Kaleidoscope Cafe

Kaleidoscope Cafe

Per usual, we keep looking for new or little-known restaurants to try.  I've been pushing for Kaleidoscope Cafe for quite sometime.  I figured it's in Lawrenceville, where a lot of hot spots are right now, and they show on their website an attention to vegetarian and gluten free options.  So on trend, and important to some members of the entourage, that we figured it'd be worth trying.

Industry Public House

Well, its winter and its cold outside.  And not knowing, we pull into a parking lot on Butler St, while Kaleidoscope is quite a few blocks off of Butler - so park in their lot.  Anyway, we have some time before our reservation and we are waiting on some members of our party.  We first walk into Tender for a drink.  No room at the Inn - they turn the 4 of us away for drinks.  This is not the first disappointment for me at Tender, but I was surprised, being that we were only there for a drink.  They don't allow people to congregate around the bar - you have a seat or you don't get a drink, apparently. 

So we run across the street to Industry, which hasn't let us down yet.  Their drink menu is extensive and it truly is fun to watch the bartenders work.  Rhuby Rhuby Rhuby was sweet and light - good for just about anybody.  The Menlo Park was delish and fun to watch him make.  We had Carnegie Cucumber, Tesla's Coil, and for entertainment, order a Smokestack or a Kentucky Holiday.  I don't know how they taste, but fun to watch them being made.

Oven Roasted Salmon

So we walk for what seems like forever down to Kaleidoscope.  When you walk in, it's awkward - with a glass counter and a little room that make you feel like you walked into a deli or something.  We felt like we were in the wrong place, which isn't a good start for a restaurant at 7pm on a Saturday night.

We get our table - the dining room is small, cluttered,  and dark and the decor gives an eclectic and homemade vibe.  The stand-out here are the tables which have been created by local artists and are for sale.  But the walls need to be painted, the layout is uninviting, and the homemade fabric covered triangles on the wall are tired. 

So what did we eat? 

Apps: Duck Cannoli, Deep Fried Gnocci, Chicken Apple Sausage

Saute of Chicken Apple Sausage

Duck Cannoli

Deep Fried Gnocci

The Cow Jumped Over the Blue Moon Pasta

Dinner:  The Cow Jumped Over the Moon Pasta
     Chicken Pot Pie
     Sweet Potato Tagliatelle

Sweet Potato Tagliatelle

     Oven Roasted Salmon
     Scallop Beurre Noisette  
  

Chicken Pot Pie

 I wish a I could, but I can't rave about the food.  I think the Cow Jumped Over the Moon Pasta was the best, with Gorgonzola cream sauce.  Everything we tasted had great elements to it but nothing was quite perfected - and seemed to be missing something.  Brie was key the Sausage appetizer.  The tagliatelle had a cool twist - it wasn't pasta made with sweet potatoes, but the sweet potatoes were made to be the pasta.  This had a great texture and flavor, and was surprisingly good.   The scallops were also very tasty, but again, were just missing a little something to make the restaurant worthy, especially in this city with so many choices.  Chicken Pot Pie and Salmon were not exciting at all. Same with the cannoli and the gnocci.

Scallops Beurre Noisette

While the whole experience was good, it wasn't great.  From the descriptions on the menu and the artsy-funk decor, I guess I was expecting some more pizazz.   We didn't get it in the food.  It seems like Kaleidoscope is going for homey and familiar, but missing the mark a bit.  I can see how this is a good place to have lunch delivered at work, but other than that, I wouldn't make a night out of it.