Food Truck Profile: The Hidden Table (bigbluebeerguy does food)
Written By: Dion on 01/10/2015
Can you keep a secret? The question alone can generate a pounding heart or set your mind racing, conjuring images of clandestine meetings and illicit engagements. No less mysterious or exciting is the latest entrant to Lexington's burgeoning street food scene, The Hidden Table.
The brainchild of Nick Taylor, the goal is simple--bring a gourmet fine dining experience to unexpected locales. The explosion of breweries and craft beer venues in Lexington has presented a unique opportunity for local chefs to flex their culinary muscle. The benefit is two-fold, allowing the breweries and bars to focus on beer while the food is left to the experts. And it appears to be in capable hands. Trained at Sullivan, Nick honed his skills under the watch of John Foster at Meat & Potatoes, a Pittsburgh gastropub. Upon moving to Lexington, Taylor spent time at the newly opened Palmer's in Lexington Green, which led to a position with Andrew M Suthers and The Gastrognomes food truck. It was on the truck that the idea for The Hidden Table began to flicker. The Gnomes were putting on the street some of the most unique dishes ever seen in Lexington, but Taylor wanted to do something different. "I felt like there was an opportunity to bring true fine dining to locations that couldn't otherwise offer it." After seeking out advice from Foster, he turned to Robbie Morgan of Crave to get the ball rolling. Booking a couple of private parties and seeing them through successfully was all that was needed to bolster the thought that Lexington indeed had a desire for this type of venture.
On any given night, there will be three offerings--two meats and one true vegan dish, small plates designed to delight and inspire rather than feed the increasingly gluttonous spirit that is so prevalent in our current society. No prices will be found on the menu, a fact that I questioned him about. "The first step to creating an interaction with the diner is to get them talking. If the first thing they say to me is 'Hey, how much is this?', then we have a conversation started, an opportunity to explain what we're doing and why it costs what it does". The food is not inexpensive, a fact not lost on Taylor. "These dishes would command $20-30 in larger cities. This won't be for everyone, but we are looking for the person that values a high-end dish paired with a beer in an unexpected location."
Going in, I expected a high quality, artfully prepared dish, and I was not disappointed. Aided by Branham Thomas and Panx Suter, Taylor plates a perfectly cooked wild Alaskan salmon perched atop soba noodles, topped with a basted egg. Ginger and wasabi cream with Nori pepper complete the dish. It's a delicate balance of flavors as the richness of the salmon is amplified by the basted egg, a technique rarely seen in a restaurant, much less employed in this environment. In short, it combines the beauty of both the poached and fried egg, resulting in a sauce of sorts that engulfs the fish. Add to that a certain sweetness from the noodles and a balancing spice from the wasabi cream and your palate is taken on a rollercoaster ride. Although billed by Taylor as a small plate, I found the portion size to be adequate in relation to price. I've paid more for lesser quality presentations at nicer restaurants.
Is this concept for everyone? Probably not, but I encourage you to take yourself on a culinary adventure and give The Hidden Table a try. This is a secret that deserves to be shared. Find dates for Nick and The Hidden Table at lexbeerscene.com.
