We didn't expect such dreary weather, but given the food and the temperature, it worked in our favor. We arrived in Shelburne Falls just as it was getting windy and cloudy, and took our seats at the table. The Gypsy Apple is a very small restaurant that delivers incredible food with extremely curious flavors and generous portions. It's rare to find a restaurant that is both ample in plate size and creative enough to step outside of the box, but The Gypsy Apple manages to exceed both of those expectations.
We started out with an appetizer of crab cakes, two delicate, fluffy cakes with a nice outer crust and a delicious, peppery flavor. These cakes were almost entirely crab with little to no filler at all, and the vegetables in the cakes lent a spicy and sweet flavor, never bitter, and perfect. The remoulade made the cakes creamy, and they were a perfectly satisfying and indulgent start to our meal.
My entree decision was a no-brainer. Buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes? Don't mind if I do. And with the wind blowing in on the river, it was a perfect choice for a chilly evening. We smelled it before it even came out, and when it was presented in front of us, looked like absolute heaven. Three large chicken breasts, fork-tender and incredibly juicy, were covered in a crispy cornmeal batter on top of cream cheese mashed potatoes, with a duck gravy and corn succotash spread on top. Holy cow, was this decadent.
Have you ever had a dish that was so rich and amazing, you were full after a few bites but still wanted to keep eating? That's the catch-22 at The Gypsy Apple. The entrees are so good, but so filling, and it's a rather Sisyphean task to put down your fork and await the next course.The chicken was cooked perfectly. The last time I was here, I kept saying to Keepitcoming that if I could, I'd live off the chicken and potatoes from this restaurant, and that's a promise I'd gladly keep. No matter how it's prepared, their chicken is tender and juicy with a fantastic flavor and cooked to perfection. The chicken was fried in a buttermilk and cornmeal batter, but with a surprising twist- cinnamon! It worked extremely well in the batter and gave it a nice, rounded warmth and a comforting flavor I got absolutely lost in.
Mixed with the potatoes, which were creamy and smooth, with no lumps at all, and the duck gravy, drinkable if not for its incredibly rich flavor, this was a perfect meal. The corn succotash on top added a nice, fresh texture and another layer of sweetness to the meal. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked. There is absolutely nothing I would change about this dish.
Keepitcoming Love also enjoyed her entree, sea scallops with pesto on a bed of Parmesan, lobster and truffle risotto, and found the presentation to be gorgeous. The scallops were tender and the risotto was very rich!
For dessert, we shared the same thing we'd enjoyed on our last visit- profiteroles. These beauties were perfectly portioned scoops of vanilla bean ice cream in between pastry shells, drizzled with a deep, dark chocolate espresso sauce, and dotted with little golden raspberries. Mmmm. Starting with the berries, which were piquant and perfectly sweet when dipped in the sauce, we moved onto the delicious pastries.The pastry shells sopped up all the tasty sauce, which was rich and slightly bitter, and melted into the ice cream while still maintaining their crispy exterior and light, fluffy texture. It was an excellent end to a perfect evening, and I couldn't have been happier to spend my birthday at a better place with such an incredible girlfriend.
Also, check out my birthday cake. Bread Euphoria does it again with a chocolate stout cake, covered in espresso buttercream and ganache. NOM.
No comments:
Post a Comment