1823 Grill

Ah, the sweet joy of loyalty tested, and for a cause as noble as the latest contender in Jersey’s dining scene, the 1823 Grill. With a cocktail of anticipation and the courage to cheat (on my usual haunts, that is), I went forth to explore.

I began with two oysters – in Jersey, where else would they be anything but supremely fresh? The 1823 Grill delivered as if by divine mandate.

Then came the Club Steak, a sirloin on the bone with all the necessary accoutrements: crisp chips, wild mushrooms, and a sauce of my choosing. I ordered it medium-rare, but alas, it teetered on the edge of medium. Did I send it back? I did not. The steak, oh, the steak – juicy enough to make a grown critic whisper sweet nothings. I abandoned the sanctity of “medium-rare” in favor of flavor so succulent I could hardly bear it.

For dessert, I ventured further out of character with the Choux Lucien. Normally, I’d forgo a sweet finish, but here I made a noble sacrifice (for the review, you understand). Warm butterscotch cascaded over pistachio ice cream and thick Jersey cream, creating a balanced, not-too-sweet indulgence that left me simultaneously satisfied and rueful about my waistline.

The staff were as attentive as a maître d’s dream, and the real show-stealer? Francois, the General Manager. With the suave empathy that only a seasoned hospitality pro possesses, he acknowledged my steak’s modest journey toward medium, graciously comped my dessert, and left me feeling like royalty.

In conclusion: 1823 Grill, you’ve got my vote, my appetite, and perhaps the occasional act of infidelity from The Grill @ Royal Yacht.