Trust Restaurant is another of Chef/Owner Brad Wise’s concepts.  He is the chef at the Fort Oak restaurant written up a couple days ago.  This is a similar place in the idea of shared plates and wood-fired cooking.  This place opened in 2016 and was the start to a half dozen places he now owns.  On the ground level of a multi-story building, the corner restaurant takes full advantage of the patios outside to add extra dining space.  Inside some bench seating bisects the room between the bar with seating and the tables.   The back of the room is part of an open kitchen and there is music in the background.  The bare wood tables are matched by wood in the ceiling above the exposed ductwork.   Some sound absorbing panels hang up there to help with all the hard surfaces below.  It’s stylish but much more casual feeling than Fort Oak.  We were there for the brunch which is available on Sat and Sun but dinner is the mainstay, serving that every night but Tues.  Service was friendly and efficient and the food is good.  I’d love to know what you think if you go there for dinner.

Set-up

Food

The Ultimate Sticky Bun is a large bun with differing toppings.  They only make a limited number each brunch but we were in the first wave of diners.  You say the words ‘sticky bun’ and I’ll be first in line.  Today’s toppings were vanilla ice cream with raspberry swirl sorbet, white chocolate and toasted almonds.  The doughy bun may have contained cinnamon I couldn’t tell the sticky sweet outside and all the extras took over the flavor profile, in a good way.  It was plenty to split and delicious.

 

Steak ‘N Eggs was a plate with a 10oz. wood grilled tri-tip with 2 eggs, Santa Maria style salsa, potatoes and toast.   They were able to keep the meat a nice medium rare and it had a good smokiness.  The grilled sour dough bread was pre-buttered with good texture and taste.  The potatoes were tasty and the plating allowed the sunnyside up eggs to maintain their runnyness.  A nice salsa completed this successful plate.

 

Smoked pork shoulder hash was topped with a sunny side egg and contained fresno chilies, black bean and radish salsa then topped with ‘nduja mayo and cilantro.  This came out quite hot and thus managed to set the egg from underneath.   The dish was filled with large chunks of tender pork, tasty potatoes and nice hot peppers. This was a densely packed bowl of flavor and spice.