Food: ****1/2
Staff: *****
Ambiance: ****
Experience: ****1/2
Overall Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5
Address: 1845 Marsh Road, Wilmington, DE 19810
Website: www.goatkitchenandbar.com
Phone #: (302) 746-7847
I love trying new restaurants, well before the internet is plagued with biased reviews and advertisements. When my mother-in-law told me about Goat, I knew that I had to try this place out! She had called me and my wife to tell us what she knew thus far, having never visited it herself. She told me it had high quality bar-type food, great drinks, and supposedly awesome music. Having now been there, I can verify everything that she promised.
You would never guess that Goat was a restaurant from the outside. It's located in a small strip mall near a gym and a comic book shop. Once you walk in, though, there's no mistaking that you're in a great place to grab a bite while spending time with friends or family. The first thing you see is their amazing bar which is loaded with just about anything you could want. The tables are spaced out in a way that you can still have a private conversation amongst a restaurant filled with people. At the center of each table is a communal mason jar filled with utensils (including chopsticks for certain dishes on the menu), which I really enjoyed. The rest of the decor sets up what seems to be an upscale bar setting which is accompanied by an excellent classic rock soundtrack that I found my father-in-law and I humming along to. The waitstaff was incredible. Our service was timely and attentive, and they were always ready with a quick joke. While there weren't many people there during out visit (we went in between lunch and dinner), they went out of their way to make you feel like you were the only ones at the restaurant.
Now, on to my favorite part of the meal: the food. Growing up, we never ate ribs in my family, so in my adult life I have been making up for lost time. One of the things that I love most about Goat's menu is the Snacks menu. This is a short menu of 8 items that is just what the title promises, a snack-sized portion of menu items and a few snack menu exclusive items. When I saw the Porter Braised Short Rib, I knew that I had to try it. Believe it or not, I had never had a short rib before, and this was the perfect one to try as my first. This single, boneless rib was served over a bed of hominy in an olive oil based sauce and topped with an herb sauce that added a subtle freshness to the rib. If you've never had hominy, think of it like barley, only much larger in size. I have a recipe coming out soon that will give you more of a history on it. The sauce was light and bright, which stood up well to the rib. The rib was fork tender and lightly kissed with the taste of the porter it was braised in. It had a natural beef flavor that wasn't hidden behind sauces and seasonings, which always impresses me. This snack ended up getting shared around the table between the four of us, and I will be hard pressed not to order the Porter Braised Short Ribs with Pozole off of the Big Plates menu next time I visit.
Faye joined me in trying an item off of the Snack menu: the Preserved Lemon Hummus. The plating of this snack was simple but perfect! The pickling jar was such a creative way to present what would otherwise be a very straightforward snack. The preserved lemon definitely jumped to the forefront of the palate, but it did not overtake the dish. The tortilla chips were fresh-made and crispy, but they did have some trouble holding up to a deep dip in the hummus. Faye and my mother-in-law made short work of the jar with the aid of a spoon. If you're a hummus fan, this snack is a refreshing take on what can be an otherwise mellow dish.
Now it's entree time! While the snacks were great, the main courses were even better. Faye went with a shared app off of the Shared menu for her entree. The Wild Mushroom Flatbread with arugula salad, mascarpone, and local honey was light, fresh, and exciting. The flatbread remained crisp under the creamy cheese, which is imperative for any flatbread. The bread was thin enough that it avoided being chewy or overly filling, and the arugula was crisp and peppery, and the honey dressing was a nice touch of sweetness to cut the herbaceousness of the salad. The mushrooms were plentiful and meaty, and they provided an earthiness that paired well with the flatbread. This dish was the perfect marriage of texture and flavor, providing a bright, yet filling, lunchtime meal.
My mother-in-law is one of the only people I know whose love for pizza rivals mine and my mother's. If you check my review of Ulysses, you'll see that she graciously ordered a pizza, which I shamelessly shared with her, and she did the same thing again at Goat. The Artichoke and Parmesan Pizza with olives, peppers, and basil continued the freshness of our meal. The crust was crisp on the bottom and had a decent chew to it, which I look for in a NY style pizza. The cheese was more creamy than stretchy, which complimented the veggies well. The artichokes were cooked-through and tender, and the part of the pizza that worried me the most, the olives, were a welcome addition of meatiness and saltiness. The sauce brought a touch of sweetness to the party which didn't overpower the other flavors. This is not your average pizza, and I look forward to trying some of the other pizzas on the menu.
Lastly, my father-in-law and I both ordered the Hereford Beef Burger with smoked cheddar and bacon. I will have a much more through review of the burger on my Best Burgers link, but here's a bit of info on the burger. My father-in-law and I almost always order burgers at a bar, and this was a good one! The burger was cooked well, and the bun was fresh but a bit thicker than I would have liked. The bacon was crisp but not burnt, and the veggies were crisp and juicy. There was a fresh quick pickle on the side alongside the fries. My pickles varied in the amount of pickling they received from excellently done to one cucumber that I'm not sure hit the pickling liquid. They were all good though. The fries were some of the best that I have had in a while. They were crisp, not oily, and tasted like a potato, not a fryer. All-in-all, this was a better than average burger that highlighted the freshness of its ingredients.
If you couldn't tell, Goat is defined by its freshness. This is not your average bar, by any means, and you need to check it out! The menu is diversified, and there is something to satisfy anyone. I will definitely be going back sometime soon to try some of the other menu items, and I hope that you get out there to try it for yourself!
Staff: *****
Ambiance: ****
Experience: ****1/2
Overall Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5
Address: 1845 Marsh Road, Wilmington, DE 19810
Website: www.goatkitchenandbar.com
Phone #: (302) 746-7847
I love trying new restaurants, well before the internet is plagued with biased reviews and advertisements. When my mother-in-law told me about Goat, I knew that I had to try this place out! She had called me and my wife to tell us what she knew thus far, having never visited it herself. She told me it had high quality bar-type food, great drinks, and supposedly awesome music. Having now been there, I can verify everything that she promised.
You would never guess that Goat was a restaurant from the outside. It's located in a small strip mall near a gym and a comic book shop. Once you walk in, though, there's no mistaking that you're in a great place to grab a bite while spending time with friends or family. The first thing you see is their amazing bar which is loaded with just about anything you could want. The tables are spaced out in a way that you can still have a private conversation amongst a restaurant filled with people. At the center of each table is a communal mason jar filled with utensils (including chopsticks for certain dishes on the menu), which I really enjoyed. The rest of the decor sets up what seems to be an upscale bar setting which is accompanied by an excellent classic rock soundtrack that I found my father-in-law and I humming along to. The waitstaff was incredible. Our service was timely and attentive, and they were always ready with a quick joke. While there weren't many people there during out visit (we went in between lunch and dinner), they went out of their way to make you feel like you were the only ones at the restaurant.
Now, on to my favorite part of the meal: the food. Growing up, we never ate ribs in my family, so in my adult life I have been making up for lost time. One of the things that I love most about Goat's menu is the Snacks menu. This is a short menu of 8 items that is just what the title promises, a snack-sized portion of menu items and a few snack menu exclusive items. When I saw the Porter Braised Short Rib, I knew that I had to try it. Believe it or not, I had never had a short rib before, and this was the perfect one to try as my first. This single, boneless rib was served over a bed of hominy in an olive oil based sauce and topped with an herb sauce that added a subtle freshness to the rib. If you've never had hominy, think of it like barley, only much larger in size. I have a recipe coming out soon that will give you more of a history on it. The sauce was light and bright, which stood up well to the rib. The rib was fork tender and lightly kissed with the taste of the porter it was braised in. It had a natural beef flavor that wasn't hidden behind sauces and seasonings, which always impresses me. This snack ended up getting shared around the table between the four of us, and I will be hard pressed not to order the Porter Braised Short Ribs with Pozole off of the Big Plates menu next time I visit.
Faye joined me in trying an item off of the Snack menu: the Preserved Lemon Hummus. The plating of this snack was simple but perfect! The pickling jar was such a creative way to present what would otherwise be a very straightforward snack. The preserved lemon definitely jumped to the forefront of the palate, but it did not overtake the dish. The tortilla chips were fresh-made and crispy, but they did have some trouble holding up to a deep dip in the hummus. Faye and my mother-in-law made short work of the jar with the aid of a spoon. If you're a hummus fan, this snack is a refreshing take on what can be an otherwise mellow dish.
Now it's entree time! While the snacks were great, the main courses were even better. Faye went with a shared app off of the Shared menu for her entree. The Wild Mushroom Flatbread with arugula salad, mascarpone, and local honey was light, fresh, and exciting. The flatbread remained crisp under the creamy cheese, which is imperative for any flatbread. The bread was thin enough that it avoided being chewy or overly filling, and the arugula was crisp and peppery, and the honey dressing was a nice touch of sweetness to cut the herbaceousness of the salad. The mushrooms were plentiful and meaty, and they provided an earthiness that paired well with the flatbread. This dish was the perfect marriage of texture and flavor, providing a bright, yet filling, lunchtime meal.
My mother-in-law is one of the only people I know whose love for pizza rivals mine and my mother's. If you check my review of Ulysses, you'll see that she graciously ordered a pizza, which I shamelessly shared with her, and she did the same thing again at Goat. The Artichoke and Parmesan Pizza with olives, peppers, and basil continued the freshness of our meal. The crust was crisp on the bottom and had a decent chew to it, which I look for in a NY style pizza. The cheese was more creamy than stretchy, which complimented the veggies well. The artichokes were cooked-through and tender, and the part of the pizza that worried me the most, the olives, were a welcome addition of meatiness and saltiness. The sauce brought a touch of sweetness to the party which didn't overpower the other flavors. This is not your average pizza, and I look forward to trying some of the other pizzas on the menu.
Lastly, my father-in-law and I both ordered the Hereford Beef Burger with smoked cheddar and bacon. I will have a much more through review of the burger on my Best Burgers link, but here's a bit of info on the burger. My father-in-law and I almost always order burgers at a bar, and this was a good one! The burger was cooked well, and the bun was fresh but a bit thicker than I would have liked. The bacon was crisp but not burnt, and the veggies were crisp and juicy. There was a fresh quick pickle on the side alongside the fries. My pickles varied in the amount of pickling they received from excellently done to one cucumber that I'm not sure hit the pickling liquid. They were all good though. The fries were some of the best that I have had in a while. They were crisp, not oily, and tasted like a potato, not a fryer. All-in-all, this was a better than average burger that highlighted the freshness of its ingredients.
If you couldn't tell, Goat is defined by its freshness. This is not your average bar, by any means, and you need to check it out! The menu is diversified, and there is something to satisfy anyone. I will definitely be going back sometime soon to try some of the other menu items, and I hope that you get out there to try it for yourself!