During my trip to the 2013 American Craft Beer Fest, Sean and I stayed at Hostelling International's Boston location, which is on Stuart St in Chinatown, leading us to having a few good meals in the area. I should also say, this was my first experience at a hostel, and it was a pretty positive one; the hostel was large, clean, and had some pretty decent amenities, including an espresso bar, lounge area, and even a kitchen space, and the rooms lock, which is fantastic, and each bed has its own locker that a padlock can secure. The room we were in had six bunks, each of which has a small cubby space at the head of the bed, which has a reading light and a few outlets to charge your phone. At just $50 a night per person, this is significantly better than just about any hotel in or around the city, and it is in a pretty great location, within walking distance to...well...just about anywhere in Boston.
Anyways, on to the food! When Sean and I arrived, we dropped our stuff off at the hostel, and went to grab some food. We spied Q Restaurant on the corner of Washington St and Beach St, a sort of pan Asian (or at least east Asian) restaurant offering sushi, Mongolian hot pot style dinners, Thai, and Chinese cuisine. We knew were going to get some dim sum in the morning, so we went with the Mongolian hot pot, which I last had back in 2000 in the Pacific Northwest (I think in Victoria) with my dad and brother on a vacation, and which Sean had never had. Essentially, you get a large bowl of hot broth (or in this case, broth that is heated to the point of an aggressive boil on a burner located in the middle of the table) in which you cook a variety of meats and/or vegetables. You can pick from a number of broths, which cost anywhere between three and eight dollars (or the Basic Broth, which is free), and at least one of these is vegetarian friendly. You can choose from combos or a la carte accompaniments for the broth, ranging from "Kobe" beef (I still have no clue why people aren't outraged that they are being asked to pay ridiculous amounts of money for a product that is not even available in the USA, and thus are being lied to) to fish balls to various vegetables. The combinations all include assorted vegetables, such as a small piece of corn on the cob, some baby bok choy, watercress, and a couple others. You also can choose from a few different noodle or rice options; Sean and I both went with the Udon noodles, and I had the Beef and Lamb combo, while he had just the Lamb. We went with a bowl of the Mala broth, which the menu says is their most popular. It was spicy, filled with chili peppers, and very, very flavorful, though the amount of time you are cooking the various items in the hot broth limits the amount of flavor transfer. The meat, which is sliced exceptionally thin (think lunch meat) cooks very, very quickly, as do the vegetables, though they can stay in the hot liquid longer without much issue. The noodles also did not require much of a soak, just enough to get them hot, really. The food was pretty delicious, and we were stuffed by the time we finished; the mile and a half long walk to the Seaport World Trade Center was definitely a positive, as it gave us time to digest, and also burned off at least a few calories (that we quickly replaced with beer, of course) as we walked in the very hot sun. I don't know how authentic the food was, but we both enjoyed it, and would go back. The prices weren't unreasonable, either, costing us each under $25 for the meal.
After the ACBF, we were pretty tired, and slightly tipsy, but by the time we got back to the hostel, we decided we needed some more food, if only to soak up the booze. Sean suggested finding a burger place, so with the help of my phone we found UBURGER, a small local chain with five locations throughout Boston. We went to the 140 Tremont St. location, which should only be about a 10 minute walk, that somehow we (I?) turned into a 30 minute walk via some unfortunate directional issues, arriving half an hour before they closed. I ordered a Cowboy Burger, which has barbeque sauce, pepper jack cheese, grilled mushrooms and bacon, and added a soda and fries, which cost me all of about $10; not bad in Boston. The burger was decent, nothing super special, but to a slightly intoxicated person at 10:30pm, it was perfect. Cooked a little more than I like (I don't recall being asked how I wanted it, honestly, though that could be me misremembering due to being exhausted), it was nicely salty, and the toppings were great. The fries were spectacular, shoestring fries that were deliciously crispy, salty and just the littlest bit greasy; aka, perfect drunk food. This is the kind of place that needs to be in the bar section of every college town in America. Probably not the most vegetarian friendly place, they do offer a veggie patty and some salads, but it is clearly not their specialty.
Sunday morning we woke up, incredibly sans hangover, and met my friends Forrest and Molly at China Pearl for dim sum. Few things appeal to me more as a breakfast food than dim sum, which consists of a variety of steamed buns, rolls, and rice dishes, among others, that are brought to the table on steam-table carts. There are a couple problems with this, as a non-Cantonese speaking individual: first off, I honestly have little to no clue what I am getting most of the time, as the wait staff for the most part spoke little to no English, and so I was left to guess what they were offering us several times; and second, I had no clue how much anything cost, since they just marked up the card on the table with stamps of Chinese characters. Despite these difficulties, we had some pretty good food, though it could have better. I loved the pork steamed buns (char siu bau), which were somehow both light and dense at the same time, and the sticky rice was great, filled with some variety of poultry. The steamed meatballs were less of a hit, though they were not bad by any means. The sweet buns filled with pork were great, a perfect combination of sweet and savory, though only Sean and I enjoyed them; neither Forrest nor Molly are big pork fans, as it turns out. We had a few other dishes, and I do not think anyone left hungry, though I suspect that I enjoyed the meal more than the rest of the group. We were each out exactly $10 at the end, so the fact that we had no clue what we were paying for individual dishes turned out not to be a problem at all; this was, in fact, remarkably cheap. China Pearl is one of two highly recommended Chinatown restaurants to get dim sum, with the other being Hei La Moon; I look forward to trying that restaurant as well in the future. I do not believe that this is a particularly vegetarian friendly type of meal, at least unless you are fluent in Cantonese and can converse with the waiters pushing the carts, as you may end up getting more than you bargained for otherwise.
******
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Showing posts with label French Fries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Fries. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The Dirty Truth (Northampton, MA) and Kulmbacher Braurei AG EKU Pils
The Dirty Truth is probably my favorite place to go in Northampton, MA, a small city that offers several good bars and restaurants, but none that offer the combination of food, beer, and ambiance of The Dirty Truth. This place is not dim, it is dark; if you have trouble seeing in darker restaurants, you will not be able to read the menu here, but for me, that's fantastic. I love a good dark bar, where I can feel like my friends and I are in our own little cocoon, and The Dirty Truth provides just that; even the acoustics of the place make it tough to eavesdrop on others.
A beer bar is how most people know this place, and for good reason; the selection is always fantastic, with a variety of high quality craft beers, typically including several local options. The bartenders and waiters are all very knowledgeable and passionate about beer; I rarely pick my own beer there, usually asking for suggestions and relying on their advice. Thus far, I have not been led astray.
The menu is bar food...sort of. French fries, burgers, Reuben sandwich, and nachos are among the baker's dozen of options on the menu, but these are not your standard bar type foods. The french fries are ridiculous, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with ketchup made in house from local tomatoes, mayonnaise (I don't get that one, but whatever I get it now...holy crap that's some good homemade mayo), and best of all, gravy...perfect, rich, meaty gravy (that I can't even tell you for sure isn't vegetarian; it is Northampton, after all); overall, these are the best fries I've ever had, making even the fries at Bouchon Bistro seem only decent. My friend Sean and I have been here a couple times, and there are few things better than the combination of great beer, great conversation, and french fried perfection.
For the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd, there are also homemade baked pretzels (with an IPA mustard), falafel, two salad options, nachos, spicy mac and cheese, and a veggie burger. For those of us who prefer dead critter in our food, the corned beef Reuben, hamburger, mussels, fried chicken, and best of all, the pulled bbq duck nachos. I had the hamburger this evening with a glass of Kulmbacher Brauerei AG EKU Pils.
The hamburger, a giant patty on a perfect brioche bun, was fantastic, with few flaws; it was not up to the level of Burger Bar in Las Vegas, but it was among the better burgers I've had, equal to or possibly even surpassing the burgers at Bobby's Burger Palace at Mohegan Sun. The bun, as I said, was perfect, with a lightly crisp crust and an airy, almost sweet crumb, and held up perfectly to the juices of the burger. Cooked just slightly off what I asked (medium rare rather than rare), the quality of the meat, which the menu states is "certified organic" and "humane" beef, was clearly high, and the tightly packed patty held together perfectly without becoming too dense or feeling like meatloaf. I ordered the burger with bacon and smoked bleu cheese, with one being successful and the other being a huge disappointment. Incredibly, it was the bacon that bothered me, being undercooked to the point of almost being raw, and thus chewy and tough to bite through. The cheese was a home run though, lacking the flavor of smoke that I was expecting, but it tasted like a strong Roquefort. The texture was similar to a drier brie, and served as a thick slab on top of the burger, it was the perfect accompaniment to the strong beef flavor of the patty. On the side were some possible toppers for the burger, including lettuce (and not iceberg, though I couldn't tell you what kind it was, though it was good), onion, and a few thick slices of what I suspect were homemade sweet pickles. I hate sweet pickles; they are just the worst kind of abomination, a poor tasting substitute for the delectable dill or sour dill pickle. These were freaking awesome. Seriously, I have never liked sweet pickles before, and I loved these; I could have eaten them all night.
The Kulmbacher EKU Pils was suggested by the bartender when I asked for something light and refreshing, and as usual, the suggestion was spot on. A light amber, nearly translucent, it had a significant head when served, a brilliant eggshell colored froth that dissipated quickly once I started drinking. The beer itself had a slightly hoppy flavor, which I enjoyed, but was otherwise a very simple, albeit invigoratingly fresh barley taste. It's a good introductory beer if you're trying to convince someone who claims not to like beer that they're wrong, but it's also a more than acceptable option if, like me, you're simply interested in something that won't fill you up or give you the heady feeling of a stronger, heftier beer.
I have yet to try The Dirty Truth's brunch, but I've heard it is absolutely fantastic. The pork belly taco sounds spectacular, and who doesn't love chicken and waffles? Savory bread pudding is a hard option to argue with, as is eggs Florentine, the vegetarian version of my personal favorite eggs Benedict. I will definitely be returning, and I cannot recommend this place highly enough; it's the best choice in a city with many fine options.
******
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A beer bar is how most people know this place, and for good reason; the selection is always fantastic, with a variety of high quality craft beers, typically including several local options. The bartenders and waiters are all very knowledgeable and passionate about beer; I rarely pick my own beer there, usually asking for suggestions and relying on their advice. Thus far, I have not been led astray.
The menu is bar food...sort of. French fries, burgers, Reuben sandwich, and nachos are among the baker's dozen of options on the menu, but these are not your standard bar type foods. The french fries are ridiculous, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with ketchup made in house from local tomatoes, mayonnaise (
For the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd, there are also homemade baked pretzels (with an IPA mustard), falafel, two salad options, nachos, spicy mac and cheese, and a veggie burger. For those of us who prefer dead critter in our food, the corned beef Reuben, hamburger, mussels, fried chicken, and best of all, the pulled bbq duck nachos. I had the hamburger this evening with a glass of Kulmbacher Brauerei AG EKU Pils.
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| Hamburger, french fries, and Kulmbacher EKU Pils |
The Kulmbacher EKU Pils was suggested by the bartender when I asked for something light and refreshing, and as usual, the suggestion was spot on. A light amber, nearly translucent, it had a significant head when served, a brilliant eggshell colored froth that dissipated quickly once I started drinking. The beer itself had a slightly hoppy flavor, which I enjoyed, but was otherwise a very simple, albeit invigoratingly fresh barley taste. It's a good introductory beer if you're trying to convince someone who claims not to like beer that they're wrong, but it's also a more than acceptable option if, like me, you're simply interested in something that won't fill you up or give you the heady feeling of a stronger, heftier beer.
I have yet to try The Dirty Truth's brunch, but I've heard it is absolutely fantastic. The pork belly taco sounds spectacular, and who doesn't love chicken and waffles? Savory bread pudding is a hard option to argue with, as is eggs Florentine, the vegetarian version of my personal favorite eggs Benedict. I will definitely be returning, and I cannot recommend this place highly enough; it's the best choice in a city with many fine options.
******
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Sunday, February 24, 2013
Charlie's Kitchen (Cambridge, MA)
Located a short walk from Harvard University and numerous clubs and bars, Charlie's Kitchen is a popular late night spot to grab a beer and a burger and hang out. My first trip there was several months ago, after a night out at the Hong Kong, another local hotspot, and I loved it from the minute I set foot in there. Split between two levels, the downstairs is narrow, with a lengthy bar and some tables and booths, while the upstairs is more spacious, with a second, slightly smaller bar, numerous tables and a little bit more room to move around, and the bar is poorly lit, dank, with a feeling that maybe, just maybe, you don't want to eat there because lord knows the place doesn't look that clean. But I was a little tipsy the first time, and wanted a burger, so I dealt with it. With over a dozen beers on tap and a significant number of bottled options, you can just about guarantee that you'll be satisfied at Charlies if you're there to drink. Both times I went, however, it was more about the food than the beer (though beer was consumed both times, of course).
The first time I went was, as I said, a late night after being out at a club drinking, and I got a basic cheeseburger and fries, which were greasy, delicious, and just what you need at that time of the night. This time, at the urging of my friend Joe, I went for the Double Mushroom & Swiss Cheeseburger, which was exactly what it sounds like; a double cheeseburger, made with swiss cheese and a plentiful helping of sauteed mushrooms. Very simple, but very good. Once again, it was greasy and delicious, cooked relatively well (with the thin patties they use, it's tough to get a real "rare" burger, but they did a good job overall), and the mushrooms were great, big chunks and slices that were cooked just enough to have some sear on them, but without becoming soft and textureless. This wasn't the best burger I've ever had, by any means, but it's a really good, satisfying, homey burger, that is perfect when you need something to soak up the alcohol in your system after a night of drinking, or if you just want a decent, greasy burger to remind you of having a backyard bar-b-que with your friends.
The burger came with a few waffle fries, that were fine, nothing special; they were salty enough to make me happy, without a ton of unnecessary grease, but they were really nothing you couldn't get anywhere else. They tasted good though, so I suppose that's all that matters. For beer I went with a Chimay White Cap, which was good, but less awesome than the Blue Cap, though it did go well with the burger, since it's light and doesn't overwhelm anything.
Overall, this is a place I'd highly recommend if you're looking for a snack at 2am, and don't want IHOP (right around the corner though, if you do) or if you just need a quick, simple, cheap (for Boston) burger. It also appears they have a few vegetarian options for those of you who are so inclined.
******
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The first time I went was, as I said, a late night after being out at a club drinking, and I got a basic cheeseburger and fries, which were greasy, delicious, and just what you need at that time of the night. This time, at the urging of my friend Joe, I went for the Double Mushroom & Swiss Cheeseburger, which was exactly what it sounds like; a double cheeseburger, made with swiss cheese and a plentiful helping of sauteed mushrooms. Very simple, but very good. Once again, it was greasy and delicious, cooked relatively well (with the thin patties they use, it's tough to get a real "rare" burger, but they did a good job overall), and the mushrooms were great, big chunks and slices that were cooked just enough to have some sear on them, but without becoming soft and textureless. This wasn't the best burger I've ever had, by any means, but it's a really good, satisfying, homey burger, that is perfect when you need something to soak up the alcohol in your system after a night of drinking, or if you just want a decent, greasy burger to remind you of having a backyard bar-b-que with your friends.
The burger came with a few waffle fries, that were fine, nothing special; they were salty enough to make me happy, without a ton of unnecessary grease, but they were really nothing you couldn't get anywhere else. They tasted good though, so I suppose that's all that matters. For beer I went with a Chimay White Cap, which was good, but less awesome than the Blue Cap, though it did go well with the burger, since it's light and doesn't overwhelm anything.
Overall, this is a place I'd highly recommend if you're looking for a snack at 2am, and don't want IHOP (right around the corner though, if you do) or if you just need a quick, simple, cheap (for Boston) burger. It also appears they have a few vegetarian options for those of you who are so inclined.
******
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Duckfat (Portland, ME)
First off, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, etc etc etc...regardless, I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. As always, I am spending my Christmas in Portland with family, and while here I had the opportunity to finally go to Duckfat, a restaurant that opened a few years ago and is designed around the idea of using duck fat as a cooking medium; hence, the name. I have heard great things, and it has been featured on the Food Network, among other media; the french fries typically get the majority of the press, and I can certainly see why.
Duckfat is a very small place, with room for maybe 30, and at 1:30pm on the Sunday before Christmas it was packed, requiring a wait of about 15 minutes for myself as a solo diner before getting seated, and rather longer for many people who arrived with larger parties before me. Seated at the bar, I felt a little crowded in, but that's okay; it's got a real pub feel, with a lot of exuberant anticipation among the diners, and I felt completely welcomed by the atmosphere and the staff alike. I ordered the poutine, that classic French Canadian gravy fries with cheese curd dish that is never bad, but is rarely great; this, however, was great. With extremely crispy fries, packed with flavor from the duck fat, and a really ridiculously good duck gravy, not to mention legitimate cheese curds, this was exactly what you would imagine when picturing the best of this dish. I have had a few different iterations, and it's always been very tasty, but my god, was this good. Even after being soaked in the gravy, the fries were still quite crispy, which is a common failing in this dish. I can normally find a flaw with what I eat, even if it's nitpicky, but I honestly can't find anything with this; it is, quite simply, perfect.
Along with the poutine, I also had the salted duckfat caramel milkshake, which I had been considering before talking to my sister, but absolutely had to have after she insisted that I would love it. Salt and caramel combine to make probably the best taste ever, and this did not disappoint in the least. Sweet, savory, and just all in all delicious, I was completely full by the time I finished it but strongly considered having another despite the promise of impending stomach ache from it. It was thick, gooey, and really high quality ice cream (they call it gelato in their menu description, though I'm not sure that the texture held up to that), and once again, I can't really find anything to criticize about it.
The menu includes a number of craft beers that appear to rotate regularly, along with the numerous milkshakes and sodas that are always on the menu. All in all, this is a great place, and I highly recommend it.
******
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| Poutine with duckfat fried french fries, duck gravy, and local cheese curd |
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| Salted Duckfat Caramel Milkshake |
The menu includes a number of craft beers that appear to rotate regularly, along with the numerous milkshakes and sodas that are always on the menu. All in all, this is a great place, and I highly recommend it.
******
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Bobby's Burger Palace (Uncasville, CT/Mohegan Sun)
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| Exterior view of the menu boards |
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| Napa Valley Burger (I couldn't resist taking a couple bites) and sweet potato fries |
The sweet potato fries were really good, but not so good that after trying to put the burger down and make a dent in the (rather large) cup they came in, I had two and then finished the burger. The fries were crispier than I have ever seen with sweet potato fries before, covered in a visible amount of kosher salt, which I was worried would lead to them tasting over-salted, but only a few, which were completely doused in salt, were. The honey mustard horseradish sauce was good, simple like the sauce on the burger, but instead of a bit of a citrus bite, there was instead the sinus clearing spice of horseradish, which could have been stronger but is likely designed to not offend people who are less accustomed to that particular root. I also used the chipotle bar-b-que, one of about five sauces that are placed at every table, and this spicy sauce went perfectly with the slightly sweet and salty flavors of the fries. You get a rather large serving of fries, which I could easily have split with someone else and not been left wanting.
So, overall, I had a really good meal, for a pretty reasonable price ($7.75 for the burger, $3.00 for the fries, and I went with water since I had to drive home), that makes me think either my first trip was an aberration or that I just picked the wrong thing that time. I will likely return to BBP at some point, and it's worth trying if you're at Mohegan or near one of their other locations. That said, however, if given other options, I probably would choose something else, partially because the burger is not that much better than most, and also because I find Bobby Flay to be a bit of an asshole. I watch a lot Food Network, on which he is omnipresent, and I am constantly struck by just how poorly he treats people, both those who work for him and those around him. He is a showman who puts on a good face most of the time, but he consistently lets his true colors out, and they are not positive at all. If his food was far and away better than everything else, I'd probably find a way to ignore that completely, but with it being very good, but not great, I always end up just thinking about how little I want to put more money into his pocket; too bad Mohegan doesn't have better options available.
******
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Friday, November 16, 2012
Las Vegas Trip 2
I was in Las Vegas, NV for the second time in about a month for my mother's 60th birthday (or as she'd want me to put it, the 32nd time she's celebrated her 29th birthday). This time I really didn't do much but eat, which is pretty much fine by me; after all, that's what Las Vegas is good for if you don't feel like doing much gambling. I arrived on Friday evening, and left Monday morning, and in that short four days I ate some very good food.
Friday Night
On Friday night after arriving, I went straight to d.vino, a moderately fancy Italian restaurant at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. This was probably the worst meal I had with the family, though it wasn't bad at all. We started with the Shrimp and Artichokes appetizer, which had probably the best artichokes I have ever had, with perfectly cooked hearts cooked in a lot of butter, tender but with a little bit of "tooth" to it, and it was clearly very fresh produce. The shrimp were cooked properly, but lacked flavor despite supposedly being butter braised as well, being overshadowed by the artichokes. I tried a little salad that my mom ordered, the d.Vino Salad, which was pretty good, but nothing special, certainly nothing compared to the salad I had the next night. My cousin's Roasted Beet Salad, on the other hand, was fantastic, the beets perfectly roasted and the goat cheese combining nicely.
For an entree, I had Seafood Risotto, which was only okay; while it was creamy, it appeared to be more from using heavy cream than the actual cooking process of the rice contributing to the texture. Essentially, they appeared to add a lot of fat unnecessarily instead of taking the time to do it properly; I could be wrong, but that was my impression of the dish. The shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari were all really well cooked, which was nice, but they didn't have a huge amount of flavor, nor did the confit tomatoes.
My dessert choice was the Panna Cotta, which tasted a little weak, but having never had it before I don't know if that's normal or not. It was served with a couple raspberries and a raspberry sauce drizzled on it, though not enough to make any real difference in the taste or overall experience. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't recommend it.
The most disappointing thing was the beer; I was excited when I arrived to find that my brother had ordered a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, among my favorites, but upon ordering it I was informed that the keg was empty. I instead ended up with a Full Sail Brewing beer, that may have been their IPA, but certainly didn't taste like one. This was one of the worst craft beers I have ever had, having almost no flavor whatsoever. This was equivalent to Bud Light, but three times the price. Avoid at all costs.
After dinner we went to see Blue Man Group, who I also saw several years ago in Boston. I was completely exhausted, having barely slept in the previous 24 hours, but it was quite fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a chance to see them.
Saturday
I spent Saturday with my brother, watching football mostly after sleeping for a solid ten hours (don't judge, it was great), and we grabbed lunch at some Chinese/Vietnamese combination restaurant, that also had a couple of Thai dishes. I went with pho, which was good, though honestly, it's kind of hard to mess up. He had some approximation of pad thai that he thought was only okay. Thankfully, this was just the beginning of the day's meals.
Saturday night was when we officially celebrated my mother's birthday (which was actually on Wednesday), going to The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino for dinner at Bouchon Bistro, a Thomas Keller creation, one of three of the same name. My mom and step-dad had eaten at the Yountville, CA restaurant a few years ago and loved it, so she felt this would be the perfect choice. There were eight of us in all: my mother, step-father, my mom's first cousin, my uncle, aunt and cousin, and of course me and my brother. The restaurant experience was incredible, from the food to the atmosphere to the decoration to the service, it was impeccable. The only complaint anyone could make was that the restaurant was a little dark, though this was not a problem for me. Our waitress, Julie, was wonderful, funny and engaging, and really making the overall experience perfect.
My step-father and I split the Salade Maraîchère au Chèvre Chaud, with mixed greens, herbes de Provence, and goat cheese with a red wine vinaigrette. It is pretty simple to make a good salad, but tremendously difficult to make a great one. This was a great salad, with incredibly fresh greens, bright and vibrant, with a perfect little disc of goat cheese, really high quality product, presented beautifully atop the mixed greens.
There were two specials that night, one with seared scallops that my mother ordered, and was perfectly cooked and delicious, and a slow braised short rib dish that I ordered. Braised for 12-14 hours according to Julie, the short ribs were fork tender, with a deep, rich beef flavor that was only enhanced by the braising liquid on the plate. Those little white balls are confit chestnuts, which I could not identify while I was eating them, but which were really quite nice, with a woody, earthy quality that is unique to them but quite pleasant. There were also bits of roasted quince that reminded me of pear, but rather less crunchy; very tasty. The short ribs were placed upon a nice pile of wilted collard greens that tasted great with the braising liquid. As good as all this was (and the short ribs were the best I've ever had, by far) the best part was what they labeled a "pain perdu," though this was a bit of a play on the term. It was really more of a savory bread pudding, only very slightly sweet, with a flavor that almost reminded me of really good pumpkin pie (you know, not the stuff from a can), with some cinnamon flavor really coming through. I don't think I could even ever hope to replicate it, but I would love to find a recipe.
We also ordered a side of frites, or french fries. They don't look like anything particularly impressive, but they were incredible. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, with just the right amount of salt. I'm not sure what they were fried in, but it was a stronger flavor than normal fries, and there was no greasiness.
For dessert I ordered the Crème Caramel, a classic caramel custard that was, to keep up the trend, perfect. Smooth, gelatinous, and a little creamy, with just a mild caramel flavor, and not too much sweetness. Among my favorite desserts of all, this was really quite fantastic, and I highly recommend it.
The beer list wasn't bad at Bouchon, though their focus is clearly on the wine list. I went with the Chimay Trippel, a fantastic trappist ale that I enjoyed for the first time. Mild, slightly hoppy, with a nice citrusy flavor, served in a goblet like glass bearing the Chimay name. This was a great beer to have with this meal, as it complemented the short ribs nicely but was not so strong as to overwhelm even the salad.
Sunday
Sunday was a fairly lazy day as well, which consisted mostly of my step-dad and I reading by the pool (until it got cold) and wandering around CityCenter and checking out some of the many shops containing clothes we could never afford (including an $8700 leather jacket at Kiton that my step-dad wanted until I told him the price, and a $4400 Ermenegildo Zegna wool jacket that I may have considered selling my car to buy), before grabbing a beer and some food at the Aria Resort and Casino (also home to the previously reviewed Julian Serrano, where my family went on Thursday night...I am still displeased with them for that) where the family was staying.
After wandering around CityCenter, my step-dad and I adjourned to the wine bar at Sirio Ristorante, another moderately fancy Italian restaurant not entirely dissimilar to d.vino. They have a "happy hour" menu from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, which includes "cheap" (it's a relative word) drinks and small plate options.
For beer I went with a Birra Moretti Lager (picture on right), a beer similar to that old standby Stella Artois, extremely crisp and light, with no hops to speak of. The head dissipates quickly, like a lot of these super light beers, and there was no aftertaste. This was nothing to write home about, but if it weren't imported (aka, expensive) it would be a great session beer.
There were five options for food (mozzarella bites, pork cheeks and tomato bruschetta, salted cod croquette, chicken meatballs, and spinach and ricotta ravioli), and we picked three initially. Once the rest of the group arrived we ended up having all five.
The pork cheeks and tomato bruschetta were amazing, with thin, crisp slices of baguette topped with fresh tomato and slices of fried pork cheek that were incredibly salty, fatty, and crisp. It was a little too fatty for my step-dad, but I loved it; after all, fat is flavor, right? It was my favorite of the night.
The ravioli, which came in a sage butter sauce, were unremarkable, less impressive than the similar ravioli my mother occasionally makes from scratch. They tasted fine, but I really doubt there was anything homemade about them. There was a nice earthiness that almost tasted of mushroom, but that is really it.
The chicken meatballs in a tomato-Gorgonzola fonduta were more successful, as they were still moist, with a mild chicken flavor that really should have been stronger, but was pleasant nonetheless. The fonduta was the best part, tasting (and looking) rather more like a roasted red pepper sauce than tomato, but was really fantastic, with just the right amount of salt imparted by the cheese. These were a great option.
The mozzarella bites were nothing special, with virtually tasteless cheese on skewers with delicious oven roasted tomato and some basil pesto. The salted cod croquettes were better, crispy and moist, and the puttanesca coulis was nice for dipping. It did not match up with the pork cheeks, but it was pretty darn good.
We ended up having dinner at Sirio as well, which had a slightly better result than the bar food. I went with the gnocchi, served in a very heavy green sauce that I can't really describe too well. The gnocchi were fine, having a good flavor, but they were a bit too light. I know that lightness is a virtue in gnocchi, but these had almost no substance to them, and a little more density would have been nice. Dessert was a platter of small Italian doughnuts, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and served with three dipping sauces. Happy Birthday was written out in chocolate on the side of the platter. These were actually pretty awesome, though a little overly sweet with the sauces, which included a caramel sauce and a "tropical" sauce (aka, lemon). Overall, this was not my favorite meal, but it wasn't the worst either, and I would not object to going back, though there are certainly better options both in the Aria and in the surrounding casinos.
******
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Friday Night
On Friday night after arriving, I went straight to d.vino, a moderately fancy Italian restaurant at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. This was probably the worst meal I had with the family, though it wasn't bad at all. We started with the Shrimp and Artichokes appetizer, which had probably the best artichokes I have ever had, with perfectly cooked hearts cooked in a lot of butter, tender but with a little bit of "tooth" to it, and it was clearly very fresh produce. The shrimp were cooked properly, but lacked flavor despite supposedly being butter braised as well, being overshadowed by the artichokes. I tried a little salad that my mom ordered, the d.Vino Salad, which was pretty good, but nothing special, certainly nothing compared to the salad I had the next night. My cousin's Roasted Beet Salad, on the other hand, was fantastic, the beets perfectly roasted and the goat cheese combining nicely.
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| Seafood risotto; those little balls are the confit tomatoes |
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| Panna Cotta |
The most disappointing thing was the beer; I was excited when I arrived to find that my brother had ordered a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, among my favorites, but upon ordering it I was informed that the keg was empty. I instead ended up with a Full Sail Brewing beer, that may have been their IPA, but certainly didn't taste like one. This was one of the worst craft beers I have ever had, having almost no flavor whatsoever. This was equivalent to Bud Light, but three times the price. Avoid at all costs.
After dinner we went to see Blue Man Group, who I also saw several years ago in Boston. I was completely exhausted, having barely slept in the previous 24 hours, but it was quite fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a chance to see them.
Saturday
I spent Saturday with my brother, watching football mostly after sleeping for a solid ten hours (don't judge, it was great), and we grabbed lunch at some Chinese/Vietnamese combination restaurant, that also had a couple of Thai dishes. I went with pho, which was good, though honestly, it's kind of hard to mess up. He had some approximation of pad thai that he thought was only okay. Thankfully, this was just the beginning of the day's meals.
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| My mom's scallop dish; perfectly seared scallops |
My step-father and I split the Salade Maraîchère au Chèvre Chaud, with mixed greens, herbes de Provence, and goat cheese with a red wine vinaigrette. It is pretty simple to make a good salad, but tremendously difficult to make a great one. This was a great salad, with incredibly fresh greens, bright and vibrant, with a perfect little disc of goat cheese, really high quality product, presented beautifully atop the mixed greens.
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| Short ribs |
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| French fries |
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| Crème Caramel |
The beer list wasn't bad at Bouchon, though their focus is clearly on the wine list. I went with the Chimay Trippel, a fantastic trappist ale that I enjoyed for the first time. Mild, slightly hoppy, with a nice citrusy flavor, served in a goblet like glass bearing the Chimay name. This was a great beer to have with this meal, as it complemented the short ribs nicely but was not so strong as to overwhelm even the salad.
Sunday
Sunday was a fairly lazy day as well, which consisted mostly of my step-dad and I reading by the pool (until it got cold) and wandering around CityCenter and checking out some of the many shops containing clothes we could never afford (including an $8700 leather jacket at Kiton that my step-dad wanted until I told him the price, and a $4400 Ermenegildo Zegna wool jacket that I may have considered selling my car to buy), before grabbing a beer and some food at the Aria Resort and Casino (also home to the previously reviewed Julian Serrano, where my family went on Thursday night...I am still displeased with them for that) where the family was staying.
For beer I went with a Birra Moretti Lager (picture on right), a beer similar to that old standby Stella Artois, extremely crisp and light, with no hops to speak of. The head dissipates quickly, like a lot of these super light beers, and there was no aftertaste. This was nothing to write home about, but if it weren't imported (aka, expensive) it would be a great session beer.
There were five options for food (mozzarella bites, pork cheeks and tomato bruschetta, salted cod croquette, chicken meatballs, and spinach and ricotta ravioli), and we picked three initially. Once the rest of the group arrived we ended up having all five.
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| All three of the original "bites" from Sirio's wine bar |
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| Better view of the ravioli |
The ravioli, which came in a sage butter sauce, were unremarkable, less impressive than the similar ravioli my mother occasionally makes from scratch. They tasted fine, but I really doubt there was anything homemade about them. There was a nice earthiness that almost tasted of mushroom, but that is really it.
The chicken meatballs in a tomato-Gorgonzola fonduta were more successful, as they were still moist, with a mild chicken flavor that really should have been stronger, but was pleasant nonetheless. The fonduta was the best part, tasting (and looking) rather more like a roasted red pepper sauce than tomato, but was really fantastic, with just the right amount of salt imparted by the cheese. These were a great option.
The mozzarella bites were nothing special, with virtually tasteless cheese on skewers with delicious oven roasted tomato and some basil pesto. The salted cod croquettes were better, crispy and moist, and the puttanesca coulis was nice for dipping. It did not match up with the pork cheeks, but it was pretty darn good.
We ended up having dinner at Sirio as well, which had a slightly better result than the bar food. I went with the gnocchi, served in a very heavy green sauce that I can't really describe too well. The gnocchi were fine, having a good flavor, but they were a bit too light. I know that lightness is a virtue in gnocchi, but these had almost no substance to them, and a little more density would have been nice. Dessert was a platter of small Italian doughnuts, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and served with three dipping sauces. Happy Birthday was written out in chocolate on the side of the platter. These were actually pretty awesome, though a little overly sweet with the sauces, which included a caramel sauce and a "tropical" sauce (aka, lemon). Overall, this was not my favorite meal, but it wasn't the worst either, and I would not object to going back, though there are certainly better options both in the Aria and in the surrounding casinos.
******
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Friday, October 12, 2012
Burgar Bar (Las Vegas, NV)
A small selection of "Chef's Burgers," recipes of Keller's own making, which include an "American Classic," "Vegas Vegan," and "Spicy Lamb Burger," make up the backbone of the menu. The crown jewel of these offerings is the "Rossini," a "Kobe Style Wagyu Beef" burger, with sauteed foie gras, and shaved truffles on an onion bun. Getting past my objections to the whole the "Kobe" and "Wagyu" naming issue, this does sound like one hell of a burger, though at $60 a pop, it's tough to justify it if you haven't had a great weekend at the tables.
Along with the "Chef's Burgers," the customer can choose to build their own burger, using one of five base burgers: Black angus beef ($9.75); Naturesource ($10.50); Lamb "Merguez Style" ($15.00); Buffalo ($17.75); Kobe Style Wagyu beef ($17.25). You can also pick from "non beef" options, including the vegetarian burger, chicken breast, salmon steak, and turkey burger. Upon choosing your burger, you then choose among a few bun options, including a classic plain bun, onion, or ciabatta. There are 46 topping options, split into categories: The Garden, including such things as baby spinach, avocado, and chopped jalapeño; The Dairy, with a number of cheese offerings; The Grill, with peppers, zucchini, and carmelized onions; The Farm, with various bacons, egg, and foie gras; The Ocean, which has lobster and shrimp; The Pantry, with such offerings as guacamole, homemade beetroot pickle, and truffle mayo; The Earth, containing the $30 black truffle shavings, and other less expensive mushrooms; and lastly sauces from Keller's Fleur de Lys, including an au poivre cream sauce. Your last choice is accompaniment, including "skinny" and "fat" fries, referring to their cut, not their caloric or fat content, sweet potato or zucchini fries, onion rings, and croquettes. Each item adds a certain amount to the cost.
I went fairly simple, sticking to things I knew I would like. For the burger I selected the Naturesource beef, which is USDA prime beef raised without antibiotics or hormones, cooked rare, to which the bartender/waitress said "you know, that's really rare..." I wanted to settle in and live there from that moment. I selected a ciabatta roll for a bun, with bleu cheese, bacon, grilled onions, and a chipotle aioli, with tomato, lettuce, sliced onions (which I didn't use) and a dill pickle coming standard on the side. As an accompaniment I ordered the skinny fries, which quite honestly were disappointing. The burger was fantastic; perfectly rare, almost cool inside, with a soft, melting texture to the meat; my only complaint was the lack of a good crust on the burger, though that is a risk with a rare burger. The toppings were great, the bleu cheese nicely melted into the grilled, slightly caramelized onions, while the bacon added a nice, slightly crisp, meaty, piggy taste. The onions provided a little sweetness that cut the intense meatiness of the beef and bacon, and the roll was a great vehicle for the burger. The aioli was disappointing, as it was completely lost in the midst of everything else, and lacked the spice that I was expecting from something made with chipotles. It did serve well as something in which to dunk the fries, which while perfectly cooked lacked flavor of their own and needed something to make them a little more impressive.
Along with the extensive list of available burger options, the drink list is incredibly impressive. Between the milkshakes, which can be ordered off the menu or customized, both virgin and alcoholic, the beer floats, and the beer list itself (which is pretty impressive) you have a ton to choose from. I ordered the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, which ended up being the perfect beer to go along with the burger, as it was strong enough not to be overpowered, but also not to overpower the food.
Overall, this was a great experience, and a great burger, easily the best I have ever had. The ingredients were fresh and delicious, the service was friendly and welcoming, and the setting was nice, a real sports bar feel despite the upscale nature of the food, with televisions lined up behind the bar. Price-wise, it's not cheap, clearly, and I got out with a $30 tab after leaving an extremely generous tip, but it was well worth it and I'll absolutely go back.
******
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Brick Wall Burger Update
UPDATE
I went back to Brick Wall tonight and had the Burger Mosto Cotto, while my friend had the Burger Piemonte (portabello mushroom, truffle oil, parmesan cheese, and caramelized onions), and both were fantastic. The Mosto Cotto, named for the red wine reduction sauce on the burger, was succulent, with just the right combination of savoriness from the beef, sweetness from the sauce, and tang and acid from the arugula and tomato. The only disappointment was the mozzarella, which seemed rather flavorless; I think it was just extremely mild cheese (not my preference for mozzarella) and the other flavors easily overwhelmed it. Also, the texture, which was pretty good on its own, was too soft when combined with the burger's similar texture. The tomato did add a nice crispness and bite, however. The Piemonte was delicious as well, though I only took one bite; my friend loved it, and I'd trust her opinion on this. The french fries were even better today than normal, super crispy exteriors and soft interiors, salted perfectly; couldn't ask for better.
One thing I'd like to change my opinion on is the ketchup; I don't know if the batch that I had today was different from normal or if they changed their recipe, but it was far better. I heard recently (and it wouldn't shock me to discover this was true) that ketchup is the taste most Americans have trouble adjusting to when it's not what they're used to, because Heinz, and Heinz copies, have been all that we are exposed to for our whole lives.
I am a bit disappointed to report that the Bull in the Bramble burger no longer appears on the menu; I had really been looking forward to trying it (raspberries and beef are a great combo), but I guess it must not have been a big enough seller for them.
******
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Brick Wall Burger (Greenfield, MA)
The meat is not only cooked to order, but is legitimately flavorful; this is the result, I'd guess, from buying from local farmers as much as possible, thus staying away from the mass produced beef that populates most burger joints. I saw a review online that accused them of over-salting both the burgers and fries, but that hasn't been my experience at all; it could be an isolated incident, or it could be that this reviewer is sensitive to salt. Either way, you can be the judge, but I wouldn't let that kind of criticism frighten you off. The toppings they offer range from the standard (lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and peppers) to the less mundane (avocado, roasted habanero pepper, and wasabi, for example) and have been very good each time I've been, though there was a huge variation in the spice of the habanero from the first time I had the "Firebrick Burger" to the second. You can build your own burger, picking from ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, ground corned beef (a cool concept, but not one that interests me, to be honest), vegetarian/gluten free black bean, or portobello mushroom. I don't see it on their website now, but they used to offer a Kobe burger and a lamb burger as well, though both were pretty expensive. Additionally, you can pick from their "Custom Burger Works," which include some very original concepts, such as the aforementioned "Firebrick Burger," which includes habanero, avocado slices, pepperjack cheese and a chili garlic sauce that is mild but delicious. I haven't tried them yet, but the "Bull in the Bramble" (raspberry dipping sauce and romaine lettuce) and "Burger Mosto Cotto" (grape wine reduction, tomato, fresh mozzarella, and arugula) are really interesting concepts, and I look forward to trying them soon.
A good french fry can make or break a burger joint, and Brick Wall's do not disappoint. They are double fried, which is, in my opinion, the only proper way to cook a french fry, and while I'm not sure what kind of oil they're using, it does impart a nice flavor to the potatoes, which are nice and crispy on the outside and light inside. The sweet potato fries are good, though as with all sweet potato fries, they suffer in the crispness category; if you're looking for crisp, though, why are you getting sweet potato fries? Be aware, however, the homemade ketchup served with the fries is a little odd; my friends are pretty sure the reason is cloves, and I'll trust them on that, because it's a flavor I'm not very familiar with and just plain don't really like. It doesn't ruin the fries by any means, but it doesn't enhance them either, which a good ketchup should.
Also served with your burger is a side of cole slaw, either regular or spicy. Both are serviceable, but nothing to write home about, though I should give them credit for not using a bunch of mayonnaise to flavor the slaw; rather, it is vinegar heavy, which I like but which bothers others. I like the spicy when I'm not getting the "Firebrick Burger," but if I am going spicy on the burger I have to get the regular, or it's a little overkill.
Beer (including the local favorite Berkshire Brewing Company) and Greenfield's own Bart's Homemade Ice Cream are offered, and both are perfect accompaniments to a good burger. Try the Steel Rail E.P.A. for a solid, refreshing option to go with your burger, followed by Maple Walnut Ice Cream.
Update 5/9/12
******
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