The Brownstone Inn: First Impressions

The Brownstone Inn has a giant, square bar, with tables off to one side and a rear dining room lined with small tables, decorated with red paper placemats and fake flowers. The walls are lined with ancient looking prints pinned to dark paneling. 

One print looked like Washington Crossing the Delaware, another like a young Marie Antoinette. There was no rhyme or reason to the selections though perhaps some were meant to suggest the building's history. The original structure is said to date from 1757.

But if you are looking for low prices for surprisingly good food and passable wine, the Brownstone Inn is not a bad bet at all. Just be prepared to use the same fork that comes wrapped with a knife in a paper napkin for every course. 

The food, however, was good, even if the "Grand Marnier" sauce on a crab cake appetizer turned out to be not-so-grand—just flavored warm oil and vinegar with no hint of the famous orange liqueur.

When we gave our order, we asked for appetizers—the crab cake and polenta with mushrooms—off the "specials board" that a waiter presents on an easel at each table.

We also ordered salads, a house salad and a mesclun salad, which came out before, instead of after, the appetizers. Not a problem. The mesclun salad was quite large, a lot of fresh greens and good oil and vinegar dressing, and could have been shared.  It was just $3.95.  The $3.50 house salad was smaller, with one grape tomato and one olive, instead of the three tomatoes and three olives that decorated the other salad. 

The crab cake I ordered was tasty, but crab was just one of the ingredients.  Breading and veggies were in the mix. This came with a nice side salad and would have been a good first and second course combined. But, as I noted earlier, the dressing was not what the menu promised.

The polenta with mushrooms was very rich and so generous it could have been a main course.  My partner, who loves polenta, left some on the plate for fear he would have no appetite left for the entrée he ordered—veal chops smothered in mushrooms and onions with fries on the side.

At $19.95, it was the most expensive dish offered, and it thoroughly delighted my partner. Underneath its coating, the veal was moist and tender. (I did get to enjoy a bite myself.)  "We're coming back here," I was told in no uncertain terms.

I had lobster ravioli, a favorite of mine. The Brownstone Inn's version ($12.95) came in a red vegetable ravioli and was drenched in vodka sauce, which was enlivened with tomatoes and peas.  Some of the ravioli were on the thick, rather than delicate, side but the lobster filling was good. The dish even smelled very enticing.

The wine list was reasonable, with four whites listed  for $18.95. Great, no.  Acceptable, yes. There also were four red wines at $24.95. But if you are a martini drinker, beware. Ordering a Beefeater on the rocks with olives netted a drink with a lime attached. Limes in martinis are just not acceptable.

A complaint brought a plate of olives on skewers but the drink tainted (in my view) by lime was not replaced. We have a hunch The Brownstone Inn does not cater to gin martini drinkers.

But it does cater to families, and children were much in evidence in the back dining room. Checking it out online, you won't find out much about the restaurant itself, other than an address, but you will discover some hardcore fans.

The owner declined comment when Patch called in an effort to learn more about the historical building.

We can't be described as hardcore fans, but for recession-weary diners, The Brownstone Inn offers a night out without breaking the bank. And if you enjoy the bar scene, the Brownstone's looks interesting.  

Food: Good

Service:  Good

Entrée Price Range: $12.95-$19.95

Atmosphere: Pedestrian

Credit Cards Accepted