Rouge

Rouge has been one of our favorite places in the Berkshires since it opened several years ago. This friendly restaurant is run by a young husband and wife team (Maggie's the hostess and front room manager and her husband Mark the chef). They've done a great job converting a local house to include several cozy dining areas, a small porch and a comfortable bar space with a few small tables where you can enjoy a drink while waiting for your table and have lighter fare--the tapas is particularly good. They have a nice mix of straightforward dishes (heavy on steaks and fish) prepared with a 'French Bistro' flare. Our only complaint has been the consistently slow service and sometimes long waits despite having a reservation. Most recently, the service was so bad, there were three different servers trading off. To make matters worse, they brought the check before even offering dessert or coffee.

Recently, we've also noticed that the usually reliable preparations have sometimes been inconsistent. We've had escargot that looked and tasted re-heated, salad that was not fresh and Duck that's been over-sauced. On this night however, the food was great. Christina and I had a roasted chicken on the bone (I thought mine was a little dry, she liked hers) with a wonderful lemony wilted spinach that was delicious. Others at our table had steak, sliced breast of duck and rack of lamb all of which got very positive reviews. The starters included their signature mixed greens with breaded goat cheese, mussels that were reportedly tasty (If our friend Joe says they're good, you know you have a winner). The wine selections are very good and the cocktails imaginative. Pomegranate seems to be the new "in" drink and here they made a tasty pomegranate sangria. We definitely think this is a place worth visiting. By the time we get back, Maggie and Mark will be proud parents for the second time. This may be the start of a new family dynasty!

Rouge
3 Center St.(Hotel St.)
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
413-232-4111

Zagats says:
Outstanding tapas and superbly prepared French bistro fare focusing on local ingredients are served by a lively, welcoming staff at this West Stockbridge two-year-old with a terrace overlooking the Williams River and a noise level that's tough on conversation; though some supporters are pleased, others say they still need to get their act together and open more often.