LAST SUPPER
Purveyor Profile: Nicky USA How His Meat Gets to Your Table by Chris Onstad
EAT IT!
LIZ DEVINE
I WALK INTO the humble warren of South- Portland. Boulot—whom Latham credits as east industrial space that is meat purveyors his mentor—liked that he could consistently Nicky USA, and am directed to the office of buy good rabbits, but the Frenchman asked Geoff Latham, its founder and president. for a wider selection of game, and soon He is not at work yet, because in my haste Latham’s light went on. Nicky USA was founded with silent Japanese partner to meet Portland’s game king, I am early. Red-blooded trophies pack a Nicky USA Noriyuki “Nicky” Mori (Latham’s 223 SE 3rd provider of mysterious noren?) and room unmistakably decorated by 234-4263 a man: souvenirs of near-religious nickyusa.com had soon branched into other relatively exotic fare like squab, venison, college football boosterism, stuffed ducks frozen in flight, and snapshots of the lamb, and pheasant. Over the years Latham lantern-jawed, perpetually fresh-shaven has built a client list that numbers about 450, Coach Latham and his son in their baseball with 250 Portland-area customers and many jerseys. Curiously, though, the back wall more in his latest market, Seattle, where he is lined with a banner of Japanese noren recently opened an office. Latham is highly respected for the (shoulder-sweeping door curtains) and a gridded, grainy monitor shows feeds from a unique care he takes in promoting his half-dozen security cameras, despite 35 oth- clients. “No other purveyor in the city of er employees who could watch the screen. Portland has uplifted chefs like Geoff,” As I begin to work up a Keyser Söze tale says Eric Finley, co-owner of Chop Butchof intrigue, Latham arrives to effortlessly ery & Charcuterie. For 12 years Latham match his forward energy to mine, and has done something increasingly rare in any industry: He throws Wild About whisks me off to the heart of the operation. Carefully sourced meat ($450,000 worth) Game, a showcase of his chefs cooking lines the unfolding network of walk-in freez- game meats in a competitive environment ers. Forklifts bleat around corners, and men where guests can taste and interact. It with the purpose of linebackers hoist orders is also a blowout of a customer appreciato and from packing tables. We duck into a tion party, and it costs him a fortune, but cooler no bigger than a one-car garage, filled Latham has a classic and personal touch with racks of Olympic Provisions and Chop in his business dealings. If Gabriel Rucker charcuterie. A pallet of Iberico hams, three wants square patties for his Little Bird times the price of prosciutto, comes to mid- burger, Latham delivers. If Rodney Muirthigh. This was their first office, Latham ex- head needed an extra waiter at Podnah’s, plains, and for nearly 22 years they’ve been I imagine Latham would tie on an apron. We pass by his USDA inspector’s desk building out the surrounding space as other businesses leave. We cross the staging bay on the way to look at a new Reiser Vemag to a processing room, scrub in, and don hair sausage grinder and stuffer; the massive, nets and smocks. Six hundred Oregon rab- pristine machine, still in its German crating, bits—bigger, more humanely raised, and can do four man hours of work in 10 minmore flavorful than their Chinese counter- utes. It’s a capstone of the vertically inteparts—were butchered and bagged for indi- grated Nicky Farms plan, beginning with a vidual sale the day I was there; another day new farm an hour south of the city where he it would be a dozen lambs, or a dozen hogs. plans to raise some of his own game meats. Noting the popularity of once-ignored It was demanding, bone-chilling work, but the workers were methodical, unhurried, cuts like skirt, hanger, and cheek, I ask this kingpin what he thinks is poised for redisand proud to be seen at their trade. It was rabbits that started it all for covery in the coming years. Latham points Latham, he says. He sold them to fledgling out a lamb osso buco, far easier to braise high-end Portland restaurants like Genoa, and eat than a foreshank, and he says he’s the Heathman, and Paley’s Place from the selling marrow bones by the “boat load.” trunk of his Ford Escort, a post-college For my part, I purchase a fresh rabbit, (OSU ’88, agribusiness management and brown it, and braise it in IPA and mustard. animal science) lark after a job as an Idaho It is more interesting than chicken, but potato salesman went south. His timing moreover, because of the faith I now have couldn’t have been more perfect: It was the in its provenance, and the knowledge that it early ’90s, and chefs like Philippe Boulot is shared by my most admired chefs, it is all and Vitaly Paley were creating fine dining in the more satisfying to partake of. FIND RESTAURANTS, BARS, AND READER REVIEWS AT PORTLANDMERCURY.COM
September 6, 2012 Portland Mercury 29