Last updated: December 13, 2023

In the Weeds

Flour Shop, in Park Road Shopping Center’s backlot, is a spinoff of Customshop Handcrafted Food. Flour Shop grew from the fresh pastas on Customshop’s menu, taking one of the menu’s most beloved sections and building an entire concept around them.

Even the kitchen at Flour Shop seems designed solely around that concept. A large bar wraps around the open kitchen and a wood-fired grill. In the center of the kitchen is an island long enough to roll out sheets and sheets of fresh pasta that can then be laid down on the floured surface and cut by hand, or run through the pasta roller once again to make a noodle.

An unfortunate result of this design is that the dining room, which surrounds this kitchen and bar, feels somewhat cold. Tables are lined along the restaurant’s perimeter one deep, making the dining room so open that you lose that high-energy feel of a packed restaurant. The industrial vibe and concrete floors don’t help that feeling.

Though named Flour Shop, the menu gives equal attention to entrées cooked on the wood-fired grill. Classic dishes such as filet mignon or a pork chop with potatoes get a flavor boost from the flames, while bold eaters may lean towards the hanger steak with blood orange and a cauliflower purée.

Some of the best dishes are the shared plates; the Benton’s ham croquettes with cheese fondue made with manchego is a must-try. The carpaccio is well-seasoned and prepared expertly.

As for the dishes the restaurant is named in honor of, I’ve never had an issue with the pasta itself. Every bite is cooked al dente, and the noodles have a texture that can only be achieved by making them fresh. We’ve had a few dishes that tasted somewhat unbalanced, however; with a sauce that’s just a bit too sweet, a bit too bland, or sausage that’s simply too dry. Others have been complex and compelling.

On our most recent visit, we were in the mood for dessert, so we ordered the restaurant’s chocolate chip cookies. They came out cool on the plate, and were fine, but when there’s a wood-fired grill and you have a plate of chocolate chip cookies, you’d think warming them up would be an easy upgrade.

Our best experience there has been sitting at the bar, letting the bartenders guide you to the menu’s must-order dishes. Our biggest takeaway from Flour Shop is this: The experience can be great, or it can be good enough. But all it would take to be consistently great is a little more thought, from the layout of the dining room and the decor to taking them time to heat up cookies, and we hope to see this place get there. —Kristen Wile