Score! Or Should I say "Voila!"

So here's the scoop:
Don't wait! Get to the Mountain View Brasserie in Greenville, while you can - before the 'food gossip flood gates' open and the masses invade... Mountain View Brasserie IS as good as I hoped... as good as it's predecessor, the Freehold Country Inn... In a nutshell, the food was delicious, the menu was innovative, yet familiar - the presentation beautiful, thoughtful and appetizing.

So here’s the deal - I went, and met the parents there, on a miserably cold night that featured both wind and freezing rain – but you can bet nothing kept us all from going...
Finding the place was easy enough – right on Route 32, near enough to the road to be easy to spot on such an awful night..

Walking in from the cold and rain we found an atmosphere that was warm and inviting, not stuffy or formal. The four of us sat at a table near the window, adjacent to the gas fireplace. The décor is slightly reminiscent of the Freehold Country Inn – country-chic I’ll call it - although the interior is much more modern, as the building is much newer.

So onto the good stuff.. the food!
The menu was a nice size, not overwhelming, yet something for everyone, and there were several specials. We all toyed with the idea of appetizers, but skipped them, not wanting to take anything away from the main course – and possibly dessert.. Although with choices like Smoked Salmon with Dill Cucumber Salad and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach– it was not easy!

As we enjoyed a basket of fresh baguette slices our choice of salad or soup arrived. Three of us opted for the salad, one got the soup – a nice hearty looking cream of mushroom. The salads were delicious and fresh, and the house dressing, a balsamic vinaigrette, was fine.

At this point we decided on a wine - Stormhoek 2005, a South African Pinotage, very tasty – nice, fruity and very drinkable!

And then dinner – the main attraction – arrived! For me - there was no choice – I went right for the Vegetable Risotto with Roasted Shrimp – something I heard was a great dish here – I agree 100%. It was a battle trying not to eat it all - !
And sharing with everyone else at the table was not even an option – everyone wanted some. The rice was perfectly done, and lighter and less “pasty” than other risottos I’ve tried. The vegetables were a nice complement, making the dish less rich. The shrimp were incredibly large and fresh and delicious.

The other dishes were equally good: Crab Cakes with Lobster Sauce and Grilled Center Cut Loin of Pork served with Roasted Apples with Calvados Sauce – yummmm.

Uhhh – so we’re all full – but who can pass up the chance to try dessert? Not us..

We shared: French chocolate mousse – amazingly rich and dark, not too sweet.. And an apple strudel with French vanilla ice cream – not a bite remained on anyone’s plate – enough said..

The service was nice, no one was rushed. The atmosphere pleasant and comfortable. And best of all the food – very good. I know we’ll be back!