“I put the raisins there because they look so fucking cute,” Chris C.J. Jacobson told Grub Street last night, describing his approach to a serving of supple veal meatballs, stretched over loose nuts across a yam mash. Jacobson has unleashed a new late-night menu of standards and new bites on Santa Monica gastro-pub The Yard, all of them designed to be worthy drinking companions. There’s a poutine of thin fries swimming in brown gravy, supporting dollops of cheese curd, plus crisp-skinned arancini with shards of Parm, miniature pulled-pork sandwiches, and a luscious grilled cheese with mozzarella, asiago, Roaring Forties blue cheese, and gruyere. He also coats the exterior with a little cheese, telling us, “I’ve done that since I was a kid.” The only misstep?
Dusting the calamari we’ve long enjoyed with a paprika blend that ends up tasting like BBQ Fritos. We wouldn’t mind nibbling some of his pig ear with our brew, too. Oh well, weekly five-dollar cocktail concoctions with fresh juice and a four-dollar draft of the week are there to help you forget. Check out The Yard’s full late-night menu below, now served from 10:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M.
The Yard
Late-Night Menu
10:00 P.M.-1:00 A.M.
Paprika spiced calamari - roasted marinara, fried lemon, $10
8 Oz. Burger with fries, $14
Mini pulled pork Sloppy Joes - The Yard BBQ sauce, crispy onions, pickled carrots, fries, $12
The Yard house-ground burger - Carr Valley cheddar, grilled onions, 1000 Island, tomato, fries, $14
Arancini - crispy risotto balls, spicy romesco sauce, $8
Classic grilled cheese - Gruyere, Mozzarella, Asiago & Roaring Forties Blue, $9
Grilled vegetable plate with shallot vinaigrette, $8
Poutine - skinny fries, brown gravy, cheese curds, $8
Meatballs, $9
Grilled Market Veggies, $8
Coffee pot d’crème with espresso grounds and sea salt, chocolate/hazelnut biscotti, $8
Coconut Tapioca
