Kersey House Bistro — Attraction in Summerville

We called to see if at the last-minute we could get a reservation for two, first available. The hostess was very accommodating and managed to get us something within the hour.

We were thrilled to see a beautifully restored space and an open and bright interior in the central area where we were seated.

Our server, Sandy, was very efficient and friendly, including every staff member from the hostess to the people filling water glasses and food runners. Everyone asked us if this was our first visit and were very welcoming and authentic. The menu is varied with many choices of small plates, sandwiches as well as full dinners. I asked if the duck confit could be prepared without peppers, but had a second choice in mind just in case it was too much of an ask of the kitchen. Duck confit is one of my favorite French meals but I can’t eat peppers and the menu clearly stated they were part of the dish. Just an aside, I’m not in the habit of being one of those diners that makes demands and requests for substitutions and quickly move on if my pepper allergy can’t be accommodated. Sandy checked and came out with a thumbs up, so that was my choice - the duck. My husband had one of the sandwich plates with ham and guyere with perfectly prepared frittes. My duck confit was absolutely superb, with thin slices of orange rind, mushrooms with a light, flavorful Marsala/orange sauce. The duck fell off the bone, all served over just the right mix of pappardelle pasta. The last time I tasted duck confit this good was in Las Vegas at the restaurant in “Paris,” which has very fine food, but this was better! The wait staff are dressed in pale yellow and white striped shirts, the table napkins trimmed in the same colors, with massive crystal chandeliers in the central area with vaulted ceilings. They also have a patio in the back with additional dining space and We noticed other dining areas near the front. The high ceilings might be a problem with accoustics, but underneath each of the tables is a thick piece of baffling which is an interesting way of keeping the noise level in a large open space quiet enough to converse at our table while blocking out extraneous din of the other diners. The prices are very reasonable and everything we glimpsed coming out of the kitchen looked great. For desert we shared a piping-hot,chocolate cake with salted caramel topping and a generous scoop of gelato. It was more like a brownie than a slice of cake and Sandy described it before we ordered it. It was yummy but too much for the two of us so we brought it home to enjoy later.

We are looking forward to a return visit to try other things on the menu. For an impromptu date night, it was a memorable dinner...

Great service and good cocktails. I had high hopes for the short ribs, but someone before me ordered "the last one" so I wasn't able to order the short ribs. The only other options for beef is the Tartare or a french dip sandwich, but I didn't come here for a sandwich. I settled with the Chicken Cordon Bleu because I had to change it up on the spot. My wife ordered the Duck Confit.

We had the calamari and the lobster bisque as an appetizer. The price of the bisque being $14 for a small cup is a bit off putting, but there are large chunks of lobster in the bisque. The calamari leaves a lot to be desired. The breading is too sweet, tasting almost like a fried snack at the fair.

The Duck Confit tasted better than it looked, but it didn't look very good. The dark demi didn't match the plate or the pasta, creating a dark brown unappealing look to the dish, and was borderline too salty. The mushrooms just tasted like salt. The Duck was tender. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was simply inedible because of the salt level. I wasn't going to say a word, but my wife tried a bite, and the bartender saw the look of disgust on her face as she attempted to eat it. I was informed that a manager was going to rectify the situation, and that with how popular the item was, it was odd that we found it too salty. The Chicken was cooked BEAUTIFULLY, and the melted cheese with the pre-cut salad buffet ham was alright, but the jus (was definitely more of a glace) was so salty it made the food inedible. I continued on with the side of asparagus, and it was delicious. Just the right amount of crunch, but still tender. The sauteed shallots really compliment the asparagus. The Mac and cheese was burnt to the edges of the 4"X4" cast iron skillet, and the top was also burnt. In order to get a bite, I had to scrape the skillet, and each bite tasted like I was biting into a piece of iron. I'm sure the skillets will eventually be seasoned and not be prone to giving a metallic taste with the food, but that was a less than desirable flavor. I was brought out another chicken breast, and the manager informed me that the chef insisted I give it another try. It was better, but it was time to leave. By the time I received the re-make, my wife had finished eating, and we had to leave. At the end of it all, I paid for a fine dining experience, received excellent service, had mediocre food, and left with my main dish in a to go box, and paid full price.

I look forward to coming back in a few years once all the kinks are...

My wife and I decided to celebrate our recent wedding anniversary at the newly minted Kersey House. We had a delightful time.

We arrived five minutes prior to our reservation and were seated promptly. Within moments of being seated, a young lady was at our table pouring water and letting us know our server would be with us soon. Moments later, Nadia introduced herself and confirmed we were indeed celebrating our anniversary. We all had a good laugh when she admitted she is younger than our marriage.

She then took our drink orders and gave us time to peruse the menu. When she returned, we were presented with a delicious glass of champagne as a toast on the house for our celebration. My wife ordered the Kersey salad and the Lobster Risotto and I ordered the Beef Tartare and Duck Confit.

The primary reason this is not a 5 star rating was a couple of disappointments with one course for each of us. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the salad; however, due to a delay in the kitchen her risotto was only lukewarm. To their credit, there was ample amounts of lobster and she enjoyed unctuousness of the meal, it was not piping hot.

For me, it was the Beef Tartare. I have been to France several times and always enjoy tartare when in France. However, I was slightly disappointed with this appetizer. The slice of sourdough crostini it was served on was very hard on one side. I was a bit perplexed when Nadia brought a steak knife out to the table right before it arrived but I am glad she did. The other disappointment; for me, there was more crostini, radish, and micro greens than tartare. I would have liked a little more of the beef and a little less bread and greens.

The Duck Confit, on the other hand, with its hearty tagliatelle pasta and mushroom sauce was EXCELLENT. The duck was beyond fork tender and was easily sliced from the bone. The pasta and mushroom sauce had just the right combination of earthiness to blend with the delicateness of the duck. Bravo!!

We were then treated to a complimentary dessert and my wife chose the Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich...which she loved. I opted to order a separate dessert...the Creme Brûlée. The at the table presentation of melting the sugar on top was a nice touch. Both desserts were exceptional.

Well done to the staff. I would make a reservation now before you have to wait until April or March to get in as Kersey House is well worth your time.

Oh, it is very reasonably...