Eat At The Kitchen Counter At Storefront Company
By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 23, 2012 7:00PM
Open kitchens provide so much entertainment, who needs a TV? Watching the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, seeing dishes being plated is like a live Food Network special for a diner. So, what's better than an open kitchen? A seat in the kitchen itself. Or, at least, at the kitchen counter. At Storefront Company, a select few diners every night can have a unique menu prepared at the counter, chat with the chef, watch the action and feel just a tiny bit special.
When we visited, the menu was officially six courses, but there were extra treats sprinkled throughout like fancy bread service plus chocolates and macaroons to finish. None of the courses appeared on Storefront Company's regular menu, though some of them were adaptations of existing dishes. The surprising part was the price: around $80 with different wine pairings. That's not cheap, but for six substantial courses and a view that you can't get anywhere else, it's certainly not overpriced. (For dish descriptions, check the photo captions.)
The best part, of course, was being close to the kitchen. At Storefront Company, most of the action goes on behind a wall - but we saw expediting, finishing and a bunch of miscellaneous prep. Best of all, for pastry nerds like us, the "kitchen counter" is actually the pastry station, so we watched every complicated and beautiful dessert as it was being plated. There was never any shortage of things to talk about, and the staff was always happy to explain what they were working on. Chef Bryan Moscatello was a cordial host, presenting each dish and explaining the very complicated preparations.
The kitchen counter is very limited - there's only so much counter! You might be able to cram eight people in, but so far, the restaurant informed us that the max they have done is six. You'll need to make reservations in advance for the special seats so the kitchen can prepare a menu that accommodates any dietary restrictions or preferences. We'd suggest making them on a very slow night - a weekday night - so that you can chat up the chefs without worrying about causing any trouble. Call 773-661-2609 to reserve.
Storefront Company is located at 1941 W. North Avenue.