Taste the New Delights

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: Winter 2024 | Photograph By: Susan Renfro

Kalamata Flatbread

It was with a measure of absolute delight that our friends joined us on a dark December evening to take in the bounty of 4118 Kitchen + Bar.

For as long as it’s been in Highlands Plaza, 4118 has served as a beacon for those seeking comfort food embellished with modern palate-pleasing touches, a clever bar and, this is vital, an invitation to fellowship.

Chicken Pot Pie

In a previous review I’d compared the place to the Plateau equivalent of a British “local,” or corner pub, a gathering spot where you and your love or you and your friends can unwind the day or rev up the night.

And we always, always, run into friends or soon-to-be friends at adjoining tables or parked at the bar.

But let me focus on the 4118’s menu, which is what keeps bringing those regulars back.

Fortunately for us, Chef Adam Bresnahan had just unveiled his Winter 2024 Menu, and we were primed for surprises and cozy callbacks to those classic comfort foods.

Turkey and Brie Wrap

Here’s what Chef Bresnahan told us:

“My team and I are really excited about these changes as we are with each menu change. I try and change the menu six times a year to keep things fresh and seasonal. Showcasing local and regional products as much as I can. This menu hits some old favorites like the Chicken Pot Pie, Pot Roast Style Short Ribs, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and our version of an Elevated Chicken Parm featuring a breaded chicken cutlet with vodka sauce, burrata, and fresh basil. The new menu will still hold the tried-and-true local favorites of our Classic 4118 Burger, Chicken tenderloins, as well as the Fish and Chips.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

“Along with owners Ryan Aydelotte and Richard Errington believing in the culinary vision we have in place, none of this would be able to happen without the ongoing help of my amazing kitchen staff Samantha, Angel, Marcus, and Marlena.”

Painted Hills Short Rib

And let’s turn our attention to the other part of the equation, that confident, playful bar.

“The new bar menu will feature cocktails for the winter months with a martini menu that will satisfy your sweet tooth as well as cocktails for the season,” says Bar Master Ryan Henry. “You have to try our Hot Buttered Rum that will warm you up on a cold day. We will also be making the classics like our 4118 Old Fashioned with house-made syrup and our 4118 Cosmo. We have draft beer with two rotating taps featuring an IPA and a seasonal selection, plus PBR and Bud Light. We also have a great selection of liquors, plus a diverse beer menu and wines by the glass or bottle. Hope to see ya’ll soon at the bar at 4118 Kitchen and Bar.”

Mushroom Tacos

So, there you have the reasons my friends and I reveled in our dinner on that cold, dark night – the warm sense of community amongst the tables and along the bar, a new menu concocted with care – and cleverly crafted cocktails.

Providence Farmstead Wagyu Chili

What a marvelous recipe for a memorable lunch or dinner and a sure tonic for whenever the winter inertia threatens to wobble your equilibrium.