Petite Syrah, Santa Rosa

It was a self-declared special occasion for me. I wanted to try something new. I wanted to eat in the company of the chef.

So I dined at the counter at Petite Syrah in Santa Rosa.

And I had the counter all to myself. (BTW, Not a chance in hell I was going to snap a photo in front of Chef Davies. I wanted to talk with him, not take pictures of his food.)

I needed a night to indulge, to concentrate on the food and relax in the moment. I hadn’t done much research on Petite Syrah, its reputation was enough for me. I didn’t even look at the menu before my drive over. I like being surprised sometimes and I also don’t want to build up too much of an expectation about the food or the chef.

I started with the fritters of salt cod with piquillo pepper aioli. Not too salty, not to mushy, golden brown fry job on each fritter, balanced. The texture of potato combined with salt cod was well integrated and seasoned, even with a hint of salt on the exterior. But what elevated the dish was the piquillo pepper. Pure flavor of the pepper comes through. No nonsense, nothing fancy, just a lovely puree. This sauce, the supporting cast on the plate, set the tone for the evening.

The grilled octopus was up next. While I shouldn’t take any dish for granted, I had a feeling that the octopus was going to be tender. What I didn’t expect was how much I was raving about the chickpeas and North African scented red sauce with my octopus. Not that the yogurt and cucumber didn’t play a roll, they did. The yogurt and cucumber cooled the dish down, cleansed the palate, allowing each taste of octopus to be your first. But it was the chickpea sauce that opened up the palate and complimented the grilled flavor of octopus. A simple lemon wedge would have been too pedestrian, too easy. To offer yet another aioli, like the first course of fritters, would have been repetitive. Instead, Chef created another dimension, another flavor, and yet another sauce.

Now, expectations started to grow. Two dishes, two well cooked mains, two well prepared sauces. I need to really test the mettle of the chef with my next course.

I asked Chef if the pasta was made in-house. He replied with a longer answer than I expected; and suffice it to say he still makes the pasta himself, not staff. With a great deal of honesty, Chef had mentioned that finding the right balance between smokiness, saltiness, and broth was a challenge for his ravioli dish. No one gives a long answer like that unless they're proud of what they've created. My expectations are going through the roof now. 

The pasta option was ravioli of speck and ricotta in a brodo with black garlic cream. I found the ravioli to be the highlight of the night. A well thought out and balanced dish, the pasta was well made and the dish well executed. Again, it was the supporting cast of brodo and black garlic cream that elevated the dish. The ravioli is the main attraction, but without this supporting cast of well thought out accompaniments, it could have been just another ravioli dish with some boring butter sauce with sage.

This type of pasta dish challenges my palate and my skills. Could I make this dish? Should I have thought about this dish? Do other diners understand what was created here or do they just want the sage-butter sauce?

My college business writing instructor said to put bad news in the middle of a letter, so here’s the bad news. The only dish I wasn’t inspired by, the sweetbreads. Deep fried nuggets of sweetbread, rather than a single large piece, was disappointing. It was a salad with pomegranates, frisee, lentils, and squash. All the items were sized as tiny pieces and didn’t feel substantial or integrated. I was a bit surprised considering the simplicity and completeness of the other dishes. Enough said (I could have made the font even smaller, like some legal disclosure language).

My final course of foie gras, needed only a hint of salty and sweet to bring out the flavor packed organ. I’m going to have to indulge more often in this soon-to-be-banned delicacy or travel to another state to “smuggle” it in for chefs and friends. I can already see the price of foie going up because the State has decided what we should eat rather than us make a choice about eating it. Caged chickens? Penned cattle? Forced Milking of Cows? Factories of Pork? Oh, wait, we eat those on a daily basis. I’m sure that cow loves to eat that much every day crammed next to all their cow friends in a pen so we can eat crappy Select Beef at a Cheap Price. Right, this all makes sense now.

Back to the foie gras as prepared. I asked for the chef to omit the mint relish, I just didn’t see that working on the plate. The foie was lovely. The sauces were sweet, but not overly so to clash with the Tokaij that I ordered. I couldn’t have had a better dessert.

As I reflected on the evening, I almost took for granted the fritters would be perfectly fried, the octopus would be tender, the ravioli would be well made, and the foie wasn’t going to be over cooked. What I didn’t expect was how the details of saucing and garnishing were so well thought out. The focus on “the little things”, the details, are what made these dishes excellent.

Additionally, as in the pasta sauce, the chickpeas, the yogurt, all were broadening the palate.  Pushing diners to think and explore.

As it always comes back to pasta for me, the ravioli course exceeded all expectations. Considering the refinements and the use of a broth, I was reminded of Italy, not Sonoma County. This type of ravioli is what I experienced traveling around Italy eating at Michelin rated restaurants and cooking with chefs along the way. I expect this level of refinement at both Cotogna and Flour+Water in San Francisco (which is why I like to eat at both restaurants). I was delighted to experience it at Petite Syrah.

Greens, Barbacco and Farro Risotto

I’m going to make a simple if not slightly unequal comparison between the Farro Risotto at Greens and a similar offering from Barbacco. The Cured Ham tries to be fair in his evaluations. I am by no means a vegan or vegetarian, however, one of my favorite meals is simple spaghetti in a fresh tomato sauce without cheese. Beautiful and simple.

Farro is a grain I like to cook with and like to sample various preparations from local restaurants. It’s a noble, versatile grain. Greens made a straightforward farro risotto with fresh mushrooms, herbs, and olive oil. I ordered it as my main course. It was certainly good, but I know it can be better.

It can be made better by Barbacco with the addition of butter, cream, and cheese. These three additional elements complete the dish. I would argue, that the addition of a high quality cheese, such as parmigiano to Greens farro risotto, would elevate the dish and add depth. Not very complex to add cheese, but it would make the dish pop.

I wasn’t displeased with Greens farro dish, just left wanting because I know that about 10 minutes away, Barbacco is making it better.

Jasper's BBQ, Waco Texas

As I traveled from Houston to Dallas on a very quick trip through Texas, I was pleased to stop for BBQ in Waco. Jasper’s in Waco, was a choice simply made because it wasn’t the number one choice in town on Urbanspoon, but rather the number 3 choice and I often let The Force guide me in such matters.

 

A BBQ dive from the outside, with parking in the vacant lot and dirt area surrounding the place, Jasper’s has been in Waco since 1915. It’s had multiple owners, but the most recent owner Rodney, hails from the famous Rusty Star across town. Rodney has taken it upon himself to make a series of improvements in the last 9 months, both inside and out, so I can image what it looked like before he bought it.

 

You may remember the Rusty Star BBQ from No Reservations on the Travel Channel with Tony Bourdain and guest star Ted Nuggent. Well, Rodney of Jasper’s knows “Uncle Teddy” and was the reason why Tony visited Rusty Star. Well, if No Reservations heads back to Waco, they should come to Jasper’s, now that the pit master from Rusty Star is running the historic Jasper’s BBQ joint. Evidently, my Jedi powers and knowledge of The Force led me to the right spot.

I went in for ribs and no other meat. One full pound of St. Louis style pork ribs cooked just around 5 hours and lightly glazed with sauce. According to Rodney, no one else does “sauce” in town. Rodney also says that the 5 hour cooking time is a rule of thumb and that the only way to know if the ribs are done is to pick them up and “feel when it’s right”. Additionally, there is “gravy”.

 

The gravy is legendary at Jasper’s. It’s a loose sauce from the Brisket that’s left to sit in the smoker. Rodney tells me that the recipe was adapted over time, but he successfully recreated the original based upon the 70 and 80 year old patrons who have sampled every variation of the sauce over the years and have proclaimed that Rodney’s tastes just like the original. These Jasper’s Veterans have been coming back more often since the word is out that “The Original Gravy” is back. While I used the gravy a couple times, I found the ribs needed no additional sauce or gravy.

Wonderfully tender ribs, still attached to the bone and with a little pressure are easily pulled apart. A rich smoky flavor as well. It reminded me of the flavor I get from my own ribs and pork and there was a reason, oak. Oak is the primary wood used at Jasper’s and is my primary fuel source for my homemade BBQ. Rodney and I talked about oak smoke at length. I mentioned that I’ve used plum, peach, pear, almond, and walnut woods for my bbq over the years. Rodney too is a fan of fruit and nut woods, but says it’s neither as abundant nor economical as he would like. Additionally, the smoke that oak imparts is something veteran customers have enjoyed about Jasper’s over the years. I couldn’t agree more.

 

Rodney is at Jasper’s every morning at 3:45am. He’s usually sold out by 2pm each day. I asked if he ever re-warms his bbq for sale. “Never” was the answer. “It’s got a different flavor and I’d rather sell out every day anyway.” Obviously, Rodney is a good business man, not to mention a dedicated one.

If Rodney continues to make BBQ at Jasper’s this well, he’ll have no trouble selling out every day. This was real good BBQ.

Beast, Portland

Chef Naomi Pomeroy was featured on Top Chef Masters, Season 3 and is obviously a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. I have a beef with Beast with regard to the delivery and logistics, not Chef’s execution.  Additionally, the manner in which each plate it is served, immediately reminded me of a high-end catered party for 24 people or a private wedding reception. Finally, the indifferent service of the front-of-house staff simply rubbed me the wrong way, especially with all the hype surrounding this restaurant.

Execution vs. Delivery

Chef shows wonderful execution with regard to ingredients. A main course of lamb that was evenly seared and served right-on medium-rare. A lobster bisque that was wonderfully smooth, full of flavor and comforting as a first course. An obvious expertise with charcuterie and the tour of her skills in our second course.

"But all of this culinary execution falls short due to poor delivery."

The charcuterie was well executed, served at room temperature, and assembled while I was drinking my soup. And as a result, the various breads, crackers, and pastries underneath each were soggy. Additionally, the steak tartare had oxidized to a brownish color and awfully warm.

A scoop of palate cleansing sorbet was half its size when it reached my guest and me, simply because we were the last ones served.  Our poor, lonely sorbet languished in the heat of the service area, melting away. Too bad, it tasted good.

The main course of lamb was served on cold plates, with a room temperature veal and duck demi-glace. The potato, mushroom, and cardoon gratinee that accompanied the lamb was nowhere close to oven hot. Why? All 24 plates in the restaurant were set up for the entire restaurant to see, like an assembly line in a manufacturing plant. No way any course is going to be hot when it reaches me . While I can’t be specific because I wasn’t using a timer, dishes were being assembled in the delivery area ahead of time, and not 2 minutes ahead for sure. Literally impossible for a dish to be hot.

Our salads had already begun to wilt under the heat of the kitchen and the room in general.

Service vs. Order Taking

Indifference. Complete indifference with regard to our presence at the communal table is how my guest and I interpreted the staff’s attention toward us. Another way to put it, the service I receive on an airplane in First Class is akin to the service at Beast. Food is served, quickly explained and the server is off to place dishes in front of someone else. And when expediting is over, go hide behind the bulk head. At least in First Class, my ration of wine isn’t measured to the milliliter.

In the positive category, the wine pairing supplement was well chosen. Not since Menton in Boston or DOC in Portland, have I had such a well thought out pairing. However, I thought I may have participated in a university experiment complete with scientific measuring instruments to demonstrate the affect that pouring small, precise quantities of wine have on the dining experience. They claim a 3 ounce pour per course, but I think even the Swiss pour more liberally. Wine is an up-sell, an additional revenue source. I actually asked for more wine for the lamb course. And considering they had to open up another bottle of the wine, proper wine service was not observed. The wine was not sampled by me prior to service.

To complete my service indifference and wine rationing argument, not a single server asked if we would like an additional half-glass or full pour of wine. Not once. It was finally clear mid-way through dinner the staff were expeditors, not servers. They didn’t do much more than bring us our meal, with only a brief explanation of the dish, no more than I could have read myself from the menu provided. Never once was I asked how the meal was. It’s as though they never really wanted us to settle in, get comfortable and have a full glass of wine.

"Why? Next Course is coming and don’t get too relaxed, the Second Seating happens in 29 minutes."

When the last course was served and finally removed, the indication became very clear that it was time to leave and indifference turned to overt dismissal. Insert the most blatant “Get the F$%! Out” message I have ever received at a restaurant, really loud Rap music gets played until the last customer leaves, which of course was me. Two full songs were played, so give it 6 minutes for people to clear out, before song 3 came on. I waited until the entire table was cleared before I paid. No chance I was leaving, just to see how long the music was played. The arrogance as my bill was flicked in front of me without so much as a “Thank You”.

Final Analysis

Beast in PDX has garnered the attention of many across the country. A limited menu that offers no substitutions and dinner is served only Wednesday through Saturday is at the height of cool in Portlandia. The two tables are communal, unless you’re lucky enough to sit at the service counter where only two seats are available.

I felt somewhat taken advantage of. Somewhat duped into believing like so many others that because of the Chef Pomeroy’s reputation, set menu, the difficulty obtaining a seat, the limited hours of operation, “substitutions politely declined” attitude of Beast that somehow Beast was the best in Portland.

"With all of the strict adherence to rules, precise execution, limitations on portions, and indifferent service, Beast becomes nothing more that expensive, individual plated airline or wedding food experience, in an atmosphere that while communal isn’t neighborly or relaxed, but rather unemotionally looking toward their second seating at 8:45pm. I would have felt that a countdown timer above the kitchen hood would have been appropriate indicating we only had 6 minutes and 13 seconds before Round Two of Diners."

Queue Rap Music...

It’s time for you to pay up and get the F%&! Out, Suckers!

Chef Pomeroy, I appreciate your attention to detail in the kitchen, I can see it and taste it. But I walked away disappointed, perhaps with expectations that don’t fit the venue. Simply put, I’d rather eat at Ad Hoc in Yountville and sit at a table as long as I want with a staff that seems to actually care.

A Dinner with Friends

It was a real pleasure to eat with fellow foodies this weekend. It's also a lot of fun to get in the kitchen and do some proper prep and cooking over an entire day.

The last time I scored, blanched, peeled, destemed, seeded, blended, and strained tomatoes to make a pure tomato nectar was when I cooked in Italy. A labor of love to extract the purest flavor of the tomato, probably an hour worth of work and every bit worth it. The end product is simple, it's what nature brought to the table. And a rarity. We often want to manipulate ingredients, shape them into a grand creation, when the smartest thing to do is showcase the purity and simplicity of an ingredient.



My favorite dish to create was Summertime in Puglia. I was looking at pictures of some of the meals I'd eaten when I was in the south. Simple prep of peppers, cheese, bread, tomato, olive oil, and rosato were staples. Even in Michelin starred restaurants, a 'back to basics' dish was included. My family has always eagerly awaited summer for those simple peppers. Thanks to my Dad for tending the vines this year and helping raise a healthy tomato crop. We're not Certified Organic...We're Certified Backyard.

It was also a thrill to watch a friend, Chef Tommy Chavez work the wood-fired grill. We created a "Prime Tasting of Three Ranches", a carnivore's dream selection of rib-eye steaks. Magrueder Ranch, Alexandre Farms, and Painted Hills beef were chosen for this tasting. All raised differently, corn-fed 21-day wet aged, grass fed only, and grass-fed corn-finished respectively, allowed everyone at the table to make a judgement about what steak was "the best" and prepared exactly the same way. 

I've attached several pictures of the prep as well as the complete menu for your review.

We hope to continue creating evenings around the table, sharing a story, a meal, and a little drink from time to time. I'd personally like to thank John and Falina Marihart for offering their home for this wonderful evening. Additionally, it was a pleasure to have so many friends around the table, including a fellow blogger (and better photographer than me) Foie Gras and Flannel. It wouldn't have been a memorable evening without all of you.