By Teri Bayus
The chicken liver mousse came out first, served in a ramekin with vinegar aspic that balanced the organ taste.
I was teleported from The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach, into my Nana’s kitchen, as I slathered it on crispy, Grover Beach Sourdough bread. Chef Jason and his staff are making everything here including the bread, which is made with a 3-year-old starter that is also used in the waffles.
Their beer and wine list are as adventurous as the menu and Gary order a Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout. We started with the Sea Monster white blend.
Patrick took us on a tour of the menu and told us they spent a year touring the country looking for comfort food with a twist. Everything is made in-house and locally sourced.
The service was attentive and speedy without hovering.
Gary started with tart and tangy lemon meringue pie. This was the genuine item with a fluffy meringue and Meyers lemon base with an old school thin crust.
Next we tried the crispy sweetbreads that were deep fried with chorizo resting on top of summer green beans and a Dijon sauce. In the middle rested a soft-boiled egg, when mixed together this brought out the preeminent essences.
I was speechless and wanted another bowl. My guest reminded me that I could have them next time, and I moved on basking in the flawlessness of the food at The Spoon Trade.
Sharing and rejoicing over every bite, we sampled the tri tip tartare — Neiman Ranch beef chopped by the chef and topped with a tonnato sauce. It was tender and savory, and served with grilled sourdough bread.
Each dish continued to impress and inspire us. Picking the wine first and the main dishes after is one of my favorite indulgences, and Kathy agreed. We moved to a bottle of the 2013 Ranchero wine, a Mourvedre and Grenache blend. Decanted to bring out the essences, we admired the boldness of this wine.
Gary moved on to the apple crisp, which boasted the right ratio of crispy granola over baked apples accompanied by vanilla ice cream.
Our main plates appeared and we were enthusiastic to dig in. The spiced albacore on white grits with a corn salsa and wilted spinach, all soaking in Old Bay butter, was stupendous. The fish was cooked to exactness and the grits were a lifeline to the bygone era and a delight.
The grilled flat iron steak was prepared in the sous vide, and finished impeccably. It is sliced slender and obliged with paper-thin layers of delicious potato gratin and sliced, sweet cherry tomatoes and a bit of basil.
But the fried chicken and waffles are the reason I will be dining here every nigh
t. Four pieces of buttermilk soaked and fried chicken pieces with the slightest drizzle of honey on top are accompanied by sourdough waffles and spicy kimchee. This was a religious experience.
I pushed aside albacore for chicken, something I rarely do, this dish was that exceptional. It mirrored my all time favorite chicken from Gus’s in Memphis, Tenn., and we all fought to finish it. This dish is big enough for two people, unless you have a fried chicken problem (like I do).
Dessert was a chocolate torte; a cake that was so moist inside it was like pudding, topped with candied pecans and served with jammed market figs, all floating on an anglaise sauce. If there is a dessert that seraphs make, this is it.
We also had the savory carrot cake with cheese. The carrot cake was not sweet and paired delightfully with aged goat cheese. This could be an appetizer as well as a dessert.
I wanted to applaud after the meal, as I was so viscerally stimulated. The Spoon Trade is casual dining with a bit of panache. They also have burgers, soups and salads. This is exceptional food for people who love food, who didn’t know they loved food and for the adventurous.
They are open every night but Wednesdays from 5-10 p.m. and located at 295 Grand Ave., in Grover Beach. You can call them at (805) 904-6773.
