Terri W.
Yelp
Met some friends at Tall John's tonight. We finally made our way here after talking about it since July!
Love the vibe when you walk in the door. Since it has been renovated from its former self (Chiesa) it has taken on a seriously warm & welcoming environment. The neighborhood haunt with flair. They don't take reservations but if you call ahead, they'll let you put your name on a wait list before you come. Warm wood tones with a comfy contemporary feel. The bar spans almost the length of the space and there's plenty of seating if you can't snag a table. It's an open kitchen concept which makes it active and interesting but doesn't take over your evening.
Our friends come here on a regular basis and our server knew them by name. She was delightful and extremely knowledgeable about the wines, cocktails and menu items. She even remembered what they ordered last time they were in! On top of that, she genuinely looked like she was happy to be there!
Now on to the food:
We ordered the smoked ham and Gruyère croquettes which were crispy and delicious (didn't get a pic bc we devoured them before I could pick up my phone!); Classic Caesar salad which was a CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD! Haven't had a real Caesar for years with real anchovies!There is nothing like it, and you know it when you get it!; Clams,leeks, watercress and toast (except they changed out the clams for mussels) it was a nice dish, maybe a bit bland but the mussels were fresh and plump
Two of us had the Perfectly Roasted Chicken- which was, well...perfectly roasted! Crisp, flavorful & tender- just like it should be. No sauce necessary even tho it came with a salsa verde- I actually preferred it plain; I wished it did have a little side salad or something- it's a lot of meat!; Striped Bass with carrot purée and fresh spinach- a nice portion, all cooked to perfection and kicked up a notch with the house made harissa; and Pork Schnitzel, pounded to almost paper thin and so big it was falling off the plate, crispy pan fried and tender served with lemon and a delicate little fennel salad on the side. This is one of my favorite dishes and they did it right! We all shared the Glazed Beets & Goat Cheese, which for some reason I thought was going to be served cold, but I was happily surprised that they were hot from the oven right from the oven, cut into big delicious chunks and the fresh goat cheese just melted on top. Absolutely divine!!!
We ended the meal with one shared dessert: Olive Oil Cake with pistachio & citrus segments. Not overly sweet (good thing!), savory and satisfying.
I have to say that dinner tonight at Tall John's was the best meal we have eaten in and around town in the last month or so, and we can't wait to return! Recommend it highly!