Growing up, my family's vacations were truly family vacations: We piled into the station wagon and drove (well, my dad did) part way across the country to stay with relatives; they would do the same a few months later to stay with us. I didn't get to visit exciting places, but I was thrilled to spend several weeks a year with my beloved cousin Ruthie. We were inseparable. When we were 8 or 9, we came up with the idea of having a "restaurant," i.e., feeding our families, both the willing and unwilling. We would plan what to serve, hand-make elaborate menus (even though no one had a choice on what to "order"), set the tables, concoct and serve a meal--just the two of us. We improved as we got older, but around age 12 we gave it up and moved on to bigger and better things.I thought about those meals while talking to Chad Schwietert of Chad's Grill and Garden Café in Fairfax because he does it all (well, he does have a waitstaff) by himself--and, unlike us, he knows what he's doing.,
Chad's opened in October 2006 in a small spot that has housed a number of eateries over the years, from the coffee and muffin-type to a Middle Eastern deli. Instead of another variation on these so-so spots, which is what I expected, Schwietert has brought something a little different to the town's dining scene--tasteful, tasty and a bit off the "beaten path." And what's so impressive is that this chemist-turned-chef does all the planning, buying, cooking--the recipes are his own, too--with a little bit of help prepping and plating. Actually, there's no room in his tiny kitchen to accommodate a lot of help.
Although Chad's has been in business for a couple of years, until January it was open only for breakfast and lunch--and Schwietert does a brisk lunch business. He was able to take over the lease next door and turn it into a small dining room, which prompted a number of customers to ask him about adding dinner service. (The restaurant is no longer open for breakfast.)
Schwietert says that he first had to fine-tune the kitchen layout--his lunch and dinner menus are quite different. Closing for lunch at 2:30 gives him a couple of hours to rearrange and organize for dinner.
Upon entering, the kitchen is the first thing you see. But once you step over a threshold into the dining room, the kitchen seems much further away. The wood-beamed ceiling and wood floors, walls--one painted a light orange shade, the others a subtle greenish yellow--lined with local landscape and nature photographs, tables topped with white tablecloths and light pumpkin-colored napery and set with wine glasses and a small candle add up to a charming, intimate and inviting space.
The small but diverse menu changes weekly, depending on what's in season. Schwietert is very earnest in his desire to serve wholesome, fresh meals--and it certainly tasted that way to us. He is committed to using local and organic products as much as possible.
The wine list, though limited, does offer some organic choices; wines are available by the glass or bottle.
Of the four appetizers and four salads offered, we chose the Asian dumplings ($6.50) and crab cakes ($9) along with the organic spice pumpkin soup ($6) and the roasted beet salad ($8.50). Salads can be "upgraded" to entrée size for an additional $3.50. I'm guessing that those are quite substantial, considering the good-sized salad we were served.
Although the service was, for the most part, quite professional, not everything comes out of the kitchen at the same time. This wasn't a problem for the four of us because we ended up sharing everything, but it could be if diners' dishes are cooling while waiting for companions to be served.
The first thing we noticed as our starters were placed in front of us was the meticulous and striking presentation--including the dishware. Different plates are used for each course and type of dish: some with patterns, some square and each appears carefully considered.
The six dumplings of chicken and shrimp accented with cilantro, accompanied by a small dish of soy-based dipping sauce with sesame seeds, disappeared quickly--the flavorful elements had different tastes and textures that blended well.
The two hefty crab cakes were just as delicious as the dumplings. Heavy on the crab, along with corn, celery and red peppers, Schwietert manages to cook them just right--neither mushy on the inside nor too crispy on the outside; the chipotle aioli was a good accompaniment, though in truth, they were fine on their own.
The large bowl of pumpkin soup surprised us. We expected something thicker and more colorful from the puree--and we didn't expect the pumpkin seeds floating on top. In fact, it was delicious, and definitely pumpkin-y, in spite of looking like a broth. And it was particularly good on a cold, rainy night.
Overall, we were quite pleased with the beet salad--a large plate of mixed organic greens, red and gold beets (a generous amount, too) and goat cheese tossed with a tangy ginger-balsamic dressing; however, I thought the beets tasted boiled, not roasted, though Schwietert assured me they are roasted.
We ordered four of the five entrees on the menu this particular night: mushroom risotto with portobello steak ($15), oven-roasted Rosie chicken ($16), braised Liberty duck ($18) and pan-roasted salmon ($20). As with the starters, each dish was plated in an eye-catching and appetizing manner. Not only was the salmon the most appealing-looking--with bright broccoli rabe and roasted red potatoes--the perfectly cooked fish, with a salty, peppery, crusty top, was the best of the entrées. Broccoli rabe--which was fine--and roasted potatoes--just barely cooked and in need of salt--accompanied the chicken as well. The hearty chicken leg--moist and flavorful--was baked in a honey chili sauce that was mild but tasty. The pan-seared duck breast slices were good--liked very much by one of us, deemed OK by another; the fig balsamic reduction, not only looked attractive on the plate, but it also enhanced the duck. Unfortunately, the accompanying mushroom risotto, which looked appetizing, was bland. The risotto entrée was very disappointing, too, although the thick slices of portobello mushrooms were well-seasoned and tasty.
Desserts are also housemade. The oatmeal cookie ($2) is just that: a large, warm, chewy cookie served on a plate. The cookie sundae ($6), served in a coffee mug, had the same warm, delicious cookie alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fudge and caramel sauces, topped off with pecans. Nothing extraordinary, yet very satisfying. The highlight, though, was the chocolate cake ($6): The small, round cake was so light, almost like a soufflé, and very chocolatey, sweetened but not very sweet, topped with fresh blackberries.
The desserts are like the rest of the food here: fresh, high-quality ingredients prepared without a lot of fuss, letting the high-quality, fresh ingredients "speak" for themselves--without any trace of a smug or self-righteous attitude from Schwietert and staff.
In warmer weather (or now, for those impervious to the elements), I look forward to enjoying a meal on the lovely deck, shaded by redwoods, away from street noises and traffic. Tucked away, in back of a yoga studio, Chad's may not be easy to find, but it's worth seeking out.
