Chicago – 5/14/14 – Ceres’ Table

A huge thank you to Scott Manlin for the incredible hospitality. I’m very glad that I happened to pick the first day of a working pizza oven because I definitely would have missed out. I consider myself fairly picky about my pizza and this one passed my #1 criteria, at which almost all others fail, a non-soggy crust in the middle. If I lived in the neighborhood I would be eating this with a side of wagu tartare far too often!

Pizze – capricciosa – flor di latte, basil, artichoke, prosciutto cotto, black olives
Amberjack – arugula, capers, pink peppercorn, smoked olive oil
Smoked swordfish carpaccio – lemon zest, oregano, neonata conserva, chives
Wagyu beef tartare – mustard, cornichons, red onion, quail egg
Burrata di panna – yellow wax beans, blue lake beans, purslane, walnut vinaigrette
Cappellacci – veal bolognese, parmesan, crispy sage, black truffles
Cavatelli – wild boar sugo, escarole, leeks, pecorino
Spaghetti nero – seppie, garlic, chile, ricotta, parsley
Whole fish (blanking on what type!) – with rapini, potatoes, burnt lemon

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NYC – 5/26/14 – The Breslin

As much as I love to travel, I like being home during the summer, even more so on holidays, when everybody else has left the city and it’s as quiet as it will ever be. However I did feel like I was missing something without a BBQ to attend. The only remedy was a burger, and as Minetta Tavern isn’t open for lunch on Mondays, I went with my 2nd favorite. It has been far far too long since I’ve had this burger. In a city with an overwhelming number of choices and a constant stream of new places opening, I never prioritize the old favorites. I love everything about this burger especially the intense lamb aroma as soon as I started to cut it in half.

The Breslin
Lamb burger w/ feta, cumin mayo & thrice cooked chips
Brooklyn summer

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Munich – 5/19/14 – Ratskeller

The trip is nearing an end and I had yet to eat a sausage. I figured I couldn’t go home and admit to that so it was time to let a colleague take me out for some. For a huge, what I would consider ‘touristy’ place (aka something I would normally avoid at all costs) the food was quite good and the ambience something to be experienced at least once. I skipped the photo of the giant salad which I had just to make myself feel better about all of the meat.

Ratskeller

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Munich – 5/18/14 – Theresa

If I was here for a bit longer I think I might actually be able to find some decent places (or at least ones better than my initial impressions). I got lucky coming across Theresa inadvertently in some web search for something else. A very cute space, rustic and homey yet slightly industrial and white tablecloths working perfectly with wooden communal tables. I think Germany is probably a few years behind in a proper bloody steak as the menu said all were prepared medium. I was able to request medium rare, which it wasn’t, but very tasty nonetheless and I do appreciate good homemade steak sauce.

Theresa Restaurant

Hugo (prosecco, sparkling water, elderflower syrup, mint, lime)
Baked sheeps cheese – marinated beefsteak tomato, artichoke, olive
Dry aged Black Holstein rib eye from Germany
Caesar salad
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Zurich – 5/17/14 – Mesa

Finally a memorable meal on this trip! I do hope to get back here someday not too far in the future and if so I will be back. I loved to sort of casual atmosphere with fantastic service. It is rare that I pick a vegetarian tasting menu, but the mood struck and I do think they are more difficult to pull off successfully. There were too many snacks and extra courses to list but regular menu as follows:

Mesa Restaurant Zurich
Nettle velouté – parsley root, carrot croutons
Artichoke – red pepper, tropes onion, courgette, eggplant
Pasta fatty in casa – prezzemolo, cima Di rapa, Parmesan
Onsen egg – potatoes, chanterelle, asparagus, peas
Cheese
Strawberries – ricotta, lime, avocado

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Basel – 5/15/14 – on Campus and Zurich – 5/16/14 – Brasserie Quadrino and Hotel Rivington

Is it possible to overdose on cheese? If so I am doing a very good job at trying but only to get in as much good food as I can before returning to Germany. But to back up a few days, I wish I could contribute more from my first full day in Basel but unfortunately photos weren’t allowed on campus. That said dinner in one of the many restaurants on site was really very good and based on where I was, I was very impressed.

Brasserie Quadrino – Zurich

Hotel Rivington -at least I am having some success in finding cocktails. I am told that nobody drinks them in Germany and they are as sparse in Switzerland so far. I think the Swiss will catch up in a few more years. Anyway loved the space and the bartender and their classic cocktails were quote respectable.

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Basel – 5/15/14

I’ve made it to Switzerland and it’s night and day. Not only is my hotel fantastic in comparison to the Munich work ‘approved’ hotels, but the food seems to be head and shoulders above Munich. Dinner one, planned by colleagues, and after a few days in Germany my expectations are so low that this meal was amazing. Actually objectively it was quite good. Well except for the first course of asparagus soup. Ok I will admit was great despite being totally over the German asparagus.

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Munich – 5/12/14 – Bar Gabanyi

So I guess Munich isn’t the foodie capital of the world. A very late lunch at a super cute place that I wanted to be great. The slushy aperol sour was….a perfect summer drink. The quinoa salad was fine. But the odd steak tartare with burrata I couldn’t even make myself eat. I can’t even let myself think about it while writing this or I may gag.

I had two proper cocktails at Bar Gabanyi which was adorable but I was the only patron for over an hour. I wish it had stayed that way as a group of guys came in, from Chicago, LA and UK and I had to fight off the advances of the LA guy until I could finish my drink and escape. The bartender tried to save me, kudos to him as you don’t see that in NY. I will be back next week.

And as much as it goes against my traveling meal planning, I am now enjoying a quite good shrimp Caesar salad at the hotel bar.

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Munich – 5/11/14 – Les Deux, Schumanns Bar, Dallmayr

It’s very hard to believe it’s been about 20 years since I have been here. Day 1 down and I am proud to say I didn’t have a beer or anything from the sausage family. Not that I don’t love both of those things but I want to prove to myself that there is more to this city.

Lunch – Les Deux
Thank you NYT for this one.

Drinks- Schumanns Bar
Where it is a bit odd to see Pegu Club cocktails on the menu.

Dinner – Dallmayr
The only things I will note are (1) in all of my solo dining adventures I have never had the restaurant provide magazines…on the purse stool…I love the idea but didn’t read them as I got 1/2 way through the new Ruth Reichl book and (2) I really don’t like the huge Bavarian white asparagus.

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NYC – 5/3/14 – Madison Sq Eats

Oh NYC…you never miss a chance to f me with the weather. I thought I was going to make the most of a lovely day with some outdoor dining. But of course the minute I got my pizza it started raining. Photo from the second before I ran for an umbrella. Not the most enjoyable eating experience standing up with not enough napkins to control the grease seeping through the plate. And yes the second I stopped eating the rain stopped. 😦

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NYC – 5/2/14 – Le Bernardin

Aka the ultimate workday lunch indulgence. When you find yourself having a rare few weekdays in the city and must battle the midtown tourists, the destination must be worthwhile. And thanks to the lounge menu at Le Bernardin it was possible to fit into my CLE lunch break.

Kanpachi tartare, wasabi tobiko ginger coriander emulsion

Peruvian style scallop ceviche

Warm lobster and truffle en brioche

Loved all of these but could eat the ceviche and lobster everyday. And nearly rubbed shoulders with the Silver Fox. Lunch in NY doesn’t get any better than this. Carpe diem!.

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NYC – 5/1/14 – Gato

I guess I am one of a few who knew this place would be great before it even opened. I planned to stop for a few bites at the bar before an early show and showed up a few minutes before the doors opened thanks to some B train good luck. By 5:30 there were at least 20 ppl in line. 2 weeks ago it was a totally different scene so it seems everybody else waited for the reviews to come out before jumping on the bandwagon.

Squid – bacon, garlic
Piquillo filled with raw tuna – saffron sauce
Eggplant – manchego, oregano, balsamic

White chicory salad – chorizo, egg, fontina, apricot-almond dressing

Charred carrots – parsnip chips, Harissa, mint, yogurt

Kale and wild mushroom pizza – crispy artichokes, egg

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NYC – 5/1/14 – Bouchon Bakery

I have now spent more than 6 months working in the suburbs with a dreadful cafeteria and otherwise poor lunch choices. Only the great company of my co-workers and Bobby’s Burgers have made it tolerable. And perhaps this has made me appreciate even more the rare day when I can pretend I still work in the city with great lunch options. I definitely took it for granted in the past. But if the food I miss, one session at this CLE reminded me of how much I don’t miss the job!

Anyway Bouchon Bakery kale Caesar salad with crispy chicken skin. And a pistachio macaroon hiding in the bag.

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