Lyndsay Fogarty
A quaint and charming historic home with a cozy-looking porch sits on the side of Edgewater Drive in College Park. The backyard has a large herb and vegetable garden. The family that lives here encompasses the term “hospitality” and shares it generously with anyone that walks through the front door; the family that lives here is the staff at K Restaurant.
The former residential home has housed the vision of Chef Kevin Fonzo for the past 13 years. Not only does he rewrite the menu each day, designing each dish from fresh products that are delivered to the restaurant daily, but he also includes homegrown produce from the backyard garden in his creations. You can tell that each dish is made with love. While you might not see the same thing on the menu every night, there are some staples that have become guest favorites and that have a home on each and every menu.
The deviled eggs are the perfect place to start. With just the right amount of sweetness from a topping of tomato jam and crumbles of crispy bacon for texture, these are a gourmet version of the traditional party snack. Also devilish is the fried green tomato appetizer: three lightly breaded green tomatoes stacked with a creamy crab and corn salad and drizzled with a grain mustard dressing. The shisito peppers are roasted to perfection. With a caramelized crust and ginger-soy glaze coating, the softness of the slightly spicy peppers is complemented with a topping of crispy breadcrumbs. Spoon these onto your plate with a drizzle of the sauce for a tasty pre-dinner snack.
Next up, share a salad with your sweetheart before moving on to the main course. You can taste the freshness in each choice, which includes the Stack, layers of meaty tomato, greens, creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of citrus dressing; or the Wedge, a cut of iceberg lettuce topped with tomato, onion, crumbly bleu cheese, and bacon. What really sets it apart is the homemade green goddess dressing that adds just a touch of tang.
Order another glass of wine from the bar, which used to be the master bedroom in the old owner’s home, before you delve into the enticing entrees. Although you will find the Mac ‘n Cheese on the menu at each visit, the extra ingredients are always a surprise. Mixed with the creamy cheese, you may find lobster one night and Italian sausage with green olives and roasted tomato the next. A fish option with K’s signature succotash is also a menu staple, but depending on the availability of ingredients, it may not look the same each time you order it. The type of fish will rotate, and if an ingredient from the garden is at its peak, you just may find it in that night’s succotash. Also a K signature is the filet, a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cut of steak dusted with mushrooms and topped with a sweet cabernet sauvignon sauce. Served with creamy potato gratin, this dish is worth every calorie.
A meal here wouldn’t be complete without a dessert to share. The chocolate lava cake is rich, decadent, and shouldn’t be missed. The bread pudding topped with a delicious caramel sauce is a real treat too. Presented with pops of color from edible flowers, each plate looks like a work of art.
The best part about K Restaurant – besides the food, of course – is the intimate atmosphere provided from its ideal location. The home’s original fireplace is still in one of the dining areas and large windows stretch across the dining room that sits in the location of the home’s old front porch, providing a romantic backdrop for date night. Events like Friday Night Flights, which is a wine tasting in the garden on the last Friday of every month, make K Restaurant a great place to relax with friends too.
No matter what your reason for visiting K Restaurant, you’ll feel right at home with the amazing wait staff and talented Chef Fonzo at the helm. Creative dishes, fantastic flavor profiles and a welcoming atmosphere are what bring the locals home to K Restaurant.
