MARIN SUN FARMS

Parking Karma has returned evident by the nose of the Racing Honda parked almost in the front door of Marin Sun Farms. Marin Sun Farms is our destination lunch stop after a mini-Meat Adventure picking up our prime ribs from Willowside Meats. Ms. Goofy is our driver while the Great White Hunter has navigated and I have been the designated back seat driver. We make quit the racing team. Marin Sun Farms is a unique meat purveyor. They are  fully vertically integrated from pasture to processing to plate. Their meat is also grass fed, pastured raised, and California local. They sell at farmers markets and have several butcher locations. Todays journey brings us to Pt. Reyes location which also has a restaurant attached to the butcher shop. We are hungry, so let's go eat.

This is a fairly small location with several meat cases and about a dozen tables. We browse the meat cases and then ask for a table.. We have our pick of tables which have a unique fuzzy fur lined chairs. It is a good thing that our posteriors are insulated because it is colder inside this restaurant than it is outside. I am wondering if it is a new trend to not turn on the heat. We make our choices. As some of you may know I am not a big fan of grass raised beef but I am game because this is our only option. New York Steak for me, burger for Ms. Goofy and Brussel sprouts for the Great White Hunter. Have I ever mentioned that the Great White Hunter is a little weird?

I also asked for a side of house made pickles. The pickles were brought out first and they were fantastic. This has to be a good sign for the things to come. Ms. Goofy and I also had salad with our meals. This salad was fairly plain but when you added the pickles it turned into a funky fresh treat. I bet you were wondering how the grass fed beef was, so here we go.
   Ms. Goofy said she noticed the difference in taste. The Umami factor is missing. I use this word with a little reservation but it is true that there is a lusciousness and a savory feeling that has you craving the next bite which was missing from this burger. Grass fed beef has a dryer mouth feeling and texture. My steak was tender enough and had decent beef flavor. My steak also was covered in a pan sauce which I am sure butter was involved. This may have contributed greatly to my enjoyment. We shared some fries that were cooked in pork lard. They were okay but needed a little more crispness. We both finished our plates and enjoyed them as much as grass fed protein would allow.

The Great White Hunter had some of the most fantastic Brussels Sprouts. They were fantastic because they were deep fried in pork lard and smothered in home made mayonnaise (aioli) and cheese. These were not grass fed I believe but delicious.. He also had a house made sausage that was a tad dry.

  Overall we enjoyed our meals. I am still not sold on grass-fed beef. Marin Sun Farms is a nice little stop if you are driving on the coast.  We did not buy anything from the meat market for several reasons. Our ice chest were full of meat from Willowside and grass fed beef from Marin Sun Farms commands a very high price tag. One thing that deterred from enjoying our meal more was the temperature inside the restaurant. This is something that has me puzzled. Turn on the heater why don't you !

  

Marin Sun Farms
10905 Shoreline Highway 1
 Point Reyes Station CA 94956