Jake’s Grill is one of those classic Portland restaurants offering its American food menu of steaks and seafood as part of the Sentinel hotel (previously the Seward Hotel, and Elks Temple, and then later the Governor Hotel. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places). Although it is owned by McCormick & Schmick’s, Jake’s still maintains a lot of autonomy over its sourcing and menu. For May, they are featuring special Pasture to Plate menus utilizing Anderson Ranches Lamb. Here’s a look at my favorites of the Jake’s Grill and Anderson Ranches Lamb dishes.
Anderson Ranches has been in the lamb business for 5 generations, and is located in the Willamette Valley. Their lamb is 100% grass fed and free range. Their flock are fed no antibiotics, growth stimulants, feed addictive and growth hormones. They graze on free range pastures on rolling foothills and open fields to roam and eat what they like and grow at their natural pace. Anderson Ranches farming uses sustainable practices and practices complementary to raising sheep such as the sheep helping with seed crop or weeds that control growth for trees or for other farmers to reduce need for herbicide. Supporting Anderson Ranches is supporting a thoughtful local business.
Meanwhile, Jake’s Grill is then taking their great lamb product and utilizing it in both traditional and in creative dishes. If you think you don’t like lamb because it’s gamey or you think lamb only comes so red and medium rare, you will be very pleasantly surprised at the huge range of options they’ve come up here between Jake’s Grill and Anderson Ranches Lamb.
