The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Grapefruit, Elderflower, Jasmine, and Prosecco cocktail on the rocks
Fervere Orchard Bread with Poblano Pepper Jam and Fresh Cheese from Greendirt Farm
Wooly Rind Cheese with Achiote Mustard and Chicharrones
Polenta Bread with Chateau Cow’s Milk Butter
Crum’s Heirloom Tomatoes – Pork belly, Green Dirt Farm “Prairie Tomme,” arugula, and roasted tomato vinaigrette. Paired with Avinyó, Cava Rosat, Reserva, NV, Spain. (Tomatoes tossed in basil and cilantro. Arugula dressed with grilled sweet corn vinaigrette)
Queso Fundido de Chorizo Verde – Green Dirt Farm “Bossa” cheese and rajas poblanas. Paired with do Ferreira, Albariño, Spain, 2010. Served with warm corn tortillas. (Green Chorizo made with Swiss Chard and mint, Roasted/Peeled Poblanos cooked with oregano, onions, garlic)
Haymaker Switchel – Ginger soda with lemon balm, mint, lemon juice, honey
Lamb Posole Rojo – Rancho Gordo hominy, crunchy garnishes including shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro, and hominy cooked into corn nuts, lime. Paired with Ostatu, Rioja, Reserva, Spain, 2007. (Lamb rubbed down with chili paste and wood burned first then braised in pepper and sauce. Hominy from California. Wooly Rind melted in the middle.)
Peach “Cobbler” – Green Dirt Farm sheeps milk cajeta, and cajeta and vanilla bean ice cream. Paired with Sablettes, Sauternes, France, 2008.
Broadway Roasting Company Latin American Chiapas
Rarely one to attend “event” meals as I prefer see a restaurant in its natural state, I was fortunate enough to be in Kansas City during one of Green Dirt Farm’s “Farmtable Dinners” and as an invited guest of the event’s photographer to experience the cuisine of Patrick Ryan from his upcoming restaurant Port Fonda I will simply say these four things:
#1) Should you ever have the chance to visit Green Dirt Farm, particularly for one of their dinners, you should absolutely do so – the open pastures, rustic barn, and bucolic setting are serene and beautiful while the cheese, particularly the creamy and soft Wooly Rind, is amongst the best American Sheep’s Milk cheeses I’ve enjoyed.
#2) Patrick Ryan may seem like an inked up white dude living many miles from the cuisine he cooks but from the Queso Fundido to the Posole every bite of food I tasted at Green Dirt Farm was on par with the Mexican Cusine being served here in Phoenix and other highly touted restaurants from Chicago to Los Angeles. The next time I find myself in Kansas City I will undoubtedly pay Port Fonda a visit.
#3) I love peaches; to call this cobbler, cooked over an open fire, memorable would be an understatement and to proclaim the pairing perfect would be even more so.
#4) It takes more than a cold towel, refreshing switchel, and ceiling fans to quell the heat of Mexican cuisine just outside of Kansas City on a scorching Sunday in July but despite the beads of sweat rolling down my face and back I enjoyed every minute of my visit to Green Dirt Farm and the diverse group of people I met while there – Midwestern through and through, and all the better for it.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Crème Fraiche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
Crepes with whipped cream, strawberry filling, spiced nuts, honey
French Toast, Spiced Nuts, Whipped Cream, Seasonal Fruit, Maple syrup
Biscuits and Gravy, Crispy chicken, Sausage Gravy, Poached Eggs
Flat Rock Farm Black and Blueberry Cobbler, crumb, honey, orange, thyme (Sour cream and Honey Ice Cream, Orange Zest)
When industry photographer/insider, blogger, and cookbook co-author Bonjwing Lee (ulteriorepicure) offered to speak to pastry chef and restaurant co-owner Megan Garrelts about preparing the restaurant’s dinner desserts at brunch for myself and mother I worried that I’d not be able to fairly judge the experience that is bluestem – that this would afford us special treatment and bias my thoughts – and while I cannot guarantee that such a thing did not happen what I can promise is that every single person in attendance at the restaurant that afternoon was treated just as well as we were, save for the quartet of desserts, and we paid for everything we ordered; an astounding deal considering the quality of the food, room, and service.
A larger space that it appears from the exterior – with high ceilings, plenty of mirrors, and plush seating complimenting white tablecloths our arrival at bluestem was just after opening and greeted by the hostess at the bar we were handed off to a young, hip gentleman named Sean who provided professional yet casual and comfortable service throughout the meal – all dishes arriving at with perfect pace, plating, and descriptions while water and coffee remained filled without delay; the meal lasting just over 75 minutes for three courses where crème fraiche donuts that were good but not particularly memorable were the ‘lowlight’ and pretty much everything else was a highlight.
Having mentioned the desserts; though I’d have gladly, greedily, and gluttonously tried to work my way through full sized portions of a couple selections I was instead surprised/impressed by Garrelts’ choice to send out each of the dinner options in a ‘tasting’ portion on a large slate, all four excellent but the peaches and cherries particularly memorable; the former like a smoldering campfire pie with the pecans and buttermilk both providing an ample foil to the stone fruit’s natural sweetness while the second was one of the best desserts I had all year as the sour cherries met the bitter chocolate headlong overtop of a semi-frozen bar akin to kettle corn – each flavor and texture highlighting the rest and the flavors harkening red wine coming through on the finish.
Locally focused yet complex and elegant it is places like bluestem that people on both coasts are overlooking when they refer to the Midwest outside of Chicago as “flyover country” but as this meal and my dinner the following day at The American Restaurant would confirm, not all Midwestern cities are alike and although I’m not sure when I’ll be back in KC I am sure that when I am I’ll be making dinner reservations at bluestem.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Burnt Ends, Short End Ribs, Pulled Pork, White Bread
My mother loves Barbeque and I like it well enough, but coming from the Midwest I guess I’d never really considered it an art form – as a matter of fact, aside from Slow’s in Detroit I cannot really say I’d ever had ‘great’ BBQ…until approximately 15 minutes after I arrived in Kansas City and made my way through the line at 18th and Brooklyn, paid $9.95 for Ribs and Pulled Pork and was gifted some Burnt Ends by a sleepy eyed young man behind the counter who inquired if this was my first time and then insisted I MUST try them.
Smoky and tangy, tender to the point of literally melting in your mouth, and without a doubt the best barbeque I’d had to that point in my life I’m rather certain the entire plate of food lasted less than five minutes after it was set on the table and although I’m sure some may find Arthur’s sauce a bit too sweet I personally found it fantastic, particularly on the more charred pieces of meat…but also sopped up with the white bread. Were it not for the line and brunch at Bluestem a mere ninety minutes later I’d have undoubtedly went back for seconds.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
With limited time in St. Louis and the choice between Niche and Sidney Street Café an impossible one we made the only responsible decision available and opted to visit both on the same night, originally planning to enjoy Robert Zugmaier’s desserts immediately following Gerard Craft’s cuisine at Niche – a plan slightly augmented by the rapidity and small portions of Niche thus allowing us plenty of time to and appetite to also enjoy savories prior to dessert at Sidney Street Café.
Located just down the street from Niche and small from the outside but much larger within our arrival at Sidney Street Café preceded the reservation by nearly 45 minutes but from the moment we arrived we were treated like old friends, first by the maitre d and then by our server, Elissa, who went over the chalkboard of specials detailing each dish and easily convincing me to order more than I would/should have with her exquisite descriptions. A heavily wooded restaurant with exposed brick walls and dim lighting I will note that on a Saturday night Sidney Street was quite boisterous – almost “bar like” in its atmosphere, but service was professional and the kitchen impeccably timed, every dish coming out at appropriate temperature, execution, and interval.
Moving on to the food itself, I will simply say that while the execution at Niche was excellent, the food at Sidney Street Café spoke to me much more loudly – a menu of personal favorite savories and proteins all executed in unique ways; the gnocchi a bubbling stew served in a cast iron pot and absolutely perfect in texture when matched with the soldiers (and the sauce sopped up with the buttery table bread) and the Foie Gras one of the better preparations I had in 2012 – at once sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, hot and cold.
Further onward to the desserts – the original impetus for our visit – suffice it to say that if you live in or visit St. Louis and don’t experience Robert’s desserts you are making a mistake every bit as egregious as missing the Arch or the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Beautiful, bold, and complex I’d be hard pressed to say which of the three selections was ‘best’ since each was quite different but as overplayed as the concept is the deconstructed Snicker’s was truly outstanding – the variations of each ingredient contributing to the whole and that sorbet something I’d love to see served in a scoop shop anywhere and a reason in itself to visit Sidney Street Café…and possibly even the city of St. Louis.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Thyme Chili Flake Focaccia
Maple Custard – Maple and Lemon Flavor Custard with a layer roasted shitake mushrooms and finished with house made Bonito “Caviar”
Lobster – Pullman, celery, green apple, togarashi, brown butter hollandaise
Stone Milled Polenta – Thyme, Honey, Goat Cheese, Walnuts
Hen of the Woods Mushroom – Chorizo Spice, Egg, Salsify, Date, Lemon
Double Star Farms Chicken – Breast and Crepinette, Parsley Root, Sassafras, Carrot
Caramel Corn – Blueberry, Sorrel, Bourbon Brown Butter Cake
Chamomile Panna Cotta – Lemon Verbena, Sassafras
Owned and operated by Gerard Craft, Niche is considered by most to be the best restaurant in St. Louis and as such reservations were booked well before the trip west began – a good thing, because even though we arrived as they opened at 5pm the place was packed within 15 minutes. Close seating, a great soundtrack (Floyd, Zeppelin, Stones,) and excellent service would prove to be the rule in the heavily wooden room where brown paper covered white tablecloths and all things being equal the food was quite good – but three courses and out the door by 5:55pm did seem more than a little bit rushed.
Don’t get me wrong – it certainly is not as though our server, Jennifer was pushing us out the door or that the culinary team was throwing plates onto our table faster than we could enjoy them, it is just that throughout our short stay there was nary a pause and given the small-ish portions and the fact that we did not order wine the meal went very quickly and even my mother, a woman of a small appetite, left the restaurant happy that we had later plans for dessert at Sidney Street Café…at 8:00, having assumed that our evening at Niche would have lasted quite a bit longer.
Speaking to the food, there is no doubt that Craft and his team are talented and their flavors dynamic – a fact exemplified in the brilliantly deconstructed Lobster Roll and also in the deft balance of sweet, sour, and spice overlying tender mushrooms and all melded by a crispy poached egg; we loved both of these dishes and the ample side dish of polenta plus a couple rounds of tender focaccia more than made up for the somewhat small portions on the primary plates. Not particularly as adept as the savories, our pair of desserts were well presented and lovely to look at, but not particularly memorable save for the brown butter cake underlying the caramel corn – I would have happily eaten just that as a slice of cake beneath the blueberries and a dollop of whipped cream.
All in all Niche was a nice experience, but on a long trip with many memorable meals I largely found it to be a largely underwhelming experience and given the rushed nature, not particularly memorable. If I were in the area I’d gladly return to see more of the menu and I’d recommend it to someone visiting St. Louis, but not before I recommended other places, and I’d certainly not travel to St. Louis just to dine at Niche.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Half & Half
Cold Toddy Coatapec Mexico
Churros with Citrus and Cinnamon Sugar
Cornbread Stick with Blueberry Butter, Pecans, Honey
Blackberry French Toast with Mascarpone
Ham Biscuit with Raspberry Preserves
Sage Crispy Potatoes
Following our early morning meal at The Brown we made our way west to St. Louis, a city I’d last visited fourteen years prior and one whose culinary scene seemed to focus on two restaurants in fairly close approximation to one another plus a handful of shops specializing in breakfasts, sweets, and desserts – with less than 24-hours in town and plans to visit both the Missouri Botanical Gardens and The Arch I knew the agenda would be packed but in the end everything came together seamlessly – brunch, four stops for snacks, two dinners, and even a stop at Vintage Vinyl accomplished between 10:00am and 10:00pm beginning with brunch at Half & Half.
Located in the Clayton neighborhood and seemingly highly focused on its coffee (to the point of having a cupping program) Half & Half would prove to have quite the buzz on a Saturday morning, a thirty minute wait before our table for two was procured, and although the cupping was not offered during weekends due to the high traffic there is no doubt the coffee shined, both the hot Harrar ordered by my mother and the cold Toddy selected by myself. Less impressive, however, would be more than half of the food and the service – our waitress clearly in training and failing to put in a part of our order thus leading to a substantial delay between the dry churros and admittedly excellent cornbread and the rest of our food.
Sitting amidst the bustling din for nearly 45 minutes before out plates arrived the second part of our meal largely mirrored the first; the potatoes, ham, and biscuit all substantially overcooked – the biscuit so much that it was nearly crunchy – while the daily special French Toast shined as the thick and eggy brioche stood up amicably to the custard and an ample scoop of blackberries and mascarpone proved subtly sweet; the entirety of the composition one of the better French Toast dishes I’ve had and enough to save an otherwise underwhelming brunch, though were I to return I’d certainly target a less busy mid-week time in order to experience the coffee program at its fullest and hopefully avoid the substantial errors in execution that marred our meal.
World’s Fair Donuts
Old Fashioned, Raised Glazed, Apple Fritter
Moving on, three quick points on World’s Fair Donuts are these: #1) This is a true ‘mom n’ pop’ shop where the owners are on site as bakers, servers, and greeters; easily 70 years and happy to talk with anyone who will listen make it a point to give them a few minutes as you’re bound to learn something. #2) The space is no frills and the donuts are dirt cheap. Raised and glazed, cake, Danish, Fritter, Chocolate or vanilla – and cash only, so be prepared. #3) The raised donuts are fine, but what you want is the cake donut and the fritter, the former dense and balanced with tangy buttermilk and sweet glaze while the later presents a crispy golden exterior and plenty of canned, but still delicious, cinnamon apples within; I only wish we’d have been in town another day so I could have tried one fresh out of the fryer.
Next up, the iconic Ted Drewes, a spot I’m actually surprised I did not visit even in my youth given its fame but a location that was perfectly situated in our eating agenda following a nearly 100 degree afternoon at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Featuring frozen custard in a single flavor – vanilla – with hundreds of possible combinations of mix-ins to formulate your own customized concrete we were fortunate to arrive at an off-hour and after opting for four “Micromini” cups at $1.80 each the selections were packed in a bag with blocks of ice and spoons putting us back in the air conditioned car to enjoy less than 10 minutes after pulling off Route 66.
Soft, smooth, rich, and not overly sweet on its own I will admit that I did not flip the cup over to see just how “concrete” the concoction was, but certainly thicker than standard softserve despite the heat and humidity I’ve little doubt all but the melted portion would have stayed put. Skipping the sundaes or options with too many variable and instead going with two fruit options but two choices suggested by the young woman at the counter I personally found the Tedad and Blueberry to both be excellent while the butterscotch was a bit thin and the sour cherry too artificial. A fun spot and one of those “must visit” landmarks I cannot say I’d go out of my way for Ted Drewes, but I definitely wouldn’t drive past it on a cross country trip – particularly in the middle of summer.
Jilly’s Cupcakes
24 Karat Cake – Carrot Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Stuffing topped with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, White Chocolate Shavings, Gold Dust
Space Monkey – Banana Toffee Cake with Toffee Dulce de Leche stuffing and topped with Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl and Chocolate Astronaut Ice Cream
Reese’s Chunkage – Vanilla Cake with Peanut Butter Mousse and Ganache Stuffing topped with Chocolate and Peanut butter Buttercream and Reese’s Crumbles
Onward to Jilly’s Cupcakes, a place my mother had actually found in planning our trip west due to their win on “Cupcake Wars,” our arrival to the space on Delmar would unfortunately be only an hour before the shop closed…and in the middle of a 40+ person children’s birthday party that had partially crippled the restaurant’s service and supplies but at the same time led to them baking three of their signature cakes fresh – two of them actually still warm from the oven when we arrived. Ranging from $5 for the Carrot to $6.50 for the Space Monkey these were most certainly not the cheapest cupcakes out there, but given the size, styling, and quality of ingredients I’d be hard pressed to suggest they were ‘overpriced’ compared to what is being offered at Sprinkles or Crumbs – particularly as there did not seem to be any ‘stock’ ingredients here – each cake, frosting, filling, and garnish unique while the overall compositions were well conceptualized and balanced – on par with restaurant quality desserts in all three cases (and weighing in at nearly half a pound each, surprisingly not overwhelming or monotonous, though certainly best shared.)
Park Ave Coffee
Gooey Butter Cake, Red velvet, White Chocolate Blueberry
Last but not least – no trip to St. Louis would be complete without gooey buttercake and although one can easily make this dish at home it seemed only appropriate to sample it at St. Louis’ most famous purveyor of the pastry, Park Ave Coffee. A small shop with limited parking and nearly twenty varieties of butter cake plus innumerable coffees, lattes, teas, espressos, and smoothies to offer the biggest challenge of the visit was deciding what sounded best – a decision process leading to three slices of cake and a cup of rich Lafayette Blend, the coffee definitely necessary to balance the buttery richness of the cake – each slice a semi-solid pudding of butter and cream cheese atop a tender base and literally melting on the tongue. Much like Ted Drewes this is one of those places that focuses on doing one thing and doing it right and much like Ted Drewes, The Arch, and Vintage Vinyl it is a place well worth your time and money if you should ever find yourself in St. Louis.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Coffee
Hot Brown – Butter, Flour, Heavy Cream, Pecorino Romano, Turkey, Texas Toast, Bacon, Roma Tomatoes, Paprika
Brioche French Toast – chocolate Brioche with Rice Krispies Crust, Caramelized Banana, Caramel Bourbon Sauce
…every city has one; the touristy restaurant that everyone talks about – sometimes for a signature dish, sometimes due to the room, and occasionally because of a significant event in the space’s history. In the city of Louisville that restaurant is J. Grahams inside of The Brown Hotel and in terms of the chatter it is clearly the food, specifically The Hot Brown, that garners all the attention – though the building and its history is also quite compelling, as we would learn from our friendly server, Patrick.
Having originally considered skipping The Brown due to time constraints and the fact that I’d already experienced one take on The Hot Brown at The Village Anchor it warrants mention that it was actually the young bartender at The Anchor who scolded us for skipping such an institution and who also informed us that The Hot Brown could literally be ordered 24-hours a day, 7 days a week – a fact we confirmed when we arrived at the storied hotel at 6:30am to find the breakfast buffet empty but the staff smiling, ready to fill our coffees, and happy to prepare our a la carte options – the signature savory every bit as good as the rumors and an eggy, Custard French toast with perfectly caramelized bananas, crunchy rice, and boozy bourbon sauce that was as decadent as anything at Lynn’s Paradise Café and far less overwhelming in portion.
Provided with the recipe for the Hot Brown and a quick tour of the lobby/ground floor of the Brown before we departed I will simply say that while tourist spots and hotel restaurants are always a risk I am very glad we finished our visit to Louisville at J. Grahams and for anyone visiting the city of Louisville I tend to agree with locals, tourists, and bartenders alike – you’d be a fool to miss out on The Hot Brown.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Semillon Ice Wine 2006
Amuse Trio – Compressed Watermelon with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette, Crab meat with Radish, 610 BLT with Smoked Gouda, Foie Gras Mousse, and Apple Butter
Blue Dog Bakery White and Seeded Bread with Local Tarragon Butter and Black Sea Salt
Smoked Octopus with Eel Brandade, Black Garlic Puree, Kalamata Olives, Piquillo Coulis, Preserved Lemon
Spot Prawns with White and Green Asparagus Salad, Morel Pistou, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Poached Quail Egg
610 Charcuterie Plate (Country Ham, Beef Cheek Pastrami, Beef Salami) with Braised Mustard Seeds, Frisee, Nigella Seeds, Baby Beets, House Pickles
4-Hill Farm Lamb with Roasted Chop and Shredded Confit of leg, Sweet Corn, Fava Beans, Cheesy Heirloom Grits, Garden Thyme Jus
S’mores with Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Fluid Gel, Graham Cracker Ice Cream, Marshmallow, Powdered Campfire Smoke
Summer Berries in Many Forms – Raspberry Gelee, Blueberry Compote, Macerated Blueberry, Coconut Lemongrass Pudding, Lavender
Bourbon Chocolate Truffles
With all the praise surrounding 610 Magnolia – considered by many to be the best fine dining establishment in Louisville – our last dinner in the city came with expectations that were unfortunately far too high, the “unique combination of southern hospitality and urban sophistication” proving to be nothing more than a beautiful location providing (mostly) competent food. Open only three nights a week and seating a mere fifty people for an ever-changing prix-fixe the $65 four-course menu with choices for each section plus canapés, mignardises, and bread certainly seemed a deal but truth be told I’d have gladly paid more for superior execution, better service (without a mandatory 18% tip,) and a table miles away from the poorly behaved children belonging to a southern belle who was clearly a friend of the restaurant.
Taking to account the above, I almost could have accepted 610 Magnolia had the food been extraordinary, but after receiving chilly bread baked elsewhere and $20 supplement piece of foie gras that was so veiny it was barely edible (and the supplement removed from the bill, though the ‘base price’ remained despite receiving no substitute dish) even a superlative dish of smoked octopus with sweet yet briny brandade and one of the best lamb chops I’ve had in recent memory had trouble elevating the overall ‘experience’ to one that was truly ‘memorable,’ particularly as the desserts were decent at best and predictable at worst – a dash of crunch here, a bit of sweet there, and far too much gelatin everywhere.
Touting a talented chef who has clearly benefitted from stints on both Iron Chef and Top Chef plus a menu flaunting all the right words from “farm to table” and “local regional” to “organic” and “sustainable” 610 Magnolia is the sort of place I could see locals visiting for a special occasion meal but to call it the best in the area would seem to imply that just because it is “haute cuisine” it is intrinsically better than something less refined and at least on my visit that was not the case; as a matter of fact, it would rank last on my list of places I visited in Louisville to return to or to recommend to others.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Matcha Green
Chamomile with Lemon Syrup
Crispy Liver Bites with Honey Mustard
White Bean and Sage Fritters with Basil Mayo
Corn Fried Tofu with Sweet and Sour
Corn Pone
Chilled Peach Soup with Peanuts and Cream
Bourbon Bread Pudding with Marshmallow Cream
Not particularly hungry after a full morning and afternoon of eating it was much to my mother’s chagrin that pre-dinner was planned before our meal at 610 Magnolia but after a 105 degree afternoon at Churchill Downs in which they actually cancelled the races due to dangers to the horses I think she was happy to watch me eat provided it involved being out of the heat and having something cold to drink, both tasks easily accomplished by the humorously named “Hillbilly Tea” where we not only enjoyed unlimited refills of two of their 50+ teas, but also some decent bites and another top notch dessert.
Small in size and focused in scope our arrival at Hillbilly Tea would unfortunately be at the transition from lunch to dinner and with the online menu quite different from that being offered from the kitchen it was with good fortune that our server, a young woman named Sarah, was full of suggestions – our eventual order entailing four savory “treats” plus a sweet and one gift from the kitchen, all but the mushy, flavorless ‘gift’ of Corn Fried Tofu proving to be good and the creamy peach soup with soft boiled peanuts and boozy but balanced bread pudding both proving to be exemplary.
Described as a “trendy tea café” with “an emphasis on bringing folks together” I cannot necessarily say that Hillbilly Tea is destination dining but taking into account the convenient location, low prices, friendly service, and unique menu it definitely warrants a look to those visiting Louisville, especially those who are looking for small bites, good drinks, and a pleasant unassuming atmosphere.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Allen Wrench
Stilton Potato Soup with Parmesan Cheese Croutons – Bleu Cheese, Candied Anchor Bacon, Scallions / Kevin’s Anchor Meatloaf Burger – Fresh Brioche Bun, Topped with Aged Cheddar, Sauteed Onions, Candied Anchor Bacon / Sweet Potato Fries – Vanilla and Brown Sugar seasoned sweet potato fries with rosemary salt, village anchor marshmallow crème, anchor’s bourbon BBQ Dipping Sauce
Anchor Hot Brown – Pulled Roasted Chicken, House made Sourdough Stuffing, Cheddar/ Parmesan/ Mornay Sauce, Grape Tomatoes, Candied Anchor Bacon
Goat Cheese Gateau – Blend of local Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheese, Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic coated with Italian Bread Crumbs and Lightly fried with toasted French Bread
Mom’s Hot Banana Pudding Meringue – Banana, warm pudding, Nilla wafers, mound of mom’s meringue
Although we were only in Louisville for ~34 hours there is no doubt we ate well and there is even less doubt that I need to go back at some point to see more of the city, but for lunch on 6/29 we actually ventured out of the city to Anchorage – a small suburb and home of The Village Anchor, a restaurant that would turn out to be my favorite in the city and, more importantly, home to my favorite dessert of 2012.
A unique space, housed in an old home on a hillside, we arrived at Village Anchor without reservations and with the space almost entirely filled opted to sit at the bar where a young, clever bartender instantly made us feel at home – serving my mother a grapefruit vodka infused “Allen Wrench” while I stuck with water to quell my thirst from the 100+ degree heat. Featuring the full menu at the bar we made it our goal to sample widely without over-ordering considering our large breakfast and plans for an equally large dinner and all told made it through a half dozen of our server’s recommendations; each excellent but the two sweets truly standing out from the pack.
With my selection of The Gateau and The Anchor’s take on Louisville’s famous “Hot Brown” both rich and decadent my mother’s choice of “Soup and Salad” was equally so and although everything was nicely prepared and both the soup and Hot Brown absolute ‘must orders’ it was actually the fries that accompanied mom’s duo that wowed us the most – the crunchy exterior and fluffy insides tasting like candied yams taken to an entirely new level by a pair of dipping sauces that, when paired, were sweet and salty, creamy and spicy…a best of both worlds combination that made me wonder why no one had had ever thought to add some BBQ spice to the ubiquitous Thanksgiving side dish.
Moving to dessert there was little hesitation or question as to what we should order and taking a cue from the bartender (as well as the menu) the mountain of Banana Pudding would prove every bit as good as it sounds – the Frankenstein dish pairing concepts as diverse as Southern Banana Pudding and Meringue Pie with those of a traditional French Soufflé with overwhelming success, each bite a slightly different balance of creamy and crunchy yet all exceedingly light; like eating a banana cream cloud and a perfect ending to a meal that far exceeded modest expectations.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Nord’s Bakery
Peanut Coconut Crunch, Chocolate Raised, Plain Glazed, French Fry, Caramel Pecan Danish, Maple Bacon Bar, Apple Fritter
Vint
Papua New Guinea Medium Roast, Raspberry Tea
Lynn’s Paradise Café
House Coffee
Bourbon Ball French Toast – Thick cinnamon swirl bread dipped in Vanilla nutmeg batter. Grilled and topped with bourbon vanilla custard, chocolate syrup, fresh strawberries, sugar spiced pecans, fresh whipped cream
Quadruple B French Toast – Buttermilk Black Walnut Bread, Slightly sweetened, battered and grilled. Ladled with sweet blackberry sauce and topped with toasted bourbon meringue.
Our second day in Louisville started early despite the late night prior and with the weather great for a run I went out and explored the city on foot, returning to find my mother ready to go – a three-stop breakfast preceding a visit to Churchill Downs beginning at Nord’s Bakery where regulars line up early and out-of-towners are treated like old friends…the sort of place where my selection of three donuts turned into seven as I was gifted four more because the owners insisted I ‘couldn’t leave Louisville without tasting’ them.
Beginning first with those I selected, specifically the Apple Fritter for myself, a raised chocolate for my mother, and the Maple Bacon Bar which some will claim Nord’s invented I particularly enjoyed the hefty amount of yeast used in each option and with both the frosting and the bacon heavy on the bar I definitely found Nord’s version superior to many ‘knock-offs,’ particularly given the lightness of the dough. Moving on to the options I did not select, clearly the folks at Nord’s know what they do best as each of these options (save for a relatively standard raised/glazed) was quite unique and truly delicious, the Peanut Coconut Crunch subtly sweet and leaning more towards the savory, the French Fry much like the fritter in its crispy exterior overlying a pillowy center, and the Caramel Pecan Danish somewhere between a pecan roll and yeasted donut in texture with salty caramel sauce that bordered on ‘too sweet’ yet found balance in the toasted pecans; definitely not an everyday treat, but without a doubt something worth the occasional indulgence for locals and visitors alike.
Craving caffeine (plus something to go with the donuts from Nord’s) and requiring Wi-Fi access our second stop of the morning was at Vint, a seemingly new coffee shop that I’d jogged past earlier in the morning and one that would serve our needs admirably. Featuring a large but quiet space where several locals seemed to be either working or holding meetings I was happy to find that two single origin beans were available and selecting the Papua New Guinea while my mother opted for lightly sweetened Raspberry Iced we were both happy with our choices while the Wi-Fi signal was strong. Not a ‘destination’ coffee spot by any means, but pleasant enough and with a decent looking food menu plus beer and wine I could certainly see it being the sort of place I’d spend a lot of time if I lived local.
Still early, our final stop of the morning was perhaps Louisville’s most famous dining spot – in part due to the food, but undoubtedly also for the scene/scenery – Lynn’s Paradise Café. A restaurant once noted in the media as “If Salvadore Dali and Dolly Parton were to team up to open a restaurant, they might come up with Lynn’s Paradise Café” I’d be hard pressed to disagree with this assessment given the absurdity of the decoration both outside and within, but to focus solely on the décor would be short sighted to say the least because underneath its silly exterior Lynn’s turns out some seriously good food and absolutely superlative service.
Truly an “experience” restaurant from the various photo-ops to the funky store and tabletop games our experience began with warm smiles at the hostess stand and continued with top-notch service and copious coffee refills from a young man named Shaun who was more than happy to tell us of Lynn’s history and offer his recommendations (or warnings, as they were, to not order too much) which we happily ignored thus leading to two huge plates of French Toast, one apparently featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay and the other from Man vs. Food, both entirely over the top, and both finished with zeal – a tough call as to which was better since both house made breads were delicious, though I think I lean towards the Bourbon Ball given the bread pudding texture and delicate balance of so many hefty ingredients.
Admittedly a glutton for sweets and particularly sweet breakfast foods Lynn’s Paradise Café (and actually the whole morning of 6/29) would be one of my favorites of the entire trip west – no small feat considering the places we would go – and having heard that Lynn’s has since closed its doors I’m glad I had the chance to visit when I did…I only hope they find a new owner soon.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Garage Bar
Sweet Corn Pie – Corn, Bacon, Cream, Garlic Puree, Fior di Latte, Basil
Margherita Pie – Milled Tomato, Fior Di Latte, Basil
Turtle Frozen Custard
Strawberry Shortcake
The Comfy Cow
Georgia Butter Pecan and Dulce de Leche de Salte
Derby Ice Cream – Old Forester Bourbon, Handmade Pecan Pie Pieces, Barry Callebaut Chocolate Chips and Foodie Preservation Louisville with Caramel Ice Cream, Pieces of Homemade Jam Cake, Blackberry Preserve Swirl
My move from Ohio to Arizona was well planned; as well planned as any of my trips – at least until the movers botched everything thus forcing me from my apartment and the state of Ohio ~12 hours earlier than anticipated; unfortunately not their last mistake nor their most egregious, yet at the time the most inconvenient as we would go nearly a whole day without eating while scrambling for a hotel – the silver lining, however, being a visit to Garage Bar in Louisville Kentucky. Arriving at 10:20, precisely twenty minutes after the restaurant stopped serving the dinner menu and transitioned to a more limited “bar menu” we were sweaty, famished, and generally unhappy – any quality food would have sufficed – but in this case we did not have to settle…not at all.
Greeted by the man who would eventually be our server, Uriah, as we entered and offered a seat at one of the communal tables as I explained the story of our day it was he, not I, who suggested he’d speak to the chefs about keeping the ovens running a little later than usual and after filling our water glasses and chuckling as I suggested neither their extensive selection of bourbon nor whisky would be ideal after such a day it would be mere moments before the first of two exemplary pies arrived; the crust bubbly-charred with an exterior crunch and bit of stretch while the house made mozzarella sat in creamy pools amid a sea of bright milled tomatoes on the Margarita and a Mid-Western dream of savory bacon and sweet buttered corn on the other.
Perhaps due to hunger, perhaps due to quality, and likely a bit of both each of the pizzas was eaten at record speed bringing forward the dessert menu and with only three options we opted for one of the house sundaes and the daily special, the former a creamy custard topped with Godiva chocolate sauce, salted caramel, and praline pecans and the second a pair of split house made biscuits covered with lightly warmed strawberries and their juices plus hand whipped cream; both simple, both refreshing, and a great capper to a meal that will echo in my memory for some time because it was everything it needed to be at a time when it was very much needed.
Perfectly satiated by Garage Bar but never one to turn down a recommendation when Uriah suggested “if you like Ice Cream you should definitely check out The Comfy Cow” my very first thought was ‘sure – why not now?’ and quickly giving the small parlor near the Louisville Campus a call we were told they would be open until Midnight – plenty of time given the lack of traffic, copious parking, and friendly staff who allowed us to sample our way down the line, eventually settling on two 2-scoop bowls; one with a pair of reimagined favorites and the other with two over-the-top locally themed compositions.
Beginning first with the base – creamy, dense, and intensely flavored like most of the small-batch operations out there today – both the butter pecan and salty caramel were exemplary takes on classics with the butter pecan particularly noteworthy given the light smokiness of the nuts overlaid by rich buttery tones. Moving next to the more complex options I’ll simply say that although I generally find blended ice-creams (think Cold Stone, or worse – a Blizzard) to be undiscerning and unimpressive I was quite surprised as to how well both of these worked; the derby using the butter pecan base and almost too-boozy on its own but nicely tempered by the sweetness of the pie while the preservation used the salty caramel base and added ribbons of locally made jam and chunks of spice cake to form an almost “Christmasy” flavor reminiscent of thumbprint cookies – a wonderfully sweet ending to our first few hours in Louisville.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Orange Julius
Zucchini Pecorino Bread
Strawberry – Gazpacho with Duck Prosciutto, Black Pepper, Olive Oil + Croutons
Egg – Poached with Asparagus, Quinoa, Parmesan + Brown Butter Sabayon
Trout – Smoked with Cucumber, Buttermilk, Rye
Foie Gras – Torchon with Tete De Cochon, Radishes, Nasturtium, Toasted Wheat Bread
Carrots – Oven Roasted with Cumin, Wheatberries, Crispy Duck Skin
Duck – Roasted with Fennel, Peaches, Pickled Juniper
Chicken – Whole Roasted for Two, Black Truffle, Foie Gras, Brioche
Chocolate Caramel Tart with Fleur de Sel with House Salted Caramel
Kougin Amann with Sour Cherry Compote
Lemon Meringue House Ricotta
Rhubarb Linzer Tart House Ricotta
Raspberry Macaron with Sweet Cream
Coffee with Biscotti – Intelligentsia Nomad Blend
Call it the Midas touch or simply an effect of being a student of (and heir apparent to) Danny Meyer but it seems that no matter what the team of Daniel Humm and Will Guidara touches these days becomes golden – 3* for EMP, multiple Beard Awards in multiple categories, a bestselling cookbook, and now The NoMad; a slightly more casual take on Humm’s incalculable culinary skills housed in the hotel of the same name. An obvious choice for lunch during this short stay in New York, particularly given the dear friends with whom I’d be dining I really needn’t belabor the service or the ‘experience’ aspect of the visit as we were treated like royalty by our captain, Laura, and her entire team throughout the afternoon including service on par with that at Eleven Madison Park and a complete tour of The Nomad – each room, the kitchen, and the (then soon to be opened) rooftop as well.
Truly a beautiful space full of both posh details like the library, parlor, and fireplace rooms all surrounding the beautiful atrium where we were seated to dine it is clear from the moment you arrive that no expense was sparred on The Nomad and although I love many dining rooms in New York a great deal, this one is truly one to behold. Greeted, seated, and served a total of three courses entailing twelve dishes plus bread, beverages, and coffee that would all be equally appropriate at EMP I think it would be hard to choose just one moment or dish that truly captures the quality of The Nomad, but perhaps I can do justice by suggesting three; the most audacious, the most unexpected, and the most traditional – an ~$80 chicken worth every penny both in terms of ingredients and execution, the sort of carrots that make you wonder why American’s so seldom focus on vegetables as more than a side dish, and a Kougin Amann served by the slice with an exterior so well caramelized I’m still not sure how they cut it without shattering the top like glass.
While some may call it EMP-lite and others may claim the prices are exorbitant – mostly directed at the chicken – for what you get I’ll simply say that much like at the flagship what Humm and Guidara are doing at NoMad is best defined as “special.” It is a space every bit as lovely as any in the Big Apple and the food, although sometimes not as ‘adventurous’ as that at Eleven Madison Park, is every bit as beautiful, pristine, and delicious – even if you don’t order the chicken…though you really should.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Complimentary Champagne – Domaine Gresser 2007
Brioche, Olive Focaccia, Sourdough, Salted Butter
Red Beet Cannelloni with Lemon- Montrachet Goat Cheese
Gouda- Parmigiano-Reggiano Gougeres
Celery Root, Potato, Black Truffle Arancini with Black Truffle Aoili
Chicken Liver Spread with White Wine Glazed Shallots over Toasted Brioche with Candied Kumquat
Fried Green Market Green Tomatoes with shaved Zucchini Squash, Lemon Vinaigrette, Black Olive Aoili
Grilled Lobster with salad of avocado, frisee, fresh hearts of palm, citrus-basil dressing
House Cured Terrine of Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Pineapple Chutney, Toasted Sicilian Pistachios, Ice Wine-Yuzu Gelee, Caramelized Pineapples, Toasted Brioche
Roasted Baby Beet and Artichoke Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse, Sweet Carrot Puree, Radishes, Carrots, Basil Seed Vinaigrette
Parmesan and Lemon Risotto with Mousseron Mushrooms, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mustard Greens, Parmesan Foam, Herbs Fines
Truffled Creamy Parmesan Grits and Sunny Side Up Squire Hill Farm Arucana Country Egg with House Cured Veal Bacon and Preserved Black Truffles
Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with Sugar Snap Peas, Rhubarb, Orange Segments, with Walnut Vinaigrette
California Sea Urchin and Angel Hair Carbonara with Sea Lettuce, Lime, Soy
Oven Roasted Poussin with Spatzel, Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans, Young Garlic Emulsion
Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass with Saffron Cauliflower Puree, Confit tomato, braised artichoke, baby fennel, finished with Marjoram emulsion
In a city of Michelin Stars it has always seemed strange to me that Tocqueville has gone unnoticed despite the consistent praise it receives from people and palates I trust and on the day that the Kings stood poised to capture their first Stanley Cup I visited Marco Moreira’s grand dining room with three of those people and had a truly wonderful Saturday lunch; a meal where the food and friends were matched by the superlative service and setting confirming what I had long suspected – that it is often better to trust your friends than any ‘guide,’ no matter how prestigious.
Admitting that two of my dining partners were known to the restaurant based on frequent visits and that our champagne as well as a couple of our amuses plus the Greenmarket salad were not offered to other tables the vast majority of what we ordered and received was paid for and available to all at a price far less than similar dishes at more highly acclaimed restaurants…and in many cases the version at Tocqueville was just as wonderful, sometimes even better.
From high thread count linens and highly polished silver at hand to oil paintings, mirrors, and chandeliers overhead plus a bounty of exotic ingredients married with fresh organic produce and complex sauces there should be no doubt about the luxury offered by the team at Tocqueville and with everything from the outstanding bread basket to the vegetables, pastas, proteins, and desserts on par with those offered in world class kitchens my only regret is that I overlooked the restaurant for so long – Michelin starred or not this is a spot that should be on any short list for best fine dining in New York and in all but a handful of United States cities Chef Jason Lawless‘ cooking would be the best in a hundred mile radius; a bold statement for sure but one I’d stand by and one strong enough that I fully intend to see what Marco’s team at newly starred 15 East is doing very soon.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Public
Passion fruit Iced Tea
Crop to Cup Coffee
Apricot Fennel Scones with Coconut Ginger Jam
Lamingtons Stuffed with Strawberries and Cream
Black Pudding Waffles with Red Wine Poached Pears and Whipped Foie Gras Butter
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Armagnac Ice Cream, Candied Lemon, and Hot Caramel Sauce
The Bowery Diner
Toasted Almond Doughnut from Dough
Caramelized Apple Pancake
Duck Hash with Poached Eggs
Stumptown Coffee
My two proper sit-down breakfasts during this trip to New York were Public – actually a brunch – and The Bowery Diner. Never really as impressed by the New York morning dining scene as I am by that in cities like Chicago, Portland, or even here in Phoenix I realistically went into both meals with modest expectations and for the most part they were met with Public putting on a very impressive showing in cuisine, service, and setting while The Bowery Diner made up for some small shortcomings in the food and overly aggressive pricing with truly outstanding service and hours that literally fit any schedule.
Starting with Public, an early morning with early lunch plans and Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals ahead of me, I arrived just before the restaurant opened to find a warm and sunny patio with Passion Fruit Iced Tea and the New York Times awaiting and the moment the door opened myself and another group of five were whisked inside and seated right away, the space to slowly fill and actually reach capacity by the time I left. Guided by a friendly young man named Edwin who suggested I may have ordered ‘too much’ food I assured him I would be okay and with coffee filled (and refilled almost gratuitously throughout the meal) I was also gifted the morning pastry which was great alone, but better when augmented with housemade jam from the cute pastry table where I also selected the spongy and dainty Lamington.
For the rest of the food, what can be said about a waffle imbued with funky blood sausage and topped with butter rife with the essence of foie gras? Soft more than crisp but entirely savory decadence this is perhaps one of the most unique breakfast foods I’ve ever encountered and mellowed only slightly by boozy pears this this is one of those rare cases where ‘too much’ turned out to be just right and as much as I love sweet breakfast foods this was one worth stepping out of line for…especially when followed by one of the sweetest takes on sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever encountered, the dense cake with great texture from the dates resting in a pool of still bubbling caramel on arrival; a lovely finish to one of the best brunches in the city.
Moving next to the sometimes 24-Hour Bowery Diner I arrived rather hungry having missed dinner after the game the night before and still waking up for my long morning run and with the restaurant empty save for one other patron I was seated immediately by my server, John, who proved both friendly and conversational thoughout the morning, stopping by frequently to fill my coffee and apologize for a seemingly inexplicable delay in my food’s arrival from the kitchen; a situation I remedied by drinking more of the Stumptown Hairbender while enjoying a Toasted Almond Doughnut from Brooklyn’s “Dough” that was actually delivered by a van moments after I sat down at my table.
Noting the food delay, in total almost fourty-five minutes, when the items did arrive they came as a pair and likely indicating a discrepancy in preparation times my savory of Duck Hash with Poached Eggs was slightly cool to the touch with eggs overcooked and the duck a bit try; the entirety of the dish seeming as though it had sat under a heat lamp waiting for the vastly superior savory – a large caramelized Apple Pancake that registered somewhere between a Dutch Baby and an Apple Fritter with a toothsome batter almost cornmeal in texture and quite delicious, though much like the $14 duck hash quite overpriced and certainly not worth the extensive wait when better food is available at a much lower cost throughout both Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Dunwell Doughnuts
Blueberry
Queen Anne’s Lace Dark Walnut
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Rootbeer
Chocolate with Peanuts
Traditional Glazed
Brooklyn Roasting Company Mocha Java
Dominique Ansel
Lemon Praline Éclair with Crispy Caramelized Hazelnuts
Blueberry Religieuse – Cream Puff Filled with Blueberry Custard Cream, Blueberry Compote, and Lemon Zest
Tiramisu Puff – Rich Colombian Coffee and Mascarpone dusted with Cocoa
The day of the Kings/Devils Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals was a difficult one to plan for but with the game on in prime time and wanting to get to the arena early for the pre-game ceremonies dinner clearly wasn’t an option – early brunch and late lunch at Public and Tocqueville, respectively, would have to suffice along with side jaunts for donuts and pastry – one new and one a well deserved return.
Starting first with a newcomer to the New York Doughnut scene, and incidentally a place only a few blocks from where I was staying, Dunwell Doughnuts is the brainchild of a couple of fellows named Dunbar and Hallowell – hence Dun-Well – who set out to create an all-vegan donut shop in New York and although not a vegan myself I generally fancy baked/fried goods in that vein because the entire idea of making desserts without cream, butter, eggs, etc always yields interesting results, generally a passionate pursuit of the owners and often times not only better than expected, but better than their ‘non-vegan’ counterparts as a result of the dedication and efforts.
A small shop located in Brooklyn with a unique variety (reportedly 200 and counting) of raised and glazed selections plus a few filled choices, but alas no cake doughnuts, I’d originally considered just trying a couple of doughnuts but upon seeing the options I instead chose a half dozen, eating half of most and the entirety of the Rootbeer while leaving the rest for my house-hosts. Largely similar in texture, a slight ‘doughiness’ not unlike brioche, with glazes that were all spot-on to their titles I really enjoyed all of the selections, but truly found the Rootbeer to be wowing – the composition tasting identical to a rootbeer float and without a doubt amongst the most interesting non-filled donuts I’ve ever tasted while on the flip side the peanut butter glazed jelly filled option was pretty excellent as well; definitely a spot worth checking out along with Dough and Pies n’ Thighs for those in and around Brooklyn, and worth a trip if only for the rootbeer to anyone else.
Moving on to what would eventually constitute my pre-game dinner a second visit to Dominique Ansel’s eponymous patisserie would serve up three new options from my prior stop and much like the majority of Ansel’s creations each of them was a study of exactly how choux should be; a bit crispy on the exterior with a delicate and wispy interior amicable to supporting the creamy contents…of which there was much, particularly in the case of the Religeuse, a flawless take on the classic with whole fresh blueberries in a creamy custard lightly tinged with lemon – and speaking of lemon, who knew it went so well with crunchy pralines or nuts? Certainly not I, until Ansel himself recommended it from behind the counter as I perused the options. Last but not least – the Tiramisu creampuff didn’t transport well on the train from Penn Station to Newark, but eating that decadent mess as I stood outside the Prudential Center waiting for them to open the doors was a great way to send off the day’s eating; and the choux held up beautifully despite being purchased nearly 8 hours earlier – no sog at all.
The Gist: Roberta’s is a hip pizza place in Brooklyn – at least to the majority of its patrons – but to those in the know it is so much more and in March of 2011 I had the opportunity to find out exactly how much more when I scored a table for three at Chef Carlo Mirarchi’s Tasting Table https://endoedibles.com/?p=329 just before word got out, Carlo was named one of Food & Wine’s 10 Best New Chefs, and reservations began to book out 3-4 months in advance. At $160 the meal would prove to be one of the ten best I had all year and despite being served in a loud restaurant decorated with Christmas lights and picnic tables I said of it at the time that it was “…an experience I can’t wait to revisit on my next trip to New York and an experience I would suggest anyone who values great food and great people check out for themselves.”
The Why: Even during our first visit there were rumblings of taking the tasting menu to the next level and with the kitchen small and cramped, literally only capable of serving a tasting to one table per night, the idea was described by Carlo as a new space to be opened within the next year…or early May as it would turn out; a space called Blanca. Having missed out on a return to Roberta’s during my March visit as Carlo was in Miami for the Food & Wine Festival Blanca immediately went on ‘the list’ as soon as I heard about it, but with the reservation list still booked out 3-4 months and no plans to visit New York in the near future I figured it would have to wait.
The Reservation: Serendipity. Like many things during the last 25 years of my life the Los Angeles Kings dictated my decision to come to New York (or Newark, rather) and without exaggeration it was literally thirty minutes after I’d purchased my tickets to Game 5 that I received an e-mail from reservationist Julia Nichols indicating that six seats were suddenly available for June 8th, the day before the game, at 6:00pm. Acting quickly and responding without hesitation I requested she hold four of the seats while I contacted some friends and within an hour three of us were confirmed, for each of us our second visit to Chef Mirarchi’s Tasting Menu and for my friends actually their second visit to Blanca.
The Space: Obviously the biggest change from my first visit to Roberta’s was the location of the “tasting table” – now a 12 person chef’s counter in a building next door and a far cry from the wooden table with benches I occupied just 15 months prior. Greeted at the door of Roberta’s and subsequently led through the garden to the building next door the space now termed Blanca is well lit, spacious, and exceedingly well designed for its primary purpose of watching the kitchen at work as stainless steel dominates the kitchen and nothing but a large fish head and diverse record collection serve to distract the diner’s gaze from the food and the talented team preparing it.
Obviously not ‘fine dining’ in the traditional sense given the lack of table cloths, counter seating, and soundtrack ranging from Rod Stewart to The Rolling Stones I was additionally happy to see the team at Blanca went the extra mile in terms of seating by providing buttery soft leather chairs with high backs and plenty of padding, quality service ware including myriad styles of plates and wine glasses, and even shawls for those who are too cold given the fact that the kitchen is obviously quite warm while the air conditioning is delivered from the rear. Additionally, for those interested in such things, check out the restroom where a Japanese commode resides featuring more functions than anyone likely needs (even during the course of a four hour meal.)
The Service: Given the hipster casual vibe that predominates Roberta’s one might be surprised to find that the service at Blanca is every bit on par with some of the best in the city but given my first experience with Chef Mirarchi’s Tasting Table it came as no shock that service was efficient, knowledgeable, humble, and as pleasant as the man in the kitchen. With no ridiculous rules about photographs or notes each dish and its beverage pairing was presented with a bevy of details and questions were answered about everything from the design of the room to the sourcing of ingredients without hesitation while throughout the meal guests were checked on frequently with opinions gauged on each dish.
The Food: 27 course tasting menu, bread service, tea, and a glass of Sarasola Basque Cider. $180 + tax/tip. Wine/Sake/Beer Pairing Optional.
Osetra Caviar with Goat Milk Granita: Served in a gold rimmed bowl with a mother of pearl spoon this combination of briny black caviar with frozen and shaved goat’s milk was a classic combination of salt meets sour and much like the more traditional presentation with crème fraiche the flavors were flawless while the textural balance of softly popping eggs and slowly melting ice was inspired.
Glass Shrimp with Celery and Poppyseed: Following up the salt and sour of the prior course, our second dish would highlight sweet and bitter as two small glass shrimp were served hemisected and raw in a pool of celery jus studded with black poppy seeds. Once again a nicely conceptualized pairing with the seeds largely serving to add texture I particularly enjoyed this dish as it further primed the palate for what was to follow.
Striped Jack with Chrysanthemum: Mild and buttery with sashimi quality texture and a slight herbal element on the finish.
Soft Shelled Crab Claw with Yogurt: Fresh and sweet with a slightly sour finish from the house made yogurt the highlight of this bite was actually the texture as the crunchy tempura gave way to creamy crab without a bit of oiliness to be found.
Horse mackerel with Flowering Parsley / Gizzard Shad with Sorrel Stem: An intriguing pairing on a single plate with the two fatty fishes serving as ample carriers for the aromatic herbs. Like each of the raw preparations that preceded and would follow this dish would not have been out of place at a high end sushi restaurant and both the flavors and the textures were a true testament to Blanca’s ingredient sourcing.
Sweetbreads with Lime: An interesting change in pace given the strong emphasis on fish and shellfish during the first half of the menu we were next presented with a single small piece of thymus lightly battered and flash fried atop a simple lime cream and cracked pepper. Crisp on the outside, creamy within, and nicely accented by the lime which was actually more sweet than sour.
Bonito with Sea Beans: Dish seven would present young bonito in its raw state instead of the more common smoked or dried form and with the flavor far milder this preparation proved to be savory and clean without being briny and although I did not really detect much flavor from the sea beans the textural snap was pleasant.
Sea Perch with Rhubarb: Having told us that Sea Perch was one of his favorite fishes during our previous meal I was happy to see Chef Mirarchi present the lightly cooked fish once again and with the buttery smooth flesh nicely balanced with the slightly sweet rhubarb this would prove to be my favorite course yet and the first in a series of three fruit-forward dishes adding some levity to the early part of the menu.
Geoduck with Tuscan Melon: Generally one of my favorite clams or mollusks this course presented thinly sliced siphons as well as a part of the body lightly cooked and paired with ripe Tuscan melon but unfortunately while the textures were perfect the melon itself was far too sweet thus relegating the mirugai to a mild saline note on palate.
Celtuse with Kumquat, Goat Yogurt, Marcona Almond, and Tuna Flake: A “salad” course, if you will, this nicely conceptualized dish presented two slices of the crisp stem, one horizontally cut and one vertically cut, atop slightly funky yogurt accented by black pepper and thinly sliced tuna with intensely sweet kumquats providing an ample foil.
Pen Shell Clam Torched with Bean Flower: Presented along with its enormous shell this Japanese clam would prove far more successful than the Geoduck and with just a touch of char provided by a blowtorch I personally loved this mild sweetness of the bivalve as well as the slightly floral note coming through beneath a touch of smoke.
Sea Urchin, Tofu, Bread Crumbs, Red Amaranth: It is hard to go wrong with high quality uni and here Chef Mirarchi paired a luxurious tongue of California uni with house made tofu, crunchy bread crumbs, and two small leafs of bitter red Amaranth to form a creamy bite with plenty of flavor and just enough texture to prevent the urchin and tofu from blending into a savory pudding.
Squid, Pimento, Meyer Lemon, Purple Onions: Lucky number 13 would feature both the cephalopod and tentacles of squid dressed in pimento pepper oil, lightly seared, and presented with Meyer lemon puree and sautéed purple onions. Both tender and spicy the squid itself was exemplary and while I generally don’t prefer too much citrus with my seafood the aromatic onions and natural sweetness of the Meyer lemons worked quite nicely in the context of the heat.
Beef Carpaccio, Egg Yolk, Arugula, Arugula Flower: With my general blasé feelings for beef well known it was with a bit of trepidation that I approached this dish, though given my experience with Chef Mirarchi’s aged beef during my prior meal I had little reason to worry as the thinly sliced Australian wagyu was tender and supple, literally melting in the mouth. With little lent by the arugula or arugula flower save for some color, I will additionally note that I did appreciate the drizzle of egg yolk and cracked black pepper which provided just a hint of spice without overwhelming the meat’s natural flavor.
Wheat Pasta, Razor Clam, Japanese Uni, Wheat Flower: Again utilizing florals largely as decoration the first pasta course of the evening was a throwback to my previous tasting at Roberta’s in terms of potent flavors minimally adorned as briny Japanese uni and tender razor clams teaming with umami blended with the toothsome pasta to form a flavor I can best describe as the taste on your lips after an afternoon in the ocean – plenty briny and just a touch sweet.
Black Pepper Garganelli with Braised Goat: Pasta number two was even better than the first as the thin rolled noodles rife with black pepper was lightly sauced with a ragu of savory braised goat. Rich and flavorful this was the first time in the meal where I really wished the portion was larger, or that I had some bread to sop up the leftover juices as there is little doubt I’d have eaten a large bowl of this pasta if given the opportunity based on the strength of the ragu alone.
Nduja Ravioli topped with Anise Hyssop: The bite of the night, the bite of the trip, and thus far the bite of the year. For those who have been, think of Grant Achatz’s Black Truffle – Explosion and for those who haven’t, imagine a single bite where dainty pasta gives way to an intense burst of savory spice from the liquefied Calabrian Sausage followed by an immediate rush of cool from the anise. It was perfect in concept and equal in execution…it is the sort of dish that could easily become a signature and probably should.
Sweet Potato, Buttermilk, Watercress, Watercress jus: Dish 18 didn’t really have much of a chance following the Nduja but perhaps anticipating this factor the kitchen made a smart decision to follow-up the shocking heat and minty cool with a dish focused on sweet and sour as the tender sweet potato balanced nicely with the sour buttermilk as the watercress lent a slightly bitter tinge.
Prawn, Tarragon, Turkish Aleppo Pepper: Having watched the live prawns flip and splash around in a shallow bowl in front of one of my friends for the first two hours of the meal this was an expected course and taking a ‘keep it simple’ approach the sweet and snappy prawns were served whole with a touch of tarragon and Aleppo pepper and instructions to suck the carapace then eat the tail, both bites exactly what you would expect and a final briny bite as we progressed towards the highly anticipated heavier proteins.
Aged Rack of Lamb, Fresh Coriander, Mustard Leaf, Mint Jelly: Seated at the far end of the bar where the dry aged meats had been resting alongside the prawns Carlo had picked up the lamb rack a few courses prior and had been working on it ever since as his team tended to the sweet potato and prawn. Described as “aged for a couple of months” by our server and roasted to just past rare this was perhaps the most musky lamb I’ve ever tasted, but at the same time also the most tender – easily cut with the edge of a fork despite slightly crisp skin – and paired nicely with herbs from the rooftop garden plus jelly made with rooftop mint. With only so many bones to go around I unfortunately did not receive one, but given the size of the portion and the fact that even the fattier pieces were perfectly tender I certainly had no room to complain.
Bread Stick and Hearth Bread with Salted Butter: Noting here my predilection for the bread basket if I had but one small complaint about the entire experience at Blanca it would be that Roberta’s delectable house made breads arrived so late in the meal – while I understand that some would want to pace themselves for such a long meal I personally would have been quite happy to nibble on both the soft bread stick and the pizza oven baked crusty bread with local salted butter throughout the night, particularly alongside the pastas.
Poulet Rouge, Porcini Mushrooms, Kohlrabi Broth, Broccoli Rabe: With both my slices of bread gone in no time flat it was time for a dish we’d been watching roast in the oven for at least the last forty five minutes and with juices streaming down the lean bird what we received would prove every bit worth the wait as crisp and salty skin gave way to juicy meat resting in a slightly bitter and aromatic broth of kohlrabi, mushrooms, and rabe. With a portion of dark and white meat provided and the flavors both intense and clean my guess is that this bird was not aged like the rest of the meats but having never tasted this particular heritage breed I really cannot be sure.
Strawberry Buttermilk Gelato: Arriving as a palate cleanser before our last savory of the evening this small quenelle of gelato was creamy and smooth with small bits of berry throughout, a nice flavor serving its purpose admirably.
85 Day Dry Aged Wagyu Beef, Hearts of Palm, Ramps, Scapes, Vin Cotto: The other piece of meat sitting next to the lamb rack earlier in the night, this was by far my most anticipated course of the night and much like last time the ultra-aged meat did not disappoint. A sizable portion, though certainly not the nearly half pound served during my previous visit, and prepared to medium rare with another piece pan seared to well-done at its side the only way to describe the flavor is “rich” with a touch of earthy funk nicely balanced by a touch of acid and the pungency of the tender ramps and scapes.
Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese with Fig, Radish, Walnuts, Fennel, Honeycomb from the Roof: As if the Wagyu wasn’t funky enough our cheese course for the evening would feature one of my favorite American Blues alongside a number of accoutrements and although the figs were slightly less sweet than I would have liked the pairing of Jasper Hill’s finest cheese with both the aromatic fennel and the bitter radish was an inspired choice while the honeycomb and walnuts worked as well as expected in highlighting the subtle spicy notes of the cheese.
Chamomile Gelato with Quinoa and Chickpea Crumble: Having been only modestly impressed with the desserts on Roberta’s tasting the first time around I was happy to see the first of three options arrive with a lot more nuance than any during my first visit and with the gelato flavored similarly to the milky tea that my grandmother often served both me as a child I was additionally impressed by the “crumble” – a buttery composition tasting something like grapenuts cereal without the bitterness.
Wild Strawberries, Strawberry Soup, Sorrel and Ground Ivy Granita, Lemon Verbena Ice Cream: Following close on the heels of the gelato this inspired composition would not have been out of place on the menu at a place like Manresa or even L’Arpege and with myriad textures, temperatures, and flavors at play the overall effect was at times sweet and other times sour but at all times intensely herbal. To quote one of my co-diners, it tasted “healthy” and “refreshing,” a perfect dish for summer.
Cherry Sorbet, Yogurt, Coffee and Hempseed Crumble, Poached Cherries, Pakistani Noble Berry: The final plate of the evening and the largest of the desserts suffice it to say that this was outstanding – the sorbet soft and creamy, the poached cherries slightly boozy, the yogurt just a touch sour, and the crumble much like the quinoa/chickpea combination in texture but laced with notes of coffee and earthiness in flavor. Unfamiliar with the “Noble Berry” prior to this I was additionally impressed by the pastry chef taking time to chat with us about the ingredient, a jet black finger-length berry with a flavor similar to blackberries but a texture somewhat akin to a date.
Matcha: Served after the desserts as we sat listening to music while watching the kitchen scrub down I personally would have preferred coffee, but all things being equal I’ll never complain about green tea either, particularly one this fragrant.
The Verdict: With the capability to now serve 12 persons per night when Carlo is in town I can only assume that Blanca will help the crew at Roberta’s progress through their extensive wait list in a more expedited manner yet given the quality of the room, the food, the service, and the man in the kitchen I could also see the opposite occurring where demand increases even further and as such I will say the same thing I said after my last meal – that this is a dining experience that should reside near the top of everyone’s ‘must-visit’ list, and that I cannot wait to go back.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Milk Bar Midtown
B’day cake truffles
Pistachio Croissant with pistachio-almond paste and whole pistachios
Cornbread with butter, pickled jalapenos, corn kernels, and cotija
Le Grenouille
French Baguette and Multigrain with Iced Butter
Duck Confit with Fava Beans, Spring Peas, Duck Jus
Rosemary Sweetbreads with Pommes Puree and Broccoli Rabbe
Asparagus with Poached Egg, Spring Vegetable Pistou, and Mushrooms
Pike Quenelles with Lobster Sauce and Saffron Rice
Dover Sole with Mustard Sauce and Haricot Verts
Pistachio, Vanilla, and Caramel Soufflés with Crème Chantilly
Caramel Tuilles, Fruit and Nut Cookies, Madelines
Coffee with Pralines
After a debacle involving a late night at Blue Hill at Stone Barns followed and issues with subway closures en route from Union Square back to Brooklyn led to a 3am bedtime I slept in well past my normal waking hour and rising at 9:00am for a morning run with lunch plans at Le Grenouille just after 1pm I knew I would have little time for breakfast; a quick stop at the Whichcraft in Bryant Park for an Iced Coffee followed by a visit to Milk Bar Midtown for a few pastries enjoyed in the sun on a particularly warm afternoon. Impressed by much of Christina Tosi’s work on my previous visit to the LES Milk Bar this outing focused on newer items I’d not experienced prior and much like the last time every item selected was a modern spin on something classic – the truffles like a pop-in-your-mouth funfetti cake and the dense cornbread savory and spicy with a great gossamer finish from the salty and cornmeal-like grain of the cheese. The pistachio croissant, another dynamic taste due to the heft of the butter and smokiness of the pistachios, was also quite good but to me a bit mislabeled largely because the phrase ‘croissant’ makes me think of a crunchy shell while this was more like a dinner roll – under a different moniker and different expectations I think I would have been more impressed (though I certainly would not hesitate to order it again or to recommend Milk Bar because of it.)
Moving on to lunch proper; Le Grenouille had always been on my ‘to-visit’ list of grand ol’ restaurants in Manhattan for at least two years but given the cost of admission, requirement (or at the very least, request) for jackets both at dinner and lunch, plus a stoic menu it never made the final cut until this impromptu visit to New York largely because this would be my first visit to Manhattan without any other notable “French” restaurants on the agenda. Admitting from the start that this reservation was debated literally up until the last minute due to cautionary tales of stuffy service and stodgy food from palates I trust my primary reason for finally deciding to enter Le Grenouille’s doors was the assertion from my two dining companions that, at the very least, the food and company would be excellent while the classical room and beautiful flowers were well worth seeing; the later certainly true but the former a mixed bag (though, as always, the company was lovely.)
Beginning first with the bread – cold and served with colder butter – it was obvious from the beginning that Le Grenouille would not match my meals in Paris, but moving through the three course prix-fixe things would definitely improve; the appetizers each immaculate with the sweetbreads intense and creamy, the duck crispy and teaming with flavor, and the asparagus perhaps the best of the group with the yolk of the runny egg acting to temper the otherwise hefty earthen notes. Moving next to two entrees as my companions both opted for the Dover sole while I selected the Pike Quenelles both fishes would miss the mark for me – the Sole excellent but the sauce far too mustard for my personal tastes (my friends and many others raved it) while the quenelles were under-flavored and overcooked thus relying on the sauce to prop them up…a perfect bite, however, being a mix of the Sole with the lobster sauce, something clearly unintended by the kitchen.
Progressing to the sweets, perhaps the most fabled part of Le Grenouille’s menu, I’m sure there were other options available but none of those really mattered – if you choose to dine here you need to order the soufflé – in our case three different flavors and although difficult to distinguish by eye as all stood tall, fluffy, and proud each distinct and perfectly paired with a complimentary sauce; the caramel version particularly lovely with a slightly ‘burnt’ taste and salted caramel added to the Chantilly to further accentuate the effect and unlike the majority of the savories every bit as good as the ones served in French kitchens thousands of miles away.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Keeping it Currant – Cava, Black Currant Leaf, Maraschino, Rhubarb Bitters (bitters made on site, leafs grown on the farm)
Grilled Fava Beans with Sea Salt
Crudites of carrots, peas, butter lettuce, and greens (the butter lettuce shockingly similar in flavor to the butter served later in the meal)
Pea Soup with Bacon (incredibly vegetal yet sweet, the bacon a briny finish)
Birch Bark and Buckwheat Cookie filled with Chocolate Yard Mint Cream (dead wood from farm, dried, pulverized and mixed 50/50 with buckwheat)
Sunrise Heirloom Turnip with Soybean and Spring Vegetable Pistou (a nightmare in execution as the blade did not completely cut through the turnip, but the vegetable itself so sweet it was closer to an apple with black pepper in flavor than a true turnip)
Goat Cheese with Potato Chips with Sage, Purslane, Faro Crackers (the cheese formed a base into which the crackers and chips were placed – the flavor funky yet balanced by the various crisps)
Egg Lardo with Pimento Pepper (Essentially an aged egg yolk – sort of waxy gives way to creamy and tinged with heat)
Asparagus with Pancetta and Tempura Sesame
Fish Balls, Greenhouse Lettuce, Phytoplankton Mayonnaise (Wrap the salty bass fritter in the lettuce, drag through the mayo, and eat – one of my favorites of the night)
Beet Yogurt, House Made Grapenuts, House Made Beet Sugar (The very essence of beet – earthy and metallic – in a sort of pudding given balance by the sweetness and texture by the buckwheat cereal)
Pork Liver with Chocolate (A lightly gamey sapor, but more-so ultra-rich dark chocolate)
Veal Bone Marrow with Toasted Croutons (too small for three…another favorite of the night I’d have eaten three by myself)
Green Garden Gazpacho with Strawberries and Blue Hill Yogurt Sorbet (perhaps the best cold soup I’ve ever tasted – the herbal notes of basil and rosemary brought to a bright apex by the intensely sweet strawberries while the tangy sorbet provided a clean finish)
Speck with Greens from the Greenhouse on Polenta Flatbread (Briny, smoky, a bit of balsamic – salad as it should be.
Asparagus, Spring Onions, Purslane with Almond Chorizo Jus, and Almond-Hazelnut-Egg yolk shavings (Drag the vegetables through the sauce, then through the shavings – a bit spicy, a bit nutty, and slightly smoky as though the vegetables themselves had been smoked when in fact they were only lightly sautéed in olive oil.)
Red Fife Brioche with Cracked Black Pepper and Spinach Marmalade and Freshly Made Ricotta Cheese (An Heirloom Grain from the 1800s put to great use – I could have eaten loaves of this, particularly with the briny ricotta and slightly sweetened spinach)
Horseshoe Lobster in a Spring Vegetable Vinaigrette Composition (The lobster was slightly overcooked but its sweetness beautifully matched by the bright acidity of the vinaigrette)
Grilled Radicchio with Pine Nut Puree and Cherries (I’m not a big Radicchio fan as I simply find it too bitter, but this tasted like a smoky peanut butter and jelly sandwich – definitely the best radicchio dish I’ve ever tasted and one of the most memorable plates of the night.)
Crusty Potato Onion Hearth Bread, Carrot and Sage Salts, Lardo from Blue Hill Pigs, Local Grain Fed Butter, Butter from Blue Hill Farms from two different grass fed cows – Normandy and Dutch Lineage (They claim to serve the bread late in the menu so that the guest does not overindulge and I salute them for this as I most certainly would have – but with that said I still requested three extra slices in order to properly assess each of the spreads; a very interesting culinary education provided in comparing and contrasting not only the difference between grass and grain, but how two different cows eating the same grass can produce entirely different flavors and textures of milk.)
Egg Carbonara with Zucchini Noodles and Bacon (Lightly poached egg over noodles made by thinly slicing cooked zucchini and topped with house made pecorino plus bacon – another standout in both flavor and style)
Poussin Cooked in Salt with Peas and Pistachios (Intensely crisp skin, meltingly tender flesh)
Stone Barns Berkshire Pork – Loin, “Secreto” Cuts, and Rhubarb (Lean but tender in the loin and marbleized with fat in the shoulder cut; a beautiful heritage pig with rhubarb prepared like applesauce)
3 Week Aged Black-Sheep Cheese with Ash (Illinois), Preserved Strawberry / Raw Cow’s Milk “Across the Pond” (New York) with a Pickled Sugar Snap Pea / Pretzel (I didn’t really get this course considering the various house made cheeses presented throughout the meal, but I really love Across the Pond so I’ll let it slide.)
Caramelized Cherries, Elderflower Gelee, Blue Hill Farm Milk Ice Cream (The ice cream was perhaps the most creamy I’ve ever tasted and the cherries amongst the most sweet – the ‘palate cleanser’ outperforming most proper desserts)
Strawberries and Cream – Strawberry Roll, Sweet Cream, Balsamic, Green Strawberries (I never expected the BHSB pastry department to be this strong, but in a trip with a number of great sweets this was the most memorably by far – delicate textures, intense flavors, and everything from the farm)
Peanut Butter and Chocolate – Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse, Peanut Butter Mousse, Milk Powder, Crumbled Dark Chocolate (Another excellent dish in terms of texture and flavor, but the ‘chocolate in textures’ theme seems a bit played to me thus rendering this dish a bit less special than the rest of the sweets.
Mignardises – Honey Marshmallows, Milk Jam Lollipops, Cocoa Dollops, Sesame Seed Fudge, Tuilles (The seseame seed fudge was outstanding – like a butter caramel meets dense fudge, the lollipops also were quite nice.)
Kenya Gathambi Roasted at Irving Farm in Millerton NY (Deep, dark as hell, smoky with a lot of vanilla notes)
Of all the meals I’m sorry I did not get around to writing about earlier this is certainly the one I regret most; a magical meal at Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns with two friends that began with rain giving way to clear skies, a long drive there and me falling asleep in the car on the way back, and most importantly a culinary education like no other – wandering the grounds of the farm and visiting both the animals and vegetation that make up the majority of your dinner. Certainly a utopian idea in many ways, though perhaps less so to someone like myself who grew up in the midst of fields filled with both corn and cow, there has been loads written about Barber and his restaurant over the years and although phrases like ‘farm to table,’ ‘nose to tail,’ and ‘sustainability’ are obvious there is also a truly bucolic serenity to the place that cannot really be captured without a visit.
Moving past the ideals and the location, both impressive, I will note that before making the hour long trip to The Rockefeller Estate in Pocantico Hills there was some hesitation amongst the others in my group, and perhaps in my own mind as well, about how the meal would turn out as many had suggested in recent years the rise of the Slowfood movement had made the food at Blue Hill somewhat less special while service had slipped but what we found, instead, was quite the opposite.
Featuring four menus of various lengths and price points it seemed only rational to go with the longest of those offered – a Farmer’s Feast where the diner is presented a list of ingredients and questioned about likes and dislikes before the meal commences – and informed that this meal could often last as long as four hours we assented, emerging from the doors 33 plates, courses, or bites (and 225 minutes) later – almost every single one of them good and the vast majority outstanding (both the cuisine and the moments in between.) With some notes as above, mostly taken from my jotted notes and distant memories, the food was much like the scene; a true ‘experience’ to behold with each element composed by Dan Barber and executed flawlessly by his team. In a world where “Farm to table” is quite en vogue but rarely ‘exciting,’ Blue Hill at Stone Barns was both and all in all it was my second favorite meal of 2012, a great achievement in a year I’d consider perhaps the best of my life thus far.
The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
The Modern Dining Room
Duche de Longueville Sparkling Cider
Canapes – Sunchoke with Crystalized Ginger and Goat Cheese and Striped Bass Tartare with Green Apple Rhubarb Compote and Crispy Lentils
Amuse – Spanish mackerel, Basil Mint Coulis, Pickled Ramp
Pralines of Foie Gras Terrine with Mango-Passion Fruit Puree, Balsamic Vinegar Tears, Toasted 7-Grain Bread
Poached Farm Egg with Pimento Nage and Iberco Ham
Squab and Foie Gras Croustillant with Caramelized Ginger Jus and Farm Vegetables
Coffee and Vanilla Sundae with Pralines and Caramel Sauce
Mignardises – Hazelnut, Three Others…one coffee and one, I believe, Passionfruit
La Colombe Coffee
It seems hard for me to believe that three years passed between my first and second visit to The Modern Dining Room, but with my first visit quite impressive and a return visit to the Bar Room equally divine I had no reason to doubt a return visit to Danny Meyer’s Michelin Starred MoMA restaurant would be just as remarkable…but then again, you know what they say can happen when you assume, and much to my surprise it was in the most unlikely of places as Kreuther’s food remained immaculate but Meyer’s fabled service crashed and burned. Literally starting from the moment I arrived to The Modern – five minutes before my noon reservation – things seemed ‘off’ that day; the greeting a muffled hello as hostess/host chatted, me sat at the bar until “the dining room opened” almost fifteen minutes later, empty water glasses at my table as server after server fawned over a table of men in suits ordering much wine (myself suited as well, but only drinking Sparkling Cider,) and my primary server named Tanja seemingly uninterested in presenting plates with any words other than the what was listed in bold on the menu, “Pralines of Foie Gras,” for instance…but none as infuriating as when the mignardise tray was touted before the table next to me as I received a few items selected by Tanja that went undescribed entirely. Never one to make a fuss when I was exiting the restaurant someone asked how I’d enjoyed the meal and mentioning the service issues all I received was essentially “oh, I’m sorry to hear that – have a nice afternoon” – something I’d have never before anticipated from a Danny Meyer team – not even Shake Shack – which led to me writing a brief e-mail the restaurant days later; a letter which Mr. Meyer reportedly addressed himself (not to my surprise considering my first interaction with USHG years back) and promised to further investigate.
Having mentioned that the food remained nearly perfect I will note that the one “nicety” I received during my meal was when Tanja offered the full Squab and Foie Gras Croustillant (a dish designated for two on the menu) at no additional charge on the afternoon’s four-course prix fixe, something I’d have gladly paid for otherwise, and given my love for both ingredients I will say that the dish is every bit as wonderful as it sounds; the flaky pastry still perfect and crisp around the tender squab and silky liver while the lightly sugared jus, almost like soy but far more nuanced, added a note of acidity that worked delicately with the tender vegetables to keep the dish from being ‘too much,’ though I will admit that after the lovely terrine, coated in what seemed to be poppy seeds and something deeply vegetal like celeriac or sunchoke, this was not a ‘light’ meal by any means.
Obviously abusing the bread service – particularly the raisin roll topped with goat butter – and adding in the briny egg, a truly interesting dish largely because of the heat from the nage and the intense salinity of the olives, plus a dessert both complex and quite light there really was not a dull moment in the afternoon gastronomically speaking and adding in the dramatic setting with the windows overlooking the sculpture garden I still contest that the food at The Modern is critically underrated at one star and although I really do wish the service aspect of my afternoon would have been better I still would not hesitate to recommend either half of The Modern to anyone and thanks to Mr. Meyer as well as the afternoon manager who did indeed investigate the situation I know I’ll be back, this time on the house, sooner rather than later.
