Did not realize Carol Peck had sold the business when we ventured to my once favorite spot. I had raved all day how great the food and atmosphere (and Carol) were. First red flag was that they had ripped out the charming kitchen garden by the front door, then saw the interior renovations. Meh. They were nice enough, but lacking the kitchy eclectic charm the original Good News was known for. Always enjoyed the display of Bridgewater Chocolates, antiques and dessert selections. Was pleased to see the menu offered numerous delicious sounding options so figured I'd let go my disappointment that it wasn't what I had been expecting thus far. We each ordered soup (French onion and a lobster bisque). French onion was satisfactory, lobster bisque was passable although the lobster was insanely salty and rubbery, and there were several small bits of shell to navigate around. We also tried the Brussels sprouts appetizer. It was also decent. For our mains, we got a special (which was an app) of meatball bruschetta and steak tacos with a side salad. The meatball bruschetta was an embarrassing presentation. It was 2 small meatballs cut in half served on a slice of toast and topped with a drip of marinara, a large cold blob of burrata and a drizzle of balsamic glaze (which seemed not to fit the dish IMO). It was not at all restaurant quality. More like a snack you make for yourself if you were high at 2am and raiding the fridge of leftovers. The steak tacos were tiny, and there were only 2 of them served with a very wet side salad. The meal cost $100 with tip, which I can accept if the food is good. While we were at the table I just kept saying to myself "where is Carol? What happened to Carol? There's no way she'd allow this from her kitchen". That's when I googled it and found out she retired. I read that the new owners said they were going to try to keep it the same while making it their own. I am a farmer with a long list of former high end restaurant clients (I closed my business during Covid, and sadly Carol was not on that list just due to distance), so I ALWAYS want to see farm to table restaurants succeed. This one is failing to meet the expectations it's inherited name implies. It's on par with a chain you may find in a mall, not with that of it's namesake. I used the restroom before we left. The toilet would not flush. They were playing 50s/60s music, which I enjoy, but it was skipping so badly it couldn't be ignored. We mentioned it to our server, and he said he knew. It was a wifi issue they had always had. Perhaps if it's a known issue, you find another alternative rather than continue playing it at a rather high volume. It's those little attentions to detail that make your customer feel invited. Our server was friendly and attentive, but unfortunately that wasn't enough to make us ever want to return. Good News Cafe is no longer my favorite special occasion destination. Carol Peck is missed. She made that place what it was. Now it's just a place you try once and forget about.