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Better Than the Day Before For 30-A locals and visitors, all-day café Black Bear Bread Co. never gets old b y C a r o l B a d a r a c c o P a d g e t t O ur approach to foods at Black Bear is pretty simple,” states Executive Chef and Partner Phillip McDonald of Black Bear Bread Co. on French Toast
30-A. “Make it for yourself, the cook. When you cook and approach food with pride in your work, the customer benefits greatly. Win-win.” Black Bear began in 2017 when McDonald and his business partner, restauranteur Dave Rauschkolb, decid- ed to open a restaurant that offered superb food—with equal parts fellowship. “We wanted a place in our community that focused on the community itself, a place where people could get high quality bread made the classic way. A meeting and gathering place, and a place locals could call their own,” McDonald describes. ”Black Bear is more than just a restaurant. It’s a campus full of artisans and enthusiastic staff members and customers.” The uniquely branded venture is named for the illusive black bears that live in the forests surrounding the restaurant’s home base location in Grayton Beach. “When we were primarily operating out of what was then a catering kitchen, we used to have a family of bears that would raid our dumpster for the extra natural leaven that goes in our sourdough,” McDonald shares. “We would toss the extra leaven out each night and they would get all into it and leave behind yeasted paw prints in the parking lot. So it’s an homage, so to speak.” With three locations—the aforemen- tioned Grayton Beach, a second at Grand Boulevard, and the Bar Room in Grayton Beach adjacent to Black Bear—there is always something cooking. “With a fully staffed bakery delivering to our loca- tions daily, we pride ourselves on freshness and quality,” notes McDonald, adding, “From the sumptuous kouign- amann (a sweet Breton cake) to our handmade pop tarts and cinnamon rolls, there is something for even the most discerning palates.” And he says this commitment starts with using the freshest of ingredients. “We prepare dishes that are thoughtful and align with the seasons; we look to our local farmers and seafood purveyors to guide our menus.” No matter which culinary twists the Executive Chef takes, Black Bear Bread Co.’s menu is devotedly based around the bread program in its name (where one of its bakers was nominated for a coveted James Beard award in 2019). Patrons will find assorted tartines and sand- wiches with fresh, seasonal produce, a description to which McDonald adds a tantalizing flourish, “Right now, we are doing a delicious braised field peas dish with Croque Madame
Chocolate Croissants
Banana Tartine
Photo by Jacqueline Ward
Photos by Alissa Aryn
roasted kabocha squash, pickled chilis, charred sour- dough croutons, and parmesan.” The Bar Room, as a venue that stands out a bit from the other two, has a few culinary proclivities. “Our phi- losophy is to be hyper seasonal with our specials and our nightly menu in the Bar Room,” McDonald confirms. “We like to create dishes that brighten the palate by us- ing a combination of salinity, fat, sweet, sour, fresh, spice, and crunch.” He continues, sharing his philosophy and approach all across the board with Black Bear’s fare. “So we are definitely technique-driven in the cafe kitchen. The bakery, however, is more rooted in tradition and recipes, but also a huge emphasis on technique through recipes.” One wonders where the Executive Chef achieved such obvious culinary sophistication, and McDonald re- veals: “From here on 30-A to New York City and San Francisco, I was very fortunate to work under amazing chefs who taught me not only cookery and technique but also discipline and accountability.”
He adds a dash, “I started working on 30-A in 2001 at Criolla’s in Grayton Beach. It was ranked one of the top restaurants in America at the time, and it was an amazing time of discovery and technique for me.” But it’s not long in the discussion that he circles back passionately to both his restaurants’ cuisine and flair for community, evidenced in a bustling and energetic daily atmosphere. “Our most popular offering on the menu would have to be our house bagel and lox board, avocado toast with pickled cauliflower, and zaatar and the jambon de Paris on baguette… The cowbell item from Black Bear is the country sourdough loaf, which is naturally leavened, tangy, and delicious.” Then he adds, “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our amazing coffee program from Stumptown Coffee Roasters.” Clearly, under McDonald’s enthusiastic devotion, every item on Black Bear’s menu is truly made better than it was the day before. So Bon Appetit, 30-A, you’ll need your napkin.
@blackbearbreadco • @barroomgrayton
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