Black-Eyed Susan’s
Good Things Come in Small Packages
”Good things come in small packages“ is a saying not often applied to restaurants, but in the case of Black-Eyed Susan’s, it is very appropriate. This restaurant ‘round the corner from Centre Street at 10 India is tiny, but the food that is prepared and served here is on par with the best of Nantucket’s restaurants.
Every morning and evening from April through early December, this small, chic eatery bustles with activity. Breakfast starts at 7 am (daily through October 11, then Saturday and Sunday mornings through the fall). In addition to a freshly brewed cup of coffee or fresh juice, you can begin your day with simple plate of eggs with bacon, ham,or sausage and hashbrowns, cheese grits, or black-eyed peas. Or you can break your fast as we do, with some of the Black-Eyed Susan’s “Best”: Huevos Rancheros, Homemade Corned Beef Hash, or some expertly prepared Eggs Benedict. Also highly recommended is the Spicy Thai Scramble, a mix of scrambled eggs (or tofu, which we prefer), sweet-hot Thai curry, broccoli, potatoes, and cilantro. It’s a real eye-opener!
At 1 pm, Black-Eyed Susan’s stops serving breakfast and starts preparing for the evening meal. All afternoon people peek down India Street to see where the wonderful smells are coming from, only to find they must wait till dinner. Advance reservations are taken only for the first seating at 6 pm—after that you stop by, give your name, and wait or come back. Now that the hectic part of the season is over, you might get lucky and immediatly score a table or seats at the granite counter (a great place to watch the action).
Patrons of Black-Eyed Susan’s are so devoted that they willing wait outside for a table after the first seating, even in iffy weather. We love stepping out of the chill of an autumn evening into the warm, aroma-filled restaurant.
And Black-Eyed Susan's patrons have adventurous spirits — the constantly evolving dinner menu created by Chef Jeff Worster is known for unusual combinations and hard-to-find ingredients. Somehow the dishes always work— flavors are put together with the intuition and skill of a master chef.
There are a few mainstays: the loaves of superb sourdough bread (locally baked at Daily Breads), Angel Hair Pasta tossed with a simple and simply delicious mix of tomato, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil, and Linguini with Clam Sauce that is done the way it ought to be! Their Caesar Salad is another menu standard, but by no means is it the standard recipe or presentation—the crisp leaves of romaine are left unshredded with plenty of tangy dressing poured over one end...the “croutons” are a single, long and toasty spear...and the cheese is asiago instead of parmesan. Both the pasta dishes and the caesar salad can be ordered in half or in full portion.
Among the appetizer choices is dish of Farm Beets. Tender mache garnishes this, but it’s not a salad. The beets take center stage: dark red, golden, and ruby colored, all cut into large pieces. The beets are tossed with chive oil, pumpkin seeds, and served with a generous amount of creamy goat cheese. A drizzle of aged balsamic is the ideal accent.
The Roasted Tomato and Paprika Soup is a taste of summer sunshine in the fresh tomato harvest. The warm flavor of ripe tomato, deepened and sweetend by the roasting, dominates the soup; the paprika gives it a bit of background heat. Our expert waiter, Davad, told us the soup is made entirely without cream, which is impressive considering its creamy texture. Served alongside the soup is a mozzarella bruchetta (who doesn’t like grilled cheese with tomato soup?) and a colorful and juicy concassé of baby heirloom tomatoes.
Another appetizer that is full of warm flavor with a spark of heat is the Buffalo Style Shrimp. For this, a trio of shrimp cooked just till they curl, is doused with a tabasco butter sauce that is spicy, but not so much so that it masks the shrimp. Big chunks of blue cheese and chilled slices of crunchy radish complete the allusion to Buffalo Wings.
Even the member of our party who shuns brussels sprouts adored the Minced Duck and Brussel Sprouts appetizer at Black-Eyed Susan’s. Served in a shallow bowl atop a grilled slice of pineapple is a mix of minced duck, shredded sprouts, fried garlic, and unsalted cashews in a Thai red curry that is both sweet and spicy. The different flavors blossom in your mouth, all complementary yet distinct.
With Autumn officially here, it’s time for fall comfort food, and Black-Eyed Susan’s offers several stick-to-your-ribs, belly-warming entrees. Coca-Cola Braised Carnitas is one. Slow cooked for flavor then caramelized and crisped in classic fashion, the pork is served in chunks rather than shredded. Overtop is a cold tomatillo, tomato, and avocado salsa—underneath are tender, smokey pinto beans. A robust molé sauce surrounds it all.
Nightly specials add to the menu selections, and we were lucky to sample a Beef Tenderloin with Roquefort Risotto that was supremely satisfying. The beef was cooked perfectly to temperature and fork tender, but it was the risotto that stole the show. Creamy, full of blue cheese flavor, and studded with kernels of corn that burst into little pops of sweetness between your teeth, we’d order this again just for the risotto!
One of our favorite entrees is the Chicken Paillard. The chicken is cooked (as we’ve come to expect from this chef) perfectly: nicely browned on the narrow edges, crisped skin, succulent and moist inside. The chicken is served on a sweet potato puree made even more delicious with the addition of pine nuts and golden raisins served alongside that we stirred in. The savory, sweet, nutty flavors are sensational. A topping of lemon-brown butter is the luscious finishing touch.
We’ve had salmon in many forms, but we think Chef Worster’s Tandoori Spiced Salmon sets a new standard. The aroma is compelling and the flavor doesn’t disappoint. As tandoori dishes go, the heat of this is mild—the spark is in the flavor! The salmon is served perched atop crushed potatoes flavored with ginger and turmeric with some spinach tucked in between. A dollop of cool tomato and cilantro chutney is the tasty garnish.
As much as we enjoyed the salmon, it is the Maine Halibut that was our table favorite. The halibut steak is golden top and bottom, moist with good flake through the middle. It’s described on the menu as being served on “quick fried cabbage, wild mushrooms, and saucisson, champagne beurre blanc.” The taste is indescribably good. What is hard to get across in mere words is the way the flavors of the tiny earthy mushrooms, the crisp cabbage, and the meaty bits of sausage meld with the luxurious butter sauce. You’ll want a spoon with this entree to get every drop.
Every evening, Black-Eyed Susan’s offers two desserts: a light and and refreshing Lemon Sorbet topped with strawberries and served with a grilled tortilla topped with cinnamon-sugar and an indulgent Chocolate Pot de Creme made with rich, high quality dark chocolate.
Whether you start your day or end it there, a meal at Black-Eyed Susan’s is a treat you’ll want to repeat.
Black-Eyed Susan’s
open through early December at 10 India Street
stop by or call 508-325-0308 for reservations for 6 p.m. seating
Breakfast served from 7 AM to 1 PM, (daily now till Oct. 11)
Dinner served Mon.-Sat. from 6 to 10 p.m. with seatings at
approximately 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 9:15 p.m.
advance reservations accepted only for the 6 p.m. seating
reservations accepted for the later seatings after 6 p.m. the evening you wish to dine; preference is given to those in line
entree prices range from $24 to $27
Cash or checks only, no credit cards
