By Emma Barhydt
The Lion Brasserie is a hidden gem in Glenville. Beautiful scenery is complemented by good food and a great atmosphere. The Lion Brasserie is situated just next to a beautiful waterfall, which you can fully enjoy by utilizing their ample outdoor space. Indoors is just as pleasant with live music every night.
I had the pleasure of trying several knockout dishes when I went last week. It was a typically humid evening in July, I was looking forward to seeing what would be on their seasonal menu to complement the summer heat. I was not disappointed.
We began with Spring Rolls which they serve with a house made sauce. The Spring Roll was expertly fried, but not greasy. The sauce that accompanied the roll was the perfect blend of sweet and sour, interesting and unique. They also serve their Spring Rolls as passed hors d’oeuvres during happy hour. It was a fantastic dish to whet the appetite.
Next we enjoyed the seasonal Watermelon Salad, which includes fresh watermelon chunks, feta cheese, arugula, tomatoes, and a vinaigrette. The Watermelon Salad was good, it was a fairly standard summer salad. I was looking for a twist of something different that didn’t show up.
After that was the Mac and Cheese. The Mac and Cheese was made with four different cheeses and in bechamel sauce. It was a fine Mac and Cheese, again it was very standard. You won’t be disappointed with it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it again.
Following the mac and cheese was the crab cake with orange glaze. I could just eat this one dish for the rest of my life. The crab meat was tender and sweet, the orange glaze elevated the crab meat in a way that absolutely enchanted me. The dish was topped with a red cabbage and greens mix that cut through the crab meat to give a burst of freshness. This is the perfect crab dish, you have to order it.
Up next were two pasta dishes, Penne Vodka with sausage and Lobster Ravioli in fresh lobster sauce. Both were
absolutely delightful. The Penne Vodka can also be ordered without sausage and is the best Penne Vodka I’ve tasted in Greenwich. It is perfectly creamy with a good tomato taste that’s not too acidic. The sauce is also the perfect texture, not too thick or too runny. With sausage there’s another layer of flavor that adds to the dish, but it’s also perfect without. Their Lobster Ravioli is also the best I’ve had in Greenwich, the lobster sauce is rich and delicate at the same time. The meat of the ravioli is sweet and tender with a good texture.
After pasta came the main course(s). For our entree we had Steak Frites, and two fish dishes. The Steak Frites was the perfect steak. It came out a beautiful medium-rare as requested and had a sear so spectacular that I almost shed tears. The steak was also perfectly seasoned and all around fantastic. The fish dishes were Trout Almondine and Grilled Tuna Loin du Jour. Both fish were expertly cooked, flaky and tender while still being juicy and packed with flavor. The Trout Almondine
had a much more subtle flavor. The sweet and nutty almonds complimented the delicate flavor of the trout well, leading to a dish with crunch that still melts in your mouth. The Grilled Tuna Loin du Jour by comparison was absolutely packed with flavor. The Tuna du Jour was served with a delightful citrus herb sauce and topped with more herbs. It was my favorite fish of the night, while my companion preferred the Trout, you can’t go wrong with either choice! Both fish were well seasoned beyond their accouterments and served with summer squash and zucchini, and carrots which were all cooked well and tasted delicious in the sauces.
For dessert we received a tasting board piled high with brownies, strawberry shortcake, and key lime pie, all served with a little bowl of Longford’s Ice Cream. The desserts were all incredible and had interesting takes on old classics made with impeccable technique that elevated them even further. The brownies were rich and fudgy and just barely sweetened, heightening their pure
chocolate flavor, and topped with walnuts and whole chocolate chunks. They were cooked in a cast iron skillet making every piece and edge piece for those of us who fight their families over the last corner piece. The strawberry shortcake had strawberry ice cream and strawberries lightly cooked in simple syrup sandwiched between two lemon lavender biscuits for a taste that was creamy, tart, and floral. Everything is paired together well, the textures work perfectly in sync to create a dish that continues to evolve as the ice cream melts.
While all the desserts were great, only one took the cake so to speak… or should I say, took the pie. The key lime pie was the best key lime pie I’ve ever had. The pie filling is cooked so slow and low that it gives the cake an almost cheese cake-like consistency that’s both creamy and melts in the mouth. The taste is divine and gives just the right amount of sweetness with lip-puckering tartness. The crust is no slacker either, the pastry chef crushes amaretto cookies into the graham cracker crust to give even what’s generally considered a lack-luster element to this dish its chance to shine.
All in all, the Lion Brasserie is definitely a restaurant I’ll be returning to, while some of their appetizers run lukewarm, the majority of their dishes are absolutely on fire– taste, texture, and ingenuity are all taken into consideration when cooking. You’ll definitely enjoy whatever you order here.
