Bascom Lodge is a stone and log building at the summit of Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts and part of the Appalachian Trail. In addition to being a really cool looking old building and providing lodging for hikers, Bascom Lodge serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from June to October. Brian and I had lunch there once a few years ago, but I was really interested in trying their dinner at some point as well. I’d heard good things about the food and it seemed like the atmosphere and experience would be excellent as well. When Berkshire Big Deals had a recent deal for Bascom Lodge I didn’t hesitate to purchase it.
Bascom Lodge serves dinner differently than most restaurants. You must make a reservation. There are generally only 2 offerings each evening, one conventional and one vegetarian. The three course meals are prix fixe and there is one 7 pm seating.
On Tuesday night, Brian and I were 2 of only 8 people who made the drive up the very foggy Mount Greylock for dinner. We were shown to our seats at a table with another couple who we’d never met before, but it turned out we had plenty in common with. I apologize in advance for the poor indoor photographs. I highly recommend visiting the Bascom Lodge website and checking out all of their beautiful photographs of the lodge and the surrounding views.
The first course of red pepper and corn chowder was good. I was still feeling pretty woozy from the ride up the mountain (which has never been a problem in the past), but I was impressed by the size of the serving and the slightly spicy flavor of the soup.
Brian ordered the pork entrée, which he ate every bite of. He found the smoky mashed potatoes a bit overwhelming and runnier than he prefers. He was pleasantly surprised by the size of the portion–2 good sized pork cutlets. The only thing left on the plate was the end of the meal was some of the spinach because Brian isn’t a fan of cooked greens.
I was a little bit disappointed by the grilled vegetable and goat cheese dish, though I still wasn’t feeling up to par and I’m sure that affected my appetite. The vegetables were not what I’d necessarily expect—a lot of beans and some vegetables I couldn’t actually identify—and there was more sauce than I’d generally prefer. But I liked the smoky flavor of the mashed potatoes and the sauteed spinach was wonderfully seasoned. Again, a good sized portion.
The apple brown betty with rum raisin ice cream was delicious. Rum raisin is not an ice cream I ever order or buy, but it was really good. It was hard to finish dessert after all of the other food I’d eaten, but the slightly warm pie was too good to not try.
We had a really lovely evening at Bascom Lodge. The server was very thoughtful, interesting and helpful, the food was very good and the atmosphere was charming. I’d eat there again for a special occasion, though the distance and cost prevents it from being a regular stop.
Disclaimer: I paid for this meal with my own money and, as always, my opinions are my own.
