The Inn at Little Washington:3 Michelin stars and worth it by far(3-25-19)

I've been to The Inn at Little Washington about 6 or so times and Will has joined be a couple of times as well, so we decided it was time again to test the only establishment in our area that has earned three Michelin stars and kudos for decades; it did not hurt that we had a certificate for a free dinner for two! I always worry about the close to 90 minute drive, but we made it there in 100+ minutes on Monday afternoon rush hour and home in uabout 85 minutes; not so bad in truth and our meal ran from 6pm-945pm, so not a truly late night out either. Little has changed year over the years and indeed, the place runs like a well oiled vehicle even if the boss, Chef Patrick O'Connell isn't at the helm, and he was not on Monday. The staff are ever more than courteous(the last time, some 14 years ago, we had an awful server), and truly care about your well being, your food and your complete enjoyment and experience.

We sat in the cozy bar at first as we arrived about 10 minutes before the dining room opened. Popcorn in small white boxes(like at the movies) arrived with White truffle oil and parmesan with black Périgord truffle shaved generously all over tableside for effect. The gentleman doing this explained it was the beginning of a true show! Will had a vodka & tonic while I enjoyed a glass of Berlioz Roussane 2015 "Albinum Cuvee" from Savoie(as an opera lover, I could not resist Berlioz!) which was creamy and rich and yummy with the small snacks of marinated olives, but I was nuts over the dried spicy pineapple.

We moved to our table after ordering as you can choose from three different menus(each $238 per person; paired wines are $170 extra!) of vegetrin, seafood and the Gastronaut(our choice).

The dining room hasn't changed at all and I still truly dislike the fringed lamps that overhang most of the tables; I am always afraid I am going to hit my head on it! But if that is the only complaint, then this was a true winning evening. Amuses arrived first with a Compte Gougere and a tiny shot glass of White bean souple with Sage & Virginia country ham.  Bread arrived in the form of poppy seed bread rolls and pecan currant rye slices. There was fresh butter with sea salt and a tad of honeycomb on the side as well. I have to say that the poppy seeds got all over the table and I joked that they should have been removed prontissimo(vite,vite) if the staff were watching, but meant it in jest as it was impossible to control the rampant seeds. The second amuse set was a gorgeous Tequila Lime Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly opposite a mini tartelette of Lobster Newburgh. If these were a preview, we were in for a good night (picture available on my FB page).

One of the main reasons for choosing this menu(well it had meat as well) was the first course entitled "Ebony & Ivory" A Bouquet of White Asparagus & Royal Osetra Caviar with Dijon Dressed Peekytoe Crab." I always adore Feldmarkspargl and these must have come from a greenhouse in the Netherlands, as our friends there say they are not yet on their local menus! Delicious nonethesame, the dish was marred by only one thing. A giant slash of lemon aioli which was quite delicious totally overpowered the delicate asparagi! They were wrapped in a phyllo-like crisp savory "cannoli" making it an even more beautiful presentation. A magnificent Lucien Crochet, Le Chene Marchand Sancerre 2016 from the Loire(of course) was a perfect pairing intense with citrus to match the lemon and quite intense as well, though less on the mineral side than many Sancerres I tend to adore.

Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Elysian Fields Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream is definitely one of the best carpaccios around and wins a prize for coming up with the tiny balls of ice cream and the parmesan sitting in a Romaine leaf for you to sprinkle as much as you desire over the entire plate. Similar to the lemon aioli in the asparagus, this dish had a slash of basil pesto which was more for looks I think as it was not needed at all. The Salwey Rose of Pinot Noir 2017 from Baden, Germany was a nice wine if a little fruity, but still bone dry. 

Scottish Sea Trout Poached in Olive Oil on Leek Fondue with Cider Mousseline was another dish created inn heaven and as rich and creamy as it sounds. Foxen Chardonnay Bien Nacido Block UU 2016 from Santa Maria Valley in California was an appropriately creamy pairing. At this point, we asked for a slight rest and again every one of our wishes was their pleasure; excellent near perfection service indeed.

A Marriage of Virginia Bison was the main course consisting of Pepper-Crusted Tenderloin & Braised Short Rib with seared Foie Gras and a Black Truffle Madeira reduction. Black truffle mouse on crostini, baby carrots, turnip puree and potato mille feuille completed the gorgeous dish. Mine was lukewarm and I was okay with that, but Will's came really chilly, so he asked for them to fix that. No questions asked another plate arrived later but it was still not warm and he ate it anyway, but mentioned it to the staff. The cost of the dish was removed from the bill (which was only for the wines, since the meal was free!);again amazing service and true consideration and caring!

That said, I loved the flavors in the dish and the meat was cooked perfectly as well. Flavors were matched with the Avennia Syrah, Arnaut Bouchey Vineyard 2016 from Yakima Valley Washington State which had great pepper notes to match the pepper crust!

A Lilliputian Pomegranate & Maple Dreamsicle arrived as a palate cleanser pre-dessert and was ideal. Three bites of frozen yogurt on a stick with crumble and vanilla ice cream made this a real winner.

There is a choice of a pear dessert or cheeses and we both decided to do the cheese, but order different ones so we had twice as many to taste. I have raved about cheese trolleys all over with Stierereck in Vienna probably being the winner, but the moving mooing cow rolled in by one of the servers had me reminiscing about Milky White in Sondheim's "Into the Woods" which I just saw the week before.

The wine with the cheese was a 2016 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses from Priorat made of 90$Garnacha and 10% Carignan and I was worried it might eb too young, but this wine is drinking to perfection and is so full bodied even at 2-1/2 years aging!

Our cheese plates were: St. Stephen(NY State) lavender Triple Creme(I loved it but Will did not), Couple Crotte Goat(Vermont), Kerbenkase an aromatic cheese from Switzerland with pumpkin seeds that we decided is one of our new all time favorites, Black Sticks Blue(from Lancashire in the UK) with annatto seeds(reminded me of orange flavor) that was divinely creamy and rich, Torta del Casar is a Spanish sheep from Extremadura that was also a big winner.

The second plate(my choices) were:Oma from the Von Trappe Farms in Vermont, Jersey Blue(not from Jersey, but from Switzerland!), Houlihan, a farmstead raw cow from Cato Corner Farm in Connecticut, Zimbro which is a sheep from Portugal that can only be served in a spoon as it is so gooey and Cremo de Bourgogne aux Truffes--an awesome cheese that was infused with mascarpone, Italian white truffle oil and Périgord black truffles, making the complete circle from the popcorn at the beginning!

The cheeses come with delicious tangerine-lemon marmelade, raw unfiltered honey from Castleton, Virginia, toasted pecans and demi-sec French figs; all fun a greatly different from your everyday cheese plate.

You can't leave without a post0dessert and we got Valrhona chocolate bars which we could break up which had crispy rice and sea salt in them. On departure everyone gets the miniature paper "Inn" filled with cookies and chocolates just inn case you need a sugar rush on the drive home, or the next morning:-))

We had one little flub all night and it was indeed fixed as best as possible and then we were not charged. There is no question that the Inn is on top and aims to stay that way.

always brillilant at Blacksalt now with Chef JG in charge(3-7-19)

Last week Will's cousin was visiting and we headed down to our 'hood special BLACKSALT for a brilliant local fish dinner. We were thrilled to find Chef JG(Jeff Gaetjen) is now in charge of the kitchen there and hails from Will's days back at the famous Kinkead's. Serving was Tommy, also from the old days at Kinkead's, so it was a nice reunion!

Chili Margaritas were yummy with Milagro Tequila, Habanero, Lime & Salt and we decided to have some fun with LA PETITE TOWER which is not so petite as it had Peruvian Bay Scallop Ceviche, 10 Oysters(Hammersley from Washington State and Raspberry Point from PEI), 4 plump shrimp, mussels, Crab Salad and a superb Sea Scallop with Uni Butter. The phot on FB shows you this glorious creation.  White wine was in order so we chose the Castellucci Miamo 2017, delicious and perfectly-paired with seafood Catarratto from Sicily. Will's cousin liked the Sea Scallop so much she ordered the appetizer of the same dish next!! Will and I both chose the superb, moist and tender Butter Poached Lobster with Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms, Roasted Cauliflower Puree, Pearl Onions, Leeks and a Sherry & Lobster Vinaigrette. YUM!

Sam loved his Gnocchi with San Marzano Pomodoro, Royal Trumpet Mushrooms, Organic baby Napini and shaved Pecorino.

Our second wine was a delish 2015 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay from Washington State. We had collected Woodward Canyon for years as we met the winemaker decades ago, but honestly had forgotten how brilliant all their wines are! 

The Crab Cakes here are one of DC's best with Tasso Ham, Honey Crisp Apples, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato Puree and a Mustard Creme Fraiche. Will's cousin was thrilled to have some of the best Chesapeake Crab around. Will & I split the Thai Coconut & Galangal Seafood Stew with Prawns, Snapper, Clams, Mussels, Scallop and a Tamarind Rice Cake. It was a filling and thoroughly delicious stew that packed a punch and filled us totally.

We are so thrilled to have a great seafood spot just around the corner and even more thrilled that the entire team makes us feel like family. Bravo Blacksalt!

Dallas' GEMMA is indeed a gem for fine dining and casual as well (3-3-19)

Sunday brought me to Dallas where I got to see numerous clients and friends in a wonderful performance of Puccini's Manon Lescaut. After the show, nine of us headed to dinner at nearby GEMMA which had been recommended to me as one of th best fine dining spots open on a Sunday night; the recommendation was spot on! We arrived to warm welcomes and of course many of the diners came over to congratulate the performers as we sat at a large round table right in the front of the not so large dining area. 

Drinks were called for and I loved my Texas Heat of jalapeno infused tequila with Kemon, lime and a dash of cilantro, but it was the wonderful wines that followed on the recommendation of sommelier Yuri. We started with a Domaine Phillippe Tessier 2015 Romortin from Cour-Cheverny (Loire) which was brilliant with the several trays of raw oysters that arrived to start us off. They were Aunt Dotty & Cold Bottoms from Massachusetts and Mookie Blues from Maine...all were superb, briny and full of flavor. In addition an order of the Spanish Style Clams with nduja, white wine, tomato garlic broth and sherry which were fone in mere seconds! Our sever Ashley was excellent allowing us to order as we proceeded to pace ourselves and helping us choose from the wide and varied menu. We moved on to a delicious "La Porte Doree Chateauneuf de Pape Blanc 2017 from Domaine Paul Autard which was so good we had multiple bottles of the creamy Rhone blend. My Veal Sweetbreads were simply perfect with Meyer Lemon Butter, Crispy capers and mustard crema for a bite with each bite. 

Appetizers were varied and many from the Charred Cauliflower with Spicy Calabrian Chile Sauce & Blue Cheese to Mushroom Bouchee with cognac demi-glace, herb salad and parmesan crisp.

The red wine we started with was a light but balanced Georges Vernay Collines Rhodanienne 2016 Sainte Agathe and this was followed by a yummy intense Chateau Vannieres 2012 Bandol that was simply divine.

Main courses ranged from pasta (I forgot which) to the huge portion(well it is Texas) of Pork Chop with creamy polenta, bacon, roasted cipollini onions and trumpet mushrooms cooked superbly, full of flavor and so moist with a polenta dotted with mushrooms for a variety. My Grilled Texas Quail, also large in size, came with French lentils, Brussels Sprouts, roasted shallot and mustard jus and was one of the best quail dishes I remember in a while. Of course, Texas is known for its quail farms and their quality poultry!

Desserts were the Pear & Citron Sorbet while we all shared my Cheese plate of Kentucky Blue, Sofia blue ash and Greenhill Brie from Texas all of which were top notch with great variety. Gemma is indeed a gem and a great sport for excellent flavors, great service and lots of fun which the nine of us indeed had. Bravi tutti! I think I might have to go back again to try more of the excellent dishes!

take in TOP SPICE in Atlanta for an Asian dinner(near the Cobb Perf Arrts Center)-(3/2/19)

Last Saturday night I attended the opening of Eugene Onegin at the Atlanta Opera and chose a strip mall place nearby called Top Spice Thai & Malaysian. The place is warm and cozy insude with a large bar on one end, a central dining area and a several step up "mezzanine" on two sides. There was quiet unobtrusive music(a big change from Gunshow the night prior) and a backlit wall of large glass jars filled with various Asian spices. The wooden tables had small glass panels in the middle with spices boxed into small sections under the glass such as anise, chilies and more. I did not want to eat a lot so started with the Tom Kha Gai, traditional Thai coconut chicken and lemongrass soup which was chock full of mushrooms as well. I also abstained from alcohol and really liked the Harney & Sons Bangkok Green tea with ginger and lemongrass. My main was a dish I adored when in Southeast Asia: Penang Char Kway Teow which is wok fried noodles with shrimp, squid, bean sprouts, egg and chili paste with shredded carrots and lettuce on top to ease the chili intensity. It was perfectly spice and a nice dish and not to filling before the three hour plus operatic evening. It's a place I would return to for sure whenever at the Cobb Center in northwest Atlanta.

Atlanta's GUNSHOW gives a great shootoff of everything you can imagine(3-1-19)

When I decided to have dinner on my one free night here in Atlanta, I guess I was not totally sure what kind of experience I had set myself up for at GUNSHOW. I had surely enjoyed Chef Kevin Gillespie's run on Top Chef and knew how the restaurant worked with an entourage of chefs in the open kitchen each coming around to all the diners offering their dishes in no logical order or sense. I was seated at the row of seats facing the open kitchen, so I could see a lot of what was going on there with the 9 or so chefs all lined up ahead of me busying themselves throughout the night. Executive Chef Chris McCord was a couple of feet away from me the entire night helping all the other chefs keep in line and there seemed to be a great camaraderie  amongst them, although I have to admit I did feel bad when I turned a dish down.

So here is how it works. Each chef comes out of the kitchen carrying a couple of his plates (they each make two dishes) and offers them around the huge open room to someone who seems to have no food in front of them. You can say "no, thanks" and they cross off their dish on the menu of fourteen savory dishes. If you accept, they mark it purchased and the menu becomes your tab. There are also three desserts below this listing. Under that is a choice of five cocktails from the Kitchen Bar." Mixologist Mercedes O'Brien has some truly novel ideas and I started with "Tres Palomas" as my excellent server Nick(who helps to get drinks, clear plates, replenish silver, or just anything else that needs doing) said it was his favorite. Reposado Tequila, Mezcal, Coriander, Lime and Ginger Ale make up the drink in which is immersed a frozen ice cube called Tres Citrus & Habanero Ice which is the height of the glass and fills about 1/4 of it. The ice has different citrus and is a bit spicy due to the pepper infusion. It was a yummy drink and lasted a long time as the ice took a while to melt and thus made more of a drink as I waited. I moved on to the "Seasonal Tonic" which was Sunchoke & Mushroom Vodka(Yup!!) with Cranberry & Thyme Tonic, Amaro Montenegro, Citric and Seltzer.

Now here is where the drinks and the wines(also on the menu with prices and check boxes as you order each one(kind of like a Chinese dim sum menu) creates a slight problem as you don't know what you are eating until you say "yes" and then the drink or wine may not match. As you read on you will fully understand the dilemma.

I forgot to mention that the huge room is so loud you can barely think as hard rock often blasts throughout. I was very lucky to be at the table facing the kitchen away from the larger crowds at the giant tables in the middle of the room. The music softened every now and then, and sometimes I even hummed along. Talking here with your guests is almost impossible. I remembered a review by Tom Sietsema many years ago about a new establishment in Georgetown from Mike Isabella being described as like "dining inside a lawnmower," this was perhaps not that bad, but close.

Before my first drink arrived, one of the chefs came over with a bowl of what looked like ice cream scoops and explained it to me. I could not resist the "Chicken & Waffles" Chicken Liver, Waffle Ice Cream, Strawberry Pepper Jam & Pecans. The scoop of liver was rich and tasty and the little waffle cookies were great and drizzled with the pepper jam, if a bit messy. Wjhile I enjoyed this dish I was offered two others (Sweet Potato Latkes & a Fish Escabeche on Pita which I had to refuse as I was still eating and needed to keep it slow. These were two dishes I was less interested in and began to worry that if a dish I wanted arrived and I refused that the chef would not bring it back. I moved onto the Roasted Pear, Butter Poached Salsify, Yuzu Curd, Endive, Benne Tuile Salad that was a wondrous revelation. The scoop of slightly spicy yuzu was on one side and the chef (Kerry) explained it was to be taken with each bite of the salad on the other side as a dressing. I loved it and the salsify was so caramelized to perfection it was like munching on bacon! 

I knew I had to slow down and took a slight rest refusing the Nori Spiced Tempura battered Smelt, but could not resist the Szechuan Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Cabbage, Bok Choy, Chilies & Peanuts. The chef warned me it was very very spicy, but that succulent lobster tail beckoned me nonetheless. The dish was extremely spicy and I marveled at how tender the meat was and then saw the chef poaching the tails in plastic bags sous-vide! I took a mouthful of the wonderful cabbage mixture that the tail laid on(the photos are all on FB with a video as well) and got some of the Szechuan peppercorns in with them. The "Seasonal tonic" became tasteless, so I returned to the remaining Citrus/Habanero Ice in the :Tres Palomas" and the slush quelled the spices. Lots of water and about 5 minutes later I finally got my taste buds back and could continue. Alas, during this time Chef Kerry returned with his next plate and I had to refuse, but begged him to return. He did not cross me off and later returned with his delicious Grilled Octopus, Marinated Wheatberry, Pistachio & Preserved Lemon that he explained also had red wine peppercorn sauce in which I found olives, and red pickled pepperoncini for a bite. 

While he was preparing the octopus I had a brainstorm and ordered one glass of white wine and one red so that I would be ready for anything. The Sauvignon Blanc from Greywacke  in Marlborough New Zealand 2018 was ideal with the octopus and the Tempranillo from Pruno 2017 in Ribera del Duero Spain was a night hearty red that went nicely with my final savory dish: Rabbit Roulade with Creamy Polenta, Bacon Mostarda and Rabbit Gravy was heavenly and the mostarda was the right touch for the tiny delicate roulades, although somehow I got one tiny bone in my dish. My husband would have had a fit. 

I had chatted with the two men next to me a bit and asked what they liked and although they arrived after me and left before, got some good input, and in return shared which were my favorites, like the pear, lobster and octopus. When you declare yourself finished with savory, Nick procures the dessert tray with mockups of the three desserts: Warm Old Fashioned Banana Pudding, Profiteroles and Saffron Rice Pudding. I was all set to go with the latter when my neighbors said the pudding was to die for. They were right as it was made rom a recipe from the pastry chef's grandmother and used pound cake. I simply called it molten lava banana cake.

I asked Nick about dessert drinks and he recommended the gorgeous "Midwinter's Nigh Dream" made of Bourbon, Nocino, Tawny Port & Rainwater Madeira with Brown Butter Snow and a cherry. It looked beautiful and tasted even better and cut the richness of the dessert, of which I only had a bout 1/3 as it was quite large. 

Gunshow is a place you are much better off with a partner to dine with as the dishes shared allow you to have many more. I really missed not be able to manage the Peruvian Duck Breast. Do ask to sit at the counter when you reserve, it is much more fun and you get to watch all the chefs who have more tattoos piercings and beards than I have seen in my entire life, but boy do they have character and if you chat them up(although not for long as they have to make more to serve) they can be most endearing.

One chef told me not to feel bad when declining a dish, but I still did. I left after about 2 hours and a tad very stuffed but truly happy that I have had this wonderful and novel experience. Bravo to the entire team, even if I did not have your dish, as you work your asses off and seem to really enjoy it. It may not be a gun show, but it is a show, and the hard work shows!

ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar books millenials to the hilt but puts forth some fun plates(2-28-19)

Four of us headed across town to North Capitol & Florida where ANXOS sits on a busy corner at 300 Florida Ave, NW in a neighborhood that has undergone massive changes and gentrification recently. The downstairs was heaving at 715pm when we arrived and we had to push and squeeze our way to the stairway to get to the dining room upstairs which while open to the bar below was much quieter and a welcome space with only just over a dozen tables and another bar. In nice weather, I would assume the bar crowd fills the outdoor patios space, so I would not want to be a neighbor to this noisy crowd.

Our server Malcolm was the only one working the room at first and he gently explained the ciders and plates and I asked if I could have some tastes since cider was relatively novel for me, especially since there were about 30 different kinds. Anxo Cidre Blanc was dry and had a taste like Sauvignon Blanc and Anxo Grand Cru 2019 was made with WA Bittersweets and Native Yeasts, but my favorite of the tastes was the Rose that had apple intensity, reminded me more of wine and a slightly sour taste. I enjoyed a glass but switched to the Vevi Verdejo 2016 white from Rueda in Spain and ultimately loved the Pares Balta Mas Petit 2015 Penedes red from Spain. The descriptions of the ciders and wines is extensive and makes it hard to choose, but Malcolm was patient and helped. The other guests tried the Cider Flight which for $12 gives you 4 two ounce pours and the Boozy Flight which has 4 one ounce pours of ciders that have over 50% alcohol content...really brandies; an intense trip. The FB photos are fun, especially the empty taste glasses lined up on the window sill.

The food varies from superb to okay with the Cantabrian Anchovies being extremely salty but that was tempered by the little breadstick like picos that came with them; wrapping the fish around the pico was the ideal was to make it work. Patatas Bravas were nice, but not a touch on the ones we get in Barcelona and while both the cheese and charcuterie platters were both excellent varied and nice, the $25 price for each seemed a tad high. The Valdeon Blue was a highlight of the latter and the Lomo also a hit.

Bunuelos de Bacalao Vizcaina are not what we would call cod fritters as they are more doughnut like with a hint of cod flavor and a small dot of the red salsa on top; not a winner.

Tuna Tartar comes in a small taco cup and is made from quality yellowfin with salmon roe, shallots, orange and salsa rosa. I adored the rich Chicken Liver Mousse Montadito with apple mostarda and guindilla peppers. They sent out a Short Rib Montadito with smoked anchovy and pickled onions by mistake, but we ate it and loved it too.

Main courses brought a boring Gambas al Ajillo which had the right ingredients of garlic, apple brandy and lemon, but seemed lacking in overall flavor.

Grilled Kalbi-Style Lamb Riblets were the daily special with soy, garlic, sesame oil and District Dry Cider marinade and scallions that I loved but the top hit was the simple Grilled Green Onions in romesco sauce!!

Desserts were quite good and we chose three to share: Goat Cheese Flan made from Pipe Dreams Goat Cheese with caramel and membrillo sauce, Cider-Poached Apple Terrine with salted caramel frozen custard and brown butter crumble and the winning Basque Gateau with apple marmalade.

You sense the apple cider drift in the dishes, but it is not overwhelming and it's a fun place if you don't mind the noise, because by the time we left the upstairs was full and heaving and the crowd downstairs was gone. Who knew?