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Take-home Family Meals from Dory restaurant
Jennifer Chandler
Memphis Commercial Appeal USA TODAY NETWORK — TENN.
A year ago if you would have asked me what my first review of Dory restaurant would be about, take-home comfort food would have been the last thing I would have predicted.
The much-anticipated new restaurant by chef David Krog and his wife, Amanda, finally opened its kitchen this month, but for take-out only.
With his simple menu of three classic comfort dishes, Krog has proven his talent.
While Roast Chicken, Pork Tenderloin and Beef Bourguignon may seem like a departure for the chef known for his elevated and artistically presented dishes, this new menu demonstrates that Krog knows his way around a kitchen.
I have tried two of the featured menu items and was blown away by each. The execution was spot-on, even with it being picked up chilled and left up to me to reheat and serve. It’s not “fancy” food like you’d expect from Krog; it’s classic comfort food done really, really well. As Krog told me when I picked up my order, “This is what you want to eat for Sunday dinner with your family.”
Krog is known for sourcing local ingredients when possible. This new take-home menu is no exception.
The chickens come from Marmilu Farms, the beef is from Claybrook Farm and the collard greens are from Produce Tribe. I am not sure the salad could get any more local. The Side Salad features lettuces from Winchester Farm, pea shoots from Old World Farms and a creamy, ricotta-like cheese made by Krog.
Each family meal offering says it feeds two. The portions were generous, and we were able to feed our household of three with no problem. You have the option to pick up your order chilled and packaged to reheat at home or to get it hot and ready-to-serve.
The Roasted Chicken dinner ($50) comes with sides of mashed potatoes, collard greens, salad and yeast rolls. It’s a feast.
The chicken is tender and the skin is crispy. Krog told me his chef de cuisine Zach Thomason bastes the chickens every 15 minutes to achieve that bronzed, crispy skin. The chicken is tender and flavorful thanks to an overnight brine that is flavored with herbs like thyme and rosemary.
I could go on and on about the creamy, silky, perfect mashed potatoes. I am sure I do not want to know the calorie-count of these buttery potatoes, but I can confirm that they are worth every calorie.
My only complaint is that Krog doesn’t send home a container of pan gravy to accompany the chicken and potatoes. A drizzle of pan gravy would take this meal over the top.
We saved the salad for lunch the next day and tossed it with the leftovers from the chicken. I may sometimes just order a side salad specifically for lunch.
The Beef Bourguignon ($40) was a flavorful beef stew. The meat was so tender, it cut with a fork. I normally add
more red wine to my version, but this subtly flavored dish was the perfect comfort food for the cold, rainy night we enjoyed it. This family meal comes with the aforementioned divine mashed potatoes and yeast rolls. I added a side salad to my order to accompany it.
Like the mashed potatoes, the rolls are perfection. Krog perfected a recipe he was given by his friend (and former L’ecole Culinaire cooking school pastry chef) Derek Buchanan. Each roll is buttery, soft and fluffy.
The final offering on the current menu is a Pork Tenderloin Meal ($50) that comes with sweet potatoes and green beans. That will be my next order.
For dessert, get a box of the hand
made Cocoa-dusted Chocolate Truffles ($12 for a box of six). These treats will be the final bite of each and every meal served at Dory when the dining room opens.
One final note: Krog will be updating and adjusting the offerings throughout the coming weeks.
Orders can be placed online or over the phone. Pick-up is between 4-6 p.m. Monday-saturday. Same day orders must be placed by noon.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.