because I wanted to try some of the syrup on my homefries, and because we'd had a whole conversation about the maple syrup, wondering if "Mac's Maple Syrup" came from MacNamara Dairy or not (yes, it does).  When I asked the server about this, she apologized and quickly brought out a small pitcher of syrup for her.  My grandmother loved her dish even more once she had syrup.  I tried some on my homefries, and I must say, that was good syrup, clearly the real stuff.

Smoked Salmon Popover: Mustard Crème Fraîche, Greens, Capers.  Eggs Over Medium.  $18.

When I first decided to go to Home Hill for brunch, it was because I really wanted to try their fish and chips, normally part of their brunch menu.  I've been seriously craving fish and chips for literally months now, as we just don't have any good versions in San Francisco (primarily because we don't have Atlantic cod, haddock, scrod, hake, or any other really good fish to use).  My heart sank when we arrived and it was not available.  In its place was "fried lobster", which sounded totally fascinating, basically, lobster prepared fish and chips style, but I really didn't want more lobster!

So, I decided on the smoked salmon popover.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I've had popovers before, but they were always more like dinner roll to slather with butter, or a breakfast bread, to slater with jam, not a main dish.  The server said it was fantastic, and composed of many of the same elements as the benedict, but a more unique option.  So I went for it.

The popover was unlike anything I've had before.  It was not what you picture as a classic popover, normally light and fluffy, hollow interior, crispy exterior.  It was more eggy, but not like a quiche filling, which is good, because I don't like quiche.  It was moist, light yet also dense, almost like a soufflé.  I think it might have been a bit cheesy, or maybe it was just that creamy.  Anyway, I didn't know what to make of it really, but it was quite delicious.  I was intrigued with every bite, and loved it.

Served alongside was an incredibly generous portion of smoked salmon.  As you can guess at this point, the salmon was of course smoked in-house.  It was the same as the smoked salmon served with my mom's benedict, but I had a lot more on my plate.

The menu said it came with a mustard crème fraîche, but it seemed to be drizzled with the same hollandaise that my mother had on her benedict.  It was creamy, although a bit thick. The flavor was good, bursting with lemon.  Also garnished with the amazing sprouts.

The pop-over came with two eggs, cooked any way.  I selected over-medium, and was blown away.  Yes, they were just two eggs over-medium.  Nothing I couldn't get at any old diner.  And I get eggs over-medium cooked to order at work a couple times a week.  But these might have been the best eggs over-medium that I've ever had.  I'm sure the freshness of the eggs was one element of their success, but also, they were just cooked perfectly.  The whites were set but not rubbery, the yolks just a tiny bit runny.  Precisely how I want them.  And, like everything else I have encountered at Home Hill, seasoned to perfection.  See the large pepper flakes?  There is a reason no salt and pepper are normally required on the tables here!

For my side, I selected the homefries, but as you can see, I didn't get any!  When I asked the server about it, she quickly returned with a side plate full.  She apologized, and said she'd accidentally taken it from the pass before it was completed.  The homefries were fine, salty, nice, but just little cubed potatoes.  Much better once I dunked them in hollandaise, or even better, my grandmother's maple syrup!

Overall this was a great dish, the popover and the eggs really quite memorable.  I'd certainly get it again.

Chocolate Pot De Crème, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie.

I honestly don't know how we managed to order dessert at this point.  We'd all each consumed a full muffin, huge entrees, large side dishes ... but the allure of dessert was just too much.  We all remarked on how satisfied and completely stuffed we were.  I think at some level we all felt like we were so stuffed at this point that it just didn't matter.  For dessert, there were only a few options: the blueberry crumble or chocolate pot de crème that my mom and I had just a few nights before , a housemade ice cream, and a seasonal pie.  The moment the server mentioned the pot de crème, my mom's mind was made up.  She loved it the first time, and wanted more!  And since I didn't have before because I was avoiding the caffeine in the evening, I eagerly welcomed the chance to try the dessert that everyone else previously enjoyed.

Unlike the last meal, when were weren't offered any beverages with dessert, we were offered coffee and tea.  My aunt went for a mint tea, served in a cute little cast iron pot.  The tea selection was all local, of course.  My dad had a regular french press, and I had another decaf.  We all enjoyed our warm beverages alongside our desserts.

The pot de crème really was quite good, and I liked the presentation in the tiny cup.  I love pudding-style desserts, and actually eat a lot of chocolate pudding/mousse/pot de crème at work, as our pastry department makes some killer versions.  This was was creamy, with a next consistency, just firm enough to have a little give, not runny at all.  The texture was incredibly smooth, no grit.  Good chocolate flavor, but I would have preferred it even darker!  It was quite rich, and the whipped cream on top paired perfectly and cut the richness well.

It was served with a chocolate chip cookie, cuz, you know, you need some crunch with your pot de crème!  Our previous dessert platter had a cocoa nib cookie, which I didn't get to try.  My mom didn't like the cookie, and found it too hard for her liking.  It was certainly more crisp than I generally like, but it was a thick style, and it worked.  It was really, really buttery, which I liked, but otherwise, unremarkable.

Overall, a good chocolate pot de crème, but I eat so much of this sort of thing that it takes a lot to wow me in this department.  I'd get it again if I was in the mood for it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Whipped Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream.

Home Hill is known for their pies, always seasonal and changing, and since we'd tried the other desserts already, we also got several slices of the day's option: strawberry rhubarb.  When I visited last winter, we had the apple pie, and I really liked it then.

Like last time, it was served with both vanilla ice cream AND whipped cream.  I just absolutely love that.  Why pick when you can have both?  The presentation was improved this time, with the ice cream in a separate little cup, rather than melting all over the plate.

Like last time, the pie was a double crust, but it wasn't as buttery nor flaky as I remembered.  It was good crust, but not all that remarkable this time around.  Sadly, it wasn't served warm.  I love warm pie and cold ice cream, so this was really a disappointment, particularly as it truly was served hot last time.

That said, the filling was quite good, a mix of sweet strawberry and tart rhubarb.  My dad and aunt both ordered a slice, and even though everyone was full, they got finished pretty quickly (with my assistance, of course).

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Tavern Dining at Home Hill Inn

As you may have noticed, I really like Home Hill Inn.  It is by far the best restaurant I've been to in NH, and rivals those in San Francisco.  During my recent visit to see my family, I was determined to fit in as many meals there as possible, to experience the full variety of what they have to offer, since I'd only dined in the regular dining room before.  So I went for a formal tasting menu with a group in the private room early on in my visit.  I went for brunch a few days later.  But I also wanted to check out their tavern (really, just a bar area, but they call it a tavern).

The tavern features a large bar with seating, along with a few tables for 2-4 people.  They don't take reservations for the tavern, you just drop in, and it is a more casual environment.  You can order off the full dinner menu, but they also have a section of "Tavern Fare".  And on Tuesday nights, they have live music.

My last night in town was a Tuesday, and I was still really sad that I never got to have their fish & chips at brunch a few days earlier, so I somehow managed to convince my mom to go back to Home Hill for the third time, in less than a week.  My dad agreed to join us, but it was clear he wasn't remotely interested, as he is most certainly NOT a foodie, and even the tavern fare was a bit exotic for him.  But ... I have been wanting that fish & chips since I first read Home Hill's menu back in December, and tried to get my sister to go with me to the tavern back then, but she wasn't interested.  And it was on the menu the night we did the tasting menu, but alas, not on ours (I know, I know, fish & chips isn't really tasting menu appropriate, but I've been wanting it so badly!).  And it is normally on the brunch menu, but as I mentioned before, the morning we went, it was replaced with fried lobster.  So I was determined to finally get my haddock before I left!

When we arrived, I was a bit surprised that their was no live music.  I asked our server when the music was suppose to start, and she said they had cancelled.  Darn!  It would have made for a fun atmosphere, but no worry, we were there for the food anyway.

I almost cried when I saw the menu.  It seems that Tuesday nights are completely scaled back.  Their website actually says they aren't even open on Tuesday nights, so perhaps they are just experimenting with a smaller offering?  The starters section of the menu and the flatbreads were about the same as when we were there the other night, but both the entrees and tavern fare options were greatly reduced.  For tavern fare, there was only a burger, lobster roll, or bratwurst.  NO FISH & CHIPS.  So I was pretty disappointed, but I also knew that the other night they had some great sounding main entrees, like scallops.  So I moved my eyes down to that part of the menu.  It was shockingly short.  And ... no scallops.  No other seafood at all, other than the halibut dish that I had already.  I was pretty devastated.

The lack of live music and menu disappointment turned out to be just the start of a string of disappointments throughout the evening.  Everything about the food was almost the polar opposite of what we had experienced on all of our previous visits.  I've raved in the past about the amazing execution of everything - the fish, the vegetables, the sauces, everything was just so well done before.  Everything was expertly seasoned.  None of that was true this night.

The only shining star goes to our server, who was really friendly and nice, even when I was asking annoying questions, like "Are you sure you don't have any fish and chips?  Or scallops?"  She did tell me that seafood delivery day is Wednesday, so that is why there wasn't any other seafood.  She even noticed that we looked a bit cold, and quickly offered to cover up the AC vents (with menus - genius).

Had this been my first visit to Home Hill, I would never return.  If someone asked me to go back, I'd suggest other places.  My previous visits have been such highlights however, that I do still firmly intend to return next time I am in town.  I'd even still try the tavern, as I don't think it was being seated in there that was the issue.  I'll just be very sure not to ever go on a Tuesday.  It pains me greatly to write this review, and is perhaps the most tormented I've ever been reviewing somewhere.

House-made Potato Chips.

After we placed our order, we were brought the customary basket of house-made Home Hill goodness.  At brunch, the basket is filled with seasonal muffins.  At dinner in the main dining room, it is filled with fresh bread.  Apparently, in the pub (or perhaps on Tuesday nights in general?), it is filled with chips.

They were served warm, clearly fresh and made in-house, but very oily, and not really seasoned.  I didn't like them at all, but my parents devoured them.  My father, who never has anything to say about any food he tries, even commented on how they were better than the ones my mom normally purchases.  I guess if you like plain chips, these were good?  I dunno, I just don't ever eat plain chips, I prefer them flavored, or at least with a dip to dunk in.

Cherry Pig: Cherry Heering Infused Whistle Pig Rye Bourbon, Muddled Cherries, Urban Moonshine Maple Bitters.  $14. 

Since I wasn't all that enthralled with the wines on my previous visit, I decided to try a cocktail.  Their cocktail menu was impressive, really creative sounding drinks, all blended with local ingredients (like the bellini I had at brunch!).

I was first drawn towards the sweet, fruity creations, but decided they wouldn't pair well with my meal, and I was sitting in a tavern, so a rye drink just somehow appealed.  Like the rest of the drinks, it was made with local ingredients: the maple bitters and even the rye itself from Vermont producers.

While I wasn't looking for a sweet drink, I was shocked by how NOT sweet this was.  I expected the cherries and maple to impart some sweetness, but this really was an intense rye drink, and very bitter.  The first few sips I didn't like very much, and I just pulled out my cherries and enjoyed them.  As the ice cubes melted a bit, and I re-adjusted my expectations, it really grew on me.  By the end, I was sad to have finished it.

It was creative, good, and I enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn't order it again.  The price seemed high, normal San Francisco prices even, which I didn't expect given how reasonable all their other prices are (food, wines, etc).

Red Sangria: Pinot Noir, Orange, Grapefruit, Pineapple.  $12.

My mother also decided on a cocktail.  I apparently was a very bad influence on her, as she commented that she drank more during my week-long visit than the previous six months combined.  Whoops.

Her sangria was fruity and sweet, about what you'd expect.  A large size, justifying its $12 price.

My dad called us lushes and drank water :)

Roasted Heirloom Beets and Tender Greens Salad: Basil Vinaigrette, Easter Egg radish, Sheep's milk cheese.  $9.

As we were deciding what to order, we heard a guest at a nearby table ask, "Excuse me, is this the beet salad?"  The server responded, "Yes, that is your heirloom beet salad".  The diner than asked, "Well, then, isn't it supposed to ... contain beets?"  I chuckled inside as the server whisked it away.  I assumed there was just a mistake with their salad.

My mom loves beets.  She has been ordering beet dishes everywhere we've gone, so I wasn't surprised that she ordered this as a starter.  Given the description, she expected beets to be prominent.  They weren't.  There were just a few tiny pieces of beet in the entire thing, along with a few shaved radish slices.

It looked good to me though, mostly composed of the greens, which I expected to be fresh, crispy, and delicious, like the greens from our brunch dishes.  So while she was disappointed, I was about to dig in, when she made it pretty clear that the salad was not a winner, and not even worth trying.

She said the greens were all gritty, like they hadn't been washed.  They were dressed with a vinaigrette that she said was really just heavy oil.  And, she said the entire thing needed salt.  I often pick on her for saying that things are TOO salty, saying she just doesn't have a "chef's palette", so it was striking that she thought it was under-seasoned.

There was also a slice of cheese, just listed on the menu as "Sheep's milk cheese", we have no idea what kind it was, which is odd, given that they seem to pride themselves on listing all of their producers.

My mom did not bother finishing this dish.

Cheese Boa rd: Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue, Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, Crostini, Blueberries, Champagne Grapes, Honeycomb.  $8 ($4 each).

My dad, as I've mentioned, is a bit of a non-adventurous eater.  All of the starters were too exotic for him, save the cheese board.  On the menu, it listed "choice of local cheese", $4 each.  He ordered the cheese board, and the server asked what cheese he'd like.  He asked what they had ... and she realized we had no cheese menu.  In fact, they didn't have a cheese menu anywhere.  She left to go print one out somewhere.  It took quite a while for her to return, and my mom had already received her salad by the time he was able to order his cheeses.

My father also doesn't really know cheeses.  He had no idea how to pick.  I asked what he liked, and eventually garnered that he does like blue cheese and swiss cheese, so I selected the single blue cheese, and one that was listed as "alpine-style" for him.

We had the blue, Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen, at our tasting menu a few nights earlier.  It was about the same as that night.  The other selection was from Spring Brook Farm, in Reading, VT, also a cow's milk cheese.  It was nutty and firm, a decent cheese.

For his sides, he received the same crostini, grapes, and honeycomb that we had, but he also was given blueberries.  He doesn't talk much about food, so I don't really have a sense of how much he enjoyed this, but it was his first time trying honeycomb (which I made him try with the blue, since I loved it so much when I had it).  He didn't like it.

Local BLT Flatbread: Applewood bacon, garden greens, heirloom tomatoes, aioli. $15.

For his main, my father stuck with a mashup of two things he knows: pizza and BLTs.  Again, I don't have a sense of how much he liked it, as he wouldn't really say.

I did try a few bites, and was impressed with how crispy the crust was, but overall, it was lacking much punch.  The aioli had no flavor, so it was really just a crispy crust with a few chunks of tomato, the same greens that my mom had from her salad, and bacon, on top.  The tomatoes were fresh and quite good, but they weren't enough to really make this pop.

I liked the presentation on the bread board.

Lobster Roll: shallot, garlic, celery, Meyer lemon aioli, fries.  $19.

As I've mentioned, my mother loves lobster.  We had it a number of times during my visit, as she was thrilled to have someone else around to eat seafood with her, as my dad eats none.  She has been talking about lobster rolls all week, so this was a no brainer for her.

The lobster roll itself was fairly unremarkable, again, no real seasoning.  There seemed to be too much bread for the roll, and it kinda fell aspart the moment she picked it up.  She isn't carb-adverse or anything, but left behind huge chunks of bread.  She said it masked all other flavors.  We weren't sure where the meyer lemon aioli was, perhaps that was the light dressing on the lobster?  It wasn't overdressed at least, but we were expecting aioli to dunk the fries in.

Speaking of the fries, they were mostly cold when they arrived.  Not just not warm, but stone cold. Well, most of them, a few were actually warm.  Very inconsistent.  Like the chips, really oily.

They weren't listed on the menu, but it also came with slaw and pickles.  The slaw had strong seasoning, unlike everything else we encountered that night, and it was crispy and fresh, but something wasn't right.  The assorted pickles were good, not very vinegary.

Overall, my mother did not like this.  She ate the lobster out of the bread, but didn't find it to be that good.  She left a huge portion of the roll untouched.  She only ate a few fries, only a bite of slaw.  She was quite disappointed all around.

Veal Masala: Gnocchi, Masala wine, cultivated mushrooms, pecorino.  $24.

Speaking of disappointment ... I was there because I wanted seafood.  As I mentioned, the main reason we were there is because they did not have the fish & chips when I went for brunch, but I knew the fish & chips were normally on their tavern menu.  I was there for one thing only: fish & chips!  And the only seafood option was the halibut that I'd already had.  Perhaps I should have just gone for the halibut again, but given that it seemed like the fish wasn't fresh, I branched out.

I asked our server about the veal.  It had been years since I'd had veal, but I know that veal can be quite delicious, and I do love mushrooms and gnocchi.  She raved about the dish, saying how tender it was.  So, I went for it.

I started with a bite of the veal. It was incredibly chewy, way, way overcooked.  Tender is not a word I'd ever use to describe it.  I was sad, but moved on to the gnocchi.  It was unremarkable, not the kind I like that is seared on the outside and creamy on the inside, all just the same, mushy consistency.  Mediocre gnocchi can be saved by a great sauce, but the sauce on this was actually the worst part of the dish.  It was really just a huge pool of oil, with tons of soggy mushrooms in it.

I was really upset with it, but kept trying a few bites.  I moved on to eating my mom's cold fries, or my dad's banal flatbread, as I just didn't want anything to do with mine.  I thought that perhaps I was just being a snob, or that it was just because I really wanted seafood that I disliked it so much, but my mom asked for some, since she didn't like her dish.  I gave her a plate full, and she immediately remarked on how bad it was, saying that it was overdone, and just a pile of grease.  She took one bite and pushed it away.  This was before I gave my evaluation, so I knew it wasn't just me.

At $24, this was one of their most pricy dishes, and it was certainly not worth the price.  Way overcooked, insanely oily, just no redeeming qualities, at all.

Cherry Cheesecake. $8.

I was seriously sad after the entrees.  It wasn't just that Home Hill wasn't living up to our previous experiences, it was really just not good.  My mom proposed going out to ice cream to make up for it, but it was kinda cold out, so I decided against it.  When our server mentioned that they had cheesecake, I perked up a bit.  The cheesecake preparation was  a cherry cheesecake, slightly different from the raspberry cheesecake from the tasting menu that I'd really liked a few nights before.  So, we got it.

It wasn't the same, at all.

First, look at how thick the crust was.  I think the ratio of crust to filling was about 60:40.  So much crust!  The crust was good, buttery, crumbly, but there was way too much of it.  This version did not have the thin chocolate layer between the crust and filling.  The filling was creamy, but didn't have much flavor.  It really didn't seem the same as the previous one, at all.  But overall, these components were all fine, just not as great as I expected given our prior cheesecake.

But the worst part was the topping.  The previous one we had came with a delicious raspberry coulis.  This was covered in what honestly seemed like canned cherries.  Thick, sweet, not remotely fresh.

Not pictured is the decaf coffee I ordered alongside my dessert.  Like all of the coffee I ordered at Home Hill, it was quite good, individual french press style.  Highlight of the meal for sure, and the only part of our dinner that was consistent with our previous experiences.

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Home Hill Inn

For the holidays, I visited my family in New Hampshire.  Now, New Hampshire is a lovely place, and has many things to offer, but, a culinary destination it is not.  I'm so thankful I grew up there, and although I never appreciated it as a child, as an adult, I realize how fortunate I was to be raised somewhere where I could play on the lake all summer, ski at a mountain in my hometown all winter, and drive by beautiful scenery every day of my life.  But, particularly as my culinary world has expanded over the past few years, I've had a lot of disappointing dining adventures.  I've had some pretty horrible meals, and have pretty much stopped trying to go out anywhere, choosing to just enjoy the nostalgia of my mom's cooking (and baking!) instead.

On this recent visit however, I went out practically every single day, as the people I was visiting all wanted to go out.  As expected, most of it was mediocre at best.  I wasn't excited to do any more dining out, but I wanted to do something special with my parents one night, to give my mom a break before the holiday craze set in (she hosted a huge dinner on Christmas eve, and then a Christmas brunch, AND a Christmas day dinner), so I did a lot of research.  Or, as much as I could do.  New Hampshire is not the land of foodies and food bloggers, so there is scant information available.  I read every Yelp review, TripDdvisor review, Chowhound post I could find.  I read menus on restaurant websites, but I was lucky if places had websites to begin with, and even more lucky if the menus posted were even from 2012.

One place that kept coming up was Home Hill Inn, located in Plainfield, the next town over.  I had never been, nor had anyone I knew.  But reviews seemed positive.  They had a website AND even a Facebook page.  And on that page, I discovered their upcoming New Year's Eve special menu - it featured foie gras!  Now, you know I had a bit of a thing for foie gras back before it was banned in California, and have had very few opportunities to have it since.  The rest of the menu also sounded absolutely amazing, including the foie, scallops, lobster, so many amazing ingredients.  Of course, that was just on their special New Years menu, but their regular menu was also very appealing.

The menu was surprisingly extensive for a small restaurant, featuring several seafood dishes and cuts of steak, but also lamb, veal, pork, duck, rabbit, and a vegetarian pasta dish.  More impressive, each dish came with several sides, each unique, such as mascarpone polenta, grits, and celery root puree, rather than just a simple side of mashed potatoes.  The starters were even more fascinating, including house made pâtés, terrines, cured meats and fish, smoked fish, etc.  And, to satisfy the dessert lover in me, they are known for their pies.  I was sold, and quickly made a reservation.

You may have noticed at this point that I do not normally review restaurants not located in San Francisco.  I had no intention of writing this review.  I took a few photos while I was there, lazily, with my phone, just to include for reference to show my sister when I told her about the meal later, as she wasn't able to join.  I did not take any notes as I dined.  I did not copy down the menu descriptions.  I was in no way prepared to write this review.  But, I was so blown away by the experience that I had to write this up.  I apologize for the lower quality review than normal, but I want you to know about Home Hill Inn, should you ever wind up in NH.  Or even if you don't just wind up there, it really is a destination restaurant.

To get to Home Hill Inn (which, by the way, is also an inn, if you are ever looking for a place to stay in New Hampshire), you drive down a dirt road for several miles.  We drove past the farm where I used to go strawberry picking every summer in order for my mom to make her "famous" jam.  The nearest neighbor is the local dairy farm, where of course Home Hill sources all of their dairy products.  I am used to rural NH, but it felt like we were driving into the absolute middle of nowhere!  I kept thinking we must have missed it.  Protip: fear not, and drive on; I promise, it is worth it.

We finally turned into the long drive, flanked by stone pillars, adorned with Christmas wreaths.   White fenced horse paddocks were off in the distance.  The main building was lit up with a warm glow.  It was about as quaint and charming as it gets, and even though I grew up in the area, I was struck by just how adorable and inviting it was.

Inside was just as nice, rustic yet elegant, and I was immediately at ease, and optimistic that this meal would be far better than the others I'd had on the trip.  We passed by the lounge and pub area, where they serve a great sounding pub menu, complete with fish and chips, lobster rolls, meatloaf, and burgers.  I really want to return some time to try out their casual offerings.  We also passed by some private dining areas, where holiday parties were in full swing.

The service was good, and matched the feel of the restaurant.  It wasn't Michelin star service; no one came to fold my napkin when I left to use the bathroom, the crumbs on the table weren't scraped away between courses, and my mom's water glass did go empty a few times, as did my wine glass, but the waitress was knowledgeable about the dishes, friendly, and polite.  I think a more formal service would have felt out of place in such a rustic setting.

The pacing of the courses did feel a little slow to me, and was very slow to my parents, who are not accustomed to longer meals.  I am not sure I would have noticed if I were with my usual dining companions, as we tend to enjoy some wine with our meal, and the slower pacing can be appreciated.  I think some of the pace was simply due to the fact that they were really truly preparing all of our food to order.  The restaurant was very small, and the menu so varied, that I don't think they could possibly have that much done in advance.  I didn't mind the pace, but if you are accustomed to dinner never taking more than an hour, this could be a surprise.

The only thing I was disappointed by was the wine list, particularly, the wines by the glass.  There were only 5 reds, and a few whites.  Partially, I know I am spoiled from being so close to wine country in SF, but also, with a place this size, it obviously isn't possible to have a large by the glass list, and my parents aren't drinkers, so a bottle was out of the question.  They did have a bar program that surprised me, featuring weekly cocktail specials, all very creative sounding.

As I've alluded to so far, the food was fantastic, from start to finish.  The ingredients were all high quality, using local sourcing whenever possible.  I'd love to return in the summer, when things actually grow in NH, to see what they can do with seasonal produce.  The most impressive part was the level of the execution on each and every component of each and every dish.  It was all near perfection.  It is so rare to have so many things prepared correctly.  The small size of the restaurant obviously allows for this better than larger restaurants, but I've been to plenty of small places that still over or under cook items.  The dishes were not too adventurous, as this was rural NH after all, but there was a lot of variety on the menu, and each dish was clearly well thought out, and complex in its flavor and textures.  (As a side note, I do see sous vide and some molecular caviar on their New Year's menu ...)

Not only is Home Hill Inn is the best restaurant I've been to in the area, it is also the best I've been to in the past few months, even compared with top places in San Francisco.  It will now be a regular stop for me when I'm visiting my family.  I'm eager to try their casual pub menu, and the regular menu during the bountiful summer, and their Sunday brunch (which includes a plethora of eggs benedict options, served with their own housemade english muffins of course).  The New Year's Eve menu sounded incredible to me before I dined there, and now that I know how good their food is, I quasi-seriously considered changing my return flight to SF.  At 7 courses for $75, I almost think I could pay the change fee for my flight and still spend less than I would getting a comparable meal in SF :)

Housemade Bread Ball, complimentary.

To start our meal, we were brought a basket of housemade bread and a ramekin of whipped butter.  My expectations for bread baskets are incredibly low, even at top restaurants.  So many places bring cold, rather stale, uninspired bread and generic, hard, unspreadable butter.

I was pleasantly surprised when the basket arrived with fresh, hot bread.  Points for that.  There were two varieties of bread, a sourdough, and a "bread ball".  I started with the bread ball, as I'm not a fan of sourdough.  The bread ball was basically like a little donut hole, or fried dough, rolled in butter, parmesan and herbs.  I didn't love it, but it was creative, quite different, and clearly freshly made.

The sourdough I actually really liked.  It had a nice crust, a good chew, and wasn't too sour.  And perfectly warm, the butter melted right into it.  Speaking of the butter, it was soft whipped butter (bonus points for butter that I could actually spread without ripping the bread!), and it was topped with some large salt crystals (more points!)

At this point, expectations were set.  If they could get bread right, what else was in store for us?

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Huckleberry Compote, Balsamic Gastrique, Mache, Duck Fat Toasted Brioche.  $15.

As I mentioned, they had foie gras on the upcoming New Year's Eve menu, but it was not on the regular menu.  I asked the waitress if they had any additional specials that night, hoping that the foie would appear.  She said no.  I looked through the rest of the starters, and there were a slew that sounded fantastic, particularly the seafood ones.  But … I can get seafood in San Francisco.  I can't get foie.  So, I asked the waitress specifically if they happened to have any foie in the kitchen.  She seemed a little surprised, but obliged my request and went to check with the kitchen.  I think my parents were a little horrified, as they are not the type to ever ask for anything to be modified.  My dad asked me how I could do something like that, because what on earth would they charge me for it, if it wasn't on the menu?

To my delight, our server returned saying that yes, they had foie, and the chef could whip something up for us.  I eagerly said yes, even though I had no idea what I'd be getting.  Would it be seared? A torchon?  I had no idea.  I was so excited.  My mom participated in this adventure with me, although she's only had foie twice before, once at No. 9 Park in Boston (in several preparations, including their famous gnochhi) and once at another restaurant in my home town, but she didn't really enjoy it on the previous occasions, and I know she was just trying it again to humor me.  My dad has never had foie, and refuses to try it, so he went for a endive and apple salad ($8), with bacon, candied nuts, and a buttermilk based dressing.  I was way too distracted and happy with the foie that I didn't even ask for a bite.  He seemed to enjoy it.

Anyway, back to the foie.  The chef himself came out and presented it to us, which was a extra bonus, as I enjoyed chatting with him for a few minutes.

The foie was beautifully seared, as you can see from the visible crust in the photo.  It had a slightly smoky flavor.  The huckleberry gastrique was slightly sweet, slightly tart, nicely balanced on its own, and a perfect pairing with the foie.  The mache added a little bitter component and welcome freshness against the fatty foie.

The only part that wasn't successful for me was the brioche.  I love brioche, particularly with my foie, and I like it buttered or oiled with my foie as well.  But this was just too oily for me.  My mom seemed to like it.

My mom said over and over that this was the best foie she had ever had.   I'm glad she finally got a chance to have a good preparation, so she can somewhat understand why I enjoy it.

Like the courses that would follow, it was made with quality ingredients, paired well with the other components on the plate, and was well executed.  My second favorite savory dish of the evening.  

Scallops, celery root puree, root veggies. $26.

My mom and I both wanted the scallops, but I let her order it, under the promise that she'd share.

The scallops were well prepared, but slightly more done than I prefer, medium, rather than medium-rare.  Had I ordered it myself, I probably would have asked for the scallops to be medium rare.  The scallops themselves weren't particularly flavorful, but they weren't bad.  

The star of the dish was the celery root puree.  It was delicious, creamy, and bursting with flavor.  I loved they they elevating such a seemingly simple ingredient.

Overall, this was a very good execution of a scallop dish, certainly better than most, but I wouldn't rave about it.  My least favorite of the savory courses.  It was a fair price for 5 large scallops.

Skate Wing, Mascarpone Polenta.

I wanted seafood, and since my mom picked the scallops, I needed to pick a different dish. 

I asked the server about the skate wing and she said it was a brand new menu item that night.  The skate was super fresh and local, coming from Glouscester, MA.   Skate is not something that shows up on menus all that often (at least on the west coast), but the last time I had it was at Le Bernadin in New York, where  it was phenomenal (as was everything there, which you might expect given that its a very well deserved 3 star Michelin restaurant).  I decided to gamble and go for it, knowning I could fall back on a few bites of my mom's scallops if I didn't like it.

I didn't need to worry.  This was the best seafood dish I've had at any restaurant in the past year.  If you follow my blog, you know I've had a lot of fantastic meals, dined at a lot of top restaurants in San Francisco.  And this dish put them to shame.  And it had a lot to live up to, given that my comparison point was Le Bernadin.

The skate was perfectly cooked.  I don't throw that word around lightly.  It was beautifully crispy on the outside, yet moist and tender inside.  One of the best cooked pieces of fish I've ever had.  It was well seasoned.   It made me wish I could find skate more often, as I love how it is firm and yet delicate at the same time.

It was accompanyed by a marscapone polenta, which was just as delicious as you can imagine.  Creamy, cheesy, quite good.  I didn't think it worked that well with the fish however, it was too rich for the more delicate fish.  It would have been phenomenal with a steak and some rich sauce.

There was also some confit fennel, with some salty capers.  They added a great balance of flavors, and went well with both the polenta and the skate, tying it all together.  I also liked the very tender texture against the crispy fish.  There was also something on top, that I couldn't identify.  It was fresh and crispy, but I could have done without it.  It didn't add anything to the dish, and didn't quite match the rest of the components.

As you can guess, this was my favorite dish of the night.  I'd order it again in a heartbeat.  Kudos chef!

My dad had a steak, with some beautiful looking ciopolini onions and fries.  He isn't much of a steak eater, and my mom and I were both shocked at how he devoured the entire thing.  I snuck a french fry.  It was good, fresh, not oily, crispy, with some skin on.  It definitely made me want to check out some of their lounge and bar food, particularly the fish and chips.

Eggnog Crème Brûlée, Whipped Cream, Almond Cookies.  $8.

After such a stellar meal, I almost considered not getting dessert.  That NEVER happens, as you know I'm a huge dessert girl.  But I was so happy and satisfied at that point, I didn't want to risk ending on a less positive note.  But then I saw the dessert menu.  ZOMG.  One thing immediately jumped out: Eggnog Crème Brûlée!  You know me and crème brûlée.  And I've been seriously craving and devouring every eggnog flavored item I've come across this season.  And the eggnog was from the diary next door, how much more local does it get?  Sold!

The top passed the tap test, but tasting it quickly revealed that it was a little too torched.  Rather than having a nice caramelized flavor, it tasted burnt.  My mom wouldn't eat any of it and pushed it aside.  It kinda grew on me when paired with my coffee, as the bitter flavor worked with it, but this was definitely a execution flaw, the only one we saw all evening.

The custard was indeed eggnog flavored, but wasn't particularly creamy.  It also did not have the temperature contrast that I like, with a warm top layer and cold body.  It was not bad, but not particularly good.

It came with some cookies on the side.  They were crunchy almond flavored cookies, not remarkable.  I'm not really sure why there was a pile of whipped cream also on the side.  It got all over the side of the ramekin, and the cookies were awkwardly covered with it too.

Overall, not bad, but not really good.  Weakest dish of the night.  Wouldn't order again.

Double crust apple pie, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream.  $8.

Home Hill is known for their pies, which are also available full sized to take home.  I encouraged my father to order one, and of course, to share with me.  They had two selections available: apple or peach.

Apple is one of my least favorite pies.  Not that I don't like it, but I'd usually pick any other sort of pie over apple if given the choice.  And I had apple pie a few days prior, and would be having my grandmother's apple pie for Christmas, so I really wasn't excited about this.  But it was my dad's pick.

The pie didn't win any plating awards.  It was off center.  The scoop of ice cream was a little melted and just off to the side.   I was skeptical, but eagerly dug in.  I'm glad we went for it, because it was a very good pie.

You have to like crust to like this pie.  Not only did it have a full top crust, the back crust was very thick.  I love crust, and this was a very good one, flaky and buttery,  so it didn't bother me at all, but the crust to filling ratio was certainly different from what I'm used to.  It was loaded with large chunks of well spiced, perfectly cooked apples, not too mushy, not too firm.

They get major bonus points for being served warm.  Not lukewarm, but actually warm.  I can't stand pie at restaurants being served cold, or even worse, halfheartedly reheated and lukewarm.  And they get even more bonus points for coming with both whipped cream AND housemade vanilla ice cream.  The ice cream was creamy and good, and being a contrast lover, I'm a total sucker for warm pie and cold ice cream.  The whipped cream was clearly freshly made, fluffy, good.

The best of the desserts, and I'd love to try some of their other pies, particularly varieties I'm more generally into.

They also had a white chocolate and peppermint cheesecake with salted carmel sauce that sounded awesome, but we only had so much space left after such a delightful meal.  Next time!

We also enjoyed some coffee with our desserts, from a local roaster, served in individual french presses.  I appreciated the waitress stating that mine was decaf as she set it down in front of me.  It was a very strong coffee, had no "decaf funk" to it, and I really enjoyed it, even black.  Black coffee, particularly paired with dessert, is my favorite, but there are few decafs that I can truly enjoy black!

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Another Meal at Home Hill Inn

My family lives in New Hampshire, and I never expected to find a restaurant there that I liked, given that I'm now from the big city of San Francisco.  But I did.  Several visits back, I discovered Home Hill Inn.  I had a truly phenomenal skate wing on my first visit for dinner.  I had a stellar brunch on my next.  I even arranged a formal tasting dinner in the private room for myself, my mother, and some of her friends, where we had really, really good halibut.   On the same trip, I dragged my parents back for a casual meal in the Tavern side, but it turned out to be awful.  After that last visit, I said I'd never visit on a Tuesday night again (the casual pub night, with a reduced menu, and usually not the executive chef), but I was hopeful that it might have just been a blip in an otherwise good track record.

So on my next visit to New Hampshire,  I quickly booked brunch with my family at Home Hill.  The day before my brunch reservation however, I got a call saying they were no longer serving brunch.  I was a bit devastated, since I was in town only for a few days, and the only dinner slot I was free was Tuesday.  But, I knew that the executive chef would actually be there that night since they were hosting a special event.  So I took my chances and went, even though I was very, very wary of Tuesday night dining.

Like the other time we visited on a Tuesday, the main dining room was closed.  Seating was available in the tavern room, or in a side dining room with just four small tables.  Since there was live music in the tavern, and we were with my grandmother who is harder of hearing, we went for the side room thinking it would be quieter.  I'm not sure if it was or not, but the room was pretty loud due to the other diners being quite boisterous, in a very small space.  It was not the ambiance we were hoping for, although besides the noise, still homey and comfortable.

The service wasn't really up to par.  No servingware was brought for shared appetizers.  Some dirty utensils were cleared between courses, others left behind.  The ones that were cleared were not replaced.  Once our main dishes were brought out, our server never glanced our way again.  No new drinks were offered, even though my glass was empty when she brought out my main, so I didn't have a drink to go with my main course.

But the real disappointment was the food.  While it wasn't nearly as bad as our previous tavern dining experience, it wasn't good.  Even though I've had some incredible meals at Home Hill, after this one, I'm tempted to not return.

Chips. Complimentary.

Like on our other Tuesday night visit, instead of bread, we were served chips to start.  And just like last time, I really didn't like them.  I like chips, I eat all sorts of packaged chips all the time.  But these just offered nothing, they weren't hot, they weren't well seasoned, and they just seemed greasy and almost even burnt.  All I tasted was oil.

I'm a serious nibbler and snacker, and I wasn't even tempted by these.  My mother and grandmother were however, just like my mom and dad were last time.  I guess they just aren't my style.

Crab Cakes: Pickled Shallots/Tender Greens /Aioli. $15.

To start, we shared the crab cakes.

Now, to be fair, I'm spoiled in California with amazing Dungeness crab.  I think it is far tastier than lobster.  I adore crab.

I knew their crab cakes wouldn't be made with my precious dungeness, but more likely with Maine Jonah crab.  But I still thought they would be tasty, as I love crab cakes in general, and I'm a sucker for anything I can slather with aioli.

But these were not good.  The cakes were crispy on the outside, which was great, but just pure mush on the inside.  They fell apart the moment you cut into them.  No lump crab meat, all shredded.  And very, very, very fishy tasting.  They tasted like they'd gone bad, honestly.  I took a second bite for research purposes and then quickly moved on to other things.  My mother and grandmother didn't object to the fishyness, but both kept saying that they were far too salty, and they did not enjoy them either.

On the side was a little salad of greens with heirloom tomato, pickled shallots, and aioli acting as dressing.  This was actually quite tasty.  The greens (baby sprouts?) were crisp and flavorful.  The tomatoes were shockingly good, particularly for November. They came in assorted chunks of different colors, were really juicy, quite fresh.  The aioli was also good, but there wasn't nearly enough of it, particularly if you wanted any for the crab cakes as well.

If I'd been somewhere else, I think I would have considered sending the crab cakes back, they just tasted that off.  Poor execution (mushy interior, oily exterior, and lack of lump meat) are one thing, but I questioned if they was actually safe to be eating.

$15 for two cakes and the side salad was a fine price, but I obviously won't get again.

My mom also ordered a soup for a second starter which she liked.  I didn't try it, but she said it was served hot, and was nice mellow fall soup, no overpowering flavors.

Cast Iron Seared NEO Halibut: Cauliflower Puree /Roasted Romesco /Watermelon Radish Slaw. $27.

When we visited over the summer for the tasting menu, the halibut was above and beyond the star.  I was thus delighted to see a halibut offering on the menu again.  I picked the halibut this time over the fish and chips that also finally showed up on the menu, which I'd wanted so very badly last time.

The halibut was a huge portion.  I'm not sure I've ever received a piece of fish this large before!  It had a good sear on the outside, crispy, but the inside was overcooked and dry.  Not moist and not very seasoned.  It didn't have any sort of sauce to go with it, to help balance out the dryness and overall lack of flavor.

Served atop a cauliflower puree, with roasted romesco on the side, and watermelon radish slaw on top.  The roasted romesco and cauliflower puree were both fine, unremarkable, basically, exactly what you'd expect, basic roasted vegetables and a creamy puree.  I give them credit for serving romesco, which neither my grandmother nor mother had never encountered before, and for the cauliflower puree, which is a well known trendy substitution for mashed potatoes elsewhere, but I'm not sure that fad has reached NH yet.  The watermelon radish slaw was light, crisp, and the best part of the dish.  I loved how peppery and zingy it was.

Overall, this wasn't bad, but it wasn't good.  It just didn't come together flavorwise and was overcooked.  Although it was a generous size, $27 for an entree in such a rural area is a bit high.

Decaf Coffee.  $2.

After we finished our mains, no dessert menu was provided, instead we were simply asked if we wanted dessert.  Since I'm obviously a dessert girl, I said yes, and asked what they had.  Our server stumbled over some descriptions, not really sure what they had.  Two of the desserts mentioned were from the special menu being offered that night (cider donuts and ice cream), and the other two were classic offerings (crème brûlée and cheesecake).

I really wanted the cider donuts, since those are a classic New England offering.  My mom really wanted ice cream, and my grandmother crème brûlée, so ... we ordered all three.

Of course, I also needed a coffee to pair with my dessert.  I loved the decaf there in the past, but this time it was only ok.  Not bad, far better than most decaf, but not as good as I remembered.  Still served in an individual french press.

Unfortunately, it was brought long before the desserts, so it was long gone by the time the sweet desserts that I wanted to pair with it arrived.  I could have slowed down drinking it, but it was getting cold too fast, and I wouldn't have wanted it cold either.

$2 is a wonderful price for coffee at a restaurant, and I'd get again, but perhaps I'd have to specifically suggest that they please bring it with my dessert, or closer to it.

Apple Cider Donuts with Cranberry Jam. $5.

Well, hmm.  I was a bit shocked when these arrived.  Apple cider donuts are a New England thing.  I grew up with them.  I was expecting donuts, not donut holes.  But ok, donut holes are cuter.  It was a bit strange how they were all totally different sizes and shapes however.

But I still eagerly dug in, because who doesn't love coffee and donuts?

They were cold.  Clearly not freshly fried.  I was devastated.  I never expected that.  What restaurant serves donuts and doesn't serve them hot and fresh out of the fryer?  Even donut shop donuts are better than this.

My grandmother and mother didn't even try a bite of these, I think they could tell from just looking at them that they were not good.  I tried a few bites out of each one, hoping that the high variance in shape would result in a different tasting donut, but they were all the same.  I didn't taste apple cider at all.  Just oil.  No flavor.  All stone cold.

The cranberry jam served alongside was tasty, loaded with cranberries, a bit tart.  But really just jam.  It couldn't save the donuts.

I would never get this again, and I encourage them to remove such an item from the menu if they aren't going to be freshly prepared.  No one goes to a restaurant for cold donuts.

Creme Brûlée. $8.

My grandmother went for a dessert I'm a serious snob about: crème brûlée.  As you know, I get it everywhere, and I have strong opinions on what it should be.

The top marginally passed the "tap test".  I would have preferred a slightly thicker layer on top, but it did have a bit of give to it.  Nice caramelized flavor.

The pudding itself was a bit loose, not set quite enough, not really custardy.  Like the donuts, I don't think it had been freshly prepared to order, as it did not have the hot top and cool pudding contrast that I love.

Not awful, but not worth getting again.  Price was on par with that at a city restaurant, which surprised me given the location.

Cranberry Chocolate Ice Cream with Salted Caramel. $5.

My mom orders ice cream everywhere.   I really have no idea why.  I love ice cream, I eat it all the time obviously, but restaurant desserts usually have so much more to offer.  Unless they really specialize in ice cream, it isn't usually better than what you can get a grocery store, and turn into an awesome sundae at home.

My mother was using the restroom when the dessert arrived, so I snuck a bite.  I was shocked when my spoon hit the surface and didn't go in very easily.  The top was drowned in caramel.  Soooo much sticky caramel.  The caramel was really quite tasty, but very overwhelming and hard to eat around.  You had to eat many spoonfuls of just caramel before reaching the ice cream, and then it was hard to combine them both into a delightful bite.  The ice cream was just standard chocolate ice cream, and it arrived a bit too softy and melty, which just got worse before my mom arrived to eat it, so she just had a cup of soupy melted ice cream.  Given how melted it was, I did consider that perhaps the donuts and crème brûlée had actually been prepared fresh and were left sitting for a long time before bring brought to us, which would make more sense.  Maybe the desserts were fresh, and should have arrived with my coffee.  Who knows.  Meh.

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