vengroff
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Posts posted by vengroff
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Thanks! We went to Albert Lee this morning and it will be delivered on Monday.
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Our 14 year-old refridgerator is on its last legs. The ice maker died a few months back, the interior light is gone, and now it's started making funny noises and not smelling so great. If we don't replace it in the next few days we may not make it through the holidays. Plus it's a side-by-side and we've been looking for an excuse to get a bottom-freezer model. Any recs for places to shop for replacements?
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We all know the restaurant business is tough, but running a restaurant in a hotel can be excruciatingly difficult. There is almost always a tension between the chef's creative instincts and the need to serve patrons who are predominantly travellers first and diners second. Throw in the inevitable financial problems new restaurants tend to have and things can get really ugly really fast as each side tries to push its agenda to turn the place around. I'm speculating, as I know none of the parties involved, but everything I've read here (the blanded down menu, the abrupt change of cuisine, and the dropping of breakfast) suggests to me that this is probably what is going on there.
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My regular wine shop has a big pile of cardboard and sometimes wood case by the front door for customers to take. I wouldn't hesitate at all to transport wine 20 miles that way. Chances are that's exactly how it came from the winery to wherever you bought it, in several different trucks over distances far greater than 20 miles.
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The orginal Red Robin location in Seattle offers burgers with gratuitous combinations of toppings, endless free baskets of fries, and brightly-colored syrupy-sweet drinks. Most of the mid-twenties crowd watching the Sonics at the bar have been eating there since they were toddlers. The only difference is that now they order the alcoholic versions of the pink lemonade and chocolate shakes. I can only assume the DC area outlets have copied the same basic business model.
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How about Le Pichet on 1st Ave?
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Jarad and Jamison,
I'm sorry to hear that your run at the GWI has come to an end. Nectar was a stunning example of what a relenless dedication to innovation, intellegence, and creativity can make of even the dankest of basements. Washington DC was lucky to have Nectar for the time it did, and I count myself lucky to have lived there to experience it.
I wish you both all the best and am all but certain you will achieve it.
Best of luck,
Darren
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Brasa, good appetizers, but then everything went wrong, had some sweetbreads that looked and tasted charred.
I was actually very happy with both the food and service at Brasa recently. I had roast pig served in a cazuela with clams, potatoes with a broth heavy with smoked paprika and chorizo. The whole thing was topped with a crisp strip of crackling pork rind. The meat was very tender and succulent; exactly as roast pork should be. At first I found the potato a bit extraneous, but taken with the well seasoned morsels of chorizo it really worked well.
On the service side, the maitre d' noticed when our coats were being taken that I had theatre tickets poking out of my shirt pocket. He asked exactly when the show began and when we needed to leave and made sure to inform our waitress before she visited our table the first time. All this despite the fact that we actually arrived 20 minutes late for our reservation due to a combination of traffic and poor planning on my part. This is the kind of service I expect in New York, but see far too infrequently in Seattle.
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What are people's general impressions of the quality of the food served on the 25 for $25 menus vs. the standard menus of the participating restaurants. I haven't been to enough of these yet to have a really informed opinion.
My experience with similar industry promotions in other cities has mostly been negative--big crowds, cut-rate ingredients, rushed preparation, and slammed waitstaff--but judging from the enthusiasm on this board I take it things work a little better here in Seattle.
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Last thanksgiving I switched from turkey to a fresh organic capon. At 9 or 10 lbs a capon will feed 8 people. The quality of the meat was so much better than most turkey that it will be hard for me to ever go back.
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I am now curious about this NY Pizza phenom. I've had Piecora's and didn't like it, so I don't know if NY Pizza is for me, or if Piecora's didn't get it right at the time. The way Deborah
describes it sounds like heaven to me, so I'm inclined to think it's the latter.
The pies I've had from Piecora's were more like NY pies than anything I've had in Seattle, in much the same way the weather in Seattle more like the weather in San Diego than anyplace I've been in Alaska. It's closer, but that doesn't make it close.
The real problem is the crust. It's just too thick and doughy.
For what it's worth, the number of places in New York that do it right is dwindling. There used to be good pizza all over town. Now most of it is mass produced using a standard recipe of cardboard, ketchup, and elmer's glue.
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A word to the wise on the mushroom front. The larger porcinis and matsutakes are favorites for colonies of burrowing worms. Befuse using them, bisect the stems from root to cap and check whether they are solid of riddled with small holes 1mm or so in diameter. If they have the holes, worms have moved in. Sometimes as many as half of the mushrooms you buy can be affected. If you get to know a good supplier, they may let you cut the mushrooms open with a pocket knife to check them out at the time of purchase.
BTW, this tip comes courtesy of Chef Steve Smrstik of Flying Fish.
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............and???
LOVE cassoulet.. I need to go here badly.
I didn't make it in last Friday for cassoulet, but I did this Friday. It's still a several-night-a-week special, not on the main menu, but you can call ahead and check. The escargots have made it to the main menu, as has a salad of endive and blue cheese which, unfortunately for us, was selling so well that they ran out of just before we placed our order.
But back to the cassoulet. It's served in an individual casserole whose lid is removed at the table to reveal a full leg and thigh of duck confit swimming in white beans gratinee with breadcrumbs. This cassoulet is more about the duck and less about the beans than others I've had, but that wasn't really a problem for me. The biggest treat of the dish is the large number of bite-sized chunks of cured pork in the beans. These weren't microscopic diced specks meant to add flavor and then melt into the background, but tender fork-sized morsels that had been braising for hours along with the beans. And most importantly they were plentiful enough that there was no need to carefully mete them out every so many spoonfulls of beans.
I also had the country pate with coarse ground black pepper and to finish off, a selection of cheese consisting of blue de gex, St. Marcelin, and an aged chevre whose precise name I can't now recall.
As has been said here before, it's straight ahead French bisto cuisine, executed with care and flair. Once in a while the side dishes suffer from too heavy a hand with the garlic, but aside from that I don't think I can say anything negative about the food I've had there.
The place was hopping on a Friday night. Reservations aren't strictly necessary, but on the weekend I'd recommend them because the dining room is not all that large. A couple without a reservation who came in just before us was told the wait would be an hour.
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I went to Nell's for the first time Monday night.
I thought the food was quite good, actually. I had a starter of consisting of a generous portion of dungeness crab salad with crisp cubes of Braeburn apple. My main was a crisp skinned duck breast served medium rare, just as the waiter suggested it would be. I finished with a nice selection of five cheeses and fresh figs. I didn't care much for the young goat cheese--I am in general biased against that style--but the other four, ranging from gouda to St. Marcelin, were all top notch. Across the board I thought the food was well executed and I would certainly like return to try a couple of the other items on the menu.
Service was attentive, informed, and well timed, but the place was near empty so the staff was not overly stressed.
I found the decor a bit unexpected, especially given the cuisine; but I think the same of the main dining room at Nishino. Dimming the lights just a bit would do wonders for the both of them.
The wine list has some good breadth not only locally but also across France, Italy, and some bits of Spain. I especially appreciate that they took the time to put together a nice selection of half bottles. It makes pairing wines with courses so much easier for small parties. I recall, however, thinking the prices were a tad on the high side relative to some of the same bottles at other area restaurants. But now I'm doing a double take becausse I went to the list on the web site and the prices posted are far more reasonable than I remembered. I'll take notes next time just to be sure I'm not misremembering things.
On the whole, it's worth a trip in, especially if decor issues don't bother you too much. It's not the most convenient location for me, but I suspect I will be back there again.
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Switching back from service to the food, Ethan has been doing some wonderful combinations of seafood and mushrooms lately. I recently had a seared scallop over braised oxtail and paper thin sliced mushrooms. It's a perfect dish for the changing season, with the creamy scallop balancing the hearty winteriness of the braise. A fantastic combination with a half bottle of Pinot Noir. I also had a red drum filet with a crackling crisp skin served over a bowl of meaty matsutake mushroom and herbs.
Cheese was, as always, a carefully chosen selection that covers all the important points on the spectrum, from a creamy mild goat-cow mix through an aged Vermont cheddar to a sharp runny French washed rind cheese.
Along with the cheese I had what has to be be the best-hidden gem to be found in Union's cellar--a Real Companhia Velha Royal Oporto Colheita 1944. Not that's not a typo, it's the 1944 vintage colheita. They have had the bottle in house for four months now, and apperently I was the first to order it. At $25 a glass it's less expensive than the $30 1977 (Ware's I believe, but I could be wrong) that tops the list, but inhabits an entirely different planet of aroma and drinkability. It's smooth as silk, starts of big and fruity and then settles in for a lovely long walnut finish.
I sat at the bar, as I was dining alone, and learned that Jason, the bar manager, has moved to London to pursue graduate studies in Philosophy, leaving the bar in the able hands of Avel, who seems to find his way into some of the best jobs in town--Union and Salumi are both on his resume. Avel has put together a new fall cocktail menu, keeping some of the classics, like the Montmartre, but adding some intriguing new options like a pear margarita.
It also turns out that yesterday, Oct. 1, was Union's 1 year anniversary. Congratulations to Ethan, Michelle, and the entire Union crew. I wish you many years of continued success.
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In the six months or so since Voila opened, I have become a semi-regular. I've been meaning to write about it again, and should have done so long before now.
The good news is I think they've more than lived up to their inital potential. They are are really solid reliable bistro. You can enjoy a Kir Royale at the bar and then settle in for classics like Salmon in beurre blanc, steak frites, or coq au vin. Specials are often fresh fish, simply grilled with classic sauces. I've also had some excellent escargots, swimming in garlic and butter, served atop thin slices of crispy toast.
Last night I found out from chef/owner Laurent that a few seasonal menu changes are in the works. The biggest news is that he will start offering cassoulet as a special several nights a week. It's going to debut tomorrow, and I hope to be there to try it. The salmon will depart when the season for wild salmon ends, because Laurent doesn't want to switch to farm raised fish. There are a few other minor tweaks, and some new specials that may make their way onto the regular menu if they prove popular.
Oh the whole, I'm really glad to have Voila in the neighborhood, and look forward to many more pleasurable evenings there.
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The pizza at Rose's cafe is indeed a treat. If you have any appreciation for Italian-style thin-crust pizza then a visit to Orcas would be incomplete without a stop at Rose's. One corner of the large open kitchen has been given to the wood burning oven that turns out these incredibly crisp pies. The oven is also used to roast a variety of meat and seafood in individual cast-iron skillets. If you enjoy watching this sort of activity, a seat at the far end of the small bar is a must.
The dining room adjoining the kitchen is bright and pleasant, with nice touches like a big rustic farmhouse table for seating parties of eight to ten. Dimmer lighting at the dinner hour could lend a little bit cozier feel to the place, but otherwise it is inviting and comfortable.
Four different pizzas toppings are offered at any given time; the precise selections change with the seasons. When we visited, the standout married thick slices of locally foraged porcini mushrooms, fontina cheese, and a sprinkling of herbes de Provence. A straight-up Margherita also looked excellent, although we did not try it.
The key to the pizza is the thin crispy crust. It has the quality of a fine artisinal cracker, with a lightly browned surface that bites firmly but without crumbling, and more than enough rigidity to hold its shape when picked up by its edge. The classic New York slice fold is strictly unnecessary, which is a pleasure for those who prefer their pizza toppings not to become a flash flood of molten goo whose main function is to scorch the palate.
Aside from the pizza we were impressed by the soups we tried, both a potato tomato chowder and a delightfully smokey split-pea and ham. The latter was of medium texture, neither watery nor so thick as to become porridge the way some renditions do. Locally harvested oysters, roasted in their shells with butter and herbs were exceptionally smooth and creamy. These were accompanied by an intoxicating little mound of crisp pickled carrots; these were also offered alongside sandwiches at luchtime.
The only weak point we found was with some of the dinner entrees. They seemed to be a bit too ambitious for the kitchen and fell flat, particularly when compared to the simpler preparations already mentioned. That being said, they still outclassed those we had at Cafe Olga, an oft-praised Orcas destination.
In particular, Rose's braised duck leg had a nicely crisp skin, but was overly greasy, even for duck, and lacked the sort of distinctive punch that would make it worth ordering again. Similarly, coho salmon was competent, but in no way exceptional. The chanterelles that accompanied it were a different story--they were incredibly rich and flavorful. Kudos again to Rose's mushroom forager, whoever he may be.
We were looking forward to a fantastic cheese course, because one could easily be created from the extensive selection available for retail sale in the adjoining deli. Sadly, what we got was a big pile of bread concealing a massive slab of a buttery French triple cream cheese and two other nuggets two small to seriously savor.
Dessert at lunch was better--an "ice cream sandwich" of alternating layers of rich chocolate cake and house-made cinnamon ice-cream. Along with an espresso, it was a perfect early afternoon pick-me-up.
Beyond that already mentioned, Rose's also offers a selection of grilled sandwiches at lunch and a number of dinner entrees ranging from seafood stews to braised lamb shanks. Since they are also a wine shop, they permit patrons to pick any bottle they offer and enjoy it in the cafe for a $10 corkage. Their selection covers the local region, ranging from nearby Lopez Island down through the heart of Washington and Oregon wine country, but also offers a surprisingly broad selection from Burgandy, Rhone, and Alsace, among others.
If you find yourself on the island, absolutely do swing by. If you keep things simple--a pizza and a pint of ale, soup and a sandwich, or a selection of cheese, a baguette, some olives and a bottle of wine for a picnic, you can't possibly leave without being extremely satisfied.
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Congratulations to Jose!
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I'm looking for recommendations for dinner on Orcas Island in the next few days.
Any location, cuisine, and price range is fine. I just want something that is particularly good at whatever it sets out to do.
Thanks in advance for your help.
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If Ethan's chilled tomato soup is anything like the version he made with crab a few weeks ago at Union you are in for a treat. I'll be out of town on the 16th, but I can't wait to hear your reports.
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Had lunch there recently. Everything was fine, and the lamb in particular was tender and perfectly medium rare. Between Tom's name and the fact that there isn't a whole lot like it out here, I'm sure they will do quite well. But it made me yearn for the Turkish cafes along Upper St. in London where very much the same food is served for half the price.
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Two months later we have done three salt rubs, my procsciutto has dropped two pounds of water weight, and it's time to rub with olive oil and hang to cure. Up to now, the hams have just been resting and sweating in tub like this one in a cooler.
For a while there was a wet salty slime on the suface as the water was drawn out, but now all excess moisture has evaporated and the salt on the surface has crystalized. Here's a close up shot of the hard dry salt crust.
We washed the salt crust off in the sink before the next step, which is rubbing with olive oil to create a nice moisture seal.
Each ham took about a cup of olive oil, which we massaged in, just as we had done with the salt in the past.
From there, it was into the curing room to hang. Here's Armandio up on a ladder hanging the pork.
And here they are, hanging to cure. From this point on it's largely a matter of time, with just a few more rubs to keep the surface from drying out too much.
The hams on the far right of this shot have been hanging for a month, showing what we have to look forward to.
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Recently my company entertained some visitors from the east coast, the midwest, and Europe. One of my colleagues arranged a dinner for a dozen of us at Wild Ginger.
After a round of satay, I wanted to order some crabs for the table. Most of our guests had never had dungeness crab before, so it seemed like the proper Seattle culinary thing to do. The waitress told me she did not recommend the crab. Why, I wondered out loud, was it not fresh that day? Actually, she thought it was a bad choice for a large group because it was too messy. I ordered something else instead and quickly hopped over to the other side of the table to confer with my co-hosts. One of them was on the ball enough to call the waitress back to our table and ask her to please bring us three crabs. She relented and placed the order.
In the end, the crabs were well recieved, and no excessive messes were created. I can't say the dinner would have been ruined without them, because we had plenty of other interesting food and wine to go around. But it still kind of bugged me, as an experienced Seattle diner, to have the inherent messiness of dungeness crab explained to me and be told I should not be ordering it for my guests.
I seem to get this a lot in Seattle. Maybe I look like a total yokel or something, but waitstaff tends to explain to me the reasons I don't want to order the thing I just ordered, like rare seared tuna, rather than put any faith in me recognizing the descriptions on the menu and ordering what I want. I've even had a waiter explain to me to me that the eel dish I just ordered was, shockingly enough, made from actual filets of *eel*. Does this happen to anyone else?
Seattle Appliance Shops
in Pacific Northwest & Alaska: Cooking & Baking
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We got one of these: Amana Easy Reach.
The clear front doors on a the crispers seem like such an obviously good idea that I can't believe nobody thought of them before.