the fountain on locust

For my mom's birthday lunch, we decided to give the Fountain on Locust a try.  She had been there before, but she thought it was a place I'd like.

The place itself was very kitschy and had the retro diner feel.  We took a seat in a homey booth outfitted with curtains.

My mom's favorite part of the restaurant was the retro cocktails (I believe the phrase, "I used to drink that as a kid" came up... hmmmm...?).  So I obligingly tried one: the Sloe Gin Fizz.  Sloe gin (which is actually a red,berry-ish liqueur), gin, lemon, sugar and soda water provided a surprisingly refreshing late-morning cocktail. It was a bit on the tart side, but since I did not drink these as a "kid," I have no frame of reference otherwise.  Either way, delicious.

As an avid pickle lover (yes, I actually once attended the International Pickle Festival in NYC), the Polish Dill Pickle Soup was an obvious choice.  Much to my dismay, I (gasp!) did not like it.  It came out a beautiful mint green color, with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.  The taste really can't be described as anything other than pureed pickle and cream.  For me, while I liked the idea, it just was too much.

With my soup combo, I went for the Roast Beef sandwich.  Served on a soft, floury Vienna roll, it was a solid choice.  The sandwich was smeared with a thin layer of goat cheese/herb combo, though I think it would have been enhanced with more.  Billy Goat chips (my fave!) rounded out the plate.


bottom line: nice place, more for the atmosphere than the food, but the desire to try a "champagne float" will most certainly draw me back.

a westport lunch

The big boss was in town, so you know what that means - free lunch. yum.

As a frequent walker-arounder of the lake near my Westport office, we noticed that Dierdorf & Hart's had recently re-opened after months of renovation. Obviously, that's where we went.

Lunch was surprisingly reasonable - most sandwiches between $7-$12 (including a side). I went with the Crabcake Reuben sandwich (minus the bread) and Napa slaw. Holy amazing. The crabcake itself was a bit on the bready side, but was moist and tender. But the star for me and my tangy-loving palate were the toppings: braised red cabbage, shallot marmalade and chili aioli. The tang meshed with sweet and meshed with the smooth and meshed with the crab. I could literally eat a popcorn bowl full of the toppings. There was also a nicely melted slice of cheese on top of the crab cake, but it was not necessary in my book (I, in fact, ended up sliding most of it right off).

The slaw was just so-so. Nice tangy dressing, but had (a bit too) large carrot slices and what seemed like iceberg lettuce.  But regardless, I walked away so excited about the new lunch place. Yum, yum, yum.

bottom line:  fantastic lunch for a fantastic value.  i will be back. soon.