ESTADIO's tapas are a treat (4-14-12)

After taking in a show with Samuel last weekend we headed down the street to ESTADIO (www.estadio-dc.com)at 1520 14th St, NW, where we had tried to get in before, but could not get past the crowds overflowing out the door. It seems that If you go before 630pm or so you CAN reserve at ESTADIO and we did so at 530pm as it was after a 3pm matinee. It worked out perfectly as the place was empty when we arrived. We had a table by the street window with huge leather chairs and the big wooden tables give a "Spanish" feel. Some of the tables towards the rear are high with bar stools, so if you have issues with that--PLAN AHEAD. Also, please note that the single sex restrooms are clean and nice, but be sure to lock the door behind you (the guy before me did NOT)! Will started with the Cherry, Tequila, Shishito Pepper, Lime Slushee and I tried the White Tequila, Apple, Rosemary Sangria. These were both refreshing but come in small glasses and carry larger price tags then their value. Our server Charlie explained the menu and we ordered away. Samuel was to enjoy the HANGAR STEAK which comes with PATATAS a la Riojana and a Valdeon Sauce(Blue cheese-Sam would not eat the two pieces of steak that touched the sauce!) and he wanted just plain fries, so we ordered the side of PATATAS BRAVAS for him which are superd fried Fingerlings with a very spicy tomato aioli--so he asked for another plate which came PLAIN...boy, he is getting touchy these days. The steak was medium rare and superb...he did gobble that up. We decided to try two glasses of white before ordering a bottle of red and the small tumbler glasses say 4.5 ounce pours, but seem smaller. A GODELLO 2010 from Avanthia in Valdeorras was refreshing while the VIURA 2002 (yes that old) Lopez de Heredita from Gravonia in Rioja was full of flavor for its age. We ordered a bottle of La RIOJA ALTA 2001 Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial,but they were out of that and offered a superb SENORIO de P. PECINA 2001 RESERVA from Rioja that had some spice--perfect for all our dishes: SCALLOPS with Roasted Caulfilower and Salbitxada which came seared perfectly and was a divine combo. GRILLED OCOTPUS with Potato-Caper Salad, Pimenton, Garbanzo & Red Pepper Puree treats this fish fine as well. Crispy BRUSSELS SPROUTS come caramelizes with Onions, Pine Nuts & Currants and makes a perfect veggie tapas-side dish. FOIE GRAS SCRAMBLED EGGS with Black Truffle Butter sound better than they are and are way to pricey. It is a large portion, but the foie gras and truffles don't really shine on this "bruschetta" style dish or Montadito. We should have skipped the superb, but way too rich (and we were getting full) though yummy Crispy VEAL SWEETBREADS with Filet(String) Beans, Bacon & Asian Greens. Will ordered a MANCHEGO CHEESECAKE to go with Quince Pistachio and it reminded of a Creme Brulee Cheesecake..... All said--we did have a god time and as we left, the place was full and the line was forming. Perfect meal, perfect timing.

DINO's Passover Feast - a perfect find (4-9-12)

Every year we try to head over to our friend Dean Gold's place DINO (www.dino-dc.com) in Cleveland Park (DC) for his truly superb PASSOVER FEAST. Now don't believe that DINO's serves kosher food; it does not-this is a PASSOVER-style meal, and one of the best around if you are not strict about kosher food and just do not wish to eat leaven on Passover.
The meal is served family style and costs $59 for adults and $24 for kids. A flight of 4 pours (3 oz. each) can be added for $24 per person, which of course, we always do as well. I only wish that DINO's could offer an array of Kosher for Passover wines as well, some are truly a find!
The flight is made up of
La Giaretta "Volpare" Valpolicella 2010
Mazzolina "Terrazze" Pinot Nero from Oltrapo Pavese 2010
San Polo "Rubio" Sangiovese 2009 from Montalcino
Collemattoni Brunello di Montalcino 2205 from Tuscany
They are a great tour of wines, but we needed a bit more and went for the spicy full-bodied Mantane 2010 Primitivo from Puglia that is a wonderful wine on the palate with all foods except maybe light fish dishes in cream!
The meal itself includes Matza, the best White Horseradish around (it has an intense lemony flavor that I love) and two types of Haroset-an Ashkenazi-style and a very sweet Sephardi "ball" made from date, fig and poppy seed that begs to be combined with the horseradish.
Dean's "Better than Ella's" (his mom) Chopped Chicken Liver was a looser style made from organic liver this year with much more flavor, due to marsala instead of Madeira wine. If you haven't had homemade Gefilte Fish, you must try "Jack's Fish Market" served here with some carrots and a dash of red Hawaiian sea salt. A guy sitting next to us was so intrigued he ordered it as his starter and raved as we did!
Spring Salads include a Beet, Fennel & Onion Salad with loads of flavor, Spiced Carrots with a great spice, but not overwhelming and a superb simple Spicy Greens Salad with delish vinaigrette.

We moved on to the Dean's "Better than Ella's" Matzo Ball Chicken Soup and these were indeed excellent (although, I love my fluffy ones at home!). Samuel loved the Matza ball, as he always does and we gobbled ours up in the slightly salty soup that was absorbed by the ball.
The main course is made up of East Coast Mahi-Mahi al Mosaica with a Livorno-style Jewish tradition sauce of Tomato, Garlic, Parsley & Spice. We adore this sauce and await it every year. The Chicken this year was PEtti di Pollo-Breast with Lemon, Mushrooms and Marsala. Dean substituted capers for the mushrooms on Samuel's plate (he has lost his love of mushrooms he had in belgium last summer!) and both dishes were superb, but the mushrooms were indeed the star. The Agnello con aglio verde needed a bit more of the sauce made from Red Wine, Olive Oil and Green Garlic as the Lamb Brisket on the bone was a bit dryish.
All these came with a huge plate of Matzoh Farfel, Sauteed Kales & Sweet Potato Tzimmes (the firm tasty with raisin kind, not the mushy one you grew up with your grandma who had no clue about overcooking!). All were superb and after all this THERE IS STILL Passover-style dessert of a choice of CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTA (intense chocolate with a crust of nuts) or the STRAWBERRY CAKE with SABA which was kind of like a matza-cake served warm with strawberry sauce....think of warm matza-strawberry shortcake without the cream!
It's always fun to have this meal each year and not have to cook at home as well!
Bravo Dino!

Roberto Donna returns and LA FORCHETTA gains fame (4-5-12)

On our last splurge before the Passover regime, we headed around the corner to the newly opened LA FORCHETTA (http://www.laforchettadc.com/), located on New Mexico Ave, NW where Balducci's used to be (next to Chef Geoff). The clean open space is bright and airy with a huge pizza oven at the center where you can watch the team toss the dough in the air. Chef ROBERTO DONNA has taken over the kitchen here and since they only opened this week, I can say it looks like a promising venture for sure.
You should be warned that reservations are taken (starting in mid-April) until 630pm only. We had told the staff we would be 6 people at 7pm, but the place was heaving when we arrived. Leave it to manager Karen, who comes from Galileo III, who easily rearranged the outdoor tables inside to accommodate us with speed.
We sat down to a table with tasty bread that goes beautifully with the various "spread" starters such as Olives, Caponata, Gardiniera Piemontese (a pickled vegetable mix with basil and herbs), Ricotta Crostata and an interesting Prosciutto Spread made with pistachio and balsamic.
A LUIGI BAUDANA 2010 Chardonnay from Piemonte (Chef Donna's home region) is an excellent white for this season and goes very well with so many of the starters such as tasty SALTED COD "Matecato" as well as with the salads(Spinach,Pear & Walnut looked particularly tasty). My PORK BELLY was a large piece of meat (and yes, it has alot of fat, but you could easily separate what you did not want to eat and plenty of crispy meat remained) came with sauteed apples.
Samuel hankered down with the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese that is always a treat, and asked for extra fresh Parmesan grated at the table.
The decor, like the theme her, is simple with slate-like floors, yet the black crystal chandeliers add a nice touch of fine dining as do Chef Donna's main courses. The COD with OLIVES was special and quite tasty, while the whole BRANZINO seemed to have a bit too many bones, although the taste was reported as perfect.
Pizza is a hit here with large tasty pies such as the QUATTRO STAGIONE with the four "seasons" of artichoke, mushroom, ham and olive each occupying a 1/4 of the pie.
We moved on to a superb BARBERA d'ASTI ROCCHE COSTAMAGNA 2009 "Annunziata" that was full bodied enough to work with the meats in the pasta and pizza, but also pair with the fish as well.
My AGNELLOTTI "Gobbi" all'ASTIGIANA was a perfectly made pasta filled with roasted veal and pork in a divine butter-sage-parmesan sauce. Yes, Chef Donna is back and so is his pasta! YAY!

Desserts were nice, but not the stars here with COPPA PRIMAVERA having Chocolate & Coconut Ice Cream with Strawberrys and Savoirdi Cookie with Meringue and Cream. My COPPA RINFRESCANTI was less intense with Lemon and Apricot Sorbets over poached Apricots, almond cream & pizzetti wafer. Zuppa Inglese was a nice variation as well.

We look forward to returning to La Forchetta as it is truly close and a treat as well. Welcome back Chef Donna!

MALA TANG gets my tastebuds goin (Arlington, VA -4-1-12)

Sunday evening we were supposed to meet some friends in Arlington for dinner, but a family emergency precluded their meeting us. We had just returned from Baltimore and had nothing in the house, so we decided to keep our plans and went with Samuel to MALA TANG (www.mala-tang.com) in Arlington at 3434 Washington Blvd near Clarendon. The place offer complimentary (up to 2 hrs) underground parking and it is quite central and a beautiful setting as well with lacquer tables, great service and a super friendly staff that will be happy to explain the individual hot pot concept.
We started with a plate of tasty complimentary pickled veggies (carrots, cabbage and more) that Will & I gobbled up with our SPICY CUCUMBER SAKE MARTINIs, a super drink to start with a spicy crystalized pepper rim on the glass. Sam loved his Shirley Temple.
We started with an order of SPICY COLD NOODLES which even Samuel liked and were some of the best around.
The ZHONG DUMPLINGS (soft, but I think they are steamed and then finished somehow else come 8 to an order which is HUGE with pork, chili oil, green onion & garlic. They need no dipping sauce as they are divine alone. Samuel devoured most of these and insisted on another order as his main course. We also tried the tasty STEAMED PORK BUNS which are really just steamed dumplings.
We thought Sam might enjoy the lightly chili dusted Deep FRIED TOFU and while he did not, we loved them.
We were getting full but decided to order TWO hot pots to share as they can come with either mild or spicy (Mala)broths (the broth can be chicken or vegetarian as well). The hot pots can be ordered a la carte or better yet with a veggie combo and that's a real deal. Our Veggie Combo #1 included the ZHONG GUO or Chinese veggies and these were Lotus Root, Wooden Ear Mushrooms and Napa Cabbage, but I guess they ran out of Lotus and substituted Enoki Mushrooms. We chose the WINE MARINATED BEEF as the protein (you can have a choice of dozens of proteins including many fish items as well as vegetables). The raw beef is marinated in wine tableside and has a bit more taste this way as well. Don't cook the protein more than 30 seconds in the boiling pot as it cooks real fast (the veggies need 2-3 minutes). After cooking you can dip and this is one of the most fun things about Mala Tang, the "dip sauce bar." There are various ingredients on the bar from the expected soy sauce and vinegar to thick beefs sauces, oyster sauces and plum sauces as well as chilis, cilantro, scallions, garlic and more. It is a ton of fun. Samuel realized he could play and created a superb Garlic/soy/scallion mix!
We also ordered an ala carte hot pot of SQUID alone and this was a wonderful treat.
We chose to have one of each of the hot pot broths--Mala and Mild and I would suggest you stick with Mala as it's not too spicy and gives the food more flavor.
A wonderful bottle of MASSIMA MALBEC 2009 works well with the spicy food.
At one point we could not find our server and discovered she had gone to make some amazing complimentary smoothies made of CUCUMBER that was the perfect refreshing foil when the spice get real hot from some of my dipping sauces!
We chose not to order dessert and enjoyed some orange slices and fortune cookies in the true Chinese tradition, but Mala Tang is not your everyday Chinese take-out joint for sure! It's a fun and novel experience that many kids will enjoy as well.

The Chef's Table is tops at Royal Hideaway Playacar Las Ventanas (Riviera Maya,MX-3/24/12)

When I posted yesterday I got several responses asking why I was
writing on my HONEYMOON, as this is our first time away without Samuel
since he was one (and that was for one night!).
Well, fear not, Will is in the spa having a massage, so I have free
time!
I normally would not write about dining spots in ALL-INCLUSIVE resorts
we visit, unless it is of special note.
Well, our night stay here in ROYAL HIDEAWAY PLAYACAR just seconds
south of the town of Playa del Carmen brought us to the luxurious and
beautifully appointed LAS VENTANAS Restaurant at the resort last
night.
After a slightly too sweet Martini of Tequila and Cassis (a novel
combo) we were escorted past the tables and into the holy of holies:
the kitchen. Chef Eugenio Vallafana was our guide and it was a truly
special journey.
The designer here spared nothing creating THE CHEF's TABLE which is a
glass enclosed room (totally comfy and air conditioned) within the
kitchen itself, so we got to see everything but were not sweaty and
hot! There was even a closed-circuit flat screen TV on the wall in
case we wanted a closer view of the prep for each dish on the nearby
marble table which sat grandly in front of the entire spacious and
amazing kitchen. Chef explained this was one of the big pulls that
brought him to the Riviera Maya last year from the west coast and his
home states.

He spoke with us extensively about his background (we asked) as his
concept for the experience: all organic ingredients and local when
possible. Maitre D' Cesar Fonseca poured repeatedly from the bottle of
LUIGI COPPO BRUT an Italian dry sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir.
The bread came and we barely nibbled as we knew what was to come and
had to leave space.
The "Gourmet Appetizer" was really two with a "Silver" Sockeye
(Alaska) Salmon over a Edamame (dehydrated and rehydrated so it was
extra thick)Cream on one side and a Bay Scallop (local) with Masago in
Coconut Cream on the other.
We moved on to "Sensations" which it truly was: FOIE GRAS Ice-Cream
came in two forms-frozen and hot soup. These came of slivered CACTUS,
Xocolatl (Mexican white and dark chocolates) & Fig with dollops of
Tortilla Oil (which actually when tasted alone had a burnt dought
taste with olive oil). It was a fab sensation of flavors and we were
ready for the many roller coasters of sensations our mouths were to
experience all night.

Next came TOMATO FEST!! which was perhaps my favorite dish of the
evening. All local heirloom tomatoes from a peeled cherry to cherokee,
zebra, yellow, Roma and tomatillo in different forms were across
a,long rectangular plate. Heirloom Jelly was made by dehydrating the
tomatoes and was scattered with home made wild and white rice krispies
with dehydrated black olive for a salty touch. An almond foam was on
top of one tomato and edible pansies were scattered around not to
mention baby celery sprouts and a tad of sea salt. Need I say more?

We moved on to a Pallagrelo Bianco Fontanavigne white 2010 from
Campania which was an odd wine alone, but was perfect with the next
courses:

The "Moving" was Pacific Sea Bass (Mexico) over Braised Vegetables
with Jabugo Ham(Spain) and dried shaved Bonito...which when added back
to the moisture in the sauce causes the flakes to dance and wiggle
about. It was scary at first. Dehydrated Kumquats added a punch of
flavor and radish sprouts finished off the superb rich and oh so
divine fish.

The "Spoon" was Chef's version of the traditional Mexican Sopa Lima
(Lime Soup made with Chicken, Lime and Tortilla strips) but here was
based on a DUCK & LIME Soup with Smoked Duck Breast, Roasted Red Onion
& Red Pepper, Epazote, and dehydrated Tortilla Chip Powder. Dried
Chilis and Olive Oil were scattered around the bowl's edge if you
wanted to slide them in for extra spice.

While every dish was superb, there were five star standouts such as
the LOBSTER YUCATAN STYLE. Sadly the lobster was a bit dry in some
sections, but not overdone or bad really, but the prep was blow your
mind with an ACHIOTE Chili Sauce with Garlic, Orange & Orange Peel as
well as a Cirtrus Butter of Orange, Tangerine, Grapefruit & Lime.
There were two tiny SEA ASPARAGUS on the side with a tad of sea salt
that were indeed the highlight of the dish. It was a novelty to eat
these tasty morcels and we had trouble trying to figure out exactly
what they were as well.

TEQUILA TEST!! was a 1/2 way through the meal palate cleanser of Royal
Hideaway's own Reposado Tequila Lime Sorbet with a Stick on the side
to lick on coated with Caramel & Salt. As if one item was night enough
there was an Air-Infused Frozen Flaxseed which passed as a
Deconstucted Maragarita....I can't explain this one at all.

We moved to TEROLDEGO FORADORI 2008 form Alto Adige (also in Italy)
and this light red was specifically paired with the "Hen House" a Wild
Baby Rock Cornish Hen With a divine MOLE that was presented to the
table as a cedar, mesquite, cinnamon & cilantro smoke wafted out from
under the glass domes removed at the same time.

KOBE BEEF Tenderloin was cooked perfectly and served with YUCCA Root
Puree, Vanilla, Fresh Shaved Black Truffles and Black Truffle Cream.
On the side were white and green asparagus with a Black Truffle Paste.
Small Honeydew Leaves were added for variation and they were "hairy"
and fruity but quite the sensation in the mouth.

We had switched to the Dolcetto di DOGLIANI from Cursalet 2209 in
Piemonte which was a nice partner to the mild and tasty beef.

The cheese course consisted of TILSIT (Switzerland) cheese with
Pistachio Sponge that was dipped in an Agave Honey and White Wine
Syrup. I have a note that says Macadamia Fluff...was it with this
course or the next?
The next dessert was Pineapple Chip Roasted with Pineapple Soup, Star
Anise Flan, Dill Gel over Fennel. Now you folks know I am not a
licorice boy and while this was not my favorite dessert, it was
fascinating and tasty and I left not a bite behind.

Soon the entire pastry staff rolled in a huge sculpture that blew our
minds. It had Mayan figures in a temple-like structure made of all
different kinds of chocolates....filtering out from the sides were
levels of different goodies:
Olive Oil Gelee, Fig Paper stuffed with Goat Cheese (oh my), Passion-
Fruit White Chocolates (my favorite) and something else with Bailey's.
We gobbled as much as we could as we tasted a not to great Red Dessert
wine (sorry the name was not on the list I got), but then (as in
Hansel & Gretel) the witch came out and told us that our 4-1/2 hour
journey was over.

In case you are interested, I book the Royal Hideaway regularly and
can surely assist you in getting a reservation at this amazing table
when you use Frosch Travel (our clients get lots of extra goodies as
well!)

EL PIRATA es el mejor ceviche del mundo(3-24-12)Playa del Carmen, Mexico

We stopped in town today for ceviche on the recommendation of the
hostess at one of the restaurants here at the hotel in he Rivera Maya
in Mexico and found a gold mine.
EL PIRATA is a dump of sorts with cute colorful wall murals, blue
plastic tablecloths, a men's room with no toilet seat but the best
ceviche on earth. Perhaps the other dishes we saw such as the fish
tacos and whole crispy fish were also as good, but we oly snacked on
he CEVICHE MIXTO of octopus, fish, shrimp, conch, tomato onion, lime
and cilantro that was mixed to perfection and served with tasty nacho
chips made fresh.
The guacamole was nice, but we added hot suace for a bit of flavor.
Stick to any fish dish here and you have to be happy.
EL PIRATA is located on Calle 40 Norte on the block between Avenida 5
and Avenida 10 (yes the streets are numbered by 5's) and is teeny but
not hard to find if you can count the streets just a mile or so north
of the center of Playa del Carmen.

doin' the delicious at DINO's in DC (3-20-12)

Yes, we go to DINO's in Cleveland Park a lot and there is a reason for
that: we always have a great meal, great wine and a great time.
Last night four of us headed over without the kids for an adult night
out and sat down to some CICCHETTI (snacks) that were some of the best
ever:
UOVA alla DIAVOLA are deviled eggs, but this dish brings new meaning
to the term. Vaudovan Spice Deviled Eggs have Tuscan Pesto, Serigraph
Chile and Anchovy Aioli and will truly excite your palate and your
mind. Try them with a bottle of CECILIA "Zeta del Tucano" Vermentino
from the Island of Elba, Tuscany 2010. It is rich in fruit and
counters the small spices and strong flavors in the foods quite well.
FEGATINI or Tuscan Duck Liver Spread is not your grandma's chopped
liver but a spicier version that melts in your mouth.
Don't miss the creamy divine BURRATA (Pugliese Bufala Cheese shipped
in twice a week; owner/chef Dean Gold was the first to do this in DC)
with Kalamata Olive and Red Pepper Purees and Oven Roasted Tomatoes.

We moved onto a light red Valpolicella "Le Salette" 2009 from Corvina
that was nice with our salads:
DUCK SALAD is Crisp House Confit of Dr. Joe's Duck Leg & Thigh with
Orange, Lime & Anchovy Glaze, Arugula and Ginger Mostarda
it's lighter spring companion salad and just as tasty was the
FRUTTI DI MARE with Mussels, Clams (from Virginia), Grilled Rock
Shrimp, Squid, Bay & Sea Scallops with Arugula and a dressing of
Herbs, White Wine, Sour Cherry Tequila (an homage to cherry blossoms),
Lemon, Lime and Olio.

Did I mention the amazing dining deals at Dino's??
The 3 course dinner is $39 every night and includes:
1)Starter--either one appetizer, two cicchetti, a 1/2 order of pasta
or 2 cheeses
2)Main course or Pasta Main
3)Dessert or 2 cheeses
plus a glass of house infused "Cello" or Moscato
That's a DEAL!

We added a course for everyone to share of the BEET RISOTTO with
Gorgonzola Dolce, Hazelnuts and more. This is a superb dish to share
as an extra if you are super hungry. It is also a great veggie pasta
course as well!

Our main courses were DUCK BREAST, Dr. Joe's Jurgielewicz' Pekin Duck
Pan Seared with Leek & Black Cardamom Reduction and pan Fried Pressed
Gold Yukon Potatoes with local Scallion. It was moist and super and
the
SNAKEHEAD was wrapped with Prosciutto and served in a Saffron Mussel
Stew making it a novel fish to eat here in DC where it has truly
invaded and we need to eat it up!
The SOFT SHELL CRABS were the first of the season and not only are
they early, they are HUGE. Grilled plain with seasoning, Baby Greens
and a House Summer Tomato Essence on the side which was perfect for
dipping those crunchy crab legs in.

A gutsy spicy and cherried Vietti BARBERA d'ALBA 2009 "Tre Vigne" was
great with the dishes that paired well - even the crabs!

We all tried the RASPBERRY-WHITE TEA "cello" complimentary shot and
thought it a bit sweet.
Desserts were the ever-present and superb TIRAMISU, my Sorbetti which
are house made and called, "per Gli Adulti Soltanto"--for adults only.
HONEY TANGERINE & GIN (a tasty smooth and flavorful choice), PEACH &
BOURBON (my least favorite as I like bursts of flavor) and the fully
flavor bursting MEYER LEMON & RUM!
The home made GELATI however were the hit of the table.
Cinnamon would make anyone who dislikes cinnamon into a lover.
PISTACHIO brings new meaning to the nut with regard to fresh flavor,
and the
AGOSTINI CHOCOLATE was perhaps the best chocolate ice cream ever.


Our server Jimmy was a superb as always, making great suggestions and
spacing our meal perfectly.
Another star for DINO's!

Salt & Pepper seems to hold up(Palisades neighborhood DC)2-27-12

We returned to SALT & PEPPER (www.saltandpepperdc.com/) last night with friends to discover that the chefs/manager we met last summer have departed for California. We aren't sure why, but things in the kitchen are not as smooth, although the food is overall still quite good.
Our sever James was certainly quite nice, although a bit aloof. We did have to repeat requests like the kid's Shirley Temples. He was very positive about the new chefs and when I inquired about the fab drinks and wine that the previous team had created, he said they were gone, but replaced with top notch items on the new menu. The burgers are still a main feature here, although the menu items have expanded to fine dining items as well.
The kids had the Burger Sliders with French Fries. Sam asked for the Parmesan fries which he loved and then begged for an extra serving after he was done! The aioli dip for the fries that he adored is, alas, gone.

The yummy bread and focaccia came to the table with a red pepper tapenade spread that Sam (and I) gobbled up as well as roasted garlic cloves in oil that were divine (especially mixed with the tapenade).
I tried the FIERY SWEETNESS made with Hangar One Citron Vodka, Cointreau, OJ, Muddled Jalapeno, Strawberry and a dash of Grenadine. The drink size has been severely reduced from the huge martinis of last year and the taste is nice, but I won't rave. Will had the BIT O' GINGER made from FINLANDIA Grapefruit Vodka, Grapefruit Juice, Honey Syrup, Muddled Ginger and Ginger Beer...which tasted like a sweet grapefruit juice with a punch.

We ordered a bottle of red, and they were out, so James suggested a superb RIGLAS GRAN MALBEC 2006 from Mendoza, Argentina that had lots of flavor, a hint of spice and nice body.

The starter prices tend to be in the mid-teens dollar-wise, but don't be fooled. The POUTINE is a huge portion that could easily make a main course and more. Yukon Gold Potatoes and Sweet Potato Fries make up this dish smothered with DUCK CONFIT, Parmesan & Gruyere Cheeses and Duck Gravy. I will finish more than half of this at home as the week progresses! It is a bit decadent, but a true gem of a dish that could be a signature one if they bill it right.

The CAPRESE Salad was huge as well and our friend said the Burrata was some of the best he has ever had, not to mention the huge red juicy Beefsteak Tomatoes with Rosemary Salt.
SHRIMP DUMPLINGS came in a Gingered Organic Broth with Plum Tomato and Crisp Garlic and were nice.

The main courses of Grilled PORK TENDERLOINS with Creamed SPINACH & Celery Root Puree with Guiness Demi Glace got some raves and the JUMBO LUMP CRABCAKES Special came with two HUGE cakes laden with crab, Sweet & Sour Lentils and Baby Green Beans on the side with a Lobster Sauce. My MAINE LOBSTER ROLL was also huge and the Tarrangon Mayo had a slight bite for taste, but the yummy PRETZEL ROLL had a bit too much coarse salt on it taking away from the tasty chunks of shellfish that flowed out of the sandwich!

The disaster at the table was the SMOKED & BRAISED BRISKET of BEEF that came to Will as dry and bland as could be. The smoking process way overkilled the beef. There were okay Green Beans & Fingerling Potatoes, but the Goat Cheese Custard tasted off and was not even custard-like. It went back to the kitchen promptly and Will replaced it with a starter of the divine POUTINE, which he will also will be able to eat the rest of the week at home!
We looked at dessert menus and then decided we could eat no more and it was late for the kids as well, who behaved brilliantly.
A wonderful evening with friends save for the Brisket!

LOS CUATES cucina con mucho -Georgetown, DC (2-20-12)

The other night we were headed out to dinner and friends (yes, you know who) and oddly ended up dining at LOS CUATES in Georgetown (www.loscuatesrestaurant.com/) on Wisconsin Ave at Q Street. We had been once before and it was fine and deserted. Not so the other night, with one huge group of about 20 on the other side of the room and almost every table full (on a Monday at 6pm!).
We ordered up Samuel's Shirley Temple and our pitcher of Margaritas. There is a bit too much ice in the pitcher, but it lasted for the whole meal giving us multiple refills.
Now I know that Mexican restaurants always serve a ton of food, so I warned Will, but he was feeling GUACAMOLE and I gave in. It's a creamy yummy style with some chunks and the most tasty puffy fried pillow-like chips ever. Samuel started (and ended) with the Chicken QUESADILLA appetizer which came with 6 -1/2 round portions, enough to feed a family for starters; we ended up taking half of it home. They come with pico de gallo, sour cream and guac as well!
Will's main course was the SEAFOOD BURRITO, and enormous portion of shrimp and scallop filling with Veracruz sauce that was super tasty. My POLLO VERDE was a HUGE hit. A huge breast flattened and grilled and topped with an amazing pico de CILANTRO sauce as well as several grilled shrimp. Beans and Rice on the side were just as yummy. The portion was SO HUGE, I took half home as well!
Needless to say there was no room for dessert as we rolled home.
It's one of Georgetown's bargain secrets with great food as well!

MASALA ART makes more awesome impressions (2-11-12)

Saturday night we took our dear friend Erica out for a small birthday celebration along with Samuel.
We chose MASALA ART (www.masala-art.com) at Tenley Circle here in DC as it has one of the most wonderful vegetarian selections and really the best Indian food in town! (Oh, Erica eats fish, but not meat).
It was a cold night, so we choose a bottle of earthy and full bodied FAIRVIEW PINOTAGE 2010 from Paarl, South Africa. In summer, I would probably go with the Rieslings they have, and since the don't offer red Zinfandel on the wine list, this red works with spices for sure.
We made our selections and Samuel started with the Vegetable SAMOSAs and adored the tasty GARLIC & PEPPER NAN so much that he asked if we could order a different one--so we did, and he liked the ROCK SALT & CILANTRO as well, but said the garlic won between the two.
We started with BHELPURI on the recommendation of our charming server, Kuldeep. Will was not thrilled with this dish of Puffed Rice, Chick Peas, fried-like vermicelli, peanuts, onion, mango and cilantro that comes in a taco-like Indian flatbread shell. I enjoyed its lightness, but have to say there are other things on the menu that are better.

Samuel moved on to his main course and it was indeed a brave new world for him as he is not a big sauce guy. Kuldeep said they would make a CHICKEN KORMA even though it is not on the menu, as they do this for lots of kids (of course, korma is on the menu, so it was not a big deal). Samuel adored the creamy sauce and moist chicken.
We chose one seafood dish and it is a big winner here...AJWAINI JUMBO PRAWNS are huge succulent shrimp grilled perfectly with spicy saffron marinade with carom seeds that I just loved to smother the rice with! Our other two dishes were superb veggie choices:
TAWA BINDHI-Okra sesame seed and cumin
and the rich indulgent
LASSONI CORN PALAK an amazing creamed spinach with garlic

We were full but Kuldeep came out with glasses of sparkling wine and a small plate of Ras Malai a sweet cottage cheese dessert with lemony citrus tones and a birthday candle! A perfect way to end a perfect meal.

Chef JEFF TUNKS takes us to the top at a private dinner (2-7-12)

Each year Food & Friends invites its major donors to a private dinner
cooked in their facility in NE Washington. This year I chose the
dinner cooked by Chef JEFF TUNKS, who is a well known fixture here in
Washington one third of the Passion Food Hospitality Group where he
oversees DC Coast, Ceiba, Acadiana, Passion Fish, Distict Commons and
Burger Tap & Shake (http://www.passionfoodhospitality.com/
passion_food.html) as well as the late Tan Penh. Joining Chef Tunks
was Executive Chef Chris Clime (who is at the helm in Reston's Passion
Fish) making a dream team for any cooking event.
On arrival we were treated to superb mini CRAB CAKES, some of the most
divine DEVILED EGGS each with a small upright piece of crisp bacon and
SHORT RIB SLIDERS each with a mini-pickle on top. I could have made a
meal of these, but was forewarned that the dinner menu was intense.
After raving to both chefs about the passed hor's d'oevres, we sat
down in the Food & Friends kitchen to a truly mouth-watering meal with
some truly tantalizing tastes!

First came a creamy rich heavenly Roasted BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE with
Kaffir Lime and TONS of Butter Poached LOBSTER. At the end of the
meal, I complemented the chefs on their excess of tasty tender lobster
easily beating our one measly piece of shrimp in the Lobster Bisque at
Blue Fin in NY the other night!
Domaine de Cassagnoles 2010 Vin de Pays de Cotes de Gascogne was a
citrus-infused wine with lots of acidity that complemented the soups
creaminess and brought out the lime even more.

Next came a GRILLED OCTOPUS with Baba Ganoush, Toasted Coriander
TZATSIKI and Pomegranate. These flavors mingled on the plate and
totally wowed everyone at our table for sure. The octopus was tender
and the bursting flavor-crunch of the pomegranate was an added treat.
Chateau Riviere La Coste Graves Blanc 2010 was a smoother white with
lots of flavor that I chose to drink alone later as well.

The main course was a PORCINI Crusted HALIBUT with Yukon Gold
Potatoes, OXTAIL and Black Truffle Jus. The Potatoes were pureed and
the jus drizzled around them for more flavor, while the Oxtail was a
small rich patty with tones of flavor. Some of the folks at our table
had never had oxtail before and truly were amazed by its burst of rich
meaty flavor. I would have liked a red wine, but the white served
Domaine Alary Cotes du Rhone-Villages CAIRANNE La Font d"Estevenas
Blanc 2009 was a very rich creamy wine with (according to the
description) "Cavaillon melon flavors+ which I have never even heard
of!

Dessert was a CHOCOLATE PRALINE BOMB which I limited myself to simply
one bite of as it was oh so rich, albeit divine. The nice fruit and
caramel sauces were worth an extra finger taste of as well.

While this event is limited to major donors, you could always head to
DC Coast or Passion Fish for similar tasty seafood dishes like these!

Cedric is a sure spot for hefty Harlem brunch in NYC (2-5-12)

We spent Sunday with a friend who lives up in Harlem and the truth is
the restaurant scene is really hopping there.
We headed to the newly opened CEDRIC (185 St. Nicholas Ave.;
212-866-7766) at 119th Street, which is a clean open space with
exposed brick, blond wood tables and floor to high ceiling windows and
huge portions as well.
There are many options and almost all come with tasty frites, as this
is French bistro style food.
Samuel's Blueberry Pancakes with Bacon & Scrambled Eggs are french fry-
less, so he picked off other's plates and ate only the pancakes which
he loved.
EGGS BENEDICT was a happy choice with perfectly cooked eggs as were
the EGGS NORWEGIAN (the same with Smoked Salmon). Ham & Cheese Omelet
got high marks and there are lots of burgers with the HAMBURGER a
CHEVAL having a runny fried egg atop.
MUSSELS come in many styles and the THAU version is with a light
creamy Ginger Lemon Grass broth that I could not resist mopping up
with the crusty sourdough bread.
The HAUTES COTES de BEAUNES 2007 Clos de Perriere from Domaine
Sebastein Magnien is a reasonably priced lighter style Burgundy that
is great for brunch as well.
The 7 of us schmoozed and dined leisurely and loved every minute and
every bite!

back at BLUE FIN in NYC's Times Square (2-4-12)

On Saturday night we took Samuel to the fabulous production of
Anything Goes on Broadway with the truly illustrious and lustrous
Sutton Foster. Prior to the show we dined at my old favorite, BLUE FIN
(www.bluefinnyc.com) in the W Hotel Times Square. The food is still
great, but the place seems to be noisier; perhaps because it was a
Saturday between shows, or maybe I am getting older and more sensitive
to the noise?
We ordered up a bottle of Chablis "Vieilles Vignes" 2009 from Domaine
Bernard Defaix that had a nice smokiness to it and was quite tasty
with two of our starters, the Maine LOBSTER BISQUE with Tarragon
Spaetzle and Shrimp. I think Lobster Bisque should really have
LOBSTER, and at that, only one small piece of shrimp was evident. The
bisque, however, was creamy and divine and the spaetzle an added
treat. The Grilled OCTOPUS Salad is a winner with Toasted Pumpkin
Seeds, Wheat Berries, Apple, Butternut Squash and Brown Butter
Vinaigrette which is more buttery than dressing-like.
Samuel chose the kid's menu penne with butter and parmesan and went
for the huge dessert portion of fresh baked BROWNIE...that looked
scrumptious.
We adults moved on to a MONTAGNY 1er Cru 2009 from J.M.Boillot that
was quite nice as well with our fish courses:
Maryland Blue Crab Empanadas with Cilantro, Salsa (there were two-red
tomato and tomatillo) & Avocado
Sesame Crusted Bigeye TIUNA with Crisp Vegetables, Lo Mein Noodles and
Ginger Soy and my
excellent American RED SNAPPER with Chanterelles, Cauliflower, Apple,
Smoked Bacon, Capers & Arugula that had a perfectly crisped skin to
boot.
While Will indulged on the Chocolate Graham Cracker S'MORES with
Passion Fruit Marshmallow and Butter Pecan Ice Cream (substituted for
Cinnamon), I thought the $8 three choice cheese plate was perfect with
SunDried Tomato Breadsticks, Fruit bread, two jellied fruit spreads
and caramelized onions. I chose the
Roth Kase Grand Cru GRUYERE-sharp and tasty
Black River BLUE-not too intense (both of these from Wisconsin)
and the Georgia Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill (sheep?)
On the side was a watermelon and grape shooter as a palate cleanser
which was a nice touch.
The service was excellent and we all enjoyed a truly superb time back
in NY after quite a while.

Tantalizing tasting of wines and "tapas" is delicious at DINO's (1-30-12)

Each year DINO's offers up a number of charity auction items through the generosity of proprietor Dean Gold. Back in 2010, we purchased this tasting of wines with small plates and invited some friends; needless to say we had a fabulous time. They liked it so much, they purchased the item at last November's Signature Chefs benefiting March of Dimes. While this is offered at auctions, you can always contact DINO's and arrange for an event like this privately at any time!
We sat down and immediately started to gobble up the tasty bread as our friendly and attentive server, Jimmy, brought out the first "round" of drinks.
ROYAL RUMBLE SAZERAC is made with a fig-infused liquor called Balcones Rumble along with St. George Absinthe, peach bitters and cinnamon syrup. It's an intense herb-filled experience and oddly, the absinthe's licorice flavor did not bother me (I don't like licorice).
It was served with a drink called OLD MAN and the C (a play on cranberry) concocted from house cranberry & grapefruit infused Plymouth Gin, Pritchard's cranberry Rum, grapefruit juice, house cranberry syrup, fresh ginger, grapefruit and orange bitters. It was a refreshing drink that was fairly sweet and gone quickly; a pleasing aperitif on it's own.
The first two "plates" that arrived soon after were soups: WILD MUSHROOM was divine and made from Hedgehog, Black Trumpet, Yellowfoot Chanterelles and some local green garlic. It had a slight spice punch from soup grape powder! We all raved. The LENTIL SOUP with Cotechino & Very Strong Gorgonzola was not that strong and also quite tasty. It's earthiness worked well with the Royal Rumble as well.

The next round moved onto two slightly sparkling wines:
LAMBRUSCO EMILIANA VENTURINI a very light red and
CALATRONI "Unico Rose" a Pinot Grigio based sparker that was quite fruity.
These light wines worked well with the several dishes that we also gobbled up:
House Spiced ALMONDS
WILD BOAR PATE with Ginger Mostarda and divine Pickled Red Onions
FEGATINI (duck liver spread)
DUCK CRACKLINGS which were huge fitter-like deep fried duck pieces (I managed to get what I thought was a neck, but it turned out to be a duck "tuchus" -that's bum for those who don't understand Yiddish!)
BRUSSELS SPROUTS with PORK BELLY & Old Balsamico was a super preparation as well
but it was the
PUNTARELLA that blew everyone away. A simple "salad," if you will, made from Asparagus Chicory (bulblike greens) with great flavor and an ANCHOVY Dressing.


The next group of wines were both young and oh so different garnering many remarks after Dean's extensive and informative explanation:
MARCARINI d'ALBA 2010 from Piemonte is a very light Nebbiolo that is ready to drink now and
BEGALI "Ripasso" 2009 VALPOLICELLA is a bit heftier and went superbly with the
CANELLONI TWO WAYS--a beef made from Pot Roast and a Wild Mushroom from Hanshimeji, Beach, Trumpet, King Oyster, Shitake & Cremini tubers. The earthiness of the mushrooms really paired with the Nebbiolo.

The final plates for the program were Two Goat cheeses:
Bottera Capra Cremosa with black truffles--YES!!!
and Carr Valley Billy Blue, a crumbly salty lighter blue from Wisconsin
The wines were PORTO del VENTO an earthy red by ISHAC made from Nero d'Avola and
St. Paul's "Gries" 2009 from Alto Adige made from Lagrein grapes.

Some folks still wanted dessert, so an array of various choices followed (I did not taste or keep track), but indulged in two more cheeses!
Capriole "Julianna" goat from Indiana which was nice and LIVELY RUN Goat Dairy "Cayuga Blue" from NY that I adored. Some pickled ginger on the side was an interesting touch, but not my favorite thing with these cheese. there were more of those fab spiced almonds though!

We left knowing that DINO's is always a place to go for fun, great food, amazing wines and more!

don't pass on POSTE! (1-28-12)

As I mentioned just over a week ago, POSTE Moderne Brasserie in the Hotel Monaco in the Penn Quarter was a real treat on Restaurant Week. We had such a good time we returned Saturday night with Samuel and friends after we all took in a matinee of the exhilarating Broadway musical, "Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the Shakespeare Theater.
We ordered a bottle of wine from the bar as we waited for our table (the show was over earlier than we expected) and they were out of the Chinon we chose and brought a better one for the same price. The Cabernet Franc based wine CHINON 'Les Petites Roches" '08 comes from Charles Joguet and is a nice sipping wine with not a lot of body or intensity. At the table, we moved on to a Spanish Granacha 2009 from Ribera del Jiloca called "Xiloca" which was light yet loaded with jam and pepper notes; it was so good, we had two bottles!
Samuel ordered the rib eye with truffle frites and loved it and gobbled down those buttered salted Parker House rolls as well.
Will and I enjoyed a 1/2 dozen tasty Old Salt Oysters with a superb vinaigrette while our friends tasted the Cheese plate.
Starters were a gooey (Comte) cheesy FRENCH ONION SOUP, BEET Mache with Orange Vinaigrette, Pecans and Goat Cheese and my excellent STEAK TARTARE with gaufrettes potato chips (Sam liked these too), black Garlic Aioli and a raw Quail egg atop. It only needed a dash of ground pepper.
Main courses were the tasty TROUT MARGEURY made with fresh N. Carolina trout, shrimp and served in a lemon oyster sauce. The VEAL BLANQUETTE didn't get raves, but I thought it tasted good with braised breast, crispy sweetbreads, creamy Anson Mills polenta, chanterelles, pearl onions and carrot salad. The sauce was heavy, but the chanterelles were a big hit.
My BANGERS were made with Coriander and Orange Roasted Morteau Sausage with a Pomme Puree, Spinach and a Sauce Charcuterie; everyone loved this tasty dish-perfect for a cold winter night (oh--it was in the 50's!).
Our most pleasant server Helene proffered the last wine choice to John (a manager?) who recommended the SAMSARA SYRAH from SANTA RITA Hills 2007 "Ampelos Vineyard" that was heavenly. Again we got a break as the Syrah we were looking at was sold out as well...this can be a good thing! The wine was a big velvety treat.

We knew that our friend Chef Dennis would be away, but the kitchen was in the excellent hands of his next in charge- Chef John- whom we had met years ago at the Morrison Grill in Alexandria and kept the great food coming then as well. He sent out a perfectly balanced small plate of MONOCACY ASH Cheese with sliced HoneyCrisp Apples and Apple Butter that was light and impressive.

Desserts were few as we were full:
CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL TORTE with Coffee Ice Cream is intense, but the salt and caramel really take on the rich dark chocolate. FIGGY PUDDING with Steamed Walnuts, Guinness Ice Cram and Eggnog Sauce seemed to be enjoyed as well.

Don't ever pass on POSTE....it's worth a trip!

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

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

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

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

Hope your Restaurant Week was as tasty as ours!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--

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

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

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

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

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

--

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


--

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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