Comments (2) Best New Restaurant - 2008
Digestif
How do we love Digestif? We'd count the ways, but there are just too many. For starters, there's executive chef Payton Curry, who puts his heart into handmade pasta and housemade charcuterie. There's pastry chef Tracy Dempsey, who had already impressed us at Digestif's sister restaurants (Cowboy Ciao, Kazimierz, and Sea Saw) but now gives us new confections to crave. And how could we forget Pavle Milic, the attentive general manager, who's got more charm in his pinky finger than most people could muster after going through etiquette boot camp? Milic's snazzy old-school absinthe presentation, complete with slotted spoon, sugar cube, and vintage-style water fountain, is worth a visit unto itself. Not that we'd ever dream of coming here and not indulging in the fantastic eats. The delectable "Farm to Table" vegetable plate, the crispy skin duck breast, the chorizo-topped crostata fresh out of the stone hearth oven — it's all good.
Sometimes we come to Digestif just to soak up the laid-back '60s living-room vibe and hip, 21st-century indie-rock soundtrack (courtesy of Stinkweeds' Kimber Lanning), and even then we can't resist noshing on top-notch snacks, from Pecorino cheese to housemade pancetta. And what about drinks? The restaurant is named after a type of European liqueur that's supposed to aid digestion, so thankfully the selection lives up to it. Digestif's craft cocktails rock, and naturally the wine list is mind-blowing. We wouldn't expect anything less from restaurateur/celebrity wino Peter Kasperski, who definitely deserves a toast for this tasty addition to our culinary scene.
