Jack's Reinvents Itself As A Steakhouse

In light of all the very public problems with the worldwide beef industry it takes a leap of faith for a restaurateur to open a steak house.

Chef and owner Jack Flaws opened Jack's American Bistro and Wine Bar on Main Street in Old Saybrook in 2004. At the time, The Day's food critic was generally enthusiastic, commenting on the chef's ambition and hailing Jack's as welcome addition to the region's dining scene. The number of mid-priced restaurants in Old Saybrook has grown since then, and perhaps it was this burst of competition that encouraged Flaws to recently morph Jack's into a steak and chop house, which, according to the restaurant's excellent Web site, aren't abundant thereabouts.

Hedging his bets, Flaws has kept most of the dishes from the original menu, which read like a list of beloved shoreline food hits.

Popular first courses include a crab cake ($14.50) and steak carpaccio ($12.50). Several salads are offered including Cobb, Caesar, and a Bibb lettuce salad fortified with apples, pears, cheese and nuts (all under $10).

At a recent visit, an intrepid guest and I enjoyed a cup of rich but not floury clam chowder, studded with bits of clam and small potatoes, and infused with the flavor of bacon. It was marred by grit, however, a disappointment since it was one of the best chowders I've recently tasted.

An order of fried calamari wasn't up to par. Even a shower of lemon juice and the accompanying tartar sauce didn't keep the platter of overcooked, chewy squid from eventually becoming heavy sledding.

From the extensive lists of grilled meats, which included filet mignon, veal rib chop, rack of lamb, and something called “Beer Can Roasted Chicken” ($16), we chose from one of the several steak offerings (these included a Delmonico steak at $30, a porterhouse for two ($60), and what must be an unconquerable 22-ounce t-bone at $37.)

Daunted by the idea of such portions, we ordered the relatively dainty New York strip ($28 for a 16-ounce steak.) All grilled dishes come with a selection of sauces (gratis), which range from the simple (herb butter) to the complex (veal demi-glace). Our server allowed us to choose small portions of a decent, buttery Béarnaise and natural jus infused with horseradish and mustard (a piquant alternative to the much richer Béarnaise).

The steak had been cooked perfectly to our order (medium-rare) and although very flavorful, it was not the tenderest cut of beef. It was sufficient for two to share, and half of it went home to be polished off for lunch the next day.

Had Jack's added fish to the list of grilled meats we would have stuck with the revised menu. In fact, with only the old standbys of sea scallops, tuna, and swordfish (roasted or pan-seared) on the menu, the absence of grilled seafood dishes seems a missed opportunity.

We chose what was characterized as one of the chef's signature dishes, Peking-style Cornish game hen. Given the complexity of preparation needed for Peking duck we had no idea what to expect. What arrived were two large butternut-squash flavored crêpes into which morsels of game hen — bound in a hoisin-flavored sauce — had been rolled. The invention was an oblique reference to its Chinese inspiration, but flavorful and a nice contrast with the steak.

The plate arrived nearly buried in a huge mound of very thin fried onion rings. They were delicious — crisp, not greasy — but seemingly out of step with the Asian theme.

Accompaniments include a selection of “starches” (we enjoyed our gorgonzola-fortified “tater tots”) and vegetables (side dishes are $7). Aware of our excesses we ordered a single portion of simple steamed broccoli, cooked crisp, which was more than sufficient for two.

Jack's dessert menu is hardly more adventuresome than nearly all those encountered along the shoreline. Along with a vanilla crème brulée and warm chocolate cake ($7 and $9, respectively) there is what our server described as a jumbo serving of French toast with pears stewed with rosemary ($9).

We shared vanilla beignets ($8), four substantial, deep-fried balls of dough, served with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, a flurry of powdered sugar, and topped with an ephemeral espresso gelato and cappuccino foam that tasted mostly of coffee liqueur. My partner wished for more chocolate sauce in which to dip the beignets (presented formally, these were not to be lifted with one's fingers and dunked in coffee).

A short selection of cheeses accompanied the list of desserts.

Much of the activity at Jack's is centered on the bar; we enjoyed a delicious dry martini and a sturdy red Rhone. Extensive wine and drinks lists accompany the menus. A choice of white or whole wheat rolls emerged hot from the oven.

On the night of our visit we found the service in every sense perfect, from the frequent refills of water and butter to the helpful recommendations from our principal server. More to the point, we found her genial spirit a breath of fresh air.

Great service goes a long way in helping to make a memorable evening. But with the competition as stiff and as plentiful as it is around Old Saybrook, Jack's would have to establish greater consistency in the kitchen in order to lure us back time and again. The good news is the kitchen seems capable of turning out very good food. And not only from the grill.



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