Wayne R.
Yelp
We had great expectations, but were very disappointed. My wife and I have 20 years of experience with the various restaurants in Wolfeboro, and were very excited to try the much vaunted Pavilion. Our excitement was unfortunately not met with a happy experience. We had reservations for the evening.
On opening the second door to the entrance, we were shocked by the loudness. I mean LOUDness. As in a Southie sports bar at night when the Bruins are winning Not from music, but just voices.
The hostess brought us to our table in the second room. The loudness of conversation around us was deafening to the point that my wife and I could barely hear one another across the table.
The hostess asked "Would you like sparkling water or town water?" (Filtered) plain water is apparently not an option.
Our server introduced herself and was very pleasant. She bent down close and politely yelled something unintelligible about the menu that she gave us. She too, was very aware of the incredible din.
I ordered drinks; a Tangueray martini, straight up, extra dry for my wife, and a Makers Manhattan for myself. "We don't have Makers, but we have bla, bla, bla, and bla, instead". In decades of eating out from Ossipee to Boston, to Lisbon, Portugal, I was never told a bar didn't have Makers Mark bourbon. I drink Makers, not bla.
When the drinks arrived in nice, teensie, weanstie stemmed glasses, filled 3/4ths, we were very disappointed. My Manhattan was just ok, but certainly not Makers. My bride's martini was just plain aweful. Flowery bouquet. Yuck. She sent it back, explaining the issues, but only got another just like it. Another teensie weanstie yucky martini. Bartenders of repute go to school on making good martinis in their varied subtleties, and understand the unique differences. One thing that's imperative for any call martini is Noily Prat vermouth. It's just the way it's done. Apparently, this bartender missed that class. Flowery. Yuck. At least four other restaurants in Wolfeboro serve up absolutely great drinks, double in size, for much less money.
I chose a breadcrumb topped oyster appetizer, which was cooked to perfection, but very, very salty. Displeasingly so. "How is your food so far?" "Salty", said I. No offer was made to replace my dish.
My wife chose bread. As an appetizer, along with a dollop of butter, for $5.00 Other restaurants in Wolfeboro and elsewhere place bread on the table at no charge, and more if requested, at no charge, and with plenty of butter, not a stingy ball.
By this time in our very short few minutes, we were getting a very unfortunate feeling about this highfalutin joint that everyone raves about. Did we just get a new chef, or is this the norm?
Then, we ordered our main courses. My wife ordered the roasted chicken, and I ordered the duck leg confit. Both dishes were incredibly salty. My wife and I tend to like salty food, so for us to say food is too salty, it's extremely so. Both dishes were also very heavily herbal, masking the delicate chicken flavor, and obliterating the duck flavor. We both cook with lots of herbs, so for us to say the food is heavy on the herbs, it's exceptionally so.
All this time, we were annoyed by the disturbing din of loud conversations around us, bouncing off hard walls, floors and ceilings that completely dashed any hopes we harbored for a special, peaceful, serene evening out.
Finally, we ordered one rhubarb dessert to share. Our waitress placed it between us. My wife asked for individual plates and forks. She returned with one plate, and one fork. So, we shared our one fork. The dessert was delicious, but the ice cream atop it was exactly a paltry 1.5" diameter, 1 ounce, perfectly round sphere.
With reservations, I grant 1.5 stars, but must round up the 2.
My wife's yucky teensie weanstie martini cost $12.00 plus $3.00 for drinks with extra alcohol, plus $1.00 for extra dry (extra dry means less vermouth, not more), for a total of $16.00. Ditto for my bla Manhattan. Have you ever heard of surcharges for cocktails with extra alcohol? I hope this isn't a new trend.
The Pavilion knows how to pad a bill!
Any number of places in Wolfeboro offer better, quieter dining at better prices, with far better food, and all have much better and more generous drinks at quite lower prices. Yes, we know it gets rave reviews, but that was not at all our unfortunate experience. We will not return and cannot possibly recommend the Pavilion.