stupendous Sorrentino wine dinner at Roberto's in Vienna, VA (8/27/23)

 As soon as Will headed off to the UK, I headed to Chef Roberto Donna's in Vienna for a fabulous wine dinner. I had the immense pleasure of sitting with the winemaker, Giuseppe Sorrentino whose winery is in Campania (on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius) as well as wine importer Maurizio Farro (a dear client) and winemaker Erminela D'Angelo who is also a superb winemaker for her family winery D'Angelo in Basilicata! There are lots of FB pics as this was also a great reunion of so many people who had met on Zoom during covid for those fabulous wine dinners that Nancy & Roberto Donna organized.

The first wine was 2022 Lacryma Chisti del Vesuvio Bianco Bio, called Bio as all the wines from Sorrentino are bio-dynamic as well as organic and vegan!! I loved this fresh white loaded with local minerals from the volcano that is made from 80% Caprettone and 10% each Falanghina and Greco. It was served with a truly "out of this world" Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) which did not even taste like eggplant. The layers were fried and smothered in tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan and even a vegetarian might have sworn it was meat!

Next was a super rich Crocchetta di Patate Ripiena di Scarola Sulla Fonduta di Burrata, Pancetta Croccante or a huge potato croquette stuffed with Escarole, Burrata cheese and crispy pancetta. Chef Roberto said this was a typical Campania street food dish, but it was so magnificent and paired ideally with the  2020 Lachryma Chrisit "Vigna Lapillo" Bianco Superiore is the blend of grapes. The wine is grown at higher altitudes and with lower yields and is creamier than the first Lacryma Christi we had which i actually liked more!

Our third course was a simple Ravioli Alla Sorrentina (named for the winery) and featured superb hand-made ravioli filled with delicious ricotta cheese and Parmesan in a tomato & basil sauce that just oozed freshness. We moved on to the 2021 Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso Bio made from 90% Piedrosso and 10% Aglianico which was superb and so drinkable. 

The meat course was a Punta di Vitello alla Fornara or simply a roasted Veal Breast with herbs and potatoes that was superb if a tad too lemony as the meat was so tender. The 2018 Lacryma Christi "Vigna Lapillo" Superiore is 80% Piedrossos and 20% Aglianico and was truly spectacular. I have had Lacryma Christi many times before, but these wines were all truly magnificent and made me want to spend time in the region tasting more! By the way, the winery has guest houses which i can book for you!!

Dessert was a yummy Pastiera Napoletana (an Easter specialty in Naples) or Ricotta & Wheat Tart with Orange Flower Water in a light Creme Anglaise or vanilla sauce. Sorrentino makes a 2017 Passito "Pompeiano" "Fior di Ginestre" that is 33% each Caprettone, Falanghina and Catalanesca(obviously orginating from Catalan/Spain, but a varietal new to me) that was more acidic than sweet and was a nice foil to the dessert, but probably not a wine I would buy as I tend to go sweeter with dessert wines.

What fun we all had and what a great meal and great wines. You can sign up for these 5pm dinner held almost once a month at their website and as this was my first one, I hope to return again soon!!

Santa Fe's SAZON kind of sucked (well, mostly) (8-16-23)

 Those of you who read my posts know that I am rarely negative. Last night, we were really excited to go to Sazon, one of the new nouvelle-type Mexican places here in Santa Fe. The setting is quite nice with maybe 15-20 or so tables varying in size in three small dining areas with large Mexican paintings all over the wall (I was particularly enamored of the 6 foot tall Frida Kahlo one with her breasts slightly exposed) along with sombreros, some religious art and a large kiva fireplace in the center. The rafters have an old feeling as I think the building is most likely colonial and hence all wooden. 

Our server brought a small plate of 5 different moles for us to taste along with fresh mini tortillas. This is to get you to decide if you wish to choose a dish with one of them and get to taste it up front. They were a chocolatey Mole Poblano, a fruit based New Mexico mole(with apricot), a superb Mole Verde with tomatillo, a Peanut Mole which I loved and a spicy red Coloradito with chile de arbol. A half glass of Cava Segura Viudas was complimentary to cleanse the palate and accompany them. I loved the plethora of Mexican wines and we chose a bottle of Vinsur "Refeljo" 2020 from the Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California made from 42% Petit Verdot, 35% Syrah and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon that was wonderfully earthy and had great flavors to boot.

I chose the Gazpacho with Crab special starter and Will chose the Shrimp Ceviche, also a special and thus, no prices were given. Will's ceviche was yummy and quite filing with a lot of juice, but also a lot of shrimp and yummy chips. My gazpacho was about 5 spoonfuls with maybe 1/2 spoonful of crab; Will was kind enough to share his shrimp.

Since I loved the Coloradito Mole I ordered that on the Duck Breast, but Will opted for the Chef's signature dish of Enmoladas de Pato which was cron tortilla with duck breast, layered with sweet potato puree and the Mole Poblano. He called is dessert duck as it was very rich and quite sweet due to the chocolate combining with the quite sweet sweet potatoes. My dish was a hit, but we told our server Megan that Will was not very happy, and he had eaten barely 1/3 of it. She offered to bring out a shrimp salad which we assumed was complimentary, and Will said it was quite boring and very bland.

I wanted to give them a chance so ordered the Rhubard-Strawberry Cobbler which was decent but would win no prize. Will's coffee was warm, mine was lukewarm.

The check came and I went into shock at the $25 for the teeny bowl(check out the FB pic) of gazpacho, but also the shrimp salad was not complimentary. Megan came over and said the manager had to deal with it. I almost blew up and told Will, it would come out of her tip for sure if they charged us. The manager came over with a new tab without the salad and all was well....until the middle of the night when I clearly had some kind of food reaction issue. So no more Sazon for the Savada-Stevensons!

Tonight dinner is at the opera house!

DC's DONSAK THAI is tasty! (8-14-23)

Donsak Thai has been around for ages on Connecticut Avenue at Calvert and we should berate ourselves for never going before.

It's a small simple space with no more than maybe 15 tables and you do need to reserve, even on a Monday as we did since the place was pretty full. We arrived to monster size menus and lots of dishes and we asked our server if she would give us help and she offered up some great ideas that really loved.

I started with a passion fruit margarita which I asked her not to make too sweet and it was perfect although a salt rim would have been nice. Will liked his Moscow Mule and then we chose a bottle of refreshing Pratsch 2021 Gruner Veltliner as it's a wine that works well with spicy food. I do need to apologize as I only took some photos and they are quite bad, so nothing on Facebook!

The food here is not that spicy although the appetizer salad of Larb Gai make from ground chicken, red onion, scallion and rice powder did have a nice kick to it. The Thai dumplings came with a sweet soy sauce and were made of crab, shrimp, pork and carrots and were pop in your mouth delicious, while the Duck Rolls were really tasty made with scallion, cucumber and drizzled with Peking sauce; alas one of mine had a huge piece of gristle in it.

All of the main courses were very tasty and we decided to choose one spicy dish from the special Essay menu, a particular type of Thai cuisine that was new to all of us. Our server suggested the Nham Kao Tod which was very crispy rice with fermented pork sausage, fresh ginger, red onion, cilantro, scallion and roasted peanuts and a spicy lime dressing. Its only fault was that it came lukewarm, b ut the taste was superb and a very different type of dish from standard Thai cuisine. The Red Curry Duck had coconut milk, pineapple, tomato, red pepper and basil and was probably the best dish as you can pour the sauce all over the rice. Donsak Crispy Chicken was breaded and served in chili paste with stir-fry green beans, basil and red pepper.

We enjoyed a small bottle of Haku Tsuru Sayuri Nigori Sake which was cloudy and a tad creamy and most refreshing. No room for dessert, but what a great place for yummy Thai food, or maybe take-out next time!

DC's FANCY RADISH has a full repertoire of vegan delights (8-10-13)

 For Samuel's last dinner before he heads back to LA we chose FANCY RADISH on H St, NE in a neighborhood that has completely changed recently and now is chock full of dining spots, shops, a Whole Foods and more. Fancy Radish is tucked in the middle of the block in a small space with a couple dozen tables max and is very unprecocious, yet has some nice art, exposed brick walls and simple decor. Our server Eva explained that the menu is meant to be shared and that for 3 people we would generally order 2 or more dishes per person.

I asked what dishes "we had to have" and she replied that everyone loves the RUTABAGA FONDUE and that after having it the day before one couple ordered two more!

She was so right, but we ordered six of the 10 items and did end up going back to that creamy rich fondue at the end for seconds!!

I started with a Fearless Forager made from scotch, shitake, Szechuan Amaro and Angostura Bitters. The drink had a slight mushroom hint, but was a scotch-lover's delight. Will loved his One in a Melon made with Watermelon tequila, Lime, Cucumber, Sparkling Rose, Rind Pickle and Lime Salt. Sam had two of the Vibrational Match made from lavender, Hibiscus, Butterfly Pea Flower, Lemon, Agave and Club Soda!

We ordered three dishes to start and loved the Pastrami Carrot Salad with Sauerkraut Puree, Smoked Mustard and Pumpernickel Soil which really tasted like sliced pastrami even though it was carrots!!  The Rutabaga Fondue comes with a soft pretzel bread and house pickles(cauliflower,radish,etc) and we fell in love. I can see why everyone orders seconds, but we wanted to try other dishes first!

The Grilled Avocado is a gorgeous presentation with curtido, smoked tomato salsa, cilantro crema and pepitas, but was our least favorite item on the menu not because it was not good, but because it was not that exciting as the other dishes indeed were. Peruvian Potatoes were spicy and addictive with Aji Amarillo, Cilantro, Peanuts and Cured Olive, so much so that Samuel had to order a second plate which we all shared as well. We also adored the Heirloom Tomato Toast which was a couple of huge thick fresh country bread slices topped with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, Basil Goddess dressing, Crispy Shitakes and Micro Salad mix on top.  Our sixth dish was the delicious Spicy Dan Dan Noodles with red chile sesame sauce, Sichuan peppercorns and five spiced glazed mushrooms...so yes, they were spicy and yummy.

The wine list is varied and on the pricy side with almost everything over 460. We loved the Cab Franc/Malbec blend(served by the glass as well) called "Tu Vin Plus aux Soiree"(which kind of translates as "you came to the party again") from Fabien Jouves in Cahors, France which had a tad of earthiness but was on the lighter red side and went well with everything.

We all shared the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Bannoffee Ice Cream and Cookie Crumble because that is Will's fave English dessert, and while it was yummy, it was not a touch on the UK original.

So in a nutshell...the food here is superb, the prices on the high side, and some dishes excel and impress more than others. I would be worried to come here often if the 10 dishes on the menu don't change a lot, but I hope they do. It's a vegan delight, although, gluten might be an issue and we all had a delightful time and shall be sad to see Sam head back to LA this evening.

Arlington's INCA SOCIAL is primo Peruvian!! (8-9-23)

 I had heard about INCA SOCAL since it opened just up Wilson Boulevard in Arlington almost 2 years ago, but never had been there and was thrilled last year when Chef Michael Ciuffardi brought his team to participate in March of Dimes' Signature Chefs event. Their ceviche that night was primo and we walked away with an auction dinner for six which we finally arranged last night. It was a wonderful experience with amazing food, great drinks and tableside demos by Chef Michael with wonderful explanations of all the foods, history and more by event manager Carla. The six of us had a ball and there are photos and videos on Facebook showing everything.

We sat down to conchita, the small toasted corn kernels munchies that Peru is famous for,  and our drink was, of course, a delicious Pisco Sour, which some of us had to have seconds for sure! The first course was Quinoa, that ancient and healthy grain that is always a treat, but Chef Michael nestled it on a layer of asparagus cream with red pepper, mango, radish, roasted baby corn and dots of cilantro oil. The cream was a rich almost soup-like base which required a spoon to scoop up afterwards.

SIWICHI is an old local word that we call Ceviche today and Chef Michael prepared tableside the same one he made last year from Signature Chefs but used fresh flounder with the recoto pepper leche de tigre, red onion, sweet potato, chocle (soft white large Peruvian corn kernels) and cancha (the small yellow toasted crunchy corn kernels). Ceviche or Siwichi is really not a hard dish to make, but you have to have awesome fish and this flounder was amazing and there has to be some secret ingredient in the leche de tigre as I can never seem to copy it! CHICA MORADA is a delicious cold purple corn drink that was served here with or without rum and is infused with spices like cloves and cinnamon. Inca Social has tons of ceviches on the menu as well as a sushi bar and we can't wait to return to try it all!

MAR DE GRAU was our 3rd course name for a Peruvian ware hearo and was a Steamed lobster tail served atop a seafood sauce with pak choi(bok choy) and Andean Peruvian potatoes, baby corn and asparagus. The sauce was so rich and flavorful it reminded me of the Spanish XO sauce crossed with a seafood bisque. We were all in heaven and the Proverb Sauvignon Blanc served with it was the perfect foil to the dish's richness. The lobster was so good I was cleaning out all the lobster tail shells at the table!

INCA RISOTTO was a rich Risotto a la Huancaina made with cheese and cream with tenderloin grilled steak served atop, cherry tomato and an "Oriental" sauce of oyster, soy, vinegar and more all reduced. This sauce is used on the Lomo Saltado served at Inca Social, so you can have it there! The meat was tender and tasty and it was all paired with a fun Passion Fruit Chilcano made with Pisco, Ginger Ale & Bitters.

We were getting very full but there was room for the dessert which was a fun and fairly light PICARONES which are Peruvian "doughnuts" or fried dough rings made from sweet potato and squash (who knew?) and covered with a syrup made with cinnamon and cloves and more and a scoop of LUQUMA Ice Cream which was dreamy. Chef Michael over-indulged us as he shaved Cacao Quillabamba 70% Cacao from Peru over the entire dish. OMG..we were all in heaven and promised to return to Inca Social again very soon and many more times for sure (PS they have another one in Vienna, VA.)!!

Many thanks to Chef Michael, Carla and the entire team at Inca Social who were more than welcoming!

DC's ST JAMES swings Caribbean but costs a cent! (7-19-23)

 We had heard great news about the Caribbean cuisine at ST JAMES located at 14th & U Street, NW and we loved the black and white decor on arrival as well with tables and booths along the right wall, a long bar with stools on the left and high tops down the center. 

We decided to order just starters as we were concerned about the portion sizes and possibly ordering two much. It was wise as the two starters of PORK POW & ACCRAS were quite filling and of course, very carb-centric. (Fotos on FB)

ACCRAS are salt-fish(cod) fritters that come with a cilantro(spelled culantro on the menu, which may be a Caribbean variation)-chili aioli that is very cilantro flavored and on the milder side. The fish flavor was less apparent than the dough and I, for one, would like more cod inside. The term Accra comes from the city in Ghana where these originated as vegetable fritters in the local cuisine.

POK POW was a huge winner with a Trini-style Chine steamed Bao bun(thinner than Bao, which I preferred) filled with a deliciously spicy ground pork. We both loved these!

Our wine was a Chateaux Grand Jean 2020 Bordeaux from Entre Deux Mers that was billed on the wine list as just Sauvignon Blanc but in reality was an SB/Semillon blend.

Marlene, our most helpful server managed to break the cork opening it but was saved by one of the managers. We liked the wine but at $48 it is one of the lowest priced on the menu, which is pricey indeed. 

Which brings us to the main course. We decided to split the main of DUCK & DHAL which is a 36-hour cooked leg quarter with dhal puree and coconut rice. The duck 1/4 was nice and crunchy and flavorful and the dhal was indeed completely pureed, which I did not like as much as having the whole or thicker lentils. The $36.00 price tag seemed quite high for a dish that was not that large. 

We were a tad hungry and decided to split dessert and Marlene said our choice was excellent Passion Fruit-Sago Mousse with Coconut Hibiscus/Passion Fruit Coulis was a tasty dish indeed that sent us home quite happy.

Centrolina Chef's Table is terrific with Chefs Amy Brandwein & Kevin Tien(7-13-23)

 Last week we rose early in Des Moines for our 6am flight back to DC and still were awake to head to a small intimate Chef's Table dinner in the wonderful private dining room at Centrolina in downtown DC. Chef Amy Brandwein has been doing these dinners every month or so and we have sadly missed them all--UNTIL NOW! She invited one of our favorite chefs in DC who is temporarily restaurant-less(although there is a pop-up at Little Vietnam!) as he looks for a new place to house his Moon Rabbit or new incarnation, where we shall promptly flock again! The evening started with an amuse bouche where the two chefs did side by side delights:

EGGPLANT nigiri with Yuzu Miso & Sesame (all fotos on FB) was twice cooked and hand torched and made this simple and tasty(not spicy) dish from Chef Kevin a dream, while

Chef Amy chose to go the spicy route with a Vietnamese Chua Lua(pork sausage) in a grape leaf(instead of banana) with Nonnata du Pesce(preserved anchovy) and cucumber that was a novel and spicy approach from the pair.

We ordered a bottle of Fiano Planeta "Cometa"from Sicily  which we always love as it was recommended by the team for these dishes and it was superb. Wines are not included so it is either order by the glass or bottle and we chose the latter. 

Next came the first course from Chef Kevin of KANPACHI CRUDO in a magnificent lemongrass tomato broth (I need this recipe made with ginger, garlic & shallot!!!) with a hint of mint(I did not taste it) and pineapple. Just when we thought it could not get any better came a novel and terrific TURMERIC TAGLIOLINI from Chef Amy which was sauced with Tomato, Coconut, Lime, Peanut and Soft Shell Crab. There was a huge spiciness to this superb creation which was also quite rich and creamy, but then healthy due to the turmeric!! This was where our Fiano wine shone as well.

The third and main course from Chef Kevin was a 10 grain MISO PORRIDGE which we declared was "Congee on crack" with a 72 HOUR (cooked) SHORT RIB, Coconut Caramel and Fried Shallots atop that all just melted in your mouth. Again, these chefs had reversed their normal spice intensity roles! For the main course we added a glass of full-bodied and yummy 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella from Campedel.

The dessert was a refreshing OLIVE OIL TORTA with Ginger Plum, Sesame Whip and Crunchy Vermicelli that sent us home all very happy and very sated. I can't wait for the next of these dinners and do hope we are available to attend!!

Des Moines' DJANGO is delicious!! (7-10-23)

 We wanted to go someplace special on Monday in Des Moines as that is the day off for the Des Moines Metro Opera which was the purpose of our trip to Iowa. It worked out wonderfully that we found a super space downtown called DJANGO which fir our group of seventeen for dinner perfectly into their great private dining space. 

Will & I arrived early to meet Kaylee, our server, and I explained we would order some wine and probably switch bottles around every now and then, but just to keep it coming. We took our time sipping on the Paco & Lola ‘Rainbow’ Albariño, La Vielle Ferme Blanc & La Vielle Ferme Rouge while we perused the truly monstrous menu.

Some folks ordered oysters after we gobbled up the yummy baguettes and whipped butter(extra charge!), but I felt heathy and got a yummy Caesar Salad which Kaylee managed to get a ton of anchovies on top (photos on FB). Escargots, Poutine(with beef or veggie style), and Beef Tartare all of which were excellent.

The mains were HUGE and the 8 ounce steak looked more like a pound or more! A lot of us chose the superb Moulard DUCK leg confit, potato Parisienne, charred cipollini cream, pickled plum, spiced baby carrots, Sunstead Farms spring garlic and fennel frond pistou(pesto), which was not very fennel-y at all! Huge plates of Moules Frites(many different options), Seared Sea Scallops with Asparagus,  red onion, sweet corn, lobster pomme puree and beurre blanc which boated five giant diver scallops!

Everything was yummy and Kaylee kept up with us and always excelled.  I don't think anyone could fit dessert, but I know some of us stayed until the doors closed drinking more red wine until I think Des Moines had shut down (which is not that late!) having a super time.

Django will always be on our go-to list when we return.

Des Moines' ALBA is heavy-handed Italian but nice (7-9-23)

 We joined a friend who lives in Des Moines for dinner last night at a simple Italian place downtown called ALBA that is one of the few options for dinner on a Sunday in this very quiet city. We started with a yummy D'Arenburg "The Hermit Crab" 2021 Viognier-Marsanne blend from McLaren Vale in Australia that is always a winner and ordered some of the yummy Deviled Eggs with Beet Tartare, Brioche Crumble and Leek Ash Tuile. They were nice and only needed a tad of spice, maybe a sprinkle of paprika!

The three of us chose to start with the Steak Tartare which came on two huge pieces of toasted brioche with Anchovy Aioli and Grana Padano cheese with an herb and caper relish. We told our wonderful server Cole that we would wait to order our mains to see how full we were....and BOY were we. Will chose to have the Rhubarb Salad with goat cheese, strawberry vin, pistachios and pickled rhubarb which was huge and quite good and I chose a half potion of the NY Strip Stroganoff which had to be the largest half portion anywhere and the heaviest with local mushrooms, crispy shallots on top and ricotta...I had several bites and shared some, but over half was left. 

We were quite surprised to see a 2013 wine from Puglia on the menu and the Copertino Riserva Negroamaro was earthy and full bodies and we adored it!

We stayed around to close the place as it was quite empty, but enjoyed the food and were happy we chose not to order our mains and end up being way over-stuffed, because with what we had we were more than full indeed.

ESTUARY at the DC Conrad is easy if a tad expensive(6-26-23)

We had dined a while ago at ESTUARY in the Conrad Hotel in Washington and we decided to return there again last week with the same friends. The setting is nice and also quite relaxing and quiet with a beautiful view over the rooftops of DC and we even got a nice sunset!

Our server Rafael was a bit overtaxed as there were only two servers working and at times we had to wave a couple of times to get his attention, but other than that he was super helpful with wines and making dining suggestions as well.

We started with a 2018 Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose which was a nice aperitif and was great with our starters:

Ceviche of Himachi with Pickled Fresno Chile, Toasted Sesame, Red Onion and a divine Calamansa Granita on top. The dish had a nice spice and the granita totally complemented that. 

Roasted Tall Timber Oysters came with garlic & chili crumbs and marinated trout roe while the Mushroom Strata was like a mushroom bread pudding with boursin aioli.

For the main course we moved to a novel red from Adelaide Hills, Australia called Unico Zelo "Pipe Dreams" 2021 that is a wonderful Nero d'Avola. We will have to search it out when we head there in February!

Seafood Carbona was shrimp, bay scallops and Middle Neck clams with pasta and Tobiko in a Chinese Sausage sauce that got raves. Seared Rockfish with mushroom larb and kaffir lime was in a green curry sauce with herb salad and also was a big hit. My Rabbit Guisado(stew) came with snap peas, new potatoes and grilled asparagus and was a hearty dish with superbly cooked meat in two different preparations(all fotos on FB).

Desserts were all excellent and we all shared the Cherry Clafoutis with Creme Fraiche, Almond Custard and Cherry Compote alongside the Tres Chocolates which is a very rich Tres Leches Sponge Cake with Mango Nectar(think salsa) and Chocolate "rocks." A yummy rich glass of Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine was my dessert.

Estuary is indeed an easy place to enjoy, but the prices can get a tad high, but then most top hotel dining spots in DC are like that.

DC's NEW HEIGHTS still heavenly (6-29-23)

 We headed back to New Heights in DC last Thursday and all had a superb time indeed. The setting is still one of the calmest in DC overlooking Rock Creek(and the Omni Shoreham Hotel) with beautiful decor and excellent food and service.

We started with excellent Ceviche made with shrimp and halibut, Cilantro, onion, Jalapeno, lime, avocado, and yummy yuca chips. The Tomato & Burrata Salad looked yummy and the Broccolini Caesar was a huge hit. We all shared the decadent Cheesy Onion Fondue which is gooey Fontina with caramelized onion and lemon which is flambeed tableside and served with Garlic Ciabatta. It is indeed rich, and we were all glad that it was a great share dish as it might have been a tad too rich for one person! Our first wine was a yummy Le Paradou Provencal Viognier which was creamy and delish with all these dishes. We moved on to a Jean Brocard Chablis--great with the fish dishes that followed:

Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce and greens offered up two huge cakes, Moules Frites came with spicy mayo for the fries and my Kale & Mushroom paella with saffron rice, sofrito, oyster mushrooms and fried egg on top is a great veggie option indeed.

Our server suggested we try the chilled Ukrainian vodka shot with pickles and it was delish indeed and fun for $5! Speaking of fun, dessert here can be very fun when you cook your on Smores on the hibachi brought to the table, but I fell in love with the light and tasty Pistachio Ricotta Cake...a great change from rich cheesecake and so fluffy!!

Always a treat when we head to New Heights!

Bravissimo to The BAY HORSE in Hurworth, Darlington, UK(6-18-23)

 Our final night in the United Kingdom brought us to a place that we discovered through Will's cousin last year, the Bay Horse in Hurworth, Darlington. a mere 20 minute drive through the countryside from our hotel here in the North.

We had such an amazing meal with our family last year that we had to return with our UK best friends for our last night. Not only was our meal magnificent but we were ten times more impressed than last year.

As in the USA Father's Day is celebrated on the same Sunday in the United Kingdom and we thought the place would be jammed when we arrived at 7 p.m. but it was virtually deserted and by the time we left at 10 o'clock there was nary a soul in the restaurant.

The service was beyond excellent and Luke who was running the show absolutely made it the most wonderful evening.

Everyone had cocktails, but I chose to order a fabulous bottle of Saint Audin Villages from Sylvan Langoureau 2021 that was creamy and Rich and everything you could want in a white wine.

Bread arrived and we were more than hooked with a vegetarian sultana walnut bread and brioche with chorizo and caramelized onion, not to mention the butter... did I say the soft local butter?

Sam was thrilled that they had a complete vegetarian menu and he started off with a burnt onion risotto and then chose a Nut Wellington for his main course. Just from looking at these dishes a lot of love went into the preparation and the presentation so be sure to check out the photos on Facebook. He also loved the Aspall cider, which was a name open to many jokes.

Other started included Roasted King Scallops with braised chorizo, Jersey Royals(new potatoes, and not a sports team!!)wild garlic mayonnaise and crispy puffed rice. The rest of us had the amazing Whitby white crab with a decadent smoked salmon and lime mousse with English mustard mayonnaise, new season beetroot, a crispy quail egg, brown crab puree and beetroot powder. This dish was even more gorgeous than it sounds.

There were so many wonderful main courses it was difficult to decide. Since it was a Sunday there was the traditional Roast Sirloin of Grand Reserve beef with Yorkshire pudding vegetables roast potatoes and red wine jus. The Yorkshire puddings were roughly the size of a baby's head and the entire dish was so impressive not to mention the massive array of vegetables and potatoes that came to the table... again check out the Facebook photos.

Two of us had the Roasted sirloin of new season Lamb with marinated feta cheese, tapenade, a salted confit of lamb shoulder with air dried cherry tomatoes, pesto puree and baby aubergine that was simply out of this world. Creamed Peas with bacon were the best peas ever as were all the other veggies!!

There were many wines to consider when we moved to a red but I could not resist ordering a Côtes du Rhône 2019 Guigal in a Magnum format that was gone before we left the restaurant. I was worried that the wine would be too young but it was truly amazing again thanks to Luke's suggestion.

Desserts were just as good as everything else from a sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce, milk ice cream, caramelized banana, hazelnut granola and apricot gel to a Pineapple tart with Italian torched meringue, lime curd, roasted pineapple, mango and lime sorbet with mango salsa.

My peanut butter and chocolate crunch bar with blackcurrent sorbet with mini donuts and toasted marshmallows as well as salted chocolate caramel and chocolate powder with simply out of this world. No cheese tonight! They even had a special birthday dessert and rendition of Happy Birthday for Steve as his special day is today! So glad we could celebrate with him.

This was a truly memorable and wonderful meal that had us all very impressed with a small little restaurant basically in the middle of nowhere!!

See you again next year in the UK.

you just gotta love CAFE LILLI in Norton, Stockton-on Tees, North Yorkshire, UK (6-16-23)

 Our dear friends Sue & Steve who live 2 blocks from Cafe Lilli and whenever we visit we try to dine there as it is a highlight of our Yorkshire vacay. Friday night was no different, save for the noise and crowds as it was beyond busy. As we sat down and began to order, the staff were erasing items off the chalkboard and changing the ingredients as we made our choices!

They seemed a tad understaffed, but the food and wine made up for everything. We started with fish and ordered the Gavi di Gavi 2021 DOCG "Villa Sparina" from Massimo Moccagatta in Piemonte which was so yummy, the 7 of us (well, 5 who were drinking) had a second bottle. 

I had the Steamed Shetland Mussels which came in a rich white wine and cream sauce with rosemary and altamura, while the Lobster Cocktail (which I was considering, but the last 3 available were taken by others at the table!) was a beautiful presentation with cherry tomatoes, pickled cucumber, baby gem lettuce, Marie Rose Sauce, Honeydew & Bloody Mary Gel! The Oak Roasted Salmon Pate with Avocado Mousse and Pickled Fennel looked fabulous as did the Risotto with Chorizo, Spinach, Pea & parmesan.

Samuel started with a gorgeous Carrot & Coriander soup, then actually ordered this same risotto for a main without the chorizo and raved.

We moved on to a Passo del Sud Appassimento Rosso from Puglia that was as yummy as could be with our mains:

Gressingham Duck Breast was cooked to perfection with the crispiest of skin, Carrot Puree, Fondant Potatoes, Buttered Greens with Beetroot and Turnip. Whilst this dish was the perfection of English meat and potatoes, it really shined on the English garden veggies as well. There was a Pork Belly as well as Hake with Salsa Verde, New Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Spinach & Cauliflower Puree and Brady Sauce (well, the chalkboard said that, but we figured Brandy!).

Desserts here are excellent from the Coconut Panna Cotta with Passionfruit Gel, Meringue, Chocolate Disc and Pineapple salsa to the Sticky Toffee Pudding, but of course I had to have the local cheeses: Saxon Cross Cheddar, Goat's Mule, Brie(well, who knows how that got in) and of course, the always magnificent Yorkshire Blue.

We have one more night in Yorkshire before heading home and looking forward to another fab meal.

Happy Father's Day & Happy Juneteenth!

CHADWICK's INN in Maltby (Middlesborough, UK) is mighty impressive (6-15-23)

 Our final meal in the Peak District was at our hotel the Maynard which was sadly a carb-heavy unimpressive evening where we hauled ourselves up the stairs to our rooms feeling uneasily laden with a major overabundance of pastry, potato, bread and more.

The next day we headed north to Will's hometown and had a dinner with some family members that was mightily impressive at a small pub-like place called CHADWICK's INN in the small hamlet of Maltby.

I noted the Bib-Michelin  awards on the way in, and was very impressed with the use of local foods on the quite large menu. We all had a truly great meal and the service was also excellent. 

Our first choice for white wine was sold out, so I turned to a delicious Ontañón Vetiver Rioja Blanco 2019 that was wonderfully refreshing and a great blend of lesser known grapes. 

The starters were all superb but one of us said the crab was fab, so Will &  I tried the Dressed Whitby(Yorkshire) Crab, Brown Crab, Crab Pastry, Pickled Cucumber, Horserasdish Mascarpone and Soft herbs. The dish was light, tasty and truly impressive(photos on FB), while others raved about the tomato soup and various options. Since we were so close to the North Sea, I could not resist trying the Butter Poached & Herb Crusted Loin of North Sea Cod, Salt Cod Fishcakes & "French Style Peas" consisting of Fresh garden English peas with lettuce & Pancetta (a traditional French preparation I remember learning how to make while in summer cooking school at the University of Dijon over 50 years ago!).  It was a stupendous preparation and presentation with a crunchy piece of skin atop the loin and the best peas had on the trip. I am not a huge cod fan, but this was indeed the best ever. Will loved his 8 Hour Braised Beef Cheek with Creamed Potato, Honey Glazed Carrots, Kale in a Red Wine & Thyme Sauce.  Sam had the Roasted Cauliflower Steak from the Veggie Menu(they had three menus: a la carte, veggie and a lower priced 2 or 3 course set menu) which can be a staple here in the UK on many menus without many veggie options, but he declared it was excellent.

Everything on the menu sounded super and this was a place I knew I wanted to return to next time.

Desserts were varied from Eton Mess to Sticky Toffee Pudding, but I had to have the cheese which was as novel as local cheeses get: Waterloo (Brie Style), Montgomery Cheddar, Ashlyon Goat and Cornish Beenligh Blue. The plate was a real representation of the literally thousands of local cheeses available across the UK!

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FISCHER's at Baslow Hall in the UK's Peak District is delectable and delicious(6-11-23)

 We disembarked from our cruise Sunday morning, headed to Heathrow to pick up Sam flying in from LA, and headed north several hours to the UK's Peak District for a 3 day visit to an area we have sadly missed duirng our visits here the past 30 years. It's a beautiful hilly region with lots of things to do and of course many dining options. We wanted to dine at FISHER's at Baslow Hall which is a magnificent country home converted to a hotel and one-Michelin star dining establishment where Chef Adam has truly brought out the best of the region and countries cuisine in a modern English mode. We were staying just an 8 minute drive down the road and one of the folks at our hotel mentioned that Chef Adam was her best friend and phoned ahead; needless to say, we were greeted with a wave from him in the kitchen as we arrived.

We sat in the magnificent gardens and enjoyed some super "snacks" or amuses:

Garden grown Radishes(those red and white French varietals) were topped with a French onion cream and black Garlic.

Steamed Bun with veggies for Sam and Devon Crab for us that just melted in your mouth.

We ordered our wine with Neil, who it turns out is the owner's son, and heading inside for the rest our our amuses:

Cheese & Walnut Toastie Rarebit was a great play on the traditional dish in miniature with a fab mustard spice finish. The final amuse which I failed to photograph for Facebook(the rest is there) was the yummy Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute with a Curry Cream and foam with a load of pickled Shimeji Mushrooms in the soup--how amazing and wonderful that was.

Our white wine arrived as Neil sad the Montagny 2019 from Phillipe Colon was a winner, and he was spot on as it has a creamy finish with great minerality. The Bread and Butter arrived and was an irresistible crunchy sourdough with a Lincolnshire Poacher Butter made as a byproduct of cheese!!

Three courses followed with an optional cheese and desserts after that and the whole meal costs 95pounds per person($120US!!). 

For the First course Sam & I had the Aged Carnaroli Rice with a puree of Fresh English peas from the garden, Girolles and Crispy Sorrel with Wild Garlic & Dill oil--a creation indeed from heaven. Will was just as thrilled with his Loch Duart Smoked & Cured Salmon with Brown Shrimp & Sea Buckthorn.

Next came a Yukon Gold Potato with Broad Beans and Lovage for Will & Sam, but the veggie version had a crispy potato skin and Will's a crispy chicken skin al topped with crispy shallots. My Cornish Stone Bass was cooked a la plancha to perfections with a crispy skin, Kohlrabi & Oysters, a bone sauce, trout roe and seaweed. This was the ocean of England on my plate. 

We switched to the last bottle of red Neil said was awesome and boy was he right with the 2015 Okanagan Panted Rock Shiraz from British Columbia, a place we would never think of buying wine from in the UK, even though we know the wines are brilliant from there. This wine had legs and was amazing with the main we ordered: 

Creedy Carver Suck from Surry coming in three forms: breast, confit of leg and liver pate with Almonds, Broccoli Puree, Orange and Sherry Vinegar Sauce with Lemon and Spices. Another brilliant dish offering a little of everything with some of the most beautiful duck in the kingdom.

For the main course Sam had the veggie option of Pot Roast Cauliflower, Passionfruit, Beurre Noisette, Coriander & Aubergine, while he discovered a new beer-Green Mountain IPA.

Cheese--well, of course!! We opted to split one cheese course (4 cheeses for 20pounds=$25, or 25pounds for 6). Our four were amazing and new treats for us that came with all kinds of breads, and grape chutney:

VALENCAY-French unpasturised goat with charcoal powder

LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER DOUBLE BARREL--as in the butter above is an aged unpasturised matured 2-3 years and I describe as "cheddar on crack."

BARKHAM BLUE is a mix of Guernsey & Jersey mil and is so smooth it melts in your mouth

BATH SOFT is a brie style with an earthy flavour

Dessert for Will was Passionfruit, Cow's Milk, Meringue and Oat with dacquoise and syrup(ooops can't read the name).

I had the Brillat Savarin custard with Garden Rhubarb gel, English Strawberries and Sable.

After dinner the chef invited us all into the kitchen for a photo and we left so thrilled we made it to this wonderful dining spot, only to learn the next day that the family has put the entire estate up for sale and this will likely mean the end of FISHER's!! I hope Chef Adam keeps us posted on wherever he roams, as we will follow.

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London's The LEDBURY is a luxurious epicurean experience (5-31-23)

 For our second and last night in London we headed to Notting Hill Gate where we have been dining for years at the wonderful Ledbury restaurant. During our visit to London two years earlier they were still closed for Covid, so we were thrilled to see them open and completely redecorated as well. White linens are crisp, tables are beautifully appointed and behind us the wall had five large panels of recycled wood with mushrooms embedded within, surrounded by smoked mirrors that allowed me facing the wall to see the whole room.

The Ledbury has a tasting menu of 195Pounds and pairs wonderful wines for 130pounds. We never needed to ask the sommelier Jan for extra wine as the pours were generous. Our server Jeremy was the manager and came from Toronto and oozed friendliness as well as made sure we had everything we need.

Like so many places these days house filtered water comes in sparkling or still... Eliminating the need for plastic or glass bottles as it is served from carafes. 

Will settled in with a Campari and tonic while I had a delicious glass of Viognier from Xavier Gerard 2019 in the Condrieu area of the Rhone that was creamy yet loaded with a minerality from the terroir as our multiple amuses arrived:

Charcuterie consisted of Iberian pepe con salami(a tad too fatty for us), bresaola that was light as air and a loin. The presentation on wooden branch-like creations was superb. Tempura fried cod jowls with dill and seaweed emotion were on the other side of the table and then crunchy fun potato puffs were served with an oyster emulsion with Wasabi leaf and tomato jam that you spread on the puffs.

The winner of all of these were the waffles covered with truffle cream and freshly shaved Australian black truffles.

I did forget to take a photo of the first course which was Ike Jime (style of butchering) Chalk Stream Trout(raw) from Hampshire with Isle of Wight Tomato, Spruce and Green shiso and a yummy apple and sorrel sorbet with trout roe. It was paired with a similarly apple-toned 2121 Gruner Veltlliner from Schloss Gobelsburg in Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria.

The rest of the dishes are all available in photographic form on my facebook page. Next came Isle of Mull Scallop(also raw) sliced thin with chilled Blood Orange, Myoga Ginger, Elderberry Capers(who knew?) and a Yuzu Kosho Emulsion. The wine was a Soave Classico 2020 made from 60 year old vines from Vigneti di Foscarino.

I adore sweetbreads and the Veal Sweetbread with wild garlic, vadouvan, salted Gooseberry on a spring onion Velouté was no exception. Super rich and decadent the 2018 Chenin Blanc "Cartology" from Alheit Vineyards in South Africa's Western Cape was the perfect foil to cut the richness.

Bread arrived in the form of sourdough as well as a Laminated Roll with wild garlic, black olive and Cornish Gouda. On the side was a very rich Goat's Whey Butter drizzled with caramelized molasses.

Cornish Wild Sea Bass had Cherry Blossom flowers and English Asparagus emulsion with N25 Kaluga Hybrid Caviar from Germany and some small clams to boot. The fish was delicate yet superb and the caviar a wonderful indulgence. 2018 Riesling "Kallstadter Saumagen" from Kohler-Ruprecht in the Pfalz region of Germany was deliciously dry.

Red wine arrived as the next dish was Mushrooms from the Cabinet. The team here grows mushrooms in a cabinet downstairs that can be observed on all kinds of wood(photos also on FB) as they culture them for serving in the restaurant. We had shitaki in mustard stock, Perigord truffles and silken tofu(non-pressed) in brown miso with chive flowers all paired with a 2105 Pinot Noir from Domaine Charles Audoin " Les Langeroies" Marsannay from Burgundy that was a huge fruit forward experiment.

The main meat course was chef Brett's Iberian pork from Whitley Farm near Birmingham served with chanterelles, white asparagus, XO Morel and Vin Jaune in a green peppercorn and mustard jus.

There was a delicious pork jowl with kombucha as well as a braised belly that was a tad fatty and a deliciously deep fried Pig's head dumpling with truffle and Kimbo ketchup. The wine was also big in the form of a 2018 Grenache Noir Blend from Duncan Savage "Thief in the Night" from Piekenierskloof, South Africa.

We of course were resting constantly and did so again before we moved on to the first dessert of Honey & Sauternes Custard with Apricot, Maple Verjus and Bee Pollen. The main dessert was Gariguette (from France) Strawberry with Sweet Wild Woodruff herbed ice cream, Kelp and Roasted Vanilla. The wine was a yummy 2018 Petit Manseng from Clos Thou in the Jurançon of southwest France.

I guess our team thought we really loved food so much they brought out a chocolate dessert which WOWED us beyond belief with Vanilla Ice cream with Australian truffles, a chocolate shell with custard and chocolate truffles.

Needless to say, there were more little mignardises after this of chocolate truffle with buckwheat and caramel, white chocolate fudge with black truffle and a canelli with praline and almond.

We love the Ledbury, and while we adored almost everything. There was a little bit too much fat in the meal for us. Perhaps it was just two nights in a row that made us a little bit overdosed.

The service here is truly remarkable and the staff are so kind and sweet... We know that we will be back again.

English cuisine is formidable at London's FROG by Adam Handling (5-30-23)

 On our last trip to London we were subject to the 5-day Covid quarantine on arrival and as soon as we emerged headed to FROG by Michelin-starred chef Adam Handling just around the corner from Covent Garden. It was an amazing experience that we knew we needed to return to. Last night, after almost two years, we returned and even hostess Kelly even remembered us! The restaurant has been magnificently redone and while still small with only ten or so tables, now has chic white leather tabletops and gorgeous comfy taupe velvet chairs. I searched for the color with my color-blindness issues and our magnificent server, Florine from the Netherlands suggested "old pink" which I immediately translated to the Dutch "oude rose!!"  

A beautiful menu sits in a sleeve at each place setting and explains the philosophy of the cuisine and there is a map of the UK showing where all the different local ingredients come from, which, as a cartographer, I loved. The tasting menu here is 195pounds ($185US).  This may seem like a lot, but remember that all tax is included, although a 15% gratuity is added; and frankly the service is so brilliant, they deserve more! We settled in for over 4 hours of entertainment, magnificent food and a true dining experience that is unique and one of the best around. 

A glass of champagne is always called for starters so Will chose the Brimoncourt Brut Rose which was dark red and very fruity, while I loved the lighter and more traditional Billecart-Salmon Rose. 

The "SNACKS" arrived and there are always five presented together (there is a video on FB as well as the requisite photos): Fennel, Dill & something tarte, Duck Egg Custard with Parmesan, Charcoal Wafer with Burnt Lemon Gel & marigolds, Pea Panna Cotta with Fresh English peas, and Lamb & Kimchi. All were tons of fun and the custard gets a shot of liquid nitrogen for effect. 

As we finished off our aperitifs of champagne, sommelier Guiseppe arrived with our first wine from the pairing, Taittinger "Prelude" Grand Cru to have as we finished the snacks and then got a refill for the next course of soup which was a small cup of leftover potato skins mixed with almond milk and crumbled macadamia nuts. Florine reached into a large plant sitting on the table and pulls out a vial of green juice made from lovage, sorrel and apple skins which was added to the cup to create the crunchiest fun soup creation that had an interesting almost fermented feel to it. 

One of the signature dishes here that is on every menu is Chicken Butter. There is an explanation that this is an homage to the leftovers from the English Sunday dinner which the chef had on Monday, but I could eat this up every day. Last night  there was also a magnificent rich chicken liver parfait to schmear on the bread alternately with the chicken butter as well as a reveal (more smoke) of Smoked BBQ Chicken wings(boneless) with Fennel Pollen and Tarragon. The wings were good, but paled next to the bread and its spreads.

Guiseppe was always there with extra pours as we moved on to an Omachi Dewazakura Junmai Ginjo Sake "Jewel Brocade" which is made from 55% polished rice and was as smooth as could be. It went with the Cornish Brown Crab sitting on Crab Custard with Smoked Cream, Citrus Drizzle & Elderflowers which also came with a liquid nitrogen reveal. While the UK crabs may not compare with ours from Maryland, this dish was a dreamy creation that really showed off the crustacean and enhanced it to no end.

There was an extra course option which we could resist entitled "All about the Sturgeon" which was worth the extra 35pounds indeed. The simple waffle has a hot smoked emulsion and was smothered with EXMOOR Caviar from Devon. The caviar is called Royal Belusca and is a grey colour but is as good as any we have ever had, perhaps a tad less salty. Florine drizzled a birch syrup over the top (think waffles and a tad of syrup smothered with caviar!) and the extra course got an extra wine(at no charge) in the form of Domaine Gardies 2021 "Clos de Vignes" Grenache Blanc from Languedoc-Roussillon.

Back on the regular menu we next had BBQ Scallop (from the Orkney Islands in Scotland) with Pickled Squash slices, Fermented Cauliflower leaves, Chili Miso Marinade and a Smoked Shellfish Roe foam. This was a spicy fun dish and I was thrilled to see a UK chef using so much spice. Guiseppe arrived with a Vallisto Extremo Torrontes from Argentina 2021 "Blanco de Pietes" which oozed vanilla, spice and had lots of skin contact from the grapes so it looked "orange" but was a delicious treat to match the magnificent caviar.

The fish course was called "Perception of British Food" and was a Steamed Cornish Cod with Tartare Sauce(I tasting nothing like what we all tartare sauce!), Caramelized Whey, Preserved Lemon and Batter Scraps. Capers and a Fermented Wild Garlic Mousse finished off the dish. Think deconstructed battered cod and that is what this was. Principe Pallavacini Malvasia Puntinata 2021 "Roma" was a perfect white pairing.

There is a choice between Balmoral Chicken or lamb for the meat dish and we both chose the Herdwick Lamb with Asparagus that comes in two forms: cannon of lamb(or back) and belly. There was a delish Spicy Pepper sauce and ragu of green tomato with black garlic and barely a hint of mint.  The wine was our only red, Gamay & Pinot Noir blend from Domaine de Veilloux 2019 in the Loire that was on the lighter side for sure. I might have chosen a slightly heftier red for the lamb, but the wine was delish nonetheless.

Our pre-dessert was a yummy but I honestly forgot what is was, despite the foto on FB!

The main dessert was called Raspberry(fermented raspberry and tuille), Pine and Oat Cake which is called Cranachan in Scotland and also had yogurt. Think of it as a Scottish Linzer Torte and you might get close. Wine arrived in the form of a tasty Recioto de Soave 2018 from La Perlara "Ca' Rugate" that had a wonderful acidity to balance the sweetness of the golden nectar. 

Just when you thought it might be finished, Florine arrived with a giant box (from a magnum of Krug champagne) that held a huge selection of mignardises of all sorts. We chose ours and then homemade Bailey's mixed with Johnny Walker Scotch was poured. Not being fans of Bailey's we were skeptical, but this was not so sweet and really was fun, and the scotch made it absolutely delightful!

We can't wait to come back again as FROG is always FUN and such a great foodie experience that is not to be missed.

QUEEN's ENGLISH in DC is a place you will be talking about(in any language) (5-16-23)

 Last night we wandered up 11th Street, NW to an area next to Columbia Heights that is now crowded with restaurants as well, so on arrival at Queen's English(3410 11th St NW) parking was not as easy as I had figured, but it was not impossible.

The small space opened just over 4 years ago and was a smash with it's spicy/fun/Asian fusion and unique cuisine; it was indeed on my radar all this time. It's a cozy space and a atd noisy with an open kitchen with a bar seating 6 facing into the kitchen. We had the quietest table which is in the window alcove and we loved it. 

Our server Noelle explained that the food is in plates that are meant to be shared, which we loved. The menu is divided in 3 sections containing 4 dishes each(plus one speical last night) called starters, in-between and finale(which is really main courses). The only dessert is homemade vanilla ice cream with blueberry sauce and fortune cookie crumble which is creamy, crunchy and delish.

From 5-7pm they have some special wine deals called the Natty List which means natural.

which have descriptions such as "nut dust, brown butter gnocchi & garlic bread" for the Blaufrankisch/Zweigelt rose we chose called "Risque de Schutt" from Carnuntum in Austria. we loved this fruity, yet dry and very dark rose (33%Blaufrankisch/67% Zweigelt) that went well with the quite spicy starters we chose:

HAMACHI was cut into small cubes with a marinade of sesame, orange and aromatic oils while the CUMIN LAMB TARTARE packed a punch (though milder) with  anchovy salt, quail egg and delicious cheddar popcorn on top!! (Fotos on FB)

We opted for the special which was wok-seared (three times) BAMBOO with house made aged soy and spices. Noelle explained that the fresh bamboo season is only several weeks, so we had to try this novel and different dish. It reminded me mostly of lotus root, but we were warned not to consume it raw as it is poisonous(hence the three times cooking).

CHINESE CAULIFLOWER (from in-between list) was superb with sunflower seeds, pickled raisins(these were addictive) and a curry bagna cauda, while the KING CRAB & BONE MARROW are combined and served in a huge bone hollow with XO Sauce and lobster bottarga atop frisee to cut the richness of the dish. Another huge hit, as was everything.

We switched to a red wine Noelle suggested(ordered before 7pm for the speical) from Georgiev/Milkov in the Thracian Valley of Bulgaria called "Brestovitsa Vineyard" made from the varietal called Rubin--who knew--and described on the menu as dark chocolate, vanilla and stewed tomatoes. My fave wine description for a rose was "department store makeup counter, charred strawberry, salty sea spray!!"

The last in-between we had was TOFU & TRUFFLE DUMPLING made with edamame and a shallot corn espuma which was a wonderful dish with great flavors and comes in 4 portions, so easy to share.

The three of us chose two mains which was plenty after the filling starters and other dishes:

DRUNKEN DUCK NOODLES are made with hot chili, sour cabbage, corn, tofu & scallion, while the BOBO CHICKEN is beautifully arrayed with a sauce of sesame, tamarind and brown butter.

We wanted some more wine and decided to start(and take home the rest) a bottle recommended by Sarah, the congenial owner, a Bordeaux Grand Cru 2002(yes 2002) Domaine Chante Alouette made from Merlot, Cabernet & Cab Franc that was as smooth as could be and went with everything or indeed after we had the ice cream, nothing!

What great food, great service and great fun we had.

apologies for not posting/ but DC's AMAZONIA is amazing (4-23-23)

 I am very sorry, but I have been so busy with work these past 2 months I have not had time to post a thing. Some dinners are so far gone, they are now lost to me, but last week we headed to AMAZONIA on Blagden Alley in Shaw here in DC which is Peruvian perfection.

Amazonia is the main dining room upstairs with a bar and sits atop CAUSA which is the tasting room below, which we need to come back to!

The four of us were thrilled by the menu and it's variety but narrowed the choices and loved everything. The bulk of the dishes are meant to be shared and our server, Gabriel, who hails from Peru's souther region, was quick to note that some dishes come with three pieces but can easily be adjusted to 4 with a surcharge. BRILLIANT!

All of the dishes are on my FB page, but first came the delicious house Pisco Sour. The alcohol content was high so we moved on to a white, then red wine and there are many here to choose from, but the prices can get quite high if you do not do the house wines!

We tasted the house Albarino which was a tad too effervescent and settled on a Thierry Dizz 2019 "Macchu Pichu" made in France from a blend of Grenache blanc, Grenache gris, Greanche and Roussillon which made for a nice foil to the lightly-spiced dishes. Keep in mind that Peruvian food is not too spicy, even the Amazonian dishes found here are not as spicy as you would find in Peru. Our red for later in the meal was the house Carmenere from Miguel Torres, Reserva Especial Cordillera from the Valle de Chachapoal in Chile. It is a nice simple wine that works with all meats for sure, but $60 is a lot for some of these wines that should be much less.

Patacones were made from Plantain, Mushroom, Hearts of Palm & Cecina while the Lagarto is alligator picadillo, aji dulce, turmeric & tapioca in a kind of fried meat fritter.

There is a section on the menu called "La Anticucheria" featuring the famous skewered dishes from Peru which I love. We chose Corazon de res(beef heart) which are cut into small easily eaten pieces so you are not confronted with a large heart like we saw in many places south of the border. Duck Tongues were tender and tasty and the best was probably the simple Salmon Belly, all grilled to perfection.

Cebiche is a mainstay and we chose the Clasico of mahi-mahi with lime, sweet potato, cancha and choclo(the large white corn kernels). One of our friends wanted to try the Causa, the famous stuffed pototao dish that can vary to almost anything inside. Here the Causa Norteña has Shrimp, Escabeche, aji amarillo, plantain and  botija olive. 

Our two "larger hot" dishes were the Chaufa Putumayo made from Chorizo, Cecina, Jasmie rice, soy and an egg on top. It is a delicious and filling dish. The other was the A Lo Pobre or sliced grilled Wagyu, Tacu tacu(basically a reheat of leftover whatever--here beans), plantain, egg criolla.

We chose one dessert to split--the Ungurahui Açai simply marinated fruits with granita and a quinoa crunch on top. It was a great light option and easy to share as well.

There is sparkling and/or still house water for every table and the service is excellent with attentive and caring attention from Gabriel throughout. I would not hesitate to return to Amazonia, but I think the tasting menu below beckons first!