Chicago 2008: Publican

A beer hall dressed up in couture fashion, the spacious market district addition to the numerous nightclubs that line the meatpacking corridor, brought to you by the creators of The Violet Hour and Blackbird, is off to a strong start. Fresh faced and attentive servers help fill the spacious, german-styled hall across from the Fulton Fish Market, which has been christened the Publican.

Large, communal tables of sharp-looking wood ring the outside of the room, while the East wall is adorned with booths (replete with swinging doors) that sequester you from the balance of the room if you have a party of four (similar to the reserved boxes in Oktoberfest tents in Munich).

The draft beer list includes eight varied beers (three locals, some fruity Belgians, a festival German, and an esoteric coffee-based beer as well as a cider); the bottled beer list numbers about another sixty, and is organized by country and representative of a well-thought our selection of craft beers. Wine is also available (but you should not come if you need it, the experience is really best with beer).

We started with a ham tasting - rare and fine Iberico (true to the menu: rich, nutty and sweet and worth the $35 for the tasting), an 'Iowa version of Iberico' (good but not as rich), and a Tennessee ham with a smoky flavor. Served with thin-sliced German brown bread and unsalted butter, a nice way to start a meal (although we couldn't resist also sampling the pork rinds - served hot with just a dusting of salt & vinegar, they would have delighted Homer [Simpson, not the Greek] at his brightest moment of food bliss).

For a main course, I took on the crispy sweetbread schnitzel, which was very mild versus many sweetbreads I have tried. The lemon & caper sauce, coupled with a rather thick breading, was a bit overpowering on the palette for such a rich organ meat, but it was a substantial portion and a very nice meal despite lacking the delicate nature of a typical sweetbread preparation.

My dining partner opted for the potee (pork shank, belly and tenderloin) served with mushrooms and a horseradish aioli. I tested the belly for him, it was excellent and a gracious cut - and the sauce paired quite well.

Despite the orgy of (unhealthy) beer hall noshing, we also opted for dessert, a crisp, flaky waffle with a fresh churned butter honey and figs - resplendent, particularly paired with the Norwegian Winter ale we sampled alongside it.

One constructive criticisms (which a few faithful readers have asked me to be 'less polite' on) would be the side dishes need some work - the frites were a bit 'vacuous' in their crispness (although the aioli dip was amazing); I would also not order the cavalo nero again (too bitter).

Overall - a good joinder of old world and new world, and a good time will be had by all who attend. Prosit!

Chicago 2008: La Madia

I stumbled upon La Madia with my brother and his wife a few weeks back, and was shocked to learn that this inexpensive, high-quality Italian in River North had been open for some time. Hidden (well, not really) at 59 West Grand, this stylish spot tries (successfully) to make pizza elegant and wine accessible as represented in the motto "Art of Pizza. Love of Wine."

The space has a nice, modern decor, and is well laid out in partitioned rooms for that 'always crowded' feel. Sharp, varied light fixtures impress and the open kitchen makes the restaurant feel personable despite the modern flair.

The waitstaff was helpful and very excited about the menu, making good recommendations on appetizers, pizzas and entrees. However, the assistance on the wine list was not as useful ("all our wines are good").

That said, the wine list has a wide variety of very good bottles, with price points ranging from a $19 Spanish Temparnillo to a handful of big Italians (Ornelleia '04, Tignanello '95/'97) and some top shelf Americans (Quintessa, Dominus). I was impressed by the range and also the accessibility across diners' wallets, particularly the specials by the glass.

We tried the Avignonesi, Nobile di Montepulciano '05 based on our server's recommendation (but that was really to drink something off the list). It was decent, a little lighter than expected, with some tartness, but a good bottle to pair with the appetizers.

We started with a special appetizer of the day, a taleggio-stuffed fig wrapped in prosciutto with frisee. It was nice and looked decadent on the plate, but the balsamic sauce was a little on the salty side (and this is a big thing for me to say, as faithful readers know - I prefer the taste of salt to most all else).

This was followed by the recommended (and excellent) heirloom beet salad (yellow and red), with arugula, salted almonds and gorgonzola dulce. A really tremendous set of ingredients and preparation, with a nice dressing - thin shaved beets, great flavor across the dish. We paired this with an heirloom tomato (red and green) caprese; the bufala mozzarella was solid but I could do without the addition of roasted peppers. It had a strong basil flavor with very tasty (and peppery) green tomatoes accenting the more traditional heirlooms.

At this point, I would point out that these appetizers were too much along with the bread for the three of us - the portions of both salads were immense, and we were just getting to the good stuff.

At its core La Madia is a fancy pizzeria. We ordered three types: taleggio with roasted vin santo grapes; 'Triple pepperoni' with truffle oil (a strangely excellent mix of flavors balanced by fresh basil); and a housemade fennel sausage with mozzarella.

All of the pizzas had superb flavors and toppings. While the crust was a little, well, crusty for my tastes (not as salty/soft as I prefer), my dining companions thought it was just about perfect.


I complement the chef on his selection of such unorthodox combinations of toppings, cheeses and spices - the flavors explode in your mouth and are really unique and tasty.

Check it out, try some new wines - but save room for the pizza, no matter how tempting the appetizers all look!

Chicago 2008: Duchamp

I had the opportunity to sample Michael Taus' new spot, Duchamp, in the old Meritage space in Bucktown/Wicker Park. On this first visit, my dining companions were two newlyweds celebrating their return to fine Chicago cuisine from their honeymoon, so we sampled a range of the items from the menu.

The intimate space is laid out with communal tables, and the decor is warm and modern at the same time. Small candles and dishes of various types of salt line the tables, lending to a subdued but convivial atmosphere.

The wine list was interesting, with a selection of affordable wines from every corner of the globe. We ordered a wine none of us had ever tried before at our server's suggestion, a 2004 Saint Emilion, Chateau des Laurets. The wine was good with earthy undertones, and relatively inexpensive.

We started with a lobster & mushroom pizza, which was a tasty, thin crust and flavorful mushrooms and sauce.

For a main dish, I had the bouillabaisse, which was decent, with a light browth including bok choy and mushroom, and generous portions of sea bass, mussels and rock shrimp.

The newlyweds tried the pork shoulder and the "steak and eggs". The pork was served with a puttanesca sauce, and lacked flavor - tasting a bit like wet tomatoes. The Duchamp version of "Steak & Eggs" was excellent, with grilled skirt steak and a parmesan–smoked bacon quiche & roasted shallot sauce

A fun new spot with solid, savory dishes that are perfect as Chicago's cold weather blows in.....

Paris 2008: Le Pre Catelan

While Frederic Anton's Le Pre Catelan is a bit hard to find (at least the taxi drivers claim), nestled in the middle of the Bois de Boulogne (a la The Boathouse in Central Park), it is well worth the search. Once you arrive at this fine set of mansions buried in the park, the staff quickly whisks you into a set of uniquely-styled rooms (I dined in the art deco parlor room) to begin what will undoubtably be one of your more memorable dining experiences.

Several dedicated waitstaff hovered helpfully (i.e., not too intrusively) around the table, helping make such critical selections as type of water, butter and wine.

While the salted butter doesn't top the rich Normandy crafted slab at Taillevent, the experience and food compared favorably to that perennial favorite of mine. To start, the approachable and direct wine master helped me to choose a half bottle of Puligny Montrachet to start (guided me to the 2005 for a clean and subtle white to start the meal) and was then quite patient as I hemmed and hawed before choosing a rich Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 1990 to go with the main course, which was a bit tart but very good.

I would describe the meal as traditional French with flair; not going so far as the experimental cuisine that is avante garde these days, but sticking to 'versions' of classic, rich French cuisine.

An amuse of onion cream with pea soup was served neatly in a saucer shortly after my wine order(s) were placed. The onion flavor was very soft, and the pea pronounced. This amuse was a wonderful initiation, and, as I would later realize, it was highlighting two ingredients that would span throughout the meal; across various dishes, the chef sought to use fresh ingredients and maintain a consistent theme of the season.

My dining partner was kind enough to split both appetizers and entrees with me, so I was able to get an even deeper sense of the menu the chef sought to create.

For appetizers, we chose the "La Langoustine" and the house special "L'Os a Moelle". Both were superb in form, creativity and execution. A stunning set of courses.

The four large prawns were each served separately, in four dishes with four tastes and preparations. The first was in a ravioli with mint foam and cracked pepper; then "hot stone" grilled (and left on the searing hot stone on the table); a tempura with a spicy chili sauce that evoked the best dim sum houses in the world, and a liquefied romaine salad which balanced the chilies; and finally and baked with broccoli foam (which seemed almost 'plain' after the other three, but was indeed delicious and perfectly cooked).

The L'Os a Moelle was a triumph and coalesced many of the themes the chef was trying to evoke that evening. Three large bones, each half the length of the last, arranged in a bouquet. The tallest and widest bone full of rich, warm marrow, served with a small side dish of sea salt to melt the flavors into the palate. The other two bones, with some marrow gravy, we chock full of spring peas and chanterelles, both fresh and nicely paired against the richness of the marrow.

After this grand display, the balance of the meal seemed 'normal', but in fact continued as a highly stylized exercise of the best French cuisine has to offer.

We chose two rich specialties of the house: the pigeon and the sweetbreads. Despite the warning by the waiter that the chef's pigeon, the specialty of the season, might be too 'gamey' for mere Americans, I took the plunge and was not disappointed.

The pigeon arrived in two courses; the first was a top a crusty, long sliced baguette, with morsels of breast meat pasted down by a rich foie gras 'dome' covering the dish. The head, neck and leg of the pigeon were also presented, with the head split and the brain left in, sauteed for dining pleasure, all surrounded by a single, long macaroni with a paint of spring pea puree. The dish outwardly appeared gamey and adventurous, but was a good reflection of a French peasant delicacy. The second course of pigeon arrived in a silver domed bowl; two succulent pieces of breast meat, cooked medium rare, in a broth of truffles and (again) spring peas. This was topped off with a pigeon meat ravioli.

My dining companion chose the sweetbreads (which she had never tried, and I applaud her enthusiasm for this new experience). These were served in three decadent ways: a generous portion (think a large crab cake) fried with parmesan (almost seemed American!), another large slice fried with mushrooms, and a set of small 'bites' with celeriac puree (my favorite). Overall, two exciting and sinfully rich courses.

But it didn't end there, of course. A monstrous cheese platter (perhaps 20 selections) was wheeled to the table. We loosened our belts and selected a Comte, a Camberet, a Monbier, and an Essbier. Great to a one, and served as a good accompaniment to finish off the wine.

For dessert, we asked for guidance of the house, and were admonished to quickly order the "best souffle in Paris". We also selected an espresso cake (just to make certain we could write a complete assessment of the restaurant).

As I imagined a warm souffle perfectly prepared, the sommelier selected two dessert drinks, a Vieux Rivesaltes, Recolte '74 and a more recent vintage Chateau Coutet, Sauternes.

When a large, glassy-looking apple arrived topped with silver foil alongside the molten cold chocolate and espresso ice cream tower in a clear, thin sugar glass, I expressed confusion. However, this delicate green sphere certainly was the "best souffle in Paris". A cold, citrus souffle in the sugar apple hid even more surprises: similar to the more edgy Homaru Cantu dishes, the chef had included a pastry bottom laden with "pop rocks" providing a fun and unique end to a fabulous meal.
All I can hope for is that I am able to find this oasis in the park on my next trip to Paris.

Chicago 2008: graham elliot

In the gutted space that was once home to my first real fine dining experience (the sadly passed Harvest), a new modern foodie paradise has sprung up. Ranking top among the Summer 2008 new arrivals on the Chicago scene, the cool, rough hewn interior of graham elliot (after the chef, Graham Elliot Bowles) is as refreshing as the lemons and limes framing the room. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are showcased simply in frames in lieu of art, and elicits an immediate wonder and anticipation of the meal. Don't go here if you, like so many poor souls, have an irrational fear of citrus - or if you don't dig music a bit too loud during dinner - as these are critical elements of the laid-back ambiance of the dining room.

The service was very attentive and the servers quite pleasant, clad in jeans and black tees for a more casual feel, but still getting the hang of things (as expected in a new restaurant).

As the occasion was a going away dinner, we were anxious to try the much ballyhooed (no, I don't really know what that word means) wine list. There is a good selection of value-priced bottles and glasses, well laid-out in order to allow the uninitiated to pair wines by food type. However, the reserve list for the more savvy wine enthusiast is lacking; limited list and only newer vintages. All said, we had a wonderful bottle of champagne (Rose Laurent Perrier) to start and a decent Neyers 'Ames', Napa Cab '05 (which was too young to drink, but very tasty).

After several great suggestions from our waiter, the food began rolling out. Replacing the traditional bread and butter on the table was a fresh bowl of popcorn with a savory tomato and cheddar flavoring. For starters, our table tried a range of salads and hot appetizers, including heirloom beets served with a whipped goat cheese; a "non-traditional" caesar salad served with "twinkie" croutons (a toasted brioche filled with liquid cheese); well-cooked scallops with peas and a carrot yogurt sauce; and an amazing truffle gnocchi.

The fish entrees we sampled were good, but not great. The Hawaiian Wahoo and the BLT Salmon were both well-prepared but overly strong on flavorings. The chocolate brownie dessert was an excellent finish to the meal.

New York 2008: Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Tarrytown)

Tucked into the beautiful preserve of the Rockefeller Estate in Westchester County, Stone Barns is a working farm in a carefully manicured setting. When arriving at the Blue Hill restaurant, which occupies one side of the sprawling stone barn compound, your mood is set by the sight, sound and smell of this largely organic cornucopia of natural ingredients from which chef Dan Barber picks his nightly menu.

Blue Hill is wildly popular not only with the denizens of the wealthy Manhattan suburbs in which it resides, but also legions of young, hipster foodies who trek to the rural setting of Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills (just outside Tarrytown) to sample the fresh and unique tasting menus.

So, be prepared to make a reservation far in advance and wait a bit for your seating. That said, strolling the grounds and absorbing the natural scents of the farm, or retiring to the cozy bar area set with rustic furniture just outside the converted dairy barn which is the main restaurant to enjoy with a signature cocktail helps alleviate any stress born of the frenzy of the host stand. The one major complaint I had about the evening, however, was the achingly slow service in the bar area; inattentive servers made waiting for one of the bartender's inventive seasonal fruit and herb based cocktails a tad uncomfortable.

This was, happily diametrically, opposed to the service in the modernized barn that we were led to shortly after our appointed time. Greeted by an efficient waitstaff, each with an area of speciality, our journey into a rather unique tasting menu began. The creative menu layout (no courses proffered in the two tasting menus, just a broad list of farm-fresh ingredients) allows one to specify things that might be off-limits (for example, our party had a woman infected with that pregnancy thing that seems to be going around, so several of the more adventurous fish and cheese ingredients were no-nos). Of more importance and unique to this dining experience versus other "tasting menu" spots, they asked which of the ingredients listed that we might like better than others. Kind of a tasting menu that is completely customized to the customer. Finally, after guidance is solicited to help the chef create a perfect tasting for you, there are two other courses that can be added to the five or eight course menu - a charcuterie and a cheese course. Both were excellent and true to the organic, local farm spirit of the menu.

In addition to the novel take on a tasting menu, Blue Hill has a solid wine list, including a few unique and older wines. The sommelier is very knowledgeable (but prone to peacocking, he needs direction or will give you the full history of every wine, vintner and vintage on the list with equal enthusiasm) and the list is clearly his creation and the wines on it are sacrosanct. We enjoyed a very nice White Burgundy to begin, a 2004 Domaine JM Boillot (Puligny-Montrachet) which had a light, mineraly taste with just a scent of grass, followed by a truly special 1976 Rioja from Vina Bosconia Cosecha, which could have passed for a Grand Cru Burgundy or even a light, well-aged Bordeaux.

In addition to the rather unique menu concept of personalization of fresh ingredients, the dishes themselves further informed the talent of the chef and the connection to the land.

We began our march with a few well concocted amuse courses, including a tomato and cherry water gazpacho served with fresh peas (in the pod); asparagus "pops" with pancetta and fried sesame: and spring pea "burgers" w/ light mint mashed into a sweet mini bun. The final amuse was a razor-thin disc of "pork face" bacon, crisp and served standing on edge in a slotted wooden board.

The breads (of which I consumed far too much) were simple but perfected; country-style bread slices served with a farm-made butter and little dishes of salts (celery, asparagus) to self season.

The aforementioned charcuterie plate was a great mix of fine meats, well done toasted bread. Truly craft copa, bologna and pate were a great harbinger of the meal to come.

The dishes that followed did not disappoint: delicate Bonita sashimi with pickled rhubrab; an unspellable (by me right now) Chinese vegetable that was a combination of Bok Choy and something more leafy with a hint of pepper in the stalks, wilted with morels and a soft-boiled egg; Blue Hills Pork (Belly, Boudin Blanc and Loin), with fava beans (just a bit undercooked on belly, but a tremendously flavorful Loin). The (unanimously voted) star of the evening, however, was the Ricotta Ravioli. The house-made Ricotta was of the perfect consistency, temperature and flavor: sweet and salty at once on the tongue. Ensconced in a hand-prepared, al dente ravioli shell, and served with nettles (they really are edible), peas and royal trumpet mushrooms. I have to mention further the peas - they were so fresh and well (lightly) cooked that they were reminiscent of caviar "popping" on the palate, a truly well put together dish.

Our memorable evening ended with the cheese plate (a nice selection from organic farms around the country), a cherry and elderflower sorbet, and strawberries and cream merengue with goat cheese ice cream.

In summary, the dishes were uniformly well-executed and presented; the waitstaff was helpful and knowledgeable but not intrusive; the venue is truly special. A very worthwhile trek to suburbia, even for those who frequent the best the Big Apple has to offer - and perhaps, upon reflection, why the bar service mimicks a New York hotspot's practiced ignoring of the guests - to help ease big city folk into this little slice of gourmet in the country.

The experience ranks this restaurant in the Cress_Travel top 10. I must thank my suburban friends for dragging me to this amazing spot late on a summer's eve.

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.