The Kirkland Tap & Trotter Opens Tonight

Craigie on Main's new sister restaurant, The Kirkland Tap & Trotter, quietly opened its bar to the public over the weekend, but tonight, dinner officially launches at 5pm. Chef/proprietor Tony Maws shared plenty of details with Eater a few weeks back, but here's a rundown of the five things you should know.

1. This isn't a copy of Craigie on Main. Maws has stressed from the beginning — in interviews, in job postings, on social media — that this is neither a "copy nor a replacement" but a "cousin" to Craigie, focusing on a more rustic, casual menu. Lots of items are wood-grilled. There are no tasting menus.

2. That said, Maws won't abandon his a focus on nose-to-tail dining here. Look for things like salmon head, chicken liver, and smoked and roasted pork neck on the debut menu. "Gonna be heads, gonna be feet, gonna be snouts," Maws told Eater.

3. Yes, there's a burger. It's not the Craigie burger. The "KT&T burger" features grass-fed beef, waffle-cut fries, and house-made pickles, and it can be yours for $17. It's on the standard menu, not part of an off-menu limited supply like the Craigie burger.

4. The alcohol. There's beer: eight on draft and sixteen bottles, at the moment. Prices range from a $4 can of Schlitz Gusto to a $28 25.4-ounce bottle of Jolly Pumpkin's "La Roja." There's also a cocktail menu at $10 a pop, with options like City Line Soda (Del Maguey Vida, pineapple-celery soda) and A Tale of Two Kitties (Plantation Dark, allspice, almond, citrus). Tyler Wang (No. 9 Park, Drink) is bar manager, and Misty Kalkofen and Patrick Sullivan also reportedly consulted on the project.

5. The hours and such. The Kirkland Tap & Trotter is open daily from 5pm until 1am (food is available until midnight). Limited reservations are available, but plenty of tables are saved for walk-ins. Babies and children are welcome, and high chairs are available.
· All coverage of The Kirkland Tap & Trotter on Eater [~EBOS~]