Knock: The Door Is Open

[MarketStEl]

The Wood brothers' new, comfortably classy restaurant and bar, Knock, opened for business tonight in the space that eats restaurants on the street floor of my building at the 12th and Locust corner.

One possible explanation for the star-crossed fates of Knock's predecessors in this space may be that Pamplona's ghost haunted them all. The one successful restaurant to occupy this space, Dmitri Chimes' pioneering tapas establishment left its minimalist decor and noisy ambience as a legacy for every short-lived eatery that followed it, though Lula did manage to quiet things down with its redo of the space. (If that restaurant had been able to figure out what it wanted to be, I might not be writing this. But it wasn't, and I am.)

I am pleased to report that Bill and Bob Wood -- Bill's the gay one, the community fixture everyone knows as "Woody" -- have successfully performed an exorcism with their extreme makeover of this space into a warm, comfortable, quietly elegant place:

This space will be the main dining area when Knock begins serving dinner tomorrow. The smaller space behind the curtain can be closed off for private groups.

The bar's liquor cabinet has yet to arrive, but this shot should make clear that they have managed to make do quite well for the time being with some Ikea bookshelves.

I don't care if it's fake -- the fireplace signals sociability in the bar area.

The kitchen was not officially open, but chef <mumble -- I did manage to meet him tonight*> did turn out some finger foods for the opening-night crowd, including the biggest shrimp I've yet seen, accompanied by a Tabasco-laced cocktail sauce:

and a tasty flatbread pizza with mushrooms, Asiago cheese and parsley. Check out the top char on this baby, which I'd say is a good 15-mile pie:

Neither of these items are on the menu -- yet; the chef explained to me that he did plan on developing a full pizza and light-fare menu for the bar. (Current options in the flatbread pie department are a bit more creative: goat cheese, basil and fig spread, or citrus olive oil, lobster and St. Andre brie.)

Woody's enjoyed a reputation for serving delicious pub fare under Wood's ownership -- the bar's burger was IMO one of the better in town, underappreciated because served at a gay bar -- and these previews suggest that this reputation will survive the Woods' move to more impressive digs and a menu to match intact. Bob Wood told me that their vision for Knock is one of a place where everyone in the neighborhood will feel comfortable just dropping in, and while the entree prices strike me as just a touch higher than everyday-dining level ($11 to $26, with most dishes between $20 and $25), there's also an extensive menu of soups, salads and starters that should satisfy lighter eaters and budget diners ($4-$10). The menu items all display a creative spark and a broad streak of global influence (sample for purposes of illustration: yellowtail tuna three ways -- tartare, ceviche, and pan-seared, encrusted with wasabi and sesame).

(Edited to add: Knock also boasts an extensive wine and beer selection. Both offer a wide variety of styles from all over, and again, you can find a bargain or spend your brains out on both lists, depending on your preferences. An architectural feature also worth noting is a touch of green -- namely, a waterless urinal in the restroom.)

Woody is a highly respected figure in the gay business community, and the good turnout on opening night probably reflects his stature. (I also felt a bit like I was attending a family reunion, as many of the customers and staff I know from around the Gayborhood, including at the old Woody's. *When I introduced myself to the chef, his response was "Yeah, I've seen you around lots -- you walk past here a lot, but I didn't know you lived in this building.") If tonight was any predictor of the future, the food, service, and ambience -- along with banishing Pamplona's ghosts, the Woods have also gotten the ambient noise down to a comfortable level -- should keep people coming back. If Bump is the stereotypical "gay restaurant," where food follows fashion and looks better than it tastes, and Valanni is the gay-friendly restaurant on the DL, then Knock bids to be the happy medium, the restaurant where gay people will take their straight friends -- and vice versa.

Knock

225 South 12th Street (at Locust)

215-925-1166

At present, open for dinner only Monday-Sunday; a weekday and Saturday lunch menu and Sunday brunch are in the works

Nearest transit service: Of course, Knock is convenient to all the major SEPTA routes serving that part of Center City: both rapid transit lines (Market-Frankford: 11th Street; Broad Street: Walnut-Locust), Regional Rail (Market East), and the bus routes that operate on Market, Chestnut, Walnut, Locust, 11th, 12th and Broad streets. It also is right next to 12th-13th and Locust station on PATCO.

Edited August 29, 2007 by MarketStEl (log)