ulterior epicure

I've been prompted from this other thread on the Heartland Forum to start up a dialogue about zin. I hear that Jeffrey Scott is now the former chef at zin. There's a new guy in the kitchen. I've been in a number of times over the past two years, and while my first visit under Chef Nacey was wonderful, I can't say that my experiences since have been quite as good. But, I haven't yet had an opportunity to check out the new chef - whom I think is the former sous chef under Scott. I think his name is Karl Martens. u.e.

I was just notified that Pacific Grille (on 45 Highway) has closed?

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the "Honua Stir Fry?" If I'm not mistaken, the word honua is Hawaiian? u.e.

If you're Waterside Inn kind people, I'd say Trotter's... if Fat Duck, I'd say TRU, not Alinea. Have you considered The Avenues? u.e.

You mean aside from the Fine Spirits forum? I don't have a problem, really... Though I did pick up some Pedro Ximinez Sherry, and I completely blame you for introducing me to that particular sweet vice. Thanks for the suggestions! ← Oh, the PX... shivers up and down my spine, it sends! By the way, the favas are germinating! Oh, and just to keep this on topic (I know you're out there ronnie ), another great low(er) key place to check out in Chicago is one sixtyblue. And, if you've got the time to drive out to Western Springs, I'd love to hear about any experience you have at Vie. u.e.

Zeemanb! Thanks - I had seen the sweetbreads on Lidia's menu and was kind of surprised! Glad to hear you enjoyed them. I'm with you on the "pink." While crispy sweetbreads have their special place - it takes a special person to turn them out well... otherwise you're left with greasy jerky! u.e.

Hi Erik! Nice to see you on another forum for once! Might I add Scylla, North Pond, and Osteria Via Stato to Ronnie's great suggestions. u.e.

... oops - i didn't quite finish my description of the foie - i meant to write: "was that a shallot with the pickle(ed cherry), Judy? ... i guess my years in the colder environs have conditioned me. i was up watering my garden two hours ago - wonderful! not doing much for my tomatoes, this temperate weather, but i'll take a breather from the oppresive heat anytime! u.e.

Look forward to hearing all about it! u.e.

First, happy (belated) birthday Zeemanb!! How many candles are we lighting up this year? Thanks for the update on the Wine Lounge moosnsqurl + Zeemanb. Truth be told, I've been into bluestem a number of times since I've been back in KC myself. But you know how summer is - the great weather has dragged me outside and away from wireless. Judy + Zeeman's report have me a little nudge and I thought I might add to the fun. I'm glad see that everything's on the up-and-up at bluestem. The Wine Lounge really adds a lot to the restaurant - if not in space, definitely in food. I sat up at the bar one night and delighted on a light repass... I'll have to go in for some more of their offerings - I've heard those mussels are great. Judy, you also make me long for the Kobe carpaccio. In the dining room, I've had a number of selections - one of the most memorable being the Wagyu beef entree. Drizzled with white truffle oil, who could resist?!?!? I'd also venture to walk a couple miles for a few more of those escargot - not tough at all - tender and flavorful - without drowning in butter. Judy - you must try those if you haven't already! Can't wait to hear more about moosnsqrl's and Zeemanb's experiences! I hope to have many more myself! u.e. [edited to add: Oh yeah, I just about fell out of my chair on the foie course... was it a shallot with the pickle, Judy? That's how mine have been served the past few times I've been there.

I hope it was whipped cod and not sod you were eating. Sorry, couldn't help myself. Was it served cold or warm? Yikes - if that doesn't sound stunning! Oh, and just curious - what was the noise factor on a Sunday night before a holiday? u.e.

yeah - you know how those *designer* guides are!

Oops... I meant Claiborne - that's Craig, not Liz.

Sneakeater! Not tiresome at all! I just found a couple of copies of 1964 (Miller) and 1970's (Canaday) guides online and they are on their way to me! Thanks for the links, I'll check these out as soon as I can. u.e.

... I know, just like the time I dumped a whole box full of Smurf cartoon cells (this was back in the '80's)... only to walk into a cartoon gallery a few years later to find each cell retailing in the thousands... Doh!. With luck, I'll be able to track down some of these guides - maybe on eBay. Really, what I'm after, are just compilations of restaurant reviews - be they from magazines (e.g. Gourmet, Saveur, etc.) or major newspapers. Anyone else out there with suggestions, I'd love to hear them! u.e.

Thanks Sneakeater! Do you remember what they were called, these "guides?" I've tried looking for them on Amazon, but nothing... u.e.

Other than R. Reichl's Garlic & Sapphires and Mimi Sheraton's Eating My Words, does anyone know of a NY Times anthology of restaurant reviews? u.e.

Sounds like the lil' man didn't have a problem with the coffee eclair despite earlier wailing...

Yes, I've had these lovelies before - they are great. I didn't know what to expect with "macadamia-crusted" scallops - but the nuts had apparently been ground to a flour - and the flavor was very distinct - and not too heavy (like the macadamia nut crusted salmon at eve). u.e.

Great work Chef Pete!!

...tuck your knuckles when microplaning...

I finally made it Room 39 for lunch. While I didn't get the opportunity to get a full feel of the place, my lunch-mate and I were pleased with our selections. I had a Grilled Free Range Chicken Salad: grilled free range chicken breast over mixed greens with dried cranberries, roasted nuts, Grana Padana cheese and a sherry-rosemary vinaigrette. ($9) I was quite pleased. The breast had been grilled but retained an amazing amount of moisture. I hadn't had chicken in a very long time (I avoid unless it's organic/free range) and had nearly forgotten how wonderful a juicy piece of breast meat could be. The greens were crisp and fresh. My favorite element on the plate, however, was how the sharp and salty Grana Padana cheese slightly softened on the hot chicken breast meat. I also loved the dried cranberries - which were also very moist. The nuts included a mix of walnuts, almonds and pecans. Not complicated or fussy - just simple and good. My friend had the Roast Beef Au Jus Sandwich: slices of roast beef, arugula, and caremlized red onions sandwiched between French baguette slathered with garlic aioli. The sandwich came with a side of dipping "jus" and a hearty helping of the "Roommade" fries. ($10) I didn't get to taste it, but my friend *loved* the sandwich. She finished the whole thing without a problem. It looked and smelled very good. She also commented that the "Roommade" fries were stellar. They also had a salad on the menu that day that I had really considered: white truffled egg salad on greens with roasted baby beets. I saw another diner with it, and it looked great. Also, the sandwiches coming out of the kitchen (going to other tables) all looked and smelled wonderful. I look forward to visiting more - perhaps for dinner sometime too! Has anyone been in the evening?

Bueno, You mean to say that your handle says it all (in Spanish)? Thanks for the compliments. u.e.

...continued from my earlier post. Out of the five spectacular restaurants that I visited on my eating tour of the San Francisco Bay area and Napa Valley last month, I have decided to review Chez Panisse, the Restaurant (not the Café), first. (The other four were Manresa, The French Laundry, ame at the St. Regis and The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton). Why? Because in retrospect, out of the five meals, the one I ate at the small Berkeley institution lingers with me the most. Anyone who has visited or read about Chez Panisse knows that Alice Waters started this restaurant to focus on seasonal and eco-friendly eating. (You can read more about the restaurant’s philosophy and history here.) As well, Waters and the restaurant’s co-founders wanted a place where they could “do things the way they would like them done at a dinner party at home.” The meal started out with an aperitif (offered on the Friday and Saturday dinner menus). On our night, it was a Kir. I don’t drink alcohol, so I was served a non-alcoholic Gewurtzraminer - a clear, bright grape juice from Germany. The Kir was accompanied by some gruyere gougieres - not perfectly round, in fact a little rough around the edges, but just as good as any I’ve had elsewhere. 1st Course: Jellied Beet Soup & Beet Salad Our first course was a duo featuring of beets: a beet salad and a “jellied beet soup.” This course really showcased what Chez Panisse is all about: a focus on fresh ingredients. The beets in both the salad and the soup were delightfully sweet and clean tasting - not earthy (read: muddy) at all. The beet salad was dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with shaved fennel and ricotta salata cheese. The roasted golden and red beets were perfectly prepared - not raw and crunchy, yet not overdone and mushy. Composed, the salad was simple, refreshing, yet satisfying. I've never had "jellied soup." This vibrantly magenta beet soup was indeed "jellied." It is garnished with a bit of crème fraiche and a dollop of California sturgeon caviar. The soup, as well, really highlighted the root vegetable's natural sweetness. The tangy creme fraiche and the salty-bitter caviar provided a perfect measured contrast in flavor. As well, the creaminess of the creme fraiche and the silky caviar gave the chilled soup a sexy and luxurious mouth-feel. Both were immensely refreshing and really whetted my appetite. 2nd Course: Soft Shell Crab There's nothing happier than a fried soft-shell crab in season with some crusty bread and a (measured) smear of aioli. This is exactly what we got for our second course - usually a seafood item. My fat little darling, perfectly coated and fried waddled out on a silky pavement of green garlic aioli spread on a crusty toasted slice of bread. While I appreciate the familiar "fried soft shell crab sandwich with mayo," I thought this course was not eater-friendly. One of the joys of eating a soft shell is the unabashed usage of the digits. Chez Panisse’s presentation made that a no-can-do - what kind of house party was this? Cutting was difficult because the bread, which was satisfyingly crusty, was unfortunately immune to my not-very-sharp knife. Toasty shards went flying off this way and that. The crab ended up in my tummy, but the rest largely went, well, everywhere else. My biggest complaint about this course was that it was rather greasy. I know - what do you expect from a fried course? I think what overdid it for me was the generous slather of green garlic aioli - which my dinner-mates had no problem licking up. 3rd Course: Trio of Cattail Creek Farm Lamb Our main course featured a trio of lamb. Luck had smiled upon me. For as long as I can remember, Chez Panisse has served fowl as their main course on Friday nights and lamb on Saturday nights. My Friday night visit was joyfully anomalous. Not that I don’t like fowl - but presented between fowl or lamb - I go for the four-footer. This course featured three cuts: rib chop, loin and leg of Cattail Creak Farm spring lamb. Accompaniments included artichoke hearts, fava beans and a shredded potato galette. I've had so much lamb in hoity-toity restaurants that a preparation rarely stands out. As with the previous courses, Chez Panisse really delivered on bringing out the best of the star ingredient. Having three cuts of lamb next to each other, I was able taste each one and notice the distinct flavors in each. While I love the muskiness of the leg, I also appreciated the clean, yet beefy-tasting loin. The rack, always a favorite, was so tender and juicy, I was *SCREAMING* (on the inside). Firm fava beans and meltingly soft artichoke hearts were the perfect foil. Like the soft shell crab course, my only complaint with this dish is that it was somewhat on the heavy side. The potato galette, especially was very greasy - a dense soggy Dessert: Meyer Lemon Souffle Dessert of the evening was a very fluffy Meyer lemon soufflé with cardamom crème anglaise. The soufflés were picture-perfect - as they were in texture and taste. I'm really impressed that the restaurant would be so daring as to coordinate soufflés for everyone in that evening! To be sure, in some aspects, it makes dessert servicing somewhat more predictable... but making all of those soufflés and timing them for each table, I can imagine, could spell disaster. The soufflé was garnished with a Meyer lemon leaf. As well, little pots of cardamom crème anglaise were provided for each diner to sauce their own desserts. The soufflé was not overly eggy, and was ethereally light. I'm personally not a fan of cardamom, but I will admit that the crème anglaise worked magnificently with the subtle and mild citrus. One note on the crème anglaise - although I could have sworn I tasted a heavy dose of ginger in the crème anglaise, my server, after checking, reassured me that there was only cardamom. As I stated in the beginning, I have thought often about my meal at Chez Panisse since. There was nothing dramatic about it. No molecular gastronomy going on in that beautiful open kitchen and grill. There were no visual wonders to dazzle my eyes and distract my taste buds, no litany of outlandish ingredients or combinations to unravel in my mind. This was food the way people have been eating it for centuries… and maybe that’s how it should be. A limited peek into the kitchen (which I encourage you to do) will take you back a century or two to a rather dark and unadorned, brick and timbered world. Meat is fired over an open flame. Bread is baked, housed in large baskets until it is ready to be cut and served. It reminded me that food can be great when it’s unapologetically unfussy. Somewhere in our human fussing, the nature of it all often gets lost. I’ve had lamb that is made to taste not like lamb. I’ve had crab made to look like something else (and then at some Japanese restaurants, I have other things that are made to look like “krab.”). To be sure, those kinds of meals are satisfying in a very different way. The reason why the food at Chez Panisse lingers with me the most is because it is the only one of the five that served food that spoke to my soul. It got to me. It made me think about more than just the food itself. Inside the vine-covered tiny timber house on Shattuck Street is a truly a homey dining experience - almost children story-book worthy. It reminded me of many a rustic family-owned roadside restaurants that dot the Bavarian foothills and throughout the Alps. It’s the type of place you would be happy taking your girlfriend, husband, friends or the grandparents - and maybe altogether.

This was my first experience at Avenues. I have never sat at a table there, but I must say I enjoyed sitting at the bar immensely. It was perhaps not as romantic as a table, but it was a great show. The biggest difference for us food-photo fetishests was the lighting. It was quite decent at the bar, but rather dark at the tables. Much harder to get usable pics that way. ← Hooray for the bar, indeed! u.e.