While there are a few main contenders on my restaurant bucket list, there are dozens more that I pass frequently, glance at the menu and think to myself, “I need to try this place!” Last night, I crossed one of those off with an early dinner at The Dutch with my friend Jillian.

We got there at 5:30- the first reservation slot- and I was surprised by how quickly it filled up. This place just opened in May, and it’s already quite a happening place!

I was mildly obsessed with the decor, which was very New England and homey.

Instead of getting our own meals, Jillian and I opted to get a few things to share. First, we were brought a loaf of warm, fresh jalepeno cornbread that packed a surprising heat:

Then, we ordered a sampling of appetizers. Dressed crab with bloody mary and green goddess dressing:

Hands-down my favorite. It was chilled, fresh and studded with avocado chunks. I wanted to order another.

Fried oyster sliders:

I’d actually never ordered sliders in a restaurant, and I squealed like a weirdo when they came out. So cute! I don’t like oysters raw, but fried and served atop a puffy bun? Yes.

And eggplant dip with wafer-thin sesame crackers:

The dip was incredibly creamy and rich and had a complex taste from some kind of herb. It’s still bothering me because I know what the taste is but I can’t remember the name! Argh. Really delicious, though.

Part of the reason we kept dinner light was to partake in dessert- my stomach could only handle so much more food after the pie extravaganza. I’d heard incredible things about the devil’s food cake with black pepper frosting, so our choice was a no-brainer.

Wow. This was one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time. Everything was perfect- the cake was light in texture yet rich and moist at the same time, and layered with a sort of chocolate mousse filling. The frosting was incredibly fluffy and sweet with a hint of peppery spice, and the white russian ice cream was served atop chocolate nibs which all melted together. It was absolutely fantastic.

What was your last restaurant experience? How was it?