July 17, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

New Redstone Grill very big, very good, very pricey
by LEN LEAR

The “romantic flatbread,” like everything else tasted by the Local’s hard-working diners, is delicious and pricey ($12).

And the beef goes on: The mall-ification of America continues unabated, like a fire truck racing to a four-alarm conflagration. Case in point: in case you thought the Plymouth Meeting Mall simply did not have enough stores, you will be pleased to know there is a mammoth expansion taking place.

For example, on July 21 a 32,000-square-foot Dave & Buster’s operation will open to the public in the north end of the mall, facing Hickory Road. According to a press release, there will be an enormous dining room and an “amazing variety of cools (sic) bars.”

And on the off-chance that your kids are somehow tempted to, say, play some kind of game or sport in an actual schoolyard (do they even have actual schoolyards in the suburbs?), Dave & Buster’s is determined to squelch that temptation with “Our famous Million Dollar Midway full of the latest mind-blowing interactive games and stimulators ... ” (I’d watch out for some of those “stimulators” if I were you.)

But there are more colossal additions to the Plymouth Meeting Mall. For example, late last month the super-sized Redstone American Grill opened for business right next to Dave & Buster’s. After D & B opens, finding a nearby parking space might be as easy as finding logic in one of Rush Limbaugh’s rants.

We had to drive around quite a bit to find an open space anywhere near the restaurant. (I was afraid we might have to drive back to the Local offices and take a cab.) The day we were there, it was about 95 degrees; it was so hot that instead of using sunblock, I thought about putting on some A-1 sauce.

Clay Lightner is typical of the young, pleasant and attractive servers at Redstone Grill. (Photos by Jimmy J. Pack Jr.)

This is the fifth Redstone American Grill in the nation. Two are in Minnesota, one is in the suburbs of Chicago, and the other is in Marlton, New Jersey. They feature a wood-burning grill, rotisserie and an open exhibition kitchen where diners can watch their steaks, chops (they should let the chops fall where they may), chicken and seafood being prepared.

Redstone American Grill will never have a seating disorder. They can conceivably seat an astonishing 328 diners at one time in all seating areas combined. There are two bars, one that runs almost the entire length of a dining room and another one outdoors in a tropical-like setting. There are hardwood tables, upholstered booths and lots of attractive design touches. It doesn’t take a design expert to conclude that this property cost several million dollars to create.

Corporate executive chef Kai Lermen, a native of Germany, is a highly regarded professional who opened the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia eight years ago, later went to work in Palm Beach, Florida, then to a restaurant in Osaka, Japan, and then to the Redstone American Grill. Some of the prices on Redstone’s menu are not those you expect to see in a mall. For example, a seared ahi tuna appetizer for $14, a platter of four tapas for $49, a filet mignon steak for $42, etc. (The tapas platter and filet mignon are available only at dinner, but most dinner menu items are also on the lunch menu at the same prices.) You might say that Redstone takes the starch out of fine dining, however, since the feeling generated by both customers and youthful staffers is definitely breezy and casual.

“The philosophy of the owner,” explained Lermen, “is to offer the best product and the best ingredients, no matter what the cost. Everything is made from scratch. The flavors are the most important thing.”

On June 26 and 27 Redstone invited hundreds of area folks, including the press, to have a complimentary lunch to break in the staff and the kitchen. Guests could order an appetizer or dessert, not both, as well as soup and an entree and soft drinks. Alcoholic drinks were not complimentary.

Corporate executive chef Kai Lermen (left), seen here with local Redstone chef Giovanni Arias, has an impressive resume. Among other positions, he was the executive chef who opened the Ritz Carlton Hotel in center city eight years ago.

Everything we had was definitely flavorful and fresh-tasting as well as pricey. Shrimp and sweet corn chowder and therapeutic chicken noodle soup ($6 each) were both ample and very good. Buffalo shrimp was five jumbo crustaceans with a crunchy coating, spicy sauce and blue cheese dressing ($15), and the “Romantic” flatbread was a colorful, pizza-like melange of roasted chicken, wild mushrooms, veggies and truffle oil ($12).

Full disclosure: The “Romantic” flatbread did prompt me to gaze longingly into the eyes of my luncheon companion, photographer Jimmy Pack Jr., but I did not get all tingly inside. But hey, that’s me. If you have the “Romantic” flatbread with Jimmy, you may feel differently. (But bring along some pepper spray, just in case.)

Our very efficient server, Clay Lightner, then brought out some hot towels for our faces and hands. A very nice touch. I thought the hot towels might be followed by a massage, but I was disappointed. There was no massage. Obviously, Redstone is not a full-service restaurant.

For entrees, we had a piece of simple grilled salmon with beautiful broccolini, tomato marmalade and grilled lemon ($22) and classic chicken in its own juice with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ($17).

Although the food was complimentary, a bill was still brought out, probably so we would know how much tip to leave. The bill was for $88, an awful lot for lunch for two without any alcohol. I think customers should always leave at least a 20 percent tip, by the way, unless the server pours really hot coffee in your lap. (Then I would definitely leave no more than 15 percent.)

I could be wrong (occasionally I am), but I can’t imagine how Redstone is going to fill up most of the 328 seats every day at center city prices. If you are going to a movie at the mall or taking the kids to buy t-shirts or checking out some patio furniture at Boscov’s, I think you’re a lot more likely to pick up some pizza or General Tso’s chicken at the Plymouth Meeting Mall food court than you are to spend $100 or more for lunch for two.

Redstone is definitely a gorgeous restaurant, though, with really excellent food, based on what we were able to sample so far. I wish them much luck. In these cynical times, anyone offering a “Romantic” anything should be rewarded.