Monet and Margaux's in Raleigh

My Mom and I took a little trip to Raleigh to see Monet in Normandy – a special exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Highlights for us included a series of 3 paintings along the cliffs at Varengeville and the 3 painting Manneporte series. You can check it out at http://www.ncartmuseum.org/monet/. Now as much as we enjoyed the artwork, we weren’t even able to enjoy the Blue Ridge Restaurant at the museum. Of course, the exhibit was crowded, but the hostess stand was utter chaos and even though we listed our name and waited, etc., the seating order was truly beyond our comprehension. Thus, we left and happened upon Margaux’s Restaurant located on Creedmooor Rd. http://www.margauxsrestaurant.com/. And, alas, we lucked out. The place is only open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays and only serves from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. We arrived at 1:35 PM. The interior boosts a large stone fireplace and lots of contemporary and whimsical art. There is also a huge aquarium presided over by a meditating Buddha. The lunch menu featured a “Soup of the Moment” – Hot N Sour Szechuan Crab ($7.95) at this particular moment as well as several salads and entrees. My Mom and I both started with a Traditional Caesar Salad with Herbed Croutons and Fresh Parmesan ($5.95). Traditional, indeed, but with a generous amount of grated Parmesan. We stepped outside of traditional for our next course and both ordered Vietnamese Fresh Shrimp Spring Roll with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, Pickled Carrots, Peanut Pesto, & Red Chili Jam ($11.95). What a delight for the mouth. Fresh-tasting; a little hot; sweet, large chunks of crab; vinegary slivers of carrots and cucumbers. If ever presented with the opportunity, I would jump at the chance to eat dinner at this eclectic eatery.

3 Days - 3 Restaurants

What a whirlwind of restaurants and food lately. Of course, my husband going out of town really sparked this eating out spike. And it turned out to be a fairly diverse group of eateries as well.

1. Zed Café (www.zedcafeonline.com) – A recent addition to the Lakeside Ave. restaurant scene. It’s now open for dinner Thursday – Saturday and features organic meats and produce along with vegetarian dishes. Highlights included a non-alcoholic libation entitled Love Portion #9 – pomegranate juice and organic lemonade – served in very tall, vase-like glasses; Red Pepper Tart with Roasted Olives – roasted peppers and feta between very thin slices of eggplant; Tea Infused Boiled Eggs that came with the salad; and a Mocha that was about as different as one can get from the Starbucks variety (and since I ordered it without looking at the drink menu, and since mocha was not listed on the drink menu, I think the waiter just made it up!) – My “Mocha” had very little coffee, if any, in it and no steamed milk. It did contain unsweetened melted chocolate which served a similar digestive purpose that an espresso after dinner would. Espresso has always been too bitter for me, but this “Mocha” struck a better balance between flavor and bitter. Since what I had was nowhere to be seen on the menu, it will be interesting if Zed continues to serve it. I would order it again. By the way, this past weekend Zed acquired a license to sell wine.
2. Positive Vibe Café (www.positivevibecafe.com) – My friend 007 wanted to take me out for my birthday and we decided to be Positive. Positive Vibe (located in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center off of Forest Hill Ave.) serves as a training facility for persons with disabilities to learn food service skills and to help folks go on to secure employment in the community. The wait staff is made up of volunteers from the community. Positive Vibe also focuses on organic products. Highlights were Avocado Corn Salsa – the salsa had nice avocado chunks and white corn (not too spicy), accompanied by blue corn chips; Buffalo Bistro Steak – I had a choice of the 5 or 10 ounce size, I opted for the smaller version, very tasty and lean, and grilled medium rare; Chocolate Chip Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream – an intense chocolate brownie made at the restaurant topped with Bev’s ice cream. How could one go wrong? Positive Vibe has live music on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. So, what are you waiting for? Get Positive!
3. Brio Tuscan Grille (www.brioitalian.com) – Yes, I do occasionally eat at a chain restaurant, especially those who send $10 off coupons around my birthday! My hubby was finally back in town. Yesterday was beautiful and we decided to go to the Art Affair event at Stony Point and eat lunch at Brio’s. Highlights included the Ultimate Cosmopolitan – Grey Goose vodka, Grand Marnier, a splash or cranberry juice for color and a slice of lime; Chicken Milanese Pomodoro – Romano and breadcrumb encrusted chicken breast topped with melted fresh mozzarella nestled in herbed spaghetti and surrounded by Pomodoro sauce. The herbed spaghetti makes this dish and since the tomato sauce surrounds the pasta and does not cover it, I can enjoy the pasta two different ways. The chicken is tasty, too. I almost always get this dish when I go to Brio’s. It has a lot of flavor and it’s so big that I always have leftovers to enjoy for another day. Now, if only they would do a better job at pricing their wine list and if the male waiters would drop the faux Italian image…

Sunday Evening at La Grotta

My husband had a dilemma. My birthday happened to fall on a Sunday this year. He wanted to take me out for a nice supper. As he called around to some of our favorite places, he discovered that almost all of them were closed on Sunday. A chain restaurant was simply out of the question. But he can be a persevering soul and when the day finally arrived, we drove down to Shockoe Slip and landed at La Grotta. The décor has this underground wine cellar atmosphere crossed with medieval looking furniture and ironwork. Although the restaurant does not immediately come to mind when thinking about places to eat, the setting is unique enough to intrigue out-of-town visitors.

Because it was my birthday, I celebrated with a Cosmopolitan for starters. Bread, grissini, and ciabatta arrived in short order accompanied by a garlic, eggplant, and olive oil tapenade (heavy on the garlic). The wine list was fairly extensive. But only one wine caught our eye at a somewhat decent price: 2003 Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo ($45). Bold, full-bodied, and smooth. We were happy.

The menu tempted us with several salad choices. I ordered the Insalata de Campagna – Julienne of radicchio and fennel, tossed in a white balsamic dressing and topped with prosciutto and shaved parmesan. I liked the play of the bitter radicchio against the subtle balsamic dressing. The cheese came in large shaved sheets and was strong enough to stand up to the bitter red cabbage. The prosciutto seemed to have been soaking in some kind of liquid to keep it moist, which made it a bit suspect. And believe it or not, the salad paired decently with the wine. My husband stuck to tradition and selected the Insalata Tricolore – Homemade mozzarella, tomato, and organic baby greens tossed in a white balsamic dressing. His was tasty with no surprises.

Selecting the entrée turned out to be more difficult than the salad selection. The filet, New Your strip, and the quail all caught my eye. In the end I ordered the special – Veal Chop with cheese melted on top and finished with black truffle oil. The veal was medium and extremely tender. The cheese (something akin to Fontina) was a little too rich for my tastes. The balck truffle oil seemed to be non-existent. So, while I enjoyed the chop, itself, the enhancements left my taste buds a little flat. My husband ordered the Filetto al Pepe Verde – Filet mignon finished in a green peppercorn and cognac sauce. He liked how the green peppercorn sauce permeated the entire filet, adding a delightful piquancy to his meal. Both meals were served with mashed potatoes with possibly mashed parsnips added and sautéed Swiss chard. The potatoes were decent and gave us a taste of Fall. The Swiss chard (served instead of spinach) was another story. I had never had Swiss chard. I’ll probably never have it again. It was all I could do to chew and swallow. This is the type of green vegetable that is way too green for me. At least I attempted it.

For dessert we shared a Tartufo – a core of vanilla ice cream surrounded by chocolate ice cream, dusted with cocoa, and nestled in a hazelnut cream sauce. Dessert was heavenly. The dusting of cocoa added just the right amount of pizzazz.

Pat took excellent care of us the entire time. He did not rush the meal and he kept the wine flowing the entire time, well, at least until the bottle ran dry.

So, if you need a Sunday supper solution, head on down to La Grotta. In fact, I think the last time my husband’s birthday was on a Sunday, we ate at La Grotta, too.

Go Eat! Richmond Restaurant Week Oct. 23-29

Richmond Restaurant Week will take place October 23 - 29 this year. For $22.06 you will get a three course meal from a great restaurant and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Central Virginia Food Bank. What a way to support a great cause and enjoy great food. Restaurant participants this year include:

Acacia
Amici
Bacchus
Cabo's
Cafe Lafayette
Old City Bar
Comfort
Graffiti Grille
Hondo's
Jacquemo's
Julep's
La Grotta
Millie's
Rowland's
Sam Miller's
Six Burner
Twenty Seven
TJ's
Zeus Gallery Cafe

Roma's Pizza

I hope all of you made it to The National Folk Festival this past weekend. It was a blast, especially Willie King and the Liberators. After being at the festival all day, we were craving pizza for dinner. We generally do not do the chains, and we weren't in the mood for our usual fare from Zorba's (on MacArthur). So, we took a chance on Roma's located on Staples Mill. We called in a pick up order for a medium Roma Combo - pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions (NO SUBSTITUTIONS). Cost: $17.75. The medium was huge and I'm having leftovers tonight. We liked the thin crust and the sauce was fantastic. A decent amount of pepperoni and sausage kept us satisfied. And there was a mound of veggies which was good and not so good. I don't like mushrooms, but since NO SUSTITUTIONS were allowed, I thought I could easily pick them off. I was wrong, but I endeavored. The green peppers had been cooked to almost mush. not what I expect from peppers on a pizza. The onions were plentiful and fine. Next time, and despite the flaws in the combo, there will be a next time, we will opt for a small pepperoni, sausage, and onion pie.

Raising a Toast with Jerry Garcia

A hint of chocolate on the nose, a bright fruit tang on the tongue, and an ample amount of body as it slides down the throat. Let’s all raise a toast with the 2002 J. Garcia Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. I was able to pick mine up at The Fresh Market for $13.99. Of course, the label caught my eye at first. Clos du Bois, which has partnered with the Garcia estate, produces the wine and uses a Jerry Garcia painting as the backdrop for the wine label. Check it out - http://jgarciawine.com/.

Beef Stew with a Cuban Flair

Stew – another weather related recipe. And a great remedy for a cold, rainy, and downright miserable Saturday. I discovered Ropa Vieja – Braised Beef, Peppers, and Onions with a Cuban flair from The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl.

Here are the ingredients with a couple of my own omissions/substitutions:

3 pounds flank steak (mine came from The Fresh Market)

8 cups water

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 fennel bulb, course chopped (the recipe called for celery, to which I am not partial)

1 bay leaf

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon whole black pepper, crushed

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼ inch wide strips

1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

14 ounce can whole tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼ inch wide strips

2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼ inch wide strips

½ cup green olives, pitted and chopped (recipe called for pimento-stuffed green olives)

(The recipe also called for 1 cup of frozen peas which I conveniently forgot to get when I went grocery shopping.)

WARNING – This is not a quick meal. It takes about 3 hours to finish. Now that you know, I’ll proceed with the instructions.

Combine beef, water, carrots, yellow onion, fennel, bay leaf, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large heavy pot (I use a Le Creuset enamel pot) and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, about 1 ½ hours until beef is tender. Remove beef to a bowl or plate. Pour liquid through a large strainer. (The cookbook here says to discard the solids, I say set them aside in a medium bowl. You’ll see why.) Return liquid to pot and boil until reduced to 3 cups. Pour reduced liquid into a boil. Wipe out the pot. While liquid is boiling (or when the meat is cool enough for you to touch), shred the meat with your fingers and set aside. The meat should be so tender that it almost falls apart.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the wiped out pot and sauté the green peppers and red onion until very tender (the recipe says this takes about 10 minutes, it took me more like 20 minutes – I like my onions crunch-free). While the peppers and onions are getting tender, open the can of tomatoes and add them to the set aside solids. Also add the tomato paste. With an electric emulsifier (a.k.a. boat motor), puree the mixture. Add the pureed mixture and shredded beef to the green peppers and onions. Cover the pot and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. While this is simmering, in a frying pan, pour in the remaining olive oil and sauté the red and yellow peppers…mmm, about 20 minutes. Once the peppers are tender, add them and the olives to the pot. Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or so. Serve with crusty bread or over white rice.

This turned out to be a very hearty meal with lots of leftovers. It would be great for a meat appreciative crowd. The cumin and olives added a subtle flair, but did not steal the show. I simply loved how the flank steak pulled apart after boiling and I also liked how the seasoning for the water added flavor to the beef. I will consider using flank steak with other beef stew recipes. We enjoyed our stew with a 2003 Castle Rock Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (~$12), but a Crianza Rioja or a Priorat would be tasty as well.

Savory Olive Cream Cheese Spread

Here’s a great spread for crackers:

Savory Olive Cream Cheese Spread

8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

3 ounces of garlic or herb flavored goat cheese

¼ cup green and black olives, finely chopped

1 shallot, minced

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Thoroughly mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature for ½ an hour before serving.

2006 Richmond Italian Festival

Don’t you love gorgeous Fall weekends? I do. It’s definitely my favorite time of year. Cool, crisp breezes. Perfect blue skies with a few lazy white clouds as counterpoint. I can take a deep breath, sigh, and exclaim “Life is Good!” This has been such a weekend. And we celebrated on Saturday Italian style by attending the Richmond Italian Festival (www.richmonditalianfestival.com). A small affair located on E. Broad St. at St. John’s Church. Booths lined the street offering artwork, handbags and shoes, jewelry, etc. Of course, we came for the food and wine. What a pleasure to find both wine and beer (Peroni, of course) offered. Nine Italian wines (3 white and 6 red) were available to taste, or to purchase by the glass, or to purchase by the bottle. Since we had arrived in time for dinner, a bottle was in order. All bottles were $21 a pop (of the cork, as it were). We skipped the Chiantis and headed for the Morellino di Scansano (Sangiovese). Even though the wine was unoaked, it still contained some body and suited our purposes for the evening. Now, what to eat. Many reputable local Italian restaurants were plying their scrumptious wares – Roma’s, Angelo’s, A Taste of Italy, DeFazio’s, etc. We headed for The Italian Kitchen West for Spicy Sausage Subs with Sautéed Peppers and Onions ($5). This place makes its own sausage. Heavenly – just the right amount of heat, but nothing to overwhelm the meat. We parked ourselves at an outdoor table, enjoyed our wine and food and did a considerable amount of people-watching. Before we left The Italian Kitchen West booth we were encouraged to try a Sformato (sp?) pastry ($4). Orange-flavored ricotta custard nestled in strips of pastry and sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Absolutely delightful! We took ours wrapped up for home and enjoyed it with a small amount of Belle de Brillet (pear cognac). As we ate the sounds of Ron Moody and the Centaurs wafted our way (It was far better to just listen than to actually watch them).

This tiny festival was just right to grab a decent Italian dinner and dine al fresco. Viva L’Italia!

Chincoteague Weekend

Fall finally arrived and my husband and I decided to get away for a weekend in Chincoteague. After some brief research we made reservations at the Anchor Inn (http://chincoteague.com/anchor) located on Main St.. Our 2^nd floor room sported a small private balcony overlooking the water and a mini-fridge. At $95 a night (including continental breakfast), we were pleased. We also enjoyed the breeze and the relative quiet – water lapping at the docks and the chattering of numerous ducks.

As we strolled down Main St. we discovered the usual seaside tourist retail establishments, but also came upon a couple of art galleries, used book stores (yes, more than one!), a decoy shop, and (isn’t it wonderful?) a wine shop (http://www.chincoteaguechamber.com/i-wine-cheese-more.html). Since we had a balcony overlooking the water and we had use of a mini-fridge, we purchased a 2004 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel from Napa and a Gruet Winery Sparkling Rose. The Frog’s Leap was very tasty as we watched the sun set over the water. The Gruet we saved for Saturday night.

For dinner we walked about two blocks up to Bill’s Seafood Restaurant. Of course, we had a hankering for some seafood. Bill’s tends to be a popular place and when we arrived around 7:15 PM, the place was hopping. All the other parties in line had made reservations. When we finally flagged down the somewhat harried host, we were told it would be an hour wait. Bill’s does not have a bar, so we made an 8:15 PM reservation and took another walk down the street. While many shops were closed, a few were open later to take advantage of weekend tourists. We happily browsed and then returned to be promptly seated in a much quieter setting. Now what to order? We looked around at some of the dishes. The seafood (especially the shrimp) looked tempting, but, whoa, the steaks looked out of this world as well. What to do? Well, we asked for the wine list. Bill’s carried a 2001 Stags Leap Petite Syrah for $49. Yes, it was the most expensive, but with The Fresh Market retailing the bottle for $39, the price seemed a bargain for a restaurant. And, thus, I ordered the Filet Mignon & Fried Jumbo Shrimp ($22.95). Hubby stuck with the Fried Jumbo Shrimp only ($15.95). The meal came with a mini loaf of whole wheat bread as well as crackers & a cheese spread (vaguely white cheddary) for starters as well as a choice of salads and a choice of sides. I ordered the Caesar Salad while my spouse had the Garden variety. Both had fresh lettuce, but mine came with shaved Parmesan cheese. Yummy. My Filet was indeed medium rare and had the requisite grill marks. What a great pairing with the wine. But the Shrimp stole the show. Butterflied with a light breading and oh so sweet! Sheer heaven. As for the sides, baked potato for me and fries for my other half, merely mediocre. Our waitress was pleasant and allowed us to take our time and enjoy the meal. Bill’s is open year round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if the morning line to get in was any indication, Bill’s must serve a mean breakfast, too!

On Saturday we headed over to Assateague Island(oval stickers proclaim As Is). Assateague is a National Park complete with beach, marshlands, a lighthouse, and wild ponies. The entrance fee was $10 for vehicles which garnered you a seven day pass. Even though we were only around for a day we did appreciate the flexibility of going back to Chincoteague for lunch and returning. The lighthouse was our first stop. At the parking area signs warn visitors about mosquitoes. Heed the signs! We had to go back to the car for repellent. The lighthouse was open to climb for an additional $4 fee. I decided to trudge to the top and earned a congratulatory sticker for my efforts. Upon safely regaining solid ground we headed for the beach where we happened upon a wedding. After beachcombing we looked for lunch.

Maria’s Family Restaurant on Maddox Blvd. was the choice. The décor left a lot to be desired. Plastic covered chairs guarding plastic covered tables holding plastic plates and glasses. At least the silverware was not plastic. The special was the Shrimp Basket ($5.75) and it is what I ordered. My husband went with the Meatball Sub ($4.95). The shrimp were small yet tasty, fries just okay. But I had plenty of shrimp to keep me happy. The Meatball Sub was the real thing with a decent sauce. While Maria’s could use some assistance with interior design, the food was decent at a reasonable price.

The rest of our afternoon was spent on As Is walking the Woodland Trail and admiring the wild ponies and then driving around the marshy lake taking in the ducks, herons, and little Asian elk.

On the way back to Anchor Inn we stopped in at Mr. Whippy to enjoy a milkshake.

For dinner we made reservations at AJ’s…on the Creek (http://www.chincoteague.com/rest/AJS/index.html). And we were smart to reserve a table because this place was hopping as well. We ordered drinks to start – a Cosmopolitan and a Mojito Martini ($6 each). For appetizers – Clams Casino ($7) and Coconut Shrimp ($7). The 5 clams were baked in the half shell topped with chopped red bell peppers, onions, bacon, & herbs. It was served on a bed of rock salt. The clams were fantastic! The 6 shrimp were jumbo sized and served with an orange-mango sauce. While we enjoyed our appetizers we mulled over the wine list and the rest of the menu. Our waitress was fine with waiting a bit for us to order the rest of our meal. To be that flexible on a busy night without getting flustered is true talent. For wine we decided upon a 2005 Cline Zinfandel from California ($17). For dinner hubby ordered the Filet Mignon ($26) and I went for the Veal & Shrimp ($22) - sautéed veal & shrimp with artichokes, peppers, mushroom, & onions in a light sherry sauce. Both entrees were accompanied by great tasting French rolls, a salad, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Once again I had the Caesar Salad and hubby ordered the Garden Salad. For $2 extra I ordered Fried Asiago Buttons to top my salad. I liked the Buttons, but they were not necessarily worth the extra price. Both salads were small and served in tiny bowls making it hard to eat. While my Romaine lettuce was crisp and fresh, hubby’s Mesculin Mix was rather wilty. The entrees were delicious. The Filet, cooked to my husband’s liking, was accompanied by a couple of onion rings and garlic mashed potatoes. The potatoes were whipped so smooth that they could have been instant, so, even though the taste was decent, the texture made the side suspect. My veal scaloppini was lightly breaded and fairly tender. It was topped with 3 large, sweet, tasty shrimp. I also enjoyed the bell peppers and the artichokes. The onions were not sautéed enough for me so I skipped them along with the button mushrooms. The sauce which was advertised as light was not light in the least and there was so much of it that my meal was swimming. Cutting into the veal and de-tailing the shrimp became somewhat of an ordeal. Thank goodness my efforts were rewarded with good food. AJ’s is also open year round for lunch and dinner.

We had walked to AJ’s from the Anchor Inn (about a 45 minute stroll). We did not really want to walk back. And we did not have to thanks to the weekend Pony Express Trolley (http://www.chincoteague-va.gov/visitors/transportation.htm). For a 25 cent fare we were picked up at AJ’s and deposited right in front of our motel. A bargain indeed!

Chincoteague was a great place to get away for a couple of days.

Languedoc Wine Dinner at CanCan

CanCan began their Fall Wine Dinners this past week. Dinners are held on Thursday nights and are limited to 24 diners. The cost is still $49.98 with hors d’oeuvres, three petite courses, and four wines.

For this wine dinner we traveled to Languedoc. Here is a run down:

HORS D’OEUVRES

Oysters

Plum Mignonette

Shrimp Remoulade

Potato Gaufrette

Pork Rillette

Whole Grain Mustard

2003 Blanquette de Limoux Blanc de Blancs, Saint-Hilaire

The reception began at 6 PM, but we were running late. While we had an ample pour of the sparkling, we were only able to sample the shrimp. The Saint-Hilaire sparkling has always been one of our low-cost favorites to drink by itself or to use as a base for Mimosas or Poinsettias. The Shrimp Remoulade on top of the house made waffle potato chip tasted lovely. We were disappointed that we missed the pork.

1ST COURSE

Pan Seared Scallop

Brandy Poached Pear, Almond, Watercress & Golden Raisin with Horseradish Vinaigrette

2004 Vin de Pays d’OC Chardonnay “Le Noble,” Vigerons de St. Jean

The scallop was seared just right and paired very well with the unoaked chardonnay. The pears were heavenly by themselves, but too sweet for the wine. The vinaigrette had a delicate balance, a hint of sweetness with a hint of heat from the horseradish.

2ND COURSE

Roast Pheasant Breast

Figs, Fingerling Potatoes and Goat Cheese Gratin & Port Wine Sauce

2003 Minervois “Plaisir de Lys,” Domaine Khalkal-Pamies

The potato baked with goat cheese was a wonderful juxtaposition of plain and flavorful. And the fig was delightful. And while I enjoyed the pheasant breast, most of the participants at my table thought it was bland and tough (in other words “tastes like chicken”). The port wine sauce was too overpowering. The Minervois was very spicy; thus, not a great match with the pheasant. If the bird had been a touch gamey or had been grilled, I think the pairing would have been a success. The wine itself was very tasty and would have showed itself well with CanCan’s Hamburger.

3RD COURSE

Grilled Lamb Chop

Morels, Dried Cherry Spaetzle & Rosemary Lavender Jus

2001 Coteaux du Languedoc “Consensus,” Maison Nicolas

Let’s start with the wine. This red is phenomenal! It’s bold and chewy and in your face. All of the red wine lovers at our table adored it. This was indeed the highlight of the evening. And the morel was a wonderful selection for this wine. I’m not a huge mushroom fan, but I gobbled this one up. Unfortunately, the lamb chop was a major disappointment. The meat was overcooked and lacked the rosemary-lavender flavor that the menu promised.

This first wine dinner of the Fall season lacked the polish of the ones in the Spring. While the wine selections were wonderful and gave great insight into the Languedoc region, the food was less than stellar. And since these dinners only serve petite portions, getting the all aspects of the meal right is very important. I fervently hope that the quality is brought up to the standards of last Spring. Besides immensely enjoying the wine, I liked the smaller group of diners. I particularly liked the couples at my table. One couple was older and knew a great deal about wine and cooking. The other couple was young and just beginning their wine adventures. It was delightful to converse with such a diverse group. I definitely would not write these dinners off. It’s a great way to meet fellow wine enthusiasts and the wines have always been on the mark. Let’s hope the kitchen gets the hang of the food for the next time.

Girl's Night Out at Kuba Kuba

My friend JW and I used to work together many moons ago. She is now a full-time Mom. We try to go out to eat several times a year to catch up on each other’s lives. One of our favorite places to go when we worked together was Kuba Kuba. A few nights ago we decided to go back to this fondly remembered haunt. Back then JW always ordered the Pesto-Tomato-Jack Melt on Kuban bread ($6.95). And on this night she did not stray. “It melts in your mouth. The bread is crunchy in the right places and soft and gooey in the right places. I also love the fried plantains,” gushed my friend. I, on the other hand, decide to stray from my usual – Kuban Pork sandwich. I opted for the Califorinia Huevos ($7.95). My dish contained two eggs over red beans and Kuban bread topped with Monterey Jack cheese, enchilado sauce, lime sour cream, and a slice of avocado. Not much sour cream, but the enchilado sauce added some heat and spiciness to the beans. And I always appreciate the Kuban bread.

JW wanted dessert (to share) and we both wanted coffee. The only dessert option for the night was Tres Leches Cake ($4.95) – in either vanilla or chocolate. We had never heard of a chocolate version, thus, we ordered it. The cake was very moist with decent chocolate flavor, but maybe not worth the near $5 price tag. The Café con Leche with sweetened condensed milk is another story, however. At $2.50 for a steaming mug, it’s a bargain. And Kuba Kuba can make a decaf version as well, which suited JW. Sinfully sweet and a great end to our girl’s night out.

An Italian to Avoid

2004 Riparosso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Illuminati. We purchased this at Kroger's for $15.99. Lots of fruit up front but a very bitter taste once it hits the back of your mouth and slides down your throat. And we are not talking about bitterness from tannin, just a plain old nasty taste experience. Don't waste your money.

Cielito Lindo - The Place for Mexican in Richmond

My long-time friend 007 and I went out to dinner last night. She resides south of the James. I live north of the James. We take turns (sort of) eating in each other’s neighborhood (neighborhood is very loosely defined). It was my turn to head south. Now, let’s face it, the southside of Richmond is filled with run-of-the-mill chain eateries. I was determined to go outside the “norm.” Thus, I dialed up www.styleweekly.com to peruse options. In its food section, Style Weekly makes a point of only listing non-chain establishments. Kudos to them. There were a fair number of listings from Indian to Mexican to Italian to seafood.

And what was our final decision? Mexican – in the form of Cielito Lindo. This tiny place is located on Forest Hill Ave. I forgot to jot down the actual address, so, we had a bit of an adventure finding the place. The sign is very small with tiny letters. (By the way, the address is 4702 Forest Hill Ave.) The restaurant is small with a short row of cozy booths and a number of stools at the bar. I liked the bright paint colors. There are about an equal number of tables located on the front patio, complete with umbrellas. The night was gorgeous. We sat outside.

Jess, our most excellent waitress, seated us, brought us the requisite chips and salsa, and proceeded to tell us that everything was good. I started with a house margarita ($4.50). 007 wasn’t sure if she wanted one or not. Mine arrived. The mix is one of the best I’ve experienced in Richmond. After sampling this refreshing concoction, 007 proclaimed that indeed the margarita was irresistible and ordered one. The tortilla chips were decent of the run-of-the-mill yellow corn variety. The salsa, traditional tomato with a little hot kick. It took us some time to review the menu and finally decide on our entrees, so we scarfed up the chips in short order. We were down to the last two when Jess appeared with a fresh basket. Ah, a waitress attentive to every need.

The menu contained a number of temptations: Cielito Soup (cream of roasted red pepper and cilantro), Quesadillas with blackened chicken, Nachos with lump crabmeat, Stofado de Carne (Mexican beef stew). 007 decided fairly quickly – Tilapia ala Veracruz $11.95 (sautéed fillet with a verde sauce and green olives and capers). I was sorely tempted by the tilapia and I don’t even like fish! I finally settled on the Carnitas $10.95 (tender pork chunks smothered in a tangy tomatillo salsa verda). Our dinners arrived and were they ever yummy! 007 let me sample her dish without me begging too much. We both liked the combination of the verde sauce with the olives and capers. This dish was so good that the next time I go I will order the fish. My pork was very tender and could be pulled apart with a fork. The tomatillo sauce was not as tangy or puckery as some I have had in other restaurants, but very good, nonetheless. Each dish was served with Spanish rice, either black or refried beans, and warmed flour tortillas. 007 really enjoyed the black beans because of the seasoning. The rice and refried beans were decent, but nothing earth-shattering.

The combination of friendly, attentive wait staff; the best-tasting margaritas in Richmond; and killer dishes like the tilapia make Cielito Lindo the best Mexican restaurant I’ve been to in Richmond. It’s worth heading across the river.

NASCAR Made Us Grill

Race Weekend in Richmond. And even non-NASCAR fans can celebrate by firing up the grill (charcoal, not gas). I wanted steaks. Westbury Pharmacy had ribeyes, NY strips, and T-bones all for $6.99 a pound! This is generally where I go for steaks. If Westbury is having a bad week (or a good week because all of the good beef is already gone), I can then check out The Fresh Market (good steaks, but pricier). I chose two gorgeous NY strips. Once I got these babies home, I rubbed freshly ground salt and pepper into them, placed a couple of sprigs of rosemary (I used dried sprigs from our rosemary bush because they were there; fresh rosemary would probably impart even more flavor) on both sides, and wrapped the steaks in bacon to hold the rosemary against the steak. I inserted plenty of toothpicks to hold the bacon together and placed the wrapped steaks in the refrigerator for about an hour while I had a glass of refreshing but innocuous white wine. My husband fired up the grill. I took the steaks out and let them rest at room temperature for ½ an hour. When the coals were glowing (hubby left a very short distance between the coals and the grill), he cooked them for about 5 minutes on each side. Perfect for medium-rare. The beef had a smoky bacon/grilled taste. The rosemary was very subtle. We also ate some of the non-charred pieces of bacon – this is where the rosemary really shined. The steaks were served with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted red bell pepper slices drizzled with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese. We enjoyed our meal with a bottle of Chateau St. Jean 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County. Let’s all raise a glass to race fans who kept us at home so we could have a fantastically grilled steak!