Well, we did it! We had an amazing and delicious summer! Now, as we ease our way into the fall & winter months, it’s the shorter days and cooler evenings that trigger the shift in what we crave. We instinctively seek out warmer, heartier, more comforting fare, to soothe our souls.
So, we thought that there would be no better time than this to roll out our new line of hearty grain bowls (our first new menu category in years!), a tasty steak sandwich upgrade, a new green bean side salad, and multiple items featuring key autumnal ingredients such as kale, butternut squash and apples.
After a year of testing and refining, we’re excited and proud to share what we’ve come up with our new line of hearty ancient grain bowls. Perhaps influenced by the lack of ability to travel in 2020, we were inspired by an array of global flavors to take your taste buds on a trip around the world.
Starting with our Chimichurri Steak & Shishito Bowl, we slice our steak, and pile it on top of our own blend of ancient grains with roasted shishito peppers, broccolini, tomatoes and onions, and dress it with our classic Argentinean style chimichurri sauce. We serve a grilled lemon on the side, so you can amp up the acidity to your liking.
For the Smoky Chicken Elote Bowl, we ladle a healthy dose of fresh corn cooked in a Oaxacan inspired smoky, tortilla thickened guajillo broth, over shredded cabbage and ancient grains. Then we marinate chicken thighs with al pastor spices, roast, slice, and pile it on top of the grains and corn-guajillo broth. It then gets topped with big flavor layers of crema, cotija, crunchy tortilla strips, and pico de gallo. This one is served with a lime wedge on the side.
On the Mediterranean Chicken Bowl, you will find a generous pile of colorful roasted veggies, including romanesco, yellow pepper, onion, and tomato, on top of sliced, roasted chicken, a bed of hearty bulgur (i.e. cracked wheat), dotted with golden pickled raisins for a nice sweet/acidic counterpoint, a shake of ground sumac (an earthy, citrus-y spice), and a smattering of fresh picked dill. This one gets finished with two contrasting sauces: lemon-dill vinaigrette and creamy tahini yogurt.
Shifting gears to other new menu items, the chimichurri recipe we came up with for the steak bowl is so yummy that we thought it deserved to show up at least twice on our menu. So you will notice that is also appears on an exciting new core menu item, the Chimichurri Steak & Bacon Sandwich, which features roasted, carved steak, crispy nitrate-free Applewood smoked bacon, balsamic marinated red peppers, caramelized onion jam, chimichurri, shredded romaine, and herb aioli on a toasted sesame roll. Meat lovers rejoice!
We also have a hearty, healthy, veg-focused seasonal deli side salad to talk about. We call it Togarashi Green Beans & Tofu. It’s addictive and one-of-a-kind. It’s made up of French green beans (i.e. haricot vert), roasted oyster mushrooms, edamame, toasted cashews, sesame seeds, fried shallots, green onions, and togarashi tamari dressing. There’s a lot of umami and plant protein going on in this one!
The other seasonal deli side salad I should mention is the beloved autumn-centric Wild Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Apples, which will be making a welcome return to the menu. I mean, what’s autumn without some roasted squash sprinkled throughout, right? And the Kale & Apple Rainbow Salad that made it’s debut last year, and turned out to be a top seller, will be back with a permanent spot on the menu (YAY!). I just love how the tart, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and the uniquely aromatic thai basil interact with the crunchy veggies and the natural sweetness of the apples and dried cranberries. It’s a guilt-free pleasure that I hope will brighten your day.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t also share some belly soothing soups to help us get you through the coldest of days. We will bring back two fan favorites in the Thai Curry Squash Soup and the Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup.
As always, I’ve greatly enjoyed being inspired by new ingredients and flavor combinations to share another adventurous menu with you all. I hope we’re able to see you soon, and these new menu items and flavors are able to warm your hearts and bellies heading into the fall / winter. We hope you EAT HAPPY!
Sincerely,
Chef Jeremy Bringardner