Chris Teal and David Ponti, Public House 124

We got twice the treat when we entered the kitchen of Public House 124 - not one, but two chefs, and not one, but two recipes - score! Our culinary hosts were Chris Teal and David Ponti who have such infectious chemistry that it's irrelevant to ask who might have seniority. Both are homegrown talent, Ponti fourth generation and Teal third, and both started their restaurant careers bussing tables.

Teal was a member of the inaugural class of the Walla Walla Culinary Arts Institute. "There were seven of us," he quips. He scored a job with the Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant after his first year of cooking school and has never looked back, spending 5-and-a-half years as Sous Chef at Whitehouse before embarking on the Public House project. "I think most of it (enjoyment of being a chef) is seeing people's satisfaction and enjoyment over the food," says Teal.

Ponti took a different path than his chef mate as he does not hold a culinary degree, but he has received tremendous schooling from a variety of Walla Walla's best chefs, including an apprenticeship with The Marc Restaurant's, former Executive Chef, Bear Ullman. When the folks at Public House 124 came calling, both Teal and Ponti were primed to take a restaurant into the new frontier. And indeed, Public House resides in the new frontier - part upscale bar, part upscale restaurant - couched in a friendly and open environment.

Ponti says the menu reflects Public's uniqueness, "I think we must have rewritten the menu three of four times before we opened and we were just as surprised, I think, as anyone how everything turned out. I didn't plan it to be like this at all, to be honest." It turned out to be eclectic and constantly evolving. Everything from Asian to German to Indian, from a Spicy Lamb Sausage Dog to Peking Chicken to the wonderful bar snack, Kraut Kruga.

On our visit, Teal and Ponti decide to serve up a popular appetizer, Steamed manila clams with fried sweet potatoes, and a fan favorite entrée, Grilled pork shoulder steak with stewed black beans. Ponti and Teal say the clams are zesty "sort of like an Indian curry" and go well with an IPA. Although a bit daunting, the pork shoulder is not heavy and stands on its own, although a spicy red wine might be the best choice.

Steamed manila clams with fried sweet potatoes

Ingredients:

Procedure:

Sweat the onions in butter until soft. Then add the garlic, ginger, and garam masala. Cook on high heat for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and bring sauce to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for about an hour. When sauce is done put a lid on it and set it aside, or cool it down in the fridge for later use.

While sauce is simmering take 1 sweet potato and julienne on a mandolin. Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Rinse off potatoes, pat dry, and drop in oil. Fry until golden brown, from oil and season with salt.

In a 12" sautée pan heat butter on high heat. When butter is hot add the clams and coat with butter. Season with salt and pepper. After clams are seasoned add about 3 ounces of the sauce. Cover the clams with a lid and steam on high heat. It should only take about a minute or two. When all the clams have opened remove the lid and add your cilantro. Reduce your sauce and plate in a large bowl. Place your fried sweet potatoes on top of the clams, and serve with warm bread.

Grilled pork shoulder steak with stewed black beans

Ingredients:

4 pork shoulder steaks (you can get them at your local butcher, or grocery store)

Rice:

Black beans:

Tamarind raisin relish:

Procedure:

If you want you can brine your steaks for one day in one gallon of water, one cup of sugar, one cup of salt, and one cup of cider vinegar. For the rice, heat olive oil in a pot. Add the onion, jalapeno, and thyme, and then season with salt and pepper. Sweat in oil until soft. Add the rice and stir making sure to coat the rice well with oil and other ingredients. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and turn down to lowest setting on range. Steam rice for 13 minutes. When timer goes off, take the rice off the heat and let set aside for another 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork.

Stewed black beans:

Make sure you soak your beans overnight in water. Drain your beans and rinse well. Pour beans in a pot and cover with water. Peel 1 onion whole and add it to the beans with 1 whole bell pepper, bay leaves, white wine, and chopped garlic. In a separate pot render all the fat out of the bacon. When bacon is browned and crispy add your diced onions, and bell peppers. Sautee on high heat until it starts to caramelize. Add your garlic, saffron, then and tomato paste cooking on high heat and stirring constantly. Deglaze the pot with white wine and white wine vinegar. Add this base to your already simmering beans. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Tamarind raisin relish:

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and set your timer for 13 minutes. When your timer goes off, take pot off the burner and set aside for about 5 minutes.