Campbell's Place: The Food is Comforting and Your Name is Known

Although this 100-year bar is under a second ownership since the original proprietress retired, still retains the neighborhood friendliness and a flair in the kitchen from the appetizers to the desserts.

Being mainly a tavern, there are many spirits to select. If you a nose for wines, there is a domestic and imported selection for you to choose from. For the beer drinkers in the crowd, there are lagers or ales aplenty.

While you have a spirit in hand, take a gander at the options that manager and executive chef Rob Mullen has to offer. Not only does Campbell’s Place provide a dinner and lunch menu, if you visit on a Sunday, you can partake in the brunch menu.

During this particular weekend visit, the weather was rainy and windy because of the approaching hurricane. There were still some establishments open and luckily Campbell’s Place was one of them. Everyone looked calm as if this was a normal Saturday albeit just a little rainy.

Shaking off my raincoat, my dining companion and I were instructed to sit wherever we pleased. Picking a booth farther away from the gusty wind of the doorway, my friend chose a hard cider from the hefty beer selection while I studied the menu looking for something warm to take the chill off.

The atmosphere was literally written on the walls. There was little pretension in Campbell’s Place. The staff both front of the house and back mingled with the guests to check if everything was up to par and cola glasses were quickly refilled as soon as they were emptied. Returning guests are remembered just like the lyric of a memorable show based on another neighborhood pub.

For an appetizer, we chose the Signature Brussel Sprouts. Grilled and marinated with a maple syrup vinaigrette, the brussel sprouts were tender, but retained much of their firmness from the marinade. This dish embraced all the senses from the bright green shade of the sprouts, the light, sweet taste of the maple syrup, the firmness of the bite, and the scrumptious smell that combined the entire package.

My dining companion picked the Kenzinger Fishtown & Chips. The chef took fresh tilapia and dipped the fish in batter made from Kenzinger beer. For this uncommon rainy day, the fish and chip dish hit the spot. It was a filling meal, but not overly so. You felt that you ate something “naughty,” but not enough to do penance for.

Even if you did feel guilt over the fish portion, the French fries that accompanied the dish were just as devilishly good. Fried to a golden brown, the fries were plentiful and delicious. The accoutrements to the Kenzinger Fishtown & Chips were sides of pea puree, tartar sauce, and coleslaw to give it a well-rounded embrace of flavors.

I decided upon the Paulie Burger. I should have asked our server who exactly Paulie was because I wanted to give him a hug. The spices used in the Angus beef mixture were good enough to warm the heart of Hurricane Irene. 

The patty was formed by hand and clearly not from a box pulled out of the freezer. Served on a buttery, fluffy hamburger roll, the juicy Paulie Burger is cooked to your desired temperature with the customary lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickle.

Finishing our meal there were several dessert options. All made in-house, you can decide upon the following desserts: crème brûlée, cheesecake, blueberry bread pudding, or chocolate flourless cake. I asked our server for her favorite and we settled on the bread pudding.

The ginormous (yes, this is a word) slice of bread pudding was delightfully dotted with plump blueberries. Added to the side was a dollop of overly whipped cream. Almost formed into butter, the whipped cream still made a delightful addition to the warm pudding. Luckily my friend and I shared the dessert, finishing a fine meal before we had to head back to endure the impending hurricane.

Campbell’s Place serves Chestnut Hill on small-scale dining as well as catered events. Whether this is your first visit or your 100^th, the staff welcomes you with a smile and delightful conversations. The food is fun and expertly prepared to leave you with a feeling of contentment that is as genuine as its history.