Last updated: December 6, 2023

In the Weeds

If you want to know how good a restaurant is, try a side of vegetables. Stoke’s stunning, shining open kitchen in the lobby of the Marriott is anchored by a wood-fired grill that lends flavor to the restaurant’s main course meats, like pork shanks and chicken.

The sticky pork shank, for example, is slow-cooked and falls off the bone, served coated in a hot-and-sweet chili sorghum glaze. With the addition of benne (a Southern sesame seed) and peanuts, the entree is a good representation of the menu. Dishes may be influenced by international flavors, but they’re grounded in the South through their ingredients.

Listed below the pork shank and other entrees on this a la carte menu are “companions,” sides such as field peas or shishito peppers. Sample the asparagus, and you’ll quickly realize that these companions are fully capable of standing out on their own.

The asparagus spears, cooked to be tender while retaining a bit of crunch, sit on a bed of ember mayonnaise. The embers from that wood-fired grill are used to flavor the oil — carefully, so it doesn’t burst into flames. The ember-infused oil is then made into the mayonnaise, something that could immediately put an end to the Hellman’s or Duke’s debate. Why eat either when you could have smoky mayo?

The cocktail program here feels cohesive with the kitchen, something often overlooked since craft bartenders earned a presence in most restaurants. Cocktails keep an eye on trends with drinks utilizing butterfly pea extract or shrub, for example, but lean toward subtle complexity over boldness, helping them complement dinner.

The kitchen is still part of the Marriott Center City, however, and Stoke is just a part of what the culinary program is responsible for. Through its design, the smart hiring of Chris Coleman as the restaurant’s executive chef, and the resulting utilization of local ingredients, the restaurant has become a place for locals. But combine the massive responsibilities of the kitchen with the difficulty of retaining staff in the current climate, and guests sometimes experience hiccups. A young serving staff can also mean getting recommendations for wine can be hit or miss, but the staff is always friendly and genuine.

Yet few kitchens can put out a dish such as that asparagus, something that tastes so simple yet is so unique. The thoughtful composition of Stoke’s menu shows its potential. And when they hit that potential all around, the dining experience is memorable.