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oasting through downtown Gatesville, your eye is sure to be captured by the very modern pub that is The Knife & Cork. Its new-age feel sets it apart on the historic courthouse square. Guests can expect to find new and exciting takes on classics, unique specials and appetizers and one-of-a-kind chef ’s delicacies sure to excite any palette. The Knife & Cork has quite the history of its own. The building was constructed in 1897 and has been home to numerous businesses in its 100 years. In its earlier recorded days, it was a pharmacy. In the late 1970s, it was a bookstore. It was later remodeled to serve as a restaurant in 2012. The pub even has its own local haunt! Some time ago, a Texas Marshall was chasing two criminals from the courthouse. The outlaws fled up the stairwell of the restaurant and took the Marshall by surprise, fatally wounding him. The staff has lovingly named the apparition, “Marshall.” Though nobody has actually seen him, any odd occurrences leave Marshall to blame. Aside from its fantastic history, The Knife & Cork has incredible dishes and staff who are ready and willing to serve you. Most nights, you can find the restaurant’s owner and Hamiltonian, Gina Sellers, in the front of the house visiting with guests. Gina loves talking to her guests, educating them and getting them excited about trying new dishes. She prides herself on getting folks to try things they may never otherwise have tried. “I love teaching people about food and about concepts and about why [a dish] is the way it is,” remarked Sellers. The menu boasts a variety of delectable tastes, most notably their best-selling Reuben egg rolls. Perhaps even more exciting are the specials! The Knife & Cork offers vibrant appetizer, lunch and dinner specials to keep guests intrigued. Specialties offered in house are collaboration projects between Gina and Chef Jacob. When creating the menu, Gina wanted to be sure that it would hit all the notes and give options for everyone. From their firecracker shrimp to their crème brûlée, each and every menu item is created completely from scratch with fresh quality ingredients. This pub has made a name for itself by listening closely and carefully to what Gatesville wants and needs. Those dining at The Knife & Cork can rest assured that their needs will be met, while offering exclusive dining options. The dining staff is able to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, soy allergies, MSG allergies, and even Celiac Disease. The restaurant also offers the ideal protein diet. Accommodating so many needs can already be a difficult balancing act, but Gina and her team achieve what seems to be impossible given their small kitchen space. On an average day, three line cooks, a cold cook and a dishwasher share a small kitchen space and carefully orchestrate beautifully crafted dishes for guests. Perhaps most poignantly noted by Chef Jacob himself, “If you’re not going to challenge yourself, why do it?”
14 Our Hometowns | Fall 2019
