The Heights is a small and homey restaurant with a grocery/deli section tucked into a neighborhood near West High School. The menu is reminiscent of Forequarter’s, and that is no surprise, given both are brought to you by the Underground Food Collective.
For example, at both places you’ll find dishes featuring beets, whitefish and carrots. However, the Heights also serves breakfast and lunch, and it is not a bar, though beer and wine are available.
On that lunch menu you’ll find many vegetarian dishes and sides, such as the kale salad ($12) and sprouted lentils with roasted radish ($5). I ordered the brown rice, squash & pistou ($12). The dish, for the most part, is soft and creamy like a risotto, though you do get some crunch with from the charred brown rice on top and the roasted garlic. Otherwise, the overall flavor profile is subtle, with not much help from the mushrooms or the celeriac. The tiny bits of pistou (basil) are more for color than for taste.
If you want something simpler, you can order one of the sandwiches, like the French Exit ($8). The baguette-to-fillings ratio is very high, but at least the limited ingredients inside pack a lot of flavor. The coppa is smoky and not too salty or stringy. It’s delicious by itself but further enhanced by the dijon and aioli. You’ll likely need to get a side dish to pair with this sandwich.
For dinner, I tried the Culotte steak ($14). It’s pre-sliced and served medium-rare. While the flavor was good, the steak was chewy. It comes with unseasoned smashed potatoes, which were saved by the deliciously spicy red pepper relish that I used as a topping (I used it on the steak, too). Man, I liked that relish, which is the Heights’ take on giardiniera.
The chicken breast ($14) also was a mixed bag. On the one hand, the chicken was tender and moist, but on the other, the rye berries (grains) were undercooked. The fig & porter sauce was sweet and made for a welcomed contrast for the entree. Other dinner selections include polenta cake ($12) and an olive & fennel salad ($7).
The Heights is open for breakfast and lunch every day and dinner Monday-Saturday. Note: depending on the time of day you visit, it can be difficult to park on or near Allen Street.
