Meatloaf Sandwich from Fatted Calf on Fell

Jonathan Kauffman

Fatted Calf's meatloaf sandwich, $9.50.

​Friday, September 24, 2010

The Hayes Valley outpost of Taylor Beotticher's Fatted Calf Charcuterie opened yesterday, all exposed concrete and oxblood tile, chrome cases and blond wood shelves. Over the lunch hour, customers steadily filed in, circling the room to study the packets of house-rendered lard and duck fat in the chilled case, the Italian pastas and Rancho Gordo beans, and finally the fresh and cured meats in the glass case. More than one walked out with a meatloaf sandwich, and considered himself a lucky man.

The Fell Street shop stocks fresh and cured meats along with other grocery items.

​According to the counterperson SFoodie spoke to, Boetticher makes the meatloaf with a mix of beef and pork (sustainably raised, of course) ground up with Fatted Calf bacon, caramelized onions, and herbs. For tradition's sake, he brushes it with ketchup, then smothers slices of the meatloaf in pickled red onions and presses them between a split Della Fattoria bun slathered in whole-grain mustard. The meatloaf is as tender as if it were made of tofu, not ground beef; it called to mind the xiu mai banh mi at Saigon Sandwich more than any meatloaf SFoodie grew up with.

Once the butcher shop ramps up, it will sell a half-dozen or so sandwiches a day, including a much-promised pork bollito misto and something for the vegetarians, plus a few salads and soups made with house-made stock. Meat stock, noted the counterperson. This is a butcher shop, after all.

Fatted Calf: 320 Fell (at Gough), 400-5614.