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Hawthorn Grill’s chef-owner Candace Rinke has impressive debut

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By Mark Fisher, Staff Writer 12:30 PM Tuesday, July 13, 2010

KETTERING — The Dayton area’s already well-established cadre of excellent female chefs — which already includes the likes of Elizabeth Wiley (Meadowlark), Kim Korkan (The Winds) and Anne Kearney (Rue Dumaine) — may have to set another place at the table.

Candace Rinke is a classically trained chef who was operating a private-chef business as The Busy Gourmet from her Springboro home while looking for an opportunity to open her own restaurant. That opportunity came this spring when the former Soprano’s restaurant in Kettering closed. Rinke renamed the restaurant Hawthorn Grill to pay homage to the Oakwood mansion that Orville Wright called home for nearly 35 years and opened a few weeks ago.

While the restaurant has some rough edges to smooth out, the food on Hawthorn Grill’s plates is creative, appealing, and well-prepared.

Attention to detail is evident, not only in the entrees, but also in well-executed side dishes, salads and desserts.

The Crab Cakes appetizer ($13) consists of three crab cakes that contain some filler, but also plenty of jumbo lump crab, and is served atop pristine dressed arugula alongside lemon-caper mayonnaise. Bad Hair Day Shrimp ($9.50) wraps large shrimp in kataifi, or shredded phyllo dough. It’s a creative presentation, and the fine shreds of fried phyllo add an appealing crunch. A chunky, mild red-pepper sauce completes the dish.

The House Salad ($4) blends spinach, candied pecans, red onion and dried cranberries in a complex vinaigrette that contains garlic, Dijon mustard and pure maple syrup. The garlic and Dijon give the dressing just a hint of tingling heat, which is balanced nicely by the hint of maple sweetness.

Lemon Thyme Marinated Chicken ($18) boasts a locally raised Ed Hill chicken breast cooked perfectly, with crispy skin and tender, moist flesh, with roasted asparagus and an intriguing side of cooked barley with corn, arugula and green beans. The flavors and textures blend well. Tortilla Crusted Catfish ($15.50) is a house specialty, served with creamy polenta and roasted pineapple-red pepper salsa. The well-seasoned breading is ample and adds a distinctive crunch to each bite.

The 8-ounce Natural Angus Burger ($12) is among the best in town, topped with applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar, caramelized onions, mayo, tomato and lettuce, and nestled in a toasted brioche. And even with the burger, side dishes stand out: it’s served with addictive house-made potato chips and a fine no-cream slaw of red pepper and roasted corn.

The burger is a better choice than the Prime Filet ($31), which was meltingly tender, but lacked beefy flavor and sufficient seasoning. Alongside the filet, however, was a spectacular side dish: a creamed-leek-and-potato tart with a decadently buttery crust.

The flaky crust on the Lemon Tart ($6) was as good as any in town.

Hawthorn Grill is showing some initial birthing pains in its service and pacing of courses: on one visit, there was a long gap between salads and dinner entrees, while on a second visit, entrees came out of the kitchen quickly and were announced as ready for delivery before we were done with the appetizers. And this is another restaurant that doesn’t put salt and pepper on the table — a growing, but unwelcome, trend.

The quality of Hawthorn Grill’s food more than compensates. This is a restaurant well worth checking out — and a chef who shows the potential to join the area’s elite.

CONTACT this reporter at (937) 225-2258 or mfisher@coxohio.com.

The Hawthorn Grill

WHERE: 1222 E. Stroop Road, Kettering

WHEN: Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and brunch on Sunday. Closed Monday.

DISHES TO TRY: Crab Cakes appetizer ($13), Bad Hair Day Shrimp ($9.50), Lemon Thyme Marinated Chicken ($18), 8-ounce Natural Angus Burger ($12), Lemon Tart ($6)

MORE INFO: (937) 298-2222 or www.thehawthorngrill.com

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