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October 21, 2000 CHESTNUT HILL
Food **1/2 Pricing: Moderate to expensive Atmosphere Owned and operated by brothers Gregg and Chris Lee, Chestnut Hill is one of three restaurants in a family trio. Lee's Inlet Kitchen, the oldest of the three, was founded five decades ago by Eford and Pearl Lee, grandparents of the Lee brothers. It's now owned by their sister Kelly and her husband. Chesapeake House, run by the Lees' mother and located just footsteps away, was the first restaurant on Restaurant Row. A few wrought-iron chairs and rockers stand ready on the narrow front porch to accommodate diners who cannot be seated immediately. The walls of the entrance are covered with crimson satin, and the little room contains old leather wingbacks and an antique cash register. Also displayed here is a "Best of the Beach" award from this newspaper, presented to Chestnut Hill for its extraordinary Sunday brunch. The hostess led us down a few steps into a large dining room, one of three in an area separated by big doors. The Fireplace Room at left is papered with a somewhat distracting library print. The room on the right contains the smoking section and a full bar. Enormous windows in each room provided views of the manmade lake, home to plenty of turtles and alligators, and great entertainment for younger diners. Tables are covered in white linen. The cheerful décor includes a dozen still-lifes above the doors between each room, and a huge cabinet from which waiters retrieved the china on which our meal would be served. As we finished our salads, each member of our party realized that the ladder-backed chairs in which we sat were hard and uncomfortable. The senior member of our group almost decided to forego dessert, simply because he "couldn't sit in that dratted chair anymore". However, our server brought a comfortable chair from the smoking section, and the tranquillity of our table was restored. Food We were barely seated when our waiter arrived to light our little oil lamp, serve water and bread (small white and wheat loaves, hot and fresh but not exceptional), and recite the day's specials. He told us that Chestnut Hill's 70-ft. fishing boat catches much of the restaurant's fish and seafood. The appetizer list features fresh bounty from land and sea: Cajun oysters ($7.95), backfin crabmeat cakes ($10.75), and blackened shrimp ($8.95). The blackened tenderloin tips ($8.50), were smoky, peppery, and served with a good béarnaise with plenty of tarragon. They were a bit well done, and not as tender as aged tenderloin might be, but the flavor was lovely and the presentation, with spring onion and red bell pepper confetti, attractive. At $8.95, the escargots bourguignon were garlic-wine-butter happiness, and tender as it is possible for the little mollusks to be. Again, nice presentation, with the same onion-pepper confetti. Next, a bit of soup. The potage du jour ($4.25), a tomato basil, was really fine, with a bit of cream, little morsels of fresh tomato, and bright basil flavor. The she-crab soup, at $4.95, was also superb, with plenty of cream bringing out the savory sweetness of the crabmeat. The salads, included with each entrée, consisted of an uninspired mix of honest greens with a few slices of pale tomatoes and canned mandarins. The best thing about the salads were the tasty homemade dressings, including the house dressing, a smart honey lime vinaigrette. The restaurant offers an early menu between 4:30 – 6:30 PM, excellent for budget-conscious diners and those with light appetites. Specialty entrée prices on the early menu range from $10.95 – $12.95 and include smaller servings of Seafood Coquille, Prime Rib, Shrimp Creole, and Crab Cake Chestnut Hill. Two members of our party selected entrees from this menu: the Oyster Dinner ($11.95), and the Chicken Breast Carmen for the same price. The oysters were fat, fresh and sweet, a wonderful example of low-country comfort food. They were presented attractively with a sauté of squash, onion, pepper, mushroom, and zucchini, new potatoes, and red and green confetti. The chicken Carmen was served with a steamed, tough broccoli head and covered in a fine Veloute/Hollandaise. New potatoes and sautéed vegetables accompanied the chicken, and the omnipresent confetti distracted from the delicate sauce. A third member of our party selected the standard menu's Mixed Grill; market price that day was $23.95. The grill includes Atlantic fruits de mer and the catch of the day (yellowfin tuna or mahi mahi, on the day we visited). He was delighted when his tuna arrived medium rare, just as he requested. The local white shrimp were nice, the Atlantic deep sea scallops first-rate, the tuna sashimi-fresh – but they were accompanied by a flavorless rice pilaf, those red potatoes and mixed sauté, and that inescapable confetti. The signature dish is the Chestnut Hill Medallions ($22.50): two 4-oz. filet mignon medallions topped with crab cakes and Béarnaise. Other selections include Veal Neptune ($19.50) and the Rack of Lamb Dijon; market price when we visited was $23.95. Listed specials during our visit were Tuna Caribbean ($23.95), and Ribeye Au Poivre, topped with lump crabmeat, grilled scallops, and a Dijon peppercorn brandy sauce ($27.95). We selected several goodies from the short dessert menu: first, a slice of key lime pie ($4.50). We liked its zesty sweetness enough to forgive the maraschino garnish, though a sprig of fresh mint might have been prettier. The Black Joke pie ($4.75), a dense confection made with semisweet chocolate and walnuts, was unexceptional. Our senior member, content in his padded chair, enjoyed a retro crème de menthe parfait ($4.75). The long wine list was obviously assembled with great care; it includes an excellent selection of Californians. Our waiter told us that the list had recently been expanded. The goal, he explained, was to follow the lead of the Greg Norman Grille, offering moderately priced vintages unusual enough to satisfy an experienced palate. We tried a light Pinot Grigiot from Ecco Domani ($4.50/glass). It was delicate and crisp with a hint of oak, and it nicely complemented the Chicken Carmen's subtle Hollandaise. Service In crisp tuxedo shirt and black tie and trousers, our server was quick with any touch that might enhance our experience, whether a comfy chair or a candid suggestion about an appetizer. As we made our way through a leisurely meal, he performed as captain, back waiter, and sommelier. With the exception of a bit of assistance from a runner who brought our dessert, he served our entire meal himself. Summary During our visit to Chestnut Hill, we noted with pleasure that the restaurant provides an outstanding dining experience for young families from out of town. We saw many such groups, neatly but casually dressed, enjoying a diversion from the typical fast food regimen familiar to everybody who has ever traveled with children. Chestnut Hill provides a nice (albeit slightly pricey) dining experience in an elegant atmosphere. In concept there are some fine dishes here. Appetizers are designed with care, the chef seems to have a great feel for meat dishes, and the quality and preparation of the fish and shellfish are outstanding. However, we'd like to see more attention given to those side dishes and garnishes. (Must the same veggie sauté accompany every meal? Is that red & green pepper confetti really appropriate with every dish?) With a minimum of effort, Chestnut Hill – a delightful discovery for vacationers - could easily become a favorite dining experience for seasoned locals looking for an extraordinary meal in North Myrtle Beach. |
