HEW Parlor & Chophouse
4 out of 5 stars
Fenway Hotel, 453 Edgewater Drive, Dunedin. Appetizers: $6-$16; entrees: $14-$45; desserts: $9; beer, cocktails & wine: $4-$22. 727-683-5990, fenwayhotel.com.
We are indeed lucky there are visionary developers willing to save historical architecture that might otherwise decay beyond repair. Downtown St. Pete’s Vinoy and the University of Tampa minarets marking the wonderful Henry B. Plant Museum are two winners.
In Dunedin, the fabulous Art Deco Fenway Hotel, wrapped in stucco and terracotta, was long in danger until it was rescued by the Taoist Tai Chi Society in 2014. The organization then partnered with Mainsail Lodging & Development to finish the reno as part of the Autograph Collection of boutique properties.
A new entryway was created with a circular drive and a facade to welcome guests in any weather, all while maintaining the integrity of the original Jazz Age design. Other additions are a sun-kissed, 10,000-square-foot croquet lawn and the splendid Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar with magnificent sunset views over St. Joseph Sound to Caladesi Island.
Showcasing an extensive whisky collection inspired by Dunedin’s Scottish heritage, the intimate parlor bar leads diners past an Old Florida wallpaper design and through French doors under a huge fan window to the restaurant, HEW, which captures the best of both worlds. There’s plenty of natural light, huge banquettes and marble tables surrounded by padded cane-back chairs. The 20-seat rear bar surrounds the modern open kitchen.
The HEW menu is selective, but features the luxurious ingredients and treatments that reflect the Fenway’s historic origins, including steak tartare and lobster agnolotti with truffle foam. We decide to check out the Cock-a-Leekie soup. Our server places a handsome white bowl of tender shredded chicken, toasted barley, diced carrots, leeks and sweet prunes mounded in the center. Next, a small pitcher appears, and the bowl is filled with a fragrant, fortified bone broth. It’s simple yet delicious.
Beautifully seared tail-on shrimp sit on a bed of creamy polenta also dotted with slow-roasted tomatoes and fresh corn niblets. Leaves of peppery arugula salad and a drizzle of lemon caper butter make the plate come alive. Each ingredient contributes to the mix for a balanced and nuanced dish.
Crispy, lush slices of pork belly are displayed on a streak of black olive balsamic reduction and sprinkled with cubes of sweet compressed melon and bits of salty feta cheese to hit the different taste receptors on your tongue. These elements result in a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Our starters are universally delightful. Will our journey into the world of entrees follow suit?
There’s a burger with slab bacon and wild mushrooms, scallops with pulled pork, and a chicken roasted with Ethiopian berbere spices. And then, true to the chophouse moniker, lots of meat.
In addition to the ubiquitous filet mignon, there’s a wild boar chop, pork porterhouse and a beef tomahawk for two. We go with the lean bison coulotte, a long boneless strip cut from the cap of the top sirloin. HEW harkens back to the old days, as the meat slices are tiled in a row under thin wedges of crispy shiitake mushrooms. The plate is dominated by a large silver gravy boat filled with a luscious sauce spiked with Scotch and bursting with peppery goodness. Luckily, the “au poivre” is kept in check to enhance without overwhelming the bison. If you haven’t had the privilege of tasting bison, this is a good introduction.
Similarly, the rack of lamb is two double-cut chops, juicy and pink with a similar silver boat cradling a sumptuous cabernet reduction that perfectly complements the meat.
Sides, which don’t accompany either dish, must be ordered a la carte. We make two tasty choices — one being crispy Brussels sprouts with tender shallots, bacon lardon and a sherry vinegar glaze that makes the whole thing pop. Second is a glistening plate of whole baby carrots swathed in brown butter glaze spiced with harissa and sweetened with maple syrup. Both veggies reflect the finesse and care the kitchen showers on its ingredients, however seemingly humble.
The biggest surprise up against these impressive meats is the local fish; in this case, snapper. The fillet is just perfect, sitting in a creamy, lightly spiced butternut squash sauce. It’s joined by faultless fingerling potatoes, baby zucchini and crispy kale so good it could become addictive.
Everything thus far has met a high bar, and I’m happy to report the desserts also soar above that standard with ease. Goat cheese panna cotta with lemon could be harsh. Instead, it’s utterly winning and complex with hints of thyme and a topping of juicy blackberries that wows. Even more eye-opening is a long boat of slow-roasted pineapple sitting on a bed of shortbread cookie with a butterscotch sauce sprinkled with toasted coconut and small bits of fresh mint. At one end is an elegant scoop of deep pink blood orange sorbet. It’s sensational.
My lone complaint is how in the world the careful design team could rescue this historic marvel with such care, and yet totally blow the lighting for the iconic name that’s a prominent architectural element in the center of the building. It’s simply inadequate and needs to be changed; the name is unreadable at night.
Nonetheless, the rooftop bar rocks, plus the parlor and chophouse are exemplars of their kind in Tampa Bay. They deserve lighting that proudly announces there are wonders to behold.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at food@creativeloafing.com.
This article appears in Dec 13-20, 2018.