Dinner - Fall 2023

Question 1

Bar Nuts

Answer 1

Components: Peanuts, Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Pecans
Cayenne, Rosemary, Butter, Brown Sugar, Salt

Allergy: Legumes, Tree Nuts, Nightshades, Dairy

Extra: . While nuts are toasting, butter and dark brown sugar go into a pot and melt together. Once the sugar and butter are completely melted some Cayenne pepper is added. After 10 minutes the nuts come out the oven and are immediately added to a mixing bowl. The butter and dark brown sugar mixture along with the rosemary are added to the nuts and
tossed vigorously to combine.

Question 2

Garlic Potato Chips

Answer 2

Potatoes Chips cooked in Garlic Butter

Allergies: Dairy, Allium

Question 3

Pork Ribs

Answer 3

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Question 4

USC Seafood Platter

Answer 4

Menu Description: Island Creek Oysters, Shrimp Cocktail, Daily Crudo

Question 5

Steak Tartar x

Answer 5

Menu Description: Pickled Chanterelles, Kohlrabi, Black Garlic Aiol

Components: Diced Beef
Egg Sauce, Cherry Bomb Vinaigrette,
Chives, Crispy Shallots, Celery Leaves
Pear

Allergies: Egg, Dairy, Citrus, Allium, Gluten

Extra: This dish is made really delicious by using high quality sirloin, and our pickled cherry bomb
peppers. We pickle this peppers at the height of their season in the summer and use them
throughout the rest of the year. The addition of the egg sauce gives the dish a nice creaminess
and really brings it to the next level.

Question 6

Tuna Crudo Calabrese

Answer 6

Menu Description: Spicy Sundried Tomato, Apricot, Mint

Components: Blue Fin Tuna Belly Seafood
Calabrian Sundried Tomato, Apricot Puree, Maldon Salt,
Lemon Zest, Olive Oil

Allergies: Seafood, Nightshades

Extra: We receive whole tuna loins and break them down here in house. The belly of the tuna
is used in our “Tuna Tartare Calabrese”, and the leaner cuts are broken down and sliced
thin for this Tuna Crudo appetizer.
- Chopped sundried tomatoes, anchovy, and olives get buzzed together with Calabrian
chili then mixed together with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
- The apricot puree is made by simmering dried apricots in white wine until tender then blending them until smooth.
COOKING TECHNIQUES (during service):
- Thinly sliced bluefin tuna is laid out on a plate and each slice is dressed the Calabrian
sundried tomato mixture and apricot puree. The dish gets finished with olio verde, lemon juice, maldon salt, torn mint, and lemon zest.

Question 7

Lamb Fry Bread

Answer 7

Menu: Braised Lamb, Fry Bread, Goat Cheese

Question 8

Bibb Salad

Answer 8

Menu Description: Gruyere, Garlic Croutons, Dijon Vinaigrette

Components: Bibb Lettuce
Red Oak Lettuce, Dijon Vinaigrette, Gruyere Cheese, Garlic Croutons

Allergies: Alcohol, Allium, Dairy, Gluten

Extra: The Bibb Lettuce salad is our longest Standing menu item at USC. The croutons are sourdough and are olive-oil pan fried.

Question 9

Broccoli

Answer 9

Menu Description: Pomegranate, Candied Pecans, Mint

Components: Broccoli, Broccolini, Seasoned Greek Yogurt, Candied Pecans, Pomegranate Seeds, Sliced Jalapeños, Torn Mint, Black Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette

Allergies: Dairy, Tree Nuts, Nightshades, Allium

Extra: Upon pick up, about 5 pieces of broccoli and broccolini are fried until crispy on the edges. The fried broccoli is tossed with white balsamic, picked mint, pomegranate, candied pecans, and sliced jalapeno. The broccoli is placed in a bowl on top of the
seasoned yoghurt, drizzled with the black garlic vinaigrette, and the rest of the “goodies” from the mixing bowl.

Question 10

Chicory Caesar Salad

Answer 10

Menu: Market Radicchios, Parmigiano Breadcrumbs, Bottarga

Question 11

Seared Diver Scallop

Answer 11

Menu: Cauliflower, Grapes, Celery

Question 12

Fettuccine Al Limone

Answer 12

Menu Description: Preserved Lemon, Breadcrumbs

Components: Fettuccine Egg, Gluten
Lemon Cream Lemon,
Butter, Grana Padano/Pecorino, Lemon Juice, Preserved Lemon, Bread Crumb

Allergies: Egg, Gluten, Citrus, Dairy

Extra: Light, homey pasta dish!

Question 13

Agnolotti Di Mais

Answer 13

Menu Description: Corn, Truffle, Asiago

Components: Corn, Truffle, Asiago Allevo, Filling,Truffle Vinaigrette

Allergies: Dairy, Allium

Extra: This dish is primarily made with corn, summer truffles from Chile and Australia, and Asiago
Allevo. Asiago Allevo is a younger cheese similar to Parmesan. It is pasteurized and has a saltier
component. The filling is made with corn puree, ricotta, and grana padano. On the pickup, the pasta is
cooked in corn stock, butter, and grana padano in the pan. It is then tossed in a truffle vinaigrette (truffle pate, butter, shallots, balsamic vinegar, OO, white soy sauce, thyme leaves, parsley), then finished with shaved truffle and asiago allevo.

Question 14

Fusilli Il Granchio Riccio

Answer 14

Menu: Peekytoe Crab, Uni Crema, Basil

Question 15

Rigatoni Amatriciana Estiva

Answer 15

Menu: Sungold and Cherry Tomatoes, Guanciale, Pecorino

Question 16

“Goatober” Ricotta Cavatelli

Answer 16

Menu: Broccoli Rabe Pesto, Goat Sausage, Pickled Fresnos

Question 17

Mafaldine All’Anatra

Answer 17

Menu Description: Duck Ragu, Pistachio, Amaro

Components: Braised Duck Legs
Duck Ragu Base, Pappardelle, Rosemary, Chili Flake, Butter, 50/50
Castelvetrano Olive, Lemon, Amaro, Parsley, Pistachio

Allergies: Alcohol, Allium, Nightshades, Dairy, Citrus, Tree Nuts (removable)

Extra: When we create pasta dishes for the restaurant, we generally like to use proteins that we already have in house so that we aren’t wasting any food. This braise is a great example of that. We get ducks in to use for our duck breast entrée and use the legs for our pasta. The combination of amaro, citrus and
olives is a delicious one and it makes this pasta unique. We also are making the mafaldine for this dish in house using our new pasta extruder. Mafaldine is named after Princess Mafalda of Savoy and also goes by the name “Reginette” which roughly translates to “Little Queens

Question 18

Ratatouille

Answer 18

Menu: Tomato, Eggplant, Burrata

Question 19

Butter-Poached Lobster x

Answer 19

Menu Description: Truffled Squash Bisque, Sunchokes, Hazelnuts

Components: Lobster Tail Seafood
Sauce Americaine, Fregola, Summer Beans, Green Garlic Gremolata, Opal and Thai Basil, Lobster Chop
Avocado Crema, Thousand Island, Pickled Cucumber, Shaved Radish, Dill
Beurre Monte

Allergies: Seafood, Allium, Dairy, Citrus, Gluten, Nightshades

Extra: PREP: Lobsters are steamed ahead of time. The bodies are all used to make a very potent lobster stock which is part of the prep for the Sauce Americaine. Fregola is cooked ahead of time in an aromatic shrimp/lobster stock. Beans are cut into little pea size pieces and sauteed in a hot pan.
Avacado crema is made from avocado and crème fraiche. Thousand Island “Louis” dressing is made from ketchup,
mayonnaise, and pickles.
PICK UP/PLATING: This dish is served on 2 plates, the entrée bowl as well as a small “triple scoop” bowl on the
side. The first plate has the lobster tail lightly coated with the buerre monte (butter sauce). This is served with fregola on one half of the plate, summer (green) beans on the other half and the plate is brought together with the Sauce Americaine. The dish is garnished with an abundance of basil (opal or purple basil and thai basil).
The second side plate contains the Lobster Louie (cold lobster salad). This is the lobster knuckles and claws
chopped and tossed with thousand island-style “Louis” dressing. This salad is served with avocado crema, pickled
cucumber, shaved radish, and dill.
DOTS: This dish should feel very luxurious as the guests are receiving a whole lobster- the Tail is cooked
traditionally and sauce americaine is a very classic pairing. Our hope is that every person sitting outside would
want to order this and a great bottle of wine and enjoy the nice weather. Depth of flavor comes from the lobster
stock (with deeply roasted shells and pernod to give it depth) as well as yellow tomatoes cooked down into the
sauce americain which offer natural sweetness.
Buerre = butter Monte= “to mount with” We essentially make a butter sauce from white wine mounted with
butter emulsified in. Butter is also added to the sauce americaine to give it nice mouth fee

Question 20

Blackened Steelhead Trout x

Answer 20

Menu Description: Glazed Salsify, Bacon, Apple

Components: Trout Fillet, Cucumber Broth, Cucumber Dice, White Soy Vinaigrette, Plumped Raisins, Toasted Pine Nuts, Wild Rice, Corto Oil, Blackening Spice

Allergies: Seafood, Tree Nuts

Extra: Heavily season one side of char with blackening spice. Season whole portion with salt. Dress cucumbers and rice with white soy vin. Sear trout on plancha. The trout fillet is sat atop wild rice and cucumbers seasoned with white soy vinaigrette and finished with cucumber broth. The steelhead trout is an orange fish similar to salmon, but more layered and refined.

Question 21

Half Chicken Scarpariello

Answer 21

Menu Description: Pork Sausage, Pickled Peppers, Charred Lemon

Components: Half Chicken
Pork Sausage, Pickled Fresno Peppers,
Charred Lemon, Chicken Jus

Allergies: Diary, Allium, Citrus

Extra: Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian American recipe traditionally using chicken thighs, sweet Italian sausage, and a pan sauce made from vinegary pickled peppers and lemon.
- Chicken is butchered to remove breast and thigh bones and seasoned with salt, pepper and a little chili flake prior to service. It is then cooked, from raw, started in a pan on the stove and then put in the oven. We finish cooking the bird by basting it withfoaming hot butter, garlic and thyme.
- Pork sausage is made in house using ground pork shoulder meat, fennel, chili, black
pepper, sugar and salt.
- Prior to service, lemons are sliced thin and charred lightly on the plancha.
- To create the “scarpariello” pan sauce, we use the pan the chicken was cooked in, cook off a crumbled piece of pork sausage and then add in reduced chicken stock. This is mounted with butter to make the sauce glossy and thicken it slightly. It is finished with
pickled peppers, charred lemons and lots of chopped parsley.

Question 22

Roasted Duck Breast x

Answer 22

Menu Description: Plums, Red Cabbage, “Yakitori”

Components: Duck Breast, Pickled Strawberry, Micro Mint, Freekeh, Foie Sauce, Rhubarb Puree

Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Alcohol, Gluten

Extra: THE PICK-UP: The Base of the plate is hit with a velvety smooth layer of Rhubarb Puree, followed by the Farro and pickled strawberries scattered throughout, topped with half of pan roasted Duck breast accompanied by pieces of foie gras. Foie gras sauce covers the dish garnished with Micro mint.
DOTS: Our Peking duck is one of the many items on our menu we take pride in sourcing locally from Long Island. Our approach to each duck we receive is a sustainable and thoughtful one.
Much of what makes our menus special is the many ways we can subtly yet cleverly implement duck from the very start of an experience (duck wings, liver mousse, Tater tots) all the way to what we have here in what is our Duck Entrée.

Question 23

Country Pork Chop x

Answer 23

Menu Description: Endive Gratin, Walnuts, Prune Jus

Components: Marinaded Pork Chop, Mustard Seed, BBQ Jus, Apricot Puree Peppers, Grilled Apricots
Shallot Vinaigrette, Grilled Red Onion, Baby Kale

Allergies: Allium, Pork, Nightshades, Fish

Extra: BBQ JUS: Chefs will sweat the shallots and apricot stomp when they are translucent. Apricot stomp is a simple and sweet juice made from apricots and apples. After reducing the stomp by 1/3, add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. The remaining ingredients are pork sauce, paprika, worcestershire sauce, bourbon, and apricot puree. The alcohol is not cooked out.
PICK UP: All garnishes are to be served room temperature. Swipe apricot puree down the middle of the plate. Pile salad near the tapered end on top of the apricots. Lay pork chop on top without completely obscuring the other components. Sauce generously. Sourced from Heritage Foods

Question 24

Lamb Scottadito x

Answer 24

Menu Description: Squash Scapece, Aji Dulce Peppers, Whipped Feta

Components: Lamb Chops, Lamb Jus
Scapece + Marinade, Roasted Zucchini, Zucchini Pistachio Puree, Pickled Currants, Mint, Chopped Pistachio

Allergies: Alcohol, Allium, Tree Nuts

Extra: Lamb: Lamb is cut into individual chops and marinated.
Currant Jus: We start buy roasting chicken bones and cooking with water and tomato paste to create a very
reduced brown stock. From there, we roast lamb bones,deglaze with Method sweet vermouth and steep them in
finishing with pickled currants.
Scapece: This is essentially fried and marinated zucchini.
Zucchini Pistacchio Puree: Pistachios toasted until golden brown then added into a separate pan where slices of zucchini, blended in Vitamix
while streaming in olive oil.
PICK UP: There will be two thin lines of the zucchini pistachio puree on the plate. On one line with be the three
lamb chops and on the other will be a medley of things. There will be the roasted zucchini, scapece, pickled
currants, chopped pistachios, and torn mint. The lamb chops will be sauced with the lamb jus with some of the
pickled currants.
DOTS: Scottadito translates to “burnt finger”- this is because the chops are individually cut and one burns the
finger when flipping them to cook over the high heat.

Question 25

Koji-Rubbed Brant Farms Ribeye

Answer 25

Menu Description: Choice of Two Sides

Components: Koji Rub, 28oz Ribeye Steak, Garlic Confit

Allergies: Allium

Extra: This is one heck of a dish! A 28-ounce ribeye coming from Brandt Farms in California. This is grass-finished beef, meaning that the cows this beef comes from ate nothing but grass and forage for their entire lives. This ribeye is seasoned with a koji rub made from fermented rice, which has a similar effect to a dry age, tenderizing the meat and adding a bit of extra texture.
Also, gluten free!
The beef is rubbed and set for at least 24 hours. After cooking to temperature (medium rare), the ribeye is brushed with dry aged, rendered beef fat, and served with garlic confit and a choice of two sides.

Question 26

Fingerling Potatoes, Herbs de Provence

Answer 26

Description: Salt Baked Fingerlings,
Clarified Butter, English Lavender, Herb Mix

Components: Salt Baked Fingerling, Potatoes,Clarified Butter, Lemon Juice, English Lavender, Herb Mix

Allergies: Dairy, Citrus

Extra: PICK UP: Fry potatoes until very crispy. Place in a mixing bowl with 2 T clarified butter, a small splash of lemon juice,a good amount of salt, and a hearty pinch of herb mix. Toss to coat. Add a small amount of lavender. Taste to confirm they are well seasoned. Plate and top with another small bit of lavender

Question 27

Roasted Mushroom

Answer 27

Menu: Beurre Blanc, Parsley, Lemon

Question 28

Charred Beans

Answer 28

Menu: Garlic Confit, Red Wine Vinegar, Salt and
Pepper

Question 29

Jimmy Nardello Pepper Oreganata

Answer 29

Menu: Oreganata Vin - garlic, capers, oregano, fennel and chili seasoning, red wine vinegar, EVOO, and salt

Question 30

Baklava Sundae

Answer 30

Menu: Honeycomb Gelato, Glazed Pistachios & Walnut, Spiced Phyllo

Question 31

Tiramisu

Answer 31

Menu Description: Mascarpone Mousse, Pavesini (Ladyfingers), Espresso

Components: Tiramisu Mousse

Allergies: Egg, Dairy, Alcohol, Gluten

Extra: Tiramisu Mousse: Yolks and egg whites are whipped separately with sugar until light and fluffy. Mascarpone is added to the mouse. Ladyfingers ( Pavesini ) are dipped in Espresso+Brandy and laid on the bottom of the pan. Alternating layers of mousse and espresso dipped lady fingers are layered into the pan.
Pick Up: Tiramisu is plated and topped with a combination of cocoa powder and hand shaved
dark chocolate curls.
DOTS: Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers (Pavesini) dipped in
espresso, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese. The recipe has
been adapted into many varieties of cakes and other desserts. Its origin is disputed between Italian
regions Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia

Question 32

Carrot Cake Florentines

Answer 32

Menu: Ginger Lace, Cream Cheese Mousse, Carrot Caramel

Question 33

Apple Cake

Answer 33

Menu: Salted Caramel Sauce, Fior di Latte

Question 34

Chocolate & Fig

Answer 34

Menu: Black Cocoa Cake, Red Wine Sauce, Sicilian Almond Gelato

Question 36

Bibb Salad

Answer 36

Menu Description: Gruyere, Garlic Croutons, Dijon Vinaigrette

Components: Bibb Lettuce
Red Oak Lettuce, Dijon Vinaigrette, Gruyere Cheese, Garlic Croutons

Allergies: Alcohol, Allium, Dairy, Gluten

Extra: The Bibb Lettuce salad is our longest Standing menu item at USC. The croutons are sourdough and are olive-oil pan fried.