Bright’s Northfield Restaurant Blog

A couple of weeks ago I said I would blog the Cheese Cave, and today we headed down there for an afternoon trek.  I was delighted upon entry at seeing a well organized shop with several layers of fun, food and festive ware.   Small, but very cute and filled with lots of surprises, dh and I were entertained from the moment we stopped and smelled the cheeses.

We sat down after a short browse of all manner of cheese related dishes and a few kitchen items, an open fridge with salads, sandwiches and super pops.  There is a nice bar with high end liquor, beers to bring the connoisseur to their knees and wise wine to mingle over.

We ordered up a couple of individual pizzas, one with tomato, fresh mozzarella and the best basil pesto I have ever had called the Capre’se.  The  12 year old balsamic vinegar and Italian parmesan cheese did nothing to dissuade my appetite for it.  We loved it as much as the Blue Pear pizza with Amablu Gorgonzola and sweet pears with honey and chopped pecans.  I was beside myself,  and regular readers know how rarely I have used that term…like never.

We truly enjoyed the three people who served us with such friendliness and complete openness.  I cannot say enough how much that means to me as I am a wanderer always away from my home, and d enjoys the interaction, too.  He was too busy eating the larger part of our splitting the pizzas to say anymore than that, and I said that for him.  He’s a guy, you know.  A nod and a smile is about the best I’m going to get out of him 9 times out of 10, but it’s all good.

Anyway, after the pizzas,  we ordered a piece of Grand Royal Vanilla Cheesecake.  First, let me say, it was a piece big enough for two.  Then I have to say it was so good, sprinkled with a crunchy toffee topping,  I have never tasted anything better, and because it was so huge, in the end, I had to help dh eat it, so I went way off my intent to keep my girlish figure intact by about 400 more calories which is a quarter pound…like eating a Big Mac, only more delicious and not as many calories, only the same actual weight.

So then, of course I had to bring home some stuff, so I got a sandwich, some gourmet pop, some buffalo sticks for dh, and some St. Mary’s gouda cheese, the best in the world and brother, sister, I am gonna give out an amen on that tip.  Mmmmmhmmmm.  Watch out now, cuz Jill will come running from the backroom if she hears you enjoying food.  That’s her thing, watching you love the food.  And I think the shop is like the dairy equivalent of the movie ‘Chocolat’ where the lady’ love goes into and infects the chocolate shop’s customers who eat the chocolate with that very same love.

So, then, after a real treat, oh and I asked them to put on the World Cup Soccer game between the USA and Gnana, and they did…so then, we paid for everthing, oh and  a pickle, don’t forget the pickel, and they can put you on a bonus point list for a gift after so many points.  Sign up for that, name only needed.

One point to remember, through an oversight, they did not get a tip line put on their receipts for  credit cards, so don’t forget to tip, okay?  Enjoy this place, it’s a real treasure.

http://www.thecheesecave.net.

Butler’s Steak & Ale

507-786-9797

620  Water Street South, in the strip mall just south of Just Foods in Northfield

www.butlerssteakandale.com

Well, Norm struck a home run for me today when I and  my friend and hubby went for a tasting of Butler’s Italian Pasta Buffet for $9.95. It was good.  We all agreed.  The pasta, a thick curly noodle type with red and white sauces, a fresh mixed greens salad with onions and baby green beans, a red pepper and potato soup that was light and delicious, easy on the salt, thank the stars! and a nice flat bread with a couple of cheeses and marinara.  There was also bread sticks, big and soft and chewy and meat balls.  I didn’t care for the meat balls, but the others liked them well enough.  I don’t eat much red meat, but I will imbibe once  in awhile.  I did love the soup and will make that at home sometime or eat some more at Butler’s.

Oh, the new thing, for me at least, is to combine the red and white sauces, or marinara and alfredo sauces,so you get Campbell’s Tomato Soup colored sauce, if you’d added milk.   It’s delicious!

The service was more that adequate, very polite and just the right amount of happy.

The ambiance is developing nicely with some new bluish lovely light fixtures and the old English leather style booths, which are new, not old.  We did not try out the new deck outside because it was starting to get a bit hot and I don’t do well in hot anymore.

As for handicap access, in front, you will find the handicap curb some 40 or 50 feet to the north and south of Butler’s, or there may be back door access. sorry, I didn’t check that.

Three buffet lunches with 3 soft drinks and tax came to $35.00 plus a tip.  Not bad for all that.

All in all in was a good experience for me and I hope Butler’s stays around a long time.  We here in Northfield love a good eating establishment.  Don’t we?