CALF News Aug./Sept 2018

50 CALF News • August | September 2018 • www.calfnews.net By Betty Jo Gigot Publisher  CALF BEEF REVIEW Nextgen’s Chophouse Maple Hill, Kan. Where’s the Really Exceptional T he top of the menu says it all: Nextgen’s Chophouse Fresh/All Natural/Hand Crafted. The newly refur- bished restaurant nestled in the downtown area of Maple Hill, Kan., is one segment of the Nextgen Cattle Company, located just down the road in the Flint Hills of northern Kansas. The addition of The Chophouse to the integrated company complements the Nextgen ranch complex, cow-calf unit, heifer and bull development facility and feedyard. Formerly called Puffy’s, Mr. Puffy thought his new neighbors might need a restaurant to go with their land holdings. Turned out he was right. Puffy’s was a hard act to follow, but Chophouse custom- ers’ five-star ratings seem to prove Nextgen has taken the place to another level. The native rock and casual seating provide an inviting atmosphere both intimate and upscale. Being treated like a VIP on our first visit to the Chophouse was a hoot, but the establishment’s goal is to provide a pleasant dining experience, whether you just got off the combine or out of the courtroom in your black suit. “We offer $3 Bud Lights and $20 Scotch,” says Nextgen Cattle co-owner Derek Thompson. The same holds for the menu, which offers a 12-oz. Choice sirloin for $16 or a Chophouse Premium 22-oz. bone-in Ribeye for $39. The hamburgers are special, too – high Choice ground chuck. All the restaurant’s beef is sourced from Creekstone Farms and is advertised as “Kansas Steak, Kansas Proud.” That steak might possibly have come from Nextgen beef raised in Ulysses at their feedyard in western Kansas. Waiting for us as we entered the restaurant was an eye-popping dis- play of appetizers. Perfect calf fries with a spicy sauce, possibly the best fried green tomatoes I have ever had, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and chips and queso made for a feast. Stuffed already from that prequel, half a bacon-wrapped filet with Brussel sprouts and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes on the side, along with tall glasses of beer, made for a delicious main attraction. Chophouse staff are proud to be a part of the team and show off their handiwork. Hiring a chef did present a problem when one of the requirements was to prepare a chicken-fried steak.“We thought one applicant was going to have a heart attack,” co-owner Michael Hurla says. I can’t believe I didn’t have a heart attack when the staff delivered the sequel to that fine meal – a cheesecake, a cream brulee and a piping-hot peach cobbler with a mound of ice cream. One taste was all anyone could manage, but I can’t wait to go back and do the desserts more justice. If you find yourself traveling I-70, you definitely need to plan on being in Maple Hill at meal time. I know I will keep it on my “must stop” list.  ABOVE: The bone-in ribeye is a favorite at the Chophouse. Photo by Legacy Livestock Imaging RIGHT: High Choice ground chuck is the order of the day. Photo by Legacy Livestock Imaging What a first course to devour. Photo by Betty Jo Gigot