Looking For The Best Comfort Food in The Valley? Say No More Fam

Any chef worth his salt can sear off a steak to medium rare or cook up velvety soup. But if you want to understand how deep a chef’s devotion goes—a direct window into a chef’s soul—look at their french fries. At The Bellwether, chef Ted Hopson’s fries are a multi-day production. Potatoes are soaked overnight in acidulated water, then they’re blanched, then they’re frozen with some additional starch, then fried, then fried again, and finally given a dusting of salt. They’re crisp on the outside and custardy on the inside and the epitome of how to turn obsession into straight up deliciousness. They’re perfect by themselves, or alongside the expertly crafted PATTY MELT with Taleggio cheese and Calabrian chili aioli. Don’t come into The Bellwether expecting all bar food though. The R&D section of the menu is a playground for Hopson, where he experiments with new dishes like sweet corn with puffed hominy. If you need an excuse hop over the hill to the Valley, you’ve found it.