Butcher’s House opened in Costa Mesa within the SoCo Collection several months ago. The restaurant and its owner Jeoffrey Offer bring the flavors of Toulouse to Orange County. Menu items like the “Toulouse Sausage With Blue Cheese,” duck confit, and the “Butcher’s House Paté” evoke a taste of France for diners.
“In 2013, I came to America with nothing but a backpack and a dream,” Chef-Owner Jeoffrey Offer said in a statement. “Butcher’s House allows me to take ownership of my American dream and share my passion for cooking with the people who will continue to make that dream a reality. It is and has been a true labor of love.”
Chef Offer drew inspiration from his mother’s family meals and his father’s work as a butcher. He has over a dozen years of cooking experience as a classically-trained chef. Butcher’s House is his debut restaurant. We chatted with Chef about the restaurant and the menu to see what diners can expect from Butcher’s House Brasserie.
Jeoffrey Offer of Butcher’s House
How did you approach designing the menu for Butcher’s House?
Offer: When I began designing the menu for Butcher’s House, I thought about the things I like to eat—simple classics. I wanted to create a menu that is representative of how I cook for friends and family at home, coupled with inspiration from my hometown in Toulouse, France. From grilled steaks to lightly seared salads, almost every dish receives a kiss of the flame of our Santa Maria-style grill.
What experience do you hope guests will have when they visit Butcher’s House?
Offer: When guests dine with us at Butcher’s House, I want them to drop all pretense and pre-conceived notions about French cuisine at the door. I want them to walk in with neutrality and let the food, ambiance and service speak for themselves so guests can be fully immersed in the present and absorb the experience naturally.
What are your favorite items on the menu?
Offer: A few of my favorite items on the menu are the Toulouse Sausage, the Steak Salad, and our Ribeye. The Toulouse Sausage is an heirloom recipe I learned from my father, a butcher in Toulouse, France. This dish is nostalgic for me; it’s as ubiquitous in Toulouse as PB&J is in America.
The Steak Salad is a juxtaposition of bold flavors and varying textures, with its roasted peppers, crisp little gem lettuce, thinly sliced onions, and cuts of hot-off-the-grill steak. Finally, the Ribeye. This steak offers a generous fat content, making it the most tender and flavorful steak. All it needs is some garlic butter and a finish of fleur de sel. My recommendation is to enjoy it with our sauce au Poivre (peppercorn sauce) or a blue cheese sauce.
