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Serving: Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Closed Sunday. Cuisine: American Prices: Dinner entrees average $19.99 Scoring: Our Gourmet and The Dining Companion each grade a restaurant in six categories, for a combined total score of up to 100 points. Visit the Dining section of NewHampshire.com to read previous Our Gourmet reviews listed by town. |
Ambiance: 8/10
OG: The interior of the restaurant has been modernized a bit from the last time I was there. Black Water Grill has opted for something contemporary, with deep earth-tone colors on the walls. The dining area is divided into three areas, so one has a more intimate feeling when dining. 4 points.
The Dining Companion: When we walked in the front door, we were “greeted” by an older woman, who seemed to be the hostess, eyeing us with a little attitude as she walked off with another couple. Not a good first impression in my eyes, but fortunately our waitress Jocelyn came by and seated us quickly. The place appears to be a converted house, but felt more open than other, similar places. Windows both front and back give the place a larger feel. 4 points.
Appetizers: 19.5/20
OG: The restaurant has a nice specialty cocktail menu (try the Key lime martini), and a small, but respectable wine list. For an appetizer I ordered the sweet Dijon mussels ($8.99), a huge portion of steamed P.E.I mussels swimming in a mixture of whole-grain Dijon mustard with fresh tarragon and cream. These were fabulous – the mussels were fresh and the sauce gave the fairly mild flavor of the mussels a little “ping.” This one’s a winner. 9.5 points.
TDC: I ordered the Black Water Crabbies ($10.99) – jumbo lump crab meat mixed with sun dried tomatoes, capers, red bell pepper, Creole mustard and some other secret ingredients and dusted with bread crumbs. I’ve had crab cakes up and down the Eastern Seaboard, including what I thought were some of the best I’ve ever eaten in Maryland, but these were near-perfect and deserve a perfect score. 10 points.
Entrees 15.5/20
OG: A house or Caesar salad is included with the meal and I chose the Caesar, a very good version of the popular salad, with a nicely flavorful dressing.
For an entree, “A Greek Tragedy Sauté” ($18.99) won out. The dish consisted of shrimp and scallops with baby spinach, feta cheese and kalamata olives in a slightly creamy, white-wine reduction. The seafood was cooked pretty well and the medley of flavors had a nice sharp flavor. It was a large portion and I ended up taking quite a bit home. 8.5 points.
TDC: I too had the Caesar salad. The romaine was very crisp and the salad well-dressed — a pleasure.
My entrée was a 10-ounce filet of Black Angus beef ($24.95), served with a side of boiled red bliss potatoes and a vegetable medley. The filet should melt on the tongue, but unfortunately it was a bit tough. I also expected more from the sides, which reminded me more of banquet fare than a fine dining experience. 7 points.
OG: Just a note: The menu changes every few months, so your options may vary from what we describe here.
Dessert: 17.5/20
OG: Among the desserts was a heavy, dark-chocolate mousse-like cake that was very rich ($7.99), but perfectly sized so the richness didn’t become overwhelming. A very nice end to my meal. 8.5 points.
TDC: I had the raspberry and peach crumble ($7.99), and I’m glad I did. The flavors of the raspberry combine with the fresh peaches were delightful with the sweet of the crumble. Definitely a desert I would consider again. 9 points.
Service: 10/10
OG: Jocelyn was very attentive, friendly and completely familiar with the menu. She asked if we were in a hurry or taking our time, explaining that if we were taking our time, she would wait to put our dinner order in so we wouldn’t have the dishes come out too fast. Very considerate. 5 points.
TDC: Jocelyn took good care of us. She explained the meals and has tasted them all. That’s the sign of a waitperson who cares and isn’t there just for a check. Her coming and asking us at what pace we would like to eat at was also a plus. I understand that turning the tables is everything, but that little thought goes a long way. 5 points.
Value: 16/20
OG: The value falls somewhere between good and very good. The prices are pretty standard for the offerings, but considering portions, service and flavor, Black Water Grill is a pretty good bet if you are going to part with your hard-earned cash. 8 points.
TDC: The value wasn’t fantastic, but wasn’t bad. I think that OG and I would put this on our list of places at which we’d have dinner again on a non-working evening. 8 points.
Total Score: 86.5/100
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