Review: The Bistro Box Is A Roadside Classic
By Nichole Dupont
There are those places that are just cursed. You know the kind. Switches hands every 1 to 3 years, nobody really knows what kind of food they serve anymore. You tentatively step into each new rendition only to leave disappointed or gripping your stomach with regret. There are a few “cursed" eatery locations here, so when I saw the new sign along Route 7 in Great Barrington I groaned. The perpetually red summer hot dog shack was now freshly painted and the new sign was up. The Bistro Box. I was skeptical.
But I should not have been. The Bistro Box, true to its name, is a roadside eatery that offers up fresh, homemade, hard-working picnic food. It’s a place you can take a lunch break or where you can proudly take a date for a vintage-inspired evening sitting under a pine grove enjoying the company of true love and damn tasty onion rings. On a beautiful day (which we’ve had several of), the parking lot is indiscriminately packed with vehicles and people – Ford F150s, Audis, minivans, grandparents with their grandkids, golfers, contractors taking a break. This is a place for everyone to enjoy the fleeting months of summer and the nostalgia of a perfect ice cream float.
Do not mistake roadside shack fare for “options limited: just deal with it." The Bistro Box has all the basics but they’re the kind of “basic" that harkens back to a time when toys didn’t break on the first go-round: Wholesome, actual good food made from real ingredients (not pre-frozen, pre-packaged imposters). Take the onion rings for example. Fresh, dipped in a golden batter with a hint of cornmeal, lightly fried and served with a ketchup aioli (they call it box sauce) that we couldn’t get enough of. Fried dill pickles, same signature batter with a homemade buttermilk ranch dip. The menu also includes burgers and dogs, paninis, hand-cut fries (lots of choices like garlic and fresh herbs, parmesan and truffle oil, chili cheese), cold-brewed coffee, savory salads, and for starving, newly minted vegetarians, the falafel burger: a homemade chickpea patty topped with crispy “quick" pickles and red pepper feta spread.
Because we are talking essentially about a roadside stand, I have to mention that nothing that emerged from The Bistro Box was drowning in grease (which is the expectation for these little places). The food is crisp, the portions are perfect, and everything is reasonably priced (nothing more than $8). Obviously a lot of love has gone into making the little Bistro Box a place to come back to. Owners Nick and Birdie Joseph opened The Bistro Box in 2010 as a mobile food business. Their adventures have taken them from Nantucket to Florida to the Caribbean but they’ve always had an eye toward the Berkshires (Nick grew up in the area). When the little red shack went up for sale this past winter – they’ve been eying the place for awhile – the couple scooped it up immediately and so far everyone has pulled out of there with a faraway smile and maybe a little chocolate on their lips.
In a busy world, The Bistro Box is the perfect oasis of milkshakes (made with local ice cream) and memories. Get out of your car, stay and enjoy an impromptu picnic. No T.V., no iPhone, just you, your honey, and some damn fine food.
The Bistro Box
Rt. 7 -- 937 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA
(413) 717-5958
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday -- Saturday 11 a.m. -- 7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. -- 5 p.m., Closed Wednesdays until summertime.
Please Support Rural Intelligence
We want to continue delivering the entertaining, informative and upbeat stories in the inimitable Rural Intelligence style, despite a pandemic. But we need your support to keep us going. Please consider making a donation; even a small amount helps secure our future. Support us now.
(If you prefer, mail a check to: 45 Pine Grove Ave., Suite 303, Kingston, NY 12401.)
Support Now