Executive Chef Jordan Asher is turning heads at Witchcraft Tavern and Provisions Co.. Asher has transformed the former brewpub on 11th Street into a hip new spot for creative cuisine. Asher, no stranger to haute and high-end dining, previously received acclaim for his menu at Dosi, served as Chef de Cuisine at Mark's (along with roles at Ibiza, Catalan and Oxheart), plus a coveted stint at Michelin three-star The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, CA.
In his new executive chef role at Witchcraft, Asher has deployed a cleverly-categorized menu of inventive sharable plates. Think sunchoke fries with sorghum vinegar and rosemary aioli from the "Garden & Grain" section of the menu, red snapper crudo with cucumber and lime aguachile and coconut milk from the "Sea" section, Black Hill pork with braised bacon, pickles and potato skin from the "Land" section, and dark chocolate pate' with pecan porter caramel, feuilletine and burnt marshmallows from the "Sugar" category of the menu. There's also a new cocktail menu developed by mixologist Ben Dahlstrand.
Witchcraft Houston
Asher noted his inspiration and philosophy for Witchcraft was shaped from his previous experience and the pre-existing culture of the restaurant and the "the idea was to execute a high level of cuisine, service and hospitality while maintaining the vibe of an unassuming neighborhood spot. With this unique, but strange (in a good way) restaurant, I felt confident in offering an experience that would fit the space."
Asher's experience in fine dining allows him to "feel more comfortable creating small, focused dishes that are creative with reference and reason," and that when developing the menu and style he looked to State Bird Provisions in San Francisco for inspiration.
"They do an American play on dim sum and offer a lot of small bites, some extremely simple and some complex. Our dishes are a bit more substantial, and more "Texan" in style."
Given the size of the portions it's recommended that for a table of two, 6 - 9 plates should be ordered.
Witchcraft Houston
For Asher a standout on the menu is the cheddar hoecakes with kimchi salt and ham butter. It's an umami explosion, with dehydrated whole heads of kimchi and grind them to a powder. Witchcraft officially re-opened early August 2015.