Thistle & Grouse (instagram), the new restaurant that’s under construction on Cotton Street, is scheduled to open by the end of November. T&G has applied for their liquor license which provides a look at their draft menu and additional information.
Thistle & Grouse will be a gastropub with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. The bar program is slated to feature “a craft selection of gins and scotches, as well as a full selection of liquor, local beers, hand-crafted cocktails and wines.”
The space will have a large central bar and open kitchen with interior design inspired by the owner’s recent travel to Scotland. The two story dining room will have a combined capacity of 108 seats.
The 7-page menu (click on images below to see full size images) includes oysters and other raw bar options, cheese, charcuterie and sea-cuterie boards, small plates, mains and dessert. The Cornmeal Waffle (with crispy shiitakes, smoked corn butter, fermented pear, bonito) from the small plate menu sounds especially interesting as does the Heritage Pork Meatloaf (lemon grass, ginger and soy, tempura delicata squash, coconut sticky rice, nam chim chaeo glaze) from the main course section.
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The restaurant is being launched by Kimberly Kraus and chef Bobby Will. Will has worked at restaurants run by well known chefs like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Ken Oringer, and Jamie Bissonette. He was the executive chef at Saltaire Oyster Bar in Port Chester when the New York Times gave it a rating of Excellent in 2015. Also on the team are Julia Mcinnis who will be the general manager and bar manager Corey Schallek. All four worked together at Kraus’ and Will’s former restaurant Salt and Steel in Bar Harbor.