George L.
Yelp
District Kitchen & Bar was a pretty good experience overall. Two friends of mine have been trying to get into this place for a while now, so we checked it out while visiting Pittsfield, and were finally able to get a table. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I went in with an open mind and open heart.
Let's Start with the good: First the atmosphere was pretty cool. Clean and hip with good lighting, and it had a foodie vibe ~ where everyone appeared to be enjoying the food and their conversation ~ which is always exciting. Sat down quickly, waitress was very polite (throughout the meal), looked over the drinks menu and a few things stood out to me. Most notably the "Figgin Delicious" and the "Nothing Compears 2 U", with bourbon, pear puree, pear liqueur, honey, ginger & sage syrup, lime, and cinnamon. All things I love, so I ordered that promptly. It was pretty fantastic with a beautifully balanced sweet flavor, the right amount of alcohol, and a clever early 90's Sinead O'Connor reference.
I started with the Beet Salad with raspberries, fried goat cheese, and citrus vinaigrette. Saying it was yummy is an understatement. The goat cheese was a nice sized chunk, perfectly fried with a golden brown crust. The raspberries were a nice surprise after every few bites, contrasting the bitterness of the greens. The beets were perfectly cooked, cut into little bite sized medallions. And the citrus dressing brought it all together beautifully.
When my burger came out, I was excited to try the Thai inspired flavors. The fattiness of the garlic peanut sauce had a nice flavor, but I think I didn't get enough pear in my slaw, because because it was missing the acidity it needed. Still, I ate every bite, but next time I would make a note to ask for a bit more. I'm a big believer that bad french fries can ruin a dish, and these were very good. However I seemed to get the bottom of the basket -- which is very disappointing. I think only two or three of my fries were longer than 1 inch, which meant I had to use a fork to eat them, and nobody should be subjected to that.
For dessert I got to taste the White Chocolate & Orange Bread Pudding. I was very impressed by the flavor combination. The bread pudding was warm and gooey and the bright sweet flavor of the orange zest ice cream brought it all together.
Now for the not-so-good: The french fries and lack of pear acidity on the burger were slightly disappointing. I think both of these could be corrected with slightly better quality control in the kitchen. We also never got offered any kind of bread before or during the meal. I saw other tables getting a warm and friendly looking baguette, that wasn't part of a cheese plate or anything, so that was also disappointing. But beyond those few things, everything else was pretty good.
Overall, I really enjoyed District Kitchen & Bar and would definitely go back the next time I'm in town. Hopefully these little things will be sorted out by my next visit, so I can bump up my review to a 5-star, which they just fell short of. Of course I would mention my tiny fries if I'm ordering something with them again. I'd also like to head back to try the scallops at some point, because they looked amazing on the next table, and of course that "Figgin Delicious" drink is screaming for a taste.