Food & Drink
The Case for Eating at the Counter
There are four stools at the counter by the hearth, and they are the best seats in the house. Here is why I opened them, what you see from them and what to ask for when you sit down.
- dining
- the hearth
- chefs counter
- wood-fired
- wine
An essay from the kitchen
Why I put four stools at the fire
When we rebuilt the dining room in 2016, the plans had a wall where the hearth now stands. The wall was sensible.
The reason was selfish at first. I had spent fifteen years cooking in rooms where the guests were a rumour at the other end of a pass, and I wanted to hear the room.
The view from the stool
What the counter shows you that the dining room cannot
From a table in the dining room you see the room: the long windows, the prairie beyond them, the fire in the middle distance.
You see how the wood is chosen. We burn oak and a little applewood, split to length in the yard behind the kitchen, and the fire is fed to hold a bed of coals rather than a flame.
The best meals of my career, the ones I still think about, were not the ones I cooked. They were the ones I ate sitting down, at a counter, watching someone else work.
The etiquette
How the conversation works, and how it does not
People worry, before they sit down, that they will have to talk to the chef. Let me relieve them of that. The counter is not a talk show, and I am not going to stand over you narrating your dinner.
The way it usually works is this. You sit, you get a glass of something, and I ask one question: are you here to eat, or are you here to watch. If you are here to eat, I cook and you enjoy and we speak at the end.
What to ask
How to get the most from the stool
A short guide to asking well. These questions open the kitchen up rather than shutting it down.
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Ask what came in that morning
The menu changes with what the growers bring, and the freshest thing is often not the most famous thing. On a Tuesday in August it is the tomatoes from a farm outside Lawrence.
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Ask what the fire is doing tonight
Some nights the coals are running clean and hot, which suits the fish and the flatbread. Other nights they are slower, and the short rib that has been going since noon is the answer.
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Ask for the tasting flight, not the tasting menu
We pour four wines by the glass as a flight, chosen to follow the fire rather than a script.
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Ask what I would eat if I were you
This is the question that gets you the best dinner. I cook for a living and I know what is at its peak tonight and what is merely on the menu.
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Ask about the wine, not just the price
The list leans towards small producers, and there are bottles on it I am proud of that nobody orders because the label is unfamiliar.
At the counter
How the tasting flight pairs
A typical late-summer flight at the counter, and why each glass sits where it does.
| Course | From the fire | In the glass | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| To begin | Grilled flatbread, cultured butter, smoked salt | A dry sparkling from the Loire | The bubbles cut the smoke and reset the palate for what follows |
| Second | Charred tomato and stone fruit, basil oil | A crisp Sauvignon Blanc | Acidity meets acidity; the fruit in the dish pulls the fruit in the wine forward |
| Main | Plancha fish, ember-roasted squash, brown butter | A lightly oaked Chardonnay | The butter and the wood in the wine echo the butter and the embers on the plate |
| To finish | Wood-roasted plum, bay leaf ice cream | A tawny port by the glass | Caramel and dried fruit on both sides; the bay keeps it from being sweet on sweet |
The flight changes with the fire and the season. Tell us what you do not drink and we will pour around it.
The long view
Why the best meals are eaten sitting down
I have cooked at a pass in Lyon, in a two-Michelin-star kitchen in the ninth arrondissement where the silence during service was total, and in a beach shack on the coast where we cooked whatever the boats brought in and ate standing up.
The reason, I think, is attention. When you cook for a full dining room you are managing a system, and the system has its own demands that have nothing to do with whether a particular plate is perfect.
Before you book
A few practical notes on the counter
Small things that make the evening work.
- The counter seats four and is booked at dinner only, from seven until ten
- Ask for it by name when you reserve, on (816) 555-0147
- Tell us about allergies and dislikes when you book, not when you sit
- The fire is hot; wear something you do not mind smelling faintly of smoke
- The tasting flight is four glasses and can be split between two people
- The Cellar Bar stays open until midnight if you want to keep talking afterwards
- Groups of four can take the whole counter; couples often share it with strangers, which is half the fun
- If you would rather be left alone to eat, say so, and I will leave you to it
Good to know
Questions about the counter
The things guests ask most often when they reserve the stools.
Do we have to eat a set menu at the counter?
No. You order from the same menu as the dining room. The counter is about proximity to the fire, not a fixed menu. We do offer a four-glass tasting flight, but it is optional and can be split between two people.
Will the chef talk to us all night?
Only as much as you want. Tell us when you sit whether you are here to eat or here to watch, and we will pitch the evening accordingly. Most people land somewhere in the middle as the night goes on.
Is the counter suitable for a special occasion?
It is our favourite place for one. Anniversaries, birthdays and small celebrations work well at the fire. Mention the occasion when you book and we will do something small and unshowy about it.
Can we book the counter for four and keep it private?
Yes. Four guests take the whole counter, and it is yours for the evening. Couples often share it with another party, which is part of the charm, but if you want it private, tell us when you reserve.
What if we have allergies or do not drink?
Tell us when you book. We cook around allergies every service and we pour excellent non-alcoholic pairings at the counter. The flight is a pleasure, not a requirement.
Take one of the four stools
The counter at the hearth seats four and books quickly. Tell us the night and what you do not eat, and we will hold a stool for you by the fire.
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Take one of the four stools
The counter at the hearth seats four and books quickly. Tell us the night and what you do not eat, and we will hold a stool for you by the fire.
- Lowest rate guaranteed when you book direct
- Breakfast for two and valet parking included
- The Prairie Escape from $279 a night
Two ways to book
Reserve the counter Call (816) 555-0147Reception 24 hours · Dining 7a–10p · Spa 9a–8p
Need something tonight? Concierge on (816) 555-0148