Suzanne S.
Yelp
I've had Stoke on my to-try list for as long as I can remember. I was intrigued by Chris Cole, who used to be an executive chef here, but has since moved on to his own place: The Goodyear House.
The food is good. Service was efficient. But still, something was missing.
First, this place is in the Marriot hotel, and if you don't know that ahead of time, you'll circle the downtown area several times trying to find a sign. Like I did. It's unclear where it is, and unclear which lane to park for the valet.
The space is pretty inside. The kitchen is open and has a huge bar which would be fun to sit and watch the chefs. We were in a lovely booth which was very comfy.
Our waitress was efficient for sure. She just didn't hang around much and it felt a bit rushed. She was matter-of-fact and not up for chit-chat. The restaurant was pretty empty too, odd for a Saturday night.
The food was fabulous. My entree was the only one that was just OKAY to me, but my friends loved it. Here's how I rank those dishes:
1. STICKY PORK SHANK Chile-sorghum glaze, peanuts, toasted sesame seed. I'd have never picked this in a million years, but it was insanely tender and spiced perfectly! 10/10
2. Pork Belly with Chilean Andes Arrope glaze, spring pickles: Tender and so flavorful! 10/10
3. THE DOUGHNUT Diplomat cream, Heath bar crumble: This sucker is 1 full pound and fed 3 people. AND it was delicious! 10/10
4. Pretzel Brioche with Whipped Butters: That honey butter though. 10/10
5. Deviled Eggs with Pickles, Aleppo, herb bacon salad: Just enough mustard to give them a good kick! 9/10
6. FLOWER IN THE BRAMBLE Cocktail Social House vodka, blackberry, lavender, lemon: Sweet and perfect! 9/10
7. COASTAL CATCH (Halibut) with Lobster scent Carolina rice, peas, wilted greens, gremolata: Fish was fresh and the rice was creamy and perfect. 8/10
8. SPRING PEA RAVIOLI Beurre Monte, sweet peas, mint, serrano chips: Fresh and delicious! 8/10
9. CAPELINNI Fava and pistachio pesto, scallops, shrimp, chile breadcrumbs. I'm torn because everyone else loved it, but it was underwhelming for me. 6/10
Would I go back? Of course. The food was sincerely delicious. I just didn't have the same "experience" that I had at The Good Year House or Supperland.