Zeemanb
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(Also try Alton Brown's recipe on the Food Network site.)
I baked my first fruitcake over the weekend and did indeed use Alton Brown's recipe. This was the first time I recall ever seeking out so much dried fruit, and I was amazed at the variety at my neighborhood supermarket.
I look forward to slicing into that loaf on Christmas, although I do wish I could have let it age longer than a week. The real test will be finding out whether or not the family forgives me for making fruitcake in lieu of my usual bourbon and chocolate pecan pie.
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John, believe it or not I almost ate at Thai Chili Cuisine in addition to Dusita. The same person recommended both to me. After the mediocre seafood at the Fish Market, I was regretting not going there instead. A couple of people also recommended China Stix for dependable, basic Chinese, but I never made it over there.
I was staying at Candlewood Suites right across from the University, and I thought it was funny that out of all the restaurants I saw on the way to and from the office the closest one to my hotel was a Quizno's.
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So I happened to be in the bay area for a couple of weeks…… and fortunately knew far enough in advance to do plenty of research, and work through the painstaking process of narrowing the trip down to a manageable list of meals. I’m not sure when I’ll have the chance to visit again, so I wanted to “max out” the experience and still accomplish the business goals that brought me to the area in the first place. Some general observations…..first, for any of my KC friends reading this; we don’t have traffic in the Midwest. We just don’t. The triangle at rush hour….I-435 and Metcalf during construction…I-35 from 95th to 635 with an overturned trailer……it’s all child’s play. And lucky me, a few minutes after I land at SFO I’m on the 101, heading towards the bay bridge. In reality, the traffic wasn’t bad at all at noon, I just have a panic attack inducing fear of heights and bridges, sooooo I guess you could say that a trip to Berkeley upon arrival was a little stressful for me. But I HAD TO go pay homage to one of the greats before heading down to Santa Clara…..
******Disclaimer: In many pictures, you’ll notice that the food is not very pristine on the plate. That’s just from me being two or three bites into a dish before I remembered to take a quick pic. This usually happened, but not always, in relation to where I was at with the wine tasting.******
CHEZ PANISSE
I’m one of those weirdos who genuinely enjoys fine dining all by lonesome. If I have a food-loving friend who wants to come along, that’s awesome, but I do appreciate being alone with my thoughts. Plus, when I’m bored, there’s an imaginary Zero Mostel who sits across from me, and we chatter back and forth like a couple of sixth grade girls. Chez Panisse was just what I was needing after a long flight and stressful drive. Mellow room, mellow crowd, decent if not great service….and excellent, fresh, comfy food.
I began lunch with the Marin Sun Farm Beef Tongue Salad w/Belgian Endive and Horseradish. Buttery meat, crisp veggies, a small amount of heat from the horseradish and some onion, and the bite of a little coarse salt. It was lightly dressed with a little oil, possibly some vinegar, but not much of anything really. Great ingredients. Stellar start to the meal, and to my bay area tour.
It was a little chilly and rainy outside, and I was finally starting to decompress and enjoy my Glatzer (sp?) Sauvignon Blanc, so I decided to go with the Leek and Bellwether Farm Ricotta Pizza for my entrée. Very light, pillowy in the middle with nicely charred edges. The leeks and ricotta were a good, mild match, and as a whole it had the same effect as truly great mac & cheese on a dreary day.
I like desserts, I usually get them when I’m having a nice meal out, but anyone who knows me knows that dessert isn’t usually something I go on and on about. So for me to go on and on about the one I had at Chez Panisse is really a big deal. I had the Sierra Beauty Apple and Quince Tart w/Crème Fraiche. This was very special, maybe the best dessert of the whole trip. Doing a mental check here…….okay, definitely the best dessert of the whole trip. Extremely thin, very sweet with a tart layer of quince paste, and the best crust ever…maybe sixty seconds shy of being too brown around the edge, allowing for maximum flavor. In my twisted “fruit dessert over chocolate anyday” universe, this tart honestly ranked a solid 10 out of 10. Absolutely perfect.
I guess my restaurant rating system, if you can call it that, is pretty simple…. Is this a place that I’d visit again when I make it back to the area, instead of trying someplace new? In light of the restaurant experiences that followed, I’d have to say that while I enjoyed my meal very much, and it was the perfect way to start my very first trip to the bay area, I’d probably venture out and try someplace new instead of going back. As far as the use of fresh, local ingredients, I will say that Chez Panisse does an amazing job at incorporating a great combination of produce into the food without beating you over the head with the ability to do it. The simplicity just makes it a great, comfortable and familiar meal.
MANRESA
I wasn’t expecting it. I knew it would be a good meal, but I was not expecting it to go so far beyond my expectations. Again, ignorance is bliss if I’m just easy to please, but you’ll never get me to shut up about my meal at Manresa. Granted, I have not been to The French Laundry, so my comment to the staff at the end of my meal may have been over the top for some who read this, but after looking back at the service, the food and the wine pairings that I experienced over four hours I told them…”You know, a couple of years ago on A Cook’s Tour I watched Tony Bourdain and friends get a custom chef’s menu at The French Laundry….and even after seeing something like that, I’d still pick tonight’s meal over that one any day of the week”. Sure, a mouthful for someone who has yet to have the chef’s menu at FL, and I ASSUME what I said was taken as a high compliment, but I was just floored by the experience. For the solo diner, Manresa is Shangri-La. I was greeted like a friend when I arrived, and immediately seated at a nice table back by the fireplace (btw, I think the tables are very generously spaced throughout the dining room). From the moment they hung up my jacket before I sat down to the tour of the kitchen after the meal, the service was perfect. My primary server Dana was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and professional with a great sense of humor. When people love the food they’re serving you it really shows. There were two major themes I picked up on throughout the evening, and both are things that make me the most excited about a dining experience and usually guarantee my return. First was the pride of ownership among the staff, and the general sense that they know they are part of something truly exciting and special. Second, and this is just coming from MY personal take on Chef Kinch and his cuisine…it is the ultimate kind of dining experience to eat food that is on the upswing of a chef’s evolutionary cycle. Where he is still kicking the tires a bit, feeling his way along and putting combinations and preparations on the plate that are not only new to the world, but reflect a brand new expression the chef has found inside of himself. There is a great risk involved, and a great reward as well. When I try to think of comparisons, I know that many have referred to Manresa as “French Laundry South”, and since I’ve not had dinner THERE, the closest experience I had up to this point was a dinner at WD-50. In light of such comparisons, my opinion of the food as a whole is that it is somewhat “experimental” in the flavors and combinations, but at the same time there is a degree of restraint that errors on the side of never upstaging the wonderful ingredients. The cooking techniques are easily understood, most of the ingredients are familiar, and somehow it is all brought together in an exciting new formula.
Anyway, I’m ramblin’….onto the food. I did list the whole menu over on the Manresa thread, so for the sake of time I’m just going to list some highlights and share a couple of pictures, although the lighting and the limitations of my camera didn’t allow for anything too great. One thing to note about the wine service…I definitely wanted wine, but had to be up somewhat early the next morning (AND had to drive back to my hotel in Santa Clara). The sommelier (Jeff) was a champion at setting up what I’m guessing is about half the total volume of a regular 21 course tasting, and obviously put a lot of thought into an incredible variety of pairings that even a wine neophyte such as me could maneuver through and understand. And anyone who can serve me that much white wine and have me truly love it is doing the lord’s work.
Amuses
Chestnut and foie gras croquettes- nutty exterior, molten interior, eaten in one bite…..basically as good as you can imagine.
Oyster and sea urchin gelee- maybe the best single mouthful of food I’ve ever had. The Maryland oyster, along with the sea urchin, framed by the gelee made from sea water created a sweet, salty, smoky, rich and clean flavor and texture experience all at once.
Main courses
Foie gras and pickled pig's feet en verrine, long pepper- my comment when this came to the table was…”It’s a pretty gutsy move to open with a dish like this”. Kind of like getting the worst of the mortal sins out of the way to take the pressure off of you….man that was decadent. In the back of my mind I was thinking I HAD to be some kind of culinary reprobate to enjoy this dish so much….shredded meet from the trotter suspended in the most amazing, rich mix of foie gras and rendered fat. It made a butter stick look like a celery stick in comparison. When you’ve got so many more courses to come, there’s no way to take a dish like that as anything other than a challenge. Total madness. Dammit.
Sea urchin and dungeness crab, lightly spiced coconut milk- I’m pretty sure I’m not going to trust anyone who doesn’t like sea urchin from now on. Beautiful dish. Sweet, smoky, great texture.
Shellfish in brown butter, bloomsdale spinach and chanterelles- This may have been my favorite dish of the evening. I can’t put my finger on what exactly pushed it to the forefront, but the similar textures of the sliced clams and the mushrooms combined with the difference in their flavors…sweet vs. earthy, along with the brown butter and sautéed spinach just sticks in my mind so clearly.
Mediterranean rouget, milk skin and salmon roe ravioli- Neat dish, the milk skin ravioli was something I was fixated on, and would normally sound a little gimmicky to me but it was awfully good along with the mild fish. Forgot to ask what was in the ravioli besides the salmon roe, seemed like there were very finely diced root veggies of some sort.
Abalone with pig jowl-sous vide and cured...route choucroute- This reminded me of a very hearty German dish of meat and sauerkraut, but way better than what I’ve had up to this point in my life. The abalone was marinated (I think) and grilled, giving a nice little char flavor to it, and the pig jowl sous vide was like the greatest thickest piece of bacon-y goodness ever. The sharpness and crisp texture of the choucroute added some acidity that helped bring out all of the other flavors.
Cepes en papillote, "biodynamic" rice- The achievement award for best presented dish of the evening goes to this one. It is first brought to the table and the bag is opened for you, then is taken back to the kitchen for final preparation. Normally not what I’d consider a “light” dish, but considering what came before and after, it provided a nice little break in the action.
Ozette potato in two services:
Puree with our boudin noir- all this and they cure their own meats too. The texture and flavor of the blood sausage was outstanding. Nothing complex, just incredibly delicious.
Flourless gnocchi, beef roasted in suet- Absolutely delicious (what’s not to like about beef roasted in its own fat?), and kind of funny to me at the same time. Nearing the end of this roller coaster, religious experience of a meal I was presented with….steak and tater tots. At least that was my interpretation, and to be fair, the flavor of the beef and crisp, airy gnocchi were just a liiiiittle beyond your run of the mill beef n’ tots. Good way to bring it all back home.
Dessert
Hot chocolate with marshmallow, tonka bean- this little cup of hot chocolate just really stuck out to me. The Venezuelan chocolate was unlike anything I’d tasted up to that point, it bordered on savory and it had this huge aroma. The freshly grated tonka bean added an even more pronounced smell and complexity. I don’t usually go all crazy for desserts, but for hot chocolate this was something pretty special.
A couple of wines to note (I don’t know what good wine is, but I know what I like. I probably had about 10 different ones, but these struck me as my favorites):
2003 Domaine des Persenades, Vin de Pays, Cotes de Gascogne- There was a “well water” quality and very faint floral/honey notes on the back end that just totally appealed to me. I went to winesearcher to see if it’s something that’s readily available and didn’t have much luck. The good news is, it’s way cheaper than the shipping from France would end up being.
2003 Domaine de Grangeneuve, La Truffiere, Coteaux de Tricastin- Just a nice, fuller bodied red. Again, I’d drink it if I could actually find it.
Finally, I’d say this meal ranks up there as not only one of the best dining experiences of my life, but one of the great experiences period. I remember at one point, about two or three main courses into the meal, where Dana told me there was a lot more to come and I said “Well I’m equal to the task”. Later I began thinking I spoke too soon. So many different flavors, ingredients, presentations, preparations….each one as wonderful and different as the last. At the end, needless to say I was FULL, and I was also mentally DONE. Not for beginners, that place. I won’t be back in the state of California without making it a point to dine there, that is an absolute.
SWAN OYSTER DEPOT
Nothing new to say about this landmark, so I’ll keep it brief. To begin with, my second general observation of San Francisco (the first being the traffic) is…the hills. Sure, I’m out of shape, but I can do some serious walking. Movies and TV don’t do those damn hills justice, and I learned that pretty quickly as I headed up California street from down by the Embarcadero on my way to Swan. Geez.
I got there about 2:30 on Friday, and only had to wait about 20 minutes for a seat. The great thing about being a solo diner is that there aren’t that many of us, and all of the couples want to sit together….so the chances of getting a seat faster is much greater, at least in my case. The combination seafood salad is completely out of control. I can’t think of a single thing that is even remotely close to it in the Midwest. It would cost exponentially more and would probably get you a spot on the evening news once people here spotted it. I’m a big guy, and that thing pretty much did me in. It was only sheer determination that allowed me to follow it up with some smoked salmon, and that was like friggin’ heroin. Again, you’d get robbed for it in this part of the country.
GARY DANKO
Funny story about my Friday night at Danko… I had just been to Manresa two nights before, and started panicking about whether to keep my Danko and Quince reservations or just go back to Manresa (I just bought a house, and my company’s per diem cuts down on the financial bleeding to some extent, but I had to make my dollars COUNT.) I emailed back and forth with another Heartland eGulleter, Judy Jones/moosnsqrl, and thankfully she helped talk some sense into me. No doubt Manresa was great, but sometimes just having a great meal that isn’t a religious experience is just the ticket. So I kept my reservation, but up until my first bite of food I was going back and forth…..will this place live up to its reputation? It’s obviously someplace the beautiful people like to be seen, and its right down by the wharf……how much of this place is total hype???? I love to eat alone, skipping over the bar dining option completely, but Danko on a hoppin’ Friday night (and my reservation wasn’t even until 10) can at first seem like a bit of a stiff room. Plus, I got a table sitting straight across from non other than George Lucas. It was a tad surreal. But the PUNCHLINE is…awesome meal, awesome service, my fears were put to rest quicker than immediately. I ended up having some of the friendliest, most helpful service of the trip, and well planned, custom wine pairings that made it the best wine service I’ve ever had. It’s not cheap, but I honestly think it’s a good value, no more expensive than many of the top tier restaurants here in KC. Man am I glad I kept my reservation. What in the hell was I thinking? I deserve your ridicule.
I decided against the tasting menu, letting my server pick much of what I ate as well as all of the wines. I started with the seared foie gras (paired with a Sauterne). The pears and grapes that came with it were very similar to preparations I’ve had many times, but the caramelized onions (I was told those are prepared over a two day process) added a deep, savory flavor that set it far apart from the standard bread and jam style serving. The onions are cooked to the point that they resemble a thick, deep rust colored sauce. Not a bad start to the meal.
Next I had the lobster risotto (pairing- Grüner Veltliner, Kamptaler Terrassen, Bründlmayer, Kamptal 2004). The contrasting flavor and texture of the finely diced root vegetables in the rice made it a lighter, less rich rendition of risotto. It let the rich lobster flavor shine through. Great dish.
Next up…what may have been my favorite dish of the trip. Again, I can’t pinpoint the single thing that made it so great, but the “Pan seared branzini with fennel puree, nicoise olives, navel oranges and saffron” was nothing short of stellar. I just went nuts for this dish. The fish was so perfectly done, with the super crisp skin and mild flavor. And something about the combination of the fish, olive, orange and saffron was so right. Right out on the edge where the smallest additional amount of any of the ingredients would make it TOO dominant. Total harmony, and my highest recommendation. It was paired with: Chardonnay & Semillon, Henschke, Tilly's Vineyard, Eden Valley, South Australia 2004. I’ll drink that wine again if I can find it.
Next …”the killer” (and this picture is SO BAD, I really ripped into it before I got the shot and there was already so much happening on the plate). “Lemon herb Duck Breast with Duck Hash and Spice Poached Quince- savory tart of fall vegetables with quenelle of goat cheese and mesclun greens”. I’m not even going to attempt to deconstruct this thing. There was so much going on that even the lengthy description really doesn’t do it justice. Flavors on top of flavors…a rich huckleberry jus, what tasted like a duck confit fritter…greens, smooth goat cheese, my first experience with medium rare poultry…I honestly said “holy SHIT!” at least twice while I was eating it, and wrote in my notes….”HOLY SHIT”. A wild ride that dish was. I recommend it like Robin Williams would have recommended speedballs. It was excellent, and struck me like its sole purpose was to portray a version of a Thanksgiving meal that would cause every uber-WASP in Range Rover-land to fall on their knees and weep at the futility of trying to recreate a dish that no amount of Martha Stewart or FoodTV could prepare them for. And as an added bonus, the wine that came with this dish: Mon Lis Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir 2002. Man oh man oh man oh man oh man, did I like this wine. A huge BLAST on the palate slowly followed by the dark, subtle flavors of a great pinot. Not readily available it seems, but I’m more than happy to pay shipping to truck it in here from out west.
Lastly, the chocolate soufflé and a very thoughtful wine pairing from my server: Banyuls, Grand Cru, Domaines et Terroirs du Sud 1949. Not a bad way to end a meal.
Overall, a stellar night (and if it’s good enough for George Lucas…). I didn’t sit down until after 10pm, and there was still never a hint of a rush at any time, even though I think I was the next to last customer to leave. It’s a very cool thing for a restaurant to be that popular and still execute the smallest detail with perfection. No hint of laziness or hype-driven apathy to be seen. It would be a go-to spot for special occasions if I were a local. The only negative thing, and this was totally beyond the control of the restaurant, had to do with a table across from me. A small point, but annoying nonetheless. We’ve all seen these people (here in the Midwest many of us refer to them as “peckerwoods”), they are a fine dining inevitability. You know the scenario……the high maintenance four-top that has the server constantly running back and forth all night fetching god knows what. Then when the bill comes they look at it like they were just handed a goddamn ransom note telling them their children have twelve hours to live…so they start in, “Now there’s the liquor….we don’t have to tip on that…….the wine either, we don’t have to tip on that……oh, and the tax too….”. It in no way affected me, you just feel bad for the people who have to wait on them.
QUINCE
This was my “no pictures, no in-depth analysis, just relax and enjoy it” meal of the trip, and I’m glad I chose Quince to serve that purpose. What a calm, friendly room. At full capacity on a Saturday night, but they don’t overbook and have people stacked at the door all night long. It has been said before, but it truly is like eating at someone’s (very, very nice) house. My server was a friendly guy who I swear sounded EXACTLY like Edward Norton when he spoke, and he was forthcoming with suggestions when I wanted them. It seemed that everyone in the room was just having a great time. Of all the great meals I had during my trip, I’d say that Quince got my nod for “Best Vibe” and if I lived in the bay area I’d be a regular there before any of the other restaurants. The menu has such variety, and the place is so inviting. I could see just stopping in for some pasta and a glass of wine on any given evening. The antithesis of hectic or rushed.
I started with the piquillo pepper stuffed with Dungeness crab. Fried crisp on the outside with the soft pepper and sweet crab tucked inside. The pastas get rave reviews, and my pick was the tagliolini with sweetbread ragu. It was much creamier and richer than I was expecting. I guess I instinctively think of tomato sauce when I see “ragu”, but this was very creamy with bits of sweetbread that I’m assuming were pan fried ahead of time, then chopped fine and added to the sauce at the end. I can’t remember ever seeing sweetbreads and pasta together in a dish, but it totally works. The pasta itself was just perfect. I guess I was just in a poultry mood that weekend, because for my third course I chose the “SB Farms Turkey with Serrano ham, roasted chestnuts & Guru Ram Das pomegranate sauce”. A total comfort food winner, with the Serrano ham being maybe a bit too overpowering for the turkey. Later I tried some cheese, and I’ll have to say that I LOVE the Wabash Cannonball goat’s milk cheese. It’s so great, different than any other goat cheese I’ve had….almost an ashy texture that I liked. Good news and bad news on the wine…the bad news being I think they should really expand their by the glass selection. The good news is I found a wine I really liked that I can actually find at my local merchant…..Melville Pinot Noir.
Again, I’m really glad I didn’t lose my mind and forego my trip to Quince. At the end of a busy couple of days in the area, it was a perfect choice.
Y BEN HOUSE
There’s something to be said for being the lone white guy in a huge dim sum restaurant at 7am on a Sunday. I highly recommend it to anyone whose idea of breakfast on a Sunday is IHOP or a bagel and a newspaper. I did take some pictures, but there’s really no new ground to cover as far as showing everyone what a potsticker looks like. The dim sum was good, nothing earth shattering, and since I was alone I could only enjoy so much variety. It’s nice to get totally stuffed for less than twenty bucks, that’s for sure. Out of all the usual suspects, I have to say their potstickers were fantastic. Totally STUFFED with meat, very satisfying. One thing that struck me as odd and funny was when something came out from the kitchen, and the people just ran up and MOBBED the cart before it had a chance to roll on out to the floor. Seriously, it was a frantic rush to get in on whatever it was. I only saw one cart’s worth get mauled, and it was full of little metal pots that looked like small pitchers. Shellfish of some kind? Not sure, but there’s no way in hell I was going to risk bodily injury to get a closer look. Okay, one pic of those potstickers on steroids……
Last but not least, some Santa Clara quick hits…….since that’s where I spent MOST of my time in the bay area……
First of all, how great is the ethnic food selection on El Camino Real? I’ve never seen anything like it. Even if half of the places end up being less than stellar, you’ve still got twice as many great choices as many cities. I could have explored the immediate area beyond El Camino, but after a long day of training, and rush hour traffic outside to greet me, I was all about convenience.
Korea House- Overall, I had a good experience, but I’ve only had Korean food one other time in my life and wish I had brought someone along with more experience on what to order. I got the oysters fried in egg and the roasted squid. Both were tasty, and I especially loved the noodle appetizer that I guess comes with all meals. The dozen or so small dishes of various foods included with the dinners wasn’t expected at all, so I basically ended up with enough food for three people. I’d absolutely revisit Korea House after doing some more research on what to order and bring a friend or three. I feel like even a small amount of familiarity with the cuisine would have increased my enjoyment exponentially. On the other hand, I did enjoy the experience of having no clue what anything was or what to expect. Out of the 15+ dishes on the table, the only things that I really didn’t like at all were the tiny dried fish in a spicy paste, which I assume were meant to be eaten sparingly on top of the rice.
Pho Thanh Long- terrible service, good pho and fried noodle dishes. It’s constantly packed, so I give them some slack on the service because they need to turn tables. I’ve just never sat down in a restaurant and had a server ask what we wanted before we even had a chance to look at the menu, and then tell me “I’ll give you two minutes, but that’s it”.
Yoshinaya- ooookay, not sure what I was thinking here. It just looked like totally unfamiliar fast-food and I was curious. If like Arby’s style roast beef on top of rice sounds like heaven to you, go check it out!
Jack in the Box- laugh all you want, but the Jack in the Box “Monster Taco” could easily take the place of the White Castle slider when it comes to very bad choices made late at night. The weird thing is….even with the variety of foods I had from night to night on my trip, the ONE THING that tore up my gut was that Monster Taco. That name makes sense in so many ways. To anyone from KC…..think In-A-Tub tacos, only bigger and greasier.
Fish Market- On El Camino not far from San Tomas, close to Afghani House. It was recommended by a couple of people I was working with. The menu is really huge, so maybe I just didn’t order something they are known for. I got the panko crusted calamari steak, and it was okay. The cole slaw is bad, bad, bad. No dressing at all. The scalloped potatoes ended up being the best thing about the meal, they were really good.
Afghani House- I’d never had Afghani cuisine, so this restaurant made it to the top of my list. In hindsight, I think it would be the perfect place to take someone who is shy about trying new things. Very straightforward “home-style” food, and Afghani House is beautiful inside with a great low-key vibe, friendly service. I got Sambosas to start, and especially loved the mint/garlic sauce that came with the food. For my entrée I got the combination kabob, and have to say as someone who loves to grill…they do a fantastic job of getting a good char on the outside of the meat without drying the whole thing out. The lamb and chicken were both perfectly done, and for the money you get a ton of food. I’ll definitely go back when I’m in the area, or try another Afghani restaurant for comparison purposes.
Dusita- I ate there a couple of times, and it ended up being my favorite weeknight spot. I really wish I had discovered it sooner in my stay because I would have had lunch there a couple of times to try more items, especially the curry. The fish cakes were very good, and the dipping sauce/cucumber salad with peanuts and onions was a total winner. I also tried the pad see ew (stir fried, wide flat noodles) with chicken, and I couldn’t tell if the greens in there were broccoli rabe or what, but they added a little bitterness to the dish that worked. I have no clue how traditional or popular pineapple fried rice is in Thailand, but the rendition at Dusita is out of control. It reminded me of the dim sum sticky rice I’ve had, but with assorted meats, pineapple, eggs, peas, corn, raisins and cashews. The sweetness of the pineapple and raisins was a little strange at first, but it was a good dish. The service was friendly, and everything there just tasted fresh, sauces not overly thick, etc. Would go back.
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Oh yeah, the chocolate cheesecake at Pumpernik's........really, really good.
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I'm not a big dessert person either, but I do always make sure everyone tries a different one at Bluestem. I had an apple donut last fall that made enough of an impression for me to remember it a year later, so that is a pretty big deal to me.
I will submit the ever-changing selection of sorbets at Lidia's as something I always manage to try when I'm there.
Asked my girlfriend, since she's the dessert freak out of the two of us, and of all things the flourless chocolate cake at La Bodega came to mind immediately.
Jerry
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What a coincidence...speaking of wine and Bluestem, I just found a local source (Red X) that carries Belle Pente Pinot Noir that Colby paired with an entree for me earlier in the year. Loved it, never saw it for sale anywhere, and forgot all about it until I saw it on the shelf yesterday.
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I've had uni as sushi before, but two weeks ago I had a version at Manresa in Los Gatos, CA. that really blew me away..... served with a raw Maryland oyster in the oyster shell, both semi-suspended in a gelee made with some sea water. Buttery, briney, smokey, rich, unctious....absolutely delicious. During the same meal I was served a whole sea urchin with spiced coconut milk and dungeness crab. While it was very good, the oyster/urchin was one of the best single bites of food I've had in a long time.
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I'll do a full review later as I mentioned, but thought I'd go ahead and list out last night's menu since so many have already well documented theirs.....
Amuses
Petit fours "red pepper and black olive"
Kir Royale
Wild boar and fennel saucisson sec
Chestnut and foie gras croquettes
Oyster and sea urchin gelee
Arpege egg
Main courses
Foie gras and pickled pig's feet en verrine, long pepper
Striped jack, sashimi style, with local olive oil
Sea urchin and dungeness crab, lightly spiced coconut milk
Shellfish in brown butter, bloomsdale spinach and chanterelles
Mediterranean rouget, milk skin and salmon roe ravioli
Abalone with pig jowl-sous vide and cured...route choucroute
Cepes en papillote, "biodynamic" rice
Ozette potato in two services:
puree with our boudin noir
flourless gnocchi, beef roasted in suet
Desserts
Citrus and jasmine tea jelly
Belgian waffle, caramel pears and maple sugar ice cream
Hot chocolate with marshmallow, tonka bean
Petits fours "strawberry-chocolate"
Since I was driving, I didn't do the full wine pairing, but had several small pours throughout the meal (the sommelier, Jeff, was absolutely the best), a couple of standouts were:
2003 Domaine des Persenades, Vin de Pays, Cotes de Gascogne, Southwestern France
2003 Domaine de Grangeneuve, La Truffiere, Coteaux de Tricastin, S. Rhone, France
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Just got back to my hotel after a four hour extravaganza at Manresa. I'll post pictures when I get back home to KC and have the time to engineer a thread highlighting my bay area adventures (a couple meals down, several to go...). From the warm welcome, the friendly service and thoughtful wine pairings, to the types of courses that obviously come from such a deep love of food and the journey to find its greatest potential, I'd have to say I just enjoyed one of the most memorable meals of my life. I'm really floored, it was wonderful. Those clams and chanterelles with spinach in brown butter are going to be in my dreams for the next couple of nights.
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I finally tracked down a copy of the October issue at my local Planet Sub. Great stuff! I'm honestly excited to read something related to KC food that isn't from the Star or the Pitch. Looking forward to watching its evolution as it becomes a fixture in the KC food scene.
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Well, I already had a reservation for the evening of Nov. 9th, and just to error on the side of safety went ahead and just booked another one for the 18th, the night before I come back home to KC. My logic being.....this place sounds absolutely outstanding (AND my hotel will be about 10 minutes away!).
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Here's hoping that some find their way to the midwest..... Went to a Piedmont themed dinner this time last year at Lidia Bastianich's restaurant here in KC , and she had flown in from Italy the day before with what looked like nearly a pound of them. I'll never forget that aroma as she carried them around the dining room, and shaved them onto plates of hot risotto for approx. 50 people. Absolutely unbelievable.
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Congrats to Colby for being named "Best Chef" in Pitch Weekly's annual Best of KC edition!
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I just can't figure out the deal with the Savoy. I've had meals that range from the absolute best steak (T-bone) of my entire life, to something that resembles hospital food. We went there for Valentine's this year, and the service was fantastic but the food wasn't really anything to remember.
I hope they can get their act together, because once the savior of our city (the new Sprint Center
) rises to the sky like a corn pone messiah, I fear for any downtown business that doesn't have a distinct strip-mall appeal. How many Chipotle's CAN they fit into the space formerly occupied by the Savoy?.......that's scary to think about. -
Thanks for reporting back, I'm glad to hear you had an acceptable experience. I think my girlfriend got the same dish as you when we went there last, and had a similar reaction. Funny about the crab cakes, we got those too and thought it was bizarre that they can't come up with a better rendition, especially for the price. They're on par with Red Lobster, seriously. For great local crab cakes; some people love him, some people hate him, but Tommy Macaluso's restaurant serves a great version.
As far as atmosphere at M&S, the thing that really saved us (and something to remember for possible future visits) is to request one of the private booths with the curtains when you make reservations. I think they're called a "snug". For a similar kind of decor and good food, I'd totally agree with the Pierpont's and City Tavern suggestions. And if the Savoy Grill was just more friggin' dependable as far as food quality.....I don't think the Grill Room can be beat when you're looking for that type of vibe. It's truly old school, not a contrived version of old school.
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As much as I don't like the impersonal service at M&S, I'd say that if you're looking for a huge variety of seafood to choose from, check it out at least once and see what you think of it (I think of my mom as someone with good taste and it's her #1 birthday dinner destination).
I'm a little brain dead today and can't think of a "seafood" place to recommend, maybe there isn't one to think of, but as soon as I post this I'll probably think of one. My approach to seafood in the landlocked midwest is to see what's on special at the restaurants I already enjoy. Pachamama's in Lawrence generally has at least two or three fresh fish dishes on the menu, and of course 40 Sardines will have something good. For some reason a grouper dish I've gotten at Macaluso's keeps coming to mind, it must have been really good.
I guess my biggest gripe w/M&S doesn't have nearly as much to do with the food as it does the fact that you can take the same amount of money and eat just about anywhere in KC. BUT, if copious amounts of seafood is what you're after, they've got everyone beat in that department. That damn reservation software they use to keep track of you from cradle to grave is just MADDENING.......
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I went there a few months ago for an anniversary dinner, and while I probably won't go back if I'm paying for it, you can do pretty well there foodwise. Definitely go with whatever is fresh, they should have a lot of different oysters for one thing. Something I've always liked on the regular menu would be the lemon sole, and there is a pecan or macadamia crusted tilapia dish that is a safe bet too. The oyster stew is a good choice as well.
Overall, like I mentioned I won't go back if I'm paying just because it's not a lot of bang for the buck. It's a nice looking place, they have a huge selection of fresh seafood (that alone in the midwest ranks them at the top of the seafood scale), but the prices are pretty high and the service is usually of the "I'm acting way, way too happy to be genuine/for a mere $15 more I think you'll like THIS wine much better" variety. Lots of upselling, lots of fake enthusiasm, lots of getting you the hell out of there so they can turn the table. Again, just one man's opinion, I could have had an off-experience the last time I was in there. Plus, I generally avoid the bustling plaza chain restaurants like they were serving heaping dishes of the plague, so I'm biased.
It's not a terrible restaurant, you'll have good food and good service. Just be ready for the friendly ultra-chain phone call the next day when someone calls to make sure your experience was a good one.
Jerry
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I think the shot glass would be a little too predictable. If you're going to highlight something like hot dog water, do something playful like freezing it and having the servers shave it onto a Vienna sausage torchon at the table. I'm not sure what would be a good accompaniment, but obviously it should be something involving French's mustard.
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Thought I'd piggyback on this thread with a similar question...
I'll be in the San Francisco area for the first time during the weekend of Nov. 11. I'll be travelling alone and would like to make it up into wine country on that Saturday. Because I don't want to worry about finding my way around, enjoying wine a little TOO much, etc. I was wondering if there are any reputable guided tours anyone could recommend. Initial internet investigation is just information overload.....$45 all day supercoach bus tours, $700 vintage Packard deluxe tours.....etc. I'm not enough of an expert to be too finicky when it comes to the wineries I'll be visiting, but at the same time don't want to experience a day long cattle call in a huge tour group if at all possible. Optimally, if there is a decent tour that will pick me up downtown and is in the $250 or less range for a day long tour, that would be perfect. Any recommendations? Just wanting to max out the enjoyment on a very short stay. Thanks!
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Here is my belated, quick write-up of a dinner I had at Bluestem a couple of weeks ago. The seven course dinner was a celebration for the Food and Wine nomination, and I attended with another eGulleter and her main squeeze. It was a great time, with at least a couple variations of "greatest hits" from the regular menu.
Amuse
This was a spoon w/fava bean, prosciutto, artichoke heart, and argon oil. Great start to the meal, differing textures, saltiness, nuttiness of the oil.
Wine: Alvear Fino Sherry Montilla
Second
Tasmanian Salmon, Lime, Pear, Cucumber
This dish was visually appealing, with all of the elements lined across the plate in different basic geometric shapes. The lime was a gelee, a very potent one at that. I liked the dish, the only problem being figuring out the best tasting combinations to put on the fork before I had already eaten everything.
Wine: Leon Beyer Gewurztraminer Alsace 2002
Third
La Belle Farms Foie Gras, Rhubarb, Plum, Honey
If you've been to Bluestem, you know this is a dish that has been on the menu in some form since the beginning. And for good reason. I usually prefer seared foie gras, but Colby's torchone is pure luxury on a plate. It's a very nice sized portion too, I'm a fanatic about foie gras, and it is always enough to satisfy me. The cold version at Bluestem with constantly changing accompaniments, and the seared version (changed monthly) at Pachamama's in Lawrence provide a perfect counterpoint to each other, depending on how I want my decadence served up that day.
Wine: Elderton Botrytis Semillon Riverina 2004
Fourth
Tomato Soup, Lobster, Avocado
This dish is presented with a small mound of lobster meat, topped with avacado, sitting at the bottom of your soup bowl. Then the tomato soup is poured around it. It was pure creamy goodness (I would not have scoffed at a miniature version of a grilled cheese alongside it), but at the same time the dominant flavor was definitely tomato. When it comes to tomato, roasted pepper, etc. soups, sometimes the flavor of the main ingredient can get lost, but this held onto a very distinct, earthy tomato flavor while having a rich, creamy texture at the same time. It was a matter of starting with the best possible tomatoes, that's for sure.
Wine: Marquis De Gelida Cava 2000
Fifth
Halibut, Mussels, Chorizo, Eucalyptus
I think this was my favorite dish of the night. All of the dishes had a summertime feel to them, but this one most of all. A perfectly seared piece of halibut was placed on top of a bed of braised fennel, mussels and very fine shreds of chorizo. Then, a eucalyptus broth was poured into the bowl. There was the initial aromatic blast, followed by several layers of flavor. Everyone at my table was discussing the merits of chorizo as a kind of seasoning, due to the fact that it can be so potent, especially when paired with something as mild as halibut. A nice underlying seasoning was what it provided for this dish, and along with the textural components of the mussels and fennel, the aroma of the broth, and perfectly done fish, this course was absolutely top tier. It was delicious in a simple comfort-food kind of way, while at the same time getting the ol' brain fired up and thinking about it on a few different levels (and that is exactly how I would define ANY of my favorite dishes at Bluestem in the past year and a half of dining there).
Wine: Siduri Pino Noir Sonoma County 2004
Sixth
Wagyu, Tomato Confit, Eggplant, Veal Jus
This was a good dish, with perfectly rare-medium rare pieces of Wagyu sitting alongside the tomato confit and pureed eggplant. I usually always obsess on one single element in one of the dishes when I go to dinners like this, and the eggplant puree ended up being the obsession of the evening for some reason. It was just really tasty, with a depth of flavor that I don't usually associate with eggplant. When I asked Colby, he said it was pretty simple, just containing the pureed eggplant, herbs and shallots if I recall correctly. That's usually the case whenever I get hung up on one really good component to a dish…it's way simpler than I imagined (or all of these chefs are just really, really smooth when it comes to keeping their secrets…lol). Anyway, this was a good closer for main course, what's not to like about great beef?
Wine: Qupe Bien Nacido Hillside Reserve Santa Maria Valley 2001
Seventh
Vanilla Poached nectarines, passion fruit pound cake, crème chantilly
Wine: El Grifo Malvasia Dulce Lanzarote 2002
I always try at least one of Megan's desserts, and I always really like them. My very favorite up to this point has been an apple donut (I think that's what it was called…phenomenal though) that I got last year, but the pound cake has taken over as reigning champion for now. Instead of one piece of cake, there were two thin slices accompanied by the nectarines. Very rich, but not overly heavy or too sweet. I'll get pound cake whenever it's on the menu, it's the best.
After the dessert course, we were presented with a round of "champagne floats" which were tall shotglasses of sparkling wine and a bite of ice cream. I normally wouldn't think that semi-dry sparkling wine and ice cream would be a good mix, but it was surprisingly good. It reminded me of a super-deluxe version of that punch you get at weddings made with 7-up and sherbet (and really, I mean that in a GOOD way!). And of course, the awesome homemade truffles at the very end.
Quick word about the wine service- all of the wine pairings were good, with the Qupe and Siduri (let it breathe though, it has one big alcohol nose on it at first) being my favorites. I always appreciate the wine service at Bluestem, because if it's new to me and I like it, I can always count on finding it at a reasonable price at the liquor store or online. The wine list is just a lot of fun, and anyone who can get me to drink something besides dry reds and enjoy it is doing God's work.
Overall comments- Service was very good. Indicative of a restaurant where all of the employees share a sense of ownership. I usually don't like the banquet format where everyone gets the same food at the same time, but the restaurant is small enough for it not to be annoying. Plus it's kind of neat to watch the universal reactions to the dishes. Obviously, everyone at my table had a great time and enjoyed the food. It was a great evening to celebrate well deserved recognition. Most importantly, a huge congratulations to Colby, Megan and the entire team on coming so far in such a short amount of time. I look forward to many years of eating your food and experiencing your constantly evolving vision.
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There's a John Waters movie in this somewhere.......
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Fantastic review! I never get tired of reading about people's experiences at WD-50. The more I read the more I realize, as much as I WANT to always try different restaurants on my NYC visits, I'm sure I'm going to end up back at WD-50 on my next trip. The tasting menu I had last year was one of the most memorable food-related experiences of my life, and it sounds like they are only getting better and better.
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A conversation at my house this Saturday evening....
Me: Hey, there's an eGullet thread about those stemless glasses I picked up last month.
Girlfriend: You mean the ones I don't like?
Used a gift certificate to pick up a couple of them, and my girlfriend's hatred of them aside, the novelty is starting to wear off. I did like using them for my cheaper everyday wines, but started to realize that (at least for me) the smartest way to drink even the cheaper wines was with a stemmed glass. As others have mentioned, the stemless glasses handle very awkwardly and there is no good way to observe or swirl the wine. As someone relatively new to wine, I think it's smarter for me to use good stemware for my "practice" wines so that I'm better equipped to appreciate the great ones.
As far as cost, I'm really liking my cheapie World Market selection of stemmed wine glasses.
Jerry
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I was at a party last weekend with a lot of rum drinkers and got to try Zaya for the first time. Ron Z has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and someone told me that Zaya is made right across the street. I don't think it had the depth of flavor you find in the Ron Z., but in my opinion went down even smoother. Similar to Ron Varadero 7 from Cuba, with less spice.
If I can find some for a good price, I look forward to trying it again on its own, vs. comparing it to other rums as my palate and brain got foggier and foggier. Ron Z will always be at the top of my list, and I hope I like Zaya as much as I think I will when revisiting it. I've always found Pyrat to be a little too fruity for my taste, but it's definitely smooth. Another favorite of mine is Barbancourt 15, it has great spice/zest to it and goes down smooth.
JF
The merits of chain dining in the Heartland
in The Heartland: Dining
Posted
This is an interesting thread. I do have to admit that my attitude towards chains has changed a little during the past year. I don't generally plan ahead to eat at a big chain, but the occasional pig-out at Cheesecake Factory, dinner at Red Lobster at my girlfriend's request or breakfast with the folks at Mimi's at Zona Rosa makes it onto my calendar. My general disdain for those places comes from my aversion to strip-mall sprawl…..places like Zona Rosa or Village West popping up overnight. I think they were specifically designed to choke traffic and keep people trapped in the area. Prisoners wait in lines. The awesome blossom at Outback could come with a side order of crisp twenty dollar bills, but even that wouldn't get me to brave the madness of the Barry Road corridor on a booming Saturday night.
As far as my new attitude, I agree that we are in the culinary minority, and I'm done trying to convert people to my way of thinking. I have this conversation with my girlfriend a lot, and I've come to realize that there's a fine line between opening someone's eyes to local cuisine and coming across like an asshole. Few things are as disheartening as FINALLY getting someone to visit one of your favorite restaurants with you, and watching them either hate it or pretending to like it. For that reason, if it's a group outing of family or friends I'll have some input but generally follow the herd. I truly hate On The Border, but maybe not as much as the seven other people in the group will hate Tienda Casa Paloma if I talk them into it, for example. The trade-off is a bad meal with good friends. And finding restaurants that my girlfriend and I are BOTH crazy about is a mine-field.
To keep this semi-relevant, I haven't eaten at Granite City. If it was down the street from my house and it wasn’t flanked by Wal-Mart, Lowes and Bed, Bath and Beyond, I might check it out. It would probably be a lot like Nick and Jake's or the 54th Street something or other near my house…..burgers topped with different stuff, pint glasses of alcoholic ice cream drinks, fried stuff with your choice of ranch or bleu cheese sauce, etc. I'm a fat guy, the deep fried tacos at In-A-Tub are ambrosia to me, so I'm not above mowing through a basket of wings or a mediocre rendition of spinach artichoke dip. I'm just more likely to put that money towards fewer, high quality meals at a local place that takes reservations. To each his own when it comes to chain food. Don't get me wrong, seeing a Chipotle on 39th Street scares the hell out of me, but I generally associate chains with areas of town that I avoid already. Have you ever BEEN to Zona Rosa? The horror……the horror…...