Another Night, Another Meal

Our second meal on our Michael Symon vacation took us to Tremont, an artsy suburb of Cleveland, to his second restaurant, Lolita, which stands in the original location of Lola.  Lolita is a more casual restaurant than Lola, but we decided to wear the same clothes that we wore to Lola thinking "who would know?"  We checked in at the hostess stand and were told that our table would be ready shortly.  While we waited our original hostess stepped away and her backup appeared at the station.  She looked at us and asked "Were you at Lola the other night?" to which I could only reply "Yes, last night.  Are we total losers?"  She generously replied that we were not and told us that she would do the exact same thing.  After explaining to us that she primarily works at Lola, but covers shifts at Lolita when needed, she told us that she would only ever work for Michael Symon's restaurants as its simply a great place to work and he treats his staff well. I was not at all surprised to hear this.  That said, our plan for no one to catch us wearing the same outfit was a complete bust.

Once again there were two appetizers that we felt we absolutely must try, and yes both involved pork.  The first was the roasted dates.  Admittedly I expected the dates to be wrapped in bacon and not accompanied by lardons, but I'm not complaining.  The dates melted in my mouth and the bacon was the perfect accompaniment.

Roasted Dates (almonds, bacon, chili, parsley)

As for our second appetizer, not surprisingly we chose the pig ears and tails hoping for a repeat of the fabulous pig ears we had had the night before.  These were good, but they were a little too thin for their flavor to really stand out.  As for the tails, they were not at all what I expected.  I thought they would be thin and curly, but rather they were kinda thick.  The tail had been cut at each space between the bones and we were advised to eat them like chicken wings - as a finger food.  It amazes me how every time I try a new part of the pig I love it more and more, especially since the tails were as tender as pork belly.

Crispy Pig Tails & Ears (fennel-onion agrodolce, pickled chile, cilantro)

I knew when I ordered the macaroni that it wouldn't be anything like what you get from a Kraft box, but I was definitely surprised when I saw the shape of the pasta.  Okay, I wasn't expecting elbow, but I also wasn't expecting rotini.  The serving was large enough for two and I was sorely disappointed that our hotel room did not have a refrigerator as I wanted desperately to be able to take home the leftovers.  The sauce was luscious as only a sauce made with goat cheese could be and the chicken was moist and succulent.  That said, after eating close to half of the dish I started to tire of its simple taste and was envious of my husband's extremely flavorful hanger steak.

Macaroni (chicken, goat cheese, rosemary)

Tonight was my husband's turn to have the hanger steak and I was thankful that I got to take a bite of it.  As good as I had thought my steak at Lola the night before was, I quickly learned that this was so much better.  Lolita is considered to be a Mediterranean restaurant and the Mediterranean flavors accentuated the steak to elevate it to its highest flavor potential.  And it also made my macaroni taste bland in comparison.

Hanger Steak (greek yogurt, shishito peppers, feta, charred onion vinaigrette)

Again we needed a side for our entrees, especially mine since it was just pasta.  I tried to tell my husband that these were the worst brussel sprouts that I had ever had, but there was no way to hide the truth so I eventually told him that if I could, I would leave him for these brussel sprouts.  They were perfectly fried and when combined with the capers and anchovies they exploded with flavor.  I must find this recipe as I must have these again.

Fried Brussel Sprouts (caper, anchovy, walnut)

The dessert menu at Lolita is not as expansive as the one at Lola and for us there was only one choice: the trifle.  It was so creamy and succulent.  The only flaw was that the pound cake crumbled under the moisture instead of just becoming soggy and the texture, to me, was not enjoyable.

Peach Amaretto Trifle (almond pound cake soaked in amaretto, layered with creme fraiche custard and peach compote)

When dinner was complete we stepped outside the restaurant to find our way back to the hotel when I looked up and saw this sign, the perfect summary to our expedition.

If I had to tell you which I preferred between Lola and Lolita, it would be Lolita.  I much preferred the stronger flavor profiles of their dishes to those of Lola.  That said, its like comparing gelato to ice cream - both are heavenly, but each unique.

Her name was Lola....

When we told our friends we were spending Labor Day weekend in Cleveland there were a lot of questions.  Do you have family there?  No.  Do you have friends there?  No.  Why are you going to Cleveland?

A few times we responded that we were going to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but people know us too well to know that we would never travel for just that.  Not that we wouldn't go there, not that we didn't go there, just that we aren't that into rock and roll to travel most of the way across the country to go to a museum dedicated to it.

We finally had to admit the one and only reason that we were going to Cleveland: Iron Chef Michael Symon.

For years we have watched Chef Symon decimate his competitors on Iron Chef America and have drooled over the food he prepared and wondered just how good could it be.  I bought his cookbooks and the recipes were delicious.  Even the pie crust recipe for his Pork Pie is better that any other pie crust recipe I have ever used.  But no matter how good of a home cook I might be, we needed to know just how good his food was if he (or one of his trained chefs) had made it.  The only problem is that almost all of his restaurants are in Cleveland with the two remaining being in Detroit (Roast) and the Pittsburgh Airport (Bar Symon).  I have to admit I admire his dedication to his hometown by growing his restaurant empire there instead of expanding to Los Angeles, New York or Las Vegas like other celebrity chefs.  So we only had one option: a trip to Cleveland was in order.

First stop: his flagship restaurant, Lola, located in downtown Cleveland on 4th street which is a pedestrian only street lined with restaurants, clubs and even a bowling alley.  To us this seemed like the place to be in Cleveland, and judging by the four bachelorette parties we saw walking through, we weren't the only ones to think this.

We arrived at our hotel earlier than we had expected and were starving from our day of traveling, so we walked over to the restaurant an hour early hoping that they could seat us and if not, we would just sit at the bar.  They weren't able to seat us inside, but we were able to grab a table outside and since it was a beautiful night, it was the best option available.  We perused the menu and decided that there were two appetizers that we had to try: the beef cheek pierogi and the pig ears & belly.  Michael Symon and the pig are a marriage made in heaven so there was no passing that up!

Things were a little off in the kitchen that night, and before we even noticed it, a long time had passed before we were served our appetizers.  We were so busy filling ourselves with bread and butter, and enjoying the atmosphere and the people watching on the street that we somehow let time slip by, but our server was on it and the next thing we knew the manager was apologizing to us and telling us our appetizers were on the house.  Talk about service!  We hadn't even complained or even questioned where the food was and now it was complimentary!

The meat inside the pierogi was perfectly tender.  I regretted sharing the appetizer with my husband as I was limited to just one pierogi.  The dish was so flavorful and rich.

Beef Cheek Pierogi (wild mushrooms, horseradish creme fraiche)

Next up was the Pig.  These were the best pig ears I have ever had in my entire life.  Period.  The best.  Often times pig ears are too crispy or too thin to be able to really get any flavor out of them, as if their only purpose was to provide some crunch to the dish.  But these were cooked for enjoyment.  Not too thick, not too thin.  Crispy, and yet tender, and full of flavor.  The rest of the salad was a wonderful accompaniment to the pig ears, but nothing could overshadow their decadence.

Pork Belly & Pig Ear (watermelon, tomato, feta, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion)

My husband ordered the pork chop, and from what he tells me, it was delicious.  He said that this was the best polenta he has ever had.  I'll have to take his word for it as I don't like polenta in any of its forms.

Smoked Hampshire Pork Chop (chiles, cheesy polenta, bbq onions)

Since all I had eaten that day was a tasteless small hot dog in the airport that morning, I was hungry for beef and I love hanger steak.  The steak was delicious with the right amount of acid.  It was exactly what I needed.

Beef Hanger Steak (pickle sauce, chiles, lola fries)

And thankfully, to further curb my hunger, it was served with their signature Lola Fries.  Lola Fries are thin sliced, twice friend and seasoned with rosemary and sea salt.  These perfectly crispy fries were served with house ketchup which had a unique taste and appeared to contain cinnamon.

Lola Fries

Because we were so hungry from our travel and you never know for sure how large or small a portion size will be, we ordered one of their side dishes.  I'm a big fan of both corn and mushrooms, but I have to say that I only ever want to eat corn again if its prepared like this.  So sweet, so buttery, so much flavor.

Sweet Corn, Chanterelle Mushrooms

While there were many unique tasty desserts to choose from, we decided to go with the one that piqued our interest the most.  I mean, how often do you see a dessert item labeled as a cheesecake that is served with chorizo?  Manchego cheese is a sheep's milk cheese from Spain that is slightly tart and creamy - not what you would expect to be used in a cheesecake, and yet this was delicious.  Was it your traditional New York Style cream cheese cheesecake?  No.  Was it delicious?  Yes.  In fact, it had the exact texture one should expect from a New York Cheesecake.  The chorizo was the perfect accompaniment, but admittedly, I was too busy filling my very stuffed belly with the braised pineapple.  It was the perfect not too savory, not too sweet way to end our first Michael Symon meal. 

Manchego Cheesecake (chorizo confit, braised pineapple, pineapple, buttermilk sorbet, micro cilantro)

With our meal complete, we stumbled through the streets of Cleveland with our bellies full and dreaming of the other meals we would experience over the weekend.  And the pig ears.  Could not stop thinking about the pig ears.

Brunch in Rutherford

Before our trip I researched the best brunches in Napa Valley and found the restaurant at the Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford.  Unfortunately I didn't do my research well enough to realize that brunch does not begin until 11:30am as I made our reservations for 9:00am and we simply had breakfast.  I must not have been the only one who did their research as as we left the restaurant there was a fancy black car with a suited security guard standing outside.  Our best guess just by looking at him was that he was Secret Service, but for whom we don't know.

According to the restaurant's website "The Restaurant at the Auberge du Soleil features rich interiors accented with abstract paintings, exposed beams and warm wood furnishings.  Tables on the famous terrace are some of the best and most sought-after in Napa Valley where one can enjoy panoramic views of the neighboring vineyards and stunning sunsets." Couldn't have said it better myself.   

We were fortunate to be seated on the heated terrace and spent our morning looking out over the quiet countryside.  It was so quiet and so peaceful that I would almost consider staying at the Auberge on our next visit to Napa Valley.  Oh wait, just looked at the prices.  I think I'll just visit.

The view from the restaurant

Upon being seated and served our first cup of coffee we were presented with complimentary coffee cake to begin our meal.  It was the perfect serving for two and just enough to whet our palates but not fill us up.

Complimentary cherry coffee cake

My husband decided to go with the traditional American breakfast, which he said was fantastic.  And you know how much we love bacon and this bacon was heavenly - he shared a slice with me.

à l’ Américaine (two farm fresh eggs, crisp sauteed potatoes, applewood smoked bacon with toast)

Having eaten so much over the past two days, I thought I would try a lighter breakfast with the egg white omelet which was also just fabulous.

En Bonne Santé (egg white omelet with spinach, mushrooms, onions, seasonal berries, and toast)

In all, it was a fantastic breakfast.  I regret that we didn't get to try their brunch, but it just means that we'll have to go back some day.

A Love of Latin

Thomas Keller is most known for his Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry and its famous garden located directly across the street in Yountville.  And if you don't know about The French Laundry, then most foodies are aware of his restaurant Bouchon which is located in several locations throughout the United States.  But few are probably aware of his other Napa Valley restaurant located just minutes down the street from The French Laundry and Bouchon which serves just as excellent of food in a casual environment.

Similar to The French Laundry the menu at Ad Hoc is preset for the evening and only announced on that day, so if you are a limited eater then I'm not sure that this restaurant is for you.  But once seated they do ask if you have any food allergies, so you should not be concerned by that.  Your only choices for the remainder of the evening will be beverages and whether or not you want to partake in the optional meal supplement.  All courses are served family style and with each new course you also get a fresh plate and silverware, so no need to worry about keeping your plate or fork clean.

The first course was a salad made of vegetables picked that morning from The French Laundry Garden.  I've never tasted vegetables so fresh tasting and crisp - just off the farm.  This was not the easiest plate to share as I wanted to just eat off the main plate to be sure I got every bit of yumminess.  That was the one down side of the dressing being served beneath the veggies on the plate.

TFL Garden Tomato & Cucumber Salad (brokaw avocado, belgian endive, english peas, oranges, frisée, sesame dressing)

The second course was indescribable.  Usually when short ribs are prepared, in order to break down the connective tissue the meat is slow cooked for hours and all the marbling is gone having drained to the bottom of the pan to make a hearty au jus.  But these are not your usual braised short ribs.  I've never had anything like them.  Once you slice into them the meat is pink and tender and full of marbling.  No short rib will ever come close to the ones I had at Ad Hoc that evening.  The vegetables again were fresh from the garden and the potatoes were as creamy as could be.

Braised Beef Short Ribs (garlic whipped potatoes, broccolini, blistered shishito peppers, mokum carrots, tokyo turnips, sauce japonais)

We decided to get the additional entree with our meal, but it just resulted in the meal being too much food.  My husband noted that this entree was probably his least favorite of all of our courses, and I would probably agree.  That said, Ad Hoc's least successful is better than most restaurant's specialities.  And while I'm not much of a fan of calamari, this calamari was cooked perfectly and really held the flavor of the subtle curry.

Seafood Curry (rock shrimp, pei mussels, monterey squid, jasmine rice)

When the cheese course was served my husband grabbed a slice of cheese before I could even take a picture of the plate.  The cheese alone was decadent, but once drizzled with honey, it was heavenly.

San Joaquin Gold (candied cashews, honey, k&j orchards pluots)

By the time the dessert course was served there was "no room at the inn."  I struggled to finish my panna cotta which had a subtle earl grey flavor.  In fact I had seen many patrons take their oat tuiles to go, but I didn't want to miss one bite and to be able to experience the flavor combination.  Ultimately I never finished my panna cotta and found myself rolling out of the restaurant, but I have no regrets.

Earl Grey Panna Cotta (yellow nectarines, oat tuile)

This was not our first trip to Ad Hoc, nor will it be the last.  Previously we experienced their Sunday brunch which is just as wonderful, and I hope that some day I can experience their fried chicken as it has a reputation as strong as that of The French Laundry.  If you're in the Napa Valley I strongly recommend going to Ad Hoc with its Michelin quality food in a casual atmosphere with a reasonable price of $52 per person.

Napa Style indeed

No trip to Napa is complete without visiting Michael Chiarello's signature restaurant Bottega Napa.  On this trip to Napa I learned that Chef Chiarello owns the home goods store, Napa Style, located just across the way from his own restaurant, Bottega Napa.  On our last visit we had dinner at Bottega, but this time we decided to do lunch.

I don't know how we didn't remember the complimentary bread and sauce as the sauce is heaven on earth.  I Googled the recipe and found out its name "Salsa di Parmigiano."  Just call it heaven.  I plan on making it at home over and over again.  I almost regretted ordering anything off the menu as my entire meal could have been the bread and salsa.

Salsa di Parmigiano

For our appetizer we decided on the Green Eggs and Ham. Here the green is the caramelized zucchini and the ham is the guanciale, so not what one thinks of when they think of the Dr. Seuss book.  Never the less, quite tasty.

Green Eggs and Ham (caramelized zucchini, cherry tomato confit, guanciale, crispy soft cooked egg, sweet corn sabayon, Redwood Hills Crottin)

We were both intrigued by the peach salad with perfectly ripened peaches: not too sweet and not too soft.  My only complaint was that it was difficult to eat the pistachios as they were chopped a little too finely.  Otherwise, its a light refreshing salad.

Local Peach Salad (honey ricotta, purslane, pistachios, fennel pollen, and Muscat vinaigrette)

As soon as I saw this on the menu I knew my husband would order it.  The big giveaway was the first two words in the name: Black Garlic.  Again my husband was faced with head-on prawns, making us joke that every entree he would have on our trip would have to include the headed crustacean.  The dish comes with the bonito flakes on the side and the server stating that the chef recommends them on top.  In case you don't know what bonito flakes are they are flakes of dried, smoked bonito fish.  If you're a fan of Iron Chef America then you know that Chef Morimoto is often making a dashi with these.

Black Garlic Spaghetti Grande (head-on gulf prawns, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, calabrian chili, citrus essence and bonito flakes)

I decided to go for the risotto of the day because it was made with crab.  And lots of it.  Crab broth was used in the preparation of the risotto along with bits of crab, and then a generous helping of crab on top.  There was nothing left as I think this was the best risotto I have ever had.

Dungeness Crab Risotto - the Risotto del Giorno

Even though we were only at lunch we decided to go for dessert.  The crust was amazing - nice and think and not too sweet.  Everything about the crostata was delish!  And the ice cream, though we were sceptical as it was made with rosemary, was decadent as well.  The only item I wasn't sure about was the bing cherry espuma or foam.  I could have done without it.  This is definitely a dessert to share with one or two people as its way too decadent and too large for just one person.

Cherry Pistachio Crostata (with bing cherry espuma, pistachio oil, and honey rosemary gelato)

Having now had both lunch and dinner at Bottega Napa I can definitely say that I will be back again.  But my question is: when are they going to offer breakfast as well?

The Son of Neptune

If you are a fan of Iron Chef America, then you must be a fan of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.  Chef Morimoto only has a few restaurants, so whenever I'm in the neighborhood I feel obligated to take advantage of the opportunity.  This time we were in Napa, California so a late night stop into Morimoto Napa was in order.

We had been here once before and yet somehow I had forgotten how loud it is inside the restaurant.  The decor is beautiful, but it allows for the sound to reverberate off of the walls making your own table conversation difficult to hear.  But your mouth will be too busy eating the decadent food that you won't mind.

The first thing I ordered was the White Lily which I think is The Best Drink On Earth Period.  I had the non-alcoholic version at Morimoto in Manhattan, but have made sure to have the hard version the two times I've been to his Napa location.  The drink is so subtle and so tasty and I think there should be more yuzu products in American markets as yuzu is the perfect citrus fruit.

White Lily (shochu, calpico, yuzu juice and fresh lemon)

This time we started with the hamachi tartare having tried the toro tartare on our last visit.  The presentation is the same, just different fish.  The whole dish comes on a bowl of shredded ice to keep everything cool.  You scoop a little bit of fish on your shovel (the silverware that comes with the dish) and then dip it into any of the six available toppings: nori paste (yum!), wasabi, sour cream, chives, guacamole, rice cracker balls).  Its up to you to come up with all of the various combinations available.  Personally I love the nori paste with a little wasabi and some chives. My husband and I seem to make a game out of this with our various shovel designs in the fish and the constant competition to gather up the others remnants on the side.

hamachi tartare (wasabi, nori paste, sour cream)

My husband knowingly ordered what I had eaten on our last trip, but it turns out that I ordered the same thing he had previously ordered as well.  I guess you can say we are creatures of habit.  All I knew was that tonight I wanted beef, so I ordered the surf and turf so that I could still take advantage of having Morimoto's fish.  The dish was divine, but strangely I preferred the veggies beneath the steak.

surf and turf (snake river farms wagyu, hamachi, black garlic, nuoc cham)

Since we're big lovers of Korean food we had to try Morimoto's kimchees, again not realizing that we had already done so on our previous trip.  Well, at least it was a pleasant mistake.  There were three different kinds of kimchee: cucumber, which was not as hot as it always seems to be in Korean restaurants; radish; cabbage, but not the traditional kind.  Admittedly I was disappointed that they didn't offer the traditional cabbage kimchee, but I wasn't exactly in a Korean restaurant so I'm not sure what I was expecting.

morimoto kimchees

And below is the heavenly dish I got to enjoy on our last visit.  Its like a Japanese cioppino, but so much better.  Be prepared though, as the shrimp comes with heads included.  I have to admit I was envious of my husband's meal, and yet saddened that Morimoto doesn't have a restaurant in Los Angeles as this is the dish that I would want when its cold and I'm not feeling well.  I think this might be the Japanese equivalent of Jewish penicillin.

seafood toban yaki (lobster, king crab, mussels, clams, sea scallop, red miso sake broth)

For dessert we finally varied from our previous experience and ordered the yuzu souffle because we both love yuzu.  If I recall correctly I think our server even told us that it was gluten free, so take a note all of you out there who suffer through a gluten-free diet as you won't be suffering on this night.  And because it isn't made with flour it cooks rather quickly, so if you're tired and don't want to wait the traditional twenty or so minutes for a souffle then you are in luck.  The only flaw with the dish is that its simply too small.  I wanted more even though I was stuffed to the gills.

yuzu souffle (boysenberry ice cream, lemon sugar tuille)

Any time you are in a city where there is a Morimoto restaurant I have one instruction for you: Go.

Rock Some Sugar On Me!

Last night we found ourselves at Century City Mall in search of food.  We ruled out the food court, so that left a handful of restaurants.  We decided to give RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen a shot.  Pan Asian means that it represents all of Asia and I would say that was accurate as there were dishes that were Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian and other Asian countries represented on the menu.

The decor of the restaurant is fantastic - it definitely has an Asian feel.  You will initially walk through an open patio with tables that have their own enclosed fire pits.  The main dining room is a little loud, so I was relieved when we were seated on the covered patio with a view of Santa Monica Boulevard.  We each ordered a tasty cocktail from the vast selection - there were four of us and no repeat drink orders.

After given our choice of water (tap, flat or sparkling), an interesting starter was placed on the table.  Our best guess is that it was a sesame papadum.  It was served with a tasty chutney that looked like a salsa, but wasn't spicy.  The best part of this starter is that it wasn't filling the way most complimentary bread and butter or chips and salsa dishes are.

Not sure what this is, but came with a yummy sauce

We decided to start with an appetizer and selected the pork belly buns.  Our server told us they usually come three to an order, but offered to increase the order to four for a small fee.  I've never had a server or restaurant make such an offer before - usually four people have to draw straws on how to split the serving of three, or you have to order a second order and then you have six for four people.  Kudos to RockSugar for making this easy for us.  As for the bun, it was yum.

Glazed Pork Belly Buns (Kurobuta pork, pickled red onions, shallot mayo, chilies and cilantro)

Our server explained to us that all menu items are served family style, so we each picked a dish for the whole table to share.  I once saw a recipe in People Magazine for ginger fried rice and it was one of the tastiest side dishes I have ever made, so when I saw ginger fried rice on the menu, I thought it would be the same plate of heaven.  I was wrong.  When the server brought the plate to the table he offered to break up the fried egg that was on top and I should have asked him to wait a moment so that I could get a picture, but I was too embarrassed.  So the picture below is after his expert egg breaking and mixing.  I barely tasted any ginger or crispy garlic.  The Chinese sausage was cut so thinly and in such small portions that I could barely taste it as well.  It was just bland, and for something labeled with ginger in the name and presumably as the main ingredient, it was sorely disappointing.

Ginger Fried Rice (Chinese sausage, leeks, egg, sesame and crispy garlic)

My friend picked the snapper, and it was probably the best dish we had.  The snapper was lightly breaded and perfectly pan-fried.  The sauce was an excellent compliment to the fish, but the fish was the star.  And my peanut-loving friend was in heaven with the ample supply of peanuts left on the serving dish. Cha ca la vong is a speciality of Hanoian people. Cha ca means "grilled fish" and in the restaurant that originated the dish is a statue of La Vong (an ancient Chinese poet and revolutionist) fishing by a stream.  This statue symbolizes a talented and patient man who knew to wait for the right moment to come. And this dish was worth the wait.

Hanoi Snapper (Cha ca la vong style, rice noodles, cilantro, dill and peanuts with nuoc cham)

My husband selected the pork dish even though the description mentioned peas.  I assumed he didn't realize peas were part of the dish, so when it arrived covered in the green spheres I thought for sure he would be upset.  But instead, he just dug in.  The dish was tasty, but perhaps a little too sweet.

Singapore Hainan Pork (fried crisp, sweet onions, peas and spicy chili sauce)

I had debated ordering the Princess Chicken before I realized we were ordering family style, but instead my friend got the opportunity.  The tempura was tasty and the chicken itself was tender.  The sauce left a lot to be desired, but again, my other friend was in peanut heaven.

Princess Chicken (tempura chicken, roasted Thai chilies, peanuts and palm sugar glaze)

All in all it was a good meal.  Fun, vibrant ambiance.  Good food at reasonable prices.  Helpful servers.  And plenty of peanuts for the peanut lover in you.  Nothing to complain about here.