Between Courses

Wine Country in Winter (Part III)

2012-01-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

Follow these links for Part I and Part II of our adventures, read on for Part III:

The last few days of our trip to wine country were spent in Sonoma, specifically in the town of Healdsburg and at wineries up in the beautiful Dry Creek Valley. Included in this review are: Hotel Healdsburg, Spoonbar, Scopa Restaurant, Preston Vineyards, Quivira Vineyards, and Cyrus Restaurant.

One of the first noticeable differences between Napa and Sonoma is that the latter is substantially quieter, less built-up, and (if possible) even more relaxing and laid-back.

The town of Healdsburg is really lovely; centered around a pretty central square are shops, restaurants, and tasting rooms. Nothing is much more than a few blocks from the square. There's even a convenient UPS store for shipping all your liquid treasures home (depending on what state you live in, and provided you've built up the requisite immunity to sticker-shock after a week in wine country).

We stayed at Hotel Healdsburg, a slick, modern property situated on the edge of the town square. It was very similar to the Bardessono in aesthetic, with lots of wood, stone, and glass. The bed was divinely comfy, the little patio a welcome source of sunshine, and the hotel quiet (again, only because it was wintertime). The lobby was a standout part of the property, scattered with sink-into-their-depths sofas situated around a huge, gas fireplace. Breakfast was served here each morning, which was a pretty damn nice way to start the day.

Our first evening in Healdsburg we went to Spoonbar for cocktails. This spot had been recommended to us and did not disappoint. The bartenders were more knowledgeable about their craft than their counterparts in Brooklyn and New York, and they poured a mean drink.

Next stop: Scopa.

We'd actually planned to eat at Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen, but so many locals pointed us towards Scopa that we changed our plans. Unsurprisingly, the locals were right. Scopa was pure awesome. A tiny little alley of a space (which reminded me a lot of restaurants here at home in NYC), Scopa serves up fabulous, rustic Italian fare paired with (of course) local wines.

In fact, they even had one of the local winemakers in house that night to talk to each table about the wines. We started with one of the best salads I've ever eaten (toothsome spinach, salty diced pancetta, pickled red onions, and creamy blue cheese) and followed it up with a really hearty and delicious spagettini with beef and pork rib ragu. We had not a spare millimeter for dessert.

They next day we headed out of town and up the Dry Creek Valley to check out a few family-owned wineries.

Though pretty much everywhere in Napa and Sonoma is beautiful, the Dry Creek Valley struck me as the prettiest - rustic, lonely (in a good way), and unspoiled.

It's also got some really great wineries along its narrow, winding roads. First up for us was Preston Vineyards.

Preston is located at the end of the end of the end of the road. It's not just a winery, but a biodynamic farm as well. They make their own bread and olive oil, raise chickens, play host to a veritable herd of friendly barn cats, and also make some really delicious and unusual (for Napa) wines.

Specializing in Rhone varietals, Preston poured us some wines I'd tasted often in blends but rarely on their own: Mourvedre, Carignane, and Rousanne. All were complex and compelling. They also make a great Viognier. We left here with more wine bottles in our trunk than any other winery we visited (RSV being a close second).

Our second stop was Quivira Vineyard. Similar to Preston (family-owned, biodynamic, down-to-earth), Quivia also makes some Rhone varietals, as well as Zinfandel, Sauvingon Blanc, and other more typical Napa wines.

One thing they do here that I'd not heard of before is co-fermentation (in which different varietals are blended before being fermented, rather than after). Their Savingnon Blanc-Viognier co-fermented blend was yummy and their Mourvedre and Zinfandel were both dark, jammy, and delicious.

After tasting, we had to spend a little time wandering around in the garden before we were fit to get back in the car and navigate the winding roads home to Healdsburg.

Following a well-deserved afternoon nap, we geared up for our last (and biggest) dinner out: Cyrus Restaurant.

Recently touted as a challenger to Keller's French Laundry, Cryus lived up to our high expectations. The dining room is right out of France, yet somehow not stuffy. Choices are between a 5-course and 8-course tasting menu. Being at least 4 pounds heavier than when we began our trip, we opted for the 5 course, beginning with a glass of Champagne.

Before bringing the amuse bouche, our server set a tower of little tastes on our table. Each represented one of the five flavors (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umani) and was meant to stimulate the palate. Rather than being a gimmick, this was executed wonderfully and really set a great tone for the meal.

Standout dishes included a silky foie gras torchon with quince paste, a wonderful yuzu-infused John Dory, and a irresistible butterscotch sundae with chocolate "soil" (microplane-grated, salty chocolate merengue). The mignardises are were also really outstanding - we ate them until (unfortunately) painfully full.

We went to bed that night dreaming of Rhone varietals, Champagne, crisp sunny days, friendly cats, foie gras, and the detox we'd undoubtedly have to do upon arriving home.

So, to sum up a week spent indulging in wonderful food and wine, meeting all sorts of interesting people, soaring on the winds in a hot air balloon, and driving through some of the prettiest country out there...in short, wine country in winter: go, now.

Wine Country in Winter (Part II)

2012-01-13T09:59:00.001-08:00

This review contains our musings on Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Redd Restaurant, Gott's Roadside, and Schramsberg. For Days 1-2 (Napa & Yountville), click here.

Day Three of our adventures in Napa & Sonoma counties started with the aforementioned delicious room service at the Bardessono (including their unusual granola with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, oats, puffed crisp rice and dried fruit).

After a leisurely morning, we headed out to our big event for the day, a Farm to Table tour and tasting at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Located up in the hills overlooking the Napa valley, RSV grows a lot of white varietals and Pinot Noir, making it a little unconventional among the crowd of Rutherford Cab producers. We were the only takers on the tour that morning, so we had the place to ourselves.

A winery staffer poured us each a glass of their blended white, the 2009 Abraxas (golden and dangerously drinkable), and took us through the property, including their garden and gorgeous caves. When we hit the tank room, they happened to be filtering their limited production 2010 Rose. We got a glass right out of the tank. It was soooo delicious; arguably the best glass of wine I had on the whole trip.

RSV emphasizes pairing food and wine, and they have a beautiful garden and charming, enthusiastic chef who prepares pairings for visitors. We sat down to taste with a sumptuous board of house-cured olives, cheeses, charcuterie, caramelized onion tarts, homemade crackers, jams, and flavored nuts. It all paired gorgeously with the rich Three Amigos 2009 Pinot Noir, the POV 2008, and the beefier Syrahs we were poured. The tasting finished with a clever ricotta gnudi scented with Meyer lemon and paired with a rich, red-wine braised lamb ragu.

In our first critical error of the trip, we'd decided to squeeze in an extra tasting, this one at Cakebread Cellars. This was a straight-up tasting (no food or tour) of their reserve wines. We were poured recent and older vintages of the same wines for comparison.

This tasting was interesting and informative, the most important thing we learned being that we're not the biggest fans of chewy, savory, tannic Cabernets and Petit Syrahs (no matter how expensive or impressive). Our most delightful take-away from Cakebread was a cookbook put together by the elderly owners of the winery, the Cakebread Cellers American Harvest Cookbook. The recipes hail from an annual chef's workshop they hold at the winery during harvest and reflect a focus on local ingredients and simple, yet flavorful, preparations.

Dinner on our last night in Yountville was at Redd. What to say here? We enjoyed the food, but weren't blown away. In fairness, though, after a long bout of eating and drinking at RSV, followed by more wine at Cakebread, we may not have been in the best condition to really enjoy a rich meal.

We began dinner with two raw preparations, a hamachi crudo and a tuna tartare. Both were large (larger than necessary for something so rich and so raw). The tuna tartare, while well-seasoned, was not very well prepared. Some of the pieces were not diced so much as smushed, leaving the consistency a little mealy. Entrees included a duck confit that was a little dry and a truffled risotto with lobster. The risotto was very rich and had an overly truffle-y aftertaste. Dessert was probably our favorite course: a light and airy butterscotch pudding with toffee and pretzels.

The next morning we reluctantly checked out of the Bardessono and headed north. Our first stop was the charming little town of St. Helena. Here we browsed the shops on Main Street, working up an appetite for what turned out to be one of our most delicious meals of the trip: lunch at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Automatic Refresher).

Holy hell was the food good. Sitting in the sun at one of their picnic tables along Route 29, we indulged in a huge chocolate shake, a big, gooey burger with onion rings, and a spicy chicken sandwich slathered in cilantro slaw, avocado, and jalapeno mayo. This meal was truly a treat; everything was fresh, perfectly balanced, and explosively flavorful. Proof that sometimes the best food comes at the least fancy restaurant.

After lunch, we gathered some supplies for an afternoon picnic (a crusty baguette, Nostrano salumi, and some fresh Cowgirl Creamery Mount Tam cheese) and headed north to Schramsberg.

Schramsberg is a producer of sparkling wines made in the style of French champagne. The tasting included an in-depth tour of their dark, winding caves, a demonstration of the riddling process (the procedure by which particles are removed from the bottles) and a flight of 4 champagnes, including their $100, scrumptious Reserve.

The wines are swilled by candlelight amid the towering stacks of aging bottles. Totally awesome. Afterwards, a little tipsy and very happy, we ate our bread and cheese on a bench outside the winery in the sun. One take-away that we'd really learned at this point on the trip was that wineries were much more enjoyable to visit if they included more than a simple tasting. In-depth tours that educate as well as provide a sampling of wines offered a good balance, and those that paired the wine with food (often after or during a tour) were best of all.

After departing Schramsberg, we wound our way up the highway, over the Mayacamas Mountains, and into Sonoma County. For the continuation of our travelogue, and our adventures in Healdsburg and the Dry Creek Valley, click here .

Wine Country in Winter

2012-01-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

Winter may seem like an upside down, backwards time to visit Napa & Sonoma counties. I'm here to argue it might be the best time of all.

True, the vines are bare of leaves and fruit. True, it gets downright cold at night. True, some restaurants and businesses may be closed for renovations or vacation. But these disadvantages are well offset by the perks. There is no one here. You have balloon rides, tasting rooms, and the streets of quaint towns to yourself. Hotels upgrade you because, heck, why not? They've got the space. Reservations are easy to get. Best of all, people in the winemaking and hospitality industry are laid back and relaxed when they aren't being mobbed by tourists. You are a welcome guest rather than a locust-like invading army.

In this review, I'll cover the first few days of our trip, which were spent in the Napa Valley. Included are: Bouchon Bistro, Mustards Grill, The Bardessono Resort & Spa, Napa Valley Balloons, Round Pond Estates, Frog's Leap Vineyards, and Morimoto Napa.

Our journey began in the Napa Valley, eating, drinking wine, and admiring the austerely beautiful winter landscape. Though wine country seems remote from New York City, we were able to get there quickly and easily. We flew out of New York at a civilized, mid-morning, hour and were zipping up the Saint Helena Hwy towards Yountville by mid-afternoon. Napa is only about an hour drive north of San Francisco, so we had our first glass of wine in hand by 4pm (a delicious Stolpman 2009 Sauvignon Blanc handed to us upon check-in).

We decided to stay in teensy-tiny Yountville because it's centrally located, putting both St. Helena and Napa in easy reach, and because it's a culinary mecca. Unfortunately, since we were visiting in January, many places were closed. Of Thomas Keller's 4 Yountville restaurants (French Laundry, Bouchon Bakery, Ad Hoc, and Bouchon Bistro), only Bouchon Bistro was open. Still, even with the Keller empire shut to us, there were plenty of great dining options.

Our first night, we hit Bouchon Bistro for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers. The place is small (read: crowded even in January) and very French. I think there were only two local wines on the menu; the rest were from France. I had Sancerre and Sid had an Autumn Capirhana. We shared a charcuterrie board (with a standout pate and gorgeous pickled veggies) and Sid slurped some oysters. Not a bad way to kick off our vacation.

Dinner was at the famous Mustards Grill, which we found inconsistent. We were welcomed warmly, but our server had an off-putting air about her and messed up our order, bringing my entree with appetizer course (I know, wtf?). The food was hit and miss, too. A Caesar salad was crisp, tangy, and hearty, but the pan-fried crab cakes were literally cold in the middle. The hangar steak, though, was blood-red and gorgeous, smothered in a silky red wine sauce. The wine list was, unsurprisingly, pretty exhaustive.

For accommodations in Yountville, we went for broke (literally) and shacked up at the Bardessono, a new eco-chic resort that is, hands down, one of the most beautiful, luxurious places I've ever been. Since it's winter and Napa is blessedly quiet, we got upgraded to an even larger, more ridiculous suite than we'd booked. The room was, quite possibly, bigger than our apartment in New York. There was a steam shower, a huge spa tub, a fireplace, an enclosed patio, sheets on the bed that made me realize (for the first time) why people care about sheets. Anyway, nice place. Very posh. Also: delicious room service:

As much as Napa is about wine, there are a surprising number of non-wine-related activities too. First up, hot air ballooning. This was something I'd wanted to try for a long time and it exceeded even my high expectations. Again, because it's winter, the usually crowded ballooning groups (8-16 to a basket) were empty. We got a private ride, which was incredible. Being in the balloon was literally magical. Lifting up (seemingly with the sunrise), weightless and without the sensation of motion, floating over the valley, drifting towards the mountains...it was just awesome. There are a bunch of balloon tour operators in the Valley. We chose Napa Valley Balloons because they work with Domaine Chandon and the package includes a champagne brunch at the winery after the flight. It was a good choice. The brunch was yummy, our pilot an interesting long-time valley resident, and the ballooning a singular, unforgettable experience.

Next up was a visit to Round Pond estates. A relative newcomer to the wine-making scene (though they've grown and sold grapes to other producers for years), Round Pond attracted us not for its wines, but for its olive oil. Thousands of Spanish and Italian trees have been planted across the Round Pond vineyards and each year they are harvested, milled, and blended into a variety of intensely flavored, extremely fresh olive oils. We went for a tour and tasting, in which the oils (as well as homemade red wine vinegars) were paired with produce fresh from the garden (yes, even in winter), bread, and cheeses. This tour was informative, interesting, and scrumptious. Our favorite tastes were their lemon and blood orange infused oils and their vivid and intense Merlot/Cab vinegar.

After Round Pond we drove past fields of silent vineyards, traveling up Conn Creek Road to visit the iconic Red Barn at Frog's Leap.

The wines here are solid, but the real attraction is the tour. Warm, friendly, and laid back, the winery staffers lead you around the gorgeous property, explaining the wine-making process and Frog's Leap's history and approach to bio-dynamic production. The tasting takes place en route - in the barrel room, out in the vineyard, and as you wander through the garden (beautiful even in winter). Brilliant yellow mustard luxuriates beneath the gnarled, bare vines, roosters crow, and the winery cat sprawls lazily on the sofa in the house, waiting to have his belly rubbed. This experience was a real highlight.

Dinner that night took us down to the relatively bustling town of Napa itself. After an abortive trip to Oxbow Public Market (closed for renovations), we finished the evening with drinks and dinner at Morimoto. First off, this restaurant is beautiful. Steel and glass are softened by polished wood and the walls are adorned with petrified merlot vines. For the food, we experienced some real highs (and one horrifying low). The cocktails were great - fresh, inventive, and highly (dangerously) drinkable. Dinner was more hit and miss.

The first two appetizers we tried were among the more delicious things I've eaten. Luscious, plump rock shrimp were enveloped in feather-light tempura batter and coated with spicy sauces (a riff on a buffalo wing sauce, which perhaps sounds gross but tasted awesome, and a wasabi mayo, which was the real standout). Next came a perfect cube of meltingly tender pork belly, glazed and sweetened with soy, served over soft kongee, and topped with crispy burdock. This was devoured instantly. The low was an Asian inspired bone marrow. Now, we are big bone marrow fans, but this was pretty much inedible. The marrow itself tasted funky and was topped with a thick crust of caramelized onions and panko that clumped and gunked up the whole works. A real disappointment. We finished the meal with sushi. It was good. Fresh, beautifully presented, and all that, but not as spectacular as I was expecting from a place like Morimoto.

All in all, though, a wonderful start to a great vacation. Click here to read about our continuing adventures in Napa.

Pizzeria Bianco - Phoenix - Great Pizza

2011-11-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

Finally made it to Pizzeria Bianco today. I have been reading for years that it is one of the top Pizza's in the USA - but with a 2 hour wait to get in. They are now open for Lunch and while fairly full there was no wait for a table.

The atmosphere and building are really very nice. A good menu of salads, beer, etc. to accompany the Pizza. There are several red sauce and several "white" Pizza's. There are also quite a few add on toppings you can order. We had 2 white Pizza. One was olive oil Mozzarella cheese, Rosemary, red onion, Pistachio nuts. Despite the description it was a very, very lightly topped Pizza which is PERFECT. Really good. We also had a Pizza with some really high quality fresh Ricotta, basil, and we added some primo Prosciutto. Also great. Add a few local ales and you are all set.

Cypress - Our Best High End Meal in Charleston

2011-10-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

After our disappointment with Husk and our totally awesome meals at Marta Lou's Kitchen and J.B.'s Smokeshack I was prepared to be let down by Cypress. If fact almost cancelled the reservation. However, we were totally impressed from start to finish. The drinks, service, decor, food, and wine were all first class. It was a very Southern high end Hospitality place. If you want to do Charleston's best I recommend Cypress.

Unlike Husk they were not trying to be down home Low Country - they were an uptown, local, seasonal, class act.

Husk - Bon Appetit (Not) Best New Restaurant 2011 - Charleston

2011-10-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

After reading about Husk in Bon Appetit it was the first reservation we made when planning our trip to Charleston. Seemed like the place we had to go to experience the new high end of Low Country Cuisine.

It is a very nice restaurant in a great part of town. The vibe and buzz were fun and the food was just fine. It wasn't, however, even close to the best new restaurant I have been to recently. There are better in any food city in America. I presume someone at Bon Appetit has only been out to eat once this year in a new restaurant!

Part of the problem with Husk is that even a very good high volume restaurant can't really compete with a Martha Lou's Kitchen or a J.B.'s Smokeshack in Low Country Cuisine precisely because of it's size and "niceness". This kind of food is best cooked and passed directly to you by the cook on a paper plate. When you fancy it up you are missing the whole point in my opinion.

This was the 4th best meal we had in Charleston - which isn't bad but it isn't "best" either.

J.B's Smokeshack - Charleston - Yes a Buffet Can be Awesome!

2011-10-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

So, we kept driving by J.B.s Smokeshack going to and from Seabrook Island and Charleston. After our awesome Lunch at Martha Lou's Kitchen we decided we should give the Smokeshack a try to see how really low , Low Country Cuisine stacked up to Husk and Cypress.

For an astonishing $11.50 ea for dinner we pigged out on ribs, Chicken, cornbread, Corn pudding, mac and cheese, an array of low country sides, and the best banana pudding with nilla wafers I have ever had. Everything was cooked in small batches, and the attentive crowd was just waiting to descend on each dish as it arrived fresh at the buffet.

I was pretty full and happy after thirds on everything. Don't miss this place if you are within a hundred miles!

Martha Lou's Kitchen - Charleston, Low Country Cousine

2011-10-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Having read about Martha Lou's in Saveur and the NY Times we decided we had to try it out to see what the real low end of Low Country Cuisine as all about. TOTALLY AWESOME - that's what.

Martha Lou, who is about 85, was our hostess, waitress, cook, busser, and cashier. This lady can really cook.

When you order she starts with fresh uncooked chicken and pan fries it individually. When it is done she instantly serves it with really yummy sides. This is the secret to great fried foods - fresh and served within a minute of being done.

As you see from the menu it is pretty simple, $8.50 for a heaping plate of delicious food and an iced tea. Can't be beat.

It is between the airport and downtown Charleston Stop on your way in or out of town.
You will not be disappointed - take your time and enjoy real cooking.

Cuoco - Excellent Northern Italian in South Lake Union

2011-07-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

Owner Tom Douglas and Chef Stuart Lane have a winner in their South Lake Union eatery CUOCO. Cuoco means "cook" and they do it very well there. I have tried both Lunch and Dinner and I find the atmosphere, food, drink, and total experience to be very satisfying - not inexpensive - but worth the tab.

It is especially nice to have a great high end food place for lunch. Tom Douglas is one of the few Seattle restauranteurs to offer lunch with panache at all his places.

My first visit wasa "play-date" lunch with a friend and a couple 2-3 year old charges. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in a very grownup atmosphere. Fortunately, the atmosphere is noisy and happy with lots of 6 plus person groups and fairly casual wood table seating. The chef made an off the menu simple bocotini with a butter and light cheese sauce for our young girls and they loved it.

The second visit was a nice diner group of 6 with very good drinks and a nice leisurely dinner.

One of the things they do very well at Cuoco is of the moment, fresh appetisers that are innovate, simple, beautiful, and tasty. Their pastas are world class - better than Spinasse where we have dined many times. Stuart Lane developed the great fresh pasta program at Cafe Juanita when he worked there for Holly Smith, and also briefly cooked at Cuscina Spainasse when we had our 2 best meals there.

The various dishes we tried on our 2 visits are listed below. All were of the best, freshest ingredients, cooked perfectly. If I have any complaint it is that in their quest for simplicity they tend to under season many of their dishes. Unfortunately, you cannot get the really incredible ingredient taste enhancement benefits of salt in a dish by adding it as a diner at the table - it really has to be blended in before and during cooking.

dishes we tried and liked:

La tur cheese, cherries, walnuts, arugula

Burrata cheese, olive oil, macerated figs, olive crostini

24 month Parma prosciutto with arugula, olive oil, and griddled bread

Fava beans, whey poached egg, pecorino stagionato cheese

Roasted cauliflower, chickpea, vin santo grapes

Corn Salad - roasted fresh corn with great cherry tomatos

Bucatini pasta, Marinara, young goat meatballs

Spaghetti, garlic, anchovy, breadcrumbs, chili flakes, parmigiano cheese with grilled prawns

Risotto with Diver scallops, sweet sicily, chives, olio verde

Seven layer lasagna, bolognese, besciamella, parmigiano

Dry aged Washington rib steak, grilled country bread, roasted cherry
peppers, beacon hill arugula, lambrusco spring onions

Apricot Crostada with rosemary ice cream

Taramisu

Espresso over vanilla gelato

This place is a winner - go there - especially great for groups which is hard to do well in other "fine dining" places and formats.

Sustain me, baby!

2011-06-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Sustain
Location: Miami, Florida

So, last week I traveled from New York to Miami to visit a dear friend. Her husband is the owner of one of Miami's new, hot restaurants, Sustain. Naturally, we went to eat there.

Here's the skinny:

Living for 3 years in one of the world's premiere food cities has made me pretty hard to please, but Sustain got the job done. As the restaurant is owned by a friend, I was nervous that I might not like it. How awkward would that have been? Very. Fortunately, I loved pretty much everything about the place.

The name of the restaurant is also the restaurant's philosophy - sustainable and local, all the way from the decor (hip, open, and inviting) to the food (un-apologetically rich and sourced almost exclusively from southern Florida). Since I was eating with the owner, I can't really comment fairly on the service, except to say that it was great.

I sampled quite a bit of menu - from a charcuterie platter (amazing house-made pate and duck rillettes, plus pickled mushrooms) to chicharrones (a little chewy, but delightfully bacon-y), to salads, fried chicken, and more.

My favorites were the salad and fried chicken. The salad was a red butter leaf lettuce charmer (lettuce from local Swank Farms) with Benton's smoked bacon lardons, super-flavorful, crunchy croutons, tomatoes, and a plate-lickingly good buttermilk dressing. This was up there with my favorite salads ever.

The fried chicken was everything you want fried chicken to be: crispy, tender, and just the right amount of salty. After tasting it, I was unsurprised to learn that they brined and poached the meat before battering and flash-frying to finish. It was served with honey (a genius, classic combo) and beans flavored with (of course) bacon. The most awesomely awesome part of this dish, though, was the creamed Kale. I will dream of the creamed Kale for years to come; it was that good. Hearty, healthy Kale smothered in the silkiest enriched cream sauce. Oh, a vat of that to go, please!

In fact, I loved the Kale so much that I've attempted to create my own version at home...

Sustain-Inspired Creamed Kale
serves 2-4 (depending on how greedy you get)

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh Kale (I used a lovely purple leaf variety), torn into large pieces
1 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 pint whipping cream (do NOT wimp out and use milk), or perhaps a bit more
1/2-1 cup freshly grated aged cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat and add the flour to create a roux. Cook the roux, whisking, until slightly browned and fragrant. Add the cream 1/2 cup at a time, whisking continuously until the mixture is slightly thickened and smooth. Add more cream if necessary to thin the mixture - it should be easily pourable. Whisk in the cheese (starting with just 1/2 cup and increasing from there, if desired), and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil and add the Kale. Blanch the Kale until tender, then drain. Add the Kale to the cream sauce and simmer a few moments to combine well.

Voila...and thank you, Sustain. The highest compliment I can give a restaurant is that it's food inspires me to try and cook it at home.

Babbo Ristorante NYC - Too Successful for your own good

2011-05-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

I have been to many transporting Northern Italian "pasta" based restaurants. I have been to most of Mario Batali's restaurants and have found them to be world class. From Del Posto to Casa Mono and The Spotted Pig Mario finds great chefs, has high standards, and does a great job. The problem with Babbo is that is WAY TOO popular for your own good as a diner. The place is so busy and so crowded that, while it is an exciting mob scene experience, they simply cannot provide the world class food and service that the menu, chef, ingredients, staff, and venue is capable of.

I hate to say this as a diner but I know it to be true: Mario needs to literally double the prices here to get "crowd control" and quality control. I know this because I had one of the best meals of my life at the B&B Ristorante in the Venetian in Las Vegas eating the same menu items I had a Babbo. The B&B is a virtual knockoff of Babbo also owned by Mario and Bastianich. The room, menu, and everything is almost identical - but it is not over crowded - and guess what? The prices for each identical dish are almost double what they are at Babbo - which is a general reversal of what I find most NYC celebrity chef restaurant price comparisons with the Las Vegas spinoffs.

I believe Mario and Bastianich are intentionally pricing low and overstuffing the place with diners as a homage to their first really successful restaurant - it is almost a public service to them to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the place. I can easily see why many people think this is an incredible value and unbelievable menu - it is just not what it could and should be.

Canlis - 41st Anniversay Celebration

2011-03-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Cindy and I had a tasting menu dinner at Canlis last night to celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary. It was an amazing window table, service par excellence, interesting people watching, a very adventurous and beautifully presented menu, and a good time on tap for a 3 hours of dishes we would NEVER order individually on a menu.

Canlis was named this week a finalist, AGAIN, for best restaurant service in the United States by the James Beard Foundation. Well deserved based on our experience - a very busy, full, large, restaurant but it seemed there were more helpful, friendly, and always competent staff than there were guests. It was kind of cool.

The restaurant itself seems never changing, in a good way, with architecture, views and decor a classic NW/Asian vibe. After going there for 40 years I can't see anything different about the facility, service, or clientele.

The Clientele of this restaurant has not really changed over the years - we have been going there for 40 years - but that is what is really interesting. Everything else but the clientele in the world has changed dramatically. Today you can go to the fanciest public event or show and the attendees are in sweats and fleece. In this restaurant every guy is wearing a coat or suit, every women a dressy outfit. Really it makes high end New York look casual. There was a pretty good spread of ages, ethnicity's, and table group makeups but they all looked like this meal was, relative to their family wealth, one of the least expensive places in town. Big representation of couples our age hosting , interestingly, mostly adult daughters and their spouses for some celebratory event or another.

The menu at Canlis is extensive, expensive, and a list of classics that are each utterly satisfying in an ala carte format with extensive small plates, hot and cold, and a long list of mains. Over the years we have had most of them and enjoyed them. Last night we were feeling adventurous so we tried the tasting menu which is the polar opposite of their normal offerings. It was beautifully conceived, and presented. It was also quite good. However, I can't say it was really yummy the way most of their dishes are. But that is OK because it is really and adventure outside your comfort range and outside the range of classic dishes.

Tasting menu

Amuse Bouche - White asparagus soup with Olive Oil and grapefruit served with a spoon of Tequilla Sunrise which uses sodium alginate to turn liquids into a big bubble you pop in your mouth and it liquifies - fun and tasty.

Opakapaka - Sashimi with fennel pollen, orange, and a ginger-carrot nage which was surprisingly the tastiest savory course. beautiful and very good.

Scallop Mousse - Michael Richard would have been proud of the faux cannelloni. Alternating stranding of white and black squid ink spaghetti "pasta tube" filled with a scallop cream mousse with a charred (best idea of the evening I will steal for my cooking) cauliflower. It was a little scary tasting until I had the inspiration to put a little fluer de sel on it. The salt allowed the subtle cream and scallop flavors to compete with the squid ink.

Pheasant - An architectural piece of breast wrapped in crunchy cabbage, with a foie gras sauce and hockey puck (the tastiest savory bites of the evening - fried of course) of "dressing". If you have never had it or cooked it Pheasant is the toughest, least friendly game bird you could ever choose to eat - so pretty good is a massive compliment. There is something deep in the American psyche that deems "pheasant under glass" as the most elegant dish possible.

Venison - The second game dish was a dry aged, sous vide loin which was wrapped in a pretty tasty sheet of pine ash (by some magic of molecular gastronomy). In My opinion Venison kind of falls in the four legged camp of Pheasant - Not the meat of choice - but again it was pretty good.

Degistive - Cranberry Fizz - Another molecular gastronomy dish. A really yummy, fizzy, creamy, sweet palate cleanser served as an ice cream soda.

Dessert - Cindy had a chocolate molten cake that was awesome served with a kind of dove bar ice cream on a stick that was caramel covered with chocolate and way too much salt (And I am salt addicted) that somebody screwed up in the mis en place stage. I had the Butternut squash "cheesecake" which is way too complicated a plate to even describe. Beautiful, decent tasting.

Of Course, being Canlis, when we walked out the front door our car was sitting there with the engine running - impressive after all these years.

Ingredients are King at Eleven Madson Park

2011-02-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

This is not the first time Eleven Madison Park has been reviewed on this blog; we ate there about a year ago and were very favorably impressed. But Eleven Madison Park is, in some ways, almost a completely different restaurant than it was a year ago. They've revamped their menu, not only in terms of the dishes offered, but also in terms of the concept. Now, rather than a list of dishes accompanied by descriptions, EMP's menu consists of a grid. Each space is occupied by a single word, such as "coffee" or "chicken" or "anise." You select either four or six items. The idea here is that the preparations of each dish will change frequently (made malleable by seasonal ingredients and chefly inspiration) or may be tailored to diner preferences. An interesting concept in principle, but it suffered in execution on the day we ate there.

After explaining how the menu "worked," our server did not then follow up with any dish descriptions. Rather, it was on us to ask. There were probably over 25 different dishes on the menu, and it felt awkward to ask about more than 3 or 4. Plus, once a dish was described to you, it felt sort of churlish not to order it (or was hard to process and remember all the details); almost as if you thought it didn't sound good. So, ordering was kind of a gamble. Some of the throws of the dice payed off, others didn't.

We chose the 4 course option, as it was lunch and we didn't want to spend the whole rest of the groaning we'd eaten too much.

As was the case the last time we ate at EMP, we got a lot more than four courses. There were several amuse bouche dishes, as well as palate cleansers between courses - among them were some of the best bites out of the whole meal.

The first amuse was a silky chicken veloute served in a coffee cup and accompanied by brioche toasts drizzled with truffle butter and chives. This dish blew me away because it was simple yet incredibly elevated. Plus, it tasted fabulous - hands down probably the best thing we had.

The second amuse was also quite special, a light lemon and Sturgeon sabayon with chive oil and small bits of sturgeon fish, all served in an egg shell. I'm not into really fishy things, so this dish immediately made me nervous, but I needn't have worried. The seafood flavors were subtle and well balanced by the lemon and chive oil.

For the first course, two of us chose the cold foie gras preparation, a mousse served with pineapple, pickled onions, and brioche toasts. On the side was a foie gras creme brulee (which struck me as quite original). The pineapple was an especially inspired sweet accompaniment.

The other two of us chose the prawns. These were served cold, poached and presented in a briny broth (also cold) alongside a green apple granita. As with other times I've had prawn combined with sweet elements (I'm thinking here of a prawn prepared sous vide with vanilla bean), it just didn't quite work for me. The prawns and broth seemed overly fishy and didn't, in my view, pair well with the cold apple granita. My husband, however, really enjoyed this dish.

For the next course, three of us chose the butter-poached lobster served with roasted chestnuts and a butternut squash puree. The lobster was rich and cooked just right; the pairing with the butternut puree was very wintry and satisfying. I could have done with fewer chestnuts.

My husband's second course was crab. This turned out to be King Crab served over a housemade egg tagliatelle pasta and a lemony butter sauce. It was very, very good and incredibly rich. Other main courses included a beef fillet with bernaise sauce topped with seared foie gras, chives, and sweet caramelized onion. This was (as you might guess) rich and decadent. I had the pork loin, which was served alongside a crispy/fatty pork belly with parsnip puree, horseradish and pear.

The desserts were the weakest link in the meal - poorly described (even by their single descriptor) and the least well-executed. Two of us had the dish described only as "chocolate." Oddly, there was very little chocolate present in the dessert. It might better have been labeled "squash" - there were butternut squash ice creams, caramelized winter squashes, and so on. Very little chocolate was present, and what was there didn't pair well with the squash. I had the "lemon" dessert, which was pretty good. There was a little lemon cake topped with lemon curd, candied lemon, and lemon foam.

All in all, I like the idea/concept EMP is trying with their menu, but found the execution spotty.

Del Posto Decadence

2011-01-12T13:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas in New York - and I can think of no better way to celebrate than a sumptuous meal at Del Posto, Mario Batali's classy northern Italian joint in Chelsea.

Recently given a glowing review by the New York Times, Del Posto offers excellent service, a luxurious ambiance (think lots of flickering candlelight and red velvet), and perfectly prepared food (especially pastas and meat).

In fact, the only slightly off note of the entire evening was the amuse bouche. Typically a single perfect bite, the Del Posto amuse was instead a platter of small bites meant to represent the Feast of the Seven Fishes (so, perhaps this was a holiday thing). Some of the bites were quite amazing - a smoked scallop stood out in particular. Otherwise this just didn't seem like the right kind of thing to serve at such a fancy restaurant.

However, some Prosecco helped it all go down.

There are several tasting menu options at Del Posto; we chose the five course meal, in which you select your own starter and main course and then pick two pastas to share for the whole table. Dessert follows. It was more than enough food.

Among the starters chosen were a thinly sliced prosciutto, a salad of roasted autumn vegetables with black truffle dressing, and a spicy, fried calamari with capers and a mustard sauce. The prosciutto was, well, prosciutto. The autumn veggies were hearty (this salad was huge) and definitely elevated by the creamy truffle dressing, but the real standout was the calamari. The batter itself was spicy, while still remaining ethereally light and crispy. Total awesomeness.

The two pastas we chose to share were both completely amazing. We started with the Caramelle di Gorgonzola Dolce with Black Truffle Butter, basically beautiful little bow-tie pastas stuffed with Gorgonzola and drizzled with a rich butter sauce lazed with black truffle. Each person was served perhaps three of these; they were so decadent that three almost seemed like too many.

The second pasta was a homemade green garganelli tubular pasta with a ragu Bolognaise that many Italian grandmothers would probably commit murder for. Ugh. It was fabulous.

For the mains, two of our number decided to share the Grilled Veal Chop. It was served with some yummy sounding sides, but the meat was the thing here. God lord, the chop was HUGE. I got a bite or two (had to wrestle them away, though), and the flesh was cooked to perfection and seasoned all the way through. If you eat here and you like veal, you should definitely order this dish.

I had the duck breast with Apician spices (cooked just so, and with an impressively crispy skin minus all the usual fat), and my mom went for the wood-grilled lobster served in the half-shell with a basil sauce. The basil and lobster was a weird, but wonderful, combination.

Dinner was enjoyed with a Gresy Barberesco, G. Belzano wine.

Dessert at Del Posto was a mixed affair. Everything was good, but really only a few of the desserts were true standouts.

A pineapple crostada with gelato was refreshing, a butterscotch semifredo rich, and a chocolate tasting of 4 solid chocolates was more interesting on the menu than on the plate. But, the Chocolate Tortino was goooood - layers of chocolate sponge cake and ricotta, all coated in a chocolate shell and served with Olive Oil gelato, it was delicious.

The price tag on this meal was high, but overall, I think it's worth the price. We'll try Babbo next, as it's supposed to have equally great food but slightly lower prices.

Bon Appetit!

Restaurant Review: Pamplemousse

2011-01-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

400 east Sahara avenue

Las Vegas

Nevada 89104

Old school Vegas charm paired with good food equals a unique dining experience. That's what I learned at Pamplemousse in Las Vegas. A waiter with more personality than you'll find just about anywhere added to the charm of this tiny, not so off the beaten path restaurant. My father who was in Las Vegas with me this week suggested it, as he had been there the year before with some relatives who live in the area. I absolutely love finding these types of places and without him we would have been at just another huge hotel restaurant with a big name and some celebrity chef.

We were seated in a side room that we were told was frequented by the rat pack, replete with striped curtains on the ceiling and outside, a bit of hastily strung-looking lights for ambiance along with what looked like a 3-tiered fountain built in to a wall that had long stopped running. I imagined the rat pack closing the striped curtains and smoking cigars and entertaining in this room many years ago. What an amazing quality of old Vegas this place has!

We were seated and greeted with a tremendous veggie basket and a long list of specials not on the menu, including frog legs, upon which we decided not to indulge. We chose lobster bisque and the special scallops for our appetizers. I’m told the bisque was the best part of the meal and a patron at the next table also agreed. As for my scallops, they were cooked properly but I prefer mine seared pretty well with a nice caramelized color to them. These were just barely seared.

We moved on to our main courses which consisted of lobster ravioli for me and the scallops as a main for my father. His scallops looked identical to my appetizer except just more of them. My ravioli had a very nice lobster cream sauce with it and was good but not life-changing by any means.

We both had also ordered the chocolate lava cakes for dessert which came with a homemade ice-cream on top along with a "dollop" of whipped cream. The dollop however was as big as the scoop of ice-cream and I think we can all agree that's not a bad thing.

Overall Pamplemousse was a terrific dining experience, mostly due to the décor and service, both incredible. The food was good, but nothing out of this world. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are in town just to experience the quaint charm and ambiance of old Las Vegas along with a good meal.

Kale and Cannellini Bean Soup

2010-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a hearty and healthy recipe to nourish you in the cold months to come (adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

Kale and Cannellini Bean Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup dried cannellini beans
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp dried sage
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups coarsely chopped lacinato kale (stems removed)
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 cups cooking liquid (reserved from cooking the cannellini beans), plus 1 cup of water (and extra if needed)
2 Tbs olive oil
4 strips thick cut bacon, diced (or, if you prefer something spicier, try a hard chorizo, finely diced)
2 carrots chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced Italian tomatoes (canned)
3 Tbs freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
1. Place the dried beans in a pot and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the beans sit for an hour to soften.

2. Drain the beans and return them to the pot. Add 7 cups water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and sage. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the salt and kale and cook for another 4 minutes to soften the kale.

3. Drain into a large bowl (reserving the cooking liquid). Pick out the bay leaf and discard. Remove the garlic cloves, if desired. Add the lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. In large pot, heat the olive oil and add the diced bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy and fat is rendered. Then add the carrots and celery. Saute about 5 minutes. Then add the cooking liquid, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add the cannellini beans and kale. Simmer to meld flavors, tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the soup is too thick, add some water to thin it.

5. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and serve!

Bon Appetit!

Mistral Kitchen - Seattle

2010-12-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

Our good friends Beth and Raleigh treated Cindy and I to a much anticipated dinner at Mistral Kitchen last night. It was a great evening. The four of us enjoyed several very memorable tasting menus at the old Mistral location when it was so gourmet that the food critics worried it was "too good for Seattle". In fact, it may have been, at the time, as we were usually eating in a very empty restaurant. That is not a problem at the Mistral Kitchen - it was packed on a Wednesday evening by 6:30.

Finding the restaurant and gazing in the windows is easy but actually finding the door in the dark is a bit of a trick as it is dark metal that just blends right into the wall. However, we did get in and as it was Happy Hour we enjoyed drinks before dinner. The bar/cafe area was very popular all the time we were there. Raleigh had an interesting drink - absinthe pured over sugar cubes via a very unique instrument. The drink is not that good but worth it just for the show.

After drinks we enjoyed an excellent bottle of California Pinot Noir with our dinners. The small plates portion of the menu had many interesting choices and we tried 3 or them - the seared Foie Gras (awesome with some gingerbread crumbles and quince slices), a seared Scallop - excellent- I meant to share a taste of but devoured instead, and a very interesting salad of Belgian endive and duck confit sauced with a creme fraiche and pine nut creamy dressing - Yum!

For the main event Cindy and I each selected the Veal Chop cooked in the wood oven - I almost always order a veal chop if it is on the menu and this one was excellent. Raleigh had the Carlton Pork chops and gave a good report. Beth had the bone in Ribeye which was very well seasoned and excellent but was about half the thickness I am used to serving when I do Ribeye - but I assume that is the chef take on the dish not an economy move!

Desserts were a hit as well. I had the Apricot & Olive Oil Financier, Milk Chocolate-Coriander Ice Cream, Warm Apricot Soup. Really, really good if you like apricot - I know I do. Cindy had the Ultra Brownie, with a Sour Creme Ice Cream which was very nice. I have to confess I was enjoying my dessert so much I didn't even notice what Beth and Raleigh had!

Thanks guys - it was a treat!

Restaurant Review: Peasant

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Peasant
Restaurant Location: 194 Elizabeth Street, NYC

Peasant is a big, welcoming, inoffensive place. The atmosphere is very rustic and laid-back. It's warm (due to the big wood-burning pizza oven in the back), which is great as winter grabs us all in a stranglehold, and the staff and servers make you feel at home. The food is good, but not intimidating. It's exactly the sort of spot I'd recommend to out-of-towners who want a meal that will be easy, relaxed, and please everyone. That being said, while everything was well-prepared, the food didn't stand out as exceptional.

We dined with a party of four, including vegetarians (who had no problem finding choices on the menu). I started with the burrata served with drizzled olive oil and roasted tomatoes. The burrata was creamy and nice with the olive oil, but a little too close to mozzarella for my own tastes (what I love about burrata is the creamy, gooey center, and this was a bit lacking). For an entree, I opted for one of their house-made pizzas with hot chilies and sausage. It was good, and the chilies did take it to the next level flavor-wise. The crust was super-thin, charred, and crispy. Nothing to complain about, but not the stuff of fevered dreams, either.

As it's impossible for him to dine somewhere that offers roast suckling pig and not order it, my husband had the porchetta arosto. It was fine, if maybe a little dry. If you want awesome roast suckling pig, get thee to Maialino.

I know we had dessert, and that it tasted nice, but I can't remember what it was (And I can remember intricate details of specific dishes I had over ten years ago, so that tells you something right there).

So. Peasant is pleasant. Take your relatives there when they come to visit. Or go there with a big group who usually can't agree on food; the place is lovely and has something for everyone.

Bon Appetit!

2010 Culinary Holiday Gift Guide

2010-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

As the holiday shopping season gets underway, I thought I'd suggest a few great food-related gifts.

Kitchen Equipment

An All-Clad Grill Pan
This item was given to me by my then-boyfriend, now-husband about 6 or 7 years ago. It's still in great condition (any All-Clad item should last for years, if not for life), and I use it all the time. A perfect gift for an apartment-dwelling friend or relative who has no outdoor space in which to grill. Obviously, the grill pan isn't a true substitute for a barbeque, but it does give a nice char and funnels the grease and oil away from the meat, thereby simulating grilling.

A carbon-steel Wok
A good wok is another gift that will last a lifetime. A lot of people are intimidated by using a wok or cooking Chinese food. But, I'm here to tell you that it's soooo easy, delicious, and quite healthy. A supplement to this gift could be the fabulous, straightforward cookbook Breath of a Wok. This has detailed instructions on how to season and use your wok as well as many simple, delicious recipes. Nearly every page of my copy is splattered with stains.

Cookbooks
I've really enjoyed Gordon Ramsey's Chef for All Seasons.
Usually "seasonal" cookbooks annoy me. Recipes for "spring" will sound good in the fall and the ingredients will be hard to find, and so on. But, this cookbook is well laid-out and each season has enough delicious recipes to entice. The other great thing about this book is how Ramsey manages to include impressive gourmet dishes that are simple to make. None of the recipes have complicated instructions or crazy ingredients, but all are flavorful, beautiful, and will dazzle your family and guests.

I'd also recommend Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. Finally, TK has put together a cookbook that mere mortals can use! There's no doubt that the Bouchon and The French Laundry cookbooks weren't for the casual cook, but Ad Hoc assembles the kind of recipes that normal people like to eat on a regular basis (pot pie! fried chicken!) and delivers kick-ass renditions of them.

Tools
Slotted Spatulas
Well, though I've long been a devotee of tongs, it appears that they are now out. TK reports that they can bruise and damage food and instead advises use of a slotted spatula (originally developed to flip fish). I'm going to give it a try (I've got one on my wish list!), and I also pass the tip along to you.

Delicious Edibles
Vosge Chocolates
Sumptuous, decadent, innovative, and a splurge...a box of Vosge chocolates would make any true lover of chocolate happy. Get one of the exotic truffle collections and the lucky recipient can work their way through an assortment of flavors like cinnamon and dulce de leche, chili, wasabi and black sesame seeds, taleggio, balsamic vinegar, and pine nuts.....sorry, just drooled on the computer.

What about something fabulous from D'Artagnan? Pick up some duck fat or duck glace, or maybe truffle butter, or a little charcuterie, or a pate of foie gras for your favorite foodie. Everything here is top quality and they ship overnight and have gift certificates.

Happy shopping...and happy holidays!

Restaurant Review: Mercat

2010-12-04T14:25:00.001-08:00

Restaurant Name: Mercat
Restaurant Location: 45 Bond Street, NYC

As someone who always wants to eat widely across a menu but can't pack in too much chow before getting full, I am in love with the 'small plates' concept. I am even more in love with the Spanish version of small plates: tapas. I've reviewed a number of New York City tapas restaurants on this blog (see reviews of Boqueria, Casa Mono, and Tia Pol). Today I add one more to that tally.

Mercat specializes in Catalan cuisine. Centered around Barcelona, the Catalan region focuses on it's local abundance of great seafood, cured meats, and cheeses. All of these are featured on the menu at Mercat, and they have fabulous wines, too.

My favorite tapas dish, hands down, is patatas bravas (fried potatoes kissed with spicy pimenton and garlic, often in the form of an aioli). I always order them and I judge a tapas restaurant by the awesomeness (or lack of awesomeness) of their patatas bravas. On this score, Mercat passed with flying colors. The potatoes were light and crispy and the sauce was creamy and spicy. While my fellow diners weren't looking, I slid the dish over to my side of the table and ate them all.

Other offerings at Mercat were equally sublime. The piquillo peppers stuffed with short rib and served with caramelized beans were oh-so-good, as were the mushrooms with fried egg and salsa verde (though not quite as fabulous as a similar dish we had in Madrid this Fall...but close).

My biggest gripe with Mercat, however, would be it's lack of consistency. While some dishes were standouts and very memorable, others were just...blah--not bad, not great, and not very flavorful.

For instance, the grilled hanger steak with cipollini onions and crispy sweet potatoes should have hummed with meaty, salty, onion-y goodness, but it was under-seasoned. The short noodles with sepia and ink (pushed by our server) was downright too fishy and generally ick. Other dishes, like the Cod with artichokes and Romanesco, were well-enough prepared but forgotten soon after we finished eating them.

We asked our server for a wine recommendation and he selected a very full-bodied, blended red that we couldn't stop drinking. It was goooood. I drank too much of it to remember what it was called.

Service was attentive and friendly and the restaurant dark and cozy, lit with lots of candles. It was very convivial and we had a wonderful time eating there. Go with friends, get lots of wine, and accept that some dishes will blow your mind and others will...not.

Bon Appetit!

Friends with Class! Karen's Birthday Party

2010-11-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Karen celebrated her 70th birthday in incredible style last week due to the efforts of her awesome husband Rick - and we were among the lucky 50 folks who got to enjoy it. It was a totally classy event from beginning to end. First, Rick was able to cajole super chef, one of Food and Wine Magazines Best 10 Chefs nationally, 2010 James Beard Best Chef Northwest semifinalist, and amazingly nice guy Matt Dillon of Sitka and Spruce
and The Corson Building
to cater an incredible dinner at The Quartermaster Inn on Vashon.

Then, he talked Jennifer and Andy Krikawa , founders and amazing talents of the Vashon Opera into putting on an hour of up close and personal opera performances throughout the evening. I am not an opera fan but I was entertained, amazed, and in awe of the talent and the music when enjoyed in this close up personal atmosphere.

The food and wine: Bar Ferd'inand supplied the wines for the evening. The white wine was a Vin de Pays L'heurault from Moulin de Gassac 2009; a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc.
The red was a Cotes du Rhone Villages 2008 form Mas de Boislauzon; a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.
The Cremant was from Hubert de Verdereau and is a Blanc de Noirs (White wine made from Pinot Noir grapes). This sparkling wine accompanied the passed apps which included wonderful, salty, fresh Oysters, gougeres, and a crostini with pork rillettes.

Chef Dillon's dinner was served family style from large platters in the courses followed by a wonderful dessert.

The first course included a salt water brined King Salmon Lox with honey, huckleberries and pickled chantrelles. WOW!

Another platter was thin sliced Persimmon salad with dry cured Duck Breast and Hazelnuts. Double WOW!!

The final platter of this first course was a Smoked Trout brandade with Pickled Peppers, crackers and radish. YUM.

The second course also included three passed platters:

One platter included plump Penn Cove Mussels cooked in Cider & Bay with apples, fennel, and Brown Bread. Best Mussel dish I have ever had!

Another platter included large pieces Steamed Halibut with sorrell sauce and Japanese pumpkin that was just fabulous.

The third platter was a Vegetable Bagna Cauda which immediately on returning home sent me to Epicurious.com to figure out how to recreate it. I was drinking the oil bath!

The Third course consisted of a whole lamb, selected and slaughtered by Chef Dillon served two different ways with Chestnuts and Pears. this lamb did not die in vain.

The lamb was supported by a separate platter of Yellow Finn Potatoes cooked in cream. WOW again!

the final platter of this course was a perfect Salad of lettuces and chicories

The dessert consisted of huge fry pans of Apple Clafoutis served with a big passed bowl of whipped cream.

It really is great to have friends, both for birthday parties , and everyday who have the class of Karen and Rick. Happy Birthday and thank you!.

ShopHouse - Pop-Up Thai on Capital Hill

2010-11-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

Super talented Lark Chef Wiley Frank is running a pop-up restaurant in Licorous 928 12th ave. location on Monday nights from 5pm to midnight. Six friends made the trek from Vashon Island last night to try it out. Word has already obviously spread because when we arrived at about 6:15 the place was almost full. Wiley has spent a couple of years cooking and eating in Thailand , most recently most of this last year.

The menu at Shophouse changes somewhat each week as Wiley presents the many gems of flavor delights he has discovered in Thailand. Last night we literally had everything on the menu - over a dozen items, some of them so good we ordered 2 or 3 times - the short ribs and the fish cakes most memorably.

We had a couple of folks who were a little worried about it being too highly spiced but that did not turn out to be a problem at all. The higher layers of spice for most dish's were achieved, if you wanted, by the condiments and side sauces presented with each dish. Most of the items are small plates with a few larger portioned items. Therefore it is easy to try many different items without breaking the bank. The drinks and beer are great as well.

This is really a great restaurant - nothing like the typical Thai restaurants that abound in the Seattle area. don't miss out = set your sites on a Monday night in the near future and visit Shophouse on Capital Hill

Brunch: Adventures in Hollandaise

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Eggs Benedict, that most iconic of brunch dishes. But, without the rich, creamy Hollandaise poured atop the quivering egg, what would it be but eggs and toast with a bit of meat? Not much, if you ask me.

I've always loved Eggs Benedict but have been too intimidated to take on the task of preparing Hollandaise sauce. I mean, you hear these horror stories about broken, curdled messes sending chefs into fits of weeping and days of ennui. Who wants the heartache?

But, I also figured if I was really going to lay claim to the title of Kick Ass Home Cook, I'd better learn how to make Hollandaise. It was easy! I recount my experience here as a how-to guide for the equally trepidatious.

First off, I'd always thought of Hollandaise as an egg sauce. But, as I learned this morning, it is actually better described as a butter sauce. There is a truly sick amount of butter in Hollandaise, all of which is meant to absorb into the egg yolks. Julia Child recommends no more than 3 oz of butter per egg yolk, and sometimes less is more.

Each tablespoon of butter is equivalent to about 1/2 an ounce, so you want no more than 6 tablespoons of butter per egg yolk (and that is a maximum).

To serve about 4 people generously, I started with 3 egg yolks and 14 tablespoons of butter (well shy of of the maximum - and it still came out plenty rich).

You'll also need about 1 Tbs lemon juice (fresh squeezed), 1 Tbs of cold water, and salt to taste.

Here's what you do:

Melt 12 Tbs of unsalted butter over low heat. Then set it aside. Cut 2 Tbs of cold butter and have at the ready.

Set a pot with an opening large enough to accommodate your metal mixing bowl to a low simmer with 2-3 inches of water.

In a large, metal bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks until creamy and well-incorporated (about 1 minute). Then add 1 Tbs lemon juice, 1 Tbs water, and a pinch of salt. Whisk again, about 1 minute.

Place 1 Tbs of the cold butter in the egg mixture and then place the metal bowl over the lightly simmering water. Gently whisk the eggs until the butter melts and is incorporated. The idea here is to thicken the eggs very gently. If they seem to thicken too quickly or to start to curdle, you must take them off the heat immediately and plunge the bottom of the bowl in cold water. Once you can see the bottom of the bowl each time your whisk scrapes over it, the eggs are sufficiently thickened (this will take only 1-2 minutes). Take the bowl off the heat.

Set the bowl on a dishtowel to brace it and whisk in the remaining 1 cold Tbs of butter to temper the eggs and cool them slightly.

Then, whisking constantly, add a few drops of the melted butter. At this early stage, you must add only a very little butter and whisk vigorously. You are trying to force the thickened egg yolks to absorb the butter. You can graduate to drizzling in 1 Tbs of melted butter at a time, whisking and drizzling. If the butter seems to slow in its incorporation, stop drizzling and whisk vigorously. This process takes about 3-5 minutes and requires a strong whisking arm, but it's well-worth the effort. You can stop short of whisking in the pale milk solids that will have settled to the bottom of the butter pan.

Your Hollandise should now be thick and fabulous:

Once all the butter is incorporated, season with salt to taste. The Hollandaise can be set aside in a warm spot (near the stove) and will hold for at least 30 minutes. Don't try to reheat it; it's meant to be served only just warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the desired quantity of poached eggs. I like to cheat and cook mine in those little silicone cups. I season them with salt, olive oil, and hot sauce and poach them in a covered pan of simmering water for 4 minutes. You'll also want to have some nice English muffins toasted up to serve as a base. For the meat, you can use what you like - Canadian bacon is a classic, but I recommend a spicy chorizo or Cajun sausage to add kick and cut the richness of the sauce and poached eggs.

All that remains is to assemble the Eggs Benedict - muffin on the bottom, then the meat, eggs perched on top. And, at last, pour over that glorious yellow Hollandaise sauce. Believe me, one serving will earn you back all the calories you burned whipping the sauce...and then some!

Bon Appetit!

Maialino: Dishing on The Whole Hog

2010-11-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Maialino
Restaurant Location: 2 Lexington Avenue, New York

Located in a quiet and idyllic spot just off Gramercy Park (actually off the lobby of the Gramercy Park Hotel), Maialino is Danny Meyer's latest gift to New York City. For this outing, Meyer has chosen to focus his Italian restaurant around that most humble-yet-glorious of beasts: the pig.

For regular readers of this blog, it will come as little surprise that I'm yet again extolling the virtues of a meat-centric, pork-heavy eatery. Vegetarian I am not, and Maialino would indeed be a tough sell for a vegetarian. There is very little on the menu to serve the herbivorous among us (even the side vegetables have bacon, guanciale, and the like in them).

Like many of Meyer's restaurants, Maialino offers diners two approaches to their meal. If you've made a reservation (about 2 weeks in advance), you can eat in the dining room. If you want to walk in and take your chances, then there is a bar area in the front with smaller, more casual tables. The service seems equally friendly-yet-distracted in both parts of the restaurant, and the menus are also roughly the same...BUT with slightly different specials.

There's the rub. The special dish at Maialino is the whole roasted suckling pig (serves 3-4). You can order this any day of the week in the dining room, but only on occasion in the bar. So, if you want to ensure you can have the pig, you gotta make a reservation. It's well worth doing this once. The suckling pig is truly awesome.

The meat is roasted to a melty, tender sigh-inducing perfection. Every bite of meat remains moist while the skin (oh, the skin!!) is crispy and toothsome and so very flavorful. It is, quite literally, the most perfect pig skin I have ever eaten.

The whole roasted pig is, as you'd expect, a gigantic portion. Our waiter claimed that 2 people could wrestle it down, but we gorged ourselves and still had about half of the meat left over. This actually turned out to be a good problem to have. Maialino's pig makes for great sandwiches later in the week. Though, a tip to the wise, the skin does not reheat very well - so be sure to gobble as much of that down at the restaurant as possible.

Oh, and the pig comes with roasted rosemary potatoes...you know, just to make it look a bit less like you are ordered and are eating nothing but a whole pig.

The other offerings at Maialino are also excellent. The first time we ate there we dined in the bar and shared a bunch of delicious pastas, cheeses, cured meats, and wine.

The super-awesome Malfati pasta came with a ragu of (you guessed it) suckling pig and fresh arugula. It was gone before I even realized I'd eaten it, though we found the Carbonara pasta to be overwhelmingly peppery. They've got an impressive selection of cheeses and house-cured meats to munch on. If you feel compelled to eat a vegetable here, I recommend the Kale with Chickpeas and Pancetta.

We were so full by the time dessert rolled around that nothing really sound good, so we let our waiter chose the bread pudding for us. It came out looking a little unglamorous, but DAMN, it was good. It was a classic brioche pudding plated via a ring mold. Inside was a warm, melted reservoir of chocolate. Yes, please.

Overall, Maialino was a big win in my books. If you go, though, please be sure to save me some roast suckling pig.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe: Spicy Meatballs in Fiery Tomato Sauce

2010-10-23T10:55:00.001-07:00

These are juicy, spicy, and work well as either a hot tapas dish or as a hearty sauce to put over couscous or pasta. The flavors are more Mediterranean than Italian.

Spicy Meatballs in Fiery Tomato Sauce
makes about 40 small meatballs

Ingredients (meatballs)
2/3 lb ground pork
2/3 lb ground sirloin
2/3 cup freshly dried breadcrumbs
2 Tbs milk
1/2 cup finely minced onion
3 large cloves finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin (ground)
1 tsp ground coriander
pinch of ground clove
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 fresh egg, lightly beaten

Instructions (meatballs)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Holding your fingers in the shape of a claw, loosely toss and mix the ground sirloin and ground pork together. Add the minced garlic and onion, the spices (cumin, coriander, clove, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt & pepper). Using the "claw" hand, mix gently.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and pour it over the meat mixture. In the same bowl, moisten the breadcrumbs with the milk. Add to the meat mixture. Use the "claw" hand again to loosely mix the ingredients (try avoid overmixing or tightly compacting the meat).

Lightly oil a large baking sheet with olive oil. Using a 1 TBS scoop, roll small meatballs and place them on the baking sheet (they may be close together, just not touching). Place the meatballs in the oven and cook for 10-12 min. Remove from oven and set aside.

Ingredients (Sauce)
1 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes
1 Tbs salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2-4 dried hot chilies (torn into pieces), or 1 Tbs crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp granulated onion/onion powder
3 Tbs olive oil

Instructions (Sauce)
In a large sauce pot, heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the red peppers. Saute about 5 minutes.

In a blender, puree the canned tomatoes until smooth. Add to the pot (carefully, to avoid splattering from the hot oil). Add the vinegar, cover and let simmer on medium for about 15 minutes.

Uncover the sauce and stir. Add the salt, granulated onion and garlic - taste and adjust seasonings as needed as you continue to simmer the sauce for about 10 more minutes.

When the sauce tastes as desired, gently add the meatballs. Unless serving immediately, turn off the heat, cover, and let the sauce cool. Gently reheat to serve as desired.

Bon Appetit!

Noodle Boat -Great Thai in Issaquah

2010-10-09T13:55:00.001-07:00

Noodle Boat may be the best Thai restaurant in the Seattle Area. We recently ate their with friends before going to a show at the Village Theatre in Issaquah. Fortunately, I called for reservations because the place was absolutely slammed when we arrived at 6 pm. It took us the full 2 hours before the play to get thru dinner as the kitchen was so busy - so plan in accordance if heading over to the Theatre.

We shared a variety of items , all unusual and all great. We started with the Fresh Thai Rolls which were actually steamed rolls stuffed with cilantro, green onion, tofu, bean sprouts, cucumber and topped with a great tamarind sauce. YUM!

We also had Larb Gai which is ground chicken, cilantro, mint all served as a salad atop a cabbage leaf. Unusual, highly recommended by others to us and very good.

We then had the Green Boat which is a noodle dish of steamed rice stick noodles with a stir fry of green curry, coconut milk, green beans, broccoli, bamboo shoots, and red bell pepper. Loved it.

Other dishes we thought were superior were the Red Curry, and a Phad Thai. They also had a very unusual brown rice which actually was RED and very tasty. One serving of the White or Brown rice easily feeds four as many of the items on the menu come as salads or noodles.

From Miranda's Kitchen: Carnitas Enchiladas

2010-10-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

Carnitas Enchiladas
(serves 4)

Ingredients
2 lbs baby back pork ribs or country style pork ribs
1 lime (zest only)
1 orange (juice & zest)
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 red onion, finely diced
1 Tbs rice vinegar
salt to taste
Corn tortillas
2 cups canola oil
Cotija cheese, finely grated (about 4 cups) - this is a hard, slightly salty Central American cheese that can be found in most grocery store cheese sections.
2 jalapenos, minced
1 can spicy red enchilada sauce
1 can green enchilada sauce
accompaniments: hot sauce, sliced avocado, sour cream

Instructions:

For the filling -- rinse ribs under cold water and pat dry. Cut into 3-4 rib sections and place in a large, heavy duty pot. Try to use as wide a pot as possible and lay the ribs in a single layer. Cover the ribs with water (water should not come more than 1/4 inch above the ribs). Add half the lime and orange zest and one half of the orange juice. Add about 1 Tbs salt. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer on low about 2-3 hours, until meat is falling off the bone. Check periodically to make sure the water does not dry up (though it should be reducing).

After a few hours, the water should have reduced down so that most of what remains is the grease and fat from the ribs (if it has not, continue to boil it down while you shred the meat). Remove the ribs from the pot and pull the meat off, using a fork to shred. Be sure to discard all the bones, cartilage, and membrane. Return the meat to the pot, bring heat up and fry in the remaining fat for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the zest, the rest of the orange juice, the apple cider vinegar, and more salt to taste.

Remove the meat from the pan, leaving behind as much fat as possible. Add the onion dice to the fat and fry until soft and caramelized, about 7 minutes. Deglaze with the rice vinegar. Then stir the onions into the meat mixture. Set aside or refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the enchiladas.

For assembly.
Mince the jalapenos and finely grate the cotija cheese. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a saute pan with straight sides. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with 1/4 cup of each type of enchilada sauce. Set the pan(s) you wish to bake the enchiladas in at the ready.

Briefly fry each corn tortilla until it just begins to puff (a few seconds only). Lift the tortilla out of the oil with a slotted spatula and place it in the sauce mixture. Moisten each side of the tortilla with sauce and then transfer to the baking dish. Fill with meat, jalapenos, and cheese, and then roll. Repeat this process until the pan(s) are full.

Drizzle the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, paying careful attention to moisten the ends of each roll to prevent drying in the oven. Sprinkle a layer of grated cheese and any remaining jalapenos over the tops of the enchiladas. Also add a sprinkling of salt.

Bake in a 400 degree oven until the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with sliced avocados, hot sauce, and sour cream.

Bon Appetit!

Prime Meats, Cholesterol, and You

2010-10-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Prime Meats
Restaurant Location: 457 Court Street, Brooklyn

Getting past the starting gate at Prime Meats can be a pain. They don't take reservations and the wait is usually long, even if you show up early. But once you're in....it is *so* worth it.

The atmosphere is sort of rustic-meets-classy, with lots of dark wood and an old-school tavern feel. But the place somehow still appears bright and white-tablecloth-y, too.

The menu revolves around meat, much of which is cured or in sausage form, though there's a standout burger and a massive steak. Bottom line: you want to show up here hungry and carnivorous.

We were surprised, though, to find a lot of temptation beckoning from the first page of the menu - starters and salads. With more than six salads to choose from, we debated awhile before deciding to share the evening's special - a frisee salad tossed with smoked, thick-cut bacon and topped with a poached duck egg and a bacon vinaigrette. Honestly, it was obscene how good this salad was. Silky egg yolk, salty and greasy bacon, sharp and slightly bitter frisee. We ate it all with great relish, let me tell you.

The other starter we shared was the Roasted Beef Bone Marrow served with gremolata, radishes, roasted garlic, and toast. I've had a lot of bone marrow in my day. You might even call me a connoisseur. This one was the most awesomely fabulous I've had--by far. The lemon zest in the gremolata just woke all the other flavors up, its tartness playing off the rich marrow. And the roasted garlic - what a super idea! Smeared on the bread underneath the quivering marrow, it add depth and complexity.

At this point I was pretty much thinking that dinner could not possible get better, that perhaps we should just ask for the check and leave before things went downhill (I know, what a pessimist, right?). Well, I was both right and wrong.

I had ordered the burger. It came out all juicy and sloppy and dripping with cheese, served along a house-made dill pickle and plenty of fries. It was pink all the way through, toothsome, and all around one of the best burgers I have ever had anywhere.

My husband had ordered the Sukrut Garnie - a platter of pork belly, bratwurst, calf tongue, and knackworst. It was served with mustard, some potatoes, and sauerkraut. This was a bit hit and miss. Some of the sausages were a little dry. The calf's tongue (predictably, I suppose) was not very good. Overall, this dish was a little bit of a letdown. From what we've heard from friends (and what we witnessed other diners having), it looked like the Weisswurst might have been a better bet.

Did we have dessert? I honestly can't even remember. I think I must have been dazed from all the fat and cholesterol (and possibly still a little drunk off that glorious burger).

In sum: totally awesome.

Restaurant Zoe Revisited - Seattle

2010-09-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since we last visited Restaurant Zoe - but it is still as much fun and as good as ever. Zoe is among only 7 traditional restaurants Zagat's rates 27 or above on food quality in greater Seattle- a very good sign of quality. Zoe has a really great atmosphere, fun but sophisticated. Their drinks menu is very good and somewhat unique to them. When you arrive you get prompt and friendly service and a nice plate of bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We started off with a shared appetiser, not on the regular menu, of a torchon of fole gras with figs. The torchon is pure, raw foie gras compressed into a roll, seasoned, lightly poached and, in this case, rolled in pistachio nuts and cut into rounds. The figs were lightly poached too. It was beautiful and delicious. The brioche was perfectly toasted. It went beautifully with a rose cremant from Burgundy.

We were then brought "spoons" of candied fennel bulb, onion, and peppers as a complimentary amuse bouche. Again, pretty and tasty.

Our next course was a dungeness crab salad for me and ricotta gnudi for Cindy. Again beautiful and of high quality.

Before our main courses we were given another complimentary course which was a small bowl of gazpacho that was creamy and light. Coincidentally I had just made this last weekend Thomas Keller's Sun gold Tomato Gazpacho from his Ad Hoc At Home cookbook. Zoes version was almost identical with the addition of a hint of melon and some creme fraiche on top. It is very refreshing - made with tomato's, onion, cucumber, and olive oil blended very, very smooth.

So far the meal was impeccable. Our mains we excellent but both suffered a bit from what I consider design flaws in the dish composition and presentation. We were debating between the Whole Hog which is not really described on the menu and the Poached Salmon with corn and Chantalle's. Our friendly waitperson described the Whole Hog accurately and Cindy ordered that. It is basically a shredded pork timbale - yummy parts of the pork braised to perfection, rolled in a breading, and stuffed into a mold. It is then unmolded and deep fried to give a crispy exterior and a shredded pork interior. The mold used was a basic rectangle so the timbale looks like a small brick. It was served on a flat plate atop a very nice complex, saucy endive salad. The design flaw, in my opinion was that there was no sauce on either the interior, or at presentation under the timable so it was a little too dry - though delicious. It's shape was very unfortunate as well and served as a "brick"atop the salad on a flat plate it was really extremely unappealing looking. A concave plate with a pool of sauce on the bottom and a meatball shape or else a rounded mold would have worked from a texture and presentation viewpoint much better. Or using a gelatinized sauce on the interior of the fried timbale would have provided the moist sauce without impacting the delicious and crunchy exterior.

I ordered the Poached Salmon which our server said would be served medium rare which was really not accurate missing the mark in both directions. the Salmon, possibly one of the best tasting and wonderfully textured and sesaoned I have ever had, was poached using a very low heat sous vide method I am almost certain. The result was that the fish was fully cooked through, not rare, and was firm and flakey with a mere touch of the fork. that is as good as it gets for anyone eating a fish. I have had many a rare salmon that had some inedible and tough raw interior parts which is the usual price paid for a perfectly cooked exterior portion. Sous Vide allows the fish to be exactly the same perfect texture all the way from surface to middle. Fortunately her diescription of rare would stop many folks squimish about raw fish from ordering the dish. This is good because using the sous vide method the fillet appears visually to be completely raw - as in totally uncooked. The long low heat ina vacum allows for this. It looked like a big thick piece of lox. Chefs like to provide drama and surprise with a meal but when that plate was put down the surprise was not appetite stimulating. As I said it was fabulous and fully cooked but I could not get Cindy to even take a bite. This dish needs to be described better so people know that are not about to be served raw fish. Or, it could have been lighly sauced to disguise the raw apperance - which would have been the better dish design appraoch in a mainstream restaurant.

We had to run to the theatre so were not able to fit dessert into our time frame.

Hopefully, my "complaints' won't disuade you from visiting Restaurant Zoe - it really is a great evening and a great meal.

Bisato - Seattle Restuarant - WOW!

2010-09-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning for literally years to get to Lamperia, and then Bisato, Scott Carsberg's shrines to culinary perfection. I could kick myself! This is perhaps the most perfect cooking I have ever enjoyed - Including Thomas Keller's Per Se!

Cindy and I stopped in last night and had an unbelievable food experience at an incredible price. We each ordered 5 courses and then shared bites. The menu price per item was around $11 so for under $60 menu price each we had a 5 course meal that I will not soon forget. The total bill including wine, tax and tip was around $90 each - I have paid 4 to 5 times that for meals that were not as exquisite.

The restaurant/bar is very nice, Scott greeted us when we can in the door and was very present in the kitchen the whole time. Each menu item was both a presentation and flavor masterpiece. Each item was just 6-8 bites - very small but just right to get the maximum enjoyment and still have room to continue moving thru the menu. With 5 courses I left wanting more - which is so much better than leaving feeling ill for the rest of the night. Portion size is perfect.

We started with a glass of a nice prosecco which we enjoyed for the first few courses , then I moved to a barolo. The food courses included stuffed zucchini blossoms, a duck breast paired with a chantrelle mushroom dish, poached duck egg on a crispella, a fig stuffed with foie gras, lamb chops and potato puree, an artichoke heart stuffed with a ribiolina cheese, polenta with a meat ragu, and an amazing fresh truffle pasta. For dessert Cindy had orange confit and a caramel mousse, and I had figs stuff with marscapone. As I said each dish was so beautiful it was hard to ruin it by eating - but tasted so amazing that you literally wanted to order another of each dish.

I will be back soon - I am anxious to get 4 people and go to order literally everything on the menu and have it come in 6 or 7 courses where each person has a unique dish in each course. Cindy and I loved that approach last night and have really enjoyed it in the past at other high end tasting menu restaurants. It is really a great way to have a foodie evening.

The Lobster Shop - What a Difference a Decade Makes

2010-09-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago The Lobster Shop was our "fancy destination restaurant" on the Tacoma waterfront. It hasn't changed at all in the last decade but we sure have. We received a gift card for the restaurant when we bought a new Pruis this Spring and thought we would use it last night. It was a beautiful evening, the restaurant was crowded, and we got perhaps the best table in the house with its great waterside corner view of the Sound.

The Lobster Shop has three distinct personalities depending on when you eat there. Sunday brunch is iconic, the early bird dinners are a great bargain and both of the above are jammed. We arrived as the early bird crowd was finishing their desserts. This crowd is mostly multi-generational families enjoying a "fancy 3 course dinner" out for less than $20 a head with a specific lower food cost menu offered prior to 6pm. We went to the "expensive" version of the Lobster Shop - around $160 including tax and tip for the 2 of us, including a shared app, mains, shared dessert and a bottle of wine ($21 for a 2007 Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc that retails for $14 - their wine markup is 10 years out of date which is great for the consumer - that bottle would be at least $28 and more likely somewhere nearer $42 at most restaurants - unfortunately, I found it totally lacking in varietal flavor - tasted more like a $6 grocery store wine). Their wine menu, as If have indicated is incredibly well priced but also extremely bland in varietals and quality - i.e. White Zinfandel as their entire rose choice.

The ingredient quality and quantity was good but not seasonal (pea pods and asparagus as veg in September). The mashed potato's we just that, so thick and dry you could stand a fork up in them, while the potato croquet Cindy had was watery and terrible. My halibut and Cindy's steak were served "Oscar style" i.e. low quality shreds of crab or lobster with an insipid version of Bearnaise for the steak and Hollandaise for the Halibut. There was apparently no seasoning of any kind used in any of the cooking. It was a large quantity of bland, boring food from another era.

I think The Lobster Shop is just fine for a fancy dinner out at a really nice location for probably a very high percentage of the population who value quantity and don't really care about great food. It's just not our place any more. I realize I sound like a "food snob" (or maybe just a snob depending on the reader) but if you are either a really good cook or have been exposed to really good seafood restaurants you are not going to be impressed. I would only recommend this restaurant for brunch or the early bird for a bring along grandma and the kids "treat" even though the food will not be very good. People, including us really seemed to enjoy themselves as it is a beautiful spot, good ambiance and the food is "safe" and "dependable". If you are going to spend $60 plus per person why would you eat here?

Casina Spinasse - Seattle

2010-08-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

Cafe Juanita on Capital Hill!!

Last night Cindy and I had an early dinner, following her botanical painting class, at Cascina Spinasse on Capital Hill. Chef Jason Stratton was selected by Food and Wine magazine as one of the Best New Chefs of 2010 - well deserved based on our dinner. We were also lucky enough to have a good view of the kitchen and I spotted a "newcomer" in the kitchen Chef Stuart Lane - who along with Jason were mainstays of the great Cafe Juanita kitchen. Those two together again in the kitchen in Spinasse will be magic.

We were greeted with complimentary glasses of bubbly as Spinasse is celebrating their anniversary. We ordered their Anniversary Tasting Menu, for $65, began with several extra mini courses of toasted bread with anchovies, prosciutto, a salami with citrus peel and some very nice Columbia Bakery rustic bread. We also order a carafe of a nice 2007 Nebbiolo Roso.

Next we were served a stewed dish of eggplant, roasted peppers, anchovies that was very rustic and nice - not our favorite course but interesting none the less. The next dish was a beautifully prepared plate of 3 house made, stuffed fresh egg pasta that were rolled and filled to look like tootsie roll shaped candy. The filling was a lemon ricotta, and the pasta were served on a bed of walnut sauce. YUM!

Were were then served the house specialty which is a fresh house made angel hair pasta tossed with butter and marjoram and served with sauteed chantrelles and lots of finely shaved parmigiana. WOW! The courses kept getting better.

We then moved on to 2 large Rabbit Sausages shaped like meatballs served over a bed of fabulous Polenta which included fresh corn in the finish with a little broth and a sauteed green on top. This was the top course of the night for us - Beautiful in every way and assertively spiced which as great.

We then had dessert and Italian Espresso. Cindy had a Chocolate Semifreddo, and I enjoyed a Peach/Goat Cheese Mousse . All top notch.

Everything about the evening was great . I really recommend this place - not cheap though for 2 including tax, tip it was $225.

The Old Spaghetti Factory - Seattle

2010-08-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last week we took our 2-year-old to Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Jeff has strong nostalgic memories of going there as a kid, and it was a college-student-on-a-budget staple for us years ago. I was leery of dinner for two reasons....1) we're used to pretty high-end, quality food, so i was worried it was going to be nasty, and 2) in the past I remember waiting FOREVER for a table, which is pure torture with a toddler. To avoid problem number 2, we went early...got there at 5:15 and there was no wait at all. We were impressed right away with their kid-friendly setup. As soon as we sat down, our daughter was presented with an activity/color sheet and 2 crayons (as a parent, I appreciate that she was only offered two colors, so we didn't have to spend the next 15 minutes chasing runaway crayons all over the floor). The coloring kit also came with a package of saltine crackers, which kept her busy until the bread came. Pure genius!!! The kids menu was great - lots of choices, and came with apple sauce and milk, along with the small bowl of pasta with spaghetti sauce and one giant meatball.
Given our nostalgic feelings towards the place, we were pleasantly surprised with the dinner. It was not fancy. It was no gourmet. It was not quality ingredients. But it was hardy, tasted good, and was dirt cheap. We LOVED it. For tired parents with a toddler, this is an ideal outing for dinner. My only complaint was that the vanilla ice cream (or spumoni, if you choose) that was served to my daughter was WAY too much. We solved that quickly by scooping two-thirds of her dessert into my husbands bowl without her noticing.
Overall, if you have little kids but really don't feel like cooking, head out to your local Old Spaghetti Factory. Just get there early, or you'll end up waiting forever for a table. There was already a wait by the time we left and headed to the car. Dinner for 3 $23!!

Luc Cafe and Bar - Seattle

2010-08-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Luc is a French-American café and bar named after Thierry Rautureau's father, Luc. Located just up the block from James Beard Award winner Rautureau's Rover's in the heart of Seattle’s Madison Valley, Luc is a neighborhood spot with excellent food, fresh cocktails and a well-selected wine list. Cindy and I ate an early dinner there last night and were very impressed overall. It is interesting to see how all of Rover's fine points are handled in this dramatically lower priced venue. Of course, there is no comparison between the two places - Rover's being the top fine dining in Seattle with everything that goes with it to match and Luc essentially being a bar with very good small plates of comfort food with a great French Twist. However, it is easy to see Theirry's skills and taste at work throughout the operation.

Cindy and I started with an incredible, fairly priced bottle of a wonderful French Rose - Domaine de Fonsainte Gris de Gris 2009 ($35) and the best dish of the night - a Tartine of Smoked Salmon. This appetiser had a generous portion barely smoked fresh Salmon flakes on a toasted country french bread with a light spread of capers and goat cheese and a nice topping of arugula drizzled with olive oil ($8.95). It was both beautiful and amazingly tasty.

We then shared a salad that was very good but not life changing. It was fairly small and was composed with arugula, house pickled Bing Cherries, a small amount of caramelized shallots with a nice olive oil dressing($7.95).

For our main courses Cindy chose the Hamburger($11.95) and I had the Steak Frites($18.50). Cindy felt the burger was one of the best she has been served anywhere. Small, very chewy nice bun, tomato jam, aioli. My steak was typical Rovers, properly sauced, cooked and presliced. The fries were very good but being a small cut cold quickly. The dipping sauce was excellent but had an unfortunate look of a cheap thousand island dressing. The presentation of both plates was very casual, as intended. This type of fries needs to be a smaller portion or in a cone or napkin to retain heat though.

The dessert was an excellent fresh fruit cobbler with house made ice cream. Small and satisfying. We thought the whole thing was extremely enjoyable - with a good crowed vibe in the room. At $125 with tip not as "inexpensive" as it should from the mention of menu prices but still a very nice evening.

Seattle if lucky to have Theirry's excellent restaurants - you get what you pay for - and there is no huge profit in the type of operations he runs - I practically consider it a community service!

Woodfire Grill

2010-07-29T08:40:00.001-07:00

I sure am glad I don't live in Atlanta. Aside from the appalling humidity, of which I am not a fan, I would spend all my money and evenings at the Woodfire Grill. Hidden behind overarching trees, it sits nestled near the end of a road in a...how do I put this politely...more "adult" area of town.

This is a fairly typical New American style restaurant boasting of fresh/local/organic style food sources. Seriously, there's a laundry list of food sources on the back of the menu and although I was not familiar with them, I firmly believe that telling customers where you get your food adds significant value.

The interior has an excellently styled interior, which can get a bit too loud for my tastes, but the smallish kitchen with the (yup you guessed it) wood-fired grill, is right there for all to see. As a side note, if you wish to use the restrooms, the Woodfire Grill logo upside down is for Men and right side up is for women. You'll get it when you see it. This is important to save the host/hostess the stress of chasing you down to send you to the correct door, which I'm sure happens daily.

We decided on the 7 course grand tasting menu as we had the time and an adventurous palate that evening. Looking back on the trip, it's likely one of the best decisions we made the entire week. Given it was a tasting menu, we were subjected to food at chef Kevin's whim. As it turns out, there are many, many worse ways one could spend an evening out. Our service was always prompt and friendly, and courses came out appropriately sized and at a very nice pace.

I can't say enough good things about the food here. I'm not going to go over each course in detail because it would take too long and it wouldn't help anyone because the menu changes constantly. However, nearly every course was perfectly balanced, in fact, my least favorite courses were the ones I would have normally thought I would have loved the most (i.e. meat).

The meat courses were merely very good, but the real action was that Kevin had me loving things I normally am not a huge fan of: eggplant, cooked carrots, and clams to name a few. The only issue with any of the dishes I could find was I had some beets that seemed to overpower my duo dish of venison and quail. They were simply too sweet for the rest of the dish.

Other than this tiny issue, every dish was exquisitely prepared and tasted incredible. The last time I found myself liking vegetarian dishes more than the carnivore dishes was when I ate at The French Laundry. So, there ya go Kevin, your favorable comparison to Thomas Keller from a semi-periodic food blogger is complete.

Incredible eats here! It would be a huge mistake to miss this place if you are in town.

Fine Dining in the U.K.

2010-06-18T11:22:00.001-07:00

A recent trip to the U.K. saw three bloggers from this site enjoying ten days of incredible meals at Michelin starred restaurants. For those of you who may be planning summer travel to the U.K. (or just wish to live vicariously and calorie-free through our experiences), I thought I'd share a few highlights.

Prior to the start of every meal (regardless of venue), we were ushered to a lovely outdoor patio or settled in a plush indoor lounge for drinks and appetizers.

While enjoying this leisurely start, the waiter would bring the menu for us to peruse and make our choices. By the time we were seen to our table, everything was in place to begin. Really a relaxing and elegant way to dine. Also, in general, the service in the UK was more solicitous (sometimes even too much so) than anywhere else I've ever eaten.

The Waterside Inn, Bray, England
Located just outside London in the tiny (and I do mean tiny) village of Bray, the Waterside Inn has a lovely setting (situated right along the banks of the Thames, complete with swans).

I believe the Waterside is a Michelin 3-star. And, while the food here is very well-prepared and beautifully presented, it definitely did not exceed my expectations. Some of the menu choices were a little bit too aggressive to suit my tastes (for instance, a shellfish soup that tasted over-poweringly of oysters). The winning dish here was the spring lamb, which was perfectly in season, and incredibly tender and delicate.

The Whatley Manor, Costwolds, England
I probably couldn't find enough time in the day to sing the praises of the Whatley Manor, which is situated in the countryside of England's Cotswolds.

This was most likely one of the most beautiful manor-house hotels we visited during our trip. The grounds were exquisite, the manor gorgeously restored and luxurious, and the Michelin 1-star restaurant was clearly striving for its next star (and likely very soon to get it). The food here was among the very best we had (the only other contender for the crown was Andrew Fairlie in Gleneages, Scotland). Pretty much ever single course (and there were looooots of them) was amazing. A favorite: smoked scallops with pureed almond and sea beans.

The smoking gave the scallop a depth like nothing I've tasted and paired incredibly well with the nut flavors. Really something special. Another winner here was the salad. Often one of the duller courses, Whately Manor prepared theirs with fresh herbs and greens grown on the grounds, baby artichokes, and black truffle viniagrette. It was irresistible.

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, England
The grounds of Chatsworth House (the seat of the Earl of Devonshire) are worth an entire day's visit all by themselves. I'll include a few shots here, just to give you an idea:

While the grounds here are amazing, the reason I mention Chatsworth here on the blog is because of the unexpectedly lovely tea room. Despite the large, tour-bus atmosphere of Chatsworth (it is a huge tourist destination) they nevertheless had a calming, charming, subdued tea room where they served a very good afternoon tea.

If you visit Chatsworth, this is not to be missed.

Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles, Scotland

The final restaurant I'll mention here (though we ate at several other lovely spots) is the amazing Andrew Fairlie, located in the Gleneagles Resort in Scotland. This is reputed to be the best restaurant in Scotland, and I can well-believe it. Andrew Fairlie is everything lux, fabulous, and elegant. From the incredible bonsai sculptures and chandeliers, to the top-notch service and impeccably prepared food, there is nothing to dislike here.

The other restaurants we tried and would recommend are:
English Lake Country: The Samling (on Lake Windermere)
Edinburgh, Scotland: Ondine Restaurant (sleek and modern, not far from the castle)

Happy Travels, and Bon Appetit!

BARK: Delicious Dogs in Brooklyn

2010-04-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Bark

Restaurant Location: 474 Bergen Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Picture this: a hot dog joint committed to local, sustainable ingredients of the highest quality all done up in reclaimed woods with a retro diner-esque feel. And they have absurdly good milkshakes. Welcome to Bark.

Homemade pickles, heritage pork and free range chicken from Upstate NY and ice cream from Il Laboritorio de Gelato are just some of the great ingredients that elevate these hot dogs, burgers, and milkshakes well above the ordinary and make them (almost) worth paying $5-6 bucks apiece for.

After an early Spring Saturday in the park, Bark is just the way to round out the afternoon.

Bon Appetit!

Blue Ribbon, Brooklyn: Order Smart, Leave Happy

2010-04-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Blue Ribbon Brasserie

Restaurant Location: 280 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

My husband and I have lived in Park Slope for about two years now but have been leery of eating at Blue Ribbon. We've heard rave reviews and total pans. We've heard it's expensive but worth every penny and so outrageously overpriced and overrated as to be utterly avoided. Finally, (after deciding we'd spent enough money at Al di La for a little while), we went to investigate Blue Ribbon for ourselves.

Boy, am I glad we did. Here's what we learned: order smart and you will leave Blue Ribbon very happy.

The menu here is big, and rambling, and suffers a little bit from multiple personality disorder. Recently, though, I read a write-up on the owners in Saveur Magazine. Apparently, they trained at Le Cordon Blue and decided to open their own spot that brought excellence to all their favorite comfort foods. Hence the very eclectic menu...and the excellence that comes close to justifying the high prices.

One thing we noticed about the menu at Blue Ribbon is that *everything* is expensive. From the fried chicken all the way up to the lobster, you can plan on paying in the ballpark of $30 bucks for an entree. So, why not get the most luxurious foods? I mean, even if the fried chicken totally rocks the house (which I hear it does), you might feel cheated paying $26 bucks for it. But an awesome steamed lobster seems like a fairly good deal at $30 bucks. Ditto for a paella that is big enough to feed two and full of luscious seafood.

The other thing we learned was that if you arrive early, they have a Happy Hour special on fresh oysters - another way to incorporate more luxury for less money.

We started with the aforementioned oysters as well as a rich, creamy, glistening plate of roasted marrow bones that was To. Die. For. This was followed up by the classic, perfectly cooked lobster with drawn butter and a baked potato and the Basque Paella with shrimp, mussels, chicken, and various other yummy seafoods (which purports to serve one but is more than enough for two). Stuffed by this excess of riches, we finished with a single scoop of mango sorbet - the promise of summer in a little bowl.

With a carafe of wine and the tip, our bill came out to about $120, the same as if we'd eaten at Al di La, but with a greater emphasis on rich, special occasion foods. We walked (okay, teetered) out onto 5th Avenue full and happy.

Bon Appetit!

Bar Jamon: Wine, Tapas, and Dark Corners

2010-04-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Bar Jamon

Restaurant Location: 125 E. 17th Street, NYC

Bar Jamon is the teeny tiny sister location to Mario Batali's Casa Mono, with whom it shares a corner (and a kitchen) near Union Square. Atmospheric, with its dark wood and low lighting, this bar provides the perfect spot for drinks and excellent tapas. The place is truly miniscule and can fill up fast, but patient hovering usually pays off.

Bar Jamon is a great place to do nothing but drink wine (served by the bottle or in cuartos, which amount to about a glass and a half), but they also have a pretty extensive menu of gorgeous, creative tapas, too (the menu does not overlap with that at Casa Mono).

Over the course of a couple of visits, here's what I've tried (all of which I'd happily recommend):

The Coach Farm Piquillo consists of a glistening piquillo pepper stuffed with herbed Coach Farm goat cheese and served on a bed of raddichio and citrus fruits. It's much larger than I'd expected (more than enough for two to share), and the bed of tangy fruits and lettuces provides a delicious counterpoint to the plump, rich cheese-stuffed pepper reclining atop it.

The Pulpo with Spiced Garbanzos was also much bigger than anticipated and consisted of perfectly grilled meaty sections of octopus served on a mound of crisp, spicy garbanzo beans. I'm not usually a big fan of octopus, I guess partly because it's often poorly prepared, but this was excellent. My only complaint would be that the garbanzos were a bit dull; they didn't bring much to the overall preparation. They might have been better fried (as so many things are).

The thinly sliced Chorizo with Pickled Peppers was a smaller portion - about five or six wafer-like rounds of chorizo with a tangle of peppers piled atop. Very edible, but nothing out of the ordinary here.

Finally, the Jamon Serrano was a generous portion of really lovely, tender cured serrano ham served with chewy Italian bread. This by itself would be a great accompaniment to a cuarto of wine.

And, speaking of wine, I've sampled three different cuartos at Bar Jamon:
the Oro de Castillo, a bright and tany Verdejo; the Agro de Bazan, a full, lush Albarino; and the Olivares, a very drinkable Garnacha with a good finish. Most of the cuartos range from $9 to $19, and at the lower end of that scale, the Garnacha was an especially good deal.

Bon Appetit!

A New Favorite Bar in Carroll Gardens: The JakeWalk

2010-02-27T07:59:00.001-08:00

Restaurant Name: The JakeWalk

Restaurant Location: 282 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Last weekend, my husband and I were in need of a fun place to eat before heading to the movies at Cobble Hill Cinema. Happily, we stumbled onto a place that has now become my new favorite bar: the JakeWalk.

All dark wood and dim lighting, the JakeWalk has the feel of an old-school bar without the sour booze smell and lack of food options. A small space with a wrap-around bar and two rows of charmingly rickety tables, the JakeWalk offers up creative cocktails, great wine, and solid tap beers. It also has an enticing menu - one whole side of which is devoted just to cheeses and charcuterie (heaven!). We selected from among nearly 30 cheeses and a diverse selection of sausages. The food was delivered on a wooden cutting board; each cheese happily paired with a bit of fruit preserves. Favorites included the Seal Bay Triple Cream cow's milk and the hot, addictive chorizo coins.

They also have a number of entrees on offer, all comforting and hearty. We tried the Chicken Pot Pie (satisfying, creamy, and salty but not mind-blowing) and next time will not pass up the baked Mac & Cheese with pepperjack and a side of Duck Rillette (had we not already gorged ourselves on charcuterie, we would have definitely tried the rillette or the country pate). For cheese lovers, there is also a fondue entree of emmenthaler and aged cheddar served with bread and an array of meats. In fact, I'm starting to salivate just writing this review...might be time to plan another trip to the JakeWalk.

In sum: great wine, awesome cheese and charcuterie list, homey entrees, good service, and no wait for a table.

Bon Appetit!

Occasional Dinners in Park Slope: Now For Something Different

2010-02-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Cafe du Charme

Restaurant Location: 668 President Street

This tiny little Euro-cafe on quiet President Street in Park Slope serves up coffee, pastries, and conversation during the day. But at night, just once per a week, the owner pulls all the little tables together and covers them with linens and candlelight. He turns to the stove and prepares a home-cooked meal for 6 or 7 lucky people who all come together in the communal space and share an evening with strangers.

We live just up the block from Cafe du Charme and pop in pretty regularly during daytime operating hours. When we heard the owner, Christian, was starting up his occasional dinners, we decided to check it out.

The atmosphere and space are great for this purpose. The cafe is truly tiny and so it works well as a private dining space. We felt that we had been invited into a friend's home. In addition to us, there were five other diners, all of them strangers. Of course, there are pros and cons, to communal dining with people you've not met before. But the interest provided by meeting new people usually outweighs potential awkwardness. The conversation was interesting and lively and punctuated throughout with plates of steaming, hearty food.

The cuisine offered up for dinner was strongly Swiss-German in its orientation. We started with lovely warm bowls of soup (puree of celery root with apples and cinnamon) - filling but not heavy. The main course was a roast of beef slowly braised in red wine until tender and silky. It was served with stewed red cabbage and rich, buttery mashed potatoes. Dessert was a milk chocolate mousse with strawberries. At one point during dinner, the owner commented that he does not view himself as a chef. And, indeed, rather than fussed-over, carefully arranged offerings, the food was more in the style of an accomplished home cook - hearty, generous, and satisfying.

So, if you are interested in something a bit out of the ordinary - grab a bottle of wine and go have dinner in a cafe occasionally transformed into a welcoming kitchen for a few intrepid strangers.

Bon Appetit!

Sakagura: Japanese Tapas Heaven

2010-02-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Sakagura

Restaurant Location: 211 E. 43rd Street, NYC

Last week my husband and I had one of the best meals we've enjoyed in some time. The food was sublime, the service impeccable and gracious, the atmosphere tranquil and romantic.

So, where is this lost paradise, this culinary katmandu, you ask? Answer: in the basement of an apartment building in the lonely canyons beyond Grand Central Station.

Seriously? Seriously.

Sakagura is indeed tucked away in an unlikely venue, but when you make the final turn around the staircase, you enter another world. It's like finding a secret doorway to a magical land.

Sakagua is basically a Japanese tapas & sake house. Don't go here expecting sushi, because they don't serve it. Instead, you will find an extensive, authentic menu of Japanese small plates, all of which can be happily enjoyed with a selection from their incredible sake menu, or with a lovely cold beer.

We tried a good handful of dishes, though I wish we'd had time to try even more (we had to rush off to the ballet). Favorites included:

Hirame Ponzu, or Thinly Sliced Fluke Sashimi Topped with Grated Dikon Radish Dressed with a Citrus Vinaigrette. The sashimi was so, so, so good. I could have eaten plate after plate of this fresh, delightful dish.

For hot dishes, we loved the house special Buta Kakune, or Tender Pork Belly simmered in a sweet, salty, savory addictive sauce. This is one of the best pork belly dishes I've ever had. The entire portion of meat was incredibly tender and the sauce coated and clung to the whole fatty, glistening mess in a way that begged you to just pick up the delicate little bowl and pour it straight into your mouth.

The Gyu Miso Nikomi, or Shredded Beef Back Ribs Stewed in Miso Topped with Grated Dikon Radish were also a big hit at our table. The meat, again, was really tender and the sauce, while savory, had some indefinable element of sweetness that was completely seductive.

Other delightful bites included:
Ijura Oroshi, or Grated Daikon Radish Topped with Fresh Salmon Roe. The radish was like a pillow, or a cloud perhaps, on top of which glistening orange roe were perched. A little soy sauce added just the right amount of flavor to this subtle, silky dish.

The steak grilled on a hot stone was more fun than it was outstanding, but the beef was of extremely high quality and the novelty of cooking it on the hot stone gave the meal a playful element.

Desserts at Sakagura are also excellent - we shared the Black Sesame Creme Brulee, which was creamy and not too sweet. Very, very good.

Best of all, the service at Sakagura is top-notch. I was extremely impressed with their attentiveness, timing, and generally friendly attitude. It made me realize how often service at many NYC restaurants is lacking, or lackluster.

In sum, we honestly can't wait for an opportunity to go back.

Bon Appetit!

Beach Tree Restaurant - Four Seasons - Island of Hawaii - Best of the Best

2010-02-08T18:21:00.001-08:00

The Four Seasons on the Island of Hawaii is perhaps one of the most beautiful resorts in the world. Their food at all of the venues in the resort lives up to that world class stature. It is literally a reason for me to choose this Island over all the others.

Our find this year was the newly opened Beach Tree bar and restaurant. The setting is unbelievable, the service really the best I have experienced anywhere and the food out of this world wonderful. We enjoyed both a Dinner and a Lunch there ( as well as their great buffet breakfast at the the Pahu i'a) on 3 different days even though we were staying at a condo at the Mauna Kea 20 miles away.

I could tell you about all the stuff we ate but really anything on their menu is going to be amazing. You get what you pay for (which is a lot by the way). GO HERE FOR SURE!

Monettes - Mauna Kea Hotel - Island of Hawaii - A Great Choice

2010-02-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

Monettes is an upscale French/American Steak and Seafood fine dining restaurant at the Mauna Kea Hotel on the Island of Hawaii. Cindy and I tried it as our "night out" on Saturday Night. Everything about the restaurant was sophisticated and classy. I found this place after searching Internet reviews for a great new find on the Kohala Coast. The restaurant has a nice waterfront view from high above the water - unfortunately The Mauna Keas doesn't light this part of their waterfront so once night fell you could not see the ocean. But the room itself was plenty nice.

Basically everything is ala carte or tasting menus. The fish and seafood sections of the menu are extensive and you select how you want it prepared, what sauce you want, and choose sides independently of the main course. There was also a nice selection of appetisers, salads, etc. and a good wine list with a very decent by the glass wine list.

The meal started with the only food or drink disappointment of the evening - an amuse of gougeres which was dry and not yummy. However, a nice glass of French Macon chardonnay for me and a really neat ice tea "service" (Ice tea made at the table) for Cindy offset that.

I had been warned in several of the reviews about non attentive service but so far there seemed to be a large staff, very friendly, and very professional. We perused the menus and waited for our server to come and take our order. Unfortunately, she did not do that - so after about 15 minutes I asked the waiter standing by the next table to let our waitress know we were ready to order. He was very helpful and actually had us give him the order to give to her. Cindy ordered a crabcake appetiser and a small Fillet of Beef with a Hollandiase Sauce for her main. I ordered and Lobster and Avocado Salad, and a "red meat" Veal Chop with a Moral Crust and a Cabernet demi sauce. Red Meat veal is basically a chop from a young beef cattle vs the normal white meat from a dairy male calf. We also ordered Bok Choy with Mac Nut butter, and a Gratin of 75% white potato and 25% sweet potato.

The appetisers were both very well conceived and executed. They were absolutely delicious and beautiful. The main courses and the vegetables were equally beautiful, well executed, and delicious. The ingredient quality was also outstanding. Basically, I wanted to try to execute everything we had at home in the near future and that is a big compliment. I also enjoyed a nice Santa Barbara Pinot Noir with the Veal Chop.

Our server checked in with us several times during thee meal when we really pretty obviously didn't need anything. However, once the staff cleared away the main course plates she was nowhere to be seen. We were full but wanted to see what the desserts would look like. After about 15 minutes of waiting she appeared with dessert menus but we had already decided we were not going to give her a chance to have us wait another 15 minutes before she returned to take a dessert order - So I gave her my credit card and asked her to bring the check. The servers weird service lapses were not explainable by any lack of good attitude, kitchen performance, or lack of staff to customer ratio. I just think she was not a "natural/intuitive" server and probably thought people would want to linger or something. I know our Blog is Called Between Courses - but she took that too literally.

I would really highly recommend this restaurant - If you experience the same service problems we did I would suggest just asking any of the staff who appear to retrieve your server for you - Don't let it spoil the evening as they are really quite happy to help you.

Canoe House at Mauna Lani Bay: So-So Dining in Paradise

2010-02-06T05:56:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Canoe House

Restaurant Location: 68-1400 Mauna Lani Drive • Kohala Coast, Hawaii

The Canoe House at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel is hit or miss.

Our dinner there last night was a series of highs and lows. We arrived for our 7:30 dinner reservation, only to be seated in the back corner of the restuarant, next to the bathrooms, at a table for 5 - there were just two of us, dressed very nicely (so it wasn't based on flip flop and tank top attire). Perhaps you have to be staying at the hotel to warrant a table for the correct size of your party and even a partial view of the sand?

Once seated, we were promptly served water and fresh bread and crackers. However, we proceeded to sit at our table for the next 20 min. while waiters busily served the tables on all sides and ignored us. Finally, we flagged down a waitress and very nicely asked if a waiter was assigned to our table. The waitress said she would get him and offered to take our drink order. She returned a few minutes later to apologize to us for being neglected and said there was some confusion over who was responsible for our table. We appreciated the apology and our wine was served promptly and was excellent.

Another server brought an amuse by - an ahi poke, which my husband enjoyed (I'm not a raw fish fan). About that time our actual waiter showed up to take our order. We had to ask if there were any specials, to which he informed us that they were all sold out. He also failed to show any sign that we'd been ignored for over 20 min. Hmmm....Things took a major upturn when our starters arrived however. The crab salad was outstanding, with large pieces of claw meat, fresh greens and tomatoes, and a lovely vinegrette. My husband ordered the heirloom tomato salad which was also incredible! Although he noted a bit of finishing salt would have turned it into something "out of this world" - no salt or pepper on the table. For entrees I had the Onaga, which came in an herbed broth with braised vegetables. the broth and vegetables were excellent, but the fish was completely overcooked - sadly to the point of being inedible. My husband's entree was excellent however - the Mahi Mahi served with crispy pork belly - an imaginative version of surf and turf.

For dessert we shared a banana brown butter tart, which was really more of a bar-type dessert, not a traditional tart. The "tart" was served next to a dollop of whipped cream with a strawberry on top, a small dish with black sugar ice cream (very good), and some caramel sauce drizzled next to that on the plate. We were seriously unimpressed with the dessert, until we sampled a bite with a little bit of everything all together. Wow! Why didn't they serve the tart with the ice cream on top, drizzled with the caramel sauce and the strawberry? It would have been amazing. The "deconstructed" approach just didn't work here. The latte I got with dessert was good, and came promptly, and hot. Oh, and be sure to save room for the mini madalines, strawberry marshmellows, and amazing chocolates that they bring with the bill - soooo good and much better then our dessert.

Our waiter did take our wine off the bill, because "it wasn't right that we'd been neglected at the start of our meal" - still no apology from him though. But we appreciated the gesture.

All in all, the evening was fun, but the service was horrible, and the food was totally hit or miss - either incredibly good or a total dud.

A Hit and a Miss in Park Slope, Brooklyn

2010-01-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

In the last week, my husband and I have tried two restaurants new to us on Park Slope's 5th Avenue. One, Lobo, was a huge miss (in every respect) and the other, Brooklyn Fish Camp, a delight. Here's the skinny on both:

MISS: Lobo, 188 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn.
In search of a place to watch the playoffs and eat a little dinner, my husband and I popped into Lobo last weekend. This Tex-Mex restaurant, however, had awful and indifferent service, unpalatable food, and a lonely atmosphere. We sat at the bar where we were essentially ignored by the bartender. After we'd managed to attract his attention (we were two of only four people seated here, by the way) and order drinks, we perused the rather conventional menu. My husband settled on pork tacos and I went for the cheese and bean chalupa. The food was crated out in record time (a sure sign that very little was prepared to order) on huge, boat-like plates that would have individually served an entire football team. If the food had been good, this might have been nice (leftovers!); however, it was so bland, insipid, and uninspired that I left 80% of it behind. The worst part: the processed cheese they used on the chalupa (pretty much everything tasted like it came out of a can). We will most definitely not be returning here and would advise others to seek out better Mexican food down the street at El Jalapeno or up on 7th Avenue.

HIT: Brooklyn Fish Camp, 162 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Fish Camp is pretty well known, yet we only got around to giving it a try recently. And I'm so happy that we did! The place itself is quite small and has a charming atmosphere. Past the bar, you'll find a handful of tables, each with a view of the open kitchen where all the seafood magic takes places. Fish Camp features whole roasted fish, lobster (in the shell or as lobster rolls), a smattering of more elegant fish preparations, and a series of sandwiches. I went for the pan-seared cod sandwich, which was served on a fabulous and fresh roll with a lemony-garlicky aioli and arugula. It was SO GOOD. The sandwich came with shoestring frites that were incredibly addictive. My husband had the shrimp tacos, which I think he might have regretted ordering. They tasted good, but the fish seems to be the source of the best dishes here.

Saturday Morning Blueberry Muffins

2010-01-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

Every weekend I wake up feeling the urge to make something special for breakfast. And every weekend I open the fridge only to realize that, yes, it has been several days since I've been to the store and supplies are dangerously low. There is no syrup, so pancakes are out. The bagels hiding in the back of the fridge are hard and give off an 'eat me and regret it' vibe. Then I peek in the freezer and see those yummy frozen blueberries I bought to make smoothies and never used. I smile and think: "Blueberry muffins!" If you're thinking the same thing, here's a great recipe to try. It's a bit different in that it relies on yogurt rather than milk or sour cream to provide body.

Saturday Morning Blueberry Muffins
Serves 3 (makes 6 muffins)

Ingredients:
4 Tbs softened butter (I use salted organic)
1/2 cup sugar (I use raw)
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (I like Stonyfield)
1/2 - 3/4 cup of frozen organic blueberries

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Beat the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until well incorporated.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add half of this mixture to the egg/butter mixture and beat until just incorporated. Add 1/4 cup of the yogurt and beat until just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour and yogurt. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Line muffin tin with paper cups and fill each with batter (I fill them nearly full). Dust the tops of each with a little sugar.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the muffins are golden brown. Let them rest in the tin for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Remove to a rack and cool.

Bon Appetit!

Obscenely Good Cupcakes

2010-01-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

Well, if you didn't put on as much extra weight as you were fearing over the holidays, I recommend these cupcakes as the perfect solution. They are, as the title of this post asserts, obscenely good. These have a light texture but buttery mouthfeel and the almond adds a subtle but addictive flavor. I've adapted this from the "Barefoot Contessa Cookbook"

Homemade Yellow Cupcakes w/Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(makes 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients (cupcakes)
3/4 lb salted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp of pure almond extract
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

Instructions (cupcakes)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about five minutes - don't skimp on time here, this step is important). Before you begin creaming, make certain the butter is at room temperature! After five minutes, set the mixer on low and add each egg, one at a time. Beat at least 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate each egg fully and create a light, airy mixture. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine.

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the buttermilk (beginning and ending with the dry). Incorporate until *just* blended (you don't want to overbeat the flour, it will toughen the batter).

Line a muffin tin with liners and fill each cup to the top with batter. Bake for about 30 minutes (begin checking at 25 minutes). The cupcakes should be a light golden brown on top (you may need to bake as long as 35 minutes). Take them from the oven and let them cool 15 minutes in the tin. Then remove from the tin and cool completely on a rack.

Ingredients (for the icing)
16 ounces cream cheese (I like Philadelphia brand) at room temperature
3/4 stick of butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
About 1 cup confectioners sugar (to taste)
4 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, melted (I like Ghiradelli)

Instructions (for the icing)
While the cupcakes are baking, remove the cream cheese and butter from the fridge and bring to room temperature.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until fluffy and well-incorporate (about 2 minutes). Add the vanilla and almond. Beat in the confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Taste after each addition, adding more if you want the frosting sweeter. Add the melted chocolate with the beaters on low, fully incorporating. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Chill icing in the fridge until the cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

Assemble the cooled cupcakes by piping or spreading the icing on. Store the cupcakes in the fridge (though I recommend bringing them to room temperature before eating)

I dare you to eat just one cupcake at a time!

Bon Appetit!

Char No. 4: Meat, Smoke, Whiskey, Good

2010-01-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Char No. 4
Restaurant Location: 196 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY

(photo credit: Robyn Lee)

Sid and I have been eying Char No. 4 up like a leg of lamb for some time now. And, finally, last night, we took a bite. Did it live up to our drool-inducing expectations? Hell yes.

First, this is no place for vegetarians. I believe I saw some sort of vegetarian pasta on the menu...but let's face it: however upscale this spot might be, it's a bbq joint and in bbq cooking, veggies are a garnish. Plus, the meat here is awesome - perfectly cooked, perfectly smoked, and super-tender.

For starters, we had the Smoked and Fried Pork Nuggets with Char No. 4 Hot Sauce and the House Cured Lamb Pastrami with Coriander Aoili and Rye Toasts. Both were great. The nuggets were super-crisp on the outside and soft, soft, soft inside (the interior was smoked, minced pork meat) While delicious, I think I might have preferred meat that had not been minced. The sauce was HOT and though it was advertised as a "house" sauce, it tasted suspiciously like Sirracha to me.

The pastrami (pictured above) was delicate, sweet, salty, and generally fabulous. It was mounded atop a mustardy aoili and topped with pickled onions and tiny micro-cilantro (which I'd never had...and LOVED). I'm not certain I've seen Sid eat anything quite so happily in all my life.

For dinner, we tried the House Smoked Spare Ribs with Jalapeno-Bacon Cornbread and Baked Beans and the Smoked Pork and Maple Sausage with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon. Again, both were great. The ribs were very meaty and very juicy. The outsides were crusty with spices (though the sauce they were served with was perhaps a bit on the vinegary side). The cornbread was the most awesome thing EVER. I could have consumed an entire plate and still wanted more. It was fluffy, tender, flecked with fresh jalapeno, studded with crisp bacon, and served with honey butter. Good lord.

The beans were the big disappointment of the evening. Cloying, thick, and almost crunchy (undercooked?)--they generally sucked.

The housemade pork sausage was delicious - very juicy, creamy with pork fat, and slightly sweet from the maple. It was served on a bed of tiny Brussels sprouts that had been sauted with crisp bacon nuggets and (I think) some hazelnuts. Very rich.

Though Char No. 4 is billed as a Whiskey house (and they have a truly impressive array of Whiskey cocktails, etc.), they also have a small but solid wine and beer list. Overall, great food and drinks, friendly, helpful service and a fun atmosphere. Plus, there's that cornbread....mmmmmmm.

Bon Appetit!

Lark: Happiness on Little Plates

2010-01-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Lark
Restaurant Location: 926 12th Avenue, Seattle

Jonathan Sundstrom's little gem of a restaurant is all rustic elegance and sinful indulgence. Happily, this is all perfectly justifiable when such rich cuisine is served in small, restrained plates. Here is a place to literally order everything you want and not feel (too) guilty about it in the morning!

Divided up into sections (cheese, vegetables/grains, charcuterie, fish, meat, and desserts), the menu entices...and everything on it is good, which I can attest to since six of dined here over the holidays and probably ordered about 12 different dishes between us.

A few highlights included:
* The Beet, Apple, and Goat Gheese Salad with hazelnuts and pomegranate (dusky, sweet, tart, and creamy)

* The Rosti Potatoes with Clabber Cream (the crispy exterior and fluffy interior, all smothered with melty cream, was irresistible...although, it may just be my obsessive love of potatoes that makes me feel this way.)

* The Pork Rillettes with toasts and Armagnac prunes (rillette perfection--the ideal ratio of fat, to meat, to spices)

* The Landjager with two mustards (a simple, slightly spiced cured sausage...addictive)

* The Carpaccio of Yellowtail (Sid, Jeff, and I were actually fighting over this one. It was super-fresh with bright flavors and a supple texture)

* The Crispy Pork Belly with leeks, lentils, and black truffle (earthy, fatty...sin on a plate)

* The Coulotte Steak with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Mushrooms (free-range beefiness exemplified)

For dessert, the standout was the Chocolate Madeleines with Chocolate Sauce (served hot, folded into a warm towel...best shared).

While every single thing we tasted (including several items not listed here) was wonderful, I think that in hindsight it might have been better to order a smaller range of dishes that would pair well together (including duplicates to ensure enough food for a large party). Overall, though, Lark is a comfortable little pleasure-house for the senses.

Bon Appetit!

Canlis: Classic Elegance & Amazing Food

2010-01-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Canlis
Restaurant Location: 2576 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle

After working with the excellent Daniel Humm at New York's Eleven Madison Park (see review of EMP in this blog), Chef Jason Franey has now moved to Seattle's Canlis Restaurant, where he serves as Executive Chef. He brings with him a modern and fresh touch, which he appears to have applied deftly and subtly to Canlis' classic menu. After 60 years, Canlis still remains relevant...and well worth a visit.

So, after a long day of holiday shopping, my parents and I braved the traffic along highway 99 and made our way to Canlis. We were ushered out of the chaos and into a serene island of low lighting, tasteful decor, and breath-taking views. The service was impeccable without being snobbish or over-bearing and the food was...somehow thrilling and comforting at the same time.

With a long week of eating ahead of us (ah, the holidays...), we opted to order several small plates rather than indulge in a larger tasting menu.

I began with a Canlis classic: the Canlis Salad. I'd actually seen this salad featured in an issue of Food & Wine (or maybe Bon Appetit?) recently and had wondered what the fuss was all about. After all, it's just a salad. But, having tried it, I can report that this salad is truly fuss-worthy.

A riff on a Cesar salad, the Canlis salad features crisp, perfect Romaine, amongst which hide nuggets of bacon and shreds of fresh herbs. The dressing was Cesar-like, but more citrus-y. I literally could not stop eating it.

I followed the salad up with another classic, the Peter Canlis Prawns. What could be more simple than the freshest, plumpest, sweetest prawns cooked until *just* crisp-tender, curled beneath a delicate mound of micro-greens and surrounded by a slick of golden, creamy sauce? Nothing - that's what. My taste-buds were literally purring after the first bite.

Cindy started her meal with the Dungeness Crab Cake. As is proper, this was nearly all crab meat, sweet and glistening and bound together with just the slightest hint of breadcrumbs. It was garnished (quite cleverly, I thought) with thin matchsticks of Granny Smith Apple and a bright cilantro-curry sauce. She followed this up with the only actual entree we ordered: the homemade Wild Mushroom Ravioli. Filled with savory mushrooms and sweetly creamy mascapone, doused with vin jaune, and topped with a beautiful foam, this dish was perhaps the most reminiscent of Eleven Madison Park's offerings (and, as such, awesome).

Steve began his dinner with a chilled salad of Prawn, Mango, and Avocado, served with a delicate sprinkling of micro-herbs, a pomegranate glaze and chive oil. He followed this with the Seared Scallops served with butternut squash, hearts of palm, and chorizo (these were sweet and perfect).

For dessert, we shared the classic Grand Marnier Souffle with vanilla bean creme anglaise and the Warm Apple-Filled Donuts with Cinnamon Ice Cream. While the donuts were truly delicious and would have shone in practically any other context, the souffle upstaged everything. It was literally perfect. The entire thing rose to the exact same, elegant height on all sides. It was gleaming and golden on top and ethereal and white on the inside...and the creme anglaise...oh, give me a few gallons and a big spoon and I'd die happy.

It may have been the busy rush and tumble of the day, or the pleasure of dinner with my parents after a long absence, but dining at Canlis that night was like a vacation in of itself: elegant, relaxing, and full of beautiful things.

Bon Appetit!

Top Food Experiences of the Decade

2010-01-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

In no particular order the following is a list of the Great sources of entertaining company and awesome food enjoyed over the decade just completed.

Chefs Steve and Miranda: Meals at home and on vacations with family and friends have in many ways been the best of all. Over this decade I like to think I have learned to plan, select, prepare, and serve many truly outstanding meals. Sharing that joy and gift with my daughter Miranda has added a depth and breadth to our relationship that is inestimable and truly treasured. Today we Skype several times a week about cooking, and food.

Thomas Keller: Per Se in NY and Bouchon Bistro in Yountville and Las Vegas have been enjoyed with Family as really top experiences. Meeting Thomas Keller, touring his kitchen with him, and the sublime meal at Per Se is a real life experience for me. Also the Thomas Keller French Laundry, Bouchon, and Ad Hoc cookbooks have been life changing in the evoluion of my cooking techniques.

Jason Wilson: Chef Jason Wilson and his restaurant Crush have provided some of the best and perhaps the most memorable (my daughter Miranda's wedding dinner in our garden, meals of my life. Jason has a skill in the kitchen, especially with sous vide cooking, that really speaks to my palate.

Hostellerie Jérôme - Bruno Cirino: This restaurant in La Turbie France has provided many awesome meals with family and friends. It is definitely the location of my foodie daughter Miranda's food epiphany. My love of France, French food, French Service, and the amuse bouche has really been influenced by Bruno Cirino and his wonderful restaurant.

Restaurant Le Clos de la Violette Aix-en-Provence - France : A wonderful long lunch here with Cindy, Miranda, and hosted by our good friends Beth Presslar and Raleigh Roarch is one of my fondest food memories. A 3 hour drive from opposite directions for both of us - getting hopelessly lost for an hour within a block of the restaurant and then and sublime meal. thank you Beth and Raleigh

Les Deux Freres Restaurant Roquebrune - France Many lunch's on the Patio overlooking Monte Carlo and Cap Martin with family and friends like Bill, Shirley, and Melania Page are truly memorable. In many seasons, states of health, weather, I can actually remember them all with great fondness. I believe that a trip there with Melania started her on her route to being an expat in Europe.

La Favorita Restaurant Apricale Italy - Zabaglone! Shirley drinking everyones Grappa! - What a fun little village restaurant high in the hills, on a little road that follows an ancient abandoned Roman aqueduct. Again, many a fine meal with friends and family.

Carla Giomi wine and food guide, San Gimignano Italy - My first great food trip and travel bonding experience with my daughter Amy was an Epiculinary Trip to Italy in November 2001 with Carla as our guide. Cindy and I subsequently went back and revisited most of the spots with Carla in 2002. Part of the tour with Amy was a tour and lunch at Fattoria die Barbi that I will never forget. This estate has a wonderful private restuarant and makes at least 5 different wines including the Brunello. Being right after 9/11 we were the ONLY people on the tour. Amy was having some stomach travel problems so she just has plain pasta and water. I on the other had got to do the special Epicurious Tour lunch and wine tasting which included a whole, large carafe of each of their wines - they were good and they were extremely proud of them so I didn't want to just take a sip of each one.... glad Carla was driving.

Eleven Madison Park - New York - Daniel Humm. This Fall Cindy, Sid, Miranda, and I had what Cindy considers her best restaurant meal ever at this NY Times 4 star restaurant. See the blog. this is the highest end of Danny Meyers string of great restaurants - another we have had many a great meal in is Gramercy Tavern

Holly Smith - Cafe Juanita north of Seattle. Holly, James Beard award winner, is a great chef with a fabulous northern Italian fine dining establishment. When I choose a really important meal to me personally - such as my retirement dinner or birthday - Cafe Juanita always wins. The Rabbit is to die for. In 2009 6 of the best owner/chefs in the area did a six event dinner series at each others restaurants. Each Chef did a different course at each event - we attended all with family and friends. At the end of the event I chose the best course of the 6 courses out of each dinner. the result was Cafe Juanita was best on 5 out of the 6 courses even when cooking in someone else's kitchen. Wow!

Baby Fat - Lyla makes me a fatty

2010-01-02T10:34:00.001-08:00

Well, This time last year I pontificated on how to stay thin - calories in vs calories out. Exercise more and eat well. I had it right I am afraid. With the undertaking of babysitting 2 days a week starting in January of 2009 I managed to gain 10 lbs this year. While I did burn an extra 125 thousand calories on the Lifecycle and walking I walked Scout and exercised less on over 100 days resulting in a reduction in calories burned of almost 100 thousand vs 2008. The body does try to regulate it's weight. In theory I should have gained a lot more weight - it took 10,000 calories for each extra pound gained and since I only gained 4 lbs of fat each lb of fat required 25,000 fewer calories burned over the course of the year. Unfortunately, as all dieters know, that same math will work against my losing the weight gained.

I have to say I certainly don't regret the babysitting - Lyla is AWESOME. I do need to get my act together in 2010 and get the exercise back up where it needs to be. Since Lyla is going to be an outdoor fan I can walk with her instead of Scout on babysitting days and there is a nice exercycle at Lyla's house.

We will have to see how I have done this time next year.

Our Trip to Las Vegas - Tableau Wynn, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, B & B Ristorante, Bouchon, Le Reve

2009-12-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

Cindy and I decided to take a short, 2 day, trip to Las Vegas as a break from the miserable weather in Seattle. We go to Vegas only once every few years for the Food and the Cirque de Soleil shows. In our breif time there we were able to visit 4 really excellent Restaurants and see one really spectacular show. We stayed at the Wynn and our room had a great view of the Strip.

Our first night we went to L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon for the 9 course tasting menu.

Foie gras parfait with port wine and Parmesan foam -- the first of three foie gras servings of the night, this was presented in a small glass. Savory and creamy, the port wine added the necessary tartness to contrast the richness of the foie gras. You will see this on my tasting menu's at home! Yum!.

King crab on a turnip disc with sweet and sour sauce -- two large bites of an extremely high quality King crab meat. Looked somewhat like a steamed roll presentation at a dim sum place - I will definitely try this one at home.

Sea scallop cooked in the shell with chive oil -- a single scallop that was packed with intense flavor due to the coating of micro-chives. Not seared and quite rare but excellent - and a huge diver scallop.

White onion tart with smoked bacon and asparagus -- very soft and creamy in the style of a small french pizza on filo.

Duck foie gras with confit quince and yuzu -- the sweetness and tartness of the quince and yuzu was excellent. The seared foie was a little under-seasoned so missed amazing but very, very good..

Dover Sole fillet, baby leek and ginger. Tasty and a beautiful fish presentation.

Foie gras stuffed free-range quail with truffled-mashed potatoes. Hard to imagine Cindy eating a quail - but there you go!. Super dish and very fun to finally try Joel's Potato Puree which I have made many, many times. The truffle is a nice addition and was not overpowering. The interesting thing is i truly think he got maybe 50% more butter in the puree than I do and I didn't really think you could do that.

Grapefruit infused with Prosecco, lychee sorbet. A very inventive, fun, and hokey looking (as only the french can do when imitating something from American culture) dish and really hard to describe. Kind of a foam/sorbet over grapefruit with a pink sugar rimmed cup eaten with a plastic spoon.

Chocolate cake cremeux layered with espresso ice cream and roasted almonds - pictured at left. Yum!!!

Finished with espresso.

This restaurant is an open kitchen concept where you - if you are sitting in the right place - as we were - can see and hear everything going on in the kitchen, and the pass. Atmosphere was a more upscale version of Kaspar's Chefs Table for those of you who have done that in his kitchen. It was really fun. They are really working each and every plate - no mass production - but certainly good mis en place.

We had a half bottle of a Puilly Fume French Savignon blanc - very nice. The final bill was a little over $200 each. This a bargain when compared to the main Restaurant next door where the 12 course menu would have ended up over $500 a person.

The next morning we had one of the most elegant and wonderful breakfasts of my life at Tableau at Winn. It was a "perfect food and drink" version of the Olympic Four Seasons dining room. Cindy had a great Egg's Benedict with fresh Tarragon in the Hollandise. I had poached eggs with potatos, sausage and we both ahad fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. The rolls and jams were just perfect. $75 for two and well worth it. We were seated next to 3 older Mifia Don's and their elegant wives.

For Dinner that night we went to Mario Batalli's B & B Ristorante which is a knockoff of Babbo in NYC. This was also a near perfect experience. cindy had a beet and pistachio salad with Ricotta Salita cheese in a wonderful vinaigrette. I had a GREAT fennel dusted and wonderfully sauced and presented Sweetbreads. Then Cindy had a huge, beartiful, super tasty Veal Chop which was very reminiscent of Jerome's in La Turbie, France - Which is perhaps Miranda's most memorable dish ever. I had the Rabbit served hunters style with pancetta. Close to the perfection of Cafe Juanita which is sayinga lot. Everything was very assertively salted - which we both loved but which might be too much for many folks. We were, unfortunately stuffed by this point and thus did not try dessert. About $200 for two with tax and tip.

For our final meal we got up early - getting to watch some very beautiful and elegant prostitutes meeting their pimps outside the Wynn hotel entrance - and whet over to the Venetian for Thomas Keller's Bouchon breakfast. We have learned to get there early for the best experience. Thomas Keller has impeccable standards but his Bouchons (NY, Yountville, and Las Vegas) all seem to suffer a little after the peak of service for any meal. I had a wonderful baked eggs in a mornay sauce with spinach and tomato. Maybe my best egg dish of the year. I also had a pecan sticky bun, some sausage, and nice fresh squeezed grapefruit. Cindy had an amazing bread pudding "French Toast" with a side of bacon and grapefruit juice. everything was perfect. About $75 for two.

For our show we went to See Le Reve at the Wynn. This is an almost totally water based Cirque Du Soleil. As with any Cirque show it is hard to describe but UNBELIEVABLE. WOW!! If you have the opportunity to see this show DO IT.

Perilla Falls Short

2009-12-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Perilla
Restaurant Location: 9 Jones Street, NYC

Having heard very positive reviews about Greenwich Village's Perilla Restaurant, I'd been keen to try it for some time. My high hopes for this attractive little neighborhood spot, however, have been thoroughly dashed. Sadly, Perilla fell far short of my expectations.

First, in order to secure a reservation for 5 people, I had to hold the reservation with a credit card. If I didn't confirm a day ahead, I was informed that I'd be charged whether I showed up or not. I held up my end of the bargain and all five of us arrived, blown in out of the cold, right on time. The hostess then announced that our table wasn't ready; it would *just be a few moments* while the previous group at the table finished up their desserts. Nearly 40 minutes later, we were finally seated. After about 30 minutes of the wait, they'd sent a free appetizer up to the bar for us to snack on, and I'd felt some sympathy for them. After all, sometimes diners simply won't leave a table.

Then we embarked on our own meal...with incredibly slow service. I began to realize that the long wait for our table probably had nothing to do with the people who'd been dining before us. The wait between each and every step of the meal was glacial.

So, was the food worth the wait? Unfortunately not. Don't get me wrong, the food was...fine. But not much else. Some dishes were better than others (at least the $40 appetizer portion of egg ravioli with shaved white truffles was up to snuff). Many dishes were off, though.

For instance, the Red Kuri Squash Agnolotti with chanterelles, grilled halloumi & brown butter-hazelnut sauce (which sound delicious) was bland and looked truly appalling on the plate. Served in a huge dish, the pasta was swimming in a brownish sauce. The agnolotti were not actually filled with squash, but with boring old ricotta. The squash was cut up and tossed in with the sauce (as were the mushrooms and a dice of the halloumi). It looked like a grey, chunky stew, not an elegant pasta dish. Though it tasted better than it looked, it was hardly worth the $22 price tag, or the long wait.

Another dish, Fluke Sashimi served with a radish-fennel garnish, was fresh and clean-tasting on its own, but totally overwhelmed by the too-assertive passion-fruit sauce that smothered it. In general, we were all fairly disappointed with the level of interest presented by the food. As I said, everything was just fine - but totally lacking in spark.

Our server also fell down on the job, failing to tell us about the dessert special (a souffle that had to be ordered in advance). In addition to generally slow service, when we were ready to pay the bill, she completely vanished. We finally spotted her at the bar, flirting with another server. Eventually, she noticed that all five of us were staring at her.

With the great reviews of this place, I guess I just expected better: better food, better service. Oh well, you can't win em all!

Sharing the Love: Fabulous Recipe

2009-12-17T04:52:00.001-08:00

Last night I adapted a recipe out of the latest issue of Food and Wine that left both Sid and I literally licking our plates....so, I thought I'd better share it with everyone.

Seared Skirt Steak w/Farro, Chard, and Mushrooms (adapted from Food & Wine)
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
For the steak:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs skirt steak, membrane removed
3 Tbs butter
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp smoked hot paprika (pimenton)
1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

For the Farro:
3/4 cup farro
1 - 1 1/2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 lb of swiss chard
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Begin by preparing the skirt steak. Rinse, pat dry, remove any membrane and trim excess fat. Set aside.

Cook the farro by placing it in a pot and covering with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook covered for 25 minutes (farro should be tender). Drain and set aside. Wash and pat dry the chard, roughly chop both the leaves and tender top portion of stems. Clean the mushrooms and thickly slice. Thinly slice the onion.

For the farro: Heat 1 Tbs each of the oils in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add the mushrooms and saute another 3 minutes. Add the rest of the oil and the swiss chard (this will fill the pan, but will cook down dramatically). Toss with tongs frequently to ensure even cooking down of the chard. Salt and pepper the vegetables and then add the farro. Reduce the heat and toss the vegetables with the farro. After about 2 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings. Take off the heat.

For the paprika butter: in a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the sliced garlic. Saute until the garlic is lightly golden brown, making sure not to burn the butter. Add the paprika and continue cooking another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the steak: Heat a grill or grill pan smoking hot and lightly coat the meat with oil. Season w/salt and pepper (generously). Add the meat to the hot pan or grill and cook undisturbed about 3 minutes per side (each side should be well charred but the meat should still be medium-rare in the center). Remove the steak from the grill, squeeze with lemon, and cover with foil; rest the meat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, rewarm the paprika butter and the farro salad.

Slice the meat and serve atop a bed of the farro salad. Drizzle all with the paprika butter.

Enjoy!
(photo by John Kernick, from Food & Wine.com)

Having Supper in Philly

2009-12-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Supper

Restaurant Location: 926 South Street (10th & South), Philadelphia

On a recent whirlwind trip to my old stomping ground of Philadelphia, I had the pleasure of eating at Supper. This warm and inviting spot has long been on my radar, since it literally opened around the corner from my old apartment just months after we moved away. I was therefore delighted at the opportunity to find out what I'd been missing these last few years.

Overall, I'm going to say that I've been missing a truly lovely restaurant that shares my adoration of the pig and it's many splendors as well as my appreciation of small plates. Supper is just the kind of place I'd eat all the time if I still lived in Philly.

To start, I enjoyed Roasted Marrow Bones with parsley garnish and shallot jam. This dish was rich and delicious and the jam on the side was a real win. Sadly, though, the plural marker on the menu was misleading as we were not even served one whole marrow bone...just a sad little half of a bone that we disconsolately scraped clean. This dish would have been much more satisfying it we'd been given just a little more. I am a fan of small dishes, but this was too small, even for me!

Next I polished off the Boston Bibb and Herb Salad with apples, bacon, cornbread and buttermilk dressing. The buttermilk dressing was great - creamy and tangy - and since this salad was rife with crumbled bacon, I was happy. The apples had been marinated and were dark and full of flavor. The cornbread seemed like a good idea but might have worked better as a cornbread crouton rather than served soft.

Still hungry...I also ordered the Slow Cooked Pork Belly with warm fingerling-and-green bean salad, bacon dressing & apple chutney. This was suitably rich and absurdly fatty. There was a great tang in the dressing and garnish to cut through the creamy fat (which was admittedly so plump and quivering that I couldn't finish it).

In addition to sharing the bone marrow and pork belly with me, my dinner companion also ordered the Strozzapreti Pasta with shaved brussels sprouts, leeks, hazelnuts and sage brown butter, which was complex, tender, and very Fall-like.

Overall, I was really pleased with the offerings at Supper. And, I saw plenty more on the menu that I would have liked to try, including a heaping (entree-sized) dish of seafood cioppino that looked amazing. The frankly very rich dishes were almost all balanced with fairly assertive acids, which helped cut through all that pork-goodness.

Well-conceived and reasonably priced, with a good wine list....Supper: why didn't you open before we moved away!!

Bon Apetit!

From Amy's Kitchen: Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

2009-12-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

My sister, Amy Miller, recently shared this holiday standard with me and I thought I should pass them along to all of you! The cream cheese in this recipe really adds a lovely, subtle flavor that sugar cookies often lack. These are great for cutting into festive, holiday shapes and gobbling up.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

(makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on cookie cutter sizes)
1 c. white sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 1/4 c. flour

1. In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, extracts, and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Beat in flour until well blended. Chill dough for 8 hours or over night.

2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/3 at a time, a generous 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate remaining dough as you work, until ready to use. Keeping the dough cold is essential for preventing it from sticking to the counter. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Place cookies 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Brush each lightly with egg white (slightly beaten) and sprinkle with colored sugars.

4. Bake 7-10 min or until light and golden brown. Don't over cook. They'll set up a bit as they cool. Share or freeze extras!

Bon Appetit and Happy Holidays!

Hit and Miss at Get Fresh

2009-11-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Get Fresh Table & Market
Restaurant Location: 370 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

This relative newcomer in Park Slope is a place of highs and lows, so much so that after dining there last week, we left befuddled and unable to clearly answer a basic question: had we enjoyed the meal?

The Pros:
Get Fresh is a welcoming, if spare, space on the southern end of Park Slope's 5th Avenue. The servers are friendly and attentive and the menu purports to offer local, organic, sustainable fare (see below, though). Plus, it's one of the few BYOB restaurants around, which really helps cut down on the dinner bill.

Some of the dishes we tried were really outstanding. Our starter, for instance, of Rabbit-Pork sausage served atop a bed of creamy truffled potato puree, was divine. We literally wiped the plate clean with our fingers. But, oddly, rather than being housemade (as one might expect from a place championing great local food), the sausage was from D'Artagnan (this was disappointing, somehow. Though, at least now I know where I can order the sausage for myself...). Another winner was a side dish we ordered, Mexican Beans and Rice. Usually a throwaway, this dish was full of flavor and texture.

Our dessert, a chocolate "cake" (really more like two incredibly tender brownies held together with a thick serving of ganache) was also a plate-licker. Weirdly, though, this wasn't made in the restaurant either, but at a local bakery.

The Cons
Some of the dishes were downright awful. I ordered the Hawaiian prawns with sweet potato puree expecting plump prawns set atop a bed of flavorful puree. Instead the pawns were coated with the puree, creating a mushy dish with a horrifying mouth-feel. It was barely edible when it could have been great. Plus, Hawaiian prawns at a place bragging about local food? Really?

My husband's entree (the smoked pork belly with tamales and mole) was fine - good, not great.

So, in sum, Get Fresh had some real highs and real lows and very little in between. Coupled with so much of their food being prepared off-site, we just felt that the whole experience was very unrestaurant-y and were uncertain if we'd return or not.

Tulio Restaurant in Downtown Seattle

2009-11-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Cindy and I reconnected with some old Vashon friends, Jan and Joel Schwarz, that we have not seen for 20 years. We had them suggest a restaurant and they chose Tulio in downtown Seattle. I was aware of the restaurant but had no real impression - which is not usually a good sign since I am food and restaurant obsessed. However, We were very pleasantly surprised by the Ambiance, the Food and Service. This is really a very good Italian Trattoria with housemade fresh pastas, fresh burrata cheese, nice risotto, and a nice friendly wine list

It was fun getting together and talking about kids and grandkids so the company was very congenial as well. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for well done Italian in downtown Seattle

From Miranda's Kitchen: Homemade "Fish Sticks"

2009-11-20T15:39:00.001-08:00

Not too long ago I was stuck in a long line at the grocery store, one that wound all the way past the frozen food section. And there, staring meaningfully at me from the freezer, were the golden and glorious frozen fish sticks of childhood.

How I craved them! So, I decided to come up with a recipe to make them fresh at home. It turned out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Homemade Fish Sticks (serves 2-3)
Ingredients
1 lb fresh cod fillets
Sourdough bread
3/4 cup of flour
1 egg white
Salt & pepper
Canola Oil (enough to fill a heavy-duty pot about 1-2 inches deep)

Garnish
Lemons cut into quarters
1/3 cup Mayo
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp olive oil

Instructions
Lightly wash the cod fillet and pat dry (it's important to get the fillets very dry). Cut them into short, fat strips of roughly equivalent size. Set aside.

Meanwhile, fill a shallow dish with flour for dredging and season it well with salt and pepper. Whisk the egg yolk with some salt until loose and slightly foamy.

For the breadcrumbs, tear some chunks of the sourdough bread and process them in a food processor. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the breadcrumbs onto a cookie sheet and toast until dry and lightly browned (keep a close eye on them so they don't burn). Place the dry crumbs into a shallow dish and season these with salt and pepper as well. [This really is worth the extra 5 minutes or so that it takes; the sourdough crumbs add something special to the final product]

Season the cod fingers with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour to lightly coat. Then slip them through the egg white, shaking off any excess, and press them into the breadcrumbs to cover all sides of the sticks.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. When it comes to temperature, drop in the cod fingers. Only fry a few at a time - it is very important not to crowd pan so that the temperature remains constant. It is okay if the oil doesn't cover the fish sticks all the way. Let the sticks sizzle and bubble in the oil for about 1 minute and then flip them over (they should be a nice golden brown) and brown the other side. Don't overcook - you want a crispy crust with a tender flaky interior. Drain the fingers on a couple layers of paper towels while you fry the remaining fish sticks.

Serve with lemon wedges and a simple aoili (for the aoili, mix together the garlic powder, mayo, and 1 tsp of olive oil).

These are great with oven fried potato wedges and some nice sauted Swiss Chard.

Bon Appetit!

The Vanderbilt

2009-11-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: The Vanderbilt
Restaurant Location: 570 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn

The Vanderbilt is a relatively new restaurant on the Brooklyn dining scene. It's a beautiful space, though one that is divided up and used somewhat oddly. There is a bar in the front with a long row of elevated banquet seating across from it. In this part of the restaurant you can only order drinks and appetizers (no small plates), which seems odd since it probably seats nearly 30 people. Next down the length of the restaurant is a kitchen bar where you can sit and watch the action while ordering off the full menu (this is where we sat). The back of the restaurant appears quite small and provides table seating for the lucky few who are able to get there early enough or are willing to wait long enough for a table.

The food is all small plates served tapas-style (to share) and most of it was quite good.

To start, we tried the brussels sprouts with sirachia, lime, and honey, which were sweet and crisp-tender but could have been a little spicier. We also had the homemade jerky, which was incredibly flavorful (clearly made from high-quality beef). We also tried the duck rillets with quince, which were classically prepared and tasted just as they should (nothing amazing or special here, though), and the smoked Jagerwurst with German potato salad, which was a universal favorite - very juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

Other dishes we sampled included the crispy pork belly with lentils (a generous portion with tender layers and a crisp skin), the grilled Merguez sausage (spicy, but I found it a little dry), the steamed Bouchot mussels with coconut, basil, chili (really plump and flavorful mussels, awesome Thai accent), and the grilled Spanish octopus with cranberry beans (great flavor, but slightly overcooked and chewy)

As the evening wore on and the tasty drinks flowed, we ordered even MORE, including grilled pork loin with parisian gnocchi (very passable, but nothing special) and a dessert of spiced donuts with pistachio ice cream. Unfortunately, the donuts were a real miss, dry and unappetizing.

Overall, with tip, drinks and more food than we probably needed, the meal came to around $135 per couple. This isn't outrageous for New York, but seemed a little steep for the overall quality of the food. My final assessment: very good but not mind-blowing. I'd return and probably order a little more wisely. If you go, don't miss out on the Jagerwurst, the mussels, the jerky, and anything with polenta (the chef gave us a taste of some polenta he was working on to see if we liked it -- it was *incredible*). This is also a nice place to just grab drinks; they have a creative bar menu with some real winners (favorites: black cherry rickey and the Pimms cup).

Bon Appetit!

From Miranda's Kitchen: Lasagna al Forno

2009-11-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

I made this lasagna for dinner last night and it was absolute perfection.

Imagine: a cold, windy night that spoke of winter's insidious fingers. A hot oven, venting the aroma of blistering cheese and slowly caramelizing tomato. Gooey layers of bechamel and meaty ragu enfolded in tender pasta, layered up until it gives way to the crisped, curled edges exposed to the oven's inferno. Like I said: perfection.

This recipe is loosely adapted from Mario Batali's cookbook "Molto Italiano" and is in the style of a Lasagna al Forno.

Serves 6. Total cooking time about 2 1/2 - 3 hours (but worth every second, I swear!).

Ingredients
For the ragu
1 lb of Italian sausage, removed from the casting
4 oz of pancetta, finely diced
1/2 lbs of ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large rib of celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1/2 cup of tomato paste
12 oz of diced tomatoes in their juices
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup of water (or white wine)
1 tsp of fresh thyme
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

To make the ragu: pour about 1 Tbs olive oil in a large pot and heat on medium high. Add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and saute until translucent but not brown (about 5 minutes). Increase heat to high. Add the sausage, pancetta, and ground beef. Stir and break up clumps with your spoon until the meat is browned. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, water (or wine), and milk. Stir well to incorporate. Add the thyme. Bring the mixture to a low boil and then cover and reduce heat. Let the ragu simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour and a half. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings by adding salt and pepper as needed.

For the bechamel sauce
5 Tbs of butter
1/4 cup of flour
3 cups of whole milk (2% may be substituted, but do not use skim)
grated nutmeg & salt to taste
2 Tbs of marscapone cheese

To make the bechamel: in a clean pot, melt the butter and wait until it bubbles/sizzles slightly. Add the flour and stir while it bubbles and sizzles to cook the roux. Add the milk, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. Cook the mixture over medium to medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Add grated nutmeg and salt to taste. Whisk in the marscapone.

For the noodles
1 package of dried Lasagna noodles
fresh parmigiano reggiano cheese (do NOT substitute pre-grated cheese!!!).

To cook the noodles: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 4 lasagna noodles at a time, about 4 minutes each to par-cook.

To assemble the lasagna: layer the ragu, noodles, bechamel, and freshly grated parmigiano reggiano in a large, oven-safe casserole dish. Begin with a thin layer of ragu (enough to just cover the bottom of the dish). Layer noodles (one noodle thick) atop the ragu. Add another layer of ragu (a good, thick portion so that the noodles no longer show through.) Atop the ragu, add a layer of bechamel sauce. Atop the bechamel, add a layer of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and a sprinkle of sea salt. Repeat this process until the dish is nearly full. Be sure not to skimp on the layers of ragu and bechamel; the idea is to create a thick, gooey layer between each noodle. You should wind up with only about 3 layers of noodles. The final, top layer should be bechamel sauce with plenty of parmigiano grated atop it and sprinkled with sea salt.

Place the lasagna into a preheated 375 degree oven and cook until the dish is bubbling and the cheese on top is beginning to brown (about 45 minutes). Any exposed pasta edges should be crisp. After removing from the oven, let the lasagna rest about 10 minutes (if you can bear it). Serve with wine (to cut the richness) and a simple salad.

Bon Appetit!

Tapas: the perfect food

2009-11-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Name: Tia Pol
Location: 205 10th Avenue (Chelsea), New York City

There has always been a warm little corner of my heart reserved for tapas. What could be more perfect than a few bites each of an endless parade of dishes? New flavors, spices, textures, and surprises come in rapid succession, all washed down with plenty of good wine. Plus, for some reason, tapas restaurants are always more *fun* -- louder, warmer, more boisterous.

New York boasts many wonderful tapas joints (try Casa Mono for elevated gourmet tapas and Boqueria for more affordable, traditional, but no less tasty, tapas). Last night we tried a new place (well, new to us) called Tia Pol.

Tucked away in Chelsea, Tia Pol is a bit of a hike from the subway (especially on such a cruelly cold night for early November). But, if you arrive breathless and chilly, you'll tilt back out into the night a few hours later, warmed through and with a full, happy belly.

Being a lover of all things potato, I have to begin by saying that Tia Pol serves the very best patatas bravas I've ever had. The ones at Casa Mono are so exotic they hardly warrant the name (though are fabulously delicious) and the ones at Boqueria are cut too small and have too little sauce. Tia Pol gets the traditional fried, spicy potato with paprika aioli just right. The pieces of potato were big enough to have a crispy exterior and soft fluffy interior but still be happily bite-sized. The creamy, spicy aioli was just abundant enough to make you press the bits of potato into the corners of the dish for more but not drown the poor spuds.

Other standouts included a bruschetta with fried rock shrimp and pimenton with a tiny dab of lemon cream (salty, slightly spicy, creamy and crispy all at once) and a spicy roast pork sandwich. We also really enjoyed a cold salad of baby greens with fried artichoke hearts and leaves, white asparagus, and creamy lemon vinaigrette. The only miss here were the asparagus (out of season and thus apparently out of a jar....boo) and the fact that the artichokes would have achieved perfection had they been hot (I believe all things fried should be served hot). We finished the evening off with a plate of smoking hot seared & blistered green peppers tossed with sea salt -- SO addictive!

The wine list was baffling to us -- I don't consider myself an afficionado of Spanish wines, but I do know a bit and I didn't recognize even a single thing on the list. Such mystification, though, is just a door opening to new and wonderful experiences. All the wines we tried were lovely (lots of super-dry minerally whites).

Tia Pol is a very crowded (very tiny) restaurant. They do take reservations, but we hadn't made one. We arrived early, around 6:30pm and waited a little over a half an hour for a seat at the bar. The hostess had told us it would be a 30 minute wait, so she gave us a small plate of fried garbanzos for free as compensation (I was impressed, since the wait had only been a few minutes longer than promised, hardly something we even noticed). Those who arrived after 7pm waited over an hour to be seated. So, if you can plan ahead for it, make a reservation -- we certainly will the next time we return...which I hope will be very soon!

Bon Appetit

Between Courses: World's Best Oven Fried Chicken - Butter Baste

2009-10-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Between Courses: World's Best Oven Fried Chicken - Butter Baste

World's Best Oven Fried Chicken - Butter Baste

2009-10-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a cooking technique for the most awesome Fried Chicken without all the trouble, mess, labor intensity, and variability of quality finish that normal deep or pan frying involves. In fact, the coup de grace of the technique is a single, easy butter baste of the chicken in the last 10 minutes of the baking - it is YUM.

The preparation of the chicken is critical to world class chicken in any recipe. This oven fried chicken technique will be really great with straight out of the plastic wrap supermarket chicken pieces but not in the same class as the following Thomas Keller Ad Hoc Restaurant preparation technique. Three Days (or combine day 1 and 2 by starting early for a 2 day chicken) Elapsed for perfection. If you can't make the time go straight to the dredge and cook with skin on supermarket chicken pieces and it will still be really good.

Day 1
Step 1: Make brine and bring it to room temperature or lower:
Step 2: Buy and cut up whole chickens make Chicken stock from bones

Day 2
Step 3: Brine the chickens and reduce the chicken stock from 2 gallons to 1 cup
Step 4: Air dry the chicken pieces in the fridge overnight

Day 3
Step 5: Bring chicken to room temperature - dredge in flour mixture and buttermilk
Step 6: Bake and baste till perfect
Step 7: Serve and enjoy

Buy 2 whole, organic chickens - the smaller the better - under 4 lbs if possible. That day, wash them under the tap thoroughly and cut into 10 pieces each: 2 boneless breasts each cut in half, 2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 legs. Take the remaining carcass, wing tips, neck bones and make a chicken stock for the gravy.

Brine the 20 pieces of chicken in the following brine for 6 to no more than 12 hours (too salty if brined longer).

Brine recipe:
1 gallon cold water
1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
8 large or 12 small bay leaves1
head of garlic, smashed but not peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns not ground
1 small bunch of thyme
1 small bunch of parsley
3 small lemons cut in half

6 cloves of garlic cut in half

Preparation of brine: Brining
Combine 1 cup of water and all other ingredients including lemon rinds in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to combine all ingredients. Remove from heat to cool. To brining container add the birds (2 chickens cut into pieces, the 3 quarts of cold water, and the now cooled (can be fairly warm) contents of the saucepan. Make sure chicken is completely submerged. Refrigerate overnight -up to 12 hours.

Preparation for cooking: Tempering
After brining time is up drain and discard all liquid, wash off the chicken pieces under the tap, get rid of any herbs, etc sticking to bird. Use paper towels to dry and then refrigerate on a baking sheet overnight uncovered (or lightly covered with a dry kitchen towel). at least 2 and preferably 3 hours before cooking take out of fridge. You want the chicken at room temperature before it goes in the oven. It WILL NOT GO BAD - the salt and acid in the brine has totally sanitized the bird and even if unbrined it would not go bad rising to room temp over a couple of hours in any case. This is an important step to have tender moist chicken that is cooked thru properly.

Dredging and coating:

DREDGE INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups buttermilk
In a food processor combine the dry ingredients thoroughly. Divide the dry mix evenly between a paper or plastic bag and a bowl. shake the chicken pieces in the bag to coat well with the mixture. Shake off excess. Put the buttermilk in a large, shallow bowl. Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the flour mixture bowl, pressing so it adheres all over. Transfer the chicken to 2 baking sheet s(rimmed to contain grease or make a rim from foil) lined with oiled (to prevent sticking) aluminum foil - skin side up. On one sheet put the breasts and wings on the other the legs and thighs.

Cooking:

melt 1 (or more if needed) stick of butter for basting and divide between 2 small bowls.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
When the oven is hot put the baking sheet with the thighs and legs on the rack in the top 3rd of the oven. After 15 minutes put the sheet with the breasts on the rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Open oven pull out each rack and baste the chicken pieces with half the butter. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees - close the door and cook for 10 minutes until golden brown. Test internal temperature of thighs with in instant read thermometer - should be at least 160 (to 175) degrees in thickest part when done. Depending on your oven, internal temp should be well below that so you can turn the chicken over individually and baste the other side with the other half of the butter and cook for about 10 minutes till brown. check temperature often as it nears 170. If internal temp is not high enough but skin is crisp and brown turn off oven, turn the chicken skin side up, but leave chicken in for another few minutes (up to 15 or 20) to heat through without over-browning and drying out. Let chicken rest on counter, skin side up under more foil while making gravy.

Make Chicken Gravy:
Take your cup of greatly reduced chicken stock and put in a saucepan with 1 pint of heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to boil and boil down by half to about 1 and a half cups.

To Serve:
Let chicken rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes after coming out of oven.
Serve with whatever sides you have prepared and pass the gravy for a light drizzle.

Seattle Chef's Dinner Series - Dream Menu

2009-10-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

As a recap of the Seattle Chef's Dinner Series I went back thru each dinner and rated the best 2 dish's of each meal. Of the 12 total possible 1st and 2nd place menu items Cafe Juanita and Crush each had 5 with an equal number of first and 2nd places, Tilth 1, and Lark 1. However, when I took the 6 meals course by course and said who had the best 1st thru 6th course of the entire series the resulting dream menu was as follows. Holly Smith of Cafe Juanita had 5 of the 6 dream courses. I would love to have this meal at Cafe Juanita as a stand alone affair..

Hor's - they were ALL great - special recognition goes to both Cafe Juanita and Harvest Vine for the best "party" based on the cocktail hour and the seating arrangements which made for very festive evening of meeting new poeple and enjoying and awesome quantity of high quality wine and small bites.

Course 1 - Dinner 4 at Lark
CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith
Local Porcini Roasted and Raw Carne Cruda of Wagyu with Lardo Crostini)

Course 2 Dinner 3 at Harvest Vine
CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith
Guinea Fowl and Foie Gras Tortellini in Ginger Brodo

Course 3 Dinner 2 at Tilth
CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith
Sea Bass with spot prawns and gold nugget mandarin reduction

Course 4 dinner 1 at Rovers
CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith
Guinea Fowl with Oxbow Farms Brussels Sprouts colatura, pancetta and vin santo sauce

Course 5 Dinner 5 at Cafe Juanita
LARK – John Sundstrom
Grilled Painted Hills Culotte Steak chanterelles, rocket and sweet onion vinaigrette

CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith Dinner 5 at Cafe Juanita
Lemon Cake with a Huckleberry sauce and creme fraiche Sorbet

Holly is a goddess of the Kitchen!!

Seattle Chef's Dinner Series - 2009 The Last Supper

2009-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Let There be Blood!

Last evening Cindy, Amy, Jeff and I attended the last in the 2009 series of Seattle Chefs dinners at Crush Restaurant. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be our favorite of the series due to the challenging menu (as in eating critters, and parts of critters almost raw that are a little scary to many diners).

These dinners do provide the Chef's a chance to showcase menu items that would not sell well on their regular menus (for the reason noted above). This is basically a foodie/chef groupie type of event. For this reason alone, not to mention open mindedness trying things that are a little scary to you is a good thing. However, this was a little too much of a good thing all compressed into one menu.

The format for these dinners is kind of a big dinner party with an hour of bubbly and awesome nibbles provided by the host restaurant followed by a 3 hour 6 course meal at assigned tables. the layout and inclinations of each host restaurant means that this is handled different ways at each venue. At Crush the seating was pretty much by groups of folks who knew each other in a normal restaurant table layout - including the cocktail hour. Since we knew Jason Wilson's nibbles would be great we got there for the full cocktail hour . The bubbly and the 3 little treats were plentiful and very good. Gougres, a crisp pruscutto chip sandwiched between compressed apple and blue cheese, and a baby endive leaf with creme fraiche and steelhead roe. However an hour of this was kind of long. Having folks stand and mingle by not seating till 7pm would have been more fun - as it was at the other dinners.

Menu

ROVER’S- Thierry Rautureau, The Chef In The Hat!!!

Cured Salmon, Fennel Flan, Kushi Oysters, Chanterelle Salad, White Sturgeon Caviar.

This was 3 beautifully prepared items presents on a long , rectangular plate. Very beautiful presentation and each item quite tasty. However, the Oyster was (intentionally I assume) a little above room temperature which was offputting. Two of the 3 items were raw seafood - which was fine. Except of the Oyster temperature this was a wonderful dish.

TILTH – Maria Hines

Sylver Fishing Co. Spot Prawn Bisque with corn flan, scallion, prawn salpicon

This was by far the best savory dish of the evening. a wonderful fish and vegetable bisque. Really good.

HARVEST VINE – Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez

Tuna Belly in Vanilla clod of rice and jamon serrano popcorn

Three of the 4 diners at out table could not get down this dish. It was a very scary visual, aroma, texture. temperature, and taste. One taste each and Jeff then ate everyone else's so - like I said - it was challenging but to the right diner very good. It seemed raw but honestly I could not tell and chef' described a lot of cooking technique involved.

LARK – John Sundstrom

Squab Breast, sunchoke puree, sherry vinegar and truffled sunchoke chips.

This was a wonderfully prepared and melt in the mouth dish. Unfortunately, to all four of us it was essentially raw pigeon breast - fat on. It was just a very adventurous dish for our tastes. combined with the raw/oddly cooked seafood in 2 of the 3 preceding dish's we were getting a little queasy.

CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith

Saddle of Oregon Lamb with Gnocchi di Semolina, toasted rosemary and taggia olives

This is the only dish I have ever been served (I I have been served quite a few) by Holly Smith that I didn't love. I am pretty sure there was a chiffinade of anchovy skin in this dish that was visually distracting and assertive tasting. The lamb was beautiful, very rare, but extremely "lamby" tasting which is not to any of our preferences. We all love lamb but prefer the butchering technique that leaves any silverskin and fat on the cutting board to avoid that strong taste associated with it. The toasted rosemary was also a problem as it was a little like eating splinters. (Sorry Holly - I idolize you - this just wasn't my dish).

CRUSH – Jason Wilson
Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Manni Per Mio Figlio, Cranberries & Creme Fraiche Sorbet.

Awesome! the cake was beautiful and delicious. the Sorbet waa a little too frozen so kind of jumped around the plate when you tried to cut into it with your spoon - but it was very good once you captured it.

I hope I don't sound too critical of this dinner. I am sure to many gourmets taste this was a perfect meal. Just the combination of the preparations in the courses compounded to be a little overly challenging to our group on this outing.

Urban Eats Promotion - Brasa Restaurant Seattle

2009-10-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since we visted Brasa. James Beard Semi-Finalist for NATIONAL (one of 10) Best Chef of 2009, former Iron chef contestant, inventor of the quirky and wonderful "Burning Beast" event, and all around great person Tamara Murphy has not lost her touch at the restaurant. Brasa is one of over 35 restaurants participating in the October Urban Eats Promotion - 3 courses for $30 so we decided to make a visit. Cindy and I arrived early to take advantage of the great happy hour (we enjoyed nice, large pour wines for $4 and a nice little app for another $4 - what a deal. Jeff and Amy arrived and we adjourned to the restaurant for a very nice meal. The 3 wine pairing was only $15 and quite nice. We started with apps which included a great celeriac and apple soup, a beautiful beet salad, and crostini with Iberico ham. All enjoyed by everyone at the table. The mains included a blue cheese steak frites, a pumpkin and tagliatelle pasta, and the restaurants signature dish pork with clams and great spicy sauce. for desserts there was a pumpkin panna cotta, I enjoyed a nice cheese plate, and Jeff had the Spanish doughnuts with a great warm chocolate dipping sauce.

We recommend this restaurant and don't forget to arrive before 7 for the extensive and super priced happy hour in the bar. In fact if you want to eat early it is the best deal in town with some pretty substantial items available.

Our Trip to New York - Eleven Madison Park

2009-10-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

Miranda has done an excellent job of the details of the menu. Cindy felt is was BETTER than Tomas Keller's Per Se but I can't go that far - it was wonderful and showed great talent but TK is still the top of the game to me.

I will share here some of the comments from the NY Times Food Critic who gave Eleven Madison Park a very rare 4 start rating in the times Last month.

THE FOLLOWING IS QUOTED FROM Frank Bruni's Article "A Daring Rise to the Top" published in the New York Times, August 12, 2009

"Eleven Madison Park, which opened in 1998, now ranks among the most alluring and impressive restaurants in New York. It has reached this pinnacle because its principal owner, the indefatigable Danny Meyer, made a key move in 2006, bringing aboard the chef Daniel Humm, and because together they decided — out of pride, it seems to me, more than any commercial calculation — that this restaurant could and should shine as brightly as any other.

It already had the setting: that theatrically tall, marble and nickel-walled hall in the old Metropolitan Life Building, with grand windows onto the verdure of Madison Square Park. It already had a deep, broad wine list. It just needed a bit more polish in its service and a lot more sparkle in its food. Over the last three and a half years, it has received precisely that, in measures that increased steadily since the arrival of Mr. Humm (and, soon after him, a new general manager, Will Guidara, and a new wine director, John Ragan, who has wisely supplemented familiar treasures from France with less familiar ones from other countries).

Mr. Humm’s French-grounded cooking, which bridges the classically saucy decadence of the past and the progressive derring-do of a new generation, drew notice from the get-go. He hadn’t been in place long before the city’s gluttons were atwitter (in the old-fashioned sense) about his way with suckling pig. He served it as a dense, tender brick of confit below the most crisply fatty sheet of crackling imaginable. But instead of resting on his suckling laurels, he took this wrinkle of his reputation and ran with it, developing a tasting menu with five consecutive courses of suckling pig, including belly cooked sous vide and a roasted rack of tiny, exquisite chops. I sampled this last month, and it was superb.

The menu allows you to chart paths of varying lengths, from three standard courses, each of which you choose, to a “gourmand” experience of 11 unspecified courses that Mr. Humm selects for you. But even the briefest route includes numerous detours, because he has a particular enthusiasm for succinct, intense add-ons to be experienced before or between the principal dishes.

For example, every dinner begins with a five-piece row of single-bite amuse bouches, one with foie gras, another with salmon and another with sweetbreads nestled in a crunchy cornet.
Some of his best work comes in small packages, like a cup of “sea urchin cappuccino” that was presented as a little surprise during a meal whose climax would be a flawlessly cooked blue foot chicken for two with a brioche, foie gras and truffle butter stuffing under the glistening skin.
The cappuccino’s inclusion of cauliflower mousse below a peekytoe crab salad, sea urchin roe and a sea urchin foam made with cream and Cognac seemed to allude to (and perhaps borrowed from) a famous Joël Robuchon dish of cauliflower cream, lobster and sea urchin.
But Mr. Humm’s version was an altogether frothier and more indulgent affair, and whenever it threatened to become too much, a tart, astringent note flickered, reining everything in. The difference between good and great cooking of this kind is often knowing where the creamy, buttery, unctuous tipping point is — and stopping just shy of it. Mr. Humm does that expertly.

Mr. Humm’s judicious flirtations with molecular gastronomy have intensified over the years, to exciting effect. One tomato salad comprised liquid spheres — those quivering, explosive orbs made famous by the Spanish wizard Ferran Adrià — of white buffalo mozzarella and red tomato. Another floated a fleecy tomato “cloud” (tomato water whipped with gelatin) over a patchwork of red and yellow cherry tomatoes.
Mr. Humm supervises the sweets in addition to what precedes them, and with most he finds the right middle ground between hyper-imaginative artistry and molten chocolate pandering. Accessorizing the gooey chocolate centerpiece of one dessert with both caramel popcorn and a popcorn-flavored ice cream did that trick nicely."

Our Trip to New York - The Spotted Pig

2009-10-01T19:05:00.001-07:00

April Bloomfields Spotted Pig is a wonderful Gastropub in Manhattan. We all enjoyed a great lunch. Cindy (and Miranda) had an ultra RARE artisan Blue Cheese Burger that actually topped the Seattle Spring Hill experience I was raving about last year. For those who don't know Cindy is deathly averse to rare burgers and she gobbled it down. I had the most fatty, crispy, meaty pork belly dish - i relished every bite. Sid had the Cuban Sandwich which was a porky treat on a beautiful bread.

Don't miss this place!

Our Trip to New York - Casa Mono

2009-10-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

Generally I have not been a huge fan of Tapas - Until I visited Casa Mono in Manhatten with Sid, Cindy, and Miranda. I have attached the resume of the Chef, Andy Nusser, and the current menu so you can get an idea of the quality of the place. It was really awesome. We shared 10 small plates ranging from Calamare Fritos, Sweetbreads, Bone Marrow, goat confit and a host of others. Try this place when in NY. We went a lunch and it was not overly crowded.

ANDY NUSSER
Andy grew up in Spain. He graduated the CIA in 1995 at the top of his class. He cooked with Mario Batali in the tiny kitchen of Po for two years before opening Babbo . The 3 star restaurant received Best New Restaurant from James Beard in 1998. As the silent backbone of Babbo, Andy Nusser served as executive chef for five years. With his heart in Spain and his strong passion for cooking Nusser got his way to combine the two by opening Casa Mono and Bar Jamon in December of 2003 with partners Batali, Bastianich and Nancy Selzer. Casa Mono received 2 stars in 2004.

MENU
Pan con Tomate 5
Jamón Iberico 25
Charcuterie de la Casa with Black Truffles 18
Cana de Cabra with Figs 14
Ensalada Mono with Manchego 10
Bacalao Croquetas with Orange Alioli 9
Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Croquetas 9
Hudson Valley Pork Croquetas with Green Tomatoes 15
Chopitos with White Beans and Salsa de Tinta 15
Sardinas Fritas 15
Calamares Fritos 15
Fried Oysters with Avruga Caviar 13
Razor Clams a la Plancha 15
Mussels with Cava and Chorizo 15
Sepia a la Plancha with Salsa Verde 15
Pulpo with Fennel and Grapefruit 13
Fideos with Chorizo and Clams 18
Duck Egg with Mojama 16
Sweetbreads with Fennel al Mono 19
Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas 19
Dorada with Saffron Cauliflower Puree 16
House-Made Chorizo with Manchego Crujiente 15
Duck Breast with Plums 19
Bone Marrow with Radishes 15
Tripe with Chickpeas 13
Cock's Combs with Cepes 13
Piquillo Peppers with Oxtails 13
Skirt Steak with Onion Mermelada 16
Lamb Ribs with Eggplant and Harissa 16
Pork Belly with Spicy Sandia 19
Confit Goat with Rainbow Chard 19
Pork Chop with Spaghetti Squash and Quince 18
ESPECIALES
Mixed Beets with Salted Granola 15
Spanish Mackerel with Maitake Mushrooms 14
Scallops with Blood Oranges and Rainbow Carrots 15
VEGETABLES
Patatas Bravas 9
Setas with Garlic 9
Scallions with Romesco 9
Pimientos de Padron 9
Artichokes with Mint 9
Brussels Sprouts a la Plancha 9
DULCES
Torta y Helado de Chocolate 9Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Crema Catalana con Buñuelos 9Burnt Vanilla Custard
Pudín de Naranja 9Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream
Seasonal Sorbetto y Moscatel 9Sorbet and Sweet Wine
Mono Sundae 9Plum Brandy Ice Cream with Arrope and AlmondsTopped with Emilio Hidalgo PX $3 additional
Manchego con Membrillo 9Sheep's Milk Cheese and Quince Jelly
Café con Leche 4
Café Cortado 4
Tea 4
Café Solo 3
Surtido de Quesos 9Spanish Cheese Plate with Autumn Fruit
Cappuccino 4

Our trip to New York - Dim Sum Go-Go

2009-10-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

We all greatly enjoyed a Sunday Lunch at Dim Sum Go-Go in the heart of NYC Chinatown. This is a nontraditional Dim sum place in that you order everything off the menu - no carts - but you do get the Dim Sum sheet to check off what you want and how many of each. I liked the format a lot as you are able to peruse the menu and order a nice sampling of thing you are really interested in rather than just pointing at item on a cart. Also, the food was blazing hot and fresh. This place is a real find (Miranda and Sid have been there several times). On your next New York trip definitely go to Chinatown and this is a great choice for food. No web site/ no reservations/ really clean/really cheap

Address: 5 E BroadwayNew York, NY

Eleven Madison Park

2009-10-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Eleven Madison Park
Location: 11 Madison Avenue, NYC

With my foodie parents (Between Courses bloggers Steve & Cindy) in town for a visit, we were lucky enough to recently try Daniel Humm's excellent cuisine at Eleven Madison Park.

My gut response (after about a million courses and a *bunch* of wine) was: outstanding. And I still stand by that several days (and a little detox) later. The food here *is* outstanding, both in terms of flavor and in terms of preparation and presentation. The closest restaurants (that I've visited) which I might compare it to would be Thomas Keller's Per Se (which I felt achieved something closer to perfection) and Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin (which was quite comparable, though working in very different proteins). The comparison here would be based on the shared practice of serving a well-executed tasting menu of very elevated presentations and high quality ingredients.

One thing that set Eleven Madison Park apart from both of these places, though, was its emphasis on more cutting edge techniques and presentations -- particularly its focus on incorporating some of the tricks of molecular gastronomy. Indeed, some of my favorite courses here had been given some sort of unusual treatment (such as a "caprese salad" that consisted of two perfect spheres, one of tomato water and one of pureed buffalo mozzarella, that had been created by suspending those ingredients in water with sodium alginate. When you ate them, they burst in your mouth, releasing a flood of goodness.)

The other thing that set Eleven Madison Park apart from other high-end tasting menu-focused places was the sheer number of "additional" courses (e.g. tastes you get between the courses listed on the menu). I'm pretty sure we'd eaten about four courses before we even got to the first course.

So, on to the food. We opted for the Early Autumn Tasting Menu, a 5 course sampling of the season's best.

The meal began with an amuse bouche -- a tiny coronet of veal sweetbreads wrapped and deep-fried. One perfect bite of salty, creamy goodness.

Then we were served a plate of "Hors d'Oeuvres" (the first listed course), which consisted of several single bite nibbles, including: a "beet marshmallow" (too sweet), a clam tart (good, but did not taste of clams in way, shape, or form), a tuna tartare (my favorite - one great bite of the sea), and a square of foie gras with jellied cranberry on top (a *great* combination). This was an interesting start to the meal, but not all of the bites were as well-executed and arresting as they might have been.

Next came another amuse bouche (that's what they called it, but in my opinion it was too big to qualify): a sea urchin foam with crab. Very tangy and not too overwhelmingly sea-urchin-y.

Then came my personal favorite, the caprese salad (described above), followed by the next listed course, the Greenmarket Heirloom Tomatoes Composition with Terre Bormane Olive Oil and Fino Verde Basil. This was, in my view, the least successful of all the courses. It consisted of three preparations, a savory tomato sorbet (the best of the three), a slice of tomato sauced with an olive and roasted tomato spread (not attractive nor tasty), and a "tomato cloud" (tomato foam) on top of several small balls of tomatoes. Meh.

This was followed by the Organic Rabbit Rillettes with Concord Grapes, Pickled Onions and Grilled Pistachio Bread. The rillettes were rich and delicious and paired very well with the jellied grape and pistachio sauce. My only issue with this course was its size -- *too much*!

Next came the Nova Scotia Lobster Poached with Lemon Verbena and Flavors of Ratatouille. This was delicious -- the sauce was both slightly sweet and slightly tangy and was a beautiful, rich, almost pink color. The quenelles of ratatouille veggies were a great pairing for the rich lobster.

The main course was probably the most sumptuous: a Dry Aged Black Angus Beef crusted with Bone Marrow and served with Saffron Onions and Braised Shallots. Crusting the beef fillet with bone marrow was genius (a creamy, crunchy layer of heaven on top of the sous vide beef). This was served with an overly-rich side (potato foam on top of oxtail ragu, on top of foie gras) -- no one could finish it.

At this point in the meal, I was beginning to feel a little bit *too* full. I see this as one small failing of the menu. The courses could each have been smaller so that the diners could head into dessert with anticipation rather than anticipation/dread.

Before the listed menu dessert arrived, we were treated to a really amazing palate cleanser. A champange foam was somehow perfectly molded in a sphere around a strawberry sorbet. I think I would have been almost happy to end on this sweet, boozy note.

Dessert proper was a Chocolate Peanut Butter Palette with Caramel Popcorn and Popcorn Ice Cream. This sounded weird, to be sure, but it tasted great. In fact, the popcorn ice cream was probably my favorite bit of the whole dessert - salty, sweet, and almost savory...all at the same time. Yum!

Dessert was followed by the usual parade of Mignardises, including a host of different macaroons and gift of gelees to take home.

We waddled out into the night, vowing a week of salads and exercise.

Our Trip to New York - Seasonal Restaurant

2009-09-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Our first restaurant of this trip to visit Sid and Miranda in New York was a new upscale Austrian called Seasonal in Manhattan. Sid and Miranda discovered in via friends who work for the German government and the United Nations and were blown away by how good it was. We heartily concur.

Seasonal just opened ten months ago. The chef/owners have been running a successful catering business as well as doing the food for the German Embassy in NYC.

I think most folks either have no idea what Austrian food is or think it is sausages, dumplings, and other heavy stuff. In reality this is really refined cooking, a very sleek ambiance, and a very "Continental" experience at super good prices for the experience.

We started with a bottle of Austrian Greuner Veltliner white wine and a nice little amuse bouche followed by some great appetisers.

Cindy ordered:
GÄNSELEBER
Foie Gras, Caramelized Onions,
Pickled Cherries, Brioche

The most delicious, refined Torchon beautifully presented. As good as any we have had anywhere - and that is a lot to say.

Sid Enjoyed:
SCHWEINEBAUCH
Pork Belly, Sauerkraut,
Fennel, Lemon Verbena Jus

A very nice piece of melt in the mouth, meaty pork belly confit again beautifully garnitured and presented. Interesting a different (the other also delicious) version of the same menu item description he had tried on a previous visit.

Miranda had a goat cheese salad that was wonderful.

Steve had an ethereal sweetbread app that was generous, beautiful and very tasty. I will admit that Austrains know how to do refined fried food - just would not want this restaurant stereotyped as fried food place.

Our main courses were as follows:
WIENER SCHNITZEL
Veal Cutlet, Potato, Cucumber, Lingonberry

2 large cutlets in a airy, light breading - a top choice, if a little stereotypical

ZWIEBELROSTBRATEN
Beef Strip Loin, Cipollini,
Shallots, Potato

Beautiful, refined steak presentation.

KAISERGULASCH
Veal Cheeks, Paprika, Peppers, Spätzle

Melt in your mouth braise.

TAFELSPITZ
Flat Iron, Oxtail Consommé,
Apple - Horseradish, Spinach, Rösti

Very refined braise served in a wonderful broth with many interesting side dish's.

We shared several desserts all of which where wonderful.

TOPFENNOCKERL
Quark Mousse, Raspberry - Champagne Sauce, Seasonal Fruits

SCHOKOLADEN - HASELNUSS SOUFFLEE
Dark Chocolate - Hazelnut Soufflee, Vanilla Ice Cream

KAISERSCHMARRN
Caramelized Pancakes, Broken into Pieces, black Plum Compote

All yummy - especially the Quark mousse.

My advice if you are in NYC is to definitely try this restaurant for it food, atmosphere, and prices. In fact, I would suggest you have 2-3 appetisers and a dessert instead of the traditional app, main course, dessert as I feel the apps are the real gems of this restaurant.

Seattle Chef's Dinner Series - Cafe Juanita

2009-09-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jeff, Amy, Cindy and I attended the 5th Seattle Chef's dinner held at Cafe Juanita. I was struck by two things : 1) How much these 6 chefs appear to enjoy working together in the kitchen and at their ease afterwards - it is really a nice thing to see. These are the most gracious, friendly people and I feel like this series has given me a chance to get to know this firsthand. 2) What fun it is to enjoy a dinner in the company of folks you have never met before, but, who share a love of great, quality food, cooking, wine, and the whole cultural world view that seems to go with that.

Now to the event:

Hors d’Oeuvres and Champagne
CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith - The sparkling wine was an excellent foil for the great set of apps that Holly presented in the back garden. gougres, foie gras on toast, soft boiled quail eggs, deep fried pork confit, a yummy tomato soup were all wonderful and plentiful.

Menu
CRUSH – Jason Wilson
A beautiful and very tasty Napoleon of the most wonderful tomato's, tuna tartare, cucumber, and herbs melted on the palate. This continued Jason's unbroken streak of inspired preparations and presentations in this series.

ROVER’S
Thierry Rautureau, The Chef In The Hat!!!
I think one of Thierry's best presentations in this series. A Seafood and mushroom bisque that you would swear was cream based but was really just a super wonderful reduction of the essence of the ingredients. a wonderful and beautiful array of seafood - salmon, halibut, prawn, clams, scallops presented bare in a flat soup bowl with the bisque poured over them from a pitcher by the server. Great flavors and textures - made with love!

TILTH – Maria Hines
Maria was out with a bad back but her offering was one of the best she has done in this series.: Sous Vide Sablefish, heirloom tomato, sorrel. Delicious.

HARVEST VINE – Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez
the Roasted Quail over Navarran pocha beans and an onion broth was very much in Joseba's style. It actually reinforced to me that each of these chefs and restaurants has such a distinctive approach, touch, and style that their offering , I think, would be instantly recognized in a blind tasting by knowledgeable Seattle diners even if the same dish was presented by each of these chefs.

LARK – John Sundstrom
Grilled Painted Hills coulotte steak, chanterelles, rocket and sweet onion vinaigrette
In my opinion, by far these best offering that the very talented Chef Sundstrum has presented in this series. It will definitely inspire my own cooking - especially the use of a wonderful fresh herb competing and combining so successfully with a wonderful small serving of meat. I would rate this the best effort of the evening although several of these Chefs were at the top of their game.

CAFE JUANITA – Holly Smith
In order to catch the ferry Cindy and I has to take desert to go - it was a wonderful combination of clear seemingly simple (the true sign to Holly's mastery) flavors of huckleberry in a sauce, lemon in a ethereal cake, and creme fraise in a sherbet. Yum - gone before we ever got on the ferry even though we had no utensil other than our fingers - which were licked pretty darn clean.

Another fun evening - one more to go with Crush hosting next month.

What I Learned at Cooking School

2009-09-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've always suspected that I'm just about the luckiest girl in the world, but now I know that it's true.

A few weeks ago, my dad invited "On Rue Tatin's" Susan Hermann Loomis to come and give french cooking lessons at our home on Vashon Island, and she agreed. Then he graciously invited me to be one of the lucky participants.

(Photo of Susan and Steve -- still smiling after three busy days!)

So, for three days I not only sliced, diced, poached, and sauteed, but I also helped set-up, break-down, and organize cooking classes. Being on both sides of the cooking school experience was fascinating (if not a *little* tiring), and I learned a few things that I thought I'd share with our readers.

LESSON 1: Mis en place matters.

(a shot of a mis en place set-up):

I have always understood that mis en place (or "putting in place") is a cornerstone of professional cooking, but have frankly always considered it too much effort to fully incorporate into my home kitchen. For those unfamiliar with the concept, mis en place basically refers to:

** first, as a pre-req. to mis en place, you must read the recipe through completely from beginning to end before you do anything else (or, if you are not using a recipe, thinking through all of the ingredients and steps you will follow)

** assembling everything you will need in advance, including tools and ingredients. This means that if the recipe calls for 2 tsp of minced garlic, you set out two cloves of garlic and a good knife for mincing; if it calls for 1 lb of chicken breasts, you get your chicken breasts out, rinse and pat dry, and set them aside on the counter to come to temperature. Essentially, once you are ready to actually begin cooking, everything is ready and at hand. There is no digging through the gadget drawer and cursing because you can't find your peeler. It is already waiting for you, sitting ready next to whatever needs peeling.

Susan prepares for every class by creating stations for each recipe with the mis en place completed, and -- as hosts -- we helped her with set-up. Doing so was sort of a revelation for me. This practice conditions you mentally to cook, refreshing your memory on each step you will take and in what order they should be completed. It also gets you set up to create minimal mess (something I personally struggle with), as everything is ready to go and you won't make the mistake of realizing you need a bigger bowl, another knife, etc.

LESSON 2: Use a small bowl for collecting detritus; keep a side towel tucked into your apron.

Here's a photo of Cindy modeling her side towel (see how handy!):

This wasn't a totally new lesson for me, either, but it also wasn't one I was good about following. And it makes SUCH a big difference. Having a small bowl on the counter to place your onion peels, garlic skins, fruit pits, and so forth not only cuts down on mess on the counter, but also eliminates messy handles on the door to the garbage bin :)

The same goes for the side towel. Now, rather than hunting for something to wipe messy fingers on, you've got a towel strapped to your apron. Ditto with hunting around for pot holders; as long as your side towel is relatively dry, you can use it to grab hot pan handles and lids. It also makes a great place to wipe off dirty knives.

LESSON 3: Flavor does not have to mean fat. French food does not have to mean butter.

Okay, this one was new for me. I am a big proponent of cooking with butter, cream, butter, cream, butter, cream (you get the idea). Most of the dishes Susan had us prepare, however, were pretty damn healthy. But they were also really flavorful. This was, I think, due to the proper and creative use of ingredients like radishes, fennel, lime zest, mustard, and vinegars.

She also used a lot of oils that I had previously admired and wondered about on the grocery shelves, but never used. Almond oil dressed up steamed green beans, walnut oil and pumpkin seed oil gave richness and flavor to salad dressings. She also achieved a lot of flavor through the use of more flavorful meats - such as gamier birds and animals like Guinea Hen and Rabbit.

LESSON 4: Use whatever you can from your own garden, even if that garden is just a few pots on the window sill.

In particular, fresh lettuces -- even quite small bunches of them -- taste a thousand times better than what you get at the store and will (if properly thinned) grow and grow all summer. Herbs, many of which you can continue to grow into winter indoors, provide much brighter flavors when picked fresh and used immediately (another great tip from Susan: don't mince the herbs until *just* before you plan to use them or they will lose all their flavor).

So, those were a few seemingly little lessons with big, beautiful consequences in the kitchen that I learned at cooking school.

I hope you find them useful.

Here is a parting shot of one of the groups of cooking class participants:

Bon Appetit!

Spring Hill sends out a let-down

2009-08-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Spring Hill
Restaurant Location: 4437 California Avenue SW, West Seattle, WA

Well, I have been hearing about Spring Hill from my friends and family in Seattle (see other reviews on this site, in fact) for about two years now. The effusive use of enthusiastic adjectives in their descriptions of the food have long made me sad that I haven't had the opportunity to visit the restaurant. Then, in a recent issue of Food and Wine, Spring Hill was written up as having one of the best new chefs of 2009.

And, finally, this week, I got a chance to eat there. In all fairness, my expectations were high.

I was dining with two other bloggers on this site (Steve and Cindy), both of whom had eaten at--and loved--Spring Hill on many previous occasions.

Dear reader: I am sorry to report this, but the evening we dined at Spring Hill was a lazy night in their kitchen....a disappointment to be sure.

We all started our dinner with some small plates: a Kampachi tartare with salmon roe, a Duck Egg yoke Raviolo, and a serving of Bread and Butter (which, yes, you have to pay for here). Each of these, while tasty, had off-elements. The Kampachi tartare was beautiful, but the chef had missed patches of skin on the underside--a jarring visual and textural element. With the duck egg raviolo, the egg is supposed to be poached and runny but was, unfortunately, set by the time it arrived at the table (despite a specific request for a very runny egg). And the bread was, I am sorry to say it, tough and dry (though the butter was delicious).

A little daunted, we headed into the entrees. I ordered the half Dungeness crab with warm butter and lemon (which was messy as hell, but tasted good, if dull) and Cindy and Steve both ordered the burger.

The Spring Hill burger is $17, so certain expectations are present. It should, for example, be cooked to the ordered temperature. It should be something special, not just another burger. But, it was just another burger and in both cases, overcooked. More disappointment.

I hope very much that this was just an unfortunate off-night at the restaurant rather than a more dire problem (e.g. the place is resting on its laurels, the chef is bored, the staff poorly trained). Given the rave reviews this place has garnered, I'd even be willing to give it another try and hope for better. But, be warned, Spring Hill is teetering.

Seasonal: A German-Austrian Idyll

2009-08-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Seasonal
Restaurant Location: 132 W. 58th Street, New York

Seasonal is a newish (open less than 1 year) German-Austrian restaurant. A friend of ours, who just so happens to be German, recommended the place to us, and so on a steamy summer evening we braved the heat with he and his wife to check it out. The restaurant is a small spare space (long and narrow, lots of white), that invites long, delightful meals on its comfy leather chairs or a slow drink at the curving bar.

We were happy to give in to the flow and enjoyed one of the better meals we've had in quite awhile.

To start, our of our party tried the Tomaten-Topfen, a delicate summer salad of Heirloom Tomatoes, Homemade Topfen (a cheese quite similar in taste and texture to fresh mozzarella) and micro basil. Another choice appetizer was the Jakobsmucheln, an arrangement of plump Diver Boat sea scallops perched proudly atop a tangle of red beet tagliatelle (ingenious) served with Maitake mushrooms and fresh horseradish. This dish was as bold as the tomato salad was demure, and both were outstanding in terms of flavor, freshness, and beauty.

For my starter, I ordered the Ziegenkase Salat, a beautiful salad of baby greens dressed with a shallot elderflower dressing, and nestled atop a pumpkin seed crusted round of fresh goat cheese and sweet, salt-baked baby beets. It was summer on a plate and impressive (as were all dishes at Seasonal) in its marriage of disparate flavors into one harmonious dish.

My husband chose a heavier first course, opting for the almost obscenely good Schweinebauch, a dish of pork belly confit (crisp, creamy, and decadent) with braised onion served in a light, flavorful Riesling caraway jus. He had to fend the rest of us off in order to finish.

Though all of these dishes were heavy on flavor (in all cases resulting from a combination of many elements perfectly merged) and richness, the portions were reasonable. I've been to so many restaurants that offer appetizers that -- rather than actually stimulating your appetite and making you eagerly anticipate the next course -- stuff you so full you can't contemplate your entree with anything but dread. Seasonal does an excellent job of portioning correctly so that you can enjoy every last bite of your food.

After a lovely interlude of wine (a lovely Gruner Vetliner) and good conversation, our entrees arrived.

Two of our party chose the Tafelspitz. A gorgeous take on a traditional dish, the Tafelspitz was a perfect cut of Flat Iron steak that had been long poached to perfection and served in an oxtail consommé (yes, it was rich and delicious beyond belief). The dish was served with an impressive assortment of sides and garnishes, including two crisp little potato pancakes, an apple horseradish sauce, a chive sauce, and a side of creamed spinach (the latter being everyone's least favorite item).

I was served the Heilbutt, a beautiful pan-seared halibut (they rolled the fish so that it was artfully presented as a long cylinder) perched atop a bed of roasted onions, sauteed romaine (which sounded awful but was both appetizing in appearance and taste - almost like shredded, sauted Brussel sprouts), and tiny Chanterelle mushrooms. This presentation was lightly sauced with a rich, yet still delicate, bacon-mustard cream sauce. I ate it all.

Though we were extremely full at this point, we couldn't resist ordering one dessert to share around the table. Our choice: the Topfennockerl, a lightly sweet, airy Quark mousse served in quenelles that had been rolled in a fine nut crust. The plate was sauced with a raspberry-Champagne cream sauce and the whole dish was garnished with a fruit compote. This dessert struck all the same notes as the appetizers and entrees: a light, summery feel that was still rich and displayed an impressive complexity of flavors -- not to mention beautiful presentation all around.

I look forward to returning to Seasonal at the first opportunity.

Bon Appetit!

Sheep Station: My New Neighborhood Favorite

2009-08-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Sheep Station
Restaurant Location: 149 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

It's been some time since I've walked into a new restaurant and wanted to order literally every item on the menu. So, discovering Sheep Station, an Australian pub in my neighborhood, was a refreshing change of pace.

Part bar and part purveyor of quality comfort food, Sheep Station is billed as a casual, welcoming Australian kitchen and bar. And it is, indeed, all of these things.

Occupying much more space than it initially appears, Sheep Station has its bar front-and-center, with a narrow row of charmingly rickety tables along the opposite wall. The two times I've been in here, most people seem to have congregated at the bar in a merry, noisy slouch of food and drink. Don't head here anticipating a quiet, romantic dinner -- the place is noisy.

They have an extensive list of draft beers as well as a respectable wine list (so both wine and beer drinkers will be content - not always an easy marriage). It appears that there is a larger room in the back, perhaps for private events (I've always eaten at Sheep Station fairly early or on a week-night and there's still been ample seating in the front).

So, on to what you really want to know: Sheep Station makes good grub. Imagine lots of meat--ranging from perfectly grilled lamb chops to a juicy burger adorned with pineapple and an egg (and written up recently in Saveur Magazine)--cooked just right (meaning: actually as you request) and served with thoughtful sides. Imagine tasty wine-poached mussels with a side of very well-executed frites. Imagine poutine that is neither too heavy nor too dainty. Imagine a series of great sandwiches, including a "chook" (chicken) sandwich with plenty of tender breast meat tossed with a curry aoili and guacamole and pillowed between two halves of a big, fluffy kaiser roll.

Now imagine that you could eat all this lovely food--along with a drink--in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere for about $20 bucks a person (most sandwiches and entrees range from about $10-15, with the lamb chops being the big splurge at $19 (well worth it).

I have to say, I'm glad I've discovered Sheep Station -- it's extremely rare in Park Slope to be treated to a restaurant that is of high quality AND has reasonable prices.

Bon Appetit!

Gradisca: Warm Welcome & Good Food Overshadowed by...The Bill

2009-07-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Gradisca
Restaurant Location: 126 W. 13th Street, New York

Gradisca has been recommended to me many times from many sources, so it was with some excitement that I finally headed to the Village last Friday night to investigate its claims to greatness.

The first mark in the favor of this tucked-away little place was the genuinely warm welcome and great service we received.

We were given our pick of seats (even on a Friday night, the place never quite filled up), were tucked in with warm words and cold drinks, and were generally treated like old friends. As the evening progressed, the flow and rhythm of the arrival and departure of menus, drinks, and dishes was well-timed.

The food, also, was of sufficient quality, inventiveness, and flavor to allow the relaxation and comfort that derive from knowing you will be well-tended, satisfied (but not, I am sad to say, dazzled).

For our meal, I selected two choices from the appetizer list - requesting the Sashimi-grade Yellowfin Tuna Tartare with Avocado Mousse be served as my appetizer (a huge portion of glisteningly fresh tuna decked out with avocados and just the right dash of lemon). My husband went for the Prosciutto di Parma Gran Riserva served with Lardo Pesto and Fresh Tile-Baked Flat Buns. Each individual element of this dish was delectable, but none went especially well together.

For dinner, I had another appetizer, the Filet Mignon Carpaccio with Summer Black Truffle Cream Sauce. It was quite good (the presentation left a little to be desired, but the taste -- if you love truffles -- was nice). But, I had erred. Ordering two appetizers was not the problem--the portions were large enough to suffice. But I had ordered two *cold* appetizers. I couldn't help but regret my choice as I watched my husband work his way through a piping hot bowl of Fresh Cut Egg Pappardelle with Hand-Ground Lamb Ragu (very good but lacking in the spark needed to set it apart from the other lamb ragus of the world).

Dessert we shared -- Warm Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with a Vanilla Cream. The small cake was the most like a dense fudge pudding of any of the ubiquitous "molten chocolate desserts" I've tried (perhaps too much?). The creme anglaise pool around it was a nice counterpoint, but the chocolate was so intense that it really did overwhelm everything else.

In all, we enjoyed this twinkling, cozy place and were happy to eat their well-prepared food....but not, I think, for the price. Gradisca serves great neighborhood fare (maybe even excellent for a local spot), but it is charging unreasonably high prices--the prices of a destination restaurant.

Our total bill was about $140 (this was, mind you, without wine...plus, I ordered two apps instead of an app and an entree and we shared dessert) and it should have been closer to $90-100. This may sound nit-picky, but in a city that offers such a wide array of choices, there is no sense in paying more when you can have the same quality of food for less. I suspect that if Gradisca charged just a little less for each item on their menu they would have no trouble filling all their charmingly rickety tables.

Maybe as the recession wears on, Gradisca will do just that and we will return.

Surprisingly Good Mexican at Barrio

2009-07-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Barrio
Restaurant Location: 210 7th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Our neighborhood has a glut of Mexican restaurants. Frankly, most of them are sub-par (think bland, flavorless, uninspired gobs of gooey beans and cheese). Thus, we had put off trying Barrio, assuming it would fall in line with what he had already experienced.

Well...you know what they say about assuming things...and they're right. Barrio was an unexpected pleasure of homemade sauces, authentic flavors, fresh seafood, and tender braised meats.

We started with the fresh guacamole--a swirl of tiny bits of tomato, chunks of avocado, and just the right hint of lime.

Thinking to get something small, I ordered one of their appetizers for my dinner: three soft taquitos. They have a variety of intriguing flavors to choose from and I settled on the braised short ribs with onion, cilantro, radish, and crema. They are served in warm, soft flour tortillas (heaped so full they are almost hard to pick up and eat) and with homemade chili sauces ranging from mild to burn-your-taste-buds-off. It was more than I could finish.

My husband ordered the Yucatan shrimp, which are sauted with chilies and served on a bed of rice flavored with coconut milk and studded with pickled onions and calamari. The dish was inventive, fresh, and flavorful -- the last thing we had expected from this place.

I look forward to a return visit to try their tempting cocktails, sweet plantain empanadas, roasted pork shoulder, carnitas, and shrimp enchiladas.

Isn't it lovely when your expectations are defied?
I certainly think so.

Bon Appetit!

Saravana Bhavan -- Dosa Heaven

2009-07-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Saravana Bhavan
Restaurant Location: 81 Lexington Avenue, New York

Finding good, authentic Indian food in restaurants in the US can be a challenge--especially if your mother-in-law is an amazing Indian cook. So, every time we try a new place, our hearts are braced for what seems to be the inevitable disappointment.

Thus, imagine our delight to discover Saravana Bhavan. This South Indian eatery is the real deal -- great, authentic, hot, and fast. Their specialty is dosas (thin crepes typically stuffed with mixture of potatoes and spices and served with sambar and chutneys) and they have a really extensive menu of them, ranging from traditional masala dosas to much more exotic varieties.

One that that we tried was an unusual dried fruit and nut dosa, seen here:

It was delicate and the sweetness of the fruit set off the salty element of the nuts. It was a singular taste experience.

The classic Masala dosa was also spot on (pictured here):

If you are looking for a casual, authentic south Indian culinary experience, Saravana Bhavan is the perfect spot.

They don't take reservations, but if you arrive before 7/7:30pm you should have very little wait.

For three courses (we shared appetizers and a dessert), the total was $24 per person (tip included).

The Exquisite Le Bernardin

2009-07-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Name: Le Bernardin
Restaurant Location: 155 W. 51st Street, New York

In planning the dinner to celebrate our first year of married life, my husband and I--after great deliberation and no small amount of trepidation--finally settled on Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin. I say deliberation because, of course, New York has many top shelf restaurants, and trepidation because, naturally, when one is picking up a hefty tab....one does not want to be disappointed.

And, thankfully, we chose incredibly well. No disappointment in sight.

So, right to the food. 99% of Ripert's menu is focused around seafood. I am personally one of those eaters who tends to be wary of seafood, particularly at very fancy restaurants, because (let's be honest) its usually really scary (think Sea Urchin Foam on Jellyfish). This is not the case at Le Bernardin. The emphasis is on showcasing pure, beautiful fish and shellfish by using the freshest, best quality ingredients and applying embellishment only as needed (rather than for show). The result is mouthwatering.

It is also extremely impressive, I might add, for a restaurant to focus exclusively on a single type of protein yet still have each course taste wildly different. At no point during the many courses of fish and shellfish did I think: "hmmm, more seafood, eh?"

This was accomplished through the use of flavors from diverse cuisines (think India, China, Japan, and so on) that were shaped and applied through the incomparable culinary techniques of France.

Each dish was different and exquisite, with many layers of flavor marrying together perfectly.

Example: our amuse bouche was a layered parfait of avocado (with a hint of spiciness), crab salad (with just the right touch of lemon), and potato foam (the balancing richness and sweetness). Taken together, the three (individually perfect) portions of the parfait created a fourth wonderful flavor.

We settled on the Le Bernardin Tasting Menu (7 courses) -- other options included a rather complicated set of choices off the regular dinner menu (4 courses) and a 9 course Chef's Tasting Menu.

After the amuse bouche we were treated to Kampachi Tartare, which was flavored (almost too strongly, in my opinion) with citrus and topped with marinated Japanese cucumbers. This was served with puffed rice crisps, which made a nice palate cleanser. This dish was beautiful but the citrus overpowered the raw tuna just a little bit.

The Kampachi was followed by a perfectly cooked Charred Octopus (they slowly braised the octopus and then gave it a quick sear on the grill) that was topped with a salsa of Fermented Black Beans. Tiny, delicate slices of white peach adorned the octopus as well and all was presented with a Sauce Vierge made of squid ink and miso Vinaigrette. This dish was gorgeous to look at and a true pleasure to eat. The octopus (so often the victim of overcooking) was done perfectly and the marriage of the black bean salsa with the sweetness of the peaches was genius.

Next we enjoyed a sourdough bread crusted Red Snapper. This was presented with three tiny timbales of zucchini-mint coriander compote and then, at the table, a rich curried citrus broth was poured around the fish.

This dish exhibited very subtle flavors (especially in comparison to the assertive flavors of the previous two dishes), but was no less delicious. The crust was the most crispy I have ever had and the fish was (of course), perfectly cooked. The zucchini-mint compote did not, quite honestly, add anything but color to the presentation, but the curried broth was complex and a wholly new flavor for the palate to enjoy in the progression of the tasting.

The second fish course consisted of of crispy Black Sea Bass perched atop braised celery and swimming in a sinfully good broth of essence of Iberico Ham, Brandy, and green peppercorns. A parsnip custard (rich and awesome with the leftover broth) was served as an accompaniment. There was some rather shameful sopping up of the sauce with bread once the fish and custard were gone -- it was too good to waste.

Then came one of the most amazing fish preparations I have ever had: Escolar (White Tuna) Poached in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garnished with Sea Beans and Potato Crisps and drizzled with a light Red Wine Bearnaise sauce.

I cannot rave enough. The fish was delicate, tender, succulent, redolent of olive oil (should I go on?) and the bearnaise was so fabulous that I would dive into a barrel of it without a second thought.

Thus ended the savory, seafood courses (but not the tasting!).

As a sort of transition/palate cleanser we were served an artisan Fromage Blanc (produced exclusively for Le Bernardin by the Vermont Butter and Cheese company), with a coulis of local strawberries. This was like eating a tiny, unsweetened cheesecake with the brightest, freshest, strawberry sauce imaginable. Sid did not enjoy the tartness of the dish (preferring sweet with sweet and savory with savory), but I found it very enjoyable.

Our dessert course was the "Hazelnut": a hazelnut Gianduja Parfait served alongside a single, perfect slice of caramelized banana, and a Brown Butter Ice Cream.

And, if this wasn't enough, the kitchen sent out a White Chocolate Passionfruit cheesecake with passionfruit sorbet in special honor of our anniversary (an unexpected and very nice touch).

Dessert was followed by the usual parade of tiny treats -- little bites of tarts, puffs, and jellies, along with tea (and, of course, the bill).

We had skipped the wine pairing in favor of a single bottle to be enjoyed with all the courses. Unless you have a seriously high tolerance, I recommend going this route. It is lighter on the pocketbook but also keeps you from getting so drunk that you don't appreciate the edible art you are being so reverently served. Such carefully tended dishes deserve attention and respect from the diners.

I should also mention that the service here was very well done. A veritable army of servers tend to your needs during your meal (one for wine, one for ordering, one for serving, one for clearing, one for pulling your chair in and out when you get up to visit their beautifully appointed bathrooms, etc.). This can go horribly wrong at lesser restaurants, but the staff at Le Bernardin have it down cold. The dance of servers was flawless and they seemed genuinely happy to see our appreciation and enjoyment of the food. Though the service is certainly formal, it is not stuffy or snooty. The same can be said of the decor, which is beautiful and calming (lots of rich woods, bamboo framing, and beautiful flowers).

For a special evening, I can wholeheartedly endorse Le Bernardin.

Bon Appetit!

Sandwiches!

2009-07-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Working in Manhattan, you can either bring your lunch or pay an arm and a leg for lunch. I take the former approach. Bringing a sandwich to work every day can get a bit tiresome and boring. I just found a site called Scanwiches that provides many mouth watering images of sandwiches along with their ingredients. It can serve as a point of inspiration for those who might be feeling bored. One that caught my eye is the homemade Pastrami, lettuce, swiss, mustard and mayo on a hero. Be careful though, if you stare at that site too long, you'll get hungry!

FYI, today I've got some lemon chicken with arugula and mayonnaise on some gourmet white bread. I'll try to post some of my more inventive sandwich recipes in the near future.