The Gochiso Gourmet

Kubota Tokugetsu Dai Ginjo Sake

2012-01-29T16:58:00.001-10:00

Right before the new year, I was fortunate enough to procure 2 bottles of Kubota Tokugetsu sake. What's that? Well, the Kubota line of sake usually starts (at specialty wine shops at least) with the Kubota Senjyu bottle. The next step up is the basic Dai Ginjo sake, Kubota Manjyu. This bottle is usually only available at fine restaurants. Further up the line is the Kubota Dai Ginjo Tokugetsu which is only available once a year in the fall/winter. The rice grains are polished down to only 28% of their original size (seimaibuai) which means they are about the size of candy sprinkles you find on cupcakes:

The Tokugetsu was as ethereal as sake gets. The owner of HASR likened it to drinking rice paper. Perfectly balanced and it makes you want to continue siping throughout the evening. Of course man doesn't live by sake alone so we arranged an evening at Mitch's Sushi & Seafood with the rest of the wine gang. I also brought a bottle of Narutotai Daiginjo:

The Narutotai was fuller bodied with a glycerin like richness and perfect with the heavier courses of the evening. We started with Salmon Skin Rolls, Negihama Rolls, Shirauo (seasoned icefish), Ankimo (monkfish liver), Lobster Vanvan (lobster cooked with mayonaisse), Ume Kurage (jellyfish with plum paste) and Natto, Tamago and Umeshiso sushi.

B uncorked a bottle of 2002 Paul Bara Millisime Brut as well as a bottle of Oroya while K brought a sake (I didn't write down the name and can't read kanji) that had a body between the Tokugetsu and the Narutotai. The K's brought a Kariho Namahage Junmai as well as a Mizbasho sparkling sake (which paired nicely with the food).

Our second wind included Otoro and Mirugai Sashimi, Lobster Sashimi, Uni, Shima Aji and Natto Sushi as well as Red Snapper and Sake (salmon) Sushi and Hamachi Kama (broiled yellowtail collar). And of course the meal ended with Mitch's Lobster Miso Shiru, the BEST miso soup in the world. No make that the universe.

So once again, it was great evening with great food, great sake and wine and great company. We did head over to Vino for a nightcap but yours truly had trouble keeping his eyes open at that point...

2009 Pinot Noir Superstars Tasting

2012-01-28T16:19:00.001-10:00

We attended a 2009 Pinot Noir tasting at Vino on Thursday where Chuck selected for wines from the 2009 vintage, 3 from the Anderson Valley north of Sonoma and 1 from the Central Coast of Santa Rita Hills. They were served blind (my favorite way of tasting as labels play no part in your judgement) and he asked the tasters to single out the Santa Maria selection. The following are Chuck's notes followed by my personal notes and ratings:

2009 Drew “Morning Dew Ranch”

showcasing a highly revered AndersonValley vineyard owned& planted by superstar Pinot Meister Burt Williams(former founding winemaker of Williams & Selyem) & done in a lovely,seductively textured style by a Wines & Spirits Magazine 2009 & 2010“Winery of the Year”.

Asian spice with concentrated red fruit jumps from the glass with good fruit and acid concentration on the palate with a medium long finish (4/5)

2009 Knez “Demuth Vineyard”

30 year old vine hillside AndersonValley vineyard craftedby winemaking phenom Anthony Filiberti alsoof Anthill Farms.

Dusty fruit and dried spice though still a little tight on the nose.Good acid on the palate with dried fruit and a nice flow though a shorter finish. (3.75/5)

2009 Littorai “Les Larmes”

a provocative, highly lauded AndersonValley Pinot fromsuperstar Ted Lemon

Muted fruit and mineral on the nose. A very pleasing palate flow with fruit, acid and a touch of mineral in balance. A lot of finesse and a medium finish. (4.25/5)

2009 Hilliard Bruce “Moon”

a masculine,sultry, fabulously textured Santa Rita Hills “reserve” bottling by consultantPaul Lato. Already generously rated bythe major wine media this looking to become one of the hottest tickets in theCalifornian Pinot arena.

Dark black fruit on the nose with muted earth though still a little tight. Good fruit concentration on the palate with nice acid. Despite the weight on the palate, it had a nice flow on the palate with a long finish. (4.2/5)

After all was said and done, I assumed wine #1 was the Santa Rita Hills wine since it semed to be the showiest wine of the lot. Wine #4 was actually From Santa Rita Hills. I enjoyed the Littorai so much I signed up for their mail list and was immediately offered wine to purchase. However, a six pack will set you back $96 to the 50th! OUCH! That's $16 per bottle just for shipping... Oh well, I know I can find Drew in the 50th.

I also uncorked a bottle of 2009 Kosta Browne Russian River Pinot Noir (Not WS #1 wine, that was the Sonoma Coast bottle). As expected it had loads of fruit concentration, more than any of the four served tonight. We also sampled a 2006 Roessler Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir which had as much Burgundian funk on the nose as I've had in a domestic Pinot... but in a good way.

We also tried the 2006 Whitcraft Morning Dew Ranch Morning Wood Pinot Noir which settled for 3 more years than the Drew so that the fruit wasn't immediately jumping out of the glass but it was still a very good wine. And according to Chuck, it's so good, "it gives you morning wood"...

Impromtu Blind Tasting

2012-01-22T13:36:00.000-10:00

We decided to drop by Vino last night (mainly since the Mrs just started a 1 week vacation) on a whim since I assumed that none of the Vino regulars would be present (most of them attended the Champagne tasting on Thursday and there wasn't any special event last night). Despite the last minute patronage, I decided to bring a bottle of 1994 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte with me... just in case. As Chuck approached our table, he asked what bottle I had in my bag. When I told him, he immediately said I should call B and that we could do a blind tasting. My bottle, B's bottle and a 3rd bottle provided by Vino. After a rash of texting, there we were - four of us with 5 bottles in tow... then K joined us with another bottle and Chuck providing 2 more bottles... As is usual with the wine gang, when it snows, it eventually turns into an avalanche!

Before our blind tasting started we finished off 3 food specials for the evening; the Salad Lyonnaise with young frisee, tomatoes, lardons and a perfectly poached egg with a simple vinaigrette.

The Fettuccine Carbonara with the same pancetta along with sugar snap peas.

And the Mahimahi on Crisped Gnocchi and Chanterelles. This should go on the regular menu! Along with a crisp gnocchi and fresh chanterelles, it was perfect with a glass of Alta Maria Chardonnay!

The first wine up was from B. Obvious earth on the nose leading me to think Old World but also ripe fruit. I though either young gun Old World vintner or maybe slightly aged Aussie. It was a 2000 Correggia Roche d'Ampsei Nebbiolo.

Next up was my wine. Both B & S assumed Bordeaux and they were correct!

S then poured his first wine. It tasted old, Very old. So I assumed an aged Rhone. Not even! It was a 1966 Jouvet Pommard. Even after it was unmasked, I didn't think it remotely tasted like a Pinot... Oh well...

S poured his second wine... immediate hit of ripe red fruit with a touch of Asian spice. Gotta be a domestic Pinot. Specifically Hirsch vineyard. Part wrong, part right. it was a 1998 Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Pinot Noir.

We then sampled Chuck's first wine. I thought it had the unmistakable aroma of French funk. However there was a hit of red cherry on the palate but no Burgundian complexity. Assuming there was some Grenache in the mix, I guessed aged CDP... WRONG! 1996 Angelo Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino.

K then joined us with a bottle Chuck selected for her. Earth, earth then more earth on the nose. Good fruit concentration but that earth had me stumped... WTH! The only guess I could muster was some Bandol or Southern France wine... It turned out to be the 2005 Chaos by Fattoria de Terrazze.

B then unleashed his 2nd bottle. Funky nose, loads of complexity and obviously with some age. This had to be Rhone... and it was, the 1994 Vieux Telegraphe.

The final bottle was also provided by Chuck. Once again funky nose with loads of complexity. Gotta be a 1998 Tempier La Tourtine... Nope, 1992 Vieuz Telegraphe. Funny how you can sample wines from the same vintner just 2 years apart and have totally different conclusions. Oh well, I won't quit my day job.

What started as an impromptu visit for a simple dinner turned into a full blown tasting and I am happy that it did!

Turning a New Leaf

2012-01-19T20:09:00.000-10:00

Well, it's the start of the New Year, the Year of theDragon. The Year of the Water Dragon if you want to get technical and itdoesn't officially start until January 23rd. But it's that time once again thatwe make little promises to ourselves to change for the better. To be a betterparent, child, sibling, neighbor, co-worker, what-have-you, etc. Maybe to be alittle more patient, tolerant, sympathetic or understanding to our fellow humans.Or perhaps it's simply to lose weight. Personally it's to lose waist. Iliterally don't care what number pops up on the digital scale (since it has anasty habit of lying) but the waist never lies. And it is a bit disconcertingwhen you have to suck in your gut every morning just to button your trousers...and that's even before eating breakfast. Could it be those traditional Italianholiday panettones (notice that it's plural) that I scarf during the month ofDecember? Nope! Perhaps it's less exercise since we're all busy during theholidays. Well, I do think about exercise a lot, especially when I'm not on thebike and at a restaurant consuming calorie laden holiday meals but I guessthinking about exercise doesn't burn the same amount of calories as actuallyperforming the exercise. So you know what? I will turn a new leaf this year!

Fresh to MarketLeaves

If you read my Oshogatsu article, one of the changes Iembrace is the proliferation of farmers markets with their fresher (and often)cheaper produce. Instead of simply carrying curly leaf kale, many farmersmarkets also supply flat leaf, black, red and purple kale and instead ofwilting Swiss chard that costs $3 for 3 leaves, farmers markets offer green,yellow, red and orange chard in larger quantities and at lower prices than theusual supermarket. I once procured a whole shopping bag - not a produce bag -full of beet greens for $2. The vender probably thought I was doing her a favorfor "disposing" of those leafy parts that simply wilt and make thebeet look less desirable and salable.

I do realize that most of you reside in the continental48 where there are more than 2 seasons (in the 50th there are only 2 seasons,Hot and Hotter) so certain leafy produce may not be available year-round. Fretnot, the freezer section in your local supermarket is your friend. Whilepurchasing frozen produce during seasons of scarcity doesn't help yourneighborhood green grocer, it doesn't sacrifice nutrients either. In factfreezing technology has progressed to the point where I specifically willpurchase frozen over fresh. Peas. If you've ever shucked a whole bag thenboiled only to find that there wasn't much difference in flavor and texturefrom frozen, you'll know what I mean. And frozen bagged peas make a great coldcompress so they're also a multi-tasker.

The GochisoGourmet's New Leaf

I'm still not convinced that my ever expanding waist isdue to copious consumption or a paucity of exercise. it must be the globalwarming or something else causing a reduction in the ambient pressure of ouratmosphere leading to an expansion of the waistline. In any case, noshing onmore veggies invariable can slow that expansion and is also recommended by theUSDA. I rotate the cooked veggies that the Mrs and I brown-bag for lunch butthis variation is one of my favorites. I cook the green beans, celery andzucchini last since I like a little "bite" (and overcooked zucchiniand wilted browned green beans AREN'T good eats) in my veggies. Adding lots offresh mushrooms gives the dish "meatiness" so it seems like you'reconsuming more than vegetables while the cannellini beans adds starch andprotein.

Italian Greens,Gochiso Gourmet Style

1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of fresh garlic thinly sliced
1 large bunch of curly leaf kale, roughly chopped
1 large bunch lacinto (black) kale, roughly chopped
1 large bunch flat leaf kale, roughly chopped
2 large bunches assorted Swiss chard, roughly chopped
1 large bunch mustard greens, roughly chopped
1 large bunch collard greens, roughly chopped
1 to 2 lb fresh button mushrooms, quartered
1 28oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 lb of green beans cut to bite sized lengths

1 bunch celery, roughly chopped

3 zucchini, quartered lengthwise then roughly chopped

2 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven (7 to 10 quart size), heat oliveoil then add garlic and sauté just until the garlic starts to brown on theedges. Add the leafy greens and toss (they will eventually cook down to fit ina 5 or 6 quart Dutch oven but initially take up a lot of space). Once thegreens start wilting add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms start losing theirmoisture, add the chopped tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
When it has simmered for about 5 minutes, add the greenbeans and simmer another minute then add the celery and zucchini. Cook another2 to 3 minutes then gently toss in the cannellini beans. Season with salt andblack pepper to taste.

Don't Need a NewLeaf?

Okay, so I do realize that not everyoneoverindulged during the holidays like yours truly. Or that you may not feel theneed to purchase elasticized slacks like I sometimes feel. But adding moregreens to your diet is always a good thing. Especially if it supports yourimmediate community. Add even if your current diet is fortified with greens andthat leaf doesn't need turnin', getting more exercise is always a good thing.For starters, as we age our basal metabolic rate slows so that the 1500 caloriesthat kept us in neutral weight balance earlier seems a bit too much now. Soalong with polishing off my fair of greens, I'll try to get my physicalactivity back to previous levels. Even when the house is at 90+ degrees... andI'm tired and beat after work... and that chilled Chardonnay looks a lot moreenticing than the bike... just because life wasn't meant to take thatprecipitous decline after 50...

Recent Tastings...

2012-01-17T19:26:00.001-10:00

I just refilled the Winekeeper with four more "kids" including Kosta Browne's inaugural Chardonnay, the 2009 Russian River Valley One Sixteen (named after Highway 116 which runs through Sebastopol). This wine had dried citrus peel, nectarine and mineral on the nose with a pleasing palate flow and a buttery finish. At half the price of recent Aubert Chards, I'm a convert!

I also uncorked a bottle of 2009 Grgich Hills Estate "Essence" Sauvignon Blanc provided by S & P (P is none other than "The Wine Guy" at Grgich Hills). This bottle is designated as "essence" as the vines are cultivated biodynamically. It had loads of herbs and grass on the nose with a rich mouth feel and flavors of kiwi and sweet lime leading to a good dose of acid and a medium finish. Oysters on the half shell anyone?

I also uncorked a 2006 Bridesmaid which is a Bordeaux blend (along with Syrah) created from mixed barrels of "leftover" wine that high end wineries don't feel meet their exacting standards. Enter Pam Starr of Crocker Starr and Drew Neiman of Neiman Cellars to craft this wine that's always a "Bridesmaid" never a Bride. It had loads of dark red fruit on the nose with a nice palate flow and long finish. Drinkable now though it could keep for several more years to pair with steaks or barbecue.

Finally I also opened a 2008 Eponymous, another Bordeaux blend with characteristic dark fruit of Cabernet but also a hit of ripe red cherries. It also had a touch of dried herb on the nose and a lush mid -palate and a very long finish. Obviously this wine can be cellared for several more years... but I HAD to make space in the storage unit.

These "kids" should last at least 2 more weeks when they're replaced by four more "kids"...

Oyster Night Redoux

2012-01-08T20:20:00.000-10:00

We stopped by Vino again last night for Oyster Night, Part II. Once again, it was packed (only one table was set aside for walk-ins). Since the Mrs worked the whole weekend and didn't have time for lunch, I immediately ordered the Duo of Sushi and all 3 of the oyster specials.

Stellar Bay Oysters "on the halfshell" with mignonette

Panko Crusted Goose Point Oysters with garlic and basil aioli

And Stellar Bay Oysters baked with spinach and Hollandaise

Of course, you need something to wash it down so I ordered a bottle of 2007 Raveneau Chablis

We also sampled the Dungeness Crab ala Chitarra with fresh corn and uni beurre blanc

As well as the Red Wine Braised Lamb Shank

At this point we uncorked a bottle that was gifted to us from one of the Mrs' exercise class buddies. A Nebbiolo from Baja Mexico. I didn't even realize that Mexico produced wine but this 2007 L.A. Cetto Riserva Privada Nebbiolo had loads of red cherry on the nose with a touch of earth and a lighter albeit balanced flow over the palate and worked with the Lamb Shank. Thanks J!

K then uncorked a 2008 Feudi del Pisciotto made purely from Frappato which had ripe plum, spice and earth on the nose and a velvety mouthfeel.

Along with a 2005 Chateau Guibot La Fourvieille from St Emilion which was earthier with semi-dried dark red fruit and a touch of tobacco on the nose and a long finish.

We stayed longer than we anticipated (we closed Vino again) but it was fun none-the-less and we've already set up our dinner at Mitch's Sushi & Seafood later in the month.

Post NY day

2012-01-02T20:00:00.000-10:00

After trying to finish the last of the NY day ozoni and other traditional assorted goodies, we realized that today was Marukai's 20% Day! That's 20% off EVERYTHING in the store... other than the bentos and prepared foods... and "other" stuff. Oh well, time to stock up on canned and dried goods that usually don't go on sale. They still had a fair amount of sashimi blocks including wild caught Indonesian otoro. Twenty percent off, might as well try some. (my photo also includes leftover local ahi and cooked salmon from the day before)

Though the bentos weren't included, we had to have some brown rice ahi-natto chirashi

And crab rolls (imitation crab that is... )

And brown rice shoyu-tuna futomaki

And since man doesn't live by raw fish and rice alone, how about a little sake... could that be Ohyama Fu-In Ginjo with a floral nose and viscous rich mouth feel (and enough weight to hold its own to the otoro)

Along with some 2010 Alain Graillot Croze-Hermitage Blanc

Okay, now to rehydrate to face the 4 day workweek ahead.

A Year of Change?

2012-01-01T14:52:00.003-10:00

Well, the beginning of every year is always filled withchange. From simply hanging up that new calendar you purchased at Borders...whoops, that's change in itself since there is no Borders, to crowning a newNCAA National Champion in football via the BCS's convoluted ranking system (Iguess if LSU goes undefeated, it's hard to argue against them). Then inFebruary there's a new NFL Champion (it'll definitely be a Happy New Year whenRaider Nation rises to glory again) and so on and so forth. Of course, onceevery 4 years signals a possible change in the White House and this is thatyear (whether you may like him or not, I'm hoping for continuity since he isthe Mrs' classmate and a native son of the 50th). And of course, once every144,000 days or 394.26 years, a Mayan baktun or Mayan Long Count Calendar ends(which occurs on December 21, 2012) signaling the end of days right?! Actuallymost Mayan scholars would simply say December 21, 2012 is the end of baktun 13which heralds in baktun 14. No end of days, just another cycle beginning. Sincethat day in question falls on a Friday, I already warned the boss that I'll be holdinga nice bottle of wine at work... just in case... in case NASA hasn't discoveredthat 5 mile wide asteroid hurtling to earth at 5000 miles per hour.

And then of course, there are changes we'd like toinitiate or experience or those we want perpetuated. So here's my humble listfor 2012:

Pop Up Restaurants

Since most of you reside in the massive 48 states (noticeI didn't phrase it as "greater" since the 50th is just as great), youalready may have experienced Pop Up Restaurants. As I mentioned in an earliercolumn, these Pop Ups are usually run by up and coming chefs who just don'thave the capital or financial backing to start their own restaurants so they"borrow" space from established restaurants or established kitchens. Whatdo they offer that established restaurants don't? For starters, the price pointis usually better since they're not encumbered by fixed lease payments andpayroll. And more importantly, they usually offer changing menus and fresherideas. Newer interpretations to food preparation and cooking"outside" of the box. Of course just cooking outside of the box meansnothing if the food doesn't ultimately taste good but in the case of recent PopUps in the 50th, great food with a twist and great prices.

I applaud this newer phenomena in the 50th and applaudthe owners of established restaurants who allow these young gun chefs toflourish.

Farmer's Markets

While Farmer's Markets are nothing new in the 50th, therecertainly are many more in virtually every neighborhood on a weekly basis. Just10 years ago, the most notable market was in the parking lot of the KapiolaniCommunity College every Saturday. In fact, it was so popular many vendors ranout of produce within the first 30 minutes or so. Since vendors weren't allowedto sell before the 7:30am horn, what they did was allow shoppers to pick outbags of produce and held them on the side before the horn. Therefore once thehorn sounded, many vendor immediately had 50% of their produce already sold.Now there are markets weekly on the Windward side, Honolulu and the Leewardside of the island. But why cater to these markets? Aside from better prices(eliminating the middle man), the produce tends be fresher and in the case ofveggies like tomatoes, riper, sweeter produce. You also help to support yourimmediate community as many vendors live in the same area where you hail. Andbelieve me, you won't have to worry about putting Bird's Eye or Green Giant outof business. Everyone still needs bags of frozen peas or artichoke hearts intheir freezers.

Real Food

For lack of a better term (or maybe to simply make itsound palatable), I simply mean the whole animal or most of the animal. When weconsume small reef fish, we eat the whole fish. Not just the pectoral muscle orthe tail muscle or dorsal muscle. In fact with salmon we even eat the skin(salmon skin sushi is one of my favorites). However when we consume terrestrialanimals, we usually only consume the "good" parts. In fact a vastmajority of the poor animal simply goes to pet food or worse yet, fertilizer.But there's good eats in those other "strange" parts. I mean afterall, the poor animal was sacrificed specifically to feed you. The least youcould do is not waste most of its carcass.

These "real" parts of the animal also tests achef's true talents as they usually require longer cooking or creative flavoringand preparation. With a filet mignon it's simple - just don't overcook it! Butwith tripe it takes hours of cooking to tenderize but once it's there... Mmm,mmm, good!

Okay, for those who say that they consume more than duckbreast and legs but also the offals... like its liver. Foie gras doesn't countplus it's going the way of the dinosaur in the Golden State in another 6months. I'm talking about parts like heart and other organ meats like thymus,pancreas and kidney. Or even tongue - Korean style grilled beef tongue is afavorite or grilled lambs tongue with roasted beets. I even had smoked ducktongue that tasted like smoked Shimeji mushrooms. Or even the nether regionsstarting with the stomach down to the... If you've had hot dogs or sausages in naturalcasing, well you've had what's also known as chitterlings. I don't expect youto start with tataki warthog butt like Tony Bourdain sampled in Namibia butheart would be a good place to start. It is a muscle after all just like the"good" parts and Limon Restaurant's Anticuchos de Res would be a goodplace to start. Or simply reserve a table at Incanto or Poggio for theirinterpretation of "real" food.

Changes for theYear

As Mahatma Gandhi said. "Be the change you want tosee" so following that quotation I will patronize my local farmers marketson a regular basis. I will patronize up and coming Pop Up restaurants in the50th... even if their preset dinners are only served on Mondays, Tuesdays orWednesdays. And I will eat "real"... I actually already do so perhapsI'll even start cooking "real" (though tripe does need to be simmeredoutside, far from any windows and downwind).
Or as David Bowie said "Ch, ch, ch,changes... just gonna have to be a different man". Okay maybe eating offalis a little too different for you. How about working on just number 2? Or itdoesn't even have to be food related. Over the following year just find time toread more, relax more, enjoy more, eat more... whoops, most New Yearresolutions are to eat less. Okay eat more... fresh fruits and vegetables...that you purchase at farmers markets. And though we can't control what goes onin Washington or what goes on with management at work or even habits of thesignificant other, we can control (and change) our own personal time. So maythe Year of the Dragon bring you health, peace of mind and happiness. ShinmenAkemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

Noche Buena Cena 2011

2011-12-24T21:19:00.000-10:00

Since the Mrs works this whole weekend, I made her a simple Spanish themed dinner tonight. I started with Iberico Bellota from La Tienda or that luscious salt and air cured ham from free roaming black footed pigs that gorge on acorns. The fat from Iberico Bellota literally melts in your mouth... I don't know how the animal doesn't simply melt from its own body temperature...

We also had some Lomo Curado or cured pork tenderloin

And of course food isn't complete without wine so I uncorked a bottle of 2004 de Restia Ribera del Duero Crianza (#23 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of 2011).

I also procured jumbo prawns (under 15 count) that I marinated in olive oil, garlic, onion, oregano, cilantro and smoked paprika then grilled.

Along with the piece de resistance - Iberico Bellota end loin marinated in garlic, olive oil and sweet paprika and also grilled. This was served with Romesco sauce or a red pepper and almond based sauce.

And we needed a starch so I made a Spanish Torta with potatoes, onions, garlic, smoked paprika and olive oil.

The poor Mrs also works tomorrow but that's another meal (provided by Pah Ke's Chinese Restaurant). For those that also have to toil tomorrow, Feliz Navidad and hopefully those on the homefront have a meal waiting for you...

Goin' Hog Wild

2011-12-15T18:30:00.000-10:00

I recently had the fortune to be invited to a Whole HogDinner at Town restaurant in Honolulu (Kaimuki to be exact). What's a whole hogdinner anyway? Well, taking a step back, one of the regulars of our informalwine group won a silent auction benefitting the culinary program at LeewardCommunity College. The item for auction was a Whole Hog Dinner prepared byChef/Owner Ed Kenney of Town restaurant. "J" who bid on the itemfirst asked the chef if he could bring his own wines to the dinner perchance heoutbid the rest of the attendees. "No problem". Of course that setthe wheels in motion with "J" placing the winning bid and yours trulyeventually savoring the spoils at this spectacular dinner event. So what's awhole hog dinner? It's basically a dinner where the chef tries to use as many partsof the animal as possible - not just the "good" parts. Actually inmany of these "whole animal" dinners, you'll hardly see (or eat) anyof the "good" parts. And it was befitting that Chef Kenney hostedthis dinner since he's one of the few chefs in Hawaii (if not the only chef inHawaii) who can actually butcher a whole pig. And since I was in the company ofsix other wine aficionados (including Hawaii's latest Master Sommelier), wepaired each course with a couple of wines.

The Menu (and winepairings)

aperitif

Billecart-SalmonRose Champagne

ShinsatoSalumi
J LasalleRose Champagne
2010 CletoChiarli e Figli Lambrusco di Sorbara Vecchia Modena
Chef Kenney made 7 different types of salumi along with apork liver pate paired with pickled vegetables and toast points. While all of the salumi were outstanding rivalingsalumi from "name" producers, my favorite was the testa or headcheese. It had a perfect balance of meat, fat and connective tissue with apleasing crunch and the perfect amount of salt. I actually find name brandshave too much salt and that Chef Kenney used the perfect "hand" insalting the meats. Another revelation was the dry Lambrusco paired with thesalumi - enough earthiness to balance pork flavors and enough red fruit so itstood up to the cured flavors.

intermezzo
1997 AuBon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir

AmuseBouche of Roasted Pork Heart on Crostini with Lardo
Though this dish wasn't on the menu, it was one of myfavorites! Tender slices of roasted pork heart topped with lardo (cured porkfat back) that was torched just until it started melting served on crostini.The heart had a flavor between pork ribs and liver with a touch of mineralityand the minerality in the Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir was the perfect partner.

PickledPig’s Feet, Lum’s Watercress, Kim Chee
2009 DomaineZind Humbrecht Riesling Gueberschwihr
2006Hiedler Riesling Maximum
I know what you're thinking, that stuff in the bottles atthe supermarket. NO! Not even close. In this case the pickling refers to simplybrine curing the flesh. Chef Kenney made a panko crusted cake with the pig'sfeet and served it with fresh watercress and a kim chee sauce. Crispy, fatty,gelatinous then slight heat from the sauce and herbaceous watercress to balancethe rich flavors. By itself, a great dish but with the wine... In years of attendingand trying to find the ideal food and wine pairings, usually one wine is theclear winner. In this case, both wines were 5 out of 5 winners! The fruit inthe Zind Humbrecht was forward enough to stand up to the rich flavors of thepork while the Hiedler's minerality played off of the earthiness of the dish tobring out the fruit in the wine. And since both were Rieslings, the abundantacid cleansed the palate between bites.

PorkBelly, Turnips, Savoy Cabbage, Mustard
2007Diochon Moulin a Vent
2001Alvaro Palacios Priorat Finca Dofi
I'm a sucker for pork belly so you know I enjoyed thisdish! Crisp on one side, succulent on the other with sweet baby root vegetablesand mustard seed to cut through the richness. I also believe the sauce had atouch of Asian spice (five spice?) partly mimicking rafute or shoyu braisedpork belly. The two wines while coming from different vintages and countriesboth worked with the pork belly though I gave the Diochon the nod.

Pig’sBlood Pasta, Guanciale, Rapini
1999Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva
2005Amativo Cantele
Another food epiphany! I have tried morcilla or bloodsausage before but this dish didn't have that same iron minerality that youfind in blood sausage. The pasta itself had the appearance of a milk chocolatepasta with the subtle flavor of a good pork liver mousse. Add some richguanciale (pork jowls which resemble pork belly and are used interchangeablywith pancetta) for another dimension of porky richness and balance it withslightly bitter rapini (broccoli rabe). If this wasn't another perfect dish, itwas 4.95 out of 5 good! And perfect with the Taurasi!

Longanisa,Beans, Farm Fresh Egg
2000 RodaII Rioja Riserva
2001Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero
While this was a good dish, I didn't give it it's dueattention mainly because some of the preceding dishes were such foodepiphanies. You know something's wrong when a runny egg doesn't catch myattention. But you couldn't lose with a dish when you pair fresh pork sausage,white beans and slow cooked egg. And both wines paired admirably!

intermezzo
1986 ChateauLynch Bages

Tacos deCabeza
2006Tempier Bandol Rose
1996 LaSpinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, ChefKenney presents a roasted pig head, fresh tortillas and all the fixins' fortacos. Golden crispy skin on the outside and rich, succulent flesh within, theheads were served with tongs so the diners could literally tear at the headNeanderthal style. This was served with a tray of sliced cabbage, radishes,avocado, cilantro and spicy pepper slices and fresh salsa. Though one of the wines was from one of myfavorite producers - La Spinetta - I hardly paid any attention to the wine atthis point. NEED. MORE. PORK. HEAD.

BrownButter-Quince Tarte

Pork Tails

I have to say that this was one of the BEST dinners I'vehad in quite a while. Though different in approach, it was up there with TheFrench Laundry, La Mer and Mavro in that I know I will remember individualdishes for quite some time. And make comparisons in the future.
Therefore, if you have the fortune to attend oneof these "Whole Animal" dinners, don't be squeamish and just go forit! I guarantee that you won't simply be served a plate of "guts"!Chefs are professionals and they do want your return business so each dish willbe artfully crafted and plated. And I'm sure you'll be amazed of the tastes andtextures of those "other" meats. And if you think about it,restaurants in the Motherland serve an array of those other "parts"whether it's grilled hamachi collar, soft roe, yakitori chicken gizzards orintestines. What's the difference with our four legged quarry? Though you maybe accustomed to simply seeing steaks and burgers on those Styrofoam trays inthe supermarket, there's a lot more flesh to the animal than what's found inthe supermarket chill case. And it's a waste to use those parts simply for petfeed or fertilizer. Kind of like cutting a 1000 year old redwood simply for thesprigs to use for air freshener then turning the rest of the tree into sawdust.Remember that these "other" parts are offal good!

CPK @ Ala Mo

2011-12-12T19:50:00.001-10:00

We did some last minute shopping at Ala Mo on Sunday and since we have a trove of restaurant gift cards, I decided to finally bring the CPK card. I received this card last Christmas and though we occasionally visit CPK on our own, we haven't stopped by for almost a year. I started with a glass of Greg Norman Pinot Noir and we sampled the Crispy Mac "N" Cheese (you need to consume these puppies fast cuz the cheese sauce hardens quickly).

We also sampled the Tortilla Spring Rolls (Mediterranean and Thai Chicken)

We then split a Roasted Vegetable Salad with Salmon

I ordered a La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir for the thin crust Pesto Chicken Pizza

The Mac "N" Cheese is a popular concept though execution requires less-than-creamy mac-n-cheese lest it totally fall apart in the fryer so I might pass on that item. The Spring Rolls were good and they allowed you to mix-n-match the 3 different flavors (the sun dried tomato dip was a great spread for the bread). The Roasted Veggie Salad was very good especially with the salmon nuggets and quite filling on its own and if you're looking for a thin crust pizza, the Pesto Chicken is a good option. We'll probably be back again as I consider CPK one of the better "chain" establishments especially since they continuously reevaluate and change their menu to changing tastes in America. And the wine list isn't bad at all. Though I still need to have lunch across the way at Shirokiya for Ginza Bairin's tonkatsu...

Cafe Otto Mezza

2011-12-11T17:55:00.001-10:00

We did our annual Holiday Dinner at Cafe Otto Mezza last night. There was the initial promise of a porchetta but I guess the chef changed his mind. Of course, even without porchetta dinner was a blast! We started with N's bottle of Veuve Cliquot then went into the Besserat de Bellefon Blanc de Blanc. The antipasto platter consisted of Sauteed Garbanzos with Roasted Red Peppers, Salami and Pickled Peppers along with a Tuscan Style Pea Hummus and Toast Points.

The pasta course was a Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

I then uncorked 2 reds for the entree courses, a 2007 Littorai B.A. Theriot Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir which had concentrated red cherry and Asian spice with a touch of citrus rind on the nose with a medium mouthfeel and pleasing palate flow.

And a 2008 K Wahluke Slope Pheasant Vineyard Syrah with concentrated black fruit and a touch of smoke on the nose with mouth filling concentration and a long finish.

For the entree, the chef gave each diner a choice; Pan Seared Steak or Agro-Dolce Chicken both served with sauteed haricot vertes. The Mrs selected the chicken...

While I opted for the Steak.

Dessert was vanilla Ice Cream with a creme-free chocolate mousse and cookie wafer.

I've always enjoyed dinner at Cafe Otto Mezza and the chef's demeanor has always been pleasant (as opposed to Yelp reviews). I know one thing, we'll be back...

Oyster Night at Vino

2011-12-06T19:27:00.001-10:00

Though the Mrs worked this past weekend, we HAD to attend Vino's Oyster Night. Four different oyster preparations plus four different Champagnes by the glass and several full bottles with special prices. We started with the Raw Stellar Bay with Red Wine Shallot Mignonette (the Mrs also ordered a second round).

We then moved on to the Fried with Lemon Balsamic Basil Aioli

Then progressed to the Baked with Spinach, Proscuitto and Keith's Herb Butter

Then finished with the Shucked on Homemade Linguini with Lemon Butter Sauce

Of course man (and woman) don't live by oysters alone so we sampled all four Champagnes by the glass:

Philipponnat Brut Reserve NV
Pol Roger Brut NV
Philipponnat Brut Rose NV
Gosset Brut Grande Reserve NV

Along with a bottle of Lasalle Brut Preference NV

Next up, Wine Night in 2 weeks...

Dinner at the L's

2011-11-20T17:49:00.001-10:00

We did a little potluck dinner yesterday at the L's which also helped me to empty some space in the storage for the new adoptees. I braised organic chicken thighs (I originally planned on procuring Mary's organic chicken from Whole Foods but the thought of fighting Friday pau hana traffic to Kahala nixed that idea) in red wine with kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary.

I also slow cooked flanken style short ribs, kim chi style.

And made a mushroom bread pudding with loads of local mushrooms and truffle oil.

We started the evening with heirloom tomatoes D purchased at the farmer's market with bocconcini and fresh basil.

Mixed salumi

Goose liver and truffled pork liver pate

And assorted cheeses

Including A's baked brie

Of course, you also need wine with food so we sampled a 2009 Scherrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (3.75/5), a 2007 Leeuwin Estates Art Series Chardonnay (3.5/5) and a 1997 Roederer Rose (4/5) champagne

A served his chilled carrot and ginger soup

Followed by the chicken and short ribs along with the mushroom bread pudding and a 2006 Kosta Browne Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir (4.25/5) with subtle semi-dried red fruit and a touch of mineral on the nose and a seamless palate flow and medium long finish and a 2002 Greenock Creek Alice's Shiraz (4.2/5) with lush concentrated red fruit on the nose and palate but not heavy or cloying and a long finish.

D then unleashed his pomegranate and habanero sorbet... nice sweet tart flavor immediately then a rush of heat from the habanero...

We finished the evening with a 2006 Kilikanoon Barossa Valley Testament Shiraz

Another great dinner with friends!... of course we now have to clean up the leftovers before Thursday and the usual load of food from Thanksgiving...

Lookin' for Inspiration

2011-11-18T20:34:00.001-10:00

Sometimes we find it without even lookin', sometimes itkeeps knockin' at our door without us knowin', but sometimes we do find it andit changes our very core... okay, maybe not so grandiose. It may be as simple asmakin' that first Bolognese sauce or startin' that first exercise routine orsimply makin' us step out of that box known as the comfort zone. Or sometimeswe simply try to inspire others... which is sorta' my mission today.

Actually I'm not the most inspirational or motivationalpersonality around. Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying "Winning isn'teverything, it's the only thing". The Gochiso Gourmet would have said"Winning is probable 50% of the time... losing is also probable 50% of thetime". Or perhaps I may have paraphrased Winston Churchill during WorldWar II, " Remembergentlemen, it's not just Francewe are fighting for, it's Champagne"!

But in any case, inspiration needs to come from within.Maybe something we see, hear, read or even dream unleashes this wave fromwithin. But it still needs to start there. So I know my simple column won'tinspire you to cook if that's not your calling. Nor will it inspire you to ridelike Armstrong (heck, I can't ride like Lance even if he towed me). But perhapsit may alter the path.

Inspiration in theBasics

What are the basics in cooking? Good cooking vessels?Well, not really since spit roasting doesn't require any vessel other than aspit and fire. Okay, the fire part requires a good oven or stovetop. Well, Ireally enjoy a good steak tartare or sashimi which doesn't require heat at all.Only fresh product and prep utensils like a good knife. Okay, I could intofresh artisanal product ad nauseum but unfortunately, not all of us can procureheritage turkeys for Thanksgiving (or are willing to pay upwards of $10 perpound for these birds) so I'll skip good product for now. Get it if you can (orare willing to pay for it) or make do with supermarket product. Therefore I'llfocus on prep tools and arguably the most important prep tool is the knife. Yes,I know Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal got by on fractured flintstone but theoriginal article will probably cost you more than a good Japanese or Swiss Vanadium-Molybdenumsteel blade. So purchase the modern version. I still remember the first time Iused a Global 8 inch chef's knife to cut my usual lunchtime carrot sticks. Likecuttin' through buttah! The only downside is that these blades are so sharp,they literally can cut slice paper thin slices off of your finger nail if youtry to slice too fast. And I'll be the first to admit, they aren't the sexiestblades on the market. While the welded (with no apparent weld seams) handlesrender the knife as hygienic as possible, I'll still a sucker for lacqueredwooden or ply knife handles. And while the blades are very easy to sharpen on awhetstone, I'm also still a sucker for that decorative Damascus pattern or tsuchimehammered pattern. But Global knives do simplify basic kitchen prep work. Andmost of their blades do come in less than $100 retail. Therefore, if you'vebeen limiting your personal culinary creations by using that decades old Ginsuor those old Gerbers, look for culinary inspiration with a set of Globalknives.

The Spice of Life

Though I love to use a variety of spices whenever I cookand continually search out new individual or combination of spices, thesimplest can sometimes be the most rewarding. Before mankind started pickingstigmas from Crocus sativus(saffron), harvesting both the aril and seed of the Myristica fragrans (mace and nutmeg) or navigated the Spice Route,he probably flavored (and preserved) his food with the most basic of allseasonings; salt.

Remember that salt is one of the basic taste sensationsin the human palate - there are no basil taste buds or cinnamon taste buds orgarlic taste buds but the palate can distinguish salt. In fact salt was soimportant to the Romans that "salary" has its root in the Latin"salarium" which referred to money paid to Roman soldiers to purchasesalt. That being said, I'm not talking about the simple table salt found inthat dark blue container that pours when it rains. I'm talking about thecolored and flavored artisanal salts used to finish dishes both in traditionaland non-traditional applications.

For starters, artisanal salts come in all colors from thepink Jurassic and Himalayan salt to the Grey salt from the coasts of Brittanyto the reddish-orange Hawaiian sea salt to the black salt from India to thevarious hues of off-white sea salts available worldwide. They all have subtledifferences in flavor and texture and often give a pleasing subtle"crunch" when judiciously sprinkled on one bite items like sushi,sashimi or tapas. One of our regular wine group members, Mr K is an avidcollector and consumer of these artisanal salts so much so that he extols thevirtue of these salts with the same exuberance as describing the flavorsensations in aged vintage Champagne. I personally love using various smokedsea salts to season and finish dishes.

An unexpected place where these salts shine is on sweets!I often purchase Fran's Gray and Smoked Salt Caramel. Gray salt is lightlysprinkled on dark chocolate covered caramel or smoked salt is sprinkled on milkchocolate covered caramel. Delish! Since chocolate and caramel simply coat thepalate with richness and fat, the light sprinkling of salt helps cut throughthe fat and since salt is also a flavor enhancer, makes the chocolate andcaramel taste even better. Ever since trying these confections, I've been abeliever in salt and dessert. The Mrs also makes an Olive Oil Orange Cake whichwhile delicious on its own, is highlighted by a sprinkling of flaked sea saltover the top of the cake. Everyone who tries the cake agrees that the saltmakes it better!

So hopefully you're now inspired to either go out andpurchase some good salt for yourself or an acquaintance and perhaps use it in away you never thought of before (dessert perhaps) or simply use it to finish a dish.

Finally, theVessel

So unless you only spit roast your food or consumeeverything raw, you'll eventually need a good cooking vessel. If I had tochoose just one vessel for multi-tasking, it would be a porcelain coated castiron Dutch oven. Earlier in my youth, I went for anodized aluminum vessels likeMagnalite or Calphalon because both were well made and eventually developed"seasoned" bottoms that inhibited sticking. However if you nicked theanodized surface and did a slow braised in acidic medium like tomato sauce orwine based liquids, you could detect a bit of metallic qualities in thefinished product. Then I discovered All-Clad, especially the copper core linethat heated fast and even and with a stainless interior, imparted no flavor tothe finished product. However the copper core isn't magnetic so it can't beused on induction tops. The d5 line can be used on induction tops (and I stillregularly use this product) but long oven braising means loss of liquid sincethe covers don't produce a tight seal. That's where cast iron pots come intoplay. Porcelain coated interiors which are as non-stick as they come, magneticso they are compatible with induction burners and tight fitting covers so youdon't have to worry as much about liquid evaporation during long oven braising.The downside? Cost. I initially procured Le Creuset which run in the $200 to$500 range. However cost isn't as much of an issue as many companies (andcelebrities) market their own lines of cast iron cookware from Mario Batali tothe domestic goddess Martha. They can also be quite heavy but I simply see itas a means of burning off some of those calories I'll be consuming from thebraised oxtails or lamb shanks or short rib that lie within.

So if you perchance don't have a cast iron Dutch oven inyour cooking arsenal, hopefully I've inspired you enough to at least browse theLe Creuset section and if it suits you, then purchase from the Batali orStewart line of goods (or even spend the extra $$ with the Le Creuset line).

Final Words

So like I've stated, I know I can't inspire youto cook if that's not something you really want to do. Nor do I expect all ofyou to immediately head to the store to purchase all of these items. Hopefullywhat I did accomplish is to start that little ember glowing, perhaps piquingyour curiosity in obtaining a new knife or cooking vessel or in using salt inways you never thought of before reading this column. Personally, cooking ismuch more than simply feeding the body basic nutrients required for life.Putting a part of yourself into a dish for family and friends provides theessential elements required not just for life but for living. For feeding thesoul. Bon appetit!

Vino Wine & Food Table

2011-11-13T13:43:00.001-10:00

Since the Mrs' vacation was coming to a close, we decided to visit Vino for their Wine & Food Table. A little like their Communal Table concept with a table for 12 with courses served family style with or without wine. However the Wine & Food Table strayed a little from the original concept with 2 ounce portions of two different wines served per course. That way diners could determine which wine style paired with food. When we called, Cheryle stated the only 4 diners reserved seats for the meal but that Chef Keith made a little extra so we could add ourselves to the table of four or sit at our own table. When we arrived, the party of 4 already were seated and into their meal so we sat on our own (I brought 2 wines I thought would also pair with the meal) so it was their loss.

The first course was actually a trio of appetizers: Onion Arugula Fritatta, Homemade Burrata with Tomato Compote and Roasted Hamakua Mushrooms with Nalo Farms Baby Arugula.

Chuck paired the starter with an old world wine, Elvio Tintero Grangia (3.5/5) from Italy and a Whitcraft Kick On Vineyard Chardonnay (3.75/5) from California. The Grangia had equal parts of mineral and citrus on the nose with a touch of frizzante on the palate and a pleasing light finish. The Chardonnay was big, oaky and buttery on the nose and very concentrated on the palate with a long finish.
When paired with the food, that's when flavor profiles changed. The Grangia helped refresh the palate between bite of burrata, the Chardonnay held up to the rich cheese but if not for the tomato compote, the palate would have been overwhelmed with richness.
With the frittata, the Grangia once again cleansed the palate between bites while the Chardonnay was left with a slightly bitter edge after sampling the frittata.
Finally, the Grangia sung with the mushrooms. Loads of fruit jumped foward as the earthiness from the mushroom and mineral in the wine were subdued and let the fruit sing. The best pairing IMHO. With the Chardonnay, it didn't have enough eartiness to accomplish the same and simply tasted like it did on its own.

The next course was Joanne's Chicken Cacciatore with House Made Trofie Pasta. This was paired with a Marchesi di Barolo Barbera d'Alba (3.75/5) from Italy and a Peter Paul Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (3.5/5) from California. Chuck also convinced me to uncork the bottle of 2005 La Spinetta Il Gentile di Casanova (3.75/5) made from Prugnolo Gentile or the same Sangiovese clone as Vin Nobile di Montepulciano. the Barbera had dark plum and mineral on the nose with medium concentration and a good palate flow and medium finsh while the Cabernet had light currant and dark red fruit on the nose and very concentrated on the palate with a long finish. The La Spinetta had loads of ripe red fruit on the nose with mineral on the back end with medium concentration on the palate and a medium finish.

With the cacciatore, the fruit really jumped out to the forefront with the Barbera while the Cabernet seemed to turn into a bigger, brooding wine. However, the best pairing was with the La Spinetta which seemed to have its rougher edges balanced with the tomato sauce and it didn't overwhelm the chicken (sorry Chuck).

Dessert was an Apple Tarte with Vanilla Ice Cream which is always good.

The Wine & Food Table was a success IMHO even if we sat at our own table. It's always great to see how food and wine influence each other...

Lunch at Brasserie du Vin

2011-11-12T12:01:00.001-10:00

Since APEC is in town (with its attendant last minute road closures), we wanted to steer clear of the heart of Honolulu so we decided to have lunch right in Chinatown at Brasserie du Vin. Since Brasserie du Vin in on Bethel Street which usually isn't very busy on holidays and weekends, the decor and music at Brasserie du Vin almost take you away to another country... perhaps France?

Mom started with the Ginger Lemon Drop which tasted like a Lemon Drop with a hint of ginger from the ginger vodka. Nice and refreshing! The Mrs ordered her usual Prosecco while I selected a glass of Sangiovese.

The Mrs had a cup of the White Bean Soup with Bresaola. Thick and hearty!

We also shared a cone of Pommes Frites - I love that they serve it with both ketchup (for the Mrs) and aioli (for yours truly).

Since Mom already had two meals on this day (breakfast at 4:00am and lunch at 10:00am), she simply ordered the Blue Crab Cakes with Sriracha aioli. Loads of crab without much filler with good crab flavor.

The Mrs selected the Croque Monsieur (I usually go for the Croque Madame which also includes an easy over egg).

I had the Steak Sandwich au Poivre with perfectly cooked brochettes of ribeye with au jus and a peppercorn-Sherry sauce and pommes frites. Perfect with a glass of Tempranillo!

I thought we were done but the Mrs also ordered a slice of the Cranberry-Pear Tarte. The sweet-sour from the cranberries perfectly balanced the sweet pears and clafouti-like filling.

As usual, we'll be back for more...

Last Call

2011-11-06T13:04:00.001-10:00

Though I went against better judgement, I had to order one last glass of wine (especially since the wine at Buena Vista was terrible). Spanish Tempranillo bottled in France in a plastic bottle... sipped from a plastic Coke cup... better than the white wine but I should have simply ordered a Diet Coke...

Last meal in The City

2011-11-06T13:00:00.000-10:00

Okay, The Grove wasn't our last meal in The City. Since our flight wasn't for another 2 hours, we decided to have a meal at SFO instead of packing food with us for the flight home. The Buena Vista Cafe has a restaurant right on the cable car line so this outlet should be ok right?

The Mrs ordred one last hamburger... she later regretted it since it was no where near Lark Creek Steak's burger. It wasn't bad, just a little dry though the fries were good.

I had the Fish & Chips which actually were pretty good with a very light crispy coating. The wine, another story.

So until our next visit, we'll see you again San Francisco...

The Grove on Fillmore

2011-11-06T12:47:00.002-10:00

On the morning of our last day in The City, we decided to have a meal in the hood'... however la Mediterranee didn't open until 11:00am and checkout is at 12:00pm - not enough time to finish the Mediterranean Meza. Sapporo Ya Ramen also opens at 11:00am and ramen isn't a meal, it's more of an after meal dessert. Well, The Grove is open and since it's a Monday most of the local office workers have cleared out. Let's have breakfast here.

The Mrs chose the basic scramabled eggs with Aidell's chicken apple sausage - she actually wanted the sausage on the side, not in the omelet. Oh well...

I chose the Chicken Pot Pie which was available for breakfast. A light flaky crust covering the filling. A little more thickener with the filling than I would use but flavorful none-the-less with nice fresh rosemary flavor. The crust also ably sopped up the filling and it was served with a green salad.

The Grove has always been a good standby for breakfast or lunch though it can get a bit crowded especially on weekends. And their fresh roasting turkey always draws the Mrs in...

The Grove
2016 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 474-1419

Seven Hills in The City

2011-11-06T12:21:00.000-10:00

We first heard about Seven Hills from one of chef/owner Alexander Alioto's distant relatives, none other than Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya. Distant because Chuck resides in the 50th and because he has the same blood quantum with the Alioto's as I do. None. However since Chuck has officiated the wedding ceremonies for a number of Aliotos and is as close to a brother to fellow Master Sommelier Nunzio Alioto as it gets, I guess that does qualify as familia. And Chuck's name even appears on the menu.

We started the evening with an amuse bouche of Potato Frittata

Then progressed to one of the evening's specials, a Fig, Bleu Cheese and Toasted Pistacchio Salad. Though the figs simply looked halved, a little heat was applied so that they softened. A nice balance of sweet (figs and Balsamico), salty (cheese), savory (cheese), crunchy (pistacchio) and sour (Balsamico).

We also sampled the Steak and Eggs which was a poached egg on fried polenta in a Parmesan creme sprinkled with shaved beef. The shaved beef added a savory salt to the rich egg yolk and we couldn't stop soppin' the bread in the Parmesan creme.

We then tried two different pastas, the Ravioli Uovo which was a spinach and homemade ricotta stuffed ravioli served with an egg yolk on truffled brown butter. After popping the yolk and letting that goodness mix with the brown butter, it was another sauce we couldn't stop soppin' with bread.

The Pappardelle with Niman Ranch Braised Pork was also a very good dish with shreds of very tender pork and mixed figs interspersed with perfectly al dente pasta.

The Mrs selected the Fresh Catch of the Day which was walu on this day. It was served on tomatoes, favas and zucchini and topped with crispy fried leeks.

I chose the Herb Marinated & Grilled Quail served roasted cauliflower and accompanied by a chicken liver polenta which was rich and flavorful on its own.

For the first time on this trip, I actually had room for dessert so I ordered the House Made Ricotta Cheese served with candied pistacchios, orange segments and dizzled with Marin County Honey. Vino NEEDS to put this dessert on their menu!

The Mrs finished with the Tcho Chocolate Bavarese which had rich chocolate flavor in a very light vehicle so that it was easy to finish (especially when her spouse kept reaching for another spoonful).

Along with Bottega, this was one of my favorite meals on the trip but alas, all good things must come to an end and tomorrow is our last day. But we'll be back!

Seven Hills
1550 Hyde St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 775-1550

Tuesday - Thursday 5:30pm to 9:30pmFriday - Saturday 5:30pm to 10:00pmSunday 5:30pm to 9:30pm Closed Mondays

Breakfast at Mehfil on Fillmore

2011-11-06T11:19:00.001-10:00

Since the S's returned to the 50th early in the morning, I didn't pre-plan any meals other than our dinner at Seven Hills. Therefore we walked up Fillmore to see what was open - The Grove already had a crowd getting their morning java so we continued up the street. Hey, what's that Indian restaurant that seems to be open?... and it serves American breakfasts. Might as well give it a spin. And that's how we ended up at Mehfil.

The Mrs didn't feel like ordering authentic Indian faire for breakfast so she had the traditional toast, omelet and breakfast potatoes (though she did have it with a mango lassi).

I decided to sample the authentic cuisine so I started with the traditional samosa or spiced pea and potato fried dumplings. They were quite good but also spicy enough to start that little waterfall from my noggin. They were also quite large, about the size of baseballs.

I also sampled the Gobhi Paratha or spiced cauliflower stuffed into a thin bread about tthe thickness of store bought pita bread. This was served with a spiced relish and a yogurt dip. A nice blend of spices and perfect with the yogurt dip.

And this was served with Chhole or spiced chickpea "stew". A nice blend of spices but not too hot.

Though the Mrs stuck by her usual American breakfast, she does want to return for lunch or dinner for Mehfil's Indian cuisine someday.

Mehfil Indian Cuisine & Bar
2301 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 614-1010

Open every day from 8:00am to 10:00pm

Limon in the Mission

2011-11-05T15:41:00.000-10:00

After a half day of perusing the Ferry Building Market Place (including lunch and triple espresso gelato at Ciao Bella) then a quick stop at Stonetown, I left our dinner dining options open (in the words of Tony Bourdain, No Reservations.. made for the evening). Since this was the last night for the S's, they wanted to dine with friends who resided off of Mission St so a reservation was made for the Peruvian restaurant, Limon.

I initially was a little apprehensive since I did do a rotation at SFGH many moons ago - there's a reason why the City's trauma center is located in the Mission. Since it was Halloween Eve, there were many revelers on the streets and the district did seem cleaner than when I attended school here. In Peru, Pisco is king so we started with Pisco based cocktails. My Chocherita (Pisco, ginger liqueur, prickly pear, Aperol and lemon juice) was actually pretty good.

We then started with several small plates including Veggie and carne Empanadas

Chicharron de Pollo or chicken marinated in soy sauce, aji amarillo and garlic

Anticuchos de Res or grilled beef hearts served with corn and fried yucca (my favorite dish)

Ceviche Limon with snapper, shrimp, octopus and calamari marinated in their house "leche de tigre" sauce. The little "shot glass" is filled with the leche de tigre and is supposed to be a good cure for a hangover. I can't vouch for it since I never overindulge... or at least regularly... okay, I get my fair share of hangovers but I've never tried it...

Seco de Costillas or braised beef shortribs

Pescado Limon or crispy fried snapper

Sweet Potato Fries (I guess there's no Peruvian language equivalent for French fries)

And the Carne a la Parilla or marinated and grilled hanger steak (as tender and flavorful as the best steak)

I also sampled a Peruvian brew, Cusquena which tasted like a Dos Equis

And we shared a bottle of 2009 Ochoa Granacha/Tempranillo blend

For those left with a little room after the savory courses, we also ordered a Panna Cotta de Mango and a Bandido or chocolate cake with dulce de leche ice cream

I have to say that the food was very good, especially the beef hearts and the hanger steak though the ceviche was also as fresh and good as I've tried in other restaurants. And if the Mission continues its neighborhood revitalization, we may make this a regular stop in our future Bay Area vacations.

Limon
524 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 252-0918

Lunch:
Monday - Friday: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Dinner:
Sunday 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Monday- Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:30pm
Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Brunch:
Saturday - Sunday: 11:30am - 4:00pm

Hog Island Oyster Co at the Ferry Building

2011-11-05T14:46:00.000-10:00

This was my one "had to" stop destination for the trip. Never mind Sonoma, I can always purchase wines at a store. Never mind REI, I can simply order online. Bottega was a first so it didn't qualify as "had to". But a bottle of bubbly and 2 dozen mixed bivalves had my name written all over it...

Only problem is the market opens at 8:00am on Saturday and most of the shops open at 9:00am but Hog Island doesn't open until 11:00am and they don't take reservations. Which means standing in line from about 10:45am. However the Ferry Plaza Wine Bar opens at 9:00am so we can get breakfast in before the 11:00am lunch. This time, I let the Mrs have her back to the shoppers (she didn't like looking at shoppers last time while sippin wine at 9:00am... don't know why, we're on vacation and it's Happy Hour somewhere in the world).

"Breakfast" was an order of Burrata and Acme bread

A mixed Salumi Platter (with killer mustard)

And since Bro proclaimed these the "best" pork rinds, I had to try a bag (very light but a bit greasy)

Now off to wait in the Hog Island Oyster Co line...

Start with bubbly, in our case a Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour Rose

The Mrs started with a Persimmon Salad

Then the Oyster Stew

While K had the Clam Chowder

And the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

D selected the Mixed Seafood Plate with 1/2 Dungeness crab, 5 shrimp, 2 clams and 6 oysters

While I had my 2 dozen mixed oysters... silence please...

As long as Hog Island keeps shuckin', I'll keep returnin'...

Hog Island Oyster Bar
The Ferry Building Marketplace
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111

(415) 391-7117

Monday-Friday 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Poggio in Sausalito

2011-11-05T14:08:00.000-10:00

While in the Bay Area, we ALWAYS have at least one meal at Poggio partly because Sausalito is a cool touristy town to stroll through but mainly because the food at Poggio is superb! And since it's fall, there was an outside chance of either Porchetta (pork sausage and herb stuffed boned suckling pig wood roasted for hours) or white truffles on the menu. Actually both weren't on the menu but the food was great none-the-less.

Bro brought two wines in tow, a William Selyem Pinot Noir and a Super Tuscan Ruffino Romitoro

We started with several appetizers including the Wood Fired Lamb Meatballs (great bread dippin' sauce)

The Cauliflower Custard - an intensely cauliflower flavored custard which I would love to make but wouldn't know where to start with an improvised recipe

A Chanterelle Mushroom Pizza (great crackly charred crust)

And a Selection of Cured Meats with Grissini (loved that lardo...)

The Mrs selected the Roasted Pig Face Pasta which basically was guanciale with favas & chili with pappardelle

Bro and K tried the Duck Sugo on Tagliatelle

D and S sampled the Mussels and Linguini

Sis-n-law once again had chicken... she only orders chicken... though this time she didn't proclaim it as the "best" chicken she's ever had (usually the last chicken dish she's tried is always the "best").

While I selected 2 smaller items, the Roasted Octopus with Pork Belly Confit with Frisee & Poached Egg (again, I'm a total runny egg yolk slut)

And the Roasted Lambs Tongue with Greens & Pickled Beets. Tender & rich lambs tongue with crisp & tart beet slices to balance the dish. It was bbaaaadd!

I was even served a bowl of Tiramisu as a belated birthday dessert.

We missed the white truffles but Chef McNee is creating a special white truffle menu from Nov 8th through the 12th with special Barolo and Barbaresco paired with the meal. Reserve your seats now!

Poggio
777 Bridgeway
Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 332-7771

Open seven days a week
Open at 6:30 a.m. for Café
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m.

Lark Creek Steak at the Westfield Centre

2011-11-05T13:09:00.001-10:00

Visiting the Westfield Centre was the Mrs' main objective during our Bay Area trip mainly because it houses the only Edition by Banana Republic store in the whole nation. Therefore to give the girls private shopping time, D & I left them alone and met again at 12:00pm for lunch at Lark Creek Steak. We first tried Lark Creek Steak about 2 years ago and the Mrs fell in love with their Cheeseburger - she proclaims it to be the "BEST". Mind you, we don't consume many burgers over the course of the year but it is a darn good burger with a good beef flavor, smokiness from the grill and just enough sharp cheddar cheese so as not to overwhelm the beef flavor. They also serve their fries (darn good fries) with Bearnaise Sauce.

Since the Mrs raved about the burger, K also tried one with bleu cheese with the Dr Brown's Root Beer Float combo

D chose the Butternut Squash Ravioli

While I repeated my order of 2 years ago, the 6 ounce Filet Mignon Steak Tartar with baby greens and fries. Just to make sure the server was paying attention, I asked for the tartar "well done". He did pause for a moment until he realized I was joking. This was paired with a Demetria "Pantheon" Rhone Blend from Santa Ynez Valley. I had to also give you a shot just of the glorious meat itself... who needs fire?

The Mrs also enjoyed a Chocolate Martini

And the girls sampled the Caramelized Banana Cheesecake for dessert

Since we had upcoming dinner reservations in another 4 & 1/2 hours, I skipped dessert and a 2nd glass of vino. My waistline storage is getting a little full at this point... Though I'll continue to return for my steak tartar at Lark Creek Steak.

LarkCreekSteak
at Westfield® San Francisco Centre
845 Market Street, 4th Floor, Suite 402
San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 593-4100
Lunch:
Monday - Saturday 11:30am -2:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Dinner:
Monday - Thursday 5:30pm - 9:00pm
Friday 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Saturday 5:00pm - 9:30pm
Sunday 5:00pm - 9:00pm
Bar:
The afternoon menu and beverage service are available in our bar throughout the entire day.

La Folie in The City

2011-11-03T18:39:00.001-10:00

During our recent Bay Area sojourn, I contemplated many dining options, especially that one dinner that pulled out all the stops; Atelier Crenn, Saison, Benu, Qunice, Michael Mina, Gary Danko. However in the end I selected La Folie. I loved their 3, 4 or 5 course options and all for a reasonable price given the notoriety of the restaurant - perpetually in the Chronicle's Top 100 restaurant list, 1 Michellin star, 4 star Chronicle rating for food, etc. Plus it didn'r hurt that the Pigs Feet, Sweetbread and Lobster Terrine piqued my interest.

They offered an excellent wine selection and since there were four of us (with 2 serious winos) I decided on half bottle selections. We started the evening with NV Monmarthe Secret de Famille grower-producer Champagne. Rich on the palate with loads of Pinot character and a perfect start to the meal.

We were served two amuse bouche including a carrot mousse and a fennel carrot soup served in an egg shell complete with egg yolk to mix into the soup. A great way to start the meal!

K selected the Seared Diver Scallops on Carrot & Pea Ragout with Chanterelle & Bacon Broth

The Mrs opted for the Hudson Valley Foie Gras Torchon with Smoked Apple BBQ Glazed Squab & Fig Chutney

D and yours truly (we normally try to order different courses but this one looked so good) ordered the Triple T Ranch Tempura Duck Egg on Sweetbreads Pancake, Wild Mushroom Salad and Truffle Vinaigrette

The next wine was a 2008 Michel Premier Cru Chablis Montmains with loads of mineral & citrus and perfect with the seafood dishes.

The girls sat this course out (we all ordered 4 course meals but they had dessert so their next course was delayed to catch up with the boys (D & I were still on appetizers).

I then selected a 2007 Esmonin Mazy-Chambertin Grand Cru which had a balanced nose of earth, red fruit and a touch of dried herb with a pleasing palate flow.

D chose the "Tasting of Passot Roe" which included Sea of Cortez Diver Scallop Ceviche, Hiramasa Yellowtail Sashimi and Kusshi Oyster

While I had the Pigs Feet, Sweetbread & Lobster Terrine on Lentil Salad with Bacon & Hazelnut Vinaigrette. As rich as the fattiest ribeye steak but with slightly bitter greens and mustard to cleanse the palate between bites. And devine with the Esmonin Mazy-Chambertin.

K (and I) ordered the Lobster & Mushroom Risotto with Leeks & Lobster Broth (my dish also added the fresh black truffle supplement)

The Mrs ordered the same Diver Scallop dish that K was served as her first course while D sampled the Butter Poached Lobster (my favorite lobster cooking application) with English Pea Ravioli and Truffle Beurre Fondue (along with the fresh black truffle supplement)

The final bottle was a 2008 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot with loads of cherry, spice and a touch of mocha and a long finish.

K's final savory dish was the "La Boeuf" which included a Beef Tenderloin, Short Rib & Burger Rossini with Sauce Bordelaise.

The Mrs went with rabbit again and selected the Trio of Rabbit with Loin, Rack and Braised Leg with Roasted Garlic & Natural Jus

D had the Roti of Quail & Squab Stuffed with Mushrooms and Wrapped in Crispy Potato Strings with Truffled Jus

I ended the meal with Liberty Farms Duck Breast with Smoked Duck Tongue and Calvados, Apple Pomegranate Sauce (before making faces re: the duck tongue, it tasted a little like Chinese stuffed duck with the consistency of a cooked Shimeji mushroom)

The girls finished their meals with the Huckleberry Baked Alaska

And the Vanilla Creme Brulee Brownie with Raspberry Caviar & Blackberry Ice Cream

Several Petit Four were served at the conclusion of the meal which included a gellee, a raspberry filled madeleine, a macaroon and chocolate but I was stuffed to the eyebrows at this point.

La Folie does fire on all pistons. The food is excellent, the service great and the atmosphere refined but relaxed. They also offer a good wine list including half bottles and by-the-glass options. La Folie is still on my short list of "fancier" dining options while in The City and I do plan on revisiting at some point... that is, after sampling Atelier Crenn, Saison and Benu.

La Folie

2316 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 776-5577

Monday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm

Il Fornaio in Corte Madera

2011-11-02T16:03:00.000-10:00

As we made our way back south to The City, we made a planned stop at the Town Center at Corte Madera. Why? Shopping for the girls of course! While there are many shops in Healdsburg, the main focus was on wine(s) for the guys. Therefore as we headed south, the focus shifted more toward shopping for the Mrs and K. And I had no complaints as the Town Center of Corte Madera houses a large REI store, Sur la Table, A.G. Ferrari and Ciao Bella (the Triple Espresso gelato is TO DIE FOR) shop. Plus there's a Bryan's Fine Foods to drool over all of the meats you want to cook but have no kitchen to work in...

Anyway, window (and actual) shopping burns calories so the girls wanted lunch - I reminded them of our 7:15pm reservation at La Folie that evening so "eat light". As usual we started with several appetizers. The Mrs selected the Crostini di Polenta or cornmeal and provolone cakes topped with either roasted peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms, ham or zucchini.

The S's split the Insalata de la Casa with romaine, radicchio, avocado and beans in a light vinaigrette.

Of course my Neanderthal leanings surfaced with the Carpaccio served with wild arugula and the largest capers I've ever seen.

For the main course, the Mrs chose the special Penne with House Made Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe (one of my favorite simple pasta dishes).

D went old school with the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

While K went with the Cappellacci di Zucca or ravioli filled with butternut squash in brown sage butter and crispy sage leaves.

Since dinner reservations awaited, I selected the Insalata di Bietole or red and yellow beet salad with arugula, walnuts and Asiago cheese.

The girls still needed sustenance so they ordered the Dolce Trio or a half order each of the Crespelle di Mele or apple filled crepes, Tiramisu and Rosina al Cioccolato or a chocolate mousse with sponge cake soaked in Triple Sec with an orange creme anglaise. I don't think K realized it but this one dessert was a "truce" to our ongoing "feud" on the best partner for chocolate - raspberries or orange. This dessert temporarily settled the "discussion".

Though Il Fornaio is a sort of "chain" restaurant with 16 locations in CA with total of 22 nationwide, it does serve very good food with very good service. And those ovens roasting meats does tend to lure you in...

Il Fornaio
223 Corte Madera Town Center
Corte Madera, CA 94925

(415) 927-4400

Mon. - Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Rustic at the Coppola Winery

2011-11-02T14:57:00.000-10:00

On our 2nd full day in wine country, we decided to explore the Sonoma countryside including Seghesio Winery, Mazzocco and Papapietro. For lunch, the girls decided on Rustic at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery especially since we had to cancel the previous nights dinner due to... Nuvi navigational issues. The winery itself is huge even by Napa standards with many costumes and trinkets are on display from movies directed by the owner himself. Of course while strolling the grounds, I had to continually go into my rendition of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone to the dismay of my traveling companions.
Once again I started with my cocktail of choice:

We then sampled some of the vegetable side dishes including Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and Sauteed Escarole along with Table Fries for the Mrs.

K chose the Rack of Lamb Madame Bali which was pomegranate and onion marinated for 3 days before being grilled. TENDER in capitals and bold faced!

The Mrs selected Mrs Scorsese's Lemon Chicken - supposedly fellow director Martin Scorsese's mother's recipe. Tender and simple though very GOOD!

D ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara Classico

While I selected the Pizza Sofia (my guess it refers to Sofia Coppola, the director's daughter and Nicolas Cage's cousin). I had to try the pizza since Coppola brought a mega $$$ pizza oven from the old country along with a pizza chef from the old country. It was a simple pizza with proscuitto, arugula and Parmigiano but with that great crackly, charred crust.

We skipped dessert since we had diner reservations at BarnDiva later that evening... but low and behold, I crapped out. Too much food, too much wine. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Rustic at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery
300 Via Archimedes
Geyserville, CA 95441

(707) 857-1485

11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Open Daily

Bottega in Yountville

2011-11-02T13:36:00.000-10:00

After settling into the Belle du Jour Inn in Healdsburg, we did a day trip to Napa Valley the next morning right after breakfast. Boy, CalTrans seems to be doing road construction on every road and highway in the Bay Area. By the time we arrived in Calistoga, we only had time to visit one winery - Clos Pegasse - off of the Silverado Trail. I then headed straight to Yountville for our lunch at Bottega. I always enjoyed Michael Chiarello's cuisine since he held court in Tra Vigne's kitchen many moons ago and have always enjoyed his show on the Food Network. Bottega's online menu looked promising so we booked lunch for four at noon.

I started with my standby cocktail, the Negroni.

As usual, we each selected one appetizer, salad or pasta and shared each course. D chose the Wood Grilled Octopus served with mesclun greens. Very tender morsels with a hint of smoke.

The Mrs picked the Burrata Caprese with heirloom tomatoes and Balsamico "caviar" or gelatinized balsamic pearls. The burrata is hidden under the tomatoes but it was creamy and good!

K selected the Risotto del Giorno or risotto of the day which was saffron risotto with pancetta and arugula. Perfectly cooked Arborio rice with salty pork and peppery greens.

I "HAD" to order the Lamb Sausage & Eggs which was ground lamb sausage cooked with eggplant served with a soft boiled egg fried with panko and served with Treviso radicchio. Savory lamb with a touch of heat then a crisp outer, luscious inner egg and slightly bitter radicchio to cleanse the palate. It was sooooo good, I had to include 2 photos...

We then progressed to the main courses, the Sonoma Rabbit Sugo with rigatoni and house made ricotta for the Mrs (she had rabbit twice during our trip).

K's Sweet Potato Gnocchi which were as good as any gnocchi I've tried - I believe there was a touch of cinnamon with the potato. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside...

D's Ricotta Gnocchi which we had to order since the server said this was Michael Chiarello's mother's recipe. It was as tender - almost melt in the mouth - as any pasta I've sampled.

And I couldn't resist the Smoked & Braised Natural Short Ribs served with white beans. No knife or fork needed, you literally could have slurped it off of the plate.

I must say that I did anticipate dining at Bottega well before the trip started. Often, anticipation can lead to letdown, especially if online menu items aren't available or if they simply miss the mark. However, the food was so good that I would have paid a 2nd or 3rd visit if we were lodging in Napa Valley even over a guaranteed table at The French Laundry. Okay, maybe that's an overstatement... but not by much.

Bottega Ristorante
V Marketplace
6525 Washington Street, A9
Yountville, CA 94599

Lunch:
Tuesday through Sunday: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.
Dinner:
Monday through Thursday: 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Friday & Saturday: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sunday: 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Dry Creek Kitchen

2011-11-01T20:53:00.000-10:00

Our first dinner in the Bay Area was at Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen. We previously dined here several years ago for lunch during our first extended stay in Healdsburg (we used to lodge in Napa and only do day trips to Sonoma) and also dined at Charlie Palmer's Auriole in the Mandalay Resort in Lost Wages. Though my photos don't really capture the beauty of the dishes (I hesitate to use flash in these dim, romantic settings), the proof of the pudding lies in the taste.

K ordered the Warm Baby Squash "Salad" with applewood smoked bacon, toasted brioche and a poached egg.

The Mrs sampled the White Corn Soup with crispy speck and black truffle creme fraiche.

D had the Diver Scallops En Croute which was impressive with its pastry crust and Pernod beurre blanc.

While I sampled the Smoked Shrimp & Mascarpone Tortellini with tomato broth. I am so copying the smoked shrimp part of this dish during the holiday season in some encarnation.

Though we ordered individually, we sampled each other's dishes which can get a bit messy especially but hey, we're amongst friends right?

For the entrees, K ordered what else? The Brown Butter & Thyme Roasted "Eye of Ribeye" with chanterelles and green peppercorn Bearnaise.

The Mrs selected the Brioche Crusted Alaskan Halibut.

While D ordered the Duo of Duroc pork: Honey Brined Loin & Grilled Spice Crusted Pork Belly with fresh corn polenta.

And I sampled the Rocky Jr Chicken "Cassoulet" with white bean croquette, crispy breast and thigh garlic sausage - a playful take on the traditional cassoulet.

For dessert, the girls sampled the Gingerbread with Roasted Pears and some other dessert... for the life of me, I can't remember what it was and I obviously took a photo well after the locust swarm attcked the plate.

The meal ended with complimentary sweets consisting of chocolate, a peanut butter(?) cookie and gellee.

Another great meal at the Palmer group using good ingredients and new interpretations of old classics. Will we be back? You bet!

Dry Creek Kitchen
Hotel Healdsburg
317 Healdsburg Avenue
Healdsburg, CA 95448

(707) 431-0330

Lunch
Friday - Sunday 12:00pm to 2:30pm

Dinner
Sunday - Thursday 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Friday - Saturday 5:30pm to 10:00pm

Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar

2011-11-01T19:59:00.000-10:00

Right after landing at SFO (via a brief 1 hour layover at SEA), we picked up the S's then headed for Healdsburg. I already put down a full 16 ounces of iced-coffee at SFO upon arrival so I had enough stimulant to last until at least lunchtime (I probably got 4+ hours of interupted sleep on the redeye). As soon as we arrived in Healdsburg (after a 1 & 1/2 hour delay due to freeway construction - you've seen it before, 3 guys holding shovels with 1 guy working) we did a brief tour of Healdsburg Square then headed for lunch at Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar. I love the format of Willi's - mostly small plates to share with an excellent oyster/raw selection and good wine selections.

We started with the Chopped Salad with romaine, green olives, bleu cheese, pecans, cherry tomatoes and a sweet mustard vinaigrette. Rich (cheese), salty (olives), crunchy (pecans) and sweet (tomatoes and vinaigrette).

D wanted some roughage so he ordered the Sauteed Spinach with Meyer Lemon Marmalade - sweet and savory at the same time.

We also sampled the Warm Maine Lobster Roll

And the Crispy Pork Belly Roll with peas Sprout Slaw

The Mrs ordered the Clam and Garlic Flatbread

While I HAD to sample the Kobe Beef Crudo with Truffle Aioli and Pickled Shiitake

We also indulged in their French Fries with Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Ranch

The girls ended the meal with the Warm Peach and Blackberry Crumble

Another great meal at Willi's until the next evening...

After visiting Napa Valley the following day (and having a great meal at Bottega), I got lost trying to exit Napa from the Southern roads mainly because I wanted to avoid Hwy 128 on the Northern end due to its lack of street lights and unlit curvy roads. However Nuvi was determined to get me back to Hwy 128 and at one time stated "please drive the highlighted route"! We did finally make it to Hwy 116 and back to the 101. By the time we arrived in Healdsburg, it was close to 9:00pm (we had to cancel our 7:45pm reservation at Rustic). So we popped into Willi's once more.

D & I had the raw and BBQ'd oysters

While the girls opted for Marinated Chicken Skewers with Aji Amarillo, the BBQ'd Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Cilantro Pumpkinseed Pesto and the Hanger Steak Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce.

I also ordered the Fried Ipswich Clam Strips with Shishito Peppers. Supposedly only 1 in 10 shishito peppers are spicy but our order only included 7 peppers and the Mrs had 2 mouth searing peppers while D also got 1 spicy pepper. Oh well, maybe global warming is making shishitos spicier...

The girls ended the meal with the Warm Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Pudding.

Two great meals at Willi's which we intend on keeping as one of our Healdsburg mainstays...

Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar

403 Healdsburg Avenue
Healdsburg, CA 95448

(707) 433-9191

Sunday - Thursday 11:30 - 9:30
Friday - Saturday: 11:30 - 10:00

Hauoli la hanau!

2011-10-23T12:59:00.002-10:00

Had a little B-Day bash at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas last night with the regular wine crew and some other old friends. As usual, we had WAY TOO MUCH wines... well, I guess it was my fault since I carted 2 & 1/2 cases for the event (plus guests also brought a load of wines). We started the evening with a pair of Champagnes; the Ariston Aspasie Brut de Fut and the Michel Arnould Grand Cru Rose.

To pair with the Champagnes, guests sampled the Hiroshi Rice Crackers with Balsamic Pepperoncini Aioli, the Duo of Sushi, Fried Calamari and Chef Keith even made my one special request, Truffled French Fries (Champagne's natural food partners are sushi and fried faire).

From there the bottles were uncorked fast and furious reading like this:

1970 Philippe Remy Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
1970 Dom. Prince Florent de Merode Corton Les MarechaudesGrand Cru
1976 Dom. Joseph Matrot Blagny 1er Cru Piece Sous Le BoisRouge
1979 Bouchard Pere et Fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru LesPerrieres
1991 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Bosconia" GranReserva Rioja
1974 Gianni Gagliardo Barolo Ribezza Riserva Speciale La Morra
1996 Paitin Barbaresco Sori Paitin
1995 Friggiali Brunello di Montalcino
1996 Noel Verset Cornas
1967 Nenin, Pomerol
2007 Ryan Sonoma Coast House Blend Pinot Noir
2005 Sine Qua Non Atlantis FeO3 1b
1994 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon
1961 Las Collas Rivesaltes
1964 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Rautenstrauch RieslingAuslese
1988 Chateau Suduiraut

We also sampled my fave; Carpaccio

Grilled Ceasar Salad

Vegetarian Gnocchi

Trofie Pasta

Braised Pork with Beans

and Mary's Organic Chicken

In place of dessert, we provided guests with Dark Chocolate with Grey Salt Caramels and Milk Chocolate with Smoked Sea Salt Caramels and Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Cookies.

We then moved to the last group of Champagnes:

1993 Dom Perignon Oenotheque

1996 Dom Perignon Oenotheque
1995 Henriot Enchanteleurs
1995 KrugWay too much wine, way too much food but always a great time with good friends!

Bulk Up That Diet

2011-10-21T15:15:00.001-10:00

Americans tend to have a very narrow view of what a dietis or what it means. It frequently is used simply in the context of losingweight. "Can't have that, I'm on a diet". "Which diet are youfollowing"? "How much weight have you lost on diet X (fill in theblank), Y (fill in the blank) or Z (fill in the blank)"? Well, the worddiet has Latin (diaeta) or Greek (diaita) roots meaning "way ofliving". So unless your life involves constantly making a concerted effortto lose weight, you should be concerned with the appropriate diet. That is, thedaily diet you consume that doesn't hasten your appointment with the maker orconstantly makes you seek out that other... diet.

When it comes to food, nutrition and weight, there is nomagic. This is one of the few instances where simple math is correct. One plusone does equal two. Five minus one does equal four. You can consume pure lardand still lose weight as long as the energy you burn exceeds the energy youconsume. And while deprivation diets can make you shed excess pounds faster thanFrosty in the desert, once you go back to your standard diet that made you puton those excess pounds in the first place, those excess pounds return with avengeance. I say vengeance because if all we do is deprive ourselves ofcalories, we'll lose some fat tissue (good) along with some lean tissue (not sogood) and water (can be replaced within hours). Then once we're off thedeprivation diet - if we do nothing else other than go back to our usual eatinghabits - we put that weight right back on. With a slight difference. Some ofthe initial weight loss was lean tissue, when it packs back on its simply fattissue so even if our weight doesn't exceed previous levels, we're now"fatter" than before. And fat tissue doesn't burn calories, it simplystores calories. Lean tissue is the furnace that burns calories and we lostsome of it due to the deprivation diet. Add several cycles of this deprivationdiet (on top of simply getting older which usually lowers our basal metabolicrate) and now you have a middle aged person who may be the same weight as 10years ago but much "fatter".

So What's a Personto Eat?

As I've mentioned many times before, there are only 3types of macronutrients that account for all of our caloric intake: Protein,fat and carbohydrate. When it comes to protein, we want to look for leanersources of protein like poultry breasts instead of thighs or pork tenderloin orloin in place of butt or shoulder. Or how about tenderloin steaks in place ofribeye or strip. Most supermarkets also sell various mixtures of ground beeffrom 75% lean all the way up to 93% lean which would be the preferable mixture.Adding seafood protein also keeps the fat at bay as most seafood items are lowin fat and the fat found in cold water fish tend to carry their fair share ofpossibly beneficial fats in the form of omega-3 fatty acids.

When it comes to fat, these also come in all forms fromthe artery clogging saturated fats to the healthier Mediterranean monounsaturatedfats found in nuts and olive oil to the wide range of polyunsaturated fatsfound in walnuts, canola oil and cold water fish. The general rule of thumb forfats is that if it's solid at room temperature, it's not good for you but ifit's liquid it's a better choice.

Finally for carbohydrates, look for whole grain, not justcolor. Often bread is labeled as containing "whole wheat" and sinceit's colored brown, it's understandable that it could be mistaken for 100%whole wheat when all it actually contains is 10% whole wheat and colored withmolasses. Along with bread and rice, whole grains are also found in pasta. Andthey cook a lot better than the whole wheat pasta of old. For starters, manycompanies are now using hard white wheat which gives the finished whole grainpasta an appearance like regular pasta and it cooks just as nicely. Of courseanother carbohydrate is that form that we can't digest and simply passes rightthrough our system. And that carbohydrate is fiber.

Not AlwaysRoughage

I know what you're thinking; isn't fiber simply that brancereal at the supermarket? Or is it Metamucil? Well, fiber comes in all shapesand sizes. First of all, they are classified as insoluble and soluble fiberwith the insoluble variety being your wheat bran cereal, most fibrous veggies(celery, green beans, tomato skin, corn) and are what previously was termed"roughage". The stuff that keeps you "regular". Thenthere's soluble fiber which usually are starches that we can't digest like the raffinoses,stachyoses and verbacoses in beans or the pectin found in many fruits andvegetables or the mucilaginous gums found in guar gum and gum arabic. Some ofthese indigestible starches are partially digested by bacteria in our lowertract like inulin which produces short chain organic acids that may facilitatethe absorption of calcium, iron and magnesium. Fermentable fibers such asinulin are commonly found in chicory root - that's why you see chicory listedas an ingredient in many "high fiber" bars, crackers and cereals. Thesesoluble fibers also potentially bind to bile acids thus reducing our levels ofserum cholesterol. And from a dietary standpoint, dietary fiber have negligiblecalories so they don't contribute to the "battle of the bulge" andsince they do take up space in the stomach during mealtime, you're more likelyto consume less of those other foodstuffs that make you go on that other diet.

DietaryRecommendations

The American Dietetic Association recommends that adultsget 20 to 35gm of dietary fiber every day (daily recommendations for childrenare 5gm plus age) though most Americans only get about one-half of the dailyrecommendations. Why so little fiber? Well, most processed and fast foods aredevoid of fiber because they are produced to sell. And you sell food productswith taste... which usually means extra fat or salt (when was the last time youheard someone comment on the exquisite flavor the wheat bran added to thosemuffins)? And since food manufacturers concentrate on sales and not health, youhave to make that extra effort to get your daily fiber.

But what about the side effects? You know, those"musical" side effects of fiber. As I recommend to all of mypatients, "start low and go slow". Though we can't digest thosestarches or gums, that doesn't mean our intestinal flora can't and boy do theydo a good job! And perchance one of those musical tunes does escape, simplyturn to face your offended audience and state "On behalf of my E Coli, I'dlike to apologize for their impudence, this always happen when they consumeinulin".

I previously posted a version of this recipe about 5years ago in my article "The Many Faces of Surimi". However back thenthe focus was on surimi, this round it's on fiber and foods we can consume aspart of our everyday diet:

The Gochiso’sSurimi & Broccoli Pasta Salad

4 broccoli crowns

8 plum tomatoes, ripe but firm

8 ounces imitation crab flavored surimi

6 ounces real crab

1 & ½ cups whole grain pasta (available from Barillaand Safeway)

1 to 1 & ½ cups canola oil mayonnaise

2 tbsp brown mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain andcool pasta. Trim broccoli to bite sized pieces and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Cool broccoli then mix withpasta. Chop tomatoes to large bite sized

pieces and mix with broccoli mixture. Cut surimi to bitesized pieces – don’t flake the surimi, cut it or leave it in chunks and mix with broccolimixture. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, honey,sesame oil, crab and salt/pepper. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss until it’s evenly coated.Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Serves 18 (1 cup portions)

Per serving: Calories 158

                           Fat                                4.7gm
                           Saturatedfat                 negligible
                           Fiber                            4.3gm
                           Carbohydrate               18gm
                                Protein                                8gm

Hiroshi's October Locally Grown Menu

2011-10-10T08:55:00.001-10:00

I had to leave my kids at their temporary (only a 2 week stay) day care yesterday and since we already were at Hiroshi's we decided to sample his October Locally Grown Menu. The Mrs has developed a craving for the Lychee Gin Fizz with Beefeater gin and lychee puree instead of her usual glass of Prosecco while I started with the Citrus Thyme consisting of Toschi limoncello, Dolin blanc and fresh thyme. Great refreshing cocktails to start the meal.

Before the Locally Grown Menu was served, we also indulged in one of their monthly King Crab specials (usually offered on the first Friday and Saturday of each month). This round we selected the Butter Poached King Crab on squid ink pasta and Ho Farms long beans and red jalapeno. Ever since first sampling butter poached shellfish (I cook my supermarket purchased frozen lobster tails this way to "rehydrate" them), I converted to this method. And Hiroshi's version didn't disappoint with easy-to-access crab legs (they sliced portions of the shell off) on perfect pasta and a slight touch of heat from the jalapeno to balance the buttery richness.

I ordered a bottle of 2006 Furst Spatburgunder Tradition (Pinot Noir) which had subtle fresh red berry, dried Asian spice, white pepper and a touch of dried orange peel and mineral on the nose with medium mouth feel and seamless palate flow. If you haven't tried German Pinot Noir, I recommend jumping on the bandwagon.

We then moved on to the First Course:

Sizzlin’ Kona Kampachi Sushi

young ginger, tobiko & soy reduction, white truffle oil

You got an immediate hit of truffle aroma which them transitioned to rich kampachi which was balanced by the ginger and soy.

Second Course

Seared Ahi Nicoise Salad

Shintaku haricot verts, Hauula tomato, quail egg, nicoise olives & red potato with Dijon mustard vinaigrette

I always love any rendition of Nicoise Salad and this didn't disappoint with baby romaine and seared ahi. It also paired nicely with the Spatburgunder!

Main Course

Panko Seared Opah

shiso, konbu musubi & yuzu brown butter sauce

Served on a rich brown butter sauce, this dish hit all flavor and textural sensations with crisp then succulent opah, buttery richness offset by the sharp fresh shiso then the dried shiso in the musubi.

Sweet Course

Kula Strawberry “Tiramisu”

strawberry azuki ice cream

We've tried this dessert before and though I'm a believer in traditional espresso flavored tiramisu, Hiroshi's strawberry version is very good. As great as dinner was, I'm looking to reuniting with the kids in another 2 weeks...

Dinner @ Indigo

2011-10-09T21:48:00.000-10:00

We had a "Baby Shower" dinner for the Mrs' co-worker last night at Indigo. I use quotations as the child in question is already 5 months old though I haven't seen the Mrs' work crew for almost a year. I started the evening with the Sake-tini which is Skyy vodka with Gekkeikan sake and fresh cucumber and ginger. Quite refreshing and at $4 during happy hour (up until 8pm), a good deal. I selected the Steamed Bamboo Leaf Wrapped Mochi Rice with Kalua Pork ($9.50) which was a play on the traditional sticky rice at dim sum restaurants. It included a chili garlic sauce dip which rounded out the flavors.

The Mrs started with the Grilled Chive Flat Bread with hummus, baba ghanoush, yogurt dip and balsamic vinegar ($6). The flat bread was nice and chewy (probably their standard pizza dough) with little dippin' "sauces" as described.

I then progressed to Buddha's Feast ($22) which was a tofu and mushroom "Wellington" served with cannelini beans, asparagus and cherry tomatoes on a raspberry gastrique(?). With the mushroom duxelle, I think it would have been better to keep that earthier theme going throughout the dish (maybe with roasted root vegetables instead) and a richer sauce but this dish had flavor sensations going in all directions but not exactly in harmony.

The Mrs sampled the Moroccan Chicken ($28) which was a roulade stuffed ham, salami and boiled egg and this was served with a vegetable b'stilla or fillo dough wrapped savory pie and stuffed zucchini blossoms.

For dessert, S's brother made the baby shower themed cake(s) of baby blocks complete with the child's name (I think it was mispelled by one letter). The sugary fondant and chocolate interior gave it the taste of an oreo cookie with icey filling and chocolate exterior. Great job with the dessert!

Here are photos of other dishes sampled by diners last night - I didn't dig into everyone else's food so I can't describe how they tasted.

Based on cost, I'll still return for their weekday lunch buffets as I feel it's one of the better lunch buffets on the island. Dinner... perhaps I'll pay Epic another visit...

Dinner @ Nordstrom Cafe

2011-10-07T21:37:00.007-10:00

Had an errand at Ala Mo's after work so once that was done, it was time for dinner. Since we already were at Nordstrom and the Cafe didn't look too crowded, we dropped in for some small-kine grinds. I was about to order the Panko & Ginger Crusted Chicken Salad but realized they had a Roasted Duck Pizza... We split a Pear, Candied Nut and Bleu Cheese Salad on mixed greens.

I also had a glass of 2009 Estancia Pinot Noir with loads of red cherry and a touch of dried Asian spice. I then dove into my Roasted Duck Pizza which was CPK-like with just enough white cheese to hold the duck and a sweeter hoisin & five spice flavored sauce. After baking it was sprinkled with a Napa cabbage slaw and fried won-ton strips. Great with the Pinot!

The Mrs opted for the Capellini with Spicy Shrimp which thankfully didn't have too much heat (I hate copiously perspiring in restaurants).

We ended the meal with the Cinnamon Apple Bar which basically was a cinnamon laced shortbread cookie sandwich filled with apple jam. Ok but nothing to write home about.

What makes this cafe great is the excellent Nordstrom service! The same service you'll find in all of the other departments.

Date Night @ Vino

2011-10-02T14:11:00.000-10:00

Okay, we HAD to drop by last night because I had to finalize the menu for my B-Day Bash. I started with a glass of the 2009 Maestracci E Prove Vermentino (3.75/5) which had refreshing citrus and mineral right up front and a clean flow over the palate while the Mrs started with glass of the Litchi Gin Fizz from Hiroshi's side of the bar. We then sampled the special Bruschetta with Crab, Corn and Red Jalapeno with an Arugula and Tomato Salad. Nice rich crab and mayo cut every so often by the slight jalapeno spice. I sampled this with a glass of the 2010 Fillaboa Albarino (3.5/5) which had good acid to cut through the rich crab spread but also with nice fruit to match the sweetness of the crab.

Since the Spring specials may soon be replaced and since zucchini blossoms are also a seasonal thing, we ordered the Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Hamakua Mushrooms. Richness and crunch atop toasted bread is always good...

Since I opted not to serve the Waialua Asparagus with Roasted Mushrooms and Truffled Egg (just because it doesn't look as appetizing once the broken egg yolk starts to cool), I ordered it last night and it was as good as ever.

At this point, we asked Chuck to "blind" us with a red wine - we ordered the Mary's Organic Chicken and Vintage Steak as entrees. Chuck brought the carafe out - I initially got a hit of black olives, raspberry, pebbles and violets. Because the earth wasn't pronounced and the fruit initially came through, I assumed this was a cold climate New World Syrah, perhaps from Anderson Vally or Mendocino. As the wine had more time to air, the black olive and mineral notes were still there and since it wasn't very heavy on the palate (but had a seamless flow), I changed my mind to Old World. Perhaps a younger vintner from Cornas or something just outside of Hermitage. At least this time I got the right grape, yes it was Syrah but it was a 2006 Patrick Jasmin Cote Rotie (4.25/5).

The crisp chicken skin and the succulent meat was as good as ever...

While the vintage steak also pleased (both entrees paired well with the Cote Rotie).

The Mrs finished dinner with a Lemon Cake with Adzuki Ice Cream.

While I sampled tasting portions of the 2008 Ripanuda Chianti Classico (3.75/5) which had loads of leather and tobacco and a medium finish, the 2007 Kenneth-Crawford Turner Vineyard Pinot Noir (3.5/5) whihc had muted cherry, dried spice and mineral notes and a medium mouth feel and the 2009 Joncier Lirac Classique (4/5) which was like a toned down CdP but with great balance and a great palate flow.

Next week, start moving the party supplies to Vino.

Pau Hana Dinner in K-Town

2011-09-25T17:18:00.003-10:00

This past Friday, we had a little potluck at the K's abode. Though we often go to potluck dinners - mainly with the S's on Wilhemina Rise, I was a sukoshi bit anticipating Friday's dinner since E usually does all of the cooking if you're fortunate enough to be invited to their house. And he usually doesn't let anyone in the kitchen. Since C was was out of town, I guess E loosened and decided on the potluck dinner. However since a chef's kitchen is their personal domain, I prepped everything ahead of time with last minute prep just after getting home on Friday.That meant constant cooking or shopping during the preceding week.

Monday
Stop at Marukai after work to pick up several trays of pork belly for slow braised shoyu pork belly or rafute. Berkshire pork just about to hit pull date and only 2 trays left. Grab 4 trays of local pork belly. A couple frozen lobster tails for the salad. Leeks for the foir gras tartlet.. none. I'll just go with various onions.Crimini for the pasta... the trays look pretty bad. Only 2 trays look ok, I'll grab those. One hand of ginger for the pork belly. Reduced for quick sale fried rice (hey, it's 20% off and I wasn't planning on cooking when I got home). One bottle of Dewazakura Oka sake... why? Because I'm already here (it wasn't specifically needed for any recipe).

Next stop, Foodland in Kailua. Why not stop in Kaneohe? Kailua has produce not found in Kaneohe and I need some frozen foie gras from R Field anyway. Radicchio, 2 heads. Fennel, 2 large bulbs. More crimini mushrooms. One tray of ground veal - any red veal from the Big Island? Nope, I'll just grab the mainland stuff in the tray. One can of beef broth. Fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme and dill from Nalo Farms. Refrigerated pie crust. Onions - red, white and yellow since leeks aren't available. And don't forget the frozen foie gras from R Field.

Tuesday
Chop the onions after work then saute until caramelization starts occuring. Salt and pepper then some fresh thyme and a touch of good balsamic vinegar to finish. Refrigerate.

Wednesday
Brown the skin on the pork belly then simmer for 1 hour reserving the pork stock.

Thursday
Slice the pork belly to 3 inch squares then slow braise for another 2 hours in shoyu, sugar, Awamori, fresh ginger and garlic. The extra pork stock wasn't actually needed but I'll keep it anyway. The Mrs already sliced my mushrooms and found endive (Thursday was her day off). Cook the ground veal in olive oil then add chopped garlic, minced fresh rosemary, crimini, salt and pepper then add red wine, beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Finally, lightly poach the 3 lobster tails (the Mrs also picked up some large shrimp but I'll poach those tomorrow). Blind bake the tartlet shells, cool and refrigerate. Chill the Nicholas Feuillatte Rose and the 2003 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey.

Friday
Reheat the veal ragu, boil the pappardelle then combine. One down. Chop the endive, radicchio and thinly slice the fennel and set aside. Mix the dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and Metaxa... I don't have 7 Star so I'll have to "sacrifice" Grand Fine Metaxa. Salt and pepper. Poach the shrimp, toss the Metaxa vinaigrette with the veggies then top with the poached shellfish (good thing C is in Idaho since she's allergic to shellfish). Two down. Reheat the shoyu pork belly with a little mirin. Three down. Reheat the triple onions, add to the bottom of the tartlets, Cube and brown the foie gras (saving the drippings for popcorn of course) then place a cube on the onions and re-bake slightly until warmed. Pack everything and go making it exactly at 7:00pm. The Mrs made her Orange Olive Oil Cake topped with Sea Salt the day before.

I neglected to photograph every dish... mainly because of the prep involved and I was just glad to finally sit down to enjoy dinner. E roasted some local Big Island steaks and made a cool mixed salad along with assorted salumi and pate while J made lomi salmon on a stick and G made a crostini with rare beef and horseradish sauce.

The Gochiso Gourmet's menu looked like this:

Endive, Radicchio and Fennel Salad with Poached Lobster & Shrimp and a Metaxa Vinaigrette
NV Nicholas Feuillatte Rose (the photo is E's Rose, not mine)

Triple Onion and Foir Gras Tartlets
2003 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey Sauternes

Slow Braised Shoyu Pork Belly
2008 Aubert UV Vineyard Pinot Noir

Veal and Crimini with Red Wine Sauce and Rosemary with Pappardelle
2001 Cavallotto Vigna San Guiseppe Riserva Barolo

Orange & Olive Oil Cake with Sea Salt

Whew! That's a lot of prep work during the work week. But you know what? It was TOTALLY WORTH IT! Food, wine and music with good company is what life is all about!

Odyssey of the Salmon

2011-09-24T11:17:00.000-10:00

Need to keep moving... brown bear, dart right... currentgetting stronger, must be a waterfall... final kick then leap... whoa! anotherbrown bear, whew!... so tired but need to get to the shallows... to spawn...then die...

Both the beginning and the end of the odyssey of thecoho, chum, king, red, pink, silver and sockeye salmon. Beginning in pristinefresh water streams, migration and maturity at sea only to return to the exactbirthplace facing a treacherous gauntlet of brown, black and grizzly bears,waterfalls and sometimes manmade dams all the while undergoing a physicalmetamorphosis that transforms an attractive fish to a gnarly beast of a fish.And if successful, the reward being a final spawn then death. All I know isthat if I return as a salmon, I'll be that one lazy salmon who simply loungesin the pristine icy oceans off of Alaska. Spawn? Nope, don't feel the need.

Should I Look forFarmed Salmon?

Since wild salmon go through so much just to spawn,should I seek out farm raised salmon to "protect" the wild variety.According to The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, NO! For starters theyrecommend wild Alaskan salmon which is harvested via drift gillnet, purse seineor trolled and regulated to maintain sustainability. The issue with most farmedsalmon - especially those raised in offshore cages - is that this artificialcrowding of salmon in enclosed pens increases the chances of parasiticinfections not to mention a lot more salmon waste released into the surroundingwaters. And on occasion these penned salmon do escape from their enclosures andcan now infect the wild strain in the open ocean. And salmon farming doesrequire quite a lot of salmon feed, namely protein. So much so that theyconsume a lot more protein than they'll ever produce for market. The SeafoodWatch guide does recommend as an alternative, US tank raised farmed salmonwhich doesn't pollute offshore waters, eliminates the possibility of salmonescape and frequently employs salmon meal as the primary food versus possiblydepleting another species of fish just to feed the salmon. Personally, I justlook for wild salmon (which usually is listed on the packaging) since mostmarkets rarely tell you if it's tank farmed versus open water farmed. Plus Ifeel that wild salmon has a natural salmon color versus the astaxanthin andcanthaxanthin fortified feeds for farmed salmon (it either gives the flesh anexaggerated red color or a faint yellow-orange tinge).

Salmon Nutrition

Other than its vivid salmon hue, the thing that setssalmon apart from most other seafood or protein sources is its abundance ofomega-3 fatty acids. Namely these are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) anddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which really can't be produced by humans, even ifyour diet is fortified with its precursor alpha-linolenic acid. There are manystudies that show potential cardiovascular benefits of the long chain omega-3fatty acids though cumulative study analysis hasn't concluded without a doubtthey these compounds actually do what is claimed. At the very least, if you'reconsuming salmon protein it probably means you're consuming less beef, pork ordairy protein along with the nasty saturated fat associated with those proteinsources.

There are also newer claims that the long chain omega-3fatty acids may also improve a wide variety of psychiatric conditions frombipolar disorder to depression to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Though I'm not convinced of these claims, several psychiatric organizationsfeel strong enough to recommend supplementing the diets of all of theirpatients with 1 to 6 grams of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. Personally if Ido need supplementation, I'd rather accomplish it with a nice serving of salmon(or other fatty cold water fish) than with a Lovaza or fish oil capsule.

Salmon Cuisine

I love salmon in all forms though my favorite applicationis raw or rare. In the 50th, a fish staple is poke (po-keh) which is cubed raw fish mixed with a variety ofseasoning such as shoyu, seaweed, chiliflakes, green onion, white onion and kukui nut. One of my current favorites issalmon poke which is cubed raw salmonseasoned with shoyu and wasabi mixed with finely sliced cabbage.The slight crunch of the cabbage contrasts the silky texture of the fish whilethe occasional wasabi hit balances the richness of the salmon fat. And my localsupermarket apparently didn't give pricing much thought - the salmon poke goes for $9.99 per pound but pricesfor the salmon filet are $12.99 per pound. So I continue to purchase a lot of thisitem.

I also enjoy pseudo-cooked salmon or cold smoked salmon.Most people enjoy these silky salty slices with cream cheese on a bagel. Iprefer mine chopped and made into a luscious spread as a favorite wine orchampagne appetizer or as a luxurious sandwich spread. And since I purchase mysmoked salmon from the big box retailers, the cost is relatively affordable.Since the salmon, capers and canned olives carry their fair share of salt, nosalt needs to be added.

The GochisoGourmet's Smoked Salmon Spread

1 lb of lox or other cold smoked salmon, roughly chopped

1/2 large sweet white or red onion, thinly sliced
5 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
1 heaping tbsp of capers, drained and rinsed
One-half 4.25 ounce can of chopped olives
2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
2/3 cup mayonnaise
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Roughly chop the smoked salmon and set aside. Slice theonion and celery to 1/4 inch widths then finely slice and add to the salmon.After draining, rinsing and squeezing out the excess water, roughly chop thecapers and add to the salmon. Mix in the olives, dill and marjoram then add themayonnaise, mix all ingredients and season with the black pepper. Chill for 1hour then serve with toast points, crackers or use as a sandwich spread.

I also do enjoy cooked salmon applications, one of myfavorite sushi items is the salmonskin roll. The deep fried salmon skin almost tasting like bacon but without allof that saturated fat. In fact I would attempt to make it myself but alas, Ihave no deep fryer. Another favorite cooked application is a recipedemonstrated by David Rosengarten years ago when the Food Network was still inits fledgling state. He wrapped bacon around a piece of raw salmon then broiledit just until the outer bits of the salmon cooked (and left the inside portionrare). He then made a "sauce" with minced garlic, chopped bacon, fresh chopped shiitake and oyster sauce mixed in plain water and added choppedfresh parsley. The expended bacon (it was used simply to baste the salmon) wasthen removed and the "sauce" spooned over the salmon. Served with afruity young Pinot Noir, I still crave this recipe every couple of months.

So if you too crave the flavor of salmon orsimply crave your daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids, get a nice pieceof salmon and go to it! Raw, cured, cooked, it's all good! But do it fastbefore the sustainable becomes unsustainable. Otherwise the capsule form andmemories will be all that's left...

Sunday Night Supper @ Le Guignol

2011-09-19T20:26:00.000-10:00

We had another Sunday Night Supper at Le Guignolrecently. I usually shy from these meals as Sunday evening is for"prepping" for the upcoming work week. However when good wines, greatfood and excellent company is on the menu, it's hard to say "no". Andthis past Sunday was no exception.

We started the evening with a pair of Chardonnays, onefrom Chablis and the other from Chassagne-Montrachet. The 2009 Savary Chablis (4/5)had chalk and fresh lemon on the nose with underlying mineral with a seamlesspalate flow of citrus and mineral with pleasing acidity and a medium finish.

The 2006 Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet (3.75/5) had lighterstone fruit and mineral on the nose with a touch of vanilla with a concentratedpalate and nice flow over the palate with a long finish.

I started with the Salad Lyonnaise with Pig Ears that hadthat perfect balance of savory (lardons), crunch (frisee), richness (egg yolk) andthe pleasing crunch of julienne pig ears.

The Mrs started with the Tomato Salad with Walnuts andBleu Cheese.

I uncorked a bottle of 2005 Jadot Gevrey Chambertin (4/5)which had ripe red fruit and a touch of black pepper and stone with goodconcentration on the palate and a medium long finish.

We also sampled a 2008 Graillot Crozes Hermitage (3.75/5)which had loads of red cherry and black pepper on the nose though it was stilltight on the palate and slightly tannic but in another 5 to 7 years, thisshould start to open beautifully.

I then gorged on the Pork & Duck Sausage seasonedwith fennel and served with apples and mustard

The Mrs selected the Baked Escargot which always is atreat.

For our entrees we uncorked a 1995 Chateau LeovilleBarton (4/5) which had loads of tobacco, mocha and red fruit on the nose withgood concentration on the palate but nicely balanced and a long finish. Maybe acouple of years from peaking, fortunately I have one bottle left.

The K's uncorked a bottle of Axios (4/5) which was nicecounter point to the Leoville Barton with major fruit concentration on the noseand palate but in balance with a very long finish.

I finally ordered the Filet Mignon on horseradish mashwith sauce Bordelaise which was "as tendah as buttah".

The Mrs selected the Roasted Rock Cod which was flakeyand delicious (though our wines were mainly for beef or pork since theChardonnays were long gone).

For dessert I opened a 2001 Chateau Suduiraut (4.75/5)which had very concentrated candied orange peel, a touch of coconut and petrolon the nose with a little white flowers with a rich and viscous palate and avery, very long finish (this begged for foie gras or Iberico Belota but nonewas on the menu).

I sampled the Baked Peach with Coconut Ice Cream

While the Mrs sampled the Olive Oil Cake with Bleu CheeseIce Cream

K then uncorked a bottle of Lanson Rose Champagne (4/5) whichhad green apple, citrus and mineral on the nose and a nice palate flow andmedium long finish.

A perfect way to end another Sunday Night Supper.

Another Saturday Night Supper @ Vino

2011-09-18T12:30:00.000-10:00

We had an errand to run at the Ala Moana Shopping Center yesterday afternoon so we decided to stop by Vino for dinner. I now carry a couple of bottles with me just in case any of the wine regulars also happen to drop in. As it turned out, almost everyone was there and in usual fashion, we closed the place. The evening started with trio of 2 ounce tastings - the Castello di Ama Rosato (3.75/5) which had strawberry and dried cranberry with mineral on the nose with a medium body, good palate flow and a medium finish, the 2009 Punta Crena Vigneto Ca da Rena Pigato (4/5) which had stone and stone fruit and concentrated citrus on the nose and a seamless over the palate with medium concentration and viscosity and a medium finish and the 2008 Ojai Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay (3.5/5) which had lighter stone fruit and citrus on the nose but a full concentrated palate with oak and butter and a very long finish.

We then sampled a special for the evening, the Seared Kahuku Shrimp which had shelled tails but still with the heads that were crispy fried (like Chinese salt and pepper shrimp) so you could consume the whole thing. This was served with Kahuku corn ravioli and homemade ricotta cheese with red jalapeno cream and a touch of truffle oil.

I then ordered another trio of 2 ounce tastings, the 2009 Cantina Terlan Pinto Bianco (3.75/5) with light citrus and mineral on the nose with a nice balance of fruit and mineral on the palate and a seamless flow and medium short finish, the 2009 Bouchard Bourgogne (chardonnay) (3.5/5) which had stone fruit and chalk on the nose with good concentration of stone fruit, citrus curd and mineral on the palate and a medium long finish and the 2009 Artazuri Old Vine Garnacha (3.75/5) which had concentrated ripe cherry with a touch of mocha and tobacco on the nose with a full but not heavy palate flow and a long finish. BBQ ribs anyone?

We also sampled the Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Hamakua mushrooms and cheese (gotta have them while they're in season).

And the Big Island Smoked Pork with Fresh Fettucine and Organic Egg. I love that runny egg yolk mixed right into the fettucine... almost like a breakfast pasta since the pork is almost ham-like...

The Mrs then finished the evening with the Banana Mousse Cake and the Plum Tarte...

...while I had the Salumi and Cheese Platter for dessert... hey, B and Co, the I's, the K's and K were joining our table with more vino...

I then uncorked a bottle of Michel Arnould Grand Cru Brut Rose (3.75/5) which had good apple and semi-dried red fruit with mineral and a touch of brioche on the nose and a medium mouth feel and good palate flow and a medium long finish.

Chuck also had us guess a "mystery wine" (3.75/5) - it had loads of earth and a touch of funk and gravel on the nose with medium concentration on the palate and a nice flow with a medium long finish. I was sure it was French, probably from the Rhone (I though it was primarily Syrah based) but not a Cornas. It was French... but not Rhone... it was Bordeaux from Haut-Medoc.

There was a 2nd mystery wine provided by the I's... again I bombed. I detected cherry so I assumed Grenache based like a Chateauneuf du Pape, especially there was loads of earth and a touch of tobacco. It was from Southern France but not the Rhone... from Bandol... which is pure Mourvedre. Guess I need to keep my day job...

Saturday Night Supper on Wilhemina

2011-09-13T19:44:00.000-10:00

We took a brief restaurant break on Saturday to have dinner with friends to discuss an upcoming trip. K did a Greek theme with Schwarma on Pita with all the fixins' and a Greek Salad while we did a mixed plate of Orzo Salad with Chicken & Feta, Garbanzo Salad with Pine Nuts & Sun Dried Tomatoes and my personal Truffled Mary's Organic Chicken Liver Pate along with Cilantro and Lime Shrimp (from Costco) and my Smoked Salmon Spread. I also brought three Rose Champagne - still contemplating which bottle to serve at my upcoming B-Day dinner.

The 1st bottle was a Fleury Rose NV (3.5/5) - Lemon & orange peel on the nose with dried red fruit with a pleasing mouthfeel and medium long finish.

Bottle #2 was a Bruno Michel Rose (4/5) - Loads of mineral and earth on the nose with dried red fruit. The minerality also jumps immediately onto the palate then is followed by fruit and a seamless flow and long finish.

Number 3 was a Philippe Gonet LeMesnil Oger Rose (3.75/5) - Lots of mineral and lemon on the nose with a lighter palate flow that was almost seamless and a medium finish.

My Truffled Chicken Liver Pate was accompanied by a Fig & Walnut Loaf (from Whole Foods).

My Smoked Salmon Spread

K's Lamb Shwarma with carmelized onions and garlic

I forgot to get a photo of the Mrs' two salads so here's a photo of our dinner plates

D also opened a bottle of 2007 Drew Savoy Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. This big boy could stand up to the heartiest of rib eyes...

I was too full for dessert but here's K's Deconstructed Ice Cream Sandwiches...

Now to get crackin' on the itinerary for our upcoming trip...

Mary's Organic Chicken and the Search for Poultry Perfection...

2011-09-07T18:53:00.000-10:00

I first tried Mary's Organic Chicken several weeks ago at Vino which was a special of the evening - simply roasted then the breast was served sliced complete with crispy skin. It might have been my imagination, too much wine or a combination of both but I (and the Mrs) thought that it had a dimension of flavor beyond your average supermarket chicken. Then a couple of weeks ago, Chef Keith braised this same product (a fresh batch, not the same chicken from weeks ago) in red wine and served it with papardelle... tender, fallin-offa-da-bone and perfect with lighter red wines. Of course through our wine gang, we discovered that Mary's Organic was also sold at none other than Whole Foods. What?! I can cook this same chicken myself? I'M SO THERE!

So we made a pilgrimage to Whole Foods this past weekend specifically for the chicken... (and a lot of other stuff). When we got home, I prepped the chicken thighs with chardonnay vine smoked salt and fresh cracked black pepper. I then prepped my mis en place of quartered criminis, rough chopped celery and fresh rosemary and thyme.

And sliced garlic:

First lightly brown the chicken in olive oil:

Then remove:

Then slightly brown the garlic with a little more olive oil:

Add the criminis and celery and once they begin to sweat, add the fresh herbs:

I chose this Argentinean Malbec for my braising wine, about half the bottle:

Add the chicken back and nestle within the herbal goodness, cover then place in a 275 degree oven for about 2 hours:

Almost ready to grind...

Voila! The finished product...

I tried this with both a 2005 Bonaccorsi Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir and a 2006 Kosta Browne Amber Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir but any lighter Sangiovese (Chianti), German or Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir or Tempranillo (Rioja) based wine would also work nicely.

And while I was a bit too lazy to prepare a starch side (too much cooking wine that went into the chef), any wide noodle pasta or even polenta would have worked. Bon Appetit and a Voitre Sante!

Hiroshi's Locally Grown Menu for September

2011-09-06T20:11:00.000-10:00

Since this past weekend also started a new month... which means a whole new Locally Grown Menu at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas, we decided to pay a visit to sample the new grinds. We also had Mom along for the ride so we sampled some of their house specialty cocktails:

The Citrus Thyme with Toschi limoncello, Dolin blanc and fresh thyme (like an herbal orange juice):

The Lychee Gin Fizz with Beefeater gin and lychee puree (a great starter or meal ender):

And the Ginger Martini with Hayman's Old Tom Gin and Stirrings Ginger Liquer (very strong syrupy ginger flavor):

We all ordered the Locally Grown Menu but since this was also Mom's early B-Day dinner, we also sampled the Portuguese Sausage Potstickers with braised choi sum and kim chi foam:

The Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp with scallion miso and green papaya salad:

And the Duo of Contemporary Sushi with cold smoked hamachi and miso glazed salmon:

I ordered a bottle of the 2009 CF "Eurasia" Dry Muller Thurgau to pair with dinner which had pineapple and mineral on the nose with a very nice palate flow and clean finish (and paired nicely with all three savory courses).

The Locally Grown Menu started with the Quick Oven Dried Ahi Salad on Hauula tomatoes. This dish was featured on the last kaiseki menu but it was paired with yellow tomatoes (which I felt worked a lot better) instead of red tomatoes and every bite was highlighted by julienne mint and shiso. I could have had a whole entree course of this salad!

Next up was the Sauteed Mahimahi on linguini with a bacon cauliflower puree. Nicely cooked mahimahi balanced by an earthy caulifower sauce with hints of bacon peeking through with every bite.

The last savory course was the Steamed Onaga on a roasted garlic, shoyu and brown butter sauce. A little rich due to the brown butter but the Muller Thurgau more than cleansed the palate between bites.

Dessert was an Island Banana Bread Pudding with sauce anglaise (think melted ice cream) and banana ice cream.

The damages? $35 per person (plus $13.95 for wine pairings) for the Locally Grown Menu and it changes every month. We spent a little more with our classic cocktails and extra appetizers but hey, it was Mom's B-Day dinner so we indulged. So if you want to sample the same, the menu runs on Sundays and Mondays for another 3 weeks.

What's for dinner?

2011-09-03T20:16:00.000-10:00

It's a three day weekend so what's for dinner? I just received my igourmet package which included Burrata from the Di Stefano creamery (and if you read Bon Appetit, it's Nancy Silverton's favorite domestic burrata served at La Mozza in LA as highlighted in this month's issue). If you haven't heard of burrata, it basically was created from the scraps of fresh mozzarella and wrapped around cream, straciatella or butter - sometimes even truffle infused ricotta - then wrapped in the leaves of the asphodel plant which indicated shelf life. If the leaves were still green, it was ok to eat. If the leaves were brown, it was past peak.

Of course, man (and woman) don't live by cheese alone so I opened a bottle of 2003 Palmina Sisquoc which is a nebbiolo based wine from Central CA. Loads of leather and underbrush (like true Barolo) but with a nice balance and palate flow (and perfect with mustard seed salami).

After slicing a ciabatta and including a simple "salad" of vine ripened cherry tomatoes tossed with good extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, chardonnay vine smoked sea salt and coarsely cracked black pepper, dinner looked like this:

Since we sampled a nebbiolo based wine, I also HAD to enjoy this simple dinner with a truffle infused mushroom spread (also from igourmet).

Often times, life is best with the simple things in life. Like a simple living room "picnic" with the Mrs...

August BYOB @ Vino

2011-08-28T19:08:00.010-10:00

We attended the recent Vino BYOB event with the crowd of usual "Wine Crazies". Chuck actually held the tasting to one table this time around. Though the Mrs worked this whole weekend, she couldn't pass on Mary's Organic Chicken (other than Vino, it's found only at Whole Foods) which was red wine braised instead of roasted. Since Chuck's wine pairing suggestions for the Shrimp and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms and the Red Wine Braised Mary's Organic Chicken with Fresh Papardelle were for lighter, ethereal wines I couldn't empty the storage (most of my wines are full bodied, knock-you-out wines). And since the Mrs worked the very next day, I was a bit restrained and only brought 3 bottles with me (I also brought a 1999 Charles Ellner Brut champagne as an apperitif or meal finisher - we had it after dinner).

We started with a plethora of whites (my personal choice was a 2007 Abraxas from Robert Sinskey which is a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Riesling):

Since this BYOB was attended mainly by "regulars", we skipped the "blinded" format of the tasting and sampled the wines then tried it with the anointed dish. It can get a bit overwhelming trying 10 different wines with one course so sampling the wines beforehand made that a little easier.

A salad was then served between the appetizer and entree courses:

We then progressed to the entree course which required red wines (my personal choice was a 2008 Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir from New Zealand):

The braised chicken was fallin-offa-da-bone tender and a reduction of red wine as a braising liquid is ALWAYS a good thing whether it's poultry or beef.

My favorite pairing for the evening were the Champalou Vouvray, Abraxas and Langhe Bianco with the Shrimp and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms and the Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir, Gramenon and the E's Mom's Jim Morrison inspired Merlot with the Braised Organic Chicken. Of course, all the wines were exceptional - I could listen to two sets of Coltrane with a bottle or two of the Punta Crena Mataossu. Looking foward to the next Vino BYOB event...

Affordable Summer Sippers

2011-08-25T18:02:00.000-10:00

About 1 month ago the Chronicle highlighted a Sunday article on "20 World-Class Wines You Should Know, All $20 Or Less". Which got me thinking... "I can also do a list of affordable wines"... Of course, the pockets of the Gochiso Gourmet don't run as deep as the San Francisco Chronicle or Hearst Communications... so here's my version: Six Wines at Less than $3.00 Per Glass, Gochiso Gourmet Style.

How did I come to my price point? Well, every standard bottle of wine yields five servings (5 ounce servings) unless you're Ruby Tuesday which does 6 ounce pours (four servings). The cheapest Happy Hour prices I've seen is $3 "house" drinks - most establishments tout $4 or $5 Happy Hour prices. Therefore $3 drinks are probably as affordable as you'll find anywhere. So I selected 6 wines that averaged just below the $3 per serving price point. And since I feel that wine should be part of a meal, I chose wines that were food friendly. And finally, since summer's last rays are rapidly fading, I chose wines for that last summer barbecue or outdoor party - In the 50th that means chilled selections to temper that stifling summer heat.

However unlike the Chronicle article, I didn't state what $$ I thought the wine tasted like since $$ cost and taste appreciation have no real correlation. One person's $50 quality wine is another's bleeechh! And semi-paraphrasing Duke Ellington, when asked what the "best" genre of music was, he stated there were only 2 types: Good music and bad music. Well, there are only 2 types of wines for your own palate - wines that you like and wines that you don't like.

The Lineup

2009 Shaya ($12.49)

2009 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Gris 66% Pinot Blanc 34% ($15.79)

2008 Palmina Santa Barbara County Dolcetto ($15.99)

2010 Corbieres Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris Rose ($15.49)

2009 Zenato Lugana San Benedetto ($13.49)

2010 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny ($15.29)

You may have noticed that I included one red wine among the white wine selections. That's because Dolcetto is a wine that can be slightly chilled and drinks more like a white wine than a red (like a dark Rose').

2009 Shaya (3.5/5)

Made from Verdejo in the Rueda region of Spain, this grape previously made oxidized, Sherry-like wines. However newer wine making techniques help retain the fresh, fruity qualities making this an ideal wine for all types of seafood and chilled hearty salads. Shaya produces their wine from 100% old vine Verdejo and there's pineapple, lime & citrus and mineral on the nose with a moderate mouth feel with good fruit concentration and acid and a medium long finish.

2009 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Gris 66% Pinot Blanc 34% (3.25/5)

Created by Jim Clendenen, the Mind Behind from a common grape varietal - Pinot Gris also known as Pinot Grigio - and a not so common grape - Pinot Blanc - which is mainly propagated in Austria and Germany. This quaffer has light stone fruit, dried mango and a touch of stone on the nose with a light mouth feel and medium light finish.

2008 Palmina Santa Barbara County Dolcetto (3.5/5)

Created by one of my favorite vintners, Steve Clifton (also of Brewer-Clifton fame), Palmina is the label of Steve and Chrystal Clifton. They specialize in Italian grape varietals - most under $30 per bottle - which also means that the wines are very food friendly. The Dolcetto grape (or little sweet one) initially was planted in the Piedmontese region as a "sacrifice" to native birds with hopes that they would consume the Dolcetto instead of the prized Nebbiolo grapes. This wine has fresh red berry with mineral on the nose and a very nice, almost seamless flow over the palate with a medium finish and pairs equally well with hearty seafood, poultry and chilled salads.

2010 Corbieres Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris Rose (3.75/5)

The winery itself was established in 1971 by the Laboucarie family but their winemaking roots go back another 300 years or so. This Rose is made primarily from Grenache Gris and Grenache Noir and has a nose with hints of dried strawberry and dried orange peel with mineral. The palate flow is almost seamless leading to a medium dry finish. Rose wines are the chameleons of the wine world as they pair with salads and seafood all the way up to poultry and pork and can be served as before dinner aperitifs as well.

2009 Zenato Lugana San Benedetto (3.25/5)

Made from 100% Trebbiano where it's also known as Ugni Blanc in France (the same grape that goes into fine Cognac), this wine has a nose of citrus and mineral and a rich palate of stone fruit and a medium long finish. While it may not be any one person's favorite white wine, it is agreeable with just about everyone (unless you only imbibe with the $50-plus per bottle crowd) and it pairs with most seafood and poultry dishes.

2010 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny (3.5/5)

Currently run by the 5th generation of the Delaille family, Cheverny Blanc is made primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and unlike its famous cousins in Sancerre with bracing acidity or Pouilly Fume with richer qualities, Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire mimic those found stateside with herbal, grassy qualities and pleasing acidity. This makes it perfect with raw seafood (think oysters on the half shell) as well as grilled poultry. And though it's meant to consume young, giving it a couple of years of bottle aging only increases the complexity of flavors.

The Summertime Six-pack

So there you have it, the Gochiso Gourmet's summertime six-pack. Of course, once the leaves begin to change you can still enjoy these wines. But there's just something about a cooler filled with ice and several bottles of good AND affordable wines served with grilled seafood, poultry and meat and chilled salads. For those living Stateside, fall and winter simply means refrigerator chilled wines and braised or roasted proteins instead of grilled. Of course in the 50th, we still grill all year long as even that winter "chill" of 75 degrees doesn't deter us from cooking outdoors.

In any case, if you would like to see the Gochiso Gourmet's "20 World-Class Wines You Should Know" in a future column, simply subscribe to the Nichi Bei Weekly in MASS! Get a subscription for every family member and friend. Purchase subscriptions for ALL of your Facebook friends too! Then the budget might allow for 20 or even more World-Class Wines You Should Know! Until then, I'm still writing on a six-pack budget. A voitre sante!

Sunday Dinner @ Le Guignol

2011-08-23T19:14:00.000-10:00

This past weekend the usual suspects in our wine gang made reservations at Le Guignol for Sunday dinner. Why Sunday? The guest of honor was a resident chef whom we frequently visit but rarely socialize with mainly because he works while we play. Sundays are his day off so Sunday reservations it is!... one minor problem... he didn't make it to dinner! Oh well, it's not like 9 incorrigible winos and foodies can't enjoy a meal with each other!

We started the evening with two Rose and two Chardonnays:

Domaine du Couron Rose

2008 Varner Bee Block Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay

2006 Fichet Bourgogne Blanc

2010 L'Hortus de Bergerie Coteaux du Languedoc Rose de Saignee

I personally wanted to compare two 1994 Cabs so I brought a 5th Growth from Pauillac: 1994 Chateau Clerc Milon

And a New World "1st" growth from Napa: 1994 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

We also sampled a plethora of reds:

2007 Twelve C Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Alta Maria Vineyards Bien Nacido Pinot Noir

2001 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve

2006 Dutton Estate Dutton-Thomas Road Vineyard Pinot Noir

2004 Duckhorn Howell Moutain Merlot

Knez Winery Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

1999 Cline Big Break Vineyard Late Harvest Mourvedre

But man and woman don't live by wine alone so we sampled Chef Ala's creations starting with the Calf's Liver:

Chorizo Stuffed Dates wrapped in Bacon with Red Pepper Sauce

Escargot

And Meatballs on Polenta

We then progressed to the entrees including Seared Duck Breast with Raspberry Gastrique:

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with Rosemary and Thyme

And Seared Tenderloin with Sauce Bordelaise

For dessert we sampled the Chocolate and Espresso Cake:

Cinnamon Croissant Pudding

And the Olive Oil Cake with Bleu Cheese Ice Cream

Chef Ala also made a special cheese course to end the meal by "blitzing" Brie in the oven until it was good and runny and topping it with sauteed mushrooms:

We also brought assorted caramel - dark chocolate covered with grey salt and milk chocolate covered with smoked salt and decadent caramel and chocolate topped shortbread cookies:

Once again, dinner was SUPERB! The wines AWESOME! And the company ALWAYS A PLEASURE! The Caymus Cab was holding very nicely (I initially thought that once the big fruit subsided, there wouldn't be much structure - WRONG), the Clerc Milon also was aging very nicely (though both were my last 1994s) and the late harvest Mourvedre paired nicely with the chocolate desserts. The Twelve C should evolve nicely (a lot like a young Caymus Special Selection) while B's white burgundies are always a treat (esp with escargot). Both Pinots also were very good, especially with the duck and big reds are always a nice way to finish a meal (Champagne also makes a great closer). The chorizo stuffed dates were a revelation (I'm thinking of "stealing" Chef Ala's idea) and though my duck was great, the filet mignon looked killer (and the pork loin tasted killer). The only thing I'd change would be having dinner on a Saturday night or at least an evening where we didn't all have to go to work the next day...

Impromptu Date Night @ Vino

2011-08-21T14:20:00.000-10:00

We decided to check out the Made in Hawaii Festival at the Blaisdell Center yesterday afternoon. I used to attend these things early Saturday morning to find parking in the Blaisdell structure... NO MORE! If I go again, I'm getting there in the late afternoon when everyone is done for the day. Aisles you can actually walk through and aside from bread that sells out, "laytah is mo bettah"!

Anyway, the Mrs knew she was hungry when she started looking at cookies being sold and actually sampling some... so off to dinner. But where? The Mrs chose Vino (no arguments here). Vino was as busy as I've ever seen the place with several large parties and loads of Lychee Martinis being ordered so we took a seat at the bar. The Mrs ordered her usual Prosecco and I started with a taste trio of 2009 Chateau Lascaux Syrah blend, 2001 Girasole Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah and 2008 Domaine Gallety Cotes du Vivarais Grenache/Syrah blend. All good though the Girasole stood a little taller. We then sampled the Cheese and Salumi Platter with white cheddar, Port Salut and Gouda with hard salami, sopressata and coppa.

There were several specials so we sampled the Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms stuffed with porcini and fresh ricotta. Nice crunch from the blossom followed by creamy ricotta and earthy porcini.

Since the Mary's Organic Chicken was on the menu, the Mrs HAD to order it. Roasted with crisp skin over white beans, tomatoes and broccolini. I know it may sound bogus, but this Mary's organic chicken does taste better than your basic supermarket variety. I had a glass of 2010 Neyers "304" Chardonnay with the chicken and even spoke with winemaker Bruce Neyers (who was dining at the opposite end of the bar) complimenting him on his superb chardonnays.

We also had the Big Island Smoked Pork with Fresh Fettuccine mixed nicely with the easy-over fried egg. I noticed that the pork wasn't as salty as usual (which was a good thing).

After the rush died down, Chef Endo brought us a sampling of his homemade Mortadella. Complete flecked with pistaccios and served with cracked pepper and olive oil.

He's experimenting with creating salumi - in fact he has several salumi curing as we speak (making each batch in 3 day intervals) though it won't be fully cured until late Fall... Oh well, something to look foward to...