Why Lenox, Massachusetts In Winter?
Lynn and I were in Lenox, MA to see a doctor at Dr Mark Hyman's functional medicine clinic. We flew into Hartford, CT, rented a BMW X7 from National Car Rental at an incredible price, and drove about 1 1/2 hours to Lenox. We arrived after dark and hungry after a long flight. After checking in at the Courtyard Lenox Berkshires across the street from the clinic, we asked the front desk manager where we could get a good meal. He gave us three choices but said Alta was the best around. I really wanted some Italian so we tried another restaurant first but couldn't get in the door due to a pasta special. Boy am I glad. My second choice turned out to be an incredible experience.
How Was The Menu?
There were a lot of yummy looking choices including:
- Seared Duck Breast
- Braised Lamb Shank
- Alta's Alle Vongole (spaghetti with clams)
- Seared Beef Tenderloin
and a not so yummy choice to us (but appealing to vegetarians):
- Grilled Organic Tofu
What Did We Choose?
We decided to split the Mediterranean Salad ($13) and the Seared Beef Tenderloin ($33). I had water to drink and Lynn ordered a decaf coffee. I knew better than to order sweet tea in the north (they give you sugar to add to cold tea and Southerner's know that doesn't work). When my youngest son, Walker, spent a year studying and playing QB at Choate before enrolling at Yale, the owner of Milo's Tea would ship me 4 gallons for the tailgate party to show the other parents what real sweet tea tastes like. (It's also the best in the country). They loved it!
The bread and butter were both very tasty and didn't last long. We had to order another plate.
The best tasting salad I have ever eaten
I'm really not sure how to describe how good this salad was. How could a mixture of romaine lettuce, feta cheese, tomatoes, golden raisins, and toasted pistachios topped with creamy champagne dressing taste so divine? Lynn agreed and she didn't even use the dressing.
Cooked To Perfection
The Seared Beef Tenderloin was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. It was served on a bed of Brussel Sprouts and Potato Galette. I absolutely hate Brussel Sprouts so Lynn took them and I took the potatoes with the gravy.
Overall Impression
This served as our 26th Anniversary Dinner since the next day (actual anniversary) would be a day of lab tests and return drive to the airport. It couldn't have been better. Everyone was friendly and the service was good. We didn't have to wait to sit due to the late hour and the food came out timely. It will be hard to beat “the best tasting salad I have ever eaten”. We didn't have any wine but there were plenty of excellent choices. If you are ever in the Berkshires, I highly recommend you try Alta Restaurant And Wine Bar.
