1 of 5
Charles City Burger: bacon jam, double-crème brie, arugula, tomato and fried shallots
2 of 5
Banana cream pie tart with peanut butter whipped cream and caramelized banana
3 of 5
Smoke-roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes
4 of 5
Fried pickles with a buttermilk dipping sauce
5 of 5
Indian Fields Tavern
I never ate at the original Indian Fields Tavern, but I’ve heard the wistful recollections of those who frequented the place during its two-decade run: the tables set with candles and fresh flowers; the porch where you could dine while listening to the birds and cicadas; the well-executed and deeply satisfying dishes that might seem passé now but which were chic then, like lobster risotto and baked brie. From 1987 through 2007, the historic property, a charmingly restored farmhouse in Charles County, attracted city dwellers from both directions on Route 5 — a certified regional draw.
After it shuttered in 2007, Michael and Cate Macknight reopened and ran it as Charles City Tavern for seven years, but eventually that restaurant, too, closed its doors.
So I knew the spot by reputation when it reopened, last September, as Indian Fields Tavern, and it was with a sense of finally getting to partake in a Richmond tradition that I sat down to dinner one night on the screened-in porch.
The setting was everything I’d imagined, a cozy old country house with just a few contemporary touches. One dining room opens off the main hallway and another is tucked behind the bar; the porch offers a view of the surrounding green farmland and the Capital Trail. The only sounds as I ate were a chorus of birds and bugs, cheerful clanging from the kitchen, and, only occasionally, a car.
For a city resident, it was a mini-vacation, a few hours spent in paradise.
After two visits, however — and I say this with my own wistfulness — the reality on the plate is something less than idyllic.
Unevenness marred both meals. There were great dishes that made me sigh with pleasure. But many others fell short of delivering even satisfaction.
If, in previous incarnations, the menu was out to dazzle, the goal now is to put out simple American comfort food, with a slight Southern twist.
The fried pickles were a perfect snack, juicy and coated in a light, crisp batter, while the buttermilk dressing that came as a dip was a rich, tangy foil. The burger was well seasoned, with fries that were crisp on the outside and creamy within and a house-made bacon jam that added an extra layer of richness, not to mention a pleasant sweetness. And I adored, in both senses of the word, the mini banana cream pie that ended my meal one night, topped with a peanut butter-flavored whipped cream and two perfectly caramelized banana slices.
But at every meal, there were dishes, simple dishes, that fell short. A smoked, roasted chicken was subtly handled and a treat, but the Brussels sprouts and purple potatoes cried out for seasoning. At brunch, a plate of chicken and cornmeal waffles was undone by a bland batter and, to make matters worse, the waffle also arrived cold.
Issues of inconsistency usually come from a kitchen that is not in lock-step harmony, and it’s generally the case that errors of execution are more easily corrected than errors of conception. Here’s hoping that things tighten up in the back of the house.
In the front, the staff seems well-trained in attending to the needs of its diners. At brunch, I watched the table next to mine send back a plate of chicken and waffles, complaining of the same blandness, but I also saw the server and manager handle the situation with grace — comping the dish, thanking the guest thoroughly for his feedback, and checking on what happened in the kitchen (a change in batter that, it sounds like, will be changed back stat).
You have to love that.
And that same easy, unforced vibe is at least half the pleasure of coming here. It’s a place you can imagine bringing friends when they come to visit, to gift them a little Virginia countryside charm. Or just gifting yourself, a getaway amid the chaos of the week.
It’s not at all difficult to see why the new owner, Patrick Weller, was so taken with the place, or why his chef, Alex Collins, was willing to relocate from Portland to run the kitchen.
Archer Ruffin, one of the owners of the original Indian Fields Tavern, was excited to have someone committed to reinvigorating the space and gave Weller permission to use the name.
For anyone who remembers the old restaurant well — or who, like me, has heard the stories of just how wonderful it was — this is more of a burden than an asset at this point, creating fine-dining-level expectations for a spot that's aiming to peel back the many layers of formality.
Eventually, and especially if the kitchen finds consistency, it may bloom into a blessing. Weller and Collins say they want to attract everyone from locals to tourists to cyclists making a pit stop off the Capital Trail; there are plans to add a fire pit and more outdoor seating as the weather gets warmer, and they hope to open a brewery and tasting room in the fall. With some tweaks, it could make a nice spot for a beer and a snack come summer.
The potential is there, if the food on the plate is as consistently rewarding as the view from the table.
2 1/2 out of 5 stars
9220 John Tyler Memorial HIghway
Charles City, Virginia
804-829-2200
Hours: Wednesday to Thursday: 11:30 a.m.to 9 p.m.; Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Handicapped-accessible
