Whether you have the Massachusetts’ North Shore on your list for simple relaxation or a fun family get away, at some juncture, you’ll want to kick back for some fine dining and get a taste of New England’s old world charm.
Nathaniel’s Restaurant in the historical and authentic Hawthorne Hotel in downtown Salem is a perfect stop over, where you get a taste of history with fabulous food and creative seasonal dishes. They even have gluten-free menu options which is rare in older more traditional establishments.
Their menu offers dishes ranging from historic items of a bygone era to contemporary, eclectic fare. Nathaniel’s also offers demi-portions of its most popular items including our signature dish, Scallops Sophia. They’re also known for their very popular weekend Sunday Jazz brunch. They often have music playing in the evenings as well — the piano player takes requests and played all of ours! It was romantic enough where we even decided to dance in the restaurant although truth be told there was only one other table still there when we decided to shake our booties to his relaxing and jazzy piano tunes.
Some menu items worth mentioning include the Crispy Pork Belly, served with house-made ramp and rhubarb chutney, their Seared Scallops fava beans and tiny tomatoes,in a herbed broth, the Salmon Pastrami Napoleon with capers, basil, goat cheese, and rye toasts served with petite arugula salad and their delicious Caprese Salad, fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and basil leaves, dressed with a balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil.
They offer other salad options (try their baby arugula salad with hearts of palm and Manchego cheese) as well as their classic seafood chowder, which is loaded with shrimp, scallops, haddock, clams and potatoes in a creamy New England-style soup. It’s hard to beat!
Other appetizers also impress….
As noted above, their signature dish, the Shrimp and Scallops Sophia is worth a try, which is named after Sophia Peabody Hawthorne. Also on the lighter side is the Poached Salmon served in an English pea broth with fava beans, asparagus, peas and new potatoes and their Roasted Haddock with heirloom tomato pico de gallo, lemony rice, and baby pepper sauté.
More classic and traditional menu items for the region include Grilled Porterhouse Lamb Chops with honey- and cumin-scented milk sauce, farro, and wilted arugula and the Hawthorne Pot Roast, which is served in a red wine- and mushroom-liquor, potato purée and roasted carrots.
There’s also the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with pickled summer blueberries, served with sweet onion and green bean salad, and herbed roasted potatoes or the Beef Tenderloin named for America’s first millionaire, Salem’s Elias Hasket Derby. This rich-beyond-belief tender steak is layered with blue cheese topped with fried oysters and Béarnaise sauce, served with potato-bacon hash, and fresh asparagus.
The desserts were quite a treat as well. A must visit if you are passing through the North Shore or are planning a trip to Salem, which we recommend.
It wasn’t on our radar until we had an opportunity to visit and are so glad we did. A We Blog the World two thumbs up!!
Please be sure to check out our write up on the Hawthorne Hotel as well in our post on Two Salem Hotel Gems, which includes the Hawthorne Hotel and the nearby Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites. They can be found in our Massachusetts Lodging section / Top Massachusetts Hotels / Top New England Hotels of We Blog the World.
Details:
Nathaniel’s Restaurant
Hawthorne Hotel
18 Washington Square W
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 825-4311
Note: we were hosted by the restaurant however all opinions expressed are entirely our own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
