MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
Founded in 1996 ARCHIVE USFA World War II poster(1943)
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IN THIS ISSUE ASHOK BAJAJ: WASHINGTON DC'S GRANDEST RESTAURATEUR By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER MASSERIA DEI VINI By John Mariani ANOTHER VERMEER CHAPTER 40 By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR COLD WHITES FOR HOT DAYS By John Mariani ❖❖❖ On this week's episode of my WVOX
Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. AUGUST
3, at 11AM EDT,I will be
interviewing DAVID MIKICS,
editor of Ralph Waldo Emerson. WVOX.com.
The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.
❖❖❖ ASHOK BAJAJ: WASHINGTON DC'S GRANDEST RESTAURATEUR By John Mariani Rasika Breads Washington DC does
not lack for very good restaurants, but several
of the best can claim to be under the control of
one man. In the case of ten restaurants in the
city, that master restaurateur is New Delhi-born
Ashok Bajaj, who might be compared with New
York’s Danny Meyer or Chicago’s Rich Melman,
operators for whom the word “sufficient” is not
to be found in their vocabularies. The Washington
Post called him “a major force” on the
fine dining scene; The New York
Times called him “arguably the most
successful restaurateur in Washington;” and GQ magazine
named him one of the "50 Most Powerful People in
Washington."
Sababa (3311
Connecticut Avenue NW), coming from the
Arabic word tzababa
for
excellence and meaning “cool” in Hebrew slang, is
a long slip of a room and bar featuring the food
of those two side-by-side cultures, while also
taking in those of Bulgaria, Romania,
North Africa, Yemen, Ethiopia, Georgia, the
Balkans, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, and Turkey,
whose cuisines share many similarities. In its
colors and fixtures Sababa is crafted to evoke
the port of Tel Aviv, with Mediterranean tiles
on the floor, sails on the ceiling and in the
lounge a Bedouin-style tent with community
tables.
Chef Ryan Moore, who has worked at José
Andrés’ modernist minibar and The Bazaar by José
Andrés in Beverly Hills, honed his skills with
Mediterranean food at DC’s Zatinya, and it’s easy
enough to taste how much he loves this kind of
food and service of small, though generous, plates
of zesty mezze
and
bigger dishes.
I can hardly distinguish the virtues of so
many terrific flavors, beginning with roasted halloumi with
chewy dates, honey and charred lemon ($12); charred
eggplant with herbs, lovely pomegranate and
pistachio ($12); a
plate of chickpeas
and rice with lentils, pasta, sweet fried onions
and a spicy tomato sauce ($12)—all tantalizing in
every savory and textural respect. There’s also a
wonderful Israeli salad of cucumbers, tomato,
onion, strawberries and “drunken goat’s cheese”
($12).
Of the main courses, the lamb shank was
superb, big enough for two at least, with maitake
mushrooms, bulgur wheat and baby arugula ($29). I
was puzzled as to why the chef would serve salmon
on the wood grill with pomegranate marinade ($17),
since salmon is not exactly a favorite fish of the
Middle East or the Mediterranean. Konafi
cake is one of those crispy, honeyed shredded filo
dough desserts, here with an apricot labne filling
($9), while golden mahalabia is
a delectable turmeric-colored custard with saffron
syrup, candied ginger, oranges and pecans ($9). ❖❖❖ NEW YORK CORNER
887 Ninth
Avenue By John Mariani
There
is
a slew of excellent Italian restaurants in New
York that are jammed every night with
regulars and visitors and seem to coast along
without benefit of the hyperventilated press in
search of the new five-table trattoria in Brooklyn
or Queens whose exposure gives it a six-week
flourish of interest than fades quickly.
Open from noon
through dinner. ❖❖❖
ANOTHER VERMEER CHAPTER THIRTY
Meanwhile David had been in frequent
touch with Gerald Kiley at Interpol, both of
them trying to piece together wholly unrelated
incidents that happened on three different
continents to men who were bound only by their
immense wealth and their prospects as auction
bidders. The fact that all of them had been on
Kiley’s original list of prospects made the idea
of a connection to the auction more plausible,
if someone or some organization were trying to
eliminate competition.
As the two of them stared off into
space in Gerald Kiley’s office, another
agent knocked on the open door and said, “Kiley,
you’re gonna want to see this,” and handed him a
single sheet of official Interpol paper that had
just been torn from a fax machine. Kiley read it,
then gasped, “Holy shit, Stepanossky stepped on a
land mine in Croatia! Blew his foot off, but he’s
alive.” © John Mariani, 2016 ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
SOME HOT WEATHER
WINES By John Mariani
As
summer swelters on, I’ve been chilling down my red
wines because, at room temperature, even with a/c,
they taste flabby and dull. So, too, I’ve been
enjoying a lot more chilled white wines, i.e., at
about 45 to 50 degrees (colder than that there’s
little flavor to savor). This includes a lot of
roses, whose aromatics enhance plenty of summer
foods and serve as excellent aperitifs. Here are a
few I’ve liked most. Mascota
Vineyards Unánime Chardonnay
($25)—From Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, this is
more full-bodied than you might expect for its tidy
13.5% alcohol. Winemaker Rodolpho Opi Sadler
provides enough acidity to balance out the rich ripe
fruit flavors, so it’s versatile as an aperitif as
well as with shellfish and oily fishes like
mackerel. Mathew Bruno Wines Yountville
Sauvignon Blanc 2019
($35)—Originally from Italy, the Bruno family moved
to Napa Valley, where current generation Mathew and
Tony and winemaker Stephen Moody and Dr. Nicola Hall
ferment their Sauvignon Blanc in stainless steel,
and, though it’s pricy for this varietal, it has
plenty of complexity that makes it ideal for a lot
of Asian and Pacific flavors that are salty and
spicy with chilies, wasabi and soy. Castello
Terriccio Con Vento Sauvignon Tuscana 2021 ($22)—Prices on the internet for this wine
are all over the place, but I’ve seen it for $16.
It’s a blend, mostly Sauvignon Blanc with some
Viognier for aromatics, and the name is a pun on
“convent” for “monastery” and “with the wind.” It’s
a good example of how Italian winemakers choose not
to produce high alcohol wines (this one is 12.5%)
just to be bold, instead going for layers of subtle
flavors that make it very versatile. Mas
des Bressades Cuvée Tradition 2021 ($11)—Some of the best bargains out there in
the U.S. market are coming from the southern Rhône
Valley, especially Costières de Nȋmes, from small
estates, in contrast to the region’s earlier
reputation for producing banal bulk wines. This one
is made by owner Cyril Nares, who strikes a good
balance of price and enjoyable quality. Château
Beaubois Expression 2020
($17)—A remarkable quality wine at this price, this
is another from the Costières de Nimes in the Rhône
Valley and is a canny blend of 40% Roussanne, 40%
Grenache, 10% Viognier and 10% Rolle (Vermentino),
aged for four months in cement tanks. Two years have
melded the varietals well, and it’s soft, mellow and
lovely to serve with simple, grilled fish or a fresh
tuna salad. Jo
Landron Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie
Amphibolite 2020
($20)— The austerity and citrus core of Muscadet are
its virtues, especially in summer when it cuts
through strong flavors of seafood on the grill.
Landron has been making organic wines since 1999,
using no chemicals in the vineyards and uses natural
yeast. Since it spends little time on the lees, it
is as fresh as a summer’s new grass, and, with only
11.2 percent alcohol, you can sip it with pleasure
from twilight on. Empire
State Finger Lakes Blanc de Blanc Brut non-vintage ($20)—It’s not all that easy to find Finger
Lakes wines in stores, especially outside of New
York State, but this delightful sparkler shows what
you might be missing. Made by the Charmat method in
fermentation tanks, rather than in the champenoise
style, neither is it based on the usual Chardonnay;
instead, it is a lovely expression of Riesling, at
11.9% alcohol with all the bright green notes the
grape is known for in Germany and Austria. Sparkling
wine has been made in the state since the late-1800s
and was what the region was once known for. More
than a century has only improved them, and, despite
its very fair price, it is a celebratory wine. ❖❖❖
“Never ever go home with a customer — for less than $500,”—Keith McNally, owner of NYC's Balthazar, “Rules for restaurant servers.”
❖❖❖ 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. ❖❖❖
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FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to two 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."
Eating Las
Vegas John Curtas has
been covering the Las Vegas food scene since
1995. He is the author of EATING LAS
VEGAS - The 52 Essential Restaurants,
and his website can be found at www.EatingLV.com. You can find him
on Instagram: @johncurtas and Twitter:
@eatinglasvegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher
Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish.
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