'Perfect place' for environmentally-conscious carnivores

Georgina Young-Ellis enjoys the 'meaty goodness' at Block & Board in Burlingame

Originally published Friday, September 01, 2017

I only recently discovered the Block & Board butcher shop in Burlingame, and what a wonderful surprise it was! Several people had recommended it to me, and so, consolidating our need for deli meats, stuff to grill for the weekend and something for dinner, my husband and I stopped in.

Oh my gosh, it's nothing but meaty goodness from one end to the other.

Block & Board (8421 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.) offers take-out BBQ, including baby-back ribs and pulled pork, prepared in house; sliced meats by the pound, such as roast beef, ham and turkey—brined, rubbed, smoked and roasted on the premises; fresh meat in the butcher case, with items as unusual as duck breast, or as classic as New York steak; sandwiches to order; and even premium local wines and draft beers.

Here's the thing that really sets Block & Board apart, though: All of their meats are sustainably and humanely raised, and all come from local ranchers. I mean, really local, as in the ranchers deliver the meat to the store themselves on a regular basis. And trust me, you can taste the difference that makes.

We weren't able to wait to get home to sample a slice of the smoked turkey breast, which tasted like actual turkey, but with a hint of cumin. We had the barbequed baby-back ribs for dinner and were similarly wowed by the fantastic flavor of the meat, as well as the spicy, not-too-sweet sauce.

We also got a pound of the house-made pork, parsley and parmesan sausage links for Saturday's grill. And again, we were astounded by the incredible, fresh flavor.

Erick Paulson is the owner of Block & Board. He says — and it turned out to be true — that when you eat meat that is so thoughtfully raised, there is more nutrition in it, and it actually fills you up more than commercially-raised meats.

I think we've all gotten used to the pre-packaged meat that comes from a long way off and, even if it's grass-fed or humanely raised, tastes sort-of bland. We don't even notice it anymore. But the meat you get at Block & Board has the kind of flavor I imagine meat tasted like in the days when one got it directly from the rancher within a day or so of its butchering.

Now, I realize that all this talk of meat may not be appealing to those who don't partake, but as Paulson said, "If a vegan were to open a butcher shop, this is what it would look like." I totally saw, and tasted, what he meant.

The products he sells make you feel like you are doing the right thing by the animals that provide the meat. You are also doing the right thing for the environment by eating local products that don't have to be shipped far, and that are raised by ranchers who are protective of the land on which they raise their animals.

By the way, Block & Board also sells prepared sandwiches and sides that sound amazing. How about a slow-smoked pork shoulder sandwich in house-made barbecue sauce, topped with apple celery slaw on a Portland French pub bun? Or the Burlingame Bánh mí: slow-roasted candied pork belly on a Portland French baguette with Jalapeño-ginger aioli, pickled vegetables and cilantro. Or the Smoke House Cuban: house-made ham, and smoked, roasted pork, grilled and pressed with Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard?

Whoa.

Sides include beef chili, burnt-ends baked beans, potato salad, mac and cheese — all made in-house. You can either dine in or take out. Add a glass or bottle of unique, local ales, ciders, IPAs or Pilsners — or a glass of Yamhill Valley Vineyards wine — and you're all set. Other wines from around the region are sold by the bottle to take home too.

Block & Board opened just a year and a half ago, according to Paulson, and it's an excellent addition to the other popular Burlingame establishments nearby. It's also a dream come true for meat eaters who want to do the right thing for their palate, and the planet.

Rating: Extraordinarily sincere

A Local and a Chain

We ate at two very good places here in NYC over the course of the last few days. The one we went to on the Fourth of July was the more special of the two for various reasons, but they both deserve mention.

Since it was too hot and we didn't feel like grilling on the Fourth, we went to a barbecue place in Astoria we hadn't tried before. It's called Butcher Bar, though the sign on the building just says "Smoke." Small but comfortable on the inside, there's also a backyard garden for dining though too steamy that night for us. We were drawn to Butcher Bar because its website said all the meat is grass-fed, free-range, hormone and antibiotic free, etc., and everything they serve is organic. There were even vegetarian options like veggie burgers for the friend my son brought along, but I wouldn't go in there if I were a strict vegetarian, because they do have a meat-market case and there's a lot of red, raw meat on display. Well, it suited me fine, but only because of the afore-mentioned natural-ness of the meat. I ordered a 1/4 pound each of the pulled pork and brisket (I wanted burnt ends but, like most good bbq places they were sold out by that time of the day) and mashed potatoes. My husband got ribs and potato salad. Everything was divine - I mean scrumptious! And very reasonably priced. However, as friendly, kind, helpful, and fast the waitresses were, the kitchen couldn't keep up with the rush. We waited about a 1/2 for our food and my son and his friend longer, as they came in after us. The waitress said they were always busy on holidays, but if that's the case, the management should plan ahead for it. Oh, and it took about 15 minutes to get our check back after we gave them the credit card, so maybe the waitresses got overwhelmed too. Anyway, I love the idea of a local place that serves great, natural and organic, sustainable food in a nice and friendly atmosphere. For this I rate Butcher Bar:
Extraordinarily sincere!

The chain restaurant we visited Friday the Fifth for lunch in Manhattan was Chop't - a place many readers may already be familiar with. I hadn't yet experienced the chopped salad phenomenon, but it sounded good, and Jon and I just needed a quick, light lunch. Jon ordered a Cobb Salad while I was still deciding, but when we looked at the amount of food going into it, decided to split it. He asked them to divide it into two bowls and I thought they would quibble, but they did it ever so cheerfully, at no extra charge. They were patient as he decided on the dressing, and in general were very friendly - something you don't always find in NYC. At the cashier, we were thinking about getting a drink, and she offered us a free cup of ice water. Very nice. The place was cool and comfortable - we even got a booth, and best of all, the meats are all free-range and hormone free. The veggies are not necessarily organic, but they try to serve local foods as much as possible. The salad was delicious and half of it was plenty for lunch. The whole thing, at 670 calories would have been way over the top for me, but most salads there had way fewer calories - between 300 and 400 for the whole thing, which is more like it. And one more super-plus: you can recycle the plastic to-go bowls and all other plastics, except the forks. They also have to-stay bowls that they wash and re-use, but we didn't think of it in time. I try to avoid chains, though this one is only in NY and Washington D.C. so far. I have to say, Chop't is one I'd try it again. So, though I would rarely give a chain our highest rating, I'll certainly rate it:
Pretty sincere!