Under the Tuscan Sun

Today is my last day in Siena, Tuscany. I know, I'm a little sad about this. Only a little, since there are other places to go and things to see.

So today I decided to have a "day off" from site seeing. No plans.

After a nice, late breakfast and shower at La Locanda di San Martino, I wandered over to Piazza del Campo and sat in the morning sun watching the little kiddies run around chasing pigeons. It really ought to be a national sport. Silly pigeons; so focused on the possibility of food left from tourists, they don't have the sense (or desire) to fly off. Then a Jack Russell terrier and a very excitable dachshund started in on the game. Pre-schoolers, small dogs and birds...what could be more entertaining?

After that I headed over to the Siena Cathedral to sit on the white steps and soak up some more sun. Did I mention today is clear skies and 23 degrees? Slight breeze. Anyhow, sitting against the warm white stones, feeling the sun shine down on my arms and face...in late October. Amazing.

Time to stroll along the winding streets and do a little window shopping. After about two hours of walking, it was time for a late lunch. I found myself back at Piazza del Campo and opted for a little table, some fresh bruschetta pomodoro, some house pasta, a glass of wine, and you guessed it....more sunshine.

Next up was some gelato. It's absolutely true that Italy has the best gelato. I mean, Spain and Portugal come pretty close, but I think Italy has it down to a science. This time, I chose Cherry English Trifle and coconut. English Trifle in a gelato you say? Why yes! The gelato custard base is made and then a layer is spread into the pan. Pieces of sponge cake, amarena cherries and liqueur are then layered on top. Then more gelato custard base is spread on top. Repeat the layers. So good! And where did I eat my gelato? Why, sitting in the sun of course!

Back to wandering the streets. There are so many leather goods and pottery shops here. My mom has asked for a pair of brown leather boots. She and I are the same size shoe, as well as the same through the ankle and calf muscles. Which means if the boots fit me then they should fit her. I think she's going to really like the ones I bought her. And if she doesn't, well..... I really like them, and I know they fit me....so it's really a win-win situation.

Then it was time to head back to the hotel for a quick nap and to catch up with family back home. I also worked on some design sketches for a bit. I'm happy to report the new sketches are coming along nicely.

Dinner was at Osteria La Logge. This Michelin-rated restaurant is warm, inviting, and just a little quirky. I passed by the spot during the day and couldn't help smiling at the display of old trumpets used as candle holders in the window and the old weigh scales by the cash register. Also catching my attention were the large display windows into the kitchen, and that one of the windows was open with a screen in place. This meant that the kitchen is the star of this restaurant (as it should be), and that the restaurant is happy to display their working kitchen in hopes of enticing the people walking by. The open window let prospective guests (the restaurant does not advertise but replies on word of mouth) know that the kitchen is "open for conversation" and therefore approachable. And the wonderful aromas coming through the window definitely had people stopping to take a longer look. An interesting way of advertising, but it seemed to be working. I knew I needed to eat in this restaurant.

The lead server is Mirco. He was amazing at finding me a spot in an already-booked restaurant. If you do visit, be prepared that you might not be seated at your own table. I was seated at an oval table with two other men, but the table gave me a great view of the room. The kind gentlemen promptly offered me some of their Brane- Cantena Margaux 2000 Gran Cru (yes, a French wine in Italy....even Italians get tired of their own wines I guess). Already in the room (and in full swing) was a party of ten gentlemen from various states in the United States. They were visiting the area on business. More on this gang a little later.

The space used to be a pharmacy, and still retains the beautiful cabinetry; now filled with books, glassware, bottles of grappa and scotch, as well as limited edition bottles of wine. A cabinet of additional glassware by the kitchen proudly displays snapshots of famous guests including Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Stiller and Morgan Freeman.

And what a kitchen! High end Italian kitchens tend to be laid out in a square format, rather than the traditional "kitchen line" I'm used to in North America. Essentially, each cook works in their space on their particular item (garde manger, veg, meat, etc), and then bring their item to the center island to plate. This, to me, seems to cause less confusion, less shouting of "BEHIND", and ensures each station has access to the plate, which means in theory it would leave the kitchen sooner. And as a result, all of my dishes arrived within great time.

The food was fantastic. I started with a simple pappardelle with house ragu. Noodles and meat sauce, right? I didn't want this dish to end; I could have ordered another portion it was so good. The meat sauce was somehow both robust in flavour and light in texture at the same time. The noodles were spot on.

As soon as my plate was cleared, it was replaced with my second course, stuffed rabbit. The medallions were crispy on the outside while moist on the inside and stuffed with spinach, rosemary and salvia.

Somewhere (and somehow) between my dinner plate being removed and my dessert arriving I ended up invited to the table of 10 Americans; who as it turns out were with Jackson Family Fine Wines .....Freemark Abbey, Hartford Family Wines, Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Stonestreet...and Tenuta di Arceno, which produces Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva under winemaker Lawrence Cronin. Meeting a group of like-minded people also interested in wine and food is fantastic and always evokes great conversations, along with some hilarity. Case in point: I was educated on the word "Schmeg"...as in "Waiter, there is some schmeg in my glass".

For dessert I took Mirco's advice and had a hazelnut cake and chestnut sauce dish. I liked how cheeky this dish was. It resembled mushrooms and a forest floor in the fall. The airy sponge cake was divided into pieces on the plate in a puddle of hazelnut cream. Cylinders of pastry made to resemble pasta or the stems of mushrooms offered a bit of saltiness and were filled with vanilla pastry cream; a nice contrast. Chestnut gelato. Heaven.

The business men headed out to their next party and I found myself with Mirco, his friends (my original dining partners) and their friend; a lovely woman from New Jersey. Some grappa, scotch and more wine resulted in dancing into the wee hours of the morning in a closed restaurant, causing people passing by to (once again) pause and look in the windows.

So a day with no plans turned into my most enjoyable day in this city. Tomorrow I leave for San Gimignano (again) and then on to Montepulciano. But I will take with me these wonderful memories of this beautiful city of Siena, and look forward to returning again soon.

Paris - Day Four

Day Four in Paris.

Today I had to be up relatively early (for vacation anyhow) I had an important visit to a VERY big name fashion house today. Can't say who, can't name any names. Couldn't take any pictures. But let's just say it gave me A NEW LOOK to fashion. And you're pretty smart cookies to figure this out anyhow.

Avenue Montaigne is such an unassuming street. There are no big flashy signs to advertise what's going on inside all the orderly apartment blocks. To discover this, you need to look up. Because it is here, in these pretty but relatively unmarked buildings that the haute couture of haute couture is being assembled. All the big French fashion houses are here, but you pretty much need to look to find them. Sure, there is also a store on the street level, but it is often not directly under the design studios. Case in point is House of Dior. The beautiful showroom store is located about 10 doors up the street from the actual Dior Accademy. And the doors to the Accademy are very plain, no signage, no big fan fair. And then to make matters a bit more confusing, the signs that are visible are for the showroom for Louis Vuitton. It's when you look up that you see where the magic happens.

You can just make out the little Dior banners on each of the windows, and the bigger, more prominent Louis Vuitton in the main floor windows.

If you are even remotely interested in seeing what goes on inside a top fashion house, well I'm sorry to say that I can't provide you with any pictures from my visit. Everything is ultra-uber secure. Lots of men in dark suits and earpieces and talking into their cuff links. But there is an amazing video for the costruction from beginning to end of Dior's iconic red coat dress from Spring/Summer 2011, part of John Galliano's last collection with Dior.

I can't tell you how many times I have watched this video. The process, the cutting, the hand stitching, the pressing, the trimming, the beading....the amount of hours going into producing one single garment. And keep in mind, there are usually 30 to 40 looks in any given haute couture show.

It was indeed an eye-opener and a full day of learning. Thoroughly impressed and completely re-thinking (well, almost) how I want to design from the inside out, it was time to move on. This of course meant more walking around.

From Avenue Montaigne I kind of did a big loop. I walked down the Avenue des Champs Élysées towards the Jardin des Tuileries, then through the gardens and around the fountains to the Place de Carrousel and sat and watched a man with six frisbees and a dozen dogs. This was actually quite entertaining. Dogs of all sizes vying for six frisbees which were constantly being thrown and retrieved. Turns out people pay him to exercise their dogs. Kinda like boot camp for dogs. Dogs get dropped off in the morning, they spend the day doing whatever dogs do at a doggie daycare, and then towards late afternoon, this guy takes them all to the park where they chase frisbees until their owners come to collect them.

After the dogs, I walked over to Pont des Arts. This is the famed bridge where lovers go and proclaim their ever lasting love by attaching a padlock to the bridge. There are actually two bridges in Paris with locks on them, so you have to be careful which bridge you attach your lock.

Pont des Arts is for committed love, while Pont de l'Archevêché is for your lover. Don't get the two mixed up ! Sad news is that Paris will soon remove the locks from Pont des Arts and replace the railings with glazed panels. The weight of all the padlocks has been deemed unsafe for the structure of the bridge.

From there I walked along the Siene to a place called Flow. It is essentially a concrete beach. Beach chairs are set up along the Siene, and you go up to the counter and order your wine or champagne or beer or whatever, along with some pâté, bread and olives and then take it back to your little "beach spot" and have a little feast. It actually made a lot of sense, looked pretty cool and was very popular. I had seen this place just in passing the past couple days, and it is busy from about 3pm regardless which day of the week. Across from Flow is a barge / boat that has been converted into a happy hour hang out. Rosa Bonheur sur Siene, which I guess COULD be translated to Pink Happy Hour on the Siene; and that would make sense. However, Rosa Bonheur was the first well-known female animal-painter (or animalière), realist artist and sculpture of the 19th century.

What was interesting to note was that there wasn't a huge display of cell phones or other distractions. People were there to converse with each other. I saw a group of five or six young dads; all with baby strollers, and a collection of Heinekens on the bench between them. And this seemed somehow normal. Wife says "take Junior for a walk"; husband calls up buddies and says, "Lets meet down by the river". There is no meeting up in sports bars over loud music.

I continued my walking over to Pont Alexandre III, then through narrow side streets where I found a little French bakery (boulangerie). Bought a couple pastries, then walked over to the Eiffel Tower to watch the sun set. I wasn't planning on going up the tower; for €30 it just doesn't seem worth it. Not to mention that the line-up to go up the tower was exceedingly long. Always is. Estimated wait time today was three hours. No thank-you. Instead, I took my pastries over to a little space of lawn across the bridge and enjoyed a nice view and sun set.

Dinner was at Chez Francis. Here's the one thing I don't like about travelling on my own, and I have found to be especially true in Paris. Servers in Europe do not like solo diners. They somehow believe that a single diner is going to be cheap. But from what I understand, servers in Europe are paid a decent hourly wage from the gratuities already included in the bill. And here's the funny thing about me when I eat out: I ain't cheap. I usually have three courses and at least one glass of wine; sometimes a bottle which I take the remainder with me. I average between €75 and €100 if I am having a proper sit-down meal. So while the food was mediocre (steak lacked flavour, not enough bernaise), the service really killed the experience. I was brought water I didn't want and then charged €7 for it. Bread and the first course where put on the table without any comment from the waiter. My main course was put down in front of me with no cutlery. My wine was delivered with the waiter holding the top rim of the glass instead of the stem. The dessert was missing components. Essentially, I was made to feel like I was bothering the waiter by being there, that serving me was a hassle. This feeling was compounded by the table next to me who I gathered were regulars. They were fawned over. They were bought complimentary this and complimentary that; there were long discussions with the wait staff and the manager about this and that (remember, I speak both English and French, so I understood what was going on). It became rather awkward.

When my bill arrived, I was asked if everything was okay. I said no it wasn't and explained why (the water I didn't ask for, the dessert being incomplete). The waiter then says "So everything is good?". No, I just told you it wasn't. "But it's okay, oui?". Sigh, shake my head and leave. French service my buttocks!

The restaurant does have a great view of the Eiffel Tower, and is close to another Paris landmark - The Crazy Horse. What a great show. The show was more about lighting and shadows and optical illusions. You think you're seeing one thing but it's the reflection of something else. It was really, really well done. Sure, there was nudity, but it wasn't so in-your-face like a lot of North American cabaret shows tend to be. The cabaret has been open since 1961, and has hosted famous performers such as Dita Von Teese, Arielle Dombasle and Pamela Anderson.

After the champagne show, I walked back up to the Arc de Triomphe. This time my pictures turned out okay. After watching the twelve lanes of traffic miraculously merge in and out around the monument, it was time to head home. Big long day, and another one on the way tomorrow.

Dinner Cruise on the Seine

Tonight I had the pleasure of enjoying dinner while cruising down the Seine. I chose Marina de Paris over other dinner cruise companies for their clean boats with large glass windows and typical Parisienne bistro dining set up as well as their menu.

Marina de Paris offers three cruises each day;  a lunch and two dinner cruises, one at 6:45 and the other at 9:15. I chose the 9:15 departure time, as it meant I would see the city at night.

Dinner cruises in Paris are not only a popular tourist attraction, but are a good value as well. The cost of my dinner cruise was €80.00. This included the two hour cruise, a three course dinner, champagne on arrival, a half litre of wine, and dancing.  We were all quickly seated and the champagne began to flow. I was lucky to get a window seat near the prow of the boat, which was completely glassed-encased so I could see all the Paris landmarks lit up at night. Each table was given a map of the route with pictures and a little explanation of each monument so we could follow along on the tour.

The first course was a quartet of little amuse bouches. Scallops with smoked tomatoes, a cous-cous with smoked prawn, a choux pastry puff with dill cream cheese and stewed tomato, and duck foie gras with cranberry chutney. Interesting that tomatoes were used twice in the same presentation, but no matter.

For the main course, the choices were braised chicken, cod with pea risotto or "slab of beef with porcini mushroom sauce". Slab of beef didn't sound overly appealing, never mind that mushrooms give me hives. I know I will more than likely get to eat amazing risotto in Italy in a few days time, so that meant...braised chicken for me.

 Dessert was another selection of small bites. A layered strawberry-rhubarb with vanilla parfait, a little lemon curd tartlette with meringue, a chocolate mousse with white chocolate flakes and an espresso panna cotta. All were yummy, but I am a sucker for lemon dessert at the end of a meal.

After dinner was cleared, the dancing began. By this time we were passing under the final bridges and nearing the Eiffel Tower. The tower is lit up every night, but the sparkling lights occur each hour at five minutes to the hour. Luckily, the boat arrived just in time for the light display to begin.

There is also a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty gifted by France to the United States. Although it is a tourist-y view to see the statue and the tower at the same time, I none-the-less took a couple pictures.

Several people at different tables were celebrating birthdays, so the DJ played the obligatory "Happy Birthday" and The Beatles' "Say It's Your Birhtday" a number of times; and each time a small cake with a huge sparkler was brought out. This kicked off the festivities for much dancing. I must say, it is quite the experience to be cruising down the Seine on a clear night in one of the most beautiful cities while drinking Bordeaux and dancing with a bunch of people you have just met. 

The cruise ended at about 11:30 pm and I did a little more walking around Paris before catching one of the last metro trains home.

I would definitely recommend Marina de Paris for a dinner cruise along the Seine. I liked that there wasn't an announcer on a loud speaker for each landmark; you were left to more-or-less discover the beauty of the city at night on your own; and it was interesting to see the landmarks lit up at night for a different perspective. 

A Year of Pretty - February 23, 2014

Today's Pretty Post is another example of mixing mediums when it comes to floral displays. Yesterday's post was with lemons, today's is with limes. This one is done in softer tones, so the overall look is more elegant. I could see this working very well for a dinner party, especially if there were two or three lined up down the center of the dining table with pillar candles of various heights scattered between them, or tea lights in little glass votives as shown here.

Easter Brunch . . . times two !

This Easter weekend brought about not one, but two Easter brunches.

The first was hosted on Good Friday by my friend Sarah of Green Tomato Supper Club. Now, you know it’s going to be a good brunch when you ask if there is anything you can bring and your host replies “Perhaps some bubbly for mimosas….” Nice ! There can never be too much bubbly at a brunch.

It was a beautiful warm spring day, so we were able to sit outside under the cherry blossom trees and catch up with friends we hadn’t seen in a while. Sarah produced a beautiful spread, with quiche tartlets, cheeses, breads, individual caprese bites and her own made preserves. The dining room table was pushed to one side and set up as a buffet to allow more room for people to move around. Throughout the house were cheerful bouquets of daffodils . . .as well as several children and Mezzo the rather large roly-poly cat.

The next day was our family brunch. Mom and I decided to serve bacon wrapped scallops and an assortment of pickles, crackers, salsa and sliced cheeses to start. I know, I know…..bacon on Easter weekend. Not very Lent friendly. The weather being so beautiful, we sat out on the veranda and coloured eggs while nibbling on the spread. Mom grilled a delicious pork tenderloin with lemon and rosemary, while I made oven roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.

For dessert I made some fun chocolate cups using balloons dipped in chocolate.  When the chocolate set, I snipped the neck of each balloon to deflate it and peel it away from the chocolate. The result ends up looking like half of an egg shell; perfect for the Easter theme. These I filled with a sort of blackberry apple fool, made using Mom’s blackberry apply jelly. Little bit of coconut for a nest, couple little chocolate eggs and some blueberries for garnish, and dessert is done. These can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Easter Sunday morning I finished decorating mini chocolate cupcakes. I had baked the cupcakes in those little condiment cups you get for ketchup so that they sort of looked like flower pots instead of the traditional cupcake wrappers. They also are the same cups used to dispense pills at the hospital, which is where they were going to be delivered. They were a bit tricky to remove from the wrapping, so I clipped into the side to create a starting point. Cupcakes decorated and packed up, it was time for scrambled eggs and cinnamon buns.

So, a full weekend with friends, family and feasting . . . .a perfect way to spend the Easter holiday.

Brunch at Yew

Ah…Sunday Funday!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining a friend I hadn’t seen in way too long for brunch. Initially, it was to be a whole gaggle of gals, but because of a nasty flu bug that’s going around and last minute cancellations, it ended up being just the two of us. Which was just as nice. It gave us a chance to catch up that we otherwise might not have had with a whole group.

I have several favourite places for brunching. This time, I chose Yew in the Four Season Hotel. It’s a beautiful room; open, full of light, interesting architectural features and lots of wood accents. We sat in a cozy booth for two, which was not butted directly up against the wall. Instead, there was a 12 inch wide wood “shelf” between the table and the backlit wall, perfect for hand bags and coats. No putting the purse on the floor or on another chair. It’s great when restaurant designers think of the comfort of the guest and combine it with function.

Yew does a 3 course brunch for $29.00. Essentially, you choose a starter, a main course and a dessert. I chose Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes to start, followed by a Goat Cheese and Chive Omelet and finishing with a Brulee Duo. My friend chose a Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad, a BLT Eggs Benedict and the Chocolate Explosion to end.

Instead of standard bread that arrives after ordering, we received little sugared mini donuts with a mixed berry mango dipping sauce. Warm doughnuts? For brunch? I’m in!

Yew also offers all their bottles of wine at 50% off on Sundays. Like I said….Sunday Funday! With just the two of us, we decided to skip on ordering a bottle and save that for when we’re able to have the whole gang. Instead, I had a peach bellini. Not the slushy, overtly sweet kind but the traditional, muddled peach nectar and champagne kind.

And so we enjoyed a nice leisurely two hour brunch catching up and chatting about life and its many twists and turns. Our jobs, our homes, our projects. Bad boyfriends. Family. Afterwards, it was off to Holt Renfrew for some post-brunch shopping.  We oogled over Chanel and Prada, decided that at 60% off, $7995.00 was still too much to pay for a blazer jacket; and then said our goodbyes, with the promise “let’s do this again soon”.

Dinner with Friends = Family Dinner

My girlfriend and I decided we needed to have a dinner party. Well, in truth, she had bottled wine with her roommate and it was time for the wine to be consumed. Not all 30 bottles mind you, but a healthy amount.

So Friday night we rounded up some friends. Or rather, SHE rounded up some friends while I sat at the bar drinking a martini while I waited. Then we were off to T&T market to find “provisions”. The girls in the group wanted to do salmon. But it’s January, so fresh salmon is not exactly plentiful.  Nor is asparagus. While they contemplated the fish in the display case, I took off to find the rest of the meal. Fresh green salad with sugar peas, mandarin sections and apple with a sesame oil red wine vinaigrette, steamed broccoli with lemon juice, yams baked in brown sugar and orange juice. When I found the group again, they had settled on chicken with coconut. Which meant a hunt for panko crumbs. Also picked up some gyoza to start, and some aloe vera juice and papayas to make muddled fruit vodka cocktails. Quick stop at the liquor store for the vodka and we set off for home.

I will say I definitely learnt the pros and cons of six people trying to prepare dinner in a tiny apartment with an uber tiny kitchen space; while you might think the work would go faster because of all those extra hands in truth it took much longer….mainly because we needed to take dance breaks and refill the beverages.

Divide the group into teams of two. Understand that not everyone is comfortable with a knife or knows to remove the seeds before juicing citrus. Know when enough is enough. Relax, have fun…it’s just food.

After a bit of prep work, a few fruity beverages and much laughter later, we sat down to a beautiful dinner with candles and the promised wine.

Ensemble

Last night, Mr. Dashing and I decided to go out for dinner. In itself, not a big deal, but dinner out together usually means more than one stop. We like to restaurant hop, which allows us to try out a few different restaurants and atmospheres throughout the evening, Sort of like bar hopping, but much swankier.

We decide to take the train downtown, since we agreed there would most likely be bubbles and neither of us wanted to drive. Besides, parking in Vancouver costa a small fortune.

We started at Ensemble, which is the focus of this posting. Ensemble is the brain child of Top Chef Canada winner Dale Mackay. We sat at the bar and swapped stories with the bartender and sipped on muddled cocktails. With these we enjoyed a honey beet salad, as well as buffalo mozzarella with watermelon and balsamic reduction. Oh, and crab cakes. All three plates were very good and nicely executed, but it was the cheese / melon / balsamic that really stood out for us. The sweetness of the watermelon off set with the tang of the balsamic was a little bit of bliss. The buffalo mozzarella helped ensure each bite was something different; some smooth with just a hint of sweetness, others creaminess with the bite of the balsamic.

There is a mixture of lounge-y bar atmosphere alongside sit down dining; giving the room an overall warmth. Or maybe it’s just because it’s a small room on the corner of Thurlow and Haro. Or that Mr. Dashing was rather amorous and flirty. Either way, it was a great way to start off our evening, and we intend to return soon to try more of Chef Mackay’s dishes.

Afterwards, we went to Coast for oysters and bubbles (well, Mr. Dashing had the oysters, we both had the bubbles), then to Gyoza King for ….gyoza, ebi mayo and sake, to Cin Cin for dessert and more bubbles. Finally, a little stop in at Thierry for macarons before heading home.

So $300.00 lighter, the evening was a big success. Until I broke one of the heels on my favourite pair of boots on the way home. First world problems, I know.

 
Looking forward to our next night out.

Coyaba Restaurant - Turks & Caicos

I am always skeptical of restaurants that come attached to hotels or resorts. But after several recommendations by other travels, a thumbs up by Frommer’s and a big sign on their door boasting Fodor’s top pick on the island for 2010, I decided to give it a try.

The garden setting was warm and inviting. I was greeted at the door by Chef Paul Newman (no, not THAT Paul Newman, the other one). He directed me to a hostess, who took me to a table and tried to jokingly chide me for dining alone. Please note: when someone is dining on their own, it is not their fault and they do not want it to be pointed out. Yes, I dine alone. Yes, this means the bill size will be smaller.

Even before I sat down, the wine steward was hovering. He approached the table and I asked if he had prosecco by the glass. He told me he didn’t. He pointed out the half bottles of Moet & Chandon. I told him I was more interested in prosecco. He then confirmed that if I really wanted a glass of prosecco, that he would open a bottle for me. I asked him “Really, you would do that for me? Oh, that would be lovely!” I asked him to leave the wine list for later and off he went to get my bubbly.

Another gent promptly arrived at the table and without preamble read the daily specials off his note pad. Now, where I work this would be grounds for a week’s suspension. Servers are to arrive with enough time before shift to familiarize themselves with the additions and unavailable items. To not do so is to not be prepared. To not be prepared is to not instill confidence in your guests.

I ordered the bacalhau (a salted cod and potato dish, traditionally from Portugal), followed by the coconut breaded prawns and then the penne pasta with prawns, crab and artichokes. When the server confirmed “two appetizers?”, I said no, I wanted them coursed (the bacalhau first, the prawns as a mid-course and the pasta as my main). But alas, the two appetizers arrived together. As both were hot items, I had to choose which to eat first. I went with the bacalhau, which was exceptionally good. Nice blend of sauces and basil oil with a light pesto and oven dried tomatoes sitting delicately on top of each. They were quickly gone.

The coconut breaded prawns were also very good. There were three large prawns perfectly cooked with just enough sweetness in the coconut breading without being overly sweet. Three dipping sauces; a light barbeque, a honey rum and a delicate soy sauce. I tried one prawn with each sauce, and I have to say the soy sauce was the most enjoyable. The balance of salty from the soy with the gentle sweetness of the coconut was quite clever. The fried linguine was a nice twist and I broke it into smaller shards and dipped it into the soy sauce as well. The tempura fried celery heart I tried but gave up on. The middle was a bit soggy and the outside was now cold since it had been sitting while I enjoyed the bacalhau. Cold tempura is not my friend.

Once these dishes were cleared, a palate cleansing strawberry sorbetto arrived, just enough to refresh my mouth before moving on to the pasta. Sorbettos and granitas in between courses are always welcome.

Now, having reached the end of my glass of prosecco, I would have enjoyed either another glass of the same or a glass of the Duckhorn Decoy Sauvignon Blanc. However, the wine steward was not to be found. The gal that did approach, I enquired if he could come visit me because I wanted to purchase the remainder of the bottle he had so kindly opened for me. I would then have a second glass with my meal and ask to label and store the remaining bubbles for the next night. He never showed and so I ate my dinner without a beverage. No one came by to quality check my meal, and hence I didn’t get the opportunity to ask for something else to drink, nor for a sauce or gourmet spoon for the pasta sauce.

Dessert was pre-ambled by a little poof of strawberry mousse. The coconut macaroon cake with passion fruit sorbet was nice enough but after being spoiled all these years with the wizardry of Chef Theirry Busset, it just didn’t wow me. The tartness of the sorbet played nicely with the cake, but two things confused me about this dish: the seeds from the passion fruit left in the sorbet were a distracting texture (whenever I bit down on one I has to pause to make sure it didn’t get lodged in my teeth); the whipped topping on the cake did not taste like fresh whipped cream and was heavy (I have to surmise that it was either over whipped, too much gelatin, or exactly what it tasted like: store bought).

When the bill came ($133.10 US for little ol’ me) I noticed that I had been charged $25.00 for a glass of processo. The full bottle was $50.00, so I called a server over and told her that if this was the case, I would buy the full bottle. She came back and said she didn’t quite understand . . . did I want to buy a full bottle plus the glass I already had? So I explained that I had had one glass. The bottle was $50.00. The wine steward had opened a new bottle for me. If he was going to charge me $25.00 for one glass out of a $50.00 bottle, then I would purchase the full bottle. She said she understood and would be right back. I sat for another 7 or 8 minutes waiting. Finally she came back and said ‘He said that is the price of one glass”. Seriously !?! Lemme get this straight, it’s $25.00 for one glass from a $50.00 bottle, but $25.00 for a half bottle of Moet & Chandon, which is a superior bubble?? AND it turns out what he had done was poured off a glass from an already opened bottle which was being used to make champagne cocktails and so he hadn’t really opened a new bottle as he claimed. Which means I was not able to purchase the reminder of the bottle to take back to my room. By this time I needed that second drink. I detest when people piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining. The credit card slips arrived with the gratuity already added to the bill. Fine. But at least give me a pen that works so I can sign the receipt.

I really wanted to like this restaurant after so many good recommendations and the warmth of Chef Newton. Sadly I was left under whelmed, under served and over spent.

Canlis in Seattle

Ever been to a restaurant that just felt like home? A restaurant that epitomizes the difference between customer and guest?

This is a “jacket suggested” type of restaurant and we had intended just to go for dessert. We started with a bottle of modest processo in the lounge while the details of our table were being finalized. Well, I actually started with a cranberry ginger lime cocktail BEFORE starting on the bottle of processco, but hey . . . semantics. In the meantime, we were treated to classic jazz stylings being played by acclaimed pianist Walt Wagner on an equally classic Steinway Grand Piano.

From the restaurant’s perch on the hill, we were able to overlook the Seattle Harbour and the lights on the opposite side of the water. This is a magnificent view, and we were only on the first floor (which oddly is referred to as the Penthouse).

The main dining room is the typical seating arrangement with individual tables all placed to gain the best vantage point looking out of floor to ceiling windows. The second level is the Executive Room, a private dining “living room” area with wrap-around views that seats up from 12 to 30 people, perfect for an engagement dinner or an anniversary party. The third floor offers the best of the best: the Caché: an exclusive dining suite for two to four guests. Like dining in a very, very upscale tree house, this single table is hands down the most sought after table in Seattle. The spectacular view offers a panoramic of Lake Union and the Cascade mountains beyond. There is only one reservation per evening for this room, and the room requires a $150.00 reservation rental. But since the restaurant is kind enough to provide you with a telescope and your own private server, I would think it’s money well spent . . especially if a proposal of sorts were in the works.

Did I mention the plan was just to have dessert? Of course, this meant there would be no harm in looking at the dinner menu, right? WRONG! I am a sucker for Chef’s Tasting Menus. Let me rephrase that: I am a sucker for tasting menus that don’t just mish-mash from the regular menu and act as a cash grab. A good tasting menu should work as an outlet for the chef to highlight his skills and provide the guest with something other than what is popular and normally offered. Usually, I will find one or two dishes on a tasting menu that appeal to me, and then the rest is take-it-or-leave-it. And if the dessert doesn’t intrigue me, then it’s a definite “leave it”. The tasting menu at Canlis that evening was a definite “take it”; each course looked like it would be enjoyable. So at $115.00 US for seven courses, we both said “why not?” and prepared to be wowed. Our server Jackson was quick to let us know that the Rack of Venison on the tasting menu was not available, and he offered instead the Muscovy Duck for 2. Now, on the regular menu, the Duck for 2 is listed at $96.00 US, so this seemed like a bargain.

First up was a little Amuse Bouche. . . I adore a good amuse bouche. Sunchoke soup and white truffle ice cream. Ice cream as an amuse bouche? Clearly Executive Chef Jason Franey (Food and Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs 2011 and The People's Best New Chef Northwest by Food & Wine) was intent on toying with us.

A’u Lepe Tartare en Roulade . . .sushi-grade Hawaiian sailfish wrapped in braised endive, with apple, pomegranate and steelhead roe. The differences in textures and contrasts in flavours are what stood out in this dish. My mother found it a little salty, but then she finds everything salty because of her low sodium diet. This was mentioned to Jackson, who ensured that the remaining dishes would not be salted for mom.

Of Earth & Ocean . . okay, this was amazingly good; I had to keep myself from wiggling with delight in my seat. Braised octopus, lobster, calamari, and Blue Hawaiian prawn with mango, green papaya, avocado and lime. The concept was simple, the execution was complex: how to keep each of the flavours unique while still presenting them as a cohesive whole.

Oxtail Ravioli . . . I have to give kudos to our server Jackson here. This is the point where the evening could have gone south. Deep South. Mason Dixie Line south. I cannot eat mushrooms. Or bell peppers. It’s not an allergy in the way a bee sting or peanuts are allergies, but my body does not accept these items. I have tried and I have failed. Miserably. On my reservation request, I had stated that I could not have mushrooms or bell peppers, and my mom was on a strict low sodium diet. The menu description for the Oxtail Ravioli made no mention of the cute little shimeji mushrooms floating in the broth. I had to send it back. I hate sending food back. It was quickly replaced with a non-mushroom edition. No, they didn’t just pick the mushrooms out; it was a new dish with Chef’s apologies. So . . ..hand formed oxtail ravioli in paper-thin pasta. . carrots, bone marrow and veal consommé . . .I could have had two more bowls.

Muscovy Duck for 2 . . .drum roll please! Jackson brought out the whole bird, beautiful golden brown, crispy skin, on a bed of fresh herbs. He then brought it back to the kitchen to be carved and plated for us. It was amusing to see the faces of other guests as they eyeball and salivate over what was happening at our table. Dude, get your own bird!

I need to mention that Jackson never once pressed us for alternate wine pairings or to order another bottle of bubbly. He understood implicitly that we were comfortable, and if we needed something more, we would ask. On to dessert . . .

But first, we cleanse the pallet. A little pear sorbet with parsnip and vanilla pureé, pumpernickel streusel and preserved Meyer lemon. Sweet and savoury on one plate, in one bite. Oh Chef, how you tease!

Ice Cream Sandwich. This could have gone sideways. I was intrigued at how this was going to be pulled off. It didn’t read as being decadent. Oh wait, . . . mint ice cream and warm chocolate ganache with Branca Menta and pistachio. .there, that’s better.

At the end of our meal, Jackson asked if he could call us a car. As we were waiting, he presented us with a plate of petite fours . .handmade truffles and caramels. So unexpected and even though we were completely full; so yummy. And after helping us with our coats and opening the door for us, we found complimentary car service: a Lincoln Town Car with driver waiting to take us back to the W Hotel. The driver was kind enough to take the scenic route, and we ended the evening with a wonderful drive around Lake Union.

I have had a lot of fine dinners out, but this one topped them all. It wasn’t just the great food or the atmosphere; it was the level of service that ensured we felt we were guests in the Canlis home and had us wishing to return soon.

California Dreamin'

Recently, I treated my mom to a girl’s weekend. I had a couple of airline credits that needed to be used and the San Francisco Opera Company was set to open their season with their annual Gala Evening . . . so what better reason to pick out a ball gown and pack a couple of bags and hop on a plane to San Francisco.




After checking into the Kensington Park Hotel overlooking Union Square (and also complimentary), we sat down for a quick lunch at Puccini & Pinetti before wandering through Chinatown. Then it was dinner at Rue Saint Jacques, which in a word was . . .meh.

Back to the hotel to quickly dress for the opera. Now we have been to the opera many, many times but we soon discovered that attire for the opera in Vancouver and attire for the opera in San Francisco are two very difference experiences. Often when attending the opera in Vancouver, we have seen other attendees dressed in jeans and T-shirts. We are not clothing snobs, but we do not approve of this practice of “wearing whatever”. The Opera is still in our minds an occasion to dress up and enjoy the atmosphere; to see and be seen. At the SFO’s opening performance of Verdi’s Aida, it was top hats and tails, ball gowns and opera gloves galore. Hair, make-up, jewelry . . . all bases were covered. In retrospect, I found the atmosphere of what people were wearing more interesting than the actual opera (which was a bit of a snooze-fest after Radames blew his opening aria).

Saturday was our free day with no real plans. Well, none that couldn’t be changed with a simple phone call. We originally had a spa day booked at Teashi on Polk Street in the Russian Hill area, but we decided we wanted to continue browsing the Open Art Market on Embarcadero Square and the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building. We had brunch at Market Bar. The crepes with caramelized apples and mascarpone were extremely delicious and would require many more hours of walking to burn off the calories. Inside the Ferry Building we found a wonderful array of specialty shops, including Boccalone Salumeria - Tasty Salted Piggy Parts (perhaps the best tag line for a store). Very popular were the Salumi Cones, which are essentially a paper cone filled with freshly shaved lonza, capocollo, piana and prosciutto salami. Alas, we were still full from brunch.

We also visited Boulette’s Larder, where I was reprimanded for taking pictures of their eggs and the beautiful display of apothecary jars. They specialize in gourmet take-away meals and, apparently . . . snarky shopkeepers.

Another shop we spent a good deal of time in was Sur la Table. Dear Sur la Table . . . please come to Canada. Specifically to Vancouver.

From the Market we walked to Ghirardelli Square, which was immensely busy with the Chocolate Festival. This entailed people lining up with stamp cards at different venues for free chocolate samples. Some lines were over 3 blocks long. For chocolate. Crazy. We did not participate, needless to say.

We then stopped for a break and a dip in the ocean before boarding a cruise to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz and Angel Island. Problem was that the fog decided to roll in just as our boat left the dock. So really it was an hour and $36.00 worth of pea soup fog. No refund. (on either the fare or the time).

Dinner at McCormick & Kuleto’s was much more successful. Crab cakes, seafood linguini, sablefish and basil gnocchi left no room for dessert. And after a full day of walking it was time to head back to the hotel.

Sunday morning meant breakfast in the Oak Room in the Westin St. Francis with fresh orange juice mimosas and blueberry Grand Marnier pancakes. Yummmmm! Then a quick walk around the shops and Union Square before heading back to the hotel to check out. The concierge then gave us the bad news. Unfortunately only the limo was available to take us to the airport and would we be comfortable traveling in the limousine? Um . . .I think we would be able to manage.

And so ended our girl’s weekend of shopping, dining, opera and champagne & limousine service. Time to start planning our next trip.

The Darling Darlington

It's worth mentioning that this post is long overdue. Quite. But now that this blog has been revamped and up and running smoothly (more or less) - it's time.

The Darlington House is such a little gem and I am thankful to have stumbled upon it. Twice; once with a friend local to the area (he has since moved to New York) and again with a group. I suppose the second time wouldn't really be considered "stumbling upon", since I would already know it was there. But no matter.

The Darlington House takes its name from philanthropist Joseph Darlington, who built the now historic Row house as his residence in 1890. Located in the heart of Dupont Circle, this multi-level restaurant and bar owned by Fabio and Patricia Beggiato prides itself on serving "rustic yet refined Italian cooking using simple, fresh organic and sustainable ingredients."

The first visit was indeed memorable . . nice lemon drop martini, good Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (Viridian 2006), wonderfully prepared food. It has been my experience that when I've been at the lone table in a restaurant, the service typically falls into one of two extremes: non-existent or over bearing. So though we were the first diners on what was proving to be an extremely quiet Sunday night, we were never over served or intruded upon. Yet our server and host were attentive when the need arose. A nice touch was Chef Alberto Baffoni visiting out table between courses.

The second visit had a different feel since I was part of a business dinner. Our party of ten was seated promptly with warmth and grace. ( I loathe when restaurants won't seat a party until all the guests have arrived) The maitre-d' remembered my previous visit and soon we were presented with Prosecco and Grilled Curry Prawn Canapes. Very much appreciated by our group. Big hits off the menu that night were the Tortelloni Stuffed with Butternut Squash in a Sage Butter Sauce and the Veal Saltimbocca in White Wine Sauce with sauteed zucchini and roast potatoes; both perfect for the cool weather that evening. We let our server select our individual wine pairings, and since each of us was having something different, this kept our server busy with choosing for both appetizers and entrees . . Meh, piece of cake.

The upstairs Dining Room and Circle Bar provide intimate tables in a relaxed atmosphere with soft muted colors, while the Library boasts a wonderful open floor plan suitable for cocktail receptions and wedding gatherings. In a plethora of ultra-chic-ultra-modern dining spaces, the comforting elegance, generous hospitality and sumptuous offerings of The Darlington House are not to be missed if your travels take you to Washington, DC.

The Darlington House is located at 1610 20th Street NW in Washington, DC. 202-332-3711. For more information and to check out their current menu, you can visit their website.