agavin

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Dirty Dozen semi Grand

Feb21

Location: 5733 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA 91780. (626) 280-2998

Date: July 24, 2022

Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese

Rating: Solid Cantonese

It has become traditional for the Dirty Dozen (our blind tasting group within a group) to do white wine lunches over dim sum — but this time we mixed it up slightly and combined with Sunday night dinner into a Cantonese banquet Dirty Dozen White dinner. I think this was originally white Burgundy themed, then opened up to Rose Champagne for this event.

Grand Harbor is a relatively new Hong Kong place in Temple City from Jackie Zhou, having opened in 2012. It is part of the NBC Seafood Restaurant group, which has several other locations throughout the Los Angeles area.

The restaurant was designed to provide an elegant and upscale dining experience, with a focus on fresh seafood and high-quality ingredients. The owners of the restaurant were inspired by the traditional seafood restaurants of Hong Kong and wanted to bring a similar experience to the United States.

Since its opening, Grand Harbor has become a popular destination for diners seeking delicious seafood dishes and a luxurious dining experience. The restaurant has received numerous accolades and positive reviews from food critics and diners alike, and has become a go-to spot for special occasions and celebrations.

The dining room is huge and opulent in that chintzy Chinese way. I would have thought from all the overzealous cove lighting that the space was built out in the 80s, but apparently it’s only a year or two old!

Real marble blends non-so-seemlessly with faux-alabaster. They have wine too like many of the new high end places. Mostly big young red wine like Bordeaux which totally fails to pair with Cantonese Chinese, but it’s the thought that counts.

We had a private room — pretty much a necessity given the crowded main room.

Peanuts.

Smashed cucumbers. Slightly spicy sweet sauce. Not sure what the deal with dumping this kind of spring roll sauce on top of the cucumbers is.

We had the champagnes in flights but I’m too lazy to do anything more than present the photos of them in the order they were served.

And thus ends the champs.
Cold appetizers. Jellyfish, roast pork, pork belly, roast duck. Roast pork and duck were good.

Sauces for the cold apps. The hoison like one and sweet duck sauce.

Walnut shrimp. Lightly fried, very mayo, a bit sweet, and quite delicious.

“Peking Duck.” Skin is a bit soft and mushy and there are buns, but still tasty. This is “pseudo peking duck” like most of the Cantonese restaurants server. For more legit versions, check out my Peking Duck Guide.
Condiments.

Scallops in XO sauce. Very nice, not super strong.

Lobster steamed with garlic. Nice light prep.

Duck meat as lettuce cups. Good texture.

Pork belly with preserved vegetables. Mild and very fatty but very good. Mild is a theme tonight.

Fried pork chops. Very fried but not super salty.

French style beef with mushrooms. Super tender but why, why do we keep ordering this dish?

Bok Choy. Lightly flavored.

Everything fried rice.

Plated.

Truffle chicken. Chicken itself was very tender but the truffle was canned truffle with rancid truffle oil. I could only handle one bite.

Pan fried noodles with beef and egg whites. Topping was pretty good but noodles had a slightly odd flavor. Overall pretty mild (aka under seasoned).

Double Mint Oreo — Base made with Fresh Spring Mint infused milk and then laced with Crushed Mint Oreo Thins and Chopped Valrhona 70% Chocolate! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — lovely strong mint flavor and color is all natural — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #dessertgasm #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #mint #valrhona #chocolate #oreo

My gelato is DOTN (dessert of the night) by about 5 orders of magnitude.

Light honey and plain sponge cakes.

Sweet soup with sesame mochi. Sweet egg drop anyone?

The gang.

The results.

By July of 2022, Grand Harbor had come most of the way back since it’s immediate post pandemic low, but it’s still not quite as good as it was before 2020. The dishes look good, but there was a slight but consistent under seasoning that made a little one dimensional — except for the truffle chicken which was disgusting. Say no to truffle oil! Still, one could always bring some a shaker of “flavor” (MSG) and Grand Harbor a very solid Cantonese with top notch rooms and service. From those who have visited more recently I’ve heard they have rebounded even further.

And I do like Rose Champ with Chinese food.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: blind tasting, BYOG, Cantonese Chinese, Champagne, Dirty Dozen, Gelato, Grand Harbor, hedonists, SGV, Wine

Date Night at Addison

Feb18

Restaurant: Addison

Location: 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, San Diego, CA 92130. (858) 314-1900

Date: July 18, 2022

Cuisine: California Japanese Fusion French

Rating: Best meal I’ve had in California in a while

My wife and I snuck away during July 2022 for a romantic getaway to San Diego and managed to snag (thanks Jeffrey!) a reservation at San Diego’s best restaurant, Addison — then 2 Michelin stars, now recently promoted to three!

Addison is a renowned fine-dining restaurant located in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, a luxury resort in San Diego, California. The restaurant is named after Addison Mizner, a famed architect from the 1920s who specialized in Mediterranean-style architecture.

It’s located at the glamorous and woodsy Fairmont Grand Del Mar.

The outside patios are very 2000.

The restaurant has a sophisticated and elegant — if slightly overdone — ambiance, with a modern European design that includes chandeliers, high ceilings, and polished marble floors. The dining room has an open floor plan with tables set with white linens and comfortable chairs. The restaurant also has a private dining room that can seat up to 20 guests for more intimate gatherings.

Regular menu.

Pescatarian menu.

Addison’s cuisine is described as contemporary French with a California twist, and the menu changes frequently to highlight the freshest seasonal ingredients. The restaurant has a strong emphasis on fine dining techniques and presentation, with each dish carefully crafted to provide a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Welcome drink of fermented pineapple with a bit of a funky quality.

Wagyu tartar with a squid ink cracker.

Chicken Liver Churry. Soft and crispy textures.

Chili Churro. The vegetarian variant.

Sake Cured Kanpachi “Nigiri” with shiso leaf. Very nice crunch paired with the softness of the fish and an shiso finish.

Iberian Ham, Crispy Potato, Black Truffles. Decadent little bite.

A glass of rose to start.

Kanpachi Sashimi, Salted Kiwi, Shiso, Melon. Formed into a floral shape each piece of fish could be dipped into the citrus and shiso sauce.

Shellfish Chawanmushi with scallops and Haikkado Uni, Broccoli, Bok Choy, and Daikon.

Vegetable Chawanmushi Broccoli, Bok Choy, and Daikon.

Even though I brought wine, the $100+ (maybe even $150) a bottle corkage drove me to the not-too-badly-priced wine list. 2019 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières Domaine. BH 91-93. Moderately firm reduction overshadows the underlying fruit at present. Otherwise there is very good volume to the nicely concentrated and more finely textured middle weight flavors that brim with minerality on the youthfully austere and lemon zest-inflected finale that isn’t quite as structured. (Drink starting 2027 — oops we started a bit early — that’s restaurant wine lists for you)

The wine is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, which are hand-picked and carefully sorted to ensure only the highest quality fruit is used. After pressing, the juice is fermented in French oak barrels, 25% of which are new, where it undergoes a malolactic fermentation, which adds richness and creaminess to the wine.

The resulting wine is a brilliant golden color with aromas of lemon, pear, and white flowers. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complex, with flavors of citrus, vanilla, and a hint of minerality. The wine has a long, elegant finish that lingers on the palate.
Regiis Ova Reserve Caviar, Koshihikari Rice, Smoked Sabayon, Sesame. Very soft rice texture, rich and creamy with a nutty quality but not overwelmingly sesame. Quite lovely.

Salt and Vinegar Chips, Toasted Dill, Burnt Onion Dip. Basically fancy “sour cream and oil chips” — delicious.

The dip.

Golden Eye Snapper, Flavors of summer. Very moist and subtle and pleasant.

Truffle Tamale, Squash Blossoms, Quesillo, Pork.

Can hardly see it under all that truffle!

Tom Kha Gai Goong, Thai Basil, Coriander, Coconut. Very authentic but extra smooth and clean.

Lime to add into the soup.

Crispy vegetable fritter.

Sourdough Bread, Goat’s Milk, Browned Honey Butter.

Browned Honey Butter.

Goat’s Milk.

2013 Domaine Perrot-Minot Chambolle-Musigny. VM 90-92. Bright, dark red. Aromas of cherry, spices, rose petal and menthol are accented by a piquant suggestion of blood orange. Distinctly brambly aromas of berries, rose and menthol. At once lush and bright, with a firm tannic spine giving the wine structure and grip. A very serious village wine in the making. (Drink between 2020-2027)

A5 Wagyu, Black Garlic, Maitake Broth, Negi. Super buttery/tender beef very much in the true wagyu vibe. Scrumptious.

Maaitake Broth, Negi. Very pleasant and extremley Japanese.

Wild Mushrooms, Black Garlic, Crispy Kombu.

This (vegetarian) dish also came with a broth.

Chef William Bradley in the kitchen. He’s the executive chef of Addison. He joined the restaurant in 2006 and has since become known for his contemporary French cuisine with a California twist, showcasing the finest seasonal ingredients.

Chef Bradley began his culinary career in his native Florida, where he attended culinary school and worked in various restaurants. He then moved to California to work for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco and later the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles, where he earned a Michelin star.

In 2006, Chef Bradley joined the team at Addison as the executive chef, where he has continued to elevate the restaurant’s reputation for exceptional cuisine. Under his leadership, Addison has been awarded multiple accolades, including five stars from Forbes Travel Guide, five diamonds from AAA, and a spot on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Chef Bradley is known for his attention to detail and his innovative approach to cooking. He draws inspiration from both classic French techniques and local California ingredients, combining them in unexpected ways to create dishes that are both elegant and inventive.

Overall, Chef William Bradley’s career has been marked by a dedication to excellence in the culinary arts, and his contributions to Addison have solidified the restaurant’s reputation as one of the best fine-dining destinations in the United States.

Harry’s Berries Strawberries, Cucumber Jelly, Whipped Orange Blossom. Super intense berries, fabulous “strawberry and zabione” style dish.

The Sweet Treats.

Praline and Cocoa Crunch, Passion Fruit, Toasted Fluff. Lovely crunchy texture and rich chocolate flavor.

Yuzu Custard, Green Tea. Lite and bright.

Chocolate Wafer, Pistachio, Sour Cherry Jam.

Berry-Beet Tartelette, Verjus, Vanilla. Very intense berry flavor.

Wildflower Honeycomb. Glucose spike!

“Gift” of granola.

Addison was flat out great. First of all, it’s a lovely setting, really quite magnificent. Then the atmosphere and service are absolutely at the level of a European Michelin 2 star, which is so rare in America. The food also feels like 2 star food — and now that it has a US 3 star that puts it where it should be because the best US 3 stars match up with European 2 stars. There just aren’t places at the Euro 3 star level in the states, not really.

Anyway, on to the food. It’s very refined, beautifully plated and artfully presented. Every dish tasted bright and delicious. Overall, there is a very pronounced Japanese influence, which is typical these days for high end California restaurants. The techniques are largely modern French, although there are dishes like the Chawanmushi which are pretty straight up Japanese. Otherwise, even with the French techniques the ingredients are at least half Japanese, so it has the feeling of a great Japanese omakase.

As a “date night” it turned out to be one of those perfect romantic evenings — spectacular even.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Addison, California French, Chef William Bradley, Date Night, Del Mar, Golf Course, Japanese Fusion, Michelin 2 Star, Michelin 3 Star, Romantic Dinner

Date Night at AR Valentien

Feb16

Restaurant: A.R. Valentien

Location: 11480 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037. (858) 777-6635

Date: July 19, 2022

Cuisine: California Bistro

Rating: Solid for a hotel spot

My wife and I went for a romantic mini vacation to San Diego July of 2022 and stayed at the Iconic Lodge at Torrey Pines where we stayed just before our son was born.

It’s a lovely spot in full California style, located in La Jolla, California, just north of San Diego. The lodge is nestled in a grove of pine trees overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. The hotel is decorated in a Craftsman-style decor, with hardwood floors, custom furnishings, and hand-crafted details that evoke the warmth and character of a bygone era.

The Lodge is also known for its proximity to some of the most beautiful natural areas in Southern California, including Torrey Pines State Reserve, which is home to rare and endangered plant species, and miles of hiking trails. Other nearby attractions include the La Jolla Cove, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and the San Diego Zoo.

Overall, the Lodge at Torrey Pines is a stunning destination that offers a luxurious and relaxing retreat in a breathtaking natural setting.

The sunset view from the Lodge’s signature restaurant, A.R. Valentien. The restaurant highlights regional San Diego cuisine served in an elegant, timbered indoor-outdoor dining room overlooking the 18th hole of Torrey Pines Golf Course. Executive Chef Kelli Crosson sources only the best local provisions, and the menu changes frequently based on seasonal fare available. The restaurant takes its name from a talented early 20th-century California artist whose works are exhibited throughout the restaurant.

The menu.

A favorite — can’t even remember if I brought the bottle or we bought it off the list — NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity. Spicy and precise on the palate, showing very good punch to its strawberry and bitter cherry flavors. Opens up smoothly with air and picks up a bitter rhubarb quality that lingers onto the long, tightly focused finish. This bottling showed more brawny character than many past renditions of this cuvée, but with no lack of vivacity.

Vegetarian amuse.

Stonefruit Salad. Young Lettuces, Whipped Goat Cheese, Marcona Almonds, White Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette.

Applewood Smoked Rainbow Trout. Burnt Onion Cream, Shishito Relish, Crispy Potato.

Braised Alaskan Halibut. Miso Broth, Bok Choy, Sprouting Cauliflower, Torpedo Onion, Cauliflower Mushroom.

Roasted Liberty Duck Breast and Confit Leg. Caramelized Fennel Flan, Hazelnuts, Roasted Grapes, Frisée.

Bonus of wax beans and romesco.

Cheese with Spiced Nuts and Jams. Caveman Blue. Rogue Creamery, (Cow’s Milk). Cave Aged Marisa. Carr Valley, (Sheep’s Milk). Lake Effect. Blakesville Creamery, (Goat’s Milk). Wagon Wheel. Cowgirl Creamery, (Cow’s Milk).

Beignets and candies.

Certainly a very pleasant romantic meal.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: A.R. Valentien, Date Night, Lodge at Torrey Pines, San Diego

Camphor Cool

Feb14

Restaurant: Camphor

Location: 923 E 3rd St Suite 109, Los Angeles, CA 90013. (213) 626-8888

Date: July 14, 2022

Cuisine: Modern French Bistro

Rating: Great fusion of flavors

Camphor is a modern bistro located in DTLA’s bustling Arts District led by Co-Executive Chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George. It seems to merge French style with some Indian flavors.

Jeffrey and Erick and I, collectively the Foodie Club or Bottom Feeders, set off to try it out — and of course ordered almost the entire menu (as we are wont to do).

They are located down in the Arts District — ugly location, but a nice build out. It’s the same space that used to house Nightshade, another place I liked that shut down during the pandemic. Some of the owners and/or staff have carried over.

The interior. It doesn’t look that different than Nightshade did.

The menu and our marked up version.

1996 Robert Ampeau & Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes. 92 points. Best attribute is a long finish, with good balance. Notes of white flower and tree fruit.

From my cellar: 1996 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 94 points. When they are on the wines are really incredible, this bottle was flinty and completely alive and delicious, everything you could want but the success rate is pretty much 50% on these wines for me so as long as you are comfortable with that reality they are worth seeking out, I’m not sure I’m going to be buying anymore myself. Even at 2x the average retail price on these which is basically what the cost is when you have to pour out every other bottle, they are still a relative bargain compared to any other older White Burg but it’s a frustrating experience opening them.

Amuse in the form of a light delicious foam in a chickpea shell. Very nice refreshing bite.

Saucisson with brown pepper. Tasty thin salami.

Baby shrimp “gunpowder.” Incredibly tasty little salty crunchy shrimp with a hint of curry and/or lemongrass and basil.

Clam barbajuan. Tasty, but the ratio of fry made it taste like there could have been anything in there.

Clams with garlic parsley butter. Quite tasty.

Tartare of beef with an herb tempura. This was a fabulous “creamy” tartare and particularly delicious on the crispy herbs.

Herb tempura to put the tartare on.

A5 wagyu otoro carpaccio. Also creamy. They like the sacues here.

Barbajuan of Dungeness crab. There was also probably spinach in there. I thought there was a nice (but subtle) crab flavor. The shell was great.

Sauces for the barbajuan of a creamy butter sauce and incredible pickled sweet Peruvian peppers.

Special onion tart with anchovies. This was very good, but not as good as Jeffrey wanted.

From my cellar: 1989 Daniel Moine-Hudelot Clos Vougeot. Amazing!

Special dover sole with brown butter beurre blanc with capers and bread crumbs.

The browned butter.

Breadcrumbs.

They like to sauce at the table. Very soft and rich and delicious fish.

Lobster with coral bisque. Super tender lobster tail with a sauce that was basically lobster bisque.

The lobster claws in a ridiculously rich and delicious hollandaise-like foam.

Lentils and Lamb. Under this foam was a lentil soup with a hint of curry and a touch of lambiness. Not much meat but it was delicious.

1993 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge.

Chicken with Thyme and chicken jus. This was a soft log of chicken and super delicious. The sauce was vaguely curry-like and so we called it the “curry wurst.”

Asparagus and béarnaise. Salty and good.

Special of layered crispy potato. This was great and the sauce beneath had a complex sweet and sour flavor that reminded me of chaat puri (the Indian street food).

Special of ribeye from a special source with a slightly different bearnaise sauce. Very nice meat but I was very full.

Soft sweet bread.

Chocolate and hazelnut. There was icecream and crunch underneath. Quite good.

Special of strawberry and cream in a crispy shell. Fabulous. Again, too bad I was full.

The chefs.

Little madeleines.

This was a super fun dinner, one of my favorites of the year, and I loved Camphor. First of all, I really enjoy these small Foodie Club/Bottom Feeders outings to new restaurants. They are free of drama and chaos of some larger dinners. Then I really enjoyed the food. It’s precise, and very very saucy — but I like saucy. Be prepared for it. Everything is sauced. Béarnaise, beurre blanc, reductions, it’s all there. But sauce adds fat, salt, and flavor to otherwise plain proteins. And I really enjoyed the precise French style paired with bolder more assertive Indian flavors, without getting too heavy. The DNA is mostly French.

Oh and our Burgundies turned out very well tonight. The 1989 Clos Vougeot was one of those magical wines. So lucky when those happen. Some people have complained that Camphor dish size is too small. This is actually a plus in my book and just an opportunity to order more dishes. Look at how much we got through with just three gluttons!

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Camphor, DTLA, Foodie Club, French Cuisine, Sauce, Wine

Not all Dim Sum are Created Equal

Feb11

Restaurant: Five Star Seafood Restaurant

Location: 140 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. (626) 288-1899

Date: July 9, 2022

Cuisine: Chinese Dim Sum

Rating: Meh

Once or twice a year the hedonists (and Yarom’s family) trek’s out to the SGV for a two part Saturday featuring dim sum and some banquet dinner. Locations vary but several times we’ve been to the awesome Juicy Dumpling.

This is the same maxi-mall with Juicy Dumpling and Spicy City (now sadly closed I think). 5 Star has a comanding position in the corner, high above everything else (you need to take an elevator up above the market).

It’s a giant room with a decent view, classic Cantonese.

And a cart place. I haven’t been to a cart place in a while and 5 Star reminded me why.

Our table.

Pan fried meat and chive patties. Oily and delicious.

Greens. Just were. Not much garlic.

Red bean sesame balls. One of the problems with carts is the totally random order. Actually it’s not random, it’s bad to better.

Fried shrimp paste balls on sugar sticks. Luke warm (or even cool) by the time we got them.

Disgusting pig trotters the way Yarom likes ’em.

Chicken Feet. Same deal as the pig’s feet.

Pork ribblets. Pretty tasty, if boney.

XLB. Doughy version and not very warm at all, but still tasty.

Veggie roll. This is normally a great dish — here a bit meh.

Eggplant stuffed with fried shrimp paste. Not so great. They love the shrimp paste here.

DEEP fried wontons with mayo.

A different deep fried roll, I think with shrimp paste — and more mayo.

Yet another deep fried roll with mayo. Hard to tell the difference, maybe different (fried) wrapper.

Lotus Sticky Rice. They do have all the classics here.

Siu Mai. Took us a long time to get these and even when we did they were luke warm. They were passable.

Scrawny.

Beef ball. Very “processed” and almost sweet like a jewish meatball.

Chive and shrimp dumpling. One of the best dishes. Somehow, despite this being a dim sum place, I basically had to ambush the dumpling carts at the kitchen and rip the steamed dumplings out of their hands — they were very determined to push more over-fried stuff.

Har gow. Very hard to get, surprisingly, and just fine.

Baked pork bun (char siu bao). Ok. You can see from the picture it’s a bit flabby.

Pineapple bun. Excellent actually.

This was some pretty mediocre dim sum for the SGV. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s still tasty. Even bad dim sum is pretty good. And this wasn’t terrible, it’s not like some of the horrible ones in downtown or further west, but there are about 10 much better places within a mile or three! And it’s a cart dim sum which basically sucks. It’s hard to get the dishes you want. They’re cold when you do. You get them in the wrong order. Hungry party members insist on loading up on the bad fry they always drive by first. Much better to order from the sheet in waves.

After this I got two different two hour massages (because I couldn’t convince my normal place to do longer than two hours). THEN we went off to Shanghai #1 Seafood for an awesome dinner (way better than lunch).

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Cantonese Chinese, Chinese cuisine, Dim sum, dimsum, hedonists, parlay, SGV, Wine

Eating Geneva – Le Chat-Botté

Feb07

Restaurant: Le Chat-Botté

Location: Quai du Mont-Blanc 13, 1201 Genève, Switzerland. +41 22 716 69 20

Date: July 6, 2022

Cuisine: French-style 1 Star

Rating: Lovely

On our way out of Sardinia/Corsica we couldn’t get a direct flight to the states and so had to spend a night in Geneva. Oh well, this served as a chance for a quick exploration of that lovely city and to hit up another Michelin starred restaurant.

Le Chat Botte was conveniently located right near our hotel.

With yet another lovely patio — something American restaurants could learn a thing or two about.

And a view of Lake Geneva and the water spout.

Amuses. Rice crisps with vegetable blobs.

Savory Macaron.

Crispy shell with mousse and bacon.

The menus.

2017 Ballot-Millot & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92-94. A trace of mineral reduction sits atop the pretty and very floral-inflected aromas of various white-fleshed fruit and citrus scents. The caressing yet intense mineral-driven flavors possess outstanding complexity on the balanced and impressively long finish. This is at once delicate yet powerful and should also age effortlessly. (Drink starting 2027)

Watermelon gazpacho with fruits. Just a bit of a pepper finish.

Bread and brioche. The brioche was to die for.

Lime olive oil.

Gluten free bread.

Lobster from Brittany with green zebra tomato, Thai basil, and nectarine. Very lovely and fresh.

Colored tomatoes, burratina, green shiso.

Mackerel from Lorient, smoked eggplant, and imperial caviar.

Ring of tomatoes.

With the gazpacho added.

Kid pasta.

Zucchini flowers.

Swiss salmon, chanterelle mushrooms, and pistachios. Very rare and tender. Nice crunch to sauce.

Even more bread.

2016 Domaine Chanterêves Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes.

Duckling breast from the Dombes, carrots, flat peach with ginger. With the sauce. Better than the 3 star duck breast.

Swiss salmon, chanterelle mushrooms, and pistachios. 4 course portion of this was larger.

All Swiss cheeses. 3 cream with a tangerine compote, washed rind with 70% chocolate, and a blue cheese with sherry reduction and walnuts.

Cherry blossom tea. Very light with subtle berry character.

Tea leaves smelled amazing.

Lovely sunset.

Pre-dessert of something herby and cherry.

Crunchy with hibiscus.

A strawberries and cream type dessert.

Chocolate gelato that the chef jazzed up a bit.

Mirroring the amuses is a fruit version of the dessert amuses.

More dessert macaron.

White chocolate cups with pistachio.

Overall, a lovely place and a great way to finish out a fabulous trip.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Chat-Botté, Eating Geneva, Eating Switzerland, Lake Geneva, Le Chat Botte, Wine

Eating Corsica – Beach Lunch

Feb03

July 5, 2022 we took a Ferry ride across the Mediterranean from Sardinia to Corsica to visit some friends of ours.

The have a beach-side house on the east coast of Corsica, not far from Bonifacio. This is really an incredible spot.

The house is lovely and the patio looks out on the incredible view of the sea above.

Our friends prepared a traditional Corsican lunch, including wine of course.

Moroccan olives that are almost sweet.

Empanadas with caramelized onions and cheese and a Corsican herb.

Watermelon and avocado salad.

Tripe made by the local priest. very tender but smelled and tasted “fecal.” Eww.

Cannelloni with cheese and spinach.

Green beans.

Fresh melon.

Flat breads.

More wine.

Pecorino and fig jam.

These were the best packaged gelato I have yet had.

Overall, this was just one of those peerless afternoons. The food was nice, but it wasn’t about that per se, but really the location, weather, company, and all that.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Beach, Corsica, Eating Corsica, tripe

Eating Baja – Somu

Feb01

Restaurant: Somu Ristorante

Location: Piazza Ventaglio, 07021 Baja Sardinia SS, Italy. +39 349 120 0682

Date: July 4, 2022

Cuisine: Italian 1 Star

Rating: Very nice

For second Sardinian 1 Star and final meal in Italy we trekked 20-30 minutes to the town of Baja Sardinia.

The restaurant was a touch difficult to find, as it was tucked away down at the harbor piazza (where there was no parking).

Finally we located it.

The have this gorgeous sea-side patio.

So we had this table looking over the bay/cove.

Amuses. Crunchy rice crisps with tomato and basil. Delicious and looked like jellyfish.

Rice crisps with steak tartare.

Veggie “tartare.”

Rice crisps in various flavors like saffron and squid ink and tomato.

Pork Jellies. Cute little piggies.

Vegetarian bites.

Refreshing fruit and wine “soup” (cold).

Brioche like bread.

Butter and lard.

Mushroom butter.

The menus. We had a bit of an issue at first where they really wanted us to all have the same menu — and since some people were vegetarian/pescatarian that really wasn’t going to work. This was unusual for a Michelin starred restaurant. I think it was the particular person we had as a manager came over and completely changed the tune and was very accomodating.

Amuse of oyster with various flavors.

Vegetable creams with basil oil.

Crispy Sardinian Bread.

Grisini.

Bread.

Carne Salata. Strong meaty and briny flavors with sesame.

Tomato terrine.

Black Garlic Ravioli. Lovely pillow-like texture, nice pasta bite, and great flavor.

Egg yolk.

Gluten free version.

Green tomato risotto. Very interesting flavor and perfect creamy texture.

Spaghetti.

Kid pasta 1. Was almost sweet.

Kid pasta 2.

Red Mullet. No hint of fishiness.

Risotto with sweet and sour peppers (from identity menu)

Suckling Pig. Great texture.

Stuffed vegetable.

Pre-dessert.

Pecan.

Beans, oat milk, and citrus.

petite fours.

Gluten free petite fours.

Chocolate cannelés.

Liqueur soaked pastry balls.

Passionfruit jelly.

Chocolates.

Overall, a fabulous fancy Italian meal. Not quite as approachable as ConFusion, as Somu was slightly more complex and cerebral, but really good. Lovely setting too.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Baja, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Sardinia, Somu, Wine

Eating Porto Cervo – Pergola

Jan30

Restaurant: La Pergola in Giardino

Location: Costa SMERALDA, 07020 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 931620

Date: July 3, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italy

Rating: Lovely

Sigh, for our second to last night in Sardinia, we headed back to the Porto Cervo marina to a place we had scoped out last time we were there.

The marina is quite pretty.

Pergola is attached to a snazzy boutique hotel.

The menu.

Breads.

2021 Capichera Vermentino di Gallura Vign’ Angena. 91 points.

Amberjack marinated with raspberries and glasswort. Nice soft crudo texture. Interesting sweet and herbal notes.

Plain pasta for the boy.

Spagheti all’oro. Not too different than the plain.

(Gluten free) Burrata filled ravioli.

Seafood fregola. Little chopped pasta bits. Really delicious, like a classic risotto marinara but pasta.

Filet of sea bass with squash blossoms.

Turbo filet with Sichuan Peppercorn. Very light numbing flavor, but very good.

Biscotti.

Overall, this was a nice place. It’s a touch more modern/international than a few of the others while remaining solidly Italian. I tend to like my food updated and they had a tight kitchen as everything was very tasty.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, pasta, Risotto, Travel, Wine

Eating Porta Cervo – Renato Pedrinelli

Jan28

Restaurant: Renato Pedrinelli

Location: Piazza degli Ulivi, snc, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 339 649 5114

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

Another night in Sardinia, another Italian restaurant.

Renato Pedrinelli was well rated and conveniently located only a mile or two away from our hotel in a large ritzy shopping plaza near the Porto Cervo marina.

As usual for summer dining in Italy we ate al fresco, coperto be damned!

The menu.

They bring by a selection of barely or recently living sea creatures for your perusal.

Sardinia usually features crispy breads.

2018 Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Cerdeña. Gotta drink local.

Burrata pugliese e pomodorini. Burrata with cherry tomatoes.

Half lobster Catalan style. I was a bit apprehensive given all those raw tomatoes, but somehow with the acidity and the onions it was pretty awesome.

Classic penne pomodoro.

Paccheri with fish ragu, bottarga and courgettes. Cheesy and a bit fishy. Nice bite.

Sea Bream with tomatoes, olives, and capers.

Filleted.

Overall, while nothing spectacular, this was a solid meal. Everything in Porto Cervo is a bit focused on a tourist set — not necessarily American tourists (we didn’t see many of those) but mostly mainland Italians or other Europeans.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Porta Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, fish, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porta Cervo, Sardinia, Wine

Eating Alghero – Macchiavello

Jan26

Restaurant: Ristorante Osteria Macchiavello

Location: Bastioni Marco Polo, 57, 07041 Alghero SS, Italy. +39 079 980628

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

We drove across Sardinia to visit the lovely town of Alghero.

Picked this attractive lunch spot just by feel and menu.

The menu.

They always have solid bread in Italy.

Burratini con petali di pomodori marinati, basilico e zenzero. Burrata cheese with marinated tomatoes, basil and ginger. As you can see, Sardinians, like other southern Italians, love their tomatoes (and they are some of the best tomatoes in the world)!

Simple pasta with the obligatory pomodoro sauce.

Culurgionnes di Oliena con pomodoro e basilico. Home made Sardinian egg pasta filled with potatoes, pecorino cheese, and mint served with basil and tomato sauce.

Spaghetti lla chitarra neri. Home made cuttlefish ink pasta cooked in parchment paper with mussels, clams, red prawns, scampi, small crab, octopus, squids, in a sauce of basil, cherry tomatoes, and a dash of chili infused olive oil.

Delicious with a strong briny flavor, a bit of sweetness, a hint of heat, and lots of seafood. Crab and shrimp shells were soft enough that they could be chewed through. Pasta was very thick and al dente. The shellfish stock cooks down with the tomatoes into a wonderful blend.

Overall a nice local meal in a great setting.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Alghero, Eating Alghero, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, Macchiavello, pasta, Sardinia

Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper

Jan24

Restaurant: Clipper Ristorante

Location: Via della Marina, 10, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 91644

Date: July 1, 2022

Cuisine: Seafood Italian

Rating: Solid (this is Italy) but nothing amazing

Online various people seemed to insist that Clipper was the best restaurant in Porto Cervo and “quite a scene.” Not sure I trust “those people” too much anymore.

The outside was cute enough.

They specialize in fresh seafood like many restaurants all over the coast of the Mediterranean basin.

Inside is cute but casual. They had a fairly bustling bar.

The menu.

Something fishy about these plates.

2020 Capichera Isola dei Nuraghi IGT. We ordered it again. After I tried some other Vermentinos I went back to ordering Capichera!

Crispy Sardinian bread.

They had gluten free bread (and crackers) but it was all packaged. A far cry from Confusion, but still they had it.

DOP Buffalo Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and EVOO.

Plate of Sardinian cheeses.

Antipasto of fresh seafood, including various shrimp-like creatures, clams, oysters, etc.

Sauces for the crudo.

Simple Spaghetti pomodoro.

Linguine all’astice with half a live local lobster. Very fresh tomato sauce. I was to have this basic dish a bunch of times in Sardinia and it was delicious every time. Really nice straightforward Italian pasta.

Spaghetti with tomatoes, fior di latte.

The other half of the lobster grilled with potatoes and beans.

Random packed cookies and candies.

A free degistivo.

Confusion was a much better “deal” at 2x the price of Clipper. But Clipper was enjoyable enough. Just basic good local Sardinian food done for the higher end tourist audience. Not fancy exactly, but perhaps a bit International. Like most decent kitchens in Italy it was totally enjoyable, if not exactly exciting. Not totally sure why this place was considered by so many online as “the best” though.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Seafood, Wine

Eating Porto Cervo – ConFusion

Jan22

Restaurant: ConFusion

Location: Promenade du port Via Aga Khan 1, Via Porto Vecchio, 1, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 340 120 9574

Date: June 30, 2022

Cuisine: Modernist Italian

Rating: Amazing, one of our best meals of the trip

Having learned my lesson about relying on “non foodie” sources for restaurant reservations, particularly tourist centric ones like TripAdvisor, I went right back to Michelin for our first night in Sardinia with this modernist Italian 1 star in the heart of Porto Cervo.

Porto Cervo is straight out of a James Bond film — literally The Spy Who Loved Me.

Confusion overlooks the main square.

It features gorgeous, if a touch overdone, al fresco dining.

Nice details including the moist toilets that “inflate” when water is added.

2020 Capichera Isola dei Nuraghi IGT. This was my first introduction to this stellar local Vementino. I ended up visiting the winery and sending home a couple of cases.

Parmesan puff with a liquid center. Amazing.

“Pasta” twist with salmon roe. Delicious briney quality.

Crisp with eggplant mousse.

Gluten free amuses. Olive, gluten-free version of the eggplant, and tuna.

The menu.

Trio of tomato things.

Tomato gazpacho with avocado mousse. Absolutely amazing.

Cured tomato.

Crisp with cheese and tomato flavor.

Bread sticks.

Gluten free crisps.

And with this we finish the AMUSES!

Simple pasta. My son thought this was one of the best he’s had. He ordered two.

Sea bream tartare, bread and cucumber salad, and yellow tomato gazpacho. Awesome mix of flavors and textures.

More bread.

Special butter spread.

Poached and crispy egg, caviar, truffle, sesame asparagus, Parmesan fondue.

Risotto with raw red prawns, marinated in vinegar with veal nerves, and licorice powder.

More excellent local wine.

Another great bread.

Seaweed wrapped in nori seaweed, green curry sauce, turmeric lentu bread.

Sardinian cheeses, mostly pecorino.

The plated spread.

Parmesan.

Bread for the cheese. Lots of bread tonight!

Pre-dessert of white chocolate and vanilla. Lovely soft texture.

Chocolate gelato with strawberries.

Faux apple with apple mousse.

Raspberry and chocolate.

Deconstructed gin and tonic.

Petite fours. Passionfruit and raspberry.

More in the drawers.

Gluten free petite fours.

The check came in this cute box.

Not actually bad for such an epic meal with 4 people. And there was even a E15/pp coperto (an Italian charge for sitting outside, fairly standard actually).

Overall, Confusion was quite amazing. The setting was fabulous, the service smooth as room temperature Normandy butter, and they did an incredible job of adjusting to dietary restrictions and needs. But primarily, the food was just simply wonderful. In retrospect, and a bit at the time, I’m bummed that we didn’t come back and have a second meal here. Highly recommended and probably more enjoyable than the 2 and 3 stars I ate at during this trip.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Confusion, Italian Cusine, Italy, Modern Cuisine, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Vermentino, Wine

Eating Paris – L’Ambroisie

Jan20

Restaurant: L’Ambroisie

Location: 9 Pl. des Vosges, 75004 Paris, France. +33 1 42 78 51 45

Date: June 29, 2022

Cuisine: 1980s Haute Cuisine French

Rating: Amazing

This was supposed to be my fourth starred restaurant in Paris, but some complexities of the “2022 moment” led to us missing two of them. I also ended up going here by myself instead of with a big group, but c’est la vie.

L’Ambroisie is a traditional French restaurant in Paris, France founded by Bernard Pacaud and now run by his son Mathieu that has maintained three Michelin stars for more than thirty years. The name “L’Ambroisie” (“Ambrosia” in English) comes from Greek mythology and means both “food for gods” and “source of immortality.”

The restaurant’s founder and head chef is Bernard Pacaud. He was abandoned by his parents at age 13 and raised in an orphanage in the mountains of Lyonnais. Pacaud started cooking at age 15, in 1962, as an apprentice at the famed Eugenie (Mére) Brazier’s restaurant Col de la Luère located 20 km from Lyon. Pacaud spent the next three years as commis at the Tante Alice restaurant in Lyon before becoming chef de partie at La Méditerranée in Paris. Pushed by Eugénie Brazier’s encouragements, he applied to work in 1976 with Claude Peyrot, the chef and owner of the Vivarois (a Michelin three star restaurant) on avenue Victor Hugo in Paris. In 1981, he opened his own restaurant quai de la Tournelle (at the crossing with rue de Bièvres) in Paris. In 1986, he opened L’Ambroisie at place des Vosges and obtained three Michelins stars in 1988 which he has kept since then. His refined and classical cooking style makes it one on the most esteemed French restaurants.

The restaurant is in a period house on the southwestern corner of the Place des Vosges in Paris. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Place des Vosges was an upper-class and noble neighborhood.

The interior was very 1980s “le Grande Restaurant.” I didn’t photo much of it because the Madame en Charge was giving me the evil eye and I didn’t want to get boxed out of using my camera. As it was I didn’t dare even put the flash on, I could just tell that wouldn’t fly.

2015 Rapet Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. BH 92. This easily possesses the most complex nose in the range with its ripe yet cool array of green apple, citrus, petrol, soft wood and spice hints. There is impressive size, weight and concentration to the muscular big-bodied flavors that coat the mouth on the citrus and mineral-inflected finish. I would make the same observation here that while this could easily be enjoyed young, I would be inclined to give it at least a few years of bottle age first to develop more depth. (Drink starting 2022)

The menu. This is pretty close to the style of menu I generally encountered at nice restaurants in the 1980s. Dishes are vaguely clustered into courses and the intent is that you order one from each. Lighter eaters could skip one.

Special cornbread-like bread.

Amuses. Fennel tart (front). Delicious. Red pepper mousse (back left) on a crisp. Leek with Caviar (back right). I always enjoy the rich and varied tastes of amuses — I could do an entire meal of amuses trivially.

Sour dough bread and Normandy Butter. Sour dough seems a recent thing at high end French places.

The bread itself.

And le beurre.

I started (with the amuses) trying to shoot these dishes with my F1.8 lens and a tiny tripod. About one picture in the eagle eye’d manager honed in on me and made me ditch the tripod. Why me sitting alone at my large table with a 6″ tripod was “distracting to the other guests” is anyone’s guess, but as I had to make due hand holding in dim light with no flash I was basically shooting with a couple mm of depth of field — hence I present several photos (pretty hard to focus stack without a tripod).

Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry. Langoustine feuillantine with sesame seeds, curry sauce. Lanougstines (course 1). Very precise. Perfectly cooked and the buttery mildly curry sauce was delicious. This was an excellent dish.

Interlude de homard aux pusses de legumes, nage a l’anis etoile. Lobster interlude with vegetable pusses, star anise broth. Lobster (course 2). Incredibly tender and another great beurre blanc. Basically you could think of it as perfectly cooked lobster in perfect beurre blanc — nothing wrong with that. The broth was so good that it made the vegetables awesome.

2013 Domaine Poisot Pere & Fils Romanée St. Vivant. BH 92. There is a fine sense of freshness to the cool and overtly spicy aromas of various floral, plum and sandalwood hints. I very much like the purity of the energetic, sleek and attractively detailed medium-bodied flavors that possess a highly refined mouth feel thanks to the fine grain of the supporting tannins, all wrapped in a balanced, persistent and beautifully complex finish. This is quite good and should age effortlessly over the next 10 to 15 years. (Drink starting 2025)

They noticed me squinting at the wine list and offered me reading glasses! Very helpful.

Supremes de pigeon laques a la Montmorency, meli-melo de betteraves confites. Supremes of pigeon lacquered with Montmorency. Pigeon (course 3). Good, and perfectly cooked, but touch heavy.

Candied beetroot medley. Beat side dish as part of duck. Kind of lovely.

Centerpiece on the table.

Pre-dessert. Very light.

Blanc-manger meringue aux agrumes, sorbet cerises a la Kriek. Blancmange meringue with citrus fruits, cherry sorbet with Kriek. Super fresh and great cherries and cream thing.

Petite fours.

Mini strawberry tart.

Perfect cannel.

Pastry with Chantilly cream and a caramelized top. It’s sort of related to a Saint-Honoré pastry and includes a slate of elements I love.

An immense amount of cocoa almonds.

Overall, this is a great kitchen and in summary a great way to experience the 1980s/early 90s style of high end French Cusiine, but I’ll break down the elements:

Food. Dated, without the heavy Asian or modernist influence that’s common these days, but extremely precise and and well cooked. This makes the cuisine more “French” than most other 3 stars. It also floats everything along with butter and creme instead of using some of the lighter newer “solvents.” The format also features a more or less 3 savory style which I found less exciting than a newer style with many more, smaller, savory courses. Being by myself, I didn’t get to sample that many things.

Wine. The by-the-glass wine list was surprisingly poor compared to my meal the previous night at Le Grand Restaurant – Jean-François Piège. I had to pick from the kind of “off vintage, off producer, a bit too young” Burgundies I won’t even buy anymore.

Atmosphere. The room is pretty, but formal in the classic way. I’m certainly fine with that. Tables were very spaced out and things were quiet. For me, being along, and in combination with the relatively small number of courses and the slow pacing and my inability to use a tripod or flash (which would occupy me a bit longer with my photography) the whole experience was kind of slightly uncomfortable and a bit dull. I was a little too far from the other diners to easily listen to their conversations. haha. The staff, particularly the manager, seemed more stern and disapproving, if always flawlessly polite, than the friendliness I experienced the previous night.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Eating France, Eating Paris, France, French Cuisine, Haute cuisine, L'Ambroisie, Michelin, Michelin 3 Star, Paris, Wine

Eating Paris – Jean-François Piège

Jan16

Restaurant: Le Grand Restaurant Jean-François Piège

Location: 7 Rue d’Aguesseau, 75008 Paris, France. +33 1 53 05 00 00

Date: June 28, 2022

Cuisine: Haute Cuisine French

Rating: Amazing

This was supposed to be my third starred restaurant in Paris, but some complexities of the “2022 moment” led to us missing two of them. Fortunately I didn’t miss Le Grand Restaurant Jean-François Piège as it was very high on my list.

I did however, due to another Paris in Summer of 2022 fact — a complete lack of taxis and Ubers — have to walk 45 minutes across the city to earn my dinner.

It’s tucked away on a classic street near a lot of the high fashion stores not too far from the Champs-Élysées.

JFP isn’t a huge place, but it does have a very stylish modern setting.
An opening glass of Champagne.

Fancy salt and pepper.

Elegant plates.

I went for the classic menu. All of the food here is regionalized to France.

Bretagne, Île-de-France. Le meilleur de la grenouille. The best of frog. This is playing on the old French/Frogs thing. It’s basically a buttery bread with some parsley garlic butter (and a tiny bitty bit of frog). Delicious though.

Île-de-France, Normandie. Radis beurre Hauts-De-France, Loire-Atlantique Rôtie de “Plumes”, macération de garum, feuilles et racines de réglisse. Hauts-De-France butter radish, Loire-Atlantique Roast “Feathers”, garum maceration, licorice leaves and roots. This plays on the classic “radish and butter” dish — albeit in a much fancier form.

Bretagne. Foie de lotte comme je l’aime. Monkfish liver as I like it. Taking a hint from the Japanese.

The girl with the box of knives!

This is just the “by the glass” wine list! The main list was something like 50,000 bottles!

2010 Coche-Dury Meursault. VM 92. The 2010 Meursault Village from Coche-Dury has a fresh, tight bouquet at first, gradually unfurling to reveal shucked oyster shell and sea spray notes that gain intensity over the course of 15-20 minutes. The palate strikes a sublime balance with a domaine-typical judicious line of acidity that keeps this Meursault on its tiptoes. Toward the finish, white chocolate and hints of marzipan emerge, completing (predictably) a sublime 10-year-old Meursault that is probably <em>à point</em>. Tasted at Hatched restaurant in London. (Drink between 2020-2032)

Vendee, Provence. Crevettes bouquet de Bretagne, nage de poutargue, ail des ours. Shrimps from Brittany, bottarga broth, wild garlic. This was a stunning bit of raw shrimp and buttery, almost curry-like, sauce. All the dishes with sauce come with a bit of “bread” to manage the sauce — which was a good thing considering how good the sauce was.

Bretagne, Pays de la Loire. Cuite sur un pave parisien, langonstine de belle taille, laitne de mer, sabayon de sarrasin. Cooked on a Parisian pavement, nice size langoustine, sea milk, buckwheat sabayon. The shrimp was cooked table-side on a hot rock and then the elements were layered on. There were buckwheat and seaweed type flavors giving it a bit of a Japanese vibe.

Provence, Île-de-France. Tourte de pois chiche en farine de Bertrand Allais et Fontainebleau. Chickpea pie in flour from Bertrand Allais and Fontainebleau. A very light, almost sponge-cake-like, bread with a sort of whipped cream.

2012 Etienne Sauzet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. JG 96+. The 2012 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet from Domaine Sauzet is a dynamite wine, offering up a deep, pure and stunning bouquet of apple, white peach, clementines, beeswax, citrus oil, chalky soil tones, apple blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and quite concentrated, with a supremely elegant profile, a great core, crisp acids and simply stunning length and grip on the long and racy finish. This is a broad-shouldered vintage of BBM, but at the same time, the inherent elegance and grace of this terroir are still very much in evidence. A great wine in the making. (Drink between 2020-2060)

Sologne, Normandie. Bar de ligne, cuit tout doucement, beurre noir Bretagne. Line-caught bass, gently cooked, Brittany black butter. This was a spectacular dish. Basically very very tender moist white fish with a black squid butter sauce and what seemed like corn flakes. You wouldn’t think it’d be so good, but it was.

Brioche to go with it — used for mopping up.

They took me to the kitchen.

Île-de-France, Provence. Concentre de celeri rave des jardins, huile d’olive maturee. Garden celeriac concentrate, mature olive oil. The chef himself serves this shot — interesting as it tasted like celery and olive oil.

Some gorgeous foods and/or decorations.

2011 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet. BH 91. A perfumed and very spicy nose features ripe and well-layered aromas of plum, violet, red and black pinot fruit plus hints of sandalwood. This is impressively rich with a highly seductive texture on the mid-palate as there is plenty of mouth coating dry extract, all wrapped in a complex, balanced and beautifully long finish. There is enough structure to suggest that this will need most of a decade in the cellar. (Drink starting 2020)

2017 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant. VM 98. A total stunner, the 2017 Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru is the most expressive wine in the lineup today. Rich, creamy and so wonderfully textured, the RSV simply has it all. The tannins are present, but they are also matched by tremendous fruit density and pure power. Floral and savory overtones grace the lifted, saline finish. Leaving price aside, if I could only have one wine in this range, it would unquestionably be the RSV. The 2017 is a total knock-out. That’s all there is to it. This fruit was picked on September 10 and 11. (Drink between 2027-2057)

Pyrenes. Mijotes sur des coques de noix, ris de veau sucs au gout de sotolon, girolles, briffeton a la graisse. Simmered on walnut shells, veal sweetbreads with sotolon flavor, chanterelles, briffeton with fat. This was rich and delicious, very meaty with amazing mushrooms. However, it was a hell of a lot of sweatbreads. It was almost like a test of will to get through the whole lobe or whatever it is. I observed that no lady I could see in the dining room made it past the half way mark. I finished it of course.

A different Bread to mop up the sauce.

Île-de-France, Bourgogne. Brie de Meaux vielli deaux ans, moutarde. Brie de Meaux aged two years, mustard. Very very aged cheese. Delicious.

Aquitaine, Val-de-Loire. Croute de fraises fleuree de feuilles de laurier. Strawberry crust with bay leaves. A lovely little tart with unusual flavors.

Tabiti, Normandie. Mon Blanc a Manger. My Blanc a Manger. This marshmallow-like texture broke open to spill out the most delicious Crème anglaise.

Somme, Val-de-Loire, Sud Ouest, Île-de-France, Bourgogne Rhubarbe. Dans un coin du jardin. In a corner of the garden. The amuses were particularly fun.

Persil. Parsley. A bit of parsley “pudding.”

Coriandre. Coriander. Bourgeon de cassis. Blackcurrant bud.

Fraises. Strawberries. Fleurs de sureau. Elderflower. A candied or soaked strawberry with a bit of elderflower liquor.

Pavais. Paved. A kind of chocolate mouse treat.

Chartreuse. Hands down the best Chartreuse I have ever had.

Overall, this was a pretty spectacular meal. Yes it wasn’t cheap, but it was playful and delicious. Service was amazing, fully at the 2-3 star level. Table-side presentations abounded. And the wine list! It was vast and cheaper than retail and the number of by-the-glass options were impressive.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Coche Dury, DRC, Eating France, Eating Paris, Jean-François Piège, Michelin 2 Star, Wine

The Last of Us (HBO) is Almost Here

Jan14

Tomorrow (2/15/23) is the official debut of The Last of Us show and this previous Monday I was honored to attend the official premiere and have the opportunity to watch the first episode.

I’m not going to spoil anything, but I just wanted to say that what I saw was pretty darn awesome — flawless really. Not that I’m unbiased, but the tone was a pitch-perfect match to the games. And, hey, the music was the same — which is incredibly important in forging an emotional tie in for fans. Sure there are little changes to suit the medium, and the casting (which is great) means that the characters look a bit different than the in-game models, but the essential DNA of the story appears fully intact. That’s, I’m sure, a testament to the intense role that Neil Druckmann had in the show and to the first-rate HBO team. Craig Mazin has a great track record (I loved Chernobyl) and is a master of slow burn horror.

Neil and I at the premiere.

In any case, I can’t wait to see the rest of the show as both reviewers and my ND friends who have seen it indicate only gets better after the first episode.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Games, Television

Tagged as: Craig Mazin, HBO, Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us

Eating Paris – Les Antiquaires

Jan14

Restaurant: Les Antiquaires

Location: 13 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France. +33 1 42 61 08 36

Date: June 27, 2022

Cuisine: Parisian Bistro

Rating: Touristy, but delicious

Wanting something casual, but ignoring Tripadvisor, we found this well rated street cafe/bistro.

Yeah, it appears a bit touristy, and the menu is “classic” but execution is quite good.

The classic Paris street-side seating.

A glass of Chablis.

Condiments.

Classic Escargot. Straight up but perfect.

Tools for the snails.

Onion Soup. Also classic, but a very good cheesy/bready soup.

More bread — useful for dipping up the garlic butter from the snails.

Beef Tartare and fries.

There was actually a choice of Tartare style, the old pure French barely adorned style and this slightly newer “Italian” style with arugula and Parmesan.

French Fries. Really good thin crispy fries.

I was surprised how good the food was. I actually just wanted to order these obvious French favorites as a benchmark and they didn’t disappoint. Each of them was pretty much a perfect example of what it was.

Service was brusk but extremely efficient.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Antiquaires, Beef Tartare, Eating France, Eating Paris, escargot, Onion Soup, Wine

Eating Chantilly – O Bistrot Chic

Jan12

Restaurant: O Bistrot Chic

Location: 62 Rue du Connétable, 60500 Chantilly, France. +33 3 44 63 93 46

Date: June 26, 2022

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Casual, but very tasty

After a visit to the Chateau de Chantilly we found this casual bistro for a quick bite.

Looks the part.

A cute interior with locals and tourists.

The classic French menu board.

Eyes Mayonaise. Aka deviled eyes. Very soft and nice. On the side is a beef pate with a very pureed texture.

Liu Noir (fish) with rice and a Thai-like light curry. I could have used about 2-3X the sauce, but otherwise good.

Another fish.

Caesar Salad with chicken and anchovies.

Without the chicken.

Beef Filet with pepper sauce.

This was a pleasant little casual place. Food wasn’t crazy innovative or anything but it was tasty and the service was very friendly.

Afterward we got some pastries with Crème Chantilly (whipped cream).

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Bistrot Chic, Eating Chantilly, Eating France, French Cuisine

Eating Reims – Brasserie le Jardin

Jan09

Restaurant: Brasserie le Jardin

Location: 7 Av. du Général Giraud, 51100 Reims, France. +33 3 26 24 90 90

Date: June 25, 2022

Cuisine: French

Rating: Lovely lunch

After my Tripadvisor fail the night before, I retreated for the next day’s lunch — and a day trip to Reims — to the comforting territory of Michelin Guide rated French restaurants.

I really wanted to go to Le Parc (2 Michelin stars) but our 13 person party and the formal dress requirements send me instead to Brasserie le Jardin their “more casual” garden restaurant.

The approach is lovely.

We had this giant table which was great.

I don’t like to drink on the first night in Europe (after 36+ hours awake) but today we jumped in feet first.

2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François. VM 97. The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2032)

Parmesan crisps.

Bread.

I hate this new trend of digital only menus.
Simple pasta.

NV Eric Rodez Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée des Crayères. VM 91. Light yellow-gold. Aromas of Poire William, white flowers and honey are lifted by a zesty mineral topnote. Fleshy and dry on the palate, offering very good lift and clarity to its bitter quince and peach pit flavors. Closes on an emphatic, sharply focused mineral note, with firm grip and spicy persistence.

Cucumber gazpacho with beet sorbet.

Tomato Tart with reims vinegar.

Tin of crab with Champagne emulsion.

Salmon in Bellevue with garden herbs.

NV A. Margaine Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. The NV Brut Rosé is mostly Chardonnay and is done in a style that emphasizes vibrancy and tension. Crushed red berries, chalk, white pepper and mint lend pretty top notes to this beautifully sculpted Rosé. The Rosé is 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, of which 8% is still red Pinot. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2021. (Drink between 2021-2026)

Lean on the planca with paprika sauce.

Hake with passionfruit sauce.

Veal filet with olives and lemon with garden herb jus.

Beef filet with roasted foie gras. For when you feel your steak doesn’t have enough calories.

Braised beef chunk with cooking juices.

Pork loin confit with baby onions.

French fries with thyme flower.

Salad with seeded granola.

Macchiato.

Madelines with the coffee.

Gianduia chocolate ganache with Mille-feuille.

Soft biscuit with lemon zest.

Fresh fruits with basil syrup.

Rhubarb sorbet with raspberry coulis. There was mint in here and different textures. Very refreshing.

We had a large party.

This meal was far more my style. It was hovering just under 1 (European) Michelin Star. Service was great, particularly given our gigantic party. Food was rich, French, and quite delicious. Champagnes were very good. Setting was fabulous too. It was raining, so we sat inside in the lovely dining room. They have a lot of nice garden too (given the name) but that rarest of June sight to my California eyes: rain.

After lunch we staggered over to Taittinger for even more Champagne.

For more French dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brasserie le Jardin, Eating France, Eating Reims, Reims

Eating Paris – Bistro V

Jan07

Restaurant: Bistro V

Location: 56 Bd de Port-Royal, 75005 Paris, France. +33 1 45 35 35 31

Date: June 24, 2022

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Meh French

On our first night in Paris I knew we were tired and was looking for a very casual “good food, authentically French” place for our large party with kids. Given that, I didn’t want to use the Michelin Guide or anything, so I thought I’d try one last time to use Trip Advisor. This place was EXTREMELY highly rated (on TA), like #20 out of almost 16,000 restaurants in Paris and above almost every 2 and 3 star etc.

Looks like a typical Bistro.

Inside had some atmosphere, but not as much as I would have liked. It was deserted — we were the only people — yet they basically ignored us.

Crisps from a bag. Not an auspicious beginning.

Bread with a butter packet. Oh boy.

Watermelon, honey, mint and feta salad.

Chicken spring rolls from Chef Alain Kassi, Thai herbs and hazelnut chips. These weren’t bad per se, but spring rolls?

Périgord duck foie gras, citrus chutney. This was solid, but you could buy a can in Paris and slice it.

Creamy risotto with coconut milk and ginger, grilled prawns, fresh herbs and parmesan.

Supreme of cod, roasted broccoli and basil pesto.

Beef tenderloin (High Quality Meat Breed) black pepper sauce, sautéed potatoes.

Duo Camembert with Tartufata and Comté cheese.

Semi-cooked chocolate with a runny heart, passion fruit juice and vanilla ice cream.

Cheesecake, Matcha tea cream and salted butter caramel.

Plain strawberries.

Strawberry salad, balsamic caramel and mascarpone ice cream.

Food was okay. Nothing inspired at all. Just fine. Not super authentically French. I’ve had better meals in totally random cafes. I just don’t get the rating.

Service was VERY slow with a single employee in the front and one in the kitchen. The waitress was a bit exasperated with our frustration at the pace and showed it. We were the only people for an hour but they really didn’t get going, probably because of the kitchen guy. Dessert took 45-60 minutes because the kitchen guy wanted to finished everyone elses savories. Basically miserable service and very irritating when we had been up for 40 hours (with kids).

This concludes any trust I have in Tripadvisors ratings as this is rated VERY high on their list, as I said #20 out of 16,000! I will NEVER trust a TA score or reviews ever again. I might have to use them when there is nothing else in English, but only as a last resort. Given how many great places are in Paris some tourist trap would have been better. I don’t even know who this restaurant is aimed at.

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