Posts Tagged ‘James Beard Award Winner’

Eleven Madison Park Revisited

Posted 10 Jan 2017 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining

It’s always nice to start the year with a benchmark visit to an excellent restaurant. I never take for granted how blessed and fortunate we are to have the opportunity to explore the food, beverage, and service at the best restaurants in the world. The creativity is amazing and every visit results in deep learning and reflection that I take back to my classroom and to life in general. This year we begin with a visit to Eleven Madison Park. It’s a Saturday evening at 7:00 pm and we have a prime table reserved for six (a wonderful group of chef-friends I have known for 25+ years). When we arrive we are treated like royalty – everyone is. We waltz over to our six-top round and take our seats. It isn’t long before we settle in for an awesome ride. Being here feels like flying first class on a great airline or taking a ride in my neighbors Mercedes S63 AMG – its so well engineered and thought-out, the experience and environment are luxurious and exciting while also comfortable, and relaxing. Lighting is great, acoustics are refined, spacing is excellent (there’s plenty of room to move) and the company I am sharing is world-class. It’s so darn easy to settle in here.

It isn’t long before the food starts to arrive. First there’s the mystery box with a savory cookie. You have to interact with this item and open it to enjoy it. Next a sampling of delicate hors d’ oeuvres presented in a set of artisan wooden boxes – the boxes themselves are striking. When the caviar Benedict comes the simplicity and contrasting flavor and texture is pure culinary craftsmanship at its highest level (this dish was mind-blowing) not to mention the custom embossed tin the dish is served in. Every item we experience is exceptional – in many cases producing pure awe and joy. Then we visit the kitchen for a standing course while observing service in action.

The kitchen at Eleven Madison Park is the epitome of professionalism. It is so nice to see a spotless back-of-house running like a Swiss watch. Every member of the culinary brigade in production has a pristine chef coat and hat, the kitchen is immaculate, every station is organized; you can hear a pin drop it’s running so smoothly. Though Eleven Madison Park is inspired by the tenets and philosophy of Jazz, executive sous chef Brian Lockwood’s kitchen is more like a well conducted symphony its so smooth. I don’t overlook how hard this is to achieve and have a new benchmark for my own practice. Humbled is an understatement.

And so it goes throughout the evening – incredible food paired with a refined and precise eye for all the tiny details in service, service-ware, guest interaction, timing, temperature, and aroma. This is hospitality, luxury, and craftsmanship at its highest level and it brings me such joy to see how far our profession has evolved over the past 30 years. I send warmest gratitude to Chef Daniel Humm and his partner Will Guidara, Manager Billy Peelle, Chef de Cuisine Dmitri Magi, Executive Sous Chef Brian Lockwood and our Maitre d’ Todd Holtry. Thank you Eleven Madison Park for teaching us what the finest hospitality is supposed to be like.

Black and White – Savory Cookie with Apple and Cheddar

Celery Root with Black Truffle, Salsify with Garlic and Thyme, Parsnip Pie, Rutabaga with Celery and Walnuts

Caviar Benedict with Smoked Sturgeon, Ham, and Pickled Egg Yolk

Crab with Sea Urchin, Kohlrabi, and Apple

Foie Gras Seared with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon

Lobster, Butter Poached with Rutabaga and Pear

Striped Bass Poached with Fennel and Clams

In the Kitchen – It Takes Many Years to Grow Old Friends!

Kitchen  Course:

Foie Gras Bon Bon – Pear Ginger Syrup Center, Candied Hazelnut Crust

Hermann J. Weimer “Noble Select” Riesling

Celery Root Braised with Black Truffle

Beets Roasted with Onions and Almonds

Duck, Honey and Lavender Glazed with Turnip and Huckleberry

Cheddar Tart with Apple and Mixed Greens

Pear Sorbet with Caramelized White Chocolate and Riesling

Chocolate “Name that Flavor”

Pretzel with Sea Salt

St. George Eleven Madison Park Apple Brandy Eau De Vie

Morning After! The Best Granola Ever – Thank you EMP

Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Avenue,

New York, NY 10010

212.889.0905

info@elevenmadisonpark.com

Pineapple and Pearls: “In the People Business”

Posted 18 Dec 2016 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining, Full Service

Chef Aaron Silverman’s team centered philosophy is primary cause for why I rearranged my schedule to include a dinner at his restaurant Pineapple and Pearls in the Barracks Row neighborhood just north of the Navy Yard in Washington DC. Though I did notice the two-star nod the Guide Michelin gave Pineapple and Pearls back in October, Silverman’s December 2015 TedEx talk 2015 is what really caught my attention. His heartfelt presentation centered on the connection between building and maintaining an outstanding team and achieving overall greatness. I couldn’t agree more with his perspective and I had to see for myself.

His first restaurant Rose’s Luxury won best new restaurant recognition by both Bon Appetit and GQ magazines in 2014. The restaurant was a game changer for the local restaurant scene and for the Silverman himself. Its customer centered casual feel paired with incredible – approachable food drew rave reviews and a steady stream of guests willing to cue up on the sidewalk in order to score a table upon opening. But behind the scenes Silverman focused on creating an environment and culture that would draw in the best talent. An environment where people want to work and that employees look forward to being part of.

My experience at Pineapple and Pearls provided deep evidence Silverman’s approach is working. It was illuminated by steady warmth and hospitality on a freezing December night. His team exceeded my expectation from start to finish and though the food was outstanding (the sturgeon rose was sublime) the service and beverage program was even better. Beverage director Jeff Faile has crafted an incredible program and one of the finest pairings I have had. We spent 20 minutes chatting in the kitchen after my experience (I sat at the bar for service). His approach is straight forward; he seeks great products that align perfectly with each dish on the tasting menu and he doesn’t leave non-alcoholic options as an afterthought. The non-alcoholic offerings were compelling, complex, and perfectly paired. Not an easy task. The Paliokerisio wine from Greece (grape varietals white Debina and red Vlahiko) was a favorite as was the alcohol free Jörg Geiger PriSecco sparkling cider made just east of Stuttgart in Germany. This is the kind of talent Silverman is attracting. What a great role model and example.

When a leader builds an authentic and engaging culture of excellence the impact of all involved is significantly amplified and Silverman has clearly figured this out. 2016 has been good to him – his recognition by Michelin was preceded by a Best Chef Mid Atlantic award by the James Beard Foundation. This is tangible evidence that leadership matters. Silverman ends his TedEx talk stating: “I’m in the people industry – it just so happens that I work at a restaurant.”  If people are his product – he should have three stars instead of two!

Fennel Absinthe Bonbon

Crispy Yuba, Cured Trout Roe, Garden Herbs

Beef Tar Tar, Caviar (retired dairy cow loin)

Sweet Shrimp, Ajo Blanco (almond gazpacho), Mixed Grapes, Cilantro

Sturgeon Rose, White Beets, Matsutake

Mustard Green Agnolotti, Parmesan, Greyson and Ricotta Cheese, Huitaloche, Mustard, Mushroom Kombocha Squash Gastrique

Atlantic Cod, Fall Vegetables, Pigs Head Terrine, Crispy Garlic, Garlic Fumet

Beef Loin Presentation –

Homage to DC Steakhouse – Dry Aged Rib Eye, Béarnaise, Truffle Pepper Cream, Popovers with Wild Mushrooms, Potato Onion Tart

Cheese Presentation

Warm Greyson Cheese, Purple Sweet Potato Brioche, Pawpaw Butter

Satsuma, Labneh Sorbet, Hibiscus & Whey Soda

Granny Smith Apple Crostata, Sundae Bar of Dark Chocolate, Tarragon, Olive Oil Sorbets, Lemon Glaze, Toasted Coconut

Cookies – Sesame Fortune Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Red Walnut, Snickerdoodle

Coffee and Pistachio Shortbread Afterwards

Pineapple and Pearls

715 8th Street SE, Washington, DC

pineappleandpearls.com

WD-50 NYC, Good Night

Posted 31 Jul 2012 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining

Wrapping up my commentary on a recent trip to Gotham, it’s late at night, or early in the morning depending on how you look at it, and I am bouncing around in the village. On a lark, I head over to see if Chef Wylie Dufresne is at his station at WD50; he’s there. The restaurant is nearly empty and there are seats at the bar so I belly up and relax for a while, enjoy the cool air, and have a quick nightcap before heading up country (to 89th and Lexington).

Wyllie’s’ maître d’ greets me at the bar and after a long shift he’s turned out in a perfect grey suit, pink shirt and salmon tie, hipster hair parted to the side and a huge smile. He’s a musician doubling as a two Michelin star host and carries himself like a mixture of the two. Cool cat indeed. After a chat, I slip to the back kitchen and catch Wylie doing his final rounds before he packs it in (its 1:22 am). His wife is eight months pregnant and he is headed out the door soon. However, there is no pressure for us to leave so I aggregate with a group of folks by the bar. One never knows what to expect late night in New York.

It strikes me as odd that there’s a guy at the bar wearing a tuxedo with real bow tie, French cuffs and L.L. Bean rubber boots. Heading toward the bar I get a full profile of the guy, he’s wearing Phil Donahue glasses with his hair slicked back. Turns out he’s a D.J. visiting with a couple of friends one of which is a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia in food science. They came to W.D.50 because of her, straight from one of the D.J.’s gigs.

Now we are all at the bar and Dufresne’ s long time bartender starts making custom cocktails, carbonating them to order using an industrial sized cylinder of CO2. I start with an Averell Damson gin liqueur and carbonated grapefruit. Crisp and refreshing it goes down easy. With a refill, I take one more trip to the back. The kitchen crew is now ending the day with a final round of desserts coming of the pass.  Three pastry cooks shuffle to clean up the station and write a final prep and purchase list for later in the day.  I finish my drink and watch as the lights in the dining room are dimmed, the custom red flame lanterns on either side of the kitchen casting a warm glow through the room. Another restaurant day is ending.

Dufresne reappears in green cargo shorts, black back pack and helmet with flashing red light in front. He unfolds a Swift Folder bicycle, the kind of bike where you pop the pedals off, store them under the front handlebar, pull a pin and flip the thing in half. In New York where space is at a premium, it makes total sense. Headed for the door, he turns on the flashing helmet light, a taillight, and handlebar lantern and heads to the curb. Like a flashing Christmas tree, Dufresne rides off into the city at 2:05 a.m., headed home to his young son, pregnant wife and a short night of sleep before starting it all over again. This is the back end of a restaurant experience that most people never see; the final part of the day when things come to an end and an exhausted team of cooks head out into an existence that runs polar opposite the rest of the word, circadian rhythms upended. Their 2:00 a.m. is your 5:00 p.m., but the world offers nothing this time of night other than an underground world known to professional cooks and others who share this temporal existence. Nowadays I am just a visitor to this dimension and I too head out the door, grab a lonely late night cab and head north, my 2:00 a.m. is still 2:00 a.m.

WD50

50 CLINTON ST. between Stanton & Rivington on Manhattan’s Lower East Side
212.477.2900

Momofuku Milk Bar

Posted 08 May 2012 — by S.E.
Category Food Alert Trends, Pastry & Dessert, Warms My Heart

Milk Bar Cold Case

Momofuku Milk Bar isn’t fancy. The minimalist design including strand-board casework, small front counter, simple packaging, and chalk board menu suggest a place staged with simplicity and profit in mind. Fact is, I have never been overly impressed with the interior of Milk Bar and probably wouldn’t seek one out except for the fact that I am completely addicted to Chef Christina Tosi’s strawberry lemon cake truffles. Her candy bar pie is incredible too but the truffles draw me in whenever I am within a block of a Milk Bar outlet (usually the one in midtown). My trips to New York always place me within walking distance to the store on West 56th street, lucky peach indeed.

W56th St. Milk Bar

So it was with great joy that I watched Christina Tosi edge out some of the best chefs in the country to receive the 2012 Rising Star Chef of the Year from the James Beard Foundation. The honor is awarded to “a chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come” according to the foundation web site. That she is so talented, heads a growing empire of stores, is teamed with one of the most recognized chefs in the country in David Chang, and leads a team of folks mostly under the age of 25 is a testament to her talent. That she does all this in one of the most competitive and hyper food markets in the world is monumental. She deserves this recognition (even though I am a huge Dave Beran fan!).

Chef Christina Tosi (2012 James Beard Awards)

On stage, Tosi looked radiant in a black sleeveless dress with red pumps, her shoulder length hair straight and parted. Relaxed, she accepted her award with grace as chef Grant Achatz looked on (he won the award in 2003). She made sure to thank the Beard Foundation and, more specifically, to thank her extended team (as any good leader would). She showed tremendous poise and humility while also exuding great confidence. What a great role model at such a young age.

Congratulations Christina and the entire Milk Bar and Momofuku team…

Milk Bar Cookie Baskets

Strawberry Lemon Cake Truffle

Strawberry Lemon Cake Truffle Interior

L-R, Compost Cookie, Chocolate Chocolate, Cornflake Marshmallow Cookie

Candy Bar Pie

Alinea Restaurant: Reflecting on Excellence

Posted 21 Feb 2011 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining

Table Top

Reading Christopher Borelli’s March 15th story about Chef Grant Achatz in the Chicago Tribune last week motivated me to finish up this posting about my first trip to Alinea. Borelli’s story piqued my interest and left me emotionally mixed due to the subtle rancor it exposed between Achatz and Chef Charlie Trotter, a rancor that has existed for years. Those of you who read this blog know that I admire Charlie Trotter and consider him a friend. He has made an indelible mark on American cuisine and, to my dismay is occasionally vilified for his intense personality and leadership style. It seems at times that people fail to notice his incredible heart and his enduring commitment and contributions to the profession. We are all fickle at times.

Achatz, on the other hand, is a true inspiration. I know him by two degrees of separation through a very good friend who worked as poissonnier at the French Laundry when Achatz was the chef de cuisine there and through several others who have stagieired with him. Achatz’s reputation is stellar and those that have worked for him stay in contact and consider him a friend. They speak of him with deep admiration of an authentic and heartwarming kind. That Achatz earned three Michelin stars delights me; that Trotter did not is saddening. In all forms of art there is a natural passing of the guard as generations shift, new talent emerges, and earlier icons transition to the background. In such a physically demanding profession, this is the cycle of life. Examples from the profession are too numerous to mention. I know Trotter could achieve 3 stars if he chooses, he and his team have the talent, drive, and resources. Time will tell.

Rather than see this cycle of change as unnatural or competitive like a foot race where a younger culinary runner outstrips an older runner who used to run a four minute mile, I see it as a relay race where Trotter burned a lap or two at his peak and has now handed the baton, begrudgingly, to Achatz. Someday Achatz will go through the same cycle and relinquish the baton to another younger culinary runner. Alinea is the restaurant in Chicago right now, one of the top 5 in the country, and Grant’s legacy is assured. However, Trotter’s legacy will remain intact too even as Achatz takes the lead role. Had Michelin come through in the 1990’s or early 2000’s, Trotter would have three stars. These are the mixed feelings that come to mind as I write of my delightful experience at Alinea; one that is on par and compares with my first trip to Charlie Trotter’s way back in the early 1990’s.

Alinea

It’s cold and dark and I think my cab driver is lost on the north side of Chicago. The address we are searching for is on North Halstead and that’s where we are, heading north but we can’t find our destination. We are desperately scanning the rows of brownstones for 1723 North Halstead home of Grant Achatz’s Alinea. I know we are in the right place but there’s nothing but row houses along the street. Its 9:20PM and my reservation is for 9:30. I am starting to get pissed, concerned that the cab driver took me to the wrong location. I wonder if I should get out of the cab and walk a while, but the street is deserted and I worry I won’t be able to find another cab if I am in the wrong place and have to back-track. The driver pulls over and we try to figure things out.

That’s when we see a bunch of people congregating around the entry of a two story loft like building made of grey brick and glass. It has to be Alinea. There is no big sign, no flashing lights or anything else. You arrive at Alinea when you find it. A stark contrast to the press and hype that Chef Achatz has endured these past five years, his name in lights everywhere but here. I pay and tip the cab driver feeling apologetic for assuming he was at fault and make my way across the street relieved to be on time and feeling excited.

In the dining room now, I am greeted and escorted directly to my table, a stark square table with a dark wooden top. The dining room is modern, equally as stark and comfortably spaced. Sitting alone for a bit I check out the service ware, glassware is Spiegelau, china is Bernadaud or custom made (as I will soon find out). Scanning the room while I wait, there are two waist-high buffets pushed up against a wall with white cloth tops, the servers using them as side stations. I continue to wait. The sound of a barely audible acoustic guitar floats from the sound system in the background. I unwind and relax. This environment feels cool and relaxing in a minimalist, Zen-like way.

Finally my server approaches, introduces himself and asks if I am planning to have the 12 or 22 course menu. This is an interesting question and one that I didn’t expect considering the fact that I wasn’t provided with a menu yet. Intuition firing, it becomes clear that the rules at Alinea are different so I ask how things work. My server educates me. The rules of the game require that I order from either the 12 course or 22 course menu. The menus are prix fixe and “engineered” for maximum flavor, balance, and creativity but can be adjusted for food allergies (not any) and dietary restrictions (none, thank you). Other than that, you are along for the ride and eat what you get. And this is where things get interesting. My meal was breathtaking and full of surprises and emotions unlike any other I have had before. Here’s a recap.

Seafood

Croquette of Steelhead Roe with Parisienne of Cucumber, Sour Cream with Endive, Fried Caper and Steelhead Roe.

The little white ceramic pedestal this dish is served on intrigues me. That it is piping hot in the middle with so many tiny little garnishes blows my mind. Achatz’s mise en place must be pristine.

Seafood 

Lightly Grilled baby Octopus with Shiso and Broth

Another complicated dish with another twist added, the server hands you the bowl and warns not to put it down. Once you have the bowl in your hand, you must engage this dish and eat it. To keep things simple, a fork full of octopus is balanced on the edge of the bowl and ready for consumption. A quick bite off the fork and a couple of sips of the broth and it’s done. Servers rush in to take the bowl before it rolls across the table.

Mushrooms

Golden Chanterelle Puree with Curry, Spinach, Dijon, Tomato and Apricot, Cured Ham, Carrot Foam

I have to admit that the thought of curry, apricot and Dijon didn’t initially appeal to me but once I tasted this dish I loved it. The deep savory mushroom puree with its silky texture served as a perfect base for the additional garnish and none of the garnishes were lost in this dish. Each brought its own notes of complimentary texture and flavor.

 

Celery Water and Apple Juice inside a Coco butter shell, Micro Celery Fronds

When the server places a top-heavy crystal clear shot glass with a tiny white ball and some green liquid in front of me, I am once again intrigued. The server warns to suck this item down like a shooter and to keep my mouth shut once I have the ball in my mouth to prevent it from exploding out across the table. In it goes…and wham…there’s an explosion. The cocoa butter ball totally bursts open upon impact and melts in milliseconds on contact with my tongue. The apple juice is tart and washes it down leaving a perfectly clean palate. Just incredible.

Seafood     

Monkfish Loin Fillet and Liver Quenelle with Banana Lime Pudding, Crispy Monkfish Tail, Dehydrated Onion Paper, Chive and Snowy Ramp

This dish is served in a lovely Luna plate is by “O” and it looks a bit like a commode. The presentation is striking if not subdued. Although a contrast in flavors that are rich and lean, savory, sweet, and acidic, this dish is also a real treat in contrast including smooth (quenelle), creamy (pudding), toothsome (loin), and crisp (tail and onion).

Duck

Juniper Duck 3 Ways with Wine Braised Turnips, Duck Leg Confit, Sliced Cured Duck Breast, Duck Craklings, Whipped Yogurt Water and Mango

My server places a pillow in a white linen cover in front of me of me and I don’t know whether to take a nap or use it as a napkin. A moment later the same server returns with my duck dish and places it on the pillow and the pillow immediately begins to deflate letting out a gentle bursts of juniper “air” that engulf my face. Inhaling the juniper, my mouth waters and I dig into the duck. Some real thought had to go into this dish, the flavor profiles engineered into it, and the theatrics that surround it. The overall experience is stunning.

 Short Ribs

Cayenne Short Ribs with Guinness Gelée, Toasted Peanut, Peanut Puree, Broccoli Puree, Shaved Broccoli Stems, Crispy Broccoli Florets

Just when I think there are no surprises left, Achatz’s serves this piping hot short rib with a thin sheet of gelée over it. It looks like he shrink-wrapped the plate prior to sending it out to me. The gelée is suctioned to the short ribs and pureed garnish below it. Additional garnish are placed on top of the gelée providing a wonderful texture and contrast to the items pressed below. Aesthetically, this is the most profound course yet. That Achatz would think to create a thin sheet of gelée with the perfect level of bloom so that it stays intact over hot food but still melts effortlessly on the palate and then execute it so flawlessly speaks to his craftsmanship and creativity. The dish is absolutely delicious.

 Potato and Truffle

Potatoes and Truffle

This simple bite-sized item is a study in simplicity, the wax bowl seeming to me to be a bit of a novelty. Great tasting and the truffle is bold and full flavored.

 Lamb

Lamb Loin Three Ways

Three square pieces of lamb arrive at the table on a sizzling hot rectangular stone mounted on a custom metal frame. At one end of the stone, there’s a bunch of rosemary propped up vertically through a hole. My server lights the tips of the rosemary and they smolder for a second or two, the scent of deep toasted pine lingering over the table. I consume this dish using chopsticks, each chunk of tender sous-vide lamb going down in one bite. The toasted rosemary is a nice touch.

 Bacon

Bacon

Anyone who serves bacon as a course unto itself is a hero in my mind. Achatz’s fresh bacon is creatively served on a wire frame and is delicious and mild.

Ice Cream

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ice Cream

The olive oil ice cream is smooth and delicious and the pressed cookie base under the pavee is fantastic.

 Dessert

Chocolate and Passion Fruit Noodles

These hydrocolloid noodles represent a molecular technique that I like but feel is a bit over-done. Luckily they taste great; the chocolate is deep and slightly malted and the passion fruit a nice end-of-meal palate cleanser.

~~~~~

This is a long entry and one I have been meaning to post for some time. This meal was an adventure. When I started my meal without a menu my curiosity was peaked and each dish thereafter exceeded my expectations, entertained me, was innovative, delicious, and engineered on multiple sensory levels. There was more than a light dose of theater in my experience: exploding apple, puffing pillow, burning rosemary and all. Alinea is a national treasure and a place that, in my mind, defines one of the many facets of American fine dining in the new millennium. Achatz deserves three Michelin stars for taking the experience of dining to a whole new level. May he run the fastest lap yet during his time on the track.

Alinea

1723 North Halsted St

Chicago, IL 60614

Manresa Restaurant: Los Gatos, CA

Posted 11 Jan 2011 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining

Sometimes, when visiting a well known restaurant for the first time, it’s nice to spend a day or two in the community where the establishment is located prior to dining. Doing so allows me to get a sense of things at ground level. Great restaurants reflect their surroundings and weave local ingredients and influence with global flavor profiles and, more than ever, contemporary cooking techniques. My deep love of culinary arts is based, in part, on these factors and the way a great restaurant anchors, and is anchored by its community.  Manresa is such a restaurant and Los Gatos is proud to claim it.

Walking around Los Gatos California in winter, it’s sunny and temperate. People are out strolling the streets, making eye contact, pausing to chat. The community has a casual yet upscale feel to it with brand name shops mixed in with independent retailers. I pause for a moment at the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company for a fresh cup and sit at a table in the large bay window to watch the world go by. Refreshed, I exit left down the street and discover the Sierra Toy Soldier Company. Sierra produces battle scenes in miniature using a variety of toy soldiers and scaled down military hardware and shows them in the front window of the store. Each displays look like a custom movie set. Los Gatos is both main-stream and unique, approachable but extremely local. It feels nice to be here.

 

Dinnertime is nearing and I walk over to the restaurant to check things out. Manresa is located on Village Lane, one block over from Santa Cruz Avenue. At first I walk past the restaurant entrance and up the street a few steps before realizing that the small brick ranch style home on my right is actually Manresa. Standing in front of the walkway leading to the front door I am surprised that this single story building is the home to such a great restaurant.  The small understated aluminum and steel sign placed on a steel post in front of the restaurant caught my eye just before I passed otherwise I would have missed the restaurant and kept walking. My first impression is that Manresa is small and understated. The grounds leading to the entrance are well kept with tall plants, grasses in pots, paved walk ways and a long window that runs from the left hand side of the entry to the end of the building. I wonder if space on the other side of the window was the living room of a private residence at one point in time.  

Entering the restaurant, I am surprised at the size of the dining room; it’s much larger than I expected.   There’s room for at least fifty guests in the main dining room and a private room in the back seats at least sixteen guests. The floor is tinted concrete softened with carefully placed carpets. After a quick tour I settle in to a two top along the window.

Chef David Kinch, a professional chef to his core, is easy to admire. After graduating from the culinary arts degree program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence Rhode Island in 1983 he spent the next decade refining his skills working at renowned restaurants around the world including the Quilted Giraffe in New York, the Hotel Clio Court in Fukuoka Japan, the Michelin two-star Schweizer Stuben in Wertheim, Germany, the three star L’Esperance in St. Pere-sous-Vezeley, France with Chef Marc Meneau and Pedro Subijana’s Michelin two-star Akelare in San Sebastian, Spain. Kinch, a New Orleans native who worked with Paul Prudhomme when he was chef at Commanders, opened Manresa in 2002 and has held two Michelin stars since 2006. In 2010 he was awarded best chef pacific region by the James Beard Foundation. Chef Kinch is, without question, one of the best, most influential chefs in the country and a master of the culinary arts.

 

The best way to describe the food at Manresa is modern American with tremendous French and Spanish influence and a solid undertone of Japanese flavor and technique. Kinch’s background, global travels, and professional lineage are reflected in his cuisine. The menu features dishes that are authentically local and driven by the daily harvest of Love Apple Farm just outside of Los Gatos. The influence of Love Apple Farm and the biodynamic vegetables it produces isn’t just symbolic, it’s authentic.  Kinch has designed his culinary system at Manresa around the cycle of food stuffs coming from the farm. The impact on the menu is fantastic. Each of the images below convey what amounted to an incredible meal at Manresa. Considering the quality of the ingredients, particularly the products from Love Apple Farm, the additional courses served, and the excellent preparation and service, Manresa is an outstanding restaurant and a great value.

Amuse Bouche Soft Boiled Egg with Maple Syrup and Sherry Vinegar

 

Amuse Bouche Fresh Oyster in Gelee with Julienne Nori

 Monterey Bay Abalone and Braised Pig Trotters, Avocado Mousseline

In the Vegetable Garden with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sun Choke Puree, Celery Root

Japanese Butterfish roasted slowly with Chanterelles, Yuzu Sabayon and Baby Leeks

Black Cod on the Plancha with Salsify, Black Trumpet Mushrooms with Oyster Emulsion

 Breast of Duck and Leg Confit, Hazelnut Praline and Celtuce, Dates with Wild Fennel

 

Slow Roasted Rack of Veal Tonnato, Cabbage with Sweet Onion and Porcini Fritter

Pears and Pumpkin Cake with Speculass Ice Cream, Moscato Jelly, Prunes, Dates, Molasses, Pecans

Manresa

320 Village Ln
Los Gatos, California 95030
(408) 354-4330

Butcher: Smart Casual in New Orleans

Posted 30 Nov 2010 — by S.E.
Category Food Alert Trends, Full Service, Uncategorized

Sometimes I stumble upon a great restaurant without intending to do so. This was the case recently when I wound up on a bar stool in Butcher, Chef Donald Link’s sibling restaurant to Cochon in the warehouse district of New Orleans. Butcher was not my destination, I had originally set out to find the National World War II museum on Magazine Street. After a couple of wrong turns I ended up in the vicinity of the museum but three blocks further west than intended.  Looping back around the block I wound up in a maze of one-way streets woven through warehouses, condos, and restaurants that make up this side of the city. Within minutes I was back at the corner of Tchoupitoulas Street and Andrew Higgins Drive where I originally started feeling frustrated.  Andrew Higgins was the founder of Higgins Industries in New Orleans during the 1920’s. His Higgins Boats, light military landing craft designed to deliver troops directly from ship to shore, are widely acclaimed as one of the crucial innovations that helped the allies win World War II. That I  am on Andrew Higgins Drive indicated that I was in the right vicinity and that it would make more sense to park the car and walk over to the museum than continue wandering.  Thats when I found Butcher.

Fate would have it that I parked the car diagonally across the street from Chef Donald Link’s famous Cochon restaurant. Approaching on foot curious and hungry for lunch it was disappointingly clear due to inactivity that the main restaurant was closed. However, there was activity further down the block at small shop called Butcher.  Although reasonably well informed when it comes to restaurants, I hadn’t heard of Butcher prior to spotting it up the street. The customers seated at each of the two small tables on the sidewalk and group of people standing just outside the entrance are what caught my eye, the entrance being otherwise pretty ordinary.  

Once inside my perspective completely changed.  Although small in size, the seating area in the café was packed and there was a line five deep at the counter. Butcher was humming and the food being served looked excellent.  Customers at Butcher cue up just inside the entry and place their orders at a counter with two cash registers at the back end of the shop. The lines form up against two massive refrigerated deli cases filled with homemade charcuterie and fresh meats on the left side of the room.  A small hot kitchen is just on the other side of the cases.

I am in line now staring into the first deli case on the left which is packed with a selection of sausages, bacon,  long brown links of house made Andouille sausage, packages of Boudin Sausage (four links per pack), fresh pork loin, skirt steak, and ribeye, even a Jambalaya stuffed fresh chicken.  The line moves and I shift forward several feet where there’s another case with gorgeous house-made Pork Rillettes, Duck Rillettes, Duck Terrine, head cheese, Mortadella, Salami Cotto, and Duck Pastrami. I am in hog (and duck) heaven. The quality and craftsmanship on display in these cases is outstanding bordering on inspirational. A fan of all things Garde Manger, my mouth is beginning to water.

The line moves forward again and now I am next to the small butcher block countertop that serves as the pass for plates coming off the hot line. Studying the kitchen for a moment I am quickly distracted by a plate of braised duck on cornbread with poached eggs and mushroom gravy that comes up off the line. It is absolutely gorgeous and a perfect brunch item. A server passes by grabbing the poached eggs and another couple of dishes, forces his way through the line and runs them to a table. Starving, my attention shifts to the three large menu boards hanging above the cash registers and I start to narrow down my order. There are too many interesting items on the menu for me to choose just one so I order a Cubano sandwich, a duck pastrami slider, and a pancetta mac and cheese. The cashier hands me a number and I turn back toward the seating area to the right of the cue to find a place to sit. Seats vacate just as I start to move away from the cashier and I grab a bar stool up against the wall and to wait for my order.

It’s just around noon time on a Sunday morning and Butcher is packed with a mixed bag of late morning revelers, brunch seekers, and folks that strolled over from local residences. Based on the steady stream of food coming off the hot-line it’s clear that these people know how to eat; smoked country sausage with two eggs, house-made biscuit and Steens syrup,  fried chicken and biscuit with caramelized onion and cheddar cheese, BLT of house made bacon, arugula, tomato, and onion. It feels good to be in this restaurant.

The sun is shining brightly through the south-facing storefront and a handsome couple enters and takes a small table up front next to the window.  Glancing over at the couple as they settle in, I consider how warm, pleasant, and comfortable this place is compared to what it must have been like just after hurricane Katrina. Donald Link opened Cochon in 2006 after six months of delays due to the hurricane. In early 2009 Link added Bucher to his growing list of restaurants and the New York Times promptly dubbed it a “smart-casual” restaurant. I like the idea of a place being smart and casual.

Duck Pastrami Slider $6.00

My food arrives and I dig in. The mac and cheese is rich, creamy and full of savory richness from the pancetta. My Cubano is made with slow roasted pork loin (cochon du lait), smoked ham and cheese and grilled golden brown.  I splash a bit of Link’s sweet potato habanero sauce on one half of the sandwich and the sweet spicy flavor of the sauce adds a nice contrast. My favorite item however, is the Duck pastrami slider. A generous portion of sliced duck breast pastrami is grilled with cheese between two slices of bread until crispy and golden brown. By the time the plate gets to me, the cheese is just barely oozing out of the sandwich. It tastes delicious.

Pancetta Mac & Cheese $6.00

 I can only imagine the vision and perseverance required to withstand the challenges of Katrina and the BP oil spill in New Orleans. And yet the city lives on in places like Butcher due to people like Donald Link. Smart, casual, and sated…

 

Cochon Butcher

930 Tchoupitoulas St.

New Orleans, LA 70130

504-588-7675