1608 Crafthouse

1608 Crafthouse Restaurant Review:

There’s total truth in advertising with the word "craft" in the name of this farm-to-fork, pub-like restaurant offering fare that is artisanal and lovingly prepared. With the exception of Colorado lamb, chef-owner Kevin Sharkey sources his ingredients from Virginia and 90 percent of his beer list is from craft breweries within 250 miles. His menu is tight, but what he does, he does right, whether it’s a small plate for sharing, such as the poutine (house-cut fries, cheese curds, oxtail chili, fried egg, fresh jalapeño and microgreens); charcuterie featuring Edwards Surryano ham and Mountain View Farms cheese with honey, pickled carrots and toasted bread; a sandwich of stout-braised pork shoulder piled with creamy grits and garlic broccolini on Cuban bread; or a special such as rockfish on squash. For dessert, the cast-iron skillet cookie topped with impossibly creamy vanilla bean gelato is a must. The interior design won’t win any awards, since tin trimming is the biggest nod to decoration. But the service is smart and friendly (and sassy in the nicest way) and, best of all, the cuisine is presented in a relaxed fashion. Sharkey even recycles oyster shells for local oystermen.