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Drumlins Country Club just reopened their restaurant, now dubbed Windows on the Green Bistro. It’s open to the public with plans to keep it operating year-round. During our visit on a Friday night after work, the place was very full with lots of non-members and non-golfers alike. The interior has been redone in yellow, tan, and black tones for a bright, yet calming, effect. The bar runs the length of the room. For summer fun there is an outdoor patio with a large amount of umbrella-covered seating.
For those who might have attended an event at the banquet hall previously, this is a completely separate enterprise under separate management and located around to the left of the center building. The restaurant overlooks the golf course and the pool and you can enjoy the parade of “gophers,” I mean golfers, as they finish up their round dressed like Rene Russo in Tin Cup. Or not.
New manager Bob Facciponte told us he is striving to establish a destination eatery for the surrounding community, a place where folks want to come by to eat regularly, a veritable “Cinderella story, outta nowhere.” But while the restaurant is perfect for a burger and a beer after golf or even tennis, it is also hoped that non-members will seek it out for a bite and a beverage as well.
The vibe is very casual so it would be perfect for a last-minute, unplanned stop on a day you don’t feel like cooking. In conjunction with his chef, Facciponte is developing and trying out different items on his bistro menu and fine-tuning as he discovers what his patrons want to eat. He will likely stop by your table and ask your opinion, so feel free to share what you would like to see in your neighborhood place.
We started with a calamari Caesar salad. The serving size was completely enough for two, maybe three, and the squid appeared lightly breaded, fried and hot. Our waitress recommended the ricotta cold plate: ricotta cheese covered with pesto, a small caprese salad and a few bruschetta. Don’t forget to ask for some extra bread to top with the ricotta. The table enjoyed the chicken riggies; again, the serving was very large and the sauce was creamy, spicy and peppery. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
The kitchen’s strong suit at present is its fried selections. The
onion rings were thin, sweet, lightly breaded and not too hard or
overcooked. Our favorite was the sweet potato fries. They were served
with a special house sauce; it was a syrupy sauce that contained what
tasted like brown sugar. Or maybe it was black pepper? Or honey? Ginger?
You be the judge, but don’t miss the sauce. A fish fry served with a
large portion of haddock was also offered.
The menu includes a variety of salads, paninis and wraps. Burgers are made with 90 percent lean black Angus beef cooked to order. There are no specialty burgers, rather the customer builds his burger to order from a selection of cheeses and other toppings. There is also a children’s menu.
For dessert, we opted for the salted caramel cheesecake, which was surprisingly light. In contrast, the dark chocolate cake tasted dense, very fudgy, rich, creamy and covered with chocolate sauce.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer, Sunday
brunches will be served. This will include an omelet station. Check the
website for other upcoming summer events. For example, June 15 was Jimmy Buffett Night, complete with live acoustic
music, Land Shark beer, margaritas and maybe a cheeseburger in paradise.
Or shrimp.
Come fall, Facciponte will be shaking up the menu and is looking at adding homemade pasta, root vegetables and other harvest-themed items. As one of our group said, “And, excuse me, this food is very reasonably priced.”
Windows on the Green Bistro is located at Drumlins Country Club, 800 Nottingham Road. It’s open Mondays to Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursdays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 446-8511 or visit drumlins.com.
