DURHAM, N.C. — A string of Durham restaurants is focused on supporting local farms and keeping money in the community.
Chef and owner Seth Gross says he has always had his priorities straight.
“I learned in college you can live on pizza, burgers and beer,” Gross said. “And I figured if I did that and burritos, then I would be OK.”
Gross trained at the Culinary Institute of America and started out in ultra-fine dining. Then, he moved to North Carolina to open a restaurant of his own. He started out with Bull City Burger and Brewery 12 years ago. He then opened Pompieri Pizza 10 years ago. His newest restaurant is Bull City Solera and Taproom, which opened three years ago.
“One thread that you're going to see that runs through all of our menus and our three restaurants is that we really take it to heart when we say we make everything from scratch,” Gross said.
He’s found a way to mix his food values with some classic favorites. At Bull City Solera and Taproom, it’s burritos.
The chef’s favorite is called Lipstick on a Pig, and Gross says everyone who tries it, loves it.
Right outside the kitchen is Gross’s prized possession — his beer solera.
The solera method of brewing originated in southern Spain as a way to make sherry wine. Gross applied the method to his beer.
He says new beer goes in at the top, and as it ages it works its way down through the pyramid of barrels to the bottom level. Then Gross takes beer from the bottom, carbonates it, and puts it on tap. The bottom row of the solera is about nine years old, and Gross still says he’s never tasted anything like it.
“For people who are familiar with aging beer and how it evolves and changes,” Gross said. “It's not going to be fresh, hop flavors and real citrusy and bright. I mean, the mature flavors that come out are more earthy and wood tones.”
It’s something that makes Bull City Solera unique, and Gross is thrilled to share his creation with his customers.
“[People] usually buy a six pack, go home and drink it that weekend,” Gross said. “But now they have an opportunity to try beers that have been aged for a long time.”
Lipstick on a Pig recipe:
Fill a tortilla with the following:
- Red rice made with basmati rice, oregano, garlic, onion and tomato
- Black beans made from scratch and seasoned with epazote, an herb sometimes used to flavor Mexican dishes
- Bull City collard greens
- Bacon jam made from smoked bacon bits cooked down with vinegar and sugar
- Pickled onions
- Shredded cheese
Top with red salsa as the lipstick on the pig.