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Archive for August, 2009

Rouge Tomate

Posted in dinner out, tagged on August 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

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Clare and I took advantage of the fact that restaurant week was extended and went to Rouge Tomate. I had heard good things about the farm to table restaurant when Kristen, a friend of ours from culinary school, did a stage there. Rouge Tomate cooks its food according to the principles of S.P.E. which revolves around the elements of sourcing (local, seasonal), preparation (in a way that preserves the nutritional integrity of the food), and enhancement (added nutritional value through menu diversity).

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I will admit right now that my photos of this dinner didn’t come out that well. Clare started with a gazpacho that I’m not posting a photo of because it was blurry. Clare said that it was too salty. I had a panzanella with nectarines. The bread was not crisp enough for me, but that’s probably because they don’t deep fry at Rouge Tomate.

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For her entree, Clare had the steak. I wish I had more information, but the restaurant week menu is no longer up and I don’t remember exactly what was in the dish. Clare seemed pleased with it.

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I went with the gnocchi with summer vegetables. The vegetable were ever-so-lightly cooked which preserved the crispness to the beans and peas. The broth, also very light, was well done, but the gnocchi itself was too mushy.

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For dessert, Clare had the vanilla bean milkshake with figs, served with a fig bar. A solid choice. I tasted some of the shake and it was cold and not too sweet. At the bottom of the glass were fresh figs which were delicious. The fig bar was also good, though I’ve never met a fig bar I didn’t like.

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I had the plum cake which came with fresh plums and plum sorbet. This was my favorite course of the night. The sweetness of the ripe fruits was enough to make the dessert.

We left the restaurant satisfied but not stuffed. I think that there are some things (like fried bread), that just can’t be replicated in a healthful way. Others however (the desserts especially) can and are wonderful. Rouge Tomate is a great place to go if you want food that is beautiful and fancy, but you don’t want to feel like you’ve spoiled your health in the process.

Rouge Tomate on Urbanspoon
Rouge Tomate in New York

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Kyotofu

Posted in lunch out, sweets, tagged on August 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

As part of  Columbia Business School’s orientation, Dave and I (along with our friend Maria, the wife of a CBS student in Dave’s class) took a group of incoming students’ spouses and partners out to lunch. We decided on Kyotofu, a place we have been wanting to try for a while. Owned by a friend of Dave’s cousin, the small restaurant built its reputation serving dessert and has since expanded its savory menu. The menu focuses on the use of fresh, organic ingredients and many dishes (especially the desserts) contain tofu.

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Most lunch dishes come with the choice of soup or salad. I went with the salad and was very happy when it arrived filled with mizuna, my favorite green of the moment. The dressing was light and refreshing. Dave went with the soup, carrot-miso.

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Dave ordered the chicken and tofu burger which came with a side of purple potato chips. He proclaimed, “it tastes better than it sounds.”

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I went with the barbequed unagi, pieces of eel wrapped in phyllo dough. When I read this dish on the menu I was excited as it sounded like my favorite dish on the menu at Matsuri, my go-to Japanese restaurants for special occasions. The portion was smaller than I was expecting, but that was fine as it left me with more room for dessert…

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To say that the desserts at Kyotofu are good is a huge understatement. They are beautifully presented, delicious, and the portions are quite generous. What more could you ask for in a dessert. Above is the passionfruit tofu cheesecake ordered by one of the women at the lunch.

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Dave went with their signature dessert, the chocolate souffle cupcake, voted best cupcake by New York Magazine. (They even printed the recipe. I have it saved at home but have yet to try making them.) The cupcake, which also comes in chocolate green tea, comes with a dollop of cream on top and a side of mixed berry compote. On their own, the cupcakes are delicious, with the cream and compote, outstanding.

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I had the soymilk soft ice cream sundae which comes with the compote as well as pieces of mochi and some sweetened cream. This dessert satisfied the frozen dessert lover in me and then some. The ice cream was cold, creamy, and paired superbly with the compote. If I had one complaint it was that the mochi was too gelatinous and not at all the right texture.

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Someone else ordered the sorbet trio which was a sampling of various tropical flavors. It came with some okara cookies.

Kyotofu is worth the trip to Hell’s Kitchen. Have lunch or dinner, whichever you prefer, but make sure that you save the bulk of your stomach for dessert.

Kyotofu on Urbanspoon
Kyotofu in New York

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Katsuya West Hollywood

Posted in california, dinner out, tagged , on August 28, 2009 | 2 Comments »

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Our last night in California, we went with Jason to Katsuya in Hollywood. It seems like every time I read People or US Weekly there is at least one mention of someone dining at Katsuya. We didn’t see any celebrities, but we did have a fantastic meal.

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Our server informed us that menu items are meant to be shared, so we ordered some appetizers for the table and each ordered our own sushi. The boys also split a Hitachino white ale, a Japanese microbrew I had never heard of, or ever seen in Japan.

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We shared three starters:

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Agedashi tofu (fried tofu pieces served in a dashi-based broth). This is one of my go-to appetizers, and a good test of any Japanese restaurant. It was also the weakest dish of the night. The tofu is usually rectangular and soft, with a light, crisp exterior. In this case, perhaps because they were manipulated into balls, the tofu was too dense, and the exterior was too heavy handed, not at all light.

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Creamy rock shrimp. This reminded me of a similar dish that I once had at Morimoto. A bit too fusion-y for me to love it, but they were tasty little suckers. The combination of creamy sauce on fried anything is tough to beat.

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Vegetable tempura. Simply delicious.

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For his entree, Dave ordered three rolls: eel avocado, blue crab, and yellowtail.

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Jason and I both had the sushi sampler. I thought the sushi was well executed (good rice and seaweed are key) and it definitely hit the spot. When we lived in São Paulo we had sushi all the time, it’s one the things I miss most about living in Brazil.

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(The dessert menu)

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We made the mistake of ordering the dessert special to share. Our server described it as a baked Alaska but with a lemon tart and raspberry sorbet under the bruleed meringue. While beautifully presented, it was way too sweet. The meringue was too soft as well (it could have been whipped a bit more).

Aside from the dessert disaster, I was very happy with my meal. I would definitely go back if I’m in LA again. Maybe next time we’ll see someone famous.

Katsuya on Urbanspoon
Katsuya in Los Angeles

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Dim Sum belly

Posted in brunch, california, tagged , , on August 27, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Our last day in LA, Jason took us to Monterey Park (where he grew up) for dim sum. The neighborhood boasts the largest population of people of Chinese descent in the US. I was excited. On Jason’s recommendation, we decided on Ocean Star.

I had just taken a killer yoga class and was starving, as were the boys. As soon as we were seated, we began selecting dish after dish from the passing carts. We should have been more patient, waiting for favorite dishes, but our stomachs got the best of us.

Above are the dishes we ordered (click on any photo for a larger view). I know the proper names for some of them, for others I’m going to bastardize the names, I apologize in advance.

Top row: fish balls, Chinese doughnut (the main mistake of the afternoon), cart with a carved watermelon.

Middle row: char siu bao (barbecued pork buns), large flat rice noodle with soy sauce, red bean desserts (my favorite).

Bottom row: har gao (shrimp dumplings), shiu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), egg custard buns (Jason’s favorite)

I ate too fast, and the grease factor didn’t help. By the end of the meal I was full but still hadn’t eaten everything I wanted to, having filled up too quickly on whatever came by first. The doughnut was a big mistake, but the red bean paste-filled desserts (much like Japanese mochi desserts, but greasier) were delicious.

Dim sum (much like cheap Indian food) is often a good idea beforehand, and a very bad one afterwards. We all got hit with a case of dim sum belly, that I-swallowed-a-grease-coated-bowling-ball feeling that doesn’t go away, no matter how much water you drink. We drove home and all passed out for afternoon naps.

If your stomach is up for it, Ocean Star is the real deal.

Ocean Star on Urbanspoon
Ocean Star in Los Angeles

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Pizzeria Mozza

Posted in california, lunch out, tagged , on August 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

The best lunch we had our entire trip had to be at Pizzeria Mozza in LA. Started by Mario Batali, the pizza joint is small and bright; reservations are a must. Aside from the fact that the woman seating us had some major attitude (making us wait unnecessarily long when our table was visibly ready), lunch was perfection.

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We dined with my friend from high school, Justine, and the pizza was the perfect compliment to our gossiping and catching up.

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We started by sharing a salad of arugula, parmesan, and mushrooms. I’m not a huge fan of raw mushrooms, but the dressing and combination of arugula and cheese were just right. It was also visually stunning.

The pizza was divine. The best I’ve had since we went to Grimaldi’s last year. The bottom crust is paper thin and crispy while the outer rim is puffy and chewy. This combination is everything that I look for in a pizza. Coupled with delicious toppings, there’s no going wrong.

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Dave had prosciutto and fresh arugula on his pizza. I had mushrooms. The mushrooms were smoky and tender, sprinkled with some fresh parmesan, I was in pizza-eating heaven.

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For dessert we all shared the house made gelato. We each chose one flavor and wound up with espresso (Dave’s choice), mint chip (mine), and vanilla (Justine’s). Mint chip is my favorite flavor of frozen dessert, and this one did not disappoint. The mint flavor was strong and pure, nothing artificial there. The wafer that came in the gelato was also great–light and crisp. A sweet end to a perfect lunch.

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Pizzeria Mozza on Urbanspoon
Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles

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LA Farmers Market

Posted in baked treat, california, tagged , on August 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

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Our first full day in LA, we set out for the Farmers Market for breakfast. What started out as a true farmers’ market over 70 years ago is now a conglomeration of food vendors, with a few produce stands thrown in. We wound our way to the back and discovered Bob’s Coffee and Doughnuts.

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A Farmers Market institution, Bob’s award-winning doughnuts come in a dizzying array of flavors.

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Dave opted for an espresso and a chocolate caramel nut doughnut. It was, “nice and crunchy from the nuts, very sweet, and BIG.” Yes, he enjoyed it.

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I passed on the doughnuts and went with a smoothie from a nearby stand. I had been craving a smoothie ever since Santa Barbara, but this one was far from satisfying (hence the lack of photo).

On our way out we saw a sign for a true farmers’ market which sets up outside the Farmers Market twice a week, and just happened to be coming the day we there at noon. So, after a lovely visit to The Getty, we drove back and bought some fruits and vegetables for dinner that night.

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LA’s best gelato

Posted in california, sweets, tagged , on August 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

After a night in Santa Barbara, we finally arrived in Los Angeles. For our first night there I had made a reservation at Jar, Suzanne Tracht’s chophouse that’s been getting great buzz. Yes, I will admit to being a bit excited by the fact that Tracht was a finalist on Top Chef Masters. We went with Jason, our gracious host in LA. The boys both ordered steaks and were very happy, my chicken was just okay. I did like my appetizer: a salad with white peaches in it. Where are the photos, you ask? Well, my main complaint about the restaurant (all blog-related needs aside) was that it was way too dark. It was a beautiful sunny LA day when we arrived, but the minute we stepped inside it was like entering a strip club (not that I’ve ever been in one). So, no photos, I tried but they were all dark blobs.

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After dinner we indulged in a real treat: gelato at Pazzo Gelato in Silverlake, Jason’s old stomping ground.

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A cute little place that serves up coffee and tea as well as its award-winning gelato. I felt like, for a brief moment, I was back in Italy.

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Dave went with the peanut butter and jelly, which he really liked, and the stracciatella. I had mascarpone ginger snap (killer!) and stracciatella too. The gelato was creamy, dreamy, delicious.

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I wish that we could have gone back again, but there was lots of other eating to do…

Pazzo Gelato on Urbanspoon
Pazzo Gelato in Los Angeles

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Breakfast in Morro Bay

Posted in biweekly photo, brunch, california, tagged , on August 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

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Morro Bay is a bit of a one horse town. As soon as we pulled in I wrote off any potential for culinary goodness. After an uninspired dinner near our hotel, my suspicions were confirmed. I woke up starving after a great night of sleep. We decided to check out Dorn’s. I walked in and was fully expecting some sub-par fare. Boy was I wrong. Dave’s buckwheat pancakes were delicious, made with blueberries in the batter as well as on top.

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I had the Flutter’s scramble and was equally impressed. The vegetables were fresh and delicious and the potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft within. I loved that it came with housemade salsa, a great touch. Lastly, my breakfast came with muffins (a choice of bran or blueberry), yes muffins, as in plural. I was quite surprised when two muffins arrived at the table. Needless to say, I took away leftovers that fed me for lunch as well. Dorn’s breakfast is a true winner.

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Dorn's Original Breakers Cafe on Urbanspoon

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Seafood Watch

Posted in california, tagged , , on August 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

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Before heading out for Morro Bay, we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. My favorite display was the jellyfish. Comprised of several backlit tanks in a darkened room, it felt like entering into a secret grotto to watch these lethal, but beautiful creatures.

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While at the aquarium I picked up several Seafood Watch pamphlets. I keep one that I printed out in my wallet, and often refer to it before ordering at restaurants to see which fish are the most sustainable and mercury-free. I was in need of an updated one, and the Monterey Bay aquarium, which helps put together the pamphlets, had a huge array; including ones for various U.S. regions (I got Northwest and West Coast) as well as their newest one: a guide to sushi. For those of you with iPhones, there’s an app for that.

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On our way to Morro Bay, we stopped at one scenic view point and watched some elephant seals laze around in the sand. You can’t get a sense of scale from this photo, but they are huge. They can weigh up to three tons!

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Passionfish

Posted in california, dinner out, tagged on August 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

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One of the restaurant recommendations that we got from the host and sommelier at Manresa was for Passionfish in Pacific Grove, just outside Monterey. We went for our last dinner with Christina and Rich, who had come with us to Monterey. The restaurant gets glowing reviews on the web, and its own site had me salivating. I also loved the fact that its chef, Ted Walter, helped launch the sustainable seafood movement in Monterey. Passionfish’s dishes highlight sustainable animal ingredients and organic produce.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe it was because we had eaten at Manresa the night before, but I wasn’t that impressed. The food, mostly seafood, was good, just nothing spectacular, especially for the price. Dessert was my favorite course.

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I pulled my usual two appetizer meal, the first of which was Dungeness crab cake/lime relish. The cake was nice and crispy, and the sauce had a nice flavor. For the price of the appetizer, however, I could have made a delicious crab cake dinner for two.

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Dave was the winner with fried Fanny Bay oysters/citrus-soy dressed arugula. I don’t care for raw oysters, but when they are cooked I find them delightful. Paired with the salad, this appetizer was spot on.

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My second appetizer was Monterey squid/spicy cilantro-citrus sauce/mango. The best part of this dish was the sauce. The squid was average and the vegetables and fruits were somewhat roughly chopped, not what I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

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Dave’s entree was mahi/black pepper-rum sauce/cucumber salad/green onion rice. This was also a winner. The fish was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was flavorful but not too heavy.

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As I mentioned before, the best part of dinner was dessert. We all shared the mud pie, made with mint and coffee ice cream and topped with candied walnuts. I don’t know how any one person could finish this dish, but split four ways it was perfect.

Perhaps I was a little too harsh on Passionfish. As we all know, you can’t judge a restaurant definitively by one experience. If you like seafood and you find yourself in the Monterey area, perhaps you can give it a second chance for me.

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