The Phyllis List

rounding out Restaurant week with a major meal at MASA 14 (1-15-12)

2012-01-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

After attending a wonderful performance at the Source Theater with Samuel (a super zarzuela by the In Series) we headed next door to MASA 14 for the last day of the official restaurant week (www.masa14.com) where the special menu of $35.12 includes FOUR courses or tapas.
There were three adults and we ordered up a bottle of MALBEC Valle Perdido 2008 from Patagonia in Argentina which went nice with some of the intense spice in the dishes. Our second wine was a 2209 Mendocino Zinfandel from ARTEZIN which also easily works with the spicy foods here. Samuel enjoyed his two portions of plain flatbread (aka pizza) and we chose 4 courses each with a couple of extra plates (indicated as "extra").
TOM KHA GAI is a coconut milk broth with huge chunks of white meat chicken adobo and Masa dumplings which will warm you up on a cold night for sure. Our server Amy said the Hot & Sour soup is even better, but quite spicy.
MASA CHICKEN SALAD is pulled chicken, cabbage, carrots, piloncillo vinaigrette and crispy noodles. The portions are large for sure, but this is one of the lighter starters.
Second course options chosen included the Country HAM FLATBREAD with Goat Cheese, Cantaloupe, Arugula, Truffle and Lime. The elements combined were a play on prosciutto and melon and the only flaw here is that the flatbread is quite thick and therefore too much. It might fill you up, but crispy is the way to go with flatbread, not thick. The aroma of the truffle was great and I simply gobbled up the toppings leaving much of the bread.
WILD MUSHROOM Flatbread was like the other flatbread but with Oaxaca cheese, red pepper, avocado and lots of earthy tasty mushrooms.
SHRIMP & PORK FRIED RICE is another tasty dish marrying Kim Chee, Chile Guajillo, Carrots, Corn, Scallion, Bean Sprouts and Cilantro in a tru fusion of Asian and Latino cuisine.

Third course choices were an "extra" of SALT & PEPPER CALAMARI which is made with a light 3-pepper flour, ginger, thai basil in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. The dish is superb and the calamari fried to perfection with no gummy coating at all. Do watch out for the lone Thai Chilis on the plate. I popped one into my mouth and regretted it.
PORK BELLY STEAMED BUNS are also large tasty buns with a mound of achiote pork, hoisin, pineapple, red Fresno chili, lime, cilantro and pickled onion. These orders come with two each, so we ordered one "extra" so we could each have our own. It was a nice dish, but won no awards.
The hit dish of the evening was the MOLE DUSTED TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS which came two huge slices to a tapas plate over Mustard Potato with an Edamame/Pomegranate Chimichurri. The meat was just past rare as requested and as buttery as could be and the sauce was divine.

For dessert we had many choices but there was no agreement to choose THREE different ones. There were two BANANA CAKE with Dulce di Leche Ice Cream & Tequila Bananas Foster Sauce which was quite good save for the chewy slice of banana that was baked(?, fried?) and tasted like shoeleather.
SALTED CARAMEL Chocolate FLAN was nice in that it was really a Homemade S'mores with Spicy Peanuts and a Blood Orange Reduction.
Next time we need to try the Mango Panna Cotta or the Mexican Opera Cake (just for its name)!

Hope your Restaurant Week was as tasty as ours!

POSTE passes Restaurant Week with passion and flying colors (1-12-12)

2012-01-17T10:20:00.001-05:00

This past week was Restaurant Week here in DC, but don't fret if you missed it, many establishments have extended it another week, and some through the end of the month (check your local dining spots!).
We headed to POSTE at the Monaco Hotel down in the Penn District, where we have not been in about 6 years!
Chef Dennis MARRON who hails from the Kimpton Hotel restaurants in Alexandria where he did such an excellent job has taken over at the helm and tweaked the menu and while the Restaurant Week menu is short and simple, it won't disappoint.
The bread came and we tried the yummy butter-glazed and salted Parker House rolls, but skipped the sourdough for now, which turned out to be a wise move as we were in for a roller coaster ride of ravishing cuisine.
We told our server Megan we wanted to add-on with some oysters, but alas they had run out. They sent out two starters which are enough to make more than a meal! The CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT comes in a ceramic pot with lid and a yummy MADEIRA GLAZE. On the side are pickled onions, ramps and gherkins and slices of Grilled Challa--DIVINE! PORK RILLETES are just as magnificent and come with the best Whole Grain MUSTARD I have ever tasted anywhere on earth! Will had some of each and I responded after completing the two plates, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
We started with a bottle of MONTAGNY 1er CRU from J.M. Boillot 2009 which is a good upper-mid range choice. Our second wine was a superb red NEBBIOLO d'ALBA 2009 from DAMILANO that we have had before and is always a good mid-range choice for so many foods.
The 3-course Restaurant week menu was $35.12 and included the following:
Starters were the SPLIT PEA SOUP which was perfect on this bitter cold night and was loaded with chunks of tasty ham and some croutons as well. Mine was the CRISPY TETE de COCHON with Sauce Gribache which has to be a signature dish here. It comes in a deep fried patty over frisee and an array of beautiful mini-veggies and is not to be missed.
We both opted for the BEEF BOURGUINON main course which was a huge platter of tasty beef, more veggies, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, bacon and a superb rich sauce with a slash of Dijon mustard on the side of the plate for a bite.. We could not finish the huge portion and took 1/2 home which incidentally reheated PERFECTLY in the microwave thanks to Megan having it wrapped in Saran and then placed in a container. It kept all the tasty sauce intact and created a sou-vide microwave reheat that was ingenious.
We could not resist ordering a side of the superb TRUFFLE FRITES (not on the Rest Week menu)which was , by this point, overindulgence. But who knew? They come in an adorable flour pot with a paper cone inserted.
Dessert was the Winchester Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream which was really more of a pancake with tasty tart apples, but we really wanted that flaky pastry rather than a mini-pancake.
We left way over-indulged, knowing that we will be back to POSTE again soon for the a la carte experience!

District Commons does come through again (1-8-12)

2012-01-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

We were headed to a 730pm curtain at the Kennedy Center with Samuel and these days the options close to the Center are limited, and even more so with kids. That awful place across the street (Rivers) is simply awful, so I recommend a 10 minute or less stroll over to Washington Circle and dining at DISTRICT COMMONS (http://districtcommonsdc.com/district.html) brought to you by those wonderful folks at Passion Food (DC Coast/Acadiana/Ceiba and more...) at 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. If you feel really casual head to Burger Tap and Shake next door!
We sat down at 5:30pm and were out by 7pm and had a 3-course dinner served perfectly and in a timely manner by our adorable server Marielle. Samuel chose the Burger with Fries and these are kids portions (all priced a la carte for $6 and $3 respectively) which would fill anyone up. He raved about both.
The wine list is quite extensive and wonderful and it was very hard to choose. Melissa brought us a taste of the MILLBROOK (NY) HCR, a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Zin and Cab Sauvignon which is $36 and was quite good, but then the bartender suggested we taste the ST FRANCIS RED SPLASH from Sonoma 2007 (a blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Zin) which we adored. This runs $32 and is a real deal.
Will opted for the SEAFOOD CHOWDER which I loved last time. Creamy and rich and with those little homemade oyster cracker puffs, its just perfect on a chilly eve. I had the amazing "Second Date" CAESAR SALAD which has a superb, light, lemony dressing, white anchovies filleted to perfection and shaved Parmesan; a perfect salad indeed.
We went heavy for the main course (I think everything is big here anyway) since I saw the duck at the next table last time. The ROASTED DUCK Low & Slow comes with Wild Rice Sweet Potato Hash and a Sorghum Chili Glaze. The meat is juicy and tender and the crunchy skin is irresistible. The portion must include almost an entire duck! Will had the excellent PORK RACK CHOP (yes, he is no longer a vegetarian) "Blue Ribbon" with Benton Ham, Mozzarella and Eggplant Chow Chow & Johnnycake. It comes all assembled in a tower and is as gorgeous to eat as it is to look at.

Last time we had a selection of desserts and the BOSTON CREAM PIE with Salted Caramel Sauce won, so Will ordered this brilliant re-construction of a deconstructed dish made from angel food-type cake, cream, chocolate sauce and salted caramel. Try the wonderful cookies as well; homemade Fig Newtowns, Coconut Macaroons to die for, Blueberry Pate a Fruit and yummy MAGIC Candy Bars of Chocolate, cookie, crisp and toasted coconut!
You won't go home hungry and you will enjoy it all!

Pilar passes, but no awards in Aventura, FL (1-1-12)

2012-01-08T16:02:00.002-05:00

Our last night in Florida took us to nearby Aventura and the
unassuming PILAR (www.pilarrestaurant.com) where the hit items on the
menu were the one's that Samuel opted for. Pilar is located in a strip
mall and I think the decor is reflected inside. It is as simple as can
be with wooden tables and chairs, some nice modern oil paintings and
lots of photos of the chef fishing (his favorite pastime).
As we entered the hostess seemed to be in a daze as she walked away.
She returned after almost crashing into a water and seemed to not
notice us at all at the podium. She said follow me to his table, then
said, "no, this table," then , "no, here" and proceeded to crash into
a couple more waiters! She seated us with menus, but forgot the wine
list.
The unexciting plain and raisin breads arrived and we ordered a nice
bottle of WAIRU River Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from New Zealand; Sam
enjoyed his Sprite (or 7-Up). A superb PESTO FLATBREAD came with
Cashew Nut Pesto and Pecorino Cheese was crispy and full of flavor. We
gobbled it all up so fast!
Sam moved on to an excellent RIGATONI with Grilled CHICKEN in a light
cream PESTO Sauce, which was anything but light. The decadent rich
sauce was divine and Samuel devoured nearly the entire huge portion
giving it an AA++.
Roasted BEET Salad with greens, orange vinaigrette and a fried goat
cheese crouton was bland and unexciting save for the cheese; I never
ate such flavorless beets. The Yellowfin TUNA TARTARE was much tastier
with marinated Cucumber, Toasted Sesame Oil and Sweet Soy Sriracha
giving the dish a nice punch. Puffy Fried salty wonton crisps were
great for scooping up the tasty tartare.
When we ordered we asked our server to please give us a good pause
between our courses, but to bring Samuel's pasta right after the
flatbread. When he seemed unclear, we repeated the request and
explained that Sam was very hungry. He lifted our appetizer plates
away and set down the main courses within seconds; so much for our
"pause."
The Blackened MAHI-MAHI in Brown Butter with Roasted Sweet Plantains,
Marinated Avocado & Hearts of Palm was okay, The avocado and hearts of
palm were in a salsa form giving the dish some flavor which it sorely
needed.
The Yellowtail SNAPPER came with dozens of long thin Grilled Asparagus
in a Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette that was also nice, but won no
awards.
By this time we had moved on to a nice Chardonnay MACON-LUGNY "Les
Charmes" 2009 from Burgundy, but again still were underwhelmed by the
entire meal save for the flatbread, rigatoni and the tartare.
Hopefully we will fare well on the cruise starting today!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

--

Hollywood, Florida's AIZIA is closer than the continent and puts n a big show (12-30-11)

2012-01-08T16:01:00.000-05:00

Hi foodies,
You will first notice that emails from this Phyllis-teen Google group
will know show they come from
"Alan S for foodie finesse," so you can be sure what you are opening
on your handhelds, etc.
Second, thank you all for your well wishes over the last month and
what has been an agonizing and difficult time for me and indeed our
entire family.
My mom passed away 10 days ago and we completed our "shiva" (week of
mourning) just in time to leave on our planned vacation; we are
grateful for that as we really need this break.
That said, we arrived yesterday at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood,
Florida, where we last stayed as a family some 47 years ago. It's
changed tons, and not for the better. To big and too impersonal, and
the motel-style Diplomat West where stayed across the street is now
the Diplomat Landing facing the Intra-Coastal Waterway with a huge
parking lot and some restaurants. One of them is the Asian-fusion
AIZIA (at 3555 South Ocean Drive) which turns into the hotel's night
club after dinner. Click on the website (http://
www.aiziahollywood.com) to get a feel where they are going; it's all
about presentation, and so it is with the food as well.
The prices are indeed hotel prices, so don't expect a bargain,
although the children's meal was $7.00 and the best deal on the menu
for three huge pieces of moist chicken breast battered and fried
crisply and called "fingers." This came with a HUGE bowl of very tasty
fries that never lost their flavor or got soggy through the entire
meal. Samuel really wanted dumplings (which they didn't have) and
settled with starter of DUCK SPRING ROLLS which were two smallish
rolls on a monstrous plate laden with patterns of Mandarin soy mustard
sauce and Hoisin sauce, that were both excessively sweet. He adored
the rolls alone and gobbled them up.

Our server Alejandro suggested the TORO TATARE appetizer which rings
in at $26 for the high level sushi tuna and gets and A+ for
presentation, but is way over-priced when it comes to flavor. The
block of tartare comes atop a huge block of Himalayan rock salt and is
topped with tasty caviar (sevruga at best). On the side are the
yummiest SHITAKE CHIPS which are akin to shrimp chips in a Chinese
restaurant but loaded with flavor, texture and earthiness. Three small
bowls of creme fraiche, chopped chives and chopped cucumber are
garnishes and there is a nice pile of tasty fresh grated wasabi root.
A small plastic tube is filled with soy ginger sauce which can be
dabbed on, and while tasty, was difficult to maneuver.
The OCTOPUS CEVICHE gets even higher points for presentation and is a
tender combo of the meat with some greens, red onions and superb lime
dressing all set in a huge curved out ice cube which is lit by an
internal blue light giving a heavenly aura to the whole shebang.
A bottle of SEPP MOSER 2006 Gruner Veltliner may be a bit old, but had
lots of flavor and hinted of old vines and was a good pairing with the
food. The stemless glasses get no points; Alejandro explained it cuts
breakage, especially here on the beach where he says everyone in the
sky-high apartment condos have terraces and use stemless (I'll ask my
designer friend Michael tonight at dinner!).
I opted for the Pan Seared OPA Special which was a superb fish, but
needed a bit more of the not too exciting Hunan Ginger Sauce (where
was the ginger?). It came with tasty Jasmine Rice and 3 asparagus.
Will won the main course prize with the CRISPY WHOLE SNAPPER. Unlike
these yummy dishes back home at Kinkead's & DC Coast, here the snapper
is filleted and the fish is placed in the entire frame of the crispy
fish, making it a no brainer when it comes to devouring the dish; the
head and tail are intact, though Alejandro said we had the option of a
no-head platter. It is cooked with Thai Basil, a hint of mint (I could
not taste it), Lime & Fish Jus (in a cup on the side to dip in which
we actually used on the Opa and Rice to give those more flavor),
Cilantro, Lemongrass and the requisite Jasmine Rice. The fish was
delish and we all lef quite full.
Being a holiday period and a big hotel, the place had numerous
families, and they do get a plus for the kid's offerings (although you
must ask for them; they don't advertise it) both Asian and American
options. The venue is clearly disco at night with a huge open floor
area at the center and huge bar to the side. The black marble tables
are all at one end and the upper levels (it's tiered) have rd silky
fabric booths and some are curtained with an Asian feel.
I would not make a detour to go to AIZIA, but if in Hollywood, it is a
good option at the hotel, which leaves even more to e desired (but I
will vent that at my client site).

mid-Westchester worth it--The BEEHIVE in Armonk, NY (12-10-11)

2011-12-13T15:32:00.001-05:00

Last night our dear cousin, Bob (and we only have two first cousins),
invited us out for dinner for a break from what has become a long
vigil here with my mother....
The BEEHIVE is a glorified dinner style place (www.beehive-
restaurant.com) about 10 minutes from White Plains in upper
Westchester Country (30 Old Rte 22-Armonk, NY) and was a treat for all
of us. The place is noisy and the wooden chairs are not too comfy, but
it's a fun place with decent service and quite good food.
All the main courses come with soup or salad (where have you seen that
in the NY area recently) and I was amazed to see the gooey topped
aromatic onion soup topped with some fried onions. Alas, I went the
GREEK SALAD route and it was loaded with feta and very tasty. The menu
said, ask for anchovies if you like and I got a boatload of them on
top, all filleted nicely and not overly salty either.
A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from CRAGGY RANGE in New Zealand will set
you back about$42 and it's one of the pricier wines, so budget wines
that you would find at most shops are available here.
When the main courses arrive my cousin advised that they are meant to
be split and taken home. The entree Greek Salad cane come with
anything and was the size of a condo with a crabcake and grilled
chicken. The Chicken ala Parmigiana, Tomato Basil, Fresh Mozzarella
and Capellini was loaded with cheese over two huge breasts and the
duckling which I did taste was truly moist and tasty. My cousin Bob
had a superb Blackened Mahi Mahi Tostada, Corn Tortilla, Black Beans,
Guajillo Salsa, Feta Crumbles in a spicy sauce. He said it was the
spiciest dish he had ever had there and I thought it was spectacular.
My main course was the excellent Pan Seared Branzini, “The Greek
Seabass”, Garlic Spinach, Wild Rice Pilaf, Lemon Caper Brown Butter
and arrived with three large fillets in a lemon, butter and caper
sauce (Samuel would have adored that) and a huge (had to be close to 2
cups) white and wild rice pilaf that was as good as everything else.
The spinach was sauteed whole leaf and simply superb.
The BEEHIVE has everything from sandwiches and wraps to steak/frites
and specials galore. Thee is something for everyone and a kid's menu
as well. You can't go wrong here and we loved it all. We had no
starters, so to speak, other than the soups and salads that are
included, and nobody could even think of having dessert. We all took
home leftovers and thanked Bobby for being such a great host and
caring cousin as well.

--

bravos to BLACKSALT and the lovely lady chefs of DC! (11-27-11)

2011-11-29T11:19:00.001-05:00

Many of you know that we are supporters of numerous food charities
here in DC and over the years we have had the pleasure of befriending
many chefs and folks in the food industry. After months of trying to
plan a dinner out, we were able to finally mosey down to BLACKSALT
(www.blacksaltrestaurant.com) on nearby MacArthur Blvd for dinner with
two stellar DC chefs (Tracy O'Grady of Willow and Amy Brandwien of
Casa Nonna) and their wonderful spouses (Tracy's hubby Brian is also a
very talented chef to boot!).
We started the evening at home with some bubbly and a magnificent
smooth fruit-forward bottle of 1998 TORI MAR White Star Vineyard PINOT
NOIR from Oregon that had been resting calmly in our cellar for over a
decade.
We had chosen Blacksalt for its proximity, but I should also note that
Blacksalt is rated #19 of Zagat's most popular as well as being in the
top 30 for food with a "26" rating!
We started with a bottle of RUDI PICHLER 2010 GRUNVBER VELTLINER from
Wachau in Austria and loved it so much, we had a second. It was divine
with a selection of oysters (Dragon Creek & Chincoteague from
Virginia, Moonstone from Rhode Isalnd, Kumamoto from California and
Little Creek and Island Creek from Washington State).
We were treated to a wondrous "amuse" (it was much bigger) of Toasted
Brioche with Ruby BEETS, Organic Smoked Salmon and Citrus Chive Salad
to start that got the palate very excited.
We all agreed to choose and share a cold and hot starter and a main
course; yes, overindulgent.
Pacific SHIMA-AJU SHASHIMI with Organic Radish, Ginger-Tamari Sauce,
Chilies & Scallions was the only item all evening that was good, but
did not WOW me.
TEXAS SHRIMP Cocktail has a sauce that packs a punch if you seek
simple.
Blacksalt OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER come with bacon, spinach & chive aioli
and are superb and mouthwatering.
Marinated WHITE ANCHOVIES with Fried EGGPLANT & Salsa Verde is a great
lighter choice and one of the tastiest starters as well.
Fried IPSWICH CLAMS come with a punchy MADRAS AIOLI (there is enough
aioli left to take home for a sandwich the next day!)

We moved on to a yummy WILAMETTE VALLEY PINOT GRIS from Elk Grove and
we tried to avoid the excellent bread which came with a plate of yummy
seasoned dipping oil-vinegar sauce.

PEI Blue Shell MUSSELS come in several flavors but the Spanish version
with CHORIZO, ROMESCU & Marjoram is a sure hit if yous eek a hot
starter ior double it for a main course.
Wood Grilled BABY OCTOPUS comes with House Made Fennel Sausage, Cherry
Tomato, Arugula & Balsamic and is a superb salad/starter that comes
warm as well.
They were out of the sardines, so we opted for the Atlantic Day Boat
SCALLOPS with Potato GNOCCHI, Maiitake Mushrooms, Pistachios and
Pancetta Vinaigrette which is a wonderful combination of flavors and
much heartier as well with the scallops cooked so perfectly they just
melt in your mouth.
New England CLAM CHOWDER here is another super-filling option with
house smoked bacon, Ipswich Clams and Littleneck Clams as well.
Two hot starter specials on Sunday were NOT TO BE MISSED:
Rhode Island Speckled SEA TROUT made flavorful with local APPLES,
Arugula, Prosciutto and Almond Brown Butter was top notch, but the
Wood Grilled Caribbean MAHI MAHI with Crispy PANCETTA, Leeks &
Truffled Cauliflower Puree was sheer bliss.

We moved onto a Louis Latour 2009 SANTENAY suggested by sommelier Jim
and it was a perfect choice: medium bodied but not too intense for
most of the fish dishes. Two people chose the
Pineland Farms' RIBEYE STEAK with Forest Mushrooms, Green Chard,
Maytag Bleu Cheese & Rosemary Jus which was a good tasty steak and
could have used a bigger red wine, but then four of us went the fish
route:
Atlantic Bigeye TUNA with Caramelized PORK BELLY, Pickled Carrot
Salad, Squash & Ginger Soy Broth was another great combination of
flavors with the belly accenting the big tasty fish.
Flavorful Maryland ROCKFISH (I buy this often at the Blacksalt Fish
Market to cook at home!) was accompanied by Bacon Braised Collard
Greens, CHANTERELLES and White Sweet Potatoes. While I adore the fish,
it was the chanterelles that got me to order this and what a treat!
Wood Roasted North Atlantic SWORDFISH is another great fish here and
comes with yummy Grilled EGGPLANT, English PEAS, Olives and a Pine Nut-
Anchovy Butter (I will have to remember that combo the next time I
grill swordfish).

We got the VIP treatment as we knew we would NOT order more than like
one dessert and Pastry Chef Susan Wallace sent out a trio of tastes
along with a glass of Selig New Zealand Ice Wine from Jim.
The CHOCOLATE CHAMBORD TRUFFLE CAKE with Raspberry Compote & Whipped
Cream is for big chocoholic lovers and was a bit too dense and intense
for me after such a huge meal. The KEY LIME PIE with Blueberry
Compote, Whipped Cream and Sesame Seed Tuile was a hit, but the winner
for all of I think was the BUTTERSCOTCH POT de CREME which comes with
a tiny Dewars Vanilla Milikshake, Almond Brittle and Milk Chocolate,
Butter Shortbread. You can't with this dessert (unless you don't like
butterscotch)....

This dinner was long in the planning, long in the event and probably
won't happen again for a long time, but we promised to try for a
reunion next year! Where to go next?

PETE's New Haven Style APizza can be a pain (11-22-11) even if tasty

2011-11-23T06:51:00.000-05:00

Last night in our unending series of pizza wars we visited PETE's NEW HAVEN STYLE APIZZA. Go to www.petesapizza.com for an explanation of the name, because it sure beats me. We visited the Pete's on Wisconsin Ave, NW (4940) in Friendship Heights and there are now others in Columbia Heights and Clarendon (Arlington, VA). It seems that Tuesday is "buy one get one free nights" from their website, so on arrival the place was heaving and NOISY. There was a not a table and Pete's system for ordering and seating is as faulty as it gets. You wait in a long line and then get a number. If you are lucky enough, you will find an empty table to sit at with your number during the approximately 30 minute wait for your order to be made.
We opted to take our pies home. A plain for Samuel was indeed plain and ours was the Artichoke Hearts, Olives and Sauteed Wild Mushrooms. There were some nice flavors here for sure, but the pie still begged for Hot Pepper Flakes. Don't these American pizza places know how to use oregano, basil, sage and rosemary in their sauces?
I have to give Pete's credit for making their pies large and better priced than Comet Ping Pong. You will recall the small pies there were all in the teens and barely served one person as they shrank so much and were thick on the dough. Pete's pizza rings in at a 18 inches for $18.95/plain giving you 12 good size slices and easily enough for two people to totally fill up on. The Specialty pies are about $25 each and have four toppings on average, still a much better deal than two pies at Comet.
We could not possibly bear to eat at Pete's as the screaming kids, babies and just the din of the noise gave us all three headaches while we waited. We were so happy to get back out in to the damp cool yucky wet evening and head home to open a bottle of red Rhone with our Apizzas...or is it apizze?
Whatever....HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all and may this season bring much cheer, good food, family love and fine friends to your side.

COMET PING PONG doesn't bounce too well in my book (11-13-11)

2011-11-14T10:02:00.001-05:00

Several months ago we bought a GROUPON for COMET PINK PING (http://www.cometpingpong.com/) located on Connecticut Ave at Nebraska, NW here in DC. We had heard the pizza here was fab and thought it worth a visit. We finally went last night and arrived there just before 6pm to see a literal zoo of people inside and out. We were told the wait was 30-45 minutes and given a beeper.
It wasn't too bad, although Samuel (and we) hate waiting. We headed to the CVS and bookstores nearby and returned after just over 30 minutes to wait another 15 minutes for our table.
Once seated in the what I call gloomy interior I could not feel the ambiance was anything worth remembering. It's very noisy, though not unbearable, and loaded with families. The walls are what I call filthy-looking with totally raw decor. The concrete and lack of absorption don't help the noise factor. A huge sculpture of red and black oil rig/high chairs (no better way to describe these!) are hung upside down from the ceiling and a vespa hangs upside down at the rear near the crowded bar.
We ordered Sam a Dry Meyer Lemon Soda which he loved and his plain Tomato Pie was just his pace. The pies, according to our server Sarah who was most personable, are supposed to be 9-10 inches or so and the trays they come on are indeed that big, but they shrink up big time to below 7-1/2 inches. They are still large enough for one person, but the crust is quite thick around the edges with all the filling poured in the center...nothing light and delicate here..you fill up on crust for sure!
Will and I split an order of the delicious TOASTED CAULIFLOWER and ordered a carafe of GRENACHE/SYRAH Cabardos, Chateau Jouclary 2008 upon Sarah's recommendation. I asked for a bottle and she corrected me saying all wine comes by the glass/ half-carafe or carafe. She opened the bottle nearby on the bar and poured it into the carafe, which seems to make little sense other than to let it breathe and add a more rustic feel to the lack of ambiance. The wine was perfect with the food having a hint of spice with nice body from the old vines.
Will and I ordered two pizzas to split.....
STEEL WILLS comes with SPINACH, RICOTTA, GARLIC, PARMESAN and KALAMATA Olives and had very little taste. We missed the garlic and the only flavor came from the 4 or so olives on the pizza. I sprinkled the red pepper flakes on lightly at first and it made almost no difference; after a generous shake, there was a hint of flavor, but this veggie option lacks everything a pizza could be in taste. We created our second pizza using the add-ons which run $1-4 per add-on. The anchovies were $1(that's a deal) and the SMOKED MUSHROOMS were $2 for our combo make-up. This pizza had more flavor thanks to the anchovies, but one was very poorly filleted and I got two bones in one bite!
So, was the $40 groupon worth the 45 minute wait? NO WAY, and we won't be bouncing back to Comet Ping Pong soon, especially when TWO AMY's is closer. Next week, PETE's New Haven Pizza in a small series of pizza reviews!

RedEye Grill in NYC is close to Carnegie and a good choice, but pricey(11-8-11)

2011-11-09T15:45:00.001-05:00

Last night I met some friends before a concert at Carnegie Hall and they chose the Red Eye Grill (http://www.redeyegrill.com/) at 890 7th Avenue at 56th Street. They also recently opened at National harbor here in Maryland!
I was eating light and enjoyed the dozen oysters very much. They run $3.50 each which is why I say the prices are high here. There were Blue Soleil from Nova Scotia, Blue Island from Long Island, Kumamoto and one more I forget from the west coast as well. they come with one of the best shallot vinaigrettes I have had and the requisite cocktail sauce with a dollop of horseradish that I can never bring myself to use on a tasty oyster, but love to slather on the warm rolls!
I also had the LOBSTER MAKI Roll which at $16.00 is five small pieces with not a ton of lobster. Pricey again!
My friends loved their Crabcakes, Shrimp Cocktails and Caesar Salads, and I tasted their yummy side of BRUSSELS SPROUTS with lemon butter.
So, if you seek quality seafood, albeit at high prices, and don't want to stray more than across the street from Carnegie Hall...Red Eye fills the bill.

DISTRICT COMMONS for delightful new cuisine (11-5-11)

2011-11-06T16:49:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we headed to the newest dining spot in Foggy Bottom, which is a real close hop from the Kennedy Center (pre or post theater!). DISTRICT COMMONS is Passion Foods newest entry, and you know that means good food when it comes from the team that created DC Coast, Acadiana, Ceiba and more...
DISTRICT COMMONS (www.districcommonsdc.com) at 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue faces out onto Washington Circle with floor to ceiling windows which are loads of fun for crowd watching. There are lacquered blond/dark wood tables along the windows (booths) and also some quiet hidden ones in the rear if you seek solitude. A huge bar near the entrance and open kitchen make this a fun spot that was not too noisy on a 7pm on Saturday (when we left). It was nice and quiet at 5pm when we arrived after the matinee.
The kids menu is varied , but Samuel felt simple with the Pasta, Butter and Parmesan.
We all ADORED to soft buttery HOT PRETZEL BAGUETTE which is $2.00 and comes with a tasty Beer Mustard Butter (but you don't need it!).
A bottle of 2009 DARCIE KENT "Black Jack Vineyard" Gruner Veltliner is a creamy, yet apply-tart white that goes with many dishes. The wine list is excellent and varied and the punch line here is that they serve "99 bottles of beer on the wall...."
Our server Ping guided us away from the White Bean Soup with Cheddar Cheese Beignets (next time) to the spectacular SEAFOOD CHOWDER chock full of fish, scallops and more and served with a tiny bag of Hidden Ranch Crackers. It has a splash of cayenne for flavor and will warm anyone on a chilly night. The oysters here are varied and tasty as well.

Our main courses were a Roasted VEGETABLE POT PIE with Butternut Squash, Parsnip, Celery Root and Porcini Mushroom Gravy that would make any vegetarian happy with a crust that a pastry chef could win awards for. The Brick PRESSED CHICKEN is a tasty juicy delight and comes with Mashed Potatoes, Rainbow Chard, Preserved Lemon and Parsley Jus. YUM YUM. My North Carolina Mountain TROUT was a perfectly cooked fish with Broccolini, Pine Nuts and a Citrus Burnt Butter that was delish. I just needed a tad more sauce to really enjoy the fish.

We had to take a friend back to the Kennedy Center to perform and Will asked for the bill, but our charming and all-smiles server Ping, said that a treat was coming. Three desserts arrived and we were dumbstruck:
CHERRY MASH is an American treat with Cherry Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce , Whipped Cream and Peanuts
BOSTON CREAM PIE is a modern take with discs of sponge cake with chocolate sauce and cream
but the winner is the FUNNEL CAKE, a dish that I have always detested at the beach and fairs for its messy sugary gloppy taste. This FUNNEL CAKE was light, airy tasty with a Butterscotch Sauce and some whipped cream resembling a beignet more than anything else....DELICIOUS! Even Samuel agreed.

Before we left a plate came laden with Coconut Macaroons, Shortbread Cookies, Blood Orange pate de Fruit, Fig Newtons and Everything Bars.....a pastry chef somewhere was having a ball, and so did we.

We can't wait to return to District Commons because I saw the pork chop and the duck main courses arrive at the next table. Next time.

Graffit goes GASTROARTE and NY's upper west side goes sublime (10-29-11)

2011-11-01T12:14:00.002-04:00

This past summer one of my fave spots on NY's upper west side, Grafitt changes its name to Gastroarte Restaurant (http://gastroartenyc.com/) located at Broadway and 69th Street. This unassuming spot (down several steps just two doors off Broadway) has become a great spot for Spanish dining in the US (Jose Andres eat your heart out!). Chef Jesus Nunez does wonders with his gorgeous creations making you eat way more than you could ever wish for and enjoying every single bite.
You may recall that the tapas menu is only served at the bar and high tables in the front section; this time I headed into the dining room where the dishes impress just as easily. There is a $40 three course prix fixe if you order before 6:30pm (yes, even on Saturday) and this has to be one of the best deals anywhere as you can order anything off the regular menu!
I started with BRAISED BEEF TONGUE with Roasted Scallion & Carrots. The dishes are described so simply but what comes is an array of ingredients that is almost too beautiful to touch. The tender tongue sat in a divine sauce with huge swirls and dots of veggie puree of all different colors made from beets, carrots, scallions and more. The colors were divine and there were also braised scallions and purple, white and orange carrots in the dish.
Did I mention the steaming hot mini-loaf of ciabbata-like bread that arrived after I ordered with some of the best virgin olive oil to dip in as well; it left a hint of smokey pepper in the back of my mouth when I sucked the oil off the bread--what flavor!
The decor is rustic and warm, even in the awful snowstorm that NY was having that day. Brick walls with toreador paintings and gilded mirrors. The banquette is not my favorite place to sit as the person opposite must sit a formed red plastic chair that did not look too comfy. Be sure to go for a table with regular upholstered chairs.
My server, Amalia, from Romania, remembered me from last time and was a gem. She guided me perfectly and I will always trust her choices here. When I asked if the sommelier/manager Nacho was in she said he now just bought the wines and no longer worked as a manager. No matter, Amalia knew the wines well and sent over a glass of PRIMA TINTO de TORO which was smokey with slight tannins and a smooth dark chocolate taste that was perfect with my tongue. For the main course we moved to a bigger CAMINS 2008 Granacha-Carinena from Priorat that was like spiced berries and has to be the best storm wine around with big food. I had the LAMB CHEEKS with Lentils, Spiced Idiazabal Cheese (in little balls that melted over the dish, Brioche and Asparagus. the dish had a rich thick sauce as well as a pumpkin puree and the brioche were in small rectangles (think British toast soldiers) that stood up in the sauce. The asparagus were sliced very thin for decoration and the overall dish looked great but tasted even better. I can't wait to go back again for more!

I also love the music here which combines mild easy jazzy English with exciting yet soft Spanish singers.
Amalia guided me right to the BUTTERNUT SQUASH & DULCE di LECHE dessert which is one of the best ever.
The squash was in different size discs and formats from gelees to marmalades and one like a pate and the best were the discs with caramelized sugar (think veggie disc with creme brulee topping). This all sat on a huge bed of Dulce di Leche "mousse" which was thick and caramelly and the perfect end to a magnificent dinner. Amalia offered a glass of semi-sweet sparkling cava as an after dinner drink and I left oh so happy...and what a deal!

back to BAR BOULUD (NYC-10-28-11)

2011-10-31T13:07:00.001-04:00

While at Lincoln Center this weekend I visited two of my fave spots
and the first was BAR BOULUD
(http://www.danielnyc.com/barboulud.html#intro).
I sat down and was quickly served those fab steaming cheese GOUGERES
which melted in my mouth.
I chose the prix fixe $45 which is a good deal, but was not thrilled
with my dessert choice.
I started with the TERRINE de PORC of Berkshire Pork with Figs (I
could not really taste the figs) and Esplette Peppers served with
their fab mustard, cornichons, a pickled onion and a dab of frisee.
It's a superb pate, although the portion is not huge. Next time I will
head for the Fish Soup!
The dish came with toasted French bread, but there is always the super
fresh version on the table with top-notch salted butter!
My main course was a superb dish -DAURADE-Sauteed SEA BREAM over Stone
Ground (creamy) Polenta with Wilted Spinach. The fish was served
crispy skin up and was excellent and it came with what the menu called
"funnel tomato confit." I adored these little grape tomatoes, but
discovered they were confit of tomato in fennel!
A glass of Domaine Triennes Viognier 2009 "Sainte Fleur" was not
perfumey and while floral had a tart acidity of honeydew with a hint
of smoke...perfect for the fish!
The dud dessert was COUPE FIGUES et PRUNES or a small round glass with
Honey Chilled Mousse over a cookie and Dried Fruit Cobbler of Fig &
Plum.
My fab server Katie ended up not charging me for the wine, perhaps
because I panned the dessert!

--

rapturous regional cuisine (Piemonte) at Casa Nonna (10-23-11)

2011-10-25T12:20:00.000-04:00

This is the third month in a row we have headed to Casa Nonna near Dupont Circle (www.casanonna.com) and we are all still raving about the food and the deals.
Last month the Sunday family dinner region was Sicily. This month (Oct 30 remains) they have moved north to Piemonte, and at $28 per person for 4 courses, this is a deal you can't afford to miss.
Our ever so pleasant server Ryan took Samuel's order for a plain pizza with a drizzle of Pesto (if possible, and of course it was) which he gobbled up along with his Shirley Temple and the excellent seasoned/cheese filled bread squares.
There were some special wines for the Piemonte menu and we adored the 2009 "Osel" Ruche di Castagnole which had a slight perfume in the nose (Will said akin to a red Rhone), yet this yummy rare red is a full bodied treat and was nice on a chilly autumn evening. We moved on to the Nebbiolo d'Alba 2008 from Damilano on manager Adam's recommendation and it was also a superb choice. It is so nice to have wines for $30-50 that are truly impressive.
The dinner began with Antipasti of
Zuppa di Cavolfiore-a rich (not cream) CAULIFLOWER SOUP with roasted cauliflower, crouton and chive that is the perfect fall treat (perhaps only Chestnut Soup is my more favorite!).
TRIPPA alla PARMIGIANA would turn any TRIPE-fearer into a lover. The meat was braised in tomato sauce and covered with melted Parmesan that just gooey oozed all over the ramekin.
FRITTATA Alla Herbe was a simple rustic herb frtittata that was the least impressive of the three, but still very tasty.

The PRIMI were both top notch pasta dishes:
SPAGHETTU al Ragu di FUNGHI e ACCIGUE was tossed in a ragu of garlic, anchovy and tasty wild mushrooms--all so wonderfully evocative of the season
PAPPARDELLE all'AGLIATA was a huge wide egg yolk pasta in ribbons the size I have never seen before drenched in a super rich WALNUT PESTO with grated Parmesan

The SECONDI arrived and we were already quite full!
BRANZINO al PIEDMONTESE was seared Branzino with a yummy sweet and sour Sultana RAISIN Sauce
BEEF "CARBONNADE" was called "Coal Worker's Stew"....we called it Rosemary's Stew as the Beef, Potato and Onion Braised in Red Wine had lots of tasty rosemary (I have got to use that more as it's in my garden and I always forget!)
The side dishes (yes all this!!) were
CIPOLLINI AGRODOLCE-Braised Sweet & Sour Cipollini Onion
& POLENTA CONCIA-a simple yet excellent creamy polenta with butter and Parmesan

Dessert was thankfully just one plate of CRESPELLE al GIANDUJA, a slightly thicker than French-style crepe with a warm Gianduja Chocolate filling, Poached Pear, Caramel Sauce and Lemon Gelato (although it said Vanilla) - a yummy finish to a hugely satisfying and fun meal and evening!

don't fall into the RIVERS when near the Kennedy Center (10-15-11)

2011-10-17T08:59:00.001-04:00

After a performance at the Kennedy Center there are few places to head
late at night within walking distance for a bit to eat, and fewer with
worthwhile cuisine. For years across the street in the Watergate was a
mediocre, though reasonably price joint which recently was renovated
and reopened as RIVERS (http://riversdc.com). The name evoking the
Potomac just feet away.
I headed over there at 10:30pm on Saturday with some clients who had
just sung in the Concert Hall and the place was heaving. We would not
have gotten a table if we did not have an opera and Broadway star in
tow for sure. The staff was very courteous and asked to wait while
they made room, and it was indeed a very nice (and not noisy setting).
We perused the wine list which was quite short for a "fine dining
spot" and asked our server what year the various Cabernets were; he
had no clue. We ordered a delicious Freemark Abbey and he told us it
was 2008, but the bottle was the far superior 2007 when it arrived.
My $15 appetizer CHARCUTERIE Plate was as lame as it gets in the new
and wonderful world of charcuterie. There were two small squares
(about 1" square each) of some type of tasteless fish pate, a similar
sized piece of smooth tasty duck pate, a single piece of dried bland
bresaola and a small dollop of blue cheese. Two slices of oven-toasted
bread (room temp) accompanied this.
One of my guests ordered the $38 filet to find out they were all gone
and then chose the salmon which looked quite dry. His wife seemed to
enjoy the Caesar Salad but was repeatedly told there was gluten in
anything else she wanted. She opted for the steamed MUSSELS and ended
up getting sick that night. Need I say more. Our server was completely
lost with the gluten questions and insisted that certain dishes had
none when we tried to explain what gluten was to him.
Our Broadway person also enjoyed the Caesar and I tasted her FRIED
CALAMARI with Citrus Honey Dipping sauce which was pretty decent,
though it would win no prizes.
All told we left having had a great time chatting and hobnobbing with
the cast from Les Miz that closed the place with us around 1am...but I
really wish there was another option we could go to in this city
without driving after a KenCen performance!
PS- the name Rivers also alludes to a name of a river associated with
each main course. hence the Indian veggie dish is linked to the
Ganges...the filet to the Seine....the salmon (who knows)....a truly
lame attempt at what appeared to be a very overpriced menu for people
who are basically forced to head here after theater.

DINO's does double duty with March of Dimes auction item--a super fun night (10-9-11)

2011-10-12T16:42:00.001-04:00

We still have seats left at our table for this years' March of Dimes SIGNATURE CHEFS on November 16th. The reason you should come is right here in this review.
Last year we purchased a wine tasting with hors d'oeuvres at DINO's where Chef DEAN GOLD is in charge and is also one of the most generous restaurateurs in town. We headed there on Sunday and were totally amazed at every dish and glass we had to savor in a very long evening.
We ordered a bottle of VIGNETI MASSA '09, a Piemontese wine made from Timorasso grapes that served as a super sipping aperitif. This home grown wine is really different and offers some really nice flavors on the palate, akin to a Viognier, but not quite.
There are lots of other reasons to go to DINO (www.dino-dc.com) other than the fab food. Sundays and Mondays wines are 33-50% off and the kids menu will blow your mind. Samuel and his friend Joshua got a three course meal for $8.00 each. The price of the meal is the same as the child's age(up to 11). Samuel gobbled up his meatball starter while Joshua wolfed down the lean and tasty prosciutto. I tasted a small bite and this was some of the best PROSCIUTTO I have had in years--anywhere. They went on to have main courses of "pizza" which was really a bruschetta style bread with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Their desserts were Chocolate Sundaes made with Chocolate Gelato and not a bite was left in their bowls.

We started with two drinks-a BELLINI FRESCO made with Trevisol Prosecco and house made White Peach Liqueur (not only do they have great wines here, but the in-house drinks and home made liqueurs are fab!). This came with a BLUE in GREEN NEGRONI which was made with Blueberry Green Tea, Negroni (Cocchi Americano-a moscato-based vermouth akin to Lillet) and Dimmi (Apricot blossom) Liqueur. It packed a punch and went great with the two fish hors' d'oeuvres:
CHESAPEAKE Mini CRAB CAKES and
"FISH & CHIPS" -Pan fried Pollock with Crushed Gold Potatoes & Scallions served with a Lime Anchovy Aioli - while not a true British Fish & Chips, it might very well be the Italian version gone tasty and wild.

I must note that each set of pairings had a title and the above was Per Entree--a couple of fruits.
Obviously, Dean knows us well and we all giggled out the wazoo at these "titles."

Next came "A Pig from Head to Toe" featuring
TROTTER TOTS -porky potato croquettes
& TESTA (a magnificent aromatic and earthy pate of head cheese with arugula and chick pea salad
The wines went red to match the intensity of the food:
SESTI "Monteleccio" Rosso Toscano '08 from Montalcino was the softer version and the spicier was the
UCCELLIERRA 2008 Rosso di Montalcino (great with the Testa).

"Will nibbles on two balls" was next and I won't comment any further except that there was
VEAL MEATBALLS in Lemony Marsala Sauce
&
Duck Schmaltz Matzoh Ball Soup
Dean does matzo balls and the soup as good as any bubbie around...so try it out.
The wines were a nicely intense DAL MAZO "Tai Rosso" 2009 from Veneto made from Grenache, something you don't see too often in Italy and
CRIVELLI Ruche 2008 a superb Piemontese wine.

"Duck, Duck Goose" was last with
BACI (scallop wrapped with duck liver and dates in pancetta)--WOW!
& DUCK NECK (house pate stuffed in a Duck Neck)

We gobbled up everything in sight as we drank DECONCILIUS "Donnaluna" 2008 from Campania made from Aglianico and HILBERG 2008 Barbera d'Alba.

I must mention that we all gobbled up the unbelievably crusty bread with the oil, salt and pepper at the table and kept asking for more for the sauces. Our server Gregory was a (very handsome) gem and put up with all our needs in seconds and really had fun with us as well.

The event did not include dessert...be we persevered on and ordered one of each of the cheeses as they are all divine:
Guffanti Vera Paglietina--tangy yum yum
Guffanti Robiola Nostrana
Guffanti Sciumdin -one of my favorites
Guffanti Castelmagno
Crucolo
Ithatca "Erboro Bianco"
Gruffanti Provolone "Mandarone"-another gem
Gruffanti Blue di Lanzo
these came with candied walnuts, pickled ginger and of course crostini

Desserts chosen and devoured were
Torte di Cioccolato--a choco-walnut torte with spiced crumble crust
Torta di Mela- Apple "pancake" with Cinnamon gelato
Cappuccinno du Nutella-Nutella and Mascarpone -- bourbon soaked cherries, whipped cream and cocoa

We managed to polish off a bottle of SMITH WOODHOUSE 10 yr old TAWNY port to boot and it's amazing we all got home and did not burst.
Some auction items are okay, some are great. This was one of the best ever!

PS 7's always a trip to the heavens (Washington, DC -10-6-11)

2011-10-11T11:51:00.001-04:00

Our anniversary was last week and we took a trip downtown to PS 7's
(www.ps7restaurant.com) where Chef Peter Smith runs a wonderful
kitchen that always pleases our palates.
We arrived to a hopping spot as they had a special Italian dinner
night saluting Peter's grandmother and her recipes; we had the choice
of the wonderful Italian menu and wines as well as the regular menu.
What a treat!

As you enter PS7's you are likely to encounter uber-bartender/
sommellieuse Gina Chersevani, a truly bubbly (no pun intended) person
who exudes cheer. She and Chef had flutes of Gruet Sparkling sent to
our table for the celebration and we went on to order some special
drinks:
The MEXICAN SWITCHBLADE is Partida Silver Tequila with Cilantro,
Coriander & Lime, while the CHILE FLIP is Stoli Pomegranate with
Leomon & Kashmiri Chiles. It has a soft foamy cappuccino-like top for
fun.
We moved on to G.D. VAJRA Langhe Rosso 2009 on Gina's recommendation
which is made from Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo. Gina described this
Piemontese treat as "bitchy in the middle with a smooth edge..." and
it was just that.
Will started with the BASIL SNAILS with Mushroom Hash, Parmesan Puff
and Herb Salad (atop the hash) which was a dream starter dish. My BANH
MINI was filled with superbly tasty Roasted Pork Belly, Cucumber
Jalapeno Relish and Hoisin Sauce with Picked Carrot and Radish. The
only fallback on this dish is that the tasty bread is too much and you
can't taste the ingredients as much as you should.
Speaking of bread, this night offered up Italian bread as well as the
regular PS 7's treats of heavenly biscuits, mini rolls and lavash. Oh,
and the water is now house filtered VIVREAU system (sparkling or
flat)....and there are lots of GLUTEN FREE options on the main menu
for those in need.

Our next course was the LINGUINI CARBONARA from Nana's menu with
Pancetta & Black Pepper. I love Carbonara (but avoid it as a WAY over-
indulgence), and have to admit the best was in Rome 5 years ago; this
was a divine preparation and probably as good as it gets outside of
Italy.
We moved on to an amazing 2005 LeCoste BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO with our
main course that opened up quickly enough (I would love to come back
to it in several years!).
Will gobbled up his VEAL LOIN with Chick Pea Mofongo, Radish Cucumber,
Herb Oil, & Veal Braise. My perfectly Seared DUCK BREAST came with
tasty farro "dirty rice," snap peas, spiced plum jus, watercress and
pine nuts was another wonderful creation that I could not leave one
bite of remaining.

Our server Adam was a gem as well and the service here is always
gracious, courteous and helpful. We chose our desserts
SQUITCH SQUASH-a butternut squash pie with figs, butterscotch pudding
and creme fraiche ice cream that was superb. My LEMON ICE BOX was
Blueberry Jam on Biscuit Crackers with LIMONCELLO Gelee, Lemon Custard
and a foam with tiny sugar crusted fresh blueberries.
We went home happy, but Will left the Italian breakfast treats they
delivered to our table to take home!
Reason for divorce...nah! We'll just have to go back for more.

SALT & PEPPER sprinkles on perfect neighborhood cooking (9-27-11)

2011-09-28T11:18:00.001-04:00

Last night we headed down to our neighborhood dining area in the
Palisades on MacArthur Blvd to SALT & PEPPER which moved into the spot
previously occupied by Battery Kemble Tavern. Owners/Chefs Lindsey &
Nate Auchter have done a beautiful job redecorating with wavy wooden
fllors, booths with windows opening on a side hallway (Samuel loved
running around and sticking his head in) and a nice (and not noisy)
neighborhood feel with a touch of class and great soft, but upbeat,
music as well. Be sure to take a break and head down the side hallway
to see the unisex bathroom with both a Ken & Barbie doll on the door.
If you want to watch the goings on in the kitchen, there is a full
glass wall at the rear of the dining room onto the kitchen.

We had met the owners/chefs recently at the AIWF CrabCake Competition
now named in memory of our dear friend Karen Cathey, and Lindsey &
Nate got us all excited about the new spot just 4 minutes from out
house. They met us and were oh so gracious; you do feel at home here.
Lindsey knows tons about wines, but we saw the drink menu and could
not resist the martinis. Samuel had a Shirley Temple, Will went for
the Spaaaah Martini made with Veev Acai Liquor, Square One Cucumber
Vodka, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and Sparkling wine which is refreshing
and tasty, but I adored the spice and slight sweetness of the Salt &
Pepper Martini made with Black Peppercorn Tito's Handmade Vodka, Red
Cherry Puree, Main Root Lemon-Lime Soda and Pomegranate Grenadine. The
drinks are huge and pack a punch; no skimping here!

Samuel ordered the kids portion (1/2 size of adult) of Buttermilk-
Brined FRIED CHICKEN (Tennessee) which comes with Braised Greens and
mac & cheese (Sam substituted fries as he is not a mac & cheese
child). The chicken was fried to perfection and oh so tasty and the
white meat was juicy as could be.

We chose two starters to share:
LOBSTER POPPERS with Essential Sauce which were very tasty morsels of
Maine Lobster (incidentally, almost every item on the menu gives its
state of origin for the main ingredient) with a to die for dipping
sauce like a remoulade with a slight punch from Guajillo Peppers.
PUMPKIN RICE FRITTERS (Pennsylvania) are NOT to be missed huge round
balls deep fried to perfection, salted nicely and then served with a
creamy chive and lemon dipping sauce.

BURGERS (Texas) here are a main item and made from all natural
humanely raised Wagyu beef. Don't miss these HUGE juicy burgers that
Will declared better than Ray's in Arlington (and you don't have to
wait in line!).
He had the Morning/Noon/Nigh which comes with Cheddar, Bacon, Fried
Egg, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion (which he removed and replaced with
Sauteed Portobello chunks!). My "regular" burger was treated to the
add-ons of ROGUE SMOKEY BLUE cheese and fresh Spinach. It was one of
the best burgers anywhere. The buns are brioche-like dough and I asked
if the pastry chef was responsible; she was not, but they were great,
too.
We ordered a bottle of CABERNET (you know how rarely we do that) on
Lindsey's suggestion from Napa made by Kathryn HALL 2007. It opened up
after about 5 minutes offering coffee and blackberry notes and was
indeed just right with the burgers.
Samuel called the Hand Cut Fries that come with the burgers
"unstoppable" once he started trying them with the divine ESSENTIAL
Sauce (described above).

Dessert is a main attraction at SALT & PEPPER...Samuel wolfed down the
WARM BROWNIE SANDAUE with Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and we
adored the Chocolate Covered Salted Walnuts. The PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE is
not heavy like so many and has an airy, but filling feel with Maple
Sauce, Cinnamon Creme Anglaise, Whipped Cream and Candied Pecans. We
were all in heaven and very full, but they need to package those nuts,
not to mention the Essential Sauce!
SALT & PEPPER shakes it up JUST RIGHT!

TABERNA del ALABARDERO takes you out to a luscious lunch (9-25-11)

2011-09-25T18:30:00.001-04:00

Today we were invited to the buffet brunch at DC's most famous Spanish dining spot TABERNA del ALABARDERO (http://www.alabardero.com) and upon arrival were surprised to see that they
had not resumed the brunch menu (it was suspended for the summer until next Sunday). As our friends had a gift certificate it was a bit of an embarrassment and in the end the manager graciously accepted the certificate for a full three course lunch for us all and even included the beverages! WOW! What a nice belated birthday treat (thanks guys!).
Olives and manchego came to the table with superb crusty warm bread that was irresistible. The red and white SANGRIAS are both nice and I guess it really depends what you are eating which one to choose.
I started with the Salmorejo de Cordobes con Mousse de Salmon, Bacon y Sardinas Marinadas - blissful Chilled TOMATO SOUP with a large mold of SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE surrounded by a slice of BACON and topped with a marinated SARDINE. It was simple yet wonderful for a fall clammy day (the humidity refuses to leave this city!) and the start of a large meal at midday. ENSALADA de PULPO was an Arugula Based Salad with slices of OCTOPUS with "texturized Olive Oil" which was really more like a cubed jelly and crystal (an unmolded gel) of Gazpacho; a modern yet not over the top take on a traditional dish. The TEMPURA VEGETABLES came with Mussels and served with Violet Potato Vinaigrette.

Three of us chose the Millioja de Ventresca de Atun con Txangurro sobre Purrusalda Ahumaday Crujente de Pan - a beautiful TUNA BELLY NAPOLEAN assembled with just past rare white tuna around Basque Style Crab Meat (a light red sauce) over Smoked Potatoes and Leeks. A slice of toasted bread was on the side, julienne veggies and micro greens; we all adored it. The Lubina or ROCKFISH was braised over Mussel Emulsion with Caramelised Onion and Sauteed Seafood also got very high marks.

The coffee came and was superb and desserts followed:
Lemon Sponge Cake with Mascarpone Ice Cream and Cream of Rose & Lychees
Caramelised Rice Pudding with Orange Sorbet
and the Tarte de MANAZANAS more of a pastry dough purse filled with apples which were a bit overcooked and served with flavorless Dulce de Leche Ice Cream (so skip this one).
My FLAN ROTO de Coco was a modern creation in a martini glass with a kind of breaded coconut flan at the bottom covered by Mascarpone Cream and a scoop of Pineapple Sorbet; I actually liked it, but I never would have called it flan--maybe flan parfait!

No matter, I had a great birthday lunch, albeit 4+ months after the fact, and we all were quite surprised at the way the staff handled our "issue" and really made it a great day, great lunch and with great service to add.

CASA NONNA's Sunday dinner SICILIA ABBONDAZA does it amply!(9-18-11)

2011-09-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

We had been to Casa Nonna (www.casanonna.com) during Restaurant Week with Samuel and at that time we found out about their SUNDAY DINNERS at $28/per person. This is a deal that beats Restaurant Week by millions of miles, so we headed back in last night for the SICILY dinners which are being featured every Sunday in September (each month is a different region--we can't wait to find out what's next!).
We settled into our comfy booth as I admired the decor on the shelves that separates the dining sections: Lurasia bottled water, pasta in glass jars and biscotti tins; all set up so beautifully. Executive Chef Amy Brandwein, fresh from her win at the AIWF CRABCAKE Competition was off on Sunday, so Chef Nairobi was in charge and she handled the whole place with sheer perfection; everyone seemed to be having a good time.
We were greeted with a smile as Manager Stephanie recognized us from several weeks ago. Our server, Okelo, had a huge smile on and seemed just the epitome of kindness.

Samuel was again his slightly difficult self and wanted pizza, but we insisted on pasta (we were sure he would order the wonderful Chitarra from our last visit that he adored so much). He ended up choosing the SPAGHETTI alla POMODORO, but we convinced him to try some PANCETTA on top which he adored.

We chose the Sicilian $28 tasting which is 4 courses served family style and enough to fill up anyone's empty stomach. We were treated to some extra starters as well, which you can surely consider if ordering a la carte:
POLPO is a perfectly grilled OCTOPUS served as a salad with Sun dried tomatoes, potato, lemon and celery and is simply yet seasoned ideally.
SPIEDINI allo SPECK is for those who wish to indulge in the grilled (melted) fontina cheese wrapped in slices of speck (Italian ham) that is crunchy from the grilling. Sage leaves come with these and you must eat them with the skewered delights for even more flavor.

We ordered a bottle of the special Sicilian white for the evening L'ISOLA DEI PROFUMI BIANCO 2009 at $33 and what a deal; so good, we had a 2nd bottle.
The Sicilian menu included the following:
CAPONATA al MELANZANE which is described as a sweet & sour eggplant (even better with the sweet caramelized onions) on crostini. We chose, as we did last time, to save much of this to take home as we knew how much would follow...we are just about ready to head down now and enjoy some with a wonderful wine at home!
CAZILLI FRITTI are Fried garlic and POTATO CROQUETTES which are again an indulgence and delightful. We tried to get Sam to try one (there were 3), but he would have none of these delight Sicilian "tater tots."
POLPETTINE di TONNO are Fried Tuna and Pecorino in Tomato Sauce....I forgot to ask Chef Nairobi, but I could have sworn these were meat sausages and not tuna, even though the seasoning and taste was fabulous.

The three Antipasti were followed by TWO (yes two) PRIMI Pastas....
PENNE ALLA NORMA (of course this has great operatic importance to me) which was a Penne Rigate with a tasty Tomato Basil Sauce topped with ingeniously Fried Slices of Eggplant and thin shavings of Ricotta Salata. At first I thought the eggplant was a slice of meat, like prosciutto, it was like a fake chemical treat you see these days at some of the "chemical" spots around, but it was real homey Italian all the way.
Samuel tasted this and begged for 2nds and 3rds as he adored the eggplant and the ricotta as well.
PAPPARDELLE al RAGU BIANCO was novel for me in that the huge ribbons of Fresh Egg Yolk pasta were served in a beef ragu made with WHITE wine. It was a bit peppery and a total treat.

The Secondi (mains) were no less exciting:
FILETTO di NASELLO all'AGLIO e PEPERONCINO was a perfectly sauteed HAKE Filet with Garlic, Lemon and Hot Peppers. The chef here at Casa Nonna are not afraid of spice and we love that. When the fabulous cheese-stuffed pizza-like bread came, Samuel declared it a bit too spicy, but we still gobbled it all up!
Perhaps the spice is also part of the Sicilian heritage, but we did like it.
FARSU MAGRU SICILIANA is a work of art as the braised BEEF is made into a roulade and stuffed with Hard Boiled Egg, Ground Veal and Caciocavallo (cheese).

There are (just in case the above is not enough) two sides with each dinner:
BROCCOLIL di RAPE and here the BROCCOLI RAAB is served with Garlic, Anchovy, Lemon and some Hot Peppers as well
FINOCCHIO a SFINCONE is a casserole of BRAISED FENNEL in Tomato Sauce topped with Breadcrumbs and Caciocavallo all melted to look like a mini-lasagna (but with no pasta). It was a bit of an indulgence and I liked this more than Will did.

Dessert was a simple CANNOLI SICILIANI with the small homemade thin pastry shell filled with orange-scented RICOTTA over Chocolate Sauce with Pistachios. Sam liked the sauce, but he missed the pastry which was the best part of the dish. A glass of orange -cello (as opposed to LIMON) was nice and I thought would pair with the orange in the dessert, but it doesn't have the same essence as the limoncello. Will opted for grapefruit-cello which indeed did have the punch of the limon!

We headed home fuller than ever and knowing (at Samuel's bequest) that we return for a Sunday tasting soon!

White Plains NY offers up big burgers at Ron Black's (9-17-11)

2011-09-19T13:20:00.001-04:00

If you find yourself in White Plains, NY (the county seat for
Westchester, just 30 mins from Manhattan) seeking good pub grub head
to Ron Black's (http://ronblacks.com/) as we did the other day.
I had the Brunch menu BREAKFAST BURGER which comes on a bagel, but our
server suggested I switch to the bun as it's easier to manage (he was
right). The burger comes with a choice of cheese, mushrooms, fried
onions, avocado, chili OR jalapenos and an EGG on top for $10. I did
not spot the "OR" and thought all this stuff was a great deal. I
settled for the CHEDDAR and a fried egg and it was HUGE. The big
burger was juicy and tasty and the egg and cheddar yummy. There was a
side as well INCLUDED of either fries, salad, sweet potato fries or
something else. The SWEET POTATO FRIES were fabulous and so were the
(albeit small) BLOODY MARYs.
My brother was wowed by the extensive beer on tap menu as well as the
bottles; avoid the wine as there are about 8-10 types and all dreck
for the most part!
This is a nice place to grab a sandwich or bite and it was quite quiet
on Saturday at noon as well as the sport's crowd had note yet invaded.
I'd surely go back when in White Plains, but don't trek there!

Dupont Circle's DARLINGTON HOUSE is a darling spot to sup(9-3-11)

2011-09-05T14:01:00.001-04:00

I had heard of DARLINGTON HOUSE right north of Dupont Circle (http://www.darlingtonhousedc.com) ages ago when it opened, I had even met the Chef Fabio Beggiato and promised we would visit. It took a long while for us to get there, but it was worth the trip last Saturday, when we took Samuel for a family dinner over the Labor Day weekend. I am usually not a fan of dining out on Saturday, but this holiday weekend things are always so quiet, it can often be quite nice. we arrived a 6pm and the dining room up one flight was pretty quiet. It was quite full by the time we left.
Darlington House occupies a beautiful town house on 20th Street just above Q street facing Connecticut Avenue where the old Childe Harold pub used to be. Downstairs (and on the street) is a rustic and quite noisy "cantina" and we could feel the noise and vibrations coming through the floor, but they were not too bothersome. The dining room has old wooden floors and a modern, old world feel and is comfy, classy and bright with huge windows overlooking the park opposite. We were seated in the table at the window which was very nice. The staff is attentive and knows the food well, but they need to get the huge wine list updated as we chose two items that were out of stock.
We ending up choosing the SANCERRE 2009 La Crele from Thomas et Fils which was one of the very nice lower end wines; the list gets into the high hundreds! The bread came and while it was plain, there was nice olive oil and balsamic for dipping. Samuel ordered the FETTUCCINE alla BOLOGNESE which I could have sworn was a veal-base rather than beef and was truly delicious.
It was hard to choose, so we took the advice of our helpful and handsome server Jhonathan (from Columbia) who insisted I start with the VITELLO TONATO. He was right on. The veal was sliced thin with a superb and not too rich sauce with grapefruit segments that gave it a special punch (I know, I am not supposed to eat grapefruit, but I indulged once for the first time in years!). Will had the unamazing CAPRESE salad, but it was nothing special.
We then split a SPAGHETTI CHITARRA which I was so excited about after having the similar sauce the week before at Cafe Nonna. This excellent preparation was with sauteed jumbo LUMP CRAB, black OLIVES and cherry TOMATOES and was nice, but even with the crab, the flavor punch was not there as in Cafe Nonna!
We moved on to a bottle of TORRE MIGLIORI, a Montepulicano d'Abruzzo from Cerulli Spinozzi which Jhonathan offered to us at the price of a lower-priced wine we ordered but was out of stock. We adored this light red with our main courses, especially at the $5+ savings!
Will had the BRANZINO special, grilled with Garlic and Lemon-Zest Risotto, a perfect dish balancing the flavors and really starring the superb fish. My SCALLOPINI alla SALTIMBOCA was three huge flattened pieces of veal with prosciutto, superb sage and Polenta and Broccoli-rabe on the side. The meat was superb and tender and the sauce divine, but there was so much, I had to ask for a doggie bag; only the polenta was unexciting.
We decided to split an order of TIRAMISU which looked like it had taken a bath in cocoa powder, which Samuel declared as "not my type" of dessert, but it was quite tasty nonetheless.
The prices here are high, but the food quality is quite good, especially with the meat and fish dishes. I think we would return, but again, there are so many great Italian places, Darlington House will have to wait its turn behind so many others we love.

AGORA offers delicious Turkish/Greek delicacies in Dupont Circle(DC) (8-28-11)

2011-08-29T15:01:00.001-04:00

Last night, Will had a dinner date with a friend, so Samuel and I
headed to AGORA (17th Street NW & Q St -www.agoradc.net) which opened
just over a year ago in the same place where the late Boss Sheperd's
was located (and another not long-lived French bistro in-between as
well). I think AGORA will have staying power for several reasons.
There is a great patio which was jammed, but you may recall Samuel
detests sitting outside due to his fear of bugs!
We headed inside which was quite empty at 6pm, but filled up by the
time we left. The walls are cool dark brick and there is a long bar on
the right with a huge flat screen TV above it (the Nats game was on),
and the tables might be a bit too close in some places, but otherwise
it's comfy and tasteful.
Hot billowing pita came out with an oil dip with chopped olives in it,
which they called tapenade. It was yummy and Samuel gobbled up the
bread and oil, but the olives were hard to get out and many ended up
on the table; a small spoon might have been nice.
We ordered a bowl of tasty HTIPITI, a roasted red pepper tapenade with
feta cheese that was nice. Samuel liked the peppers, but would not
touch the feta, which I thought was the thing that made the dish much
better.
The wine list here is quite large and there are some steeply priced
options, but the by the glass section has 22 choices and they come in
glass, 1/4 bottle and 1/2 bottle as well. I tried a wonderful dry
Turkish Rose CAL KARSI made from Syrah 2009 from Kavaklidere "Egeo."
As there were both Greek and Turkish items on the menu and wine list,
I asked our server if the owners were Turkish or Greek, and despite
the Greek name "Agora," it turned out they are Turkish, so I chose the
Turkish wines! My second wine was a SULTANA ANGORA 2009 from the same
winery in Denizil, Turkey and was also quite delicious.
I started with the Wild Caught OCTOPUS with Capers, Red Onion,
Parsley, Diced Tomato, Olive Oil and Sherry Wine Vinegar. It had a
great intense lemony flavor as well, as many of the dishes do here.
The meat was tender and the dish was quite large; the dishes here are
more tapas style and prices around $7-15 depending on the ingredients.
It's a great fish/salad starter that rivals any other octopus salad
around.
Samuel chose the MANTI-a big mistake. It was Meat filled mini-raviolis
topped with Garlic Yogurt and a Red Pepper Sauce with some dried mint.
He eats little yogurt (and always sweet kiddie stuff at that) so even
though he loves garlic, he didn't want any of that! It covered about
1.3 of the mini raviolis which he did eat, but it was impossible to
get him to even try the red pepper sauce which was truly a tasty
tapenade that he would have loved (he adores tapenades!). I finally
finished his dish and insisted he try again (or no Coke)...and he did
eat up 90% of the KOFTE which are small burger-like lamb and beef
patties beautifully seasoned over a garlic pita with sumac onions and
grilled tomato. The bread was a bit lame, and he didn't want the
veggies...but we did fine.
I had the Grilled Filet of Boneless BRANZINO over Olive Bread with
Grilled Lemon. Again the bread was worthless and a bit crusty, but the
fish was superb, especially once I squeezed that tasty grilled lemon
with seasoning all over.
I wanted something like dessert and our server had gone so well with
the Branzino, I took her other idea and had the appetizer of HELLIM
Cheese. This cheese is a full fat Famagusta (Cyprus) goat cheese which
is pan seared and comes out more like a firm cheese stick. It is
served with thyme, toasted almonds and a sweet fig jam that makes the
dish a perfect dessert. I had a nice glass of VERDECA which she
suggested and again it was a nice dry choice (albeit from Italy!).
Overall, we enjoyed the food and while the pita is amazing, it seems
the only real bad thing is the bread that comes UNDER some of the
dishes!

CASA NONNA -perfect pasta and pizza and more (8-21-11)

2011-08-22T11:18:00.001-04:00

Last night we took Samuel for an early Restaurant Week Dinner at CASA NONNA (1250 Connecticut Ave, NW-www.casanonna.com) which has been open for less than a year now, but has to have become one of the best mid-range priced places for Italian food in town. Add to this that the FOUR-course Restaurant Week Special of $35.11 is available through the end of August and you have even more reasons to head to this roomy, yet cozy spot a block from Dupont Circle.
Samuel did not want more than a Shirley Temple and a Pizza Margherita, but gobbled up plate after plate (along with us) of the best "focaccia" around. It is really a soft pizza-dough like flatbread that is stuffed (here and there) with a ricotta-like cheese called Stracchino that stretches and has wonderful earthy flavor, unlike Ricotta. The bread is topped with salt, pepper flakes, rosemary, sage and other spices making it a meal in itself.
For Restaurant Week (all of August) everyone starts with the ANTIPASTO sampler of the best Eggplant CAPONATA this side of Sicily; it is loaded with tasty eggplant and lots of caramelized onions that have sweetened the dish. Also on the plate are crunchy crostini to spread the caponata on as well as RICOTTA with Truffle Oil and slices of Prosciutto that are simply as light as air and oh so tasty.
Our server Zoe always had a smile and was a big help. She led us to the ORVIETO PALAZZONE "Terre Vineate" from Umbria 2010 that worked well with all our choices. We then moved on to a quartino (small carafe available in many wines that also come by the glass) of Masciarelli TREBBIANO 2010 from Abruzzo right next door to Umbria, but with a bit more perfume in the mouth.
The special $35.11 menu offers a choice of three pastas, main courses and desserts (as well as the yummy antipasti) and while it is limited...the choices are wide and superb. Will and I had the exact same items (yes, boring) and adored EVERY bite.
The SPAGHETTI alla CHITATA was a revelation using whole wheat pasta and adding little bits of cauliflower along with the garlic, enough hot peppers to fill the mouth with flavor (even Samuel gave it a hands up) and pecorino cheese. We could not stop talking about how great this dish was.
For the main course we chose the MERLUZOO al Forno, a tummy wood roasted COD with sweet and sour pepperonata topped with Arugula, another great creation and not a huge portion after all the other yummy food.
Dessert was the PANNA COTTA with fresh figs, Vin Cotto and Fleur de Sel ( a dash less of the salt would have made it perfect), which added a nice favor alternating between the wine, salt and figs!
Samuel ordered a selection of sorbets and got three monstrous scoops of Mixed Berry, Kiwi and Lemon loving every bite but declared at the end the best part was the accompanying cookie!
Bomboloni fried doughnuts arrived and were tasty as well, but I was feeling full so we gladly had some Limoncello (some of the best and strongest homemade around) and headed home full.
Looking forward to CASA NONNA again real soon, especially since I never had a Nonna that cooked like this!

Restaurant Week in DC-Lyon Hall -some love and a little hate (8-20-11)

2011-08-21T08:42:00.000-04:00

Last night we headed to Arlington (3100 Washington Blvd-wwwlyonhallarlington.com) where the owners of Liberty Tavern have opened up a "French-style" bistro not far from their first spot. We had the choice of sitting inside or out and the outside metal chairs had no cushions and looked very uncomfortable, so we opted for inside, where a group of people watching a baseball game at the bar occasionally let out a loud cheer or a huge group sigh. The noise was not too bad, but combined with music that was a bit too loud and very un-French, I would have preferred a little less din. The decor is simple with a big long bar and a couple of TV's; large glass windows overlook the street. I have to mention the restrooms which have men's and women's entrances side by side. Upon entering and leaving the wash basins are two long troughs in each facing each other with the wall between removed. If you are not careful, you might think this a mirror and get quite a scare when you come face to face with a stranger. The rest of the bathrooms are private, it's just an odd and novel setup.

Alexis our server was friendly and helpful and said almost everything was being offered for the $35.11 three course deal. The menu is varied and it was hard to choose. We both opted for the STEAK TARTARE starter which is a large portion with lots of large capers, a little onion, a beautiful just past raw egg laid on top and a superb side of potato-chip waffle gaufrettes. Little dabs of mustard were around the plate, making this one of the tastiest I have had in some time. We had a bottle of nice Domaine LOCUS AMENO "Reserve du Soleil" 2010 Rose (Syrah/Grenache/Cinsualt) that was dry and tart and worked with most food as well (they serve it by the glass too). The wine list is nice, but the beer list will blow you away!
The soft Black German Grain bread has coffee in it and has a great taste as does the Sourdough. All the breads, pastries, sausages, charcuterie and even some cheeses are made in house. Alexis told us the staff works 24 hours. Impressive.
Will's main course was a dud as the CRAB & LOBSTER BURGER had little seafood taste and was topped with a harissa aioli that was not on the menu. He had to smother some plain mayo on to lower the heat. He used the ketchup on the fries, which were abundant and tasty, but not fabulous.
My PORK SCHNITZEL was two huge flat pieces breaded to perfection and laid over a wonderful Lingonberry Sauce with a Lemon-Mustard Potato Salad. Some frisee with ham slices were piled on top for decoration and flavor and this dish was quite a delight.
For dessert Will had the CREME BRULEE which comes out of a ramekin on a cookie (too much) but with a side of FRIED FRUIT BEIGNETS that are divine as well as Blackberry Compote with huge blackberries.
My choice of sorbets.ice cream was wide and all house made with fresh blueberries/strawberries and those huge blackberries all around. The APRICOT-EARL GREY was my favorite with the RED PEACH SORBET a close tie. The HONEY PRALINE was nice as well.
We enjoyed our meal and said we will come back for sausages, cocotte and more, but avoid that burger please!

ALEX & IKA redux does it right in Cooperatown, NY (8-15-11)

2011-08-21T08:23:00.001-04:00

As ALEX and IKA's has always been my top choice in this area, we returned again on our final evening in town with several clients. On Monday, it was much quieter, the server (from Randy) was much better and the food just seemed to have an overall better impression that we got on Saturday night (I always say that dining out on a Saturday can reek disaster). Since we had no opera that night I was able to indulge in their signature drink the SWEDISH MARTINI, a huge martini glass filled to the brim with Svedka Vodka, Aquavit, Lingonberry Saft and Lime. The lingonberry liqueur sits at the bottom and needs a little stir up, but looks so pretty as the purple swirls into the clear vodka; the drink is divine. Our guest said we must try the FINGERLING POTATO FRIES which are skin- on potatoes cooked to perfection with a rich Chipotle Aioli Dip. Two orders of these disappeared fast, though Samuel would have none of them wanting only his standard fries and burger. While I enjoyed the Star Anise Duck main course on Saturday, the ROAST DUCK ANTIPASTO SALAD was an even better choice and just as big with tasty Garlic Mushrooms, Green Lentils, Marinated Artichokes, Sweet & Spicy Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes and a Creamy Sesame Dressing (there is a choice of dressings and they all come on the side so you can regulate the amount). This dish had everything anyone could want and was indeed one of the biggest appetizers around town. We ordered a bottle of Cloud Nine 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir which did not have lots of body, so we moved on to a 2008 RIDGE Lytton Springs Zinfandel which is 74% Zin, 21% Petit Sirah and 5% Carignan and is a dreamy intense red good for the tasty steak or even the grilled wild salmon our guests enjoyed. Will went for the RACK of LAMB with Saffron Porcini Risotto, Roasted Tomatoes (these are a big item here and are fab as well), Balsamic Glaze with White Truffle Oil & Pine Nuts. I opted for a second starter and loved the BABY LAMS & CHORIZO with Sweet & Spicy Peppers, Rosemary, Thyme and Chardonnay. This simple dish offered up a pile of tin succulent Manila clams wit small pieces of chorizo for flavor in a tasty broth. No room for dessert, but this meal convinced us we need to come back next season and just avoid Saturday night!

The Blue Mingo in Cooperstown comes up cooking (8-14-11)

2011-08-21T08:22:00.002-04:00

Tonight we headed back to the Blue Mingo Grill after many years (www.bluemingogrill.com) located on the lake just about 4 miles north of town. The Blue Mingo has a funky feel and is a bit laid back with chalkboard menus, but the ambiance on a nice evening can't be beat. We had dodged the storms around us all day and managed to get through dinner as well...perhaps the rains will avoid us. Samuel perused the Kid's menu and went for the Bowtie pasta in marinara sauce will Daddy and Papa ordered Cooperstown Cosmos made with Absolut Peach, Pomegranate Juice, Triple Sec and Lime. YUM! We did have to wait a while for the blackboard to be brought over and it was a tough decision with so many wonderful choices. Will and I split two appetizers which were both super: ASIAN POTSTICKERS made with chicken in a lemongrass spicy soy broth were divine as were the PORK SPRING ROLLS with a sweet and sour dipping sauce and a light mustard glaze. A bottle of yummy LABOURE-ROI POUILLY FUISSE 2009 Vallon d'Or was super with my main course of Braised HADDOCK, Cilantro Pesto over Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Zucchini which was , yes, another monster size portion of fish yet superbly cooked and with yummy flavors. Will chose the PAD THAI with SHRIMP as our server recommended it and the new chef was Thai! It came as spicy as you requested and Will's was perfectly medium to hot, which was why the chardonnay may not have matched it so well. We wondered why the bread served hot and tasty was fruit bread which really does not work with these foods., especially for mopping. Some friends joined us for desserts and we experienced the KEY LIME mousse-like parfait, Cuban Pudding more like breaded chocolate pudding, a superb Vanilla Creme Brulee and I had the (you guessed)cheese platter of local cheeses including apricots, apples, sausages, coconut crumble, almonds, honeycomb, fig jam, bread (not the fruit bread) and cheese of course: Dutch Girl Summer Goat Aged Raw Goat Beekman Boy Goat-Cow and Mountview Monterey Jack all of which were quite nice but none of which were spectacular (I am so jaded even a month after returning from Europe!). We had a great time and good food and saw many friends in the restaurant adding to our pleasure as we continued our stay and saw more opera here at Glimmerglass.

ALEX & IKA is in its own place for Cooperatown, NY cuisine(8-13-11)

2011-08-21T08:22:00.001-04:00

After having taken Samuel to Carmen at the opera and before I had another evening performance we zipped 20 minutes down the road to downtown Cooperstown where one now finds ALEX & IKA, the super Swedish couple that set up house in Cherry Valley years ago, but have now moved to Main Street (just near Doubleday Field) (www.alexandika.com). The move offered them a town center spot with much more space and a clientele that easily fills the place up. The fun drinks are expanded and now include a Lukas Monster MARGARITA of Cuervo Gold, Cointreau Lime and Orange Juice as well as the BEACH BUNNY of Passion Fruit, Pineapples, Appleton Rum with Peach & Coconut Liqueur. The wine list offers some pricey items as well as plenty of good choices in the $30-ish range. We chose a yummy 2007 COTES du RHONE from OGIER with lots of spice and a bit of pepper (althought the menu said is was 2005 Cave des Papes) which paired nicely with some of the spicy dishes. Speaking of spicy I started with the Sake Seared WILD SHRIMP with Sesame Noodle Arugula Cucumber Salad, Chopped Peanuts, Sweet Tamari and Ginger Oil. It had a punch that faded fast and the shrimp were succulent and overall the dish was nice and satisfying. The MOZZARELLA Salad might do with a rename as the menu says it is Roasted Tomatoes, Pinenuts, Capers, Balsamic Glaze and wild oregano, but fails to mention all of this is on a huge (really huge) bed of greens. The Fried Pork Dumplings needed something to dip in and a soy-like sauce arrived (perhaps it had been omitted). The main courses were all excellent with only the meat on the PERSIAN BEEF KORMA being a bit overcooked with creamy almond curry, basmati rice and baby string beans. Samuel's burger was spot on perfect and he gobbled up the fries (yes, again). The SESAME CRUSTED WILD SALMON with Sesame Noodle Arugula Cucumber Salad, Pickled Ginger, Toasted Cashews & Sweet Tamari got raves and the CHAR GRILLED RACK OF LAMB with Saffron Porcini Risotto, Artichokes, Roast Tomatoes, Balsamic Glaze, White Truffle Oil & Toasted Pine Nuts completely disappeared from our friend's plate without a trace of anything having been there. My STAR ANISE roast DUCK (I asked how strong the anise was before ordering) was superb and again a bit spicy with Thai Coconut Curry (not sweet or rich), Carrot Ginger Kimchee, Toasted Peanuts and Basmati Rice. It was a leg and thigh almost confit style and was oddly served with chopsticks...I had no clue how to eat a whole 1/4 duck with chopsticks and it was quite saucy, so I did ask for a fork and knife. Oddly after my starter, our server asked if I wanted to keep my knife and fork and I said a clean set would be nice. Will and I split the superb MAPLE CREME BRULEE with a super crunchy top and rich custard and we knew we could come back for more as we return here for dinner with more clients on Monday after the show Annie Get Your Gun!

Cooperstown's (NY) Lake Front Restaurant is super for seafood (8-12-11)

2011-08-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

We arrived here Friday for a long weekend and well know there are only several (if that) quality dining spots around town. There are plenty of burger joints, steak and fried seafood places and fast food joints, but each time we return here we seek dining spots. I asked the guy at the Chamber of Commerce desk and we stopped by the newly renovated Lake Front Hotel (Lake Front Restaurant at 10 Fair Street in downtown) to check out their expanded and redesigned restaurant that sits at the southern end of Otesaga Lake with several tables right at the window overlooking the scenery. We made the reservation and returned a couple of hours later for dinner and were quite surprised that the specials were a big shift on the standards, although here they were not all fried, breaded or such. We ordered two tall blue glasses of BLAK & BLUE LEMONADE which was a not too alcoholic combo of Stoli Blakberri, Stoli Blueberry, Lemonade and Lime..we felt the vodka was missing! Samuel chose a wonderful appetizer of Grilled SALMON with Lemon Butter over Spinach (which he skipped) and a side order of fried. It was almost a main course side (servings are HUGE here) and worked perfectly. Will chose the Mediterranean Grilled CALAMARI Salad with capers, shallots, red peppers, garlic and fresh herbs over a (huge) bed of greens with fire roasted tomato vinaigrette. It was a tasty salad, but my Sherry Mustard Steamed MUSSELS were the winner here in a tasty broth with yummy slabs of garlic bread (which Samuel adored). The Broiled SEAFOOD PLATTER contained backed stuffed shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, broiled scallops and broiled haddock, which Will declared as superb. Every main course comes with a small salad as well as choice of potato (baked with butter and sour cream if you like, fries) or rice and a small side of tasty vegetables. It's the typical old style dining yo often find up here. My Horseradish Crusted ESCOLAR with Lemon Dijon Cream was a wonderful dish and a perfect piece of fish. We had asked our charming server Michele for a bottle of the Xplorador Sauvignon Blanc from Chile but the bar guy misunderstood her and he delivered two glasses of the BOHEMIAN HIGHWAY California Sauvignon Blanc along with the full bottle saying that the extra glasses were on the house. Who could argue with that? The California was listed on the menu as citrus and grapefruit while the Chilean as more oaky...the reality was the reverse, but they were both very nice. We were so full as they began to clear tables from one side of the room just after 9pm. It seemed a band would play at 930pm, so we made our escape without dessert but having been quite filled up on the tasty seafood.

fun and filling food at FIORELLA Pizzeria e Caffe in National Harbor(8-6-11)

2011-08-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

Each year we head to our dear friends' condo at National Harbor (Ft.
Washington, MD) and this year we were treated to one of the newest
dining spots in the complex,
FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE (www.fiorellapizzeria.com) is part of the
wonderful chain in New York City that consists of Fiorello's across
from Lincoln Center, Trattoria dell'Arte across from Carnegie Hall and
the Red Eye Grill also in the same area. I have tried them all and for
the most part, the food is quite good (although the prices at RedEye
can astound). RedEye is also open now at National Harbor as well!
We started with the superb antipasto of salumi with Prosciutto di
Parma, Soppressata, Olives and Prosciutto Cotto as well as the regular
antipasto combo of eggplant grilled wonderfully, zucchini, olives,
roasted peppers and a to die for Burrata.
The pizzas followed and this is a treat as the ingredients are novel,
the crusts are paper thin and it all works perfectly:
The Specialty CALAMARI FRITTI was loaded with fresh sliced plum
tomatoes, but is a "white" pizza in that it has no tomato sauce base.
There are spicy peppers and tons of crispy fried calamari (not a tad
of grease in sight here!).
The MEATBALL pizza was as impressive with tasty meat, commodore sauce,
pecorino romano, mozzarella and lots of love.
I do not know our server's name, but she was a gem, as was the entire
staff (well, we were a party of about 15).
The FIORELLA LASAGNA needs another name as it only resembles lasagna
in construction. This home made pasta comes out like a folded crepe on
the edges filled high with homemade Fennel Sausage, Beef & Pork
Meatballs, Tomato Sauce, mozzarella and pecorino romano. Need I say
more? It was a dieter's nightmare, and we all immediately gave up our
diets for the night!
We are so looking forward to returning to FIORELLA and the great food,
pastas and pizzas!

you might love LINCOLN (the new restaurant in DC, that is) 8-4-11

2011-08-06T14:13:00.001-04:00

Thursday night we joined friends at LINCOLN (www.lincolnrestaurant-dc.com) which opened recently just near Thomas Circle on Vermont Ave, NW. Upon arrival we entered and could not hear a word the hostess asked us as the noise levels were beyond unreal. I yelled "Is there any place we can sit where we can hear each other without yelling?" and she motioned outside. Luckily, it was not a 100+ degree day in DC and the heat and humidity had abated and there was a nice breeze. The rattan-like chairs are extremely uncomfortable (I have no clue what inside is like) and when we sat the small plates were covered with debris that had fallen (from the trees, buildings nearby or whatever), so we asked for clean plates and one black napkin as our friend had a black dress on.
We never did figure out why there was a partially rotten green apple on the table.
We ordered a bottle of VAN DUZER Pinot Noir ROSE 2010 from Oregon which our server Ramon said was a great choice, and it was. We liked it so much, we had a second bottle.
Ramon explained the "small plate" setup at Lincoln and we decided to experiment widely and for the most part, we were quite happy with the food. We had heard that Lincoln originally did not serve bread when they opened but had caved to requests. We saw bread and dips on the menu, but asked if we could just get some bread (and we did say for free). They kept saying the black napkin was coming (including one manager) and the bread was in the oven. The napkin finally arrived after the food and the bread much later(we theatrically dubbed this episode, Waiting for the Dough"), all quite stale and definitely not having been in any oven for quite some time.
Will decided to try the dozen oysters and he did not ask what type they were. He was disappointed when they were all Blue Point, which Ramon insisted were West Coast. I know better, trying to explain the name Blue Point comes from Long Island, and gave up the argument fast when he insisted that their east coast oyster (not on the plate today) was a West Coast varietal (I forgot which).
The "appetizer" plate of DUCK SAUSAGE ROLL with seasonal mustard was fabulous and tasty, but is as big as any of the "main" plates and has five large slices that would easily fill a person with one more dish, even though Ramon said 4 plates per person is average.
The GRILLED ASPARAGUS with Poached EGG & Aritchoke Vinaigrette was so good the first time around that Will ordered a second plate which he said the egg was overcooked on.
Citrus Marinated Poached RED BEETS with Pickled Gooseberries and Horseradish Creme Fraiche is a divine veggie choice as was the superb Roasted Heirloom EGGPLANT with Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Burnt Honey.
The BAKED CANA de CABRA Goat was rich but tempered by the superb Grilled PEACHES, Olives and Shaved Bread (that was weird--we joked that we didn't really want to eat bread with a beard and was glad it had been shaved!).
An Organic KALE Salad with Hazelnuts, Fried Cranberries and parmesan lemon Vinaigrette did not sound so great, but Ramon explained there was no bitterness to the raw kale and it was a big hit on the menu, so we went for it, and it was quite good, but a bit boring. The kale reminded me of shredded parsley.
We moved on to a superb light Pinot Noir 2009 from FOREFRONT in Santa Barbara that Ramon recommended, but at one point one glass got spilled and broken on the sidewalk (it was really unclear how it happened, but we felt it was someone bussing the table that hit it) and nobody made an effort to offer a complimentary glass to replace it.
Will's Poached ARCTIC CHAR with Broccoli, Prosciutto and Golden Raisins only got an ok (so Will, who had chosen not to share with the three of us, was mostly disappointed with his meal), but the Crispy Soft Shell CRAB with Corn Salsa & Whipped Avocado-Lime Ceviche was really quite tasty but there was no "ceviche" just an avocado puree?
We were quite full and chose one dessert to share. The STRAWBERRY RHUBARD Crisp with Pistachio Streusel and Vanilla Ice Cream, it was agreed, was the best thing to hit the table all night.
I doubt we will ever have reason to return to Lincoln, especially since there is no way on earth I would eat inside in that awful high decibel din....but then you might.

revisiting WILLOW (Arlington, VA) gets even more raves (7-30-11)

2011-08-02T09:15:00.000-04:00

Only 8 days after our recent visit to WILLOW (www.wiilowva.com) we
decided to return along with Samuel for a family dinner. This was his
first time out with the family since our big 2 Michelin meal in
London. He did not show the same interest in food and I felt he no
longer wanted to try things. So the attempt to get the Mushroom
Flatbread went sour and he ended up with the Margerita FLATBREAD,
delicious, yet simple and a huge plain chocolate brownie for dessert
(although he did not care for the crunch topping which he promptly
removed.

We wanted another bottle of the same tasty Viognier from Veritas but
were told by our server Yves that it was all sold out, so we tried the
GLEN MANOR Virginia 2009 Sauvignon Blanc which was grassy intense.
When I mentioned this to Yves, he said he does not drink white wine.
We also had to keep seeking him out to pour the wine; this was not so
good.
Will started with the Warm SHRIMP SALAD and Crispy QUINOA Cakes,
Melange Spring Peas, Endive, Petite Greens, Feta & Lemon Dressing-a
perfect summer starter and my Sherry & Tomato STEAMED MUSSELS with
Speck Ham, Sweet garlic, Fennel Raviolini and Basil was a perfect
combo- although I must admit the mussels the week before at Food Wine
& Co were a bit better in quality-here the ingredients and extras
(raviolini & speck) made for a much more different flavor.
We were treated to a fab small bowl of chunky GAZPACHO (had the chef
read Will's recent comment about loving chunky Gazpacho--NO!) loaded
with tasty fresh chunks of cucumber! How superbly refreshing as an
interlude.
We switched to a wonderful ST INNOCENT "Freedom Hill" Chardonnay 2009
from Oregon that was ideal with our main courses:
Will had the best salmon I have tasted in years-Roasted NORWEGIAN
SALMON with Butter Poached Lobster Agnolotti, English Pea Risotto,
Potato Gnocchi, Lima Beans with a Savory & Lobster Sauce. It was
divine.
My Sauteed ALASKAN HALIBUT with Warm Barley Salad, Gigante beans,
Broccoli, Sunflower Seeds, Basil & Lemon, Smoked Tomato Raita, Dill
Sauce and Two amazing fried Olives was another piece of heaven. Fish
is treated like a goddess here.
For dessert Will tried the KEY LIME TART with Moorenko Blackberry Ice
Cream and Blackberry Sauce and I reveled in the gorgeously presented
(on a large marble slab) cheese plate of LATUR, MIDNIGHT MOON GOAT,
BEEMSTER Aged GOUDA (which Sam gobbled up as well) and a tasty yet
mild DUNBARTON Wisconsin Blue.
We grabbed some cupcakes (Red Velvet) to take home at the just
beginning to be created bakery for dining guests and the next evening
I was amazed at these tasty morsels as I am not an icing person. It
was more egg white than butter cream gloppy and I gobbled the whole
thing down in seconds.
A truly wonderful time was had by the three of us, and we are so
thankful to everyone at WILLOW!

--

Bethesda Restaurant week is better at FOOD WINE & CO (7-24-11)

2011-07-25T11:09:00.002-04:00

While officially Bethesda Restaurant week ended last night FOOD WINE & CO (www.foodwineandco.com) at 7272 Wisconsin Ave, NW has extended it through the end of July! The $30 three course menu is quite large with many options for mains from pizza to pasta to sandwiches as well as the standard meats and fish courses.
On arrival we were happy to see complimentary (validated) parking in the garage below and a welcome greeting at the door.
As I jotted about the decor (butcher block tables/lots of comfy booths/high ceilings and windows--adding a bit to the noise factor--but not awful), I told our server Shannon not to worry as I just had a food blog. She said she knew and had googled me up already and read some of my comments! WOW, that shocked me.
We started with a bottle of crisp SANCERRE Reserve Durand 2010 (the wine list is quite huge and diverse and reasonable). After asking, the tasty French bread arrived.
We decided to add on to the menu with a dozen oysters which were all superb East Coast plump and tasty with Blue Point(NY) and Rappahannock and Old Salts(VA) sharing the plate. Next came Will's divine (but a bit smallish on the portion size) TOMATO-WATERMELON GAZPACHO with Ricotta, Cucumber and Olive Oil. It was tasty and tangy (but smooth; Will likes it chunky) and nobody can have enough gazpacho in this heat!
My FRIED ARTICHOKES with Sauce Gribiche (a lemony remoulade with pieces of boiled eggwhites) was much larger and quite filling. They delicate hearts are ever so lightly battered and for this reason are crisp and delightful, not greasy or overbattered at all.
Will went the pizza route with a superb ROASTED MUSHROOM, TRUFFLE OIL, PANCETTA and Mozzarella and I took Shannon's suggestion for the RED CURRY MUSSELS with Toasted Coconut, Lime and Cilantro. This huge portion of plump mollusks is not sweet at all, indeed it has quite a spicy punch and one of the best sauces around town I have had. We switched to an Austrian ZWIEGELT from SATTLER 2007 in Burgenland that was perfect with the spice in the mussels and the pizza as well.

Thinking of the menu we decided this was a great place for kids, although on a Sunday evening it was completely devoid of any children!
We chose our desserts based on Shannon's suggestion. Will went with her #1 choice-PANNA COTTA with Strawberry, Guava, Basil, Kaffir Lime Marshmallow and he got the better. The BLACKBERRY CROSTATA with Lemon Syrup, Candied Ginger and Oatmeal Creme came to the table hot, but the crostata pastry itself was a bit dry and badly needed the sauce and cream to moisten it a bit. Otherwise it was a nice dish, I just left some of the pastry.

We enjoyed our meal deal and know that FOOD WINE & CO is a great place to go....

Southwest's STATION 4 is a new stop in DC (7-23-11)

2011-07-24T17:40:00.001-04:00

Samuel and I attended a matinee of Oklahoma (not to be missed) at Arena Stage yesterday and had the pleasure of dining out with both female leads afterwards. As they were between shows, they suggested a new spot just a block away at 1101 4th St, SW in what used to be the Waterside Mall and has now been redeveloped.
STATION 4 (www.station4dc.com) is a beautiful, classy, chic and yes, trendy spot with a varied menu, nice drink list (vodka from Maryland!) and an exciting wine list too.
The manager, Antonio, kept checking to see if everything was okay and the staff is quite attentive (for some, they might be a bit over attentive). As soon as Samuel saw the pizza choices, there was no hoping he would go for the Duck Confit Spring Roll, so I agreed to the MARGHERITA which came with fresh basil and beautiful confit cherry tomatoes (that means peeled and cooked to perfection). He was happy with his Shirley Temple and we ordered (well, the ladies did not drink) a bottle of Feudi di San Gregorio RUBRATO AGLIANICO 2007 which was a perfect red for a hot (am I understating-BLOODY HOT) day as we had ordered heavier meat courses. It had some nice body but was not overpowering or overly tannic. My friend ordered the SPICY PEPPERONI PIZZA and the wine was perfect with this as well as my BEEF SHORT RIB PAPPARDELLE with comes with Caramelized Shallots, Sweet Peas and a Black Truffle Essence. The toasted baguette on the side is a bit redundant with all that pasta! Speaking of bread, they serve tasty crunchy breadsticks which have olive tapenade baked onto them for extra yummy flavor. One of our guests also adored the Pappardelle and the other the CORVINA FISH Special which came with a divine green sauce that made this fish such a big hit we suggested it get on the daily menu! The veggie sides are nice too with tender buttery ASAPARAGUS and BRUSSELS SPROUTS with bacon served in a mini-cast iron pot.
The portions are large, so we were happy not to have an appetizer and were too full for dessert!
If you are headed to Arena, this is a great spot before or after as they are even open until midnight or later (now that's a treat in this neighborhood), but consider the short drive from almost anywhere in DC worth the trip!

We always want what's at (and wont for) WILLOW(Arlington,VA)-7/22/11

2011-07-24T13:10:00.001-04:00

We were at the opening of WILLOW (www.willowva.com) almost six years
ago celebrating the wedding of Chef Tracy O'Grady to Chef Brian
Wolken. We were so excited when they joined forced with Chef Kate
Jansen, and now they can boast one of the most successful and truly
best fine dining spots in Virginia.
When I say fine, I must note, that last Friday (in the 100+ heat)
folks were in shorts and loose dresses, and the formality is really
not what counts here. The decor is always nice, but the highlight is
the excellent service and the food. Parking is $2.50 in the lot below
(where can you get that these days?--I actually noticed one valet sign
in DC last week that said $10 prior to 10pm, and $20 after 10pm!!).

I have to admit that we had planned a light dinner before heading to
Wolf Trap (yes, crazy us in the heat), but it turned into a gourmet
treat as Tracy wanted to thank us and congratulate us on our recent
marriage. We were overwhelmed and yes, every bite was indeed
scrumptious; perhaps even moreso.

We ordered a bottle of the VERITAS VIOGNIER 2010 from Monticello,
Virginia which our server Russell said was super creamy and perfect
with our main course choices. We had both ordered the Soft Shell
Crabs, but I run ahead and digress...
The rolls and biscuits were nice, but it was the plate of CHEESE
GOUGERES piping hot with Black Truffle Butter Sauce that had us in
heaven. The sauce is not buttery as it sounds, but more of a mushroom
dipping sauce for a hint of earthy flavor.
I started with the TOMATO, ALMOND and BASIL GAZPACHO with Avocado
Mousse and Fried Yucca. It was the perfect choice for the hottest day
of the year as was Will's magnificent "tower: of Local HEIRLOOM TOMATO
Salad with Creamy Basil Mascarpone Mousse, Balsamic & 20 Year Old
Sherry Vinaigrette. I was worried when I read "mascarpone" but this is
not a rich creamy dressing, just infused with a slight bit of mousse
for body.

You really won't want to miss one of the most amazing dishes in DC,
the Butter Poached LOBSTER TAIL with LOBSTER RAVIOLI, Creamy FENNEL
Gratin, Savory & Sherry Lobster Sauce. You all know I am not a fennel
fan, but this may be one of my favorite dishes around town FOREVER!
The pastry (Chef Kate) was amazing as was the ravioli and it was
decorated with limas, corn shoots and two gastrique-like slivers of
sauce. WOW!

The Crispy TEMPURA FRIED SOFT SHELL CRAB with Corn Pancake, English
Peas, Fresh & Roasted Corn, Snap Peas, (Watermelon) Radish and Corn
Shoots was a to-die for version of my favorite summer food. Even the
tastiest ASPARAGUS were on the side (not on the menu). The sauce was
light and flavorful, and while I do always prefer my softshells
sauteed, this is one of the best fried versions ever. The watermelon
radish ( a truly gorgeous veggie) is julienned and cooked so that it
is SOOOOOOOOO sweet. Russell was also right on with the wine as it
paired perfectly with both the lobster and the crab. A creamy treat
that Virginia wines don't always boast.
Will chose the PASSION FRUIT CHEESECAKE with Berries and Passion Fruit
Sauce for dessert and I went for the COOKIES & ICE CREAM plate, simply
because the desserts here (thanks to Chef Kate) are truly some of the
best in town. While the cheesecake was divine, I was happy with the
"lighter" (I am laughing as I write this) choice. A huge cup of
Blackberry Ice Cream came with Blackberry Sauce and there were
miniature cookies that would have delighted anyone:
Presidential Sweets are chocolate chip dusted with powdered sugar (a
bit sweet for me)
Bitter Chocolate Cookies really should just be called dark as they are
not bitter at all
Oatmeal sports dried cherries and small chocolate covered Rice
Krispies, which are superb
Don't miss the amazing macaroons (that put the ones we had in Belgium
and London recently to shame)
There is a simple sugar cookie too, but my fave is the NUTTER BUTTER,
a peanut butter cookie sandwich with creamy rich PB in the middle.
An insider note is that these treats, the cupcakes and more will soon
be available at a small "secret" bakery stand at Willow!! I dare you
to resist.

Samuel loves going to Willow and we promised Chef Tracy that we would
return soon with him as he adores their flatbreads and oh so much
more; so we need to go back REAL SOON!

--

the last London lunch- GastroPub grub with Tapas at the Norolk Arms (7-7-11)

2011-07-11T17:12:00.002-04:00

As I readied to return to the US, we met Will's family near King's Cross Station at one of London's most adorable new "gastro" pubs specializing in tapas. The Norfolk Arms is a pubby as it gets, but the food her has gone gastro (http://www.norfolkarms.co.uk). It was very hard to decide what to choose as we had a huge breakfast, but there were SO many choices. Samuel, alas, after the previous night's Michelin outing wanted only CHIPS or CRISPS. He barely touched the superbly seasoned PATATAS ALINADAS, although he did eat much of a plate of MANCHEGO Cheese drizzled with olive oil. The plates here run from about 2-9 pounds and the servings are much larger than we get at home.
There were superbly cream TARAMOSALATA served with tasty fresh pitta (they spell it with two "t"s in the UK and pronounce it with a short "i" like pit-uh) and tasty BABAGANOUSH. The ARTICHOKE HEARTS were cooked just right, seasoned just right and had a small tang too. The BOQUERONES were perfectly boned and marinated anchovies-almost a dozen of them!
At 3.50 (that's $5.65US today) the Scotch eggs are one of the best deals as they serve THREE monstrous egg halves coated and breaded and drizzled with whole grain mustard. YUM-the perfect English dish to say cheerio to the UK with.
They have a large beer menu and many wines as well. I had a glass of EL MURO BLANCO Macabeo which was most refreshing as the temperatures dropped and the rain plummeted. It was our first really cold and wet day on the entire trip. Little did I know that in 11 hours I would be in 95 degree DC!
Welcome home!

London's The LEDBURY is as luscious as ever-Samuel's first Michelin meal!(7-6-11)

2011-07-10T08:02:00.001-04:00

After my two previous visits to The Ledbury (www.theledbury.com) near
Notting Hill Gate and Portobello Road back in 2009 (when it had only
one Michelin star) and again last summer (just after it earned it's
second star), I had to return and this time was so happy that Will
would be in London with me to experience what I feel is the best food
in the UK, and indeed some of the best cooking in the world. We
thought about hiring a sitter for Samuel in the hotel, but the rates
that hotels charge is highway robbery, especially if it runs after
11pm, so we decided to bring Samuel with us as it would be cheaper. I
contacted the restaurant in advance and chef BRETT GRAHAM, whop said
he would be thrilled to "adjust" and create a children's tasting menu
for Samuel.

While the adult tasting menu is now priced at 95 pounds (just over
$150 at today's exchange) and is a steal at a two-star establishment,
Samuel was charged about 49 pounds, which was indeed, less than the
babysitter! We opted for the included wines bringing the total to
145pounds. A 12.5% service charge/gratuity is added but is optional,
and the staff here deserves much more anyway. So the adult bill per
person with wines and fees ends up at about $260 each (no including
the cheese course). I doubt anywhere else in the UK or Europe you
could eat (including wines) over 8 courses for this price. I have
always admired the staff, chef and indeed everyone at The Ledbury for
making each diner feel comfortable; there is no snootiness at all like
some other haute cuisine spots.

We started with Bereche et Fils Champagne which Ian, the sommelier
poured generously into the Riedel stemware. He took over from the last
sommelier (the adorable Johann) just after my visit last year. It
seems there is a major turnover in much of the staff here each year,
but Stephen the manager is still in charge and handles every need with
great panache.
Samuel was treated to a totally new drink when we asked for the
sommelier's version of a Shirley Temple (hew new favorite drink on the
cruise). A blue drink came made from some fizzy soda like Sprite mixed
with Elderflower juice; he was in heaven. The Amuse was a FOIE GRAS
Parfait topped with Gooseberry Puree in a small crunchy cone-like
holder. While we loved the "melt-in-your-mouth" feel and the crunch,
Samuel did take a small bite and left the rest. We began to worry that
this experiment was going to go sour.

Amuse number 2 (Samuel refused this one totally, but in a very adult
manner) was a medium-cooked QUAIL EGG topped with KATAFI (shredded
Turkish) pastry with Pea Puree, Bacon Bits and Cornflowers. I saw new
elements creeping into the chef's repertoire and was very excited
about what would come as this dish was a huge hit; even Will had
already begun to marvel.

The Ledbury is not a big place; I counted the tables and they don't
number more than 20. Most tables have two people, although there were
singles (a very nice man next to us from Florida), quads and one or
two larger groups. It is not noisy and the tables are comfortably
spaced. The decor is the same and you can tell after 3 times that the
goal here is to DINE and not be wowed by ostentatious chandeliers or
such.

The first bread arrived in a loaf and was a spelt-sourdough which was
simple tasty and great for mopping things up later. In the past there
were many breads with lots of flavors and I worried that they had
dropped these, but within seconds two of the traditional's came - the
Bacon & Onion Rolls that look like Cinnamon Rolls, but are much
better, and small tower-like Crystallized Malt Muffins which Sam kept
asking for more of. I was suprised he did not like the Bacon & Onion
as he adores bacon so much.

The first course of the menu was a SALAD of HERITAGE (Heirloom)
TOMATOES with Dried Olives and Herbs for all three of us. One small
cherry tomato had its skin peeled back and somehow crunchified and
Chef's signature jelly pearls were in evidence as well. Samuel thought
it was salmon caviar, which he discovered in Norway on the cruise, but
was a bit upset it was not very salty. We all gobbled up the
magnificent tomatoes which were decorated with wildflowers as well.
All our plates had a FOIE GRAS pastry (akin to a Pepperidge Farm
pirouette cookie) and Samuel ate his without a blink. Ours was stuffed
with Goat Cheese making for a creamy divine and crunchy mix. The wine
was a 2009 KERNER from Manni Nossing in Alto Adige, Italy. Ian talked
about the Kerner and was surprised we had it in Belgium blended with
Chardonnay. It was a perfect pairing as he complained it is so hard to
pair wines with salads with vinaigrette; indeed each wine was the
ideal companion to the food.

FLAME GRILLED MACKEREL with Avocado, Celtic Mustard & Shiso was very
similar to last year's menu but no less enjoyable. It was decorated
with corn shoots, corn flowers and crispy onions and accompanied by
Pickled Cucumber disc as well as a small cylindric parcel of thin-
sheer cucumber wrapped around a tartare of mackerel. I saved this for
last and savored it well as it was the new part of the dish for me.
The wine was a 2009 RIESLING Spatlese Trocken QmP from OREA called
"AR." I am often not a German Riesling fan, but this Saar Valley wine
was afull of fruit and totally dry; a delight with the intense
mackerel.

The next course was for all of us and Samuel savored the CRISP GUINEA
FOWL but did not care for the "Risotto" of New Potatoes, Morels and
Summer Truffle. Despite his discovery of mushrooms the previous week,
he would not taste the morel either, so I quickly grabbed it off his
plate before he could change his mind. Of course we loved the entire
dish and the Domaine Olivier Pithon 2009 Vin de Pays des Cotes
Catalanes, Cuvee Lais (it is the name of the winemaker's Jersey plough
cow). Samuel was rewarded for devouring his second big course with
another specialty drink-this time a lemon-lime fizz (think Pimm's fizz
without the alcohol).
All the drinking (oh, I forgot the fabulous Speyside Glenlivet
Sparkling water) makes needs for trips downstairs to the loo, which is
simple, but elegant (AND always clean). Catherine should note that our
napkins were folded beautifully immediately after we left the table
(and yes, they were laid in our laps on arrival!).

Number 4 was a poached WILD SALMON with Watercress Puree, Cauliflower
with Romanescu sauce and Potted Shrimp butter. The shrimp were the
gray ones we had so many of in Belgium and had come to love their
sweetness. the dish itself offered up a just past rare piece of fish
that again melted in your mouth. It was fun to use the mild puree or
the slightly spicy sauce alternately. 2008 A.A. Badenhorst Family
Wines from South Africa was a blend of Chenin Blanc/Grenache Blanc/
Rousanne/Viognier/Verdelho and Chardonnay that would win ANYONE over
(I already have an inquiry in to see if it's available in the USA).
Samuel had a simple bowtie pasta course with broccoli (we had told the
chef he eats these) and smothered it with freshly grated parmesan; it
was gone in minutes.

Next came the PORK JOWL roasted with Spices, a carrot puree and
chicory reduction. The hit here was the crunchy skin atop the lean
meat paired sensationally with a 2006 NEBBIOLO d'ALBA "Valmaggiore"
from Luciano Sandrone in Piemonte, Italy (I am also trying to get this
one in the USA), a true 3star wine in the line up.

We asked for a nice rest (the entire meal took well over 4 hours) and
Samuel did so as well reading his new book from the Science Museum
called WOW EARTH. We had decided not to allow the DS, phones or
electronics at the table, and this new book was just the right thing
to keep his mind going and get him involved in the conversation and
showing us things.

The second meat course for us was LOIN & SHOULDER of LAMB with an
AUBERGINE Glazed with Black Sugar and Garlic & Miso. A spinach-spice
puree was on the side of the Crispy shoulder piece as well, as we
marveled at the amazing eggplant portion; I was in love with eggplant
and now must have it this way all the time! Our wine was a 2008 Vin de
Pays du Var "Les Aureliens" from Domaine de Triennes in Provence. The
cabernet/syrah blend was again an amazing touch to the tastes of the
plate which were so multi-leveled.
Samuel enjoyed a plate of BEEF SHORT RIBS with Crispy Potatoes and
shoots. We were so proud of him trying so many things, even if he
didn't finish them.

The cheese trolley arrived and we both knew this was going to be
special. We each chose five accompanied by biscuits, flatbread and
grapes:
Will had the MONTGOMERY's 12 month CHEDDAR that was a bit dry, a
Corsican BRIN d'AMOUR, Poitiers CHAHICHOU (sp?) a hard cheese that
just needed something, a magnificent BANON Provence goat wrapped in
Chestnut leaves and the PERSIL de MARE Goat blue that was also a star.
My plate had a Valencay goat FOUILLIEU(sp?) de CHEVRE, L'AMI de
CHAMBERTIN, a gorgeous English WIGMORE (akin to camembert) and
STINKING BISHOP from Gloucester that everyone at the table could smell
and I adored as I chased it across the plate. Stephen (like the chef
is from Australia-Melbourne) was a great help in picking the cheeses
as there are so many. Samuel enjoyed a small plate of 5 year old
GOUDA, as he adores the intense hard cheese and those little crunchies
inside. He was a big fan of the Oude Brugge, a similar cheese made in
Bruges. Stephen asked us if we wished for port or wine or what and I
opted for a BLANDY's Malmsey 15 year old Madeira while will had
another glass of the AA Badenhorst white wine which we so adored.
Samuel was now up to his third cocktail concoction and was in awe of
his Virgin Vanilla Mojito.

The pre-dessert was EWE's MILK YOGURT with Strawberry Sorbet and
Strawberries and then the adults moved on to the Warm MANGO TART with
Elderflower Wine Ice Cream accompanied by a glass of 2005 CHATEAU
LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY 1er Cru Classe, SAUTERNES which was nice but a bit
high in acidity due to its youth. I have some of the 2003 vintage in
our cellar and plan not to touch it until it is at least 10-15 years
old!
Samuel has taken to the chocolate brownie desserts lately and he was
presented with a Fudgey CHOCOLATE CAKE with BANANA Ice Cream. As kids
are wont to, Samuel goes in and out of food phases. He stopped eating
bananas about two years ago, but said the ice cream was different. I
won't argue.

We added all of Sam's courses and they came to 7...ours something like
11. Stephen packed up our mignardises (fruit jellies, chocolates and
cookies) which we enjoyed the next day as a reminder of what will go
down in history as one of our greatest meals as a family.

back to Bruges-Patrick Devo's amuses are not amusing! (7-1-11) addition to prev post

2011-07-10T08:01:00.001-04:00

I found my notes on the amuses from our disappointing meal at Patrick
Devos 10 days ago and wanted to let you know about them as they are
clearly a sign of what was to come, and that was NOT good.
The first tray had three selections:
1-Rice with apple, rose radish and crispy biscuit that had all the
excitement of a plain gummy rice at at bad Chinese restaurant
2-Tartare of Cod fish with mousse (that was really soup) of lettuce at
least had some flavor from the tiny piece of fish, but none from the
lettuce (who would make a lettuce mousse the centerpiece of anything?)
3-Sourdough with Eggplant puree and sprouts-this only made me think of
the recent German e coli outbreak attributed (even if wrongly) to
sprouts, and you all know I am not an eggplant fan, especially when it
has little flavor

The second amuse was Cold Asparagus in Oil with Tomato tartare and a
Dublin Bay Prawn. Again, seasoning (even salt and pepper) were lacking
or not even included in the veggie portion and only the tiny prawn had
some flavor.
The champagne we started with was a yummy Husson Joliet N/V and again
paired well here, but then anything pairs with BLAND food.

GIRAFFE goes good for modern twist on food in London (7-4-11)

2011-07-07T21:38:00.002-04:00

Our second night in London, we met a friend of Will's who is a
vegetarian and she suggested GIRAFFE (11 Frith Street in Soho,
www.griaffenet.com) which has a huge menu and some pretty good grub.
It is modern and open to the street and it was a beautiful night so
this was okay, but again the music and noise levels were extremely
high. We had to almost yell at times.
Samuel settled in with his PENNE TOMATO Sauce and giant heart shaped
garlic bread baguette and was quite happy. We ordered up some MELON
MARGARITAs which were way too sweet.
The starters included a tasty EDAMAME dish smothered in soy, mirin and
chillis and they were a bit oversalted, but ever so good (maybe to get
you to drink more). We also had the LIME & CORIANDER TIGER PRAWN
Skewers which numbered three large ones, but at a reasonable
5.50pounds(less than $9). Our friend liked the Roast PUMPKIN &
BEETROOT Salad with Feta, but some of the beets were not cooked well
enough. She went on to the SWEET POTATO FELAFEL Burger with Grilled
Peppers, Humus, Beetroot, Rocket (Arugula), Halloumi Cheese, Tzatziki
and Harissa...quite a bundle of things in a huge bruger bun; almost
enough for two.
Will chose the GIRAFFE BURGER a tasty simpler beef burger with dry
cured bacon and mature cheddar, while I went for the Hot "THAI" DUCK
STIR FRY which was BBQ duck with bok choy, Thai basil, mushrooms,
peppers, noodles (more akin to spaghetti), bean sprouts, chilli jam,
crispy shallots, leeks, carrots and red peppers. It was delish and
went well with the ALAMOS MENDOZA Pinot Noir 2009 we had chosen upon
the recommendation of our helpful server Dai (it's a Welsh name).
Will wanted a dessert and could not finish the huge TOFFEE APPLE
CRUMBLE with Vanilla Ice Cream which was good, but just the thought of
more food made me ill. Samuel devoured a BROWNIE CAKE with Ice Cream
and it seems he wanted a second, but none of us wanted to be up all
night.

when in London's Chelsea, you might get a bite at BUMPKIN (7/3/11)

2011-07-07T21:38:00.001-04:00

On our arrival in London we had a playdate arranged for Samuel at my
clients' home (well, of course, we wanted to see them as well) and
headed to dinner just two blocks away at BUMPKIN, a new organic/local/
sustainable fun type bistro (www.bumkinuk.com) at 102 Old Brompton Rd
(5 blocks from the South Kensington tube station).
While we were a bit shocked at the prices (wow, Belgium seemed really
cheap now), we were grateful for Sam's children's menu. He chose the
burger and chips and our server Katja (from Sweden) suggested we try
the REDWOOD PASS Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand 2010, which was
nice, but quite acidic rather than citrusy. Samuel enjoyed the Mum's
lemonade with cranberry and grenadine, and even devoured a thick rich
chocolate cake for dessert with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce!
(he rarely east sweets)
Will and I split starters. His was the Potted SALMON with Pickled
Cucumber which was a poached salmon in a small jair with a peppery
punch and some broad beans on the side. Mine was a Pressed HAMHOCK
Terrine with the most amazing GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY on earth made with
local green heritage (aka heirloom) Tiger tomatoes.
Will's main was the STEAK & ALE PIE made with West Country Beef, root
vegetables, ale and thyme gravy in a short-crust pastry, which Will
declared not to be flaky enough; it was more like a pot pie, but the
ingredients got raves. My Cornish SCALLOPS and Grilled PLAICE was
super with Cherry (they call them cherry wine) tomatoes, red chard and
beetroot salad was perfect and a bit lighter for a change as well.
Bumpkin has a pub-like feel with wooden tables and the music is a bit
too loud but has a comfy old world feel to it as well. The kids meal
(without drinks) is 7.95pounds (about $13) and the adult food is quite
pricey.
We opted for two desserts and Will chose the EATON's MESS a huge mix
of strawberries, meringue and cream and stuff which I thought too
sweet. I was thrilled with my Artisan's Cheese which came with celery
and crackers(biscuits) as well as warm apricots and prunes:
DEVONSHIRE BLUE a mild and creamy blue
OXFORD ISIS-a nice cow that has lots of flavor
CORNISH YARG-indeed one of my favorites, this one being quite a stinky
version of the intense earthy cheese

Le CHEF et MOI take two in Bruges is as good or better (7-2-11)

2011-07-07T21:37:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned previously we loved LE CHEF et MOI so much we returned
there on our final night (www.lechefetmoi.be) and had the same
canalside table with such great service it was a real treat.
We told Caroline that her lobster was superior to Devos, and overall
the food had better flavor as well. She was very happy.
Samuel and us as well, devoured more excellent French bread and
tapenades and butter; Caroline even gave us another jar to take home.
Sam must have had 12 or more pieces of bread.
He also ate an entire adult order of STEAK FRITES which was cooked to
perfection; and they had ketchup!
Will and I chose the set menu again of 35Euros, but Caroline and Chef
Stefaan had changed it since they were still offering everyone else
the Lobster/Skate menu we had two days before.
Ours started with ARTICHOKE Salad with CARPACCIO of BEEF and it was a
super salad with little specks of coarse salt and some superb confit
of lemon adding the greatest flavors.
We could not decide on red or white--so ordered one of each and went
back and forth.
SANCERRE Grand Reserve H. BOURGEOIS 2009 was crispy and tasty and
ALENTEJO from EA, tinto (red) from Caruxa, Portugal 2009 was a great
medium to full red for like 23 Euros was amazing.
We opted to order an extra course as we loved everything so much and
we did enjoy the spectacular GAMBAS with MANGO Salsa that had a great
ginger spice and the fresh coriander gave a wonderful bite as well.
The main course on the fixed menu for us was TURBOT Fillet with
Vegetables and Vermicelli Pasta. The veggies were green beans,
broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini and the only not up to par thing
again was the pasta (we felt awful-but the dish was so good, we were
full and left most of the plain vermicelli). The sauce was superb and
filled with those divine little gray shrimps that are so sweet and
delicate that we came to love from our first day in Belgium.
Samuel adored the strawberry sorbet for dessert and Will took the
CREME BRULEE which he declared top notch, while I loved the freshness
of the PANNA COTTA with Strawberries.
We were sad to leave but had the chance to meet the chef before we did
and declare that Bruges best place for us is LE CHEF et MOI!

--

when in Bruges, Belgium-please desist from PATRICK DEVOS (7-1-11)

2011-07-07T21:36:00.002-04:00

We had thought of hitting the Michelin-starred place in Bruges, but
when we discovered the menus started at 200 Euros, we decided to head
to the city's avant-garde uber chef PATRICK DEVOS
(www.patrickdevos.be) just two blocks from our hotel.
The beautiful 15th century facade welcomes you into a narrow hall, and
I have to admit I felt odd as we passed the WC and there seemed to be
nobody around. Another couple was right in front of us and we all
ultimately emerged into a large art nouveau room which was quite
pretty. Another deco room adjoined this and a large serene garden was
our back. We decided to skip the garden for aperitifs as folks were
smoking up a storm out there. We chose the ALLIANCE menu which comes
in 5,6 or 8 courses and went for the full shebang with paired wines at
120Euros, we added a glass of house champagne to start which was
really a great start.
The first amuse came and while I seem to have lost the info on both
amuses, we recall clearly that they lacked flavor and invention
totally.
The first course of the menu was MACKEREL marinated in Olive Oil with
Saffron & Parsley Jelly with Green Herb Sauce, Roll of Celeriac and
Cucumber Mousse. The presentation was superb, so good I took a photo.
The jelly was flat and in a long rectangle in the middle of the huge
plate. The fish itself was tasty, but both of use had two extremely
tough pieces out of the three on the plate. It was a bit of a sloppy
mess. The wine was a Gruner Veltlinter ENTRE DEUX COUERS 2009 from
Muller-Grossmann in Kremstal Austria, and we got regular refills. So
for the wine, we were in heaven.
The next course was Local RIVER-EEL cooked sous-vide with Tarragon &
Chervil, Asapargus & Shitakes in a milky sauce which had a slightly
licorice taste (chervil foam?). Again the eel was TOUGH and I actually
almost lost a piece trying to cut it (it messed up Will's shirt with a
splash from across the table) and then it was loaded with bones. A
TOTAL DUD. The superb wine was another Gruner from the same winemaker,
this called GROSSER SATZ with lots of green apple hues and intense
mineral flavor. It's a shame they pair the wines so well and can't
seem to get the food right...and it was all VERY BLAND. The deep bowls
also caused you to lose your utensils in the sauce if you stopped
eating!
LOBSTER from Oosterschelde (nearby coast) with compote of Tomato &
Avocado, roll of Chard and Curry Sauce, a chemical powder and Olive
Oil of Lobster was next. There was some odd rice on the plate with no
taste at all and the lobster tail was broiled a bit too much and was
slighlty tough...nothing like the perfect ones the night before at Le
Chef et Moi. A RIESLING POINY 2008 from Hoch Emmerich in Austria was
again a delight.
We finally got some flavor with the Grilled MONKFISH and Mousse of
Three Peppers, Ices of Red Wine and Anchovies, Compote of Beans,
Olives & Apple Capers. The Compote was like a tapenade and quite
tasty, but the hit here was the ices which combined red wine and
anchovy falvors to perfection. The BLAUFRANKISCH CLASSIC 2008 from
Bauer Poltl kept the wines in the Austrian nation up to this point and
was a light red with flavor working well with the rich monkfish.
At this point, I yearned for a second piece of bread. We had three
choices at the start with some olive oil ( a disappointment after the
fab local salted butter) and I was told only the white rolls remained.
When I broke it open, it was so stale it splattered across the table
in crumbs.
The main course was a superb FRIED PIGEON with Crispy Pidgeon
Croquette in a divine sauce of MORELS, Puree of Peas, Vegetables(Snap
peas & Beans) with Lettuce, and Coulis of Young Onions and Parsley
with Rosti Potatoes. The red was a full bodied South African 2006
DORNIER Cabernet Sauvignon.
Will had stepped out to the WC at this point and giggled that he had
tried to get the fly in the urinal, but it was PAINTED ON! Oh well.
Dessert was a "Creme Brulee" really SPONGY CAKE with SPECULOOS (local
intense spices used for ice creams and desserts), Poached Rhubarb,
Rose Blossom Foam--it was nice but won no awards and the CUVEE AUSLESE
2009 from my favorite dessert winemaker in Austria (KRACHER) was too
young and quite acidic.
Mignardises came and we noshed on the Coconut macaroons, French style
macaroons, Cherries marinated in chocolate and mini chocolate ice
cream thing.
We left feeling that there were some nice courses, but somehow it took
forever to get to them and I wanted more for what I was paying. No
stars here.

Bruges lunch deals are terrific at 't Niew Walnutje (7-1-11)

2011-07-07T21:36:00.001-04:00

It was very hard trying to decide where to grab lynch on our first day
in Bruges (Brugge) where we were on the Walplein just minutes from the
city center but in a quiet square with lots of nice outdoor dining
spots. Samuel seemed inclined to have roasted chicken so we chose 't
Niew Walnutje and it was indeed a good choice.
If you have been reading Will's travelougues you will know that it is
cheaper to order a 3 course lunch for 16euros than a once course for
18. Go figure.
Sam had the yummy Vegetable soup loaded with leeks and went on to the
crispy skinned rotisserie chicken with frites and salad. He opted out
of dessert, but it was a great deal for 16 euros. Will chose the 18
euro menu with Cheese croquette, Carbonnade a la Flamande (the very
traditional hearty beef stew made with beer) and dessert for 18 euros.
We were happy when they allowed "dessert" to be coffee.
My 23 euro meal started with a slightly spicy Fish Soup that was hcok
full of local sweet grey shrimo, mussels, fish and more and went on to
to Lapin a la Grandmere...a superb rabbit stew with a brown sauce with
prunes. Amazing potato croquettes made this even better with a salad
as well.
We were all impressed with everything and will even liked the Bruge
zot blond beer made right across the square!
The setting was calm and sweet and the weather perfect. Indeed,
another perfect day in our new favorite place.

Bruges, Belgium-always begin with classic cuisine at LE CHEF ET MOI (6/30/11)

2011-07-07T21:35:00.002-04:00

Our first night in Bruges (or the Flemish Brugge is more appropriate),
we walked to a nearby spot recommended by the hotel which turned out
to be the treat of the vacation so far.
LE CHEF ET MOI (www.lechefetmoi.be) is owned and run by manager/
waitress Caroline Seays and chef Stefaan Cardinael. On weekdays(closed
Sundays-Mondays), the manage this 30+ seat eatery and rear garden ALL
BY THEMSELVES.
It is a charming old house with droopy chandeliers, thick curtains on
the windows over the canals, and simply the best deal around for
miles.
The fixed menus are available daily and cost 35Euros at dinner ($50-
always keep in mind this includes tax & service and that a tip of
5-10% is considered generous!). We ordered a bottle of SAINT VERAN "En
faux vieilles vignes" 2008 and the wine prices here are also quite
reasonable from say 25Euros up. The byummy fresh bread arrived with
two large bowls of tapenades:Sun Dried Tomato and Olive. These were
divine and Samuel devoured them both voraciously; we later bought some
to take home and also have out our "picnic" planned here. Sam ordered
the LAMB LOIN which came with couscous and mushrooms, he skipped the
tomato/plum sauce which was on the side. We opted for the menu and
started with 1/2 BABY LOBSTER which was no baby at all. It was broiled
with fines herbes and a light butter sauce, no dipping in butter here
as the meat was so fresh from just miles away in the North Sea. We
moved on to a RHONE VILAGES 2008 from Domaine Remejeanne "Les
Eglantiers" which went superbly with our excellent main course of
SKATE with Sorrel and the now ever so famous and so sweet tiny local
gray SHRIMP. Only the pasta on the side was not at the level of the
rest of the meal, but we were so happy it didn't matter.
Dessert was a BAVAROIS of Caramel and Pear or one of PASSIONFRUIT.we
loved them both. Caroline told us the chef did not like to make
desserts, but these were creamy rich top notch pastries with fresh
raspberries and blueberries.
We all left and decided to cancel our plans for two nights later so we
could return to LE CHEF et MOI one more time as we were in love.

Brussels' COMME CHEZ SOI is not comme chez moi and is not worth it as well (6-29-11)

2011-07-07T21:35:00.001-04:00

Our last night was to be a grand Michelin star outing at Brussels'
famed COMME CHEZ SOI (www.commechezsoi.be), but alas it turned out to
be a nice night at dinner with little excitement and quite a large
bill. The cheapest tasting menu (which is way less than a la carte)
rings in at 87 euros (about $125) which I am quite okay with when the
food is excellent. We pushed the door open and it continued to open
magically on it's own into a small hall and up into a narrow entryway.
We were led to a cramped table around the corner in small room that
while beautifully decorated and with a great grand view through a huge
glass window in the kitchen, was quite uncomfortable with several loud
Japanese guys on one side and another couple on the other. I would say
this room hold no more than 30 and there is one small room as well as
a kitchen table, meaning a maximum number of 50 for sure at this hot
spot that had not a single empty space.
We ordered a bottle of 2007 Crozes Hermitages from GRAILLOT Clos ST.
Jean 1er Cru and we both thought it tasted a bit odd, but were not
ready for a fight...so we drank it.
Amuse #1 came in the form of a mille feuille tartare of beef and an
small anchovy-like long narrow crostini. Both were quite good and
three more amuses arrived on one plate with a Consomme, Salmon Tartare
and radish sandwich and Matjes Herring. The presentation was clearly
important here, but little love went in to the bread (at least the
butter was superb).
The menu was simple and served to perfection:

Madagascar bio shrimps with sage, herb salad, smoked eel, capers and
Espelette pepper.
The herb salad again had no love in the heavy vinaigrette. I loved the
fried Tarragon leaves in the eel.
A deep fried crayfish was also there and I felt it could have come
from a place serving seafood at any beach resort.

Duet of roasted and marinated salmon, vegetables with chorizo,
watercress coulis with Noilly Prat
This dish worked well, but the marinated raw salmon was only a small
spoonful. The coulis was divine and they returned with extra partway
though which was great.
We had switched to one of the highlights of the evening-2006 CHASSAGNE
MONTRACHET from Bernard Morey that was one of the best medium weight
Burgundy Pinots I have ever had.

Cockerel with templar pepper, ricotta with tarragon
came with ricotta quinoa and again a super sauce. This dish-meat,
veggies, quinoa and all was excellent but no revelation for sure.

At break time I noticed nobody folded the napkins when I
left....indeed this seems to be the norm in Belgium (that's for you
Catherine).

We opted to add the cheeses and boy were we happy. Will and I each
chose 5 and they were all quite divine:
ST MARCELLIN-one of our favorites on earth-creamy and runny
HERVE-a smelly Belgian runny delight (think Belgian Epoisses) that we
bought more of later in our stay
NIVAREAU
ST PERAY du BERRY Blanc a very nice goat cheese
MUROL-another tasty Belgian treat, but firmer and nuttier
TRAPPE d'ECHOURGNOL de DORDOGNE was like a Gourmandise with guts
DOREE de LATHUY was an earthy cow
LIVAROT
BLONDE de CHOUFFE
FOURME d'AMBERT which as a blue Will liked and I was in shock

Crispy biscuit with lemon, raspberry ice cream and a Divine CHOCOLATE
LOLLIPOP made for a great dessert and a nice finish...but we were not
really thrilled or wowed, even after the Chef, PIERRE WYNANT's wife,
LAURENCE gave us a tour of the kitchen while we waited for our taxi.
We took most of the Mignardises home in a doggie bag and Samuel loved
the tasty macaroons, white chocolate, fudgy chocolate, jellies and
more...

Le CHOU de BRUXELLES sure fits the bill for moules (6-27-11)

2011-07-07T21:34:00.002-04:00

For our second dinner in Brussels we headed near the hotel to LE CHOU
de BRUXELLES (www.resto.be) at 26, rue Florence. They have 30
different mussels by the kilo and it was hard to choose. Sam, of
course, had the hamburger with frites. It was a great kid-size burger
and cooked perfectly, if I have to say.
I started with the Matjes raw herring, now that I am a fan of the
Dutch dish and Will had a super carpaccio. He fell in love with
Westmalle Triple Blonde beer and I very much liked the Belgian wine
called DOMAINE BOSCHBERG which is a chardonnay-kerner blend and has
lots of fruit and works brilliantly with mussels.
Will chose the MADERE with Madeira and vegetables (aka onions/celery)
which ended up being quite spicy. I went for MOUTARDE a l'ANCIENNE
with Moutarde de Meaux grainy mustard, white wine and a bit of cream.
The frites were pretty god to, bu still not as good as the stands here
in town (FRITS FLAGEY on our arrival day at Place Flagey were great,
but the oine was 45minutes long!).
We had the 3 course menu for like 31 Euros so will had the Glace au
Speculoos, a biscuit spice ice cream and I chose the DAME BLANCHE,
vanilla ice cream with gooey rich hot melted Belgian chocolate sauce
and whipped cream, which I normall don't care for, but this was a
treat.
It was 90 degrees so we opted to sit indoors as there were several
smokers in the garden; a big issue when dining outside here. It was a
good move and the family run place was a great choice.

Brussel's La BELLE MARAICHERE for sure for seafood (6-26-11)

2011-07-07T21:34:00.001-04:00

We have left the unreal prices of Scandanavia and are thrilled by the
(relative) bargains here in Brussels. I recall on my last visit some
37 years ago prices were the most expensive in Europe, and I can
assure you that is a thng of the past. LA BELLE MARAICHERE means the
pretty market woman as the restaurant sits on the Place Sainte
Catherine where markets are indeed still held
(www.labellemaraichere.com). We met friends of mine performing here in
the opera and had a superb meal with Samuel that really started off
our land trip in the best possibly way (especially after the train
travel day from hell-those who read the travel journals will hear of
that soon!).
A bottle of Jaboulet Aine LE CHEVALIER de la STERIMBERG 2008 was a
treat as this creamy yummy white Rhone HERMITAGE is not easily found
in the USA. Instead of an amuse a small bowl of crevettes (heads and
tail on) were brought to the table with finger bowls. While the
Belgians seem to gobble them whole, I did have to remove the heads,
and they were sweet and yummy.
Appetizers consisted of Lobster Bisque with Armagnac that got raves
and was not too rich. SHRIMP CROQUETTES and the most divine SKATE &
KING CRAB TERRINE.
Samuel gobbled down his fresh grilled SCOTTISH SALMON and of course
the requisites frites. He even ate the veggies.
My WATERZOOI, the traditional Belgian fish stew was a dream with tons
of leeks, salmon, sole, cod, catfish, potato, a small crayfish and
mussels in a light creamy soup. The Grilled LOBSTER for two was a
treat and the SKATE Fish with Capers and Butter was also fabulous. It
was seafood in perfection. We had switched to a ST AUBIN 2008 "Le
Fontenotte" from Marc Colin that was more mineral than the cream in
the Hermitages, but it paired well with all the food as well.

Desserts were PAIN PERDU a la FLAMANDE, a kind of French toast/bread
pudding Flemish style with Vanilla Ice Cream, SOUFFLE GLACE au
CHOCOLAT with MANDERINE NAPOLEAN GLACE which was one scoop of rich
Belgian chocolate whipped with egg whites frozen and the other with
mandarin orange. A glass of Chateau LA TOUR BLANCHE 1998 Sauternes 1er
Cru sent us home, all ready for bed after a very long day.

Noshing in Norway-from Oslo to the Arctic Circle (June 2011)

2011-07-07T21:33:00.000-04:00

Our two week cruise through the Norwegian fjords and to the top of
Europe (the North Cape) has allowed us a taste of Norway and while
yummy indeed, the costs are truly prohibitive with a simple snack of
lunch often costing more than $50 for three people.
On Samuel's birthday in Oslo we promised him Norwegian pizza so we
headed for the famous chain DOLLY DIMPLES. The cost of a personal
small pizza here is about 140 kroner (about $26)!! We discovered the
all you can eat option is the way to go (about $18) and you can chose
from about 4 different types in 30 minutes at lunch time. They were
all good, but it's not a place I would go out of the way for unless
you are in Norway and need pizza.

In Kristiansand, we discovered the art nouveau-style SNADDERKIOSKEN, a
fast food dream come true where the locals run for meatballs and
potatoes. Samuel wanted pizza again and we lunched on the Norwegian
polse (a type of long hot dog) that comes in many variations. The ones
wrapped in bacon are superb and you can also have them stuffed with
cheese and chilies.

Bergen is a fishmonger's delight with the historic waterfront and the
Torget Fish market right on the harbor. Try any of the dozens of
kiosks and have them make up a plate to order if you like. We went for
the salmon and shrimp sandwiches served with egg, lettuce and mayo,
but the winner here was the grilled whale steaks which were seasoned
to perfection and grilled right in front of us. I can only describe it
as a cross between tuna and bison; firm, slightly fishy but amazingly
meaty and lean.

If you happen to be at the North Cape, be sure to head over to Captain
Roald's place in nearby Gjesvaer (pronounced "guess vhere") population
130 where you can take the bird safari with his company Stappen
Sjoproduktor to see the puffin colony of 360,000 as well as tons more
birds. The crab safari can be done separately or as a combo and is
loads of fun as you pull up the traps and then cook the crabs. We
found two king crabs and two troll crabs (North Atlantic Stone Crabs)
and had the legs pulled off and in the pot within 20 minutes. Minutes
later they were served to us and they were the best crabs ever (not to
belittle our Maryland crabs which are super); this meat is divine
eaten PLAIN with no butter or anything...even lemon. They are cooked
plain with some salt and a dash of sugar and will blow your taste buds
away. The king was meatier, the troll for me even tastier, but the
legs are smaller. At the restaurant in his fish drying plant and boat
trip center you can also eat the crabs (for about $100 a portion), but
it's much more fun to go out on the safari and collect them. There is
also reindeer stew (not tasted) and yummy bacalao (cod) stew which is
the native dish of Norway made with the famous dried cod that is a
staple of the local diet.

Heading back south you won't want to miss the charming town of Alesund
which has so much to offer to any tourist. LYST (I think it means
"lust") is a simple spot (www.lystmeny.no at Kongensgate 12) right in
the center and has a wonderfully huge "creamy shellfish sandwich" made
from shrimp and lobster as well as veggies and mayo. I had the
"marinated shellfish salad" which features superbly seasoned local
shrimp with asparagus, parmesan, lettuce, peas, string beans and other
beans.

Our best lunch by far, save for the fresh crabs at the North Cape was
in Stavanger on our last day in Norway at N.B. Sorenson's
Dampsskibexpedition located right on the waterfront at Skagen 26
(www.herlige-restauranter.com) where Samuel settled in with a kid's
menu (yes, the only one we found in Norway except for Dolly Dimples
pizza!) hamburger and fries which still priced in at $12 (65kroner)
but was a tasty 1/2 burger with spicy fries and ketchup which he
gobbled up. Our SHELLFISH PASTA with light cream sauce had the same
spices around the dish rim so you could make the dish as spicy as you
pleased. Besides the penne there were mussels, cherry tomatoes,
shrimp, cod and superb haddock. Will loved the local beer on tap and I
adored a glass of dry Riesling. These main courses were the least
expensive we had seen in all Norway at 189 kroner (about $34.50 each)
as the lunch menu here is not a full dinner menu and has special
prices. You might get a bit more sticker shock with the glass of wine
and beer ringing in at $14.50 and $13.00 respectively, but it was all
quite tasty.
We loved much of the food we had on land, the ship (Holland America's
Ryndam) also did much better than our recent cruises, but we are so
looking forward to really dining in Belgium and London in the next
weeks.

HEMELSE MODDER Amsterdam's answer to fun fine dining (6-11-11)

2011-07-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

Our second and last night in Amsterdam took us just across the canal
from our hotel to an adorable local spot recommended by our friends
who happened to live just feet away. HEMELSE MODDER
(www.hemelsemodder.nl at Oude Waal 11) literally means "heavenly mud"
and refers to their signature chocolate mousse dessert. We never got
to that dish, but did agree the food was not only heavenly, it was
quite reasonable if you choose the fixe priced options. There are two
three course menus at 29,50Euros and 33,50 and you can make one a four
course meal for just 4 Euros more at 37,50. Wines can be paired as
well at a very good price, but we chose to start with a 1/2 litre of
the house white, Vins Pays du Var-Cotes de Provence from Domaine de
Pinchinat 2009. A number of wines are available by the glass and half
litre which allows for more variety as well.
Nice bread and butter arrived, but it was not as good as the previous
night. Olives and pickled garlic cloves in small bowl were brought as
all three of us gobbled them up. Samuel was actually trying tastes
again. He ordered the simple filet with spinach and frites, and I have
to admit it was the perfect small size steak that we asked for,
although they did charge for the adult portion. The spinach was a bit
bland, but Samuel immediately took to dipping his frites (if
sparingly) in the accompanying Hollandaise sauce.
Will and I both started with the DUTCH HERRING and BEETROOT Salad
which had four gorgeous filets dappled with a mayo-remoulade sauce,
shredded beets and field greens. The herring was the star here and
indeed was like butter; you could cut it with a spoon, so fresh and
tasty.
My "extra" 4 Euro course was called Bisque of NORWEGIAN PRAWNS & Lemon
Cream but was more like a bouillabaise consistency and very tasty with
tiny swirls of the lemon "cream" yet not thick or rich or creamy; it
was just right.
We moved on to a tasty bottle SOLABAL Rioja 2007 from Rioja Alta in
Spain that was smooth and quite full bodied. It paired nicely with
Will's PASTY with Ragout of Baby ARTICHOKES, FENNEL & ONION with Warm
LENTIL SALAD. This veggie option was really a vol au vent pastry as
opposed to the British "pasty" with delicious flaky pastry and a super
filling. My PORK STEAK with SQUID SAUCE, SPINACH & POMMES DAUPHINES
was actually a tender filet with an olive-tomato based squid sauce
that was akin to a Puttanesca and indeed quite spicy. The spinach was
good, fresh, but lacked flavor and the potatoes were a creamy divine
concoction with a fried crispy potato "shell" that indeed was
heavenly.
Will went for the LEMON MERINGUE TART while I marveled at the Fresh
DUTCH STRAWBERRIES with Homemade Yogurt Ice Cream which was light and
simple, yet some of the best strawberries ever (perhaps only the
Scottish Wild ones are better). Even Samuel loved them.
We all left happy but still tired after another long day in Amsterdam
where we had visited our favorite pancake house (see August 2010)
PANCAKES AMSTERDAM for lunch (the day before we went to our favorite
FRITES stand (see August 2010), and headed to bed to ready for our
cruise to the North Cape and Fjords or Norway on Sunday.

Amsterdam's BLAUW aan de wal will bring you wondrous food (6-10-11)

2011-07-07T21:30:00.000-04:00

This year we start off our European adventures in Amsterdam and had a
superb evening with our dear friends at BLAUW AAN DE WAL, even if the
service got a bit spotty here and there, (Oz. Achterburgwal 99, tel
020-3302257)
One approaches this red light district dining spot in a very old
building through a narrow graffiti filled lane and all of a sudden a
small garden appears outside the lower level. We climbed the narrow
curving staircase (be careful coming down if you drink a lot!) to the
roomier top floor that is quite bland with white walls and some silver-
panted bare light bulbs in the wall. A bit of art might be welcome,
but then we did come for the food.
We all were intrigued by the PINOT ROSE BRUT aperitif 2009 from
Winterling in the Pfalz region of Germany as I have rarely had a
cremant that was German, yet bone dry. The sparkling water is the
British Hildon and then came the "bagna cauda" dip of anchovy spread
with crostini, sweet radishes and other tasty veggies. The bread was
simple and the French fleur de sel butter divine.
We moved to a Domaine Corsin Vieilles Vignes 2008 SAINT VERAN Cru de
Bourgogne that was deliciously dry and went superbly with some FIN DE
CLAIRE French Oysters as well as the starter of YELLOWFIN TUNA (raw,
but fresh from Panama) with field greens and an anchovy, egg and caper
spread that was between the tasty thin slices of fish. Green herb oil
was on the plate with artichoke hearts and several tasty fried
anchovies. We had all chosen this dish and was thrilled when it
(finally) arrived as it seemed to take forever. We mentioned he delay
and our sever kind of tried to make excuses. We noticed the table near
us had also complained and got free drinks. We opened our months and
got another bottle of the Saint Veran (40 euros) on the house; we were
placated. I have to admit I found ourselves often pouring the wine and
water, so we have to say the service was indeed a bit lacking.
Our red was a superb yet not too intense Pinot Noir HAUTES-COTES de
BEAUNE "Sous La Muree" 2008 from Domaine Arnoux pere et fils. It was
another perfect pairing wit the Crispy seared DUCK BREAST with Spring
Cabbage in a disc along with Beet Disc and Carrot disc (the veggies
here were super), Potato Puree al in a superb ALBUFERA Sauce that we
could not resist mopping up with the bread. The other main course was
a Filet of BRILL in RIESLING Sauce with Spinach, LOBSTER RAVIOLI and
Green Peas. The ravioli were a bit salty for my tastes, but the dish
overall a winner.

We could not resist cheese and chose one of each of the cheese options
to share amongst the four of us which was a smart move, leaving room
for dessert.
One cheese platter was Fresh Parmigiana with salt crystals, Poached
Pear & Black Pepper which was a flavorful and novel combination. The
other were three cheeses with Fig Chutney:
COMTE
THIERRY ROBERT which was a creamy rich decadent style and
BLUE d'ECOSSE a medium blue that is rich and creamy as well

The desserts were both superb (each course here has only TWO Choices):
PANNA COTTA with Strawberries, Blueberries and Basil
and a divine NECTARINE CRUMBLE with Creme Suisse and Frozen Yogurt
A glass of FEILER ARTINGER 2009 Beerenauslese from Austria was the
perfect final taste of the night.
We all had a great time and I think we would return for the food, if
not the service.

McCormick & Schmick's makes seafood superbly(6-6-11)

2011-06-07T12:58:00.000-04:00

About a decade ago I chaired a charity food event and had the pleasure of meeting the chef at the Dc downtown location of McCormick & Schmick's. Their PR person pushed me to come in to dinner, and in these very reviews I wrote about how heartily I was impressed, despite the "chain image."
Last night we headed to the Crystal City location (2101B Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA) and was impressed yet again. The three of us know Chef Marc Kennedy from our synagogue, and he truly LOVES to cook. He regaled us with a tale of how a week or so ago a patron wanted a "sashimi-style" fish dessert, and how he constructed it with caramelized bananas and spun sugar to boot! McCormick & Schmick's is indeed known for its fresh fish and last night it was the fish that starred, although Samuel opted for the kiddie meal burger & fries!
We started with a superb bottle of PARDUCCI "Sustainable White" 2008 which we discovered (through the internet) is a blend of 41.5% Chenin Blanc, 38% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Viognier, 7.5% Muscat Canelli and 1% Fruliano. While this blending seems to hint at sweetness, the wine was bone dry and perfect with our tasty plump oysters:
Rappahannock River, Virginia
Blue Point, Oyster Bay, NY
Chef's Creek, Baynes Sound, British Columbia
& Malpeque (also BC)

Will chose the CITRUS BAY SCALLOP CEVICHE appetizer with Blue Corn Tortilla Chip which was a bit on the bland side despite the inclusion of calamari and small shrimp. My SALMON LOMI LOMI prepared tableside was divine with tomato, pineapple, onion, lime and soy mixed with superb quality salmon tartare.

A small tasting arrived from Chef Kennedy that was made of freshly delivered Copper River COHO SALMON SASHIMI and a small Seared Coho Salmon sushi wrapped in nori. There was drizzle of truffle oil on the sashimi and the sushi had a avocado, hoisan, spicy mustard dollop on the side making these two just divinely inspired.

We moved on to a bottle of CUVAISON 2009 Carneros Chardonnay which is usually huge and oaky, but it seems the Californians have moved in a different direction and garnered 92 points from Wine Spectator to boot.
It was an amazing pairing with my Sauteed SOF SHELL CRABS with hash Browns and Spinach in a superb butter sauce that was plain and perfect. Will and I switched main courses halfway and his WILD ALASKAN HALIBUT & SALMON was baked in PASTRY with Shrimp and a SunDried Tomato-Hazelnut Pesto that was just the right touch.

We were full, but that didn't stop Will from taking home a piece of Key Lime Pie!
It just goes to show you that a chain name can be broken!

Georgetown's LA CHAUMIERE is surer than ever (5-17-11)

2011-05-18T11:03:00.000-04:00

Last night a number of us from work were treated to dinner in Georgetown at the quaint and adorable LA CHAUMIERE (www.lachaumieredc.com at 2813 M Street, NW) by our lovely and charming Fairmont/Raffles/Swissotel rep. We all had superb food, wine and chat as well, making for a rare fine dining experience in Georgetown these days.
I actually know how hard dining is in the are, so I arrived 20 minutes early to seek a space without a meter (the $2/hr rates in now insane!) and almost 1/8 of the space where parking is free along 29th Street were empty! How rare is that? making my experience in the normally noisy, crowded and overpriced Georgetown a dream to start.

I ordered a bottle of slightly citrus-y DORUHIN 2009 SAINT VERAN which was perfectly refreshing and went perfectly with the BAKED OYSTERS "CHAUMIERE" that many of us ordered. They are plump Long Island Creek oysters baked with a hint of ginger and topped with spinach and crumbled hazelnuts. It's much lighter than a "Rockefeller" type with cheese and bacon and is a really wonderful starter that isn't quite as rich as some of the usual French dishes can be. Of course those that chose pate and foie gras were quite happy as well!
La Chaumiere has a large and varied menu and is known for it's nightly specials (in the winter on Thursday the cassoulet is a must!) so there is something for everyone. A Dover sole was simple and cooked perfectly while the RIS DE VEAU (sweetbreads) came in a huge portion (most dishes do here, although they are quite reasonably priced compared to the neighborhood) and were cooked divinely and cut like butter (say it with that Streisand accent!). While I did not taste the duck, it too seemed to be a hit.
The majority of the table went with my lead as we have just entered the SOFT SHELL CRAB season and here they are pan sauteed with fine herbs, shallots and a tasty lemon butter. The early ones this season were huge and the again the portion quite large with some simple veggies and mashed potatoes topped with two towering latticed potato crisps. I was in heaven!

We were full but some had sorbet or Creme Brulee and some agreed to share a small cheese plate. It is, of course, all French and quite a good selection:
creamy Camembert, a firm Petit Basque, a creamy/yet crumbly goat (called Valenque?) and a rich divine Saint Andre. They came with a tasty apple compote and walnuts.
Our server Ramon handled the 7 of us quite well, although I did have to get up and pour the wine once.

It was a delightful evening and although I had lunched earlier this year there, I really had forgotten how superb the food is.

Top Chefs toque it out for us-CARLA HALL & ROCK HARPER

2011-05-16T12:43:00.001-04:00

Over the years we have always enjoyed Top Chef and some of the other food shows, but they are really great when you know the contestants! DC has sent many of its star and non-star chefs to the Food Network or other and they have returned triumphant.
Chef "Rock" Rahman Harper (ex of B. Smith's) was the first winner of Hells' Kitchen and our dear Carla Hall has gotten to the finals of Top Chef twice now!
Over the weekend, the two joined forces for a charity dinner and we had one of the best nights ever.
Their food and our (those of us attending) wines made for a spectacular event starting with Moet et Chandon White Star Champagne and moving to Pol Roget 1990 Champagne "Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill." Lobster tails and shrimp on skewers all poached to perfection with Kumamoto Oysters graced the seafood snack table and there was a Charcuterie heaven with Torchon of Foie Gras (with pear compote), Duck Rilettes, Prosciutto, Dried meats, gherkins, pickled onions and all kinds of tasty condiments.
We knew what was coming so we had to be careful.
CHANTERELLE SOUP with BLACK TRUFFLES, chervil and chive started us and it paired ingeniously with a minerally intense MONTAGNY 1er Cru 2004 "Le Vieux Chateau"
ASPARAGUS SALAD was taken to new heights by pan roasting them along with diced Golden BEETS, Baby Arugula and SHITAKES with Tarragon-Dill Vinaigrette and a Goat Cheese Boursin on the side. ELK COVE RIESLING 2008 was again a perfect combo.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SORBET was a perfect palate cleanser with fried basil leaf and a dash of aged balsamic and fruited olive oil. This, the bread and pastries came from the Stratford University's executive pastry chef Charleen Huebner who really did an amazing job as well.

PATX & HALL DUTTON RANCH Chardonnay is creamy and rich and was a dream with large browned SCALLOPS served with Deviled QUAIL EGG. BACON, Field greens with Truffle Vinaigrette and Sweet White Corn Grits in what Chef Rock termed an "ode to country breakfast." It was just that and the adorable little egg along with the grits heightened this dish to 3-star level(that's out of 3 stars!).

PROSICUTTO-wrapped MONKFISH arrived next with Braised Cippolini and Fresh Peas (you Carla loves those peas!) with a divinely refreshing CUCUMBER RISOTTO. We all marveled at the genius of the risotto and this dish being a bit more intense was paired with our first red a NOVY (owned by Siduri) 2001 Page-Nord (Napa) Vineyard SYRAH which was made in volume of 244 cases only!

It's truly DC spring when SOFT SHELL CRABS arrive and our yummy tempura-style ones were in rice flour with tapioca over a succotash-style corn and red pepper salsa. The wine here was FRITZ RUXTON Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 from Russian River Valley, perhaps a bit too light for the salsa, but nice nonetheless.

Poached DUCK BREAST came beautifully sliced with a DUCK CONFIT DISC topped with DUCK CRACKILING that we all oohed and aahed over. A PEAR ONION JAM for the breast was plated with a SHALLOT QUINOA that was again light and refreshing. The BELLE PENTE 2007 PINOT NOIR from Oregon's YAMHILL Valley was another perfection in pairing.

The last meat course was WAGYU FILET with GREEN TOMATO JAM, adorable tasty POMMES FRITES in a cute paper cone with Demi-Glace paired with a superbly drinking 1990 SILVER OAK CABERNET.

Dessert was simple in perfection with a STRAWBERRY/RHUBARD TART with Lime flavored MERINGUE, and a compote of Strawberry, Rhubarb & Basil. 1977 TAYLOR-FLADGATE Vintage POrt arrived with Chocolate Truffles (we took these home) as we rolled out of what had to be one of the greatest chef pairings ever!

I sure would return again to AGAINN-Dc's newest gastropub (5-7-11)

2011-05-09T10:38:00.000-04:00

Saturday night Will and I headed to dinner at AGAIN (www.againndc.com) at 1099 NY Ave, NW (entrance on 11 St, NW) which is a great place for a drink, bite or full meal. There is outdoor seating for nice days and inside is dominated by a large bar with lots of sports on the TV screens (which at one point was showing a commercial for green tea moisturizer and lots of dry skin--not too appetizing for a restaurant!). The decor is simple and bare with lots of wood tables, booths and chairs which are comfy, but not cushioned. The hard floors do make for some noise, but the levels are not unbearable, although it was only about 75% full on Saturday night.
AGAINN is Gaelic meaning "with us," "at us," or "are you going?" and they are careful to pronounce it with the very guttural "g" which sounds nothing like our word "again."
We perused the menu which is not huge and has many options. We started with a selection of a dozen oysters split between Blue Point and Malpeque, the former being huge and juicy, and the latter a bit more tasty...gobbled up and gone in seconds. Our white wine was a Loire Sauvignon Blanc "Cheverny" 2009 from Domaine du Salvard showing some mineral tones, but having a great french Sauvignon flavor of light citrus; perfect with the bivalves.
Our server Scott was super friendly and helpful with the menu and specials and another server, Siobhan helped as well and always had a smile. We did sadly have to pour the wine ourselves at least twice.
Will's starter was the Warm ASAPARGUS with Smoked Hen Egg (aren't all chicken eggs from hens?) and Guanciale Dressing. It was a large plate of huge spears and the dressing had chunks of tasty seared pork cheeks (guanciale). My CORNED BEEF TOUNGUE came with Arugula over Confit POTATOES with a tasty green sauce (a bit spicier than the traditional British, but superb). If I had not had the oysters, I would have loved several more slices of the tasty bovine which was lean and yummy.
We switched to a superb red DOMAINE SAINTE-EUGENIE La Reserve 2008 (Corbieres) and I am going to search this one out as it was velvety, medium to full bodied and a hit with us from the first sip.
Will went English with the SHEPHERD's PIE made with Shenandoah Valley VA. lamb), Scallions, mashed potatoes and they even honored his request to melt some fresh cheddar on top. It was perfectly made and truly superb in every bite. I tried the special SLOW BRAISED VEAL BREAST which was Cider Glazed and served with mustard SPAETZLE, Scallions and Green Garlic. the breast came out with a BBQ-style glazed crunchy skin and was as juicy as could be, not a dry bite (save for the skin). The spaetzle were an added treat and I have to say it was one of the best veal preparations I have had in a while.
We decided to split a dessert and chose the BANOFFEE PIE. We have both visited the home of Banoffee Pie in England, but Scott warned us this was a deconstructed version and served in a Mason jar. Banana, Caramelized Milk was over a Graham Biscuit with Chocolate Ganache and topped with Whipped Cream and the entire dish was indeed well "de" constructed. I normally don't care for whipped cream, but this was really good.
We went home full and happy knowing we would return AGAINN and AGAINN.

U Street's ULAH BISTRO - boisterous but not unsuccessful (5-5-11)

2011-05-06T11:11:00.000-04:00

Last night we happened upon ULAH Bistro (http://ulahbistro.com) at 1214 U Street, NW and managed to snag a rear corner (quieter than most) table in the jammed restaurant/bar. It's a noisy happy hour scene at the bar which stretches the length of the cramped room with hard wooden chairs and banquettes, but I have to give credit to the food as it is most tasty.
Our server May had some trouble getting me a taste of one of the wines served by the glass, and then when we opted for the bottle of Cuvee Marine, Haut Marin 2010 from Cotes de Gascogne, she had to place it in a large chiller for 5 minutes before it was cold enough to serve. This was odd, as the wine list is not huge and I could not understand why they don't have space to chill the whites. It was a refreshing crisp white with some floral tones and would go well with anything including some of the spicier dishes (Ulah having some Cajun roots, I assume).
Pizza is a big item here and they are large ones for individual portions. Samuel finished off half of his Margharita with chunks of tomato and fresh basil and loved it along with his Shirley Temple.
I started with a huge (understatement) bowl of the STEAMED MUSSELS in Garlic & White Wine which come covered with four pieces of cooked pizza dough slices turned downward to keep the mussels warm. This works and is great for mopping as the bread is softish and doughy and reminded me of pizza-slice shaped pita. Will's AHI TUNA TARTARE with Asian Seaweed, Orange Sesame Dressing & Wasabi was fairly mild, and while tasty, fairly unexciting.
He went on to a "design your own" pizza which are $10 and the toppings are $1.00 each. At $13.00 he loved his Artichoke, Mushroom & Bacon Pizza. I went for the CAJUN FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH which was a huge sandwich on Mini-Challa with a tasty Mango Salsa. The meat was juicy and tender and crunchy on the edges of each breast piece and the spipces were nicely blackened and flavorful. This came (as many sandwiches do) with their metal container paper coned FRENCH FRIES, which were good, but no revelation. I had to ask for the AIOLI that is supposed to come with it; it was chunky with garlic and quite intense; not bad, just different.
Oddly, our main courses were served before I had finished my mussels and nobody seemed to think this was odd.
With lines at the door waiting for tables, I guess their theory is to move you in and out as fast as they can.
The noise levels are not awful, but this is not a quiet spot; the outdoor area might be better on a warmer evening.
We were so full we couldn't even fathom the thought of dessert.
It was fun to walk around the newly revived U Street Corridor, as we don't often meander streets when we head out for dinner. It was bustling and parking spaces were indeed at a premium, but on a warm night, it's definitely an "in" spot these days!

it's still all about EVE in Alexandria and it's even better than ever at RESTAURANT EVE (4-30-11)

2011-05-01T17:42:00.001-04:00

Last night we returned to what is clearly one of the best places for
fine dining for miles around. Chef Cathal Armstrong and his superb
staff make dining in Eve a truly fabulous experience. The BISTRO
section of EVE (as opposed to the even more-multi-course Tasting Room)
is warm ,pleasant, relatively quiet and calm and exudes fine dining to
a tee. On Saturdays there is now only a 3-course tasting menu in the
bistro for $65 and it is a perfect meal as well. The four of us had
one of the best meals we have ever had in DC and nary a thing went
wrong; okay, I had to pour some red wine once during the evening when
the empty glasses went unnoticed.
We sat down to a bottle of FERRATON Pere et Fils "La Matiniere" 2008
CROZES HERMITAGE and it is a superb white Rhone for the price and goes
with everything.
Our starters were varied and all mouth tingling and exciting:
My TARTARE of Pine Ridge Farm BEEF came with Housemade Rye and was a
divine dish with a pepperiness that I always look for in tartare.
Diced BIGEYE TUNE with Hefeweisen-Orange Broth Spring Flowers and
Coriander is another dish chock full of flavors and taste, while the
CRISPY GOAT PATE with madras Curry Vinaigrette is a novelty in that
the goat is rare amongst pate makers I know and this was prepared in a
disc of meat that is coated and fried to a crisp but not greasy at
all.

Our first red was the yummy LUCIEN MUZARD 2008 Santenay "Champs
Claude" Vielles Vignes which had a wonderfully intense earthiness
rather than tons of the usual Pinot Noir fruit. Had I known we were to
receive a special extra dish, I might have chosen white to go with the
richly divine and tantalizing Butter Poached MAINE LOBSTER with WHITE
ASPARAGUS RISOTTO, FAVA BEAN Puree and Kumquat.

We liked the wine so much, we had a second bottle with our main
courses:
Filet of Chesapeake RICKFISH with Maine LOBSTER, Virginia ASAPARAGUS,
Bacon & Sauce Soubise was a lighter main course, but superb
nonetheless. BASQUE STYLE SEAFOOD STEW is similar to bouilliabase but
missed that aioli crouton I always adore! It was tasty and the fennel
was mild (the French version often is so intensely anise-flavored I
can't eat it at all) making for a perfect seafood melange.
Roasted BELLY of KUROBUTA PORK with Pickled RAMPS, Salt & Vinegar Pork
Rinds and Poached Morels was a huge portion of free of fat and
perfecly cooked, altough I must admit I have never been a huge fan of
pork rinds. My Crisp VEAL SWEETBREADS with SMOKED KIELBASA, PIEROGIES
and Braised MUSTARD GREENS was one of my favorite plates of all times.
Simply cooked glands were gorgeous at every bite and the
accompaniments were varied and fun making each taste a bit different
as well. The pierogies were potato filled and creamy pasta pillows and
the kielbasa added a bite here and there. I even adored the greens.
A side dish of SUNCHOKES with Caramelized Onions is one to go for if
you feel like extra veggies. They are tender and tasty and the onions
cooked just so sweet.

As we relaxed and finished our second bottle of Pinot, Chrissy our
sommelieuse suggested we all do the cheese course as we wanted to
taste so many of the wonderful cheeses. She split 3 cheeses to each
plate and then we passed them around the table four times after
dividing each cheese in 4 smaller portions. In all, we were able to
taste 12 cheeses and it was a treat. they were accompanied by a fruit/
nut bread and regular bread--oh I forgot to mention the warm bread
that arrived at the beginning had us begging for more (even the
butter, I am sure it's Irish, is the best)--and a compote of apricot &
cranberries:
Plate 1-
Mileen's Washed Rind (Cork Ireland)
Gubbeen, a hard cow also from Cork
& Cashel Blue (Tipperary)) made up the Irish plate.
I was not thrilled with the Gubben, but the Cashel was divine.

Plate 2-
Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, WI is an
intense mushroomy cheddar-like cheese that comes from jersey cows that
feed on wildflowers
La Mancha-a manchego-style sharp sheep is from Locust Grove Farm in
Knoxville, TENN
& Point Reyes Blue is from that town in California and is one of the
punchiest blues around.

Plate 3-
Petit Frere is another wash rind earthy cow from Crave Bros in
Waterloo, WI
Mountaineer from Meadow Creek Dairy in Galax, VA was my least favorite
& Julianna is a goat wrapped in herbs de provence from Capriole in
Greenville, IN
whcih got high marks from everyone and could have been the all time
winner.

Plate 4-was the overall top plate combo for me
Durrus from west Cork, Ireland was a superb cheese I had never had
before
Old Kentucky Tomme-also from Capriole was a gorgeous goat as well
& Demi-Sec frpom Pipe Dreams in Greencastle, Pa is another great goat
with great intensity

When they came back I had pocketed the menu and said it was all so
good, I ate the menu.
These were enjoyed with a bottle of PESQUERA 2007 TINTO, a Tempranillo
from Ribera del Duero that worked perfectly with the cheeses across
the board.

Desserts were calling and we chose two to split, but first GM/
Sommelier Todd Thrasher delivered some specialty drinks that he has
become quite famous for. Will gulped down his GIN & TONIC and the
other was (bad notes) St. PATRICK's (something) and Kevin decalred it
an Irish sensation.
The desserts were a tasty, but not too thrilling LEMON-PISTACHIO ICE
CREAM SANDWICHES and COCONUT CREM PIE with COCONUT Ice Cream that we
all loved. Before we could blink, two extra dessert arrived in the
form of the "Birthday Cake...just because." a mini-pink cake with
icing that would delight for any celebration, but the clear winner was
the CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER Mousse Layer Cake with Peanut brittle
and Candied Peanuts. Now remember, that Will detests peanut butter in
any form or phase, and decalred this dessert a winner in his book. We
may yet have a convert!

Whatever the case, we all have been converted to follow the cooking
genius of Chef Cathal Armstrong and promise not to wonder so long
aimlessly again without returning to EVE!

DINO's does PASSOVER near perfect (4-24-11)

2011-04-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

Each year a couple of places in town offer Passover "Style" menus, and while none of these are truly kosher, DINO's gets it pretty good(http://www.dino-dc.com). Just across from the Uptown theater, with indoor and outdoor seating, Chef/Owner Dean Gold melds Jewish and Italian cooking wonderfully for some truly great dishes.
While this special is now over, the $55 per person ($25 for kids) is literally a full seder meal with everything served family style so you don't have to choose between the items as well (although you can ask for more of something and less of another, etc).
ANTIPASTI:
Venetian, Egyptian and Ella's (Ashkenazi style) Harosets clearly show the difference between the tasty date inclusive of the first two and the traditional Ella's (Dean's mom) which sadly falls flat in comparison. Plenty of Aviv Matza is served and it tastes even better according to Samuel with olive oil and the coarse sea salt on the bowl at each table. I tasted the White Horseradish and deemed it the best ever. It was so fresh, it had to be with a great vinegary lemony taste. It was GOLD's! It was divine on the superb tasting JACK's FISH MARKET GEFILTE FISH which Dean prepares by hand each year from a recipe he got in Chicago. The SPRING SALAD has Zach's "bitter" and spicy greens from Virginia with lemon and old balsamico dressing that is superb on this tasty salad. We started to take down the dressing recipe, then gave up as it seemed just too much work!
Dean's "Better than Ella's" CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER was a big hit with me, but the rest of the table was not wolfing it down, maybe it's cultural or an adult thing (we were three adults and two boys).
next came a peppery CHICKEN SOUP loaded with greens and Dean's "Better than Ella's" Duck Schmaltz MATZO BALLS. The balls disappeared as fast you could say "dayenu" and I really though the kids were going to ask for more. While the adults liked the soup as well, the peppery taste was a bit too much for the kids....more for us.
The main courses were
MANZO al VINO ROSSO-a slow cooked brisket with red wine, which was good, tender, but some pieces were a bit dryish
POLLO alla CACCIATORE-a traditional as it gets Chicken braised in tomato, wine and mushrooms
and the most delicious
HALIBUT AL MOSAICA-a wild Alaskan Halibut cooked perfectly with tomato, garlic, parsley, spices in the traditional Jewish tradition of Livorno.
There were sides too:
a tasty MATZO FARFEL which did not suffer from gumminess at all,
SAUTEED SPRING GREENS and
yummy al dente TZIMMES, which also often suffers from such overcooking it is mush.

Dean said he offered kosher wines one year and nobody wanted them. We gave in and ordered a bottle of "LE PUPILE" Traminer/Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from MAREMMA "Poggio Argentato" that we all loved as it was crispy and dry but full of flavor. Our red was a divine Occhipiniti NERO d'AVOLA "Siccagno" 2007 from Sicily that Dean described and lush and spicy like Sophia Loren. It was indeed just that.
It's asparagus season and the boys got some gorgeous fresh ones and Dino's even has WILD ASPARAGUS on their menus now!

There are also Passover desserts:
A TORETA di RE-dense, gooey almond cake with barberries
TORTA di CIOCOLATO-a flourless chocolate cake
and of course I always go for the cheese.
Last night I chose
GUFFANTI ROBIOLA Invecchiato in Foglia di Castagne- a cow cheese from Cuneo wrapped in chestnut leaves
and
GUFFANTI ERBORINATO di PECORA from Val Pusteria- ahoney drizzled sheep that is blue and peppery and intense and I ADORED despite its amazing intensity

Our friends had never been to Dino's before and could not wait to return AFTER Passover for the real menu of pasta and more...and us too!

M Street Bar & Grill makes M Street pretty good (4-16-11)

2011-04-18T17:13:00.001-04:00

Last month we purchased a meal for 4 at an auction for the M Street
Bar & Grill in the St. Greogory Hotel (at the corner of New Hampshire
Ave & 21 St, NW) (www.mstreetbarandgrill.com) and had quite a
surprisingly good meal there. Chef Edgar Melendez does well with a
basic hotel menu but ups the ante a notch or two with quality food for
a very good price to boot. You can eat any main course in the $20's
here and the wiens are the same or a bit more if you choose. We liked
the Penfold's Rawson's Retreat Merlot '08 as well as the Paul Dolan
2006 Zinfandel made from a blend of Mendocino(63%) and Amador
County(37%) grapes.
A nice crunchy amuse of two large plump coconut crusted shrimp arrived
and we gobbled them up quickly.
The starters were CHICKEN & TORILLA SOUP with Pico de Gallo and the
House made EMPANADAS with Guacomole and jalapenos. Neither was very
spicy (again, this is a hotel) and the one issue we had was that the
food was not piping hot; it was about lukewarm to low hot.
The main courses were impressive dishes of PAN SEARED SALMON with
MUSHROOM DUXELLES, Chorizo Mac & Cheese Spatzle, Garlic Cream Sauce
and Crispy Leeks. The salmon had a tasty crust as well and wowed us
all. The Mac & Cheese Spaetzle also came as a side dish and it has to
be one of the best versions of MAC & CHEESE anywhere!
The NY Steak is a Grilled 10oz Angus Steak with Garlic Mashed
Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and finished with Sauce Mornay- a true
delight. If you want the steak sliced and spicy go for the M Street
Steak Inferno
Pan Seared Center Cut Sirloin Steak, over Bacon- Potato Hash, Wilted
Watercress
Topped with Cognac Cream Sauce and can be served “au poivre” which
makes for a superb tasty dish and a great juicy steak.
Desserts were SEASONAL BERRY CREPES with Creme Anglaise (which turned
out to be whipped cream) and a tasty (we were told) BANANA FRITTERS a
la Mode with Caramel Sauce.
All in all the service was quite good; we had to pour our wine once or
twice, and the food quality and reasonable.
I can't say that it is a revelation, but it is a good pacle to dine
for sure!

--

Rosslyn's CHINA GARDEN is a steal and a deal and good, too! (4-10-11)

2011-04-12T10:29:00.001-04:00

We decided to make it an Asian weekend taking out our house guest who was starring in the UrbanArias Festival at the Artisphere in Rosslyn (Arlington, VA). We headed right across the street to CHINA GARDEN RESTAURANT (www.chinagardenva.com) at 1100 Wilson Blvd on the mezzanine level (validated parking available)
and we were totally taken by the meal and the deal.
We had ordered take out before from China Garden ages ago and it was great, but the last time we did takeout, it was not too good, Perhaps it was the items we chose, perhaps they had a bad night.
We headed up the escalator and saw a huge group of Chinese folk in the main room and it looked like a private party; it was. We were worried they might be closed, but they were taking regular diners in the not too elegant back function room. We heard the goings on for this "Chinese New Year party" in the main room including some truly awful singing, lots of speeches in Chinese and other entertainment; it was indeed, entertaining.
We ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and were told that it was sold out. The server suggested the Chardonnay, but that was only available by the split (Vendange, like they serve on planes) which was totally unacceptable. I asked which whites they had in full bottles and only the Pinot Grigio was still in stock, so we asked for the Merlot.
She tried to give us Cabernet and then said the Merlot (Glass Mountain or such) was $5 more--so $25.00 We were okay with that and it was indeed just about decent, not much more.
The starters we opted for were the FRIED WONTONS, which were crispy and nice, but needed a bit more filling.
The SPRING ROLLS were also crispy (although so hot, I burnt the roof of my mouth) and stuffed full of yummy stuff. We wanted STEAMED VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS, but were told these were also gone, so we switched to tasty CHICKEN DUMPLINGS instead which also came with a thicker than soy dipping sauce that was just perfect.
We did listen to our server and BOY were we glad we did as the three main courses were all top notch dishes, filling with lots of meat and really everyone just perfect.
SINGAPORE CHOW FOON is a noodle dish with curry (she said spicy, but it was very mild) loaded with shrimp, chicken, Chinese veggies and more; we all loved this.
We looked at a Lamb special, but we were steered to the SPICED LAMB with GINGER & SOY which was tender and perfectly seasoned. The hit dish of the evening was the CRISPY TEA SMOKED DUCK with STEAMED BUNS which came with a sauce that was akin to Hoisin and not sweet or plummy (as the Peking Duck sauce is). The duck was perfectly cooked and crispy skin made it a treat. We loaded the simple puffy buns with duck, scallions and sauce and gobbled up the "sandwiches."
As we finished we received the requisite fortune cookies but also a complimentary RED BEAN PUDDING which was like a cross between a pudding and a panna cotta yet made with beans, giving it an odd flavor with a bit of a pasty texture. It was interesting for sure, but I wouldn't order it again.
We really loved everything and would run back to China garden since it's only 5 minutes away!

T.H.A.I. in Shirlington is a treat-sometimes (4-9-11)

2011-04-10T19:32:00.000-04:00

Shirlington (in Arlington) is a great little neighborhood, except when it is jammed on Saturday night. We had theater tickets at the beautiful Signature Theatre complex and headed over to T.H.A.I. in Shirlington (nobody could explain the periods in the name) beforehand.
It seemed to take a while to get noticed, but once we did, all went well. We quaffed a $20-something perfectly ideal for spice or not VIOGNIER from MONT PELLIER 2008 in California that they also serve by the glass.
Appetizers range from a special COCONUT FRIED SHRIMP that is more of a fried shrimp ball than the whole battered shrimp with a nice sweet chili dip to Pan Seared SQUASH POTSTICKERS which sounded so great but were bland in their butternut squash and sweet potato filling and the scallion spicy ginger-soy dip was not spicy at all to the uber SUMMER ROLL, a simple soft rice roll with shrimp and pork loin, veggies and a killer Sweet Peanut-Chili Dip that packed a punch.
Chicken Coconut Soup was nice, but needed a bit more spice or lemongrass as well.
The four of us smartly settled on three main courses:
PENANG PERFECT is a chicken in coconut curry with peanut sauce, basil and kaffir lime leaves and needs lots of rice as it is quite rich, but yummy.
The special Pan Asian SEA BASS with steamed veggies and Jasmine Rice was simply nice
and the CRYING TIGER was a slightly overcooked to medium (and hence dry) flank steak with a great sauce...just ask for it medium rare!
Will saw the BANANA SPLIT BRULEE and I knew it would be a basic sundae with banana, Coconut Ice Cream, Thai Coffee Ice Cream, Strawberry Sorbet, peanuts and Caramel & Chocolate Sauces...what a mess in my mind.
The FLAMBE THAI BANANA is much better and flambeed tableside in Grand Marnier for a show and served with orange peel, toasted coconut, sesame seeds and Chocolate Ice Cream.
If you are in Shirlington, THAI is a decent choice, but anywhere else in Arlington, Falls Church or the area, I think better Thai exists.

NYC's AMBER ambles and survives (4-2-11)

2011-04-03T20:12:00.000-04:00

Amber has several locations in NYC and Saturday night I hit the one on
the Upper West Side at 221 Columbus Ave (@70th St.-
www.amberwestside.com) in between two wonderful opera performances at
the Met.
On entry I noticed my cellfone was low and I asked at the hostess
stand if they could find an outlet to charge it...they were kind and
offered to watch the phone at the stand and charge it there. I then
hit the nice clean bathrooms and then settled in to see a woman and
her two boys (aged 2 & 4) at the next table chowing down on sushi. I
remarked that perhaps they could come and give our Samuel a lesson on
eating sushi as they were so good at using the kid-friendly chopsticks
(and Sam refuses to touch sushi). There is dining on the glass
enclosed sidewalk section or the more darkened rear dining room
depending on your mood as well.
As soon as I sat two servers came by to ask if I wanted a drink, but I
had not even opened my menu. I decided on what was called a "personal
bottle" of saki. These actually are 250-350ml size bottles and I was
surprised at the low prices all below $20. I chose a smooth medium dry
yet with huge flavors in the mouth Junmai called Hitori Musumi, a
great choice with all my 3 courses.
As I awaited my first course the woman with the two boys was clearly
upset over her quite expensive Omikase platter which she said was
basic sushi and sashimi (it kind of was, but it was very pretty);
nobody seemed to care she was upset. At this point her boys stopped
munching sushi and started to just mess around. One played with wasabi
with his fingers and cried when he rubbed his eyes and then ran around
the restaurant for an hour. OK, maybe I prefer Samuel's behavior when
we dine out to this and he can skip the sushi for now!
My first plate was a MIXED FIELD GREENS with SASHIMI (tuna, salmon and
whitefish) and a Lemongrass White Soy Dressing. The greens were simple
and it needed more dressing especially for the fairly bland sashimi
(now I felt for the lady with the Omikase). It sat in a kind of thin
bowl of rice paper which was stabilized with a glob of wasabi
underneath. I did not know this and broke apart the "bowl" and munched
and then hit a ton of wasabi with some greens!
KUMAMOTO Oysters come in a dozen and are larger here than normal with
a Citrus Dressing and Golden Tobiko Garnish. When they arrived I
noticed that there was no tobiko and so I asked my server who came
back to tell me that a "tobiko Garnish" is pulverized into the citrus
dressing--ok what kind of crap is that? I must, however, say the
oysters were superb and the slightly soy-tasting citrus dressing was
just a dab on each oyster and just right.
PAD THAI with CHICKEN is a super dish here and at $12 or $13 is a
steal for a west side dinner garnished with peanuts, tofu, bean
sprouts and even nicer leafy greens than the salad and a lime wedge.
It was the perfect main course on a not so warm April evening....
I left thinking I might come back and avoid the sushi dishes and stick
with the Asian cooked ones.

--

NYC-NATSUMI is neat in Times Square(3-12-11)

2011-03-14T08:58:00.001-04:00

I found myself wandering north of Times Square Saturday evening before
the theater and remembered how I adored Natsumi (www.natsuminyc.com-
226 West 50th Street)on my previous visits. I headed right over and
the place was very quiet at 5:30pm, only to be full when I left two
hours later.
I was seated at the sushi bar and got to watch the three chefs at
work, and even chatted some, although they were busy and didn't seem
to like small talk in English.
I started with a SPICY MARTINI, knowing my show was a light musical, I
could drink heavily! This large portioned drink made with jalapeno
vodka, canton ginger liqueur and a splash of lemonade, is not too
spicy but is a strong martini for sure and was indeed a nice foil to
may starter salad of ENDIVE, Mustard & UNAGI. I am in love with this
simple salad of SMOKED warm EEL served in three large Endive leaves
with walnut pieces on the side (they should sprinkle them on top for
crunch as using chopsticks to move them can be tough--I reverted to
fingers) and a soy based Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette.
As I was at the sushi bar, I decided to forego some of the Asian-
Italian fusion pasta dishes I love here, but still chose the Italian
named "BACIA de FROCO." This Spicy Super White Tuna Sushi is made with
Kani, Tempura Flakes, Asparagus and has an medium spiced Asian Chili
Sauce. I liked to quickly dip each piece in soy for a bit of extra
flavor, although the wasabi on the side was totally unnecessary.
Indeed the ginger here is so fresh and tasty one could munch on it to
no end.
I enjoyed this with SHICHIKEN JUNMAI GINGO SAKE which is served by the
half carafe and each carafe has a hole in the center for ice to keep
it cold, but not dilute; how smart is that? After finishing this sake
I went on to a less pricey, but even better OTOKAYAMA JUNMAI.
I had a hard time choosing sushi and really wanted the DOPPIO TORO
(another Italian namesake), so the lady next to me offered me a piece
of hers as she could not finish....how nice was that! The Doppio Toro
melds two toro sushis-salmon and yellowtail--with asparagus, avocado,
tempura flakes (I love these for crunch), pesto and a spicy mayo
sauce. The sauces come beautifully decorating the platters and are
never overdone or too much, and you can easily use just a smidgen if
you like as it is not in a bowl or dish to dip.
I loved the TORO so the sushi chef suggested the HAMACHI TORO of two
pieces which was simply plain and perfect. I then finished my sushi
course with the CHUTORO two pieces of tuna toro, one seared and one
not. The unseared was a bit chewy, but the seared was perfection.
A small plate of WAFU SEAWEED Salad was my "dessert" here presented
atop cucumber "logs" with a slightly too rich Ponzu dressing. I will
stick to the seaweed at my Sushi A GoGo and in the future head to the
unagi/endive salad when here.

DINO's in DC is doing it better than ever (3-10-11)

2011-03-14T08:57:00.000-04:00

Every year Food & Friends has te Washington, DC citywide benefit
called DINING OUT FOR LIFE. Many restaurants donate a portion of their
proceeds and DINO's was generous this year at the 35% level, so we
decided to return with Samuel and our friends Mel & Juan. The place
was jammed when we arived and we had a short wait for our table and
enjoyed somes wines by the glass at the bar: ALERAMO (Cortese) 2009
from PIedmont and Mt. Eden Arroyo Seco Chardonay 2008 from Monterey
while we munched the yummy complimentary olives, pickled veggies,
tapenades, bread, marianted beans and more that grace the bar each
evening.
When we got to our table Samuel ordered up his standard Pasta with
Tomato Sauce and a giant meatball (extra Parmesan, please) as he
dipped the yummy bread in olive oil (quality stuff). He was one happy
camper as we ordered some starters to share:
BURRATA with Kalamata Olive and Red Pepper Purees and Oven Roasted
Tomatoes is still some of the best burrata to be found around.
CAVOLINI are Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions, Crispy Pork
Belly and Aged Balsamic and will make any Brussels spout lover (we
both are) happy, although there were some belly pieces that were a bit
too fatty.
CARCIOFI FRITTI -These baby green artichokes are flown in from the
Santa Monica Farmer's Market and fried simply with black salt and
lemon and were gone so fast, we thought we should order
more.....but....
There is a fixed price 3-course option most evenings and at $39 for a
starter or half pasta/ main course/ and dessert we needed to move on
and avoid over-eating to boot.
Our first wine was a creamy but dry Santa Barbara "Le Vaglie"
Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi 2009 from Marche.
Juan started with the superbly seasoned and tasty TROTTER TOTS which
are a croquette made from potato and pig's trotters from Ossabaw pork.
This take on the "tater tot" is a great way to get kids into their
foods with new tastes!
RISOTTO ai FUNGHI was rich and creamy with sage and garlic and the
PAPPARDELLE with FUNGHI sported some great wild exotic mushrooms but
was not as exciting as the other pastas. My pasta was the simply
termed SUGO which was a mix of many meats in a rich dark sauce with
wide pasta that was simply superb. It was a huge portion, but I
managed to get through it (I did have to take home part of my main
course!)
We moved on to a \COLLEMATTONI 2007 Rosso di Montalcino 2004 and then
finally an intense La Chiete Brunello di Montalcino 2004 La Chiete.
These were, as all the wines at Dino's are, superb fully rounded and
just right for our food wines as suggested by owner Dean Gold, who
really knows his stuff (they are starting wine classes there again
soon).
Our main courses went from the lighter side of CAPESANTE- SPIGOLA alla
MOSAICA, grilled Rockfish in a traditional Livornese Jewish spicy
summer tomato essence (only Dean Gold, a Jewish chef who runs an
Italian restaurant could do this justice!) and Parsley Sauce which
comes with Wilted Turnips, Kohlrabi Radish and House Pickled Shallots.
What a treat!
SALSICCIA are huge eco-friendly garlic pork sausages with prosciutto
and lentils, cabbage and pancetta...another heavy but wonderful winter
dish.
If you sense the dishes are getting heavier, on you next cold night go
right for the SCOTTIGLIA, a Montalcino stew made with Texas Wild Boar,
eco-friendly pork from Virginia and Dr. Joe's Duck from Pennsylvania
in a soffrito (onion/celery/carrot) with wine that I dare anyone to
finish if they are eating three courses! It is rich and satisfying and
just plain filling.
We moved on to desserts with some yummy dessert wines
(grapefruitcello, berry grappa, moscato) and were thrilled with the
take on BUDINO di PANE or bread pudding that had barberries, raisins,
vanilla gelato and amaretto (whipped) cream that was none to overdone
or heavy. TIRAMISU is always great here and chocoholics will adore the
CAPPUCCINO di NUTELA with Mascarpone, Bourbon Cherries and Amaretto
Cream.
I always go for the cheese and opted for ROBIOLA ai TRE LATTI, a cow/
sheep/goat treat and GUFFANTI BLU di Moncensio that is creamy and
rich, yet not intensely blue (which I prefer).
It was a great night for food, friends and charity indeed.

over in the Atlas District-having fun at the H Street Country Club(3-6-11)

2011-03-07T11:25:00.001-05:00

H Street NE is DC's newest hip spot (if you can find a parking space) and is starting to sport many mid-range and upscale dining spots.One of the quirkiest has to be the H STREET COUNTRY CLUB (http://www.thehstreetcountryclub.com) at 1335 H Street, NE right next to the gorgeous Atlas Theater complex.
We headed there with Samuel yesterday after a matinee and were surprised to find the downstairs bar has miniature bowling and shuffleboard (for a fee), while the upstairs restaurant sports a miniature golf course at the rear (which is free to diners on Sun-Tues:$7 other times and not really worth that). We had fun for 20-30 minutes playing the nine small holes (#4 is a killer) and even Sam was in good spirits as we sat down. Of course, they have a kids menu and of course he chose the Chicken Fingers and a Ginger Ale. The dish came with a red sauce that resembled ketchup, but was a very spicy habanero salsa (OOPS!) which was quickly replaced with ketchup (they don't always have this, despite the kids menu).
The menu is Tex-Mex and a large tequila menu as well. If you arrive between 5-8pm nightly the happy hour (offered at dining tables) sports $3 Bud Light or Dos Equis, but we went right for the $5 Classic Margaritas which are a great deal. Last night they also have the Frozen Guava model on special!
The servers (Angela was ours) are cheery and the decor is about eclectic as it gets with metal tables and light fixtures made from upside down coffee urns, toasters and cuckoo clocks with antlers. This is not classy or fine dining, just a good deal. We started with BLACK BEAN SOUP for Will and I chose the NOPALITO SALAD made from slices of tasty cactus paddles with tomato, red onion, cilantro, Romaine and queso fresco with a light vinaigrette. We devoured the tasty salted pumpkin seeds on the table and even asked for more....
Will chose the CHICKEN ENCHILADAS with green rice and beans and a side of SPINACH that was way too salty. I went for the CHILAQUILES with ROASTED DUCK which was a whole half one of the biggest ducks I have ever seen on corn tortillas which were alternately crunchy and soft (depending on where they were in the casserole), Longhorn cheddar and a crema roasted tomatillo sauce (you can also get red tomato sauce).
The portions were huge and we couldn't even think about dessert, but sadly Will had a bad tummy all night, so not sure what to attribute that to (Sam & I were fine).
I do also have to note that one of the two bathroom doors does not close tight or lock, which could be an embarrasment.

Seek out the SOURCE (but not for quiet) 2-28-11

2011-03-01T09:55:00.003-05:00

Last night after the Helen hayes Awards nominations were announced
Will and I headed over to THE SOURCE in the Newseum (http://
www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3941), the well known and
sadly a bit too noisy dining emporium of Wolfgang Puck where chef
Scott Drewno reigns and does a pretty good job with a modern take on
Asian fusion.
We waited almost 10 minutes after being seated before anyone
approached the table with menus. I was surprised and this only
occurred when I caught the eyes of one server and kind of shrugged.
We ordered a bottle of superb STEINIGER "Loisium" Gruner Veltliner
from Kamptal in Austria, listed as vintage '07 on the menu, but '08
came. It had a superb dry apricot flavor hinting that this grape might
be superbly suited for a Trockenbeerenauslese sweet wine if harvested
late!
An amuse of SPICY TUNA TARTARE in a Sesame Miso Cone was divine and
then a second amuse of Szechuan Green Beans with Toasted Sesame Seeds
and Candied Walnuts was a perfect blend of medium spice for this
traditional dish with the slightly sweet nuts (Will did not like
them).
The appetizers here are large portions, especially those with wontons
or dumplings.
I had the SCALLOP & SHRIMP SUI MAI with Shanghai Lobster Curry-Uni
Emulsion and a Spicy Slaw and Fresh Cilantro on top. The 6 dumplings
were stuffed with fresh shrimp and scallop and the sauce was divine, I
wished for only a dribble more to coat each tasty dumpling.
Will started with the HOT & SOUR LOBSTER Egg Drop Soup with lobster
Wontons and Crispy Shallots which he asid was quite spicy, although we
both liked it. Again filling with the wontons. Instead of a main
course, he opted for a second starter with the GARLIC-CHIVE DUMPLINGS
with king Crab and Pork, again a large filling portion...so two
starters do easily make a meal here.
I had the CRISPY GLAZED QUAIL with Garlic Chili Sauce, Mizuna Salad
and Rice Sticks. There were no rice sticks so they brought another
salad with the sticks which were merely some rice cellophane noodles
on top. It was nice of them and the salad was great, but the quail was
slightly spicy and a superb preparation. I had switched to nice
Palacios Remondo "La Vendima" Tempranillo 2009 from Rioja (served by
the glass for $10) which was quite nice.
The BERRY CRUMBLE with SALTED STREUSEL and Vanilla Ice Cream was nice
but won no awards.
SOURCE is nice, but try to go when it's not crowded and maybe the
service and noise level will improve as the food is well worth the
visit.

Georgetown lunch-LA CHAUMIERE(2-28-11)

2011-03-01T09:55:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I enjoyed a relaxing and enjoyable lunch at Georgetown's LA
CHAUMIERE which has been around for ages (http://
www.lachaumieredc.com) and still has great charm and great prices,
too.
We had two fish main courses, both in the low teen price range! TROUT
AMANDINE came with mashed potatoes and carrots and the butter/almond
sauce was perfect while the trout was tasty and fresh.
HALIBUT came in a brown butter sauce with yummy fried potato chips
standing up in the puree on the plate.
SANCERRE by the glass was tasty and a great pairing.
You folks know I am not a Georgetown person, but this lunch treat at
La Chaumiere was much better than my last dinner experience there!

when in Westchester, maybe MERITAGE in Scarsdale, NY (2-19-11)

2011-02-21T21:03:00.000-05:00

Dining with large groups ultimately has its issues. Dining out
Saturday night ultimately has some issues, and dining out with your
family can often be a disaster.
Last night TEN of us headed about 10 minutes away from my mother's to
MERITAGE at 1505 Weaver St in Scarsdale, NY
(www.meritagerestaurant.net). It is a nice, if too dimly lit, spot in
a mini-strip mall that makes you feel away from the crowds, although
Scarsdale hardly has crowds! The decor is nothing special, and the
service leaves a bit to be desired, but the food is quite good and
reasonable as well.
Since my sister only likes Chardonnay for white, we chose the Vincent
JJ Bourgogne Blanc 2008, which was declared too fruity by some though
most of us liked it as an aperitif while we ordered and said hellos.
We switched to a big okay Sonoma Chard "Overlook" from Landmark that
was instantly declared as corked. So I suggested we move to a light
red. Nobody at the table, other than us, had ever heard of the
DOLCETTO d'ALBA and the sommelieuse, who seemed pretty knowledgeable
said it was quite intense for a Dolcetto. The ROAGNA 2008 was more
than medium bodied and it satisfied all perfectly; we even had a 2nd
bottle!
Samuel was super pleased with is TAGLIATELLE alla BOLOGNESE which was
a monster portion, so we asked for a doggie bag which they lost. At
the end of the meal they simply sent out a fresh 1/2 order to take
home at no cost, which was a good move.
The starters were all quite yummy from the pates to the Marinated
Artichokes, and my divine STEAMED MANILA CLAMS and MUSSELS in a
Garlic, Tomato sauce with ARUGULA Crouton, which turned out to be a
large slab of bread soaking in the sauce and dusted with pieces of the
greens for flavor.
The pasta category on the menu had "All fresh pasta is homemade" under
it, which gave me a giggle. Pasta dishes were indeed all fresh and
good including Will's LINGUINE with Cauliflower, Garlic, Olive Oil,
Chive & Bread Crumbs.
For the main course several ordered yummy chicken specials, fluke and
two of us had the Sauteed HUDSON VALLEY DUCK BREAST with Cauliflower
Puree, Apples and Dates. The preparation was perfect, but after asked
for mine rare to medium rare it came out RAW. They fixed it quickly as
our very giddy (her laugh was more bothersome than infectious) server
Callie giggled as she tried to apologize.
We were all tired and the dessert menu offered little more than
sorbet, ice cream, cookies, bread pudding, cheesecake and some
chocolate dish, which none of us felt like...so we headed home, happy
for the most part, but realizing that large family dinner, especially
on Saturday can get dangerous.

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NYC has great tapas at GRAFFIT (2/9/11)

2011-02-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

While in NY overnight for a recital I made agreat find just blocks
from Lincoln Center. GRAFFIT (www.graffitrestaurant.com) at 141 W 69th
just opened about 7 weeks ago and is already hopping.
I entered at 6pm down several steps to the almost hidden location to
find a long entry with long white bar lit from above and below (it
even has purse hooks under the bar!). The front room has high tables
with Plexiglas not to comfy high chairs and this is where the tapas
menu is found. If you wish to move to the elegant rear dining room you
must order off the main menu (although you can also order tapas along
with main courses here).
The front room has exposed brick walls with graffiti which upon
closer inspection has pictures of women's faces with long flowing
hair. The lighting is subdued, the Latin beat-themed (it did vary to
American and mid-Eastern at times) music was nice, but just a tad too
loud.

It was tough to decide what to eat by my excellent server Amalia
helped me choose from the large tapas and appetizer menus. Nacho, the
wine steward /manager from the north of Spain was there in flash to
help me with the wines as well. I started with a superb crisp acidic
Godella Louro do Bolo 2009 which was perfect with the PULP a la
GALLEGA a gorgeous presentation of Octopus served flattened and
squared off at the edges in a large rectangle dotted with cubed purple
potatoes and puree as well as white potatoes enrobed in paprika and
white puree with an odd flat disc of paprika potato as well. The dish
uses Spanish smoked paprika which is less intense than Hungarian, but
gave flavor and there was Olive Oil as well for flavor.
Tasty warm bread comes with the yummy oil as well.
Nacho let me taste the Priorat "Embruix" Vall Llacj 2006 which was too
bold at 4-1/2 years old so I went with the smoother Rejadorada 2006
Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo). It was great with my other two tapas:
CONFIT ARTICHOKES with Serrano Ham and Clams. The tiny clams were in a
salsa verde and there were sauces of "ham" reduction along with a
chemical "ham powder" that actually melted like cheese as the dish
warmed the powder. It was fun and reminded me of the ingenious new
style tapas dishes I had in Barcelona two years ago! The overall
effect and flavor was divine.
The final appetizer was the "Not your average" EGG with Seasonal
VEGETABLE STEW. Apparently one of their signature dishes and again
MAGNIFICENTLY presented the dish has a soft egg yolk wrapped in a
white made completely from CAULIFLOWER! YES! It was fun and it was
great!
The vegetables in a superb rich broth included endive, sprouts, purple
potato, cauliflower and more. A true vegetarian's dream dish.
Dessert was a hard choice and I went with the WARM Liquid CHOCOLATE
FRITTERS with Orange Textures. These melt in your mouth mini fritters
oozed milk chocolate and sat on gelees, rinds and purees that you
could dip them in. The BLOOD ORANGE PUREE being the best (they should
bottle and sell it!).
Nacho suggested the PEDRO XIMEMES Bodegas Tradicion VSOP aged Sherry
which was super sweet and again a great match and really an extra
dessert.
It was all a great treat...only the table next to me with a loud woman
with awful grating voice and her male friend who kept hitting me as he
got up and down were a problem. I will go back, but into the dining
room next time!

raves for our return to RIS (1-28-11)

2011-01-31T16:14:00.001-05:00

Washington's Chef RIS LACOSTE has always been dear to us and we have enjoyed her cooking for years, wherever she may go.
Just over a year ago she opened her own place RIS (www.risdc.com) in the Ritz-Carlton complex in the West End here in DC and we loved it when we went. This trip was even better, and believe it or not, she was away on vacation. Which tells anyone in the biz, how good the staff really is, when you can't tell the boss is away!
It was a special 70th birthday for one of our best friends and we started with cocktails. Cosmo lovers would adore the FALLEN ANGEL made from Ketel One, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur and Yuzu Syrup. It has more of a bite than a Cosmo and the yuzu brings in a more intense lime flavor as well.
Ris now serves BADOIT as its sparkling water, which always gets top marks on my menu.
It was difficult to choose between the wonderful options, but our delightful server, Gladys, steered us perfectly to and from certain items.
The starters were all hits from the CRUDOS of pastrami cured salmon with gingered grapefruit & sesame seared tuna with soy, wasabi and Napa cabbage slaw and especially the GNUDI or ricotta dumplings in tomato and eggplant fondue, the Grilled OCTOPUS Salad with feta, cucmber, cured lemon & spinach yogurt. Our favorite was the SPICY (and they were) SHRIMP TEMPURA on Napa cabbage slaw, yuzu & pea shoots.
Our FLOWERS Chardonnay 2007 was the perfect temperature so we could have those wonderful hints of apple, but the chardonnay was too soft for the spicy shrimp, great with everything else.
We moved onto BAILEYANA 2007 Firepeak Vineyard Pinot Noir from Edna valley which we liked so much we ordered a second bottle of!
The main courses were also magnificent save the one dud, a Pan Roasted ROCKFISH with Potato Confit, Pickled Onions, Olive & Cured Lemon, Minted Pine Nuts. It also had anchovies and suffered from just being a bit too intense. In the end, we were not charged anyway, and another option was offered. The Honey Ginger Glazed MUSCOVY DUCK with butter poached pears & Almon Mushroom Wild Rice was excellent, the duck cooked to perfection and the revelation was the MONFISH OSSOBUCO with champagne lobster risotto, buttered cabbage, mushrooms, tomato fondue and truffle oil. My Peppered VENISON MEDALLIONS were also cooked perfectly and served with Braised Red Cabbage, Celeriac Cream and Lingonberry Mustard Sauce which was a nice change with some mustard flavor to the sauce rather than just the fruit.

Desserts are very "American" here such as Butterscotch Pudding with Cocoa Crisps & Chantilly Cream and Pecan Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Sour Cream Ice Cream. These are not my style, although they were delish, I could never eat a whole portion. I headed tight for the superb cheese platter which had each cheese served with a House made jam or Chutney and Asian Pears. The divine cheeses were OAK SPRING DERBY from Upperville, VA, Saint Andre, and Latur an Italian sheep, cow, goat combo that I loved...I loved them ALL!
The pears were so fabulous that when I mentioned this Gladys brought over a plate of them for everyone to try.
How perfect a way to end a yummy meal on a special occasion!

try the unCOMMON at COMMONWEALTH (1-24-11)

2011-01-25T12:37:00.003-05:00

Every now and then we return to Commonwealth Gastropub (http://www.commonwealthgastropub.com) as Samuel seems to enjoy it, and so do we.
We were invited by friends last night and it was a foodie extravaganza. We started off with one of our favorite treats the LEMON FRIED OLIVES and had to order a second plate. We still can't get Sam to try these despite the fact that he likes lemons, olives and fried things. Any suggestions?
It was happy hour, so drinks were in order, which was a good idea as when we finally decided on a wine, they were out of almost all the reds we asked for. Avoid their mediocre Pinot and head for the Spanish or French options (if they are in stock). We finally had the Kermit Lunch Cotes du Rhone (still billed as Grenache 2006 on the menu, even though it is a 2008 blend). which works pretty well, although is not a huge wine for monster beef dishes; maybe the Zin would be better.
We also tried the HOUSE CURED BUTCHER BOARD which had dried lomo, prosciutto, spicy Canadian salami and duck rillettes. the rillettes were nowhere to be seen, so we had to ask for them. The platter is nice, but it seems a bit pricey for what you get. Go for the always superb SCOTCH EGGS with 3 dipping sauces as well as the superb SHRIMP with THAI CHILLIES & Extra Virgin olive Oil; don't fret the chilies, they are super mild. Beef here is a great choice as they get their meat from Bassett Farms in Virginia and the Grilled Marinated BEEF KEBABS were juicy and tender.
Samuel loved his burger and chips and I too adored the UNCOMMON Burger, which changes nightly and was stuffed with Blue Cheese & Caramelized onions last night--the meat was juicy and the taste of it all divine. The chips are great too.
Speaking of beef, the Grass fed NY Strip was tender and tasty too and the Lamb Burger with green Sauce and Halibut Fish special also got high marks.
As if we were not full enough we tried several desserts and they were all yummy from the CHOCOLATE PUDDING to the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING (Will always switched the whipped cream for Ice Cream, although it should be in Creme Anglaise!) and the simple yet tasty LEMON TRIFLE with BERRY SAUCE which sits parfait-like on a tasty thick shortbread-like cake.

try the unCOMMON at COMMONWEALTH (1-24-11)

2011-01-25T12:37:00.001-05:00

more bravos for BIBIANA on Restaurant week (1-17-11)

2011-01-18T11:13:00.001-05:00

Restaurant Week was off to a quiet start with the impending rain/ice/snow, but we got out before the mess and had a truly fabulous time at OSTERIA BIBIANA with Samuel last night (www.bibianadc.com). we were here a year ago for Restaurant Week and again we were totally impressed for the special $35 dinner.
Samuel just wanted penne pasta with tomato sauce and his requisite ginger ale.
We started with a bottle of the "on special" wine a De Angelis Rosso "Piceno" 2009 Montepulciano from Marche that was young but tasty and went superbly with Will's huge portion of CALAMARI stuffed with Soppressata & Potato in a Lemon & Squick Ink Vinaigrette. My BEEF TARTAR was no less impressive with several different sauces across the plate for flavors-Parmigiano Cream, Pistachio-Red Wine Puree and some crushed pistachios as well. I was in heaven as we moved on to our second wine -CAPRAI from Montefalco in Umbria, a 2007 blend of Sangiovese, Sagrantino & Merlot that was a bit tight at first but opened up beautifully after 30 minutes or so.
It was perfect with our big meat dishes-my BUE or BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS with White Polenta, Onion Compote and a yummy side dish of CAVOLFIORI, cauliflower in garlic and anchovy.
Will's AGNELLO was a novelty in that the leg of Shenandoah Lamb was lightened by Grilled ROMAINE and a Tomato-Olive Tapenade that gave the dish a very springlike feel.

Desserts impressed as well with Will's Honey-nut SEMIFREDDO with hazelnuts and Milk Jam Sauce, but my PANNA COTTA was another revelation flavored with VANILLA and topped with Pistachio Streusel and a Sour Cherry Compote!!
We all went home full, happy and knowing that we must really return on a non-Restaurant Week night for more!

FERVOR -great food served with fervor in Buenos Aires (1-8-10)

2011-01-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

On our last night in BA, Will and I left Samuel with a sitter at the
hotel (he was in heaven as he got pizza before we went out and was
gobbling up all the fresh fruit on the hotel platter delivered to our
room!) and headed around the corner in Recoleta to FERVOR Brasas de
Campo y Mar (Posadas 1519 y Callao - Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Tel: 4804-4944), easily one of the better dining spots around for meat
or fish as noted in the name. In South America, Campo refers to the
land outside town where the cattle are raised, Mar of course is sea.
Our big tummies decided to split a starter and take in one fish and
one meat course. We did not know that each portion was bigger than
anything Morton's could ever think of....OOPS!
We started with a delish bottle of LUIGI BOSCA 2008 MALBEC RISERVA
which is better than Bosca's regular Malbec, but not as good as the DV
Catena we had the previous night. It had a bit more spice, less oak
and finish. We thought this would work better with the fish, but not
necessarily with the meat, although the spice did do well in that
department.
A triple amuse arrived of Pulpo (octopus) tender and tasty, Mozzarella
with Sun Dried Tomato and Jamon. It was a nice treat and made us feel
special and a bit more formal. The spot is well appointed with a
mezzanine overhanging the large main room and utensil made chandeliers
that I loved! The breads were sublime as well as two salsas that came
with lemon and lime on the side for seasoning.
Our starter was Rueda de ACHURAS or Grilled Offal Platter. The menu
indicated it came with those yummy MOLLEJOs we had in Uruguay which we
now know are sweetbreads as well as (rinon) kidney and
(chinchulin)veal chitlings, which I have never had. The HUGE hot grill
plate came to the table sizzling and loaded with sweetbreads, kidneys,
hearts and sausage! While I can handle just about anything, I have to
say the chitlings (intestines) were rubbery and totally inedible. The
sweetbreads, kidneys, sausage, heart and all were divine.
We had ordered the 1/2 grilled parrillada de mar (seafood grill) and
our waiter came by and asked if we still wanted it as he began to
serve the other main course, the smallest portion on the menu of OJO
DE BIFE or RIBEYE Steak weighing in at 400grams or just under a pound
(for like $20--eat your heart out Smith & Wollensky!). We quickly
asked if we could cancel the seafood and he was most gracious. Any
other place might have taken advantage ans simply sent it all out
while we looked in awe knowing what fools we had been. He earned a big
tip and our thanks!
The meat was the best we had in Argentina, but still not a revelation.
We ordered it with the GRILLED VEGETABLES, a superb combinations of
mushrooms, Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion & Sweet Potato.
We waived dessert and enjoyed a delish cappuccino along with some
little dulce de leche cookies and others....another good move as we
headed off to our tango show. Luckily, we were just watching and not
dancing!

DIVERTIMENTO CHILENO offers a cool setting and true Chilean cuisine if slow service(12-19-10)

2011-01-12T17:38:00.002-05:00

For our last night in Santiago we wanted something more traditional
and the wonderful concierge Patricio at the San Cristobal Towers
suggested DIVERTIMENTO CHILENO. We liked the varied menu and took the
nice 15 minute walk from the hotel and found the hotel situated in the
oh so pleasant PARQUE METROPOLITANO at the foot of Cerro San
Cristobal, the city's tall peak (with the Virgin Mary atop it).
There were people strolling everywhere outside the open windows which
we sat next to and could see the tops of the Andes from. A truly
beautiful setting.
The service, as we have seen here, was lacking. The table next to us
had 6 folks and got their drinks, bread, salsa and entire order taken
practically before we got menus!
We asked for bread and the waiter said it was being baked...it did
eventually arrive steaming hot with soft inside, clear proof it was
right from the oven. The salsa here was milder and more tomato-ey and
was nice on the bread as well.
Upon the recommendation of Ignacio (our guide for the day) we ordered
PISCO SOURS which were refreshing and tasty and quite sour. Samuel
went for the Ginger Ale and ordered the Spaghetti with Pesto which he
gobbled up.
The Ceviche was REINETA, supposedly the best fish around for ceviche
which was indeed yummy and simply prepared. The Smoked PORK SHANK
CARPACCIO had arugula and a lemon-coriander dressing, but was quite
fatty for my taste.

KINGKLIP, which I had adored in South Africa, is another type of eel
found here which was again rich, meaty and tasty served with Blackened
Butter. The SEA BASS (Corvina) was sublime with Cilantro & Chimichuri
Sauce, Ginger & Lemon Zest and served with Razor Clams, Calamari,
Shrimp and SCALLOPS with that gorgeous coral intact! Our wine was a
fantastic tasty buttery LEYDA FALARIS Single Vineyard CHARDONNAY.
We thought about dessert, but it took the waiter so long to come over,
we just asked for the bill and headed back to the hotel after a 9-1/2
hour day of touring knowing that the next day we had a long trip to
the ship on the coast.

don't ask DONDE AUGUSTO in Santiago de Chile, just go....(12-19-10)

2011-01-12T17:38:00.001-05:00

Today we had the experience of eating inside the MERCADO CENTRAL, the
wonderful Victorian market of downtown Santiago. DONE AUGUSTO is
perhaps a stalwart spot that will always amaze and if you are in for
an adventure offer you many new tastes as we had.
Ignacio our tour guide took us thru the market and showed us all the
different fish available as Samuel held his nose and then ordered a
grilled chicken breast with fries.
Will went for the CEVICHE as we have loved this so much as well as
superb SEAFOOD EMPANADAS. His third plate (appetizers all) was a huge
presentation of LOCOS (no, not crazies) which are huge tender ABALONES
served with mayo and a creamy potato salad. Ignacio explained the
Chileans love mayo and creamy mayo salads!
I thought the abalone was much like a tasty fishy artichoke heart,
but it did not go over too well with the others.
I loved my 1/2 bottle of Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc blend from Torreon
de Paredes 2009 which refreshed me to no end after my major spicy
CENTOLA al AJILLO a sizzling plate of King Crab with Garlic Butter
Sauce laced with spicy chiles. My second starter plate was PICOROCOS
al VAPOR which are simply steamed barnacles. These looked like tiny
crabs in the market but came to the table in a simple broth as
"claws"which I put a bit of lemon on for flavor and loved. Nobody else
was in my party for this tasty treat either.
Here the table salsa was called PEBRE, Ignacio explained and was more
like pico de gallo with cilantro.

Our favorite part of the afternoon tour of the city was sitting on the
city's peak Cerro San Cristobal as Ignacio treated us to MOTE con
HUESILLO, the national "dessert" which is a sweet juice made from
sundried peaches with wheat added as well as the whole peaches...YUM
YUM....we must have it tomorrow before we board the ship!

SANTIAGO's (Chile) superb seafood experience is ACQUI ESTA COCO(12-18-10)

2011-01-12T17:37:00.001-05:00

While I am not sure how many of you get to Chile, but if you do, don't
skip dinner at ACQUI ESTA COCO (www.acquiestacoco.cl) in the
Providencia neighborhood in a grand mansion that has been totally
rebuilt since devastating recent fire. The seen is fun plus with an
inverse wooden ship hull design as the ceiling, a cute raw bar mini-
ship with mast at the rear, red leather whalefin chairs and sinks
outside the bathroom that Samuel simply called awesome. There were
three huge driftwood basin sink with foot pedal pumps to boot.
Even the Christmas decorations were adorable and tasteful in miniature
red wood webbing. Add all this to some of the best seafood we have
ever had, and you have a great night out.
It was impossible to choose so Will & I chose three starters each as
delectable as the next:
OCTOPUS CARPACCIO with Black Olive Mayo Sauce, Lemon & CIlantro was
superb and the mayo was more of a light dressing than a creamy
overpowering mayo. RAZOR CLAMS in Parmesan Cheese are a long narrow
not at all chewy local tender clams cooked a la clams casino and
broiled with smothering parmesan cheese that will make anyone have a
foodie orgasm. CHILOTAN CEVICHES come in the coolest of stemless
martini glasses held on iron 4 prong "trees" from a large dark wooden
plank. The presentation is gorgeous and the ceviches are true bliss:
Sea urchin, shrimp, octopus, scallop and crab claw were in one glass
and a spicy Peruvian style sea bass with lime, onion, and endive was
in the other.
Our first wine was a LEYDA Single Vineyard GARUMA Sauvignon Blanc that
would outshine any similar wine and worked brilliantly with the
ceviches and everything else.
Samuel opted for the Seared SALMON with SOY and Fried RICE. The rice
was really not "Chinese" style fried and Sam declared "I could come
back again and have this tomorrow..." We agreed.

The main courses were good but not as amazing as the appetizers.
SEARED SWORDFISH with Black Butter Sauce & CHARQUICAN, a vegetable
smash of squash, peas, corn and more benefitted from the slightly
spicy salsa on the table (at every meal in Chile), while the MAI MAI
CONGER EEL was a monkfish textured thick fleshy eel that you would
have sworn was fish. It was beautifully prepared with ham, corn,
mushroom and shrimp in a yummy sauce. The two steamed potatoes seemed
so weird and useless and I would have preferred rice to mop up the
yummy sauce instead of the potatoes.
Our main course wine was from the uber famous MONTES ALPHA vineyard in
Leyda as well and for $40 their PINOT NOIR '07 was perfect with these
big fish dishes as the were aged in French oak and had spice and fruit
in the back of the mouth with each sip.
Did I mention that at each place was a different colored dyed eelskin
"place mat" although they were narrow
and really did not cover the place setting, they were novel and fun.
While Samuel enjoyed scoops of MANGO Ice cream we chose the ELOGIO a
la LACUMA. Lacuma is a traditional Chilean dessert made from eggfruit,
but here the "homage" turned it into a delightful and thick with
superb topping creme brulee with Myrtleberry Compote. Even a cute spun
sugar "spoon" was on the side.
We loved all the food, all the fun and got used to the slightly off
service (which is pretty basic here we have been told by everyone),
and had a delightfully fabulous night on our first day as we head even
further south.

Buenos Aires LA BRIGADA is a bust (1-6-11)

2011-01-12T17:34:00.001-05:00

On our first evening in Buenos Aires, Argentina we headed for a top
rated parrilla in the old San Tel mo district with Samuel. It was an
adorable spot with tons of soccer posters and memorabilia as well as
an iron chandelier full of soccer balls. the menus were leather and
cowskin bound and "fluffy" as Sam calls it. LA BRIGADA (Avenido
Estados Unidos 465) was recommended by the concierge and I should have
gone with MY own instincts, as we were happy for about the first half
of the meal then it was all downhill.
The DV Catena MALBEC 2006 was divine with a smoky oak flavor and was
great with the food, but the food was the issue.
Samuel did not like the MILANESE de LOMO, here a meat slad that was
dry, breaded and served a la NAPOLITANA with Mozzarella and Tomato
sauce. The Papas Fritas a la Provenzal here were TOTAL DUDS as they
were so bland!
The appetizers were quite good with LENGUITAS (lamb tongues) as tender
as could be marinated in a light oil, red pepper, parsley, garlic--
chimichurri-like sauce. ENSALADA RUSA was an overloaded with mayo
salad of potato, egg, carrots and peas that was good, but just
overdose.
The main courses we chose from the parrilla were COLITA de CUADRIL de
BUFALO or a buffalo sirloin that was only okay, not a touch on our
buffalo here. The BIFE ESPECIAL was supposed to be the most tender
filet available. the server attempted to cut it in half with a spoon
repeatedly tableside. We kept proffering our knives which he declined.
It wasted like 10 minutes as Sam fell asleep. We tried to cut the meat
with our knives and had little luck. Nobody seemed interested in our
displeasure, so we paid and left and told the hotel concierge the
place sucked!
What a shame!

BA lunch--go to EL SANJUANINO for empanadas and more (1-6-11)

2011-01-12T17:33:00.000-05:00

Our first lunch in BA near the hotel in Recolta was a huge success. EL
SANJUANINO (www.elsanjuanino.com) offers up the tastiest of EMPANADAS
from chicken to meat to a fried verson with spicier meat. They also
specialize in gam and venison, but we were there for a light lunch.
They do a decent job of PAPAS FRITAS a la PROVENZAL but still not as
good as in Uruguay!
Oh well! It's an adorable and reasonable price option!
ALAN

LA MAESTRANZA in Montevideo's Mercado del Puerto is a major parrilla (1-5-11)

2011-01-12T17:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2011!
I know it's been a while since I last posted in Santiago de Chile, but
we had been at sea in Antarctica for some time and finally made our
way north (those of you on Will's TRAVEL DIARIES postings know what
we've been up to!)....
Montevideo has a gorgeous new Victorian market structure right at the
port (mercado del puerto) and it is chock full of places to eat,
especially the world famous parrillas or parrilladas that one finds
all over souther South America. It was hard to choose and we settled
into the counter seats at LA MAESTRANZA and just looked at a menu,
available only in Spanish, as if it were Chinese. We know lomo is
beef, but after that certain things just don't translate easily.
I asked the server for Sam's Sprite and a Chicken Cutlet Milanese with
fries which he adored. We ordered up a bottle of the Uruguayan
national beverage "medio y medio" made up of half sparkling and half
white wine. It is refreshing in summer (it was close to 85 degrees!)
and perfect with all the grilled meats which can tend to be a bit
greasy. CHORIZO was easy enough to figure out and it was super, not
too spicy, but just right. the plainer national sausage is called
SALCHICHA and was also divine. We were unsure what MOLLEJA was as the
server pointed to her throat...so we assumed cow's throat. It was a
bit fatty, yet tender and tasty, especially with the cilantro laden
chimichurri sauce at every place setting. We later discovered after
Will posted his journal that Molleja is sweetbreads....but these were
not as good as the cuts we get at home.
The highlight of the meal was the discovery of PAPAS FRITAS a la
PROVENZAL....these are fries pan fried and tossed with garlic, thyme,
rosemary, cilantro and other seasonings which you must decline the
ketchup for!

It was a fun experience, and we were to experience more in the next
several days as well...some good and some bad.
ALAN (now back home)

TANDOORI NIGHTS - Arlington's IN Indian (12-9-10)

2010-12-11T07:51:00.001-05:00

The other night we went with some friends to TANDDORI NIGHTS located in a snazzy upscale mini-mall in Clarendon (http://indaez.com/tandoori-nights-clarendon) at 2800 Clarendon Blvd. On a cold night the $3.00 discounted parking in the mall lot makes it an added attraction. The decor is comfy and cozy, if the service is a little abrupt and lacking.
The menu is large and there are many vegetarian and meat choices, so anyone could enjoy a varied meal here; we, of course, chose too many dishes as we are wont to do!
The 2006 St. Francis RED from Sonoma at $29 is a great blend of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Merlot & Syrah that works wondefully with some of the spicier foods. It was so good, we had a second bottle of the same knwoing that trying anything else might result in a wine that would not be as good.
On the table at arrival were three tasty sauces (chutney, homemade mustard and that green sauce that I can never remember the name of!) along with crunchy super thin flatbreads.
We asked our server for some suggestions, but he went so fast and mumbled, that I had to ask him to repeat several times. I have to say that it was the first time I was sorry I listened. His top suggestion of the GOAT CURRY was only okay, and a bit too heavy on the bones as goat often is.
Children always have food issues, and Indian food can be quite a problem, but both of them handled it quite well.
Samuel ate some of the VEGETABLE SOMOSA, then declared it was too spicy. A big hit for both of them was the FISH & CHICKEN PAKORA which are basically battered in chickpea flour and fried making them the closest thing to fish and chicken fingers around. The assorted bread platter of GARLIC NAAN, ROTI & NAAN was a big hit with the boys and all of us as well.
The top hits for the adults were the RAJ KACHORI an appetizer of main course proportion that is thin crunchy vermicelli noodles in a large chickpea crusted puffy pastry ball with Tamarind & Yogurt Sauce and Mint Chutney. We all loved the textures and flavors and the bite of spice in this oh-so-fun dish.
FISH TIKKA was a tasty salmon delivered to the table on a sizzling platter with onions and some veggies along with a tasty lentil sauce. The fish was well cooked and not dry and was even better reheated a night later.
The veggie main courses were of the best quality: KHILE PHOOL was a slightly spiced fried CAULIFLOWER & PPTATOES with Ginger, Tomato, Peas and Spices while the traditional PALAK PANNER was a tasty creamed spinach with simple white cheese chunks. The Palak Paneer was amplified in the LAMB & SPINACH dish which was Palak Paneer with the cheese being substituted with tasty chunks of lamb; far superior to the Goat Curry.

We could not even fathom dessert as we packed much of the leftovers up and headed home quite full. I have to say that we enjoyed everything save the curry recommended by the server. We arrived at 630pm and the place was empty, by 7pm it was almost full. I almost felt that they just wanted to get us served and out, even though there was nobody waiting when we left. If you do take to TANDOORI NIGHTS, go on your instinct with the menu and try not to listen to the server and you should fare well.

Speaking of farewell...this is the last report this year from the USA, so a happy New Year to all, and look for some exciting reports soon from South America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and maybe even Antarctica!).
ALAN SAVADA
Washington, DC

PUBLIC HOUSE puts out at National Harbor, MD (11-28-10)

2010-11-28T13:28:00.000-05:00

Just back from brunch at National Harbor and I must say the PUBLIC HOUSE (199 Fleet Street, National Harbor MD) puts out big time on its brunch menu. The service is attentive and while I wanted to hit that make your own Bloody Mary Bar, I refrained.
Samuel was not thrilled with the chicken fingers saying he has had better (and he is an aficionado), but the OPEN CRABCAKE SANDWICH is divine and at $16 offers up a monster sized cake with tons of crab, charred corn, seasoning and a peppery bite on top of some guacamole, greens and bread topped with a fried egg and served with home fries. I would estimate the crab cake at about 1/2 pound, perhaps a bit less, which is truly amazing for the price.
three of us adored it and the Southern Breakfast features true homemade SAUSAGE GRAVY (the chef's recipe from his grandmother) on a biscuit that is truly decadent.
I am not a brunch fan as it tires me out so early in the day, but if you are near National Harbor, this is a great deal not to be missed (and they open at 10am!).

Just to let you know that we are getting very busy with Hannukah, upcoming theater and such, so that there won't be too many reviews in the coming weeks, but we do head to South America soon! Keep your eyes open for a whole new cuisine!

SEASONAL Restaurant & Weinbar in NYC cooks up reconstructed Austrian cuisine (11-26-10)

2010-11-27T14:35:00.000-05:00

After a way too big Thanksgiving dinner, I really wanted to keep the
Friday dinner lightweight, especially with a 4-1/2 hour opera that
night. I had read about SEASONAL (www.seasonalnyc.com) which opened
two blocks from Carnegie Hall about a year ago and decided to give it
a go. I was on my way from Times Square (Billy Elliott matinee with
Samuel) to Lincoln Center (Don Carlos at the Met), sp 132 West 58th
Street was right on the way.

Seasonal is small, cozy and subdued with a couple dozen wooden tables
(with those silly woven mats), black leather comfy chairs, modern and
traditional artwork and a small eight seat bar in the center (if it
gets busy it could create some noise, but not a soul was there last
night). Speaking of bar, the Austrian wines are impressive, but I knew
I had to skip wine tonight and went for a bottle of Saratoga water.
Black & White breads were brought out with two creamed cheese spreads
(pumpkin seed oil in one and a second I never did figure out).

There was a tasting menu that I will surely return to in the future,
but this time I stuck to three lighter courses starting with an
amazing novelty POCHIERTES EI. The cuisine here is devised by two
Austrian chefs who run the kitchen and they have deconstructed and
reconstructed Austrian traditional cuisine with great flair. This soft
poached egg (actually it was cooked medium) came with 5 huge chunks of
tasty LOBSTER, HEN of the WOODS foam and crunchy PUMPERNICKEL bread
that was broken up and then cooked in a flash fry it seemed. So the
dish had some slight crunch from that as well as superb flavors that
changed with each of the various ingredients.
ZANDER is the perfect dish for someone keeping it light. The WALLEYE
PIKE is cooked skin-on to perfection and has a Parsley Puree that only
highlights the fish itself along with an Egg Sauce, Small tasty root
vegetables and potatoes and a Horseradish Powder. This was clearly a
salute to the chemical chefs we know today, but also a salute to
excellent fish without any overpowering flavors.
For dessert I chose the PFLAUMEN STREUSSEL which was a plum compote
and plum-beer sorbet. The descriptions of the dish list only the main
ingredients, so don't be afraid to ask specifics before you order. The
Austrian head waiter/maitre d' is more than accommodating. When I told
him I adored Austrian wine, especially desserts (but could not have
any due to the long opera), he brought me a taste of a German1997
(wow) Riesling from Mosel that had huge acidity, low alcohol, medium
sugar and paired brilliantly with the intense plum sweetness. The
dessert itself was a tart with the plum compote covered with poached
plums and the crunchy streussel bits actually inside the superb
sorbet. I loved it, and it was also not overpowering or heavy.
To boot, the coffee is some of the best European style I have ever
had.
Whatever the season, SEASONAL is in!

Sur La Place still suits me (Palisades, Washington,DC-11/15/10)

2010-11-17T13:24:00.001-05:00

Monday night eight of us headed over to Sur La Place (5105 Macarthur Boulevard NW-Washington-(202) 237-1445) and it still does some of the best budget meals around DC with decent food and good service.
The place was virtually empty, and we were concerned that it seemed to take a long time for the appetizers to show, but other than that our server Angel handled us with care and concern.
The HEARTS of PALM Salad is always a hit with baby Spinach, White & Green Asparagus, Apple and Citrus Vinaigrette. I chose the new-on-the-menu SMOKED TROUT SALAD with baby Spinach, Strawberries, Endive, Strawberry Vinaigrette & Pommes Pailles. It is, like the others, a huge and filling salad piled with those tasty thin fries on top and tasty pieces of smoked trout. POTATO LEEK SOUP got raves as well.
The best thing for a main course here are the mussels, but Samuel of course had the STEAK FRITES seasoned and cooked deliciously with a mild sauce and bearnaise (which he opted to skip) on the side. The MONKFISH & SCALLOPS got nice commenst, but the Roasted CORNISH HEN was apparently very dry.
Mussels ranged from BEBERT-with celery, onion, smoked salmon, leeks, horseradish and the Belgian beer Delerium Tremens all making a tasty dish with a novel salmon twist in chunks buried amongst the mussels.
DIJONAISE was celery, onions, Dijon Mustard, white wine and herbs & BRUXELLES with celery, onion, bacon, garlic, leeks, goat cheese and bier was apparently a bit more loaded with bacon this time than last.
JAMAICAN ISLE was a novel twist with celery, onions, herbs, coconut cream, curry and bier. I thought this would be a rich creamy concoction, but the curry was good and the coconut added at a level for flavor rather than rich sauce.
Our first wine was a GRANGE des ROQUETTES Marsanne/Viognier blend which was a good price and tasty. We looked forward to more with the mussels, but we had the last bottle and so switched to a pricier, yet just as tasty Domaine Thomas Sancerre "La Crele" that was also a great mussel wine!
We left full without dessert, even though it is made so well here!
It's really great to have Sur La Place just 5 minutes from the house with street parking, good prices and friendly faces!

Adams Morgan's MEZE makes tasty Turkish tapas (11-14-10)

2010-11-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last night we took Samuel to Adams Morgan and hit upon MEZE which has apparently been hidden there for 10 years (www.mezedc.com) and while the decor (not comfy chairs, wobbly tables, and a bathroom that Samuel warned me NOT to try) has much to be desired, the food comes out on top.
We ordered three "tapas" style plates to start Samuel off and he let us devour all the MUHUMMARA a rich and decadent red pepper, walnut, olive oil, lemon and garlic paste (a bit thicker than hummus) that was divine on the puffy "pita" style bread. He ate most of the SIGARA BOREGI which are bourekas-type cigar pastries made from phyllo stuffed with melted feta, parsley & dill, we shared and these were also creamy and rich inside, but the pastry was perfect and flaky and a great foil. Sam did like the KOFTE-beef & lamb meatballs (actually patties) with an onion & parsely compote on the side that he skipped.
We ordered up a bottle of MARTIN CODAX "ERGO" 2008 (the menu said '06) Tempranillo from Rioja that went very well with all the different flavors coming to the table due do its more than medium body, nice aroma, slight smokiness and tinge of spice.
Will and I chose a variety of meze and were delighted with them all...we wanted more, but the four we chose and the tastes of Sam's totally filled us up!
MERCIMEK KOFTE was a vegetarian lentil cake (not a kofte kebab) made from bulgar with onion & parsley and a nice simple yogurt sauce. They were not dry at all and actually I thought they would make a great filling alternative to rice in grape leaves!
SIS KEBAB was a tender skewer of lamb with a yogurt & dill sauce and SOMON KEBAB was a tasty salmon kebab on skewer with SPINACH Puree on the side as well as mashed Potatoes. I loved the dill yogurt dip with these even more.
KARIDES GUVEC was on the menu as East Mediterranean stew of shrimp, tomato, garlic and cheese and was more akin to an Italian scampi with gobs of mozzarella all over the shrimp. The sauce was nice and quite garlicky, but if you want to cut cholesterol, avoid this one.
Our server Aykut (he said to call him "Ike") from Turkey told us we really should try to KUNEFE for dessert and he was spot on with this suggestion, and well worth the 10 minute or so wait. The dish comes to the table with a sizzling metal insert filled with shredded wheat, unsalted white cheese, crushed pistachios all made into a pancake on which a lemon honey sauce is poured. It's a very nice presentation and the dish tastes spectacular. Different from the Syrian pastries of shredded wheat as this one is made with cheese as well giving a completely different feel. Even Samuel seemed to like it a little and asked for more.
Ike offered up some Turkish coffee on the house and we went home quite full having spent well under $100 (without tax and tip, but including a $30+ bottle of wine!) for all three of us.

Tosca's MASSIMO FABBRI fires it up at FOOD & FRIEND's charity dinner (11-10-10)

2010-11-11T10:45:00.001-05:00

Each year we attend a wonderful private event in the kitchen at FOOD & FRIENDS headquarters. Last night we had the pleasure of dining with a couple dozen others and the chef in the kitchen was MASSIMO FABBRI of Tosca & Posto. This event is done several times a year at Food & Friends for major donors, and for a donation you could attend as well.....maybe we shall see you there next year!
I have to admit we have been to Posto, but have sadly not been to Tosca since the departure of its original chef Cesare Lanfranconi who we so sorely miss. Chef Massimo did a superb job last night starting with some sparkling Vouvray and several hor's d'oevres:
A SALMON Mousse on crostini (I wish the crostini was a bit smaller so the wonderful mousse would have super starred over the bread)
mini-pastries(a la quiche) of creamy rich FONTINA Cheese with Shallot and Truffle Oil
and Grilled Sausage slices
It was a yummy start, but we had to refrain knowing that much more was to come.
In the kitchen we were treated to ROASTED SCALLOPS with Sunchoke Puree, Foie Gras Lentils and Port Wine Reduction. This super dish takes the scallop to a new autumn/winter high. One of the folks at the table raved about the lentils saying she could not make them this well at home, and deservedly so--I explained what foie gras was (a bit) and that was clearly the divine secret. DOMAINE GARDIES 2009 Vin Pays des Cotes Catalanes "Mas Las Cabes" Blanc a fascinating blend of Muscat, Grenache Blanc & Macabeu that was a smokey white and a great match to the intense lentils, yet perfect for the lighter scallop.
CHATEAU LA BASTIDE 2008 Corbieres from Durand was a superb red wine on its own, and when it met the TORTELLI filled with super-rich divine ROBIOLA Cheese & Blakc Truffles in a Porcini Mushroom Sauce the marriage was consummated divinely. All of us adored this pasta dish and raved about the wine.
BEEF TENDERLOIN is something I avoid eating out and rarely order except at steak places or if the preparation is special. Here it was presented cooked to perfection and as tasty as could be with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Tuscan kale and Oxtail Sauce....but I would have preferred a veal, duck or other meat oh so much more. DOMAINE de FONTENILLE Cotes du Luberon 2007 was a good companion.
Dessert was a PUMPKIN CREME CARAMEL with Orange-Cranberry Compote and a magnificent mini Walnut Macaroon.
Overall, it was a superb meal and maybe we have to return to Tosca to see what main courses are being offered up by Chef Fabbri and his always pleasant partner Paolo.

Five NAPKIN BURGER bombs a bit in NYC and HALE & HEARTY hits highs (11-7-10) Options

2010-11-08T11:34:00.001-05:00

I am always looking for a new lunch spot or light supper pre-theater
and a couple years ago discovered FIVE NAPKIN BURGER on 9th Avenue at
45th Street. I headed there yesterday before a matinee of a wonderful
(and quite controversial) new musical by kander & Ebb called "The
Scottsboro Boys." Lunch was not up to the level of the show, though. I
loved my burgers there before and opted for the ITALIAN TURKEY BURGER
which comes on a sesame egg roll (which is great) with Melted
MOZZARELLA and a Spicy Tomato Marinara Sauce as well as Vinegar
Peppers. The burger was, alas, on the dry dry side (as turkey bugers
are wont to be), but was redeemed by the marinara, cheese and peppers
which were sublime. I opted to "upgrade" my fries from the regualr to
TUSCAN which have spices and Parmesan cooked in. Don't bother as the
regular fries are just fine and the added spices don't do much more
and the Parmesan is minimal. A glass of nice Puppeteer SHIRAZ from
Australia is decent (at 8$) and goes great with the burgers. I am not
sure if I'll head back soon as the place is indeed so noisy and
crowded. I did have a reservation and boy was I lucky I did, as the
folks before me were told the wait was 30 minutes (at 1:30pm on
Sunday).

On the other hand, all over New York can be found dozens of HALE &
HEARTY (www.haleandhearty.com) soups and sandwiches and salads and I
love this place. There are twnety o0r so soups in varying sizes and
they are all quite good and many divine. On Saturday for lunch I chose
the ARTICHOKE MUSHROOM which was tasty (it needed a dash of salt) and
had it paired with a half sandwich--a super TURKEY on Ciabatta with a
superb WALNUT PESTO. there are salads as well and you can create just
about any meal, although the prices can get high..but the quality is
great.
If you are in NY often, get a frequent diner card...after 9 trips,
your 10th soup is free!

NYC Lincoln Center fine dining-TELEPAN takes the top place (11-6-10)

2010-11-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

I was in NYC only overnight and was attending a matinee opera and evening concert both at the NYC Opera at Lincoln Center, but wanted to have a fun, new meal choice so I went to TELEPAN (72 W. 69th St-www.telepan-ny.com) just several blocks away. I was surprised to find that it had been open for 5 years and I totally missed this wonderful dining experience in the past. While Telepan was jammed and full on a Saturday, I never felt crowded, rushed or pressed; it is a wonderful dining experience with superb food in a simple setting of exposed brick, reasonably spaced tables with many comfy banquettes in separate rooms, a small bar in the front and subtle mauve walls with some nice simple traditional artwork.

There are ala carte menus or tasting options from 4 courses at $55.00 which is a steal anywhere today. The wines can be added to the 4 course for another $55, but I chose this menu and 3 glasses ala carte on my own (I was worried 4 glasses might knock me out for the fab Bernstein concert I was about to attend!).
A small tray of 3 Amuses arrived that set the scene: Cheddar Gougere was nice, CHICKPEA & CARROT Salad on Crostini was very good and the SQUASH SOUP with Walnut Oil made me sorry I had not ordered one of the soups on the menu.
Later in the meal I saw the Italian Bread Soup come to the next table. It was a huge bowl and I was sorry to see the guy salt it and then again twice more! So maybe I was smart with my choices, or maybe he was a slat fiend.
I started with the House Smoked BROOK TROUT which came room temperature like a tartare on a warm cushy CELERY ROOT BLINI with a layer of GREEN APPLE SOUR CREAM. Chives were splattered around with some chive oil on the circumference of the plate. The dish is one of the chef's signatures and is a dreamy tasty mix and was paired beyond perfection with my choice of the supercrisp big green apple GRUNER VELTLINER "Grande Reserve" 2009 from Forstreiter in Kremstal, Austria. The wine had huge legs, a lasting finish and a big aroma as well. It was an intense dining revelation.
The breads were semolina with raisin, wheat and the white ciabatta, which was the only one I tried and was the best for mopping up anything as it was simple and plain.
My next course was the DUCK & FOIE GRAS RAVIOLI made of four huge decadent pasta pillows filled with duck and dotted with cubes of foie gras. There were both a PARSLEY ROOT Puree and a DRIED FRUIT SAUCE on the plate, neither of which was overwhelming and just enough to take small tastes. Too much sauce would have wrecked the purity of the pasta and it all worked divinely. My server recommended a perfectly matched "Tous Ensemble" PINOT NOIR 2008 from COPAIN in California's Anderson Valley that was full bodied with nice fruit forwardness, but not too powerful to overwhelm the dish.
Again my server had suggested the perfect main course of MONKFISH with DUCK CONFIT, large Beans, BRUSSELS SPROUTS and a Red Wine Sauce. The fish came crispy on the top with a slash of the red wine reduction across the top, moist and tasty inside. I was glad I did not chose the heavier pork dish, but I know I have to come back to try more dishes! My wine was a slightly spicy PITTNAUER ZWEIGELT 2008 from Burgenland in Austria, a wine that receives too little attention in the USA and was brilliant with the heavier fish dish that begs for red.
The dessert menu was a hard choice as I wanted cheese, but opted for the Crunchy PEANUT BUTTER & MILK CHOCOLATE GIANDUJA with Peanut Brittle Ice Cream and Huckleberry Gelee. The Gelee was actually cubed tiny jellies that did little for the dish and the ice cream was peanut butter and delish, but had no brittle in it which would have been the perfect crunch the dish needed for texture. The decadent cake had pastry on the bottom, a layer of rich peanut butter, the chocolate and cocoa on top and was indeed the ultimate REESE's relative! The Cappuccino was SCALDING and took 10 minutes to cool to where I could drink it. Why do so many places do this?
A tasty coconut macaroon was placed on the table in a wrapper for later and I thought that I missed a lot of great meals not knowing about Telepan!

National Harbor's BOND 45-beware of prices and quality (10-30-10)

2010-11-02T09:27:00.001-04:00

Saturday night was a very special occasion of the 35th Anniversary of
our dearest friends and we were thrilled to be invited to the new and
fun BOND 45 (www.bond45.com) at National Harbor just south of DC on
the Potomac River. The owners of the original Bond45 in New York have
a long list of well known spots in NYC that I have dined at and
enjoyed, but I must say I know that some of their prices can be
astronomical. They have brought their sky-high prices to National
harbor, and while the staff is superb as well as the service, not all
the food is at the level of the prices charged.
Oddly enough, Chef Enzo Febbraro, a well known Italian figure in DC
over the years is in charge here. They do call Bond45 a New York
Italian Steak & Seafood restaurant, but I think the Italian cuisine
chef Enzo adores and cooks is missing; not even one pasta graces the
menu.
On arrival our anniversary party received a glass of Prosecco VILLA
JOLANDO which had an intense lemon flavor.
We were treated to yummy puffy huge cheese popovers when we arrived
and enjoyed a Vinosia 2009 FALANGHINA from Campania that was light and
fresh. We moved quickly to red with a MONTEPULCIANO d'ABRUZZO 2007
from Collefrisio "ZERO" which was also light, but with a nice slightly
earthy body to start off our reds and move bigger, as we did with the
MONTE ANTICO 2004 "La Lecciaia" SuperTuscan which had a huge mineral
taste and actually we decided was better with food.
We shared a bunch of starters from the "signature" FRAVIOLI GRANDI
which is basically a huge fried piece of dough with stracchino cheese
and mozzarella filling with a piece of prosciutto and sopressata
draped on the outside of each. While these are loads of fun, they are
about 4 inches square each and basically loads of dough and filler.
You would do better with the FRIED SHRIMP & CALAMARI which come with a
roasted cherry pepper aioli and a plain aioli. The BURRATA is pricey
and not the quality one would see at other places it is offered in DC
(say Galileo or Dino) and while tasty, was closer to a regular
mozzarella and not so creamy. It had very little flavor unless you
ordered the plate with PROSCIUTTO and wrapped it around the cheese.
The version that came with BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES offered up thick
slightly greenish and unripe tomatoes, although nicely dressed.

The main courses all seem to run way above $35 with the aged steaks
all ringing in the high $40 range. For this price, the quality should
be superb, but we had numerous issued. The SCOTTISH KING SALMON with
zucchini, leek vegetable-like salsa got raves as did the gargantuan
VEAL CHOP PARMIGIANA (I thought of this but decided to go steak as we
were in a steak place!). My NY STRIP 14 ounce with FOIE GRAS-PORCINI
Butter was ordered rare and came RAW, while my neighbor's PRIME RIBEYE
29 day aged 20 ounce steak was ordered medium and came well done. When
things were fixed, the quality of the meat was not at the level I
expected nor the prices charged! The FILETs were perfect and a Black
Truffle Tartufata was a nice topping (each topping is charged ala
carte!) Side dishes went from a magnificent ROASTED PARMESAN POTATOEs
which were crunchy and tasty to a bland Creamed BROCCOLI RABE which
came to the table cold. The Grilled ASPARAGUS PARMESAN were nice but
the sauce was very thick and almost gloppy.
Desserts fared better with a wondrous PANNETONE with chocolate sauce,
decent Tiramisu, profiteroles (I always find these boring) and
excellent VANILLA & CHOCOLATE MOUSSEs. In an effort to calm our
disappointment, these were all complimentary.
So while the staff tries hard, the steaks are not what they should be.
If you do happen into BOND 45 stick with seafood and veal for the best
deal!
What is most important on this occasion was that we had the company of
the most wonderful folks around!

GALILEO III is great,great, great! Donna is back and does it even better (10-27-10)

2010-11-02T09:26:00.000-04:00

Roberto Donna has finally come back to intimate fine dining in DC and
GALILEO III at 600 14th St, NW (the home the late Butterfield Nine &
Garfinkel's) looks as good as the food tastes. The decor is classy,
refined, elegant and it has been lightened up and opened up from the
smaller rooms that existed before. The bar is on the street level with
the restaurant dining both up and downstairs. Our table was right next
to the kitchen door and we were treated to many visits by the chef who
comes out to check on his clientele regularly. No problem here, as the
staff is talented, knowledgable and attentive.
The menu offers a choice of seven appetizers, seven pastas (includes
one soup) and ten main courses. There is something for everyone from
the old Galileo-lovers who miss those dishes to the new Galileo-goer
seeking new innovation. The menu can be ordered in only a prix fixe
format of $55 (two courses plus dessert), $72 (three plus dessert),
$89 (four plus dessert) or as Chef Roberto says $125 for as many
courses as you can manage until you say stop!
We ordered a bottle (the last one from the cellar) of ELIO ALTARE 1995
LANGHE ARBORINA from Piemonte which was drinking oh so smoothly and
had a medium to full body that had served its 15 years of aging to
perfection. We were upset that this was the last bottle so we moved on
to a 1993 vintage which was an amazing experience as it changed with
each taste. From a bit spicy in the mouth and more full bodied at
first it became smoother and changed with the various foods. What fun
wine can be, especially when it is of the highest quality, and Chef
Donna knows how to serve wine as well as superb cuisine.
The breadsticks and breads came with a ricotta based pesto to dip in
and Samuel was in heaven along with his Shirley Temple! We also adored
the breadsticks which we missed so much from Galileo II that the great
pastry chef Laurie Alleman had started making.
CARNE CRUDA all'ALBESE is on the mean and is a hand chopped Catelli
veal top round tartare served with lemon juice and Ligurian olive oil.
On the menu it is topped with celery leaves, Parmigiano Reggiano
shavings, thin mushroom slices, artichoke chips and parsley puree. We
got the cheese, mushrooms and an added (hold your breath) treat of
WHITE TRUFFLES! Yes, they are back in season and taste superb. Wait a
week or two and they should be in full bloom. BUDINO di PARMIGIANO is
another starter that will amaze you as it is like a thick souffle but
looks like an espresso....the pudding of cheese is topped with a layer
of Burrata cheese (which was not available back in the days of Galileo
II), cream of porcine mushrooms and sliced black truffle...we all
swooned.
Looking for seafood to start, head for the POLIPO, a grilled octopus
with fingerling potato salad, black olives, fried capers and salsa
Verde that will melt in your mouth...no fork needed to cut this, let
alone a knife!
Samuel was in the mood for penned and got it his favorite was
BOLOGNESE and it was divine.
I headed for the Zuppa di CASTAGNE, which I crave every fall as this
chestnut soup with "tatra" timbale, foie gras, mascarpone cheese,
pancetta and duck gizzard is probably the best preparation you will
find anywhere this side of Paris!
PAPPARDELLE al CINGHIALE is one of Chef Donna's stalwart dishes and
the pasta can't be made better in town, not to mention to wild boar
ragu! If you want a fall pasta choose the CAPPELLACCI di ZUCCA which
are small ravioli stuffed with butternut squash puree with "mostarda
di Cremona", melted better and sage sauce with crumbled Amaretto
cookies. Only Samuel did not like it, as he said it was a bit too
sweet for him (imagine, a child not liking sweet!).
For the main courses I can't help recommending everything, but we went
for the birds the other night. PICCIONE was a roast SQUAB breast with
squab meatballs in a divine huckleberry sauce, potato alla parmigiana
( a souffle like square) and sauteed Brussels sprouts. The lighter but
just as heavenly FARAONA is a cylindrical roulade of GUINEA HEN breast
stuffed with guinea hen sausage, braised salsify, cabbage with
pancetta in a mascarpone sauce.
We must also give credit to two familiar faces that handle the
reception and floor. On arrival we saw our dear friend Karen Shannon,
who has graced so many podiums in DC (including her own) and know is
at Galileo III (mostly at lunch), and Chef Donna's charming and
lovable wife, Nancy, who keeps everyone in line!
The pastry chefs, Wendi James & Joshua Jarvis, get credit as everyone
loved the TORTA di CIOCCOLATO, A dark rectangle with pistachio cake,
candied lime, basil gelato and coconut sorbet to the GIANDUJA
SEMIFREDDO with dragee Alba hazelnuts, cinnamon sauce and fresh banana-
coffee-rum froth. CROSTATA di MELE is an apple tart with honey roasted
pecans, caramel gelato, cider jelly and parmesan foan, a real autumn
treat. Alas, while Samuel did not care for the orange-fennel sorbet,
he did wolf down the CHOCOLATE ALMOND cookies that came afterwards. We
also loved the simple hazelnuts in dark chocolate which we munched as
we rolled out the door!
GALILEO III, we will soon be back to thee!

Baltimore's SALT is so-so (10-17-10)

2010-11-02T09:25:00.002-04:00

After taking in a great performance of The Wiz at
CenterStage we headed with our friend Erica and Samuel to SALT just
east of downtown (www.salttavern.com) at 2127 E. Pratt St. which is a
totally residential neighborhood and a truly odd restaurant location.
The decor is lots of exposed brick and not such pretty artwork, but
that can work when the food is good.
I asked the server was SALT (there was just table salt on the table,
so that them made no sense) and she said the chef's grandmother used
salt a lot and it was the first taste he remembered as a child.
Anyway, we ordered a bottle of decent MULDERSBOSCH Sauvignon Blanc
2009 which the menu said was from the Steele in South Africa, but the
bottle said Western Cape.
There were lots of nice starter options and we managed to get Samuel
to agree to the ASIAN BEEF SHORT RIB TACOS, although he would have
none of the Kimchi, Fried Quail Egg or Ginger Creme Fraiche that came
with it! An order of DUCK FAT FRENCH FRIES was divine and their
excellent taste and crispness lasted for the entire stay. It came with
3 aiolis: White Truffle which was nice, Malt Vinegar which was
plainish and a slightly spicy and delish Honey Chipotle.
Will chose the MARVESTA SHRIMP CEVICHE which was decent, but no winner
in its field and I had the tasty flaky CRAB & CARAMELIZED ONION Tart
made from pretzel dough with a house made mustard. The combination
worked wonderfully.
For main courses we had the Coriander & Pepper Crusted AHI TUNA which
was tasty, but when cut with a knife had the weirdest almost "tough"
feel to it, despite its tenderness. It came with Seaweed Salad, Spicy
TUNA POTSTICKERS all with a Ginger Soy Glaze. Again the dish was
tasty, but no awards.
Will had the Chestertown MD CRABCAKES with Roast veggie Slaw and Old
Bay with Chive Buttered Gnocchi. This was probably the best main
course, but again the filler was a bit more than we are used to back
in DC (and this was Baltimore!!).
My Braised BBQ PORK CHEEKS with Foie Gras and Spiced Pecan Brussels
Sprouts were a total flop. Perhaps a spoon of Foie Gras was mixed into
the sauce, but none of the meat appeared on the plate and the cheeks
were way overcooked. had it not been for the sauce, they would have
been too dry and inedible. A glass of decent Laurel Glen Zinfandel
2008 from Lodi, California was a good choice from our server.
Kudos goes to the super bread served with a Red Pepper/Garlic
Tapenade, but I don't see us headed back to SALT soon.

Phooey on the FARM of Beverly Hills (10-11-10)

2010-11-02T09:25:00.001-04:00

As our final breakfast we returned to the original location of THE
FARM of Beverly Hills, a spot I raved about only half a year ago here
on this list (that was the downtown LA LIVE location). Well, I must
retract that rave and say "STAY AWAY."
Only the coffee was really good as we sat down and they presented us
with a limited menu due to the Columbus Day holiday brunch. I recalled
an exciting multi-page menu back in April and this was a bore. There
was a kid's menu and at 9:30am Samuel really wanted the CHICKEN
FINGERS. Actually, other than the coffee, this was the hit of the
meal.
My CORNED BEF & POTATOES was billed as Two poached eggs on slices of
corned beef with crispy potatoes and caramelized onions. There was one
chintzy slice of beef that was overcooked, and the whole dish seemed
so cheap. Nobody ever asked how the food was, so I filled out the
questionnaire (we shall see if we hear from them). Will's VEGGIE
OMELET seemed to be lacking in veggies. He had a couple small pieces
of artichoke and asparagus with some goat cheese...that's it. The
sliced tomatoes (you could have had hashed brown potatoes or fruit) on
the side were red, but boring.
That said, I will keep you posted in the future if I hear from the
Farm folks!
ALAN now home...

Beverly Hill's MONTAGE Hotel Conservatory is cool and quiet (10-10-10

2010-11-02T09:24:00.002-04:00

For our last night in LA we were simply exhausted after a long hot day
at Universal Studios and opted to dine in the hotel at the rooftop
CONSERVATORY at the MONTAGE Beverly Hills. It was a good choice if a
bit pricey. Samuel had spotted a kid's menu with ravioli and he was
hooked. They were simple with cheese in butter and parmesan and
excellently home made for under $10.
There ambiance is ideal with views of the hills, a fireplace (in the
70 degree heat, it burns all day even when it's 85 degrees) and an
very Italian feel with wrought iron furniture.
We started with a bottle of Marsanne from KRUPP Brothers Stagecoach
2007 that was an amazing quality wine with oak, creaminess and a huge
finish. With all the servers they had, I was surprised that I had to
pour the wine several times myself.
Will had the excellent CEVICHE (halibut, shrimp and calamari) with
avocado, mango & chili served with yummy crunchy tortilla chips. I had
the I can't believe it cost $35 Restaurant Week 3-course special with
each course so huge I was floored.
CALAMARI & Salted Cashews were about eight huge pieces of squid
breaded and fried and served over a spicy teriyaki sauce with hon-
shimeji mushrooms. It was delish, but the sauce was a bit too
teriyaki.
My main was three huge Pulled Pork SLIDERS with Provolone and House
made slaw. On the side was the option of fries or salad and I chose
the latter with a white balsamic vinaigrette. I chose a glass of Anoro
MALBEC from Mendoza Argentina 2008 that was note real great.
Will had the HALIBUT TACOS that he raved over with Cotija Cheese, Lime
Slaw, Avocado Salsa, Black Beans (and more tortilla chips!).
We split my BERRY PIE on the special which was okay and Sam loved his
MANGO LIME SORBET.
We hit the sack before 10pm again for the third night in a row knowing
we had a long trip home on Monday.

LA's ANGELINI OSTERIA is all it's hyped up to be (10-9-10)

2010-11-02T09:24:00.001-04:00

Saturday night dining anywhere is often a no-no, but when traveling
one has no choice. We chose one of LA's hottest locations as we knew
Samuel likes pasta. ANGELINI OSTERIA (www.angeliniosteria.com) at 7313
Beverly Blvd in West LA is a place you must got with a reservation. We
arrived for our 7pm table only to wait about 20-25 minutes and see
over 7 people without reservations turned away. The place is tiny, but
well worth the wait. Ours hostess offered a glass of wine, which we
were charged for on the bill at the end of the night (it was
ultimately removed). Sam had a Ginger Ale, while we quaffed a GAVI
2009 La Guistiniana that was quite nice.
We sat down to delicious flatbread (the regular bread was okay) which
I repeatedly gobbled down all night.
Samuel was in a plain pizza mood so we ordered the Margherita without
the sausage and he loved it. I would not order pizza here because the
other items are unreal.
Will and I split every dish starting with two starters:
ANCHOVIES were Fresh and served over a huge bed of ARUGULA & Greens
over a plate of BEETS. Simple but superb. The Braised BABY ARTICHOKE
Hearts in Casserole of Olive Oil & Garlic were divine.
Our server (the ever handsome Andrea from Sardinia) suggested the
FEUDI di SAN GREGORIO Greco di Tufo 2007 from Campania that we always
enjoy, but this was a great pairing with the TAGLIOLINI with WHITE
TRUFFLES. These were our first ones in quite some time and a little
honeymoon treat that was just amazing.
The one main course we split was Farm Raised LIBERTY Breast of DUCK
with SPINACH and Aged Balsamic Vinegar. I was not sure about duck and
vinegar, but it proved to be an ideal creation and a carafe of
SAGRANTINO di MONTEFALCONE 2004 from Umbria was a perfect foil. The
wines are varied and reasonable and many are available by the carafe
making this not a rip off SoCal kinda place, but a down to earth
Italian bistro with damn good food that people line up to get into!
We thought about dessert but the hostess brought out two cups of
vanilla gelato with candles as everyone sang "Happy Wedding" or
whatever....it was fun and we went home very full and very happy.

Beverly Center (LA)breakfasting-do DOUGHBOYS (10-10-10

2010-11-02T09:23:00.003-04:00

Before heading to Universal Studios for a long day of fun, we decided
to take in a big breakfast and DOHBOYS was the perfect choice just
blocks from the Beverly Center at 8136 West Third Street in LA
(www.doughboyscafe.com). I believe there are other locations in the
area as well, but this is a bakery and cafe that will please you all
day.
The servers look (as always) totally handsome and must be aspiring
actors, and ours told us that we could have a 1/2 portion for Samuel
as a 4-egg frittata is way too much, but when his Frittata with
Tomato, Garlic, Basil and Pecorino Romano (called Pizza-style) came it
was HUGE. They insisted it was 1/2 size, but the bill was for a full
price one, which was quickly repaired.
Will had the Frittate with Caponata (diced veggies here), Mozzarella
and Pesta with Walnut Toast. These came with large side salads and
cost under $10!
The coffee was a bit bitter, and the breads look better than they
taste.
My BREAKFAST CROSTINI was on two slabs of grilled sourdough with
Prosciutto, Cantaloupe, Arugala and Sahved Parmesan with two steamed
(like poached) eggs on top. It was much lighter than the 4-egg
monstrosities and I adored every bite as it was like a salad with a
bit of meat and eggs.
We were all full and indeed none of us wanted a bite all day until
dinner, so Doughboys did the job!

lunch at LA FOOD SHOW is fun and filling (Beverly, Hills CA-10-9-10)

2010-11-02T09:23:00.001-04:00

Yesterday's lunch was also a block away from the hotel at LA FOOD SHOW
(original location in Manhattan Beach) at 252 N. Beverly Hills Dr.-
tel 310-550-9758 and was loads of fun. It's a huge place with a cool
backlit blue bar, lots of red cushy booth and beige leather chairs
with upbeat pop music playing, but not too loudly. We headed in at
11:30 (the time change is not easy) for the earliest possible lunch
and got two servers, Nick & Hilary, who were so LA bubbly it was a bit
too much. Nick was from the UK and had come to LA to act (like
everyone else), but was adorable to boot. Samuel had the FISH FINGERS
& FRIES (the kid's meals are about $8 and include unlimited soda or
lemonade as well). The fish was moist and the batter was light and
crunchy and not greasy at all.
I opted for the CHILE VERDE TUNA SALAD SANDWICH which was a white
albacore tuna sandwich with roasted Anaheim chiles that was spicy as
billed and superb on the toasted sourdough. It came with a huge pile
of thin buttermilk battered onion rings that were simply irresistible.
Will went with the TURKEY BURGER that he forsook cheese, but added
avocado to, and it was a huge juicy delectable burger. He chose the
house salad side (as opposed to fries or onion rings) and it was a
tasty salad with nice ripe tomatoes and spicy croutons.
All in all, this is a great spot for a reasonably priced meal, good
service and very good quality food.

the Beverly Hills branch of bistro BOUCHON for a birthday (10-8-10)

2010-11-02T09:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we flew to LA for a short weekend which we have chosen to
call our "funnymoon," short for a family honeymoon. After our marriage
last weekend (even though we have been together 17-1/12 years it is
FINALLY legal to marry in DC!), we decided to bring Samuel on short
break over Columbus Day to sun and warm California.
As it was late on our body clocks, we headed next door to our hotel in
Beverly Hills to the LA branch of the famous Napa Valley bistro
BOUCHON. When Bouchon opened in Yountville years ago, you couldn't get
in, but last night there was plenty of room in the Beverly Hills
elegant location (235 N. Canon Drive), although when we changed our
reservation from 6:30pm to 7:00pm they told us we would have to be
moved to the Champagne Room, which sounded fine to us. This small room
is adorable with marble tables and a great French bistro feel, glass
doors all open to an outdoor patio and a quiet feel as well. It was
hard to get the server's attention, but once we appeared needy, all
went well. We were tired, but wanted to have a nice meal as it was
also Will's birthday.
Superb warm bread, butter and some pistachio nuts arrived, Sam got his
Ginger Ale and we ordered a bottle of BREZEME from Eric Texier
"Domaine de Pergualt" Vieilles Vignes 2007 which was a wonderful wine
that had lots of floral nose and essence, but also mineral hints and
just a lot going for it as a true French terrior can offer.
Someone brought out a large plate of marinated olives (with yummy
roasted garlic, too) and said it was complementary from the chef (I
bet everyone gets this!), but they were great.
Will opted for the RAIE a la Grenobloise, a large portion of superb
SKATE WING with Fingerling Potatoes, Caramelized Cauliflower, Lemon
Supremes, Capers, Parsley & Brioche Croutons. I opted for two
starters:
Beignets de BRANDADE which were tasty crisp fired puffs filled with a
superb COD BRANDADE that was more fish than rich cream and simply
perfect sitting on a disc of Tomato Confit with a piece of Fried Sage
on top of each of the 3 beignets. I had recalled the superb rillettes
from the Napa location years ago and went for the Plat de Cotes de
BOEUF PRESSE which was a crispy beef short rib rillettes with a small
crispy crust and served with Roasted BEETS (yellow and purple), celery
branch & leaves and served over a mild Horseradish Cream. It was one
of the most perfect bistro dishes I can recall.
Samuel had a huge portion of fries (don't let them get cold) and a
small plate of two beef sliders (mini burgers) that were perfectly
cooked and oh so tasty.
We decided to skip dessert as we were exhausted, but the staff knew it
was a birthday and brought out a small and wondrous plate with candle.
Featured were two small BOUCHONS or slightly molten chocolate cakes on
a bed of Banana Creme Anglaise with Malt Ice Cream. I had a glass of
house Cotes du Rhones Red (Catherine du Goeuil) which was mediocre
while Will enjoyed a martini before we all headed back next door at
9pm to crash!

Grace's MANDARIN is good and more (9-25-10)

2010-11-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

I love going to Grace's MANDARIN at National Harbor in PG County, but
now I also fear it. Avoid this area on Saturday night as parking can
be worse than horrendous. Stick to weekdays and the crowds at the door
are easier to negotiate through as well, the service improves as
well.
I generally avoid dining out Saturday, but it was the only time we
could see friends visiting from abroad and they were staying nearby
and we had just gone to Cirque du Soleil at the Harbor.
That said, our friends who live nearby always get the royal treatment
at Grace's, and that was indeed a godsend.
The DIRTY Martinis were as good as always with Gray Goose, but the
olives were more ginger than wasabi this time. Samuel chose the
CHICKEN DUMPLING Kids meal with Rice instead of LoMein, but Chicken
Fingers came instead of dumplings. This was rectified with a
complimentary order of PAN SEARED CHICKEN POTSTICKERS with Soy
Vinaigrette which Samuel gobbled up and we enjoyed as well! The PAN
FRIED CALAMARI was tasty, although our host thought over battered, but
perfectly crispy to my taste with the Bell & Jalapeno Peppers and
Peppercorn SAKE Sauce!
Tom Yum Soup (veggie version) came out with Chicken and they quickly
brought another veggie order (both bowls were happily accepted by the
table :-))
The JUMBO LUMP CRABMEAT SPRING Rolls are a big hit--huge, meaty and
crispy with a Chinese Mustard and Apricot Sauce so you can double dip
for varying flavors and levels of spice!
SUSHI/SASHIMI is of the highest quality with superb TORO & SALMON, but
don't miss the GREEN DRAGON Roll with Shrimp tempura, eel and tobiko,
a real treat!
Main courses were all superb but avoid the CRISPY WHOLE ROCKFISH if
you don't like dealing with bones. The fish was divine and the two
sauces varied and excellent: Thai Basil and the Scallion, Spicy Chili
Herb Butter.
PENANG CURRY is a super rich curry with chicken, pineapple, broccoli,
carrots, cauliflower, sweet peas and a hint of coconut to tame the
spice all served with a thick Malaysian Crepe which also helps to tame
the intense spice, which interestingly enough does not linger.
JUMBO LUMP CRAB CAKES are all seafood and served with grilled
ASPARAGUS, and a Spicy Soy Mustard & Sticky Rice.
We loved every bite and were way too full for anything more than
fortune cookies for dessert!
On the way out a stop in the men's room revealed a urinal with a TV
screen tuned to FIV FashionVideo.com which I could have done without
having eaten so much, I really did not want to see models on a runway!

--

chardonnay on THE CHARDONNAY-a truly divine dining experience at "sea"(9-12-10)

2010-11-02T09:20:00.001-04:00

Last year at the local Helen Hayes Awards Auction (which is next month
again), we purchased a dinner for 6 on board the S/V CHARDONNAY here
in Washington Harbor catered by its truly wonderful owners. The event
was marred only by the fact that there was no wind and we had to stay
tethered to the pier at the Capital Yacht Club. We all had a superb
time with our old/new friends as well a superb meal with wines that
would wow anybody!
Martinis started off the evening and they were prepared to perfection
with "Truffles" of CHEVRE which were simply soft goat cheese dipped in
paprika, sesame or poppy seeds on a bed of marinated peppers and
arucola.
The TEXAS COAST JUMBO SHRIMP "on the Barbee" were as jumbo and tasty
as they come.
We moved from the "living room" about the beautiful Chardonnay up to
the outer deck where an elegant table was set with probably more
glassware than any ship this size has ever seen.
TRUFFLED Diver SCALLOP was served with a Marinated Salad of HEIRLOOM
TOMATOES, MOZZARELLA & ARUGULA. The wines were an elegant SANCERRE Les
Chailloux "Cuvee Vielle Vignes" 2009 and a simply divine Burgundy
chardonnay, DOMAINE de ROALLY Vire-Clesse 2005 that we all adored
beyond belief.

Planked Line-Caught COHO SALMON in a Soy Ginger Glaze was tasty and
its accompanying LOBSTER RISOTTO with Maryland CRAB could have been
presented on its own with just as many raves. There was a white
JASNIERES Cuvee du Silex 2009, but also if you wanted some heft with
the salmon a COTE-ROTIE Domaine JAMET 2002 that was plummy, yet
lighter due to its slight infusion of Viognier. Age has only made this
Cote Rotie become better.

DUCK Two Ways was the largest plate of the night and I had to ask for
a doggie bag for the superb Grilled Virginia MAREGET Duck BREAST with
Blackberry Coulis and the CONFIT of Long Island DUCK LEG. It was
superbly paired again with a HIDDEN BENCH "Terroir Cache" MERITAGE
2006 from ONTARIO that really was a revelation and a CHATEAU GRUARD
LAROSE 1994 St. Julien, a magnificent Bordeaux that is drinking
superbly at this point in time. A Chopped Salad of Frisee, Belgian
Endive and Puslain (which I don't recall ever having before and loved)
was the perfect foil.

Racks of LAMB with Date Puree, Russian Heirloom Fingerling Potatoes
and Buttered Asparagus completed the meal at the table and again we
were treated to two truly magnificent wines: PENFOLDS GRANGE 1997 and
AZELIA BAROLO BRICCO FIASCO 1996, neither of which can be purchased
anywhere today save at auction, and then only for a small fortune!

We returned inside for cheeses: SOPHIA, CAMEMBERT d'ISIGNY and a 5
year old GOUDA with some Chateau Reynella Vintage "Port" 1980 from
Australia, which is a port style wine that was a bit sweet for me, but
still tasty.
Some had coffee, some had chocolates, I just relaxed with our new and
old friends hoping that someone does not outbid me next month on this
dinner if it comes up for auction!
Many thanks to Scott and Phred (sp?) and their wonderful staff for
this amazing evening!

CASA NONNA comes to DC - grand opening a great success (9-14-10)

2010-11-02T09:19:00.001-04:00

Last night was the opening party of CASA NONNA where Chef Amy
Brandwien (previously of Fyve at the Ritz Pentagon City & Galileo,
amongst other locations) is ensconced in the kitchen. If her kithcen
is as secure as she was last night, this place will be amazing. She
schmoozed with the huge crowd as folks lined up for superb drinks (the
Limoncello Lemonade was my fave), tasty pizza, amazing antipasto
(golden beets, prosciutto & watermelon was a hit) and an entire buffet
showing off what will be to come. The swordfish puttanesca was great,
but I marveled at the Garlic Bread which laid on the table for quite a
time and still was soft and tasty!
We are looking forward to taking Samuel back to this truly Italin
bistro-style casual spot just a block from DUPONT CIRCLE at 1250
Connecticut Ave, NW.
www.casanonna.com

when in St.John's,Newfoundland it's bravos for BIANCA's fine dining (9-1-10)

2010-11-02T09:16:00.002-04:00

It had been ages since we were on land for dinner, so we took
advantage of our ship's late departure while in the wonderful charming
city of St. John's on the island of Newfoundland in Canada. All the
indicators pointed to BIANCA's (www.biancas.net) just two blocks from
the ship and it turned out to be a wise choice. Friends of ours, from
nearby my hometown (in Westchester, NY) who had three girls that play
with Sam in the kid's club, joined us at what can be called real local
cuisine with flair.
We started with an amuse of EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI Caponata Bruschetta
with a stripe of balsamic across the plate. If the main courses were
as good as this, all we be great. A bottle of SANCERRE 2009 from
Gitton Pere et Fils in the Loire was a great choice (wine can be SO
pricey in Canada because of the taxes!) with our seafood starters.
Raves came for the SNOW CRAB & SHRIMP BISQUE with Armagnac Essence,
Croutes and Sauce Rouille(which I did not taste). Will and I traded
halfway for the starters and the Toasted PUMPKIM SEED Crusted SCALLOPS
with Salsa di Pomodoro Aglio Fresca was the easy winner. This dish had
everything from tasty scallops perfectly prepared and even a small
hint of spice in the mouth after each bite (perfect with the
Sancerre). The SNOW CRAB CAKE with Garlic & Citrus Aioli and Basil Oil
Glace was a huge cake and nicely made, but we are so spoiled from our
divine almost pure crab cakes at home, that this was a bit of a let
down due to it being a bit breaded (even though much larger), although
the sauce was excellent.
We moved on to a YLLERA 2004 Tempranillo from Castilla y Leon in Spain
which was divine and smooth and tasty and absolutely perfect (well for
the 3 of us that ordered) with the FILET of CARIBOU with Fricassee of
Sun Dried CHERRIES, Bitter Chocolate, Potato Gnocchi and Sweet & Sour
Red Cabbage, It was a large and super tasty portion resembling a
slightly peppery mole sauce, but with the cherries added. PORCINI &
PECAN Crusted Cod with Roasted Peruvian Potatoes, Tomatoes, Smoked
Bacon & Green Pea Puree was about as good as cod can get, and this is
about the most popular of local fishes available far and wide in
Newfoundland & Labrador!
Our server Myron (when he saw me writing, he said his name was Bob!),
did a good job and kept us on time for our embarkation deadline. The
only minor problem was that we found ourselves pouring the white wine
from time to time. There was yummy bread with Sun Dried Tomato Butter
to mop up the super sauces and at the end of the meal when we asked if
there was a local dessert or ice wine he brought us over a taste of
Labrador's LADY of the WOODS Birch Sap Wine. When cold, it was half
decent, but upon warming had the smell of strawberries and the taste
of turpentine! Luckily, he steered us away from this and we went for
the Chateau Originac PINEAU de CHARENTES, a fare superior French
dessert wine. Alas, we missed some great Canadian icewine!
Desserts were decent, but win no prizes. I chose the CHOCOLATE PEANUT
BUTTER CREAM, Marshmallow, Graham Crackers, Peanut Rice Curry & Hot
Chocolate which was a deconstructed Smore.
The "cream" was actually a very rich thick fudge-like bar which was
just too rich and ganache-like for me.
The Sweet CARROT CAKE, Cream Cheese Icing, Candied Walnut Crunch,
Raisin Coulis and Cinnamon Stick Ice Cream got one rave and one "too
dry," so it's a wash on that, and the Blueberry & Lemon CREME BRULEE
seemed to be the best bet. We all enjoyed our last sips of wine and
headed back to the ships to be the last ones to board at 9:28pm (all
aboard was 9:30pm) and the ship sailed just 20 minutes later.
As we left, there was a lone soldier in 18th century garb at the
Queen's Barracks on Signal Hill (the military bastion that guards the
harbour) saluting us with a multi-gunfire salute as we left St. John's
& Newfoundland(we were in St. Anthony's the day before), where we had
such a great time touring and eating and meeting the ever so friendly
locals!