Root

David Snyder visits the bare Root on on Spring Garden Street and finds that chef Christopher Hora is doing local right.

But Hora doesn’t even need anti-décor décor to get people to focus on his food. As one would guess from his restaurant’s name, he uses fresh, local ingredients. “It makes no sense why anybody would do it any other way,” explains the California native, whose family owned a farm in that state growing up. Indeed, it’s tiresome to hear restaurants brag about going fresh and local given how ubiquitous the practice has become. But what I like about Hora’s cooking is that fresh and local is not treated as a goal or a gimmick. Rather, it’s merely a launching point from which Hora builds complex yet accessible flavors in bold, refreshing ways.

His Dark Materials [City Paper]
Root [Official Site] 

After the jump take a look at Root’s updated Fall menu.

 

Fall Menu 2008

Foie Gras, baked apple and persimmon-sage nage

17

Polenta cake, wild mushroom fricassee, poached egg and quail demi

8

Zelnacka

Sauerkraut and beer soup, smoked pork and rye croutons

7

Dueling beet soups

Savory red beet and sweet yellow beet, parsnip salad, herb vinnaigrette

8

Hunter Terrine

Blanched leeks and pistachios

11

Tare tar flight

13

Peking duck Spring Roll

Hoisin dipping sauce

6

Asparagus and Mushroom Salad

Baby spinach and warm bacon mustard vinaigrette

11

Shrimp chop salad

Jicama, baby greens, black bean vinaigrette

13

Mushroom flatbread

Shallot-bacon jam, cabernet poached egg

9

Segadine Goulash

Czech beef and cabbage Goulash 

11

Arugula risotto and truffle honey jus

13

Add Crispy pork belly

19

Pumpkin Raviolis

Sage brown butter and pine nuts

8/15

Quail stuffed with short ribs

Braised beet tops and cherry relish

17

Monk Fish poached in coffee and rum

Spaghetti squash sauté, chocolate mole

24

Pan seared Black Bass

Cockles, baby artichoke, grilled fennel, fingerling potatoes and dry tomato sambuca broth

27

Oxtail and rabbit raviolo
15