By BETTS GRIFFONE
At the reins of a large staff in a major restaurant, but that’s what he does at The Pines at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino.
And he does it well.
Spending his earliest years in New Orleans with his Cuban grandmother, he learned to appreciate good southern and Cuban cooking. After deciding the food industry was his future, he entered Pasadena’s California School of Culinary Arts and the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu program. He also pursued training in a hospitality restaurant management program.
At the same time, he was working 60 to 70 hours a week, gaining real-world experience at restaurants like Xiomara in Pasadena, where he learned more about the flavors and essence of Cuban cuisine. Craighead then landed a position at Lucques in Beverly Hills. Under the tutelage of a James Beard award-winning chef, Suzanne Goin, he learned more about California, French and Mediterranean cooking. Craighead considers Goin to be his greatest influence.
He joined the staff at San Manuel in 2004 and was a key component in the transition to the new casino, which debuted the following year. The Pines opened earlier this year.
Now heading the restaurant’s staff, Craighead admits to being a micro-manager. His passion for food and its presentation has set him on the path to create a fine dining establishment that should rival any of the top restaurants in Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Every chef at The Pines works hard to maintain a consistency of flavor.
There is no skimping on quality, either. They use only artisan meats from organically raised animals that have never been inoculated with hormones or antibiotics. Craighead finds the freshest produce available to create his salads, vegetables and the smoothest, lushest potato puree around.
The menu is regularly tweaked to accommodate seasonal changes. In one of Craighead’s salads, he wraps thin slices of prosciutto around fresh arrugula and opal basil that has been tossed with a light vinaigrette. Chunks of burrata cheese that have been sprinkled with fleur de sel and a few drops of fruity olive oil are placed around the arugula. Luscious mission figs and crispy walnuts are added and, finally, the salad gets a light drizzle of sapa (a caramelized grape must).
The restaurant’s comfortable ambience provides a warm and inviting atmosphere in which to enjoy the interesting cuisine, which is described by the chef as “California Eclectic.”
Located on San Manuel’s second floor and hidden behind an elegant glass wall, The Pines provides diners with an escape from the noise and bustle of the casino floor. Guests are greeted by a large, glowing bar as they enter the significantly quieter room.
Decorated in luscious chocolate brown with accents of bright red, The Pines offers hungry patrons a new fine dining experience.
A large, native stone fireplace commands most of one wall, adding to the cozy feeling, and there are tall booths that offer more privacy for conversation. Tables down the center of the room are removed late in the evening when The Pines transitions into an ultra lounge. At that time, the lighting changes and video screens located just below the ceiling come to life. A soft mist fills the air and the music turns up.
With the opening of The Pines, San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino adds fine dining and late evening dancing to its already popular high-stakes gaming, sporting events and entertainment.
The Pines
San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino,
777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland
(800) 359-2464, www.sanmanuel.com
Dinner served 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, reservations recommended; Ultra Lounge, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., cover charge $10, $5 with Club Serrano card.
Here is a great dish to make late spring through summer during wild Alaskan halibut season. This recipe can be used for a backyard cookout or a healthy weekday family dinner. It is a simple, yet elegant dish that anyone can cook and is sure to impress.
Alaskan Halibut with Golden Tomato Coulis and Toy Box Tomato Citrus Relish
Ingredients
6 fresh wild Alaskan halibut fillets (7 oz. each)
1 1⁄2tb. olive oil
1 oz. herbsaint (substitute Pernod or other dry anise flavor liquor)
Fresh thyme, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper, as needed
1 quart golden tomato coulis (recipe follows)
Opal basil, sliced
6 oz. toy box tomato citrus relish (recipe follows)
High quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
Heat a skillet over high heat for a minute or two. Season halibut on both sides with kosher salt, thyme and fresh ground black pepper. Coat the pan with olive oil and sear halibut 2 minutes (in batches if necessary so as to not overcrowd the pan) on the first side or until very lightly browned. Flip the fish over and deglaze with water in the pan until 2 oz. remain, add herbsaint and finish in a 350-degree oven until slightly translucent in the center and the fish begins to flake. Remove fish from the pan, add the golden tomato sauce to the pan and combine with the pan juices and add the opal basil. Spoon sauce on the bottom of the plate, add the fish on top, and spoon the relish over the fish. Drizzle the relish and fish with your favorite high quality extra virgin olive oil.
Golden Tomato Coulis
Ingredients
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 1⁄2pounds golden tomato
1⁄2pound yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves smashed garlic
1 chile de arbol
Pinch saffron
3 oz. white wine
2 oz. herbsaint
4 oz. clam juice
Directions
Make a small “X” on the bottom of each tomato with a knife and toss with 1 oz. of the olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Roast in a 350-degree oven with 2 oz. of water for 40 minutes, or until well concentrated and lightly browned. In a sauce pan add 2 oz. of olive oil and season the oil with the smashed garlic and chile for 30 seconds, but don’t burn it. Add the onion, saffron and 1⁄2tsp. of kosher salt and sweat them until translucent. Add white wine, herbsaint and thyme, reduce to a glaze. Add clam juice, roasted tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Transfer sauce to a blender and puree all ingredients until smooth (be careful that the blender top does not come loose as the sauce is very hot). Season the sauce with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Toy Box Tomato Citrus Relish
Ingredients
1⁄2pound baby mixed heirloom tomatoes
Oranges (sections only)
Meyer lemons (sections only)
Opal basil, sliced
Directions
Peel citrus with a knife until only the fruit is exposed and free from all white pith. Slice in between each membrane and remove the section. Cut the tomatoes into mixed shapes and slices. Mix together tomatoes, citrus and basil.
