by Rachel Forrest
Hampton Union, March 24, 2011
[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]
Hagan’s has gone through a number of chefs since it opened more than five years ago and the unsurprising result was a menu that went all over the place with not much focus.
It’s a tough crowd here, with locals who know what they like and want whoever is in the kitchen to make it. It looks like they found the chef to both craft and focus a cohesive menu and honor the neighborhood vibe of the place and the many locals who have made Hagan’s into the comfortable place it is.
Jacques Desire “Desi” Moonsamy has taken the reins in the kitchen and corralled the menu, offering vibrant, seasonal dishes with a welcome French flair.
Oh those locals. I hadn’t been in Hagan’s for years, but lo and behold, I saw many of the same people there I did years ago. That’s a comfort and it indicates that folks feel good there. Bartenders like Dean who can handle a very busy bar with ease make it that way. The bar and lounge area can get bustling and loud while the dining area nearby is much more serene. I think now that a new menu is in place, the dining room could use a little sprucing up — a change in color or art to jazz things up a bit.
The menu retains some casual items like a burger and a few pizzas as well as a lobster “roll” on a croissant. We tried the white pizza with plenty of cheese to make it nice and gooey but with a still crisp crust and many fresh, wild mushrooms that made me not even miss the meat ($12). The Maine crab cakes are very good, crisp on one side more than another, and plenty of shredded crab meat within breading.
A spicy remoulade with a kick of horseradish is terrific with the mild crab cake and even more delightful was a medley of chick peas with green peppers and tomato — a sort of salsa that was both refreshingly unusual and tasty ($13). A Napoleon salad has sliced mozzarella, tomatoes, which even in early spring were ripe, cucumbers and basil, layered with pesto and grilled onions marinated in balsamic vinegar ($12). It’s quite a substantial dish.
It’s in the entrees that you’ll see the French influence from chef’s training in France itself. A saffron Bouillabaisse, which I had someone sneak out to me, is a rich, aromatic stew of a half lobster, spicy sausage, shrimp, scallops, mussels and a white fish ($26). I’m not one for eating much bread nowadays, but you must have a buttery slice of bread or five to sop up the delicious broth.
I tried the crispy roast duck with a rosemary and orange Grand Marnier sauce as well ($22). This is actually close to a dish I used to order constantly when Chef Desi was at The Metro in Portsmouth long ago. It’s a half duck, which is quite a big portion, and the duck meat is tender and juicy inside. My disappointment came from the fact that the duck was not crispy at all — well, only on one part of the leg. I had expected a crispy skin. The sauce is delicious though, rich with a sweet orange flavor and earthy from rosemary, a nice contrast. I would just take off the word “crispy” if it’s not going to be. I like the skin crispy, but with the terrific sauce, it doesn’t necessarily need to be.
Simple and delicious mashed potatoes were offered as a side, and by side, I mean underneath my duck. I deconstructed it all and dove in but still managed to take half home.
A pork porterhouse is served with a dark and robust Madeira sauce with melting mozzarella cheese and a medley of fresh, just cooked mushrooms ($19). The pork is nicely prepared and the sauce is perfect for it, all a nice alternative to beef and the addition of mozzarella is an unusual and welcome touch, adding a bit of pizzazz. Also intriguing is a fire-grilled filet mignon served with gulf shrimp and a tarragon vin blanc. I really think it’s the sauces that remind me of French cuisine here and sauces can be so important to an overall dish. Here, sauces don’t take over the dish, but they do give the ingredients the flavor and vibrancy I admire.
Desserts include a fantastic chocolate mousse with Grand Marnier, with just the right consistency, decadent, but still light. The creme brulee was a simple and elegant vanilla bean version, also with the right custard consistency, and Key Lime Pie is reminiscent of a cheesecake but without the heaviness, It’s a tart and sweet dream. The wine list is small and reasonably priced with some good solid wines.
Chef Desi Moonsamy has turned the menu at Hagan’s around in a matter of weeks and it’s a welcome turn. He’s experimenting with specials and reading the needs and preferences of the loyal customers but still offers his own style and a taste of France in sauces and flavors merged with our New England ingredients.