Thus you're unlikely to find the goose and winter fruit galette among the appetizers, though it's a wonderful dish, the goose's rather assertive flavors balanced perfectly. And there's probably not much shelf life remaining to the pumpkin gnocchi, its light flavor and texture contrasted by braised oxtail and roasted red peppers. Rack of venison features excellent meat served with squash puree flavored with caramelized pears, glazed cipollini onions and a venison jus thickened with quince puree. Desserts include a bittersweet chocolate mousse cake, riding on a dense hazelnut cookie crisp in a puddle of clementine coulis. Waiters are helpful in navigating North Pond's wine list, a very thorough, virtually all-American document that organizes wines by flavor profile, rather than by grape type.
Prices are very fair.
Not all is running perfectly here. On one visit, the kitchen had gotten pretty far behind, and there were significant delays in our order. But these are issues easily resolved. North Pond Cafe's biggest problem, if one can call it that, is that it's too small to accommodate all the people who want to eat here. Construction is unlikely to begin before late fall, however, so for now, call early for reservations.