14 – Au Cheval, Salero and Aviary

Posted in Chicago by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Au Cheval
I do feel horribly that I have been cheating on my former first stop when arriving in Chicago. XOCO I promise to be back soon!

Salero
I really enjoyed Ashlee Aubin’s cooking at Wood but its a bit out of the way. So I was very happy that he was opening a place in the West Loop and it did not disappoint!
Jamon Serrano – manchego cheese, compressed pears, Marcona almonds and petite herbs

Chorizo stuffed quail – wilted spinach, golden raisins, pine nuts and Piquillo pepper sauce

Beets and shallots roasted in the embers – with ‘Monte Enebro’ goat cheese, frisée, salsa verde and toasted pistachios

Grilled flat-iron steak – oxtail stuffed Piquillo pepper, braised onions, salt-wrinkled potatoes and sauces mojo rojo and mojo verde

A mystery lamb dish as I failed to write it down and it’s no longer on the menu

Aviary
I hope the Death Row (shaken, stirred and brewed last words) stays on the menu for a while as the Last Word is one of my all-time favorites. An almost traditional Last Word, the Perennial Last Word collaboration beer, and a cocktail inspired by the beer (which was inspired by the original cocktail). And of course the first few of MANY Black Truffle Explosions of the weekend. Could there ever be too many?

25Oct2014

San Fran – 10/10/14 – Kin Khao & State Bird Provisions

Posted in San Francisco by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Kin Khao
I have read so much about Kin Khao recently that I was initially puzzled to arrive for lunch to an almost empty dining room. My first thought was ‘I guess I didn’t really need a reservation.” But of course it turned out that all of the tables were reserved and San Fran just starts lunch a bit later than I do running on EST. For being in a somewhat strange space in a strange location I loved the quirky decor which contributed to an ultimately homey atmosphere. The perfect amount of heat in each dish…the kind that makes you unable to stop eating. I must get back for the wings!

Som Tum papaya salad – shredded papaya, green beans, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimp, garlic, peanuts, lime, fish sauce

Blistered green beans in XO sauce

Pad Kee Mao – spicy stir fried drunken noodles with ground pork, rice noodles, garlic, bird’s eye chili, onions, bell peppers and holy basil

Khao Soi Gai – northern style chicken curry broth, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, and spicy chili oil

After stops at Mikkeller Bar and Smuggler’s Cove….

State Bird Provisions
If I lived in San Fran I’m afraid that this blog would be half State Bird as I would be there every week. It’s so much fun that you don’t want to leave (which makes it even more impressive that they can turn tables at regular intervals). Thankfully I had some help on this trip so I could order more. But I still left too full to order an amazing sounding lamb dish (I am seriously full if I can’t eat lamb!). I started out trying to keep a list of all of the passed dishes but just gave up because I just wanted to enjoy the experience instead of documenting it. I think I may have missed a few pictures as well.

Pancakes

Toasts – chanterelle and pickled local anchovy

Butter clam ‘picatta’

Rose geranium ‘ice cream’ sandwich, chocolate cardamom ganache, pistachio and ‘world peace’ peanut muscovado milk

If there is a more unassuming and gracious chef than Stuart Brioza I have yet to meet him. Thank you Ryan Anderson for the truly fantastic hospitality! Looking forward to what’s next at The Progress!

22Oct2014

NYC – 10/8/14 – Corkbuzz Chelsea Market

Posted in New York by Mary Lynne Kupchella

In many life matters I tell myself to have low expectations so that I won’t be disappointed. And sometimes when you have absolutely no expectations you are surprised and impressed the most. It has been far too long since I have been to the original Corkbuzz, where I know I have eaten, but somehow have no recollection of anything I’ve had. So when I finally got to the new location for a glass of wine and a snack before a show at the Highline Ballroom I made a few random menu selections thinking nothing of it. But such incredibly delicious plates I was so pleasantly surprised! Looking forward to many return trips.

Brussels sprouts

Shaved vegetable salad (for the life of me I cannot remember everything that was in this)

Delicata squash

Cheese!

Potato chips

Whipped egg toast w/ bottarga

20Oct2014

London – 10/4/14 – Hibiscus & the Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs

Posted in London by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Hibiscus
Such an absolutely lovely dining room that I am still talking about it weeks later. Beautiful flower arrangements and colors of glassware and upholstery. If it wasn’t such a chilly, rainy, miserable day I’m not sure that I would would have enjoyed my specific menu selections quite as much. But this particular day it was perfect.

Pumpkin velouté, blue cheese royal, buttermilk

Veal cheeks, parsnip & truffle, sauce Veronique

Cheese!

the Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs
I had the first seating of the evening for the KT so as I was finishing my meal the other half of the counter was about midway through theirs. It was torture smelling some of their dishes being made for the second time of the evening because I was wishing that I could eat several again (Pigeon please!). I knew I was going to love this experience when I saw Chef Knappett’s wallpaper in the bathrooms earlier in the evening, custom made from his personal menu collection. I have an entire wall full of framed menus and wish I would have thought of wallpaper…just brilliant! And my Alinea loving heart loved seeing a piece of Crucial Detail across the pond.

Oyster

Shrimp

Chicken

Scallop

Trout

Cep

Pig

Pigeon

Clauson

Raspberry

Pear

Caramel

Clementine

Cider

Vanilla

13Oct2014

London – 10/3/14 – Hedone and the Clove Club

Posted in London by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Hedone
I am never late but nearly missed lunch due to an underground that never arrived. Luckily I evidently can navigate the system rather well and was only a few minutes late in the end. When dining alone there is is nothing I love more than a chef’s counter and an open kitchen to provide hours of entertainment. And nothing makes me feel better than when 5 out of 7 of those at the counter were solo diners. Such an absolutely lovely leisurely lunch that truly felt like a vacation day.

Canapés

Amuse bouche – I am so glad that for once I admitted that I am not the biggest oyster fan. The replacement smoked egg dish was outstanding (and I do love a good egg)!

Cevennes onion, pear shavings, sage

Liquid Parmesan ravioli, sweet onion consommé, mild horseradish, guanciale

Roasted loin of venison, radishes, plum, beetroot

Provence fresh figs, lemon and thyme

Warm chocolate, powdered raspberry, passion fruit jelly, Madagascar vanilla ice cream

The Clove Club
I read a few reviews of the Clove Club with quite negative comments about the space and decor. But I immediately loved everything about the furnishings, high ceilings, and especially my adorable marble topped table. Shoreditch Town Hall dates to the mid 1800’s and it just seemed to fit the building perfectly.

Selection of Snacks

Gilt head bream sashimi, mustard leaf, cobnuts & brown butter

An extra course

Hazel wood grilled squid, tarragon & radishes

Another extra!

Roast Speckle Faced lamb, Cherokee beans, Anthony & mint

Amalfi lemonade & Sarawak pepper

French figs & hazelnut ice cream

And the final bites…..love this!

7Oct2014

London – 10/2/14 – Dabbous, Callooh Callay, Lyle’s

Posted in London by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Dabbous
I had read quite a few mixed reviews of Dabbous, but there was enough good that when I could actually get a reservation I had to check it out. The tomato on toast was perfect. Such a great example of how the most simple dish, well executed with great ingredients can be the standout of the entire meal. I’m still a bit puzzled however by the acorn flour noodles. It tasted exactly like ramen noodles. I haven’t done enough research to determine if this was a deliberate haute version (in which case they nailed it) or was accidental.

Tomato on toast

Acorn flour noodles in a duck & fenugreek broth

Roast veal fillet with late summer vegetables & a light cheese broth

Warm fig & honey cake

Chilled rice milk infused with fig leaves

Callooh Cally
I stopped by Callooh Cally on my way to dinner and had two lovely cocktails and a lovely chat with the bartender about other cocktail spots in London. Loved the Oyster card menus.

Fernet Me Not

Lyle’s
I debated lunch vs dinner at Lyle’s but finally decided that sometimes not having to make decisions is a good thing and so went with the fixed dinner menu.

Snacks

I was in the middle of a book I have been trying to find the time to finish for weeks. It was historical fiction about WWII, had nothing to do with food or the sea. Yet oddly enough as soon as I finished the mackerel dish, I turned the page to find this line.

Beef Steak Mushroom, Egg & Onion

Squid & Tomato

Middle White, Pumpkin & Chestnuts

Pear, Wigmore & Walnuts

Elsie Plums & Vanilla Ice Cream

5Oct2014

Princeton, NJ – 9/29/14 – Mistral

Posted in Princeton by Mary Lynne Kupchella

I had been meaning to get Mistral for several months as I need to accept that I now work in the suburbs and make the best of it. But it took me far too long to find somebody to drag along and subject to my picture taking. I’m definitely looking forward to a return visit in cooler weather when I will want to sit beside the very cute fireplace.

Warm falafel salad – sprouted grains, black sesame, carrots cooked in barley

Blue crab salad – green curry, peanuts, coconut, puffed rice

Lamb tartare – kefir, spelt, marinated eggplant

Gulf snapper – tomato escabeche, crispy okra, pardon peppers

Poached egg – pomodoro, roasted squash, bottarga, crunchy pasta

Kali short rib – kimchi,mcicumber, scallion

Sweet steamed bun – plums, buckwheat, miso

Brown butter cake – banana, walnut, rum

3Oct2014

Portland, ME – 9/27/14 – Duckfat

Posted in Maine, Portland by Mary Lynne Kupchella

It’s been far too long since I’ve been to Duckfat and its probably a good thing I don’t live in Portland as it would be in heavy lunch rotation. Again a wait and unamused family members that I made stick it out. Maybe I will have to visit Maine in the winter.

Roasted beet and turnip salad – herbed goat cheese, toasted walnuts, local greens, apple vinaigrette

Smoked duck breast and spicy corn salad – cherry tomato, kale, red pepper, basil, sour cream vinaigrette

Fries of course

House smoked turkey panini – apple jalapeño relish, Monterey Jack, honey mustard

Homemade meatloaf panini – lettuce, tomato, cheddar, spicy special sauce

1Oct2014

Maine -9/26/14 – Robert’s Maine Grill, Portland Hunt & Alpine Club, and Central Provisions

Posted in Maine, Portland by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Robert’s Maine Grill
I never order lobster rolls because they are typically disappointing and always too expensive to be so. But as Robert’s won TT’s Lobster Rumble 2014 I made the family stop for lunch. They all made poor menu choices as I was the only one to order it. Their loss and my gain as it was fantastic. Butter not mayo.

Portland Hunt & Alpine Club
Pre-dinner drinks while waiting for a dinner table. Such a cute space and good cocktails. But most importantly we have found our Christmas ham for this year (as well as Christmas gifts). The ham from Olympic Provisions (the other Portland) on the Hunter bord was amazing and both the pickle and sausage of the month programs are going on my list.

Central Povisions

I knew there would be a substantial wait at Central Provisions as it is tiny and has received a lot of great press recently. When told it was 2 hours my brother and sister-in-law were definitely not amused and were looking at me for a plan B. But I held my ground (and maybe had a bit of a mini temper tantrum). I’m glad I did and I think they are too.

Cantaloupe and figs – lardo, black olive, jalapeño