I never blog about places I don't like... until now. I was attracted to Rockwell VT when first reading a brief write-up about in the LA Times. Rockwell VT is a new neighborhood spot and everything about it was alluring - I can walk there, and they have interesting specialty cocktails, a gorgeous outdoor setting, and food. I was so excited to try the Rockwell I was ready to fall in love.
My first cocktail was The Autumn. Not so much. More like a tropical summer. Overly sweet raspberry "puree", basil and lime. Palatable, but nothing special.
The Gemini - I'm not a fan of infused liqour and here was a perfect example of why: the mandarin blossom infused vodka used for this cocktail dominated the entire flavor composition of this drink. I could taste orange and nothing else.
The Addison was my favorite of the cocktails because it was the one that was not overly sweet. Gin, cucumbers, dill and lemon - I enjoyed it.
My friend spotted this can of Kern's behind the bar! For such a nice place, touting a cocktail list like they do, you would think they would use fresh ingredients. Disappointing. One would also think $13 would get you a drink in a glass. Not so - Rockwell serves all of their overpriced drinks in plastic cups.
The menu sounded great - or so I thought. We ordered their flatbread, which was actually a pizza. It was basic and uninteresting. We also ordered the Kobe sliders with a blue cheese fondue. The brioche bun was delicate, the meat dry, and it was generally unimpressive, especially for the price.
I want to love you Rockwell, I do, but you didn't live up to the hype. To be fair, this is a new bar. There are many kinks to work out like inadequate seating and flighty service. Hopefully, the next time I visit there will be improvements to it all.
