Farm to Table Dining at the River Tavern

Hello friends!

Last week was dragging on and my least favorite holiday was looming over head, so I decided on a lovely dinner at the River Tavern on Wednesday - a great way to break up the week and ruin my diet.  The River Tavern is a small "Farm To Table" restaurant located in Chester, Connecticut.  It is adorable and cozy, with great service, and a menu that changes daily featuring local and in season ingredients.  

They also offer an amazing dinner series in the summer called "Dinner at the Farm".  This dinner is offered every weekend, for a few months in the summer rain or shine under a big beautiful tent.   Every month the location switches to a different local farm in Connecticut.  The menu highlights that farms seasonal harvest with an amazing five course dinner.  Aside from throwing this amazing 5 hour event with as much wine as your heart desires, a farm tour, and an amazing meal, they also donate money to various organizations.  I was really moved by the farmer's speeches and the different charities this event supports, my favorite being the one that provides farm fresh meals to local schools.  Dinner was simply amazing as always and you can check out their website Here.  

We arrived at the River Tavern at 7:30 (reservations are a must) and indulged in some half price cocktails.  The drinks were delicious and the night just kept getting better!  Sorry for the dark cell phone pictures but the restaurant has dim lighting and I didn't want to interrupt any ones meal with my flash!

An amazing cucumber cilantro martini!  Fresh and delicious. 

Started off with a duck con-fit over an apple, balsamic, pomegranate, and cilantro slaw.  The duck was good (I am not that big into duck- doesn't do it for me) and the salad was very crisp light and refreshing and suited well with the heavy duck. 

I decided on the NY strip steak with a porcini mushroom sauce, roasted potatoes, and brussel sprouts.  The portion was huge and I ended up bringing half of the steak home with me (yay for let overs!)  The steak was fantastic, cooked nice and rare just how I like it.  The potatoes and the sauce were to die for.  I would have been the  happiest fat kid around with a bowl of that sauce and a pan full of those potatoes.  A h m a z i n g

And now for the best thing that I have EVER eaten. 

 I avoided this amazing dessert for a while.

  Date pudding.... does that sound appealing?

  Dates?? Pudding? 

Sounds like something you serve at a nursing home.

Finally my friend Jill said I HAD to try the date pudding.  It is made to order and must be ordered when you place your dinner order because its so freshly made and heavenly.  It is an amazing moist little spiced date cake (not a pudding! phew)  with the most amazing home made caramel sauce and whipped cream.  

All three components on one spoon full and BAM you are hooked.  River tavern now has you wrapped around their finger and you will forever come back for this piece of heaven that is very unique to the River Tavern.  

Where ever you are you need to get in your plane train or automobile and support this amazing farm to table restaurant and indulge in this amazing dessert.  

And then come back in the summer for the Dinner at the Farm series.  

Thank me later. 

P.S. Today is my birthday!!! Can't wait to fill everyone in on my birthday weekend!  

Happy running!

Katie