IN Millcreek Spring 2019 | Page 36

INGOOD TASTE Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs Joe Perino, Executive Chef, The Cork 1794 The Cork 1794 900 West Erie Plaza Drive, Erie 814.651.0332, cork1794.com fig, Valencia orange, watermelon radish, and watercress infused with a light black peppercorn vinaigrette. On the Menu: The Cork 1794, in its new location in West Erie Plaza in Millcreek Township, continues its tradition of offering best-in-class dining experiences. Menu items are prepared with some of the best and freshest ingre- dients available in the country. Dinner en- trees include Filet Au Poivre: Black Angus Filet Mignon sourced from Mosher Farms in Liscomb, Iowa, served with porcini and fig risotto, charred baby carrots, golden beets and cast iron brandy pan sauce. The dessert menu features The Cork’s Cloud Cake, baked with hazelnut flour and topped with hazelnut spread and candied hazelnuts dipped in sugar to form spikes that suspend a cloud of spun sugar over the cake. Served with French vanilla ice cream, it’s too tempting not to try and, although you wouldn’t guess, it’s gluten free. You can also choose to enjoy The Cork’s Stuffed Pork Chop, double-brined in apple cider for flavor and tenderness, stuffed with Cortland apple and Brie, and served with sausage from Larry’s Central Market in Erie, brioche bread pudding, rapini, garlic, golden beet and star anise simple syrup. The Cork also serves Pan Seared Halibut, a hook-and-line-caught halibut served with fresh, crispy strozzapreti pasta made in-house, baby zucchini, baby sunburst squash, Australian finger lime beurre blanc sauce, and chive oil. The menu also includes rotating “Hunter’s Hunt” and “Catcher’s Catch” items pre- pared from fresh game meat. Guests will also find a tempting selection of starters, soups, and salads, including signature salads such as gluten-free, vegetarian Fig & Orange Salad: frisée, You can make your reservation to dine at The Cork 1794 at www.cork1794.com. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. What led Red Letter Hospitality to open The Cork 1794 in West Erie Plaza? The Cork in North East attracted a lot of customers from Millcreek Township and even from Fairview. We wanted a more centralized, larger location, and with the renovations and new stores popping up in West Erie Plaza, we are sure it’s going to bring a lot of people back to that area. Q A Even with a great location, we know we are only going to be as good as the team that’s behind us. So we took a lot of time interviewing for the front and back of the house; we’ve put together a really great team with a lot of talent. How did you decide on the menu? Red Letter Hospitality Corporate Executive Filet Au Poivre dish that is perfectly paired with a beautiful red wine picked by our Sommelier. 34 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE ❘ icmags.com Chef Joe Perino teaching his culinary staff how to filet halibut. Chef Kristian Young and I spent about five months designing the menu. We kept a few things from The Cork in North East, but we wanted to offer a new menu focusing on the freshest ingredients like fresh, house-made pasta and bread. And we spent three months tasting steak from different farms to find the very best for our guests. What kitchen tool can’t you live without? It’s my “spadle.” It’s a metal spoon that I’ve had for 12 or 13 years that I can bend to also use as a ladle. I use it for saucing plates, stirring, or whatever I need to do at the time. What is your favorite go-to ingredient? I am huge into making fresh pasta, so my go-to ingredients are eggs and semolina flour. When it comes to versatility I’d have to say butter, and for seasoning, sea salt flakes. Other than your restaurant, where’s your favorite place to eat? I work seven days a week, so when I have time outside the restaurant, my favorite place to eat is at home with my daughters. I love to spend time with them, cooking a simple dinner, sitting down at a table with them, and talking. What’s the next big food or dining trend? Whether at our Erie area restaurants or our fast casual CoreLife Eatery franchise in Cleveland, we see the demand for menu items that use natural, organic ingredients. We understand that when people sit down to enjoy dinner, they want to know they will receive the freshest and best ingredients—and we make sure they know those are our core values. We show guests right on the menu where we source ingredients so they know they’re sourced responsibly and sustainably. n