San Diego – 12/17/17 – Born & Raised

I really want to like Born & Raised. The design is fabulous and I am happy for more high end concepts to enter San Diego. Unfortunately the service was terrible on this and a previous visit and unacceptable at this price point. My first issue, not unique to this restaurant, is being asked for a credit card when ordering the bar. It was not crowded and I was clearly ordering dinner. The bartender cannot keep track of me when I did not move? I despise this practice and what feels like punishment for preferring to dine solo at the bar while doing the restaurant the favor of not occupying a 2-top. I ordered 2 dishes that would be table side preparations if not at the bar (although I am told that if you order more than one table side preparation you will only actually get one). If I am not going to get the added show, could I at least have new flatware between courses? Or actually asked if I want the dishes coursed? While the tartare was excellent, the toast was a horrible choice as far too soft to actually support anything and created a collapsing mess each time I tried. I would have enjoyed a second cocktail, but alas I couldn’t get the bartender’s attention for 25 minutes. Perhaps why they need to ask for credit cards or people would get tired of waiting and just leave.

martini

caesar salad

steak tartare

San Diego – 12/14/17 – Biga Wood Fired Dinner Series

A great introduction to Biga for dinner which was part of their wood fired series featuring guest chef Drew Bent soon to open Lola 55 in San Diego.  All very good and flavorful dishes with the bonus of a surprising dessert that I loved.  I look forwarding to visiting Lola 55 and have already made a return visit to Biga based on the great hospitality.

trio of tostadas
loca ceviche – pineapple, jicama, chipotle
beef tartare – papilla, avocado, leek
fried oyster – basil, tomato, serrano, lemon

beets, potatoes, wood fired octopus, smoked saffron aioli, pickled spring onion parsley

tamale of porchetta, mole manchamantes, pickled vegetables, coal roasted plantain

oak baked yams, charred marshmallow, horchata of allspice & sugarcane

Paris – 11/25/17 – Clamato, Little Red Door, and Balagan

Clamato

Septime’s little sister Clamato is another place where I could easily eat everyday.  Incredibly fresh fish, fantastic flavors and perhaps the best service that I had on this trip.

trout from banka, marinated vegetables & white cheese

cuttlefish, sesame and chili

baked scallops, lard and sauvignon

Little Red Door
Definitely go at opening to the Little Red Door.  What an incredibly cute bar and I absolutely loved the architecture based menu concept.

Balagan
With a fitting name meaning ‘beautiful mess’ in Hebrew, Balagan is certainly un-Parisian aside from being part of the Experimental Group.  While quite a scene, it is incredibly energetic and I couldn’t help but have an amazing time.  And the food was amazing…that pictured as well as a few extras that I didn’t photograph.

frenavon bread

beef tartare damascus, herbs, pepper coulis, tahini

beetroot salad, spinach, arugula, mangetout pea, peas, feta cheese

scallops

Paris – 11/24/17 – Buvette, Le Syndicat and Chez La Vieille

Buvette
I stopped at Buvette for some vegetables to offset the cheese I was eating for 3 meals per day.  They were delicious but the service was truly horrible to the point that I considered leaving before I had even ordered and again after I finished my glass of wine and couldn’t seem to get another.

Le Syndicat
I have had several disappointing experiences at places on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list but had a fantastic experience at Le Syndicat.  It looks like an abandoned storefront in a slightly sketchy neighborhood and you could easily walk by it.  Very cool menu, great drinks and service.  I can’t wait to return.


Biggie Smalls Door
Marc de Bourgogne, Cap Corse Mattei, liqueur de gentiane, et cordial de pamplemousse & d’aneth

Undergroni
Eau de vie de framboise, Cap Corse Mettei, vermouth rouge, et sucette maison au piton

Chez La Vieille
Thank you Daniel Rose for reopening this spot, staffing it with amazing people from Spring, and creating such a fantastic environment.  Perhaps the best time I have had at dinner while traveling and if I lived in Paris I would be here once a week.  I could easily eat poireaux vinaigrette every day of the week and this version was excellent.  But the chicken was quite possibly the best chicken I have had in my life.  Yes everything in Paris seems better, and the chickens are different, but I have thought about this so often since.

Poireaux vinaigrette

Poulet fermier et puree de pomme de terre

Comte

NYC – 11/11/17 – Momofuku Ko

Perhaps I avoid getting caught up on this blog because revisiting my favorite places in NYC just makes me too sad.  Yet another fantastic dinner at my favorite spot topped off by a perfect chocolate fernet dessert.

black bass, rye bonji, perilla

sea urchin, chickpea, hozon

ko egg, caviar

beef au poivre

razor clam, pineapple, basil

striped bass, eggplant, tomato

lamb, radish

foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

cheesecake

foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

chocolate, mint, fernet branca

NYC – 11/10/17 – Atoboy and Aviary

Atoboy
Yet another place that I have missed terribly since I moved.  So much so that I ate so quickly I forgot to photograph several dishes.

lotus root, dubu, seaweed, chili oil

beef tartare, nooruk, mustard green, myungran

sunchoke, oyster mushroom, black truffle, orange

octopus, kimchi, chorizo, parsley

Aviary
So much about the reviews is accurate and so much is not accurate at all.  I am certainly biased.  For me it will never be the same as Chicago, but the views sure do help compensate.

 
Up the Ice Ante – oat, marcona almond, white peach, horchata

Chicharron

Heart of Stone – pistachio, peach, fresno, lapsang, bourbon

Loaded to the Gunwalls – mace, pineapple, hazelnut, batavia arrack

NYC – 11/17 – Mondrian Hotel

The Mondrian recently opened before this stay and was still working out a few kinks. This room was definitely tiny. I loved the decor but it was very poorly designed for a trip that involved the need to work. There was no desk and only a small table however no outlet anywhere near the table and thus impossible to plug in my laptop. After a day of puzzling water in the bathroom I figured out that the toilet was leaking. And housekeeping neglected my room for an entire day. Despite these issues the staff was well intentioned and I actually booked a follow up visit (with different issues but promptly addressed).

Chicago – 11/4/17 – El Ideas

While I enjoyed my previous visit to El Ideas, the BYOB format in a very casual setting was perfect for a large group dinner.  This was such a fun evening and thank you to my dinner companions who took charge of wine pairings.

chanterelle, creme fraiche, pomegranate, trout roe

egg tart, caviar, sea urchin bottarga, finger lime

scallop, okra, sweet potato, haitian trinity

lobster, parsnip, apple, cornbread, thyme

french fries & ice cream, potato, leek, vanilla

pheasant, celeriac, truffle, lovage

oxtail, cabbage, maitake, parsley, mustard seed

pierogi, squash, black trumpet, sage, smoke

strip loin, bread pudding, quail egg, béarnaise

pavlova, plum, hibiscus, chocolate

quince, dulcey chocolate, olive oil, pistachio

Chicago – 11/3/17 – Somerset, Prairie School and Next

Somerset

I loved Somerset so much that I almost went back the next day and then was kicking myself for not doing so. I hope to check out dinner my next time in Chicago but this was pretty much what I wish I could have for lunch everyday. It makes me very happy to see the proliferation of great crudités. The tuna and sprouted grains salad was fantastic as was their take on the Tuxedo. After such a miserable experience at Devereaux the night before, the Boka group definitely redeemed themselves.

Tuxedo served with aged gouda


vegetable crudite

charred broccoli, garlic, almonds, crispy chicken skin, yogurt

seared tuna, sprouted grains yogurt, cucumber vinaigrette

Prairie School
The purpose of my first trip to Chicago was to visit Frank Lloyd Wright houses.  As I exhausted new places to visit, my focus turned to food and cocktails.  I can’t believe that nobody opened a bar with this concept sooner.  Obviously I was won over before I even got there.

Next
What a great opportunity to have dishes from so many amazing restaurants that I (and many other guests) may never have opportunity to visit as well as a few old favorites.  This was a great concept as it peaked my interest in some places I may not have ever had an interest in and challenged me to think about why I don’t like some places with great dishes that I loved having here.

Rose
rose, apple, pomegranate
Quique Dacosta/Alicante, Spain

Jerusalem Artichoke
walnut, rye
Geranium/Copenhagen, Denmark


An oyster’s frozen kiss
oyster, radish flower
Mugaritz/San Sebastian, Spain

Eggs benedict
caviar, asparagus, ham
Eleven Madison Park/New York, USA

Marine soil
sea urchin, jicama, surf clam
Centra/Lima, Peru

Squid
artichoke, bagna cauda, squid ink
Mirazur/Menton, France

King crab
beef gram, hen’s egg yolk, rose miso
Noma/Copenhagen, Denmark

Tartare
bison, sunchoke
Estela/New York, NY, USA

Badger flame beet
Blue Hill at Stone Barns/Pocantico Hills, USA

Caviar
vin jaune, egg yolk, button mushrooms
Septime/Paris, France

Riso cacio e pepe
parmigiano reggiano, burgundy truffle
Osteria Francescana/Modena, Italy

Dim sum
cau cau, dashi, potato
Maido/Miraflores, Peru

Langoustine
wasabi, mango, thai vinaigrette
Restaurant Tim Raue/Berlin, Germany

Monkfish
aubergine, fermented peppers
De Librije/Zwolle, Netherlands

“Vuelve a la Vida”
scallop, beef tongue, salsa bruja
Quintonil/Mexico City, Mexico

All parts of the pumpkin
the skin, the seeds, the flesh
Attica/Melbourne, Australia

Squab
parsnip, almond, lacender
Next/Chicago, USA

Memory
foie gras, black truffle, chives
Restaurant Andre/Singapore

Apples
chanterelles, granite
Relae/Copenhagen, Denmark

Chocolate
milk chocolate, blueberry, yogurt
Alinea/Chicago, USA