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by Julia Rachel
"I feel bad for that Chef (Czerwonka) over there, man. He seems really nice.
I'll bet he got reamed for that, you know? For all those reviews. . ." Bour
opines. "It's not fair, half of it, I bet. Once one reviewer, especially
one at the top of the chain, makes a bad review, they all jump on the bandwagon.
. . The press has been very good to us. I feel blessed for that."
Bour and Schoe have put together a Modern American menu with a bit
of a French twist (Bour has French ancestry) that has been unanimously
applauded. Unique items like the free-form ravioli, with a filling
that changes daily, exemplify some of the simple ideas that make Bour's
cuisine so refreshing. "We don't do blue cheese ice cream here," Bour
jokes, making reference to another locally acclaimed chef (with no
offense, of course). "I mean, there's a place for that, but that's
not us. Lein's and my philosophy about food is the same, pretty much.
Buy the best ingredients, don't change them too much, prepare them
correctly. I think our cuisine is traditional in a lot of ways. We
don't toss the black truffle oil all over everything, either."
Procuring the best ingredients for this vision, however, can take time
and care. "We fly our fish in from New York ourselves. We don't
even get it from the locals, for the most part. We save a lot of money
that way. . . It's literally $3 less a pound. I have a very good friend
in New York."
"I'm very much into simplicity, and organics," Bour continues. "Very
much into organics. If I can get it, I buy it, even though it's more expensive.
My food cost is probably 36-37%. It'll never go down lower than that, because
that means I'd be cheating people."
For the cheese selection, Bour uses the artisinal cheeses of Sweetgrass
Farms Dairy. "We have a very close relationship with them," he
explains. "When they come to town, they come here for dinner."
A few things had to be tweaked in the first year. Prices for some of
the entrees had to be raised, for instance. "Our prices were way
too low when we opened. When we opened we had, like, steaks for $15," a
difficult proposition with beef prices in the today's range. "But
we did that for a reason, so that people would come in and try us out." The
restaurant has also added some unique bargains, however, with the 3-course
prix-fixe menu available on Sunday nights for $27.
Asked about the philosophy toward front of the house employees, Bour
paints a picture of a tight crew of servers. Details like providing "family
meal" and letting servers taste new menu items are part of why
every member of the service staff, except one, has been there since
day one. "It's not like a military ship here. We want it like
a family." Bour explains, noting that they've only lost one staffer
since opening. "It's like you're coming over to someone's house.
We try to keep people informed, taste all the wines."
The wine list, ranging from $20-$120 for a variety of bottles has been
developed over the past year to the point that now, the wine program
contains 160 bottles. Come in with an open mind, and maybe you might
try an unusual bottle for a reasonable price. "One thing we definitely
focused on with the wine list is we didn't want anything you can buy
at the store," he explains. "I just can't stand that, you
know, when you go to a restaurant. . . a bottle you can buy at the
store for $6 and it's like $35. It's ridiculous."
Plans are in the works for another potential venture with Bour and
his partners. They're scouting a place in the neighborhood for a potential
bar with a small menu available. That will probably wait for a year
or so, though. For now, Bour is focused on continuing to do what he
has been doing so well at Iris.
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Iris Hibiscus Vinaigrette
Yield 1 1/2 Qt.
1 Cup dried Hibiscus Flowers
2 Cloves Elephant Garlic
1 Tb. Chopped fresh Opal Basil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 Tb. fresh Thyme
6 Fresh Raspberries
2 Fresh Strawberries
1 1/2 Cups Best quality Champagne Vinegar
1 Quart Grape seed oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Granulated sugar as needed
Method: The actual base of the dressing will be made by steeping
the dried hibiscus in the Champagne vinegar, just as you would make tea,
yet do not sachet (wrap them in cheesecloth), the flowers as they are
blended into the vinaigrette. Simply heat the vinegar and pour it into
a container holding the dried flowers. Cover and place in refrigeration
over night. This is the main ingredient, and can be made in a larger
batch and stored for several uses.
To make the finished product, place all the above ingredients, in a small
bain marie, and emulsify with a hand blender, the sugar is used to balance
out the acidity of the flower/Vinegar mixture. Et voila. The berries
add a natural fruitiness to the vinaigrette.
I serve this with Mesclun greens, candied Pecans, golden raisins, and
Sweetgrass Chevre, a perfect balance of sweet and sour. Enjoy!
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