Delicious without pretension
Drexler’s Wood Fired Grill opens in Hampton
In the past decade, I’ve seen the Phoebus neighborhood of Hampton come alive with new bars, restaurants and apartments. Now another business has opened: Drexler’s Wood Fired Grill. It offers a luxe meal without being pretentious.
Eric Drexler, the owner and chef, prides himself on using fresh regional ingredients. His cuisine reflects what he has learned from his travels to countries like Australia and Mexico and the mothers and grandmothers he met along the way.
The restaurant opened in June. I got to experience the fusion of flavors with a worthwhile drive through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on a Saturday.
A waft of invisible smoke from the grill reached us as soon as my husband, Curtis, and I crossed the threshold. I didn’t mind. I deemed it my love language and was ready to set up camp for the night.
We were the first customers to arrive, at 5 p.m., and the hostess and a cook greeted us with delight. She seated us on the left side of the restaurant, where an orange cushion lined the full wall. Each wooden table was accented with turquoise chairs. On the right side were the kitchen and bar areas. Straight back I could see the enclosed patio. The blue and black décor gave the open space a swanky vibe.
The server, Christian Woodington, approached us immediately with the dinner and drink menus. Curtis wanted lemonade or sweet tea but the restaurant did not have noncarbonated beverages. Woodington said he would see what the bartender could do. Five minutes later, Curtis had a glass of lemonade that Woodington had prepared himself. I was already impressed.
I browsed the cocktail list, giggling at the cool names, such as The Tide is High and No Sleep Til Brooklyn. The Grimace’s Last Stand caught my interest with its dark rum, cachaça, ube coconut milk and pineapple juice, but I decided to glance at the wine offerings instead. I wanted to start a habit of selecting my main course before picking a drink.
The one-pager included white and red wines, a ready-to-drink cocktail, and draft, bottle and canned beers. I asked Woodington what I should pair with Drexler’s surf-and-turf entrée — a daily special. He recommended a cabernet from California that was not on the menu. I went for it.
Meanwhile, Curtis and I shared the empanada of the day, which was stuffed with potatoes, cheese and roasted garlic. It was fried golden and crispy without excessive oil. The soft, cheesy interior pleased my palate.
I also ordered another appetizer: the grilled romaine with roasted walnuts, dried cherries, Gorgonzola dolce and creamy garlic dressing. The layers of grilled, savory and sweet made this salad tasty. However, small chunks of the pungent cheese overwhelmed the dish. After several bites, I was done. Plus, I wanted to save room for the entree.
My meal consisted of yellowfin tuna with a peach salsa, filet mignon with gorgonzola butter. and succotash. It also came with whipped potatoes and a side of garlic herb butter that Woodington had recommended. It made the potatoes creamy and herbaceous, and they complemented the seasonal vegetables. The flaky tuna won me over with its taste — it had delicate citrus notes and finished with a sweetness — and the chef cooked it with a pink middle, the way I like it. The steak slices gave the dish heartiness and were juicy, tender and salted to perfection.
I eyeballed Curtis’ medium-rare filet mignon with its appealing grill marks. He gave me a sample. Like mine, it was prepared masterfully. The chef had gotten the beef from Seven Hills Food in Lynchburg, Virginia.
When I thought my taste buds couldn’t get any happier, dessert arrived: First, the maple cheesecake trickled with a syrup of blackberries and blueberries, and topped with whipped mascarpone and pieces of hickory-smoked bacon. This was Curtis’; Woodington had persuaded him to try it. I tried a sliver and fell in love with its smoky sweet, creamy taste. (I needed a full serving and placed an order to go — and looked forward to reliving that delicious moment on Sunday afternoon.)
For my own dessert that night, I opted for the grilled sliced peach with chocolate ice cream, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Both sat on a base that appeared to be a sweet crunchy tostada. I devoured it.
After that finale, I knew Drexler was a magician on the wood fire grill and plated his food with finesse. So I was happy to see him check on our table; we wanted to rave about our meal. I left smiling, smoky and satisfied. Curtis felt equally content.
IF YOU GO
Where: 30 E. Mellen St., Hampton. On-street parking. Parking lot in the rear.
Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays. Reservations by phone.
Prices: Appetizers, $ 5to $15; entrees, $25 to $58
Details: tinyurl.com/drexlers woodfiredgrill, 757-990-3144