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Picks and Pans, Rants and Raves #3 – Wine Dinners

by glenn on December 16, 2011

Part of a series looking back at the best – and occasionally the worst – of 2011

Early in our association at Boston University’s wine school, we of WDWU, at the suggestion of our instructor Bill Nesto, formed a tasting group to hone our tasting skills. Educational – and fun – as this was, we further sought to enhance our wine knowledge by frequently attending wine dinners. (The origin of our site’s name now becomes apparent.) Some were memorable and some were not. Over time, though, we went on to other wine-related pursuits and our attendance at wine dinners ceased. However, in 2011, Katrin and myself revived our interest in these wine and dine events and attended several. Today’s installment in our year end round up features a pick and a pan of these occasions.

My pick – the Wine Stains dinner at Journeyman, “Highs and Lows with Mr. Hill”. Journeyman is a unique restaurant and, accordingly, so was this dinner. To complement the exquite food of the duo in the kitchen – Diana Kudajavora and Tse Wei Lim –  beverage consultant Seth Hill concocted an amazing pairing menu of Vermouths, beers, “white” red wines and “red” white wines and lovely sweet sparklers. If only all wine dinners could be so adventurous and good.

My pan -the Argentine Wine Monday at L’Espalier. This dinner – part of the Wine Mondays series at L’Espalier – comes with a caveat emptor. In hindsight, we were naive in thinking that $65 would get us a wonderful experience at one of Boston’s luxe restaurants. It didn’t. Lacklustre mass-produced wines and  unevenly executed courses did not make for a memorable evening. At least the cheese course was top notch, sullied, though, by the wine that accompanied it.

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Sauerbraten: An Impossible Dish to Match with Wine?

by katrin on December 12, 2011

Not impossible at all!

When my mother told me that for Sunday dinner she would be making Sauerbraten with dumplings, one of my favorite German dishes, I knew I would have to dig deep in the cellar to find the perfect white wine. In the past, my choice of white wine has raised eyebrows in my family. Yes, Sauerbraten is a dish made with beef. But to me, the vinegar-based marinade in which it sits for several days before cooking and the addition of raisins and cream in the cooking process have this savory-sweet-sour dish calling out for a rich white wine with good acidity and fruit. And so it was that I chose a Domaine Belleville from Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise, the Rully appellation, to be precise.

Stone fruit, lime, vanilla, honey, and a light nuttiness on the nose.  The fruitiness of the peaches and citrus flavors are complemented by the oak’s rich vanilla and warm oak.  While the minerality is a bit more subtle here than in some other Burgundies, it helps to define the wine on the palate and in the finish. A long, evolving finish that is starting to show some hints of age and oxidation. Even so, at five years old, this wine is still developing, and its fresh acidity tells me that it will likely still be very good in a couple of years.

Since it had been in my cellar for a while, I couldn’t remember what I had paid for the Domaine Belleville. When I finally found my notes, I could hardly believe that this great Burgundy was only $16.99 when I purchased it nearly three years ago. It is worth every penny… and then some!

At Gordon’s Fine Wine for $16.99.

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He Said, She Said – The Salty Pig

by glenn and katrin on September 9, 2011

GLENN – Pork, pork and more pork - pork in all its manifestations is the organizing principle behind The Salty Pig. The approach here is snout-to-tail; in addition to the primal cuts, pig is showcased in various cured iterations; even trotters and tails make an appearance on the menu. Opened by the team responsible for Coda Bar and Kitchen in the South End and Canary Square in JP, the casual resto straddles the boundary between the Back Bay and the South End, thus making it an ideal destination for a post-work quaff and a bite to eat. A large patio – or “beer garden” as the eatery promotes the space – only adds to the appeal of the location. We’d been anticipating the opening of the Salty Pig  and were now here at the temple of pork.

KATRIN - Pork, indeed!  It would be enough to make Anthony Bourdain proud.  But before we get to the pig, the beverage program needs to be recognized.  The wine list is all Old World – France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.  We were impressed since it was clearly hand-selected and not options found at other bars.  Kudos to the person who thought to put a German Pinot Noir on the list!  Ditto for the Greek white! The list of a dozen or so well-chosen craft beers on tap and a number of canned beers would certainly attract beer-lovers. The signature cocktail menu seemed to be tailored to twenty-something ladies, who like sweet drinks that don’t have a big alcoholic punch.

 

GLENN – The menu’s centerpiece is the build-your-own charcuterie board. There are three steps to this construction. First, make a selection – or two or three – from the “salty pig parts”, i.e. various charcuterie – cured meats, sausages, patés. Then add a selection(s) from the “stinky cheese” offerings. ( This was one impressive cheese list – great representation of European and American small production cheeses and of types of cheeses. And please note, not all are stinky!) Finally, finish the board by “rounding” it out with various pickles, jams and condiments. Each selection is individually priced. My caveat – the board can become pricey with the addition of multiple items. The menu also includes several salads – some even suitable for vegetarians- and an appealing assortment of pizzas baked in a large stone oven. At lunch, there is a “sammich” or sandwich section and in the evening, a “mains” or entree section, which when we visited were all pork-centric. For those with a porcine aversion, though, several of the pizzas feature non-pork and even vegetarian toppings. Two desserts are available but my suggestion would be to order more cheese.

KATRIN – There were many great options for the charcuterie board and I have to admit that I really wanted some of everything. But, as anyone who has been tempted by too many tapas dishes knows, the individual items do add up quite quickly. My weakness, which is somewhat inexplicable, is Mortadella, and my favorite deli variety is straight from Italy and available at Russo’s (unfortunately the brand completely escapes me at the moment). The Salty Pig’s Mortadellina has the best flavor of any I’ve ever had.  The pate was delicious as well, though it was missing grainy mustard. The Dijon lacked the heartiness that the pate deserved. Overall, I found the charcuterie, pizza, and pork belly and salad really satisfying and tasty.

GLENN - As for our charcuterie board, Katrin – and the Salty Pig – have made me a convert to Mortadella; the rough and tumble country paté was well seasoned with coriander seed; the cheeses – the Tartentaise and Valdeon – were generous portions, ripe and served at the corect temperature. The crust on the pizza was admirable -thin but pliable, well baked with a bit of chew. The pork belly was tender and flavorful - bread salad somewhat of a farewell to summer. This is food worth leaving the house for.

 

***What we ate***

Our Charcuterie Board

Mortadellina, House-made Berkshire Pork Pate, Tarentaise, an alpine tomme from Springbrook Farm, Reading VT, Valdeon, the classic  Spanish mixed-milk Blue, Pickled Mushrooms


The Pizza

The Salty Pig – Four “salty pig parts”on a tomato sauce smeared pie, topped with arugula and pale ale vinaigrette


The Main

Pork Belly atop Panzanella Salad – croutons, tomatoes, fresh corn, arugula, pickled shallots

The Salty Pig   130 Dartmouth St.   Boston MA

Open 7 days – 11AM to 1AM

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Salty Pig on Urbanspoon

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A Pleasant Restaurant Week Surprise – Dinner at The Marliave

by Eleni-Glenn-Katrin on August 29, 2011

Glenn – Frankly, I hadn’t been intending to “participate” in Restaurant Week. In addition, I had never considered dining at the Marliave. Recently, I’ve had some wonderful prix fixe meals through Mystery Meet and the culinary high point of my winter and spring was attending the Eat pop up restaurants created by Will Gilson and Aaron Cohen. To go out to a restaurant to eat from a “special”, i.e. often problematic, boring or iffy, Restaurant Week menu just didn’t interest me. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve had some memorable RW meals – but I’ve also had formulaic, uninspired offerings that weren’t worth leaving the house for. However, Eleni, in town for a few days with her family, suggested we get together for Restaurant Week. Her criteria was that the resto be close to their hotel and be child-friendly. The Marliave met both guidelines and so we dined there for Restaurant Week.

Eleni - Restaurant Week has long been a staple in our lives although in the past year or so it has lost its momentum.  We used to try to get in two to three restaurants a week.  This year we hadn’t even planned one.  Knowing I would be in town and figuring it was worth the ask, we ended up at Marliave for dinner.

On my way there I was pleasantly reminded of cocktails at the Silvertone in the years before the cocktail resurgence, cocktail menus, and resources like those our friend Adam Lantheaume sells at The Boston Shaker were available.

When I realized where Marliave was located, on the corner, in the building with the beautiful balcony that reminded me of eating in Europe, my anticipation doubled.  The aesthetics are fabulous: old world mixed with modern touches.  The building itself is a stunner: trellis-like architecture, beautiful moulding, a variety of architectural details.  At the same time they have added modern elements: the bar is definitely of this era with its sleek granite counter tops (do I recall that correctly?) and the flatware (Wedgwood) and placesettings were classic and modern, too.

But I digress.

 
Katrin - After a day at the office that resulted in severely elevated blood pressure, the laid-back vibe and friendly bartender working the first floor bar helped to ease the transition to a relaxing evening. I started with not one, but two, Blind Pigs.  I couldn’t resist.  This light, delicious cocktail built around Hendricks gin was perfect!
 
Eleni - The volume of food was overwhelming.  We had the entire menu to tempt us and full portions were served. To begin, I had the escargot.  Classic and delicious. 
I also ordered my Junior Taster the Macaroni & Cheese made with ziti and black truffle oil.  While she was more interested in the forthcoming hamburger we enjoyed it on her behalf.  Presented in a vessel reminiscent of an Emile Henry lion’s head soup bowl (quite possibly itself), it had a delightfully creamy and soupy sauce one doesn’t often encounter in the ubiquitous comfort dish.
For the next course, the Fish and Chips.  The cod was some of the lightest fried fish I have eaten in quite some time.
 
Glenn – Yes, as Eleni stated this was the regular everyday menu – with a few deletions – rather than a “special” RW menu. Now isn’t this what Restaurant week should be about? Showcasing a restaurant’s cuisine rather than attempting a one-off menu. I began with a glass of the Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve – aromatic, medium-bodied, balanced, restrained. We then opted to split a bottle of Charles Smith’s iconic “The Velvet Devil”. My starter was a simple Caprese Salad -

Late summer perfection

- a lusciously ripe black Cherokee tomato, buffalo mozzarella, a drizzle of EVOO, a splash of balsamic, a chiffonade of basil – perfect! For my Second Course,

Sea scallops, wild mushrooms and pea raviolis

I chose Divers Scallops with Wild Mushrooms and Pea Ravioli. Three large sea scallops were perfectly seared and caramelized; the delicate sweetness of the scallops contrasting with the earthiness of the mushroom ragout; both highlighted by the clean vibrant taste of the pea-filled raviolis. And finally, my over-the-top dessert – Butterscotch Pudding with Salted Peanuts. I thought I’d found the quintessential butterscotch pudding at Nancy Silverton’s Pizzaria Mozza.

However, the offering at Marliave offered a new paragon of butterscotchness - creamy and smooth with deep flavor and nearly overwhelming richness. A tip of the toque to Pastry Chef  Sharon Claxton.

Katrin – So many choices!  I started with the mussels, which had a savory broth that would have been perfect on it’s own.  In fact, the only problem I had with it was that I could pick up the cast iron post and enjoy every drop!

Next, I went with another classic – Chicken under a Brick. Served with a creamy risotto and lots of mushrooms and roasted garlic, the chicken was perfectly done and had a crispy, salty skin.

Eleni - I went with the Cheese Plate as my finale and enjoyed sampling several cheeses and candied walnuts, but I ordered it to sample the lavender honey. 

From the top - Brillat Savarin, triple creme cow's milk; Lake's Edge, goat's milk; Roquefort Carles, sheep's milk. (Note the golden squiggle of lavender honey.)

 I’ve been experimenting with lavender food items since I purchased some lavender sea salt at the Farmer’s Market in San Francisco about five years ago.  Honestly, I was so stuffed I couldn’t enjoy a thing although I did sample Junior Taster’s berries with “mint, hibiscus and soft whipped cream” which was a nice, light ending to such a full meal.

Katrin – In closing, Marliave offers classic dishes done well and at a reasonable price for the Downtown Crossing neighborhood. It’s not fancy, cutting edge cuisine, but it almost doesn’t matter. With a long list of interesting cocktails at only $10 each, there is much to like here.

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Deal or No Deal: Wine Dine With Us at Tico

by Eleni-Glenn-Katrin on August 17, 2011

Glenn: I have been spending too much time across the river in Cambridge and Somerville. I’d lost touch with the realities of dining in the Back Bay. My evening at Tico, though, got me up to speed. The food – what there was of it – was fine – great, fresh, lively flavors. However, we had nothing that was truly adventurous, such as sweetbread, tongue or oxtail tacos.  My thought – don’t scare the tourists.

Mac and cheese with serrano ham amd bread crumbs

My problem with the evening was the amount of food we received and the service. We each had a Living Social coupon that entitled each of us to $100 worth of food for which we had each paid $50. That was the deal. Since there is a section of the menu entitled “Tastings” and an option therein for “The Full-On Tico Experience”  for $85 per person, we didn’t think there would be a problem. Yet there was.

Creamy whipped queso fresco with piperade and crostini

When we totaled up the amount of food we received, we arrived at a figure of approximately $100 – far from the $300 worth of food we thought we’d enjoy that evening and not even approaching the $150  we’d actually paid for the coupons. Several times we were assured we were receiving the Chef’s special tasting menu. In the end, there was nothing special about it. We were served one entree for three diners. Truly, that says it all – no deal.

Lamb taco

Eleni: I liked the concept of a “chef” chosen selection based on levels of hunger, but I think it would be helpful to have some sort of guide: this offering includes 2 items from this section, 4 from that, 3 entrees, and one dessert. Without that, it was difficult to pace oneself and I found myself unwilling to let them clear things from the table–particularly the cabbage salad that led the charge from the kitchen.

Shredded cabbage and vegetable Salad with salsa verde and almonds

I was confused by the decor and the circus-like Tico font but I did enjoy the photography. I’ve never eaten at such a touristy “fine dining” venue. It was fascinating to watch people walk by and intriguing to see people end up there because they were in town and didn’t know where else to go.

Grilled skirt steak with zucchini and pickled red onions

Katrin: Yes, lots of folks heading to the Red Sox-Yankees game seemed to have stumbled upon the restaurant that evening.

Chocolate gelato with peanut butter mousse

Glenn: As for the service, there were several times when my water glass was empty for long periods of time. Aside from this apocryphal observation, the service is of the young, pretty, overly scripted and insincere sort. Perhaps this works for the tourists but not for me. The servers need a few lessons at the “Esti Parsons’ School of Empathic Service.” But really, I don’t see that happening.

Katrin: I think the word Glenn is looking for is vacuous, which really describes the staff.

Katrin: On the plus side, the wine by the bottle list is excellent.  The selection is dominated by New World, Spanish, and Portuguese wines, which complement Tico’s menu well. It is the best Argentine list this side of Arlington’s Tango Restaurant.  But the markups are unbelievable.  Quivira Fig Tree Sauvignon Blanc is on the menu for $50 (retail is $16 or less); Altos Las Hormigas Malbec is priced at $38 (retail is about $10); and Evodia Garnacha is also $38 (retail is $10 or less).  An exception to the inflated prices was Renacer Enamore, a favorite of mine, at $44, and with retail prices in Massachusetts ranging from $30-$35, it was rather reasonably priced.

Glenn: As for beer and ale, the on tap draft selection is weak, only three brews. The bottled selection is large but I can drink those at home!

Eleni: I was excited to see Anchor Steam on tap and poured in less than pint sized glasses but confused as to why we didn’t see more Mexican beer.

Glenn: In the end, we had these thoughts. Michael Schlow may have asked himself “Why not open a south of the border themed restaurant?”  But the better question may have been “Why?” And why does everyone I spoke to about Tico, love it so much, including my physician and her foodie blogger husband, two of the most discriminating diners I know? And finally, how quickly can I unsubscribe from the Living Social mailing list!?!

Tico on Urbanspoon

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He Said, She Said: The Skinny on UFoods Grill

by glenn on March 29, 2011

UFood Grill - Landmark CenterGLENN - The events we attend are usually not thought of as “healthy” – wine tastings, pop-up restaurants, underground dining - yet on Monday, March 28th, thanks to an invite from the Boston Food Bloggers, we did attend a “healthy” event at UFood Grill. Where once  corporations would have had a press party to launch a new concept or initiative, they now hold a bloggers’ party. UFoods currently with eight locations – three in Boston – is a “fast, casual” restaurant with a focus on “better-for-you” cuisine. The company is a franchisor and is gearing up for expansion; hence, the party to spread the word about their “delicious and nutritious” cuisine.

KATRIN - I actually remember UFood when it was Lo Fat, KnowFat – a local chain founded by two bodybuilders and restaurateur Tom Mackey.  The restaurant/supplement stores were around during the height of the low carb diet’s popularity. As a former Atkins devotee, I enjoyed eating there a number of times. The menu made choosing high protein, low carb meals easy. But alas, times change and the chain has changed with it. The menu now features calorie counts instead of carb counts, but the focus remains on offering food that is tasty and good for you.Tom Mackey is still with the company and he explained to our group how UFood has built its menu by focusing on taste, nutrition, how quickly it can be prepared for the customer, and cost. It sounds like a recipe for success.

The Line Up

GLENN - Once the food started coming out of the kitchen, it kept coming and coming. A friend once characterized my appearance as” prosperous”, i.e. well fed, but I had difficulty keeping pace with all the offerings. In the end, I only sampled. My downfall was that the food was so good, I was consuming it all before I had to hit the brakes and just taste.

KATRIN – UFood’s menu is diverse for a “fast food” type of restaurant and has something for almost everybody. They certainly made an effort to offer a sampling from each major category – from salad and pizza to burgers and fries to paninis and smoothies. Here are some of my highlights:

The Turkey Burger

  • The Turkey Burger – I have never had a turkey burger that is so moist and has so much flavor.  A winner!
  • Fire-Grilled Sirloin Tips with mashed sweet potatoes – the beef was tender and cooked medium, just as I like it. Great flavor, too.  And the sweet potatoes are a tasty, nutritious alternative to white potatoes.
  • Chicken Pesto Panini – I liked the contrast of textures in the panini – crispy bread and gooey, hot center. The pesto could have been a bit more intense, perhaps, but overall very good.
  • All of the “Smuuthies” and the frozen yogurt – UFood does not use ice in its smoothies like its competitors. Instead they freeze the fruit used, which definitely enhances the flavor and texture naturally. We sampled the Peachy Keen, Strawbanilla, and Berrylicious.

Fire-Grilled Sirloin Tips

GLENN – My favorites of the evening were the Fire-Grilled Sirloin Tips, the Turkey Burger and the Fresh Falafel Wrap. Mention should also be made of the tasty and crispy UnFries. The lowfat Vanilla and Tart Berry yogurt was the perfect ending. I was able to eat it all.

,

The Fresh Falafel Wrap

KATRIN - While my waistline and I still miss Lo Fat, Know Fat, I will certainly be heading to UFood much more frequently. Lucky for me, there are locations close to both my home and my office! Thank you to everyone at UFood – especially Tom Mackey, Jeff Bonasia, and Walter Pomerleau – for hosting the Boston Food Bloggers and to Rachel Blumenthal for organizing this event!

I'll have another, please

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He Said, She Said: Flavor-tripping at Mystery Meet 8

by katrin on February 10, 2011

The Star of the Show: The Miracle Fruit Berry

GLENN - The subtitle for this event could well be “The Physiology of Taste Upended.” The Taste Trip Party presented by Mystery Meet and Chef Eliana Hussain at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts – my alma mater – on February 8 played with our perception of sweet and sour. We were given a small red berry – popularly known as “the miracle fruit” – which we were told to mash and lightly work around our tongues. The berry – synsepalum dulcificum – tricks the taste buds into perceiving sour as sweet; the effect lasts between 15 minutes and one hour. After we had “dosed” ourselves, we benchmarked the experience by tasting a variety of foods normally tasted as sour. We chewed on lemon and lime wedges – both tasted as if they’d been candied. Pomegranate molasses was incredibly rich but, for me, sriracha was still sriracha. Underripe kiwis and blackberries exploded with flavor. This was fun!

Chef Eliana Hussain Introducing the Miracle Fruit

KATRIN – Chef Eliana introduced the berry and the tasting menu and explained that it affects everyone differently. There are a variety of factors, including the potency of the berry itself and your individual chemistry and health, that contribute to how intense the sweetness becomes and how long it lasts. The thing I liked about trying the lemon and lime wedges, and the citrus salad as well, was it felt like I was tasting lemon and lime for the first time. I did not have any sweetness, but rather the miracle fruit canceled out the acidity of the foods, which I now realize distracts from the true flavor of a lemon or grapefruit. Unfortunately, the effect wore off quickly and by the end of the Fennel and Apple Salad I was back to puckering at the sourness of the green apples.

Citrus Salad with Mint and Yogurt

GLENN – In my case, the effect started to taper off after 20 minutes. The first course – citrus salad with yogurt and pomegranate seeds was a treat  – the unsweetened pink grapefruit and yogurt quite sweet, the pomegranate seeds small bursts of intensity. After that the effect lingered but was more subtle with some courses showing the crossover but other courses not so much. The fennel and apple salad was intensely flavored and the chicken piccata took on an almost mellow aspect.

Chicken Piccata

The Cuban sandwich was very tasty but unaltered. Shrimp and strawberries with Meyer Lemon vinaigrette remained simply shrimp and strawberries – a combo that didn’t work for me. And the tomato and tamarind soup didn’t meld and remained somewhat jarring.

Tomato and Tamarind Soup

KATRIN - The Cuban sandwich was soggy and bland, and the tomato and tamarind soup was one of the most unpleasant things I have ever tasted.

The Cuban Sandwich

I love chicken piccata, but the intensity super sour and acidic and I had to stop after a couple of bites. Oddly, the Butternut Squash Cannelloni with Parmesan Cream Sauce, the  last dish of the evening, was very sweet. The squash filling was more like pumpkin pie filling that something found in an entree.

Butternut Squash Cannelloni with Parmesan Cream Sauce

Overall, I was not impressed by the food. I kept reminding myself that the purpose of this was not to have an outstanding culinary experience and that I should think of it as a science experiment and that the food was prepared as a sensory test.  Unfortunately, combining that many different foods and flavors made for an unpleasant end to the evening and next morning.

Flavor Tripping at Cambridge Culinary

GLENN – For me, this was a foodie adventure. Like Dining in the Dark, my concentration was more focused – the evening was more about the food and less about the meet-up. My tablemates were a lively bunch, sharing their perceptions of each course and swapping foodie stories. By the end of the evening, the temperature had dropped significantly and Mass. Ave. was a wind tunnel. Yet the  harshness of the weather and an unpleasant walk to the car was abated by our final course – a large to go cup of warmly spiced hot chocolate. Thanks Seth and Chef Eliana!


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The Bliss Factor: The Magic of Pairing Wine and Oysters

1 February 2011

Rodney and I were more than delighted to accept a recent invitation to a seminar exploring “The Bliss Factor” of the perfect food and wine pairing. Held at Jasper White’s Summer Shack in Boston on January 27, the seminar featured two wineries and an expert on oysters from around the world.
I have to admit that [...]

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Mystery Meet 5 – Chris Douglass’ Moveable Feast – He Said, She Said and She Said

11 November 2010

GLENN -With the second clue for Mystery Meet 5, I knew we’d be in the Ashmont neighborhood of Dorchester. Could it be one of Chris Douglass’ two establishments there? With clue #3, Douglass’ identity as the Mystery Meet chef was confirmed. “Fly too high” referenced Icarus, the fine dining establishment that Douglass ran and eventually [...]

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Mystery Meet 3 – The Russell House Tavern – He Said, She Said

16 September 2010

Glenn – My subtitle for this post would be “Cocktail Madness” or “The Tavern’s Mad Mixologist”; I’ll come back to this later. First, though, we had to ponder a bit whether or not we would attend this Mystery Meet. We had been to The Russell House Tavern before and weren’t planning on returning. On our first [...]

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