From the team behind the critically acclaimed Tail Up Goat, Rye Bunny transformed the former fine dining venue into a counter-service hybrid model with dishes packed with comfort and flavor. In this episode of Now Open, co-owners Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler take Eater through a day in the life of food preparation and service at their new Adams Morgan location.
Instead of raising menu prices, Tyler and Sybert decided to close the Michelin-starred Tail Up Goat and open Rye Bunny. They didn’t want to be an inaccessible restaurant where diners could only afford treats. The new counter service locations will employ fewer people, offer competitive salaries and keep prices at more sustainable levels. In the renovated space, stained glass lines the entrance, separating the dining area from the restaurant where people wait in line to order.
Preparation begins in the kitchen. Sourced from Virginia’s Autumn Olive Farm, pork ribs are seared in a water and sugar marinade with a few other herbs and ingredients, then drizzled with high-quality vinegar. Next comes the nettles, spinach, chard and stuffed ravioli, with sheep’s milk ricotta adding a creamy texture to the vegetables. The pasta dough is made from scratch. Toss the ravioli with fava beans and brown butter sauce, and finally sprinkle with shaved sheep’s milk cheese.
Next is the preparation of fried chicken and anchovy toast. Fresh milk bread is made in house, with overnight fermentation and final proofing in large loaf pans. Place cooked red onions and blood orange jam on fluffy bread and top with Spanish anchovies and fennel fronds.
“I don’t know if this particular model will be the future, but there will have to be some changes to the model if restaurants are to continue to provide the level of dining they have provided in the past.” Sybert sums it up as he looks at the customers lined up in front of the kitchen:
In this episode of Now Open, see how the owners of Rye Bunny manage a more casual restaurant that still serves a hyper-seasonal Mid-Atlantic menu.
