Monday, September 21, 2009

make it MARVIN's for me, best French bistro around

Last night we headed to MARVIN's (www.marvindc.com) at 2007 14th Street (at U St), NW in an area that has truly had a major renaissance foodwise in the last decade. This wonderful Belgian style bistro is just that with wooden chairs, a pub-ish feel and a very relaxed atmosphere, dedicated to Marvin Gaye's two years in "exile" in Ostend, Belgium. There is some jazz music, but the star here is the food and it was impressive, and very reasonably priced as well.

We started with a bottle of refreshing Mas de la Dame "Rose du Mas: 2008 a very dry rose from Les Baux de Provence that goes with almost everything (save the steak, which Will ordered a glass of house red for!).

The food is Belgian bistro with that American twist with some delectable starters such as LIVER & ONIONS which is a monstrous slab of Hudson Valley FOIE GRAS with Sweet VIDALIA Onions, Pear and BANYULS Vinegar. At $17.00 this might be an indulgence, but it's size makes it worth every cent and every bite. If you feel the need for duck, you can also have the less pricy DUCK CONFIT, a filling leg and thigh with PICKLED BEETS, CHEVRE cheese and a small MACHE Salad with a tasty yet light vinaigrette. The SEARED SEA SCALLOPS are three large nicely browned on the edge scallops on a bed of superb BRAISED LEEKS with Beurre Rouge.

We were all impressed at this point, and we kept telling our server Lenore (we did really want the cute blond guy in the shorts, but Lenore was perfect in all her suggestions!) when she asked how everything was, that it was indeed, FABULOUS. Chef James Claudio must be very proud of the plates that come out here.

Our main courses were just as superb starting with the Southern-influenced Free Range COUNTRY FRIED CHICKEN Breast & WAFFLES which comes over a bed of COLLARD GREENS with traditional rich gravy and for those in need of sweet indulgence, Maple Syrup on the side. The STEAK FRITES is a hit here with a very low priced yet wonderfully tasty Cowgirl (which I did not know means off the bone!) 18 ounce RIBEYE with Petite Salade, SAUCE BORDELAISE & ROSEMARY Caper Sauce. A divine and yes huge (at 18 ounces of all meat with no bone, so there was leftovers for sure) steak with some of the best frites in DC!

I opted for the very Belgian MOULES FRITES which can be had in several sauces here. My choice was the COCONUT CURRY when Lenore said it was indeed not a sweet sauce, but a mildly spicy one and she hit this one on the nose. There were scattered jalapeno slices for a bite if you chose to devour them and the plump mussels bathes in a rich sauce that did require massive mopping up at the end with the traditional tasty French bread. The FRITES were truly the stars here and they come served with three sauces: a nice ketchup and two divinely thick mayonnaise sauces--one Wasabi and one Curry, both of which I could not resist.

MARVIN is a spot to consider on its own or when you are anywhere near the U Street Corridor...we will be back very soon!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

certainly SEI should be seen and more...

SEI opened earlier this year next to the Shakespeare Lansburgh Theater at 444 7th St, NW (www.seirestaurant.com) in the Penn Quarter and has already garnered much acclaim (2-1/2 stars from the Post). It will soon have a different type of competition next door when the British uber-Asian chain Wagamama opens its first DC location!

SEI calls itself "modern Asian cuisine," and that is about as accurate as it gets. There are many highs and some lows here, so do listen up, and you may wish to access the Post review (dated April 5, 2009) and I intend to refer to it as well (I just adore to bash Mr. Sietsema!).

I must first give the critic praise as he is totally correct about the brilliant and exciting cocktail menu at Sei. I felt the APPLE BLOSSOM (Gala Apple infused Vodka, Sparkling Cider, Lime Juice, Apple Cider) was a bit too sweet and the MISCHIEF (Yazi Ginger Vodka, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup) was a bit too sour, but my LIQUID WASABI was a dream come true. Mr Sietsema called this "a little pain followed by a lot of pleasure," and I must totally disagree. The drink is just right, and too hot at all. It has NO wasabi and is made from unfiltered Sake, Lime Juice, Habanero & Ginger Infused Simple Syrup and delighted me to no end. Everyone agreed it was the winning drink of the table.

The wine list is not too big, but has some nice surprises and we opted for a MERLEIN "Chupacabra" from Paso Robles 2006 which is a Cabernet/Petit Verdot/Syrah blend that does match well with some of the spicier dishes, but also goes down smooth with the milder ones.

We ordered the EDAMAME starter which is pretty much about the same as everywhere else; I was looking for something modern or novel here. The WASABI GUACAMOLE however does excite and uses the lighter Wonton Chips for crunchiness and lightness.

We sat back and enjoyed the almost all white decor with gold accents, the elegant sushi bar with a huge window or orchids behind it and more. The noise levels were high, but not unbearable, as we arrived at after 9pm (we had just come from seeing the superb PHEDRE starring Helen Mirren!) and the place was starting to wind down.

We decided to order a number of starters and one main each: FISH & CHIPS ROLL was a wonderful sushi concoction made from Flounder, Malt Vinegar with crunchy Potato Crisps sprinkled atop and a light Wasabi Tartar underneath. These delectible bites did not need wasabi, although a dash of soy (and maybe a slice of ginger) added to the great taste. This dish made me want to come back and try more sushi, but sadly we had already ordered too much!

The BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS with Teriyaki Glace pack a huge spice punch and come with wet towels to clean up with (a nice touch). The spice dies only after several minutes, so do be forewarned; but I adored the intense flavor.

WAGU TARTARE with Naan and Panko Crusted QUAIL EGG was a nice starter size tartare of excellent lean beef and the egg was just the right touch. There are about 8 slices of the puffy naan (each about 1-1/4 inch diameter) which is a bit much unless you just put a tad of tartare on each piece--no way--I would not want the bread to overpower the wondrous meat; but you can always eat the little rounds separately.

The SEAWEED SALAD is a gorgeous one as is the plain green salad, both large and satisfying.

SAKE CURED COD with EDAMAME Puree and Oyster Mushroom was the hit main course with silky smooth fish in a yummy sauce that was tasty, but not too rich. Deyaku SALMON was also getting high marks. Sadly, my choice was the dud of the evening and I blame it all on Mr. Sietsema. The TOFU "Steak" comes with WASABI MASCARPONE, Tamarin Soy, Crunchy Lotus Chips and Shitakes and looks divine but needs something else flavorwise. The wasabi is minimal and while Mr. Sietsema said he also ordered it "for its joke value. The laugh was on me, however." I have to say that the laugh was ON ME, as I thought the dish way too bland, as I often do tofu, unless, as Will remarked, it is made by our Rabbi, who prepares it brilliantly!

Desserts had highs and lows as well with a nice ORANGE Miso BREAD PUDDING with Caramel Soy Ice Cream, a divinely rich and yummy (my choice, yay) ROASTED TEA CREME BRULEE with fresh berries and an awful dry and bland CHOCOLATE FONDANT with Sake Sorbet and Green Tea Anglaise. I also have to say that while the menu states "fresh berries" with my huge portion of delightful creme brulee, there were indeed only two 1/8" slices of a strawberry on the side! They could not even use a whole strawberry or two...so much for the "plural" berrieS.

All in all, we had a great fun time and most of the food was super. I would definitely return for another Liquid Wasabi cocktail or some of the sakes with some sushi and some of the other starters for sure. Just avoid the tofu and fondant.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

the PROOF is in the palate and more at PROOF in DC

After our first visit to PROOF several months ago in the Penn Quarter (www.proofdc.com), I was so impressed, I wanted to return again soon. The opportunity arose when two business associates popped into DC this week and we were looking for a place to dine that was not too heavy, but still lots of fun.

We settled in after a glass of PROSECCO for the CHEF's CHARCUTERIE BOARD and at $20-something, this is still a great deal for 3-4 people. There were slices of the Prosciutto San Danielle (which I liked better this time), Jamon Serrano, Speck, Bresaola, Saucisson de Paris, Rosette de Lyon, Artisanal Salamis, Cacciatore, Sopressata, Finocchiana, Coppa, a Duck & Red Pepper Terrine and of course, gherkins. We enjoyed this with a superb bottle of WESTREY 2004 RESERVE Pinot Noir from the Willametter Valley in Oregon that was intense in fruit and flavor, but worked with the meats quite well.

I had gotten the "out-of-town" ladies all excited about our soft-shell crabs, only to find out they were out that night. AWWWW! I hope we get one more chance at them somewhere this season!

Don't forget the super flatbread and the yogurt dip that comes with it!!

We went on to several starters to share:
HEN of the WOODS MUSHROOM QUICHE with French Beans and Radish is a tasty quiche, but not great revelation...although I loved the beans.
Thyme & Brown Butter Basted VEAL SWEETBREADS with Roasted Corn, Fingerling Potatoes, Sweet Pepper & Basil is a true hit of a standout dish and quite a large portion (as were all the starters).
Grilled OCTOPUS Salad with Potato-Chickpea Salad, Smoked Paprika and Roasted Red Peppers is another divine dish, as was the Side veggie order of CRISPY CAULIFLOWER with Lemon-Tahini Sauce which I remembered so well from my first visit.

A creamy metallic and totally intense 2005 JM BOILLOT PULIGNY MONTRACHET is a true find at under $100 and a rare treat as well. There was a little room for dessert so we shared the CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PROFITEROLES with Chocolate Sorbet which I did not taste, but got raves and the WARM SUMMER BERRY SHORTCAKE which I adored (you know I'm a fruit fan).

It was a great hit of a night and kudos go to the entire great staff, but especially to sommelier Sebastian who rounded up two surprisingly superb wines and the manager, Michael, who hails way back from Teatro Goldoni when it first opened.

The proof is in the product, the pate and the palate!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

a little late on ALADDIN's in Shirlington

I forgot to give you a quickie write-up on this pretty decent little spot with nice outside tables on the "mall" in Shirlington (4044 S. 28th St, Arlington, VA-www.aladdinseatery.com) which is a great place to grab a bite or light (or heavy) dine as well if you are looking for decent Middle Eastern fare.

Aladdin's is part of a large nationwide chain with more than a dozen spots in Ohio, some in Pittsburgh and also Chicago, Charlotte, San Antonio and yes, three in Virginia. The food is standard, but tasty Middle Eastern, the prices are low and the portions are big.

We started with several apps the FOOLE M DAMAS being the nice surprise with Pureed FAVA Beans, Garlic, Olive Oil, Lemon and diced Tomato and Parsley with Pita (everything comes with Pita for dipping!). FALAFFEL here is made with the traditional CHICK PEAS, but also FAVA Beans and has a Tahini Yoghurt Dip that is used with many other dishes as well. They are not greasy and have great flavor. The very lemony DAWALI are rice, chick pea and tomato stuffed grape leaves with feta and parsley sprinkled on top with the house "Aladdin's Dressing."

We both had the SHWARMA ROLLED PITA, one beef and one chicken. These are large "wraps" filled with meat, greens, tomato, onions, turnips, pickles, parsley and the Tahini Yogurt Dressing. They have just the right amount of spice, but always beware that dressing oozing out the bottom. That's why they come in foil wraps!

We tried the Baklava which was nothing special, but the fact is that you can eat here for a pretty decent bargain and the food is quite tasty. The Rolled Pitas start with meat ones at under $6.00 and the apps average the same. There are many large salads if you wish to avoid the pita and carbs, again in the same price range! The wines are decent with a nice Lebanese house white running in the low $20-range.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

way back home to Washington's wonderful WILLOW (Arlington,VA)

Am safely back home weighing a bit more than I had hoped...so on a diet next week! Last night we headed to WILLOW in Arlington (www.willowva.com) which has always been one of our favorite places, especially for Samuel who has taken a great liking to the flatbreads. Last night he chose the BBQ Chicken version which was so big, he took home 2/3 of it! It had yummy smoked chicken, cheddar and mozzarella with loads of pickled shredded onions, which we quickly removed, and he was okay with. I tasted it and especially loved the smoked cheese.

We did not know that WILLOW has a super bar menu and were treated to a plate of CHEESE GOUGERES (those divine puffy delights that here are larger than golf balls and weigh nothing) with a spectacular BLACK TRUFFLE BUTTER for dipping; this alone added an inch to my waist! Will and I decided to split a small CALAMARI ALI OLIO Flatbread which was smothered with Roast Garlic, Savory Parmesan, Fontina, Roasted Tomatoes, Calamari, Parsley and tasty Lemon Rind. Our only complaint was that when you eat the whole slices of squid they pull the topping off (hopefully next time they will cut the calamari to avoid the mess).

We ordered a bottle of refreshing pear and apricot nosed TEGERNSEERHOF GRUNER VELTLINER 2007 from Bergdistel, Wachau in Austria that was perfect with our fish dishes.

We also split a starter of CRISPY CRAB CAKE & SOFT SHELL CRAB with Corn Pancake, Corn Sauce, Radish & Thyme. The crunchy radish was nice, but it looked like pancetta at first, and I was kind of hoping for that smoky addition to the dish and was a slight bit upset with radish which does not emit much flavor, and alas no smoke. The crab was superb as was the pancake and sauce and this is also a huge dish, easily split between two.

As Samuel enjoyed a scoop of Mango Sorbet, we enjoyed our main courses with Will choosing the Seared Norwegian SALMON with LOBSTER & BARLEY Risotto, Caramelized Fennel Puree and Lobster Butter. I may not be a salmon fan when dining out, but this dish was a star (It's kind of like eating chicken in a restaurant, and by the way--the Fried Chicken dish at Willow seemed to be our first choice, but it was a bit too much after everything else). I opted for the Seared Day Boat SCALLOPS with EGGPLANT Ravioli, Shitakes, Smoked Tomato Butter and Grilled Corn. This dish had three huge scallops seared just right and crunchy on the edge sitting atop the shitakes and ravioli that along with the butter and corn made for a superb flavorful sauce and a completely perfect dish.

Sadly, after all this none of us could even think of dessert. We asked our smiling server Said for the check and headed home a very happy family.

Friday, September 04, 2009

The POLO LOUNGE at the Westcliff in Johannesburg is just right for wine and tapas

Our last night was at the informal POLO Lounge (or is it Polo Club) at the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg. We all met in the lunge and had wine or drinks; I quaffed a CONSTANTIA 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and munched nuts/biltong(quiz--do you remember what that is?) and Chutney flavored Fritos..that was a weird one.

We moved into the dining room high over the western part of Jo'berg with views to die for and all ordered small palates as we were clueless as to what time or meal it was. We had been up since 430am for our 515am game drive and then had breakfast, drove hours to the airport and flew to Jo'berg. I have to say that while I may have lost tons of sleep and gained too many pounds, we all seemed to just keep on going like the Energizer bunny.

I started with the CROCODILE CARPACCIO with CHAKALAKA and Baby Rocket. The dish was an amazing blend of pumpkin seeds, baby arugala (rocket) and the yummy chakalaka, a kind of Asian tomato/bean/curry mix. The crocodile was fleshy and reminded me of a thicker white carpaccio, say swordfish, but still very different and oh so delicious.

We moved on to a yummy ZANDVLEIT 2006 SHIRAZ from Robertson (you may recall this is north of Hermanus and Franschhoek) which was brilliant with my GRILLED POLENTA FINGERS and Smoked PARPIKA CAPONATA. This dish while billed as tapas, was huge and I had to share with everyone as they did with me. The Spinach-Cheese Phyllo spinakopita-like treats were served with a Vietnamese dipping sauce, which really explains how varied the cultures and food here are. Vegetarian Cous Cous was okay, but the TEMPURA PRAWNS with LIME & CHILLI were superb. Our fearless leader, Jenny, who has taken us on this amazing food, wine, travel and more experience enjoyed the Mushroom FILLET, a superb beef fillet w/ vegetables and new potatoes in a creamy mushroom sauce. While one of us enjoyed the CHICKEN CAESAR Salad, I polished off the superb fresh anchovies, which apparently come from nearby Mozambique.

My third tapas was a LAMB TANDOORI with yoghurt, cucumber and was more like a sausage of lamb wit spicy greens. It was the first truly pure Indian dish I had here and was quite superb, especially with the Shiraz.

Dessert was not an option and I headed back to my room to pack abit, watch the news, write some emails and cry a lot, as I have truly fallen in love with this place so far away, yet so truly amazing, exciting and adventurous that I know it won't be to long before I am back again.

Thanks for enjoying this special journey with me!

ALAN--at the BA lounge in Jo'berg airport enjoying 7 wines from South Africa and the yummy local Camembert that is as runny as it gets!

PS-My biggest regret is that we can't bring Biltong back to the US due to the import restriction!

Thursday, September 03, 2009

SAVANNA Private Game Reserve rates tops with food and friendliness (Sabi Sands Reserve near Kruger ark, So. Afr)

Our second game reserve was at the Sabi Sands Private Reserve which is adjacent to Kruger Park, perhaps the most famous, but not the most desirable park to visit as it is open to the public (picture a drive through wild animal park). Sabi Sands is much smaller and there is a confederation of several private lodges on the western edge which means that very few people are in any area at any given time. It is all done with private rangers and trackers, and the prices at Savanna are about half that of Royal Malewane, where we stayed the previous night.

As soon as we drove through the gate we saw "English" style gardens and while everyone at every hotel here in South Africa has been most welcoming, it was at Savanna where we immediately felt like family. There are less than 10 rooms and they are all amazing. It is what is called a "tented" lodge, but you don't live in a tent. This is MY KIND OF TENT, where the accommodation is huge spacious, luxurious and a the room has a huge canvas tent over the top of it. This is done mostly so you can "hear" the sounds of the animals, birds, frogs, etc. at night and fell like you are "in" the veldt.

Although we had arisen at 5am for a game drive at Royal Malewane, had breakfast after that and traveled for 2 hours (and done a site inspection of yet another lodge), we had no clue what meal we were supposed to be eating! Our hosts sat us down to a huge lunch buffet and we all dug in. If you know me, I eat whenever there is food. (I sadly weighed myself today and found out I had gained 8 pounds in the last 16 days on this trip!)

We set off on one of the best game drives ever (we saw lions mating from 20 feet away and tons more).

Upon return we were advised we had about 45 minutes to clean up and appear in the owner's suite for a cocktail party. A bath with bubbles had already been drawn in our suites and I was in heaven; this experience goes WAY beyond just the food.

We headed off to the owner's suite for GRAHAM BECK Sparkling Wine from Franschhoek and some VORSS, which is the somewhat Afrikaans equivalent for "wurst" but refers to the dried sausages made from beef, ostrich, eland, kudu and more. Here is was a beef vorss and had a mild Thai dipping sauce. YUM YUM.

After meeting the wonderfully sweet owners, David & Dee, who hail from Austrialia, we went to the BOMA for the first time on our trip. It was the last night in the east (our final night was in Johannesburg) and we all really wanted to have a BREII (bbq) in the BOMA, an enclosed area with a campfire in the ground that is about as uniquely South African as our 4th of July BBQ at home, but done all the time.

The bar served up anything we wanted and I started with a BEYERSKLOOF PINOTAGE 2008 knowing that I needed a BIG wine for the heavy duty food; I was right. CHICKEN, OSTRICH, LAMB CHOPS, BOERWURST (huge sausages) were the grilled meats on tap with multiple sauces. One the side was piles of potatoes, PAP (the polenta-like maize staple) which here was much more typical as it was quite sticky and served with an amazing Tomato Sauce, Corn on the Cob, Veggies, Potatoes, and just about anything else you wanted. We sat at two huge tables and I sat next to Dee and a wonderful couple from Miami (Dee & David's friends) who were celebrating their 49th anniversary that night and had been there for an entire week.

I went on to a 2008 SPIER SHIRAZ from Stellenbosch which was a bit lighter, but totally brilliant and then a huge CHOCOLATE OBLIVION Anniversary cake came. I offered up a special bottle of PELLETIER ICEWINE from Canada that I had brought from the US and we all truly felt like a family, even though we had only known each other for 3 hours.

Although, we had been in South Africa for quite some time, and as I said, everyone had been super friendly, it was here at SAVANNA that we were at home....a place I know we MUST return to, to eat, be friends, enjoy the wildlife and so much more....

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

ROYAL MALEWANE really makes safari luxurious (Thornybush Private Reserve, So. Africa)

I have ben out of touch in the safari parks of eastern South Africa and enjoying it so much and getting up at 5am for game drives and going to bed at 11pm after them in the evening that I have not had a chance to email you. Our first park was THORNYBUSH PRIVATE RESERVE about an hour east of Hoedspruit (pronounced hode-sprite) airport. In this reserve are numerous lodges, but unquestionably one of the most luxurious elite and not 5-star, but 55-star places is ROYAL MALEWANE ('e' is silent).

Of course, to eat here, you must stay in one of the less than a dozen suites that start at $1000+ per person per night based on double occupancy. The prices include almost everything except the spa, which means 2 game drives daily, tons of food, all alcohol and more.

We arrived just after lunch and sat right down over the water hole as nyala, kudu and more joined us for lunch (they were below). The lunch was multi-course, but we had eaten so much that day, we chose only the starter of SALAD COMPOSEE of POTATO & FENNEL CAKE, Scottish SMOKED SALMON, Mozambiquen PRAWN, with White Wine and Fennel Sauce, The sauce was not too fennelly and was rich and creamy and divine. It was mostly the cake that was the body of the "salad" and the salmon (Scottish, instead of the more common local Smoked Salmon Trout from Franschhoek, which is much milder) was as fresh as could be despite our location. The CHARDONNAY was a truly intense vanilla BOUCHARD FINLAYSON Crocodile's Lair 2005 from Kaaimangat in Overberg near the coast in Hermanus where we were a week before.

I didn't mention that I ended up in the Presidential Suite where Elton John, amongst others, stays for a week each year. Now you know where the Lion King came from! The price is almost $7000/night but includes private game drives and spa treatments as well as a chef and butler! Dinner was at the main building by the fire and we had a starter of KAFTI (phyllo wrapped) PRAWNS on a Bed of Avocado & Tomato TIan with Thai Curry Sauce. The dish used the amazing local avocados and had a very mild Thai sauce with a bit of cream for body. The Kafti was almost like a shrimp cake in phyllo.

CHUNKY Mushroom Soup was thick, rich and aromatic and garnished with BLUE CHEESE TOAST. The local blues are some of the best I have had in the world and oh so mild.

We drank HOOPENBURG CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 from Stellenbosch that was divine (the wines are all included unless you choose from the private cellars), and we were given champagne on arrival and in our suites with no limit.

The main course was a buffet of roasted meats:
Marinated Leg of Lamb (the excellent Karoo one gets here)
Loin of Ostrich with coarse grained homemade mustard
Lemon & Herb or Peri-Peri Spatchcock Chicken

Roast Butternut Squash with Cinnamon & HOney
Sweet Potatoes (they are white here) with Sweet Chili (locals spell it "chilli") sauce
Roasted Potato Wedges
Veggies
Greek Salad

After tasting virtually every item I could not even consider dessert. On a side note, for our earlier (yes, we had two) lunch that day in Jo'berg Airport changing planes we stopped at South Africa's premier fast food place NANDO's and had a small roasted PERI-PERI chicken and it was divine as were the spicy potato wedges!!

The Royal Malewane easily surpassed this and the potatoes were million- times divine. All-in-all a great night even if buffet.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Port Elizabeth's SHAMWARI Townhouse is fine, but firm for overnighters

Since our flight leaves tomorrow at 8am, we are staying in the city at the Shamwari Townhouse, a fairly new property that oozes chic and deco and is run by the same folks that run the game reserve we just came from.

Dinner is a choice of two or three items and is 3 courses for about $30 and is now open only to hotel guests, but that will be changing. So, if you find yourself here in the main city of the East Cape at the end of the Garden Route, dine here.

I started with a slightly sweet SWEET POTATO & COCONUT Soup with Crispy Parma Ham. A dash of fresh pepper made the soup perfect and the bread that was a grain nut was a perfect wipe up for the bowl. Our wine was a divine HAUTE CABRIERE PINOT NOIR 2004 from Cabriere in Franschhoek which was the best wine buy I have seen dining out. At $30 this full of fruit huge nosed wine oozed character and was simnply divine with our without food. If it is $15 in the store, I HAVE to FIND IT!

The main course was a nice TOMATO & CHILI TAGLIATELLE with MUSSELS, SCALLOPS, PRAWNS, Calamari and Basil Pesto with Parmesan. The big treat were the small local scallops which carried their coral, a sight rarely seen back home. The dish itself was a welcome sight after all the big meat and fish we have had...we all chose the pasta and said how nice it was for a change.

Dessert was a Warm Chocolate Fondant with Nougat Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce and it was nice, but I at only half. Our server insisted we try the chef's new AVOCADO Ice Cream, which may have been green but tasted more like rich thick creamy plain ice cream with little avocado flavor. Oh well.

Exhausted from being up since 5am, I ned to get to bed as we head out so early again for the next 3 days!