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By Vince Meehan
Downtown has developed into a culinary Mecca in recent years and as such has attracted a legion of five-star chefs, hospitality experts and mixologists to our trade fair city. This thriving scene has served San Diegans with a wide variety of dining options, including everything from classic Italian and pan-Pacific Asian fusion to steakhouses and Korean BBQ. In addition to providing a state-of-the-art menu, these restaurants must consciously create a wine list that compliments both the food and the customer’s taste. Taylor Berk stands behind their curated wine lists at several restaurants.
Berk is the Wine Director of Puffer Malarkey Collective, a restaurant group founded by culinary legend Brian Malarkey and longtime business partner Christopher Puffer. The Florida native landed the coveted spot shortly after moving to San Diego in 2014.
“I got straight into the Puffer Malarkey Collective – I think I was only here a few months – and I’ve been with them ever since,” said Berk of an upscale booth at the downtown Animae restaurant.
Brian Malarkey is one of the most successful and sought-after restaurateurs in the country and has had a high profile track record in San Diego by opening iconic restaurants such as Searsucker, Herringbone, Gabardine and Burlap. Berk is responsible for creating and maintaining the Puffer Malarkey Collective’s wine lists, including Animae, Herb & Wood in Little Italy, and Herb & Sea in Encinitas. She also sets out to monitor her Orange County satellite called Herb & Ranch in Irvine.
Berk’s current position at Puffer Malarkey began with culinary roots on the American South Coast. “I’m from Florida … I’m from North Florida – St. Augustine Beach. I grew up by the ocean, so San Diego was like a natural transition. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina in Florida and really got into the culinary scene there, ”reflects Berk. “I worked as a private chef, attended the Cordon Bleu cooking school, and shortly after working in several restaurants, I started my own business as a private chef. I worked a lot with eating wine while studying wine at the same time, and that was fun for a while. I had to travel a lot – New York, Los Angeles – and made my way until I finally settled in San Diego. “
Berk credits her culinary background as key to the innovative food and wine combinations she is now presenting with Puffer Malarkey. She also credits her grandfather for being instrumental in her career choice.
“I collect vintage cookbooks and vintage food books – my grandfather was actually in the liquor and wine business – and he’s a huge inspiration to me,” said Berk as she cradled a pair of her favorite champagne bottles. “I have all of these books that he gave me. Every time I go to his house, he gives me a new book – even now. And I think he has so many for him that he just wants to get some out of his house. But it means a lot to me. “
She uses these books. Her grandfather helped her put together a mini library of publications that she uses as inspiration.
“I have the signed first edition of Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World, it’s like the first book you get when you start studying wine. Every Sunday when I have free time – which is rare these days – I sit down with a pile of my old books and read, read, read, read, ”she said.
Berk thinks this downtime is very important to her position and she feels like she learns more in these moments than anywhere else. And that helps her especially when she’s at the Amimae because of the restaurant’s unique menu.
Animae is located in a unique looking building on the Pacific Highway within sight of the USS Midway Museum and Broadway Pier. When entering Animae, you can tell from the cozy round stands, the soft designer carpets and the strategically placed wine glasses on each table that this is clearly a steakhouse. The decor pays homage to the classic Vegas look of the ’60s, when the space race fused with old school Hollywood elegance. Numerous shades of green, ranging from avocado of the 70s to olive green of the 40s, dominate the color palette – a bold and outstanding design choice. The steakhouse also presents a collection of Japanese kitsch art as a tribute to the Asian influence of the menu.
Berk has a great fondness for sparkling wines and Animae is the perfect arena to combine these bubbly bottles with the international dishes on the menu. Also, she encourages guests to order several different dishes and share them family-style. This way you can enjoy several different flavors at the same time. This includes many items that are not the featured showcase steaks.
“So we have the A5 Waygu, and we are absolutely a Japanese steak house, but we have so many other incredible dishes,” remarked Berk. “Our Shanghai crab noodles are amazing; We have a touch of Vietnamese / Filipino dishes – very Southeast Asian – with a Japanese steakhouse. We’re going to get spot shrimp, and our cook Tara Monsod also makes Kare Kare Short Rib which is like a peanut / green onion short rib that you can eat with a spoon! It just knocks you out. “
Berk’s love for sparkling wine is reflected in the wine list and she is always ready to recommend a bottle.
“I feel like champagne is a little niche, but I say… why is it a niche? I mean, if you like beer, why don’t you have champagne too? The carbon dioxide is good, it helps with digestion and goes well with so many foods. “
Berk’s wine list is well represented with traditional and well-known French producers, but she loves to introduce her guests to lesser-known or trendy winemakers. Your attention is currently being drawn to a sour, bone-dry sparkling wine from Spain.
“I love the Sparkling Txakoli [sounds like choco-lina] it’s super acidic and very tangy. It’s lemony and light and just cuts through the fat content of foods and goes very well with salt, ”said Berk. “And there is also the Moussé Fils Pinot Meunier – its 100% Pinot Meunier! So, usually with champagne, you have either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay with Meunier, or a mix of the three. Usually, Pinot Meunier is treated like the “disposable grape”. But this champagne maker has fundamentally changed the game. And I think it’s really fun and cool to present that too because you have this delicious wine that has all the normal notes of champagne but also those very juicy light berry and apple notes and you just say, ‘What’s here Come on!? ‘And I think that’s really fun. “
Berk also spices up her wine list with fun bottles like Spanish Temperillos, Greek Xinomavro and Paship from Croatia. She loves it when guests order her. She uses her extensive wine knowledge to help her guests choose a bottle, but she prefers to let them experience it for herself.
“My philosophy is – when I pour wine for guests or talk about wine, I am very afraid of telling people what they are trying. I don’t think I’ll lead them to any conclusions because I really want it to be their experience. “
– Vince Meehan can be reached at vinniemeehan@gmail.com.
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