Mark K.
Yelp
This is the first negative review I have offered, two stars, one for the staff, trying to keep it going, one for our waiter, a super nice gentleman doing his best.
Yes, I know we're just getting out of COVID-19, yes, they have been open for less than a year, but this was our second visit, and it's on the brink of the "banned for life" tag!
Besides the parking complaint, as seen in other reviews, (I am actually unsure if I was charged $20 twice), the drinks and the food was sub par to say the least. My wife had a cocktail, If the drink is $18, it better be something else. Besides a dried out lime that looked like it had been around for a few evenings, the mint sprig looked like a small tree. I stuck with a draft local "rotating " ale, it was skunky, someone needed to decide to move onto the next barrel.
The escargot appetizer was DROWNED in over cooked, broken butter. The actual meat of the snail was deep below the shimmering surface. When it arrived, first thought was that there was no escargot, they may have forgotten them or delivered to another table.
We also ordered the crab and sweet potato bisque, it arrived thermonuclear hot, and since the portion was quite small, it evaporated after only a few spoon scoops. Actually, it tasted good, but for the price, and the quantity, it was about $2 per spoon. It almost rivals a famous small soup serving, offered by another Hunterdon County "Inn" , but I'm not going there , they hit the banned for life list many years ago.
For the main course, my wife had the bass dish, it lacked flavor, and a side "herbed butter smashed marble potato" was served as roasted fingerlings that were in a cast iron dish, dry, and butter free (perhaps the escargot took all the butter allowed for one ticket?) My cardiologist thanks the kitchen, but my tastebuds we're feeling left out.
I chose the short rib dish, I should have paused with the "lollipop" in the title, but the "caraway mustard jus" made me go for it, and it was a very poor choice.
There was no jus, just no jus, just dried out beef wrapped on a bone. The asparagus was undercooked, but at least not dry like the meat.
We agreed to give River House at Odettes one more try in the future , with friends, to be sure we have a good evening insurance card, and will post if they whack the Banned for Life list, or turn back from the abyss!