Chicago 2010: "Bike & Brunch" - Demitasse

In a new series on my ever-evolving (or devolving given my rate of posts?) I am instituting a "bike and brunch" segment for local Chicagoans. I will endeavor to find new and interesting weekend brunch spots using only my bike and keen sense of both direction and smell.

The first location on this new initiative is Demitasse, a coffee shop/diner in the near south loop. I use "diner" with some reserve; the chef and baristas are craft in nature....nothing artificial or frozen here. It is really more of a coffee shop with a great kitchen. Fresh, finely chopped potatoes are sauteed in oil and served aside fresh baked "frittata" (really an unfolded omelet) with various ingredients. I opted for bacon, mushroom and cheddar and it was perfectly cooked and each bite bursting with ingredients. The side of "Italian-style toast" was also delicious - and unsurprising given the Taylor Street locale.

I am rather particular about my coffee, and another reason "diner" is an inappropriate moniker despite the black and white checked floor and the cliche booths and tables. They roast their beans in-house, and the house coffee mixture is dark and strong without being bitter. Importantly, it is also served in mugs that hold the heat and aren't too small or large - just right.

My dining and biking partner sampled the buttermilk pancakes, and while "not as good as Ina's", they were very tasty.

Bike there soon!

Note: American Express is not accepted (but hopefully will be soon).

Pittsburgh 2010: A Weekend in Steel City

This past weekend, a group of friends and I descended upon Pittsburgh to visit with two friends who had recently made this hilly land of steel makers and amphibious antarctic birds their home. Officially, the theme of the weekend was "how good it is to be with friends", but as my readers know, my own secret, unofficial theme was "where is the good food in Pittsburgh".

Separately, I had not eaten any meat for nearly a month (on a bet, not for religious or health reasons) and had been desirous of ending my stand-off with bovine, fowl and game with a "Pittsburgh Rare" (blackened outside, bloody center) steak. One might imagine my great surprise when, on the one night we were going out for a nice dinner, I discovered our hosts had booked a restaurant called "Umi". In my initial optimism, I thought that perhaps Umi was set in the picturesque vista of Mount Washington, overlooking the Allegheny or the Monongahela and was Native American for "cow".

Unfortunately, my cognitive dissonance did not pan out into a succulent piece of the Midwest's finest cattle. Umi, located within the hip strip of bars on Ellsworth in the Shadyside neighborhood, is what it truly sounds - a Japanese restaurant focused on sushi.

Despite my misgivings, our party of 13 was seated upstairs near the sushi bar following a few cocktails at neighboring Soba. Luckily, the group was all adventurous and opted to choose the Omakase menu compiled by Mr. Shu, the chef.

As we waited for our first course, we chose some bottles from the sake menu. While the menu was limited, there was a substantial range of choices. Over the next three hours, we sampled the setsugetsubijin junmai ginjo (good but buttery), chokaisan junmai daiginjo (good, with an anise flavor), rihaku nigori (unfiltered and solid), and an excellent yuki no bosha junmai ginjo.

We commenced the Omakase with a salmon, flash seared with sesame oil and sweet soy, which was excellent. Next came a rash of fluke sashimi, topped with a ponzu sauce and citrus, sprinkled with torachi. The yellowtail tartar, made with a touch of garlic, some wasabi and sume (sweet soy), was okay but not great. The fourth dish was an amazing creamy rock shrimp tempura (in the style of Nobu but with more spice). A buttery white tuna was next, and very good. We added a "special course" of Uni and Otoro - the Uni was okay and the Otoro good, but too heavily sauced. The "entree" course was a miso-glazed black cod with citrus sauce - a dense and flavorful piece fish. To end, we had a sashimi sampler, consisting of Otoro, red snapper, salmon, toro and spanish mackerel. We ended the night with a pleasant cashew dessert (which was okay) and a flight of ports and dessert wines. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the experience, particularly if you are looking for a non-steak opportunity in Pittsburghian dining.

Unfortunately for my readers, most of the rest of the long weekend's dining was done at private residences. We did have a good diner breakfast at the local chain Pamela's, which I would recommend for its prompt, unfussy service and greasy food. Note, however, that it is cash only and busy in the morning.

For late night dining, Ritter's seems to be the spot to head at least on the Shadyside/Pitt/CMU side of town. Ritter's serves up a wide array of fried and homestyle foods.

The ladies of the group had a nice light lunch at the Grandview Saloon (while the guys indulged in hot dogs and fries at the Pens / Flyers game, nothing of culinary note there).

We checked out the evening scene extensively over the long weekend, and would recommend both The Harris Grill and Spin on Ellsworth for higher-end cocktails, as well as Cappy's on Walnut for a more "college scene" (local beers and karaoke).

A real find of the weekend was The Inn on Negley, a charming B&B, conveniently located near our friends in Shadyside and steps from both the nicer nightclub/bar scene and the "Madison Avenue of Pittsburgh". Their staff was great, and the second B included real fresh baked breads (muffins, scones, etc) and both sweet and savory breakfast choices.

In summary, the entire weekend was a pleasant surprise culturally, and I would recommend Pittsburgh for both its cultural and sports opportunities, as well as a few gems of dining and nightlife.

Chicago 2010: cibo matto (The Wit)

I finally had the occasion to try the oft-recommended new Italian restaurant at The Wit hotel downtown. Set in a sleek space on the second floor, cibo matto evokes a modern feel, but the food is prepared with a centuries-old care reminiscent of the Italian countryside.

Rich wood floors are coupled with comfortable, modern banquettes and chairs in a very open space - crested with a mural overhead. There is also a very nice, versatile private room (glassed in) and a large communal table overlooking the chef's workspace, set next to an antique-looking glass salami and cheese case. The wine cellar is a high point - an architectural feel to a glass U-shaped 4,000 bottle end-of-dining-room cellar.

The impeccably-designed restaurant is also home to a staff of excellent servers and hosts. Well-versed in the menu, drinks and wine - very friendly and attentive.

There is a short but interesting cocktail menu to start your dinner experience - I tried the Monte Verdissima, a manly mixture of Maker's Mark, Green Chartreuse, Benedictine and some lemon juice, and was not disappointed.

The authentic Italian menu balances a mixture of imported and local ingredients and flavors. Given our dining party had some dietary restrictions, the seafood-heavy selections were welcomed, but there were plenty of carnivorous dishes as well.

The bread was surprisingly uninspired for an Italian haute cuisine spot, but the butter was well-salted and soft. For starters, I had the grilled octopus with squid ink, served with a hash of jicama, fava beans and parsley. The squid ink sauce was excellent, and the octopus was grilled to perfection.

For dinner, I had the bucatini with black pepper and carbonara sauce; the two quail eggs were cracked, raw, over the pasta table side and mixed with the fresh hot pasta. The sauce was delightful and the noodles prepared perfectly. We had a side dish of the cheese potatoes, but would not recommend them - too starchy and too light on the sauce.

The evening ended with a round of champagne and salt taffy, gratis in honor of one of our dinner partner's birthday. Overall, while there a few things that could be improved on the menu, it is an excellent venue with great service and fine Italian dining - a must try and good place to meet up downtown.

Chicago 2009: Nightwood

"Guys guys guys" to quote a friend - I am going to stop apologizing as an introduction to each post. I am not keeping up in an efficient way with the blog. I am, however, still eating quite healthily (well, not healthy eating but plenty of eating), so here we go with a few to the end the 2009 vintage of Cress_Travel.

The new spot Nightwood is attracting a diverse bohemian and foodie crowd to the Pilsen neighborhood. However, my arrival on a wet evening a few days before the winter solstice did not start well. There is no valet parking (which is de rigueur for Chicago restaurants). While typically this is not a problem for me, I atypically happened to be driving in from an appointment on the South Side this particular evening. The hostess told us there would be "ample on street parking", which was not the case. But $10 to the local burrito stand manager secured me a spot for 2 hours that was a mere 2 blocks away.

Feeling a bit flustered from the parking adventure, my dining companion and I approached the restaurant with a cautious gait. As we passed the large plate glass windows and saw a large crowd enjoying hearty dishes, further bolstered by a well structured outdoor area with a modernized fire pit (although the weather made it a but untenable that evening), our tune started to change.

The uber-hip waitstaff seated us and reviewed what is a very affordable and nice wine list as well as an inventive cocktail menu. My lady friend sipped on a "Campfire Sidecar" (which had a unique smoked pear flavor as its twist) as I selected a 2006 Burgundy (Xavier Monnot Clos de La Fussiere, Maranges Premier Cru) at the recommendation of the waiter, which was quite nice (light and paired well with the food).

The layout of the restaurant is very interesting - there is dining room seating, bar seating, a bar-style open kitchen seating area in back, and a separate wine room (in addition to the outdoor seating). The bathrooms are also done in a wholly different style (almost a Victorian house style - think a nicer version of the Violet Hour). We sat in the dining room, but I recommend the large open kitchen bar for diners wanting to get the full experience.

A unique bread basket for an evening fine dining establishment, homemade scones with a honey glaze flavor, were an unexpected change of pace to start.

The hand-written daily menu had a lot to choose from, and so we shared four dishes: two appetizers and two mains.

For starters, a well-flavored "torn" burrata (imported from Italy, not house-made) was paired with roasted pears and fennel and a fresh piece of baguette. The burrata itself was smooth and buttery and went well with the pear/fennel combination.

The second appetizer was an excellent ricotta gnocchi with roasted red peppers and cashew butter. The gnocchi was almost "springy" and had a rich red pepper taste (although not overwhelming as is sometimes the case), and the unique cashew butter "paste" was a real hit.

For the mains, we shared an innocuously titled "pork loin" and the duck breast.

To our delight, the pork loin actually was Flintstone-style - an enormous pork loin on the rib bone with a huge swath of belly attached. This was paired with fresh warmed beets and chopped olives. An amazing, eye-catching dish, but not one we could hope to finish without a small army.

The duck breast (while not as much of a shock-and-awe spectacle) had a great marinade, served with baked beans (with bacon of course) and cornbread, garnished with chopped celery and apple. The baked beans "taste right" and had a nice spice to them.

Overall, a fantastic meal but with one serving gaffe - the duck breast was nearly cold when it arrived (assume this was due to a mismatch on cooking time on the pork). So take a cab and try the chef's "bar" . . . or you will be behind the times as this trendy haven flourishes.

Hong Kong 2009: Lamma Island (Rainbow), Dragon-i

Back in Hong Kong for some meetings (business not pleasure this time) but had the occasion to try a few new spots whilst here. Have some downtime due to the time zone difference, so thought I would share (despite not being caught up on my many other drafts, I know).

One thing you must do in Hong Kong is experience the boating culture. Every day (and especially on the weekends) hundreds of brave junks and sailboats test their mettle in the beautiful harbor amidst one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

A popular destination is Lamma Island, a small fishing village on an island about 30 minutes from Central's public pier. Coasting off in a lazy junk on a sunny day is a great experience, and arriving and open-air restaurants abutting the floating fisherman's huts is doubly so. The fresh fish of every variety sits in tanks waiting for your order. Rainbow (two restaurants on the small cove's boardwalk of probably six total restaurants) seems to be the most popular; it also has a dedicated ferry if you aren't up to renting your own junk. Try the fried calamari, large slices fresh fried in a good batter; the prawns, prepared a variety of ways; and of course the whole fish, served with vegetables and easy to eat - they have "mostly" deboned it for you.

For a markedly different experience, try the nightclub-cum-restaurant Dragon-i just above Lan Kwai Fong in Central. With both indoor and outdoor dining, the "all you can eat Dim Sum" lunch, at about USD$20 per person, is a good value and an amazing alternative to fast food. The service is swift, and the dishes seems to start arriving as soon as your ordr them. Not a buffet-type all-you-can-eat, this is a fresh cooked (steamed, fried or seared depending on the chosen dumplings) option for you to experience good authentic dim sum gluttony. I would say it does not measure up to the Princess Garden in London or Luk Yu Tea House (just a few blocks away from Dragon-i, I think I noted in my last journal from Hong Kong) in pure quality, but has a good "scene" and is definitely an acceptable option for authentic cuisine lovers.

Corfu 2009: Part 1

As I gaze out upon the Albanian coast from my perch in a private villa I have secured for a week's holiday in the mountains of Northeastern Corfu, I reflect on the volumes of unpublished posts that await my avid followers and shudder. This is the first meaningful break I have taken since my sojourn in Hong Kong at the turn of the year (and from which, quite painfully still have a few notable unpublished notes pending). Fear not, gentle reader! This holiday is one of pure relaxation, and should give me ample time to do some much-needed catch-up.

But before I get to that, let's talk Greece. I have spent time in Athens, hiked the Vikos Gorge and Mount Olympus in my younger years, but had never experienced the Greek Isles before Monday.

In the weakened economy, my gal and I decided to take a vacation of extended length to capitalize on the cheap flights and unreserved rooms across the globe. But why Corfu?, one might ask. This isle known for its wide range of visitors; from the backpacking denizens of the Pink Palace to the private-jet arrivals of British Royals and Russian Oligarchs? Does it hold culinary and travel delights away from the cheesy tourist scene of Corfu Town, over populated with Pizza Hut and "real Greek and English food" combo cafeteria?

The answer is a simple "yes" but requires a bit more work. In my search for a luxurious yet affordable ("ITE") spot, I read a review of The Rou Estate (www.rouestate.co.uk - apologies for the lack of imbedded link but trying, for the sake of efficient posting for those thirsty for my modest suggestions, to use this new-fangled iPhone). This little village, reclaimed from the Greek wilderness by some budding entrepreneurs, consists of 10 restored stone villas, formerly the residences of a forgotten mountain town, complete with a town square, a granary (now a massage parlour) and a pool at the precipice of the mountain face (well, okay, that's new). Each of the villas (ranging from 2 - 4 bedrooms all with ensuite bathrooms) is beautifully restored, matching cool stone walls/floors and the smaller doorways/windows of the old homestead with Miele ranges/dishwashers and modern cabinetry and bathroom fixtures. Each villa has its own plunge pool (also new) with a spectacular view of the mountainside, the ocean and the mountainous Albanian coast.

What you won't find: a concierge, bellmen, roomservice, etc. A maid comes once daily, and upon arrival your fridge and hamper will be fully stocked with several bottles of (quite nice) local wines, feta cheese, ham, fresh bread, local olive oil & vinegar, as well as some more "western" goods (chips, cookies, crackers). There is also a few sets of dried pasta and enough produce to make a passable putanesca sauce and finish with local fruits for dessert.

This all makes you feel much more like you are returning to your private home in a small mountain community than going to a vacation villa. I would note that the drive through the mountains can be quite harrowing, on a "mostly unmade" set of switchbacks up from the main road, but once you arrive you feel like you have come to a truly unique, special home.

More on dining, boating and shopping in this area to come. Stay tuned.

Virginia Beach 2009: 456 Fish

A brief update on a nice fish spot I found in my recent travels as I work to slog through my seemingly unending backlog of posts to put out there.

I had travelled to Norfolk, Virginia for an event on an aircraft carrier, which was pretty cool, but the food left something to be desired, so we retired to the trendy block of Norfolk that sports a number of new restaurants and clubs.

We entered the clean, classic interior of 456 Fish (thus named for its address at 456 Granby Street) to, well, have some good fish.

The hour was late but luckily Norfolk seems to have a bit of a late evening scene, so the kitchen was open until 11pm. The restaurant's decor was reminiscent of an older club-style lounge, evoking a newly redo art deco steakhouse more than a well-recommended fish joint.

The short wine list was quite well done, with something for everyone - a good variety of all varietals and regions. We settled on a white (for the fish) despite my protestation that we should opt for a lighter red, but I was overruled. The '07 Flora Springs Soliloquy did the job quite nicely, however.

I opted for the Lobster Spring Rolls, which were tasty and more like egg rolls, with a lot of cabbage and some other vegetables stuffed in with the morsels of lobster. They were a good portion and served with a decent sweet and sour dipping sauce with chili flakes.

I also sampled the Fried Calamari, which lived up to the "award winning" moniker on the menu. Done with corn meal and lightly fried, served with a pesto mayonnaise and a marinara sauce, these two appetizers were both very good ways to start our late night meal.

At the recommendation of the waiter, I chose the Grouper for my main (the special that evening). This dish reminded me why I do like white fish - it was meaty, light flavored and served over plantains and sauteed spinach. An Italian-style tomato sauce complemented the subtle flavor of the fish nicely.

Overall, when we left the restaurant we were very pleased, and although it was late felt very well-served. A prime place to try in this up and coming section of the city.