Food: Sotto Voce

We kicked off 2009 with a special package awaiting us at our front door--a lovely set of Sotto Voce hand-bottled Olio Santo and Aceto Balsamico from a thoughtful friend who knows the owners of Sotto Voce. Since we had just come home from the holidays, our fridge was empty so I hoofed it to the nearest market, picked up a baguette, came home and plopped myself down in a chair in front of the kitchen table with elbows propped on the table (sorry Mom) and devoured about half the baguette dipped in the oil and vinegar with some shaved Parmesan Reggiano. Pure heaven.

The Washington-based company has a small outpost in Pike Place Market not too far from the original Starbucks, and in addition to a variety of flavored vinegars, produces about 8 varieties of flavored olive oils with the original, Olio Santo, described as "a tasty blend of rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and mild chili flavors." Aceto Balsamico is described as " Spicy, but oh so tasty! Modenaceti Balsamic Vinegar infused with whole garlic cloves, crushed red peppers & whole red chilis!" The combination of the two is oh so yummy! Those of you who have frequented Piatti's restaurants may find the blend reminiscent of their oil and vinegar served with the house bread.

After experiencing the Olio Santo and Aceto Balsamico I promptly ordered 3 sets for friends who would enjoy it. They make wonderful hostess gifts as well; not only are they delicious, but the bottles are beautiful on the kitchen counter. www.sottovoce.com



Photo from www.sottovoce.com

Los Angeles Favorites: In N'Out Burger

Okay, okay, I know that In N'Out now has locations in Nevada and Arizona as well as in Northern California, but the fact that it got its start in Baldwin Park, CA, renders it an LA favorite for me. Those familiar with the drive through menu recognize the simplicity of it: hamburger, cheeseburger, or a double double with shakes and sodas offered along with fries.

Many are also aware of the "secret menu," an off-menu list that prepares the basic three choices, fries, and shakes in a variety of combinations. I have only tried one item off the "secret menu," and that is the Protein-Style cheeseburger and double double. A former co-worker of mine who was really into the Atkins diet and weightlifting first clued me into this delish preparation. Basically, you can get any burger (regular hamburger, cheeseburger, or double double) sans bun, wrapped in iceberg lettuce. I pretty much now always order the double-double protein style with grilled onions (you must ask for grilled onions!) and justify my fries by the fact that I'm missing my starch in the bun. For you calorie-counters out there, I checked the nutritional facts on the In N'Out website and taking the bun off saves you a mere 70 calories. Now I think you've guessed by my previous entries that I'm not exactly an adherent to the Atkins diet (nor of any other diet in particular), but for those of you who are watching their carbs, the Protein-Style burger is a worthy indulgence.

The Secret Menu

For the basic "official" secret menu:
http://www.in-n-out.com/secretmenu.asp

For an even more comprehensive secret menu taken from Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-n-Out_Burger_menu_items#The_Secret_menu

M by C
M meat patties and C slices of cheese (for example, a 3 by 3 or a 2 by 4)
Triple Meat
Three meat patties without cheese.
Animal Style
In addition to the usual condiments, mustard fried on the meat, pickles, extra spread and grilled onions are added.
Animal Style Fries
Fries with cheese, spread, and grilled onions.
Double Meat
Two meat patties without cheese.
Extra Everything
Adds extra spread, tomato, lettuce, and onions (regular or grilled).
Flying Dutchman
Two meat patties and two slices of melted cheese.
Extra Toast
Bun is cooked longer so it is extra toasted.
Fries "Light"
Almost raw fries that are cooked for less time.
Fries "Well"
Fries that are cooked longer to be extra crisp.
Fries with cheese
Fries with two slices of melted cheese placed on top.
Grilled Cheese
Two slices of melted cheese, tomato, lettuce and spread on a bun, with no meat. There is also a Grilled Cheese Animal Style (grilled onions are added).
Choco-Vanilla Swirl Shake
Chocolate and vanilla flavors combined in one shake.
Neapolitan Shake
All three shake flavors (strawberry, vanilla and chocolate) combined in one shake.
Root Beer Float
Vanilla shake with root beer combined.
Protein Style
Instead of a bun, the burger is wrapped in lettuce. In addition to burgers, a protein style Grilled Cheese is available.
Veggie Sandwich
A sandwich without meat or cheese.
Spread
Extra packets of refrigerated Thousand Island dressing in packages marked "Spread".
Lemon up
1/2 lemonade 1/2 7-up.

www.in-n-out.com for locations

Los Angeles Favorites: El Torito Grill's Guacamole

Southern California has some great Mexican food including some restaurants that serve very traditional Mexican cuisine. Although I know that the best places are traditionally holes in the wall, I head to an established chain when I want good guacamole. El Torito Grill is a favorite stop for me when I head back home. There is nothing more satisfying that plopping down in one of their booths after a day of shopping in or walking around Beverly Hills and waiting for their signature guacamole to be prepared tableside while downing an iced tea. I always order it extra spicy (still not zippy enough for me) and topped with cotija cheese. On recent visits, the flavor has not always been consistent, but it is always fresh and delicious and not overladen with garlic and raw onions which is what separates it from other guacamole. I tell my husband that I could simply subsist on their guacamole with fresh chips and the hot flour tortillas served with sweet whipped butter and fresh salsa; ordering an entree after gorging on the aforementioned two always seems more like an afterthought, but somehow I always have room for a few bites of their yummy sizzling Carne Asada.

www.etgrill.com

Los Angeles Favorites: Michel Richard Patisserie

I lived in Los Angeles for the majority of my life, and many places that I grew up with have come and gone, with the exception of a few that have managed to survive the fickle preferences of Angelenos. Michel Richard's Patisserie on Robertson is one of them and even has employees who have been there for over 20 years. Michel Richard was a place my parents patronized for desserts for special occasions ever since we arrived in LA from NY in the late 70s. Even now when I go back home to visit, it is a given that after a shopping trip I'll be picking up four of their simple raspberry tarts with an almond flavored crust, along with a thick slice of their Country Black Pepper pate, a baguette, some apricot danishes, brioches, raspberry cheese mousses, and mocha eclairs. If I decide to stop by after shopping along Robertson, I'll order a warm salmon curry salad for lunch with a cup of their french onion soup. In recent years, many other patisseries have cropped up in LA, including Amandine that makes the most amazing strawberry shortcake, but stepping into Michel Richard reminds me of the 80s, my childhood, and a bite into one of their pastries makes me feel like I'm five again. You can't say that about too many places. Michel Richard: 310 S. Robertson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. www.maisonrichard.com

Restaurants: The Slanted Door's Out the Door

I am not a big fan of Asian fusion cuisine as I am very old-schooled when it comes to Asian food. Translation: if I've paid $5 for a bowl of great Pho, the $10 one can't be that much better. The Slanted Door in San Francisco's Ferry Building had me intrigued however, since it's been getting rave reviews and has become a standard lunch spot for young professionals in the area according to Bloomberg magazine. When I couldn't get a reservation at the ever-popular restaurant using OpenTable.com a week in advance, I was a little disappointed until a friend of mine told me they had two smaller outposts for quick meals and take-out, cleverly named, Out the Door, located in the Ferry Building with another one in the Westfield Center on Market Street. As we were staying in the heart of the city on Market, we headed towards the Westfield Center.

My husband ordered the Pho, I ordered Chicken in a Clay Pot, and we ordered Spring Rolls and Crispy Imperial Rolls to share along with a Taro and Milk Boba and a Tropical Fruit and Lime Boba. The Pho was made with wide rice noodles as opposed to the traditional thin ones, and my husband was disappointed at how bland it was. I had better luck with the Chicken in a Clay Pot; succulent boneless chicken pieces simmered in a sweet soy sauce based gravy. The only thing it was missing was some vegetables so I chose to supplement my meal with some Spicy Broccoli, which was undercooked and overseasoned.

The big winners over all were the Spring Rolls, Crispy Imperial Rolls, my chicken, and surprisingly, their Boba; their Boba was amazingly fresh, not made with the traditional powders you see at the chains, and the tapioca pearls were sweet and chewy. Would I give this place another shot? Absolutely. There are many more rice plates and dishes to be tried and at prices more reasonable than the Slanted Door.

Note to parents with young children: the food court atmosphere at the Westfield makes this location very kid-friendly as well.

http://www.slanteddoor.com/

Beard Papa's Vanilla Cream Puffs

I guess I am late to the Beard Papa's party. The franchise that specializes in "the world's best cream puffs" originated in Osaka, Japan in 1999 and now has outposts on the East Coast, California, and Hawaii. I first had a BP cream puff last year when my mother's neighbor gave her a box. I thought they were just okay, but then again they were eaten after they had been in the refrigerator which always leaves the exterior rather stale and spongy. I thought I'd give them another try when I was recently in the Westfield Shopping Center on Market in San Francisco.

Caramel was the flavor of the week (Chocolate, Green Tea, and Strawberry are among the rotated flavors), but I opted for the original Vanilla upon my friend's suggestion, which is also the flavor I had when I first tried BP. I watched as they pumped the puff with the fresh vanilla cream right then and there (each one is filled to order), and, as it is with Krispy Kreme, you have to eat it right then and there to get the full effect of the freshness of the cream puff dusted with powdered sugar. Of course, I went back the following day to try the Eclair, which isn't really an Eclair in the traditional sense, but is really just the cream puff topped with chocolate. The Eclair was not as good as the original, mostly due to the fact that the puff had been in the refrigerator (death to cream puffs it seems) presumably to extend the longevity of the chocolate.

Overall, my recent experience redemeed my earlier one, and it is probably a good thing that I don't live near a BP's, otherwise I'd be perpetually walking around with a smattering of powdered sugar on my nose.

www.beardpapas.com

Chain Dining: The Cheesecake Factory

As any parent of a young child knows, restaurant choices are automatically narrowed down for parents based on how kid-friendly a place is. After two years of dining out with a small child, I have now culled from the chain-restaurant menus certain favorites so that as soon as we are seated and before drink orders are even taken, we are ready to order; this is all part of parental strategic dining in the event the child has a meltdown and a quick exit needs to be made. I've decided to share these here over time as part of the "Restaurants" section. Some of the choices are obvious, others may be a little surprising. Needless to say, these choices can be enjoyed sans child, probably even more so. Let's start with the Cheesecake Factory.

There is no kids' menu at the Cheesecake Factory, which works out just as well; due to the enormous portions doled out at this restaurant, there's no shortage of food when we share with our two-year old. They do bring a small plate with sliced bread and bananas for your child that our daughter always seems to enjoy.

Appetizers:
Fire-roasted Artichokes
Simply roasted artichokes served with two dips; a vinaigrette and aoli. I usually fill up on this quickly so I usually just add a small side salad to accompany this and that would be my meal. Wet towels are brought to clean up the messy fingers. Pseudo-healthy.

Avocado Eggrolls (shown)
An all-time favorite. Sundried tomatoes and avocados in a crispy wrapper with an even more delicious sweet dipping sauce. Definitely not so healthy, but very very good.

Firecracker Salmon Rolls
Slightly more refined in its preparation than the Avocado Eggrolls, the wrapper is a lot thinner and crisper, and it's served with a side of red cabbage doused with an Asian dressing of some kind. A little bit lighter fare than the Avocado Eggrolls, but delicious.

Entrees:
Chicken Madeira (shown)
An all-around favorite at the Factory and is usually served with mashed potatoes, although you can request a substitute; I usually pick broccoli to assuage the guilt.

Miso-glazed Salmon
Served on a bed of white rice with a few obligatory snow peas scattered about, the salmon is very tender and tasty.

Portobello Mushroom Burger
I am not a vegetarian, but a friend of mine introduced me to this incredibly tasty "burger" a few years back. Essentially, picture a burger but with a large portobello mushroom sandwiched between the buns; the aioli used on the burger really sweetens the deal.

As for dessert, well, we usually are so stuffed that we pass, but if it's a special occassion, the Vanilla Bean cheesecake is an all-time favorite.

Paris: Other Food

A few other great places we hit:

Fauchon
26 place de la Madeleine

Another legendary patisserie located dangerously close to our hotel; they had a huge variety of delicious madelines available, from pistachio to chestnut. Great place to stop off to get some fresh juice and a pastry after a long day out.












Au Coin des Gourmets
5 rue Dante (Latin Quarter)

This is a tiny gem of a restaurant tucked away from the tourist crowds on the main streets. A friend of mine recommended this place owned by the Ta family. The restaurant specializes in Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine. If you want a nice break from richer foods, this is the place to go. The food is light, fresh, and clean. And did I mention tasty? As usual, my stomach overrode my brain and I neglected to photograph the food, but everything was delicious, not to mention new to me. Definitely worth a visit.


Le Grand Colbert
2 rue Vivienne


Yes it's the restaurant that had a cameo in Something's Gotta Give,and no, I am not biased because the handsome maitre'd thought I spoke French well (if he only spoke with the cab driver who laughed heartily after he finally understood my pronounciation of the number "twenty four" ). As usual, we over ordered. Onion soup, salad, frog legs, steak, and roast chicken (in honor of Diane Keaton's character). Salad was passable, a little overburdened with ingredients (see photo; yes, there is some lettuce buried underneath all that) and not a conventional Caesar salad. Everything else was tasty, but the real star of the show was the frog legs.

Okay, the last time I had frog legs was when I was ten, and my dad had prepared some and told me it was chicken. I ate the tasty things until it dawned on me that my dad does not eat chicken (loss of a childhood pet to the butcher's knife apparently). I was a bit traumatized and hadn't touched them since then until I had them again at LGC. They were drenched in butter, oil, garlic, and parsley. They needed a bit of salt, but with a splash of balsamic vinegar, they were incredible! My dining companion's chicken was very tasty and fresh. You will not find the chicken of the Costco rotisserie variety here. We're used to chicken breasts that can feed three people here, but in France the chickens are not of the super growth hormone variety due to the country's ban on such hormones (hellloooo U.S.). The chicken is a lot smaller and a lot more savory; the cuisine relies on the freshness of the poultry versus dousing the poor bugger with a ton of seasoning. Instead, they douse the poultry with cooking wine. All in all a great meal.

Fauchon photo: from www.fauchon.fr

Coming up: Paris--Shopping

Paris: Pierre Gagnaire-Food as Art

I've saved the best for last. If you remember in a previous post, I had the most difficulty orchestrating reservations at PG via E-mail, but it was definitely worth it. Pierre Gagnaire is located in the Hotel Balzac, not too far from the Arc de Triomphe. The dining room is intimate and cozy accented by blond woods and white cloths covering the tables. Here, as at La Tour d'Argent, I was brought a little stool to set my handbag on. Any place that takes care of my handbag as well as me gets brownie points upfront.

The most gallant gentleman wonderfully translated each and every single item on the detailed menu and its ingredients for us. We opted not to go for the multi-course prix fixe meal as we had been warned beforehand that with all the amuse-bouches (see fifth photo) that faced us, we would get full quickly. It is a shame that I can't recall what we had and didn't ask for a copy of the menu that evening so you will have to bear with my rudimentary descriptions of the remarkable dining experience we had, which really don't do the meal justice. In essence, my dining companion selected a crab-themed display of various courses while I selected one that had langoustines. The overall theme of the evening was a marriage of unexpected ingredients. I'll let the photos do most of the talking, athough I was so in awe of the vanilla souffle I had for dessert that I completely forgot to take a picture of it; it was the most amazing souffle I have had in my life.

Mid-way through our meal, Gagnaire himself appeared in the dining room with that glorious mane of white hair. It's funny, but I felt as if I was meeting George Clooney when he stopped by to talk with us and ask us where we were from. When I told my husband about his great hair, his response was, "Well, I hope he had some sort of hair net or hat back there." Nice eh?

Regardless, Pierre Gagnaire was a fantastic experience and one that should be had by everyone at least once in their lifetime. Special thanks to Suzie & Winston for the great recommendation!

Paris: Taillevent

It is a sad day when a gal with a palate like mine has to go to Paris. Why? I don't drink wine, I can't stand strong cheeses, and I don't eat lamb and don't like to order duck. Sadly, all of which seemed to be quite prevalent everywhere we went.

Taillevent is another long-standing Parisian institution having opened in 1946. It has held a three star Michelin rating for 34 years until February 2007 when it fell to two stars. I only found out about the demotion after I came back and researched Taillevent's origins, but it confirmed my own opinions, especially after dining at Pierre Gagnaire. I would have chosen to go for dinner, but by the time I thought about it, reservations were already booked for dinner, but lunch was available for my desired date.

We arrived at Taillevent after a long day of shopping; its location is within walking distance from George V and the Champs Elysees. With reservations at 12:30 p.m. we arrived a few minutes early and were the first ones seated. The service at Taillevent is impeccable. It seemed as if we had a team of at least six different people watching over our table. When I needed to rise to use the washroom, a gentleman immediately appeared out of nowhere at my side to escort me to my destination as soon as I pushed my chair back.

Wine is a big deal at Taillevent with what many consider to be the best wine list in Paris. There were two gentlemen at a neighboring table; locals in business suits who were enjoying different wines with every course. Our gracious host promised not to tell the chef that we were enjoying our meal with water and orange juice.

We opted to select the Menu Saveurs et Decouvertes which was comprised of seven courses:

Royale d'asperges de Provence
Langoustine royale poelee
Coquilles Saint-Jacquess dorees
Canard de Challans roti
Roquefort glace au pruneau
Mille-feuille aux framboises
Craquant au chocolate et aux feves de Tonka

I of course, requested a substituion for the Roquefort glace and the Canard immediately. Everything was fine until I received my langoustine. After many years of eating live seafood in Monterey Park, CA, I know the difference between fresh/live seafood, and not-so-fresh seafood. One bite, and I froze. I told myself, this is Taillevent, perhaps it is just extraordinarily tender. But the second powdery bite confirmed my suspicions that this langoustine was not so fresh. My dining companion's langoustine was just fine, so I think I just landed a bad one. The third course of scallops redeemed my langoustine experience as they were fresh and delicious. I substituted beef for the duck which was good, but the real piece de resistance was the incredible mille-feuille with raspberries. One of my favorite desserts thus far; delicate, melt-in-your mouth layers of the finest pastry (hence the name, mille-feuille), with a few fresh raspberries in between. Absolutely heavenly.

I would still like to give Taillevent another try for dinner as I loved the staff and the warm environment. Lunch at 190 Euros per person was actually a bargain compared to Gagnaire and some other restaurants, and aside from the langoustines, it was a lovely experience.

Next: Pierre Gagnaire

Paris: La Tour D'Argent

Next up on the eating tour was our first dinner in Paris at La Tour D'Argent which traces its origins back to 1582 and where the canard (duck) is its specialty. Since the late 1800s, every duck served has borne a number with the first being served to Edward VII in 1890 and the millionth duck served in 2003. Although its reputation as being the best restaurant in Paris (it has the longest holding record of 51 years for a three star Michelin rating until falling to one star in 2006) has long been overshadowed by the emergence of more modern restaurants like Pierre Gagnaire offering haute cuisine, it is indeed a national institution and when you enter its doors, it is almost like stepping back in time. On the walls are signed cards and photos of JFK, the Emperor of Japan, and various other heads of state. I was advised to request a table with a view, which was wonderful advice; once we were escorted up to the dining room in the elevator, we were seated at our table overlooking the Seine River and Notre Dame which offered breathtaking views of Paris in the evening.

As for the food, the amuse-bouches got me excited as they were absolutely delicious. Because I can't think of duck being prepared any better than a Peking Duck in Chinatown, we forewent the duck and tried the sole and the beef filet (pictured) with artichoke and onions. The fish wasn't anything spectacular; the beef was well prepared and fairly decent. I had forgotten the advice I was given to order the chocolate souffle there and instead ordered the Belle Epoque crepes and the profiteroles. The former was laden with a heavy dose of orange liqueor which was not to my liking, but the latter was spectacular. Instead of being filled with ice cream, the puffs were filled with custard, drenched in chocolate sauce and served with ice cream on the side.

In hindsight, I probably should have tried the duck. Our neighboring tables had ordered the duck and when they were wheeled out, they looked remarkable, and judging by the empty plates on our fellow diners' tables, I can only surmise that they were quite delicious as well.

www.latourdargent.com

Paris: Ladurée

Ah, Paris. Where to begin? There was a lot of running around to the usual sites: The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Giverny, Versailles, Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, Montmartre, etc. There was a lot of eating, walking, and there was a lot of shopping as well. Let's start with the food and restaurants this week:

Ladurée



Our first meal in Paris was breakfast at Ladurée on the Champs Elysees, the famed tea salon noted for their famed macaroons. From the Laduree website:

"The story of the Ladurée macaroon starts with Pierre Desfontaines, distant cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, who at the beginning of the 20th century first thought of taking two macaroon shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling. The way of making them has never changed since that time.

These small, round cakes, crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle, are made every morning in Ladurée’s "laboratory". The pastry chefs measure out very precisely the required amounts of almonds, eggs and sugar, before adding one final ingredient, a pinch of unique "know-how", essential to the making of such a delicacy.

Once cooked and filled, the macaroons are put to one side for 2 days before going on sale, the time it takes to achieve a perfect balance between texture and flavour.

Macaroons come in two sizes: the mini-macaroon or "gerbet" and full-size macaroons.

With each new season, Ladurée pays tribute to this its most famous creation by creating a new flavour."

As you can see, these are not the macaroons of the coconut variety we are used to in the States. While I adore the mini-macaroons (pictured), I wouldn't advise heading over to Ladurée for breakfast.

We ordered the petit breakfast for two which came with an assortment of breads (not impressive), coffee, juice or chocolat chaud, and eggs; all in all, it was a mediocre meal for about 60 Euros. I would probably not go to Ladurée on the Champs again. My second experience was much better as it was strictly to buy a small assortment of macaroons at the 21 rue Bonaparte location. Somehow, the macaroons tasted better there. As it was May and in honor of May Day, they even had a Muguet de Bois (Lily of the Valley) flavored macaroon. Vanilla and Caramel were favorites of mine; my only regret is that we didn't have enough time before we left to make another pit stop to bring some home.

ETA: Just received a response from Laduree letting me know that their first U.S. location will be opening in New York by the end of the year!

http://www.laduree.fr

Next: La Tour d'Argent and Pierre Gagnaire

Travel: Prepping for Paris-The Restaurants

I'm leaving for Paris in a few weeks time and have been scrambling trying to get the itinerary together. When I travel, the sights are secondary to the food and shopping. In fact, I have been known to shallowly reject prospective vacation sites because they were deficient in the latter two categories. Given that Paris has an abundant selection of options for both food and shopping, I find myself a little overwhelmed as to where to go for both; however, after some research and consultation with knowledgeable friends decided to make reservations via E-mail at three well-known restaurants, and here's what I found:

1. Pierre Gagnaire: www.pierre-gagnaire.com (French-only website that I could tell); luckily, I recognized the word "Contact" in the titles and clicked on that. I E-mailed them a few months ago only to receive a reply that they do not take reservations more than one month in advance; please E-mail again at that point. I followed instructions, exactly E-mailing them a month from the date I wanted; after no response over four days, I try again. Finally, I get a response. The day I selected was booked. So I try again with another date. Success! Now, please fill out the attached form with your hotel information AND your credit card information to confirm the reservation. I duly fill it out and return it. No response to my request for confirmation of receipt. I try again. Auto-reply stating that the restaurant is closed for a week. Still waiting....

2. Taillevent: www.taillevent.com (English option on the website). I wrongly assumed that they followed Gagnaire's practice of only one month in advance; so I try one month to the day only to be informed (albeit, in an extremely friendly E-mail) that they are booked solid for dinner reservations for one month past the time we'll be there, BUT they would gladly welcome us for lunch. Great! Same request for information although no CC information, BUT I must call the morning of my reservation before 10 a.m. otherwise my reservation will be canceled. Since our reservation is on a Monday, and they are closed on Sundays, I must remind myself to call the morning of. Now let's just hope they'll pick up the phone at that time.

3. La Tour d'Argent-www.latourdargent.com, (English option available) -the fastest and friendliest response out of the three. No CC information needed nor form for reply. I had made a mistake about our arrival date and had to modify the reservation, and they got back to me almost immediately accommodating my request for the change. I requested a table overlooking the Seine and the Notre Dame as had been advised and was told they would do their best to accommodate my request. They also attached a PDF of their menu to boot. I am merely requested to confirm my reservation sometime after my arrival; no timeframe specified.

The plus to reserving with the above three is that I was able to communicate in English via E-mail, saving myself the agony of trying to speak very poor French on the telephone with phrase book in hand. Let's just hope that I remember to avoid "ris de veau" (sweetbreads) on my visit.

Photo: www.seaintorg.com

Pho & Cream Puffs?

When we saw that Pho Than Brothers was opening up a location on the Eastside, we no longer had an excuse to not try out the establishment known for cheap and great Pho served with cream puffs. I was expecting other dishes on the menu encased underneath the glass on our table, but nope, aside from beverages, Pho in every combination and size (from small to XL) was pretty much it. I ordered a medium-sized bowl of the Pho Bo with eye round steak and a glass of Nuoc Mat (Cane Tea). I was pleasantly surprised to see that our cream puffs arrived shortly after we sat down. Any place that serves you dessert first already has a leg up on their competition in my book. Cream puffs were fairly decent and can be bought—15 for $7.50. As for the Pho, when I first saw the clump of rice noodles in the bowl, I was prepared for the noodles to be a bit undercooked and not heated through as I’ve found at some places, but the noodles quickly unfurled and I discovered perfectly cooked rice noodles in a delicious MSG-free broth. The medium-sized bowl of Pho was just right for me, and I even had some left over. Both the Pho and the tea worked perfectly on a cold and rainy day. In short, a great and inexpensive meal.

For locations and menu, visit: Pho Than Brothers

Cash only
Open 7 days a week

Restaurants: Le Pichet in Belltown

Part of me wishes we tried this restaurant after my Paris trip so I could say without hesitation that this little gem of a French cafe resembles those in Paris. As it is, I will just have to say that this cafe meshes with my idea of what a French cafe would be like in Paris. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home, so no pictures of what we polished off today.

Le Pichet is located just a few steps away from Pikes Market in Seattle's Belltown. It is a tiny place, with about 14 tables inside and just another handful out in front. There is also a small bar area.

We went there for lunch and called ahead--no reservations taken they said; just come before 12:30 p.m. and you should be fine. We arrived just after 12 p.m. and seated ourselves at the last open table inside. I ordered the grilled quail watercress salad with avocado and creamy almond vinaigrette, some air-dried country sausage marinated with garlic and chiles, and a Lyon-style onion soup to share. My DH wanted to order the quiche, but was informed that it was sold out; the couple dining next to us had just ordered the last two remaining portions. As an alternative, my husband ordered the two eggs broiled with ham and gruyere (pictured), but I caught him enviously eyeing our neighboring diners' quiches more than once. The server did say that the broiled eggs were among the most popular items on the menu. The quail was perfectly grilled and seasoned; it's too bad the birds are so tiny that half a quail really equals the meat on one chicken wing. The watercress, avocado, and almond dressing served as a wonderful complement to the seasoned quail. The onion soup was well-flavored, not too salty, and quite hearty; really, a meal in and of itself. The sausage was not something I would order again given the amount of food we had ordered; it is really something meant to be enjoyed with a nice baguette and a selection of cheeses.

We capped off our meal with crepes with fromages blanc and caramelized creme tarte. The former was dusted off with powdered sugar and rhubarb compote. The latter was rich--a bit like pecan pie filling without the cloying sweetness, and after a bite of which, prompted DH to say, "they must use gallons of butter here." Indeed the food is rich and not for those dieting, but the portions are small enough for one to hope that Mireille Guiliano's statement that "French Women Don't Get Fat" rings true, and the calories would be justified after a long day of strolling around downtown Seattle on a rare sunny day.

Open Sunday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to midnight
Friday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

First Photo: Le Pichet
Second Photo: Suzie

www.lepichetseattle.com

Facing East: Taiwanese Cuisine in Bellevue

At my husband’s request, this is our second time visiting Facing East in one week. We made the mistake of coming at around 6 p.m. on a Saturday and faced a wait inside the crowded tiny restaurant located in a strip mall next to the Bellevue Post Office. The second time we came in at around 5 p.m. on a weekday, and there was no wait. I’ve been eating Chinese food for a long time, but Taiwanese cuisine is new territory for me so I asked the friendly server for recommendations in addition to the favorites my husband had ordered.

We started off with the Citrus Fruit Tea, a refreshing medley of fruit flavors in an eye-catching array of lemons, oranges and green apples floating in a clear teapot that can be served hot or cold. I spotted these on almost every table during our first visit and inquired about it immediately. We ordered it hot the first time on a cold and rainy day, and the second time, ordered it cold after a day at the park; both are delicious. The Sweet Potato Flour Dumplings with Pork Stuffing (sold out the first time we went) arrived next, followed by the Taiwanese Style Chow Mein, Spiced Pork Stew over Rice (a popular favorite), Five Spiced Fried Chicken with Basil Puree, Pork Pottage with Noodles (husband’s favorite), and the Taiwanese Pork Burger.

Because I am not a big fan of black mushrooms and bamboo shoots, I passed the Dumplings over to my husband as the stuffing contained a generous portion of the above. The Taiwanese Style Chow Mein ($8.25) is great for the kids. The Spiced Pork Stew ($2.75-small, $3.99-large, pictured) is incredibly flavorful; rice topped with minced fatty pork and bathed in a delicious broth-something to be had every once in awhile before you’ll start needing a prescription for Lipitor. My favorites are the Five Spiced Fried chicken with Basil Puree ($5.25)—bits of chicken deep-fried with basil, and the Taiwanese Pork Burger ($2.75)—another luscious and fatty slice of pork with bits of preserved vegetable and an indescribable sauce, sandwiched between traditional white flour bread. The Pork Pottage with noodles ($4.99) is nicely done according to my husband; large chunks of pork steeped in fish paste and suspended in a starchy sweet broth. There are still many other items to be had on the small, yet comprehensive menu. Next on my list to try: the Salt Pepper Shrimp and Broiled Cod with Miso Glaze.

ETA: Favorite dishes are now: Broiled Cod with Miso Glaze, Shrimp Rolls (delicious, and you must ask for their chili sauce), Taiwanese Shaved Ice (not on the menu) for dessert.
Closed Mondays; credit cards $20 minimum
1075 Bellevue Way NE (inside the Belgate Plaza)
425-688-2986

Rover's in Seattle: the March 2007 Classics Menu

After a long week, I tossed the gym clothes and milk-stained sweats into the hamper, put on my new Vivaldi coat (see earlier post), Louboutin wedges, kissed my daughter good night, said goodbye to our sitter, and skipped out the door for a dinner date with my husband and some good friends of ours at Rover’s in Seattle.

Even though we’ve lived in Washington for several years, we only recently began creeping out of our parental comfort zone and acquainting ourselves with its finer dining establishments. My husband had read about chef Thierry Rautureau’s Rover’s restaurant in Seattle magazine; it has been a longtime favorite with critics and local epicureans alike. He thought it would be the perfect dining destination for a rare night out knowing my penchant for French food.

The atmosphere is quaint and charming, like many of the restaurants on Madison in Seattle. Upon first glance at the menu, I have to say that I felt a little disappointed as the menu items did not reflect traditional French fare; as I was about to curse my husband’s incorrect assessment of the cuisine*, I spotted the Classics menu being offered for the month of March, which as luck would have it, pays homage to traditional French dishes. I chose the Vichyssoise, Salade Lyonnaise, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Cherry Clafoutis. Each course had me wanting more; in fact, if I just had a trough full of the Boeuf Bourguignon, I would have been quite happy. The Clafoutis reminded me of a delicious Berry Cobbler I once had at Chez Paul’s in Maui; light, airy, not too sweet, and just pure perfection. In short, this was one of the best meals I’ve had since we moved here. After our server told us this was the first time in 20 years that Boeuf Bourguignon has been offered on the menu, I am already plotting our next visit before the Boeuf disappears at the end of this month.

*In hindsight If I had only visited the restaurant’s website I would have seen this accurate description of Rover's cuisine; “Our menu is best described as the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest refined by a French accent.”

Rover’s March Classics Menu

Vichyssoise or Lobster Bisque

Salade Lyonnaise or Celery Remoulade

Sole Normande or Boeuf Bourguignon
or
Swiss Chard Tart with Pine Nuts, Raisins and an Herb Mushroom Etuvée

Chocolate Souffle or Cherry Clafoutis

Call 206-325-7442 for reservations

www.rovers-seattle.com

Ode to Nobu Malibu

One of our favorite restaurants on the planet is Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant in Malibu. Everytime we go to Southern California, it's a mandatory stop for us. Celebrity sightings are an added plus or minus depending on how you view it. On one visit, we almost ran over Tommy Lee who inexplicably made a sudden mad dash across the parking lot, almost giving our elderly parents a small heart attack. We never order the sushi as you really want to focus on what they're known for---their specialty dishes.

What to Order:

Raw Dishes:
Tiradito: thinly sliced white fish delicately laced with lemon juice and adorned with a tiny Sriracha dot

Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno: thinly sliced yellowtail with cilantro and a jalapeno sliver capping each slice; one of Nobu's signature dishes

Albacore Vegas Salsa with Avocado: thinly sliced albacore with avocado served with a refreshing blend of chopped tomatoes, cilantro & white onion.

Other dishes:
LIVE Sweet Shrimp fried in Phyllo dough (make sure that it's LIVE and you say "fried in Phyllo" otherwise you'll wind up with the raw version of live sweet shrimp)--you must ask your server if it is available as it is considered a special that is not on the menu. For the faint of heart, please note that the head will arrive to you separately flash-fried (with the antennae dusted with goldleaf no less). It is perfectly kosher for you to eat the shrimp heads, although I always pass mine off to my DH.

Lobster Salad: essentially, their Shitake Mushroom Salad served with fresh lobster. You can spend the market price of around $50 for the salad which is quite good, or if you're just in the mood for some greens, just get the Shitake Mushroom salad which eases the guilt that accompanies some of the richer courses.

Soft Shell Crab Spring Rolls--crisp rolls generously stuffed with soft shelled crab. Unbelievably good.

Rock Shrimp with Creamy Spicy Sauce and/or with Butter Ponzu Sauce: Tempura rock shrimp mixed with a creamy spicy sauce and topped with chives & shitake mushrooms; the Ponzu sauce variety is also good--the rock shrimp is tossed with a delicious butter and ponzu-based sauce.

Kobe Beef Special: thinly shaved and marinated Kobe beef prepared with crispy onions, sugar snap peas, and crisp shitake mushrooms (order at least 1 oz per person); my favorite dish by far. This would be my choice for a last meal. Be very descriptive when ordering this as Nobu prepares their Kobe Beef in a variety of ways. At Malibu, this form of preparation is unfortunately also known as "the Leg Spreader."

Miso Cod: by far, their most popular dish, although it definitely is not one of my favorites, but for the sake of fairness, will put it here b/c maybe I'm just missing the requisite tastebuds for this one.

Dessert: order the below and it will arrived on one platter; perfect for sharing

Bento Box: chocolate souffle cake with green tea ice cream

Spring Rolls: thinly rolled crisps filled with butterscotch, white chocolate and chocolate fillings served with caramel, chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces.

Shiso Crepe: filled with delicious bananas and served with ice cream

Beverages:
Now I'm quite a lightweight, but I do adore their fruit infused Sakes which come in a variety of flavors; we've tried Lychee, Passionfruit, Blood Orange, Strawberry, and Coconut. Passionfruit and Blood Orange were among my favorites. Availability varies daily.

Location:
Nobu Malibu (in the Malibu Country Mart)
3835 Cross Creek Rd Ste 18A
Malibu, CA 90265
310.317.9140

When to Go: supposedly fresh fish deliveries happen on Monday!
Hours: Mon-Thu 5:45pm-10pm
Fri-Sat 5:45pm-11pm
Sun 5:45pm-10pm
www.noburestaurants.com