E's Food & Wine

RouxBarb

2011-04-18T03:41:00.003-04:00

If in Knoxville Tn, suggest trying Bruce Bogartz restaurant Rouxbarb where the flavors are big and bold....amazing Q especially pulled pork and brisket from a smoke shack out back at lunch(also available at dinner)...Bruce's outgoing personality matches the food quite well!

Brief Updates

2011-04-18T03:19:00.002-04:00

Highly Recommended Restaurants (United States) last year or so:

Best in US is Townhouse in Chilhowie, VA

Best Lunch in NYC is Jean George

Volt in Frederick, MD

Trummers on Main Clifton, VA

FIG in Charleston

McCradys in Charleston

Susan Spicer's Bayona in New Orleans

Luke in New Orleans

Also Recommended

Boathouse for shrimp and grits in Isle of Palm, SC

Dong Phuong in New Orleans for Banh Mi

Fat Canary in Williamsburg

Captain Matty's in New Bern, NC for their unbelievable wine list (Sine Qua Non etc)

CSA's and Pickling

2010-06-07T07:40:00.003-04:00

Its been a bountiful 1st few weeks of the CSA season...lots of kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, garlic scapes, spring onions, turnips, broccoli, Napa cabbage, bok choy, leeks, arugula, daikon, basil, dill, collards, chard, fennel and even a bit of summer squash. Thomas O'Neal of Signal Mountain Farms is an amazing local producer who has the most beautiful produce. Williams Island Farm is the other CSA we've enrolled in this year and they also are doing a terrific job.

Experimenting with quick pickling...several meals at Momofuku were the inspiration and the recipe comes from David Chang himself. However, our 1st attempt following the proportions for the brine (1 Cup hot water, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 6 tbsp sugar and 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt) came out a bit too sweet for my palate. We'll try reducing the amount of sugar the next batch.

Quick Notes

2010-05-16T20:43:00.005-04:00

Great trip recently to see Monticello, Yorktown and Williamsburg. 3 restaurants worthy of recommending.

Best of the lot was Fat Canary in Williamsburg. Fantastic appetizers and a market based menu, with great prices on the wine list...a Copain Pinot that we bought from the winery for 50 dollars was 63 on the list. Why can't more restaurants take the European approach to wine pricing? Walking out of the restaurant to a healthy debate between three William and Mary students about religion...each standing on a step ladder!

Also in Williamsburg is Le Yaca which is French, but fairly casual with a 37 dollar 4 course tasting menu. Everything was superbly done except for a "sea bass" which did not seem to be of the Mediterranean variety....those that chose beef as their entrees were very pleased.

Finally, C & O was a last minute replacement for Taste of China (Peter Chang snuck out of town yet again the weekend before we were to eat there). It was generally very good. Here's a link to the latest in the Peter Chang saga

http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2010/3/23/the-chang-effect-wooing-palates-breaking-hearts-and-why-he-left

and it appears he may be headed back to Atlanta:

http://www.atlantacuisine.com/2010/03/peter-chang-is-back/

or maybe not:

http://www.atlantacuisine.com/2010/03/update-on-peter-chang/

And an April Fool take on Chef Chang:

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=13809

Speaking of Atlanta, Chef Kevin Gillespie of Top Chef fame is at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. We had 3 meals there in the late winter and 2 of the 3 put in the top echelon of fine Atlanta dining (though Atlanta has always had a dearth of top end restaurants...the generally accepted number 1 is Bacchanalia, but its always seemed a bit tired to us. The presentation at Woodfire Grill was sub par, but the flavors were excellent except at the third meal when Chef was out of town. I've since heard of another similar experience, so if you go, confirm that Gillespie is actually at the open kitchen.

If you are visiting Chattanooga the next few weeks, Erik Niel of Easy Bistro has Chesapeake soft shells in...he does them 2 different ways, and they are better than the Alinea version we had this time last year.

It appears that you will soon be able to mail order some of Townhouse Chef Karen Urie Shields creations soon. Hope those olive oil cakes & the onion breakfast tart are available, too.

McCrady's and Townhouse: America's Arzak and Mugaritz

2010-03-22T12:38:00.004-04:00

Originally, I had wanted to do a post on a recent culinary swing we did last month through Savannah and Charleston but we only one restaurant worthy of recommending.

McCradys was so outstanding that we cancelled our next evening reservation at FIG to go back. All the other recommended/touted places in both cities were at best ok. Put Chef Sean Brock and his tasting menu on the short list of best restaurants in the US.

McCradys is a busy place...and a complicated one. I sense that Chef has to please both a traditional clientele, but has been given creative freedom with his tasting menu. Here is where the terrific experience lies....where imagination and creativity rule. Elements of molecular gastronomy(i've come to dislike this term.. it fails to explain the intellectualism and sheer artistry that go into this style of cooking) pervade these dishes.

Several specific items of note from these 2 dinners. First, I'm not generally a lobster tail fan...most times I find it texturally too tough...I'd rather have Crawfish most times. The tail meat is more tender and sweeter. The exception to this is the butter poaching technique championed by Thomas Keller...love it. So Chef Brock takes this technique but improves on it using foie butter and borrowing a technique for removing leg meat(which is inherently more tender than the tail) from Wylie DuFresne. Brock trumps Keller.

Second, we had a crispy pork terrine that seemed similar to Daniel Humm's Eleven Madison Park version. Chef Brock again made his better.

Third, the guy makes his own molasses. This is a dying art. Several years ago we were invited to a friend's family farm to watch/participate in the process of making molasses that this family had done for 3 generations...they grew the cane and had a hillside gravity flow operation...it took all weekend- a very labor intensive process. The family informed me recently that due to lack of interest among the new generation of family members, they were forced to discontinue this tradition.

Fourth, he's taken the concept of sourcing local to heart, starting a large garden for the restaurant.

Chef Brock is one of the new generation of chefs that is taking American cuisine to the next level. The Keller generation has largely become restauranters- Keller admits in a recent Wine Spectator article that he no longer cooks in his restaurants. The fact that Brock can succeed in pleasing both a more traditional clientele and one looking for more creativity is a monumental accomplishment. Wow. You wonder what Chef Brock could do if the constraints came off and he was able to explore his creative bent. Still one of the best meals in the US right now.

Townhouse in Chilhowie VA is the most under appreciated dining destination in the United States right now. It is the best meal in the United States, if not the world. It is an example of what happens when a pair of chefs are given total creative freedom. The owners, Tom and Kyra Bishop, are visionaries. It is the style of food that appeals most to us these days. The last couple of years have been an epiphany for us, beginning with 2 trips to Spain in 2008 and 2009 (and a terrific meal at Noma in Copenhagen preceeding that), followed by a couple of trips to Chicago last year where we were able to experience several of our country's greatest talents. For this style of cooking, look to Chicago not New York. (Schwa, however, has remained an elusive reservation for us).

John and Karen Shields food appeals to you cognitively...it drives you to consider each element of the dish. It appeals to you emotionally...you can't help but be moved by the supreme effort, the love and the care that goes into each creation. It appeals to your right brain, realizing the artistry of the presentation. It appeals to your palate, pushing you to experience new flavor combinations. Some chefs are combining savory and sweet these days, but few to the effect that the Shields do. There seems to be an incredible attention to details like melding a dish texturally. And I can honestly say that the John has only improved since the 1st meal we had there last May.

We ate there for a third time Saturday, completely on a whim, after seeing a photo 2 days previously of a dish representing Spring rain, which included banana ice cream, avocado, peas, nasturtium and our favorite legume, favas. No dish repeated anything we'd had previously...a pair of tiny tacos with pork belly and kaffir were the new amuse bouche...an amazing bite. Many of the dishes are pictured on the website of the restaurant at http://townhouseva.com/ (see the link to the blog http://townhouseblog.blogspot.com/. We had the oyster, the shrimp dish, the squid risotto, the hearts of palm, the morel dish, the Valencia orange, the scrambled egg mousse, the scallop, a horse mackerel, and a couple of Karen's wonderful desserts. Terrific wine service by Charlie Berg. Best meal of our lives.

Peter Chang at Taste of China Charlottesville, Va

2010-03-09T08:13:00.002-05:00

He can run but he cannot hide!

2 recent links to articles about the elusive, on the move Peter Chang, and the hunt to keep up with him!

New Yorker, Calvin Trillin Article can be found here:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/01/100301fa_fact_trillin

IMHO, a better article can be found here:

http://www.oxfordamerican.org/articles/2010/feb/24/todd-kliman-chases-perfect-chef/

We are off to Charlottesville in a few weeks for a try. Of course, Townhouse in Chilhowie, VA is on the way! townhouseva.com

Quito Ecuador

2010-01-25T08:45:00.002-05:00

We spent a couple of days here as a staging point for a Galapagos trip...my advice would be to skip Quito if you can. Its a strange city that becomes deserted at dark...really kind of eerie. You are told to take cabs door to door even if its a couple of blocks, and security (armed guard types) is everywhere. Though we never had any problems, its uncomfortable realizing you can't just go for a walk.

Having said that, if you find yourself in Quito, you must go to the Quito branch of Astrid y Gaston...this is better than the original Lima location...infinitely more creative and lighter style of food. I'll post some photos soon. Everywhere else we dined seemed so tired and touristy...

Chicago Again

2009-12-13T10:22:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-30T06:27:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-06T06:39:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-07T12:44:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-12T10:02:00.006-04:00

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

2009-07-12T08:03:00.003-04:00

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)

2009-06-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

Random Notes

2009-06-24T19:27:00.003-04:00

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?

2009-06-21T23:13:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-31T14:55:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-31T09:39:00.003-04:00

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.

2009-05-10T21:07:00.006-04:00

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

2009-04-05T20:32:00.004-04:00

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

2009-03-29T10:43:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-16T11:30:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-15T22:07:00.010-04:00

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

2009-03-15T21:03:00.023-04:00

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.

Pintxos (Tapas) in San Sebastian

2009-03-02T06:38:00.002-05:00

Here is the listing of the Pintxos Bars (Tapas elsewhere in Spain) we visited in San Sebastian:

Goiz Argi

Shrimp Brochette

Borda Berri

Canelon de Morcilla
Croqueta de Melosos
Presa con Salsa Romesco
Stewed Beef Cheek
Deboned Pork Rib

Txepetxa

Anchovies with:

Spider crab
Sea Urchin eggs
Jardinera
Salmon
bocarta

Bar Tamboril

Beef and Bechamel stuffed pepper

Ganbara

Mini Croissant with ham
Fried white asparagus
Calamares

Gandarias

mini solomillo con pimiento de gernika

La Cuchara de San Telmo

Chocolate ganache

Guggenheim Bilbao

2009-02-28T17:59:00.003-05:00

This post references the gastronomic restaurant inside the tremendous and breath taking Guggenheim Bilbao...its run by the famed and Michelin starred Martin Berasategui who has installed a terrific young chef named Josean Alija.

This place overlooks the river and was pretty well booked out the night we were there in Mid February. We took the earliest reservation offered at 9 pm and our party of four opted for the tasting menu entitled:

Creation, Freedom and Tendencies

Cucumber impregnated with vegetable drops, melon sauteed with mint, all seasoned with kafir, cardamon and grapefruit

Roasted Red Endives soaked in a shellfish and cardamon stock, with a smooth orange blossom flavored grapefruit cream

Roasted aubergine flavored with makil goxo, based on a yogurt emulsion, Farga olive(reputed to be from 1000 year old trees)

Roasted Fish on a wild garlic juice with Ballobar capers and lemon herb

Iberian Pork piece, honey, marinated potato

Baker esperiega apple gnocchi on whipped cheese with green cardamon and cinnamon ice cream

An unusual finale entitled "Use your Hands" which had a coffee textured toasted beer ice cream, orange skin confit with orange blossom

Service was absolutely terrific. Some molecular gastronomic touches with the added bonus of a magical expanding napkin and a little bit of theater with a solitary leather gloved bread service that made me think of Michael Jackson.

Not a single missed note....expect great press and Michelin recognition soon for Josean.

Arzak

2009-02-25T16:35:00.002-05:00

This 3 starred Michelin restaurant is as unassuming as can be on the outside...almost looks like it could be an apartment building way on the upper west side of New York...the kind without the doorman. It was actually the childhood home of Juan Mari Arzak the patron half of the father-daughter chef team and the man considered the father (or grandfather now!) of modern Spanish cuisine.

Elena is the daughter with whom most English speaking diners will get a tableside visit from. Reports are that they work well together but don't always see eye to eye. Everything about the tasting menu we experienced was spot on, with nary a miss. A bit of gastronomic modernity showing off some of the creative side is fused with perfect flavor profiles. The most unique technique was the "bronzed onion" and sauce that accompanied it...literally a metallic application ala the gold leaf that we occasionally see elsewhere on chocolate desserts.

Great wine list with some of those typical 20 euro Spanish bargains seen elsewhere, but other highly touted Parker wines such as Numanthia at a bit less than US retail. Service was unobtrusive and efficient. Amazingly, lots of locals and several families with children enjoying lunch the Saturday afternoon we were there. For me, this was the best meal of the trip and one of our best experiences ever.

Mugaritz

2009-02-25T11:19:00.002-05:00

This 2 starred Michelin restaurant is a bit difficult to find...the Gps on our iPhone led us into a cow pasture. Its outside Errenteria, not far from San Sebastian. In an idyllic country setting, with a perfect Monet-esque haystack sitting outside the window, the tables are widely spaced and it is perfect for unwinding and conducive to a long leisurely lunch.

You are presented with a choice of 2 tasting menus and 2 small envelopes labelled "submit" and "rebel" ...up to you which you choose! I demure from revealing too much about the menu because there are a few shocking surprises that I would not want to spoil. The service is easy going Spanish and the host/manager is a character you will never forget....you want to take him home with you. A really multinational staff....a Venezualen served as our sommelier and selected wines by the glass to pair with our food and one of the servers was a chef from Texas who had been in the kitchen and was learning the ropes of the service staff.

Not everything was a knockout (red mullet was a bit too fishy , for example) but it is quite a memorable and enjoyable experience. It certainly is one of the most comfortable dining rooms we've ever experienced. A little like Noma in Copenhagen, but without the animal skins.

Daniel Lindley, James Beard Award Nominee

2009-02-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

Daniel Lindley, of St John's restaurant in Chattanooga, was nominated for a James Beard award for the Southeast region.

What a great honor and well deserved. We've tried several of the restaurants of the other nominees and Daniel and St. John stand above those nominees. Daniel joins a great roster of chefs nominated before him and Chattanooga gets some national recognition, too.

Extebarri

2009-02-23T12:34:00.003-05:00

This small tavern/restaurant in Axpe, Spain, halfway between San Sebastian and Bibao, was almost an after thought. It was a place that I was wary of...you know, a restaurant that "grills" everything doesn't strike one as fine dining. Sure its been featured on several television programs recently, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee greatness.

After much debate, we e mailed 2 days before our arrival and decided to make this our first meal of our San Sebastian trip. We were amazed by the product and the subtlety of the presentation...it was certainly one of the 10 best meals of our lives.

Axpe is a gorgeous tiny town literally at the end of a country road, hemmed in by mountains. Victor doesn't speak much English, so Lenox the Australian served as our host. The menu is deceptively simple...much like Craft, a list of ingredients with a price, no other discourse is offered. You enter the restaurant through a bar with locals having a drink and climb a flight of stairs to a very comfortable almost rustic dining area.

We asked if a tasting menu could be devised and it was.

Chorizo
Smoked butter
Palamos shrimp
Grilled Mussels
Baby Octupus
Garden Vegetables, Perigord Truffle
Grilled Turbot
Grilled Beef Chop
Canutillos, smoked milk ice cream
Wild Fruit Infusion, Fresh cheese ice cream

Everything was terrific. We have never had better chorizo...Victor hand makes it and it just melts in your mouth. Unfortunately, only 2 other tables were occupied on a Friday for lunch. Great well priced wine list...lots of nice Spanish wines for 16 to 18 euros...Of course, everything including the ice cream had a delightful smoked flavor. But product was top notch often with a simple sauce that let the product shine.

Donastia-San Sebastian

2009-02-21T21:29:00.002-05:00

Donastia is the Basque word for San Sebastian.

Unpretentious is the best English word to describe the food culture there.

Because of restaurants like Arzak, Mugaritz and Extebarri it is to my mind the best place to eat in the world. We also experienced Jatetxea at the Guggenheim in Bilbao.

Barcelona comes close with places like Sauc and Commerc 24, but San Sebastian can't be topped especially when you throw in the tapas experience. After all, this is a town of 150,000 (same size as Chattanooga) and to be able to go into a tiny bar, have a glass of wine and have 5 different small dishes prepared by an alumnus of El Bulli is amazing.

Specific notes to follow.

Gramercy Tavern, The Modern and Eleven Madison Park

2009-02-08T18:48:00.002-05:00

Gramercy seems as solid as ever, but a bit stuck. Everything was stellar, but nothing stood out as Excellent. For instance, several of the dishes are done better by a Gramercy alumnus, Daniel Lindley, chef at St. Johns in Chattanooga.

The Modern was a big big disappointment with nothing at all to recommend about it. Not a place to return to.

Eleven Madison Park is the jewel of the Danny Meyer franchise, with stellar cooking by Daniel Humm and one of America's best sommeliers in John Ragan. Lunch is the time to go, as dinner is prix fixe at about 85 dollars. However, the suckling pig has only been available at dinner when we've gone. Sine Qua Non has always been available on the wine list for those of you aching to try Manfred and Elaine's highly regarded wines.

Jean Georges

2009-02-08T18:39:00.002-05:00

The best meal of 2008 was lunch at Jean Georges, December 30, 2008. Sublime, with multiple courses of Asian inflected French cooking. Terrific, laid back service by Josh, and a relative bargain to boot. The dining room is a bit formal, but never seemed too stuffy. Would go back time and time again.

Tablas Creek Winery

2008-12-07T11:31:00.003-05:00

One of the perks of being on a winery's mailing list or wine club is often the newsletter sent out at various times announcing an offering or a harvest update. They can range from quirky like Patricia Green or to chatty like Alban or downright educational like Tablas Creek. The latest Tablas Creek had a wonderful essay on the varietal Marsanne, with only 39 acres planted to it in all of California! A bit of an obscure varietal for the US, but nonetheless an interesting read.

Asian Dining in Alanta

2008-12-07T11:10:00.003-05:00

Had the good fortune to eat both luch and dinner in Atlanta yesterday and had two very different experiences....

First up was Jean George's Spice Market located in the W Hotel. We've been to the one in NYC many times, and the Atlanta version once prior. The concept is Asian street food..encompassing Thailand to India. The food appeals to us....think of it as asian tapas. The foodies in Atlanta have not really embraced the place. The food was good but the service off. The reservation for a table of 8 seemed to have escaped them, so a brief wait as a table was readied. The lunch at this place is a bento box with several items, but half the table was served and half not. Multiple requests to at least 3 different waiters to straighten out the problem went unheeded...the manager ultimately became involved with some, but not total success at resolving all the mistakes.

We are great fans of Jean Georges various venues...from Vong to JoJo to the flagship Jean George in NYC, and have never once had any issues with service. Hopefully, a fluke, but nonetheless, not a way to impress your guests.

Take 2 was the ever reliable Tasty China for dinner in Marietta...can't rave enough about the food here. Always reliable Fish/Cilantro rolls, pork in Garlic Mud, small fried fish, green beans with pork and olives, dried fried eggplant and a noodle and fish dish or two. A slight redo of the interior since we were last there. The shopping center in which it sits continues to struggle, with the Middle Eastern grocery next door the latest to close. However, Tasty China was doing a good business last night, with 2/3 of the diners asian.

Aria Atlanta: Wine and Salt

2008-10-19T15:22:00.002-04:00

A great wine destination, with a pinot noir centric reserve list....but, the restaurant is cramped, loud and the food oversalted. Standouts were a bull's blood beets appetizer. The hyped lobster cocktail was fine, but not memorable. For entrees, our party of four stuck with the recommendations including niman slow roasted pork and the zinfandel beef short ribs. 24 hours later, still have a dry mouth from the out the roof saline content. The hyped cheescake really was a great and unusual presentation, but suffered from the same saltiness and lacked sugar. The dominant sensation on the cheesecake was salt...really odd. The best of the desserts was the seasonal apple tart.

Place was packed so Atlantan's must think they have something good. However, this is no place to return to.

Noma, the World's Greatest Restaurant? Or Hallucination?

2008-09-28T10:41:00.003-04:00

This Copenhagen restaurant received its second Michelin star...and it has a rather comfortable, casual feel....almost like one of those ubiquitous seaside seafood restaurants we find all over the US- lots of bare wood, but with a Danish style, chairs draped with animal skins. Its in a non descript warehouse overlooking the water, but any comparison to anything we've ever experienced stops there.

Claus Meyer and Rene Redzepi have created an altar to Nordic cuisine...they've taken the oft used mantra to cook/source local and applied it in a brilliant way...Redzepi spent time with Thomas Keller at the French Laundry and with Ferran Adria at El Bulli.

Hallucinatory? Perhaps thats the best way to describe the experience. Gooseberries, cauliflower, milk skin, beach herbs, fish skin....doesn't sound like a plan leading to a great meal does it? Sounds almost like what you might expect to find at a Danish hippie commune out in the back woods somewhere. Trust me, these ingredients were elevated to unfathomable heights...as you sit and enjoy course after course you shake your head that without foie or truffles or traditional sauces or Kobe beef you are experiencing one of the greatest meals of your life. Many a chef can be creative...but to be creative and to do it with product ignored (and largely unavailable before the opening of Noma) by the local Nordic citizenry is an accomplishment so mind boggling that Redzepi deserves some sort of Nobel prize.

Here was the tasting menu the night we went:

Raw shrimps and green gooseberries
Fresh cream and dill

Shoots and malt
Potato puree

Skate wing and mussel liquor
Cauliflower in different textures

Warm lobster salad
Red currant wine and beach herbs

Kid Goat and dust of thyme
Hazelnuts and mushrooms

Raspberries and beet roots
Marinated rose hips

Blueberries and milkskin
Pickled pine tree shoots and sweet bread

After reading the menu, you probably think I have zero credibility when I say this has to be one of the greatest restaurants on earth. But for us, it easily surpassed French Laundry. Easily. You must experience it yourself to understand it.

Tasty China, Marietta Georgia

2008-09-21T07:59:00.003-04:00

This Sichuan style Chinese restaurant is unlike anything we've encountered....a bit of a region of China not represented well in the US.

The famous Peter Chang has long since come and gone, but he left an indelible mark on this restaurant which has received much recognition among food bloggers (check out Chowhound for the most extensive discussion of this place). Basic Chinese restaurant decor with a sometime fish tank in the front entry, its prices are reasonable and the food delicious. BYOB is allowed with no corkage....a riesling would be most appropriate given the heat of the food.

Here is our short list of items to try...don't miss the first five,,,and if "puffy bread" ever makes it back to the menu, try it as well.

Dried Fried Eggplant (a must, and it must be requested as it does not appear on the menu)
Small Fried Fish
Pork in Garlic Mud (Chinese Pork Belly!)
Green Beans with Olives
Fish/Cilantro Rolls
Roasted Fish with Scallions
Beef Scallions Hot Pot
Chow Fun Noodles

Craven Quail Farms

2008-09-21T07:56:00.004-04:00

If you are looking for fresh quail eggs in the Chattanooga area, try Lookout Mountain based Craven Quail Farms, phone 706-398-3604. Their E mail address is CravenQuailFarms@gmail.com. Update: Now often available locally at GreenLife.

Mitolo GAM 2004

2008-09-15T20:44:00.002-04:00

Most of us are buying and drinking less Australian wine these days for a myriad of reasons. Many of us assume that Aussies don't age or lack sophistication or nuance because of their big flavor profiles. Or the fall of the US dollar has made them relatively less affordable. I've not bought much in a couple of years, but have started to realize recently that they still represent a better value and better done than the majority of US syrah. Of course, there are some great US syrah like alban and saxum and carlisle and ojai and tensley. But then we open a bottle of this stuff, which received 97 Wine Advocate points (89 from spectator). Can't say that I've enjoyed a wine more than this in several weeks. Softening, with the alcohol and big fruit flavors starting to subdue (ok,honestly, but still plenty big and inky) and secondary flavors starting to reveal themselves. Liked this better than a 98 Penfolds Grange from last month.

Bottom line: Don't count the Aussies out. With the dollar strengthing, and the Aussies still the masters of shiraz/syrah, they'll be back.

Daniel Lindley, St. Johns Restaurant

2008-09-14T22:32:00.004-04:00

Daniel Lindley is unique, a true artist. His style is one in which presentation is every bit as stunning as his flavors and unexpected combinations. He is truly deserving of a James Beard award. His plates compete with those in New York and San Francisco, not anyone in our area. Take a trip to Bacchanalia in Atlanta, the top restaurant there, then to St. John and its clear he possesses something superior...he thinks about food in a unique way.

But he is also smart and savvy in a way that many artistic people are not- he knows his market is Chattanooga and not haute cusine. His restaurant is welcoming, and run capably by his friend and business partner, Josh Carter(who replaced Daniel's brother, Nathan who had worked with Frank Stitt in Birmingham prior to opening St. John). His menu offers many popular and safe choices that cater to this market, especially in the entree section. While they may not be representative of all Daniel can do, they are done very, very well. Concentrate on the familiar and you will have an outstanding dining experience, but you will miss the essence of this man's brilliance and creativity.

To get a sense of his true abilities, look to the appetizer section of St. John's menu where each dish is like a Picasso painting in presentation, and often jarringly amazing in flavor profiles and combination...the sort of thing that makes one sit up suddenly in your chair in utter awe and disbelief. A recent dish of veal carpaccio, with an olive tampenade studded with tiny croutons and mixed with raw egg evoked a sense of umami. Or an unbelievably thin shaved piece of watermelon studded with goat cheese and mint and topped with lobster.

His contemporaries are really New York icons like Jean George and David Bouley. His presence in a city of Chattanooga's size is a boon to dining here. Chattanoogans should count themselves fortunate that they have a restaurant of national caliber right here.

Macphail Pratt Vineyard 2004 Pinot Noir

2008-09-14T20:57:00.000-04:00

This is our second bottle of the Pratt, and despite the decidely unelegant name, this wine is an absolutely stunning beauty. Soft on the tongue, lucious on the palate with nice acid and subtle oak, its hard to imagine pinot noir getting much better than this.

Joseph Phelps Insignia 2002

2008-09-14T18:44:00.001-04:00

This is a beauty of a cab blend...full floral bouquet, and still full of fine tannin suggesting years to go. No significant tobacco flavors but a bit of tar, espresso, raspberry on the palate. Nice long finish giving one time to contemplate all that is going on here. Superb. If this is wine making by committee, so be it. When they get it right, its awesome.

Erik Niel, Easy Bistro

2008-09-12T22:10:00.006-04:00

Erik's redo of the former Easy Seafood has transformed the place into one of Chatt towns top destinations for seafood. Erik often has a light almost feminine touch with fish that would make Eric Ripert of Le Bernadin proud. Too often, fish is disrespected by overcooking....look to the bottom third of the entrees at Easy for the jewels of the place...two or three fresh fish based entrees with terrific accompaniments and sauces. Easily some of the best entrees in town. The sauces are never heavy, frequently change and feature seasonal ingredients, and really serve to frame and elevate the fish. The focus is on flavor, no fancy presentations here.

Desserts are excellent, often with a seasonal cobbler and always with a superb bread pudding.

The wine list is undergoing some changes, and whether Erik would admit it or not, he takes a Frank Stitt type approach to wine...reasonably priced bottles without a huge markup. There's a Rudi Wiest riesling and an Arcadian pinot not seen often in these parts.

This restaurant is certainly now one of the top places to dine in town.

Sine Qua Non 2004 Into the Dark

2008-09-07T13:12:00.000-04:00

Well, this grenache based wine is still a bit young and the heat from the alcohol was definitely showing last night. Around the one and a half hour mark is when it hit its stride and its full potential could be appreciated. Great short squat bottle shape, kind of like an old port bottle. The mouvedre which along with syrah has been added to the final blend, was apparent on the mid palate, and you could pick up a bit of the syrah towards the end. Enjoyed this immensely and feel it will hits stride in another couple of years. Elaine and Manfred Krankl do seem to know what they are doing! Thanks.

Highlands Bar and Grill

2008-09-07T12:20:00.000-04:00

Last night we ventured to Birmingham on a pilgrimage of sorts. We were trying to understand the influence of Frank Stitt on so many of the good chefs and restaurants in Chattanooga. Its amazing how with one or two degrees of separation only, Mr. Stitt has some connection to what we consider the best of food in Chattanooga. More on this later.

As many of you have undoubtedly figured out on your own, the best way to sample a restaurant and its chef is to do a tasting menu or,as these are infrequently available in most non New York/San Francisco/European restaurants, assemble one when possible from the appetizer section of the menu. Too often the entrees are a meat and a starch and really offer little in the way of creativity. Ordering three appetizers enables a greater sense of place. We chose this route at Highlands last night.

First impression was excellent...greeted warmly and handed the wine list to peruse while the ladies went to the restroom. And, oh, what a list! One of the best lists outside NYC or the West Coast for California wines. Lots of affordable, solid choices. But special treats rarely seen such as the 2004 Sine Qua Non "Into the Dark" that was offered for 195 dollars, significantly less than what it sells for on the secondary market and a little less than a 2 fold mark up from the release price.

Our party sampled eight different appetizers, two desserts and the duck two ways. The dining room itself is not particularly comfortable and the furniture shows some wear and tear. The website notes jackets preferred for men but there were diners in jeans, too. Headlights from cars parked on the street occasionally shined directly into the dining room. Stemware was not of the highest quality and a decant of the wine was not offered, nor did the wait staff seem to know much about the wine we ordered or the rest of the list. A waiter at another table offered only that a chardonnay being inquired about had "a bit of butter." From the list, though, it seems clear that Frank Stitt, at least, is serious about wine.

The beef tartare appetizer was very good with a nice smokey flavor. My recollection was that the menu offered a fried egg with it, but this never appeared and when asked, the waitress noted "it was mixed in with the tartare!"

Beef carpaccio with arugula and parmesan was nice and had a horseradish sauce rather than a more traditional finish. This was one of the best US versions we've had though they never seem to come close to what's offered in Italy...as it should be!

A shellfish and corn chowder really was disappointing, as was a friture de la mer which was served with a very unfortunate choice of remoulade sauce. Franks' students do versions of this dish better in Chattanooga (more on this in a later post). Aioli is a much better choice to accompany and this version was a bit greasy.

A pea cake also was merely ok. A quail appetizer was perfectly cooked, but a bit too sweet of a sauce. The charcuterie plate was outstanding and generous. The duck two ways was nicely prepared as well.

The star of the evening was a Stone Ground Baked grits which was simply one of those dishes that you want to have again and again. Thyme, parmesan, touch of ham, olive oil, butter and wonderful mushrooms made up a sauce that was terrific. Acidity in the sauce nice, probably derived from a bit of white wine, lemon and a vinegar. There is a recipe for this in Frank Stitt's "Southern Table" cookbook, so will post on this later when we've had a chance to try.

Not a restaurant we would return to, and certainly, in our opinion, not the fifth best restaurant in the US. But we also never felt Commander's Palace was deserving of its occasional mention as the top restaurant, either. Frank's focus is on flavor, and presentation is not the strong point of his food. But we had to make this pilgrimage, and it did give us an understanding of how his restaurant has influenced several of the top experiences in our hometown of Chattanooga. It is always an honor to a teacher when a student improves or excels in ways beyond the teacher and certainly thats what has happened in our hometown. It would seem that Frank Stitt, much like Thomas Keller has influenced the next generation of chefs and restaurant professionals in our country. We all owe him a great debt.

E's Food, Wine and Restaurants

2008-09-07T12:12:00.001-04:00

Well, its been a long time in coming, but finally gotten aroud to it. Great food, wine and dining out are an important part of life...up there with family and love. Achieving a balance in life is so important...life IS short.

The purpose of this blog is to share experiences regarding great wine and food, and dining out. The blog will be based on personal experience and will, therefore, represent opinion. What is envisioned is restaurant reviews centered first and foremost around the Southeastern US, but will encompass personal experiences in other parts of the US and world. Wine and other food experiences will also be touched upon.