docsconz

Here's a view of the southern end of Lake George from Top of the World where the restaurant is located. My wife and I attended a wine dinner with 23 other patrons last week that was excellent. Unfortunately my photos did not come out well enough to post. The meal, served family style, consisted of multiple courses paired with Falesco wines from Lazio and Umbria. Dishes included oyster with mignonette and pea; Dancing Ewe Farm ricotta with house-gathered honey and sun-dried tomato bread; lobster tortellini with lobster broth; fried boiled eggs with romesco; Summer vegetable bagna cauda with wild arugula; braised romanesco with chilies, garlic, preserved lemons and capers; pea water; heirloom romaine salad with cherries, fromage blanc and pine nuts; smoked tomato risotto with shaved summer squash; Alaskan king salmon with wild chantarelles, farm greens, polenta and salsa verde; Hudson Valley duck breast with currants, cous cous, English peas and arugula; and lemon goat cheese cake with wild blackberries. Six different wines were served with the meal. Five were from falesco itself while the Moscato di Asti from Coppo served with dessert was a wine consulted on by Ricardo Cotarella, Falesco's winemaker. While all the wines served were good and very well paired my personal favorites were the rose and the 2003 Montiano. The meal was a steal at 65$ pp plus T&T.

I understand that filming has started on Jose Andres' new show to be aired on PBS called Made in Spain. I enjoyed watching Jose's show in Spain when I was there last May. This should be fun. It is going to be filmed at his home.

I've had some very good Farmers Market tomatoes so far this season. The produce appears to be particularly good this summer so far. BTW, Beautiful report, as usual.

I haven't tried that one. Last August, I made an appointment with Mr. Cotturi and went and checked out the winery when I was in Sonoma. It is quite the place. He really is a nice guy. The winery is not quite what one might expect. They're more-or-less, left-over hippies. The place is really run down--cars on blocks that don't work. The 'tasting room' was in the wine cave, which was just a hole in the side of the mountain that had been blown out and dynamited, then a wall built to cover the front up. They don't get many visitors out there, so we made a special appointment. All in all, we spent over an hour talking with Tony Coturri. He bent over backwards to show us his wine, opening close to a case of bottles of different styles and different years, and didn't charge us a thing. As we were packing up our wine purchases, he picked up an empty case, re-corked the bottles that he had opened during the tasting, and sent them home with us. Needless to say, we had quite an evening...didn't want to let any of it go bad. It is to date, one of the best wine experiences that I have ever had. Let me know how this bottle turns out. If you want pictures from Cotturi, let me know and I'll email them to you. Cheers. M ← The Coturri Winery takes the term "garagist" literally. They have made some wonderful wines, but also some clunkers. If they ever got consistent with the great wines, they would be a major force. Haven't had or even previously heard of this one though. Do you know what is in it? I would imagine given the name that it is a blend.

I think the bigger issue than his trumpeting Whole Foods is his putting down a rival company that he is now trying to buy. I would still doubt, however, that the postings of an anonymous internet user would have had any effect on the eventual purchase price of Wild Oats, though it is theoretically possible.

Excellent advice, since one never knows when a meal will actually be one's last.

It must be very difficult for the olive oil and olive vendors to stand out. There were so many from so many different parts of the world. The same can be said for chocolate, pasta, cheeses, teas, salts, energy drinks, coffees and so many other food product classes. The amazing thing is that products in these and other classes did stand out. Some stood out amongst others of the same type and some stood out in general. This was my first visit to a Fancy Food Show, the trade show sponsored by the The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), a not-for-profit business trade association established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. The summer show in New York City, held at the Jacob Javitz Center, sprawls over several levels of this massive complex. Displays are often bunched by nationality or food type, though no real or consistent order is discernible. For example, there were several clusters of Italian or Spanish booths throughout the floor plan. As such, I found it fun simply to wander throughout the aisles and explore. As a person without any specific goals such as tasting olive oils to buy for a specialty store, I was able to not focus on any one thing and get an overall sense of what was available, which was a lot. That being said, of course I still had my personal biases and tended to gravitate towards certain things. Given the overwhelming number of examples available, I tasted very few olive oils and I avoided sweets other than chocolate, fruit and ice creams. Most packaged foods such as jarred pasta sauces, pre-made meals and such I simply walked past. Food items that caught my attention tended to be special and/or unique. I indulged heavily at purveyors like D'Artagnan, where I had the opportunity to meet and talk shop with the lovely Ariane Daguin while enjoying their foie gras mousse , magret and breakfast sausages amongst other delights and Valrhona, where I discovered what for me was the chocolate product of the show – The mint chocolate twigs (Sarments du Médoc line) from the affiliated Mademoiselle de Margaux. This product combined spearmint and dark Valhrona chocolate in such a way that the mint blended perfectly with the chocolate. Neither overshadowed the other, but instead each enhanced the other’s effect without being overly sweet or assertive. Water – I initially scoffed at the notion of so many different fancy packages of nature’s most basic ingredient, but I very much appreciated the many samples available as they were perfect for quenching thirst and washing down all the flavorsome nibbles. I was also pleased to find my local Saratoga water at the show. It was interesting to note differences amongst the different samplings, which included in addition to the water from Saratoga, New York, others from Iceland, Wales, Spain, Italy, the Catskills, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Norway and elsewhere. The biggest differences were to be found amongst the sparklers, for which the fineness of the fizz and the texture of the waters varied considerably. I cannot say that I was able to discern a clear favorite, however. I also scoffed at salt - until I tasted the full line of Halen Mon from Wales. I found their smoked salt particularly intriguing. The international nature of the show was astoundingly clear with representatives from all over the world. Having recently been to South Africa and South America, I was especially interested in their offerings. Pisco Sours made with Pancho Fierro pisco by E. Copello from Peru transported me right back to Cusco. Another thing I really enjoyed in Peru, but have missed since I have been home are cereals made from quinoa and amaranth. I was quite pleased to find them being promoted at Cusco Andean Products, a booth featuring diverse products from the Cusco area. Africa in general and Southern Africa in particular had a significant presence with products promoting specialties of the area including Cape Malay spice rubs from Cape Town’s Nomu, some magnificent passion fruit juices from SINA Gérard of Rwanda as well as red palm oil by Jungle Products from West Africa and nectars from exotic fruits such as baobab and saba from Mali by way of Mam Cocktail. From the north of Africa, specifically the country of Tunisia, I had a delicious tour through the products of Les Moulins Mahjoub and at another stall, a taste of various products made with Arganza Argan oil. A British Company was marketing Madagascan equitrade chocolate under the Malagasy label. The excellent chocolate could be eaten by all without conscience. Given concerns about overfishing and the apparent unsustainability of some current fishing practices, another fine product that can be enjoyed guiltlessly is Kona Kampachi - open water farmed Kampachi from Hawaii. The sashimi samples offered were pristine and delicious. Perhaps not so guilt free, but equally delicious were cod cheeks and bacalá sampled at Despaña Brand foods. Speaking of Spanish foods, a subject that I am enchanted by, I was quite disappointed by the lack of product at the Embutidos Fermin booth. I had been looking forward to enjoying their Iberico products as much as anything at the show, only to discover that their ability to export to the American market has for the time being been revoked secondary to FDA inspection concerns. I managed to content myself, however, with some fine 18 month aged Jamon Serrano from Redondo Iglesias. I can only hope that this is but a short term downturn regarding the availability of these wonderful, but expensive Iberico products in the US. Spain was additionally well represented by many olive oils, wines, and other products including the amazing chocolates and candies of the Catalan pastry and chocolate star, Oriol Balaguer, who was there in person. Though this was his first ever visit to NYC, he plans to be back in September for the second Starchefs International Chefs Congress. His booth was a great spot for networking as I also ran into Will Blunt of Starchefs, Michael, Wendy and Max London of Saratoga’s Mrs. London's Patisserie, Shola Olunloyo of Philadelphia Studio Kitchen fame and nearby, the noted Mediterranean food writer, Nancy Harmon Jenkins. Balaguer’s were not the only Catalan delights, though, in the Power-Selles Imports booth. Blanxart chocolate was also represented and other standout products included the sweet Muscat and Pedro Ximenez vinegars of the Alicante based Sotaroni. Fortunately, in addition to the waters mentioned above, there were many other wet products to sample. Juices, energy drinks and teas seemed to be everywhere. Gojiberry and acai were flavors were prolific, though I found them ultimately uninteresting. I was pleased to find a lightening of sweetness amongst many of the products, especially the prepared teas, of which my favorites remain the various flavors of Ito En and Honest Tea. I particularly enjoyed the new Ito-En line of Dr. Andrew Weil for Tea. Though the name is a bit unwieldy, the products themselves were refreshing and subtle. The turmeric, previously known predominantly as a coloring agent in various curries, was particularly notable as a novel and good tasting product. If it has any of the health benefits claimed for it, so much the better. The tea products that impressed me the most, however, were the loose tea blends of the German company, Dethelefsen & Balk. The perfumes wafting out of the various sample cups were spectacular and varied. The passion-fruit rooibos was one stunner amongst many others in their line. Plenty of interesting fruit was on display. I had my first opportunity to sample much-heralded Indian mangoes. The mid-season variety I sampled had good, strong mango flavor, but not appreciably superior to some Mexican and Caribbean mangos. A significant improvement though was the lack of fiber to get stuck in between teeth - the one drawback to mango eating in my experience. From Chile, I sampled some jarred carica, a member of the papaya family and tasty in its own right. Though not in the fresh fruit category, I enjoyed the newest products from the makers of Cranberry Fool, a product I was initially turned on to by David Rosengarten through his Report. In addition to their established Cranberry Fool and Caramel Sin Products, the small Califonia company now offers a Pear Fool and a Tomato Fool. All of these make great accompaniments to cheese courses. I probably sampled more cheeses than any other category of food at the show. In addition to the wonderful Parmigianos, Pecorinos and Gorgonzolas there were plenty of other delights. Especially notable from Italy were the cheeses of Latteria Perenzin, particularly their medieval styled “Castel”, their Montasio and the “millefoglie al marzemino.” The bleu cheeses of Rogue Creamery in Oregon are possibly the finest I have had that are made in the US. The cheddars of Cabot and Grafton do Vermont proud and the Vermont Butter and Cheese Company have added a line of small, excellent French style goat cheeses that I was previously unaware of. I had the pleasure of meeting the renowned Paula Lambert of The Mozzarella Company. Her cheeses are as charming as she is and she is quite charming. In addition to a long time favorite of mine, the Hoja Santa Goat Cheese, I particularly enjoyed the Queso Fresco with Chiles and Epazote. Amongst all these wonderful cheeses, though, one stood out as being particularly noteworthy – the Truffle Tremor from Cypress Grove. In addition to meeting Paula Lambert, meeting Mary Keehn was one of the highlights of the show for me. That became even more the case after tasting her newest cheese, one that is not quite on the market. As the name implies, this cheese incorporates truffle flavor into it. The flavor though is subtle and doesn’t overpower the cheese. As with the mint in the Sarments du Medoc mentioned above, it adds a discernible, but harmonious element to the final product. This cheese is simply delicious. It should be released for sale by the end of August. Meeting legends like Paula Lambert and Mary Keehn was a great aspect of the show, but so was the chance to see old friends like Nancy Harmon Jenkins, Oriol Balaguer and Rick Bayless amongst others. Certain Japanese products have achieved legendary status in gastronomic circles. Some of these have until recently been necessarily of Japanese origin. That is beginning to change though. One of the more interesting exhibitors at the show was the South Carolina based Real Wasabi LLC, growers and marketers of the flavorful rhizome. It wasn’t long ago that wasabi cultivation started in the US. An article in the most recent edition of The Art of Eating tells that story, however, one thing that article got wrong is that the Pacific Northwest is no longer the only part of the US in which wasabi japonica is grown. The Real Wasabi Co. is growing and selling wasabi from the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. In addition to wasabi, wagyu beef is another legendary Japanese product that is now available outside of Japan. Iowa raised grilled Wagyu beef samples from Imperial Wagyu Beef had that sensational fat-popping quality and deliciousness that has come to be associated with the best Wagyu. The products I have touched on were only a small part of the show. Undoubtedly I missed much more than I experienced, but there is one more product that I must mention that impressed me tremendously. The micro herbs and micro vegetables from Koppert Cress USA were some of the most interesting and tasty that I have ever seen and tasted. They are grown and shipped in special palates. Varieties sampled included various cresses and shisos, but the most electrifying taste of the entire show for me was that of the Sechuan Button. Somewhat like the effect of licking a twelve volt battery, but infinitely more delicious. This was the most unique taste that I experienced during the entire show and then some. That taste and the show as a whole left me buzzing.

We got there around 7:30 and waited about ten minutes. The line got longer after us, but turnover was fairly rapid. As for people leaving - it is NYC where people are notoriously impatient. This was worth waiting for. I don't really know the answer to your final question, Michael, but I believe they have one basic broth. While it was well seasoned, it never tasted overtly salty to me.

There are many things that affect a diner's perception of a meal besides the meal itself. One's attitude, external pressures, personal health, appetite and simple circumstances can all temper one's reaction to a meal. However, a truly great meal will often overcome those circumstances. I have been both let down and amazed at restaurants that I have had great expectations for. It hasn't always been the restaurant's fault when i have felt let down.

I couldn't imagine not drinking that broth up.

Thank you, Victor. The name mangetout makes sense. That is not a vegetable that I typically associate with Spain or Spanish cooking. Is it popular there?

Larry and Raji, I didn't take the comment as directed toward me. I just thought the comparison was fair in that no-one had stated that the comparison was based on authenticity. I think it is totally valid to compare the two ramen for overall taste and quality and others as well. I however, can not yet make that comparison since I haven't had David Chang's ramen. If it is as good or better than Setagaya's then it is truly a great dish regardless of authenticity. It may still be an excellent dish if it doesn't prove to be as good as Setagaya's. The Setagaya ramen is salty, though I didn't find it overly salty at the time. later on, however, I was quite thirsty. The weather may have been a contributing factor as well.

Sounds wonderful, Victor. Thank you. What are mangetouts? I am not familiar with that name, though I understand the literal translation.

Certainly, I have no sense as to how Setagaya's ramen compares to other good ramen's, especially in Japan. The point I was and am trying to make is that I think that it will be difficult to find a better dish for $11 anywhere. It is hardy, delicious and totally satisfying. I am certainly curious though as to how ramen afficionados will stack it up against others available in NY, the USA or the world including , of course, Japan. In the meantime, I was thrilled with this ramen regardless of its relative merits and that was on an extremely hot and sultry summer evening. I agree that it would likely be that much better on a rainy night or a crisp autumn one.

eGullet Society member Harlan Turk was just recently featured in an article in Smith Magazine about his work photographing restaurant kitchens in action. Harlan Turk's full name is Michael Harlan Turkell. Apparently Harlan has been recognized in 25 Under 25: Upcoming American Photographers.. His work has graced a number of topics on the eGullet Society Forums.

Thanks for the great report, docsconz. Ramen shop specializing in shio ramen in New York!? It is often said that shio ramen is the hardest to make of the three types (shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce), and miso). The red pickle is shiba zuke (eggplant pickled in salt and red perilla leaves), the green one is takana zuke, and the yellow one is takuan (daikon pickle). ← Thank you for the names, Hiroyuki.

Apples and oranges! ← Agreed 100%. It's not a valid comparison, especially in light of the fact that Chang makes no bones that his ramen is not Japanese style. ← I'm not comparing the two as I have never had Chang's, but I think it is certainly valid to compare them as far as flavor and overall culinary satisfaction. One may in fact be a "better" dish than the other regardless of authenticity. For all I know Chang's may be even better, Japanese style or not, though that would be an incredible feat.

John, I bring up this question from a certain cultural context. In my multi-course dining experiences in Chinese restaurants, the dishes are usually served communally, either "family-style" or "banquet-style." When I was looking through Wing Lei's menu, I did notice the tasting menu, as in each course is individually plated and served to the individual diner. That is not usually offered in a Chinese restaurant. The only time a course is served like that to a certain extent is the soup course, where the soup is brought out to the table, and then tableside, ladled into individual soup bowls already arranged, and finally served to each diner. And then there's the order of mu shu pork. But that's it! I'm used to having tasting menus at "Western" restaurants by myself. Mind you, having a tasting menu dinner at a Chinese restaurant is having me do a double-take, just a bit. It would be a different dining experience for me, because of my previous dining experiences of eating a multi-course Chinese meal more communally. Mind you, I do eat Chinese food as a solo diner, mainly one-item meals like chow mein or a large bowl of noodle soup. I hope this helps you (and others) understand where I'm coming from. ← It does. Thanks for the clarification.

I had a blast. To borrow a cliche, it was like being a kid in a candy store, except that one actually got to taste most things.

I am not an expert in ramen. I can not evaluate authenticity nor am I in a position to compare various ramen restaurants. What I can say though is that Setagaya is absolutely terrific. The ramen I had there was simply outstanding and one of the best value dishes for $11 anywhere. We started with seaweed salad and various pickled vegetables, both of which were very good and satisfying but not unlike versions that I have had elsewhere. The ramen is a mix of three different thicknesses of ramen noodles "to give a unique feel and curiosity to the taste." I did not concentrate on trying to distinguish the different thicknesses as I was intent on simply savoring the deeply flavorful dish. The kitchen is quite compact and efficient. The staff neds to and does a good job of keeping out of each other's way. The noodles are cooked in individual batches for exactly fifty seconds. The excess water is shaken out directly onto the floor. The wonderful, slow-cooked pork belly is finished over the Japanese grill. The ramen with noodles and broth combined. Another version separates the two with the noodles to be added at the time of eating. The amazingly deep and rich broth is made with pork bone, chicken and chicken bone, two kinds of Japanese seaweed; dried mushrooms, scallops and anchovies; garlic ginger, cabbage and red pepper. This is then combined with the rest of the ingredients including the pork, a not quite hard-boiled chicken egg, Aosha seaweed, dried scallop flakes, julienned scallion, bamboo shoots and scallop based Hotate oil. The sublime saltiness is provided by Vietnamese sea salt. The restaurant and the food certainly has an aura of authenticity. Whether or not it truly is just doesn't matter in my book so long as the product is as wonderful as this is. I recommend it.

Astrid y Gaston, the Peruvian gem, I am familiar with. Victor, would you care to elaborate on the others? I am also looking forward to reading about your experience with this event as well as anyone else's who may attend. I wish I could attend the reciprocal event in New York.

BTW, Congrats to Jim Meehan for being named a Starchefs Rising Star Mixologist! The award banquet will be on Tuesday Sept 18th at Mansion.

The setting is certainly a good one for keeping out the riff-raff. I was down having a great bowl of ramen at Setagaya the other night with JosephB and we were looking for a place that Sam Kinsey would hang out at as we knew he was in the area, but we were unable to locate any such establishment! Unfortunately, neither of us had read this topic prior to that evening. I guess cell phones don't work in there either? Too bad, as both of us could have used a nice cool drink (or two) on that sultry evening and even more so as we likely would have found a few more familiar personalities as well.

Not all minted waters (or other products were created equally) I thought the show was a load of fun. I'm working on a report that I hope to have ready soon.

Russell, you addressed your question to David, but being this is a discussion forum, is any meal unenhanced by dining with a convivial group of people interested and knowledgeable about food? For my part, a shared experience is always preferable, though I am not averse to dining alone when necessary and would prefer to do so at a fine restaurant if my company would detract from the meal.