Black Trumpet Bistro

Black Trumpet Bistro Restaurant Review:

If there is one chef in New Hampshire and Southern Maine who is ready to whisk diners away on a new culinary adventure, it's Evan Mallett. Thanks to the availability of dishes offered in various sizes, the fun here is in the sampling and sharing of bold flavors, as in popcorn sweetbreads and Atlantic red crab croquetas, and rabbit ragoût in a fried potato gnocchi ring. We recommend splitting main courses. After choosing a cheese selection, try the pistachio-crusted pollock filet with mochi rice pilaf, filet beans and chermoula, or mountain paella with snails, rabbit, smoked chicken, meatballs and wild mushrooms. Pastry chef Lauren Crosby presents black sesame pudding with halva and sesame bun, while butterscotch pudding is accented with whipped cream and a nut tuile in a nod to childhood. Opt for a local beer on tap or a bottle from the eclectic wine list, with many possibilities from Spain and Italy. Enjoy the view of Portsmouth Harbor from the upstairs wine bar or the cave-like coziness downstairs.