Market Grille adds personal touch to dining; Buckland Hills spot shuns the 'chain' feel

Nov. 11—MANCHESTER — Resting upon Buckland Hills, with a panoramic view, Market Grille not only offers fine dining with a semi-casual feel, but also one of the most scenic dining spots in northern Connecticut.

"They really wanted to take advantage of the view," said Lisa Lemieux, general manager, of Mill Restaurant Group, which operates Market Grille, along with five other restaurants, including Mill on the River in South Windsor.

Market Grille opened nine years ago, Lemieux said, and she has been part of the team for eight-and-a-half of them, starting as a server before working up to general manager.

"We refer to ourselves as the little sister of Mill on the River," she said. "We kind of follow the stuff that the Mill does. We call it semi-casual fine dining. It's not exactly fine dining, but it's approachable to the general public."

Market Grille

Where: 110 Buckland Hills Drive, Manchester.

Menu: Seasonal entrées and regular menu.

Hours: Dinner Monday-Thursday 4:-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 3-10 p.m.; Sunday 3-9 p.m.

Contact: 860-644-1011; marketgrillct.com

Centrally located in a shopping area that consists of three major districts — The Plaza at Buckland Hills, The Shoppes at Buckland Hills Mall, and The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk — Market Grille has a lot of competitors in the area, but Lemieux said they have an advantage with its service.

"We're not a chain restaurant, so I think you get a more personalized experience," she said. "I always say that to our servers. When I worked at corporate restaurants, they always kind of wanted me to be a bit more robotic. I really want the staff to have a more personal approach and forming relationships with our guests. That's a really big part, our service."

With its scenic views being part of the appeal of Market Grille, outdoor seating is utilized significantly, which helped the restaurant survive the COVID-19 pandemic when indoor seating wasn't an option.

"We are lucky to have the outdoor patio," Lemieux said. "That definitely helped us through the pandemic. We had a lot of people eating outside.

"We've been able to get pretty much back to pretty much normal," Lemieux said. "We still keep some of our tables distanced. We also still follow all the cleaning protocols."

Like many restaurants throughout the country, staffing and supplies have been issues.

"We didn't really have much staffing issues front of the house," Lemieux said. "We have a really good core group of servers who have been with us for years. The back of house (the kitchen) is the spot where we've really struggled with staff shortage.

"Most of our sales reps have been substituting things we don't have," she said regarding supply shortages. "There's been things we just can't get. We have to make do. There have been certain liquors we can't get, certain food products. For a little while plastic goods for take-out containers were a little short. Even basic silverware was on backorder."

Lemieux said, though, that backorders are usually caught up within a few weeks.

Another benefit of not being a corporate restaurant, she said, is having more flexibility with the menu.

"We always try to keep things seasonably inspired," Lemieux said, making slight changes to the standard menu seasonally and having specials that reflect the season.

Minor changes on the standard menu include things such as removing lobster when summer ends, she said, but most of the seasonal changes happen with the specials menu.

"That's where we get into the pumpkin ravioli, that type of stuff," she said. "After that we have Thanksgiving and winter and the comfort foods."

Along with the pumpkin ravioli, other specials include apple stuffed pork chops, butternut squash carbonara, and a seasonal surf and turf — scallops wrapped in bacon with a maple glaze and filet medallions and root vegetables puree.

She said they also offer seasonal cocktails with their own infused alcohol.

"We do a lot of infusions," Lemieux said, adding that their bartender is working on a new pear infusion for the winter season.

She said for first-time visitors she recommends the scallops with risotto off the regular menu.

"Our salmon is always really good too, it comes with a seasonal rice and asparagus," Lemieux said.

The salmon is a big seller, she said, as well as the chicken piccata, and a staff favorite is the chicken and sausage rigatoni.

With Market Grille's successes, Lemieux said she has some hopes for growth for the restaurant's future, including optimizing its two banquet spaces that seat 32 and 20 people.

"I want to focus on building our banquets," she said. "We have a couple small rooms for parties. My goal is to book out parties, showers, and Christmas parties in the future."

She said she also wants to focus more on take-out and catering options.

"I think people do like the family meals," she said. "For Thanksgiving we're offering take-out options."

Also, Market Grille is gearing up for its holiday dinners.

For Thanksgiving, she said, they are offering a three-course meal for $40.95.

"You get a salad or soup, entrée, with 10 entrees to choose from," she said.

There will also be a Christmas Eve special dinner as well as their annual New Year's Eve party, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic. It includes a three-course meal, appetizers, an open bar, and a dance floor. Prices haven't been set yet, she said, but the New Year's Eve event usually prices around $100.

"We always do really well on holidays," Lemieux said. "Call the restaurant to make reservations."

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