We started off our meal with the AB nachos. They were covered in grilled chicken, chunks of tomato, cheddar and jack cheese, slices of jalapeno, red beans, chickpeas, black olives and adouille sausage (side note.... if you haven't noticed from my other posts I love andouille sausage... LOVE it... it's so flavortastic it makes me smile... ok end note). I know it sounds like a lot going on, but somehow it worked. The only thing that was weird was that all of the ingredients were pretty dry... the cheese was melty (obvs) but there was no guac or salsa or sour cream, so it was a bit odd. Delicious all the same, but odd. Also the chickpeas and whole red beans added a really nice textural thing... those are not standard nacho ingredients, but hey, maybe they should be.
RW ordered the bleu cheese and mushroom burger. This was a good thing EXCEPT he ordered it well done. Hey. I am not here to tell people how to order food, but I am just syaing that I would have done it differently. I digress. the burger was delicious. It managed to stay somewhat moist despite the doneness, and the seasoning was dead on. Alchemist & Barrister are very generous with their bleu cheese, which I love to see. It was sharp and creamy and just really worked well with the meat. I will say that I would have liked to see more mushrooms on this bad boy, but maybe thats because they were so tasty. Sauteed mushrooms are really simple, but can pack so much flavor.
KW got the chili marinated grilled chicken sandwich, but this was not a hit. The chicken was super dry and between KW and myself we couldn't really find the chili marinade anywhere! The other stuff on the sandwich was good (there was some guacamole, pepper jack cheese and chipotle aioli ) but all in all it was kind of boring. Not a lot of flavor packed in to what sounded like an awesome dish. 
Matt's, on the other hand, was amazing. He ordered the garden vegetable burger, which is SO out of character for him, but it was unlike anything I have ever had. When I think veggie burger I usually think dried out yucko hockey puck of grains trying to pass themselves off as something resembling meat. SO not the case here. This veggie burger was outrageous. It was like a fallafel but not fried... it tasted like a chickpea puree that has been pressed into a patty and grilled a little on each side... it was firm but soft and the flavor was exceptional. It came with tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, cucmbers, tomato, lettuce and it was all on a perfectly grilled flat bread. It was SO fresh tatsing, it was really surprising. I loved this. I miss this veggie burger. I sometimes find myself thinking about it. Seriously, this was good. It wasn't, however, the best dish of the night.
Because THAT dish was mine! I ordered the baked shepherds pie and it was awesome. The ground lamb was cooked so nicely that it basically melted away in my mouth. The gravy that surrounded the meat, carrots and peas was nothing short of succulent. It was so rich and so flavorful, I was in heaven. Everyone at the table couldn't keep their forks out of my dish. The potato top was a bit browned and crispy, but the center of each dollop was creamy and smooth. This was SO good. SO good. Hearty and homey, delicious and well executed, warm and charming... it was perfect. The texture of the creamy potato, the smooth, rich sauce, the fresh tatsting peas and tender meat made every bite a pleasure. Yum
Alchemist and Barrister was a lovely experience. Part comfort food, and part gourmet, it has something for everyone. It boasts a full bar, and is located right in the heart of Princeton, so you can start OR end your night there. Or stay the whole time. Why not!? The food was great, they have a variety of unique beer on tap, a moderately extensive wine list and there is often live entertainment. Go! eNJoy it!
Alchemist & Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
Princeton, NJ 08542
609 924 5555
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