Although it is but a few years old, Mr. Crisp has become one of my standbys for a well-executed meal, served with expedient hospitality and little fuss. The menu of properly fried or sauteed fresh fish, shrimp and oysters served with local vegetables and handmade versions of familiar sauces is a welcome addition when one desires a chef-driven meal without the tediousness of navigating Main Street.
Owners Greg and Beth McPhee recently left Greenville for sunnier pastures, so chef Carlos Baez is steering Mr. Crisp into its next iteration and I’m happy to report it is just as reliable. On a recent evening in Overbrook, Baez embraced his Puerto Rican heritage; his weekly menu was full of surprises, none more so than the cocktails created by Justin Hafermen. My wife reveled in her “clarified” piña colada which contained all the traditional ingredients yet was clear. How? Maybe you should find out for yourself, because you’re not going to believe me.
While we reveled in our cocktails, Baez’s beef tartare tossed with culantro, smoked tonnato sauce and turmeric was cleverly served with plantain chips and fresh horseradish. Tonnato, a condiment made with anchovies, lemon and olive oil, was the perfect foil for finely chopped raw beef.
One of my favorite vegetables is the often-misunderstood beet and the plate of candy stripe and gold beets with sumac yogurt, dandelion greens and hazelnut granola was music to my beet-loving ears. We were lucky to find a soft-shell crab still available and this salt-water favorite was deep fried and served over warm mofongo, a Caribbean dish of fried plantains, fresh garlic and pork chicharrones.
A dish of New Bedford scallops, aromatic and still briny with Massachusetts salt water, sat satisfyingly atop warm polenta with a piquant dressing of sofrito and local zucchini that was trimmed of its interior core of bitter seeds. It’s rare to see a cook treat zucchini properly, and anyone that does so understands the importance of skilled labor and the appeal of humble ingredients.
Our party also loved a whole fried loup de mer (wolf of the sea) that had been tamed by an achiote marinade and was accompanied with poached lima beans, green garlic and a sauce of fava beans cooked in salt water then pureed and bound with a touch of butter.
As a poor college student, I fell in love with the restaurant business of southern Louisiana. A few hours of hard work were often rewarded with a simple, satisfying meal of fresh seafood right out of the gulf. Those meals still resonate with me. At Mr. Crisp, the level of expertise with the tried and true resonates with me, just like those satisfying meals so long ago. It offers a few surprises courtesy of a very clever bartender and a skilled chef who’s proud of his Caribbean heritage.
Mr. Crisp, at 1501 E. North St., Suite 102, serves dinner Wednesdays through Sundays.
“City Juice” is a colloquial term for a glass of tap water served at a diner. John Malik is a culinary adviser and broker with National Restaurant Properties. He can be reached at [email protected].
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