Review-The Griswold Inn - Wine & Tapas Bar (24 out of 25)

Continuing on from my last review on the "inn" after checking in I headed down for some dinner. Being a Wednesday in January as expected the restaurant was quiet and being on "over time" energy I opted to test out the relatively new Wine & Tapas Bar at "The Gris". I can say honestly that I had dined at the Gris before and never left feeling as though the restaurant was as good as it could have been. However the Gris brought in a new chef and things look upbeat.

Now for the Wine & Tapas Bar... a handful of guests dotted the eatery, and as per the finer tapas establishments in Spain each enjoyed a bottle or two of wine and some of the various assortments of tapas. Tapas or "small plates"  actually was created in Spain back in the late 1960s by bartenders trying to keep flies, yes flies out of the wine. They used small plates to cover the wine and food and someone eventually came up with the idea to offer small amounts of food to the guests so they would drink more. End of story...

I was greeted by a bartender, a German girl, friendly and very accomodating. She gave her and the house recommendations and I opted for a few of my own as well. Located in the local favorite "Steamship room" where the docks of Essex about 1890 show a steamship that moves when turned on. Nice touch...and good to see that it was saved during the renovations.

The restaurant itself was well done, open and airy, but yet intimate and as designed allowing everyone to be social. The menu consisting of various local products and seasonal items sounded more gourmet than of the standard tapas variety--- meatballs, chorizo sausage etc... bla bla...

I opted for scallops with pumpkin seeds, lamb and an assortment of cheeses and other tasty items. A different glass of wine for each, and the sizes available are: half glass, full glass or bottle. Anyway... the scallops with pumpkin seeds were outstanding... fresh and tasty the pumpkin seeds did justice and were not overpowering. The lamb came tender and outstanding. Easy to cut but fresh enough to see it was not overcooked or over marinated in anyway. The cheese assortment was outstanding and the wine, a riesling, was outstanding to the selection. The chardonnay, the name escapes me, was excellent to the scallops as well.

For desert I ordered the "egg nog Creme Brulè" which was a nice size portion and outstanding. Tasted of egg nog with the sweetness of the browned sugar topping. The coffee, house blend was excellent as well and was smooth and fresh brewed.

With this in mind and three glasses of wine on a jet lagged body I left very full, very happy and made some new friends that sat beside me at the bar.

The Wine Bar is a place to be enjoyed. Knowledgeable staff, friendly and very aware of the mood of the room this bar will be a hit and is something that Essex and the River Valley has long needed. With this in mind...


RATINGS KEY:
SCALE:1-Low/Check out other places, 3 "ok" to 5-Highly Recommended
Price: (1)up to 15.00 person, (2) 15.01 - 25.00 person, (3) 25.01-35.00 person, (4)- 35.01-50.00 person
(5) Over 50.00 person

Price: Includes Main Course, tax & tip. (drinks, appetizers, deserts not included).

Dining

                                                                

Food (quality & presentation)	5
Variety	5
Service	5
Beverage Selection	5
Atmosphere	4
Price (not factored into scoring)	4

Steamboat Room at the Wine Bar - Click to visit