Craig Samuel and Ben Grossman have launched a handful of eateries as a duo. Both partners come from competitive backgrounds in the restaurant industry. Cooking in the kitchen at Le Bec Fin, my absolute favorite fine french dining restaurant in Philadelphia, and being the Executive Chef at the City Hall Restaurant in Tribeca for many years.
The pair started B+C Restaurant Group in 2006 and first opened The Smoke Joint. This restaurant recently closed it's Brooklyn location and will reopen in the Catskills in May 2019. The real Peaches Trifecta consists of Peaches, Peaches Hot House, and Peaches Shrimp & Crab. When asked by Eat Out Time Out, "who is Peaches?" co-owner Craig Samuel replies that Peaches is the name of his grandmother-in-law. “She’s the most hospitable, southern woman you will ever meet.” And that is the look and feel that you get in each Peaches establishment. An authentic southern vibe and genuine hospitality. Each location offers you something very different, so you'll never hear the response "oh it's all the same thing." False.
Peaches, 393 Lewis Avenue
This is the location for when you want a classic, southern breakfast. Sweet granola crusted french toast with fresh fruit and savory fish and grits entrees. The interior is rustic, features sepia-toned photography around the walls, a perfect cup o' joe and jazz. Jazz music playing on a loop all morning. The ambience gives you that real southern feel right in the heart of Brooklyn. In addition, the Do the Right Thing Street sign hangs out front the restaurant. That means this place is real Bedstuy Do or Die.
Peaches Hot House, 415 Tompkins Avenue
The main event at Peaches Hot House is the Nashville Style Hot Chicken. So crispy and so hot. But be careful, that heat sneaks up on you. In a feature on Unique Eats, Craig Samuel shares one secret about how his restaurant cooks their famous chicken. The chicken is seasoned in every step of the cooking process. Pre-cooking, the chicken is marinated in buttermilk and seasonings. Generously seasoned again during the breading and batter stages. Finally, seasoned again while on the cooling rack after being deep-fried twice. The seasoning mix used in the final stage is a combination of paprika, chili powder, and several other spices Craig refuses to share. The chicken will in fact burn your lips off, but its like a good pain where you still want more.
Peaches Shrimp & Crab, 285 Grand Avenue (Clinton Hill)
If you cannot tell by the title of this location, it features a contemporary seafood menu with the culinary traditions of the south. A good seafood restaurant or any restaurant, offers a seasonal menu and the winter menu at PSC highlights items like fried green tomatoes, jerk salmon, and a Long Island Whiting sandwich (pictured). I can't wait to return in the summer to see what else they bring to the table. This location is the biggest one of the three and has a full bar counter so you can sip and eat. It's still fairly new, so the wait for a table is not as stressful as the other two.
Conclusion
My favorite of the three is Peaches Hot House. I am a sucker for that Nashville Fried Chicken. In an interview, Craig Samuel referred to his restaurants as being the only place north of Nashville where you can get Nashville Fried Chicken. Now, that is not entirely true, but from my experience he definitely serves the best in the city. Neither location takes reservations for parties under 4 or 6 and these places are a hot, hot commodity on the weekends so get out of bed early if you want a table.
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