GRAFT: Local, gourmet in Watkins

Feb 01, 2023 at 11:02 pm by Observer-Review


GRAFT: Local, gourmet in Watkins ADVERTISEMENT

GRAFT: Local, gourmet in Watkins

When you walk into Graft Wine and Cider bar at 204 North Franklin St. in Watkins Glen, you're enveloped by the neutral tones of industrial chic décor combined with the warmth of hand-crafted benches and stools pulled up to tables made from walnut and polished concrete. If this suggests the food you eat here will be as carefully hand-crafted from quality ingredients, you've gotten the message.
Chef and owner Orlando Rodriguez had long planned to open a restaurant in Watkins Glen, but in 2019, when he was earning awards as the chef for Veraisons at Glenora Wine Cellars, a restaurant came looking for him. Begun by the Marks family, Graft was in search of a new owner, and Rodriguez immediately liked the venue. The kitchen... maybe not so much. It was so small, there was no room for a freezer or a stove, so most of the cooking was done using a convection oven and portable burners. He more than managed. Repeat visitors consider Graft a destination.
Named for the agricultural process of changing a plant by adding a shoot from one whose qualities improve the harvest, Graft has become an essential part of the local culinary landscape.
The original kitchen setup meant the daily menus had to be carefully planned, with everything prepared and cooked shortly before it was served. Rodriguez works with a variety of local suppliers to obtain the fresh ingredients he highlights--locally raised meats, cheeses and produce, with an emphasis on what's seasonally available. "What comes in goes out," he says. "I work the menu based on what I can get." A seasonal menu and one responsive to customer demand is more flexible, he says. For instance, customers with allergies or other particular dietary needs can usually be accommodated. When everything is custom-made, ingredients can be adjusted.
Opening a restaurant right before a global pandemic was a further challenge to his creativity. He adapted with take-out food which remains popular and may be ordered online for pick-up. When gatherings were restricted, outdoor dining was augmented with limited indoor seating. The restaurant's already-loyal following found itself augmented by a new wave of visitors who found the Finger Lakes area a good place to vacation, particularly when driving felt safer and more comfortable than flying to a further destination.
Last summer felt like the right time to expand. Phase one was the kitchen expansion, which gave him a gas-fired plancha (griddle) and grill with the versatility to use wood and charcoal as alternative fuels, and a commercial multi-burner stove with an extra oven, as well as more prep space and extra refrigeration. The new kitchen pushed out the building's rear walls, converting what had been a porch into a larger creative area.
He gave the expansion a lot of thought, because even after tripling the capacity of the kitchen he opened with, he still had a small kitchen. However, having more variety in cooking options means he can add more regular menu items, including two which quickly became popular: smash-burgers and grilled calamari. Steak is also happening more often. More oven space is also likely to mean an expanded dessert menu in the spring. He's weighing choices. "I don't mind playing with food," he says. "It's R&D--research and development."
To match the increased kitchen capacity, an upstairs area was renovated for additional dining. Currently being used for private parties, this spring it will be available for everyone. "I want people to enjoy their meal and have the dining experience," he says. "It's one reason we expanded."
During the winter, continuing through March, there are new mid-week specials. Comfort-food Tuesdays offer "your favorite comfort goods with a twist." One recent Tuesday saw a roasted half-pig and cracklings on the menu, served with rice and beans. Wednesday customers are invited to sample "Brunch After Dark," where hearty egg dishes can be found on the menu with a mimosa or bloody Mary suggested as accompaniment. Service industry workers are offered a 10 percent discount on Thursdays.
Rodriguez has heard from several repeat customers who've tried to reproduce a meal they've enjoyed at home. Some were successful, others were less happy with the result. "People say my food has a lot of flavor," he says. "I call it love."
This means a cookbook might be in the offing in the still-distant future. "I've thought about it," he says. "But it's a matter of time."
He's still the only cook in the kitchen, though he expects to hire another cook and more servers in the coming months. He's also planning more vegan options including his own homemade vegan cheese, from a recipe he's already created.
Graft serves dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Find menus online as well as ordering online-for-pick-up instructions at graftwineciderbar.com or call 607-210-4324.

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