Stoic & Genuine, Chowder Room Get Reviewed

Chef Jennifer Jasinski's latest restaurant venture, Stoic & Genuine received three (of five) stars from 5280 Magazine. Critic Stacey Brugeman applauded the restaurant's attractive and thoughtful design, the skill of some of its waitstaff, and memorable dishes like the Swine & Roe, which "featured breaded and fried mozzarella, a few translucently thin slices of guanciale, and pearls of trout and salmon roe." The critic was less impressed with a variety of service missteps and the overlooked details like a coat check and fitting alternatives for caffeinated sodas like cold-brewed coffee.

Chef Matt Stein who owns the Chowder Room designed a menu that pleased critic Gretchen Kurtz of Westword. A fan of the East Coast dish, Kurtz liked the idea of offering a chowder flight, so those willing can try more than one. Sadly, the ones she tasted came short of impressing: Both the New England and the spicy red left a lot to be desired and so did other non-chowder dishes like the crab cake. Kurtz shared that the restaurant feels more like a lunch spot than a dinner one.