Review: The Local Kitchen & Drinks Wellesley
Sunday, January 5, 2014
The Local Kitchen & Drinks -- an upscale casual family-friendly pub with existing locations in Newton and Wayland -- opened recently in Wellesley to much fan fare.
It replaced China Sky which was an incredibly clean and overall outstanding but often empty Chinese restaurant. The addition of a restaurant like The Local is a welcome addition. Wellesley has lacked a sit-down restaurant where you can get an $11 burger.
They just recently started opening for lunch, and I'd heard unfavorable reports of an uncomfortably crowded parking lot and service glitches on weekend nights so I thought visiting during less crowded lunch hours would be a good play.
And it mostly was.
I really liked the way they've transformed the space both aesthetically and in its thoroughness. China Sky was, I thought, a very nice restaurant and although it was a different vibe I'm sure it was tempting to re-use a lot of the hardware. Take for example the Baldwin door hardware China Sky had. It's gone and replaced with something more matched to the look and feel they're going for...
...which strikes a very nice balance between cozy and comfortable with clean modern lines. Brown and blue hues along with unique lighting that strikes the perfect balance between modern and vintage.
Though we didn't sit at the bar area it seemed welcoming. I believe they still need to adhere to 'ye olde Wellesley tradition of requiring food to be ordered to get a drink at the bar.
The pub atmosphere definitely lends itself more to beer than wine and they had a nice, focused list of beers on tap for $7.
I went for a Bar Harbor "Cadillac Mountain" Stout from Bar Harbor Brewing Company. I'd never had it before but thought it was Very Good+ (Beer Advocate link) with a very nice touch of toasted chocolate wrapped around a classic Irish stout frame.
The wine list, entirely by the glass with no bottle offerings as far as I could tell, was far less local. In fact it wasn't even domestic. Most of the selections were, strangely, from Europe.
I'd love to see some local wines like Travessia (here's why), Westport Rivers, and Turtle Creek. But even if they don't want to go that far I think their wine program would be more successful with recognizable domestic brands. But whatever - it definitely feels more like a place to get a beer anyway so it's not that big a deal.
The menu showed a good amount of diversity yet didn't offer so many offerings as to be overwhelming or unfocused. The Coffee Braised Short Ribs sounded good, as did the Spicy Hong Kong Noodles, but especially because of the John Dewar association I went for the burger.
I love the price point of their Prime Burger: $11. Wellesley has, strangely, lacked a sit-down $11 burger in a setting like this. The Cottage's burger goes for $13.95 but the atmosphere there points you in other directions (and the food on average isn't very good in my experience).
I had it tricked it out with Swiss and Roasted Mushrooms. I'm torn on whether it was a really good burger. It looked pretty good, and I appreciated the toppings providing isolation between the burger and the bottom bun so the bun didn't get soggy.
Although the burger was very juicy in terms of how it dribbled onto the plate when I picked it up, it seemed a little dry. I ordered it "medium" and it was pink in the center so I don't think it was overcooked. In hindsight perhaps it was a lack of seasoning that made it seem just a bit lackluster. The fries were well seasoned and very good.
They have a "Junior's Menu" which was appreciated with our little dudes (now 6 and 8) joining us. They both went for pasta dishes which were very simply prepared but enjoyed. $8 seemed a little steep especially since it didn't include drinks or a dessert.
I mentioned this on Twitter as a low-light and they responded back with a thoughtful policy change:
The Local is a welcome addition to the Wellesley dining scene. The town really needed a restaurant like this and I can think of a lot of situations where we'll find it hits the spot. Perhaps like The Cottage, the food could use a little more flavor to be more memorable.
Lunch set us back $60+ with tip (2 adult entrees, 2 kids meals, 2 kids drinks, 1 beer) which seems a tad pricey. We'll definitely be back though. I think it's going to be a very successful restaurant.
Overall Rating:
88/100 WWP : Very Good
Check 'em out:
The Local
http://www.liveeatlocal.com/wellesley
11 Forrest Street
Wellesley, MA 02481
781-694-1210
Further Reading:
It replaced China Sky which was an incredibly clean and overall outstanding but often empty Chinese restaurant. The addition of a restaurant like The Local is a welcome addition. Wellesley has lacked a sit-down restaurant where you can get an $11 burger.
They just recently started opening for lunch, and I'd heard unfavorable reports of an uncomfortably crowded parking lot and service glitches on weekend nights so I thought visiting during less crowded lunch hours would be a good play.
And it mostly was.
Build Out
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Cozy and comfortable with clean modern lines |
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Bar area is expanded since the China Sky days |
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Nice selection of beers on tap |
Drinks
The pub atmosphere definitely lends itself more to beer than wine and they had a nice, focused list of beers on tap for $7.
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Lots of local beer options |
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Bar Harbor Brewing Company Cadillac Mountain Stout (with supporting kids drink - lemonade) |
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Wine selection isn't very local It's not even very domestic |
Food
The menu showed a good amount of diversity yet didn't offer so many offerings as to be overwhelming or unfocused. The Coffee Braised Short Ribs sounded good, as did the Spicy Hong Kong Noodles, but especially because of the John Dewar association I went for the burger.
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Good entree diveristy |
I had it tricked it out with Swiss and Roasted Mushrooms. I'm torn on whether it was a really good burger. It looked pretty good, and I appreciated the toppings providing isolation between the burger and the bottom bun so the bun didn't get soggy.
Although the burger was very juicy in terms of how it dribbled onto the plate when I picked it up, it seemed a little dry. I ordered it "medium" and it was pink in the center so I don't think it was overcooked. In hindsight perhaps it was a lack of seasoning that made it seem just a bit lackluster. The fries were well seasoned and very good.
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Prime Burger with Swiss and Roasted Mushrooms |
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Kids menu didn't include drinks - but does now! |
@RobertDwyer good news - we've decided to no longer charge for kids fountain drinks. TY for your feedback!
— The Local (@LiveEatLocal) January 5, 2014
Wow! You've got to appreciate that they're listening and still tweaking the formula.Conclusion and Recommendations
Lunch set us back $60+ with tip (2 adult entrees, 2 kids meals, 2 kids drinks, 1 beer) which seems a tad pricey. We'll definitely be back though. I think it's going to be a very successful restaurant.
Overall Rating:
88/100 WWP : Very Good
The Local
http://www.liveeatlocal.com/wellesley
11 Forrest Street
Wellesley, MA 02481
781-694-1210
Further Reading:
- Review from The Swellesley Report
- Review of The Local in Newton from Kid Nosh
- Seasons 52 Chestnut Hill Review
- Del Frisco's Grille Chestnut Hill Review
- Sweet Basil Needham Review
Question of the Day: Have you been to The Local? If so, what did you think?