Lunch Time at Amuse

Always great to have lunch at Amuse.

Green Salad with Prosciutto and Comte Cheese

Curry Fried Oysters

Enoteca Sogno Continues to Please the Palate

We always enjoy eating at Enoteca Sogno.  Recently, we imbibed Aperol Spritzes (lovely for Spring or Summer)...

...split a Roasted Beet and Orange Salad...

...and indulged in Duck Confit and Arugula Salad.

Yum!

New Year's Eve at Tastebuds American Bistro

New Year's Eve at Tastebuds Americn Bistro always is a good time. Here are a few reasons:

• Gracious owners and staff - Andrew even sported a Happy New Year necklace
• Fabulous patrons - we all arrived in packs of two, but quickly scrunched up tables to celebrate together. Bow ties and sparkles graced the group.
• Cherry Manhattans (with real cherries!)
• Reasonably-priced wine
• Delicious four course meal
• A sparkling toast
• Walking home just in time to see the New Year arrive

A few photos of the meal:

Ancient Peaks Merlot from Paso Robles

Lemongrass Poached Shrimp

Mixed Green Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Shaved Fennel, and Parmesean

Beef Filet Topped with Fresh Mozzarella and Mushroom Pate and Served with Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus Sauteed in Duck Fat

Chocolate Torte with Vanilla Ice Cream, Candied Citrus Peel, and a Sherry Sauce

Make a resolution to visit Tastebuds American Bistro in 2015!

A Toast to Lunch

We recently went to Toast for lunch. First time. I really liked the welcome sign (although I did not imbibe any of the tempting whiskeys - next time).

Lots of options at Toast

The place was packed so we sat at the bar.

Tempting Whiskeys

Hubby had a salad and I ate a sandwich.

Smoked Gouda Chef Salad with Turkey, Egg, and Bacon

Turkey Avocado with Muenster on Wheat

While both were simple, they were delicious and satisfied some formerly unknown craving that we had. Hubby enjoyed the smokey Gouda and bacon. The herbed mayo and guac on my sandwich was both creamy and tangy. And I could order mashed potatoes as a side instead of fries. Right on!

A Chef's Kitchen in Williamsburg

At last, a culinary reason to go to Williamsburg. A Chef's Kitchen is a complete delight and well worth a trip to the former Colonial Capitol. Owner and CIA-trained chef John Gonzales along with his CIA-trained assistant, Nick Allen, present an entertaining, informative, and delicious multi-course meal paired with wine. The venue hosts no more than 40 diners per night. The tables are configured like stadium seating in a movie theater facing a kitchen. John and Nick prepare the meal in front of the dining audience while passing along preparation tips and bits of food wisdom, as well as a bit of wry commentary about the world of food. Questions and photography are encouraged. The menu changes every month with a eye towards seasonal ingredients. When we dined in February we tasted a stellar line-up and were provided recipes to try at home.

Enjoy the photos and make plans well in advance. Weekend seatings fill up very quickly.

John Gonzales prepping waffle chips. After the meal a dining participant asked about how he balanced his work with home-life. He stated that his venture here which is now in its 10th year was less work and less stress than any other culinary position he had held. 

Nick Allen preparing to sear strip loins. Both he and John displayed a welcoming conversational manner. They enjoyed imparting their knowledge and displayed a quick wit for any hiccups in the cooking process.

Pierre Larousse Blanc de Blancs  sparkling was served as we arrived. All of the wines served paired well with the food and were inexpensive. A Chef's Kitchen contains a small wine shop and every wine is $10 a bottle.

First course - Roasted Apple, Parsnip, Sharp Cheddar, and Applejack Brandy Soup with Pasqua Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie. Great soup for a winter evening. The tiny apple chucks gave a sweet texture. Sharp cheddar was melted into the soup with diced chunks to garnish. I liked the melted cheddar. For cheddar lovers, the diced morsels would be welcomed. For non-cheddar lovers (like me), I would omit the diced cheese.

Second course - Mixed Baby Lettuces with Toasted Pistachios, Pineapple, and Creamy Watergate Lime Dressing and Skillet Baked Corn Bread. I really enjoyed the pineapple and nuts in the salad, a culinary deconstructed nod to the Watergate Salad of years' past, but the star of this dish was the cornbread. John touted the wonders of a cast iron skillet and the need for fresh corn meal. He mixed up the batter and cooked it for 15 minutes while we were eating the soup. Light and tasty, not too sweet. The recipe is flexible enough to add more sugar if one prefers a sweeter taste. Heavenly!

Third course - Flash Fried Chesapeake Flounder Filet with Fennel Slaw and Brown Butter Caper Sauce served with Pere et Fils Chardonnay-Viognier. I love capers. I love fennel. I am not a fish fan, although I have come to realize that the fish I do not like is the fish that is poorly cooked. This flounder knocked my socks off. It was so tasty, so moist, and not fishy. A delightful surprise for my evening. Afterwards I related my experience to Nick and he explained that the secret is not to overcook the fish. 

Course four - New York Striploin Steak with Roasted Bell Pepper-Oregano Onion Saute served with Colsanto Ruis Sangiovese-Merlot. Medium rare perfection and a generous portion of beef. A Chef's Kitchen uses certified Hereford beef which The Fresh Market carries.

Fifth course - Almond Frangipane Torte with Warm Apricot and Cherry Chutney a la Mode. A very sweet ending to a marvelous evening.

A truly enjoyable experience. In the fall they feature venison. It would be worth going back.

Vinoteca Marylebone London

Once again another simply marvelous spot just a couple of blocks from our hotel, The Cumberland at Marble Arch. A small wine bar serving seasonal plates and tasty wine. I highly recommend Vinoteca.

We ordered wine, of course. A bottle of Domaine Caillot Bourgogne Rouge. Mighty fine.

To start we enjoyed Kohlrabi, Radish, and Cucumber Salad and Confit Pork Belly with Pickled Red Cabbage and Applesauce. Delicious.

For mains we had Corn-fed Chicken Breast with Lentils and Roast Squash and Gressingham Duck Breast with Grilled Chicory and Blood Orange. Heaven.

The place was bustling. We arrived somewhat early and snagged a table before the crowds came in. We enjoyed peering over the counter to see the open kitchen in action and appreciated the speed and efficiency of the wait staff.

Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Orangery, and Min Jiang

We really enjoy walking in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The vast expanses of green with tall, tall trees. The little areas that burst with blooms. A sculpture that delights. The waterfowl and lakes. The horses being exercised every morning. And (as mentioned before), the dogs that are free to roam the park without a leash. It's all good.

And don't forget Kensington Palace which was home to Princess Diana. The gift shop has loads of princess accessories.

The canvas-backed chairs always look cute, but beware; you must rent them. One day when it was unusually sunny, many Londoners took advantage of the weather and picnicked in the park. Unfortunately, most of them did not pick up after themselves and there was trash everywhere. Very disappointing. A great green space deserves a bit more respect.

We had lunch at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens one afternoon. We had dined here on our last trip and was mightily impressed. This time, the food and tea were still very good, but our waiter was found lacking in the service department and while the desserts seemed tempting, we decided to skip the treat (and added expense) because of him.

Salad with Fennel and Mixed Lettuces

Rillette of Roast Pork

On the other hand, we thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Min Jiang. A Chinese restaurant located on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel overlooking Kensington Gardens. Wow. Our main dishes were some of the best Chinese we have ever had. The other cool thing was a wonderful wine list. We enjoyed a lovely Alsatian Pinot Blanc with dinner. If you dine here, make reservations. The place is very popular, including the bar area.

The View from Min Jiang

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Roasted Chicken with Ginger Sauce

Gong Bao Chicken

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens together is one of our favorite London places. Great to explore and people-watch and meet new furry and feathered friends.

Bar Boulud London

This begins my numerous pictorial posts of London and various places in the UK. In April we visited for a couple of weeks. A grand time was had by both hubby and me. While London is expensive, we managed to find a few eating establishments that weren't too exorbitant and were very tasty. We never had to wait more than 2 minutes for an Underground train. So amazing. Most of the museums are free of charge, but the churches cost money. In most of the city parks well-behaved dogs can run around unleashed. It's so much fun to see them in the park. No one wears a hat in London (men or women), so I stuck out like a sore thumb with my wide-brimmed version. The Brits could not figure me out and were a bit surprised to find out I was from the US. While not overly crowded, the shopping areas sported a ton of folks all vying for the lastest in this week's fast fashion. Thank goodness, the side streets were quiet and unhurried.

The only French place we dined at was Bar Boulud located in the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge. The last time we were in London (about five years ago), the French places we went to were abysmal. Thus, we stuck to a well-known entity and were not disappointed. I appreciated the open kitchen (which seems to be a trend here). As with most places in the UK we experienced wonderful service. We did have to re-remember to ask for the bill.

Highlights of the meal included:

In true French fashion, napkins were labeled. 

View of the open kitchen.

Sausage Lyonnaise en Croute.

Salade de Roquette with rocket (arugula), olives, and fresh mozzarella.

Tartare de Boeuf. Very traditional. Very rich. This was the smaller size.

OMG (or Mon Dieu)! The warm Madeleines were delightful.

We enjoyed very traditional French dishes well executed. The best item was dessert - a mound of fresh-from-the-oven Madeleines. So. So. Good. And we had so many that we asked to take the rest back to our hotel room to enjoy with some late-night tea.

Another Visit to The Roosevelt

Earlier in July we headed back to The Roosevelt to enjoy another meal. This time a rehearsal dinner filled half the space. A bit strange since there is no way to partition a group gathering. And when the best man stood up to make a speech, all I could think of was Four Weddings and a Funeral. It took an enormous amount of effort to keep from rolling my eyes and bursting out with guffaws. I do wish the bride and groom a happy journey despite my cynicism.

In any case hubby and I ate, drank, and made merry. We began with cocktails: Jasper's Rum Punch and The Orange Door Hinge. Hubby enjoys rum and on this blazing hot night, it was very refreshing. My Hinge contained Espolon tequila and blood orange juice with a jalapeno hint and Kentucky Ale 8 soda. I have lately been won over by Espolon. The taste of the tequila shines through no matter what is added. This is a very good thing. I liked the black sea salt around the rim, too, but beware, it will temporarily turn lips and tongue black.

Jasper's Rum Punch

The Orange Door Hinge

We shared a salad and a snack: Peach and Burrata Salad and Fried Pork Rinds. The salad was the best thing we encountered all night (the rest was good, this was simply outstanding). The salad also contained arugula and hazelnuts with a Banyuls vinaigrette. So yummy. The pork rinds were still crackling as they were served - a grown up version of pop rocks and a nice crunchy companion to the salad.

The Virginia wine of the evening was a King Family Meritage. Once again, I'm happy that The Roosevelt had the gumption to only offer Virginia wine and that they select quality producers.

For dinner proper: Flap Steak with Fingerling Potatoes and Housemade A1 and Smoked Duck Leg with Cheddar Grits and Oyster and Sausage Gravy. The flap steak was similar to a flat iron. Hubby enjoyed it, but was not a fan of the A1 sauce. I was lured in by the duck, which was fabulous. I even enjoyed the oysters. The grits were too rich for me and I really could not eat them. I have to be careful about creamy-cheesy offerings be it quiche, alfredo sauce, or even mac and cheese. Other diners would have scarfed them down and asked for more, I'm sure.

Richmond has been blessed with some wonderful places to experience good food and drink. The Roosevelt continues to be one of these special places. Go soon and enjoy for yourself. And one more thing - despite the temperature of 100 degrees outside, the restaurant was cool and comfortable inside. A difficult thing to achieve with older buildings.