Executive Chef Jared Forman hopes you’ll stay late tonight. deadhorse hill is rolling out a few new menu items this evening intended to suit the after work crowd in addition to the customers looking for a quick bite after hours. “Even the busiest Worcester restaurants in Worcester seem to be dead most nights after 9 o’clock. I tried to think about what kind of food might keep me out,” Forman says. He settled on Korean Style Chicken Wings, Steamed Pork Buns, and a unique deadhorse Burger.
“Come have a drink and a small bite instead of sitting in traffic,” urges co-owner Sean Woods.
Forman has been stockpiling wings from his Misty Knoll and Brookford Farm chickens in preparation for this night. The birds are responsibly raised, organic, pastured chickens. “Sriracha is a little boring for my tastes these days,” Forman says. His Korean Style Chicken Wings feature an artisanal gochujang sauce – a fermented pepper paste that carries a subtle spice along with light floral notes. Deadhorse uses a blend of four flours and fries the wings twice for a crackly skin that maintains its crunch for hours.
The Steamed Pork Buns are no surprise, given Forman’s history at Momofuku, the iconic restaurant that launched an international pork bun trend. “No one in this area is doing pork buns,” he observes. deadhorse hill will serve them sandwich style, filled with their own hot sauce, soy glaze, and fried pork torchon made from braised pork folded in with pickled mustard seeds and breaded in panko.
The deadhorse Burger is made sans horsemeat, perhaps to the chagrin of the adventurous chef. Full-blood Wagyu from Spring-Rock Farm will have to suffice. The burger is served “smash style” meaning the 6 oz. patty is thrown on the griddle and immediately pressed down for maximum contact. Smash burgers are intended to be cooked medium or well. “This is the best beef I’ve ever tasted in my life. Unctuous and rich,” Forman says. The burger is served with spicy mayo, made in house, cured cucumbers raw shaved white onions, green leaf lettuce, and local gouda, served on a pan de mie bun baked fresh daily at Crust Bakery.
At the bar, Woods promises vibrant warm weather cocktails as soon as the sun decides to come out. “Large format, lots of punch, with a focus on Mezcal, sherry, and rhum cocktails,” he says.
