After a very long day traveling and running around NYC, I checked in to the Omni Berkshire hotel. The Desk agent, Michael, must have sensed my exhaustion and completed my paperwork with lightning speed. He also must have noted my immediate needs and pointed out the lobby bar/restaurant.
After I dropped my bags in my room, I headed down and was led to a seat at the bar. Bar staff was curtly professional, serving a bottle of sparkling water with the urgency that I needed.
Contemplating the brief menu, it had everything I wanted, making a choice difficult. But I settled on a Caesar salad and penne a la vodka pasta with chicken. I'm not going to claim either was the best I ever had. But, both dishes were exactly what I wanted, exactly what I expected, and served with speed and aesthetic.
The Caesar was fresh greens with shredded cheese and classic dressing. I happily enjoyed the salad.
The penne was slightly more exotic. Penne with a nice hint of al dente bite. Tossed in a tomato-based sauce with sliced cherry tomato and chopped asparagus spears. The chicken breast was pounded and sliced, cutting with a fork. The asparagus retained a nice remnant of crunch, the sauce was creamy and with a bit of black pepper, nicely done.
Following on my exhausted travels, a pleasantly enjoyable meal. I would likely not seek the menu outside the hotel, but given the circumstances as a hotel guest, it was convenient and nicely done.
I also observed others with their meals. Bar pizza looked good. Likewise the roasted chicken and burger with truffle fries disappeared from neighbors' plates. read more