Good Food on Montford is the location of our newest review. Ella’s parents were in town for the weekend and as a congratulatory graduation gift for completing her third degree from Johnson and Wales, they decided to take us to Good Food on Montford.
Ella’s head chef at Carmel Country Club is friends with the owner so he got us reservations and when we arrived we found our table set and ready to go. We got the full VIP treatment and were more than excited to find our reservations landed us seats at the very exclusive chefs table.. guess it pays to know the right people :)
The chefs table is a secluded area in the back of the restaurant where you can sit and watch as the chef prepares all of the decadent desserts and exciting cold plates right in front of you.
Mesmerized by the skillful hands of a master at work, ordering our food took longer than usual but we eventually got around to it
Good Food on Montford is a tapas style restaurant and suggest people get at least 2 to 3 plates each to allow for the best experience. We were in a group of four and ended up getting nearly one of everything on the menu.
- Crispy quail lettuce wrap with marinated cucumber, Asian pear & chili
- Price Edward Island mussels with green curry, coconut milk & cilantro
- Pomme frites with truffle oil, fresh herbs & parmigiano reggiano
- Steamed bun with a five spice rubbed pork belly, hoisin & pickled vegetables
- Braised duck fettuccini pancetta with peas & sweet onion cream
- Chilled noodles with braised pork, pickled watermelon rind, cashews & sesame dressing.
- Charcuterie foie gras & chicken liver mousse with saucisson l’ail & speck
- Shelling pea salad with heirloom tomato, cucumber, basil & balsamic
- Smoked salmon with egg, potato & capers with dill creme fraiche
The meats on the charcuterie platter are all made in house and pair perfectly with the silky texture of the foie gras and the sweet grilled onions on top.
The pea salad was light and refreshing, and balsamic added the perfect amount of sweetness. This interesting summer salad fit seamlessly on top of the grilled bread and was an excellent start to a wonderful meal.
I will never be able to eat moo shu pork again without thinking of this steamed bun. What originated as an employee meal turned into one of the favorite dishes of the night. The bun was warm and soft, the meat tender and flavorful and the pickled vegetable rounded the whole sandwich out.
The chilled noodles we’re the epidemy of a fusion style dish. Blending both the sweet flavor of watermelon and cold noodles with the savory goodness that is pulled pork, the chilled noodle plate was an inventive way to plate an unusual pairing of ingredients.
The idea of tapas is that the plates are small and sharing is encouraged. We played musical plates for the evening and continuously passed around all of the plates until there was nothing left.
“pass the mussels please”
After devouring all the food in sight, we decided to get more. For dessert we ended up trying:
- Macadamia nut pie with banana ice cream and caramel
- Peach upside down cake with vanilla bean ice cream and blueberry sauce
- Chocolate and espresso pot de creame with whipped cream
I was thrilled to see a dessert menu that had a little bit of variety. The macadamia nut pie was a delicious blend of sweet and salty , but it was the banana ice cream that made that dish.
The upside down cake is made with local peaches and blueberries and that freshness really comes through. The pot de creme was a childhood favorite of the chef and a new favorite of mine. The chocolate was rich and silky smooth and the espresso added a delightful kick of flavor. All in all the dessert at good food are worth writing home about!
Of all of the tapas restaurants I have been to so far, Good Food on Montford was easily the best. I’m not the biggest fan of small plates (being a big eater) but Good Food on Montford made it worth the trip. Being able to sit with the chef and watch culinary masterpieces come to life before our eyes was amazing and everything we ate was refreshing, creative and unique. If you’re anywhere near the Park Rd Shopping Center and want something outside your usual, check out Good Food on Montford. Just make sure you have reservations :)
