1844 House

Well, now that I've introduced myself, I thought I would share the culinary experiences which inspired this blog.  To give credit where credit is due, the idea was my fiance's (whose thoughts I will also try to accurately include as well to give a second perspective). 

Last Saturday evening  we went to 1844 House in Potsdam, NY.  I have to admit that I am a bit biased as I love this restaurant.  I do think it is one of the best places to eat in St. Lawrence County.  We don't eat there too frequently for 2 reasons - the first (and in my mind, primary) is that it is a bit out of our price range.  When we go out to eat, we do like to do it up with drinks and most of the time at least 3 courses, so it can get expensive.  We've eaten there 3 times together previously - once for Valentine's Day and twice with my parents (I did want to show my parents we didn't live in the boonies and there was good food to be had here).  I won't comment on the previous meals as I want to focus this blog on recent meals so the thoughts are fresh in my mind.

Last Saturday was a anomaly in our life - my fiance was actually able to get away from the farm before 6pm!  We used this as an opportunity to take advantage of what I feel is the best deal on a meal in the county.  1844 House does an early bird special - if you are seated before 5:30pm (they open at 4:30) and order off their early bird menu, then you can get:  soup or salad, entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic drink for $16 per person.  Now, this is certainly an abridged menu.  There are normally 5 entree options (maybe about half their regular entree menu) and appetizer and dessert are also limited.  Appetizer is either the house salad or the soup of the day (this day is was a wonderful roasted fennel and tomato bisque) and dessert is the dessert of the day (strawberries with shipped cream in a puff pastry) or their fantastic chocolate mousse. 

Now, for the specifics on the meal we had. We both had the Fennel Tomato Bisque (with Parmesan and butter croutons), and I was certainly trusting in the fact that everything I've had there has been good because I traditionally don't like either fennel or tomato soup.  This certainly made me a believe in both those ingredients.  The soup was velvety and rich without being heavy.  The croutons gave a little crunch and texture and the cheese a little salty kick.  I was surprised that the fennel did not taste like licorice as I had always anticipated (which is why I always assume I won't like it) and the tomato base not acidic at all.  I could have eaten an entire pot of the stuff.  My fiance also ordered a la carte off the menu for a salad in addition to his soup from the early bird menu.  It was the 1844 House salad, and I am not sure if it is the larger version of the house salad listed on the early bird menu or a different salad.  It was a good salad - I don't think it was anything overly unique or special, but certainly well executed.  It's a salad of baby greens with walnuts, apple and blue cheese with a maple-balsamic vinaigrette.  The dressing really makes this salad great - it's not heavy and does not hide the ingredients.  The one negative I have, and I always find this with nuts in salad, is that it is difficult to great a bite with all the ingredients without creating a balancing act on your fork.  I don't know if I would order the salad again - simply because when we order off the main menu, there are normally 2 or 3 other things that are new on the menu and I am excited to try them more than the salad.  But I am glad we tried it.

Between appetizer and entree you always get a palate cleanser of a sorbet.  On this day it was earl grey flavored, which I did really like.  It had a subtle lemon after taste which was nice as that goes very well with the tea flavor.

For our entrees, I got a chicken breast stuffed with pesto and asiago cheese with homemade mushroom raviolis and my fiance got their steak au poivre.  The steak is from the local beef farm - Windy Point Angus - and while my fiance put it in his top 5 steaks, the person at the table next to us did rave about it and said it was the best steak he had ever had.  I didn't taste it as I don't particularly like pepper, although I did taste the potatoes on the side and they were divine.  We might have referred to them as butter with potatoes as opposed to the potatoes in butter that they actually were.  I think the best part of my meal was the mushroom ravioli - it was pure mushroom flavor and a perfectly cooked ravioli.  No other fillers and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente!  I wish there had been more on the plate.  The chicken was good, although the pesto did overpower the asiago cheese a bit, and there was a coating on the breast that I could have lived without and just had it seared.  The breast was over a lovely bed of wilted spinach and it was all in a marsala wine pan sauce that was beautiful and velvety.  While I would never pass up having it again, I would certainly try the risotto on the menu as well if I get another crack at the early bird dining before they change to the spring menu.

For dessert we both got the cream puff with strawberries.  I thought this was the essence of having ingredients speak for themselves.  The strawberry was perfectly ripe and I would put money on the cream being local - it was so thick and creamy and rich.  Every bite was light and full of flavor.  I think I could have eaten 4 of these.

Ambiance - earlier I did refer to 2 reasons we don't come here more.  The first being price (what can I say, we both have student loans and now a wedding to save for) although I do think they are well priced for the quality of food they put out.  The other reason is the dining room itself.  1844 House is just that - a house built in 1844.  I love that they have tried to maintain the integrity of the architecture and history, and it makes it more of a experience than simply going to a restaurant, but I also have a fiance who isn't in any was a petite person and the furniture makes him feel a bit like a bull in a china shop and that does make it somewhat less of a relaxing experience for him.  I do however, think the early bird dining is the deal of the century for quality food and at $16 per person for 3 courses, you'd be insane not to try and make it a regular haunt.  You do have to have the ability to get there and be seated before 5:30, which is harder with our schedule, and be willing to eat slightly smaller portions and the menu is more limited.  however, with a seasonal menu, you're not going to get bored and there will always be something new to try.  I commend 1844 House for supporting local agriculture and staying as local and fresh as possible.

Please support this restaurant - we certainly want them to be a successful North Country business for as long as they want to be here (although I doubt they are going to have any problems with that).  More information can be found at 1844house.com

Definitely a 5 out of 5!