I have been to Barberet Bistro and Bakery many times, but only for the bakery. They have the most amazing macarons, tarts, and other goodies. It is often the last stop on an evening out in Lancaster.
However, none of us have been to the restaurant portion before. So, Jilly and I decided to do a Saturday brunch there this weekend. You enter the restaurant by walking through the bakery. It was a busy Saturday in Lancaster – parking was hard to come by! – so the bakery was full of customers. The restaurant was also rather busy for 1 pm on a Saturday, which is always a good sign.
We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The server came by and ensured we had water as we perused the menus. Service was pleasant, but it was slower than I had expected. I think the server was stretched out over too many tables. But he was pleasant and friendly, and we were in no hurry.
Our starter was the charcuterie. I appreciated that when it arrived, the server was able to tell us what was on the plate. He did forget what one of the meats was but made sure to go and find out what it was for us.
I should also mention that a basket of warm, toasted bread was placed on the table. After the last few restaurants’ issues with that pan-spray flavor on the bread, this bread was a real treat. It was warm with a crunchy crust. It was served with unsalted butter, and also went really well with the cheeses and accouterments on the charcuterie plate.
Eventually, we ordered our meals. I went with the Soupe du Jour, a Moroccan-inspired soup with carrot, parsnip, and coconut. Jilly had the Soupe A L'Oignon, which also sounded very tempting. Both of the soups were very good. Nothing overly outstanding, but definitely something that I would be okay with ordering again. I particularly loved the crispy-ish bits of parsnip that garnished my soup.
For the mains, I had originally planned on getting crab cakes. But it turned out we had been given the dinner menu in error. Since the only crab cake on the brunch menu came with a poached egg, and I am not an egg aficionado, I went with their mac and cheese and ordered a side salad of mixed greens. Jilly ordered one of the specials, which was a salmon cake sandwich with Korean seasoning (gochujang was involved) and fries.
The mac and cheese was just what I had been craving, with silky bechamel and crunchy breadcrumbs on top. Jilly said the salmon burger sounded better than it tasted. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. Sadly, though, we were both a little too full after the charcuterie and the soups to finish our mains. I took the mac and cheese leftovers home, but not the salad. When I was asked if I wanted the salad, I mentioned that I did not because it was a little overdressed for me. The server actually took it off the bill, even when I said I know I tend to like my salads less dressed than what might be considered the norm. I appreciated that.
No dessert this time out. One, we were just too full from all of the food. Two, we had run an errand at House of Clarendon earlier in the day and had a half dozen cupcakes waiting for later.
We had a great meal, and I am looking forward to going back to Barberet for their dinner menu at some point in the not-too-distant future.
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