Over the weekend, we decided to celebrate Valentine's Day by having lunch at The Bancroft in Burlington. The last time I'd dined there had been pre-pandemic but it had been one of my favorite steakhouses. They didn't have a special Valentine's Day lunch menu, just their usual dishes (including some of my favorites), and that was fine with me.
Overall, we had an excellent experience, and the quality of The Bancroft hadn't diminished a single iota since my last visit. That consistency, despite the problems caused by the pandemic (which still plague numerous restaurants), is a sign of a top notch restaurant. It continues to earn my highest recommendation.
Lunch is only available Friday through Sunday, 11:30am-2pm. The lunch menu has Starters (7 choices, $8-$24), Salads (4 choices, $12-$21), Sandwiches (6 choices, $13-$26), and Entrees (7 choices, $18-$43). You can get dishes such as Maine Lobster Bisque, Lobster Cobb Salad, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, Panko Crusted Haddock, Filet Mignon, and Charred Skirt Steak.
We opted for a bottle of Gruet Rosé Sparkling Wine, as pink bubbly is a good choice for Valentine's Day. Gruet makes delicious sparkling wine and their Rosé is crisp and dry, with tasty red fruit flavors. It also pairs well with a variety of dishes.
We then selected a couple Starters, including the Iced Tiger Shrimp Cocktail (MKT price), with a red & green cocktail sauce. The five shrimp were quite large, tender and tasty, with a bit of spicy heat from the cocktail sauce.
The Fried Ipswich Clams ($24), with homemade tartar sauce, lemon, and onion strings, were overflowing the bag they came in. Absolutely delicious, they had a fresh, clean taste and there were an ample amount of fried clams. These fried clams were as good as any you'll find in any New England clam shack. And the thin onions strings are very good too. I've ordered this dish before here and always been very pleased.
As for Entrees, one of our choices was the Griddled Duck Confit ($19), topped with with brie & fig jam, and accompanied by truffled fries and housemate pickles. An amazing sandwich, with an ample amount of tender, delicious duck, enhanced by the sweetness of the fig and the creaminess of the brie. The griddled bread also added a nice textural element, some crispness to the sandwich. Highly recommended! And the fries and pickles are tasty accompaniments.
The Steak & Blue Cheese sandwich ($15), which usually also comes topped by caramelized onions, is accompanied by house chips and housemade pickles. Again, this was another excellent sandwich, with an ample amount of thin sliced, tender steak and plenty of melted blue cheese on a soft and buttery roll. As a blue cheese lover, this sandwich was quite compelling. The house chips, which seem to be made from a variety of potatoes and vegetables, are crunchy and tasty.
Despite all of these dishes, we were still tempted to get dessert. The Sundae of the Month ($12), was made with roasted strawberry ice cream, red velvet cake crumbles, and a white chocolate sabayon, with fresh whipped cream. It was also topped by a heart-shaped shortbread cookie. A decadent treat, with a rich strawberry taste, and crunchy bits of red velvet. A great way to end our meal.
The
Banana Coconut Cream Tart ($10), made with coconut dulce de leche and banana toffee ice cream, was also delicious, a nice blend of flavors and textures, including the crisp thin banana slice topping the dish.
Service was excellent and the restaurant has a fine ambiance. The Bancroft is definitely a great place to go to splurge on lunch or dinner. It has remained consistently excellent over the years, and I'll be returning again soon. It earns my highest recommendation.
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