Bartlett House — Restaurant in Town of Ghent

We found this place on a recommendation from the Inn we were staying at. For that, we are truly grateful.

We arrived about 5 minutes before they opened and a line had already started to form outside. The building is a beautifully renovated historic structure (a plaque outside the front door states that it was built in 1870). There is both seating inside and on the large front porch. It was a gorgeous morning so my wife and I chose the porch seating.

Once my wife saw they had a Kalamintsi lime soda, she was hooked. These are limes that are native to SE Asia and have a nice sweet, floral taste. My wife, being from Kuala Lumpur, just had to try one and it did not disappoint. She also absolutely loved the eggs benedict with smoked salmon. My chorizo breakfast sandwich was extremely tasty. The smoky chorizo went well with the fried egg, avocado, smashed pinto beans, and salsa. The homemade english muffin was nice and large... no skimpy sandwich here. There is a dedicated barista offering a wide selection of early morning caffeinated essentials. The cafe mocha I ordered was just the right "hit" I needed.

We had bought a bunch of bakery items (maple pecan donut, danish, croissants, etc.) for the morning concert at Tanglewood. Everything was absolutely delicious. We may have to make another trip just to try all of the other food on their menu... and the other...

This is a clean, lovely place with food that is not what it once was. I used to love to have breakfast here. I believe Covid is responsible for the service problem although all staff I have come in contact with were very nice. A positive thing to say is that everything I have had here over the years (since they opened) is always fresh. My complaint is about the two pullman loaves they offer. The Sourdough multigrain and Pain de mie. Only once did I purchase a loaf of pain de mie that was not baked properly and I would describe as too soft similar to "wonderbread." My real problem is with the sourdough multigrain. Prices have gone up. I understand that, but after spending $9.50 a loaf, I believe the quality should be excellent. Part of the problem may be bagging the bread (in plastic), and perhaps slicing while it is still warm. The other problem is with the baking. A pullman loaf should not have holes and the crumb should be consistant thoughout. Is the dough too wet? Is it not spread evenly in the pan? The slices are almost impossible to separate (I actually used a knife to cut them apart today). I have complained about this to no avail. I honestly believe this problem with the baking and packaging can be...

We just moved to the area and nearly every single person who has learned of our move to Ghent has insisted that we become regulars at Bartlett House, and after this first visit, point taken. I probably could spare you all the details and just direct you to the happy face in the photo who has never tasted a danish so delicious, but I’ll give you a little rundown nonetheless. First, it took everything in my being not to order the pistachio croissant. It was my own choice to start with the basics and try the regular croissant first, and based on how delicious it was, I can say with full confidence that I’ll be back for that pistachio variation as soon as yesterday ;-) Like I said, the lovely woman’s face in the photo says it all when it comes to the cherry and cheese danish. She has very high standards for pastries and the single word that came out of her mouth after the first bite of pastry + cheese + cherry was “Perfection.” My main concern is that we’re less than 10 minutes from BH and I’m really trying to fit into my clothes this year. I will need broad community support on moderation, lest I’ll need an entirely new wardrobe. It’s going to take a village. Just...