Review: Nick's

Nick's grilled tuna entree salad. (Credit: The Clarion-Ledger)

I'm kicking myself right now. Hard.

As long as I've lived in Jackson, I've somehow managed to have never eaten at Nick's.

I know, right? You're welcome to kick me too.

Since opening in 1983, Nick's has been a staple for Jacksonians and one of the city's best fine dining establishments. Owned and operated by Jackson native Nick Apostle, the restaurant draws its inspiration from both his Greek heritage and southern upbringing to serve up a menu that is unique to the area, from Nick's signature comeback dressing to elevating tried-and-true southern staples like fried onion rings to the hieights of culinary delicacy.

So I'm really kicking myself, because just this past weekend I finally got to experience Nick's while celebrating my mother's birthday.

And all I can do now is think back to those times I went out for a fine dining experience in Jackson at some long-forgotten eatery for a special occasion and left disappointed, and realize I should've just gone to Nick's.

The food: We started our meal off with two appetizers, the stuffed artichoke bottoms ($12) and the buttermilk onion rings ($8).

The stuffed artichoke bottoms were simply exquisite, stuffed with deviled crabmeat napped with a chive and tarragon beurre blanc. With the two servings split between the four of us, we wished we had ordered a second helping, they were that delicious.

The onion rings may seem like an odd choice for an appetizer on a fine dining menu, but like I said before, Nick's makes onion rings an art. Perfectly seasoned and fried to give the perfect crunch, this tasty snack goes from delicious to divine with the addition of Nick's comeback dressing for dipping.

It's definitely a strong contender for the crown of Jackson's best comeback, with stiff competition from other local standbys like Crechale's and the Elite.

Other appetizers offered include calamari, house-smoked salmon, southwestern fried oysters, crayfish spring rolls, gulf shrimp cocktail and a sausage and cheese plate.

Nick's is known for its soups and salads nearly as much as its entrees. They offer ten different entree salads topped with everything from duck to salmon to crab cake to oysters, ranging in price from $11-$18.

While no one in my party opted for a salad as an entree, I did get a house salad with my entree that was crisp and fresh and definitely piqued my curiousity of their full portions. I opted for the house feta cheese vinaigrette that, while a great dressing in its own right, made me wish I'd gotten some more comeback instead—it's just that good.

Two of my companions ordered a cup of Nick's famous brie and crab soup ($5, $6 for a bowl), which I was lucky enough to sneak a bite of. The distinctive flavor of brie cheese paired with generous portions of lump crab meat make for what just might be the perfect soup. They sell this soup by the gallon to take home if that's any indication of its well-deserved reputation. They also offer seafood gumbo and a soup of the day.

For my entree I got the filet of beef au poivre ($33), which was a perfectly prepared filet topped with a tantalizing green peppercorn cognac cream sauce.

As a bit of an armchair chef myself, I've rarely met the restaurant steak that I and my trusty grill couldn't equal at home with the right cut of meat and selection of seasonings, but no amount of backyard grill skill could recreate this masterpiece. Juicy, delicious and with just the right amount of pepper, it was a shining example of what fine dining ought to be.

As a side I ordered the applewood-smoked bacon and cheese potato cake ($5)—and while I'm an ardent fan of all three ingredients, I never fathomed that they could taste so marvelous together. It made a simple baked potato seem positively pedestrian.

I also got to sample some of the dishes my companions ordered—while one opted for the filet as well, I also got a taste of the Colorado lamb loin chops ($28), and Long Island duck breast ($22). While both were some of the best versions of their dish I’ve yet tasted, neither had me second-guessing my filet.

Other offerings on the menu include seafood offerings like paneed tilapia ($22), southwest oven-roasted mahi ($21) and basil grilled salmon ($25), along with meat offerings like pork tenderloin ($20), veal marsala ($26) and free range chicken ($20). They also have a number of other side orders like steamed asparagus ($7), spinach au gratin ($5) and sautéed mushrooms ($6).

Though I was stuffed more than any human had a right to be after my filet, I couldn’t pass up dessert and chose the white chocolate bread pudding ($5.50), expecting a modest portion but getting a decadent mountain of the delicacy topped with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and dried cherries. Hands down it was the most flavorful alternate take on the southern classic I’ve experienced, though it won’t replace the classic rum sauce version in my heart of hearts.

Other dessert offerings include the chocolate decadence ($5.50, a brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate-caramel drizzle), cheesecake ($5.50) and raspberry sorbet ($4.50).

The drink: While I’m a strict Coke-with-my-meal guy, choosing to save the libations for later, Nick’s bar has a wealth of alcohol options on its bar menu (which also features a separate selection of salads, sandwiches and appetizers for a more casual cuisine-and-cocktails experience).

Their signature martinis are $10 and are unique creations like the southern sass (Grey Goose orange vodka, peach Schnapps and apricot brandy) and the flirtini (Absolut, pineapple Schnapps, Chambord and a splash of champagne).

Of course, they also have a full bar for more “classic” cocktails, with a somewhat sparse beer selection (the usual suspects of Bud products and common imports, though brownie points are due for serving Lazy Magnolia southern pecan) in addition to a selection of rare single malt scotch and an extensive wine list, many bottles hand-picked by Apostle himself. Their dessert menu also includes a wide selection of sweet after-dinner martinis, dessert drinks and coffee drinks.

Naturally, if you’ve like me and prefer soft drinks with your food, they serve that southern staple of sweet tea along with a variety of sodas. And it must be noted that one of my companions ordered a double-shot of espresso for an after-dinner pick-me-up and raved about its quality.

The scene: Located in the ground floor of an office building on Lakeland Drive, Nick’s tasteful and intimate interior certainly belies its unassuming location.

With fine art adorning the walls of the bar area, white tablecloths on every table and a professional and attentive wait staff, Nick’s has everything you would expect of a fine dining establishment along with unique flourishes like their signature “butter towers.”

Never too loud—even if your neighboring table dives a little too deep into their cocktail menu—Nick’s is perfect for any special occasion from birthdays to anniversaries to prom night.

The bottom line: Nick’s is an absolute must of Jackson’s culinary scene. While it’s taken me over 20 years to go there, I can guarantee I won’t wait that long for my second visit.

While the price definitely relegates Nick’s to a “special occasion” destination for all but the most fortunate of Jacksonians, the overall quality and level of culinary excellence makes it seem like a penny is never wasted.

Just thinking about that filet or those onion rings with that comeback dressing makes me wonder what could have possibly kept me away for so long.

Let the kicking continue.

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