Location: 30 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001
Cuisine: American
Best Dish: The Salmon was excellent, the combination of fish and veggies was well thought out. The Cricket Pizza was also amazing, we could eat that jalapeño pesto on anything.
Cost: $$$
Overall: A whimsical destination for Instagram worthy dishes in an artistic atmosphere.
As you may or may not know, David Burke is an acclaimed American Chef with decades of experience. His latest endeavor, Woodpecker, is an experiment of sorts abandoning gas stovetops for the classic wood burning stove. The decor is a mixture of woods and industrial elements. The walls are covered in fascinating pieces curated by artist Andrea Acevedo also known as Butterfly Mush. Her art reflects the creativity found in Burke’s menu. Inspired by young chefs across the country, Burke has set aside some of his French training in sauces and richness in exchange for a lighter menu of flavor packed combinations, rarely used ingredients and new proteins. Among the more interesting offerings on the menu is cricket. A longtime supporter of alternative protein sources, Burke introduces the insect in the most innocuous way, on a pizza. Though Chef Burke’s moniker appears throughout the restaurant the daily kitchen operations are overseen by Chef Carmine Di Giovanni.
Bacon Clothesline
A familiar staple in Burke’s menu is the clothesline. Several slices of warm bacon arrive suspended from a wooden “clothesline” structure. The bacon is thick and peppery glazed with sweet maple. This dish is as tasty as it looks. This is a great starter to any meal.
Grillos (Cricket) Pizza & Crab Octopus Pizza
Crickets may not be a familiar pizza topping but it could be, and it’s a better option than pineapples!! Crickets are high in protein and one of the species of bug, eaten worldwide. Crickets are a popular Mexican street food, usually covered in spices. At Woodpecker, the insects are ground into pizza dough and grilled as a topping with jalapeño pesto. Though the crickets are the most interesting ingredient, the jalapeño pesto is the real star. The flavor is herbaceous and warm with a mild heat. On our visit, Chef Giovanni prepared an octopus and crab pizza special topped with succulent grilled octopus, buttery crab meat, and arugula. The peppery arugula was a good balance of flavor for the sweet crab meat and thick chunks of octopus.
Black Pepper Ginger Salmon
The Salmon is simply prepared with a crisp outer layer and tender inside. The salmon is served with thick King Oyster Mushrooms, asparagus and ramp pesto. Ramps are a mild onion variety with a fragrant aroma and incredible flavor. The taste is comparable to an onion garlic hybrid offering the sweet and savory best of both. Though each element on the plate was tasty alone, the best bite incorporates everything on the plate. The combination is scrumptious and satisfying.
Dry Aged Pork Prime Rib
Pork Prime Rib is a delicious and meaty as its beefy counterpart. The bone in cut of pork is well-seasoned and presented with a colorful assortment of greenery and casino-style clams. The pairing of clams with pork is common in Portuguese cuisine. While our traditional version of surf and turf is usually shrimp or lobster with steak, this pork variation is unique and absolutely delicious. The Pork Prime Rib paired nicely with a glass of red wine.
Hipster Fries
Put away your usual bacon cheese fries and get into hipster fries. These flavor-packed fries feature thick hand cut crispy fries, bits of fresh cut maple bacon parmesan cheese and just a touch of chili oil. Though full of interesting flavors and textures these fries are lighter than those neon cheese covered you get at a greasy spoon. These are your classic bacon cheese fries, refined.
Cocktails
Woodpecker has fully stocked bar and whimsical specialty cocktails. If you can never decide between Tequila and Mezcal have both with the “Cardinal”. This refreshing drink is made with Campari, pineapple, and strawberry. For a variation on the classic Bloody Mary, opt for the “Pigs Can Fly”. This briny treat is made with vodka, tomato juice, pickle juice and a splash of Frank’s red hot for a spicy kick.
Woodpecker by David Burke is what hipster chefs aspire to but often fall short of. It is a combination of expertise, creativity, and culinary skills that many have tried but failed to achieve. Go beyond the avocado toast and deconstructed everything and get into something wood grilled and magical. The plates at Woodpecker aren’t just photogenic they are carefully crafted, curated works of food artistry that actually taste as good as they look.
Woodpecker by David Burke is open daily and seats a total of 110 guests, the restaurant features a private dining room and a large communal table in the front of the kitchen, along with a 35-foot bar.
For more information, head over to woodpeckerbydb.com.
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