Located at Kuttelgasse 158001 Zürich Kreis 1 this reaturant has a lovely garden courtyard out back, though they do request you keep the noise to reasonable levels since you are surrounded on all sides by funky old apartment buildings. Not a problem I expect since the diners when I visited we're a pretty refined and moneyed bunch.
A simple salad to start was surprisingly hefty, making it a tough call to get all the way though the Chicken Cordon Bleu, as recommeneded by our local contact. But I made it, mostly on account of it being as beautifully executed as I've ever seen this dish; flavoursome chicken, light crumb, rich, creamy cheese. No desert.
Friday, May 25, 2007
All Bar One, still below par
Well, never let it be said I don't field test my random claims... after unfavourably comparing Barcelona's chain El Trobador with London's All Bar One I hit the later's outlet on Cannon Street to see if it had improved any since my last visit (of course I don't go there often: I think it sucks).
Was it fair to order Tapas? Wasn't that just going to underline the differences with El Trobador. You bet it was, but let's just blame All Bar One for making it's "Tapas" such a big part of the menu. We ordered humous, meatballs, chicken, tapenade, enchilada and mushrooms (with goats cheese). There were none of the staples one would associate with Spanish Tapas.
Anyway: enchilada dry and tasteless; meatballs just tasted of tomato; mushrooms overcooked, goat cheese weak; tapenade dry but ok; chicken bland, even with the spices; humous, ok, but tasted like a supermarket offering, not made-in-house. Overall - poor, but not awful; certainly not worth bothering with if you have any other options. The only upside was that, by London standards at £22 it was reasonably cheap.
Did have a nice Leffe to go with it though, so at least my lunch hour wasn't entirely wasted.
Was it fair to order Tapas? Wasn't that just going to underline the differences with El Trobador. You bet it was, but let's just blame All Bar One for making it's "Tapas" such a big part of the menu. We ordered humous, meatballs, chicken, tapenade, enchilada and mushrooms (with goats cheese). There were none of the staples one would associate with Spanish Tapas.
Anyway: enchilada dry and tasteless; meatballs just tasted of tomato; mushrooms overcooked, goat cheese weak; tapenade dry but ok; chicken bland, even with the spices; humous, ok, but tasted like a supermarket offering, not made-in-house. Overall - poor, but not awful; certainly not worth bothering with if you have any other options. The only upside was that, by London standards at £22 it was reasonably cheap.
Did have a nice Leffe to go with it though, so at least my lunch hour wasn't entirely wasted.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Perfection
Here's a picture I couldn't resist posting. It's the "official best steak ever" picture from my last trip to Japan. Oh, we had some amazing food - from shabby (but delicious) salaryman places in train stations, to chain noodle shops, Chanko-nabe (the hearty protein heavy one-pot meal used by Sumo to bulk up) and one place that specialised in chicken skewers (all hearts? all gizard? no problem).
But the best was in Yokohama on the last night of the trip when we went for teppanyaki (Teppan-yaki YOKOHAMA). Over several courses our chef dazzled with his mastery of the grill, dashing down treat after treat in front of us like a croupier casually tossing cards (I particulalry liked the plates of crispy garlic slices served to fill time between the longer to cook items). The best of all: the steak you see here. Not Kobe I think, but something every bit as fine. Heaven.
El Trobador, L'Exaimple, Barcelona
What gets me is that absolute treasures like this place seem to be on every street in Spain while in London the equivalent restaurants are shoddy "reheat and serve" venues like All Bar One or Slug N Lettuce (I rather eat a slug). El Trobador has at least three sites across the city - I tried the one in L'Exaimple.
Eggs with Potatos; Salt Cod Salad; Sausage with Broad Beans; Melting Chocolate and Ice Cream. Doesn't sound like much, but at El Trobador those dishes zing.
Ok, the dishes might have lost something in my translation from Spanish - "Amalida de Bolets i Bacalao" sounds a lot more exciting than salt cod salad. Acompanied by a hearty wine that my Spanish colleague assured me was much sought after, and plates of bread spread with tomato (a Catalan classic).
Eggs with Potatos; Salt Cod Salad; Sausage with Broad Beans; Melting Chocolate and Ice Cream. Doesn't sound like much, but at El Trobador those dishes zing.
Ok, the dishes might have lost something in my translation from Spanish - "Amalida de Bolets i Bacalao" sounds a lot more exciting than salt cod salad. Acompanied by a hearty wine that my Spanish colleague assured me was much sought after, and plates of bread spread with tomato (a Catalan classic).
Aqua, California Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
After finally finding the place (far too discrete for my eyes) I was somewhat taken about to be seated next to someone I know from London... I'm not sure what that says - that Aqua clearly attracts travelling Brits? That I have the same taste as everyone else I know? That Aqua has a well deserved reputation that draws people in from far and wide?
Well it sure deserves the rep. They say tthat "Offering Contemporary Seafood in a sophisticated setting, Aqua has been one of San Francisco's most acclaimed and popular landmark restaurants for over 11 years". Well the food rocks - tasty oysters that have plenty of "sea" about them, excellent well-portioned fillets, wide choice (of fish that is); and the place feels like a new restaurant - right down to the crowds of people standing in the bar hoping to get seated and the jumping atmosphere.
They also boast of "using mostly European techniques" and I'm not sure what their point is there. Frankly with a kitchen producing food this good they don't need to attach themselves to anything. Ok, it was expensive, but I've paid a lot more for a lot less -- especially in places with two Michelin stars -- so I can't complain. Recommended.
Well it sure deserves the rep. They say tthat "Offering Contemporary Seafood in a sophisticated setting, Aqua has been one of San Francisco's most acclaimed and popular landmark restaurants for over 11 years". Well the food rocks - tasty oysters that have plenty of "sea" about them, excellent well-portioned fillets, wide choice (of fish that is); and the place feels like a new restaurant - right down to the crowds of people standing in the bar hoping to get seated and the jumping atmosphere.
They also boast of "using mostly European techniques" and I'm not sure what their point is there. Frankly with a kitchen producing food this good they don't need to attach themselves to anything. Ok, it was expensive, but I've paid a lot more for a lot less -- especially in places with two Michelin stars -- so I can't complain. Recommended.
The Culinary Institute of America (West Coast Campus)
Packed three in the back of the car for the two hour drive up to Greystone from San Francisco I was beginning to wonder whether this was perhaps a bit much of a trek to eat at a catering college - sorry, the "Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant".
The waiters are career professionals so it was no surprise that service was attentive and informed but right up to the first dish arriving, Today's Temptations, a taster of artful appetisers served across several levels on an unusual, well, glorified cake dish, I wasn't sure if the food was going to be ok or not.
The waiters are career professionals so it was no surprise that service was attentive and informed but right up to the first dish arriving, Today's Temptations, a taster of artful appetisers served across several levels on an unusual, well, glorified cake dish, I wasn't sure if the food was going to be ok or not.
Doh. Everything about this meal was of a class to match top kitchens back in the city. Indeed so good was it that the meal we had the night before at Puck's Postrio looked rather anemic in comparison.
Nothing about the dishes suggested anything other than absolute professionalism, though I did suffer from food envy - the Greystone French Onion Soup one of our group had was amazing.
Long drive or not, I'll be back.
Monday, May 21, 2007
good old Moosewood
So I dug out the old Moosewood cookbook for a weekend of curries. On Saturday it was Cauliflower Curry with a cucumber raita and chapatti. Then Sunday Eggplant Curry with banana raita and a side of left overs from Saturday, and of course pilau made in the trusty rice maker (best kitchen purchase ever).
I love Moosewood, makes me come over all nostalgic.
http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Cookbook-Katzens-Classic-Cooking/dp/1580081304/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0861677-8097554?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179758789&sr=8-1
I love Moosewood, makes me come over all nostalgic.
http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Cookbook-Katzens-Classic-Cooking/dp/1580081304/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0861677-8097554?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179758789&sr=8-1
Citizen Thai & the Monkey, San Francisco
Located on Grant in San Francisco, near the excellent City Lights bookstore, Citizen Thai & the Monkey delivers fun, filling food that gives good value in both main dining room and bar.
Even if you're in the main room, as we were, check out the yummy Bag of Gold Minced Chicken and Prawns Wrapped in rice paper sacks (from the bar menu) followed with Galangal and Coconut Milk Soup with chicken, lemongrass and kiffir lime and maybe Masamun Chicken . We had probably a dozen dishes between us and not one was bad.
Recommended.
Even if you're in the main room, as we were, check out the yummy Bag of Gold Minced Chicken and Prawns Wrapped in rice paper sacks (from the bar menu) followed with Galangal and Coconut Milk Soup with chicken, lemongrass and kiffir lime and maybe Masamun Chicken . We had probably a dozen dishes between us and not one was bad.
Recommended.
Bouchon, blah
The Narrow
A couple of weeks back I dropped in at The Narrow, Gordon Ramsay's pub outlet on Narrow Street in London. A breezy day made us choose the narrow dining room (no more than 35 covers I'm guessing) rather than outside (maybe another 30 covers).
Started with handmade pork pie with homemade piccalilli for £5.00 - not bad but could do with more jelly (mind you, what pork pie couldn't ; )
Then more pie: braised lamb neck and turnip pie with mash (£9.50). Not bad but quite a bit of the pastry top was immovably attached to the pot and inside there was a heck of lot more gravy than meat. Tasty, but ultimately not great value.
Started with handmade pork pie with homemade piccalilli for £5.00 - not bad but could do with more jelly (mind you, what pork pie couldn't ; )
Then more pie: braised lamb neck and turnip pie with mash (£9.50). Not bad but quite a bit of the pastry top was immovably attached to the pot and inside there was a heck of lot more gravy than meat. Tasty, but ultimately not great value.
Ended on a high note: marmalade pudding with custard (£4.00). Sounds prosaic. Tastes like something from Paddington Bear's heaven. A thick crust of marmalade on a light sponge with a foam of piquant custard. Not what I was expecting - and probably worthy of a return trip to give this hit-and-miss kitchen another go.
Kristof's Cakes
Kristof (with whom I work) keeps making really great cake. Today was apple. Recently we've had chocolate tortes and delicious chocolate sponges too. I'm convinced it's in the genes, having recently been to Belgium and discovered that playfulness with chocolate is in the blood - try Galler's concoctions inspired by japanese flavours to see what I mean (http://www.galler.com/).
Bruges rocked. Not only did we get to go to great chocolate shops at Sukerbuyc, Galler, Leonidas and Neuhaus but also ate mussels and fries and thick Flemish Stew at a restaurant near the fishmarket (Vismarkt).
Neuhaus Chocolate Tentation rocks - a wafer thin nougatine shells is filled with coffee ganache and coated with milk chocolate. Deservedly award winning. They are available in the UK (www.neuhaus-chocolates.com) but at a huge premium over their prices back in Belgium. Shame.
Sukerbuyc is rather unfriendly from the outside (prominent signs warn off timewasters) but the chocolate displays in the windows will win you over ( http://www.choc-online.be/). However my favourite remains good old Leonidas. Forget the prices in Selfridges, in Belgium large boxes can be had for just 17,50euro. Did we buy 3? Yeah, so?
Bruges rocked. Not only did we get to go to great chocolate shops at Sukerbuyc, Galler, Leonidas and Neuhaus but also ate mussels and fries and thick Flemish Stew at a restaurant near the fishmarket (Vismarkt).
Neuhaus Chocolate Tentation rocks - a wafer thin nougatine shells is filled with coffee ganache and coated with milk chocolate. Deservedly award winning. They are available in the UK (www.neuhaus-chocolates.com) but at a huge premium over their prices back in Belgium. Shame.
Sukerbuyc is rather unfriendly from the outside (prominent signs warn off timewasters) but the chocolate displays in the windows will win you over ( http://www.choc-online.be/). However my favourite remains good old Leonidas. Forget the prices in Selfridges, in Belgium large boxes can be had for just 17,50euro. Did we buy 3? Yeah, so?