PENN COMMONS offers a plum of an experience in DC's Penn Quarter(opened yesterday!)(8-2-14)

Saturday night we were invited to the mock service at Washington's newest hot dining spot. The owners of DC Coast/Ceiba/Acadiana/Fuego/PassionFish/District Commons and more opened PENN COMMONS yesterday next door to the Verizon Center at 700  6th St, NW and I am confident it will be one of DC's busiest spots starting now!

The restaurant is down several steps and is one large room with a bar at the center. Sadly the stone floor and unfinished ceilings do make for a noisy setting. We really did not need the TV's over the bar on as well as the music (although I did catch the Yankees beat the Red Sox!). Our booth was cozy and comfortable and the clouded and clear glass surrounding us allowed glimpses of the street.

Our server, Melaku, always had a smile and was there at every moment to satisfy our requests. The Passion Food team has always gotten great help and it shows here as well. He took our drink order and brought out a loaf of the Hot Pretzel Baguette with Beer Mustard Butter that is requisite at District Commons (there are similarities in the menu, but this is no clone!).

 

I had a Pony Express with Smirnoff Vodka, Stirring's Ginger Liqueur, Ginger Ale, Lime Juice & Lime which was refreshing and cool. Will ordered the Penn Collins and asked if it was sweet. Melaku thought it was, but he said the bartender told him it was not. When it came, it was cloying and of course within seconds, Will had a martini instead.

Starters are varied and Will ordered the PULLED PORK HAND Pies which are two empanadas with Carolina (mustard-base) sauce full of juicy meat and really filling. I had the divine and cool GOLDEN TOMATO GAZPACHO with Crab and Cucumber Relish. It was most refreshing on a hot evening. Samuel decided to do the DAILY "PICK 3" which allows you to choose three items from a group of about 8 which are then presented in 3 adorable mason jars on a wooden board.

His least favorite was the House Made Pimento Cheese as he generally does not like soft cheeses or spreads, but bravo for him for experimenting. The Char Roasted EGGPLANT with Pesto & Toasted Pine Nuts was like a BabaGhanoosh on crack and we all loved the flavors, but Sam fell in love with the Hand Cut STEAK TARTARE with Siracha Aioli. The aioli was mild and a bit more spice would have been nice, but he was very generous and shared this delicacy which he declared to be his new favorite.

Our white wine was a Pearmund Viognier 20111 Vincroft Vineyard from Virginia which was great with all these different flavors and tastes. We moved on to a Matchbook 2010 Tempranillo from Dunnigan Halls which had some spice and guts and went brilliantly with our two spicy mains: Korean Grilled Rack of "PORK CHOP" with Quick Kimchi, Crispy Rice and Spicy KBBQ Sauce which was a dream dish as was the Crispy Tempura SOFT SHELL CRABS with Green papaya Salad, Cashews and a spicy Chili-Lime Dressing. Sam went simpler with the Grilled Creekstone Farms Skirt Steak with French Fries and a Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce, which we slathered all over the crispy perfectly cooked meat with a small Obligatory Green Salad.

The wine list here is nice with just under 50 choices and many by the glass, but you can really go for the beers which include over 80 beers/stouts/ales/etc including ones with names like

Hebrew David Slingshot Hoppy Rye

Shipyard Monkey Fist

Flying Dog/Raging Bitch

If you need help, ask for Travis the beer expert.

 

For dessert we chose the Mini Oatmeal Cookie Pies with Blueberry Lemon Mousse as well as a

Warm Fudge Cake(very rich) with Passion Fruit Ice Cream

Both were yummy and we went home happy and fulfilled knowing that there is a wonderful new spot in the Penn Quarter that indeed is NOT common.

 

DINO's Grotto in Shaw is open for business and better than before (7-27-14)

Our friend Dean Gold who owned Dino's in Cleveland Park may have closed this winter, but he reopened with a bang at DINO's GROTTO in Shaw at 1914 Ninth Street, just below U St and it's even better than before.

We went with several friends and Samuel on Sunday night and everyone had a superb time with excellent service from Hope and the wonderful hospitality from the owners that everyone always experiences.

Downstairs is THE GROTTO or bar, and up a half flight of steps is a large airy dining room with composite/linoleum like tables, brick walls, Venetian watercolors and a beautiful encased quilt on the wall towards the rear.

It's simple, not too noisy, even when full, and very cozy.

Samuel was feeling uninspired and ordered the Garlic & Oil Spaghetti and really did not want to taste anything else. He did ask for some tomato sauce to put on the spaghetti, but I have to say I think our son is reverting into a bore when it comes to dining out!

We started with a Vignetti Massa herbaceous "Timorasso" 2010 from Piemonte which we loved wit all the varied starters we passed around:

CARCIOFI alla GIUDIA which were awesome deep fried baby artichokes with silk road spices, lemon & black salt.

SQUASH BLOSSOMS in season (yay) which are griddled with herbed ricotta, house summer tomato essence with a bit of a spicy kick

I had ordered PICKLED RAMPS & LOCAL GREEN BEANS along with my main coarse but am so happy that Hope brought them with the appetizers since they packed a real pickle punch and would have overwhelmed my entrée.

 

Will tried the half portion of CHECCA-a local heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, abundant garlic, black pepper, basil occhipinti, olio on spaghetti.

And I went the route of Charcuterie which was oh so rewarding with a plate of

PICKLED LAMB TOUNGUE (Border Springs) with Anchovy Salsa Verde which was tender and tasty

"CORNED BEEF" -19 day spice-brined beef (Shenandoah Valley Co-op) with horseradish, caper & mascarpone cream -your grandma never made it like this!

SHROOMS & PORK with Hazelnut, ginger mostarda that was also divine.

There are other meat and cheese options making this antipasto of protein a big plus on my menu choices every time.

 

By this time we had switched to a ZIDARICH "Teran" or Terrano grape KASRTS 2009 from Fruili near Slovenia which does indeed have that limestone characteristic from the karst topography, even though the wine is fairly light in depth.

For the main course we could not resist the SOFT SHELL CRABS which were grilled with summer tomato sauce and served with roasted new potatoes coated with yummy herbs. It made me glad to be back in DC as we have missed these treats so much.

 

For dessert Will went choco crazy for the TORTA AL CIOCCOLATO with walnut crumble, Valrhona chocolate ganache and whipped cream which he instantly asked to be switched for vanilla gelato!

I adored my less indulgent PEACH PARFAIT which had fresh baked spiced peaches with house granola and a dash of whipped mascarpone to hold it all together almost like a breakfast parfait. YUM!

It took us several months since Dino's Grotto opened in Shaw, but it won't take that long for us to go back!

Cooperstown's ALEX & IKA is still good, but becoming a bit of a bore (7-21-14)

Our last night in Cooperstown was at our regular place we have followed for decades, ALEX & IKA (http://www.alexanderspicnic.com/#/alexandikarestaurant/) located downtown on Main Street.

Over the years since they moved from Cherry Valley to Cooperstown, the menu has stagnated a bit, and there are not too many new items, so we tend to get a bit bored.

Samuel stuck with his PORK POTSTICKERS and wouldn't even touch the Seaweed Salad (which was yummy) or the Wasabi Mayo, so this was already a bad choice for his variety in meal consumption.

We started with the wonderful Ika's Swedish Martini made from lingonberry, lime, aquavit and vodka and Will had the Monster Margarita, which was a bit too orange for moi!

Sesame Noodle Salad is always good here with Udon, Arugula, Cucumber, Toasted Peanuts, Carrot, Ginger, Kimchee, Sweet tamari and Ginger Oil. I chose to have this and another superb starter, the Seared LittleNeck Clams which was fine for me. Will opted for the  Fish Tacos which is a huge portion in itself followed by a steak. Our guest went for the Sweet Plantain & Goat Cheese Salad with kalamata olives, Gremolata & Balsamic Glaze followed by the Thai Coconut Curry with fried shallots, scallions and cilantro, a true veggie delight. Even the wine list has dumbed down to about a dozen bottles and we had the same Concannon Petite Sirah as last year, but this time it was 2012 vintage,

I think next time we may move over to Cherry Valley and try the RED HEN  or ROSE & KETTLE as these have been stalwarts in the nearby town for years that we haven't been to.

 

coming back to Cooperstown (NY)-the BLUE MINGO always makes for a magnificent feast (7-20-14)

We've been here at the Glimmerglass Festival for several days, but this year we enjoyed the superb Glimmerglass Patron events in the house catered by the excellent Horned Dorset Primavera.

Last night was our first night "out" and we returned to the casual, yet excellent, Blue Mingo right on the lake, where Samuel immediately befriended a mother duck and her six ducklings, whom he later managed to sneak some oyster crackers to!

The Cosmos here are yummy and even with the tiniest martini glasses ever, but at least you get a small carafe with multiple refills.

The Chateau Routoas Rose was dry and crisp and excellent with the may starters we decided to share.

Golden Potstickers with chicken, lemongrass & soy broth were crispy and tasty and Sam insisted on having his own whole bowl of six, not to mention stealing one from the other order!

Moody Blues are the best sliced and baked potatoes slathered with blue cheese, green onion and the most yummy balsamic reduction.

Pork Belly Lollipops are divine --crispy and tasty skewered on a slab of fresh pineapple with golden pineapple salsa, magnificent mango sambal (not too spicy) and  roasted red pepper jam. These new creations win the starter prize for sure.

Coconut Shrimp are also tasty and crisp.

Sam ordered the 14 oz. NY strip steak but was already full, so this is going home for eating later as it was a tasty piece with a five cheese sauce, potato lunette (a huge duchesse style slab of layered potato, cream and crispy top), stewed zucchini and chimichurri drizzle.

We moved on to a wonderful Laboure-Roi Vallon d'Or Pouilly Fuisse which was perfect with the excellent Soft Shell Crabs that 3 of us had. There were three smallish but tasty crabs from Maryland with a pesto sauce and a large fontina cheese tuile filled with a cold lemon and parsley pasta salad with balsamic syrup. I've missed these treats.

The chef here is Asian and offers up a super Penang Curry with chicken, shrimp, meat or vegetarian and one of our guests loved the latter. The Osso Buco had to be the size of a trailer truck and left plenty to take home was well.

Desserts were okay and nice, but no major home runs:

Coconut Pound Cake (with or without raspberry sauce)

Carrot Cake

Peanut Butter Fudge Chocolate Cake

Key Lime Custard and

my Mango Mud Pie with Oreo Crust and Toffee Ice Cream seemed to be missing much of the toffee crunch.

Our server Nathan seemed to be new and wasn't there to pour the wine as often as we would have liked, but he was super sweet with Sam as he teaches 6th grade, which is where Sam heads in just over a month.

A wonderful night of fun and food with friends is always a treat.

The last night in Oregon:NATIVE FLORA Wine dinner in the Dundee Hills does an awesome job (7-13-14)

For our last night we had planned to return to a restaurant we ate at 14 years ago on our previous visit to the Willamette Valley, but our hosts at the B&B quickly convinced us otherwise, and graciously asked us to join them at a relatively new winery atop the Dundee Hills just minutes away. Native Flora is owned and run by a wild and crazy, but oh so fun couple, and the food was provided by Chef Jody Kropf of Red Hills Market where we had gotten some amazing sandwiches for lunch earlier that day.

We arrived to the gorgeous home at the top of the hills with magnificent views and later a spectacular sunset over the coastal mountains. It was a night to be remembered.

To drink we started with an amazing Jolly Rancher Rose that is made from a rare blend of Pinot Blanc & Pinot Noir and apparently smells like the candy of the same name during the fermentation! To eat we had Endive with Briar Rose Chevre/Walnut/Scallion and Watermelon Radish.

It was, however, the Wood-fired Diver Scallops win a Pinot Blanc/Orange sauce that made us all wild. It was served with the Native Flora Pinot Blanc which was the same wine used to cook them as well. Chef Jody has a "food truck" that he can drive around with his own wood-fired oven that is awesome for catering and we enjoyed every bite.

 Next came a wondrous Preserved lemon, shaved fennel, toasted hazelnuts, summer greens salad with Wood fired crostinis with local olive oil and sea salt, which was nice but the amazing Wood fired sweet onion tart & herbed heirloom tomatoes was another true treat from this roving oven and chef. we had moved on to 2010 First Time Pinot  which was I  I chose  the wood-fired roasted wild Chinook salmon  w/corn suckatash, although chicken was an option and we enjoyed more Pinots, this time called JAGUAR 2010 and later I recall, the unreleased 2012. We even had a Riesling that had not yet even been named and could not be sold!

Dessert was a wonderful Chocolate, hazelnut, red wine and chevre torte - warmed in the oven and served with crushed hazelnuts and local honey and while I am not a chocoholic, the goat cheese truly made this dish sublime.

We had more wine, more fun and only left after we made a purchase from this fabulous ne

Newburg's (Oregon) The Painted Lady loads on lovely luscious cuisine (7/12/14)

By now you know we can't resist a tasting menu, and if you hit Oregon's wine country you can not miss the tasting menu only place about , The Painted Lady (www.thepaintedladyrestaurant.com), located in cute old two-storey Victorian home in downtown Newburg.

We liked the simplicity and superb service from everyone from ever, although Ty was our awesome lead server. Within minutes of being served we ordered cocktails and they were fun here with Will having a Blood Orange Cosmo and me trying the tasty refreshing (after another full day of wine tasting in the 90+ heat) Sake One made with Sake One, Domaine Canton, cucumber & Peychaud bitters.

A selection  of treats arrived with fried  chickpeas in tamarind (Will's favorite), Edamame Hummus on a tasty crunchy herby Papadam,  and Potato Samosas with Cucumber Raita there were described as spicy, but not so. I asked if the chef had Indian leanings, and was told it was a worldly menu....

Here the tasting menu at $85 is the only choice, and we even took the Foie Gras add-on as well as the wines accompanying for an additional $65. It was a wonderful journey.

 

The Amuse was a simple Hamachi Crudo wrapped around Watercress Salad with tiny melon spheres, cucumber mint puree, a slice of grapefruit and puffed rice along with locally grown on the coast wasabi (which was much more like fresh horseradish). The flavors were wondrous and the rice crunch was nice. Chartogne-Taillet, Cuvee Ste. Anne Champagne was a yeasty one with lots of bubbles made from both chardonnay and pinot noir and getting 3 years in the bottle.

 

My favorite dish of the evening was the Miso Custard with Dungeness Crab, Enoki & Beech Mushrooms, Nori, Edamame, and Pickled Beet in Dashi Broth. It is an ingenious creation, that could only be improved upon with Maryland crab; but more on that later. The 2013 Trisaetum Ribbon Ridge Dry Riesling was fine for me, but slightly off dry for Will and replaced with a drier German version. I am loving these wines even more having driven over Ribbon Ridge that morning and seeing all the grapes I know and love.

 

Chevre filled Spinach Agnolotti were next with English Peas & Coulis, Tendrils, Pamesan Reggino and generous shavings of Italian black truffle. The 2010 Evening Land "Mad Hatter" Chardonnay gets one year in new and old oak barrels, but has overtones of grapefruit for Will and limestone for me. The winery is from South Willamette near Salem, but Sonoma-based....

 

Foie Gras was a torchon with sea salt and gooseberries in a bacon balsamic reduction along with a seared version in maple demi-glace on brioche with roasted fig, blueberry and chervil. WOW. The Willakenzie Late Harvest Pinot Gris 2009 that I wanted to try from Yamhill-Carlton didn't even compare with the awesome 1986 Chateau Laferey-Perugeuy (I can never spell this amazing Sauternes)!

 

The next two courses had choices, so we each ordered one and split them making even more courses for our journey. The Heirloom Tomatoes came with house made curds, Polenta Fries, Black Garlic, Pine Nuts and Basil Seeds & Coulis. The 2020 De Ponte Dundee Hills Pinot Noir had balanced acidity and plenty of fruit for both of the dishes. The winner here was the Golden Oregon Halibut on butternut squash puree with hazelnut crumble, roasted cauliflower and carrots, Pinot Gastrique and house made bacon. my oh my.

This came with pretzel bread-my oh my.

 

The main course of Slow Roasted Wild Chinook Salmon with Romesco Puree, Braised Leeks, Cauliflower CousCous, Golden Raisins & Mostarda explains why we shun salmon in the east and gobble it up in the Pacific NW. It was paired with a superb Burgundy Pinot 2011 Catherine and Claude Marechal Savigny Les Baunes, Vieilles Vignes which was nice, but I was just wishing for more Oregon Pinot. More on that later, too. Halfway through the main course, Will & I switched plates and wines to the Beef Two Ways:Dry Aged pan seared NY Steak & Braised & Glazed Short Ribs on potato puree with caramelized onion and sunchoke puree. There was also a small tiny sous vide potato sphere (which honestly tasted boiled to me) and a pretty crisp ferris wheel like giant round potato crisp. It was paired perfectly with a slightly too young, but well decanted 2009 Renato Ratti Marcensasco Barolo which I would love to revisit in 5 years!

The Artisan Cheese dish was Belgian Sainte Savoie raw cow with Dijon Mustard & Crouton, Red Pepper Marmalade and Cucumber Julienne which was nice and again, I yearned for the local superb cheeses in multiples :-))

Oregon Blueberry Sorbet (or was it Granita as on the menu) was a super palate cleanser with Lemongrass Tapioca!

Again there was a choice for desserts, but before this the chef was making the rounds and in chatting with Chef/Owner Allen Routt we indeed discovered many single degrees of separation. Before coming to Oregon he hailed from Virginia and had a stint at The Inn at Little Washington, but even closer to home opened Jean-Louis Palladin's Pesce in Dupont Circle decades ago, where I must have met him for sure! He explained to us that his mantra was to use international cuisine with true ingredients from that place, hence the truffles form Italy for the pasta, cheese from France and wines from all over to give a true international flavor to the menu. I asked why then did he not use Maryland Crab in his amazing Miso Custard, and he said that he would be burned for heresy in Oregon if he did that :-)).

He's a fine chef and runs a top notch establishment, so I'll indulge him the Dungeness.

Will chose the Graham Cracker Hot Donut Holes with Milk Chocolate Semifreddo, Latte Jelly, Milk Granita and grated Espresso which were yummy, but I was glad I went with the much lighter and totally Local Cherries(I think they were Ranier-which were pitted yet still on their stem!), Cherry Ice Cream, Almond Cake, Almond Brittle and Candied Rose Hips and Rose Hip Puree.

The wine was a Bodegas Cesar Florido Moscatel Pasas which was cloyingly sweet sherry and while a wonderful after-dinner drink perhaps a bit too sweet along with the desserts. Just my opinion.

Mignardises arrived in the form of Salted Caramels, Chocolate/Peanut Butter/Pretzel Squares, Earl Grey Macaroons with Chocolate filling and Pinot Gelees. They were all superb and sent us home oh so happy...

The Joel Palmer House gets high marks espeically for mushrooms in Dayton, Oregon (7-11-14)

We arrived the next evening at our amazing B&B in the Willamette Valley and fell in love all over again, as we had not been here in almost 14 years. Two wine tastings and a long drive from the south filled our day of discovery, but we had no clue what was in store for us in one of Oregon's newest and most highly acclaimed dining spots.

We keep saying how nice the people are in Oregon and it's really an understatement; they are downright warm and loving.

Our arrival at this historic house (built in 1857 by pioneer Joel Palmer) turned restaurant in 1996 was odd as the place was heaving and we could not seem to find anyone running the desk. It was short-lived, although their approach to multi-server serving (is that the term) often leaves a wine glass unfilled or something lacking. While the service is attentive and friendly, we just wanted to have our glass filled or something simple like that. That said, we chose the blow your mind Mushroom Madness Tasting Menu for $80 (when you read on you will think, how can they do this for $80?)

We ordered from Paul, who seemed to disappear halfway through the meal, but Andrea the sommelier was always at hand to help. They don't do wine pairings but she suggested two local Pinot Noirs which she felt would truly complete the mushrooms and flavors of the menu:

Joel Palmer House 2008 Cuvee is made by Mark Huff and comes from his Stag Hollow Vineyard in the nearby Yamhill-Carlton AVA. I love the fact that everyone in the Valley (and virtually every tasting room) uses quality Riedel Pinot Noir glasses as well. The wine was superb and paired perfectly with the first courses. The second Pinot was Ken Wright, one of our favorite winemakers, and here we had the 2012 Abbott Claim Vineyard also from Yamhill-Carlton. Andrea decanted the wine for over an hour, which was a smart move, as it is so young and quite big.

The meal began with an amuse trio of Carrot tartare with pickled black trumpet mushroom, Beet Tartare with Truffle Oil (made in house from Oregon truffles, which we purchased to bring back home) & Rosemary, and a divine orgasmic Mushroom Risotto called Jack's (named for the chef's father who opened the restaurant) Wild Mushroom Risotto and truly memorable due the foraged by hand mushrooms (the chef and family and friends do this for all their mushrooms) with Oregon White Truffle Oil and Romano style goat cheese. What a change from the previous night's mediocre block of rice.

The first course on the menu was Joe's (named for the chef's ancestor who opened the first of a long line of dining spots in Reading, PA in 1916!). Today the soup was a duo, with a mushroom blend soup with creme fraiche that was truly awesome as well as a Matsutake Chowder that was cream based with toasted sesame. Keep in mind the earthy dishes are being enjoyed with the earthy Pinots!

 

Foie Gras  was a poached version with Quince Glaze, Candy Cap Caramelized Onions...we were very happy and a glass of Arbor Brook 2011 Late Harvest Semillon (made with Washington grapes in Oregon) was a nice foil.

 

Heidi's (named for the chef's mother) Three Mushroom tart is a superb creation with porcini, portabella and suillus mushrooms with a sprinkling of white truffle powder on the plate for flavor; I may never be able to eat another mushroom quiche again after this revelation.

 

The restaurant was emptying, we were slowing down, and the super moon was rising outside our window; it was a perfect meal and evening.

 

We were treated to an extra course of DUO of GAZPACHO with one being Cucumber Lemon Balm  and the other Tomato Pickled Ginger, which came in the same bowl and after enjoying severally, we could swirl them together for a third version! YUM.

 

Sturgeon here is treated with great care and lots of flavor with a Cayenne Aioli, Quinoa and Wild Mushroom Duxelles. My notes are unclear, but there seems to have been broccoli, bread crumbs and poppyseeds as well.

 

The main meat course was a Filet Mignon with Porcini, demi-glace, pureed Rusett potatoes, asparagus and more of that oh so wild Oregon white truffle oil (I can't wait to try my bottle at home this week).

The filet can come with extra foie gras for a supplement, but we were nearing full as Chef Christopher Czarnecki made the rounds and we told him how spectacular the entire meal had been.

We were now left with servers Gretchen & Jill who delivered "Into the Woods" a forest inspired tasting of desserts:

Blackberry Tapioca

5 Spice Vanilla Bread Pudding

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Muddles Sorrel & hazelnut Crisp
Candied Rhubarb

Frozen Grand Marnier Souffle with Candy Cap Mushroom Whipped Cream

Warm Honey Apple Clafoutis with Brandy Caramel

 

I loved it all and we were thrilled when Chef Christopher returned to close the place down as we were the only ones left. But before this he took us on a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar really making our day and making feel right back at home in the Willamette Valley wine country, even after being gone for 14 years.

 

 

Ashland Orgeon's Alchemy deserves attention(7-10-14)

From Crater Lake we headed east over the mountains and down into Oregon's most exciting new wine country in the south of the state along the I-5 corridor in Ashland/Medford and points north. As we were staying at the Winchester Inn while attending the wonderful Oregon Shakespeare Festival, we decided to try their highly rated restaurant Alchemy (www.alchemyashland.com) which was a total treat.

 

Our server Hallie spoke to us about her love of wine and had hopes to own a vineyard one day and was most kind in offering tastes from the wine list. We loved many of the areas Viogniers, so we tried the 2013 Trium Viognier which just didn't do much for us. We returned to our favorite local winery (which we had discovered the first night in Oregon at Andina in Portland) and adored the Quady North 2012 Steelhead Run Viognier from the Applegate Valley. We visited the winery earlier that day in adorable Jacksonville and fell in love with their tasting room manager Davis, who poured everything he could find for us (we left with two cases and a new wine club membership---as I write this 4 days later, we have just shipped back close to 20 cases we purchased and I can't even add up the new wine club memberships we have!). The wine was awesome, the plain French bread with a nice salted herb butter was unremarkable.

The day we had just completed included three wineries, a farmer's market and the most awesome of cheesemakers in all of Oregon and perhaps the entire US of A, Rogue Creamery. As soon as I saw the menu starter of Stuffed Endive with Pickled Garlic Beets, Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue, Honey Tarragon & Shallot Vinaigrette, which also had sunflower seeds and micro greens, I was in love. Will, forsaking our hometown, ordered the Dungeness Crab Salad with Baby Arugula, Orange Supreme, Garlic Lemon Aioli, Sunchoke Chips and Hazelnut Oil which was a wonderful treatment of so many local Oregon ingredients. We love the fact that there is so much amazing local farm fresh stuff here that appears on every menu. The crab was actually quite wonderful,  but we still prefer Maryland Blues.

We moved onto another wonderful Oregon wine on Hallie's recommendation, which we have not had for some time, 2010 Cristom Vineyards "Mt Jefferson Cuvee" from the Willamette Valley (where we were heading the next day). This wine's name was also important in that our main reason for coming to Oregon was for my cousin's wedding the previous weekend, which was indeed held at the foot of Mt. Jefferson!

The wine is rich and creamy and truly an ideal Pinot Noir from Oregon and went magnificently with both varied main courses:

Will had the Trio of Diver Scallops which were seared and given various treatments.

Anaheim Chili Corn Relish, Heirloom Tomato, Sherry Bacon Vinaigrette, Corn Puree, Grilled Leeks and a Kaffir Lime Risotto. It was a superb dish marred only by the fact that the risotto was like a crunchy block of rice; perhaps the chef needs to start with some basic pasta training.

They got my Stuffed Quail perfect with a light stuffing of rabbit sausage with Italian black plums and a superb Purple Haze Goat Cheese Polenta along with Fig Marsala reduction, Grilled Asparagus and Pea Tendrils. I was one happy camper.

 

We decided to be adventurous with our dessert wine choice and went for a local 2009 Abacela Port, which really needs work. We had tasted several Petite Sirah local ports and we felt they just were not quite right in general; this was okay, but no prize.

Layered Chocolate Cake of chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse all wrapped in a Chocolate Ganache shell with pecan brittle, salted Caramel sauce, Orange marmalade gelee and whipped cream was okay, but just a bit too much for my palate.

We need to learn to stick to the amazing fresh local Oregon berry desserts.

 

We climbed the two flights back to our room, packed and headed off to bed, knowing that this is a region we must return to..and sooner than later.

Crater Lake Lodge is looking good for great dining in the wilderness of Oregon(7-7,8-14)

Our next two nights were spent at the only half decent hotel within the Crater Lake National Parks boundary. We had an awesome view of the lake from our room, but the highlight of the Crater Lake Lodge was the fantastic food we had both nights in the dining room. The first night our server Jeff explained this job was a prelude to his moving to the Arctic shores of Alaska this fall to live with natives. We listened to his suggestions and started with an Eola Hills Pinot Gris which was nice and dry with a hint of effervescence which is bottled for the lodge as Crater Lake Estate Private Label. Will had the Duck Spring Rolls with Oregon mushrooms, vegetables and citrus/chili vinaigrette which he declared nice, but a bit to doughy on the roll. My Cruz Bay Mussels Meuniere with white wine, shallots, garlic and sourdough garlic bread toast slices to dip were a welcome treat so far from the ocean as was my main course of Roasted Pacific Halibut with Steamed Kale, Oregon wild mushrooms, mashed potatoes and veggies. Will went the way of the elk for the second night and had Elk Chops with huckleberry walnut glaze, wild rice and veggies. Our wine was a Spangler Cabernet Franc 2010 from Roseburg which got us even more excited about our upcoming stay in the southern Oregon wine country, one of the newest wine regions around.

For dessert Will went for the Wild Oregon Blueberry Bread Pudding with Bourbon Crème Anglaise (OMG) and I enjoyed the cheese plate with 3 cheeses and apples, strawberries, grapes and watermelon. I liked the Tillamook Cheddar, loved the Renypoint Brie and again fell in love with my Rogue Creamery Blue.

The next day on a boat in the deepest lake in the USA we met two guys from DC who joined us for dinner that night; we are now new friends, and what a great way to make friends than over drinks and dinner, especially overlooking one of the most magnificent sights on earth.

I started with CRABCake that night fearing the Dungeness, but actually loving the dish with red and yellow pepper sauces. Our server Eduardo was not as attentive as Jeff the night before, but did a good job; you must remember this is peak season and the dining rooms goes full steam from 5-10pm every night.

We had started with martinis on the terrace over the lake (yes Crater Lake Vodka with Olives--I had brought some blue cheese stuffed ones from a day before in the market!) and then enjoyed the rest of our red wine from the night before with our main courses.For a white we enjoyed, but won't rave about the Crater Lake Estate Private Label Chardonny also from Eola Hills. It was fine with the crab and Will adored my mussels from the night before.

The main course for three of us was the amazingly huge 1/2 Northwest Style Citrus Duck which was oven baked to perfection and basted with citrus-chili glaze and served with wild rice & veggies.

One of our new found friends opted for the Halibut on my recommendation and loved it as well.

For dessert we split a Cheesecake with Caramel Drizzle four ways and rolled off to bed as the skies darkened and that super moon started to appear over the lake.

Bend Oregon offers up some superb cuisine at Chanterelle in Auberge at Pronghorn (7-6-14)

After my cousin's wedding in the Oregon high desert we headed even further south into the heart of the desert to the wonderful city of Bend. Recently the Pronghorn golf resort was purchased by Auberge Resorts which will be opening a luxury hotel there in 2015. For now they have several restaurants for dinner, but all have the same menu. We were not aware of this but happy we chose Chanterelle for fine dining as the views over the desert sunset were spectacular, and the temperature inside was 70, while outside it hovered at 97.

Chef Kevin Linde was off that night, but his team was superb. I have sadly misplaced my dining notes so must rely on memory and their website. I did have an awesome Crater Lake Vodka Martini with olives stuffed with blue cheese from the famous Rogue Creamery (which we visited later on the trip and fell in love with). Deviled Eggs came in a trio of Oregon Truffle, Traditional with Caviar, and Peppered Bacon. They were all great but the truffle was quite mild for our mushroom loving taste.

For our main course we both had the Porcini Dusted Elk Tenderloin with Confit Fingerling potatoes, Creamed Swiss Chard, Black Truffle and Foraged Mushroom Demi-Glace...it was amazing and the wine they suggested was an intense red blend called Tyrus Evan Ciel du Cheval 2007 Claret made from 52% Cab/31%Merlot/10%Cab Franc and 7% Petit Verdot from Red Mountain in SE Washington State, but bottled in Oregon.

Sadly our recollection ends there, but we adored dinner much more than the resort as the internet was not working and we were quite frazzled being in the desert with no connections!

2nd posting on same

 

Okay-I found my notes and must apologize....

We actually started with a white wine which manager Ben also suggested, Harper-Voit "Sur Lie" Pinot Blanc 2013 from the Chehalem Mountains of the Willamette Valley which was a huge winner with us both.

Sammie & Shelby gave superb service all evening which was a blessing after our frazzled nerves from the lack of internet!

There was unexciting plain bread and focaccia that was awesome with a dipping oil with Malden sea salt, lemon zest and rosemary.

The knives for the Elk were Laguiole and the crystal was Riedel all the better for a good impression.

My starter was the Scallop Ceviche with a creamy Tarragon-Lemon Mignonette, Serrano chili, salted watermelon and tortilla crisps that was so refreshing in the intense heat.

Will opted for the Marionberry Tart with Tillamook Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert  and I tasted. It was a memorable event, but I couldn't remember everything a week later!

Portland's BEAST is perfect for a feast (7-3-14)

Our final night in Portland was at a place we had heard raves about, and they were not exaggerated! BEAST (www.beastpdx.com) is about 10-15 minutes from downtown in a quiet neighborhood with some other cool dining places nearby. The restaurant is unassuming with slab floors and two large communal tables, but Will would have none of that, so he asked if we could have our own table; the promptly seated us at a large prep table next to the open kitchen, the whole place is one giant room with total seating for about 25 folks. We had fab views of the whole prep and met Chef Alix (Alex) who with her all-female team explained a lot to us and chatted as well about all the foods and more. Owner/Chef Naomi Pomeroy who has earned accolades across the USA had the night off!

The walls have some sayings such as "unlesh the beast" and a sketch of a pig as well as quotes from the likes of Julia Child. It's not a comfy place for sure, but then every night from Wednesday thru Saturday they fit in two seatings at 6pm and 830pm at a fix price menu of $75 ($35 extra for wine pairings-half glass pours per course) so  you really don't have a ton of time to settle in. The music was soft, but digital and did not complement the food or the mood.

White Bean and Summer Vegetable Soup with Cherry Tomato Puree, Crispy Bread Crumbs, Basil Mousse, Alium Blossoms and Micro Thai Basil was an amazing start. The chilled soup was refreshing and loaded with tons of different flavors in each bite. The crispy bread and alium blossoms were crunchy for fun. The Riedel crystal held a perfectly paired Schloss Gobelsburg 2013 Rose from Kamptal, Austria(of Zweigelt & Sankt Laurent) that we begged for more of.

Next came a Charcuterie Plate that was so diverse and awesome, it was impossible to decide where to start and end:

Steak Tartare with Quail Egg on Toast

Crispy Fried Tails & Trotters(that's the purveyor) Pork Rillettes was deep fried and sat atop a sublime aioli

Chicken Liver Mousse was on a tasty Leaf Lard Cracker and could be one of the best chicken livers ever.

Smoked Salmon Rillettes was the only non-meat entry and a Smoked Pork Sausage was great with a grain mustard and cornichon.

Pickled Romescu Cauliflower and Beet were there as was a light herb salad of parsley, fennel, shaved radish and more to cleanse the palate between the various options.

We were told to save the Foie Grad BonBon on Peanut Shortbread with Sauternes Gelee for last and it was an amazing pop in the mouth for sure.

The Malat Pinot Blanc 2012 from Wachau, Austria was our least favorite wine since it had a slight effervescence.

A palate cleanser of Cucumber-Elderberry Sorbet was one of the best ever.

Rack of Cattail Creek Lamb (about 2 hours away) was cooked just past rare and came with Whipped Potatoes, Summer Chanterelles (I wanted more) and a blow-your-mind Sour Cherry Confiture with mustard seed and garlic that I want to try and re-create. Garlic-Chive Oil finished the dish as well as some Agretti, a succulent frond similar to fennel, but not with much flavor. A wonderful K Vintners Milbrandt Syrah 2012 came from just across the river in Columbia Valley, Washington.

The most inventive dish was the Fava Bean & English Pea Crème Fraiche Tartelette from pastry Chef Ellen who served this over a creamy Nigella Seed Vinaigrette with Spicy Cress(I never heard of Nigella before). Surrounding the tart were roasted and pickled onions as well as Batchelor Buttons for some blue color. Eric Chevalier Fie Gris (a clone of Sauvignon Blanc) from the Loire was a novel and perfect pairing yet again.

Cheese from Steve at Cheese Bar was awesome and came with Mesquite Grilled Apricot, Candied Hazelnuts, Local Honey and amazing Rosemary (salted) crackers that Chef Ellen gave us a small container of as we left (we told her she should sell them!). Brie du Pommier from Normandy was creamy, but we fell in love with the Neal's Yard Durrus(cow) from the UK as it was a powerful and fragrant creamy cheese.

La Gruta del Sol Tres Leches is a Spanish mix of cow/goat/sheep(hence tres leches) which is hard and akin to parmesan

Beecher's FlagSheep is a nice local mild raw cow/sheep but the winner was the creamy

Monte Enebro Spanish goat rimmed with ash.

The wine was a Hexamer Riesling Quarzit 2011 which had a slight fizz and did indeed reek of the quartz rock it is grown in.

Buckwheat Crepe came with a divine Frozen Lemon Curd, Tayberries and Tayberry Puree, Candied Orange Zest and Vanilla Bean rich intense Crème Fraiche. Boy did we adore this treat served with a Chateau Roumieu-Lacoste 2011 Sauternes which had lots of acidity and will definitely be worth coming back to in 5 or 10 years..

The only thing we did not like all night were the Passionfruit-Vanilla Macarons as they had a nit too much crunch for our palate.

We left happy and satisfied for sure and adored this special experience at Beast, for a superb feast on our last night in the city...onto the countryside...

 

Portland's CABEZON is cute and the cuisine is cooking (7-2-14)

For our second night in Portland, we chose a place that has gotten rave reviews for its superb seafood, and we asked a friend of ours, who owns one of Oregon's top wineries to join us. It was a very memorable evening. for the four of us from start to finish.

CABEZON (www.cabezonrestaurant.com) is about 10 minutes from downtown with no traffic in the Hollywood neighborhood; it is unassuming and would probably go unnoticed by most. We were greeted by owner Jackie upon arrival and then had the tough decisions to make when we saw the menus. Drinks here are fun and I loved my Crater Lake Oregon-made vodka martini with Shaft's Bleu cheese stuffed olives that were divine.

Our starters were tasty Chive BLINIS with TROUT Caviar & Crème Fraiche, a huge ROMAINE & Radicchio CAESAR Salad with Garlic Croutons & GRan Padano and the easy winner

SAVORY CLAMS with Borlotti BEANS, Spanish CHORIZO, fries and Rouille. This is a huge dish and must be shared or could be a main course. The sauce at the bottom is thick and rich from the beans and the fries and rouille that top the dish are the icing on the tasty little clams. It's a brilliant creation.

Main courses were all excellent from the Local LING COD with fava bean succotash, cauliflower, Walla Walla Onion Rings and creamy Dill Sauce. The fish was tender, the veggies local and the amazing sweet and salty onion rings have to be the best on earth.

Cioppino with white gulf Shrimp, local fish, Dungeness crab, clams, mussels and calamari has everything for everyone

and my Pan roasted troll KING SALMON with grilled Chicories, beets, snow peas and pea-pistachio sauce was an amazingly flavorful local Oregon salmon and the sauce was a gorgeous treat with local fresh peas.

Maker's Mark whiskey Ice Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce & Candied Hazelnuts is a great dessert for whiskey/profiterole lovers and the crunchy nuts are a treat. Callebaut Belgian Chocolate Pot de Crème is properly chocolatey and creamy and rich.

A bottle of Elio Perrone Moscato d'Asti "Sourgal" 2012 was a nice palate cleanser before we headed home from a wonderful evening with old friends and superb food.

Janessa our server was also great; sweet, considerate, and always there with anything we needed....

I have to mention the adorable glass jellyfish light fixtures at the bar (very Chihouly) and the sink in the WC which is hammered metal with cool fish design.

Cabezon, by the way, is a Pacific coastal predatory Scorpion fish-or-Spanish for "stubborn & bullheaded," which this place definitely is NOT!

when you're off to Oregon,always partake in ANDINA in Portland (7-1-14)

We started our 2 week tour of Oregon here in Portland and ANDINA was an excellent choice (www.andinarestaurant.com) which specializes in Nuevo Peruvian cuisine.

We hiked the mile to the restaurant in the 99 degree heat and welcomed lots of cold water on arrival as well as a bottle of amazing QUADY NORTH Viognier 2011 "Steel Ox" named for the two vineyards Steelhead Run and Ox Blocks the grapes come from in southern Oregon. We adored this stone fruit aroma, dry peach flavor and acidity and added the winery to our upcoming stops! Our server Robert guided us thru the large menu and we chose one ceviche and 5 small plates. The tapas plates all come in small, medium and large so you can adjust for larger groups which is great.

Bread arrived with three salsas:

De mani-made of peanuts, recoto chilis and a bit of cream cheese which was slightly rich, but also spicy

Maracuja-passion fruit with yellow Peruvian chilis which was sweet and spicy

Verde-garlic and jalapenos which was very spicy.

We liked them all and started to mix them together to create new ones!

Our ceviche was the DE PESCADO "5 Elementos" with Blue Marlin from Hawaii, lime, cilantro, onion and chili (the 5 elements) in leche de tigre a white ginger,garlic, cilantro infused sauce that was superb.

PIMENTO PIQUILLO RELLENO were sweet piquillo peppers stuffed with quinoa, cheese and Serrano ham and quite nice

ANTICUCHO de CORAZON were marinated beef heart kebobs where the meat was flattened and grilled with a spicy salsa de recoto (that super chili) that were novel, tasty and creative

PICADILLO ACEBICHADO is a Filet mignon tartare with capers, olive, cilantro and quail egg. It comes with crunch corn nuts or canchas and a slab of sweet potato; it was nice, but wins no prize for Peruvian inventiveness.

One of our favorites was the MUSCIAME de ATUN-thin cured tuna loin with chimichurri and an avocado-tomato majado which is like a mousse salad. The tuna was awesome and this was the prize winner.

We had moved on to a superb BELLE PENTE 2011 Estate Vineyard from Yamhill-Carlton where we will spend much of our time visiting wineries and this is on the list if we have time.

Robert brought out a complimentary dish of SCALLOP SASHIMI (not on the menu) with Dragonfruit/Papaya/Mango salsa with Peruvian chilis, ricoto chili and tamarind that was a fine treat as well.

We were stuffed and tired from the long trip so we split two scoops of LUCUMA Ice Cream which is a Peruvian fruit but tastes more like butterscotch with an earthy chalkiness to it. It was refreshing and ideal as we headed home after our first way too hot day, but cool dinner in Portland.

do try TASTE Gastropub in Olney, MD. if you happen to be out that way (6-28-14)

lney, MD about 20 miles north of DC is not a destination in itself, but it is indeed a nice suburban community with one of the best local theaters. Last night prior to attending a brilliant

performance of the musical AVENUE Q we chose to dine at TASTE GASTROPUB near the Olney Theater(http://www.tastegastropub.com/). It's a simple place with unremarkable décor, but

the service we received from Tatiana was superb and much of the food was quite good.

Malpeque and Cape Cod Oysters were on the half shell, so we gobbled a 1/2 dozen of those and enjoyed a basic OYSTER BAY 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a great wine for most of the excellent fish dishes they offer.

Will headed for the AHI TUNA TARTARE with Ginger, Chili, White Soy and sadly it was a very small portion with SIX, yes SIX huge slices of focaccia; I guess they were trying to make up for the extremely small portion. On the other hand my

Shaved American KOBE (Beef) SALAD was huge and while not overdosed with the tender beef it packed a punch from jalapenos and was loaded with greens, scallions, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, some peanuts a fabulous fennel slaw, carrots, and tasty dressing with some fried onions; it was a superb combo and quite filling.

I ordered the special of Pan Seared HALIBUT with Foie Gras (although I tasted it, there was no apparent meat in the dish). Oyster/Horseradish Emulsion, a super crunchy crust and Zucchini, Carrots and Arugula underneath. It was an superb dish and I felt awful when Will's fish arrived as it was the whole BRANZINO with Roasted Potatoes, and Arugula & Orange Gremolata. He looked at the head and begged Tatiana to fillet it, which she graciously did; they really need to say it's a whole fish on the menu. It was tasty, but still had some bones, and while a mayo dip was on the side, a simple squeeze of fresh lemon was all the superb fish needed. BRUSSELS SPROUTS are a great side here which come with bacon and are beautifully cooked as well.

Will & I were both looking at the RHUBARB PIE with Strawberry Salad and Violet Sorbet, so we decided to split that telling Tatiana we had not had rhubarb in ages. She recommended the peach cobbler, but we did not listen-DUMB US!

The pie had very little fruit filling and the strawberry salad was barely one forkful, while the sorbet was nice, it was the dud dessert for sure. The French Press coffee however is sublime and woke us up for a superb performance at the nearby theater.

I wouldn't rush back to Taste, especially since it's almost 40 minutes from our fome, but I would go again pre or post-Olney Theater!

--

DC's CITY TAP HOUSE is a trip worth taking (6-22-14)

When our friends invited us to join them for a museum tour in DC preceded and followed by food, we immediately accepted the gracious offer. When they told us to meet at CITY TAP HOUSE (www.citytaphousedc.com) a block from the Convention Center, we were a little taken aback. BEER PUB? Well, boy were we WRONG!

On arrival Lamarca Prosecco was flowing and hor's d'oevres surrounded us. I immediately tried to cut the carbs by not having the FLAPJACKS with MAPLE SYRUP the size of adorable silver dollars, but could not resist the amazing LOBSTER ROLLS (although, I did not finish all the tasty roll:-)). WAFFLES & CHICKEN are on the Tuesday evening specials and Sunday brunch, but here we got mini versions, and boy were these bite size treats yummy. GOURGERES were made with Parmesan cheese but full of flavor despite the Italian twist to the French creation. Wonton TACO Chips were laden with YELLOWFIN TUNA TARTARE mixed with Scallion, Cucumber, Red Pepper, a Yuzu-Ginger Dressing and topped with superb crunchy Wasabi Tobiko; these were divine. The most irresistible of all were the CRAB HUSH PUPPIES with Sweet Corn and a Citrus Remoulade; fresh corn shoots adorned the dray and I gobbled these up as well.

It was an amazing introduction into City Tap House's truly fine foods.

We headed to the Corcoran Gallery for our tour where more hor's d'oevres awaited, but most of us were unimpressed by the food from Muse Café of Equinox Restaurant; some folks declared the cheese & wine looked like a Costco platter!

After our superb tour we anxiously returned to CITY TAP HOUSE for an early dinner, where we received another royal greeting as the place was starting to fill up with tons of folks waiting for the World Cup game between the USA & Portugal. Our table of 10 or so was in a separate section, but we could see all the buzz and watch the many TV screens around it; the excitement was indeed electric. Our server Kevin was superb with suggestions, kindness and even folding the napkins after each of us made a trip to the loo (or replacing it if soiled). I have to admit that even with all the sportsmongers, the single stall unisex bathrooms were all kept virtually spotless throughout the long evening.

 

More prosecco arrived and Chef trainee Chad Weise presented a beautiful amuse of a slice of Watermelon Radish with a small bowl atop of SHRIMP CEVICHE with Yuzu Watermelon Vinaigrette and a plate scattered with Dried Lobster Roe. I had to mix these together for the whole impact and it worked brilliantly with the radish on the bottom, the ceviche and the crunch from the roe. A+.

Kevin explained that City Tap House specializes in beer and has 39 on tap plus 2 on cask at all times. Our table actually sat across from a glass wall that contained all the beer kegs on tap for the bar beyond. I was mightily impressed, even though not a beer nut. Will ordered a flight and got 2 Belgian blondes (no they were not handsome guys!):Ooomegang Henepin and Boulevard Tank 7, the latter he declared the best of the four. A shandly-like beer called Stiegl Grapefruit Randler and Schneider Aventinus filled out his flight. I was intrigued by the 3 STARS Southern Belle in cask that Kevin explained is deep, rich malty brown and "Girl-Scoutified" with thin mints. He was so gracious when I asked for a taste and brought a small taste for everyone at the table. The beer has a smell of thin mints for sure, but more of a coffee flavor; I still will stick to wine. Speaking of wine we ordered a superb MASI "Campofiorino" 2009 Amarino, which is a baby Amarone of sorts and goes well with all the flavorful main courses we had; but first the starters.

 

We had to order more of those divine CRAB HUSH PUPPIES and we all shared several other items as well:

KOREAN SHORT RIB TACOS were a huge hit on a small soft tortilla round with picked CABBAGE SLAW, Cilantro and a tangy Chili Sauce...YUM!

Pizzas here are fun and there are several choices; we opted for the superb veggie HONEY GOAT CHEESE with sliced red onion, pistachio, rosemary & truffled honey.

The TARTUFO PIZZA smells and tastes fabulous due to the roasted Mushrooms, Taleggio (Italian truffled cheese), Guanciale (pork cheek), fried egg and black truffle, but it is very very messy and you need to be oh so careful. The egg actually ended up mostly on the serving tray in the end, even though it tasted great.

 

Main courses were ordered and I was beginning to feel quite full, so I opted for one of the three Mussels dishes. AT $12-13 per 2 dozen plump bivalves, this is a great deal. The choices are Beer with Leeks, Italian with Garlic, Tomato and Basil and the choice Kevin said was his fave:PANCHO with Spicy Chorizo, Poblano Peppers, Tomato & Garlic. The sauce was so thick and rich (like an Italian bread soup) that it was impossible not to eat some of  the yummy three slabs of housemade focaccia with the sauce. The TAP BURGER is made from Pineland Farms Ground Beef, Lancaster Rustic Cheddar, Agrodolce Onion, Beer Gastrique on a Toasted Baguette; it even sounds like a local farmer's dream burger.

A number of folks ordered the RIBEYE which comes with Truffled Mash, Foraged Wild Mushrooms, Caramelized Cipollini Onions & sauce Bordelaise, but you all know I am a guy who likes his steaks BBQ'd at home and while this was nice, it was no amazing treat. Indeed, the treat main course of the night was the PORK CHOP Special with Smoked Chipotle/Jalapeno Cornbread, Asparagus and a kick-ass sauce that really got me excited when the whole room screamed as I tasted it (the US had scored a goal:-)).

 

We thought we were finished when Chef Matt arrived with an array of desserts:

three gelatos from DOLCEZZA: vanilla, chocolate and a to-die-for apple

Almond Strawberry Shortcake with mascarpone Berry Gelato and the winner

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE would make any mom's crumble turn white with embarrassment.

Some very rich chocolate truffles arrived and we headed home more than satiated knowing that CITY TAP HOUSE ain't just a beer pub/sport's bar or even burger joint. It's a great place to dine and loads of fun as well.

 

be sure to partake of THE PARTISAN in downtown DC (6-14-14) or a big birthday dinner for Samuel

Last week after a superb performance of LA TRAVIATA at the In Series, we headed with the three leads of the cast to THE PARTISAN which had recently opened in Penn Quarter (thepartisandc.com - 709 D St, NW).

Several weeks prior we had discussed dining options with Samuel as it was his 11th birthday and when he spotted FRIED APPLE PIE on the on-line menu, his mind could not be altered. It was a superb choice.

We arrived a while before the singers could escape their fans and ordered a bottle of 2012 Cabernet Franc Rose from Brooklyn (the name of the winery) in NY's Finger Lake region. It was refreshing on a hot day and works very well with many of the various (as well as more intense) flavors on the menu. Samuel mentioned that he had to have the BEEF FAT FRIES with Ranch Aioli, so while we were waiting our "on top of everything" server Matt brought over a complimentary order for the birthday boy! Most of them were gone in a flash and our guests only got to taste one or two as they arrived! (I'm just as guilty as Sam & Will, though!)

Charcuterie has become a big "thing" in DC and dining most everywhere these days, but at The Partisan it is taken to new heights by Chef Nathan Anda who operated the Red Apron Butchery next door as well. While he was not in Saturday night, he team manages a smooth and satisfying operation, and we had to peruse the Charcuterie menu to start. Each of us chose an item or two and we ended up with a gorgeous display of the following:

Campari-Rosemary Dried Italian Salami(Negroni Inspired)

Thai Basil Cured Bresaola-cured beef with Ginger, Kefir Lime & Jalapeno

Herb Saucisson-dried with herbs de Provence

Kielbasa-smoked Garlic sausage with Marjoram & Peppers

Spanish Chorizo-with Paprika & Peppers

Poached Fig Rillettes-bourbon poached and oh so rich!

The plate arrives with hot mustard for the sausages as well as pickled plums that were also a big hit. On the side comes a rack of freshly baked Tigelle which are simply pressed wheat breads with a brush of lard pressed on iron grills--YUM. Sam adored these and asked for an entire bag to take home for breakfast the next day!

The Charcuterie is divided into Bright, Herbal+Floral, Spicy Hot, Smoky, Spiced, Rich+Smootth and Earthy and can be ordered in combos that are pre-set as well. Don't skip this, but don't overdo it; we ordered just right with 6 selections for 6 people.

Peter Koll, one of the managers and sommelier on duty came over and we decided to have a second bottle of the yummy Rose as it was indeed so perfect with the spices in the meats, but as I mentioned we were headed for heavier meats for dinner, he suggested  a divine 2009 Clos Martinet "Martinet Bru" Granatxa/Syrah blend from Priorat in Spain. The wine opened up after about 20 minutes in a carafe and was indeed amazing when we finally drank it later.

 

The menu is many layered here and it is hard to decide; I will have to return to try many other items, but I chose MIXED (Pork) GRILLE on Matt's suggestion. It comes with Whey Brined Tenderloin, Smoked Heart, three huge cut open bones filled with Marrow, Dandelion Greens and Pickled Wax Beans. It sounds much bigger than it really is and the marrow was sublime as was the entire plate. Will fared not as well with the FOIE GRAS TIGELLE Burger on the famous pressed bread, but the Salt Cured Torchon with Beef Patties & Peach Chile-Jam was kind of mess and he declared not that tasty. BUTCHER's CUT was a hit with Charred Baby Tomatoes, Basil Grits & Lime Zest and Samuel gobbled up his 80DAY AGED RIBEYE rare & sliced very thin Italian beef with a Jus that had a kick. He did not care for the tasty side of Giardiniere...but we all tasted his meat and it was the best "Italian" version of the famous open roast beef sandwich au jus ever.

Many of the items on the menu come in serving sizes for more than one person and indeed up to 6 or 8! Two of our guests chose the 2 lb. bone-in RIBEYE with Citrus Marrow Butter, Shaved Celery and Fresh Horseradish (which served 2-4). While we each has a taste, the entire slab was gone ere long and all that remained was the foot long "Bam Bam" bone! The Flintstones never had it so good with their Brontosaurus-burger!

Sides were amazing here and are worthy as we mentioned about the Beef Fat Fries. We also adored the Crispy WILD NETTLES with Shallots, Ramps & Pesto Dressing with Grated Salami, but if you want to keep veggie there is a superb BRUSSELS SPROUTS Slaw with Horseradish & Grain Mustard Vinaigrette that packs a kick and is not at all like the sprouts themselves as they are shaved super thin and laid out flat on the plate.

Mashed YUKON GOLD POTATOES with Olive Oil were just that, but the RADISHES & SUGAR SNAPS with Pickled Ginger, Scallion & Cilantro won my prize for best side.

 

After all this you would have thought nobody could eat a bite more. WRONG! It was a birthday dinner. I ordered up the superb CHEESE  which came with mostarda and honey. The three cheeses on the plate were a 5-Year Aged Gouda(one of Sam's favorites) and a Blue Baylee from Hayden Vermont and a Merry-Goat-Round from Virginia...all WINNERS!

 

Other desserts arrived including Samuel's FRIED APPLE PIE with Bacon Caramel Sauce & Candied Pecans; he chose VERY WELL as it was a huge hit and gone quite fast save for the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

The only thing I did not like about The Partisan is the awful lighting; I was given flashlights and phones repeatedly to read menus! We were seated in the front section and the rear section opens into a giant elaborate room with bar which I think would be nice next time.

Other desserts included the FERNET Ice Cream FLOAT with Ginger Beer, Lime Zest, Fernet Branca Ice Cream and Ginger Molasses Cookies on the side.

Alas, Will bombed again with the BUTTERSCOTCH TRIFLE  which is banana bread, butterscotch pudding, nilla wafers & whuipped cream, but nothing akin to the English trifle he expected.

 

SNICKER's TERRINE with a candle arrived for Sam and was fun with Peanut Butter Cheesecake, Milk Chocolate-Peanut Caramel & Chocolate Glaze, but our child stuck to his apple pie as he is not a cheesecake child. Our soprano, tenor and baritone sang a "Happy Birthday" to beat all, so much so with all the high notes, that the high noise level of the entire restaurant went to dead silent to listen and join in. This was oh so special!

 

I perused the dessert and before I knew it Paul arrived with a birthday gift of a Rheinhessen Eiswein 2006 called Nachtgold (Night gold) that was indeed golden honey hued and ever so yummy. THANK YOU PAUL for making our meal, along with Matt, a truly wonderful birthday celebration.

 

NYC's SOBA NIPPON offers beautiful buckwheat soba in so many forms (6-5-14)

On my way to Carnegie Hall last wee I stopped in for dinner at SOBA NIPPON at 19 West 52nd St. (www.sobanippon.com) (they also have a Japanese restaurant at 155 E 52nd called NIPPON) where I was totally taken by the simplicity and great food. The décor is indeed basic with a "bamboo" wall of poles which curves over part of the room to create a canopy with twinkling lights. Screens separate the booths for privacy and one wall has a giant photo of the buckwheat in bloom at the farm in Quebec where the wonderful grain is grown and then made into noodles solely for these restaurants!

I started with a SEAWEED SALAD which while priced at $10.00 was a bit small yet the best I have ever had. There were four different kinds of seaweed in green, black and red(!!) with miso dressing in an Asian style with mustard in it for sure. Sesame seeds dotted the top and a cherry tomato was halved. I just wish it was bigger as it was SO good. I ordered a glass of Junmai Saki "OYAMA" from Yunagata that's was dry with a spicy finish in the mouth. This was nice with the seaweed and ideal with my main course of, of course, SOBA! I chose the TAN TAN TSUKEMEN which are the housemade buckwheat soba noodles from outside Montreal on a spicy thick pepper-laced broth with minced beef, mushrooms and scallions. It was what I would call gutsy and curry-like. Bamboo shoots and greens abounded and the entire huge bowl with the seaweed, two glasses of sake and dessert came to $58 without tip!!

I loved these noodles so much I decided to try the SOBAGAKI DANGO for dessert which is a soba cake filled with sweet red beans. The cake was doughy and soft like a dumpling and the filling was like jam with red bean powder on top of the whole thing. It was novel and okay, but very heavy. Green tea arrived complimentary and I even got a refill! The service was good and the owner came over several times with many thanks for me as well. I was impressed and will head back again!

MARCEL's is truly magnificent for a major meal (5-22-14)

Last week, in culmination of my week-long birthday celebration(!) we headed to Marcel's (www.marcelsdc.com) for a preset tasting menu which is indeed still one of the finest fine dining establishments around town.

While Chef/Owner Robert Wiedmaier was nowhere to be seen, he leaves the team under the charge of Chef de Cuisine Peal Stearman, who never let a single element go wrong. So much of the staff have been here for

so many years, it is really like coming home. On arrival, there were hugs and kisses all around; we were in the best of hands for sure.

 

Jean-Pierre Legret Champagne was poured and we settled in for a long and pleasurable ride; one where truly every single dish and wine was delivered with great love. Our server, was a gem, and oh so cute to beat; he anticipated our every need. Maitre d' Adnane delivered each dish with a complete explanation and we always had wine in our glasses from Sommelier Moez. This is a team that has the cogs so well oiled, that everyone around us seemed just as happy as we were.

First came an amuse of LOBSTER FLAN with Truffle, Crème Fraiche & Chive. Chunks of the lobster tail were in each small bite making it an extra special and indeed orgasmic treat.

 

Pan Seared SCALLOPS arrived next cooked to perfection with Pistachio/Ramp Pesto, Hazelnuts, little edible flowers and Pommes Pailles (tiny waiflets of fried potatoes). I had just made my frist Ramp Pesto at home earlier that week and was amazed at how brilliantly this short-lived spring veggie has such a great flavor equal to the garlic-basil combo normally used. I used pine nuts, but here pistachios gave even more depth. Moez presented a 20013 Fuente Milano Spanish wine from Verdejo & Viura grapes that was filled with huge flavors in the mouth. It was ideal with the scallop and pesto; we all could not recall a more perfect match. Our sever (I think his name was Tim)returned with black olive bread, whole wheat and French rolls with three butters: Curry, Sweet Cream & Truffle. The curry was the most exciting, but we devoured them all....

 

On arrival we noticed soft shell crabs on the menu and put in our bids for these BEER BATTERED SOFT SHELLS with Mayo/Avocado wrapped in cucumber, Tomato chutney and espalette peppers. There was a bite in the sauce from Cherry Vinegar, thyme and black pepper. The wine had been subtly switched to Philipps Eckstein Riesling 2010 from Mosel "Summer Dream" which was a mostly dry Riesling that again paired wonderfully with the spices of the dish. I was very happy with my first Chesapeake Soft Shells of the season and can't wait for more!!

 

A super-light Alsatian Pinot Noir came next from Jean Siegler 2011 "Clos des Terres Brunes" which lingered on the tongue deliciously as the acidity grew a bit! Paired with a PAIR of BOUDIN BLANC/BOUDIN NOIR with Squid Ink side by side in Black Mushroom Puree and Celery Root Puree. The magnificent combination of chicken breast, pheasant breast and foie gras makes this one of the truly NOT TO BE MISSED dishes in DC!

 

The Lagiuole knives arrived so we knew meat was coming and we were getting full, but the team somehow knew this and presented a perfect size portion of Crusted BISON with Smoked Blueberries, Carrot Puree, Haricots Verts and Red Wine reduction. The meat was perfect and nobody left a bite. The once again ideal wine was a full bodied Cotes du Rhones "Les Quatres Terres" 2011 from Domaine Santa Duc.

 

You know me when cheese calls, I come a running and this night was truly special with EPOISSES running across our plates in a superb oozy form with honey, apple, raisin and espalette pepper. DEEEVINE!

The wine was a Muscat de Baumes de Venise 2011 Don de Beaumalric that was simply superb.

 

I would have been happy here, but the birthday requires a candled dessert, so it was a Blueberry Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce, Caramel Sauce, White Chocolate, Passion Fruit and a Lemon Sorbet with edible peel. It was refreshing, yet light and truly the ideal dessert. Mas Amiel 2010 Late Harvest Grenache from Languedoc is a nice wine, but it's not my favorite, yet it was a good pairing.

It was indeed a night of superb pairings, excellent food, wondrous service and a true example of what great dining should be. It was good to be back "home."

 

 

DGS Delicatessen in DC- a deli that gets stars; go for the damn good service as well as the food (5-18-14)

My birthday continued with dinner out after the Gay Men's Chorus Concert yesterday and I chose DGS Deli (www.dgsdelicatessen.com) at Dupont Circle where I have wanted to go since they opened

about a year ago. It was a great choice and kudos to our server Lillie who should win a prize for best server in DC!

We made our way upstairs and the only thing we ended up not liking all night were the not too comfy steel chairs or wooden booths. We heard a makeover is coming soon. YAY!

Lillie explained that the Tenth Ward Cooler on the Cocktail Menu was named for a no-loner-existing ward in DC that was once largely Jewish. It is Bison Grass Vodka, Kummel (a caraway/cumin liquor), Cel-Ray Soda, Lime & Celery Bitters.

This refreshing drink is a winner and you can taste so many wonderful elements, but it is a potent martini, even if served on the rocks.

Again we shared starters and the winner was easily the CHOPPED LIVER with Red Onion Marmalade, Gribenes and Rye Toast. It was a huge mound topped with the yummy marmalade and the gribenes (fried chicken skins) were propped up around it for dipping or schmearing. The liver on these was the highlight of the meal for me, although the amazing breads also work well. SMOKED SALMON NACHOS are in layers of thin tasty smoked salmon with some sour cream, avocado, horsey sauce (A creamy horseradish sauce) and lots of home made waffle potato chips for dipping. The pickles are nice and very varied with fennel, beets, and even a pickled egg in the assortment.

Another big hit and easily enough for one main course is SCHMUTZY FRIED made with pastrami, Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese & Russian Dressing. This reminds me of the poutine, but married to a Jew who does not keep kosher.

Flavor abounded in this dish, but don't try to eat it without a fork. The BORSCHT came with a dollop of sour cream and was thick and rich and cooling.

Samuel ordered the GNOCCHI MAC & CHEESE which is actually a decadent side dish of ricotta gnocchi in a rich cheese sauce with rye bread crumbs that arrived in a hot cast iron pan. He asked for the harissa on the side and I liked it, but he probably would never have finished half the rich dish; he then asked for a small kid's burger! He loved the Dr. Brown's Cream Soda, but I convined him to try the Chocolate Egg Cream made with U-Bet Syrup which he also loved.

Our first wine was a refreshing bottle of Fantinel Rose Prosecco and then we had a superb "Urban TEMPRANILLO from Fournier 2010 in Ribera de Duero that was excellent with all the deli meats. Lille suggested it from the very short wine list and I have to say, I will order it again and again at $30-something.

For vegetarians there are several options including one fish dish besides the smoked salmons, but out friend chose the GRILLED EGGPLANT REUBEN with Swiss Cheese, No. 1 Sons Sauerkraut and Russian Dressing on Toasted Rye which she declared excellent.

Will had Grandma Dots HOLISHKES or stuffed cabbage with ground brisket simmered in S&S Tomato Sauce on Orzo with Rye Bread Crumbs. He managed to finsh most of it, but I think I'll get a taste later this week :-)).

Our friends chose the SMORGASBOARD which is really one of the best choices as you can get three or five items for $18 or $25 respectively(I think). They chose Pastrami Smoked Salmon, Whitefish Salad, Grilled Tongue, Corned Beef and these all come with condiments and the excellent double baked rye and pumpernickel breads.

A side of Crispy BRUSSELS SPROUTS also has roasted grapes (yes) and caramelized shallots, which is another dish I would order again and again. My main course was a sandwich made from 1/2 pound (total meat-1/4 pound each) of the Housemade Corned Beef from Creekstone Farms Brisket and Grilled Tongue with House Made Mustard on the double baked Rye. I manged to finish the second half of the sandwich for lunch today! Both meats were superb, but I am a tongue guy and this was cut thick and grilled perfectly,; a very different take on the traditional thin sliced deli tongue we know.

 

Lillie recited the desserts and we were all full with big bags to take home with leftovers, but I could not resist the CHOCOLATE BABKA BREAD PUDDING with Salted Caramel Ice Cream and it was a hit as we all (save Sam) tried this decadent dish made from challa and chocolate. My birthday candle came in a complimentary piece of Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote (also yummy) as I had mentioned to Lillie that I prefer fruit desserts to heavy ones.  She brought the next best thing; cheesecake with compote!

We thanked her and the staff many times as everyone was so nice and waddled home for the second night in a row.

Tonight-at home!

revving it up at REDSTONE at National Harbor, MD (5-17-14)

On Saturday night my birthday celebration started with an invite from our dearest friends to dinner. Little did we know we were going to the barely two-week old REDSTON American Grill at National Harbor.

(www.redstonegrill.com). I had never heard of Redstone and the General Manager (who greeted our hosts like old friends) explained that they are a Minnesota chain that is expanding, especially in this area.

There was a person in the lobby explaining that seating was limited and long waits might be the case as the bar was jammed and even though it was in the low 60's at sunset, the outside bar patio was heaving.

We were seated along the floor to ceiling window overlooking the river and the new ferris wheel that is slated to open next week. As the sun set the place filled up and we were lucky to be in this quiet section. There are wooden

tables and slate floors, so when full, there is nothing to absorb the din.

Our charming server Steve had served our hosts before and he explained everything very clearly and carefully. The menu is large, but simplified and not overwhelming. The only thing I would seek, might be more wine choices.

When we walked by the bar I noticed large glass containers on the bar with what looked like polenta in liquid. Well, I knew my eyesight was getting worse when Steve explained that its pineapple in vodka! I ordered one of these martini-style, but it was my least favorite thing all night. The drink tastes like watered down pineapple juice that packs a punch. Back to the straight vodka next time. I even tasted the strawberry version later on in the evening and that was way too sweet for me.

Our first wine was a superb Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands which came in a silvery bottle reminiscent of Lancer's; weird.

It paired wonderfully with our huge array of starters: Seared Ahi Tuna which comes super rare with a sesame seed and black pepper crust with Asian slaw(with edamame, peppers and cabbage), wasabi and soy-lime sauce. It was a main course dish with about a dozen slice of sushi-grade tuna and superbly presented and very flavorful.

Rotisserie Chicken FLATBREAD comes with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, wild mushrooms, truffle oil and fresh basil. We had seen the gorgeous birds in their rotation nearby and had to try them, so we opted for this preparation which is another huge portion easily a main course.

Lodge CORNBREAD seems to be a specialty here and Steve did try to sell us on a whole loaf, but we went for the basic wedge so we could each taste. It was as moist as cornbread ever gets and oh so buttery, but even better with the maple butter that comes on the side, which was thankfully not too sweet.

The best starter was easily the BUFFALO JUMBO SHRIMP which come fried or grilled (we chose grilled) with a buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing. I asked Steve which part of the buffalo they came from! His response was even funnier, but I forgot what he said!

 

We moved on to a superb PAUL HOBBS BRAMARE 2011 by Vina Cobos made in the Argentine region of Lujan de Cuyo which had aromas of crushed berries and coffee with superb smooth tannins. I adored this wine made by three famous winemakers, Hobbs with Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud and would love to taste it again in 2 years!

Main courses excel here as did my Pesto Crusted HALIBUT with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Garlic Spinach, Crispy Fried Leeks and an excellent yet mild Thai chili beurre blanc. While I've been unsuccessfully trying to cut back on carbs, the only bad part of this dish (to my pleasure) was that the fish was atop the spinach and potatoes, so the potatoes were very mushy and soggy and I skipped them totally (yay!). Seared CRAB CAKES were excellent and served with Tomato Corn Salad, Sriracha Aioli and a side of Old Bay Fries (these I tasted and could not resist). A grilled lemon comes with them making the flavor burst even more, but I have to be honest that we are a crabcake city and while these were good, each year's AIWF crabcake competition (this years is next month) by the AIWF would set up some steep bidding against these.

If your head to Redstone, it might be tough to decide between the rotiserrie chicken and the ribs in which case you can order the COMBO with half of each! The chicken comes classic (au jus) or barbeque and is slow cooked in a woodfired rotisserie.

Steaks also abound here, but we all wanted to try the specialties as there is so much steak all over DC.

Since it was my birthday(almost), I got a Deconstructed BANANA CREAM PIE (I didn't order anything!) with toasted nut crust, banana custard, bananas, and whipped cream with a huge sparkler in it. I was warned not to blow on it, as it would get bigger! OOPS! The KEY LIME PIE was nice but it was as big as Will's head and its crust is made of graham cracker and almond, a nice change. The hit dessert was the Warm CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE SUNDAE with Ice Cream, Candied Pecans and Chocolate Fudge Sauce. The cookie was baked into the pan and crispy and gooey and oh so yummy.

 

Well, I rolled out the door and while I'm sure we'll be back, next time I'm ordering much less for sure. We actually all had huge take home bags and they will last quite a while I am sure.

 

f you have to blow the buck, blow it at BLT STEAK (5-14-14)

I was invited to an intimate travel luncheon for 8 and yesterday went to BLT Steak for the first time only to be impressed a lot, save for the NOISE. (www.e2hospitality.com). I was actually invited to the opening of uber chef Laurent Tourandel's  first DC location and could not make it; it's a shame it took me years to get there.

Our hostess offered up ORCHID Cocktails created for her company (Orchid Hotels) which were champagne, a splash of Chambord, Saint-Germain and whatever the local bartender chooses, as she likes to say. They were oh so refreshing in the heat. Bread here is a course in itself as the huge GRUYERE POPOVERS arrive to the table steaming hot with a load of butter on the side. These have to big almost as big as my head and easily would fill anyone up, so be sure to try one, but split it with a friend!

She graciously ordered up way too many starters including the plum juicy SHRIMP COCKTAIL with huge shrimp, the so-so TUNA TARTARE with potato gaufrettes, which some of the others at the table said was the best they ever had (they never had mine)., quite tasty CRABCAKES and my first SOFTSHELL CRAB of the season which was cornbread battered with Bacon Marmalade and Dandelion Greens-YUM!

For my main I knew I was in a meat place and while everyone else order gorgeous fish plates from the magnificent LOBSTER COBB salad to Crabcakes, Tuna Salad, etc. I went for the KOBE BURGER with Fried Egg, Pastrami and Cheddar Cheese. I pulled away most of the bun and adored the meat and the pastrami as the egg oozed over my medium-rare to rare perfectly cooked Kobe beef treat. It came with fries, which were not indicated, so I ate some, but our hostess had ordered so many sides, I left most of the fries to enjoy these treats. She ordered fries as well, which went untouched on the table, but the beautiful ONION RINGS were devoured quickly. PEAS & CARROTS here are English peas and heirloom carrots with Yogurt And Nori, worthy of any fine dining veggie plate, but it was the Simply Grilled FRESH RAMPS that sent me to heaven. The one thing I did not get was the Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes which I thought were mashed peas at first due to the color. They were tasty, but won no award.

I was so full that I couldn't even think of dessert and waddled out knowing I could not face the gym that day. All I had for dinner was a salad!

There were oh so many yummy treats on the menu that I know I will return here to try some and not to miss those POPOVERS!

--

Falls Church's ORSO always makes an impression (5-10-14)

Saturday night we headed to Falls Church, Virginia again for our local theater jaunt to Creative Cauldron. We always head next door to Pizzeria ORSO(www.pizzeriaorso.com), which is indeed so much more than a pizzeria. Chef Will Artley hovers in front of the 900degree oven, but I was so shocked to see so much less of him as he told me he has lost over 120 pounds! (I'm going to talk to him about that).

Samuel asked for an order of the housemade grilled sourdough with BASIL AIOLI and he would have finished it all had we let him. He was the only one to order pizza and chose the DIAVOLO with Tomato, Pepperoni, Mozzarella and the love for all the fresh ingredients that each dish has.

I started with the BABY BEET & CARROT salad which sounds simple, but here there are loads of beets, whipped Chevre, Arugula & Greens, Pomagranate Molasses and Carrot Vinaigrette, which is an amazing dressing that I need to try and recreate! Will had the BURRATA Special which came with Prosciutto di Parma, a puff pizza-like bread, arugula and RAMP pesto (which I actually managed to recreate for dinner tonight on our grilled tuna and salmon!). A bottle of BRICCO dei TATI Dolcetto d'Alba 2012 was superb with everything we had.

Next, Will chose the Orichiette with LAMB RAGU which was excellent, but I felt vegetarian adventurous and tried a half portion of the Spring CORN AGNOLOTTI with Sautéed Eggplant, Pea Sauce and Sundried Tomatoes. This was a spring pasta dish using fresh corn and fresh peas and well, everything so fresh, that I just wanted more and more. My main course was a small portion of SEARED SCALLOPS with Couscous Risotto, Tomato Jam & Basil Aioli that also used so many wonderful fresh ingredients for such huge amazing flavors.

We shared a side dish of CRISPY BRUSSEL HEARTS which were Brussels Sprouts with Truffled Maple Bacon, Pear & Celery Root Puree--who would ever think this one up and BOY was it superb.

Since I had two small plates, Will ordered the TIRAMISU for dessert which was cake with coffee whipped cream and a crispy finger cookie that I had a small taste of. I love Tiramisu, but I was just so high on the local fresh veggies that I didn't want anything else.

 

Okay-so we ate too much and I did promise to call Chef Will about his nutritionist wife for weight loss suggestions!

 

 

When in Ft Worth WATERS (Bonnell's Coastal Cuisine) is worth the visit (5-4-14)

On my last night in Ft. Worth I had so many choices, but last year had missed the newly opened WATERS, Bonnell's Coastal Cuisine, where local chef John Bonnell had opened his new seafood restaurant just west of downtown (www.waterstexas.com) right before my last visit a year ago. I had loved his main restaurant, Bonnell's, where meat reigns and on a 95+ degree day, seafood seemed to beckon.

The West 7th Street District has blossomed over the last several years and even though it can get crowded there is complimentary valet parking to ease the pain.

I eased through the huge doors of the tall-ceilinged restaurant to a large reception area. To the right was along bar and lounge area much like a hotel lobby. To the right was the dining room with crisp white linens, black leather chairs, gray carpet to cut the noise and a huge bar and raw bar as well, with seating at both. Above the raw bar was a large black mirror so those seated nearby can look and see what's going on behind the counter.  Nearby sands a tall central square column which is filled with oyster shells to the ceiling and along the front wall of floor to ceiling windows are gray suede booths and banquets. Above the tables is a mobile sculpture that stretches across the room with steel cut "fish" which seem to be in a huge school swimming across the room. There are also fish lines with lures and weights to keep the work from moving too much. Overall this gives a light airy feel and while the dining room is classy, it never feels too formal. On Sunday it was dead with no more than 6 or 7 tables occupied in the large room.

 

My server Scott recommended the Cooper Mountain Vineyard 2012 Cooper Hill Pinot Gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley (over the Rainstorm Pinot Gris, also from Oregon, which he declared to be "watered down"). It was a superb wine with huge white peach overtones and according to Scott lemon blossom aroma. I ordered 2 each of 3 Massachusetts oysters (Wianno from Barnstable Harbor, Onset from Buzzard's Bay and Summerside from Cape Cod). The Wianno were buttery and less exciting than the others and I adored the Summerside which were creamy and plump!

These came with not only cocktail sauce and mignonette, but a serrano spicy vinegar mignonette that I mixed with some cocktail sauce afterwards and spread on the French bread which is served in a baguette bag with butter speckled with Black Hawaiian sea salt

 

I listened to Scott and ordered a small CAESAR Salad which comes with a superb Smoked Oyster Caesar dressing and topped with one tasty smoked oyster. Sadly, this was the only good thing about this salad as the croutons were soggy and the romaine was utterly limp. I think this plate had been in the fridge at least a day and while Kevin apologized, I was still charged for this attempt at a salad.

 

Next came Scott's better choice, SPICY YELLOWFIN TACOS which are three crunchy tacos propped up vertically on the plate by gooey rice underneath and topped with Mango Pico de Gallo, Jicama Slaw, Wasabi Creme Fraiche and a wonderfully peppery Micro Cilantro. They were a bit messy, but boy were they bursting with flavor, Texas style...and the three tacos were indeed very filling.

 

I waited a while before my main course and Scott was very conscious of not serving too fast and asking when I was ready. I wished there was a tasting menu, but the main course offered the next best thing:

The "I Can' Decide" SEAFOOD TRIO which is comprised of 2 ounces each of the three fish main courses that seem to be always on the menu:

Mesquite Grilled Arctic CHAR was superb over piles of green and yellow zucchini ribbons, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes and a Caper Beurre Blanc that was delish.

Tortilla Crusted Idaho Rainbow TROUT came with a "Southwest Style" Tomato Sauce, Avocado, Slaw, Pickled and Cooked Baby Carrots, Celery, White & Purple Fingerling Potatoes, Cipollini Onions and an occasional jalapeno slice.

Creole Seared Black DRUM FISH was a yummy Red Fish almost like blackened fish here with Andouille Sausage & Stewed Tomato Sauce with Okra and Haricots Verts.

All three were superb, but I think the sauce and seasoning on the Drum Fish made it the best of the three.

 

I really was full and did not want dessert, but three folks at the next table came over to ask what I had to eat and they ended up sitting down and we talked for ages. One woman and her college freshman son were clearly your not standard Texas democrats. He had been accepted at many schools including Georgetown, which was his first choice, but they could not afford the sky high tuition so he is at TCU (Texas Christian), and he is applying again this year for financial aid.

Anyway, Scott convinced me to order the CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART with Booze-Infuse BERRIES; it was the berries that attracted me as I am not a chocoholic.

The tart was superb, but I only ate 1/3 wishing I could bring the rest back home for Samuel who would have adored the intense dark chocolate, but  alas he is away for 3 days on a school camping trip. The Grand Marnier/Rum berries were a big hit for sure.

 

My almost annual trip to Ft. Worth is over, but I hope to get back next year for more fab food.

Ft. Worth's GRACE is always gorgeous (5-3-14)

Last night, before the opera, I was treated to dinner by the director of the opera who has been a dear friend of mine for nearly 30 years. I've been to GRACE before (www.gracerestaurant.com) and it's always special with Darren as everyone greets him from the owners to the bus boys, and he is always schmoozing with opera patrons, as well as being approached by folks to congratulate him on the amazing job he has done here in Ft. Worth. I would head to Grace no matter what, but to be there with one of Ft. Worth's "rock stars" is truly a treat.

I saw several new dishes on the menu and was immediately attracted to them. North Dakota BISON TARTARE with charred onion, quail egg, pickled teeny mushrooms, and pecorino cheese was a delicate plate with superb, yet subtle flavors. I asked our server Tyler which wine he recommended (by the way, anyone would be attracted to him as well as the dishes on the menu!!) and he suggested a smooth and bold Les Cadrans de Lessegue 2010 St Emilion Merlot from Bordeaux that was ideal.  The beautiful soft warm sourdough puffs of bread arrived with irresistible butter topped with sea salt.

I also tasted Darren's superb KONA KAMPACHI with American caviar, yuzu, and white soy, but since I had had this previously, I knew it was delicious, but not too large. It's probably the lightest dish on the menu, perhaps even in town!

For main courses Darren ordered the simple Meyer Ranch FILET with horseradish sauce which also comes with a gorgeous head of roasted garlic. It's a  great steak, but I could not resist the ingenuity of the just on the menu "PASTRAMI on RYE" which is a gorgeous presentation of Smoked BEEF CHEEKS with mustard seed slaw, Brazos Valley Gouda and a Rye crumble on top. It was, as Texas is, a large but amazingly exciting and tasty portion loaded with flavors that impressed and filled my palate; Darren agreed. I chose the Emilio Moro 2010 Tempranillo from Ribera de Duero in Spain which was a perfect pairing as well, recommended by the sommelier.

We bypassed dessert to head to the opera and still more people were approaching with praise. How nice to have a great meal and be here at this superb festival with a very special friend.

be sure to fill up in Ft. Worth (Texas) at the BIRD CAFE (5-2-14)

On my first night in Ft. Worth for the annual opera festival here I dined with a client at the recently opened BIRD CAFE (http://www.birdinthe.net/?page=welcome) just across from the Bass Hall (where the opera is) and we both fell in love with the wonderful and inventive plates to share as well as the friendly ambiance.

There is the paper on the table that I can always do without, but they have nice linens and great service; so I overlooked the white paper.

I saw one of my favorite winemakers on the list and ordered a glass of NOVY Blanc de Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley that was a superb dry white that went well with so may dishes. Our super server Tamara was oh so helpful in narrowing down the many choices.

We started with the Roasted BEET Salad with both purple and golden beets, chevre, ample greens and yummy Blackland Texas Honey.

Next came PIG & FIG which boasted beautifully crispy pork belly, Point Reyes Bleu Cheese, Golden Grits, Figs & BBQ sauce. The grits, it was explained, come from a West Texas homestead (no electricity) and are stone ground. The entire concoction was to die for.

I moved to a La Tarasque Cotes du Rhone 2010 Grenache as I liked that much more than the Heinrich Red mix of Zweigelt/Blaufrankisch from Wagram, Germany that Tamara let me taste.

Texas QUAIL was griddled and served over red cabbage with sweet potato corn bread. These little birds are as local as you can get and are always a treat.

COLLARD GREENS came with a dash of chili vinegar for spice with braised ham hocks over a traditional corn bread. This non-vegetarian veggie dish would turn any vegetarian in a sec.

We had seen a dish on the menu called MOTH BALLS, but our friend Darren who runs the opera had come over to say hi and warned us they were very rich.

Tamara was such a doll as she brought out two of these tasty decadent treats which are listed on the menu as a shout out to the Spotted Pig of NYC. They are ricotta filled pasta balls in a rich creamy parmesan sauce with EVOO, love and fried sage leaves. One ball, and you are full.

Our last choice was BANGERS & MASH as my guest was from the UK. Well, this is Texas style with a Cheddar Jalapeno Elk Sausage and another Wild Boar Sausage and a Dijon style and grain-style mustard, both of which packed a punch. These sat over a sweet potato-based mash of root vegetables that was good, but oh so not English. There was sauerkraut that was sublime and the whole dish was topped with tons of fried root veggie chips. WOW..I took a  picture it was so pretty.

For dessert the French press coffees are fab, and we shared an okay PAVLOVA with excellent meringue, some whipped cream, a very rich Valrhona chocolate mousse and hazelnut crunch. It was just too rich for me after all the rich and involved dishes.

I know that BIRD CAFE is going to be a big hit in this town, and I'll be back for sure....