J. Christians Restaurant Wallingford, Connecticut

Located at 9 North Main Street, J. Christian is housed in a 1920's former bank which took three years to renovate. The interior is very attractive with a grand staircase and stained glass ceiling and Tiffany-style chandelier. The bar is located to the left when you enter and on a Saturday night without a reservation ,you may end up sitting at the bar like we did. 

Executive Chef Jonathan Harris offers an eclectic menu that uses the freshest locally sourced ingredients combined with his southern roots. The bar is beautiful and you won't feel short-changed for having to dine here.A mezzanine area up is also available at the top of the grand staircase. 

We ordered drinks which were delivered promptly. It took quite a lot longer to place our food order. As it got busier, the level of service slipped and we saw one couple get up and walk out after not getting served. Having said that, our food arrived in a reasonable amount of time and we didn't have anything to complain about. 

My friend ordered the salmon which came with slivers of pear on top and a delicious risotto underneath. I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken with the black pepper gravy, mashed potatoes and collard greens which I asked to swap off for the Brussels sprouts. It was a very good decision, no matter how good the collards might have been, the Brussels sprouts were outstanding. 

I love fried chicken and this one met every expectation I could have had. It was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It was a  huge portion with two pieces of chicken. I wish we had had room for dessert but we did not. I do however look forward to returning here to try some of the other offerings. 

J. Christians is open for dinner Mon-Saturday. Check their website for exact times and to check out a sample menu. The menu I saw on the site did not match the one we saw at the restaurant so only use it as a guide.