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 By K. Reka Badger
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| Offering simple, seasonal fare prepared from the freshest ingredients, The Porch serves rib-eye, beef fillet, ahi tuna, pork chops, pasta and vegetarian dishes, as well as specials that include soups, entrees, barbecue and on Fridays, a Mediterranean-style platter. After weeks of fierce resistance, Cundiff also added a one-of-a-kind burger to his tempting menu. "The feedback was, 'you've got to do a burger,'" he remembered, "but I didn't want to be known as a burger joint. The staff came up with one made from a half pound of Kobe beef, heirloom tomatoes, caramelized onions and Huntsman cheese [a combination of English Cheddar and Stilton Blue] on a cheddar-onion-poppy seed bun. They did it while I was out of town, so I can't take any credit for it. It was a huge hit," he beamed, "and we've started a trend where people come in and order these burgers with a high-end bottle of wine." To encourage diners to enjoy wine with their meals, Cundiff maintains a cellar of over 400 selections listed at retail prices, and asks a mere $5 corkage fee. "I look at what the store represents," he said, "and it's a wine country concept. We have both local and world wines and people can get twice as much for the money, because with the store, the restaurant has less of a financial burden to bear. |
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| "I'm a foodie and a wine collector," he admitted, "and our menu was intended to pair well with wine. "When people go out to dine," Cundiff laughed, "they don't usually think about going to their local grocery store, so we have to try harder. "People ask me what we are and I say, 'we're a produce stand, a cheese shop, a grocery store, a deli, a restaurant, you name it!'" |
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| Copyright 2006, 2007 Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, All Rights Reserved |
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