Napa Valley: Dean & Deluca

You can't leave Napa without stopping by Dean & Deluca. My very first experience was in Kansas City and since then I've been hooked. Each store has its own unique offering to its customers and fans alike. What makes this location unique is much of the produce is grown from local farmers and their wine hall is filled with 1400 wines from this region. I also found freshly baked breads and rolls from Bouchon Bakery which is located a few miles south of the store.

One of things I didn't have at the Kansas City store is their sandwiches. I've heard so much about them that my mouth is salivating just thinking about it.

After our wine tour at Opus One, we dropped by D&D to pick up sandwiches on our way to the CIA at Greystone. The deli area is located toward the back of the store and has a specific line just for sandwiches (very convenient). I ordered a Ham & Havarti sandwich on a Dutch Crunch roll. It was essentially a Ham and Cheese sandwich kicked up a thousand notches and Marc ordered a Pastrami sandwich with layers and layers of pastrami. Unfortunately, no photos. It was devoured almost instantly. Trust me it was delicious. Wanna learn more, check out their blog post on the "Art of the Sandwich".

Aside from sandwiches, I did manage to purchase a few items.

[images by Dean & Deluca]

On the left Mariage Frères Marco Polo Tea Bags and on the right a D&D Wood Spoon (pictured above with the cookbook).

Mariage Frères Marco Polo tea is a black tea that has a sweet and lovely fragrance. Mariage Frères is considered the 'haute-couture' of tea (my kind of tea!). The tea bags are cheesecloth folded and tied with a string. The tea should be consumed during an afternoon break or as an after dinner tea so that you can simply enjoy its aroma as it transports you to another place. Wanna know more? I stumbled upon an article about this tea called Mariage Frères - The Best Tea in the World.

The other item I purchased was their wood spoon. You can't have enough wooden spoons. For some reason, I can't seem to purchase them online. When I was at the store, there was one left. It was fate. :)

All and all, D&D in Napa Valley was what I expected. Everything I wanted to get, was sold out. Which means you snooze, you lose. In the heart of wine country, you literally need to wake up early to get first dips.

Next D&D stop, Washington, D.C.

Things to know:

• D&D is located conveniently across the street from V. Sattui Winery. After picking up something from the deli, walk across the street and have a picnic at V. Sattui.
• This location can get quite busy but service is quick and easy.
• Must-haves: Desserts, sandwiches and gourmet foods. Extensive selection of local artisan cheeses to pair with Californian wines located on site.
• D&D in Napa Valley is the only store on the west coast until its Southern California location is built at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Supposedly scheduled to open sometime in mid-2010.
• Expect to pay a pretty penny here. It's like the Barneys/Bergdorf Goodman of gourmet food and kitchenware.

607 South St. Helena Highway
St. Helena, CA 94574
707.967.9980

Website: http://www.deandeluca.com/

Bay Area: Andersen Bakery

Andersen Bakery has been bringing in fresh, handmade pastries and breads across the Bay Area since 1981. I was first introduced to Andersen's at the Great Mall in Milpitas, Ca. I remember when this place was a little bakery enclosed inside the mall.

Sometime around 2002/2003, the bakery revamped its look and tore down its walls and displayed their baked goods to the world, thus the "Creamy French" craze was born.

Everything is made on site and uses all-natural ingredients (no preservatives).

Who wouldn't want to stop and "smell" the freshly baked goods. I recall buying tons of pastries, bread rolls and cookies. After a few minutes of salivating and narrowing down selections, you won't realize that you've spent about $20 on pastries. It's so worth it.

With so many selections, what do you choose? Andersen's best seller is the Creamy French. Basically is its a soft, french baquette filled with a creamy custard. Yum!

The prices have gone up in the last few years but when we stopped by a mall in Concord they were offering it for $2.00 a roll.

The photo above shot straight from the bag. After getting the rolls sliced, this is what it looks like when you open the bag to grab a piece of creamy french-ness. I knew it wouldn't last by the time we got to our hotel so I had to take my chances and stick my lens inside the bag.

Andersen's also serves hot & cold sandwiches, salads and soups. Unfortunately, this bakery is only found in the Bay Area (boo!). Maybe some day it's work its way down to Southern California.

Website: http://www.andersenbakery.com

Wisconsin: L'Etoile Restaurant

Madison, Wisconsin...

I'm a cheese lover but that wasn't the reason why I was in Wisconsin. I was there on business visiting one of our business units to discuss market research (my day job). Madison is about a two hour drive from Chicago. I know this because I had to drive my rental car from O'Hare to Madison. It was an interesting drive since I witnessed a diesel truck blow up in flames (no one was hurt btw). Luckily, it was on the other side of the freeway so it didn't delay my commute to Madison. Here's a glimpse of my commute. Lots of greenery and views of large rustic barns along the way.

I had to get to Madison within two hours or I would have missed my dinner reservation at L'Etoile. Could you ever imagine a fine dining place in Madison? L'Etoile is known to be the Chez Panisse of the Mid-West. Gourmet Magazine named it on its Top 50 Best Restaurants. That says a lot.

Anyways, L'Etoile is located in downtown Madison across the street from the Wisconsin Capital building. I had 15 minutes to spare so I walked around and took a few photos of the capital building and surrounding area.

I walked across the street to find this quaint little place. As I open the door, a staircase is in front of you which leads you to the second floor. Unfortunately, the photos stop here. The restaurant was very small and I didn't have the guts to take out my camera. Besides, after a 5 hour flight then another 2 hour drive, I was ready to eat.

As I was seated, my server presented a fairly large, single-page menu. He goes off to explain that L'Etoile takes pride in supporting Wisconsin farmers and uses local ingredients all season long in their menus. My server also noted that the owner of MacFarlane in Janesville was dining at the restaurant that night.

Fortunately, I was able to take home a menu. Here is what I had.

Canapé: Hickory Nut Crackers topped with Herbed Goat Cheese, and Hickory Nuts from Ray's Hickory Nuts

First Course: Fantome Farm Fresh Chevre, Nettle & Wild Watercress Risotto with Shaved SarVecchio and Black Truffle Oil - $14

Main Course: Pan-Seared MacFarlane Pheasant Breast and Crispy Pheasant Confit with Driftless Organics Mash Potatoes, Braised Plant Farm Baby Bok Choi and Cognac Jus - $37

*This entree was a nod to the entree that President Obama had during his inauguration luncheon.

Instead of dessert, I decided to go with a cheese plate. Why not! We're in Wisconsin where cheese is king. OMG, there was a selection of 30 cheeses to choose from. I had my server personally select four cheeses.

The selection of Wisconsin Artisan Cheeses were served with Toasted Honey-Walnut Bread and Future Fruit Cox Orange Pippin & Fuji Apples. Delish!

• Carr Valley Benedictine (Cow, Goat, Sheep)
• Hooks 10-Year Cheddar (Cow)
• Bleu Mont Dairy Bleu (Cow)
• Capri Govarti (Goat)

Lastly I was presented with Mignardises (tiny, bite-sized desserts) which consisted of homemade fiddle-faddle and chocolate-covered bacon.

After a long flight and drive, it was well-worth the extra trip to dine at L'Etoile. With fresh local ingredients and a pursuit for top-quality dining, I highly recommend this place if you are ever in the Madison area. It's the crown jewel of restaurants in Madison.

Things to know:

• Valet parking is not available. Your best bet is to park on the street near the capital building. Free after 6pm.
• You must order the cheese plate. Go with the 3 selection plate for $12. A complete cheese tasting is $53.
• If you call in advance, request to be seated near the windows which has a fabulous view of the capital building.
• The menu changes periodically.
• On Tuesdays, L'Etoile and Cafe Soleil offers a family-style comfort food dinner for $22. Seating is limited.
• A prix fixe menu is also available for $39. Available Tuesday through Thursday.

25 N Pinckney St

Madison, WI 53703-2871
608.251.0500

Website: http://www.letoile-restaurant.com

West Hollywood: XIV at Michael Mina

This weekend we celebrated another anniversary. In August, we celebrated our wedding anniversary but last Saturday we celebrated being together for five years. I admit, I almost forgot so I was scrambling to make a last minute reservation at 2am Friday morning. San Diego simply does not have anything to offer to its local foodies so I decided to look beyond our borders. From places like Lawry's The Prime Rib to Urasawa. I had many choices but I knew it had to be somewhere special. I narrowed it down to two places, Providence and XIV at Michael Mina. All of a sudden I realized that XIV stands for 14 and broken down further 1+4=5 for 5 years. Perfect!

XIV is coincidentally Michael Mina's fourteenth restaurant. He has a long list of well-known establishments and I hope to visit them soon. XIV is located in West Hollywood down a few blocks from the Laugh Factory. If you haven't been to this area, parking is extremely difficult to find. You're better off parking valet which is located on site.

When you walk inside the restaurant, you are taken by the interior design of Philippe Starck. From the bar area to the dining room, it reminisces a library of a European chateau with a club-like vibe. I also noticed the lack of tablecloth.

This is a place to be seen. If you have ever watched an episode of the MTV show The Hills, Heidi was in charge of the opening of XIV and gets fired while drinking on the job. Yup, same place.

There is also a covered Terrace area toward the back of the dining area.

After we were seated, the hostess gave us a black envelope which contained a personal note from the staff and GM of XIV. I thought it was a nice gesture to start off the night. I always appreciate the little things be it a card, additional attention, etc.

We started the night with cocktails and wine. I got the first cocktail on their list which was called the Perfect Pair for $13. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what was in it but it was quite good.

Naan was served instead of bread along with a dipping sauce. The combo just reminded me of a buttery pretzel. Absolutely delicious! One of the best pieces of naan I've had.

Until recently, the restaurant only served small tapas for the entire table but the menu has evolved to include ala carte items, full-size entrees and tasting menus. I think we were probably the only table to order entree items. We decided not to do a tasting since we had a long drive back to San Diego. I do recommend doing the tasting because you get the option to taste everything on the menu or have the chef select the courses for you. A separate vegan menu is also available.

Here is what we ordered:

Sweet Corn Soup - $15

Pork Belly, Apple Cider, Cilantro, Sea Salt

Heirloom Tomato & Peach - $16

Watercress, Manchego Cheese

10 oz Prime N.Y. Strip Steak - $42

Kobe Shortrib, Figs, Arugula, Horseradish, Hazelnuts

Kobe Burger - $27

Farmhouse Cheddar and "Secret Sauce"

Trio of French Fries - Paprika, Sea Salt and Rosemary

Sauces: BBQ, Ranch and Ketchup

Dark Chocolate Cake - $12

Coffee Cream, Coconut Sorbet, Crunchy Peanut

At the end of the night, I requested a copy of the menu and our server went above and beyond and got Michael Mina and Executive Chef Steven Fretz to sign our menus. I'm always ecstatic when "the" chef is in the house working in the kitchen.

Overall, XIV wasn't what I expected and I'm glad we took the trip up north. It is a fine establishment and I hope to see the menu evolve each season. I most definitely would like to take my girlfriends here since it has such a great vibe to hang out and enjoy cocktails. This place is going on my list of foodie favs.


Things to know:

• Hours of operation: Monday-Saturday 6-11pm. Bar and limited Terrace menu available late night.
• Valet parking is available on-site for $11. The entrance to the valet is located on Selma Dr. off of Sunset.
• Ala carte selections range from $10 to $59, while the 8,11 and 14 tasting menus are $64, $88 and $98. The full menu can be found here.
• You can book a reservation on OpenTable. If you are celebrating an occasion, note it on the reservation.
• If you're lucky, Michael Mina might be in town working in the kitchen. You can follow him on Twitter @chefmichaelmina.
• Specials: 50% off Bottles of Wine Mondays. Valid on bottles $100+ from XIV's wine list.
• Not feeling the formal dining room, step into the Terrance for Mina's take on classic food and signature burgers. Terrace menu found here.
• The Terrace at XIV: 6 on Sunset. $6 cocktails, $6 menu items, $6 valet* from Monday-Saturday 5-8pm. *$6 valet from 6-7pm. $10 valet from 7pm until close. 6IX menu found here.
• Food Photography: Very low lighting. My photos didn't come out as well as I hoped.

XIV at Michael Mina

8117 W Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90046
323.656.1414

Website: http://www.xivla.com

Las Vegas: Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, Stone Crab

I am a stone crab lover. Ever since our trip to Miami last spring, I can't seem to get Joe's Stone Crabs off my mind. They are so good, I'm borderline obsessed with them. We can't leave Vegas without stopping for lunch at Joe's in Caesar's Palace. Even Iron Chef Bobby Flay has claimed he is 'obsessed' with Joe's stone crabs on a recent airing of the Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab establishment in Las Vegas is a partnership between ICON LLC, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise and Joe's Stone Crab. It does not try to duplicate its infamous Miami counterpart (no one can) rather it builds upon its traditions.

Let me show you how:

The bread basket: An assortment of bread (six to be exact).

My favs: The Pretzel roll and Raisin Pumpernickel bread.

Cup of Stone Crab Bisque - $4.50

Fisherman's Platter - $21.95

Fried Shrimp, Scallops, Calamari and Cod

3 Large Stone Crabs

with Famous Mustard Sauce

Hashed Brown Potatoes - $4.95

accompaniment

Joe's Cole Slaw - $4.95

best accompaniment!!

Joe's World Famous Key Lime Pie - $6.95

best key lime pie..EVER!

Things to know:

• Complimentary valet parking is available. The entrance of the valet lot is located off of Las Vegas Blvd near the Forum Shops.
• The prices in Vegas are more expensive than Miami. Expect to pay a pretty penny to dine here. Lunch is your best option.
• The best value for your buck is the Joe's Classic - Stone Crabs. The special comes with 5 Medium Stone Crabs, Hashed Brown Potatoes, Joe's Cole Slaw and Key Lime Pie for $21.95, upgrade to 3 Large Stone Crabs for $29.95.
• Stone Crabs are in season in months that have an "R" in it. Basically, stone crabs served between June and August are frozen. The stone crabs in Vegas are absolutely not as fresh as the ones in Miami regardless of the time of year.
• There is no other Key Lime Pie in this world that can top Joe's. You can also make it yourself. The recipe can be found here.
• The Joe's Cole Slaw is awesome as well. If you don't like cole slaw, the one from Joe's will make you a fan.
• Reservations can be made through OpenTable.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steaks and Stone Crabs
3500 Las Vegas Blvd, South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.792.9222


Website: http://www.joes.net/las-vegas

Napa: French Laundry Attempt #2

[image by lodging4vacations]

Napa Valley - a culinary haven for adventurous foodies and wine connoisseurs. Marc and I grew up in Northern California, yet we've never stepped a foot at this food & wine mecca. Why? At one point in my life I didn't like cooking (shocking!) and I hated wine ever since I got a sip of it at church. Times have changed and now I'm a full on foodie with culinary aspirations.

Anyways, one day while at work I decided that we had to go to Napa (so random!). It's just one of those things that you do. Besides, I'm still trying to land that darn French Laundry reservation. I'm not sure if it would top my experience at Alinea but for the fact that the French Laundry called a day before my 30th birthday to offer up a reservation just haunts me 'til this day. I didn't bother calling back because it was too painful to bare to decline a reservation. Awful experience, yes, but I'm still determined to go there at least one time (to get it over with).

After mastering the FL phone system (see details below), we are on the waiting list for FL on the weekend of Sept 26-27 (I didn't call two months on the day). I do have a back up plan in case we don't get the reservation.


Here is the line up:

[image by V. Sattui Winery]

V. Sattui Winery

[image by bunrab]

Pastry snacks at Bouchon Bakery

Owner: Chef Thomas Keller

[image by USA Today]

Dinner at Ad Hoc Restaurant

Owner: Chef Thomas Keller

[image by napavalleyvineyards.org]

Opus One Wineries

[image by solano mag]

Light lunch at Dean & Deluca

[image by napavalleywineyards.org]

Schramsberg Vineyards

[image by sf eater.com]

Dinner at La Toque

Owner: Chef Ken Frank

How to master the French Laundry phone system:

• Make sure you are on a LAN line and have two additional lines available (e.g. second LAN line and cell phone).
• Program the French Laundry number on your phones. Make sure you know the functions of your phone for redialing.
• Open up your computer clock. Begin to speed dial the French Laundry number 5 seconds before 10:00 AM. Basically 9:59:55 AM.
• At exactly 10:00 AM, call the number again with another line. If you get a busy signal, call the number again.
• You know you've got into the queue when the phone rings and you get the recorder. Select 1 to make a reservation.
• If you don't get a live person, STAY ON THE LINE. If the phone starts ringing as if you've been cut off, STAY ON THE LINE. This means you're the next call waiting to be taken by a live person.
• All of a sudden, you hear Jessica's voice and you've made it.
• Fastest time I got on the line: 7 minutes.

Things to know:

• The French Laundry no longer takes walk-in reservations. You have to call or go online at OpenTable.
• Weekend reservations are hard to come by. If you don't get a reservation, request to be put on the waiting list. Be sure to give them a reliable phone number such as your cell number.
• Don't give up :)

French Laundry

6640 Washington Street

Yountville, CA 94599

707.944.2380

Website: http://www.frenchlaundry.com

Anniversary Dinner at Daniel Boulud Brasserie

On August 8th, we celebrated our first year anniversary dinner at the Michelin-starred French brasserie of Daniel Boulud. The restaurant is situated on the renowned Lake of Dreams at the Wynn Resort & Country Club. I selected this restaurant because I liked the romantic atmosphere alongside French comfort food.

The restaurant is located on the first floor where you have to take an escalator down to the lower level. As you're going down the escalator, you see these whimsical umbrellas.

We had the option to sit out on the patio or indoors. We decided to sit indoors since we didn't want the Vegas heat to affect our dinner. This is the view from our table overlooking the Lake of Dreams (see the little person/statue in the lake). I liked where we sat since the table was secluded from other diners. It seemed like we were dining like royalty.

Cocktails! On the right is a Watermelon Mojito and to the left is a Blueberry Lavender Lemonade. Before we decided on our entrees, our server brought out a basket of a variety of breads. I thought I took a photo before we devoured the entire basket.

Here is what we ordered:

Lobster Bisque - $20

Foie Gras au Torchon - $20

fleur de sel, four spice, armagnac

Something unexpected popping out from the lake. Yah, that's a full blown alien head with no facial features. Love it! I tell you, only in Vegas.

Scottish Salmon - $34

asparagus, meyer lemon, breakfast radish

The Original NY DB Burger - $32

9 oz. sirloin burger stuffed with braised short ribs, foie gras, and black truffle

parmesan bun, french fries

Lastly, dessert! I had the Wynn Cake Room design a custom cake to fit the occasion. I didn't want to mimic the top tier of our wedding cake because I wanted to see how creative their cake artisans can be. They definitely blew us away with what they came up with. The pleating symbolized the pleating on my wedding dress and the phalaenopsis orchids were similar to the bouquet I carried.

Here is a close up on the orchids. I requested that the entire cake be edible. The orchids were done in gum paste.

After taking hundreds of pictures of the cake, the server took it back to the kitchen to have it cut. The kitchen was nice enough to plate the cake slices with a quenelle of raspberry sorbet. The cake flavor was similar to our wedding cake: Vanilla Sponge with vanilla creme and fresh raspberries.

The cake was a nice touch to a completely perfect anniversary dinner and weekend. Can't wait to plan next year's anniversary dinner. Each year will definitely top the previous year. Someday we hope to try out the Menu Degustation at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion.

Things to know:

• Complimentary valet at the Wynn & Ensore resorts.
• You must call Wynn Concierge or the restaurant to make reservations at 702.248.3463.
• A Tasting menu is unavailable. Appetizers range from $12-$20. Entrees from $28-$95. Menu found here.
• Cocktails are pretty expensive, ranges from $12-$14.
• Custom cake orders can be made through the Wynn Cake Room. Call the Wynn Concierge or email the Wynn Catering department at: catering@wynnlasvegas.com. 6" cake round with fondant costs $50, additional customization starts at $19 and up.
• Book reservations after 7pm or at dusk to view the show on the Lake of Dreams.

Daniel Boulud Brasserie

3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109-1967
702.248.3463

Website: http://www.danielnyc.com/dbBrasserie.html