California Restaurants Find Loopholes in Foie Gras Ban

Who's serving illicit foie gras in California now? First up, chef Kevin Meehan's Los Angeles pop-up Kali Dining is serving a five-course foie gras dinner July 11-29 for a requested $95 donation. As for where he got the foie, Meehan says "let's say I know a guy who knows a guy." Also, he promises no less than half a pound of foie gras per diner, which is kind of a lot of foie gras. Meehan acknowledges, "That is almost disgusting yet intriguing to most." If you say so.

Then there's Presidio Social Club in San Francisco, which owner Ray Tang tells the San Francisco Chronicle is "not trying to exploit a loophole or out to break the law" but has, you know, kind of found a way around the ban. Presidio Social Club is in San Francisco's Presidio, which is a National Park and thus, claims Tang, under federal jurisdiction. In other words, Tang doesn't think they're subject to the foie gras ban and is happily serving a foie gras slider with a Sauternes cocktail chaser for $20.

The Chronicle wonders if the Presidio Social Club's move will "[open] the door for other national park and Indian casino restaurants to adopt similar plans." Next thing you know, the casinos will be serving foie gras tasting menus and all the cool kids are going to be slinking off to national parks for their foie gras fix.

In addition to finding loopholes (or whatever Ray Tang wants to call them), some restaurants like Cafe Mimosa in San Clemente have ignored the law while others are suing the state. There have been no reports of foie gras violators being fined since the ban went into effect July 1.

· Looking for Foie Gras? Kali Dining is Still Serving [Eater LA]
· Presidio Restaurant Says it Can Serve Foie Gras [SFGate]
· All Foie Gras Coverage on Eater [-E-]