Restaurant review: Scratch

Readers are familiar with my strong-held belief that the best restaurants are the ones that have the resident chef as an owner/partner. Such is the case with Scratch, a charming and intimate tapas restaurant at 223 W. Fairbanks in Winter Park. Scratch is celebrating its one-year anniversary, and I can only say I’m sorry for not having visited sooner, because the mad skills of chef/partner Dustin Haney have once again confirmed that belief.

Scratch’s humble storefront in no way prepares you for the charm you experience from the moment you step inside. The look of the restaurant is not only movie-set unique, but fun as well. That welcoming atmosphere comes from partner Ashley Byrd – one of three partners – with Chef Dustin and Michael Roller making up the young triad. Their thoughtful choices have created a level of professionalism that most restaurants can only aspire to. For example – the paintings covering the walls are from local artists and yet they are so “right” they could have been expensive choices from a leading interior design firm. The giant sofa backings give a special look to the table settings and the built-in cabinet decorations filled with “things she collected” each have their own story to tell. Ashley is a collector who enjoys sharing her collections, and that sense of sharing translates into the very real joy she exhibits as she greets arriving customers.

Scratch is located at 223 W. Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park. Call 407-325-5165 or visit scratchtapas.com for more information.

But really it’s all about the food, and the food is wonderful. Chef Dustin has been working in restaurants from the age of 15 – beginning with shucking oysters on the shores of Virginia. A self-proclaimed “hard-knock chef,” he has worked his way from dishwasher to chef among other seasoned chefs at La Fourchette in Atlanta, and his hands-on education has led to Dustin’s fusion of classic French cuisine and contemporary “field-to-feast” gastronomy.

It was an opinionated party of four that arrived at Scratch with no pre-conceptions – and no reservation, so we sat at a corner of the bar – which worked to our advantage. With that proximity to the very helpful bartender, we were immediately treated to a surprise wine tasting, and wine tastings are fun.

We did know that Scratch is a tapas restaurant with serving sizes similar to a standard appetizer. Tapas are traditionally created to encourage sharing and conversation, and that was perfect for the variety and amount of food we were looking for.

We began with the innocent sounding Broccoli & Cheddar and immediately realized we were about to experience something special. Any foodie likes broccoli and cheese, but this dish is the most sophisticated take on the vegetable one can imagine. Beginning with pan-seared broccolini, Chef Dustin displayed his creativity by dusting the vegetable with pistachios and covered the dish with shaved, aged cheddar. This was then given a “kick” with chili flakes, all of which was then touched with lemon zest. I’ll never look at broccoli the same way again.

We moved on to the Mediterranean sea bass, which is listed on the menu as Loup de Mer (translation: Wolf of the Sea), which was thinner and less fatty than the more familiar Chilean sea bass. The choice immediately turned the conversation to which we preferred. It may have been the citrus-infused marinade, combined with a beer blanc over perfectly cut little squares of potato that tilted the balance, but the consensus was we preferred Chef Dustin’s Mediterranean sea bass.

Grilled Octopus was a “special” on the menu, and it was magnificently special. The plating alone made this a work of art beginning with the tenderest grilled octopus ever tasted snuggled into a bowl with baby lentils, roasted Brussels sprouts and an artistic spread of garlic puree. Fantastic.

There was much discussion before we ordered what we came to understand is a house special – the Pork Belly Adobo. While we were discussing the merits of calories versus taste, our helpful waiter brought us a serving of the Pork Belly and – well – there it was in front of us … glistening aromatically in a soy glaze over black rice that had been cooked in a Filipino citrus juice seasoned with Chef Dustin’s own adobo spices. And this was the oh-my-god experience of the evening. Pork belly is showing up on the best menus everywhere, and I am more than pleased to tell you that the most edible pork belly in Central Florida is coming out of the tiny kitchen at Scratch. This pork belly is the dish we’ve been waiting for, and we all agreed it is a significant food experience (and definitely worth the calories).

Feeling more than a little proud of ourselves we were back to discussing calories when it came to the desserts making the point that only a great crème brûlée is worth the calories. Once again, Chef Dustin came through with a luxuriously rich vanilla bean custard covered with a perfect hard caramel layer – just thin enough and just thick enough to make the conclusion of the meal – perfect.

You know by now that Scratch comes highly recommended. The food is extraordinary, the ambiance is charming, and the staff is super-friendly. Don’t wait like I did. Now that you know – you need to taste what comes from the hands of Chef Dustin Haney.