Pickety Place in Mason NH is a little restaurant that I have wanted to visit for many years now. Such a cute little storybook destination makes a wonderful day trip with some girlfriends. Not only is there a lovely restaurant that serves a 5 course prixe fixe menu, there is also beautiful herb gardens to wander through and adorable (multiple!) gift shops. The Little Red Riding Hood theme is pervasive throughout the property. It’s fascinating to see so many vintage toys, dolls, wolves, and grandmothers in the museum room.
I went in November with two lovely friends from work, and we had a great time checking everything out. Christmas was in full swing, and they had pretty trees and ornaments in all of the gift shops. I even got to meet the resident cat, Poppy, who was snug in her bed by the woodstove.
Pickety Place is way out in the woods in Mason, NH. And I mean way out in the woods, in the middle of nowhere. I was actually surprised at just how many people were there for the different lunctime seatings. The parking areas were full, and crowds of people filled the front yard and patio waiting for the dinnerbell to ring.
A Wonderful 5-Course Lunch Menu for $39
Pickety Place is famous for their 5 course prix fixe herbal cuisine lunch, and it’s so reasonably priced at just $39 per person. Each month the menu changes to reflect the seasons and the herbal pairings. They offer a choice of entree, either with the protein, or a meatless option. But otherwise, the rest of the menu is fixed and you will love it.
When we arrived to our table, the French Onion dip and crackers were already on the table. It was nice that we could start tasting right away. I think the French Onion dip had a very mild flavor, and it would have been hard to pinpoint the exact flavor if I didn’t already know what it was.
Next, we were offered the drink service which is bottomless drinks of spiced tea, coffee, mocha, etc. I got the spiced tea which was so nostalgic for me because it is exactly what we call “Russian Tea” in North Carolina as a Christmas drink. I loved it!
Next, a little bowl of Cock-a-Leekie soup warmed us right up. Cock-a-leekie soup is Scotland’s national soup, with its origins tracing back to a French chicken and onion soup that was adapted by the Scots in the 16th century. The Scots adapted the recipe to use leeks in place of the onions, as leeks were more common and locally grown in the area than onions. Interesting!
The salad was a Romaine wedge with chianti vinaigrette. It also had little bits of feta cheese. Lovely.
The entree was Beef bourguignon and it was a perfect choice for a chilly November day. We were seated in a pretty sunroom, and as we enjoyed our meal, big snowflakes were falling outside. The gravy was rich and flavorful, and I didn’t even mind the mushrooms which I normally avoid at all costs.
Dessert was a wonderful Cranberry and Blood Orange Mousse with a Sugar cookie. We all agreed that the sugar cookie was one of the best parts of the whole meal.
Pickety Place is the perfect outing to spend an afternoon with friends. I would absolutely love to go back in the warmer months when the gardens are growing.
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New Hampshire Food Photography
Erika Follansbee is a published Goffstown, NH food photographer whose job is to make food look amazing. She is available for hire to help small restaurants and cafes to create beautiful images of their dishes to use for marketing, websites, and social media. Magazine-quality food images are the best form of advertisement.
Erika is also a wedding photographer. Visit www.erikafollansbee.com for more information.
