Michelle Ma Photography

The French Laundry

First, more pictures here!

Ryan and I are very lucky people — earlier this week two friends invited us to The French Laundry with them for Saturday’s lunch.

We arrived almost half an hour early for our reservation at 1pm, so we wandered to the Laundry’s garden and admired the stonework structure of the restaurant. At 1, we were promptly seated in a cozy, 4-person round table in the back corner of the restaurant on the first floor, with a small window nearby. I became excited just from hearing the lunch conversation from the other patrons and seeing the staff bustle to and from the kitchen. 

We started off with a 2008 Schramsberg blanc de blanc, which The French Laundry selects yearly from the Calistoga winery. It was very nice and dry, but crisp enough and well balanced, a good way to begin our meal.

We started off small, literally, with the gougeres of Gruyere. A nice pop of cheese, warm and oozy, the very best of goldfish crackers and all things cheesy.

Next were the two most famous Laundry courses, and staples to their menu. We had the Scottish salmon tartare cornets with creme fraiche, chive, and a black sesame tuile. Two sumptuous bites, served at almost room temperature, so the salmon was soft, seaful, and matched the thickness of the creme fraiche, with a bit of crisp and visual appeal to round it out. Also, beautiful silver stands.

Of course, The French Laundry experience wouldn’t be complete with the oysters and pearls, a “sabayon” of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar, cooked in a butter sauce. This, the cornets, and the Japanese wagyu were probably my favorites of the day. The oyster had the much-loved ocean flavor, tempered with the butter sauce, and seaful caviar flavor. The tapioca pearl added some starch and a bit of a soft, bouncy texture. The butter really brought together the flavors of the ocean and land. It was served with a Mother-of-Pearl spoon, very smart and cheeky.

Around this point our sommelier came by and inquired about our wine preference for our meal. We gave her an idea of the wines we preferred, and she tactfully picked out two half bottles after we finished the champagne — a half bottle of 2010 Riesling Kabinett from Selbach-Oster, which she brought out next, and a half bottle of 2010 pinot noir from Copain, in Anderson Valley. She was very smart about picking wines to suit us, without overwhelming our wallets or palates with full bottles. It’s always wonderful to have a sommelier who knows her audience.

After was our first bread, the butter roll. It was served with a selection of two butters, Andante Dairy from Sonoma County, and Animal Farm salted butter from Orwell, Vermont. At first, when I spread the salted butter on the roll, I thought it was too salty, but then its slight nuttiness came through and really enhanced the buttery fluffy roll. It was a win for me, so I had it with the rest of the bread during the meal. The roll itself had an eggwash on top that made a pleasantly and slightly crisp crust, with a pillowy interior. 

Next was the chilled Haas avocado soup with pickled green tomato fried in potato flake, marinated peppers, and romaine lettuce. I haven’t had too many chilled soups, and for some reason, they’ve all been green, but this was a very interesting flavor combination. It almost reminded me of the Mexican food flavors I find comforting — the fat from avocado, small hint of lime, and a bit of roasted pepper, but in a very refined form. I especially love seeing the presentation of the soup components before the soup itself is poured in. The soup portion was very rich and was quite filling, despite the serving size in the photo.

While we waited for our next course, I admired the silverware and glassware, along with our souvenir clothes pin, which makes several appearances later!

Another bread course followed, with our choice of pretzel roll, baguette, sourdough, and multigrain rolls. I opted for the pretzel roll, as I love pretzels but had never tried its roll form before. It had a nice, dense crust and a thick starchy interior, very much like a pretzel, but almost a crust of a bagel, as if it had been dipped in lye. The sprinkled sea salt on top added to the pretzel-ness of it all, and while small, the roll provided a very satisfying bites.

After this was the confit fillet of Japanese hamachi, with English cucumber, Tokyo turnips, poached field rhubarb, perilla and black sesame. The Asian flavor palate, brought by the black sesame sauce, cracker, and hamachi was very tasty. The hamachi was dense and textured and was soft and served warm. It provided a nice mix of texture with the crisp cracker, poached rhubarb, and sesame sauce. The rhubarb added a good tartness and a slight crunch.

Next was another roll. This time I chose a multigrain roll, which had interested me earlier. This was denser than the butter roll, but less so than the pretzel roll. It was pleasantly nutty and rich, especially when paired with the salted butter, which added a hint of a cheesy flavor.

Then, we had the sweet butter-poached Maine lobster tail, with Holland white asparagus, preserved green strawberries, red radish, oyster lettuce, and pink peppercorn yogurt. I wrangled a bit with the knife when cutting this lobster, I’ll tell you that now. In all, the lobster was warm, tender, and extremely fresh. The tart strawberries tasted almost like a dessert. The lobster contrasted well with the radish and white asparagus, which rounded out the protein, and the radishes and yogurt added a bit of tartness to cleanse the palate, which balanced the buttery lobster.

Now was time for the quail leg and Copain pinot noir. We had a Wolfe Ranch “cuisse de caille” with Tunisian couscous, cauliflower, Marcona almonds, sultanas, cilantro, and Madras curry jus. The quail had a crisp thin skin, and juicy meat. The couscous and other components had a distinct Moroccan tagine flavor, and the tiny cauliflower hidden in the couscous added a bit of crunch to the fluffy couscous. The pinot was delicious, with a nose and mouth of earth and grit. It needed to air, but was tasty even in the beginning.

Then came the last bread round. I had the sourdough, which had slightly darker dough, perhaps a bit of whole wheat dough was mixed in. It had a satisfying thick crust, and had a great sourness too it that wasn’t too pronounced, but was enough to clearly remind you of what you were eating!

The next course I ordered was the Japanese wagyu with quail egg, potato mille-faille, creamed arrowleaf spinach, spring onions, and morels. Imagine steak and eggs at The French Laundry! The wagyu was mind-blowing. So tender, rich, and fatty, with a crisp crust, and was proportioned to showcase the richness of the meat and its depth of flavor. I’m not a big meat eater, but I knew this restaurant would draw me in. Needless to say, It was one of my favorite courses. The meat literally melted in my mouth, and while the portion doesn’t look terribly large, it was so rich and flavorful that I got full quickly and enlisted Ryan to help, who was all too obliging. The poached egg added a nice thickness to the Bordelaise sauce, and the potato was wonderful. It was sliced extremely thinly, then packed together and deep fried, and evoked the essence of hash browns. The morels were, well, morels — earthy, soft, tender, and wonderful with red meat. By this point the pinot had aired out a bit, and had a bit more light fruit and less earth, and really brought together all the meat and vegetable flavors. 

Next came my least favorite course, honestly. It was an Andante Dairy acapella of goat cheese,  ramp top pain perdu, sweet garden carrots, Medjool dates and mustard frills. By this point I was very stuffed, and a large platter of strong goat cheese wasn’t what I wanted. The cheese was tasty, but I’m also not a huge carrot fan (aside from Gather’s carrot soup, in Berkeley), so I wasn’t blown away.

After digesting for a bit, we had the Verjus blanc, with Jasmine tea ice cream, demi-sec grapes, and caramel crisp on top. I don’t usually go for Jasmine tea ice cream when I eat ice cream in general, preferring mint chocolate, vanilla bean, pistachio, or some dark chocolate variant, but this tea ice cream was incredible. Not too much tannic tea flavor, but the caramel crisp and grapes brought in different sugary flavors that surprised me. The foam also liaisoned the ice cream and caramel crisp. 

Then came the dark treacle with Devil’s Food cake, Valrhona chocolate “marquise,” Lyle’s golden syrup, Marshall Farms burnt honey ice cream, and gelee treacle. I love the play on textures when it comes to desserts. This had a dark, dense chocolate fudgy cake with burnt honey ice cream, which has become a favorite of mine in tasting menus. The foam was airy and added visual interest with the gelee treacle. I loved the play on round and angular shapes, as well as on color and texture. And, I love chocolate, so this was a win.

After digesting a bit, Ryan and I ordered cappuccinos while Brian and Kristine had espresso and coffee. The cappuccino was tasty, but the foam was too dense and thick in my opinion, and overpowered the coffee component. Still, it was a nice way to wind down the meal.

Well, I thought the meal was over, but it wasn’t. Next came a feast for the eyes. We selected from seven different chocolate truffles: peanut butter and jelly, brown sugar, white chocolate with sherry and lime ganache, hazelnut praline, passionfruit, mint, and salted caramel. I chose the peanut butter and jelly, hazelnut praline, and salted caramel, mostly because I love chocolate with nuts and also because I don’t usually like fruit with chocolate.

As if this wasn’t enough, we also had doughnuts: bite-sized, fluffy, and rolled in sugar. How could I ever have doughnuts again after tasting these? Actually, I know I’ll have other donuts again, but not for a long while. I had two, and these disappeared from the bowl very quickly.

And, just about my favorite sweet of the night — roasted macadamia nuts that were carmelized, dipped in chocolate, and dusted with powder sugar. Their preparation takes about 48 hours total, and these were a burst of flavor in one tiny bite. And, there’s a reason we had a bowl; one wasn’t enough. I was in awe every time I popped another in my mouth. They were nutty, but not too strong in macadamia flavor as they were carmelized, and the chocolate added a smoothness to the nuts that wasn’t too sweet. The powdered sugar teased the palate. Of course, Ryan stole one from the bowl before I could get a picture, so there’s a hole on top!

We ate these with a coffee mousse, which was smooth, slightly dense, and perfect with the macadamia nuts.

Final thoughts: The French Laundry is a very special place. The decor was reminiscent of its laundry history, and the garden patio outside was tranquil and private, with comfortable patio furniture you could curl up in with a nice glass of wine. The structure itself had beautiful stonework with wood-framed windows and soft lighting. I felt like I was in a wealthy friend’s home for a “casual” dinner party. The atmosphere itself had a distinct, comforting dinner party feel, with the easy conversation from neighboring patrons, the clatter of silverware against porcelain, and the bustle of wait staff as they served our meals. I was a lot more relaxed than I expected I would be, and it was a very pleasant surprise. 

The food was also amazing. My favorites of the day were the salmon cornets, oysters and pears, and Japanese wagyu. My least favorite was really the goat cheese acapella, as it was simply too much cheese and too much flavor after such an intense beef dish, especially since the meal was winding down and I was stuffed. The service was attentive and top-notch, although almost a bit too worried about being perfect, but the presentation and farewell, as well as our take-out box of chocolates I hadn’t finished, really impressed me.

The French Laundry is not a place to visit only once. I drank in as much as I could of the food, atmosphere, and wine, but there is an extra dimension I know I’m not seeing yet. Perhaps it’s because I wasn’t ready to go just yet, maybe I had to visit another Thomas Keller restaurant first, such as Bouchon. At any rate, this is a restaurant I’ll grow into over time, and it’s very different from other comparably-priced restaurants we’ve tried, like Saison. Saison is fresh, new, and a younger rival, with complex gastronomic dishes and rich flavors, and beautifully paired wines that will surprise you with their modest price. The French Laundry is almost its older brother, seasoned and experienced, calm and sure of itself, with nothing to prove. It just is. I loved Saison the two times I went, and they really were milestone experiences for me, and The French Laundry is now one of those milestones as well. I could almost say I’m ok not returning to Saison, but The French Laundry isn’t a restaurant I’ll eat once or twice at and then be happy moving on. It’s to me the way Chez Panisse Cafe was to me a few years ago, and is in some way, now — a thoughtful restaurant that’s warm, welcoming, with a hidden dimension in its food preparation, technique, and quest for perfection, that will keep me coming back for more. I think that as I get older and eat at more restaurants, I still won’t forget this place.

I also have to say that this meal wouldn’t have been as wonderful as it was if not for my trusty Midori Traveler’s Notebook and Namiki Falcon!

Spring is here!

The Japanese maple has sprouted new leaves for the coming season :)

From My Kitchen: Oxtail Stew

A couple weeks ago it was pretty cold so I decided to make my mom’s famous oxtail stew. I grew up eating this every winter, and it turns out it’s very simple to make! It’s a great way to warm up in the winter and the stew is hearty and filling. 

After simmering on the stove for a few hours, it was ready to eat. I served it with blanched baby bok choy and some fresh Taiwanese style noodles. Delicious, simple, and filling. The best part of the stew as the marrow from the oxtail!

Full size pictures here.

Commis, Oakland

For larger images, click here!

For an early Valentine’s dinner, Ryan took me to Commis in Oakland. It had a nondescript entrance so it was a bit hard to find. We had a pretty late reservation for 9.15, so when we arrived I was hungry and excited. Our last prix-fixe dinner was at Sushi Yasuda in New York, and I was looking forward to something more California-French style back home. 

We arrived early and so browsed the Owl and Company bookshop, which had some really neat first edition books from the 1800s and early 1900s, and a good selection of newer post-modern novels. It was a long and narrow bookstore with tall wooden shelves and upholstered chairs with cozy corners for reading. I bought an interesting post-modern book that’s supposed to be similar to Cormac McCarthy’s writing style, then headed back to Commis for our table. 

I fell in love with the tea lights and the narcissus flower adorning our table. We were seated at a large table that could fit four people, so we had more than enough room, and it was in the middle of the restaurant, affording us a view of the kitchen and other tables nearby, but far enough away from the door so we wouldn’t have to endure the cold windy draft when the door opened and closed.

The waitress started us on some steamed black bread with frais fraiche. The bread was spongy and puffy, akin to Asian sponge cakes, but with larger holes from the yeast. It was delicious and made for one generous bite, and got me hungry for the next course. 

Our next course was Pacific oyster served with wood sorrel mousse, with a 2010 Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal Reserve, Loiserberg Jurtschitsch. The wood sorrel added some herby notes to the ocean flavor of the oyster, which was tender and fresh. 

After came the Dungeness crab perfumed with yuzu citrus, radish, and trout roe. I love crab and the citrus really complemented the tender crab, with the radish adding its own small bite. The roe created a nice contrast in texture and a bit of salt, but kept the color palette consistent. The flowers added a bit of citrus and a softness in flavor to complement the radish. We had the crab with 2010 Muscadet Sevre de Maine, from St. Fiacre, Pierre Henri Gadais.

After came the semi-dried beetroot with steamed apples, hazelnuts and burnt honey. I loved the nutty, fried fruit flavor mixed with the burnt honey, which matched the riesling from Domaine Bott Geyl (Grand Cru, Schlosberg), 2009. The contrast in mouthfeel was nice, with some chewy and some bit of crunch, and the slightly sweet flavor was a good contrast to the seafood course from before. The picture was rather hard to take however, as the whole plate was black!

Before the next course, our waitress brought over some bread to cleanse the palate. I was still very hungry as it was about 10pm or after, so I dug right in. The bread was steamed in the oven so it was crusty on the outside (as you’d expect from an artisan style bread), but so soft and fluffy inside, and moister than you’d expect from a crusty loaf. The bread was served with cultured butter made just for Commis, so while I loved that butter so much, I won’t be able to find it! The bread and subsequent course were served with the chenin blanc, from the Chappellet Winery at Pritchard Hill in Napa, 2011. I asked for several hunks of bread to wash down with the wine, which was a great idea since the courses were on the smaller side and the wine was generous.

After the bread came the poached farm egg with sweet and savory spices and potato. This course was almost my favorite. I love good, fresh eggs, especially when poached so the white is solid and the yolk is still warm and runny. I also loved the pairing of the egg with the savory spices, which reminded me of Chinese Five Spice powder in its blend, although it was very mild in flavor so as not to overwhelm the fresh egg. The potato was placed underneath the egg so you can’t see it, but provided a nice small bit of crunch to contrast with the soft white and runny yolk. I also liked how the frosted bowl matched the poached egg. Yum! I almost asked for another egg after this one!

The egg was served with the same wine as the bread, and really brought out the savory spices and the thick texture of the yolk. 

The next two dishes were tied for my favorites. There was the cod with fermented leek juice with Oregon truffles and miner’s lettuce. First, I the presentation was a feast for the eyes. The cod was served skin side up, and the plate had the almost exact texture and color of the skin, which contrasted nicely with the bright green from the lettuce. The cod itself was most likely seared on the skin side so it would be crisp, and while it was very, very fresh, it still couldn’t hold a fig to the steamed cod I had at Lure Fish Bar in NYC. Of course, they’re not quite equivalent anyway because the cooks at Lure probably bought the fish only a few miles away, and the cod here had to be shipped. Also, the steamed cod would always be more tender anyway since the cod here was finished on the stove or oven. So the cod here was wonderful and I’m not sure many places in the bay area could compare, but if I had to choose, I’d still have the steamed cod at Lure. 

The cod was served with a grenache blanc, 2011 from the Donkey & Goat in El Dorado. The grenache blanc brought out the cod skin nicely and matched the light sauce in the dish.

The next course came as a bit of a surprise — butter mushroom tisane. It was a mushroom broth served in a nice stoneware bowl, and was very clear except for the dregs on the bottom of the bowl. It was hot, meaty, but finished cleanly and smoothly. It was great for a cold night out, and I felt cozy and satisfied after. 

We were then served the guinea hen roasted in salted butter with green farro grain with young garlic. It was served with a St. Laurent, from Glatzer in Carnuntum, Austria, 2009. Now, this is what poultry should taste like! It was tender, had a crisp skin I could never refuse, and was just buttery enough to add the flavor it did, but did not overwhelm the protein. The farro provided some starch and texture contrast, and the garlic brought it all together. Great dish!

The first sweet course was the cara cara orange pudding and sassafras ice. It was essentially shaved ice infused with the medicinal flavor of sassafras, with orange pudding. The pudding was sweet and slightly tart, and matched the shaved ice nicely, I was surprised at the sassafras —  I didn’t expect to like the medicinal touch it added to an otherwise good dessert, but it really gave a nice kick. Very interesting combination.

After came the creme fraiche with fennel confit, grapefruit and pink peppercorn ice cream, served with Moscado D’Asti from Cascinetta Vietti in Piemonte, 2012. I’ve usually had fennel in savory dishes, so it was a nice surprise to have it at the end of a meal. I’ve had creme fraiche served with desserts many times, so the most distinguishing aspect of this course was the fennel and the ice cream, which gave me something to consider. The moscato d’asti brought out the grapefruit flavor and tied up the rest nicely as well. I also really liked the presentation as well, from the clean lines to the pebbled, dark porcelain. 

And what night would be complete without chocolate? I’m glad the chefs think this way, because I do! We had a small platter of chocolate bonbons with 61% cacao with rose petal and black pepper, whiskey sour gelee, and coffee brittle. They comprised the three most common textures I find and love in desserts, so the night was almost complete. The chocolate was decadent, and just the right size for a generous bite. The rose petal and pepper tempered the creamy chocolate, and the whiskey sour gelee spiced up an otherwise almost-ordinary gelee. I love brittle and I love coffee, so enough said about the coffee brittle. It was delicious. 

To finish off the night, I had some Teance lavender mint hot tea. The tea was fairly strong for an herbal tea, but was sobering enough as it was midnight and time to go to bed! I take turns loving and hating asymmetry, so the tea cup caught my eye.

Commis was a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and smartly ordered, with complementing wines both in quality and in flavor. The wine pours were generous without being overwhelming, and the service was courteous and polite, while still being attentive to refilling out water glasses and checking on our progress. Overall, the whole experience was great. 

It was an interest experience additionally because it made me reflect on our two dinners at Saison, both in 2011 (here). Saison was much, much more expensive and the courses were much more complicated both in preparation and in cooking, but somehow the meal at Commis actually tasted more balanced. First, while the food at Saison was excellent and memorable and the wine paired well, I noticed a big disparity in price between what someone would pay for food and how much the wine would cost. In short, the sommelier was pouring relatively cheap wines to pair with an extremely expensive meal. The wine pairings were excellent I admit, but I really should be expecting more expensive wines for the money I pay, especially since the whole point of a decadent meal at a restaurant like Saison is to experience food and wine that is out of the ordinary, and well, the wine was not too far from ordinary. Looking back, the experience at Saison made me feel like my money was taken from me too easily, without as much return as I expected. 

While the food at Commis was simpler both in palate and preparation, it was more equally matched with the wine, so overall it felt more balanced, and I felt I was getting more bang for the buck. It’s definitely hard to quantify the cost of an experience, but this meal was honestly better value. But, one, albeit big, criticism: the portions at Commis really could have been a little larger. I’ve had friends who have complained of the small portions before, and I experienced it firsthand. Most courses weren’t more than a few small bites, and when paired with that much wine, felt too wine-heavy for me. It just wasn’t substantial enough, and while I left full and happy, I could have used more food. In contrast, Saison’s portions were more generous. 

And one last note about reservation times. We couldn’t get an earlier time than 9.15 since Valentine’s Day was around the corner, but 8 is about as late as I’d reserve for any restaurant in the future. We were just too hungry by 9.15 :) I also think by the time we were seated the staff were pretty tired and less chipper. 

Lastly, the ambiance at Commis was truly special. The decor was simple and the staff were courteous, but when we sat down, we both breathed a small sigh because the atmosphere was so relaxing. The kitchen was well lit but the tables were lit with tea lights and some small overhead lights, making it romantic and quiet and great for conversation or comfortable contemplation. Especially after a long and busy week, it was just what we needed.  It is the perfect place for a relaxing dinner date :)

I <3 NY! Part Deux

First, for more photos from the trip, click here!

That Saturday night, Ryan and I, along with several of our friends and co-workers, went to Kiss and Fly to enjoy the night life. It was great fun, but tiring, so we slept in on Sunday. For our 2pm brunch, we met up with a couple friends to eat at the Elephant and Castle, a small and tidy restaurant with great French toast, the perfect brunch food for our ravenous stomachs. I had the Eggs’n Apples Benedict on French toast with maple syrup. The eggs were the perfect consistency, with a soft, solid white and creamy yolk inside. The apples provided a refreshing contrast to the hollandaise sauce and starchy toast, and the toast itself was soft on the inside with the perfect, warm crust on the outside. 

With a warm hot chocolate, I couldn’t be happier. We took it easy for the rest of the afternoon, and satisfied my craving for New York thin crust pizza by going to Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and Bar for dinner that night. Because we weren’t terribly hungry after eating at 3pm, we ordered a 1/3 margherita pizza. The pizza had a thin crust that was wonderful — thin enough to be crunchy and crispy, but not so thin it dried out or caused the toppings to slide off (isn’t it frustrating when that happens?). It didn’t blow me out of the water, but the combination of light tomato sauce that wasn’t too acidic, with the combination of cheese and basil, made a great combination. Do visit if you’re ever in the area! It’s in the Meatpacking near the High Line.

And, someone with a sense of humor:

Monday was shopping day in the Garment District. I took the morning and afternoon to shop for some fabric. After another breakfast at Murray’s, but this time with the onion bagel, egg, bacon, and cheddar, which was heavenly, I took the blue line to 34th St. Penn Station, and walked the few blocks to the Garment District.

My first stop was, of course, B&J Fabrics, a very high-end fabric store only couturiers or extremely wealthy home sewers visit. As I am neither of these, I left empty-handed, but with my mind blown after seeing the fabrics and materials they sell there. Here are my highlights:

Chain mail at $200/yd for the regular stuff, and $300/yd if you want them studded with Swarovski crystals. The things people think up!

An entire wall of cotton batik, for all quilters and other home crafters out there.

Silk screen prints for couture jackets:

B&J is great for the wealthy home sewer, but I mostly went for the gawk factor. The silks in general had very distinctive prints and patterns, and are incredibly unique. That being said, I can’t imagine insisting on buying fabric at B&J unless it’s chain mail (where else could you buy chain mail?) or some wool suiting for a Chanel-style jacket. 

Next stop was Chic Fabrics, a more affordable store for printed silks. There, I purchased a rose pink piece of silk shantung for my upcoming fit and flare couture dress, silk chiffon and silk charmeuse for future blouses and short blouson dress, and some pretty silk satin for Terry’s Christmas present. The store was a good size, but was so crowded with fabric on rolls that one misstep could send the whole lot cascading. I’d recommend this store for the silk chiffon and charmeuse, on sale. It was the best price anywhere, and I found other bloggers agree.

I also visited Spandex World for some cotton spandex knit for a couple knit tops, but the star of the show was Mood Fabrics. I’d seen Mood plenty of times on Project Runway, and I was relishing actually shopping in that enormous store. It really does have almost everything a serious sewer would want. It has an entire top floor of wool and cashmere, woven and knits, which blew my mind yet again. The silk section was also to die for, particularly the silk taffeta aisle, where I finally found that Valentino Fall 2012 midnight blue/black silk taffeta. I bought enough for another fit and flare couture dress, whose color will be better suited for more formal events than the rose pink. 

I had to stop myself from buying Versace printed silk charmeuse panels, which would make an absolutely gorgeous blouson style short dress, but at $70/yd, yikes! I also purchased enough wool tweed in a pale stormy grey with pale pink and blue flecks for a full A-line skirt and pencil skirt, or sheath dress. I have a feeling it’s destined for a sheath dress!

I also gawked at the beaded trims, which were beautiful and stunning, and the leather and fur section.

After doing a bit of damage at Mood, I wandered to a couple notions stores, and then back to the hotel. The extra duffel I brought with me served me well — it was big enough for all the fabric I purchased, and could fit other NY purchases as well. That’ll be good to remember for next time :) 

Ryan was working late, so I wandered to SoHo for some window shopping, and to visit the Purl SoHo, a cute knitting and craft store I’d read about through the store’s online blog. The store was as inviting as I’d imagined, with a wall of beautiful, colored yarn of all textures, and tables and shelves of craft materials, all high quality natural fibers. I purchased a small bird project for Kate, and perused the store.

Embroidery projects adorning the walls:

Home projects for the crafty person. Home decor isn’t my passion, but it was great seeing the options out there for those who do love it!

I had dinner at the Lure Fishbar, upon recommendation. It was only a few blocks away from Purl SoHo, and I passed by some wicked awesome boutiques on the way there. There was a rag & bone sale, and I also visited Mackage and several other shops.

Lure Fishbar is a basement restaurant with a very nautical feel, from the rich wood paneling to the light fixtures. I found a table in a private corner, and admired the decor.

First, the complimentary crab cake. Any place with such delicious crab cake, tender, crispy, well-seasoned, fresh, and complimentary to boot, deserves praise.

Next, I ordered a small cup of New England clam chowder. It wasn’t think and goopy like so much of California’s New England clam chowder is, but brothy and smooth, with just a touch of cream, most likely owing to the chowder’s roux base. The bacon and celery lent a familiar aroma to the chowder, and the clams were fresh but not overwhelming.

For the entree, I ordered steamed cod with oyster mushrooms, ponzu, scallion, cilantro, and rice. I don’t usually see steamed cod back in California, so it was a good change. It ended up being some of the freshest fish I’d had, and by far the best cod I’ve had anywhere. Tender and slightly flaky, it was steamed perfectly, and its mellow flavor paired well with the ponzu sauce, mushrooms, and scallion.

By this time I was pretty full, but I couldn’t resist the dessert menu, after seeing the chocolate option. My eyes buggered out when I actually saw the chocolate plate — pot de creme, warm chocolate cake with fudge, and salted caramel ice cream with caramel popcorn! The portions were very generous, and sadly too much for me to finish. The salted caramel ice cream was the big surprise, and was my favorite of the three. It was particularly delicious when paired with the warm chocolate cake.

I spent Tuesday visiting some of the requisite tourist traps, upon others’ recommendations. But first, breakfast at Cafe Cluny, in Greenwich Village. It was a short walk from the hotel, but ended up taking a bit longer for me owing to the angled streets and intersections, which threw me off. Still, the cafe was cozy and had a French country feel. The decor consisted of a lot of insect sculptures, which was interesting, although the giant metal beetle sculpture crawling above my table was a bit unnerving as I sipped my orange juice.

For breakfast, I ordered their French toast with fresh fruit and a side of bacon.

The toast was very well made, and the bacon was evenly crisp and salty. The whole order, however, proved to be very expensive for what it was, most likely because the fruit was shipped over from California. At any rate, while breakfast was delicious, I distinctly missed Murray’s egg, cheese, and bacon on onion bagel, which would be much less fussy and more relaxing overall. 

From Cafe Cluny, I took the subway to Times Square to see what the fuss was all about, and to get my sister and I an “I <3 NY” t-shirt. The area was teeming with tourists, as you could imagine, but the people were friendly and cheerful.

Nearby was also the Parsons New School for Design, which I was happy to finally see.

From Times Square, I took the Q train to 59th and Lexington to shop at the Bloomingdale’s flagship store and to see Central Park and the flagship Apple store.

Bloomingdale’s was great fun with its nine floors and endless displays of clothing the likes of which you would never see in the Bay Area. 

I’d wanted to see the Park and the Apple store for some time, but I mostly wanted to see the store for the glass entrance and staircase I’d read so much about in Steve Jobs’ biography. 

The park was beautiful, as was Bergdorf Goodman. The Apple store was as amazing as I expected. I’m not an Apple fan by any means, but I marveled at the simple lines and design Steve Jobs put into the glass entrance and staircase, which truly was a piece of art and engineering.

After returning to the hotel, I met up with Ryan to go to dinner. Upon his Italian co-worker’s recommendation, we went to Puttanesca, located on the West Side. It was barely two blocks from the train station, and was not hard to find. The atmosphere was very fun and relaxing, and I particularly liked the brass and frosted glass light fixtures, exposed brick walls and wine storage, and the brick round arches near the entryway. 

We started off with some fried calimari and fried vegetables with a spicy tomato sauce. I’m not normally a calimari fan because of the rubbery texture I often encounter, but this calimari was completely tender and pleasant. The spicy tomato sauce brought it all together as it wasn’t too watery or chunky, and had enough spice to cut through the fried food.

We polished that off, and I ordered a meat lasagna with Bolognese, cheese, and tomato. I usually don’t order lasagna because it’s almost always too heavy, and the meat is overwhelming and overcooked. This lasagna, however, was to die for. It had a nice cheese crust on top, but it wasn’t too thick or crusty. The pasta was tender and fresh, and obviously made in-house. The lasagna had the proper proportion of meat and cheese, and the meat was tender. The sauce was also tomato-y but not acidic, and brought it all together. It was absolutely great, and I was sad I couldn’t finish it all.

Of course, we had some house made tiramisu that was so even keeled in flavor and texture, we nearly finished it!

After dinner, we were both so full we took the subway back and went ice skating at The Standard’s small rink in front of the hotel. It had been a while since I’d ice skated, but it was great fun meeting others at the rink and relaxing. We also had hot chocolate afterwards at the cafe near the rink. What a great end to the trip!

On our last day, Wednesday, we visited Katz’s Deli to try a traditional Jewish deli. Katz’s is one of only a couple traditional Jewish delis in New York, so we had to visit before leaving. We each had a pastrami on rye with mustard, and it was absolutely delicious! I don’t normally have all-meat sandwiches, but this one was so delicious I didn’t miss the lettuce or anything else. The pastrami was hot and fresh — the employees were slicing it as we ordered. It was tender and juicy, and the fatty meat wasn’t filled with hunks of fat; instead, the fat made the meat more tender and flavorful, and did not detract from the texture at all. The sandwiches were enormous, but if you’re feeling hungry for pastrami, you might finish it yet!

Having eaten our fill, we headed to the airport. Til next time, New York!

I <3 NY! Part One

After my externship ended a couple weeks ago, Ryan flew me to NYC to meet him for a much-needed vacation. I got in on a Saturday morning and arrived at the hotel in time for some breakfast. After admiring our hotel, The Standard, we took a walk to Murray’s Bagels so I could be acquainted with the city. 

Murray’s Bagels is a narrow bagel shop at 6th Ave and W 13th St, east of the Meatpacking District, where we were staying. There wasn’t a long line when we got in as it wasn’t yet 12, but by the time we ordered and were ready to pay, the line was almost out the door for the lunch rush. Upon Ryan’s recommendation, I ordered an onion bagel with lox. I’d dreamed of having a genuine New York bagel, and this proved to be the real thing! The bagels were chewy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I usually toast my bagels prior to eating them, but I would never toast these!

After a very filling lunch, we wandered back to the Meatpacking for some afternoon shopping. After visiting a designer sample sale and shopping at other boutiques, we rested at the hotel room before getting ready for dinner. 

That night, Ryan and I went to Sushi Yasuda in Midtown for the omakase, or chef’s choice menu. Because we were a bit pressed for time, we took a taxi there and experience first-hand New York traffic. It was horrendous, as you would imagine. Still, we arrived at the restaurant about ten minutes before our reservation time, which gave us enough time to wander over to Grand Central Station, barely two blocks away, and the busiest train station in the country. 

The Station was breathtaking with its arches, tiles, Christmas lights, and bustle. The market inside the building had some mouthwatering treats as well. 

My mother worked in the Pan Am building above Grand Central about 30 years ago, when she would commute in from the Bronx. It was great visiting all the places she saw almost every day while growing up in New York, and realizing that while a lot has stayed the same, new neighborhoods have sprung up since her time there.

After our small walk, it was time for dinner! After checking in at the front of the restaurant and checking our coats, we were seated at the sushi bar, where we could see our sushi chef of the evening prepare our dinner.

Because we selected the omakase, we honestly didn’t know what we would be eating that night. I was all the more curious when I saw our chef deftly cutting and arranging some sashimi, wondering all the while what we would be eating next. We each started with some hot green tea, as you would expect, and an assorted plate of sashimi, including: bluefin tuna (something I never eat, but I couldn’t resist here), yellowtail, salmon (I forget which), scallop, clam, and mackerel. We also had fresh wasabi, candied ginger, and sea salt. The salt was intended for the clams and scallop, and augmented the ocean flavor I already tasted. My favorite on that platter was the bluefin tuna (sadly :() and the scallop, which was unbelievably tender with a hint of ocean.

The tuna was unlike any tuna I’ve had. It was the first bluefin I’d tasted, and was incredibly fresh, soft to the tongue, and had a tender yet firm mouthfeel unlike other fish. The scallop was also tender, but smoother in texture, and with a hint of ocean. The salmon was buttery soft, and the clam had a more ocean-y flavor and rigid, chewier texture. The yellowtail and mackerel were also tender and fresh, with their own flavors of the ocean.

Following the first platter, our chef prepared us nigiri, one piece at a time, Jiro style. More tuna:

The tuna was enigmatic. 

Mackerel:

Oyster:

The oyster had the essential oyster-iness of the ocean, but when flavored and served with the rice, it feel in place with the rest of the sushi. It was tender, not slimy at all, and not a bit chewy. 

Eel:

Usually unagi is the “safe bet” when I’m at a sushi restaurant but have no idea what to order. It’s usually grilled and bland, tasting almost like a smaller white fish. Here, however, the eel was something else. It was tender to the touch, still slightly warm from being cooked, but still moist and soft as only freshly caught and cooked eel could be.

Sardines:

I’m not usually a sardine fan, but these were great. Just enough chewiness and salt to remind me I was eating sardines, but flavored enough to enhance the ocean flavor.

Uni:

I’d had uni before only at Saison, where it was served French-Asian fusion style, so I wasn’t sure what to expect here. The uni was delicious — buttery and fatty, but it did not have the normal fatty texture and mouthfeel I’m accustomed to from bacon and other fatty mammals. It was in its own world, and it overwhelmed my senses.

Crap, I forgot what these two were!

Clam:

The clam had the essence of the ocean that so few European-influenced seafood dishes I’ve tried had. You could say it was the essence of the ocean at its finest.

Fatty tuna nigiri and sushi:

This was the first time I had tasted fatty tuna, and it was quite different from the bluefin we head earlier. The meat combined with the fat yielded a very buttery texture, and the tuna melted in my mouth as I ate it. It was absolutely wonderful, and so decadent.

Last, but definitely not least, the chef asked if there was anything else we’d like before the end of our meal. I immediately piped up that one more piece of uni would be wonderful. The chef smiled, took it in stride, and before I knew it, served me an uni handroll, much more uni than I expected. It was delicious, to say the least, and quenched my hunger for uni for quite a while. I also was so delighted I quite forgot to take a picture before digging in. 

Dinner at Yasuda is a dinner I’ll never forget, although it was by far the shortest expensive meal I’ve ever had. We arrived at 6pm, and were out the door before 7:30. The meal was rigorous and had an academic feel so unlike any other high-end European cuisine we’ve had. Because the menu was set up so each of us only got one bite of sushi at a time, I put in extra effort to savor and discern all the flavors before moving on to the next “course.” It was unexpectedly draining, and for the first time in a long while, my palate was truly tested. I’d been accustomed to eating high quality European-influenced, California style cuisine for quite some time, but I’d really only had the run of the mill sushi restaurants.

Yasuda far surpassed any expectation I had of sushi in general, and it has certainly raised the bar for Japanese cuisine. I’ll never again eat at a cheap sushi restaurant, only to be served mediocre fish that isn’t fresh or prepared properly. After Yasuda, I’ve come to believe the only sushi I’d love eating is top quality fish prepared by talented sushi chefs. I can only find this combination at Yasuda, and I’m fine with that — expensive meals are more meaningful to me when they’re had occasionally. I’ll also feel like I’m contributing less to the overfishing problem by only having fish on certain occasions. Like with my meals at so many other restaurants, I find I appreciate where my food comes from most when I experience top quality preparation and ingredients. 

Also, Yasuda has reinforced my belief in the chef’s menu or tasting menu, where the flavors of the food best come together in the most coherent combination and order. After that night, I truly will never see sushi the same way again, and I am very lucky that I was able to experience Yasuda that night. 

For more info on Yasuda, see their site here. We made a reservation for 6pm on a Saturday night, two weeks prior to our reservation date, and had no trouble getting two spots at the sushi bar. Six is much too early for me for dinner usually, but it was the perfect time for us because the restaurant was still quiet, leaving us room to reflect on our meal, perfect for the type of tasting menu we had. By the time we were ready to go, the dinner rush was in full swing, making it a bit chaotic for me to even navigate to the restroom.

While many people visit Yasuda for the menu items, it is best to save up some money for the omakase and enjoy what the chefs can offer. Our dinner was memorable and very much worth the extra cost!

After dinner, we went for a walk to Rockefeller Center to see the giant tree. Apparently every year, there is a sort of contest among family-owned tree farms to be “the tree” at Rockefeller Center that year. The tree itself was very pretty, but the mobs of tourists gawking at it took away some of the novelty. After I quickly snapped a couple photos of the tree and learned that ice-skating at the rink was $50, we hurried off as quickly as we could, but we were still overtaken by the mob.

After finally escaping the area, we wandered into Saks to poke around, and then headed over to Bryant Park to witness the franken-tree. A talkative sales associate in a Meatpacking boutique told us of the Bryant Park Christmas tree, which upon further inspection, yielded branches that were drilled and screwed into the tree, making it fuller and more symmetrical. Indeed, the franken-tree was perfectly conical and very bushy, quite unlike the Rockefeller Center tree. I learn something everyday!

Merry Christmas!

And happy holidays to all! I swear there are more presents under the tree :)

Knitting: Terry’s Cowl

As a thank you for Terry’s patience and much-loved sewing lessons, I knitted her a cowl. I wanted warm autumn colors, and since Terry loves earth tones, this autumn red reminiscent of falling autumn leaves was appropriate. She also loves cables, so I made a three cable braid. It was a fun project to knit, and didn’t take too long. The cable braid was very fun and turned out well!

(Much delayed) Thanksgiving Dinner

I forgot to post this, so here goes! Ryan and I had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner. Since it was just the two of us, we purchased an AG Ferrari turkey breast with accompanying gravy. I also made sauteed mushrooms with garlic and parsley, sauteed kale with shallot and garlic, fresh baked butter popovers, New England style dressing, and cranberry sauce. 

Everything was delicious! I’ll bake the dressing in a bundt pan next year for a nicer presentation and softer mouthfeel, and I’ll definitely make the pumpkin pie next year!

Brenda’s Soul Food, Take 3

After I had some heavenly French toast with butter pecan sauce (and yes, it’s as awesome and heart attack-inducing as it sounds), I went back for more. I was starving that day, so I ended up ordering way more food than I could realistically finish in one sitting. Luckily, it was enough for me to get a few good bites of everything and take the rest home for Ryan. 

I started off with a half-size of the French toast. As much as I love French toast, I couldn’t imagine eating that much starch at a meal, so the half size was more than enough to satisfy my craving. 

I also ordered the shrimp and goat cheese omelette with biscuit and grits. This was the waitress’s recommendations, and while it was good, it certainly wouldn’t have been my first choice. I’m not a shrimp omelette thing, so while it was good and fresh, I’ll order something else next time. The goat cheese was also delicious, but I felt it was a bit strong for an omelette. Everything just seemed an unlikely combination for my preference. The biscuit was flaky, crusty on the outside, and soft inside, as it was last time. The grits were also great, but they’re not my starch/fat of choice these days. The grits came in a huge bowl, so suffice it to say, I took about 90% of it home. 

My verdict with Brenda’s Soul Food: I love all the forms of starch I’ve tried there, as well as the fried chicken, but I have yet to fall in love with a savory entree. I’ll try something else next time, possibly one of their specials!