Gusto Taphouse

[rsmlp]

The Gusto Taphouse in Center Harbor is a relatively new Italian restaurant which took over for Osterio Pogio. Fantastic! Tried it with my wife and I consider myself a fair italian food critic. I had the Bolognese pasta while my wife had a sort of chicken parm. We shared the meatball app. All were outstanding. You will not disappointed.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

The Gusto Taphouse in Center Harbor is a relatively new Italian restaurant which took over for Osterio Pogio. Fantastic! Tried it with my wife and I consider myself a fair italian food critic. I had the Bolognese pasta while my wife had a sort of chicken parm. We shared the meatball app. All were outstanding. You will not disappointed.

My wife and I went about a month ago. The food and service at Gusto's is always excellent but it was pricey. I got chicken parm at $26, which is the going price at most restaurants these days, but it was ala cart. It wasn't a large portion, pasta and bread were extra.

[TomC]

My wife and I want last week on Friday. We were seated at a very small table in one of the front dining rooms. The table was wobbly and far too small to hold our drinks and food. This table was next to a filthy window full of dead bugs stuck in spiderwebs that was quite unappetizing and interfered with the view of Center Harbor. We also had the meatballs and I guess they were "OK". We ordered the bread and olive oil. No spice in the oil and frankly it tasted funny and I thought it was rancid. I had a salad with a cutlet that was 50% croutons. My wife had the bolognese and found it uninspired. I am of Italian descent and while I do not expect it to be on par with my late grandmother's, the food at Gusto was mediocre in my opinion. Finally - and the restaurant perhaps cannot help this - a family with 5 children below the age of 7ish were seated next to us and turned the place into Chuck E. Cheese... running around, screaming, and making a mess. Fair or not, this ruined experience which is a big part of dining out. So Gusto is off the list... Try it for yourself - maybe you will not be disappointed, but we certainly were.

[Descant]

TomC, that's too bad. Rowdy children (or other loud patrons)m ake it difficult to enjoy even the most excellent food. Some restaurants do better than others at this--not seating kids in the main dining room, no kids after 6:00 pm, no kid servings, etc.
"Reservation only" places seem to better at solving this problem.

[camp guy]

Rowdy children (or adults) can ruin a night out. In my humble opinion, if you take your children to a restaurant, it is your responsibility to control their behavior so as to NOT ruin somebody else's evening (and yours). I get it, how else will children learn about restaurants unless you take them out to eat, but this does not excuse poor behavior, not does it let parents off the hook from controlling them.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by camp guy

Rowdy children (or adults) can ruin a night out. In my humble opinion, if you take your children to a restaurant, it is your responsibility to control their behavior so as to NOT ruin somebody else's evening (and yours). I get it, how else will children learn about restaurants unless you take them out to eat, but this does not excuse poor behavior, not does it let parents off the hook from controlling them.

Agreed, but how many topics/threads here are the result of people not caring about/paying attention to others' experiences?

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[mishman]

I hear what you say about loud and rowdy children indoors. We take our grand kids there but stay outside and they have a ball running around the lawns with other kids.
Gustos Taphouse is really welcome addition to casual dining in the area. The food is good, not gourmet. I would kill to make pizza crusts as good as they do.
My only complaint is the indoor dining rooms can be really loud when all the tables are full or there is a loud table near you. I think they should invest in some sound dampening material. Maybe even reserve some rooms for "quiet" diners.
But overall we love the Taphouse. Fun to travel there by boat and we find their prizes reasonable given the run up in prices the last few years.
I wish the owners the very best.

[rick35]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Agreed, but how many topics/threads here are the result of people not caring about/paying attention to others' experiences?

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

Excellent point! They're everywhere!

[phoenix]

I had the bolognese and found it mediocre . No sauce. My other two friends found their meals average. the pizza was very good. Lago has much better bolognese. The menu was very limited

[sky's]

i think its very "tacky" to be charged for warm rolls and butter or olive oil. Lui Luis which has 2 locations that i can think of serve warm rolls with a nice oil mix on the side. im sure you pay for it somewhere in the meal but to show a charge for rolls and butter "no thanks"

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by sky's

i think its very "tacky" to be charged for warm rolls and butter or olive oil. Lui Luis which has 2 locations that i can think of serve warm rolls with a nice oil mix on the side. im sure you pay for it somewhere in the meal but to show a charge for rolls and butter "no thanks"

Esp in an Italian restaurant, bread is part of the meal! I personally hate ala cart type restaurants, where everything has a separate charge. It just throws up a big red flag, IMOP.

[rick35]

Every Italian restaurant I've ever been to has served bread as part of the meal. But I get that there is probably a lot of waste. My daughter used to work at Bertucci's in Nashua and she said they threw out a lot of their rolls. While paying separately for bread would reduce waste it still would rub me the wrong way. Bertucci's is gone and has been replaced by a Mexican restaurant. I think they had bigger problems than roll waste.

[KPW]

This place has been going strong for a long time. There are so many more good reviews than bad. It is hard to have a no chidren zone. These guys are awesome! You spend $$$ on an expensive drink and complain about the cost of bread.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by KPW

This place has been going strong for a long time. There are so many more good reviews than bad. It is hard to have a no chidren zone. These guys are awesome! You spend $$$ on an expensive drink and complain about the cost of bread.

The taphouse is a new venue for them.

Some reviews mention the noise and food quality.

Agreed, but I'd like to know if it's a "thing," especially if the layout amplifies noise, tightness, etc.

What does spending money on one thing have to do with common expectations?

I get that you like the place, but these are reasonable issues to have with a restaurant...especially one that's charging high(er) prices.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[8gv]

Let's all take a moment, maybe just a brief moment, to count our blessings.

There are many people both here and elsewhere in the world who would love the opportunity to have the safety and means to enjoy a meal, or even just some bread, at any of these restaurants.

No matter how displeased we might occasionally find ourselves, we still have it mighty good.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by KPW

This place has been going strong for a long time. There are so many more good reviews than bad. It is hard to have a no chidren zone. These guys are awesome! You spend $$$ on an expensive drink and complain about the cost of bread.

First impressions are important. I express my grievances by not returning
I love Gusto's Cafe, but I won't be returning to the Tap House any time soon.

[Shreddy]

Here's another positive review for Gusto and the taphouse. My wife and I went several times this summer and each time was very busy and the staff was quick and efficient. Both the food and the drinks were excellent. We can't say enough good things about the orecchiette! Pricey? Sure, but you get what you pay for.

Personally, there are enough options around if you purely want peace and quiet while eating out but the the volume they're bringing in speaks volumes to the product they're putting out. It might not be for everyone but it's working for a lot of people. Nick and Elena are insanely personable and know the vast majority of people that walk through their doors by first name. They've been building this brand over the years and bigger than ever this year with the Taphouse while doing it with a newborn as well.

It's not for everyone and all too frequently people only come to post negative reviews so I appreciate seeing some of them because it incentivized me to post a deserving positive review when I may not have otherwise. Go check them out and get the orecchiette if you haven't. You won't regret it!

[Mr. V]

The lakes region has limited population, a seasonal economy, and is rural.

As a result you have very limited dining options: this is irksome because a lot of the residents are well-heeled and previously lived and / or worked in or near major metro areas with myriad dining choices.

The lakes in NH are pretty, but there's a price to pay for living there, i.e limited choices...and not just as pertains to dining.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

The lakes region has limited population, a seasonal economy, and is rural.

As a result you have very limited dining options: this is irksome because a lot of the residents are well-heeled and previously lived and / or worked in or near major metro areas with myriad dining choices.

The lakes in NH are pretty, but there's a price to pay for living there, i.e limited choices...and not just as pertains to dining.

In my honest opinion, less is more!

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I my honest opinion, less is more!

Sure, and obviously many others feel the same way.

I am only pointing out that it is "human nature" to complain that things today aren't the same as they once were, even if you once were in a city.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by TomC

My wife and I want last week on Friday. We were seated at a very small table in one of the front dining rooms. The table was wobbly and far too small to hold our drinks and food. This table was next to a filthy window full of dead bugs stuck in spiderwebs that was quite unappetizing and interfered with the view of Center Harbor. We also had the meatballs and I guess they were "OK". We ordered the bread and olive oil. No spice in the oil and frankly it tasted funny and I thought it was rancid. I had a salad with a cutlet that was 50% croutons. My wife had the bolognese and found it uninspired. I am of Italian descent and while I do not expect it to be on par with my late grandmother's, the food at Gusto was mediocre in my opinion. Finally - and the restaurant perhaps cannot help this - a family with 5 children below the age of 7ish were seated next to us and turned the place into Chuck E. Cheese... running around, screaming, and making a mess. Fair or not, this ruined experience which is a big part of dining out. So Gusto is off the list... Try it for yourself - maybe you will not be disappointed, but we certainly were.

Hmmm…that’s hard to take when spending good $$ at a “supposedly” fine dining establishment. There’s a reason they’re called rugrats and curtain climbers…😳

[Karenw]

We love both the Cafe for breakfast & lunch & the Tap house for dinner! We keep going back because of the quality, the deliciousness and the owners and staff.
During the Fall they started different specials for reduced prices for different nights!
Their Ribeye Steak is AMAZING!! We order a delicious pizza as an appetizer.

Wednesdays - 50% OFF select Rossino Wine Bottles! Plus & Pastas at 25% OFF (excludes specials).
Thursdays - Get 25% OFF all appetizers
Fridays - 25% OFF select Carni entrees
Sundays - Buy 1 Pizza, get 1 50% off. $2 OFF select Notch Beer.

Our favorite place on the lake!!!

[phoenix]

So they announced they are closing the taphouse

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by phoenix

So they announced they are closing the taphouse

Their Facebook says just for the month?



Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[anniep]

From tonight’s Gusto newsletter:
“After an amazing, joyous and successful first year across the street, unfortunately, Gusto Taphouse will be permanently closed. There aren't very many explanations for us either.”

[TomC]

As I said way at the top of this thread - small portions of uninspired food, with up-charges for ordinary accompaniments (bread), in a less-than-enjoyable atmosphere makes this news, if true, no surprise to me... That said, I take no pleasure in the failure of any local business.

[Biggd]

Not surprised but disappointed. I thought the food and service were great when I visited but very expensive for the portions that were given, and I agree, the expensive up charge for bread was a killer for me.
I've never been to any other Italian restaurant that charges for bread, I'm sure there are others, anyone want to chime in on that?

[phoenix]

It sounded like from their post that it was a dispute with landlord. They mentioned still having dinner so maybe the cafe will be open longer. Also the copy place in the same building was vacant so maybe someone they will take that over

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by phoenix

It sounded like from their post that it was a dispute with landlord. They mentioned still having dinner so maybe the cafe will be open longer. Also the copy place in the same building was vacant so maybe someone they will take that over

I thought they were doing dinner at the cafe before? Did that stop when they opened up the taphouse?

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by phoenix

It sounded like from their post that it was a dispute with landlord. They mentioned still having dinner so maybe the cafe will be open longer. Also the copy place in the same building was vacant so maybe someone they will take that over

I thought the owner of the property was a member here, perhaps they will chime in?

[jeffk]

I will echo that the dispute with the landlord was the cause for the closing. My source is thrice removed from the participants so I can't add details but I have good confidence that is what happened. This legal stuff can get messy so people may be speaking carefully until it get sorted out.

[TomC]

The Coe House, Lavinias, Osteria Poggio... now Gusto. I wonder why it is such a struggle for restaurants in such a great location? I had a memorable anniversary dinner in the cupola one time. I hope it all works out.

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by TomC

I wonder why it is such a struggle for restaurants in such a great location?

Is the question rhetorical?

Having a new restaurant succeed is a risky, high risk undertaking, most especially in the lakes region where demand is heaviest in the summer: how to turn a profit when it isn't summer?

While there's a lot of money on and around the lake it seems fairly concentrated: most of the locals cannot afford the level of patronage required to keep all the restaurants open during off season.

Staft shortages...now that's a killer too.

People can be finicky as well.

Tough game to play.

[ITD]

I don't think the restaurant failed, I think the landlord jacked up the rent, my guess. Not sure who did the renovations but if it was the renter, it's a good case to have a long term stable in place before making any investment in a property. I think Gusto will be fine, they had remodeled the space above the cafe before the Taphouse, hopefully they still have that.

[TomC]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

Is the question rhetorical...snip...Tough game to play.

The Canoe and Lemongrass, virtually across the street from what is now Gusto, have been operating successfully for years. A little further away is the Bob House, Village Kitchen, and Woodshed.. same thing. So, yeah, it is curious to me that restaurants in the charming old building on the hill in Center Harbor keep closing - since the places above obviously face the same challenges.