1201 Kitchen

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1201 Kitchen at 1201 State St. has been a planned dinner destination for me since the day it opened. I had lunch there when it was still 1201 Restaurant and Wine Bar, but since Chef/Owner Dan Kern took over, I hadn’t made the time to return. Last night, Amanda and I were joined by our friends Brandon Sease and Katie Winterhoff. Neither of them is a huge seafood fan, so they didn’t participate in this week’s review. Our server, Chuck, was there with menus and taking drink orders shortly after we were seated. Before arriving, Amanda and I both received several recommendations from friends about what seafood dishes we should order. 1201 Kitchen has something to suit any taste, as there is a full, seasonally changing menu, in addition to a fresh sushi/raw bar. We really had some incredible choices for dinner. Instead of revealing what we ordered right off the bat, I am going to let it be revealed in turn.

I was the only one who ordered a traditional entrée. I ordered the Scarlet Snapper. The cut of fish was the perfect size and doneness. Both sides of the fish were golden and crispy, while the center was tender and flaky. The fillet was served over sticky rice and crispy fried potatoes tossed in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. The bowl was also filled with a kanto broth that was delicious. On top of everything were some slices of marinated English cucumber. With everything combined into one bite, it was really good. The fish held up to the heat of the sauce while the potato and rice gave each mouthful some texture. As everything sat in the broth, flavoring it further while I ate, the final few spoonfuls were the best part of the dish.

The main course was good, but the plates from the sushi/raw bar were the real stars. I started my meal with the Honey-Bourbon Cured Salmon Tacos. Three small tortillas are fried until lightly crisp and then topped with a citrus-tarragon crema. On top of that is the fresh, diced honey-bourbon cured salmon and double smoked bacon. The fresh, sweet salmon combined with the salty bacon was incredible. Each taco was topped with watercress slaw and star anise, which really elevated the overall flavors of the dish. The crunch of both the tortilla and the slaw combined with the meaty fish made for a really fantastic taco.

Amanda’s meal started with a lightly seared scallop appetizer. The almost-raw scallop was thinly sliced and layered with smoked prosciutto and avocado. It was served with a side of aged soy sauce and togarashi agave. The scallop melted with the creaminess of the avocado and created an almost butterlike mouth feel that was delightful. The prosciutto added just the right amount of smokiness and salt. The flavors worked well together, and both sauces elevated the plate to a new level.

Her entrée was an order of the Spicy Tuna Maki. Maki is the shortened name given to a sushi roll. This roll consisted of fresh chopped tuna, avocado, and scallions. It also came with a side of spicy sauce, pickled ginger, wasabi paste, and soy sauce. The rice was cooked perfectly and gave the roll great body. The nori used to wrap it gave a little snap to each bite. I tend to think avocado gets overshadowed in a lot of sushi rolls; its creamy texture blends in with the soft fish and I never really taste it. The scallions, however, gave it fantastic crunch. The spicy sauce, as well as the wasabi, added an extra punch of flavor at the end.

Our dinner companions enjoyed, among other things, a seared kobe beef appetizer as well a special pork belly mac ‘n’ cheese that were both incredible. Regardless of whether reviewing for a blog entry brings me back, I will be returning soon to try more delicious items from the menu. Thank you to Chuck for the attentive and very knowledgeable service. Also, thank you to owners Dan and J.B. for your warmth and hospitality.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food