THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Woodfire Grill Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Woodfire Grill Restaurant Review:

Woodfire Grill today is less Southern than it has been in the past. That's not to say ingredients such as soft-shell crab don't appear. But gone are the grits and other decidedly Southern touches. Under executive chef Matthew Weinstein, the menu changes not only seasonally but also daily, although foie gras is a year-round offering. We enjoy composing a meal from the appetizers and small plates, which show great inventiveness, if sometimes a little too much competition from sauces and flavors. Brebis from local sheep’s milk producer Many Fold Farms composes the gnudi that are underpinned by thin slivers of coppa. Fennel contrasts with the tender gnudi by adding crunch. Soft-shell crab is skillfully cooked, but the accompanying tastes, especially the sambal, overwhelmed the delicate crab. Weinstein likes to paint his plates, so the foie gras pleases the eye before making its statement on the palate. Pastry chef Patrick Dineen bakes the restaurant's bread and composes the desserts. Chocolate hazelnut roulade provides just enough sweetness to end all on a refined note and is generous enough to share. The intelligently composed wine list shows great breadth in regions represented. We especially admire the unusual depth in Riesling. The Andrea Felici Verdicchio complements the gnudi.