A good duck is hard to find

No,really! Bad duck is far too common and such a huge disappointment. I usually won't risk ordering it, but my mom has raved about this restaurant for the past 3 years and so...


Occasionally in life we are treated to really special dining moments and yesterday was certainly one of them. Nestled in the farmlands of Brooklyn, CT is the delectable Golden Lamb Buttery. The Golden Lamb resides in a giant old barn complete with antiques, a theater stage, a veranda with a breathtaking view and three dining rooms.

We were hoping for lunch on the veranda and ordered our wine: chardonnay for Mom and a lovely Sauvignon Blanc for me but the breeze was too fierce for Nana so after a few moments of admiring the rolling pastures, complete with cows,several donkeys and a large duck pond in the distance, we left the bucolic view for warmer indoor dining.

To make my grandmother's passage with a walker easier, we were allowed to enter the dining area via the kitchen, which was charming in its country farm house style, surprisingly tiny and completely immaculate. Always a comfort!

The dining areas are cozy, intimate without feeling like you are on top of your neighboring diners and the decor is whimsical memorabilia mixed with colonial antiques. The combination leaves you feeling completely at home and like you've stepped into a piece of history as you cross the practically 12 inch wide floor boards to sit at your table.

I know you are all waiting to hear about the food but I had to set the table for you, if you will. The menu arrives on a chalkboard with our cheerful waitress who tells us the specials and kindly repeats things for my Nana who is slightly in denial about the usefulness of hearing aids. This is the sort of place where there are only 4 soups and five entrees to choose from, but everything is done superbly well. I order the potato leek soup for an appetizer and get a bowl of amazement! There's bacon blended with the potato and leek and a hint of cayenne so that the soup gives a very subtle heat without any single flavor taking over and running a dictatorship. Its creamy without being heavy and I am in gastronomic heaven before my entree has even arrived!

I ordered the duck pesto pasta and it is a vision to behold! The duck is shredded and blended with homemade pesto, peas and fusilli pasta served room temperature over a bed of baby greens and encircled by slices of heirloom tomatoes and tiny dots of balsamic. It is beautiful to see and delightful to the palate - I can barely tell I am eating duck - its rich and succulent without being gamey or oily , the pesto delicate, the pasta perfectly al dente and the mixed greens and tomatoes taste fresh and pungent with a slight smoke flavor in a few of the heirloom tomatoes blending perfectly with the duck.

Mom ordered the Tuscan shrimp salad and Nana chose the Asparagus and Crab Crepes- we were not a family who shared food on this day so I can't comment on the other two dishes but we did share the blissed out contentment of happy foodies who have found dining nirvana . It should be noted that my Nana, who is 97 and does not often get tempted to eat a large amount of food, devoured both of her crepes.

Dessert was almost too much after such a lovely meal but we tried a chocolate decadence and a key lime cheesecake. Chocolate decadence was dark chocolate and pecans more a torte than a pie - delish but the crust was a bit flat- I do like a flaky pastry crust and this one seemed to lack a bit of oomph.The key lime cheese cake was very good and very sweet- while I prefer the more intense tang of a key lime pie, Mom loved the light sweet taste.

This was a meal to treasure and to say that The Golden Lamb is a special place doesn't quite do it justice - treat yourself and go- its worth it! You will need reservations and lunch is much gentler on the pocket than dinner. For details, hours, and special events checkout their website www.thegoldenlamb.com

Until next time, this is the small plate diner wishing you great dining and a happy kitchen!