BOULEY

October 6th, 2010 – Dinner at Bouley hosted by 56 Degree Wine. Words cannot describe how ethereal this experience was. I’ll try, but don’t blame me if you get hungry… or jealous.

Presented with the opportunity to attend a wine dinner hosted by Chris and Joe (from 56,) I was completely unprepared for the extravagant evening that lay ahead.Â It was a rare occasion, where Chef David Bouley himself would be in the kitchen (and later at our table,) overseeing the execution of his thoughtfully created menu. The details of the courses would be revealed to Chris and Joe just a day before the event, and they would be faced with the challenge of pairing wines to the chef’s creations. No time to order, they chose what we had in stock at the shop. The challenge was met and conquered, and here is how the evening played out…

Private.Dining — Our Private Dining Room

The venue in and of itself is something out of a fairy tale. Magical is the word that comes to mind.Â Bouley hired the best men for the job (some from overseas) to create the look that he was envisioning. Imported French doors (the one leading to the cellar is so heavy that Chef Bouley referred to it as “almost petrified,”) details dating centuries back, and stone that was from the same quarry used to restore the Versailles Palace in France are just a few of the authentic ingredients used to transform this space into a structural paradise. Upholstered frames, over-sized mirrors, and textured walls add to the appeal. It is romance to the nth degree. I had the opportunity to feast in the elaborate main dining room two years ago, but this time, the event was to take place entirely in the downstairs private room, adjacent to the wine cellar. The massive walnut doors and antique hardware was reminiscent of an old French Chateau. Just stunning.

Now, the meal.

Fresh Malibu Sea Urchin Terrine w/ Russian Golden Osetra Caviar and Fresh Kinome Leaf
NV Pascal Paillard Champagne Brut Bouzy Grand Cru
My notes… Such a unique dish! The creaminess of the sea urchin stood our for me, and my first encounter with kinome leaf – so savory, slightly peppery.. perfectly balanced dish. I was looking for ways to re-create this dish at home (challenge!) and then I found THIS! SCORE!!!!

crabflan — Crab with Black Truffle Dashi and Corn Flan

Butter-Sugar Corn Flan with Live Dungeness Crab and Black Truffle Dashi
2001 Patrick Lesec Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru
My notes… Rich and earthy while preserving a wealth of freshness and brightness (perhaps the corn?) Someone at the table questioned this and decided that the dashi was too overwhelming. I couldn’t disagree more. Amazing balance in this dish! And, it paired magnificently well with the Lesec!

Organic Connecticut Farm Egg; 24 Month Prosciutto di Parma; Steamed Polenta, Artichoke, Coconut, and Early Garlic Broth
2001 Ronchi di Cialla Ciallabianco]
My notes… Always a favorite of mine on any menu… the FARM EGG. The coconut broth brought a whole new dimension to this dish, resulting in a mouthful of tropical richness. The Ciallabianco was a great pair – although I still had a tiny but of Puligny left over, and it was just as stellar of a pairing!

Chatham Day Boat Lobster; Brown and White Honshimeji Mushrooms, Passion Fruit, English Peas, Fresh Lychee, Hyssop
2008 Knoll Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd
My notes… Perhaps the marriage of the night! Rich lobster, earthy mushrooms, tropical passion fruit and lychee, fresh peas, and aromatic hyssop. Almost a chaotic slew of ingredients – but wow. The combination was magic (there’s that word again!) Every bite revealed another dimension, every sip of the Riesling reminded us of how incredible a meal like this can get with the “proper” wine pairings. Kudos and thanks to Chris and Joe and to the staff at Bouley for recognizing all of these flavors and for allowing every single guest in that room the chance at such a food and wine epiphany!

Venison Loin Wrapped with a Rye and Salt Crust; Roasted Chesnut Peels, Chestnut Gnocchi, Baby Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Comte Cloud
2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili
My notes… The venison loin was brought out just before slicing, and Chris caught a picture of it. Click here to view the masterpiece (keep in mind that there was very low light in the room when the picture was taken!) Again, such fragrant and savory flavors. And what better wine than the Giacosa Barbaresco to bring out the delightfulness in it all? PS – The coolest thing about this dish is that every item could have stood on its own… the venison; the chestnut gnocchi; the brussel sprouts; and the “comte” cloud – literally a cloud of cheese. YUM.

Chilled Strawberry Soup with Organic Yogurt Sorbet
My notes… For what seemed to be a “palette cleanser” or “pre dessert,” this course left us so satisfied and content. Fresh, bright, delicious!

Caramelized Anjou Pear with Valrhona Chocolate, Biscuit Breton, Hot Toffee Sauce, Reglisee Sorbet, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
2001 Isole E Olena Vin Santo
My notes… The dessert is a masterpiece. The thinnest slices of caramelized pear wrapped the little package up. Inside, was Valrhona chocolate and biscuit breton (a buttery biscuit that was first made in the northwest part of France.) Hot toffee sauce topped the pears and the sorbet and ice cream flanked on either side. The dessert wine was the perfect balance of nutty, toffee, rich goodness balanced with a good amount of acidity, so it didn’t seem cloying at all.

An unforgettable meal and experience. Still, the words I use don’t seem to do justice to the evening. So, I’ll just relish in my memory.

Cheers!

September 29, 2010November 4, 2010

The Remainder of the Ride…

Greetings! Let me start by continuing my online journey of my gastronomic week, or shall I say, MONTH!?

Next stop was WD-50. Stop THREE of my gastronomic week 2010. The first time I dined at the acclaimed Wylie restaurant, I was rather unimpressed. Perhaps I was fearful to detach myself from my traditional culinary roots? I don’t know… But I was determined to 1) have a completely different experience and 2) meet Wylie. 🙂 Plus, a good friend was insisting I give this place just one more try.

Drum roll… a different experience it was! The courses were flavorful, and full of texture and complexity.Â We, as a table, shared two orders of the eggs benedict, which consisted of deep fried hollandaise sauce, the thinnest pieces of Canadian bacon you’ll ever see,Â and creatively prepared egg yolks. Nothing healthy about it, but it was delicious! I went with the cuttlefish appetizer with cashew and rootbeer. Heavenly – and the cashews added such amazing texture.

Others at the table that day raved about the aerated foie gras. Divine. Light as cotton candy, with the decadence of the rich delicacy. For my main course, I decided on the scallop dish – accompanied by chicken fried lentils (crispy and yummy,) radish, and lychee. Innovative and creative flavors blended into one unique and delicious dish. We had the Margaine Brut Rose with our appetizers and then moved to a magnum of an incredible Riesling that I can’t for the life of me remember – can any of my dining companions refresh my memory? A perfect pairing for my scallops! And yes, Wylie was there. I was a tad star struck and got all googly as he whisked by me at one point to get what seemed to be a glass of water from the bar. Mission accomplished. 🙂

And then there was STOP NUMBER FOUR. Literally, at this point, I felt as though I needed to do a cleanse diet in between all of my extravagant dinners. This time, we celebrated a friend’s birthday and introduced them to our favorite restaurant in the state… yep. elements in Princeton… Again! The chefs paired some fabulous courses to the wines that we chose for the evening… 2006 Albert Grivault Meursault, 2002 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia, and 1999 Terrebrune Bandol Rouge. Manish and I both agreed that this was our all time favorite dining experience at elements (trumping my last post) which proves to me that the staff here are always aiming to grow and surprise you more with each visit! A peak into what we feasted upon… no pictures of the food but trust me when I say that each and every plate was an artistic masterpiece, showcasing the colors and flavors of the season and of course the amazing talentsof Chef Scott Anderson and Chef Joe Sparratta.

~The amuse bouche trio: Beet Salad; fresh Tomato soup with fennel salad; Broccoli soup
(The guys enjoyed the Maple Loch Cocktail with this and the gals enjoyed the 20th century cocktail – Mattias at the bar is a genius!)
~Super sweet cherry tomato salad with fresh feta cheese and basil
~Local peach salad; red quinoa; fleur vert; black garlic; poppy seed sponge cake – as uniquely amazing and satisfying as the last time!
~Tuna belly and hamachi sashimi with pear and jicama – So fresh and clean, with the perfect balance of fruit and acidity.
~Geoduck with herb risotto, clam juice, saffron, and fried artichokes – Last time I had geoduck was at dim sum. I liked elements’ version much better – perfectly cooked, so tender!
~Seared scallops with romesco sauce
~Turbot with mustarda greens – I’m a sucker for a good hearty green 🙂
~Hazelnut tortellini with shaved truffles, parmesan crisp, pecans, and garlic chips – Truly Decadent!
~Seared foie gras with pear and maple syrup – As though the word “decadent” should have an even richer meaning 🙂
~Veal sweetbreads and caramelized sunchokes
~Smoked duck with fingerling potatoes and haricot verts – Amazing pairing with the 99 Bandol!
~Pre-dessert was the Bacon and Eggs – something I think I would order EVERY time I go!

That marked the end to my gastronomic MONTH. Stay tuned to my October musings – I look forward to sharing! Cheers!!

August 26, 2010

Family Chat

Some of these will seem funny to you, and some won’t make any sense at all – but all of these moments made an impression on me!

1. My dad to me… “Beta, I Eat to Live… YOU Live to Eat. That’s why I can’t tell you if this soup is missing anything.” (Beta is a term of endearment usually used by your elders addressing you as “honey or sweety.”)

2. Kayla on the phone to Maya who was visiting her friend in Maryland for a week… “Hi Maya didi… I miss playing with you, and can’t wait to see you this weekend. I loooove you!”

3. Maya to me after Kayla just said the words above (and voice crackling a little)… “My heart hurts.”

4. Maya to me at Origins Restaurant earlier this summer. I asked her to stick her nose into my glass of wine and tell me what she smelled… “Mommy, ewww. Why does this wine smell like gasoline?” It was a young Riesling! 🙂

5. Manish to me during our Fingerlakes trip, and Piyush agreeing… “Nita you really need to WATCH your face.” (Apparently, I spent the weekend making “faces” whenever I didn’t like a wine that I tasted)

6. Kayla to me when we first told her we were going to Disneyworld… “Oooh – when we get there, can I knock on King Triton’s door and ask if I can play with Ariel in her room!?” No Joke.

7. Kayla to me – and funny enough, Maya said something very similar when she was Kayla’s age… “Mommy, you’re the best cooker ever.” So I responded “Thank you honey, what’s your favorite dish that I make for you?” Her response… “Cereal!”

August 26, 2010

Fingerlake Fun

A few weeks ago, Manish and I traveled to the Fingerlakes with family and friends for an unforgettable weekend of food, wine, nature, and fabulous weather. We were celebrating Piyush’s 40th birthday, and we did it IN STYLE!

After a long and confusing road trip to our first stop (we tried to keep the trip aÂ secret from the birthday boy until the last possible moment,) we were greeted by the rest of the group at a beautifulÂ tasting room -Â Six Mile Creek Winery right in Ithaca. The scenic views from the backÂ terraces were something out of a magazine. From there, we stopped off at a local favorite, Ithaca Bakery, and stocked up on sandwiches of all sorts. We picnicked at beautiful Taughannock Falls State Park – and walked to the beautiful Falls that were nestled in layers of rock that seemed to reach the sky’s limit.

We checked into our lovely Bed and Breakfast – Gothic Eves. Roman, one of the innkeepers, greeted us and showed us to our rooms. The Inn is absolutely beautiful. Every room is adorned with lovely antiques and the grounds are manicured to a simple and natural elegance. We enjoyed evenings at the firepit and some of us soaked in the wood fired hot tub! We looked forward to our breakfast with Rose, innkeeper #2, as she has such a passion for local, organic, and sustainable ingredients.

On our first morning, we enjoyed a decadent french toast. The bread was from a local bakery (organic of course,) the berries and fruit were all local and organic – and if I remember correctly, she even picked some of them herself, the eggs were collected that morning from her friend’s backyard where free range chickens roam, and the maple syrup was tapped from one of the local NY State sugarbushes. Yes, our mornings with Roman and Rose (and their food) really fueled us up for the day’s activities!

The breakfasts at the inn were not the only “blog worthy” food experiences we had. Dinner at Hazelnut Kitchen was DIVINE. Jigna had researched a bit and heard great things about this restaurant, and when we told Rose and Roman where we were going for dinner that evening, they nodded in agreement. The theme is pretty much what we saw everywhere out there – natural, local ingredients are showcased, and new and interesting flavors are combined to create unforgettable meals. So many dishes to write about… so instead of mentioning them all, I’ll just tell you what I ordered. To start, the crispy fried quail with tomato chutney, mustard and creme fraiche, and vegetable slaw. The chef literally picked just the meatiest parts of the quail, and the result was a perfectly crisp coating and super tender meat. Delicious! The tomato chutney’s ingredients popped out singing the fact that they were just picked that morning. Yum. The incredibly fresh “spicy prawns” were a tad too spicy for my taste, but even then, I finished most of my meal – it was THAT good! The dessert that stood out in my head was the hazelnut butter cake with sea salt caramel & hazelnut ice cream. So decadent, but not overwhelming at all. The sea salt caramel provided balance to the rest of the components. Like I said before, Divine! Most of the crowd enjoyed local and artisanal microbrews with dinner. I opted to order some wine, and staying with theme, ordered a local winery’s claim to fame. More about the Bloomer’s Creek Block 97 Chardonnay below!

We went wine tasting along the Cayuga and Seneca Lake trails, visiting wineries such as Shalestone, Sheldrake, and Bellweather Ciders to just name a few. The one that really stood out for me though, was Bloomer Creek Vineyard. We tried the Block 97 Chardonnay the night before, and I remember Sejal and I looking at each other wondering if what we just tasted wasn’t a Bourgogne Blanc! I know… I am making a very broad statement here. But compared to many of the off dry to sweet whites and “interesting” reds that we tasted, the Bloomer Creek Block 97 Chardonnay was a true find! Hopefully we all can “find” it nearby soon! Kim Engle is the winegrower and vintner and Debra Bermingham adorns the walls, ceilings, and floors of their tasting room with her vision and true art. Literally – the walls are filled with her art work, and the floors are gorgeous displays of workmanship – with inlays of significant newspaper articles flanking the wood planks. Just plain gorgeous. And their wines… I not only noticed the Chardonnay as being “something to talk about,” but their Rieslings had a petrol nose, and the dry Gewurtztraminer was probably the best pairing for Indian food I’ve tasted from the US! 🙂

We ended our weekend with a visit to the one and only Ithaca Farmers Market. We tasted some of the sweetest corn in the world here. And for that, I’ll forever be grateful. This will not make any sense to you unless you were there, that day, eating the raw corn kernels off the cob (or in my case, having Manish cut them off for me – lol.)

Happy Birthday, Piyush bhai!

July 25, 2010July 25, 2010

Summer Supper 2010

So, what do you get when you combine efforts with your brother and sister in law for a LAST MINUTE evening of grilling? Try it, because when I did, I experienced the BEST MEAL of the SUMMER thus far!

It was 10am on a random Saturday, and we decided on a last minute dinner at Jigna and Piyush’s place. I can’t take much credit for what I’m about to describe, as what was supposed to be a “simple” meal (said Jigna) turned into such a grande affaire! I had a couple pork tenderloins in the fridge and marinated them in a savory “herb-y” marinade that was balanced with a splash of sherry vinegar, a drizzle of honey, and just enough soy for the umami effect. I still had some sour cherries that I froze after my trip to the market a few weeks ago, so with sous chef Maya’s help, made a sour cherry gastrique. The pork marinade was reduced into a sauce with loads of depth which accompanied the grilled protein, but a dollop of the gastrique reminded us of summer’s bounty and brought balance to the main course. That was my contribution.

We started the evening with an elegant and lovely rendition of Summer Bruschetta. Perfectly diced tomatoes, a chiffonade of basil, and a smidge of garlic (with the additions of balsamic and olive oil) topped grilled pieces of baguette and satisfied everyone’s craving for a hearty appetizer. A very balanced and seasonal blueberry mojito accompanied the appetizers – fresh blueberries, ginger simple syrup, fresh squeezed lime juice, and RUM… YUM. One was enough for me though. As I have experienced in the past, if I want to enjoy a cocktail, consume but only ONE! 😉

Next was the salad… We harvested some greens from the garden just moments before assembling the salad. Fresh, gourmet lettuces created the bed for this course. This was topped with grilled peppers, grilled red onions, and Italian sausage slices. Atop this was slices of fresh figs and sprinkled goat cheese. This was probably the most savory and flavorful salad I have EVER consumed.Â The best part? Leftovers go well on a pizza the next day. YUM.

The pork tenderloin was the entree but the sides were the stars at this dinner party! Succulently sweet corn, cut off the cob, with literally “tons of herbs” folded in. Basil, parsley, and dill were amongst the many that were showcased. A unique take on potato salad was served – grilled red bliss potatoes with red onions, capers, and whole grain mustard. SOOO savory, and such a perfect match to the complimentary flavors of the pork and the corn. The entire meal was something out of a magazine; which is why I had to blog about it today!

We ended our meal with brown sugar glazed grilled peaches and vanilla ice cream (with a blackberry sauce.)

P&J…. Thank you so much for this feast fit for a king! We truly enjoyed (and appreciated) the entire experience, and look forward to many more in the future! CHEERS to my Bhai and BB! 😉 xoxoxoxo

July 13, 2010July 13, 2010

Fruits of Summer

Sour Cherries fresh from The Cherrful Cherry at the Greenmarket in Union Square NYC

Berries and Cherries and Stone Fruit…. Oh My! Yes, one of the many rewards to braving the summer heat is sinking your teeth into one of these delectable fruit gems…. bare and simple; baked into a treat; or incorporated into a delicious sauce of both savory and sweet dimensions. Two of my favorites…. the sour cherry and the blueberry.

Blueberries from Hillview Farm in Meyersville, NJ. Just up the road from me!

Sour cherry season is short lived. Very short. Mid June through early July, and many of the farm markets sell out of their stash (at least the ones that I frequent!) To my friends out there that laugh at me for trapsing into the city on a random early weekday morning to secure my lot of sour cherries… take one bite of this tart or turnover and see why I am so passionate about it! (Oh and forgive the lame shot of the sour cherry tart as that was me taking the picture at 10pm on Sunday night on my cell phone. Manish wanted make sure I mentioned that! 🙂

Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Ginger Preserves (here melted into a sauce)

I went blueberry picking with some friends and my daughters over at the Hillview Farm here in Meyersville. It was the perfect morning, weather wise, and most of the blueberries were ripe, juice, and ready to be plucked. We left with 7 lbs of blueberries, all deliciously plump and sweet. Three days of blueberry pancakes, muffins, and jam, and we still wanted more!

Sour Cherry and Almond Tart

Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons ice water
1 lb sour cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Mix in butter pieces with fingertips until incorporated (it’s ok if you see clumps of butter.) Stir in ice water with a fork until just combined (dough will be shaggy.) Empty contents of bowl (in other words, the shaggy dough) into a large piece of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Flour a piece of parchment paper and place dough disc on top. Place another piece of floured parchemnet on top (flour part touching the dough.) Roll dough out into a 12 to 13 inch diameter circle. Transfer dough carefully to a 10 inch tart pan. I found this pate brisee very delicate, so if it breaks, no worries – just “seal” any holes with the scraps of dough. Form dough into tart pan and up the sides. “Roll off” any excess dough with the rolling pin. Refrigerate for one hour.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sour cherries, sugar, and almond extract in a bowl. Grind the almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor until fine.

Sprinkle almond mixture into the tart shell, and pour the cherry mixture on top. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve warm.

Sour Cherry Tart — Sour Cherry Almond Tart

June 21, 2010

Favorite Summer Sippers

There are many things that I love about the warm weather and the start of summer. Vacation for the kids, the beach, the pool, dining al fresco… You get the point. But here are some of my favorite libations to sip on the hammock, pool-side, at the beach, or at one ofÂ my favorite picnic spots!

2008 Quinta da Aveleda Grinalda Reserva DOC, Vinho Verde – From the Vinho Verde region of Portugal, this producer makes a vibrant, fresh, and crispy wine from the grape varietals Trajadura, Loureiro, and Alvarinho. This is the perfect summer sipper… I wouldn’t mind some fresh seafood to pair with, but it’s great on its own!

2008 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet “Les Gras Moutons” Sur-Lie – “Crisp, stony, briny, and spiny” are the wordsÂ used to describe this wine which hails from the Muscadet region in the Loire. 100% Melon de Bourgogne (the grape varietal found in Muscadet wines,) this wine has amazing length and versatility. GREAT with oysters from Metropolitan Seafood, or, if you wish, on its own.

2008 Lydie and Thierry Chancelle Saumur Blanc – Chenin Blanc is one of my all time favorite grape varietals. The resulting wines from good producers are so versatile, ranging from dry varieties to just off dry, to almost “dessert wine” sweet. All the while,Â displaying notes of stony minerality, fennel,Â citrus, acaciaÂ blossom, and such balanced acidity and length. I love this wineÂ with Seared Scallops and Summer Fennel SlawÂ withÂ Citrus Tarragon Vinaigrette.

ROSE’! My favorite Rose’ to date (sadly, I am almost done with my stash…Â sigh)Â is the 2009 Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence. This is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Mourvedre. Mineral, dry, long finishing,with berry goodness. The perfect accompaniment to my steamed mussels with Chorizo Broth. A close second is the 2009 Domaine des Haut Cances Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne Rose or the 2009 Janasse Rose Vin de Pays Principaute d’Orange.

2007 Alain Corcia Bourgogne Rouge Reserve Grande Classe – The perfect light red to accompany a summer meal! Juicy enough for sipping on the deck too… and a great pairing with grilled salmon!

The Kachumber Cooler – Made famous at Danny Meyer’s restaurant, Tabla, in NYC, the Kachumber Cooler is a refreshing gin-based cocktail with the additions of cucumber, cilantro, green pepper, and lime. The “Bardolia” version adds a little ginger infused simple syrup (instead of regular) kicking it up just a notch.Â We served these addictive cocktails with an Indian inspired bbq menu!

Summer has officially BEGUN. Enjoy!! 🙂

April 25, 2010April 25, 2010

Chef’s Table at Elements

I was accompanied by Manish, Jigna, and Piyush; and we all share similar sentiments about our incredible meal at Elements in Princeton.

For those of you that have not been to or heard of Elements, let me start by explaining that this is a restaurant that not only prides itself on the execution of delicious, seasonal, and creative fare… but they strive to (mostly) shop locally for their produce, dairy, and meats… supporting our local farmers. The service is ridiculously professional, by being super friendly and entertaining all the while. Manish and I were lucky to dine there last December, and just last week, we secured a reservation for the 4 of us at the Chefs Table. Here is my recollection of our almost 10 course Omakase style dinner:

Salad Fluke — Salad of Microgreens; Mixed Greens, and Fluke

A Trio of Amuse… Main theme here being Citrus. Hamachi with meyer lemon vinaigrette; Poached shrimp with citrus soup; potato Salad with citrus

Salad of microgreens and local greens, shaved white asparagus, orange, and local (Jersey shore) fluke

Pea consomme with fresh peas, fresh favas, pea shoots, and speck (my favorite of the “vegetable based” courses)

Sea Bass with salmon caviar, apple salad, sunchoke puree, and crispy croutons

Skate with fresh peas, carrot puree, and pea puree

Fresh “house made” ravioli with herbed chard ricotta, mozzarella, basil oil, and “Jersey Fresh” tomatoes. Sous Chef Joe Sparatta explained that some of last year’s amazing NJ tomato harvest was canned into what many local shops sell as “Jersey Fresh Tomatoes.” I thought it was last August when I tasted this tomato sauce!! No joke.

Squab, savory bread pudding, foie gras, and a sauterne sauce(?) Can someone that I dined with remind me if I remember correctly or not? It was phenomenal… but I can’t remember what the sauce was!! (This was my favorite savory course!)

48 Hour slow cooked Short Ribs with green curry sauce, vegetable slaw, fried quail egg. Such balance!

Our “Pre-Dessert” ~ Bacon and Eggs (I was hoping to have this again – YUM!)

Deconstructed Black Forest Cake with a “yodel,” (lol) lambic sorbet (to die for,) drunken cherries, and a mushroom meringue.

(Comment to this post and I’ll respond to you with the vegetarian courses that were offered as well!!)

We ordered some classic cocktails to start, and enjoyed the 2005 Bzikot Puligny Montrachet (Thank, RH!) as well as the 1988 Vieux Telegraph CDP (Thanks, DS!) Both drank beautifully and stood up to the caliber of the food!

Special thanks to Emilia for setting us up at the chefs table at such late notice; to Justin for his impeccable appreciation for what we were hoping to accomplish that evening (you are the best!) And to Chef Joe and Chef Scott for the amazingly creative, seasonal, and delicious meal that we were served.

And of course, the evening was made even more special because we shared it with two people that are so near and dear to us… Cheers guys – here’s to the countless dinners that we shall have in our future together – Love You!

Make your reservation TODAY!!!!

April 10, 2010April 10, 2010

Empire State of Mind

We hosted our dear friends this past weekend to a true New York City Adventure. We ate the best New York style pizza. We saw a Broadway show (Mamma Mia.) We visited FAO Schwarz. We strolled through Central Park. We even explored the Observation deck of the Empire State Building. We absorbed everything “New York” along with the gorgeous weather that we were lucky to have! And to think… this was the first time that our kids stepped into the Empire State Building. I know that as locals, we tend to veer away from “all things tourist-y,” but I have to urge you all to do it once in a while – it was so fun!

Although the weekend focused around kid-friendly environs, we did partake in some memorable dining! Patsy’s Pizzeria greeted us with some delicious creations but it was the hole in the wall across from the Empire State Building that had the mouth watering thin crust NY style pizza that we were all craving! The sign reads “PIZZA” in great big red letters and the place was packed with tourists and homeless folks. It was quite the scene. 😉 El Parador was a pleasant surprise. Traditional Mexican fare with a creative twist – and the menu offered something for everyone. The margaritas were to die for and the shot of house made pineapple tequila was divine. We ended our weekend with an indulgent brunch at Big Daddy’s in Gramercy. Endless stacks of pancakes, fluffy eggs, and morning libations filled our bellies and hearts with delight!

Group Shot — the weekend crew just outside Big Daddy's

Manish and I try to do a “Day in Manhattan” for our anniversary each year. We pack the day with visits to wine shops, cheese shops, restaurants, and the occasional overnight stay. This year, maybe I can squeeze in 15 minutes for my new favorite Pizza dive! Thanks to our friends for making this weekend such aÂ memorable one! And as my girlfriend Alicia would say… “Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New Yooooooork.” 🙂

March 21, 2010March 22, 2010

My Top “Twelve”

A little change from my usual post. No particular dining or tasting experience to convey. JustÂ the twelve things that made me smile this week (I know – I couldn’t choose JUST ten!) 🙂 … In no particular order.

1. Anne Burrell’s delicious lamb shank recipe. My absolute favorite to date – and for once, I didn’t change a thing!

2. Chatting with two ladies who are very near and dear to me and being re-assured that a couple of my other dear friends are going to be ok.

3. Trying a new Chenin Blanc and loving it… 2008 Lydie et Thierry Chancelle Saumur Blanc – Stony, citrus, limestone, with a tinge of sweetness. YUM.

4. Thomas Keller’s Oysters and Pearls, Bardolia style. Paired with 2 ridiculous Chablis a couple weeks ago; paired with NV Gatinois Brut Grand Cru this week.

5. Mother-daughter chats with my girls and my “moms.”

6. 2005 Domaine de la Granges des Peres – thank you JS for this incredible wine!

7. Finding Pink Muscat Grapes at Whole Foods, buying two bags, and remembering California… Sigh.

8. Discovering that Kayla’s art gallery will be worth millions some day.

9. Looking forward to having the “girlfriend” relationship with Maya soon. But realizing that ’til that happens, bumpy roads ahead (but cherishing every moment.)

10. 2008 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine Les Gras Moutons Â – Stony, briny, crisp, and dry. Perfect with raw oysters or sushi!

11. Getting hugs and kisses from many children that I am blessed to have in my life.

12. Being supported by my partner for life. XOXO MB