Rick's Cafe and Grill: Gourmet Dining with a "Welcome Home" Atmosphere

Rick's Café and Grill has achieved something rare for a New American restaurant serving high quality food: when you walk in the atmosphere feels like your living room. The staff are happy to see you, the regular customers welcome you into their fold, Rick Korn (the owner and executive chef) will walk out to greet you and get to know you, the bartenders will learn your favorite drink and always have it ready for you. In fact the biggest challenge of going to Rick's Café and Grill in Kingston, NH is not to go there every day for the food and the people.

Rick enjoys serving a variety of food, which is immediately evident from their menu, which he changes every six months or so. There is a lunch menu, which has some truly outstanding sandwiches for under $8.00 (The Kingstonian is a personal favorite with prosciutto, turkey, mozzarella and basil pesto on a bulkie roll for just $7.99, with fresh fries as a crisp accompaniment), as well as a fantastic homemade chili with just the right amount of "kick", several burgers, individual pizzas and a number of appetizer items (the Lobster and Thyme Spring Roll is excellent and unusual, and the Pan Seared Alligator and Lobster is a treat). There is a pleasant mix of "comfort food" (Jalapeno Poppers, Shrimp Cocktail, Potato Skins) and the uniquely gourmet on both the lunch and dinner menus.

If you do go in to Rick's for lunch, you will receive the same pleasant service and outstanding food that you do for dinner. One of my favorite things about Rick's is that the quality of service and food never changes. The sandwich or gourmet meal you enjoyed on Saturday night will be prepared with just as much care for you the next time you have it, no matter which team of chef's is on the job. Speaking of chefs, Rick has several outstanding chefs working the kitchen, including himself, and has opened the kitchen area so that you can watch them cook from the Tavern or the Chef's Table. The chefs are also extremely accommodating of food allergies (and also of just food oddities - they have indulged me to great success on a number of occasions when I have experienced "option overload" from the menu and asked them to just "surprise me" with something completely different).

The atmosphere in Rick's, in addition to having a "family" feel, is quite pleasant. They have a Tavern room, casual with a smoke eater, a small bar and plenty of windows, which is softly lit and cozy. They also have a Dining Room, with a fireplace and piano (there is live piano music on weekends in the dining room), which is non-smoking and more suitable for upscale dining, dates and occasions. The Dining Room is also where they hold their special functions, such as the recent Katrina Benefit Dinner, with a large percentage of the proceeds going to victims of the hurricane . In addition to the Tavern and the Dining Room is the innovative Chef's Table, where up to four people can dine on a special, multi -course menu cooked for them by Rick . The Chef's Table is a fun experience - you can see right into the kitchen, and Rick is more than willing to explain each dish he is making for you as he does it.

Rick's dinner menu is outstanding and ever changing. Periodically (usually about every six months) he will change what he offers, giving you the best seasonal dishes and the best sampling of unusual fare such as Ostrich Diane in addition to the menu staples (Grilled Chicken Caesar, and Steak Tip Caesar seem to be perennial favorites that remain on the menu, as does the Flat Iron Steak). Rick is not afraid to have fun with food, or to introduce you to something you might not try on your own (witness this current menus adventures in Ostrich, Alligator and Kangaroo). Happily for his customers, he is a superb chef - I can say with confidence I have not had anything here that I have not enjoyed (of course, I haven't tried Kangaroo yet - Rick may be adventurous, but I can't seem to get the "Come to Australia" posters out of my head…).

Another highlight of dining at Rick's - the deserts. He offers an ever-changing array of sinful delights for after your meal. There is a list of "daily deserts", and then there is the chef's special desert of the day. I highly recommend the special desert of the day - it is usually a little bite of heaven (sometimes a superb cheesecake, none of which are too heavy, or a mousse concoction, or any number of home made goodies). I say home made at Rick's with confidence. He is known among his regulars for using only the freshest ingredients. He does not even have a microwave on the premises - he doesn't want any opportunity or temptation for "cheating". When you order a bowl of that fabulous chili I mentioned earlier, they cook it order - it has not been sitting around in a pot all day. The same is true for everything on the menu - the vegetables are crisp and fresh, the seafood is fresh, the meats are fresh - and it shows through in the consistent taste of the food.

Rick's Café and Grill offers a range of options for your dining experience. The casual Tavern, the upscale Dining Room, smoking (Tavern), non-smoking (Dining Room), the Chef's Table as well as a full compliment of catering services at your place or his (his Dining Room can reserved for 20 - 50 people, and he has access to a range of larger halls around the area). He offers special functions on a regular basis, such as his famous Cigar Dinners and live music about once a month in the Tavern, as well as live piano in the Dining Room on weekends. At lunch you will spend between $10.00 and $15.00 per person to eat and have a cocktail, and at dinner you will spend between $12.00 and $30.00 per person, not including cocktails) Rick's is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11: AM until 10:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM until 11:00 PM and Sunday from 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM. Tuesday through Saturday he offers a complimentary appetizer table with a different appetizer every day from 4:00 until 6:00 PM, with a $2.00 Draft Beer to wash it down.

http://www.ricksgrille.com
Rick's: A Cafe and Grill
143 Main St, Kingston, NH 03848