Split Rail

One of my favorite restaurants in town is Ada Street and one of the reasons was the food that the opening chef, Zoe Schor, put out and the vibe that she established in the restaurant.  I quickly became a fan and was excited to hear that she would be opening a new restaurant, Split Rail.  I went to a couple of Pop Ups for the restaurant before it was opened and really liked what she was serving, so I excitedly waited for the opening date.  Located in West Town in a former donut factory, it is much easier to find than Ada Street is.  The exterior is black with white stylized lettering for the sign and the door is on the corner.  Walking in, the first things that I noticed were that it is much bigger than Ada Street and that there are windows on two sides, so it is brighter inside.  The long bar is also black and is located along the left side as you walk in.  There is a nice selection of liquors, but it is not encyclopedic.  It does have those liquors that are necessary to make most cocktails.  The front design has a classic look and the bar stools in front of the bar are padded.  The tables in the dining room are wood topped and the chairs are black painted with a curved back.  There is a banquette opposite the wall with a print of cowboys.  The wall behind the banquette is painted brick red and there are old pictures in classic frames at the front of the restaurant.  The kitchen is elevated and is behind the wall used by the banquette.  There is an opening at the top of the wall looking into the kitchen and would make the wall a half-wall in the kitchen.  There is a Persian Rug on the floor beyond the bar in front of a shelf holding books and records.  The soundtrack for Split Rail is also vinyl, although it does not presently have the collection that Ada Street has.  Despite the large amount of black used in the dining room, it does have a friendly, homey, supper club feel to it.  As I was by myself when I came, I sat at the bar.

 

The cocktail list is pretty good, divided between originals and classics, low proof/no proof, and a couple of high brow (presently a cocktail consisting of Green Chartreuse, Japanese Whisky, and Salers Gentian Liqueur) and low brow selections (there take on a shot and a beer).  I decided to start with one of their originals, Stay Out of the Forest with Vikre Spruce Gin, Zirbenz Alpine Liqueur, Grapefruit, and Lime.  As one might expect with the Grapefruit and Lime, it was tart, but it also had a pronounced pine flavor to it.  I really liked it and thought it was a good start.

The food menu is largely there take on Midwestern classics.  There are always two toasts on the menu with changing toppings based on the seasons, meatballs, skewers, and a tartare.  I started things with Toast #2, which was topped with Country Ham Salad, Mizuna Greens, Green Tomatoes, and Marinated Anchovies.  Between the ham and the anchovies, I expected that this was going to be pretty salty.  While there was obviously salt in the dish, it was not overwhelmingly salty (nor was it fishy).  It had a nice variety of flavors and textures and while the ham salad was very definitely a spin on 1950s Midwestern fare, it went well beyond that.

For my side dish (which I received before my main), I had Fried Fingerling Potatoes with Carrots, Charred Scallion Aioli, Pepitas, and Pickled Mustard Seed.  You can make anything taste good if you fry it and if you start with something that already tastes good, you get a winner.  The potatoes were similar texturally to Frites, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  The carrots added sweetness to it and the pepitas added some nuttiness.  

Before my main course arrived, I ordered a second cocktail.  Called The Breakers, It had a very Scandinavian bent to it with Gamle Ode Dill Aquavit (the Scandinavian version of Vodka, although this one with a decidedly dill flavor), Apricot Shrub, Black Pepper, Mace, and Basil.  It was tart and had a lot of herbal flavor to it.  It actually kind of reminded me of drinking sweet pickle juice which tastes better than it sounds.

 

I was actually a little unsure about my main course.  It was Linguine and Clams with Egg Yolk Linguine, Clams, Charred Leeks, and Uni (Sea Urchin) Butter.  I have had pasta and clams before and really liked it, but I did wonder if the uni butter might put the flavor too much on the seafood side.  It did not, and in fact was very good.  With the seafood flavors, it did extend the Scandinavian feel which does fit because there is a significant Scandinavian population in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the UP of Michigan.  The Scandinavian vibe ads to the Midwestern vibe.

Looking at the dessert menu, I saw something very familiar: the Maple Bacon Bread pudding that I knew from Ada Street.  I really liked the bread pudding, but I already knew that I liked it, so I went with something different.  I went with the Chocolate Chess Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream, Graham Cracker Crumbs, and Orange Zest.  Served in a cast iron pan that was hot as it arrived, texturally, it reminded me of a brownie.  The pie had a rich chocolate flavor and the ice cream was sweet and creamy with a buttermilk bite.  Whether the texture was correct for a chess pie or not was immaterial to me because it was really good.  The best way to eat it was to dig in towards the center, get some of the crumble and the ice cream and enjoy it all together.  After the center was destroyed and the ice cream was gone, it was fun to pick the sides of the pan for the crispy chocolate that baked on to the side.  It was a very homey and great way to end a very good dinner.  

As I expected, I really liked this place.  The food, service, and space, were all very good and it was good to see the chef in her new digs.  This may also become one of my favorites as well.