The Hilton Tower’s accomplished ground floor eatery, FYR, just launched a full revamp of its menu under the guidance of its new executive chef Zach Warn! A California native, Warn most recently led a variety of high profile kitchens in Las Vegas. He takes over at FYR following the departure of chef Sebastian La Rocca last March.
Complementing Warn’s menu is the already-strong beverage program at FYR under Beverage Director Rustun Nichols.
We got to attend a preview dinner highlighting Warn’s new menu, as well as wine and cocktail pairings from Nichols.
They started with a selection of small bites, beginning with the Parker House rolls, wonderfully buttery rolls named after the Park House Hotel in Boston. They’re served with cultured Amish butter and caramelized onion butter.
You’ll find a delightful range of small plates and accompaniments, like these roasted honeynut squash bites.
One of my favorites was the hiramasa crudo, swimming in a citrus ponzu.
The waygu tartare comes with bites of focaccia.
Perfect for the whole table is the FYR seafood experience, a tower with oysters, the hiramasa crudo, Skull Island prawns, lobster tail, and optional caviar. Keep scrolling!
The vegetables are not to be outdone, like the embered roots with whipped goat cheese, baby kale, and pistachios.
Or the wonderfully rich grilled gem lettuce.
If wine is your thing, you’re in more-than-capable hands with Rustun. He served us a variety of wines throughout; my personal favorite was a robust 2020 beaujolais from Stephane Aviron, Morgon Cote du Py.
Throughout his menu, Warn makes good use of the custom live-fire grill that’s featured prominently in the restaurant. Even these coal roasted carrots get a fiery treatment.
Warn outdoes himself on the entrees. His wood oven chicken arrives on a bed of Carolina Gold rice with a rich piri piri sauce.
You barely need the knife and fork for his fall-off-the-bone RL Valley Ranch long bone short rib.
Or his pan roasted salmon.
The black truffle risotto is made with local mushrooms and reggiano. It’s very generous on the truffles.
More accompaniments include his FYR mac…
…or his bone marrow whipped potatoes.
The dessert menu leads off with the Ohio-appropriate buckeye, made from a giant chocolate rocher filled with peanut praline and peanut butter mousse. This was my favorite of the sweets!
The solid Basque cheesecake uses smoked chocolate ganache and toasted meringue.
While the apple tart uses a sable cookie crust topped with fire-roasted apple mousse, caramel, and a dollop of cinnamon ice cream.
Speaking of ice cream, if the whole table wants to share a dessert, there’s the Fire & Ice, servings of vanilla ice cream accompanied by a veritable tower of toppings.
Including bruleed bananas!
If our evening is any indication, I think FYR is in good hands with Chef Warn!
FYR
404 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 484-5286
Web: fyrshortnorth.com
FB: @fyrshortnorth
IG: @fyrshortnorth