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f a l l 2 0 1 6 | 7 5 Hand-to-Hand Relationships When the restaurant first opened in 2005, the farm-to-table movement was just beginning to catch on, but for Aarons, this was just the way cooking should be. He worked closely and seasonally with the local farmers and instilled that philosophy in Chef Gabe, who continues to nurture those relationships today. He and his staff make regular trips to the local farms, where they observe and help pick, developing an appreciation for both the ingre- dients and the work involved in growing and harvesting them. "Their hands, to my hands, to your hands," says Chef Gabe as he shows me the text messages to his local farmers from earlier that morning. They've even held farmers' markets at the winery to connect cus- tomers directly with their food. Since many of the farmers don't grow for the broad market and instead grow specifically for rock-star chefs and celebrities, these events are true "shop-like-a-chef" experiences. The farmers bring unique items such as Buddha's hand citrus, produce that many locals might not realize are grown at all, let alone in their own backyard. "I think that philosophy has really defined his attitude about being a chef and treating the ingredi- ents the way he does," says Joe Hurliman, Winemaker at Herzog Wine Cellars. "His whole life, he's been surrounded by agriculture. That whole mentality behind food not as something you buy at the grocery store but as some- thing that's grown. That really has led him to have this passion to do right by the farmer." New World Cuisine Looking at the menu, it's hard to define the cultural inspiration behind the dishes—ev- erything from fish tacos to Portobello mush- room gyros, house-made fettuccini and small plates called platillos—and that's just for lunch. "We're New World cooking, be- cause we take from everything. I'm Hispanic but I'm cooking kosher?!" Garcia laughs. "We embrace that diversity as a team. I like to think of us as jazz musicians that are just jamming out. Someone throws out an idea and I'm like, okay, let's develop that." The concepts are endless and his approach is similar to many great chefs inspired by their local farm- ers and ingredients, except that these unique interpretations happen to be kosher. For example, beets were in abundance during our visit, so the menu celebrated beets, including a beet "poke," Bundt cake made from beets and even a beet Margarita. The Herzogs and Tierra Sur For both Garcia and Aarons, it was crucial from the beginning that Tierra Sur was not just another sub- par kosher restaurant. "The Herzogs are really at the forefront of making great kosher wine, so let's put that together with food," says Chef Gabe. The winery is constantly pushing the envelope with new bot- tlings and ideas, including their new line called Variations, which is meant to be a tool for consumers to learn more about their own palates through an interesting look at micro-climates and oak aging. The Herzogs have built an environment that nurtures creativity, allowing both Chef Gabe and Wine- maker Joe Hurliman the flexibility to try new ideas. "As long as you show that you care and that you're willing to fight for what you have," says Chef Gabe in response to the Herzogs' openness to his concepts for the menu. Garcia and Hurliman work closely together on wine and food pairings, and many of Chef Gabe's dishes are inspired by new bottlings. It's important to Garcia to connect directly with the winemaker and the Herzog family to discuss the wines and conceptualize an idea together. "It's such a powerful force that drives every artist to create something no matter what the obstacle is—just to push, make it better, make it something no one has ever seen or tried before. It's cool to be in a company that celebrates that," says Hurliman. With the highest Zagat rating in Ventura County, Tierra Sur is leading the way not just for innovative kosher cuisine, but for the culinary scene in Oxnard. Chef Gabe's hope is to work together with the Herzog family to build a true food culture in his hometown. After all, this is a region responsible for growing most of the produce for L.A.'s great restaurants. What better place to create a destination than in your own bountiful backyard? Beet "poke" with soy-ginger dressing. On first glance, you might assume this is a traditional tuna poke. The playful texture is much firmer than tuna (as you'd expect), but perfectly complemented the Asian flavors of rice vinegar, soy, ginger and sesame. Chile rellenos. Sweet little mini peppers filled with taramasalata, a savory paste made of cured carp roe, and local sweet potatoes in place of cheese. It's then finished with an herb vinaigrette and aioli. These were crispy, creamy and mouthwatering— exactly what you'd crave from a popper. Lamb bacon and veal meatballs with collard greens, homemade fettuccini noodles in a garlic Alfredo and tomato jam finished with almond milk feta "cheese." This rustic dish using nuts instead of cheese was perfectly executed. The lamb bacon and veal meatballs very closely resembled the flavors of pork as it was salty, smoky and almost slightly sweet. The bitterness of the greens and the sweet-brightness of the tomato jam were a great complement and provided respite from the richness of the dish. This industrial space was beautifully transformed into a traditional fine dining restaurant. Tierra Sur's open kitchen, white tablecloths and rich dark wood comple- ment the exposed ceiling, creating a warm, polished yet comfortable atmosphere. ■cr