Best Bites: The Plimoth’s Gratinée

Check the Plimoth‘s collective resume and you’ll discover a pattern of allegiance: Executive chef-owner Peter Ryan spent years cooking at Z Cuisine. Likewise, each member of the Plimoth’s kitchen team—Charles MacDonald, Javier Cruz, and Ben Susnick—all spent time on Z Cuisine’s line. There’s an obvious devotion here to Ryan’s way to cooking and managing, and that translates to a well executed (often French-inspired) menu.

Choose the Plimoth’s braised beef shank, the caraway and rye crusted salmon, the cracklin’ chicken with herbed spaetzle—you can hardly go wrong. But the don’t-miss dish is the cauliflower-turnip gratinée, pictured. In this appetizer, Ryan whips the winter vegetables into creamy clouds before stirring in mornay (a cheesy Béchamel) made with slightly sweet Pleasant Ridge Reserve. That all goes into the oven to brown. The dish emerges from the heat with its top golden and ready for a garnish of sautéed mushrooms. When the appetizer arrives at the table, use your knife to spread the gratinée on like butter. It’s cozy and warm, and really the best of French comfort food.

Bonus: The Plimoth’s menu offers wine pairings for each dish. Heed them: General manager and sommelier Adam Knickerbocker‘s recommendations are spot-on.

2335 E. 28th Ave., 303-297-1215

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