 Eden Restaurant and Lounge 292 Route 101 (Salzburg Square), Amherst 249-EDEN (3336); www.edenrestaurantandlounge.com Serving: Monday through Thursday, 4:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Cuisine: American Entrees: $15-27 Scoring: Our Gourmet and The Dining Companion each grade a restaurant in five 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. |
Appetizer 18/20
OG: The ahi tuna salad ($12/small, $18/large) came with mixed field greens, cucumbers and carrots, with a ginger lime vinaigrette. The ahi itself was cooked to perfection, with a nice salty taste on the outside. It was served with a wasabi guacamole that helped make for a wonderful savory appetizer. As with many of the dishes, a small order and a large order are available. The smaller portions are nice for appetizers, or you can combine two or three for an entrée. 9
The Dining Companion: I decided to order the beet salad ($5/small, $7/large) which consisted of a roasted beet, baby greens, crispy bacon and blue cheese buttermilk dressing. I like a good salad and this one was fantastic. The bacon was thick little chunks of crisp. The beets were nicely roasted and the dressing had a really nice punch of blue cheese. I could have this salad as a meal with an appetizer and be very happy. 9
Entrée 17/20
OG: Eden’s Executive Chef Timothy Sluski is an alumnus of UnWine’d, Baldwin’s on Elm and Michael Buckley’s restaurants, so you know the food has to be creative and flavorful. I opted for Eden’s short ribs ($15/$20), which were voted Best of New Hampshire and it’s easy to see why. Braised in Guinness and espresso, the serving consists of one extremely large short rib, cooked so it was falling off the bone. It was served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and a candied apple red onion chutney. The flavor of the glaze was outstanding and the chunky mashed potatoes a perfect accompaniment. 8.5
TDC: OG usually orders anything duck-related, but this time she ordered the short rib, so I opted for the duck ($16/$22), which was a seared duck breast served with sweet potato and plantain gnocchi with turnips, apples and a port wine honey. I personally would have liked the duck breast skin to be a little bit more crisp, but it was delicious nonetheless. The sweet potato and plantain gnocchi was an interesting and well received twist on a old standard. 8.5
Dessert 17/20
OG: Eden has a very nice dessert menu and if you order small portions for dinner, you’ll have plenty of room for one of their delectable creations. The vanilla panna cotta with Marsala-soaked berries ($6.50) had a creamy, not-too-sweet panna cotta and big, fresh berries in layers, topped with whipped cream. A rich, but refreshing dessert. 8
TDC: The cheesecake of the evening was a Banana Foster cheesecake ($7), made for Eden, I was told, by the owner’s mother Sandy. Well Sandy, you make a mean cheesecake. It was in the vein of a New York-style cheesecake and was quite sweet and simply delicious. 9
All the rest 18/20
OG: I loved the décor and ambiance of Eden. The restaurant is small and dimly lit with a separate, cozy bar area. The high-backed chairs have stuffed seats, which are extremely comfortable. Overall the effect is soothing and romantic.
Our server was very cheerful, friendly and competent and took care of all our needs. 9
TDC: I liked Eden. It’s a short ride down Route 101 from Manchester, but it’s worth the trip. The restaurant is intimate, seating about 40 between the dining room and the small lounge. They have a nice drink menu — OG failed to mention her drink, called Hydrangea that was delicious and didn’t hurt this score either. 9
Value 16/20
OG: Eden is one of those places where the food isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. If you’re pinching pennies, you’ll have to wait for a special occasion to go to Eden — but it will be well worth the wait. 8
TDC: As OG says, Eden isn’t cheap, but they do offer two portion sizes of meals and salads at different prices. That helps. Definitely a place we will keep on our “Would go back” list. 8
TOTAL: 86/100
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