Docsconz- The Blog

A Look Back at My Top Restaurant Meals from Recent Years

In anticipation of a list of my top restaurant meals of 2010 that I plan on posting at the end of the year, I thought it would be fun and instructive to review my lists from the past few years including those that I posted on the eGullet Discussion Forums. My formats (and numbers) have varied over the years. Here they are as they were originally posted (in backwards chronological order)

2009

1. Senzone
2. Aldea
3. The Four Seasons
4. Ideas (in Food) in the Studio Kitchen
5. Corton
6. Per Se
7. Le Bernardin
8. Stella!
9. Eleven Madison Park
10. Kabuki Wellington
11. La Mere Brazier
12. Principe de Viana
13. Soto
14. Cafe Boulud
15. Momofuku Ssam Bar
16. Noca
17. Paul Bocuse
18. Los Asturianos
19. Toro by Ken Oringer
20. Taranta
21. Bayona
22. Falai
23. Gramercy Tavern
24. Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napolitana
25. Keste

 

2008

1. Corton - NYC
2. Ideas in Slow Food - Queensbury, N.Y.
3. Alinea - Chicago
4. Bartolotta - Las Vegas
5. Asturianos - Madrid
6. Europa Deco - Madrid
7. Cafe Atlantico/minibar - Washington, D.C.
8. Moto - Chicago
9. Soto - NYC
10. RM Seafood - Las Vegas
11. Astrid y Gaston - Madrid
12. Tailor - NYC
13. Noca - Scottsdale
14. Raku - Las Vegas
15. Frontera Grill - Chicago

 

 2007

1. elBulli Cala Montjol, Catalunya, Spain 4-May 
2. Ca Sento Valencia, Spain 2-May 
3. L'Esguard Sant Andreu de Llavanares, Spain 29-Apr 
4. Blue Hill at Stone Barns Tarrytown, N.Y. 30-Mar 
5. WD-50 N.Y., N.Y. 17-Sep 
6. Fiamma N.Y., N.Y. 23-Nov 
7. WD-50 N.Y., N.Y. 5-Jan 
8. Huaca Pucllana Lima, Peru 24-Feb Lunch
9. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Las Vegas, Nevada 23-Mar 
10. Binkley's Scottsdale, Arizona 27-Mar 
11. Wing Lei Las Vegas, Nevada 25-Mar 
12. Levante Benisanó, Valencia, Spain 30-Apr 
13. Bodegas Casa Montaña Valencia, Spain 30-Apr 
14. Monastrell Alicante, Spain 2-May 
15. Tailor N.Y., N.Y. 24-Nov 
16. Coi San Francisco, CA. 16-Oct 
17. Canteen San Francisco, CA. 18-Oct 
18. Kokkari Estiatorio San Francisco, CA. 15-Oct 
19. The Dining Room at the RC San Francisco, CA. 17-Oct 
20. El Celler de Can Roca Girona, Spain 3-May 
21. Las Machitas Cevicheria 20-Feb Cusco, Peru

2006

1. Studio Kitchen 3/17/2006. link to dinner description with photos. An amazing combination of delicious, beautiful, creative food in a comfortable and intimate atmosphere, served by the food's creator and shared with nine other fascinating people (including the late M.X. Hassett) all the while savoring excellent wines at a steal of a price - what could be better? Shola Olunloyo stopped doing Studio Kitchen very shortly after or else this would likely have popped up several more times in my top ten.
2.  Alinea 6/11/2006. link to dinner description with photos. The third time I have eaten at this restaurant and the only time (unfortunately) in 2006, it just keeps on getting better. Sharing this meal with Ronnie Suburban and Yellow Truffle added context, history and great companionship to the meal. It was also to be my last experience at Alinea with Alex Stupack and Jordan Kahn in the pastry kitchen and Joe Ziomeck in the FOH. They have moved on to other pursuits at which I have no doubt they will prove exceptional. Though their shoes are large, i have faith in Grant Achatz and the rest of the team at Alinea, my favorite restaurant in the United States.
3. Jose Andres' Minibar 5/16/2006. link to dinner description with photos. If one can't have fun eating at this restaurant, one can't have fun eating. The food was beautiful, creative, playful and of course delicious at this cozy interactive restaurant set within a restaurant. things can't get any better for those diners who enjoy watching food prepaaration as theater and interacting with the preparers at the same time. It also didn't hurt that my wife and I shared this experience with Ruben Garcia and Llorenc Petras and their wives. I subsequently had the pleasure to get to know both a little better at a couple of culinary conferences.
4. Jean-Georges 9/20/2006. link to lunch description with photos. Lunch at Jean-Georges is the most incredible value in fine dining (with the possible exception of dinner at El Bulli). The food is sensational and downright inexpensive ($12/course?). Sharing the meal with my great friend Joe Bavuso, his wife and a friend helped make this extra-special.
5. Chez Panisse Cafe 3/30/2006. link to lunch description with photos This lunch culminated my California spring culinary odyssey with Elliot Wexler aka Molto e. The cooking and ingredients are just so pure and so right. There is a reason that this restaurant has lasted so long in this day and age of ephemeral restaurant life - the food is simply perfectly prepared and satisfying.
6. The French Laundry 3/28/2006. link to dinner description with photos. My first of two visits to TFL in 2006, was all things considered the better overall experience. Though the second dinner was perhaps more uniform in quality from top to bottom, the highs were higher with this meal. My company was stellar both times, the first with Elliot and the second with my wife, the best man at our wedding and a friend of his. Ultimately, what probably made the difference in my enjoyment of the meals and my final ranking was the fact that the second time was the culmination of all day cross-country travel. In short, my wife and i were already exhausted by the time we arrived for dinner.
7. Perry Street 9/18/2006. Link to dinner description - unfortunately no photos.There was a time not too long ago that I was one of those who thought that Jean-Georges Vongerichten had "jumped the shark." That was before Perry Street and my most recent meals at J-G. The food was vibrant, creative, beautiful and full of flavor. I partook of this dinner with my brother and my sister. Bruce Willis was at a neighboring table. He also must like Jean-Georges' style as I ran into him again two days later at J-G. Well, if JGV has jumped the shark, I am happy to say that he did so unscathed.
8. Ame 3/26/2006. link to dinner description with photos.Sunday night dining is not supposed to be very good. I'm glad that nobody told that to the people cooking at this San Francisco star. Once again, this meal was with Elliott and was the first of our culinary tour together. A strong friendship rose from this.
9. Pujol 3/9/2006)My wife's and my Culinary Trip to Mexico in March was not only a highlight of 2006 for us, it was also one of the best trips of our lives. The food was fabulous, but much of it was not restaurant based. Of those that were, Pujol was outstanding; providing a modern touch overlaid on traditional Mexican cuisine. It was a fitting finale to an outstanding vacation.
10. El As de Oros 3/7/2006.Also from the Mexico trip, this was street food at its finest, though it was located in a market stall in Puebla. The cemita milanesa may have been the single best sandwich I have ever eaten. 

2005

1. El Bulli 28-Aug
2. Alinea 3-Dec
3. Alinea 21-May
4. Citronelle 22-Apr
5. WD-50 10-Dec
6. Erlowest 22-Jan
7. Jean Georges 9-Dec
8. Jaleo 20-Apr
9. Rafa's 29-Aug

My All-Time Favorite Dish

In the animated film Ratatouille, the feared food critic Anton Ego, was won over by a dish that transported him back to his childhood and to a dish made special to him by his mother. This is that dish for me. Bucatini with crab sauce was my favorite dish when I was growing up. My mother would make it for me on my special days, such as my birthdays or when I came home from college. The blue crabs impart a slightly sweet and complex flavor to the long simmered tomato sauce. I still love it more than any other dish. The very first time I ate at elBulli, I had a dish made with crab that reminded me of it. The crab dish made an already incredible meal that much more so, even though it resembled this dish in no other way. Do you have a dish that transports you?

Decisions, Decisions

Which one? Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas!

What I'm Making For Christmas Eve

My Mother's Crab Sauce

Goose Prosciutto

Duck prosciutto is not uncommon, but I'd never seen or tried goose prosciutto before. The reality is that ducks and geese are really very similar birds, so why not goose prosciutto? When I butchered the bird I got from Elihu Farm (that also happens to be where Carlo Mirarchi sources his geese for Roberta's as I discovered this past weekend after dining at Roberta's), I cut out the breasts as well as the thighs and legs. The latter were confited, while one of the breasts was low-temp roasted. For the remaining breast, I decided to try my hand at making it into a prosciutto. Using Michael Ruhlman's approach for duck prosciutto as a guide, I salt-cured the breast, rinsed and dried it, wrapped and tied it in cheese cloth and hung it for 8 days from a pipe in my basement. It was surprisingly easy and the glistening, silky result is pretty tasty. I plan to share it with my family on Christmas Eve.

Top 5 Dishes of 2010

I already posted my Top Pasta Dishes of the Year here. At this point, I'm pretty much done dining out for the year, so I think it is reasonable to post this now, even though the year is not quite over yet. I ate extremely well in 2010 with a number of exceptional dishes. Here are the most memorable. I did not select more than one dish from any particular meal.

1. Mackerel Pickled in Hay with Green Tomatoes - Restaurant AOC - Copenhagen, DK - this dish was simply stunning on every level. Mackerel is not my favorite fish, in general, but this was made with perfect specimens and treated in such a way that it achieved perfect balance, deep rich and wonderful flavor. In addition, the plating was spectacular, using a limited but pure color spectrum and subtle, but supremely beautiful plating.
2. Chilled Vegetable Minestrone - Town House - Chilhowie, Virginia: Another extraordinarily beautiful dish, Chef John Shields provided deep and total flavor, coaxing every last bit of wonderfulness from these gorgeous, multicolored vegetables. I wrote, "Consisting of 19 different vegetables sliced into thin ribbons, rolled into cylinders and stood on end in a bowl with a vegetable consommé poured around it table side, the dish was equally impressive on the palate combining a myriad of flavors playing off each other. This was a home run on the first pitch, one of the more spectacular courses I've had anywhere."
3. Beet Salad - The Oval Room - Washington, D.C.: How can a beet salad make my top 5 dishes of the year? When it is this beautiful, colorful, original and absolutely delicious it can. I wrote, Chef Tony "Conte's salad, 'roasted organic baby beets, passion fruit gelee, horseradish, Minus 8 (vinegar) shallot dressing & micro arugula,' blended brilliant color with brilliant flavor. The passion fruit and minus 8 provided a nice acid kick, while the horseradish added a bit of spice."
4. Walnut and Blackberries, Cream and Powder - noma/Corton- Copenhagen, DK/NY, NY: I had a slew of wonderful dishes at noma, but this one stood out the most for me, taking ingredients that I could normally not care less about and turning them into one of the most delicious desserts that I have ever had. I wrote, "I'm not sure that I have ever tasted a better dessert than Walnut and Blackberries, Cream and Powder, despite the fact that I am generally not terribly enthusiastic about either walnuts or blackberries. Walnut is incorporated into an ice cream and a powder. The powder is made using walnut oil and maltodextrin. The dish includes frozen cream and dried blackberry. Minimalist in appearance, the flavors are anything but, achieving great depth and perfect balance. I loved this when I had it in NY at the Corton dinner and I loved it no less here."
5. Roasted Parsnip - Blue Hill at Stone Barns - Pocantico Hills, N.Y. Sometimes, apparent simplicity can be deceptive. This dish was simply delicious, but all the more mind-boggling to come from an ordinarily non-descript parsnip. I wrote, "We were presented with an item that appeared to be some sort of meat or ham, though it was unlike any meat or ham I had ever seen before. Flattened and slightly elongated, clearly roasted with beautiful exterior browning, we were told that it was a parsnip, a very, very large parsnip that had just been harvested after having been planted the previous March. Almost one year in the ground, this massive parsnip was left in the cold ground to encourage the root to convert its natural starches into sugar to help prevent freezing. To assist even further development of the root's sugars and their caramelization, Barber roasted the parsnips under the weight of bricks. Once presented to us, the roasted parsnips were returned to the kitchen to emerge just a short time later fully transformed. Furthering their pork-like impression, the parsnips re-emerged in a form that, to me, resembled a strip of suckling pig meat under a rich porcine gravy. Served alongside the parsnip was a red cabbage ketchup. As sweet as the parsnip was, the dish, thanks largely to the "gravy" was very much a savory dish. Unfortunately, I never did get what the "gravy" was comprised of. It tasted of pork or even turkey, rich and meaty with plenty of umami, but could this dish really have been served with anything but vegetable components? To me, this dish was a sterling example of a trompe l'oiel style of cooking. It was a veritable faux pork dish. This parsnip was superlative in every way - delicious, beautiful and down right mind-boggling and fun. It was Barber at his absolute best, taking an ordinarily mundane ingredient and without any overt tricks transforming it into something truly remarkable. I could not imagine a parsnip being presented as a parsnip being any more enjoyable than this was." 

Next week, I'll be coming out with a listing of my Top 25 Restaurant Meals of 2010.

Oakland - A Bit of Brooklyn Out West

James Syhabout's newish restaurant, Commis, already has a Michelin star. It is a small, minimalist space with a central open kitchen, reasonable prices and intense, creative cooking. With the loss of Chez Panisse's star, Commis currently boasts the only Michelin star in the entire East Bay Area. That, however, doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of good cooking going on there.

With a noon arrival at the Oakland airport I was met by my host, one of my very best friends who goes all the way back to Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. and who was also the best man at my wedding. Now an Oakland resident for over twenty years, he is well versed in all aspects of that city. After loading my bags in his car, we made a beeline for Pho 84, located in downtown Oakland and named for the year it opened. I started with the Goi Cuon or shrimp rolls - shrimp with iceberg lettuce, bean sprouts and cilantro rolled in rice paper and served with peanut sauce, a refreshing and tasty welcome back to the Bay Area. With a name like Pho 84, the pho better be good and what I had was quite good and quite satisfying. The Pho 84 House Special was replete with rare done steak, well done flank, tendons and meatballs in a rich beef broth topped with cilantro and onions. My visit was off to a great start.

My Top Five Restaurant Pasta Dishes of 2010

It's in my blood that I love pasta. To me, pasta is one of the most satisfying dishes that I can have. I cook it a lot and I eat it a lot in restaurants. I had plenty of outstanding pasta in restaurants this year, traditional and creative. The three most memorable and most sensationally delicious pasta dishes I had in 2010 were:

1. Trofie, Squab & White Truffle - Roberta's - Brooklyn, N.Y. Pure decadence. Forget the freshly shaved white truffles for just a moment. This dish would have been killer without them. Carlo Mirarchi takes squab that he ages himself and minces the meat and the organs using the whole squab and then makes a Bolognese type sauce, which he uses to flavor immaculately cooked, perfectly al dente trofie to create an umami rich, textural tour de force of pasta. Now add an intoxicating, freshly shaved snow of white Alba truffle and the transport to heaven is complete. (No post yet).
2. Roasted Potato and Parmesan Gnocchi with Iberico Bellota Ham, Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans and Local Scallions - Stella! - New Orleans, LA.  More decadence. Perfect, light and fluffy gnocchi, some of the finest ham in the world, fresh favas, Parmiggiano and incredible morels all executed without a flaw by Scott Boswell and his crack kitchen team - this dish simply rocked.(see here for the whole dinner)
3. Baby Goat Agnolotti, sweet carrot and spicy paprika - Brooks Headley (Del Posto) - Pastry Chefs at Aldea Dinner - NY, NY. If the pastry chef at Del Posto is making pasta this wonderful, what must the Chef Mark Ladner be doing? I must find out! (see here for the whole dinner)
4. Whole Wheat Pici, Shaved Matsutakes, Toasted Hazelnut & Rosemary - The Oval Room - Washington, D.C. Tony Conte's perfectly cooked and seasoned pasta supported the terrific, savory sweetness of the shaved mushrooms leaving the rosemary and hazelnut to play accent notes. (see here for the whole dinner)
5. Miso & Yuzu Kosho Casarecce with Crab - Alex Talbot & Aki Kamozawa (Ideas in Food) - The Alchemy of Taste and Smell Dinner at The Astor Center - N.Y., N.Y. Served with chopsticks that had been twice sprayed with a scent of coffee, black pepper and nutmeg, the combination of the perfectly ala-minute-cooked, bright tasting pasta, the lusciously rich crab and the pepper-rich scent made for an impeccably balanced, deeply delicious and soulfully satisfying dish. (see here for the whole dinner)

Wish List 2011

Since the year is not quite over I am holding off a bit on posting my top restaurant meals and dishes of the year. Those will come soon, but these are the restaurants that I have not yet been to and most wish to try in 2011. Unfortunately, my Spain trip with Gerry Dawes this fall didn't pan out, so a few of the restaurants are hold-overs from 2010. My wish list 2011:

1. Mugaritz - I can't believe that I still haven't been!
2. Restaurante Paco Morales - I must get back to try Paco Morales' cooking again, this time in Valencia at the Hotel Ferrero.
3. The Sportsman - I've been hearing and reading too many great things!
4. The Fat Duck - How have I not yet made it here?
5. Next - Grant Achatz provides another wonderful concept
6. Speck - I've ben waiting a long time for Shola Olunloyo (Studio Kitchen) to open a restaurant.
7. Husk - How is Sean Brock continuing to redefine southern food?
8. Avenues - I recently recommended it to family & friends & got back great reports. I need to experience what Chef Curtis Duffy is doing for myself. I have had a great meal at Avenues in the past, but it was under Chef Graham Elliot Bowles, not Chef Duffy.
9. Elkano - Recent raves have vaulted this Basque seafood palace higher on my list
10. Red Medicine - Jordan Kahn's food with Vietnamese flavors sounds awfully intriguing and delicious.

I'm also awaiting more information on new restaurants from Fabio Trabocchi (Fiola) in Washington, D.C. and Michael Voltaggio (Ink.) in Los Angeles. This list is only the tip of an iceberg of desire. I can easily think of another 20 restaurants I could add without batting an eyelash including Curaté, China Poblano, Jaleo-Las Vegas, Lincoln, Relae, Geranium, Etxebarri, Woodberry Kitchen, etc. It should be an interesting year!

Goose, Sour Cherry, Juniper

I don't understand why goose is not more popular than it is on American dining tables whether it be at home or in restaurants. Like duck and ostrich, these are very meaty, beefy birds. The breast meat is every bit as red as beef or lamb and the fat is simply the best. If one considers the rich deliciousness of a goose egg too, I would think they would be amongst the most popular menu items out there. Somehow, that just isn't the case, though.

For the second holiday season in a row, I bought a freshly killed goose from Mary & Bob Pratt of Washington County's Elihu Farm (more information below *) at the Saratoga Farmers Market this past Saturday. Last year, I roasted it whole in my CVap. It was delicious. This year, I decided I would try something different. I butchered it to cut out the boneless breasts from the carcass and separated the wings and the thighs with the legs  as well. I took the skin and most of the fat to render the fat and make goose cracklings.  I used the fat to confit the thighs and legs and am making a prosciutto from one of the breasts. The carcass and neck are being saved to make a goose stock.

For the remaining breast, I cooked it in my CVap Cook and Hold for 2.5 hours at 135ºF on a cedar plank with browning off. I then finished it on the cooktop searing it in a little butter. The meat was perfect! To complement the rich goose I made a sauce using Red Sour Cherry Preserves & Topping from Chukar Cherries. The cherry preserves were too sweet to use on their own, but with the addition of a generous helping of freshly ground juniper berries, salt and the juice of half a lemon, they made an excellent sweet and sour sauce to complement the meaty goose.

Yes, when I eat something as delicious and reasonably easy to make (I realize that there are few CVaps outside of restaurant kitchens. The breast with skin and fat attached can be seared just like a duck breast to the same wonderful end), I don't understand why it isn't more popular. Is it just a question of opportunity? If so, then I suggest that opportunities be found or made. goose is that good!

*From Elihu Farm:

Raising the Geese. The goslings, all gray and white Toulouse (a heritage breed), arrived onelovely morning in May as day-olds, peeping away in four large boxes at our local Post Office. Right away,we dipped their bills in fresh water as we counted and transferred to larger containers. Then it was off tothe sheep barn for “goose starter,’ grain mix, and lights for warmth, and more water, water, water.

They soon learned we were t-h-e meal ticket, and chattered away when we were nearby. As theygrew, their pen grew, until they were large enough to explore the grass near the barn. Geese love grass,and are excellent lawn mowers.

In a short time, we ‘weaned’ from the brooder, and soon put them to pasture all the time,surrounded by electric netting for protection. Vigorous healthy birds, they love their grass, and love theirwater and more water and more water. They still eat some grain for carbohydrates to keep them warm.

Goose for Dinner. There’s nothing quite like the flavorful dark meat from goose, which is lower infat than beef or lamb. The fat is semi-solid, containing over 50% of the beneficial monounsaturated oleicfatty acid, an Omega-3. Rendered goose fat is excellent for sautéing vegetables or roasting potatoes. Weexpect our geese to be leaner than conventionally raised birds.

Ordering. The geese run from about 7-1/2 to 10 pounds, dressed, and cost $7.95/lb. Pick up onthe farm or at the Saratoga Springs Farmers’ Market. Delivery to Albany may be available. Contact Maryand Bob Pratt, elihufarm@localnet.com, 518-753-7838, 518-744-3947.

Seared Scallops Over Parmesan Creamed Spinach

I have been reveling in the quality of both the sea and bay scallops that I have been getting at Pura Vida Seafood from Suffolk County, Log Island at the Troy Farmers Market. I made this as an appetizer course recently to celebrate my eldest son's being home from college.This would do well on a holiday menu.

Ingredients:

Sea Scallops (preferably diver) 1lb

Spinach  8oz cleaned

Parmiggiano-Reggiano 4oz in small chunks

Heavy Cream 2oz

Pine Nuts 2oz toasted

Pimentón 0.4oz

garlic 2 large cloves roasted or pan-fried until just brown

Butter 1oz

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Wilt the spinach over medium heat then combine with all the other ingredients except scallops and butter in a narrow container and puree with a stick blender or use a food processer to achieve a nice smooth blend.

Spoon the mixture into 8 small ramekins making sure that it is evenly apportioned.

Place the filled ramekins in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

While the ramekins are baking, pan-sear the scallops in the brown butter so that both sides are nicely seared and sprinkle with fleur de sel or other high quality salt and fresh ground pepper per your preference.

Remove the ramekins from the oven and portion the scallops evenly amongst them. For additional holiday cheer, halved grape tomatoes or julienned piquillo peppers can be added on top along with the scallops.

If one isn't comfortable using the cream, good olive oil can be substituted to make a variation of a spinach pesto. Both work well.

Bucatini with Tuna (Yellowfin) Sauce

It has been a few years since I had made this dish, mostly because it is difficult to get good tuna here and I used to make it with bluefin when that was relatively plentiful and cheap (I know, I'm dating myself). While I love where I live, one of the area's biggest negatives has been that it has been relatively difficult to get top quality fresh seafood at a reasonable price. That recently changed, though, when I discovered at the beginning of November that Pura Vida Seafood, fishermen from Suffolk County in Long Island, are now making the trek up to the Saturday Farmers Market in Troy, N.Y. Though that market has always been one of the best in the area, I have generally stayed closer to home, shopping at the Glens Falls and Saratoga Markets. With Pura Vida and their fantastic variety of wonderfully fresh seafood, I have started making the drive down to Troy more regularly. This past Saturday I loaded up on sea scallops, grey sole, clams, oysters and some gorgeous yellowfin tuna.

This dish was one of my mother's Friday staples as I was growing up. It couldn't be simpler, however, the quality of the fish is critical.

Ingredients:

FRESH yellowfin tuna      1.5 pounds

500g good Italian Bucatini pasta

1 large can of whole tomatoes preferably San Marzano DOP

1 large red onion cut in half and sliced 1mm thick on a mandoline (diced is fine)

2 large cloves of garlic sliced thin or minced.

1 clump of fresh basil chiffonaded

1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)

salt and pepper

4 tablespoons good olive oil

Procedure:

1. Cook the onions in 2 tbsp of olive oil on low medium heat until translucent then add the garlic and cook lightly.

2. Add the can of tomatoes and a half a can of water and heat through. Once heated, I took a stick blender and pureed everything together. Add the chili powder at this point if desired.

3. In a separate pan cook the tuna in a tablespoon of olive oil to sear it.

4. Add the tuna to the tomato sauce and simmer for several hours with a lid on and kept just ajar. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula.

5. Cook the pasta al dente then transfer to a large pasta bowl.

6. Once the pasta is done add the chiffonaded basil and remaining olive oil to the sauce and stir.

7. Add the sauce to the pasta, breaking up the tuna as you do. Toss and serve hot.

Restaurant AOC is AOK

Earlier in the afternoon, as we finished an epic lunch at noma, the last thing I thought I wanted or needed that night was another epic meal. It has been awhile since I was in my twenties with an insatiable appetite, but that evening was the only chance I would have to dine at Restaurant AOC, a restaurant that had come highly recommended by a number of experienced diners. I would be joined by two fellow noma luncheoneers, Chef Scott Boswell and his lovely wife, Tanya. My wife and son opted out. In addition, we would be joined by the Copenhagen food blogger par excellence and the principal source of my Copenhagen dining info, Trine Lai of the blog verygoodfood. No, as much as I didn't need another big meal, I was still too curious about the restaurant and too excited to meet Trine. I would take this one for the team.

  

Wisely, I had made a late reservation (for Copenhagen) of 9PM. Scott, Tanya and I arrived right on time to find Trine waiting for us in the lounge drinking some bubbly. We quickly joined her and some lounge snacks soon followed, including potato crisps with summer truffles. As we started enjoying the snacks, I discovered a friend, Robert Millman and his wife sitting at a nearby table, already well into their meal. After a brief chat, we all resumed our respective meals.

  

The room at AOC, located in a vaulted cellar of a 300 year old building, is intimate and light with white walls graced by simple, but colorful artwork. The table settings were spare, but of elegant Danish design. The overall effect was surprisingly Mediterranean, light, elegant, intimate, romantic and extremely comfortable. The kitchen is open and visible from the entrance, but it is set out of direct sight from the bulk of the dining room.

Twenty-One

Our eldest son just turned twenty one. When he was still a toddler, my wife and I bought a case of Chateau Lafite Rothschild  1989 to put away for this occasion. It is now officially his. Last night for dinner at home to celebrate that birthday, he opened his first bottle.

...made the first pour... 

and had the first sip...

...before decanting it and drinking it with his birthday meal.

The wine was magnificent. Still young, dark and purple, it opened up with power and force, holding a lot of complexity and finesse within, promise for future special occasions.

Happy 21st, L.J.!

May you have many, many more healthy and happy ones!

Wish List 2010 - A Look Back

About a year ago, I listed a wish list for the restaurants that I hadn't yet been to, that I most wanted to visit in 2010. While I didn't think I could get to them all, I managed to make it to 50% of them and hit a number that I became excited about during the course of the year. Here is my list from a year ago with the ones I made in italicized bold. None was a disappointment. For those that I din't get to, I still want to, but they will have to wait until next year!

1. Mugaritz
2. Noma
3. The Fat Duck
4. Restaurante Ferrero
5. McCrady's
6. Elements
7. Marea
8. Town House
9. Etxebarri
10. Ubuntu

In a few weeks, I'll post my wish list for 2011 as well as my Top 25 Restaurant Meals of 2010.

Ooh La La - Los Angeles Food Now

 

It had been thirty years since I had lived in Los Angeles. I had been back a couple of times, but never spent any considerable time there and when I was there, food wasn't a major reason for being there. In recent years, though, the city had become more prominent on my food radar.

 

Even back when I lived there, L.A. Was a great city for ethnic cuisines, especially those from Asia and Mexico. With Hollywood and all it's wealth and fame, a ritzy fine dining scene had always been present, but the restaurants had always struck me as too expensive, too boring and too much about the scene. While there had always been a few restaurants that sounded interesting like Spago, Matsuhisa, and a few others, there were not enough of them to draw me back – until now. I spent four nights in Los Angeles packing in as many interesting and different culinary experiences as I could and I just touched the surface of what is available. While it may not have happened over night, I can affirm that Los Angeles has arrived as a major, world-class food city with a culinary life as exciting as anywhere in the United States right now.

More noma

Check out this video just put out on Vimeo by my friends at Pocketfork on their very recent dinner at noma. This is about as close as it can get to experiencing a meal at noma without actually eating it. Great job Aaron and Ligeia!

 

noma from pocketfork on Vimeo.

Check out the rest of their blog for some incredible restaurant experiences.

Red Medicine

One of my main inspirations for coming to Los Angeles was the hope of being able to try Jordan Kahn's exciting new restaurant, Red Medicine, a personal cuisine inspired by Vietnamese flavors. Alas, for me, restaurant openings can be very difficult to time. Having to deal with both Los Angeles County and Beverly Hills (it is located just inside the Beverly Hills border on Wilshire Blvd) beauracracies proved to much to get it open while I was there. The good news, though, for fans of Jordan Kahn and fans of good food in Los Angeles, is that with all but a few final inspections passed and under their belts, opening is within panting distance. With a little bit of luck, they just might be open by next weekend. Long a fan of Jordan's pastries, I'll just have to try to return to L.A. soon!

December Tomatoes

These tasty beauties were at The Santa Monica Farmers Market at the beginning of December along with many other varieties, a bounty not generally seen at this time of the year in the Northeast. The quality and variety of the produce at the market was wonderful. I especially drooled over all the juicy citrus and the fresh nuts, items we don't have in our markets back east. I was surprised to find only limited meat, cheese and fish, though, all items generally more readily available at the better northeastern markets. It was good to see a number of L.A. Chefs and restaurateurs out shopping the market, too. Mixologist Matt Biancaniello from the Library Bar at the Roosevelt Hollywood Hotel goes every week to buy fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables to use in the bar. I had the opportunity to visit him at the bar later that evening. His creativity and work are very impressive and absolutely worth a visit for all fans of the cocktail. His candy cap mushroom infused bourbon was amazing! More photos from the market below.