The Rusty Can

  After hearing about it a few different times,  I finally visited The Rusty Can.  I seem to recall someone asking me if I'd tried it and then, not long after,  I saw an advertisement for the tiny eatery.  It piqued my interest so tonight, Halloween night,  was the night.  

The location.The Rusty Can is a small restaurant located on the Northshore of Massachusetts in a little town called Byfield.  It's a straight shot up route 95 north, exit 55, right off the exit then your first left onto Fruit Street.  You may be a bit confused, as was I,  as the street is very dark and the plaza that houses the restaurant doesn't look like much but rest assured that this dining spot is right there nestled between a hair salon and a convenience store.  There is ample parking in the not- so-well-lit lot.  It's riddled with potholes so easy does it on the way in.  I parked right in the front and made my way thru the door.  The room was not full but it was Halloween,  and it was right in the middle of the trick or treating hour.  I made my way thru the room and found a seat at the bar. I sat for a few minutes before being greeted by one of two bartenders who offered me a menu and brought me the beer of my choice.  The beer was cold and served in the bottle, no frosty glass here folks.  

The menu.  The menu was visually unappealing.  It was black and white and looked sparse.  The offerings were few in number and consisted mostly of BBQ'd meats served both in combination platters or as a sandwich.  They do have basic salads on the menu but don't inquire about the "soup of the day" because you'll be told that they don't offer soup and that it shouldn't be on the menu at all.  This was disappointing.  I'm a big soup fan and I always like to sample the soup.   Everything is sold a la carte so be prepared to shell out an extra $3 per side for anything you might want to eat with your BBQ.  You don't get so much as a pickle with your sandwich.  I'm not a fan of this type of pricing structure in an establishment of this kind.  It's expected at a high end restaurant but a pub style eatery?  Not so much.  

The food.  I chose a pulled pork sandwich.  I love cornbread so I ordered cornbread with honey butter and french fries for my sides.   Both bartenders applauded these choices saying that the cornbread was "the best."  The food came out quickly.  The first thing I noticed was the seeded bun.  I can say without hesitation that it was the most beautiful seeded bun I had ever seen.  It was just so... so... well, seeded!  The top of the bun was completely covered!  As beautiful as it was I had no intention of eating it so I removed the top portion and dug in to the coleslaw covered pork.  Perfectly cooked pork in a heaping mound covered the bottom bun.  It was moist and plentiful and had a perfect bit of crunch added by the slaw.  It was texturally pleasing to the palate but there was one problem.  It was so salty! I tried the fries, again too salty.  I had a bit of cornbread with the "honey butter" and found that there just wasn't enough honey in that butter to make it noticeable and the cornbread itself was bone dry.  Very disappointing especially considering it had been hyped by the staff as being "the best."  I'd comment on dessert but it wasn't offered and I still don't know if they have it on the menu.

The prices.  The beer was $4.00, the sandwich was $8.00 and the sides were $3.00.  All total with tax and tip was just under $30.00.

The service and overall experience.  The service was just ok.  They did bring the food and it was hot when it arrived.  There really wasn't any other sort of exchange that qualifies this as a special experience.  The service was just as non-descript as the ambiance.


Would I go back?  I can think of a half dozen other places where I can spend $30.00 and have a fantastic experience so no, I don't think I'll return to the Rusty Can.  To be fair, it's important to note that while I sat there, there were obvious regulars sitting at the bar.  They ordered food and seemed quite pleased with it.  People came in and ordered take-out and it was clear that they were regulars as well.  As with any food review, tastes are personal. What I consider too salty or too dry may qualify as a perfect experience to some other diner.  What I describe here is my experience.  You'll just have to try it for yourself.  

XO
Michelle

Rusty Can
6 Fruit Street
Byfield, MA 01922
978-462-1204
www.rustycanbyfield.com 

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