Featured Dish: SHO’s Three Day Short Rib

The Gluttoness — October 27, 2009

Three Day Short Rib with Hazelnut and Cranberry Crust and Parsnip Purée. Left, short rib, about to be plated. Right, Shaun Hergatt at work.

It has been a while since I checked in with Chef Shaun Hergatt. Since I first waxed-poetic about SHO (view) it gained a star in the 2010 Michelin guide, was cited in Esquire’s 20 Best New Restaurants of 2009 and received an unofficial 29 rating in the 2010 Zagat guide. High time to visit the chef.

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AlwaysLearning: Are Critics Important?

The Gluttoness — October 08, 2009

From left: Danny Meyer, Lee Schrager, Mimi Sheraton, Jean-Luc Naret, Jean-Georges and Kate Krader.

On Tuesday, in honor of the 2010 New York City Michelin Guide, Danny Meyer, Lee Schrager, Mimi Sheraton, Jean-Luc Naret (director of the Michelin Guide), Jean-Georges and Kate Krader gathered at the Borders in the Time Warner Center for a discussion about the state of restaurant criticism. Moderator Mike Colameco’s first question didn’t mince words: do critics matter?

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AlwaysTraveling: El Bulli (Roses, Spain‎)

Jeff Zalaznick — June 16, 2009

In honor of tonight’s late opening of El Bulli (it usually opens in April) I thought it appropriate to publish my meal of July 24th, last year (above, Sea Anemone 2008). I do not know why it has taken me so long to share this, but for some reason I needed to let it marinate for a bit.

History:

For the unitiated, El Bulli overlooks the Cala Montjoi Bay in Roses on the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain, and unbelievably, was founded as a minigolf installation in 1961 by a German couple who named it for their French bulldogs (a breed known colloquially as bulli). The year 1964 saw the restaurant’s first incarnation, which won its first Michelin star in 1976 with Chef Jean-Louis Neichel, and its second (1990) and third (1997) stars with Ferran Adrià, who started there in 1984 and took the helm in 1987. At last count, El Bulli employed more than 40 chefs and is a temple of molecular gastronomy . El Bulli has been judged the world’s best restaurant a record five times (2002 & 2006-2009).

My Thoughts:

1) El Bulli makes you feel better about yourself as a person and proud of yourself as an eater.

At El Bulli, you feel incredible about yourself. You have made it. You are holding court in the king’s castle. The culinary holy grail (above, Razor Clam / Laurencia). It is a totally surreal experience. Euphoria seizes your grip on reality. Finally, you can walk with your head held high amongst the culinary elite. You get to truly savor this feeling because as one of the eight thousand (out of two million) who will get to eat there this summer, there is no rush. I sat down at 7pm and finished well after 1am. We then sat on the terrace (a must) for a few hours— that’s an eight-hour meal. In order to truly appreciate this, one needs to be an experienced eater. It makes all the hard work worth it.

2) The El Bulli team is incredible.

The swagger and exclusivity that you would think would come with the territory is non-existent. Upon arrival, you are greeted graciously by Juli Soler (Chef Ferran Adrià‘s partner in crime) but so casually that you feel as if you made the reservation on OpenTable a few hours before, not as if you had been trying for years of your life (above, Water Lily).

3) I understand why El Bulli is considered the best restaurant in the world.

El Bulli was not the best meal of my life. But it was the most interesting, and food-wise, the most intense. It totally blurred the lines between what was edible and what was art. It humbles dining experts, as it makes you realize that there are still so many gastronomic boundaries to be explored and broken.

Everything at El Bulli is fun. Everything is perfect in its own way. This is exactly what is so impressive: the El Bulli Way is different. In this oversaturated food world, where trends take control and dishes start to seem similar, it is so seldom that we actually find something or someone who is doing it truly in their own way. That is why El Bulli is so special. They do it their way. And, their way is fantastic.

4) You got to have friends.

Losing my El Bulli virginity was a team effort by way of a wonderful marriage between my closest friend Zach Aarons and Camilla Gale. Had Zach not had the foresight to ask Camilla to be his wife, I would have never been asked to Provence for the engagement party. Had I never been asked to Provence, had Zach not had the good fortune to get a reservation and had someone not dropped out, then I would still be living the shameful existence that is never having been to El Bulli. Zach, good choice.

Honestly though, I was truly honored to be a part of this historic meal between the Gale and Aarons families, and I cannot thank both of you enough for including me. Now, the question is, where are we going this summer?

Overview:

Restaurant: Restaurante El Bulli
Address: Cala Montjoi, Ap. 30 17480, Roses, Girona, Spain‎ (view map)
Rating: *** (Michelin)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A+
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Parmesan “Air”, Hot & Cold Pea Soup, Spherical Olives, Sea Anemones, Rabbit Brains – menu changes constantly though so just go with it

Click here to see the entire El Bulli meal, in order, Dish by Dish >>

Dish by Dish: L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Jeff Zalaznick — May 18, 2009

Les Burgers
Beef & Foie Gras Burgers with Caramelized Bell Peppers

It seemed as if I had missed the work of Chef Joël Robuchon when he closed, Jamin, his small, three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. I had never been. The food became something that I dreamed about, his famous mashed potatoes, purée de pommes de terre, haunted me in my sleep. Lucky enough, my prayers were answered, and six years after retiring, Robuchon’s L’Ateliers began popping up. First in Tokyo, then Paris, Las Vegas, and finally at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.

They could not have found a better home for L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The bar at the Four Seasons has always been a power drinking scene, but it had never really had the food to go with it. A Michelin-rated restaurant where one can order Asian and French influenced cuisine from one of the world’s most renowned French chefs seemed to fit the bill. As the location will reinforce though, this restaurant blurs the distinction between bar and restaurant, just as it does between bar food and fancy french. Over half of the menu is offered as small plates, including a game-changing rendition of sliders topped with seared foie gras (pictured above). This dish could be interpreted as a symbol for the restaurant as a whole.

The remarkable presentations, ingredients and flavors of Chef Joël Robuchon’s cuisine consistently impress, and since they opened in 2006, there is no question that L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is one of New York’s best restaurants. It is what it’s supposed to be—excellent— and it does what it’s supposed to do: fine dining with out the fancy. It could be that you can sit at one of the twenty bar seats and watch Robuchon-protegé and genius in his own right, Yosuke Suga at work, or it might be that you can order an entire meal as tapas, but either way it is incredibly successful at making you feel comfortable eating foie gras in your jeans. And everyone is served a dish of mashed potatoes alongside the meal.

The world has gained more Ateliers (London and Hong Kong) since, and there is another one planned to open in Philadelphia in 2010. If you have one in your city, and enough money in your wallet, go there now.

Signature Small Plates: Les Burgers (Sliders), L’Anguille (Caramelized Eel Layered with Smoked Foie Gras), Le Calamar (Sautéed Squid with Violet Artichokes & Chorizo in Tomato Water)

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AlwaysTraveling: Bouchon (Napa, CA)

Jeff Zalaznick — April 29, 2009

Chef Thomas Keller’s Napa Valley homage to the Lyon bistros for which it is named is more casual and accessible than his famed nearby restaurant, The French Laundry. Inside this red-brick Yountville restaurant just off the St. Helena Highway you’ll find classic brasserie fare like Steak Frites, Roast Chicken, Mussels with French Fries, Croque Madame and Boudin Blanc. Keller’s precise yet modern takes on these dishes have garnered Bouchon a Michelin star and made it a destination of its own. Its success has led the chef to open a Bouchon in Las Vegas, and plan a third, the last one scheduled to open in Beverly Hills later this year. This is Thomas Keller, so the dishes are beautifully presented and while moderately priced, are not exactly cheap. Of course, any meal at Bouchon would be incomplete without sampling something (read: the famous Macarons) from the Bouchon Bakery.

Restaurant: Bouchon
Address: 6534 Washington St, Yountville, CA, 94599 (view map)
Rating: * (Michelin 2007 and 2008)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Moules au Safran, Poulet aux Petit Pois à la Française

Tartare de Saumon
Salmon Tartare with Chopped Egg, Onions and Capers

Salade d’Homard et Gésiers de Canard
Maine Lobster Salad with Duck Gizzard Confit, Frizée, Arugula, Poached Cherries and Foie Gras Vinaigrette

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AlwaysTraveling: Troisgros (Roanne, France)

Jeff Zalaznick — March 25, 2009

In 1930, Jean-Baptiste Troisgros and his wife bought a small hotel in Roanne, an hour northwest of Lyon, and began a culinary legacy. In the 1970s it was passed to their children, brothers, Jean and Pierre, who, along with Paul Bocuse, pioneered the nouvelle cuisine of the times. La Maison is now in the very capable hands of Pierre’s son, Michel Troisgros and his wife, Marie-Pierre, a decorator who has handled much of the restaurant’s recent redesign. Chef Michel has brought an international touch to the fresh local ingredients that have long been a signature of the restaurant. He is also known for having a penchant for bittersweet and acidic flavors. The year 2008 marked 40 consecutive years of La Maison Troisgros being awarded 3 Michelin stars.

From high end interpretations of frog’s legs and fried chicken, to incredible renditions of monkfish and salmon, this meal was, without question, one of the Top 5 overall eating experiences that I have experienced in my life.

Restaurant: La Maison Troisgros
Location: Roanne, France
Rating: *** (Michelin), #25 (World’s Best Restaurants List)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A+
Signature Dishes: L’Escalope de Saumon a l’Oseille, Recette Originelle (de 1965) (Escalope of Salmon with Sorrel, Original 1965 Recipe)
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Lotte aux Cepes Croustillants, Beurre aux Capres (Monkfish with Crispy Cepes, Sage Butter)

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Always Traveling: Paul Bocuse (Lyon, France)

Jeff Zalaznick — March 09, 2009

Paul Bocuse is not the easiest restaurant to find, but once you get it in your sights there is no way to miss this garish edifice. Bocuse has consistently maintained a prestigious 3-star Michelin rating since it opened in 1965, and as one of the first prominent public culinary icons, this chef’s legendary restaurant seemed like a logical starting point for our journey.

Restaurant: Paul Bocuse
Rating: *** (Michelin), #71 (World’s Best Restaurants List)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B-
Signature Dishes: Soupe aux Truffes Noires V.G.E (Black Truffle Soup), Volaille de Bresse en Vessie “Mére Fillioux” (Bresse Chicken cooked inside a Pig’s Bladder)
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Salade de Homard du Maine a la Parisienne (Parisian Lobster Salad) & Turbot au Champagne (Turbot in a Champagne Sauce)

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Menus Made Simple: Bouley

February 05, 2009

Crosnes: (aka Chinese/Japanese Artichokes or Chorogi) small, white potato-like tubers with marble-sized sections that increase in size towards the middle; they grow like potatoes but resemble sunchokes; named after a town in France where they were first raised; most of the flavor resides in the skin
Wild King Salmon with Morels, Crosnes, Morel Purée, Fava Beans A la Plancha, Naval Orange Powder & Clementine Glaze

Yellowfoot Chantarelles: grown along the coasts of Oregon and California because of their love of moisture; they have yellow stems and are considered winter mushrooms; pairs great with wild game because of its fruity, plum aroma
Pennsylvania All-Natural Chicken with a Ravioli of Chicken Confit, Yellow Foot Chanterelles & Chicken Hazelnut Sauce

Pruneaux D’agen: name-protected by the European Union, Agen prunes are the dried fruit of the Ente plum tree that grows in the Aquitaine region of France.
Seared New York State Foie Gras with Pruneaux D’agen & Apple-Rosemary Purée

Cavaillon Melon: named from the town in France they originated and now being grown worldwide, the best ones come from France and are smaller than a grapefruit with bright orange flesh and smooth pale yellowish skin with green rinds; the melons are grown from seeds and must be inspected to be labeled “Cavaillon”; increased heaviness and a sweet, intoxicating aroma are indications of ripeness; best enjoyed in July & August
Braised Hawaiian Yellowtail with Cavaillon Melon, Hon-Shimeji Mushrooms and an Aromatic Ginger Sauce

Hon-Shimeji Mushroom: edible mushrooms native to East Asia that are difficult to cultivate so cultivation methods have been patented by several groups and the resulting mushrooms are available through manufacturers; similar to porcini and truffles, these type of mushrooms are bitter when raw but upon cooking become firm with a slight nutty-flavor
Braised Hawaiian Yellowtail with Cavaillon Melon, Hon-Shimeji Mushrooms and an Aromatic Ginger Sauce

Click Here to Decipher Dinner Entrees & Desserts >>

AlwaysTraveling: Arola (Barcelona, Spain)

The Gluttoness — January 15, 2009

Sergi Arola is like the David Chang of Barcelona. This young, handsome chef achieved rock-star status after being awarded two Michelin Stars for his work at La Broche in Madrid. Catalan-born Arola trained at the famed El Bulli, yet he abandoned the technicality of molecular gastronomy when it came time to break out on his own. Located in the insanely impressive Hotel Arts, Arola’s signature restaurant aims to reinvent Spanish tapas without losing their basic integrity.

After a week of traditional Spanish meals at Cal Pep, Taller de Tapas and Tapac 24, it was amazing to see how Chef Arola has elevated even the simplest small plates into true examples of fine dining at its best. For a most-inventive beginning, crisped bread, roasted grape tomatoes, fresh garlic, olive oil and sea salt are brought to the table for a do-it-yourself Pan con Tomate. Arola’s upscale Patatas Bravas are acclaimed for their rich flavor and nipple-like appearance—hollowed barrels of fried potato are filled with a spicy tomato sauce and topped with an always present garlic aioli.

Served in a modern atmosphere with an in-house DJ playing hip tunes for a beautiful crowd, Arola’s creative cuisine has solidified this hot spot as one of Barcelona’s premiere dining destinations.