February 2025 Newsletter

Ribollita Recipe | Pheasant Sausage | Takato | Irish Pub

As January winds down, I find myself itching to get outside and start gardening. The occasional hints of warmer weather have been tempting, but I know better than to trust them—winter always has a few surprises left. There’s bound to be another cold snap before spring truly takes hold. While January is typically a quieter month for me, this year has been anything but slow. A handful of exciting projects, travel, and new discoveries have kept me busy, making the month feel shorter than usual:

PHEASANT SAUSAGE

I finally had the chance to work with the pheasant I hunted a couple of months ago, and the results did not disappoint. At Vora Restaurant, my traditional spicy Italian sausage recipe is made with pork shoulder and pork back fat, which provides the ideal balance of flavor and richness. But working with pheasant required a different approach—it’s a much leaner meat, so I knew I needed to incorporate enough fat to keep the sausage moist and flavorful.

After breaking down the pheasant breasts, I blended them with uncured pork side, making up about 30% of the total weight. This cut, commonly used for making bacon, provided the fat content I needed while complementing the gamey depth of the pheasant. For seasoning, I stuck with classic Italian flavors: smoked paprika, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Once everything was ground together, I added a splash of white wine and worked the mixture by hand to ensure the flavors were fully incorporated.

The final step was portioning the sausage into vacuum-sealed bags for easy use later. I shared some of the process on TikTok, and I’m already looking forward to using this in pasta dishes down the line. This might become a staple in my kitchen!

IRISH PUB

After a long run, we’ve decided to step away from the nightclub business. Since opening in 2007, it’s been quite a journey, but the time felt right for a change. Now, we’re in the process of transforming the space into something completely different—our first Irish pub.

While this is our first venture into the Irish pub scene, we’re no strangers to running lively, welcoming spots, especially with our background in sports bars. The concept feels like a natural fit for our portfolio, blending great beer, music, sports, and classic pub food in a warm, yet entertaining setting.

We’re calling it O’Larney’s Pub & Rooftop Bar, a nod to the street we grew up on—Killarney St—with a little wordplay to tie it all together. The excitement is building as we move closer to opening, and we can’t wait to share this new space with everyone in the next couple of months!

TAKATO FT. LAUDERDALE

During a recent trip to Fort Lauderdale to visit family, I finally had the opportunity to dine at Takato, a renowned Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant located within the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Opting for a seat at the bar, I began my evening with their pineapple mezcal tequila margarita, a blend of smoky and sweet flavors that set the tone for the meal. For appetizers, I chose the Crispy Tuna, featuring minced tuna over crispy rice, and the Short Rib Kimchi Tacos, which were a balance of tender short rib and spicy kimchi.

For the main course, I indulged in the Wagyu Skirt Steak, perfectly cooked and accompanied by a flavorful wasabi chimichurri. I will definitely try to replicate the chimi soon!

Throughout the evening, the service was exceptional, with attentive and knowledgeable staff enhancing the dining experience. Sitting at the bar always provides a unique vantage point for me to observe the restaurant's operations and engage with the bartenders, who were more than willing to share insights about their establishment.

Takato, which means "in a state of extreme happiness," definitely lived up to that. I am ready to come back for more in the future.

RIBOLLITA RECIPE

Ribollita, a traditional Tuscan soup, embodies the essence of comfort food with its rich history and humble ingredients. The three classic components—Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), white beans (often cannellini), and stale bread—come together to create a hearty, flavorful dish. As a winter storm approached, I knew it was the perfect time to harvest the remaining cavolo nero from my garden and make this nourishing soup. Ribollita is ideal for being cooped up on a cold winter day, and it only gets better when reheated the next day, as the name "ribollita" (reboiled) suggests. You can find the full recipe on my website here.