San Francisco's PALETTE is poised and perfect (8-28-21)

 Since I only had one night here for fine dining(most places are closed Sunday), I headed about a 20min walk from my hotel to PALETTE in the Yerba Buena District in a huge brick building with PALETTE in rough white paint on the front. The temps had dropped 20 degrees in 2 hours and it had gotten chilly, so the flame heaters were on in full force for the outdoor a la carte terrace dining on the street. I headed inside to the cavernous dining room with two sections in a giant oval separated by the open kitchen in the middle. The ceilings of each oval half are actually barreled and have windows in them so you see up to the nearby buildings. Various types of art in the form of small wooden boats hand way abouve with a large installation nearer the top way up of real whalebones (they looked like giant samurai swords) as well as some made of glass or plexiglass.

The tables are mostly of 2 and 4 with some a bit closer than I would like, clothed in black with linens and all hand-blown crystal made locally for the restaurant. The water glasses were a bit weird as they were dark colors with wavy glass ridges which get in they way of your lips as you sip.

The Master Sommelier Jeremiah Morehouse was knowledgeable and entertaining and always there to help. I started with a creamy herbaceous Sancerre Patient Cottat Ancienne Vignes 2020 and then decided on the parings for an extra $90. Before each course he told me what he was going to pour and if I was not excited, immediately came up with an alternate! The 4 course menu has multiple selections and runs $120 (there are a lot of options with supplements including one steak for an extra $180!!)which is a steal from the super talented Chef Peter J. Helmsley, who was always visible to us on our side of the prep area as each dish came out and he checked, double checked and then often even brought them to the table himself.

Three different amuses(although they were larger than what one normally gets) came first(all photos on FB):

-Lobster Salad on Puffed Rice Cracker with Meyer Lemon, Shiso and Smoked Sturgeon that was a wonderful one bit wonder.

-Foraged green salad with house made Green Goddess Dressing, Pickled Ramps and Nasturtium, a real nice change as a couture salad like this is so rare 

-Brandade of Halibut with a Garlic Aioli with Pickled Hungarian Peppers

Pas De Monier Provence Rose was my next wine from Chateau Gassier which was very refreshing and nice with the awesome and complex Grilled Bigeye Tuna with Plum & Cherry Ponzu, Salted Cucumber and Bonita Flakes. The tuna was barely grilled on the edge and amazingly tender and exquisite and the fruit ponzu was intense and a perfect foil while the flakes added a novel texture.

My second course was the Plancha Fried  Farm Egg with Hedgehog & Chanterelles Mushrooms and Peas over a Fava Bean Puree and Mushroom Jus. This dish was ingenious as the egg added depth, the mushrooms earthiness and the peas (Chef Carla Hall would have been in heaven) were all huge and fresh and almost a tad crunchy cooked to perfection. The paired wine was the best I had all night, and huge bodied Peay Pinot Noir 2012 from Sonoma Coast that was intense and earthy designed to match the mushrooms.

I asked my server Terrance for a nice break as the plates were huge and I actually did not finish most of them despite their magnificence. After a nice intermission the Roasted Duck Breast arrived cooked to perfection with Glazed Candied Carrots(how nice to see some purple heirlooms in the mix), Puffed Amaranth, Huckleberry Compote and Elderberry Duck Jus. The amaranth was a nice foil to the rich compote and adhered to each piece of duck for some fun crunch. The duck skin was cooked ideally with just a nice crunch as well. the wine was a spicy Equinoxe Crozes-Hermitages 2019 Syrah from Maxim Graillot. It was young but ideal. Four breads and butter were offered, but I had to decline!

A small bowl arrived with a palate cleanser of Watermelon Sorbet on a salted cookie crumble that was sweet and salty and crunchy!

My dessert was Plum & Burnt Honey Vacheron and the compote was delish with meringue that was crunchy and a Satsuma foam. Jeremiah treated me to a 2012 Vendages Tardive(late harvest) Gewurtztraminer from Domaine Schlumberger in Alsace that was rich, thick and had a nice acidity to cut the rich meringue and sweet plum.

Just in case I was still hungry and tiny house made marshmallow arrived with a superb mini Chocolate Macaroon. 

The staff at Palette is brilliant, the service is beyond excellent, and the food is indeed perfect and all looks magnificent when presented. I can't wait to return to San Francisco to try this again!

Sausalito's (California) BARREL HOUSE is super and a barrel of fun (8-28-21)

 On arrival for my 40+hour whirlwind trip to San Francisco this weekend, I was invited to lunch with three friends and clients who are actually in the performance of Tosca here that I will see later today). They graciously picked me up at my hotel and we headed a cross the bridge on a gorgeous 80 degree day to The BARREL HOUSE on the shore in Sausalito with great views of the bay, Alcatraz and the city of San Francisco.

While waiting for our table we had super Watermelon Margaritas which were way more on the side of Tequila than watermelon, but super tasty and with a half salt, half cayenne rim that you could switch back and forth for different flavors.

At the table our hosts ordered a wonderful selection of starters:

Pacific Snapper Ceviche came with yummy taro chips(I wish the chips were on the side rather than around the edges, as some got real soggy as they slid into the lime/jalapeno mix! The fish was divine as was the tuna in the Tartare Tacos made with Asian Pears(!!), Avocado Mousse, Slaw, Chili Oil, Calabrian Chile Oil and Soy Lime Vinaigrette!

There were three kinds of oysters and all beyond delicious: my favorite Kumamotos come from nearby Mendocino County and the Miyagi from also nearby Tomales Bay in Marin County. The third was Fanny Bay from British Columbia.

Our server Javier was amazing and seemed to know exactly what our hosts wanted. I tried the yummy Raging Bull Bloody Mary with Hansen habanero Vodka(not very spicy), beef broth and the best blue cheese olives!

There was more grilled snapper for the mains with steak as we all enjoyed the views and then our hosts dipped their feet in the bay on the way out! Tons of great pics on FB!

Dish & Dram in Kensington, MD. dishes it our deliciously(8-10-21)

 Last night was one of our best friend's birthday and we decided to give him a wine tasting with snack pairings which turned out to be a taste extravaganza indeed. We had done this event at Dish & Dram before in Kensington, MD. and the manager Davis has always made it a superb and even thrilling experience. Last night he worked with Dave Markowitz of Winebow Imports to serve up some truly novel and wonderful wines.

On arrival we were treated to Non Vintage Pol Clement Rose Sec, a delicious Cremant from the Loire Valley. We also had a lot of little kid screams from the next table that were more impressive than the thunder and lightening outside! Some refills calmed our nerved (from the kid) as all the guests arrived. The Cremant was served with a Cantaloupe Gazpacho with Crispy Prosciutto that was refreshing and light and yummy.

The next course was a simple Heirloom Tomato Salad with Balsamic Reduction & Mozzarella that paired wondrously with a 2020 Zentao delle Venezie Pinot Grigio. We all loved this as it had no perfume as a Pinot Grigio often does and was richer and creamier than usual.

2019 Hubert Brochard "Traditions: Sancerre was easily unmasked as a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire (but we did not do blind tastings) and was divine with the Steamed Clams with Smoked Chicken Sausage & White wine,

The reds were really impressive as well and we started with a 2015 from La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva made of Tempranillo that gets 2 years in American oak and shows it--smooth as can be. I would buy a case! Truffle risotto with Microgreens was decadent and delicious.

The last red was 2019 Masseria Li Veli Susmaniello (just when I thought I knew most varietals) from Puglia where the Susmaniello grape is given a treatment similar to it's cousin Amarone in the north with the grapes dried like raisins. It was paired with a Lamb Kabob with Pickled Onions and Chimichurri that was tender as could be.

We ordered some extra desserts after the Chocoflan Birthday Slice arrived which was a flan over chocolate cake! The Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Tart with sugar cookie crust, dark chocolate and vanilla whipped cream was a dream as was the Tres Leches with Apricot Compote. I did not taste the Cheese Pie with Berry compote.

Davis also brought out some glasses of Recioto & Trockenbeerenauslese dessert wines. What a birthday, what a treat!!

--

Cooperstown's Toscana is tasty, but.... (8-7-21)

 We headed into town to a teeny Italian place with a friend of ours last night and the experience was indeed varied from our arrival, when the owner could not find the reservation and said he was full, to him quickly saying he had a table. Very weird. The place was full and indeed a large group arrived to sit at the next table, only to be escorted out and immediately be replaced by another similarly large group.

Our server Liz proffered the wine list saying, "please have some second choices" as much of the list might not be available. The menu was varied and large and in the end, they did have everything we requested. An upstate Finger Lakes Dr. Konstantin Frank 2019 Chardonnay was a good start and went superbly with the amazing Burrata with pear, gorgonzola, hearts of palm, tomato(not sun-dried as on the menu, but fresh, which was better) and a balsamic glaze.

We told Liz to give us a break and that we wanted to first split a pasta and then split one main. She brought the two plates at the same time and we sent the duck back to be kept warm.

The Pasta Special was a heavy and rich but yummy Broccoli Rabe & Sausage Ravioli in a Vodka-Tomato based Sauce. We switched to a Franco Amoroso 2017 Barbaresco which was also very nice, if a bit tannic for a Barbaresco. Our split main course was the Roasted Long Island Duckling which said "extra crispy" on the menu and came in a yummy Cassis Sauce with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli. Sadly, mine got a bit dried out while it was kept warm during the pasta course. It was very crispy and the sauce was quite nice; but alas, the serving error was an issue.

Will tried the tasty Creme Brulee (again) and indeed the topping was hard as we demand; the creme itself okay, but quite rich and thick and sweet.

We had heard some odd stories about Toscana and while in the end it was okay, there is still that but.....

The Rose & Kettle (Cherry Valley, NY) rises above the rest anywhere near Cooperstown(8-6-21)

 For half a dozen years we have enjoyed the best meal every time we come to Cooperstown at the Rose and Kettle in nearby Cherry Valley.

 Several years ago we started a tradition of taking clients and a lot of the young artists to a large dinner party there and it's always been a huge success and tons of fun. Unfortunately they are closed this Sunday because they're not operating at full scale yet, but we were lucky enough to get in on Friday night for probably what was the best meal we have had there ever.

 The cocktails here are always fun such as Lancaster Lemonade with Ketel One vodka limoncello, Cointreau and lemon. I'm a huge fan of the Pomegranate Cosmo which has Stoli Vodka, Cointreau,  pomegranate and lime and not a single hint of super sweetness. Raves came for the Lakota Lime with gin, canton, muddled rosemary and lemon juice. The wine list is pretty impressive here and we started with a Wachau Gruner Veltlliner 2018 from Austria which is interesting because that's the same wine we had there 2 years ago, so I'm guessing that due to covid the wine cellar hasn't changed much.  I was very happy to see the Famille Perrin Reserve Côtes du Rhone from 2018 which we always love and also just recently had on our KLM flight home.

 We had never dined in the room to the right as you come in to the very old house and it's really cute with a lot of old photos that are well over a 100 years old, big wooden tables and and almost parquet like ceiling.

 I was in love with the Griilled Shrimp starter which had mango, shallot, galangal, cilantro,  a hint of mint and nuac cham which pretty much covered the mint because it's a bit spicy. Fried Cauliflower was also very popular and was masa harina dusted with a Chipotle aioli and cilantro pesto.

 Lime Tortilla Chicken Soup also seemed to be delicious and the Crab Cakes here are probably some of the best outside of the Washington area with sauteed spinach and lemon caper aioli.  You can never go wrong with an arugula salad when it has goat cheese, toasted almonds, dried cherries, red onion and a delicious Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

 Main courses were huge successes from the Pesto Grilled Pork Loin with toasted corn relish, cheddar cheese grits and green beans to the simpler Herb Roasted Chicken with Pan gravy, garlic mashies and green beans to the amazingly rare and fabulous Tuna au Poivre which was black pepper rubbed and pan seared with garlic mashies, sauteed spinach with a Bourbon peppercorn cream sauce and fried red onions; Simply Divine.

Our server Cian was excellent, as was the whole team; super attentive to our every every need...turns out he is the chef/owner's son!

 Dessert could not be resisted from the New York style cheesecake with fresh blueberries to the Creme Brulée with fresh berries to the Strawberry Rhubarb Tart with whipped cream. All get winning marks but special kudos to that perfectly bruléed topping!!

 We are excited to come back again next year with another huge group of young artists and singers when we can enjoy the rose and kettle and share it with many other people again.

coming back to Cooperstown, NY, the BLUE MINGO makes a comeback (8-5-21)

Our last meal at the Blue Mingo two years ago was a disappointment, but our return last night was a success. Things are not quite back to normal and no reservations are taken for parties under 5, so the 4 of us decided to wait the approx 30 minutes, which was fine as we ordered some drinks at the bar and then found a table to hang out at while waiting. The Spicy Margarita here is always a treat and made the wait worth it.

Our table was right on the lake and the weather was gorgeous as well and our server Kate timed everything perfectly. We started with a bottle of refreshing Chateau de Campuget Costieres de Nimes Rose and I made the mistake of ordering the Korean BBQ Kimchi Fries with Pulled Pork, Melted Cheddar, Sriracha & Green Onions as a starter. We did all share starters, but do I really need all that yummy gooey, spicy starch; YES!! The Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans was huge and the portion of Chicken Potstickers with Lemongrass Soy Broth had 6 medium dumplings; still a large portion. The Sweet Chili Brussels Sprouts with Chimichurri were delish and would be an excellent veggie side for the table to share as well.

We had a nice bottle of 2017 Ramos Pintos Duas Quintas Portugal red that went great with the three burgers. There is now a whole selection of burgers; Will had the Uncas with Cheese, Bacon, Garlic Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato & Onion, while two of us had the Sleeping Lion with Maple Bacon Bourbon Jam(thick ketchup with bourbon and maple on crack!), arugula & goat cheese. The Fish Tacos also got high marks.

No room for dessert as we waddled back to our hotel up the lake. Blue Mingo is back on our radar again thank goodness.

JUDGES at KIRKELVINGTON, UK (near Middelsborough & Yarm) always wins the case (8-1-21)

 Each trip we make to Yorkshire has been ending with us dining at our wonderful country house hotel, Judges and our dear friends Sue & Steve have made a tradition of staying overnight and joining us for dinner. This was no exception and the quality and experience is still one of the best fine dining options in the region.

Despite Will's opinion that the weather would suck the entire week we were in Yorkshire, it actually was a gorgeous afternoon with temps in the high 60's, so the five of us enjoyed cocktails outside along with some yummy amuses of Sweet Potato en Croute and Liver Pate  Tartelette (Sam got a Beetroot option). We perused the menus and wine list, made some decisions and moved inside to the always beautiful conservatory with views on the gardens and grounds. The views were enhanced by our very cute server George.

A 2020 Viognier Les Argelieres was a creamy lemony white with our luscious starters. The Pigeon with Brick Pastry, Mushroom Duxelle, Bacon Jam, & Red Wine Jus was on the dry side and the bacon jam was intense. The manager/sommelier Umut (which means "hope" in Turkish) said it was not as good as the Rabbi with Wild Mushroom & Rabbit Terrine, Loin of Rabbit, Rabbit Jus, Lovage Oil  & Noodle Potato Crisp, but Will and I both loved the way these dishes sounded and decided to split them. Umut was right as the Rabbit was tender (there was one small cartilage in the terrine) and tasty with lots of flavor and not dry at all. Score for Umut, we should have listened.

Sam & Sue started with the rich Veloute of Watercress & Baked Potato with Sauteed Asaparagus & Pea Shoots which was a winner, while Steve had to have the same dish he tried weeks before and loved: Scallop with Cauliflower Couscous, Onion Bhaji, Curry Sauce & Coriander Emulsion: the return engagement was a hit.

We moved on to a 2009 Artemes Domaine de la Citadelle, Cotes de Luberon which was jammy and plummy and had aged gracefully; Sam had his last rounds of his Kopperburg Mixed Fruit Cider.

Sam's main was a starter (double portion) of Ravioli of Wild Mushroom, Radish & Asparagus Salad with herb Oil which he liked, but ended up being very large and seemed to need a more exciting sauce, especially as a main course.

Sue went for the Halibut with Spring Onion Mash, Pea Puree & Smoked Seafood Foam which she paired with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 from Kuki in New Zealand. Steve did a second repeat engagement of the yummy Cannon of Lamb with Pommes Anna, Mint Emulsion(I would have chosen this save for the mint), Baby Vegetables & Lamb Jus, while Will & I had the huge portion of Pork which was a Parma Ham Wrapped Fillet, Pork Pie, Confit Potato, Sage Crisp, Glazed Carrot, Spinach and a rich gravy on the side which was deelish, especially on the pie and potatoes.

We all were in a dessert move, save for Sam and Will went for the Banana with Rum & Raisin Panna Cotta, Banana Sorbet * Almond Praline(brittle), but I think the big hit was the Raspberry with Pistachio Sponge(cake), Poached Raspberries and a Rose-Water Sorbet that was really more like raspberry sorbet! A yummy bottle of 2013 Taylor LBV Port was ideal and we had some more of that back in the cozy, yet huge lounge with it's 19th century decor and feel. it was the perfect end to a wonderful trip. we love Judges and feel so much at home there, we know we will be back again next summer.

--

Norton's(Stockton-on-Tees) Cafe Lilli is luscious and delicious (7-30-21)

 Our dear friends Sue & Steve have been raving, posting and commenting on their favourite dining spot just around the corner from their home and while Will & Sam have dined there before, this was my virgin visit--and I fell in love!

Check out the adorable decor and wall paintings on my FB photos, not to mention the amazing food. It's a smallish space, so book ahead as it was jammed on Friday night after we enjoyed yummy cocktails chez Sue & Steve. we started with a bottle of Le Sabble dell'Etna Bianco DOC 2020 with Carriacante & Catarratto which was great with our starters, while Sam found Angioletti Cidro Mela Rossa to his liking. 

Smoked Haddock Tian was light and delightful with Red Pepper Coulis & Soft Boiled Egg as was the Potato & Leek Soup with Goat Cheese & Cherry Tomatoes. Steve told us the chef makes all the pasta from scratch, so I had to try the Chickpea Ca; Soreccie pasta with Prawns, Lemon & Chilli. Our server Sacha said it was great and that was an understatement; it also packed a nice spice punch. Steve actually had the dish as a main course. Sam started with the Button mushroom, courgettes and parmesan risotto which he  loved ("OMG!!") and then moved on to the Pinsa, an enormous pizza/flatbread with virtually everything veggie on it.

We moved on to a yummy Corvo Rosso Terre Siciliane with tons of fruit and Morello cherry flavours as well as a tad of acidity. I loved this with my medium rare(perfectly cooked) Brampton Buffalo(we say Bison) Fillet with Dauphinoise Potatoes, Wild Mushrooms, (Chanterelles), Kale and Red Wine Jus!! The Oven Roast Porchetta(spelled Porcetta) is a dream dish with Pea Puree, Potato Mille Feuille, Honey Roasted Carrots, Shallots, Savory Cabbage and Russian Stout Jus(yup--Russian STOUT) and it was crispy crunchy on the outside of the enormous roulade; simply perfection.

Max is the manager who is very young, attentive and loves to shmooze; we loved chatting with him about everything from food to football(that is soccer for those of you in the USA). He suggested an superb and inexpensive Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 Scuola Giale which was ideal with the cheese board we all shared.

The cheese itself was another revelation served with Granny Smith slices, quince paste and grapes and those amazing charcoal crackers we adore:

-Mordon Ruddy was akin to Red Leicester and comes from nearby Durham as does the 

-Mordon Isle, a relative, but more like Brie/Triple Creme

-D+Farmhouse White was a great cheddar ,  but the winner was the mildest ever blue also from  Mordon, called Mordon Blue!

Mordon is a place we have to visit next trip!

Everything was dreamy and delicious and we could not even think of dessert, but we know Cafe Lilli is in the cards every time we come back to Yorkshire!

--

Eliano's in Middlesborough, UK is easy Italian fare (7-29-21)

 Another night here in Middlesborough brought us to Eliano's an adorable little Italian joint right in the center of town where we joined 2 of Will's friends from infant school. Be sure to check out the Facebook pictures of them 48 years ago as well as today.

 This wonderful little bistro is run by Rosetta who hails from  Calabria inn Southern Italy and seems to run the entire affair singlehandedly!

 I was upset that they were completely sold out of the grilled asparagus starter so instead Will and I both tried the Tris di Crostini:three yummy Crostini of crab & tuna, mozzarella & basil, and "Caviar" di Melanzane(or eggplant spread)! Our wine was a very reasonably priced Soave Classico 2018 from Giulio Pasotti.  There was also a bruschetta of duck and chicken liver patê as well as regular tomato bruschetta.

 We all love garlic bread so we decided to order the cheese garlic bread which was actually a large pizza with cheese and garlic on it. It became apparent that we had overdosed as the main courses were truly huge. Giant pizzas were loved by all as well as the pasta dishes, mine being a spicy kick-ass Spaghetti di Mare loaded with Calabrian chiles, prawns, mussels, calamari, huge chunks of salmon and more in a white wine, garlic and parsley sauce. Lesson learned--skip the starters to save room for dessert and huge mains!

 I had a taste of each of the deserts and they were both amazing: Cheesecake as well as Lemon & Raspberry Poffit(a thick custard), apparently all made in house by Rosetta. Sam loved the Italian beers and we all had a great home-town time.