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Restaurant Files: An Ultimate Dining Experience
As a food and wine lover, I know I can’t complain about the lack of great dining experiences. But great doesn’t necessarily mean memorable. I will give you a few minutes to reflect, but seriously, how many dining experiences have stuck in your memory? How many of those experiences were memorable because of the food and wine pairing?
I’m sure you know where I’m heading with this preamble. During my last trip to Sweden, I actually experienced the unique greatness of the food and wine singing together in perfect harmony – and I have to share that with you.
As was going on a business trip to Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden, a friend who was already there sent me a restaurant recommendation which he got locally from someone – SK Mat & Människor. I quickly looked at the website, which portrayed a very attractive image, saw that a reservation would be required and quickly made one, as my free time was very limited.
The day before, I decided to check the menu (I like coming to the restaurant prepared if possible) and discovered that the restaurant doesn’t have a menu per se – the restaurant offers two tasting menus with local seasonal ingredients – one with 4 courses and one with 6. The only other information was the required time – a 4-course dinner takes 2 hours, and a 6-course takes at least 2 and a half. Well, it is fun to be surprised, isn’t it?
Upon arrival we were quickly escorted to our table and presented with the printed menus that still didn’t provide much details – 2 tasting menus with available matching wine pairings – that’s it. We decided that 4 courses sounded good enough and let the magic begin.
Chefs at work
We were explained that everything at the restaurant is seasonal, locally made and procured. The restaurant has 3 open kitchens, one for cold appetizers, one for warm appetizers and entrees, and one for bread and desserts – yes, fresh bread is made at the restaurant.
The bread arrived first, a little basket with 3 types of bread, and butter which is also made daily at the restaurant, from fresh milk. Also, our first wine was poured – André Lurton Chateau Bonnet Réserve Bordeaux (Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon), perfectly refreshing as a starter. Next, our first appetizer was presented at a table.
Here lies a problem with how much I can really share with you. The purpose of the dinner was to enjoy it, not to take detailed notes for the blog. I had no printed menu, and each dish was briefly presented by the chef, including all ingredients, spices, and cooking techniques – all within 30 seconds or so. I don’t know about you, but my memory definitely has its limits. Thus my descriptions will be lacking…
The first dish was a fish – I believe haddock (local, of course). I don’t remember any of the spices and condiments, but – the appetizer was brought to the table with a little bowl of grilled tomato broth (yep), and each one of our bowls received two tablespoons of such broth. The appetizer was very tasty and worked well with the wine.
The next wine was the 2020 Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Collection Chenin Blanc Franschhoek Valley South Africa. The wine had a beautiful, concentrated nose, and very good textural presence on the palate, something that good Chenin Blanc can usually deliver.
A warm appetizer was served with this dish – I guess it could be called a confit of artichoke – the artichoke was slowly cooked for a very long time, then deep fried and served with some effervescent cream. The dish was delicious, and pairing with the Chenin Blanc was excellent, with wine complementing and elevating every bite.
The choice of next wine was a bit surprising for me – 2021 Oakridge Over the Shoulder Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia. Of course, Australia produces Pinot Noir – but I would definitely look at other regions first if I would want to serve my guests Pinot Noir. The wine was tasty on its own, with a nice nose of smoke, plums, and violets and a firm texture on the palate, definitely on the tart side.
Just look at this color…
Seeing Pinot Noir I was guessing that our main course will be either duck or lamb. To my surprise, we were served local Swedish beef, prepared with celeriac (root of celery) three ways – as a purée, as a spice, and in some other form (sorry, see the note about my memorization skills above), served with the wine reduction sauce. And I don’t know how, but in this dish, taking a bite of food with a sip of that Pinot Noir was akin to some dark magic – remember the restaurant scene in “When Harry Met Sally”? Yeah, that type. Just magic.
Over wine pairing for dessert was essentially a dessert in itself – 2022 Prunotto Asti Spumante DOCG from Italy. The wine was beautiful, pleasantly sweet but with perfect acidity and light fizz, delicious on its own.
Our dessert was a combination of herbal sorbet and local Swedish strawberries. The sorbet was barely sweet and delightful, but taken with a sip of Asti Spumante … OMG (yeah, laugh all you want)… We both agreed that this was truly a “heaven on earth” type of experience… An amazing finish to an amazing meal.
Believe it or not, this dinner took a little bit more than two hours, and the flow of wine and food was such that we didn’t notice how the time had passed. Absolutely different experience compared to an average restaurant visit, where you look at the watch when the bill arrives and realize that you barely spent 50 minutes…
Here you are, my friends. If your travel will take you to Gothenburg, I can’t recommend SK Mat & Människor any higher. Visit, and you will understand.
Restaurant Files: 360 Experience – Çka ka Qëllu in Stamford, Connecticut
Wow, it’s been over 4 years since I posted about the restaurant visit on these pages. “Restaurant files” used to be a regular feature on this blog, and yesterday’s restaurant experience offered a perfect opportunity to bring it back, so here we are.
Think about your restaurant visits. Sometimes, we love the food, but the wine list is not up to snuff, and the cocktails are just bland and tasteless. Sometimes, the food and wine are amazing, but you can’t stand the ambiance (this was my case recently while visiting Firefly in Las Vegas – one of my favorite restaurants, just moved to the new location, and the food became even better while I actively despised the decor). Sometimes, all is great, but not the service. Some other times, all is good, but the experience simply can’t cost that much.
And then there are those where everything works, delivering that wonderful feeling of a great, memorable experience. I took the liberty to call such a situation a 360 experience – an all-around happy experience.
I was interested in visiting this new restaurant in Stamford, Çka ka Qëllu, for a while. The restaurant offers Albanian cuisine which I’m not familiar with. And it is not only food – the wine list also contains a couple of Albanian wines. I never had Albanian wines, so I’m obviously curious – and it is also an opportunity to add a checkmark to my collection of wines around the world. Last but not least is the fact that the restaurant participates in Marriott’s Eat Around Town program – who can say no to the bonus points?
The moment we walked into the restaurant, we were instantly transported to different place and different time. I remember walking in the center of Tokyo, along a wide, modern street, wondering what restaurant my host is taking me to. We took a turn under the bridge, and we instantly traveled probably 400 years back, to the old place where food was cooked by the open fire in the tiny stores, and dining tables were rustic, eternal wooden benches. At the Çka ka Qëllu, I had exactly the same feeling – we traveled to medieval Europe, just 3 miles away from our house. All the decor, the tunnel leading to the kitchen, the old clock on the wall… The whole time we were at the restaurant, I kept looking for more of the unique tiny details.
First, the drinks. Out of the long list of craft cocktails, my wife went for the Strawberry Margarita, which was absolutely delightful – very reasonable sweetness and a pop of fresh strawberries. I knew that I wanted to try an Albanian wine – I didn’t see it offered by the glass, but when I asked our waiter if I can get a glass of Albanian white wine, the answer was “of course”. I was honestly not expecting much, but the very first whiff of the glass of the 2019 Stone Castle Chardonnay Reserve Rahoveci Valley Kosovo brought me to the happy land. This was beautiful, classic Chardonnay, with vanilla, apples, a hint of perfectly integrated butter notes with honey – as classic as Chardonnay gets.
We ordered a few appetizers – Pepper Dip, Mantia (veal-stuffed small fried dumplings), and Burek (a pastry with cheese or meat, we ordered cheese). The appetizers showed up with two loaves of fresh bread which I’m sure is made at a restaurant. That bread was absolutely delicious and was perfect with the pepper dip. As a bonus, the flavor of the cheese the pepper dip was made with was reminiscent of the famous Georgian Khachapuri. The dumplings were delicious too. Burek was served with two sauces – a sweet pepper relish and another one reminiscent of the fresh buttermilk – not sure what it was, but very tasty.
For the main course, my wife decided on Qofte (traditional Albanian grilled veal meatballs marined with onions, crushed red pepper & herbs) – delicious is not even a sufficient word that can describe the flavor profile. I’ve chosen Fasul (soup style traditional dish with simmering white beans, and onions, slowly cooked in meat). I love white beans in any form, and by description, the dish was reminiscent of my beloved French Cassoulet, so I decided on this entree as soon as I saw it on the menu. I made the right choice – the dish was served in a small clay vessel and this dish was a pure comfort on the plate – delicious to the smallest, tiniest little morsel.
Traveling through space and time with Çka ka Qëllu made for a great Friday evening – a true 360, all-around experience (I didn’t mention the service that was timely, attentive, and friendly), just a few minutes away from our house. If you are living in Stamford or nearby, Çka ka Qëllu is definitely a place to visit. And you can thank me later – but don’t feel obliged.
We will definitely be back. Cheers!
An Open Letter To The Wine Lover Visiting Prague
How often do you have regrets in your life? For how long do they last?
Not a simple question to answer, right? When you don’t listen to your wife and don’t wear a scarf on a cold and windy day, this will be a very short-living regret – I’m sure you will happily make the same mistake in a week. If you ignore a friend’s request to join him in the startup, and then 2 years later startup make a $1B exit – this is the regret you might have to live with for the rest of your life.
Once you become a passionate blogger, almost everything you see and experience becomes an opportunity for the new post, especially if the experience is a great one. You quickly start imagining that post in your head, you literally feel the happiness you would feel once the blog post is out. Then life gets the way, and 3 months later, you still remember that you wanted to write this post. 6 months, 10 months, a year – every time you start a new post, the regret of unfinished work gets to you first. Then the feeling becomes numb, and you finally forget.
I was looking for a bottle to open, and you know how it gets – not now, later, not ready, need a company – a ton of decisions to make regarding every single bottle. I finally decided on the bottle of 2013 Salabka Tes Yeux Neronet from the Czech Republic. After the very first sip, the happy smile came. Next came the crushing regret – I never wrote long thought though and thoroughly enjoyed, in the head, post about an amazing time we had at Salabka winery, top-notch dinner, and amazing wines. I was remembering about this for more than a year, and still never wrote it – and one sip of this Neronet wine brought all this back – the happy memory of our time in Prague and the regret of not fulfilling my own plans.
Most of the people would associate Prague and Czech Republic overall with beer. And those people would be right – kind of. Yes, the beer in Prague is an absolute standout. I’m not a beer guy, and yet I would happily drink beer in Prague at any occasion. But wine is a big deal there either. In the Moravia region alone there are more than 1,200 small, artisan, often moms and pops, producers. The wines there are made both from indigenous and international varieties, and the winemaking history goes back thousand years – I wrote about Czech wines in the past, you can find that post here.
In 2017, I was lucky to spend more than 2 weeks in Prague as I had two back to back events there. The city of Prague is absolutely amazing, boasting history on every corner – I shared some of my favorite highlights here. We also had a lot of amazing restaurant experiences, and some of them I shared here – but I let the brightest highlight, the visit to Salabka winery, to become a regret. And one sip of that Neronet wine forced me to say nope, not happening. Of course, it is not the same as writing about the experience while every sensation is fresh and vibrant. But I still have the pictures, so never mind the 3 years – I will still be able to share the experience with you.
Salabka is a city winery, located right in the middle of Prague, on the right bank of Vltava River. The vineyard is about 11 acres, and the winery produces about 10,000 bottles every year, with a full focus on the quality. There are only two red grapes grown at the winery – Pinot Noir and Neronet, local indigenous variety, and quite a few whites (Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Scheurebe, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay). Every bottle of wine produced at Salabka has a picture of the vineyard on the back label, also with an indication of the exact parcel where the particular grapes were growing.
Salabka is more than just a winery – they also have apartments for rent on the property, and most importantly, a restaurant that specializes in modern cuisine – including the molecular gastronomy.
Considering that our visit took place three years ago, I can’t give you a detailed account of the dishes – but I have pictures which clearly show the creative cuisine we were able to experience.
We started with the tour of the vineyards and the cellars, with a glass of delicious Chardonnay in hand, seeing bud breaks on the vines and beautiful views of the red roofs of Prague.
Then we had a tasting dinner, with all dishes paired with different wines, with foam and other molecular gastronomy elements being present almost in every dish. 2007 Salabka Le Diamant Blanc de Blancs was excellent, and I can still remember 2016 Salabka La Coquine Chardonnay with its Chablis-like gunflint and apple flavor (La Coqine Chardonnay was wine number 12 on my 2017 Top Wines list). I liked both wines so much that I even had to bring them back home, together with the red, made out of the Neronet grape.
It was that 2013 Salabka Tes Yeux Neronet wine which prompted this post. One sip of this peppery, acidic, herbs forward wine instantly brought back the memory of that trip. One sip of this wine instantly transports you to the old cellar, where wine was made, spilled, and stored for hundreds year – any oenophile can close their eyes and easily imagine themselves in such a cellar. The time and space travel machine is not invented yet, but properly made wine can easily replace it, and this Neronet certainly did.
So here it is, wine lovers. If you will be visiting Prague, remember that delicious wines are waiting for you. And if you are looking for a pleasure-filled evening, Salabka might be just the place. Cheers!
Restaurant Files: Comfort and Classy Italian – Bar Zepoli In Stamford, Connecticut
Comfort Italian food? Oh, yes! Italian immigrants played a big role in creating the USA as we know it, so it is not surprising that Italian food is one of the most popular here – and yes, more often than not, it falls in the category of “comfort food”. For example, pasta and meatballs – isn’t that just a different way to spell “comfort”? Or how about pizza? Or anything with mozzarella, the word which non-Italians can’t even pronounce in a tasty way (it is “mozzarell” to you!), wouldn’t copious amounts of mozzarella make any dish a comforting one?
Can the food be comforting and classy at the same time? Why not? There are many ways to add a classy element to the comfort dish – presentation might be the simplest one. Or you can just add a tasty cocktail or a glass of wine to the same dish, and all of a sudden you have the next level of experience.
Bar Zepoli has one of the most central restaurant locations in Stamford, right in a middle of the “restaurant district” if Stamford would ever designate one. The restaurant is technically located inside the Marriott Courtyard hotel, but it is easily accessible right from the street without the need to navigate the maze of the hotel and its self-focused guests. Once you walk inside, dark paneling and dim lighting quickly get to you to quickly install “yep, this is comfortable” mood.
As usual, we started with the cocktails. The Pear Bears Margarita (Reposado Tequila, Pear Syrup, Honey Triple Sec, Cinnamon sugar rim) was good, maybe a bit too sweet for my taste. The KGB Will Wait For No One (Apple-infused Vodka, Muddled Cranberries, Ginger Simple Syrup, Ginger Beer and Cider) – I just had to try the wine with such a name. It was again a bit on a sweeter side, but quite tasty nevertheless. The wine list is small but offers a good variety, including some of the “local” selection, such as few wines from the Finger Lakes region.
We started our dinner with a set of appetizers.
Eggplant Rollatini (eggplant cutlets, ricotta, Grana Padano) had excellent seasoning, perfectly executed dish. Zepoli Chicken Wings (classic buffalo, roasted garlic, Parmesan) were delicious, done at the level when you want to lick your fingers after you eat one; let’s not forget an excellent, classy presentation. Marinated Beef Tips (24 hour marinated beef tips, smoked pepper aioli) were literally surprising, as cooking the beef to such a level of tenderness is not easy – excellent, tender beef, melt in your mouth dish.
Our next comfort group included Pizza and Pasta. Margherita (San Marzano tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella) was very good; Roasted Butternut Squash (Sage, red onion, kale, mozzarella) not only was tasty, but it was very unique – when was the last time you had a pizza with roasted eggplant on it? This was definitely a first for me. Zepoli Ravioli (whipped ricotta filling, wild mushroom cream, topped with arugula and crispy pancetta) were excellent, rich and generous; Cavatelli (broccoli rabe, sausage, roasted fennel, marinara) was also tasty, and one of my favorites – pasta with sausage is one of my favorite ways to eat pasta.
We closed the main part of our dinner with two of the entrées. Herb Roasted Chicken (free range chicken, red bliss potatoes, baby carrots, peas, pan jus) – spectacular. Everyone who thinks it is easy to prepare a delicious, juicy, not dry and boring chicken is dead wrong – delicious, tasty chicken requires great skill. Bar Zepoli perfectly delivered the deliciousness in one composed dish. If this is not the comfort food, I don’t know what is. When it comes to Braised Short Rib (parsnip puree, sautéed kale, roasted potatoes), short rib might be my favorite cut and preparation of beef – this dish was outstanding, fork tender and flavorful.
Sugar is definitely an element of the comfort. Dessert, anyone? Raspberry Tart (fresh strawberry, caramel sauce, raspberry coulis) was very good, not too sweet. Chocolate Polenta Tart (vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, fresh raspberry) was definitely unique – never had polenta-based sweet dishes before. Cheese Cake Crème Brulee (creamy cheesecake, caramelized sugar, marinated strawberry, whipped cream) was again another unique cake, combining two of the classics – Cheesecake and Creme Brulee. last but not least, Cinnamon Zeppole (Italian donuts tossed in cinnamon sugar, with side raspberry sauce) was a perfect finishing note to an excellent dinner.
What are your favorite comfort Italian dishes? Cheers!
Restaurant Files: Eat Well On The Go and Not – Station House in Port Chester, New York
If we think of the US history, this country was largely developed around and with the railroad infrastructure. The fortunes were built and the country flourished with the advancement of railroads, the ability to transport both people and cargo. The trains powered the first industrial revolution in the US, changing the idea for what is possible and making the country a lot smaller.
Today, the situation is quite different. The plane and the car are definitely the preferred means of conquering the distance in the USA. Of course, the tracks and trains didn’t disappear from the land, but unlike Europe and Asia, passenger trains in the USA are mostly the short haul, helping to offload transportation grid of the large metropolitan cities, without providing much of a meaningful alternative to the plane and the car for any long distance travel.
Okay, after this long intro, let’s go back to the core of this blog – food and wine. Only today, we are talking about food on the go. No matter how and how far you are traveling, you have to be able to eat. Train station, airport, rest area along the highway – ability to find a bite on the go, and preferably a tasty bite, is a key to the happy travel. Of course, safely and timely arriving from point A to point B is a whole substance of the journey, and it is the most essential part – but think about your own travel experience – are you happier when hungry or when well fed? Yeah, I thought so.
When it comes to the food on the go, airports in the USA definitely trumpet the train stations (the only exception might be Grand Central Terminal in New York, which offers a great range of fine dining options, even though United Terminal C at Newark airport might give Grand Central a fight for the supremacy). However, there is one important difference between the train stations and the airports – no matter how amazing the airport food is, it is strictly available “on the go” – you need to be flying somewhere to have a boarding pass in your hand to reach that coveted restaurant, like United Classified. However, you don’t need to be going anywhere (or you might be) to have a great meal at the train station’s restaurant. Case in point – Station House restaurant in Port Chester, New York.
As the name says it, the restaurant is situated in the old Station house at the Port Chester train station (if you are not a commuter, your only challenge might be parking – but this shouldn’t stop you from having a good meal). Once inside, you will find a modern restaurant well placed in somewhat of a nostalgic setting:
We had a dinner at the Station House a while ago, and had an opportunity to taste through a variety of dishes, which will suit you well whether you are truly on the go and want to grab a pizza to shorten your ride, or you are arriving after a long day at work and need to feed the family, or even if you are not going anywhere and simply looking for a quiet dinner in an unpretentious atmosphere.
Assuming you got some time, how about starting your evening with a cocktail? We had New Haven Bound (Tito’s Vodka, Blackberries, Strawberries, Lemon, Soda) which was tangy and refreshing; Hop on Board (Vodka, Honey, IPA, Lemon) was light and crisp. You can start with the cocktails and continue with beer and wine – the restaurant offers a good selection in both categories to perfectly supplement the casual fare.
We had a few appetizers to start. Blue Point Oysters were, well, delicious – what else can you expect from the fresh oysters. Summer Asparagus (Farro, Feta, Tomato, Dijon Vinaigrette) was excellent, with asparagus been snappy and crunchy (overcooked asparagus is a big no-no in my book). Charred Baby Bell Peppers (Basil Sea Salt) were good, Homemade Whipped Ricotta (Honey Herbs, EVOO, Toast Points) was tasty, a good flavor combination.
We continued with Coal-Fired Wings Thyme & Lemon (Sea Salt, Caramelized Onions) – love caramelized onions on anything, and it was a very nice addition to the well-cooked wings. Mama’s Meatballs (Marinara, Provolone, Parsley) were fork-tender and well seasoned; Baked Mac & Cheese (Four Cheese, Béchamel, Bread Crumbs) was homey and comforting.
Every restaurant should have their “specialty”. For Station House, it is the Coal-Fired pizza.
For the regular (tomato-sauce based) pizza, we tried Classic Pepperoni (Tomato, Mozz, Pepperoni), which was excellent, and Clam & Bacon (Littleneck Clams, Parmesan, Garlic Oil, Chili Flakes, Parsley) which was perfectly garlicky (love garlic!). Two of the white pizza were also very tasty, Four Cheese (Fresh Mozz, Herb Ricotta, Fontina, Parmesan, Garlic, Herbs) and Sweet & Spicy (Fried Onion, Cherry Peppers, Fontina, Honey, Provolone), which was, as suggested, deliciously spicy (I find it personally very important that the “advertisement” would match the “content”).
Do you think we left without the dessert? Of course not! Cannoli offered a perfect finish to the casual and comforting meal.
There you are my friends – on the go and not, you can always find a delicious bite by the tracks. Do you have your own train station food standouts? Cheers!
Japanese Cuisine Beyond Sushi – Experience Fresh Energy of Kashi in Stamford, Connecticut
What is the first association you get when you hear “Japanese restaurant” or “Japanese cuisine”? If you say “Sushi”, this, of course, would be a good answer, but keep in mind that if you will visit Japan, sushi will not be the first food option you will find – ramen, chicken, pork, or veggies would be more readily available (and cheaper).
I don’t know if you are contemplating a visit to Japan (you really should!), but even if you are, this post will not help you to get ready. Instead, I would like to tell you where you can experience Japanese cuisine well beyond sushi – how about Kashi Japanese restaurant, located in downtown Stamford, Connecticut?
Kashi means “fresh energy” in Japanese, and this is what you get at the restaurant. Beyond the eclectic decor, there is creative, off the beaten pass Japanese cuisine, offering literally the “tapas”-style dining with lots of unique dishes. As usual, we need to talk about drinks first before we will get to the food.
As expected in the Japanese restaurant, the wine list includes a good selection of sake. Truth be told, I’m not really a sake connoisseur, but one of my favorites is sparkling sake. The restaurant had a few to offer – Ozeki Hana Awaka Sparkling Sake, and Ozeki Hana Fuga Peach Sparkling Sake. Both were tasty, with my slight preference toward Ozeki Hana Awaka as it was more complex. I also had Cucumber Saketini, which was an ultra-dry cocktail, and then we shared Scorpion Bowl (Vodka, Gin, Rum, Fresh Fruit) – great presentation for sure, and most reminiscent of sangria taste-wise. The restaurant also offers a number of wines, but I decided to stay with the cocktails and sparkling sake for the rest of the evening.
I hope you are not ultra-hungry, as there is a lot of food coming. We had an opportunity to experience a wide range of dishes, many of them coming from the Seasonal Special Menu. We started with Grilled Fresh Octopus (seasonal vegetable, piquillo pepper in yuzu kosho pepper sauce), which was well cooked (always appreciated with the octopus) and very tasty. Kashi Tacos (Tacos with pork, cajun, shrimp, corn, onion, avocado, cilantro & wasabi sour cream) was a great play on a classic Mexican dish, offering a nice amount of heat. Bone Marrow (Teriyaki glazed roasted bone marrow, salt, garlic, shichimi powder, ikura teriyaki sauce) is not something you get to eat every day. The dish was definitely interesting and unusual. I like the way it was served with the toast. If you like roasted bone marrow, this one was expertly done.
We continued with the Double Wrap (Soy paper wrap with spicy lobster salad, shitake, salmon, mango chili; naruto cucumber wrap with spicy tuna, yuzu Squirt), a sushi-like dish without any rice – great texture, excellent dish, very nice kick of spices. This was followed by the Grilled Lobster (grilled seaweed, cheese lobster, chili sauce) – expertly cooked lobster, very creative dish, then Seared Yellowtail (seared yellowtail, cucumber, celery, tuiles, yuzu, kosho gel and yuzu dashi sauce), which was nicely done, and then a surprising Avocado Tempura (spicy tuna topping, yuzu dressing) – I know avocado is everywhere nowadays, and I love it, but this was my first experience with avocado tempura, definitely unusual.
Thai Basil Chicken (wok sauteed chicken, mushrooms, onion, carrot, fresh basil, chili paste, sweet basil sauce) was homey and tasty, a “comfort food” type. It was followed with two of the Kashi Signature Rolls – Volcano (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, cucumber, topped with tuna, salmon, served with sriracha & spicy kabayaki aioli) – nice and spicy, and Deep Blue Sea (Blue crab, avocado, shrimp, mango, topped with seared spicy tuna and spicy eel sauce) – delicious fresh fish undertones. To complete the sushi experience, we had Sushi and Sashimi for 1 (5 pcs sushi, 15 pcs sashimi 7 spicy tuna roll) – very good.
We finished our main course with Blue Crab Fried Rice, which was delicious (another comfort food), and Shrimp and Angus Steak Hibachi – who doesn’t like well-cooked hibachi offerings?
Not every Japanese restaurant offers a dessert menu, but Kashi does. We had an opportunity to taste Yuzu Cheesecake, which was an interesting rendition of the classic dish, as well as Green (Macha) Tiramisu, which was very well executed, with excellent texture and flavor combination.
Here you go, my friends – if you want to experience Japanese cuisine beyond sushi, Kashi might be just the place. And if you be visiting, drop me a line – I will be happy to join you. Cheers!
CLASSIFIED Brunch
How many emails do you get per day? I would safely bet that we all get at least 50 emails per day (don’t laugh too hard out there, please – of course, it is on a slow, really slow day).
The real question is – how many of those emails do you open? Speaking for myself, I delete at least 90% of all the emails after just glancing at the subject line and the source. For the rest, I would open them to read at least the first couple of lines and then decide what to do with it. Okay, bear with me, please – it all will make sense in a second.
I’m a frequent flyer with United, so of course, I get emails from them. Most of those emails are deleted right after reading the subject line (sorry, United). When I received the email from United with the subject line “Your invitation to CLASSIFIED”, the mouse pointer quickly advanced toward the “delete” symbol. However, something prompted me to open the email and read through at least a few lines.
The email was inviting me to experience the new secret (!) restaurant in the Newark airport, called CLASSIFIED. Secret restaurant? In Newark? I fly from that airport all the time, and I know of all the restaurants there, I never saw anything called “CLASSIFIED”. “It must be a scam” my thought continued as my hand was directing the pointer towards the big X. Again, something prompted me to stop and do a bit of a research on the internet – and it appeared that yes, there is a secret (semi-secret) restaurant in the Newark airport, which a number of people already visited and wrote about.
I was still puzzled as to what was the criteria for United to send me this invitation – I don’t have such a high status with them – I struggle to make to the “gold” every year, I’m not a million miles flyer, it was really a puzzle. But hey, I’m a foodie, so if you tell me “new restaurant”, “unusual experience” – you definitely got my ear.
So once you are invited, you need to make a reservation. I had to wait a bit to find a good occasion to make a reservation, as I wouldn’t want to come much earlier to the airport if I don’t have to, and if we are talking about the “experience”, I need to allow the sufficient time for a restaurant visit. The opportunity presented itself as I was connecting in Newark and had 5 hours to kill between my flights this past Saturday. I logged into United with my invitation, got to the restaurant website, and after browsing the menus, made the reservation for Saturday brunch. I got the confirmation email which stated the following:
When you arrive at the airport, please make your way to Saison, a restaurant located in Terminal C near Gate C120. After you let the host know that you’re dining at CLASSIFIED, you’ll be escorted to a private entrance and seated at your table.
After arriving at the Newark airport on a beautiful day
I did exactly as I was told, and was quickly escorted to an indiscreet section of the wall in the far back corner of the Saison restaurant, which simply happened to be a door. After a short walk in the dimly lit corridor, I entered the small dining room – the CLASSIFIED restaurant.
As I got situated at my table, my excitement started dissipating as soon as I saw the familiar iPad screens, used for food ordering everywhere throughout Terminal C. The waiter confirmed my suspicion when he asked if I know how to use those iPads, which I confirmed with the sigh. Considering that food at CLASSIFIED is priced at the level of New York’s fine dining establishments, I was expecting the real menu. Oh well, the iPad ordering it is.
Just to set your expectations right, this was the last “low-down” I experienced during the brunch.
First, the Rosé arrived – the Juliette Rosé from Provence, which was delicious, perfect acidity, slightly bigger body than a typical Provence Rosé with a touch of residual sugar – very enjoyable, and a great value at $11. It even arrived with a little extra, courtesy of the restaurant.
The next surprise was the appearance of the Amuse Bouche – a White Bean and Tomato Bisque, which was superb – good texture, nice and warming, good seasoning – really a great start.
Then my main brunch dish arrived – Salmon Eggs Benedict with Home Fried Potatoes and the side of Chanterelle Mushrooms:
The eggs Benedict were cooked perfectly – runny yolk, delicious hollandaise with just the right amount of acidity, generous amount of smoked salmon – one of the very best I ever had. Home fried potatoes with some fried onions were outstanding. And chanterelles… I really have no comments – simply outstanding, just the right amount of seasoning, just the right crunch, a mushroom orgasm on the plate (hope you can relate). 
I was too full to have any dessert, but still, the little box appeared on the table, containing a set of chocolates. Yet another nice touch, which all together, one little detail after another, adds up to what we call “the experience”. A fine dining experience at the Newark airport. Thank you, United, for making flying something you can look forward to.
Note to self – sometimes, it makes sense to read the emails. Cheers!
Restaurant Files: Smoke, Fire, and Spice, and Everything is Nice – at Bobby Q’s in Norwalk, Connecticut
I love food – well, of course, this is not a secret. Let me refine that. I love good food. That would be a much more precise statement (duh, who doesn’t). Same as with the wine, where I can never name my favorite grape or wine, I can’t tell you what my favorite food is. Except for that one type – good food. Good food is what I love – will it be sushi, steak or vegan burger – as long as the food is tasty, it will be my favorite food of the moment.
And then there is barbecue. Is that my most favorite food? No, it is not – this is why I gave you the opening statement. But, nevertheless, I really appreciate good, tasty, smoky, spicy food. The barbecue (or BBQ, as it is often abbreviated) might be the only authentic American cuisine – okay, the Southern cuisine is, but BBQ is indelibly a quintessence of Southern cooking – whether it is Texas, Tennessee, Kansas, Georgia, or Alabama – the BBQ there is “it”. And on the East Coast of the US? Well, BBQ is popular, and many restaurants say that they do it – only to fail the actual taste test. This is why the visit to Bobby Q’s in Norwalk, Connecticut was so vibrantly refreshing.
Bobby Q’s restaurant had been around since 2004 – however, located in Westport, just a next town over from Norwalk. It won numerous accolades of “Best in Connecticut”, “Best in Fairfield County” and many other “bests”. But in 2016, the building it was in was sold, and the restaurant had to find a new home – which it did at the Waypointe District in downtown Norwalk, where it opened its doors last year.
Before we talk about food (have you had dinner yet? take a moment, go eat something first, will you?), let’s talk about the drinks. The drinks menu is heavily focused on the whiskey and bourbon (that’s what BBQ is typically calling for, right?), but also includes a good number of cocktails. I had Smoking Gun (Bulleit Bourbon, maple, black walnut & creole bitters, hickory smoke), which was tasty and very potent, first. Then I continued with Bramble On (Buffalo Trace, maple, lemon, blackberries, lime & rosemary) which was not too sweet (my pet peeve – don’t like sweet cocktails) and very refreshing. There is a limited number of wines on the drinks menu, but we decided to stay only with the cocktails for the evening.
We started our dinner with Spicy Brisket Hand Pie (Guacamole, chipotle aioli, empanada crust) – very tasty, and then Bobby Q’s Classic BBQ Nachos (crispy tortilla chips, pulled pork from the pit, jack and cheddar cheese), served in the ‘Q It Up Version (pit beans, sour cream, guacamole, house pickled jalapeño) – I love nachos, and I love loaded nachos even more – so this was Super-Loaded nachos dish, absolutely delicious (healthy? of course not!), with perfectly cooked pulled pork, perfectly flavorful, with pickled jalapeños, just yum. Wood-kissed Wings (Korean BBQ, Nashville Hot) were outstanding. Nashville Hot were my favorite, as I really appreciate the dry rub on the wings, and these were superb, with a good, but the very controlled amount of heat, and a perfect amount of smoke. Austin City Limits Flatbread (brisket, roasted poblano peppers, caramelized onion, gruyere, Big Rack Bold BBQ drizzle) finished our introductory course and was also very tasty.
Next, we had a Vegan/Vegetarian BBQ Sandwich (Jackfruit, coleslaw). I heard that cooked Jackfruit has the texture similar to the pulled pork – this was definitely the case here. Without cole slaw, this sandwich can be served as vegan, and the addition of coleslaw makes it vegetarian. Cue’bano Sandwich (pulled pork, smoked turkey, Swiss, pickles, caramelized onions with Carolina Mustard sauce, grilled sourdough) and The Colonel Sandwich (Fried chicken, pickles, jalapeno-bleu cheese slaw, hot sauce, bun) were both excellent. The Cue & Co Burger (Pimento cheese, tomato, arugula, bacon jam) was served with Fire Fries (Ghost Chili dust, Basin’ BBQ, jalapenos, habanero, chipotle mayo), which was one of my favorite dishes of the evening. The Fire Fries looked quite innocent, and at first, they even tasted like that. A few seconds later, the fire started – these fries are not called Fire Fries for nothing – 15 seconds later, the whole mouth was on fire, albeit delicious.
And now, the time has come for the main attraction – BBQ platter (house pickles), which included Beef Brisket, Beef Burnt Ends, St. Louis Ribs, Texas Pork Sausage, served with the sides of Mac & Cheese (sharp cheddar, smoked gouda), Yankee Corn Bread (maple bacon butter) and Pit Beans (molasses, burnt ends, finished in the pit) – I don’t even know where to start. Yankee corn bread – superb, Pit Beans – outstanding, with a delicious amount of smoke and excellent addition of meat. Brisket was tender, juicy and perfectly smoked. The ribs had dry rub and were excellent, burnt ends – in general, one of my all-time favorite BBQ foods, and this rendition didn’t disappoint at all; sausage was flavorful and had the perfect texture. Simply a great smoked food extravaganza.
Do you think we left without having a dessert? Think again! The Apple Cider Doughnuts (Vanilla Anglaise) were melting in your mouth, Banana Pudding (Ripe bananas, Nilla Wafers, melted butterscotch drizzle) was sublime, and Bacon-laced Ice Cream Sandwich (soft baked chocolate chip cookies, vanilla ice cream, bits of bacon)… Ice cream with the bacon. Do I need to say anything else? Yep, it was as good as you think it should be, and maybe even slightly better.
Here you are, my friends – an account of smoky, spicy and even fiery experience. If barbecue is your crave, Bobby Q’s is well worth a special trip – and you can thank me later. Cheers!
Restaurant Files: Art of Food And Wine at Domaine Hudson in Wilmington, Delaware
Almost for as long as this blog exists, and practically every year around this time, I confess my love of traditions. The reason it happens every year around August is rather simple – this is the time when we typically have our “Adults getaway” – a group of friends going away for a weekend of food, wine, and laughter, an insane amount of laughter.
We always spend time arranging for a special dinner – this year was not an exception. It took a bit of work, but after calling and emailing many places around our destination – Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square in Pennsylvania – we found the place which was willing to accommodate our group and seemed to offer good food and wine options. Typically we try to find the restaurant which will offer a tasting menu and allow us to bring our own wines. It does take a bit of effort to come up with wine pairings for the dishes we never tasted – but usually, we fare reasonably well at that exercise. This year, for a change, we found the restaurant which offered us a tasting menu – and paired all the dishes with wines, so all we needed to do is to come and enjoy (one would hope, at least).
It was not just the fully paired tasting menu which was different this time. Typically, when we select a restaurant, we go by Yelp ratings and close proximity to the place we are staying at. As we usually stay in small towns, the restaurants we find are more of a “local significance”. The story with Domaine Hudson is quite different as the restaurant has Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence. There are only about 1200 restaurants with this type of awards in the whole of the United States, so I hope you agree that it builds some level of expectations.
All the planning behind, and finally we arrived at the Domaine Hudson in Wilmington. Once we got situated, the dinner started with the “Chef’s Surprise” (the Amuse-bouche), which became a double-surprise. The first part of the surprise was in the fact that it was not expected, of course. But the second surprise was the dish itself – Deviled Eggs.
Okay, what can be surprising about the deviled eggs, you ask? You see, for people with Russain heritage, deviled eggs is a staple of the party, and I’m very, very particular to how this simple dish is executed. I had deviled eggs on multiple occasions in the restaurants, and don’t mean to offend anyone, but in the absolute majority of the cases the dish could be described simply as “blah”. Not here. At Domaine Hudson, this was one superb deviled eggs – the egg white was smoked, the filling was creamy and perfectly seasoned, and the smoked salmon on top gave the texture and completed the dish. The simply delicious beginning of the evening.
Before we continue, I have a confession to make. Every once in a while, you want to forget all your social media obligations (obsessions?) and just be a normal person on vacation – don’t take pictures, don’t take notes, don’t try to memorize the experience, just relax, have fun and enjoy the moment. This is what I honestly tried to do. I didn’t bring my SLR, I decided not to take any pictures, just enjoy the dinner and the company. After the first sip of wine and bite of food, which were both excellent, all good intentions went out of the window, and the need to “document the story” kicked in, more as an instinct, a muscle memory so to speak. But – I was left with only my cell phone (meaning – mediocre pictures), and any missed picture opportunities are just that – missed picture opportunities. Now, let’s get back to our dinner and the wine pairings.
Duck Liver Mousse (port wine aspic, pickled stone fruit, grilled bread)
Wine: 2015 Rubus Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi
Superb is a word. The mousse was delicious – texture, flavor combination with all the condiments – I finished the full ramekin by myself, couldn’t stop until the last morsel. The wine was excellent as well – nice raspberries profile, a touch of fresh fruit, not overbearing, but enough sweetness to perfectly complement the mousse. A successful pairing by all means.
Culver Farms Baby Greens (grilled corn, fennel, Marcona almonds, lemon aioli, Pecorino)
Wine: 2017 Gateway Vinho Verde DOC, Portugal
Another delicious dish. Fresh, simple, light, very summer-y, fun to eat with all the different crunch elements. Vinho Verde was fresh, grassy and lemony, just as you would expect, and it obviously played perfectly with the salad. Another successful pairing.
Ricotta Gnocchi (forest mushrooms, hazelnuts, summer truffle cream)
Wine: 2016 Domaine Cornu-Camus Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, France
I love mushrooms, so this dish definitely delivered that – great variety of mushrooms, a perfect textural addition of hazelnuts, truffle cream was very flavorful. The gnocchi, which were supposed to be the star of the dish were too dense, I would definitely prefer for them to be lighter and fluffier. Still, not the dish you can really complain about. The wine was fresh and young, red crunchy berries, great minerality, very firm and structured, with excellent acidity – an excellent young Burgundy. However, the pairing didn’t work. I guess the idea was to pair on the contrast, but that didn’t work for me. But – I definitely enjoyed the wine on its own.
Nordic Halibut (Fava beans, Holland leeks, forest mushrooms, lemon butter sauce)
Wine: 2015 Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay Arroyo Grande Valley
Crispy fish? Check. Fava beans? One of my personal favorites; check. Mushrooms? Check. You got all my happy ingredients, and they worked very well together. Chardonnay was spot on – varietally correct, just a touch of butter, vanilla, apples, fresh, well balanced with good acidity. And a successful pairing for sure.
Prime Holstein New York Strip (fingerling potatoes, Fois Gras butter, braised greens, red wine demi)
Wine: 2013 Three Wine Company Suscol Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Block 5 Napa Valley
Steak and Cab – need I say more? The steak was perfectly cooked, great flavor, juicy, good sauce – nothing else I can say – if you like steak, you would like this dish. But then the wine… This was easily the best Cabernet Sauvignon I tasted in a long time (bold statement for me, I know). This was in-your-face, juicy, powerful, super-extracted, luscious wine only California can produce – imagine having a ripe bunch of cassis in your hand, and just taking a full bite right there – cassis, blackberries, mint, eucalyptus, everything is there – but perfectly balanced, with good acidity and unquestionably dry – wow. I would never guess this wine had 15.3% ABV – it was just perfectly integrated. Bottom line – superb wine and excellent pairing.
Plum Gelato with Sugar Cookie
The meal should have a sweet ending, right? Excellent gelato, light, fresh, good flavor. A perfect finishing touch.
Let’s summarize the experience – in a word, outstanding. The food was very good, and the wine program was excellent, most of the pairings worked, so I have to say that the Best of Award of Excellence has a good merit, and it definitely makes sense to me.
Have you dined at the restaurant with similar distinctions? How was your experience? Cheers!
Restaurant Files: Flinders Lane – Visiting Australia in Stamford
For those of us who like to travel, why do we like it so much? More often than not, the travel itself is not fun – the stress of the airport, cramped planes with the seats getting narrower by the minute, airline food – it leaves lots to be desired. But once we arrive, it is the experience that makes all those travel troubles worth it – the culture, the people, food, wine – this is what we are looking for.
Visiting Australia is squarely on my “bucket list” – I’m sure one day I will be able to experience the culture. I had been drinking Australian wines for a long time – this doesn’t replace visiting the winery, but it is as close as it can get. When it comes to food, the only place in the USA which can be associated with Australia is a chain of Outback Steakhouse restaurants – they constantly run the ads on the TV, with supposedly an Australian-accented narration – this is as much of the Australian experience as you can get there (the voice in the ad might be the most authentic part of experience).
And then Flinders Lane Australian restaurant opened in Stamford. Of course, when I was invited to visit, I was excited – not as much as if it would be an actual country, but still. I would guess the name of the restaurant takes its roots from one of the oldest streets in Melbourne, Flinders Lane, which now hosts a variety of little shops and the restaurants.
What authentic Australian food should you expect to find at the Flinders Lane? I actually know very little about authentic Australian food, so let’s see: Kangaroo? Check. Vegemite (have you heard of it? I will explain later)? Check. That’s about all I know, so let’s just talk about our experience.
You have to start the evening with a cocktail, right? Well, even if you disagree, it is still right – and this is what we did. Fresh Grapefruit Mule (Absolut Elyx Vodka, Cucumber, Grapefruit, Lime, Bundaberg Ginger Beer) was very refreshing. Floral Cucumber Margarita (Blanco Tequila, Elderflower, Cucumber, Thai Chili Tincture, Lime, Agave) was different but equally refreshing. Limoncello Collins (Villa Massa Limoncello, Vodka, Lemon, Club Soda) – just look at that presentation, isn’t it too pretty to drink? Nicely lemony and very tasty overall.
If we are talking cocktails, we have to talk about the wines. The wine list is not very large, but diverse and versatile, with reasonable prices and a good selection of wines by the glass. I also was happy to see the Australian wines on the list (which is not common for the most of the restaurants, but hey – if not at Flinders Lane, the Australian restaurant, where else?). I had prior experience with Hewitson Baby Bush Mourvèdre, and this 2014 was outstanding – soft, round, supple, perfectly balanced – it was an excellent accompaniment to our dinner.
The dinner was divided into the courses, so here is what transpired:
Course 1
We started with Arancini (black garlic mayo, pecorino cheese), which were outstanding, very good texture and flavor. Pork Sausage Rolls (sambal mayo) was more of a traditional Australian style (at least this was my understanding), and a very tasty bite. And Heirloom Tomato, Burrata, Truffle Soy dressing was perfectly presented just for the single bite – and there are very, very few things which are more delicious than a combination of fresh burrata and heirloom tomato. Yum!
Course 2
Next, we had Tuna Tartare (soy mirin dressing, cucumber, plantain chip) – I’m extremely particular about my tuna tartare, and I have to honestly say that this was not bad, but not my favorite. Something was not matching in the flavor profile – for my palate, of course. Pork and Veal Meatballs (ricotta salata, grilled baguette) were delicious, crispy on the outside, but airy enough inside.
Course 3
Truth be told, scallops are probably my most favorite choice of protein. If there is a scallop dish on the menu, there is a very, very good chance that that would be the dish I would pick. Diver Scallops (cashew chili relish, hijiki) didn’t disappoint – perfectly cooked, perfectly spicy – very tasty. And then the Kangaroo salad (chili lime dressing, cilantro, crispy garlic) – my first taste of the kangaroo, lean and gamey taste profile, rather as expected, overall quite tasty.
Course 4
Branzino is another one of my favorites, and this Pan-seared Branzino (sesame ginger broth, bok choy) was excellent – delicious, great flavor combination, might be the tastiest dish of the whole dinner. Of course, you have to have the Australian lamb if you are visiting the Australian restaurant – Braised Lamb Gnocchi (tomato, pecorino) had a nice flavor, but very lamb-y in your face, which is generally not my thing, but overall this was not a bad dish.
Okay, now let’s talk Vegemite. First, the disclaimer – Vegemite was not a part of our dinner – this was something I knew as quite famous in Australia (not always in a good sense) and was very much interested in experiencing, so I asked Chef Brad Stewart if we will be able to try it, and he gladly obliged. If you are wondering what the heck is Vegemite, you can read about it here. It is a paste made from yeast, and it has an extremely (my opinion) pungent flavor. It plays somewhat of a role of peanut butter in the Australian school lunches, typically used a spread on a piece of bread or a toast. I made a mistake of not trying it with butter as it was offered to us, and I can tell you – it is not my thing. But – I tried it, that what matters! 🙂
Course 5 – Chef’s selection desserts
Do you think Australians eat dessert? Of course they do – and here what had an opportunity to try
We had Lamington (traditional Australian dessert), Sticky Date Pudding (another traditional Australian dessert and Chef Brad’s grandma’s recipe), Carrot Cake (Chef Brad mom’s recipe) and Pavlova – don’t ask me for individual notes, please – they were all one better than the other, absolutely delightful, and a great finish to our dinner.
Here you are, my friends, I hope I didn’t make you too hungry – while you are contemplating your trip to Australia, you can come to Flinders Lane here in Stamford to get a little taste of it now. No boarding pass required. Cheers!
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