Edible San Diego Issue 45 January/February 2018

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{Local Talent} It Takes a Village By Jackie Bryant Photos by Chris Rov Costa If you see a large crowd growing outside of a small restaurant on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, that’s likely the Little Lion Cafe & Bar, which opened in December 2014 and has been chugging full steam ahead ever since. Known for satisfying dishes with a creative twist, the restaurant is run by the three Coulon sisters—Anne Marie, Jacqueline, and Dominique—whose grandparents used to own the well-loved and nowshuttered Ocean Beach restaurant the Belgian Lion. From that pedigree, they’ve created another neighborhood staple that’s low on pretension and high on quality, one that has become a beacon of good food in the community. So, it’s not surprising that the Little Lion has regulars. One of them, Nancy, heard that Anne Marie and her husband were selling their Pine Valley farm. It had become too difficult to manage the restaurant, the farm, and the couple’s small children, especially with the distance between Ocean Beach and the farm. Knowing the decision was difficult, Nancy told the Coulons that she had a city lot just around the corner that she’d be delighted to let them use, rather than “turning it into another McMansion,” Anne Marie recalled. The “about 7,500-square feet small” garden was planted six months ago and now produces all of the arugula and herbs for the restaurant. It had also been supplying melons and squash for a time. Now that the weather has cooled, they’re giving salad greens another go. Other than that, they source from Specialty Produce, which was a learning experience for Anne Marie who used to think that buying direct from the farm was the only way to go. Anne Marie says, “the dream was to have the restaurant with the farm. I interned at Chez Panisse as did my husband, at their farm, and Alice Waters had the same thought. But, like her, we realized it wasn’t realistic. We have such a small restaurant that we can’t efficiently work with farms— our ordering needs and volume don’t match up. This way, we can do what we want.” 6 edible San Diego January-February 2018 Anne Marie and Jacqueline Coulon
Growing some of their own produce has allowed them greater creativity and freedom—they can use as much or as little of a product, like chives or herb flowers, without having to buy in bulk. “If you know what you’re doing and you know how to farm, you can grow so much food,” Anne Marie says of farming on their small plot. “We recently had so much arugula we were giving it away!” Swiss Chard Gratin It has also improved their bottom line, bit by bit. “But we’ll never be gazillionaires, which is fine. That’s not why you get into this business,” she cautions. So, why does she do it? “As cliché as it sounds, I love my community. I love when people come in and have birthdays here. I love that my grandparents’ clients come and give us gifts and eat. I love cooking S food. Sometimes, when you have nothing going on in your day, and you have a good meal, you just had something happen in your day.” It’s as simple as that. D Jackie Bryant is a freelance writer who lives in Ocean Beach. More of her work can be found at jackiebryantwriting.com Recipes from Anne Marie Coulon on ths page and page 8 My grandpa taught me how to make this to serve with bread as an appetizer. 1 pound Swiss chard leaves chopped 1 large clove garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil Roughly chop chard and sauté in heated olive oil until chard leaves are soft. Using microplane or grater, shave in garlic clove and continue to sauté until lightly brown. Set aside. Bechamel Sauce 3 tablespoons ¼ cup flour 4 cups warm milk Salt and white pepper to taste Pinch of nutmeg Melt 3 tablespoons butter in sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup flour and cook until mixture is lightly browned. Whisk in 4 cups warm milk. Bring to a boil and and cook until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Add salt, white pepper to taste, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. In ovenproof dish layer the chard, bechamel, prosciutto (roughly 4 ounces) and mozzarella (roughly 4 ounces). Preheat oven to 350°. Bake until mozzarella is browned on top. January-February 2018 edible San Diego 7
Page 1 and 2: Member of Edible Communities Celebr
Page 3 and 4: January-February 2018 CONTENTS DEPA
Page 5 and 6: THE ESTATES AT DEL SUR, RESIDENCE 3
Page 7: January-February 2018 edible San Di
Page 11 and 12: InTents F L A V O R S With 35 years
Page 13 and 14: SAN DIEGO COUNTY WINES 100% Estate
Page 15 and 16: When it's about food... #specialtyp
Page 17 and 18: Curried Butternut Squash Soup Pictu
Page 19 and 20: FARMERS MARKET Every Friday 2 to 6
Page 21 and 22: Dinner was a very simple pasta. I c
Page 23 and 24: Rainbow chard from backyard Prager
Page 25 and 26: #yayforrosé LOCAL FISH FROM LOCAL
Page 27 and 28: January-February 2018 edible San Di
Page 29 and 30: San Diego Botanic Garden, home to p
Page 31 and 32: Visit these fine advertisers on you
Page 33 and 34: Behind the price tag lies a complex
Page 35 and 36: “ First we eat, then we do everyt
Page 37 and 38: All Hands on Deck By Ned Bell {Edib
Page 39 and 40: Sablefish with Cranberries, Cashews
Page 41 and 42: Not-so-ordinary, locally grown prod
Page 43: FARMERS’ MARKETS MONDAY Escondido

Edible San Diego Issue 45 January/February 2018

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