Restaurant Serenade

We went last weekend....we are new to the suburbs so maybe our expectations are off but I did not find this restaurant to be worthy of such high ratings or fine dining.  It wasn't a bad experience but it just wasn't memorable and I don't see myself going back.

The outside is totally charming and I was expecting equal coziness on the inside.  But for the bar area - no, not at all.  Looks like decor has not been updated or changed at all since 1990.  For some this isn't an issue but for me it sets the tone - I like to enjoy the atmosphere and I found this place to be lacking.

The food - was it good, edible - yes.  Memorable or exciting - no.  Appetizer we had fried oysters and the special salad - they were ok but nothing special.  On to the entrees - there was way too much going on messy looking plates - I had the sea bass.  The fish was cooked fine but the risotto was the star of the plate but it just didn't look great.  My husband was happy with his tuna but I didn't taste it.

We did share a very tasty cobbler dessert.

Service was fine - a little pretentious given the decor - but everyone did their job fine.

All in all I don't have bad things to say but not good either.  We don't get out much with two small kids at home and I was just underwhelmed.  For the money I just didn't get it or what other reviewers say.

Restaurant Serenade puts on a bit of a masquerade.  Yes, it is in charming, white-collar Chatham, a wealthy suburban town similar to those all over the US.  But along with "upscale" ambiance, it also boasts inflated prices, in my opinion.  Unlike other reviewers, I did not find Serenade on par with food at the best restaurants in NYC.  In fact, I found the food to be decent if not cloyingly heavy and sweet (not enough nuance), the service stuffy, and the general ambiance a bit offputting - trying too hard to be fancy and Fraaaaaaaaaaanche and snooty.  

I tried really hard not to use the word 'highfalutin' here, but obviously have just failed miserably at that attempt.

OK, onto the food:

The bread basket may have been the best part of the night!  Wonderful assortment of freshly baked artisanal breads and rolls.  Oh me, oh my, the potato bread was so soft and so good it kind of made me cry inside a little bit.  Just a wee bit.

My beet salad came with exactly 1 beet section in it.  I savored it - because there was only 1 - but wished it had a little more tang or zing to it.  I don't think it had enough acidity.

My salmon entree was unremarkable, but the roasted carrots on the side left me clamoring to make roasted root vegetables - LOTS of beets and carrots and parsnips and potatoes - for the rest of the week.

1, 2, 3, count 'em, 4 dollar signs on Yelp.  The people do not lie - this restaurant was pricey.  Like NYC pricey.  Was it worth it?  Nope.  Was I glad this one was on the company dime?  You betcha.

Yes, A-OK but the probability of me going back, is not great.
Wonderful sophisticated atmosphere and crowd.  Incredible service and a nice bar area.
Unfortunately, the food is more artistry than flavor.
Like taking 10 different colors of paint and throwing them all on the palate when only 3 colors would have been a masterpiece.
Flavors of main items in the dishes are muted by all the different layers applied;  lobster, scallops, soups and various desserts.
Sand in the scallops; unforgivable.
Lobster bisque is not traditional and if it wasn't for the couple of pieces of lobster in the bowl, I would have not known what it was.
Every Appetizer and Entree that we had contained some sort of bitterness to it as if it had to be an essential element of the dish; even the suggested special bar cocktail which we sent back.
$200 for two plus the valet parking.