DINING | Written by Rachel Weaver | Photos by David Pinchot

With a subdued fine-dining atmosphere and ever-changing seasonal menus, Jacksons Restaurant - Rotisserie - Bar gives patrons a reason to return.

Jeffrey Kuhlman II with a entrée in Jacksons’ dining room.

For diners who appreciate consistency, Jacksons Restaurant – Rotisserie - Bar at Southpointe delivers with its high-quality appetizers, entrées and desserts. The upscale eatery also is ideal for anyone who hates being bored, as meals found on the menu change four times a year.

Executive chef Jeffrey Kuhlman II, who has been with Jacksons for four years, taps into his culinary creativity every three months and changes the menu to highlight the best catch and produce of the season.

“(The staff) is really supportive of me and the ideas I bring,” says Kuhlman, a 28-year-old who has perfected his art at establishments in Key West, Columbus and Pittsburgh. “I really don’t get held back.”

Jacksons, located next to the Hilton Garden Inn in Canonsburg, has become a popular lunch spot for employees of nearby offices in its five years of business. Whether dining on the fly or over a leisurely dinner, guests can enjoy the fine dining atmosphere, complete with white cloths lining intimate two-, four- and six-top tables; light pouring from contemporary blue table lights and oversized paintings hanging on mustard-colored walls. The subdued atmosphere is highlighted with a warm, chipped stone fireplace greeting guests near the front door and dark wood lining the walls and the large, curving bar.

But the real focus at Jacksons is on the food. This season’s menu, the restaurant’s 20th, is the 18th on which Kuhlman worked. His unique appetizers include Jack’s stuffed artichokes, infused with jalapenos and cream cheese and accompanied with tabbouleh, and fried oysters and Bloody Mary, freshly shucked and breaded with buttermilk fried fennel, served with a side of the rich libation.

The most popular soup, says Kuhlman, is the shrimp and chorizo chowder and the seasonal choice is fall roasted squash served with pine nuts and parsley infused olive oil. Salad standards are the wedge, chop and Caesar. Fresh fish selections include Mesquite-grilled Yellow fin tuna, Jumbo Shrimp (which Kuhlman boasts are as big as lobster tails) and roasted snapper.

In addition to a wide variety of savory pasta dishes, the menu includes rotisserie choices such as game sausage prepared with turnips, oyster mushrooms and roasted potatoes. The poultry and pork section includes braised pork shank, pork loin and Mesquite-grilled chicken. Kuhlman offers Omaha steaks, served as a strip or filet mignon.

Decadent desserts range from the house’s signature hummingbird grace, made of banana and pineapple cake with cream cheese vanilla icing and pecans, and the vanilla-lavender crème brulee.

From the brick oven menu, guests can choose from a diverse selection of pizzas and sandwiches. Many also are also featured on the restaurant’s lunch menu, the highlight of which is the Jacksons $6.50 power lunch. The deal includes a beverage, sandwich, fries and coleslaw, perfect for the corporate worker in need of a great lunch in little time.

New as of last season is the Jacksons tasting menu, which includes the guest’s choice of an appetizer, soup or salad, entrée and dessert for $40. Kuhlman highly suggests first-time diners try the tasting menu to get a great sense of what Jacksons has to offer.

“I would love to see every customer try that,” he says with a smile.

Occasionally when preparing a menu item, Kuhlman knows he’s pushing the creative envelope. A few menus ago, he created spaghetti squash flan, which he likens to “seasoned air.” The dish had never been done in Pittsburgh to his knowledge, yet it was widely received by Jacksons guests, the true test of any menu item.

“The recognition is from the guest,” says Kuhlman, who puts the finishing touches on his meals in an expedite area visible to guests through windows looking into the kitchen. Kuhlman appreciates this set-up, as it allows him to mingle with the establishment’s clientele. When he recognizes a familiar face, he often comes out to take the order personally.

Anyone still wondering if regulars are appreciated at Jacksons need look no farther than the hostess stand, next to which is an entire wall of wine lockers, each labeled with a frequent diner’s name. Guests can call ahead to order wine and store it in their personal lockers until they are ready to come in and dine, no matter the season.

Jacksons is located at 1000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317. It can be reached at 724-743-5005. Reservations are strongly suggested. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Sunday. For more information, visit www.experiencejacksons.com. •