 BROOKSTONE GRILLE 14 Route 111, Derry 328-9250; brookstone-park.com Serving: Sunday 3 to 8 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Monday. Cuisine: Upscale American Dinner entrees: $11 - $38 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. |
“At golf courses you get things like burgers, buffalo wings, French fries, nachos, etc. Come On - get real!”
Obviously our reader has never been to Brookstone Park.
Brookstone Park includes a golf course, event center, and the very fine — but rather pricey — Brookstone Grille. The executive chef, David Smith, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has previously worked at the Bay Tower Room in Boston and C.R. Sparks in Bedford. Most recently he was the chef/owner of Loafers American Restaurant in Salem, a fine restaurant that unfortunately closed more than two years ago.
Smith clearly doesn’t believe that golf course food need be cheap, fast nor plain. And after several weeks of reviewing budget and burger places, I was ready for a change of pace.
Appetizer: 16.5/20
OG: I was thrilled to see one of my favorites on the menu: beef carpaccio. This was a paper-thin sliced, raw sirloin served with Pecorino Romano and capers, roasted red peppers and extra virgin olive oil ($9.75). Some beef, a few capers, some red peppers and a bit of cheese on the fork made for a delectable blending of flavors. 9
The Dining Companion: My starter was the soy and ginger marinated steak skewers ($9.25) served on a lo mein noodle salad, with red pepper and wasabi dipping sauces. The skewers were a touch overcooked, the lo mein salad was delicious, and my favorite of the two sauces was the wasabi as it gave a nice bite on the beef. 7.5
Entrée: 17.5/20
OG: My entree choice was the tempura shrimp and coriander scallops. These were served over house fried vegetable and mango rice with spicy maple sauce with an Asian slaw ($22.95). The tempura was light, the scallops delicately flavored and the Asian slaw surprisingly good. A very nice, light meal. 8.5.
TDC: I decided I had to have a prime rib and ordered the petite cut ($15.95, normally $17.95, but on Tuesday it’s a special) which came with a baked potato with sour cream on the side. I usually order an end cut as it has the most flavor, but this time I ordered the center cut as I was in the mood for medium-rare. The meat was tender, moist and full of flavor. I would have liked to have a vegetable, which was offered as a side dish at extra cost, but when I order an entrée I usually expect to get a complete main course. Other than that, I had no complaint. 9
Dessert: 19/20
TDC: I zeroed in on the Meyer lemon cheesecake with fresh blueberry compote ($7). With a description like that, I could visualize the taste before the first bite and I was right It came with a maple candy net draped over it and a chocolate cookie on the side. Nirvana is what I would call it. The cheesecake was creamy with a nice tartness; add a little bit of the blueberry compote and you get a nice yin and yan of desserts. 10
OG: How could I pass up a chocolate martini ($8) comprised of a ganache-coated martini glass that was filled with layers of Kahlua-soaked sponge cake, chocolate mousse, Heath bar bites and (real whipped cream? It, too, had a sugar net. Chocolat-y and decadent this is a delightful way to end dinner. 9
The rest: 17/20
OG: The atmosphere at Brookstone Grille is upscale, yet casual. Our server was very attentive and professional. The food choices were excellent and there’s a decent wine list. To top it all off I was able to order a prickly pear Margarita ($9), which I can find at very few places in New Hampshire (another being C.R. Sparks), which made me very happy indeed. 8.5
TDC: Yes you can get a great meal at a golf course. I am a golfer and have had a number of great meals at course restaurants in the past. Our server was attentive and was buzzing around the dining room attending to many diners that night, but was able to take care of us as needed. 8.5
Value: 17/20
OG: Brookstone Grille is expensive, there’s no doubt about that. While there are brick oven flatbreads in the $11-15 range, there are plenty of other choices in the $18-25 range and a 26-ounce rib eye for as much as $38. Those aren’t everyday prices, but Brookstone Grille isn’t an everyday place. If you want to enjoy the best they have to offer, I recommend you save it for a special occasion — it will be a memorable evening. 8.5
TDC: A cheap meal this is not, but overly expensive it also is not. This should be put in the category of an upscale restaurant, and is a great place for that special night out with special people. 8.5
TOTAL: 87/100
Do you have a favorite restaurant that you'd like to see reviewed? Drop us a line at gourmet@unionleader.com.
