The Perfect Bite

Near to perfect - the Red Cottage in S. Dennis, Mass.

2010-09-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Cape Cod restaurants is the Red Cottage, in South Dennis. First, there is the beautiful old Cape style building itself, but inside you'll find a fascinating cast of characters and absolutely delicious food.

About the "cast" - this place is frequented by a wide assortment of quirky, interesting people, locals, vacationers, commercial fishermen, and retirees. The place feels like a mélange of Thorton Wilder's "Our Town" crossed with the folks from "Prairie Home Companion."

The staff are friendly, funny, attentive without being intrusive, and remember their regulars, and if you go often they will also know your order from visit to visit.

All this said, the real reason to go is the delicious, fresh and classic diner food. Breakfast is truly amazing, with all sorts of interesting specials, (awesome pumpkin pancakes for example) great baked goods, and lots of coffee refills spiced with a smattering of local gossip. (If you sit at the counter.)

On my last visit I have the 1/2 lb Lobster roll, which was very meaty, and delicious. it came with a reasonable portion of excellent french fries, and a cranberry cole slaw that was also delicious. The waitress commented that for her it made two meals, and I can easily see why.

My partner opted for the "Pilgrim Breakfast", poached eggs, a side of baked beans, and meltingly tender bone in ham. It was delicious. Interesting people, great food, and a very reasonable price make is one of my favorites on Cape Cod.

-Will H. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:36 Old Bass River Rd, South Dennis, MA 02660

LA Food Truck Twitter Aggregator Yowzah!

2010-04-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hungry Angelenos - check out the uber-cool LA Food Truck Twitter Aggregator Yowzah!

http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com/

Soup Dumplings @ Dim Sun Garden

2009-12-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

These are the pork shanghai dumplings at Dim Sun Garden on 11rh Street in Philadelphia, These are the soup filled ones that "pop" in your mouth releasing a burst of porky succulence. Soooo delicious!

-- Post From My iPhone

Culinary Magic! "Heirloom" recipes from Sandra Lee.... Really?

2009-10-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to recover from watching the cloying Sandra Lee, the host of the most vapid of Food Network TV shows "Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee" make what she called an "Heirloom Spring Vegetable Side Dish." For those who don't know, "Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee" is a show in which Sandra assembles frozen, packaged and highly processed foods into concoctions which she passes off as being "homemade." It's truly culinary magic! Like magic, it involves a lot of misdirection.

Sandra is always nattering on about how "healthy", "fresh" and "wholesome" her cooking is. Uhhh, yep. In Sandra's case, "homemade" seems to mean you sneak the packaging the processed food came in into the trash when no-one is looking.

In this particular recipe, she de-bags frozen green beans, carrots, corn etc. into a crock pot, slathers it all with canned condensed asparagus soup and a packet of freeze dried leek soup, and cooks this sorry mess for FOUR hours. (Presumably to super-concentrate the sodium, and finish destroying any nutritional content that may have survived the processing.)

Never mind that in a food context "heirloom" is generally used to describe cultivars of fruits, vegetables or animals which date to before industrialized factory farming became prevalent, before foods began to be bred to store for as long as possible rather than taste good. Never mind that this mess cannot even remotely be described as "semi-homemade." (Whatever that means.)

Frozen vegetables cooked for four hours?

Really?

Another Beach Breakfast - Southern Style

2009-08-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

Breakfast - August 4th 2009

This breakfast is sort of an homage to my family down South, but updated a bit as well. I substituted the grilled veggies for bacon, sigh. (As much as as I love bacon, into each life some bacon-less days must fall.)

One poached Brewster egg on stone ground yellow grits, with sauteed shrimp and grilled vegetables. The lot of it dusted with cayenne and Parmesan.

- Will

Lobster Omlette

2009-07-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

Cape Cod Breakfast, July 31, 2009

A lobster, smoked gouda, and cherry tomato omelet with fresh chives. (Made with fresh Brewster eggs, which taste just like the eggs I remember growing up.)

Local greens with a shallot vinaigrette, and wheat toast with beach plum jelly.

It was really good, except for my not infrequent mistake of overdoing the cheese a bit.

Sole with Lemon Caper Sauce

2009-07-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

August 4th, 2009 - Dinner: Sole with Lemon Caper sauce over Spelt cooked with sun dried tomatoes. An Arugula and Cherry Tomato salad with Balsamic vinagarette. Yum!

Post From My iPhone

First Caprese Salad of Summer

2009-06-19T21:24:00.001-07:00

Ahh, the first Caprese Salad of Summer, nuthin better.
The tomatoes aren't ready yet, so I used store bought heirlooms, but the basil is doing great.

-- Post From My iPhone

Zen Zoo Tea, Hollywood

2009-06-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

I had high hopes for Zen Zoo Tea, on Vine St just north of Sunset Blvd. They serve a wide variety of teas, which are good, as well as Dim Sun. Just recently they added a breakfast menu. Unfortunately, the dim sun is pretty run of the mill, and appears to be commercially packaged frozen. It is somwhat bizzarely served with a bowl of shiracha and hot mustard. It's ok for a quick snack on the way to the Arclight, but if you're looking for real dim sun better to pass by...

-- Post From My iPhone

Mother's Day Breakfast

2009-05-10T10:33:00.001-07:00

My Mother (and Stepmother) both passed away many years ago. I still like to make a nice breakfast and raise a glass of OJ to remember and thank them.

This is this year's breakfast: chicken apple sausage from Huntington Meats* in the LA Farmers market, stone ground yellow grits, eggs scrambled with asparagus, and calamata olive sourdough toast.

________________________

*Huntington Meats is the bomb!

A truly classic old school butcher shop at the east end of the LA Farmers Market. They will cut or prep whatever you need. On this past visit Dan told me that they go through 500-600 pounds of their homemade sausage every weekend. Yow!

Thai Place, Phoenixville, PA

2009-04-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

Back where I come from, part 1 -

Visiting Eastern PA for a weekend, where I grew up, I was completely shocked to find that Phoenixville PA, has lived up to its name and risen from the culinary ashes. This town was a drab hole when I was in my teens, whose most significant dining option was a Burger King. On doing an Urban Spoon search I was shocked to have so many offerings - Tapas in Phoenixville, you're kidding me?

I settled on a restaurant somewhat imaginatively named: "Thai Place", and was pleasantly surprised. It has taken 18 years in California to get over my reflexive mistrust of strip mall dining*, but of course the best places are often buried in strip malls. "Thai Place" followed that pattern, being tucked into a strip mall with a "Giant" food store and a K-Mart.

The menu was very extensive, covering all the staples as well as some more outre options. I had a very good cucumber salad, with ground peanut and a tang of fish sauce, beautifully presented, followed by a red curry shrimp, which was as good as those I get at home in Thai Town in LA.

Thai Place

700 Nutt Road
Phoenixville Plaza, #730
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
(610) 917-9943 www.eatatthaiplace.com

* I still avoid strip mall dentistry, however.

Pan Roasted Trout w Saffron Lemon Reduction

2009-04-21T08:50:00.001-07:00

This is really good!

I like to serve it with a green salad and green beans, or cherry tomatoes sautéed in sweet butter.

Trout in a Saffron-Lemon Reduction.

For the sauce -

2 Cups fish stock
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tsp lemon
1-2 tsp saffron threads
2 tsp fresh or dried Tarragon
Lemon Pepper.

For the trout -

2-4 portions of trout.
1 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil.
zest of 1/2 lemon
a few lemon slices, to garnish.

Sauce:

In a flat saucepan add cream to fish stock, whisk well. Place over med-high flame and whisk in 2 Tsp lemon juice as it warms. Bring to a rolling boil and grind in three "turns" of lemon pepper. Reduce till it is about 1/2 Cup, remove from flame and stir in saffron threads and tarragon. (If you are really fussy, you may want to keep it warm over hot water as it rests.)

Trout:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat the bottom of an oven safe skillet or saucepan with olive oil. (no plastic handles.) Place pan over medium heat and warm. Sprinkle lemon zest into pan. When it become fragrant add trout (cut into individual portions) skin side up and sear till about 1/4 inch is opaque. Flip with a spatula and sear the skin side till it is also about 1/4 inch opaque.

Transfer the whole pan into the preheated oven and allow trout to pan roast until done, about 3-7 minutes depending on thickness of trout portions. (Thin ones will be very quick; if it is an inch or so thick it may take 5-7 mins.

Plate the trout over rice pilaf or mashed potatoes*, and drizzle the sauce over each portion. Garnish with lemon slices.

*This may go without saying in civilized homes, but always warm the plates first, as fish cools incredibly fast!

Argentine Sandwich @ Cafe MALBA, Buenos Aires

2009-01-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

After an afternoon perusing the collection at Malba ( Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) I stopped into the Museum cafe for lunch.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the Argentine sandwich, grilled asada (beef loin) with a chimichurri sauce, grilled red peppers and onion.

The beef here is generally grass fed on the Pampas, and thus vastly different from the growth hormone and antibiotic laced slabs of fatty tissue we get at home. It is significantly leaner, and much more flavorful.

Observant readers have probably noted how predominant seafood is in this blog; if US beef were all this good that would probably change.

Sadly Argentine farmers are moving to feedlots as they shift Pampas grasslands to soy production and to remain competitive with their beef prices in world food markets. That's a shame, because it seems to me that a healthier and tastier item will always remain competitive, among people who care what they eat anyway.

Off to La Cabrera tonight, for more cow...

Cafe MALBA
Av Figueroa Alcorta 3415
Buenos Aires C1425CLA, Argentina

Anchor Oyster Bar, San Francisco

2008-12-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

This is the Yellowtail Snapper over fingerling potatoes with sauteed veggies at one of my favorite San Francisco eateries, the Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro.

I endured a frenzied rush on a rainy night to make it from SFO before closing, which gives you and idea of how significant this eatery is...

I agonized briefly over the snapper, an eco-heinous choice, but yellowtail is significantly better than red snapper, so I gave it a shot.

The food here is beautifully done, fresh, minimally fussed over and always subtly seasoned and delicious.

Plus you can sit on the barstool that Harvey Milk used to perch on, and feel at one with history.

- Will

Anchor Oyster Bar
579 Castro St
San Francisco, CA 94114

(415) 431-3990

Ocean Seafood Los Angeles

2008-09-04T11:20:00.001-07:00

This is the shrimp and rice noodle at Ocean Seafood in Los Angeles. It's my favorite dim-sun place in LA hands down. (mostly because of the emphasis on fresh seafood - huge tanks with live critters line the entry hallway, and if you've a mind to you can choose your lunch from the tanks.)

This seems to be something of a theme with this blog - I've noticed that the last ten posts or so are all seafood places. Hmmm...

I went by myself this time. I had just gotten back to LA, and was craving dim-sun after a few months on the Cape. (Great seafood there, but not a lot of dim sun, if any.) Going by myself was a bit overwhelming as the carts were circling like sharks and the little plates piled up pretty fast...

Very tasty though...

- Will

Ocean Seafood

750 N Hill St

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 687-3088

Cap't Elmers -in Orleans, MA

2008-08-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Cap't Elmers, on Old Colony Way in Orleans, MA has been serving what I consider the best lobster roll on Cape Cod for 32 years. Elmer's consistently delivers a classic Cape Cod lobster roll. (I grew up eating this particular lobster roll, which may partially explain my fondness for it.) When I was a teenager they were $5.99 - imagine that!

A few worlds on the lobster roll -

It MUST be on a New England style hot dog roll, ideally split and buttered, and toasted to a golden brown on the grill. A hamburger bun is NOT ok, nor is (gasp) a bulkie roll, a grotesque perversion of the New England classic common to expat New Yorkers. (The Bulkie is way too chewy, and overpowers the lobster meat with its floury-ness.)

All that goes into the lobster roll is lobster meat and a leaf or two of lettuce, ideally Boston lettuce, but butter lettuce will do in a pinch. Romaine is icky in this context, and Mesclun way too gourmet, and thus liable to incite ridicule. A generous gob of Mayo is traditional (and yummy) but may be omitted by the phobic. It is usually served in a white cardboard sleeve, and may be accompanied by fries, onion rings or chips.

If the lobster has been too salad-ized with the addition of celery or God forbid scallions the proprietor should be spanked. When I make them at home I will veer from tradition just slightly by adding a bit of fresh tarragon.

Elmers meets all these criteria admirably. I am sure other things there are excellent, but I have to confess that other than the great clam chowder - in 32 years I've never had anything but a lobster roll at Elmers.

Cap't Elmers
18 Old Colony Way
Orleans, MA 02653

(508) 255-3350

Cooke's Seafood, Orleans, MA

2008-07-30T03:57:00.000-07:00

Cooke's wins awards for their fried clams nearly every year. The place is the antithesis of the ramshackle beach seafood shack we all dream of, but the fried seafood here is excellent. (It's a vast fluorescent lit, air conditioned space more reminiscent of a chain fast food place than a local joint.) To be honest, it is a chain, with three or four locations around the Cape, one in Hyannis, One in Mashpee Commons, and the one in Orleans, which I think is the best.

That said, these folks have an amazing touch with the fryer, the clams are perfection, never greasy or heavy, more like clam tempura in their delicacy.

PS: Get the whole clams, that clam strips thing is strictly for rubes...

I've never understood clam strips, why would you have the best part of the meal removed?

Cooke's Seafood
1 S Orleans Rd
Orleans, MA 02653
(508) 255-5518

Provision Company - Holden Beach, NC

2008-07-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is the crab-cake & boiled shrimp, with a side of conch fritters and slaw at the Provision Company, in Holden Beach, NC.

It's rare that I eat out when I'm there, as we're usually cooking a LOT of food at the rental house, but on this trip we w nt here for lunch.

This place is excellent, and like so many other southern coastal seafood joints is tucked away under the bridge, and nearly impossible to find on a casual inspection. (Rule of thumb - NEVER eat at the place at the mainland side of the base of the bridge on these coastal islands, but instead look for a smaller place tucked away under the bridge.)

The Provision Company is well worth the search though. The food is great, and it has a great open deck where you can watch the fishing boats landing your lunch.

The Provision Company

1343 Cedar Landing Rd SW
Holden Beach, NC 28462
(910) 842-7205

Heaven on Seven Chicago

2008-05-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Visiting Chicago this weekend, some friends took me to Heaven on Seven. Great gumbo, but the shrimp and cheese grits weren't particularly to my liking. The grits seemed like instant, a tad flavorless, made with plain water rather than the more interesting stock. The shrimp were lightly floured and fried, which I found a bit odd.

(This may be a NOLA thing, but not the low-country type deal I was expecting.)

- Will

Best Fish Taco in Ensenada Restaurant

2008-05-07T13:40:00.001-07:00

This place just opened down the street from me. They have an incredibly simple menu - Fish Taco ($1.50), Shrimp Taco ($2.00) and Beverages. ($1.00) This place is proof of the old truism about doing one thing and doing it well. (Well, two things.)

The fish and shrimp are perfect, delicate and soft inside, lightly floured and fried to order in immaculately clean oil. They taste like an ocean breeze.

The tacos come simply as fish or shrimp in the grilled tortilla; you spiff them up yourselves at a salsa / guac / relish bar. The hot guacamole is great, as is the mango salsa. Make sure you try the radish relish - it's very cool, and a beautiful color atop the tacos.

Somewhat confusingly, the "Best Fish Taco in Ensenada" is in Los Angeles.

- Will

Best Fish Taco in Ensenada - 1650 N. Hillhurst, Los Angeles, CA.

PS: They have a "Latinos for Obama" placard in the window, so not only is the food great, but their heart is in the right place too.

Little Dom's, Los Feliz

2008-04-26T18:24:00.001-07:00

This is the roasted peppers and goat cheese at Little Dom's in Los Feliz. Little Dom's recently opened on Hillhurst where much loved Belle Epoche used to be.

Everything I have had there has been excellent. It can be a bit spendy, but you can also do pizza an salad and get out around $20.

The food is well prepared, mostly Northern Italian specialties. This is well worth a visit. Try anything with sausage, or anything with papardelle. The house made pastas are all excellent as are the arrancini (rice balls). The crab salad with shaved fennel is one of the most delicious uses of crabmeat I've ever encountered, and is a vast pile of crab.

Reservations are highly recommended, as it gets very busy.

Little Dom's (323) 661-0055

2128 Hillhurst Ave,

Los Angeles, CA 90027

- Will

Trattoria Volare in North Beach, San Francisco

2008-04-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, is there anything on earth better than the Spaghetti Carbonara at Trattoria Volare in North Beach, San Francisco?

I think not!

- Will

Trattoria Volare
561 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133-2801

Phone: (415) 362-2774

March 29th - "Meat Day" at the Japanese Market

2008-03-29T16:23:00.001-07:00

Was at the local Japanese market a few days back. I was thrilled to discover that it was "Meat Day"

Hmmm....

- Will

The Gumbo Pot @ LA Farmer's Market

2008-03-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is the Drunken Shrimp and Jambalaya at the
Gumbo Pot at the LA Farmer's Market.

I stopped in on my way to Cedars Sinai to visit a good friend in he hospital. It seemed fitting, since this is one of his favorite places.

It ain't Nawlins, but it's damm close.

- Will

Lunch with Gail & Rudy

2008-03-01T14:06:00.001-08:00

Lunch with long time family friends Gail & Rudy at their home in Patagonia, AZ. Gail made this velvety egg salad paired with tomatoes, olives and roasted asparagus. It was spare, beautifully composed and delicious.
- Will

feast restaurant - Tucson AZ

2008-02-29T13:49:00.000-08:00

Visiting my step-dad in Tucson, AZ. He wanted to try something new, so I did some online research and found feast, a small place on Speedway blvd. This is the bacon, lettuce, tomato and fried oyster sammich on ciabatta bread. I really wanted to love it. Unfortunately, the oysters were very large, so the proportion to floury coating to oyster innard was not entirely to my liking.

The haloumi and roasted eggplant grilled cheese was a very good take on the comfort food favorite. The haloumi's chewyness made a great foil for the soft grilled eggplant.

The menu was very innovative. (There were four or five things I wanted to try, which is always a good sign.) The ginger cake we shared for desert was really, really good. I'll definitely give this another try when I'm in Tucson again.

www.eatatfeast.com

4122 E Speedway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85712
(520) 326-9363

Square One Dining - a GREAT restaurant in Los Angeles.

2008-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Square One has become my favorite breakfast in LA*, bar none.

This is the lemon thyme chicken sausage omelette, stone ground grits with applewood smoked bacon and cheddar and a side of whole grain toast. it is simple, fresh and absolutely delicious. The omlette is flecked inside with roasted tomatoes, bringing an earthy counterpoint to the lemony thyme sausage.

This place is based on the premise that "natural is always best and basic is not a trend." Square One proves one of the the central premises of organic; that minimal interference produces the best tasting and most exciting food. Their whole food, organic, locally sourced, hormone free aesthetic makes my friend David cringe, (his diet is deliberately and willfully the opposite of all of that.)

It is nestled behind the Scientology Center - on Fountain Ave near the corner of L Ron Hubbard Way. (No, I'm not kidding - that is the name of the street.) The location also makes for great "only in LA" people watching.

If you like real food respectfully prepared - pay this place several visits.

Square One Dining www.squareonedining.com
4854 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

(323) 661-1109

__________________
* I've been going a LOT since the demise of the beloved Belle Epoque.

White Turkey Drive in - Connaught, OH

2008-02-06T22:55:00.000-08:00

It's cold in LA right now - a brisk 48 degrees - so I'm daydreaming of summer. On July 1st of last year I had lunch at the The White Turkey Drive In, in Conneaut, Ohio. This place was founded in 1952, and hasn't changed one bit since. It was by far the most charming and atmospheric of the joints I visited on that trip, and had shady picnic tables out back surrounded by a beautiful perennial garden.

I had the the turkey sandwich called the "Large Marge." (No, it's not named for the lesbian ghost trucker in Pee Wee's Big Adventure, but for the restaurant's original proprietress.)

I can only describe the sandwich as a "pulled turkey" sandwich. It is startlingly like North Carolina BBQ, but made with white meat turkey instead of pork. It was topped with bacon and American cheese. It was delicious, and very vintage-y in character as you'd expect from the looks of this place. It was accompanied by a delicious real milkshake, freshly made and with globs of vanilla ice cream still slightly unblended. The onion rings were good, but of the crumb breading type, which is not my favorite. (My mother's onion rings were arguably the gold standard, closely followed by those at Liam's on Nauset Beach in Orleans Mass on Cape Cod.)

This place was so sweetly retro-Americana that I was nearly moved to tears while waiting for my sandwich. (I'm funny that way.)

I suddenly understood the much vaunted charm of the Midwest. I confess this has previously largely escaped me.

Chef aims high with new Eiffel Tower restaurant - CNN.com

2008-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Chef aims high with new Eiffel Tower restaurant - CNN.com

Multi-Michelin starred demi-God Alain Ducasse has opened a new Paris restaurant called "Jules Verne", 410 feet up in the Eiffel Tower.

(Ducasse has an impressive 16 Michelin stars in 20 restaurants worldwide.)

I'd love to give it a whirl, but if you want to go you'd better book soon, as there is a three month waiting list.

He says:

"the menu price is "accessible to everyone": about $108 for lunch and $216 for dinner, without wine."

Hmmm...
That does sound accessible....

Yow!

Phillipe The Original - Los Angeles

2007-11-28T18:21:00.001-08:00

Just two blocks from Union Station, Philippe The Original is the home of the French Dip sandwich, which was created here in 1908. This cavernous sawdust floored joint is agreeably retro in feel, right down to the wooden clock advertising "Veterinary and Livestock Services."

Get your sandwich (Beef, Pork, Lamb or Turkey) double dipped - the roll is quickly dipped in au jus gravy, the meat so meltingly tender a baby could eat it. (My preferred sandwich is a double dipped pork with jack cheese.) All the side salads are great in that unassuming diner style, low key but surprisingly complex.

The Philippes' mustard is GREAT. It's oddly identical to my Grandmother's, a much beloved family condiment of great renown.

The pies are delicious too. My favorite being the coconut cream, with banana cream pie a close second. The coffee here is 9 cents (.55 cents for that newfangled decaf.)

If you ever want to feel like you're eating in an Edward Hopper painting - this is the place.

Address:
1001 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Hours:
6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Asian Noodles in Los Angeles

2007-11-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

Asian Noodles

I recently discovered this place while eating across the street at the Spring Street Smokehouse.

I went back to Asian Noodles the next day, expecting pho, or pad thai, or chinese curry noodles. I was pleasantly surprised to find this was a filipino joint, on the edge of Los Angeles' historic Filipinotown district.

The seafood noodle soup I had was delicious, a clear broth with noodles and generous portions of shrimp, mussels, squid, and some sort of white rolled "leaves" of seafood which I couldn't identify. I thought it better not to ask, at least until I'd finished. I learned this when I was traveling in Asia - if I like it - eat it all and then ask what it was...
The bao bun had a braised pork inside as opposed to the roasted pork as you fund with Chinese dim sun, and was tenderer and juicier.

Asian Noodles -

643 N. Spring St., Los Angeles
213-617-1083

Hours: Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Anchor Oyster Bar, San Francisco

2007-11-20T16:40:00.001-08:00

Whenever I am in SF, I seize the chance to go to the Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro. This cozy marble and tile oyster bar has been dishing up spectacularly fresh seafood for thirty years.

This time I had a mixed half dozen oysters, Kumamotos and Blue Points, and an amazing fresh artichoke ravioli in a lemon cream. It was topped with easily a half pound of fresh crabmeat. The ravioli's were artfully striped with squid ink, and the lemony richness of the cream sauce made a perfect foil for the crab and artichoke.

Go early if you want dinner, as there is usually a significant line of hungry diners waiting to get in after about 6 pm. Singles or deuces cans sit at the beautiful old marble bar and happily slurp down their oysters.. (I highly recommend the kumamotos - sweet and briny, a perfect taste of the ocean in each tiny shell.

Anchor Oyster Bar
579 Castro St
San Francisco, CA 94114-2511

Phone: (415) 431-3990

Chada Thai - in Chico CA

2007-11-16T16:56:00.001-08:00

This is the shrimp with vegetables & red curry at Chada Thai, in Chico California. It came with a vegetable soup and some fried sweet potatoes. The vegetable soup tasted like the diner classic, with a delicate Thai overtone. The shrimp curry is really, really good, as bright and fresh as anything I had in Thailand.

This is a spectacularly good Thai restaurant, if you're ever in Chico near the CAL State Chico campus be sure to stop in.

Chada Thai
117 W. 2nd St., #B (downstairs, under the bagel shop.)
Chico, CA 95928.

(530) 342-7121

The Perfect Mango

2007-11-13T00:35:00.000-08:00

My partner and I are going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for Christmas.

Though the glories of spending the holidays basking on the beach are compelling, envisioning the food experiences the journey will offer preoccupies me.

The most beguiling of these is the memory of "The Perfect Mango", which I had on the beach there several years ago.

The gringos around me shuddered when I invited the vendor lady over, horrified that I would eat something bought from a stranger on the sand.* They recoiled in horror when she asked if I wanted chili and I said "Claro que si!"

Her hands flickered over her basket, choosing a perfectly ripe one, and she staked the chosen mango on a skewer. With a few flicks of her knife she expertly carved it into a flower. She poured hot sauce over it, shook a bit of salt on it and then dusted it with chili powder. She gave it to me with a few pieces of lime in a paper cup.

It was one of the most incredible things I have ever eaten. Tangy and hot, the voluptuous softness of the mango's yielding flesh set off by the lime and chili. The sweet salty hotness ran over my chin, setting my lips tingling; simultaneously invoking and quenching thirst.

It was the first time I thought about the profound similarities between Mexican food and Thai cooking - lime, chili, tropical fruits. The interplay of Hot - Sweet - Sour - Salty are core elements of both cuisines.

______________________

* I've eaten street food all over Mexico and Asia, and never gotten sick. A doctor friend told me - if it has to be peeled it's ok, likewise if it is boiling or fried. Also look at the general cleanliness of the booth or cart - does it look clean? He also suggested steering clear of lettuces and vegetables which have to be washed in water. This advice has served me well in my travels.

Lunch on the Train...

2007-10-19T09:22:00.001-07:00

This is a corner of the pallid salad I had today on an Amtrak train. The iced tea was fresh brewed and very good though. Alas - they no longer cook to order on Amtrak, which I remember fondly.

Speaking of Amtrak food memories - do you remember the chicken salad sandwiches with chunks of pickle they used to serve on Amtrak? They were surprisingly good.

Boldly Casual Cuisine?

2007-10-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

In Florida last month, I drove past a restaurant which described itself as featuring "boldly casual cuisine."

(Notice I said "drove past..." - I'd rather go hungry than eat in place which describes itself in such a meaninglessly bizarre way...)

What exactly is "boldly casual cuisine", anyway?

The image that flashed into my mind of a lamb chop wearing a patterned sport coat has been disturbingly hard to shake though...

Goodland Grind & Gallery

2007-10-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

At the far end of a dusty main street on the high plains of Kansas lies Goodland Grind & Gallery. This is a classic local coffeehouse, with local music events, artists work on display, home baked pasties and sandwiches, and very good coffee.

It's in a beautiful old building, with a painted tin ceiling inside, and a nice outdoor patio on the left side.

Goodland is a remote place, in the part of the state Truman Capote said Kansans called "out there." Its presence shows how far we've come in this country. What a change it is that now you can get a decent cup of coffee nearly anywhere. *

Goodland Grind & Gallery
1530 Main St
Goodland, KS 67735
Phone: (785) 890-7690

* Still hard to get a good cup of coffee in Missouri, in my experience.

Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO

2007-10-05T20:30:00.001-07:00

I consider myself extremely fortunate among coastal dwellers, because this is the fifth time I have been privileged to eat at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, MO. (Calvin Trillin often calls this the single best restaurant on the planet.)

Not being a big brisket lover, and unable to eat ribs due to orthodontia; I opted for the burnt ends sandwich - and it was utterly spectacular. Smoky and sweet, with a crunchy richness and a lingering mildly hot finish.

Great people watching here - perhaps the most integrated place I've ever been in the Midwest.

(Ok, it's the only truly integrated place I've ever been in the midwest.)

Everyone is slightly hushed, as befits a temple; united in awed reverence for the piles of smoky perfection slathered in the incredible sauce, which Jane Stern calls "nearly a soul food curry." It's not a bad description.

The walls are lined with photos of celebrities and politicos eating with Arthur. (Curiously, they're all Democrats.) Hmmm.....

There's a photo of a bottle of his famous bbq sauce atop the actual south pole. There is also the famous cartoon of St Peter greeting Arthur at the pearly gates -
.

The cartoon from the Kansas City Star that ran with his obituary always makes me want to burst into tears..

Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Louisville, KY

2007-10-04T08:08:00.001-07:00

Two eggs and bacon with biscuits and cheese grits.

On my drive from Boston to LA I stopped into Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville, KY. (Louisville being right on the way.)

Lynn's is a riot of pure retro-southern kitsch, with the bonus of also having very, very good food.

If the B52's dropped a lot of acid and opened a restaurant, it would be a lot like Lynn's.

My eggs were perfectly scrambled on the griddle, the generous serving of thick cut bacon done just right, and the cheese grits were great, not to runny, and cheesy without being overpowering. The biscuit (two of them actually) was a bit cake like, but very good. (That may be a Louisville thing, I don't know...)

On the way out be sure and check out the bear sculpture spray painted with an Elvis jumpsuit in the parking lot.

This is one wacky-good breakfast.

Lynn's Paradise Cafe

984 Barret Ave.
Louisville, KY

(502) 583-3447

Monday-Friday
7:00am-10:00pm

Saturday-Sunday
8:00am-10:00pm

Grandpa's Cheesebarn, Ashland, OH.

2007-10-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is the roast beef and swiss sandwich with garlic pickle and vidalia onion mustard at Grandpa's Cheesebarn in Ashland Ohio.

If you're ever driving thorough Ashland Ohio by all means stop. They have a vast selection of locally made cheeses and meats. The horseradish cheddar is particularly good.

White Turkey Drive in - Connaught, OH

2007-10-03T02:49:00.000-07:00

It is my dearest hope to return to the The White Turkey Drive In, in Conneaut, Ohio for lunch.

Tragically, it is closed after Labor Day, so I am reprinting this entry from my trip east at the beginning of the summer. It makes sense, as this is the quintessential summer experience. Besides, outdoor seating and the five feet of snow they often get in these parts don't mix well.

This place was founded in 1952, and hasn't changed one bit since. It was by far the most charming and atmospheric of the joints I visited on this trip, and had shady picnic tables out back surrounded by a beautiful perennial garden.

I had the the turkey sandwich called the "Large Marge." (No, it's not named for the lesbian ghost trucker in Pee Wee's Big Adventure, but for the restaurant's original proprietress.)

I can only describe the sandwich as a "pulled turkey" sandwich. It is startlingly like North Carolina BBQ, but made with white meat turkey instead of pork. It was topped with bacon and American cheese. It was delicious, and very vintage-y in character as you'd expect from the looks of this place. It was accompanied by a delicious real milkshake, freshly made and with globs of vanilla ice cream still slightly unblended. The onion rings were good, but of the crumb breading type popular in the Midwest which is not my favorite. (My mother's onion rings were arguably the gold standard, closely followed by those at Liam's on Nauset Beach in Orleans Mass on Cape Cod.)

This place was so sweetly retro-Americana that I was nearly moved to tears while waiting for my sandwich. (I'm funny that way.)

I suddenly understood the much vaunted charms of the Midwest. I confess that this has previously largely escaped me.

Plus the state flag of Ohio is a pennant, the only one in the US, which is way cool.

Eckl's Beef on Weck, Orchard Park, NY

2007-10-02T18:53:00.001-07:00

While driving cross country I have resolved to not eat at any chain restaurants, no fast food, and no mass market commercial cooking. Instead I will seek out more "old school" road food.

The first night of my trans-continental oddessy, in Buffalo, NY I am confronted with an embarrassment of riches. A choice between the Anchor Bar - (the original home of the eponymous Buffalo Wings) or Eckl's Beef on Weck.

I briefly entertain the idea of having buffalo wings for breakfast, so as to be able to try both, but Buffalo Wings are something of a nightmare to eat with braces, so off to Beef on Weck it is. Besides "Eckl's Beef on Weck" is a throughly enjoyable phrase to say aloud, so I am compelled to say it several times on the way to the restaurant.

The somewhat appalling photo is Eckl's Beef on Weck sammich - tragically underlit for the cellphone camera. It was much more attractive that it looks in this photo...

Eckl's is an unassuming white building in a decidedly residential neighborhood. A sign outside simply declares "Eckl's." In these parts no further explanation is necessary. A small brass plaque on the side of the building announces: "House Of Eckl - established 1934." Inside it is cozy and dark in a paneled suburban rumpus room sort of way. At one side of the dining room is the stainless sandwich assembly and slicing area.

A weck (Kummelweck actually) is a salted roll often described as pretzel bread, but it's much softer than that would lead you to imagine. It is also seeded with ground caraway seeds.

I order my roast beef sandwich medium rare, and it arrives a few minutes later. It is closer to what I would describe as raw. I am one of those who finds beef mildly distressing at the best of times, so this presents a minor challenge*, but my trepidation fades on the first bite. It is spectacular - the beef literally melts in your mouth, and the salt and caraway provide the perfect foil for the extremely tender beef. I recommend eating the sandwich upside down, as the salt crystals and caraway seeds have a more exciting effect when placed tongue down...

Eckl's Beef on Weck -
4936 Ellicott Rd
Orchard Park, NY 14127

* I find it exceedingly odd when people won't eat things they don't like. I believe in trying things several times, and then once more just to be sure.... When something I don't particularly like is presented to me, I generally eat it anyway, in the interests of both politeness and anthropology.

Provincetown Library at Sundown.

2007-09-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

Provincetown Library at sundown. Nothing whatsoever to do with food, I just loved the way the light looked on the newly restored steeple.

Well, it is near Mojo's, which has great fried clams, so there's the tie in...

Our Annual Chili Cook Off

2007-09-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I spent the afternoon at my club's annual chili cook off. We had ten different community organizations enter. The chili's ranged from two vegetarian ones to a classic beanless cubed beef. (No Chili Colorado though, which surprised me.)

One of the more interesting ones was called “cosmic consciousness." It was made by the guru from our friendly neighborhood Gay Tantric Ashram. (This is in Los Angeles, remember.) It had a curry overtone and slight lingering ginger undertones. I know it sounds weird, but it was delicious!

I think that what struck me the most was how tremendously varied people's palates are.

There was general agreement as to which were the best, a wide range of opinion on the middle ranges, and nearly universal agreement on the worst.

There was one that I spat out, fearing dire consequences if I swallowed it. (I spat as discreetly as I could, since I was judging the chili's.) That particular chili had the distinct aroma of an open sewer line. (Other judges described it as tasting like vomit, and smelling of a bus station restroom.)

On counting the ballots for “crowd favorite” I was stunned to find two ballots cast for the aforementioned vile chili.

Apparently, there really is no accounting for taste.

The Breakfast I wish I was Having....

2007-09-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ok - into each life some drab meals must fall. Today I'm in an airport motel with my breakfast choices limited to two vending machines. A bag of cheez-its and a root beer was on the breakfast menu today.

At least I can dream about this one from two weeks ago. A poached egg on top of Parmesan dusted stone ground yellow grits, a few spears of asparagus and a pat of butter.

Sure beats the cheez-its.

Quinessential Diner Burger @ Rhonda's Diner in East Providence

2007-08-17T10:36:00.001-07:00

Ryan and I visited his friend Michael in Providence, and he took us to his Aunt's Diner, called Rhonda's in East Providence. This lurid looking photo is of the burger and fries - which were GREAT. (for some reason the lights in the diner frizzed out the white balance on my cellphone camera, creating this lurid photo.) The burger was perfectly cooked, and came with very good fries.

Cynthia's Beet Salad

2007-08-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today Ryan and I had lunch with my brother Adam and his wife Cynthia. She made this delicious composed salad, with beets and grapefruit. it was inspired by one they had in a restaurant in Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia. It tasted every bit as good as it looks!

Beloved restaurant - Yuca's Tacos, Los Feliz

2007-08-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

I've been back in Los Angeles for a week. My friends and family know that my love affair with LA has been slowly fading for a few years now. I have to say I've recently had something of a rapprochement.

LA is arguably one of the best food towns in the world, the sheer diversity of the city make it a very exciting place for both eaters and cooks.

While leaving the Cape in August is heartbreaking, on this trip I have been reminded of some of the things I love about LA -

Among them is Yuca's tacos, which is just around the corner from me. Opened in 1976 by Jaime and Socorro Herrera, it is now run by their daughter Dora with her Mom. This unassuming taco stand won the James Beard Award in 2005 in the category “America’s Classics”.

The tacos de carnitas are incredible. The beans are rich and smooth with a creamy mellowness that far exceeds expectations of what a cup of beans should be. Soccoro's Yucatan tamales are great, but you have to get there early on Saturday, before they are all gone.

Check it out if you're in LA - Yuca's is at 2056 Hillhurst Ave. in Los Feliz, CA 90027

Spinach & Raddichio Salad with Soy - Lime marinated Rib-Eye

2007-08-03T20:35:00.001-07:00

This is a pretty lousy photo (cellphone) of a very good salad we had for dinner last night.

It's fresh spinach & raddichio, orange bell pepper and thinly sliced grilled rib-eye marinated in the juice of two limes and a tablespoon of tamari soy sauce. The dressing had mango - chili vinegar, a dash of soy and a few drops of sesame oil to beef up the flavor of the olive oil. It was really good!

The Garden, Freshly Mulched

2007-08-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

There is something so satisfying about gardening, to work at something and see growth as the result. It evokes similar feelings as cooking does for me.

Obviously there is the connection of both of them being acts of nurture - intrinsically satisfying in a "soul feeding" kind of way.

I spent the morning mulching with eel grass from the beach. If only everything in life could provide such a tangible sense of accomplishment.

PS: I have the first cucumber of the season getting cold in the fridge as I write this. I'm going to run it through the mandoline, making paper thin slices and drizzle it with rice vinegar and fresh dill.

Yum!

- Will

Barlow's Clam Bar - Bourne Mass.

2007-07-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

Barlow's Clam Bar is on Rt 6 in Bourne, overlooking the Cape Cod Canal. It's a great "last stop on the mainland " on the way to the Cape. I just discovered this place a few years ago. They do a very good lobster roll, one avoiding all the more common pitfalls. They also have lobster "photo ops" where you can stick your head though and be photographed as a giant lobster - which is a big hit with the two to four year old set.

A few worlds on the lobster roll -

It MUST be on a New England style hot dog roll, ideally split and buttered, and toasted to a golden brown on the grill. A hamburger bun is NOT ok, nor is (gasp) a bulkie roll, a grotesque perversion of the New England classic common to expat New Yorkers. (The Bulkie is way too chewy, and overpowers the lobster meat with its floury-ness.)

All that goes into the lobster roll is lobster meat* and a leaf or two of lettuce, ideally Boston lettuce, but butter lettuce will do in a pinch. Romaine is icky in this context, and Mesclun way too gourmet, and thus liable to incite ridicule. A generous gob of Mayo is traditional (and yummy) but may be omitted by the phobic. It is usually served in a white cardboard sleeve, and may be accompanied by fries, onion rings or chips.

If the lobster has been too salad-ized with the addition of celery or God forbid scallions the proprietor should be spanked early and often.

Barlow's meets all these criteria, has a great view of the canal. It is just about two minutes south of the Sagamore bridge on the West side of the canal. It's a good deal too, at $2-3 dollars less than most places over the bridge, and it includes fries. (I remember when Lobster rolls were $4.99 on the Cape. Sigh!)

* A good lobster roll won't be all claw meat, but a generous mix of the whole beast.

My Best Omelette Yet!

2007-07-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

Last night for dinner I had a very nearly perfect omelette. I used to make three egg omelettes, but on Alton Brown's suggestion I switched to two, as the eggs coat the pan and cook up faster. (The eggs cook through before the outside is too brown.)

Alton also says that using a super gourmet pan reserved only for eggs is totally unnecessary; I have to say I agree.

My sidekick David and I have been having an omelette renaissance since watching Alton's omelette episode, and David's five dollar aluminum pan from Target has worked great. (It does have a nonstick coating, which gives me the heebie jeebies a bit...)

I made the omelette with two free range local eggs, just laid that morning. It included a tiny amount of un dyed cheddar cheese. I cut four cherry tomatoes from the garden in half and pan sauteed them with asparagus tips and a few tiny bay shrimp.

A dash of tarragon on top, and good Lord it was good!

My Step-Father was coming for dinner, so I also did a side of asparagus roasted in a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of reggiano cheese to round out the plate.

You know what?

I can report that it's true - you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs...

- Will