It began with Scott Manley competing against six other chefs for the job of chef at Alpine Inn-themed Table, Donkey and Stick. Now he has the job— backed up by another of the competitors, Jon Keeley, who will help get the place launched before joining owner Shin Thompson in his new Randolph-area restaurant in March— and he’s putting out the food his pop-up promised. But for Manley it also represents another progression— he’s identified with his first and most important mentor, Paul Virant, for whom he cooked for 2-1/2 years, and there are plenty of signs of Virant’s porky, farmer’s market-focused approach. But Manley hastens to add that Mike Sheerin, for whom he worked at Blackbird, is his other big influence, in the way he uses unexpected contrasts within certain dishes— a creamy accompaniment that might be heavy and thick turns out to be lighter and more contrasting through the use of a farmer’s cheese. Whichever mentor you prefer to credit, the care and precision of Manley’s execution is unmistakably school of Kahan, and at a higher level than you would guess you’d find in what remains a cozy neighborhood spot on an off-the-beaten path stretch at 2728 W. Armitage. We sampled the final menu on opening night, last night, as our man Huge Galdones took its pictures; check them out below.
Housebaked buckwheat sourdough baguette with pork rillettes.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Smoked vension loin with cherry mostarda; behind it a salad of Nichols lettuce, honey vinaigrette and Tomme de Savoie cheese.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Pheasant galantine with coffee, fennel, and cheese accompaniment.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Roasted sunchokes, delicata squash, squash butter, pepita vinaigrette.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Smoked chicken maultaschen, kohlrabi, roasted chicken consommé.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Pork sausage, pork fat pretzel roll, Comte St. Antoine, cauliflower, mustard butter.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Pizzocheri of buckwheat pasta, potatoes, taleggio, swiss chard, fried sage.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Polenta, roasted bacon, gorgonzola, pickled peppers, black trumpet mushrooms.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Braised beef shank, sweet potato Dauphinoise, caramelized kale, pickled shallot.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Pan roasted whole Rushing Waters trout, rye berries, mustard greens, walnut and horseradish quark.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Anton’s Liebe Rot washed rind cheese, Chiriboga blue cheese, Heublumen hard cheese with candied walnuts, Green Acres honey, bee pollen.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Chocolate pave, toasted meringue, pine nut brittle, preserved Seedling Farm blueberries.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Sourdough apple pudding, shortbread, creme-fraiche ice cream.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
Chef Scott Manley of Table, Donkey and Stick.
Photo: Photographer: Huge Galdones/Copyright: Galdones Photography LLC. All rights reserved.
