Silk Rd Tavern

New restaurants could learn a lot from Silk Rd Tavern.  When you're new to the neighborhood, stellar service is a great way to cement your stake in the foodie community, especially when you have the food to back it up.  Steph and I arrived at the new Flatiron restaurant ready to sample the menu that looked so yummy online.  After a Spicy Thai Margarita (tequila, tamarind, chilis - YUM in that sweet/spicy way) we were ready to design our plan of attack.

The number one thing I wanted to try was the everything duck eggroll (with fois gras and apricot mustard).  Though I was most excited about this dish, it fell a little flat for me.  The wonton was a little too thick/fried and the duck was a little dry.  It wasn't bad, but it wouldn't be a dish that would keep me coming back to the restaurant.  Immediately after, our meal took a bright turn.  Our waiter must have liked our enthusiasm while ordering - when deciding between two sides, we asked us to "surprise us."  He certainly did by bringing out both, one of which was on the house.  The first was a giant root vegetable chip that almost had the consistency of a rice chip.  It was light and airy - I think it would be a great replacement for the bread basket that most restaurants put on the table, but seems more like the type of dish that comes complimentary.

Here's where the meal gets interesting:  the mac and cheese made with rice cakes and Vermont cheddar is Asian fusion in its truest form.  An all american dish gets a serious Asian twist by replacing pasta with mochi.  This mochi mac had a gummy, creamy consistency that was something totally new to my taste buds.  Next we tried the eggplant fries.  The sturdy eggplant held its own within its tempura casing and light sweet sauce.  This was my second favorite dish of the evening and by this point we were telling our waiter how much we were enjoying our meal and drinks.  The praises soared after trying our final dish, the short ribs with kimchi, brussels sprout leaves, and a large sunny side up egg.  Everything about this dish was perfect.  The sweet Asian bbq sauce must have been marinating with the short ribs for a long time because it just fell apart.  The kimchi gave it a kick but it's not overly spicy thanks to the creamy egg and sweet short ribs.  It's the most expensive dish on the menu but it's worth it.  I recommend going with a friend and sharing this dish along with some of the smaller ones for a filling meal.

By this point, we'd become good fans of the restaurant, making friends with our waiter, and contemplating a return.  That return visit was solidified when our waiter came out and told us the chef wanted us to sample a few of the desserts on the house.  No way!  Way.  He brought out strawberry shortcake in an elderflower soup with shortbread and whipped cream that were legit.  He also brought a creme brulee (my all-time favorite dessert) with a serious brulee topping and caramelized peaches.  True it's fusion, but I don't usually expect great desserts from Asian restaurants.  This dispelled that [self imposed] myth in a beautiful way.

With drinks like the spicy thai margarita and dishes like the short ribs and eggplant fries, I would have liked this restaurant regardless.  But it was the jovial and attentive service that took it to the next level for me.  If they keep this up, I predict a packed house nightly.