It is very rare that I gush about a restaurant like I do for Chalk Point Kitchen. The SoHo mainstay was on my radar to review for quite sometime, due to the high praise I saw all over the internet, as well as some of the best food photography I have ever seen from a restaurant. When I finally got my butt there to review it back in October, my brain quickly went into overdrive with just how freaking awesome they really are. With Farm to Table being their primary focal point, they have become one of the most requested places to try out for Manhattanites and the zillion tourists we get each year. This week they revealed their Summer 16 menu for the masses to enjoy, and i got to experience just how amazing it was first hand last night.
For Chalk Point Kitchen not being the biggest when it comes to size, it certainly makes up for that in its execution of their dishes and concept to really drive home that healthy “farm to table” concept that I previously discussed. They are consistently updating their menus to keep in with the current season, and are developing their own trends in doing so with the quality of ingredients, depths of flavor and visualization of each dish that really make it such a great place to go to.
Dinner mainstays, courtesy of the phenomenally talented chef Rebecca Weitzman and restaurateur Matt Levine, include scrumptious items like their Plainville Farms Roasted Organic Chicken or their Cast Iron Seared Grass-Fed New York Strip, two of which we had last night, are just proof as to how much TLC goes into the dishes that they prepare. This past Monday, Matt released the dishes that are part of their Summer 16 menu, and similar to the Drake song of the same name, packs a ton of heart and depth into each option they create.
Here are some of the standout dishes that we had last night from their menu, that you MUST MUST MUST try the next time you head there. Heck, make the reservation tonight!
First, the Cast Iron Roasted Octopus with spicy charred corn, red radish root and baby carrots are absolutely to die for. I am not the biggest Octopus fan, however, with the mixture of the other ingredients on one pretty plate, it really made for a delicious dish, and the mainstay was cooked perfectly.
Next, we were delighted to try their Seared House Smoked Maine Diver Scallops & Heirloom Melon Gazpacho. I’ve only had Gazpacho once or twice before, but this one took the cake. The sweet taste of the melon in the gazpacho, paired with the heat from the scallops, mixed with the other colorful items in this dish including crispy air baked avocado, toasted mercona almonds and micro cilantro flowers was what really pulled this dish together.
Hands down, literally hands down, the best dish from the Summer 16 menu that we had last night was their Grilled Kernan Farms Peaches, with chipotle crema and spiced roasted macademia nut crumble. I don’t have any words to really express just how amazing the first bite of these peaches were. They were dripping in flavor, and had the right amount of heat in them to really make it such a pungent bite. A no brainer must have.
Another item from the menu that we really enjoyed was their Charred Norwich Meadows Romano Beans with crispy capers, aged pecorino, and a summery-savory dijon dressing. This is a great item to share with a friend or family member, and has a great amount of flavor to add to the already delicious romano beans.
Finally, their Grillled Yellow Watermelon with basil vinegar, ricotta salata and nasturtium flowers was yet another standout from this fantastic menu. I’ve never had Watermelon like this, especially with cheese on it, but the mixture of all the ingredients just tasted really unique and fresh. Such a great bite.
A great drink that they prepared for us, part of the menu, is their Blueberry Martini with Reyka Vodka, Blueberry Puree, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup with a salt rim. The drink is so good you can barely taste the alcohol, and it is quite refreshing with the humid weather we have been having lately. Overall, a perfect meal from a perfect location. For more information on Chalk Point Kitchen, check out their official site.