Like many a deal-loving Yelper that preceded me, we came to Moonshine 152 with a voucher in hand for $55 for a dining experience for two (up to $92 total value). The deal included:
Choice of one appetizer
One local mixed green salad
Choice of two entrees
Choice of one dessert
The Local Mixed Greens Salad $8 Pear-Cider Vinaigrette, Roasted Kale was rather basic with the exception of the crisped up kale. I was hopeful that there would be chunks of pear to accompany the fruit dressing, but that was not to be.
Our appetizer pick - Grilled Calamari & Octopus Salad $16
Oranges Supremes, Baby Spinach, Citron Butter - wasn't ideal in that we had two similar salads at our table, but the many armed creatures were meaty and tender and generous at 3 deflated balloon type bodies (though 2 were small) and one slightly overly salty tenacle. The dressing was unlike the other and the preferred of the two. But the crispy kale was sprinkled on here as well. Though it worked well, it also made it less special an inclusion to the first.
Miso-Sake Glazed Haddock $28 Gingered Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas, Furikake-Tempura Crisps were well prepared with tender flaky fish, firm sugar snap peas, and fun tempura crisps, but if you don't like ginger, you might not be too enthused.
'Shine Steak Frites with Grilled Skirt Steak $26 House-Cut Shoestring French Fries, Bourbon Porcini Demiglace, Horseradish Crème was a smaller piece of steak than I had figured. But despite the slimness of the slice of beef, the meat was still tender and tasty. The fries and the sauces, however, were over salted and thus overwhelmed the dish.
Our two dessert picks were a respectably sweet ending to our meal. The server's pick - Blueberry Jamboree $10 Blueberry Pie Filling, Cream Cheese, Topping, Toasted Almond Shortbread - was favored by my DC, while I found it tough to declare one the winner. Between the fruity/creamy, and the moist chocolate of the Warm Double Chocolate Bread Pudding $10 Dulce De Leche Crème Anglaise, both were quite good. Neither were tooth achingly sweet, which worked for our personal taste.
Service was pleasant, with the manager checking in on us, and often helping out herself taking away our dishes or filling a water glass. But the waits for our entrees and to place our dessert order were a bit long.
We lucked out that night and managed to find parking on the street out front.
For birthdays, they might send out jello shots or stick a candle in your dessert. Unfortunately, I have no first hand experience in this, however, since they managed to disregard the notation in our reservation, despite my telephone call earlier that day to bring it to their attention.
Free wi-fi with password.
3.5 stars.
*** 3/2017 ***
Needed a quick dinner on the go, so I phoned in my order for SOUTHIE'S FAVORITE IRISH CURRY $17 Walnut Gremolata, Toasted Brown Rice-Orzo Pilaf.
Lots of curry sauce with chunks of tender yet firm carrots and potatoes, and some onions. Not a lot of the pilaf though. I would have preferred more given both the price and the amount of curry that was in the container. It tasted good, but the heat of the curry needed something more to tame it. I managed, but it was a little hotter than I would have liked. (The perspective of a spice wimp.) read more