Burdick's: A Dinner with Ken Burns

Some of you may remember that Erin and I were supposed to have a romantic Valentine's Day Dinner until a blizzard changed our plans. So tonight we made up for it by going to Burdick's, a local favorite, for an incredible dinner. Burdick's is known mainly for fine chocolates in New England and the Walpole, NH location has a restaurant attached. The dining is exquisite with a French flair and interiors that would fool you into thinking you were in an exclusive Manhattan bistro.

(So how does Ken Burns figure into this? Who is Ken Burns, you ask? Patience.)

After we were seated, I happened to look up at the window next to the door and came face to face with a legend in history circles, Ken Burns. You might know some of his famous documentaries on the Civil War and baseball. Well, my first meeting with him involved my jaw dropping to the floor. Suffice to say, I had trouble paying attention to our own dinner because I wanted to see what he was up to. Erin kept me in check and said I couldn't ask for a photo while he was eating with his family, or send over a drink or try to trip him on the way out of the restaurant as an excuse to speak with him.

The waitress told us that Mr. Burns is a part-owner of the Burdick's building and eats there regularly. He was also spotted at the recent Barack Obama rally in Keene, NH. Some of the old hands at Dublin have told me you will frequently run into him in various towns as he makes his way around. And if you are curious, he drives a huge GMC Denali. Who would have thought?
Oh yea..here is where we dined and what we ate:

(Apologies for the poor photography...it's hard to shoot in a dark restaurant. Anyone want to buy me a new camera with a light meter?)

Burdick's is located in Walpole. I'd include a shot of the downtown, but you can probably picture a short road with not much on either side. One of my favorite things about New Hampshire is that you can find these incredible places in the the middle of nowhere. To be honest, though, Walpole is an enclave for some very wealthy individuals.

Erin had the beef stew with these succulent black olives.

This was my dish...mussels in this incredible butter sauce with pomme frites. (They look like French Fries!)

Burdick's is known for chocolate and they don't disappoint. This was our incredible finish to a fantastic meal. Erin had a cup of their famous dark hot chocolate which is like melting a chocolate bar in a cup, a chocolate bar that has fallen from heaven and melted in your cup. My caramel latte was overwhelming and almost motivated me to call Starbuck's to complain that they change the name of their drink of the same name. The small cake we ordered is the "Burdick's" which is so rich you can only be thankful it comes in such a small portion.