Bernice L.
Yelp
It's hard to miss The Butchery as past the handful of bright green trees, the big bold letters "BUTCHERY" appear. Pulling into the spacious parking lot, you're already greeted by the warmth of the woody exterior and the freshness of the plants, grass, and trees surrounding the restaurant. The mellowness made me excited for what was to come once you have entered the place.
Upon entering, we heard the bustling of the remaining customers and the busyness of the employees, paired with some fun 80s music. As our party arrived a little on the latter end of the evening, we were shown our seats quite instantly. It wasn't a full-house so I felt like we were given undivided attention. My party and I were browsing the menu while enjoying the rustic, yet classy, ambiance. Even though the menu was just one page, it felt like you had a plethora of dishes to choose from.
Paired with some Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot, our party enjoyed:
- Maryland Style Crab Cakes - There wasn't a strong crab flavor, but the crab cakes were soft and melted in your mouth. I did wish it was a tad crispier on the outside to add an extra umph. The seasoning was good itself but if you wanted some spice, spreading the chipotle aioli should do the trick.
- Crab, Goat Cheese, & Artichoke Dip - This also didn't have a strong crab flavor, but I didn't get much of the goat cheese and artichoke flavor as well. It might be because the melted cheese crust on top of the dip overpowered the flavor a bit. The sourdough bread that came with the dip was slightly on the harder end. I wished the bread was toasted more so you get that warmth combined with some creamy dip.
- Ahi Tuna Nachos - I had the liberty of getting the first taste and the nachos had a nice balance of freshness, saltiness, and crispiness. Although it stated that there was wasabi aioli, the kick was barely there. If it had been spicier, you would've had all four flavor profiles exploding in your mouth.
- Carrot Cake - It was definitely moist and yummy, though a tad on the sweeter end and didn't have a strong spice flavor to it. It had also been paired with some caramel, whipped cream, and a slight sugar frosting glaze so that made the overall dish a lot sweeter.
- Chocolate Lava Cake - It came with some raspberry sauce on top that cut the sweetness of the cake and made it a lot more balanced. This was definitely a highlight.
- Tiramisu cake - I felt that the cake didn't have much of the coffee note; however, it was very light and was a nice contrast to the other two heavier cakes.
- Au Gratin Potatoes - I've never had potatoes like this before, but the first taste was bliss to my tastebuds. The combination of creamy cheesiness with the potatoes was definitely a hit.
- Mushroom Duxelle Encrusted Filet, cooked Medium - It was essentially a filet topped with a mushroom mixture. The mushroom mixture eventually got a bit grainy for my liking-I'm glad only the top of the Filet was encrusted with the mixture, otherwise I would've disposed of the rest of it. I also felt like the Filet was missing some of the rich meatiness you'd normally get from steak-maybe it's just because I grabbed my Filet cooked Medium. The Filet and Au Gratin Potatoes was definitely a heavy dish so be prepared for that. If you prefer a more balanced entrée dish, I would suggest getting some vegetables on the side or ordering a salad to cut the heaviness.
Overall, my experience was great. The atmosphere was wonderful, the place was clean, the food came quickly and was satisfactory, and most importantly, the company was superb. We were checked in by our waitress several times, ensuring our expectations were met, our water cups were filled, and that we didn't require any additional assistance.
I would say if you're in the area looking for a solid steak place, give The Butchery a visit. You won't be disappointed!
