Bantam Bistro is located within the historic Litchfield Inn. We went to check it out a few weekends ago and, while the scenic views and gorgeous interior are beautiful, they can't quite distract you enough from a disappointing dining experience.
Atmosphere
Bantam Bistro is located right off the main lobby of the Litchfield Inn through a set of wide French doors. The restaurant is modest in size, with dark woods, dark khaki colored walls and touches of modern lighting. A row of booths sits along the far wall tucked individually behind arches. We were seated in one of these booths and they have a very private and segmented feel - a nice touch.
Food
We had our fill on this menu, ordering:
House made Gnocchi: local zucchini, peas, arugula pesto and truffled pecorino
Crisp Calamari: Â pesto pomodoro, asiago aioli, tossed with chili and garlic
Grilled Pork Flat Iron: fennel sausage and broccoli rabe, creamy polenta and a smokey demi
Pan Seared Scallops: cauliflower-potato puree, cippolini and mushroom ragout
Grilled Steelhead Trout: shallots and haricot vert, almond basmati and a crab and chive buerre blanc
It took FOREVER to get our food. However, when it did arrive, everything tasted great. The house made gnocchi was delicious, coated in lots of melted pecorino cheese and tender vegetables. The gnocchi was very plump and absorbed a lot of the oil from the melted cheese. The result was a very flavorful dish.
The grilled pork flat iron came out as grilled pork sliced and placed over polenta, sausage and broccoli rabe. That's right - two types of meat in one dish - I was in heaven. The pork was very heavily peppered and the fennel sausage gave this entree a little kick to it. This was a big dish and even I was full after finishing it.
All of us thoroughly enjoyed our food, although the overarching comment was that everything was very heavily seasoned.
Service
The service is where this meal went south. We had a reservation and requested a booth. When we arrived, the restaurant was fairly empty, with only a few occupied tables. However, all the occupied tables were booths, leaving no empty spaces for us. We were told it would be a five minute wait. Ok - no big deal at all. We gladly said we'd wait a little bit for a booth and the hostess told us we could sit in the room next door while we waited. Nearly 20 minutes later, we were curious what was going on. We discovered the table had been cleaned and ready for us for 15 minutes. The hostess completely forgot to let us know.
Our waitress wasn't much better. The service was unprofessional, sloppy and slow. The waitress had poured nearly a full glass of wine before remembering she had to offer us a taste first. We had to proactively ask for water refills numerous times and at the end of the meal we were never asked if we wanted dessert. Instead, the check came and we got the impression it was time to leave. Our food also took an eternity to arrive at the table. I don't know what the kitchen was doing since the restaurant was practically empty, but they need to get their act together.
Value
The prices range from $10-$14 for appetizers and average in the low $20 range for entrees. If you put the prices up against the quality of food, the value at Bantam Bistro is great. However, add in the low quality service and I'm not happy to be paying these prices.
The Verdict
Bantam Bistro serves up some great food with terrible service. The entire meal, while delicious, was underscored by continuously shoddy service that detracted from the overall experience. Bantam Bistro needs to get its act together. If this is how things are when the place is practically empty, I'd hate to see what it's like on a busy night. If you're around the Litchfield Inn and hungry, keep going. I don't recommend Bantam Bistro and will not be going back.
My husband and I stayed at the Litchfield Inn this weekend and had both dinner and Sunday brunch at Bantam Bistro, the restaurant within the Inn. Â I don't know all the background information, but this Sunday was the first day they had Sunday Brunch (maybe they had discontinued it during the renovations?) and so things were a bit behind schedule while they were setting up. Â The wait was well worth it; every single item on the buffet was exceptional. Â I read previous reviews and it seems they have scaled down the offerings, and also the price; we paid $19.95 each for a selection of four items on the steam table (roasted potatoes, cauliflower gratin, bacon, salmon in a wonderful sauce), fresh Belgium waffles with whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate shavings and/or (real) maple syrup, made-to-order omelets with many choices of mix-ins, and a carving station with roast beef and ham. Â The cold buffet had field greens salad, fruit salad, croissants, muffins, and key lime tarts and/or chocolate tartlets for dessert. Â There was probably more that I can't remember; suffice to say every item was delicious, many were exceptional (I didn't know cauliflower could taste that good and the waffles were especially sweet and light). Â Coffee and juice were included and cocktails were $5 each. Â We both ate more than we should have, and wished we could have eaten even more. Â
Dinner was good, as well, although I was less happy with my entree than my husband was with his, and the service was a little hit-or-miss. Â My husband was very enthusiastic about both his crab cake appetizer and pasta Bolognese. Â I enjoyed the butternut squash soup, was less impressed with the beet salad (good, but not wonderful), and really didn't care for my mahi mahi entree. Â The fish was cooked without any real seasoning and served over quinoa which was also unseasoned. Â A mango salsa accompanied the fish but didn't really blend with it. Â Since that was the only dish out of both meals that didn't please me, I chalk it up to my taste in food rather than the chef's ability in the kitchen. Â We both had creme brulee for dessert as there was little to choose from (the waitress said they had a new chef so many of the usual offerings weren't available). Â I had asked for the cheesecake but she made a mistake and brought us both creme brulee and I decided not to exchange it - it was very good and satisfying so no complaints there. Â With three drinks between us and coffee for me, the bill came to about $120 for dinner for the two of us.
We'd definitely go back, especially for the brunch. Â At Friday night's dinner the atmosphere was end-of-the-week noisy with people at the bar and a large raised table in the center that looked like a happy hour gathering place. Â We sat in a quieter corner and didn't find the noise distracting. Â Sunday morning was very quiet; I imagine since this was their first Sunday brunch, word had yet to get around that they were serving it again. Â All in all, I'd recommend this as a nice place to spend a meal.
The Bantam Bistro was the celebration location for my 27th birthday this past Monday night. The staff accommodated our larger party with a million different dietary needs very well.
The drive to Litchfield seems a little far from just about everywhere. Coming from Vernon, we left early to avoid traffic through Hartford and Farmington, and made it there in just about an hour. While the ride is long, there is some very nice scenery along the way.
The Bistro is a part of the Litchfield Inn, a very fancy and very pretty. Jeff and I started at the bar while we waited for the rest of our group. The bartender was very friendly, and worked with us to make whatever drinks we wanted, even modifying the ones on their list so they would be to our taste. Very nice touch. He also told us about the happy hour that was available, drink and appetizer specials at a really good price.
Once everyone arrived, we order a little of everything!!
Very nice wine list, we ordered a couple bottles of a nice dry Spanish white wine which was chilled to the perfect temperature. Steamed mussels, heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil, and a charcuterie plate were the starters, and we had enough to share between 8 people.
Jeff and I shared the Watermelon Salad, which was very good, but the blue cheese crumbles were unbelievably strong. We also shared a special Gazpacho for the soup. It was very full of flavor, but very brothy.
My entree was seared diver scallops with a sweet corn polenta cake, kale, and grilled peaches. It was so fresh and delicious!! Jeff enjoyed a beautiful lobster fettucini, and my brother was very happy with his Vegan option, fresh veggie ratatouille.
I was the only one who optioned for dessert, being the birthday girl, and I chose the strawberry shortcake. A lot of shortcake, not enough strawberries.
All in all, we had a lovely time. We were one of the only tables in the place, so we laughed loudly and drank plenty. The staff was friendly and accommodating. If you are already in the Litchfield area, this is a very nice spot to stop into!
I really want to love the Bantam Bistro. It's in the beautiful town of Litchfield and serves a Sunday brunch - both of which appeal to me. Presently though, I have to say it's just average. (Though I get the impression they're really trying.) My husband and I went there for Sunday brunch on 4/29/12. The brunch buffet was in an attractive and well-lit setting. The stations were clean. The food was good, but predictable and not terribly imaginative. The service was friendly. The decor of the inside seating leaves a little to be desired, and I'm hoping that will change with time. I plan to go back in a few months, and will keep my fingers crossed that there will be improvement. I really want there to be.
Review Source:Went for Sunday brunch because we had a Groupon. Everything was really good. There was an omelet station with all the fillings I could hope for (including goat cheese!), a carving station with a very tender and juicy roast beef, and all your usual breakfast/brunch fare like eggs, bacon, homefries, pasta, fruit, and assorted baked goods. I started off with an omelet then dabbled in what the buffet had to offer. The salad was really different - mixed greens with only interesting lettuce leaves and peas - and there was a nice citrusy vinaigrette on the side. Next to the salad was some shrimp cocktail and smoked salmon. The smoked salmon was fantastic - extremely fresh, just enough smoky flavor, rolled around capers, and nothing at all like the packaged stuff you find in the grocery store. My last stop was the pancake station, where the attendant made me two fluffy, yet crispy on the outside, pancakes with chocolate chips and raspberries, and I topped them off with real maple syrup. My boyfriend and I both decided to get beers because they had a good number of Thomas Hooker beers on tap, including Munich, which is one of our favorites. For the big 20 oz. glasses, we only paid $6 each.
We got there around noon, and brunch started at 11. As with any buffet, the food did start to dry out a little after a while. Also, some things weren't getting replaced, like the smoked salmon, for example. My boyfriend and I were glad we caught some, but if we got there any later, we wouldn't have. I think it's best to get to this brunch buffet early to avoid getting dried out food/not getting some of the great stuff they put out earlier. Â
$30 a person for brunch without any discounts might be a little much, but that's pretty standard for Sunday brunch buffets, and everything was really good, so I guess it wouldn't be bad every once in a while. It was't the best Sunday brunch buffet I've been to, but it's up there. We left very full and satisfied, and it was a lovely start to our Sunday.
We've been to the new Bistro three times now and have had consistently good experiences on each occasion.
Yesterday for Happy Hour - new bartender Nick was awesome! Â So much energy and really fun, he handled the Friday crowd like a pro. Â Great prices on drinks and tapas plates (husband loved the roast beef slider) from 4:00-6:00, not just your usual wings and pizza. Â I had a Smoking Loon Sauvignon Blanc for $4! Â He also made a well version of the lemon basil cosmo for me - I've got to get that recipe. Â Apparently this happy hour runs Mon- Fri all week, definitely hit if you are in the area.
Catering for my Christmas Brunch Party- I worked with Chef Jonathon to come up with four unique hor d'oevres for my party. Â My guests could not stop talking about how fabulous the food was. Â We did a jumbo shrimp bloody Mary shooter, a ham and gruyere slider with rosemary skewer, a goat cheese and truffle mushroom quiche and fresh mozzarella pinwheel with sundried tomato and basil. Â The presentation was outstanding and the prep for me the next day was ridiculously easy. Â It's officially a tradition from here on out.
Dinner with a group of eight - last fall we visited on a Saturday night with three other couples the week of the big power outage. Â What a fantastic job the place did for us. Â I wish I had electricity that week to yelp the individual meals (don't remember now) but I do recall that everyone - and there were eight of us- enjoyed everything we had, from drinks to apps to dinner and desert.
Breakfast on a Sunday - we arrived a bit too early for the brunch so decided to just try the breakfast menu. Â Husband had an egg sandwich I had yogurt/granola/fruit. Â It was fine but a bit pricey for the portions. Â Everything was fresh and local though.
Not bad. We came here for a Sunday morning brunch and had a decent meal. Nothing out of this world but left full and satisfied. The decor is pretty nice; part quaint country and part trendy and modern (depending on which end of the room you sat in). There was a decent selection of food and the make-your-own mimosa bar was an interesting touch (at a charge of course). The food itself though is typical buffet, both in choices and also in the fact that it would get cold and dry out from sitting out for so long. The food was a bit greasy, but not terrible. The biggest drawback was that they were constantly out of coffee at the serve-yourself station (which is an important part of any brunch). Otherwise it was overall not a bad choice, although it might not have been worth all that much money, but a good thought for a special occassion.
Review Source:We stayed at the Inn a couple of years ago but never ate at the restaurant.. Well, it seems that they've renovated and the space looks GREAT. The bar is rather large and very inviting. We had brunch there a week ago and sat at a very sexy booth with lots of natural light via the skylight.
Great staff, super friendly but not overly so. We had their brunch buffet and everything we've tried was fantastic. Their house made granola is delicious and they offer Arethusa's yogurt to go along with it - huge plus. The omelette I asked for was very tasty, everything in the buffet part was awesome: the ham, the quiche, potatoes, bacon/sausage station, etc.
I had seconds of fresh fruit and a small butter croissant - perfect. Very affordable and highly recommended.
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