Perusing my inbox, I saw a Groupon offer for Belcampo in Santa Monica. I had not heard of Belcampo and knowing that my wife is a steak lover, I figured she would appreciate dining there for a date night.
I find it impressive that Belcampo raises animals on a farm they own at the base of Mt. Shasta in Northern California. They craft their products with compassion and sustainability as the core feature. Because they are grass-fed and pasture-raised, the meat tastes better and is healthier to eat.
My wife selected the Gracie which is a tropical fruit beverage bursting with flavor. It is made with Strawberry Avuá Cachaça, Tawny Port, passion fruit, lime juice, mint coconut cream, Angostura and Absinthe. Sipping on this makes you think of taking a Caribbean cruise.
Their Dirty Martini is prepared so that the olive flavor is much more pronounced. Aylesbury Duck Vodka is cold infused with olives and salt to give it a nice umami kick. This results in flavors that are not as diluted as a regular martini.
Pork Belly Sizzling Sisig
My wife surprised me by ordering an Asian fusion appetizer: Pork Belly Sizzling Sisig. It sizzled as our server delivered it to our table. It consisted of braised pork belly, chicharron, sliced jalapenos and was topped with a fried egg. This pork belly was unusually lean and crispy. Combined with the crunchy chicharon, spicy jalapenos and a fried egg, this was a great melody of flavors. My wife agreed.
Perfectly grilled filet mignon
After my wife took one bite of her Filet Mignon, she said “this is the best filet I’ve ever had.” It was grilled to perfection and full of flavor. She shared a bite with me and I was surprised that the steak was both juicy and flavorful. Being a person that favors ribeye over filet mignon, I was doubtful that it would be to my liking.
Braised Lamb Shank
Since I wasn’t aware of lamb raised in California, I decided on the Lamb Shank. It is braised with tomato and fennel and was fork tender and moist inside. The lamb was served on a bed of roasted fingerling carrots and potatoes with some braised au jus.
Belcampo Sundae
For dessert, we shared the Belcampo Sundae. This was a decadent dessert made with vanilla bean ice cream and topped with magic shell, caramel sauce, candied bacon, lard fried peanuts, toasted coconut, whipped cream and amarena cherry.
While Belcampo is best known for their meat experience, they also have a number of salads, roasted cauliflower, sunchokes and an autumn risotto. Even their burgers look quite appealing.
Belcampo, 1026 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://belcampo.com/