Restaurant review: Jackson's Old Chatham House
[...] in the hands of Barry Jackson and his wife, Leya, with father Billy occasionally checking in, it's a well-oiled tavern serving local beer and hearty food, immortalizing regulars on the menu and anchoring the hamlet as the undisputed social hub.
Mrs. Jackson's oregano grilled chicken ($10) remains, along with Barry's stuffed mushrooms ($9), Jackson's chicken Cordon Bleu ($21) and mystery "scrod" in lemon butter ($12), a perennial mother-in-law favorite, with veg and seasoned rice.
Steamed clams ($12) generously crowd a deep bowl of buttery garlic broth brimming with softened onions, peppers, zucchini and summer squash, a meal in itself.
Burgers — thick, juicy beauties — are named for a squad of patrons: the T.J. Lyons ($10) smothered in blue cheese, the Cricket ($11) decked in crispy bacon, the Kingsley ($10) with sautéed mushrooms and onions, and the veggie patty of the Dan Blake ($9), finished with Russian dressing.
The OC July 4 parade, a quintessential slice of Americana, is led by beagles and hunt-club hounds, children dressed as circus acts and revolutionaries and a senior "Miss OC" draped over a vintage car.
The hunt theme extends beyond the rifles in the dimly lit bar to the more formal, carpeted dining room, where antique farm tools, a mounted deer head and sketches of fox hunts in full stride adorn the walls.
Adjoining it, Jackson's banquet room is the spot for private functions and a January "Beer and Deer" event that wraps hunting season with a communal supper to rival a potluck on "Survivor."