Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles, CA)

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.297.0101
www.mozza-la.com
Sat 05/23/2009, 03:40p-05:10p



After my visit to David Myers' Pizzeria Ortica at the end of April, I asked myself if it was finally time to check out its spiritual counterpart up north, Pizzeria Mozza. The pizzeria is certainly one of the most sought after destinations in all of LA--this despite having been open for two years. In fact, we arrived at 3:40 in the afternoon, and the place was packed (see photo below). For more details about Mozza's history and founders, please see my post on Pizzeria Mozza's sister restaurant, Osteria Mozza.


The space was positively buzzing when we opened the door. The bar, next to the entrance, was packed, as was most of the yellow and orange dining room. We were seated after waiting around ten minutes, which actually wasn't too bad. Our seat along the far wall gave us a good view of the open kitchen (second photo), and the tight seat spacing acquainted us with our neighboring diners.


For a more serene and less noisy experience, you can try to book the Jack Warner Room, a historic space (and part of former the Alessi Ristorante) that accommodates up to 18 patrons in a wine cellar-esque environment.


Mozza's menu features classic Italian fare, with the pizzas, of course, taking center stage. There were a lot of items I wanted to try, thus giving the place a good amount of "replay" value, so to speak. The menu's reverse side is the wine list, which is value-priced and overwhelmingly Italian. Click for larger versions.


These long, crunchy breadsticks (grissini) take the place of conventional bread service.


We were in a beer mood, so decided to order a couple from Mozza's small but interesting list (click for a larger version). The first was the Avant Garde, a Bière de Garde ("keeping beer") from The Lost Abbey Brewery in San Marcos, CA [25oz, $16]. This was a farmhouse style ale, with notable earthy aromas backed by a bready malt flavor and a mild hoppy bitterness--quite good. Next up was the Great White, a witbier ("white beer") from Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, CA [22oz, $13]. I'd actually had this beer on my last visit to Mélisse. I enjoyed it then and did here as well--a refreshing brew, with lovely, zesty notes of citrus and herbs, all over a backdrop of wheat.


Asparagus al forno, speck & Parmigiano Reggiano [$12.00]
This was a heavier preparation of asparagus than I'm accustomed to. Since the asparagus was done in an al forno ("from the oven," baked) style, it had a soft consistency with a sweet/bitter flavor accented by hints of smoke--a bit different, but still tasty. Offsetting the vegetal notes of the asparagus was speck (a type of ham from northern Italy), which provided a nice salty contrast, and the cheese, which added a subtle gravity to the dish.


Bone marrow al forno [$12.00]
As expected, the bone marrow was quite fatty, quite unctuous on its own. Its accoutrements made all the difference in the world here. The use of an herb salad, salt, and sweet garlic really tempered the weight of the marrow, and when eaten all together with the included bread, made for a superb combination. I preferred this to a similar version I had not too long ago at Church & State.


Margherita with mozzarella, tomato & basil [$13.00]
Now it was time for the pizza and naturally, I had to start with the classic margherita. The margherita is just about the most traditional pizza available, and consists of tomato, mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, cooked in a wood-burning oven. I quite enjoyed the tanginess of the tomato base (made from San Marzano tomatoes I assume), and how that played with the mozzarella, which added weight and character to the dish. The pizza had a nice basil tang, but I would've liked the herb's presence to have been stronger. The ever-important crust had a nice crunch to it, and I preferred it to the slightly too-soft version at Pizzeria Ortica. Overall, a very solid interpretation of a classic.


Fennel sausage, panna, red onions & scallions [$15.00]
The pizza was topped with a house-made sausage, one with a subtle sweetness that really dominated the pie. However, the application of onions and scallions provided a tangy counterpoint to the meat, which helped in balancing things out. My dining companion preferred Ortica's "Salsiccia e finocchio" pizza, but I'm ambivalent. One problem here was that the pizza was extremely greasy, leaving large pools of oil on the plate.


Ipswich clams, garlic, oregano, pecorino & parmigiano [$18.00]
During my last New York trip, I wanted to try the famous Clam Pie at Lombardi's, but my dining companion balked; I thus wanted to get my fill of it here at Mozza. The essence of clam was extremely apparent in the pizza, and this was countered by an equally intense application of garlic--a logical pairing but a bit overbearing in this case. The duo of cheeses, meanwhile, added weight and flavor on the finish. One notable thing about this pizza was the clams' texture, which gave the pie a nice chewy bite.


After our pizzas, we requested the dessert menu (click for a larger version). This was a mere formality, however, as we already knew what we'd be getting...


Butterscotch budino, Maldon sea salt & rosemary pine nut cookies [$9.00]
Yes, this was the infamous budino, as recommended by Christine during a blogger dinner at One Sunset. This dessert represented a fascinating study in the interplay between sweet and savory flavors. The pudding itself, as expected, was fiendishly sweet. It would've been far too monolithic had it not been for the use of rosemary and sea salt. The rosemary lent a pleasing tang to the dish, which helped in cutting the intensity of the butterscotch. The salt, on the other hand, gave the dessert a lingering savory finish that added much-needed complexity. Finally, the cookies provided a fitting textural contrast to balance out the creaminess of the dessert's other elements.

I knew coming in that Pizzeria Mozza wouldn't be deserving of all the hype, and it isn't. It is, however, a fun, casual spot, with a large menu of well-executed Italian fare. What more can I expect really? I will say that I'll probably be back.

Charlie Trotter's (Chicago, IL)

Charlie Trotter's
816 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
773.248.6228
www.charlietrotters.com/restaurant/
Wed 05/20/2009, 06:30p-09:55p



If there's one restaurant in Chicago that deserves the moniker of iconic, then Charlie Trotter's would be it. I'd missed out on Trotter's during my last visit to Chicago, so I was determined to make it here this time. Since Trotter is largely a self-taught chef, I was especially curious to experience his cuisine, which relies on a progression of small courses, layered upon each other, and flavored with light, delicate vegetable- and herb-based sauces, stocks, and essences (an approach that seemingly recalls Jean-Georges Vongerichten's philosophy of "light intensity"). His end goal, thus, is balance, not only between the food, but also the wine, which Trotter views as integral to a meal.

Trotter attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and it was here that he developed his interest in cooking from his roommate (I wonder if he ever made his way over to L'Etoile). After graduating in 1982 with a degree in political science, Trotter traveled extensively, dining at the top establishments in the United States and Europe, experiencing what leading chefs could offer, and all the while, crafting the beginnings of his own style. Trotter then cooked professionally for several years, moving between Chicago, San Francisco (where he attended the California Culinary Academy, but never graduated), and Florida, before opening his eponymous eatery in 1987--yes, the place has been around for over two decades, and in the fast-paced world of fine dining, that's practically a lifetime.


Partially obscured by greenery, Charlie Trotter's is discreetly situated in an innocuous-looking 100 year old brownstone in Chicago's Lincoln Park district, a stone's throw away from Alinea (Grant Achatz even worked here briefly before going to French Laundry, but clashed with Trotter's management style).


The restaurant is divided into three distinct dining areas, decorated in an elegant, but unexciting style. We were seated in the first floor room, which seats around 30. There are also South and North dining rooms, as well as a semi-private salon table seating up to 10 diners, and a Studio Kitchen for 20. Total capacity is around 100.


Each night, the kitchen serves up a choice of three dégustations: the Grand Menu [$165], the Vegetable Menu [$135], and finally, the Kitchen Table Menu [$225]. We, of course, chose the most luxurious option, complemented with the optional wine pairing [$150]. Trotter was one of the first to come up with the idea of a kitchen table, and his version is actually located directly in the kitchen, with nothing separating diners from its hustle and bustle. It seats up to six, and is the hardest table to secure in the entire restaurant. Fortunately, the Kitchen Table Menu is available in the main dining room as well.

The Kitchen Table menu is created spontaneously, and ours is shown above; click for a larger version. Unfortunately, it had several glaring errors (courses 7 through 10 are completely wrong, one of the amuses is missing, and one of the amuses is incorrect) and didn't list any of the wine that we had. Thus, some of the descriptions below will be based only on my notes, and we can pretty much forget about identifying the wine pairings. This was a notable fault in service, and I must ask: why is it so hard to come up with a correct list of dishes and accompanying wine pairings? I had no such problem at Moto, L2O, Alinea, or TRU. Our server indicated that the restaurant would send over a proper menu, but as of this writing (June 13, over three weeks later), such a thing has not occurred.


Throughout the meal, we were brought a progression of breads, paired with a soft, mild butter. First up was a tough, slightly sweet whole wheat pain epi; next was a chewy, onion-y chive-ricotta bread, followed by a brittle, fluffy French baguette, finally finishing with a sweet-savory bacon-maple syrup rye bread (tastes like breakfast), which reminded me of Chinese cha siu baau pork buns!


Amuse Bouche 1: Kumamoto Oyster with Indian Celery
Champagne, Laurent Perrier Brut L-P, NV
The meal started out with a quartet of amuse bouches. First up was this beautiful Kumamoto, topped with plum sauce and hot and sour Indian celery. The oyster had a sweet attack due to the plum sauce, while the finish was imbued with the mollusk's signature crisp brininess. The celery added some interesting notes to the midpalate, but could've been spicier. Interestingly, the amuses were paired with the Laurent Perrier Brut L-P, the exact same Champagne that we had at Moto the night before. This time around though, it was much sweeter and less yeasty, though it did get significantly drier after I had the oyster.


Amuse Bouche 2: Japanese Kindai with Celery Root
Champagne, Laurent Perrier Brut L-P, NV
Next up was a very special type of tuna: kindai, the world's first sustainably-raised bluefin. Kindai is produced by the Kinki University Fisheries Culture and Nursery Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, and is noted for its superior flavor and ecological friendliness. Each week, only a handful of pieces of tuna are shipped to the US, so kindai's a scare commodity. In addition to Trotter's, L2O also has it, as do Per Se, Le Bernardin, French Laundry, the Dining Room at the Ritz, and Manresa. In any case, getting back to the kindai here, it was quite strongly flavored for tuna, with distinctly briny finish and a texture that was chewier than I'm used to. The celery was instrumental in balancing it out.


Amuse Bouche 3: Japanese Tai
Champagne, Laurent Perrier Brut L-P, NV
Number three was listed on the menu as a "tempura" but it clearly wasn't. It was, however, also a Japanese fish, a tai snapper. It had a great, dense, firm consistency and a sweet, delicate flavor, thanks in part to the accompanying miso-based sauce. The pairing of the root vegetable did wonders in terms of texture.


Amuse Bouche 4: Fava Beans with Pickled Watermelon Radish
Champagne, Laurent Perrier Brut L-P, NV
Closing things out, we had a plate of fava beans, tarted up with Chinese chili sauce and watermelon radish. Those two elements added contrasting hot and acerbic components to the mild, tender beans. A simple course, but one that effectively set the stage for the main meal to begin.


1: Japanese Freshwater Eel with Cilantro & Banana
Riesling, Dr. Loosen
Our first proper course of the evening was Japanese unagi terrine with roasted banana, pickled cilantro, and togarashi (shichimi) spice. It was an interesting dish that recalled the essence of unagi kabayaki, or grilled eel coated with a sweet soy-based sauce. The resultant mishmash was cool, dense, and sweet, and the notes of banana were quite apparent, distracting even. These fruity flavors were balanced out somewhat by the togarashi (a blend of seven spices), which stood in for the pepper typically used as a condiment. The paired wine was a Riesling from noted producer Weingut Dr. Loosen. It showed prototypical notes of honey, stone fruit, and blossoms, backed by a crisp acidity; it went well with the sweeter nature of this course.


2: Spring Onion with Indonesian Vanilla & Fiddlehead Ferns
Another Riesling
One of my favorite courses, this was a troika of onions (spring, cipollini, Spanish) paired with Indonesian vanilla granita and fennel. The onions were a joy to eat, displaying a great tangy-sweet flavor complex with a crisp, snappy consistency. The granita was a superb complement, with its sweet-savory flavor and cold temperature contrast. We had another Riesling paired with this course, a drier, more mineral-focused example than matched the leaner flavor profile of this dish.


3: Alaksan King Salmon Confit with Black Tea & Rose
Something from Guigal
This was a fascinating dish that looked like it could've come out of Alinea's kitchen: salmon confit, black tea gelée, dehydrated rose petals, ikura, saffron-sugar tuile. An intriguing study in seemingly disparate tastes, the black tea provided a subtle sweetness, but this was contrasted by the ikura, which gave the dish a briny, tangy finish accented by floral notes of rose. There was textural play as well, between the soft salmon, jelly-like gelée, and hard/sticky tuile. However, all this hoopla overpowered the salmon, rendering the fish's signature flavor too faint.


4: Soft-Shell Crab with Strawberries & Arugula
An Archetypal Rosé
Next was a small fritter of soft-shelled crab, over arugula purée and strawberry, with pig's feet. Not usually a huge fan of soft-shelled crab, I was a bit skeptical at first, but it worked out quite well. The crab was very flavorful on its own, and together with the crunchy pig's trotter, formed an intensely savory duo that was nicely tempered by the sugariness of the strawberry and the delicately bitter rocket. The key here really was to eat everything together. The paired rosé wine was lovely and light, with a crisp nose, lively acidity, and subtly sweet flavor quintessential of the style.


5: Steamed Halibut with Spring Peas
A Paul Jaboulet Aîné Viognier
We have here steamed halibut and steamer clams, with spring pea purée and a shellfish emulsion. My dining companion was a fan of this dish, and even asked if it was prepared in a sous vide fashion; it wasn't, but apparently it was marinated in a Cryovac package. It really did have a great texture--tender, but not mushy--and a delicate, briny flavor that was accentuated in the citrus steaming process. The pea purée added a lovely tanginess to the fish, and the clams proved to be a fantastic textural contrast. Overall, this was a very balanced dish that went nicely with the soft, heavier, mineral-driven Viognier.


6: Marcona Almond Risotto with Green Almonds & Red Wine
Sherry: Amontillado?
This was a rich risotto, accented by a red wine emulsion. The use of marcona almonds gave the dish a sweet nuttiness and a lingering almond finish, which was balanced by the vegetal flavors of the green almonds and sorrel. Simple but effective, it was the best risotto I've had in a while, and went nicely with the paired sherry, a Amontillado with a nutty flavor that recalled the almonds.


7: Roasted Suckling Pig with Caramelized Endive
Pinot Nero a.k.a. Pinot Noir
Pork usually leaves me unimpressed, but this was a superb preparation. The meat itself was tender and delicious, but the best part was the skin, which had a fantastic crunch and powerful flavor. The weight of the pork was deftly balanced by the tartish bitterness of the included endive. The wine here was also quite good--a spicy, tangy Pinot Nero (basically Italian Pinot Noir) that matched the flavor of the pork.


8: Muscovy Duck with Kumquat
Pinot Noir a.k.a. Pinot Nero
A lovely presentation of Muscovy duck here--it had a rich duck flavor with a bit of spiciness to it. The tender flesh was perked up by the application of a sourish kumquat sauce; and furthermore, the dish was also served with the duck's strongly flavored, slightly crunchy napa cabbage-wrapped gizzard, which provided a nice counterpoint to the meat. Pinot Noir and duck is almost always a safe combination, and that held true here, with the wine showing typical notes of tart red fruit and smoke that highlighted the bird.


9: Veal with Horseradish and Red Wine
Typical Tempranillo
I've been disappointed with veal many times before, so this dish was a pleasant surprise. It was done up with a horseradish emulsion, red wine essence, and Thumbelina carrot. The veal was a joy to eat alone, with its soft, tender flesh and lovely herbal notes. The meat's accoutrements added layers of flavor, with the carrot providing a pointed sweetness that was especially noticeable.


10: Grilled Bison with Porcini Mushrooms
Rubicon Estate Cab
Our last savory course. I don't get to try bison or buffalo too often, so I relish every chance I get to taste it. The meat was grilled conventionally here, and served with a boudin (a type of sausage) purée and porcini. It was not what I expected. The bison had a slightly gamy flavor that was mitigated by bean-y, grassy notes and the earthiness of the mushrooms. The dish finished with a slightly smoky aftertaste from the sauce, which linked up well to the wine, a typical Cabernet, slightly hot, with hints of smoke backed by jammy fruit flavors.


11: Frozen Key Lime Meringue with Cilantro & Green Peppercorn
Our parade of desserts started off with a bang. I don't think I've ever had a frozen meringue before, so it was nice to experience its biting, acetous, minty flavor, which was expertly tempered by the sharpness of the candied cilantro, leading to a lingering cilantro finish. You could say that this was like a palate cleanser.


12: Poached Quince with Sesame Ice Cream & Rosemary Shortbread
Tokaji with 5 Puttonyos
The sesame ice cream with halva (sesame candy) were fantastic together, really capturing the essence of sesame and imbuing my senses with its nuttiness, a nuttiness that was superbly foiled by the tartness of the quince. In addition, the use of halva and shortbread provided a great temperature and texture contrast to the dish.


13: Meyer Lemon with Toasted Brioche Ice Cream & Caraway Meringue
Tokaji with 5 Puttonyos
The ice cream was superb, effectively stealing the show here, with a taste that was simultaneously sweet, rich, and bready, really capturing the essence of brioche. The sour lemon and pungent caraway did a nice job in pairing with the ice cream, which easily could've been eaten alone.


14: Arbequina Olive Oil-Chocolate Chip Parfait with Dried Cherries
Garnacha
Is it just me, or does this resemble a butterfly? The olive oil and chocolate combination formed a pleasing savory-sweet-bitter interplay, which was accented to great effect by the tartness of the cherries. The accompanying salty tuiles, meanwhile, added a great textural element and gave the dish a lingering savory finish. The paired Grenache had a light nose, with plenty of berry fruit and spice on the palate, leading to a short, tart finish. It was quite subdued for a dessert wine, and thus did not overpower the complex yet delicate flavors of this dessert.


15: Oloroso Sherry-Raisin Ice Cream with Chocolate Cotton Cake & Dried Plums
Garnacha
Oloroso is sherry that's been subjected to oxidative aging. This results in a sweet, nutty flavor that was uniquely presented in the ice cream here, while the addition of raisins into the mix provided some nice sour notes. The raisins linked up nicely with the plums and also the cake, which seemed absolutely saturated; there were even bitter elements to the dessert that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Overall, a complex, multifaceted dessert that paired nicely with the wine.


Mignardises
Interestingly, our server didn't tell us what the mignardises were. Instead, she challenged us to identify them ourselves! I'm proud to say that we got it mostly right. We have here a pineapple gelée, an almond dragée (basically a chocolate-covered almond), a floral-spicy angelica-chocolate ganache (which reminded me of an Andes Chocolate Mint), and a delightful curry caramel.


The damage. Note the 18% service charge, which was the same as at Moto, and a bit less than at L2O. Is this mandatory gratuity a Chicago thing? Tacking on 18-20% for a party of two is almost unheard of in LA.

I admit that I had this image of Charlie Trotter's as somewhat of a grande dame of Chicago dining. I sort of expected it to be staid, solid, a bit conventional--I'm glad I was wrong. Despite the advent of avant garde eateries such as Alinea in Chicago, Trotter's has held its own, not standing still, but constantly evolving, constantly improving. The restaurant hasn't veered down the molecular path, but has found a way to remain fresh, to remain relevant within the confines of Trotter's culinary philosophy. Heck, the kitchen even prides itself on never serving the same dish twice. Put simply, there's a reason that Charlie Trotter's has been around, thriving in fact, for 20 years--I sure hope he sticks around for another score.

Moto (Chicago, IL)

Moto
945 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
312.491.0058
www.motorestaurant.com
Tue 05/19/2009, 06:50p-11:00p



Many chefs, including Alinea's Grant Achatz, eschew being labeled a child of molecular gastronomy; however, at least one chef embraces the title: Moto's Homaro Cantu. Cantu has been called many things, from culinary genius to a flavor of the month, cooking's l'enfant terrible, and perhaps most poignantly, an inventor who accidentally ended up as a chef. Growing up in Portland, Cantu endured a troubled childhood, slacking his way through school and having close calls with the law. Though always curious (and always taking things apart), Cantu's first application of his innate inquisitiveness to cooking came when he was twelve, working at a fried chicken restaurant.

Cantu eventually graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu program at Portland's Western Culinary Institute, and afterwards, staged at dozens of restaurants along the West Coast, all the while crafting his own style. In 1999, at the age of 22, Cantu moved to Chicago to work under Charlie Trotter, who was one of his early inspirations. Cantu worked at Trotter's for four years, attaining the position of sous chef. In 2003, Cantu was recruited by restaurateur Joseph De Vito to open a new restaurant; De Vito originally envisioned something relatively safe, say Asian fusion, but after tasting Cantu's unique creations, was persuaded otherwise--Moto opened on January 12, 2004.

Moto, which in Japanese can translate to "idea," "taste," or "desire," is one of the restaurants most linked with molecular gastronomy. Though that movement is associated with blending food and science, Moto's objective is to apply principles of both science and art to cuisine. The kitchen is, therefore, simultaneously a canvas and a laboratory, focusing not only on comestibles, but on tools, packaging, and delivery. The output of said kitchen utilizes classical ingredients intertwined with such novelties as Class IV lasers (Cantu first demonstrated this in 2006), helium, Cantu's "food replicator" (an inkjet printer that creates "edible surfaces"), ion particle guns, and, of course, liquid nitrogen.

The goal here, though, is not merely shock value. Cantu has stated that his desire is to challenge convention, to change the way that people perceive and consume food. Accordingly, the postmodern cuisine at Moto tends toward reinvention or transformation, the deconstruction of what can amount to "comfort food" and its subsequent resurrection and reconstitution in a familiar, yet totally different form. Thus, good or bad, I knew that Moto'd at least be interesting.


Moto is situated in Chicago's Fulton Market neighborhood. The area was originally a meatpacking and food-warehousing district, but has evolved into a somewhat trendy locale, home to art galleries, apartment lofts, boutiques, and upscale restaurants (it reminded me of the R23's surroundings). There are still, however, numerous active warehouses in the vicinity, many of which handle fresh fish products; that fact explains the rather malodorous stench that occurs just outside the restaurant. Moto's sister restaurant, Otom, lies almost immediately to the west.


Given Moto's repute, the restaurant's interior was much more restrained that I'd imagined, awash in subtle shades of lime green (Cantu's favorite color). Up in front, the lounge handles 20 diners, while there is also a private room for 30. However, we were seated in the main dining room, which accommodates 46.

Interestingly, seated next us was Chef Domenic Chiaromonte of Match restaurant near Toronto. Chiaromonte worked under Chicago's own Charlie Trotter, and, much like Cantu, is a noted proponent of molecular gastronomy and food as art. If you're heading up to Toronto, I'd put Match on your list to consider.


Each night, Moto offers up a 10-course tasting menu for $115, or the 20-course GTM (Grand Tasting Menu) for $175. The 10-courser is actually comprised of a subset of dishes on the GTM, but with different names; below, I've included both sets of nomenclature. Wine pairings, selected by Sommelier Matthew Gundlach, can be had for a reasonable $70 or $90, respectively. Click for larger versions.


As we've been prone to doing as of late, we started off with a couple cocktails. I ordered up a Fulton Sunset [$12], consisting of gin, white grape juice, brandy, and lime. The grape juice gave the drink a sweet attack, with the gin and brandy coming into play later. Meanwhile, the spear of frozen grapes added a playful touch, and also served as a powerful foil to the alcohol.

My dining companion initially wanted a cucumber gimlet, but Moto didn't have cucumbers in stock. Our server tried to procure one from Otom next door, but no luck there either, so in its place was the Martini Library [$10]. The "library" consisted of red, blue, green, and white, with each color corresponding to a different drink: negroni, gin martini, melon martini, lemon drop. The drinks themselves were done by the book, so it was really the presentation that made this "cocktail" interesting. The use of pipettes made the drink visually stunning, and we had great fun squeezing the individual tubes into our mouths.


Amuse Bouche: Tuscan Garlic Bread Menu
I mentioned Moto's signature "edible surfaces" earlier, made with the help of an inkjet printer. Here is the most famous use of that technology: the infamous edible menu. Cantu uses a vegetable-based ink to print on a soybean and potato starch "paper." That paper is then affixed to a slice of garlic bread, and served with pickled ramps, balsamic vinegar, ramp butter, and pink Hawaiian salt. Taste-wise, the menu was fairly ordinary, but was nicely accented by the tanginess of the ramps.


1: PARMESAN & rice / INSTANT risotto
laurent perrier, BRUT L-P, tours sur marne, brut, nv
Our first course consisted of puffed jasmine rice, Parmesan, basil oil, and a fish our server called "blueberry bass;" the fish is more traditionally known as blackfish or tautog, a type of wrasse. But no matter the name, the fish was good eatin', with a pleasing firm texture, lean consistency, and rich flavor. The key with this dish, though, was the "instant" risotto. It had a fantastic crunchy texture which went beautifully with the fish, especially when mixed with the cheesy Parmigiano and basil oil. The paired Champagne was prototypical of the style, showing plenty of bready notes along with some fruity/floral flavors. A great start to the meal.



2: BREAKFAST with gazpacho / DENVER OMELET & muffin
balthazar ress, OESTRICHER DOOSBERG SPATLESE, riesling, rheingau 1995
We have here three seemingly disparate "breakfast" items that, when taken together, supposedly replicate the flavor of gazpacho (Spanish chilled tomato-based vegetable soup). First was a shrimp cake Tater Tot, which was a bit too tough for me, and tasted like an Asian-style shrimp paste cake. In the middle was a preparation of "scrambled egg," but really containing no egg at all. Instead, it was made of carrot juice and olive oil, and further flavored with cucumber, pepper, and tomato; the end result was sweet and refreshing--the veggie components of the "gazpacho." Finally, taking the place of stale bread, we had a puffed garlic "English muffin," with vegan popcorn butter. Think of a savory, unbelievably ethereal meringue and you get the idea. I ended up tasting each component individually, and was left wanting. It was only when I put it all in my mouth that everything "clicked." It wasn't a dead ringer for gazpacho, but rather a reasonably good approximation. The paired wine was a Riesling Spätlese, which had an intensely honeyed bouquet reminiscent of Sauternes. However, that nose belied its flavor, which was drier and not heavy at all, actually providing a nice crisp accompaniment to the course--quite remarkable for a 14 year old Riesling!


3: FRENCH ONION soup / GRUYERE & onions
ramey, chardonnay, russian river valley 2006
The French onion soup here had most of the traditional ingredients at play: gruyere cheese, caramelized onion, and onion chip (to take the place of croutons), all in an onion soup stock. As you'd expected, it was a heavy potage with a correspondingly heady aroma. Flavor-wise, there were no tricks here; it tasted as it should. What was interesting was the onion chip, which had a great crunch and reminded me of Asian shrimp crackers. The paired Chard, from Ramey, was about what I expected from a California bottling. It was decent on its own, lightly honeyed and oaky, with a buttery finish. However, the intensity of the soup really changed the character of the wine, bringing out its latent acidity and crisp minerality.


4: GREEK salad
Contained in the pipette was a so-called Greek salad liquid, containing the quintessence of cucumber, tomato, onion, and oregano--the building blocks of a real Greek salad. The pipette was embedded in a cube of feta cheese, another essential Greek ingredient; the final piece of the puzzle was a small basil leaf. I really enjoyed the bracing, refreshing liquid and how it worked in tandem with the heavy, substantial piece of cheese. The marrow of Greek salad was nicely captured here.


5: POISSON frites
nigl, FREIHEIT, gruner veltliner, kamptal 2007
Cantu's version of the ubiquitous pommes frites substitutes monkfish for potato. The end result was that the "fries" had a firm, chewy texture not unlike that of fried squid. They were wonderfully salty, as fries should be, so the included paper cup of chili cheese sauce, which was reminiscent of the little flavor packet that comes with instant ramen, wasn't strictly necessary. Give me an entire basket of this!


It was time for me to reload on the cocktail front. Here we have a Stormy Night [$12], a concoction of dark rum, fresh ginger, and egg white froth. Both my dining companion and I agreed that this tasted like a root beer float! It was the interplay of creamy, bittersweet, and eggy flavors that did it.


6: BISCUIT crème brûlée
calera, viognier, mt. harlan 2007
First we have a rich, savory honey-soy crème brûlée topped with maple flake. Then comes a bacon cookie with white truffle powder. Taken alone, the crème brûlée wasn't anything special; the cookie, however, was sugary, yet simultaneously salty, with an intoxicating aroma of truffle. Eaten together, the two provided a fascinating interplay of sweet and savory, of different tastes and textures. The wine, a Viognier, showed light tropical fruit flavors with a touch of vanilla. It linked up nicely with the saccharine aspects of the food, while balancing out the more pungent components.


7: SEARED buffalo hot wings / HOUSE-made pequin capon
unibroue, LA FIN DU MONDE, chambly
Buffalo wings, Moto style, consisting of chicken leg and breast, braised celery, pecan chili, blue cheese celery purée, and more of that edible paper (this time flavored with Buffalo wing sauce). The chicken itself reminded me of chicken salad, and the cheese was similar to the cheese that comes with Handi-Snacks (a childhood staple of mine)! Eating everything together was immensely enjoyable, making this my favorite course of the night. A note about the somewhat tongue-in-cheek name of this course: a capon is a castrated male chicken, and a pequin is a type of chile pepper, also known as "bird pepper." And the wine pairing? Well forget hoity-toity wine, we're having wings here, so beer is the potable of choice! But since this was Moto, they wouldn't be so gauche as to pair a Natty Light (the beer I'd usually drink with wings). Rather, we got a Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde, a delectable Tripel ale with lovely stonefruit, spice, and herbaceous notes that really showed well with the chicken.


8: ARNOLD palmer
A bit of a palate cleanser after the gravity of the previous course. An Arnold Palmer is one of my nonalcoholic drinks of choice, and is comprised of an equal split of lemonade and iced tea (a mix of black and white tea, here). Anecdotally, the drink came about when a bartender at a country club resisted mixing lemonade in Palmer's iced tea. In any case, it was served here in granité form, and after adjusting to the bracing coldness of the dish, I found that the lemon clearly dominates, with the tea almost providing a savory counterpoint.


9: BAGEL with lox
trenel, chiroubles 2007
After the "BISCUIT crème brûlée" course, we were brought these beakers and told that they contained salmon and thyme smoke. The idea was to smoke the salmon at the table while we ate (à la Cantu's "polymer box"). After a couple courses, the salmon was ready, and we were given a bowl filled with bagel cream cheese, bagel croutons, red wine onion, and capers. The fish itself was akin to a very smoky preparation of smoked salmon, with a slightly dry consistency. Unfortunately, the accoutrements dominated the flavor of the salmon when eaten together, and its natural flavor was lost. I really would've appreciated more fish, in order to balance out the flavors a bit. A fierce course like this requires an equally fervid wine. The Beaujolais was definitely up to the task, showing plenty of meaty, smoky flavors; it was too much for me by itself, but was tempered nicely by the food.


10: CUBAN pork sandwich / CUBAN cigar
catherine & pierre breton, FRANC DE PIED, cabernet franc, bourgueil 2005
A traditional Cuban sandwich contains pork (both roasted and ham), cheese, pickles, and mustard; it was popular amongst cigar factory workers, so the presentation here does make some sense. And about that presentation, I must say that it was one of the most shocking I've seen in a while! Cantu's interpretation of the classic is made from pulled pork, pickled cucumber and onion, white bread, red bell pepper purée, an edible paper band, a collard green wrap, and dusted with black and white sesame "ash." The result is a tasty dish, with the pork providing a lovely sweet-smoky contrast, the pickles giving a pleasing tang, and the collard greens adding a great snap and crispness. Clearly, this dish isn't just about the taste though, which is typical. Rather it's about the relationship of appearance and associated perceptions. When I saw this, my mind was thinking "cigar," thus indicating to me that eating such a thing would be quite displeasurable. However, when I bit into the "cigar," I tasted something delicious, and that ensuing disconcerting feeling caused by these two contradictory ideas, that cognitive dissonance, is what makes this dish brilliant.


11: DELI-STYLE pasta / REUBEN lasagna
escarpment, pinot noir, martinborough 2006
Think lasagna, but done with items you might find at your local delicatessen: corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, dill potato chip, and caraway-semolina dressing--most all the ingredients needed for a Reuben sandwich. The beef was great with the cheese, a classic combination really, while the tart kraut was effective in balancing its weight. The caraway, meanwhile, mimicked the nature of rye bread, and the dill recalled the essence of smoked salmon and dill pickles. A powerful dish, it needed a masculine wine to pair with. The Escarpment was up to the task, demonstrating loads of black cherry, pepper, and smoke, with a distinctly tannic finish.


12: DUCK & molé / MEXICAN cannoli
truchard, zinfandel, carneros 2005
Here, Cantu toys with our expectations and perceptions once again. When this was brought to the table, I immediately thought "cannoli" and had sweet thoughts dancing in my mind. Instead, upon tasting it, I was presented with a sensation not unlike eating a fancy taquito. Yes, this was an admixture of braised duck meat and sour cream, rolled in a crispy tortilla, topped with jalapeño powder and laced with mole sauce. The duck alone was great--tender, juicy, and flavorful. It was balanced by the tartness of the sour cream and nicely accented by the mole, which contained elements of both smoky and sweet (mole contains cacao, so it was a good stand in for chocolate sauce here). I quite enjoyed the paired wine, a Zin from Truchard. It was a heavy wine that displayed lots of raisin, dark fruit, and mint, layered over a base of smoke and earth.


13: PRIME RIB & bone marrow
alma negra malbec/bonarda, mendoza 2007
Our last savory course came on a so-called "battleship plate," named in honor of the board game by Milton Bradley (another childhood standby of mine, though my favorite is still Connect Four!). Attached to the plate are Cantu's aromatic utensils: forks and spoons with corkscrew handles holding sprigs of thyme and rosemary--the effect was similar to that of the burning rosemary centerpiece at Alinea. On the plate were three pieces of triple-seared prime rib, a bit of parsley-black truffle bone marrow wrapped in potato, and mushroom, all tied together by a cauliflower-white truffle purée spread about the plate in an apparent homage to Jackson Pollock. Despite all this, the flavors here were very traditional. The beef was superb, and easily stood on its own. The complex of the mushroom and purée was quite salty, and so it was best to use only a small dollop of the stuff with the beef, to infuse the meat with a just a subtle bit of that signature truffle aroma. The marrow, meanwhile, was surprisingly light, and I loved the use of potato as a sort of faux bone.


14: STRAWBERRY flakes? / YOGURT parfait
With the savories dispensed with, it was time to witness the desserts of Pastry Chef Ben Roche. We were first brought this shallow square bowl, filled with vanilla-infused sweet soy milk. Later, our server arrived with a canister of liquid nitrogen and proceeded to scoop out bits of frozen corn flakes and strawberries. The overall effect was like eating corn flakes with dehydrated strawberry, with the added benefit of liquid nitrogen adding a bit of gaseous fanfare, à la José Andrés' "Dragon's Breath" at Saam. The best part of this, though, was the leftover milk, which was intensely sweet and cinnamon-y, like the leftover milk from a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch!


15: POPPYSEED & lemon
Lemon poppy cake, topped with candied lemon zest, with blueberry lavender cream. While this looked like a simple piece of cake, it was actually much more interesting. The dessert had a fantastic consistency that was half way in between cake and ice cream--a real "ice cream cake," if you will. Think of ice cream, but suspended in a matrix of bread, giving it a incredible light, airy, gossamer texture. The cake's delicate lemon flavor was then accented by the sharp lemon zest and sweet blueberry cream, all over a backdrop of poppy seed.


16: CORN cake / BLACKBERRY & corn
This was a hot corn cake with a caramel center, topped with saffron-lemongrass foam, with blackberry purée and blackberry chunks. The cake itself was akin to cornbread--heavy and dense, with the subtle sweetness of the corn apparent. It was fairly monolithic unfortunately, though this was partly tempered by the use of a tart blueberry sauce. A bit underwhelming, I think that this might have been better had it been served chilled.


17: ACME s'mores
A popular campfire treat, s'mores (short for "some more") consist of marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between graham cracker. Cantu's version is a chocolate sphere with marshmallow base and fuse, filled with graham cracker liquid. The "ACME" is in reference to the Acme Corporation ("A Company that Makes Everything"), Wile E. Coyote's vendor of choice in his never-ending quest to catch the Road Runner. Our server used a blowtorch to light the "fuse," and instructed us to eat the bombe in one bite. Once in my mouth, it exploded instantly upon mastication, coating my tongue with its sweet liquid filling (the sensation was like that of the lollipops at Providence). The taste was similar to that of an actual s'more, even down to the bitter flavor of the charred marshmallow.


18: BURGER with ketchup
domaines de durban, muscat de beaumes-de-venise 2006
At around 1.5 inches in diameter, this would be a strong contender for the title of the world's smallest hamburger (that's not really a hamburger). What we had was ground chocolate, banana purée, maraschino, and lettuce, sandwiched in a sesame-peanut bun. I liked the concept here, but the peanut was just too overpowering, making the dessert taste like a Snickers bar.


19: ICE CREAM sandwich
This was an ice cream sandwich, literally. The "meat" was coffee ice cream, while mascarpone ice cream doubled for the "cheese." The bread was made from ladyfingers, replete with cocoa powder "grill marks." The resulting amalgam recalled tiramisu, with a rather dominant coffee flavor. The sandwich was served with a delightful cup of warm biscotti soup, which provided a rich, spicy contrast to the dessert.


20: CLASSIC pudding / CHOCOLATE-covered raisins
sutton cellars, LA SOLERA 2ND BOTTLING, sonoma
Dark chocolate brownie, raisins, coconut ice cream smoked with corn, raisin and pumpkin purées, and vanilla powder. The key here was the interaction between the sweet and sour components of the dessert, with the chocolate and raisins performing a passable interpretation of chocolate-covered raisins. However, the best part for me was the ice cream, which was uncommonly dense and heavy, with the sweetness of coconut balanced by the savory component of the corn. This wasn't a bad dessert, but I expected a stronger, more forceful close to the meal.


And finally, the check. Note the 18% service charge, even for a party of two. At least it was less than the 20% at L2O!

If we examine just the flavor of the food at Moto, we would come to the conclusion that it's solid, but somewhat pedestrian. However, that would be missing the point. If we view Moto's raison d'être as challenging perceptions and the status quo, then it is much more successful to be sure. Cantu combines classical flavors and hypermodern technique with his almost childlike waggishness, resulting in inherently deconstructivist cuisine that is whimsical and playful more than anything, but also creative, artistic, jarring, fanciful, and thought provoking. That last point is an important one. The food isn't as much about taste as it is about how that taste is achieved--the food is cerebral in a sense. It caused me to really think, to contemplate, which, given the amount of viand I consume in the name of haute cuisine, is a worthy achievement indeed.

Pizzeria Uno (Chicago, IL)

Pizzeria Uno
29 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611
312.321.1000
www.unos.com
Mon 05/18/2009, 11:55p-12:25a



A visit to Chicago just wouldn't be complete without a sampling of the City's pizza. After dinner at L2O, we were full, but not stuffed--we had pizza on the brain. We'd actually asked our servers at L2O, Christina and Christine, for some recommendations, and they'd tossed out names like Pie-Eyed, Piece, and Pizano's. Thus, on our cab ride back, we made some phone calls, but none of the places would take our order! Exhausted, we told our cabbie to head over to the grande dame of Chicago pizza: Pizzeria Uno. On my last trip to the City, I'd tried Giordano's and Gino's East, so this time around, it seemed fitting to try a pie from the last member of the Chicago pizza triumvirate.

Yes, according to the official company line, the famous Chicago-style deep-dish pizza was created in 1943 by Uno's founder and University of Texas footballer Ike Sewell. Some, however, claim that Uno's employee Rudy Malnati invented it (his son Rudy Jr. runs Pizano's, while another owns Lou Malnati's)--that actually seems more plausible to me. Or, perhaps, the pizza was the creation of co-owner Rick Ricardo; this would corroborate the assertion that Pizzeria Uno was actually known as Pizzeria Ricardo originally. I'm not sure which line to believe; perhaps the truth has been lost to history.

In any case, due to the restaurant's success, Sewell opened Pizzeria Due just up the street in 1955, and also launched Mexican eatery Su Casa in 1965. Uno's started franchising around 1980, and currently operates over 200 restaurants in the US and abroad. The company is now based in Boston and, ironically, doesn't have any restaurants in Chicago proper outside of the three mentioned above. Uno also runs concessions at airports and stadiums, and markets a brand of frozen pizzas.

As for the restaurants themselves, menus have expanded to include scores of non-pizza items, and the original deep-dish is only a small part of the selection. However, it is important to note that the flagship Pizzeria Uno retains, for the most part, the original menu. Because of this, it offers up a slice of pizza history, and as a result, is a popular destination for both tourists and native Chicagoans. I've heard that a pizza order can take nearly an hour to fulfill, so I guess there are benefits to showing up at midnight!


Once the cab dropped us off, we entered and promptly took a seat at the bar. The decor is about what I expected--charming in its own way, albeit a bit cramped.


Knowing that the pizza would take a while, I ordered up a pint of the house amber ale [$5.99]. It was solid, though not stellar, with a slight malty sweetness, balanced with an overarching mild hoppiness. Since we'd be taking the pizza to go, we also picked up a six-pack of Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA from Ben'z Liquors a few doors down. As expected, it was a bitter, hoppy beer with some sweet citrus and vegetal flavors to balance it out; it went well enough with the pizza.


Small Deep-Dish Pizza with Sausage and Pepperoni [$16.08]
So here we are, back at the hotel, eager to tear into some pie. Uno's pizza is pretty prototypical of the traditional Chicago deep-dish style. It starts with a substantial crust, laid out into a pan, with the sides pulled up high. This "bowl" is then covered with cheese, meats, and various other toppings, before being finished with tomato sauce. The end result was a tasty contraption, with a pleasing interplay between meat, cheese, and sauce. While the pepperoni was fairly typical, the sausage was something special: it was more like a patty and had a nice herbal tang to it. The sauce, meanwhile, could've been tarter, but that wasn't a big deal. My only real complaint was the crust, which was a bit too buttery, a bit too tough, and a bit too imposing for my tastes. Despite that, the pizza on the whole was quite enjoyable--I wouldn't mind one now in fact! Nevertheless, I think I still prefer Giordano's.

L2O (Chicago, IL)

L2O
2300 N Lincoln Park W, Chicago, IL 60614
773.868.0002
www.l2orestaurant.com
Mon 05/18/2009, 07:00p-11:50p



Opened in May 2008, L2O ("el-two-oh") may be the proverbial new kid on the block, but the restaurant has already taken its place among the pantheon of Chicago's great eateries. This modern temple to seafood is the work of French native Laurent Gras. The chef first made his way to the States in 1997, helming the kitchen at the Waldorf-Astoria's Peacock Alley, eventually garnering a three-star review from the New York Times. Before that, Gras worked his way around various Michelin-starred establishments in France, along the way learning from such legends as Alain Ducasse, Jacques Maximin, Guy Savoy, and Alain Senderens. Gras left Peacock Alley in 2001, moving across the country to San Francisco to assume the position of Executive Chef at Fifth Floor, where he achieved considerable fame and critical acclaim, earning Food & Wine’s 2002 Best Chef honor and San Francisco magazine's Chef of the Year title.

In 2005, Gras returned to New York, this time working at Bistro du Vent, a French bistro concept; he also dabbled in consulting during this period. Gras was not satisfied, however, and rumors began to spread in 2007 that he was planning an exciting new seafood restaurant in Chicago. L2O was the result, and the restaurant began receiving considerable amounts of buzz, even before opening, thanks in part to Gras' blog chronicling the process. And when L2O did finally open, it quickly captured a four-star review from the Chicago Tribune as well as the hearts and minds of countless Chicago diners, who praised Gras' daring approach to seafood, blending French, Japanese, and contemporary (or dare I say, "molecular") techniques.


L2O is situated off the lobby of the landmark Belden Stratford hotel, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park district. Ambria, one of Chicago's great French eateries, occupied the space for 30 years prior.


Compared to Ambria's classic Art Nouveau dining room, L2O's space, designed by Chicago-based Dirk Denison Architects, is soft, subtle, and serene. The room is divided into distinct areas by floor-to-ceiling Macassar ebony columns, 600 stainless steel cables, and etched and frosted glass panels. Off-white "b_sit" leather chairs from Haworth, dark ebony tables, and light Sen wood paneled walls complete the look in alternating tones of dark and light.


However, we would be bypassing the main dining room for the tatami rooms, inspired by Gras' stays in ryokan throughout Japan. The rooms are surrounded with grass tatami mats and are accessed by two sets of sliding doors, one for diners, and one for servers. There were actually two rearrangable rooms--ours seated two, while an adjacent, larger room had a capacity of six. Guests sit on low chairs directly on the mats; there is a cutout for your feet (and yes, you must remove your shoes!), so it is actually quite comfortable. Tables are made of Alaskan yellow cedar, and are sanded daily to release the aroma of the wood (a featured reminiscent of Urasawa). Diners have a choice of the standard 12-course dégustation, or, more appropriately, a 14-course menu inspired by kaiseki, a traditional multi-course Japanese meal.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the tatami room is the service, which is handled by only two servers (though I've heard of cases in which only one server was utilized), both dressed in Japanese-inspired garb (normal servers wear suits by "Z" Zegna and Elie Tahari). They were named, somewhat confusingly, Christina and Christine, and provided exemplary service throughout the night, up to and including securing a taxi cab for our ride back to the hotel.


At the end of the meal, we were provided with a copy of the kaiseki menu [$225]. Though 19 courses are listed, the first five comprise a sakizuke (amuse bouche) course, and are thus combined into one. A wine pairing is available for an additional $90 per person. Click for a larger version.


L2O takes its cocktails seriously, and the results are evident. The restaurant's most popular drink is the L2O Gimlet [$17], made with Plymouth, House Lime Cordial, and Aperol. The use of Plymouth gin adds a bit of sweetness compared to standard dry gin. This is accented by the sharp tartness of the house-made lime cordial, and the astringent flavor of Aperol, an Italian aperitif flavored with bitter orange, rhubarb, gentian, and cinchona (think Campari). The end result is sweet, sour, with strong citrus notes--familiar, yet with a twist.

We also had The Norman [$18], with Lecompte Calvados and Lang Beerenauslese. The use of calvados (produced in Lower Normandy, hence the cocktail's name), basically an apple brandy, gave the drink an almost bourbon-like character, with distinct notes of wood and smoke, intermixed with hints of apple. Only a hint of the sweet beerenauslese (a late harvest wine made from botrytized grapes) shined through.


The bread program at L2O is also a source of pride for the restaurant, and all breads, as well as the butter, is homemade. Bread is baked once before dinner service, and once again in the middle; this is to ensure that the bread is served at optimal temperatures. Butter is made from organic cream from grass-fed cows, sourced from local artisanal farms. Breads included: a bitter, tangy whole wheat; a prototypical demi-baguette; a nutty pretzel-esque bread; a very rustic rye-like country bread; a wonderful, butter, flaky rosemary croissant; a sweet red onion epi that reminded me of Chinese spring onion bun; and finally an Asiago cheese bread that was brought later in the meal (right photo).


1a: Oyster | Sake, Red Wine Vinegar
Szegeti, Gruner Veltliner, Sekt, Austria NV
The first of our quintet of amuses was a Rhode Island oyster served with frozen sake and tapioca pearls. The bracing attack of the dish was dominated by alcoholic notes of sake, but this quickly gave way to the sharp, briny flavor of oyster, devoid of the mollusk's signature sweetness. The firm, chewy tapioca balls, meanwhile, provided an interesting texture contrast to the slimy oyster. A Grüner-based Sekt was paired for all five amuses, and it showed a light, crisp, dry minerality with a great effervescence that complemented the seafood well; GV wouldn't be the first wine I'd reach for, but it worked in this case.


1b: Tuna | Foie Gras
Szegeti, Gruner Veltliner, Sekt, Austria NV
Tuna and foie gras is a combination that I don't think I've experienced before. Here we had a beautiful, crimson rectangle of ahi tuna, topped with shaved foie gras. The tuna was dense, creamy, with a clean, crisp flavor as expected. The foie "snow," on the other hand, was almost ethereal in body, adding a gossamer essence of liver to the finish.


1c: Smoked Salmon | Earl Grey
Szegeti, Gruner Veltliner, Sekt, Austria NV
For this dish, Gras first cures the salmon with sea salt, sugar, and Earl Grey. He then uses an Enviro-Pak cold smoker to smoke the fish for nine hours at around 60ºF and 40% humidity. The result is a meaty, heavy fish, distinctly salmon, but with hints of pepper, smoke, and bergamot orange, elements which balance the gravity of the fish. The salmon was served with a translucent ginger noodle, which was rather flavorless; it was mostly there to make things more interesting texturally.


1d: Escolar Jamón | Espelette
Szegeti, Gruner Veltliner, Sekt, Austria NV
This was escolar, a.k.a. "butterfish," done ham-style, which in this case meant cured with espelette pepper. The dry curing of the fish accented the escolar's richness and added a salty tang, resulting in an experience not unlike eating ham. The small piece of greenery, crystal ice lettuce, meanwhile, gave the dish a somewhat vegetal finish.


1e: Kinmedai
Szegeti, Gruner Veltliner, Sekt, Austria NV
The last of the sakizuke was kinmedai, also known as alfonsino or golden eye snapper, served with shiso flower and ginger oil. It had a delightfully pink, tender, flesh with delicate fishy notes deftly matched with the subtly sweet, floral nature of its accoutrements. Very nice.


2: Medai | Salmon Roe, Shiso Flower
Ichishima, Silk Deluxe, Junmai, Niigata
Japanese butterfish, with red shiso, ikura, and ginger noodle. The fish itself was tasty enough, clean and firm, but the key was to eat everything together. This resulted in a salty attack, mainly due to the ikura, and a minty, shiso-tinged finish. The ginger noodle, as was the case with the salmon, was there mostly for texture. The medai was paired with a junmai-class sake (65% seimaibuai), which had a rather heady nose and was sweet, smooth, and soft on the palate. It had enough acidity to stand up to the fish, and in fact, really accentuated its brininess.




3: Sashimi | Ginger, Wasabi
Ichishima, Silk Deluxe, Junmai, Niigata
Next up was a trio of sashimi, served with wasabi, ponzu soy spheres, and an airy, smoky-sweet soy meringue:

• Medai - This was Japanese butterfish, the same fish used in the previous course. Again, I found it firm, clean, and mild, with the shiso flower adding just a bit of tang. Very good.
• Kinmedai - The golden eye snapper was topped with a sliver of ginger; the pungency of the root was a superb accompaniment to the fish. Excellent with wasabi too.
• Shima Aji - Striped jack or yellowjack with yuzu kosho. Yuzu kosho is a spicy Japanese condiment made from yuzu zest, chili peppers, and salt; it provided an absolutely fantastic spiciness that complemented, yet did not overpower, the richness of the fish. My favorite of the troika.

4: Nameko | Asparagus
Riesling Kabinett, Dr. H. Bergweiler, Germany, 2007
Though the menu says asparagus, I'm sure that this was English pea with nameko (a small, gelatinous mushroom used in miso soup and nabemono) in an English pea purée. Compared to the preceding dishes, this was much heartier, with a pleasing interplay between the fresh, vegetal notes of the peas and the rich, earthy mushroom. Interestingly, the nameko was more apparent upon initial taste, with the pea providing a lingering finish--both elements were distinct, yet complementary. I also greatly enjoyed the firm texture contrast provided by the peas. The Kabinett-class Riesling was a quintessential expression of the style, and really reminded me of everything I like about the varietal. Sweet, easy-drinking, with apple and lemon curd, it stood up to the dish nicely.


5: Tofu | Itogaki, White Soy
Moscatel Seco, Botani, Jorge Ordoñez, Sierras de Malaga, Spain 2008
By now, everyone should be familiar with katsuobushi, basically dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna (bonito). Well, the itogaki refers to a similar ingredient, but made from blue fin tuna. Here, it was used to complement tofu, along with ginger oil, scallion, shiso flower, and white miso broth. The tofu, with its wonderful silky soft texture, was almost flavorless on its own. It acted as a canvas for the other ingredients, specifically the tanginess of the ginger-scallion complex and the light smokiness of the itogaki.


6: Octopus | Coconut, Togarashi, Soy Salt
Moscatel Seco, Botani, Jorge Ordoñez, Sierras de Malaga, Spain 2008
Gras is a proponent of marrying octopus with olive oil, stemming back to his experiences as a child in southeastern France, catching octopi on the Cap d’Antibes and pressing olives in Fayence. At L2O, he peels the octopuses completely, freezes them to tenderize, and poaches them slowly in olive oil. The result is a very "meaty" tasting tako, contrasting with an almost "fluffy" application of coconut, the dominant flavor here and the key to the sweet-salty contrast of the dish. The wine was Moscatel, a type of Muscat. Its nose was reminiscent of Albariño, with a crisp floral bouquet, but a drier palate. Furthermore, its somewhat tropical flair was a nice link with the strong coconut flavors of the course.


7: Scallop | Champagne
Eisenthur, Dveri-Pax, Lyutomer-Ormoz, Slovenia, 2005
A seemingly simple preparation of Maine diver scallop, cooked in Champagne brown butter. It had a perfect, silken texture, with a slightly tough, caramelized surface. Meanwhile, the brown butter sauce had a rich, intoxicating aroma and a great sweet-sour interplay that nicely complemented the natural sweetness of the mollusk.


8: Lamb Tartar | Shiro Ebi
Eisenthur, Dveri-Pax, Lyutomer-Ormoz, Slovenia, 2005
I'd never think to mix raw lamb and raw shrimp, but Gras did, and it works. What we have here is a disk of lamb tartar, topped with raw white shrimp, an herb salad, tarragon, and peach, served with a side of gold powder (note that I've had gold foil plenty of times, but never gold powder). The lamb had a firm, somewhat chewy consistency--it had a good bite to it. In contrast, the shiro ebi had a pleasing crispness, backed by a creamy body and subtle sweetness. This whole commixture was then heightened and tempered by the intense herbaceousness of the salad, as well as the sweetness of the peach. Excellent.


9: Kampachi | Yuzu Butter, Tapioca
Château de'Esclans Whispering Angel, Côtes de Provence, 2006
Here was a seared kampachi, a type of yellowtail, with hibiscus gelée, grated black lime, tapioca pearls, and yuzu butter. The use of yuzu butter and black lime added a considerable amount of sourness and even a bit of bitterness to the dish, and unfortunately I felt that the flavor of the kampachi was lost. I also wasn't sure about the use of tapioca, which was a bit distracting texturally.


10: Lobster | Surume Ika, Foie Gras
Pinot Noir, Pökl, Bügenland, 2004
This was a combination of rare poached Maine lobster and squid, in a foie gras emulsion. I first tasted the squid, which was tender, yet possessed a great bite. The lobster, on the other hand, was meaty with a nice snap and a subtle sweetness. Both elements were further elevated by the rich foie gras and lobster broth, a delectable soup that added palpable weight and depth to the dish.


11: Pickled Honshimeji | Salmon Roe, Grapefruit
This was a spare, but profound dish leading to the main course, sort of an intermezzo. Mushroom, ikura, and grapefruit, and in a honey liquid. Interesting. So we have the acidity of the pickled 'shrooms, the brininess of ikura, the tanginess of the grapefruit, and the cloying sweetness of honey--oh my! The grapefruit was really the dominant flavor profile here, and the mushroom was actually there more for textural contrast; the finish was strictly honeyed. Overall, each element was discernable, yet part of an integrated whole.


12: Miyazki Wagyu Beef | Sake, Potato
Grenache, The o.g., Betts & Scholl, Barossa Valley, Australia 2006
Miyazaki wagyu refers to wagyu beef raised in Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu island; Miyazaki is one of the larger producers of wagyu in the country, and apparently, only the Japanese Black breed is used there. In any case, the beef was brushed with sake and presented with potato batons, wagyu powder (made from fat), crushed shallot, kale, and rhubarb. The beef itself was only moderately fatty, but still nicely tender and possessing a lovely citrus tang. It was great to eat it with its various accoutrements: the fantastic potato, the sweet shallots, zesty kale, and cool, biting rhubarb. The paired Grenache was quite enjoyable as well, with plenty of dark fruit on the nose, leading to leather, pepper, and earth on the palate.


13: Dashi
The presentation of a mere bowl of dashi was an unexpected "pre-dessert" course. But perhaps its sparse simplicity was the point? No matter, it was hearty, smoky, and savory, draped in a heavy veil of umami.


14: Chocolate | Caramel
Broadbent Madeira, Malmsey, 10 year
Gras has described this dessert as a "cloned egg," in that he uses a silicon mold created from a real egg--a bombe glacée in essence, with salted caramel and whipped cream, frozen, dipped in chocolate, and given a fuzzy, velveteen coating, placed atop praline and espresso snow. Originally, Gras even wanted a "yolk," but this idea was eventually abandoned. The end result is a masterful combination of tastes and textures: the creamy interior, the crunchy shell, the airy praline and espresso flakes; the sweetness of chocolate, tempered with coffee, the saltiness of caramel, the richness of praline--fantastic.


Mignardises
Macarons hold a special place in Gras' heart; he fondly remembers his first real macaron experience 20 years ago at Ladurée, the famed Parisian pâtisserie that invented the modern double-decker macaron. L2O creates a variety of flavors, but this particular one was of salted caramel and brown butter. The sweetness of caramel can be overwhelming, but here, it was deftly tempered by the salt, giving the admixture an almost savory flavor. Mixed with butter and almond powder, the caramel proved to be the perfect filling for the crisp, moist, toothsome shell, the two elements almost fusing into a perfect amalgam.


The automatic 20% tip was a bit presumptuous, though not undeserved, given the level of service.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the scene, L2O rightfully deserves its place among top Chicago restaurants. Laurent Gras makes a strong case at L2O, creating some of the most interesting seafood dishes I've had in recent memory. My only concern is that a kaiseki-styled presentation may not be the best way to experience Gras' cuisine; the fusing of east and west here just seemed a bit discoherent. Thus, I look forward to trying the standard seasonal tasting next time.

Alinea (Chicago, IL) [2]

Alinea
1723 N Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
312.867.0110
www.alinearestaurant.com
Sun 05/17/2009, 09:30p-01:00a



kevinEats probably would not have existed had it not been for Alinea. You see, I'd been interested in food and dining ever since circa 2003 (starting in my undergrad years at Berkeley--think Chez Panisse), but prior to Alinea, I never felt the urge to document any of my experiences. That all changed in August of 2006, when I made my first visit here. The cuisine at Alinea was so creative, so avant garde, so different than anything I'd experienced prior, that I felt positively compelled to document the meal. That sparked the blogging bug for me, and I continued to write, first posting only to MySpace, then expanding to my own domain in April of 2008. I've been wanting to go back for a while, and I felt that a return trip would be especially apropos now, given Alinea's recent capture of the #10 spot on Restaurant magazine's annual "World's 50 Best Restaurants" list.

A bit of history for the uninitiated: Opened in 2005, Alinea is one of the preeminent restaurants in the country (and the world, in fact), serving progressive American cuisine utilizing techniques often associated with the molecular gastronomy movement. Its chef/co-owner is Grant Achatz, the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef for 2008. The Michigan native attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and after graduation, landed a position at Charlie Trotter's, and later at Thomas Keller's French Laundry, where he attained the position of sous chef. In 2001, Achatz moved to Illinois to become the Executive Chef at Trio in Evanston.

Achatz struck out on his own in May of 2005, opening up Alinea in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood to much anticipation and fanfare. The Chicago Tribune bestowed a four-star rating to Alinea within months of opening, as did Chicago magazine. Not too long after, the James Beard Foundation nominated Alinea as the "Best New Restaurant in America." Everything seemed to be going swell until the middle of 2007, when Achatz was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer) of the mouth. After undergoing chemotherapy, Achatz announced in December of 2007 that the cancer had gone into full remission. Though some have expressed concern that the disease may have affected Achatz's sense of taste, few have argued that Alinea has suffered.


Alinea seats about five dozen diners over two floors (we were seated in the upper). The decor is sleek, modern, yet comfortable, highlighted by bare ebony-tinged mahogany tables, custom-made chairs and banquettes, and innovative art pieces. Table spacing was prodigious, and my dining companion even commented that it was like "dining in a museum." On the right, we see a photo of the night's table centerpiece, which changes periodically. Previous incarnations have included ginger, honeycomb, and, on my last visit, a sprig of rosemary. Not just for show, the centerpieces are often used as integral parts of the meal. The rosemary, for example, was used as an aromatic element in a lamb dish; I was curious to see how this unique looking vessel would pan out...


Diners have the option of two menus: a $145 12-course Tasting or a $225 24-course Tour--guess which one I chose. There is some significance to the unique layout of the menu: larger bubbles mean larger portions; darker bubbles signify more intensely flavored dishes; and the farther the bubbles are from the left edge of the menu, the sweeter the course. Click for a larger version.


Throughout the evening, we were brought a variety of breads. These included: a warm, savory napa cabbage and pear cookie with Old Bay seasoning; shallot-thyme brioche, honey cornbread; and a dinner roll. The duo of butters consisted of a goat's milk butter and a house-made cow's milk butter with Hawaiian black lava salt.


1: ROES | traditional garnishes
Cocktail of Henriot Brut with Chartreuse, Akvavit, and Orange Curaçao
To start, we were presented with steelhead and trout roe, served with "traditional" garnishes of bread foam and a dollop of egg-dill crème fraîche. I ate everything together in one bite, and noted an initial sweetness to the amalgam, followed up with a briny midpalate in which the saltiness of the roes became apparent. The finish, meanwhile, was dominated by the dill and sour crème fraîche. This course was paired with an interesting cocktail; it seemed like standard Champagne at first, but then developed added complexity due to the added ingredients (the caraway-flavored akvavit being especially notable).


2: FOIE GRAS | daikon, shiso, yuzu
Max Ferdinand Richter Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese, Mosel 1993
This was easily one of the best preparations of foie gras I've had over the past few years. It was a pâté, but tarted up with a trio of Japanese-inspired ingredients: daikon, shiso, yuzu. They provided a fantastic tartish contrast to the richness of the liver, tempering it at the beginning, but subsequently allowing the foie to come through on the finish. Incredibly, my dining companion, who'd never had foie gras before, really enjoyed this dish. The foie went very well with the wine pairing, an aged German Riesling. Now, I usually drink Rieslings young, so this 1993 era vintage was a change for me. It had a nose of intense apple, followed by a dull acidity and round fruit flavors. It was definitely less bright and less crisp than I'm accustomed to, but this softer version of the varietal paired up nicely with the foie gras.


3: PORK BELLY | iceberg, cucumber, thai distillation
Abbazia de Novacella Kerner, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige 2007
Here, we were instructed to first down the Thai green chili shot, which, though quite mild, gave my mouth a somewhat tingling feeling. The iceberg lettuce cups, placed atop basil seeds, sandwiched a layer of pork belly. The overall effect reminded me of chicken salad! The meat had a distinct sweetness to it, heightened by the use of coconut, and this went well with the cool, crunchy lettuce. In addition, I really liked the use of the basil seeds, which gave the dish a refreshing conclusion.


4: GREEN ALMOND | juniper, gin, lime
A green almond is basically a younger, developing version of the familiar almond, eaten when it's still soft and fleshy. Green almonds have a somewhat sour sapor, and that flavor was accented here by juniper berry, lime zest, and salt. The end result was a sweet nuttiness leading to a bitter, medicinal close. My dining companion compared the taste to "orange seeds."


5: SOFT SHELL CRAB | peas, five spice, duck
Franz Hirtzberger Grauburgunder Smaragd 'Pluris', Wachau, Austria 2003
We have here soft shell crab with hoisin sauce and English peas. The use of hoisin gave the dish a marked sweetness and Chinese-influenced flair, and I think I even detected rice cracker. This seemed to get better the more and more I ate; the saltiness of the crab was tempered by the hoisin and vegetal tang of the peas, and even had a somewhat spicy finish. This course was actually meant to be compared and contrasted with the next one. Note the similarity in ingredients, and the wines, both Pinot Gris, but one from Austria and one from France. The Franz Hirtzberger was the lighter of the two, showing good minerality, hints of stone fruit, and a firm acidity.


6: BLUE CRAB | peas, five spice, duck
Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris 'Cuvée Laurence', Alsace 2003
And now for something similar, but completely different: blue crab "salad," frozen pea purée, cinnamon, ginger, rice milk, and clove. The concoction had a nose of cinnamon, with a taste that was refreshingly sweet. Using the various accoutrements to highlight the natural sweetness of the crab was genius--I wanted a bigger glass of this "crab dessert!" My dining companion, meanwhile, thought that the course had a "holiday" flavor to it (due to the rice milk, cloves, and cinnamon I'm sure). The Pinot Gris here had an almost chocolate flavor, and was much heavier, more viscous, and richer than the preceding version.


7: BLACK TRUFFLE | explosion, romaine, parmesan
Ah, the black truffle explosion, one of Achatz's most recognizable dishes, served in Alinea's signature "anti-plate." He actually developed the dish at Trio, though his first inklings for such a creation stemmed back to his time at French Laundry. A straightforward concept, we have a truffle stock-filled raviolo, topped with a slice of black truffle, lettuce, and cheese. Close your mouth for this one. Upon mastication, an explosion of truffle juice coats your mouth, imbuing your senses with a burst of rich, earthy truffle essence. My thoughts mirrored those of Trio owner Henry Adaniya upon first tasting the dish: "Give me a damn bowl of that thing!"



8: PIGEONNEAU | à la Saint-Clair
Château Lascombes, Margaux, 2004
The instant the wine glass was brought out for this course, I knew something was up. The glass was meant to resemble one that might have been used in the 19th century, during the life of legendary French gourmand Georges Auguste Escoffier. Though Alinea is known for its hypermodern techniques, the point here was contrast--to present a dish using only classical methods available during the 1800's. Escoffier had been an early proponent of squab (young pigeon), and in his magnum opus Le Guide Culinaire, he reportedly offered up 34 variations of the bird--this was number 18. It was a tarte comprised of squab, mushroom, onion, and quenelles of foie gras. The squab was deftly cooked to a tender consistency, complemented by contrasting sweet and savory flavors. The crisp, flaky crust was a pleasure to eat. Though the actual taste of the course was fairly pedestrian (it was like something students would cook in culinary school), I loved the idea, the audacity to serve something like this.


9: BACON | butterscotch, apple, thyme
Another dish revisited from my first meal here, another one of Achatz's signature creations. Compared to last time, the bacon seemed crisper this time around, a welcomed change. The key here, though, isn't necessarily the texture, but the delicate balance between the saltiness of the bacon (which hits you first) and the sweetness of the butterscotch (which lingers), moderated by apple and thyme.


10: SWEET POTATO | bourbon, brown sugar, smoldering cinnamon
Served in the distinctive "Squid" service piece, we have here a fritter of sweet potato flavored with bourbon and brown sugar, impaled on a stick of cinnamon. The nose was intensely cinnamon-y, almost like a churro. The spicy sweetness of the cinnamon linked up nicely with the brown sugar, which is what I tasted first, but also with the woodiness of the bourbon, which lingered on the finish.


11: MUSTARD | passionfruit, allspice
Mustard ice cream--this was a first for me. It actually tasted better than it sounds. It was spicy, indeed, but this was tempered somewhat by the cool temperature of the dish, as well as the passion fruit and allspice complex. What I got was a sweet-spicy interplay, with some savory components as well.


12: HOT POTATO | cold potato, black truffle, butter
Bruno Paillard 'Prémiere Cuvée' Brut Rosé, Reims
The Tour menu at Alinea can be thought of almost as two complete tasting menus back to back. With the previous three sweet courses dispensed with, we start anew with another one of Achatz's most well-known creations. The concept here is to have contrasting hot/cold elements, kept apart until ready to be eaten; the paraffin wax bowl and pin were custom designed with this idea in mind. To eat, simply hold the bowl and pull the pin, releasing the truffle-coated hot potato into the cold truffle and potato soup (think vichyssoise), and shoot it in one gulp. Be careful not to splash your sleeves! I was a bit let down by this dish before, but enjoyed it much more this time around. It works not only because of the hot/cold interplay, but also because of the differences in texture, and the juxtaposition of truffle and potato--how the truffle elevates the common potato to such a lofty status. The course was paired with a rosé Champagne, one that I'd actually ordered by the bottle before at Joël Robuchon. I found the sparkler very toasty, but this characteristic went well with the weightiness of the potato and truffle.


13: YUBA | shrimp, miso, togarashi
Yuba refers to tofu skin, and here it was rolled and transformed into a hard, crunchy stick, then surrounded with gulf shrimp, chives, and shichimi, and then placed in a well of miso-mayonnaise emulsion. The contrast between the crispy yuba and shrimp worked for me here, as did the application of togarashi. However, I felt that the miso was overly sweet, dominating the other components of the dish; I thus limited its application.


14: WHITE ASPARAGUS | sorrel, white pepper, honey
Takasago 'Ginja Shizuki (Divine Droplets)' Junmai Daiginjo Sake, Hokkaido, Japan
All the elements of this dish seem so nicely arranged in the "glass," but alas, your server lifts it up before you know it, spilling the contents haphazardly on your plate. The white asparagus was presented here in a soup-like form, and though not visually apparent, the vegetable's crisp bitterness was clearly present. However, its power was tempered, first by the tangy sorrel purée, then by the fruity tapioca balls. An interesting study in taste, texture, and temperature, as well as presentation.


15: LILAC | scallop, shellfish, honeydew
Albert Mann 'Vieilles Vignes' Auxerrois, Alsace 2006
Razor and littleneck clams, scallops, celery, honeydew foam, lilac pillow. The shellfish were what really made this dish for me; they were done to a fantastic texture and their briny flavor went perfectly with the sharp, tangy celery. The honeydew, surprisingly, wasn't a huge factor in this course for me. The dish had a lingering lilac close, which really went well with the floral, fruity wine.


16: GRAPE | lamb, ash, frisée
A hands-free dish, consisting of an olive oil-poached grape, vine ash, lamb loin, almond cheese, and frisée, all speared on a metal "antenna." To eat, just lean in, and take a bite. The grape, with all of its juicy tartness, was a great complement to the cheese, while the lamb, unfortunately, wasn't particularly apparent.



17: WAGYU BEEF | powdered A-1, potato, chips
K Vintners 'Milbrandt' Syrah, Wahluke Slope, Washington 2006
What we have here is Alinea's fanciful take on the classic combo of steak and potatoes. The steak itself was quintessential Wagyu--rich, fatty, decadent; it would've been great just by itself. Now, I'm of the belief that a good steak can stand alone sans sauce, but I'd make an exception here. I haven't had A1 too many times, but from what I recall, the powdered version here was a fairly good representation flavor wise, with elements of anchovy, raisin, tamarind, and clove. Sprinkled over the beef, it was a superb accoutrement, easily better than the salt and pepper also provided. Remember that centerpiece? Well, our server proceeded to lament that the smell of cooking meat was lacking here. To correct that deficiency, he proceeded to pour hot water into the centerpiece, which was filled with dry ice and aromatics. The resultant mist was to be inhaled while consuming the beef, simulating the smell of the grill--trés cool.


18: LEMON SODA | one bite
This was some sort of "lemon soda" powder, encased in an edible potato starch wrapper. It was tart, as expected, but also a bit salty--a bracing transition from the savories to dessert. It reminded me of those lemon soda packets I used to eat in my childhood!


19: YOGURT | pomegranate, cassia
We have here a hard-shelled yogurt sphere filled with yogurt juice; it exploded in my mouth upon mastication, and its tangy contents went nicely with the sweet pomegranate juice. My dining companion compared this dish's flavor to that of the Indian dessert ras malai.


20: BUBBLE GUM | long pepper, hibiscus, crème fraîche
Our server told us to put our mouths on this cigar-like contraption, and suck, purple end first. It was interesting to first experience the tangy hibiscus, then the creamy crème fraîche, and finally the "bubble gum." I had trouble fitting it all in my mouth. The bubble gum was actually comprised of tapioca pearls cooked in Bubble Yum stock! As a result, it really did taste like bubble gum--a very fun dessert.


21: TRANSPARENCY | of raspberry, yogurt
Think of a thin, hard, brittle raspberry-flavored Fruit Roll-Up, and you have the idea here! Very tart, yet tempered somewhat by the yogurt and rose petal. Note the cool metal clip holder.


22: RHUBARB | goat milk, onion, lavender air
Elio Perrone 'Bigaro', Piedmont, Italy 2008
This was a fascinating play on tastes and textures--the sweet onion cotton candy, goat milk cheesecake, marmalade, ice cream--all the elements seemed so disparate on their own, but together, it worked. I especially appreciated the slight savory component of the onion. The whole amalgamation sat atop a pillow filled with lavender air; the weight of the plate slowly forced out plumes of the lavender aromatics as we continued to devour the dish, adding a nice floral touch to the course. The floral, fruity flavors of the dessert were also present in the paired rosé wine, which was a nice touch.


23: CHOCOLATE | blueberry, tobacco, maple
Smith-Woodhouse 1994 Vintage Port
Here, Alinea takes chocolate to new heights. The blueberries weren't really blueberries, but rather orbs of blueberry gelée imbued with their tangy flavor; the maple syrup was done "spherification" style, encased in a thin membrane and bursting upon being pierced by my fork; the ice cream was incredibly rich and dense, infused with just a bit of tobacco flavor--the highlight of the dish for me. This was a case of dissonant ingredients forming a whole greater than the sum of their parts. The Port was a perfect pairing, showing heady, smoky, raisin-y notes that bound everything together.


24: POUND CAKE | strawberry, lemon, vanilla bean
Having been raised on Sara Lee pound cakes, I felt that this dessert captured the essence of the cake, both in taste and texture. The "cake" was served impaled on a vanilla bean, which imparted its flavor in spades, balanced by a fruity strawberry contrast.


The bill for a party of two. Note the whopping 11.5% sales tax!

In 2006, I prognosticated a Michelin star or two for Achatz and Alinea. Sadly, Michelin has yet to make its way to Chicago, but based on this experience, I'd expect no less than a double when and if the guide arrives in the Windy City. This time around, I found the food sharper, cleaner, more focused, more intentional, and most importantly, tastier. Achatz has certainly grown as a chef, but have I grown as a diner? I think so. The cuisine, the concepts, they make more sense now, though there's still plenty that goes over my head I'm sure. That's not to say that things are old hat now. Hardly in fact. Alinea continues to surprise, to enchant, to incite and to excite, to inspire, and to expand the very notion of what constitutes food--I'd expect nothing less from Achatz and company.

L'Etoile (Madison, WI)

L'Etoile
25 N Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
608.251.0500
www.letoile-restaurant.com
Thu 05/16/2009, 05:00p-07:20p



Regular kevinEats readers may be surprised to find me dining in Wisconsin. I'd come here to visit my former college roommate from Berkeley, who was graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I'd inquired about having a nice dinner while I was in town, and without much hesitation, he avowed that L'Etoile was the best that Madison had to offer, and so off we went.

L'Etoile was founded over 30 years ago, in 1976, by a then 23-year old Odessa Piper. Odessa's focus for L'Etoile was to engender a tight network of local artisanal farmers to supply her nascent eatery, an attitude that pervaded nearly every aspect of the restaurant. In 2005, Odessa sold ownership of L'Etoile and its vast supplier network to her Chef de Cuisine at the time, Tory Miller, and his sister, Traci Miller. Tory, for his part, was formally trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York, and after graduation, worked at a number of establishments, including Eleven Madison Park and Judson Grill, before coming to L'Etoile.

Tory and Traci have arguably expanded Odessa's way of thinking even further. Their passionate support of Wisconsin farmers is evident even before stepping into the restaurant. Local, organic, and naturally-raised ingredients are absolutely key, and the staff at L'Etoile follows a philosophy that celebrates the concept of farm to plate. With this comes a deep, profound respect for the land, the terroir, and its relationship with people, leading to the creation of a burgeoning Wisconsin "slow food" culture that embraces local, seasonal cuisine. However, L'Etoile is not regionally exclusive; although the menu is primarily composed of local ingredients, the restaurant sources products from all over the world when doing so makes sense.


L'Etoile is located in a quaint building in the very heart of Madison, situated on the north corner of Capital Square. Free street parking is available in the surrounding area after 6:00p.


The building actually houses two restaurants: the more casual Café Soleil is on the ground floor, while L'Etoile's second floor dining room overlooks Capital Square.


For University commencement, the restaurant offered up a $70, four-course prix fixe menu. L'Etoile's menus are inspired by the bounty of small, local farmers, paired with classical French technique. This commitment to quality is evident just by reading the menu: Tory is keen to spell out the supplier for nearly every component of every dish on the carte (resulting in some of the most prolix menu descriptions I've ever seen!). A separate page, meanwhile, explicitly pays homage to the featured suppliers (right photo). Click for larger versions.


Canapé: Hickory Nut Crackers
Shortly after being seated, we were presented with plates of Hickory Nut Crackers, topped with Herbed Goat Cheese and Hickory Nut. A simple way to kick things off, the strong initial nuttiness of the bites was nicely tempered by the tangy cheese.


To quench my thirst, I started out with a Godfather [$9], made with Bulleit Bourbon and Disaronno Amaretto, on the rocks. The bittersweet almond flavor of the Amaretto was what I noticed first, but this gradually led to the woody, vanilla-tinged notes of the Bulleit. Nice.


Amuse Bouche: Blue Valley Gardens Asparagus
With Murphy's Organic Cottage Cheese, Pumpkin Seed Oil and Toasted Pepitas. I really enjoyed this, finding the sharp, vegetal flavor of the asparagus tempered expertly by the creamy cottage cheese. The toasted pepitas (basically pumpkin seeds), meanwhile, added a fantastic crunch to the amalgam, as well as a smoky flavor element.


Presented by varietal, L'Etoile's wine list is fairly comprehensive, focusing on smaller growers that offer high-quality and high-value. We ordered a bottle of the 2006 Cline Marsanne/Roussanne, Carneros [$37]. I noted plenty of stone fruit here, with some citrus and pear, all over a crisp minerally base--a sweet, floral, easy-drinking wine.


1a: Warm Blue Valley Gardens Asparagus
With Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms, La Quercia Prosciutto and Shaved SarVecchio Cheese, topped with a Sunnyside up New Century Farm Egg. Although this was an asparagus dish, the vegetable didn't take center stage. Rather, the key here was the interplay between the crisp, bitter asparagus, the rich, creamy egg, and soft, salty ham. All the elements were superbly balanced, leading to a very satisfying experience. My favorite of the appetizers, this actually reminded me a bit of the asparagus I had just days earlier at Canelé.


1b: Cherokee Farm Bison Carpaccio
With Creamy Canopy Gardens Cucumbers, Julienne Primrose Radishes, Mammoth Kohlrabi, Wild Watercress and SarVecchio Cheese topped with Red Wine Vinaigrette. I've had countless carpaccios in my time, but I believe this was the first bison version I've tried; it actually wasn't much different than beef, with a mild flavor that didn't stand out on its own. Instead, the buffalo acted as a canvas on which bracing, biting flavor of the various veggies--cucumbers, radishes, kohlrabi, watercress--interacted with the salty, nutty cheese. The end result was delicious.


1c: Tuscan Style Bread Soup
With Sweet Italian Sausage, Braised JenEhr Tokyo Bekana and Primrose Tatsoi, Black Earth Valley Mushrooms, Brantmeier Spring Garlic, SarVecchio Cheese and Smoky Ramp Broth. The bread provided most of the body of the soup, but the flavor resided in the other elements. I really liked the sweet, savory sausage and how that factor complemented the crisp, sharp vegetables. That interaction drew most of my attention, but the addition of cheese and mushrooms did add even more gravity to the hearty dish.


2a: Coriander Crusted Wild Alaskan King Salmon
With Wild Foraged Morel and Half Free Mushroom Hash, Ying Yeng Green Onions, Grilled Blue Valley Gardens Asparagus and Sauce Maltaise. Texture-wise, the salmon was done just about perfectly--moist, flavorful on the inside, crispy on the outside. I enjoyed the fish on its own, though I felt that its accoutrements did overpower it somewhat, the mushrooms especially. FYI: Sauce Maltaise is a French sauce commonly served with asparagus--think Hollandaise tarted up with blood orange.


2b: Pan-Seared MacFarlane Pheasant
Served with a Brantmeier Spring Garlic Polenta, Blue Skies Black Tuscan Kale and Wild Foraged Morel and Chanterelle Mushroom Ragôut and Cognac Jus. I found the bird here quite delicious, with an absolutely lovely crisp, flavorful skin. Unfortunately, the flesh was a bit dry, and didn't have the juiciness I was looking for. I could've done without the polenta, as I'm not a fan of it in general, but the application of the slightly bitter kale was welcomed.


2c: Dry-Aged Fountain Prairie Farm New York Strip
Served with Driftless Organics Butterball Mashed Potatoes, Blue Valley Gardens Asparagus, Caramelized Harmony Valley Cipollini Onions, Black Earth Valley Mushrooms, finished with Bone Marrow, Beauty Heart Radish and Horseradish Compound Butter and Cabernet Jus. Cut from grass-fed Scottish Highland beef, the strip steak wasn't terribly fatty, though its flavor was definitely there. The accompaniments provided here weren't particularly creative, but they did their job, adding subtle sweet and peppery overtones to the meat.


My second cocktail was the Five-year Plan [$8], comprised of Southern Comfort and Blue Skies cola with local strawberry purée. The mix of ingredients resulted in a soft, fruity palate with pronounced coconut notes. It went down easy.


3a: Selection of Wisconsin Artisan Cheeses
With Toasted Honey-Walnut Bread and Future Fruit Antique Apples. Being in Wisconsin (a state that makes more cheese than any other in the Union), I had to try the fromage course right? Starting from the right, the first cheese was the Benedictine from Carr Valley Cheese Company (a Wisconsin producer with over 100 years of history). Made from sheep, goat, and cow milk, its flavor was mild, tangy, yet so focused. Next up was Fayette Creamery's Little Darling cow's milk cheese. This was harder in consistency, and more rustic, with some earthy undertones and more complexity. Finally, we have a blue cheese from Bleu Mont Dairy. Produced using unpasteurized cow's milk, the cheese was fairly mild for a blue and a bit nutty--very good.


3b: Flourless Chocolate Cake
With Café du Monde Coffee Anglaise. This was a somewhat pedestrian chocolate cake, with a pleasant bitterness nicely set off by the coffee Anglaise. Unexciting, but tasty.


Mignardises
To finish up, we were given plates of caramel corn, which our server referred to as Fiddle Faddle. We also got a plate consisting of tangy miniature passion fruit icebox cakes and bits of candied and chocolate-covered bacon. The bacon was obviously the most interesting item here, with a pronounced sweetness that more than offset its naturally saltiness (taking a page from the Alinea playbook perhaps?).

Despite a few minor missteps, I really relished my time here. L'Etoile is all about top-quality, local, seasonal ingredients, deftly prepared, and in that regard, it succeeds with flying colors. The restaurant's imperative to maintaining its philosophy is apparent in the food, the ambiance, the staff, just about everything--there's something I can definitely appreciate about holding steadfast on such a commitment. L'Etoile seems to be just about the perfect restaurant for a place like Madison, and is definitely worth a try if you're ever in the area.

Canelé (Los Angeles, CA)

Canelé
3219 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
323.666.7133
www.canele-la.com
Thu 05/14/2009, 06:05p-08:35p



My last post covered the 5x5 Chef's Collaborative dinner at Providence. At that meal, Chef Cimarusti and I talked briefly about Canelé, so it's sort of an interesting stroke of coincidence that my next post would be about the place! I was brought here by Aaron of Food Destination, who is organizing a series of dinners to commemorate his departure from sunny Los Angeles to the mean streets of upper Manhattan. Also attending were Christine of Folie à Choisauce, Danny of Kung Food Panda, Fiona of Gourmet Pigs, Josh of Food GPS, and Matt of Mattatouille.

Canelé represents the joint efforts of partners Chef Corina Weibel and General Manager Jane Choi. Weibel had previously worked at such notable establishments as Campanile and Lucques, and with Canelé, she puts forth unfussy, unpretentious fare served in an honest neighborhood setting. Choi, on the other hand, hails from New York, where she ran the show at French eateries Balthazar and Pastis.


Located on the site of the former Osteria Nonni, Canelé is situated in the quaint northeastern LA neighborhood of Atwater Village. Parking is street, and can be tough to secure on Glendale Blvd; try the nearby residential side streets instead (I parked on Brunswick Ave).


The interior is simple, unassuming, and inviting, consisting of a bar (where you can get a good glimpse of the kitchen), a small dining room, and a communal dining table out in front (note: no reservations are taken). The menu can be seen written on a large chalkboard.


Canelé features seasonal Mediterranean-inspired fare accented by Cal-French influences. The menu is small and focused, but still allows for plenty of variety. In addition, the restaurant is now featuring $22 three-course prix fixe options Tuesday through Thursday; these are simpler menus, focusing heavily on comfort foods. There was also an appealing selection of daily specials, announced by our server. Click for larger versions.


Much like the menu, the wine list is short, yet sweet, featuring high-quality, value-conscious selections from lesser-known producers. Corkage is only $10. Click for larger versions.


Bread and butter were competent but unremarkable.


Christine had mentioned her preference for Syrah, so I pulled a bottle of the 2004 Shafer Relentless Syrah from my cellar. A blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah, the wine had a remarkably powerful, aromatic nose of dark fruit that was detectable from across the table. On the palate, I noted bold, brash notes of dark berries, raisin, rock, and spice, all finishing slightly hot and subtly tannic. Note the service using Riedel's "O" series of stemless glassware.


Amuse Bouche: Bresaola
To start, were brought a platter of bresaola, basically salted, cured, and dried beef. It was served in a traditional manner, paired with olive oil, arugula, and lemon. The olive oil drizzle heightened the richness and gravity of the meat, but the use of arugula (or rocket, as Aaron prefers to say) took the bresaola to another level, with the bitterness of the greens providing a superb contrast to the beef.


Brandade with Tomato Confit [$10.00]
Brandade simply refers to a purée of salt cod, olive oil, and milk. Garlic and potato can also be added, as was the case recently at Church & State. Here, the cod, eaten alone, was delicate in flavor, with a nice, lingering saltiness on the finish, but fairly heavy. The brandade was paired with a tomato confit, which provided a sweetness to cut through the richness of the dish; however, I felt that the sweetness was almost too jarring in this instance.


Mussels and Clams [$13.00]
Here, we have a classic preparation of mussels and clams, one of the better variations I've had in recent memory actually. The mollusks were done such that their natural, briny flavor was still intact, but not overpowering. Rather, their taste went superbly with the garlicky broth, and they even had a slightly spicy finish. Aaron was keen on pointing out the superiority of this preparation vis-à-vis that which we had recently at Pizzeria Ortica.


Duck Liver Pate with Cherry Compote [$14.00]
We have here what amounts to a pâté de foie gras, served with a sweet cherry compote, arugula, and toast. The liver by itself was actually surprisingly mild, and thus the sweet compote really provided a great complement, reminding me a bit of the foie gras terrine at XIV. Experiencing the foie with the arugula was enjoyable as well.


Asparagus with Toast, Brown Butter Sauce, and Fried Egg [$11.00]
This asparagus special turned out to be my favorite appetizer. The asparagus itself had great consistency and a crisp, subtly biting flavor. The key though was the egg, which provided a rich, creamy contrast to foil the sharpness of the asparagus. I actually found the bread unnecessary.


Lamb Terrine with Caraway-Beer Sauce and Pickled Green Beans [$11.00]
The terrine, taken alone, was uninspiring. However, when eaten with the tangy caraway sauce, the amalgam was simply superb, with the sauce drawing out flavors and really adding a fantastic complexity to the dish. Interestingly, Aaron compared the terrine's consistency to that of "tuna salad!"


With the starters dispensed with, we decided to pop a bottle of 2006 Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, also from my stash. A great wine, the Shafer had a pronounced, fruity bouquet punctuated by hints of apple. This continued onto the palate, where it was joined with by a crisp minerality, notes of stone fruit, great acidity, and just a touch of spice. It was powerful, yet elegant--overall a very balanced, very good wine.


Salt Roasted Branzino with Parsley and Celery Salad and Caperberries [$22.00]
Unlike with the appetizers, we ordered our own entrées. My selection was the branzino, or European seabass, which Christine also picked. The fish's flesh was nicely tender and juicy, but not overly oily, with a flavor that was actually quite mild. The branzino's delicate saltiness was complemented nicely by the zesty caperberries and tangy salad. Excellent with the Chardonnay.


Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb with Roasted Potatoes and Nicoise Olives [$23.00]
Ordered by Aaron and Danny. I was able to sample a small piece of the meat only here. I noted a pleasing, tender consistency and an enjoyable, though slightly nondescript, flavor--it wasn't gamy at all. We all thought that it would've been better had it been cooked a bit rarer.


Braised Pork Short Ribs with Brussel Sprouts, Grapes, and Toasted Hazelnuts [$22.00]
Probably my favorite main course, the short ribs possessed a flesh that was tender and fatty but not overwhelmingly so. It went superbly with the Syrah. As much as I enjoyed the pork, I think I liked the Brussels sprouts even more; their bitterness was fantastic in tempering the weight of the ribs. Matt was the one who had this.


Duck Confit with Yams, Shallots, Toasted Almonds, and Fig Sherry Sauce [$20.00]
Fiona and Josh had the duck. I was only able to taste a few small slivers of meat. From what I could gather, it seemed like a fairly standard preparation--good but nothing to write home about.


Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toffee and Vanilla Ice Cream [$7.00]
Moving on to dessert, flourless cakes are usually very dense, so this version was actually a bit lighter than I expected, though it was still very rich, and very chewy. Chocolate and ice cream is a textbook pairing, but it works, with the vanilla ice cream balancing the over-the-top sweetness of the cake.


Buena Chica Cheesecake [$7.00]
The cheesecakes here are individually made in small portions. The example here had a hint of lemon over a base of creamy, custard-y cheese; it was dense, but not too heavy. For me though, the best part was the crumbly crust. Don't ask me where the "buena chica" comes from.


Flan [$7.00]
Flan, or crème caramel, consists of a rich custard base topped with caramel. As such, this was a prototypical example of the dessert. Not very interesting, but tasty.


Tarte [$7.00]
This was a special dessert, but unfortunately I don't recall the exact name. In any case, it was made with an intriguing array of ingredients: Swiss chard, spinach, raisin, apple, and crème fraîche. As you can imagine, it had an "interesting" flavor that was a combination of sweet and savory. I didn't love it, and actually found it rather disconcerting to eat.


At the end of the meal, Jane Choi presented us with a tray of canelés. A dinner here just wouldn't seem complete without sampling the restaurant's namesake pastry.

Michael Cimarusti described the food at Canelé as "good" and "simple." I agree on both those accounts. I wouldn't come here to be blown away. Rather, come for uncomplicated but deftly-prepared fare, made using fresh, seasonal ingredients; come to experience the warmth of the staff and of your fellow patrons; come for the friendly "neighborhood" feel. Canelé is Mattatouille's favorite restaurant; I can sort of see why now.

---

After dinner, we parted ways with Josh and drove down the street to Silverlake Wine (2395 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039; 323-662-9024). Much to my surprise, the place was positively buzzing when we arrived.


After grabbing some Li'l Merri's from Cake Monkey and a duo of wines, we staked out a corner in the back. The Li'l Merri's are basically oatmeal cookies sandwiched with maple vanilla buttercream--phenomenal.


The first bottle we chose was the 2008 Charles & Charles Syrah Volume II Talcott Vineyard. A 100% Syrah wine from Columbia Valley, Washington, it was pretty much everything I'd want in a still rosé--light, refreshing, and fruity. Next up was the Australian Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz. I don't have sparkling red wines very often, but perhaps I should! Very jammy and full-bodied, but with just enough bubbles to lighten the mood. A fun wine, the Black Chook went wonderfully with the Li'l Merri's.


My main reason for coming to Silverlake wasn't necessarily the wine, but for the Let's Be Frank hot dog truck, which sets up shop Thursday nights from 5:00-10:30.



The truck was offering up three types of dogs: the Frank Dog (100% Grass-Fed Beef Dog), the Brat Dog (Family-Farmed Pork Dog), and finally, the "Hot" Dog (Spicy Family-Farmed Pork Dog). All were $5 each and came served on freshly baked buns with grilled onions and pickles; we also topped them with ketchup and mustard. My favorite was the "Hot" Dog; its mildly spicy flavor was key for me, and the addition of tangy pickles and onions elevated the dog even further. The Frank Dog, on the other hand, had the best snap, and was tops texturally. It was Aaron's favorite, though he still prefers Pink's or Wurstküche. The Brat Dog, relatively speaking, was middle-of-the-road.


To wash down the franks, beer was most certainly called for. First up was the Lagunitas Pils, a Czech Style Pilsner from Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California. What struck me about this beer was the aroma, which was immensely earthy and bready, with a touch of hops. The taste, meanwhile, was more subdued, with citrus, a mild hoppy bitterness, and a lovely amount of spice--crisp, clean, and very nice. The second brew was the Allagash White from Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. This beer also had an amazing nose, filled with yeast, spice, and citrus. Those flavors continued onto the palate, where they were joined by a some vegetal notes--smooth, balanced, superb. Finally, to wrap things up, we got a bottle of the 2008 Adega de Monção Vinho Verde Fuzelo. Really a quintessential example of the Vinho Verde style, it was light, refreshing, and fruity, with a marked acidity and effervescent body. A great summer wine--very quaffable!

---

Fiona had left during our outing at Silverlake Wine, and Aaron took off afterwards. The remaining four of us walked down the street to Cha Cha Lounge (2375 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039; 323-660-7595), described by Matt as "the hipster bar."



If I had to describe Cha Cha in one word, it'd be "red." Despite the promise of cheap PBR, I had a Stella for $5. Their Bloody Mary's (replete with pickled haricot verts) aren't bad, either.


Here, we see Matt examining the Cha Cha's vending machine. Despite some interesting selections, such as extra large condoms and novelty tampons, Matt opted for a mere Twix bar.


The most interesting thing about Cha Cha, I thought, was the photo booth. I failed to snap a photo of the actual booth, but for only $2, you can get four drunk photos taken. Sweet!