Tonight we had the pleasure of dining at Deal Lake Bar + Co, on the weekend of their soft opening. Andrea Pappas, Phil Villapiano and Greg Bartz are the new owners; and it is clear that they put a lot of love and detail into their vision. The space is completely unrecognizable from the once grungy sports bar, with its rustic-modern design, spacious layout and elevated American bar fare.
The cocktail list had a lot of original touches. We tried the Hippy Dippy (vodka, mango purée, matcha, oat milk), Road Soda (bourbon, lime juice, ginger beer, peach purée), Village Tea (Penelope bourbon, hibiscus tea, honey, sage, lemon juice), Calypso (gin, pineapple juice, lemon juice, orgeat, angostura bitters), Bohemian (honey gin, grapefruit, Elderflower liquor, Peychaud bitters) and House Party (rye, pineapple juice, simple syrup, lime juice, angostura bitters, Kane IPA). The drink that I enjoyed the most was the Hippy Dippy. The beer list is truly impressive with a nice variety from near and far. We were pleasantly surprised to see Maine Beer Company’s “Lunch” on tap!
We tried a handful of appetizers and sides, since they were all shareable. Some of our favorites were the shishito peppers, Brussels sprouts and the spaghettios. The shishito peppers were uniquely spiced with za’atar and espelette pepper, on top of a house made ranch dressing. The Brussels sprouts, in a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze, were the crispiest we’ve ever had. The spaghettios, or circular pasta in marinara sauce, were certainly outstanding, unlike our childhood snack. The wings come by the pound, which is enough for a whole group. There are many homemade sauce options, to satisfy every palate. The mild buffalo, garlic butter, barbecue and ranch were all delicious. The mac & cheese noodles were cooked perfectly and the cheese sauce tasted classic. That was a crowd pleaser, as well. Other items pictured are the pizzadilla, cast iron garlic bread, buffalo corn esquites, hot buttered pretzel and fresh fries. Although we tasted a lot of menu items, we didn’t have room for any rotisserie chicken, ribs or dessert. We are looking forward to our next visit!
Deal Lake Bar + Co will soon be a local favorite! Stay tuned for details about their grand opening!
Gastronaut Girls 