Transparency, a buzzy word in the food industry, indicates an openness, a willingness to be accessible, to let your customers see who you really are. In Marin, the ethos of transparency is so palatable to so many eaters that restaurants are mainstreaming transparency. At Larkspur's Belcampo Meat Co., the path from farm to butcher shop to table is clear and direct.

A butcher shop and restaurant at the Marin Country Mart, Belcampo Meat Co. sources its meat from its namesake farm near Mount Shasta. Belcampo's processing plant in Yreka, about 15 minutes north of the farm, manages the slaughter and curing of all meats that are served and sold at the shop and restaurant. For head chef Ross Wollen, this exceptionally short supply chain and in-house source of product creates unique opportunities. Among other perks, "we can work with the pasture manager to adjust the fat levels in the cattle," says director of operations, Bronwen Hanna-Korpi.

Wollen, who honed his knife skills at Oakland's Oliveto and Berkeley's Local Butcher Shop, is tasked with figuring out how to make cuts from every part of the animal delicious. His menu changes daily based on what head butcher Chris Arentz has for the restaurant. On a recent winter's day, a smothered chicken leg ($13) and meatballs with tomato cream ($12) raised no eyebrows, but the braised lamb belly ($16) generated numerous questions from hungry and eager customers. Stuffed with sage and garlic, then seared and braised with more garlic and onion in a lamb stock, the whorled meat was enticingly tender with a full, not-so-gamey mouth feel and a subtle warmth from black pepper.


Beef cheek and potato stew ($12) was thick and rich from its long braise, the melted fat from this less-familiar cut, pierced by a robust application of salt.

Based on the sheer number of diners munching on a Belcampo cheeseburger ($11), it is sure to be a menu mainstay. Seasoned only with salt and pepper, the quality of the meat, simply prepared to medium-rare, made the dish an exceptional one. About 70 percent of the burger is a blend of sirloin tip and chuck while the remaining 30 percent is composed of "you've never heard of that unless you are a butcher" cuts that naturally boost the mix's fat content.

"If you use well-marbled meat, there is no need to add fats," Arentz says.

The full-bodied flavor of the meat, loosely packed and lofty, shone through. I protest only the bun, which seemed a pedestrian perch for such a thoughtfully crafted burger.

Toss caloric caution aside and dive into the beef tallow fries ($5). Fried in a mix of tallow and rice brain oil, the shoestring-sized fries were truly decadent. Eaten alongside the somewhat less-decadent rice bran oil-cooked French fries ($4), the tallow fries won the taste-off, hands down.

Cut through the richness of the seasonally inspired, American farmhouse food with Wollen's veggie-inclined salads and sides. A beautiful winter chicories salad made with greens from County Line Harvest, their leaves flecked a ruddy pink, partnered well with young ham ($7, $10).

Fried Brussels sprouts ($6) were tangy from their lemon juice and sage infusion and deeply charred. Molasses baked beans and kale ($6) was gently seasoned and just a bit saucy, the chubby, heirloom borlotti beans as satisfying as the chunky bacon.

The small wine list changes frequently and currently features two reds and one white by the glass (($5 to $8) or bottle ($21 to $33) from Italy and Argentina and two draft beers and five in bottles ($5 to $7), all locally sourced.

Order at the counter and grab a seat at the adjoining counter to watch your meal being prepared. White ceramic utensil holders on every table hold needed dining tools and servers circle the room, delivering plates and answering questions. The large, well-lit room sparkles with white subway tile along the open kitchen walls and a muted blue-patterned tile below the counters and just above the concrete floors. The long back wall is lined with tall, dark wood banquette seating. Outdoor tables, accessed through the back door, beckon on sunny days.

As befits a restaurant linked with a butcher shop and farm, walk through the butcher shop on your way to dine and spend a moment to suss out what items to take home later.

The experience of dining at Belcampo is akin to how farm families used to eat a century ago; with attention to the seasons from ingredients mostly from your own fields. Belcampo's retro-trendy design aesthetic and approach to food has taken this concept even further, ensuring high-quality, sustainable components at all levels of their in-house supply chain.

Marin is the first of Belcampo's restaurant-butcher shops; others are planned for San Francisco later this year followed by Los Angeles. For now, Marin is setting the trend in ethical eating.




Address: 2405 Larkspur Landing Circle, the Marin Country Mart, Larkspur
Phone: 448-5810
Cuisine: American classic
Service: Counter
Noise level: Medium-loud when busy
Recommended items: Winter chicories and ham salad, lamb belly, hamburger, beef tallow fries, molasses baked beans and kale
Liquor selection: Wine and beer
Corkage: N/A
Heart-healthy and vegetarian selections: Yes
Gluten-free selections: Yes
Dog friendly: Yes
Wheelchair access: Yes
Parking: Lot
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays and Mondays; butcher shop: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Prices: $10 to $18
Reservations: Not accepted
Summary: Belcampo Meat Co., a restaurant and butcher shop in one, sources all meats used in-house from its own Northern California farm, giving head chef Ross Wollen and head butcher Chris Arentz immediate access to their supply chain. Dishes such as beef cheek stew and braised lamb belly are seasonally inspired and have an American farmhouse feel to them, while the hamburger is a more familiar American classic.