Phantom Gourmet: The Bancroft In Burlington

BURLINGTON - This is not your average steakhouse. It's cool. It's stylish. It's The Bancroft.

Located in Burlington, Mass., The Bancroft is a two-tiered steak serving emporium, where choice cuts are seared and craft cocktails are sipped in a vast space sporting multiple places to drink and dine.

"The Bancroft is a very large restaurant, but it never in any one of the areas feels like you're in a very large restaurant," said General Manager Richard Brackett. "Each one of the rooms has a different feel to it.

"There's a 32-seat bar and then there are three distinctive cocktail areas: one that resembles a library; one in the center that has high top cocktail tables, and then drops down again to a living room setting with a fireplace along the wall.

"Upstairs is our wine storage. So, our solution for wine storage was to create a mezzanine with glass enclosed, climate controlled storage for 3,600 bottles of wine."

Brackett and Executive Chef Mario Capone have been working together at some of Boston's finest restaurants for decades, and they've arrived at this culinary wonderland which considers itself a steakhouse plus.

"We're a steakhouse at heart, but we're a steakhouse that's chef driven," explained Brackett. "Here we rely on Mario's talents to push the envelope a little bit so everything has a little bit of a twist."

There are prime cuts of filet served on the bone, but at the Bancroft, they're plated with polenta served in a way you've never seen before.

"Chef takes polenta, puts it in a sheet pan and hand cuts each one of them in the shape of a cow."

Then the corn meal cows take a quick dip in the deep fryer before being finished with butter and parmesan.

"On your plate beside your steak is a little miniature cow," said Brackett. "It's one of those dishes where you see somebody's phone come out and they instantly take a picture of the dish."

While they do have all of your typical steak sauces, Chef Mario also makes special salts in house, like one flavored with red wine.

"He does a red wine reduction. And you get the salt that you're looking for on your steak and you also get this hint of red wine on the finish."

Serious meat eaters should order the Tomahawk Steak.

"This is a big steak," declared Brackett. "It's a 42-ounce steak on a long bone, so it's a bone that's barely been trimmed. It's an enormous cut of meat. It's presented table side, and then we offer to have chef cut it in the kitchen. Carve it for you and bring it back out to make it a little bit easier for you to eat.

"When we bring it out on a carving board and lay it out in front of you, most people at that point say, No, we don't want to attempt that. We want to send it back and let a trained professional deal with it.'"

If you're looking for something a bit smaller in size and price, Chef Mario suggests the Skirt Steak.

"First of all it's a great cut. It's got some guts to it. You got to cut into it but it's got a lot of flavor. And its price point is very good because you can get it for under $30."

Of course, The Bancroft also offers classic steakhouses starters like the creamy Chowder garnished with a whole clam; a jumbo lump crab cake served over a spicy remoulade drizzle and topped with a plantain crisp; and a truly eye popping Seafood Tower.

"It's local oysters, local clams, lobster, Maine crab meat. It's a staple for a steak house. It's a fun thing to share," said Chef Mario.

"It says special. It says we're celebrating. It says we're here to have a good time," added Brackett.

Entrees run the gamut from a slow simmered Risotto topped with Grilled Lobster Tails, to a Kurabuta Pork Chop cooked perfectly pink and smothered in a cherry wine reduction.

"It's a big pork chop. It's grilled and then slow roasted in the oven, and slow roasting is what really makes this dish because the meat remains moist and tender," explained Brackett.

"Then [it's] served with a pan sauce that's pork stock, fresh cherries and a little cherry jus. So you get a little sweetness from the pan sauce, a little bit of salt front he seasoning on the pork itself and both of those things go really, really well together."

The half chicken is a popular choice as well, especially because it's served alongside Chef Mario's carrot flan.

"Chef takes fresh carrots and cream and butter and then grinds them and makes a traditional flan - something that you would have for dessert, but makes a great accompaniment for the chicken."

If you do want dessert, you can choose from the sinfully rich Blackout Chocolate Cake or a sundae that differs month to month.

"We'll get a run towards the end of the month because people know that is going to be coming off the menu."

While this may seem like a fancy place to go for a night out, The Bancroft somehow walks the fine line between casual and upscale.

"It's a beautiful restaurant. It's a beautiful environment, but it doesn't mean you have to get dressed up and you have to be celebrating something to come here," Brackett said. "We want you to come and if you want to have it all, you can absolutely do that. If you want to just sneak out and get a quick burger and a beer at the bar, you can do that as well."

You can find The Bancroft at 15 Third Avenue, across from the Burlington Mass or online at the-bancroft.com.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.
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