27 October 2011 Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Introduces Small Plates Menu

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Introduces Small Plates Menu

October 27, 2011 By

Some news for my Chicago friends, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar has a new small plates menu offering the following dishes that sound amazing:

  • Sliced Filet Mignon on shiitake risotto, chili oil, drizzled with porcini butter
  •  Jumbo Shrimp Scampi Skewers with Chimichurri dipping sauce and avocado citrus salad
  • New Zealand Petite Lamb Chops with pistachio-mint pesto, “F-17” sauce, and polenta fries
  • Ahi Tuna Skewers with wasabi aioli, sweet tomato vinaigrette, and homemade wonton chips
  • New Bedford Scallops with Meyer lemon-honey glaze, baby carrots, green beans, and asparagus
  • Filet Mignon Skewers with gorgonzola-bacon fondue, mozzarella and sweet tomato salad
  • Fleming’s Lobster Tempura with soy-ginger dipping sauce, arugula, jicama and apple salad

I love the idea of sharing multiple dishes with my friends.  It’s an affordable way to sample several dishes and Fleming’s small plate prices range from $15.50 to $22.95.

Fleming’s two Chicago-area locations can be found at: 25 E. Ohio St., Chicago; 312/ 329-9463 and 960 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, Ill.; 847/ 793-0333.

Cheers,

Veronique

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6 October 2011 End of Month Sunday Brunch at A Toute Heure

End of Month Sunday Brunch at A Toute Heure

October 6, 2011 By

I had heard from several foodie friends about the fabulous meals served at A Toute Heure, so when I had guests in town, I secured a reservation for the brunch, exclusively served on the last Sunday of the month.

A Toute Heure, which opened in May 2007, offers seasonal foods sourced locally to feature the freshest produce, meats, dairy and more.  The menu is ever-changing depending on what chef de cuisine Kara Decker is presented by co-owner Andrea Carbine from her market sourcing visits.

The cozy space seats 38 and is bright and inviting with its high ceilings and large windows.  The wait staff is young, informed and helpful about the menu and ingredients.  A Toute Heure is a BYOB which makes dining at this lovely bistro an affordable option.

For our party, brunch began with hot bowls of powdered sugar-coated beignets ($8).  Beignets can also be served coated in cinnamon sugar.  A Toute Heure’s version of the puffy, dough balls are light and addicting and were gone moments after being delivered to our table.  The coffee is strong and simply great.  It’s a special blend created for A Toute Heure by Small World Coffee of Princeton, NJ.

There were ten brunch entrées available when we visited and each was described in a way that made it extremely difficult to decide on.  We selected the breakfast tart ($9), the housemade jalapeno cornbread with spicy beef chili ($16), the egg-in-a-hole ($16) and the brunch burger ($16).  The breakfast tart begins with a hand-made puff pastry base that is topped with crispy pancetta, melted Manchego cheese and a barely set farm-fresh egg.  The combination of the buttery pastry with the tangy cheese and crispy ham is a must-try.  The cornbread topped with chili, cheese and two sunny side up eggs was flavorful, but a bit dense and heavy for one of my guests.  The egg-in-a-hole  consists of a thick slice of sourdough bread with two fried eggs baked in the center then served with crispy, high quality bacon.  My guest who ordered the brunch burger stated it might be the best he’d had.  The house-ground beef patty is stuffed with Gruyere cheese and topped with sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions then sandwiched between English muffin halves.  The burger is paired with uber thin house chips.

The vibe of the place is simply fantastic and I look forward to visiting for dinner very soon.

232 Centennial Avenue

Cranford, NJ 07016

908.276.6600

Lunch: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Dinner: Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.

Brunch: the last Sunday of each month, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Cheers,

Veronique

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23 September 2011 Volt – It’s Where to Dine in Maryland

Volt – It’s Where to Dine in Maryland

September 23, 2011 By

VOLT Open Kitchen

Last weekend, I was able to secure a kitchen table at Bryan Voltaggio’s VOLT in Frederick, MD.  I was excited to take my in-laws from The Netherlands to the Top Chef contender’s chic, hip place and to sample some of the creative food put forth by the staff.

First, the space is sleek and the open kitchen where our table was is hectic and efficient.  It was truly an amazing show to see every member of the kitchen staff move in such unison yet at such a frantic pace.

The food was creative, beautiful and above all, delicious.  Presentation is a top priority at VOLT and we were fascinated by the eclectic tableware, meticulous food displays and care of service by the wait team.  I’ve posted photos of our tasting menu dishes on Food and Wine Chickie’s Facebook Page for your perusal.

The wine list is extensive and many wines are served by the glass and the half bottles.  I love the half bottle concept with a tasting menu as I enjoy sampling a progression of wines as I make my way through the meal.  VOLT’s sommelier was attentive, yet understated.

Bryan Voltaggio shows he didn’t need to come out on top during Bravo’s Top Chef competition to be a real winner.  The proof’s in the foie gras macarons.

Cheers,

Veronique

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20 September 2011 Tony Luke’s – Porky Heaven

Tony Luke’s – Porky Heaven

September 20, 2011 By

Roast Pork & Broccoli Rabe Hoagie

I spent the day in Philadelphia yesterday and just had to make my pilgrimage to Tony Luke’s in South Philly for one of its juicy, succulent and overall perfect roast pork sandwiches.

Tony Luke’s cheesesteaks ($7.25) are amazing (I like mine with sautéed onions and white American cheese), but my all-time favorite is the roast pork sandwich with sharp Provolone cheese and sautéed broccoli rabe ($7.95).  First, the hoagie rolls are perfect – chewy yet crusty, the pork is slow roasted and juicy, the Provolone is just about as sharp as I’ve had and the broccoli rabe is sautéed long enough to mellow out the bitterness often found in the vegetable.  Porky juiciness at its very best.

Tony Luke’s has six locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one in Bahrain and several upcoming locations across the USA.  You can also find Tony Luke’s Pronto, a line of Philly sandwiches available in grocery stores.

Stop by and grab a Philly hoagie on your next trip to the City of Brotherly Love – it’s a must-try.

Cheers,

Veronique

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My Review of David Todd’s City Tavern

August 15, 2011 By

Thanks to Jersey Bites for publishing my review of Morristown, NJ newcomer David Todd’s City Tavern: http://t.co/JTbqa7g

Veronique

 

 

 

 

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8 August 2011 Prairie Grass Café – Chicago North Shore Food by Award Winning Chefs

Prairie Grass Café – Chicago North Shore Food by Award Winning Chefs

August 8, 2011 By

Prairie Grass Cafe Foyer

Two-time James Beard award-winning chef and co-owner, Sarah Stegner, turns out inventive, high-quality food in the Chicago North Shore suburbs town of Northbrook, and I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to dine at her establishment, Prairie Grass Cafe.

Chef Stegner supports Green City Market and local sustainable farms.  She selects the freshest seasonal ingredients to create homemade products like her handcrafted sausages, outstanding salad dressings, rich ice creams and sinful desserts.

The space is large, friendly and warm with dark woods and exposed brick.  I immediately feel relaxed when I walked through the door.  The lounge area is large and features a horseshoe bar where mixologists pour sexy cocktails and many wines by the glass.

At Prairie Grass Café, the concept is to use fine dining cooking techniques to produce approachable, casual food.  Quality ingredients are front-and-center for Chef Stegner and co-chef / partner George Bumbaris and their team and it’s evident in all the dishes I’ve sampled during my many visits.

Amish Blue Cheese & Grape Salad

Some must-try starters are the Amish Blue Cheese and Grapes Mixed Green Salad and the Homemade Paté in a Crock.  The salad is tossed with tangy balsamic dressing and features a slice of grape-stuffed Amish blue cheese that’s then rolled in candied walnuts.  It’s to die for and beautifully presented.  The Paté is rich, velvety and served with an apple and Port balsamic reduction.  Amazing flavors.  Starters range from $6 for the vegetable spring rolls to $15 for the Peeky Toe crab cake.

Blue Cheese Crusted Sirloin Burger

Entrees that I’ve had an opportunity to sample are the handcrafted Mint Creek Farms lamb sausages, the crispy half duck from Maple Leaf Farm and the top sirloin burger with mild blue cheese topping.  The lamb sausages are juicy and served over perfectly creamy polenta.  The crispy duck is outstanding and some of the best I’ve had.  I crave it even after Peking duck dinner in Manhattan’s Chinatown.  The burger is fabulous and its blue cheese ‘crust’ is a perfect complement to the top quality meat.  Entrees ranged from $14 for the penne pasta with basil-tomato-meat sauce to $38 for the Niman Ranch New York strip steak.

Desserts, all priced at $7.50, aren’t an afterthought at Prairie Grass Café.  The seasonal pies are stellar, the chocolate chips cookie with homemade vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce is divine and the strawberry crepe with Grand Marnier sauce is decadent.  Don’t pass up dessert, no matter how satisfied you are by the fabulous starters and entrees.

The restaurant currently serves lunch, brunch and dinner. Lunch is served Monday through Friday; dinner is served Monday through Sunday.  Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday.

Prairie Grass Café and Chef Stegner are active on social media networks so “like” or follow them:

www.facebook.com/prairiegrasscafe

www.twitter.com/SarahStegner

601 Skokie Blvd

Northbrook, Illinois 60062
(847) 205-4433

www.prairiegrasscafe.com

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4 August 2011 Kosher Comfort Food at Ben’s Kosher Deli

Kosher Comfort Food at Ben’s Kosher Deli

August 4, 2011 By

Cole Slaw and Pickles

I must have had a Jewish grandma in a previous life because I love Jewish / Kosher comfort food.  My routine at Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen is to sit at the kitchen counter and watch the action behind the deli counter.  Four or five employees expertly work the slicers in the frenzied space.  Cases are filled with homemade pastries and desserts – Rugulach, Babka, strudels and pies.  All look delicious.  A special treat for everyone dining at Ben’s is the complimentary plate of creamy cole slaw and pickles.

Beef Brisket Sandwich

Ben’s has been serving delicious Eastern European food for nearly 40 years.  The menu is extensive and features client-favorites like chopped liver, beef tongue, stuffed cabbage, knishes and overstuffed sandwiches.  The chopped liver is rich, smooth as silk and delectable when served on Ben’s warm rye bread.  Of all the overstuffed sandwiches including pastrami, corned beef, chicken / egg / tuna fish salad, my favorite is the fatty (in a good way), tender, juicy beef brisket.  When paired with a house made soup, each sandwich can be served as a half, which is more than enough for most diners.

Matzo Ball Soup

I’ve sampled Matzo ball soup at many restaurants and enjoy Ben’s version very much.  The huge soup bowl is filled with tiny egg noodles and a giant Matzo ball.  The broth is rich and flavorful, the noodles ultra-soft (the one instance I want noodles not done al dente), and the Matzo ball is tender and light, like it should be.

For those looking for outstanding catering services, Ben’s an affordable, dependable and delectable option.

Ben’s opened its first location in Baldwin, NY in 1972 and has grown to six, full-service locations in Long Island, Queens, Manhattan and Boca Raton FL.  I feel fortunate to have a location right in the heart of midtown to visit for lunch.

209 West 38th Street

New York, NY 10018

http://www.bensdeli.net/

Ben’s delivers!

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18 July 2011 Locanda Vini e Olii – Italia in the Heart of Brooklyn

Locanda Vini e Olii – Italia in the Heart of Brooklyn

July 18, 2011 By

I’m typically the one to take the lead on planning our dinners out among my friends, so when someone else researches and books a reservation at a new place, I am thrilled.  One of my girlfriends did just that this past weekend: she asked for recommendations for a foodie-worthy restaurant in Brooklyn, and we ended up at Locanda Vini & Olii in Clinton Hill.

The restaurant is located on a mostly residential street with no sign outside beyond the old drug store sign still hanging memorializing its 103 years in business.  I immediately know I will love this place.  The space is cozy and every guest is made to feel like family.  When I say you will feel like family here, I do not mean like a popular chain of “Italian” restaurants says you will, I mean that the whole staff is truly here to cater to its clientele.

The wine list is featured on the labels of three wine bottles: a white list, a red list and a reserve list.  There are many affordable options to consider, even on the reserve list, and the Sommelier and Part-Owner, Rocco Spagnardi, recommended a magnum of 2009 Enzo Boglietti Dolcetto d’Alba Tiglineri ($82) that he says will be more affordable than two standard size bottles.  The restaurant apparently stocks up on magnums, and although I typically do not lean towards large format bottles (except for sparkling wine), we opt for this recommendation.  The wine is nice with an enjoyable dry finish.

The chef and Part-Owner, Florence native Michele Baldacci, offers a four-course, $45 tasting menu where he will prepare dishes for the table to share of his own liking.  What a super, and affordable, idea.  I’ll be sure to select this on my next visit.  Our table of five diners opted for a variety of antipasti and a few primi and secondi dishes.  The portion sizes are perfect and reflective of what you would find in Italy – hurray!

Charcuterie Della Terra

For our antipasti, we selected the Beef Tongue ($9), the Charcuterie Del Mare ($18) and the meat version, Charcuterie Della Terra ($18).  The tongue, served with salsa verde, was perhaps the best interpretation I have had.  Both the seafood platter with its octopus Sopresatta and the meat platter with its succulent duck and prune terrina feature top quality items, not typical of most antipasti found in America.  The beef served at Locanda Vini & Olii is Certified Piedmontese Beef and the chef only uses free-range meats and eggs.

Some outstanding primi options are the Saffron Guitar Strings ($14.25) and the Tagliatelle Al Ragu with Orange Zest ($15.25).  The guitar strings pasta dish features mashed fresh sardines, pine nuts and raisins – what a dish!  The Tagliatelle is paired with a rich meat sauce encompassing braised Piedmontese beef and Berkshire pork – layers of amazing flavors.

For the secondi, we selected the Branzino with Shallots ($26.50) and the Seafood Stew ($25).  The Branzino is served over braised fennel and the seafood in the stew was very fresh and prepared expertly by Chef Michele in the open kitchen.

Ten years after its opening, Locanda Vini & Olii still offers a modern twist on Italian favorite desserts and also a cheese plate ($14) featuring a four-cheese selection of perfectly room-temperature stars.  This might be the best cheese plate I have had outside of Italy.

The wait staff is extremely courteous and exudes a real passion for the food masterly-prepared by the talented chef and his crew.  We had the pleasure of meeting Chef Michele as he left the bustling kitchen to come greet us.  What a humble guy who appears truly happy to be preparing his type of food in such an inviting atmosphere.

Is there an Italian restaurant serving better, non-fussy, rustic and delicious fare in Brooklyn?  I doubt it.  Is Locanda Vini & Olii worth the drive from Manhattan (or anywhere for that matter)?  Absolutely.

129 Gates Ave (@ Cambridge Place)

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(In the old “Lewis Drug Store”)

718-622-9202

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14 July 2011 New York Restaurant Week – Upscale Dining, Easy on the Wallet

New York Restaurant Week – Upscale Dining, Easy on the Wallet

July 14, 2011 By

Ai Fiori - Photo by Open Table

New York Restaurant Week in underway.  The two-week event runs from July 11 – 24, 2011 (excluding Saturdays) and features 3-course prix-fixe lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35 at over 320 restaurants in New York’s five boroughs.

The event, sponsored by NYC & Company lets foodies on a budget experience some of New York’s most acclaimed dining establishments at a very affordable price.  Lunch at Chef Michael White’s Ai Fiori on a Tuesday and dinner at world-class Tribeca Grill on a Wednesday?  Why not!?

During this summer’s event, I’ll be lunching at db Bistro Moderne one day and eating dinner at David Burke Kitchen on another.  Have I had the opportunity of eating at restaurants I might not have ever dined at because of the twice-a-year event – yes!

One note of “caution”, many participating restaurants feature their 3-course Restaurant Week menus on their websites, so be sure to access them prior to booking a reservation to ensure you’ll find something you’ll like before you go.

Several cities throughout the USA host Restaurant Weeks with similar values, so take the plunge and experience some of your city’s best restaurants.  Reservations can be made with Open Table at www.opentable.com.

Happy dining!

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: ,
6 July 2011 A Brunch to Remember at ABC Kitchen

A Brunch to Remember at ABC Kitchen

July 6, 2011 By

I had brunch at ABC Kitchen this past Saturday and left inspired to purchase organic produce at Union Square Greenmarket to bring home and enjoy.  This new venture by famed Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten truly impressed me with its décor, service and food.

According to the restaurant, “ABC Kitchen has a committed focus to local, sustainable and organic seasonal produce that does not use pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides or GMOs; meat, fish and dairy that is locally sourced where possible, from humanely treated pasture-fed animals free of antibiotics and hormones; teas, coffees, spices, organic wines, juices and elixirs that are organically cultivated on fair trade cooperatives celebrating and honoring sustainability, artistry and our global diversity.”

The brunch menu offers six “Market Table” options which are meant to be small plates to be enjoyed by all guests at the table.  Neat idea, no?  The options range from marinated olives ($6) to crab toast with lemon aioli ($15).  We opted for the roasted beets with homemade yogurt ($9) which were outstanding.  Several varieties of beets were featured over the tangiest, freshest yogurt and a drizzle of greenish olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  What a great way to level set our expectations of the meal to come!

Although the brunch entrée menu features some classics like eggs benedict ($18) and buttermilk pancakes ($15), the benny are served with ham from heritage pigs of famed Flying Pigs Farm and the cakes are served with lemon curd giving them an edge.  Our party opted for a goat cheese and spinach omelet over roasted cherry tomatoes ($18).  Farm-fresh eggs give this omelet a beautiful golden hue and the contrast between the tart goat cheese and the sweet tomatoes is great.

Mushroom, Parmesan and Oregano Pizza

ABC Kitchen, which was named Best New Restaurant of 2011 by the James Beard Foundation, offers several whole wheat pizzas ($14 – $18) and we chose the mushroom, parmesan and oregano version with a barely-cooked, sunny-side up egg on top.  WOW, this is the best pizza I have had in recent memory.  Woodsy mushrooms and salty cheese top the perfectly chewy, slightly charred crust.  A true winner that I highly recommend.

The service at ABC Kitchen is fun and knowledgeable.  The staff wears country-ish plaid shirts and Converse shoes.  The two servers who took care of our party were passionate about the food, knowledgeable about the ingredients and helped us with authentic enthusiasm.

Jean-Georges does it again with ABC Kitchen and its locavore sustainability theme.  This inventive restaurant, led by chef Dan Kluger, is a must-try when in New York City.

35 East 18th Street (between Broadway & Park Avenue)
New York, NY 10003
212 475 5829

www.abckitchennyc.com

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