Prix fixe three course? Degustation? Tasting Journey? Three major routes to take…

I learned about L’Espalier from an article in Cheese Connoisseur magazine, featuring their Maitre d’, fromagère Louis Risoli. Upon seeing the attention to their cheeses and this man’s obvious love of cheese, I thought I had to visit L’Espalier for the entire package when Boston came into travel plans.

The interior was nice for sure, dressy but comfortable, clean lines, metallic tones. The only thing I didn’t care for is the large window looking out to the wall of an adjacent building with the logo for Lord & Taylors, dominating the scene. Careful attention has been placed on lighting, and one wall features wines behind glass.

The breads, from Au Soleil bakery, were delicious. Especially ripe was the pretzel breads, with just enough chewy texture and the crunch of salt. The recipes, meanwhile, are inventive, with a focus on local, fresh ingredients. Meal pacing was excellent. In turn, L’Espalier is not inexpensive, but the service, food, and sparkle all translate to a grand experience.

Some of the things I was able to taste included oyster, escargot, foie gras with pistachio nougatine, and lamb loin. Perhaps the most genius of dishes included an heirloom tomato dish with parma ham, a noodle formed from agar agar, and a special strawberry cocktail with a rather special, sweet yet savory foam. Grand selections of cheese and desserts were in for the ride too.

L’Espalier translates to fine dining, for sure, but the flights of fancy don’t reach the most high peaks. You can find more adventurous cuisine elsewhere, even more traditional. Here, things are progressive and refined. Delicious. But somehow shy of greatness. Yet how many gustatory experiences reach the highest echelons?

Recommended.

I recently had the chance to visit the J. Child exhibit again at the Smithsonian’s American History museum. I also took advantage of the time in D.C. to visit two great places: Zaytinya near the convention center near G and 9th; and a new place for me, Sushi Taro.

“Z” is a tapas or “small plates” type of place, but instead of Spanish food, is centered around Greek and mediterranean fare. Everything we had, from the veal cheek, to the crispy eggplant, to the heirloom salad was great. Bright flavors, well-seasoned, and great service too.

Another delight was their trio of ice creams dessert… they make these in-house, and you can choose three. The strawberry/lemon verbena one was great, but the rich vanilla with phillo and their thyme ice cream were even better. I highly recommend Zaytinya.

Sushi taro was interesting: we opted for a tasting menu. They offered three of these: a “traditional” one, one centered on fish, and a third centered on soft-shelled turtle. We took the sushi route, and we experienced almost twenty different tastes of different seafood. The meal was significant, but not so much that you left feeling uncomfortable. The tastes between different fishes is subtle, but when that next piece is alone on the plate or with two companions, the comparisons become intellectual. Intellectual eating doesn’t sound fun, but I tend to think folks who seek out rare foods or food experiences are considering what they eat in a very intellectual way.

Sushi Taro ended the meal with a mango ice cream that sounded pedestrian. Coupled with green tea, this dessert was quite extraordinary. While new to me, I’d recommend this experience to others who want to experience more traditional Japanese flavors.

I started with Hanover tomatoes and roasted them in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours to a) remove the skins, and b) reduce some of the moisture. I also drizzled them with EVOO, black pepper, and some garlic slices.

The pizza crust was made from a mixture of:

• ap flour
• 1 packet yeast, warm water
• milk
• EVOO
• salt

I mixed the dough in the stand mixer and let it rise for 2 hours. Then, it was flattened and shaped with additional flour (I always leave pizza dough moist). The end-product was pretty good for crust, maybe a little too much; the yeast was especially active and rose fast.

The toppings included:

• base of grated parmesan cheese
• tomatoes with garlic
• fresh basil
• fresh mozzarella

That’s it! It wasn’t bad. The salad was a simple one, featuring a delicious heirloom tomato.

I started with their tomato stack (a seemingly reconstructed sliced tomato, with slices interleaved with cheese), a play on a caprese salad, which was good. Even better was a refreshing cocktail that was icy cold (apropos for the night I dined here) and tart.

The fried green tomatoes were good too, but overall there were far too many tomatoes and too little of the accompanying crabmeat salad. Both appetizers needed salt.

For my entrée I tried their special featuring two large crab cakes with a bacony potato salad. The potato salad came with a serious kick of spice that I enjoyed, but since bacon was a featured ingredient, I could have used more of that. Again, salt was needed to really flavor this food. The crab cakes were well-browned, but ultimately too big consider the amount of sauce presented on the plate. That really is a very weak complaint. The sauce was good. Provide more!

I wouldn’t have ordered this dish again, if it became mainstream: there were too many instances of finding shell in my crabcakes. That turned me off.

We also ordered a menu entrée of short ribs, and that was stupendous. It has a delicious sweet sauce, and the short ribs weren’t too greasy, and had that most tender texture that’s hard to come by, without any bones getting in the way.

So, while not a perfect first visit at Mezzanine 3433, I will go back. Seasoning can always be corrected with a stealth salt cellar and I really support using fresh, locally-provisioned ingredients.

If you go for a plain cup, like I did, or even a cone, you can enjoy the ultra-smooth texture of premium Goodberry’s custard. It’s 80% unctuousness and 20% flavor. A real treat.

If you’re more daring and treasure texture, go for the “Carolina Concrete,” a mixture of their smooth custard against the symphony of a dozen different additions, including nuts, fruits, or flavorings. The resulting “Blizzard-esque” result is so thick it stands in the cup, held upside down.

Recommended.

The menu was a difficult proposition. Everything on the menu looked appetizing, from the appetizers, through fig-accompanied cheese, pastas, and down to the most simple of salads with local greens.

Located in a former warehouse, the restaurant faces a parking lot across the street, with large double-high windows that allow a lot of light into a whimsical space. A smaller number of tables are positioned upstairs, where I gather the best views may be had. Large flowers have been painted on the walls, and a portal window into the kitchen reminds us there are folks hard at work making delicious aromas pour forth from their kitchen.

I only wish they’d blind some of those windows.

Service was generally good, save for a service mistake (spilled sauce), but I honestly felt a little rushed at times. With such good food, it’s okay to relax. A bevy of waiting customers wasn’t waiting for our table.

Small focaccia rolls are served, which had a perfect texture, even though they may have lacked exotic flavors. I tried their simple farmer’s lettuce salad which was unadorned save for a most delicious roasted shallot dressing. Their charcuterie plate and the more daring summer veggie salad were also noted to be fine dishes off the first course list.

Entrées ordered included the papardelle with ragu and parmesan, the fisherman’s stew with seafood, and a squash and ricotta ravioli. The pastas both came in tomato-based sauces, the ragù heavy on beef and not tomato. This was exceptional, I think, because the meat was not ground. I’ve actually never eaten an Italian gravy that wasn’t made from some combination of ground Italian meats. Here, instead, the meat was toothsome, adding great texture to an already flavorful and aromatic pasta dish. I only wish the noodles were stronger to hold up to the sauce. Their fresh nature made them ever so slightly difficult to eat alongside the larger pieces of meat.

The seafood dishes went down quickly, with diners noting the exceptional sauce or gravy. Garlic toast was served to sop-up what remained. Spoons were employed where bread left off. Good stuff.

Dessert was not in the cards, but a personal promise to visit Piedmont another time is. Recommended for honest locavore fare in an upscale, but none-too-fussy understated dining room featuring Italian flavors.

Coming in, on a late afternoon for a cool pick-me-up coffee drink, the waitstaff invited us to try their homemade (on premises) Italian-style gelato. With over 20 flavors, ranging from piña colada, melon, two types of orange, and a new flavor of jalapeño chocolate, we were enticed to take them up on the invitation.

They’ll give you free tastes, and I finally decided on a hauntingly good Sicilian-style pistachio. Its flavor reminded me of the incredible Zingerman’s-procured Sicilian pistachio spread from 2 years ago. Deep, sweet, and somehow, ultimately satisfying. The gelato texture was creamy and smooth. Exceptional, really.

While we visited twice for the coffee drinks, it was three times for the gelato. There are plenty of places to find ice cream, but should you find yourself in South Boston with an itch to slow down and take life a little easier, do check out the samples from the owners of Cafe Peroni. Their gelato and hospitality were both highlights of my travels.

When we walked in, we knew it must have been good: it was packed! They kindly accommodated us at the bar for dinner, where we met Stacy, their bartender. She seemingly made easy work out of filling cocktail orders with a swift hand and an authority. If professionalism was her hallmark, our waitresses were friendly and accommodating in equal measure. Interesting art pieces decorated the walls. Despite the crowd, it’s a place where you can still hold a conversation.

The menu should speak for itself, everything ordered during the evening was well-portioned and tasty. Texture, flavor, and seasoning were all in check. While exotic items may have escaped the menu, along with a cooking style that demands super-precise technique, they do pretty well here with their results. Our new friends in town recommended the salmon. A previous visit proved that the lamb was superb. Seems like there isn’t a good reason not to go!

Several desserts, including a chocolate decadence-style dessert, came recommended, although the bread pudding would have hit my sweet tooth. We opted for a healthier evening by skipping the sweets. Next time, I’m not so sure that will be apropos.

This place took over the spot once occupied by “The Track,” a place I never visited. There’s an edge inside Bonvenu, with some cool original art on the walls and a little sass from the waitstaff (I use sass here in a positive, fun way). The back of the dining room features a well-stocked bar. Interesting light fixtures set the real mood, with two large chrome chandeliers hanging in the center of the space.

I started with their mushroom appetizer with cheesy grits. The flavor combination was great, although I would have liked to have had more exotic mushrooms (mostly portobello was featured, with 3 shiitakes). No matter the fungus, the flavors were on, but I ultimately found the grits, on top of some great bread, filling me up fast.

My companion enjoyed their escargot special, each snail served on a little bed of puff pastry. “Great!” he exclaimed after they soon disappeared.

For entrées we ordered their scallops with onion rice and celeriac purée, and the red snapper. Both entrées were large. I am not sure I needed a big helping of rice after those grits, but the rice was moist and flavorful. I only got a few dabs of the special celery root purée, which from the tastes I had, was outstanding. If I were the chef, I might skip the rice, and go for a veggie with the purée (as the starch). Bok choy did make it on the plate, but it was underwhelming.

I enjoyed this entrée but the spice might be too heavy for some, as chili oil is used on this one. The snapper got a good review, although its side too suffered from ever a pinch too much spice.

The restaurant takes its name from Esperanto, which despite its meaning, always sounds a little spicy. The kick is in the food, and if I sensed there was too much, it was okay… a little kick of heat may distinguish the meals here from that you’d find elsewhere.

The atmosphere was a little noisy, but just about everyone seated in Bonvenu appeared like they were having an excellent time.

My favorite sandwich is their “true Italian hero,” a simple sandwich on great bread featuring prosciutto di parma, mozzarella cheese, and pickled red sweet peppers. I usually salt the cheese, and I’d kill for a little EVOO, but otherwise, the sandwich is sublime. It goes especially well with some of their San Pellegrino aranciata (Orange) water. Yummo!

What the restaurant lacks in decor it makes up for in variety. Among the treats are Chinese soupy buns (the best I’ve had in Richmond outside my own home), beef chow fun (wide noodles), and eggplant with basil. Young, professional Chinese folks in the community seemed to fill the dining room on my last visit, a telltale sign that the restaurant is doing something good.

The only curious aspect of this new place is the choice of a sushi bar. While some Americans may confuse one Asian person for another, or even the cuisines, I’m not sure how successful sushi is in a Chinese (here, with an emphasis on Cantonese cuisine) restaurant. We’ll see. So far, the Chinese part has been promising.

Is this turning into a habit? or a tradition?

They had the cutest fingerling potatoes at Whole Foods. So, I put them into a sauté pan with salted water for about 10 minutes.

Then, after being covered, I dump the water, and add some butter. More salt, pepper, and then after 5 minutes in the butter, I add 5 cloves of roughly-chopped garlic. To finish, I squeeze on a little lemon and herbs. Herbs tonight were dried thyme and fresh lemon thyme.

The chicken this time got a little massage in EVOO, then salted and peppered. I continued my tradition of 1 half lemon in the cavity, quartered. Tied up, I cooked it for the first 20 minutes at 450 degrees upside down. Then, I flipped it and cooked it for 30 minutes more right-side up. Checked for temperature, it was “just” under in in the thigh area (by 4 degrees) and a little over in another… time to let it come out and rest.

Perfect doneness… it was still moist and cooked through.

The sauce gets started with melted butter.

Then add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice, and finally, your favorite herbs.

So, the sauce then goes over the carved pieces.

And for fans of the vegetable shot: Ina Garten’s brussels sprouts recipe with golden raisins. Simple, but genius.

They got cooked in a little bacon fat before being cooked-off for 15 minutes, covered, in the oven.

To finalize this grand meal, I whipped up a little bread pudding using left-over Panettone from the holidays, with a healthy dose of vanilla to the eggy/cream custard mixture. To guild the lilly, so to speak, I added some dark and white chocolate to the pudding. Outstanding comfort food.

There are several things at play: flavors in the meat, salt, texture, and juiciness. I started once again with what I consider the Thomas Keller master recipe. To summarize, he roasts a chicken that would feed 2-3 people simply. Moderately high heat (450 degrees), little prep other than salt and pepper, but the kicker is at the end: he sauces his chicken.

So, I have to improvise because that’s what I do.

I like his technique for making the skin crisp and brown: high heat. But how do we ensure moisture inside? And flavor? I take one half lemon, cut it into four pieces, and then stuff the cavity of the bird with it. I tie up the chicken, salt and pepper it liberally, and that’s it.

I used a 450-degree oven. One hour. I probably could have gone for 10 minutes less time last night; I’ve got to work out the timing just right with the weight. I tried my best to keep the oven at 450 degrees, using a digital thermometer.

I put the chicken on top of two large, thick slices of onion, in a roasting pan. The onion carmelized and later added flavor to the fat and lemon drippings in the pan when the bird was removed to rest.

For the sauce, I took good-quality butter and melted it; I added to that the drippings, more fresh lemon juice, and a good amount of Dijon-style mustard. I also added a large amount of fresh lemon thyme.

This sauce gets draped over the cut chicken pieces once the chicken is carved. You can use a spoon, or as you eat, dip your piece of chicken into this magic sauce as the evening wears on. It’s most delicious, something exquisitely flavorful, yet all the while pretty simple.

What was left of the carcass last night has been transformed into a stock today, with the addition of shaved carrot slices (using a peeler), pepper, and a handful of chopped onion. I’m turning it into a bacon-potato soup. The bird was around $9.50; it was organic, and for me, worth its weight in gold.

I had an egg first course listed on their Burgundy menu, which was outstanding. Great bread to sop-up the juices, sauce, and egg yolks. Mushrooms, pearl onions, and just yummy earthiness. Delicious.

The entrée was less successful: pork belly. First, the portion of protein was way too much… it was enough protein for a threesome. The plate featured a small salad on the side, which yes, it typical of bistro cuisine. But the salad was more like a garnish: it was improperly dressed with a good vinaigrette.

Their baguette and butter at CdP is excellent.

I enjoyed the meal, but the protein sizes were extreme. The monkfish entrée was likewise large. The desserts weren’t over the top, which you wouldn’t expect at a bistro anyhow… profiteroles, spice cake, sorbets, and a giant chocolate macaron. This is the type of thing you’d never likely see in Paris, but it certainly makes reference to it.

Good food, decent prices for dinner. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn’t sending back as much on my plate and left feeling overstuffed. Visit their website.

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup starts with the crisping of bacon, which is then reserved to garnish at the end. Onions and garlic with spices sweat it out in bacon fat before adding vegetable broth. To that, roasted butternut squash. The squash roasted at 400 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. The soup was then blended. It reduced somewhat before service, where I topped it with tangy crème fraîche. The flavor profile was bolstered with maple syrup and cider vinegar, added during the onion/garlic stage.

Simple Roast Chicken

I could only find fresh but small birds at the market. These are ideal for 2 people, but for four, we bolstered the chicken with two extra-large leg and thigh pieces.

I based my method on that of chef Thomas Keller, using a high heat, simple roast at 450 degrees for an hour. It probably could have gone for 1:15, all be told. I put the legs in later at around 40 minutes total time. I seasoned the bird with salt, pepper, and I couldn’t help use a little butter (Keller suggests skipping butter and aromatics). I also stuffed the cavity (not fully) with small wedges of lemon.

The chicken was pronounced “the best chicken I have ever had!” by diners. It was moist and flavorful. The trick is preparing a sauce for eating after the roasting process.

I melted a stick of butter, and added whole garlic and fresh poultry herbs (sage, rosemary, and thyme). To this, add Dijon-style mustard, and serve over the chicken pieces. Absolutely simple and most fabulous. We’ll be doing this again soon.

Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Bacon

I’ve made this one before, but each time I add a twist. This time I charred the sprouts in butter under the broiler before adding the mushroom and bacon mixture. Use the most flavorful bacon you can find. I added a boxed mushroom broth to the casserole before roasting with the chicken. After the dish comes out, garnish with fried shallots or onions.

Chocolate Soufflée with Sauce Satsuma Anglaise

Our friends really like my chocolate souflées, made with Valrhona chocolate (I mix both dark and milk chocolate types). To sauce these babies, I made an authentic satsuma-flavored custard sauce using the juice and zest from a Japanese-style eating orange.

Happy new year to everyone, and happy eating!

I’ll start with the star: some prime ribs of beef from Bellmont Butchery here in Richmond. Salted and peppered, and following David Rosengarten’s advice, that’s the way to go: simple.

Now, several years ago I made a recipe from Gourmet that featured brussels sprouts with crunchy shallots and a variety of mushrooms. I updated this dish this year with bacon, and instead of making my own crispy shallots, I used the northern European variety of crispy fried onions that is now available in local stores. They added both the requisite flavor and crunch (add them after the lot comes out of the oven).

Thanksgiving, in my estimation, shouldn’t be too worrisome a day in the kitchen. We’ve had our share of gratins but this year I went super simple, and did a Yukon Gold, roasted garlic mashed potato, but I likely put in a few extra pats of butter to make it all the more regal and Robuchonesque.

Of course, I think ricing is the best method.

The prime ribs came out great; I got the lot up to about 125 degrees then let it rest before splitting the lot into two healthy portions. By having a small one rib version, we both got the outer side, crusted with kosher salt and a melange of peppercorns in green, white, red, and black.

For dessert, we skipped pies and went for an old favorite: rice pudding with pears and caramel. I made it up a few hours after the main meal, as to not stuff ourselves to oblivion.

The dessert was good, but was not up to its former glory. I made a strategic mistake in the creation of the caramel: I added some of the dessert wine I had been poaching golden raisins in to the sauce, which thinned it out too far.

Yet, ultimately, there were no real complaints. I’m thankful for that.

Since Patrick O’Connell has been called the pope of new American cuisine, then I believe John Shields is food’s Saint Peter…

This weekend I had the ultimate pleasure of dining at Town House in Chilhowie, Virginia. This restaurant is owned by the Bishop Family, but all the culinary expertise is from the husband and wife team of John and Karen Urie Shields. Having worked previously for some of the better restaurants in Chicagoland, they now do multi-course menus in this extremely small town off I-81 in southwest Virginia.

I have to preface what I am about to say with a few things, so please indulge me my ability to say them. I know this review will be long to give the meal justice, so please excuse the overall length as well.

I’ve had the great fortune over my lifetime thus far to eat in some incredible restaurants. A good review shouldn’t require a pedigree of the reviewer, but I feel it’s necessary here. I’ve eaten the works of Keller, Boulud, & Robuchon. Cantu & Richard. I stood at the front door of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. One of the best meals I’ve had was at Chef Andrew Weissman’s Le rêve.

If you don’t read what I’ve written below, that’s fine. But you’ll thank me if you follow my advice. Go to Chilhowie and book a table at Town House. It was by far the best meal I’ve ever had in my entire life. It was brilliant. Unbelievable. A true sensation.

This is a brand of molecular gastronomy which makes the meal less about science and wonder and more about the pursuit of the best possible combinations of flavors and textures. They offer à la carte dining in addition to two tasting menus. This is what we had. The numbers in parenthesis refer to the picture numbers below.

Amuses

• Olive Cookie (1)
• Pork Belly Taco (2)
• Crab Chips (3)

Courses

• Chilled Vegetable Minestrone
• Brûlée of Smoked Salmon Roe (4)
• The Orange from Valencia (5)
• Cardamom Scented Squab & Duck (6)
• Scrambled Egg Mousse (7)
• Chorizo Bouillon (9)
• Cured Hamachi & Bev Eggleston’s Pig Tail (10)
• Thorntree Farms Lamb Cooked in Ash (11)

Intermezzo

• Pepper Potato Bread with EVOO (8)

Desserts

• Covered in Snow… Foggy Ridge’s Pippin Apple (12)
• Purple Mountains (Majesty) (13)

Finale

• Chocolate EVOO Truffles

First, Chilhowie is not much of a town: it’s small and it baffles the mind as to why this place is where it is. But don’t let that stop you from paying a visit. The restaurant now runs its own small B&B, and you can find posh accommodations in nearby Abingdon or Marion, both along I-81.

The dining room is small, but features good lighting that other restaurants often eschew in place of making you guess what’s been set down on the table. All the waitstaff were friendly, but their wine guy seemed to be the most knowledgeable and often the one explaining each of our many courses. The atmosphere is somewhat casual and chic, but simple too.

I added a wine pairing option to my menu, and each of the wines were very well paired to each course. My memory doesn’t serve me well enough to go into detail, but the wines came from all over the world: Spain, Virginia, France, etc. They also offer a premium selection of wines at a $15 markup.

While service was great, I’ve actually had more “professional” service elsewhere. But where at some places fine service raises the stuffiness level, here, things were relaxed and the opposite of stuffy. This is not a place where a suit is required for gents, so I found the whole experience here relaxed and enjoyable. They asked us where we were from, and chef John Shields said hello to us before we left, noting our city of origin. Chilhowie is a small place that likely never gets too fussy. In the same positive way, Town House is very similar.

So what made this the best meal I’ve ever eaten?

We started with amuses that did just that: they amused us both with taste and intellect. Those little mini tacos were so cute, and incredibly tasty. I could have eaten a dozen.

The first course was from the book of Charlie Trotter: a cold “minestrone.” Little “pastas” of pure vegetables stood at attention on the plate, while the waiter poured this magic clear vegetable broth into our bowls. What a refreshing dish. It was simple, but elegant and the intense flavor from each vegetable was carrying its essence. The broth had a sweetness to it and was truly an experience. It was exquisite, deserving the label “magic.”

My favorite course of the evening came next, served in a round bowl that came with a clear disc on top, studded with seeds. The unlikely combination of flavors was a brilliant expression that was at once other-worldly and rare. Chefs Shields combine coconut, mustard, avocado, banana, celery and cilantro with salty salmon eggs beneath a sweet “crust” or “brûlée.” Again, if you tripled it I could have eaten it over and over again, it was spectacular.

The next course was a puzzle. Entitled “The Orange from Valencia,” it was an interesting expression of bitter and sweet. Inside were two plump, flavorful mussels. I can’t begin to name everything else inside, but the shell of the orange had been treated with liquid nitrogen and the leaves were edible hyssop.

My gracious companion’s favorite dish was our next course, served beneath a foamy topping. It combined duck and squab with pear, passion fruit seeds, a funky rendition of broccoli, and stilton-poached wine. This was most delicious. At this point I wondered where things would turn foul. Nothing yet failed to impress or delight us.

The next course was an egg course; birch syrup combined with spices and salty chives to make an incredible combination of flavors. “Yummo!” might shout TV personality Rachael Ray. It was superb. The wine pairing was great too, an aged Madeira.

We next got a repose with the service of two outstanding, warm peppery potato-bread rolls. They serve some delicious EVOO in a little mini-pitcher.

The next dish took us to Spain, and was all about “Chorizo” without the said sausage. Mini pillows of manchego cheese filled our soup bowls along with a large globule of cuddlefish ink. This was a thin “bouillon,” but was absolutely filled with rich flavors. We indeed visited Spain.

Probably my third favorite course was our next: Cured Hamachi and Bev Eggleston’s Pig Tail although our waiter more appropriately called it a still life of the ocean floor. In addition to a pickled oyster, it came with a broth pouring, various seaweeds, and a crunchy/chewy piece of pork. This was imaginative and thoroughly delicious and exciting. Wow. The melding of diversity was spot-on delicious, and this one came with a dual pairing of wine: both sake and a Riesling were served and both played roles at accentuating the myriad flavors.

The next course was my least favorite, but that’s not to say it was bad. If this was the worst, then that’s saying a lot about the high level of everything else. This is chef Shields’ famous lamb course, which for us included the lamb’s heart. I confess I didn’t eat the entirety of the heart, as I’m not the world’s biggest enthusiast of offal. Nevertheless, the textures and flavors here were rich and deep, combining burnt leek, cherries, the leather of fruit, and the wine — a Bandol — was a superb and equal match to all of those flavors. This dish exemplified why the Shields not only know how to perform some funky treatments to food, but are masters at combining different flavors to exquisite new heights.

The dessert courses were no less impressive here. The winner, however, and #2 in my lineup of the best of the evening was the “Covered in Snow” dessert that combined salty strong herbs with peanut, chocolate mousse, and an incredible apple cider augmented with brandy. That beverage comes from “Foggy Ridge,” and our waiter told us the source was only about “an hour away.” The next day we paid them a visit and picked up some of their amazing product which is made from over 30 heirloom apple varieties.

The final dessert was neat: concord grape, black sesame, greek yogurt, and anise seed all came together to make “purple mountains.” A nice accent in this dish was the meyer lemon rind.

Over coffee, I saw a placement of two small chocolate truffles come to the table, and at that point, I was full and didn’t want another bite. “Ah… typical, little chocolate truffles…”

It was only after the waiter told us they were EVOO chocolate truffles that I became intrigued. As you pop one in your mouth, they almost immediately melt, and the marriage of deep cocoa notes, sweetness, and sublime flavor of good extra virgin oil impregnates your mouth with a lasting bemusement. What an incredible way to finish a stellar meal.

I realize molecular gastronomy isn’t everyone’s thing. But I think Chefs Shields do it an extreme justice and make the most satisfying food. Of course, I recommend it. The meal was a 10 on the awesome scale. Visit their website online and enjoy. If you’re more interested in the chef’s approach to their dishes, they do their work justice with a picture blog.

Unfortunately, getting what we wanted took a significant amount of time.

Hamburgers, pizzas, sandwiches, etc., were all fare to be enjoyed eventually when they came. Most diners loved what they received: flavorful, honest food that stood above what the chains serve. The sweet potato fries lacked the superlatives compared to their standard crispy, crunchy fries. My own sandwich was simple, but satisfying nonetheless.

In all, we had a few complaints despite the good food: seating in the front of the restaurant at noon was both exceedingly warm and bright with full-on sunshine. An investment in some blinds or shades would have made dining all the more comfortable. Also, despite the emptying-out of the dining room after 1 PM, the service was a little slow.

Aside from that, we saw why Kitchen 64 remains popular: they serve pretty good food!

Ever feel like dim sum cuisine for dinner? These folks have it.

Just about everything we ordered here was tasty and delicious. Plan on ordering a lot of little dishes, as the bite-sized pieces of most things won’t fill you up alone. While we had some confusions with the service here, I blame the foreigners (us) moreso than the servers.

Just don’t expect any fanciful drinks from the bar — unless you can clearly articulate how to make your favorite drinks. I’m only sad I missed the live music by visiting on a Sunday evening.

Menu Decouverte

• L’Amuse Bouche
• Le Caviar
• Le Crabe (softshell en tempura)
• Le Foie Gras aux haricots cocoverjutés
• L’Œuf cocotte et sa crème l’égère de girolles
• La Sole en tronçon
• L’ joue du Bœuf à la bourguignonne
• El Andalous (fraises de saison)
• La perle du Chou (chocolade)

I had many good things to eat when traveling recently to Paris, including a “tasting menu” at one of chef Joël Robuchon’s restaurants, his famous Atelier. Everyone with a reservation is served just minutes after 6:30 PM, and upon entering, are issued to your counter seats. With a party of four, we got a corner, two of us on both sides, which seemed an ideal vantage point for enjoying the meal and viewing not only the workspace but also some of the “audience” Additional seating is available along the wall, but I would not have valued sitting against the wall to eat my meal. I can’t imagine who would.

The menu gave us a choice of entrées. You can see I chose the beef, but others had the choice between foie gras-stuffed quail and lamb (with la fleur de thym). This entrée was perhaps the most successful dish, executed perfectly between dreamy mashed potatoes, the most cute and small mushrooms, and a rich beef cheek amply surrounded by a rich and thick, glistening red ruby, wine sauce. It got straight to the point: let’s enjoy this. Gone were the rustic connotations often associated with this beef stew.

The foie gras course was not my favorite: it was served over a collection of beans and while delicious, it lacked the sophistication that a little sweetness, when paired with foie gras, often has in such a dish. The crab was superb (better than Michel Richard’s version at Citronelle), and my favorite was the caviar dish. A mushroomy drink as the amuse was also outstanding.

Most odd on the dish was the egg course, served in a martini glass, everything foamy, liquidy, and infused with mushroom. There was good parts about it (flavor), but the texture was not my thing.

The fish was bland.

The “Andalous,” a light strawberry dessert, was outstanding. Like the entrée, it was a real winner in simple sophistication. Superb flavor with hints of tomato, basil, and lime tequila.

Not the most delicious, but the most memorable, was the final course: a modern take on the profiterole, covered in a dome of chocolate. Upon being served this dish, hot chocolate sauce was poured over the dome, making it disappear before our eyes. It was magic, and it was quite entertaining. Coffee served with dessert was incredible. Smooth, dark, and ever sweet.

My 2-star meal at Joël Robuchon’s was delicious. I can’t say it was the best meal I’d eaten. Most disappointing was the level of service: while efficient and capable (the waiters match your preferred language), in the end it lacked the warmth I’ve experienced at other places. Nevertheless, I’d recommend this place for its different take on dining by transforming the kitchen into a little scene of theatre. Incidentally, you’ll find Robuchon’s Ateliers in different cities as well.

Yes, they do taste best fresh from the oven.

The idea here is to make a cooked-flour dough, then introduce eggs and cheese. Then, we pipe this mixture into small rounds that get baked. Once you have your ingredients assembled, it goes quickly.

I started with grating cheese. The classic recipe might call for Gruyère cheese. In my case, I used a combination of sheep’s milk romano cheese (hard, salty Italian cheese) and Jarlsberg cheese. My dad bought me this cheese, and I don’t like it. So, not to waste it, I used it up by grating it.

The Jarlsberg had more moisture than my other cheese, and isn’t too terribly different from a Gruyère or Emmenthaler. I think the others are better, but they are all mild cheeses with their own subtle flavor profiles. All melt pretty well.

So I started with heating milk, butter, nutmeg, white pepper, and salt until it just began to simmer. To this hot mixture, you stir in flour. It collects itself into a dough in your stockpot, and you keep stirring, cooking the flour through.

Then you add the eggs and flavors… for my recipe, they suggested using a food processor, which made easy work of combining my two cheeses and the eggs into a moist, glossy dough. I used a silpat-lined cookie sheet to hold the piped gougeres. With a different flavor profile, your dough could have become eclair dough, or dough used for cream puffs. If you’ve eaten these things, you probably can anticipate what the dough is like… airy, puffy, and empty! The steam makes a nice big pocket of air inside. When warm, the result is a nice light bite that’s full of flavor.

Flavor in my case was the special treat. You could taste the cheese component, and it was forward in my puffs. But the selling point was the hot lingering flavor left when the puff had been swallowed, coming from the white pepper. This spicy finish was really nice. It’s no wonder that many folks recommend chasing cheese puffs with a sparkling wine.

Notes

I’ve been really interested in French food since planning our trip to Paris later this year.

I’ve been inspired by reading the excellent food blog centered around cooking out of the French Laundry Cookbook, Carol Cooks Keller—especially with posts like this one on floating islands. Wow—absolutely inspirational. Cheese puffs really don’t compare to that dessert, now do they? But my muse is simply less fussy.

I got my cheese puff recipe from Ina Garten who is not about fussy cooking. Her mantra seems to be centered around cooking good food easily. It might mean a new technique to save time, or a few steps taken away that make a process simpler.

At the same time, my meal tonight went beyond cheese puffs and included a disaster (waffle potato slices) and a delicious Steak Diane, following Julia Child’s example. Anyone can open a cookbook and make a recipe, which might turn out great. But when you feel a personal connection to the book, it’s creator, and the spirit behind the dish, the equation changes. You take some of their passion and develop your own emotional energy behind the dish. I don’t know why I don’t feel more like this when I’ve tried to make something by Rachel Ray or Tyler Florence.

(Incidentally, the potato mistake was Tyler’s fault. Okay, mine, but I followed his directions, I thought…)

I also made Julia & Jacques’ mushrooms with a creamy base. Steak “Diane” is a quick-sauté of a pounded steak, with a simple Dijon-mustardy sauce. It was simple yet also complex enough to evoke smiles. A French Pinot noir went well with the whole meal, cutting through the richness of the cream, accentuating the mustardy backdrop, and making everything go down well (secret: I chilled the wine for an hour beforehand in a 50-degree environment).

Someone asked me once why I review restaurants, and someone answered the question for me: he likes to eat out and share his experience. Another time, someone asked me why I write up things about what I’ve made at home, in my kitchen. I’m not alone, of course, but I am sure everyone’s reason is different.

I think cooking is one of just several very creative things I can do in my life to express myself.

Growing up, I was a passionate musician, gravitating to the piano everyday after school to practice. Not what I was supposed to be studying, but playing my own compositions.

Today, that special talent has left me. I don’t take the time to go beyond playing to find the creative zone in my piano playing. I know it’s there, but I often don’t have the patience to visit that place where my own thoughts and ideas take over.

In cooking, they can. Creating my own recipes and flavors is exciting and fun. But teaching yourself new techniques through a book or a DVD or a TV show can also be fun, albeit less creative. Making those cheese puffs was a real gas. I might have seen pâte-a-choux dough made many times on TV, but when I read the book, understood the story, and made them for myself with good results, it was really uplifting.

But once you’ve taught yourself how to make a classic gougere, or a Julia Child steak Diane, then you can go off into your own direction. Sometimes I do this without the experience, but I can say, there’s something very satisfying about cooking with Julia as your muse.

A few weeks ago someone very special in my life took me to a cooking lesson. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, and it was my birthday present. We learned how to make things with heirloom tomatoes, and I really enjoyed the class. I love heirloom tomatoes. I like the idea of cooking together. I hope we can do more of it, going forward.

But the experience also taught me (maybe it reminded me) that I really enjoy teaching others how to cook. I started off several years ago on this site cooking with a video camera. My friend offered her kitchen where we filmed many of those “shows.” I think looking forward I should look for opportunities to take this passion to others who need more than the inspiration of a dead cookbook author and TV personality, or a TV Food Network star to show them how to eat well. I go forward in life following one creative passion after another, and I think it would be a great idea.

I chose to dine here during my recent trip in part because its main chef, Jennifer Carroll, is a contestant on this season’s show, Top Chef. It was confirmed to us that she was “cooking in the kitchen” while we were there.

We both chose three course menus.

For me:

• Pork and Beans (pork belly),
• White bass in a cream sauce
• Fig Dessert

For my adventurous companion:

• Octopus with Eggplant,
• Bouillabaisse,
• Beignets with Sauce

My appetizer was delicious: the pork simply melted under the pressure of my knife and the broth was delicious. The white fish was cooked to perfection, in a creamy light sauce that was fresh. I only wished it had more vegetables than the very special chantarelle mushrooms.

The dessert was the only disappointment. The figs lacked presence and flavor on the plate. The chocolate disk below was far more important (in size and flavor).

The octopus was cooked well, parts of it charred from its time on the grill. Both this and the crispy eggplant had a nice lemon flavor.

The bouillabaisse came with all sorts of seafood, including clams, mussels, and head-on shrimp. It’s saffron broth was just right.

The star of the evening was the waitress-described “sensation”: fried cinnamon sugar beignets with a salted caramel/chocolate sauce. These little guys melted in your mouth, and the sweet/chocolate/salt flavored sauce was scrumptious.

I am not sure how I felt about dining so close to the lobby, but it was a magical place with pink lights, a very high ceiling, and pulsing electronica. It didn’t feel like a Ritz, but someplace magical yet modern.

We wish the best to Chef Carroll in her campaign on Top Chef.

First, the place reminded me exactly of Can Can here in Richmond. I guess both places took the same inspiration. The only difference was the absence of the paper as “table cloths” here, but the food was similarly delicious.

For lunch we almost all ordered their Croque Madame sandwich, which was good, but not outstanding. I am not sure this sandwich can be outstanding, but all the richness was there. It’s served with a very light greens-only salad. Nothing fussy.

The appetizers were stronger flavor contenders, and their bread was excellent.

The tomato tarte is something I could make at home: puff pastry dough, dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. Simple, but quite delicious. I recommend something bubbly to play off the richness of the butter.

Oddly enough, in late summer they were still serving a “spring mushroom” soup, but this one was thick and very mushroomy. Some complained about the saltiness, but I found it to be just right.

I foolishly skipped dessert in anticipation of my dinner reservation. The “brunch” fare here on a Saturday afternoon (a very beautiful one) was limited, but you’d be sure to find many delicious options. I liked the vibe, the open-air in the restaurant, and it appeared very popular.

The first course was inspired by a recent cooking class I took centered on the use of in-season, heirloom tomatoes. I adopted a recipe that was used, first published in Bon Appetit magazine, with tomatoes and shrimp. I served it with a tomato water cocktail (tomato water and cold vodka).

• Baby spinach, washed and spun dry
• minced shallot
• large shrimp
• garlic (lots)
• fresh herbs (thyme)
• variety of heirloom tomatoes
• salt, pepper
• EVOO
• dijon mustard mayonnaise
• balsamic vinegar

First, chop up your tomatoes and let them drain, salted, in a colander. This “firms” them up. Later, I mix the tomatoes with the vinegar, shallot, and freshly cracked pepper.

The shrimp get marinated in garlic, EVOO, herbs, and some of (now) salty tomato water.

Arrange a bed of spinach, top with tomato mixture, cooked shrimp (flash sauté with the marinade), a “line” of Dijonnaise, and top with EVOO. It was fresh, delicious, and satisfying.

The beef dish was made according to the recipe, and I was dissatisfied to find some beef cuts were dry, others very moist. I used a 275 degree oven (recipes call for 300-325), but things still dried out. I think maybe 250 for another hour (perhaps the last hour, stirring, and leaving the top partially off to reduce the sauce) would be the way to go. More experimenting is called for.

I served everything over some very (good and) creamy mashed potatoes, infused with roasted garlic.

The mushrooms and pearl onions (use frozen) were made separately, and they tasted divine(ly).

Our dessert was the best part, to some diners, but I neglected to photograph it. It is a pity.

Using Patrick O’Connell’s recipe for white chocolate mousse, I made two mousses: white and dark chocolate. This is not an easy recipe; his mousse is meringue-based. You beat eggwhites (I used pasteurized whites), and then drizzle-in a sugar syrup. I think I needed more syrup (it didn’t seem to incorporate as well). I used this base mixture, along with whipped cream, to augment my two batches (5 oz. each) of melted chocolate. Since the syrup and sweetened chocolate already has a lot of sugar, it helps to use a tangy sauce.

I made a sauce out of reduced mangostine and passion fruit juice. After reducing the juice, stir-in some fresh, cold pats of butter before refrigerating it. The sauce became a base on the plate. I used canelle-techniques for the dark mousse and a piping bag for the white.

We ate well.