Valentine’s Day Dinner at The Foundry

My husband and I enjoyed an early Valentine’s Day dinner at The Foundry Restaurant in Manchester on Friday night. We had such a great meal and experience, and I even snapped a few photos (in the dark!) to share with you.

NH Penecillin

High West Bourbon | Honey | Ginger Liquor | Lemon Juice | Dry Red

Drinks at The Foundry Restaurant are very interesting and very strong! The NH Penicillin caught my eye. I couldn’t really nail down what the primary taste was, but it was all very pleasant. I don’t think I’ve ever had a cocktail with red wine floated on top, what a cool effect! Actually I thought that candy-looking bit on the top was a sour gummy shark or something, because I didn’t have my glasses on. Thankfully the server told me it was a piece of candied ginger!

Haddock Cakes

Beet Slaw | Pistachio Yogurt Vinaigrette

The Foundry Restaurant Entrée: Stout Braised Short Ribs

Celery Root Parsnip Puree | Herb Roasted Baby Carrots | Crispy Fried Onions | Chocolate Stout Demi Glace

My entrée was the braised short ribs, which is basically like a pot roast. There were a lot of different things going on here! The chocolate stout demi glace was no joke; it was really like a chocolate sauce. Since it was Valentine’s Day, I’ll allow it. The beef was fork tender, and the “potatoes” were super soft, so the crunchy carrots were a nice contrast. They were actually a bit undercooked and I had trouble cutting them with the steak knife. I wondered why they brought me a steak knife but now I realize maybe it was for the carrots? All in all, everything was a carnival of flavors but it was all very balanced.

I kept wondering why the mashed potatoes tasted a bit different, and now looking back on it I realize it’s because they weren’t actually potatoes. It was a Celery Root Parsnip Puree. It was pretty good, but I think regular potatoes would have been fine. But that wouldn’t sound as fancy, would it?

It was really difficult to photograph the food that night because it was dark, we were at a table nowhere near a window and it was already well past sunset anyway. It became even more difficult to photograph in the dark when the dishes were black and the short ribs with the chocolate sauce were also black! Honestly I was about half in the bag at this point because I came in starving and the drinks here are strong. So this is not the greatest photo, but it’s okay for a dinner blog.

Here’s another angle for the haddock cakes, and the carrots in my short ribs dish.

The Foundry Burger

Cheddar Cheese | North Country Smokehouse Bacon Jam | Bibb Lettuce | Crispy Fried Onions | Chipotle Aioli | Brioche Bun

Dave really enjoyed the burger, but the absolute best part was the fries! WOW! They are really some of the best fries we’ve ever had. The little bread and butter pickles on the side were also delightful.

Espresso Martini: The Foundry Restaurant Cocktails

Espresso Vodka | Cafe Bourgetti Espresso Liquor | Coffee Liquor | Cold Brew Espresso

Don’t be fooled by this little dainty coffee cocktail. It packs a punch! Our server said I could order it creamy or dark, with the creamy version having some Bailey’s in it as well. It was really fantastic, and was a lot like dessert.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Graham Crust | Cream Cheese Frosting | Caramel Sauce | Whipped Cream | Pie Crust Crumbles

Tasted like Thanksgiving! The pumpkin cheesecake was very creamy, rich, and delicious. Those little pie crust cookies were so buttery, and the whipped cream was really nice. It was a little hard to reconcile the days getting longer and a gleam of spring on the distant horizon with this very wintry dessert. I imagine it will go away when the spring menu comes out soon.

Everything we tried that night was so delicious and well done. But there are a few standouts for me. Here were my absolute favorites of the night: my two cocktails, the haddock cakes, and the French fries.

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