That Old Chestnut

Went to Chestnut last night with my mother, brother, and brother's beloved (as he apparently once introduced her). Ever since we moved to Carroll Gardens, I've wanted to eat at Chestnut, and it's a shame that I waited so long. Although the restaurant is a little loud and it's certainly not cheap, it's a fun place to eat, and for the most part, the food was great. Here's what we ate:

Bread and housemade bread and butter pickles

The verdict: loved the bread; not sure what it was; a little sweet, with what I think were dried currants; the pickles were crunchy and not too sweet; could really tell they were cucumbers; very good

Asian pear, endive, pomegranate & tete de moine - exactly like it sounds, but also with caramelized pecans

The verdict: this was really delicious; definitely sweet what with the pear and pecans and pomegranate, but cut with the saltiness of the cheese, the crunch of the endive, and the tang of the pomegranate and the dressing; a definite winner

Grouper with avocado, arugula, and shrimp

The verdict: this was my entree; it was a significantly smaller portion than anyone else's, which was okay because I was the only one to order an app; the grouper was lightly pan fried, with crispiness on one side; was wonderful with the richness of the avocado and the bitterness of the arugula; the shrimp were also really flavorful; I was pretty happy (although my dish did come several minutes after everyone else's)

Cavatelli, pumpkin, cipolini & black trumpets

The verdict: this was my mom's; she had been planning to order the vegetarian celery root extravaganza because of her intense love of veggies, but the waitress passionately dissuaded her; basically told her that the dish wasn't perfected yet and that it was the only thing on the menu that wasn't good; it was the most explicitly negative I've ever heard a waiter be; my mom was thrilled with her pasta though; so it worked out fine; she also got a side of maple brussell sprouts, which I was happy to help her with

Chicken breast, sausage filling, greens & potato gallette

The verdict: this was my brother's, and I didn't taste this one; it looked very good and it was a very generous helping; but he seemed less than thrilled (at the same time, he ate it all, so it couldn't have been that bad...)

Pork chop stuffed with agridolce figs; polenta

The verdict: this was Susan's, and it was the largest portion of the evening; it was also really yummy; who doesn't love pork with sweet fruit; I didn't try the polenta, but I gather it was good; my brother kept stealing bites...

Coffee (it was good, came in individual French presses)
Wine (some Italian white; my mom chose it; what do I know? it was dry, so I was happy)
Dessert (chocolate boudino and caramel; apparently their specialty; kind of like a mushy British pudding; not my thing)

Overall, though, a nice, tasty, well-paced dinner. I'm going to drag Daniel back for their $35 Tuesday and Wednesday prix fixe...