Out and about: Why I love Jan Birnbaum’s food and his spirit! 
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
MichaelChiarello.com
Y’all know I love
Jan Birnbaum , my chef friend who has appeared as a guest on my shows since the very beginning in 2000. He’s a N’awlins chef, originally cooking with Paul Prudhomme, and was a neighboring restaurateur here in the Napa Valley, with his restaurant Catahoula. And his food is no-holding-back, bigger than big flavors and, wow, what he does with roasted meats!!
But he’s outdone himself this time. I just had a mind-bending meal at his latest gig,
The Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco, on the Embarcadero. The spectacular views of the SF Bay are matched toe to toe with the “hug your arse” booths (they practically massage you while you sit, they’re so good) and the spectacular wine service. But once again, with Jan, the food is the big hero and I’ll be there often to continue tasting my way through all his tasty dishes.
