On an unassuming stretch of 30th Street in Nomad, David Burke has expanded his empire with a restaurant entirely focused on wood-fired cooking. The atmosphere is rustic and cozy, with design elements honing in on kitschy, woodpecker images and a variety of wooden accents. The 35-foot bar and communal dining table, coupled with the nooks and crannies of the space, all lend itself to the welcoming, community-centric vibe that ties back to the origin of the restaurant.
In celebration, the new Woodpecker by David Burke hosted an oyster shucking competition, featuring top chefs from the trig-state area to see who can shuck the fastest. Plus, plenty of fun, food and alcohol to accompany the festivities.
The chef himself circulated the event, shaking hands and kissing (figurative) babies, and the crowd delighted in the theatrics of the event as a whole. Burke said that after years of running fine dining establishments, he’s looking forward to helming a restaurant with a more neighborhood feel.
While this night’s service focused on roasted oysters, complete with a corn-jalapeño salsa and herb and parmesan breadcrumbs, one of the highlights was his infamous “bacon clothesline,” where strips of fatty, black pepper and maple bacon were hand-torched by the staff and paired with sour pickles. Other notable menu items being featured was a cricket pesto pizza (which is exactly what it sounds like), tempura-battered cheese curds, and a simple dry-aged cheeseburger, cooked to perfection.
The night culminated in a riotous oyster-shucking contest, which chefs made all the more competitive by the free flowing cocktails.
If you’re in the area and looking for a cool, casual restaurant that serves incredible food, you won’t be disappointed by Woodpecker.
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