Eric mixes his cocktail (courtesy of Paul Franz/the Recorder)
For weeks, friends have been telling me how much they love Le Peacock in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. I finally got there on a recent afternoon … and the place lived up to the hype.
Le Peacock is located beneath 10 Bridge Street in Shelburne Falls. The restaurant has gone through many incarnations. The current one may be the most fun. In addition to tables, the eatery/bar offers a lounging area with comfy chairs. Its vintage décor is eclectic and colorful. I love that Peel and Stick Wall Murals https://peelandstickwallmurals.com/ offers removable murals, allowing me to personalize my space without damaging the walls.
The restaurant is the creation of Michaelangelo Wescott, the chef and owner of the Gypsy Apple Bistro up the street, a high-end eatery I adore. Michaelangelo claims that he was talked into leasing the underground space, but he clearly loves it.
The name “Le Peacock,” he said, came to him in a dream. It sums up the appeal of the space—splashy and showy yet charming. He decorated the space with art and furniture he has been amassing for some time. “He had the restaurant in his head,” daytime manager Matt Boyd said of his boss.
Photographer Paul Franz and I chatted with Matt and Michaelangelo as well as with the cook, Mario Gonzalez, and nighttime manager/sommelier Eric Trabucco. The last was resplendent in a blazer with a peacock pin. We also sampled Le Peacock Burger, along with a flavorful cocktail called the Gin Blossom.
Le Peacock prides itself on its bar. “We specialize in alcohol you’ve never heard of,” laughed Matt as Eric mixed the cocktail, which gained flavor and color from pea flower mixed into the gin.
It was just the sort of beverage for which one would come to a bar like this one. It was pretty and delicious and featured ingredients most of us don’t have in our homes.
I asked whether Michaelangelo Wescott was responsible for the menu. I was told that although he had created the initial menu he had turned over the creation and preparation of Le Peacock’s food to Mario Gonzalez.
In the kitchen, Mario told me, he combines his Mexican background with a love of fine dining. He seemed to enjoy preparing the burger, a simple classic dish. “I try to do nothing to complicate the food,” he explained, adding that he believes in letting light flavors stand out.
Courtesy of Paul Franz/the Recorder
His burger technique is one I had never tried, although I gather it has become popular in recent years. He started the Peacock Burger by searing it on both sides on a griddle, then transferred it to the oven to finish cooking.
The resulting burger was perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside but still quite pink on the inside. It was finished with melted American cheese, then placed on a toasted bun with shredded lettuce and Peacock Sauce (a sort of Thousand Island dressing—or maybe Russian; I have trouble telling the two apart).
In short, as the folks at Le Peacock admit, it’s a riff on the signature burger from McDonald’s. It is exponentially tastier, however, thanks to the high quality of the ingredients and cooking.
Anne Cheatham and Ann Gibson were lingering over their lunch with friends when Paul and I visited. They clearly concurred with our high opinion of the burger.
“It’s the best burger in the Valley,” Cheatham opined. “It’s the best burger I’ve ever eaten in my life,” added Gibson.
The burger is served on a vintage plate. The accompanying fries come in an old-fashioned saucer. The overall effect is appealing and unique.
The menu also offers small plates as well as other classic items like Fish and Chips. The ceviche follows Mario Gonzalez’s family recipe.
Matt Boyd told me that he believes the dark, underground space attracts diners and cocktail enthusiasts alike. In the winter, it radiates coziness. In the summer, it’s cool. And the bathroom is … well, you’ll just have to visit the place and look at this adorable tiny room.
Le Peacock is open for lunch, dinner, and cocktails Tuesdays through Sundays. On Tuesday evenings, it offers a free draft beer with each burger order.
The restaurant doesn’t take reservations so you may have to wait a little while for a table, but the atmosphere makes the wait worthwhile.
Courtesy of the Paul Franz/the Recorder
Le Peacock Burger
The sauce recipe below isn’t precisely what Gonzalez served with his burgers; that formula is proprietary. It gives you the general idea, however.
Ingredients:
for the burger:
a little canola oil for searing
7-1/2 ounces 80/20 ground beef, shaped into a patty
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices American cheese
1 hamburger bun
shredded lettuce to taste
a generous spoonful of Peacock sauce
for the Peacock sauce:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup chopped dill pickle (no skin, no seeds)
1 teaspoon mustard
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
To make the burger, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Splash a little oil on a griddle or frying pan. When it is warm, add the hamburger patty. Sear it on one side, and then the other. Salt and pepper both sides to taste.
Place the patty on a small, ovenproof dish, and pop into the oven. Bake it for about 4 minutes in a convection oven or 5 minutes in a regular oven to achieve a medium-rare burger.
For the last couple of minutes, place the American cheese on top of the burger so it will melt. Meanwhile, toast the bun on the pan you used for frying the burger.
Take the patty out of the oven, place it on top of the bottom half of the bun, and top it with sauce and lettuce. Serve with fries and catsup. Serves 1.
To make the sauce, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate any leftovers. You should have about a cup of sauce in all.
Le Peacock Gin Blossom
Ingredients:
2 ounces pea-flower infused gin (you may use regular gin, but it will be less pretty)
.75 ounces Bouchant (cognac-based) orange liqueur
.75 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
2 dashes orange-blossom water
1 dehydrated lime slice
Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, the liqueur, the lime juice, and the orange-blossom water. Shake over ice.
Place an extra-large ice cube in a 10-ounce rocks glass. Strain the liquid into the glass. Top with the lime slice. Serves 1.
