Back again....As I thought more about this blog idea, I figured it was important to mention the local restaurants where I dine. This past week, I dined at a new Portsmouth eatery: The District . This place fairly new, opening a few weeks ago and taking the place of Pesce Blue. It is right on the corner next to the legendary Friendly Toast. The District offers outdoor dining overlooking the streets of Portsmouth and a warm atmosphere inside.
The place is small, but still open which I appreciate. I prefer to have my own personal space; neurotic? Yes. Moving on. Our waitress was excellent, friendly and helpful without making me feel like I was being babysat. Onto the meal...
Drink: I ordered the special....It was a watermelon puree with elderflower liquor and prosecco. Light and refreshing without overpowering sweetness.
Appetizer: Goat cheese salad, shared with my dinner-mate. The kitchen was nice enough to divide the salad before sending it to out table. This was immensely appreciated since 'splitting' something usually means I end up with far less than half. The fresh arugula was dressed with 18 year old balsamic and perfectly salted. It came with three goat cheese balls, each supporting a different flavor: lemon zest, tomato basil, and what I think was cumin? Delish!
Main Course: I ordered the Rib Eye burger with Vermont cheese and fresh cut shoestring fries. Now, I was skeptical that these fries were truly 'hand cut', but I am happy to say that I was wrong. The burger was cooked medium (no, I cannot handle anything less than medium) and the cheese was melted on top. I added a fried egg to my burger which added some depth and helped to moisten the meat..yum. The fries were great, and the ketchup served beside them was fresh! Fresh ketchup...are you kidding me? I loved it.
Dessert: Peaches wrapped in phyllo dough served with fresh whipped cream, with a Carmel Bourbon sauce. Enough said.
Pros: I really enjoyed this dining experience. The food was accurately described on the menu, so I knew exactly what I was getting. Another reason this place is great: The District uses local produce from various local farms! What a great way to support your local community!
Cons: While I don't have any complaints about my meal, I wish there were a few more items to choose from on the menu. When the menu was handed to us, there were about 6 pages to it. The first was the cover, second the local farms were listed, third there was the drink list, fourth and fifth were wines and beers and only the sixth page was food.
Overall: A good casual dining experience. I would visit this place again! (P.S. I forgot to mention they have bacon ice cream!)
