Jump to content

AlexNoir

participating member
  • Posts

    86
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by AlexNoir

  1. I'm really surprised to hear about your stemware snafu.  Tim & Nathan run a solid wine program there and I bet Nathan in particular would be embarrassed about that.  I would consider that an abnormal point of service for the restaurant.  What was the Pinot by the way?  That Michael Mina cuvee is delicious, especially at the price point.  I think you should expect to see more select cuvees in the future from Mina's group.  Raj, the head sommelier for the entire group, has some deals pending from great producers.  I wish I could remember which exactly, but I recall a surprisingly good Pinot & Syrah producer mentioned last time we chatted about it.

    I think you're right. I heard the sommelier talking with other diners and making recomendations and he seemed very friendly and knowledgable. Again, given the fact that other diners were drinking pinot out of the correct stemware shows that this was abnormal. The pinot they served was Ici/La-Bas. As a side note, if someone knows of a wine shop that carries Ici/La-Bas in Southern CA, I'd love to know where. I've had this wine twice before and I can't seem to find anyone that carries it - even Hi-Time and Wine Exchange.

    I agree that the champagne was great - they called it champagne, not sure if it is or if it was "sparkling wine".

    Do you know what producer Mina is working with? Are they looking at doing Pinot/Syrah? Should be interesting.

  2. Good report, glad you enjoyed your meal.  If you feel comfortable with my asking, would you mind telling me what the cost of the meal was, trying to get a feel for what the tasting menu with wine pairings is these days as I haven't been back in over a year.

    Additionally, how did you feel about the wine pairings?  Were the wines of high quality and were they well chosen for the dishes?

    Thanks!

    The meal was just under $400 including tax and tip (I think about $380 to be exact). It worked out to $95 for the grub and $55 for the paired wine. I think when I go back, I'll explore the a la carte menu as there was some stuff that sounded great - especially the appetizers.

    I felt that the wines were decent but not the best meal / wine pairing experience I've had. The riesling/tuna pairing was probably the best of the night. I felt we could have gotten a bottle and maybe a few glasses and fared better on our own for the same price. Not to disparage the wine program - they had a very respectable wine list (a lot of great California stuff). I did not feel like the wine pairing was particularly a highlight of the meal, but not a let down either.

  3. The wife and I finally went to Stonehill Tavern this past Saturday and I thought I'd share our meal...

    We decided to have the tasting menu with paired wines. They were basing the tasting menu off of Michael Mina's new cookbook, so everything we were served was in some way in the cookbook (except the duck, which was actually squab in the book). Here's what we had (oh, and sorry for the blurry photos):

    gallery_54501_4803_628453.jpg

    First course was Mina's infamous Osetra Caviar Parfait. My only complain about this dish was that is was too small. I know, I know, when you're paying $80 an oz. for this stuff, it's tough to get a generous portion but DAMN this was good. The caviar on it's own was amazing but eaten as the entire parfait, it was transcendent. The crispy potato cake, the creamy, fatty eggs, the mild smoked salmon and the creme fraiche with just enough chive and lemon zest to make the whole thing come together. Paired nicely with what the waiter informed me was Mina's own bottling of Champagne.

    gallery_54501_4803_699670.jpg

    Second course was the Big Eye Tuna Tartare. This was my first experience with Big Eye Tuna and it was definitely memorable. Unlike most tuna I've consumed, this had no sinew and melted like butter in my mouth. Upon first taste, it seemed as if the kitchen had gone a little crazy with the sesame oil, but everything soon acquiesced into a beautiful dish with bosc pear and garlic chips adding a little crispy/crunchy combo. Eaten with the toast provided and you have just about the best damn "snack" imaginable. Paired with a nice German Riesling (with appropriate stemware - you'll see why I mention this later).

    gallery_54501_4803_765909.jpg

    Third course was the duck. Like I mentioned before this dish was actually done with squab in the cookbook, but I'm glad duck was what ended up on my plate. I love duck. I've had duck probably a dozen times over the past couple years and this was the best prepared duck I've ever had. The duck was served over a bed of farro, which was also prepared perfectly. The saffron "foam" was DOA and turned into a sauce by the time it hit the table. I guess they didn't use lecithin like Chef Mina recommends, eh? The duck was perfectly cooked in that beautiful Medium-Rare to just slightly more than rare area, with the fat cap nice and crispy. No prolonged chewing involved. The quack was paired with a decent pinot. However, when the waitstaff brought out a couple of Riedel Bordeaux glasses, I was confused. It wasn't like the restaurant didn't have any Burgundy glasses (the couple next to us had them). Who knows. All in all, this was a surprising high light to the meal.

    gallery_54501_4803_1621455.jpg

    Fourth course was the beef course. Very tasty, if only a little predictable, Prime Filet. I would have loved to try that Butter Poached Rib Eye that Mina has in his book, but I'll settle for the delicious seared foie gras that was served. Even my wife, who has never been the biggest foie gras fan chowed her's down before even touching her filet. Beef was paired with bolied potatoes, sauteed spinach and pinot noir reduction. Great tasting dish but not very interesting. Paired with a Claret.

    gallery_54501_4803_282894.jpg

    Fifth and final course was the Root Beer Float with Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ahhhh...what I wouldn't give for another one of them Root Beer Floats. Apparently, Mina's signature dessert. At the end of the day, nothing beats a good root beer float. The cookies were pretty good as well. I checked the recipe when I got home and it's no wonder the cookies were so good - butter attack! We finished the meal off with some port and finally the "pay-the-bill Bon Bons".

    The only thing I can even think about complaing about is the Pinot being served in the wrong stemware and the deflated foam. I really had to grasp at straws to come up with this.

    Stonehill Tavern is certainly not breaking the culinary mold (Achatz and Adria do not apply), but what they did was perfect. My duck was hands down the best duck I've ever had in all it's simplistic glory. I usually don't prefer foie gras seared, but this foie was great. The tuna, the caviar, the root beer float...it was all delicious. Not a single weak dish and I guess that's what's really important. I'd much rather eat well-prepared tasty food even if it's not "exciting" than eat poorly-prepared molecular gastronic haute cuisine. I'm still discovering a lot of the newer restaurants in Orange County, but this seems to be a high point to start.

  4. Alright, alright. I agree that Orange County isn't all that shabby and the few bright spots we do have are more than most areas. I also agree it certainly isn't fair to compare it to SF or LA, but my rant was aimed at more of the spread of chains and mediocore restaurants that I see on a daily basis. I live in Rancho Santa Margarita and work in Orange/Anaheim and everything is either a chain or some horrible attempt at nouvelle cuisine. Especially in new "master planned communities" like Ladera Ranch (where everything is cookie cutter), it is impossible to find a decent restaurant.

    As a side note, Marche Moderne sounds awesome and I would love to try it. I've never even heard of Leatherby Lounge Cafe - where is it?

    By the way, no one recommended French 75 to me - I unfortunately went on a whim. Again, I think they have OK food (but still boring) and nice ambiance, but for the price of the food, it was not worth it.

    I'm fairly young and I'm still getting my feet wet with food and wine, so I appreciate y'all steering me towards some of the better places in the County - I guess it's not completely hopeless!

  5. Wow! Thanks for the heads up. From your description of Stonehill, it sounds like I'm in for a treat. I'll report back after the meal (a friend recomended the tasting menu).

    Would anyone think that there are any other restaurants in the ballpark with Stonehill Tavern in Orange County? I don't mind driving to LA or even San Francisco or San Diego for a great meal, but it's nice to have decent grub in my backyard.

    It'll be interesting to see what Southern California restaurants Michelin, in their all-encompassing wisdom, deem fit for one (or two) of those beloved stars - not that I don't think there are plenty of worthy candidates.

    I think that there are so many good restaurants in Orange County that have popped up over the past couple of years. The dining scene here is better than it has ever been. Stonehill has the hype, but I think Pinot Provence is very consistent and reliable. Apparently, their old chef, Florent Marneau, who got lots of praise moved to South Coast Plaza and took over the Troquet space, now called Marche Moderne. The new restaurant over at the Segerstrom Hall received excellent reviews in the LA Times and it seemed to rank it as highly as Stonehill.

    I just went to Pinot Provence yesterday. The new chef is Nicholas Weber and the food is excellent. The service is spotty and the menu isn't exactly unique but the food is solid. The service was pretty spotty: things like not replacing the forks, having to tell the waiter who brought the food out who ordered what. So I'd be surprised if it got a michelin star. I took the patio setting, so maybe the service is lax for people who dine outdoors? I don't know. The patio music was Snow Patrol. ;). I wonder if they played that inside.

    Biggest complaints were the desserts. Creme brulee, although very good, is still creme brulee. And then they offered grand marnier souffle and angel food cake with strawberries. Reliable but boring choices.

    Don't get me wrong, I definitely think there are some decent (even really good) restaurants in Orange County, but nothing great. It seems for every Stonehill Tavern, Pinot Provence or Studio there are a million TGI Fridays, Chilli's and every other crap chain restaurant. My main complaint is that the majority of restaurants in Orange County are chains and the few that are independently owned are horribly boring (cheesy Italian places, wannabe "California" cuisine, etc.). After eating in great restaurants up in San Francisco and Napa/Sonoma, it's hard to justify spending money on crap food. At the same time, one wonders if a fine dining restaurant could survive outside of a four-star hotel, given Orange County's proclivity towards the mundane and comfortable. It seems like if you want a decent dinner, you have to go to Newport or Laguna Beach to even get close.

    I ate at French 75 in Laguna a few months ago and while it was certainly better than a majority of the places thoughout the county, it was still BORING. I could make the same exact thing at home and not have to deal with the annoying folks at the bar. It's sad that this kind of place could possibly be towards the top of the Orange County restaurant scene (not including the aforementioned Stonehill Tavern and Studio).

    Am I missing something here? It seems like the safest bet here is Wahoo's Fish Tacos. At least I won't spend $200 and leave dissapointed.

  6. I'd say 1 if they're lucky, but don't think they'll receive any stars.

    I'd be very surprised if they didn't receive a star, but time will tell.

    It looks like Mobil gave Stonehill Tavern 4 STARS. From what I can see that's the only 4-star restaurant in Orange County. Not only that, but I couldn't see any restaurants in Southern California that received 5 stars.

    If you give any credence to Mobil, then you have to think that Stonehill has a good chance of getting a Michelin Star (I know, I know - "they use different criteria" blah blah blah). Of the restaurants in the Bay area, Mobil gave all but one Michelin 2-star restaurant, 4 stars (somehow Michael Mina only got 3 - go figure). I know the Mobil and Michelin use different criteria, but you gotta like Stonehill's chances of getting at least one Michelin star.

    All this talk about stars is making me hungry - I can't wait to try this place out.

  7. Wow! Thanks for the heads up. From your description of Stonehill, it sounds like I'm in for a treat. I'll report back after the meal (a friend recomended the tasting menu).

    Would anyone think that there are any other restaurants in the ballpark with Stonehill Tavern in Orange County? I don't mind driving to LA or even San Francisco or San Diego for a great meal, but it's nice to have decent grub in my backyard.

    It'll be interesting to see what Southern California restaurants Michelin, in their all-encompassing wisdom, deem fit for one (or two) of those beloved stars - not that I don't think there are plenty of worthy candidates.

  8. Wow! Thanks for the heads up. From your description of Stonehill, it sounds like I'm in for a treat. I'll report back after the meal (a friend recomended the tasting menu).

    Would anyone think that there are any other restaurants in the ballpark with Stonehill Tavern in Orange County? I don't mind driving to LA or even San Francisco or San Diego for a great meal, but it's nice to have decent grub in my backyard.

    It'll be interesting to see what Southern California restaurants Michelin, in their all-encompassing wisdom, deem fit for one of those beloved stars - not that I don't think there are plenty of worthy candidates.

  9. I'm giving this thread a bump.  Good friends are heading to Napa and are wanting good food at decent prices.  They're not out for the TFL's and Cyrus's of Napa, rather more casual and cozy bistro-types. 

    Recommendations?

    I really liked Martini House. The main restaurant can certainly get a little pricey, but the "cellar" has some less expensive grub that is supposed to be good. When we were there about a month ago (crazy-good short ribs, by the way) the kitchen kept sending out these burgers (kobe beef) with onion rings that were making us wish we were down there. According to the website, the burgers are only $17.

    I think the best place to get great food at a decent price is Bouchon. Every time we go, we leave feeling stuffed and happy. Without wine, it's very east to get out of there for under $100. Last time we were there for lunch, I tried the Croque Madame - insane.

    As far as wineries in Napa, has anyone been to Buehler? This is by far my favorite winery in Napa. Insanely good Zin and Chardonnay (both around $20!) and a very good cab - their "Papa's Knoll" bottling is up there with some of the $70-$90 bottles from other Napa wineries, but they were selling it for about $45. The drive to get their is a bit out of the way (off Silverado Trail), but the views are awesome and the wine is well worth it.

  10. We ate at Cyrus about a month ago and it was an incredible meal. By far the best service we've ever experienced. We didn't get quite the "sales pitch" that some have mentioned (aside from the initial champagne and caviar cart drag-out). For the most part, the food was amazing and the wine pairings they selected were spot-on.

    We both had the Lobster (w/ mango and hearts of palm) which was perfectly paired with a nice Alsatian Riesling. This seems like a bit of signature dish for Cyrus and for good reason. I hear that you can get basically the same thing at Chef Keane's other restaurant Market, but something tells me it's not the same.

    I had the seared foie gras with the "pineapple baba au rhum", which as a previous poster has mentioned was like a mini fireworks show on your plate. They brought out the plate with the foie, pineapple and mini baba cake. Next they pour the rum sauce onto the plate and do a flambe on the plate. Finally they take a shaker with some sort of spice (maybe cinnamon?) in it and shake the spice over the flambe, which causes the spice to spark up. Pretty cool. This was paired with a (I'm thinking late-harvest) chenin blanc. Absolutely amazing pairing. My wife had the Truffled Red Wine Risotto with Parmesan Foam. This was paired with a Barolo and again a great pairing. I've tried a couple times to replicate that parmesan froth to no avail.

    Everything after this was a little bit of a let down given how amazing the first two courses were. I had the duck with tamarind glazed baby parnsips and daikon with pinot. She had the crispy poussin with the same pinot that I was drinking (I forget what winery it was - I know it was a Sonoma Pinot). The duck was too sinewy for a restaurant of this caliber, in my opinion. Her poussin was pretty good, but seemed to "slow down" the meal from the previous two courses.

    My final course was the rack of lamb with a merguez involtini, riso venere, and blood orange-caper sauce. I had this paired with a glass of ramey claret. This definitely picked up the meal nicely. The flavors on the plate were amazing, especially the merguez involtini. I could have eaten a million of those. The lamb was cooked PERFECTLY as well. My wife had the bacon wrapped pork loin with polenta and morels paired with another pinot. Good not great - in fact, a little dissapointing.

    We both shared the dessert. We had the "Three Custards", which included the "Mousse of creme brulee", tarragon cheescake and some sort of rice pudding. The dessert was kinda "ehh" - not the greatest. The 1971 Spanish Port that we had with dessert made up for it.

    All of this is nit-picking as this was an amazing meal and the best we've had in our young lives. Our server was the ideal of what a great server should be: professional, polite, affable, efficient and knowledgable. I can't wait to go back and try the tasting menu.

  11. My wife and I have reservations at Stonehill Tavern on the 23rd of June. Anyone been there recently? We're looking forward to checking it out as a few folks have said this is the best restaurant in Orange County. Thanks!

×
×
  • Create New...