New collaborative restaurant provides hybrid of fast food and sit-down meals

The smell of the food hangs in all corners of the room, to the side of the room there is a mural of a plant growing in cupped hands. A symbolic reference of their locally grown food, Heirloom provides its meals from farms around the central San Joaquin Valley.

Rustic farm decorations fill the room as you enter, with stone benches with wood along side of the, giving a modern country look. The layout of the restaurant is very simple, like a fast food and sit down restaurant hybrid.

Heirloom is locally owned and operated by chef and co-owner, Justin Shannon, along side with Brandon Smittcamp, owner of The Lime Lite, and Kevin Koligian, a Fresno business litigation lawyer. The idea of a collaboration came from the idea making a high dining restaurant and fast food restaurant in one.

It’s a farm-to-table restaurant, but, the term gets bounced around so loosely it doesn’t have much meaning. Chef Shannon calls Heirloom a “farm-driven restaurant,” though perhaps calling it a farm-to-table restaurant on steroids is an easy way to put it.

Although this place might sound like a high-end restaurant, it’s not. It’s designed to be a quick experience with great food. Customers order at the counter and the food is brought to their tables, which servers find using a pager. Most of the food is between $7 and $20, being very affordable depending on your order.

Serving fresh food on a day to day basis, Heirloom provides a casual spot for a quick sit-down meal. With no reservations needed, you simply walk in, take your order and wait for the food, or order through their Heirloom app and pick up the food.

From pastas, salads, soups, sandwiches, and meat, Heirloom produces many options for entrees and appetizers for lunch and dinner. I enjoyed the portion of the menu where it provided your own custom meal with your pick of sides.

With many options on the menu for different diets, it accommodates those who follow gluten-free, Keto and vegetarian diets. The restaurant provides a variety of organic drinks and their own special mixs, like the blueberry blast.

As soon as you open the door you’re greeted by the counter where you could order food unlike   normal sit down restaurants. The kitchen is left very open and exposed giving an opportunity to watch the chefs cook your meals. 

I ordered the salmon with tzatziki sauce with a side of teppanyaki fried rice with bacon and sweet potato. Even with the lemon they give, I found the salmon to be bland and dry. The bacon added a lot of flavor to the fried rice giving another aspect to the meal.

In addition to the salmon, I also tried The Austin, a burger, which just comes with meat and cheese, with onions on top. It also came with Brussels sprouts and broccoli salad, which didn’t go with the meal. The Brussels sprouts came with farro and squash which had a tangy taste, and the broccoli salad came with a sweet taste.

The price of the meal came out to $45 for two people which isn’t cheap, but for the quality and presentation of the meal, it isn’t worth the price for students. The overall vibe of the restaurant is very high energy and fast-paced. All the workers rush around the room, with customers laughing and enjoying the food. So it is a good vibe.

I wouldn’t go back myself just for the style of food it is, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to try new things. The restaurant provides various meals for a healthy lifestyle,

Heirloom is located on 8398 N. Fresno Suite 101, open from 11 a.m to 9 p.m, Monday through Saturday, with Sunday closing at 8 p.m. Contact them by phone at (559) 228-9735.

For more articles, read Language relates to personal identities, cultural differences or Cindy Lane invites visitors to Clovis area for Christmas displays.

Kyler Garza can be reached via email.