2018 March PASO Magazine

TASTE OF PASO
Guest List ::
Nic Mattson, PASO Magazine Publisher
Hayley Mattson, PASO Magazine Co-owner
Millie Drum, PASO Magazine Columnist &
Ad Consultant
Special Guests ::
Steve Martin, Mayor of Paso Robles
Debbie Thomas, THO Owner
Kurt Metzger, THO Executive Chef
his month, our dining experience
takes us to Thomas Hill
Organics with Owner Debbie
Thomas and Executive Chef Kurt
Metzger. We enjoyed a lovely lunch
at a table situated in the patio courtyard
of THO with everyone’s favorite
local politician – Paso Robles
Mayor Steve Martin. As we dined on
a seemingly endless spread of beautiful
food prepared by Chef Kurt, we
talked about all things Paso Robles –
the food, the wine, the people, places,
and community spirit we all have
come to know and love.
Steve and his wife Jennifer have
lived in Paso Robles since 1973 and
are active in many community activities.
They have two daughters – Nora
lives in Texas with her husband Todd
and children, Abby and Steven, while
Jamie and her husband Paul live in
Glendale and will welcome their first
child in June.
Steve made his way in the business
world as a marketing professional and
has decades of experience in corporate
communications. His industry
background includes radio, television,
and newspaper; he is also an author
and musician. He served on the Paso
Robles City Council from 1987 to
1996, including as Mayor from 1988
to 1990. In 2012, after taking some off
from local politics and doing a stint
with Atascadero Main Street, Steve
decided it was time to run for City
Council again. When Duane Picanco
decided not to run for mayor again,
Steve threw his hat in the ring and
ran unopposed in 2014.
“I have gone at the mayor’s position
the same way I did with my campaign – I
just want to engage with as many people
as possible and be a good mayor. I want to
be a mayor people feel comfortable talking
to and be as involved as I can be while I
am mayor. I want people to realize I am
responsive and I am willing to engage in
conversation.”
And with that, the conversation
between us continued to flow as we
tasted flavorful offerings from the
THO kitchen.
STARTERS/APPETIZERS
To kick things off, Debbie brought
out two of THO’s most popular
starters – short rib tacos and black
lentil tacos.
Nic’s favorite: Black Lentil Tacos –
beluga lentils sit atop a carrot ginger
purée, and are adorned with layers of
candied jalapeños, almonds, pickled
watermelon, cilantro, and coconut
cream. “This is a delicious mix of sweet
and spicy. The kick is flavorful but not too
hot, even with a side of habanero sauce.
The taste of the fresh cilantro really sticks
out and ties it all together. The presentation
is very inviting and appetizing.”
Featuring Owner Debbie Thomas
and Chef Kurt Metzger of
Thomas Hill Organics
The entrée crew, back row from left to right, are Hayley Mattson, Nic Mattson, Kurt
Metzger, Meagan Friberg, Millie Drum, Steve Martin, and Debbie Thomas.
LUNCH MAINS/ENTREES
When Debbie and server extraordinaire
Christine brought out
our main dishes, we tried everything
that was set before us! The spread included
several sandwiches – Braised
Pork Belly, Smoked Salmon, Cubano,
House-cured Tri Tip Pastrami,
Goat Cheese – and the Warm Grain
Chicken Salad.
Hayley’s favorite: Smoked Salmon
Sandwich – a hearty serving of salmon
with macerated onion, avocado,
blonde frisée, and Sriracha aioli on
wheat toast. “The presentation is beautiful
and the sandwich is robust and
hearty. I love salmon sandwiches, and
this is the freshest I have had in the local
area. The salmon is really pink, the sauce
and onions bring out a different and delicious
taste, and the toasted bread is a nice
touch. Honestly, this is a sandwich I could
eat every day!”
Steve’s favorite: Cubano – a generous
helping of roasted pork shoulder
and smoked pork loin, topped with
Swiss cheese, dill pickles, Dijon, and
garlic aioli tucked inside fresh, soft
panini bread. “I eat much less meat than
I used to. Once I saw and tasted the Cu-
By Meagan Friberg
bano – and some of the other sandwiches
– I decided this is going to be one of those
days when I eat a little more meat! It’s
simply irresistible.”
Millie’s favorite: Goat Cheese
Sandwich – a delicious combination
of goat cheese topped with strawberries,
pistachios, arugula, and a balsamic
reduction sauce situated between slices
of wholesome dark grain bread. “This is
lovely; it’s the perfect spring/summer sandwich.
Alongside the sandwich, I especially
enjoyed the fresh, tender salad greens with a
hint of quinoa and light vinaigrette dressing.
The ambiance is delightful and the hospitality
is the best! I’m also looking forward
to dining at the Raw Bar soon!”
Check out more info on the new Raw
Bar at thomashillorganics.com
Does Debbie have a favorite?
“Lately, my go-to choices are the Cubano
and the Warm Grain Chicken
Salad, but everything that we serve
here is great! We want to have something
for vegans and vegetarians, plus
we have beef, chicken, fish – we try to
have a little bit of something for everybody.”
The conversation continued, with
Hayley commenting on Steve’s mayoral
duties. “The way you take on the
role of Mayor is different than what I
have witnessed before. You are very involved
with different committees and
show up at many events to work. Why
do you take this approach?”
“I’ve lived here for many decades and
I have always been involved with committees,”
Steve said. “I show up and work
at events because I like to help and I like
to talk with people directly, find out what
they are thinking and what their motivations
are. In a town this size, I believe
this is the way a mayor should be.”
DESSERT
After filling up on tacos, sandwiches,
and salads, we almost passed
on dessert. And then…Debbie told
us about a Chef Kurt original and
we were sold! She set two plates
54 PASO Magazine, March 2018