by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
When I walk into most non-franchise restaurants that have barely been open a month, I don’t expect everything to be top-notch. Typically, a new restaurant doesn’t get its groove on until month two or three. That’s when they finally figure out what they’ve been doing wrong and fix it. Once in a while there are exceptions to the rule, carefully opened restaurants that take the time to do everything right before the doors are opened. One of those exceptions is the newly opened Chew, downtown on West Adams.
Putty greens, clean lines and industrial/urban warmth (yes, there is such a thing) mark the décor, with oh-so New York white paper lights, green tiled pillars and frosted glass. Check out the grey woodland wall paper on the back wall, too. The owner, Jon Insetta, worked hard to get the look to be original and trendsetting. The paper lights are still a relatively rare thing in Jacksonville dining décor (Aurathai has them too) but in about one to five years I’m sure they will show up everywhere. “It was a concept I had in a notebook for a while,” says Insetta, “with a bunch of clippings, pictures from restaurants in New York.”
The first thing I tried at Chew was a niçoise salad. Fresh green beans, mixed greens, onions, sweet little tomatoes, topped with half of a perfectly poached egg and gorgonzola cheese all resonate together with a well-balanced black olive vinaigrette. I also added seared tuna for a few dollars. The amazing crust on the tuna was a blend of spices including paprika, a sprinkling of brown sugar and fennel. Other salad offerings include the signature Chew salad with shitake mushrooms, the apple and goat cheese salad, fresh citrus salad, fennel and spinach salad, black mission prosciutto and classic Caesar. Each salad on the menu is paired with its own dressing, made to complement its salad. The restaurant makes its strongest showing in salads. It’s apparent that they took their time putting together just the right type of combination.
Drink selections run from the usual soda to all sorts of specialty drinks. Exotic teas, including the South American Yerba Mate, take the middle section of the drink menu. Fruit nectars, specialty sodas and coffee drinks round out their urban bistro selection of beverages.
From the HOT section, I tried the short rib sliders, two boneless short ribs served on two little rounds on a bed of red cabbage with a goat cheese horseradish sauce. The dish comes with a small, well-wrought house salad. I did wish for a little more bite to the sauce on the sandwich (I was hoping for more horseradish) but that’s just a matter of preference.
After seeing someone else try the croquet-Madame at the table next to me, I decided I had to try it. The dish is just like the croquet-Monsieur except that it’s topped with a fried egg. The savory sandwich is best eaten with a knife and fork, as it’s topped with a classic mornay sauce that can get a little messy if you try to eat it with your hands. Nestled inside the thick slices of white bread is black forest ham and emmental. This dish is sure to fill you up. Under the same section in PRESSED, I’d wish I’d had the room to try the truffle and fontina, which I’ve heard is really incredible from different sources. It’s also not a bad buy at only $8. In fact, all of the dishes at Chew are well priced and high quality, a combination I’m always looking for. Chew’s an affordable lunchtime luxury.
“We’re opening for the New Year,” owner Jon Insetta says, when I ask him when Chew will be offering a dinner menu. “It takes a lot of time to get it right, we took a lot of time to perfect this [lunch] menu…We took our time eating and tasting. We wanted to open right for lunch; we wanted to open right for dinner.” In the meantime, if you have a rehearsal dinner or event you’d like to throw at night, just call Chew in advance to arrange something for your event.
Desserts change daily, so ask your server. One of the days I went, they were serving a pumpkin almond crème brûlée. A woman who had sampled one at lunch ordered sixteen for her office. The chef will be experimenting with different desserts (since desserts aren’t as popular for lunch) and will add a permanent dessert later. For a sweet currently on the menu, try the pressed nutella and banana on French toast.
Name: Michael McKinney
Restaurant: Chew
What’s your background?
Seven years ago, I was cooking to get through college and I decided to stay in the kitchen. I went to culinary school here in Jacksonville, and I’ve got six years experience at the Ponte Verdra Country Club.
If you could have one cooking utensil on a desert island, what would it be and why?
Cookie sheet, to protect me from the sun.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?
Anything with a grill.
What’s your favorite meal to eat?
Ribeye cooked medium rare with a baked potato; loaded, salt and pepper.
What’s the healthiest dish on your menu?
Chevre and asparagus.
What’s the richest dish on your menu?
Croquet Madame, short rib silder.
What’s your favorite dessert to make?
Some type of cheese cake.
What’s your favorite dessert to eat?
Bananas foster.
117 West Adams Street (355-3793)
www.chewrestaurant.com
Ratings (1-5)
Atmosphere 4 1/2
Service 5
Food 4 1/2
Cost $$
Cost Guide
$ = under ten dollars for a single person
$$ = over ten to twenty for a single person
$$$ = over twenty to thirty-five for a single person
$$$$ = thirty-five and up for a single person
|
EU Critic’s Choice Awards
