Kitchen Table
Biscuits and Jam
Blueberry Clafoutis
Carrot Walnut Muffin
Lemon Loaf
Blueberry Kugelhopf
Ducky Cristo (my naming, per request) – Duck Confit, Gruyere, Parisienne Ham, Maple Gastrique, Caramelized Apples
Foie Gras Apple Pancake – Skillet Pancake with Foie Gras, Caramelized Apples, Streusel
A veritable lightning rod for praise since opening its doors in late 2015 it was just after eight on Saturday morning that a return visit was paid to Kitchen Table and once again finding the small restaurant jammed-packed with locals as Chefs Nuniez and Chavez commanded the kitchen it seems difficult to believe that the restaurant has gotten even better, yet with four new pastries plus two plates and a biscuit as my witness I swear the statement is true.
Admittedly a known entity on entering, Antonio having suggested I stop by to see a new concept soon to debut and even allowing me to go “off menu” and create a plate reminisced of from a visit to Montreal’s Au Pied de Cochon, it was with big smiles that I was greeted at the hostess podium on entry, a two-top at the pass giving me the opportunity to chat with the Chefs about upcoming menus and partnership with a local charity as I dined.
Introduced to Michael Russ II during this visit, the lean young man defying any notions of “Never Trust(ing) a Skinny Pastry Chef” by continuously reinventing the bounty of baked goods situated to tempt diners on entry, it was with wide eyes that I perused new interpretations of European Classics alongside all the “usual” suspects, warm gobs of Monkey Bread soon seen landing at almost every table around me with good reason as it is undoubtedly amongst the city’s very best.
Opting to invest my appetite in only new items, many prior favorites still available while the sizable menu has been trimmed of others to make way for things to come, it was with the first of several cups of coffee poured by a pleasant young woman that breakfast kicked off and sinking teeth into a freshly made buttermilk biscuit served with housemade jam the flaky layers separated cleanly with ample notes of butter cascading forward, the cast iron clafoutis offering a stark textural contrast with a rich custard base dotted by bursting blueberries not far from the quality seen during recent trips to France.
Assuredly finding footing with daily muffins, the carrot walnut version a moist morsel that eschews sweetness in favor of more natural spicy notes, those looking for something innovative are encouraged to indulge in Chef Russ’s jam-centered Kugelhopf, the ridged pastry a sort of Americanized take on Austrian tradition with a texture akin to poundcake and not dissimilar to that of the dainty lemon loaf topped with freshly candied peel and brightly acidic glaze.
Showing stronger than ever in terms of service, Antonio taking advantage of rare lulls to touch tables and make sure all were well, a forty-five minute wait for indoor tables by 9:00am spoke to the likely benefits of warm weather and patio space, plates emerging from the kitchen with impressive rapidity including my first, a slightly modified version of Kitchen Table’s best-in-show Monte Cristo, this one the very picture of decadence gussied up with Gruyere, pan-seared apples, and a generous helping on housemade confit duck.
Having already seen much of the current menu and happy to see a pair of Chefs not yet ready to sit back and rest round two from the kitchen arrived hot on the heels of the hefty sandwich and with first look generating an audible “wow” at both the size as well as the presentation neither compared to the taste or complimentary textures, the cake itself a toothsome masterpiece not dissimilar from the Apple Pancake made famous by Original Pancake House while a slice of silky duck liver added richness amidst streusel and even more hot cinnamon apples.
FIVE STARS: Comparable to any of the best breakfast spots in Brooklyn, Portland, or Wicker Park with a down-home feel as welcoming to seniors as it is to “gourmands” and folks into trendy foods, Kitchen Table continues to excel in a city long felt to be behind the culinary times, a tribute to a truly dedicated team of chefs and front of house staff.
RECOMMENDED: All the previous recommendations stand, and the Clafoutis and Skillet Pancake should be added to the Monte Cristo, Croque Madame, and Monkey Bread as musts.
AVOID: Arriving late, unless you want to wait.
TIP: Those who have not been, or those who need to return, are encouraged to do so between 1/25/16 and 2/1/16 as Kitchen Table partners with Stick a Fork in Cancer, 10% of all sales benefiting The American Cancer Society: http://news3lv.com/news/videos/stick-a-fork-in-cancer
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.kitchentablelv.com/
