Friar Tuck’s doesn’t disappoint
mashed potatoes and veggies, balanced to let the lamb shine through but without sacrificing flavor — on their own, the potatoes would have been wonderful.
Close seconds to the shepherd’s pie were the Open-Faced Steak Sandwich ($20; comes with fries) and the Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin ($19), which is listed as a “Signature item” on the entrée menu. I can see why it’s so designated, because every aspect of it was truly delightful, from the loin itself, with its light crust of seasoning and drizzle of bourbon gravy, to the creamy mashed potatoes and the delicious side veg of sautéed peppers, done simply in some oil and likely just salt and pepper. We were surprised to see such relative lighter fare on the menu, but that surprise became the pleasant kind.
There was also much to love about the open-faced steak sandwich, starting with the main attraction. Ours was served medium rare if the color was any indicator. We weren’t asked to specify how we wanted it cooked and it didn’t occur to us to ask, and perhaps that decision falls to the kitchen for this dish, but take note if you like less pink in your steak.
We were all fine with the pinkness level and that’s a good thing, because the steak, a marinated flank steak served atop thick triangles of toast, was delicious and substantial at 8 ounces. Tender, juicy, and seasoned just right, it became even better with a dip in the accompanying jus. The caramelized onions and Swiss cheese were a nice touch, but the steak was tasty enough to stand on its own.
As for dish number four, the Chicken Pot Pie, we liked it well enough. Our bone of contention is the epitome of a first-world problem, but I’ll report it anyway. When one thinks of chicken pot pie, one tends to envision a molten chicken, potatoes, and veggies encased in a pastry shell, right? Friar Tuck’s offers a different take by placing two very good biscuits on top of the filling with no surrounding or base crust. Some would argue a crust is what makes a pie a pie, so I offer that only for those of us who really like a lot of crust in their pot pies. Crust preferences aside, the ingredients within hit all the right marks, with no saltiness that some pot pies can acquire.
Do you hear history calling? Or maybe a rumble in your belly? Or maybe you just want to have a good meal with some friends. Consider the trip through Sherwood to Friar Tuck’s Tavern for all of the above.
1/2 PG, 109 minutes. Waterford, Stonington, Westbrook, Lisbon. Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time” is a landmark film even before it hits the theaters. The adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s eerie, mystical young adult sci-fi novel from 1962 was budgeted at over $100 million, the largest budget a woman of color has been handed for a film. DuVernay is only the fourth female director to receive that kind of budget for a project, and in tackling the beloved “A Wrinkle in Time,” she has taken an enormous swing. That alone is worthy of recognition. DuVernay marshalled an array of star power to inhabit L’Engle’s tale, with Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling stepping into the roles of the Misses; supernatural, deity-like beings who guide the young Meg (Storm Reid) on her journey through space and time. It’s almost laughably appropriate casting for Winfrey, who embodies the wise, godlike presence Mrs. Which. Underneath the sci-fi and fantasy elements of both the book and film of “A Wrinkle in Time,” the story is quite simple: a young girl sets out to find her missing father (Chris Pine). She may travel through fantastical worlds of space and time, guided by mystical forces, but ultimately, this is a story about reuniting a family. — Katie Walsh, Tribune Content