|

From the outside, Bernard's Grove
looks like a biker bar. From the inside it looks like... an extremely tidy
biker bar.
But the
customers favor polo shirts over leather jackets. And while we spotted a
Mercedes in the parking lot, we didn't see any Harleys. What this
out-of-the-way place, on the edge of Long Pond in extremely north Greece
tastes like, is a Park Avenue hit. Veal chop with a cherry demi-glaze,
anyone? Chicken and shrimp Gorgonzola over angel hair? And creme
brulee? In a place that looks more like the Dew Drop Inn than Le
Cirque?
The
incongruity is actually quite refreshing. And the prices tend to be a
whole lot cheaper than what you'll find
downtown.
The servers are very good without the uppity downtown attitude. The
seafood bisque was thick, creamy and peppery, with plenty of chunks of
various shellfish. The Onion Jack Soup was a clever variation on an old
theme. A giant square of melted Monterey Jack covered the bowl and most of
its broad rim, providing lots of gooey, crispy cheese.
House salads were full of good
greens and came with interesting dressings, such as a creamy and mild
lemon-basil and a nicely balanced balsamic vinaigrette with blue cheese
crumbled on top.
That chicken-and-shrimp dish was wonderful and plentiful, more than
enough for two full meals. The sauce combined fresh, chopped plum
tomatoes, slivered basil leaves and tangy Gorgonzola cheese, and played
well off the milder flavor of two pounded chicken breasts and two jumbo
shrimp.
Filet mignon stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese came with the most
delicious brown sauce made with Cabernet and decorated with little
curlicues of that wonderful cheese. I had to restrain myself from mopping
the plate with a slice of bread.
Desserts were all
quite good, too. Chocolate Mousse Gran Marnier was fluffy and intensely
chocolate while subtly orange. Go eat at this restaurant, whether you
ride a cycle or not. Featured in
Democrat and Chronicle May 18, 2000
Specialized Feature Board includes a delicious
slection of Fresh Fish flown in daily including Yellow Fin tuna, A variety
of White Fish and a uniquly prepared selection of Veal, Steak, Pork and
Wild Boar |