Bouchard Restaurant has been in business over 20 years and also has a few rooms/suites to stay in. They have a parking area but you need to go into the restaurant and get a pass to place in your car before parking there. They have a dress requirement that is on their website as well as reminded about when they call to confirm your reservation. No jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops, etc but I saw no enforcement of that whatsoever. There were many casually dressed people in the dining room that were obviously regulars due to their rapport with the staff. There were also ‘dressed-up’ people there but this was only the first odd bit of this place. They have a full bar which is located adjacent to the check in desk. Further inside is a medium to small dining area with small white cloth covered tables with full drape underneath. Lighting is lowered, there is music in the background, carpet is on the floor and the ceiling is low. They offer a tasting menu which is 5 courses at the second seating. Most courses have choices, some with an upcharge. The food was average at best but the service was awful. Slow and inattentive, it aggravated me and probably affected the way I perceived the food. The captain spent little time with many tables and concentrated on the ones he knew. It’s a fine line to walk, but it bothers me to see tables sit for 20 minutes with their menus still in their hands and staff carrying on conversations neglecting their job.
We were able to enjoy a cocktail while we waited to place our order. The Captain’s helper brought a roll and butter. The bread was light, not crusty, but pleasant. All the tasting plates were presented with no further explanation.
The tasting started with an amuse which was a mushroom soup. It had a couple mushrooms on top that had flavor and a bit of texture but overall the broth had no depth of flavor. It was oddly bland.
Warm asparagus and wild mushrooms in puff pastry was alongside a carrot puree? The puff pastry chewed like the frozen variety, not made in house. The asparagus were cooked nice and tender but terribly bland. I had imagined a rich delicate melding of flavors but this one completely missed that mark.
The Chef’s creation of the Day was arugula salad topped with goat cheese and some thin slices of raw salmon within. The arugula had no pepper essence although it was nicely fresh. There was very little dressing on the greens to add flavor. The bits of salmon were the highlight to another mostly tasteless dish.
Re-stuffed Roasted lobster and scallops with truffle, Gruyere cheese and lobster sauce was an an option with an upcharge. The lobster and scallop bits were cooked perfectly and presented together in the lobster shell. The rich sauce was lovely with them. This is a signature dish of the restaurant. Unfortunately it was presented with the same carrot (?) puree, only 2 scoops this time. Between then was a very al dente broccoli floret, some stringy snowpeas and bland mashed potatoes. This plate had some good bits at least.
Grand Marnier Soufflé came out straight from the oven and was sauced at the table. It was nicely done but not the best ever. My husband’s had some unincorporated clods at the bottom of his. It was sweet and they left the extra sauce on the table which was nice.
