Me: “Why does something not taste good?”

He said, “No… it’s absolutely perfect…”

And from across the table, “This is the best chicken I’ve ever eaten… whoa.”

So, this is the secret of my chicken success. And this doesn’t mean there’s only one way to do this, but it’s my way. And it is good.

1. Use a good quality bird. I chose a free-range, Kosher bird. Kosher means it has been brined, which si a step I’d rather not have to mess with.
2. Keep it simple. Put aromatics in the cavity (in my case, thyme and lemon), and salt and pepper the bird liberally.
3. Tie it up. A trussing needle is not required.
4. Roast at a high temperature (475 or 500 degrees F) for roughly an hour. You want to get a temperature of about 155 degrees before taking it out to rest.
5. Wait.
6. Carve the bird in serving pieces.
7. Ladle-over the secret sauce.

Each time I do variations on the “sauce,” but there are always a few common ingredients. Shallot, garlic, lemon juice, fresh thyme, and butter. This time I also added a wine-stock reduction. Dijon mustard. Pour this over the carved meat, and serve. Sop-up the sauce with baguette. Don’t bother with potatoes or starchy vegetables. Go French.

My own creativity finds many outlets, from writing in blogs like this one, to making new sounds on the piano, and yes, my creativity has more recently flowered in the kitchen. A dream of mine would to take on Julia’s early profession, and host cooking classes. Think about what folks like Patricia Wells is doing now, between her home in Provence (using Julia Child’s own oven), and in Paris. She of course has far more skill and culinary experience than I have - which is why she can command 4-figure fees for students who come from the US and beyond to cook with her.

But it isn’t too soon to start thinking about what you’d like to do in retirement, is it? Or if you lose your job?

Tonight’s dinner was one such example, a compromise even.

“You like steak. I am not hungry, I only want a salad.”

Steak salad.

The big flavor profiles were from the dressing, crumbled blue cheese, and red onions. A really delicious heirloom tomato was in the mix too, with baby salad greens and herbs.

I seared a filet mignon in a frying pan in bacon grease (to use up two last strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, and use them in the salad), until about 115 degrees in the center. It later rested, before being carved into thin strips.

The dressing was made by reducing 2 parts beef stock to 1 part balsamic vinegar with thyme in a saucepan. When it gained some body and thickness, I let it cool, then whisked in a little grainy Dijon-style mustard and EVOO. It emulsified great, and had a great depth of flavor, including a savory sweetness. Dress the greens with this, and reserve some to anoint the pieces of steak on the salad.

Back to my original theme here… it’s simply a lot of fun to share your creativity with others. I find that in everything I do.

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.

Sonoma a beautiful space, lit in the evening with a multitude of candles reflecting off of their display of wine bottles. It almost appears to be half a wine store and restaurant. Modern decor is to be found, but it’s all very classy yet relaxing.

The menu was studded with more modifiers than our English teachers would have suggested. Each ingredient, it seemed, had something special about it. It all entices the diner, of course, but after reading through 4 or 5 dishes, it’s like a puzzle for your tongue. A variety of savory teases were available, from sausages, duck, foie gras, and an abundance of rare tuna. I opted for a spinach salad with caramelized nuts and pears—something rather typical, I guess nowadays, but it was absolutely delicious. I often don’t clear a plate completely clean, but this one was sent back looking bare.

For an entrée I chose their filet of steak stuffed with a soft French cheese, mushrooms, and accompanied with roasted new potatoes. This dish was perfumed by a sprig of fresh rosemary, and was rather tasty.

The restaurant of course offers a generous wine list, with options ranging from single glasses, wine flights (3 glasses), and half- and full-bottles.

Service is as brisk or relaxed as you like, and with windows facing the street, in warmer weather, there will always be a panoramic view. Now, if only this place was set in the mountains over a cascading stream, it might be perfect. When you leave, the reality is that you’re still in Virginia Beach, VA.

Warmly recommended. Inventive combinations of ingredients and a wide variety of wines.

It starts out with browning the short ribs.

Season them first with salt and pepper, then with oil, brown them on all sides in a heavy pan. I recommend using a cast-iron vessel or dutch oven.

After browning the meat, you can add your vegetables (carrots, pearl onions, bell pepper) and sweat them out. For flavor, I added one-half can of tomato paste. Then you add your liquid, which in this case was Xeres vinegar and brown stock.

I braised the ribs this time in the oven. I usually do it stove-top.

Meanwhile, I prepared potatoes to roast, not to mention broccolini.

Then when it was time to eat, I was like “why so much food?” I over-cooked. This was enough for a small party.

The broccolini was excellent. While I liked the sour type of flavor with the beef, I ultimately prefer a wine-based sauce. I thickened the sauce through reduction before serving.

Oven roasted asparagus with garlic was one item up for the plate; another was some butter-basted garlic potatoes. More attention was devoted to the mushroom sauce.

• crimini mushrooms
• butter
• salt, pepper
• 1/4 sweet onion
• garlic
• dried thyme
• 1 strip bacon
• red wine (in this case, Shiraz)
• honey mustard

Start cooking the bacon, cut into smaller pieces. Next, you brown the mushrooms, after already wilting the onion in the pan with the bacon. Add the garlic. Add some wine; reduce; add the herb and mustard, and keep warm while you cook the steaks.

I used prime filet; it was heavily dowsed in salt and pepper, and cooked with a crusty finish in a lightly oiled sauté pan. I added the mushrooms on top of one, and a seriously thick slice of Maytag blue cheese plus mushrooms on another. It warmed in the oven for 5 minutes while I plated the garlicky vegetables. A little truffle oil might have found its way on the plate, too.

If you’re a Richmonder, please try Belmont Butchery. They sell some good stuff.

You can purchase a high-$20s steak up to the most expensive $135; there’s seafood, some old fashioned favorites (escargot), and a casual yet very professional demeanor to the service and setting. Folks go to Bohanan’s no doubt to relax, enjoy a good meal, and be spoiled by tasty simplicity, knowing everything will be “just so.” Just so, it turns out, is darn good.

I had their “special” carprese salad with heirloom tomatoes, basil, and the typical olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s an easy treat to make at home, for sure, and at $15, it seemed overpriced. But you’re also paying for the substantial table, the (again, I know) professional service. And that was one exceptional tomato. It only needed salt, and they thankfully brought me “sea salt” upon request. It wasn’t just Kosher salt, either; it was fleur de sel. Nice touch.

I opted for their pancetta-wrapped diver’s scallops which arrived after some pause. They were perfectly cooked, and served with a perfect size accompaniment of mashed potatoes and bok choy. Substantial, without going overboard. I wasn’t the only pleased one at the table, either. From the appetizers, to the entrées, and the sorbet and excellent bread in between, Bohanan’s has a formula down and hits on all points.

Dessert, shared between three, was appropriate; chocolate is always a fitting dessert: this one featured tiramisù in a chocolate shell. Rich, satisfying, and a fine ending.

I figure people go to Bohanan’s to have an above-average steak, and to be ‘treated’ to a special time. Their food, I felt, was ultimately overpriced. Yet, rarely do you find service that was as well done: not too stuffy, not too much; just right.

This was my second visit to 11 Maple, a gourmand’s destination in the so-called treasure coast area of southeastern Florida. Located in a small cottage among more touristy destinations, this quaint, eclectically-styled restaurant serves creative interpretations of excellent cuisine.

Two menus were presented to us; one a long list of “small plates” and another of entrées. Our server Joy was a pleasant host. Our only real complaint for the restaurant was its choice of tap water. My parents informed me this was “Florida tap water” which smells smokey and is not palatable. We were not offered any other water choices for the evening.

I had their kobe hanger steak small plate, served with fried onion rings and a mayonnaise-based sauce. The beef was excellent, and the flavors all combined nicely with the wine choice of the evening, a Shiraz/Cabernet blend from Lake Breeze in Australia.

My larger plate of duck breast and confit duck leg was also tasty. The confit leg was less well executed; the breast was good, and the accompanying sauce (with smokey sweetness) was great. Other entrées and dishes included sea bass, elk, tofu soup, and a calamari salad.

Two desserts were ordered: pear cake and their white chocolate bread pudding. Both were very well received by all at the table. We of course left too full, but everything on the plate was enjoyable, and as my dad remarked, “A work of art” (referring to presentation).

I have no reservation in recommending your visit to 11 Maple Street in Jensen Beach. From the decor, to the variety of dishes, to the relaxed atmosphere, there is bound to be a good time for all.

N.B. For those reading and paying attention to the star ratings, I felt I could not give 11 Maple a full 5-star recommendation. The level of service(s) offered, one wrong order, etc., eclipsed the restaurant from a designation of full, top-quality in rating. With small adjustments, this location could attain a 5-star rating based on the criteria we use at MessyCuisine. This visit followed an earlier one in 2005. Our impressions the second time around were more favorable, and we wish the outfit on a continued course for success.

Here is my review from December, 2005, detailing my first visit to 11 Maple Street. I awarded it 4 stars then.

After Christmas this year, my family and I dined at 11 Maple Street in Jensen Beach, Florida. My parents had chosen the location, and deemed it “the best we can offer.” It had supposed been rated #1 in the “Treasure Coast” area of south-central Florida, on the Atlantic coast.

It’s an old house, and during warmer weather, you can eat both inside and out; for us, we sat in the largest of the interior rooms, off to side of the main building which also included restrooms and the kitchen. I’ve eaten at many good places in my life (I’m not boasting, but I am rather fond of reminding myself how good life has treated me), and it seems restaurants can do two things to impress people, their guests: good service, good food. I think good service is easier than good food. And great service says nothing about the quality of food. True exceptions in the business are those that excel equally well at both food and service, but this distinction is important.

I saw more of an emphasis at 11 Maple on the food, more so than the service. This is not to say you’ll be treated poorly here, but simply, they’re not going to go overboard for you. This is not a place where napkins get re-folded when you walk away from your table; you may have to ask for a knife after yours has been taken away, and your waiter may not always be within eye’s view, should you need something.

The decor of the restaurant was special, and I imagine eating in one of their little alcove rooms is special too. Where touches made the atmosphere inviting, others directly in front of us were missing: the plates, the silver, the glasses were unimpressive. The tap water they served was really poor. It tasted like charcoal. So, on one hand, I’d lump service, and ‘table service’ together as “just okay” at 11 Maple. The surroundings, and the food, were much better.

The menu changes regularly, and their selection of appetizers and main entrées was impressive for its variety. I could hardly pick too many from their list that might disappoint. We ended up choosing 2 sea bass entrées, 1 hanger steak entree, and one beef tenderloin entrée. For appetizers we sampled the arugala/balsamic pear salad, the crisp artichokes, and the spinach/calamari salad. All were delicious. Strong flavors were had on mine, but the whole thing was delicious. Pear, blue cheese, and the sweetness from balsamic vinegar was excellent. Scent was imposed by way of porcini mushrooms. Odd mixtures of ingredients, but satisfaction followed.

The fish entrées had strong flavors. I loved mine; it was characteristic of a strong woody, smokey flavor. Another didn’t like the dish as well; he felt the flavors were too strong, and things tasted “burnt.” The favorite, for me, was the smokey, dense flavor of roasted tomato and corn which served as a base for this dish. The hanger steak entrée was stunning, but less-estatic comments were delivered by way of the tenderloin entrée.

The Riesling wine I chose went superbly with the fish. It was a less-than-excellent match with other things I sampled. Despite any good judgement I had by meal’s end, I had to try one of their desserts.

Their coconut sorbet was served in a martini glass; the glass was anchored on the plate using chocolate sauce. This dessert was creamy and rich; the glass was composed of pineapple chunk-sized pieces of frozen coconut sorbet. The texture when biting into each one was incredible, a real treat, and a 5-star dessert. It was my cold-sensitive teeth, however, that got the best of me, but if you can stand biting into cold fare, this was the restaurants tour de force. It is rich, when eaten in full, so like I did, I would recommend sharing it.

In all, the meal at 11 Maple St. may in fact be one of the best the Treasure Coast has to offer. For me, everything was delicious, but improvements in service and perhaps the wares on the table would make it truly world-class. The good news, however, is you don’t need to dress formally to enjoy great, creative cuisine.

Appetizers ordered for our large party included a trio of hummuses, a “take” on Japanese/Chinese dim sum, clams, and shrimp tempura, Chinese style. The eclectic menu matched some of the decorations, crossing borders and conveying interesting interpretations.

The appetizers were good, but not particularly great. I admired the inventiveness and the play on food (little mini sea urchin-type fish balls or the shrimp served in a Chinese-style take-out box). The entrées were less daring in interpretation, but more solid in flavor and execution.

It took some time for all entrées to come out in unison for our party, but the wait was worth it. The orders varied from rockfish, to steaks, to an interesting new item: duck and ricotta balls. Gnutti, they were called, they were a new take on a gnocchi, and while bland, they were combined with cubes of duck breast and fig. It was a different entrée and one that I much enjoyed. Everyone seemed amply satisfied with their meals.

The desserts included a triple-layer cheesecake (dense, tart, rich) and crème brûlée. The custard was just right, in ample amounts, with copious amounts of fresh vanilla bean. The cheese cake was presented in a rounded shape, delicious, but was ultimately too rich for one person to consume alone.

Zoë took above average food, inventive flavor choices, and combined it with excellent service in a warm atmosphere. Great conversation capped the meal making it great.

Recommended; near the strip, valet parking available.

An upgrade from their previous location on Gayton Rd., this one is located in a new shopping center and features an airy dining room. The concept here is simple: serve yourself at a warm and cold bar (salad, rice, beans, fried bananas, Parmesan cheese, etc.), and waiters will make rounds in the restaurant with sword-skewered meats, such as bacon-wrapped chicken, pork sausage, pineapple, and various cuts of beef.

While my first experience some months ago here was superior, they do an excellent job at preparing these said meats. From the mouth-watering beef rib, to the chicken leg, to the pork roast, each cut is well-flavored and seasoned. This is a classy way at presenting high-end buffet eating by bringing (most) of the buffet to you, cut to your own order.

I brought my parents here and they both enjoyed it. The price for dinner is $25 per person, so it is not cheap. But, if you are a meat lover, you can hardly do better. Both the quality and variety of meat proffered is commendable.

We warmly recommend it. We previously reviewed this restaurant and awarded the same rating.

The menu had some interesting items for sure, which included lobster bread pudding, fried oysters with Virginia ham, and the duck wellington. In all honesty, none of us had been here before, and we were anxious to go.

Our server (Emily) was nice enough, and did a decent job with service. But it seemed that other aspects of service, including bar service, the speed at which dishes came out of the kitchen, and how a poor entrée presentation was rectified, left us puzzled. “How were they getting away with charging so much?”

The menu, especially in the entrée section, needs inspiration. While several diners reported their entrées were average, one was made up of steak so dry and flavorless it was shameful, and another came as a slab of well-cooked tuna, when “rare” was requested. To be fair, the tuna was replaced, and met with the diner’s satisfaction.

Appetizers were better liked, including salads and the beforementioned lobster “bread pudding.” While long pauses were the norm between courses, luckily the Old Bar hires a singer on Thursday nights who was both engaging and entertaining.

Desserts were mixed, too. The chocolate crepe our server raved about was lackluster. For a dessert, it lacked sweetness, flavor of chocolate, and variety of texture. The ricotta-chocolate cheesecake, on the other hand, was a real winner.

The coffee served to each diner was flavored with hazelnut. Many diners felt this flavored coffee should have been advertised before pouring… as some diners dislike flavored coffees, including your very own Messy Chef.

I was fair, I thought, in asking others of their opinion. “2.5 stars,” one remarked, while another said “around 3, but certainly no more.” No one dish was inspirational, and another diner felt the staff lacked personality and person-ability. My dual petite filet steak dinner was typical of many: uninspired presentation, lackluster quality: entrées that needed help and lesser price tags.

The decor and location both demand better praise. While not all was lost, we can’t honestly recommend ourselves to return. As one in our party told the manager: “I won’t be back… you guys had the chance to impress me and earn my business, but you never did,” perhaps your experience would be different. Luckily for us, a friendly waitress and good company saved the evening. But better food and drink can be found for the price elsewhere, for sure.

This churrascaria is a restaurant focused on a Brazillian tradition of spit-prepared meats. The decor is nice, in an upscale direction, and dinner is a one-price per person. $24.95 per person, in fact, so it’s not necessarily cheap eats. But the eats were oh so good.

The meal is centered around meat. “13 types of meat,” although we didn’t precisely count 13. Several meats came in different cuts and preparations, and one meat was actually pineapple. But if you like meat, and really good, flavored meat, this is the special place for you.

You have a choice of a “salad” bar featuring some single vegetables, such as roasted red peppers, olives, hearts of palm, broccoli, and then there’s a hot-area, featuring warm vegetables, deep-fried bananas, and rice. They even had lasagna. And if you like cheese, they feature two big wheels of cheese: an aged cheddar, and an authentic parmesan wheel. The parmesan wheel has been carved out, with the cheese in large chards, inside. If you are a parmesan freak, you could easily eat your meal’s worth in just this so-called king of cheeses.

So, while you are getting up for these items, the waiters are coming by in quick succession with various cuts of deliciously flavored meats. Beef rib that is so succulent and flavorful that you question the legality of eating something so good. Beef tenderloin still pink and tasty. Pork belly, chicken wrapped in bacon, sausages, lamb, etc., etc. My favorites were the beef rib, and the opening chicken—so packed with delicious, mouth-watering flavor. You say to yourself: “this is the way good meat should taste…”

The service was good. Frequent visits to our table kept the glasses full, and when you turn-over your sign for more meat, it’s always quick and warm, carved piece by piece, at your table.

Very highly recommended.