The Cork and Plough

Passing through King City one night on my way back up from L.A., my eyes were drooping and I had to pull off to catch some Zs. Not far from there, I was once honored with a speeding ticket. Another time I helped a friend move out of town.

So, nothing great about those experiences. Nothing to lure me back to King City, other than good Mexican food. That has changed, thanks to a new bar and eating establishment, The Cork and Plough.

Saturday night a little before 7pm, we were greeted by a “Please wait to be seated” sign. We did. For a good five minutes. Time to observe: one server, hurriedly, almost frantically, taking orders and getting food out. Then seating a couple who came in just before us. The relatively spacious place, with a beautiful long bar and recycled wood and concrete surfaces, was about a quarter full. A young guy tended bar, deploying a range of excellent whiskeys, barrel-aged Manhattans and his own intuitive creations like “la sandia” with Patron silver, house watermelon syrup, lime, cucumber, cilantro and chili-lime salt. A young woman popped out occasionally from the kitchen to lend a hand. I guessed she might be Anna Childers, one of the newlywed owners who opened the place in February after relocating from Seattle and discovering no one in the South County foodshed does local, chef-driven, progressive, farm-fresh and seasonal fare. She assembled the noteworthy design and strong wine list; hubby and longtime chef Travis does the cooking.

Once seated, there was plenty of time to peruse the menu. We were impressed with the salad selection. Any one of the five looked good, most notably the farmhouse salad ($9, with greens, toasted almonds, craisins, gorgonzola and citrus vinaigrette) and the quinoa salad ($12, with roasted grapes, goat cheese, celery and red wine dressing). But the night was cool and we were feeling wintry. Soup seemed right. There were two: French onion ($7) and tomato soup ($6/$8) with roasted bell pepper and paprika. They were out of the tomato soup so we settled for the roasted mushroom toasts ($8) with herbed goat cheese to go along with the French onion. The points were perfect – satisfyingly savory and a not-too-heavy of a palate primer. French onion is a time-intensive soup when it’s done by the book, given the caramelizing of the onions, making beef broth and croutons from scratch. This one was very solid thanks to the warm savory broth, rustic bread and melted gruyere.

Looking at main courses, my wife, who opts for pasta 90 percent of the time, chose the most novel of the four pasta choices: the braised rabbit with fettuccine and tomato ragu ($25). Rabbit’s common in her home country of Spain and I guess she was feeling nostalgic. Unfortunately neither of us thought the rabbit dish was worth repeating, especially at its price tag, because of the scarce amount of meat, overdone pasta and undersimmered ragu sauce. She probably would have been happier with one of the other alluring pasta choices: tarragon chicken penne ($16, with chicken breast in a tarragon cream sauce); pasta primavera ($14, with penne and zucchini, mushrooms, roasted tomato, kalamata olives and Parmesan); or mediterranean chicken skewers ($17 with orzo pasta and yogurt sauce).

Catching my eye was the chicken pot pie ($16), a comfort food classic, but I was being indecisive. Our server showed more enthusiasm for the burgers and steaks. Food Editor Mark C. Anderson had confirmed the burgers were superb on a previous visit, so I went in a different direction. I chose the 10-ounce New York steak au poivre ($27), with French peppercorn sauce, roasted mushrooms and brandied carrots. I don’t expect a $27 steak to be earth-shattering but it should deliver a certain level of satisfaction. This did – nicely grilled with a slightly caramelized crust and tender juicy interior – and I got the carnivore buzz I was seeking. Medium rare, just as I had ordered. The roasted mushrooms and brandied carrots were a scrumptious accompaniment; veggies deserve to be done right and not as a token gesture.

Speaking of sides, all entrees include a seasonal vegetable listed on the chalkboard. I chose the green bean casserole. A firm texture may have been the kitchen’s intention, but these were almost raw. The mushroom cream sauce was decent but the bacon pieces needed caramelization.

I’m still enticed to try some of the other bar classics. There are three different burgers ($12-$14), the sliders ($10), pomme frites with house ketchup ($6) and two sandwiches ($13-$15). A neat, modern décor and comfortable furnishings juxtaposed with the black and white photos of old King City provides a pleasant ambiance. The rotating, seasonal menu that relies on local food products is a nice touch; ditto on the formidable list of local wines and selection of eight craft beers, including Hermitage Hoptopia, Firestone Union Jack and Old Monterey Lager on tap. A great new choice for King City locals and a nice stop-off point when our travels take us south.

THE CORK & PLOUGH 200 Broadway St., King City. •11am-9pm Tue-Thu.; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat. • 386-9491, www.thecorkandplough.com