I agree at the level of quality and execution at Dunsmoor after two fabulous meals. I would pose that Brian Dunsmoor is a student of 18th & 19th century American food history, which inspired the Hemings and Hercules dinner series at HH. Though some dishes are southern inspired, there are examples of other traditional fare such as the Pennsylvania Dutch Slippery Dumplings. The lamb tartar may be my favorite dish currently. With Taylor Parsons as GM/partner/wine maven , it’s a match made in heaven. I love this place.
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How much is one spending per person here? 70 or so before drinks?
Mei Lin says best cornbread ever.
If it’s a recreation of what he was serving at Hatchet Hall then I would have to wholeheartedly agree!
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Peony: We had a wonderful meal! The dishes are comforting and executed well. I love all the flavor combinations!
Warrior: I’ve lost about four pounds on my diet this week and have been feeling weak, so I allowed myself a cheat meal tonight (though no dessert). Dunsmoor hit the spot! The food is all good. Similar in quality and style to Chi Spacca. 5.5 Warrior Points. Best dishes: scallops and duck rillettes.
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How does the food compare to his work at Hatchet Hall? Is it signifcantly different/upgraded/same? Inquiring minds want to know.
Totally forgot this restaurant existed. Is it doing well or did the anti-gent protests kill the potential?
Doing well.
I enjoyed my dinner, it’s very much like hatchet hall.
highlights were the scallops, baby albacore, ham, cornbread, and quail.
bay scallop - delicatessen-style, smoked trout roe
baby albacore, young ginger root relish, shallot
blue crab salad, she crab-style
baked broadbent’s country ham, cane butter
wood-roasted pacific oysters, mullet roe butter, chive
sour milk cornbread, white cheddar, hatch chili, cultured butter, honey
bandera quail, pepper jelly, summer savory
peach pie
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Hatchet Hall is even better now with their new chef. Knows how to incorporate vegetables into a meal and still nails the meat dishes. Recommend the elk.
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I would echo all the good things people have said about Dunsmoor. Great service, food is delicious and noticeably different from everything else opening up. I make it a point to order country ham whenever I see it on a menu, and the Dunsmoor preparation is now my clear favorite. On our first visit, we sat at the counter and Brian was slicing up the just finished ham – his joy at working with and talking about the ham was palpable. Really just a great restaurant all around.
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Went to Dunsmoor instead of cafe basque. Didn’t want to be experimental guinea pigs and had Dunsmoor on our list for awhile.
Food was obviously highly reminiscent of hatchet hall. Place was packed. Everything was delicious, service was friendly but non-existent.
Highlights were the:
ham and butter. It’s no longer Benton’s but still tasty
Bison tartar
Scallops
There were no misses everything was well executed. Didn’t get any mains. We enjoyed the cornbread but i liked the one at Hatchet hall more and it’s just too heavy after a full meal of heaviness. That is my major critique of the place which doesn’t seem to offer any dishes that would be considered light except for a couple of selections in the raw bar. The salad while delicious was also very heavy.
Great place and they are doing great food. Definitely drive worthy but prepare for a food coma after!
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Went for the first time this past Sunday - loved it. Agree with you assessment - delicious and heavy. Haven’t tried the Pennsylvania Dutch dumplings but are likely heavy as well.
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Walked in the other night and can concur with the general census about Dunsmoor. The food is rich, but enjoyable on a cold winter night. The space is well designed, with the counter seats being the best and the rest of the restaurant a little loud. Solid wine list, but could use a few more na options.
The highlights were corn bread, country ham w/ buns bread, and chicory salad. The cooked oysters were a bit oily for me and I would pass on the acorn squash.
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Last night at Dunsmoor, place is GREAT. Did an okay ish job of keeping it from getting too heavy.
Sat at the counter and wanted to eat everything else coming out of the kitchen.
Albacore
Bison Tartare
Baked Ham
Cornbread
Chicory Caesar
Quail
Pork / Green Chile stew
Highlights def cornbread, quail, and ham. The rest still fantastic. I’d be excited to see how this place does with some spring/summer produce
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Warrior: I like the restaurant better than hatchet hall, gwen, and republique. The salmon candy is maybe the best thing I’ve eaten this year. 6.5 Warrior points. The restaurant also played four of the best pop songs of all time; more than this, let’s dance, china girl, modern love.
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Can’t criticize your taste in music!
For me Dunsmoor, if you’re eating meat, is a little less than the sum of its parts. Unrelenting in fat, sugar, salt. So I’m a little lower than the consensus on this board, but with that said it’s a place I would go back to, and the albacore and cornbread are stellar (though the cornbread is nothing like the Southern cornbread I grew up on). Will have to try the salmon candy.
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It’s popping, which bodes well for the future of higher-end NELA dining. I still haven’t been, mainly bc whenever I decide I want to go, it’s fully booked up. Practically biking distance from me smh.
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That’s fantastic, great writing! Really makes me want to try making it. Love how he includes his team in creating dishes as well
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