New Naples restaurant concept pairs elements of surprise & fun with fantastic food - JLB
Like Rene Magritte, the surrealist painter acclaimed for presenting familiar objects and subjects in unfamiliar ways, Kayla Pfeiffer ― Chef-Partner at the ultra new Bicyclette Cookshop that opened Nov. 15 in North Naples ― uses food as her medium.
And while most parents tell their children not to play with food, I suspect Pfeiffer’s might have encouraged her to do just that.
Each dish boasts one clever surprise after another without feeling twee or pretentious.
Caviar bumps paired with a pack of crunchy Bugles, the crispy corn snack?
Eliciting giggles and oohs of amazement at our table, the genius presentation allows for perfectly sized scoops of roe and creme fraiche. The oeufs’ tin recalls classic rock album covers.
Sausage-y spuds riffing on Taco Bell’s “Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes” are fried in chorizo oil then topped with chipotle hollandaise.
Remember McDonald’s “two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun” jingle?
Here, Pfeiffer swaps slices of standard American for gooey raclette and gruyere.
That special sauce? Kimchi aioli.
Potato chips stuck on oozing melted cheese add visual and crunch components contrasting toothsome potato wedges.
Reinventing the wheel
The burger is a fitting tribute to business partner Louie Mele, a past President of McDonald’s (he started as a fry guy) in Canada and Italy before moving to Southwest Florida. He also owns Naples Cyclery next door and turned his adjacent Fit and Fuel café over to Pfeiffer, giving her carte blanche to reimagine it from menu to décor. The dining room’s airy space is a lighter palette accented with hints of an Hermès box, Pfeiffer’s favorite brand.
Earlier executive chef positions at The French, Bar Tulia at Mercato and PJK Neighborhood Chinese, earned high critical praise as she executed others' concepts.
But with the artistic freedom to do her thing, this 27-year-old wunderkind seems to be having a ball with next-level takes on elevated comfort food where every intentional ingredient is well-thought-out. Cocktails, too, including one dubbed "Flaquita's Favorite," a mezcal meets tequila nod to her "skinny girl" nickname.
Snacks, shareables & mains
Snacks and shareables are the same on the lunch and dinner menus; two carryover main courses include the burger and seared tuna.
Excluding the exceptional “bread and butter” plate’s rich slabs of butter with high-quality Spanish anchovy and warm crumpets (too many delicious calories for one person IMHO), solo diners will fare quite well with everything on the menu.
Ordering oyster po’boy sliders? You won’t want or need to share.
Most gyros can be clunky, chunky and drippy, but not here: this version is a shrinkwrap stuffed with house-brined porchetta, chef’s favorite “cold cut.” Despite a room-temperature preparation, the octopus has heat, taking flavorful cues from Oaxaca plus hints of China by fusing Fresno chile, daikon and avocado. The chili crisp combines pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, pineapple and sesame.
Dinner is decadent. Anyone who cooks knows the tremendous effort (and danger to your fingertips) when prepping millefeuille potatoes. It accompanies roasted branzino.
Mele insisted on a Milanese, but Pfeiffer didn’t want to do Italian as she’s been there, done that. Instead, crisp chicken schnitzel with bright arugula pesto adorned with watermelon radish beautifully suffices.
Save room for dessert. Flourless chocolate cake with salted whipped creme is to die for. A new addition is soft serve swirled with Mele's branded olive oil from his vacation home in Italy, recently bottled in late October.
What to know before you go
While most JLB restaurant reviews are anonymous, that is not the case this time as I’ve interviewed both Mele and Pfeiffer for previous stories.
Full disclosure: I attended a friends and family sneak peek and popped in during Pfeiffer’s menu research and development.
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Instead, consider this your handy “what to expect” guide when you go ― and you should as soon as possible. Finesse and fun make this restaurant significantly different than anything else in Naples.
Bicyclette Cookshop
819 Vanderbilt Beach Road at Pavilion, North Naples
Call: 239-514-3333
Website: bicyclettecookshop.com
Hours: Open daily. Lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; small plates from 2:30 to 5 p.m.; dinner 5 to 10 p.m.
Price: Snacks, $7 to $22; shareables, $13 to $23; lunch entrees, $15 to $34; dinner mains, $22 to $42
Also: Full bar, $14 kids menu, ample parking, solo dining, good for groups, wines BTG $12 to $25, craft cocktails, $16, 50somethings will love the soundtrack.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Delicious dining + tons of fun surprises at new Naples restaurant
