Chicago Again

We've come to believe after a second trip to Chicago this fall that this is THE city in the US for cutting edge cuisine in the United States. On our recent trip Blackbird shone brightest, and I'd put that at the top of the list of restaurants in the city. Moto was also excellent and extraordinarily fun and creative....with the food actually tasting good (which I cannot say for every molecular gastro experience we've had). L2O was a beautiful space and started out great, but ultimately did not live up to the hype as one of the best seafood restaurants in the country. Rick Bayless at Topolobampo was solid as ever, with a mole that is one of the best sauces of any type you can experience at any restaurant in the world.

Schwa remains elusive, and along with Momofuku Ko in NYC, remains the most difficult reservation in the country. Maybe someday we can score a table at Michael Carlson's place.

Enjoy the following photos...and keep in mind that everything at Moto including the menu is edible.

Peru

Peru

Peru, and especially Lima, is currently being hyped as the food capital of South America. That may well be true, but unfortunately it is necessary to lower your expectations a bit as to what that signifies. There are some things done here that are on a level no where else (ceviche is the best example) and some product (think corn- non hybridized varieties with a kernel size 4 to 5 times what we are used to ) that is unlike anything we can procure in the United States. Peru, according to local guides here, gave the world potatoes, corn, tomatoes, strawberries, fava and lima beans (incidentally, the toasted favas, limas and corn eaten as snacks are incredible).

Fine dining is a bit of a letdown compared with the hype- even Astrid y Gaston which is reputedly the best restaurant in the country falls a bit short of its lofty expectations. There is a bit of molecular gastro with the occasional foam and presentation is wonderful, but some of the food fell short- especially a suckling pig that suffered from a gaminess (especially aggravating because a local goat dish was absent of that typical characteristic…best goat we’ve had, in fact). The food occasionally was over seasoned.

Astrid y Gaston has top notch service and a wine list centered around South America and Spain. Portions are more than generous. Foie gras was on par with that anywhere, a spider crab ravioli satisfied, but a rabbit dim sum did not live up to China town standards. If you are looking for one fine dining experience in Lima, this is probably it, but Michelin starred fare it is not.

Restaurant Huaca Pucllana……. Located nearly on top of a 1800 year old mud pyramid really did not live up to the hype of various guide books…service was poor and the food really lacked finesse. Portions were more than ample. If you go, the cuy (guinea pig) appetizer was much better than the entree cuy, which was so tough as to be inedible. Apparently, preparation of cuy is an art, and this may have simply been poor technique. Risotto was heavy and gooey. The view is incredible as the pyramid is lit up at night, but the whole experience somehow seemed disrespectful to the souls of those proud Indians from so long ago.

Matsuei is a revelation and is highly recommended for sushi lovers….we have enjoyed Nobu’s style of sushi before in New York and it was a treat to come to the restaurant he co founded 30 years ago in Lima. Reportedly, he stayed only 3 years but the time there had a lasting influence on him. The experience was terrific, with the freshest product I’ve ever experience…and we did the chef’s choice for 4 persons (a mixture of sashimi and maki) that was more than enough….the cost was only $45 for all 4...11.25 USD each!

As we stayed in the San Isidro section of Lima, we hit 2 of the places mentioned in Lonely Planet for ceviche at lunch. The first was Punta Sal located on Avenue Conquistadores. A modern place, crowded with locals, it hit on every level. Each of the four dishes we ordered were large, and reasonably priced at about 28- 32 solas (about 10 US dollars) each. Washed down with a sweet blue corn beverage (sounds odd but is really a nice counterpoint to the acidity of the lime in the ceviche), this restaurant was a definite one to return to. Highly recommended. The only negative note was the fish tank in the back…the dead koi floating at the top of the tank was a bit disconcerting for a place serving fresh fish. Ceviche is generally a lunchtime tradtion so most places dedicated to serving it close after lunch.

The second place Lonely Planet recommended for ceviche was Alfresco. While the ceviche was not as good as Punta Sal, the black squid ink risotto was perfect. Some of the best anywhere. Having said that, probably would recommend you try elsewhere.

Machu Picchu is a dream trip for most people including us and it did not disappoint. All roads( and flights and trains) to Machu Picchu lead you through Cusco which is a lovely Incan-Spanish colonial town with many beautiful ruins of its own. We did not have a chance to dine independently there, as a typical tourist lunch was included in the transfer and the hotel we stayed at (Sol y Luna) was remote from the town…the restaurant there was merely ok. However, we wanted to spend 2 days seeing Machu Picchu so we stayed at the Hotel Sumaq Picchu in Agua Caliente which is where the 30 minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu originates from. The restaurant at the Hotel Sumaq Picchu was solid, and would be recommended. They have a local freshwater trout which they make a terrific ceviche from. The hotel itself is the last building on the road out of town and has an awesome view of a cascading river. There is a buffet lunch at the Machu Picchu lodge(only hotel at the entrance to the ruins) which is expensive by Peruvian standards at 33 US dollars, but considering it costs a $1000 dollars a night to stay there is probably not outrageous. Fairly standard buffet food, though there was an excellent suckling pig and another nice trout ceviche.

A final bit of advice….beware of Lima cab drivers….not the most honest of human kind.

Blacksmith's Bistro & Bar

We have held off on making a recommendation on this place which has been open about a year now because of some initial concerns about the service on our first 3 visits. However, the food has always been solid and last night's dinner puts it on the short list of must do Chattanooga restaurants.

Casual, service the last 3 visits has been fine, and they seem to have settled on a $10 corkage fee.

The fall menu has kicked it up into the top echelon. Never before have we seen Roasted bone marrow (with parsley and shallots) on any menu in Chattanooga. The last time we had bone marrow, was at Rathbun's in Atlanta, and this easily surpassed Kevin Rathbun's delicious version. There were sweetbreads last night with perfectly done asparagus, and a sage brown butter sauce with balsamic. There was Quail with arugula pears and cherry sauce. There were black bean cakes with fried greeen tomatoes pimento cheese and booyah sauce. There were broiled oysters with blacksmith's butter. And this was just on the appetizer menu.

We tried a solid version of pasta with bolognese sauce. There was a bacon macaroni and cheese which had Alan Benton's superb Madisonville, TN bacon (which we had to travel to Momofuku in NYC to discover several years ago even though its made 1 hour from Chattanooga). On prior visits we've enjoyed the ravioli with sage brown butter sauce and a superb romesco sauce that last night was with salmon.

Highly Recommended.

Thi

Town House Redux: The Sweet and the Savory

We made the 8 hour round trip drive Saturday to Town House in Chilhowie, VA again to sample the now ten course(instead of a mere paltry 9 courses!) tasting menu at what we felt at our June initial visit was perhaps the best meal in the United States. The dining room this time was full, in contrast to our Saturday night in June. Word is out.

The surreal twilight zone feeling that we had at that first visit was gone...we settled into our seats knowing in advance that there was no way to do this restaurant than the full monte. But could lightning possibly strike twice and could the chefs deliver again? Or was the first visit some sort of hypnagogic fluke?

Of the 10 courses, 7 were new. The chilled vegetable minestrone remains as the opener (and should, as it is visually arresting and shows off knife skills). It will be a great cover for Bon Appetit or Gourmet magazine when they finally arrive here to do a feature. The chorizo bouillon with Spanish influences and the dessert of truffles with buttermilk, young pistachio, peppermint and red wine remain as well. The owners Tom and Kyra Bishop(who have been there both of our visits serving food and clearing dishes) have said that a restaurant that changes seasonally was a goal of theirs....we thought the 70% turnover of the tasting menu in less than 3 months meets that goal.

Caramelized salmon roe and crab was the second course. Served with smoked coconut, avocado and banana, parsnip and cilantro marmalade, we thought as it was placed before us that there might be too much going on on the plate...we had a flashback to a crab two ways that Grant Achatz served at Alinea earlier this year that was so busy as to be hallucinatory. This, however, turned out to be our favorite complete dish of the evening.

The Orange from Valencia arrived next and was also a knockout dish...even the breadcrumbs tucked inside with the shellfish were terrific. Check out the photo on the Town House blog.

Hamachi and Bev Eggleston's pig tail with a grilled oyster and a broth courtesy of Allen Benton was next. Squab and foie gras praline wih meyer lemon, cream of parsley grapes and sorrel followed and was also a hit. Following that, the chorizo bouillon that we also enjoyed back in June remains a wonderful interlude. Next, came a lightly pickled and tea smoked o toro.

Thorntree farms lamb cooked in ashes with what appears to be a thin shaving of wood was also one of our favorites of the new savory dishes.

Two desserts followed, but before those, a digression is necessary. What makes this restaurant stand above other molecular gastronomy restaurants like Alinea and WD 50 is the commitment to flavor. While a meal at a molecular gastronomy restaurant always involves a bit of theater(think Cirque de Soleil type not the Disney Broadway musical kind), Chefs John and Karen Shields combine sweet and savory in a way unlike anything we've ever experienced anywhere in the world. It is the combination of the sweet and savory that makes this food so special, and taste so good. It is the combination of these two unique talents that makes this place one of the best anywhere. Without both of them influencing and adding/tempering each dish, it would not be the same miraculous restaurant. That is why, when the inevitable James Beard award comes, it has to involve both of them.

Perhaps the single greatest memory of the meal was an olive oil cake/meringue component of the Gazpacho of fruits and vegetables dessert. It is perhaps the greatest baked sweet we have ever had. It brought back memories of a warm fresh baked croissant you might have from the neighborhood bakery if you are staying in France. It was that good. It was something you'd love to have each weekend curled up reading the Sunday paper. Some high end restaurants in New York will give you a little baked good to take home for breakfast the next morning...I might suggest that Town House do the same with these little treasures. The gazpacho also included something called an olive berry which we never had encountered before...available at the local farmers market...a consistency and tang a bit like a pomegranate seed.

Finishing up was the truffles with buttermilk, young pistachio, peppermint and red wine, which was as wonderful as the first time. No Benton's bacon ice cream this visit, but hopefully that will return at another visit.

Sommelier Charlie Berg has assembled a terrific fairly priced wine list combining old and new world. Here's the link: http://townhouseva.com/files/Town%20House%20Wine%20List.pdf . We had the 2006 Evesham Wood Le Puits Sec Pinot Noir, evoking a bit of burgundy with a bit of barnyard, and tart light red fruit such as sour cherry, raspberry and cranberry.

Although it is somewhat remote, it is well worth a trip to Chilhowie, VA. Here is a link to the menu: http://townhouseva.com/files/Town%20House%20Menu.pdf. Photos of some of the dishes are available here: http://townhouseblog.blogspot.com/ . We've had a camera both times but get so distracted with the presentation of each dish, we forget to snap a photo. In case you missed the New York Times article, here's a link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/dining/17town.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=chilhowie&st=cse

St. John's July 11, 2009

Daniel Lindley with an assist from sous chef Josh Safford prepared the following tasting menu last night.

From top to bottom, left to right:

Chocolate terrine with chili and miso ice cream, chocolate ganache and brioche

Watermelon rind (two ways- pickled and crisped) with hazelnuts and coconut gelato

Dry aged Beef with wildwood farms kohlrabi kimchi, fried rice puree, lime powder and pea shoots (2 photos)

Grimaud Farm's Squab with thomas guatney's gooseberries, oyster mushroom, orange and cardamon foam

Niman Ranch Pig's Trotters with foie gras, mike burn's blackberries, summer savory and balsamic (2 photos)

Alaskan halibut with parsley flowers, carrot juice,onion, zucchini and jalapeno

Rhode Island squid(formed into a kind of tubular basket) with yuzu kosho, celery heart and somehow a miraculous meringue inside

Wildwood Farms Zucchini flower with opal basil gulf royal red shrimp and red curry

Dave Waters Farm Egg: sous vide yolk, baby garlic custard, pancette, and summer truffle puree

Wines: 2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet and 2004 Aubert Lauren Chardonnay

My apologies for the variable quality of the photos...the artistry of the presentation still shines through my very amateur snapshots.

The range of style of food was amazing. The truffle puree was beyond belief and we loved the fried rice puree...it had a nut flavor underlying it that made me believe there was a cashew in the mix but apparently that flavor derived from the wild rice used in the dish.

The Aubert was the star last night...one of the best chardonnays we've ever had, with the oak splinters that were present on release integrated fully and less of that typical cloudiness sometimes found in Mark Aubert's chard's. Too bad it is our last bottle. The Quilceda Creek, even though Wine Advocate rated it a perfect 100 disappointed and not for any obvious flaw we could detect. We didn't decant, but it sat opened for an hour and a half at least and tannins were not an issue...it just didn't live up to the hype or even previous vintages of Q Creek we've had. Hopefully, just some bottle variation. And the wine service was great...nice stemware, small not overwhelmingly large pours, well worth the 30 dollar corkage fee.

Chef Lindley and his staff can cook on a level with anyone. Just a terrific experience.

Restaurant Eugene

I have delayed writing this review because I have respect for what Linton and Gina Hopkins are trying to do with a seasonal local menu. They even utilize some of our favorite suppliers such as Sequatchie Cove and Sweetgrass Dairy.

But our experience points how difficult it is to run a restaurant, or any small business for that matter. If you are not there to oversee, things can go so wrong and it is your reputation that gets maligned, not the employees. Our particular experience was horrific on the service side, and the food was uneven.

When a waitress brings a clean sharing plate that has crusted food on it and the brings another with the same issue and then another, something is terribly amiss. When she then brings 6 items at a time when you have asked to bring no more than 3, is reminded of the original request, then does it again on the next round, you start to get a little exasperated. When she drops food off the plate as she is bringing it to the table, then picks it up, places it back on the plate and serves it to you, can you still believe you are in one of Atlanta's top restaurants, and a James Beard nominee to boot? When you are served a sparkling wine (by the glass) that has clearly been open since the previous day and is nearly flat, do you not start to wonder if there is anyone in charge? When we were considering the Chef's tasting menu and asked if the Chef was there that evening we were told "I think I saw him across the street earlier today." Bingo. Therein may lay part of the problem. If you read the opentable reviews for the day we were there, we were not the only ones to have a poor experience.

On to the food and restaurant. Great valet parking. The restaurant is a little too formal for the current style of food. Here's the lineup where multiple small plates are encouraged.

Cherry Bell Radish, radish pistou, fleur de sel, butter

Crisp kale, pickled onions, bacon, buttermilk dressing

Roast fennel, shallot petals, gremolata

Summer squash, pea shoot puree, wild plum jam

sweet corn tortellini, shitakes, broccoli greens

Potato gnocchi, baby leeks, lemon cucumber

Vidalia, peach salad, candied country ham, citrus vin

Hen of the woods, green garlic, hollandaise

Warm vidalia onion tart, peat shoot and radish salad

Soft farm egg, skillet greens, peanuts, bacon

Crispy pork belly, artichokes, baby carrots, sorghum glaze

Pan fried chicken livers, soft grits, chow chow

Georgia Quail, smoked bacon, rice grits, honey

Veal sweetbreads, farm egg, bottarga, arugula pesto

Duck breast, fennel, maitake, onion relish

Favorites were the chicken livers and the peach/vidalia salad.

French Laundry Menu Circa 1997 (note the Price)

Random Notes

Inspired by a bounty of cherokee purple tomatoes and lettuce from our csa, Niedlovs sourdough, farm fresh eggs from Brock Creek farms on Signal Mountain, a bumper crop of basil in our garden(basil aoli), some previously opened goat cheese and a Benton's bacon ice cream Saturday night at Town House restaurant in Chilhowie, we threw down with some blt's tonight. Combined with a Grenache based blend from Pax called cuvee Moriah (the 2004), a chicken salad requested by the kids (leftover chicken from the grill with some grapes and a bit of curry), and some simply grilled okra (with olive oil, sea salt and pepper), we had a terrific simple summer meal. The Pax wines often evoke a bit of bacon fat for me, and this particular bottle was no exception. The downside of all this was this was the last of 10 pounds of Benton's heaven and another pork run to Bentonville (well, actually Madisonville, Tennessee) is imminent and necessary. Mail order is never as fun as seeing the masterful genius Allen Benton in person....darned if he doesn't remind me of Jimmy Carter. The Cuvee Moriah still has some years left as mouth drying tannins showed themselves still.

Caroline was reading an article(June 2009, Bon Appetit) to me on our drive back from Virginia this weekend about bacon drippings/fat being fairly equivalent as far as health goes as olive oil, etc. I can remember in our own family the can/jar of drippings kept close by in the kitchen. So tonight, we filled an old jar with the leavings from frying up the Bentons...a guilty pleasure for sure. Anybody else returning to this "old" practice?

Here's a puzzle. How will the James Beard Foundation handle Townhouse and its chefs? Joint award for best chef/best new chef(s)? Best new restaurant? Best dessert chef and best chef separately? How long will it take for them to find the place...we're certainly in the process of notifying/contacting them, but will it be too far from a major airport for them to easily send reviewers?

James Beard recognized Restaurant Eugene is on the agenda for this coming weekend.

Town House Chilhowie, VA...Best Meal in the USA?

Thanks to a New York Times article in this weeks food section, Caroline and I made the 4 hour trek up to Chilhowie to check this place out.

The background is a soon to be married couple of Chicago chefs (she the pastry chef at Charlie Trotters and he a sous chef at Alinea) were selected to open Charlie Trotters new restaurant in Las Vegas, but ultimately decided they wanted to do something a "little" different. Chosen by a local Virginia couple named Tom and Kyra Bishop who love to travel and great food to revamp their Chilhowie restaurant, they have brought molecular gastronomy to a part of the country unfamiliar with it.

This may be the best meal in the United States right now...John Shields and Karen Urie told the owners that the first goal was to be the best restaurant in Virginia, but after a year and a half, it has easily surpassed that. As we were 4 courses into 14 Saturday night, we realized we were onto something very very special. At that point, we felt it had surpassed our meal at Alinea just 3 weeks prior, and every NY restaurant including Per Se, Le Bernardin, and Jean George we'd ever been to. Comparisons to French Laundry, Arzak and Noma began to form in our minds. By about course 7, the Laundry (which admittedly we haven't been to in about 10 years) had been left in the rear view mirror.

The cooking involves molecular gastronomy techniques, but the flavors far surpass those of Alinea, WD 50 and even Mugaritz. Hence, the comparison to Arzak which uses molecular gastronomy to better result than either Mugaritz or Alinea. Karen is in charge of the sweet side of the menu, but her influence is felt in elements on the savory side as well. You can hardly wait for her desserts...we sampled 4 of them. The chefs forage for local ingredients in the local countryside ala Rene Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen (we had a lobster salad at Noma where he had foraged for "beach herbs" that was amazing).

There is a feeling of being in the twilight zone, as the restaurant is so unexpected in such a small out of the way corner of the US, but perhaps its a part of a trend to follow the European example of "destination" restaurants in small towns such as is seen in France and Spain. The feel of the place is definitely more Spain casual than French formal which is a good thing in our minds. The chefs make the rounds of the dining room just like Elena and Juan Mari at Arzak, stopping to chat and even introduce a dish here and there.

They told us they plate every dish themselves, unheard of at most restaurants of this caliber. The owners are present and involved and contribute to an unbelievably welcoming experience.

The wine list is evolving but is unbelievably fairly priced with many solid selections under 50 dollars. Accommodations are available at nearby Marion and Abingdon...we stayed at a recently opened B and B called Collins House in Marion...a car service is offered by the restaurant to nearby accommodations.

The website to check out the menu is townhouseva.com. A 4 and 9 course option are available, but they are extremely flexible about adding items from other parts of the menu as you desire. There is a maturity to the flavors, textures, artistry and sheer intellectuality of the cooking that is far beyond chefs of 31 and 32 years of age. Amazing. One of the great meals of our lives.

Chicago, Memorial Day Weekend

Three restaurants to report on from last weekends trip to Chi town...what a great city...

VTK  (Vong Thai Kitchen):

Many may know that Jean George is one of the great chef's in our country, he has done fusion better than anyone else.  The Asian inflected French style he has championed really float my boat...I have no more favorite restaurant in NYC than his flagship Jean George.  But he has fallen victim to the celebrity chef syndrome where he  is stretched too thin...and of late, his management team has not been up to the task of overseeing the vast empire.....poor service, especially. 

VTK is a former Vong restaurant that has fallen on hard times...downgraded to a bistro it is not even to the quality of your local Thai place.  The decor is faded, and so is the menu.

Alinea:

Purported by some to be America's greatest restaurant, it certainly merits the title of America's greatest dinner theater.  Chef Grant Achatz pushes every boundary...the place is great with stellar service second to none.  

We had the 24 course tour last weekend and Grant is out to prove he is able to push the bounds with presentation and technique.  Five hours of dish after dish 

While his dishes sometimes go more for shock value and creativity, they sometimes miss on taste....and sometimes there is way too much going on on the plate.  Yes, it is one of the most expensive experiences in the US, up there with French Laundry and Per Se, but it is a better value when you consider the effort that goes into each dish.  It is a terrific value that no true fan of food should miss.  We opted for the wine pairings (11 small pours that included aquavit and sake) as part of the experience, but the wines were relatively uninspiring and of only moderate quality.  For the expense associated with this option, you are far better opting for a couple of bottles from the stellar list.  Grant's food is far too complicated and out there to pair in any sensible way with wine.  In my opinion, the wine option provides benefit only to the bottom line of the restaurant.

Here is the lineup:

Roes  with traditional garnishes 

Wine:   Jorgen Lysholm Linle Acquavit from Norway

Foie Gras with daikon, shiso, yuzu

Wine:   Max Ferdinand Richter Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 1993

Pork Belly with Iceberg, cucumber, thai distillation

Wine:   Abbazia di Novacella Kerner, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige, 2007

Green Almond with juniper, gin and lime

Soft Shell Crab with peas, five spice and duck

Wine:   Franz Hirtzberger Grauburgunder Smaragd Pluris, Wachau, Austria, 2003

Blue Crab with peas, five spice and duck

Wine:   Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Cuvee Laurence, Alsace 2003

Black Truffle explosion with romaine and parmesan

Pigeonneau a la Saint-Clair

Wine:   Chateau Lascombes Margaux 2004

Bacon with butterscotch, apple, and thyme

Sweet Potato with bourbon, brown sugar and smoldering cinnamon

Mustard with passion fruit and allspice

Hot Potato with cold potato, black truffle, and butter

Wine:   Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee Brut Rose, Reims

Yuba with shrimp, miso togarashi

White Asparagus with sorrel, white pepper, honey

Wine:   Takasago Ginga Shizuku (divine Droplets) junmal Daiginjo Sake, Hokkaido, Japan

Lilac with scallop, shellfish, honeydew

Wine:   Albert Mann Vieilles Vignes Auxerrois, Alsace 2006

Grape with lamb, ash, frisee

Wagyu beef with powdered A1, potato chips

Wine:   Jean-Michel Gerin Cote-Rotie Champin le Seigneur, N Rhone 2003

Lemon Soda   one bite

Yogurt   witn pomegranate, cassia

Bubble Gum   with long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche

Transparency  of raspberry and yogurt

Rhubarb with goat milk, onion, lavender air

Wine:   Elio Perrone Bigaro, Piedmont, Italy 2008

Chocolate with blueberry, tobacco and maple

Wine:   Smit-Woodhouse 1994 Vintage Port

Pound Cake with strawberry, lemon and vanilla bean

The truffle explosion was the wow of the night...one of the best bites ever.  The Piggeoneau is a tribute to Auguste Escoffier...it was one of the finest examples of classic French that we've ever had.  These two dishes alone prove Grant can cook with the best in the world.   While he has this incredible  ability to do molecular gastronomy (Wylie Dfresnse is a distant second in the US), I'd encourage him to concentrate on his flavors...Arzak is a great example of incorporating  molecular gastro while not letting it overwhelm things to the detriment of the overall dish's flavor and appeal.  Even Mugaritz had more hits and was a bit more playful than Alinea.  Lets not forget that Grant is still a youngster...he's one to watch.   

Mercat a la Planxa

For shear enjoyability, the Philadelphian tapas master Jose Garces has opened a restauant on Michigan Avenue that is just as terrific as his one's in the City of Brotherly Love.

Here's what our group of six sampled:

Jamon de Pato

Butifarra Catalana

Chorizo Cantimpalo

Ombra- Sheeps milk cheese with orange- Guindilla marmalade

Montcabrer- Goats Milk cheese with black olive caramel

Cana de Cabra- Goat Cheese

Pimientos de Padron-Fried Peppers with sea salt salbitxada

Datiles con Almendras- Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds

Truita de Patata con Espinacas-Spanish Omelette with spinach, potaotes and saffron aoli

Gambas al ajillo- Garlic shrimp

Chorizo (housemade)

Setas al horno-  Wild mushroom with confit potato shallot and parsley

Patatas bravas- Spicy potatoes with spicy paprika aoli

Habas a la catalana- Warm lima bean salad with fava beans and shaved serrano ham

Tocino con cidra-  Slow cooked pork belly with cider glaze, green apples and truffle

mar i muntanya- slow cooked  short ribs and diver scallops shaved parmesan and artichokes

Anec amd Peras-  Muscovy duck breast, seckel pear duck confit and foie gras

Summer Grilling

As the summer produce starts to trickle in, its made me wistful for that meal back in February at Etxebarri, in Axpe, Basque region of Spain.  Victor did things on the grill like smoked butter(served as a tapa/pxinto) and smoked ice cream.  Or that simply grilled steak with rosemary,served over arugula, dressed with the local olive oil at Osteria Caranbar in Stia, Italy.  Rise N Shine's CSA has already provided us with various greens, turnips and kohlrabi, all of which we've grilled with varying degrees of success.  There is a terrific recipe at the New York Times web site for burnt oranges with rosemary which we've done twice on the grill the last week and are amazing.  Sometimes its hard to beat a simple grilled meal served with a simple slightly cold glass of something like the reliable Kim Crawford Sauv. Blanc.  The local strawberries have been great this year...small, intensely flavored, red and juicy clear to the core, unlike those gigantic supermarket berries from afar that lack the depth of those from right down the road.

Enjoy your summer.

UPDATE

It may be that Peter Chang has moved on again...a meal 2 weekends ago was not at the level we are used to with Chang's cooking. We were told by the restaurant that he was on vacation, but I've heard elsewhere that he has left.

UPDATE 2

Rumor is he has landed in Charlottesville, VA at a place called Taste of China.

Peter Chang Has Been Found

The Great Chef Peter Chang, who reputedly has cooked for the president of China and was originally brought to the US to cook at the Chinese embassy, has resurfaced again in of all places, Hong Kong House located in a strip mall in Knoxville Tennessee. He had been renowned by the Washington DC food fans for a restaurant there, then moved South for what was a brief jaunt at a Marietta, Georgia restaurant called Tasty China. From there, his whereabouts were unknown.

His food is unique in that it showcases Szechuan style cooking, a style not often seen in the US. Many of the dishes on the menu at Hong Kong House are still featured at Tasty China, but the unique puffy scallion bread which was dropped from the Tasty China menu has made a comeback in Knoxville. (We were told by the staff at Tasty China it was dropped after a hospital visit was required by a chef there from a burn...apparently it involves ladleing hot oil over the bread).

The photos below are in order, left to right, top to bottom:

Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken

Crispy Fish Fillet Hunan

Crispy Beef

Singapore Noodles with Chicken

Crispy Shrimp with Scallion

Dried Fried Eggplant

Dried Fried Eggplant(shown twice because you must not miss this)

Braised Fish Fillets with Chili Sauce

Puffy Scallion Pancake

Sichaun Wonton with Red Oil

Fish with Cilantro Rolls

No wine list....byob is allowed...a riesling is most appropriate to cut the heat of the food.

It is located at 8079 Kingston Pike. I have heard that Peter Chang's day off is Tuesday, but was not able to confirm this with the restaurant. He was there on a Sunday evening. Also, there is a lunch buffet that may not showcase his true style, so go for dinner.

Mugaritz Tasting Menu....English Translation

Here's the Translation of the Tasting Menu from our Recent Meal at Mugaritz, followed by the wine pairings:

Carpaccio with sweet and sour dressing, Idiazabal cheese chippings and vegetable splinters

Kokotxa de Bacalao (Hake Cheeks) cooked in its own gelatin with acacia honey

Heart of Baby Leeks roasted over vine cuttings and bathed in a stock infused with mollusks and crushed citrus fruit

Barbeque Smoked Scalope of Foie Gras, mustard seeds and leaves

Loin of Sole, under a salted seasoning of chicory leaves and a reduction of the bones

Sauteed Red Mullet fillets served over vegetables and a liver stew

A Piece of milk veal, roasted and perfumed with vine cutting embers and fragments of thyme, cinders, salts and crisp radishes

Tradition, ocean and land: Braised Iberian pork tails and pan fried languostines. Reduced braising liquids infused with iberian jamon

Leaves, Fruits and Flowers

Warm Pumpkin Bite with sweet and bitter accents

Interpretation of vanity: Moist chocolate cake, cold almond cream and cocoa bubbles


The wines:

Pirineos gewurztraminer 2007
Nikolaihof Hefeabzug Gruner Veltliner 2007
Ossian 2007
Domino de Tares Bembibre 2005
Itsasmendi Vendimia Tardia 2005
Lopez Hermanos Moscatel Don Salvador 30 anos

Philadelphia One Day, Two Restaurants

While passing through Philly recently, stopped for lunch at Buddakan...wish we'd tried Morimoto instead. But dinner at Tinto, owned by Jose Garces, was a completely revelatory experience....best tapas we've had this side of the Atlantic. Albeit, it was a special tasting menu celbrating New Years Eve.

Here's the lineup:

White asparagus terrine with goat cheese emulsion, black pepper
Saucisson sec
Idiazabal with membrillo, acacia
Mission Figs, serrano ham wrapped
Moules basquaise(mussels) with chorizo, frites, lemon aoli
Pork belly montadito with honey lacquer, shaved apples
Hanger steak brochette with cider demi-glace
Braised short rib with celeriac espuma, cracked pepper caramel, crispy shallot
Bacalao a la viscaina(black cod) with serrano and olive escabeche
Judias verdes(haricot vert) with almonds, dates, orange and paprika sherry vinaigrette
Baby arugula salad with persimmon, fried goat chees and sevilla orange Vinaigrette
Truffled chestnut soup with duck and mushroom hash, pistachio
Jumbo lump crab revuelto with Benton's bacon, herb toast
Duck Montadito with serrano, black cherry, la peral spread
Prawn Brochette with sherry espelette glaze
Prime aged sirloin with herb roasted porcinis, goat cheese, green peppercorn jus
Rodaballo a la plantxa (Turbot) with sauce pastis, baby fennel, citrus
Baby artichokes with fresh pappardelle, meyer lemon, shaved perigord truffle
Bananas y azafran
Gateaux basque

Joses Garces also has Amada, Distrito and Chifa in Philadelphia and has opened Mercat in Chicago.

Tinto is highly recommended.

David Chang

Its no secret i'm a great admirer of David Changs flavor combinations...his dishes often seem to sing with flavor and amaze you with the creativity.

After our last trip to NYC, though, I feel obliged to point out that there seems to be a shift toward Momofuku Ssam bar as the best place to sample his cooking (unless you are one of the lucky few to get into Ko). Momofuku noodle bar seemed a little staid and some of the better dishes we had enjoyed there several years ago now appear on the ssam menu. The bowls of noodles at Momofuku Noodle seemed a little ordinary, for example. Neither restaurant is that comfortable, but both are usually packed.

Tasty China Again

The photos are: Pork belly, wood ear mushrooms, dried fried eggplant, fish cilantro rolls, green beans with pork and olives, chow fun noodles, chinese salad, dan dan noodles

Craft Atlanta: Jeff was Right

For those of you watching Top Chef Season 5, you know chef Jeff was confronted on the reunion show that he was quoted in an interview as saying Tom Colicchio's food was boring....he denied it, but I think the original supposition is true.

Tom deserves extra scrutiny if he s going to hold himself up as a mentor to young chefs. His attempted mantra with his Craft chain of restaurants seems to be great product prepared well. But our experience in New York and most recently at Craft Atlanta says otherwise. If his food was judged on Top Chef, he'd be gone early. Toby and Bourdain wouldn't have let this go.


The Atlanta space is one of my favorite anywhere. Its drop dead gorgeous, kind of a modern craftsman style. The exterior of the building is a little wrong for the interior...looks like a high end Florida jewelry store....appropriate, I guess, for the Buckhead neighborhood its located in.

Foie gras was the best prepared dish but needed a bit more sweet to cut the fat. Shrimp sent back arrived overcooked a second time. The Hamachi and tuna appetizers are better done at your local sushi place. A very dry canned tuna on a cracker was the Amuse Bouche (are you kidding Tom?) . The monkfish was wrapped in a too salty proscuito, the risotto over cooked, the quail left to dry out a few minutes too long. It just never clicked and reinforces Atlanta as a restaurant destination with style over substance. Gunter Seeger is long gone, and other than Quinones and a great collection of ethnic places especially along Buford Hwy there is just not much happening, even at the places that garner high ratings.

BTW, Craft does have a notable wine list with many solid well chosen value wines (15 to 18 dollar retail marked up to 40 dollars) and surprises like Kosta Browne pinot at the moderate to high end. A number of Atlanta restaurants we've been to recently really have stand out wine programs.