Story by Adam Faubert

For some, a pub elicits thoughts of smoky air, a sports cast blaring in the background, and a cold pint at the bar. At Geoffrey’s Pub, located near downtown Plattsburgh, these old conventions are thrown to the wind, and in their place is a clean atmosphere with decent food to boot.

When you first enter the restaurant, you will be engulfed by the pleasant scent of the kitchen. A cornucopia of different flavors, from sizzling meat to cooking vegetables, invade your senses. To the right of the entrance sits a series of couches, an area to lounge with friends for a light snack. The rest of the floor is a mix of benches and tables with generous amounts of space between—there’s no worry of overcrowding.

The dim lighting reminds diners of a classic pub atmosphere with a yellow hue reflecting off the deep brown wood floors and walls. Paintings around the restaurant serve as reminders of the pub’s heritage as an English establishment, with red-coated English lords pictured riding horses and hunting in fields.

Once you’re seated, you are given a small portion of “fresh bread.” Ours was dry, cold, and came with pre-packaged slabs of butter. Ordering drinks was a painless affair, as the extensive drink menu gives you a myriad of possibilities from beers and wines to mixed drinks of various potency. Service was quick and refills were promptly offered once the drinks emptied.

The menu itself is a mix of classic English and American contemporary foods. You can indulge in anything from pub-classic nachos to Quebec-native poutine for an appetizer as you wait for your food. The entrees vary from old-fashioned fish and chips to various types of pasta and shepherd's pie.

Overall, the food was a bit underwhelming. The garlic herb butter on the Pasta Prima vera tasted dull an had an over-oily texture, and hardly any garlic taste. The shepard's pie was quite tasty, with the ground lamb and gravy igniting the taste buds in a flurry of flavor. The mashed potatoes were whipped to the right texture and the baked-in corn rounded the dish out nicely. Unfortunately, portions were small and you may leave almost as hungry as when you went in.

The bill came to around $20 per person including tip—not overly expensive. You can probably use that extra money to buy something light to fulfill your appetite. While the service was excellent, and the drink list extensive, the food varied too much in quality and there just wasn’t enough of it to feel fulfilled.

Have you eaten at Geoffrey's?