Local Apple Salad
Local Chop Grill House

Local Chop Grill House

56 W Gay St, Harrisonburg, United States Of America, 22802-3920

Full • European • Vegetarian • Steakhouse


"The food was OK, but not outstanding. We had a reservation for 3 which we made about 2 or 3 weeks ago. It was parents weekend. Yesterday my son asked if we could increase the number in our party from 3 to 5 so a couple of his friends could join us. We called yesterday and left a voicemail asking if it was possible to increase the size of our party. Apparently they don’t open until 5:00. They never called us back to let us know whether it was possible. So we called back and spoke with someone at 5:30. They told us it was not possible. That is fine, no big deal. I was disappointed to see that they easily could have accommodated a larger party as the table for two directly behind us was never occupied while we were there. I would have ordered the imperial stout, but they didn’t have it. We ordered the cheese board. The focaccia and homemade butter were good, but the cheese selections were uninspiring. There was a goat cheese Brie which was a miss in my opinion. The blue cheese was ok, and there was a cheddar which was also just ok. We ordered the feta Cesar salad and this was very misleading. I think it is a big stretch to call this a Cesar salad. I did not get the sardine flavor that is the trademark of a Cesar. Also, for a salad making feta the feature, it lacked feta too. Next, I ordered the local farm steak, New York strip which was supposed to be aged for 45 days. I can’t tell you that it wasn’t dry aged, but it was a really thin cut for a dry-aged steak. I ordered it with the Demi glacé sauce. I can definitely say that this was not a Demi glacé. I have taken the time to make a Demi glacé before and I would refer you to chef John on YouTube for his Demi glacé. The thing you look for in the sauce is that it is thick enough so that when you run a spoon through it, it remains separate for a moment and has a dark caramel, glossy color. This sauce was about the color and consistency of tea. As a side I ordered ratatouille. What I got instead were vegetables which were whole and grilled. They were not sliced and layered as a ratatouille preparation would required and I did not get the tomato base. By this point I was so disappointed with the food I skipped dessert. My wife and son ordered some. My wife ordered the white chocolate cheesecake which came out as 3 small dallops of something, but I gotta tell you, maybe it vaguely tasted like cheesecake. My sone had the triple chocolate cake, and said that it was basically just a devils food cake. We paid $206 for the meal and I was very disappointed in the overall meal. On this one, I would have to say both the front of the house and the back of the house were to blame, but I think the kitchen needs to really focus on quality. Maybe these issues will pass by some people, but ratatouille is pretty distinctive, and that wasn’t even close. I didn’t give them zeros for this, but they are not performing above 2 starts."

Opus

Opus

87 Washington St (at Essex St), Salem, Massachusetts, USA, 01970, United States

Sushi • Asiatic • European • American


"Some great Japanese fusion and Japanese inspired food! One of the best meals my entire group had during our long weekend in the Boston area. Breakdown below: Service, 3.5/5 The hostess was very helpful and even though we were told there was going to be a 30+ minute wait, we were called in after just 10 minutes and promptly seated. Our server was really nice and let us know the water cups were being washed so that would be delayed, which was no problem, but she never ended up bringing us water the entire meal and only got glasses as we were paying. After the first few minutes, we also weren't able to find her to flag her down about the water, but I understand it must be particularly busy during Halloween season in Salem. Decor and cleanliness, 5/5 Although the restaurant seemed crowded, we were able to stay socially distanced from other patrons in a booth and the interior was decorated in a really rustic and fun way. The bar lights up so all the drinks look like they glow in the dark, and there's a lower level with a bar area as well. The patio was really cute under string lights too when we passed by on our way out. Presentation of the food, 5/5 All very well put together, especially the salmon bowl I got. It just looked fantastic! Price and portion, 4.5/5 The price is just a taaaad high, but the portions are perfectly sized so overall reasonable for the area. Taste of the food, 5/5 Everything we ordered was delicious!! Such a satisfying meal after all the window shopping and touring we did. Here's a detailed breakdown: Cold noodles, 5/5: Made with avocado and chilled noodles, the dish was somehow both creamy but still refreshing. A great vegetarian option that my friend ordered as an entree! Salmon bowl, 4.5/5: The beautiful presentation, generous portion of fresh fish (perfect fish to rice ratio), and perfect size made this one of my favorite meals in the Boston area. I only wish I got water during the meal to help cut the spice from the chili mayo on the rice. Also! Be aware that they season the rice already at the bottom of the bowl which you can't see at first, so there's probably no need to add soy sauce to your fish. It ended up being a little too salty but that's my own fault because I should have mixed up the bowl first. A bit more cucumber and orange would've also made it a perfect 5/5 to cut the spice and saltiness, but again I think it was a byproduct of not having water and adding soy sauce when the rice was actually already seasoned. Coconut curry, 5/5: My friend ordered this and really enjoyed it! I also tried some and the sauce is savory and sweet, a really nice combo and also a great vegan option. Overall, lovely experience!"