tiffin unboxed

Chef Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub + Bewery wrote an Open Letter trying to clear up misinformation and approached lawmakers in Sacramento with the group C.H.E.F.S. (Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards) proposing, rather than a repeal, new legislation for new standards for humane and ethical farming of foie gras.

Despite speculation of finding loopholes to serve foie after the ban, many diners are treating these last days leading to the official ban as our last bites of the delicacy in California.

As Deep End Diner Eddie Lin wrote, it's "Foiecopalypse Now!". I can't top his puns and captions, so let me just get on to the meal.


About 9-10 PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) protestors lined the front of the restaurant and parking structure shouting with large signs saying things like "How Much Cruelty Could You Swallow"?



The amuse bouche really impressed me. It was an absolutely perfect bite. The crumble surrounding the foie "lollipop" reminded me of toffee (a Heath bar) for some reason, but it appeared to be dried orange zest, nuts and other items.


We were also treated to a champagne aperitif.

The generous sized torchon's creaminess paired well with the crumble and herbs in a beautiful presentation. I did not expect such a prominent dish to kick off the menu.



The whimsical breakfast plate contained so many tasty components that melded perfectly. I love breakfast any time of day and this appropriately scaled plate, with the tiny sunny side up quail egg, brought a lot of creative flavor.


I've loved all of Chef Reznik's food I've eaten and this soup combined many more ingredients that worked well together.


This gorgeous dish demonstrates how light foie gras can be. The tortellini served in a delicate broth with the dainty micro celery and tiny mushrooms was gorgeous to look at and on the palate. The tart rhubarb added some nice acidity and slight sweetness.

The idea of doing two soupy courses back to back really appeals to me as I am a huge fan of soup, and it keeps the eating pace a bit lighter.



Brendan Collins is another chef whose food I adore. I love that he chose fish for the dish. Caramelized escolar with caramelized foie doesn't need much adornment. The beautiful, fresh peas in a lovely brothy sauce added a pop of green to cut the richness a bit.

Once again, the sheer portion of the seared foie is notable.




It was also a great choice to serve game instead of red meat. By this time in the meal, there wasn't a lot of room for more food. With such a gorgeous plate, it's hard to resist.

Za'atar, if you haven't had it, is a Middle Eastern condiment containing dried oregano, thyme, savory, sumac, sesame seeds and salt. I always have a stash at home and pour it over almost anything!

The squab leg and thigh topped with za'atar encrusted crispy skin, the pastry dough wrapped around a cylinder of foie gras (egg roll size) and the citrusy fennel with candied orange slices and a touch of heat on the plate formed a delectable palate of flavors.



Pastry Chef Santanna Salas developed this creamy, foie gras cheesecake. The crumble adds a touch of sweetness and the fruity gelee serves as a tart foil to the richness. The foie flavor is fairly subtle. You can taste it if you know it's there.

This dessert appears on many articles rounding up the must-have foie gras dishes around town, and it appears (not for long) on their regular menu, so is not exclusive to this particular dinner.


The dark chocolote bon bon filled with a creamy foie gras ice cream also closed out the meal in a decadent way.

Overall, this amazing group of talented chefs created a magical dinner I will remember for a long, long time after July 1st.