tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35337269273916247372024-03-13T15:36:41.940-07:00NY and Travel Food, Wine and RestaurantsNorest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-19997588864088070692024-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:002024-02-27T15:46:47.693-08:00Trip to Barcelona, Rioja, Basque Region. Long<p><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">More of a travelogue than a wine post, and in truth it's because we really didn't want to go to high end on wines and just decided to order either an Albarino or a Txakolina when we wanted white and a Crianza or a Ribeira when we wanted Tinto. We did also enjoy the odd glass of Cava.</span></p><div class="content" style="background-color: #f6f6f6; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; min-height: 3em; overflow: auto hidden; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Let's start with <strong class="text-strong" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hotels</strong><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Barcelona</span><br />ONE shot Aragó 257. We stayed 3 nights<br />The good: Excellent location, right next to the Passeig de Gracia, nonexistent lobby, good size room, excellent bed and linens, excellent shower. Quiet. Not too expensive (relatively)<br />The less good: No TV in the room (which didn’t matter much) no a/c which would have probably been a bummer in the summer, no place to sit or put a suitcase to open, no restaurant or café on premises, though plenty nearby. But the worst is I had trouble sleeping in the room, it was too stuffy. Not going back<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Zaragoza</span><br />NH Gran hotel. We stayed 2 nights<br />Good location, nice room, much more modern with all the amenities. Beautiful old hotel with a modern renovation.<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Haro</span><br />Los Augustinos. Stayed 1 night. Thanks JC<br />Wow, old school but charming and delightful. Loved it. Beautiful inside patio with a great buffet breakfast. Really really special<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bilbao</span><br />Gran hotel Domine. Stayed 1 night<br />Excellent location, room looking at the Guggenheim and the Jeff Koons puppy, modern, chic, good restaurant, but valet parking was €25 and the hotel was full of American tourists.<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">San</span> <span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sebastian</span></span><br />Hotel Londres stayed 2 nights, thanks JC and Danny<br />A beautiful hotel, splurged for a room with a view of the bay, stunning, great service, not pretentious at all, wish we could stay longer. Only issue was the self parking at €27 a day is a ripoff when one could park in the same parking lot for a fraction of that.<br /><br /><strong class="text-strong" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Restaurants and Bars:</strong><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Barcelona</span><br />Cuines de Santa Caterina, near the Santa Caterina market for decent tapas, Good patatas bravas and yummy grilled cuttlefish.<br />Edition Hotel Roof bar<br />Had an expensive Jack Daniels, crowded, overrated view.<br />7 Portes<br />Excellent paella, good service, crowded<br />Batea<br />Absolutely stupendous; A jewel, but there are not many tables, and a reservation is difficult, but great imaginative food, especially the appetizers, not too expensive. Go without hesitation.<br />Caelis – One Michelin Star<br />Excellent, expensive but that is expected Great service, great food. We had four white wines by the glass, interesting and different. Probably one of the better restaurants we’ve been to in the last few years.<div class="inline-attachment" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dl class="thumbnail" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dt style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3288&mode=view" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Caelis Wines.jpg" class="postimage" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3288&t=1" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Caelis Wines.jpg (1.96 MiB) Viewed 1562 times" /></a></dt></dl></div><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Zaragoza</span><br />Tajo Bajo was mentioned in a blog recommended by Danny T. <a class="postlink" href="https://wineddinedandrested.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(37, 170, 198); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-width: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://wineddinedandrested.com/</a>. Excellent salad and by far the best potato croquettes anywhere in the galaxy.<br />Bar Circo for tapas where we had the best out of at least a dozen tortillas de patates we sampled all over Northern Spain. Light, fluffy, perfectly seasoned. I have made tortillas de patates myself countless times, never have I come even close to this one!<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Logrones</span><br />Tapas crawl during Saturday lunch. Crowded, fun, tasty, nothing too overdone. Wash the tapas down with house Txakolinas or Cidras<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Haro</span><br />We skipped dinner, the tapas in Logrones did us in and we were both nursing a bad cold<br /><br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">San</span> <span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sebastian</span><br /></span>Tapas crawl<br />Bar Sport for good patatas bravas and a nice sea urchin mousse, came back for a great cheesecake at the end of the crawl.<br />Bar Martinez for decent cod croquettes, and a rare excellent salad.<br />La Cucharra de <span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">San</span> Telmo for the sensational roasted goat cheese with grilled chiles and chile emulsion<br /><br />Kokotxa – One Michelin Star<br />Only place we could get in, market menu was imaginative with the asparagus dish and the lamb shoulder being the stars, I asked the sommelier for an interesting white that could stand up to fish and meat, he recommended an Iri Txakolina (see photo) with interesting salinity and some oxidative notes. A fun experience.<br /><br /><strong class="text-strong" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wineries</strong><br />Well we didn’t really visit, Haro had a bunch of bodegas that sold tastings; Lopez de Heredia, Muga, Rioja Alta and more, we skipped them as these are wines we are pretty familiar with and we both had a cold.<br />On the road from Logrones to Haro we stopped at<br /><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Marques de Riscal</span> for a incredible sight of the Frank Gehry designed hotel, we had a glass of Riserva with a cheese platter on the hotel patio.<div class="inline-attachment" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dl class="thumbnail" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dt style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3291&mode=view" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="MdR Winery.jpg" class="postimage" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3291&t=1" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="MdR Winery.jpg (2.46 MiB) Viewed 1562 times" /></a></dt></dl></div>At <span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ysios</span> we just admired the incredible architecture. My photos of both do not do them justice.<div class="inline-attachment" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dl class="thumbnail" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dt style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3290&mode=view" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Ysios Winery.jpg" class="postimage" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3290&t=1" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ysios Winery.jpg (3.14 MiB) Viewed 1562 times" /></a></dt></dl></div>Overall I thought the food was fun but I got tired of tapas after a while, and the dining hours make for a weird travel schedule. The two different Michelin starred restaurants were excellent but I wouldn’t travel to Catalunya and Basque Country for that.<br /><br />About wines, I love Rioja and other Spanish wines and buy and drink them with pleasure but these can be found everywhere and their prices are going up fast making them less competitive with French and Italians comparable wines.<br /><br /><strong class="text-strong" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sights</strong><br />The sights on the other hand were wonderful; In my very humble opinion, the Sagrada Familia puts anything Rome and Florence have to offer to shame and that includes the Sistine Chapel and the Duomo (sorry TomInDC). The Park Guell, the Casa Mila, the Casa Batlo and all other Gaudi structures and designs were just amazing.<div class="inline-attachment" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dl class="thumbnail" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dt style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3289&mode=view" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Sagrada light.jpg" class="postimage" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3289&t=1" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Sagrada light.jpg (3.21 MiB) Viewed 1562 times" /></a></dt></dl></div>We walked a lot, the Ramblas, the Passeig de Gracia, the Jewish Quarter and the Gothic Quarter, we took a funicular and a cable car to visit Montjuic, the Castel and the wonderful Joan Miro Foundation with its beautiful views of the city, I liked the Picasso Museum well enough but I thought the Paris museum of the same name is better.<br />We took a day trip to Monserrat to breath some mountain air and visit the monastery with the awesome views.<br />The Guggenheim in Bilbao is stunning outside and in, even if I wasn't crazy about some of the exhibits.<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/TQxixA2UAWQFkEfz8" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(37, 170, 198); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-width: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/TQxixA2UAWQFkEfz8</a><br /><br /><span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">San</span> <span class="posthilit" style="background-color: #f5ece9; border: 0px; color: #af4b2a; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 2px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sebastian</span> is a lovely city, with a beautiful beach and a charming old town.<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/61QEKGGecBtWYPpr7" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(37, 170, 198); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-width: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/61QEKGGecBtWYPpr7</a><br /><br />The countryside is warm and inviting with easy polite driving everywhere. We stopped in Pamplona to pay homage to Papa Hemingway’s bust and the streets where the bulls will run free in July.<br /><br />Next visit to Spain we will try Valencia for a real paella, Andalusia and the Costa del Sol.</div><dl class="attachbox" style="background-color: white; border-color: rgb(237, 237, 237) rgb(237, 237, 237) rgb(237, 237, 237) rgb(127, 196, 210); border-image: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 3px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; color: #141414; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><dt style="border: 0px; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Attachments</dt><dd style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; clear: left; font: inherit; margin: 4px 0px 0px; overflow-x: auto; padding: 4px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dl class="thumbnail" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><dt style="border: 0px; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3292&mode=view" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #961c25; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Ernest.jpeg" class="postimage" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/download/file.php?id=3292&t=1" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ernest.jpeg (2.61 MiB) Viewed 1562 times" /></a></dt><div><br /></div></dl></dd></dl>Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-88925230031774754942023-07-11T13:24:00.000-07:002023-07-11T13:24:01.546-07:00Loire Valley Visit<div class="content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; min-height: 3em; overflow: auto hidden; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">We landed in France Saturday morning and rented a car at the airport heading to Amboise, on the way we stopped in Chartres to see the magnificent cathedral; absolutely stunning stained glass windows, enormous nave, very impressive. We then walked around the outdoor Saturday market where the best produce of France was displayed. I resisted the urge to buy anything. <br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/AkYYCogjd2Wy3noH8" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/AkYYCogjd2Wy3noH8</a><br /><br /><br />On to Amboise, we stayed the first two nights at Le Manoir les Minimes: great location, five minutes walk from the town center, nice room, good shower, a bit by the numbers, not as charming as I was expecting but nothing bad to say, except the price maybe which is a bit steep. <br /><br />We then moved to the Chateau de Perreux, for about 30% less but with a lot more charm, great views, nice gardens, very friendly hosts, a ten minutes drive from the town center.<br /><br />In Amboise we ate dinner at Chez Bruno fun little bistro with honest but quite unimaginative food, full of American tourists. I had a mediocre steak tartare, Jill a great magret de canard all washed down with a terrific 2020 Franco de Porc Bourgueil Domaine de la Chevalerie. Dark and chewy with a good nose and excellent fruit <br />The next night at Le 36, a gastronomic restaurant close to the hotel, pretty setting overlooking the Loire river. Service is a brooding stuffy head waiter but young, friendly and eager staff otherwise. Food comes out so quickly, it obviously was prepared way in advance, also, I am asked how I would like my quasi de veau (which is a veal rump that is roasted) done. Baffling. <br />We had an excellent Sancerre the 2022 Terre de Maimbray by Nicholas et Pascal Reverdy (idk if there’s a connection to Hyppolyte). It’s focused, clean and vibrant with a smooth finish. Lovely<br /><br />We then toured a bunch of Chateaux. We tried to stick to two per day <br />Chronologically<br />Clos Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last few years; fascinating exhibits with a nice park were some of the great man’s inventions are on view. A couple of cheesy exhibits do not detract from the overall feeling of awe.<br /><br />Chateau Royal d’Amboise smack in the middle of the beautiful town, great view of the Loire and the surroundings, beautiful exhibit, nice gardens. That will actually be a recurring theme<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/4n51VUZ2hrgTPJ5v7" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/4n51VUZ2hrgTPJ5v7</a><br /><br />Chateau de Chambord is massive, probably the biggest we’ve seen, great exhibits of François 1er’s life as a giant king (he was 1.98m tall or 6’6). Again beautiful gardens<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/6y2EyLwvd9cE94iEA" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/6y2EyLwvd9cE94iEA</a><br /><br />Chateau de Chenonceaux is gorgeous, with pretty gardens and interesting décor. The kitchens are very interesting. The river running through it adds to the unique beauty of the place. Probably, esthetically, the most beautiful of them all<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/bnhpu77d4xXWmG6s7" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/bnhpu77d4xXWmG6s7</a><br /><br />Chateau de Cheverny which is actually one of my favorites, it served as an inspiration to ( in the comic books of Tintin) Marlinespike Hall (Chateau de Moulinsart in the French version) with a fun Tintin exhibit. The gardens are pretty with very fragrant herbs and flowers<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/vtd1hCGnbsaYFZFn7" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/vtd1hCGnbsaYFZFn7</a><br /><br />Chateau Chaumont sur Loire is very interesting inside with a fascinating history but I was taken by the 3 huge gardens, one of them with a charming exhibit of various gardens from around the world, one with small contemporary artful pieces well integrated, and one with a fun ramble in the woods. Probably the most charming gardens of them all<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/tjsTrbX32MzF6tFY9" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/tjsTrbX32MzF6tFY9</a><br /><br />Chateau de Villandry, while the Chateau is still lived in and beautiful, the gardens are breathtaking. Words cannot do them justice. Just check out the pics. <br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/YiKPWGP4oCPDeRXp8" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/YiKPWGP4oCPDeRXp8</a><br /><br />Chateau Azay Le Rideau, absolutely charming inside and out, the one I would buy if I hit lotto. Would make for great BWE get-togethers,just need to add. A pool (or fill the moat <img alt="😂" class="emoji smilies" draggable="false" src="http://twemoji.maxcdn.com/2/svg/1f602.svg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; height: 1em; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; min-width: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 1em;" />)<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/KmV3GLkMH6uLHdUc8" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/KmV3GLkMH6uLHdUc8</a><br /><br />Chateau l’Islette claim to fame is where the two sculptors Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel ran away from Paris for some peace, quiet, inspiration and love. Very pretty, also lived in and semi modernized. <br />Chateau Rigny d’Ussé also known as sleeping beauty castle, we just stopped to take a photo<br />Chateau de Langeais with the best historical exhibit about the secret marriage of Anne de Bretagne and Charles VIII which changed French history. Absent that, German would be spoken in all of France since then. <br />Chateau d’Angers just for the incredible 14th century Apocalyptic tapestry which has been restored and is absolutely awesome. <br />Abbaye de Fontevraud where we stayed the night in the hotel inside the abbey. We had the spooky, creepy place all to ourselves after dinner. It was very eerie and beautiful. <br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/2wAeW17dbmdD3EA66" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/2wAeW17dbmdD3EA66</a><br /><br />We also visited Brehemont, a lovely town on the river Cher, Montsoreau with a nice Chateau but a ridiculously pretentious contemporary art exhibit and La Saut aux Loups, a mushroom cave that just happened to be on the way and offered an interesting exhibit about mushroom cultivation and a place to cool off (avoid if you, like me, still have nightmares from The Last of Us)<br /><br />While touring we stayed at the next few places:<br />Ibis Chinon, worst hotel of the trip, nice people at the reception, but the room stank of cigarettes. We left after one night even though I booked for two<br />Domaine de Mestré, old, antique and charming, with a nice outdoor dinner area, live fun jazz duo while we ate (first Thursday of every month), a soap factory next door makes soap the old fashioned way, I had to buy a couple of perfumed bars. <br /><br />We visited two wineries<br />Huet where Johan took us on a very informative tour, we tasted some of their new releases (not Constance) and visited their cellars. Sarah the owner/winemaker greeted us there as well. Huet is very consistent from year to year, there is no point in describing the wines. <br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/obxrBC4XY9JizimYA" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/obxrBC4XY9JizimYA</a><br /><br />Baudry where we tasted the following:<br />2020 Les Grézeaux, very tannic and closed, but with good depth and balance.<br />2021 Le Domaine, perfumed and easy drinking. I wouldn't age it<br />2020 Les Mollières, a new wine that had crunchy red fruit and a good balance, and was in the sweet spot right now. I bought a bottle and we drank it in the Abbaye de Fontevraud with a delicious picnic basket that the hotel sells. It was delicious. <br />2010 La Croix Boissée was easily the best of the tasting. Deep, perfumed, structured, focused with great finish. <br />We also tasted the 2022 Rosé and the Chinon Blanc. Both as expected. Clean vibrant and focused<br />Baudry doesn't disappoint. Their wines only get better with time. <br />A couple of women were in the tasting and left with a dozen assorted cases BTW. They were big fans.<br /><a class="postlink" href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/L7xVR2V8qaVzrLmc6" style="border-color: currentcolor currentcolor rgb(134, 134, 134); border-image: none; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #868686; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">https://photos.app.goo.gl/L7xVR2V8qaVzrLmc6</a><br /><br />To sum up, we loved the area, it was charming, beautiful and welcoming. Not overrun with tourists and very easy to navigate. Food as almost everywhere in France is good to great. We tried to stay with bistro fare and not go overboard on wine. We are in stunning Brittany now and will be in Provence the next two weeks and maybe then we will indulge.</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p> </p>Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-84769570364998406132017-12-03T04:11:00.002-08:002017-12-03T04:11:22.580-08:00Israel Nov Dec 2017Meals so far in Israel:<br />
Arrived Wednesday and we went to Hudson. Great steaks!! Entrecote on the bone and a Long Island (?) steak are juicy, perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. Who could tell every meal after that would be awful?<br />
That place in the Schuster Center for Thursday lunch. Food is awful. Salty meorav yerushalmi, cold mujadra, limp green beans. Yuck<br />
Matilda on Thursday evening, stuffed red peppers have no flavor and are swimming in tomato sauce<br />
Friends on Friday evening-OK<br />
Shakshuka at Landwer on Saturday morning is way below average<br />
I cooked Saturday evening, not my best meal. <br />
Arepas in the shuk today, half warm, half cold, very salty. Oy! What's going on?<br />
<br />Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-59027473640406188442016-11-10T03:56:00.002-08:002021-01-12T07:02:34.611-08:00Southern and Northern Rhone October 2016 trip<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Jay and I met in Geneva airport and rented a car there for the trip. The trip was great and here are some highlights. I decided not to take any notes of the wines anymore except for some very short impressions, so please forgive the lack of detailed descriptions. </span><br />
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<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Hotels</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Le Bristol in Avignon. Needs a renovation quickly. Staff is very nice and friendly, but rooms are a bit musty. The showers are old, the towels are thin, the mattress is lumpy, no second roll of toilet paper is provided, had to ask for one twice. Could definitely use some extra electric outlets. Horrible wifi. Place is very popular with tour groups but I can't avoid thinking that better options in Avignon abound. Breakfast buffet is €13, valet parking is €13 a day. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Hôtel de France, Valence. Renovated it seems recently but quite haphazardly. Staff is extremely nice. Lobby is modern and welcoming. Rooms are more or less modern except for bathrooms. In one room, the bathroom stall was separate from the shower. In the other it lacked a shower curtain (but there was a drain in the bathroom floor (!)). Toilet paper would be helpful instead of the oneatatime square paper tissues once prevalent in French bathrooms. Mattress is comfortable. Outlets plentiful and good wifi. Breakfast buffet was €16, parking €10 a day and there's free Nespresso coffee in the bar.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Nash hotel, Geneva airport. Good for what it is and a bargain considering the ridiculous hotel prices in Geneva. Pleasant staff, good wifi. Good shower, bathroom, mattress. Shuttle to airport is pleasant and prompt, breakfast is good. That along with the free transport card given to all hotel residents in Geneva make leaving hotel to tour the city a pleasure. </span><br />
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<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Restaurants</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Le 59 Aix les Bains. One waiter to take care of all the tables? Well, it worked, prompt service always with a smile, excellent food, reasonable prices. A pleasurable lunch. We had a delicious chestnut and pumpkin creamy soup with some foam on top, crunch powdered hazelnuts and vegetal coal(!) roasted and powdered were sprinkled on top. Incredible. A strip of sautéed cod on top of puréed potatoes and chives was very good. Dessert was excellent.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Le Caveau du Théâtre. Avignon. Recommended by the hotel and quite good. We had the following appetizers: salmon gravlax with goat yogurt and the brandade de morue which was a little bland. For mains, a hanger steak with foie gras butter and mashed potatoes was very good, a filet of cod on roasted fennel with saffron was a little sweet. We finished with a good cheese platter and the best panna cotta I've ever had. The wine was not memorable, otherwise I would remember it. Maybe some Cote du Rhone or other.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Le Forum, Orange. Found that it had good recommendations on Google, and needing a place to eat lunch I called on a Sunday at 1:10 and was told to please come no later than 1:30. After rushing there and arriving just as the church bells are ringing, we get the last table. 24 diners sitting in different table configurations, in the front of the room one waitress/hostess/buslady/probably owner, in the back, one prepboy/chef/cook/owner. The place functions beautifully, the food is fantastic, the presentation is gorgeous, the service pleasant. A wonderful surprise. We started with foie gras beautifully presented and an amazing squash and chestnut soup with prawns and truffle oil. I then had pesto risotto with delicious scallops and my friend had an incredibly tender veal roast. We finished with a tremendous trio of creme brulee. Everything was washed with a delicious bottle of 2013 Coteaux des Travers Rasteau La Mondone. Rustic and dark but with good structure and acidity. Very very nice. Probably my best non Michelin star dining experience ever in France. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/69oWZKLWSEzH3egD6" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/69oWZKLWSEzH3egD6</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Christian Etienne, Avignon. A one star Michelin, this was quite good but more in an intellectual than a gourmand experience. Good amuse bouches, especially the panna cotta bouillabaisse with cucumber coulis (say what???), excellent foie gras and butternut squash, very good scallops with a potato pancake and onion confit but the fish was just ok on a barley like risotto and the duck correct and nothing more. The cheese tray was incredible and the desserts excellent. Unfortunately, accompanying the meal was a mediocre wine I chose, a 2012 Chateau des Tours Reserve, Cotes du Rhone white. This was made by Emmanuel Reynaud of Chateau Rayas and it is fat and flabby like a lot of Rhone whites. Couldn't stand up to the meal at all and was a let down. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/wvAd1vf5LKPdZ8NX8" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/wvAd1vf5LKPdZ8NX8</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Bistrot de Serine, Ampuis. Not great but not bad either, a good wine list, great salad appetizer but the rumsteak was very tough. Better places everywhere but pleasant enough.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Bistrot des Clercs, Valence. Looks wonderful from inside and out. An old fashioned bistro with a lovely hostess and friendly service but the meal is nothing to write home about. We did have a great bottle of 2014 Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage but while we went to bigger places with more tables and one competent server, here we had four incompetent waiters and ten tables max. The food was ok, locals ordered the mussels and seemed happy and maybe we should have done that as well.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Le Milou, Valence. Tiny with good food, one competent and friendly waitress serving everyone, a good bottle of St Joseph. Tres sympa as the locals say. I had another delicious pumpkin and chestnut cream soup and an excellent steak au poivre. Probably my favorite joint in Valence. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Anne Sophie Pic, Valence. Finally the culinary highlight of the trip. Three star Michelin and an incredible menu from all aspects. Poetic description of every menu choice, multiple waiters, all helpful and friendly, flavors that I 've never tasted before, no words can do this place justice, so I'll show the pictures. Btw, the prices were also wow! By far the most expensive place we ate at. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/GE6Tv7AZHzsRt7mk6" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/GE6Tv7AZHzsRt7mk6</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Wineries: </span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Fortia, Chateauneuf du Pape, a great visit with Pierre Pastre. we tasted three wines Cuvee Tradition, Cuvee du Baron and Cuvee Reservee. The wines contain a blend of Syrah, Grenache and a little Mourvedre. All different cepages come from the same vineyards, are aged the same, and blended before bottling in different proportion according to the Cuvee. I liked the wines a lot. The Cuvee Reservee with its highest Syrah proportion my favorite, the Cuvee Tradition with the lowest Syrah also delicious. Fortia uses no new oak at all and the wines are pure and vibrant. Pierre mentioned that the 2016 harvest looks fantastic and he's rarely seen such perfect fruit. We visited the cellar and had a great rapport with Pierre, maybe because all three of us were about the same age with the same curmudgeonly attitude, were all wearing a half zip dark sweater and jeans, and sported a similar hairdo. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/rWLnRey3EiYGdMms9" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/rWLnRey3EiYGdMms9</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Ogier, Chateauneuf du Pape. Not to be confused with Stephane Ogier from Cote Rotie, this is more of a corporate setting and they produce the Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes. A good visit but the only one that cost money, €12 a person in this case. I liked the wines and Vincent did a great job with the tour. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/ut8oPq92nLjPPNts8" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/ut8oPq92nLjPPNts8</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine de la Janasse, Chateauneuf du Pape my least favorite visit. Even though we had an appointment, we couldn't see the cellar, the wines were harsh and insipid. Skip it.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Chateau La Nerthe, Chateauneuf du Pape, just drove by and decided to stop, a beautiful place and the visit was short but quite nice. The cellar was being renovated and we were only allowed to pop in to take a quick look. The wines we tasted were really good, too bad I didn't make an appointment as we could have had a more in depth visit. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/RBQVRAGodxBLy3269" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/RBQVRAGodxBLy3269</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine du Pegau, Chateauneuf du Pape. We visited this famous place and had a tour along with two hipster guys from the restaurant Purple in Seattle, a sommelier and a manager. The visit was nice and was conducted by Laurence Feraud who was very pleasant but was about to fly to Hong Kong in a few hours and seemed a bit frazzled. She explained that they make a regular Cuvee Reservee every year, a higher end Cuvee Laurence and in great years, a Cuvee da Capo (instead of the Laurence). Apparently they will make Cuvee da Capo in 2015 but not in 2016. The estate is growing due to great reviews by Parker, but I think their wines need a lot of time, only their Cotes du Rhone seemed anywhere near ready. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/xDiMNFXxft4fhurQ6" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/xDiMNFXxft4fhurQ6</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine du Pesquier, Gigondas. Just lovely wines and probably my favorite Gigondas. A quick nice visit with a tasting of their last two vintage, both quite tasty.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine Patrick Jasmin, Ampuis. A private visit all in French and I had to translate the whole time. Patrick , a big burly man, was absolutely charming. We tasted his delightful wine, some barrel samples of 2015 and some of the 2016 still fermenting in stainless steel. Both obviously very young but the core of fruit is there and augurs two excellent vintages. I always liked Jasmin wines as I think they are approachable young and very pure and fragrant. They only make one Cuvee and lost their Kermit Lynch representation in the US so they are looking for a new rep. I hope they find one quickly. I love their wines. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/6AGQ51zMBfuar7Km9" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/6AGQ51zMBfuar7Km9</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine Garon, Ampuis. Visited with Kevin Garon and took a walk in his vineyard before touring his immaculate operation. They make three cuvees from three different parcels in Cote Rotie, we could only taste the Triottes which was very young but with good structure underneath. We tasted the 2015 barrel sample of the Cuvee des Rochins and that was delicious, excellent core of fruit and structure. It will be a great wine to buy. Kevin said they used to sell in the US through Chambers Street Wines exclusively but now are being represented by a new importer called Angel's Share. One to look for. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/iJ4EfswWwoyLkKyk9" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/iJ4EfswWwoyLkKyk9</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Domaine Guigal, Ampuis. If the other two visits in the Northern Rhone felt like family operations, this felt like a visit to a Pepsi bottling plant. Huge almost fully automated we were on a tour with a 19 people group bus from Iceland and after touring the operation we escaped before the tasting as that would have taken hours. Plus we saw they were not serving any LaLas (not that we expected any, but we would have stayed for a Mouline sip </span><img alt=":D" src="https://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Very Happy" /><span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;"> )</span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/Ht21WbYMVsqn66PQ9" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/Ht21WbYMVsqn66PQ9</a><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Vineum Maison Jaboulet, Tain l'Hermitage. So this is more like a store that stocks Jaboulet only wines (and la Lagune). We had a good tasting of whites and reds including some Petite Chapelle and the latest La Chapelle. I love the wines but the prices are stratospheric compared to what I could find in the US.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Cities and villages:</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Avignon inside the walls is cool, with an old vibe and tons of people strolling around the lovely pedestrian area. We really enjoyed the market</span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/CU8x918dLa4VznEj8" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/CU8x918dLa4VznEj8</a><span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">, the bridge and the Palais des Papes. </span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Vaison la Romaine has two parts, and ancient town, with narrow hilly streets leading to the fortress and a stunning view and a more modern area with shops and markets. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/GQNm6xZanvWmKca38" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/GQNm6xZanvWmKca38</a><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Orange has one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters I've seen, not to be missed. </span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/qroJJnAW3WtZTaSz9" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/qroJJnAW3WtZTaSz9</a><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Gigondas with the dentelles all around, nice views and yet another medieval town sprawling up is quaint and inviting at the same time. We visited a chocolate factory with a good selection of truffles and a lovely young lady who showed us around.</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Châteauneuf du Pape felt like a tourist trap with all the wine stores, their tastings, and their overpriced wines. I especially disliked the Beaucastel store.</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Valence has some great restaurants, we ate at Anne Sophie Pic a three star Michelin which is quite an institution in the town.I liked the park and its views but after two day in the place I was ready to split.</span><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Ampuis, the best thing about Ampuis are the hills surrounding it. Mouline and Landonne are quite beautiful but so are the others.</span><a class="postlink" href="https://goo.gl/photos/rh7s26XXyw9s4oeA6" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #ae726c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">https://goo.gl/photos/rh7s26XXyw9s4oeA6</a><br />
<span face=""lucida grande" , "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #f2f7f9; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">We missed Grignan but heard great things about it. Next time.</span>Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-52497096906960127102015-10-23T01:35:00.002-07:002015-10-28T22:57:08.762-07:00Trip to Piedmont Oct 9-17<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We got back
from a wonderful week in Piedmont and here are a few notes to provide some help
for future visitors to the region, everything in my notes is jumbled so please
forgive me while I do this from memory:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Torino<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Hotel:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Principe di
Piemonte: We had a last minute booking bargain rate through Booking.com and
jumped on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great luxury hotel in
the center of town, all excellent spa, breakfast, rooms, service. We stayed two
nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Restaurants:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">L’Agrifoglio:
Our first taste of Piemontese cuisine: battuta, vitello tonnato, verdure a la
griglia, tagliolini al tartuffo. Excellent all around! Truffles were €3.50 a
gram. We had a 2011 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">beautiful
perfume, ripe and approachable even at this age with just a few dusty tannins.
A top notch meal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bruschetteria
Pautasso: My first bagna cauda, and probably the most vegetables I had in a
restaurant in Piemonte.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ended with a
good tagliata di vitello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drank a 2013
Renato Ratti Nebbiolo d'Alba Ochetti that was correct but nothing more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good food, rustic atmosphere, but the place
was jammed and service was very slow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">To do :<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We went to
the amazing Egyptian museum. Puts the NYC Egyptian wings in the Metropolitan
Museum and the British Museum to shame, a MUST GO!. Nice walking city, great
pedestrian areas in all downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
surprised as I thought this would be a very industrial metropolis. Lots to
explore not a lot of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Langhe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Hotel:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We ended up
staying at Ca del Lupo in Montelupo Albese the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were supposed to be there for two nights,
then continue to Alba for three nights and finish at La Morra for the last two,
we found traffic in Alba impossible (as almost everyone said) and La Morra nice
enough for a one day visit but no more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Birger did recommend an agriturismo but we were too late and that was
fully booked for the period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">That said,
we found Ca del Lupo perfect for our needs, not cheap but not too expensive,
modern, spacious, beautiful views, great service, and easy parking. But we
especially liked the ease by which we could drive to any place in the
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, yes, the breakfast buffet was
also amazing, with homemade jams and cakes along with the usual plentiful
fare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you Ian Amstad for the
recommendation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Restaurants:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We went to
quite a few, in no particular order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Trattoria
in Piazza in Montelupo Albese:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great
family atmosphere, friendly and warm, we had a great dinner and the wine list
is varied and quite affordable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
shared a vitello tonnato, a tajarin al ragu, a brasato al Barolo and a rabbit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For dessert great panna cotta and the bonet -
chocolate pudding - that I am now definitely addicted to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To drink we had a wonderful 2011 Francesco
Rinaldi Barolo Brunate that like all the 2011 Barolo that we had is very
aromatic and while this has plenty of time ahead, it is delicious to drink
right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Trattoria
Cascina Schiavenza in Serralunga d’Alba: Thank you Ian Sutton for this great
recommendation; both a restaurant and a winery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A delicious lunch, mixed antipasti with the usual - bagna cauda, battuta,
vitello tonnato, funghi filled crepes, then tajarin and ravioli al plin. We
drank a good 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ristorante
Ca del Lupo, Montelupo Albese: So we were too tired to drive anywhere and went
to the restaurant in, or actually near, the hotel. As we had not had truffles
in two days, we went for the truffle menu: battuta with truffles, insalata
russa (no truffles ), tajarin with truffles, baked egg with truffles and a
dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All were great, and a bargain
for about €60.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a great wine,
elegant and vibrant – the 2005 Camp Gros Martinenga from Marchese di
Gresy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A great meal and a bargain wine
yet again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Enoteca con
Cucina Degusto, Barbaresco: Lunchtime and cases of wines everywhere, tight
spaces, totally jam-packed, looks like a hole in the wall but again, great
food, and again I go for the delicious mixed antipasti - pepper with bagna
cauda and vitello tonnato – and for a plate of tajarin, finishing with an
incredible tiramisu, best we had this trip. I am now officially addicted to
Piemontese cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything is always
delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wine we wanted wasn’t
available so the waitress recommended a 2011 Barbaresco Borgese Albesani Pierro
Busso. The wine wasn’t on the list, so the waitress called the winery to ask
how much they should charge, at €40, this is another good wine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Trattoria
La Coccinella in Serravalle Langhe: A little more elaborate, great service by
the two brothers who own/manage the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Friendly, knowledgeable and happy to stop by and chat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, we were a little tired of the
usual pasta and meat offerings and opted for the seafood menu. Delicious,
especially the swordfish (cooked rare! A first for me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drank a 2013 Giuseppe Rinaldi Langhe
Nebbiolo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A great producer and it went
great with our food (actually, it would have been great with any food) we loved
the wine!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you to Filippo Ginanni
for recommending both the place and to go for 2013 Nebbiolo Langhe and 2011
Barolo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Osteria la
Cantinella, Barolo: As we were leaving town, we tried to go to a couple of
places that were recommended but Veglio and Osteria del Vignaiolo were full,
this place had a table outside in the garden so we grabbed it. Cold and rainy,
we warmed up with a 2012 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d’Alba that was a little
sweet and non-descript, we’d have been better off with yet another 2013 Langhe
Nebbiolo from anyone. The food was again great, I am sure, there must be one
bad restaurant in the Langhe but we couldn’t find it despite all our
efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Now for the
expensive stuff:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Davide
Palluda, Canale: Fantastic food and wine at a tasting menu dinner, we had a
tartare of amberjack, a ragout of porcini mushrooms topped with shaved raw porcini
mushrooms, a fondutta on top of sweet potatoes and cardoons, all topped with
truffles, ravioli with some tomato, agnolotti with guinea fowl and a kick ass
dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Washed down with a great 2007
Prunotto Bussia Barolo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wonderful
experience!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Piazza Duomo,
Alba:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, we just had to try after all
the hype.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And here it was also great but
a little mixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truffle menu was
ridiculously expensive at €160 per person, especially since one has to pay for
the truffle on top of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those at
€7.50 per gram were also ridiculously priced. The wine list is extensive but no
bargains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drank a 2011 Ceretto
Barbaresco Basarin that was actually the most boring wine of the trip. Sweet
and elegant at first but does not evolve at all during the whole dinner. Best
way to describe it is monolithic. The food was amazing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every bite is an explosion of flavors; every
dish is gorgeous to look at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The service
is befitting a 3 star Michelin place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Too bad about the outrageous prices and the bleh wine but we’ll put that
as a one in a lifetime experience and move on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Restaurant
conclusions: No bad meals anywhere, battuta, vitello tonnato, bagna cauda,
tajarin, ravioli al plin, for most meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Always delicious, only criticism is I wish there were more vegetables
served at the meals, the few times we tried verdure a la griglia we got two
slices of eggplant and two of zucchini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess the Piemontese don’t believe in eating vegetables.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Wineries:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We visited
six:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Azienda
Agricola Fillipo Gallina, Roero: We were met by Laura and her husband Guillemo
(sp.). Warm, friendly, informative, good wines, intrigued by their Arneis,
seduced by their Sorano, everything about this visit is lovely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We bought a few bottles and would have bought
more if we even had room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you
Birger for the intro. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Oddero, La
Morra: We had a very informative visit with Isabella Boffa Oddero who I believe
is the granddaughter of Giacomo Oddero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While the winery had its critics lately, mainly claiming the wine is too
good young and can therefore not possibly be just as good with age, we loved
their regular Barolo bottling as well as the Barbaresco Gallina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also were very impressed by the
cleanliness, the focus and the professionalism of the operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This along with Bruno Rocca in Barbaresco
were our two favorite visits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Azienda
Agricola G.D. Vajra, Barolo; We were greeted very warmly at the entrance
by the owner, Milena, but it went downhill from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The visit, itself, we enjoyed less, the wines
were kind of nondescript, the tour was given by a nice eager intern of Chinese
origin but her accent was difficult to understand and I think the visit could
have been a lot better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Azienda
Agricola Azelia, Castglione Falleto: We visited this small operation and had a
long tour with Lorenzo Scavino, the great grandson of the founder of the same
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young man explained that they
are cousins of the more famous Paolo Scavino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a more traditional operation but they use modern methods and the
cellars looked almost brand new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
liked the wines, especially the single vineyards Barolo, they showed a lot of
power and structure but these are wines for long aging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Moccagatta
s.s.a. - Barbaresco; I have a soft spot for Moccagatta, I like the classy clean
modern label, I fondly remember the 1993 and 1997 Bric Balin, but the wines imo
need a lot of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The visit itself was
enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Martina, was knowledgeable
and friendly, we liked some of their newer wines, no point in buying at the
winery since they are widely available in the USA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bruno Rocca
Az. Agr. Rabaja – Barbaresco; Our last visit to a winery was also one of
the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tasted great wines, the
elegant 2011 Barbaresco, the powerful 2011 Barbaresco Rabaja, a Barbera d’Alba
and a Langhe Nebbiolo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What struck in
all these wines was the great fruit but also a sense of balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also caught from the terrace a wonderful
view of the vineyards, the cellars themselves were clean, well organized. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very impressed by Bruno Rocca, here was
a winery with a sense of harmony with its surroundings coupled with focus and
professionalism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Wines
conclusions (warning! gross generalizations coming!!): I imagine by now
everyone is aware that the modern vs traditional battles that had taken place
here are now (for the most part) in the past, most wineries have moved to a
more or less traditional style with modern method ways of production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There may still be some bad blood though, as
one person said they wished everyone kept their style instead of constantly
changing every few years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Of the
Barolos and Barbarescos we drank at wineries, we found the 2010s well
structured and built for the long haul, the 2011 perfumed and approachable, with
the Barbarescos a tad more elegant and the Barolos a bit more rustic, we only
had one or two 2008s and these were shut tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The 2012
Barbera d’Alba were for the most part good pizza wines but I found they all had
between 14.0 and 15.5 alcohol, they were quite balanced though but I imagine I
would have trouble drinking more than a glass during a meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The 2013
Langhe Nebbiolo we had were all delicious, perfumed, balanced, with good fruit
and acidity, they were our favorite wines for current drinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">One more
point I would like to make and that is single vineyards vs blends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find single vineyard Barolo and Barbaresco
to be more of an intellectual exercise, trying find the strengths and flaws in
each vineyard. I personally prefer blends which, when properly done, are more
enjoyable and are a better reflection of the area and the winemaker as whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Walks, we
only did a couple of hikes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bought a €6
walking map at the weird enoteca/touristoffice/corkscrewmuseum shop in Barolo:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">From our
hotel, a short walk toward Sinio, get on Via dei Pini, picnic on the side with
a stunning view overlooking vineyards, got back and detour through the town of
Montelupo Albese where we read all the wolf stories on the walls. Easy, quick
on paved roads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">From Barolo
to La Morra, a walk through the vineyards, the path is quite clear at first,
but the signs get more and more sporadic as we continue. Wear hiking shoes,
prepare for steep hills and a lot of mud, beautiful views from anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly unpaved but some portions on the paved
road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Conclusions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We loved
the area, it has a rare natural beauty with gentle rolling hills, vineyards
everywhere, the Alps in the background on clear days, a sense of magic when the
fog rolls in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also a land of
contradictions; rural and modern, rustic and sophisticated, family warmth and
farming traditions on one side and wealth from the wine and tourist business on
the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food is not very varied
and, again, I wish there were more vegetables offerings during meals, but
everything we ate was excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
wanted to try Osteria Gemma in Ruddino which is apparently the go to place in
the area, but couldn't get in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still,
this was one great trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-59844469384834290822014-06-05T08:01:00.003-07:002014-06-05T08:01:42.344-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L'Arpege Paris: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">Exhausting indulgence</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a;"></span></span><br />
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_202434167" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most amazing thing in this restaurant it's that the party never seems to end. From the moment you're seated for lunch till your departure, three and a half hours later, the dishes just don't stop coming. Some of them small, some of them more copious, most of them very imaginative, some dishes amount to a tour de force of technique, imagination, freshness and flavors (sea urchin and thyme sabayon? OMG!!!!), other dishes use the seasonal ingredients grown at the chef/owner to create delicious combinations of flavors (rhubarb and asparagus season? hope you like rhubarb and asparagus). Just an incredible lunch afternoon.<br /><br />But....<br /><br />At some point, it becomes an overdose, I was crying uncle after the 12th dish (there were fifteen all together, not including amuse bouches and mignardises in the "cheaper" prix fixed menu). It just never ended and I really couldn't wait to get out of there.<br /><br />Another criticism, and it may just be me, but there was very little protein in the dishes; one small medallion of monkfish, two small nibbles of sweetbreads, one small piece of cheese. I needed some protein badly at the end to balance the meal (and to cure a massive headache).<br /><br />Service was all in all excellent, but the first 8 dishes arrived in very quick succession and the remaining ones came at a much slower pace.<br /><br />Conclusion: Go if you must experience this once in a lifetime, but just remember in the words of one of the staff, when I said: "It continues?" she said: "IT NEVER STOPS"</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited April 2014</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-38294838918040664592014-06-05T07:57:00.001-07:002014-06-05T07:57:21.133-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scarpetta New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">A few hits among the many misses</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_208853885" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the things I hate in NYC restaurants are again obvious here;<br />The over fifty crowd gets shoved in the corners next to the bathrooms and the wait stations.<br />The wine list is incomprehensible, the sommelier was nice enough to recommend something affordable among the many overpriced choices. The service actually is ok though too hassled.<br />The food comes out so fast, no time to relax - hello, tap, mineral or sparkling? hello, any wine or cocktails? hello, need help with the menus? hello, ready to order? hello here is the food. Boom boom boom. take a break guys, let us enjoy our conversation.<br />Now the food is all coming out at breakneck speed:<br />Appetizers were frito misto - good, crudo - excellent, polenta - cold, mushy, boring. short ribs - good texture but cold, with a creamy farro risotto (how much butter/cream can you put in that?)<br />Entrees: the famous spaghetti with tomato sauce, good but not earth shattering good, a black cod entree looked very strange, smallest and thinnest slice of black cod I've ever seen. No sign of the fennel dust and serving three grape tomatoes when the menu says concentrated tomatoes is bordering outrageous.<br />Dessert: The coconut panna cotta with guava soup is so sweet it has no other flavors except sugar.The chocolate peanut butter ganache is good.<br />The problem is that when you're sitting down in an unrelaxed atmosphere, everything happens so fast, no time to enjoy the food, no time to have a decent conversation, you just want to leave.<br />Sure, we could complain and then what? We get comped some other bad dish that we didn't want sitting in an unwelcome space, we get $20 off a $300 check? No thank you. We'd rather not return.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited May 2014</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-41326844646966800782014-06-04T10:47:00.005-07:002014-06-04T10:47:56.095-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tribeca Grill New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">Dependable and good</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_204841891" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Six of us and the place is as nice as ever. Excellent service, including excellent wine service with a very helpful and friendly sommelier.<br />Imaginative and very tasty appetizers and entrees, nice selection of desserts, Cheese course a little pedestrian (Epoisse? La Tur? Aged Gouda? Feels like the nineties) and lacks imagination.<br /><br />Prices are reasonable for NYC. Only thing is that the staff looked very busy when the restaurant wasn't even full, they may be overwhelmed on a busy night but that's speculation.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited May 2014</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-72663633038042164352014-06-04T10:45:00.007-07:002014-06-04T10:45:59.357-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Modern New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">Best meal in New York City for years</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_198185400" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Could rival Per Se where we ate a few years ago, or Blue Hill at Stone Barns last year. Absolutely magnificent.<br />Imaginative and appetizing trio of amuses<br />Every dish looked gorgeous on the plate, complex with multiple layers of flavor, never enough to make one feel full and just big enough to satisfy. </span></div>
<div id="review_198185400" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended: The foie gras praline, the chicken with pistachios, the foie gras and diver scallop, the cod and chorizo, among the desserts the pineapple carpaccio was delicious. The wine list is difficult but the wine service, actually the whole staff, was excellent.<br />HIghly recommended</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited March 2014</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*****</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-33466432278349287252014-06-04T10:44:00.000-07:002014-06-04T10:44:25.233-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annisa New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">good but no fireworks</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_195314067" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First the good parts: service was excellent, the setting comfortable, the whole atmosphere very welcoming.<br /><br />Now for the food, well, it was ok, but nothing spectacular, textures are interesting where there is a contrast between crunchy, soft and foamy elements on a plate but the flavors are very monolithic and bland. The soup dumplings are good but so are most soup dumplings in Chinatown, the hearts of palm salad lacks flavor, the dressing could use some punch, the lobster was a masterpiece of different textures but the flavor profile was just not there and the rabbit was overcooked, its main enhancing flavor was a little tartness from the yogurt/labne paste and 3 (I counted) pomegranate seeds.<br /><br />The wines by the glass were similar to the dishes, monolithic and lacking in complexity. Pinot Meunier? Now that should be a blending grape in a Champagne, on its own it just tastes like slightly alcoholic thinned grape juice, the white Rhone lacked acidity and was flabby. The sommelier would have been better served by recommending pedestrian Pinot Noir and Chablis instead of these wines.<br /><br />The cheese course was good but at $21 for seven small slices, not a grand bargain. The yogurt panna cotta again had an appealing tartness but its flavors were unbalanced.<br /><br />There are far better restaurant choices in NYC in my opinion.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited February 2014</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-83323301157867955292014-06-04T10:42:00.000-07:002014-06-04T10:42:05.812-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gramercy Tavern New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">Disappointing</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_188578496" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this is a great restaurant? For the price I expect:<br />A more imaginative amuse - we were given one small gougere (cheese puff)!!<br />A normal sized portion - I am not asking for huge Olive Garden style portions, but the fish dish we got had a fish the size of a crudo appetizer, one small fingerling potato (cut in 2) and some leeks and celery. Pathetic.<br />The deserts and the bread were good. I guess they expected the diners to fill up on bread.<br />The wine service was good.<br />This would be a 3/5 experience if not for the ridiculous price.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited December 2013</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-84064863712427854212014-06-04T10:39:00.003-07:002014-06-04T10:39:55.302-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minetta Tavern New York City ; <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">ONLY THE BURGER IS WORTH IT!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div id="review_187222042" property="v:description" style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes I'm screaming. The black label burger is the best I've ever had and the price is now $28 up from $26 a month ago (please tell Mr Bernanke that we do have inflation).<br />We also had the bone-in strip steak - $59 for a huge strip that contains 70% fat and about 7-8 bites of great meat and a $48 veal chop which doesn't even compare to the $29 great veal chop at Wollensky grill.<br />The sides are mediocre - fries are sad and a little sogy, the punched potatoes lacked salt, the spinach is good.<br />The wine list is pathetic, very few good value choices (a $110 Cotes du Rhone? Are you kidding?).<br />Frankly, the place is a rip-off. Yes, the black label burger is great, but everything else is overpriced and frankly not worth it. The steak at Wolfgang and Sparks is better, the porterhouse at Keens is better, the veal chop at Wollensky is better.<br />As for the famous scene, forget it, I could care less if celebrities and good looking young people have more money than sense and want to patronize the place. I'll take my business to any other steakhouse in NYC</span></div>
</div>
<div class="rating-list" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; height: 68px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<ul class="recommend" style="height: 58px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited December 2013</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-69271133745700040002014-06-04T10:37:00.003-07:002014-06-04T10:37:48.852-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #006699; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 36.959999084472656px; outline: none;"><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d424459-Reviews-Churrascaria_Plataforma-New_York_City_New_York.html" style="background-color: white; color: #006699; line-height: 36.959999084472656px; outline: none;">Churrascaria Plataforma</a> New York City: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Century Schoolbook L', serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">Protein and salt</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Century Schoolbook L', serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It's fine but go easy...The idea is to make things salty and dry so you'll order more and more drinks.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Easy on the pasta when doing the salad bar, you don't want to fill up</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">From the side dishes, only order the vinaigrette sauce to put on the steaks </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The polenta fries and fried bananas are not worth it, actually almost everything on the side dishes is dry</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">No filet mignon, too salty and the meat is dry</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">No chicken, even the thighs are salty and dry</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Stick with the ribeye, prime rib, sirloin, beef ribs, lamb and lamb chops.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Go to the bathroom before you leave as you'd have had plenty to drink. You need a buck to pay the attendant(?!?)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">October 2013</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">***</span>Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-62333827023564012012014-06-04T10:32:00.002-07:002014-06-04T10:32:34.546-07:00Babbo New York City; <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Century Schoolbook L', serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">Beware, you are about to be scammed!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It's difficult to talk about the experience at Babbo without feeling like a dope. I fell for some of the oldest tricks in the book; first - a smiling staff who speak with a bad accent pushing mediocre overpriced dishes, like strawberries with a 25 year old balsamic vinegar for $20 (are you kidding me?) or burrata (that sells for $5 at the most expensive cheese shops in NYC) with some tomatoes, or the worst - a baby arugula salad (the one that one buys in any supermarket) with some balsamic and three slices of parmesan cheese for $18. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Second the wine list; I'm a wine geek and I usually can navigate a wine list to find interesting and less overpriced options. Not here; the wine list is extremely complicated - lots of obscure producers at decent prices but also lots of (way) overpriced familiar names - most of them mediocre. That's fair enough - I wanted to go for something obscure at a decent price, but was steered away for something slightly more expensive, then even more and more expensive, till at the end, tired and wanting to make a choice I went for a mediocre wine that is way overpriced. The sommelier should have known from my first indication the price I was comfortable with but probably figured that it was worth steering me to something that ended up costing way way more. I know, I know, buyer beware but my guard was down and I blame mostly myself but this is a tactic worthy of Goldman Sachs or the old Salomon Brothers (aka Hitler and Stalin) not a restaurant where one goes to enjoy the evening.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The food now; ok, it's good. But....</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The pastas are slightly better than Serafina and can't hold a candle to some of the other Italian places in NYC, the best dish was the $100 ribeye for two, but for steak go to Luger. The dessert are insipid.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Would i ever go again? No! Never! And hopefully this review will serve as a guide to other patrons who are less gullible and have stronger willpower than me.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">July 2013</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">**</span>Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-15963318540747978872014-06-04T10:30:00.001-07:002014-06-04T10:30:45.767-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avra Estitatorio New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">$18 for a Greek Salad</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously, this is one expensive restaurant, the food is decent, but simple and well prepared, the seating is mixed, and one gets seated based on the whim of the hostess; some tables are comfortable in a nice area indoors or outdoors but a lot of other tables are very cramped near waiter stations.<br />So a little above $250 for two for a Greek salad, 2 grilled fish, 2 side dishes, one dessert, 2 coffees and a $50 bottle of wine. Wow!</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited June 2013</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span></span></li>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-61289161920796592802014-06-04T10:27:00.004-07:002014-06-04T10:27:55.220-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Casa Mono New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">expensive for what it is</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By now everyone has read about the small tables and the loud atmosphere, the food itself was pretty good, but the portions are so small, even for us who usually complain that they are too big. The prices are also astronomical.<br />We will probably not go back</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited May 2013</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span></span></li>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-43088163380635700602014-06-04T10:26:00.002-07:002014-06-04T10:26:32.386-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">La Mangeoire New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">Decent, but lower your expectations</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One would go to La Mangeoire with high expectations considering the place is Christian Delouvrier's. Mr Delouvrier used to be in charge of Lespinasse, has once received a four star review from the NY Times and has written a terrific cookbook (which one should own if only for the risotto recipe).<br /><br />This however is just plain bistro grub, a good enough coq au vin, a mediocre vichyssoise full of butter, a cauliflower gratin so rich one tastes mainly the comte cheese but not the cauliflowers.<br /><br />All in all, most of the dishes were lukewarm and inconsistently cooked. Maybe the kitchen was busy that evening, maybe we need to try again, but this was, if not an outright disappointment, then at least a let down.</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visited May 2013</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-12374257520996421512014-06-04T10:24:00.004-07:002014-06-04T10:24:42.687-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BLT Steak New York City: <span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-style: italic;">consistent mediocrity</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Really not up to par, while the hosts are gracious, the waiters have the personality of a sock, the steaks are boring, the seafood even more so (when it's not actually mediocre), even the famed popovers seemed to have suffered from some gruyere cutbacks. Avoid, better steakhouses abound</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 2013</span></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**</span></span></li>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-72423826972263548922014-06-04T10:22:00.004-07:002014-06-04T10:22:40.985-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So after not posting any entries for 3 years, I decided to copy everything that I posted on Trip Advisor since then. Here's the first post:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blue Smoke New York City: Great Food, Great Atmosphere</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typical great hospitality from one of Danny Meyer's places. Good barbecue, good atmosphere, pleasant professional service designed to make you feel welcome. And if you want even more, take the stairs down to Jazz Standard for some music and the same grub</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">December 2012</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****</span></span></li>
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Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-20054316637764062052011-02-28T07:16:00.000-08:002011-02-28T07:49:40.429-08:00Michael White's Ai Fiori; Does Italian food need to be this rich?To celebrate my daughter's 17th birthday, we went yesterday to Ai Fiori, Michael White's new restaurant in NYC. The place is huge and is very nicely appointed. The service was very good, although the sommelier seemed confused by my request for Ligurian wine and tried to explain Arneis to me. We finally figured it out and ended up with a delicious bottle of Pigato, a white floral, full of mineral, wine from the Italian Riviera.<br /><br />On to the food itself, the portions were quite small, but that really is not a problem because the food is so fucking rich! I know restaurants are there to cater to my taste buds with total disregard to my cardiologist's advice, but this is ridiculous. <br /><br />I will not go into a description of the dishes, they were all very tasty, but in all honesty, I would be happier with a simpler trattoria menu, this was just overkill for me.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-54421783111835442642011-02-03T08:15:00.000-08:002014-06-05T08:02:56.940-07:00Mascarello Monprivato<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUrU7eiFLjI/AAAAAAAAAEM/3QTifDo_FMM/s1600/label_monprivato_mascarello.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUrU7eiFLjI/AAAAAAAAAEM/3QTifDo_FMM/s320/label_monprivato_mascarello.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569498007470419506" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 130px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 126px;" /></a><br />
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I have tried the 1997 and the 1993 Giuseppe Mascarello Monprivato Barolo the last week, off the excellent wine list at the Kittle House. We really are lucky to live so close to this excellent restaurant with one of the best wine lists anywhere.<br />
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The 1997 is obviously the better wine, better fruit, structure and finish but it's more of an intellectual effort. The wine is very far from being ready, the tannins are harsh and mask the fruit almost completely, and it needs a lot of swirling to coax anything out the glass at this point. <br />
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The 1993, on the other hand, is a bit diluted and watery with a sour acidity and yet, paired with food it transforms itself into a delicious friendly wine. This for me is how Barolo should be - yes, tar and violets on the nose, that's obvious, but more specifically, after the 10-30 years time to shed the harsh tannins, a food friendly wine should emerge. Complex and interesting as opposed to fruit forward like the new wave wines. <br />
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To sum up, the 1996, I will absolutely love in ten or fifteen years, and the 1993 I love now with food, but I will drink Mascarello Monprivato Barolos from any year anytime.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-90935671096467494932011-02-01T06:50:00.000-08:002011-02-02T05:16:20.072-08:00Tuscan wines at the Kittle House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUk_TCFtGZI/AAAAAAAAAEE/75ScNRm5WWM/s1600/Menu%2BTuscan%2BCWC.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUk_TCFtGZI/AAAAAAAAAEE/75ScNRm5WWM/s320/Menu%2BTuscan%2BCWC.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569052010431191442" /></a><br />We have upped the ante at the Chappaqua Wine Club yesterday with a fantastic tasting of Tuscan wines and a wonderful tasting menu.<br /><br />To start the proceedings, David very generously brought a 1996 Pierre Moncuit. A lemony, yeasty sparkler with refined bubbles and a great structure. This one could stand up to any dish, but was also a perfect aperitif. <br /><br />On to the Tuscans:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />The 21st Century Brunello</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2003 Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino;</span> nice and juicy, a bit diluted in the mid palate, finish is long and sweet.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2003 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino;</span> better. With gobs of great fruits and a nice structure. good acidity. Not bad for a 2003<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2001 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino;</span> earthy and barnyardy, my wine of the flight. Better structure than the previous two wines, my guess is that by the end of the evening all three wines would have improved a lot but we needed to move on to the next flight.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Super Tuscans:</span><br />2001 Masseto; Holy Cow! This is amazing! Structured and powerful with layers and layers of in your face flavors. No subtlety but a very balanced package. Awesome! Group's WOTN, my second<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1999 Ornellaia;</span> Here, the texture and the nose are much more elegant, a silky, refined, delicious well-structured wine. My WOTN for the refinement alone, group's second. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2006 Ornellaia;</span> Young and unbalanced at this point, but the underlying fundamentals are all there. It's fascinating to see what the 1999 was at a young age and what the 2006 will be in five years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A 1990s Medley:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1999 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino</span>; Oaky and yummy, but has very little in common with Brunellos. I actually love this wine and the style and voted this my third WOTN, but the 2001 Poggio Antico and the 2004 Fuligni were for me a better expression of Brunello di Montalcino. Still, call me a names, but I like the wine a lot.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1997 Antinori Tignanello</span>; Flawed, I don't know if it was corked or just dead, but this was undrinkable.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1997 Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva</span>; Earthy, fruity, very very nice. What CCR is supposed to taste like at 12 years. Both food friendly and juicy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A 2004 Medley:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2004 Saffredi Maremma;</span> Very impressive, an excellent Super Tuscan that is drinking very well for its young age. I can't see how it will improve much but it is so good now. The nose is of spices and black forest cake, the texture is lush and the flavor doesn't disappoint. Really really good.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2004 Fuligni Riserva Brunello di Montalcino;</span> Excellent Brunello, a little young but the structure is there, the earthiness is still in the background but this has a lot of time ahead of it.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2004 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva;</span> A very good CCR, very food friendly and will age beautifully for years.<br /><br />That was an epic tasting, some of the better wines really did perform very well but surprising almost everyone, were the two Chianti Classico Riservas which for a fraction of the price of the Super Tuscans were both delicious and food friendly.<br /><br />Our next tasting is on Monday March 14. The theme is Napa and the idea is to start with 3 Chardonnays and have Cabs or Cab blends as the remaining flights.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-57171107132428475312011-01-29T05:04:00.000-08:002011-01-29T11:23:30.933-08:00WD50 Molecular Gastronomy or Flavorless Food?Dinner for four yesterday at WD50, after the obligatory bad table that I get at every restaurant, I am now tired of complaining and we just sit down in a corner booth, totally isolated near a wait station.<br /><br />The food should be the main reason to go there though and we soon order; the appetizers are nice, very imaginative and taste good, but have some serious issues. The pictures are from the restaurant menu.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvsKkVpI/AAAAAAAAADE/O6MsYhWGD-Y/s1600/foie_aerated.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvsKkVpI/AAAAAAAAADE/O6MsYhWGD-Y/s400/foie_aerated.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567595649855411858" /></a><br /><br />The aerated foie gras has a nice mousse like texture even though it looks more like a sponge, the accompaniments though are all wrong; beets? a cornichon? We need a sweet jammy like flavor to complement it, a thicker piece of brioche to spread it on, and instead we get a charcuterie platter accompaniment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvSTJqzI/AAAAAAAAAC8/9WosvRAw25c/s1600/friedchicken.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvSTJqzI/AAAAAAAAAC8/9WosvRAw25c/s400/friedchicken.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567595642912090930" /></a><br /><br />The cold fried chicken is actually my favorite appetizer, but it is mainly due to the fantastic drop of tabasco honey that adds a little bit of flavor to the crunchy texture of the chicken.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvCinQvI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Y2wjzLzlqSc/s1600/duck.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQSvCinQvI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Y2wjzLzlqSc/s400/duck.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567595638681977586" /></a><br /><br />I like the corned duck, nice presentation but is is mainly a charcuterie item with decent mustard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQR3dZfkEI/AAAAAAAAACU/rPAaNToCH7A/s1600/eggs.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQR3dZfkEI/AAAAAAAAACU/rPAaNToCH7A/s400/eggs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567594683818807362" /></a><br /><br />The eggs benedict are everyone's favorite, the yolk is vibrant, the hollandaise sauce is enclosed in English muffin crumbs and deep fried. Delicious all around. The evening's winner!<br /><br />We also had a peekytoe crabroll that was very good. No picture is available.<br /><br />On to the mains:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVpM1JnTI/AAAAAAAAADc/5p8CTrmYi38/s1600/cod.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVpM1JnTI/AAAAAAAAADc/5p8CTrmYi38/s400/cod.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567598836899749170" /></a><br /><br />The above dish is a Cod, peas-n-coconut, nori, carrot dashi, visually, it is dramatic and magnificient, taste wise, I am still looking... the cod is flavorless, the only evidence of peas is some green color, I taste no coconut, the carrots have their flavor steamed out of them and the nori pasta is just weird. We ate it but really more out of hunger. <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVo7wTu4I/AAAAAAAAADU/44zo2FK4Auw/s1600/venison_chop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVo7wTu4I/AAAAAAAAADU/44zo2FK4Auw/s400/venison_chop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567598832316038018" /></a><br /><br />Venison chop, freeze dried polenta, fennel, asian pear; the venison was very well prepared but I can get a good medium rare venison chop anywhere, thefreeze dried polenta had no flavor or texture and I have made better fennel salad in my sleep, how about a little olive oil? maybe some acidity? Nothing in this dish has any flavor save the chop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVoxCablI/AAAAAAAAADM/fIAYUnDHV4I/s1600/duck_kimchee.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQVoxCablI/AAAAAAAAADM/fIAYUnDHV4I/s400/duck_kimchee.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567598829439184466" /></a><br /><br />Duck breast, apple, cheddar, kimchee-cous cous: again, a well prepared slice of duck breast, and again, that's not why we're at WD50. The kimchee broth doesn't pair well, the Israeli couscous is swimming in the broth and cannot absorb it, the duck apart, the flavors are beyond boring.<br /><br />The fourth dish was a Parsnip tart, quinoa, hazelnuts, bok choy (no picture), I like the bok choy but I can steam/boil/saute baby bok choy anywhere, the parsnip was bland, the tart crust was a crisp slice of something boring but at least the quinoa and hazelnuts provided a nice contrast in texture.<br /><br />On to the desserts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQYdfr9kdI/AAAAAAAAADs/nQmB1zmUb2g/s1600/licorice.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQYdfr9kdI/AAAAAAAAADs/nQmB1zmUb2g/s400/licorice.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567601934337937874" /></a><br /><br />Licorice custard, sake sorbet, bartlett pear: is not much better, a hint of liquorice but the sake sorbet has no consistency or taste of sake<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQYddP8VvI/AAAAAAAAADk/qPQsi0tuxf4/s1600/choco.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TUQYddP8VvI/AAAAAAAAADk/qPQsi0tuxf4/s400/choco.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567601933683545842" /></a><br /><br />Milk chocolate, black bean, plantain, soy, peanut: is slightly better but that's because of the chocolate flavor. <br /><br />A third dessert of Grapefruit curd, campari, hibiscus, sorrel was more intriguing because the grapefruit was distinguishable and the flavors were actually a little bolder than usual.<br /><br />We put a check mark on WD50 and promise ourselves never to set foot in the place again. Maybe we are used to bolder flavors but I don't think that's the reason we dislike it so much. Rather, it is the lack of any flavor per se that made it such a waste. The chef Wylie Dufresne has interesting techniques and a flair for the dramatic, now if he could only combine those with some flavorful food, and add contrasting textures we may have something.<br /><br />The meal cost $450 with tax, tip and an $87 bottle of wine (one of the cheaper on the list.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-86030938326373283232011-01-04T07:41:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:52:24.886-08:00scallops, latkes, guacamole<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TSNBg2CYwHI/AAAAAAAAABk/HYUaetpu4G0/s1600/lgs.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TSNBg2CYwHI/AAAAAAAAABk/HYUaetpu4G0/s400/lgs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558358397622468722" /></a><br />In the late eighties, I remember cooking this dish countless times: a potato latke topped with some guacamole and a seared scallop. I have since tinkered with the dish so many times that the original has been lost forever. I can still remember how good the dish tasted at first, and I still have not found a way to recreate it.<br /><br />I tried again on New Year's Eve with a risotto cake, avocado dip and a seared scallop. I served it on a little tomato coulis for acidity, it turned out watery and flat. The quest continues.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3533726927391624737.post-92154196354944131382010-12-25T07:25:00.000-08:002010-12-25T07:32:48.608-08:00Mana'ish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TRYObjAhZgI/AAAAAAAAABc/-AR1bABlmj8/s1600/Mana%2527ish.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i1ng9F--emQ/TRYObjAhZgI/AAAAAAAAABc/-AR1bABlmj8/s400/Mana%2527ish.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554643056824772098" /></a><br />Mana'ish is the plural of Man'oushe in Arabic. It's the precursor to pizza or focaccia. A pita dough very yeasty, with zaatar on top baked in a very hot coal/brick oven. Variations include Syrian cheese, tomato and even a baked egg.<br /><br />I usually buy pizza dough from the local pizzeria but decided to make my own with a mix of tipo 00 and bread flour and a package of yeast. I used my new toy; an Emile Henri pizza stone and preheated the convection oven to its highest setting 550f.<br /><br />The results were pretty good, not on par with the best pita places in Jaffa, Acco, or Nazareth but perfectly acceptable. We ate them for breakfast with some freshly squeezed orange juice.Norest_wearyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226149957970700798noreply@blogger.com0