Very nice little meal. All of the folks at my table had a great time. The rockfish special seemed to be a huge hit, despite a few bones. The veggie pasta looked great and got big stars (the seemingly vegetarian Wild Mushroom Ragout isn’t vegetarian). I got the tuna steak frites - overall very good. The tuna was it bit more on the medium side than the chef suggested, and similar to what ThatGrrl reported, the fries were not very “fry-y” they were a bit wet. We ordered a nice tempernillo, and ended it all with a banana split.
Yes, lots of Villains in the house and it seemed like a big hit. Good luck, Local. I’ll be back.
Hmm. Wonder what they’re doing (or not doing) to the steak frites. They really do taste good, but they are just limp and completely devoid of crunch. A thin crunch, with softness inside, would be what I’d expect. But that really was the only very teeny complaint we had regarding our meal. Service was efficient without being overbearing. ThatBoy loved the pork chop and would marry it if it were legal. My steak was completely wonderful, the tamarind sauce insanely good. And the glass of Malbec I had was super (order it Lilith!).
i also had the gnocchi, which i thought was fantastic. the salmon “wings” were really good too, but because they’re the collar of the fish, they had a lot of bones. didn’t bother me, but i could see it bothering some people. anyway, the place looked great, the service was fine, and the bar was full until at least 11:30 when i left. i’m definitely going back, at least to try those frites…
Just back from the opening at The Local, and my report is: A+ for an opening. These folks have put some major work into making it a great space to hang out. Forthcoming roof deck: AWESOME. Can’t wait.
I’m sure a full cVillain review will be along once they have a few weeks to get going.
Well done, The Local!
Also: a little birdie hears tell of the inclusion on their late-night menu of chips and salsa, an imperative addition.
we just stopped in for drinks but it turned into a long session so the eggplant app was ordered and we also got some fries. eggplant - amazing, fries - not so much. the bartenders were a bit aloof but nice, and the malbec was excellent. i’m so glad to have them in the neighborhood!
It was great. We had the pork chops, chicken and banana split - all excellent. The atmosphere was nice - not unlike a more open C&O. Both the windows / doors facing the street on the first and second floors are very large and make the place seem a lot bigger than it is. It was fun to watch the hustle of little downtown belmont.
One issue: We were sitting downstairs and someone (a toddler I was told…) spilled a glass of water at the table upstairs above us. All the water rained down straight through the floor onto our table. Luckily it wasn’t a bottle of wine… (or other toddler fluids…). Add some sealant to the floor and the place is excellent.
One issue: We were sitting downstairs and someone (a toddler I was told…) spilled a glass of water at the table upstairs above us. All the water rained down straight through the floor onto our table.
Wow. That must have been a surprise! Probably was to the owners, too. I have a feeling that there is a subcontractor out there who might be getting a stern talking to.
Based on two visits, The Local earns enthusiastic thumbs-up.
The very best of our dishes, in order of preference: a perfectly-cooked pork chop with an intense spice rub, accompanied by crisp sweet potato twigs and fine mashed potatoes; gnocchi with a rich reduction and succulent meaty bits; caramelized banana split with toasted nuts; and draft Allagash white. Almost as good: fried oysters (note to kitchen - maybe ease up on the breading?); and malbec and cab sauv by the glass. Can’t wait to hork though the rest of the menu.
The food- and drink-pushers were pleasant and lovely, nicely matching the ambiance.
Reasonable prices, great location…what’s not to like? Well, maybe, the wait…for the unfortunates who show up at seven or later, without a reservation….
we hung out on the patio at the local tonight and slugged beers. i think one person smoked a joint of illegal marijuana someplace nearby, which is normal, and then… we re-named the whole area. it’s the valley of cool.
I had the oyster appetizer, the gnocci but with the truffle mushroom sauce, and split the banana split. It was so good! And I am so excited they do pasta dishes by half order! We went with tempranillo, and I was really liking the entire drink list. I tried some fries, and I am a weirdo who loves soggy fries. So they were perfect. They need some cool sauces to serve them with, though, like some aoli or hickory bbq or something? The banana split was crazy-good.
Our server did a great job, but I don’t remember hearing about any specials! I’ll just have to go back.
I ate there last night and was quite impressed with the food — especially at the price-point. Friendly and prompt service coupled with a great atmosphere made it altogether an enjoyable place. They were also easy going about a last minute change in the size of our party. Nice job, guys.
Went last night with a group of 6, and everyone was disappointed. Half of us are vegetarians; we weren’t impressed with the veggie options and ordered overpriced, boring salads. Luckily I had read on this thread that the mushroom ragout isn’t vegetarian, because the menu description sure sounds like it’s veggie! I also warned everyone about the soggy fries, having read that here too, and they were pretty much as described here. The bread was also underwhelming. We won’t be going back unless the menu is overhauled. Neat space though.
Its Sparky’s Flaws! Just kidding. Seriously though, they have been open like what four days? Try em again in a while, I am sure they will work on tightening things up. Did you notice the little sentence on the bottom right of the menu about dietary restrictions being accommodated and all you have to do is ask? Well… um, you have them, so…didja? As a seventeen year veggie, I have never seen anything like that, and I think its kinda cool.
Theres’s only a few jobs you have to be absolutely perfect at the first time. Like steeplejacking.
Very nice designed place. Looks great and the decor is pitch perfect. The food needs to get better quickly. The service was below average and it was not crowded. I sat and watched my drinks sit on the bar for a full 5 minutes before the waitron had them delivered. Pork chops were over cooked/tough- the sauce was tasty, the ceasar salad was horrible- limp lettuce and tasteless. The short ribs were very good. You get twice as many oysters at Cassis then here. The price are good and I hope the food improves. I come back when I hear it has.
[…] little jewel, The Local, many of you have already eaten there and like it. We’ve asked you what you think of The Local and published The Local’s […]
Very nice little meal. All of the folks at my table had a great time. The rockfish special seemed to be a huge hit, despite a few bones. The veggie pasta looked great and got big stars (the seemingly vegetarian Wild Mushroom Ragout isn’t vegetarian). I got the tuna steak frites - overall very good. The tuna was it bit more on the medium side than the chef suggested, and similar to what ThatGrrl reported, the fries were not very “fry-y” they were a bit wet. We ordered a nice tempernillo, and ended it all with a banana split.
Yes, lots of Villains in the house and it seemed like a big hit. Good luck, Local. I’ll be back.
Looks like a ragout is a stew with a brown sauce and meat… but a ratatouille counts as a ragout… hmmmm
Hmm. Wonder what they’re doing (or not doing) to the steak frites. They really do taste good, but they are just limp and completely devoid of crunch. A thin crunch, with softness inside, would be what I’d expect. But that really was the only very teeny complaint we had regarding our meal. Service was efficient without being overbearing. ThatBoy loved the pork chop and would marry it if it were legal. My steak was completely wonderful, the tamarind sauce insanely good. And the glass of Malbec I had was super (order it Lilith!).
Good, not great.
Delicious little gnocchi.
Worth going back to try again.
Nice scene.
i also had the gnocchi, which i thought was fantastic. the salmon “wings” were really good too, but because they’re the collar of the fish, they had a lot of bones. didn’t bother me, but i could see it bothering some people. anyway, the place looked great, the service was fine, and the bar was full until at least 11:30 when i left. i’m definitely going back, at least to try those frites…
I repeat my assessment from last night:
Also: a little birdie hears tell of the inclusion on their late-night menu of chips and salsa, an imperative addition.
Have to second Stanley’s kudos on decor. They did a really fantastic job of creating a comfy new hangout.
Oooo. Lat night chips and salsa on the roof deck. I’m soooo there.
we just stopped in for drinks but it turned into a long session so the eggplant app was ordered and we also got some fries. eggplant - amazing, fries - not so much. the bartenders were a bit aloof but nice, and the malbec was excellent. i’m so glad to have them in the neighborhood!
It was great. We had the pork chops, chicken and banana split - all excellent. The atmosphere was nice - not unlike a more open C&O. Both the windows / doors facing the street on the first and second floors are very large and make the place seem a lot bigger than it is. It was fun to watch the hustle of little downtown belmont.
One issue: We were sitting downstairs and someone (a toddler I was told…) spilled a glass of water at the table upstairs above us. All the water rained down straight through the floor onto our table. Luckily it wasn’t a bottle of wine… (or other toddler fluids…). Add some sealant to the floor and the place is excellent.
One issue: We were sitting downstairs and someone (a toddler I was told…) spilled a glass of water at the table upstairs above us. All the water rained down straight through the floor onto our table.
Wow. That must have been a surprise! Probably was to the owners, too. I have a feeling that there is a subcontractor out there who might be getting a stern talking to.
Did anyone notice that dude in the back who was staring at everyone? Was that the expo dude or an owner?
Did anyone notice that dude in the back
That’s the “enforcer”. The less you know, the better.
Based on two visits, The Local earns enthusiastic thumbs-up.
The very best of our dishes, in order of preference: a perfectly-cooked pork chop with an intense spice rub, accompanied by crisp sweet potato twigs and fine mashed potatoes; gnocchi with a rich reduction and succulent meaty bits; caramelized banana split with toasted nuts; and draft Allagash white. Almost as good: fried oysters (note to kitchen - maybe ease up on the breading?); and malbec and cab sauv by the glass. Can’t wait to hork though the rest of the menu.
The food- and drink-pushers were pleasant and lovely, nicely matching the ambiance.
Reasonable prices, great location…what’s not to like? Well, maybe, the wait…for the unfortunates who show up at seven or later, without a reservation….
we hung out on the patio at the local tonight and slugged beers. i think one person smoked a joint of illegal marijuana someplace nearby, which is normal, and then… we re-named the whole area. it’s the valley of cool.
i think one person smoked a joint of illegal marijuana someplace nearby
wait a minute, isn’t that legal in Belmont?
gud point.
I really enjoyed my experience there!
I had the oyster appetizer, the gnocci but with the truffle mushroom sauce, and split the banana split. It was so good! And I am so excited they do pasta dishes by half order! We went with tempranillo, and I was really liking the entire drink list. I tried some fries, and I am a weirdo who loves soggy fries. So they were perfect. They need some cool sauces to serve them with, though, like some aoli or hickory bbq or something? The banana split was crazy-good.
Our server did a great job, but I don’t remember hearing about any specials! I’ll just have to go back.
I ate there last night and was quite impressed with the food — especially at the price-point. Friendly and prompt service coupled with a great atmosphere made it altogether an enjoyable place. They were also easy going about a last minute change in the size of our party. Nice job, guys.
Went last night with a group of 6, and everyone was disappointed. Half of us are vegetarians; we weren’t impressed with the veggie options and ordered overpriced, boring salads. Luckily I had read on this thread that the mushroom ragout isn’t vegetarian, because the menu description sure sounds like it’s veggie! I also warned everyone about the soggy fries, having read that here too, and they were pretty much as described here. The bread was also underwhelming. We won’t be going back unless the menu is overhauled. Neat space though.
Its Sparky’s Flaws! Just kidding. Seriously though, they have been open like what four days? Try em again in a while, I am sure they will work on tightening things up. Did you notice the little sentence on the bottom right of the menu about dietary restrictions being accommodated and all you have to do is ask? Well… um, you have them, so…didja? As a seventeen year veggie, I have never seen anything like that, and I think its kinda cool.
Theres’s only a few jobs you have to be absolutely perfect at the first time. Like steeplejacking.
Very nice designed place. Looks great and the decor is pitch perfect. The food needs to get better quickly. The service was below average and it was not crowded. I sat and watched my drinks sit on the bar for a full 5 minutes before the waitron had them delivered. Pork chops were over cooked/tough- the sauce was tasty, the ceasar salad was horrible- limp lettuce and tasteless. The short ribs were very good. You get twice as many oysters at Cassis then here. The price are good and I hope the food improves. I come back when I hear it has.
once again I ask… where are people supposed to park?
on the street across from the local- it’s what I did
what are the prices like?
I just leave my car in the street with the engine running. They have valet, right? Right?
Can someone pick me up? I’ve been here since last Thursday.
Mol - Menu Here: http://cvillain.com/2008/03/10/the-local-dinner-menu/
[…] little jewel, The Local, many of you have already eaten there and like it. We’ve asked you what you think of The Local and published The Local’s […]