Chives was a bit of a culinary roller coaster, but thankfully the ride ended at the top. We started with the wontons, oysters, and crab cakes. The oysters were outstanding. Fresh, delicious, and exactly what you want oysters to be. The wontons existed. I can confirm that much. The crab cakes, unfortunately, tasted fishy enough that I briefly wondered if the crab had been introduced to the plate that morning and was still protesting. Then dinner showed up and completely redeemed everything. I had the filet with peppercorn sauce, and my wife had the fish fry. Both were exceptional. My filet was cooked perfectly, the peppercorn sauce was fantastic, and the fish fry was equally impressive. Dinner was an easy 10/10. For dessert, because apparently we have no self-control, we ordered the chocolate dome, crème brûlée, and éclair. All three were excellent. No notes. Just regret that the human stomach has a finite capacity. So, appetizers: somewhere between “outstanding” and “we don’t need to talk about it.” Dinner and dessert: absolutely fantastic. Overall, Chives was excellent and we’d definitely go back. We’d just order more oysters and politely pretend the crab cakes don’t exist.
