Armitage Alehouse
4.8/5
By some kind of holiday miracle my friend managed to find a reservation to what is now easily one of my favorites. If you're a fan of an English country estate, or the Ralph Lauren store downtown on Michigan Ave, then you'll find yourself right at home here. The soft lighting and cozy booths were the perfect setting for what became a food-coma-inducing lunch. With every item except one coming in at a perfect score, I completely understand why this reservation is so difficult to snag. Additionally, when all was said and done, the price tag per person was no different than what you would spend at most any restaurant in Fulton Market or River North, but the quality here is by far superior. Fun fact, they only serve 1 to 2 pot pies daily, which means I need to go back to try the others. Pot Pie date invitations are now being accepted if you, too, are a pot pie aficionado. On to the good stuff:
Cocktails: 5/5 - We had a Mumbai Mule (the cinnamon addition to this otherwise classic mule really provides depth and warmth where you didn't realize you needed it), Singapore Sling (if a tiki drink had a bougie, rich auntie, this is it), Boulevardier (a negroni's smokier, more mature counterpart, highly recommend if you enjoy rye), and a Queen's Cup (gin lovers this is your drink, beautifully refreshing and tangy). I'm bucketing all the pre-dinner cocktails into one category for the sake of this post's length
Charred Naan Bread: 5/5 - We ordered the whipped feta and spiced lamb spreads (our server let us know that since we were ordering the samosas we didn't need the green chutney yogurt because it's automatically included with the samosas, this is the kind of service I live for btw). This naan was pillowy, covered in herbs and spices, with the right amount of char to provide flavor without overpowering your mouth with what can otherwise be an acrid, burnt toast flavor. If you know me you know a whipped feta is a thing of beauty, this one belongs in the pantheon of whipped cheese spreads. The spiced lamb was the same as the filling in the spiced lamb pot pie, long braise, tender shreds in garam masala, no notes.
Samosas: 5/5 - Stuffed with spinach and paneer, these are made with phyllo pastry so they are the equivalent of a samosa and spanakopita having a beautiful lovechild. The texture is perfectly flaky, they're served piping hot so the green chutney yogurt sauce brings a welcome coolness while providing tang.
Heritage Chicken Pot Pie: 5/5 - Every other chicken pot pie can quit now. This is basically a warm hug from your favorite grandmother. All the comfort and nostalgia of the beloved classic, but elevated, so if granny gave you a hug while wearing her Cordon Bleu apron. The molten bone marrow that comes in the center ends up adding such a depth of flavor that I'm now checking to see if my local butcher will just sell me bones to keep at home. The gravy was a perfect consistency (bad gravy that is either too runny or too thick is absolutely vile), flavor was everything you expect in a chicken pot pie with an added depth and richness. The pasty? I hope you like butter because this is flaky, buttery, clearly made with the good stuff. The mashed potatoes have a few bits of potato in them so they are not ultra smooth, lending good texture.
Spiced Lamb Pot Pie: 5/5 - If the previous pot pie is a warm hug from grandma, this one is a hug from your rich auntie. She's warm and comforting, but also wears Baccarat Rouge 540, travels to places you didn't know existed on this planet, and is always ready to throw a quick comment at the dinner table. The garam masala lamb confit filling is the best contrast to the buttery crust. The bone marrow, again, adds extra depth to the flavors of the spices in the filling. I have no notes on this one, other than get it if it's being offered when you go.
Pike Fish & Chips: 5/5 - This is the final form, the ultimate expression of what fried fish is supposed to be. The batter is a cross between tempura and traditional, bringing amazing crunch and crisp while also being incredibly light. The fries are cooked in tallow, all the crunch on the outside and pillowy, soft, potato heaven on the inside. The tartar sauce/remoulade is tangy, zingy, perfect contrast. Every other fish and chips wishes.
Sticky Date Cake: 5/5 - I took one bite and wanted to launch my spoon across the room Pasta Queen style (IYKYK). I'm not normally super into dates, but this cake is neither overly date-y or stick to your molars sticky. Served warm, the brown butter gelato and toffee sauce slowly melt and infuse each bite with additional flavors that perfectly complement the base layer. The final touch are date crumbles for contrast. Even non-dessert people will love this (my friend is one such person).
Espresso Martini: 3.5/5 - Friends... I regret to inform you that we have arrived at the item that tanks the perfect score. If you've read any of my previous reviews, then you know that I'm on an espresso martini mission. Sadly, this one is not anywhere near the top of the ranking. For starters, it's made with cold brew, YES COLD BREW, despite the restaurant having an espresso machine. While the final drink is not overly sweet (sweet espresso martinis go to the very bottom of the ranking for me), the texture is overly diluted, feeling more like a chilled glass of cold brew with coffee liqueur than the richness of a real espresso martini. Mouth feel is totally off, flavor is subdued with cold brew bringing a totally different profile than espresso does. The only reason this doesn't rank lower is because, despite all the above, the overall drink does find some balance in its flavors (another holiday miracle?).
