Coast Restaurant and Bar at The Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara

This review is way overdue but here it finally is. Two weeks ago when I visited Santa Barbara during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, my cousin, Anki, and I went to a newly opened restaurant, Coast Restaurant and Bar at The Canary Hotel. Formerly Andalucia Hotel, the property was purchased last year by the owner of Shutter Hotel On The Beach in Santa Monica, where they also have a Coast.
I have stayed several times in the past at the Andalucia hotel, and we've always enjoyed our stay, although the restaurant was never a hit. Now being the Canary Hotel the whole property including the restaurant has been remodeled and redecorated. Peeking in through the windows during the renovation I certainly liked what I saw for the restaurant.

As we entered the restaurant a great ambiance greeted us (along with the pleasant hostess) with dimmed lights, leather and wood furniture, rich fabrics, wood shutters, and a spacious bar in wood and leather, crowded with people visiting the film festival. A happening night I would say. We were both excited about the sophisticated but still casual and relaxed atmosphere, and the reasonably priced menu. A future favorite we were sure of as we discussed the menu.

We started of by sharing the Dungeness Crab Cakes ($12). Very tasty, packed with fresh crab meat, lightly seasoned and not to much of anything else to take away from the crab. Since it's been over two weeks ago I can't remember what the little salsa/salad on the side was but I do know that I thought it made a great addition.
For entree I ordered the Rigatoni with Beef

Ragout and Parmesan ($15), and my cousin the Arugula Salad with Rock Shrimp and Crispy Pancetta ($12). My pasta was tasty but the meat should have been better cleaned of fat. Flavor would some say but I would prefer it without finding pieces of almost all fat/no meat in my pasta. Otherwise good flavors. The salad was a disaster. Sure looked pretty and tasty on the plate but as Anki bit into the shrimp she got a weird look on her face and had to force herself

to swallow. Cold, tasteless, and of jelly-like texture, as if they had been frozen and not given enough time to thaw. Would definitely expect fresh shrimp at a place like this. Our waiter sensed the problem and came over, and when hearing about the food, offered to bring in something else. The halibut was highly recommended and so she ordered the Broiled Halibut with Asparagus ($22). I was just a couple of bites into my dish and they whisked that away to keep warm as well. A while later a new plate of pasta arrived for me (bonus points) and the new entree for Anki. The plate consisted of a long narrow piece of halibut and steamed asparagus spears. Looked plain and boring but not to say it couldn't be delicious. Two bites into the fish she looked at me and declared "I can't eat this. It is horribly over cooked and dry". I reached over for a bite to confirm, and sure enough, she was not exaggerating. It was one of the worst pieces of fish I'd had in a long time. By this time our table was swarmed by waiters and managers approaching us every other minute asking how everything was. When finding out about her second bad dish, they apologized, assuring us that this is not usual how it's prepared, was there anything else from the menu she would like. At this time she had eaten half of my pasta, was no longer hungry, and we decided to move on to the dessert.
A Warm Chocolate Lava Cake ($6) with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate sauce arrived on the table and it was as good as it looked. Warm, molten, chocolaty, what else could you possibly want at the end of a meal?

We ordered wine by the glass with the meal and I really appreciated their selection of mostly wines from local wineries, offered by the glass at a reasonable price. A big plus for them in this section.

The staff made a real effort throughout the whole meal to correct the mishap with the two bad entrees, which certainly made us feel a little better about the experience. The restaurant is beautiful and we expected so much more from the food, and I would be lying if I didn't say that I walked out of there disappointed at the end of the night. Our starter and dessert were really good but they have to be able to serve up better main courses. It is a new restaurant and hopefully they will be able to pull their act together as the get a little warmer in their clothes. Could also be that we just had horribly bad luck with the food. I will return at some point to give it a second try and hope to find the same tentative, hard working to please staff, this time serving up a great meal.
This place certainly have everything else going for it...

Coast Restaurant and Bar at Canary Hotel
31 West Carillo St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 879-9100


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Seagrass Restaurant, Santa Barbara

Saturday night me and my cousin went to dinner at Seagrass Restaurant, a newly opened restaurant located in the old spot for Sage and Onion (that I miss so much!). Seagrass' chef and owner team is the same as that of Bouchon, a highly regarded restaurant in Santa Barbara. As the name suggest this newest venture has extensive seafood options on the menu, but also beef, chicken, etc.

A small remodeling has been done to the space, with new colors, wall coverings, light fixtures and removal of the bar. It certianly got a face lift even if I did not quite agree with everything in the decor.

We had reservations and were promptly seated upon arrival. Fresh warm bread was served shortly after menus were presented, as I decided on a bottle of Roar 2005 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir with dinner. I have had this pinot before and is was as lush in red fruit and berries with, raspberry, cherry, and earthy notes, as I remembered it to be. Great supporting acidity and tannins, and developed a great smoothness in the glass as it got a chance to breath for a while.

We started our meal with sharing the Seared Gigant Sea Scallop. It comes with a choice of three preperations. We chose the coconut black rice with green curry and spiced apricot chutney. The scallop was perfectly cooked and the curry gave the dish a slight bite countered by the sweet chutney, fragrant from ginger. Very nice dish!

For entree I had the Buffalo Tenderloin with Demiglace, Creamed Corn and Potatoes au gratin. The chef recommended the tenderloin medium rare and it was perfectly prepared and tender. The creamed corn and potaoes au gratin made wonderful side dishes, the corn sweet and flavorful, the potatoes creamy and rich. A very satisfying dish.


My cousin had the Crispy Skin-on Pacific Wild Salmon on Sauteed Kale (or was it spinach?), with Saffron-Salsify Israeli Couscous, Gingered Carrots Julienne, and Beurre Noisette. I tried the dish which was light and delicate compared to mine, but also packed with flavor. Delicious.


The dessert choice was easy as soon as we saw the Warm Chocolate Molten Lava Cake with Cardemom, served with coconut ice cream. The hint of cardemom was very subtle and added a little twist to the chocolate cake. Altough I am not usually a huge fan of coconut, the flavor in the ice cream was so delicate that it only played a supporting role and married perfect with the chocolate and faint cardemom. A great ending to a delicous meal.

Service throughout the night was very attentive but never to much. I assume they have brought over staff from Bouchon or hired experienced staff as the whole evening ran very smoothly. That is unfortunately not always the case for a newly opened restaurant.
The clientel was definitely more mature and we felt slightly out of place to start with. But we soon forgot about that as we indulged in the food. I don't know if this was just a coincidence for the night, or if it is the normal case for this spot. Could perhaps use a little bit more "young and hip" influence to attract an extended clientel.
"Well done" would be my comment for this new spot in the Santa Barbara dining scene.

Seagrass Restaurant
30 E. Ortega St
Santa Barbara
(805) 963-1012


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Crushcake Cupcakery, Santa Barbara

Finally Santa Barbara has it's own cupcakery like so many other cities. One can wonder what took Santa Barbara so long...
I had the privilege to step into Crushcake Cupcakery yesterday afternoon, their very first day open. As to not overeat I had already decided that I could only get two cupcakes for myself, so imagine my thrill when discovering that they offer mini cupcakes. That meant that I could get four of them instead, perfect for trying multiple flavors. I headed home with bag in hand and decided that I had to try all four of them so I could blog them right away. Needless to say I could not limit myself to one bite out of each and after a few minutes there was only a few crumbs left where a moment earlier four pretty cupcakes had been.


These are the four flavors I tried.
First one to disappear from the plate was the Chococlate Chocolate. A moist dark chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting with a note of coffee. Very nice indeed.
Second up was the Chocolate Bliss, the same moist chocolate cake, but this time topped with a delicious vanilla frosting. Perfect if chocolate on chocolate is to heavy for you...
The Strawberry Blush was surprisingly enough my favorite of them all. I am as you know a full blown chocoholic and expected the two previous ones to be on the top of my list. The cake in this one was amazingly moist with a light, sweet, taste of strawberry. The pink frosting was out of this world, with a delicous, more intense, strawberry flavor. I can only imagine how popular this one will be for bridal and baby showers...
Last but not least I had their signature cupcake, the Crushcake. A red velvet cake topped with a white sourcream frosting. Crowned with a chocolate heart (made a perfect little treat at the end) and a rain of red sprinkles. The perfect little treat for Valentines Day.

Delicious cakes, friendly staff and a good location (right on the corner of Anacapa St and Arlington Ave). I know I will return for more of the same in the near future.

Crushcake Cupcakery
1315 Anacapa St
Santa Barbara
(805) 963-9353


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Epiphany Restaurant and Bar in Santa Barbara

My brother is visiting from Sweden and last night we had reservations for dinner at Epiphany Restaurant and Bar while in Santa Barbara over the weekend. We have been there a couple of times in the past for a drink in the bar, but never for dinner.

The restaurant is located at 21 W. Victoria St, and the building in which the restaurant is located, was built in the 1800's. The decor is warm and modern with rustic architectural feature like the brick archways in between the small intimate dining rooms.

After arriving, being seated, and presented the menu, we were served an Amuse Bouche, White Asparagus Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette on Endive. Very light with subtle flavors. The salad also contained Granny Smith apples which added a juicy, sweet/tart crunch to the dish.

Warm, rosemary foccacia was placed at the table with olive oil and balsamic vinegar prior to our starters arriving.

For starter I had the California Halibut Ceviche ($12) which was served in butter lettuce cup. The halibut was tossed with citrus segments in a citrus/sesame marinade, and topped with semi dried, grated, carrots. Wonderfully fresh and delicate, with quite a bit of punch in the flavor. The serving was huge and would have been sufficient as a lunch, or even lighter main course.


The Dungeness Crab Cake ($14) my brother ordered was a big hit with him. Served with a cucumber/radish salad and a chipotle butter sauce. I had a bite and the cake was dense with fresh crab and the sauce added a nice spicy note.


My husband's Celery Root and Cauliflower Soup ($8) was also great according to him.

For main course I just had to have the Cracked Pepper Filet Mignon with Chive Mashed Potatoes ($32). Served with a cognac shallot cream sauce, topped with mushrooms, and on the side tender green beans and carrots. This dish was very satisfying. The filet was cooked exactly as ordered and the meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. A great dish!

Both my husband and brother had the Pan Roasted Herb Chicken ($25) with roasted golden potatoes, green beans and carrots, and natural jus. They both agreed that the chicken was moist and delicious. Not the best they had ever had but pretty darn good...

At this point we were all stuffed, but upon finding out that there was a chocolate souffle on the dessert menu, we decided to order one for the table. The Fire and Ice Molten Chocolate Souffle ($9) with vanilla bean ice cream and raspberry coulis was warm, gooey, outrageously good, and way to small, we realized as we fought over the last crumbs.


Now you can't have a good meal without a good bottle of wine, and last night was no exception. We had a bottle of the Demetria Estate "Jours de Bonheur" Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Unfortunately I forgot the vintage but I suspect it was a 2005. The wine showed medium bodied qualities with dark cherry and raspberry with good acididty and well integrated, relatively smooth tannins, and a nice earthy complexity. Quite nice wine that worked well enough with the whole meal (although I would have preferred a big Cab with my steak).

The service was attentive, but relaxed, throughout the dinner and the staff was knowledgeable when asked questions about the wine list. I love when they actually have tasted the wines and can speak from first hand experience.
We will definitely put Epiphany on our list of restaurants that we return to frequently.

CraftSteak at MGM Grand Las Vegas

While in New York earlier this year we dined at Tom Colicchio's CraftSteak. My husband loved the meal and I thought it was very good as well, and when given the opportunity to dine at CraftSteak in Las Vegas we had to try out this "sibling restaurant".

The restaurant is located next door to Emeril's, Fiamma and other fine dining restaurants at the MGM Grand. The space is contemporary and has a sleek, clean look with dark wood, leather, stainless steel, warm colors at the walls, and a large bar at the entrance.

As a party of six we got seated promptly at arrival. We all started of by sharing some starters as the portions are huge and more than enough for two. I had the Roasted Baby Beets, red and pink beets slowly rated in the oven and served over a few micro greens. Simple, flavorful and delicious. I also tasted the Arugula Salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette. Fresh and light. The third couple had the Romaine Hearts "Caesar" and gave it thumbs up.

For entree I choose the Rack of Lamb and my husband and friend shared the Porterhouse for Two. When I ordered my lamb I was recommended to order it medium as it is two thick pieces of meat that will come out more like medium-rare, my usual preference. I ordered as suggested and to my disappointment, cutting into it upon arrival at the table, it actually came out as a true medium. Never the less a very nice cut of meat with great flavor. The Porterhouse came out as ordered and was juicy, tender and full of flavor as well.

We shared an array of side dishes at the table. Trio of Mushrooms, a blend of roasted chantarelles, hen of the woods, and baby shitake was my favorite, along with the Yukon Gold Puree, the most delicious, rich and creamy potato puree I have ever tasted (I do not even want to think about all the butter that went into that dish). The top pick at the table as it did not last long.
Other good side dishes were the Green Beans topped with almonds, and theFries that was perfectly seasoned and crisp.

Moving on to dessert we were all stuffed but me and my friend had to try a couple of them and we picked the Liquid Chocolate Cake with Persian Mint Chip Ice Cream, and the Pumpkin Cheesecake. Both wonderful although the chocolate cake disappeared of the plate very quickly.

When it comes to the wine selection I started by ordering the Brewer-Clifton 2005 Cargasacchi, Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir, which I have enjoyed before and turned out to be a great start for the meal.
For the entree I selected the Barnett Vineyards 2002 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon. Big and chewy with plenty of fruit and balanced tannins, this was a "crowd pleaser" at the table, and went perfect with our steaks.

Over all everybody in our party thought that the dinner was great, and I was very pleased to see that the quality in service and food that we experienced in New York also made it to the Las Vegas location, which is unfortunately not always the case when a restaurant branches out. If you are looking for a good steak house next time you are in Vegas this one should definitely be on your list.

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Paul Martin's American Bistro Grand Opening

As we had a good friend in town last night we decided to take him to Paul Martin's American Bistro where we went for the soft opening last Friday (read my review here). This was their first night open to the public and we thought it would be a great opportunity to try out the dinner menu.
We originally had reservations for 7:15 pm, and because we were awaiting a third party we had to change the time. Though they were booked up, the staff was very accommodating to our needs and demonstrated first rate service.

At arrival we sat down in the bar while waiting for our friend to arrive. I was very pleased to see that they had quite a few wines by the glass and not afraid to put some more pricey wines in that category as well. We ordered the Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($19), as we had this a while back and really enjoyed it (read my review here). A new bottle was opened for us, and we were not disappointed by our choice. A nice touch is that wines by the glass are served in a small carafe on the side and you fill up your glass as needed.
The wine list over all has a relatively small selection (they all fit on one page), but they are well chosen with something for every wallet. The only negative with the wine list is that it does not display vintages. As someone who knows a little bit about wine I am very interested to know whether I will be receiving a 2002 or 2005... Of course you can ask, but I just prefer to know upfront as I am looking at the wine list, and making my decision.

As our friend arrived we were seated and I ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that was new to me, Kelly Fleming 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($94). Kelly Fleming is the wife of Paul Fleming (one of the founders of the restaurant) and as I did some research today I found the following facts: The grapes are organically grown on a 12 acre site in Napa Valley with Jim Barbour as the vineyard manager. He is very experienced and highly regarded, and the list of vineyards in Napa Valley he is working with is never ending. Celia Welch Masyczek, formerly of Staglin Family Vineyards, is the consulting winemaker, and works with a limited clientele in Napa Valley such as two other favorites of mine, Hollywood and Vine Cellars, and Husic Vineyards. 500 cases was made of this wine and it is available at the wineries website for $85.
From my mental notes this wine displays a dark ruby color in the glass with hints of purple. The nose displays dark, ripe fruit and berries with notes of fresh bread and vanilla. The dark berries carries on to the palate with dark cherry, blackberry, black currant, vanilla and a slightly earthy note. Great acidity and young, firm, but still lush, tannins. I was pleasantly surprised by this wine and really enjoyed it. This is a new favorite added to my list of wines that I will keep my eyes open for in the future.

On to the food. We started with a Butcher's Board ($9.95 per person) for the table that consisted of an orange and fennel salami, pork tenderloin, a third cold cut, Point Reyes blue cheese, a soft Laura Chenel goat cheese drizzled with olive oil, a semi firm aged Gouda, olives, caper berries and whole grain mustard. Well put together and a great start to the meal.
We tried two new entrees not reviewed in my last post. My husband had the New York Steak with Fries and Zinfandel Butter ($29.95). The steak was cooked as ordered, nicely marbled, juicy and had a great flavor. The fries were short of fantastic, crisp almost all the way through, just slightly soft in the center, and perfectly seasoned with salt and parsley.
I had the Mesquite Grilled Tuna with Tomato and Olive Salsa ($19.95), and sauteed yellow and green beans. This was a very fresh dish that felt light and healthy. The quality and cut of tuna was great, and the flavor paired very well with the tomato and olive salsa. The beans just lightly sauteed with a nice crunch to them.
For dessert we had the same dessert as Friday, the Devil's Food Cake ($6.75) and the Pear and Huckleberry Crisp ($6.75). The Devil's food cake has less ganache in the layers this time which was an improvement, but as a true chocoholic I still missed that really intense dark chocolate flavor that I personally prefer in my cake. On the other hand it is chocolate so I can't really complain...

Two highlights of the evening were that Paul and Kelly Fleming was there, and Mr. Fleming came up to our table and chatted briefly. A very pleasant and charming man.

The second surprise was that the executive chef Peter Serantoni came up to our table and recognized me as reviewing the restaurant Friday. Turns out he is Swedish as well, originally from Stockholm, and came here when he was twenty years old, and has since then moved around in different states and now lives in California. It was certainly exciting to speak Swedish, and a great pleasure to meet a fantastic chef.

The service throughout the night was excellent. The attention to our, and all other tables as well, was great, with managers, several servers etc., coming up to make sure that everything was ok. Was there anything we needed? A great effort from the whole staff on grand opening night!

I can really recommend this restaurant as the reasonable prices are surpassed by the quality of food and service.

Go there, eat, and let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Paul Martin's American Bistro

1455 Eureka Rd

Roseville, CA 95661

(916) 783-3600

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Paul Martin's American Bistro, Roseville

Paul Martin’s American Bistro is having its grand opening tomorrow, Monday, at Eureka Rd in Roseville. I got a preview and tasted their food at the soft opening Friday at lunch with my husband and a friend.
The restaurant is a joint venture by Brian Bennett and Paul Flemming. Executive chef is Peter Serantoni and the Day-to-Day Head Chef is Scott Rose that has previously been at Spataro Restaurant and Bar, and Paragary's Bar and Oven, among others. The goal for the restaurant is to concentrate on seasonal, sustainable, and organic ingredients, sourced from local farmers/producers.

The restaurant has a modern, sleek, warm, decor with brick wall accent, brown leather, and a lot of wood. The large bar covers a full wall of the restaurant and serves up a long list of specialty drinks made with their own fruit infused vodkas, and more.

We were seated promptly and ordered a bottle of ZD 2006 Chardonnay (a wine we have enjoyed many times), and were served bread and butter. The butter is hand churned in the restaurant from organic cream. A nice touch. Although there was a wide array of great looking starters we went straight for the entrees. I ordered the Cedar Plank Salmon topped with Bacon and Shallots ($17.95) served on top sauteed spinach, criminis, and jus. The salmon was cooked medium just to my liking and the bacon/shallot topping added a big punch of flavor. A really good dish.
My husband ordered the Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes and Horseradish Sauce (18.95). I am a big fan of short ribs and these make it to my top 3 list of best that I have had. And I have tasted a lot! Succulent, incredibly tender and big flavor. A true rustic comfort dish and the best out of the three entrees we tried.
My friend tried the Grilled Skirt Steak with Maple-Bourbon Glazed Roasted Sweeet Potatoes and Arugula ($17.95). The beef came out as ordered, and this dish with its sweet accents was very tasty as well.
For dessert we ordered the Devil’s Food Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream and Sour Cherries ($6.75), and the Pear and Huckleberry Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream ($6.75). The cake is a dark chocolate cake with medium dense ganache (I would guess that a semi sweet chocolate was used). It was a little bit to heavy on the ganache and I wish it had been bitter sweet instead. But that is just a matter of taste. It was still very good. The crisp was not to sweet, flawless, warm, and delicious.

The service was really good for being a soft opening and the manager came up to our table several times to check in and make sure that everything was to our satisfaction.

I am leaping with joy that there is finally another quality restaurant in our area. I can’t wait to go here for dinner real soon to try some items from the dinner menu. Two members of the staff independently told us that the Braised Lamb Shank is the best item on the menu. I will have to find out...

Paul Martin's American Bistro
1455 Eureka Rd
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 783-3600


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Mesa Grill, New york

After some interruptions I am moving back to our New York trip.
Enjoying Bobby Flay's cooking at the Food Network it was time to visit one of his restaurants. He has quite a few places in New York and we narrowed it down and decided to go to Mesa Grill because of the heavily south western influenced cuisine.

After being seated promptly we ordered drinks. My margarita was surprisingly average and really stiff, my husband's Mesa Fresca on the other hand was a big it. A very refreshing tequila drink with grape and lime juice and a splash of soda. Only last week I watched Boy Meets Grill at the Food Network to see Bobby Flay mix it up. I was very excited to get the recipe... Check it out here.
On to the first course. My husband had the Baby Romaine Salad with Chorizo and Cotija Cheese in a Roasted Garlic Dressing. He loved this relatively light dish with bold, spicy flavor from the excellent chorizo mellowed by the semi soft, milder Cotija cheese. I had the Shrimp and Grouper Ceviche with Tomatoes, Serrano Chiles and Lime Juice. Quite delicious. Fresh seafood with a nice spicy bite to it.
For entree he choose the Sixteen Spice Chicken with Garlic/Mango sauce and Blue Corn Tamale. It looked fantastic on the plate but biting in to it, despite of the sixteen spices, he found it surprisingly dull in flavor and slightly over cooked. My Ancho Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon with a Black Bean Sauce, Tomatillo Salsa and Jalapeno Crema was really good. The salmon was perfectly cooked, juicy and still opaque in the center. All the surrounding sauces adding a great melding of flavors.
We were stuffed at this point and could not bring ourselves to ordering dessert.

Service was friendly and prompt, but just that. The food met my expectations just at the mark, but my husband walked out of there a little disappointed.
Let me know what you think if you have dined here. I am curious to see what your experience have been!


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Ella Dining Room and Bar, Sacramento

The much anticipated, official Grand Opening of Ella Dining Room and Bar took place last night. If you live in the Sacramento area I am sure you are familiar with, and maybe have been to, The Kitchen Restaurant or Selland's Market-Cafe, both run by the Selland family. This is their newest venture and the restaurant is named after Randell Selland's grand daughter Ella.
Located at the corner of 12th St. and K St. in the Cathedral Building, a sleek, light wood entry meets you as you step in through the door. The large open restaurant with a big, square bar in the middle of the room, with plenty of seating, has hundreds of Hungarian window shutters decorating the ceiling and part of walls, giving the space a very rustic feel. The seating is a smart mix of smaller contemporary tables with upholstered chairs, and rustic large wood tables and wood chairs for eating community style. Behind the bar sits a large wine room enclosed only by dark glass walls. A lounge area with more bar stool seating and couches also adds to the scene. As you can see contemporary meets rustic in this very cleverly and tastefully decorated restaurant. Private dining rooms are available as well, and chef's tables with a specialized menu.

Moving on to the menu, it offers a wide selection of eclectic cuisine. Our waiter explained the different sections of the menu, and encouraged our party to share a variety of dishes to experience the many flavors.
First on the menu is the cold bar section featuring everything from oysters to ceviche. We tried the Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi with a Salad of Frisee, Radish, Almonds and Citrus Segments ($14). The fresh burst of citrus in the salad and the different textures made a great pairing with the very fresh, delicate yellowfin.
From the next section of the menu, the small plates, we ordered the Braised Short Ribs in Red Wine Reduction ($10). Served on top a parsnip puree and scattered glazed carrots. Succulent, tender, and flavorful, this rustic dish won the heart of all of us. Another fantastic small plate was the Gnocchi in Cream Sauce with Broccoli Rabe, Parmesan and Prosciutto ($12). The gnocchi impossibly fluffy/pillowy with almost a creamy texture as they melt in your mouth when you bite into them. The accenting ingredients were a perfect match as well as you can see.
Next section was Salads and then Vegetables. We ordered the Heirloom Tomato Stuffed with Burrata Cheese ($9.50) with a side of super sweet cherry tomatoes tossed in basil and olive oil. Burrata is an Italian fresh cheese made from Mozzarella and cream that is mixed until it obtains a soft texture. Mild and creamy it made the sun bursting flavors of the heirloom tomato shine. We also tried the White Corn Soup with Chives and Creme Fraiche ($8). Simple and delicious with bright sweet corn flavor.
On to the Entrees with three different sections, pasta, fish and meat. Us girls had the Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes, Tapenade and Olive Oil ($24), and the Slow Roasted Salmon with Baby Artichokes, Preserved Lemon and Lardons ($24). Both great dishes, my salmon moist and melting in the mouth. The guys had the Grilled New York Strip with Tomato, Mushrooms, and Gremolata ($28) and the Grilled Hereford Ribeye with Bordelaise, and Bearnaise Sauce ($48). Great dishes as well, the only mistake being the New York Strip coming out at the table as medium rare when being ordered medium.
Although stuffed at this point we had to try a few of the desserts as well, three to be exact... A Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Soft Ganache Center, Cocoa Nibs, and Toasted Coconut Almond Ice Cream, and the Profiteroles with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce, both really good, although the profiterole eating guest thought the profiteroles were slightly dry. Despite being a chocoholic, I have to admit that the third dessert was the most interesting. A French Toast with Cinnamon, Maple Syrup and Coffee Ice Cream. Excellent marriage and balance of the flavors.

This massive feast was enjoyed with three fantastic bottles of wine. Roar 2005 Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, Jayson 2002 Napa Valley Red Wine and Plumpjack 1995 Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We had brought the 2002 Jayson with us, the other two bottles were from their well put together wine list. With a limited but very well choosen selection under each varietal, it concentrates mostly on new world wines but does not forget about the wines from Europe. It has something to offer for everyone, with prices for a bottle of wine starting at under $30 and climbing from there, and with a section dedicated to half bottles. The library section has a great selection of Napa Valley Meritage and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The setting, ambiance and food exceeded my expectations for an opening night. The service was very attentive, courteous and knowledgeable, but as with the stress of any grand opening, just a little off in the timing. Small mistakes like serving first course before our wine had arrived, and forgetting to offer us coffee at dessert time, should be easily overcome as they hit their stride. I have been to grand openings before and not a single one has been able to offer that impeccable service right of the bat. Having dined many times at their other restaurant, The Kitchen, that offers service second to none, I am confident that it is only a matter of days or weeks until this is also achieved at Ella Dining Room and Bar.
Over all I can highly recommend this restaurant and I am one for sure that will be back very soon.


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Del Posto, New York

Another chef's food I have been longing to try, while in New York, is Mario Batali's. He has a total of eight restaurants + one wine shop in New York (as far as I know). Choosing one was not easy but I ended up deciding to go to Del Posto. It is located next door to CraftSteak, were we had been the night before (I will review it later in another posting), at 85 Tenth Avenue.
The restaurant is very elegantly decorated but still welcoming with a lot of dark wood and warm colors in the textiles.

On to the dining. We were seated promptly and after being handed the menu and wine list a basket filled with a varietal of still warm bread arrived. The olive foccacia was my favorite...

After that four small plates with amuse bouche were presented, Shrimp "Puff" (awesome!), Green Tomato with Jalapeno Cream Sauce, Tuna and Artichoke Tea Sandwich, and a Vegetable Broth Soup with Fresh Herbs. All very good!
For starter we shared the Porcini Mushroom, Arugula Risotto. This risotto was one of the best ones I have had since our trip to Italy four years ago. The arugula was pureed, and colored the whole risotto in a vivid green and gave it a nice peppery note, while the fresh porcini gave it a great earthy taste. The rice perfectly creamy with the right al dente bite to it. Excellent start!
For main course I ordered the Turbot with Sweet Corn, Chantarelles and Sangiovese. The turbot was a little bit over cooked but the accompanying ingredients made the dish shine. This was not great but never the less very good. My husband had the Pork Chop. He thought that was a little bit over done as well, but as he got toward the center it was more juicy and full of flavor.
For dessert we shared the Chocolate Souffle with Brandied Cherries and Espresso Gelato. Could not go wrong with this one. Souffle was warm and still slightly liquid in the middle, and the gelato made the perfect pairing. And as if this was not enough a cart of sweet treats arrived at the end of the meal were I had to taste an "Italian" Oreo, dark caramel, and a divine dark ganache in a chocolate shell.
After a delicious, although not perfect, meal we left this well worth to visit restaurant.

The wine: Drinking mostly California and other new world wines we had the sommelier help us pick out a wine for dinner. He gave a few suggestions and among them a Barbaresco, Ada Nada 1999 Valeirano (made from the Nebbiolo grape) that we ended up deciding on. It turned out to be a delicious bottle that paired well with all courses of our meal.

One point I have to make is that the service was a little bit off. At all points during the meal the service was slow enough as to where it was just raising the question "where are they?", and right then they would show up with more water, the dessert menu, or whatever it might be... (Coffee was served a the last couple of bites of dessert, whereas I prefer to get it right before dessert is served). Nothing that can't be corrected with just a few adjustments...

We had a very good meal here, the highlight being the risotto. I can recommend this restaurant with one reservation, the service. It is just a little bit off, not very noticeable, but still there.

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Gordon Ramsay at The London, New York

We just spent a week in New York during US Open. While my husbands biggest pleasure during the trip is the tennis, mine is researching, selecting and finally eating at restaurants with (supposedly) fabulous food and wine.

This years trip we started with a night at Gordon Ramsay at The London. My cousin had dinner there earlier this spring and have been raving about the exceptional service, food, and ambiance. A must try for us after all the praise, plus the fact that we had not been to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant before.
Upon arrival we were sent to the bar as our table was not quite ready yet. 35 minutes later we were finally seated in a half empty dining room. The dining room is made up of one single rectangular room, elegantly decorated, and with high ceilings. It might seem intimate to some, having a limited number of tables, but to us it felt like we were at a wedding party. I like when a restaurant has something to break it up. Be it partition walls, pillars, or booths to create the feeling of separate areas.

After being presented with menu and wine list the first amuse bouche arrived. A fantastic Tuna Tartare and Avocado in a crunchy cone. The tuna tartare was short of amazing. One of the best I have had. Simply fresh tuna with just a few other, not over shadowing, ingredients to showcase its freshness and beauty.
After our order was taken a plate with small nibbles of Parmesan Crusted Cherry Tomato, a Veal Cube (of some kind), and Mushroom Filled Pastry Bread was brought to our table, all very tasty as well.

After this, bread and butter was placed at the table and a final amuse bouche to clean the palate before our ordered meal appeared. A Lemon Sorbet on top of Watermelon, Tomato and, if I remember correctly, Grapefruit. Refreshing and cleansing indeed.
My first course arrived shortly after this, Curried Scallop on a Cauliflower Puree. The scallop, lightly dusted with curry would have been perfect was it not for the fact that it was halved and therefore was a smidge overdone when being pan seared. Otherwise a lovely dish with great combination of flavors.
My husband has the Foie Gras on top of shaved plum and a green bean salad on the side. Good but not great was his verdict.
I had the Lamb with Truffle Dusted Potato, Zucchini and Tomato in Lamb Juice. This was a big disappointment. I ordered it to chef's recommendation (medium rare), and although it came out close to that specification, slightly overdone, the meat was rather tough and tasteless. I know lamb can be difficult, but nothing a five star restaurant can't handle...
My husband had the Suckling Pig Tenderloin and was only so impressed as well.
Time for dessert! Hoping things would get better I had the Vahlrona Chocolate Fondant with banana ice cream and a frothy vanilla drink, and my husband had the Chocolate Mousse with Ginger Ice cream. Both of them very good (mine was a step better). Satisfying enough for a chocoholic...

At the very end of the meal a cart of caramels, chocolates and other sweet treats was brought to our table for selecting a few pieces. We were all but hungry at this point but had to try a few of them of course. A nice end to the meal.

Overall this was a decent meal but we were disappointed with the overall impression we got from the promptness of seating, the food, the "ball room" setting, etc. The highlights of the meal were the tuna tartare and the wine we ordered, Vision Cellar Gary's Vineyard Pinot Noir (a great pinot that I can not recall the vintage of). Other than that it was good but far from great...

Have you dined here? If so I would love to hear your thoughts because I am dying to hear that I am wrong and that we just had an "off night"...


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Atrium, Edinburgh Scotland

Atrium was established in 1993 by Andrew and Lisa Radford and is located in the Usher Hall with the Traverse and Lyceum Theatres. They have had a consistent reputation throughout the years of being one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh, having won several awards, and they use only premium ingredients sourced from local suppliers. This small, candle lit, restaurant served us the best meal we had during our 2 1/2 week long trip through England, Scotland and Ireland.

We were promptly seated upon arrival and after ordering wine and food an amuse bouche was served and this particular night we were treated to a Carrot Soup with Sesame Oil. Subtle flavors and great taste of summer through the baby carrots the soup was made from.

We went from there to sharing two starters. The Scallops with Tomato Risotto was exactly just that: small, sweet, tender scallops served on a bed of very creamy, rich, risotto with diced tomatoes. This was absolutely delicious and the perfect starter as it would have been to heavy as a full entree due to the risotto that was loaded with cream and cheese.

The Shaved Artichoke was served on a salad of baby lettuce, tomatoes and shaved Pecorino cheese. All surrounded by traces of olive tapenade, perfect to soak up with the homemade warm bread that was served at the table. The salad was very vivid in color and flavor, and delicious.

For entree my husband had the Maize Fed Chicken. This was hands down the best chicken I have ever tasted. The meat so moist and incredibly flavorful. Served with Vegetable Medley my husband raved about it for days. And still does...

I had the Halibut with Crab Salad on a bed of home made tagliatelle with green onions, yellow onion and tomatoes. The halibut again was out of this world in flavor and cooked to perfection. The crab salad it was topped with made a perfect match. The pasta was very good but a little bit overcooked. Al dente instead and this would truly have been an amazing dish.

Dessert made me scream for more! Chocolate....(something).... with Coffee Creme Anglais. Best chocolate dessert ever! Hard to describe but kind of like a gooey, cake/brownie batter baked in a pie pastry shell, beautifully cut and decorated, and then baked to perfection. Served warm on a mirror of coffee creme anglais. Warm, gooey, intense dark chocolate. Could you ask for anything more?

On top of this complementary after dinner treats was served. I was stuffed at this point, but had to taste the Chocolate Chip Biscuit, Bittersweet Dark Chocolate Truffle, and a "Oat/Granola Bar Cookie". All delicious of course.

The other highlight of the night was the wine. I choose a Pinot Noir from New Zealand that I hadn't heard of before. At a price of around 35 British pound we did not expect greatness, but it turned out to be delicious. One of the best bottles we had during the trip. So what bottle then? It was the Momo 2005 Seresin Estate Marlboruough Pinot Noir. Intense in raspberry, cherry and great acidity and tannins. Medium bodied with a long finish. A great wine that I almost cried over when getting back and realizing that it is not available in the US. Retailing for US$20-25 in England it would have been a great everyday drinking wine! Let me know if you have found it somewhere out there and know something I don't know. I want this wine!!!

The service throughout the evening was attentive but not over the top. Being used to "American" service we thought it was a little bit slow at times, but we were in no hurry and enjoyed our evening.

If you ever find yourself in the Edinburgh area this establishment is a must visit!

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Theo Randall at The Intercontinental, London

We just came back after spending 2 1/2 week in London, Scotland and Ireland and I have a few places that I would like to share with you. Today I am starting with Theo Randall at The Intercontinental Park Lane in London.

Theo Randall just opened his first own restaurant in fall of 2006 at the Intercontinental after 17 years at The River Cafe in London. The restaurant has a sleek, contemporary interior design with extensive wood flooring and wood paneling on the walls, and accessories in brown and green colors. The food is Italian with Theo's personal twist, and both the ingredients and presentation are simple with stunning results.

My husband started with the Insalata Mista with greens, big chunks of sun ripe tomatoes, and Pecorino cheese. With great quality green and intensely flavored tomatoes this was a simple but delicious light start to the meal. I had to try the Scottish Scallop with Lentils. Beautiful sweet scallops with a salty and spicy component as it was topped with capers and thin slices of green chili. The scallops was sitting on a bed of subtly seasoned and flavored lentils. A delicious pairing that gave a flavor and texture contrast but in no way competed with the scallops.

For main course seafood, duck and rabbit were the options and my husband not eating any of these had to ask for a special dish. They presented him with a Roasted Chicken with a Vegetable Medley. I did not taste this dish but he was happy with the dish, although far from blown away. I on the other hand was thrilled to see all the seafood options and choose the Linguini with Brown Shrimp and Shredded Zucchini. The brown shrimp was the smallest shrimp I have ever seen (about the size of my thumb nail). Very flavorful although some of them a tad bit tough as I am sure they can't be easy to cook to perfection because of their size. The shredded zucchini was a great match, and the home made pasta perfectly al dente. A subtle and delicious dish! I would love to recreate this at home and will have to go on a hunt for brown shrimp as I have never seen them here in the States...

Time had come for dessert. Seeing a Soft Chocolate Cake on the menu I knew I had to try it. This soft chocolate cake was in the style of a fallen souffle cake and was paired with vanilla mascarpone whipped to a velvety, airy texture. Delicious!

We had a bottle of 2001 Barolo with our meal. I do not remember or take notes on the producer but it was a really good bottle and although it was not the best choice to go with my seafood dishes I still enjoyed it.

All in all my husband was not to impressed with this restaurant although he though he had a good meal. I on the other hand really enjoyed my meal and would definitely go back for a second visit had I lived in London. Each dish has few, but high quality ingredients and Theo Randall really works magic with them. The simplicity is just beautiful. It proves again that less is more...

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