Barton G - Restaurant Week

 

 

 

 

 

As I mentioned before, Restaurant is a good time for me to check out a restaurant that I might not otherwise go to.  I saw note of Barton G when it opened and noticed that it also had locations in Miami and Beverly Hills, I am not a huge fan of chain restaurants and with the other locations, my thought was that it would be an over-priced and flashy place that was more about being seen than the food or drink.  I won't deny that a place to be seen at frequently has good food, but they frequently attract people who are more interested in who is there than what is on their plate.  A look at their menu before restaurant week provided me more evidence of that idea.  While it did have several strikes against it in my head, I had seen pictures and thought it would be interesting, at least to see and their participation in Chicago Restaurant gave me an opportunity to check it out.  When I arrived, I noticed that it was located in the former Sullivan's Steakhouse and the first thing that I noticed when I came to the host's table was a wall of wooden monkeys similar to those used in the game, Barrel of Monkeys.  I could see the whimsy continuing as I looked around the dining room as I was being led to me seat.  There were large wooden gorillas with suspenders sitting on a divider between two banquettes, the hanging lighting across the bar from me was in the form of trapeze artists, and there was a wall of orchids.  I sat down and saw that my napkin was laid atop my menu.  It was folded in the form of a bath robe/lounge jacket. I saw that the place would be pleasure to view, even if the food turned out unimpressive and I was excited for the experience.

 

 

Looking at the cocktail menu, I saw that there cocktails were very expensive and some used liquid Nitrogen. I was a little put off looking at the prices of the drinks, I figured though, that since I was here, I should try to get as much of the restaurant experience as I could, so a drink would be included.  I happened to see a drink called a Howard Hughes which looked very like an Aviation.  As Howard Hughes founded Hughes Aviation, it made sense, but I also thought (cynically) that it was so expensive that only a billionaire like Hughes would order it.  I was shocked, surprised, and amused, when my drink arrived because it was served in a very large holder that was formed like a large Art Deco Airplane (with the glass holding the drink on top).  When it arrived, it was steaming after being chilled with liquid Nitrogen and I was instructed not to try to drink it until it stopped steaming.  I am a chemist that works with Liquid Nitrogen occasionally, so I know that it's at about -320°F.  This would not be exceptionally pleasant to drink, so I held off.  The drink was still a bit frozen when I took it out of it's holder though.  An Aviation is Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Creme de Violette, and Lime, frequently with a Maraschino Cherry garnish.  The Howard Hughes was made with Pear-infused Gin, Maraschino, Creme de Violette, and Lemon garnished with a Marasca Cherry and frozen with Liquid Nitrogen.  It was essentially an Aviation, it was cold, and it was pretty good.  The presentation was outrageous and pretty cool and I was glad I spent the money for it.

For my appetizer, I went with the Popcorn Shrimp.  I like Popcorn Shrimp, but after my cocktail, I had no idea what to expect.  What I did not expect was to be brought an entire movie-style pocorn maker (with popcorn).  In the popcorn maker was a steel dish  with Popcorn and a paper cone with Popcorn Shrimp on the top and more Popcorn on the bottom.  It was served with Honey Sriracha Sauce and Chili Aioli.  The shrimp was very tender was very tender and flavorful with a light coating, and were very good on their own, but the sauces did complement them well, giving a nice light burn.  The popcorn, unfortunately was popcorn.  It was a bit overcooked, though not inedible.  It was better with the sauces, though it still felt like eating cardboard.

Now that I had an idea of what kind of place this was, I was excited to see how my entree would come out.  I ordered Salmon, so I kind of expected a nautical theme.  I was wrong.  The service tray was a floating paint can with orange paint pouring down into a puddle.  On the puddle was a Rectangular Steel Textured Tray/Plate on which was my entree:  Pan-Roasted Faroe Island Salmon with Heirloom Barley and Beet Risotto, Butternut Squash, and Toasted Hazelnut Butter.  The Salmon was very tender and mild, with a light crispy exterior, and a tender and flaky interior.  The Salmon was served on top of the Barley and Beet Risotto, and I frequently ate them together.  The barley was nicely al dente with the beets adding a bittersweet and earthy flavor.  The Squash was pureed and served on the side.  It did go well with the salmon, though in smaller tastes.  It was good and fun and I could hardly wait for my dessert.

 

Dessert was listed as chef's choice, so I had no idea what I would be getting.  At this point, with the whimsy I had experienced, it didn't matter.  I was excited to see what would come out.    What came out was a Wheelbarrow full of "dirt" and a Flower Pot with a Chocolate Covered Strawberry on top of stuff.  I was told that the "dirt" was Graham Cracker Crumbs, and while it was edible, it was more for presentation.  What I was supposed to eat was in the Flower Pot.  Under the Strawberry we had a Graham Cracker Crumble over Chocolate Mousse, over Dark Chocolate Crumble.  It was whimsical, tasty, and a great finish to a weird and funny meal.  I would love to return for a special occasion with someone else who might enjoy the whimsy.

    

Supekhana International

The reputation of this restaurant preceded it.  Born of the long time and very popular popup, Bombay Breakdown, Chefs Yoshi Yamada and Zeeshan Shah joined forces with Jason Hammel to open Superkhana International, a restaurant opened on a stretch of Diversey Avenue that has become wildly international (Tiki bar Lost Lake,  Bakery Cellar Door Provisions, and Fat Rice, an award winning restaurant focusing on the cuisine of Macau).  The stretch is very diverse and an on the surface, an Indian Restaurant would fit right in, the thing about that though is that the chefs do not serve classic Indian food, and don't even serve rice as a dish on it's own.  The menu combines American comfort food with Indian flavors to make some really diverse and creative dishes that make them an even better fit for the stretch of Diversey where they are located.  From the shape of the restaurant and the curves in the interior, my first thought was that the restaurant was located in a former furniture or carpet store.  I was told however that the space was too small for either ind it was actually formerly a crappy pizza joint.  The interior of the restaurant is concealed from the entrance by a colorful curtain.  The bar is located just inside the door which is where I sat.  The bar was light colored stone and the walls of the space were light brick with a lot of curves, though there was another very colorful painting on the wall across the bar from where I was sitting.  I was sitting at the end of the bar and had to look completely across the length of the bar to study it.  In the bar area, aside from the windows, light was provided from hanging globes above the bar.  The drinks served at the bar focused on beer and some reasonably priced Highballs and Spritzers.  I started things off with a Highball, A Gin & Tonic using City of London Gin and E. Imperial Tonic.  I was actually kind of surprised at the size of the drink considering the price.  City of London Gin is a London Dry style and with the tonic, the drink was very dry and crisp.  It was also pretty bitter, so I didn't drink it quickly.

For my food, I started things off with the Beans.  Now Beans do not typically come to mind when thinking about Indian cuisine, particularly Green and Yellow Beans.  These however, were coated with Toasted Coconut, Toasted Almonds, and Yogurt.  This was very good.  The beans were very fresh and crisp with some additional crunch being provided by the coconut and almonds.  The Yogurt tied everything together and made for a great dish.  While this did get me excited for what would be coming next, this was good enough, that I would have been happy for another plate of these beans.

The main course was called Achaari Pork Pao and what it was was essentially a pulled pork sandwich.  It was a Braised and Pulled Pork Shoulder spiced with typical of Indian Cuisine such as Fenugreek, Anise, Cumin, Onion, and Chili Powder, with Tamarind, Fried Shallots, and Lettuce on a Pao (Portuguese for Bread, Pao or Pav is a Soft White Bun).  The food was very flavorful and bright.  Again, I could have eaten a couple of these.  I did not, however, want to eat two of these because there was still dessert to be had.

 The dessert menu was very small, consisting of two items, an Ice Cream Sandwich and Shahi Tookray.  I had no idea what Shahi Tookray was and was told besides that the Ice Cream Sandwich was small, so I decided to try the item, that I had no idea about except to be told that the description doesn't do it justice and I had to try it.  Considering my other dishes, I was sure that the Ice Cream Sandwich was good, but I decided to try to try the Shahi Tookray, which was just described on the menu as a list of ingredients:  Ricotta, Sultanas, and Almonds.  What I received was not at all what I expected, not the least of which was because it had a layer of silver foil on top.  It was was really good and similar to a fruit crisp.  To go with the dessert, I had a digestif called Townshend Kashmiri Amaro which, while I had never seen it before, was really good.  It combined flavors of Indian Chai and Italian Amaro.  It was really good and went well with the Shahi Tookray.

I liked everything about this place.  The place was cute, colorful and welcoming, the service was outstanding with my questions answered well, and the food was outstanding.  I would say that I would return to this place, except that I already have.  What I will do is continue returning and introducing friends to this place that combines Indian Flavors with American Comfort Food.  

Cafe Bluebird - Fort Collins - Brunch

 

 

I did eat other things besides brunch, but those things were largely burgers in bars. While they were good, they weren't really much to write about.  While many of the brunch places served many of the same things, the atmosphere and decor of the places made them very different.  The place I stopped at in Ft. Collins, Cafe Bluebird, was small, relatively cozy, and brightly colored, so it reminded me of spring.  Located across the street from Colorado State University, it is part of a small retail establishment called Laurel Street Station.  The front is light brick and surrounded by trees and plantlife and the entrance is located above a large and solid half-round awning.  Walking in, you encounter a small alcove in front of the host station where Housemade preserves are sold.  There were three rows of seating in the dining room.  Booths were next to the light blue wall, round tables were in the center, and rectangular four tops were located next to the large windows.  Aside from the windows, lighting was from hanging lights affixed to the wall mounted on a streetlight-like fixture and hanging lights above the tables beside the windows.  Even without the lights, the space is very bright.

 

In addition to the standard eggs, omelettes, pancakes, and French Toast, the menu also included a variety of breakfast burritos, crepes, and salads.  I ordered a Hobo Skillet, which contained Home Fries, Onions, Green Pepper, Maple Ham, Turkey, Bacon, Cheddar, Two Eggs Over Easy, and Wheat Toast.  It was very savory and flavorful, everything went together well, and I liked it a lot.  Paired with the skillet, I ordered a cup of coffee which was the house blend of a local roaster.  It was a flavorful medium roast that was very satisfying.  It was very filling and a good start to what ended being a very long day.   

Twain

In November, the dining group that I belong to, Tasting Collective, had a dinner at a new restaurant in Logan Square called Twain.  Run by Chef Tim Graham who I knew from Travelle, it aims to celebrate the history of Midwestern Cuisine.  It is named after author and humorist, Mark Twain.  Being a Midwesterner myself, at first thought, there really wasn't anything about Midwestern Cuisine, that I thought deserved celebration.  The idea seemed rather boring, so I decided not to go to that dinner.  After taking some time to think about it though, I realized that Chef Tim is a talented chef and the menu would be more than casseroles, cheese, and broiled chicken even if those elements may show up on the menu and decided to go later.  It was a cold day and I was by myself, so I decided to sit at the bar.  There was a very nice copper etching above the bar, and retro toys and trains, also above the bar and in front of the etching.  The dining room behind me was big and very open with hardwood furniture and floor, which looked very crafty and old.  It kind of gave me a general store vibe.  The lights were hanging lights below a canvas "cloud".  There was a mural on the wall opposite the bar that ran the length of the restaurant, which was pretty deep that was full of old industry and birds.

The bartender was very friendly and immediately brought me a glass of Prosecco (on the house) for sitting at the bar.  I generally am nit a wine drinker, but it was a very nice and friendly gesture which, I suppose, is part of the Midwestern personality type.  The Prosecco also served another purpose.  Sparkling wine (Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, etc.) is frequently the first wine served in fine dining restaurants because the bubbles are supposed to open up the palate.  In any case, it was dry, sparkling, and very friendly.  Looking at the menu, I saw a lot of references to Midwestern standards.  Something I had heard and read about was Ants On A Log.  The standard ants on a log that every kid knows is a strip of celery filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins.  This Ants on a Log starts with Celery, but then uses a Peanut Butter Foie Gras Mousse and is topped with Bourbon Cherries.It did sound interesting and was definitely a reference to Midwestern childhood, but I decided to order another reference to a classic.  After I had ordered, my Amuse Bouche, the unordered pre-appetizer that is compliments of the chef, showed up.  It was a Wheat Berry Salad with Radishes, Dill, and Pickled Cucumbers.  With the Prosecco, I had now had two things that I had not paid for.  It was welcoming, friendly and very good.  The Salad had a nice texture and a slightly sweet and sour flavor and was very good.

My cocktail, a classic Gimlet, arrived about the same time as my Appetizer, Stuffed Mushrooms.  My Gimlet was listed as being made with Letherbee Gin and an Exotic Lime Cordial.  A classic gimlet is made with two parts gin to one part lime juice.  There are some recipes that call for a splash of soda or simple syrup.  A Lime Cordial is essentially a combination of Lime Juice and Simple Syrup.  I don't know what made this lime cordial exotic, but the drink was sweet, tart, a little herbal, and very good.  The Stuffed Mushrooms were large White Mushrooms stuffed with Smoked Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onions,  and Parmesan Bread Crumbs, sitting on a bed of Arugula.  They were smoky, sweet, and very flavorful, with a salty cheese finish, which I really enjoyed.

Between the appetizer and entree, the bread arrived.  There were four breads on the menu, all of which needed to be ordered.  I ordered Egg Harbor Bread which was served with Pickled Zucchini and Whipped Bacon Fat Butter.  The bread was a small loaf of very soft white bread that reminded me of Wonder Bread.  The Whipped Bacon Fat Butter was soft and fluffy with a light bacon flavor.  The Pickled Zucchini was slightly tart and sweet and went extremely well with the bread and butter.  While I could have eaten it as a course on it's own, I did save part of it for my entree to wipe up the sauce.

The name of my main course was a riff on another old school classic, Pigs in a Blanket.  This, however was called Pigs in a Blanquette which is actually something completely different.  Pigs in a Blanket are Hot Dogs wrapped in Croissant Dough and baked.  Blanquette Sauce is a Roux Sauce made with Cream and comes from the Latin word for white, because it is a White Sauce.  This Pigs in a Blanquette consisted of Braised Tongue, a Dry Aged Pork Chop, Mushrooms, Cauliflower, and the Blanquette Sauce.  It was very tender and flavorful and I was actually happy that it was not the hot dogs wrapped in croissant dough.

For dessert, I had a Butter Cake with Ice Cream, but there was definitely a step up.  It was a Cinnamon Gooey Butter Cake with Carmel Apples, Candied Pecans, and Sour Cream Ice Cream.  It was gooey and buttery, but it had the additional flavors of apple and cinnamon, the crunch of the candied pecans, and the sweet and sour of the ice cream.  It was a very nice finish to a very friendly dinner with a lot of references to Midwestern standards while still staying interesting.            

Crosby's Kitchen

 

While I do go out to a lot of group dinners that already have set menus, I do occasionally like to go out to a simpler place and dine a la carte.  To this end, I decided to go to Crosby's Kitchen recently.  Located in Lakeview, it is part of the same group that runs Smoke Daddy, Ella Elli, Frasca's Pizzeria and Wine Bar, and Tuco and Blondie.  In fact, it shares a wall with Ella Elli.  This location seems to be very family friendly and there were many families there when I went.  It is on a corner on the Southport Corridor with a patio along Southport and the entrance on the corner of the building.  While the patio was set up when I went and it did have large gas torches, it was dark and cold and the torches were unlit, so the patio was unoccupied.  The dining room is large and open with windows looking out to the street on both sides, shaped vaguely like an L with the main leg pretty wide, and a narrower side that was parallel to Southport with a small fireplace at the end.  I was seated in a booth in the smaller section (all of the seating is booth seating) and got to watch the fire in the fireplace.  There is a bar on the back wall with TVs playing sports behind it.  While I could see the TVs from where I was sitting, I was more interested in the far.  The drink menu features beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails.  The wine list is the most extensive, though nothing was extensively challenging.  I was not feeling like wine, so I went with a cocktail.  Admittedly wine is generally not my go to unless it seems to fit the menu.  I will not order wine unless I am at a French or Italian restaurant or a wine bar.  All of the cocktails seemed to veer to the sweet side, I tried to pick one that was more than just sweet.  Called a Cherry Limeade, the cocktail that I ordered had Montelobos Mezcal, Cherry Sour (I imagine it was a shrub), and Lime.  The drink was still sweeter than something that I would normally go for, but it was more than just sweet.  The mezcal provided a little smoke, the lime added tartness, and the cherry sour added a sweet and sour cherry flavor.  If not for the smoke flavor from the mezcal, it could have very well passed for the cherry limeade that a kid might drink.

Like the drink menu, the food menu was also pretty simple, though it did have some finer dining spins to the various dishes.  I imagine the simplicity is what draws the families.  I started my meal out with an anchor of family cuisine, Deviled Eggs.  These deviled eggs, though, included Lobster.  There were three deviled eggs served.  As one deviled egg is half an egg, I was served an egg and a half.  I humorously wondered what happened to the other half.  The eggs were fixed to the plate with the whipped yolk that filled the hard boiled egg whites.  While deviled eggs are one of those things that are simple to make and everyone likes, elevating them with lots of lobster and some cayenne to give it some spice improved it a lot.

For my entree I went with something that is a regular special (regularly served a couple of days a week), the Wood Grilled Filet of Beef, served with seasonal vegetables, which in this case was Grilled Cauliflower with Pesto.  The filet was served medium rare with a well seared outside and a nicely pink interior.  It was very tender, juicy, and very good, but the star of the course was actually the Cauliflower and Pesto.  It was very tender with a little char and well covered with very flavorful pesto.

Dessert was also very much a comfort food thing and it was absolutely ridiculous.  Several restaurants in the Four Star Group, which Crosby's Kitchen is a part of, have a Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie.  This iteration was served hot, of course, and was topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel.  I love chocolate chip cookies, in general.  This one was very good with a crisp exterior and a soft interior.  The ice cream went well with the warm cookie as did the caramel and the entire thing provided a satisfying finish.

While nothing here was ground breaking, it isn't what they are about.  They focus on comfort food and they do it well.  It isn't a place I will go to stretch my palate, but if I'm looking for something that is simply satisfying, it's a good place to consider.     

Tasting Collective Dinner at Split Rail

Just after Christmas, I bought a membership for a group called Tasting Collective.  It holds private 8-10 course meals at nicer restaurants around the city with pre-course introductions done by the chef, so they can explain their restaurant concept and cooking philosophies.  Members have to buy tickets for the dinners, but they are less than what a normal 8-10 course meal would cost.  The first restaurant that was offered was a restaurant with which I am very familiar with, having known the chef for several years, and having gone for both dinner and brunch, Split Rail with Chef Zoe Schor.  The dinner was going to be 9 courses, mostly served Family Style.  Having met the chef at her former restaurant, Ada Street, and having been to Split Rail a few times, I knew that I liked her food and thought I was fairly familiar with it, so it was an easy choice to make.  When I bought my ticket, I saw the time listed as 7:15 pm.  Generally, I have noticed that event start times can be kind of soft, but I do like to arrive close to the time listed.  What I didn't notice on a later email was that the doors would open at 6:45 pm and the 7:15 pm was a hard start.  In any case, I did arrive just before 7:15 pm, though seeing a full restaurant, I did feel late.  We paid for dinner beforehand, but drinks were extra, I ordered a drink that I had had before and had really liked.  Called Stay Out of the Forest, it was a very piney flavored cocktail featuring Vikre Spruce Gin, Zirbenz Alpine Liqueur, Grapefruit and Lime.  It's tart, herbal, a little bitter from the grapefruit and the spruce, and obviously very botanical.  While I was enjoying my cocktail, Chef Zoe came out and started talking about her history and her aim with the restaurant.  I knew that she had quite an impressive resume, having worked for Tom Colicchio and Thomas Keller in California, I was not aware that she was originally from the East Coast.  She also said while she was proud to have had the mentors that she had and was happy to have learned skills from them, she got a little tired of making what she called "Fancy Food" and with her restaurant was aiming for a place that did comfort food with a cheffy twist.  And with that, the meal started.

We started things with a twist on a dish that I have seen in many restaurants, Steak Tartare, but it was done as a Reuben and called a Reuben Tartare, which started with a Spiced Steak Tartare served with Thousand Island Dressing, Rye Toast, and a Gruyere Crisp.  I like both steak tartare and reubens and they went together very well.  It didn't have the salty flavor of the corned beef or sauerkraut, but all of the textures and flavors went together very well and it was a nice start.

Our second course were Beef Skewers served with Pine Nuts, Greek Dressing, and what they called "Spicy Green Sauce".  It was very good and seemed very Greek, though the Spicy Green Sauce tasted familiar.  When I talked to her after dinner, I had to laugh.  I asked Chef Zoe if the Spicy Green Sauce wasn't similar to Chimichurri Sauce and she said that it's totally Chimichurri Sauce, but selling to people that might not be familiar with it, it's "Spicy Green Sauce".  It was nutty, spicy, tart, and very good with the Greek Yogurt and "Spicy Green Sauce".

Our next course was a salad and while I am generally not a huge fan of salads, this one was pretty awesome.  It was a Leafy Green Salad with various Heirloom Lettuces, Crispy Ham, Point Reyes Bay Blue Cheese, and Garlic Breadcrumbs.  The lettuce was slightly wilted which actually was a good thing, because it provided a softer texture.  The ham added some salty sweetness, the bitterness of the blue cheese paired with the bitterness of the blue cheese, the green goddess dressing was used sparingly, and the breadcrumbs added some garlicky goodness.

Our next course was a toast, or if it was done in Italy, could have been considered a Bruschetta.  It wasn't typically Italian, but open faced toasts are very European.  This one was Duck Liver Mouse (Pate') and Pickled Apples on Publican Quality Bread.  The bread was nice and crusty, spread with the duck liver mousse, topped with sliced pickled apples, and finished with micro greens.  The  mousse was meaty and sweet with a slight iron flavor to it.  The apples were tart and sour and added a little crunch.  It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't exceptionally exciting.

After the toast, we went back to vegetables, roasted vegetables to be exact.  Included among the Medley of Roasted Vegetables was Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and Pepitas (not precisely vegetables, but they are from vegetables and they are fried) which were served with Hook's Two Year Cheddar Cheese Sauce.  The vegetables were tender and well cooked and the cheddar cheese sauce added a complementary flavor, but it was a little on the salty side.  I would order it again, but I would know to be prepared for the salt.

The next course on the menu I had had before and was a favorite.  I was excited to see it on our menu.  It was the Loaded Baked Potato Gnocchi which had all of the best things about a loaded baked potato served with gnocchi.  It had Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Crispy Potato Skins, Sour Cream, Chives, and was served with perfectly prepared gnocchi.  It was crunchy, tender, very flavorful, and continued throughout the course.

After the Gnocchi, we continued to the first of our meat courses, Braised Pot Roast with Red Wine Reduction, and Potato Puree.  On paper it sounded pretty mundane.  It was fairly simple and standard, but it is frequently the simple dishes that are the hardest to do because they are so familiar that they have to be nailed perfectly.  This was nailed perfectly.  The Pot Roast was fork tender, the Potatoes were perfectly smooth with a hint of butter, and the red wine reduction paired well with the jus from the roast and also made a good gravy for the potatoes.

For our final savory dish, we had was called Pork and Beans, which I can see, but I also see a similarity to a cassoulet, a French Hunter's Casserole using white beans and three meats, two of which are usually pork.  This only used Crispy Pulled Pork, Country Ham, and Stewed White Beans, but the similarity was there.  Also in the Pork and Beans was Crispy Kale, Pickled Turnips, and Shaved Radishes.  It was very tender, very good, and I would definitely have it again.

By the time we reached dessert, I was pretty full, so I was kind of happy that our desserts were fairly small.  We were served Olive Oil Cake with Malted Barley Ice Cream and Cinnamon.  While Olive Oil and Malted Barley are both used in a lot of savory dishes, the olive oil made the cake very smooth, and the malted barley, which is a key ingredient in beer, added a little bitterness and a little less sweetness than typical ice cream.

This was a great event.  I like Chef Zoe and Split Rail and will definitely return.  Many of the dishes that I had are now on the standard menu, so I could easily enjoy them again, and I am very willing and able to handle a small problem that I had that was due to a miscommunication.  Tasting Collective was a good host and I met some nice and interesting people and had some very good food.  I will definitely do many more of their events.