Last week, I wrote about our first stop on our Lambertville/New Hope two day birthday celebration for my wife-our wonderful tasting at Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes. We followed that visit with a brief detour to Sourland Spirits in Hopewell. After checking in at the Lambertville Station/Inn and dropping off our Unionville wines and our Coffee liqueur from Sourland Spirits, we walked across the street to Local Greek for our dinner reservation.
The Restaurant
Local Greek is a terrific Greek restaurant located on Canal Street in Lambertville. They also have two other restaurants-one in Princeton and one in Hopewell. We picked this restaurant because we love Greek food, it was located across the street from where we were staying, and it is a BYOB. I did my research about this restaurant, loving the extensive menu, the lovely location, with outdoor seating in front and in the backyard garden setting. They also offer wines from Old York Cellars, for those who did not bring their own. In our case, we brought our own. I happened to have two bottles in my cellar from Old York Cellars, which I thought would accompany our choices here. I told you I did my research.
Appetizer
My wife and I enthusiastically selected the Ohtapodi-Grilled Octopus with Greek herbs, olive oil, and vinegar as our shared appetizer. This was fabulous-tasting fresh, tender, and flavorful with the herbs, and brightened by the lemon.
Entrees
For my entree I chose the Mitsos Lamb-Slow cooked lamb, fig, apricot, herbs, and olive oil, served over rice. (Below left). The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender, rich and flavorful. When you taste fresh herbs at a restaurant you wonder why all restaurants don’t use them. As Emeril Lagasse used to say, “Kick it up a notch!”
My wife chose the Lamb Souvlaki-served with a huge chunk of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and lemon and served with a side of lemon potatoes. Simple, perhaps, but oh so good!
The Desserts
I chose the Greek classic: Baklava – a delicious multi-layered concoction of filo dough, filled with crushed almonds and walnuts, and topped with Greek honey syrup. I have loved this dessert long before I came to appreciate Greek cuisine, as a whole. I’m so thankful my palate has continued to grow as I age. Variety truly is the “spice of life.”
My wife chose the Portokalopita-An amazing homemade Greek orange cake. Delicious!
The Wines
I brought along a white- (Old York Cellars 2021 Pinot Gris) and a red (Old York Cellars 2021 Malbec).
- 2021 Pinot Gris-great on this warm evening and even better with our Octopus appetizer. It is made in the French style with a little more body and a little less acidity, but still offering a refreshing finish.
- 2021 Malbec-an excellent version that was the perfect accompaniment with our lamb entrees. This medium-bodied red is one of my faves at Old York Cellars and definitely one of the best Malbecs made in New Jersey. It is smooth with a bit of plum, ripe cherry, and a hint of spice.
Lunch at Martine’s on the River
The restaurant is on the Main Street in New Hope, almost hidden by some of the larger buildings that are situated in front of Martine’s. But it is the deck behind Martine’s that we love. It overlooks the Delaware River and the bridge that connects Lambertville with New Hope. I took a photo that evening when the bridge and river looked so attractive. How convenient that it is a short walk over the bridge from New Jersey to Pennsylvania. I highly recommend you check out this spot for lunch or dinner or just a little wine or a cocktail. It is lovely inside, but the views from their deck go for miles. Martine’s is not a BYOB, but they make some nice cocktails. We enjoyed a refreshing drink and we both had terrific (and filling) salads.
Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn
The Lambertville Station Inn is located behind the famous Lambertville Station Restaurant, a wonderful restaurant located on Bridge Street. Our room was on the first floor and had a lovely view of the canal and wildlife outside our window (turtles, herons, ducks, and geese). Continental breakfasts are delivered to your door each morning.
One of my favorite memories from the distant past here was a dinner with my wife and our son. I don’t remember what my wife had, but my son and I both ordered an unusual, but quite good selection of three unique meats (rattlesnake, alligator, and buffalo). No they didn’t all taste like chicken. Or at least the buffalo didn’t. It was more like a lean cut of beef. We have also had more traditional meals here and enjoyed all of them. On this evening (my wife’s birthday dinner) we went with traditional. She ordered the Halibut, with a fresh mango salsa. It was wonderful. I chose the Shrimp and Scallops, and they were fabulous! We lingered over our meal and our bottle of Duckhorn Chardonnay (no NJ wine available). We were lucky to snag a table outside adjacent to the canal. It was a memorable meal and a beautiful way to wrap up our stay in the area.
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Natali Vineyards
- Limoncello Restaurant & NJ Wine
- Va La Vineyards
- Noteworthy books, blogs, and resources about wine, beer, and spirits
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