Addams Tavern is an original, as you might guess about a restaurant named after Charles Addams, who created the quirky Addams Family and is one of Westfield’s most famous former residents.
His characters’ haunted house is said to have been inspired by two Westfield Victorian homes. But while you won’t be bumping into Morticia, Gomez or Cousin Itt in the brick-walled dining room (more’s the pity), Addams is memorialized in an expansive portrait by artist John Delade.
The background of the painting, which hangs behind the bar, also features some of the cartoons Addams drew for the New Yorker that gave rise to the beloved TV show, a musical, animated features and movies.
The portrait of Charles Addams that hangs in the bar at Addams TavernB51 Photography / Mark Brown|For NJ Advance Media
Harvest Restaurant Group, which has been rolling out culinary hits across four counties for 21 years, gets an A for the extremely stylish interior of the restaurant, designed by Tom Limone on the site of the former Acquaviva. There are just enough black accents to conjure a slightly spooky mood in the two-story building, which is the least conventional of the company’s efforts. (Harvest also runs Roots in Ridgewood, Summit and Morristown, and Traprock Brewery in Berkeley Heights.) The downside is that the tavern tends to be extremely noisy when it’s full, which is often, since the place was popular from the moment it opened just before Thanksgiving.
The concept for the restaurant came from one of the Harvest chefs, John Schaefer, who grew up in Westfield. He was an Addams fan, as are many others in town, according to Chip Grabowski, the company’s managing partner.
To a certain extent, the menu is a “best of,” with some offerings plucked from other Harvest restaurants, but Addams definitely has its own culinary identity. At the heart of it is the enormous signature grill, set behind glass. That’s all the better for patrons to watch the dancing flames in action as they kiss filet mignon ($33.95) or the “Addams rib” short rib ($24.95) that is the ultimate in tenderness. The customized grill, which feeds on an aromatic mixture of oak, hickory, cherry and applewood, applies a very direct searing heat and enables meat to cook more slowly.
The Addams Rib shortribB51 Photography / Mark Brown|For NJ Advance Media
Chef de cuisine Matt Moschella, who opened the Tavern with longtime Harvest chefs Bruce Johnson and Bill Hendra, calls the grill “a center of inspiration.” A couple of the things we tried from the grill fell short, however. Although wood-grilled avocado toast ($12.95) piled with sweet street corn and feta sported grill marks, it was soft, lacking a toasted crunch. Six wood-roasted oysters ($16.95) were simply lukewarm and had little in the way of grilled character.
On the other hand, a grilled shrimp special ($24.95), with parsnip puree and shaved Brussels sprouts, was done perfectly and demonstrated how seafood can benefit from that technique. The menu is being updated to include more fish, much of which will be cooked on the grill.
Hefty burgers ($14.95 and $15.95) are a good alternative to the bigger and fancier entrees, as are the flatbreads. How about one featuring Buttercup Brie with local honey ($13.95), brightened by a pear and apple compote? Basil and cracked pepper complete the thoughtful process that produced this original.
The buttermilk fried chicken ($21.95) had an appropriately crisp crust, though it was served with mashed sweet potatoes in a presentation that wasn’t very interesting. A few greens or something else to brighten the plate would have been welcome. A carvery specializes in interesting sandwiches, such as the shaved Niman Ranch roast beef ($18.95), served open face on an ale loaf, with a bevy of creative additions, such as sweet caraway slaw and stout mustard.
Among the starters, thick blue crab chowder ($7.95) was disappointingly gluey. The “wedge” of Little Gem lettuce ($10.95) dressed in creamy blue cheese, however, was a winner that made a nice change from the usual iceberg version and included not only bacon but also tomatoes and pickled red onion in a bountiful portion.
A strong list of desserts by pastry chef Katie Tultz includes the mandatory s’mores ($9.95) — remind me when they passed the law that every restaurant is required to have this item, but it was nicely done with a frozen chocolate mousse for a different interpretation. The olive oil lemon tart ($9.95) is topped with a clever touch, sugared cranberries and rosemary that contrast with the citrus aura.
Wines by the glass start at $7.95, but were wide-ranging, going as high as $24.95 for a glass of a super Tuscan. There also are some big numbers among the wines by the bottle, with little choice at the lower end. There are more bottled beers than those that are on tap. The choices among the latter included, not surprisingly, some brewed at Trap Rock.
The servers were perky and helpful, in perfect sync with the restaurant’s vibe.
Addams already is a hit and has all the elements to gain extra points down the road, as the menu is updated and it settles into a groove. The concept is really cute; as I left, I found myself humming the Addams Family’s finger-snapping TV theme song, which will always be part of a visit to the tavern for those of us who used to watch the show or are catching the re-runs.
Addams Tavern
115 Elm St., Westfield. 908-232-3201. Addams Tavern.com. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, Dinner 4-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays 4-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 4-9 p.m. Sundays; Brunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. 2 1/2 stars.
Cody Kendall may be reached at CodyDine@aim.com. Follow Cody on Twitter@CodyDine. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
