Winter menu at The Jones Assembly looks to land and sea for inspiration
The new winter menu at The Jones Assembly, 901 W. Sheridan Ave., has launched and it invites guests to whet their appetites for culinary adventure with items from both land and sea, offering creative dishes and cocktails that are both unexpected and comforting.
New cocktails include the Precious Cargo which utilizes hot coals from the woodfire oven to create a charred rum beverage with a warm smokiness, and the Stick Season, a cocktail that evokes Christmas in a cup as apple cider mulled wine blends with tequila, mezcal and bitters.
New food items include a selection of dishes from former executive chef and current consultant Zak Walters of Sedalia's, 2727 NW 10 Street. Walters' extensive knowledge of seafood preparation is on display as dishes including octopus, scallops and prawns shine on the menu. The new menu also features a seasonal pizza, herbed gnocchi, and wing appetizer.
Octo 2.0 features grilled octopus with butternut squash puree, pickled pepper, fish sauce caramel and spiced pepitas. The perfect amount of char on the outside of the octopus provides a delicious counter to a bite that gives way to perfectly cooked flesh inside.
The scallop dish finds the buttery mollusks perfectly seared and resting atop a bed of black rice and broccoli rabe and topped with a salsa Macha that provides surprising and flavorful heat. Servers pour a Japanese sweet potato puree and parsley oil blend tableside to finish the dish.
Wood-fired pizzas have long been a staple of The Jones' menu and the latest addition to the lineup is the Patatas Bravas, topped with salsa brava, serrano ham, Manchego, fingerling potatoes, radish, and chimichurri. The nuttiness of the Manchego cheese is the ideal choice for this pie and pairs deliciously with the bright chimichurri.
Cacio e pepe wings are a play on classic flavors with Grana Padano cheese, cracked pepper sauce, and Jones hot sauce served on the side. The wings are flavorful enough that the hot sauce is entirely optional. No baby wings here, each order comes with three whole, well-sauced wings, so if you're looking to stay sparking clean, you may want to use a knife and fork.
The new menu comes as The Jones also welcomes new director of operations Nick Kellard to its staff. Kellard comes to the restaurant from The Charleston Place in South Carolina, with additional previous experience at upscale properties including Twin Farms in Vermont and Blackberry Farms in Tennessee.
The Jones Assembly opens for dinner service Tuesday through Friday at 5 p.m. and begins brunch service at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations can be made at www.thejones assembly.com/.