November 14, 2011
12:37 PM
by: Uhockey

Gjelina and GTA, Los Angeles CA

I’d admittedly heard some mixed things about Gjelina in the year since my last visit to Los Angeles – most of them describing a restaurant that is pretty much jam packed from noon till midnight serving good, sometimes even great, California inspired cuisine but some suggesting that the chef was a bit sold on himself and that so too were the clients and servers. Having heard similar about a handful of Los Angeles restaurants in the past I certainly took these critiques into consideration in deciding whether or not to visit the Venice eatery but in the end the final decision came down to two things; a lunch menu that I personally think is the most interesting in the city and the fact that a fellow diner reached out to me and offered to accompany me to lunch.

With my co-diner, a pescetarian and frequent patron of Chef Travis Lett’s 2008 establishment, explaining to me that lineups could be quite long at any time of the day and with reservations not accepted save for large parties it was eventually decided that a 12:30 meet-up would be most logical and being an early bird with plans that would lead late into the evening the timing sounded perfect, even giving me time to walk on the beach and visit some of the unique shops on Abbott-Kinney Blvd before allocating parking and scoping out the location just after 11:00am.

With the area quite unique and featuring a number of stores most certainly not seen in Ohio I spent my time browsing after finding the restaurant but given my early arrival I couldn’t help but walk into Gjelina Take Away (GTA) next door and with a menu largely written in black magic marker and chalk I spent some time examining the selections, pizzas, and sandwiches before a young woman asked if I needed any help. At first deferring but then finding myself drawn in by some of the smaller pastries I weighed my appetite, timing, and plans and eventually decided “why not,” selecting two of the five options that I’d take with me while roaming the streets.

Beginning first with what would be my second of four scones on the trip, the still-warm Cornmeal Strawberry Scone would prove to be a very unique and delicious take on the pastry as the team at GTA opted to use a very rough cut cornmeal as opposed to its smoother counterpart thus providing a bit of grit and a lot of toothsomeness to the scone. With the strawberries plentiful and pockets of butter juxtaposed against areas of sweet this was definitely preferable to the drier biscuit like scones and not as muffin-esque as others I’ve tried. A bit pricey compared to the fantastic versions at Almandine and Intelligentsia but not as much so as the subpar selection at AOC I’d definitely order it again.

Moving next to the Chocolate Sticky Bun, this one not served warm and perhaps suffering from its exposure to the warm California air, I will simply say that where the scone flourished in its use of a more toothsome grain the sticky bun unfortunately did not. Appropriately “sticky” and laden with a flavor something akin to Mexican Hot Chocolate (think cinnamon and black pepper, but not quite as spicy) the texture here just did not do much for me as the exterior was nice, golden, and palatable while the interior was simply doughy with a rather dense crumb and not much flavor on its own.

Receiving a call and then a text from my friend stating she’d be a few moments late I continued to browse the $300 jeans and $12,000 sofas before making my way back to Gjelina where I found my dining partner waiting in the short line and within moments we were lead right in – no wait, though the line would increase to approximately twenty within twenty minutes of our seating and would never reach less until they closed the doors at 2:30. Seated at the communal bar, myself thankfully on the end so as not to fight for elbow room in the tight space, we spent a few moments chatting before we would be greeted by Kiva, a pleasant young woman befitting the overall feel of the restaurant who offered us water and cocktails plus the menu – an extensive list divided into sections titled oysters/charcuterie/salad/small/sandwich/plates/pizza/vegetables – before leaving us to make our decisions.

With the restaurant expectedly loud and full of what I can only describe as hipsters on a level even trumping Brooklyn we spent quite some time weighing our options and deciding how best to balance pescetarianism with someone with eyes for fowl and pork and after coming to our conclusions we spent some time chatting while I browsed the space – a large but cramped room with lots of reclaimed brick and wood quite similar to Red Medicine and communal tables abound. With the patio, a fire pit, and a wall of wines in back plus a center service bar where a young woman was meticulously cutting charcuterie dominating the front of the house I have to admit I kind of liked the tavern-like approach, but all things being equal I was also glad that we’d come at lunch as the space was bathed with natural light from the open doors and some of the sound was free to infiltrate the outside world.

With Kiva returning moments later and answering a few questions (mostly whether we had to order all at once or if we could order in sections) it was confirmed that we could order as we chose, though alterations to menu items were not allowed, and with that we placed a part of our order with the rest to follow later. A good server though clearly working more tables than she should have been (and through her own admission suffering from a head cold) l will note that while the comment about alterations was unnecessary I understand the policy and save for the rapid pacing of delivery that often left too many things on the table at once I found the mood, personnel, and service all well within what would be expected of a restaurant of this price point and caliber – and as a matter of fact, if it hadn’t been for some camera issues (my fault, not theirs) the pacing may not have even been an issue.

Having heard good things about Lett’s skills, particularly as it relates to his use of Southern California’s bounty of produce and his predilection for Italian cuisine, our meal would start off rather quickly after our orders were placed with the first of two selections from the Vegetables portion of the menu arriving as “Marinated Beets, Burrata, Arugula, Walnuts, Balsamic.” As straight forward as it gets and as good as the market could provide there really isn’t much to say about this dish that isn’t detailed by its ingredients – each a marvelous example and with just a bit of honey and olive oil used in the marinade to add a touch of sweetness.

With a lull in the action and in the noise as a particularly rambunctious group got up to leave our next three dishes would all arrive within moments of one another – two pizzas and the second vegetable. Beginning first with the Margherita Pizza – the standard bearer for how well a restaurant makes a pie in my opinion – this version would prove to be quite good, though not great largely because of the cheese. Beginning first with the crust, thin but with some chew and nicely blistered, and moving on to the pristine tomatoes and basil the pizza started out great, but with the pockets of mozzarella applied somewhat haphazardly and lacking the slight funk I’ve come to expect from well sourced artisan or imported versions the entirety of the pizza just came off a little too sweet.

Moving next to the second pizza something a little more unique would be presented and with less focus placed on the cheese the results would be much more impressive. Left on my lonesome due to my partner’s dietary restrictions the “Duck Sausage, Nameko Mushrooms, Mozzarella, Garlic” would be all mine to enjoy and enjoy it I did. Beginning first with the crust – identical to that of the Margherita though this time featuring a bit more bubble and char – I particularly liked it in the context of this dish not only because the mild rigidity did an admirable job of supporting the hefty sausage but also because without the tomatoes it remained a bit more crisp. Moving on to the ingredients, the same benign mozzarella was again present but this time when combined with the hefty notes of garlic and mild funkiness from the well seasoned duck the mildness actually played to its advantage in helping to tame the meat and also allow the mushrooms their time in the spotlight. Really a great pizza, but still not quite as striking as the shaved mushroom at Stella Rossa two days prior.

For our second vegetable dish, my dining partner’s favorite of the meal, “Wood Roasted Parsnips with Pistachio Gremolata” would arrive tender and fragrant with notes of butter, parsley, and lemon all lightly accented a mild sweetness strangely reminiscent (at least to me) of baklava. Cooked and sliced largely like one would prepare redskin potatoes I cannot say that this was my favorite dish of the afternoon, but unless my memory is flawed it is certainly the best preparation of parsnips I’ve yet encountered.

For our final savory, clearly the one requiring the most preparation time of the kitchen, “Potato Gnocchi with Smoked Trout, Shitake Mushrooms, White Wine” would arrive just as I was finishing up the duck pizza and topped lightly with breadcrumbs and shredded basil I can say without a doubt that this was the highlight of the savories for myself and one of the better preparations of my favorite type of pasta in all of 2011. Beginning first with the pillow like dumplings, perhaps twenty in total, each was light and flavorful on its own but all the more so with the lightly smoked trout, aromatic mushrooms, and buttery sauce with the faintest notes of citrus and lime. Generally not a fan of trout as I tend to find it a bit fishy unless sourced and prepared exquisitely I was pleasantly surprised by Lett’s treatment of the fish here using both the wood fired oven and the wine to help smooth it out and allow it to balance nicely with the mushrooms.

With a few slices of Margherita left over and boxed up Kiva asked if there was anything else we would like and although the volume of the restaurant originally led to the check being dropped off here a wave of the hand produced both an apology and the previously requested dessert menu – a dessert menu where six out of seven options sounded delectable but the realization that I was to eat 18+ courses of dinner in less than 5 hours led me to only select two, the first probably Gjelina’s most raved item – the “Butterscotch Pot De Crème with Salted Caramel and Crème Fraiche.” Having already had the fabled budino at Mozza and any number of Pot du crème elsewhere I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this dish but when it arrived in a small porcelain cup it somehow seemed exactly right in landing right between the two; the flavor pure butterscotch and the texture a faultless pot de crème. Intensely sweet as you might expect but nicely balanced by flakes of crunchy salt and the slightly sour whipped crème fraiche it would be hard for me to say this was better or worse than the Mozza budino, it was just different and really quite delicious.

Moving on to the second dessert, a must order just like the gnocchi, “Pumpkin Chocolate Bread Pudding with Fresh Cream and Caramel” would arrive looking like a hot mess, but tasting oh so much better. While my dining buddy personally felt that this dessert was much too salty an I still can’t figure out why they opted to serve it in such a sloppy manner all I can say is that I loved it and honestly only felt a little bit bad that my friend did not as I ate each steaming hot bite of the four moist slices imbued with flavors somewhere between pumpkin pie and a Twix bar all swimming in vanilla and cinnamon whipped cream.

With the check now delivered appropriately and the bill split down the middle (a nice gesture from my new friend as I clearly ate more) we walked for a bit and agreed to future dining endeavors before going our separate ways – her to her car and me back to shopping. With the day still young and the streets abuzz with activity as people in Santa Monica and Venice seem to be on permanent vacation (which clearly helps explain the never ending line at a spot now nearly four years old) I must say that I came away from Gjelina pleasantly surprised and eager to go back with a larger group in order to sample more things. Sure the place is loud, cramped, and certainly not for those who detest communal dining but for those of us who will tolerate some mild annoyances and the occasional service glitch the menu and the food are really quite impressive for the price, especially during lunch hours.

Posted in Bread Pudding, California, Dessert, Food, Gjelina, Gjelina Take Away, Gnocchi, GTA, Los Angeles, Pizza, Vacation, Venice

November 13, 2011
8:01 PM
by: Uhockey

Providence [2], Los Angeles CA

While I certainly wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth I was blessed with a good head on my shoulders and a strong worth ethic that has afforded me some great opportunities, not the least of which has been the opportunity to travel to some great places, meet some great people, and dine at some great restaurants. Admitting here that in some ways I certainly do lead a fortunate life I also have to confess that recently a lot of the experiences have started to blend together, a bourgeois tragedy no doubt but just the same a situation that has rendered Michelin ** and *** star meals at times limp, disappointing, and simply “been-there-done-that” at all too high a price. Having started to correct this trend by seeking out some more eclectic and even ethnic cuisine another part of my problem seemed to be that I always went out looking for something bigger and better rather than occasionally revisiting a spot that was tried, true, and fantastic the first time and it was this in mind that I decided to check back in with the folks at Providence, the site of one of the ten best meals of my life, during this recent trip to Los Angeles.

Having visited Michael Cimarusti’s well regarded Michelin ** establishment first in March of 2009 and with the restaurant having since installed a Chef’s table that does not exactly sit “in” the kitchen but rather adjacent to it with a limited view of the action I had contacted the restaurant in advance to inquire about this seat and after being informed that the seat was generally not allowed to a solo diner unless previously unbooked I was fortunate to find two others who wished to enjoy the Chef’s tasting at the Chef’s table before my arrival and with that the table was booked. Informed that unfortunately Chef Cimarusti would not be in that evening but reassured that the kitchen would be “firing on all cylinders” neither of my dining partners seemed to mind this detail and with arrival times confirmed it was decided we would find each other at the bar just prior to our 7:00pm seating.

Having now visited Los Angeles enough to plan an extra thirty minutes into all trips in order to account for traffic and (as expected) getting hung up by some event at The Grove en route I again managed to find free parking just up the street from Providence and entering the low lit foyer I was greeted by the hostess who informed me that one of my dining partners was already at the bar and within moments of joining him we would have our trio all present and accounted for just shy of 7:00. Having met with Steven, my server from the last visit, as I arrived I motioned to him that we were ready and with that we were led through a small door adjacent to the hostess stand to our table – a rounded alcove big enough for six, bathed in fluorescent light from the kitchen, and although limited in its vantage a great spot isolated from the rest of the restaurant (a pro and a con as it was good for talking but limited me from enjoying the great soundtrack from prior.)

With the Chef’s Tasting Menu the only option at the Chef’s table and any likes, dislikes, requests, or allergies discussed it was here that the strangest part of the evening would occur as Steven informed us that “the menu generally lasts 3-4 hours and the chef’s would like to get started right away” as if putting us on the clock and with that he slipped away only to be replaced by our primary server for the evening, Hoang, a pleasant fellow who along with the rest of the service team would make sure bread and water remained plentiful throughout the evening while plate descriptions were quite thorough. Having noted Steven’s comment I will say here that although nothing felt “rushed” per se, there was a definite timeline on our three hour meal and the flow was slightly more expedited than I’d have preferred especially as the meal went on and the chefs began to clean.

With cocktails and wine ordered, for myself a stiff Asian Pear Martini with Stoli vanilla, sake, passion fruit, licor 43, and pear juice the evening would begin just as my previous visit at Providence – first with their impressive warm bread lineup of Seaweed Focaccia, Bacon Brioche, and Sourdough along with locally sourced butter and sea salt and then with a pair of amuses (it used to be a trio) in the form of a mojito gelee and a Screwdriver ‘ravioli.’ With the bread continuing to impress while the cocktails – both in a glass and on the slate – were tasty but certainly not transcendent it was good to be in the company of friends as our conversation flowed and the kitchen worked quietly in the background.

For the second course of the night a trio of flavors arrived – a trio that would have seemed much more interesting had I not had almost exactly the same thing performed to much better effect eight days prior at the best restaurant in North America. Titled “Salt Pond Oyster with Jalapeno, Cilantro, Lime/Oyster Plant/Cucumber, Horseradish, Lime” this troika arrived as just that – on a bed of ice with half the divided bivalve still harboring its briny oyster tinged with a bit of heat and a bit more sour while the other half contained a refreshing shot quite similar but lacking the mollusk. To finish the trio – a harvested Oyster Leaf full of brine and the essence of the sea, an interesting trick of nature to be sure, but not nearly as intense as that at Alinea.

For our final amuses six “lollipops” would arrive standing in a pseudo-sand sculpture of kitchen ingredients – two each with one featuring poached Abalone with white miso glaze and the other Sword Squid and Chorizo, again both tasty and particularly the squid/pig combo a delightful balance of sea and earth that I would have enjoyed a whole lot more of.

Beginning the menu proper our first taste of team Chef Cimarusti’s seasonal tasting as executed by his sous chefs would be “Japanese Kanpachi, Compressed Cucumber, Black Sesame, Shallot, Lemon Vinaigrette,” a tasty and light opening volley with the sashimi quality fish bright and snappy resting atop cool cucumber and umami-laden black sesame paste. Topping the dish with the aforementioned crispy scallions, plus shaved radish and toasted white sesame plus a light touch on lemon this three bite course would prove right off the bat that the chef’s team could execute a very delicate fish in his absence and reassured me that we were in capable hands (even if it wasn’t quite as astounding as course #1, also Kanpachi, during my first meal at Providence.)

Moving next to a Providence signature that I experienced on my previous visit “Uni in a farm fresh egg, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Herbes Fines, Brioche” would prove every bit as luxurious as its ingredients would indicate and finished with champagne beurre blanc and American caviar we were instructed to spoon deep in order to experience all the layers together and doing as we were told I can now say that of all the cut egg dishes I’ve experienced – from L’Arpege and Manresa to The French Laundry and Le Bernardin – Providence’s remains my favorite if for no other reason than the beurre blanc/uni/yolk amalgram; a taste too decadent to describe and perfectly offset by the brine of the caviar.

Having specifically requested a foie gras course (a course that replaced the live spot prawn preparation as it turns out) the third plate of the evening would deliver a house made terrine of Rougie foie gras glazed with white wine and served with candied walnuts, roasted grapes, port gelee, and hearts of palm plus a side dish of grilled brioche. Dense and well made with the liver’s characteristic sapor nicely balanced by the sweetened wine glaze I particularly liked the rustic aspects of this preparation with the yellow rim of fat still attached and although the accoutrements were relatively standard the flavors were all on point with the grapes particularly wowing and the brioche every bit on par with the rest of the restaurant’s top notch breads.

Course four would be presented in an interesting manner by one of the female captains stating that it “might take a little work” and as it had just been alive mere moments before and still remained adherent to its shell “Live Scallop, Nori Butter, Lemon, bread crumbs” would indeed take a little work for two of us and substantially more for the other whose scallop still seemed to be holding on for dear life. Getting past the presentation and moving onto the preparation this dish was perhaps the most simple of the night as the scallop had merely been shelled, seared, and then topped with urchin tinged butter and breadcrumbs before a brief visit to salamander but what it lacked in complexity it more than made up for in quality as the mollusk itself featured a caramelized top and slightly cool interior that functioned beautifully with the sparse accoutrements to highlight its natural sweetness.

Having needed more bread to sop up the uni butter from the scallop I was pleased to see that my taking an extra slice would not go unused in the same manner as the next plate arrived, a dish described as “Black sea bass, matsutake, rosemary” featuring a flawless slice of the tender and flaky fish with impressively crisp skin as its focal point but much more on closer inspection as the matsutakes revealed themselves in four forms; butter poached, shaved raw, dissolved into clarified butter, and finally as an effervescent foam. While a fan of Sea Bass in general and having admittedly been wowed by it at ink only two days prior I personally felt that this was one of the two best courses of the evening and even now it is a dish whose exemplary taste brings back fond memories of what high quality fish in the hands of a skilled chef can and should taste like.

Not to be outdone by the dish prior, “Wild King Salmon Belly, eggplant puree, braised fennel, roasted grapes” would arrive similarly plated to the Sea Bass but instead of using the light umami of mushrooms to perfume a mild fish this dish utilized some rather potent flavors to temper some of the most flavorful and texturally smooth salmon I have ever tasted. With my thoughts on salmon (yawn) well documented I have to admit that even beyond the quality and the texture I really enjoyed this dish due to the accoutrements – each highlighting a different aspect of the fatty fish with the smoky eggplant puree and roasted grapes in particular adding some unexpected levity.

Continuing the hit parade the other contender for best dish of the night would arrive as our seventh course – “Unagi, celery root puree, bone marrow, smoked sesame.” Starting first with the eel – fatty, slightly briny, and just a bit sweet even without the all-too-common BBQ treatment – this was without a doubt the finest quality unagi I have ever tasted and obviously knowing the quality of the fish the kitchen opted to pair it with a number of complimentary ingredients that not only helped to enhance the fish, but also that shined on their own – particularly the smoked sesame foam which served a stark contrast to the hefty marrow and slightly bitter celery root puree.

Having declined the beef on my preference our “main course” for the night would be my personal favorite, duck, arriving as a ruby-red 2oz slice with golden lacquered skin as part of a plate described as “Liberty Farms duck, cauliflower, braised rhubarb, Brussels sprouts.” With the breast expectedly tasty and succulent while each accoutrement was equally well prepared and drizzled with foie gras gastrique as an added bonus what really put this dish over the top was a tiny sphere, approximately the size of a golf ball, deep fried and stuffed with duck confit – a particularly nice flavor when matched with the unctuous sprouts.

With the cheese cart at Providence being perhaps the first time I was ever truly “wowed” by a selection of fromage I found myself quite giddy when Hoang wheeled the well culled selection of twenty-one into the room and although now much more experienced in my cheese tasting the selection did not fail to impress yet again. With choices from cow, sheep, goat, and even buffalo divided into sections Hoang took his time in describing each that caught our eye and with my friends deferring to my selection our eventual order would consist of six ~1.5-2oz cuts including the Water Buffalo sourced Casatica, Cow’s Milk Cave Aged Pyrenees Brebis and Italian Sottocenere, “Washed Rind” goat’s cheese from Capriole, Spanish sheep’s milk Malvarosa, and finally Rogue River Reserve Blue.

Presented as a single plate from which we were left to pick, choose, and explore along with figs, walnuts, Muscat grape and fig marmalade, apricot vanilla compote, and finally delicious walnut raisin bread nearly all of these cheeses were entirely novel to me and while each was quite impressive and nicely aged I personally found myself drawn to the Sottocenere with its notes of truffle and ash, the Manchego-esque Malvarosa, and surprisingly the pungent Rogue River Reserve Blue from Oregon with a pronounced ripe flavor yet subtle boozy fruit notes on the finish.

Having been entirely wowed by Adrian Vasquez’s desserts during my 2009 visit but hearing rumors that he’d since left I was surprised to see his name both on the website and the menu when I booked the reservation but with that surprise came a whole lot of expectations for the sweets, the first a mild palate cleanser described as “Cucumber Mint Frozen Yogurt with Yogurt Foam and Melon” that tasted precisely as the ingredients would have you envision. Pleasant in its icy meets smooth and crisp meets sweet and tangy approach I’ll admit this is something I certainly would not have ordered but all in all it served its job admirably, especially after that Rogue River Blue.

Moving next to the most attractive and interesting of the three sweets “Miso Cheesecake, sesame, plum, blueberries” would prove to be another surprisingly light dessert as the cheesecake itself was nearly as smooth as a pana cotta but with just enough grit and savoriness to make you aware that it was not. Complementing the cheesecake with the fruits noted above in the form of a blueberry gelee atop the cake and macerated blueberries strewn alongside with the juices trailing behind plus tart plum sorbet the flavors were all brought to a sharp point through the use of black sesame sauce and a soil of ground white and black sesame seeds. An intense dessert with both sweet and savory served up in balance this was precisely the sort of dessert I expected from Vasquez yet unfortunately what would follow would not be nearly as impressive.

Announced as our final dessert (something I’m sure my dining partner would have appreciated when the final savory arrived as he opted to order another glass of wine at that time since our server told him there would be more proteins to come,) “Ganache, raspberry, ginger ice cream” would arrive as just that – an admittedly impressive dark chocolate clearly made from superior cocoa paired with raspberries whole and pureed plus mild ginger ice cream, marshmallows, and crumbled gingerbread cookie. A decent dessert, sure, but a shockingly underwhelming one given the four that the man in the kitchen made on my last visit and more so when compared to those at ink and Red Medicine the nights prior.

Admittedly a bit disappointed given my well known sweet tooth and high expectations it was just after 10:00pm when our mignardises arrived – an interesting Jasmine gelee, a chewy sesame seed macaron, and a spicy cinnamon marshmallow – and with the savories portion of the kitchen now dark and the action on the sweets end also beginning to taper down Steven would again return with Hoang to ask us how everything had gone and to deliver the bill; a relative bargain considering the quality of the fish but seemingly not as much so as on my previous visit just the same. With the bill divided three ways largely to avoid the hassle of calculating who drank what and a copy of the menu requested (a stock copy without the substituted foie gras or duck unlike last time when a customized menu was printed on the spot) we next made our way to the street where we bid our farewells, exchanged information for future dining adventures, and went our separate ways.

So in the end it turned out that Providence was a good meal – at some points even a great meal – yet at the end of the day I still came away a little bit disappointed; the service outside of Hoang certainly not befitting a ** Michelin establishment, the pastries substantially dumbed down from prior, the kitchen table a far stretch from that at Saison or L’Espalier, and although my dining partners were great the overall mood rather mundane leaving me once again wondering if perhaps I’ve simply just experienced too many white tablecloths in recent months. Sure there was outstanding seafood – both the sea bass and the unagi amongst the best I’ve had – while the “egg,” bread service, and cheese cart continued to shine but when it was all said and done I felt partially vindicated by my stance on returning to the same restaurant over and over but at the same time a bit let down that while Providence has not really changed in the last two and a half years perhaps my expectations have – and perhaps to an unrealistic level.

Posted in Bread Basket, California, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Los Angeles, Macaroon, Pork, Providence, Truffle, Vacation

November 12, 2011
8:25 PM
by: Uhockey

Red Medicine, Beverly Hills CA

I was warned about Red Medicine by no less than three people that it wasn’t that good, that the service was awful, that it was overpriced, etc – yet on the other hand I had it on good word from others that Jordan Kahn’s cooking was quite unique and that given a knowledge of my palate from reading my ramblings it was exactly the kind of place I’d like, provided we got one of the “good” servers. In the end the yays beat the nays for two reasons; number one being the hours and location and number two being the fact that I found a buddy who was equally interested in experiencing what, precisely, the former pastry chef of such celebrated kitchens as The French Laundry, Per Se, Michael Mina, and Alinea was thinking when he opted to open a Vietnamese/French concept restaurant in Beverly Hills.

Having originally booked Red Medicine based around my conference schedule for a 9:30pm seating as good fortune would have it the lectures ended early and with no interest in the provided “dinner” at The Beverly Hilton I was ready to eat by 5:30 – a decision that led to pre-gaming with pizza at Stella Rossa and yet still an early arrival just after 8:00pm at 8400 Wilshire Blvd where we fortuitously found free parking and made our way into the 90% full restaurant only to be told that they would be “happy” to seat us early and shortly thereafter further dispelling any fears of bad service or attitude propagated by not only people I know but by the media in regard to the public unmasking and removal of LA Times Critic Irene Virbila from the restaurant.

Seated at an all-too-convenient two-top well lit from the streetlights outside the restaurant menus were handed to us by the host and moments later we would be greeted by Rachel, a pleasant young woman who at first seemed taken aback when I joked with her that “we order, you bring food?” when she asked if we “understood how the menu worked” but then relaxed quite a bit after I told her I was just joking and did an admirable job keeping up with the rapidity of the room including water refills, replacing silverware between meals, delivering plates, and even occasionally bussing tables as the night went on. With a “no problem, I’ll be back in a few” after stating that it would take a bit to make our decisions Rachel disappeared and my friend and I began our deliberations as nearly every item on the menu sounded at the very least unique if not downright delicious.

Commenting on how interesting it was that a Cuban-American pastry chef would chose to focus on fine-dining/French leaning Vietnamese savories while browsing around the high ceilinged and therefore quite loud interior I have to say that although a bit cold I did not dislike the space at Red Medicine; the stripped down design, the concrete and wood, and the partially open kitchen very similar to that at ink. (and as it would turn out, to that at Animal and Gjelina as well) but the tables a bit closer together and the lighting somehow a bit more eerie casting an off-white luminescence over the entirety of the space. With our decisions largely made but still debating a couple of small details Rachel would return and while my dining partner opted for his first of two cocktails I firmed up the order for seven dishes, all to be served family style, to which Rachel simply stated “I hope you guys brought an appetite.”

Having asked her to have the chef send the dishes out in whatever order he felt fit the night’s dining at Red Medicine would actually start quite promptly with the first dish arriving no more than ten minutes after we placed our order in the form of “Brussels Sprouts / caramelized shallots, fish sauce, vermouth” – a dish that looked nothing like Brussels sprouts at first glance, but the first dish in a while that would sell me on this suddenly en vogue veggie. Topping the plate with dainty and crisp shrimp chips plus leaves – both raw and fried – of basil that added a nice crunch and some herbaciousness, the base of this plate was steaming hot and filled with at least thirty or forty of the small sprouts, all perfectly caramelized and imbued with their characteristic buttery notes. With the sprouts good, what really upped the ante in this dish for myself was the light and clean use of fish sauce balanced carefully against pungent caramelized shallots plus very light boozy sweetness from the Vermouth. Having been told by my friend at ink that this dish should be ordered if on the menu I entirely agree as it is quite rare for someone to take so many pungent flavors and make it work with so much balance and nuance.

Moving next to another longtime member of Kahn’s menu “Pork Rillette / crispy chicken skin, lychee, clove, pistachio, spicy herbs” would arrive in a cast iron casserole with a side dish of toasted bread and although appearing quite vegetal at first what lurked below the chicory, clove, and greens was anything but. Deep and intense with a smooth and spicy pork terrine broken up by not only toasted pistachios but also by the crunchy sapor of fried chicken what really set the rest of the flavors off was actually the lychee and sliced cipollini onions, an east meets west and sweet on sweet pairing I’d have never thought would work so well and much like the sprouts a very “busy” dish where everything just seemed to work.

By now proving that dishes were going to be anything but simple the next to arrive was something I’d have generally taken a pass on but luckily agreed to based on my co-diner’s suggestion. Titled “Santa Barbara Spot Prawns / melon, coconut, morning glory, horseradish, coriander” and thereby already featuring two things I generally don’t fancy in the melon and horseradish I was happy to find that this beautiful presentation in a shallow hand-blown glass bowl was surprisingly delicate beginning with some of the sweetest and snappiest prawns I’ve ever tasted. With the delectable shellfish base noted and resting in a light pool of melon juice and cilantro oil the rest of this dish would walk a tightrope of textures and techniques from the raw morning glory, coriander, and compressed melon to the modernist coconut powder and light notes of horseradish. With sliced daikon and water chestnuts adding just a bit more crunch this was certainly the lightest and most crisp selection in an otherwise heavy meal and perhaps all the better for it.

With that brief interlude of expectedly light fare (actually, not even an interlude as the next course arrived while we were working on the Prawns and finishing up the Rillette) the next course to arrive would actually prove to be lighter than expected…or at least as “light” as duck liver and head cheese can be. Described as “Foie Gras / mousse, tete de cochon, beets, green strawberries, chicory, croissant” and served on a slate in linear style this presentation began at its base with a buttery thin crust topped with poignant head cheese and four large dollops of airy mousse laden with the soon-to-be-forbidden flavor of duck liver. A strong base but obviously not enough technique or texture for Kahn’s kitchen what came next was an inspired pairing of bitters and sours not common to American foie gras preparations featuring earthy beets, sour green strawberries, sliced radishes, hearts of palm, and a “soil” made of chicory, cumin, sesame, and just a touch of brown sugar. Shockingly vegetal yet deeply satisfying this would prove to be the best foie gras preparation of my visit to Los Angeles and with the impending ban I’d strongly urge anyone interested to check it out before year’s end.

Having already underestimated the Red Medicine kitchen’s ability to take several hefty or potent ingredients and weave them into a fine mesh of flavors it was at this point no surprise when “Duck / caramelized endive, banana, toasted grains, brown butter, chinese five spice” arrived fragrant, aromatic, and although complex certainly not overly so. Beginning first with the duck – a fine specimen with just a bit of game and a nicely crisped skin – my favorite protein would prove quite nice and served overtop buttery endive at one end and crispy puffed rice and quinoa at the other it was interesting to compare and contrast before next exploring further and adding in the charred frisee, dehydrated brown butter, and razor thin slices of banana plus banana puree. Clearly reminiscent of Peking duck given the use of five spice but at the same time veering into Cuban flavors with the banana there was a part of me that thought perhaps some might find this dish too sweet but given my substantial sweet tooth I enjoyed it a great deal.

With duck and foie gras covered in the previous two dishes the last two courses of the night would feature another favorite ingredient – eggs – and with each arriving in a large bowl the duo would start with “Sweet corn / kelley’s egg, turmeric crepe, black malt, shiitake,” a dish that did not appear to be much at first sight, but a dish as unique as all those before it in the end. Having already mentioned the deep bowl, peering into this dish looked nothing like corn but rater something akin to a large dumpling topped with spindly greens and mounds of dirt but what once appeared like a dumpling would actually prove to be the thinnest of crepes imbued with the punchy notes of spicy turmeric while what lied beneath would indeed be slightly blistered and buttered sweet corn, dried shiitakes, and a single creamy egg. Taking a bite of each component before stirring it all together and forking some onto my plate I’ll admit that at first I didn’t quite “get” this dish, but as I tried a bit more it all seemed to come together – a smoky sweetness that was almost fruity and umami laden undertones with just a bit of spice. While probably the “worst” dish of the evening that was mostly due to how good everything else was rather than a reflection on the corn itself.

For the coup de grace our final savory of the evening was the oft raved Heirloom rice porridge / egg yolk, hazelnuts, ginseng, echire butter with Santa Barbara Red Uni and without a second thought I can say this was the single best savory I ate in Los Angeles and a top contender for one of the best things I ate all year. Beginning first with the porridge itself – think a hybrid between congee and risotto fortified with what it turns out is 6 tablespoons of echire butter plus a bit of cream that is easily enough to feed a pair (both calorically and portion-wise) on its own. Now add in a creamy egg-yolk that stiffens a bit in the steaming hot porridge, cracked hazelnuts, flakes of duck confit, sliced bok choy, various dried herbs including ginseng, and finally four large sea urchin tongues and I think you see where this is going; a full bodied blend of savory flavors all amplified by the copious use of butter and literally overwhelming the senses with no one flavor dominant but all contributing to the whole. While delayed in our enjoyment by a lack of service spoon I will simply say that despite Stella Rossa, despite the other six savories, and despite the obvious need to try Kahn’s desserts there was no way any of this was going back to the kitchen and not a drop of it did.

With the dessert menu featuring five options but one crossed off as they’d ran out of muscat grapes and my dining partner looking just a bit past comfortably full at this point we decided to go light on dessert and only three out of the remaining four options, the first two arriving as a duo and then the last when we’d completed those. Beginning first with what has become Red Medicine’s signature dessert, “Coconut Bavarois / coffee, condensed milk, thai basil, peanut croquant, chicory” the fragrant dessert arrived in what was perhaps a half-full eight ounce glass and again featuring the adept use of tastes, textures, and temperatures I really enjoyed the manner in which Khan utilized the custard-soft coconut as a backdrop to show off the contrast between sharp notes of the crunchy coffee and the more mellow tones of the peanut butter cookie. With the base strong and only enhanced by the sweetness of the condensed milk ice cream the final ingredient, a bit of gelatinous thai basil, was barely detectable on the tongue yet impressively notable on the finish.

For the second of the pairing, “Rhubarb / mahlab cremeux, hibiscus, gentian, aromatic willow” seemed a bit out of season to a Midwesterner but season be damned whit was one interesting dessert. Familiar with rhubarb – the poached fruit present at the center of the aromatic hibiscus meringue and the dehydrated paper forms atop – I was much less knowledgeable of mahlab, an ingredient my server had to return to the kitchen to ask about and apparently a spice made from the seeds of the St Lucie Cherry that imparted a slightly bitter but distinctively sweet taste to the smooth cream sitting atop the meringue. Finishing the dessert with more exotic leaves and flowers – not only as garnish but also in lending a slightly herbal lemon tone – this was precisely the sort of dessert I expected walking into Red Medicine and while not the best of the night certainly the sort of risk taking exploration of flavors I expected given Kahn’s pedigree.

For the final dessert of the evening, another mainstay since the early days of Red Medicine but reportedly updated seasonally, “Bitter Chocolate / kecap manis, oats, parsnip, brown butter, soy milk sorbet” would send off the evening with a bang. Beginning first with a light yet potent dark chocolate mousse and then pairing this with even darker crumbles of 86% cocoa this dessert progressed in a circular manner to include a noodle of sweet soy sauce, dollops of parsnip crème, chunks of brown butter cake, and finally oats plus the lightly flavored sorbet which seemed to tame everything just enough to keep any one flavor from overshadowing the rest. A brilliant dessert both sweet and savory, light and dense, smooth and crunchy the only thing that could have been a better send off would have been a sweet rice pudding comparable to that congee.

With the restaurant and bar now in full swing and the bill requested just as the time reached 10:30pm I was honestly surprised how long we had been at Red Medicine but what surprised me even more was how much I had loved the experience. Sure some have panned Kahn for calling this “Vietnamese” food and having never really looked into authentic cuisine of the nation I really cannot render a verdict in that regard but what I can say is that on a trip that included Los Angeles dining mainstays like Animal and Providence as well as up-and-comers such as ink plus a $350 white truffle tasting menu at LQ@SK the food at Red Medicine is the food I remember most fondly from the trip – food that was novel without being gimmicky, upscale yet honest, and above all else absolutely delicious leaving me with no doubt that I’ll be back.

Posted in Beverly Hills, California, Coffee, Croissant, Dessert, Foie, Food, Los Angeles, Pork, Red Medicine, Vacation

November 11, 2011
10:08 PM
by: Uhockey

ink., Los Angeles CA

As it turns out Michael Voltaggio has achieved quite a bit since I first encountered his cooking at The Bazaar by Jose Andres shortly after its opening in 2009 – and when I say ‘a bit’ I clearly mean earned four stars in the LA Times, won Top Chef season 6, and headed up the highly acclaimed Dining Room at the Langham…y’know, small things like that. Of course since that time I myself have also accomplished a few things like finishing residency and getting licensed but also quite a bit of traveling including a visit to Voltaggio’s home town of Frederick, Maryland where I had a fantastic meal at brother Bryan’s VOLT Table21 and having enjoyed both the brother’s cuisine a great deal (despite never watching a single episode of Top Chef) it was with great interest that I watched their combined website throughout the development of Michael’s first solo restaurant, ink. and made every effort to land a reservation during my most recent visit to Los Angeles.

With a concept focused on “modern Los Angeles cuisine,” meant to envelope the city’s various times, traditions, and ethnicities in Voltaggio’s distinct style and a location on a rather chic section of Melrose it would be a rather short ride from the Beverly Hilton to ink and all things being equal both finding a dining buddy and finding parking proved much easier tasks than landing a reservation to the restaurant with its strange online-only system and substantial hype yet despite all this our 10:00pm arrival found the restaurant only perhaps three quarters full, though plenty loud. Greeted at the door by a young female hostess and checking in we were asked if we would prefer a table near the kitchen or near the window and taking into account both the low lighting and the open kitchen we opted for the former, a good choice in the 70ish seater save for the substantially inebriated ladies at the table next to us.

Having met my dining companion only twenty minutes earlier we spent some time chatting while waiting to be greeted by our waitress, a pleasant young woman who explained the menu with great enthusiasm and made suggestions to order 3-4 plates a piece before leaving us to our decisions and after a bit of discussion we decided that since the Omakase was not yet an option (coming soon) we’d eschew her advice and attempt to recreate the experience on our own by ordering all but the three beef items on the menu – 16 total – plus a cocktail each to start, an order that seemed to make her day and spurred her to much longer presentations of the items with great knowledge of the chef’s techniques as the meal progressed.

Rather industrial in appearance with the as yet unutilized sushi bar in the back, dark woods at the tables and bar, steel in the kitchen, and track lighting above it was no surprise that ink was loud given the substantial bar scene and see-and-be-seen crowd but overall the restaurant felt comfortable and rarely did we have to speak loudly to converse even over the sounds of the kitchen where Chef Voltaggio captained his team in relative silence. Told that our courses would be sent out as duos or trios in a progression that the chef felt best it would be a few moments later that our drinks would arrive – for myself the Rum, lime, house grenadine, green chartreuse with rich notes from the rum and chartreuse nicely tempered by the lime and as I sipped the drink slowly the progression of food would begin – and not end until just over three hours later.

Having given Voltaggio the right to send out things in any order he chose it was really no surprise that he chose to start light but impressively he did not simply go in order, instead pairing things up logically and delivering in waves that worked well. Beginning first, light as stated, “Bigeye tuna, parsnip-sesame cream, grapefruit, soy gel” would arrive along with “Charred avocado, hen of the woods, whipped fish sauce, mushroom chicharron.” With the two of us sharing and swapping dishes I began with the Avocado and instantly felt we were in good hands for the evening as the beautifully plated dish displayed not only great flavor from the smoky ash on the avocado balanced against woodsy tones and the mild funk from the fish sauce but also great textures ranging from cool and creamy in the sauce to crisp and crackling in the fantastic fried mushroom crackers.

Moving next to the tuna, not a dish I would normally order on a menu, this tartare would prove to be rather standard in the exemplary protein paired with slices of grapefruit but what made it interesting were the black pieces of soy infused bread – intense and briny – along with the earthy parsnip cream and even more intense soy gel. Delivered with plenty of nuance, just like the avocado, I felt that these two dishes in particular exemplified Chef Voltaggio’s concept of “Modern Los Angeles” by taking ingredients generally thought to be very “California Cooking” and delivering them in a new and unique way.

For our second pairing, more on the mild side would be served up yet again each would show off Voltaggio’s flare for modernist cuisine while remaining firmly rooted in California’s bountiful growing season. Beginning first with the lightest dish of the evening – “Fluke crudo, romaine hearts, fried Caesar dressing, lemon oil” would arrive as an opaque drape of mild fish resting overtop the very heart of a romaine lettuce trimmed to fit the plate and kissed with lemon vinaigrette. Tasty on its own and complimented with radishes, herbs, and esplette what truly made this dish fun was in fact the dressing – small cubes with a golden flaky shell that burst into the creamy flavor of Caesar when cut or eaten whole. Sure it is a trick I’d seen before but it was delicious none the less.

A second salad would arrive along with the Fluke and would be one of my favorite dishes of the evening – a bowl described as “Kale, burrata, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin preserves, yuzu” that showed off all the nuances you would expect from the list of ingredients and an adept hand in balancing the bitter kale, creamy cheese, crunchy and salty seeds, sweet pumpkin jam, and light notes of lemon. While my dining partner noted that the dish may have been slightly better with one more ball of burrata I guess I probably cheated in taking two, but all things being equal it would be hard to argue with his assessment as the burrata was very well made and more would never be a bad thing.

Changing it up a bit and this time pairing something heavy with something light a chicken dish would arrive along with a spaghetti dish…kinda. Beginning first with “Jidori chicken, waffles, smoked maple, hot sauce” this dish would prove to be another of the more memorable of Voltaggio’s creations for the evening pairing savory and moist sous vide chicken thighs with the skin actually made crispy separately and then reapplied hidden beneath a thin and crispy “waffle” laden with buttermilk notes and resting in a pool of maple and pepper tinged pan jus. Tasty on its own but never to settle for anything simple the staff at ink finally completed the plate with orange dots and bruleed white dollops – thickened hot sauce and sweet maple marshmallows respectively – both delicious and unique point/counterpoint additions to the chicken and waffles.

For the spaghetti dish we were served one of the few items that has been on the menu at ink since the restaurant opened and to be completely honest it just didn’t wow me as much as expected. Titled “Spaghetti, giant squid, squash, hazelnut-ink pesto, piment d’espelette” and featuring snappy noodles literally made of squid the texture was fine and the flavor quite tasty but where this dish stumbled for me was in the pesto, an overpowering though complex sauce that buried the nuances of the dish leaving only hazelnut, basil, and garlic flavors plus a light fishy tone coming from bread crumbs made of “shrimp chips.”

Arriving in trio the next three dishes would prove to be a hefty bunch but when considering the following selections the progression again made sense and with that in mind we started our fourth course with “Lamb neck, chickpea poutine, yogurt curds, chive puree” – a clearly upscaled take on the traditional French Canadian comfort food replacing fries with what tasted very much like good falafel sitting atop a ragout of smoky braised lamb neck and topped with tangy yogurt curds, shredded chives, and greed dollops of “chive puree” emulsified in olive oil. Obviously lighter in conception and delivery than greasy potatoes with beef gravy and cheese curds this was yet another dish that to my Midwestern palate screamed “California Cuisine” in a very ‘right’ way with excellent balance, myriad textures, and a bit of tongue in cheek.

Fairing less well than the poutine, “Brussels sprouts, pig ears, house-cured lardo, apple” would prove my theory that sprouts are/were THE en vogue vegetable of 2011 and all things being equal the blistered and charred vegetables themselves were top notch; small, caramelized, and full of their characteristic flavor while the draping of briny lardo and crispy pig ears (more en vogue ingredient) with a bit of spice also worked well. Where this dish faltered for me, unfortunately was the “apple” component – a sour Granny Smith variety brought to a nearly lemon/bitter point through the addition of vinegar that I personally could have done without.

For the third of our trio we would receive yet another exemplary dish, this time focused on Voltaggio’s interpretation of the local Asian food scene in the form of “Vegetable congee, duck tongue, egg yolk, root vegetables.” Having only had a couple average experiences with congee in the past but with this dish to be the first of three on this visit alone I must say that as an unabashed lover of puddings, oatmeal, risottos, and custards this mushroom porridge was an absolute delight with the rice smooth but toothsome and the flavor tinged with deep woodsy notes but also some sweetness. Moving past the rice and on to the toppings, the egg would serve to add another degree of creaminess while the beets, crispy brassicas, and savory duck tongues upped the ante in terms of flavor, nuance, and texture. Despite all the food on the table this was actually the one dish where at the end I only wished I had more…a problem that would fortunately not recur the following night at Red Medicine.

Before our final and largest savory a duo of fishes arrived – the first “Skate wing, red pepper dashi, shishito peppers, kelp pasta, fennel.” Generally underwhelmed by the fish and having also had some rather foul meat in the past this lightly breaded and pan seared wing was actually high quality, fresh, and tasty but unfortunately this dish fell apart for me after the skate as it was nothing but acid, heat, and more acid. Though clever in texture with the “kelp pasta” much like the squid spaghetti there simply was not enough of the other components around to balance the intensity of the amalgam of peppers and as such I enjoyed much of the top wing and a bit of kelp but left the rest to my dining partner who seemed to enjoy it much more than I.

With the skate failing to wow the “Sea Bass, cream of dehydrated potato, black olive oil, lemon, caper” would prove to be vastly more impressive with perhaps the best balance between tender juicy flesh and crisp scales since Guy Savoy. Noting that the fish was a superior specimen prepared with the utmost skill the accoutrements would additionally prove impressive with the “cream of dehydrated potato” essentially house made instant potatoes infused with notes of butter and chive every bit as smooth as Robouchon’s and the rest of the plate dotted with sliced Spanish style salted potatoes, sliced black olives and its oil, a tinge of lemon, and a prolific brine cast by powdered dehydrated capers; a great dish from start to finish.

For our final savory – and certainly the biggest plate of the evening – “Berkshire pork, charcoal crust, macaroni and cheese, leeks” would arrive in a large bowl with three beautiful medallions of sous-vide pork loin at the base, each rolled in lightly sweetened charcoal powder with notes of cocoa and mellow bitter notes that balanced well with the savory pig. With pan seared leeks as well as tempura shredded squash blossoms resting atop the pork adding light vegetal notes and a bit of crunch the rest of the bulk of this dish was provided by the “macaroni” – large hand rolled noodles stuffed with a blend of aged cheeses including cheddar and gruyere – adding a creamy component to the dish. Not a subtle dish or delicate in any way save for the blossoms it really didn’t have to be – it was delicious.

With the meal largely quite successful and the dining room still perhaps 3/4 full as the calendar flipped to November 12th our waitress returned with a smile and inquired if we’d saved room for dessert and knowing this was a foregone conclusion at this point we ordered…all of them; four dishes arriving as two pairs with the first entitled “Peanut butter, milk chocolate, coconut, banana.” At this point expecting anything but boring or simplistic this dessert would prove that much like his brother at Volt Michael has a skill with sweets that rivals his hand with savories as a log of milk chocolate crema sat at plate center flecked with crunchy bits of chocolate and peanut butter-coconut tuilles making for an experience something like an Almond Joy (sans almonds) and only improved by the addition of creamy coconut ice cream, whole salted peanuts, and bruleed banana. A very nice dish with lots of texture and flavor this would actually prove to be the least impressive of the desserts which says a lot about what followed.

Arriving as a counterpoint to the sweet peanut butter dessert “Grapefruit curd, avocado, cilantro sorbet, charred maple-lime” would prove to be the most interesting of the desserts and although not something I’d commonly have ordered a very memorable dish. Beginning at center with a curve of panna cotta textured tart grapefruit curd tinged plenty of sugar and a buttery top note the tartness was first enhanced through the use of sliced chunks of ruby-red grapefruit but then reigned in through the use of the smoky bruleed maple marshmallow and buttery ‘pie crust’ crumbles. With dots of creamy avocado further smoothing out the acid the dish was completed with a large ball of lush cilantro sorbet – up front and herbaceous and a bit too much if taken alone but simply wowing when considered as a foil to the citrus.

At this point sated but not stuffed the finale of our meal would arrive as a duo including what was perhaps the best dish I had in all of Los Angeles – “Apple, crème caramel, burnt wood sabayon, walnut.” Beginning first with apple, at least three forms were present with balls of compressed Fuji plus gelee and sauce of the same and all were sweet, distinct, and pure while being nicely paired with the smooth crème caramel in a rather classic way. Moving away from the classic and truly making this dish a game changer, however, was the crumbled and cracked walnuts and buttery shortbread base for texture and last but not least a liquid nitrogen frozen custard made from a distillation of smoked barrel wood essence; a clever trick every bit “mg” but utilized to add a smoky note that simply brought each of the other flavors to a peak on the palate.

Opting to eat the apple first while my friend enjoyed “Chocolate, coffee, spice” so as not to blunt my tongue with the dark chocolate first I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when we traded plates but all things being equal the fourth dessert would be at least as good as the other chocolate option and although not as attractive a bit more interesting and tasty. Beginning first with chocolate in forms – dark soil, medium nitrogen frozen meringue, milk cream ice, and white crema – and subsequently adding a dusting of bitter espresso plus gelee of cardamom, clove, ginger, and notes of anise and allspice as well this dessert was certainly a unique way to show off the nuances of chocolate but all things being equal it just couldn’t stack up after the Apple…then again, not much could.

Asked if we would like coffee or a digestif to finish and joking that we’d like to order the beef dishes we’d skipped our server commended us on our stamina and subsequently brought the bill offering a “whenever you’re ready” even though the kitchen was now being scrubbed and Voltaggio was out talking with folks at the bar and wishing everyone a good night. With the bill paid (graciously by my dining partner) I waited for a moment while he went to the wash room and when Chef Voltaggio stopped by briefly he thanked me for coming in and again commended us for managing so much of the menu before asking what did and did not work, a great bit of hospitality showing that he is still interested in what the diner thinks – particularly when he admitted that the skate dish was a “work in progress” and also that he was surprised at my comments about the spaghetti as it has become a “customer favorite.”

With a copy of the menu in hand and now en route to the car and back to The Beverly Hilton with much more eating to be done in the coming days I can say without a doubt now that the Voltaggio brothers are both extremely talented and although quite distinct in their restaurants (an locations) both show a undeniable knack for using whimsy and technique to coax the best out of their ingredients. With service friendly and impressively informed and food that doesn’t always “wow” but invariably takes a chance (often with outstanding results) I can only imagine that ink will continue to grow with time and the Omakase will most certainly be on the short list for my next visit to Los Angeles.

Posted in California, Coffee, Food, ink., Los Angeles, Pork, Vacation, Waffles

November 11, 2011
4:00 PM
by: Uhockey

Breakfast and Brunch, Los Angeles CA

More or less the moment I received my flight confirmation to LAX I started planning my meals and despite the fact that “meals” were provided at the three day conference I was certainly not in town for that sort of dining – not when a number of quality breakfast and brunch spots are within walking distance of the Beverly Hilton and with the conference not starting until 2pm on the Friday of my arrival my I actually managed to get breakfast or an early brunch on each of my five days in Los Angeles, the first of which came with high expectations given my affinity for Thomas Keller – a very early seating at Bar Bouchon followed by a trip to Bouchon Bakery next door.

Having visited each of Chef Keller’s restaurants over the last few years with only Bar Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery Beverly Hills, and Bouchon Bakery Rockefeller Center as yet escaping my reach I admittedly went into my experience at Bar Bouchon with mild trepidation having been only mildly impressed by Bouchon Beverly Hills ten months earlier and having heard mixed things about Bar Bouchon (and the limited selection at this particular Bouchon Bakery) from a number of trusted palates and much to my dismay things seemed amiss literally from the moment I arrived.

Given the fact that it was Veteran’s Day and many folks were off work I was not terribly surprised to find Bar Bouchon rather busy on my arrival, but what was shocking was just how disorganized everything seemed – servers here and there, no one acting as a hostess, and the general flow a mess – especially given the TKRG standard. Standing in place for what seemed to be five minutes before a server asked “if I was looking for something” I suggested I’d like a seat and seemingly confused he wandered off with a different person, a young woman arriving a few minutes later and leading me indoors to the bar as all but a few larger tables outside were full.

Finally seated I waited for another four or five minutes at the empty bar listening to the music overhead and a table of three behind me chat before I was finally met by the bartender/”server,” Timothy who asked me if I’d like to start with something to drink and handed me a menu. Stating that water would be great to start and then clarifying that still would be fine a bottle was placed within reach and a glass filled as I perused the menu, asked a few questions about the daily specials, and was then left again for no less than ten minutes to “take my time” in making my decisions – decisions I made within much sooner than that and an order that I literally had to wave my hand at Timothy to place as he was kibitzing in the kitchen after delivering some beers to the tables outside.

Realizing at this point that a leisurely lunch was quite likely I grabbed a copy of the Los Angeles Times from the rack on the wall to read as I waited and sure enough it would be twenty minutes of sipping water (tables outside got bread and butter) before my Mousse de Foie de Volaille would arrive as a beautiful quenelle with a smear of apricot preserves plus toasted ‘croutons’ on a wooden service board. Taking into account that this was indeed chicken liver and not foie gras I first took a bite with my fork and then spread some of the creamy mousse onto a crouton before rendering my personal verdict that not only was this the best chicken liver I’ve ever eaten, but that it was better than a multitude of foie gras preparations as well. Impossibly light for liver and with the unctuous flavors nicely tempered by the apricot puree I took my time savoring each bite and though I had to ask for more croutons (not delivered, but instead finally given some of Bouchon’s famous epi baguette with butter) I’d have honestly not found this preparation out of place at Per Se or TFL – it was that good.

With another substantial delay as the cleared board and dirty silverware sat in front of me literally until my next plate arrived (requiring Timothy to set my main course down to clear the space and subsequently return with fresh silverware) my second dish of the afternoon would be a daily special listed on the board as “Lamb Shank Salad” and featuring finely shredded Braised Lamb Shank in a bowl with quinoa, broccoli rabbe, pickled onions, and a poached egg. Again prepared with the expected Thomas Keller level of precision and a lovely balance of bitter and savory mellowed by the creamy egg and a touch of acid from the pickled onions I will only note that the salad was rather small for $17, but given the quality of the ingredients and preparation plus the real estate it certainly was not substantially overpriced.

This time sitting, no exaggeration, for fifteen minutes with a dirty plate before me while Timothy first mixed a drink and then spent ample time chatting with a regular at the end of the bar about craft beers and computers I finally grew bored with the game and asked one of the other servers circulating in the bar to obtain my bill – a request that led to him going over to Timothy and asking him to get me the bill and Timothy subsequently coming over to see if he “might interest me in some dessert” – an offer I flatly declined (something I rarely if ever do) with a “just the bill” and on settling the tab sans gratuity I simply walked out with a bitter taste in my mouth but hopes that a visit to Bouchon Bakery next door could provide something sweet.

Having been warned that the selection at Bouchon Bakery Beverly Hills was much more limited than the other locations I was not surprised to find that the Bakery itself was in the exact same space as the “Pop-Up” from the previous Christmas, though the area had been converted from a round central “bar” to a proper pastry case. With the line short and three young ladies ready and waiting behind the counter I spent a few minutes perusing the options – mostly things I’d tasted at other Bouchons – and after asking a couple of questions I placed my order and made my way to the door to head back to the Beverly Hilton eating as I walked.

Beginning first with a seasonal item, one of Bouchon’s oversized Macarons noted as “Pumpkin Spice,” I was impressed as ever by the quality of Keller’s interpretation of the classic French cookie and its perfect crackling shell with a bit more chew than the textbook versions at Laduree but every bit as delicious. With the cookie itself mild and sweet with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove the interior of this specific macaron would prove to be duo – one third smooth vanilla cream and the other two stripes a heavily sweetened pumpkin puree with great texture and lots of spice. While I know some may say that Bouchon’s macarons are not “traditional,” they are still tasty and featuring more than just a single bite remain amongst my favorites.

Moving next to another pastry native to France – specifically to Brittany – the “signature” Kouign-Amann of this specific Bouchon Bakery would prove to be every bit the highlight item I expected and although not quite as mesmerizing as a couple of the ones I had in Paris (particularly the meal capper at Ledoyen) it was without a doubt one of the best pastries I had in all of Los Angeles. Somewhat similar to a croissant but yeasted for rise and imbued with sugar and butter between the innumerable layers this lovely $4 pastry would prove flawless to the tooth with a crackling lacquered shell giving way to a flaky but moist interior intense with French butter, plenty of sweetness, and just a touch of spice – it really did make me feel for a moment like I was back in Paris and if I lived locally it would be even more fantastic so I could arrive early, get one warm, and pair it with good coffee (something I never did manage to find in Paris.)

For day two of the conference lectures started early and “breakfast” after a long morning run down Wilshire, Canon, and Robertson would consist of leftovers from Joan’s the day before but with lunch consisting of steamer trays I opted to head back to the streets for brunch at The Nosh of Beverly Hills – a deli that seems to glean most of its attention from the location rather than the food but an “institution” I figured I should check out because I can’t imagine I’ll ever be in the area again without a car and because I noticed on my run that they had televisions and the Buckeyes were playing.

Making my way into the surprisingly large deli/coffee shop/bakery/breakfast nook to find it unsurprisingly full I spent a few moments browsing the baked goods before a short woman named Linda greeted me with a gruff voice and led me to a table – a table later usurped by another server and his patrons when I went to wash my hands thus leaving me with a restricted view of the television, but perhaps for the better as OSU ended up losing the game anyhow. With the restaurant busy and more-so loud I sat for a few moments before a menu was delivered and after that I sat quite a while longer taking in the scene.

Established in 1975 I can only imagine that not much save for the televisions have changed at The Nosh in the intervening 35+ years and all things being equal most of the service staff has been there just as long, if not longer. With the floors a bit too dirty and the service a bit too slow it would be nearly twenty minutes after seating that my order was taken, though water was filled by a young bus boy in the interim, and even after the order was placed it would be a good half hour before it arrived – a single item, reportedly cooked to order and entitled “The Mother of all Waffles with Vanilla Ice Cream.”

Described on the menu as a “delicious waffle smothered with lots of warm apple pie filling, streusel, and drizzled with caramel sauce…mom would be proud” when my Waffle finally did arrive my heart sank – sure the waffle itself looked nice, a golden buttermilk version fresh from the iron with a great crunch and plenty of chew, but the toppings hardly resembled “smothering” with any of the three ingredients though given the low quality of the canned pie filling, minuscule amount of streusel, and no detectable caramel sauce at all perhaps this was for the best. Served with a side of warm Ms. Butterworth’s (real syrup was an extra $1.50) and the supplemental ice cream ($2.00 for a scoop and a half of something clearly from a carton) I decided to make the best of a bad situation and consumed what I can only assume to be the largest single amount of High Fructose Corn Syrup I’ve had in the last 10 years before requesting the check – another fifteen minute adventure – and paying the $15 tab with tax and tip before making my way to the street thinking that maybe, just maybe, the anemic vegetables and beige chicken may have been a better (and certainly more economical) choice.

With two days of subpar breakfast behind me the last day of my conference would begin the same as the second – a ten mile run followed by leftovers from the previous day at breakfast, in this case cold Stella Rossa Pizza – and with the conference completed at noon I grabbed a rental car to begin the “vacation” portion of the trip with brunch at Suzanne Goin’s AOC, a spot long on my must visit list in Los Angeles as its menu always wowed me more than Lucuqes but a place that always seemed to fall just short of making my final list until the recently started offering brunch with reservations easily obtained via OpenTable.

With parking not exactly easy to find but eventually allocated without paying the valet I made my way into AOC having salivated over the menu for a while yet to my surprise I arrived to find the room nearly empty with only one table in the main room and one table in the secondary room occupied. With no one manning the hostess stand I stood for a moment before a tall gentleman would eventually poke his head out from behind the bar and subsequently stride up to confirm my reservation and lead me to my seat – a seat literally in the front window with the option to look out onto the street or into the entirety of the restaurant, the later my selection if for no reason other than to watch the restaurant work, and with that a paper-clipped menu was left for my perusal.

With the front page list of cocktails and the tome of wine passed over it would be a short while before my server, Aleia, would arrive and having already browsed the menu I inquired about the daily pastry selection before placing my order – a scone, a main course, and a “dessert” that she stated would be ‘quite a bit of food’ but an amount I assured her I could handle before she returned to the kitchen to place the order. Without belaboring service issues too much I will note here that although pleasant enough Aleia would prove to be largely inattentive during the course of my stay only arriving to deliver items and making it quite evident that it was not her job to bus tables, fill water, or to inquire about guests needs thus leaving dirty plates in place as she walked by with her nose in the air and glasses empty until the sole ancillary server stopped by with a pitcher.

With menu prices clearly a bit higher than the average brunch my first item from AOC would prove to be the most notable offense by far, a $4 cornbread and blackberry scone that although warm, fresh, and buttery was literally only three to four bites and certainly no better than other scones that cost far less elsewhere. Admittedly tasty with a toothsome texture and substantial complement of berries at $4 I would have at least expected some clotted cream or butter, neither of which were included or offered.

Moving next to my “main course” the food at AOC would continue to impress despite its high cost while service continued to lack as the “Toasted brioche with gruyère, prosciutto, frisée and egg,” would arrive still bubbling and beautifully presented. Essentially an open face Croque Madame with a single slice of brioche lacquered in gruyere and then piled high with frisee, a thin slice of ham, and a barely set egg plus plenty of salt and cracked pepper I have to admit that despite the fact that this was more salad than substance I really did fancy the flavors and textures – a bit bitter, a bit savory, but plenty creamy and with sharp notes from the perfectly aged cheese. While the argument that $14 for such a sandwich is outlandish can certainly be made I’ll simply note that the ingredients were top quality and leave it at that – I wouldn’t pay that much again, not compared to the version at Bouchon, but it was quite good.

After I enjoyed starring at my dirty plate and empty glass for approximately ten minutes while listening to the group in front of me discuss the previous night’s scene at the club one of the back servers would arrive to clear the dishes and pour me a refill of my water only perhaps a minute before my last dish would arrive – the “wood oven baked pain perdu with caramelized apples, smoked bacon, and maple syrup.” Again pricey at $14 and served in perhaps a 12oz iron skillet this dish would prove once again the kitchen’s talents and all things being equal it is one of the best French Toast preparations I’ve ever tasted. Beginning first with the bread – the same brioche as the croque if I’m not mistaken – the pain perdu itself was entirely saturated and baked to caramelization on the exterior while moist, dense, and custard-esque on the interior. Imbued with smoky notes both from the oven and from the bacon and topped lightly with nearly applesauce textured apples plus a sidecar of pure maple syrup this dish this dish was everything I’d hoped – sweet and savory to be sure, but moreso a veritable bread pudding with exquisite ingredients prepared exquisitely.

Again seated with an empty plate until I actually raised my hand (elementary school style) to get Aleia’s attention and the bill I found it somewhat astounding that she failed to realize just how little attention she was paying to the dining room but figuring that perhaps this was just the style of AOC I left an average tip and thanked her for the service just the same before making my way to the street, again past an empty hostess stand where a few customers stood waiting and appearing puzzled. With high quality to match the high prices and never one to let cost (within reason) get in the way of a great meal I guess most of my disappointment with AOC is simply the lackadaisical attitude of Los Angeles service in general but all things being equal when paying a premium I expect service to match the food, something that if AOC could provide would make it a truly exemplary brunch.

For my next breakfast in LA the day would start the same as any other but with my home base now moved from Beverly Hills to the Hollywood Hills my morning run would see me stride over nearly every star on the walk of fame (who knew Bob Hope had two?) past a number of theaters and attractions (Museum of Death, really?) and even part way up the hill before a quick car ride in relatively mild traffic would take me to the city of Glendale to visit Portos, a Cuban bakery long overlooked given my frequent visits to the Griddle Café but a place that seemed ideal on this particular morning after overpriced sit-down breakfasts the three previous days.

With the streets of Glendale largely empty at 8am on a Monday and metered parking available as far as the eye could see I made my way into Portos’ main entrance where I surprisingly found no line but rather three eager servers ready to take my order though with so many choices both in the pastry case and on the large menu hanging from above it was actually I who made them wait as I evaluated their choices and my capacity. Standing and starring for what must have been five minutes as I let a couple of other guests pass by I eventually made my way to the counter once I had a good idea of what I wanted and there I met Francisca, a pleasant lady so short she could barely look at me over the case but so full of great suggestions – some I’d already planned on and some where I just took her word for it – that I ended up walking away with 7 items plus a large coffee…at a grand total of $10.62.

Still surprised by the lack of a queue given the rumors I’d heard of hour plus waits at the 20,000 square foot establishment I took my selections next door to the seating area only then realizing that there was actually a second (smaller) pastry case and take-away counter slightly more busy and finding a seat amongst the crowd before subsequently moving outdoors to enjoy the weather (and decreased noise) I started my tasting of Portos 40+ year old recipes with perhaps their most famous item, a “Papa Rellena” or “fried potato ball” stuffed with seasoned ground beef. Never one to order beef if given a chance but agreeing to this given Francisca’s insistence I took a bite into the Rellena to realize that while I am still no beef convert this certainly was a tasty morsel with the exterior crisp without being greasy and the interior a shockingly pure and smooth potato puree dotted with bits of spicy ground beef. Having been given two of these small balls despite only asking for one I’ll admit I ate both quite quickly and would probably order them again just for the quality of the potatoes.

At this point outdoors and sipping my coffee, a surprisingly smooth blend with cinnamon and earthy tones despite its low price, I proceeded to another suggestion from Francisca – the Rellenito. Served piping hot and wrapped in white paper to sop up some of the oil this unique item was described as a sugarcoated sweet plantain filled with black beans and although I cannot say it was exactly what I expected it was really quite delicious. More a puree of black beans and plantain than either “filled” with the other the concoction was subsequently fried and rolled in sugar, a sweet on sweet yet also somewhat earthy and savory two bite item that could just as easily served as dessert (really, a banana split replacing the banana with a few Rellenitos sounds like an idea whose time has come.)

Moving on to the last of my hot items, the most “savory” of the group for sure, a Ham and Cheese Croissant would prove to be the weakest of my choices (I stress my choices as my server suggested the Cuban pork sandwich instead) not because it was bad, but because it was merely average and everything else was better. With the exterior soft and the interior crumb similar this was certainly not gourmet, just good old fashion cheddar and boiled ham in a buttery puff pastry – no more, no less.

With the next two selections also my own the Cinnamon Roll and Almond Danish would each prove to be good but not stunning versions of their namesake pastries with the cinnamon roll a bit more spicy that I’d have expected – perhaps a Chiapas cinnamon instead of a more mild/cheaper version – and not as sweet as one might expect while the Almond “Danish” was much closer to an almond croissant than a Danish with a golden crisp exterior and giving way to a cavernous center lightly tinged with frangipane and ample butter notes. While certainly not “Cuban” pastries by any means a nice example of the bakery’s skills and given the price each an absolute steal compared to other “French” patisseries.

For my final selection, a “must must try” according to Francisca, the “Pastelitos De Guayaba” or Guava Cheese Danish would not only disprove my general disinterest in cream cheese but also prove to be every bit as good as the rumors. Beginning first with the same golden puff pastry housing the Almond Danish and the Ham and Cheese Croissant this decadent traditional Cuban pastry upped the ante by combining the slight musky sweetness of guava puree with the tang of the cream cheese leading to a flavor something like fruit punch but smoother and sweet but not so sweet as to overwhelm the butter or the saline notes of the cheese. Truly a signature pastry and again an absolute bargain that left me walking away from Portos not only wishing I’d have gone years earlier, but wishing that I’d have saved my money the previous three days and just stopped by Portos on day one and bought enough to refrigerate for the weekend.

For my final breakfast I’d considered Griddle Café for my fifth visit but with lunch at Jitlada and dinner at Animal before flying out I decided against the density of pancakes or French toast and instead after a morning run that entirely by accident led me right past Jitlada I showered, packed up, and made the drive to a place some claimed to have the best croissants in all of Southern California – Amandine Patisserie, a small boutique pastry shop on Wilshire that I’d actually walked by on my visit a few years prior without knowing enough to stop in.

With traffic heavy on Santa Monica Boulevard and my arrival later than I’d have preferred I was thankful to find parking quite just down the street and after a short walk up the hill I found myself at the small storefront where a small sticky note greeted me with the words “cash only – credit system down” and making my way through the door I was surprisingly met with a line ten deep; both a blessing and a curse as this delayed breakfast even further after a particularly long morning run but at least gave me plenty of time to browse the options before reaching the counter where I was greeted by a rather terse yet pleasant woman who seemed to expect that I should know precisely what I wanted by the time I approached. Rather unhurried myself though carrying my laptop I ordered a few items I knew I wanted (including the last almond croissant) and after asking a couple questions about the unlabeled items I settled on a half dozen in total, some for now and some for later, before paying the $22 tab and finding a seat near the patio in back.

Clearly not considering that a downed credit card system also meant no free wi-fi (as advertised) but with plenty of food to keep me busy I started my morning with the smallest of my choices and biting into the “mini” butter croissant, a $1.25 crispy ball of butter with a shell that shattered and an interior that bounced back with each bite I quickly had to agree that this was the best croissant I ever ate in Southern California though perhaps not quite as good as some in Northern California, New York, or Paris which prove a bit more balanced with notes of sweet and salt occasionally punctuating the butter.

Moving next to a $2 scone that I normally would not have ordered but had to taste in order to compare to the one at AOC two days earlier my selection of a Blueberry Cornmeal Scone would prove to be every bit as large and flavorful as that at Suzanne Goin’s brunch but half the price, slightly sweeter, and packed with more fruit intermingling with the moist but crumbly pastry. A great scone by any justification and amongst the best I’ve ever tasted I fully realize that ordering a British treat at a French patisserie may not be terribly logical but trust me, if this one is on the menu it is well worth the modest price tag.

Having snatched the last Almond Croissant – still warm I might add – but with such a variety of the delightful flaky pastries I simply couldn’t settle for one so in addition to the mini butter croissant and the larger almond croissant I also picked up a Chocolate Almond Croissant and a Banana Chocolate Danish planning on some for now and some for later – a plan that actually worked out for once (although later was only a couple hours, to be fair.) Beginning first with the two croissants – slightly different in shape but very similar in texture in that both were of the split and double-baked variety – both would prove to be textbook and nearly on par with those in Paris. Sturdy enough to withstand a bit of pressure but shattering into a hundred flaky pieces to the tooth the texture of each was only trumped by the flavor, both bold and buttery with a lot of almond in the form of those sliced and a thin layer of frangipane and the chocolate almond version piped with a thick core that complimented without overwhelming.

Moving next to the Danish, quite similar to the croissant but heavier due to the inlaid banana compote and sliced caramelized bananas, this treat would prove just as good as the Croissants even if not quite as “balanced” and with the layers just as crisp and buttery along the exterior the soft and moist interior was intensely sweet yet somewhat mellowed by the almonds. Best taken in large bites incorporating the edge and center into a single mouthful this dish probably would have benefited from the fork and knife treatment as both my shirt and my hands ended up covered with powdered sugar but c’est la vie, it washed right off.

For my final bite of Amandine I debated whether the Choux Cream would last in the car and with the weather mid -60s I decided to take a chance on the softball sized $2.25 pocket of vanilla custard; a good choice that I would appreciate shortly after lunch as the crackling choux gave way to a hollow core stuffed with creamy custard aromatic with eggy notes and vanilla. Not the prettiest pastry after my assault with a spoon left over from Bhan Kanom, but delicious none the less and a fitting last taste to what is now my favorite pastry shop in Southern California and a place that I will undoubtedly return to on future visits to try the French Toast and fruit galettes – ideally when the credit card machine and internet are up and running.

Posted in Amandine, AOC, Bar Bouchon, Beverly Hills, Bouchon Bakery, Bouchon Beverly Hills, Bread Pudding, Breakfast, California, Coffee, Cornbread, Croissant, Dessert, Food, French Toast, Glendale, Ice Cream, Los Angeles, Pork, Portos, The Nosh, Vacation, Waffles

November 11, 2011
9:00 AM
by: Uhockey

Ancillary Eats, Los Angeles CA

No sooner had I returned from Chicago than I was repacking my bag for the city of angels and although this trip was prompted more by business than by pleasure a fortuitous clinic schedule allowed me to tack on a few more days while some of the very best local foodies, gourmands, and chowhounds I’ve ever met volunteered not only their time and knowledge but also their cars, knowledge, and stomach capacity to meet up for some stellar dining during the course of my five day stay. Using the Beverly Hilton as home base during the first three days of the trip and the home of a friend in Hollywood during the subsequent two this series of eating would see me visit as far west as the Pacific where I’d enjoy coffee on the beach and as far east as downtown LA where after escaping the traffic debacle of the Twilight Red Carpet premier I dined on 18 course of White Truffles with new friends in a scene I cannot imagine occurring anywhere outside of LA.

Beginning the trip with a rundown of what I like to call “ancillary eats” – IE the things that did not entail breakfast, lunch, or dinner but at times wowed none the less my very first stop after cabbing from LAX to The Beverly Hilton would be Joan’s on Third, a place long on my list but always missed for whatever reason but a place whose take-away items would prove invaluable in avoiding “conference food” during my first day.

Arriving just after 11am with the sun shining on a national holiday it was no surprise to find the patio of Joan’s quite full and with the scene very much “Hollywood” as pooches sat on patrons laps outside and every woman wore sunglasses large enough to cover the eyes of both herself and three others I made my way through the crowd and eventually to the door only to find the interior equally packed. With the deli line at least twenty deep and all the seats filled I spent a spent a bit of time browsing the cheeses, dry goods, spices, and meats before making my way to my original destination – the pastry counter and bakery – where a short queue awaited and a number of employees were helping guests with various orders both large and small.

Making my decisions as I waited it would only be a short while before I found myself at the front of the line and greeted by a young man named Hugo I placed my order for a half-dozen items and with each selection carefully wrapped, boxed, and placed in a bag I paid the modest tab before making my way to the door and the subsequent walk back to the hotel – a walk interrupted by stopping to taste the first of the items, a “Cloud” Cupcake with a 5 inch mound of marshmallow fluff dipped in a chocolate shell perched precariously atop a dense dark chocolate cupcake quite similar both in texture and in flavor to the Hostess original.

With some of my bounty being consumed during day one of the conference while others remained refrigerated until day two my second taste from Joan’s would turn out to be the only disappointment – a doughy and surprisingly unsalty Pretzel Croissant that was much more “pretzel” than croissant in texture and much more dinner-roll than either pretzel or croissant in flavor. A decent taste with a lot of buttery notes I imagine I would have liked this much more with some crunchy salt or perhaps in a different context; all in all it simply wasn’t what I expected.

Never one to pass up unique cupcake options or the standard-bearer red velvet my cupcake choices in addition to the Cloud would include both a moist red velvet with slightly tangy cream cheese frosting that did not disappoint but also did not ‘wow’ and a Snickers cupcake that would prove to be the best of the bunch with a nearly fudgy thick cake slathered with literally fudge thick frosting and chunks of chopped Snickers candy. Small in size but not lacking at all in flavor this would prove to be one of the better cupcakes I’ve had in all of Los Angeles and a good indicator that the next two items would work well since Joan’s doesn’t seem to do “light” pastries well but certainly packs a punch when making dense and most treats.

For my last two selections, both holdovers for a post-gym breakfast the following day, a small Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar and a large slice of Banana Caramel French Toast Pie would prove to be the best of Joan’s selections as the first was essentially a brownie in texture but rife with pure natural peanut butter flavors and fresh jam while the second was essentially what would happen if you took thick buttery brioche and soaked it in custard (a la bread pudding) before baking and then topped it with a thick layer of sweet bananas drown in fresh caramel. While I personally would have preferred to see the two incorporated (and to have had the use of a microwave) I have to say that all things being equal it was very good and the balance of salt and sweet was spot on.

For a second sweet stop while in Los Angeles I found myself again on Third Street near a place I’d heard about from a vegetarian friend and with plenty of room to be wowed after an entirely subpar brunch at AOC I walked into Fonuts where I was greeted by a young man named Pete and the fantastic smell of baking donuts…yep, you read that right, baked donuts – the brainchild of former Bazaar pastry chef Waylynn Lucas that opened earlier this year.

With the shop small but cute and featuring a vintage stove as its only decoration save for the cases of donuts and large bags of LAMill Coffee I stood for a moment browsing the selections before stepping up to the counter to place my order. Admittedly skeptical given my own experiments with baking donuts twice resulting in tasty but dry round ‘muffins with a hole’ I asked Pete first of all how these little creations were made and subsequently for his recommendation of what was best – the first answer having to do with high humidity, pressure, and heat and the second including no less than half a dozen selections from which I chose three – a $10 quarter dozen bagged up and taken to the street to enjoy.

Having whittled my server’s suggestion down to the flavors most appealing to my sense my first taste of Fonuts would come in the form of the Peanut Butter and Jelly concoction and for a moment I felt my original cynicism was well deserved – the first bite was dry but buttery, almost like a buttermilk biscuit with no semblance of peanut butter or jam at all. Wondering if I’d somehow gotten the wrong donut and taking another bite it turns out that no, I’d not gotten the wrong donut but rather taken the wrong approach as this turned out to be a “filled” doughnut not unlike a hand-pie with the creamy, fruity, and salty amalgam of peanut butter and grape jam at its core.

Moving on to two more traditionally shaped doughnuts my next taste of Lucas’ wares was the Strawberry Buttermilk donut – a riff on my favorite “chain” donut of all time, the Strawberry Glaze at Dunkin – and every bit as good in texture while much better in quality. Beginning sticky and sweet on the exterior with a rich glaze dotted in candied strawberries and progressing to the mellow tang of buttermilk within the moist batter I can honestly say that with all things being equal I rather doubt I would have been able to distinguish this from a fried version if I were blindfolded and if placed side-by-side with Dunkin I’d gladly spend a few dollars more for this one on taste alone.

Eschewing any concept of “healthy” derived from baking instead of frying my final Fonut would be the oft raved “Maple Bacon” and without batting an eye I can say that although not quite as personally relevant to me as the Strawberry this was one helluva donut. Beginning first with the cake – moist, dense, and as good as if it were fried – this fantastic pastry was next topped with an ample layer of creamy maple frosting every bit as good as Tim Horton’s and subsequently piled high with salty smoky bacon; trendy for sure, but fantastic as well and while some may claim that the “baked” donut is essentially just a cupcake with a hole all I have to say to that is if someone wants to start serving cupcakes as good as Fonuts Maple Bacon or Strawberry Buttermilk “baked donuts” I’ll be there in line with cash in hand.

Moving onward, a third sweets stop would be for dessert following my first “real” Thai experience at Jitlada – appropriately at a “real” Thai sweet shop named Bhan Kanom recommended by my dining buddy as we opted to skip dessert at the famed Sunset Boulevard location both due to capacity and him having to return to work.

Having really never experienced Thai sweets in the past I was quite surprised entering Bhan Kanom to find the location not only quite packed with products but also with people, the majority Thai themselves and a good indicator of the authenticity of the cuisine. With options diverse but the store quite full (much like my stomach) and more dining plans for later I spent some time browsing before settling on my choice and in addition was gifted one of my friend’s “Pangchi,” a small fried disc consisting of Taro, Corn, Coconut, and Sugar that was crisp on the outside and creamy within costing a mere 40 cents and packing a whole lot of flavor into such a small and sweet bite.

Paying the modest tab of $3 and making my way to the street after gathering some plastic cutlery my dessert for the afternoon would be based on my fascination with taro – a root vegetable that should absolutely be more prominent in western cuisine – in the form of a simple chilled dessert titled “Sweet Rice with Taro.” Mildly sweet but full of creamy tones and the unmistakable flavor of coconut infusing the panna cotta smooth layer atop an admixture of soft rice and fibrous taro this dessert was part sugary and part savory but more surprisingly very light yet fulfilling – a slightly solid rice pudding, if you will.

Admittedly impressed and at the same time wondering what exactly the sweet rice would have tasted like warm my only regret in visiting Bhan Kanom is was my limited capacity – I’d have loved to try the warm black beans in coconut milk – and the fact that they were sold out of the fried taro, but in the end I can definitely say I’d like to go back and will certainly be on the lookout for Thai desserts during future travels.

Moving along as always to coffee, the conference that I was attending was thankfully supplied with a continuous (free) stream of LAMill and as such for the first three days of the trip I was appropriately stimulated and admittedly impressed by the quality of the brew being constantly refilled in the large silver containers at The Beverly Hilton but when my “supply” ran out at the end of the meeting I was once again set to finding some unique local brews – a bit of a challenge in Los Angeles compared to other major cities but one I was willing to take with the first of these stops being the Groundwork Coffee in Santa Monica; an experience that almost made me wish I stuck back inside at the conference (at least until I took my cup to the beach.)

A small shop on Main Street Groundwork is apparently a chain billing itself as “Los Angeles’ premiere organic coffee resource, and the largest coffee roastery in southern California” and given this descriptor I entered the small shop with high expectations; expectations only improved when a young woman representing the local FOX affiliate handed me a reusable cup as part of the company’s green initiative but expectations that fell off the moment I was forced to deal with the “barista” – a young woman with multicolored hair who not only didn’t bother to answer my question of what they were brewing, opting instead to motion with her head to a chalkboard, but a young woman who also basically told me “tough luck” when the El Salvador Las Lajas coffee I’d ordered ran dry at the fill-your-own-cup station up front thus forcing me to settle for an inferior and over-roasted dark appropriately titled Bitches Brew because “it takes a while to brew fresh coffee y’know?”

Never one to abide the hipster barista attitude (really, you work in a coffee shop and you have tattoos, congrats) I eventually gave up on the ‘brew’ and tried the Lucky Jack despite the “no refills” sign and although a bit better with pleasant almond notes and some spice definitely not something I’d go back for, especially considering the attitude.

Omitting discussion of multiple stops at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf – all pretty much what you’d expect and generally high quality for the price – my other “destination” coffee stop during the trip would be the Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea on Abbot Kinney; their brews plenty familiar to me both from Chicago and from my own French Press but a location like this one featuring some of the white label blends a place I’d not yet had the chance to experience.

With the weather warm, sky clear, and the café surprisingly full just after 2pm on a weekday I spent a short time in line talking with an older gentleman who apparently lived in the area and came here daily for his espresso before making my way to the counter where I was greeted by the standard Intelligentsia barista – hipster, pierced, bearded, and inked – but friendlier than those in Chicago and placed my order for a 10oz pour over of Colombia El Trapiche and a Maple Pecan Scone provided by local bakery “Cake Monkey” and waiting for my order to be prepped and poured I browsed the shop (and more so the clientele including a man with an Ipad who I’m rather certain was wearing a crocheted afghan as clothing) and their impressive collection of cups, machines, beans, and even clothing.

With coffee in hand and parking nowhere near ready to expire but no seating available at Intelligentsia I prepared my coffee before making my way to the street to browse the multitude of unique shopping areas and upon taking my first with a sip of the brew – a soft mouth texture with notes of cherry and almond plus low acidity – I was impressed as ever by the quality of Intelligentsia’s roasting and sourcing but what came next, the scone from Cake Monkey would truly prove to be a surprise as I’ve found Intelligentsia’s baked goods quite subpar in the past. Layered and soft with pockets of butter interspersed with those of sugar and small chunks of candied pecans all topped with a thin maple cream glaze this was definitely a scone worth the $3 and although excellent with the coffee I can only imagine it would have been even more wonderful warm with a side of clotted cream or butter.

For the last (in writing, not chronologically) of these ancillary bites, the early conclusion of my meeting on Saturday would see me without a whole lot to do before dinner plans at Red Medicine at 9:30 and as such I phoned a friend offering to pay if he wanted to drive me somewhere for pizza – either Soto, Mother Dough, or Stella Rossa – the later our final decision given the recent rave reviews as well as the early opening hours and more unique offerings plus my familiarity (and fondness despite the critics) with Lettuce Entertain You restaurants…not to mention chef Jeff Mahin’s considerable culinary pedigree including Heston Blumenthal and Juan Mari Arzak.

With traffic light but the night already setting in our drive to Santa Monica would be quite brief and lucky enough to secure free parking just around the corner we walked up to the doors of Stella Rossa just twenty minutes after opening yet with the wine bar and many seats already filled. Greeted at the combined entry point for M Street Kitchen and Stella Rossa we requested a table for two and within moments were led to a tall two-top near the wood fired oven where we were greeted by our server, a young lady named Brittany who proved my theory about the majority of trendy LA spots hiring models as part time servers but who also did a great job of describing the menu, making suggestions, and keeping beverages filled throughout the evening.

With Chef Mahin working directly in front of us at the large commercial oven we spent a few moments taking in the scene – the room itself is rather Spartan with exposed brick, bulb, and hard wood the only decorations aside from a few flat screens and the decibel level moderate though I can imagine it getting quite loud when full. Having read a bit about Mahin’s year-long process to perfect the dough at Stella Rossa I watched as each ball was removed from a large glass storage jar, stretched by hand, topped, and placed in the oven – a rapid fire process seemingly much more efficient than that at other iconic pizza stops like Mozza, Una, Lucali, etc and within moments Brittany would return to the table to take our orders; 2 pizzas and fully expecting some to go home given our later evening dining plans.

With the room slowly beginning to fill and the bar becoming quite the scene my dining partner and I chatted for a bit as our pies were prepared and within twenty minutes of placing our order the two pies would arrive, both fragrant and golden with cheese bubbling but surprisingly (as it is so en vogue) without much notable char. Beginning first with the standard – the house Margherita with hand crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sweet basil, and organic extra virgin olive oil I was instantly impressed by Mahin’s work on the crust as the locally milled flour with what I can only assume to be spelt, wheat, and cornmeal mixed in was perfectly crisp on the exterior but chewy and with a lot of sponge at the center. Almost like a “pan” pizza at the edges but moist and Neapolitan at the center the structure of the pie was really quite unlike any I’d tried before – a cross of styles if you will – and the toppings were impeccable while the size was quite ample for the rather low price.

Moving on to the more interesting of the two options, at least in my opinion, the Shaved Mushroom pizza with gruyère, melted onions, black truffle, torn parsley, rosemary, and thyme would actually prove to be one of the best pizza’s I have ever tasted – nearly on par with the Pannocchia at Vetri’s Osteria or the Rosa at Bianco in Phoenix. With the same fantastic crust this time tasting even more prominent as a slightly fermented/sourdough note came through the toppings were clearly the star here; a heaping layer of mandolined mushrooms that were deep, heavy, and elevated by notes of truffle amidst a sea of gruyere and lightly applied onions. With herbal aromatics including rosemary and thyme most notable on the finish this was the sort of pizza that becomes a restaurant signature – the sort that people will (and should) come from miles around to experience.

With the tab a modest $45 for two pizzas, a craft beer, tax, and tip plus enough leftovers to sustain me during the morning and early afternoon of my last day of the conference I can say without a doubt that the hype over the pizza at Rossa is well deserved and although there is no “celebrity chef” like there is at Mozza the scene is much less manic and the pizza, although different, is just as good and possibly even better. It will be interesting to see what happens with Stella Rossa given the fickle Los Angeles marketplace but for my part I’ll just say that while he does the basic Margherita well there aren’t many better pizzas to be had than the Shaved Mushroom.

Posted in Bhan Kanom, Bread Pudding, Breakfast, Cake Monkey, California, Coffee, Croissant, cupcakes, Dessert, Fonuts, Food, French Toast, Groundworks Coffee, Joan's on Third, Los Angeles, Pizza, Pork, Stella Rossa, Truffle, Vacation

November 6, 2011
3:14 PM
by: Uhockey

Avec, Chicago IL

With the weekend’s eating agenda admittedly packed but finally winding to a close and my rescheduled flight now earlier than anticipated it was with great fortune that I found two ready, willing, and able locals happy to show up early on Sunday to dine at Avec – my first opportunity to revisit Paul Kahan, a chef whose food I still remember quite fondly from my visit to Blackbird but a man whose other two big name restaurants, Publican and Avec, had been left on my agenda during recent visits largely because they are the sort of places where a dining buddy is ideal and unfortunately the pork-centric menus failed to appeal to those traveling with me.

Having heard great things about the small restaurant from a number of trusted persons and well aware of the accolades accumulated by the tiny space both before and after the fire as well as the ever present lines flooding into the street when I passed by en route to The Girl and the Goat a year ago and when I walked to what eventually turned out to be dinner at Next the previous evening our arrival to Avec was set to 3:30 – an admittedly early hour to dine but agreeable to all – and with doors opening just moments prior to our arrival the timing was perfect, we were only the second group to arrive and greeted by a friendly hostess our coats (and my luggage) were taken and stored before we were led to a large communal table at the center of the room.

With greetings exchanged and menus handed to us at seating I was surprised to look around the narrow space and find it exactly as it appeared online – varying textures and colors of wood, a meat slicer, the bar, and a wall of bottles really the restaurant’s only decoration while the sounds of light music and the occasional clatter from the kitchen punctuated an atmosphere that would grow increasingly loud as the restaurant began to fill. Seated on what can best be described as boxes and benches we were soon greeted by our server, Joshua, who filled our waters and described the menu’s style suggesting that 2 small plates (or one large) each would likely be more than sufficient and that everything was served family-style for sharing.

With Joshua now departed and leaving us to our decisions we spent a bit of time debating our options and eventually settling on the idea of simply ordering what we each felt sounded best and splitting the tab three ways we motioned to Josh who returned, questioned the amount of food we were ordering as too much, and eventually talked us out of cheeses until the end (“if you’re still hungry”) before returning to the kitchen to place our order. Informed that plates would be arriving in the order in which they were created but largely in three waves it would not be long before the food would start to arrive; each dish at the expected temperature and provided with good description and a surprisingly well timed pace.

For the first dish of the evening and perhaps the most well known of all the dishes on Avec’s menu we would receive “Chorizo stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon, piquillo pepper tomato sauce, bread” – a dish that not only wrapped perfectly sweet dates with bacon like many tapas restaurants, but also stuffed them with a substantial portion of smoky chorizo. Simple, rustic, and with four to the bowl plus a chunk of warm bread to sop up the smoky sauce I enjoyed this dish just as much as I expected to and even our group member who doesn’t really fancy dates noted that he too found it quite good.

As we finished off the dates our second plate would arrive followed closely by our third. For the second dish, “Warm hen of the woods and shiitake mushroom salad with apple, red quinoa, dill, parmesan, sherry vinaigrette” was pretty much exactly what you would expect and the sweet meets earthy admixture was nicely accented by the sharp points of the parmesan and the acid of the vinaigrette. Always a fan of quinoa I particularly liked how the toothsome grain not only managed to balance everything out, but also how it absorbed a small bit of each flavor making for a wonderful taste even as we reached the bottom of the bowl.

The third item, another Avec classic, arrived on a huge wooden board in the form of “Deluxe focaccia with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil, fresh herbs” and although I enjoyed everything at Avec that evening this was by far and away my favorite. Taking a different route to the spongy focaccia and serving it essentially as two individual flat breads sandwiching a medium-thick spread of the cheesy blend plus low notes of basil and parsley and heady top notes of truffle I immediately understood why Joshua had suggested we may have ordered too much; this was a whole lot of cheese and bread and we still had four plates to go, but working diligently (and largely on my own) the plate did eventually disappear – every single bite worth it.

Slowly enjoying the focaccia the next two items were certainly not something I would have ordered on my own but much like everything else Avec did that evening there was a beautiful balance to the simplicity of each and although I would not order either again I did enjoy what I ate from each, the first “Roasted Brussels sprouts with calf’s liver, pumpernickel, butternut squash, almonds, mustard vinaigrette” which featured the taste of caramelized sprouts in spades but used the sweetness of the squash and the bitters of the pumpernickel to help tame it a bit. With the liver providing a slightly gritty proteinacious component and the almonds a bit of crunch I was additionally happy that the mustard tones were relegated to a small supporting role, though in later bites towards the bottom of the bowl would prove a bit much for me.

For the second of the items arriving with the sprouts, “Atlantic Salmon with celery root gratin, sweet potato, nutmeg” was pretty much what you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber – a nicely prepared cut of the all-too-boring fish hidden beneath onions and greens but atop a much more interesting “gratin” formed with cheese and sweet potato puree supporting well cooked celery root and tinged with nutmeg and what must have been sugar. Generally blasé regarding salmon and its “fixture” status on so many menus I have to say that overall this was a really strong presentation and one of the best I’ve had in some time.

At this point admittedly comfortably sated but certainly not full the next two plates to arrive would prove Joshua to be quite right in his assessment of our order, the biggest capacity consumer being “Whipped Brandade with garlic bread and chives.” Seemingly harmless in terms of portion but certainly not in terms of richness this take on the Provencal classic brandade de morue was simply astonishing in its careful balance of the salted cod, potatoes, whipped milk, garlic, and what I can only imagine to be an aged cheese plus olive oil. Creamy and smooth as silk but easily a cup and half in portion and served with crispy garlic bread this was another course where I did a lot of the leg (stomach) work and although more than capable of holding my own at a dinner table this was simply a whole lot of dairy in a rather short time (and more than enough to induce a small food-coma/nap at O’Hare while awaiting my plane.)

For our final savory, the main course of the night would be “Wood roasted pork shoulder with chestnut braised cabbage, parsnips, roasted apple, fresh herbs in puff pastry” – a flavor profile no less transporting than the flavors at Next the night before as “Pork Steak and Potatoes” was one of my grandfather’s favorite dishes to cook when he was alive. Arriving in a large Staub pot and sizzling hot from the oven with golden pastry atop and at least half a pound of tender pork beneath the flavors in this dish were all spot on and entirely rustic without being heavy handed or clumsy in the least – a truly impressive dish and all the more so for the unique flavor of chestnuts infusing the broth and acting to foil the flavors of the cabbage.

Not ready to admit defeat but certainly not in the position to consume more cheese my dining partners and I weighed the dessert options carefully and eventually settled on sharing one of the “White chocolate panna cotta with maple figs and walnut shortbread” three ways to see if sweets matched the savories in quality. Generally not one to be “wowed” by panna cotta I will note that although small in size this particular dish did pack a lot of flavor into each bite and through such light use of chocolate the flavors each came through with aplomb, particularly the maple notes atop the sweetness of the figs. While I personally prefer my desserts with a bit more texture this was a nice “light” finish to an otherwise heavy meal.

With the bill presented and shockingly modest when divided by three we paid our tab and thanked the servers and hostess before making our way out of the now nearly full restaurant and to the street outside. Exchanging goodbyes and with plans for future dining already in the works I was additionally lucky enough to have one of my dining friends offer me a ride to O’Hare (a wonderfully kind gesture as I’d planned to ride the subway otherwise) and within the hour I found myself seated at the airport with nearly two hours till boarding – plenty of time for a well needed nap induced by a great meal and an even better trip to Chicago, the next one already in its planning stages and very likely including a trip to Publican.

Posted in avec, Bread Basket, Chicago, Dessert, Food, Illinois, Pork, Vacation

November 5, 2011
10:57 PM
by: Uhockey

Next “Childhood,” Chicago IL

The details of how I ended up seated at a two-top at Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas’ Next – Childhood a mere five and a half hours after I’d been led up the stairs for Chris Nugent’s last tasting menu at Les Nomades are best saved for in-person verbiage and gesture but suffice it to say that it started out innocently enough as I departed Les Nomades and was en route to the Fulton Market area first to pick up the cell phone Erika’s friend had left at The Office the day prior and then for some evening socializing with friends. Perhaps (literally) the hardest ticket in town the original plan had actually been to visit Next a couple days later but in the end I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth nor the type to neglect circumstances best described as fortuitous; not after the night before and not without a logical reason (save for having just eaten dinner) to possibly miss such a chance.

Having been impressed by most of the food but not by the rushed experience at “Paris 1906”and having taken a pass on Tour of Thailand largely because of my inexperience with Thai food and the inability to find a seat at the Kitchen Table I will not go into details of the who, what, when, where, and why of “Next” as I’m rather certain that anyone reading my words is well aware of what the restaurant is all about but suffice it to say that of the three menus to date “Childhood” was definitely the one that interested me most – not only because of the Alinea-esque whimsy promised in the teaser, but also because as native Midwesterner who grew up largely during the same era as (and less than 100 miles from) Achatz I fully expected this meal to serve its intended purpose and evoke some strong memories.

With the arrival time for this iteration of Next being during the latest sitting as opposed to the earliest we arrived to find our table prepped and ready with already a couple of tables emptied and not to be filled again for the evening. With Chef Beran frequently making his way out to the relatively stark restaurant (no change from Paris) to talk with the front of the house and say hello to guests everything from the moment we took our seat to the moment we left was Alinea-esque in terms of service, dish descriptions, beverage refills, and pace – a substantial improvement from Paris and delivered with a whimsical sort of gusto that went nicely with the childhood theme and ironic/iconic 80s music overhead.

With the menu concept card presented and beverages filled the night would begin quite quickly and without a menu until the end leaving courses largely a surprise – particularly the first, a literal surprise arriving in the form of a gift-wrapped present that we were instructed to “resist the urge to shake.” With my dining partner simply tearing into his box while I (just as when I was a child) carefully untaped things to preserve the wrapping paper we both opened the box to find “PB&J,” a ping-pong ball sized tempura crisp that burst upon mastication giving way to liquid peanut and pomegranate jelly. Tender and sweet but like a gougere in its fleeting brilliance the dish thankfully continued on with the “dust” beneath – a veritable soil of crushed salted peanuts and gelee textured jam that we took to first scooping from the box with our fingers and then simply tilting our heads back and lifting the box like one would with a bag of chips.

Moving next to a plate the size of a sombrero, “Chicken Soup – no noodles, a noodle of chicken” would arrive as a meticulously tweezered dry pile of shallots, carrots, celery leaves, herbs, onions, and noodles only to be finished tableside with a rich chicken stock clear, dark, and full of flavor. With the noodle actually formed by texture modified chicken and the flavors of the vegetables all pointed and notable this unique presentation would unfortunately be the weakest course of the evening for myself as I simply found it a bit too salty – then again, as a child who always preferred creamier soups like clam chowder or cream of potato to chicken noodle soup I imagine that some of this was personal preference as my dining partner finished his rapidly and without a word but with plenty of smiles.

Chatting about all sorts of things as there was a slightly longer delay between courses two and three than the others (perhaps twelve minutes as opposed to 12-15) the next course to arrive would be perhaps the most photographed of any Next course to date – a dish titled “Fish n Chips drawn by a child.” Beginning first with a fish well known to me from childhood around Lake Erie, Walleye, and prepared fried, much like the way my grandmother used to prepare my grandfather’s weekend catch this dish was a memory maker from square one and only improved with the playful presentation utilizing pickled cucumber “waves” kissed with malt vinegar, a “tartar sauce shore” topped with tempura crumbs, and Meyer lemon coulis plus reduced balsamic forming the sun and man respectively. Finished off with various herbs and edible flowers plus a “fried potato net” this was exactly the sort of dish I expected walking into Achatz and Beran’s interpretation of Childhood and truly a transporting dish in terms of palate memory.

Never one to fancy macaroni and cheese (especially the boxed stuff) as a lad but having grown to appreciate cheeses and quality pasta as an adult, “Mac & Cheese – a merry-go-round of garnishes” would prove to be yet another impressive dish arriving with the garnishes secluded from the noodles by a glass vessel removed tableside to let the ingredients mingle but not ‘blend,’ a great trick allowing the diner to sample what the chef’s believed to be many of the most common renditions of macaroni and cheese from various parts of the country including but not limited to bleu cheese and apples, tomato pulp, caramelized crispy noodles (a la casserole,) ham and arugula, black pepper and bread crumbs, and even an oddly textured cube of hot dog. With the noodles clearly better crafted than Kraft (sorry, had to) and the cheese a sort of cheddar meets béchamel blend with sharp notes amongst the creamy base my only wish is that there would have been more of everything as each flavor was so intense I’d have liked to experience a bit more before moving on to the next iteration.

With the next course perhaps the most critically acclaimed of Next’s Childhood dishes not only for its upscale concept but for its Alinea-leaning preparation, “Autumn Scene – a walk through a Michigan Forest” would prove to be every bit as good as the rumors and though perhaps a bit out of place for some a spot-on masterpiece for a young man who literally grew up in a forest. Served on a glass plank fitted to a hollowed log stuffed with smoking autumn foliage, hay, and dehydrated fruits the edible components of this dish included an amalgam of mushroom puree, blue corn polenta, maitake and matsutake mushrooms, swiss chard, broccoli, carrots, fried leeks, and various berries and vegetables forming a textural masterpiece full of flavors both sweet and savory, rich and light. With scents reminiscent of burning leaves in our back yard each autumn and smell being the most powerful cognitive cue known to man this was another dish for reminiscing and while I understand the largely grown-up concept may not work for some, the effect was quite profound for myself.

Admitting that I grew up eating more McDonalds and Burger King than I ever should have (probably a good part of the explanation for my 280lb frame entering college) but having become mostly disenchanted with beef in recent years “Hamburger – McDonald’s, Burger King, White Castle – no?” would actually prove to be the most surprising course of the evening to me as I ended up really enjoying something that at first gave me pause. Reportedly beginning with the memory of a time when former Alinea (and Avenues) chef Curtis Duffy placed short-ribs on the stove only to find it tasted like hamburger this deconstructed version of the fast food classic did indeed start with sous-vide and braised beef shortribs and subsequently paired them with caramelized onions, fried mushrooms, dried cornichons, “bun sauce with sesame seeds”, ketchup, mustard, and mayo to form something that despite all the modified tastes and textures truly did taste very much like an upscale Big-Mac; a taste I admit I haven’t experienced in easily 10 years but a taste that brought with it a flood of memories about exactly why this sandwich remains so popular even today.

Opting to omit the Biggie Fries but instead to riff on children’s most feared vegetable – Brussels sprouts – (a dish I never had to worry about as my mother hates them even today) the accoutrement to our burger would be a quintet of steamed leaves featuring “grown up” tastes spanning from creamy sprout slaw to sweet hollandaise and from textural bacon jam to nutty chestnut puree and an intense black truffle mousse. Having grown to enjoy Brussels sprouts in recent years, particularly when paired with something savory and cooked to caramelized I have to say that aside from the sprout slaw version the flavors of the vegetables themselves were quite mild but all things being equal if I could have a vegetable with the nutritional content of a Brussels Sprout and the flavor of either the bacon jam or truffle mousse version I’d make that trade in a heartbeat.

Heading towards the sweeter courses of the evening our next dish would be the Lunch Box, a clever presentation utilizing vintage lunch boxes purchased off of E-Bay and on this particular evening featuring Chocolate Banana Pudding, Wagyu Jerky, Apple-Brandy Leather, Truffled Oreos, Homemade Fun-Yuns, and a Mixed Berry Drink in a Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers Thermos. Complete with a note from Dad (as if my dad ever packed a lunch in his life) each of these concoctions was tasty but only two were truly memorable – the chocolate banana pudding being the best I’ve ever tasted by some degree and the Truffled Oreo somehow both sweet and heady with profound notes of black truffle at the same time.

With the time now past midnight but soon to get an hour back thanks to daylight savings the next dessert to arrive would be “Foie’sting and Donuts – lick it off the beater,” a duo of nicely flavored but slightly overcooked apple cider donut holes doused with cinnamon sugar and a beater – yes, a beater – of creamy vanilla frosting heavily accented with the unmistakable flavor of foie gras. Having had foie gras as a savory and as a sweet, as an appetizer and as a main, and at breakfast, lunch, and dinner I can without a doubt this was the first time I had it anything like this and although I was generally forbidden from licking beaters as a child (my mother has an irrational fear of salmonella) this reminded me again of Grandma’s house but all the better for the light foie sapor.

For the final dessert of this epic night of eating my friend and I were able to experience Chef Beran’s dream of lighting something on fire in the dining room in the form of “Sweet Potato Pie – campfire on your table,” a little bit of chemistry atop a piece of slate ignited with a blowtorch at the tableside utilizing tapioca maltodextrin with vanilla and cinnamon and ‘logs of sweet potato’ that we were instructed not to touch until it had extinguished itself. Serving as a base, eventually, for these logs the plate before us would feature Bourbon ice cream made from milk and an infusion of barrel wood, brown sugar streusel, and ginger pate de fruit while a side car arrived rich with toffee sauce.

With the fire slowly burning and eventually coming to a still it would be a matter of moments before my friend and I each grabbed a pair of logs along with several spoonfuls of charred maltodextrin that tasted precisely like burnt marshmallows and added them to our plate further gilding the proverbial lily with a hefty pour of toffee and digging in, the flavors somewhere in between that of the sweet potato marshmallow casserole served at Thanksgiving and the flavors of a soft caramel candy with the slight buttery undertones of crumbled “crust.” A lovely dessert both in flavor and execution this dish, like all the rest, was only improved by the presentation.

Sitting back fully contented by the evening but admittedly full and fatigued the last item of the evening to arrive would be a simple cup of hot cocoa, rich and creamy, plus a copy of the menu to take home. With my friend (who’d not been to Les Nomades prior, mind you) claiming the cocoa was too rich I personally found it refreshing in its simplicity and rather light compared to the “drinking chocolates” popular in many restaurants these days and sipping it slowly my only complaint was the lack of mini marshmallows – by far my favorite part of hot cocoa as a child.

With the bill, tax, and tip covered by Next’s ticketing policy and no further tables to be seated as the hour approached 1am we sat for a bit and chatted as the servers cleaned the tables around us and re-set them for the following evening while exchanging stories from childhood and more recently while also reminiscing about the meal that just passed – a meal that we both preferred to the Paris iteration in terms of food, whimsy, and service and a meal that (at least for myself) finally justified the substantial hype that Next has generated. While some may say that without the “concept” some of the food on Next – Childhood is not all that special I would tend to disagree with those assessments for a number of reasons including not only taste and quality, but also because a good part of what makes Next special is the concept and it is just that thing which will keep me coming back whenever the menu is appealing (and I can get tickets.)

Posted in Chicago, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Illinois, Next, Pork, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

November 5, 2011
5:40 PM
by: Uhockey

Les Nomades, Chicago IL

Having stepped out of my element to enjoy the Peking/Beijing Duck feast at Sun Wah during the afternoon, Saturday evening would find me back in my comfort zone as I stepped up to the quiet doors of Les Nomades at 222 East Ontario Street, just steps from the Magnificent Mile. A Chicago landmark even before its transition from private dinner club to critically acclaimed restaurant in 1993 owner Mary Beth Liccioni’s house of refined French cuisine had long been on my list of places to visit in Chicago yet unfortunately something else always seemed to grab my attention away; first L2o, then Girl and the Goat, and even on this visit RIA – at least until I found out that Chris Nugent would be quitting and that his last day would in fact be while I was in town.

Having e-mailed the restaurant to be sure that Chris would still be in house and to inquire about the possibility of a tasting menu (as opposed to the standard 4 or 5 course menu) I was assured that not only would Chef Nugent be in house, but that he would be honored to put together a tasting of some of his classics on this special night provided we arrived early and with that noted (in addition to the terrible customer service at RIA both via E-mail and Phone) a reservation was made for 5pm for two, myself and a local gourmand who reached out to me via E-mail volunteering his company.

Arriving just moments after our 5pm seating time I walked up the steps of the old turn of the century brownstone and upon entering the front door was immediately greeted by Ms. Liccioni who was working the coat check, welcoming guests, and being as perfect a host as you can expect. With my friend already waiting in the lounge we exchanged greetings and on confirming our reservation we were led by the hostess up a flight of stairs to the larger of the multiple dining rooms where a heavily linened table sat amongst a room of oil paintings, Lalique vases, and polished hardwood floors. Greeted promptly by our server, a heavily accented man who did not give his name (just as it is in Paris) we were offered water – still or sparkling – and provided next with the nightly menu and wine tome before being left to our decisions.

With my dining partner opting for a couple glasses of wine during the evening and myself sticking with water due to plans for a return trip to The Aviary or Publican afterward our waiter would return shortly as the room was beginning to fill and upon asking about the tasting he went to speak with Chef Nugent and returned moments later with a copy of the menu just drawn up moments prior. Reportedly the last tasting ever to be composed by Nugent at Les Nomades we happily agreed to the menu despite the fact that it lacked Nugent’s famous duck consomee and with that the night began.

With the room subdued and light music playing overhead a quick browse of the clientele indicated quickly that my friend and I would be the youngest persons in the room that evening and talking about any number of things while we waited the first taste of Les Nomades would arrive as the only disappointment of the evening – a room temperature bread service with nondescript butter that was simply left on the table with no description but flavors later discovered to be a rather spongy baguette, a decent whole wheat, and a nutty sesame bread which did not inspire overindulgence save for the occasional use in sopping up sauces.

With the bread sitting idly on the table our server would return shortly with the first actual dish of the evening, a three piece amuse bouche of rouge vif d’etempes Pumpkin soup, truffle foam, and a gougere. Large enough to have been a proper course and tasty enough as well I opted to first taste the soup, a creamy veloute with ample spice notes like a warm liquid pumpkin pie before adding the dollop of crème fraiche and subsequently enjoying the gougere. Sweet, savory, smooth and a touch of sour this was a nice opening volley and a good example of what was to come.

For first proper course of the evening Chef Nugent would certainly start out with the right ingredients – “Truffled Pate de foie gras, celery root, brioche” and overall the creamy foie gras was magnificent while the light bitter notes of the celery root acted to ground the flavors and a light kiss with truffle oil added its characteristic essence without overwhelming the rest of the composition. A great presentation in regard to the center of the plate my (and my dining partner’s) only issue with this plate was the paltry piece of brioche – not nearly enough for spreading or to make a difference and a bit of a disappointment considering both the poor quality of the bread basket and the fact that we would later receive a whole slice of warm brioche with our cheese course.

With the sapor of the foie still lingering the next dish to arrive would be delivered with minimal description but expert execution in the form of “Seared Diver scallop, cauliflower, braised oxtail, grain mustard oil.” Beginning first with the scallop, nicely caramelized on the exterior and nearly raw within, this U-8 monster was impeccable while the combination of light heat from the mustard oil melded nicely with the creamy puree of cauliflower and meaty but not overwhelming shredded oxtail.

For the third of our ten course tasting “Herb roasted Maine lobster, heirloom squash, sea beans, Madras curry sauce” would arrive, again with just a brief annotation of the ingredients and realizing by this point that the service at Les Nomades was much more Pre-Catelan than Per Se (IE professional but stiff, thorough but not there to be your friend) I was glad to have a dining partner. For myself one of the highlights of the evening despite the fact that I’m often underwhelmed by lobster this dish shined brightly with the butter poached and lightly roasted tail crisp and snappy while the mildly sweet squash imbued with more butter was tempered nicely by the heat from the curry. With sea beans and microgreens largely used for garnish this was certainly a heavy “French” crustacean preparation, but the use of Indian spices did a lot to keep it interesting.

Continuing a trend of exquisite preparations with tip-top ingredients “Sauteed loup de mer, lobster ragout, preserved meyer lemon, cognac” would serve the sea bass as moist and delicate as if it were sous-vide while the skin remained crisp, crunchy, and peerless in execution. Moving on to the accoutrements, a touch of greenery and some balled vegetables swimming in a broth teaming with lobster, butter, and cognac plus a light kiss of lemon topping the fish – exemplary and amongst the strongest courses of the night.

With service continuing to underwhelm – a missed spoon here, a bumbled presentation there – but pace remaining leisurely and comfortable the midway point of the meal would be marked by my second favorite savory of the night; “Trumpet Royal Mushroom risotto, veal sweetbreads, parmesan.” With the risotto toothsome and creamy despite being just a bit thin the flavors were teaming with earthy umami and light notes of cheese that paired wonderfully with the trio of small sweetbreads, crisp on the exterior, slightly gamey on mastication, and perhaps even more creamy than the risotto.

Heading in a logical progression to heavier proteins the next course of the evening would prove to be my favorite by some distance, a simply perfect preparation of Roasted Guinea hen, potato, and truffled onion ragout. Beginning first with the obvious star of the dish, the Guinea hen, the bird would prove to be one of the best I’ve ever tasted with its fatty skin crisp and flavorful while the breast itself remained moist, tender, and rich. Not to be outdone, the accompanying sauces would prove to not only stand well on their own but also to further enhance the flavors of the bird – the first a central ring of sieved potatoes that Robuchon himself would approve of and the outer ring a thickened port reduction adding just enough sweetness to balance the onion and bok choy ragout beneath the hen.

For the final savory listed on our tasting menu Chef Nugent would send out another gem in the form of “Roasted venison loin, parsnip puree, Brussels sprouts, Tokyo turnip, Armagnac aigre-doux,” a lovely piece of farm raised deer cooked just past rare and again with a lightly boozy sauce and plenty of spices and nuance to keep things lively. Ruby red and flanked to its left with earthy parsnip puree topped with cooked radish, carrot, and rutabaga the flavors were again spot on and the execution without fault but without nitpicking too much I’ll simply say that while I enjoyed the dish I also felt like I’d already experienced the same sauce presentation twice on the same menu and although everything was good the flavors were unfortunately beginning to run together.

Expecting the cheese course to arrive next Chef Nugent instead opted to surprise us with a bonus course; a sized down presentation of his menu favorite “Grilled octopus, frisée, potato, lardons, bacon vinaigrette.” Seemingly appropriate for a French menu to move from savories to desserts with a small salad and featuring some of my favorite ingredients I really appreciated this dish not only for the levity but also for the impressive use of octopus in this classic salad, a texture something like the white of an egg on a Frisee aux lardons salad but without the creamy yolk thus rendering it substantially lighter.

Unable to select from the cheese board due to the tasting menu our cheese course would instead arrive as a composed plate consisting of a single half ounce slice of the highly regarded Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese plus a touch of honey, butter nut squash puree, and some edible flowers. With the raw cow’s milk cheese featuring a bloomy rind and mild nutty notes highlighted nicely by the honey I have to say this was tasty but overall a rather weak cheese presentation given their large selection and the large slice of Brioche included would have been much more appreciated with the foie gras as there was not nearly enough cheese to justify such a large slice of bread this late in the meal.

For our transition to sweets we were next handed a slowly dissolving bowl of “Fresh Fruit Soup” featuring White Peach and Pineapple- a seemingly strange combination given the time of year but decent sweet treat and a nice palate cleanser, albeit rather unexciting.

For the grand finale of the evening the obvious dessert choice was a pair of Les Nomades famous soufflés, flavors determined by the kitchen to be Grand Marnier for myself and Raspberry for my dining partner. Arriving along with a $6 espresso and a $6 Americano and both with a good rise though not quite as tall, proud, and perfect as those in Paris (or at L2o) the flavors were subtle with the cake well matched to the sauce but overall I would have honestly preferred a bit more crackling crust to the top layer; a personal preference, but a preference none the less.

Still sipping our beverages as we finished off the soufflés a small tray of mignardises would arrive to conclude the evening just after 7:30 and although none were particularly memorable the quartet of a Vanilla Macaroon, lemon Madeline, Chocolate Ganache, and yuzu pate de fruit were all tasty and though the Madeline was a little too “cakey” the macaroon had a perfect crackling shell juxtaposing the soft creamy interior that I really enjoyed.

With the bill delivered and credit cards ready our server would arrive to gather the check along with a guest, Chef Nugent himself who took the time to come out of the kitchen and thank us for coming in plus sign the last tasting menus of his career at Les Nomades. A humble man seemingly in no hurry and with nothing but praise for both the front of the house and the kitchen staff at the Les Nomades Nugent told us about the plans for his new “Goosefoot” opening in Lincoln Square later that year, the format he hopes to follow, and career aspirations going forward (perhaps that elusive Michelin Star that Nomades was strangely never able to achieve) before again thanking us for coming in and then saying hello to other guests before returning to the kitchen.

Making our way down the stairs where my friend had valeted while I had walked we were once again greeted by Ms. Liccioni who checked in to see how everything had went and who also spent a few moments talking about the local dining scene, the Zagat vs. Michelin ratings, and the impending return of former chef Roland Liccioni to the kitchen. Pleasant and likeable Ms. Liccioni, like Chef Nugent before her, again thanked us for coming in and welcomed us to come back “soon” to see the new direction and menu under Chef Roland.

 

With farewells bid and plans to dine at Avec the following evening my friend obtained his car while I set to walking to meet up with my sister and Nate over near Fulton Market and as I walked I thought back on the experience at Les Nomades with somewhat mixed feelings, feelings I still harbor today and largely due to a sort of paradox presented by the restaurant itself – a restaurant that does everything in terms of service and style in a rather “French” way but never quite achieves even at the level of a Michelin 1* restaurant in that regard while the kitchen takes a clear French influence and blends in notes from the East seamlessly but at the same time a bit redundantly. A good meal for sure and without a doubt a great indicator of Nugent’s skill I will admit that I felt the price tag was slightly high but all things being equal the ingredients were impeccable and the experience memorable enough that Goosefoot now rests high on my list of places to visit on my next trip to Chicago whereas a return to Les Nomades would be much further down the list but certainly not something I’d be opposed to.

Posted in Bread Basket, Chicago, Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Food, Illinois, Les Nomades, Lobster, Macaroon, Madeline, Octopus, Souffle, Sweetbreads, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

November 5, 2011
12:32 PM
by: Uhockey

Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL

E-mails to Sun Wah BBQ are responded to promptly and signed “quack quack! kelly” – I mention this not only for the humor but also because it is important to know that e-mailing or calling is a good idea since the enormous restaurant fills up quickly and in order to guarantee one of the off-menu “Beijing Duck Feats” a reservation is more or less required. Oh sure they take walk-ins and the menu tops one hundred items, many of which both look and sound delicious, but honestly I just can’t imagine going to Sun Wah and not ordering the duck, a $37 three course prix-fixe (or prixe-fix on their website) easily large enough to feed a group of four, especially after a full night of dining at Alinea et al. and breakfast at Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café.

With reservations secured well in advance our arrival at Sun Wah would occur on a Saturday just after noon and with free parking allocated just down the block our short walk to the restaurant would show us a part of Chicago I’d not yet seen – a largely unpopulated industrial area without much scenery but a steady stream of persons, almost entirely Asian, entering and exiting the space at 5041 North Broadway. Stopping first to snap a picture of the myriad creatures hanging in the window – ducks, squid, pigs, chickens, and a number of fishes all in varying states of curing, roasting, or carving – we next entered the doors to find a long line waiting at the take away counter and greeted by a friendly hostess were quickly led to a table big enough for six (or so it seemed) in the center of the restaurant.

With menus presented and our waiter confirming our order for the duck so he could begin its preparation we would all spend a few moments perusing the additional menu selections and the spacious restaurant absolutely thriving with activity while each commenting that we’d never seen a place quite like Sun Wah; an experienced diner though admittedly not a frequent patron of low-to-mid priced ethic restaurants I can honestly say I’d never visited anywhere in North America before that time where ours and our waiter’s was the only English we heard during the course of the afternoon.

With our waiter seemingly serving at least half the restaurant it would be a short delay before he would return – this time with a large pot of black tea, glasses of water, and ready to field questions and take any additional orders despite his warning that “the duck is very much for three” – a warning we clearly ignored opting for two more plates of the twenty or so that sounded unique, appealing, and shockingly low priced and with black tea poured we sat and took in the scene as plate after plate and bowl after bowl streamed from the kitchen.

Rather expecting our additional courses to arrive first since I really had no idea how long it takes to prepare a proper authentic Peking Duck I was surprised when a mere twenty-five minutes after seating a cart rolled up next to our table and a two plates of steamed bao, pickled daikon radishes, celery, carrots, and hoisin sauce were delivered by our server. Greeted with a smile and “hi” the next five minutes would be a tableside show well worth the price of admission as the young woman in charge carefully cleaned the duck setting the skin on one side of the plate and the meat on the other while discarding the fat and preserving the body of the bird with a great degree of skill. Smiling as she delivered the plate to our table and subsequently returning the cart to the kitchen it was at this point that I first realized our server was absolutely right – even without accounting for the other courses this was a whole lot of food.

With the duck now on the table and each of us tasting the slightly sweet and entirely crispy skin before gathering up the bao and garnishes I can only speak for myself when I say that although not the “best” or most “prestigious” duck I’ve ever tasted this dish instantaneously committed me to putting more ethnic restaurants on my travel agendas in the future. Crunchy and savory, sweet and moist, and all the better with a slathering of the sweet hoisin and some vegetables on a pillow of bao.

With the second duck course being prepared our two additional items would arrive along with bowls, spoons, and more silverware making me suddenly realize that the “table for six” I’d originally seen was barely enough room for three with all this food but all things being equal considering the price and quality of the food I was okay with an overabundance, beginning first with a “small” order of “Mike’s Fried Chicken” that seemed anything but small unless compared directly to the duck and although largely similar in texture to the duck a dish I was glad to experience due to the flavor unique flavor notes of chili and onion permeating the skin along with a slightly funky sweet undertone that I couldn’t quite place.

Moving on to our second bonus dish I decided to order something with Fish Balls as I’d heard great things about those at Sun Wah and on discussion with my dining partners we opted for a bowl of Fish ball and Shrimp dumpling noodle soup, a clear broth teaming with dried seafood flavors and large well cooked pieces of celery, bok choy, and onion plus a handful of ramen style noodles, four large Har Gow, and at least six ping-pong ball sized fish balls teaming with the flavors of what I believe was cod but infinitely smoother, a texture something akin to a hardboiled egg yolk but vastly more delicious.

Working slowly on the duck, soup, and chicken and realizing that we were either leaving leftovers or taking some home for later the second course of our Beijing Duck feast would arrive in a portion nearly twice that of the first with a bowl of duck broth, parsley, and winter-melon containing at least a liter of fluid and a plate of hearty duck fried rice with bits of dark meat, bamboo shoots, plenty of soy, and small chopped scallions that easily topped three cups in cooked size. With both nicely prepared and plenty of duck flavor to be noted I have to say that I felt somewhat bad sending much of the broth back to the kitchen and boxing up nearly 2 cups of the rice simply to save capacity for dinner later but at the same time I hear from my sister that it reheated quite well two days later for lunch en route back to Ohio and that it tasted even better with some of the leftover duck leg mixed in.

With our server returning to the table and chuckling “I told you it was a lot of food” but then complimenting how much soup and duck we’d actually managed to consume he asked if we’d like to box up the one left over leg, 4 bao, rice, and broth but fearing that the broth may spill in the car we opted to take only the solids home and returning with the standard Chinese take-out boxes he additionally presented three small bowls of ginger sorbet and a trio of fortune cookies, the first nearly impossible to cut with a spoon as it was so cold but overall quite tasty and refreshing after a hefty meal and the second informing me that misbehaving is okay while foretelling Nate’s demise and my sister’s continued happiness.

With boxes bagged and the bill paid – a bargain at $65 including tax and tip considering the $120 per duck price at Eleven Madison Park (better than Sun Wah) or the $38 match stick of duck breast at Meadowood (not better than Sun Wah) – we made our way to the door past an ever growing line of patrons picking up their takeout orders and emerged to the street quite full but not “stuffed” and ready to do some walking at the Robie house and myself more ready than ever to begin exploring more of the city’s lesser known ethnic eats on future visits.

Posted in Chicago, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Illinois, Sun Wah BBQ, Vacation

November 4, 2011
6:47 PM
by: Uhockey

Alinea [3], Aviary [2], The Office, Chicago IL

Those who know me will realize that I very rarely visit the same restaurant twice and save for a little breakfast spot in Hollywood the concept of visiting someplace three times is unheard of – unheard of until my most recent trip to Chicago when I once again willingly played the reservation game for nearly an hour to land a reservation at the best restaurant on this side of the Atlantic, Alinea. While perhaps a bit muted in light the recent successes and hype surrounding Next and The Aviary it goes without saying that Alinea remains Chef Achatz’s number one priority and with my sister and her friend visiting town for the SOFA art exhibit and a tour of Crucial Design studio it seemed only appropriate that they too should experience the magic happening at 1723 North Halsted and as such reservations were made for three persons at 6:30pm during our first day in town.

Without going into substantial details regarding my previous experiences at Alinea (they’re here in the blog to those who are interested) I’ll simply say that on the whole my first two visits were every bit as good as I’d hoped and although the second visit was slightly less magical than the first I had no reason to suspect that my third visit would be anything less than stunning Sure the two menus (tour and tasting) have since been condensed into one somewhat shorter experience while the average duration of the meal was slightly decreased to accommodate two seatings per night, but considering the fact that only three previously experienced items remained on the menu from nearly 18 months prior expectations were high for all and without belaboring issues such as our welcome, service, seating, and course presentations (all peerless) I will simply jump to what matters most – the food.

Having declined wine as we had plans for Aviary and The Office following our meal the night began shortly after seating and a welcome from our captain when the pumpkin centerpiece was lifted revealing the carved base to hold three service pieces supporting “Pumpkin, Curry, Sage, Coconut” a rich and creamy pumpkin cake with savory notes and the texture of pumpkin pie topped with coconut cream, bergamot flowers, and chili. Rich, satisfying, and impressively nuanced without being the least bit spicy – a perfect opening volley readying the palate for what was next.

For the second course of the night a large piece of driftwood draped with Pacific kelp would arrive to the table carrying a quartet of bites (each detailed as an individual selection on our 21 item menu.) With instructions provided to consume them in a specific order this “petit plateau of shellfish” would begin with a bite that was actually not seafood at all titled “Oyster Leaf, mignonette” featuring a locally grown import of the Scottish leaf topped lightly with shallot mignonette and tasting precisely like an oyster without any of the creaminess but plenty of brine.

Moving next to the proper sea creatures the trio would consist of “Lobster, Queen Anne’s Lace, huitlacoche, meyer lemon” topped with roasted tomatillo – a tasty claw with sweet, sour, earth, and acid all in nice balance, “Mussel, saffron, chorizo, oregano” – a briny bite well balanced by the spice of the pork and sweetness provided by orange juice, and finally “Razor Clam, carrot, soy, daikon” – the best bite of the quartet with the meaty bivalve first fried on the hibachi and then re-inserted in its shell and joined by savory xo sauce, crisp cucumber, and a delicate ginger/carrot tapioca; by far the most exquisite use of razor clam ever to grace my tongue.

With pace quite excellent and the room now full the next item to arrive at our table was a sealed vacuum pot similar to a coffee siphon and filled with a multitude of leaves and spices. With the burner lit we were instructed “don’t touch – this is for later” and left to watch the contraption bubble and brew for a few moments before our next course, the Alinea classic “Yuba, shrimp, miso, togarashi” would arrive. Having already experienced this dish twice I listened as the server again described the preparation of the fried soymilk skin wrapped in a gulf prawn and topped with sesame seeds, chives, pickled onions, orange taffy, and a “Japanese spice blend” before being dipped in miso mayo and with a “bon appetite” I once again took a bite and instantly remembered exactly why this dish has remained on the menu for so long; sweet, savory, crispy, creamy, and just a little bit of spice…the sort of dish that never becomes less compelling (even if it is the ‘worst’ of Alinea’s three ever-present signatures in my humble opinion.)

With the vacuum pot now beginning to percolate and generate pressure forcing the liquid contents into the upper bulb our captain would again return with a dish that didn’t particularly wow my sister, but a dish whose concept alone left me in awe. Describing the dish as being based on the fact that so many places try to make tofu taste like other things, “Scallop acting like agedashi tofu” was presented as Alinea’s take on making something the texture of tofu, in this case a scallop puree with soymilk and grapeseed oil steamed and seared to a nearly custard consistency and topped with carrot, radish, and shiso prior to being ladled with spoonfuls of broth from the vacuum laden with notes seaweed, chili, bonito, and garlic. A clever dish with a distinctly Asian spin I guess the texture may not be for everyone, but for myself this was chawanmushi at its best, sweet and smooth with just a bit of brine and plenty of umami.

For the next course we received not only a bowl but also a story and when it was all said and done “Brook trout reflections of Steve Stallard” would prove to be the second best dish I have ever had at Alinea. Named as an ode to Chef Achatz’s friend who normally provides his whole harvest of Brook Trout roe to Alinea this dish opted to pair the roe with the entirety of the fish – head, spine, tail, fillets, and fins – in a glass bowl along with Michigan maple syrup, pecans, wild puffed rice, nasturtium flowers, and white beans both whole and pureed. Again complicated in a way that very few can achieve with such finesse this was the sort of dish where each bite presented an entirely different experience – some intense and briny while others were creamy and sweet with the best for myself being half of the maple syrup bubble paired with a dollop of roe, a bit of the bean puree, and the crispy fish head in a single spoonful.

Described as a “fall classic” at Alinea, “Pheasant, apple, shallot, burning leaves” would arrive next via the squid and like both my previous experiences with items presented in such a manner the tempura battered sous-vide breast was paired rather simply – in this case with shallot and apple cider – before being speared and served on a burning aromatic in the form of burning leaves. A single bite and entirely delicious another part of the fun of this course was being the first table in our room to enjoy it as we had the chance to relive it thrice more as other tables were served the smoldering foliage.

With the crystal chalice and classic cutlery arriving next I knew it was time for the classic preparation of the evening but throwing us a curve ball this was not the Escoffier classic of past menus but instead a rustic dish served family style that Chef Achatz had experienced during a trip to Sicily. Entitled “Swordfish, caponata, mint, panella” and served with a spicy red wine labeled Tenuta della Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2008 this dish would feature a sweet and spicy caponata made with fried eggplant, caper, olive, pine nuts, and tomato alongside garlic mint wrapped swordfish, crispy chickpea crackers, and a light garlic mint pesto. Large in portion and bold in flavor each item of the trio was nicely prepared, but without a doubt the caponata was the star of the show, particularly when enjoyed along with a bite of the fish and a pinch of the provided sea salt.

With the largest savory of the evening having again proven the kitchen’s ability to perform beyond the realm of “modernist cuisine” the next dish would be the smallest savory of the evening – a single bite and my first experience with the antenna service piece entitled “Woolly Pig, fennel, orange, squid.” Surprisingly simple and precisely as described with the fennel served both cooked and raw this was actually my first taste of wooly pig and although mellowed by the citrus I quite liked the heavy degree of salinity provided by the 2 –year aged pig though I admittedly could taste none of the sea squid, a component seemingly used for texture only.

For the pillow course a dish entitled “Wild Mushrooms, pine, sumac, ramp” would arrive featuring Matisutake, Maitake, Chanterelle, and Hon Shimeji mushrooms in varying degrees of preparation mixed with pine cream, Sumac Breadcrumbs, pickled ramps, fried shallots, thyme, wild lettuce, and mushroom reduction. Slightly awkward as it always is eating off of a pillow the dish was presented with jokes about one of the servers frequently dumping this plate on guests (“just joking, just joking”) but once the pillow deflated a bit filling the air with the light essence of vaporized pine this course would prove to be my second favorite of the evening, a flawless “woodsy” amalgam that trumped even the much raved “Walk in the Forest” at Next the following day.

For the next course another classic would arrive in the form “Hot potato, cold potato, black truffle, butter.” As good as ever and a favorite of everyone at the table there really is not much more I can say about this dish – it is simply breathtaking and one of those signature bites that all gourmands should experience at least once.

With a trio of purple flags arriving just before wooly pig the next course would be the night’s wrap, another favorite of everyone at the table and in this iteration “Venison, red cabbage, mustard, paprika” would deliver huckleberry roasted venison to be placed inside the red cabbage flag and topped with bell pepper salad, pearl onion, mustard bacon vinaigrette, potato custard with Hungarian paprika, and pilsner beer jelly. Described as “Alinea’s take on Hungarian goulash” I will simply say that coming from a Hungarian background this was most certainly not the goulash my grandmother made, but rather a sweet, savory, and smoky wrap that ranks amongst the best uses of venison, mustard, and pilsner beer that I have ever experienced.

Served in the rounded hand bowl “Pork Belly, eggplant, coriander, long pepper” would arrive next showcasing a tender piece of supple belly, roasted eggplant, and coriander on the fork with Vidalia Onion bisque and long pepper foam to be sipped in the base. Savory and tasty but probably my least favorite course of the night the highlight of this dish for myself was actually the intensely sweet and spicy bisque while my sister, sister not a fan of pork belly (“meat Jello”,) stated that her vegetarian version was “really good.”

For the next savory course Chef Achatz would find inspiration in a London housed painting by Miro for a tabletop arrangement appropriately titled “Squab inspired by Miro.” Beginning first by spraying and polishing the table with black tea this course was presented with nine forks and spoons arranged ‘as random as possible’ and containing “Squab, Foie Gras…and the rest is for you to figure out” as two large vessels spewed forth a light lavender aroma that washed over the table and permeated the air. With no specific instructions on how to eat this save for placing the used utensils in the silver vessels the next six minutes would prove an adventurous blind tasting of squab, foie gras, celery root with pumpernickel, Picholine olive, lavender noodle, duck fat with blis vinegar, yellow plum, and fig – all but the noodle and duck fat being guessed spot on by our trio and all in all a great bit of fun.

With the previous course being an exercise in whimsy the last classic of the evening would arrive as our final savory and for the third time “Black Truffle explosion, romaine, parmesan” would simply prove to be the best piece of pasta I have ever consumed; an assessment shared by both my companions and like hot potato/cold potato a dish that should be experienced by anyone truly interested in fine dining; a classic every bit on par with Oysters and Pearls or the L’Arpege Egg and a bite that if it was offered as a bite at Aviary I would gladly pay $10+ for over and over again.

Moving to desserts our palate cleanser would see the “transparencies” of past meals replaced by a liquid nitrogen chilled rolling pedestal entitled “Snow, yuzu.” Instructed to scrape and not lick this veritable snow cone the flavors were the very essence of yuzu, sweet but tart, and my sister compared it favorably to the frozen lemonades one would buy at the zoo or an amusement park, a childhood (and adulthood) favorite of hers.

For our nineteenth menu item of the night a geographic landscape would be presented as servers joked “you know how chef loves his squares” and with a color palate of whites, greens, and soft yellows “Anjou Pear, Jasmine, Basil, Balsamic” was described. Featuring gels, foams, papers, dehydrations, gelees, nougats, ice creams, and marshmallows of the aforementioned ingredients along with balsamic, almonds, and crème fraiche this complicated presentation would prove largely to be quite similar to a caprese salad with pears replacing tomatoes and bite by bite the plate provided at least fifty different experiences depending on your choice of ingredients; my favorite being the balsamic gelee, frozen basil, sous vide pear, and a touch of cubed crème fraiche.

Nearing the end and replacing the bubblegum I’d experienced twice in the past “Lemongrass, dragonfruit, thai basil, finger lime” would arrive in the long glass tube and with instructions to suck on the close end of the tube the admixture would rocket back into my mouth first with flavors of sweet and minty then followed by notes of cilantro and lime. Chuckling as I watched the expression on Nate and Erika’s faces this delivery mechanism really never gets old though overall I think I preferred the bubblegum flavor of the past slightly more.

For the final presentation of the evening the silpat would arrive first followed shortly thereafter by two large chocolate colored vessels, a quartet of small bowls, a steaming pot of liquid nitrogen, and finally by Chef Achatz with apron surprisingly stained and face appearing slightly sullen and stern without speaking a word (a trend we noted with each of the other tabletop presentations in the room as well.) Beginning first by placing the two vessels at the center of the table and filling each with an ample amount of liquid nitrogen Chef Achatz next proceeded to drizzle the table with reductions of Lingonberry Syrup, Citrus and butternut squash reduction, and Goose Island Caramel Stout before dusting the entirety of the table with edible citrus marigold flowers and subsequently lifting each of the vessels and dropping them to the table where they shattered releasing contents that can best be described as the result of breaking open a child’s Halloween basket or perhaps a piñata. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Q_-sZIEXY

With chocolate notes predominating some bites while flavors of the squash, berries, and stout punctuated others this enormous dessert went slowly – easily over the course of twenty to thirty minutes as we playfully explored its contents; everything from cotton candy and fruit roll-ups to cookies and candies such as house made twizzlers and corn nuts. With bites of brioche, balls of butterscotch, and crumbles tasting both like gingerbread and kettle corn rounding out the experience all I can say is that was a dessert as well suited for a child’s dream as it was for fine dining and as we finished the final spoonfuls our server stopped by with a look of surprise stating “wow, impressive, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone clean the table quite so well.”

Having pre-arranged for a reservation at the Aviary following dinner we declined coffee with our desserts and with everyone satiated and my sister bordering on ‘full’ we requested the bill and thanked our servers before requesting a quick visit to the kitchen where we were handed a card to give to the doorman at Aviary in order to skip the line. Once again a stellar meal from beginning to end and equally enjoyable to the veteran and the first time visitor I will simply say that although I think we may have caught Chef Achatz himself on a rather ‘off’ night in regard to his mood the service, food, and experience at Alinea was still beyond reproach, a three hour opus that never fails to wow and a place that I will continue to visit whether solo, with friends, or with family just to see what they think of next.

With the car delivered by the valet and our golden ticket in hand it was with minimal effort that we found our way to Aviary and just as promised we arrived as expected guests and waltzed through the line as though we were somehow important (a strange feeling in the setting of a guy trying to bribe his way in the door by claiming to be a senator’s son) before being ushered inside. Greeted like old friends we were told that our table was ready and with a simple request we were additionally assured that “if something should open up in The Office we’ll take you right down” before being led all the way to the back, in the very heart of the action, where my sister and her friend took the couch while I occupied a comfortable chair that most certainly could have lulled me to sleep given the meal beforehand had the restaurant not been so loud.

Greeted next by our server, a slightly condescending fellow who opted to make assumptions that we’d never been to Aviary (or seen a menu) before we were first asked if we ‘understood’ how the menu worked and confirming that we did indeed he said “oh great” before running off only to return fifteen minutes later to take our order. Clearly overworked (and with his 18% tip already guaranteed) when the waiter finally did return he took our orders without further questioning or ado before heading back to the kitchen for yet another round of beverages while we sat chatting and trying to decide whether indoor sunglass wearers or the pumping techno were more disappointing.

With the lounge full and the lights dimmed even further as we sat it would be perhaps ten minutes before our beverages would arrive and at this point, as though replaced by an entirely different server, our waiter suddenly appeared bright, cheerful, and conversant as he described each of the cocktails in length beginning first with Maraschino, Barrel –Aged, Applewood, tequila, a stiff drink ordered by my sister because she thought it sounded “girly” but a drink that was in fact the most boozy of the night with sharp notes of tequila mingling with notes of smoke and sweet around an orb of ice carved to fit the glass.

Moving next to the more interesting selections, for myself and Nate we ordered the Cider, Cinnamon, White Verjus, Apple Brandy and Chartreuse, Pineapple, Blueberry, Honeydew, Mint respectively and with each came a lovely drink with a great degree of creativity. Beginning first with the hard cider served in the infuser bottle previously used for “Blueberry” the drink started out as merely a delicious golden cider but slowly progressed to a rosy herbal infusion with notes of cinnamon, rosemary, and pine beneath the sweet top notes – a perfect drink for those with a low tolerance as it encourages slow sipping and savoring. Moving next to the Chartreuse, cleverly served as three separate glasses in the box originally intended to contain the bottle this progression started with mild yellow chartreuse imbued with blueberry soda and a mint ice cube followed by green chartreuse laced with honeydew and a mint cube, and finally to an admixture of green and yellow blend with pineapple and yet another cube. With each tasty it was hard to call a “favorite,” but all things being equal I really enjoyed the sweetness of the yellow and blueberries never hurt anything.

Slowly sipping and progressively finding the “scene” to be less off-putting than when we first arrived it would be perhaps an hour after seating that the man from the door would approach us to ask if we would now like to “visit the office,” an offer we surely would not decline despite the time nearing 11:00pm and myself having been up since nearly 4:00am EST. Told that we could settle the tab upstairs while our seat was arranged downstairs we thanked our server and chuckled at the bill before paying and being escorted down the stairs to an unmarked room just next to the bathroom; a door opened with a key to reveal a dark room nearly 100% different than that above.

Admitting my respect for Chef Achatz and his creativity from the very first time I heard of Alinea I have to say that for someone who largely does not drink alcohol or (ever) go out to bars my reasons for wanting to visit The Office were mostly to see what it was all about, say I’d been there, and to check out the food menu; I feel no shame in admitting that and neither should anyone else because it is a simple fact of human nature that exclusivity (especially for something of high quality) has a direct correlation with desirability and all things being equal The Office is about as ‘exclusive’ as it gets.

Dark and serene with oil paintings dotting the wall and only two servers plus a bartender working the room it was mere moments after entering The Office and plopping down on the softest leather couch I’ve ever found that we were greeted by our waitress, a cheerful young woman who welcomed us in a style more befitting Alinea than Aviary and presented us with menus for both food and beverages. Making small talk and apparently informed that we’d dined at Alinea earlier in the evening she informed us that she would be going for the first time on Sunday and inquiring about the menu she appeared as much a “fan” as an employee and leaving us to make our decisions I instantly felt much more comfortable in the relaxed confines and low light of The Office than I ever could have upstairs.

With menu prices earmarked to fit the experience we spent a few moments debating our choices before our server would arrive and after asking about the portion size of the foie gras (5oz and topped with black truffles) I debated the order to which our server mused that if I could eat that after a meal at Alinea she’d place my picture on the wall (a tempting offer that if she had such authority I’d have certainly taken her up on.) Deciding against such gluttony largely because no one else in the group enjoys foie (and because it gives me an obvious reason to return) we instead placed our orders for three drinks and a something equally gluttonous but vastly more sharable.

With time moving slow down in the office due to the low light, low noise level, and lack of windows we spent some more time chatting and browsing the works on the wall before our beverages would arrive, my sister again ordering the most punchy of the group in the form of Bourbon, Pecan, Cinnamon, Thyme, Lemon, Sparkling Cider served with a similarly carved ice ball to the drink upstairs. Intense and spicy with the pecan notes particularly lingering on the finish this would prove to be the sort of drink that benefitted by letting the ice melt just a bit as the flavors better separated out as the alcohol was diluted.

Moving next to Nate’s selection, the sweet but slightly-too-hopsy-for-my-palate “Kirsch, Cherry, Thai Long Peppercorn, Flemish Ale” would prove to be a favorite at the table but at the same time also a confirmation that no matter how good the preparation or ingredients I’m simply not a beer guy.

For my choice, the “Gin, Huckleberry, Averna, Clove, Angostura, Eggwhite, Black Pepper” would prove to be my favorite drink of the evening with the frothy eggwhite head providing a smooth foil to the black pepper while the admixture of alcohol, berries, and cloves shined beneath with an almost fruit-punch smoothness punctuated by unique herbal tones that I’m guessing derived from the Sicilian Averna.

Enjoying our beverages the grand finale of nearly 7 hours of Achatz would arrive in the form of the “Ice Cream Sundae for two” modified for three ($12.50/each.) Beginning first with the arrival of a nearly twenty-inch diameter crystal Lazy-Susan laden with gummy bears, crushed Oreos and chocolate toffee bars, maraschino cherries, salty peanuts, fresh bananas, and hand whipped cream and subsequently followed by three silver chalices with at least two cups of hand churned vanilla ice cream in each plus a porcelain pitcher of melted milk chocolate the whole experience was quite like being a kid at a sundae shop and just like said children the next half hour was spent with each of us dabbling with the various ingredients to form the “perfect” sundae. With the ice cream dense, smooth, creamy, and intensely vanilla I will simply note that while some may think $37.50 seems expensive I personally found the experience to be every bit worth it for both the quality and the quantity of the ingredients and considering the cost of “designer” ice cream these days I actually did not find the cost all that substantial at all.

Returning to find our ice cream bowls, the chocolate vessel, bananas, whipped cream, and cherries gone as we picked at the Oreos and Toffee our server noted that she was “impressed” (the second time I’d heard this after dessert that night) and asking us if there was anything else we’d like I joked that I was still pretty sure I could handle the foie gras to which she laughed and said she’d get the tab – a hand written bill sealed in wax with tax and tip again included – and with the bill paid we relaxed for a bit more before making our way to the door, the hour now just after midnight and all of us with smiles on our faces for a night we won’t soon forget.

Posted in Alinea, Chicago, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Illinois, Lobster, Octopus, Pork, Tasting Menu, The Aviary, The Office, Truffle, Vacation

November 4, 2011
10:53 AM
by: Uhockey

Xoco, Bleeding Heart Bakery Cafe, Marmalade, Chicago IL

Without a doubt my favorite city for breakfast this most recent three day trip to Chicago would logically include three breakfasts – the first a solo jaunt to celebrity chef Rick Bayless’ highly regarded take on Mexican Street food, Xoco, that occurred no more than 60 minutes after my plane landed at ORD. Having been mildly impressed by the brunch at Frontera in the past and much more so by lunch at Michelin Starred Topolobampo shortly thereafter I went into my breakfast at Xoco with relatively high expectations and, thankfully, came away thoroughly impressed.

Having mentioned Xoco’s more laid back approach to Bayless’ cuisine I was not surprised to find the restaurant featuring a cafeteria style ordering format, but what I was surprised to find was the lack of a line – something that had prevented previous attempts to visit Xoco, particularly during a February visit when the temperatures were near zero. Greeted promptly on entering I was asked if I was ready to order and after a few questions regarding the daily rotating selection of pastries and empanadas I made my choices, was handed a number, and found seating near the door where I could watch the traffic on Clark Street.

Sitting for mere moments sipping my water (both still and sparkling are complimentary and on tap) while listening to the festive overhead soundtrack one of a trio of servers would arrive with my first item; the daily Muffin featuring Honeycrisp Apple, Pecan Frangipan, and Sugar Brandy Glaze served warm and absolutely full of shredded apples balanced adeptly by soft notes from the frangipan. Always impressed by Chef Bayless’ ability to incorporate a multitude of tastes, textures, and spices into his food the soft interior was only improved through the use of large Belgian vanilla sugars coating the outside and the slight nose of brandy punctuated by cinnamon; a truly great start and a veritable bargain at $2.50.

With my muffin only half gone as I coordinated a meeting place with my sister via text my “main course” of the morning would arrive perhaps ten minutes after seating in the form of “Torreja,” or “Mexican style French Toast” as it was described by my server. Beginning first with the French Toast itself, a personal favorite for vacation breakfast, it may sound like hyperbole but I’d place the Torreja amongst the top 5 I have ever tasted as the thick bread was perfectly caramelized on the exterior and nearly a liquid custard on the interior – a veritable bread pudding, if you will. With notes of cinnamon prevailing and topped amply with Gunthorp bacon-pecan sprinkles the sweet/savory balance was quite impressive to begin with, but all the moreso with the addition of local pure maple syrup. Gilding the lily? Absolutely.

With the French Toast still wowing me my “dessert” (yes, at breakfast!) would arrive last in the form of Xoco’s most famous item – a single “Mexican doughnut” or Churro heavily dusted with spicy cinnamon and sugar plus a “Hot Chocolate Shot” on the side for dunking. Crispy on the outside, soft within, and perfectly accented by the slightly fruity pure Mexican cocoa I cannot say this was the absolute best Churro I’ve ever had, but considering the price and the quality of the chocolate my only regret in ordering it was that I didn’t go for the trio and pair it with a cup of Xoco’s drinking cocoa, though all things considering there was plenty more eating to do on this trip and given the quality (and modest price) I’ve no doubt I will be back.

After a long night of fun at Alinea, the Aviary, and The Office I woke up early to run while my companions slept in but once we were all finally up and moving it was a quick trip to breakfast at a place that was familiar but different, the Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café near the Ukrainian Village.

Having once in the past visited the Bleeding Heart Bakery in Roscoe Village and leaving with a good impression I will admit that up until the day before our departure I was actually entirely unaware of the Café, but considering past experience and the diversity of the menu Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café became a “must visit” the moment I became aware of its existence; how could I argue with a place featuring three forms of French Toast, three types of pancakes, and an array of baked goods topping fifty that is open for more than fifty straight hours each and every weekend?

With reservations not necessary our arrival at Bleeding Heart would be just after 9am and with parking ample we entered the restaurant to find it surprisingly large and even more impressively damn near filled. Greeted by a hostess and led swiftly to a four-top as I dilly-dallied in front of the pasty case we would soon find ourselves seated amidst the hustle and bustle where we were soon greeted by our server, Adora, who handed us menus and offered us water and beverages; one tea, one coffee, and one ‘just water’ before heading back to the kitchen to drop off another round of plates. With the noise level loud and the restaurant clearly understaffed I have to admit that Adora actually proved to be quite the server stopping by frequently to check in on us and to refill beverages despite the fact that she was covering a minimum of fifteen tables.

With the restaurant’s decoration quite funky while an equally whimsical soundtrack played overhead we each spent a few moments perusing the menu and then the pastry case before Adora returned to take our orders and with our selections confirmed as “excellent, but that’s a lot of food” I next took leave from the table to check out the enormous bakery in back as well as the cake decorating station up front where a large heavily tattooed gentleman was designing a cake themed to Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. A clean operation from front to back I have to say I liked the atmosphere and design of the café much more than the dank Roscoe Village location and although the predominance of hipsters is substantial, the restaurant was definitely an all ages, races, and genders affair with everyone seemingly having an excellent time.

As our hot items were being prepared the first plate to arrive would be a quartet of baked goods including three doughnuts and a Sweet Potato Cinnamon Roll. With the cinnamon roll sweet, soft, and buttery but the sweet potato largely undetectable the more interesting doughnuts would all prove to be excellent and included the “Chicago Blues” Yeast donut with fresh opal basil and crushed seedling farms blueberry glaze, “Los Angelos” espresso fueled chocolate donut soaked in chocolate liquer, glazed in mocha syrup, topped with a “chocolate cigarette” and “The Death of John Waters Divine Donut” maple whisky soaked yeasted donut with candied bacon crust. Sharing and sampling it is hard for me to pick which was best, but overall I really loved the use of the minty lemon tinge of the opal basil in the Chicago Blues and the whisky notes in the John Waters, both every bit on par with the selections at Doughnut Vault for my favorite doughnuts all time.

Moving next to our main courses, four were ordered for the three of us, beginning first with the Wild Mushroom Polenta Benedict with Roasted Red Peppers and Persimmon Hollandaise, a nicely prepared pair of poached free range eggs resting atop baked rounds of cheesy polenta studded with mushrooms and topped with slightly sweet and spicy hollandaise. Never one to fancy peppers so early in the day I was happy to see that these peppers were cooked to a caramelized sweetness largely nulling the heat while the roasted potatoes accompanying were kissed with chives and thyme plus ample notes of butter.

For a second savory selection I simply could not resist the Vegan biscuits and gravy with wild mushroom gravy, a hefty plate with two large and fluffy almond and rice milk biscuits topped with thick and creamy gravy laden with woodsy notes and ample black pepper. Certainly not the most attractive of dishes (then again, when are biscuits and gravy attractive?) the dish was additionally complimented with two nicely poached eggs (double cooked tofu available for the true vegans) adding another layer of smoothness and flavor to the already decadent dish while also serving to slightly mellow the pepper, particularly after the addition of a dash of salt.

Moving on to more sweets, one of the driving forces bringing me to Bleeding Heart was the Chocolate Chip Pancakes with organic peanut butter, caramelized bananas, and candied maple bacon and thankfully it turned out to be every bit as good as it sounded. Perhaps not the most attractive of dishes at first glance given the plating of the peanut butter as a big glob I was willing to overlook this small issue the moment I took a bite of the fluffy pancakes (far less dense than those at Bongo Room, though not as light as those at m.henry) and the sweet/savory amalgam resting atop. Healthy? Of course not. Delicious? Amongst the best in the city.

For our final plate the selection came down to the doughnut sandwich versus the French Toast and given the fact that we’d already enjoyed a trio of doughnuts we opted for the later in the form of Chocolate Brioche French Toast with bittersweet chocolate ganache, chocolate shavings, fresh whipped cream, and seasonal fruit. Beginning first with the bread, both a pro and a con was the inclusion of a substantial amount of chocolate which although delicious prevented the toast from becoming truly saturated as such leaving it slightly doughy on the interior while the exterior was nicely cooked and delicious. Moving next to the toppings, everything from the chocolate ganache and shavings to the whipped cream to the fruits (save for honeydew which I dislike) was fresh, tasty, and all the better when complimented with pure maple syrup.

With everything served hot, quick, and with a smile while drinks remained full despite the busyness of the restaurant I can say without a doubt that Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café has now landed amongst my top three breakfasts in Chicago along with m.henry/henrietta and Southport Grocery Café. With a substantial menu and a bakery with at least twenty more options I’d have liked to try I’d definitely recommend Bleeding Heart to anyone except those with a low tolerance for noise and to those folks I’d still recommend it, just go during the “off hours” which should be easy to find since they’re open, quite literally, all weekend long.

For our final breakfast of the trip, after a night that included two dinners (the first at Les Nomades and the second a chance occurrence that landed me at a table at NEXT,) I found myself again with my sister and her friend at a newcomer to the local brunch scene, a space called Marmalade that has been getting some good word of mouth from a couple of trusted mouths especially in regard to their sweet breakfast options.

Arriving early, only perhaps forty-five minutes after Marmalade had opened its doors and again allocating free parking without difficulty but on our arrival to the doors we were instantly struck by just how packed the restaurant was – literally every seat was filled and parties of eight, four, and two preceded us on the wait list. Debating whether or not we wanted to stay the hostess informed us that in her opinion the wait would be “no more than fifteen minutes” and deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt we were pleasantly surprised when a number of patrons all seemed to finish their meal at once leaving us a nice seat near the window and with full view of the kitchen a mere ten minutes later.

With the restaurant clearly busy and menu present on the table as we arrived I took some time browsing the bakery items before returning to my seat and from this point forward we would wait while watching what may be the most inefficient restaurant in the history of overcrowded brunch spots. With servers racing here and there refilling drinks, bussing tables, serving foods, brewing labor intensive espressos, seating patrons, and just trying to keep up it would be at least fifteen minutes after we were seated before our server would even notice us to take drink orders – water only – before again racing off without taking our order. Finally returning only after she’d bussed a table and served another we finally had the opportunity to place our orders…and wait , wait, and wait some more with empty water glasses until our orders arrived.

Chuckling at the clever paintings and number of persons now waiting outside while musing about how much more efficient the restaurant could be by simply adding a dedicated bus-boy and barista/bakery worker the first item to arrive at our table would prove nearly worth the wait – a Sweet Potato and sour Cherry Muffin dense and moist with flavors of cinnamon and cloves punctuated by large cherries impressively ripe for this time of year. A bit small for the $3.50 price tag and certainly not as impressive as that at Xoco only 2 days prior this was still a good muffin and the streusel topping plenty sweet to offset the slight savory notes of the sweet potato.

Now nearly fifty minutes post-seating our main courses would finally arrive and although each was complicated none was as much so as the “Jason’s Omelette,” a three egg fold absolutely stuffed with sweet potato, butternut squash, pumpkin, caramelized onions, cranberries, cognac chicken sausage, goat cheese and topped with a red wine reduction. A difficult flavor to describe though largely predominated by the boozy notes of the wine and cognac melding with the savory notes from the cheese and the onions I’m really not sure that I “liked” this kitchen sink approach, though it was definitely novel and something I could envision myself making on the morning before I left on vacation to use up various odds and ends in my fridge.

Moving next to the sweets, my sister’s selection for the morning was the “Mango and blueberry cinnamon roll presented cut in half served with warm mangos and blueberries, smothered with cream cheese icing and sprinkled with granola.” Again an interesting option and arriving large and colorful this dish began and ended with the cinnamon roll, a decent representation that I had expected to be cooked something like French toast (a la Yolk,) which was simply plated and topped with the aforementioned ingredients – all a bit out of season and not particularly sweet without the addition of the icing. Overall a bit disappointing especially given the price I think Marmalade would be better served to alter the ingredients seasonally or to rethink the preparation of the cinnamon roll (or both.)

For the final selection my choice for the morning would be “Marmalade’s Breakfast Gingerbread Pudding,” the best option of the morning by far with the dense gingerbread perfectly soaked but toasted on the top and served piping hot. Good on its own the pudding was additionally complimented by the addition of raspberry marmalade, orange marmalade, and thick crème anglaise. A small portion overall but substantially sweet I would strongly recommend this dish to anyone and to Marmalade I’d recommend serving it all week long instead of only during weekend brunch as it was without a doubt their most well conceptualized and executed item.

With my sister and her friend now bordering on running late for their tour of Crucial Design studio the delivery of our check would again be delayed but once it arrived we were encouraged to pay up front at the hostess stand – another design flaw as this is also where people waiting for a seat are forced to stand – but in this case a lucky occurrence as the restaurant’s owner was standing there eliciting feedback – opinions I was more than willing to give and opinions that he was happy to receive noting that they were in the process of streamlining the service procedures and that they were “still learning what works” – a good practice for any restaurant, especially one that is already quite popular and functioning in a market with so many great alternatives.

Posted in Bleeding Heart, Bleeding Heart Bakery Cafe, Bread Pudding, Breakfast, Chicago, Coffee, Dessert, Food, French Toast, Illinois, Marmalade, Pancakes, Pork, Vacation, Xoco

November 4, 2011
7:43 AM
by: Uhockey

Ancillary Eats, Chicago IL

In my traditional fashion I overplanned and as usual the agenda contained far more stops than we would logically have time (or stomach capacity) for, yet when it was all said and done my most recent trip to the Windy City proved to be a ~66 hour jaunt with no less than 15 stops. With selections ranging from coffee and canele to a Chris Nugent’s last day at Les Nomades and from a scraggly pizza legend to not one or two but all four of Grant Achatz’s current properties it was a whirlwind trip filled with great art, better food, friends new and old, and the sort of stories I’ll remember for years to come.

Beginning with the small meals and ancillary bites of our trip, the first stop after my sister and her friend’s arrival to Chicago would not be in Chicago at all, but rather in the northern suburb of Morton Grove, home of Burt Katz and his twenty-plus year old eponymous pizza shack – a location that had long been on my to do list but a location I’d largely avoided in the past due to the odd hours, odder policies, and long waits generated by Mr. Bourdain.

For those unfamiliar with Katz, the 75 year old bearded man behind both Pequods and Gullivers oh so many years ago suffice it to say that he is every bit the pizza legend of Dom DeMarco in Brooklyn or Chris Bianco in Phoenix and like both of them his dedication to the craft comes with an ample side of eclecticism; in this case a small shop fashioned out of a former blacksmith shop and a “phone ahead for best service” policy – a policy we entirely ignored prior to our planned lunch largely because traffic in Chicago is questionable at best.

Arriving perhaps thirty minutes after the start of lunch and finding ample parking on Ferris Avenue our entry to Burt’s Place was admittedly a bit unexpected – we were the only guests and save for a lone woman sitting at that back booth with a stack of papers the restaurant looked every bit its age. Greeted by the woman, later identified as Burt’s wife – Sharon, we were greeted with a “did you call ahead” and stating that we had not her response was “Well, I guess I can seat you anyway” to which my sister mouthed to me “is she joking?”

Seated for a mere moment before the short but sweet menu was presented the three of us looked around the space while listening to classical music play overhead. With puppets, old HAM radios, and scenes from the Sistine chapel making up only a part of the odd decorations and the leather seating lumpy, cracked, and uncomfortable Sharon would next ask us where we’d heard of the place – implying “Tony” before motioning to the plaque denoting the seat where the celebrity had sat – before making her first of nine suggestions that we should order something to drink besides water; a suggestion we declined nine times instead opting for water and a large pizza.

With orders placed and another party arriving (and frequently talking out loud about Pequod’s just down the street much to Sharon’s dismay) our wait for the pizza would be perhaps forty minutes during which Sharon interrupted us no less than five times to offer us a “big salad,” suggest drinks, and discuss everything from the headline on the day’s paper (murder) to (once again) how we’d heard about Burt’s. Awkward to say the least I can honestly say I’ve never seen such…odd…service and while she was nice enough I can only say that I’m very glad I’d resisted previous thoughts of going solo.

When the pizza finally arrived and Burt peaked out momentarily from the kitchen the pizza was not placed on our table, but instead on a center table and doled out slice by slice by Sharon (each time with an offer of rootbeer, seven up, etc.) Having ordered a large pan pizza with mushroom and half with house made sausage when the slices finally arrived it was with great zeal that we all dug in and – well – the results would prove to be well worth the effort as every aspect of the medium-thick pizza just seemed to click. Beginning first with the mildly sweet sauce and progressing to the crunchy caramelized crust the backbone of Burt’s pies are exactly what I love about pizza while the fresh (and more importantly not to thick) cheese proved a lovely balance to the spicy chunks of sausage balanced and fresh fibrous mushrooms. With the pie itself oddly cut into seven slices we each enjoyed two and then split the third in half while my sister settled for a big glob of crunchy cheese and sauce at the center of the pan that may have been the best bite of the whole afternoon.

With the bill paid (cash only) we chatted with Sharon a bit more prior to our exit and on the way out we were offered grape fruit snacks left over from Halloween for dessert – a nice gesture I guess. An awkward meal for many reasons and perhaps not worth the drive all the way from downtown I realize purists will claim that what Burt is serving is not truly “deep dish,” but whatever your definition it is certainly deeper than average and the quality of the ingredients and craftsmanship definitely shows.

With the gelatinous fruitsnacks hardly a proper end to a meal we would once again find good fortune in swiftly moving traffic and making our way back from Morton Grove I posed a single question to my companions; cake or pie with the overwhelming answer pie and a few minutes extra driving leading us to the storefront shop of local pie maven Hoosier Mama Pie Company.

A long time staple of the local dining scene and perhaps known best for their carry-out pies or for providing their wares to any number of local eateries Hoosier Mama’s storefront is in reality just barely a store – as a matter of fact it is so small that it inhabits a 1/2 address and seating for six is a squeeze (particularly when some hipster and his MacAir are taking up the 4-top) but what the store may lack in size it more than makes up in charm…and pie; a rotating selection of at least fifty with an in store supply of more than a dozen during our visit.

Having already noted the store’s postage stamp size and the seating logistics our arrival to Hoosier Mama would see us greeted promptly by a pair of young ladies while at least four others worked in the back folding crusts, filling pies, manning the ovens, and boxing up orders to go. With decisions numerous it was with a bit of delay that we placed our orders, but in the end the selections would include three $4 slices of pie and one $7 “Pie Flight” of three small wedges served only on Fridays and grabbing an extra chair the three of us made do with a two top more appropriately fitted for one.

Beginning first with the flight, ordered by my sister’s friend, I have to say I loved the idea but with only a limited number of pies available I simply could not commit and skip over options that sounded best from the larger selection of pies by the slice. With his three selections including Key Lime, Chocolate Cream Banana, and Pear Apple Cranberry I tasted only the Key Lime and although I’m generally not a fan of citrus pies I found the flavor to be surprisingly mild and very naturally sweet as opposed to sour – almost a lychee foam, if you will.

With no Boston Cream available on that particular day my sister opined for her second favorite pie in the form of a hefty slice of Coconut Cream and although not a connoisseur by any stretch I will simply say it was without a doubt the best I’ve ever tasted with a light coconut tinge to the custard and cream admixture and a flaky buttery crust almost like that of a croissant.

Indecisive and gluttonous as ever my pie choice(s) would include my favorite pie – Pecan – in the form of Maple Pecan as well as Hoosier Mama’s signature “Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie.” Beginning first with the Maple Pecan, this was an excellent example of the classic with the added twist of rich maple syrup not only intertwined with the base, but also used to glaze the roasted nuts atop. Again with a flaky butter crust the only thing that could have made this better was a little bit of time on the skillet and some ice cream a la New Orleans.

Moving next to the Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie both of my companions’ first thoughts on this small wedge were “weird” and “too sweet” but to me the flavor was something I’d experienced once before in the form of Momofuku Milk Bar’s famous “crack pie.” Again featuring a crisp golden crust but this time replacing pecans with nothing but creamy brown sugar filling loaded with notes of egg and a touch of vanilla I will admit that this is not a pie for those without a sweet tooth, but with a texture somewhere between an egg custard and pumpkin pie all I can say is that my sweet tooth was quite happy even if my coronaries probably were not.

Continuing with the familiar, though this time something I’ve not had many years, another ancillary stop during my time in Chicago would be at the newly opened location of Los Angeles import Beard Papa – a filled to order cream puff station that I enjoyed with my mother at The Grove during an early 2007 visit. Still going strong and expanding both their geographic footprint and their selection I have to admit that Beard Papa was most certainly not on my original agenda and as a matter of fact I was not even aware of their Windy City presence until I happened upon the store while shopping on State Street, but the moment I saw their new options a visit became requisite and moments after entering the small shop I was seated at a small table outside with my bounty.

Having been doused with powdered sugar during my previous visit to Beard Papa and taking care to avoid such an incident this time my tasting of their all natural cream puffs would begin first with a crispy choux shell pumped full with strawberry cream; Sweet and light with an almost yogurt tang I particularly loved the crispness of the shell and how the buttery notes melded with the berries to form a nearly strawberry shortcake flavor.

Moving next to one of Beard Papa’s newer options, a fifty-cent price hike from the standard option, my second selection of the afternoon was the Éclair Cream puff stuffed full of thick vanilla cream with an almost custard consistency. A classical pairing and not soggy in the least due to the made-to-order nature of Beard Papa’s goods I don’t hesitate to call this one of the best éclairs I’ve had in the Midwest even if it is not exactly traditional and with a total bill of sale less than $6 the quality/cost ratio of Beard Papa remains quite impressive.

Never one to skimp on my caffeine and having finally used up my free Starbucks card from Bank of America a frequent stop during this visit to Chicago would be at the Intelligentsia near Millennium Park. A large shop consistently filled with mostly locals, hipsters, and scenesters (both behind the counter and waiting in line) but also the occasional tourist who stands perplexed at the front wondering why the coffee costs $5 this trip would be my first (and second and third) visit to this particular location though my experience with their beans and roasts were quite extensive walking in the door.

With Central American coffees the focus of the week my visits would include two orders of Mexico Perla de Oaxaca via V60 Pour-Over and finally a Colombia Timbio via 16oz Chemex; all three deep, fragrant, and complex but the Perla more my style with substantial notes of cocoa and minimal acid punctuating the velvety body while the Timbio presented a slightly more acidic profile with berry tones that I personally think would have lent better to a less concentrated brewing method.

With coffee the main draw two other selections made during our visit would prove far less inspiring than the brew; the first an organic 72% Dark Chocolate Bar that was fine, though not particularly memorable given its $7 price tag and the second a $3 Canelle that ranks amongst the worst I’ve ever had – the exterior soft like the crust of Wonderbread and the interior similar to cake batter as opposed to the open sponge of a well crafted Canelle; a tremendous disappointment and since this particular location does not choose to list their pastry provider a disappointment I’ll have to attribute directly to Intelligentsia.

For the final snack stop on this particular visit to Chicago my sister and her friend wanted to grab some pastries for their brunch and studio tour with Martin Kastner of Crucial Design and being in the Edgewater area the decision was made to stop by Chicago stalwart A Taste of Heaven; a small comfort food cafe and bakery recommended to us nearly a year earlier by their neighbors at Great Lake.

Arriving at the restaurant and locating free parking with ease we made our way through the doors of A Taste of Heaven to find the space quite full but approaching the pastry counter we were greeted by a friendly young woman ready, willing, and able to help despite the hustle and bustle all around. With cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, and scones abound I waited patiently while my sister made her selection – a Baker’s Dozen of scones offered at a discount and hot from the oven – before making a few selections of my own and with the modest tab settled we made our way back to the car.

With the scones permeating the air with notes of butter vanilla my sister noted that only eleven people would be attending the brunch and as such suggested I should take one, an offer I gladly accepted in picking out a hefty blackberry scone from a mixed batch including chocolate chip, apple cinnamon, and raisin walnut options. Warm, dense, soft, and studded with pockets of butter juxtaposing the sweet berries I have to say that all things being equal the texture of the pastry was more muffin or buttermilk biscuit than scone, but considering the quality of the flavor it is hard to nitpick because no matter what you call it the ‘scone’ was delicious.

Moving next to my selections, a requisite trio of cupcakes weighing in at $3 each, my first “Taste of Heaven” (sorry, couldn’t resist) would be the standard Red Velvet, a decent representation of the classic with a moist base and cream cheese frosting in a good ratio but the frosting a bit less tart than I generally prefer and easily overwhelmed by the cocoa notes of the cake.

Moving next to two of the more interesting options, the first titled Malted Milk Ball and the second “Elvis,” both of these options would prove to be quite good, though the first – a black and white base topped loosely with a cap of milk chocolate and small malt balls – was a bit dry while the second was by far the best of the group with a banana bread quality cake topped in peanut butter cream and a hemisected peanut butter cup – a great presentation that could have only been improved by a little bit of bacon…y’know, because I didn’t nearly have enough to eat on this trip as it is.

Posted in A Taste of Heaven, Beard Papa, Burt's Place, Chicago, Coffee, cupcakes, Dessert, Hoosier Mama Pie Company, Illinois, Intelligentsia, Morton Grove, Pizza, Pork, Vacation

October 1, 2011
7:23 PM
by: Uhockey

The Mission, Scottsdale AZ

To conclude my visit to the Valley of the Sun on a proper note Saturday October 1st would culminate with another meal and another meet-up with another local – or, well, a recent local I guess – in the form of a blogger whose words I’d been reading as far back as I’d been writing a blog of my own; Dominic of skilletdoux.com. Having utilized his blog for much of my planning to the desert it was with some discussion that we eventually settled on a relatively ‘new’ restaurant for our meal in the form of The Mission – a second visit for him (the first being a brunch) and yet another non-traditional take on Southwest flavors for myself.

Having already noted the restaurant’s location during my afternoon travels around Old Town Scottsdale and having agreed on a late hour of dining given Dominic’s schedule and my driving in from the Coyotes game in Glendale I arrived at the Mission well past dark and with ample parking available made my way to the restaurant’s door. Having heard Phoenix dining doesn’t often extend past 10pm I was admittedly surprised by the people waiting out the door but judging from the number of halter-tops and guys wearing sun glasses at night I quickly realized that The Mission was not all about “dining” after all and on my new friend’s arrival we exchanged greetings and made our way through the crowd, across the patio, and into the dimly lit room.

Greeted on entry by up-tempo music and a pleasant hostess who confirmed our reservation before leading us to a nicely sized two top along the right wall the mood and feel of The Mission instantly caused me pause; it felt like a “scene” more than a restaurant, yet with nearly every seat in the dining room full and the bar likely past fire code capacity I assumed there had to be something to the place. Setting aside prejudices and continuing our conversation from outside it would be mere moments before my colleague was greeted by one of the waitresses (known to him from a former restaurant) and shortly thereafter we were greeted by our own waitress, a friendly young woman named Jenna.

With menus in front of us and adult beverages declined it was at this point of the evening that Dominic deferred to my ordering stating that he could “come back any time” and after I confirmed that he could indeed keep up with my appetite (no small feat I’ve been told) Jenna returned to take our orders – 3 appetizers and a main course to be brought out in a 3-course progression (1-2-1.) Confirming that this would work well we would once again return to our discussion of all things food and culture, two Midwesterners in the middle of the desert chatting (or perhaps yelling) over the din as we sat in the glow of candles and ambient light from a Himalayan Salt Block wall.

With the kitchen moving surprisingly quickly despite (or perhaps because of) the late hour it would be perhaps fifteen minutes before our first course of the evening would arrive and although something I’d not have traditionally ordered the Almejas Al Vapor would prove to be well worth its “best in the valley” designation. Described as Peruvian in origin and served in a large low-bowl along with dense “pan de yucca” bread with a good sponge for dipping this complex amalgam of spicy aji Amarillo chile powder, tender clam stew, rock shrimp, chorizo, roast corn, basil, garlic, and turmeric was everything its ingredients suggested and then some – hot and spicy, smoky and garlicky, sweet but saline, and all the while complex without being overwhelming. While I personally could have stood for just a bit less salt and a touch more sweet to temper the spice this was a small quibble balanced nicely by the sweet rolls.

With my water not particularly doing a good job at quelling the aji amarillo’s punch I was glad to see that the kitchen continued to move things along swiftly for our second course and within 15 minutes of finishing the clam stew we would see two dishes set before us; the two strongest plates of the evening, in my opinion. Beginning first with the lesser of the two, “Crispy Cola Pork” was presented as three gem lettuce wraps cupping a heaping mound of pork belly braised in coca-cola, pickled red onions, chopped peanuts, chiltepin, and a squeeze of lime. Having heard of chiltepin before but having never actually experienced the wild pepper I half expected this dish to be too hot for my delicate Ohio born n’ bred taste buds but surprisingly the chef used a very delicate hand with the slightly funky and smoky heat allowing it to shine without crushing the rest of the ingredients. From fatty pork to pungent onions right down to the crunchy peanuts this was a dish where everything contributed to the whole in a very necessary way.

For the second of this round of appetizers my favorite plate of the meal would be presented as “Duck Carnitas Empanada,” an invariably upscale take on the traditional empanada with a golden flaky shell harboring orange glazed duck confit and an admixture of habaneros, mushrooms, cilantro, and queso Oaxaca. Delectable on its own but certainly open to further adornment the empanada was subsequently topped with a chunk of seared foie gras and finally with a foie fortified queso Oaxaca pan sauce and a drizzle of tamarind oil with the end result sweet, savory, and totally decadent.

Left with a bit more time to digest and a lot less noise as the restaurant’s population had literally dwindled by half a mere forty-five minutes after we were seated the final savory of the evening would arrive just after 11pm and as I was doing the ordering it just so happened to be a second round of my favorite fowl, this time the “Green Chile Duck Confit.” Ample in portion and more so in flavor this pile of two legs and two thighs featured a whole lot of duck for the dollar but unfortunately was just a bit less crispy than one would have hoped – a small quibble as it was not greasy, but not “textbook” confit by any means. Again spicy without being “hot” the duck subsequently topped with sultana serrano peanut mole and paired on the plate with savory “cheesy fried hominy” that tasted something like a cross between popcorn and corn nuts plus smoked mushrooms to help ground the rest of the flavors.

Not full by any means and largely impressed by the flavor profile Chef Carter’s food to this point dessert was prerequisite (and all the more so once I looked at the options.) Deferring on the fried bananas and opting for two desserts it would be a short while before they would arrive in tandem, both looking top notch and served with serviceware for sharing. Beginning first with the Churros, in this case espresso and cinnamon dusted before being lacquered with Ibarra chocolate, the crispy doughnuts were good but certainly not on par with Barrio café’s. Served alongside a cocoa and coffee milkshake and slightly spicy but mostly sugary the infusion of coffee tones was a unique touch but overall this was probably the weakest course of the evening – a shame as they seem to consider this their “signature” (and most expensive) dessert.

Fully admitting my biases the second dessert would prove much more appealing to me than the first and where other bread puddings on the trip were a bit hit and miss The Mission’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Scotch, Caramel, Pepitas, Pomeganate, and Chipotle seasonings was quite outstanding. Beginning first with the pudding, almost a steamed sticky pudding in texture, the flavor of the pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove was present in spades and the scotch tones blended nicely with the sweet caramel giving it all a heavy handed boozy bite. With a touch of spice from the chipotle cooled by quickly melting dulce de leche ice cream I additionally found a lot of appeal in the pumpkin seeds and pomegranate with their respective salty and sweet crunch adding some texture.

With conversation continuing well after dessert plates were empty Jenna returned and asked us if there was anything else we would like and on declining the check was left with a “whenever you’re ready” before she departed. A modest tab, particularly when split, we opted to divide the bill down the middle and with that we made our way to the streets where, as I’d been told, few people were to be found at 11:30pm even on a Saturday. Saying our goodbyes and contemplating the possibility of meeting up for some ethnic eats in Chicago just over a month later I made my way to my car satisfied with my meal at the Mission and realizing that perhaps my bias against “scene restaurants” was a bit unfounded, much like my preconceptions about “Southwest cuisine” – a fitting conclusion to my first trip to Arizona and a bit of reassurance that I could undoubtedly live here. Sure the city shuts down early but to be completely honest by the time we left The Mission it was already nearly 2 hours after my typical bedtime anyway.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Basket, Bread Pudding, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Phoenix, Pork, Scottsdale, The Mission, Vacation

October 1, 2011
12:56 PM
by: Uhockey

Cowboy Ciao, Scottsdale AZ

…to call the concept, website, and descriptors of Cowboy Ciao eclectic would be an understatement to say the least – it is almost so “out there” that I’d considered skipping it entirely until one of my dining companions at Pizzeria Bianco suggested that not only was it worth inclusion on my agenda, but that he’d be glad to meet me for lunch – an offer I gladly accepted. Admittedly intrigued by the concept of “Border Baroque” and never one to pass on the chance to dine with new friends who can teach me more about the local scene a reservation was made for Saturday afternoon and after a long morning stroll through the Desert Botanical Gardens I arrived plenty early and surprisingly hungry.

Meeting my colleague just outside the restaurant after checking out the condominiums and shops on the other side of the river we exchanged pleasantries and entered the restaurant where we were greeted by our hostess and a nearly empty dining room. Somewhat surprised by the lack of activity but stating our reservation regardless the hostess smiled before suggesting we could have any seat we liked and on agreeing to a linen-covered two-top near the window looking out onto Stetson Drive we were seated promptly.

With somewhat shaky padded wooden chairs at each table and a menu delivered at seating my friend and I sat browsing the interior of Peter Kasperski’s 1997 space with some amusement; From Mardi Gras beads strewn across chandeliers to wall paintings befitting a mom n’ pop Italian space to the largely western themed exposed brick and stucco apparently little has changed in the intervening 15 years. Chuckling to myself as I opened the menu with quotations ranging from Spaceballs to The Addams family it would be mere moments before our server, John, would stop by to fill our water and announce the daily specials. With the afternoon crowd clearly slow and John, a good waiter but a bit more corny than would have been preferred, ever present it would be mere moments before we were ready to order and confirming all our choices as “excellent” we were left to chat.

Discussing real estate, travel, and the area of Old-town Scottsdale it would be a mere 15 minutes before our first courses would arrive and presented with full description by John I will admit that I unfortunately do not recall the details of my companion’s “Daily Bowl” save for the fact that it contained Chorizo, spinach, and Chihuahua cheese.

Moving on to a dish I remember better, my appetizer of Duck Confit Relleno with roasted shallots, queso Oaxaca, cheddar, and roasted guajillo-tomatillo salsa, I will fully admit that I ordered this dish largely based on the fowl but what I received turned out to be large, bold, and unexpectedly quite sweet. Beginning first with the Relleno itself, a cored pasilla chili pepper absolutely stuffed with confit and cheese then fried and coated with even more cheese the flavor was exemplary. With fresh sliced avocado and the squeaky cheese taming the pepper while the crisp duck nicely juxtaposed the creamy cheddar it was the green salsa that really served as the most surprising part of this dish – an acidic pineapple flavor with a slightly heated finish.

Appetizers consumed it would be a short wait before our second courses would arrive and with my companion opting for Cowboy Ciao’s most famous dish, the “Stetson Chopped,” I had the opportunity to watch the beautifully arranged salad of couscous, arugula, tomato, cheese, pepitas, corn, salmon, and currants come together before my eyes. Never one to be wowed by a salad, particularly one with a mayo based dressing I will admit that the presentation and composition of this dish did intrigue me enough to take a couple of bites and while indeed a salad I could just as easily make at home I really did love the variety of textures and flavors hiding beneath a dressing that although hefty was quite refreshing with notes of basil, onion, garlic, and lemon beneath the slightly sour creamy tones.

If the Stetson is not Cowboy Ciao’s most fabled item then my main course most certainly was, a dish described simply as the Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry. Again topped with chopped avocados, cheese, and tomatoes and consisting of “mucho mushrooms (including cremini, button, oyster, cepe, lobster, black trumpet, shiitake, morel, yellow foot)” in ancho cream over double-cooked polenta the pan fry would prove to be many things, not the least of which being the richest vegetarian dish I’ve ever tasted. Beginning first with the mushrooms – a blend I have a hard time calling exotic as each can be found at your local Whole Foods – I will admit that the variety of flavors and textures were truly impressive, particularly as they related to the hearty and complex sauce. With each bite a different experience depending on the balance of mushrooms and vegetables this was exactly the sort of dish I love though I really could have done without the polenta – a thick gob that was so wet it did nothing to soak up any of the sauce and as such tasted like a wet sponge in the middle of the dish.

Having requested some bread to assist in sopping up the rest of the ancho cream (bread that is ‘baked to order,’ largely flavorless on its own, and an unlisted $2 for three meager rolls) John would arrive as my friend was finishing his salad and I was sopping up the last of my sauce to ask if we would be interested in dessert – an option I never omit without looking at the menu and an option that at Cowboy Ciao could have led to me ordering three or four as all sounded great, but one much more so than the others.

With my love of bread pudding well documented and my companion opting to pass on dessert two spoons arrived with “Bread Pudding Overboard” and presented on a large plate in a relatively modest portion the dessert went quickly despite my friend only taking a few small bites. Beginning first with buttery brioche – the sort they should have served instead of those dinner rolls – nicely soaked in caramel custard and dotted with dried cherries, craisins, and pine nuts the steaming hot bread pudding was of good quality and firm texture; a good but not stunning representation on its own. Moving next to the toppings – a trio of brown sugar streusel, praline cream, and American Oak ice cream the overall effect was sweet, sweet, and sweet – not inherently a bad thing, but a bit of overkill with the ice cream far less creamy than I’d have hoped…almost like frozen frosting with a slightly gritty texture only accented by the streusel.

With John stopping by one last time to see if we would like anything else we informed him that the check would be all and although a bit annoyed by the unannounced $2 bread charge I let it slide, paid the bill with a modest tip, and made our way to the streets where we would separate – my counterpart to browse antique pens and myself to browse the galleries (okay, and admittedly some kitsch) in Old Town Scottsdale. Having noted my skepticism above in the end Cowboy Ciao would prove to be the worst meal during my short visit to The Valley but overall a worthwhile experience – a unique place with some unique plates and a couple classics worthy of their reputation.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Basket, Bread Pudding, Cowboy Ciao, Dessert, Ice Cream, Phoenix, Pork, Scottsdale, Vacation

September 30, 2011
7:54 PM
by: Uhockey

Kai, Chandler AZ

…how do you begin to describe a meal at Kai – the only Forbes 5-Diamond restaurant in Arizona and perhaps the only “fine dining exploration of Native American Culture” in the world? Would it be easiest to discuss it as a “resort restaurant” where the meal is begun with an offering of citrus selections for the water and silverware is presented temperature appropriate? Would it make sense to talk about the culinary pedigree of head Chef Michael O’Dowd and his heavy reliance on refined French technique to display the beauty of rarely utilized locally farmed ingredients? Or perhaps I should start off in the manner that a meal at Kai begins – with a lengthy and informative story about the location, tribe, and inspirations of the meal that will follow. In reality I think any of the above would be appropriate, but in the end I think the best way to begin is in the mindset of a “destination” meal because from start to finish that is precisely what Kai is.

Stepping back for a second to set the stage, my original plan was to dine at Kai with a friend who was to be in the area but unfortunately had to cancel last minute. Having originally planned to order a la carte and swap dishes in order to taste a broad spectrum of O’Dowd’s more unique seasonal options I e-mailed the restaurant and inquired as to whether larger a la carte choices could be portioned down in order to fashion a tasting menu fitted to my interests I was told that not only would this not be a problem, but that they could do it for the same price as the restaurant’s traditional $200 “Journey” tasting menu – a nice touch to be sure as I’d expected to pay more. With these things in mind and a reservation set for 7:00pm I set my GPS and after navigating a long stretch of pitch-black road I found myself in front of the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort at 6:55 on the dot.

With the car valet’d (my rental Fiat sandwiched between a Ferrari and a Jaguar) and an escort leading me from my car through the lobby of the resort and to the restaurant’s door I was handed off to a pair of young ladies who were clearly expecting me (I’m rather certain the whole place was wired – more on this later) and on greeting me by not only name but title I was led through the bar to an enormous two-top in the dining room. Seated and with comfort assured here again was a sort of handoff because despite the restaurant being booked to capacity it would be less than a minute after the hostess wished me “have a lovely evening” before my server Quenton would arrive to welcome me to Kai and to offer me my choice of still or sparkling water.

With still water poured by one of the back waiters who appeared seemingly without bidding from Quenton it would be mere moments before yet another member of the team stopped by with a tray of oranges, lemons, limes, and starfruit with the inquiry of “some citrus for your water, sir?” – a presentation I’ve honestly never seen before and one which I declined largely out of surprise. Now seated and comfortable amongst the spacious confines (easily six feet between tables, perhaps ten) of Kai as light ambient woodwinds and nature sounds played overhead and the mountains appeared as dark giants in the distance through the windows I would next find myself greeted by the sommelier and his wares; a large wine tome which I declined but a diverse cocktail menu which commanded my attention.

With my menu largely preselected save for the final main course that I left up to Chef O’Dowd depending on what he felt was best Quenton would return after my beverage selection was made not with my first course but rather with two copies of the menu – one, a hand painted original by a former member of the tribe and the second a replica with my specific menu detailed inside so that I could follow along. Detailing that each menu at Kai comes with a story Quenton next explained to me the story of my specific menu and the details of the tribe and local history within – a nice touch in my opinion, though the details have since been forgotten.

With the menu now in hand and the kitchen sending a multitude of dishes to the full house around me my first taste of Kai would actually be my cocktail, shaken and poured tableside in the form of the Mesquite Bean Martini with Makers Mark Bourbon, Mesquite Bean Syrup, Fresh Lime, Sweet Vermouth, and Grapefruit Juice. Always preferring my drinks sweet this was a stunning example of balance with the sweetness of the syrup deftly tempered by the acidity of the grapefruit juice while the bourbon and vermouth blended nicely with the mesquite to form a nearly savory quality quite unexpected yet complex, warm, and pleasant.

Slowly enjoying my beverage the first food item to arrive from Kai’s kitchen would be the nightly amuse. Entitled Roasted Garlic Falafel with Lobster Salad and Cilantro Yogurt Pesto this was a tasty one-bite morsel with a nice crunch to the chickpea fritter giving some substance to the otherwise light and subtle lobster. A nice beginning, but perhaps a bit scarce in terms of its ability to really open the palate for the meal that would follow I personally would have preferred this served as part of a duo – perhaps and more savory or umami inspired soup.

With amuse consumed the next arrival at my tableside would be my primary back-server porting one of my favorite parts of any meal but particularly so at Kai – the house baked bread service. Always served warm and based on whatever had most recently come out of the oven the selection of breads at Kai consisted of at least nine options (perhaps more, but each time he came by there was something new to taste) delivered with local Arizona olive oil and an admixture of seeds for dipping. Amongst the options for the evening, some traditional Indian recipes and others simply excellent takes on classic hearth breads, my choices consisted of Cinnamon Raisin Pecan, Ground Seed Lazy Bread with Chiles, Jalapeno Cheddar, Roasted Garlic Bread, Cranberry Walnut, Mission Olive and Herb Lazy Bread, Whole Wheat Honey Oat, Rosemary Sea Salt, and Cherry Fig. Always a fan of unique breads each option was quite good but I found myself particularly drawn to the dense chew of the Native lazy breads as well as the crunchy sea salt and cherry fig choices.

Not even pretending to be the sort of person whose mother didn’t have to lecture him to not “fill up on bread” as a child I was nearly finished with my first three choices when the first proper course of the tasting would arrive in the form of “Duck, Duck, Goose,” a clever troika of flavors in parenthesis that would not at all have been out of place on a Thomas Keller menu. Beginning left to right and continuing in that manner this fantastic dish would start sweet and subsequently cycle through savory and spicy before finishing on an aromatic note with Duck Mousse with Foie Gras & Sauterne Foam, Duck Pate with Blood Orange & Candied Jalapeno Crosttini with Black Garlic, and Goose Liver Brulee with Lavender Sugar Crystals. Having rarely seen goose liver on menus stateside I will note that while each of the three selections was textbook it was the last that held the most interest to me by far with the deeper mineral tones of the liver shining through with great aplomb yet nicely smoothed out by the mild sweetness and carefully applied floral notes.

Moving on with more bread, flawless service, and excellent timing the second course of my meal at Kai would prove to be the single best thing I ate during my visit to the desert – a plate where nearly everything screamed “heavy and overly complicated” but a dish where each element added something to the whole with the resultant product even greater than the sum of its parts. Entitled “Escargot, Truffles, Wild Mushrooms & Caramel Goat Cheese” this lovely presentation arrived with a piece of slightly sweetened Native “French Toast” at one end and a stew of Burgundy snails, Oregon truffles, and pork belly nuggets at the other. Teaming with notes of Meyer lemon and black garlic nage plus the sweet acidity of blis vinegar the dish was finally topped tableside with a slowly melting frozen Truffle Crema and dots of Tarragon Oil and Chive Oil that added an aromatic tinge both earthy and herbal that rose to the palate and sinuses melding all the flavors into a truly magnificent dish.

Admitting now that my selections tended toward the heavy and rich, course three would thankfully not be the a la carte ~4 – 5 ounce slice of Foie Gras I saw served to the table next to me but instead an a la minute composition featuring Foie Gras two ways – one mousse and one seared – served alongside Red Currant, Black Currant, Quince Paste, Buckwheat Sesame Seed Cracker, Truffled Black Olives, Maldon Sea Salt, Red Currant Reduction, and Foraged Micro Greens. Generally a fan of cold foie versus hot this was a dish where both preparations worked well with their accoutrements and using bitters in the form of the olives along with the sweetness of various fruits I really enjoyed the overall contrast between each half of the dish and how both highlighted the liver in entirely different ways.

Chatting with my servers for a bit as my next dish was prepared course four would be one of Kai’s signatures, a dish frequently featured both ALC and as part of the tasting entitled Kurobuta Pork Torta Spiced with Chimayo. Presented on two plates – one lengthy and the other a small bowl – and consisting of moist and smoky shredded pork, Arizona harvested Medjool Date and Quince Jam, Wild Lavender & Spearmint Madras Curry Yogurt, Apple Chips, and a Chia Seed Popover I was encouraged to sample the various flavors in varying combinations and like the flag-wrap presentation at Alinea I loved this ability to “play” with my food, experiencing different combinations and textures; the perfect bite for me a spoon of pork, a touch of the yogurt, and a knife-spread layer of the jam on a mouthful of popover.

Impressed by everything to this point the next course would be another highlight reel dish and served at the size of its full a la carte portion the “Prairie Squab & Spiced Cornmeal Dusted Sweetbreads” would also be quite the generous offering. Beginning first with the scarlet squab featuring a flawless sear and the hockey-puck sized sweetbread, crispy on the outside and creamy within, both of the proteins on this plate would prove exemplary. Moving next to the accoutrements – beneath the squab a round of truffled Iberico Lomo Gratinee Potatoes plus Wilted Summer Chard Leaves and under the thymus a dollop of stone fruit & grape Chutney with Truffle Croutons –one sweet and one savory once again, and both complimentary to their respective proteins without being overwhelming.

To cleanse my palate before my final savory I next received a hard Ping-Pong ball sized scoop of sorbet served in an elegant “nest.” Described as Intermezzo of Pumpkin Curry Sorbet with La Saba Syrup I have to say this, much like the amuse, was a bit underwhelming and while somewhat unique due to the savory notes I really did not sense much pumpkin at all. Certainly not the master of small bites like Kevin Binkley I could have just as easily cleansed my palate with a sip of water or some more bread…which I did.

For my final menu selection I gave Chef O’Dowd the choice of the local venison or the buffalo – a decision he made largely based on the quality of specific cut of buffalo they’d received that day from what I was told by Quenton and again arriving in full a la cart portion the Grilled Tenderloin of Tribal Buffalo would not disappoint. Easily a five ounce round cooked medium rare and topped with Sauteed Pequillo Pepper, Grilled French Green Beans, wilted Squash Blossom, and Smoked Corn Puree with Cholla Buds plus Merquez Sausage and Scarlet Runner Bean Chili with Saguaro Blossom Syrup this was the exact sort of dish I’d come to expect at this point in the meal; a tightrope act of sweet meets savory tinged with smoky southwest flavors at times familiar and at others just out of my culinary experience. Generally not a fan of hefty portions of red meat I will admit that a smaller portion of the buffalo would have sufficed I certainly was not about to send any of it back especially considering the smoked corn puree and saguaro blossom syrup which were nearly dessert quality on their own but lovely as a condiment to the chili and tenderloin.

Having hoped for some unique Arizona cheeses my next course would be a bit of a letdown given the non-local nature of the cheeses but to be honest a “letdown” including well aged Formaggio de Capra, Terraluna, Roaring 40’s Blue, and Barely Buzzed alongside Honeycomb with Raspberry Caviar, Peanut Butter Crema, Balsamic Vinegar, Housemade Crackers and Microgreens is not really disheartening at all. Again ample in portion I particularly enjoyed the semisoft goat Formaggio de Capra and, more surprisingly, the Australian sourced Roaring 40’s which married beautifully with the honeycomb.

Having already mentioned the chilled silverware with cold courses and heated silver when warm it was no surprise when a warm lightly scented town arrived prior to dessert – a duo beginning with perhaps Kai’s most well regarded item of “Maize Cheesecake with Indigenous Seeds.” Finally a “tasting” sized portion as I was actually beginning to get full (keep in mind the 9 or so slices of bread) this unique semi-circle of roasted Corn Cheesecake Encrusted in Caramel Corn & Local Seeds was plated at the distal end of a long plate and with just a bit of well-cooked-polentaesque grit the cake itself was creamy, sweet, and surprisingly light. Topped with a tall caramel triangle and paired with Curry & Fig Chutney plus a drizzle of earthy yet sweet Huitlacoche Syrup this was another dish I can’t imagine being served anywhere else with the same balance and effect.

Again chatting with Quenton about his recent trip to Napa (apparently all my fine dining servers in Arizona had been in The Bay Area when I was up there a month prior) my final dessert would arrive in the hands of his assisting back-server along with a warning of “be careful, this is very hot” and indeed it was, the Mexican Chocolate Souffle’s ramekin radiating a palpable heat at easily a two foot distance. Large, tall, proper, and aromatic with notes of cocoa and “Kai’s Sweetened Dry Mole Spices” the soufflé was subsequently punctured tableside with the addition of a thick and smoky Wattleseed Anglaise and without hesitation I can say that although non-traditional in texture the flavor was outstanding…a sweet meets savory brownie with notes of cinnamon, cumin, pepper, and clove punctuating the chocolate and melding with the Anglaise. Like the cheesecake this is the sort of dessert I imagined when I requested its addition to my menu and I’d encourage any and all to do the same.

At this point quite full considering the sizable lunch at Barrio Café and all of the large courses plus bread Chef O’Dowd would now emerge from the kitchen to say hello and to inquire regarding my opinions – thoughts I shared at length complimenting his almost unsurpassed skills at taking multiple hefty ingredients plus complex spices and blending them into surprisingly distinctive masterpieces where no part seemed superfluous. Thanking me for such kind words and talking some more about the nature of my visit I explained to him I was in town for an interview and with that he wished me both luck and a return visit should I decide to settle in the area; a nice gesture from a seemingly very humble and talented man.

With Quenton now returning with the bill and a pair of mignardises – Dulce de Leche and Dark Chocolate Truffles – I was asked if there was anything else they could do for me and on declining I handed him my credit card to run the bill while I enjoyed my last bites of the evening. With the bill paid and yet another thanks from the team to myself and from myself to the team I was again escorted to the front door of the now largely empty restaurant and subsequently to the front of the hotel where I found my car not only ready and waiting, but containing a personalized hand written card from Quenton thanking me for my visit – pure class all the way and again making me wonder if the whole place is wired to achieve such an effect.

No stranger to fine dining whether stateside or in Paris I will simply state that although some may not appreciate “resort” restaurants or the somewhat longwinded ostentatiousness of Kai’s presentations there is not a doubt in my mind that this is a restaurant deserving of its 5-star accolades and the sort of restaurant that would invariably garner at least two if not three Michelin Stars if the Red Guide ever came to town. A refined experience with an exquisitely talented chef preparing ingredients both common and unique in ways that are novel even to the experience diner Kai is not just a restaurant, but truly the exploration of native and local flavors that it sets out to be.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Basket, Chandler, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Kai, Lobster, Phoenix, Pork, Scottsdale, Souffle, Sweetbreads, Tasting Menu, Truffle, Vacation

September 30, 2011
12:04 PM
by: Uhockey

Barrio Cafe, Phoenix AZ

A native of a small town in the Midwest surrounded by farms heavily populated by Latino workers each summer of my youth I’m a bit ashamed to admit that overall my experience with “Mexican” food in general has been quite abysmal. Sure there were childhood experiences with Little Mexico in Detroit before or after games at Joe Louis Arena and yes I’ve visited a few of Rick Bayless’ spots in the Second City but beyond that and Border Grill in Los Angeles the closest I’ve been to South of the Border cuisine is Don Pablos…or perhaps Chi-Chi’s before they filed for bankruptcy. With these glaring omissions in my culinary education admitted and in part due to my overall lack of enthusiasm for spicy foods I promised myself going into this trip to Arizona that I would make an effort to at least hit some of the more upscale spots in order to “ease myself in” and the first of these stops would be at The Barrio Café.

Owned and operated by Beard Award nominated Chef Silvana Esparza and reportedly featuring refined modern takes on traditional Mexican cuisine The Barrio Café was recommended by many, including the local press, and with lunch hours fitting my schedule best I made the drive from Northern Scottsdale just after 1pm to find the small parking lot packed, yet with my loaner a Fiat I managed to squeeze in close to the door and making my way from the car I was greeted with myriad street murals and yet another triple digit temperature as I made my way around front to find the restaurant much bigger than expected, but still quite full. A Friday afternoon with many business sorts discussing weekend plans and friends already enjoying tequila and cervesa my entry to The Barrio Café at first went unnoticed but after a few moments browsing the ornate art collection out front I was greeted by a young Latina hostess who led me quickly to the only open seat in the house – a four-top in the second (larger) dining room.

Seated for mere moments before one of the back-waiters filled my water I was soon greeted by my primary server, Esequiel, a friendly man who seemed to be one of only two servers working the entirety of thirty tables. Perpetually with a smile Esequiel asked if it was my first time at The Barrio as if expecting an affirmation and on hearing my answer presented the menu with a brief description of the sections and told me he’d be back to answer any questions “in a couple of minutes.”

Having done due diligence with the online menu I quickly assured that my targeted items were present and with that took to watching the scenery and checking out the ornate paintings on the wall adjacent me as I waited for Esequiel to take another table’s order before a nod of the head brought him back. Inquiring about portion sizes as there were two entrées that I was interested in Esequiel, a large man, smiled and said “it’s a lot of food, but I like the way you think – I bet you can handle it” and realizing right then that we’d get along just fine my order was placed and I made my way to the restroom largely to check-out the myriad awards and newspaper speckling the back walls as well as the multitude of crosses and religious figures decorating the bathroom itself.

Returning to my table, sturdy but with chairs relatively lacking with regard to comfort, the same back-waiter who would keep my water brimming throughout the meal would deliver a basket of bread – chef Esparza’s father’s recipe from his days as a baker – along with a spread consisting of at least Chilies, Tomatoes, Olives, and Avocados plus a number of spices – a bit like salsa, but far more nuanced and texturally refined. Having never received bread in a Mexican restaurant before I have to say this was an interesting choice and while the bread itself was overall lacking in flavor the coarse crumb and thick crust were nicely suited for supporting the spread and soaking up sauces later.

Going light on the bread as it was somewhat uninspiring and the plates coming from the kitchen were surprisingly large it would be around twenty minutes after seating that my “appetizer” would arrive in the form of Tacos de Cochinita Pibil, four Mayan style slow roasted suckling pig tacos wrapped in house made tortillas with a side of Yucca fries, chipotle ketchup, and salsa Yucateca. Beginning first with the tacos I’ll simply say that while it may not mean much considering my lack of experience these were without a doubt the best tacos I have ever had. Double wrapped due to the moistness of the succulent meat each bite was savory and smoky with a light acidity kissing the tongue as the queso fresco tamed everything. Deftly spiced with any number of flavors foreign to my palate and going back and forth with the tasty fries I think the thing that really stood out to me with this dish was that while the “heat” was there, it served a purpose – pushing forward more unique tones like cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and even sweetness from the meat.

With the tacos consumed with great zest Chef Esparza herself stepped into (and through) the dining room to say hello as the hour approached 2pm – apparently she was heading out to pick up some more peppers and rice – and moments later Esequiel would arrive with my main course; a dish titled Pato en Tamarindo or “Seared breast of duck in a striking sweet & sour tamarind & chipotle pepper sauce.” With my love of duck well documented and already quite impressed with the flavor profile of the preceding tacos I have to say I went into this dish with high expectations and was met only half-way. Beginning first with the accoutrements – mashed yucca with poblano peppers and asparagus with onions, both were tasty and well prepared if not particularly memorable. Moving on to the duck, similarly well prepared with the breast first pounded thin and then sautéed prior to a final sear, the issue with this dish would flash back to my complaint about “spice” because while the menu said “duck” my palate merely said “protein” as the flavors of the fowl were entirely obliterated by the thick notes of smoke, pepper, and slight bitters. A good dish, sure, but for someone who truly loves duck I simply wanted to be able to taste it.

With the duck now consumed and feeling reasonably full but certainly not “stuffed” Esequiel again stopped by with a big smile stating “Nice job, I knew you could do it. But did you save room for dessert?” – an obvious ‘yes’ which led to perhaps Barrio Café’s most famous dish arriving at my table just ten minutes later. Entitled “Churros Rellenos de Cajeta de Cabra” and trumping either of the previous dishes in overall mass this marvelous plate was composed of essentially five things and all five of them things I love; deep fried cinnamon doughnuts, chocolate, caramel, strawberries, and ice cream.

Beginning first with the Churros – flawless, light, and crisp on the exterior with molten goats milk caramel spilling forth as they were cut…in all honestly they could have stopped here and I’d have been happy, but instead opting to pair this with an enormous double scoop of fresh vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with more caramel, slightly peppery “Mexican hot chocolate” and fresh strawberries…sure it was $12 for churros, but it is $12 I’d gladly spend again as I ate every last bite of the crunchy yet creamy concoction and spent another three or four minutes scraping the plate clean with my spoon.

With Esequiel returning yet again and asking, jokingly, if I’d enjoyed the churros he inquired (I hope jokingly) if there was anything else he could get me and telling him no, that the bill, I waited for a few moments while my tab was calculated – an admittedly pricey $58 after tax and tip – and with the bill paid I thanked the my servers for such a great afternoon before making my way back out into the sun. Thankful for the meal that just was for opening my eyes in to a cuisine I’ve far too long overlooked I’ve no doubt that Barrio Café is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Valley’s Mexican scene, but considering what they say about first impression’s I’m glad Chef Esparza and her team made a good one.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Basket, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Phoenix, Pork, The Barrio Cafe, Vacation

September 29, 2011
7:06 PM
by: Uhockey

Binkley’s, Cave Creek AZ

…when you really start going out of your way to experience the best of what the world’s dining has to offer it is infrequent that you are shocked and amazed; In the era of food television, flickr, yelp, and any number of food blogs (including the one you are reading) chances are that going into a meal you at least know what to expect. Sure there are times that the meal will wow despite heaps of praise (Roberta’s and Alinea leap to mind) but those experiences become fewer and further between as time goes on and often, perhaps unfairly, lead the you to being jaded and searching for that next “wow” moment – a moment I honestly did not expect to find in the middle of the dessert, especially not during a meal serving as part of a job interview.

Having already noted the circumstances surrounding this review the night began when the practice I was interviewing with asked me where I’d like to eat and after a quick search of my typical spots I read of Binkley’s – perhaps Arizona’s most well thought of house of gastronomy (especially of the new age sort.) Not wanting to seem ‘greedy’ but knowing that the dining scene of a place I was considering as my future home was an important part of the decision I made the suggestion and the pair of interviewers gladly agreed. Explaining to them in brief that I’d have a camera in tow they learned a bit about my hobby and although not “foodies” by any means they seemed quite intrigued by the concept and with the reservations made by them all I had to do was arrive: 6:30pm, 9/29/11.

With expectations tempered given the circumstances but certainly higher than with a traditional “interview” dinner my arrival at Binkley’s was timely and finding the couple already present and waiting in the lobby we exchanged pleasantries before reservations were confirmed were quickly led through the spacious dining room to a table just out of view of the kitchen. With noise moderate and the front-of-house surprisingly smiley and professional yet whimsical and conversant from the moment we arrived I knew we would be in good hands (but little did I know HOW good.)

Seated at a comfortable four-top it would be mere moments after seating that our captain would greet us and after confirming water choices we were presented with a wine list and menus while the a la carte vs. 4/5/6 course tasting menu option was explained. With my co-diners having never experienced such a place and with many of the items on the menu rather novel to them we were left to decide and largely allowing them to dictate the pace we settled on the five course tasting…or so we thought.

Having heard much about Chef Kevin Binkley’s training as well as his propensity for amuses, mignardises, and all sorts of small bites it would be mere moments before the deluge of creativity would begin, but not before perhaps the most unexpected coincidence in all my dining experiences; a moment of mutual recognition when our captain realized that she and her husband (a Chef at Binkley’s) had sat directly next to me just one month prior at The Restaurant at Meadowood and I recalled their commentary about working in the industry (and the fact that she too had been photographing Chef Kostow’s beautiful food throughout the meal but had forgotten to snap a picture of the final savory.) With my potential employers thoroughly amused by such a chance occurrence and conversation freely flowing as our service remained perfect from here on out what followed would be a twenty-seven “course” three hour and forty five minute rollercoaster unlike anything either of them had ever experienced.

Beginning the meal first with bread, Binkley’s house made selection of the evening consisted of Dill Onion Brioche, Hickory Smoked Bacon and Thyme Baguette, Honey Wheat with Apricots, Yellow Raisins, and Walnut, plus standard Sourdough, and butter brioche all served with salted California Cow’s butter. From a man who dabbles heavily in the small plates I was appreciative to find the breads equally petit and sampled plenty throughout the meal with a particular affinity of the warm butter brioche, the hickory smoked bacon, and the honey wheat with fruits.

Having mentioned the myriad small bites, the first two plates to arrive at our table after the bread service would be Chilled Watermelon and Star Anise Soup with Lime Oil and Yellow Curry Pate a Fruit – two entirely different flavors and textures but each miraculously clean and well balanced with sweet, savory, and spice all present in spades opening the palate up fully and already making my dining partners say “I’ve never tasted anything like that.”

Arriving as another duo (or trio depending on how you look at it,) our second round of bites would consist of something traditional and something entirely off the wall – the first House made Brown Sugar Coppa with sourdough crostini, whole grain mustard, caperberry, pickled pearl onion, fried sage, red wine eucalyptus gelee, plus preserved lemon and fine herbes ricotta and the second Brioche Cinnamon Doughnuts with Bacon Butter. Beginning first with the charcuterie, everything was good though rather standard save for the ricotta and sage which were both quite tasty, the former particularly on the crostini. Moving next to the doughnut – piping hot and minimally greasy they were peerless, particularly when smeared with the umami-savory flavors of hickory smoked bacon.

Arriving as a solo the next dish, “Vanilla Poached Cantaloupe with Lardo and Cypress Salt” required a bit of explanation to my dining partners, but once they got over the concept that they were about to enjoy compressed melon topped with pork fat they quickly ate the bite and expressed a collective smile. A simple bite with mellow notes I personally did not note the lardo, but rather the cantaloupe and salt – a flavor that to me overwhelms everything in any situation.

When the next course arrived my dining partners showed some signs of recognition – apparently Chef Binkley had prepared it for a church group they belonged to – and with the announcement of “Miniature Sloppy Joe with Cornichon on brioche Bun and Banhmi with roasted Serrano Ham, pickled daikon, cucumber, carrot, pork aioli” we all dug in quickly to each of the one bite sandwiches and nodded our heads in agreement; the flavors were spot on.

At this point realizing that there was no real “progression,” per se, to the flurry of bites but rather a whole lot of whimsy that had my dining partners comparing this to a restaurant “adventure” and myself at the very least amused (and also somewhat taken with how much FUN I was having at a fine dining establishment) the next pair of bites to arrive would be Deep fried Padrones Chile with Romesco Sauce and Pinenut Froth and Fried Okra with Ranch Foam, the first a crunchy bit of heat balanced nicely by vinegar, garlic, and nuts while the second was quite literally the most flavorful okra I’ve ever tasted – equally crispy to the Chiles but vegetal and powerful underlying the smooth cream and dill notes.

For the next bite, at this point easily an hour or so into the meal, Popped Sorgum with walnut, Caramelized Onion, Romano Cheese, and Chive would be presented and with the texture of popcorn providing a light backdrop to the other flavors the dish tasted like suspended chip-dip, a single bite on the spoon that dissipated like a gougere with a single bite.

For the next dish, another that raised eyebrows in its description, we were presented “Deep Fried Butter” with Lobster Cream Cheese and Lobster Roe Powder, Chef Binkley’s take on Lobster Bisque created by dropping a butter cube into the fryer and subsequently injecting it with the cream cheese before dusting it with roe. Sweet, creamy, intense and just like the sloppy joe a faithful recreation of the chef’s intention…if this were served at the bar I’d go and order a dozen.

Moving next to another pairing, Puffed Polenta with caramelized tomato and goat cheese and Fried Chorizo with Honey, Mascarpone, Pumpernickel Powder would arrive nearly simultaneously and again focusing on something smooth and something salty, something crisp and something creamy both bites were tasty if somewhat unmemorable largely because of their placement between the “fried butter” and what would come next.

For the final two amuses of the evening it would seem that Chef Binkley had “saved the best for last,” the first a long acrylic tube carting “Individual Pommes soufflés with purple Peruvian and Kennebec potatoes served with honey mustard, Tonka bean BBQ, Sauce Vert, Rouille, Garlic Aioli, and White Truffle Ketchup.” Long, narrow, and well appointed with the aforementioned ingredients this 11-chip service piece was not only eye catching but also a veritable build-your-own-adventure of flavors with each of the toppings pure and flavorful (particularly the Tonka bean BBQ and truffled ketchup) and the potatoes all light, crisp, and barely oily. Having paid $10 for a vastly inferior supply of pommes soufflés in New Orleans a mere year earlier this dish as an amuse additionally seemed incredibly generous.

Now nearly ninety minutes into our experience and still with no sign of a course we’d actually selected from the menu the dish that would turn out to be our final amuse would be the piece de resistance and for myself perhaps the best bite of the night (though there were many contenders for this title,) a dish denoted as “Foie Gras Beignets with White Truffle Cream and Foie Gras Vanilla Milk Shake with Blackberry Swirl and Blackberry Whipped Cream.” Beginning first with the light balls of dough, each with a wispy crumb studded with whole cubes of duck liver torchon these bites were superlative on their own but even more so with the slightly sweet and ethereally aromatic cream. Taking a bite and then moving to the shake…yes, it was absolutely as good as it sounds – a smooth blend of blackberries and heavy cream with the gossamer of the liver always present yet slightly out of reach.

With the proper meal finally coming to light here more than fifteen plates and two hours into our “adventure” I honestly wondered what the team at Binkley’s could do to woo us further, yet what followed would prove that Kevin’s kitchen was every bit as inspired with their large plates as with their bites – the first of which was entitled “Bacon & Egg Custard with summer truffles, guinea hen egg, fingerling potatoes, English peas, brioche crouton.” Always one of my favorite items on any menu and here utilized to great effect, the “egg ” aspect of this dish would actually prove to be a poached yolk served over a creamy pork infused Chawanmushi, light in texture and smooth on the tongue. Not one to skimp on ingredients or presentation, the dish was additionally fortified with a hefty shaving of fresh Australian summer truffles, lightly cooked fingerlings teaming with butter, shelled English peas, as well as baked bacon and brioche to add some crunch.

Realizing next that not only did the amuses and small plates flow freely before the meal but also between plates the following dish would be another selection familiar to my hosts from their church group, a liquid nitrogen “dippin’ dots” exploration of Frozen red, green, yellow tomato salad with mozzarella anglaise, a light, smooth, and shockingly accurate representation of a caprese salad that reminded me of something that could just as easily come out of the kitchen of Andres or Cantu.

Continuing with our five course tasting my second option of the evening would prove to be every bit as delicious as the first and despite my myriad experiences with foie gras this was truly the first time I’d ever experienced it “crispy.” Entitled “Crispy seared Foie Gras with apple, raisins, pomegranate, spiced Brazil nuts, popover, chervil” and finished tableside with a spritz (literally from a spritzer) of cinnamon Ice Wine vinegar this preparation of duck liver would arrive as a linear stripe on a square plate and harkening the plating style of Michael Carlson the flavors would also compare favorably as the crackling exterior of the foie gave way to the melting interior and each bite lent itself to a new form of explanation with the accoutrements – most sweet, many smooth, and all interesting; particularly the popover stuffed with a creamy puree of liver, nuts, and aromatic spices.

Returning to the mg stylings of the previous intermezzo “Cherry Bomb encapsulation with verjus and extra virgin olive oil” would be straight from the book of Adria and served on similar porcelain spoons we were instructed to consume the bubbles in one bite – a swash of pungent cherry that reminded both myself and one of my co-diners of an intensely sweet yet slightly medicinal Luden’s Throat Lozenge.

As if anticipating the overly sweet numbking effect of the Cherry Bomb, a second intermezzo arriving before our third course was described as Yuzu Cucumber Soda and with the topnotes clearly lemon the base of cucumber was readily apparent on the finish washing the palate clean and making me think that perhaps Binkley was on to something with these small bites between meals, particularly for those of us who do not refresh between plates with wine.

For my third course of the evening, Duck with bok choy wrapped breast, confit leg, matsutake mushrooms, daikon, pickled ginger, foie gras-port vinaigrette, and sherry duck consommé would be my third round of foie gras for the evening and although the most conventional of the three still an excellent presentation with the breast and crystal clear consommé served in a bowl teaming with mushroom umami while the confit was plated centrally atop the ginger and daikon with a dusting of five-spice adding a pleasant aromatic note. If I had one quibble about this dish, I rather wish the mushrooms on the plate would have been warmed…nitpicky for sure, but just a personal preference as all else was room temperature or warmer.

Opting against the nightly fish preparation in favor of cheeses there would surprisingly be no treats between course three and four as our server would arrive with the night’s cheese board suggesting I should select three from the eight available – a difficult choice given the quality of the collection, but a decision eventually leading to Boschetto, Lamb Chopper, and Castell de Morella landing on my plate. Served alongside house made fruitcake, pitted prunes, spiced pecans, and crostini all three were nicely aged but I particularly loved the Boschetto, a mixed cow/sheep selection from Italy whose semi-firm texture and notes of white truffle and sweet rind were both new and unexpected to my palate.

Moving towards dessert as we chatted about the meal that just was it seemed obvious that Binkley would transition from savory to sweet with style, but little did we know it would be with style befitting a college dorm room more so than fine dining in the form of “Jello Shooter Lava Lamp with Strawberry Consommé and pineapple, guava, ginger, lychee gelee.” Served on a lighted platform and alongside Elderberry-Elderflower Lollipops this slurpable delight and its accompanying candies would prove a surprisingly restrained one-two punch of flavors, both clearly sweet but not overly so like the cherry bomb and again a bit of whimsy that I personally found as refreshing as the flavors.

For the next intermezzo all I can call it is a tease – a bit of dining refinement between novelty desserts that absolutely wowed – a two-bite Peanut Butter Souffle with Raspberry Jam every bit as “soufflé” as the sloppy joe was its namesake and along with the foie gras beignet perhaps my favorite bites of a great meal. Really – if this was offered on the menu I’d have ordered a full sized one in a heartbeat.

With the dining room now dwindling and just passing the three hour mark in our experience the final desserts would soon arrive and for myself it seemed only appropriate that this dessert would be a collection of small bites from a team that has seemed to master the art; a dish entitled “Horchata in Forms” featuring cinnamon rice pudding, horchata milk shake, sweet milk panna cotta, caramel beignet, and a sugared almond; each tasty, each true to its namesake, but none save for the flawless quenelle of rice pudding even close to on par with the sorbet that had preceded them.

Opting for coffee while we sat and conversed a bit more whimsy arrived with the hot but rather nondescript brew in the form of warm cream in a vessel shaped as a cow. With our captain and one of the female servers next stopping in to see if there was anything else we desired I requested a copy of the night’s menu and received not only that, but also a complete detailed listing of each and every small bite served along the way – a wonderful touch I’ve honestly not seen done anywhere in the past – and along with the menus we additionally received a trio of mignardises; Coconut Meringues, Blackberry Pate A Fruits, and Double stack brownies with milk chocolate ganache – none particularly memorable but all tasty just the same.

With the bill paid and our captain stopping by one last time to chat about what I’d thought of this meal and where else I’d been both in The Valley and during the previous month in The Bay one of the ancillary servers would stop by with one last treat – a bite I fully anticipated to be jolting to my dining partners but something I’d experienced a few times before; Passionfruit “numb” with Sancho Button, an intensely sweet with all the anticipated ‘wow’ that left my colleagues fully convinced that they had definitely never experienced a meal quite like Binkley’s before.

Standing up and making our way to the door as I suddenly realized just how full I was after a long day of eating topped off by such extravagance Chef Binkley made his way quickly from the kitchen to shake hands and bid us farewell – a nice gesture to be sure – and with menus in the left hand my right was filled by the hostess with an admixture of Cinnamon Nuts wrapped in plastic and a Binkley’s ribbon to take home for the next day; one last small treat from a place that had already given us so many, a place that would dominate conversation in clinic the following day, a place that no matter where it was located would be special, and a place that I’ll undoubtedly return to with frequency if my career path should indeed land me in the desert long term.

 

Posted in Arizona, Binkley's, Bread Basket, Cave Creek, Coffee, Dessert, Foie, Food, Ice Cream, Lobster, Macaroon, Phoenix, Pork, Scottsdale, Souffle, Tasting Menu, Vacation

September 29, 2011
3:38 PM
by: Uhockey

Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix AZ

Having touched down in Phoenix only 200 minutes prior and already with breakfast under my belt the next stop on my tour of The Valley would be the most famous of all my gastronomic experiences in the area and, all things being equal, probably one of the five most famous pizzerias in the United States. Opened in 1994 and garnering numerous awards since inception Chris Bianco’s eponymous Pizzeria Bianco reads like a familiar story to most gourmands today with its focus on all that is organic, local, and seasonal with an oven made by hand and a dedicated New York raised pizzaiolo, but to consider what Chris has done and how long he has been doing it in such an unlikely place is something else entirely – natural, organic, and entirely American pies in the middle of the desert since 1988 reads like exactly what it is; a work of passion. The sort of passion that inspires people to wait three hours in the desert sun to sample his pies.

With Chris’ health problems related to too many years of asthma and inhaling flour (…sand blasters get silicosis, coal miners get coal miner’s lung, but I guess we’ll just call this pneumonitis since flourosis and pizzaiolo lung haven’t yet been detailed in the literature) well publicized in recent years and some claiming the pies no longer stack up to their legendary standards plus new lunch hours to help stem the tide (and time) my arrival at Pizzeria Bianco would actually precede the lunch time opening by approximately ten minutes but with free valet readily available I opted to park my car and wait a lovely thirty minutes in the sun while browsing the area until my dining partners would arrive, three new friends who had volunteered to lend their palates and opinions to a guy from the Midwest at Phoenix’s most famous eatery.

With the doors now open and greetings exchange our party of four next made our way into Bianco – at this point half full – and were led to a cozy four-top in the back corner of the room. With tables close and ceilings high the noise level at Pizzeria Bianco is certainly something to contend with even at half capacity, but with service excellent (and provided by another Ohio native none-the-less) we were quickly greeted and presented with menus, silverware, water, and the two daily specials – a salad and an antipasto – before we were left to decide; an easy decision that led to one glass of wine, one salad, and four pizzas (from the six on the menu.)

Sitting and chatting while we awaited our food I found the people of Phoenix (both my dining pals, the service, and everyone subsequently) to be friendly and conversant much like Midwesterners and discussing everything from food to the arts to sports and local housing the first item to arrive at our table would be a loaf of the house made bread along with olive oil. Never one to turn down the bread basket and with the selection still warm I grabbed an end piece from the rustic country loaf and was instantly smitten by the intense crunch of the crust and smoky notes from the oven that laced the open fluffy interior. Excellent on its own and better with the olive oil the bread immediately made me think that regardless of how good the pizzas were I’d definitely be adding Chris’ sandwich shop down the road to my list of “must eats” for future reference.

With bread passed around and conversation freely flowing the salad and wine would arrive next and although I ordered neither I tasted both – the salad a combination of local arugula, spinach, chicory, and apples with a light vinaigrette and the wine a surprisingly fruity yet subtly dry red whose name I do not recall.

Having now sat for perhaps thirty minutes while pies entered and exited the oven being delivered to many around us the time would finally arrive to taste the oft raved pizza of team Bianco as all four of our selections arrived simultaneously covering the table and filling the air with the smells of smoke, yeast, pork, tomato, and basil. With much sharing to be done and pictures taken the next twenty or so minutes would consist of much less talking and far more eating than the previous thirty and beginning first with my selection – well – let’s just say it lived up to the hype as the ROSA with Red Onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, Rosemary, and Arizona Pistachios may just be the best “specialty pizza” I’ve ever tasted. Beginning first with the crust – an expert balancing act between the thinness of a Neapolitan like Lucali and the chewy hole structure of that at Great Lake – it was nearly perfect as the slight char from the wood oven gave each pie a lovely crunch yet pliable interior that could support the ingredients without disturbing them. Moving next to the toppings – no sauce here – just thinly sliced onions, intense salty cheese, crunchy smooth pistachios, and a touch of rosemary to pique everything else. Marvelous.

Moving next to another of Bianco’s signatures, the WISEGUY with wood Roasted Onion, House Smoked Mozzarella, and Fennel Sausage I was pleasantly surprised by the mildness of both the onions and the fennel, both present but not overwhelming, while the slight spice of the sausage floated above the pools of creamy cow’s milk mozzarella. Another well balanced pie, though I do feel it could have done with just a touch less olive oil…a small quibble, to be sure.

For the third choice, the BIANCOVERDE with Fresh Mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta, and Arugula would be the only pizza we modified from the menu description – in this case by adding a $3 supplement of Organic ‘La Quercia’ Prosciutto Americano from Iowa that was every bit worth the cost. Again featuring that same pliable smoky crust but this time topping it first with the trio of cheeses before adding the arugula and prosciutto after it exited the oven this “Salad Pizza” was a valuable addition to the lineup largely because of the quality of the ingredients and the balance achieved by using each lightly. From the smooth mozzarella to the puddles of ricotta and tangy Parmigiano up through the slight bitters of the greens and the powerful saline notes of the pork everything simply clicked though for some the lack of spice was an issue – an issue easily amendable by the red pepper provided on request (try getting that at Una, Lucali, or Great Lake.)

For the final selection, that of the man who’d experienced Chris’ work longer and more frequently than the rest of us combined, there was no way I was going to miss out on the MARGHERITA while I was here and thankfully he’d ordered it (thus preventing me from ordering both it and the ROSA.) With the stars of the show well known – simply the freshest Tomato Sauce with light hints of sweetness, oregano, and garlic plus Fresh Mozzarella, and Basil – this was a no nonsense sort of pie that hit on all cylinders; tangy, creamy, aromatic, smoky, and perfect. While not the absolute greatest Margherita I’ve ever had, a top 5 member for sure and when paired with the rest of the menu, the service, and the setting a pizza definitely worthy of the fame especially considering the fact that Bianco uses all local ingredients including tomatoes from California in the making of his sauce.

Eating, sharing, talking, and then eating some more while the service checked in occasionally to see if we needed anything else our time at Bianco felt much longer than it was and when it was all said and done only four slices remained – two of the WISEGUY and two the BIANCOVERDE – all wrapped up and going home with their respective owners while I took home with me the memories of some of the best pizza I’ve ever experienced and (perhaps more importantly) the experience of meeting with some great people for outstanding pizza in a setting where people have a passion for what they are doing without all the pretense. Yeah Chris didn’t build the oven and furniture by hand like Lucali, and perhaps Pizzeria Bianco doesn’t fly all their ingredients in from Italy like Una, and sure Chris’ health prevents him from being ever present at the oven like Dom at DiFara or Nick at Great Lake but in the end the results are the same…this is some really great pizza well worth going out of your way for.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Basket, Phoenix, Pizza, Pizzeria Bianco, Pork, Vacation

September 29, 2011
2:39 PM
by: Uhockey

Pastries, Desserts, Ice Cream, Coffee, The Valley AZ

Never one to let the idea of three square meals a day deter me from enjoying a visit to a new city my three plus days in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Chandler would additionally lead me to a number of ancillary eats – some upscale and French, some down n’ dirty Southwest, some new, some old, some hot, and some cold. Beginning first with my love of pastries, the first of these six stops would be at the combined grocery, café, bakery, liquor store, souvenir stand, and pizza parlor that is La Grande Orange Grocery; the sort of place you have to see to believe yet the sort of place where it all seems to “fit.”

Harbored in a small strip mall with plenty of parking plus curbside checkout for those on the go I made my way into La Grande Orange only half knowing what to expect and having already mentioned the commodities entailed the only thing I could think of when I entered the door was a trip to Whole Foods if you condensed the entirety of one store into a space approximately one quarter the size. With cups to one side and cupcakes to the other, wine to my right and coffee to my left my first impression was one of total sensory overload yet at the same once I entered and started to browse I detected a sort of controlled chaos as the various lines moved toward their destination with a good flow.

Having already eaten breakfast and had plenty of coffee with pizza plans at Bianco for later in the day I took my time investigating the space – children’s toys, shirts, travel mugs, cheeses, pre-made salads, locally roasted coffees – before finally approaching the pastry counter to browse the cornucopia of goods. With many items baked in house and others provided by Tammie Coe Bakery two doors down I weighed the options carefully while additionally gauging my hunger and although any number of the options sounded delectable I ended up settling for two; one my own choice and a sort of obligation at this point and the other a recommendation from the young woman at the counter as “the best thing in the world;” a promise I told her I’d hold her to if she was wrong, and after paying the modest tab I made my way to the street with my choices packed up (ostensibly for later, but in reality for enjoyment less than thirty minutes later as I checked into my hotel.)

Beginning first with my selection, La Grande Orange’s very own Red Velvet Cupcake, this large specimen wrapped in red wax paper and topped with an ample pile of cream cheese frosting would prove to be one of the better Red Velvets I’ve had in some time save for the stellar version at Bouchon Bakery just one month prior. Loaded with notes of cocoa and sugar plus the faint taste of cinnamon and what I’m pretty sure was clove I really enjoyed the subtle nuance to this cake and despite the $3.95 price tag the portion was substantially larger and the cake significantly more moist than more expensive versions in other major cities.

Moving next to the suggestion of my cashier, the Tammie Coe Crumb Bun, I really was not sure what to expect of the $2.50 option but what I received, while not the best thing in the world, was without a doubt the best sweet I had on my visit to Arizona. Beginning first with the exterior, this golden biscuit looked something like a cinnamon roll meets a scone with a spiral texture encased in crystal sugar, but digging deeper and peeling off a layer the texture was instead somewhat akin to the famous Breton Kouign Amann kissed with cinnamon and topped with streusel. Layer after buttery layer, bite after yeasty bite, and making a mess of the carpet (crumb bun indeed) all the while all I can say is that if you find yourself in the Phoenix area this is a must try and given the quality of both selections I was lucky to be staying so far from La Grande Orange and Tammie Coe because otherwise I’d have gone back for more.

Another day and another bakery; a second stop on my tour of the Valley of the Sun would take me to Scratch Pastries & Bistro, a relative newcomer (200Smilie: 8) to the scene featuring both baked goods and a bistro menu focusing not only on French inspired creations but also frequently utilizing French imported items in their creation. The brainchild of Duc Liao and his wife Noelle based on their time in Paris as a photographer and model, respectively, the space had originally appeared on my radar based on the recommendation of a friend and had only increased its status in my mind by advertising one of my favorite desserts – the Paris Brest – on their website.

Located in a rather unattractive strip-mall beside a Subway my arrival to Scratch would be just past noon and with the thermostat topping the century mark I made my way quickly from the car to the cute French-Chic interior and greeted by two young ladies behind the counter I was asked if I planned to dine in or take some items to go, a decision I debated for a few seconds before I was handed a menu and left to decide. Already with lunch plans I knew the bistro menu was not the choice (though admittedly the duck and foie gras had my attention) and as such I turned my attention to the pastry case only to be told that no Paris Brest was available – a disappointment to be sure, but at the same time given the variety of options (including a number of my other favorites) not totally disheartening and after a few moments of indecision I opted for three selections, paid the modest tab, and made my way outside to enjoy.

Beginning first with the only warm item of the group, an almond croissant fresh from the oven, my first bite from Scratch would show that the Liao’s time in Paris had been well spent as the golden shell shattered on my bite giving way to an airy layered interior with a smear of sweet frangipane that not only added flavor and nuance to the already sweet pastry but also did not weigh down the wispy pastry inside; a fine balance not often seen in American Almond Croissants.

Moving next to another French specialty, a small Salted Caramel Macaron stored refrigerated in a plastic sheath, this two bite $3 cookie would prove rather average largely due to the temperature and a degree of dampness marring its characteristic crackling shell. With the filling ample in flavor I do wonder if perhaps the dry Arizona air has something to do with the decision to store these cookies chilled, but overall it is not a decision I fancied when it came down to texture.

For my final taste of Scratch I opted for an American classic, my typical Red Velvet cupcake, and where the macaron disappointed the cupcake achieved at the highest level; a textural masterpiece ranking in my top 3 red velvet cupcakes of all time. Beginning first with the frosting, seemingly a small puff of sour cream cheese actually tunneling down into the body of the cake, it was quite good but where this cake truly stood out was its density – the sort of moist sponginess that made the cake seem almost undercooked as a bit of red dripped onto my hand, but in reality a veritable cloud of loaded with chocolate and vanilla tones that permeated the palate in perfect balance with the frosting.

Overall Scratch was a good visit and I feel like I (pun intended) merely scratched the surface of what they have to offer – if and when I return I’m calling ahead to make sure they have the Brest and while I’m there I’ll check out that bistro menu because, really, where else can you get duck and foie gras for lunch in town and chase it with a top notch French Pastry or cupcake?

A third day, a third bakery, but this time the goods actually made it back to the hotel and served as breakfast on the day of my departure…well, okay, I had to try a bite of each while they were fresh but I promise the rest made it through both refrigeration and rewarming without further consumption until the next day. For my third and last pastry stop on this tour of the Valley I just so happened to be wandering the Scottsdale Fashion Square before lunch at Cowboy Ciao and opted to stop into The Herb Box based on the recommendation of a friend.

First approaching the upstairs restaurant, at this point thriving with Saturday brunchers, the space is admittedly gorgeous looking out on the river and after browsing the menu (note to self, red velvet pancakes and a divine sounding BLT with ricotta) I subsequently made my way down to the basement bakery, café, coffee shop, and wine store. Greeted on entering by a young lady behind the counter who asked if she could get a beverage ready for me while I waited I agreed to a large iced coffee while I weighed my options; a bevy of muffins, scones, pastries, and desserts totaling at least forty – some standard and some entirely unique but all but a few desirable. Deciding once again to choose one for myself and to rely on my server for the second choice my options were boxed, then bagged, and paying the $13 tab with tax and tip I made my way back to the street.

Beginning first with my selection, a tossup between the Red Velvet Cake and Bread Pudding, the pudding always wins and in this case my selection of Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding with Peach and Peaches n’ Cream Glaze would prove to be the best bread pudding of the trip not only in its present cool state, but even more so the following day after reheating. Dense and packed with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and most of all vanilla juxtaposing studs of sliced peaches this “pudding” was nearly cakelike in its texture and when topped with the glaze – a dense anglaise with more cinnamon and the fructose sweetness of peaches serving as top notes – it was simply outstanding.

Moving next to my server’s suggestion, another dish billed as “best thing ever,” this is one circumstance where I can actually say that at that very moment I felt like she may have been right because as good as my Bread Pudding had been, the adult Ding Dong was all the better. Beginning first with a dense chocolate cake made with dark Dutch processed cocoa, the base of this dessert was clearly sour cream based and all the better for it as the slight flavors melded perfectly. Moving next to the “cream filling” in this case replaced with a nearly liquid white chocolate marshmallow cream the sweetness was a perfect balance to the cake while the entirety of the dessert was encased in a dense dark chocolate shell flecked with blue edible glitter. A masterpiece both visually, texturally, and in terms of flavor I’d not hesitate to call this one of the best “upscale” takes on American Retail comfort food I’ve ever had (notwithstanding Cathal Armstrong’s Foie Gras Twinkie, of course.)

Doing my best to restrain myself from eating the entirety of both before the following day while carrying the bag from store to store in order to prevent melting in the hot Arizona Sun all I know now is that my next visit to Phoenix/Scottsdale will see me with breakfast or brunch at The Herb Box and desserts from the café below (that may or may not make it out the door, but certainly not to the following day.)

After lunch at Ciao and still with my Herb Box pastries in hand I spent the afternoon wandering Old Town Scottsdale when the sudden urge for caffeine hit me. Knowing there was a Starbucks nearby but wanting something a bit more novel I pulled up the Yelp locator and noted a familiar name from my research on the city; Cartel Coffee Lab, apparently a new location filling the space of a now defunct store that used to serve their beans. Having heard good things about their sourcing, roasting, and brewing I made my way into the small store to find a number of folks lounging, surfing the web, and enjoying their coffee and on making my way to the counter I was met by not only a prompt and friendly barista, but also a knowledgeable one who asked what I liked in a coffee (full, thick, cocoa, low acid for those curious) and he spot-on recommended the Ethiopian Dark Roast at $3/8oz or $16.99/lb.

Taking his suggestion while discussing the other six varieties available I was quoted prices, terroir, and tasting notes as he prepared my single drip and with options ranging from $12.99 for 12oz to $29.99 for 12oz I was told that all were available by the cup if I wanted to taste – a mental note well engrained for my next trip to the area. With coffee prepared and limited options for sweetener (muscovado sugar or Agave nectar only) I opted to drink it black and sipping the brew the flavor was spot on to what I appreciate – velvety, cocoa tinged, and a bit of cherry and almond. An important aspect of any city I’m considering as my next home it is good to know that Phoenix/Scottsdale has a place like this – very important.

With pastries and coffee now well covered and plenty interesting enough to put Phoenix on my culinary map the next question was how well they did Ice Cream, and coming from the self-proclaimed Ice Cream Capital of America I figured I might as well just go for the best to compare head-to-head with the Jeni’s, Bi-Rite’s, and Toscanini’s of the world – in this case, Scottsdale’s own Sweet Republic.

Rated by Bon Appetite as one of the nation’s 10-best and focused on small batch artisan flavors just like the rest of the list Sweet Republic is tucked into a small strip mall off Shea Boulevard and while not simple to find the products are also available by the pint at Whole Foods. Not wanting a pint but rather to sample I made my way up the stairs to the small store to find it largely empty – a surprise since every parlor in Ohio is lined up out the door when it is 100 degrees out, but perhaps not surprising in Scottsdale where temperatures frequently reach such peaks. Entering the store I was greeted by the smell of sugar, vanilla, and that all-too-familiar scent of ice cream cones and within moments I was greeted by a young lady ready with sampling spoons.

Not wanting to be greedy but certainly wanting to sample a couple before buying in my first two tastes of Sweet Republic’s Ice Cream would be Tres Leches, a dense and flavorful but largely one-dimensional vanilla and next Desert Honey, a lovely bite not dissimilar to a frozen liquid Bit-o-Honey. With easily twenty more flavors to taste and my server not seeming to mind my next two bites would prove memorable enough to commit to a double – one scoop of Honey Blue Cheese and the other of Salted Butter Caramel – for $4.25. Waiting for the scoops as I browsed the shops collection of cookies, candies, and even bacon brittle I thanked my server for her assistance and sitting down to enjoy my choices I was very pleased by one and blown away by the other.

Beginning first with the Salted Butter Caramel, a flavor I try everywhere, this dense concoction with pockets of liquid gold oozing from the otherwise milky sweet ice cream was exceptional and on par in all ways with that of Jeni’s back home – potentially even better though a side-by-side would need to be done to be certain. Moving next to the Blue Cheese – easily a top 5 ice cream moment of all time with the sharp notes of the cheese aptly countered by the sweetness of the honey and the overall texture somewhere between frozen frosting and cheesecake; an absolute must try for anyone living in or visiting the area whether it is 100 degrees or not.

Moving finally to the last of my supplementary snacks I’ll start off by saying I’d read about The Fry Bread House a couple of times when planning my trip to The Valley but it did not make my list of must visit stops until just the day prior during dinner at Kai when I was speaking with head Chef Michael O’Dowd about the lack of Native American restaurants in the area (he explained this to me, but that is for another time) and one of his expeditors suggested I should check out Cecilia Miller’s temple of fried dough calling it “about as authentic as it gets around here.”

Hailing from the Tohono O’odham Nation and serving up her style of Indian Tacos around the area for nearly twenty years (and now at two locations) I opted to head to the original Fry Bread House West and having followed my GPS from door to door I found the location with ease on a relatively dingy stretch of 7th Avenue and allocating parking with ease I made my way into the unassuming low-lying restaurant where I was greeted by a short line and then by a curt but friendly waitress who took no time in requesting my order and name before handing me a plastic cup to get my water and suggesting it would be perhaps 10 minutes before my food was ready.

Taking a seat – the table slightly sticky and clearly not wiped down since (at least) the last diners – and browsing the scene while I watched the kitchen work through the small open window I marveled at the flow of the room as patron after patron received his or her food. With some orders having been phoned in and others being delivered to the tables surrounding mine if I had to guess nearly fifteen Fry Breads were served during my nine minute wait and when I finally heard “Michael” called from the front I stepped up to collect my $12 merely seconds before the next order was served up to “Andre.”

Returning to my seat with prizes in hand my first impression was that I’d over ordered as each disc was easily the size of a Frisbee and two-to-three fold as thick, but picking up my first option, the “Indian Taco with Pinto Beans, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce” I was next impressed as to just how light the hand stretched bread was – a wisp of pillowy flat bread crisped on the outside by the oil but light and airy within. With the ingredients a standard store-bought admixture of traditional taco toppings and a bit of hot sauce to taste this was a good choice to understand what the “Indian Taco” was all about (and perhaps to understand why diabetes and lipid disorders are so prevalent in their population, as well.)

Moving next to my dessert selection, one of the frequently noted “best dishes” in Phoenix and denoted as an “Award Winning Favorite” on the restaurant menu, the Chocolate and Butter Fry Bread would prove to be every bit the “Fair Food” extravagance I expected with the same airy dough this time served openfaced and drizzled – nay – ladled first with butter and then with melted dark chocolate tinged with what I believe was adobe spice and cinnamon. Sliced and resting atop both wax paper and napkins to soak up the grease I attacked this fry bread with zeal and without going so far as to call it the most sinful thing I’ve eaten this year I will simply say this; it was a once-in-a-year sort of treat that was entirely worth the money, calories, and visit but at the same time the sort of thing that simply feels “bad” for you despite the smile on your face as you’re eating it.

Posted in Arizona, Bread Pudding, Cartel Coffee, Coffee, Croissant, cupcakes, Dessert, Food, Fry Bread House, Herb Box, Ice Cream, La Grande Orange Grocery, Macaroon, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Scratch, Sweet Republic, Vacation