Rye, NY's WHITBY CASTLE Restaurant reminds me of the old days with a new twist (1-16-10)

While visiting my mother this weekend in Westchester we tried a
restaurant that has been only minutes from her home for decades.
Whitby Castle (www.thewhitbycastle.com) was built about 150 years ago
for a local tycoon and actually has stones in it from the historic
Whitby Abbey in England (not far from Will's hometown, and
subsequently more famous for being the resting place of Dracula's
coffins in the Bram Stoker novel). The "castle" ultimately became the
restaurant for a country club and was eventually purchased the city of
Rye as a public golf club. The rooms are pleasant enough and have a
kind of old world flair with tables well separated and service pretty
decent (although we did have to pour our wine several times). While it
is not fine dining (I was quite surprised to see it is not even Zagat
rated!), some of the food was quite delish.
Samuel ordered the requisite CHICKEN Fingers & Fries and finished off
with a bowl of Chocolate Ice Cream (we think it was Haagen Dazs). We
settled in with a bottle of 2006 J. LOHR "Arroyo Vista" CHARDONNAY
from Monterrey, California that we have always enjoyed. It has lots of
flavor, a hint of oak, but it is not overpowering and is a great buy
at $32 (the wine sells for just about half that).
Will's SEAFOOD BEIGNETS were a failure in that you could not really
taste shrimp, scallop or lobster (as described on the menu) in these
New Orleans style fritters which came with pickled English cucumber
and a dollop of Chipotle mayo on top of each of the small round
fritters. They also were on the dry side and needed a tad more mayo
for flavor and moistness.
My mother's CRISPY GOAT CHEESE with MIXED GREENS, Dried Cherries,
Spiced Walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette fared better in that it was a
superb salad save for the quite mealy texture of the small lightly
battered and deep fried discs of goat cheese.
I hit the jackpot in taste and presentation with the Seared NEW
BEDFORD DIVER SCALLOPS on a Bolivian Salt Slab with Marinated Yellow
Oyster Mushrooms and GAI LON. The slab was about 6 inches by 3 inches
by 1 inch and came scalding hot on a black napkin with the scallops on
top searing. It was quite impressive, although I must admit, quite
salty as well (which I did not mind). The scallops were superb,
although the Gai Lon looked alot like baby bok choy to me. The server
said Gai Lon was Chinese Broccoli, but that for some reason they had
run out and used bok choy instead.
The bread came warm and tasty and was served with Boursin Cheese,
Butter and a whole head of roasted garlic that we all dug into with
glee.

For the main course wine, I first tried a taste of the INDABA South
African Merlot they offer by the glass which was quite spicy for a
Merlot, so we choose a superb smooth MONTEPULCIANO Riserva from
ZACAGNINI in Abruzzo, again for the mid-$30 range that seems to be the
deal here.

My Mom choose another starter of Marinated Grilled PRAWNS with Sesame
SHRIMP TOAST PLANK and Pickled Garden Veggies that was another hit
while Will ordered the King's Cut portion of PRIME RIB with Baked
Potato, Asparagus & Red Peppers. I mention KING's Cut as there was an
option for $2 less for QUEEN's CUT. The portion that arrived had to be
at least 2 pounds and we ended up taking home more than half of it! I
wonder how much less in size the smaller portion was?
My CRISPY SKIN DUCK CONFIT was a nicely cooked leg and thigh with
Chinese LONG BEANS, Bok Choy and excellent moist and tasty Forbidden
BLACK RICE. There could have been a bit more GINGER-HONEY Soy Sauce
for the duck as it was a bit dry in a couple of bites.
Right about this point, Samuel got up to give his grandmother (yaya,
as we call my Mom) a kiss and as he did so, lost his second tooth (the
first had come out about 2 weeks prior on the cruise!). I told him
that I thought the NY Tooth Fairy paid off for teeth much higher than
in DC, and indeed he collected $7 last night as the three of each
deposited different amounts not knowing what the others had done!
Lucky him.

DC's BIBIANA get big bravos (even on Rest. Week) (1-12-10)

Now that DC's Restaurant Week is coming to an end and I have caught up
on my work from our long vacation, I have good news about the Italian
scene in downtown DC. BIBIANA, which opened last year at 1100 New York
Ave (entrance on 12th and H Streets, NW -www.bibianadc.com). This
slightly noisy and a bit crowded space (ask for one of the two quieter
tables behind the beaded curtain!) has brought true Italian cuisine
along with excellent service, and they carry all this off EVEN during
restaurant week for the $35.10 three course special.
Samuel opted for a small portion of the superb TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE
and finished his meal off with a yummy Fresh SOUR CHERRY Sorbetto that
was bursting with flavor, a bit akin to gelato, and sadly a bit soft.
We started with a bottle of CRIVELLI RUCHE di CASTAGNOLE 207 from
Monferrato in Piemonte. It's a full bodied and slightly earthy red
that was great to warm up with on a cold winter night...and it had
been WAY too cold by this time. Sadly, the wine is stored at about 54
degrees (or maybe even less) and needed some warming up. Our second
red was superb as well, a 2005 VIGNABALDO SAGRANTINO de MONTEFLACO
from Umbria that our server recommended and truly shone with our main
courses, despite the fact that one was seafood.

I started with the SHEEP's MILK RICOTT AGNOLOTTI with Lemon Butter,
Marjoram & Spinach which was a hearty sized starter and had an intense
yummy lemon flavor over the cheese stuffed pillows. Will chose the
BURRATA with Winter Vegetable Salad, which was a tasty rich version of
the now famous cheese, but was not at the creamy level of the Burrata
at Dino's.
Will's main course was the CARNAROLI RISOTTO wit Diver SCALLOPS, PESTO
GENOVESE, Pine Nuts and Green Bean Salad. The greenish (from the
pesto) pasta was excellent, although I always prefer it slightly more
al dente, and credit goes to the kitchen for the extra salads or sides
offered on each plate during this budget-driven week. I should note
that the Restaurant Week menu was special and had about 6-8 choices in
each category. The regular menu was not available, so we really need
to go back to test that out, and I know we will!
I chose the Roasted Shenandoah Valley LAMB LEG with CHICK Peas &
Escarole which was a huge portion of tasty lamb that really showed off
the purveyor and our region. We opted for an extra side of CAVOLFIORI,
cauliflower with garlic and anchovy that was simply divine.

For dessert, Will chose the Fresh SALTED CARAMEL Gelato, a nice
lighter and tasty option, while I went for the VANILLA PANNA COTTA
with Liquid Orange Center and Orange Streusel. This novel take on the
dish had the yummy panna cotta in a light orange fruit soup with the
crumble sprinkled around.
Everyone was happy, and especially for the special deal.....

ADDISON's at the GRAND del MAR in San Diego is elegant, but addles the tummy

On the last day of our 3 week vacation (of which 18 days were on the
cruise), we arrived in San Diego for one night and chose to stay at
the elegant and wonderful GRAND DEL MAR resort about 20 minutes north
of downtown San Diego (just east of La Jolla). The exclusive
restaurant ere is ADDISON's with award winning Chef WILLIAM BRADLEY in
charge, who mixes French cuisine with American flair to great
perfection in many cases.
The restaurant itself has a vast feeling with cathedral ceilings
towering above us and giant iron chandeliers draping from them. There
are terra cotta colored tile floors, but the sound level is that of a
church, although at times there was a faint echo of other
conversations at tables not so close (obviously a small acoustic
fault). The booths are big enough to live in and you are lulled into
spa feeling with new age "spa" music, a gigantic fireplace blazing and
if you are there before dark, beautiful vistas over the hills. The
tables had truly ugly brain-size and brain-shaped glass votives.
We were told the water was complimentary and we chose sparkling, which
turned out to be our world wide number 1 choice- BADOIT. It is nice
when things are clear from the start and you are not charged for each
silly little item. Angelo, the sommelier, rolled over the "champagne
in ice cart" and explained the several options offered by the glass.
Tempting, but be sure to ask the prices before imbibing. Will opted
for a $17 glass of PHILIPPONAT BRUT Reserve Rose which had a
distinctive cranberry taste. I went for the drier ALFRED GRATIEN Brut
which was very different from most French Champagnes in that it had a
very pineapply taste and was quite fruit forward; different, but nice.
There were several dining options and wining options as well. The
chef's 6-course tasting was $140, but gave no clue of what was to come
and the pairings were an extra $125. After all the food on the cruise
and a net weight gain of 3-4 pounds at least for me, we opted for the
ala carte which was either $80 for 3 courses or $98 for 4. Wines were
available with these, but at $100 per person for the 4 course (which
we chose), I felt we could devote the $200 or perhaps less to two
wonderful bottles of wine rather than getting 4 small glasses each! I
chose a RUDI PICHLER 2005 Terrassen GRUNER VELTLINER "Smaragd" from
Wosendorf, Austria that had aged beautifully and was now a pale
yellow. The four years in bottle for this old vines wine was just
right and it blossomed as we enjoyed each taste.
The first amuse arrived and was a superb Consomme of PICKLED
CRANBERRIES with BASIL Creme Fraiche that we both oohed and aahed
over, especially with the small bites of tiny fresh basil leaf
garnish. I said it was both tart and sour, yet creamy, while Will went
for the sweet and tart definition. An okay MASCARPONE filled GOUGERE
followed.
A slightly sweet brioche roll was served by a guy who mumbled
something about the butter...

The first course was perhaps the highlight of the entire evening with
Will choosing Baby SEA SCALLOPS (these did not look baby in size to
me) with LEEK FONDUE and GOLDEN CAVIAR, Vermouth and Champagne Foam.
The caviar was actually Ossetra, not golden, though no complaints
there and the entire dish was a dreamy treat. My LANGOUSTINES GRILLES
were served in a Toasted INDIAN CURRY "Scampi" Style with Crispy
Garlic chips. Another divine creation.
The second course did not fare as well with what should have been a
superb CARAMELIZED SABLEFISH with Sweet ONION Mille-Feuille, Miso &
Mustard for Will that he said was too salty. I thought it was nice,
but a bit over-oniony, although the crispy shallots were a nice touch.
My FOIE GRAS POT de CREME with Sesame Seed Tuile, Bacon & Amaretto
Creme Glacee was another oddity that Will said was just too busy. I
thought the basic idea with a foie gras pate at the bottom covered by
a layer of smoked bacon mousseline (the creme glacee) and a sesame
seed tuile on top was headed in the right direction; at least some of
the flavors worked, but it was simply overwhelming.
The third course fared better for Will than me when he chose the RIS
de VEAU Poelee with PARMESAN RISOTTO and Aged Balsamic "Glacage." The
sweetbreads were divine and the dish overall a success, while my LE
BOEUF TAQUINE with ONION MILLE FEUILLE wrapped with 3 year aged
PROSCIUTTO di SAN DANIELE had a big problem. The braised short rib
beef was marred by a thick marmalade glaze that I ended up scooping
off as it was cloyingly sweet and wrecked the meat, which was way too
fatty as well. Two of the tiniest haricots verts I have ever seen on
earth were a wonderful garnish, but alas the only real redeeming part
of this dish was the Onion and Prosciutto. A wonderful brittle of
onion was the mille feuille and it was wrapped in the crispy
prosciutto sandwich-like and simply stole the whole plate away.
We enjoyed the earthiness of THE OJAI VINEYARD "Rolo Ranch" 2004 SYRAH
which probably went better with my dish than Will's. He adored the
fact that there was an OJAI Vineyard of the same name as that in the
TV show Brothers & Sisters.
We were both escorted to the bathroom which was palatial in itself
with huge orchids, marble out the wazoo and gilt edged mirrors.
The cheese tray was rolled over and we saw four cheeses that did not
give us an overall huge impression (cheddar, camembert, blue), but I
loved the look of one small aged goat and the server quickly offered
us a complimentary taste of the SU YOUNG Goat A CAPELLA, which is a
cheese and cheese maker from California I will look for in the future.
Tangy, aged, and divine, this cheese had a huge personality.

The dessert course was preceded by a WILD BERRY SORBET with APPLE
CIDER GRANITA that was sweet on one side and tart and refreshing on
the other.
Will opted for the ENGLISH BUTTER TOFFEE of candied caramel and honey
comb with Creme Glacee which was a superb dish. His only complaint was
that there were two huge toffee brittle triangles and one was enough;
I wish this was our only complaint. My BLACK FIG BRULEE was made of
roasted figs bruleed and touched with gold leaf for a visual touch. A
Cinnamon Creme Chantilly with Pate Brisee and Balsamic were also
present. I liked the biscuit of the pate and the whole assembly
itself, but overall the dish was less impressive than Will's.
The lone post-dessert was a tiny PATE de MENTHE which reminded us both
of a glorified After 8 Dinner Mint, which I have never liked as it is
mint and dark chocolate, two items that I am not truly fond of.
We took our small boxes of chocolates (not yet tasted) and headed
outside to our Mercedes and driver which took us back to the main
hotel about 3 minutes away; a nice touch, but not enough to redeem the
small errors in the evening.

BLUE RIDGE in Upper Geo'town is good, but no bowlover (1-10-10)

Wow guys, I have been so busy catching up after our vacation that I
completely forgot to post this about our first night out after we
returned from the cruise. BLUE RIDGE (2340 Wisconsin Ave, NW) opened
quietly late last year in Upper Georgetown under the guidance of Chef
BARTON SEAVER (ex of Cafe Saint-EX & Hook) and seems to have an almost
local following.
When we arrived early on Sunday, the place was virtually empty,
although it did fill up a little by our departure, and most of the
folks seemed to be regulars moseying in for a bite. Whatever the case,
the chef was not in evidence, and while there were a number of
highlights, there were some lows as well.
Wonderful yummy and irresistible popcorn with brown sugar, oregano and
paprika comes to the table instead of bread. While I love the popcorn,
and it is surely less costly than bread, it can't be used for sauces,
and often serves as just a filler.
This was that period of the cold freeze in DC, so we went right to the
red wine with a JEFFERSON (Monticello, VA) Vineyards 2007 Cabernet
France which was medium bodied and just right. Many Virginia wineries
are making this varietal in a near perfect form, so it is a wine that
you rarely can go wrong with. Our second wine was a LIOCO INDICA 2006
Carignan/Petit Sirah from Mendocino, California that had much more
body indeed and stood up to the heftier main courses. There is little
to be faulted in the extensive and really fun wine list.
Our starters were DEVILED EGGS with Celery Root Slaw and Trout Caviar
which is a nice take on the tasty American dish, BIBB BACON &
Buttermilk BLUE Salad was okay, but it was my CHEF's CHARCUTERIE
Platter that was the star for its size, value and variety. It
consisted of SMOKE DBLUEFISH PATE, PORK RILETTE, Mesquite BACON, and
Bev's 14 month Long-Leg HAM. There are many choices for the
charcuterie, but you must decide on only four, and I can't say that I
was not very impressed by all four choices. These come with Corn
Chips, Pickled Radish and Walnuts.

The main courses varied with CREAMY CORN GRITS GRATIN with Black Eyed
Pea & Turnip Green Ragu being a vegetarian treat, and Florida MAHI-
MAHI with Braised CABBAGE served in a CHORIZO Vinaigrette with
Fingerling Potatoes being a winner for fish lovers that don't mind the
tasty sausage for bite. It sadly arrived at room temperature, which
was a problem with several of our main courses. We were too tired to
complain or make note of this, as we just wanted to eat, enjoy our
friends' company and head home to bed. The RUSTIC PORK MEAT LOAF in
Smokey Tomato Sauce with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes inwould have
been tastier if it came out hot; the dish was indeed well created,
just not well served. It was further marred by a side of greens that
were very lemony, greasy and acidic.

We opted to split two desserts choosing the HONEY CRISP APPLE CRUMBLE
and New Jersey BLUEBERRY COBBLER. Both were tasty and we went home
thinking that the recipes (save the side of greens on the meat loaf)
were right, but someone in the kitchen was not doing their best with
food temperatures. I assume this would not happen if Chef Barton were
in house, but then one never knows when the boss is away; so how to
plan ahead?

FYI-quiet this week as I am dieting!
Hi folks,
I made a major error that spell check did not get as it was simply a
BAD DOUBLE NEGATIVE.
Hopefully, when Will posts the review to the website/blog he will
correct this one word as below from the BLUE RIDGE review I just sent
out. Here is the corrected version...

it was my CHEF's CHARCUTERIE
Platter that was the star for its size, value and variety. It
consisted of SMOKED BLUEFISH PATE, PORK RILETTE, Mesquite BACON, and
Bev's 14 month Long-Leg HAM. There are many choices for the
charcuterie, but you must decide on only four, and I can say that I
was very impressed by all four choices. These come with Corn
Chips, Pickled Radish and Walnuts.

another lovely lunch at LAS ROCAS at Capella Resprt, Ixtapa, Mexico (1-3-10)

Hi folks from the Pacific Ocean where we visited the port of
Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa today.
I felt it was well worth telling you as foodies and clients as well
about the gorgeous new Capella Resort perched on the cliffs above
Ixtapa with spectacular exclusive accommodations and gorgeous infinity
pools.
Will, Samuel and I spent the day at the pool and enjoyed a superb
lunch from the poolside restaurant LAS ROCAS. I saw the menus for the
other two restaurants and I think they are the top level in the
region!
While Samuel enjoyed the FISH & CHIPS I was wowed by the Chipotle Mayo
dip for the fries...he skipped it.
The drinks here are super too with cool CUCUMBER MARGARITAS (called a
Mujer Eleganate-or "elegant lady") as well as super yummy PASSIONFRUIT
versions. I stopped at two, but really wanted to try the BASIL!
Will and I split two of the excellent CEVICHES:
ACAPULCO was laden with fish, bay scallops and more with lime, tomato,
olive, capers and yummy tortilla chips, while GUATEMALA was loaded
with shrimp, onion, lemon, tomato, cilantro and habanero chili oil for
a small punch.
Will enjoyed his FISH TACOS al PASTOR with achiote, cilantro, onion
and pineapple salsa on the side while I adored my RED SNAPPER SANDWICH
with Grilled Artchokes & Kalamata Olive Mayonnaise on Focaccia.
It was a treat as we just relaxed and vegged out for the day.
Back on board we have a huge tasting dinner in the private restaurant
tonight!

TIMO takes top place in Sunny Isles (North Miami Beach), FL. (12-20-09)

If you check out your Miami Zagat Guide IL MULINO gets rates 25 for
service and food and higher marks for decor than TIMO, but if you walk
across the street from Il Mulino at the Acqualina you will find a same
rates food location at TIMO (www.timorestaurant.com) at 17624 Collins
Ave for less than 1/2 the price. The service rating is 2 points lower,
but then, we did not need three people hovering over our table all
evening for an extra $40 per person! This small beach neighborhood of
high rises at the north end of Miami Beach (north of Bar Harbour and
south of Hollywood and Hallandale) does not offer lots of dining
choices, so TIMO is a real find mixing Italian with American cuisine
under the guidance of Chef Tim Andreola, who has been there for over
1/2 a dozen years after leaving the post of Executive Chef at Mark's
South Beach (he was previously at Chef Allen's; these two spots are
well known uber-dining spots in Miami!). The dining room is small and
a bit noisy, but cozy and never felt crowded. There is an exposed
brick at the rear and the wood-fired oven for pizza in it. The right
third of the room is a bar area.
Our server, Nicholas was friendly, informative and helpful, and
managed most of needs quickly (the place was HEAVING!) once we settled
in. The five of us started with a bottle of Rousanne that was corked
and quickly switched to a yummy GODELLA from Rafael Palacios "As
Sortes" from Val do Bibei 2007 in the Valdeorras region of Spain. I
also noticed the Negroamaro we had the night before for $90 was $54 on
Timo's menu!
The tasty flatbreads, simple focaccia with olive oil and more arrived
and we dug in as we ordered.
It was hard to choose from the not so huge menu, which is a credit to
the selections themselves. Our starters were MUSHROOM SOUP with
Truffled Ricotta & Marsala which I did not taste, but Will and I spli
two delightful varied treats:
SHAVED PORTUGUESE OCTOPUS with Orange, Fennel & Green Olives was a
light salad-like dish with the thinnest slices of octopus, tasty
shredded fennel (and you know I am picky about the fennel) and a nice
light dressing. Marylanders will be thrilled with the crab treatment
as it is JUMBO LUMB BLUE CRAB baked as a cake in an Large ARTICHOKE
Heart in a simple but tasty Lemon-Brown Butter. The portion was easy
to split and large and novel to us from the DC crab region.
We moved on to a wonderful sipping red between courses that was not
too big and just right for the moment:
ROSSO di MONTALCINO from Friggiali 2004 has a great nose and is smooth
in the mouth and makes no demand for food. Our second red was a superb
choice recommended by Nicholas and great for the price as well:
BARBERA d'ASTI 2006 "Serraboella" from Cigiliati in Piemonte is a new
hit with me having great earthy tones and unlike the Sangiovese (and
indeed most Baberas) asked for food.
Our food was a great accompaniment to this wine or vice versa, and we
had a true variety of dishes:
PAPPARDELLE came with a 1-1/4 lb. of MAINE LOBSTER as a "Bolognese"
without the red meat of course. It was a superb preparation and here
the pasta was al dente to perfection, something Il Mulino seems to
think is not the objective (perhaps most American prefer the pasta
overcooked and are catered to that way). My RAVIOLI "alla Genovese"
were four (also perfectly al dente) HUGE ravioli stuffed with a meat
ragu of Sweetbreads, Sausage, Parmesan and topped with Crispy Sage.
The seasoning of the filling was simply perfect. Even those who shy
away from sweetbreads at our table were impressed with the meat
filling.
Pizza here gets super high ratings with thin tasty crusts and Will's
BLACK & WHITE came with Ricotta, Mozzarella, Provolone and Shaved
Black Truffles enhanced by Truffle Oil. Will added thinly sliced
pieces of tasty Prosciutto to this perfect pizza making it even
better.
PORK TENDERLOIN was delish and came with an amazing GREEN APPLE & BLUE
CHEESE RISOTTO that was to die for, and the RED WINE BRAISED LAMB
SHANK with Wild Mushrooms and Truffled French Lentils was a masterful
dish down to the little marrow scooped out of the end of the bone!
Not one of us disliked a bite of anything!
Desserts were okay, with the sorbets being big hits with flavors of
MANGO DAIQUIRI, PRICKLY PEAR and MEYER LEMON. I did not taste the Warm
Apple Strudel with Calvados & Caramel Sauce. Will's Warm Liquid Center
Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Banana Ice Cream and Dulce di Leche
seemed to be the most popular at our table (you know I'm not a
chocoholic) and my Macadamia Brittle & Gelato with Caramlized Banana,
Pineapple and Toasted Coconut offered up a huge tasty tuile but a bit
too much gelato in a porion that two or three could have eaten. A
glass of CHATEAU TIRECUL La Graviere 2003 MONBAZILLAC was sweet and
thick and sent me home ever so happy.
A meal with friends is always great, but finding a new destination
that we all loved makes it an even better treat.

Our reports will now only be from ports where we enjoy special lunches
during our 18-day Panama Cruise Canal which starts today! See you at
sea.

IL MULINO (Sunny Isles, FL) costs molto moola, but manages to make it impress

Those of you back in DC know what happened yesterday weather-wise, so
we were truly blessed and grateful that we made it here to Florida to
begin our vacation.
We WERE scheduled to fly down to Ft. Lauderdale today to join our
cruise ship, the STATENDAM tomorrow, for an 18-day Panama Canal Cruise
ending in San Diego, When we woke Friday morning, we knew we were in
for TRAVEL TROUBLE, so I quickly rebooked us for ANYTHING I could find
to get us here as early as possible to beat the storm (which in the
end, dumped over 13 inches of snow on DC!). Nothing was available
Friday, so we settled for 10am Saturday, which ultimately got canceled
and I managed to get us onto an 830am. It was not easy and I was up
all Friday night, except for about 2 hours of solid sleep, checking
and rechecking the flights on my travel computer at home.
Needless to say when our family awoke at 5am Saturday to head out to
National Airport, I was beyond exhausted. We explained to Samuel that
it might be a long and difficult day, and to please try and be
understanding of ay delays and difficulties. It started at home when I
spent almost an hour on hold with taxi companies, so we eventually got
in our 4wheel drive and drove to the airport (add on $264 parking for
this trip!). We were shocked that one of the few flights still
scheduled out after 6-7 inches of snow was ours. We had rebooked in
coach (even though we paid for First class) and a super amazingly nice
guy at the gate put us back in First 5 seconds before boarding due to
the large number of no-shows; no surprise there.
After 2 hours delay on the plane getting fuel, baggage loaded, decided
twice and runways plowed, we were one of the last planes to leave DC
before they shut down National. We land less than two hours late and
in shock that we even made it as visibility was so bad all I saw out
the window for 10 minutes after takeoff was SNOW and clouds (we could
not even see the Potomac just yards away from the runway!). Applause
erupted from all of us on board; boy, were we lucky!
So that all said, when we arrived at the beautiful ACQUALINA RESORT
here in Sunny Isles Beach on the Atlantic just north of Miami Beach
and south of Hollywood & Lauderdale, we really did not want to go
anywhere for dinner other than in the hotel. The only option was IL
MULINO, a branch of the notorious and long-lived Italian tradition in
Greenwitch Village that had made its way as far as Tokyo and Vegas as
well as DC and here. I knew IL MULINO was pricey, but decided to give
it try. I must agree that Tom Sietsema's notes on the DC location are
correct when he says to enjoy all the complimentary antipasti they
bring to the table and the breads, order an appetizer and skip the
main courses because they do cost so much.
SPICY marinated ZUCCHINI was one of the superb antipasti along with
Italian Salami and Bruschetta with Mussels. The breads were Garlic
(which Samuel decided he did not like), plain breads and a tasty
crunchy slightly spicy "focaccia" which was more like flat crostini.
The wines tend to all be priced over $50, so we started with a 2004
CHIANTI CLASSICO Riserva from NOZZOLE that was smooth and tasty and
went on to a slightly spicy and great with food NEGROAMARO "Masseria
Maime" 2002 from TOMARESCA in Puglia for a slightly overpriced $90.
I must give IL Mulino credit for superb service. There were captains,
waiters, busboys and more always in attendance, friendly and
courteous.
There is no children's menu, but they will prepare a 1/2 order of
pasta, so Samuel went right for the SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE (at $18+ for a
1/2 portion!!) and he finished off with a superb LEMON Sorbet
gorgeously presented in a frozen hollowed lemon.
We decided to split some of the pastas and our friends Michael &
Robert, whom I have known for over twenty years (Michael was the first
person Samuel met when he came to the USA and Michael met us at the
Miami Airport during our layover from Guatemala!), and we were drawn
to the specials (recited tableside without prices).
Michael & I opted to split of a HALF PORTION FETTUCINE with STONE CRAB
which was a super tasty and spicy dish due to a generous amount of Red
Chilis. A huge claw came on the side of each. It was delish, but The
claws are stil nothing to compare with our Maryland Crabs. Shock
arrived when bill arrived and the 1/2 portion price rang in at $27,50
(that's $55 for a full portion of fettucine with 4 crab claws!).
Will enjoyed the less expensive 1/2 portion of PORCINI RAVIOLI with
Black Truffles and Robert had a tasty CAPRESE with superb mozzarella
and tomato. Oddly, I tasted two of the huge fresh basil leaves on each
of the bites I took and one was flavorful, the other intensely bitter!
Veal seemed to be the popular choice for main courses and that makes
sense in an Italian restaurant where the Veal dishes outnumber all the
others. Will went for SALTIMBOCCA with sage and prosciutto, Michael
went simple with Picatta (lemon) and I went spicy with VITELLO alla
ZINGARA (gypsy-style) with mildly spicy white wine sauce, wild
mushrooms, tomato and capers. The portions WERE huge and more
reasonably priced than some dishes in the $28-zone. Robert chose the
special whole BRANZINO presented tableside and then filleted to
perfection. It was also huge, but at $55 should have been an aquarium
full of fish! Oddly, the fish was superb, but needed a bit more tan
the plain lemon offered to season.
The highlight of the main course was the side dish of PEAS with ONIONS
& PANCETTA.
We thought dessert would be nice and it got confusing with everything
being recited tableside. I heard something about berries with Grand
Marnier flambeed and when it came it was just Orange slice with Kiwi,
so they sent over a complimentary bowl of fresh berries with sabayon.
Poached Pear in White Wine with more Sabayon was a huge dessert, but
the Coconut Sorbet paled next to Samuel's lemon version.
Complimentary glasses of GREEN APPLE infused GRAPPA were like a super-
tart apply limoncello with even a bigger alcohol punch and ended a fun
and tasty meal that delivered a $500 bill (without tip) for the 4
adults and one child ($150 of which was wine) that still was steep,
but not insane.
Since breakfast here at the ACQUALINA is also at IL MULINO and the
plates all were priced at $20 or more, we headed across the street to
Denny's this morning where our bill totaled less than $30 and I know
after that I won't eat a meal until dinner....
From cloudy, windy and quite cool Florida.
ALAN

Chicago's MOTO - mighty mouthwatering and maybe too much (12-5-09)

In the past I have enjoyed the "chemical" aspects of some modern
chefs, yet I fear none compares to the likes of Chef HOMARU CANTU who
calls home MOTO (945 West Fulton Street-www.motorestaurant.com) in a
neighborhood just to the west of the loop that is basically deserted
in the evening and can be a bit scary. Again, I had the opera at
730pm, so I sat down at 5pm for what I thought would be a choice of a
10 or 20 course meal. They have eliminated this option and now only
serve a 15-course meal ($150) and this comes with an option of 6 wines
for $45 or 11 for $85. I took the former knowing I had to head to the
opera.
I did manage to finish most of the meal, but 2-1/4 hours is not really
enough, and that was my own first mistake. It was another cold night
and MOTO does not offer much warmth with large cold gray granite
tables, similar colored walls with some wood panels and each table
having only 2 water glasses on it when you are seated. Some of the men
have earplugs a la Secret Service, which I thought was funny. The
chairs are comfy velvety and in the front (choose the back if its cold
out as a draft comes in with vengeance as the door is opened) there
are huge high private booths. The music seemed to go from loud
mindless to soft to Middle Eastern to everything and really should
have been toned down a bit.

The menu is delivered in the form of a sheet of GARLIC BREAD with
Garlic Butter, Balsamic and a Roasted Garlic Clove in the bottom of
the bowl. The bread has all 15 courses printed on it (the bottom says
"our menus are baked fresh daily") and gets you off to a funny start
as the waiter says, "Did you enjoy your menu this evening?" A glass of
very bubbly and very yeasty J. LaSalle Premier Cru IMPERIAL PREFERENCE
Brut from Chigny Les Roses was a treat. All the wine is served in
Riedel, and everything is tasted by the sommelier or server as each
bottle is opened.
The server announces breakfast nest as SCRAMBLED EGGS & MUFFIN which I
adored. it was a scrambled eggs looking GAZPACHO of tomato, cucumber,
lemon and onion on one side and a "muffin" of Garlic Meringue with
Vegan Corn Butter on top. On the side was a "tater tot" which was
really a crunchy tempura style shrimp.
The key here is to fool the diner.
The 2nd wine was a Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc from J. SABON 2008 "Clos
du Mont Olivet" that I adored which was very soft with lots of fruit
and more minerality as it warmed up. GRUYERE & ONIONS was next which
was a bowl with a spoon of Caramelized Onions and a swath of Gruyere
Puree on top which Onion Soup was poured and a large shrimp toast like
standing Onion Chip. The soup needed to be hotter, but the dish was
quite nice.
LOADED FRIES was one of my favorites all evening and was really potato
puree with bacon, jalapeno, Wisconsin cheddar and sour cream on top of
which were some tiny fried shoestring potatoes. The server took the
votive candle that had been placed on the table with my menu and
drizzled the wax (really made of fat) over the dish. While it was
really just glorified mashed potatoes, it was the concept that was
fun.
Luis Plato, PREMIERA ESCOLHA 2000 from Beiras in Portugal was a new
red for me made from the Baga grape that was oh so smooth. I would buy
this vintage if available now!
SEARED BUFFALO HOT WINGS had a packet on the side which was explained
an edible paper with the spice from a hot wings dish that I could bite
as much of as I liked to add or remove spice. The dish itself was a
CAPON LEG CONFIT with slice of breast of capon over the top in a sauce
of CAMBRAZOLA (Camembert and Gorgonzola) Cheese with Celery Root Puree
and PEQUIN CHILI for spice. It was rich and divine and a big hit with
me. I laughed as I read the patent on the spice paper and munched it a
little with some of the capon.
CO2 PINEAPPLE & JERK was the least exciting dish all night with a ring
of Carbonated Pineapple in the bottom of a narrow bowl (making it very
hard to cut) and a small plastic testtube like thingie filled with a
liquified jerk chicken with ginger and cardamom. The broth was
interesting and seemed to be ebst poured over the pineapple, and oddly
the red wine went very well with this.
The next wine was a SOTER NORTH VALLEY Pinot Noir 2007 from the
Willamette Valley in Oregon that was also very smooth with a nice
lasting finish for a young Pinot.
My top favorite dish was next for presentation as well as taste-CUBAN
Cigar was a smoked pork in red pepper and habanero coulis wrapped in
collard green complete with edible Cohiba Cigar wrapping. It was
served on a small metal ashtray and in the tray was a black & white
crushed sesame powder with soffrito that made the cigar look like it
had burned down a bit. I picked up the "cigar" and dipped it in the
ash and have to admit, it was the first and only cigar that has
entered my mouth and I LOVED IT.
RUEBEN Lasagna was made with corned beef in between slices of
Sauerkraut "pasta" with caraway, Swiss cheese melted on top and a dill
pollen chip (like a pickle flavor) on the side.
SHABUccino was a slice of prime rib (almost tartare) with Edamame,
truffled potato and a compressed white truffle powder cube (looking
like a sugar cube) and a mushroom beef broth. A small pitcher of white
foam on the side completed the "cappuccino" effect. I missed one
"fermented" ingredient somewhere, but the dish seemed to be a bit flat
for me.
The next red wine was a TRUCHARD Napa ZIN 2005 from a winemaker I
have personally known and loved for years. This was the perfect wine
with the MEXICAN CANNOLI, another attempt at fooling us into believing
this was dessert. The filling was chili braised duck leg wrapped in a
crunchy corn tortilla and served on a mole sauce with roasted pumpkin
seeds, sour cream and a fairly mild crushed jalapeno powder. By this
time I was getting tired of the repeated powders, even though they
were tasty. The crunchy "cannoli" was lots of fun and truly delicious
though, as was the sauce.
RAINBOW SPRINKLES was another hard to guess ahead dish. Compromised of
Lentils, a Foie Gras Mousse Cupcake and pistachio crunch topping on
the cupcake, a slice of seared Foie Gras and a Blackberry-Sherry
Vinegar Gastrique it was really two separate items served on a wild
two tier dish that is simply impossible to explain. The cupcake was
difficult to eat as it was mousse in a cupcake wrapper (that I was
warned is NOT edible). I should have just picked up the wrapper and
eaten it rather than attempt with the fork. The foie gras itself was
superb.
ANTS on a LOG, another truly odd choice of names was two small
chocolate-looking ants (about 1 inch long each) made from frozen
raisin puree (like sorbet) sitting on a pale greenish log which itself
was frozen grape and celery sorbet. It was meant to be a palate
cleanser and was quite refreshing, but a bit too large of a portion.
The three desserts all arrived together and were listed on the menu
as:
PUMPKIN PIE
MILK CHOCOLATE FORMS
&
BANANA SPLIT.
What came was actually four items all beautifully arranged and
displayed.
The Pumpkin Pie was a small cake with liquid caramel center, graham
cracker and pistachio powder.
The forms were really a mousse with Chai Tea Ice Cream, Orange Cream
and Malted Milk Powder. The Split was the most adorable of the
desserts and looked like a mini-cheeseburger. Almond Peanut Butter
Macaroon made up the bun and inside was a burger looking Chocolate &
Banana concoction with Maraschino Cherry "ketchup" and a piece of real
lettuce for crunch. It was quite tasty and again a great "trick."
The extra surprise dessert was their version of SMORES, which I was
told to eat in one bite. It was a Chocolate mini-bomb with dehydrated
Marshmallow and a small wick protruding which the server lit and let
burn down to the chocolate. Of course, it did not explode, well, not
at least until I put the whole thing in my mouth and the liquid center
erupted in my mouth for what had to be one of the most fun grand
finales to dinner. A glass of Sutton Cellars VINO GENEROSO PAGAN
VINEYARD, Russian River Valley 2006 Fortified Zinfandel was a bit too
strong (port like) for the flavorful desserts. I think a Monsanto
might have been more appropriate.
Would I go back to MOTO? Probably not, but not because it was not a
wonderful dining experience; the reason would be there are so many
wonderful places to eat in Chicago, I would prefer to try them first,
then maybe return to Moto.
ALAN back home

make it MASA14 for miraculous small plates

MASA14 (www.masa14.com) opened several months ago and I am still not
sure what the name signifies (I forgot to ask). But under the
ownership of Chef Kaz Okochi (Kaz Shushi Bar) and Richard Sandoval
(Zengo), this joint venture with Chef Antonio Burrell(prev of
Viridian,Gabriel, Commonwealth Gastropub, Bis & Vidalia) in the
kitchen is already a huge success. The basis of the cuisine is the
fusion of the two chef's backgrounds--Asian & Latin.
Despite the fact that the signage at 1825 14th St, NW is not easily
seen, the place was heaving at 730pm on Monday. As you enter there is
a 65+ foor bar extending the length of the right side to the open
kitchen at the rear. A small barrier does not keep the bar noise from
the tables on the left, so try and get one of the slightly quieter
"booth" areas if you can. The exposed brick and uncarpeted floors
don't help much with the noise either.
The four of us settled in for a fabulous evening of food and wine that
was indeed a treat we look forward to returning to. Speaking of wines,
the wine list is quite good, but very low end. There are 29 whites and
13 reds under $30 each, with few mid-range and then some real pricey
ones. We started with a $26 DOMAINE ANTUGNAC '08 from the Vallee
d'Aude which our server Chris said was near the Spanish border. It was
a yummy Chardonnay that delivered fruit and not oak.
There is also an extensive sake and tequila list for those interested.
Chris (who told us he "was not single, but cheap!")suggested we order
2 or 3 small plates each and gave us some guidance which we tended to
follow.
SERRANO HAM FLATBREAD with Goat Cheese, Cantaloupe, Arugula, Truffle
and Lime sounded better than it tasted. The flatbreads are rectangular
with puffy edges, so the 2 end slices tend to be more doughy and less
filling.
HIJIKI SEAWEED-JICAMA Salad was totally refreshing with Seame/Chayote/
Daikon Sprouts and a superb palate cleanser before or after the meal.
CRISPY CRAB WONTON ROLLS with CreamCheese/Corn/Mushroom/ Shiso Truffle
and Spicy Ponzu are nice and cruncy and very rich. This is perhaps the
one dish I enjoyed but would not order again as the Cream Cheese is a
bit too rich for me.
CRUNCHY SHRIMP with Chipotle Aioli/Sesame/Scallion & Masago(roe)
is a must on anyone's list of choices. These are some of the tastiest
shrimp around!
GRILLED BABY OCTOPUS with Chimichurri and Pickled Vegetables was the
one dish that packed a spice punch as the Chimichurri on the many
little tender eight-tentacled heads was more chili-based than garlic.
We all loved this as well.
We switched to red wine and went at first with a light Andre Brunel
COTES du RHONE 2006 (listed on the menu as Syrah) made from 75%
Grenache/15%Cinsault and only 10% Syrah.
We have known Chef Kaz and Chef Antonio for years, and we had the
pleasure of getting two "off the menu" dishes that you may see if the
menu changes soon as they were both superb:
TUNA TERANDITO with Oranges,Crab.Cactus Pear & Celery Yuzu in a
Persimmon Puree was simply divine with the small scoop of Wasabi Ice
Cream and Toasted Coconut for a tinge of sweetness.
ACHIOTE Marinated SABLEFISH gave this flaky dream fish the perfect
treatment with Corn/Peppers/Olive/Macadamia Nuts in a Cilantro Broth
with Cumin/Onion & Cherry Vinegar. It sounds like a lot, but in my
mouth it was simply dreamy and delish.

Our other choices were
CRUNCHY WOK FRIED OKRA with Spicy Soy Ponzu Dip which is another have
to have dish. It tastes NOTHING like the slimy okra we know; deep
fried here to a crisp it was another big hit at the table.
PORK BELLY CARNITAS comes with Kabocha Squash/Adobo BBQ and Blood
Orange and is another delight along with the
PULLED BEEF TOSTADA which is a room temperature meat in a crunchy
tostada with Cilantro/Peanut/Bean Sprouts/Cotija Cheese and Guacamole.
The slightly peanuty sauce made this very Tex-Mex dish into a fusion
Asian wonder.
KOBE BEEF BRISKET with Oaxaca Cheese Potato in an Achiote Citrus Sauce
was another sublime experience.
We moved to a bigger red wine from "Peter Lehman MOZZA, the Surveys"
Old Vines from Australia that was 51%Shiraz/25%Mourvedre and 24%
Grenache. We all loved this full bodied and again reasonably priced
wine especially with the brisket/tostada and carnitas!
If I have to complain about one thing at Masa 14, it would be the
cleanliness of the rest rooms. I think the after work bar crowd men (I
doubt the women's room was as messy) can be so incredibly uncaring for
health and cleanliness!
The desserts we chose were varied with the
MANGO PANNA COTTA with Coconut Foam, Sake Blackberries and Coconut
Tuile placing in last place, mostly because we did not like the funny
foam.
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE TART with whipped cream, cocoa nib and Ancho
Anglaise was ok, but the
big winner was the truly brilliant
GREEN TEA CREME BRULEE with a crunchy Ginger Sugar Crust and a Yuzu
Linzer Torte that was delish, but could have used a bit more fruit
filling. This is the perfect dish to end a meal with, and virtually
our whole meal was indeed brilliant.

Do the DUCK RUEBEN at South Water Kitchen in Chicago

On Saturday before the matinee of the awfule pre-Broadway run of the
new musical THE ADDAM's FAMILY (starring Nathan Lane and many other
big B'way names--but having terrible music), I met a dear friend and
client for lunch and schmoozing at the Hotel Monaco in the Loop. SOUTH
WATER KITCHEN (225 N. Wabash) has been a great mainstay of downtown
dining and I have always enjoyed my previous stays at this hotel, but
had not dined there in some time. I had the DUCK RUEBEN which save for
the duck was as traditional as it can get: tasty, sauerkraty and Swiss
cheesy...a divine sandwich. My friend hails from Omaha and mentioned
that a relative of hers named Rueben was actually the creator of the
sandwich. How unlikely is that?

In Chicago take yourself to TABLE FIFTY-TWO for a touch of southern treats

Chicago's TABLE FIFTY-TWO (www.tablefifty-two.com) was just a couple
of blocks from my hotel and I decided to check out the home base of
Chef ART SMITH who opened there before coming to DC (Art & Soul) under
the auspices of the famed Oprah WInfrey. While not a big Oprah fan, I
have to admit Chef Smith knows how to lavish and smother on the
Southern hospitality in his truly original Southern cooking.

The downstairs level has a tin ceiling and a cozy bistro feel with a
granite counter seating 5 facing the large open wood-fired oven; this
is where I sat and warmed up quickly from the 15 degree windchills
outside. There were only 12 tables downstairs, but I understand the
townhouse has an upper level as well, which was hosting a private
party. I had to go to the opera at 730pm, so my reservation was for
5pm. Within 15 minutes of my arrival the place was nearly full.
An amuse of DEVILED EGG with something tiny and crunchy on top was
delish as I ordered a glass of MELON de BOURGOGNE 2007 from C.
Branger. I used to get a West Coast Melon years ago, but the varietal
has seemed to disappear from wine lists and stores altogether. It had
almost no nose but was bone dry with a real terroir of slight
minerality. My server Steve was most helpful in guiding me, but be
forewarned, the portions here are HUGE. At first a huge homemade hot
from the cast iron mini-pan BISCUIT was served to me. It had a goat
cheese melt-in-your-mouth center with some dried cranberries and a
parmesan crust. These are easily the size of 3 or 4 small biscuits,
but it was impossible to resist. The Melon was perfect with my starter
of "Back to the Table" (the name of Chef Smith's cookbook) JUMBO LUMP
CRABCAKE (he uses Maryland crabs!) with Blood Oranges, Pickled Daikon
Slaw and Toasted Hazelnuts. No question this can compete with the best
crabcakes back home!
The "oven" chef Kevin began to chat with me as he had caught up making
pizza crusts (in advance for the dinner rush) as well as biscuits and
he oven cooked sides of Mac & Cheese and Cornbread. It was fun to
watch him prepare everything and get his opinions as well.
My main course was the MAPLE SUGAR SHORT RIBS (slow cooked 6 hours)
with Potato Puree, Caramelized Pearl Onions and a Red Wine Reduction.
It was divine and even better with a MAS DES DAMES 2005 Syrah from the
Cotes Rouges in Languedoc. The wines by the glass do seem to get quite
generous pours at the table, and Steve even offered to let me taste a
couple before I chose!
Everyone had told me to save room for dessert, and of course, I was
full so only managed three bits of the gigantic and celebrated
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE. This cake is like 5 layers of carrot/spice cake with
cream cheese frosting, pineapple and served with Vanilla Gelato. While
it was nice, I don't think it deserves all the raves--I should have
simply skipped dessert as I so often do.
TABLE FIFTY-TWO is a great place on a cold Chicago night if you are
very hungry, but book ahead, it's always jammed.

Georgetown's LOS CUATES is a cheap, casual and a deal (12-3-09)--delish DOLC

Last night we attempted to head to BIBIANA, the new hot Italian spot
near the convention center, but the traffic (apparently for the Xmas
tree lighting) was so horrendous, that after 30 minutes to go ONE
BLOCK on K Street, we gave up and turned around. As we headed towards
home we came across Q Street and turned right on Wisconsin Ave, to be
reminded the old Wild Ginger had turned into a little Mexican joint,
and what a find this is in expensive Georgetown. Los CUATES
(www.loscuatesrestaurant.com) at 1564 Wisconsin is about as low as
prices go these days without being fast food. Most of the platters are
in the low teens and the appetizers are all about $4-6. Samuel had the
TAQUITOS MONTERREY which were soft round tacos rolled like a roll and
stuffed with shredded beef. These come, as most plates do, with a tray
of sour cream, pico de gallo (mild) and guacamole.
Everyone starts off with a basket of crispy thin chips and medium
salsa with huge tomato chunks. We munched down on these as we sipped
our CUATES LIME with Grand Marnier Margaritas. These were smooth and
tasty, but this is where the prices go up. A pitcher is $40, but worth
every cent as we got 4 full glasses each, or a total of 8 margaritas
for this (about $5 each!).
The place is basic with ceramic tiles and some basic decoration, not
much to write about. The biggest problem is that the tables near the
big glass windows at the front can be chilly on a cold night.
I chose a Combinacion platter with CHILE RELLENO & CHICKEN TAMAL.
These come with the trio of toppings and rice and refried beans as
well. It was a huge platter for like $11 and the tamale was one of the
best I have had with a thick tasty cornmeal wrap around tasty shredded
chicken. The chile could have been spicier, but was more like a sliced
open pepper and then laid out with melted cheese a la pizza style.
Will ordered anothe combinacion that came with these two plus a BEEF
ENCHILADA which as huge as well and also quite good.
The service is friendly and the place was full when we left around
8pm.
We headed next door to DOLCEZZA Gelato (www.dolcezzagelato.com) where
Sam had the kiddie LIME scoop and will the LEMON. I went whole hog for
the small size with two flavors: a perfect combo of DULCE di LECHE and
BANANA SPLIT (which actually has the dulce di leche in it). DIVINE.
What started out as a 55 minute ride (that usually takes 10-15) and an
awful evening, ended pretty well.

BEN's CHILI BOWL-bravo on the chili, but....

As if we needed a big filling meal on the day before Thanksgiving, it
was still fun to head to the 50+year old BEN'S CHILI BOWL
(www.benschilibowl.com) which is more than an institution here in DC,
but one I have NEVER BEEN TO!
We call that a shanda in Yiddish.
Anyway, Will and I headed in before the theater next door tonight and
I stood in line for about 10 minutes while he grabbed a table; the
place was heaving. Will said he did not like the chaos and crowds, but
they didn't bother me much as it all moved fairly smoothly. I ordered
up some CHILI DOGS, which should always be avoided in favor of the far
superior and truly amazing CHILI HALF SMOKES, superb spicy versions of
the sausage covered with the yummy chili in a bun with onions and
mustard. The COLE SLAW has an oddly sweet taste to it; Will called it
vanilla and he seemed to nail it-maybe they use vanilla sugar?
AVOID THE FRIES...they sit way too long under the lights and come out
lukewarm. If you feel you need a side of fries, then get them with
CHILI so at least they have something heating them up and giving them
flavor.
I think the HALF SMOKES are worth the trip, but can't say I'd make it
more than a periodical thing before the theater nearby for a fast food
fix.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING and always remember
DON'T EAT AS MUCH AS I DO!
ALAN

SIROC soothes the palate, but was not too serene

Chef Martin Lackovic opened SIROC (www.sirocrestaurant.com) where
Gerard's used to be at 915 15th St, NW and from the look of the crowd
last night, must be doing well. When we arrived just before 8pm the
small intimate dining room was heaving and folks walking in were being
turned away (on a MONDAY!). We had to wait a while for our table, but
the manager quickly made up for it by offering up a round of superb
drinks; the Cosmos were just right and not sweet at all-a true martini-
style preparation.
The dining room is not remarkable at all, and sadly when the place is
full (there was one table of over 14 people) it can be quite noisy. We
ended up moving to a smaller 4-top further away from the large group
just to be able to hear each other. Luckily once the noise level
subsided, everything else went virtually perfectly, despite the fact
that the chef had taken a night off! That's always a good sign.
An amuse of CRABCAKE over AVOCADO Salad and a slice of Pancetta was
topped with Caviar and laced with Balsamic--it was probably closer to
two or three bites, but nobody seemed to mind!


A bottle of FALANGHINA Cantina del Taburno 2008 from Campania was a
great choice with our starters, the least exciting of which was the
BABY OCTOPUS SALAMI with Oven Dried Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic,
Red Potato and Arrugola (that was their spelling) Pesto. The dish
needed pepper and even more as it was indeed a bit on the bland side.
I was shocked as this is a dish that hails from Chef Lackovic's many
years with Roberto Donna at I Matti and Galileo, but it seems to have
lost its punch here. The BEEF ROLL with Portobello, Caramelized Red
Onion, Soft Polenta and Gorgonzola Cream was on the other hand loaded
with flavor, as was the Pan Seared SHRIMP with Roasted Peppers,
Garlic, Anchovy, Olive Oil & Fried Capers. My VEAL SWEETBREADS were a
divine dish with CREAM BRAISED LEEKS, Potato, Lemon, Marsala Demi-
Glace and Pancetta. It was a huge portion and easily the most exciting
of the dishes.


We moved on to a superb DOLCETTO d'ALBA Rocche Costamagna "MURRAE"
2006 recommended by our server Paulina; she felt it was light enough
for all the pastas we chose, and she was right, even though this was
one of the biggest bodied Dolcetto's I have ever had! The pastas were
all superb and we were happy that we chose to split 1/2 portions so we
could taste as many as possible; this is a highlight of any meal at
Siroc and should not be missed:
The heaviest was the HAND ROLLED POTATO GNOCCHI with Cauliflower
Sauce, White Truffle Essence, Toasted Pine Nuts and Parma Prosciutto;
a full portion of this would be way too much, but it was divine
nonetheless. Hand Cut SPINACH FETTUCCINE with Crushed Tomato, Shrimp,
Pancetta and Roasted Artichokes is a flavorful and tasty option for
those looking for a lighter pasta, while the RAVIOLI are filled with
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, Amaretti, and served in SAGE BUTTER with
Smoked Duck and Parmesan. This is one of those great fall dishes that
always satisfies. The top pasta was the CAPPELACCI (similar to
ravioli, but ever so thin and light) filled with LOBSTER & Roasted
Corn win Sweet Pepper Beurre Blanc with Baby Cilantro. There was a
lemony intensity to the dish that I adored and this is truly one of
the best new pastas I have seen around town in ages!


We moved onto a bigger MARQUES de MURRIETA 2004 Rioja Reserva from
Ygay Winery in Spain that was a great pairing with the heavier main
courses as well, even the fish (which for some reason I failed to
write the dish down) held up to this. The VEAL CHEEKS were braised in
RED WINE with PARMESAN POLENTA, Carrots and Pearl Onions...a super
winter dish for a chilly night. The HOMEMADE SAUSAGES is another meaty
treat with three to a plate: WILD BOAR with Currants & Marsala,
CHICKEN with Chanterelles & Truffle and VEAL with Parmesan and Sage.
These are served atop a yummy plate of BRAISED CANNELINI Beans with
Tomato & Zucchine. I had to take part of mine home to allow for
dessert!


Desserts fared from okay to yummy and we all had varying opinions even
on the same dish. Warm ALMOND CAKE with Blueberry Topping & Cinnamon
Zabaglione was a bit on the dry side, but worked fine when the
different elements were eaten in one bite. The HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE with Raspberry Ice Cream seemed to be the biggest hit, and the
BOSC PEAR poached in RED WINE with Ginger, Mascarpone Ice Cream and
Ginger Cream was quite tasty to me, but some of the others thought it
unexciting. So unless you are a dessert fiend, stick to the pastas and
main courses and appetizers and more of those will definitely send you
home satisfied, as we were after a yummy glass of Limoncello!

back to BAR BOULUD (NYC-Lincoln Center)

Last night on our way to the opera (Esther at NYC Opera) I decided to
take my mother and ex-brother-in-lax (a great client and still dear
friend) to BAR BOULUD located directly across from Lincoln Center as I
thought it was convenient (my Mom can't walk much), varied, tasty,
innovative and just plain good.
On a cold and rainy night it's always nice to sit down to this large
peppery warm and soft GOUGERES that come to every table. Add a bottle
of MONTIRIUS 2004 "Les Clos" VACQUEYRAS, which is drinking so smoothly
now after 5 years with soft tannins and a bit of spice, and the meals
starts off with a big hit.

TARTARE de BOEUF PARISIEN here is a beautiful disc of Black Angus Top
Sirloin with a dribble of light cream and small egg yolk (Quail) with
waffled Gaufrettes and several pieces of baby Romaine with a drizzle
of dressing and capers. The preparation here is a milder one and I had
to ask for pepper, which was just the right touch. The PATE GRANDE
MERE is a beautiful piece (as are all the homemade pates here) made
from Liver, Pork & Cognac.

Main courses were all a success from the NANTUCKET BAY SCALLOPS with
Celery Root Puree, Celery, Orange and a Basil-Lemon Sauce with Black
Truffles. These were the small sweetish bay scallops and the dish won
high marks. COQ AU VIN is as traditional as it gets, but here with a
tasty and at times crunchy chicken skin for flavor and texture. My
BOUDIN BLANC was a superb large Truffles White Sausage with Mashed
Potato and Cooked Apple Slices that satisfied me just to a tee.

For dessert the BERMUDE was a light choice of CRANBERRY& SECKEL Pear
(Poached) on a Frangipane Tart with Pear Yogurt Sorbet. The cheeses
here are stars and we tried a number of them:
A simple firm yet tasty MOSES SLEEPER from Wisconsin
what was termed on the menu as "stinky" was the GRES DES VOSGES which
was not all that stinky but a soft delight with great flavor.
SAINT NECTAIRE was earthy and mild and the stars of the evening on the
plates were:
a superb sheep BREBIS ROUSSE d'ARGENTAL softened to perfection
a salty blue PERSILLE de MALZIEU
and a divine oozing all over goat PICO-PICADINE

Kudos to our charming server Tomas, who insisted we try to speak
French with him and the entire staff for just being so nice with our
awful traffic delay on arrival!

Dive into DOVETAIL on NYC's Upper West Side

You all know I had to the opera a lot in NYC and am always looking for
a pre- or post-performance spot that has quality dining on the Upper
West Side. DOVETAIL (www.dovetailnyc.com) opened at Columbus and 77th
less than two years ago and has already garnered much praise for its
setting, food and chef/owner, JOHN FRASER.
In a few words: I WAS IMPRESSED.
Set in an elegant bi-level townhouse (downstairs seems to be for
private or larger parties, but is also quieter) that has a bar
upstairs at the front and an enclosed wine "cellar" system as you
ascend the steps to the dining area.
Dark wooden tables and chairs are comfy as was the semi-booth I sat in
with cushions if you need them. The table is simple with a votive and
small white round vase with colorful baby marigolds.

While I would have loved to try the 6-course $95 tasting,I only had
just under 2 hours to be at the Met about 12 blocks south.
A trio of amuses arrived and I dove in to the creamy spiced
HORSERADISH PANNA COTTA with House Cured SALMON first. It was a divine
small mouthful bursting with flavor. SHRIMP "Summer" Roll was a small
tasty sushi-looking piece of rice paper roll with shrimp and the
POACHED QUINCE with BUTTERNUT Squash was also quite delish. The Panna
Cotta won the prize, if I had to choose one of the three yummy bites.

I was immediately drawn to the LAMB'S TONGUES, MUFFALATTA PRESSE,
Olives and Capers which my server, Gabrielle (who was a bit austere,
but always confident and helpful) said was one of the signature dishes
that had remained since opening. I jumped at her description of the
"deconstructed" dish, but I would prefer to use the word
"reconstructed." Here the muffalatta are two small breaded and deep
fried LAMB's TONGUES as tender as they can be. The presse would be the
insides of the delectable Southern "sandwich" here recreated as a
roulade, pate, or presse with Provolone, Mortadella, Black Forest Ham,
Capicola and more. On the side was a sauce of olives and capers very
much like a remoulade or aioli in texture to add flavor to the presse
and the breaded lamb. The entire concept was sheer genius and divine
from the first to the last bite.
A glass of GRUNER VELTLINER MEINHARD FORSTREITER "Schieffer" 2007 from
Kremstal in Austria was a great dry pairing, although Gabrielle wanted
to steer me towards sherry (I am not a big sherry nut). The bread was
mini-loaf of warm melt in you mouth WHITE CHEDDAR CORNBREAD with a
crusty top with yummy salt on top as well. While the room is carpeted
and quilted, I did notice that the music was just slightly loud at
times.

I asked Gabrielle for some input and chose an entree from the tasting
menu (they had a similar dish on the main menu, but she thought the
other version was better): HALIBUT CONFIT with CRAB RAVIOLI, MUSHROOM
Duxelles and Red Wine Sauce. I asked why the term "confit," which
really is not proper, as this was a perfectly poached fleshy Halibut
square that was nothing like a confit. No matter, the divine fish was
even tastier with a small bit of the duxelles and the accompanying
Black Tuscan Kale with Gooseberries. Gabrielle suggested a superb ruby
toned Pinot Noir as the sauce was also Pinot based. It was a brilliant
yummy BOURGOGNE PASSETOUTGRAIN from Jean-Luc Joillot 2007 that was not
too fruit forward (like Oregon) but very balanced with great lines. I
perused the wine list and the prices here are NY high, although there
is a section titled "wines under $75" that include 13 whites and 17
reds. WOW-$75!
The two small mezzalune crab ravioli were superb and loaded with crab,
but also each one had a fingernail size piece of shell. One of the
maitre d's noticed me fidgeting to get the shell out of my mouth and
place it gentleman-like on the butter plate and he whisked the plate
away only to return with apologies from the chef and (as I discovered
the second piece of shell) an announcement that the dish would be
complimentary. I told him this was not necessary, but did not argue
the point.
Gabrielle had told me to save room for the desserts of Pastry Chef
Vera Tong and I was not disappointed. While I perused the list a demi-
tasse of HOT SPICED CIDER was delivered and I felt warm and toasty as
I chose the PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSELINE with PEDRO XIMENES PRUNES and
FOIE GRAS ICE CREAM. This was a small, but divine and perfectly
created cigar shaped mousseline half-coated with a thin skin of
chocolate and the tasty prunes on the side with some tiny rosettes of
peanut butter as well. The ice cream was AMAZING and before I could
praise, a second complimentary dessert arrived: HOT BANANA BRIOCHE
BREAD PUDDING with Maple Syrup, Rum Vanilla Ice Cream, Bacon Brittle
(a graham based thick lattice) and a Brulee Crust on the pudding. It
was another divine inspiration. The coffee came with hot milk and
three small mignardises that were nice but not at the level of the
desserts: PEAR PATE-A-FRUITS (where was David Guas?), a dry SWEET
POTATO WHOOPIE PIE which was a cookie sandwich with a marshmallow
filling and a CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE (I forgot the flavors-sorry).
I knew that I would be a bit hungry when I reached my Mom's house at
11pm, so I asked for the CHEESE platter to go and was so glad 4+ hours
later when I opened the well-packaged presentation:
Two breads (plain and nut) three accompaniments (Blueberry Compote,
Caramelized Shallots and Sweet Caramelized Onions with something
fruity) were a treat as well along with the 3 tasty cheeses:
MANCHESTER "Consider" from Bardwell Farm
GREEN HILL Sweet Grass Dairy and
EWE's BLUE from Old Chatham Sheepherding in upstate NY.
The blue was a slightly crumby mild and tasty version and I am not
sure which of the other two cheeses were which. I was told the
Manchester and Green Hill came from Georgia and Vermont (but I don't
know which was from where) and one was a mild nutty tasty semi-hard
cheese in triangles and the other an intense overripe Camembert style
runny "I love this" cheese.
I'll be back at DOVETAIL for a tasting at some point for sure!

It's all in the cuisine at Houston's IBIZA Food & Wine Bar

My last night in Houston was supposed to be at Voice again, but as I
mentioned they are closed on Sundays. I asked the Chef at Voice where
I should take a VIP soprano after she has just sung 4+ hour of Wagner
and he instantly recommended IBIZA Food & Wine Bar
(www.ibizafoodandwinebar.com) just 5 minutes south of downtown
Houston. It was a brilliant suggestion and the two of us had the most
spectacular evening. The chef, CHARLES CLARK, came over to make sure
everything was okay a couple of times (he had apparently been told by
the chef from Voice that we were coming!). Everything all evening was
indeed superb.
I started with a Margarita which was okay, Christine had a pineapple
infused vodka martini that was divine and not overly pineapply. We
moved on to an exciting SANCERRE from LUCIEN CROCHET 2007 "La Croix du
Roy" that had some mineral taste and lots of flavor as well.It worked
well with the spices of some of the dishes we chose as well.
There are lots of "small plates" to choose from and we opted for 4,
thinking they were small tapas plates. WRONG. These are big portions,
about the size (or a bit larger) than an appetizer.
I could not resist the Fried SOFT SHELL CRAB in SEMOLINA Batter & Fins
Herbes Butter with CAPERBERRIES. Christine had not had a soft shell
since her youth and had avoided them; she marveled at the flavor,
crunchiness and size of these as well (they were from the Gulf and
hence still in season in Texas).
KERBEY FINGERS FRENCH FRIES are Parmesan Encrusted and then sprinkled
with TRUFFLE OIL. An aioli is on the side, but this isn't even needed
as the fries are simply the best without anything!
ROASTED BEETS are served with PISTACHIOS and FRENCH FETA cheese for
one of the lighter dishes that still bursts with flavor...and...
Whole Grilled SHRIMP come with CRABMEAT CORNBREAD & Tasso Ham Cream in
a dish that could be a main course with these four monster size prawns
over the "stuffing" and with a rich and spicy cream sauce.
We were quite full but really wanted to try one main course and asked
our server Paige, who was a doll, what she recommended. It was a no
brainer when she suggested the VEAL TENDERLOIN with CHANTERELLES in
TRUFFLE Pan Sauce. We had both spotted this dish and said, "ok" with
no thoughts. The portions were split before they came to the table and
served with a full plate's accouterments of veggies. The dish usually
comes with potatoes, but Paige said side substitutions are welcome, so
we went for the "small plate" option of CREMINI MUSHROOM RISOTTO with
Gran Padano Cheese and White Truffle Oil...another dreamy dish, but it
was the chanterelles and veal that were sublime and ethereal. A half
bottle of Oregon's DOMAINE SERENE "Evenstad Reserve" PINOT NOIR was a
perfect pairing, and I must also say the wine markup here in tiny,
perhaps the lowest I have ever seen in years!
We could not even think of dessert, so we waddled out and headed back
to the hotel knowing that Houston's downtown dining scene just keeps
getting better and better!

BARNABY's for breakfast in Houston

While I am not a big breakfast person, when we travel and try to meet
friends, sometimes that's the only option. If you are in Houston, try
out one of the several BARNABY's (www.barnabyscafe.com) for breakfast,
lunch or dinner. We went to the location on West Gray just minutes
from downtown which is truly adorable with angel-winged doggies on the
ceiling (one was a Jewish Hasid with payot--sidecurls-- and a tallit--
prayer shawl)! The decor is cute, but nothing here is fancy, not even
the prices. Every breakfast item is about $5-8 and the portions are
hearty enough to keep you going all day. Buttermilk pancakes are the
size of a huge plate and come with four on the plate! I went for the
GREEN EGGS which is a huge scramble of SPINACH & ARTICHOKE eggs with
Jack Cheese. On the side is a tasty CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE and a huge
portion of yummy roasted potatoes.
Years ago we used to go across the street to the West Gray Cafe, which
apparently now has become greasy and gross according to internet
reviews and the opinions of some local friends...so Barnaby's was a
nice find.

Houston's VOICE is a loud and clear winner!

Last year when in Houston I had a luncheon at the ICON Hotel and was totally blown away by the cuisine of Chef Michael KRAMER at its in-hotel restaurant VOICE. I was lucky enough to stay at the beautiful hotel this past weekend and enjoy a spectacular dinner with two friends there on Saturday night before the opera.
It is a warm cozy place with well spaced tables off the lobby and high
backed comfy chairs, elegant china, crystal and linens. The service
(our server was Chris) is also top notch, but then it always seems so
friendly and good in Texas!

We started with a bottle of a white wine I have never tried from San
Marino (that tiny principality within Italy) called RONCALE di SAN
MARINO 2006. The wine had a wondrous aroma and great taste, something
akin to a Viognier, but less perfumey. It was great with our seafood
and starters.

The bread was nice and came with a garlic spread, an olive tapenade
and butter.

I had the OCTOPUS a la PLANCHA with Spanish Chorizo, Leek, Marcona
Almonds, in a Saffron Tomato Sauce that was really a thick sauce on
the plate for dipping (and with a hint of curry spice). It was a great
presentation as well as one of the tastiest octopi ever.

It was a tough decision but my guests went on the lighter side with
the GRAPEFRUIT Salad (instead of the Butterscotch Bean Ravioli) and
the MUSHROOM SOUP "CAPPUCCINO" which was not one of those frothy
concoctions. It was a rich Cremini Mushroom Soup with Truffle Foam and
Porcini Powder which not only got raves from my guest, but also from
someone else I know who had the same dish later that night!

The main courses were just as impressive with Day Boat SCALLOPS,
Zucchini Ribbons, Wax Beans, Baby Turnip in Dijon Sauce being a real
hit and the WILD ALASKAN HALIBUT with Bok Choy, Long Beans, Japanese
Eggplant and Lemongrass Broth giving the superb fish a delightful
Asian treatment. My SLOW ROASTED DUCK was brined for two days and
served with Pistachio Bread "Stuffing" and Parsnips in a Pomegranate
Sauce that was out of this world. All the portions were quite large,
my duck being an entire breast of about 13 slices! A glass of BELLE
VALLEE PINOT NOIR 2007 from the Willamette Valley in Oregon was a
great pairing.

Dessert was a tough decision, so we did a wide variety with the guys
having the heavier dishes: WARM CHOCOLATE CAKE with Sea Salt Caramel
Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce and the BUTTERSCOTCH CHEESECAKE with
Gingerbread Crust, Almond Ice Cream and Honey-Cognac Sauce were both
treats. I opted for the cheeses which came tieh grapes, pistachios and
a honey-date paste:
OSSAU-IRATY was a sheep semi-hard from the Pays Basque
OLD KENTUCKY TOMME was raw goat which was nice but paled next to WHITE
BUCK GOAT from Westfield, Wisconsin that just oozed character with a
softish runny edge around the inside of the rind.
PECORINO TOSCANO Stagionato was nice and nutty
and the SHROPSHIRE BLUE was not too intense.

Again, I can't wait to return to VOICE, and was so upset they are
closed on Sunday, as I wanted to go back the next night again!

RESTAURANT 3 is just dandy for me (Arlington, VA)

It was a busy weekend and a busier start of week as we had made plans to go out with our Rabbi and her 4+ year old son, Benjamin. I chose RESTAURANT 3 in Clarendon (www.restaurantthree.com) as we had plans to eat there earlier in the year and they had called me to cancel. I was quite upset and the manager, RIA, said she would make it up to me when we decided to come in. She did. We had a top notch meal with great service, a warm welcome, and a huge discount plus the wines by the bottle are 1/2 price on Tuesday!

Benjamin chose the MAC N CHEESE which comes with French Fries; how's that for a carbed up meal? This was no ordinary Mac N Cheese though. It is made with Linguini and Smoked Cheddar and really is a tasty treat. Samuel went for the chicken fingers and fries (surprise!) and both of the boys had a scoop of chocolate and strawberry ice cream each for dessert. They did just fine as we savored our dishes more leisurely.

Will started with the LETTUCE WRAPS which you filled with Slow Roasted Shredded Duck and then spread a yummy BOUBON MOLASSES Sauce on....I could easily retire Hoisin for this delight!

The Rabbi and I split two starters with mine being the TUNA LOLLIPOPS which was a great presentation of gorgeous sashimi tuna chunks on bamboo sticks with Roasted Sesame Seeds over a Seaweed Salad and Soy BBQ Sauce with Wasabi Cream that you could either combine or dip singly with the pops. YUM!

She opted for the BLEI CHEESE CHIPS -homemade thick puffy potato chips with POINT REYES Blue cheese melted, but asked for them to please leave the bacon off. They were the best chips ever and way too decadent to be allowed to try exist, but I will go back for them again!

We had a BELLINHAM CHENIN BLANC 2008 from South Africa that was quite delightful, and moved on to a superb PETER FRANUS Brandlin Vineyard 2005 Napa ZINFANDEL from Mount Veeder that was to die for. Huge flavor, but not too much spice and a monster finish; I am grateful to Ria for recommending we try this!

The main courses were all excellent with the Rabbi choosing the TUNA SALAD with Sesame Crusted Tuna (it was quite like the lollipops), Seaweed, but here a Soy Lime Vinaigrette. Will went for the HANGER STEAK and Roasted Potatoes, Mushroom & Artichoke Ragout and a Demi-Glaze that was a great way to enjoy a medium priced steak for nowhere near what the steak joints charge! My SMOTHERED TROUT was Pan Fried with a super crispy skin and topped with Mussels (sorry, Rabbi), two HUGE Shrimp (sorrier) and a divine Tomato Sauce. All this came over very filling ASIAGO CHEESE GRITS that I managed to almost finish. We tried what was called PECAN PIE for dessert but it was not really pie. It was more of a chocolate graham cracker triangle with a filling of pecan inside that came out way too dry. No worry, next time I return, I will simply order more starters and mains and avoid the desserts or try something else. The deals are great here and the warm soothing decor makes it a great place on a chilly rainy night like it was!