The Joy of Camping

Yesterday we drove into Savannah. We planned our day around brunch. Meriwether McClorey, a recent Savannah School of Design graduate, sent me her insider guide to Savannah. Our brunch at the Firefly Cafe was so good. Offbeat and funky....fresh, original food. Yummy.
We drove out to Tybee Island to find the freshest seafood available. I found grouper, light pink flesh and smelling of the salty sea. We were excited about returning to our camp, building a big roaring fire and sharing the bottle of champagne Robert gave WFS for his birthday. I should insert here, I love to gather wood. Skidaway Island was a bonanza for wood gathering! WFS protested, I have enough wood for tonight...nonetheless, I wandered off to gather wood~~~the sun was setting, the birds were gathering in the trees and the air soft and warm. How bad can that be? As the fire sparked, WFS poured a tiny plastic glass of champagne. Umum. Good. Just at that moment, a couple meandered into our campsite. John and Mary, from Milford, Connecticut, were camping nearby in their indentical airstream, Tumbleweed! WFS hastened to find two more plastic glasses and find our extra campstools. We exchanged camping and airstream tales. They checked ours out, we checked out theirs. After the champagne was consumed, they left with a promise to meet for coffee the next morning.
Hastily, I started roasting fingerling potatoes and young vidalia onions purchased at the farmer's market. While they roasted over the hot coals, I made a salad of butter lettuce and cukes. I prepared the fish for grilling, including, fresh dill butter for finishing. This meal, I must say, was a perfect example of fresh, simple food bursting with flavor. We cleaned up by the last flickers of the fire. Our warm beds were going to feel so good. And, they did.
WFS was up quite early, and in 7x11 space,,that translates to me being up quite early, as well. I bury under the covers as long as possible,
but, after WFS walks with Chloe, showers and fumbles to find coffee filters, I reluctantly greet the day. I walked down for my shower in blissfully warm morning air..
When I returned, Mary and John were walking toward our picnic table carrying hot, whole wheat pancakes and Vermont maple syrup. We had the hot coffee.
Camping is about the best of the best.... When morning brings handmade pancakes and new friends, I would speculate, it doesn't get much better.

Chattanooga

Warm night air and brilliant stars on Lookout Mountain last night. We drove into Chattanooga to meet a dear friend, Mia...she suggested a lovely Italian restaurant near the museums, overlooking the Tennessee River. We had enough time to take the river walk before dinner. Tony's was a very efficient, cozy family style restaurant. Mia brought Clyde, her ten year old and his best buddy, Ethan. Mia is an artist and a fun spirit. We hadn't seen each other in years. I ordered homemade pasta with marinara. Simple but just the way I like fresh made pasta. Mia had ravioli with gorgonzola sauce. WFS chose spinach fettucine with Italian sausage. Little guys went with penne and butter. Winners, all.
We made a short evening of it, needing to be back in the cozy nest of the TinCan.
We've traveled in dappled sunlight in shirt sleeves. Savannah is on the horizon..
Firelight, the sea and stars.

Flyte, Nashville

Getting out of Louisville yesterday was an exciting! We finally turned south and left the snow behind around Bowling Green. Nashville is chilly but a fine 15 degrees warmer than our frigid tempatures.
After a spin through Target and Toys r Us with Jaxon, a big box of legos and a cuddle, we were off to WFS's birthday dinner at Flyte. Flyte is all the buzz in Nashville. Industrial, hip and warm, all in one package. Perfectly appointed tables and the cozy, pillowed, corner banquette made a great first impression. We ordered a fantastic inexpensive South African white wine. I decided to go to the small bites portion of the menu. I really wanted to sample the flytes.
I started with a pork belly, prawn, sweet potato and mole appetizer. Generous enough to make a full course and every bite exquisite. My next course was the soup flyte. Three small tureens were a little hit and miss. The parsnip soup was silky, flavorful and left me wanting more. The wild mushroom was tepid and uninspired. The celery root silken soup burst my taste buds into a full swoon. Each soup would have benefited from heat. Note: on chilly evenings, warm those bowls and bring the soup hot!!! My final course was a salad of arugula and beets with borscht in a small tureen. This was beyond fabulous. The borscht was pure beet with undertones of a lovely homecooked beef stock. Lovely. WFS had an Asian inspired Steelhead trout, cooked to a perfect medium rare. A small pot of dashi was drizzled over the trout tableside. Jason had poussin with fresh veggies. A success of pure natural flavors standing alone.
We passed on desserts... Something about avocado pudding did not appeal to me~~
The service was impeccable and the tab was in keeping with the attention to detail and natural, organic ingredients.
If you are in Naahville, near the old red light district on Division St., fly in.

Looking for the Sun

After a long absence, I have returned to blogging our adventures. We are a chilly 25 degrees and snow is banked around the Tin Can. We will make Nashville tonight and celebrate WFS's birthday with family...We are going to a new, hip restaurant. Tomorrow, I will review the results of our dinner.
The past few months haven't been easy for me to write but I am going to dust of my keyboard and fire up my synapsis

The Three Tendedors

When I think about different foods, a location usually comes to mind, like pasta and Italy, or foie gras and the Hudson Valley, or truffles and France. When I think of meat I think of Argentina- and that vast swath of the chlorophyll filled pampas- the grassy plains in the interior of the country that provide the flavor to beef that has the rest of the world looking on in envy. Don't get me wrong, USDA beef is spectacular and is a very close second, but let's recognize Argentine beef for what it is- the best on earth. So being that I am a big fan of beef, I was drawn to Buenos Aires and the legendary steakhouses, or parillas, that pleasure the local portenos. I had only two nights, and there were three establishments that I wanted to dine in, so lunch was going to have to suffice for one spot. The three were in reverse chronological order were: La Estancia, La Brigada, and Cabana Las Lilas. I put them in this order, because I figured I knew which one I was going to like best, and made sure to go there first in case we were not able to be go to all of them.

La Estancia is a very large, one room parilla on a street named Lavalle, which is a pedestrian only street (most of the time) in the heart of Buenos Aires. From the street one can see the many cuts of meats grilling on a pit or a grill, and as I opened the doors I was consumed by the smell of burning wood and greeted by a very old door man that was enlightened by my daughter's smile. We were shown to a table in the rear of the restaurant, and took our seats. This was the day we were flying home and was going to be our last meal in South America. We started with a large Quilmes beer, which is served in a bucket of ice like a fine wine would be. I must say I really wanted to compare the three restaurants apple for apple, so I ordered the same three items at each of the stops, and tried bites of my family's plates for any variety I needed. The three items were chorizo sausage, sweetbreads, and lomo- or filet mignon to the northern latitude dwellers. Except for this spot, where I finished off with a skirt steak. The sweetbreads here were very large, about the size of a hamburger at McDonalds, but thicker. The waiter showered the treats with a lemon and we served ourself off of the grill that had been placed on the table. the texture provided enough resistance so that my fork alone would not quite penetrate the piece. The flavor was well-rounded and a house-made chimichurri was spicy hot, but not up to what I was hoping for. deeming lemon enough for the rest that I ate. The chorizo sausages were very nice, loosely ground and seared perfectly to seal in the natural juices. the flavor was excellent. The table ordered a mixed grill of chicken, pork, and beef, and the skirt steak was only decent, which proved to make this the number 3 spot in BA. It was tied together in a circle and was dry and tasted like roast from Applebee's. No juice or flavor. But the decor of the restaurant made it look like we were outside in those pampas with tree-like pillars and murals on the wall of cattle and clouds. **1/2

On the second night in BA, we tried La Brigada, which is in the San Telmo district. This place is famous as being a hang out of the Argentina National Football team, and the walls are adorned with jerseys of the game's legends and has the feel of a very masculine place. There are three stories and a large wine cellar in the basement which can be seen through an acrylic floor by the piano. Servers wait for you at the door and escort you to your table like one would escort wedding guest. Once seated we were presented with menus bound in cow hides and ordered some white wine to start with. An article I had read suggested the tail of sirloin, but to keep with comparing I ordered the lomo which proved to be a slight miscue. The rest of the table ordered the tail of sirloin and they proved to be cut-with-a-spoon tender. My filet was good, and the sweetbreads and chorizo were very very good. La Brigada ***

So this leaves us with one restaurant to redeem Argentina as THE spot for carne. In 2006 I read an article in the New York Times food section titled: Meals worth the price of a plane ticket, and after El Bulli in Spain the writer listed Cabana Las Lilas. in his very short list of 6 restaurants. I was intrigued, what could be done to beef differently to make an overnight flight to BA worthwhile. I wanted to find out what was so special about this place in the Puerto Madera district, sitting right on the water way near the Puenta de la mujer. Upon arrival I checked in with the hostess and stated I had made a reservation some time back to dine there (8 months to be exact). As I waited for the second cab to deliver my fellow diners I saw a tour bus pull up and unload a mass of tourists in very non-South American garb. I started to shutter and wonder what I had gotten into. surely they were not about to dine in the glorious Cabana Las Lilas dressed as they were. Sure enough they were herded into the restaurant, which my eyes that had not yet seen the expansive dining rooms that enveloped the entrance, and I wondered where they were going to put them. A few moments later another bus pulled up, same result. I was starting to wonder if I was either in the wrong spot or if I had made a mistake. When the remainder of my party arrived, I stepped back to the hostess and told her we were ready to be seated. Past the grill, through the first dining room, through the second large dining room with doors open to the fast approaching night, and into the third very large dining room that must have seated 110 people. There must have been 250 people dining at the restaurant as we were seated. The waiters were clad in tuxedos and brought out two platters for the table before our waters were even filled. They consisted of roasted peppers, spanish ham, mushrooms, and a semi-hard cheese. We later learned this was part of the 8 peso seating charge applied to each adult diner. As we settled in for our first dinner in BA, I read over the wine list and ordered a nice pinot noir for the table. I know what I was going to dine on, but looked over the menu to get a feel for the choices of such a large churrascaria. They had all the bases covered as far as meat goes. there were cuts that I knew, some I had forgotten, and some I had not run across before. As the head waiter came to our table (we had a wait staff of 4 for our 8 top table) we started to give our preferences. when my mother ordered her steak well-done the waiter said "we might have a problem there, the chef is quite picky and may not cook to that temperature." I did not know whether to say congratulations to the chef or what the hell is he thinking. After a quick trip to the kitchen and apparently an approval from the chef, the order was confirmed and we all followed with our orders of steaks medio-crudo, or medium rare. I also ordered the sweetbreads and chorizo bonbones as they were billed. An appetizer here is assumed to be for the table when ordered, so these two dishes were brought first to my place setting and served with two forks in the ultra-classy manner, and then offered to the rest of the settings, although there were only two takers on the sweetbreads and 1 on the chorizos since there were so few. The chorizos were succulent and made my mouth sing in joy of the wonderfully juicy array of flavor that had been presented to my taste buds. just enough spice with the excellent red chimichurri to put a bead of sweat on my forehead, the way I like it. And then the sweetbreads, ohhh the sweetbreads. I have liked sweetbreads for some time now, but in Louisville the only spot that always has them on the menu is Palermo Viejo, and they keep my cravings in check when I am at my home base. So I have not seen them prepared too many ways. When I put the fork, or tendedor, to the first bite, I heard it crunch and saw it split. I was taken back as I was not expecting a crunchy sweetbread. I rushed the bite to my lips and was awarded with pure heaven. There are but a few things that can make me smile in utter amazement from years of exploring this great earth. And at times the most simple things can accomplish this feat, such as a crunchy sweetbread served in Beunos Aires, Argentina. The full flavored morsels had been charred to the point where there was no black grill marks, but the outer edges were crispy and the middle was semi-tough in a good way. this is what that gent at the new york times was talking about. After the starters, the main courses were hand delivered to the table by the chef himself, who seemed to have demigod status amongst the waiters as they hurried to set up his easel to place his masterpieces upon. He placed the tray on the stand and looked at our table, smiled and vanished back to the kitchen. The head waiter then passed out our steaks and baked potatoes. Before I go any further, let me tell you abot the service. My water glass was never empty, one of the waiters seemed to be on guard at all times as we dined, and when I would place an empty bottle or dish near the edge of the table, it was whisked away within 30 seconds. As I cut into my steak my lip turned up a bit. it was medium, not medium rare. I asked the opinion of the third waiter in command and he conversed with the second in command and seemed to be very hesitant in agreeing with my claim of an overcooked steak. As we were inspecting the steak, out of nowhere the head waiter came up from behind me and as if he had been in on the whole conversation scooped the meat up and said that steak is medium. within 20 seconds, that's right. 20 seconds I had a perfectly cooked steak in front of me. the master server asked me to cut into the steak and check its heat. ahhh, perfection. The steak was as flavorful as anticipated, the owner serves only beef from his personal ranch in the pampas. A slighlty different flavor than US beef, the Argentine beef seems a bit more complex than the US counterpart. A baked potato which had been requested with sour cream on the side showed up sans sour cream, and when I asked the waiter for a side of crema, he brought a new potato with sour cream slathered all over it in 15 seconds. Now as busy as this place was it was impossible to leave the room in 15 seconds, much less go to the kitchen, get a potato, and apply butter, sour cream, and chives. where did the potato come from, under the waiter's hat?, from another diner's table? I had never seen two mistakes corrected with more speed. I was amazed at the level of service and professionalism being displayed. For dessert I had a cream brulee which was very good, although I swear I almost ordered sweetbreads for dessert. And so it goes.... Cabana Las Lilas ***** worth every penny of that plane ticket!

AE

Coco Bistro

Sometimes when I walk in a restaurant I can tell it is going to be a great experience. other times I walk in and my initial impression is less than stellar. this happened recently in the beautiful Caribbean island of Providenciales of the Turks and Caicos. a short walk from our hotel on Grace Bay brought us to a gravel parking lot which was packed with cars. in the Caribbean it seems no time is wasted on details that don't really matter- like the appearance of the parking lot and the greeting area where the kitchen was visible through an opening in the wall, as the food was expedited just 10 feet from the host stand. the servers and everyone else employed here seemed to congregate in this area. walking past this I was not thinking I was going to have such spectacular dinner that I would be longing to return in years to come. but as I walked to the outdoor dining room (amidst a grove of fully mature coconut palms that were lit from beneath with an array of flood and string lights) I immediately began to smile. then name of the place made perfect sense-Coco Bistro.







the size of a table often constitutes the manner of service given, and our very experienced and professional waiter did a fine job with a 13 top. the drinks ranged from a mango bango to a bottle of santa margarita pinot grigio, a bottle of cambria chardonnay, and a green frozen cocktail that looked unique and innovative. sparkling and still bottled water were presented and poured accordingly.







It was a blustery November night in the tropics and I couldn't bring myself to order the lobster bisque or the corn chowder with blackened shrimp. I decided on the caesar salad and was not disappointed. very fresh with large pieces of parmesan cheese, oversized croutons, and a dressing that was hand made with care. luckily the soups which were passed over by me were ordered by others in easy spoon range. and as i tasted the corn chowder i started to think the chef might be star quality, then i tasted the lobster bisque and was pretty sure i was going to need to chat with him. the corn chowder was completely pureed to a perfect consistency that had an even flavor and paired perfectly with the 3 tail-on shrimp in the center of the square bowl. the lobster bisque must have cost the lobster i had seen the day before at 80 feet down his life, because there was enough minced meat in the serving to serve as a meal to most. the overly generous portion paired perfectly with the creamy bisque to make the dish divine.







This was the last night of my four night excursion and I had eaten seafood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and was in need of some carne. my two choices were a bone-in rib-eye or the emporers cut filet. I decided on the latter because the one our neighboring table ordered looked delicious. when the main courses arrived, I was presented with two plump rectangular pieces of perfect medium rare filet. i was about fourth in line on the placement of plates, and as the scent was wafting into my nasal passages it took some restraint to be polite. after the last diner had been presented their plates, I cut into the beef, sopped up the sauce, and placed the first bite in my mouth. after about three chomps I stopped, looked around at my friends and loved ones, looked up at the palms and the fruit bat flying overhead, thought about the beautiful blue waters all around me, and realized this was one of life's moments that I would not forget. all that from one bite of steak. i've never been one to break down the flavor nuances of a dish, so this is my way of conveying the bold flavor of this dish to you. there were hints of coffee, brown sugar, and perhaps even a citric twist in the sauce and/or rub. the factor that made this filet different was the fatty content. ample fat to add great flavor, but not enough to make it chewy or create a need to trim away unwanted deposits. it immediately reminded me of a dish i had eaten at the french laundry from the snake river farm in Idaho. but this one was better, and accompanied with carrots and cheese. I believe it was a manchengo cheese, and man did they harmonize together. After a long day on the beach I must admit I had two and a half pieces of the bread prior to the appetizer, and as my dinner was being enjoyed I was feeling like I should not finish my meal.. this was near a travesty because that filet just keeps popping up in my head. the other diners had lovely presentation on their plates, but i was unable and unwilling to venture out of my place setting for bites. this was one of the top 3 new dishes I enjoyed in 2009. I sought the chef after I ate all I could and he was a very cordial francophile from Quebec who was difficult to understand. Granted it was a loud kitchen but I really took nothing away from the conversation, neither his name nor the origin of that beef. but that smile told me all I needed to know and the fact that i made it a point to tell him how much i liked his style told him all he needed. i would've spoken french with him, but i don't think he heard me tell him that option either. young fellow he was, 30-35, like me.







Luckily there was a digestive period between dinner and the ordering of the desserts. very luckily. I would say creme brulee is my most ordered dessert. perhaps I felt that I was ordering them because they looked better than everything else on the menu. but I must have only been searching for what was about to occur. and as this creme brulee engaged my taste buds, I came to grips with the fact that the kitchen at Coco Bistro needed to be lauded for their comprehensive skills on turning out such high quality food, or perhaps we should just say art when something as perfect as this is the food.

The only detractor I could mention would be the fact that on a hot night, it is hard to tailor each glass of wine to the drinker, but i hate warm chardonnay, and i like to enjoy and chew my wine slowly, and if engrossed in conversation over the fruit of the coco-de-mer tree it was hard to stop them from "free-pouring". the server did an excellent job and it was good to see the understudies eager to assist in clearing menus, plates, expediting food, and keeping water glasses filled.

overall this is a spot that is worth the price of the plane ticket-**** honorable mentions on the island go to: da conch shack for the cracked lobster, the caicos cafe for the conch fritters and the strawberry and kiwi napoleon that had a blissful cream, and the tuna lollipops from Anacoana. I hated missing Coyaba, but it wasn't in the cards. Coco Bistro will bring me back to this resplendent island.

WILTSHIRE ON MARKET

The very minute I step inside Wiltshire on Market, I feel the vibe. A very good vibe. This comment seems a little dated, I know, but there doesn't seem to be another way to express the very eclectic , funky AND sophisticated feel of Wiltshire on Market. Susan Hershberg has chosen the atmosphere, staff, banquets, dinnerware and art with aplomb. Attention to detail, to the unobservant eye, might seem casual or maybe even flippant...however, careful observation shows it all works like smooth KY bourbon. Tari greets each guest as if it she is inviting them into her parlor. I know I have a bias....Having been in the biz, if I had Tari, back in the day, I would have treasured her. Jason Jennings and another sweet, sweet young lady anchor the bar and cover tables, as well. Both are gems in the trade. Colin Ming does a fine sub there, as well. At Wiltshire on Market, everyone is everywhere...making sure guests are advised, informed and served. This is no easy feat and is a big, huge failure in many restaurants.

So, after the vibe, we are seated. What to drink? On a recent visit, I was suffering from an allergy attack...hot green tea with a kick! Allergies, all better. Wines: we've had lovely roses, bright, full bodies reds, crisp summery whites. Each server can tell you all you need to know or failing that, they will bring you a little sample. Can't beat that!

The menu is seasonal, adventuresome, carefully prepared and scrumptious. Chef Coby Ming has huge natural talent and does it in a tiny, little kitchen. A very European feel comes from the kitchen...wander in the back courtyard and you might see the chef grilling outside the kitchen door. Very Parisian. Her brief menu shines from appetizers to desserts. The memory of her gazpacho lingers and lingers and lingers. Gazpacho is an either/or for me.. Either great or forget it. Chef Ming had yellow gazpacho with smoked shrimp the night of my visit. The flavors swirled and melded like a beautiful dance~~~ and it danced through my mind for days. I started to make gazpacho from the garden but I decided to make other fresh tomato delights and savor my memory a few days more.

On a more distant visit, we took a dear friend from NYC and a world traveler and my nephew. We were seated in a banquet, served a variety of drinks and food. Our table was passing food from plate to plate, oohing and aahing over each bite. My NYC friend KNOWS her food and really, really knows service and atmosphere..I feel sure she will comment on Wiltshire and I am confident, she will agree, Louisville is very fortunate to have this new addition in the NULU district of Louisville.

Sinclair's

The day after I got back from the glamorous West Baden Springs Hotel someone asked me- "Oh, did you go for golf or gambling". I thought for a few seconds and instinctively said- I went for the food.

I had been to the French Lick Hotel about 3 BG (before gaming). Ironic how gambling takes THE poorest county in Indiana and transforms a dying, if not dead, pair of towns into a sought after destination. The guests I spoke with were from Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Ohio. There are 600 plus rooms at French Lick and 243 at West Baden Springs and both hotels were sold out last Saturday night. A car show, the Brickyard 400, and the resort itself were able to sell out french lick at $209 and $249 a night. that's setting the world on fire in today's hotel market.

When we self-parked and walked through the modern motor entrance we could see the rotunda through a short hallway. We walked VERY slowly letting each baby step allow the whole room to seep into our vision until we were standing at the threshold of one of the most beautiful, ornate, modern, yet historic "eighth wonder of the world". a harpist struck her first chord as if there was a hidden conductor waiting for us to get to the threshold to welcome us to a place that i would eventually fall in love with.

After a tour of the wonderful and native flower gardens, the great photographs of the rebuilding (the property sat vacant and in ruins for nearly 60 years), and the rotunda (the hub of all social activity) we were ready to really relax. For me that means swimming, and this hotel has one of the nicest natatoriums one can build. copious amounts of natural light, beautiful decorations, and a very large, if shallow, pool. an outdoor pool and a very large hot tub were also in the vacinity.

With play time was complete, the exploring done, it was time to see if the marquee restaurant could live up to a $60 filet in the middle of rural Indiana. The menu was very pretentious and i could see myself complaining all dinner about how this local Indiana chef tried hard and missed the mark on most dishes. When we entered Sinclair's there was a large party being seated and two couples in a line to see the maitre 'd. i had been warned about making reservations at check-in, but did not know how much exploring i had to do. I was wondering if we could get in, but G took care of us as he welcomed us, and followed up above and beyond. Of Indian descent and having worked in New York and other locales in the world his pedigree had been set for one of the main ingredients to allow a gourmet restaurant to succeed- a strong front of house man. G showed us to a lovely table in the front corner, right next to a window where we watched the sun set about as late as it does anywhere in the eastern time zone.

We started with a glass of Trevor Jones "virgin" chardonnay from Australia which i compare to a cakebread or a far niente ($12). also ordered was a glass of Haras cabernet sauvignon from Chile which had wonderful balance ($10). the wine took about 8 minutes to get to us, which proved to be the only slight miscue in an otherwise perfect example of service. The wine list in general was excellent for its size.

For our first courses we chose the beef tenderloin carpaccio ($10) which came with cracked peppercorns, fleur de sel, shaved shallots, and cold pressed olive oil. lacking was the usual shaved parmesan, but not missed. the high grade beef served room temperature was very refreshing on the balmy summer eve and proved to be a flawless choice. I had the foie gras special ($14) included micro greens (popularized by my acquanintance Grant Achatz), and apricots that made a harmonious symphony with the succulent foie gras. the two pieces of goose liver were plump and generous for the price.

As we were delivered our first courses we gave the requests for our main courses. we had already been informed on the ins and outs of the menu and after a long thought process we came up with the lobster ravioli ($36) and a 6 ounce filet mignon with bernaise for ($36). It was tough to not try the bourbon glazed Indiana pork chop with cream corn raggout or the carmelized U-10 diver scallops with black truffle mashed potatoes, but we made solid choices that were highly anticipated by me after enjoying the first courses so thoroughly. the filet was ordered medium rare, cooked perfectly and was as tender as one could hope for. the bernaise was also perfection, accompanying the wonderful flavor of American corn fed beef with rapport. A side of whipped yukon gold mashed potatoes was enjoyed by both diners. The lobster ravioli was 3 shells filled with ricotta and boursin saffron. it was all swimming in a broth that had some other seafood stock along with lobster and only added flavor to the dish. the only miscue from the kitchen came with the chewiness of the pasta shells. perhaps undercooked, perhaps the consistency of the dough was slightly compromised, but the shells were rendered ineffective in the repertoire of the dish. In theory, the lobster ravioli should have thrilled more effectively, but instead we enjoyed the wonderfully divine small lobster tail meat with a little claw meat in the fabulous broth, and as the meat was the star of the dish and the noodles the support, there was no need to let it spoil our experience.

As our main courses were being enjoyed, we ordered a zentini ($9). A creation I had seen on the bar menu at the natatorium, created by the mixologists on site. a berry concoction that was the color of green tea, the libation was a legitimate drink that I had not tasted before. Although I probably wouldn't order it again, I enjoyed sharing it. I chose a nice Portugese port ($8) to accompany the chocolate mousse in which a velvety dark chocolate outer shell that concealed the lighter mousse inside. a strawberry sliced added a hint of flavor and freshness to the final dish of the evening.

After we revelled in our new find and put the bill on our room charges, we found G and thanked him for a wonderful evening. As we chatted about food and dining, he asked if I had seen the chef's table. I had not and he was giddy in showing me the room. Now the decor of the main dining area is real nice, 25' ceilings, gilded crown mould, and general opulence, but maybe missing a little art work (paintings would add some personality). But the decor in the chef's table room is special. there are two flat screen tv's behind the two heads of the distressed wood table that was a holdover from the days of the Jesuits in West Baden. the 10 place settings were from Versace that G happily noted he paid $1500 each for. He guaranteed all food tastes better on plates of such stature as I just smiled. The wall of glass that divided the kitchen and the room was opaque and I wondered exactly how that fit in, just then G flipped a switch and the glass went completely transparent and we were in the middle of the assembly line. Chef was 3 feet from us, facing away instructing his team to feed the 40 or so tables still finishing up their dinners. then we opened the partition and let the sounds and smells in as well as the energy. the clean and well-lighted kitchen looked very functional and as my dad always says- the proof is in the pudding. and the proverbial pudding was excellent.

Overall I had one of the best meals I had in sometime as I debunked my misguided notion that this restaurant was only mediocre. I must attribute this to the fact that I read any article on food in the multiple newspapers, internet sites, and if I might miss it there, one of my friends in the business usually brings them up in a competitive, admirable tone. But I had no idea what was available when I set out across Highway 150 and am still in awe of Sinclair's and of West Baden Springs Hotel as an entity. *** 1/2 ecellent fare, service, and decor needs something, like real flowers on the host stand instead of fake AE

Santa Fe

After a long sabbatical, I am returning to my blog...hope all of you are still out there.
We recently took a fast trip to Santa Fe...I cannot say it was typical. Usually we drive, taking long, luxurious days to cross the country, camping by streams and the dry, flat lands of Kansas. We boarded a plane with friends and drove the Turquoise Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. We stopped in Madrid for lunch and some boot shopping. This might have been the most unusual part of the journey...in a used boot store, WFS goes to sit on a bench...not unusual, you might say...but, what is unusual, was he tried on boots, found some great black ones, cut a deal with the owner and walked out with them on... our complete history has never included impulse shopping(on his part, at least).

We arrived in Santa Fe late afternoon. We quickly made reservations for Ristra, a small bistro on Aqua Fria...celebs are spotted here often in our visits but Santa Fe is feeling the pinch like the rest of the nation. Celebs were not to be found but we certainly feel this is a little star in Santa Fe.

Quickly following, in no particular order, was:

Trattoria Nostrani.... quirky, to be sure, but fine, fine food and wine...and gardens so lovely as to melt your heart and soul. I defy anyone to find pasta any better than the dishes served by this hugely talented FEMALE chef.

Bistro 315 on Old Santa Fe Trail...small, quaint and serving a Prix Fixe for $18.00, yes, 18.00. After a few glasses of wine on the chilly, rainy patio, we were quite happy to have such warm, comforting food. Soft shell crabs, corn brioche pudding and cole slaw...finish with a cherry crisp.
Smallish portions but just right...

El Farol...tapas, tapas, tapas and an absolutely crazy, fun atmosphere...we go there each and every time we land in Santa Fe...what's not to love?

Geronimo's.....Okay, I know, it is way too expensive and such a destination but they do deliver the goods. I had a veal loin to die for and I must say, one of the best desserts in Santa Fe... We dressed up a bit and relaxed in a ***** dining room. The rest is, history

La Casa Sena...If you are dining under the cottonwood tree and sipping a wine from their extensive cellar, then I could not find another comment to add to this dining adventure...except, the beautiful gardens and the excellent cuisine and the handsome servers and the slow, laid back pace that makes me love Santa Fe so very much. All this and more is rolled into a meal at La Casa Sena.

The Shed...when you are surrounded by your loving, beautiful family and dear, dear friends and you are sharing every bite and telling wild tales and laughing as your lips turn numb from the silver margaritas and you want the night to never end...this is as good as it gets, no matter the cost...but, hey, the Shed is a bargain and an institution and our lovely friend, Robert treated us....a perfect, perfect evening....

Mucho Gusto...this came as a surprise for great CHEAP dining...situated by two of our favorite SF establishments( Travel Bug and Act 11, a consignment store)...we hurriedly dashed in before meeting up with Cynthia, from NYC and her sister, Hillary, from Albuquerque...we were totally amazed at how good, authenic mexican food can be...and our server ( from Minneapolis) was such great fun. I am sure we'll add this find to our list~~~ next visit.

Ecco, Espresso and Gelato....Great place, good wireless, fantastic coffee...and oh, the gelato. Olin had a pint,one pint, of chocolate hazelnut...when he left his pint unguarded for a moment, Kim and I tried to sneak it into a hiding place...we were busted as he returned almost immediately...we were caught red-handed! Their luscious flavors linger, for months and months.

The huge, ominous clouds that covered the high blue skies of the desert lingered for most of our stay....locals were rejoicing as the fat raindrops fell...
I rejoice anytime I am in Santa Fe, rain or shine.

Springtime in the garden of Cebah