Mumbai's MASQUE is magnificent and more (2/3/23)

Our first night in Mumbai had us dining at the tiny MASQUE which we had heard so much about and it is indeed a theatrical experience of Indian food as the name comes from "masquerade" as Ishaan, the sommelier explained. There is a choice of veg and non-veg menus of 10 courses both priced at 4500 rupees (under $55!!) which may be a lot for India but is indeed a steal for any tasting menu anywhere!

The unassuming doorway leads to an intimate room with a large bar on one side and ten tables seating two to six people each facing it. Drinks and wine here are indeed special and they have a wine or cocktail pairing, but we chose to order two bottles of fabulous Indian wine for much less with Ishaan's gracious assistance and lots of extra tastes, too. Will started with a drink called the "Gamble" mad of pisco, mezcal, pink guava, celery leaf, sea buckthorn and mango ginger which he loved, but I preferred my stronger "Grassroot" of tequila, raw ambada, wild thyme, sichuan pepper and pear with a sated rim that was really wonderfully earthy. 

Masque takes two seatings at 7pm and 945pm, so if your dinner runs long, they kindly escort you upstairs to their "living room" where you cozy down with an after-dinner drink and dessert. We were thrilled we did not have to rush and loved the idea. The room is stark with limited decor, dark brown wood tables and a slate floor, so the food is truly center stage, not like some crazy design-centered gimmicky Michelin star spots we have been to.

Ishaan wanted us to try an Indian Riesling, but we were leaning towards Sauvingnon Blanc so he brought out three tastes. We did not care for the "orange-style" wine which was a salty weird Chenin Blanc from Kustavaan. The Charosa Sauvignon Blanc from nashik was great, but Ishaan was correct as we adored the Vallonne 2022 Riesling also from Nashik (in Mumbai's Maharastra state) that Will noted had a briny-ness that paired so well with the food and the spices. 

The first course was Starfruit Kanji(dressing)/Kohlrabi(pickled with coriander seeds)/Squid and set the mood for the evening as we were in love with every bite and flavor burst we got, The dish also had watermelon radish, lime leaf and Aam Papad which is a candy that was a fun sweet taste and we both actually got in the last bite only(I am clueless how they managed that as we stirred everything up!). All the photos are on Facebook!

Makai Mathri was a play on chips and dip offering corn chips with hemp seeds and Bhautta chaat, a Kashmiri chili dip with a corn base. We loved the dip and the chips, but there was so much dip, we had to slather tons on the 4 chips we got!!

I guess we could say there were favorite courses, but they were all so different and unique, but Seaweed/Ponkh stood out in that the seaweed from Goa was fried like cracklings and the Ponkh is an amazing green sorghum that was steamed, dehydrated and then fried with a green apple chutney! Need I say more.

Fourth was BBQ Pork/Pea Patra/Saffron which was a pork that was served in a chorizo sauce(yes, sauce!) that was as smoky as you could wish with crunchy morel mushrooms(again from Kashmir) that were also dehydrated and fried, and a parsley chutney(read, puree). Green Pea Patra is simply peas wrapped in chickpea flour and looked like a small sushi roll! We have adored the green peas found almost everywhere in india, only the okra was a more favorite veggie!

Xacuti/Poached Egg/Ladi Pao is a play on a Goan omelet with xacuti curry of chewy carrots, clams and rat tail radish(yes!!) with a poached egg atop and served with Ladi Pao, which are really Portuguese-Indian Parkerhouse rolls which are used to mop up the egg and curry. Egg curry was one of my favorite dishes for breakfast in India, but I could have easily switched to this divine preparation any morning (or evening).

I have to also say that at Masque the servers work in teams, so Mirelle also gets great credit along with Ishaan for explaining everything so clearly, patiently and precisely as I wrote it all down!

Ishaan arrived with several tastes of red wine and while we have loved the Grover Shiraz/Cab blend everywhere, the Grover 2019 Zampa Chene Grand Reserve of Tempranillo and Shiraz was a letdown, so we immediately went with a new choice also from Vallone which was a fabulous full bodied 2017 Merlot Reserve. We wrote all the names down hoping to grab several bottles at the duty free when we departed Mumbai early this morning, but alas they sell NO Indian wine in the monstrous duty free shop; what a disappointment! I also have to mention that Ishaan studied at the C.I.A. in Hyde Park, NY and hence knows a tons of chefs in DC and elsewhere, so we have some great future contacts that are his buddies from school (we promise to mention you so highly, Ishaan)!

We were nest escorted into the large airy, modern kitchen (see video) where one of the chefs prepared our next course, a fabulous palate cleanser: Red Tamarind sorbet/Rose Apple.

The main meat course was, of course, Lamb/Ambemohar/Black Garlic which was served with rice with black garlic. The lamb was prepared with kohlrabi leaves, cherry tomatoes, green lentils or toor dahl and a sundried tomato chutney(mixed with something that I cannot decipher in my notes), hemp & Murg Dahl, "Habanero" Chutney fermented for Masque by a local farmer that was easily the spiciest chutney on the entire trip and puri kaththi. The red wine was divine with the lamb and all the spices and it was tons of fun to take the different chutneys or dips for each bite of lamb or food and mix different ones, which is truly the essence of Indian food from breakfast on!

There were three dessert courses of which the first was Nolen Gur/Gondhoraj or simply a wonderful lemongrass granita palate cleanser served with Jaggheri, the date palm sweet but here turned in a Bengali-style yogurt, which was a pulpy lemony treat that really made your mouth forget the spices before and get ready to move on.

Second was Chocolate/Passion Fruit, a fudgy treat served in a caramel crust that we both adored.

At this point our 2-1/2 hour slot was approaching, and we were escorted upstairs where we ordered a glass of Indian dessert wine to share from Vallone(again) 2018 Vin de Passerillage that was intensely viscous, super sweet and highly acidic, so I let Will enjoy it as it just reminded me of the Indian sweets that are SOOOO sweet, I just cannot fathom them. Our final dessert was the only course we were not blown away with and I think it is largely because the Paan or betel nut leaf is an acquired taste, Strawberry/Fennel/Paan was the leaf wrapped around pickled strawberry and fennel and beautifully presented, n=but as you know while I love pickles of all kind, and India truly wins the pickle variety competition, I am not a fennel fan at all.

So one course out of ten was simply not to our liking, but that was really a personal taste issue. Check out the photos and video on Facebook and please realize this was one of the most wonderful meals we have ever had ANYWHERE, not to mention the wonderful service, kindness of the staff, generosity with their time and also just a fully fun night out in Mumbai!

VEMBANAD Seafood Restaurant at Kumarakom Lake Resort in Kerala, India makes room service spectacular(2/1/23)

 The other day we discovered that there are multiple "dry days" in India such as holidays when alcohol is not sold, and in this state of Kerala the rules are even stricter where hotels, restaurants and bars cannot sell any booze! When we headed to the mountains, we also discovered that many of the small hotels don't have liquor licenses as they are so costly, so we grabbed some local wine to consume in our room, as you cannot even bring it to dinner!

After our first two dry days during this trip, we also were advised that since many people get their paychecks in Kerala on the first of the month, every 1st of the month is also a dry day in this state. I was pretty upset and contacted our tour operator in Kochi and she figured out a brilliant bypass. We would order the wine the day prior and have it delivered to our villa and then order room service, as private consumption in the room or at home IS allowed.

We arrived at the magnificent Kumarakom Lake Resort on the shores of Vembanad Lake just south of Kochi yesterday and the white wine(Paul Banyan--produced by the hotel under their own label-Big Banyan 2018 Sauvignon Blanc) was already chilling! We were blown away by the menu and Vishnu came to the room to help us order in advance and agreed that each course would be served at a specific time. It went as smoothly as could be and

 we told the head of catering that we were mightily impressed. The photos are on Facebook and we had an extra treat as there was a theatrical Kathaliki performance right before dinner for a private couple that we could see from our porch; this was followed by some very nice English pop music performed by a live musical group while they dined on the lake in a small pavilion right next to our villa.

Will started with the Njandu Elaneer, a peppery soup made with crab and coconut milk, while I adored the very spicy Prawn Rasan, a broth of spicy Kerala shrimp with lentils, tomato and intense black pepper. We had to share the starter of Chemmeen Peer as it was so novel, and Vishnu said it was a unique dish to this region. The shrimp are dried and then mixed with coconut, green chilies and served with pot tamarind and steamed tapioca all cooked in a clay pot. The dish reminded us of the veggies we had in Malaysia and Singapore served with fermented shrimp paste as the dried shrimp are really intense, funky and indeed novel. Think of a soft shell shrimp served with spices and fermented. We had some paratha and garlic naan with our two mains which were both divine dishes:

Meen Politchathu (again cooked in a banana leaf) is the local kingfish (or pearl spot) in coconut milk with spices and the

Malabari Prawn Biryani was a yummy mix of tiger prawns served with raita and pickled dates as well as pappad(a lentil based and spicy pappadam). The pickled dates were interesting, and the raita was the best ever indeed. Even though this is a fish dish, the menu suggests red wine and we opened our own bottle of Grover Cab Sauvignon/Shiraz that we bought the day prior as well for $13!

The timing of the service, the friendliness of the staff, servers and team and the food made this a truly memorable meal.
Tonight, we shall dine at Ettukettu, the hotel's other restaurant as we hear they serve local duck and quail, and wine is once again available!

We opted for a western and less sweet dessert of Coconut Pannacotta with fruit and berry compote that was very refreshing.

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Kochi, India's EAST INDIES at the Eight Bastion Hotel get bravos and indeed impresses (1-29-23)

 On our second and last night in Kochi we decided to head several blocks away to another hotel called the EIGHT BASTION after several local folks (including one who we did a cooking class with) recommended EAST INDIES. It's a simple setting with an open courtyard with table and a glass walled indoor section where we dined as the heat in Kochi is humid and not that great for outdoor dining, especially with the mosquitoes. There was only one couple dining in the garden courtyard and we were the only ones indoors. Our server, Nidhin, was a gem and totally got us when we said not to dial down the spices.

We chose two starters and two mains to share and all four dishes were truly spectacular and showed off the local cuisine and ingredients.

We ordered a bottle of Grover Art Collection Viognier from India which we had not yet had, and it was ideal with the spices and was blessfully chilled on the hot evening. We have come to love and almost worship the okra dishes here and the Stuffed and Grilled Okra with onion, chickpea, garlic, celery and oregano was no exception; Elakkaya Kurmulagu Chicken was a yummy chicken starter with cardamom, ginger, garlic, chili(spelled "chilly" on the menu) and curry leaf that had a nice punch and was as juicy as could be. 

For the mains we chose to split two different Pollichathu which are local recipes cooking in a banana leaf. There was Meen Kudampuli Pollichatu with mahi-mahi, smoked kokum, shallot, chilli, turmeric, curry leaf, tomato and kallappam on the side which is that wonderful fermented rice pancake akin to Ethiiopian injera. This is different from the appam we had in the north as it is a Christian recipe that includes kallu or toddy, a fermented palm wine! We loved the whole dish and when the Chef Baby came out to ask if everything was okay, we were praising everything to no end.

The other main was Cheemmen Manga Pollichatu using the huge local Tiger Prawns we saw being sold on the promenade where our hotel is. They were huge, juicy and out of this world with raw mango, green chilli, shallot, curry leaves, coconut milk(as virtually every dish in Kerala uses this--it is NOT sweet) with red rice.

Will ordered the Vattalappam fir dessert, which again is a relative of the Kallappam, but here it was not a pancake and was more akin to flan cooked with coconut milk, cardamom and made with the local raw sugar called "jaggery." We learned about jaggery early on as it is used in small amounts to eliminate the spice that you might get in your mouth if you are not used to the local intensity. At home folks use milk, which is okay, but jaggery is much better indeed. It is also better in coffee or tea and much healthier than white sugar.

We were thrilled with our dinner and left Kochi today headed for the mountains knowing that our first meal's crab dish was a fluke and now looking forward to more amazing food as we begin our last week (of three) in India.

The TERRACE at Brunton Boatyards in Kochi, India takes off, crashes and re-incarnates(1-28-23)

 Our first night in the south we headed to the Terrace seafood restaurant at our hotel and thought it odd when we arrived at 730pm that they said they only had one table left--the place was empty and there were at least a dozen tables. Five or six tables did ultimately get occupied, but there was no way they were fully committed!

The way the menu works here is you order a main course and automatically get a set starter of delicious Mahi-Mahi cooked with grated fresh coconut, a small cup of their famous Prawn Bisque which was indeed heavenly and then you main with rice and veggies.

Will chose the Ft. Kochi(the hotel is located where the British fort was) style Lobster Masala with onion, tomato and coconut milk curry, which was delish, but needed more sauce. The veggies were way overcooked to boot and had no flavor. My Njandu Curry was a crab and tapioca black pepper curry that had a ton of tiny pieces of crab shells in it with virtually no meat. The Terrace is quite dark, and we needed flash to photograph the food for FB as well as to read the menus, but this beautiful clay pot used for cooking was so dark, I could not distinguish the shell from the meat. They took the shells away and brought back a plate of empty shells with about an ounce of crab. What a waste. They could see I was upset, and I suggested that their crabs are quite sad, and they asked how it could be fixed. I said that the red snapper looked fab and a couple of pieces of that cooked in the local oven would be great. It arrived fast and I popped it in the black pepper curry, and it was FABULOUS. The Fratelli Indian Sauvignon Blanc was so refreshing as the temps here are in the 80's and we were quite hot on the outdoor terrace!

Will had the custard Pasteis (famous in Lisbon) for dessert which he liked alot and said was as good as the originals--this area was under the Portuguese before the Brits and Vasco de Gama was buried here before being moved to Lisbon!) and I had a local cake of chocolate and raspberry that was nice but won no prizes. The staff were very apologetic and sent a bottle of wine to our room today to make up for it, but tonight we shall try another nearby hotel instead!

Raas Devi Garh, outside Udaipur is unusually upscale 1/26 & 27/2023

 For our two nights in Udaipur we stayed about 30 minutes away at the centuries old Devi Garh which was built as a nobleman palace/fort (garh means fort) and was painstakingly turned into a luxury hotel that will take your breath away as you drive up to this massive stone and marble structure!

The dining room has a massive menu, especially for a hotel so small that encompasses almost all cuisines, but of course we tried to stick with local options.

Will had a cough and was refraining from wine, but I ordered a bottle as we knew we could finish it the next evening. Our go to red in India is the 2022 Grover red blend of Cabernet and Shiraz and works quite well with most food, even the spicy prawns we chose!

A simple amuse of salad arrived with pappadams with coriander-mint sauce and pickle chutney. I started with the Dal Moth salad a yummy mix of some veggies with sprouted moth lentils and a tasty lemony dressing which had a nice spiciness. Will loved his Dal Nariyal aur Lemongrass Ka Shorba, a lentil soup with coconut and Lemongrass.

We chose three main courses to share and loved them all: Tamatar aur Jaitoon ke Kofte were olive, sun-dried tomato and cheese dumplings in a creamy sauce with a hint of spice; Tawas Jhinga Masala was a prawn curry that had a nice spicy kick, but the Kurkuri Bhindi was one of the best dishes we have had so far. Bhindi is okra but here it is saved thin and light battered with chickpea flour and fried then sprinkled with mango powder that must have some extra spice added as the dish was slightly spicy but not greasy at all and may be one of the best okra recipes on earth. They said they would email me the recipe!!

We were so full and hence skipped dessert.

Our second night, the amuse was the same Dal Moth I started with the night before, but they really cut back the spice. Our attentive and sweet server, Gautam, reappeared with a huge bowl of the lentils with kick-ass spice! My starter was the Som Tam Malaker off the non-Indian menu and this was an extremely spicy Green Papaya salad with beans, tomato, peanuts and Thai chilies. Will chose the Mushroom Paneer Kasorba soup which was a nice cream of Mushroom style. His main was the Amritsari Fish Tikka which were large chunks or river sole marinated with caramelized seed, ginger, chilies and cooked in a tandoori oven. My Dunghar Lahsun Ka Ghost was a smoked lamb with garlic that was really tasty and very different from all the other lamb recipes we had so far. Gautam insisted we have bread and rice, so Will had the yummy garlic Naan while I went with the paratha.

I finished the red wine with the lamb but had two glasses of the Sula Sauvignon Blanc which went brilliantly with the spicy lentils and papaya salad!!

We loved our meals here as well as the amazing breakfasts with Masala Dosa, Uppma(porridge) and Idly Sambar!! Headed to the south of India now and the state of Kerala for 6 nights!

the Oberoi Rajvilas (Jaipur) RAJ MAHAL dining room is a revelation (1-24-23)

 Our second night in Jaipur, we were supposed to visit a family for a cooking class and dinner, but some politician was getting married and decided to block all the streets so we got stuck getting back to the hotel and after much consternation decided to stay there and dine in the private pavilion just around the corner from our room where Chef Kushagra (from Agra) reigns and has created a bespoke tasting menu that really gave us an amazing journey through Indian cuisine. The chef came out at the start, and we spoke at length and he actually ended up delivering almost all the courses as there were only several other parties, but they were all seated outside, so we had the private hall all to ourselves. 

Neha, the catering manager also arrived as she promised to add a special lamb dish(we had met her at breakfast) and we knew we were in good hands as every meal at all the Oberoi Hotels have had exquisite service. Indeed, all the Oberoi Hotels are rave worthy from top to bottom.

Pickles arrived: chili pickles, mixed pickles, garlic pickles and sweet mango pickles. It was hard to resist. We ordered another wine from Grover Vineyards, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc from Karnataka region in Bangalore was great with the spicy food and alone as well. Our red was Escudo Rojo Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Cab Franc blend from Maipo in Chile which was awesome with the lamb.

Chef arrived with the most gorgeous pie-looking creation called Ghewar ki chaat(chaat is a snack to start with) which was a crispy cake with baked potatoes with mint, tamarind and dates sprinkled with pomegranate seeds that we adored (pictures on FB). 

Rajasthani Murgh ke Sooley was a yummy local chicken with chili, garlic, lemon and lime, cumin and coriander in a clove flavoured yoghurt sauce. There were two side dips of honey yoghurt and mint & coriander.

Makai Ka Raan was a tasty corn soup with ginger which was followed by Gulab sorbet which was made from rose petals.

There were three main courses with the extra one sent by Neha and we started with the most divine Lobster Moilee which was simmered in Coconut milk, mustard and green chilis served over appam which is a fermented rice pancake (think of Ethopian bread-injera). Rice Pilaf and plain rice also came....way too much.

Adla Ghost(again pronounced "gosh") was lamb simmered in yoghurt with saffron which was truly wonderful, but the Raan-e-Rajmahal is a specialty of the house made from leg of lamb with silver leaf and was indeed a revelation of spices and flavors created by the chef. Sides included a salad, black lentils and yoghurt sauces.

The two desserts were also amazing and while we had the Kundalika, a funnel cake with condensed milk often called "jalebi," it was the Gajar Ka Halwa that grabbed us as it was a local sweet red carrot pudding that easily got best dessert prize so far.

Our serve Krishna was a gem and also was drop dead handsome and we really were thrilled we stayed at the hotel and enjoyed this truly divine dining experience.

Suvarna Mahal means "gold palace" and the palate is pleased at the Taj Rambagh Palace Hotel in Jaipur(10/23/23)

 Our first night in Jaipur brought us to dinner at the magnificent and very grand Taj Rambagh Palace where Suvarna Mahal holds a special significance as it is where the Maharajah entertained foreign dignitaries. On arrival we were introduced to a gentleman who actually was the steward for the Maharani! We settled into our linen clothed table laden with heavy golden engraved silverware, chargers and cups in the grand hall with frescoed ceiling, silk wallpaper and indeed we felt like kings(or queens).

We ordered a Fratelli Family 2016 Chardonnay from the Akluj region in India which we loved , and began to wonder about the odd salsa-like music being played in the room. The music varied throughout the night and at times was fine, but somehow did not fit the ambience of this grand palatial ballroom dating back to 1835. Our red wine was a Grover "Art Collection" 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend from Bangalore that we also loved. There are not many Indian wines, but the few they have all seem to be excellent and generally are lower in price than imports.

The menu is divided into four regions in India (basically one north, south, east and west) and then each menu has starters and mains and some sides. We decided to pick some from each group and ultimately ordered way too much! Frist came pappadams with a honey mustard yoghurt dip and then our two starters arrived: The yummy Kalonni Jhing were huge prawns grilled in lemon, cardamom and onion seeds and hail from the south in Hyderabad. Bhuttey an de Kebab are again the patty(a kebab is patty, seeng kebab is skewered) with corn, herbs, green chilis which is first poached then grilled.  We loved both dishes and told them to please boost up the spice. Our server brought some jaghri which is local raw cane sugar and is used to cut the spice if you get too much as you simply break off a tiny piece and pop it in your mouth. It works way better than water or even milk!!

Ker Sangri Ki Subzi was our veggie dish from Rajasthan (which is Jaipur's state) and was another fabulous veggie dish here made with the thinnest of haricots verts type beans with wild berries. These are not sweet berries, but a local one that is sour and adds amazing flavor. The whole dish(photos on FB) reminded us of Ropa Vieja, but was totally vegetarian. We loved the vegetable raita that came on the side with the two mains as well: Awadhi Murgh Korman was chicken and nuts with a yoghurt cream, mace and nutmeg sauce that was divine and hailed from the Oudh region. Our Punjabi dish from the north was Masaledar Chaamp or lamb chops in an onion and tomato curry (gravy). Did you know that curry literally means "gravy?" Of course we crab fiends had to order bread and chose the delicious Onion Kulcha.

We were full but decided to split a dessert and it was fabulous: Anjeer Ki Kulfi is a duet of figs with saffron and then fig kulchi, the wonderful frozen milk ice cream which was atop falooda or sweetened vermicelli noodles. The noodles were a tad odd, but we loved the overal fig dish.

Another amazing meal in India, but this one was in a palace fit for a maharajah!

Oberoi Vanyasvilas in Ranthambhore was a revelation in dining (1-22-23)

Our second day in Ranthambhore yielded a morning tiger trek seeing three cubs and then an afternoon trek for 4 hours with no results....until we were about to leave the reserve and a tiger literally jumped down and near the car and crossed the path in front of us (our guide said this has never happened to him in 32 years of being a ranger!). We came to dinner on a super high and Sara, our server from the day before and that day as well, was so thrilled and told us she had several dishes in store for us that were very special. She was so amazing for our stay that we commended her to the hotel manager as well as the head of Oberoi here in India!  We still had a half bottle of white and red from the night prior so we drank those as we were leaving the next day.

We started with Palak Patta aur Bhindi ki Chaatwhich was made from spinach into a funnel-cake-like dough(not sweet) with a sweet yoghurt, nylon sev(semolina), pomegranate and Indian pickles that we loved. Chapli Kebab were pan fried lamb cakes with coriander and spring onion served with three sauces to dip: tomato & garlic, smoked yoghurt, mint & coriander.  We loved them ALL!!

Main courses were Methi Malai Murgh-fenugreek and chicken in a yoghurt curry sauce; Bhuna Ghost(pronounced Ghosh) which is a baked lamb with onion and tomato; Mango Rice with Lentil Dumpling and the winner again was the bite of heaven on a fork veggie dish: Shahi Baigan Halim, aubergines in a rich garlic, onion & coriander cream sauce.

The chefs came out and we congratulated them on the amazing new dishes we had never had before and wished we were staying longer here!!

Of course there were breads:Koki Masala (Gram or chickpea flour with onion, coriander and green chile), but we tried to refrain so there was room for dessert.

Khulfi-the omnipresent Indian ice-cream was made from rose and pistachio with a caramelized nut crisp; Kong Firni was a rice pudding of condensed milk, almond, pistachio and saffron; while Baked Gulabjamon Rubdi(pronounced rubri) Malai is that rich gooey ball we see everywhere but it was tamed here a tad and served in a saffron cream.

I stopped in the bar for a scotch in front of the fireplace and had the room all to myself thinking what an amazing journey this has been, and we were only one week in out of three. Much more food to enjoy!!! 

Everything including the tiger is on Facebook!

Oberoi VANYAVILAS is beyond awesome at Ranthambhore National Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, India (1-21-23)

 Our first true fine dining experience here in India took a while as I was out with a bad back in Delhi and we were stuck in horrid traffic getting to Agra arriving so late we stopped on the road fora quick Masala Dosa at a road stop on the way. I want to note that Masala Dosa is now our favorite go-to breakfast and snack perhaps anywhere!!

We have been blown away by the luxury, service and friendliness of all the Oberoi Hotels we have visited, but last night we met Sara from Kolkata who is one of the most wonderful servers we have ever had anywhere in the world. As all meals are included here, we have asked for her at every meal! I asked saying that Sara is not a common name in India, and she replied "yes, but I am not common!"  We asked her about the Indian wines on the menu (I did not even know they made wine here) and she recommended the Sula Sauvignon Blanc 2019 which hints of melon, lemon and a touch of grass and of course was great with spice. For the red she was spot on again with the Vijay Armitraj 2019 Rare Red Blend that comes from Maharashtra in the east and the wine region of Nasik. It has a chalky essence but was a medium bodied blend of Shiraz, Cab and Viognier(somebody studied winemaking in the Rhone!).

Will and I split two salads as Sara insisted we try the Heirloom Greens with Avocado, Shitake, Tofu and ponzu in a Miso Vinaigrette that was divine. The Green Papaya Salad had a nice bite and included crushed peanuts, cherry tomatoes and haricot beans.

Will loved his Corn and Lemongrass Chowder while I totally fell for my Chicken, Potato and Leek Soup with Garlic Chips and White Truffle Oil!

We split two main courses of lamb that were so different with the Maas Ki Khadi being baby lamb with yoghurt and Rajasthani spices (we are in Rajasthan) that fell apart and was as tender as could be. The spicier Laal Maas (literally "red lamb") was a darker spicier dish truly red in color with whole spices, Mathania chiles and cloves. Boy, do they know how to cook here. The chef came out to make sure everything was all right and it could not have been more perfect. Sara insisted on brining and extra dish called Gucchi Malar Makhana (not the designer) which are special morel mushrooms from Kashmir in a rich creamy awesome sauce with lotus(malar) and green peas (makhana) that needs to be something we have in the USA if we can get it!

There was no room for dessert(besides our complimentary chocolates were in the room, but we knew we would be back in this room multiple times for our 2 night stay!!

Remember photos on an Facebook as well as our entire journey!

Dubai's PAI THAI is tasty and pricey, as it seems all is here(1-15-23)

 I was in Dubai 30 years ago as a guest of the Emir and back then it was a quaint Arabian outpost. Today is it an almost maniacal scene with so many tourists, but also with some of the most insane prices anywhere. While we are staying at the exclusive Burj Al Arab in a magnificent duplex suite(I won it in a travel quiz), I was quite shocked that last night we had a light dinner at the rooftop bar, GILT, that cost almost $200 for a sandwich which we split and two glasses of wine!!

Sticker shock aside we thought we would step outside the hotel tonight for another light bite(breakfast is huge, so we skip lunch) and headed to the nearby Medinat Jumeirah also owned by the Emir(Sheikh/Prime Minister/royal family) as the Pai Thai restaurant came with very high recommendations. The food was wonderful, the ambience great and the prices a tad lower than the hotel as the total bill rang in at $200US for a bottle of inexpensive rose, an appetizer plate for two to share and one main course which we shared with a side of the best Coconut Rice on earth. Photos on FB!

The Villa Garrel rose was $100 or so and the Norwegian bottled water rang in at $10 a bottle. Luckily the starter of Kong Wang Ruam Pai Thai was a huge platter with Shrimp Cakes, moist Chicken sate, crisp veggie spring rolls, super yummy purple chicken dumplings and a not so spicy Green Papaya Salad (with apple?!).

The main course we split was a nice Kana Nuea Nam Man Hoy or wok-fired beef with oyster sauce, Thai broccoli, garlic and mushrooms which was nice, but needed a tad more spice. The Coconut rice that accompanied was a revelation.

I realize that this is the playground of the rich and not-so-famous, but I can say we are glad to be headed to India tomorrow where the pocketbook will surely not suffer and the palate will be tingled.

BBQ Al-Qasr- beachfront luscious luxury dining at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE(1-13-23)

 We were guests of the magnificent Emirates Palace Hotel by Mandarin Oriental tonight for what was one of the best meals anywhere in the Middle East( BBQ Al Qasr | Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi (mandarinoriental.com)  . What fun we had in a private dining pavilion on the beach as each dish was grilled nearby and prepared to order. The service from Tatyana was beyond perfect and we honestly felt as if we were the sheiks here at this palace! We had pours of Perrier Jouet Rose Brut poured into chilled glasses, but ultimately switched to a nice full bodied red for our grilled course: La Planta 202 Ribera del Duero Tempranillo.

Check out the fun FB fotos which include hotel photos and a video of the super-fun fire-show on the beach!!

There was yummy homemade bread which was warmed on the grill and had that wonderful grill taste to it served with seaweed butter. We chose three starters to share:

Below Farm(grown locally in the UAE)Mushroom Flatbread with tons of black truffle, artichoke and tomme du jura fumee.

Yellowtail Sashimi was smothered with caviar and tasty kelp candied tomatoes(they tasted like kumquats) and infused tomato water. The fish tasted like it was fished minutes earlier and brought up on the beach where our dining pavilion was located.

Wagyu Tartare was to die fore with a smoked bone marrow on the side with grilled sourdough bread and topped with cured egg and colatura.

We decided to split two mains as the wights of the dishes were listed and some were in the multi-kilo region!

The Carabinero are huge prawns(think langoustines) from Spain grilled with Harissa and Prawn Head Sauce and were tasty as could be. The Simple Wagyu Tenderloin(at 1/2 kilo or over 1/2 pound) was superbly rare and delish on it's own but came with chimichurri and bearnaise sauces.

The highlight here is the grilled food, but also the grilled veggie sides. The Grilled Cauliflower had several types including my fave romescu and was seasoned perfectly while the Below Farm Mushrooms came with enough slice black truffles from France to start a truffle farm.

We are so superbly grateful to the entire staff at the Emirates Palace and especially my sales contact there Jordi Gruwel who deserves a prize for putting up with all our food and dining stories.

We are only here for two nights and this was a spectacular evening as we head to the nearby emirate of Dubai for the next two night before heading to India for 3 weeks!! Lots of food for sure.

DC's THIP KHAO make Laotian lovely (1-2-23)

 The first meal of the new year was with a friend in Columbia Heights here in DC where Thip Kaho opened almost 7 years ago, and I had wanted to get to multiple times. On arrival at 630pm the place was about half full and there were not too many servers. Within an hour the place was jammed and sadly they really needed some additional help. Other than that, the food was wonderful, spicy and a real different take on the normal Thai and Vietnamese SouthEast Asian brands we have around so much.

The wine list here has one white and one red, and the white is arefreshing Sauvignon Blanc from Domaine de l'Hermoniere in Touraine that has great acidity and stands up well to spice. Spice is an important word here and generally they seem to take down the levels a notch for the non-locals....I could have easily enjoyed a tad more fire.

The Tam Som is one of the spicy (from fish sauce and chilis)green papaya salads (there are some FB fotos) with green beans and peanuts and is a great way to start the meal as the mains tend to be meaty or tofu centric or with noodles, so this was refreshing, spicy and set the mood. The spiciest dish we had was the Mee Kathi a huge bowl of curry soup thick with thick rice noodles and chicken (it also comes with shrimp). This is a meal in itself, and we split the bowl and still had leftovers. The two mains we shared were very different form the Asian dishes we know. The Khao Niew Siin is a kind of BBQ beef jerky, and all the dishes are served with an adorable basket of sticky rice that could possibly be gooier! The meat was in large pieces and a tad difficult to manage as you only get a fork and spoon, but the spoon can double as a knife when needed! The other main was one of the tastiest pork belly dishes ever and is called Muu Som made from rice-cured sour pork belly served with mushrooms and carries a nice kick from chilis.

We could not fathom dessert as we had doggie bags already but would love to return again to try the many different dishes that will surely warm you up on a cold wintry night!

Le Nouvel An a Marcel's (Washington, DC) est magnifique! (12/13/22)

 As Will was flying off to LA to see Sam for the holiday weekend, I decided to partake of the set menu at Marcel's in DC's West End on New Year's Eve. It was a pricey menu indeed for $275, but well worth it and indeed it was like a homecoming as it must be over 1/2 a decade since our last visit there.

Chef/Owner Robert Wiedmaier was nowhere in sight, but his team was in charge, and everything went as smoothly as could be. On arrival I got a warm greeting and hug from Moez, who has been there for ages and is always a warm welcome as well as a brilliant sommelier! I had not seen Jonathan Crayne in ages as he now only works an occasional Saturday night, but what a treat to see his huge smile. Of course, everyone asked why I was alone, but a quick explanation about Will cleared that up!! Isat down and noticed a framed blue silk scarf entitled "Aida" by Erté on the wall, a duplicate of one we have at home! It seems that Chef Robert's late aunt collected them, so now they adorn the restaurant. The dining room is as cozy and comfy and classy as it has ever been, and this is why Marcel's has always been one of the top fine dining establishments in DC for decades!

A glass of G.H. Mumm's Brut Rose appeared courtesy of Moez and was the perfect match to the amuse of Cauliflower Flan, Smoked Trout Roe and a piece of edible Gold Leaf for fun. Served in an eggshell, it was a kickback to Jean-Louis Palladin who first created this type of dish right here in DC. The flan was creamy and rich, and the roe popped for flavor.

I asked Moez about wines and he said he would take care of pairings and not to worry about the pour size as he has a heavy hand!! First came a Macon La Roche Vineuse 2018 from Sylvain & Alain Normand which had a lemon zest nose and a good deal of acidity to work with the next course: Bay Scallops with Fermented Garlic, Champagne Glaçage, Garlic Croutons and Osetra Caviar. The garlic had a kick and the dish had the feel of a gratinée, although no cheese was present! Thank goodness for the warm French bread to mop up all the fabulous sauces.

Moez arrived with a Post & Beam(from the folks at Far Niente) 2021 Chardonnay from California which was wonderfully creamy and rich but not with any oakiness or obnoxious intensity that so many California chards can have! Lobster Timbale was another decadent rich dish with Butter Poached Lobster atop and Sauce Américaine that was dark, complex and yet not so intense as to overpower the lobster.

The next course was the winner of the entire evening and will go down as one of the best fish courses ever: Pan Seared Turbot was swathed in thick slabs of Burgundy Truffles with Robuchon Potatoes ,Potato Crisps and a Truffle Sabayon. (By the way photos are on FB). The clue to the evening was clearly decadence and the sabayon was so magnificent and the truffles on the fish so divine, the combination was simply heavenly. Haut Cotes de Nuit Albert Bichot 2019 was the perfect pairing as well!

Many folks are passing up Foie Gras these days but after last night's preparation, I doubt anyone would decline the Pan Seared Foie Gras with Chestnut Purée, Braised Chestnut & Port Reduction over a small Brioche slice. Moez said there was also date jam in the dish and because of this offered up two wines: Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Domaine de la Fenouillet as well as a Croft Tawny Port. I love the muscat and drank a tad before the dish arrived, but once settling in the port went quite well...hard choice here. I did save the rest of the port for with dessert.

My server was Milos from Serbia and we spoke about the issues there and in eastern Europe in general, but he was also a brilliant server in noting that I needed a rest or wanted to continue as the meal was long and lasted well over three hours, despite the fact that i was alone. It was also nice to have the live piano played in the front bar room that filtered into the main room I was in next door; the pianist was excellent.

The main course was an A5 Wagyu Filet with Charred Scallion & Ghent Mustard with Puffed Rice and was paired with a Gerin 2017 Saint Joseph from the Rhone that I loved with its earthy notes. Moez also offered up a glass of 2016 La Campine Syrah in case I needed something a little bigger! The meat was rare and superb, but by now I was beginning to fill up.

Dessert was a Vanilla Bean Mousse & Dark Chocolate Mousse with Jasmine Crémeaux, lace Tuile and Lemon verbena Ice Cream which cut the richness of the mousses with their little crunchy pieces!! Actually, the ice cream was like fireworks ending the evening!  A single beautiful Chocolate Truffle was presented to end the evening, and as I rolled out, I bumped into friends who were in the other room that I did not even know were there!

All I can say is this was the perfect way to end the old year/begin the New Year!

Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna, VA is serving up a spectacular SEVEN FISH DINNER (12/23)

 A couple we met on our cruise this summer were in DC for the holiday weekend staying out at Tyson's Corner and we asked them to join us in nearby Vienna at Roberto's on Friday night. The menu had changed a lot since out last visit in October, most notably was the holiday set dinner for $110 (that must be ordered by the entire table) that we could not resist. It is called "Chef Roberto's Seven Fish Dinner" and we can't say how simply superb it was and you really need to try this before it is removed from the holiday menu.

We were sorry to see that our regular server for decades, Deborah, had headed home to the UK for the holiday, but Sara and her team did a great job (except for one small item, quickly rectified). we started with our favorite white on the menu the Manincor La Manina from Alto Adige which is a superb blend of pinot blanc, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. I am really excited that we will visit this winery next October when I take a small group for a food and wine tour of the Dolomites! The wine has everything going for it and we polished it off with the starter of Baccala Mantecato con Le Rappe Rosse or Poached Cod whipped with Olive Oil atop Red Beets (of course, there are FB fotos of all).  The wine was also good for wolfing down the delicious breads from those peppery grissini to the soft focaccia to the amazing cheese buns; we had to ask for extras.

We knew we had a Calamaro Ripieno con Salsa All'Aglio Nero coming and the Calamari was stuffed with bread and seafood in the most divine yet thick Black Garlic Sauce (a real touch with the white and black contrasts), so we ordered another white suggested by Dmitri and the acidity in the Pala 2021 Vermentino from Sardinia was perfect with the rich sauce. we finished out white with the next course of Zuppa di Zafferano, Vegetale e Cozze which was a superb Saffron Soup of Autumn vegetables with mussels. On arrival Sara had asked about allergies and we repeated our usual dislike of all things licorice, but our guest had a real allergy to bell peppers, which there were in the soup. but we spotted them, and her bowl was whisked away and replaced with the Argentine Shrimp Crudo, a starter off the a la carte menu with spicy green sauce, radish, jalapeno and home-made pickled Chanterelles! I have to say the warm soup was perfect for this coldest of nights in what seemed years as the wind chills were below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the thermometer was reading single digits.

We needed to move to a red wine that went with the heavier fish dishes and Dmitri agreed with my choice of the BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, NOTTE, VILLA ELENA 2015 that was drinking as smoothly as could be. Our next course was the Cavatelli con Scungilli, Salsa Neonata Calabrese con Arucola and this was simply divine dish of home-made Ricotta Cavatelli(like gnochhi) with conch, arugula and a kicky Calabrese chile Neonata sauce. The wine was ideal with this to boot.

Our second pasta was just as spectacular with the Raviolo di Aragosta, Ragi di Grancio, Salsa di Aragosta. The single huge raviolo was filled with lobster & Mascarpone cheese, topped with crab ragu and served in a decadent lobster sauce. OMG!!  I may have wanted more of both these amazing pasta dishes, but we moved on to the Capesanta Al Tartufo Nero e Spuma di Patate or a Sauteed Sea Scallop with Black truffle on Potato Foam. It sounds light, but it was a filling dish, and we discovered our Barbaresco was gone, so we ordered four glasses of a wonderful Amarone from Tenuta del Sarto. This wine comes in 3L bottles or Jeroboam. It was listed on the menu as 2015, which is great, but still a tad young and we were thrilled to see a 2012 had just been opened.  I wish we had ordered the whole Jeroboam!! At $18 a glass this is a STEAL and went truly perfectly with our final fish course of Tonno ai Porcini e Salsa Barbaresco, yes-an Ahi tuna with porcini mushrooms(in a lattice over the tuna) in Barbaresco wine reduction, which of course was a hefty dish and worked brilliantly with the Amarone (or the Barbaresco if you had some left).

Dessert was Tortino di Panettone and I was really worried as I think of dry rock-hard fruitcake when I hear the word panettone, but this was a Warm Panettone pudding in vanilla and caramel sauce, and I quickly gobbled up the yummy dish leaving not a bite left. Limoncello as well as Amaro della Sirene(made locally in DC) were offered as digestifs, and we of course indulged and rolled ourselves out to the car and headed home in the bitter cold.

Chef Roberto Donna never ceases to amaze us all at the table and this meal was one of the best to date since his opening last February. I know there will be many, many more.

Take #2 for Turkey in DC at the delicious OTTOMAN TAVERNA(12-11-22)

 After dining out the night before in Arlington at the wonderful, but simple, Istanbul Grill, we headed into Dc the next day to OTTOMAN TAVERNA, where the decor is almost decadent, the prices are higher and the food was indeed a step up. One warning is that the address is 425 "I" St, NW but the restaurant entrance is on Fourth St, north of "I"!! There's no parking lot here like in Arlington, and indeed parking in this hip new "Noma": neighborhood can be hard or nary impossible. We lucked out as it was a quiet Sunday night.

So at Ottoman Taverna it is a fixed-price four course mean and a quite nice and varied one, too. We four decided to order a selection of four cold mezze(one each on the menu) to share, then we chose three warm mezze(to share) and a main course and dessert each. It was a filling meal and a great deal for sure. The wine prices here are about 20% higher for the same wines we had the night before. we started with a Vinkara 2019 Kalecik Karasi which is indeed the Turkish kin to Pinot Noir. When ordering, be careful as they also have a white from Vinkara (called Hansedede) which we had in Turkey and love, but had to send back. Our server Bugra was apologetic and immediately whisked the wine away, but left me a small pour to enjoy! The red is a yummy medium bodied wine that goes with almost everything. Our second red was a bigger one that Bugra suggested, the KAV-a blend from Anatolya of Okuzgozu and Bogazkere varietals. Now you try to figure all that out!

Our cold mezze were Hummus(uneventful). Ezme (a sundried tomato paste with onion, pepper, garlic, parsley and Turkish spice), Pembe Siltan of beets and yogurt which we all loved and the very spicy Aton of garlic, yogurt, celery and sun-dried chilies!! The bread here was warm and delish and closer to focaccia than pita.

The warm mezze were Felafel with yogurt that was a tad dry, Patates Kofte, which looked like the felafel but was a potato cake with feta and yogurt and the yummy Sigar Boregi or feta and onion cigar-shaped bourekas.

Main courses were all delish and as I said there are a couple dozen or so.

-Adana Kebap is chargrilled beef kebab with red pepper and herbs on bulgar pilaf with ezme dip and carrot-red cabbage slaw on the side

-Beyti Kebop is Char-Grilled Spicy Ground Beef Kebap wrapped in Lavash Bread with Eggplant Puree, served with Tomato Sauce & Yogurt 

-Doner Kebap is another variation with Thinly Sliced Beef Döner Kebab Served with White Rice, Ezme(Turkish Salsa) and Carrot-Red Cabbage Slaw 

-Moussaka here is as rich as it gets with Eggplant, Potato, Ground Beef, Bechamel Sauce & Kashkaval Cheese 

The desserts are very nice and simple. We tried the KATMER or phyllo with pistachio and cream, the Baklava and the Sutlac, an oven-baked rice pudding with cinnamon.

If you want a classier Turkish option downtown, this is a great choice for sure, and the service is friendly, and the decor is indeed very warm and lush.

Arlington's ISTANBUL GRILL is great for true Turkish and a budget (12-10-22)

 Friends of ours suggested ISTANBUL GRILL in Ballston in Arlington and the unpretentious place is a gem indeed. Wines are $40 or so a bottle for excellent Turkish varietals that can be hard to find in the USA as well. The food is low priced, hearty, tasty and filling. We tried the Majestik 2019 Syrah and Kalecik Karasi blend first and loved that and our server, Suat, suggested the Yakut 2019 Kavaklidere which we also loved. Two hearty reds that stand up to the food as well.

Warm pita-like bread and olives arrived, and we started with the Cold Mezze Platter which has plenty for everyone: Hummus, Cacik(cucumber dip akin to Tzatziki), Babaghanoush, Haydari(Thick yogurt, walnut, garlic, mint and dill) and KIRMIZI PANCAR TARATOR(beet dip with yogurt). The Grilled Octopus Salad with Beans is huge and a really super dish. It uses the main part of the tentacle, so for those who don't like the little cups on the legs, this is perfect! A super dish that one does not see often is Patlican & Biber Kizartmasi which is pan-fried eggplant and pepper in a yogurt sauce= DIVINE! The eggplant was cooked perfectly and then smothered with yogurt but was not gooey or slimy at all.

Main courses are many and we chose to split some:

The MANTI here are made from ground beef in dumplings with a yogurt and tomato sauce and taste delish, while I would normally not order fries, these are wonderful with a nice spice on them. A large group can order the double MIX GRILL PLATTER, but I would stick to a single and then get another dish as these platters are huge and loaded with everything from Doner Kebab to Lamb to Sauteed Beef and Chicken Adana (kebab like).

We were more than full, and plenty left to take home. What a deal and what a simple, yet great place. My only qualm was the nice linen napkins were quite frayed and torn to shreds :-(

another amazingly awesome meal at ANJU (DC-11/29/30)

 We had such a great time an ANJU in October, that one of our guests decided to invite us back for another feat on her birthday as well as her and her husband's anniversary. The repast was remarkable, and we all had the greatest time indeed.

Soy Humo! is my go-to drink here now made with Chacho Jalapeno Aguardiente, Bahnez Mezcal, soy/agave syrup and lime juice. This smokey miracle is great on a cold winter day or anytime. Our wines included a Provence Rose that one of the guests brought as well as a 2020 Pinot Noir Rose from Domaine Pelle-Menetou-Salon, "Morogues" in the Loire that was a wonderful fruity yet full-bodied choice with the spicy food. Our red was a 2016 Easton Zinfandel from Amador Country that easily stood up to the spice.

We shared starters and all were terrific One of our favorite tartares around is the Yukhoe which is a luscious beef tartare made with palm sugar, chili basil seeds, pine nuts, and served with lotus crisps to scoop it up. All agreed this is a signature star dish that can never leave the menu! The Mandu are yummy dumplings of pork and kimchi that are pan fried and the Chickin is another divine dish that is fried to perfection with spicy gochujang glaze & white bbq drizzle.

There are many main dishes to choose from, but Will & I headed right for the "Mama Lee's Classics" section and chose the Kimchi Jjigae, a pork rib meat stew, soft tofu with aged kimchi that packs a kick, but the tofu totally matches the spice. If you seek a spicy thick soup to warm you up on a winter evening, choose the Jjappong made with thick noodles in a spicy seafood broth with wok roasted shellfish filling the bowl.

Gamjatang is a braised pork shank with potato, napa, perilla & radish and then there is the Dak Jjim or Korean braised chicken thighs with potatoes and onions, another one of Mama Lee's specialty, as is the Dolsot Bibim Bap the hot stone bowl of rice, assorted vegetables, and choice of bulgogi (or tofu). All the fotos are on FB of course.

We split two desserts and chose the Ginger Funnel Cake we loved so much last time which comes with caramel, apple & pear compote, soybean powder & sesame cream.

The Jujube Flan De Queso is another winner which comes with honey, granola, black pepper whipped cream & lemon. Of course there was a birthday cake and we all left fuller than full and with lots of doggie bags as Anju is a great place to over-order and have leftovers for several days!

Our server Abby did an amazing job keeping us all more than happy!

GUANTANAMERA makes great Cuban on NYC's west side (11-25-22)

It has been a long time since our last visit to Guantanamera on NYC's west side at 8th Avenue and 56th St. Decades ago we always dined near Lincoln Center at Federico's (which ultimately closed and became a Victoria's Secret and is now an Apple Store). We met the manager Mario Zarate there and we followed him to Old John's Diner for our pre-opera meals which closed ages ago as well. Mario subsequently opened Guantanamera (after trying a short run as an Italian place in the same spot--too much competition) at the beginning of this millennia and we have been going ever since. We joined our friend, Lauren Flanigan and enjoyed a couple of pitchers of their wonderful Red Sangria as we perused the menu, that has also remained unchanged for years.

The three of us all settled on the Ensalada Palma Real of Mixed greens, artichokes, avocado, parmesan cheese, lemon dressing which is a super salad and always a favorite of anyone who tries it. Lauren and I had the Vaca Frita of Pan-seared shredded skirt steak, fresh mojo, onions, parsley, lime and of course, all the dishes come with Rice and Beans!! Will's Ropa Vieja of Shredded skirt steak stew, onions, peppers, tomato sauce was also just as good. The food here is very reasonably priced and it is a 10 minute walk to Lincoln Center or most Broadway theaters, so always a good choice especially when between a matinee and evening show like we were. We can't wait to return to Guantanamera and Mario and his super staff who all have the biggest smiles that make us happy too. The music might be a tad loud and be careful as they do have live entertainment at 8pm or 9pm or so on some nights!!

NYC's THE MODERN makes for a marvelous meal with TWO Michelin stars and a major money drain (11-23-22)

 On Thanksgiving weekend, we often have a free night in NYC and have always headed to Ai Fiori for what was a fabulous Italian meal. Last year we had major disappointments there and have moved up to midtown where THE MODERN has been ensconced next to the Museum of Modern Art for some time now and now has earned two Michelin stars.

The setting is magnificent overlooking reflecting pools and sculptures in the courtyard along with lots of plants and trees. The dining room is elegant and cozy with tables well-spaced so that you have lots of room (although a loud couple--Russian man & Greek woman--were extremely noisy two tables away, especially when he was on his cellphone!).

The dining room is separated from the a la carte Bar Room Restaurant and its bar which has more of a hum with tables more crowded, but we wanted the full tasting menu experience, which is the only option here. The tasting menu runs $250 per person (without tax and tap) and you can add on another $180 per person or such for wine pairings. We asked the sommelier, Jonathan how large the pours were, and he was honest saying that for this price you get about 3 total glasses of wine with 5 or 6 selections. We chose to order a bottle of white (most of the courses are fish) and followed that with some reds by the glass to try and get a better deal. Well, our meal came to $389 each in the end, so we did much better, but after tax and tip the damage was $1002!! It was worth it for sure, but I have to say I will think twice before taking a $250 tasting menu again in NYC as that tax and then a tip add up heavily and quickly.

We chose a Vieux Telegraph 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc which was as earthy as a white can get and really demanded food to be paired with it. We liked this as we had to sip at first and hold off with drinking the wine til the food arrived. Zallo crystal is used here, and it has a very "modern" look of course, while there are crisp white linens on the tables and a very attentive staff as well that work as a team, although Riccardo seemed to be the one who served us most.

The first amuse was a Shiso leaf lightly battered and fried with tuna tartare, Burgundy black truffle and lovage mayo. We were in love. The next dish is a signature of the chef and is presented in a large ceramic Ostrich egg-like container with a grand reveal. Poached egg sits in fried egg sauce with dill oil and Shrinking caviar (yes, that's what it's called) and served with toasted brioche with pickled shallots. Will hit the nail right on the head when he said it look like Egg & Soldiers, that oh so English treat where you dip the rectangular bread in a soft egg! I was reminded of Jean-Louis Palladin's famous egg custard with caviar-a real blast from the past. Don't forget all the fotos on FB!!

Citrus-cured Hiramasa was perfection with Pistachio Puree, shredded Badger flame beets, shaved horseradish & lemon zest. The next dish was probably my favorite as it had two of my fave foods: Herb roasted Lobster tail with Foie Gras (Will chose the substitute celeriac), Pineapple juice puree, truffle butter glazed cabbage and purple basil. It was an extremely delicate preparation bursting with flavors and the light pineapple was simply amazing with the foie gras.

Crispy skin Sea Bass indeed had the best skin ever with a wild herb sauce, chanterelles, turbido(what was that?), pearl onion and vignon(??) sabayon sauce. I asked the server to repeat this several times, but it just never came across right!! there were actually two delicious sauces, but it was the fish skin that shined. At this point we had finished our white and the sea bass needed more white. Jonathan asked if he could bring us a taste of a wine not on the menu. The 2018 Wieniger Reid Rosengartl had super fruit flavors with a lot of smoke on the palate that we both loved. and I also liked the La Antigua Clasico Roja Blanco 2018 made from Tempranillo Blanco and Viura. 

The "main' course was Dry aged Long Island Pheasant Farm Duck breast with Baby Artichokes in a Coriander-Citrus Duck jus that was cooked just past rare and a perfect size so that we were not overwhelmed. There were lemon-preserved dates in the dish that burst with flavor, and I yearned to know if I could make these at home. Indeed, the portion size was perfection for this entire feast. Of course, a red wine was needed, so Jonathan appeared with some options, and we first tasted the Brezeme 2109 Syrah from the Rhone that I felt was a tad wimpy, but we both loved the Gevrey Chambertin 2018 Vielles Vignes Tortochot as it was an amazing Pinot Noir to pair with the duck's richness.

A refreshing Grape-Kombucha Granita with frozen yogurt was the palate cleanser and had great acidity as well. Then we got the first of two desserts:

White & Dark Chocolate Tarte with Rum Sorbet was nice and different, but not my ideal dessert as I tend to yearn for fruit or such, but it was enjoyable.

An adorable presentation of mignardises arrived with Black Sesame & Yuzu Tartelettes and a Chartreuse Hot Chocolate Bonbon. The tartelette was easily the winner of all the dessert options and sent us home happy and full ready for a Thanksgiving feast the next day!

back at BLACKSALT (in the neighborhood) it's always one of the best (11-20-22)

We are so lucky to have BLACKSALT, one of DC's finest seafood establishments, just blocks away in the Palisades here in DC. We returned again last night and each and every dish is always near perfection. Our friends (from Malta) were impressed, and every detail was simply superb.

Our wine was a Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano d'Avellino 2019 which was ideal with the seafood. Will & I had an array of oysters, each better than the next: Pickering Pass & Dabob Bay (Washington State), Glacier Bay(New Brunswick), Battle Creek(Virginia), Patriot (Mass) and Damariscotta (Maine). 

Other starters were Day Boat Scallops with Roasted CauliflowerPuree, Wild Mushrooms, Romanesco, Crispy Baby Kale, Verjus Butter & Butter Poached Lobster with Spaghetti Squash "Carbonara", House Made Pancetta, Potato Gnocchi, Sherry Lobster Butter. All were amazing.

We moved on to a superb full bodied Rioja 2016 from Contino Reserva in Spain that had an amazing nose and paired excellently with the main (although Will finished the white with his BlackSalt Crab Cakes with Tasso Ham, Apple & Sweet Potato Hash, Roasted Butternut Squash Puree, Tarragon & Mustard Remoulade. Very few crabcakes can compare around town to these excellent ones.

There was a Wood Grilled Branzino with Garlic Braised Broccoli Rabe, Grilled Artichokes, Pine Nut Cous Cous, Lemon Butter with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Olives, Capers and Basil that could easily stand up to a red, the Wood Grilled Prime Creekstone Farms Ribeye with Wild Mushrooms, Potato Gratin, Asparagus, Pinot Noir & Foie Gras Sauce, but even my Spanish Zarzuela Style Seafood Stew consisting of Prawn, Scallop, Catch of the Day,(Pollock) Clams, Mussels, Squid, Tomato Saffron Broth, Almond Picada Sauce, Croutons with Saffron Aioli was an amazing pairing and the dish was simply beautifully presented and tasted even better(check the FB fotos). 
Everyone seems to go for the Key Lime Pie here with Blueberry Compote, Passion Fruit Caramel, Whipped Cream, Pistachio Milano Cookie, but there was no way I could eat more than a bite. We headed home full after a superb meal in the 'hood.

North Bethesda's JULII jiggles your taste buds (11-13-22)

 We had been to JULII before when a friend of ours was chef there and it was delish, and it still is. We were at Strathmore for an opera an needed a place nearby, so Julii fir the bill at less than 7 minutes up the Pike!  The menu is still Mediterranean like before and offers lots of nice options and the food is filling, tasty and good-sized, so no complaints at all. The service was excellent to boot, save for one Sprite seeming to take a while to arrive.

We started with a Reverdy Ducroux Sancerre and then moved on to a Chateau Pesquie Les Terrasses from the Rhone. The wine prices are a tad high for the burbs, but the quality was good.

Someone does need to check the menu as our young guest (age 11) noticed that the menu was divided to "PETITE PLATS" & "GRAND PLATS" both of which are grammatically incorrect! It should be "Petits Plats" & "Grands Plats" as they are masculine and plural!!

Starters were a yummy BEETS & BURRATA salad with za'atar seasoning as well as two excellent crudo options: SCALLOP with lemon puree, aleppo herb oil, crispy garlic and shallots as well as BLUEFIN TUNA with roasted garlic, tomato confit, crispy sunchoke and aleppo oil. We loved the little crunch on both crudos and the fish quality was superb!

Scallops reappeared in the SCALLOPS RISOTTO with mushrooms and the huge portion of CRISPY TROUT was gorgeous with urfa coriander spice, meuniere sauce, pequillo peppers, sunchokes, celery, potato and almonds. The RIGATONI BOLOGNESE was okay even though it has beef, veal and Benton's pork belly in the sauce. My STEAK FRITES was superb and used a rare to medium rare 10 oz. Creekstone Farms bavette(flank steak or London broil) that was as tender as could be with super frites, Madeira truffle demi sauce and a "Parisienne" salad which was two or three lettuce leaves with way too much vinaigrette!

The Creme Brulee was nice with a pistachio brittle and the Chocolate Tahini Pot de Creme was as rich and chocolatey as it comes.

We were dear friends after the opera and indeed had a wonderful time as we always do with this very special family. 

DC's ANJU is all awesome and MORE!! (10-19-21)

 Six of us headed to ANJU near Dupont Circle last month for a dinner we won at March of Dimes and Chefs Danny Lee & Angel Barreto along with the fabulous manager Eric Chodkowski and our fab server Abby made this tasting menu and entire evening a truly awesome feast.

Gimmonet Gonet Tradition Accord Brut Champagne got us started as the food began to flow from the kitchen. The entire team presented the first course made up of so many platters and tiered caddies that it was almost impossible to note everything. There are FB fotos from that night and the course was divided into four main parts:

GIMBAP -nori and rice roll, pickles, veggies and salmon roe with egg, burdock and daikon

YAKHOE -beef tartare of prime filet, frozen pear, caviar, gochujang, mustard, lotus and cured egg yolk (this wins the prix for most insanely irresistibly amazing tartare!!)

HWE - hamachi with hallabong(ctirus) vinaigrette and pomegranate

PAN CHAN are set up looking like high tea caddies and loaded with all kinds of condiments, snacks and more. Multiple kimchis of Napa cabbage, brussels sprouts and apple and white noodles; watermelon, radishes, chayotte, fish cakes, tofu, soy poached lotus root(wow!). 

We were overwhelmed and begged for a lot of time between courses, which we received so we could truly enjoy this feast--a meal in itself.

The second course was 

MANDU-dumplings of pan fried pork and kimchi

CHICKIN-the now world-famous double fried chicken Chef Danny Lee created with gochujang glaze and white bbq drizzle

These were paired twith a drink called SOY HUMO, a play on "soy" which is "I am smoky" in Spanish, made from Chacho Jalapeno Aguardiente, Bahnez Mezcal, Soy/Agave syrup & lime. So yummy, I had to have seconds....I think we all did.

Third course was 

JJAMPONG which i have to admit is a version of noddle soup that is easily now my favorite. The spicy seafood broth had thick wheat noodles, wok roasted shellfish and tons of lobster pieces as well as mustard greens. There was lot leftover, and we were thrilled to be able to enjoy it at home for several more meals!!

PALACE DDUKBOKGI(if you can say it) are Korean chewy rice cakes with carrots, veggies, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, basil and sweet soy

We had similar ones in Koreatown with Sam just two weeks before, but these were divine!

The wine was an Adegas Gran Vinum Essencia Divina Roas Baixas Albarino 2021 from Galicia in Spain which is a great wine that cuts anything with spice for sure.

The entire team returned again to serve the main course which was another masterpiece of Korean cuisine:

SSAM PLATTER here with marinated and grilled prime ribeye and a ton of different types of leaves to wrap the meat in with condiments to boot.

GYERAN JJIM was a dish that arrived covered and was revealed as a souffle-like side of steamed egg and caviar on top that was totally amazing, tasty and novel in that I cannot recall anything like it ever anywhere.

Yann Chave Classique Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2019 from the Rhone Valley was a delicious pairing as the meat yearned for a nice hearty red.

We thought we could not possibly think of dessert, but this was a chef's meal from a charity event and it had to be!

JUJUBE FLAN DE QUESO is a creation of Chef Angel that has honey granola figs(from Turkey), black pepper whipped cream and lemon and was a revelation, while the

GINGER FUNNEL CAKE was a fun treat that turned the ever so regular fair/boardwalk treat into a delicacy with caramel, apple and pear compote, soybean powder and sesame cream. I have never been a fan of the funnel cake, but if it's like this-I AM A HUGE FAN!

Dessert was paired with a with House Infused Casis, Brown Sugar and Honey Makgeolli-similar to a Korean sochi rice wine but sparkling. The drink was very refreshing and a perfect end to the meal.

The entire evening was truly a fabulous feast and as a supporter of March of Dimes, we are so grateful for Chef Danny's support over the years as well as so many other chefs here in the DC area.