waldorf astoria chicago

What are your three favorite dining towns?

Topping my list are…

• Chicago
• Las Vegas
• Paris

…in order of where I happen to be visiting at the time, and were the next reservation will take us. I recently returned home from Chicago, experiencing nothing short of culinary nirvana.

The highlight of the trip was the opportunity to be Guest-Chef-of-the-Day at MOTO Restaurant. The word “cutting-edge” falls way short in describing Chef Homaro Cantu’s vision for the feeding the future. MOTO is a culinary laboratory that dazzles, excites and inspires. I am on fire to experiment with ideas picked up from one day in the kitchen with Chef Chris Jones and his team of uber-creative chefs and cooks. And later that evening at ING, the sister restaurant next door where live tweetING is encouraged, we enjoyed the most engagING service, sippING Champagne, and flavor trippING on an incredible sweet potato dish…

ing: sweet potato chain, vanilla parsnip, balsamic, truffle, hazelnut

GLENN’S DINER is a family-friendly neighborhood spot that serves fabulous fresh fish and cereal. Cereal from a cereal bar! My nephews, Stone, 9, and Jett, 7, love this place, as do the adults. Glenn, whoever you are…you are a genius. I recommend the fresh Mahi Mahi with ginger sesame soy glaze. Stone recommends the cheesy Shrimp Cargo followed by a bowl of Reese’s Puffs.

glenn's diner: cereal bar

Another winner – brunch @ LONGMAN & EAGLE – they don’t take reservations so we had to wait at the bar…sip our coffee and torture ourselves with a bacon doughnut appetizer. Our brunch included a refreshing twist on the usual, a Bloody Lawrence – made with corn whisky, a deconstructed clam chowder, and prawn & cheese grits with a one hour egg…the shot of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer with our meal was a uniquely Chicago-y touch.

longman & eagle: brunch

The Waldorf Astoria Chicago is home to two-star Michelin, sophisticated, unpretentious, chic RIA restaurant. With Chef Danny Grant at the helm, our modern seasonally-driven French dining experience could not have been more enchanting. The gorgeous comfortable dining room is bathed in silver and gold and soothing neutral tones. Uncommon and intimate, the tables are spaced far apart, dressed in white accented with a single burgundy calla lily. The rolling Champagne cart carries unique offerings, many not available anywhere else in the US.

A FLAWLESS MEAL

gourgères

exclusive champagne offering

bubbly

Cattier
Brut, “Antique,” Chigny-les-Roses, 1er Cru Champagne NV

Pommery
Brut Rosé, “Cuvée Apanage”
Avize, Cramant & Chouilly, Grand Cru, Champagne NV

AMUSE BOUCHE

amuse bouche 1: scallop

amused

amuse bouche 2: sea urchin, cauliflower

BREAD

bread...

...and butter

WHITE WINE

auteur chardonnay

2007 Auteur Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros

Winemaker’s Note: The near perfect Hyde Chardonnay shows a remarkably crisp, refined, almost aristocratic side of California chardonnay. While reticent on the nose at first, hinting at tropical and citrus fruit, after few minutes in the glass, fruit comes gushing forth with white peach, lychee, pineapple and lemon. As these fade, the haunting aroma of hazelnut becomes apparent and is joined by an earthiness seldom found in California chardonnay. On the palate the cascade of fruit continues, constantly changing but finally coming to rest on exotic starfruit. The finish lingers with baked lemon and spice. While all the ripe fruit gives an impression of roundness, ample acidity keeps this wine fresh and coiled, suggesting not only long aging potential, but also making it a perfect refreshing spring wine in its youth.

FIRST COURSE

veal sweetbread, crosnes, celery, black trumpet

foie gras

brioche for the foie

perigord black truffle, egg pasta, celeriac, vermouth

RED WINE

volnay 1er cru burgundy

2009 Domaine Joseph Voillot Volnay 1er Cru Champans
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

dark berry intensity

Aromas  of dark berry fruit, earth and wet stone. Intense and powerful berry flavors, long finish. Joseph Voillot Volnay ‘Les Champans’ is a premier cru Burgundy produced on 25 acres of vines. Harvested and sorted by hand aged in French oak barrels, of which only 30% of the barrels are new to enable the essence of the fruit to shine through.

MAIN COURSE

suckling pig, vin jaune, boudin noir, hay, salsify

loup de mer, brussels sprouts, apple, winter squash

dry aged strip loin, leek, rapini, comte

CHEESE COURSE

cheese selection

french cheeses

cheese accompaniments: breads, crackers, pecans, spun honey

MIGNARDISES

last bite of heaven

au revoir

…until we see each other again.

Your three favorite dining towns? Please share.

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• 

Best friends, great memories, stellar food – that’s how we celebrate the New Year! The old gang is together again, this time we take A Trip To Little Saigon & cook a NYE Repas du Soir together! My old dear friends, dating back to our restaurant days in the 80′s, are visiting for the holidays.

It was Tori’s idea to spend the day in Little Saigon. Eating lunch, laughing, taking photos, getting massages, and shopping. It was her idea that led to the inspiration to cook French/Vietnamese for dinner. We picked up authentic ingredients for our repas du soir and returned to my home in LA in the late afternoon to drink Champagne and create a six-course meal together.

The dinner table was pre-set in a casually elegant Southeast Asian style with orchids, bamboo, and the color red to symbolize wealth and prosperity. We cranked up the holiday music and started cooking; everyone participated in the creation, photography, prep, and execution of the menu. We had a blast!

I had no intention of submitting this outing for the Foodbuzz 24X24 event until I read that the folks over at Foodbuzz were interested to see how Featured Publishers would be spending the last day of 2011. We had terrific culinary/cultural plans that turned out to be a fantastic way to ring in the New Year.

Extending a very special thank you to my friends FA, Al, Kirk, Tori, and Tom for your love & friendship and sense of humor & adventure! Thank you to Foodbuzz for choosing A Trip to Little Saigon & The NYE Repas du Soir as a participant in December’s 24×24 event. Foodbuzz 24×24 showcases posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers, highlighting unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period.

Little Saigon, Orange County, California

There are several Little Saigon’s in the US but none as old or large as the one in Orange County, California.

After a pit stop at Tapioca Express for Bubble Tea, we were ready for our massage. Bubble (or Boba) tea is a unique drink which originated in Taiwan, with gummy balls made of sweet potato, cassava root and brown sugar. The balls settle at the bottom of the hot or cold tea, or smoothie and are slurped up with an over-sized straw. Flavor choices range from fruity  to exotic, sweet, and even sour.

Tapioca Express
9922 Bolsa Ave. Westminster, California
714-839-3655

We all give kudos and thanks to Tori and Tom for arranging our one-hour massage. The rest of us had never experienced this type of massage. It is a fully-clothed full-body massage. We were all in the same room together, a terrific group event. And we were all relaxed, happy, and a bit sore (in a good way) when were were handed our tiny cup of tea at the end. Ready to greet the New Year!

Olala Reflexology
9950 Bolsa Ave. Westminster, California
714-775-8588

 Vietnamese Lunch in Little Saigon

Luc Dinh Ky
9812 Bolsa Ave. Westminster, California
714-839-6813

#24 House Special Meat & Shrimp Soup, Rice Noodle

Theresa, the delightful owner of the Olala Reflexology recommended that we have lunch at Luc Dinh Ky, and gave us her list of top dishes. We took her advice 100% and were pleasantly surprised. Meat & Shrimp Soup with Rice Noodles, Hot Pot Rice with Salmon, House Special Chow Fun, Chinese Vegetable with Beef, Deep Fried Tofu, House Special Fried Rice…

#38 House Special Chow Fun

In addition to the great food, being restaurant alumni, we were also super-impressed with the service. This has got to be the fastest service we have ever had. No sooner that we finished ordering the last dish, the first dish was practically on the table.

We had tea to accompany our meal…Champagne and terrific wines to come later in the evening.

After the Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, a huge wave of Vietnamese refugees settled in the United States with the largest concentration in Westminster, California. Little Saigon evolved when many refugees were airlifted to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, stayed and settled in the area because of the climate and the prospect of reunions with friends. But many lacked American job skills and command of the language, and had few options to make a living. Except, many could cook! And they did. Opening hundreds of successful restaurants in Westminster and Garden Grove since the mid 1970′s.

Shopping in Little Saigon

This three-square-mile area is the home of more than 4000 Vietnamese-American businesses. Huge shopping centers and strip malls offer a range of ethnic boutiques, orchid florists, bakeries, cafés, Phở shops and high-end restaurants, fresh handmade tofu stores, jewelry stores, and large and small food markets, and more.

We, or course, love the supermarkets where the selection of herbs is unparalleled.

Historic Sources:
The Little Saigon Cookbook by Ann Le
Westminster Chamber of Commerce

The New Year’s Eve Repas du Soir

Le Menu

Banh Mi Canapés
Summer Rolls
Spring Rolls
Hot Rock Soup
Black Cod en Papillote
Vol-au-Vent, Coconut Sorbet

There are more than 700 orchid species found in Vietnam. Cymbidiums thrive in cooler areas and some of the Northern provinces.

When it was time to sit down to dinner, Kirk lit a fire in the fireplace and moved the huge cymbidium orchids to the coffee table.

Course #1 Appetizer
Banh Mi Canapés

Banh Mi Canapés were the perfect introduction to our meal – blend of French and Vietnamese cuisines. The French introduced the baguette during colonization. Here we take the popular Banh Mi sandwich and serve it as a canapé.

Cinnamon Meatloaf

The beef and pork meatloaf is flavored with fish sauce, cinnamon, sugar and black pepper.

Al spread chili aioli on toasted baguette then topped it with a couple slices of super-thinly sliced cinnamon meatloaf.

Banh Mi Canapés

Pickled daikon/cucumber/carrot, fresh jalapeño, and cilantro are placed atop the meatloaf. This canapé was fabulous – colorful, spicy, exotic. UPDATE: Full recipe now posted here.

Course #2 Salad
Summer Rolls

For our fresh salad-y course we all make our own summer rolls in the family room. We’ve set out all the ingredients, and six plates with (a non-traditional) soy dipping sauce made with soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, seasoned rice wine vinegar. I’m fortunate to have 2 large dining tables. The one in the family room was used to prep this meal and is where we composed the summer and spring rolls.

• Spring Roll Wrappers/Water to Soften/ Clean Dish Towels
• Red Leaf Lettuce
• Cellophane Noodles
• Shopped Peanuts
• Julienne Carrot, Cucumber, & Scallion
• Mung Bean Sprouts
• Cilantro, Mint, Rau Que (basil), Rau Ram (Vietnamese coriander)

Summer Rolls, Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce

Course #3 “Fried” Salad
Spring Rolls

The next course is spring rolls which we deep-fried in the little fryer out on the patio. The ingredients are similar to the summer rolls but we add the main ingredient, a pork-shrimp mixture. Cooked minced pork/shrimp is seasoned with the ginger/garlic/chili coconut sauce (recipe follows).

Everyone created their rolls then took them outside on the patio to fry.

Spring Rolls, Rau Ram, Nuoc Cham

The traditional Nuoc Cham sauce was served with the spring rolls. Combine 1/2 c. warm water with 2 T. sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, 3 T. fish sauce and 2 T. fresh lime juice. The fried roll is then nestled in a large lettuce leaf with fresh herbs – mint, cilantro, rau que, and rau ram and dipped in nuoc cham.

Course #4 Soup
Hot Rock Soup with Rib-Eye, Aromatic Broth

I had been wanting to make a variation of Hot Rock soup for months. I sent the river rocks through the dishwasher several times just to be safe! Our idea was to combine an aromatic lemongrass-ginger chicken stock with light vegetables, and a small piece of prime thin-sliced rib-eye cooked on a hot rock in the middle of the bowl of soup.

Heat rocks in a 400° oven. Drape a piece of rib-eye over each rock. Place rock in a heat-proof soup bowl and scatter with vegetables such as mushrooms, julienne carrots and zucchini.

Ladle broth around the rock.

Hot Rock Soup: Rib-eye, Lemongrass-Ginger Broth

The beef is cooking on the rock, and the rock is keeping the soup hot. By the time the soup bowls hit the table the beef is perfectly cooked. Garnish with fresh herbs. This soup made a light and whimsical course.

Course #5 Fish
Black Cod in Papillote, Ginger Garlic Chile Coconut Sauce, Fresh Herbs

We made the ginger/garlic/chili coconut sauce to top the fish and also as a seasoning for the spring rolls pork/shrimp mixture. Combine minced ginger, garlic, and green chili in a mortar, grind with pestle. Add fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Use the pestle again to grind all the ingredients together into a rough paste. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in coconut milk.

Cut parchment paper into large hearts. Place fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, rau ram, and rau que, in the center of each half heart. Top with a 6 oz. fresh black cod fillet. Place a couple tablespoons of the coconut sauce over the fish. Dust with a pinch of ground star anise.

Bake at 400°F on baking sheets until cooked through. I didn’t realize it until I saw this photo, but the fish course was ready to serve exactly at 11:00 PM, perfect timing for our NYE celebration!!

Black Cod en Papillote - Ginger, Garlic, Chile, Coconut Sauce

Serve the Cod en Papillote with steamed white rice and fresh herbs.

Course #6 Dessert
Vol-Au-Vent with Coconut Sorbet, Fresh Fruit, Chiffonade of Shiso

Cut puff pastry into rounds with cookie-cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut half-way through the pastry to make a hat. Bake until golden brown.

Vol-Au-Vent, Coconut Sorbet, Fruit, Shiso

Fill pastry shell with coconut sorbet. Serve with assorted colorful fruits and a chiffonade of shiso.

Happy New Year! Bonne année et bonne santé! Chúc Mừng Nǎm Mới 

New Year’s Day Fabulous Leftovers Brunch

Le Menu

Krug Grande Cuvée Champagne
Banh Mi Canapés (again, yay)
Fresh Fruit (leftover from dessert course)
Panini (bacon, saint andré, cambozola)
Fried Rice (made with leftover rice, rib-eye, and mushrooms)

Krug Grande Cuvée – intense and complex. This is the Champagne to drink with brunch on New Year’s Day! Golden in color with a creamy texture, slightly fruity, with flavors and aromas of hazelnuts and toast.

“Happy New Year to you, our dear friends, who manage to remain so close to our hearts over the space of time, distance and life changes.”

“Thank you for a wonderful visit, as always. You have comfy accommodations and the best of everything!”

“So, in this new year we send you our love and thanks for your long and valued friendship, and our hopes that your new year brings all of what you wish for and nothing unwanted.”

“Thanks again for your warm hospitality!”

“Thanks for sharing your lovely, warm and beautiful home with us. What fun it was to spend time cooking, eating, and sharing with such wonderful life-long friends.  Your gracious hospitality made it a very special time and the memories and pictures will continue to warm my heart and soul for a long time. Happy New Year!”

 Thank you!
Wishing you all a Delicious and Dazzling 2012!

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• 

“Croque Madame”

What is it that makes one restaurant stand out from the rest?

Food:  Where every dish hits the mark. Imaginative, original. Expertly crafted. Executed with finesse. Harmony of color, texture, and taste.

Wine:  An interesting wine list that synergizes with the menu. The wine selection accentuates the food. The food selection accentuates the wine. Fairly priced. We adore a sommelier who listens to us describe what we are looking for in a wine, then nails it. “We’re in the mood for a pinot noir that is fruit forward, bright and juicy, complex. We would also love to try something new. In a white. No oak. No grapefruit flavors. Something rich.” (See below for the superb wine picks).

Service:  Professional service that is polished, warm and engaging without being overly chummy. Anticipatory with flawless timing. Ultimately knowledgeable.

Hospitality:  Gracious hosts. When learning of our crazed appreciation for food (maybe the camera gives it away?) we were invited for a peek behind the glass-walled kitchen at the end of the night.

Ambiance: An intersection of architecture, decor, tableware, lighting, and music. A room where we as guests feel comfortable, glamorous, appreciated.

We found a stand-out restaurant recently, in Hatfield’s.

What makes a restaurant stand out for you?

Hatfield’s. Taste with the eyes.

Beginning with the complimentary rosemary-garlic-shallot-oil popcorn served at the bar which we nibbled with Champagne, followed by the Chef’s amuse bouche when were were settled in at our table, we knew we were in for a special evening.

“Croque Madame”
yellowtail sashimi, prosciutto, sunny side up quail egg, grilled brioche

Bobo Farms Foie Gras
apple-rosemary “butter”, caramelized cippolini, molasses toast

Wine Selection
vermentino and pinot noir

Antoine Arena Patrimonio “Haut de Carco” Blanc 2009
100% Vermentino. Fresh, bright fruit flower aromas. Smooth, creamy and rich texture, with concentrated round flavors of peach, apple, and apricot. Spicy notes on the finish. An esoteric white wine from the Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Steamed Branzino
brown butter spaghetti squash, broccolini-maitake sauté, muddled citrus vinaigrette

Charred Octopus Salad
confit potatoes, marinated fennel, arugula, green olive tapenade

Farmhouse Salad
lola rosa, endive, avocado, pee wee potatoes, persian cucumber, roasted almonds

Busy.

2009 Hirsch Vineyards “San Andreas Fault” Pinot Noir
Enticing fruit and floral aromas of cherries, raspberries, lavender, orange blossom, anise. Bright, juicy, and briary red berry flavors. The San Andreas Fault runs less than a mile from the vineyard. A beautiful complex California pinot.

Hanger Steak and Red Wine Braised Short Rib
caramelized fennel, yukon gold potatoes, smoked hon shimeji mushroom

Date and Mint Crusted Lamb
roasted heirloom root vegetables, fresh english peas, potato chive puree

Pan Roasted Striped Bass
corn and chanterelle mushrooms, oven-dried tomato tartare, sherry beurre fondue

Dining Room
Sophisticated, modern, and comfortable.

Peanut Butter-Caramel Ganache Tart
cocoa crumble, salted caramel ice cream

Sugar & Spice Beignets
venezuelan chocolate fondue, root beer milkshake shot

Chocolate Malted Bavarian
devil’s food cake, pine nut caramel corn, bitter chocolate sorbet

Pick up window at the end of the night.

Breakdown.

Quinn Hatfield – Chef/Owner
Karen Hatfield – Pastry Chef/Owner
Brian Best – Chef de Cuisine

Reset and ready for tomorrow. Perhaps for you?

Last to leave.

Reservations 323-935-2977
Hatfield’s
6703 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles

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• 

We’ve been hitting The Las Vegas Culinary Jackpot, big time! A week ago I shared what is now our absolute favorite spot for Brunch in Vegas – Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill @ Caesar’s. Among many other items, the Yucatan Style Grouper with Blue Crab Succotash Sauce is brilliant. Our epicurean bonanza did not stop at Mesa Grill, though.

Thanks to my brother’s edict that we try new restaurants, on this trip we hit the mother lode. To our immense delight, we re-discovered Las Vegas’ first celebrity chef, the charming André Rochat. It was with fond memories of escargots and duck à l’orange enjoyed at André’s in Downtown Vegas decades ago that we made our dinner reservations.

“In the 1980s, it was a whole different city. We were the only freestanding gourmet restaurant in town. We were very busy, very busy, sometimes with a line at the door,” said Rochat, who was raised in a small town outside Lyon, France. (Read more about our favorite Las Vegas legend here).

André’s @ Monte Carlo reflects the original old-world Downtown Vegas charm and combines it with new-world breathtaking aqua décor and warm, personalized service plus the Chef’s years of talent and hospitality. We were so blown-away by our experience we are certain that foodies coming to Vegas to meet the hottest new Chefs will be even more impressed to meet the town’s hottest old Chef!

Our Short List of Recent Vegas Favorites

Breakfast – Mon Ami Gabi @ Paris
“al fresco on the Strip, open at 7 am, enjoy breakfast with plenty of coffee then go play blackjack”

Dealer – Paul from Thailand @ Paris
“he’s the best and we’re all 21 winners”

Brunch – Mesa Grill @ Caesar’s
“yucatan grouper”

Lunch – Mon Ami Gabi @ Paris
“mussels mariniére and french baguette for sopping up the sauce”

Bar – Michel Richard’s Central @ Caesar’s
“great beers, sip champagne by-the-glass, people-watching”

Pasta – Sirio’s @ Aria
tagliatelle pasta with fresh shaved first of the season white truffles
“get the large order $89 and share, it’s worth every cent dollar”

Dinner – André’s @ Monte Carlo
“our highest recommendation, bar none”

MON AMI GABI @ PARIS

moules mariniére
white wine and herbs

Mon Ami Gabi is that charming French bistro that offers al fresco dining on the Strip.

Chateau de Campuget Costieres de Nimes Tradition Rosé 2010

Dry Rosé from the Rhone. Syrah 70%, Grenache noir 30%. The wine’s color is an intense peony pink. Raspberry aromas. Lively and well-balanced, with just a tad more body than some other popular rosés. Nice long fruity finish. Drinking pink wine in the sun on the Strip, it doesn’t get much better…

Sunshine, Bellagio fountain show, people-watching on the Strip where the action is…
all from Mon Ami Gabi patio.

Always impressed with the level of service at Mon Ami Gabi.
Crisp, Knowledgeable, Friendly, Professional, Engaging.
We see many of the same waiters year after year.

ANDRÉ’S @ MONTE CARLO

andré’s ipad wine list
award-winning wine list that boasts more than 1,500 selections

pan-seared duck foie gras
caramelized apple, five-spice crème anglaise, port wine reduction

Sokol Blosser 2008 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

 Complex and layered, with black cherry, berry, and earthy minerality, it has concentration and depth without being heavy. There’s wonderful structure and texture, with soft, supple tannins. An all-around delightful Oregon Pinot Noir. It’s deep flavors yet lighter body paired beautifully with many of André’s refined dishes.

fall truffle risotto
duck confit, english pea, vialone nano

imported dover sole
choice of sauce: sautéed véronique, grenobloise or amandine

berkshire pork belly
caramelized onion custard, truffle jus

heirloom vegetable tart
seared asparagus, tomato, goat cheese

carrot & walnut cake soufflé…

with cream cheese sauce!

thank you for joining us!
ANDRÉ

Chef Rochat gives his personal stamp of approval to each plate before it leaves the kitchen. In this photo he is exiting the kitchen to come over to our table. It was a pleasure and an honor to meet the Chef. Thank you Chef, for a most extraordinary experience!

BRADLEY OGDEN @ CAESAR’S PALACE

duo of foie gras with strawberries

hot: seared foie gras with strawberry jam, spice cake, licorice gastrique
cold: terrine of foie gras with strawberry gelée

to my brother’s delight, the foie gras is served on the bar menu @ Bradley Ogden
(we hear that this restaurant will be closing soon)

SIRIO RISTORANTE @ ARIA

bar and wine room

 tartara di ricciola
yellowtail tartare, avocado, artichokes, asparagus salad, champagne vinaigrette

The bright and colorful pantry display at the far end of the dining room attracts diners to watch the the preparation of cold items, including the yellowtail tartare (above). The pantry features Italian olive oil and vinegars, charcuteries, cheese, mixed antipasto salads and iced seafood.

frittura mista
calamari, bay scallop, shrimp, seasonal vegetables with spicy tomato sauce

tagliatelle con il primo tartufo bianco
be sure to share

Castellare Chianti Classico Riserva 2007

A terrific expression of Chianti, pairing very well with many of Sirio’s main courses. Aromas of cherries and plums. Bright red in color.  Fresh and fruity with bright red cherry, red currant and pomegranate flavors. A hint of oak. A long silky finish and hints of candied orange peel and flowers. Excellent value.

branzino di orbetello con scampo arrostiti
branzino & langoustine, heirloom cherry tomato guazzetto, garlic ciabatta crouton

ossobuco
braised veal shank, garden vegetables, saffron risotto

filetto di manzo
grilled prime beef tenderloin, brandy-green peppercorn sauce,
asparagus gratin with béarnaise sauce, roasted seasonal potatoes

MICHEL RICHARD’S CENTRAL @ CAESAR’S PALACE

Central’s two-sided bar opens to the Caesar’s Palace lobby. From the choice of color, to the grand design, to the translucent bar, this is an energizing place to have a drink. Our bartender was excited to tell us about Richard’s eclectic draught-beer selections.

The bright electric wrap-around bar is made of onyx.

Over-sized mirrors give the already huge space, seating up to 300, an expansive feel. We can’t speak for the food, but we were definitely impressed with the ambiance, bar service, and variety of choices of beer, sparking, and wine by the glass. Take a break from gaming or browsing the Forum Shops at Central’s Bar.

MON AMI GABI BREAKFAST @ PARIS

Bonjour Las Vegas!

 Se Réveiller! Sometime between 7 and 8 AM.

frisée & bacon salad, soft-poached egg, croutons

spinach & green vegetable egg white omelette

Bonjour. Bonne chance. Bon appétit!

With the utmost gratitude and love to my fellow bons vivants - my brother and sister-in-law. Thank you. Looking forward to our January trip, preliminarily dubbed “The Las Vegas French Tour,” where we will dine at only at Vegas’ French restaurants. You can bet we will be back at André’s, tout de suite.

Dear Readers – We would love to hear about your favorite Vegas restaurants and chefs. And Don, Kristy, and I would especially appreciate your recommendation for our upcoming Las Vegas French Tour.

Merci Beaucoup,
Lori Lynn

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• 

When the JetBlue flight touches down at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, many people get that familiar tingly feeling. Excitement, adrenaline, gonna win big this time! But our thrill comes not only from fantasizing about hitting the $10 million MegaBucks jackpot (although that’s part of it). Our unique-to-Vegas sensation is mainly about hitting the Culinary Jackpot.

We agonize over our restaurant reservations well in advance of the trip, painstakingly coordinating visits to hot new Chefs, old favorite Chefs with new venues, various cuisines and locations. This time, my brother Don imposed a requirement – we could not eat anywhere we had previously eaten. Except, of course, Mon Ami Gabi @ Paris, because it’s our favorite spot for al fresco breakfast and the bar is our afternoon hangout for drinking vin gris and enjoying the Bellagio Fountains.

Another trip to Vegas, another trip to culinary heaven. Thanks to Don’s edict, this recent journey introduced us to Andre’s @ Monte Carlo, the bar at Michel Richard’s new Central @ Caesar’s, Bradley Ogden @ Caesar’s, Sirio @ Aria.

And brunch at Bobby Flay’s MESA GRILL @ Caesar’s:

APPETIZERS

Tiger Shrimp + Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale
Corn-Cilantro Sauce

*This signature appetizer is a real winner. Very rich, great for sharing.

Assorted Breads

*Mini Jalapeño Muffins

Goat Cheese “Queso Fundido”
Rajas + Blue Corn Tortilla Strips

*Kristy’s favorite, bar none.
The cheese comes out of the Bakers Pride oven bubbling hot in the Staub mini enameled cast iron dish,
it is then topped with “rajas,” rags of sliced peppers.

Smoked Salmon + Dill Quesadilla
Red Onion + Creme Fraiche

BRUNCH WINE

A Delightful Spanish White
2010 Berroia Bizkaiko Txakolina

A charming pale straw-color Spanish white wine produced from a blend of 85% Hondarribi Zuri with the balance of Riesling and Folle Blanche. Floral aromas with hints of mineral and green apple. Crisp, fruity with a hint of sweetness, well-balanced, this wine had a light spritz-y quality.

*A perfect morning wine.

Bloody Mary is a good choice too.

SALAD

Baby Romaine Salad
Roasted Garlic Dressing
Warm Hominy Croutons + Parmesan Crisps

BRUNCH ENTREES

New Mexican Spiced Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Grilled Red Onion, Arugula, Ancho Chile Mayonnaise, Southwestern Fries

*Don, Ron, and our server all give high marks.

Mesa Burger
Grilled Vidalia Onion + Horseradish Mustard
Southwestern Fries

*My mother first couldn’t get over the size, then proceeded to enjoy this burger with knife and fork.
Perfect crust outside, medium rare and very juicy inside. Flay is the Burger King.

Yucatan Style Grouper
Blue Crab Succotash Sauce

*Lori Lynn’s top pick.
I would order this fish every time. The grouper was dense yet flaky, moist, smoky.
The sauce a perfect balance of textures and spicy/creamy flavors. The colors a delight for the eye.

KITCHEN SCENES

Burger Station

*Where the magic happens.

Bakers Pride Oven

Service was prompt, but not rushed. Knowledgeable, friendly, professional.

BAR

The entire restaurant has an aura of vitality. The energy was everywhere from the dining room to the open kitchen to the bar. Mesa Grill mirrors the excitement that is Vegas. As soon as the moratorium on eating at restaurants we’ve already visited is lifted, we will be right back @ Mesa Grill.

Bobby Flay was in the House, on a book tour signing copies of his latest cookbook Bar Americain.

In the mood for more Vegas culinary jackpots? Visit Gastronomic Wonderland!
And please stop by later in the week to Taste With The Eyes other highlights from this recent trip…

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The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles

We LoVe LA & Wolfgang Puck

Roll down the window, put down the top
Crank up the Beach Boys, baby
Don’t let the music stop
We’re gonna ride it till we just can’t ride it no more

From the South Bay to the Valley
From the West Side to the East Side
Everybody’s very happy
‘Cause the sun is shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day, I loVe LA

The Original Spago c. 1989

Spago in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip

Back in the late 80′s, maybe 1989, my foodie friends and I first dined at Spago. For better or worse, the word “foodie” was coined in the 80′s. We worked, lived, and breathed restaurants – we were chefs (Aldo & Bruce), bartenders (Tamara), waiters (Lauren & Scott)  - and I had the restaurant business in my blood – having been a restaurant cook, bookkeeper, manager, hostess, and waiter. At the time most of us were working at a cutting-edge restaurant in Redondo Beach called Chez Mélange. My friends from Aspen, Aldo and Bruce, were in town and we were dying to take them to Spago. Inspirational restaurateur and owner of Chez Mélange, Michael Franks, graciously called over to Spago to secure us a reservation. We felt like we were on the A-list. Upon arrival, Michael had surprised us with a big bottle of Champagne, and we were thrilled when Wolfgang Puck himself brought over a duck sausage pizza to welcome us. (It never occurred to me to take a photograph of the food, my how times have changed!)

Spago Hollywood wasn’t stuffy or traditional. Wolfgang’s then-wife Barbara Lazaroff  designed it to be friendly, fun and colorful – where everyone could see and be seen!  Were we really “hanging spoons” at Spago? She designed the first exhibition kitchen in the United States for a fine dining establishment, the view of the city from high above Sunset Boulevard took everyone’s breath away. It was so California!

Wolfgang Puck redefined pizza. That they came topped with everything from goat cheese and Black Forest ham to artichokes and exotic mushrooms was totally new back then. Duck sausage pizza was legendary as was his famous pizza of smoked salmon, creme fraiche, chives, red onion and a dollop of caviar.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine February 1994

O tempora! O mores!
(That’s me in the brown suit with gladiators!)

In the mid-nineties I founded a small wine brokerage dedicated to promoting fine esoteric wines that were not well-represented by the big wine distributors. It was then I began attending the American Wine & Food Festival – Wolfgang Puck’s Charitable Foundation Event. Many of the world’s top chefs and wine & spirit purveyors would gather on the spectacular backlot of Universal Studios to share samples of their finest dishes, wines & spirits in support of the Meals On Wheels Programs of Los Angeles. Since its inception in 1982, this Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation event has raised more than $15 million for Meals On Wheels, which serves thousands of meals each day to Los Angeles’ homebound, senior and disabled citizens.

Downtown LA from the 24th Floor, Ritz-Carlton

Puck opened WP24 last year. On the 24th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, the restaurant features a wraparound view of LA and the San Gabriel Mountains. In addition to the stunning view, the dining room is simultaneously elegant and comfortable. Wolfgang’s modern Chinese cuisine reflects his time spent in the Far East and passion for Asian ingredients and techniques. Our waiter explained that Wolfgang was not trying to reinvent Chinese cuisine, but his goal was to make each dish the best it could be. And he did.

WP24 Dining Room

Just for fun, crank up the music baby – I Love L.A. by Randy Newman 1983

Lounge

WP24 Lounge

Try Asian small plates, sushi and sake and relax in the lounge “pod” seating.
We liked Prawn Toast with Sweet & Spicy Garlic Chili and every single variety of dumpling.

Amuse Bouche

Seafood Turnovers

Flaky buttery Seafood Turnovers were un petit cadeau from the Chef,
a rich enticing beginning to one extraordinary meal.

City of the Angels

Dumplings

Tasting of Dim Sum

Tasting of Dim Sum
Chive Crystal Dumpling (King Crab, Shrimp Kurobuta Pork)
Dan Dan Dumpling (Sichuan chicken, Peanuts, Chili)
Tiny Dumpling (Pork Belly, Black Vinegar, Chili Oil)
Sui Mai (Shrimp, Scallop)
Hargow (Shrimp)

Chili “Dan Dan” Dumplings

Organic Chicken, Chili Garlic Sauce, Crushed Peanuts, Green Onion

Main Courses

Maine Black Cod Broiled with Chinese Ginseng Honey

Roasted Black Sesame Vinaigrette, Chili-Orange Noodle Salad

Grilled Lamb Chops Marinated with Korean Gochu Jang Chili

Pickled Ginger Sauce, Crispy Garlic, Wild Arugula Salad

(My brother and I agreed that these were the world’s best lamb chops).

Noteworthy Side Dishes
Shanghai Noodles, Fresh Chilies, Thai Basil Leaves, Slow Cooked Oxtail
Hunan Spicy Eggplant, Roasted Shishito Peppers, Chili, Crisp Garlic
Stir-Fried Summer Sweet Corn, Fresh Water Chestnut, Fresno, Thai Basil

City Lights

The Wines

With an extensive list of more than 400 labels,
wines were chosen specifically for the flavors and styles that complement the menu.

Lagar de Cervera Albariño 2008

Lagar de Cervera Albariño 2008  - Bright yellow in color. Fresh apple, pear and fig aromas. Elegant minerality with hints of fresh ginger.  Clean, focused, lithe. An excellent wine as a precursor to a dinner featuring Asian flavors!

William Fevre Chablis Domaine 2009

William Fevre Chablis Domaine 2009 – a refined bouquet with citrus, white peach and floral notes. Fresh and supple, the wine is marked by mineral notes that are typical of the appellation. Complex, well-concentrated, balanced. Pairs very well with the WP24 Summer Sweet Corn & King Crab “Hot & Sour” Soup and Black Cod Broiled with Chinese Ginseng Honey.

Shane THE CHARM, 2009 Pinot Noir

Shane THE CHARM Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley – only 100 cases produced. Concentrated red fruit aromas of fresh raspberry, dark cherries, and ripe strawberry. Elegant and balanced. The mid-palate brings Asian spice accents. Bright acidity and lingering the finish. It would be difficult to find a more perfect pairing with the WP24 Asian spiced lamb chops. Absolutely charming.

Dining Room Action

Dessert

Banana Spring Roll

Banana Spring Roll
Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Banana Caramel, Chocolate

(I’ll be stealing the banana spring roll idea for my next dinner party).

Last Bite: Cookies & Tuiles

Another perfect day. We LoVe LA.

“There’s no substitute for passion, quality, or love.”
Wolfgang Puck

Please feel free to share your memories of Spago Hollywood, Chez Mélange,
or your experience at WP24 and any other Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

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• 

long point, rancho palos verdes, california

Summer vacation, ahhhh! We’re trying new restaurants, exploring new sites, visiting old friends, playing lots of basketball, swimming, bicycling on the beach and enjoying the charms of my hometown here in Los Angeles County. My brother, sister-in-law, and nephews are visiting and we are having a blast! Earlier in the week we spent a couple days at Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

pool and the pacific

About a ten minute drive from my home, Terranea is a breathtaking oceanfront resort surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean with Catalina Island across the channel.

catalina kitchen @ terranea

The Catalina Kitchen offers indoor and outdoor seating. The patio overlooks the resort pool and the ocean. It’s hard to beat a fabulous outdoor breakfast on a beautiful summer morning.

stone & jett @ the waffle bar

Crispy light deep-pocketed Belgian waffles are made to order. The waffle bar is a kid’s breakfast dream-come-true with chocolate sauce, almonds, gummy bears, chocolate sprinkles, colored sprinkles, M&Ms, white chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, chocolate shavings, Oreo cookie crumbles, toasted coconut, as well as the usual accompaniments of syrup, butter, whipped cream, and fruit.

stone's waffle creation

And an apple!

jett's waffle with his favorite, cocoa puffs

Jett proclaims that he “loves buffets.”

adult's buffet breakfast

Not usually fans of buffets, the adults were all quite happy with the quality and selection. On weekends the buffet here also includes dim sum.

learning about falconry

While under construction Terranea Resort became a magnet for thousands of seagulls. Ever eco-friendly, the resort contracted with falconers to fly hawks, falcons and owls over the property to keep the unwanted seagull population at bay. We learned that the mere presence of an owl on site is a strong deterrent to many unwanted birds and rodents.

"chin" the arctic gyrfalcon

The largest falcon in the world, the Gyrfalcon pursues birds in flight at a speed of over 200 miles per hour. Just before catching the prey, these falcons typically fly up and then dive straight down onto their target. They can and often do fly long distances, so Chin is fitted with a radio-tracker in order to aid recovery. His handler recently found him quite a ways up the coast from Terranea.

"robbie" aka "meathead" the german shorthaired pointer

A versatile hunter and all-purpose gun dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer possesses keen scenting power and high intelligence. The breed is proficient with many different types of game and sport, including trailing, retrieving, and pointing. Friendly ambassador Robbie Meathead rides around the resort in the falconer’s golf cart until his services are needed to scare away pesky crows from the lawns.

resort pool @ terranea

After breakfast and learning about falconry, it was time to head over to the resort pool.

the color of summer

jett's wild ride

nelson's @ terranea

For dinner, we enjoyed fresh California comfort cuisine along with a spectacular sunset at Nelson’s. It’s kid-friendly and dog-friendly too. Families bring their pooches for a walk along the ocean trails then stop by Nelson’s to sit around the fire pits to enjoy a drink and a snack.

kid-friendly & dog-friendly nelson's

Nelson’s is named for Mike Nelson, an ex-Navy frogman played by Lloyd Bridges in the TV series Sea Hunt from 1958 to 1961. Parts of Sea Hunt were filmed on the location where Terranea sits today.

Stone recommends his dinner choices at Nelson’s. Start with the warm pretzel and share it with your family, enjoy a crisp caesar salad, for the main course try fish & chips, and don’t forget the ice cream sandwich for dessert!

warm bavarian pretzel, sweet beer mustard, cheese sauce

caesar salad

fish & chips

sunset over the pacific @ nelson's

We hope you are enjoying your summer too!

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A Hot Dog – preferably Vienna Beef, simmered in water (never boiled) until nice and hot
A Steamed Poppy Seed Bun – warm and soft
Yellow Mustard – not Dijon, not brown
Neon Green Relish - do not be afraid of the color, it’s classic
Diced Onion – sprinkle onion along the length of the dog
Sport Peppers – medium-hot, two peppers are the standard
Fresh Tomato – fit two half-wheels between the bun and the dog, skin-side out
Kosher Pickle Spear – crunchy and mild, not too thick, about the same length as the dog
A Dash of Celery Salt – without this final condiment, it would not be a Chicago Hot Dog!

Ordered like this: “I’ll have a Chicago Dog with the works.”

Wrapped up in a sheet of waxed paper. Eaten while standing at a counter. With fries.

By the way, any Chicagoan over 18 will tell you that putting ketchup on a Chicago hot dog is completely unacceptable. Save the ketchup for the fries. This fine specimen pictured above with their popular hand-cut fries is from Man-Jo-Vin’s on Damen near Belmont.

“Chicago” by Carl Sandburg 1916

HOG Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;

Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders;

They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I
have seen your painted women under the gas lamps
luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it
is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to
kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the
faces of women and children I have seen the marks
of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who
sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer
and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing
so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on
job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the
little soft cities;

Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning
as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with
white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young
man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has
never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse
and under his ribs the heart of the people,
Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of
Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog
Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with
Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

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• 

What is hip?
Chicago’s Blackbird

Come join my brother, sister-in-law and me for dinner
at one of Chicago’s hippest restaurants, Blackbird.
Established in 1997 it’s not new, but it is definitely cutting-edge.
Cuisine that has been described as “quietly revolutionary.”

What is Hip? by Tower of Power, Chicago 1977

The title for this post was inspired by one of my all-time favorite bands, Tower of Power.
We went wild in the late ’70′s when in live concerts they would announce,
“ASPEN, COLORADO – WE CAME TO PLAY!”

“BLACKBIRD RESTAURANT – WE CAME TO PLAY!”

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2010

A dry crisp refreshing wine to start the evening. A steely organic Sauvignon Blanc with a hint of grapefruit aromas with plenty of mineral overtones and citrus-y flavors. This is classic Sancerre—with lots of freshness and vibrant energy.

foie gras torchon with mandarinquat jam, sesame, and nasturtium

sauteed skate wing with little gem, almonds, pickled ramps, and whipped butter pudding

Kristy’s favorite
fermented black bean agnolotti with morels, pea vines, sherry and fresh wasabi

some dishes deserve their very own post, like this salad of endives, here

maple glazed veal sweetbreads with rutabaga, granny smith apple and black caraway

Domaine Billaud Simon Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2006

“A Chablis that is as colorful as a basket of fruit.” Chablis from Billaud Simon is brisk, balanced, and mineral-driven. With its creamy texture, purity, and freshness – it paired very well with the salad of endives and our second courses.

grilled becker lane pork rib chop with caramel potatoes, green asparagus,
sea beans and cured egg yolk

Michel Ecard Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Serpentieres Vieilles Vignes 2007

This spicy complex Burgundy is approachable, juicy and plump, terrific with our main courses. “Serpentières” in 2007 delivers silkiness and finesse with aromas of  black raspberries and a hint of fresh ginger. It continues with flavors of  raspberries and plums and a long peppery finish.

Don’s favorite
miso-glazed quebecois veal tenderloin with artichokes, apricot and fresh cheese

Lori Lynn’s favorite
wood grilled sturgeon with smoked ham hock, red beet, cabbage, smoked dates and walnut broth

roasted farm chicken and sausage with cauliflower, maitake mushrooms,
kaffir lime, and applewood broth

cheese platter

thones ‘reblochon’ cow’s milk – savoie, france
with hazelnut and sage

8 spring book farm ‘tarentaise’ raw cow’s milk – roading, vermont
with pickled persimmon

8 shepherd’s way farms ‘big woods blue’ sheeps milk – norstrand, minnesota
with sweet loquats

adante dairy ‘contralto’ goat’s milk – petaluma, california
with mustard genois

le pommier ‘camembert’ cow’s milk – normandy, france
with black trumpet mushrooms

dessert menu

Don’s restaurant philosophy is “Try everything on the menu,
you never know when you’ll be back and you don’t want to miss their best dish!”

one of everything please

“WE CAME TO PLAY”

fennel seed croissant, rhubarb, fennel,and oatmeal ice cream

Blackbird Restaurant…

“Hipness is. What it is!
Sometimes hipness is, what it ain’t.”

…on Randolph Street

This. Is. Hip.

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• 

salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg
@ blackbird, chicago

Domaine Billaud Simon
Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2006
“A Chablis that is as colorful as a basket of fruit.”

Chablis from Billaud Simon is brisk, balanced, and mineral-driven. It is one of the great domaines of Chablis which dates back to 1815. This particular wine offers a nice combination of fruit and stony minerality. With its creamy texture, purity, and freshness – it paired very well with the salad of endives and our second course at Blackbird.

salad of endives, a most creative presentation

With knife and fork, our server deftly chops the salad, blending the perfectly poached egg with the endives and pancetta, creating a silky dressing and reducing the charming potato basket to crisp crouton-like chards.

Voilà!

UPDATE: The entire extraordinary experience at Blackbird is now posted here  What is hip? Chicago’s Blackbird, please stop by!

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