The Team behind the popular Fork Restaurant in Chicagos Lincoln Square now aims to cut it with its n

CHICAGO - Aug. 17, 2016 - PRLog -- They have proven their restaurant acumen for more than ten years in Chicago's Lincoln Square with their popular restaurant Fork, and now owners David and Paula Byers and Executive Chef Timothy Cottini are turning their passion to Knife, an eagerly awaited contemporary steakhouse at 4343 N. Lincoln Avenue, with a planned opening mid-September. Knife's cuisine will express the well-honed farm-to-table philosophy that is the foundation of Fork's menu, but with in-house dry aged beef as its distinctive culinary centerpiece.

"Our goal with Knife is to bring an intimate, personalized and modern steakhouse experience to Lincoln Square," said David Byers. "Our team will be engaged in giving our guests an exciting overall dining experience that exceeds guest expectations."

Knife's interpretation of a modern steakhouse also will be realized in its décor. The restaurant will be a comfortable, sophisticated refuge for food lovers, featuring a rich color palette with warm accents and soft lighting. Dark mahogany woods are set off by red leather seating, and three dimensional Spanish tile walls add a refined yet earthy touch.

Chef Cottini and his team are cutting into Chicago's steakhouse scene with contemporary interpretations of traditional steakhouse offerings. At first glance, the menu is understated and traditional-sounding, but the element of surprise will be ever-present, rendering each dish an exceptional experience, with Chef Cottini's skillful juxtaposition of flavors and textures. "We want to take the essence of a classic dish and re-create it in a unique way," says Chef Cottini, who understands that, "We first eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths. The visual impact of the food will be almost as important as the taste.

Appetizers, such as the Heirloom Tomato and Burrata salad, are re-invented at Knife as well. The tomato is peeled, hollowed, and filled with a locally produced burrata, infused with local basil-pesto and roasted. The Oxtail Doughnut Holes are savory bites filled with classically braised oxtail and served with an au poivre sauce ($10).

All steaks are Certified Angus Beef from local Illinois and Iowa farmers, served with house made steak sauce and frites or onion strings. "We'll leave the steak uncut," emphasizes Cottini. "We wouldn't dare deprive our customers of the joy of cutting into an exceptional, tender steak with ease. It's an experience unlike any other." Knife offers a selection of steak options: a 10 oz. Sirloin ($25), 6 oz. Beef Tenderloin ($30), 12 oz. Boneless Rib Eye ($34), 10 oz. 28-day Dry Aged Strip Steak ($40), and a Trio of Medallions with blue cheese crust ($26). The showcase steak is a Dry Aged Rib Eye for Two, carved and plated tableside ($89).

Other meat entrées are given equal attention. The Pork Chops ($25) have an intense marbling and flavor, served with a side of candied sweet potatoes seasoned with a spicy Saigon cinnamon, then topped with marshmallows and a butter bourbon gastrique.

Lighter entrees include the Skuna Bay Salmon, a top quality fish from a Vancouver Island, British Columbia vendor who exemplifies the sound ecological raising of farm-raised salmon. Pacific wild salmon will be offered when in season.

Sides are thoughtfully designed to enhance each flavor profile. The River Valley Ranch Mushroom en Pappiotte is a marinated portabella cap filled with shitake & cremini mushrooms, rosemary and roasted garlic ($9). The Macaroni Gratin is jazzed up with a blend of cheddar and jarlsberg cheeses with lemon ($8).

The Stuffed Zucchini is hollowed out and filled with a zucchini basil puree ($7). Knife's philosophy is best exemplified in the Twice Baked Potato. The steakhouse standard takes a contemporary turn, as it stands up on its end, filled with an Italian fontina cheese, wrapped in bacon, and then roasted ($9). Other sides include the Creamed Kale ($7), hand-cut Frites with lemon aioli ($5), Onion Strings ($5)

Knife is modernizing the old-school steakhouse mentality and ambiance. It will raise expectations of what a steakhouse can be while paying homage to menu classics. Promoting culinary creativity and cultural fusion is what makes this restaurant "truly American." At Knife, expect the deliciously unexpected.

David Byers, responsible for the Wine Spectator award-winning program at Fork, believes wines by the glass will be an important component at Knife. About a dozen wines by the glass will be served from bottles, and there also will be four keg wine offerings.

Anthony Munger, bar manager and mixologist at Knife, has developed an inventive craft cocktail menu with several sources of inspiration. Cocktails will use local ingredients and mostly be made from scratch. This extends beyond the bar juicing its own citrus—for instance, the skins from oranges will be steeped in brandy with vodka and cloves for in-house Cointreau. Locally sourced mushrooms will add a deep earthiness to sherry, and homegrown lavender will enhance Knife's whiskey.

"As much as I shy away from phrases like "farm-to-glass," that's how I'm approaching this drink program. We are involved with and have gained knowledge of each ingredient's cultivation. We honor them as we prepare them," says Munger.

About Knife
Knife, located at 4343 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago and opening mid-September, 2016.

Knife will be open for dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 4:30 to 9 p.m. on Sunday; closed Monday. Knife also will be available for private events. For more information, please contact Knife at (773) 799-8283. Visit the website at www.knifechicago.net.