The Yard gastropub celebrated its official “re-grand opening” on November 3 with new chef Chris “CJ” Jacobson (Arianna Huffington, Axe, Campanile). Yesterday, he called to discuss his upcoming plans, which includes a regular Tuesday night event titled The Big Cheese. Jacobson described the event as “four dishes devoted to the glory of melted cheese, including a “pedestrian crowd pleaser,” a vegetarian option, a “standout,” and fried pig ears with pickled watermelon rinds, blue cheese and dates. He’s also considering a play on French onion soup with croutons, a Gruyere crust and a gastrique of caramelized onions.
Jacobson said he’s happy where things stand with The Yard thanks to upgraded kitchen equipment, a revamped menu and jettisoned art that didn’t fit with his “farmers market, seasonally driven” style. He’s happy with initial growth, saying, “If you make the food you’re true to and you believe in and is good, the clientele will come.”
So far, Jacobson has hit on three signature dishes, including fish tacos, which he describes as his initial “bain of misery.” He drew on his experience working for a chef from Veracruz, pairing local sea bass with pico de gallo ragu, cumin slaw, guacamole and fried flour tortillas.
“I’m in love with bacon, and pork and duck fat and pork fat,” says Jacobson, “but we definitely have a number of vegetarian dishes.” With that in mind, he developed a dish of smoked Brussels sprouts with Hachiya persimmon puree, pickled breakfast radish and roasted pine nuts.
His final signature dish appears as dessert. It’s an apple, pomegranate and date gallette with Gruyere crust, served a la mode with salted bourbon caramel, made with Knob Creek bourbon.
Related Posts
- The Yard Re-Grand Opens November 3 with “Top Chef” CJ
- Andrew Dispels Cheese Myths for National Cheese Lover’s Day
- The Bazaar Adds Kitchen Pantry to Gastro-Arsenal
- ChocolateBox Café Expands to Malibu Lumber Yard
- Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese and Egg Creams
No Comments Yet
You can be the first to comment!
Leave a comment