Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna, VA is serving up a spectacular SEVEN FISH DINNER (12/23)

 A couple we met on our cruise this summer were in DC for the holiday weekend staying out at Tyson's Corner and we asked them to join us in nearby Vienna at Roberto's on Friday night. The menu had changed a lot since out last visit in October, most notably was the holiday set dinner for $110 (that must be ordered by the entire table) that we could not resist. It is called "Chef Roberto's Seven Fish Dinner" and we can't say how simply superb it was and you really need to try this before it is removed from the holiday menu.

We were sorry to see that our regular server for decades, Deborah, had headed home to the UK for the holiday, but Sara and her team did a great job (except for one small item, quickly rectified). we started with our favorite white on the menu the Manincor La Manina from Alto Adige which is a superb blend of pinot blanc, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. I am really excited that we will visit this winery next October when I take a small group for a food and wine tour of the Dolomites! The wine has everything going for it and we polished it off with the starter of Baccala Mantecato con Le Rappe Rosse or Poached Cod whipped with Olive Oil atop Red Beets (of course, there are FB fotos of all).  The wine was also good for wolfing down the delicious breads from those peppery grissini to the soft focaccia to the amazing cheese buns; we had to ask for extras.

We knew we had a Calamaro Ripieno con Salsa All'Aglio Nero coming and the Calamari was stuffed with bread and seafood in the most divine yet thick Black Garlic Sauce (a real touch with the white and black contrasts), so we ordered another white suggested by Dmitri and the acidity in the Pala 2021 Vermentino from Sardinia was perfect with the rich sauce. we finished out white with the next course of Zuppa di Zafferano, Vegetale e Cozze which was a superb Saffron Soup of Autumn vegetables with mussels. On arrival Sara had asked about allergies and we repeated our usual dislike of all things licorice, but our guest had a real allergy to bell peppers, which there were in the soup. but we spotted them, and her bowl was whisked away and replaced with the Argentine Shrimp Crudo, a starter off the a la carte menu with spicy green sauce, radish, jalapeno and home-made pickled Chanterelles! I have to say the warm soup was perfect for this coldest of nights in what seemed years as the wind chills were below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the thermometer was reading single digits.

We needed to move to a red wine that went with the heavier fish dishes and Dmitri agreed with my choice of the BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, NOTTE, VILLA ELENA 2015 that was drinking as smoothly as could be. Our next course was the Cavatelli con Scungilli, Salsa Neonata Calabrese con Arucola and this was simply divine dish of home-made Ricotta Cavatelli(like gnochhi) with conch, arugula and a kicky Calabrese chile Neonata sauce. The wine was ideal with this to boot.

Our second pasta was just as spectacular with the Raviolo di Aragosta, Ragi di Grancio, Salsa di Aragosta. The single huge raviolo was filled with lobster & Mascarpone cheese, topped with crab ragu and served in a decadent lobster sauce. OMG!!  I may have wanted more of both these amazing pasta dishes, but we moved on to the Capesanta Al Tartufo Nero e Spuma di Patate or a Sauteed Sea Scallop with Black truffle on Potato Foam. It sounds light, but it was a filling dish, and we discovered our Barbaresco was gone, so we ordered four glasses of a wonderful Amarone from Tenuta del Sarto. This wine comes in 3L bottles or Jeroboam. It was listed on the menu as 2015, which is great, but still a tad young and we were thrilled to see a 2012 had just been opened.  I wish we had ordered the whole Jeroboam!! At $18 a glass this is a STEAL and went truly perfectly with our final fish course of Tonno ai Porcini e Salsa Barbaresco, yes-an Ahi tuna with porcini mushrooms(in a lattice over the tuna) in Barbaresco wine reduction, which of course was a hefty dish and worked brilliantly with the Amarone (or the Barbaresco if you had some left).

Dessert was Tortino di Panettone and I was really worried as I think of dry rock-hard fruitcake when I hear the word panettone, but this was a Warm Panettone pudding in vanilla and caramel sauce, and I quickly gobbled up the yummy dish leaving not a bite left. Limoncello as well as Amaro della Sirene(made locally in DC) were offered as digestifs, and we of course indulged and rolled ourselves out to the car and headed home in the bitter cold.

Chef Roberto Donna never ceases to amaze us all at the table and this meal was one of the best to date since his opening last February. I know there will be many, many more.

Take #2 for Turkey in DC at the delicious OTTOMAN TAVERNA(12-11-22)

 After dining out the night before in Arlington at the wonderful, but simple, Istanbul Grill, we headed into Dc the next day to OTTOMAN TAVERNA, where the decor is almost decadent, the prices are higher and the food was indeed a step up. One warning is that the address is 425 "I" St, NW but the restaurant entrance is on Fourth St, north of "I"!! There's no parking lot here like in Arlington, and indeed parking in this hip new "Noma": neighborhood can be hard or nary impossible. We lucked out as it was a quiet Sunday night.

So at Ottoman Taverna it is a fixed-price four course mean and a quite nice and varied one, too. We four decided to order a selection of four cold mezze(one each on the menu) to share, then we chose three warm mezze(to share) and a main course and dessert each. It was a filling meal and a great deal for sure. The wine prices here are about 20% higher for the same wines we had the night before. we started with a Vinkara 2019 Kalecik Karasi which is indeed the Turkish kin to Pinot Noir. When ordering, be careful as they also have a white from Vinkara (called Hansedede) which we had in Turkey and love, but had to send back. Our server Bugra was apologetic and immediately whisked the wine away, but left me a small pour to enjoy! The red is a yummy medium bodied wine that goes with almost everything. Our second red was a bigger one that Bugra suggested, the KAV-a blend from Anatolya of Okuzgozu and Bogazkere varietals. Now you try to figure all that out!

Our cold mezze were Hummus(uneventful). Ezme (a sundried tomato paste with onion, pepper, garlic, parsley and Turkish spice), Pembe Siltan of beets and yogurt which we all loved and the very spicy Aton of garlic, yogurt, celery and sun-dried chilies!! The bread here was warm and delish and closer to focaccia than pita.

The warm mezze were Felafel with yogurt that was a tad dry, Patates Kofte, which looked like the felafel but was a potato cake with feta and yogurt and the yummy Sigar Boregi or feta and onion cigar-shaped bourekas.

Main courses were all delish and as I said there are a couple dozen or so.

-Adana Kebap is chargrilled beef kebab with red pepper and herbs on bulgar pilaf with ezme dip and carrot-red cabbage slaw on the side

-Beyti Kebop is Char-Grilled Spicy Ground Beef Kebap wrapped in Lavash Bread with Eggplant Puree, served with Tomato Sauce & Yogurt 

-Doner Kebap is another variation with Thinly Sliced Beef Döner Kebab Served with White Rice, Ezme(Turkish Salsa) and Carrot-Red Cabbage Slaw 

-Moussaka here is as rich as it gets with Eggplant, Potato, Ground Beef, Bechamel Sauce & Kashkaval Cheese 

The desserts are very nice and simple. We tried the KATMER or phyllo with pistachio and cream, the Baklava and the Sutlac, an oven-baked rice pudding with cinnamon.

If you want a classier Turkish option downtown, this is a great choice for sure, and the service is friendly, and the decor is indeed very warm and lush.

Arlington's ISTANBUL GRILL is great for true Turkish and a budget (12-10-22)

 Friends of ours suggested ISTANBUL GRILL in Ballston in Arlington and the unpretentious place is a gem indeed. Wines are $40 or so a bottle for excellent Turkish varietals that can be hard to find in the USA as well. The food is low priced, hearty, tasty and filling. We tried the Majestik 2019 Syrah and Kalecik Karasi blend first and loved that and our server, Suat, suggested the Yakut 2019 Kavaklidere which we also loved. Two hearty reds that stand up to the food as well.

Warm pita-like bread and olives arrived, and we started with the Cold Mezze Platter which has plenty for everyone: Hummus, Cacik(cucumber dip akin to Tzatziki), Babaghanoush, Haydari(Thick yogurt, walnut, garlic, mint and dill) and KIRMIZI PANCAR TARATOR(beet dip with yogurt). The Grilled Octopus Salad with Beans is huge and a really super dish. It uses the main part of the tentacle, so for those who don't like the little cups on the legs, this is perfect! A super dish that one does not see often is Patlican & Biber Kizartmasi which is pan-fried eggplant and pepper in a yogurt sauce= DIVINE! The eggplant was cooked perfectly and then smothered with yogurt but was not gooey or slimy at all.

Main courses are many and we chose to split some:

The MANTI here are made from ground beef in dumplings with a yogurt and tomato sauce and taste delish, while I would normally not order fries, these are wonderful with a nice spice on them. A large group can order the double MIX GRILL PLATTER, but I would stick to a single and then get another dish as these platters are huge and loaded with everything from Doner Kebab to Lamb to Sauteed Beef and Chicken Adana (kebab like).

We were more than full, and plenty left to take home. What a deal and what a simple, yet great place. My only qualm was the nice linen napkins were quite frayed and torn to shreds :-(

another amazingly awesome meal at ANJU (DC-11/29/30)

 We had such a great time an ANJU in October, that one of our guests decided to invite us back for another feat on her birthday as well as her and her husband's anniversary. The repast was remarkable, and we all had the greatest time indeed.

Soy Humo! is my go-to drink here now made with Chacho Jalapeno Aguardiente, Bahnez Mezcal, soy/agave syrup and lime juice. This smokey miracle is great on a cold winter day or anytime. Our wines included a Provence Rose that one of the guests brought as well as a 2020 Pinot Noir Rose from Domaine Pelle-Menetou-Salon, "Morogues" in the Loire that was a wonderful fruity yet full-bodied choice with the spicy food. Our red was a 2016 Easton Zinfandel from Amador Country that easily stood up to the spice.

We shared starters and all were terrific One of our favorite tartares around is the Yukhoe which is a luscious beef tartare made with palm sugar, chili basil seeds, pine nuts, and served with lotus crisps to scoop it up. All agreed this is a signature star dish that can never leave the menu! The Mandu are yummy dumplings of pork and kimchi that are pan fried and the Chickin is another divine dish that is fried to perfection with spicy gochujang glaze & white bbq drizzle.

There are many main dishes to choose from, but Will & I headed right for the "Mama Lee's Classics" section and chose the Kimchi Jjigae, a pork rib meat stew, soft tofu with aged kimchi that packs a kick, but the tofu totally matches the spice. If you seek a spicy thick soup to warm you up on a winter evening, choose the Jjappong made with thick noodles in a spicy seafood broth with wok roasted shellfish filling the bowl.

Gamjatang is a braised pork shank with potato, napa, perilla & radish and then there is the Dak Jjim or Korean braised chicken thighs with potatoes and onions, another one of Mama Lee's specialty, as is the Dolsot Bibim Bap the hot stone bowl of rice, assorted vegetables, and choice of bulgogi (or tofu). All the fotos are on FB of course.

We split two desserts and chose the Ginger Funnel Cake we loved so much last time which comes with caramel, apple & pear compote, soybean powder & sesame cream.

The Jujube Flan De Queso is another winner which comes with honey, granola, black pepper whipped cream & lemon. Of course there was a birthday cake and we all left fuller than full and with lots of doggie bags as Anju is a great place to over-order and have leftovers for several days!

Our server Abby did an amazing job keeping us all more than happy!

GUANTANAMERA makes great Cuban on NYC's west side (11-25-22)

It has been a long time since our last visit to Guantanamera on NYC's west side at 8th Avenue and 56th St. Decades ago we always dined near Lincoln Center at Federico's (which ultimately closed and became a Victoria's Secret and is now an Apple Store). We met the manager Mario Zarate there and we followed him to Old John's Diner for our pre-opera meals which closed ages ago as well. Mario subsequently opened Guantanamera (after trying a short run as an Italian place in the same spot--too much competition) at the beginning of this millennia and we have been going ever since. We joined our friend, Lauren Flanigan and enjoyed a couple of pitchers of their wonderful Red Sangria as we perused the menu, that has also remained unchanged for years.

The three of us all settled on the Ensalada Palma Real of Mixed greens, artichokes, avocado, parmesan cheese, lemon dressing which is a super salad and always a favorite of anyone who tries it. Lauren and I had the Vaca Frita of Pan-seared shredded skirt steak, fresh mojo, onions, parsley, lime and of course, all the dishes come with Rice and Beans!! Will's Ropa Vieja of Shredded skirt steak stew, onions, peppers, tomato sauce was also just as good. The food here is very reasonably priced and it is a 10 minute walk to Lincoln Center or most Broadway theaters, so always a good choice especially when between a matinee and evening show like we were. We can't wait to return to Guantanamera and Mario and his super staff who all have the biggest smiles that make us happy too. The music might be a tad loud and be careful as they do have live entertainment at 8pm or 9pm or so on some nights!!

NYC's THE MODERN makes for a marvelous meal with TWO Michelin stars and a major money drain (11-23-22)

 On Thanksgiving weekend, we often have a free night in NYC and have always headed to Ai Fiori for what was a fabulous Italian meal. Last year we had major disappointments there and have moved up to midtown where THE MODERN has been ensconced next to the Museum of Modern Art for some time now and now has earned two Michelin stars.

The setting is magnificent overlooking reflecting pools and sculptures in the courtyard along with lots of plants and trees. The dining room is elegant and cozy with tables well-spaced so that you have lots of room (although a loud couple--Russian man & Greek woman--were extremely noisy two tables away, especially when he was on his cellphone!).

The dining room is separated from the a la carte Bar Room Restaurant and its bar which has more of a hum with tables more crowded, but we wanted the full tasting menu experience, which is the only option here. The tasting menu runs $250 per person (without tax and tap) and you can add on another $180 per person or such for wine pairings. We asked the sommelier, Jonathan how large the pours were, and he was honest saying that for this price you get about 3 total glasses of wine with 5 or 6 selections. We chose to order a bottle of white (most of the courses are fish) and followed that with some reds by the glass to try and get a better deal. Well, our meal came to $389 each in the end, so we did much better, but after tax and tip the damage was $1002!! It was worth it for sure, but I have to say I will think twice before taking a $250 tasting menu again in NYC as that tax and then a tip add up heavily and quickly.

We chose a Vieux Telegraph 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc which was as earthy as a white can get and really demanded food to be paired with it. We liked this as we had to sip at first and hold off with drinking the wine til the food arrived. Zallo crystal is used here, and it has a very "modern" look of course, while there are crisp white linens on the tables and a very attentive staff as well that work as a team, although Riccardo seemed to be the one who served us most.

The first amuse was a Shiso leaf lightly battered and fried with tuna tartare, Burgundy black truffle and lovage mayo. We were in love. The next dish is a signature of the chef and is presented in a large ceramic Ostrich egg-like container with a grand reveal. Poached egg sits in fried egg sauce with dill oil and Shrinking caviar (yes, that's what it's called) and served with toasted brioche with pickled shallots. Will hit the nail right on the head when he said it look like Egg & Soldiers, that oh so English treat where you dip the rectangular bread in a soft egg! I was reminded of Jean-Louis Palladin's famous egg custard with caviar-a real blast from the past. Don't forget all the fotos on FB!!

Citrus-cured Hiramasa was perfection with Pistachio Puree, shredded Badger flame beets, shaved horseradish & lemon zest. The next dish was probably my favorite as it had two of my fave foods: Herb roasted Lobster tail with Foie Gras (Will chose the substitute celeriac), Pineapple juice puree, truffle butter glazed cabbage and purple basil. It was an extremely delicate preparation bursting with flavors and the light pineapple was simply amazing with the foie gras.

Crispy skin Sea Bass indeed had the best skin ever with a wild herb sauce, chanterelles, turbido(what was that?), pearl onion and vignon(??) sabayon sauce. I asked the server to repeat this several times, but it just never came across right!! there were actually two delicious sauces, but it was the fish skin that shined. At this point we had finished our white and the sea bass needed more white. Jonathan asked if he could bring us a taste of a wine not on the menu. The 2018 Wieniger Reid Rosengartl had super fruit flavors with a lot of smoke on the palate that we both loved. and I also liked the La Antigua Clasico Roja Blanco 2018 made from Tempranillo Blanco and Viura. 

The "main' course was Dry aged Long Island Pheasant Farm Duck breast with Baby Artichokes in a Coriander-Citrus Duck jus that was cooked just past rare and a perfect size so that we were not overwhelmed. There were lemon-preserved dates in the dish that burst with flavor, and I yearned to know if I could make these at home. Indeed, the portion size was perfection for this entire feast. Of course, a red wine was needed, so Jonathan appeared with some options, and we first tasted the Brezeme 2109 Syrah from the Rhone that I felt was a tad wimpy, but we both loved the Gevrey Chambertin 2018 Vielles Vignes Tortochot as it was an amazing Pinot Noir to pair with the duck's richness.

A refreshing Grape-Kombucha Granita with frozen yogurt was the palate cleanser and had great acidity as well. Then we got the first of two desserts:

White & Dark Chocolate Tarte with Rum Sorbet was nice and different, but not my ideal dessert as I tend to yearn for fruit or such, but it was enjoyable.

An adorable presentation of mignardises arrived with Black Sesame & Yuzu Tartelettes and a Chartreuse Hot Chocolate Bonbon. The tartelette was easily the winner of all the dessert options and sent us home happy and full ready for a Thanksgiving feast the next day!

back at BLACKSALT (in the neighborhood) it's always one of the best (11-20-22)

We are so lucky to have BLACKSALT, one of DC's finest seafood establishments, just blocks away in the Palisades here in DC. We returned again last night and each and every dish is always near perfection. Our friends (from Malta) were impressed, and every detail was simply superb.

Our wine was a Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano d'Avellino 2019 which was ideal with the seafood. Will & I had an array of oysters, each better than the next: Pickering Pass & Dabob Bay (Washington State), Glacier Bay(New Brunswick), Battle Creek(Virginia), Patriot (Mass) and Damariscotta (Maine). 

Other starters were Day Boat Scallops with Roasted CauliflowerPuree, Wild Mushrooms, Romanesco, Crispy Baby Kale, Verjus Butter & Butter Poached Lobster with Spaghetti Squash "Carbonara", House Made Pancetta, Potato Gnocchi, Sherry Lobster Butter. All were amazing.

We moved on to a superb full bodied Rioja 2016 from Contino Reserva in Spain that had an amazing nose and paired excellently with the main (although Will finished the white with his BlackSalt Crab Cakes with Tasso Ham, Apple & Sweet Potato Hash, Roasted Butternut Squash Puree, Tarragon & Mustard Remoulade. Very few crabcakes can compare around town to these excellent ones.

There was a Wood Grilled Branzino with Garlic Braised Broccoli Rabe, Grilled Artichokes, Pine Nut Cous Cous, Lemon Butter with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Olives, Capers and Basil that could easily stand up to a red, the Wood Grilled Prime Creekstone Farms Ribeye with Wild Mushrooms, Potato Gratin, Asparagus, Pinot Noir & Foie Gras Sauce, but even my Spanish Zarzuela Style Seafood Stew consisting of Prawn, Scallop, Catch of the Day,(Pollock) Clams, Mussels, Squid, Tomato Saffron Broth, Almond Picada Sauce, Croutons with Saffron Aioli was an amazing pairing and the dish was simply beautifully presented and tasted even better(check the FB fotos). 
Everyone seems to go for the Key Lime Pie here with Blueberry Compote, Passion Fruit Caramel, Whipped Cream, Pistachio Milano Cookie, but there was no way I could eat more than a bite. We headed home full after a superb meal in the 'hood.

North Bethesda's JULII jiggles your taste buds (11-13-22)

 We had been to JULII before when a friend of ours was chef there and it was delish, and it still is. We were at Strathmore for an opera an needed a place nearby, so Julii fir the bill at less than 7 minutes up the Pike!  The menu is still Mediterranean like before and offers lots of nice options and the food is filling, tasty and good-sized, so no complaints at all. The service was excellent to boot, save for one Sprite seeming to take a while to arrive.

We started with a Reverdy Ducroux Sancerre and then moved on to a Chateau Pesquie Les Terrasses from the Rhone. The wine prices are a tad high for the burbs, but the quality was good.

Someone does need to check the menu as our young guest (age 11) noticed that the menu was divided to "PETITE PLATS" & "GRAND PLATS" both of which are grammatically incorrect! It should be "Petits Plats" & "Grands Plats" as they are masculine and plural!!

Starters were a yummy BEETS & BURRATA salad with za'atar seasoning as well as two excellent crudo options: SCALLOP with lemon puree, aleppo herb oil, crispy garlic and shallots as well as BLUEFIN TUNA with roasted garlic, tomato confit, crispy sunchoke and aleppo oil. We loved the little crunch on both crudos and the fish quality was superb!

Scallops reappeared in the SCALLOPS RISOTTO with mushrooms and the huge portion of CRISPY TROUT was gorgeous with urfa coriander spice, meuniere sauce, pequillo peppers, sunchokes, celery, potato and almonds. The RIGATONI BOLOGNESE was okay even though it has beef, veal and Benton's pork belly in the sauce. My STEAK FRITES was superb and used a rare to medium rare 10 oz. Creekstone Farms bavette(flank steak or London broil) that was as tender as could be with super frites, Madeira truffle demi sauce and a "Parisienne" salad which was two or three lettuce leaves with way too much vinaigrette!

The Creme Brulee was nice with a pistachio brittle and the Chocolate Tahini Pot de Creme was as rich and chocolatey as it comes.

We were dear friends after the opera and indeed had a wonderful time as we always do with this very special family. 

DC's ANJU is all awesome and MORE!! (10-19-21)

 Six of us headed to ANJU near Dupont Circle last month for a dinner we won at March of Dimes and Chefs Danny Lee & Angel Barreto along with the fabulous manager Eric Chodkowski and our fab server Abby made this tasting menu and entire evening a truly awesome feast.

Gimmonet Gonet Tradition Accord Brut Champagne got us started as the food began to flow from the kitchen. The entire team presented the first course made up of so many platters and tiered caddies that it was almost impossible to note everything. There are FB fotos from that night and the course was divided into four main parts:

GIMBAP -nori and rice roll, pickles, veggies and salmon roe with egg, burdock and daikon

YAKHOE -beef tartare of prime filet, frozen pear, caviar, gochujang, mustard, lotus and cured egg yolk (this wins the prix for most insanely irresistibly amazing tartare!!)

HWE - hamachi with hallabong(ctirus) vinaigrette and pomegranate

PAN CHAN are set up looking like high tea caddies and loaded with all kinds of condiments, snacks and more. Multiple kimchis of Napa cabbage, brussels sprouts and apple and white noodles; watermelon, radishes, chayotte, fish cakes, tofu, soy poached lotus root(wow!). 

We were overwhelmed and begged for a lot of time between courses, which we received so we could truly enjoy this feast--a meal in itself.

The second course was 

MANDU-dumplings of pan fried pork and kimchi

CHICKIN-the now world-famous double fried chicken Chef Danny Lee created with gochujang glaze and white bbq drizzle

These were paired twith a drink called SOY HUMO, a play on "soy" which is "I am smoky" in Spanish, made from Chacho Jalapeno Aguardiente, Bahnez Mezcal, Soy/Agave syrup & lime. So yummy, I had to have seconds....I think we all did.

Third course was 

JJAMPONG which i have to admit is a version of noddle soup that is easily now my favorite. The spicy seafood broth had thick wheat noodles, wok roasted shellfish and tons of lobster pieces as well as mustard greens. There was lot leftover, and we were thrilled to be able to enjoy it at home for several more meals!!

PALACE DDUKBOKGI(if you can say it) are Korean chewy rice cakes with carrots, veggies, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, basil and sweet soy

We had similar ones in Koreatown with Sam just two weeks before, but these were divine!

The wine was an Adegas Gran Vinum Essencia Divina Roas Baixas Albarino 2021 from Galicia in Spain which is a great wine that cuts anything with spice for sure.

The entire team returned again to serve the main course which was another masterpiece of Korean cuisine:

SSAM PLATTER here with marinated and grilled prime ribeye and a ton of different types of leaves to wrap the meat in with condiments to boot.

GYERAN JJIM was a dish that arrived covered and was revealed as a souffle-like side of steamed egg and caviar on top that was totally amazing, tasty and novel in that I cannot recall anything like it ever anywhere.

Yann Chave Classique Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2019 from the Rhone Valley was a delicious pairing as the meat yearned for a nice hearty red.

We thought we could not possibly think of dessert, but this was a chef's meal from a charity event and it had to be!

JUJUBE FLAN DE QUESO is a creation of Chef Angel that has honey granola figs(from Turkey), black pepper whipped cream and lemon and was a revelation, while the

GINGER FUNNEL CAKE was a fun treat that turned the ever so regular fair/boardwalk treat into a delicacy with caramel, apple and pear compote, soybean powder and sesame cream. I have never been a fan of the funnel cake, but if it's like this-I AM A HUGE FAN!

Dessert was paired with a with House Infused Casis, Brown Sugar and Honey Makgeolli-similar to a Korean sochi rice wine but sparkling. The drink was very refreshing and a perfect end to the meal.

The entire evening was truly a fabulous feast and as a supporter of March of Dimes, we are so grateful for Chef Danny's support over the years as well as so many other chefs here in the DC area.

Roberto's in Vienna(VA) is always a revelation!! & this trip was a reunion.(10-14-22)

 We wanted to get together with some dear friends who have always been friends with us and Roberto Donna, who has settled into his now 8-month old venue in Vienna, VA. It took 2 months of planning and several cancellations, but the four of us got together and many that we loved from the old days at Galileo in DC were there to greet us to boot!

We use the word "Dayenu" at Passover seder meaning "it would have been enough" to revel in what G-d did for us when we left Egypt. Friday night's dinner may not have been that religious, but it was indeed a revelation, and at each step we should have really sung "Dayenu" to Chef Roberto and his awesome team.

As soon as we finished hugging and kissing everyone, prosecco appeared at our table and the gorgeous bread arrived. New in the basket was a roll made with cheese that was a savory cheesy version of a cinnamon roll; we knew we needed to get some to take home for breakfast, and we did-DAYENU!

 I was chatting about my plans to take some food/wine/white truffle and more tours to the Dolomites and Piemonte in the fall of 2023 and spotted our fave white from Alto Adige on the menu (I should note we tasted this wine in a zoom wine dinner by Chef Roberto during covid, and he is resuming those soon!):La Manina from Manincor 2020 is a blend of Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay that goes with so many dishes. We polished off two bottles, before moving on to a super wonderful "welcome to fall" wine that GM Dmitri suggested, 2014 Campo del Peri Merlot from Tuscany; we all loved it, and it was much less than the wines I was looking at-DAYENU!

Three of us could not resists starting with the Ghiandole, gorgeous veal sweetbreads ever so lightly breaded and served with a Marsala reduction, polenta and polenta foam and rich Chanterelles mushrooms; a memory trip that had us begging for more-DAYNEU. Will had the Octopus with Smoked Potatoes, Tomato Sauce, Radicchio & Arugula that is always a hit.

the pasta here is not to be missed so Will & I decided to split the Pici Cacio e Pepe which is prepared tableside in a huge Pecorino wheel (catch the FB video) and is a divine simple dish with pepper and cheese on Tuscan Pici pasta, thicker or fatter than spaghetti-DAYENU!

We moved on to main courses and the lovely ladies decided to go for the pasta here: Risotto (cause Chef Roberto makes it best!) con Porcini was a monstrous dish of perfectly cooked risotto with mushrooms, porcini foam and Stracchino cheese and Mushroom Fettuccine is its nearby relative smothered with fresh Oregon Chanterelles in a Porcini cram sauce-DAYENU.

Well chose the Guinea Hen Roll made with potato foam, more of those divine Chanterelles and Guinea Hen jus while I adored the Roasted Mulard Duck Breast & Figs with Spinach, Fingerling Potatoes & Carrots in a Vin Cotto Sauce of which I have some for leftovers-DAYENU.

We decided that we should all share one dessert and Will chose the Baked Lemon Ricotta Cake which came as a birthday "treat" with candles as we were betwixt two birthdays at the table-DAYENU!

If this were all not enough, we got take away bags of those amazing peppery grissini which I love with my nightly salads at home-DAYENU.

AND finally, to top it off we had the best server in all Dc that we have known for so many years through so many Roberto dining incarnations--DEBBIE! -DAYENU!!!
We had a superb time reminiscing about the old days with Roberto and his buddies as one of our guests indeed worked for Roberto, and the other for Jean-Louis Palladin. A wealth of foodies at one table in a restaurant where food is indeed revered and a revelation!

Chef Danny Chavez has imbued ART & SOUL(DC) with a new life (10-13-22)

 We have loved going to ART & SOUL (artandsouldc.com) on Capitol Hill for years where it was the creation of Chef Art Smith from Chicago(chef to Oprah), but recently the hotel (now Yotel) was taken over and Chef Danny Sanchez has moved in to helm a totally new menu and design and has created a dining destination for sure.

From the new cocktail list, we tried the Dracarys (Spicy & Dirty) Martini which is named after the fire-breathing dragon on Game of Thrones(Who knew?) and packs a nice spice with the chili & olive infused vodka, dry vermouth, dash of pickle juice and is finished with blue cheese stuffed olives. Autumn in Oax (as in Oaxaca)was another hit with Vida Mezcal, Spiced Pisco Apple Puree, Lime, Cointreau and ancho syrup.

The wine list here is varied, fun and indeed top notch. we started a Barboursville 2020 Viognier Reserve and moved onto a Quinta do Crosto Douro Superior Tinto 2016 which is a superb smooth and full-bodied Portuguese red.

Our server K.C. seemed to anticipate our every need and we got to chat with the new chef, who is a truly generous and sweet guy as he sent us some very nice extra treats:

Houe Made Parker House Rolls come steaming hot and crusted with sea salt and a giant glob of yummy honey butter, while the Hamachi Crudo is seasoned to perfection with Crispy Shallots and dotted with Avocado Mousse but ultimately finished off tableside with a rich divine Horseradish Buttermillk!!  If you like sharing try the Charcuterie Platter with tons of meats, cheeses and pickles that is a step above the others we see around town these days.

We also ordered the Fried Brussels Sprouts and Kimchi starter made with Gochujang Aioli, cilantro and more of those yummy crispy shallots. It's a huge portion easily shared by the whole table (and we were 5). The winning starter for me was the Wagyu Beef Tartare that comes with soft grilled Brioche slices and has a soy marinated egg (think soy-cooked just past raw) to break over the tasty beef which is seasoned with Garlic Puree. I could go back for this tartare (not to mention the crudo) every day.

As we had munched some hor's d'oevres at a reception for Glimmerglass Festival just prior, we knew that we could not finish a whole main course. Will and I really wanted the Fried Chicken, and I suggested we get two orders, so we have leftovers for before we go to the theater Saturday night--GENIUS. This was awesome crunchy fried chicken that was brined prior and then set atop a bed of Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes with Swiss Chard and heavenly Chicken Gravy. Other mains that were all gone quite quickly were the Moulard Duck Breast with Root Vegetable Gratin, raisins, pomegranate molasses and duck jus; Pan Seared Scallops with Tri-color Cauliflower, Chili Oil, those Crisy Shallots and Sweet Potato Puree. As we had a vegan guest the pasta dish was re-created without dairy and the gorgeous Homemade Tagliatelle came with Roasted Mushrooms, Butternut Squash and Arugula. every dish was indeed presented perfectly and looked like a work of art.

As if all this was not enough, the chef sent out a bottle of Campo Viejo, Brut, Cava with our delicious desserts: Trio of sorbets: Papaya, Lemon & peach; the yummy Tiramisu Parfait which comes in a glass with Coffee-soaked Lady Fingers, Cocoa, Mascarpone mousse and it topped with crunchy Chocolate pearls. Strawberry Bread Pudding is made with brioche, creme anglaise and vanilla ice cream and finally the decadent Chocolate Ganache Tart has a Shortbread crust with Popcorn Brittle and orange whipped cream. I am not a chocoholic, and because it said popcorn, i avoided the dish. we figured this is not popcorn, but the same as the British cinder toffee, which our two Brits in residence loved!

What meal, what a restaurant and indeed a new destination to keep on your restaurant radar here in DC!

Los Angeles' A.O.C. is always on the charts (10-2-22)

 For our last dinner in LA we headed west to the second incarnation of AOC from Chef Suzanne Goings after enjoying a thrilled matinee of Lucia at the opera. I had been to the AOC West Hollywood location years ago and her restaurants here have always been consistently excellent. The food at AOC Brentwood was just as good, although I have to say that at times the service was a tad slow. The concept here is to share many plates, tapas style, and we decided to order starters first then consider the heavier options and the timing over the entire meal with our dear friends, Raul & Matt, and our son, Sam, was timed perfectly.

The drinks here are fun, and we arrived early to sit at the bar with the excellent bartender, Randy, who customized our Campesino on the less sweet side with Mezcal, Alejandro's Honeydew, Basil and Jalapeno. At the table we started with Etna Bianco from Barone di Villagrande 2019 which was ideal with the many flavors in the dishes and so good, we had a second bottle. Our red was a yummy Crianza from Bodegas Ontanon 2018 in Rioja, Spain.

Our server Chris helped us to navigate the menu and choose which dishes would work best. The Farmer's Plate was the ideal veggie starter for Sam with roasted veggies, muhamarra and chickpea puree(a spicy take on hummus), burrata and grilled toast. They actually charged $1 for an extra piece of toast!! We tried both focaccia on the menu and they were really more like mini pizzas: Milliken's Young Leeks with Point Reyes Cheese, Pea tendrils and Walnuts was nowhere near as fluffy and decadent as my Potato/Leek focaccia, but the Spicy Sopressata with Roasted Tomato, Caper Bagna and Senorio de vaca was a treat. The Stone Fruit salad with Triple Creme cheese, Arugula & Santa Barbara Pistachios was nice, but simple. Clams were cooked in the oven with Sherry, tons of fresh sliced garlic & sherry and were a true treat, especially to mop up the sauce with the grilled bread.

White Bass came with Linda's Greens, Jamon Piperade, Chickpeas & Black Olives and was a divine fish dish, while the Liberty Duck Breast was cooked perfectly with Fennel-Potato Gratin(not too fennel-y) & roasted peach. Sam adored his rich Weiser Farm fingerling Potatoes with creme fraiche & chives while we finished with the Arroz Negro with quid and saffron aioli.

The place filled up quickly and got very noisy and then the a/c went up full blast and we began to freeze. It was hard to get someone to turn it down as I was worried I was going to get sick!

We ordered some yummy desserts to share: Butterscotch Pot au Creme with Creme fraiche came with Salted Cashew cookies and the yummy Beignets were served with Raspberry Jam and Vanilla Ice Cream.

A truly wonderful night to celebrate our anniversary and then take Sam back home to enjoy his new apartment as we head back east today.

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SEOUL SALON in LA's Koreatown is savory and super, but all at once! (9-30-22)

 Our first night here visiting Sam, we headed to a small local place around the corner from his new apartment and it was an excellent choice. SEOUL SALON is one of oh so many Korean options in Koreatown, but we were happy with our choice. The only big problem was that all the food(and tons of it) arrived all at the same time, despite being called appetizers or main courses. Maybe this is the way they do it here, but we learned a lesson for next time....order as you go, one course at a time.

They had a nice crisp dry Gruner Veltliner for the spicy food and then I switched to yummy Korean Soju called Jinro Hanllasan(spelling?). The dumplings here are deep fried with beef and pork and there is a starter called Corn Cheese that is exactly what it is and oh so decadent(photos on FB) and rich and delicious. Sam loved his Stir-fried Kimchi with fried tofu and we were thrilled with the Spicy Rice Cake "Tteokbokki" with fish cake(really fried fish dumplings), cabbage, egg and gochujang. Spicy and heavy, but a wonderfully novel treat. Spicy Pork Bulgogi with cabbage, onion, jalapeno, red pepper and gochujang. Spicy chicken was fried and served with a topping of gooey Mozzarella; is this Korean?

Sam and his friends had plenty of leftovers and we were all full, only regretting the speed of the meal was just way too fast and all at once!

Morocco's KASBAH TAMADOT tempts with culinary delights (9-14-22)

 Our last two nights in Morocco are at the luxurious KASBAH TAMADOT, a magnificent mountain retreat developed by Richard Branson in an old kasbah once owned by a wealthy Italian. The grounds are full of gardens where spices and ingredients used in the kitchen are grown and many ingredients are brought from near and far in Morocco to offer up local cuisine and also a wide array of international dishes which could satisfy anyone, even on a longer stay.

As our meals have been mostly meat in Morocco, we both opted to head in the seafood direction and started with the Seafood Pastry with vegetable and saffron sauce. Moroccans know pastry and this was a huge purse chunk full of all kinds of fish and shellfish that easily could have been a main course. The sauce was divine and leaned French, but with saffron infused retaining its Moroccan flair. Our wine was another Vin Gris (have to shop for wine at the airport tomorrow) called simply Le Gris, Terres Gris La Ferme from Zaer made from Syrah and Tempranillo. It was perfect with the starter and even better with the main. I had the Rolled Fillets of Sole with Creamed Leeks and Spinach in Saffron. Rich, but simple and I yearned for those yummy veggies underneath. Will had the gorgeous Grilled Sea Bream Fillet with peas, celery and EVOO.

Completely full, we skipped dessert and knew we had to order less so we could try the desserts the next night. Cookies and apricots and fruit were in the suite anyway. Be sure to check out all the fotos on FB...today we are off to ARMD, the highest Berber village in the Atlas Mountains for a visit with a local family for lunch!

Casablanca's LE CABESTAN: super seafood cuisine and a view that can't be beat (9-5-22)

 

Our second and final night here in Casablanca found us at the very chic restaurant and club LE CABESTAN located right next to the famous lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived and the place was fairly empty at 7pm, but they insisted we be seated at a table for two right on top of another, albeit empty table. We asked if we could move, but they were adamant. As it happened, that table never had anyone and the one the other side only had one person for barely 20 minutes at one point. Our initial feel that the staff were condescending were washed away as the evening wore on.

We knew this place was for seafood, although the menu seemed to also push steaks. We decided to order a dozen oysters from DAKHLA, a peninsula on Morocco's southwestern most coast, hundreds and hundreds of miles away.  A bottle of Eclipse rose from Meknes 2020 made from Syrah, Grenache and Mourverdre was ideal, dry and divine. The oysters were large, plump and briny and we loved them.

We asked for our menus back and ordered the appetizers, as we figured if we ordered course by course, they would or could not rush us.

The sun set and it was a magnificent moment of amazing colors looking out the windows(fotos on FB). There was also a huge crowded outdoor terrace and the whole wall on that side of the restaurant was open. There was one table with eight or so men smoking huge cigars, so we were glad we were far away.

Will chose the Caramelized Octopus with Hummus and Tapenade which was very nice, but my Truffled Tuna Tartare on avocado with capers, cherry tomatoes and balsamic was a dream. It came with an adorable rocket (arugula) salad sitting atop the tuna in a cylindrical crouton holder. The bread(three rolls) was dry and would win no prizes; one roll I tried tasting like it was several days old!

We switched to a yummy Domaine Jirry 2021 Chardonnay which reminded me of Oregon chards that are very crisp and fruit forward. We just love Moroccan wines and the prices are so reasonable at $25-45 for many of them at restaurants.

We both ordered fish and the mains were excellent with my Crispy Royal Sea Bream(dorado or daurade) with the most fabulous slightly spicy zucchini spaghetti, red peppers, squid and a rustic style sauce vierge on the side. Will chose the Grilled line-caught Sea Bass Niçoise which was another gorgeous piece of fish in a slightly richer sauce. 

we decided to order the Fig Tarte tatin and were devasted when they said they were all gone and settled for a superb Apple Tart with Madagascar Vanilla Ice cream that was indeed superb.

We left very happy and very full and thrilled that the food was so delicious after the slightly off-setting start to the evening.

Casablanca's Brasserie La Tour took us on a local food tour (9-4-22)

 For our first night at the Sofitel Tour Blanche here in Casablanca, Morocco, we had decided to eat the highly regarded Moroccan in the hotel called Atelier Original, but we discovered it had been closed and ended up trying the Brasserie La Tour, basically an breakfast, lunch and dinner spot in the lobby. It was cozy enough and pretty deserted for a Sunday evening, but the manager Fayçal (we would write Faisal) was most welcoming and we were thrilled when he handed us the tiny Moroccan menu so we could skip the fish, steak, chops and burger!

First came a bowl of spiced green olives that were simply addictive and perhaps the best ever anywhere. A bottle of superb local Sauvignon Blanc from Medaillon (from Domaines des Ouled Thaleb Benslimane) had a yummy creaminess to it and we knew that the local wines would be a treat this trip, especially at just around $30-40 a bottle!

We ordered the Selection of cold mezze which was about $15 and was four huge plates that were out of this world. Fettoush salad was cucumber, tomato, onion, green pepper all in a super balsamic dressing and oddly I loved the peppers as they had so much flavor (and no after effects!). My favorite was the beautiful white Labneh, a middle eastern cross between yogurt and sour cream that has a tang and was drizzled with olive oil. The pita-like Lebanese flatbreads were ideal and not thick here, so you did not fear carb overdose. Mouttabal is very similar to baba ghanoush but sometimes may or may not have yogurt in it...we never did find out. The hummus was the fourth plate and was a dream--thick and rich ad drizzled with oil and a hint of paprika. There are fotos on my FB page and you will see that this could have fed four people!!

We moved on to a bottle of Terre Rouges 2020 red from Cotes du Rommani which was a nice red but we could not ascertain the grapes. It paired well with Will's Machaoui, a plate of grilled meats (chicken, beef and ground beef) with fries as well as my delightful Chicken Tagine with Lemon. The tagine, of course, came to the table in the traditional domed clay pot and the meat fell off the bone but was not dry at all due to the beautifully spiced and lemony sauce. Oddly it is served with fries on top here!!

We were stuffed and took the second half of the red bottle to our room to have with some macaroons and treats the hotel had sent up earlier. Off to bed after a first exhausting day!

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Ballston's (Arlington,VA) SALT LINE is super for seafood(8-22-22)

 Last night four of us headed to Ballston to try out the second SALT LINE that has opened in the DC area (first one is in SE near the Stadium) and we had a ball. We were worried about parking near the shopping mall, but there were plenty of street spaces and we only had to plug the meter from 630pm to 8pm as it's free after that!

The menus here are pretty simple but there are so many starter options from the shucked oysters(7 kinds) to seafood platters and more. Will & I split the SEAFOOD CHARCUTERIE which was a great deal and had a ton of options served with grilled bread: Nori-warpped Shrimp & Scallop Terrine, Marinated (in agua chile and cucumber) Mussels, Cold Smoked Salmon, Rockfish & Shrimp Merguez Sausages, some jardiniere(pickled fennel), and Monkfish Liver Pate.  The highlights were the superb yet so simple salmon, the sausages and the pate---DIVINE and rich and creamy. 

Crispy Octopus comes with super spicy fingerling potatoes, zhoug, garlic aioli, pomegranate, almonds and orange and is a big winner while the Smoked Whitefish Salad with Fried Capers and Pickled Onions that comes on Sourdough is a tad tiny yet tasty.

We were lucky enough to have an extra starter sent out and it was one of my favorites(that I would have chosen next) called the NASHVILLE HOT Soft Shell served on grilled bread with Pickled green Tomatoes and a magnificent drizzle of Black Garlic Honey. These battered darlings were cooked to perfection with an amazing crunch and that balsamic drizzle to die for. (fotos on FB).

While I did not taste them there was a Fish House Punch(rum based) and a sweet frozen orange crush drink with alcohol as well. We went right to the wine and while a tad pricey (almost every bottle is over $60) the 2020 Greco di Tuffo from Terradova was a super white that stood up to everything. We moved on to a Cantina del Taburno Falanghina from Sannio in Campania next which was more acidic, a tad more expensive and not as much to our liking, so for the last bottle we moved back to the Greco!

Main courses were all superb, but the Lobster Rools at $35 are a tad chintzy with meat. They come either warm with melted butter or cold dressed with aioli.

My Olive Oil Poached Halibut was sublime with Summer Beans, Oyster Mushrooms, Chili Crisp and a Dashi-Wine broth.

Sides of salads, fries and Broccolini(with crispy garlic and anchovy aioli) were delish as well.

We settled on three desserts and our excellent server Jack brought out a 4th just in case!

The fourth extra was the Black Tea Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd, Strawberry Sorbet, Grilled Peaches and Nilla Wafers. It was light, but easily the best of the bunch.

Almond & Rhubarb Parfait had olive oil cake with almond creme legere, rhubarb compote and a topping of almond and coconut granola. We basically said it was an overly creamy trifle and Jack agreed less cream more fruit would be great.

Ultimate Banana Split has everything from vanilla, chocolate & strawberry ice cream to fudge, caramel, blueberry compote(although we could not find that) and peanuts, while the most insane dessert of all was the

COOKIES & CREAM "Over the Top" milkshake which is scary enough when it appears at almost a foot tall!! Vanilla, Ice cream, Coffee Syrup, Cream Cheese buttercream(!!), Chocolate Espresso Streusel (which is attached to the outside of the glass), Marble pound cake with toasted marshmallow!! The cake itself is piled on top and was a tad on the dry side, but it was a marvel to look at(foto on FB).

Another nice treat was the bowl of dozens of flavors of taffy at the door on the way out--irresistible!! I wanted to stuff my pockets, but refrained.

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DC's MAIZ 64 makes for great meals and a tad too much noise(8-17-22)

 Last night we joined friends at the relatively new(opened last fall) MAIZ 64 and as it was a beautiful evening (to start) we decided to sit outside and the very classy tables with huge umbrellas. 

We ordered their signature drink ALMA DE MAIZ which is a mezcal margarita withe corn and a spicy rim --it as DELISH. There was a choice between the $55 three course restaurant week menu and a la carte, two of us chose the former and it was all delish.

A small bowl of Tomatillo & Eggplant Puree came with crispy blue corn tortillas which we gobbled up with our yummy drinks.

The starter of Fish Pate Tostada had a pate of Cobia that was the texture of hummus but tasted fabulous and had a cucumber relish all on a large blue corn tortilla(FB fotos). The a la carte folks chose the also delish Tuna Tostada made with ponzu, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo and salsa macha, again on the crispy blue crone tortilla.

I always love Mexican wines which can be rare in the states and Maiz 64 has a small but decent selection. The Trasiego 2020 Seleccion Blanca from Baja is a white blend of 60% Viognier, 25% Arneis and 15% Marsanne making it a most unique blend of Italiand and Rhone varietals! we all loved it. Our red was a simple wine we have had before, the 2020 Santo Tomas red blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Santo Tomas vineyards are known for their excellent reds, but this was a very simple wine and lacked a lot of depth and character we found in their higher end wines.

The main course choice from the $55 menu we had was a superb Short Rib with Panut Mole and roasted Spring onions. The onion bulbs were so large I thought they were Cippolini and the meat melted in your mouth as it shredded apart. Less exciting off the main menu was the Brisket with Cegueza Mole, Cauliflower Puree and Seasonal Vegetables as the meat was a tad chewy and not as beautifully cooked. The whole Dorado "a la Talla" was a butterflied whole fish grilled Acapulco style with dried Chiles Adobo and green salad.

About halfway through the main course the rain began and at first it was light enough and the huge umbrella seemed to protect us. After a while, we needed to move inside, which our server, Jose, made happen very fast. The only problem was the interior was so crowded and noisy we could not hear each other. After the rain stopped, we shuffled back outside where we finished our meal.

The desserts were a nice Flan with fresh berries and Churros.

Jose, who was a gem, brought out some mezcal for us to try and we left full and happy.

It was great to get together with friends we had not seen in years as well!!

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DC's NEW HEIGHTS still soars after 36 super years (7-31-22)

 I first ventured to the then brand new NEW HEIGHTS across the street from the Omni Shoreham back in 1986. I was mightily impressed, and it was always a treat to dine there almost monthly at first under the management of owner Umbi Singh and his super talented staff. Attention to detail never failed from every dish that came out of the kitchen under so many chefs who went on to make a name for themselves to each server who seemed to truly care that we had a great dining experience.  I remember learning about new wineries such as Murphy-Goode and I even remember brining our son Samuel there about 14 years ago where he enjoyed Rabbit Terrine two-ways and Quail, although he still won't forgive me for "making" him eat rabbit.

While New Heights was shuttered for some while recently, Umbi has passed the baton on to a new and brilliantly talented team that keeps the tradition he started burning bright. Indeed, our dinner on Sunday has us taken once again to new heights.

The new triumvirate is made up of Olena Fedorenko and her husband chef Jose Molina who hails from Bolivia, joined by Mark Namdar, all from the Graham Hotel in Georgetown.  Olena welcomed us with warm arms and explained much of the ideas behind the menu including her native Ukranian Borscht (we chose starters that we could more easily share). They have redecorated the beautiful setting perfectly and there is even a corner dedicated to Olena's homeland, Ukraine. 

We were served by Katya or Katarina, who is also from Ukraine and needless to say our concerns and thoughts were of their families as Katya's husband is fighting at home.

She was helpful, a super server and also the sweetest of souls.

We ordered three appetizers to share: Crispy Fried Oysters in Panko with Tartar Sauce and Pickled Cauliflower. The succulent mollusks come on top of a bed of arugula making it almost a side salad! Tempra Beech Mushroom Fries are a must and come with a Moroccan Spice Blend fired to perfection and two dipping sauces: Jalapeno Aioli & Truffle Mayo. Another treat was the Tuna Poke Tacos with Avocado Mash & Sesame Oil, which has three tacos, perfect for the three of us to share! Our wine was a refreshing Albarino from Mila in Riax Bais. Katya apologized that they were out of the Albarino (Bodegas Eidosela) that was on the menu, but came up with the perfect substitute.

we moved on to a yummy Barboursville Merlot 202 that might be young, but is drinking superbly. Our mains might have called for white, but we felt a light red was truly in order.

Free Range Chicken is Mustard & Herb Marinated and comes with a Rosemary Lemon Pepper Puree and Rainbow Bell Peppers. It's a juicy treat if you don't want red meat. Speaking of no red meat, the vegetarian option of Kale & Mushroom Paella with Saffron Rice, Sofrito, Oyster Mushrooms has fried kale on top with a fired egg resting on the whole miracle. My Pan-seared Branzino had crispy skin with Israeli Couscous and a simple sauce with capers. These were amazing dishes and we were so impressed we had to try desserts. Smore's is presented atop a small hibachi to melt the chocolate, cook the marshmallows and assemble the treat. It was fun, but a tad messy as well. Chocolate Pot de Creme was a rich silky version of the treat.

Everything was so perfect that we knew we would be back again soon. Besides after 35+ years how can we not head to New Heights?

The Restaurant at UMI Hotel (southern Iceland)has glacial views and glorious food(7-25-22)

We spent our last two nights at UMI Hotel as it was halfway between the capital and the famous Jokulsarlon Lagoon & Glacier in the extreme southeast, allowing a one day journey to visit these sites along the southern coast as well as to hike to a glacier and zodiac around the lagoon! we were exhausted after leaving at 8am and returning at 7pm and chose to dine in the hotel which was a great choice.

The bar has gorgeous views onto the nearby mountain glaciers and the dining room faces the grassy and black sand beaches on the Atlantic Ocean; what could be more beautiful and relaxing?

The menu was simple, but the choices were all great and I knew the second I saw Minke Whale Tataki with Leek and Wasabi for a starter that I would have to return to that amazing dish so brilliantly prepared in Iceland. Whale tartare is slightly seared and seasoned beautifully to taste like a fishy sirloin and this came with pickled blueberries to boot. it was a dream dish that I know I won't see again for some time.

Will started with the Icelandic Scallops with Sunchoke Puree, Onion Pearls, Black Lumpfish Caviar all in a Champagne Sauce with a Nasturtium on top. it was a beautiful dish and super tasty as well. We were enjoying our well-deserved Dirty Icelandic Vodka Marinis, which were quite good pours I must add. Will chose the Reyka brand and I opted for the herbal Helviti(which we easily found in the duty free the next day, as well as others!!). Bread came with creamy butter topped with chive oil.

For the second night in a row, we chose the same main course, and it was a real winner for our farewell dinner: Confit of Arctic Char was a magnificent fish with Spinach Dumplings (four huge ones) with semi-dry tomatoes(I thought they meant sun-dried, but they were just broiled or grilled), romesco sauce, veloute, herbs and all topped with trout roe. The Icelandic love their fish, and this was the winning fish dish the whole trip for sure. We enjoyed a bottle of Petit Bourgeois white from Henri Bourgeous that was a great and not too expensive choice.

The dish was so rich and huge neither of us could fathom dessert, but we did head back to the bar at about 1030pm after we finished for a glacier view as we drank a glass of yummy Bjork Birch Liqueur! We could not have had a better time and better food than we did in Iceland and look forward to returning again as we fell in love again with the people and the country!

The Manor at Skalakot on the South Coast serves up super stuff (Iceland-7/24,22)

 

We moved about 2 hours southeast of the capital to discover the south coast for the next several days before heading home and stayed at a very wonderful hotel called UMI, but for our first night decided to dine 10 minutes away on a horse farm called Skalakot. The dining room was a tad noisy with one large group at the other end, but other than that, many tables were empty. By now it seemed that all the restaurant servers were from Poland, but we have to give them credit as they were wonderful waiters and totally understood we wanted to relax and dine. At first, we worried since the starters came right away and the wait for the mains was almost 45 minutes, but we were in no rush. 

Speaking of starters, Skalakot gets the prize for the best Lamb Tartare ANYWHERE which was served with a fun crunchy beetroot meringue that was savory, not sweet as well as smoked sour cream, avocado, onion sprouts, beets, carrots, cucumber and mushrooms. The dish was divine and peppery and just melted in your mouth. Will ordered the Mazaika, a local seafood starter made with salmon and cod, seaweed, caviar, shrimp, fresh veggies with pickled onion and crunchy chips. It was a delicate dish and not as filling, but quite worthy. 

Three delicious breads arrived: Leek, Poppy Seed & Smoked Paprika with the latter being the tastiest. Tzatziki was served with the bread as well as delicious local butter.

Will had a Beringer Chardonnay served by the glass, and I started on the bottle of red we ordered, a Francois Martenot Prestige Pinot Noir 2020 that was light to medium and went superbly with our main courses as we both ordered the Fisherman's Stew. This was a huge hearty dish with local Langoustines(large shrimp, aka small lobster), Salmon, Cod, Scallops and Mussels in a beautiful tomato sauce.

Will decided on the ice creams which he said were okay while I had the yummy Cacao tart with milk chocolate ganache & passion fruit sauce. Complimentary glasses of Homemade Rhubarb Liqueur arrived and we left very full and happy that we headed "around the corner" to Skalakot.

Grillmarket in Rekjavik really goes gaga on its tasting menu (7-23-22)

 Our last night in Reykjavik before we headed to the south coast was at the beautiful Grillmarket (or  Grillmarkaðurinn in Icelandic) where grilled meats and fish reign. The restaurant is in a beautiful old building hidden on a small courtyard off one of the main shopping streets and hence a tad difficult to find. We had come across it the day prior. but still had a tad of difficulty finding it again!

There are two levels as well as outdoor dining(not very big in Iceland, even in the summer) and we were taken past the open kitchen and upstairs room to the open bar and downstairs room which was a tad quieter. The music was a tad loud, but we adapted. The menus came and were on super heavy iron clipboards that made them quite difficult to lift, especially with such large menus for food and drink. Will and I quickly agreed the tasting menu was a great deal and confirmed with our charming server Paulina that while we had no clue what was coming, it would not be too meat intense and that the portions were indeed tastings with good pours for the wine. She assured us that she would take care of us and she was spot on; superb service all night.

The tasting here runs 12,900kroner(about $93) and the wines ring in at 9990kr, or abour $73. This is very reasonable for such an expensive country especially where almost any bottle of wine at a restaurant starts at well over $60! Do keep in mind that taxes are included here and no tipping is expected.

Pauline proceeded to pour a glass of Zenato Prosecco Brut and brought out the most magnificent Duck Salad with mozzarella, mandarin, pomegranate and spinach. We had seen the starter version of this at the next table and were very glad that ours was much smaller. The duck was shredded and juicy and all the ingredients were amazingly fresh and the dressing was divine. Always remember that photos are on my FB page.

Pauline arrived early with the next wine, a Santa Cristina 2020 Chardonnay, and it was served with an amazing Smoked Arctic Char with mustardseed, breadcrumbs and sweet mustard. If you like smoked fish, this would be your dream.

we were falling in love with every bite but went nuts for the Tiger Shrimp Tempura with Kimchi dressing that were as tender and juiucy as could be, paired with a Zenato 2018 Lugana Reserva which I had never had (to the best of my memory0>

Just when we thought we could not be impressed any more Paulina presented a dish I had never seen before in my life: a whale tartare with chili threads and onion soya sauce

and poured a Zenato 2018 Alanera made from Corvina grapes, again a wine we do not see too often at home. We had whale in blubber form about 14 years earlier in the Faroe Islands where it is considered a delicacy and we considered it like rubber. I was worried as I took a bite of the dark meat that smelled more like tuna, but tasted more like steak with a hint of fish. We loved it!!!

Grilled Salmon is a signature dish for the fish menu here and it was indeed one of the best salmons ever grilled to perfection, slightly rare and served with bok choy, quinoa mashed potatoes and with a garlic teriyaki sauce. The wine was a repeat of the Lugana, which we could not resist!

When the meat course came we were now in love with the magnificent RIbeye Steak with Creamy Mushrooms, Fried Mushrooms, Shishito Tempura and Mushroom Glaze. The red wine was another Zenato, a 2018 Ripasso Superiore that was drinking as smooth as could be.

Just when we thought dessert was next a rack of lamb appeared with date jam, yogurt sauce and glazed carrots and more Ripasso was poured. This rack was much better than the previous nights, less fat, and not so chewy, but we decided we had enough lamb for the trip.

Dessert wine came in the form of a Zenato 2017 Recioto della Valpolicella which we love and it was served with the most dramatic of desserts presentations(see the video on FB) for the Chocolate Ice Cream, Ginger Blueberry Ice Cream, Chocolate Lava Cake and Donuts(called Love Balls) all side dishes to the Crispy Malaysian Coffee Ice Cream Bombe topped with Hot Caramel sauce poured by Raphael.

We were very glad to take tastes of everything and then waddle home as we had an early departure to head to the glaciers in the south for snowmobiling the next day.