DC's DEL CAMPO does it deliciously (10-26-15)

Last night we headed downtown with Samuel and two friends of ours for our first trip to Del Campo's (www.delcampodc.)dining room. I've been several times before for events, but really wanted to eat there as Chef Victor Albisu is our honorary chef chair of this years March of Dimes Signature Chefs event (of which I am co-chair of the chef's committee) three weeks from now. Chef Victor is very generous to the DC community when it comes to charity and indeed all events, the least we can do is give back to him for that.

We arrived at 630pm and the restaurant was fairly empty, but the bar was heaving. The dining room was almost full by the time we left and the noise levels were high, but not unbearable. One huge arty of about 30 at the rear was quite loud, but we were way up front at the window. The dining room is elegant and warm and most comfortable as well. Our server, Dmitri took our wine order and quickly delivered a bottle of Muga Viura barrel-fermented 2013 from Rioja an earthy white that actually had little oak taste due to the barrel, but was superb as an aperitif alone, or with starters.

Some of us were attracted to the set $45 menu which has a choice of salad, the Provoleta melted cheese with bread and then a huge Asado selection from the grill of Short Rib, Flank Steak, Chorizo, Grilled Greens and a choice of Sweetbreads or Chicken with Chimichurri and Salsa Criolla. Sadly, the whole table must do this, so we have to go back again for that option which I am so game for.

Two starters arrived in the form of a huge portion of Hamachi Ceviche with Sweet Potato, Aji Amarillo, Radish &  Brown Butter(well, thats' what the menu said online, but it also had a Leche de Tigre or citrus marinade that had a lemon curd consistency) which was superb, especially with the small slices of jalapeno for extra spice. A revelation was the Grilled Pear and Pecorino Salad with Arugula, Hazelnuts & Burnt Onion that was one of the best salads I think I have ever had. The vinaigrette was tasty and exciting and the pears were grilled to perfection.

We had moved on to a superb Valsacro "Dioro" Gran Reserva 2005 Tempranillo from Rioja as well that Dmitri suggested and was smooth and easy to drink. The starters were varied and the wine was divine with all:

Grilled Octopus & Crab Causa with Grilled Scallion, Piquillo & grilled Avocado (after a while you do realize that almost everything is grilled here!) which was also a huge starter (well, they all were)

Provoleta was a huge cast iron pan of seared provolone cheese with oregano served with lots of crispy country bread for dipping

My Seared Iberico Pork Loin was as tender as it gets and truly worthy of the name from which the famous Spanish ham also comes. It was served with Grilled Brussels Sprouts, Baby Eggplant, Smoked Yogurt, Salmon Caviar and a nice Romesco sauce.

While we waited for our main course we finished off the superb Valsacro and Dmitri suggested a lighter Malbec from Luigi Bosca D.O.C. Lujan de Cayo 2012 from Mendoza in Argentina that was much bigger than I expected but again superb with the grilled main courses, even the fish! Samuel had the 10 ounce Prime Hanger Steak with Steak Frites and Salsa Golf (aka Argentine Ketchup or ketchup with mayo, hence Russian dressing-ish, but with more oomph) which was a s tender and delicious as it gets. Two of us had the Grilled Tuna & Calamari with Smoked Tomato, Espalette and Grilled Olives, while the Peruvian Chicken with Crispy yucca, Aji Amarillo Alioli & Green Chili Puree was declared moist and superb. My Cast Iron Seared Prawns (photo on my FB page) were huge with head on and served with Chorizo, Mussels, Chillies, Ink Citrus Spaetzle and Mint (which I could not taste at all) as well as a Corn Salsa. It was perfect indeed and while a lighter dish, quite filling. Delicious green Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes arrived that were creamy and divine as was the Grilled Cauliflower with Raisins and Salsa Verde. Don't skip these fantastic sides as they are all superbly tasty and novel.

Desserts were inevitable so we tried several and shared, except for Samuel who would not let anyone have a bite of his Warm Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche Toasted Cashew Ice Cream. He seemed full after eating about 1/2 and finally allowed us to taste the yummy dish. The one not so great dish all night was the Coconut Caramel Crepe Soufflé  with Grilled Pineapple & Canela , but the Grilled Key Lime Pie with Lime Espuma made up for it and the even better Grilled Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream & Dulce de Leche was beyond excellent. As if this was not all enough a plate of Nutella Donuts with Grilled Banana Ice Cream magically appeared which were easily the winner overall and simply decadent and oh so tasty.

doin' the whole darn dinner @DINO's in Shaw (10-12-15)

Last night eight of us headed to our friend Dean Gold's DINO's for what was an event we purchased last year when he was raising money for his move to the new place. Little did we know this would be an over-3 hour long event starting with cocktails and snacks including Tapenades & Crostini(Yogurt,Garlic,Cucumeber with Roasted Red Pepper; Corona Bean; Kalamata Olive), Fried Crab Balls with Remoulade, and the always so deadly and indulgent Deviled Eggs with Crispy Parma Prosciutto, Anchovy Sriracha Aioli & Salsa Verde. I had a Fuego Verde again which was even spicier than last time, but loved it.

We moved upstairs for the main event which commenced with pours of a Sparkling Rose Fiorini Corte degli Attimi, Lambrusco di Sorbara which I can't say is one of my favorite sparkling wines as I prefer it drier, but paired very well with the multiple plates of salamis, pates, etc. These included the best Testa ever(pig head) with a to-die-for ginger mostarda, sliced Fagatini with a very mild horseradish cream, and a Prok & Mushroom pate. Also in evidence was Boar Salami, Andouille Sausage and a superb creamy Rillettes.

If we weren't full enough, we were when the first pasta arrived which was a delicious vongole (clams) and then another full plate of Linguini in Pesto with vegetables came. Well, we have plenty of leftovers this week to eat at home. The wine was a superb Soave Classico, Vigneto du Lot 2010 from Inama which was creamy and intense. I joked with our server Roberto about the name as it had a Greco-clad couple on the bottle which was supposed to be the Biblical Lot and his wife, who turned to a pillar of salt-odd choice for a wine.

We asked for a long rest and ordered a bottle of Ridge 2012 Estate Chardonnay, Monte Bello Vineyard which Dean's wonderful wife, Kay, recommended as one of her favorites. This was a ddeal as wines ar 33% off Sundays-Tuesdays! It was a superb California chard, full of huge fruit flavors and as far as I can recall, the first American wine I have ever had as Dino's is so Italian-centric.

The rest was over and the Castello dei Rampolla 1999 from Samarco, a subtle yet full bodied Tuscan red arrived to truly set the stage for the meat course of Pork Belly with a yummy Tuscan Mole Sauce that packed a nice spicy bite and a plate of roasted potatoes with several slices of the Teres Major Steak with Salsa Verde that we discovered earlier this year and is a real treat for meat-aholics.

After this another amazing red arrived that was much bigger than I expected from a Sudtirol (South Tyrol, near the Austrian border) wine. De Silva Lagreine Edizione 2010 from Alto Adige which indeed impressed us. It was a delight with the excellent cheese plate of Ubriaco al Pepe (aged cow with a punch), Moliterno al Tartufo (an intense aged sheep with truffle) and a new cheese for all of us, St. Stephen which is a triple cream cow from upstate NY that is oh so creamy and salty at the same time. There were spiced almonds and an apple compote that disappeared oh so fast.

Some folks opted for desserts and while I was full, I told everyone that my favorite was the poached peach which may be gone soon as autumn is indeed upon us. A glass of frozen Limoncello, that was unctuous beyond belief, sent us away very happy and we have to thank Dean for his undying kindness to us in oh so many ways, as well as his generosity to all who know him in DC. We

were happy to help make this move possible, even if only with a small contribution, but boy was this a meal to remember.

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HUNTING CREEK STEAK simmers & steams in Alexandria (10-7-15)

Hunting Creek Steak has been open most of this year, but we only found out about it a month or so ago. We know the owner, Michael Nayeri, who also rules at A La Lucia in Alexandria, as well as the Chef, Will Greenwood, who actually cooked our first honeymoon meal in the Jefferson Hotel 22 years ago this last week!

These guys have put together an adorable spot at 1106 King St. (http://www.huntingcreeksteak.com/) with plenty of room and plenty of choices. You all know, I am not a steak nut, but this has to be one of the best steaks in the area for the price; a worthwhile venture for sure for steak lovers and others.

Samuel and I went while Will is away, and he wanted to sit outside since it was such a nice evening; it was a great idea and the brick enclosed patio facing the street was jammed with folks, but not noisy at all. There is a cute cabana if you want to spread out and enjoys drinks and snacks and lots of tables with umbrellas. The service outside is superb (it can often be bad when you are there alone and the waiter is AWOL) and we were looked after excellently by the entire team, but Eric was always on with the wine as was our server Shawn.

Speaking of wine, you get 25% off any bottle Mondays-Wednesdays, which I am a big fan of, so I ordered the Numanthia Termes 2011 Tempranillo from Tot, Spain which was smooth, yet intense and would be a superb steak wine for sure. My only complaint for the entire night was that the glasses are on the heavy side; but then this is ahuge palce with an outdoodr, so they need to be sturdy. Samuel had his coke.

Out came a small plate of pinwheel wraps stuffed with smoked salmon and boursin cheese, which Samuel declared inedible as he detests cream cheese; they were delicious, but filling, so I will have the rest for lunch today. I ordered the Lemon-Ginger Infused Salmon Tartar with Jerusalem Artichokes which is a great starter to share. The plate is laden with thinly sliced chokes that are deep fried and come out like thickish potato chips and are seasoned perfectly as the tartar is mild and can be scooped onto the yummy chips. There is also tasty housemade focaccia.

Every day there is a 3-course menu deal with many choices as this is not just a steak place, but we were drawn to the Roseda Farms Butcher's Cut Wagyu Beef Bavette from the start. The steaks are hormone and antibiotic-free at this grass-fed farm and dry aged 21 days in Maryland, which won me over from the start. The Wagyu cut is 12 ounces which is huge and rings in at an amazing $32!! Sam had his with Bernaise which he barely used as the steak was so tasty. My chimichurri was superb and there are many sauce options, although they are not needed at all! The steaks all come with tasty just spiced-right frites, so we skipped ordering any sides as we were indeed stuffed and managed to take home about 1/3 of each steak anyway for tonight! When Chef Will came out, we were all praises and he explained that the steaks are cryovac wet-aged for even longer in house which has to be the secret as well as the superb source.

A glass of tasty Foggy Ridge Pippin Gold Alcoholic Cider from Dougspur, VA was brought around and I fell in love with this sweet treat before we headed home, knowing full well we will be back to HUNTING CREEK for steak or not....maybe duck and the chocolate desserts...or whatever.

lunch deals in NYC - 3 course is great at GUANTANAMERA (9-27-15)

We've been going to Guantanamera on 8th Ave(56th St) for years and have always enjoyed it, so today a group of 9 opera lovers  that joined together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our beloved online opera group, Opera-L.

Samuel loved the empanadas filled with chicken and tomatillo salsa that he had two orders.

The deal here is the $15.95 3 course lunch with a choice of 3 starters and many mains. I had the Sopa de Pollo which is simple but tasty chicken soup with potato, veggies and avocado. There is also a salad or yucca rellena.

The main I chose was the Vaca frita, a skirt steak shredded with mojo, lime and onion which was quite salty but very delish. Everything comes with a huge pile of rice and a bowl of black beans, so it's impossible to leave hungry. The dessert choices are a tasty flan, which Sam loved or sorbet, and I liked the banana.

Simple, yes; a deal, yes and in NYC near Lincoln Center and Times Square, that isn't easy to find.

www.guantanameranyc.com

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The SMITH at Lincoln Center is far superior on this trip to NYC (9-26-15)

Before Samuel and I headed to the glorious performance of Turandot at the Met, we had dinner across the street at The Smith.

Sam wasn't so hungry so he settled for the Corn Chowder and a coulple of mini-loaves of their crunchy bread(the butter wins no prizes). I started with 2 each of 4 different oysters and the Cotuit Bay & Peter's Point from Mass were my faves. The Pemaquid from Maine was nice, but the Island Creek from Mass was a bore and way too salty. I tried the Saturday night special of Paella and was truly impressed with this tasty combo of saffron rice, spicy chorizo, mussels, large tasty clams, and a lobster claw (see FB foto) with red peppers, chilis, onion, scallions and peas. The glass of refreshing Rose of Merlot from Charming Daughters vineyard on Long Island was perfect for the spice.

Samuel loved his Hot Fudge Sundae with flourless chocolate cake for dessert, but passed the crunchy almond bark to me. YAY!

We ate outside as it was glorious weather in NYC and sitting on Broadway across from the Met was great and actually quieter than sitting in the way too noisy interior!

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Gordon Ramsay's MAZE in NYC needs more maintenance (9-26-15)

Samuel and I arrived at our hotel in NYC for an overnight and headed right to it's restaurant, MAZE by Gordon Ramsay at the London in NYC...yes a long name, with not so illustrious a meal to match. It's a very casual spot, indeed really worn with wobbly tables with chrome trim and no linens to cover their wear. The booths are worn silvery leather and chairs that are oddly quite low.

I went to put may napkin in my lap, and there was hair on it!! YECH! It also dawned on me after the meal, that no bread was ever proffered.

Samuel started with the Buttermilk Chicken Sliders with lettuce, tomato, bacon & black peppercorn ranch that were deliciously crunchy from the buttermilk batter and really the best thing we had all afternoon. My Grilled Octopus was tasty, but suffered from truly atrocious presentation (check my FB page from yesterday) and also was not cooked to a nice crunch at the thick end and suffered from a slight sliminess therein. It came with "tomato tartare" which strikes me as an odd name as tomatoes are indeed always tartare when not cooked and this was simply a small pile of chopped tomatoes that were not even quality tasty heirloom; a sad parsley spring was on top.

I did enjoy my glass of Domaine Vocoret et Fils 2013 Chablis from Burgundy, but then at an average of $15-20 per glass, any wine here should be awesome.

Samuel's main of The London Mini-steak Frites which was a small, but filling grilled flat iron steak with herb fines frites, steak sauce and garlic mayo that was indeed a delicious dish. My Seared Jerk Snapper was tasty as can be and cooked to perfection with Braised Rainbow Chard and a tasty Citrus Emulsion, but I told the server to mail Chef Ramsay they 1/2 dozen or so large bones that I found in the fish. I think he might need to go back and take one of his own Master Chef Challenges on how to fillet a fish.

The cappuccino was fine and off we went, knowing we would never return to Maze, except for the free breakfast this morning, which had few highs (the scrambled eggs and croissants) and many lows (the cheese, cold potatoes--though tasty, and cold bacon and sausage....)

doin' the deals at DINO's in SHAW (9-17-15)

Yes, we have been to DINO's IN SHAW many times this year and there is a good reason. Chef/Owner Dean Gold is a generous, kind and caring guy who knows what his customers like and always comes through. he has donated many wonderful charity packages to food events which I work on and is always there himself to make sure the food is served and properly. Indeed, he was at our home just several weeks ago to do a package of cocktails and appetizers from March of Dimes last year! We had a ball.  Two of our friends who went to Dino's when it was in Cleveland Park had not been to the new place, so we dragged them out from Virginia to Shaw and the 6 of us had a fine evening.

To start, the bread is irresistible with olive oil and ground salt and pepper, fresh on the table....then we had a superb FUEGO VERDE which is a habanero infused tequila with house falernum (sweet syrup), lime juice and agave. It's kind of a margarita without the salt and a big punch. Our wine was a superb Calabretta (I can't ever recall hearing of this grape prior) from Etna, Sicily called "Gaio Gaio" Old vines lot g12, which apparently means most of the grapes are vintage 2012, but a blend is possible, It's a nice smooth wine with great flavors that worked excellently with both big fish and duck(those were our mains).

Starting was the always revelatory Deviled Eggs with parma prosciutto(crispy) anchovy, sriracha aioli and salsa verde; addictive!

Meatballs are always a hit, especially with the kids and I marveled at the Tomato & Mozzarella Salad (dubbed "not Caprese") as it seemed to have everything in it.

I started with the "Tuscan Bacon" Pork Belly & Brussels Sprouts which featured smallish sprouts caramelized to perfection and served with caramelized onion and saba (balsamic-ish sauce). The crispy belly was superb and the whole dish a hit.

Will had the Local Basil & Pesto pasta with preserved lemon, local zucchini & squash with carrots and tomato sauce, which is a paean to local produce at this time of the year (well, everything at Dino's is!).

If you seek heavier pasta head for the Chinghiale Pappardelle with wild boar ragu of tomato, burnt soffrito, cocoa,, cream, rosemary and pecorino pepato.

Samuel loved his Tuscan Pan-Fried Chicken with preserved lemon, garlic-sage, panko crust, sage pesto and sautéed kale (well, he wouldn't eat the kale--so we did) which had a wonderful lemony flavor as well.

The chicken was cooked perfectly and spicy and flavorful as well.

His friend had the burger, which came with cheese, even though we asked for it without...oh well. The both loved the simple vanilla gelato for dessert.

My main was Polpetto del Tonno or tuna meatballs that were meaty and flavorful in panko crust with Sephardic tomato sauce that was amazingly flavorful. The red chard sautéed with preserved lemon and garlic on the side was beyond superb.

Linguini with Vongole (clams) was simple yet flavorful with tiny tasty Virginia clams and a white wine garlic and herbs sauce. The Teres Major Steak (from Shenandoah Valley Beef Co-op) is tasty and superb with salsa verde and roasted Tuscan potatoes for the carnivores in you.

Only the Duck Breast of heritage Pekin Duck seared rare was a disappointment as it was more fat than meat, but it's Tuscan Mole sauce was garlicky and made with red wine, cocoa & dried fruit for a perfect sauce, alas on not a great meat. The borlotti beans were quite yummy, though.

We were full, but could not resist dessert. Rhubarb Crumble was super as was the Poached Peach which I had earlier this summer served with yogurt but just right for breakfast or a light dessert.

My Saffron Panna Cotta with Blackberry poached in Blackberry shrub was tasty as well, but I prefer a lighter panna cotta and this was quite rich and thick.

Our server Roberto was attentive and helpful throughout and really made us feel like he could do anything. This is the reason we always return, not to mention the dining deals with fixe price dinners, multiple plate options, wine discounts and more. Check out their website and plan your visit for the best deals at www.dinoinshaw.com.

make it MACON BISTRO for Southern comfort in Chevy Chase (9-1-15)

Back in the spring when I attended Taste of the Nation, one of the participating restaurants intrigued me when I met General Manager AJ and spent some serious time talking about her almost 1 year old MACON BISTRO & LARDER (www.maconbistro.com) located in Chevy Chase just inside the DC line at 5520 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015. Well, six of us finally made it there last night and what a treat we encountered. The place is simple and cozy with exposed ceilings and wonderful old B&W photos on the wall of the owner, Tony Brown's, family. There is also a gorgeous huge painting of a monstrous magnolia tree that hung right over our table. There is inside and outside seating as well as a small open corridor that is protected but open to the outside. The service here is super friendly, and we loved Nataliya who hailed from Crimea; it seems Eastern European servers are crossing the Atlantic more and more (that sounds like something the Donald might take up:-)). Owner, Tony Brown, was constantly making rounds at the tables to see if all was in  order and indeed it was.

One of us was running late, so we ordered up some Essie's Biscuits which were divine rich treats with honey butter and a superb and not too spicy, but yummy Pepper Jelly; we had to place another order.

Water here is house filtered and comes sparkling or still; another important point these days when a bottle can cost upwards of $5 at some places!

Small shooter glasses of "fennelade" arrived which Nataliya explained were fennel juice, agave and ginger. It had a licorice flavor, which you all know I can't abide, but I have to admit, it was tasty and refreshing and the thimble size was quite palatable for me.

The boys ordered sodas (cutely served in mason jars with straws) and here they are "Q" Cola and Orange which they said were just not as sweet as regular sodas; so much for organic. We ordered a bottle of  Ferraton Pere et Fils "La Martiniere" 2011 Marsanne from Crozes Hermitage which we used to drink all time after meeting the winemaker himself in his home some 15 years ago when in the Rhone. It's a super white that goes so well with everything, and boy did we order everything. The wall blackboard has a list of "SNACKS" and it was hard to resist, so we went that way rather than with starters:

CORN FRITTERS were hushpuppy like and superb with a wonderful pesto dip that was a change from remoulade and not as rich either.

DEVILED EGGS were gorgeous and had a yummy crunch from crispy bacon bits and some pimento on top of the decadent mayo rich oeufs.

FRIED OYSTERS were cooked perfectly and crispy battered on the outside with another tasty dip that had a mild kick (I never did ask what it was).

We were intrigued by two starters and chose one (we did not have the appealing Southern Ramen which was vermicelli made from zucchini with green chili fumet, fried egg yolk and lime.

We did order the Summer Ratatouille which was quite large and rich (as a starter, but an awesome side) with summer veggies, herbed tomato broth, coddled duck egg and sourdough crumb.

Indeed the side dishes here are most appealing and we also ordered the tasty Colalrd Greens with Bacon, garlic and White Wine. Next time I must try the Spicy Kale with Crispy Grits, Shallots, garlic & Chilies.

I was intrigued by a red wine on the menu and jotted the name down and then asked AJ for her input. She actually must have been reading my mind as she came over with a bottle of that same wine declaring it was perfect with all the dishes but especially the goat. The Xavier Weisskopf 2012 Cabernet Franc "Le Rocher des Violettes" from Touraine was a tasty wine so well balanced yet with a hint of spice, fruit and a superb finish.

Speaking of the Country FRIED GOAT, which we had three orders of, it was a superb tasty dish with Duck Fat Dumplings (Samuel wanted more), natural broth that I could not get enough of, stewed vegetables and chili oil. The Amish Chicken Breast came with yummy Black Eyed Peas, Country Ham Broth (I am adoring these broths with the food), & Bright Light Chard. The other dish I split was the Braised Pork Shoulder with Charred Onion, BBQ Vinaigrette, Cheddar Grits and Broccoli Rabe which was offered up a tasty sauce (no broth) that really was amazing and also paired divinely with the Cab Franc.

There is a $35 prix fixe from 5-630pm of 3 courses which includes the fish of chicken breast and is another great deal here, along with specials like Shrimp & Grits on Tuesdays and Burgers on Thursdays.

Chef Dan Singhofen and his team do an amazing job along with Pastry Chef Jamella Hassan (remember those biscuits).

Well, we were full but had seen the desserts when we arrived and knew we could not resist. The Almond Custard with Cherry Compote and Almond Crunch was okay (the crunch got raves), but the portion was in a very teeny jar. This was the only dud all night as the Pineapple Coconut Cake with Pineapple Bavarian & Pineapple Rum Sauce was a light fluffy delight, truly as light as air and oh so tasty. My White Peach & Raspberry Cobbler was superb, but richer as it hinted back to those biscuits with its superb crust and was accompanied by a creamy Benne Ice Cream.

Salted Caramels were on the table as we departed and we left not only full, but feeling that we had indeed traveled to the deep south for a fine meal in MACON!

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say yes sir to SER, Arlington's newest Latin bistro (8-29-15)

We had heard many good things about SER which opened earlier this year in the Ballston are of Arlington at 1110 N. Glebe Rd (www.ser-restaurant.com). We arrived and parked underground (there is virtually no street parking) but discovered at departure that with validation, the fee is only a reasonable $2.00! The setting is nice with bright floor to ceiling windows surrounding the whole rom, wooden tables and wooden chairs, that frankly start to be a bit painful after sitting for more than an hour; this is the one thing I would change. Simplicity is the rule in décor and indeed the table only had a tiny vase with one yellow and one white daisy, but I don't dine out for the floral arrangements!

We were warmly greeted by our Ukranian server, Ganna, who was very helpful in explaining the various dishes and many new names. At several points, the owner Javier came over to check on us as well.

Will started with a tasty gazpacho and Sam was also in a soup mood and went for the Chickpea Soup which was tasty and hearty. I ordered the superb Steak Tartare with Santona Anchovies, Organic Quail Egg (which Ganna offered to break tableside) and Piparra (which is the extremely tasty salad of frisee, shaved fennel & greens). The meat needed only a bit of fresh pepper as it was tasty and the small grilled bread slices were just thin enough for the steak.

Our guest had the Lamb Sweetbreads which scared me from the ingredients of Mushrooms, Maple Syrup & Ice Wine. They were superbly fried and not too sweet at all, which I feared, not to mention so tender.

We enjoyed a medium bodied, slightly spicy aftertaste red Bovale 2012 from, Utel Requena that is made from the Boval grape and really is a wonderful wine that goes with so many foods. The wine list is reasonable and fairly nice with many options by the glass as well.

Samuel had come from a big party and ordered only the Patatas Bravas for his main course which are decadent fried potato chunks smothered with a spicy tomato aioli. They need to be eaten quickly as once they cool down, the flavor (as in most fried potatoes) is flat. Main courses were all superb and varied with Tallarines a la Mariscada being a huge portion of pasta loaded with mussels, squid, shrimp, clams and monkfish all bursting with a wonderful zarzuela tomato-based sauce.

Josu's Bacalao al pilpil con Pipirrana was a yummy salted Cod with olive oil emulsion and lots of veggies that suffered only from a tad too much oil. The Carrilleras de Iberico are tasty Braised Pork Cheeks with Rioja, Ginger, Zucchini Pisto(I guess that is Spanish for pesto) and burst with flavor; the cheeks literally feel apart and could be eaten with no knife as Ganna had promised.

We were full but wanted to try one dessert and we chose a superb GOXUA to split three ways. It is a cold layered dessert with strawberries, cream, spong cake, custard and a caramel brulee crunchy top layer that was adorably served in a small jar and was most refreshing after the huge meal. Coffee here is good whether Americano, Cappuccino or Cortado(espresso with dash of milk). We will surely return to SER, but might bring a cushion next time :-)

Back in the USA, Roberto Donna makes our day at Roberto's 8 at AL DENTE (8-26-15)

We had such a great time about 7 weeks earlier dining at AL DENTE with Chef Roberto Donna cooking at Roberto's 8 (his eight seat "mini-bar" open to the kitchen where you schmooze with the chef and get a show as well) that we went back again this week with another couple. It really was just Roberto's 4 as the other seats were empty; few folks want huge meals in this heat, but we had a ball.

From the second we arrived, manager Cliff and our server, Jose insured our glasses were always full and we were happy and never lost their smiles; this truly makes a meal special as well.

We started with an APEROL Aperitivo of Mozzarella di Bufala, Olive,  and aperol with a lemon rind crunch that I loved. This was served with Clara C Prosecco which lasted for several courses and got us bubbly and cheerful for the evening.

What has to be some of the best focaccia in town arrived and while some of us gobbled up several pieces, I limited myself to one, knowing that there was much more to eat.

The adorable pizzetta in a box was the same as July with Sweet Vidalia Onions, Fontina, Soft Quail Egg & Truffle, and frankly I could eat this kind of pizza every week, not just once every 8 weeks!

Tigelle was my first experience (that I can recall) with this small version of a Panini that came with Salamino, Black Olive, Goat Cheese Burrata & Pickled Onions and Ramps, and again, who wouldn't like a little (or big) sandwich like this?

We moved to Leonardo de Toh! from which is a slightly earthy white friulano grape that was for the next several courses.

It paired very well with the Tuna & Octopus as they are indeed earthy dishes.

Tubnas was a tartare with Green Tomato & Roasted Tomato, Basil-Mint Oil, frisee salad and shoots, but it is the Octopus that we love here cooked so tender and served with Cannellini Beans, Spring Onions, Yogurt Sauce and Sweet Drop Pepper, yet brought to the table in a glass dome full of smoke and spice that wafts up your nose as the dome is revealed. Not only is it dramatic, it is ecstatic in taste and will always be one of my favorites here.

Head-On Shrimp with Saffron Mayonnaise is tasty and fun, but I would gladly take two servings of the polpo instead :-)).

We switched wines to a Depie Rose Campi Flegrei from Campagna that was fruity, fun and dry. This went amazingly well with the Corn Soup with Sausage Crumble which was spicy and had a nice kick cutting through the veloute of sweet corn. This was one of the new dishes not on the July menu that I also fell in love with.

A dinner at Roberto's 8, 4 or anything else wouldn't be complet with his signature Eggs, Black Truffle and Burrata. Chefs takes his presentation cue from the late Jean-Louis Palladin(who used eggs a lot), who was also his dear friend, and presents the dish in the eggshell but scrambles the eggs with buratta and truffle for supreme richness making it totally Italian and totally his own ultimate creation.

For the first pasta dish (those who know, there are usually three here) was also a new dish for the summer with Open Raviolo, Sea Scallops, Chives & Shitake that was just slightly creamy, but not overly rich and of course, the pasta can not be beat.

We switched wines to a Luceres Poggetto 2006 which had a tobacco nose and drank as smooth as silk. It served the Spagetti alla Chitarra quite well and I noticed that Chef Roberto has increased his spice in this dish, which I always adore, here with Pancetta & Clams. Third on the pasta plan was Risotto with Black Truffles & Gorgonzola, and indeed I can't remember risotto being richer except in tow other dishes in my life and that was under the guidance of Chef Roberto in the guise of white truffle risotto and foie gras risotto; perhaps they shall be on future Roberto's 8 menus.

The "main" course Prosciutto wrapped Squab with Dates & Spinach, which was our same dish earlier this summer and indeed is perfect on these hot nights as too much big meat can be silly. We were all nearing full and quite happy as we guzzled down our lovely Tuscan red.

Castelmagno Cheese with Honey, Hazelnut, Mostardo di Cremona and a flat thin crispy flatbread like cracker across the top was beautiful and a light but superb cheese interlude followed by a super refreshing Peach Fruit Granita.

Desserts semmed to come one upon the other starting with a refreshing Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauce, Tiramisu with burnt coffee cookie crisps, mascarpone and chocolate with coffee caviar and the most heavenly Fig Tart with Vanilla Gelato (which we also had in July, but welcomed again with open mouths).

Bicerin is that superb espresso doused with rich chocolate which is how the meal is always finished here, unless you go for an after dinner drink, but this night was indeed different from all other nights as we had eaten way too much and yearned for a rest. It was the best way to be welcomed home from our recent trip, as if we had not had enough huge tasting meals and feasts in Ireland; it's good to be back home with friends.

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Kai Cafe comes to the rescue with a fantastic finale in Galway, Ireland (8-19-20)

I had chosen KAI CAFE for our last night since it seemed like a "lighter" dining spot, but boy was I wrong. We had scheduled for late at 8pm since we ate lunch that day and also gave ourselves time to finish packing and then enjoy a relaxed dinner. It was the perfect plan. We walked in and Will immediately recognized the guy from the counter next to us at lunch and we ultimately laughed off the incident as he and our server Sheena were a super team along with chef/owners David & Jess Murphy who whipped up each amazing dish in the open kitchen not far away. It's a small cozy place, but that seems to be the norm in Galway, and even with that, it was impressive.

Will ordered a vodka & tonic (they had run out of Dingle!) and I tried the house Bellini with Blackcurrant liqueur (it was so nice I bought a bottle the next day at duty free). Of course, Samuel wanted a coke, but this is all-organic and settled for an Ubuntu Cola which he said was fine.

The menu was awesome and decisions were difficult to make. We ordered a bottle of Domain de Coussergues Pay's d'Oc Chardonnay/Viognier and enjoyed our drinks until we spoke at length with Sheena. She said not to worry; we would be taken care of. I ultimately chose the Wild Clare Rabbit Rillettes & Toast while Will went for the West Coast Crab & Goat's Bridge Caviar (did I write that correctly?). They were amazing dishes and beautifully adorned with yet more edible flowers of all sizes as well as radishes and shoots; a true garden on each plate. I had a yen for the scallops, so Sheena sneaked out a plate of the creamy rich divine Scallop Ceviche & Tiger's Milk which had avocado & cucumber as well. These were three of our favorite starters indeed and they were also quite large, so we were almost full by the time the mains arrived.

Samuel ordered a Brady's Strip Steak (with a chimichurri like crust) & Tonty's Tomatoes and Chanterelle Butter, which was all to die for and came with creamy rich potatoes just in case you needed more (as if we had not eaten enough in 18 days in Ireland). Oh, did I forget to mention the Black Bread served with Sea & Celery Salt Butter. Now that we are home we have bought Kerry Gold Irish butter, but it just isn't the same!

Will & I chose to split our main courses and they were both sublime:
Monkfish & Mussels & Dillisk (seaweed) Broth which was light but dabbed with a rich Aoili

John Dory with Butternut Squash, Kale Inzimino (chick peas stew) which was slightly spicy and rich as well. It is rare to get John Dory over here and if available it tends to cost a bloody fortune, so this was a special treat as well.

The setting is quite nice with a large glass roof that looks up to a Gothic church of sorts; it was sadly not light that night as Sheena said it sometimes is. The walls are stone and there were hanging bulbs in mason jars that were really cute. If I have to complain, it would be about the not very comfortable chairs (that was the curse of both meals that day) and the loo was quite dilapidated with a broken seat (the acrylic of a large jellyfish can go as well :-)).

Everything was so great we had to choose one dessert and since Will & I had enjoyed so many scrumptious ones with rhubarb we chose the Rubhard with Custard & Shortbread which was a parfait compote with custard and cream crumble....a wonderful end to our last supper. But there had to be more. Kanppogue Greenspot Irish Whiskey was indeed (save for breakfast the next day and the crisps from the duty free at Shannon) our last taste of Ireland, and what a fitting drink it was.

I have to say that as "ard bia" was good food in Gaelic, "Kai" is Maori for food, and there is a Maori connection with a large wall painting of the owner's great-grandmother from New Zealand.

Once again kudos to Sheena who treated us like Irish gold, and made our last night so memorable!

ARD BIA at NIMMO's and odd name, and odd place but a good meal in Galway (8-19-15)

Our last two nights were in Galway City and we had scheduled a full day of touring, but wanted to include lunch at the well known Ard Bia at Nimmo's. I learned that Ard Bia is Gaelic for good food, so that made sense, and this place was as quirky as it gets in a building on the river in the old part of town that looked centuries old. We waited for a table and then were ushered into a corner where a window overlooked the beautiful flowing river (through cobwebs) and the chairs were extremely uncomfortable. Samuel & I had a bench on either side that was hard as a rock but muffled by some (also centuries old?) very useless cushions. The table was right next to a pair of stools and counter and the guys sitting there gave us a look of extreme disdain as we sat down, but we didn't budge, I had heard great things about the food and would persevere.

Samuel ordered a fruit drink, Will a Galway Hooker Ale and I had a Roots & Greens' Liver Cleanser of beetroot, carrot, orange, lemon and ginger that was quite nice.

Samuel was not thrilled with the menu and settled on MEZZE which was a plate of a medium arugula salad with pomegranate seeds, Spiced Toasted Pita bread and three superb dips:Muhammara (red pepper), Hummus and Butter Bean. He needed extra pita and this seemed to be a big deal, but it eventually arrived after a lot of asking (and we were charged as well). Our tourguide said the Irish were simple eaters and ordered the simplest item on the menu, Panfried Haddock, saying it was delicious.

Will ordered Shakshuka which is basically baked eggs in a crock with spicy herbs, feta and brown soda BREAD. You will sense a Middle Eastern hint to the menu, which surprised me as I was hoping for scallops or lobster, but apparently lunch is a whole different thing here. I chose the Avocado & Egg, which is a name that the dish did not deserve. It was a superb warm salad of avocado with poached eggs on top, organic spinach, basil pesto and a rye bread crisp with seeds; I loved it.

I would love to come back for dinner, but doubt my rearend could take sitting in these seats or chairs for a long meal!

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The grub is great in Galway-and ANIAR is on top with a Michelin Star (8-18-15)

Aniar is a tiny unassuming spot in Galway's Claddagh district and has risen to great acclaim over the last several years. Aniar  is Gaelic for "from the west" and it prides itself in that virtually every ingredient is organic and from the west of Ireland. The Fior Uisce water, the organic pressed drinks Samuel had such as Pink Lemonade and Apple/Raspberry Juice (farm pressed), the foraged vegetables and fruits and even the spices (see later) are all from Western Ireland.

Richard proudly explained the menu which consists of seven sections and is broken into 4/6/8/10/12 or 14 course meals with or without pairings.

Samuel chose four items he was thrilled about once each one was explained (read on) which took some time and he was rightfully confused yet again. We anted eight and explained to Richard that the whole table could not do the same number of courses as the menu specified; he said not to worry at all, and we took off.

The first grouping was cold pre-starters of which Sam was allowed one, and we were allowed two each.

First on the list was "Turnip, Radish, Lovage" so you can see why we needed more info. This turned out to be a local farmer's produce but with a dressing of Chicken Fat Emuslion which used the chicken skin reduced as salt, since the only other salt in Western Ireland is local sea salt. None of us had this, but we were enthralled by the concept behind the dishes.

I started with Clam, Samphire, Nasturtium which was steamed clams, blanched samphire and nasturtium gel -all presented as "Sea Flower" which was a dashi broth made from local foraged mushrooms, clam & seaweed with Sea Asparagus. The portion was small, but full of flavor in each and every different spoonful.

Will chose the Mussel, Cucumber, Seaweed which was Steamed Mussels, Charred Cucumber and Marinade, Seaweed Cream with trout roe and of course nasturtium flowers (they were everywhere in every dish).

It was as tasty as my clams and then all three of us went on to a true highlight of the trip:
Beef, Tomato, Oyster which was a Tartare made with Oyster Emulsion as a binder and then topped with Oyster Ice Cream. The tomato was semi-dehydrated and then roasted for the sauce. Samuel, who did not like the ice cream, gobbled up the tartare despite its slight oyster flavor, and then asked each of us for a bite of ours.

Breads arrived and all were baked on premises with Rustic White, Bran Soda, and the most glorious Blue Cheese Soda Cracker Scones(I got an extra to take home for breakfast) all presented by the pastry Chef Claire with Achill Island Butter with sea salt.

Will and I did not want to do pairings as they often were beer or other non-wine drinks, so we choose a bottle of Rocca del Dragone 2012 Falanghina which Richard said was a great go-with-everything we had ordered in the first several courses.

We moved on to a carafe of Cristina Sampietrana 2013 "Principe Moro" Negroamaro which is a full bodied red and it was great with our main meat courses. I actually went back and forth as you shall see we had many different types of food that went with white or red.

The second set of foods was hot starters of which again Sam could have one and we could have two each.

I started with the Pigeon, Barley, Onion which was Pigeon poached in a waterbath with 2-1/2 week fermented Barley (I couldn't tell the difference) and Roast Onion Puree with Hazelnuts. Well if poaching in a waterbath does this for birds, I'm in for it.

Will had the Trout, Pea, Curd, Watercress (one of the few items with 4 ingredients n the menu) which was Poached Trout, Fresh Peas, Goat Curd and Watercress Puree with Fermented Carageen Seaweed Moss. Don't ask, but it all tasted GREAT! For his second hot dish he was joined by Samuel in the decadent Potato, Bone Marrow, Mushroom which was Cooked Overnight Purple Potatoes in Duck fat with Bone Marrow Sauce and Wild Mushrooms including Girolles, Hedgehog, Canterelles & Mushroom powder.

My second dish was the Pork belly, Beet, Cherry which had also cooked overnight belly,Poached Fermented Beets and Slated & Sugared Cherry. the crust onn the belly was salted and crusted to perfection, perhaps one of the ebst ever.

We all enjoyed the very herbal Tea/Berries Sorbet  with borage(flowers) as a palate cleanser (they gave it to Sam even though it's not included in the 4 course menu).

I should note these menus run 55 euros for 4 courses (just over $60) and 85 euros for 8 (which is about $95) and at that price we were all completely stuffed before the end.

We each chose one main course and they were all different.

Samuel went for the vegetarian Celeriac, Snow Pea, kale which he raved over and gobbled up all the Celeriac Puree, Hay Sauce(yes, made from hay) and dehydrated Mushrooms.

Will had Ox Cheek, Carrot, Leek, Fennel where the cheek was cooked for 96 hours with Carrot Puree, Leek and Charred Fennel.
I think I won with the Monk, Ham Hock & Sea Vegetables, and no, it was not a priest like Sweeny Todd! This was monkfish with an 18hour cooked ham hock and seaweed broth of sea purslaine, kale, sea spinach which was quite creamy and rich but had no dairy added.

There were two desserts and two cheese plates and Will and I chose one from each, while Sam got to choose one dessert.

He went with the Blackcurrant, Sheep's Yoghurt, Birch which was a mousse that he liked very much.

Will & I chose the Elderflower, Gin, Oats which was an Elderflower Panna Cotta & Gel  with Gin Ices and Toasted Oats that was very refreshing.

He went with the Cheese, Chutney, Rye Crisp which was several cheeses including Dureen and a very very sharp cheddar as well as a blue which Richard explained was one of the few things that was not from Western Ireland (it actually came from Ulster in Northern Ireland) as he said the western blues were not as good.

I chose Goat's Cheese, Pear, Hazelnut which was a Goat Cheese Ice Cream, Hazelnut Puree & Praline

Richard explained that you get more courses of the above mentioned dishes if you go and only the 14 course meal includes the rare and expensive digestif of Forager's Tea made of mint, nettle, borage and fennel seeds...it cost so much, we skipped it.

Claire had some little treats for us afterwards as if we had not eaten enough:
Madeleines  with Apple Syrup

Hazelnut Praline

and Licorice Rock, which you know I wouldn't even touch as it is one taste I truly dislike (my mother sad never to use "hate").

We indeed loved our meal and the entire experience and I think it opened Samuel up to a whole new way of dining.....we shall see.

Ashford Castle's GEORGE V Dining Room is indeed a destination in County Mayo, Ireland (8-17-15)

On Monday we took a long day's drive north from County Kerry making stops at the magnificent Cliffs of Moher (where we had a fun lunch of Seafood Bisque & Irish Stew at a small pub called McGann's in Doolin, County Clare) and then visited the Aillwee Caves in The Burren before heading past Galway to the gorgeous little hamlet of Cong on the edge of Counties Mayo & Galway. Here lieth the magnificent Ashford Castle with parts dating back to the 13th century. Like so many other historic landmarks, it was refurbished by the Guinness family in the 19th century and now as a 5star luxury hotels has housed the likes of the Reagans, Brad Pitt and now us.

It is a magnificent baronial estate on Lough Corrib and we were very happy to settle into our cozy room overlooking the lake with a bit of time to rest before a true elegant dinner. Upon arrival Robert, who has been the George V maître d' for decades greeted us warmly as if we were regulars. A slight mixup in the number of diners was rectified, although Samuel said he would go to the room and get room service so we could dine alone; that didn't happen, and we were all much happier as well.

The grand room is full of chandeliers, silver food trolleys and formally attired staff, but the stuffiness of a Victorian establishment was nowhere to be seen; the staff were elegant, yet trained to be thoughtful and indeed friendly.

Robert asked for our cocktail choices and I was happy that they had my newly acquired favorite: Dingle Vodka, so I went in for another dirty Dingle Martini. Philip who was the sommelier arrived and announced our gin drinks, but we were confused. We joked that he needed to blame Robert, but they both rectified it instantly with replacement drinks; Sam's coke was correct.

As the amuse of Chinese Style Duck with Sweet Corn Foam & Custard arrived on a wooden slab in a shot glass with a Bacon Cracker, we knew this was going to be a good meal. Samuel was abit confused by the lengthy and intricate menu as the ingredients were confusing, but we talked him through it and then discussed the wines extensively with Philip who was more than helpful and accommodating, not to mention quite handsome. I suggested a half bottle of white and a full red, but that was hard as Will wanted fish and I wanted lamb. We talked about the house-owned vineyard in South Africa and settled on their Pinot Noir which Philip allowed us both to taste, even though it is not served by the glass!

The sparkling water here was Fior Uisca, which we now saw more often in the west, and was a bit fizzier than our preference, but still very good. Breads and butter arrived and it was hard to choose:

French baguette, Brioche with Lemon Oil, Irish Brown with honey & yogurt, Potato Rolls and a Blackseed/Sunflower Seed/Sesame Seed Flatbread with Flax--all served with a yummy seaweed butter. Decisions, decisions. Now I know why I gained 10 lbs. on this trip! Our first wine was a superb fine finish Chablis Saint Pierre 2012 from Albert which had the slightest citrus hints; the wine was served in large Riedel crystal with the Ashford Castle crest emblazoned on each glass.

I started with a magnificent Marinated Wild Pigeon in Cocoa Liqueur (it was not sweet at all, more like a mild mole) & Brassicaceae (mustard flowers) with essence of Chocolate "jelly," radish, cabbage, turnips, orange & cardamom vinaigrette. You can easily see how this menu would confuse anyone, let alone a 12-year old. We had to dissect every word, but no matter, the food was indeed spectacular.

Will had the Home Smoked Duck & White Asparagus with Summer Truffle Vinaigrette, White Asparagus "Blanc Manger" (think savory panna cotta), Hippo Tops and Brioche. I asked Will what Hippo Tops were and he had no clue, so they told us it was a type of watercress. Actually the staff were surprised we don't have it here in the States as it is common in the UK & Ireland...who knew?

Samuel had decided to forego the starters as nothing appealed to him and the mains tended to be huge. He chose the Skeaghanore Free Range Duck Breast & Foie Gras with Cherry "Gel," Pickled & Fresh Salsify, Bouchon POtatoes and Tonka Bean Jus and loved it all, but after a bite or two of the foie, offered us the rest, which we gladly accepted.

By now we had been served the amazing Pinot Noir 2012 from Bouchard Finlayson in Galpin Peak, South Africa which was smoky, yet not fruit forward like so many of the Oregon Pinots we love. It was a different take, and it was superb with both our main courses; kudos to Philip.

I chose the awesome Achill Island Blackface Lamb which was a Roast Loin & Pressed Shoulder with Aubergine Miso, Samphire, Oyster Leave and Seaweed Infused Jus. I actually learned the next day from a sweet saleslady in a store in the teeny town of Maam in Connemara that the blackface lamb is the decendent of sheep imported from Scotland and the term "lamb" strictly means a sheep of one year old or less-who knew? She actually grew up on a sheep farm. No matter, the dish was a treat in each and every way and the wine truly a brilliant pairing. Will chose the Wild Hake & Smoked Eel with Heritage Beets, Kale, Red Scallion, Pickled Mustard Seeds and Seared Gnocchi, so the wine was great for him as well since the smokiness of the eel paired sublimely with the smoke in the wine. We were all thrilled with our main courses, the meal and the way the evening turned out!

I have to note that the loo lights were odd here as they were triggered by movement, but you had to actually move into the room before they went on--creepy!

Will & I decided to do cheese and split a dessert as we had seen the elaborate cheese trolley numerous times and it was indeed calling to us.

Irish Farmhouse Cheeses we chose were served with homemade breads and biscuits as well as fruit gels of grape, apple and pear. The water biscuits were the best on earth and the rye crisp had no comparison.

We knew this might be our last cheese extravaganza so we returned to

St. Tola Goats with ash as we loved this so much so many times in so many different preparations

Durrus was another slightly intense cheese we came to love.

Mossfield Gouda was so creamy, nutty and rich like a great Old Amsterdam that we asked for a piece to bring up to Samuel, who had gone up to the room to retire. He loved it.

Carrygaline is a seaweed wrapped cheese that was novel and yummy.

Monterey Jack Corr was not your USA Monterey as this was a brilliant new farmhouse cheddar.

Cooleney was a runny Irish Brie that would compare to any French one

and another new cheese we fell in love with was the Bellingham Blue.

So sad we knew there night be little more of these divine cheese trays.

The dessert we split was an "Opalys" of White Chocolate Banana with irish Strawberry Jelly and frozen foam with White Peach Sorbet and Whipped Ganache, a truly brilliant concoction that won us over yet again with the intense fresh fruit flavors.

As if this was not enough mignardies arrived:
White Chocolate with Lemon Oil

Financier with Cherry Gel & Lemon Curd

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnut

and another I forgot.....oh well. I can still see it sitting in front of me as I look down, knowing it will take weeks to take off the pounds so lovingly earned.

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Killarney's TREYVAUD's takes you home to Ireland with a novel take and great ambiance (8-16-15)

We moved only 25 miles to the north over the mountains to beautiful Killarney the next day and decided to dine at TREYVAUD's right in the center of town. I had booked way ahead by email and we got the warmest welcome from Owner Paul Treyvaud and later his brother, owner/chef Mark Treyvaud came out to talk with us extensively. We felt like we were at home in this simple  small family restaurant where the emphasis was on food and Ireland once again.

An amuse bouche arrived of Kenmare Smoked Salmon with Red Onion Marmalade, Rose Wine on a Pancake with Crème Fraiche. This was a divine take on the blini but bigger and Irish style with the most tender and tasty smoked salmon we had for the trip.

We ordered a tasty bottle of Bodegas Rioja Blanco 2013 from Muriel which was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Viura; here the wines were all quite inexpensive save for a couple of fancy labels and again a nice treat.

Samuel started with the Pan Seared Chicken Bruschetta on a fusion of Tomato, Olives, Basil-Toasted Pine Nut Pesto and Parmesan, which he declared the size of a main course, well at least for lunch.

Will and I both could not resist the Treyvaud's Fish Cakes with Smoked Haddock, Whole Grain Mustard and Chives with Garlic Aioli which have become a legend here. they were tasty and the sauces were superb. Everything seems to come with a small rocket (arugula in case you forgot) salad which was very tasty and had a Caesar-ish vinaigrette.

For the main course I had to have the Lough Leane Rainbow Trout (Killarney sits on this lake, as our hotel did that night, and Paul told me his brother fished the trout himself that morning!!) with Prawn Bisque Sauce and Julienne Onion, Zucchini & Carrot. Will chose the Roast Rack of Kerry Lamb with Dauphinoise Potatoes, Red Wine and Herb Jus.

I forgot to mention there were awesome breads of Sundried Tomato, White Smoked Paprika & Leek, as well as Brown with Pumpkin Seeds.

Samuel loved his Prime Irish Beef & Guinness Stew with marinated Irish Beef in Guinness with Button Mushrooms & Bacon Lardons. We also got mixed vegetables, regular potatoes and chips (that's fries); over-indulgence.

Every bite was superb and we had a ball, but we were full and decided to split one dessert of Poached Rhubarb and Lemon Posset (custard) which was creamy but not too rich with the poached rhubardb all tasty at the bottom and a gel as well.

It was the perfect finish to a wonderful meal and making new friends in this wonderful town.

Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, County Kerry keeps up tradition yet soars with consummate cuisine (8-15-15)

The next night we drove about 5 minutes away to the other Relais et Chateaux hotel in the area (it is rare there are two so close!) and we were blown away by the entire experience from the time we sat down at the bar and discovered that there is amazing locally made Dingle Vodka (& gin) that makes a dry and neat martini. While the bar snacks here (overlooking Sheen Falls, a tiny stream at this point of the season) weren't as exciting as the night before (here we had olives and spicy nuts, etc). the dining experience was indeed a tour de force.

The huge dining room or Falls Restaurant is light and airy (yellow is the predominant color in the building as well as in the exterior paint) and Chef Philip Brazil works hard to impress each diner with each bite.

An amuse of Wild Mushroom Veloute came first and was spectacular, and pronounced correctly :-).

We tried the Castletownbere (again from nearby Beara) Oysters with a simple lemon shallot vinegar and pea shoots. Will declared the shoots bothersome, but the oysters were creamy and slightly briny and truly delicious.

These were enjoyed with a superb Te Pa Sauvignon Blanc 2014 from New Zealand that matched the bivalves in creaminess but with a huge grapefruit flavor.

We also tasted the Domaine de Chiroulet Reserve SFL (Sheen Falls Lodge, made for them) 2013 from Gascogne which is 50% Gros Manseng, and 25% each Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc, which will preferred. It was nice to have so many options by the glass and an extensive wine list as well, all overseen by the superb French maître d' Quentin. We also loved the grand piano in the middle of the room being played softly and politely and were excited when we heard familiar tunes from the Irish musical "Once" we had just seen in DC!

Brown soda, Granary and Onion rolls were the order or the day with more amazing butter....the curse of this trip was carbs, butter and cheese, but we loved it all. The water was all Sheen Falls Lodge locally filtered.

Will & I both started with the Roast Beet Carpaccio, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Tarragon Mascarpone, Salted Sunflower Seed Crackers and Pea Shoots while Samuel had the Rigatoni with Lemon Olive Oil, Plum Tomato Sauce, Mint-Basil Pesto & Parmesan Shavings, promising no more pasta or chips for the next 3 days!

Quentin and I discussed a 1990 Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau de la Gardine and he said he would open it for us. He did and tasted it once, then on the second try, he declared it undrinkable bringing us an amazing 2012 Domainee Chante Cigale Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes that was drinking so smoothly is was dreamy.

The main courses were truly delicious with a Ring of Kerry Lamb Duo of Grilled Cannon (upper rump) and Confit of Shoulder served with Garlic Gnocchi, as well as Connemara Air Dried Lamb, Sour Mint Jelly, Jameson Whiskey Carrot Barrels and Thyme Essence, what a salute to Ireland. The Char Grilled Fillet of Tipperary Hereford Irish Beef came in either 10 ounce or 12 ounce portions and I went for the former, it was way big enough. The Irish Hereford and Angus cattle are all grass-fed which is why the meat is so amazing (today I found grass-fed lamb/beef burgers at the farmer's market and can't wait to try them). The dish came with a 30 hour Braised Beef Cheek & Shallot Croquette that was melt-in-your-mouth to-die-for,  Carrot Puree, Potato Mousseline, monstrous King Oyster Mushrooms and a Chimichuri Dressing with red Wine Jus. This was probably our favorite beef the entire trip.

Dessert was irresistible and we tried the Summer Raspberry Tartlet with Crème Patisserie & Lemon Curd Ice Cream which was delish, but my Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse with Summer Berries, Chocolate Textures (such as brittle) & Chocolate Ice Cream was again one of the best finales of the trip.

Bravo to the entire team at SFL!

Park Hotel Kenmare In Ireland's County Kerry comes up only okay (8-14-15)

We arrived at the Relais et Chateaux park Hotel Kenmare which was to be our home for two nights in County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland. It is a beautiful old country home in a grand park right in the center of the town of Kenmare, which is quite wealthy and very high end.

We decided to take drinks in the lounge and enjoy the ambiance. It was quite nice as they brought in some tasty snacks with the alcohol (and Coke for Sam) such as Prawn Risotto Balls, Duck Liver Crisps, Beetroot meringue with Goat Cheese, and a Gnocchi-like/Potato Puff of Pea & Chorizo that we loved.

The dining room is very straight-laced, and a couple from the UK next to us were staring our family down for much of the meal in a quite snotty manner. We stood our ground as we had a nice table by the window overlooking the gardens and the lush hills and bay beyond. The meal is a 3 course prix fixe and Samuel said he only wanted one course; the manager was insistent there was no discount for small eaters, which was silly. The staff was mostly Eastern European and needed a bit more training for my taste in a high end destination; I felt we were back at Mt. Juliet where the staff had no cue which cheese was which.

One server arrived and presented the "bouche for today," leaving the word "amuse" off which made me giggle as that meant he was presenting the mouth for today! He said it  was an  Apricot Veloute with Truffle Oil, which I thought was odd as a warm creamy fruit soup is a bit on the unusual side. I inquired again and after three tries, we figured out his "apricot" was actually asparagus, and it was indeed tasty. Brioche, Poppyseed with Apricot  (not asparagus!) and Brown bread arrived and we ordered a bottle of 2012 Vernaccia di San Gimignano "Ponte a Rodoline" from Teruzzi & Puthod which we have always enjoyed and di here as well, but for a much higher price than we had been paying around the Emerald Isle.

The server returned to "present" our starters on a silver tray. I always laugh at this truly silly pretentiousness for two reasons:

1)Are we going to send them back after they are presented if we don't like the way they look?
2)Presenting things on a silver tray or salver always reminds me of Salome requesting the head of John the Baptist on a silver tray (or as in the Strauss opera "silber schussel")!

We stared at our Salad of Atlantic Crab with Heritage Radish & Wasabi Yogurt which Will ordered and we were told it hailed (the crab, that is) from nearby Castletownbere on the Beara Peninsula which had just visited that day.

Sam started with the Risotto of Wild Mushroom and Truffle with Aquerello Rice and Aged Parmesan and continued with the Wild Garlic Gnocchi with Billy Clifford (a local organic farmer) Vegetables, Nettle and St. Tola (Goat cheese) emulsion. Yes, this was carb intense, but he had to pay for two courses and indeed was beefed out the previous days and as you know won't eat fish!

While Sam did pasta, pasta; I went with duck,duck (read on)

Will and I moved on to an Antinori Badia A Passignano "Gran Selzione" DOCG Chianti which was truly delicious and paired sublimely with our main courses. I had the Terrine of Confit Duck & Foie Gras with Prune Puree which was truly delicious and moved on to the same main as me, the Breast of Thornhill Duck (oh, these mains were presented as well on a silber schussel!) with Swede (a carrot/turnip kind of veggie) & Honey and Hispi Cabbage. I found the swede cloyingly sweet, but the rest of the dish was delicious for sure. The sides that came were potatoes (yes, always in Ireland), snap peas, beans and carrots. All were blanched or boiled and truly tasteless in need of massive amounts of pepper and/or salt. What happened to the kitchen's inventiveness?

A pre-dessert came n the form of a Lemon Curd Blueberry Meringue that was also quite sweet.

Since dessert was included we indulged. Samuel ordered the Passion Fruit Souffle with Sauce Anglaise, Passion Fruit Curd and Passion Fruit Ice Cream which seemed to be a big hit. Cherry and Almond was the other choice which was an Almond & Olive Oil Cake with macerated Cherries and Cherry Ice Cream that was again just okay.

I am sad to say, some of the dishes were quite nice, many were just okay and the service was overly-Victorian, yet difficult to comprehend.

GREENE's in Cork: a gorgeous city setting and great Irish cuisine to count on (8-13-15)

Samuel was quite exhausted from the full day of touring (Blarney, Cork, seaside and more) not to mention his Irish Stew for lunch, so he asked to stay in and ordered a burger for dinner. When the burger arrived before we left, I thought there was no way he could polish off the huge 1/2 pound Angus treat and the large portion of fries; I was wrong.

we arrived at Greene's close to downtown in the Hotel Isaac, but this is a separate venue from the mid-range hotel at the rear and as we walked down the alley corridor we saw a huge four-story waterfall cascading from above into a pond just outside the windows of the side of the restaurant. It was a cool, but pleasant evening and one lucky elderly couple had nabbed the only outside table opposite the fall. We later found out that this was not used and it was a special occasion for the owner's parents.

Our table was just one away from the window and the waterfall was a super touch. Local art covered the walls that ranged from Irish scenery to naked women and pigs; something for everyone. Tipperary Sparkling was poured and the amuse of Herb Yogurt with Tomato Espuma and Wild Garlic Powder arrived. It was tasty and a good omen for what was to come. The wine list was simple with six reds, 6 whites and a rose all available by the glass, 1/2 litre or bottle. The hostess/manager, Orsolya, from Hungary, was a dream and said we could taste any of the wines by the glass. We decided that the Prado Rey Verdejo/Sauvignon Blanc blend from Spain would be ideal with the oysters we chose to start with. We told our server, Artur, that we wanted to split a dozen, and he quickly ran to the tank to grab the 9 remaining mollusks; he declared the bar had been busy that evening with many drinkers and oyster eaters! They arrived some time later in a gorgeous presentation with Pickled Cucumbers, Pickled Carrots, Sea Asparagus & Fennel on top of each bi-valve. Will did not like this at all, but I loved the veggies on these very local West Cork Oysters.

Four breads arrived in the form of 2 browns, a wheat and a white; all the locally cooked fresh bread was always an enticement, though we tried to refrain, we could not.

Will started with the Cork Buffalo Mozzarella & Smoked Beef (Tartare style) Salad with arrived decorated with those colorful fresh edible flowers and sprouts (indeed, all the dishes here did as well) and Dattarino Toamtoes, Piquillo Peppers, Smoked Almonds, Basil, Olives and Pickled Wild Garlic Stems; a salad to remember and what amazing local fresh ingredients. My Duo of Orchard Farm and Ardsallagh Goats Cheese was an array of goat cheese beignets, textures of Beetroot (including espuma), Candied Walnut, Raisin Puree and Leek Ash (on the goat cheese) that impressed me completely.

Orsolya offered us a taste of Hunky Dory Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand which was overpowering and we settled on the Swallow's Tail (the wine names were all quite odd) Sauvignon Blanc/Chenin Blanc blend from Robertson South Africa that was not too complex and went perfectly with our main course (we both had the same) of Seared Hake Fillet & Seared Scallops (both from nearby West Cork) with Morteau Sausage, Sea Vegetables (including Sea Purslaine), a Roast Chicken Veloute (superb with the hake), Spinach and Confit Lemon (to squeeze on the fish). Lots of love, care and consideration went into this dish and it showed.

Of course, we were full, but decided to split a dessert we had seen at the next table: New Season Bushby's West Cork Strawberries which was an array of amazing fresh berries (perhaps the best ever save for the wild ones we had years ago in Scotland), Strawberry Meringue, Malted Milk Crumble, Strawberry Ice Cream, Strawberry Jelly, Strawberry Sorbet and Elderflower Gel. Quite tasty and again a paean to the local fruit.

We were grateful for the quiet night without Samuel, but he did miss the amazing waterfall and yummy food. To our disdain, her was awake on our return, but we all crashed quite quickly. 

FARMGATE's lunch is fine, but falls short of expectations in Cork (8-13-15)

We had heard so much about the Farmgate Restaurant located in the magnificent English Market in downtown Cork that we had to include it in our day tour. we told our guide, and she reserved ahead, which was a good idea, as the place was jammed at 1230pm when we arrived. Going through the English Market is an adventure on its own (Queen Elizabeth cam here on her visit to Ireland!) with a plethora of food shops offering almost everything fresh and local you can imagine.

We got very hungry by the time we sat down and all the rumors abut the special place (open only for lunch to 430pm) had built up, making our expectations perhaps a bit too high.

Will loved his Dungarvan Helvic Gold Irish Blonde Ale and I my Prosecco with Elderflower Liqueur. Our guide ordered the Roast Hake and said it was quite nice and Samuel loved his Irish Lamb Stew. I think Will hit the jackpot with the St. Tola's Goat's Cheese Tart with Roasted Red Peppers and Aubergine.  My Traditional Pork Sausages with Mash & Bacon, Sauteed Onions and Lentils was a heavy dish and while tasty, a bit over the top for lunch with a very rich, thick dark gravy (remember, the Irish breakfast is huge every day and always included!). I had read about their famous tripe, but passed over that and was hoping for another dish we heard about, Corned Beef & Colcannon, but alas, it was not available.

 

It was a good meal, but no major raves here. We can't always be thrilled. We ended by going down into the market and choosing some locally made chocolates for a treat!

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FLEMING's: a true family run restaurant in a park preserves fine French style fare in Cork, Ireland (8-12-15)

We moved westward for the next two nights to the city of Cork and chose FLEMING's located in the tranquil Tivoli section on Cork's east side in a 5-acre property that is not easy to find. We finally did and drove up a tiny road to a beautiful, if unkempt, old "Country" home still managed by the same couple (Michael & Eileen Fleming) for decades. Outside were herb and vegetable gardens used for the meals! The old wooden floors, chandeliers, and fireplaces remained giving an air of post-19th century upper class living gone sad, but the warm welcome we received and the food made up for the fraying décor. Heavy curtains in the small dining room with 6 tables (that was full) with a small crystal chandelier and yellowing walls along with 70's pop music scared me at first, but Samuel was thrilled when the hot garlic bread with toasted sunflower seeds arrived shortly after we sat down. The wine list was short, but we found a tasty 2013 Pouilly Fuisse from Drouhin that was in great form and only needed a slight more chilling to suit our taste.

Samuel started with a gorgeous and huge plate of Spinach and Cheese Ravioli covered with huge swaths of fresh parmesan cheese; our hostess even brought another bowl of extra cheese for Sam to add more should there be a need.

Will had the Salade de Crabe (I loved that the names were all in French) featuring more tasty local crab with Avocado & Grapefruit. My Rable de Lapin Sauce Grain Moutarde was an excellent roast Stuffed Saddle of Rabbit with a light Plum Compote and an excellent light Grain Mustard Sauce. I marveled at the tenderness of the meat and the construction and traditional elegance of the dish; this came from a well trained French chef for sure, which is often not seen today.

Main courses were even more exciting and successful with Samuel going for his regular Filet of Beef here in a local Morel Mushroom Cream Sauce with a good dose of Rosemary. Will ordered fish, but for some reason I did not write down what he had. My Noisette St. Jacques was a revelation with fresh caught that day seared Scallops, but here for the first time in decades, the "foot" or roe sac, was attached to each and every scallop; what a treat. For those that do not know, this sac is usually removed as it cannot be eaten after more than a day or perhaps even less. I love the burst of flavor you get from this along with the tender slice of scallop and here it was in a Champagne Sauce with a hint of Balsamic for colore and a Seafood Pate with Caviar. OMG, this was one of the biggest hits and treats of the entire vacation. In the true family-style side dishes were brought and we had some bursting with flavor Baby Carrots with Cumin & Honey (from the garden I assume) and Potatoes of course.

Samuel could not resist the Hot Chocolate Fondant with Summer Berries and a huge cookie. Will and I split a superb warm Lemon Tart with Strawberries as well as one of those yummy big cookies as well. Serving it warm was novel and different, but it worked for sure, and the pastry could not have been better.

We fell in love with Flemings not mention Eileen and Michael.