As the progression of seasonal menus moves into fall, phrases such as butternut squash coulis, roasted carrots and chestnut stuffing begin to appear. Sometimes meats that fill a seasonal role—duck or turkey, for example—gain greater prominence than on spring or summer listings.
There is one item, however, unlikely to be featured.
American diners have an apparent distaste for lamb. It makes up less than 1 percent of meat sales and while people consume 85 pounds of beef a year on average, they barely touch lamb—not even a pound, according to data from Colorado State University.
So it comes as a surprise that Montrio, Tarpy’s Roadhouse and Rio Grill have made braised lamb shank the centerpiece of the fall menu additions.
And it’s a welcome surprise, indeed.
At Rio Grill in Carmel, the meat is braised in beer, lending an inviting juniper scent to the plate, and presented in the comfortable guise of pot roast. The lamb is ruddy, juicy and exceedingly tender, resembling beef in savor—a sensation given depth by a jus that is bittersweet with an herbal sheen.
This is not the pronounced, gamy bite many Americans associate with lamb. And there’s a reason.
Rio Grill sous chef Chava Merlin explains that most diners are used to meat imported from New Zealand and Australia, where animals tend to be grass-fed. As a result, the flavor is more intense.
For the fall menu, the three restaurants under the Coastal Roots Hospitality umbrella, turned instead to the ranches of Dixon, California, otherwise known as “Lambtown.” Grain-finished animals are bigger. The meat gains marbling and the process tames the gaminess. So for the 99 percent of Americans who tend to swear off lamb, this is the dish to try.
Served with creamy mashed potatoes, caramelized cipollini and roasted carrots, Merlin adds, “all the components go well.”
It is a well composed plate.
Rio, Tarpy’s and Montrio are not in competition, but they each prepare and plate the shank differently. Tarpy’s kitchen team, for instance, braises the lamb in red wine spiked with chiles. They serve it over polenta with roasted Brussels sprouts. At Montrio, the chef opts for a classic braise and continental presentation, with a puree of white beans and celery root.
One might have noticed another phrase dreaded by many: Brussels sprouts. But at Rio Grill, they put the green’s pungent, bitter strengths—others would say weaknesses—to good use. With the smoky crackle of bacon, the creamy bite of gorgonzola and the gentle nagging of walnuts alongside, Brussels sprouts become part of an engaging refrain.
The restaurants have rolled out other fall plates, such as pan-seared duck breast (Rio), striped bass with a wild mushroom risotto (Tarpy’s) and lentil roulade (Montrio, being fancy). But tempting more people to lamb is worthy of note.