Local Bounty: February 11

Two days ago, we announced that Sea Rocket Bistro—a hardline local, sustainable seafood bistro in North Park—was closing its doors after five and a half years. It’s not alone. North Park’s local food trailblazer The Linkery recently shuttered. The owner of The Local Habit in Hillcrest sold his operation, too.

It’s raised a question: Just how hard is it to do a local, sustainable restaurant?

Fans of the Sea Rocket loved them for their principles as much as their food. Every restaurateur talks about being local and sustainable, but very few stick to their guns when they take a look at the real costs in doing so. Sea Rocket was militant about their ethics, which ultimately lead to their closing.

Partner Elena Rivellino gives a rare insiders look at how the numbers play out. This analysis doesn’t take into account the subjective quality of the finished product (some locals absolutely loved their grilled sardines and live local uni, others weren’t so impressed). Nor does it consider real estate (Sea Rocket is located in a sort of no-man’s land between North Park and South Park). But it does give a rare glimpse at the sheer costs of trying to be a progressive, local seafood restaurant.

Sea Rocket’s final meal will be served on Dec. 8. Consider the following the next time you complain about the menu price of local lobster.

Is sustainability a sustainable restaurant model?

Unfortunately ours wasn’t. Or at least we weren’t able to make it so. Places like Chez Panisse have worked for years. Who knows if it’s simply a market/demand recognition, real estate, being able to charge more and serve less volume of food, operating more hours than we did (which we tried, but couldn’t get going enough to make it worth continuing). It’s probably a combination of it all and maybe San Diego just can’t support that combination of a place quite yet. I feel our type of restaurant has been quite successful elsewhere.  Hopefully it’s all just part of a natural evolutionary/devolutionary process.

Let’s talk operational costs—which I’m sure was a big factor in Sea Rocket closing.

The cost of doing business for a locally sourced, sustainable-only foods restaurant are SOO high. You do have to pay for quality, but we just felt that we couldn’t charge high-end, fine-dining prices in a casual neighborhood bistro in North Park, so we just didn’t get the markup we needed on a lot of our menu items.  We wanted to be reasonably priced to best serve the area, which means we probably should have picked a different kind of food to serve, because seafood is notoriously expensive compared to any other food you could focus on. Maybe that explains why there are so many pizza/salad/sub/burger places.

Industry standard says, to be profitable, restaurants must keep their food costs (what they pay wholesale for food supplies) between 25-30%…

First you kind of have to have an understanding of markups, which can vary between businesses. For example, those with a full liquor license can sell their food cheaper because they have a way bigger markup on the alcohol, which is where they typically make their money—the food almost being a wash or convenience. Any restaurant owner with decent food will tell you that they wouldn’t have made it without the hard liquor advantage—or an incredibly high volume of business, which is hard to sustain.

You sell your live local uni for $18. How much should you have been charging to reach a sustainable profit margin?

We should be charging like $25 per urchin. But we only charge $18 because we’re pretty sure that nobody (except maybe international travelers from Japan) would ever buy them at that price! A long time ago we charged $13 (also not appropriately priced) but then the cost went up a year or two later and we didn’t want to just stop serving them, so we raised the price by $5 to compensate. This is actually why we did entirely stop serving certain things- like local spiny lobster when it’s in season.

You had to stop serving local lobster?

We have not served local spiny lobster in two years, which is very, very sad. The first year, we bought and served a lobster risotto all winter.  It was our highest-priced entree, but people recognized the value and bought it happily. The next year, the price went up, so we made a lobster dip instead, which utilized less meat per order so that we could charge less and still sell it. The next year, the price was like $15-$18/lb WHOLESALE or something like that. (I forget the exact price.)  For 1/4 of the lobster, we would have wanted/needed to charge like $20 for a plate. Who’s gonna pay $20 for a very small portion of lobster? That year, we got it just once in a while, usually getting a deal on those animals with broken claws and such, and only offered it as a special.

As we’ve heard before, local lobster is going to Asia, right?

All of the lobster gets sent to Asia where people will pay $20/lb or whatever.  We as a business and diners have been priced and pushed out of the market for this seafood.  It’s being shipped halfway around the world, adding to pollution, etc. while most of the west coast and other parts of this country import much cheaper, different lobster from places like Maine, or Mexico.  Doesn’t make much sense, does it?

If you don’t meet the basic markup margins on food, is the restaurant necessarily doomed?

It doesn’t always lead to losing money. You try to balance out your menu with other less expensive items that you can maybe charge a little more for than you need to—to make up for those other high-cost dishes. But overall, we had to compromise on too many items, and that’s only food cost we’re talking about.

What about labor costs?

They really add up, too. We ordered ingredients from lots of different sources day to day. We needed time to juggle lots of different orders and information and emails. We couldn’t consolidate trucking/shipping charges with one bigger company. Also, we made everything from scratch in-house—dressings, sauces, spice blends, and use creative culinary techniques like sous viding, smoking, curing, etc.

So restaurateurs wanting to buy local don’t have a single supplier/distributor—which would streamline and lessen costs?

Some consolidation of distribution costs for local goods is absolutely needed in order for this business model to work. Most places, farms and other vendors, etc. now charge a fuel surcharge every single time they bring something to you, no matter how much or heavy or expensive it is.  That adds to your bottom line of ingredient cost, too.

What about the bar tab?

I also was not able to keep my beverage costs at the point we were always aiming for.  If we had never discounted any of our drinks, I could probably have made that goal. But the specials we ran for both food and drink cut into what tiny margin we may have otherwise had.  If we could have cut out all happy hour discounts altogether while still retaining those people who would come in during that time to take advantage of them—oh wait, yeah, that wouldn’t work.

Is there a way to cheat the system?

A lot of places offer cheap prices for cheap product—rather than an actual discount on your usual amazing product, which is what we did. If we didn’t offer discounts, people will go where there are discounts. If I had only served a few craft beers or organic, small-batch wines, and then balanced out my list with a bunch of cheaper, lower quality stuff, I probably could have made it work.  But that’s not what we were about, and we weren’t willing to start chipping away at our entire concept one cost at a time, which would eventually have turned it into a completely different kind of place.

In summary…

If your food costs are high but everything else isn’t, or your beverage cost is high, but everything else isn’t, or your labor cost is high, but everything else isn’t, you could probably make it work.  But take high food, beverage AND labor costs and roll it all into one business, and you have no profit.  (Oh, and don’t forget to budget for all of your miscellaneous expenses!). Sometimes the math just doesn’t work and you need to move onto the next problem.

For all the positive memories (and there are plenty), visit Sea Rocket’s blog at http://www.searocketbistro.com/category/blog.

Unsustainable Sustainability

Gary Allard (www.garyallardphoto.com)

I first met Robin Ross five years ago when she opened up Cupcakes Squared in Point Loma. The idea was simple: use fresh ingredients (nothing artificial and no trans-fats) to create longtime favorite and unique flavor combinations in a square-shaped cupcake—both regular and gluten free. The shape was key. After all, they’re easier to pack and transport and they lend themselves to forming large cakes. Brilliant!

The business has thrived and Ross has become a mainstay at numerous fundraisers. In fact, “C²” donates fresh-baked goods a few times a week to the Rescue Mission and Just Call Us Volunteers. Ross gets around. So, was it any surprise that the folks at Westfield’s UTC mall got in touch with her to invite Cupcakes Squared into their renovated food court?

Banana Split cupcake

Banana Split Kid-Friendly Two-Pack Squares

Kid-Friendly Two-Pack

Banana Split Kid-Friendly Two-Pack Squares

Local Bounty: June 24

Banana Split Kid-Friendly Two-Pack Squares

Ross moved in just a couple of weeks ago. You can find C² at the foot of the food court’s secondary entrance. It’s a small space, perhaps 60 square feet. Certainly, no baking is done there, but every morning Ross brings in six varieties of cupcakes—both full size and minis—and her brownie-like squares. And, for those in the area who want to choose from her complete flavor repertoire, you can go online to see what’s available, call in your order at the Point Loma store, and pick them up at UTC.

Prices depend on the size of the cupcake, whether they’re regular or gluten free, and the packaging. The full size ranges from $4 for one ($4.25 for gluten free) to $7.75 for two or $15 for four. Minis go from $4 for a package of two, to $7.75 for a package of four, to $11.75 for a package of six.

I, of course, had to sample some of her new flavors and flavor combinations. Here are a few standouts:

Banana Split

All that’s missing here is the maraschino cherry, but you won’t miss it thanks to all the goodies packed into this small package. Inside the banana cake are pieces of fresh strawberries and pineapple, along with chocolate chips. Crowning it is smooth vanilla buttercream, dotted with chopped peanuts and chocolate sprinkles, and finished off with a salted caramel drizzle.

Kid-Friendly Two-Pack

The afternoon I stopped by I was expecting my cousin, his wife, and their two little kids for a visit, so I wanted cupcakes they’d enjoy—and you know how picky little ones can be. Ross suggested her Kid-Friendly two-pack that holds her Smores and Vanilla flavors. The Smores is a warm graham cracker cake with chocolate chips and a hint of cinnamon. It’s topped with chocolate buttercream and a mini marshmallow. The Vanilla appears to be your straightforward vanilla cake, but there’s nothing straightforward about the flavor. Ross likes to call it her Hawaiian Vanilla cupcake because of the deeply rich Hawaiian vanilla that goes into it and the luxuriant vanilla buttercream sporting little vanilla “vermicelli” sprinkles from Callebaut. Both were a big hit with the kids. Oh, and the adults.

Squares

Robin may have a business built around cupcakes, but her squares—both regular and gluten free—are favorites of mine. They’re really a cross between a brownie and a cookie and she packs as many goodies in each of the six flavors as is possible—and still have the connective tissue that’s the dough. So your almond apricot will be bursting with nuts and chunks of dried apricot. The pistachio cherry is punched up with pistachios and tart dried cherries. Then there’s the black and white (chocolate chip), chocolate coconut almond, peanut chocolate, and what may be my favorite—cranberry white chocolate. It’s tart, it’s sweet, it’s chewy. Oy! The squares are $2 apiece  and $10 for a package of six.

We’re just entering what might be the most delectably bountiful time of the year as spring turns into summer and what I think of as happy produce comes into season. I mean the stuff that truly puts a smile on your face on a sultry day. The slice of ice cold watermelon with sweet juice that dribbles down your chin. Stone fruit that sings with sugar—and is especially wonderful in pies and cobblers. Corn on the cob that doesn’t even need to be cooked. Day-glo summer squash that I like to grate and make pancakes with. Tomatoes. No need to say anything about the joy of summer tomatoes.

This week my eye is on cherries, which, yes, are considered a stone fruit. I found four varieties of cherries this week at Specialty Produce. Now you may be used to seeing Bings and the Raniers I plucked today. But Specialty Produce’s Dana Chaldekas introduced me to three other varieties you’ve got to try.  And, sure you can nosh on them raw, but consider any of them for an easy clafoutis, ice cream, sauces that are just as perfect over angel food cake or in a crepe as over pork, duck or chicken. Jam them, pie them, add them to fruit salad. Just enjoy them now! They’re all $7 a pound at Specialty Produce.

cherries

Clockwise from top left: Brooks, GG1, Sequoia, Ranier cherries | Photos by Caron Golden

Brooks

These dark, glossy red cherries from Murray Family Farms in Bakersfield, have a pretty red flesh, not unlike the Bing. Sweet but not cloyingly so. They’re a hybrid of Burlat and Rainer varieties, great for eating out of hand, but terrific with savory ingredients like arugula, pine nuts, bacon, and tuna. They won’t last long, so get to them quickly once you get them home.

Sequoia

Sequoia cherries are a little brighter red and larger than the Brooks. Also from Murray Family Farms, they too have a light red flesh, but a complex sweet-tart flavor and they’re very juicy. Snacking is probably their best use, but pair them raw with burrata cheese, dark chocolate, berries, mint, and yogurt. They’re even good for jamming.

GG1

These deeply dark giant cherries, again from Murray Family Farms, are like none you’ve ever eaten. With just the right balance of sugar and acidity and plenty of juice, you probably won’t have any left over from addictively snacking to do any cooking with them. But if you can, these would make a beautiful jam or sauce—or clafoutis.

Ranier

Rainiers may be the most distinctive of the cherry varieties due to their multi-colored skin of pink and red with a blush of gold. Also unlike the other varieties here, their flesh is yellow, sometimes with red streaks near the pit. These Rainiers are from Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood, Calf. (not that Brentwood; there’s one in Northern California). They can be a little acidic, but when they are at peak ripeness, sweet and mellow. Add these stunners to a fruit or cheese plate of fresh chevre, burrata, or aged cheeses to show them off. Pit them and mix together with basil, cilantro, mint, or oregano, perhaps some fruity olive oil, and chopped chiles to create a sauce for grilled pork chops or chicken. They’re also perfect for baking in pies, cakes, and tarts.

Back in 2007, Whole Foods Hillcrest teamed up with a couple of local wineries to produce a blend exclusive to the store. But it’s only recently that the Team Member/Local Producer Collaboration Program really got propelled forward, thanks to local specialist Carolyn Kates. She rebooted the project with a vanilla blossom soy candle from Aroma Naturals and challenged, okay, encouraged team members in different departments to partner with their local producers. The result is a collection of seven products unique to the Hillcrest store made by Jackie’s Jams, Sweet Cheeks Baking Company, Bella Vado Avocado Oil, Viva Pops, Chuao Chocolatier, and Caffe Calabria.

Kudos to Kates. Many of the products have become store best sellers and when she made a presentation to owner John Mackey, she won the Southern Pacific Region Innovation Award for the idea and its implementation. Here are the products you should seek out at the Hillcrest store. You won’t find them anywhere else. All sport a special black-and-white label saying Hillcrest Team Member & Local Producer Collaboration.

Jackie’s Jams

Jackie’s Jam Blueberry-Cranberry Jam

Not too sweet; not too sour. This jam is just right with a dominant blueberry flavor (from locally grown blueberries), rich purple color, and smooth texture. It’ll be perfect with a blue cheese platter, spread on brioche toast (you can find a loaf at the Whole Foods in-house bakery), or accompanying pancakes. $6.49 for an eight-ounce jar

Viva Pops Tricolor Pop

Viva Pops Tricolor Pop

Anything Viva Pops owner Lisa Altmann makes is more than fine by me. This 3-Tier Citrus Pop sports lavender lemonade, blood orange, and mojito layers using local ingredients that include blood orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice from local farmers, mint, and lavender. Together they add up to a refreshing summer pop, perfect for the next heat wave. $3.49 a pop

Sweet Cheeks Pound Cake

Sweet Cheeks Pound Cake

Be careful with these two pound cakes. They’re totally addictive. The Orange-Thyme Pound Cake sounds a little weird, but oh does it work. The citrus flavors are magical with fragrant fresh thyme leaves. And, it’s vegan—not that you’d notice. Then there’s the Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake, studded with heaps of fresh blueberries. I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow. A slice with Caffee Calabria’s special blend coffee will be the best way to start the day. $6.99 a loaf or $1.99 a slice at the self serve section of the bakery

Chuao Chocolatier Spice Fruit and Nut Bark

Chuao Chocolatier Spice Fruit and Nut Bark

Chuao was one of the first local chocolatiers and certainly is the biggest. But they remain loyal to their San Diego roots and have created a stunning milk chocolate bar for the Hillcrest store. It’s packed with dried figs and cranberries, walnuts, raisins, cherries, orange peel, almond slices, and spices that include cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Every bite is an adventure and it’s almost like a Christmas celebration in spring. $20.99 a pound

Bella Vado Garlic Avocado Oil

Bella Vado Garlic Avocado Oil

I am in awe of what owner Cid da Silva has accomplished in the last few years. His avocado oil has truly taken off and he’s been expanding his Valley Center farm and production facilities to keep up. I’ve long enjoyed his citrus variety, along with the original. Now we’ve got garlic and I couldn’t be happier. Da Silva presses the garlic with the avocados to get a pure flavor. You can use the oil in place of olive oil in sautéing, tossing with pasta, dipping, or in vinaigrettes. $9.99 for an 8.5-ounce bottle

Caffe Calabria Whole Foods Market Hillcrest Blend

Visiting Caffe Calabria in North Park is a treat. I love watching them roast the beans and then sipping the results. But you can also buy beans at Whole Foods and now the Hillcrest store has a special blend of Ethiopia and Guatemala Arabica beans that have a sweet aroma with notes of berries and dried fruit. Please, Arne, come up with a decaf version for those of us who can’t cope with a full arsenal of caffeine. $10.99 for a 12-ounce bag

Last week I learned the Northern Italian style of making polenta from Monetto’s executive chef Fabrizio Cavallini, a native of Emilia Romagna. The restaurant, of course, is in Little Italy, so while I was there I stopped by Filippi’s Pizza Grotto—not to eat but to see what was in the little market at the front. The place has been open on India St. since 1950 and still in the DePhilippis family. Now, of course, there are a dozen locations around San Diego County besides the original Little Italy site.

What I enjoy, though, is the market, filled with both the expected jars of Nutella, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and pasta, but also the imports of precious San Marzano canned tomatoes, Italian liqueurs, fragrant cheeses, and almond paste. It’s a treasure trove of Italian flavor and if you’re looking for a special ingredient for an authentic Italian recipe, this is one of the few places in San Diego where you can probably find it. Here are a few items I found you should know about.

baccala, capers, fregola sarda

Baccala

There are many names for this dried and salted cod. You may have seen bacalao, the Spanish name, or bacalhua (Portuguese), or klippfisk (Scandanavian). In Italian, it’s baccala. Traditionally, the fish is preserved by drying after salting as a way of preserving it before refrigeration. It’s then rehydrated and desalinated by soaking in cold water for several days, changing it periodically during each day. I learned from Cavallini that it can be cooked in a red sauce that is then spooned over polenta to create a filling meal. $9.99 a pound with bone; $11.49 a pound without bone

Capers in Salt

You probably have a jar of capers in your refrigerator, soaking in a brine of vinegar. But consider switching over to capers preserved in dry salt. You may discover a whole other flavor than what you experienced with the brined capers, which take on the flavor of the brine. Salted capers retain their floral flavor and firm texture—so appropriate since capers are the flower buds of the caperberry (equally delicious). You’ll want to rinse them well before using, but then add them to a caponata, a rich puttanesca sauce, or melted butter and lemon juice to pour over fish.  $3.59 a jar, imported from Italy

Fregola Sarda

I first learned of this toasted Sardianian pasta in a piece by food writer and Food52 co-founder Amanda Hesser. Then I set out to try and find it in San Diego. And, it was here at Filippi’s. Look in the package and you’ll find tiny balls of durum wheat, browned from toasting to give it a nutty taste and nice bite. You can add it to soups, boil it in water or stock, then toss in a rich olive oil and a little grated cheese for a simple side dish, or create a fabulous salad with marinated artichokes, eggplant, tomatoes, and basil (and some of the capers above).  $5.09 a package