Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/39104
Bridget Albert: Tell me about the guests of Haven and what they most enjoy about your restaurant. Chef Randy: We are a neighborhood restaurant, with an upscale relaxed setting. Our guests are made up of a wide cross-section of Houston. People come here because they can get thoughtfully-pro- duced food and beverage without the arrogance of most high-end restaurants. We are a “come as you are” place; laid-back and easy. Justin: Our guests appreciate the attention to detail at Haven. I hear as many compliments on the decor as I do the cocktails. People seem to be most amazed by where all of our waste goes. There are three waste bins behind the bar, compost, recycling and trash. The only one of those that is full by the end of the busiest night is the recycling. BA: Justin, how do you balance a gin cocktail? What is your favorite classic gin cocktail and why? Justin: That really depends on the gin. I find that lighter styled gins, like Nolet’s or Hendrick’s, enjoy a healthy dose of bitterness to balance their floral sweetness. Gin, on the whole, seems to like to be mixed with some- thing full-bodied, like an aromatized wine. That being said, my favorite is the Martinez; it fills all of those needs, and it’s just a pretty drink. BA: Chef Randy, what are three savory and three sweet ingredients that play nice with gin? SAVORy • Quail loves the spices used in making gin. • Crawfish has rich fat to balance the herbal notes in gin. I cook it with gnocchi and Mexican marigold and Texas sweet corn. • Chicken, my sous-vide in olive oil, thyme, garlic and juniper ber- ries. I love how the chicken just soaks up all the herbs and spices. SWEET • Peaches. I make a deep-dish peach-blackberry pie that loves the floral characteristics of gin. • Cinnamon. I love the rice and cinnamon with gin in our horchata panna cotta ■ • Strawberries. I macerate them in a little sugar and gin and then bake them in a rustic tart. BA: Justin, what can a chef or beverage professional say to a customer who is turned off by gin to help change his or her mind? Justin: I always encourage people who shy away from gin to start with something light and easy, like a Southside, and offer to replace the drink with anything else if they dislike it; most people will try what I put in front of them if there is no financial risk involved. Typically they find a new drink they love. BA: Houston is a city that has always had great state pride representing local steak and Texas Shiner Beer on many menus. How is the culinary and mixology scene taking this concept to the next level? Chef Randy: Houston has such a long growing season, and we benefit from this greatly. I get strawberries from a farm near the Gulf from December all the way through April. Our only difficult month is August due to the intense heat. In Houston we always have amazing product to work with. It is fun to head out to the farmers’ market and run into other chefs and barkeeps. Justin: Texas is a special place. You can grow almost anything here. We use local citrus, in addition to other fruits and herbs, which is already well beyond what other states can do. I think that focusing on sustainability is big here. More and more establishments are planting their own gardens and featuring the herbs and fruits they can produce on menus. There is a map of Texas in the back of the restaurant on a wall with a push-pin in every farm we source from—and there are a lot of push-pins on that map! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ THE DRINK: ■ ■ ■ The Boatman’s Call 1½ oz. Nolet’s Gin 1½ oz. Vergano Americano ¼ oz. John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum ■ 2 dashes Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters ■ Stir and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist. THE DISH: Crawfish & Herb Gnocchi Serves 8 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 3 tablespoons butter 2 cups herb gnocchi (see below) 2 ears corn, removed from the cob 1 leek, white flesh only ½ pound fresh Louisiana crawfish tails To taste, salt and white pepper 2 tablespoons gin ¼ cup cold butter, cubed 1 tablespoon chopped Mexican marigold (or tarragon) ■ In a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sauté the gnocchi on both sides until toasted a golden brown. Add the leeks and corn and cook a minute or two until the leeks are translucent. Add the crawfish and seasonings, cook for a minute longer, deglaze with the gin. Add the cold cubed butter and swirl over low heat until the butter has melted and is emulsified. Add marigold. Divide among 8 bowls and serve while still hot. for the herb gnocchi: 1½ cups water 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1½ tablespoon chopped chives 1½ tablespoon chopped parsley 1½ tablespoon chopped Mexican marigold ■ ■ ■ 1 cup loosely packed shredded Gruyère cheese 5 to 6 large eggs Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix. Let rest until firm. Pipe into tray and cut into gnocchi. Boil in salted water until gnocchi float to the top. august 201 1 / the tasting panel / 117