"Artichokes, Istanbul" (2005) Photo by
Galina Stepanoff-Dargery
NEW YORK CORNER: OVELIA by John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR: Drier American Rieslings Earn New Respect by John Mariani QUICK BYTES WHAT'S NEW IN CHICAGO? by John Mariani NoMI 800 North Michigan Avenue 312-239-4030 www.nomirestaurant.com The antithesis of such assaults on the senses is the serenity of NoMI, which actually opened a few years back but has acquired a new chef, Christophe David (below), who is proving himself one of the most talented in Chicago right now. The expansive, large dining room, with plenty of civilized space between well-set tables and 120 seats, overlooks the Magnificent Mile and Water Tower from the seventh floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel, among the first Hyatts to swing into the deluxe category. NoMI is glamorously decked out with modern artwork and Italian marble sculpture, and the room is very airy and light in feeling, especially during the day when it gets the sun off the Lake. It is, in a word, a civilized but wholly unstuffy place to dine. You arrive in the swank lounge, then enter the dining room (right), confronted by the sushi bar, which offers a remarkable array of traditional and modern sushi, which may also be ordered at the dining tables. The staff here is among the finest in Chicago, and the winelist is one of the best in the city, especially for French and regional wines that go well with David's food. I first became familiar with David's cooking at the Grill (now called Pur.Grill) in Paris' Park Hyatt Place Vendôme, which gave to that city a style of American grill fare difficult to find elsewhere. Here in Chicago he has reversed course, bringing a very sure sense of French culinary style to a city with about ten too many grills and steakhouses. So you might begin with fresh pea soup with a goat's cheese foam and a chiffonade of mint, or perhaps white asparagus and morels layered with smoky Virginia ham and parmesan cheese--both first-rate, lightweight appetizers for lunch. Richer and more decadent is David's answer to the city council's imbecile prohibition against foie gras: He uses "foie blond"--chicken livers--whipped into a luscious crème brûlée with truffles and hazelnuts; its approximation to duck or goose foie gras is good enough not to fool anyone but delicious enough to enjoy wholly on its own. For main courses seafood is well represented by caramelized scallops with crispy sweetbreads and a pea puree, and David (left) does a fine risotto with a good amount of langoustine, braised hearts of palm, and corn. If you prefer meat, I recommend the almond-crusted squab breast with a tangy-sweet ratatouille and tarrgon-scented beurre blanc. Suzanne Imaz's dessert show all the same degree of finesse in the French way--apricot clafoutis with almond ice cream and sorbet and violet gelée, and a lovely cherry mascarpone cannelloni with chocolate crèmeux and sour cherry sorbet. The imagination in NoMI's food is not daunting to other Chicago chefs but shows how the execution of certain techniques with real precision can make a great difference in subtlety, texture, and refinement. David now ranks among the best in Chicago, and I hope he stays put forever. NoMI is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Dinner appetizers run $14-$25, main courses $34-$54. aigredoux 230 West Kinzie 312-329-9400 www.aigredouxchicago.com This
River North newcomer near the Merchandise Mart counts two veterans--now
a married
couple--from the Chicago Ritz-Carlton and Hollywood's Chateau
Marmont: Mohammad
Islam and Malika Ameen (below),
who also run the attached Bakery here. Aigredoux is one of the
instant hits for reasons that have to do as much with good food and
sheer buzz,
a place on everyone's lips as the hot new place to go. When I
visited the restaurant was thronged with a fairly young crowd, and the
vibes in the dining room were indeed shaking.
QuinceLet me get to Islam and Ameen's food first, for it is very good, in a more-or-less Mediterranean mode, starting off with a delicious garlic soup based on a good strong broth that tames the herb down. Having a bakery next door means the bread is not only fresh but artisanal and diverse. Nearing the last days of softshell crabs for the summer, I had to have them here, and they were excellent--fat, snowy white meat beneath a parchment crisp shell, gone in two gobbles. Sweet white asparagus were graced with truffled poached egg, bacon, and a light herb vinaigrette, while the stand-out was risotto al salto, which means "jumping risotto," a kind of crispy pancake with prosciutto and a tangy aïoli. The tomato-mozzarella pizza was pleasing but not particularly special, in a town still lacking in great pizza. Main courses fared very well within the Mediterranean swing of things, including as fine a piece of swordfish as I've had all year, juicy to the core and full of clean, sweet flavor. Prices across the menu here are extremely reasonable, with the most expensive item a terrific Colorado rack of lamb, beautifully fatted, with truffled grits, fennel, apple, and a fava bean salad. Desserts, by Ameen, sin in all the best ways, from a truly gooey and irresistible sticky toffee pudding to a delicate panna cotta, and an astonishingly good "chocolate malted" that was actually a malt-infused custard and a hazelnut version of a Kit-Kat bar. very American and marvelous for it. The winelist is solidly connected to the style of food here, with plenty of good bottles under $50. Turning to the 80-seat restaurant itself, aside from a low level of lighting from bare bulbs on wires, it's a very handsome room, with a wall of slatted Brazilian rosewood and floors of large cut travertine. But the lack of any soft surfaces and the imposition of blaring, throbbing music makes the atmosphere so intense that despite its wonderful food, Aigredoux is not a wonderful place to be. Having scanned some other local reports of the restaurant, I read that I am not alone in criticizing the noise level here. There was simply no way for me to hear what the waitress or wine director was trying to tell me, and the little conversation I managed with my friends was at shouting level. Believe me, no one has ever asked for a restaurant to be louder, but many complain, both during and after their visits, when restaurants are too loud, so it's something restaurateurs should pay more attention to. AigreDoux is open for lunch Mon.-Fri., for dinner nightly, and brunch on Sat. & Sun. Appetizers run $9-$14, entrees $14-$34. 1625 Hinman Evanston, IL (847) 570-5800 www.quincerestaurant.com Those who recall with fondness the original Trio, and before that the Cafe Provençal, in a space within The Homestead Hotel out in Evanston will probably be delighted by the way the newest incarnation, Quince, is styled. It's now a softer, more comfortable spot, lighted with candles and a fireplace and a configuration that seems quite a bit like someone's dining room. The slatted wood walls remain for old times' sake. I love the simplicity of everything at Quince, the restrained style of plate presentation, the effort not to overwhelm you with service or chattiness. Printing the menu on gray paper with gray ink in a candlelit room is not such a hot idea, however, unless your guests all have super-vision. Chef Mark Hannon (second from left above) comes from a restaurant family: His father ran a seafood restaurant in NYC. His résumé now includes a stint at the highly acclaimed Azul in Miami, and he shows a real flair for food that is built around a few impeccable ingredients, as shown by a dish like lavender-and-honey glazed pork tenderloin with goat's cheese pasta and broccolini, which all comes together in equal parts sweet and savory. Cold starters are mainly greens, aside from a salmon tartare, while hot appetizers tend to be somewhat heavy, but no less delicious for that. I like the "liver and onions," actually foie gras seared and lavished with roasted shallots, blackberry, and a toasted crostini with bleu cheese. (Evanston, unlike Chicago, has not as yet banned foie gras on menus). Ricotta gnocchi with a cheese crust was pretty tasty, but it certainly didn't need soft grilled bread on the side. Hawaiian sea bass was very good, cuddled against "forbidden black rice," hearts of palm, and a lush basil cream. By all means consider cheeses for there is a selection of six, in fine condition. Jeffrey Sills did pastry at Trio and has stayed on to do them at Quince with good reason. His desserts include jelly doughnuts, a warm white chocolate bread pudding, and carrot cake with Crackerjack and a cream cheese frosting, with brown sugar ice cream. Time to bring this relic of the Sixties back to the table! It's a great dessert. Wine directors Joe Ziomek, also a Trio grad and a former sommelier at Alinea, has come back to oversee a winelist of about 200+ labels. When I visited, Quince was empty by ten P.M., maybe because people had to drive back home to Chicago. And be aware that if you are visiting Quince, it is a $40 taxi ride each way from downtown. Then again, for this quality of food you'd pay a great deal more in Chicago, so you can suck up the difference that way. Quince is
open for dinner Tues.-Sun. and for brunch on Sun. Starters run $6-$18,
entrees $16-$24. NEW YORK CORNER by John Mariani OVELIA PSISTARIA & BAR
The
Greek community of Astoria, Queens, is thriving with more vitality than
ever--bakeries, wineshops, cafes, butchers, and plenty of Greek
restaurants, most, more or less, of the same stripe with, more or less,
the same menu. Ovelia, which opened last year, is quite a bit different
in many respects, and for good reason draws a young crowd from the
neighborhood and the other boroughs who come for a slightly more modern
take on Greek cooking and style.
Ovelia
is open daily for lunch and dinner. Dinner appetizers: $6-$21; Entrees:$11.50-$22.Happily Ovelia is set on a corner, allowing for two sides of the street to be used for outdoor tables with bright red umbrellas, and on a twilighted midweek evening, I sat there blissfully entertained by the passing parade of Greeks and non-Greeks, all speaking their own languages along with English. The interior dining area seats about 55, a long, streamlined, silvery room with a good bar where they make good, innovative cocktails and carry a very good screed of modern Greek wines. The restaurant's name refers to a spit on which lamb is roasted, and owners Chris Giannakas and Elias Mandilaras do their personal best to imbue the place with their own gregarious spirit. As in most Greek restaurants the mezes are the most tantalizing part of the menu, and they are extensive here. We began with a creamy kafteri, a spicy feta spread, and tarama cod roe, and roasted eggplant, all scooped up with hot pita bread that kept coming fresh from the kitchen every few minutes. The Ovelia salad contains Romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato and a dressing of olive oil, lemon and roasted, chilled vegetables that had a good crisp crunch to them. Kontosouvli are piping hot marinated and seasoned pork morsels, shaved from the spit, juicy and delicious, with more pitas. Next came tender octopus braised in red wine vinegar then given a char on the grill. along with housemade sausages. Bifteki Monastiraki came on skewers--ground, seasoned lamb and beef. The moussaka here, layered with ground beef, eggplant, zucchini, potato, and topped with béchamel was good but far from the creamiest I've had. Now well into the main courses, we had two plump chicken breasts I always give in when Greek lemon-doused oven-baked sliced potatoes arrive, and Ovelia's are excellent, as was a side of white rice and orzo, and some lovely green broccoli rabe, sautéed with olive oil and garlic. What wonderful, rich yogurt they serve here--with equally wonderful honey and nuts, served in a fried crêpe shell that only gilded the lily. It was also hard to resist the loukoumades, a form of Greek fried fritters tossed in a not-too-sweet honey syrup. What we did not finish we took home for morning coffee. The Greek wines we sampled were a sturdy 2005 merlot from By the time we left Ovelia the street was still teeming with happy people and the music still playing inside. Couples came by for wine and coffee and a late bite to eat. For anyone seeking the soul of the Greek community, a corner table at Ovelia is the best spot I can think of to find it. So if you're in Manhattan or getting off a plane from LGA or JFK, hop on the N Train and you'll be there in a jiff. NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR by John Mariani Drier American Rieslings Earn New Respect
American
wineries have not made it easy to love
their rieslings because it’s so hard to know exactly what you’re
buying. Labels
read “white riesling,” “Johannesburg riesling,” “dry riesling,”
“semi-dry
riesling,” “Late Harvest riesling,” and “eiswein riesling.” In
Nevertheless, the rieslings of A good riesling is a beautiful wine, with bright tartaric acid levels that keep the wine sharp, and it picks up the specific minerality of its terroir. Riesling vines are very hard and resist frost well but cannot bear intense heat, which make the wines flat-tasting and one-dimensional. Aldo Sohm, wine director at I agree completely with Sohm about the rieslings of New York State’s Finger Lakes district, which I find get better every year, not least the pioneering wines of Dr. Konstantin Frank, whose 2006 Dry Riesling ($18) has tantalizing fruit aromas and the levels of acid to keep them bright and long lasting. They are terrific sushi, even spicy Chinese food. I also recommend other Riesling flourished on the west coast when 19th century German vintners like Beringer and Charles Krug planted the varietal in Possibly the best-known West Coast rieslings are those from Château Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington, which last June held a "Riesling Rendezvous" international conference to discuss the latest techniques of riesling viniculture and the distinctions of terroir. The winery’s own rieslings have gotten even better since German vintner Dr. Ernst Loosen joined with Ste. Michelle in 1999 to produce “Eroica” in the coolest terroir of the Bonny Dry and semi-dry rieslings are increasingly versatile with HIS
SIX-MONTH SENTENCE WAS TO CONSUME
ONLY CHINESE FOOD BOUND FOR EXPORT TO THE The Xinhua News Agency reported that a news reporter in RESTAURANT REVIEWS WE NEVER FINISHED READING “Are there no suitable rocks in all of New York State? What about New England? If I have my trivia correct, New Hampshire is called the Granite State. That sounds pretty flinty to me, and it’s a whole lot closer to Manhattan than South America is.”—Frank Bruni, in a review of Rayuela, NY Times (8/22/07). QUICK BYTES * The Center for Wine Origins announces the second annual "Celebrate the
Grape" Sweepstakes, as part of its continuing education efforts to
protect
wine place names and demand accurate and fair labeling. To enter,
contestants
must correctly answer 3 wine-related questions. Three grand prize
winners will
each receive a getaway for two to one of the famous wine regions the
Center
represents:
* On Sept. 12 & 13 in North One 10 on * From Sept. 14-16, Foxwoods Resort Casino in * On Sept. 21 Hemingway's in *
On Sept. 27 Fertile Hope will host its 5th
annual benefit gala at
* On Sept. 27
in
* From Oct. 1-Nov. 15 the Greater Fort Lauderdale Visitors and Conventions Bureau launches Dine Out Lauderdale, with participating restaurants, incl. Aizia at the Westin Diplomat, Blue Moon Fish Co., Cero at the St. Regis, Coco Restaurant, Council Oak, 15th Street Fisheries, Galanga Thai * The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission of 1,800 growers and more than 300 wineries will celebrate 150 years of winemaking with a Harvest Celebration in NYC October 3-5. Grower Jim Murphy (Murphy Vineyards), winemaker Joel Peterson (Ravenswood Winery), and wine country chef Bruce Riezenman (Park Avenue Catering) will host a series of events for consumers, wine and food industry professionals, and the media. Visit www.sonomawinegrape.org/nycharvest Everett Potter's Travel Report: I
consider this the best
and savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a columnist
for USA Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and
Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski
and a frequent contributor to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com and Elle Decor. "I’ve designed this
site is for people who take their travel seriously," says Potter.
"For travelers who want to learn about special places but don’t
necessarily want to pay through the nose for the privilege of
staying there. Because at the end of the day, it’s not so much about
five-star places as five-star experiences." To go to his
blog click on the logo below:
Tennis Resorts Online: A Critical Guide to the World's Best Tennis Resorts and Tennis Camps, published by ROGER COX, who has spent more than two decades writing about tennis travel, including a 17-year stretch for Tennis magazine. He has also written for Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, New York Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Esquire, Money, USTA Magazine, Men's Journal, and The Robb Report. He has authored two books-The World's Best Tennis Vacations (Stephen Greene Press/Viking Penguin, 1990) and The Best Places to Stay in the Rockies (Houghton Mifflin, 1992 & 1994), and the Melbourne (Australia) chapter to the Wall Street Journal Business Guide to Cities of the Pacific Rim (Fodor's Travel Guides, 1991). Click on the logo below to go to the site. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher:
John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani, Naomi
Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson, Edward Brivio, Mort
Hochstein, Suzanne Wright. Contributing
Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery, Bobby Pirillo. Technical
Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
Any of John Mariani's books below
may be ordered from amazon.com by clicking on the cover image.
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