Category Archives: Tasting Menu

August 27, 2010
10:09 PM
by: Uhockey

Vetri, Philadelphia PA

With Amis and Osteria setting the stage, Marc Vetri’s eponymous temple of contemporary Italian was “THE” destination restaurant of my visit to Philadelphia. Opened in 1998 and consistently named as one of the 40-best restaurants in the country by Gayot … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Gnocchi, Ice Cream, Italian, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pork, Tasting Menu, Tiramisu, Truffle, Vacation, Vetri

August 26, 2010
11:15 PM
by: Uhockey

Tacconelli’s Pizzeria and Modo Mio, Philadelphia PA

Dinner on the second day of my visit to Philadelphia would see me doing something quite uncharacteristic – deferring to the tastes of another – and a stranger at that. A man familiar to the ranks of Chowhound and (as … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Dessert, Food, Gnocchi, Ice Cream, Italian, Modo Mio, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pizza, Pork, Sweetbreads, Tacconelli's, Tasting Menu, Vacation

June 29, 2010
10:15 PM
by: Uhockey

Lautrec, Farmington PA

To this point I still have no idea what I did to warrant this gesture, but when it was all said and done I had just completed an absolutely stunning meal and was sipping my coffee when my waiter appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Coffee, Crab, Dessert, Farmington, Foie, Food, Lautrec, Macaroon, Madeline, Nemacolin, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

June 28, 2010
10:44 PM
by: Uhockey

Eleven, Pittsburgh PA

Ideally I tend to avoid restaurants owned by a “restaurant group,” especially the groups that seem intent to cover every corner of the culinary globe. Its not that I’m against large conglomerates owning restaurants, it is that they often feel … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Bread Pudding, Dessert, Eleven, Foie, Food, Lobster, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pork, Tasting Menu, Vacation

May 21, 2010
10:19 PM
by: Uhockey

VOLT Table 21, Frederick MD

I’ll be honest – I don’t watch Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, or any of those cooking shows…though I do enjoy Iron Chef on occasion. With that fact in mind, when I originally started planning my trip to DC I really … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Coffee, Foie, Food, Frederick, Ice Cream, Macaroon, Maryland, Pork, Sushi, Table 21, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation, VOLT

May 19, 2010
10:42 PM
by: Uhockey

Komi, Washington DC

In planning the family trip to DC it must be noted that the trip itself was functioning as Christmas, Graduation, and Birthday for me – I worked overnight call for every major holiday this year and as such requested each … Continue reading →

Posted in DC, Dessert, Ice Cream, Komi, Octopus, Pork, Sushi, Tasting Menu, Vacation, Washington

May 19, 2010
12:32 AM
by: Uhockey

CityZen, Washington DC

I was number one on the waitlist for minibar on Tuesday, but I didn’t figure there was much chance I was getting in. With many of DC’s top tables booked for the other six days of my stay my backup … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, CityZen, Crab, DC, Dessert, Foie, Lobster, Macaroon, Pork, Tasting Menu, Vacation, Washington

May 18, 2010
12:38 AM
by: Uhockey

Restaurant Eve, Alexandria VA

In planning the family trip to DC it must be noted that the trip itself was functioning as Christmas, Graduation, and Birthday for me – I worked overnight call for every major holiday this year and as such requested each … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexandria, Bread Basket, Coffee, Crab, Dessert, Foie, Ice Cream, Pork, Restaurant Eve, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation, Virginia

May 15, 2010
11:30 PM
by: Uhockey

Vidalia 24, Washington DC

…I’ll admit it, when I was originally planning my trip to Washington DC Vidalia was not on my dinner list – it was penciled in as a potential lunch. Of course I’d heard of RJ Cooper – a Beard Award … Continue reading →

Posted in DC, Foie, French Toast, Ice Cream, Pork, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vidalia, Vidalia 24, Washington

February 18, 2010
1:17 AM
by: Uhockey

Alinea [2] Chicago IL

When I first ate at Alinea on August the 1st 2009 I stated it was the best dining experience of my life (http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2009/08/alinea-chicago-il.html), trumping an extended tasting at The French Laundry that cost twice the price…I knew at some point … Continue reading →

Posted in Alinea, Chicago, Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Illinois, Octopus, Pork, Tasting Menu, Truffle

January 2, 2010
11:58 PM
by: Uhockey

Daniel, New York NY

Having been to five of the seven US Michelin 3-starred spots in the 2009 calendar year there was little doubt that my New Years trip to New York City would lead me to the doors of Daniel Boulud’s eponymous Upper … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Daniel, Dessert, Foie, Food, Lobster, Macaroon, Madeline, New York, Tasting Menu, Vacation

January 1, 2010
8:43 PM
by: Uhockey

Momofuku Ko, New York NY

On 12/19/09 I did it – I scored THE hottest reservation in New York City. I was post-call and groggy from a 30-hour shift, I clicked, and there was a little green checkmark for one – the 12:10 seating at … Continue reading →

Posted in Dessert, Foie, Food, Lobster, Momofuku Ko, New York, Pork, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

January 1, 2010
1:50 AM
by: Uhockey

Picholine, New York NY

I realize it is widely known that New Years Eve is second only to perhaps Valentine’s Day as the worst day for an gastronome to go out to eat – rushed service, inflated prices, servers who would rather be out … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Dessert, Foie, Lobster, New York, Picholine, Tasting Menu, Tiramisu, Truffle, Vacation

December 30, 2009
10:35 PM
by: Uhockey

Per Se, New York NY

…in traditional fashion I had planned far in advance – having always wanted to experience the madness of New York City at New Years I booked my plane tickets in late September and had arranged to stay with my friends … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Ice Cream, Lobster, New York, Per Se, Sweetbreads, Tasting Menu, Tiramisu, Truffle

November 9, 2009
12:59 AM
by: Uhockey

Colborne Lane, Toronto ON Canada

All in all I’m of mixed feelings about “molecular gastronomy.” While the best meal of my entire life was at Alinea and many consider El Buli to be the best restaurant in the world I have to say that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Canada, Dessert, Foie, Food, Tasting Menu, Toronto, Vacation

November 7, 2009
9:39 PM
by: Uhockey

Bymark, Toronto ON Canada

When planning my visit to Toronto I knew I’d have time for three breakfasts, three lunches, and two dinners – a fan of unique experiences and avant-garde cuisine I knew Colborne Lane would be one of my dinners and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Bymark, Canada, Dessert, Foie, Gnocchi, Lobster, Tasting Menu, Toronto, Vacation

September 27, 2009
2:13 AM
by: Uhockey

Craftsteak (2,) Las Vegas NV

My blog in September of 2008 ended something like this. “All told, the food was excellent, though not any better than steakhouses like Nero’s and Mastro’s where I can get what I ask for. From a chef that demands perfection, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Coffee, Craftsteak, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Las Vegas, Nevada, Tasting Menu

September 11, 2009
10:41 PM
by: Uhockey

L2o, Chicago IL

An obvious fan of food blogs, French chefs, and seafood I will fully admit that I’ve been a stalker of Chef Laurent Gras’ L2O Blog and Facebook page since shortly after the restaurant actually opened for business – hype, smart … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, Chicago, Croissant, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Illinois, L2o, Lobster, Macaroon, Pork, Souffle, Sushi, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

August 2, 2009
12:37 AM
by: Uhockey

Alinea, Chicago IL

Greatness comes in degrees, especially in dining – what is great to one may taste ‘fishy’ or ‘bland’ to another; words like “challenging,” “avant garde,” and “evolutionary,” however, are far less open to interpretation are palate. Having experienced refined “greatness” … Continue reading →

Posted in Alinea, Bread Basket, Chicago, Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Food, Grill, Ice Cream, Illinois, Pork, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

May 3, 2009
1:03 AM
by: Uhockey

The Dining Room, San Francisco CA

Chef Ron Siegel needs no introduction – from his time at Aqua to Charles Nob Hill to The French Laundry to his fame as the first American winner on Iron Chef – the man clearly knows his way around a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread Basket, California, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Lobster, Ritz, San Francisco, Sushi, Tasting Menu, The Dining Room, Truffle, Vacation