France

Ah France! Our vacation was dedicated to fine food and wine- and there was definitely plenty of that! To start, we visited Hediard and Fauchon, two boutique retailers of delicious gourmet goods. My french came in handy as I ordered un pain au chocolat, et un pain de campagne.... and then asking for du vin blanc.. and some amazing fraises!! We did our picnic in two parts- one in the Luxembourg gardens and then later on the champs de mars by the Eiffel tower. Life did not suck.



For dinner, we tried Au Vieux Comptoir (not to be confused with the millions of other bars and restaurants by the same name- this is the 'old' one. It got to the point where we saw one 'comptoir' restuarant a day, all across france....even in the airport!) (It means 'counter'...)





We shared a plate of white asparagus in a delicious dijon butter thing, and then I had a creamy porcini mushroom risotto, one of the hardier meals I had on our trip. Ry had a steak which he enjoyed with some super creamy mashed potatoes!




And for best lunch, this lovely spot by our hotel- in a pretty little square in the marais- had an awesome salad provencale- complete with egg, tuna, green beans... so delicious!



And of course... the drinking! Our first stop was Champagne- and even the streets are painted with these handy graphics and an _____> to point the way. We tried 3 different brands: Mercier, the most popular in France, Moet Chandon, the most popular... everywhere else, and De Castellane, holder of no significant moniker, but in a 'charlie and the chocolate factory'-esque building. Who could resist?


Very classy tour featuring video with voice over by Scarlett Johanson.


'The people's champagne' with some crazy cool cellars.


Charlie wasn't home.


Then it was off to St. Emilion, Home of Bordeaux. First, a walk through the vineyards outside the city:


Then a little wine tasting... .


Followed by some wine buying..


WARNING: You too may 'storm the castle' after drinking this much wine (kidding...)


Coffee is always better in Europe...


We then spent a day in the Chateauneuf du Pape in Provence, tasting straight from the foudre (big-ass barrel) and checking out the very old vintages (1926!!)


The word is that 2010 is gonna be a good one.


Old (the wine, of course... I would never say that about Ryan!)




For lunch, we had perhaps one of our most outstanding meals at Chez Serge. Truffles, a piece of beautiful fish in a lemony butter sauce, and Ryan had more meat, and of course a really good baba rum cake with berries....



And later, in Avignon, this cute spot- though the food was just ok amongst our many meals, the location and interior had me charmed!!

A great trip, and a lesson learned- next time I will have to blog more as we go so I remember more of each meal!!!

The Counting Room

A bar so new, I couldn't even find a photo of it on the internet. It was the perfect night for a walk down past McCarren park and closer to the water. Great breeze, and the bar has big, open windows. We decided to take advantage of a special 1/2 bottle of Nebbiolo- which we really liked. A dark, fruity italian red that was served slightly chilled. We also tried a crostini dish ($3) and the 3 cheese plate ($13). The crostini came with fresh ricotta with basil and lemon flavors, very light, and a huge portion for the price. The cheese plate we chose had a sharp cotswold cheddar, a sheep's brie, and a soft goat cheese. The goat cheese reminded me of camembert in texture, but had a milder, creamier flavor. As accompaniment, a dollop of honey, a few pieces of dark chocolate, some grapes, and two types of bread paired well with the cheeses. My only thought was that a salty/briney choice might have been great to balance all the sweet tastes- perhaps an olive tapenade.

The upstairs is an airy industrial space, and downstairs there is a dark cocktail bar with plenty of space for groups to sit.

We really liked the atmosphere and were impressed by the wine list!

Check it out at 11th & Berry in the Burg!

DBGB & Quartino

Ryan and I celebrated my official homecoming last night with dinner at Daniel Boulud's DBGB on the Lower East Side. The place fits its location on the Bowery- lots of raw materials- concrete piers in the dining room, and open kitchen, glass front- and the noise certainly gives the place a buzz. The tables are packed in tight- but booths along the side seemed to offer intimacy for some. The scene reminded me of one of the large food halls in paris, where the waiters buzz around as diners, packed in side by side, well, eat. Gives the place a better vibe for groups, parties, and fun, but not for a romantic, quiet dinner. More sceney and hip, less white linen than its big brother Daniel.

The menu had a ton of choices for meat and seafood lovers- and luckily, one vegetarian option for me. I have to admit, I must have either still been eating meat yet when I looked at the menu, or just didn't pay enough attention, but it wasn't until I was sitting there that I realized my options were fairly slim. Probably not the last time that will happen. I guess I could have asked them to turn out a vegetarian version of one of their other dishes, but I spotted a tasty pasta dish to try, so I went with that. It was really very good- a fresh marinara sauce, with onions and ricotta with lemon. Really clean, nice flavors, and it was a nice portion. (I couldn't finish!). I also had the butter lettuce and chive salad, which was as simple as the name suggests, and had a great 'green' spring flavor.

Ryan tried the tuna crudo, which came in nice size squares with a gingery dressing and cilantro. He then had the 2 sausage combo- and selected from maybe 10 different homemade choices. He went with the Beaujolais-which smelled so good I even tried it! You could taste the wine, and whole pieces of bacon, with a nice smoky finish. The second sausage he tried was the DBGB hot dog- which basically was the finest quality hot dog we've ever come across, garlicky and smokey. It tasted like it came off a camp fire. With a dash of the dijon mustard, nice and spicy- it was delish.

Unfortunately, we just didn't have the appetite to try one of the featured desserts- home made ice cream sundaes. But holy moses they looked good, and I sorta regret not forcing one down.

DBGB is also known for its beer menu, a large variety is on tap, and ryan tried one with his sausages that he really enjoyed.




Before dinner, We popped into this cute looking little wine bar- Quartino. They only serve organic wines, with selections mainly from italy and france. Each serving is a quartino (hence the name). I tried a white falanghina from Italy, and Ryan had a Barbera D'alba from Italy as well. Both were quite nice. I liked the romantic atmosphere and soft light! I'd pop in for a glass sometime again!

Rye & Huckleberry

I have been wanting to take Ry to Rye for a while. Like so many places in Williamsburg of late, Rye features old-fashioned cocktails at a beautifully crafted bar and intimate tables. There is no sign outside, but it stands out on an otherwise residential block. The interior features a lot of dark wood and white candles, and the restaurant was quiet enough to enjoy conversation.
There was an odd smell of chlorine and cleaning products right when we walked in that was not appetizing, however, and seemed out of place in a 'classy' joint...

We were seated right away at a great little table for two, in a curve in the booth that afforded a great deal of privacy, and I liked the people-watching view.

The cocktails were tasty and served on silver trays with hand cut ice cubes, a very nice touch. The wine list had several $9 and $10 glasses that were tasty. I tried the beet salad, which was quite good. The beets were sweet, with a creamy goat cheese and with peppery microgreens on top. We both agreed it was refreshing and savory at the same time. On the other hand, Ryan was not as thrilled with his brisket sandwich, which he reported was not very tender, and actually quite tough. For the carnivore he is, it was odd watching him pick meat off his sandwich- practically unheard of. The side of mac and cheese was quite large, and I found it tasty, but not rave-worthy. A bit bland. Overall, we found the food hit or miss. Other items on the menu looked very promising, but I wonder about execution.




After Rye, we headed over to the Huck bar, which is conveniently located just up from our apartment. Again, offering a selection of old-fashioned and crazy cocktails, this bar is a bit pricey, but upscale for the lorimer stop, and with plenty of wines and cocktails to choose from. Ryan first tried some Witches Brew that was strangely smoky, and later an old-fashioned, and I stuck to wine. I like the atmosphere here, and it's usually full but not crowded, a nice balance. The food is cute and a good nosh, but again, be prepared to burn some money. A fun note, they make their own grenadine, and shirley temples here are not just for little girls!!! I've come here once or twice after being out in the city and wanted to keep the fun times rolling while switching to a non-alcoholic beverage, and this was fun!!

DOC Winebar

I'd like to take credit for actually taking this picture (for once!) A relatively rare thing on this blog. Anyway, last night Ry & I went on a date to what is probably my all-time favorite spot in all of NYC. Yes, grand praise. We've been coming here for almost as long as we've been dating, and it never ever disappoints. I've brought my mom here, friend after friend from out of town, and my Aunt & Uncle most famously last summer. It rocks everybody's socks, so I hope it rocks yours, too. Why the italian meat and cheese counter? Because it might as well be in italy- the food is imported by the owner, along with the wine, on a weekly basis.




The interior of the restaurant is like a cozy italian kitchen, but we prefer to go when the weather is nice and sit outside. The wine menu is extensive and fabulous- ask the owner, (ie the cute bald guy with the killer italian accent), for some recommendations, and be prepared to be blown away (both in taste and quality... and a little less pleasantly in price). Some highlights of past sampling include a fruity, cherry-forward red, and a verdicchio that was neon yellow and had flavors of pineapple. If you are new to italian wine or tend to stick to the boring varieties of pinot grigio (AKA "water") and chianti, then this is a great place to come explore. The menu includes vermentino, verdicchio, montepulciano, nero d'avola, and falanghina, all worthy of your time and taste.

As for the food... wow. As I mentioned previously, the wine is not the only import here. The mozzarella is fresh, soft and salty, with a slightly firmer outer crust. Somehow the tomatoes always taste like summer here, as does the basil. The meat & cheese plate is awesome, and is served with a house-made olive oil and rosemary bread/chip that is addicting. All the fresh, home-made pasta specials and sauces are insanely good, as are the crostini and the salads. I don't think i've ever tried the panini, but I bet they are good too... Even the desserts are delish...



I can only think of 2 complaints. They only take cash (sooooo over this, Brooklyn) and they may or may not charge you your first born child. But hey, after a few glasses- or bottles- of amazing wine, who cares??

Allen & Delancey and 'inoteca

So it's been a while since I've properly got my food on. Alas, grad school has sent me into a bit of hibernation. But last night I got a chance to check out Allen & Delancey on the LES. We'd heard it was very romantic, which it was, although for us old farts the music was too loud and totally incongruous with the scene. Sorta hipster rock tracks? There are candles everywhere and library books and black and white photos. Very tiny, so be prepared to get bumped on your way in and out. We had a drink at the bar before sitting down, and my prosecco was not properly chilled- which might sound totally snobby, but folks, at $12 a glass, the least they could do is keep it nice and cold! The menu is quite small, featuring about 4 appetizers and entrees to choose from, but a nice variation in proteins. We shared a salad that had a great tart vinaigrette and some awesome tomatoes, not sure what had been done to them, but I think they had cooked them just enough to soften the skins. Ryan had the beef- he reported that it was well cooked, but a little under-seasoned, and was room temperature when he got it. I had the chicken roulade which was very savory- the chicken was extremely tender and the liver mousse was nice and salty. The chicken was in a very vegetably broth, and the combo reminded me of flavors I had last year at Blue Hill. Overall, I was a little disappointed. The dining room was very noisy, both from music and nearby tables, and the food was good but clearly had some service issues. I was also a little surprised by the mixed crowd- if you would have blidnfolded me I would have thought I was in the mid 50's and not the LES, judging by the number of patrons sporting white hair for the evening.

After dinner we took a spin around the block and came across a cute little wine bar, 'inoteca.

We were too full to sample the cuisine, but we did try several of their wines. The imported cheeses looked great, as did their paninis. Nice casual crowd, and we were lucky to get a seat at the window table. Some fun people watching on Saturday night! I'd definitely go back and check out the food!

Troquet

Ryan & I decided to venture into Boston for dinner on Saturday night, and discovered this wonderful wine bar & french-inspired restaurant. We were lured there by the promising wines by the glass menu, and the promise of a to-die-for cheese plate. The location, right on Boylston street off the Common, is great for pre-theater or pre-clubbing (If either of those are your "thing"). The small bar downstairs was nice for a pre-dinner cocktail.

Ryan and I sat at the bar and sampled some champagne and sauvignon blanc, and debated trying Krug, a champagne rarely available by the glass, here offered for $20 for 2 oz or $40 for 4. Ouch. We weren't feeling like millionaires, but it was tempting... maybe next time.

We headed upstairs for dinner, and the dining room is simple but pleasant. We started off with appetizers- I had the baby squash blossoms salad, and Ryan tried the braised short rib canneloni. The squash blossoms were very lightly battered and fried, for a delicate taste, and served with a mixed green salad with pine nuts, a little pesto, and a nice citrus vinaigrette. Ryan's short rib had a great smoky flavor, and the noodle was just right, not too thick to ruin the other subtle flavors. Ryan had a glass of shiraz and I had a new zealand sauvignon blanc, both recommended by the staff, and both very nice pairings.

For my entree, I opted to have a second appetizer- the truffle oil and mushroom cavatelli. Really savory and delicious, it went down well with the suggested pinot noir. Ryan had the miso- glazed salmon with bok choy and eggplant, and a glass of riesling that we both agreed was a bit sweet for this pairing. We finished our meal with 3 cheeses, that are selected from a cart brought by the waitress. We tried a triple cream cow's milk, a harder cow's milk, and an herb-crusted goat cheese. Really good stuff!!

We enjoyed this restaurant a great deal. The food is savory and pulled off a broad range of influences. The wine pairings were great, and though the bottle list is quite expensive, the wines by the glass were fairly priced. The only thing to note is that we were the youngest couple in the restaurant, probably by about ten years, but the older crowd did not effect our evening at all!! (Translation: bring a date!)