Are you a fan of melt-in-your-mouth tenderloin? How about Broadway show tunes? If the answer is yes to both, you might want to tag your mad money for a very special trip to Robert's of Charleston the next time you feel like celebrating. We did it this week and came away fat, happy and singing for the next three days.

My first thought upon entering Robert's new space at 182 East Bay was that he somehow managed to capture the Tuscan sunset in the color of the walls. The room is cozy and intimate -- smaller than his previous space, but much more like a private dining room than before (he has just reopened in a new place after a few years sabbatical). The seating arrangement provides just enough privacy for comfort, but you still feel as if you're part of one large dinner party which adds to the fun. Every fresh detail in the room shines, from the crisp white linens to the fresh roses on each table.

The friendly staff got everyone seated and poured the first featured wine, R.H. Phillips Chardonnay. It was rich, oaky and pleasing with the light appetizers -- polenta rounds with shrimp and fresh dill and calamata olive pesto toasts. No sooner had we savored the first bite than Robert burst into the room with a glass-shakin' rendition of "Food, Glorious Food," a festive beginning that put to rest any misconception about a quiet evening.

Next came a medley of lively cabaret tunes, served up with a lighter-than-air scallop mousse dressed with silky lobster sauce. We especially enjoyed the sauteed jicama garnish. We noticed at this point that part of the charm of the place is Robert's visit to each table -- his sense of fun is contagious and uplifting.

More glorious food came next. Colorfully displayed breast of duckling with roasted red peppers, a corn pancake, grilled portabella, braised greens and a particularly unusual sheep's milk cheese studded with whole peppercorns. Flavored with red pepper aioli and horseradish cream, this course was too good not to finish but rich enough to leave us wondering how we could possibly do justice to the main course.

"If I were a Rich Man" is a song written to be sung by Robert Dickson! Strutting like a peacock he transformed the room to the stage of Fiddler on the Roof with his robust Tevye while the staff prepared to serve the entrée. And it was gorgeous -- beautifully prepared tenderloin medallions with bordelaise and bernaise sauces accompanied by delicate haricots verts, baby asparagus and flavorful wild rice with dried cranberries. It was served with an interesting Chilean Cabernet called Stoney Brook which offered a subtle hint of cherry. Perfection from start to finish and yes, we ate it all (I'm embarassed to say), no small feat considering the wonderful sourdough which kept appearing on our table.

Last came the final My Fair Lady medley ranging from the sentimental "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" to a rowdy "Get Me to the Church on Time." Once again Robert brought the room to life with his rich voice and finished with the lullaby -- like Adelweiss. Dessert (To die or not to die? That is the question?) was a tart sliver of key lime pie with fresh guava, blueberries and pineapple and a demitasse of great Lavazza coffee. For the finale, Robert gave a personal goodbye to each table. Those who were celebrating anniversaries or birthdays got their own little singing Hallmark for fun as we rolled on out into the night.

Dinner at Robert's is a celebration in every sense of the word -- a celebration of food and music and a special treat for those who love both. From the polished silver to the engaging interaction with the highly professional staff, the feeling is one of joyful elegance from start to finish.

You can dine with Robert Wednesday through Saturday; there's one long-lasting seating at 7:30pm. There are always five courses, but the menu changes regularly. They will be happy to accommodate special dietary needs if given advance notice and they also serve non-alcoholic wines by request. Yes, it is expensive -- $65 per person (including wine) plus tax and gratuity. But it's so fulfilling that even if you go in wondering if it's worth the price, you leave wondering when you'll have a chance to return. To my view, it is worth every penny (and don't expect to eat for the next two days).

If you're celebrating a special occasion, dinner at Robert's is one of the most unusual the city offers. But don't wait until then to try it -- if you're a music-lover in search of the perfect meal, Robert's is a special place that will turn any evening into a very special occasion. "If I were a rich man, ya de dah de dah de dah...."

The City Paper reviewer does not accept free meals and always arrives unannounced.

Imagine a meal beginning with spinach, artichoke and asparagus canapes followed by a plate of scallop mousse topped with creamy lobster sauce. After the mousse slowly dissolves on your imagination's taste buds, picture grabbing another fork to enjoy roasted duck in a mango sauce alongside a bed of greens tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing. Have that followed by a beef tenderloin so incredibly tender it melts in your mouth, served with potatoes and rutabagas au gratin alongside crisp string beans. Finally, cap off your meal with hot coffee and an amaretto and toffee mousse for dessert. Now imagine all this taking place while a man sings Broadway tunes in an operatic baritone voice to your delight.

Sound familiar? It should. It's all part of the menu at Robert's of Charleston restaurant. After a four-year hiatus, Chef Robert Dickson has reopened his restaurant at a new location on 182 East Bay St. Dickson first opened Robert's on Market Street in 1976 and closed the doors in 1994. During his time off, he led small tour groups to Italy and did some private catering. He decided to come back to the crowded Charleston restaurant scene this past January. "This is like I'm in a new town," Dickson said while sitting inside his quaint new restaurant. "The street is enchanting and the neighbors are incredible."

Feeling right at home
Sitting inside the restaurant is like relaxing in a home -- Dickson's home. The small 40-seat restaurant is aglow in the soft yellow light of the Italian countryside, one of Dickson's favorite regions of the world. "We wanted something of Tuscany," he said of the coppery yellow paint on the wall.

;Adding to the pleasure of the atmosphere are the items found all around the small room. Hanging on the walls are some of Dickson's paintings, created on his time off from the restaurant business - a cop of a matisse, a glimpse of the French countryside and a house in the Caribbean. Each painting took about four hours to create. "I am fast" he said with a hearty laugh. The fresh flowers - the orchids and the azaleas - found in nooks and crannies around the room add a light and easy feeling.

Though these items are nice they're not what makes the restaurant feel like home. The people who run it do that. Dickson and his wife, Pam run the restaurant together. Before dinner, Pam walks around getting to know a little something about every guest. Pretty soon, people at one table are engaged in conversation with their neighbors at another. All this takes place while the wait staff serves the wine.

Just before the first course, Dickson makes his entrance, singing "Food, Glorious Food," from the musical Oliver. Everyone turns and watches in delight as Dickson welcomes them to his restaurant -- his home.

Between courses and songs, Dickson and his wife sit next to people and strike up conversations. One night, he discovered a young man from Boston who also sings. So Dickson pulled him up front and the two performed a duet, singing songs from Camelot. At the end, both entertainers received a round of applause.

Not all play
But it isn't all fun and games for Dickson. He works hard to have a good time. After all, he's been in business only six weeks. He found the restaurant space in late January and opened for business by late February.

This hard-working attitude can be seen long before guests arrive. Hours before dinner, he's busy in the kitchen dealing with salesmen and his chefs. "Yeast, How we doing on yeast?" he asks his assistant chef, Jason Walker. "We got enough for this weekend?" He goes down the list. "Chocolates Ok? Olives, vinegar's OK? Porcini mushrooms OK?"

"It was a fun thing," he said. "I never really thought I'd do it again. I realized the cost of opening up a restaurant in 1978 versus what it costs to open one up in 1998. Those figures scared me. What also scared me was the work load. I'm standing on my feet and the same schedule each night at eight in the evening."

Prior to leaving his restaurant in the Planter's Inn in 1994, he was seating more than 100 people per night. Those numbers were too much to handle. After taking some time off, he began to miss the restaurant business. He was tinkering with the idea of going back with a partner, to reduce the stress of running a restaurant alone. That's when he saw the space where his restaurant stands today. "It was shown to me in a lark" he explained. "When I saw it, I said to myself, 'This is it. I'll do it..This could be quaint again, manageable and worth my while.' Those were the main reasons. And I could produce a decent revenue."

The decent revenue comes from the elegant four-course prix-fixe meal, which includes wine and entertainment. All this for $65. He keeps costs down by working with a minimal staff. There are two chefs, a dishwasher, two people for wait staff, a pianist, a manager and his wife. "I have no stress," he said. "I have a wonderful staff."

A new day
During the meal, people compliment everything from the atmosphere to the food. "You should be like Leonardo da Vinci," said an Oregonian to Dickson. "You're so wonderful." Others hum along to the tunes as the pianist plays between Dickson's singing breaks. Some even sing along to the Broadway tunes, though not quite as loudly or as well as Dickson.

Any way you look at it, there's no doubt that Robert's is back. As he sings the song "Memory" from the long-running musical Cats, one can't help but think - "A new day has begun."



The Rebirth of Robert's puts the Fun back in the Food
The Post and Courier
May 28, 1998
by Jane Kronsberg

My dinner partner came up with the perfect description for Robert's. It's the backrub of restaurants. All you need do is make a reservation and show up, all other needs are taken care of in a relaxed, non-stressful way. There are no decisions to make other than how much butter to put on the bread or how much pepper to put on the food . In a previous life I may not have found this appealing. Now it seems like dining heaven.

Sometimes in the early to mid '70's, Robert Dickson opened his first restaurant. Legend has it that he couldn't choose between two loves, cooking and singing. Having had classical training in both, he was qualified to make a career in either so decided to combine his talents in a unique way: he opened a small restaurant which offered a prixe-fixe dinner, cooked it before the guests arrived, then provided dinner entertainment before, during and after dinner. The idea was an immediate success and the restaurant was immensely popular for years.

Robert decided to take a break of sorts for a while, leading food tours to Europe and cooking and singing for private dinners. He couldn't stay away long, however, and has just opened his latest restaurant. To my mind, it's his best effort.

The intimate space seats just 40 people, large enough to be festive and small enough to be efficient. The décor may not be the fanciest or most expensive in Charleston, but there's no question that the ambiance envelops you with a feeling of luxury. The thick carpet, peachy walls, flowing curtains and low lighting put you at ease immediately.

This restaurant is reminiscent of the best in fine dining from the '50s and '60s, when service and comfort were more important and always expected. A talented pianist plays softly when not accompanying Robert, bringing forth songs spanning several decades. Although we were seated only a few feet away, there was no problem having a conversation. Crisp linens, comfortable seating (including a banquette along one wall) and fresh flowers finish the picture.

There is little doubt regarding the service. You are immediately aware that the people who work here are professionals who enjoy their jobs. All are greeted at the door by Robert's charming wife (and right-hand) Pam, who cordially shows the diners to their tables. A waiter then quickly appears with a cold bottle of California Mirassou Pinot Blanc and fills the glasses. Soon he reappears with a plate of appetizers, thin rounds of bread smeared with a savory olive pesto and others topped with fresh cream cheese and smoked salmon.

Having eaten with Robert several times before has alerted me to the fact that he believes in feeding people the old-fashioned way, namely that the portions are very large and fairly rich. Even knowing that, it was nearly impossible not to finish the fine first course of scallop mousse dressed with lobster sauce. This delicate but intensely flavored dish is masterful.

The second course is a breast of duckling served with very good grilled vegetables, sauteed spinach with pine nuts and fresh mozzarella and a rosemary-olive oil focaccia. Before the main course, we were served a lovely red chilean wine, a 1995 Stoney Brook Cabernet and more of Robert's winsome singing. Although I usually find cabernets too heavy, this was a light one and was much to my liking.

The main event was a beautiful piece of beef tenderloin. Robert cooks his meat medium rare unless otherwise requested. My order for a rare piece was honored and served. The beef had a heavenly Bernaise sauce and was complimented with several fresh asparagus spears and wild rice tossed with Vidalia onions and summer squash. I want to emphasize again that these are not little tastes of things, but full plates. I had them packing up the duck before the beef course even arrived. Don't be daunted by the quantity; eat about a third of everything and take the rest home for a delightful lunch or dinner the following day.

For dessert we had more songs and an artfully arranged plate of sliced strawberries and cubed pineapple along with a small portion of an English toffee mousse and a hazelnut torte covered with a delicious chocolate icing. A good decaf French Roast and songs by request make a fine ending to a delightful evening. The menu changes frequently but will be similar in stature to the one I've described. Stop by for your backrub soon.