Meet ‘The Bubba’
Hey Foodie Friends, As many of you know I have a pretty lengthy history of creating concepts and food in Orange County….I’ve dabbled in French, Southwestern and Italian cuisines. People often thought it quizzical that I could jump from cuisine to cuisine totally immersing myself in each and somehow managing to pull it off. Some of the nicest compliments I’ve ever received was when I was called a ‘renaissance man’…and then there was the writer who called me a ‘bedeviled, creative genius’…not so sure about that one. But I do have eclectic tastes and interests that started early my life in music first studying classical piano in middle school and then in high school in the late 60’s when the British Invasion hit, I switched to keyboards in a local rock band. But I also enjoyed sports and was a pretty decent natural athlete playing football, basketball and baseball where I earned the nickname ‘Hoyt’ after the famous knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm. But that’s not what I’m sharing today. About fifteen years ago I was asked to create a concept for a developer in San Diego and, having grown up deep in the Midwest, I came up with the idea of developing one that was an unabashed celebration of regional American foods given the rich diversity that exists today, much of which was created and driven by immigrants. So, I came up with ‘Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern’ and had a great time celebrating and poking a little fun at regional traditions and dishes. Brunch was a big day for us at JFAT so I wanted to come up with something that incorporated as many of the cliches of the Deep South that I could…and so ‘The Bubba’ was born…some dishes are subtle…the Bubba is not. Every Southern town has one. Bubba kicks the front screen door open, hugs everybody in the room, steals your sweet tea, and tells stories that get better every time you hear them. So inspired by generations of good ole boys who never met a comfort food they couldn’t improve I started with a large, warm buttermilk biscuit, filled with a Southern Fried chicken breast, thick-cut Applewood smoked Bacon, melted sharp Cheddar and finished with a Sunnyside Egg….I mean, it is Brunch after all. But I wasn’t finished so, having been sometimes accused of gilding the lily, I topped it all with spicy sausage gravy…yes I did. It’s messy, excessive, and completely unapologetic. The Bubba doesn’t count calories…it counts smiles. And somewhere between the first forkful and the last swipe of gravy, I think you’ll understand why my personal Southern legend has been making friends and ruining diets for years. Now playing every Sunday Brunch at Tavern at the Mission…and if you’re bold…ask for some hot honey to drizzle… You’re Welcome Hon… David & Tino
