Small Plates, Large Vibe

The name was supposed to be the tongue-in-cheek “Root 4” — for the location on Route 4 in Farmington — and the menu Italian.

But then Kurt Kryczek, and his team of executive chef Isaac Hunter and manager Christina Pare, rethought the original plan for the new restaurant, and 4 Eat & Drink, featuring Spanish-fusion small plates, was born.

Now nearly a year old, the gathering place and nightspot featuring craft beers, boutique liquors and creative cuisine has hit its stride, morphing from a new little place tucked away in the plaza into a hot spot when it comes to fine food and an even finer vibe.

“We originally had planned to open just a little Italian place, somewhere for people to come hang out,” says Kryczek, who owns Naples Pizza, a fixture in the Route 4 plaza where 4 Eat & Drink is located. Very familiar with the town, Kryczek knew there would be a niche in the area for a small bar and restaurant, the kind that attracts a happy hour crowd and provides a place to go for a nice lunch or quick bite in the evening. He, Pare and Hunter (a former chef at Grant’s in West Hartford) revisited the plan for the new place, finally settling on the name and ditching the Italian-only food idea for the Spanish tapas-inspired menu instead.

“We get a really nice mixed crowd here,” explains Pare, as she and staff tended to an eclectic happy hour crowd on a late December day at the impressive zinc bar that anchors the space that was previously a frozen yogurt store. Inspired by the new speakeasy trend in décor and anxious to provide a Manhattan feel, 4 Eat & Drink features an interesting and cozy design by Tami Attella of Hartford. Repurposed wooden factory carts are used as seating at a community table, and an inviting lounge area featuring comfortable couches and banquettes provide a place to sit back and relax. Anxious to promote interaction rather than provide yet another space for diners to focus on their cellphones, there are purposely only a couple of televisions in the 78-seat eatery, whose design promotes face-to-face socialization.

“We want people to talk to each other, not be checking their email,” says Pare.

And then there is the food. Kryczek and Hunter tapped their individual culinary experience to develop an ever-changing menu that not only serves as a shout-out to the Spanish infusion they agreed upon, but also introduces elements of Cuban, Asian and Italian cuisine in new ways.

A happy hour menu at $5 or $6 a plate features glazed roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo and cumin honey, as well as braised beef and potato empanadas. One of the most popular items are the chicken, pork and shrimp tacos.

A bargain-priced “2 for $10” salad and half-sandwich lunch menu on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays includes choices of a Cuban sandwich with serrano ham and manchego cheese, a steak sandwich with jalapeño aioli, or an albondigas sandwich with beef meatballs and chorizo.

Entrées grow a bit larger than the “small plate” idea and range from $7 to $15, with traditional and not-so-traditional choices. Among them are seared scallops, grilled hanger steak, jerk chicken, risotto fritters, grilled octopus and Spanish spaghetti with olives, capers and chorizo.

Sunday brunch, with menu items priced at $6 to $11 and served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes pulled pork crostini, French toast with blueberry sauce and house-made strawberry ice cream, and papas bravas, potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and sour cream.

Desserts, prepared by pastry chef Gabi Schneiter, fill the sweet-tooth bill and include a tres leches cake with toasted coconut and a croissant bread pudding with chocolate chips, stout ice cream and beer Anglaise.

Speaking of beer and such, 4 Eat & Drink features a wide range of popular craft beers and wines, as well as some specialty cocktails that reflect its location. Among them are the blueberry gin and champagne concoction The Hill-Stead, named after the nearby historic museum, and the signature “4” Fashioned, with Four Rose small-batch bourbon and Luxardo cherry liqueur.

Splitting his time between his two places at the plaza, Kryczek is a busy guy but is excited about the diversity in his career and doing something he has dreamed of for a long time.

“This was something I always wanted to do, so it’s worth the work,” he says.

“We couldn’t be happier about the way it’s going,” adds Pare. “There is nothing like this around here and we think it’s been one of Farmington’s biggest surprises.”

Hours: Mon.-Wed. 4-11 p.m., Thurs. noon-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat noon-midnight, Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.