A new baby in the family gets all the attention, and, sometimes, the other children suffer from attention deficit. These days, The Porch is the apple of the dining public’s eye, but older sibling Hibiscus isn’t being neglected. We were happy to see a pretty full house during midweek dinner, and the warm and snazzy restaurant, all slick with polished wood and a showpiece kitchen, is still a stunner. As is the food. A starter of scallop and foie gras was delivered by mistake, but what a happy accident it was. The sliver of liver, all silky and rich, still gleaming from the sauté pan, was a decadent accompaniment to a single, perfectly seared scallop. The appetizer we ordered was a nightly special of soft-shell crab, sliced in half, one side stacked on the other, and served on a fresher-than-fresh heirloom tomato gazpacho. The crab must have been plated in record time, as the flesh steamed a little under the crisp, but not too thick, crust. When it comes to Hibiscus, old habits die hard, so we had to order the ridiculously fantastic mac and cheese, which seemed like the best starchy side to go with the fat, marbled bone-in sirloin called the “Prime Strip Brick”—truly the best beef we’ve had all year. Another old favorite, spicy crab-crusted sea bass, is still a winner, with a shot of Tabasco adding a punch of heat to the rich seafood dish. The servers are as sexy and smart as the décor, and they know the menu as well as the chefs. So when they talk, listen up.
Get contact information for Hibiscus.
