[Pigging by Wilfrid: February 15, 2016]
These haven't been great nights for going out to the restaurants, have they? I've been staying in, eating in; but I did find myself hungry on Wyckoff recently, and I was curious about the venison duo at Faro.
And there was an empty bar (the tables were busy), so that's what I did.
It was nice to have a quick chat with Kevin Adey, who has settled into his groove here. He credits me--I hadn't realized--with publishing the first review of the place.
I started out with an octopus special which turned out to be a texture party, with toasted breadcrumbs and sea bean strands. Almost everything on the menu is sourced locally, which made me wonder if the venison was from upstate. No: farmed venison from Texas.
Two pieces of loin, nicely roasted, medium rare; concealing a good hunk of tender braised meat. But what particularly struck me was the meticulous composition of the plate. The conception and execution is a whole level above the hearty comfort food Adey offered so successfully at Northeast Kingdom down the street.
The pommes dauphin were immaculate, fluffy and crunchy. Deeply colored gremolata sauce. Some parsley root. It's a $32 plate, and if that seems like Manhattan pricing, this is Manhattan cooking. In a good way. This is a serious venture.
For those ever curious, although I bumped into the chef, I neither expected nor sought, nor was offered, any comps.
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