Flour & Barrel

Flour & Barrel is the latest culinary venture from the creative mind of local celebrity chef Katsuji Tanabe. I'm a big fan of his Mexican spot in Cary, a'Verde Cocina, so I couldn't wait to try his new restaurant in the Smoky Hollow district of downtown Raleigh. The restaurant is beautiful, though dimly lit, with a striking mural over the kitchen, and a swanky bar with velvet bar stools. My dining partner and I enjoyed ourselves - some dishes were hits, some slightly missed the mark. I'm eager to see if the menu changes with time, or if they will continue to fine tune these unique offerings.

The cocktail list is plentiful and features some unlikely combinations. My dining partner's drink came out smoking. Literally. I love a menu with curse words on it. We opted for the Big Ass Meatball, which was uber-tender and loaded with Pecorino and Herbs. It's covered with a tangy, unctuous Pomodoro Sauce and served with a small piece of Foccacia. It was about the size of a softball, and more than enough for 2 people to share.

Big Ass Meatball

Sticking with the curse words, the Chicken Leg was promised to be served with "F*ing Good Marsala", and while I f*ing LOVE a good marsala, I did not find this to be that. It tasted super concentrated, almost burnt. Far too dark for the tender, juicy, absolutely perfectly cooked chicken leg. Olives, Grapes and Cipollini Onions were a nice, necessary addition of sweetness and acid.

Chicken Leg with Just OK Marsala

I always appreciate a fun pasta shape. With the exception of one, I had to google all of the noodles featured on the menu! The Conchiglie reminded me of Orecchiette, little bowls that hold sauce easily. We loved this dish, served with Creamy Pesto and Lump Crab (though I admit, I had to really look for the crab), with Herbs for brightness, Smoked Trout Roe for salinity, and Yuzu for tang. This was scrumptious and hard to stop eating.

Conchiglie with Pesto and Crab

Chitarra reminded me of Spaghetti, but this was extra special because it was made black from Squid Ink! It was served with a Red Sauce and Jumbo Shrimp, and the tails were peeled but still in tact, which gets a LOT of points in my book. A touch of Chili Oil provides subtle smoke and heat. This was a satisfying pasta, but the Conchiglie stole the show.

Chitarra with Shrimp

Desserts are not listed on the menu, but there are only 2 to choose from. Naturally, we opted for both. The Ube Tiramisu is phenomenal. I don't love traditional tiramisu because I don't like coffee in my desserts, but the coffee flavor here was very subtle, and I tasted more of the sweet mascarpone and earthy flavor of the purple yam-like veggie here. (It reminded me of the Ube Flan at his other restaurant! You can't go wrong with Ube.) The description of the Date Cake was giving Sticky Toffee Pudding vibes, which is in my top 3 desserts, but this rendition was studded with Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (why?) and not nearly enough Caramel Sauce. The chocolate was far too bitter and overpowered any notes the dates and spice cake were trying to give. Even fresh Whipped Cream couldn't salvage it. This made me sad, but we were far too full by this point in the meal to be too disappointed.

Ube Tiramisu

Date Cake

Smoky Hollow continues to grow with happening spot after happening spot. Put on your best Gen Z outfit and hit this cool part of town for dinner with some fun pasta, unique small plates and a swanky vibe.