Cleveland 2008: Downtown 140

Cleveland, well, more specifically, the small town of Hudson, Ohio, has been graced by "big city" dining. For years, my travel to my hometown of Cleveland had been plagued by no fine dining; then by some solid, but perfunctory steak and Italian upscale joints; most recently, a rash of "hip" and "trendy" restaurants have exploded, but they have mostly been the type that couldn't have made it in a major metropolitan market ~ second tier spin-offs to a land of untested palates. Finally, at long last, the real deal has arrived in this idyllic New England-looking village in between Cleveland and Akron.

Shawn and Tiffany Monday's Downtown 140 is an amazing respite from the fine dining chains that have cornered the market on meals costing more than $25 a head in the Cleveland area. Amazing dishes crafted in a tiny open kitchen are a testament to Shawn's creativity and efficiency, whilst Tiffany manages the crowd and has hand selected one of the best wine lists in country, literally.

Shawn proffers hand made soups to order, amazing "by the piece" tastes (grilled figs wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with goat cheese, tempura shrimp, market fresh sashimi with delightful spicy sauces), and a range of ever changing appetizers and entrees, with a focus on organic, local ingredients (I have had excellent fish, steak, veal, chicken in my numerous visits there). The dishes alone put this restaurant into my "Global Top 10" alongside names such as Alinea, MOTO and Bouley Bakery.

To further inform my comment on the wine list, I did indeed say it - this is one of the best wine lists in the country, period. I said it - a robust selection of not only the "French standards" (think Latour, Ducru, Margaux) and new world high end wines (such as Quintessa, Cheval des Andes, Nickel & Nickel) but also up and comers that Tiffany has introduced me to - which I consider (perhaps with some hubris) to be no small feat. I saw wines such as Rocket Science here before it came to frequent the lists of New York and Chicago fine establishments, as one example.

These two are a team which solidified my decision to put them on the Cress_Travel top 10; it has the powerful combination of Shawn and Tiffany to seize the imaginative palate and delight the oenophile, and a well-trained, friendly and knowledgeable staff that makes my increasingly regular meals here when in Cleveland as enjoyable as any in the major culinary capitals of the world.

Chicago 2008: Sixteen

The new gem in the half-finished Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago (the coiffed man's first namesake project in the Windy City) is a fashionable addition to the Chicago culinary scene. Sixteen is located on its namesake floor in the hotel portion of the new Trump, and stepping out of the elevator makes for a dramatic entrance, with a hallway ensconced by the well-stocked wine cellar of the restaurant. The architecture and interior design generally is quite impressive, with a bar, side dining rooms and a main dining room that feel both intimate and expansive at once; excellent views from any perch, and well-chosen decorative art placed in the various angular and curved coves that define the form of the dining space.

The impressive view of the fine wine list becomes less impressive when one sees the prices - with a New York buyer perhaps come New York pricing on very recent vintages; some are quite mispriced, as it seems whoever laid out the cellar priced the list for shock factor and by name alone; a modest vintage of a well-known French wine, for example, exceeded by multiples some of the finer vintages of wines that most wine lovers would agree far outshine the former. That said, the new sommelier guided us through an excellent pairing with several wines I had never had - and was also good humored and knowledgeable (more on that later). The service, generally, was solid and very attentive waitstaff (if a little new to the menu) met our every need.

And then the food and libations - my dining companions and I opted for the mysterious and alluring "blind tasting" (with aforementioned wine pairings). The waiter noted to us that we might not want to partake of the homebaked bread and excellent butter, given the girth of the tasting menu, but we ignored him, finding a nice selection of rolls just the thing to start the meal (although this certainly did add to my girth).

The blind tasting was artfully done; a well-timed (rarely does the kitchen do it as well as Sixteen's does) set of ten dishes. A small amuse of Melon Soup with scallop cerviche was a decent first course, but should have been served in a shot glass to better mix the flavors rather than with the wee spoon. A gazpacho with raw oyster and and tomato sorbet was paired with a 2006 Shaleur Estate Sauvignon/Semillion Blend, which worked quite well. The fabulous-sounding braised beef shank tortellini with split peas needed a bit more tenderness in the pasta, but was complimented by my favorite wine of the evening, an Elio Grasso, 2003 Barolo, which had a great nose and a light finish. We switched back to a sweet white Alsatian Riesling by Hugel for the next dish, a scallop with corn vinaigrette, palm souffle and vidalia tart. A Lupe de Mer served with confit of potato and fava beans was quite nice, although the potatoes were a bit ho-hum. The crowning dish of the tasting, "Pork Three Ways" was delicious and paired with a wine, to quote the personable sommelier, that "technically doesn't suck", a Domaine du Grand Tinel. The balance of the well-portioned tasting included cheeses and sweets with ports and muscats. All in all, a very nice evening. I commend the new chef and staff on a top-tier service and culinary experience in a world-class venue - and hope to be blinded again soon by their next tasting menu.

San Francisco 2008: Dry Creek Kitchen

Well, ok - not really San Francisco. Sonoma, a bit of a drive from the cosmopolitan environs of SF, has developed its own culinary scene in an understated way which mimics the rural landscape. Much to the delight of visitors, Charlie Palmer has come to the region and started a "city class" restaurant in Dry Creek Kitchen (albeit with some weaknesses that are not evidenced in his other locations).

While the food was well-prepared, I do have some misgivings about this attempt to transplant world-class fare into the laid back, insular Healdsburg community. The location, on the town square of Healdsburg, is ideal - and the design of the restaurant is becoming the stature of the named proprietor. However, upon making a complicated set of reservations for a relatively large group, we were greeted with aloof service and management, a big disappointment and uncharacteristic of this beautiful part of the country. The night began and ended with waitstaff and management that seemed hasty, and a touch this side of rude, despite a number of attempts by this diner to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Enough said - it may have been a bad night, and the restaurant was quite packed. The dinner service started with a pleasant cheese puff amuse - delicate and well plated. I then opted for a surprisingly light Gnocchi with almost no sauce, but which well-represented the flavors that the chef was trying to evoke. A solid Sea Bass entree followed, paired with spring pea risotto. This was a decent, but not excellent, dish. I also sampled the lamb with a Moroccan spice, it had no taste of game, and carried the sauce well.

Continuing my gripes with the service, the sommelier, who was sent over once my wine order seemed too complex for the server, was a bit flaky. He had no real opinion on the wines on the list, and after we finally were able to order a few bottles, he returned 10 minutes later dejectedly to tell us that they were out of our chosen wine. Once we re-ordered, about 20 minutes into the sitting, we finally received the wine, which was spilled on me while pouring for the taste.

All in all, this is probably a nice restaurant to enjoy for a nice meal on the Healdsburg "scene", but I would urge you to sample the food on a quiet evening and a small group, when the service is not so stressed.

New York 2008 - Moco Global Dining

Sitting in the last meeting of a terribly long week I was disgusted to receive an email telling me my flight back to Chicago was cancelled, there were no bookings available on later flights (and those were likely to be cancelled too, given the "Chicago weather"); I would need to spend my Friday evening in New York. Whilst I was run down from a series of back to back meetings and flights, it could have been much worse. I could have been stuck in my prior night's destination of rural Pennsylvania. Despair became opportunity.

I rang my good college friend and his very pregnant wife, who, bereft of social opportunities other than waiting patiently for their soon-to-be-indeterminate-sex-offspring, finally conceded to join me at a new, "experimental" restaurant in the otherwise "post-college professional" Murray Hill neighborhood.

I had heard of Moco Global Dining (no website) from a number of "what's new" reviewers in April; the chef of this small, understated establishment, Joe Kurauchi, had apparently trained at El Bulli, the Fat Duck and Stella Maris, among others. I was intrigued to see if his cuisine would be the next generation of the inventive, rich and savory dishes I have come to love at those establishments.

Upon entry I was . . . nervous. A sparsely populated bar, completely empty dining room (Friday 7pm) in an otherwise bustling block did not bode well. I had expected a line out the door (my hotel concierge had made me the reservation, I presumed 'pulling some strings' given the last minute nature). Unfortunately, it was not my "clout" that had gotten me in. They merely had no early reservations. A few younger folks were in the bar area, but when three waitstaff swarmed me as I moved toward the back dining section I grew even more uneasy - had I, a bona fide foodie, been fooled by some hype and now had dragged my poor friend and his nearly immobile wife many blocks out of their neighborhood for a second class show?

I was seated (another scary thing in a NY restaurant - seated without "the entire party"), a lone diner in a small (typical New York) dining room, at a lovely banquette. Very comfortable. The tables already looked quite worn (3 weeks post-opening: query - budget-style or budget?) and the waitress arrived promptly with water.

The drink menu was extensive (3 pages) and filled with ShoChu and Sake options; I was again dismayed by the bad english translations "Croudy" instead of "Cloudy" Sake, etc. However, when I ordered a glass of Ginjo sake I was pleasantly surprised - a real artistic presentation that was a harbinger of the food to come - a fine crystal class in a glass carafe, filled with shaved ice surrounded by a banana leaf. Very high quality presentation gave me a renewed sense of hope.

My friends arrive (I hope the expectant mother doesn't take offense to my earlier jokes, she is glowing, mobile and athletic despite being close to her delivery date) and sit at out booth. We are still the only diners, and they look suspicious, being denizens of this fickle food city. We order some appetizers and some more sake (of course none for the responsible mother-to-be, she was all seltzer and cranberry) as the crowd started to trickle into the dining room.

The appetizers arrived: squid-ink, jet-black calamari; steamed edamame; nya-nya chicken wings and a fusion bruschetta. All excellent. The calamari particularly show the chef's potential - crispy yet succulent center, despite the black coloring which evokes naturally a "burnt" vibe.

The pace of the dinner was very casual; waitstaff did not crowd us or hurry our ordering, but as soon as one looked up, they appeared to serve (I would note that our female dining companion, in more discomfort due to her biological situation, was less impressed with the speed of service than I). As we choose our main courses and sake was refilled, I was feeling somewhat redeemed in my choice of venue.

The entrees were excellent - an inventive green gnocchi with a butter sauce; soba noodles in a rich curry broth; several sushi rolls with varying levels of creativity and success (the spicy tuna was some of the best I have had; the "blue california roll" was interesting, but heavy-handed on the namesake blue cheese ingredient; the roll with salmon and eel a bit too smoky). All in all, an honorable meal with great style and flavor. A true glimmer of what this chef could do with, perhaps, some more coaching and a better venue.

As dinner came to a close, I reflected upon what makes a great meal. While I was not "wowed" by the restaurant, I had an excellent meal that married exotic tastes in a casual environment, resulting in a very fine experience with some good friends. While I think this chef's next incarnation may improve greatly with some marginal tweaking of location, style of venue and precision in menu, all in all a worthwhile endeavor. Someone to keep your eye on.

Chicago 2008 - Big Jones

Service is critically important as I evaluate a dining experience, especially for a new restaurant. Big Jones started my Sunday brunch off right, seating me immediately (even though I was the first of my party) and tempting me with a bowl of fresh beignets and one of the largest cups of coffee I have ever seen.

The eclectic 'Coastal Southern Brunch' at the Andersonville upstart is inventive and true to one of Big Jones guiding principals - organic, local veggies, produce and dairy. Don't let me fool you into thinking this is a healthy spot - its organic, but savory and sweet and all things in between.

A wide array of unique selections, from french toast made with classic southern pan bread to a number of egg-based (Kalona Organics from Iowa) benedict-style dishes with exotic ingredients such as lump crab, creole ratatouille, carolina pulled pork and house-made Tasso (smoky-flavored Southern ham), made it a tough decision for this first-time diner. The continuing friendly service helped me narrow down my selection to Eggs Romero (Poached Eggs, Crisp Potato Cakes, Pulled Pork and a tangy sauxe) or Eggs Benedict (Niman Ranch Ham and Poached Eggs served on a fresh popover with Hollandaise). Your trusty foodlover went for the more intriguing Romero, and was excellent. Strong flavors in the spicy Carolina-style sauce, including nutmeg, may turn off more sensitive palettes, but the pulled pork was well-cooked and the eggs paired well with the crispy potato cake. Skip the Lunn toast; it is a bit dry, but otherwise no complaints about the cuisine.

Tea lovers will enjoy the large selection of specialty organic teas, evoking pleasurable feelings by name alone; 'Inner Blossom Jasmine' or 'Osmanthus Rooibos' or 'Dragonwell Green'. The traditional Cafe au Lait is also a house speciality.

Definitely worth the haul north for a casual brunch.

St Louis 2008 - Niche

So, faithful readers, it has been some time since I have posted.  Blame it on the terrible Winter in Chicago, I just haven't been compelled.  I have notes for about 20 new posts, and as I am feeling somewhat more inspired, you should be getting a spate soon with all of these new ideas.  

What has driven me to post (other than the weather, which a loyal reader like SS knows is a favorite topic of discussion) is a truly "sensational" experience I had last night on the cusp of the up and coming independent restaurant scene in St Louis (yes, Missouri).  For the moniker "sensational" I must really hand credit to my London dining companions on this fine evening.  These worldly travelers proclaimed many of our dishes at Niche as such, and I can't think of a better way to describe Ford Craft's new American gastronomic spot on the edge of the Old Soulard neighborhood. 

Fresh off the Food & Wine proclamation of Craft's Niche as one of the "10 best new restaurants in America", I was lucky enough to enjoy a night in the hands of the chef.  All aspects of his celebrated tasting menu were touched over a four hour dinner extravaganza.  I rarely detail each and every course, but this night warrants it, and will do so below.  All of these dishes are served a la carte, and many can be found on the fun and affordable "3 for $35" menu that is available daily.  

What makes a restaurant eligible for Cress_Travel's global top 10 is not just great food - many places have that.  It is a sense of space and an attention and care of the experience that justify such an entry; Niche has all of the elements, executed to perfection.  I am pleased to place this fine establishment in its new spot as the ranking #5 on Cress_Travel's top 10 restaurants to experience.  

In addition to the lavish care put into each delicate dish, the staff is exemplary.  From the front of house manager, Dia, to the knowledgeable waitstaff (Laura, in our case), to the carefully selected but not expensive wine list, Niche is a real culinary treat.  All these factors make a trip to St Louis to experience this fine venue a worthy endeavor - and if you are in St Louis, there is no excuse to not plan on this restaurant as a highlight of an evening.

So, now to the food.  The masterfully executed tasting menu included the following; any and all deserve to be ordered separately and savored.  There was only one dish I would not nominate individually against any other incarnation in any other restaurant in the world - the Thomas Keller inspired butter-poached lobster, which was just not my style.  Everything else would hold its own and then some, regardless of your specific tastes and prejudices.  Here is the tour de force I had that pleasure of winding my way through on a rainy Spring evening in the earthquake-rattled St Louis:

* Olives served fresh with thinly sliced orange rind: I am not an "olive person", but I munched with pleasure at these fine taste bud openers as we enjoyed a very un-chardonnay chardonnay from Lucia in the Santa Rosa valley.

* Amuse bouche of Parsnip, Bacon, Grapefruit foam latte with plump tapioca: Delightful flavor packed into a complex broth with the right amount of texture to make it substantive.

* Kampachi Crudo, Potato Chip, Soy Marshmallow, meyer lemon and pepper puree: Fish was excellent, paired with a salty, tart and savoy combination all in one!  The pinnacle of good execution.

* Roasted Beets, Poached Quail Eggs, Brown Butter Hollandaise, Quail, Caperberries: Sweet and savory, perfect beets.  People should use beets more.  They are the Chilean Sea Bass of 2008.

* Fried brandad, arugula, Quail egg, lemon butter:  I have never liked anything like a fish cake (the term my London-native dining companions use for a brandad). This blew my mind. Salted cod, fresh cod, perfectly cooked, lightly breaded.  If you abhor the idea of a fish cake, or aren't one for crab cakes, try it anyway. 

* Lobster, butter-poached, lobster tapioca, blood orange sauce:  As referenced earlier, I didn't love it, as the texture of lobster produced a mouthfeel that was too soft for my liking, but if this is the worst dish one ever has in a progression, you are close to heaven for a food lover.

* Carrot-Lime Sorbet: Well-executed, great mix, too tart.  Having written the initial reaction, I must go on; taste changes as one savors this break in the progression to quite a crescendo, rewarding the patient palette.

* Sea Bass, Black Rice, Meyer Lemon Puree:  Using sous-vide preparation, this dish took sea bass and turned it into a meat, added texture that highlighted the flavors of the dish.

* Lamb Prarie Grass Sous-Vide, White Chocolate Hummus, Trumpet Mushroom, Raw Garlic Foam, Rhubarb:  Again here, the sous-vide preparation took a solid base of flavors including the unusual white chocolate hummus, rhubarb and garlic foam aspects and combined them with a gamey lamb meat to achieve a great dish.

* "Beef Two Ways": Roasted ribeye and oxtail pie with Brussel Sprout slaw.  The use of Brussel Sprout as a "slaw" was ingenious.  A perfect way to deal with the strong flavor of the vegetable and contextualize the beef.

* Lime ice cream and rhubarb soup: Light and refreshing for another break in the progression.

* Coconut Kulfi: A reduced, thick, indian dessert with granola and pineapple.  Pineapple flavors tend not to suit me, but the kulfi texture was amazing.

* Chocolate Cake: The molten variety, warm in the center and firm on the outside.  As a dining companion noted, it touches the inner part of the inner soul.

Then, after being stuffed like a pig for slaughter, no pun intended, we shared at the table two more of the house favorites:

* Pappardelle with Pork:  So, maybe the pun was intended, but the house made pasta was excellent, firm and moist, with a pulled pork ragu that was not too strong to overpower the dish.

* Fried Pigs Head:  You caught me.  The pun was totally intended.  The somewhat scary name pulled together the cheeks, temple and other head bits into a fried cake with all the sophistication you need to make a dish like this work.  Heavily vinegared flavor cut with a pear. A little punchy, but having been braised in sherry vinegar and pork stock, something even a less-adventurous diner would crave.

To sum up my long and rambling post, Niche is a rare find in an off the path culinary haven.  The chef is truly a student of the art, and infuses this passion in his staff, making the experience a great one.

Chicago 2008 - Takashi

The minimalist new "Asian" restaurant on the Northern side of the Bucktown/Wicker Park trendy-ness has a lot to love. Takashi offers an excellent take on some French-styled Japanese favorites (e.g. raw and seared fish, spring rolls) as well as some more hip American comfort food, which scored big points with the Cress_Travel demographic.  The raw fish was very fresh, with light saucing accompanied by interesting vegetables (hearts of palm and avocado, as an example).

Where Takashi really shone from this diner's perspective was in a succulent rendition of "fried chicken", which consisted of petite chicken wings, fried in duck fat and accompanied by delicious handcut fries, also fried in duck fat.  So good that we ordered seconds for "dessert", much to the surprise of the waiter.  I imagined a chef from a southern diner imprisoned by a master of sushi (with a penchant for precision) and forced to remake a typical "comfort food" dish until it had achieved enlightenment - this was the reincarnation of fried chicken and fries that Siddhartha Gautama himself would consider Nirvana.

The balance of the meal was well crafted, but nothing to the level of art of either the sashimi appetizers nor what I will now call the Nirvana Chicken.  Skate paired with an inventive lobster sausage, Alaskan Halibut wrapped in a nice Yuba Tofu with strong essence of ginger. 

As always, service is a critical component of any good dining experience.  While disappointed that they would not seat me before my party arrived (a small birthday party for a friend), this is standard operating procedure in a big-city restaurant.  The real critique here is that the bar consists of enough space for no more than five or six people, and that is being generous.  I would counsel a waiting area (the hostess stand is practically on top of the door) for such a popular place.  The waitstaff was very friendly and well-versed in the food, so with the exception of the space itself, an overall great experience.