Carson Kitchen
Iced Tea
Pineapple Express – Absolut elyx vodka, grassroot’s cold pressed pineapple, orange, carrot and turmeric
Watermelon and Feta – cucumber,white balsamic
Veal Meatballs – sherry foie gras cream
Tempura Green Beans – pepper jelly, cream cheese
Cheddar Crab Fondue – assorted bread
Strawberry Salad – manchego,candied pecans
Jerk Turkey Burger – mango chutney slaw with spicy tator tots
Pork Belly Cuban – Tasso ham, manchego with spicy tator tots
Seared Scallops – mango habanero beurre blane
Cocoa-Espresso NY Strip Steak – red wine demi
Baked Mac & Cheese – shhhh, it’s a secret
Bourbon Fudge Brownie – brown butter bacon ice cream
Banoffee Pie – organic wheat beer, mandarin orange coulis
Originally visiting Carson Kitchen a few months after its opening to a mixed experience that left me wondering exactly why every critic in town was acting as though the restaurant somehow reinvented American cuisine, or even downtown dining, it was on the invitation of Simon partner Cory Harwell that I returned to 124 S. 6th Street on Saturday, the service far finer tuned on its first anniversary while food continues to mind its upscale and whimsical groove.
Taking into account that the August 2014 visit was likely colored by expectations of something transcendent, a tale propagated by the media moreso than by Kerry Simon’s team themselves, it was with a clearer picture of the restaurant’s place in the evolving local environment that this second experience was had, and although little in the space has changed with regard to decor or denizens the soon-to-evolve spring menu showed flashes of brilliance to go along with plates that have routinely received raves since the concept was debuted.
Allowing Cory, an extremely pleasant man whose passion for the project and heartfelt comments about his friend’s health were on full display throughout the meal, to serve us whatever he felt best exemplified the current menu, it was with a brisk cocktail and natural juice and vodka that the meal began and soon treated to a summer salad similar to that at Hearthstone a few weeks prior the “gateway” dish of supple meatballs with foie gras cream proved the meal’s first true triumph – the descriptive nomenclature offered up by Cory when describing his hopes to use esoteric ingredients not as an upsell or hook, but rather as a means to introduce less adventurous diners to something they may never have otherwise opted to order.
Clearly trying to focus on items not tasted during visit one, while also eyeing balanced courses that would not overwhelm our palates too early on, round two featured Kerry’s personal favorite fried green beans paired with a surprisingly sweet pepper jelly and cream cheese spread inspired by Harwell’s Southern roots, and moving past a strawberry salad that unfortunately fell a bit flat as a result of berries a bit less ripe than one would hope it was here that another exemplary dish arrived, the cast iron crock of creamy crab dip proving absolutely decadent with sharp notes of cheddar carefully melded to the sweet chunks of crustacean spread throughout.
Perhaps overdoing it on the salted pretzel batons served alongside the dip, but admittedly unaware of how much was to come, course three featured two of Carson Kitchen’s seasonal sandwiches and although the turkey burger was pleasant enough with spice offset by housemade chutney it was undoubtedly the Cuban that proved the better of the two, a significant upgrade over several watery versions found elsewhere offered through the use of savory pork shoulder topped with pickles, mustard, and Spanish Cheese – even the bread not far off from the crispy pressed paninis served in Miami, Tampa, and other highly praised locations throughout the American Southeast.
Taking it easy on the tots as the table was told three more savories were soon to come, it was admittedly to rolled eyes that Cory told a tale of Carson Kitchen’s lauded Mac & Cheese, yet despite the genuine ennui of a dish omnipresent on every American menu in the city Harwell’s version achieved the rare feat of truly wowing with both texture and nuance, a similar statement applicable to the seared scallops bathed in citrus and heat though less so to a medium rare piece of beef that seemed to get lost amidst a rich-rub and equally strong sauce.
Somewhat disappointed by the O-Face Bread Pudding and overly-citrus Twinkies from August, but hoping to see Springtime sweets show the same sort of evolution seen in the service, it was with a duo of desserts that the meal would end and again impressed by the richness of a boozed up brownie kept in check by bacon and brown butter ice cream it was unsurprisingly Cory’s accented version of banana pudding that immediately stole my heart, the flavors of both the Southern Classic and toffee-tinged English pie suggested through the use of ingredients one rarely associates to either with a texture that eventually saw full bellies making room to scrape the jar clean.
FOUR STARS: Having finally lost some of the hype as more and more restaurants have opened in DTLV, but still making good on a mission to offer a creative menu of well sourced ingredients at a great price, there is little doubt Carson Kitchen has earned its place amongst must-visit lists for locals and tourists alike – the “Keep Calm and Kerry On” mantra as appropriate now as the day it opened and likely to greet patrons for many years to come.
RECOMMENDED: Cheddar Crab Fondue, Mac & Cheese, Veal Meatballs, Banoffee Pie.
AVOID: Strawberry Salad, Cocoa-Espresso NY Strip Steak.
TIP: Soon transitioning to a summer menu that Cory promises to feature even more interesting twists, along with several Carson Kitchen staples, those interested in the current options are advised to visit soon.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://carsonkitchen.com
