MARIANI’S
Virtual Gourmet
"New Jersey Eggs
from Unpastured Chickens" (2018) By Galina Dargery
❖❖❖ IN THIS ISSUE DINING AROUND MONTRÉAL AND QUÉBEC By Geoff Kalish NEW YORK CORNER PALM TOO By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR AUTUMN WINES By John Mariani ANNOUNCEMENT: There will be no issue of Mariani's Virtual Gourmet next week because Mariani will be eating and drinking his way around Spain on behalf of his readers. ❖❖❖ DINING AROUND MONTRÉAL AND QUÉBEC By Geoff Kalish Chez Muffy, Montréal
Like Québec City, Montréal sits
along the St. Lawrence River, contains a quaint
“old town” district and a larger more modern
area, and holds a daily farmers’ market. In
addition, both offer outstanding well-designed
art museums featuring exceptional exhibits, such
as the current showing of African Influence on
the work of Picasso at the Montreal Musée des
Beaux Arts and the Berthe Morisot exhibit at
Québec’s Musée Nationale des Beaux Arts that
features many of her little-shown paintings from
private collections.
Similarities aside, Québec is quite
“Francophiled,” with primarily French spoken and
a laid-back feeling, while Montréal is a far
more French-English, fast-paced city. Even
within the similarities there are marked
differences. For example, while the shops in
both “old town” areas look similar, those in
Québec carry mainly tee shirts and the like,
with many of those in Montréal presenting more
upscale goods, especially brands made in Canada
like Joseph Ribkoff and Simpli.
On the other hand, both cities continue to offer
ample opportunity for excellent upscale lodging,
wining and dining. (All prices are in Canadian
dollars, which are worth 75% of U.S. dollars.) QUÉBEC
CITY Restaurant
Initiale 54 rue
Saint Pierre
418-604-1818 www.restaurantinitiale.com
Dinner at the highly touted Initiale
lived up to its reputation as a gourmet mecca with
fresh seasonal fare. Located in a former bank
building on a corner across the street from the Old Port area,
the elegant modern interior features cream-colored
walls and tablecloths, with attractive dark wooden
latticework panels across the windows.
The dining room is managed by the affable Rolande
Leclerc and the kitchen by her husband, Yvan
Lebrun, and a small staff. And,
while the restaurant only offers a nine-course
menu, primarily
composed of French classics, along with a
five-course option of both classic as well as more
modern preparations, the prices are a bargain
($165 for the nine courses and $115 for the five),
with wine pairings available for each. We selected
the latter, plus the wine pairing (at $99).
Our
meal began with a small portion of dewy arctic
char served with shrimps and a smoky cream sauce.
Next came perfectly roasted large scallops with
yellow and green beans and finely chopped
broccoli, all topped by a tasty shellfish
vinaigrette, followed next by a portion of tender,
pink roasted duck (above) coated with a reduced
red wine Grand Veneur sauce and accompanied by
chanterelles,
an onion compote and a portion of classic
halibut filet meunière atop a cauliflower puree
and fresh corn cake. Our dessert was a confection
of fruit, pastry and cream (left).
Rather than trying to find one wine to match with
the fare, we went with the pairing, which brought
an outstanding array of white, rosé and red French
and Canadian wines, each mated quite harmoniously
with the fare.
Chez
Muffy Auberge
Saint Antoine Hotel 10 rue
Saint Antoine 418-602-1022 www.saint-antoine.com/chez-muffy
When last reviewed in this
publication, two years ago, this once very upscale
restaurant located in the boutique historic
Auberge St. Antoine Hotel was named Panache and
served French and Québecois classics. However, in
the past year this space with a farmhouse feel
(rustic stone walls and wood-beamed ceiling) has
morphed into its current incarnation, Chez
Muffy, named
for the matriarch of the family that owns the
hotel, Martha
“Muffy” Bate Price.
While the tablecloths are gone and it no longer
offers a large selection of haute cuisine choices,
it serves a more modest selection of
“farm-to-fork” dishes geared to families,
especially locals. I found the fare well prepared,
service pleasant and professional, and a wide
range of top-notch Canadian and
French wines, albeit a bit pricey, continues to be
offered. Portions
are quite generous.
An appetizer of chanterelles came as a casserole
loaded with the delicate mushrooms sautéed with
shards of tasty local seagrasses; a crisp
baby lettuce salad arrived with a zesty, creamy
vinaigrette dressing. A main course of Québec
lobster scooped from the shell was served atop a
thick, heady lobster bisque, while Atlantic
halibut was enlivened by a lemon-ginger dressing
and accompanied by garlicky potatoes and tender
turnips from the hotel’s garden. We accompanied
the meal with a fragrant, plummy 2014 Volnay from
Fernand and Laurent Pillot ($145) and concluded
with a dense, albeit slightly fallen, chocolate
soufflée. Expect dinner
for two to cost
$140-$150, not including wine, tax or
tip. MONTRÉAL Maison
Boulud Ritz-Carlton
Hotel 128
Sherbrooke Street West 514-842-4224 www.maisonboulud.com/montreal
Located two blocks from the Musée
Nationale des Beaux Arts, Montreal’s ultra plush
Ritz-Carlton Hotel is known locally as the “Grande
Dame of Sherbrooke,” opening its doors on New
Year’s Eve 1912.
Of note, it was the first hotel in the
world to be named “Ritz-Carlton,” derived from
combining the name of the consortium founded by
the original developers, The Carlton Corporation,
and legendary
hotelier César Ritz, who lent his name with a
proviso that every room have its own bathroom.
The dining room features a blonde wood and
glass-themed interior with well-spaced
cloth-covered tables, a long bar and an open
kitchen, with an outdoor seating area under an
awning that looks out on a formal garden that
includes not only greenery and flowers but a pond
with a waterfall and swans. As to the cuisine, the
fare served is casual haute cuisine at its best;
for those familiar with Boulud’s New York City
establishments, think more in terms of Café Boulud
or Boulud Sud, not Daniel.
On our recent visit, an artistically composed
starter of small squares of a fois gras terrine
accompanied by semi-dried apricot wedges, dabs of
apricot jam, hazelnuts
and cubes of brioche tasted as good as it looked.
And an egg-yolk ravioli, filled with fresh sheep’s
milk ricotta and topped with sautéed mushrooms and
adrift in a bubbly spinach coulis was decadently
rich.
For main courses we enjoyed a thick filet of
broiled sea bass topped with figs and
chanterelles, doused with a zesty saba
sauce made from a grape must reduction, and an
artfully composed plate of tender lamb saddle with
summer beans, black trumpet mushrooms, all set in
a savory lamb jus.
We drank an excellent bottle of 2016 Saint
Joseph from Domaine Natacha Chave that had flavors
of plums and a distinct peppery finish. We concluded
the meal with velvety ice cream and a basket of
freshly made tiny madeleines.
Le
Toque 900
Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle 514-499-2084 www.restaurant-toque.com
I am happy to report that since
its last Virtual
Gourmet review some nine years ago, this
establishment now open for more than 25 years, has
not lost a step. In fact, chef
Norman Laprise (right)
seems at the top of his game, and the front of the
house continues to sail smoothly along under the
watchful eye of his wife, Christine LeMarché.
The restaurant is still situated in a sleek room
featuring brown wood, beige walls and gauzy curtains
over the tall windows, and I found the fare
continues to be not only extremely flavorful but
exquisitely beautiful on the plate. For example, a
starter of foie gras arrived looking more like an
abstract painting than food, with a large square
of rich, creamy terrine surrounded by a slice of
just-baked brioche, fresh raspberries, almonds and
a small pool of raspberry purée. Its taste was no
less spectacular, the raspberries and purée
serving to accompany the fois gras perfectly, much
like a glass of Sauternes. Equally
beautiful and tasty was a starter of Nordic shrimp
tossed with delicate
mushrooms and slices of fresh green vegetables.
For main courses, we dined happily on a large slab
of cooked-to-the-minute halibut surrounded by
green and yellow beans, and a dish of tender leg
of guinea fowl, the plate strewn with morels and
dabs of a pesto purée.
For dessert we shared an order of raspberry
ganache in a chocolate tuile served with ice
cream. Service
was prompt and professional and for wines we had
two half-bottles—a berried 2015 Alain Gras Saint
Romain from Burgundy and a cassis-scented 2015
Château Tour du Pas Saint-George Saint Émilion .
Hotel
Le St. James 355
rue Saint-Jacques 514-841-5000 www.xolerestaurant.com
This restaurant is housed in the
plush Hotel Le St. James, once the Merchants’ Bank
Building dating from 1870. It is a large, rather
formal room with well-spaced tables dressed with
starched white tablecloths, dark wood paneling and
a towering ceiling.
It offers a seasonally-changing menu with a
focus on innovative interpretations of “European
classics.” While
it has garnered accolades as one of the best and
most creative upscale eateries in Montréal, we
found the fare somewhat inconsistent.
An appetizer of grilled octopus arrived very soft
and rather tasteless—most likely pre-cooked too
long and not grilled long enough—and a summer
salad came with an overabundance of dressing. Yet
a main course of sea bass served with zesty,
tomatillo and mango salsa and shitake mushrooms
was moist and flavorful, as was a savory duck
breast with crispy skin served atop a heady cherry
sauce. For
dessert, we enjoyed three slices of well-chosen
cheeses with toast and condiments to match and the
restaurant’s “nouveau” interpretation of a
chocolate ice-cream sandwich.
Service was prompt and professional. From an
extensive wine selection, we accompanied our meal
with an excellent sensibly-priced 2011 Francis Gay
Savigny-les-Beaune, with a fragrant bouquet and
taste of ripe berries and anise.
❖❖❖ NEW
YORK CORNER
By John Mariani PALM TOO
840 Second Avenue (near 45th Street) 212-697-5198 The menu at Palm Restaurant circa 1947
When
I first started out as a journalist in the
seventies, a rite of passage in New York was
to be invited to eat at Palm, the storied
steakhouse on Second Avenue and 45th Street
that began as a modest Italian restaurant
during Prohibition and evolved into a power
lunch and dinner spot, not least for all the
writers and reporters, sports figures,
industry titans and show biz stars whose
caricatures lined every inch of every wall.
❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW
By John Mariani
Autumn weather is
struggling in and one looks forward to
cooler temperatures, but good, fresh cool
white wines are always worth putting on
the table. Here is a number of
whites that all have different flavor
profiles. LAGAR
D CERVERA ALBARIÑO 2016 ($18)—Made from 100%
Albariño in Rias Baixas in Galicia, this has a
real citrusy tang that is refreshing at the
very first sip and enhances whatever lighter
foods you are eating, like the tortellini
in chicken broth I enjoyed it with over lunch.
The estate is now owned by the illustrious La
Rioja Alta since 1988, which means great care
was taken to keep this wine as lively as
possible. The 2017 vintage is also now
available. FETZER
SUNDIAL CHARDONNAY 2016 ($7.50)—This is a very
appealing California-style Chardonnay at a
remarkable price. It’s not subtle, but at
13.5% alcohol it’s not massive or overripe
either, and winemaker John Kane aims for
levels of flavor. Different toast levels in
the oak barrels were used to produce the
buttery flavors many people will enjoy with
dishes like chicken, black bass and trout. MICHAEL MONDAVI
EMBLEM CHARDONNAY 2016 ($35)—Similar to the
Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay, this Sonoma County production is
for those who like fleshy whites with a
little sweetness but in balance with the
apple-citrus flavors. The website reads that
“The 2016
Emblem Chardonnay marks our premier voyage
into the Petaluma Gap, a subappellation of
the Sonoma Coast AVA [whose] unique aspect .
. . is that it consistently experiences much
greater wind speeds than its neighboring
regions in southern/western Sonoma
County.” It was a vintage in Sonoma
with smaller berries, meaning sugars were
condensed, so they were picked early and
went through partial malolactc. The wine
spent 10 months in both new oak and neutral
oak barrels, and emerged at a high 14.5%
alcohol. There is,
therefore, some complexity here that makes
it ideal for dishes that have some chile
heat to them. Not a
Chardonnay for everyone CANTINA
TRAMIN KELLEREI MORITZ PINOT BIANCO ($14)—This
northern Italian Pinot Bianco from the
Sudtirol-Alto-Adige region has a
lot more going on in the bottle than the
varietal gets from southern climes. It was
vinified in stainless steel, without
malolactic fermentation, so the nice nutty
flavor comes from the grapes themselves, not
the barrel. Fine acids and good fruit make it
a match for any kind of seafood, risotto with
vegetables or rabbit cooked over the grill. It
gets its body from 13.9% alcohol. Also a good
option with a terrine of foie gras. FÓRRA MANZONE
ALOIS LAGEDER BIANCO ($30)—Alois Lageder is
one of the very best winemakers in Europe,
founded in 1823 and still in the family, with
biodynamic grapes from their own well-tended
Dolomites vineyards as well as long contracted
cooperatives. Though located in northern
Italy, they speak German at the estate and the
back label is in that language. The “IGT”
means it is a wine made according to the
Lageder blend, not in accordance with the DOC
regulations, and you won’t find the grapes
listed. "Fórra" means narrow valley" refers to
a canyon in Adige. Made from a cross between
Riesling and Pinot Bianco, the Manzoni Bianco
grape was created in 1937 and is not widely
planted. It has a good deal of weight at only
13% alcohol and a delectable aroma. ❖❖❖
BUT WHAT IF YOU JUST SMOKE THEM?
Rodale Books has pulled an Instagram influencer’s foraging cookbook, Johnanna Holgren's Tales from a Forager's Kitchen, after critics indicated that some of the recipes could make people sick because they involve unsafe ingredients, including raw, peeled acorns, raw elderberries, and raw morels, which can cause nausea and vomiting and contain difficult-to-digest chitin. BLOCK THAT METAPHOR! The
Beatrice Inn
❖❖❖
Wine
Column Sponsored by Banfi Vintners Wine is a joy year-round but
in cooler weather one
grape varietal has really taken center stage in
my daily activities – that most Italian of
grapes, Sangiovese, and its ultimate expression
– Brunello di Montalcino.
Recommendations for Celebrating
Sangiovese BelnerO Proprietor’s Reserve Sangiovese
– A refined
cuvée of noble red grapes perfected by our pioneering
clonal research. This dark beauty, BelnerO, is
produced at our innovative winery, chosen 11
consecutive years as Italy’s Premier Vineyard Estate.
Fermented in our patented temperature controlled
French oak and aged approximately 2 additional years.
Unfiltered, and Nitrogen bottled to minimize sulfites. Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino –
Rich, round, velvety and intensely
aromatic, with flavor hints of licorice, cherry, and
spices. Brunello di Montalcino possesses an intense
ruby-red color, and a depth, complexity and opulence
that is softened by an elegant, lingering aftertaste.
Unfiltered after 1998 vintage. Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino – Brunello's "younger brother," produced
from select Sangiovese grapes and aged in barrique for
10 to 12 months. Deep ruby-red, elegant, vibrant,
well-balanced and stylish with a dry velvety
finish.
Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva – A single vineyard selection of our most
historically outstanding Sangiovese, aged five years
before release, the additional year more than that
required of Brunello including 6 months in barrel and
6 months more in bottle to grant its “Riserva”
designation. Incredible
elegance and harmony. Intense with lots of fruit and
subtle wood influence. Round, complete, well balanced
with hints of chocolate and berries. Unfiltered after
1998. Poggio alle Mura – The first tangible result of years of
intensive clonal research on Montalcino’s native
Sangiovese grape.
Estate bottled from the splendidly sun drenched
vineyards surrounding the medieval Castello from which
it takes its name.
The Brunello
di Montalcino is seductive, silky and smoky. Deep ruby
in color with an expressive bouquet of violets, fruits
and berries as well as cigar box, cedar and exotic
spices. The Rosso
di Montalcino is also intense ruby red. The bouquet
is fresh and fruity with typical varietal notes of
cherry and blackberry, enriched by more complex hints
of licorice, tobacco and hazelnut. It is full
bodied, yet with a soft structure, and a surprisingly
long finish. The Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva is deep ruby red with garnet
reflections and a rich, ample bouquet that hints of
prune jam, coffee, cacao and a light balsamic note. It is full
and powerful, with ripe and gentle tannins that make
it velvety and harmonious; this wine is supported by a
pleasing minerality that to me speaks soundly of that
special hillside in southern Montalcino. SummuS – A wine of towering elegance, SummuS is an
extraordinary blend of Sangiovese which contributes
body; Cabernet Sauvignon for fruit and structure; and
Syrah for elegance, character and a fruity bouquet. An elegant,
complex and harmonious red wine.
Cum Laude – A complex and elegant red which graduated
“With Honors,” characterized by aromas of juicy
berries and fresh spices. Centine – A Cuvee that is more than half
Sangiovese, the balanced consisting of equal parts of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Vinified in
a firm, round style that easily accompanies a wide
range of dishes, this is a smooth and fragrantly
satisfying wine with international character, and a
perennial favorite at my own dinner table.
Banfi Chianti Superiore – The “Superiore” designation signifies
stricter government regulations regarding production
and aging requirements, as compared to regular
Chianti. An
intense ruby red wine with fruit forward aromas and
floral notes. This
is a round wine with well-balanced acidity and fruit.
Banfi Chianti Classico – An enduring classic: alluring
bouquet of black fruit and violets; rich flavors of
cherry and leather; supple tannins and good acidity
for dining.
Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva – Produced from select grapes grown in the
"Classico" region of Chianti, this dry, fruity and
well-balanced red has a full bouquet reminiscent of
violets.
Fonte alla Selva Chianti Classico – This is our newest entry into the Chianti
arena, coming from a 99 acre estate in Castellina, the
heart of the Chianti Classico region. The wine is
a captivating mauve red that smells of cherry, plum
and blackberry with hints of spice. It is
round, full and balanced with very good
acidity.
Col di Sasso – Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Luscious,
complex and soft with persistent notes of fruit and
great Italian style structure.
❖❖❖
Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
❖❖❖
FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: 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." THIS WEEK:
Eating Las Vegas
JOHN CURTAS has been covering the Las Vegas
food and restaurant scene since 1995. He is
the co-author of EATING LAS VEGAS – The 50
Essential Restaurants (as well as
the author of the Eating Las Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish,
and Brian Freedman. Contributing
Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical
Advisor: Gerry
McLoughlin. If you wish to subscribe to this
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