For those unfamiliar with Niman Ranch, they are a umbrella for a group of localized farmers and ranchers dedicated to humanely raising beef, pork and lamb.
Compassionate family farmers raising animals with respect for the land.
At Niman Ranch we believe that in order to produce the finest tasting all-natural meat in the world you must begin with the strictest protocols. That means working with small U.S. family farmers who are committed to raising the highest quality breeds and are dedicated to caring for their livestock traditionally. These guiding philosophies, from the genetics we source, to the feeds we use, to the humane animal raising standards contribute to the consistently, best tasting, all-natural beef, pork, lamb and smoked and prepared meats. Learn more about what "natural" means to us and about our animal raising practices.
As an additional bonus, we were hosted by Paul Willis from Niman Ranch and Jasper's owner and Executive Chef Kent Rathbun (http://www.kentrathbun.com/jaspers/austin/kentrathbun.php.) To make a simple statement, Kent is a culinary badass. Love the concept of the restaurant.
BUT, the execution of the concepts falls to the Chef de Cuisine. I am proud to call Jasper's Chef, Dustin Pustka, my friend (http://www.cleanfish.com/downstream/featured-chefs/chef-dustin-pustka.) He does ONE HELL OF A JOB at Jasper's... and when he cooks/BBQ's at home.
For last night's menu, all of the courses featured Niman Ranch proteins paired with some delicious wines.
Jina arrived a few minutes early, so we stopped off in the bar for a quick cocktail. She had a Firefly martini and I had the Jim Beam driven Global Warming martini.
After a few minutes, the director of sales, a lovely young lady named Lane Strickland, ushered us back to the dining room where the rest of the crowd started to file in.
Our two main servers, William and Hunter, started making the rounds with the passed appetizers. The apps were paired with a nice Chardonnay that I don't remember the name of... damn brain drain.
Niman Ranch Bacon-Quail Egg Biscuits Texas Blueberry Jam
Niman Ranch Country Ham, Yellow Watermelon, Sweet Basil
After a brief introduction by Chef Rathbun and a short history of the Niman Ranch brands, the first course arrives.
Shiner Bock Beer Braised Pork Cheek, Creamy Smoked Onion Brussel Sprouts paired with Steelhead Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 2009.
The second course was my favorite of the night. Who doesn't love lobster? Especially Jalepeno Beer Battered Lobster with Niman Ranch "Ham Hock Mac." Add in the delicious Ravenswood Old Vine Zin 2008 and I was in heaven.
Third course, my second favorite: Hicokry Grilled Niman Ranch Lamb T-Bone with Elephant Garlic-Balsamic Glaze and Carnival Cauliflower Puree. The Hook and Ladder Tillerman Red, 2007, was a nice addition to the course.
Fourth Course... yes Fourth. You will probably stop here and ask "How does a bariatric paitient eat all this food?" Simple answer? I don't... I eat parts of all these courses. And keep in mind, this is a tasting menu, so don't think true "Americanized" portions. So, fourth course: Niman Ranch Prime Ribeye Filet, Crispy Hedgehog Mushroom Sauce, White Cheddar Smoked Bacon Twice Baked Potato paired with the Emblem Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006. I loved the wine, Jina wasn't quite the fan. SOOO... Travis gets some extra wine! YEAH!!! And we get Jina another glass of the white from the passed course.
Final Course: Tart Washington Cherry Cheesecake, Mint Chocolate Fudge, and a Robert Mondavi Muscato D'Oro 2009. Not my favorite wine. I REALLY don't like sweet whites. But, this was a pretty good sweet white.
As the rest of the folks file out, we finished chatting with out tablemates for the evening, including the regional director for Chipotle Restaurants, the largest buyer of Niman Ranch pork outside of Whole Foods. I have a new respect for Chipotle. But I am still a Freebirds guy.
Thanks again to Dustin, Lane, Paul Willis, and Chef Kent for a great night. See you in July for the Vision Cellars dinner!
I can haz that cheezcake????
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