My third visit confirmed my impressions from the first two. The food just isn't very good and the…read moreservice is slow. Not that I minded spending 3 hours dining - it was 6 of us catching up - but it was more about the timing, and not being able to get service at the times we needed it.
Our party had reserved a very nice window table, overlooking the hilltop golf course and supposedly with distant views of Boston, though I couldn't spot it. Our waitress was perfectly fine though obviously overworked. Not enough staff to cover this large dining room. It took a surprisingly long time to get our drinks. The slowness continued throughout the meal, and one of my companions had to drink his dirty martini "clean", the blue cheese-stuffed olives he asked for arriving too late.
We ordered three appetizers for sharing: Antipasto alla Italiana, Meatball Trio, and Steamed Mussels. The Antipasto, an assortment of Italian meats and cheeses was oddly served as a "tower": the prosciutto draped over a metal frame like Irish Moss on a live oak, the blob of burrata on the top like a UFO had just landed in the treetop. Clever, or bizarre? I say the latter. The other meats were laid out flat on the base, hard to pick up. This dish was not at all easy for sharing, though it was clearly intended for that. It was heavy on the meats, with not enough cheeses or veggies. A more balanced selection would likely permit a lower cost as well. I considered the $33 price, the highest by far of their appetizers, severely overpriced.
The steamed mussels were very disappointing. Tiny, not much bigger across than a nickel! The broth, supposedly of white wine, garlic, preserved lemons, capers, red pepper, and fennel, tasted of little more than salt. When I could access it that is. This dish was served in a small bowl with high sides so the liquid couldn't be reached until most of the mussel shells were removed first. And the garlic bread? Not garlicky at all, and burnt and bitter, not grilled.
The third app, the meatball trio, was quite good. At least the meatballs were. As for the marinara sauce, read on.
My entree was Veal Parmigiana. Another disappointment. The veal was dry and overcooked. The spaghetti was fine. But the marinara? I have literally never had worse! No bright tangy tomato flavor, no detectable garlic, basil, or other herbs and spices. So bland. And something "off" about it, like they added cream or something? Just wow. I finished the veal, but barely touched the spaghetti and didn't bother to take any home. If I had liked it there wouldn't have been much to take home anyway. The portion was on the small side compared to parmigiana entrees elsewhere.
How to finish off a mediocre meal? How about a mediocre chocolate tart? Rice-flour crust, with vanilla gelato, whipped cream, and sea salt chocolate ganache. Just as dull as can be. The ganache tasted sweet but not particularly chocolatey. The crust was just sweet and crumbly with no flavor of its own. I suppose the rice flour was so it could be gluten-free but it didn't work. The gelato was ok. And the espresso I got with it was very good, though very expensive at $7.
I should know better than to eat at a golf club restaurant. But it's Dracut, and not much around, our friends live close by - and they seem to like it - so it probably won't be the last time. But I won't be repeating the mistakes of this visit. I'll try all different things next time. But they could be so much better if they only tried!
