The dish on the latest endeavor from the minds behind The Drifter
(Left) The handsomely rehabbed single house at Pitt and Montagu; (Right) Slow-roasted chicken.
Before even stepping foot into the low-key chic environs of Merci, the long-awaited Harleston Village spot from the couple behind event firm The Drifter, the warmth of its force field is apparent. The lively scene through the storefront windows of its beautifully restored Federal-style exterior is an anomaly in this residential stretch of the peninsula, but by all accounts, a welcome one.
Inside, co-owner Courtney Zentner greets guests as if she’s hosting a dinner party, and with just 26 seats, the restaurant does have the cozy feel of a well-appointed, if tiny, home. A brick fireplace anchors the dining room, and cherry wood hanging drawers line the back wall. Vintage sterling candelabra are displayed in a mirrored niche behind the bar, and a clutch of bottles from the all-French wine list are casually splayed on ice in a silver punch bowl, at the ready for the next pour.
(Left) The Zentners; (Right) The spring pea salad.
Servers navigate the limited space like masters at the game Twister and manage to be on hyperalert when your glass of Château Maris orange is running low. Ours all but insisted we order two items in particular. To start, the focaccia—in a nod to when Merci was a twinkle in the Zentners’ eyes and chef Michael baked bread to sell to their Wagener Terrace neighbors during the pandemic—would be delightful on its own, but stuffed with stracciatella, Benton’s ham, and pistachios with a drizzle of hot fermented honey, it’s irresistible. That and the ballotine, a crispy disc of deboned duck served with Cumberland sauce—a savory condiment made with red currant jelly—and pickled mustard seeds, epitomize the tightly curated French-throwback-meets-Italian-rustic menu.
The rest of the evening followed suit, one dish after another wowed, including a pretty spring pea salad with a knob of Bûcheron and slow-cooked chicken with broccoli rabe and moutarde violette. The eclectic tableware adds to the magic: the very verdant salad was positively glowing in a bright green East Fork ceramic bowl, and the chicken seemed all the more special presented in a pewter dish. Even dessert, a not-too-sweet strawberry trifle layered with Chantilly cream, was served in an etched glass bowl (though I would have happily spooned up every bite out of a cardboard box). The Zentners haven’t missed a beat.
28 Pitt St.
Wednesday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
mercichs.com
