Okra
PTO – Pineapple Plantation Rum, Sherry, Lime, Brown Sugar
‘Nduja Dates
Fried Chicken Skins & Honey Hot Sauce
Hush Puppies, Goat Cheese, Cucumber Salad
Buttermilk Biscuit
Country Ham, Pimento Cheese Aioli, Hoe Cakes
Diavola Focaccia – Calabrese, Mozzarell, Dessert Honey
Umbrian Style Fried Chicken with Cornbread
Buttermilk Meatballs & Polenta
Lemon Chess Pie from The Pie Snob
Canned Biscuit Doughnut with Salted Caramel
A resident of Phoenix when Crudo opened its doors to almost universal fanfare from local writers and “foodies” alike I have to admit I was not initially a fan of Cullen Campbell’s minimalistic cooking or stripped-down space, but told that Okra sees the Chef returning to his Southern roots while continuing to dish Italian intrigue got the best of me, the food almost across-the-board successful while the setting trends hip without ‘trying too hard.’
Again occupying a backdoor lot, the patio a lovely place to dine during happy hour as the sun slowly sets, it was just moments after four that I entered Okra’s main door and greeted by a hostess with my choice of tables the al fresco option proved pertinent mainly due to the decibel level within, bands like The Black Keys piped overhead alongside others more rooted in Blues.
Reportedly a place that starts hopping after seven, the cocktails no doubt a focus with classics and seasonal specialties crafted by one of the best barmen in town, it was at the advice of a waiter who seemed somewhat green that the newly launched PTO was selected, the smallish pour a bit steep at $12 even for someone hailing from Las Vegas though the fruit-forward complexity was no doubt well conceived.
Undoubtedly more knowledgeable than both my server and the average client about the majority of ingredients on the menu, Happy Hour prices slicing $2-$8 dollars off of several options and thus allowing for ten different plates plus the beverage at a total cost of just $84 before tax and tip, it was with a two-by-two progression that the tasting took place, a pyramid of dates stuffed with spicy Calabrian sausage absolutely heavenly while the fried chicken skins were as rich as would be expected, spicy desert honey keeping umami in check.
Taking a break from the spice to enjoy fluffy hushpuppies beneath a light salad smeared with goat cheese alongside a buttermilk biscuit that was unfortunately so dry that even with added honey it was unpleasant to eat, improvement was quickly found in a lightly charred flatbread piled with thick-cut Calabrese and its table-mate hoe cakes with rich ham from Benton’s and housemade pimento cheese thinned to luxuriously smooth spread.
All small plates to this point, the smoker to my left emitting the appetizing wafts of pork and wood, it was with two larger plates served simultaneously that savories came to a close and although the golden chicken served with fragrant garlic and thyme was no doubt high quality next to toasty toothsome cornbread it was the veal and pork meatballs melded with buttermilk breadcrumbs that immediately captured my attention, the creamy polenta base equally perfect with housemade tomato sauce.
Greeted by the manager and seeing great teamwork from a staff that looks out for one another with regard to bussing plates and filling drinks there was no doubt dessert would follow a meal of such high grade, but limited to a lone housemade biscuit-dough doughnut topped in salty caramel it was in an outsourced option from The Pie Snob that true greatness was discovered, a lemony Chess Pie atop an all-butter crust on par with anything found in the Carolinas or Tennessee beneath a thick dollop of cream.
http://www.okraaz.com/
