August 2017 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

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Issue 8 Volume 17

US $3.95

Coastal Kitchen

From Historic Gas Station Diner to Modern Day Eatery

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W RE P .S HO O CA TOS LF & S N TO BP RI RO ES V .C ISIT O M

August 2017

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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER WELCOME TO OUR AUGUST 2017 ISSUE OF THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL from a very hot Orange County, where we are already experiencing record temps in the middle of the day! I often wonder why more people from all over L.A. aren’t rushing to the West Coast beaches? But then a quick look at the beaches dotting the OC coastline tells us the real story: packed!

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A Quick Note: Any beer and wine left in these high temps for any length of time will destroy it and in fact, any beer, wine or sake shipped to L.A. during summer must be refrigerated.

ON A COOLER NOTE, OUR AUGUST COVER FEATURE IS DEDICATED TO THE COASTAL KITCHEN ALONG THE PCH IN DANA POINT. Our Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, recently had the opportunity to visit Dana Point and the Coastal Kitchen and uncover its rich history up to its current owners and their unique slant on the food and wine program at the Coastal Kitchen.

OUR TASTEFUL DESTINATIONS…PAGES 6 & 7 TAKES US TO SOLVANG AND SANTA MARIA and their surrounding areas including places to stay, things to do, where to eat and drink and wine and beer tasting locations. Contacts and assistance for the locations is also listed. Enjoy! After all, it’s summertime!

ON PAGE 10 YOU GOTTA LOVE “BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW” BY JACKIE BRETT, and her great research on what’s happening up to date in Las Vegas from current headliners to offStrip shows and places to eat drink and be merry! Remember, keep cool!

PAGE 16 WILL TAKE YOU TO CHEF LES KINCAID’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT where he brings us to the time of the year to think ‘Cool Food’ and a Summer Watermelon Arugula with Feta Salad recipe for anyone’s level of culinary experience!

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 5 COOK•EAT: Asia Asian Processed Foods

Page 6 Tasteful Destinations

Page 8 Twinkle Toast Miklos Katona Goes Green!

www.socalfnbpro.com

Page 20 What’s Brewing

Page 15 Wine Talk Wine and Weed…the Newest Trend (or Controversy) on the Rise?

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

Page 16 Food for Thought Time of the Year to Think “Cool Food”

Page 10 Brett’s Vegas View

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Page 14 COVER FEATURE Coastal Kitchen—From Historic Gas Station Diner to Modern Day Eatery

Page 17 Product Review

Page 11 The Bottom Line Treating Your Service Staff as Your Greatest Asset… Because They Are

Page 22 Product Spotlight

Page 24 Human Resources Insights HR Metaphor: Do you get more flies with honey?

Page 25 A Talk with MCC Hospitality Group’s Chipper Pastron

Page 26 Events

Page 18 Made from Scratch Making Good Sourdough PART III

Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

Page12 Foodie Biz

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139

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HOT OFF THE GRILL!

August 2017 Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher

Our Restaurant Editor Ben Brown had the pleasure of attending the California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara. The July event brought together esteemed California wine purveyors and local restaurants along the shores of beautiful Santa Barbara. Check out Ben’s Foodie Biz column for more details on the event.

Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Fryer

Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Aiello

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

A trip to Seattle isn’t complete without a trip to Pike Place Fish Market and the Seattle Pier! Our Senior Editor Mike Fryer spent a week in Seattle, where he explored the current Seattle restaurant scene and the tremendous amount of local seafood and farm-totable items that make Seattle one of the top foodie towns. Look for more about the exploding Seattle foodie scene in an upcoming issue feature: Destinations— Seattle.

Ben Brown

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

Our Senior Editor Mike Fryer recently went on assignment to Alaska for a firsthand experience with Seldovia Fishing Adventures, where he and the other sportsmen caught their daily quota in halibut and assorted wild salmon. Look for his Destinations feature in an upcoming issue.

Adam Rains

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com

Advertising sales@socalfnbpro.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@socalfnbpro.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@socalfnbpro.com

Website webmaster@socalfnbpro.com

Press Relase Submissions news@socalfnbpro.com

General Information info@socalfnbpro.com

@socalfnbpro

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney

Journalist Apryl Bruso

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill

Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid

Journalist Hungry for PR Jen Morris

Journalist John Rockwell

Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Linda Duke

Journalist Heidi Rains

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Lisa Matney

Journalists Elaine & Scott Harris

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Joe Urcioli

Journalists The Cork Dorks Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Master Sommelier Joe Phillips

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www.socalfnbpro.com

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

COOK•EAT: Asia Asian Processed Foods

Soy sauce was the very first Asian processed food in our mainstream market, I am sure. Joy with surprise was my reaction when I spotted it in a local supermarket, not in California but in Ithaca, NY. I started dancing. That was in 1970, almost half a century ago. Since then Asian foods in packages have been appearing to our eyes and tongues. Many supermarkets now have shelves allocated for items of Asian, and also Hispanic or other ethnicity natures. It is a reflection of diversification of our population matrix with new immigrants, our curiosity for different tastes and food business for expansion. It occurs not only in big cities but also used-to-be traditional, rural communities. Today Asian foods become available from varietal origins, which could diversify our eating-cooking.

Let me take you to a specialty Asian grocery for your education to learn something new for probable uses. Once passing through the entrance door, you may feel warped into a different world, almost momentarily into a store in Hong Kong, Taipei, Soul, Tokyo or other locals in Thailand, Vietnam or Philippines. Large Asian stores are well organized similarly to its western counterparts with sections, while small ones are crammed with numerous items for customers who shop on a regular basis.

The most easily recognizable item may be tofu. Tofu is not all the same but different in texture depending on ethnicities: generally speaking, firm for Chinese, soft for Japanese. The firm is good for cooking, while the soft for eating with soy sauce as is or after short boiling. Tofu is good for you because of good plant protein, no animal fat, 85-90% moisture, and easy cooking-eating. A unique recipe is a tofu-shrimp patty or ball by mincing both together, shaped and steamed or fried.

Next: Bamboo shoots, both from underground and sprouted soft portions, cooked in water and canned. Not much nutrients, though its dietary fiber is good for digestion, which some claim reduces bad cholesterol. Its crunchy mouth-feel is enjoyable in chewing. In addition to many uses, my wife mixes chopped ones in a pasta meat sauce. Of bamboo, you may recall a Giant Panda which eats lots of bamboo leaves and soft braches.

We would not compete with Giant Pandas much.

Noodles of rice or buckwheat can be good alternatives to spaghetti or other pasta in soup, casserole or pasta dishes. A buckwheat noodle salad was excellent at a brewpub in the Bay Area some time ago. Buckwheat pasta is not unique in Asia, but it is also found in northern Italy, I have heard. Rice noodles, green bean noodles, green tea buckwheat noodles or rice papers, all kinds from Southeast Asia, must be applicable in our cooking as alternatives to flour counterparts depending on applications. www.socalfnbpro.com

Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

“West Eats East” was his last series in this journal.

On a sauce shelf, you would see all kinds including the Chinese out of fruits-legume, Korean BBQ-hot sauces, Vietnamese fish sauces, all kinds of soy sauces and Tonkatsu (deep-fried buttered-pork, similar to pan-fried Wiener Schnitzel) sauces. Many of them might be only for ethnic groups.

Ask store personnel for details. You may find something interesting to create your own flavor. Do not jump into something unfamiliar from the beginning, I recommend, but rather try some first.You would get an idea for crossing culinary boundaries, good for you and your customers.

Once exited, you are back to the real world facing daily routines. Once in a while, though, you may try something different for your creative, enjoyable cooking/eating with Asian processed foods.

TRADITIONAL YET NEW Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color!

A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor No darkening color in cooking Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods

www.whitesoysaucefood.com August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

Tasteful DESTINATIONS

By Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher (Travel & Tastes Writer)

Welcome to our newest monthly column ‘Tasteful Destinations…’ where you will be taken to places to both get away and learn something new!

I welcome all feedback and questions as well as other destination suggestions.

Email me at: mike@socalfnbpro.com.

Our Recipe for Best Destinations = Great Places + Great Food!

Mike is a well-seasoned traveler who has lived and worked for half his life in Australia and SE Asia, including Japan, Okinawa, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Laos, Mainland China, India, Guam and Micronesia, all while working in the food & beverage industry. mike@socalfnbpro.com

photos by Mike Fryer

Solvang

You have to visit the old Danish town of Solvang as if it was lost in time. For more info visit www.solvangusa.com.

IngeBorg’s Chocolate Factory of Solvang, a real sweet adventure!

Great food at the Solvang Restaurant and a little taste of Denmark.

Buellton

A must visit for lunch or dinner - The Hitching Post Restaurant as shown in the wine cult movie Sideways. www.hitchingpost2.com 6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

Owner Frank Ostini takes a break in his garden.

www.socalfnbpro.com

Santa Maria Best place to stay in Santa Maria is the totally restored 1917 historic Santa Maria Inn. Your host: Jean-Luc Garon, General Manager. www.santamariainn.com Our sincere thanks to the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau for their help in arranging our visit and introductions.

Santa Maria Wineries along the Foxen Cannon Road, perfect to visit and take your picnic lunch with you.

More great wineries in Santa Maria Area. www.socalfnbpro.com

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

Twinkle Toast Miklos Katona Goes Green!

By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus.

Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV

Photo courtesy Miklos Katona

Since 1977, The Court of Master Sommeliers has been promoting a high level of professionalism and excellence in the hotel and restaurant beverage service industry. The Court offers four levels of increasingly difficult coursework and examination that ultimately groom its candidates for the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. On July 12, Miklos Katona, Wine Manager at Costa di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas, passed the Advanced Sommelier Examination in Phoenix, Arizona. He was one of two Las Vegas-based sommeliers to earn his green pin, and one of only eighteen total sommeliers to pass the exam.

The Advanced Sommelier Examination is only offered three times each year, and is given in three parts: practical restaurant beverage service and salesmanship in a dining room setting, written theory and deductive tasting of six wines. One must earn a minimum score of 60% in each section in order to pass the examination, and cannot continue onto the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination without successfully completing all three prior exams. We asked Katona to share a little bit about his latest experience with us, and he graciously obliged.

Miklos Katona (right) and MS Christopher Tanghe (left).

Was this your first attempt at taking the Advanced exam?

No, it was not. It was my fourth time!

How long did you study for the test?

The last eight months were all about this exam. Work and study, and work and more study with blind tastings twice a week.

What was the best study tool for you?

Maps. They really helped me to have a deeper understanding of the regions and their geographical aspect.

Did you take any classes to prepare for the exam?

No. I studied on my own but I went to as many tasting events as I could to talk to the winemakers and ask questions.

What was the most difficult part about taking the exam?

The theory portion was extremely complex and challenging. The preparation and sacrifice I made in my personal life was very difficult, and finding the energy and motivation to stay consistent with studying every single day, many times at night after work, took dedication.

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Did you have any mentors assist you during this process?

Yes, this is not a one man show. You can’t do it without mentors and support. I’d like to say thank you to the following people: Ira Harmon MS, Joe Phillips MS, Will Costello MS, Lindsey Geddes MS, Derek Engles and Trini Bustos.

How will having your Advanced pin change your career?

I’ve become a better service professional but not just because of the new pin. I think people have tons of respect for the Court of Master Sommeliers, and employers look for the higher level of experience. There are so many talented sommeliers out there, so when it comes to hiring, the green pin will stand out. The guests recognize it too.

Are you going to work towards your Master pin?

Yes, but right now I will take my time to properly celebrate the green pin and travel.

We are thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of Katona’s journey, and wish him much success on his continued path through the Court of Master Sommeliers. But first, as Katona said, let’s take time to celebrate his going green. Cheers! www.socalfnbpro.com

Brett’s

By Jackie Brett

Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. She is also an instructor covering Special Events at CSN- College of Southern Nevada.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

ENTERTAINMENT HAPPENINGS

International comedy The Miss Behave Gameshow opened in the converted Back Room at Bally’s with Miss Behave hosting and audience games.

CIRCUS 1903–The Golden Age of Circus debuted at Paris with a circus tent and new twist featuring sensational puppetry elephants, dangerous acts, turn-of-the-century costumes, and time period soundtrack.

America’s Got Talent winner, magician Mat Franco has been honored at The LINQ Hotel with his namesake marquee, Mat Franco Theater.

Billy Idol’s residency show at House of Blues returns in September and November.

International magician David Goldrake opened his residency at the Tropicana.

Ricky Martin returns to Park Theater at Monte Carlo Sept. 12-23.

Adam London’s Laughternoon show now offers a Presto Magic ticket to learn beginner tricks and have Q&A with the magician. Also audience members get free ice cream through Labor Day. The Beatles LOVE all-ages new Magical Technical Tour at The Mirage is a complimentary open house held every Saturday from 1-1:30 p.m. showcasing the production’s technology, set pieces, sound system, etc.

Guests receive an exclusive ticket offer.

Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas at The LINQ has new much earlier show times and drink package with a free drink served in a souvenir cup.

Terry Fator’s show at The Mirage is offering a Summer of Winston 40-percent discount ticket off standard ticket prices using code WINSTONSUMMER through Sept. 30. Also, Fator has a new children’s book Winston.

BAZ - Star Crossed Love at The Palazzo celebrated its one-year anniversary with the show’s original star Ruby Lewis returning after a Broadway stint in Paramour.

Cirque du Soleil bought the non-verbal Blue Man Group with an aim to expand the trio beyond the United States where it has five permanent shows.

ALICE: A Steampunk Concert Fantasy, a journey through Wonderland’s darker side, is performed the second Monday of each month at Red Rock Resort at 10 p.m.

ABOUT TOWN NEWS

MGM Grand broke ground on a $130 million expansion of its Conference Center seamlessly adding 250,000 square feet to the existing threelevel building by the end of 2018.

New attraction “Fear the Walking Dead: Survival” inspired by the hit AMC series will open this summer at the Fremont Street Experience combining a thrill ride, escape room, maze, and interactive gaming, set against a zombie apocalypse.

Las Vegas started a free six-month pilot shuttle service program, dubbed the Downtown Loop, running daily with seven downtown stops.

Ellis Island Casino Hotel and Brewery broke ground on its new indoor/outdoor two-story dining, bar and entertainment venue, “The Front Yard,” opening late this year.

Minus5 Ice Experience opened its third Las Vegas location inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian/Palazzo.

The operator of the Rio’s Kiss-themed minigolf course will open a second with a different theme plus an arcade and bowling in the lowerlever retail at Bally’s this fall.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation opened Caesars Entertainment Studios on five acres of land adjacent to Bally’s. It is Nevada’s first full-service TV/movie production studio.

The inaugural Emerge Music + Impact Conference will showcase 100 up-and-coming music acts and 30 speakers at various locations Nov. 16-18.

Palace Station is undergoing a property-wide modernization and eliminating its established train theme. Several signs have been retired to the Neon Museum.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has unveiled six new retail shops with specialty design concepts: Chill, Hootenanny, Dunkin’ Donuts open 24/7, Bezel, Day + Night, and Shine.

Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum opened in Boulder City preserving the special effects art form.

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SLS Las Vegas has introduced a new casino rewards four-tier program, Club 52.

Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation opened the new Britney Spears Campus made possible partially by one million dollars from her Piece of Me show ticket sales at Planet Hollywood.

The Killers’ new music video “The Man,” with front man Brandon Flowers was filmed at such locations as the Marc Antony and Cleopatra Villas at Caesars Palace, the Plaza’s showroom and Dino’s Lounge.

DINING LANDSCAPE

Chinese restaurant Ping Pang Pong at the Gold Coast opened its redesigned and 50-percent larger expanded space where the showroom once resided.

MB Steak at Hard Rock by brothers David and Michael Morton is open with a first floor bar and dining room, and upstairs garden bar and lounge.

Palms Casino Resort under new Station Casinos’ ownership unveiled its 24-hour Lucky Penny Café serving American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

New downtown is the 7th & Carson Bar and Restaurant, a cozy neighborhood haunt with an enclosed outdoor dining area adjacent to the Downtown Container Park.

The recently opened Terrace Lounge at Wynn is offering Afternoon Tea daily noon to 4 p.m.

Robert Irvine’s Public House opened at the Tropicana offering comfort food in a pub-like atmosphere with 32 taps and 30 cans and bottles of beer offered.

Hawthorn Grill steakhouse at JW Marriott is open with dinner nightly and lunch service daily except Sunday.

Recent celebrations include: the 20th anniversary of Drai’s After Hours, making it the longest-running nightlife brand in Las Vegas, and the third anniversary for the 24-hour Mexican restaurant El Dorado Cantina.

Roy’s Restaurant on E. Flamingo and Standard & Pour in Henderson both closed.

Shake Shack opened its fourth Southern Nevada location at The District at Green Valley Ranch. www.socalfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line Treating Your Service Staff as Your Greatest Asset… Because They Are

It shouldn’t be much of a revelation that your servers, hostesses, chefs and bussers are your most valuable people. Yes, managers, GMs, owners and investors lead the business from the top, but your service staff allow it to operate on a daily basis. The best racecar driver in the world is useless if he neglects to refill the tank and his car runs out of gas. Leading restaurant staff is of course more complicated than maintaining a car, but they both share the themes of consistent assessment and reflection on how to improve.

Valuing your service staff is far from formulaic, and relies more on creating an overall positive culture that naturally fosters motivation and performance. That said, here are a few best practices that can help you empower your service staff to be the best they can be.

Focus on each person individually.

Everyone’s unique. This is far from new news as well, but surprisingly managers and executives across industries continue to put everyone in similar job functions in the same bucket when it comes to communication and incentivizing. In the end it’s actually much easier to develop relationships with your people and assess what motivates them as individuals, rather than wildly guess at one central policy and hope it resonates with everyone that the policy affects.

Take the time to meet with your service staff one-on-one. What do they do outside of work? What drives them in life and how can you apply that motivator to help them be their best under your wing? If you run a huge operation and can’t possibly have these conversations with everyone, then be sure that your management team does, and that you have these conversations with your management team. There should be a personal connection at every level. Sure, it takes time at the beginning, but this approach sure saves time and helps you achieve the results you’re looking for in the end.

Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities.

If your service staff operates under a culture of fear, then there’s minimal desire to take risks and try out approaches that could improve restaurant sales or efficiency, not to mention that your turnover will be quite high. Allowing your executive chef to explore new recipes and kitchen www.socalfnbpro.com

By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business

Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

procedures might lead to a new signature item and faster turn times.

Giving servers the chance to try out different upsell approaches could improve your average check.

Not every experiment will go well. New menu items can flop. Different communication tactics can accidentally alienate a group. The way to go about these situations is by direct, positive communication where the genuine goal is to assess what went wrong, how to alleviate the situation and how to improve from here. By focusing on the upside and showing your appreciation for their collaboration, you’re empowering your staff to continue thinking critically for the betterment of your business.

Reward positive performance frequently.

Not everyone likes to be recognized or rewarded in the same way, but everyone likes to be recognized and rewarded. Chefs that consistently turn out killer food and servers that frequently earn rave reviews are not ‘just doing their job,’ they are doing their job very well and deserve to be recognized as such.

To reward a staff member for positive performance, you don’t need to put on a big show every time, or even most of the time. What’s important is matching their desired means of recognition—this goes back to developing personal relationships and knowing whether someone likes being called out in front of a group vs. privately, for example—and doing this often. Convey your appreciation with a simple ‘thank you.’ Perhaps a better shift or a comped meal every once in a while will help, but it’s the direct validation from you that can be done most often and will hit home.

Be sure to keep things in check: you want to make sure you’re communicating with each of your staff frequently, so even if someone isn’t going above and beyond you want to talk to them often to see how things are going and what you can do to help them improve. Convey that you love having them on staff and they’re not doing anything wrong [unless they are], and if the trust is there they will work with you to rise above and beyond.

These cultural practices are much easier said than done, and there are so many more to be discussed. Be on the lookout for future points on this topic.

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11

| Foodie Biz |

By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500 companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business Development.

Contact Ben at Ben@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

Farmer Boys Adds Portabella Mushrooms to Menu

photo courtesy Farmer Boys

Farmer Boys has a new addition to its menu, adding a healthful and intriguing spin to its fresh fast-casual lineup. Portabella mushrooms are a hit with the burger and breakfast selection, enhancing an already wide variety of indulgent favorites.

The portabella mushroom burger features a traditional beef patty, Swiss cheese and a generous spread of hot sliced portabella mushrooms. On the breakfast side, the portabella mushroom omelet adds flare to Farmer Boys’ omelet repertoire.

Portabella mushrooms are yet another ingredient to align with the Farmer Boys farm-to-table mission. This economical fastcasual franchise dedicated itself to fresh, natural ingredients long before the trend caught fire. From grilling fresh, never-frozen beef over an open flame, hand-cutting lettuce and tomatoes daily, hand-scooping avocados and making their own salad dressings, Farmer Boys executes on a level and price point that’s hard to match at the high-volume level. For more information, visit FarmerBoys.com.

Ocean Market Grill, or OMG as it cleverly goes by, has brought the build-your-own concept to fresh, sustainable seafood. In the same way you customize your burger at The Counter or your burrito at Chipotle, you’re able to create your ideal seafood dish at this fast-casual Southern California chain. By bringing higher-end ingredients to a more modest, yet modern environment, OMG is making exotic seafood more approachable to the masses.

Nine seafood options create the base of OMG’s dynamic menu, ranging from traditional salmon and shrimp to ahi tuna, rock cod and yellowtail. OMG prepares your selection in one of three ways: blackened, salt & pepper or garlic butter. You’re then able to have their selection served in plate, wrap, sandwich or taco form, with sides that range from salads and grilled vegetables to excellent fries and garlic rice.

Additional signature items include the lobster grilled cheese, rich clam chowder and the OMG fries—fries smothered in clam chowder. Add a healthy beer and wine list and a Stubborn soda fountain [Stubborn is Pepsi’s new craft soda line] and you’ve got an eclectic selection that matches the restaurant’s modern beachside vibe. For more information, visit OceanMarketGrill.com.

12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

photos courtesy Ocean Market Grill

Ocean Market Grill Showcases Personalized Seafood

www.socalfnbpro.com

California Wine Festival Santa Barbara

photos courtesy California Wine Festival Santa Barbara

A beautiful day by the beach, festive tunes and an uplifting vibe, fine food and of course excellent drink, the 14th annual California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara encompassed just about everything you could ask for in a true California experience. Taking place literally steps from the sand and surf at Chase Palm Park Plaza, this beachside wine festival brought together local eateries and fine labels from across the state for a sizeable, but not overwhelming crowd.

Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, Rutherford Wine Company, Russian River Vineyards and Valdez Family Winery were among the highlighted purveyors, as well as favorites such as Houdini, Broken Earth Winery and Macchia. A healthy brewery lineup added a refreshing beer element to the hot summer day, with Unibroue, M. Special Brewing Co. and Island Brewing Co. as just a few standouts on the list.

On the culinary end, Enterprise Fish Company showcased their everspectacular lobster bisque, along with Nana’s Kitchen, Dave’s Dogs, Blaze Pizza and Luna Grill serving up additional specialties. While California Wine Festival prioritizes beverages in their events, it’s safe to say you will walk away with your stomach full and your palate pleased.

The festival in Santa Barbara is part of California Wine Festival, which oversees a series of annual wine & food festivals across Southern California throughout the year. For more information, visit CaliforniaWineFestival.com.

Gold Room Reopens in Echo Park Gold Room, a popular Echo Park watering hole, has reopened after a rather spontaneous remodel that took it from a classic dive into a more modern rendition of its former self. While Gold Room prides itself on its dive bar feel, its ownership felt the need for a makeover in both atmosphere and menu selections. The new drink selection now includes specialty cocktails and beer flights.

The Perez family, who owns Gold Room, posted a note to explain the change to their loyalists. This note, with highlights below, served to effectively communicate that the restaurant’s identity remains and that the improvements seek only to enhance the guest experience.

“If you haven’t noticed it we have tried to keep up with the so often changing Echo Park. Changing throughout the years yet trying to stay true to the dive bar look. Now 2017 has brought in a whole new chapter in this story ... same owner but now with a new look and a whole new menu...

We realized some of you might see it and not feel at home but we want to assure everyone that we will try our hardest to give the best service possible along with new great quality products.”

D RIVE S ALES with Easy to Execute M ARKETING P ROGRAMS Recently published, Four Star Restaurant Marketing Cookbook — Recipes for RestaurateursTM, is a 300 page marketing resource for restaurant operators.

Creative marketing programs are written in an easy-to-use recipe format, with ingredients needed, directions to implement and tips, tools and tactics to drive sales. Over 250 real restaurant case studies and photos are included.

Available to purchase online at: marketing-cookbook.com

See what operators are saying:

FOUR STAR RESTAURANT MARKETING COOKBOOK

“Recipes for Restaurateurs is a practical ‘how to guide’ written in an easy to follow format with case studies and proven sales building programs. Our franchisees will truly benefit from implementing and following many of its recipes and instructions.”

“Recipes for Restaurateurs is a comprehensive, easy to follow book of effective marketing strategies and is a great tool we purchased for each of our general managers. Ms. Duke trained 65 managers of our Me-n-Ed’s Pizzerias how to use the recipes and provided motivation and directions for effectively driving sales and we are already seeing success.”

www.marketing-cookbook.com

www.marketing-cookbook.com www.socalfnbpro.com

“Recipes for Restaurateurs is an incredible resource for not only those looking to enter the restaurant business, but for those that have been running restaurants for years.”

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13

By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@socalfnbpro.com

photos courtesy Coastal Kitchen

From Historic Gas Station Diner to Modern Day Eatery – Coastal Kitchen Has Become a Go-To Spot in Dana Point

In June 2016 Owners Christina and Mike Grant were fueled by their passion for food and a love of hospitality when they established Coastal Kitchen as a go-to spot in Orange County. They chose wisely in selecting a historic building at the corner of PCH and Blue Lantern in Dana Point.

Built in 1928, it is the oldest commercial building in the city and was originally called Blue Lantern Fountain Lunch, a gas station/diner that served as a stopping point between Los Angeles and San Diego nearly a century ago. An homage to the building’s beginnings is a section of original tile that was discovered when excavating during the extensive renovation, which can now be viewed on the outdoor wall on the north side of the structure; and inside, one wall is adorned with photos of the building’s early days. The building exudes charm and a bright airy feel is accomplished via large windows looking out onto the Pacific Coast Highway and navy blue and white tones and a decorative wall referred to as the fish wall contribute towards a maritime feel.

The nautical theme is not exclusive to the décor, but a nod to the menu full of delights from the sea, which are sourced almost daily, with the likes of clam chowder, ceviche with grouper, ahi tuna salad, U-10 scallops, jumbo lump crabcakes (which are all crab, no filler), Scottish salmon, grilled trout, fresh fish special and cioppino loaded with scallop, shrimp, crab, clams, white fish and mussels.

The diverse menu also features several creative items not found in the sea, like the crowd favorite daily chef’s taco, which during our visit was tri tip with pico de gallo and queso fresca. Vegetarians have options of California veggie sandwich, vegetable plate and fried brie with garbanzo, grapes and apple; and omnivores will find plenty to choose from, with blue cheese bacon burger, Cuban sandwich with ham and pork shoulder, pork belly bites, braised short rib, filet mignon, southern-style pork ribs and a generous 15-oz USDA Prime strip.

The sides are so popular that many order them as a starter or even a meal and some are quite unique as well, like the cauliflower flash fried and dressed a with a light Cajun spice; or the quinoa salad with dried blueberries, cucumber, yellow and orange bell pepper, diced almonds and condensed milk adding a touch of extra sweetness.

14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

Complementing the fare are about 70 wines, mostly from Napa including the Robert Foley Petite Sirah and Duckhorn Merlot; and original cocktails like the Coastal Cadillac with Patron Silver, housemade sweet and sour and Grand Marnier.

Sweet finishes include a key lime pie with pecan graham cracker crust, s’mores pie with chocolate custard and marshmallow meringue and hot fudge sundae topped with candied pecans.

Some perks are the dog-friendly patio, where you can enjoy your best friend’s company, as well as the nearly always sublime weather; and quite reasonable prices that hover around $5-12 for starters, $15-$18 for sandwiches and most entrees from $18-$28 (sandwiches and entrées include a side).

One thing essential to any successful restaurant is its service, and thanks to a captain system in which a variety of staff will meet your needs, the front-of-the-house staff does a phenomenal job. Server Chanelle Nichols, who grew up so close to the restaurant she can point out her childhood home from the large dining room window, says, “We’re all a team and work together. Everyone helps out whether it’s our table or not.”

The back-of-the-house is in the able hands of Chef Andrew Palma, a New Jersey native who has helmed the kitchen since the restaurant opened.

He is no stranger to the restaurant industry, with 20 years of experience including working for Hillstone Restaurant Group and notable restaurants such as Houston’s Restaurant and Bandera Restaurant.

Opening hours are 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun-Thur and till 10 p.m. Fri-Sat.; and happy hour Mon-Fri from 3-6 p.m. features bites for $4-$7 and sips for $5-$8. A visit to Coastal Kitchen is a worthwhile stop and its relaxed vibe and family- and dog-friendly atmosphere will make you want to return again and again.

Coastal Kitchen 34091 Pacific Coast Hwy (949) 449-2822 coastalkitchendanapoint.com www.socalfnbpro.com

Wine Talk

with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www. aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.

Wine and Weed…the Newest Trend (or Controversy) on the Rise?

Definitely a trend…but a controversy for some. For those of you who might not be aware, marijuana was recently legalized for sale for recreational use in the state of Nevada. While there are still legal issues of who can legally distribute from grower to retail locations, recreational sales have begun as of July 1. In California, marijuana is currently legal to sell for medicinal purposes, and is on its way to legalization for recreational purposes.

So, what does this have to do with wine, do you ask? California is a large wine producing state, while both California and Nevada have a large wine consumer market. Regardless of whether you are an opponent or proponent of marijuana use, we cannot deny the fact that it has entered as a competitor in the general consumer-industry, even competing with the wine industry in some regards. Interestingly enough, the two industries do have some aspects in common. Most obviously, both are agricultural products whose growers pride themselves on a product focused on quality, with many aroma/flavor variations. Unfortunately, marijuana crops also take valuable water resources away from wine grapes, bring in invasive pests, and also come with the unique, pungent aromas that overtake other smells.

However, there has to be some type of happy medium for these two industries, especially in places like California where they are both grown.

Here to embrace this discussion is the Wine & Weed Symposium being held in Santa Rosa (California), on August 3 (http://wine-weed.com/).

This will not be a wine versus weed event, but an event that will examine how the legalization of marijuana will affect the wine industry as a whole.

Experts from both fields are invited to discuss various topics of interest, such as new products, regulations, exploring the potential to co-exist.

Believe it or not, there are now well over 2,000 recorded strains of cannabis, according to Leafly.com (https://www.leafly.com), and its search filters can organize the types by flavor: berry, citrus, tropical, nutty, spicy/herbal, earthy, etc… sound familiar? The scented oils (terpenes) in the cannabis plant result in strains with a variety of aroma and flavor characteristics.

Being unfamiliar to the connection of wine and weed, I took it upon myself to do a little research around the topic. Turns out, there are a number of companies that have created some interesting marriages of wine and marijuana.

Pot-Pairing Given that the marijuana industry is closely tied to the food and beverage industry already, it is no wonder that exploration of wine and cannabis has also begun. Even the publishers of The Tasting Panel and The SOMM Journal have created The Clever Root publication, which caters to chef and modern cuisine trends, including the cannabis industry.

Pot-pairing events, as they are also called, are an exclusive experience, where guests can experience fine dining cuisine paired with marijuana, as well as wine or other beverages. Cultivating Spirits offers a 3-course paired dinner, while companies like Mason Jar Event Group and Sonoma Cannabis Company hosts various types of cannabis-themed events.

Wine is also increasingly being recommended as a pairing for marijuana as well. Leafly.com even created an infographic depicting a wine and cannabis flavor pairing guide - http://tinyurl.com/ybb7n9x2.

Marijuana-infused Wine There have been a growing number of wineries who have traded their grapevines in for cannabis crops instead. However, it looks as though there are some wineries that have chosen to marry the two. Typically, the wines are infused with marijuana during the fermenting process, where the THC is extracted. www.socalfnbpro.com

Rebel Coast Winery is a company that infuses its Cloud Colony single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc with marijuana. CannaWine, on the other hand, makes wine infused with CBD, or cannabidiol, which is a different strain than the more typically known THC marijuana strain. While the wines produced in California can only be sold to those possessing medical marijuana cards, wineries continue to experiment with infused wine products.

There are many opinions regarding the legalization of marijuana, whether it is for medical or recreational use, and quite the controversy I might add. Regardless of the pros and/or cons of the industry, for now, it is here to stay.

While I refrain from sharing my personal opinion of the matter, I am interested in seeing how the wine industry will be impacted by the cannabis industry, and whether or not there can be a harmonious relationship between the two industries as the world changes.

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Time of the Year to Think “Cool Food”

Watermelon Arugula with Feta Salad For the vinaigrette: 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large) 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 cup good olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For the salad: 6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry 1/8 pound seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes 12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced 1 cup (4 ounces) whole fresh mint leaves, julienned

Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid

With the summer heating up everywhere, it’s a good time to start preparing dishes that are cooling and delicious as well. Adding watermelon to panzanella, a classic Italian salad, kicks the kid-friendliness of the dish up several notches. Tomatoes from the farmer’s market (or your garden!) will have the best flavor. For bread cubes with just the right amount of crunch, use only pieces with crust. Freeze the rest to toast for croutons down the road.

This is a sensational salad recipe and a great way to use up any leftover melon. As with all panzanella salads, it’s important to let the flavors infuse before serving. Toasting the bread a little will help to keep it slightly crispier.

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Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.

Place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl.

Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.

By Les Kincaid

Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening

W Tropicana Ave

Yield: 4 servings 16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

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Product Review

By Bob Barnes

Just Spices Just Spices, a German-based company, has a mission to emotionalize the often-dusty, cupboard-restricted world of spices, as the right spices can make a huge difference in making cooking creative and eating pleasurable. I sampled several and found them all to be quite vibrant and worthy additions to a variety of dishes, such as Berry Yogurt Seasoning, containing acai, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry powder to pep up yogurt, cereal, milk or sprinkle on a dessert; Sweet Love, a dessert additive with brown cane sugar, almonds, cinnamon, lemon peel, orange peel and calendula blossom; Chicken Seasoning, a quick and easy way to enliven any chicken-based dish; Hash Brown Seasoning, a blend of smoked salt, fenugreek, curry and a bit of nutmeg to upgrade any potato dish; and Tofu Seasoning, to come to the rescue of the flavorless cubes often maligned in Western gastronomy but a critical source of protein, especially for vegetarians, with tellicherry pepper, turmeric, lemongrass and fenugreek, mustard, and caraway seeds.

The company’s 47 spice blends are now available to the US market and are sold exclusively via the website JustSpices.com. All products are certified USDA organic, with no flavor enhancers, and range in price from $5.99-$7.99.

Mezcal Marca Negra The best drinks in the world are produced in small amounts and such is the case of Mezcal Marca Negra. Made from 100% agave and distilled by Maestro Jorge Mendez Ramirez in the San Luis Del Rio, Oaxaca region of Mexico, it’s matured for 8-12 years, and each bottle is labeled with batch and bottle number. As has been done since the 16th century, the pinas of select varietals of agave plants are placed in a fire pit of stones and wood, covered with palm leaves where they steam-bake for two to five days and are then crushed into a sweet, fibrous mash with a stone wheel powered by a mule. The mash is transferred into wooden vats where it remains for up to two weeks, allowing nature and time to convert airbone yeasts into sugar and alcohol. The taste is quite distinctive and should please any tequila fan. It weighs in at 50.2% ABV.

Up Mountain Swizzle A drink called switchel (also known as swizzle) was originally created by farmers in Vermont in the 1700s to quench thirst while exerting physical and manual energy on the farm, and now we too can experience the farm-totable beverage. The original drinking vinegar rooted in heritage and born in Vermont, Up Mountain Swizzle is a non-alcoholic carbonated drink made with only four ingredients: Berkshire mountain water, 100% Grade A organic maple syrup, organic raw apple cider vinegar and fresh ginger root. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce the first ever carbonated swizzle as we continue to reinvigorate this heritage beverage that has been part of Vermont life for generations,” said Ely Key, co-founder of Up Mountain Swizzle. He jokingly added, “No, Snoop Dog wasn’t a consultant on this project. Swizzle is actually what the Vermont field workers called it in the 1700s. Swizzle’s dynamic flavor experience delights the senses while providing a health-infused carbonated beverage, rooted in heritage.” Up Mountain Swizzle is naturally shelf stable without preservatives and suggested retail is $3.99 per 12 oz unit. For more info or to order, visit drinkswitchel.com.

www.socalfnbpro.com

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17

Made from

SCRATCH Making Good Sourdough PART III

By John Rockwell John Rockwell is a native Southern Californian and career English teacher working in the Riverside area.

In his spare time, he rides his bicycle to breweries, restaurants, and cheese shops, and is always looking for culinary delights within riding distance of the vast network of SoCal bicycle trails.

He is an ardent fan of the waiver theater culture in Los Angeles. He is new to cheesemaking, but has been a homebrewer for over twenty years.

of the process easier. Bulk fermentation—which I’ll fully explain in a moment—adds another set of variables to your dough. Allowing it to rest in a temperature-controlled environment adds some predictability and stability into a process, especially if you’re initially going by the “feel” of the dough and not really keeping track of temperatures. A fermentation period that is too long (four days in my kitchen experiment) can break down too many of the glutens and negatively affect the density of the final loaf.

Cold Crash/Bulk Ferment Here’s where the process gets interesting: after developing the dough in an evening, waiting patiently for it to get that “pillowy” texture and air holes (observable through the side of a foodgrade plastic bin), I cold-crash it in bulk in my refrigerator. The dough continues to ferment and rise during this time, and many times will double in size in the container. Bakers call this “retarding” the dough, and it gives time for that characteristic sourness to develop that we all enjoy. Some professional bakers, like Chad Robertson in San Francisco, will actually shape the dough into loaves before cold-crashing and

photos by John Rockwell

Part 3: Shape and Structure Like making anything from scratch, trial and error is sometimes your best teacher, and with sourdough bread, that axiom is definitely true.

The variables are endless, and in a multi-day breadmaking process, it sometimes takes a few loaves to find out where the errors were made.

Some examples of that trial and error (emphasis on error) are issues like sourness-starter astringency, salting and fermentation holding times. As a naturally conservative person who wants to have enough starter on hand, I wasn’t throwing enough of it out when refreshing my starter. If your starter is too sour, your bread will be very sour as well. To control this, toss more of your starter before feeding it. Sourdough guru Ken Forkish recommends tossing all but 10 percent, which means that if your starter is strong, you don’t need as much of it as you think to get it fermenting. As for salt, I used to add it in after the first stretch and fold of the dough, but lately I’ve just added it into the dry flour mix— If you’ve shaped properly, you will get an even it’s easier. Salt supposedly slows down your loaf of bread that has the aesthetics to match starter, but if you’ve got a strong, active starter the comforting sourdough flavors. and time, I see few drawbacks to making that part

When the dough went in for cold fermentation, it was at the 2L mark. After two days it has roughly doubled in size—a good sign.

You can clearly see evidence of microorganisms at work. The gluten development during stretch and pull keeps air in the dough.

When sourdough is moved around, detach it from the container’s walls with a plastic dough scraper so as not to tear the glutens.

Once the dough is divided in half, flour liberally to begin the shaping process, using the surface area tension to stretch an outer skin on the dough.

Once the dough is folded under into a ball, it is almost ready for shaping. It needs some time to relax and get used to the manipulation.

At the beginning of the bench rest, the glutens are not ready to be stretched and shaped, so the loaves must sit here for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, the bench rest is over. You can clearly see that the dough balls have changed shape and are more “relaxed.”

When shaping, begin by gently stretching the dough ball into a triangle. This process will begin the final shape of the loaf.

18 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

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do the final refrigerated “proof” in bannetons.

If you own a bakery and are making hundreds of loaves at a time, this makes sense, because once the dough is pulled out of the refrigerator, timing counts, and you don’t want to overproof.

In fact, if I am doing more than six loaves in a bake, I have to stagger taking the bulk dough out of the refrigerator.

No matter how you choose to do it, cold fermentation is an essential step in traditional sourdough. Like all fermentations, the chemical components in the dough are changed, cutting some starches into complex sugars, and breaking down the glutens so the final loaf is more edible.

These sugars are vital for the auburn color of a deep bake, and the caramelization adds that nutty and biscuity flavor we want in artisan bread. Two days in cold storage seems to be the magic number for me, although I’ve baked bread at three and four days. The dough I baked on the fourth day of a cold fermentation was difficult to work with and left a very sour aftertaste.

Bench Rest and Shaping When I first started making loaves, I didn’t do

very well with the shaping process and had very inconsistent results—some loaves popped up high in the oven and some fell to one side.

Once I realized the importance of the postfermentation process, I began to get much more consistent results. After pulling the dough from the refrigerator (pull it out about 30 minutes to one hour before using it), I use a plastic dough scraper to carefully pull it away from the walls of my container because I do not want to rip the gluten strands and air pockets that have formed. I then divide the dough evenly in half, and fold it up on itself, using a plastic dough scraper. I sprinkle the top with flour and begin to drag it along the smooth surface of the counter or baking mat, holding it at the sides, and sometimes using the scraper to keep it from sticking to my shaping surface. This dough forms a tight ball with a “skin.” These balls then sit on a lightly floured surface for around 30 minutes to allow the tightened glutens to relax—this is called a bench rest. If you leave a couple of inches between your dough, in 30 minutes, they will be touching. Once the glutens are relaxed, the dough is ready for shaping.

Shaping tells the glutens how to behave when it is in the oven—it tells the glutens where to stretch and what to hold onto to maintain shape.

One thing you must have is a smooth surface for shaping. Since sourdough is a high-hydration dough, you must build structure into your loaf so it holds its shape and is easier to score and then get into the oven. In my shaping process, I pull the dough into a triangle, and then flip the bottom two corners up with the top corner pointing away from me. Then I fold over each side onto itself, and then pull a little bit from each side and push into the top—it looks a little like a football being laced up, and you can see the loaf keeping its shape. I then fold over and tuck in the top corner and roll it all away from me. I then use the tackiness of my surface to pull and shape the loaf, forming a tight skin on the surface of the bread. If you’ve done your shaping well, the wet dough will actually maintain and hold its shape through the proofing process.

After this, the loaf is ready for final proofing and baking. Those steps will be explained in the final bread making installment.

The first move in shaping is to stretch the bottom part of the triangle and then fold it up.

The second move is to fold one side up, stretching slightly as you do.

The third move is to bring the other side back up and over. At this point, you will be able to feel the very soft dough actually holding its own shape.

At this point, if it’s still feeling soft, I like to “lace” some extra dough from the sides and bring it to the top. It resembles football lacing.

After pulling the top of the triangle into the bread, I turn it and begin to pull the surface, using the tension of the mat.

A little flour and a dough scraper to detach the loaf will ensure that the seam will seal while you prepare the bannetons for proofing.

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August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19

what’s

photos by David Mulvihill

BREWING

By David Mulvihill David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.

Brewery representatives at the Ladyface LABW dinner: (L-R) Deanna Hudgins (Eagle Rock), Greg Bechtel (Simmzy’s-Burbank), Cyrena Nouzille, Burciaga-Terry (Ladyface), Aaron Jennings, Brian Schmitz, Oscar Pleitez (Lucky Luke). Not pictured, but also in attendance were Kevin and Sara Osborne (Cellador Ales).

Ladyface & L.A. Beer Week In the last issue I touched on some highlights of June’s L.A. Beer Week events. One of those was #DrinkLocal #LABeer Foodie, the local brewery and food pairing at Ladyface Alehouse in Agoura Hills. Representatives from each of the breweries were in attendance that evening to speak about each beer with each course.

Distinct ingredients came together in Chef Justin Clarke’s first course, an octopus salad with Israeli couscous and strawberry-basil vinaigrette.

Fresh sea fennel provided an enhanced level of aromatics, crispness and spice. Eagle Rock Brewery’s Milo Oatmeal Pale Ale, with its prominent hop profile, brightened these flavors. While not on the pairing menu that evening, La Grisette, a Ladyface Belgian farmhouse-style wheat ale, also proved to be a complementary accompaniment.

Folks being served the mushroom terrine may have thought it was a meat pate if it wasn’t announced. Chef Justin shared that he loves making meat pates and mousses. In working to creating something similar for his vegetarian clientele he created a mushroom terrine utilizing select mushrooms, just a bit of onion and Ladyface Blind Ambition, its Belgian Abbey dubbel-stye ale. The ingredients melded well to provide a complex profile without becoming overpowered by seasoning. Unity IPA, this year’s L.A. County Brewers Guild LABW collaboration, was the beer paired. This year’s Unity brew (“A Beer to Unite Us All!”) was hosted by El Segundo Brewing Company. Over 40 breweries were represented in brewing this year’s beer. Staying true to El Segundo’s hoppy tendencies, the recipe was for a West Coast IPA that combined West Coast hops with complementing California-grown citrus and balancing malt.

Kiss melons combined in Justin’s gazpacho creation, providing more sweetness than other less flavorful varieties. The dish finished with some heat thanks to an addition of Fresno chiles.

Lucky Luke Brewing Co’s (Palmdale) Billie Gose with Melon provided a tart salinity with cantaloupe hints that joined with the elements in the gazpacho and provided a cleansing finish.

Bison toast with a “beer-naise” was up next. For Justin’s craft beer take on bearnaise, Ladyface Brett-Blossom, a brett-ed bier de mars-style beer, was combined with tarragon and a hollandaise base. The shallot spread on the toast was topped with bison braised in the house King Lear Old Englishstyle ale and topped with heirloom tomatoes. Cellador Ales (North Hills) Good Centennial, a wine barrel fermented saison dry-hopped with 20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie.

Centennial hops was paired. The aged complexity of the saison married well with the heartiness of the bison.

A savory crepe served with King Lear Ale also packed a bit of heat thanks to Fresno chiles. Castelvetrano green olives and shaved Ricotta Salata elevated the savory elements. The maltiness in the old ale and the house porter gastrique topping provided a dash of hearty sweetness.

For dessert, spoon bread with raspberry & chocolate was accompanied by Simmzy’s Porter, from Simmzy’s Burbank. It was well-executed, moist and not overly sweet. The chocolate sauce made with the house porter provided a satisfying extra touch. The light roast in the pairing porter provided an additional attribute.

You don’t have to wait until next year to enjoy a pairing experience at Ladyface. Chef Justin’s small plates, large plates, sandwiches, salads and burgers easily pair with a selection of Ladyface crafted beers, available in taster size.

29281 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills @LadyfaceAleCo www.socalfnbpro.com

Viewpoint Brewing Co.

Del Mar’s New Viewpoint Alongside the San Dieguito Lagoon, just south of Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds, an old warehouse has been converted to become the new Viewpoint Brewing Company. Charles Koll has brought his vision to life via the contributions and teamwork of executive chef Gunnar Plantar and head brewer Moe Katomski. All three have roots in the culinary arena.

Koll and Plantar met while both were working at Mille Fleurs in Ranch Santa Fe. Koll and Katomski previously homebrewed together prior to Moe commencing his brewing career at Bear Roots Brewing Co in Vista.

The open, comfortable and inviting finished industrial presentation provides an indoor/outdoor feel, with roll-up doors that open onto the patio deck with the lagoon and views beyond. The light wood and iron appointments in the furnishings provide communal spaces to enjoy a variety of dishes from the compelling menu, house-brewed beers and a selection of guest taps.

Five house beers were flowing at the pre-opening reception this reporter attended. Mandarina Pale Ale, at 4.6% ABV, was approachable and clean with highlights of Mandarina Bavaria hops, refreshing citrus-forward hops from Germany. SMASH Chinook (a single malt, single hop brew) was Viewpoint’s second pale offering. Its makeup provided some old school www.socalfnbpro.com

charm and flavors, with balanced pine, spices, and malt—a nice departure from the many in-your-face fruit-forward beers we experience these days.

French SMASH Saison2 is Viewpoint’s take on the French Farmhouse style, the strongest (ABV-wise) in the lineup at 7.1%. Viewpoint’s menu states that Experiment A was inspired by a kolsch recipe and other German beer varieties. The fruit and banana esters that came forward in this mashup of styles gave it some weizen qualities. Finally, the dark malty-hoppy Red Rye IPA gives folks used to standard light in color light in body San Diego IPAs something to talk about. As it comes to temperature strong caramel rye notes are balanced by a bittering finish.

Food is also centerpiece at Viewpoint. Three varieties of Pretzel Bao Buns are offered, Pork Belly with kimchi, apple and aioli, Oxtail with coconut hoisin and pickled peppers and Salt & Pepper Shrimp with daikon slaw.

A number of other starters include Jidori chicken wings, Tapenade & Hummus and Mussels & Ndjuja. Entrees include Jidori chicken, burgers, smoked gouda macaroni, roasted cauliflower and Steelhead trout. For the wine-inclined, an impressive selection is offered by the glass and bottle.

2201 San Dieguito Dr., Del Mar @ViewpointBrewing August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21

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Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

By Bob Barnes Lone Tree Brewing Cucumber Wheat Lone Tree Brewing Company opened in 2011 and is named for the city in Colorado it is located in. It is now canning its popular 5.2% ABV, 25 IBU Cucumber Wheat Beer, which was first brewed in June of 2016 to celebrate the longest day of the year, the summer solstice. Cucumber is a vegetable not often found in beer, but after trying this brew with fresh cucumber flavors and just enough hop profile for a crisp finish, I think that could be about to change.

This light and refreshing ale is primed to be enjoyed during the waning hot days of summer. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.

Chimay Grande Réserve Barrel Aged Rhum Edition Most beer-savvy drinkers are aware of the Chimay brewery’s Red, White and Blue ales, but the Belgian Trappist brewery brews several other ales besides its three flagship beers. For the first time the brewery utilized its original Christmas brew, Chimay Grande Réserve, with triple fermentation and maturation in three types of wooden barrels: 36% French oak, 42% American oak and 22% Rhum (barrels that previously aged rum), to create its latest creation, the Chimay Grande Réserve Barrel Aged Rhum Edition. This unfiltered and unpasteurized Belgian strong ale registers 10.5% ABV and not only embodies its original Grande Réserve characteristics with notes of caramel and vanilla, but also brings a rounded, oak flavor. This is not a year-round release, so if you see it, grab it.

Moody Tongue Moody Tongue has established itself as a foodie brewery, and rightly so, as its Owner/Brewer Jared Rouben is a Culinary Institute of America-Hyde Park graduate. In 2013 the former Goose Island brewmaster went out on his own, and founded his own brewery, the aptly named Moody Tongue Brewing Company. Several of the Chicagobased brewery’s beers have a food component, the most renowned of which is the Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter with cocoa nibs, caramel and vanilla bean imparting flavors of Mexican Oaxacan chocolate.

Other culinary-inspired creations include Peeled Grapefruit Pilsner, which captures the sweet, sour and bitter tastes from the grapefruit within a light, refreshing body; Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison with spicy Sorachi Ace hops and saison yeast balanced with slightly sweet Meyer lemon; and Sliced Nectarine IPA with the stone fruit offsetting the grapefruit acidity of Chinook hops. If you love food in your beer, as I do, you owe it to yourself to check out the brewery’s portfolio at moodytongue.com.

Black Butte XXIX Black Butte Porter is thought by many to be the benchmark for the modern day craft beer porter style, so when once a year the Deschutes Brewery celebrates its anniversary with an imperial, barrel-aged version of its flagship, fans of the brew take notice. Each year the brewery experiments with fun ingredients and this year, the 29th anniversary Birthday Reserve is brewed with chocolate malt, Dutched cocoa powder, Saigon cinnamon, cayenne and turbinado sugar and 50% aged in bourbon and rum barrels. As this 12% ABV gem only comes out once a year, don’t hesitate to hunt one down.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Ales In recent years many consumers have been searching out organic products and more and more producers are joining in the organic wave. For this family-owned brewery with over 250 years of history, there is really nothing more traditional and authentic than brewing organically, which it has done since 1758, when all beer was organic!

In 2009, after sourcing organic ingredients and receiving organic certification, Melbourn Bros. became a Certified Organic brewery and its Samuel Smith’s Organic Apricot, Cherry, Raspberry, and Strawberry ales were launched to huge success and each took a Gold in the US Open Beer Championship: Strawberry in 2009, Raspberry in 2010, Apricot in 2012 and Cherry in 2014. Previously its Organic Strawberry Ale and Organic Apricot Ale have only been available in 18.7 oz bottles, but due to requests for an on-premise bottle, and also to the growing popularity of multi-packs, beginning in August 2017 are now being packaged in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles.

22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

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By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books.

Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com

HR Metaphor: Do you get more flies with honey?

I have always believed that the purpose of the human resources function should be just as it infers…“a resource where individuals can get information, assistance, and guidance”… and even more importantly, we must be an unbiased ear to the issues or challenges that our employees may face. Ultimately, this position puts HR in the unique and valuable role of being able to assess, and maybe even embrace and address, the types and depth of problems that our organizations may face.

Here are my top five (5) philosophies on how to ‘“Bee” the best HR’ department for your organization…

My philosophy has always been that the most essential role of HR is to listen and then solve problems. When we solve the problems of those we support, then we pave the way for that group to function as it should in order to focus on key business objectives such as guest service, quality of product, and ultimately on making money! HR staff need to be available, receptive, and most of all approachable – in particular without pre-judgment of a person or situation – so that they can objectively aid in the resolution of any organizational people, legal or procedural need or problem.

• Bee a solid communicator! Listen well and then give your organization information that they need and can apply right away.

• Bee available – 24/7. Don’t put too many time constraints on access to you.

• Keep an open mind and heart. Try not to prejudge a situation and have compassion for others.

• Bee patient, friendly, approachable and thorough. When you give advice, follow it too. Keep your promises.

• Always keep the “big picture” in mind.

Watch trends, reoccurring issues, etc. and then find solutions.

It is critical that your human resources team “bee” on the same page with you at all times. If you, as their leader, show even a little disdain for your employees then you can expect that your team will take that position as well. While HR needs to be confident and firm at times, they must always remember whom they serve

and how to best serve them. I suggest that you clearly communicate your expectations to your HR team, share the goals of the organization as well as for HR, and evaluate their performance based upon their ability to maintain and support those goals. However, lastly, and most importantly, recognize and thank them for a job well done and do so with care, frequency, and genuine sincerity.

So, as you can see, I strongly believe that honey is a far more effective enticement than vinegar – because a sweet reward is far better outcome for all. If we, as human resources professionals ever stray from or forget our most important role, all that we need to do is stop for a moment, reflect and smell the roses. If you find that there is a bee on that flower (a fly in the ointment), allow it to let it drink the nectar, thereby avoiding the nasty sting that comes when you ignore the sweet rewards of patience and purpose.

HR Question of the month:

Please send your HR questions and concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book. Include your mailing address when sending your responses.

24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

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By Victoria Pindrik

Chipper Pastron In a time when industry is always changing people’s taste, Market City Caffe is celebrating its 25th year in the food and beverage business and still managing to keep up with these changes and remain authentic. I had the chance to sit down with Chipper Pastron, the co-founder of Market City Caffe, and get to know him a little better. During my interview with Chipper, one of the coolest parts about the restaurant is that we were sitting in a place that opened 25 years ago and for the most part everything was the same: from the layout, the bar, to the coat rack at each table to the menu. Many of the items that I got the chance to taste were from the original menu and are still the most popular items on the menu today! Market City Caffe has such a comfortable and authentic feel to it, and that’s all due to Chipper’s laid-back personality, passion, hard work and definition of a native Californian.

You have so much success and began working at such a young age (13).

What was your inspiration?

I’d like to say there was some great inspiration but I was a very active person and just liked working. I had a newspaper stand for several years and was looking for a job and a good friend of my brother was working at a subway sandwich place, Sepi’s Grand Submarine Sandwiches. He got me a job and I loved it and loved the fast pace and activity. Sepi’s was my first restaurant job and I worked there for about 3 years, and through that job got to know one of our customers, a chef of a restaurant in Santa Monica called Ye Olde King’s Head British Pub. I wanted to cook and he got me a job, but when I showed up it turned out to be a busboy position.

I didn’t like what I was doing so I went to work at Gladstone’s 4 Fish as a prep cook shucking oysters. I worked for the company for 10 years and by the time we opened Gladstone’s on Sunset and PCH I was a sous chef and then became the chef and eventually a corporate chef and oversaw five restaurants under that company. After that one of the principals and director of operations and I decided to go into business together and we launched our company, MCC Hospitality Group, in 1987 in Pasadena.

How did you know that food and beverage is what you wanted to do?

I never knew that; I fell into it and I loved it. I am fortunate. I didn’t have a grand plan, and didn’t seek out to do what I do, but found something I was passionate about and just did it.

What or who were your influences?

Definitely my business partner Sal Casola Jr. We have worked together for 36 years, and he is a huge influence on me. It wasn’t until many years in the business that I even started to look around for inspiration and there are definitely people in the industry that have inspired me at different times.

What do you want your restaurant to be known for that people will return to it for?

Good values, high quality food and great service. Sounds easy, but it’s not so easy to execute all at once. www.socalfnbpro.com

photos by Jason Rhew

A Talk with MCC Hospitality Group’s

Victoria Pindrik is a native Californian who graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration. She currently works as an office manager at Slalom in Irvine, CA. Although in the corporate world, Victoria is passionate about hospitality and anything to do with food & beverage.

What’s the best advice you were given and what advice would you give?

Not to count your hours. Pay no attention to how many hours you work. I would actually give the same advice and that you need to pursue something you are passionate about and something you enjoy.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

This is definitely one of them: to be able to open a restaurant that is sustainable in an ever-changing market for two and half decades. That has to be one of our greatest.

What future projects do you have for the restaurant group and where do you see the MCC group being at 10 years from now?

In California in particular the restaurant business is going through a major reevaluation driven by increases in minimum wage. It’s causing us to re-evaluate what we do in full service-quick service. But full servicecasual is becoming unmanageable from a business point of view. It’s not a criticism but the reality. Future projects at the moment are focusing on our brewery and our craft beer.

What do you like to do for fun or in your free time?

Fortunately I don’t work 18 hours a day anymore, so I do have free time.

I have four kids, one of whom is here today. I like to spend time with my family, play tennis, bike ride and spend time with friends. Anything I do is usually centered around food.

What is your number one selling dish?

Homemade ricotta cheese and spinach ravioli has been and continues to be the number one.

After our interview, Chipper and his team prepared a table of all the signature dishes, most of which have been served since the day they opened. We got to try the homemade ricotta cheese and spinach ravioli (which was absolutely amazing), margherita pizza, burrata & prosciutto pizza and a variety of other appetizers and salads. I can’t wait to see what Chipper and his partners brew up next!

August 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 25

EVENTS

AD INDEX

There are some major food & beverage events coming up this month you might want to consider attending. Here are some events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend start booking now.

Deep Eddy Vodka www.deepeddyvodka.com

page 27

Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049

page 16

Jon Taffer’s Rescue Tour rescuetour.com

page 28

August 19-20 the Pacific Food & Wine Classic at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort annual fundraiser highlights the best chefs and restaurants throughout Orange County and pairs classic and new wines of California supplied by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits where you are sure to enjoy your charitable donation! www.pacificwineandfood.com August 26 the Huntington Beach Beer Fest at Huntington State Park along PCH will feature beer from throughout the region and food bites supplied by a dozen food trucks to create a nice afternoon at the beach… www.huntingtonbeachbeerfestival.com

Keep Memory Alive Event Center page 2 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com

Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698

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Recipes for Restaurateurs www.marketing-cookbook.com

page 13

Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com

page 9

White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com

page 5

August 27-29 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center is the largest food and beverage show in California and is sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. You’ll find just about all you need to set up and maintain a restaurant or foodservice facility. Additional shows include new products on the market and a chefs’ challenge presented by the ACF Chefs throughout California. So see you there! www.westernfoodexpo.com

To advertise email sales@socalfnbpro.com

American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2017

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