There are several restaurants on Nantucket Island that are located in centuries-old structures lovingly preserved, but none can match the history of 29 Fair and few can match their cuisine. Built as a private home in 1709, the wide plank floorboards, slightly uneven from age, and dark wood paneling remain throughout the three intimate dining rooms. Add to this warm and historic ambiance the winning combination of gracious hospitality, attentive service, fine wine, and fantastic food, and you have the perfect restaurant for romance or for a gathering of good friends.
At the helm of this island landmark is Chef Charles Salliou, whose classic French training, broad experience, and commitment to quality insure that every guest leaves with fond memories and a desire to return. Chef Salliou gives much credit and responsibility to Chef James Taylor, his chef de cuisine whose talent and experience make him more than capable to fulfill the high standards set by Chef Salliou.
Those who love breakfast foods can enjoy this first meal of the day nearly all day at 29 Fair, where it is served Saturdays and Sundays until 3 p.m. The extensive menu includes breakfast standards such as eggs and sausage or ham or bacon (“The Grand Treat”), pastries with coffee and juice (“The Latin Quarter”), omelet, fresh fruit platter, Belgian waffle, and eggs benedict (“Eggs Benedictis” at 29 Fair). The other ten choices are delicious departures from the norm.
Start your day with dessert by ordering “Anything but French Toast,” deliciously thick slices, fried golden, topped with chocolate chips that melt down lusciously, and finished with fresh raspberry puree. The Cheese Blintzes with fruit compote are another sweet morning treat. A side order of the wonderful applewood smoked bacon is the ideal accompaniment to either one.
Our morning favorites include the New Englander, fresh and flaky codfish cakes topped with two poached eggs, and the succulent Hanger Steak with two eggs any style. With such a rich selection, we like that the egg dishes are served with the light accompaniments of fresh fruit and sliced tomato instead of homefries and toast.
For a truly indulgent breakfast, order the Eggs Cardinale—think eggs benedict with lobster medallions in place of ham and lobster sauce in place of hollandaise. Or bring a hungry friend and go all the way with the Summer Slam for Two: a bountiful feast of eggs with steak or with fish meuniere, waffle, pastries, cheeses, fresh fruit, and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot to share.
Dinner begins at 6 p.m., with a menu that is best described as New England bistro food with a French accent. Chef Salliou’s impeccable classic style emphasizes the pure flavors of the food he serves. His dishes are approachable—even the foie and the confit—with each element designed to enhance the main ingredient. With culinary skills as impressive as his, there is no need for fancy flourishes. We’d even go so far as to say that anything you order at 29 Fair will be very good.
Periodically through the season (29 Fair is open through December), they will serve special wine dinners. This Friday is the first. On May 18, guests at 29 Fair can also enjoy a Coturri Wine Dinner featuring five courses, each paired with one of Coturri’s traditionally produced, organic, handcrafted wines.
Also, through the spring and early summertime, Chef Salliou is offering a prix fixe menu in addition to his regular dinner menu. For just $29, guests can choose from three appetizers, four entrees, and a trio of desserts. If the Nantucket Cod, Potato, and Leek Souffle is among the choices, don’t hesitate to try it. This interpretation of a classic Brandade de Morue from Provence is a dish of rustic charm: light and flavorful, with crisped edges and a topping of herbed crumbs—comfort food with a taste of the French countryside.
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Soup is a good way to start a meal at 29 Fair, especially on a cool spring evening, and Chef Salliou offers three deeply flavorful choices: Mediterranean Fish Soup, full of fresh Nantucket fruit de mer with seasoning and spice reminiscent of the coast of France; a simply gorgeous Sherry Scented Wild Mushroom Soup; and Curried Coconut Lentil Soup that is very flavorful with a backdrop of coconut and a flicker of heat.
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For a light beginning, we recommend the Home Cured King Alaskan Salmon. The smoked salmon is thin enough to fold yet thick enough to truly taste. We enjoyed it with triangles of hearty whole-grain peasant bread, fresh dill, and a chilled cucumber salad, but you may savor it in a slightly different presentation (Chefs Salliou and Taylor have been known to update presentations as the season progresses).
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Baked Cherrystone Clams Provencale dresses up local shellfish with a simple, fragrant, and very tasty topping of crumbs, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s a welcome change from clams casino: without the bacon, the fresh flavor of the clams comes through.
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If you’re lucky, one of the evening specials at 29 Fair will be their Crabcake. After so many years of writing about restaurants, we thought we’d tasted every possible version of this appetizer. Mais non! Chef Salliou has designed a crabcake that outshines all others. The tall cake is shaped with surprisingly large chunks of crab meat and crawfish and is studded with capers and tiny bits of pleasingly crunchy red bell pepper. Nearly devoid of binding, the cake easily breaks apart into the surrounding pool of champagne beurre blanc that adds sparkle to a stellar appetizer.
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We are thrilled to report that this season’s menu still offers the Roasted Foie Gras that Chef Salliou introduced last season. It’s no surprise that this is one of the chef’s favorites. It’s one of ours as well. The foie is made even more luxurious with a demiglace combined with merlot-infused cranberries. Mixed greens tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette are the ideal counterpoint to this rich appetizer.
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Another of our favorites is the Duck Confit Salad. Housemade confit de canard, moist and full-flavored, is the centerpiece of this appetizer. The duck is tossed with sliced fresh figs, toasted pine nuts, and fresh greens anointed with sherry vinaigrette. Savory and sweet…tender duck, moist figs, and firm nuts...the mix of tastes and textures is stunning. Paired with the Sherry Scented Wild Mushroom Soup, the Duck Confit Salad would make a handsome meal for a moderate appetite.
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Influences of the south of France are also apparent in the Nantucket Bouillabaise entreé served at 29 Fair. Very fresh and clean-tasting littlenecks and mussels are presented with halibut and crawfish in a broth redolent of saffron and garlic, herbs and tomato. Slices of chorizo add some spark and flavor to the broth. The crusty French bread served with the meal is just the thing to finish every drop.
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You’ll not taste a better Coq au Vin than the one served at 29 Fair. Chef Salliou’s version is so much more than just chicken and wine! The flavor of the very moist chicken blends deliciously with large chunks of applewood smoked bacon, cippoline onions, and portobello mushrooms. Potato gratin served alongside is perfect for finishing off the potent, earthy sauce.
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The astonishingly good Braised Veal Shank also deserves high praise. Just the aroma of this entreé was enough to elicit expressions of pleasure from all in our party. The veal is supremely tender and served in a hearty mustard grain reduction that captures the luscious essence of the meat. Leeks, carrots, and morels finish the dish. It is simply prepared and simply delicious!
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Another simple dish that is top on our list is the Grilled Hangar Steak. The steak itself takes center stage: it’s grilled exactly to temperature, impressively tender, and full of big flavor. It is served with sauteed shallots and a stunning merlot demi-glace, with potato gratin and fresh carrot and asparagus accompanying. We’d partaken of just enough of 29 Fair’s international wine list that we actually considered picking up the plate and drinking the last few drops of this sauce.
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Blissfully full, we pondered the tempting list of desserts: Vermont Maple Creme Bruleé, Cranberry Clafoutis, Chocolate Mousse, Cheesecake, Berries with Grand Marnier Sabayon… We finally decided that the Warm Chocolate Cake was what we desired. This intensely chocolatey cake is surprisingly light with tender crumb, its center molten chocolate that flows into the creme anglaise surrounding. You know you’ve had a spectacular dessert when, after devouring the last bite you experience a true feeling of loss. The only thing we left on this plate was a dusting of cocoa powder.
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