Chestnut

Just a great dining experience at chestnut. I have been here 5 times in the past year, one of them for their thanksgiving menu. All 5 times have been awesome.
A great date restaurant! I even took my «old world» parents here and they loved it!
sorry, I cannot remember what i had… which means i have to go back again and Unilocal about it!

The food was good. I had the steak and was satisfied. Two friends had the oxtail, which was good but the quantity of the oxtail was unsatisfying. It was as if there was literally one oxtail per serving. Weak.
So why the 2 stars? The service was terrible. The wait staff was nice enough and while they were full (about 10 parties of varying sizes) they had two staff who struggled with waiting on these parties. It took forever for the food to come out, our entrees came out pretty spaced apart, and if we ever needed anything while eating our meal they had no idea because they never stopped by to ask us (we always had to flag them down). Making it more frustrating/​embarrassing is this place isn’t big. And of course, getting the bill and taking the cards from us of course also took way longer than necessary.
I personally just can’t fathom how a busy restaurant on a street with lots of nightlife survives this way.
I might go back, but they sure left a bad taste in my mouth.

Went here for a birthday dinner on a Wednesday night. Ok, we were there at like 6:15pm and thus the first patrons in the door. But even so, that does not excuse the 30– 40 mins between each course. What should have been like a 90min meal stretched itself over 2.5hrs. Ouch. The waitress was nice enough, but come on, Chestnut, you can’t have two people run a restaurant of this caliber (and price) by themselves (it seemed like there was only a waitress and cook in there.) By the time the place started to fill up, the service *really* slowed (despite the addition of one more visible staff member.)
The food is *almost* 4 star territory (I had the bass entrée which was amazing… the salt cod appetizer was just so-​so, the apple crisp dessert was terrific, the s’mores were forgettable.)
Brunch at Chestnut is much better — went a few months ago and enjoyed it, but also had to wait too long. There are much better picks for service, quality and value within just a few blocks.

While the food at chestnut was decent, I have to express my disappointment in the bar. Not in the cocktails, per se, but the actual skill of the bartenders. Surly and miserable personality aside, the gentleman I ordered my drink from didn’t even know how to make the first three… seriously. I ended up getting one of their unique house cocktails, which was good, but I dare say if you’re going to be a bartender, learn how to make a gimlet… or a bee’s knees… or a Parisian. Each of them have no more than three ingredients, and are relatively simple to make.
Now that I’ve gotten that rant out of the way, I will say that my meal was delicious and the waiter was sweet and friendly, if a little slow. My chicken liver mousse was delicious, my hangar steak cooked perfectly, and the dessert of s’mores was ok… a little bland and messy, but whatevs.
I’d consider going back, but will probably stick to wine or beer (they have a great list for both). But one more time: bartenders should know how to tend bar, especially in this day and age when quirky cocktails are all the rage.

I have a strong feeling I ignored the message Chestnut was unintentionally giving out by having their brunch menu visible on the door at dinner time. Perhaps brunch would have been better?
The interior of the restaurant and bar is so inviting, I couldn’t resist picking this place out of all the tempting options on Smith St. for dinner. I asked to look at a menu and was so overjoyed to see squash blossoms on the menu that I didn’t stop to consider that they are out of season in early October. Stupid stupid me, I know.
We sat down and perused the menus further, which were printed on parchment paper and stained with wine or something. When we soon learned that several of the menu items are no longer available, including my much lusted-​after squash blossoms, I had to wonder why they hadn’t just replaced the menus. The paper and printing seemed to implied that the menu changes regularly and according to season, which is nice, if put into practice. Maybe I was just cranky about the squash blossoms.
I settled on a salad that came with butter lettuce and a homemade dressing with goat cheese. Ultimately I was disappointed in this because it tasted too much like ranch dressing. It also needed salt and black pepper, which luckily was on the table (kind of odd in a place like this). At $ 10, I don’t really think the salad is worth it. One of the other salads on the menu was not available and the only other option was mixed greens. Not exciting.
I also ordered cavatelli with a scoop of herbed ricotta. This was delicious. No, really REALLY delicious. Just about perfect in flavor, but the ricotta was so cold it made the rest of the dish rapidly cool down. It normally comes with prosciutto, however they will leave it out if you ask. The only other vegetarian option on the menu didn’t really interest me (zucchini ribbons with tomatoes). I would say that Chestnut will definitely be more attractive to a meat eater. It’s OK. There are just those places out there. It’s nice when they can make anyone feel like their dietary choice is welcome, though.
I think overall there were enough inconsistencies that made me wonder about Chestnut: menus that had seen better days (days of squash blossoms, sigh), a sugar bowl on the table left over from brunch, grumpy service from whomever it was who kept refilling our water and not even a thank you and good night on the way out from *anyone.* Not really anything huge, but also not really acceptable in a place that seems to portray a «fine dining» kind of image judging by prices and portion sizes (which, by the way, I would not be opposed to at all if the experience was worthy). Pretentious all the way.

I came here for the Tuesday $ 30 prix-​fix dinner and I have to say, I’m disappointed in myself for not having come here earlier.
The food was simply standout. I mean, when I pay $ 30 for an appetizer, main course, and dessert, I’m happy if the food tastes «homey» and tasty — this food though went above and beyond — simply put, if you live in the area and don’t feel like cooking on a Tuesday/​Wednesday, swing by here and try it out, I’d be surprised if you didn’t love the deal.
In particular, standout dishes include:
Appetizer: potato gnocci — there were bits of proscuitto in here! Light and fluffy the dish was a winner.
Main Course: Flank Steak — I love steak, all kinds of steak. This steak stood out because of their use of bleu cheese — combining the cheese with the steak and the gravy over the potatoes. I mean it’s hard to beat that bite of food.
Dessert: I had the homemade ice cream which was very good, but the real winner was the biscuit with peaches and blueberries — this thing was seriously good.
OK — I’ve said enough nice things, my only caveat is that the service was a bit slow at times. Still, the overall meal… well let’s just say I’m wondering if it’s socially allowable for me to eat a prix fixe dinner by myself one night…

I had Sunday brunch here yesterday, and it was so so good. We came around 1:30 before heading to a movie and were seated right away.
The coffee is really good (and comes in large mugs). After that came the free pastries… oh the free pastries. Blueberry scones served with butter and a fantastic blueberry jam. Other tables with more people also got popovers, it looked like. But I was more than satisfied with our amazing scones. They literally distracted me from finishing answering a question my boyfriend asked until I had finished my half of the scones, they were so good.
I ordered the poached egg with mushrooms, toast and caramelized shallots, which was delicious. The egg, sauce & mushrooms are served on top of the thick toast, making it easy to get a bit of everything in each bite. It felt a tiny bit on the small side, but with the pastries I didn’t leave hungry. My boyfriend ordered the cod hash, which was okay.
The place is nicely decorated with a chill atmosphere, we had prompt and friendly service, and overall really enjoyed the food.

I went here for brunch today. Smith street is a big brunch street, so I was worried about the wait, but the place was nearly empty around 1130.
I thought Id give the orange juice margarita a try. It was good, but nothing to that you absolutely have to try. The mrs enjoy her mimosa. The orange juice here is fresh squeezed, making the orange juice drinks very radiantly orange. I was fascinated by this.
Another thing I really liked was the homemade pastries and jam they provide with every brunch. Unlike most restaurants, their homemade stuff, really looked like it was homemade.
I ordered the oatmeal pancakes and a side of potatoes. Oatmeal pancakes is a new and fabulous twist on pancakes. Although, I did ot feel that the ‘seasonal fruit’ provided (a few pear and peach slices) was enough to warrant the $ 2 additional charge. The potatoes were unseasoned and our inattentive waiter never checked up on us enough for me to order some ketchup to spice things up. The mrs. proclaimed the poached eggs to be the best she’s had in her brunching experience.
Overall, it was a pretty good experience. Im always looking for a new twist on pancakes, and I found it here. I was a little worried about the prices going in, bc none are published anywhere, but the price tag was comparable to most brunches for two people in Brooklyn. I would give this place four stars if not for the inattentive waiter. I would give it 3.5, but since that’s not an option, 3 stars it is.

Okay. So. Brunch is a big deal. Its the crème de la crème of meals. Its a special occasion. A meal that you can (officially) have but once a week. Its to be honored, revered, even. This is not to say that Sunday Brunch must be in a stuffy establishment or that there NEEDS to be a slice of melon SOMEWHERE in the presentation of my plate. I just want some good coffee, a tasty meal and to be able to relax and enjoy whoever’s company I’m in. Clearly the staff at Chestnut and I do not have similar brunch expectations.
Arriving 30 minutes after opening, to a moderately busy dining room, we (Helen G. and I) were seated fairly promptly. The server was nice, although not very attentive, and it took a while for her to even take our drink order. Our coffee came out, and it was fresh and bold which made me happy. As did the news that we would shortly be receiving complimentary pastries with jam and butter. I ordered the Buckwheat Crêpe with fruit (because they didn’t have the Yogurt and Granola, which was the reason I picked Chestnut in the first place) and Brunch Date got the Oatmeal pancakes.
It literally took about 2 minutes for our food to come out. I’m a fan of fast service, but I couldn’t help but feel as though the food was made before hand and just sitting on a line, waiting to be served. Although they tasted fine, my crepes were room temp and dry, and topped with about 3 sliced strawberries. My co-bruncher’s pancakes were, contrarily, quite good, but kind of cold as well.
The moment we put our forks down, the hostess swooped in and grabbed our plates (maybe they had a shortage in the kitchen?). We were done, okay, fine. BUT she made a return flight and then stole our pastries. DAMN. Those 3 little baked delights with butter and blueberry jam were the saving grace of the whole experience, and I’m sorry, but we were NOT done with those. Faster than we could protest, she had disappeared into the ether and our bill was tactfully set on our table.
We got the hint.

I love this place like I love Watty & Meg – a great place to sit and nosh at the bar whilst catching up with a friend. Or a great place to sit and nosh at the bar whilst catching up with a book. Same difference in my case. Here, I definitely prefer the bar room – it’s all dark wood and brick walls and comfy, though oddly shaped, bar. It’s never too crowded at the bar to grab a seat and a drink.
I’m a fan of the small plates and their house-​made pastas, anything creamy and salty and cheesy and delish is a hit in my book. The fresh foccacia and pickles to start are always beyond temptation.
$ 30 prix fixe on Tuesday/​Wednesday is almost too much food for me to eat, but I make a valient effort.

There are a lot of dining options in this neighborhood but my trusty Unilocal iPhone app helped me weed down potential establishments. Saul, Café Luluc, Chestnut or The Grocery? Oh look Chestnut has a mid week $ 30 pre-​fixe. Say no more. We’re on it!
The meal was good for the most part. I started off with grilled sardines which was seasoned well and cooked to perfection. My friend’s chicken liver mousse was a winner. We even had to stop ourselves from gorging to ensure there would be space for entrée. Unfortunately, our they were nothing to rave about. The seared skate was a little bland and my pork chop which I was extremely excited about was dry. Yes, I said it. DRY CHOP. How sad is that? Very. Specially when it’s bone in =/​
I echo Peter D.‘s statement «I was disappointed with the inconsistency of my meal here.» Sigh. Why didn’t I read that part of the review on that damn app?

This restaurant is beautiful and very cozy, despite being relatively large. I could see it working well for a number of occassions, including a date, dinner with the parents, or girlfriends looking to catch up over some delicious food.
Given Tuesdays and Wednesdays there is a $ 30 prix fixe, I was very surprized to find it was mostly empty on a Wednesday evening around 7pm, although people did trickle in throughout the evening. This dinner is a phenominal deal, in large part because you are permitted to choose among any of their first courses, main courses, and deserts, including any specials of the night. Dinner begins with a lovely plate of freshly baked bread, pickles, and olive oil — so be cautious not to fill up!
We had the butchers plate and gnocci, which were both unusual, delicious, and perfectly portioned. My boyfriend had the fettichini special, which had prosciutto, herbs, and large dollaps of ricotta cheese. It was heavenly — the type of meal you wish you could eat a big bowl of on a cold day on your couch, but are more than happy to savor in small bites in a beautiful restaurant. I had the pork chop, which was seriously phenominal. It was very aromatic when it arrived in front of me and the taste did not disappoint. A little fatty around the edges, but they were crisped and complemented the tender meat so well. There was a large serving of sweet cabbage that commplemented the chop nicely, but I only ate a little bit because the meat was so delicious on its own.
We almost forgot about desert. The waiter informed us that the chef had prepared an almost entirely new desert menu that day. We were delighted to be some of the newest test subjects :) We chose the lemmon ricotta cheese cake and chesnut apple pie a la mode. We ate everything.
I should also note that our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu. He coudl describe every ingredient in the dish and its preparation and actually seemed to enjoy doing so.
Loved every bit of my dinner :)

I remember going to Chestnut a few years ago on a balmy summer evening with my token Brooklyn friend. It seems like just yesterday when we all lived below 14^th Street in Manhattan and Brooklyn was a mystical world full of undiscovered wonders. Kindof like Marrakesh[1].
What fools we were.
I recall tasty sea scallops and something with lobster making me very happy, but it’s a foggy memory.
Now that I’m older and wiser, I live in Brooklyn. This time around, I took my token British friend to Chestnut. I’m charmed by the outer part where people can read their paper with coffee, in misanthropic silence.
In the spirit of cultural understanding, we learned that popovers[2] are the same thing as Yorkshire pudding[3]. No joke. At Chestnut, the popovers were the highlight of my meal.
I got the frittata with ricotta and Brussels sprouts and it was like eating shoe leather. As I picked them out from their flavorless surroundings, it felt like Brussels sprouts and I were staying together for the kids… No one wants to feel like that at brunch.
We were over-​serviced, which was surprisingly annoying. Two waitresses would ask us the same thing, one after the other, constantly interrupting our conversation. Even after we explained to each one about the other.
We were able to nurse our tea after we had paid the check, because the place was only half full, which was nice. But now I understand why it was half full.
–
[1] Your deadpan delivery really does it for me, Brian Williams:
[2]
[3]

The girls and I strolled in here for some catching up on Friday for dinner and drinks. Even though I still held some resentment for their poor service handling phone reservations, I came here with an open mind and an empty stomach.
That being said, I would come back here for the gnocchi and the drinks. The entrees were forgettable and overpriced. The fish was entirely too salty and for all of the buzz around this restaurant, it really fell flat. I do, however, want to give a shout out to one of their drinks. French 57 was divine.
The service was attentive as well. The only thing that was puzzling was that the décor in the main dining space somehow goes from cozy pottery barn-​esque to modern art museum the nearer you get to the bathrooms. However, this place is intimate and friendly enough for family time, girl time or… you know what I mean.
Bottom line: come here for the appetizers and drinks, then skip off to a better place for dinner!

Was in the neighborhood last night and we strolled into Chestnut. There was a good number of people dining, and for good reason! Every Tuesday and Wednesday is a $ 30 pre-​fixe. 1 appetizer+ 1 entre+ 1 dessert. Sold!
I got the cicken liver mousse and toast to start with. Deeeeelish! a good portion of liver and warm toast made my taste buds smile. My friend had the sardines which was yummy as well! For main dishes, we got the crispy skate and she got the smoked pork chop. My skate was good, although not awesome. Could it be that I was still gushing over the chicken liver pâté? Her pork chop was smoky and flavorfull, but a tad bit on the dry side. For dessert, had the homemade ice cream. Yum! peach, lavender and I forgot the thirs option (tasted similar to dulce de leche).
I would come back here to try out their other dishes and brunch!

Little Disclaimer: I came here over a year ago, and just never got the chance to Unilocal about it. I recently found these pictures from my meal, and suddenly delicious wonderful memories flooded my head. Thought I’d throw in my two cents, since this place brings such fond food memories.
I came here to visit a friend, who used to live right around the corner (I truly truly wish he STILL lived around the corner, so I’d have more reason to come here) I remember being immediately impressed by the bread/​olive oil/​pickle plate they put in front of us. mmm, home-​made pickles… I also remember the rockin’ pork chop that had figs baked into it!, served on top of a mound of creamy polenta. And yes… yes yes yes… my little chocolate budino…
At this point in the review, I have realized that my three most immediate goals are: 1) Convince my friend to move back here 2) Find another friend who lives around the corner 3) Come here this weekend by myself.

Some overused Unilocal words/​phrases/​cliches that we aren’t supposed to say anymore:
*gem
*nom nom
*really wanted to like this
*foodie
*I’d give it _​_​stars if I could
*zomg
Having said that:
I really wanted to like Chestnut. So I did. Chestnut’s offerings (I’m especially looking at you, butternut squash ravioli and chocolate tart with peanut butter mousse) are gems completely suited for foodies and non-​foodies alike. I’d give it twenty stars if I could. ZOMG. Nom nom.

This is a perfect special occasion neighborhood restaurant. It’s classified as «New American» which to me means: expect anything. Hence don’t be surprised to find dishes like Rabbit Pappardelle (rabbit braised in a tomato type sauce, which my boyfriend ordered and loved) on the menu. One of the special entrees of the night was another rabbit dish, I guess the chef just likes rabbit.
At first glance it might seem a tad pretentious, especially when you have trouble understanding the menu (which is written in English), however the service is spectacular and makes you feel very comfortable with everything you order.
The wait staff really was amazing here, friendly and attentive. While my boyfriend went to use the restroom, a waiter came over, refilled our glasses with water from a bottle on our table and then refolded my boyfriend’s napkin into a perfect triangle and placed it neatly next to his plate. What can I say, the little things impress me.
The food was top notch too. I had the buckwheat crêpe which was delicious. It combined all my favorite foods into one dish (crepes, buckwheat, smoked salmon). Then, the squash pumpkin ravioli as my main course which might have been the best ravioli I’ve ever had. Finally, the chocolate budino (a mix between a pudding and warm chocolate cake) for dessert to top it all off. A perfect dinner.

I was disappointed with the inconsistency of my meal here.
We started with the buckwheat crêpe. It was presented beautifully; the crêpe was a tiny little island covered in greens, with a gravlox volcano in the center that spewed crème fraîche lava.
However, the buckwheat was terribly bland; it very clearly needed the addition of salt and pepper. The lox and crème fraîche were just that. No surprises, nothing really exciting about the dish at all (aside from the previously mentioned island volcano).
My companion chose the squash ravioli, and that was easily the best thing we ordered. Although there were only 5 ravioli, they were plump and very tasty.
After some discussion with the waiter (who was very helpful), I decided to go with the chicken, which according to the menu, was stuffed with sausage, and served with a potato gallette.
That decision was inevitable, because I happen to love food stuffed in other food, or wrapped in other food. Basically, the more food, the better. And, I didn’t know what a gallette was, so curiosity became a factor.
The chicken was wonderful. Juicy and flavorful, it completely outclassed the sausage stuffed inside. Everything else on the plate was a disappointment.
The sausage (I believe it was chicken sausage) was surprisingly bland. I didn’t even know there WAS bland sausage. The potato gallette turned out to be an elegant, tasteless potato chip of sorts. It was a thin fan of potato that managed to be hard, and not crispy at the same time. Rather than tasting good, it served the purpose of dividing the chicken from a large mound of undressed mustard greens (also tasteless), in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
All in all, I look at my meal at Chestnut the way I look at Terrell Owens. Meaning, I think the food at Chestnut would rather look good, than win.

Never before in a long, long time have I had the absolute pleasure and luck to dine at such a splendid restaurant.
My friend and I came Tuesday at 5:30 PM just as it was about to open, knowing the prixe-​fixe menu (at absolute steal) would soon be ours. Despite our early arrival, we were treated with grace and kindness from our cool waitress, and were promptly presented with water, three kinds of bread, and pickles to begin.
For appetizers, I had the calamari stuffed with quinoa, accompanied by radishes and micro kohlrabi. It was tender and delicate, and simply tasty. My friend had the gnocchi with the same greens and plenty of garlic-​sensational and like little moist pillows.
Following these dishes came the entrees. I decided to have the pansotti filled with greens, ricotta, and surrounded by a pool of mascarpone foam. The pansotti was as wide as lasagna, wrapped around its filling in such a way that it became a mini tower with a topping of those consistently present microgreens. There was something so creamy about this dish, so rich, that it was easier than breathing to get completely ensconced by it.
My friend’s risotto was just as heavenly, topped with little cubes of sheep’s milk cheese that was a touch tangy.
Finally, we encountered the dangerous realm of dessert, an area which, once I enter, I can never return from.
My friend went with the light, refreshing parfair of tapioca topped with a silky rhubarb sorbet and plenty of cool rhubarb compote. It had a touch of lemon which further livened it up, and overall was very nice.
However, I couldn’t get enough of my chocolate budino, their most popular dessert. It had the appearance of a panna cotta, and looked about the same when cut into (with a spoon), but once entering the mouth, it had the consistency of a brownie that had completely melted within the oven rather than cooking. It was so deep and rich and satisfying; the crunchy cocoa nibs and the quenelle of peanut butter mousse only made it better.
I was so stuffed after the experience but felt it was totally worth it. Perfect service, delicious food, and a calm, quiet ambience that is extremely appealing. On a less hot day, I’d love to check out their back garden… perhaps their brunch will be the next thing to lure me back.
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Update 8÷3÷08
True to my word, I got to have brunch in the garden at this great restaurant, but unfortunately had to bring my rating down a noch.
With so many people present, service was nice but not as consistent, and my friend and I weren’t as blown away by the food *or our chronically rocking table.*
My friend got the salt cod hash with greens and a roasted egg with a side of grits, and I got the ricotta and swiss chard fritatta.
It took awhile for us to receive our complimentary pastry basket, something our waitress only noticed minutes before delivering our food.
The pastries: a popover, mini lemon muffins, and a blueberry scone, were overall pretty good. The popover was my favorite: moist, hot and buttery with plenty of grape jam for spreading, but the lemon muffin and the rather bland scone were less awe-​inspiring.
My fritatta had a kind of cool pink hue from the swiss chard, and in some parts was very moist and ricotta-​y. However, the farther one got towards the outside, the drier the eggy dish got, and the less exciting it became.
My friend’s salt cod hash was verrry filling but had a great taste, and the roasted egg was like a poached one, but even better. The grits also were super creamy and fluffy, so much better than the ones I had had for the first time at a Middle America Waffle House.
Overall, the meal was pretty good and not too expensive (our dishes were less than ten dollars each,) but I wanted to be blown away and sadly wasn’t.