We were invited to try out the new Drexyl, located at The Shops Gainey Village in the Gainey Ranch neighborhood. A lot of restaurants have been in and out of this particular space and I was excited to visit the newest culinary addition to the valley. Executive Chef, Robert Eckhardt is serving up modern American cuisine with influences from his German and Italian background, pulling recipe ideas from his grandparents and great-grandparents. The dishes seemed to have a personal touch and hit on a lot of flavors from my own personal childhood. I would label it as “comfort” modern American. We got to sample a lot of items off the menu and I narrowed down a few of my favorites;
Chef’s Board– havarti cheese, herb crusted goat cheese, soppressata salami, pickled vegetables, calabrese sausage, gorgonzola, fig jam and toasted bread. Everyone loves a good hearty board and this one does not disappoint. The board is a generous size and perfect to share with a variety of selection. This board is on the happy hour menu and I am already looking forward to coming back and pairing it with some glasses of vino!
Seared Salmon Salad– sustainable salmon glazed with blood orange puree, red bliss potatoes, warm bacon vinaigrette, baby lettuces and roasted tomatoes. This salad could be my new favorite entrée. The salmon and greens give it a light and springtime feel, but then as you dig deeper you discover the German potato salad that lies underneath. This adds a hearty element to the salad and have you coming back for more!
Jade Pesto Halibut- cilantro pesto, forbidden black rice, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok-choy and coconut curry. This halibut was fresh, light and flaky but kept the meatiness a fine-cooked Halibut should have . This dish was absolutely delicious, and I love how the pesto was not over powering but only enhanced the fish. Paired with shiitake mushrooms and baby bok-choy which added a slight Asian flare to the dish but kept it very light.
Heritage Pork Chop- house smoked, double cut; grilled apple butter served with truffle goat cheese orecchiette pasta, candied bacon & seared brussel sprouts. The grilled apple butter gave this pork the perfect amount of sweetness that compliments pork so well. Comfort is written all over this dish. Served with Goat Cheese pasta, which was a rich and addicting mac n’ cheese, that had a hint of truffle! Oh yea!
Bread Pudding- milk chocolate, candied pecans, roasted banana with maple whiskey butter sauce. Delectable and full of rustic sweet flavors this bread pudding is a winner. It held together with a solid consistency (where a lot of bread puddings can become mushy) and softened perfectly as the maple whiskey butter sauce soaked in.
When sampling a lot of dishes, I always expect there to be at least one or two I don’t care for. This wasn’t the case at Drexyl, I thought each dish was well thought out and executed perfectly. The variety of dishes on a menu that offer both light and heavy meals makes Drexyl a place you want to visit again and again. This foodie is very happy about the newest addition at Gainey and will definitely be a repeat customer!
PICTURES and MORE DETAILS on Drexyl: Drexyl Ingredient’s Page