21 Federal - Fine Cuisine Served in High Style
Fine Cuisine Served in High StyleA darling among the yachting set and frequented by the up-and-coming as well as the already arrived, 21 Federal has managed year-after-year to achieve that prized combination of fine cuisine served in style with a relaxed elegance that other restaurants only aspire to. There’s a definite exclusivity but the staff is warm and welcoming and the clientele spirited.
From the classic Greek Revival facade and distinguished brass-accented entry throughout the downstairs and upstairs dining areas, this is a place of understated elegance. Each of the several dining rooms has its own character, unified by waiscotting, romantic indirect lighting, fresh flowers, and crisp linens. Maritime paintings, ship models, and dramatic photographs of local regattas adorn the walls.
The handsome downstairs bar is clubby, full of polished wood and gleaming bottles. Arrive early if you want to score a seat at the bar, they’re in high demand. It’s a fun spot to meet and mingle, led by bartenders Johnny B and Carl, who are chatty and attentive. And they really know their stuff: Johnny B makes one of the best martinis on the island. If dining at 21 Federal is a bit beyond your pocketbook, a cocktail at the bar will give you a taste of what it’s all about.
The upstairs “wine room” is far more intimate, with quarterboards commemorating yachts that have won the annual Opera House Cup Race hanging from the ceiling. This is the domain of John Krebs, a 38-year veteran of island restaurants—patrons love his gruff humor.
Round the back of “21” is one of the hottest nightspots in town. Carl describes the 21 Federal Patio as “pure fun.” More casual, younger, and rowdier than the inside bars, the patio is especially popular on warm evenings in August and September.
Patrons don’t go to 21 Federal just for the bar scene. General Manager Robert Sarkisian is ever-present to insure the comfort of his guests. He knows his customers and is skilled at making them feel welcome and relaxed.
Carefully chosen by Sommelier Matthew Hayes, the restaurant’s wine list offers a fine selection of New World favorites and Old World classics and is repeatedly a winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
For more than a decade, Executive Chef Russell Jaehnig has earned a reputation for culinary excellence. He and his Sous Chef Jake Biernacki consistently turn out top-notch dishes. The menu is a mix of new and traditional cuisine and changes frequently. Their cooking styles emphasize perfect preparation of quality ingredients; they have the confidence to avoid showmanship and the talent to come up with innovative combinations. Their food is the very definition of sophisticated dining.
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Appetizers at 21 Federal set the tone. You can savor a sampling of Fried Ipswich Clams set on three very different aiolis or you can tuck into a bowl filled with garlicky Steamed P.E.I. Mussels doused with white wine, tarragon, and dijon.
We can’t say enough about the Corn Bisque offered on the August menu—it has the full flavor of sweet summer corn deepened with a dollop of truffle butter. Served alongside, the spoonful of diced smoked shrimp tossed with fresh corn kernels is delicious on its own and even better stirred into the soup
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Patrons adore Chef Jaehnig’s classic Slow Roasted Portobella Mushroom served around a soft parmesan polenta topped with a roasted tomato and fresh parmesan. Upscale comfort food.
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One of the more creative starters on the current menu is a pair of Seared Sea Scallops that Chef Biernacki presents on a succulent wedge of roasted watermelon. The sweetness of the fruit highlights the subtle sweet flavor of the shellfish. Drizzles of pomegranate caramel and dots of Greek yogurt scented with cardamon and vanilla are tasty garnishes.
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Foie is always a good choice at 21 Federal. The kitchen here prepares it perfectly every time, so that the incredible rich, buttery, umami flavor is at its fullest. The presentation changes frequently—we sampled a beautifully seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras on a banana tart tatin with microgreens, foie gras gastrique, and smoked cashews. The banana pastry is an unusual and very good backdrop, leaving the foie as the star of the show.
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Entrees at 21 are delicious compositions of fresh, seasonal ingredients. The chefs make full use of traditional elements—chicken, steak, pork, fish— with accompaniments designed to compliment and amplify their flavors.
If all you want is a really good steak, 21 Federal does it very well with their Dry Aged Sirloin. The generous cut will arrive cooked exactly to temperature, herb butter melting lusciously over the deliciously charred edges. Juices from the moist beef are caught in a pile of crisp shoestring parmesan fries. Haricot vert and chilled marinated tomato salad round out the dish.
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The Herb-Basted Roasted Half Chicken is full of satisfying homestyle flavor, temptingly crisp skin over succulent meat. The chicken is served over housemade pappardelle and thin slices of sheep’s milk ricotta in a tomato sauce prepared in-house from roasted and fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and just enough chili to give it some spark.
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The Rare Yellowfin Tuna carries a puckery topping of pickled shiitake mushroom cap and sliced caperberry. Underneath is a savory mix of tender melted leeks, roasted fingerling potato, and salty chunks of pancetta. Roasted red pepper puree and arugula pesto are the colorful accompaniments.
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Our favorite is the Sauteed Halibut. Another example of perfect preparation, the thick halibut scented with foie gras butter is moist and cooked through. It’s served on a creamy lobster risotto and accented with a mix of sauteed chanterelles and kernels of sweet corn. With its superb balance of flavors and appealing textures, this entree alone is worth a trip to 21.
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Pastry Chef Benjamin Woodbury came to 21 Federal this season from a distinguished career in New York City and Atlantic City.
His Devil’s Boston Cream Pie is enough to make chocolate lovers swoon. Really more of a cake, this moves beyond delicious into the divine. It’s a heavenly mix of flourless red velvet cake, light but intensely flavored chocolate mousseline, and bittersweet ganache topped with sticks of chocolate and surrounded by a chocolate pool. Good thing it’s small, a larger version would be over the top.
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Our favorite (except for the chocolate lover) was the Drunken Cherry Babas. This trio of small cakes drenched in a rum sugar syrup with dried bing cherries replacing the raisins of classic baba au rhum, is warm and sweet and comforting. It’s boozy without being overwhelmingly so, and sweet without being cloying. The one in our party who proclaimed he was too full for dessert had “just a taste” and ended up finishing it off.
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But we’ve got to mention the “Oysters” on the Half Shell. With “shells” formed from white chocolate cream puffs and “oysters” from perfectly prepared coconut panna cotta with a smear of passion fruit mignonette tucked underneath to add a pleasant pucker, this playful dessert is a lot of fun. There’s even “caviar” and a “pearl” to complete the novelty. |
