Description
Near the Bedford Nostrand metro stop, oven auteur Matthew Tilden keeps busy doling out his baked creations from SCRATCHbread's tiny walk-up window. Especially during the morning rush, folks queue for a fix of SCRATCH's overblown, adventurous flavors sold straight from the bakery's production kitchen along with a cup of Stumptown Coffee. Sticky buns marry sweet and spicy in an unusual molasses, and sauces like the charred jalapeno or kale and dandelion pest adorn flavorful focaccia sandwiches. Spicy chicken meatballs are enriched by liver and pecorino, while the egg salad is just runny enough to incorporate the pickly, mustardy, chili heat in a satisfying flow. Whole loaves can be as simple as rosemary focaccia or fanciful as the bourbon wheat loaf. To keep with SCRATCHbread's roots as a bakery without a storefront, expect plenty of specials, experiments, and menu changes--but the joint frequently shares these big ideas via Twitter and Facebook. Expect to take the goods to-go, unless you pause to scarf them down on the counter affixed to the exterior of the bakery. --Alex Spoto
