Dine and Dish: Cracked Pepper Bistro in northwest Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Chef Vatche Moukhtarian of Cracked Pepper Bistro at Palm and Herndon in northwest Fresno blends traditional tastes with a modern twist.

"If I have something perfect and it's selling, people love it, I try not to change it," Moukhtarian said.

"This is our Eggplant Napolean, which is what we're kind of famous for in Fresno." We bread our eggplant with panko and pumpkin seeds. Then, we do roasted tomatoes, make our own pesto with walnuts, not pine nuts and then we finish it with goat cheese in the middle."

The dish isn't done until the third slice of eggplant goes on top.

"It's a very complex but fun dish. It's a good shareable dish."

I'm not sure I'm willing to share this one.

"We cook our short ribs and we go overnight," Moukhtarian said. "It's a very slow process. We have an oven in the back that roasts overnight."

The short rib simmers in a tomato sauce flavored with guajillo chiles.

Broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms cooked in butter form a tasty ring.

"Butter makes everything taste better," Moukhtarian said.

That heavy short rib tops the potatoes, which were baked and run through a food mill.

Vatche's wife marvels at his mashed potatoes.

Cracked Pepper has a full bar but mocktails, with no alcohol, have become very popular.

"We sell quite a few of them every night because people still want to enjoy that spirit-like drink," says General Manager Michelle.

"They're going after the healthier drinks," Moukhtarian. "They're out with their friends, and they don't want to feel left out."

Vatche likes the hibiscus mule.

Chef Vatche's bread pudding has developed a cult-like following.

Caramel sauce is generously drizzled over the very unique dessert.

The bread pudding goes perfectly with the coffee made with beans roasted in-house.

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