CHARLIETUNA

2011 - The Year in Food

2012-01-02T22:19:00.032-05:00

A few highlights from the past year....

Everything at Curate, especially at our first meal there in May

Hot Dog and Battered Fries at Manchester, TN's Jiffy Burger

Breakfast at Bonnaroo post-Graveyard dining there

Cheese and wine raging with Bisbee Sunday night of Bonnaroo

Roasted white asparagus with brown butter at Home

Ziti with chili/basil/garlic tomato sauce, pan-fried zucchini, and goat cheese at Home

Fried crawfish tails at Bayou Bay in Knoxville

Some delicious off-the-menu item at Bayou Bay that I can't remember the name of - not gumbo, not etouffee, and not jambalaya - what is it?!

Grilled tilapia taco with corn, cabbage, cilantro, onion and tomato at Home

Purple potatoes at Home

Sichuan Spicy Cold Noodles (Hand-Stretched) with Cucumber at Beijing Noodle No. 9 in Las Vegas

Pho at Pho Kim Long in Las Vegas

Hard-carved adobada at Tacos El Gordo in Las Vegas...

...and on the taco

e by Jose Andres in Las Vegas

One of the many pastas from B&B pasta tasting menu in Las Vegas

Wine and cheese plate at Loews in Atlanta

Me and Brandy pre-Grizzes (Coronita topped off with a shot of tequila) at El Myr in Atlanta

McDonald's at 4 AM in the back of Roddy's truck at Halfway to Forecastle after-party in Louisville

Dried Fried Eggplant at Tasty China in Marietta, GA

Budvar at the hotel in London after a really, really long two days of travel

A perfectly grilled steak at Home

First taste of the New Belgium Clutch beer in Portland at the Horse Brass

Homemade Patas Bravas, Jose style

Home-cured olives, Jose style

Silken Tofu Mousse at San Francisco's Bushi-Tei

Broiled California White Bass at Bushi-Tei

Soy Braised Short Ribs at Bushi-Tei

Chocolate Bread Pudding at Bushi-Tei

The best pizza I've ever had -"Panna" (tomato sauce, cream, basil, shaved parm) - at Pizzeria Delfina in San Fran...and really good Italian white wine - Valle Dell' Acate Zagra from Sicilia

Belgian beer at The Trappist in Oakland

Bun Thit Nuong & Cha Gio (Grilled Pork & Egg Rolls w/ Vermicelli) at Pho 2000 in San Francisco

Probably the best beer ever - Sara's Ruby Mild - at Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery - in San Fran, presented here by Admiral Ackbar

Meatball pizza pie at Lombardi's in NYC

Papaya King dog for breakfast at NY's LaGuardia airport

Cochon at, well, Cochon in NOLA

Entrance to Arnauld's French 75 Bar in NOLA

French 75s at French 75 Bar in NOLA

The best, I say, THE BEST, Ramos Gin Fizz at Bar Tonique in NOLA

Barbecued Leeks at Town House in Chilhowie, VA

Duck Prosciutto at Town House

I can't remember, but doesn't it look awesome - at Town House

Preserved carrot with muscavado sugar and tonka at Town House

Burt Embers at Town House

I'm baaack...from Germany

2011-11-26T22:24:00.003-05:00

Just got back from Berlin and Muenchen.

Check out Brandy's photos from Deutschland.

The first were taken before a few too many Berliner Pilsners...and dunkels...and hefeweizens... and a local Berlin version of Jagermeister at Schnelle Quelle. I can't remember the name of the liquor. Again, too many....

Food was amazing. Took little to no pics on the trip beyond Brandy's few (tried to leave the technology behind), but highlights were pommes frites with peppery mayo at Checkpoint Curry @ Checkpoint Charlie, pizza, and pho @ Pho Co in Berlin, and crispy roasted duck & venison chops @ Spatenhaus, weisswurst and Kartoffelsalat (German potato salad) @ Donisl, truffle pasta @ Ristorante Galleria, Gluhwein (hot mulled wine) @ Christmas ice skating, Wiener schnitzel @ Augustiner Keller, and bier (!!!) in Muenchen.

Augustiner was definitely the favorite of the primary Muenchner braus (Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten-Franziskaner-Lowenbrau, Hacker-Pschorr, and Hofbrau).

Wish we were there in warmer weather to take advantage of the farmer's market and all the meats, cheeses, seafood, and wine. Wow, so amazing!

Best part of the trip? Well, Rammstein at Olympiahalle in Muenchen. Finally! What a great place to see them. And now I love the band even more than before because they bought out all the concessionaire's bier cups with RAMMSTEIN branded cups. I had to make sure I made my rounds to get all four. It was like collecting cups from a kid's meal at a Burger King!

Check them out. (Custom concert tickets from MSG and Olympiahalle in the background.)

Tapas

2011-07-31T23:45:00.005-04:00

Inspired by "Made in Spain" and "Tapas - A Taste of Spain in America" by Jose Andres and Curate bar de tapas in the kitchen this weekend!

(Initial attempt at) Drunken goat cheese and tomato salad

Spinach, Catalan-style

Oven-roasted potatoes and mushrooms

Las Vegas 2011 #2 - Peppermill Fireside Lounge

2011-07-12T23:01:00.005-04:00

The best place in the world.

The best Old Fashioned you can get - and finally at a seat by the fireside!

My sister and Brandy's Scorpion - i.e. "mega girly drink"

Las Vegas 2011 #1 - e by Jose Andres

2011-07-12T21:37:00.007-04:00

Returned to Vegas this month with Brandy, but this time we joined my family.

I will share some of the highlights across a few posts, starting with our dinner at e by Jose Andres.

E is a super-secret 8-seat, one-room restaurant within a restaurant (Jaleo) in Vegas' new Cosmopolitan hotel. We were fortunate enough to obtain a reservation through a business acquaintance who formerly closely worked with Jose at ThinkFoodGroup and also Ferran Adria at el Bulli.

At e, you're able to interact directly with the chefs, who prepare most of the 20+ courses directly in front of your eyes in a (Japanese sushi/hibachi -style) bar-type setting with really quirky decor, supposedly representing an insane snapshot of Jose Andres' mind. My reservation confirmation was every bit accurate to call it a "show." The service is all handled by one "host" and the 4 chefs. The food was, well, amazing.

My only major complaint was actually the other diners! We unfortunately dined with people that give "foodie" the bad connotation it has. I genuinely believe a couple of folks were there just to have a bad time. I am not sure why they spent the time and money they did just to complain. It really put a dark cloud on the dinner, as it was impossible to ignore them, having only 7 people at an 8-person table in one room with essentially no music. They were real assholes.

Regardless, between e, Jose's Made in Spain on PBS, and more, Jose Andres is easily my favorite food personality right now, and I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

Now, a few snapshots....

Jose's Gin and Tonic

The best!

Spanish "Clavel" and Caramelized Pork Rinds

Yes, an edible flower served on an actual mold of Jose's hand!

Crispy Chicken Skin in Escabeche

Amazing!

Jose Taco & Artichoke with Caviar

The "taco" is Iberico ham with caviar - so good!

"Sandria"

Sangria soaked and compressed watermelon

Ajo Blanco

A marcona almond soup - the best dish of the night!

Chickpea Stew with Iberico Ham

Those aren't real chickpeas - they are pureed chickpeas with Iberico Ham reformed as chickpeas - so porky, rich and amazing

Catch of the Day

Fluke, I think. Awesome.

Rosemary Wild Mushrooms in Papillote

Morels cooked in rosemary infused liquid cooked in a pouch. To die for. Morels are so excellent.

Secreto of Iberico Ham

Iberico Ham sirloin? with chanterelles. This gave the best steak ever a run for its money.

Apples & Red Wine "Fredy Giradet"

Watch Jose Andres' "Made in Spain" on PBS and look for this dish. It is sooo good. The apples are soaked in red wine.

Like I said, crazy decor.

Wine glass rack. The car catalogue is supposed to represent Jose's brain.

Prep area

Curate in Asheville

2011-05-19T23:07:00.013-04:00

Wow. What an amazing evening celebrating Brandy's birthday. 4+ hours of food and drink. And the porron...finally! Truly one of the best meals, ever. Thanks to Felix Meana and the Button family for a wonderful evening! So epic...

ultimate gin & tonic

almendras fritas and aceitunas curate

tabla de quesos

tabla de jamon fermin with pan con tomate

esparragos blancos

chistorra & chips Jose's way

croquetas de pollo

escalivada con anchoas

patatas bravas

berenjenas la taberna

setas al jerez

almejas al vino blanco

panche porron

estrella inedit

vieiras con pimiento del piquillo maestro julian

esparragos verdes con romesco

chocolate caliente

Special dessert from Katie Button for Brandy

Town House Spring 2011

2011-05-10T23:58:00.006-04:00

Returned to Town House this past weekend for our third visit. Amazing, yet again. Perhaps the best experience yet. I literally ate every bite of everything. And, of course, the wine pairings from Charlie Berg were spot on. Can't wait to go back!

I didn't take notes, so I am not sure if dish descriptions are accurate...

Turbot chicharone

Cucumber, young almonds, fresh farm cheese, spinach mousse

Oysters, chilled cream?, herbs, and other awesome stuff

Chilled roasted shallot in yuzu olive oil?

Softshell crab, assorted onions, fresh seaweed, and more

Some sort of amazing creamy grain dish with asparagus and herbs

Random table shot

Lamb 2-ways: lamb "belly" and roasted shoulder

Liquid Venezuelan chocolate bar with assorted other chocolates and ice cream

Other chocolate dessert with lime zest

Chez Liberty

2011-02-27T13:16:00.005-05:00

Finally made our way to Knoxville's Chez Liberty last night. We've wanted to go for a while, but every time we make the leap to spend good money on a nice dinner, we've stuck with what we know we like - the Northshore Brasserie.

But this time we planned a late Valentine's Day dinner with some friends and vowed to go to a "new-to-us" place.

The decor of this restaurant, located in the former Bistro by the Tracks building, is, unfortunately, in need of serious help. It feels like they're going for a trendy nightclub vibe with alternating blinking colored lights against white walls (much like downtown Knoxville's Sapphire bar), which makes no sense when you look at their fairly serious menu and wine list. I think their goal is to keep it casual and not "stuffy." I am totally down with high quality food and service in a cusual and relaxed environment. In fact, that is my favorite type of experience, but this comes off just feeling lame.

The music, on the other hand, did help create a fun, youthful environment. The playlist included contemporary rock acts Coldplay, Spoon, Modest Mouse, Radiohead, and more. My only complaint is that the nice Bose speaker near us had a serious "buzz" going on.

Hands down the best part of the evening was "The Wine Fairy." Our server noticed that we were having trouble deciding on a wine, but only because the wine list is absolutely unbelievable for Knoxville. It was so hard to make a decision. Brandy happened to ask, "I wonder if they have a sommelier?" I said, "no way." Well, not one minute later, a gentleman walked over who very much looked like he could be a sommelier. He squatted down beside the table and introduced himself as "The Wine Fairy." I almost fell out of my seat. He was a really quirky guy, but I loved him. He made the dinner. I could go on about him forever, but, ultimately, he helped us decide on a 2008 Frank Family Chardonnay and picked out five cheeses to go with it.

The chardonnay was wonderful. He even demonstrated how 2 different glasses changed the flavor of the wine. And, the cheese assortment went excellently with the wine. The highlights for me were the Bonne Bouche (Vermont goat), Cypress Grove Purple Haze (California goat with lavender and fennel pollen), and Meadow Creek Grayson (Southwest Virginia cow).

I should also note the restaurant serves a great soft small loaf of rosemary bread with a compound butter (can't remember the exact ingredients).

The next part of the meal was figuring out our red wine for the evening. We decided "spicy" and "big" were flavor profiles we could all agree on. After tasting a few samples (and aside of me being challenged by the Wine Fairy on liking Bell's Talianna but not their Clone 6), he suggested a 2007 Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley. This wine was absolutely fantastic. It had a great bold 100% cabernet aroma, with a little spice and vanilla. The initial flavor and body was quite tannic and rich, but smoothed out and opened up as the evening progressed.

For dinner, I went all out with the $38 Dry-Aged Kansas City strip steak. It was cooked perfectly and had the dry-aged flavor I was looking for. Each steak comes with 2 side (unlike many steakhouses). Unfortunately, they were out of the roasted cippolini onion confit, so I went with the truffled mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. The other people in my party had the Black Angus filet and the rack of lamb special, both of which were excellent.

Although Chez Liberty presents itself as more of a bistro/brasserie, I think it's more successful being viewed as a steakhouse. If you're looking for a really nice "steakhouse" steak with proper "steakhouse" side dishes and a fantastic wine menu, I would venture to say this is THE place in Knoxville - likely over Ruth's Chris or Ye Olde Steakhouse. Check it out, and make sure you ask to see The Wine Fairy. He'll give you the best wine service in town. Oh, and Ross is his name...

S&W

2011-01-09T16:43:00.005-05:00

I don't know which is sadder...Knoxville's S&W Grand restaurant closing for the foreseeable future or realizing the ignorance of the people of this town, as evidenced by 99% of the comments on the KnoxNews website regarding the closure.

I could probably write for a couple of hours about those comments and why I supported the S&W, but I am smart enough to know those comments and the people who wrote them aren't worth my time, at least any more than this...

I am saddened to see the S&W go for now. I hope to see it again soon or another restaurant by the same team.

Vegas Day 3

2011-01-08T18:37:00.005-05:00

Never finished my Vegas Nov '10 posts, so I figured I should wrap it up.

Our last day in Vegas found us eating lunch at Pho Kim Long, a Vietnamese restaurant, once again, in Vegas' Chinatown off Spring Mountain Rd. (I failed to mention previously other Chinatown restaurants we passed, such as Hot 'N' Juicy Crawfish, Mr. Tofu, and Tofu Hut, which are probably fine establishments, but have hilarious names. ) I'd read good things on Yelp about Pho Kim Long; we were not disappointed. The outside of the restaurant looked like every other Asian restaurant in Chinatown, but once inside, you forgot you were in a strip mall and quickly realized you weren't getting generic Asian food. I had the Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio, or Charbroiled Pork & Egg Roll with Rice Vermicelli. This is essentially a cold dish, almost like a noodle salad, with charbroiled pork, sliced egg roll, carrot, cucumber, fish sauce (?), and more. It's such a lovely, refreshing dish. I wish I could have this every week. Brandy went for the pho, which she claims was the best she's ever had.

Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (Charbroiled Pork & Egg Roll with Rice Vermicelli)

Pho Tai Chin (Rare Steak & Brisket Noodle Soup)

Pho Toppings

Dau Dau Xao Thit Heo Bam (Stir Fried String Bean with Minced Pork)

Following Pho Kim Long, we visited the newly opened Aria hotel and casino. The design is fantastic. If I was looking to spend more money on a hotel in Vegas, this would be the place. The actually have real, interesting artwork in the lobby and throughout the bars and casino.

Next we visited the fall-themed Bellagio Botanical Gardens, which was actually quite fun. It had a really cool garden character. Check him out:

We continued to bounce from casino to casino, which eventually landed us in The Shoppes at The Palazzo. It was mostly the same as every other in Vegas, but we stumbled upon a pleasant surprise...Double Helix Wine Boutique. A bottle of Caduceus wine caught my eye. No wine store I've ever visited carried Maynard James Keenan's wine. We immediately popped in and found wine from Ken Wright, Ramon Bilbao, Orin Swift, and many other awesome producers. We then realized that Double Helix had a wine bar outside the store in the middle of the shops. We quickly went there to ultimately enjoy many wines. I sampled either by 1/2 glass or full glass the 2008 Purple Hands Red Blend, 2004 Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo Reserva, and 2008 Ken Wright Abbot Claim Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

After all that wine, we needed some food. We'd danced around the idea of eating at B&B Ristorante at the Venetian on previous trips. The menu looked amazing. We figured we hit the bar to share a couple of small courses before going to the last night of A Perfect Circle. I had no idea we'd be in for such an amazing experience.

First, the bartender was excellent. He gave us great recommendations on both wine and food. He let us try the wines before we ordered, which was much appreciated. Throughout the meal, I had the 2007 Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco, 2008 Bastianich Vespa Bianco, and a 2007 Rubbjano Lacrima di Morro d'Alba. The Bastianich Vespa Bianco was one of the best wines I've ever had. Plain and simple.

The food was perhaps more amazing. We started with Grilled Octopus with 'Borlotti Marinati' and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette. The was unquestionably the most tender piece of octopus I'd ever had. We followed that with Warm Lamb's Tongue with Chanterelles and 3-Minute Egg. Our server noted that the tongue actually looks the mushrooms; I didn't believe him. I'd seen and eaten tongue before. I was wrong; I dug into a piece of what I thought was mushroom and was quickly shocked to taste meat. It was a fun, mess-with-your-expectations dish. Really flavorful, too. We ended with the Goat Cheese Tortelloni with Dried Orange and Wild Fennel Pollen. I'm not sure if this or the octopus was my favorite. It was probably the most memorable (in a good way) pasta dish I've ever had. And it paired beautifully with the Vespa Bianco.

B&B is simply fantastic. I'd read several reviews on Yelp that blasted the restaurant for the prices. Brandy and I split 3 (filling) dishes and had 3 glasses of wine (which are actually mini decanters of 1.5 glass pours at B&B) for $128 including tax. I thought it was a great deal for such amazing food and drink. And I can't say enough about the service. Great recommendations and extra pours / samples of wine. I look forward to the next time...

Whole Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables

2010-11-28T23:15:00.015-05:00

Finally got enough nerve to try roasting a chicken....and it worked! It was by far one of the best tasting things I've ever made. We more-or-less followed Thomas Keller's approach in Ad Hoc at Home for his "Whole Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables" and added a side of pan-roasted brussels sprouts with bacon.

Once trussed, the chicken cavity is seasoned with fresh shallots (Keller uses garlic - I didn't have any on-hand), kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, and thyme. (This was my first time trussing a chicken. Pretty easy once you figure it out, but that took a few minutes. I am sure I won't remember how to do it next time...) The outside is then seasoned with oil, salt, and pepper and then dotted with unsalted butter. The vegetables (we used carrots, potatoes from my grandparents' garden, leeks, and onion), similarly, are seasoned with oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. You then simply layer the bottom of a roasting pan with the vegetables and sit the chicken on top. Roast on 475 degrees for 25 minutes and then 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until the chicken reached 160 degrees.

The thyme is the real magic ingredient here. Combined with the butter, chicken fat, and vegetables, it makes for an awesome flavor.

Space Ghost & Emeril

2010-11-28T11:43:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQd5TqoNN8I

Nuff said...

Vegas Day 2

2010-11-27T17:22:00.003-05:00

Day 2 in Vegas had us starting off for a quick breakfast at The Earl of Sandwich in the shops at the Planet Hollywood. Though we usually go here for lunch (try the "Montague"), the breakfast sandwiches are good, too. Don't pass this place up even though it looks generic; They make great food!

Around the corner from The Earl of Sandwich is one of our favorite breweries, Sin City Brewery. Maybe 10:30 AM is a little early to start drinking beer, but, hey, it was 1:30 PM eastern. Sin City offers 4 draft beers. This time they had their wheat, stout, Oktoberfest, and light lager. I stuck with my usual stout. Brandy tried the Oktoberfest. Would make for a great "session" beer. Though we didn't order one, their version of a Belgian wit beer is probably their best offering.

We followed the Sin City up by hopping in a cab over to Vegas' Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road. If you ever go to Vegas and want to eat awesome food, go to Chinatown! On this day we visited Monta Japanese Noodle House. This was my first time eating real ramen, i.e. not the $0.10 packs you buy at Walmart. Monta is a really small noodle house situated a couple doors down from the popular Raku Japanese restaurant. It sits maybe 25 people (very tightly, I might add). I opted for the Tonkatsu (pork) ramen with extra pork and Brandy went for the Shoyu (soy) ramen with egg. The Tonkatsu was more cloudy, rich, and stock-like (I think it is made from pork bones and fat), whereas the Shoyu was more thin, salty, broth-like. Both were good, although I preferred mine. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the pork slices were to-die-for. We also ordered a small side of fried rice, which was lightly fried with egg and pork. Very different (as expected) from the typical East Tennessee "Japanese" restaurant fried rice. Glad I tried it. (The gyoza looked amazing, too. I wish we'd ordered those.) Perhaps the best part of all was that we were seated at the bar overlooking the small kitchen allowing us the opportunity to watch the chefs make each order of noodles. Absolutely fascinating. There was such an insane level of noodle soup perfection being demonstrated.

On our way to Monta, we noticed a pub we'd been wanting to visit for a couple of years called The Crown & Anchor. Had no idea they had a second location in Chinatown. We walked over there immediately followed our noodles and proceeded to chill at the bar for a few hours watching proper football (i.e. soccer), drinking proper pints (i.e. 20 ounces) of Hoegaarden, and listening to a proper jukebox (i.e. a jukebox with music I like on it, like Rush and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings). Could have sat there all day (literally - it is open 24/7). Oh, and don't forget the $0.25 video blackjack at the bar! You ARE in Vegas...

Once we were ready to go back out later that day, we figured we need a light dinner before we went to the concert. Michael Mina's Nobhill Tavern was located at the entrance to our hotel wing at the MGM. It's a great looking space, so we thought we'd have a cocktail at the bar and try an appetizer. We both ended up with whiskey-based cocktails (mine being better than Brandy's - I think we got the back-up bartender). For the snack, we went for chilled king crab legs with whole grain creme fraiche. Wow! Though they were $18.00, it was great to snack on some really excellent, fresh seafood.

Following Nobhill Tavern, we figured we were in need of a better drink, and we knew exactly where to go. Just a few minutes away in the MGM is Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak. This was one of the first "fine dining" restaurants I ever visited - and it remains one of my favorites today. I went for a glass of Ramey 2006 Claret and Brandy went for a "Black Cherry Fizz." What a hell of a cocktail. I wish I'd ordered one. It tasted like a homemade, alcoholic 7-Up. So good.

We soon realized that the crab had only wetted our appetite and immediately knew what could solve it - Craftsteak's wild mushroom risotto. Their risotto was unquestionably one of the most inspirational dishes for me the first time I had it. It really got me excited about wanting to learn how to make risotto, and ultimately learning about all sorts of different techniques in the kitchen. On this visit, the risotto included hen of the woods mushrooms and butternut squash. I tend to think I make a pretty good risotto. I practice it alot. But it's still a hard dish and I've never perfected it. I was quickly reminded of this when the Craftsteak risotto hit my mouth last weekend. Jesus. It is so good. The rice is perfectly cooked. And the wee little bit of thyme in there just adds such an amazing extra level of flavor. It was a highlight of the trip, for sure. And the best part - it's enough food to split and it's only $15.00!

Vegas - Day 1

2010-11-24T21:28:00.003-05:00

Just went to Vegas this past weekend for two nights of A Perfect Circle (playing Mer de Noms and 13th Step in their entirety). Had some awesome food and drinks while we were there...

Started off with a cocktail at Red Square. It's a USSR-themed restaurant/bar in the Mandalay Bay. I've wanted to go for a while, as I was fascinated with Soviet history in college, but it seems totally un-"p.c." to have a USSR-themed bar. Anyway, I went...

You can't really go to a Russian bar without getting vodka. I think you can even visit a fancy ice-cold vodka room (with parkas and all) if you buy a bottle. I went for the house-infused pineapple vodka martini. Pretty good considering I don't really drink vodka or vodka martinis. Bar had a pretty good vibe. Bartender was performing some fancy bar tricks. Definitely would check it out again if I was over that way.

Followed that up with a return visit to Charlie Palmer's Aureole. We visited Aureole last December on a whim prior to a Metallica concert at the Mandalay Bay. We'd seen the restaurant on Top Chef and found the "wine angels" to be quite hilarious. You should research that if you are unfamiliar.

Our experience last time was, well, really bad to say the least. The food was good, but the service was jaw-droppingly poor - especially considering they had a Michelin star. I mean BAD. I decided not to bitch publicly (not that anyone would really care) and (out of character for myself) sent a note to the general manager about our experience. He responded about a week later apologizing for our experience and offered us to visit as his personal guests in the future. I had no interest in taking him up, not wanting to waste my time the next time I was in the city considering all of the other really awesome options (even if it was free), but given the fact that this trip was not anticipated (I never would have imagined APC would tour again), we figured a free dinner wasn't a bad option. I mean, if we were their personal guests, you'd assume the service would be exceptional. Well, that was not the case....

Again, it was disjointed. Too many different servers not communicating. Too rushed. Wine list without a food menu. No information on wine pairings (again, because there was no food menu). (I say this because Aureole is supposed to be one of the best "wine restaurants" in the country and good service is perhaps half of being an excellent fine dining restaurant.) Too much service then no service at all. Just completely all over the place. And then after basically disappearing for the last half hour of the meal, one of the servers comes over and says "You are done here." WTF? I am? I didn't know that. I think there was a bit of a language barrier, but I think what he could and should have said was, "We really appreciate you coming back to Aureole and trying the restaurant again. Our general manager will be taking care of you bill this evening. I hope you had a pleasurable experience and we hope to see you again in the future." Not "you are done here." I almost fell out of my chair. I felt like I was slapped in the face. "Just get out of here, please!," is what they meant, I think. You know what Aureole? I'd so much rather go spend money I don't even have at another restaurant than sit and waste my time in your shitty, pretentious restaurant.

I suppose there were a couple of good things that came out of the time we were there. Each of our first courses were excellent. Brandy had a salad with poached egg, pork belly, and foie gras. The description was much better than that and the flavor and texture were excellent. I had a shortrib ravioli in a truffle celery soup (I think). It was also very excellent. I also got a bottle of 2006 Larkin Cabernet Franc which was, well, unbelievable. Larkin makes excellent wine and this was no exception.

After this generally crap-ass experience, we decided we needed to go to a really awesome place. Something that just couldn't be wrong...The Peppermill Fireside Lounge. This might be the greatest place on earth. It's old Vegas-style down near the Wynn. The bar and restaurant are open 24/7. The lounge is filled with mirrors, pink neon, pink velvet, fire pits, and old music videos...and awesome cocktails with proper glassware. I had one of the best old fashioneds I've ever had. Brandy went for the Scorpion. If you've ever seen the No Reservations episode about Vegas, you'll know what I am talking about. It it huge. And awesome. Big straws, too. They've got really good nachos, too, at the Fireside Lounge, but didn't hit them up this time. I could have stayed there for hours, but that would have gotten ugly...

The Best Cocktail? Charleston's "The Gin Joint"

2010-11-16T19:06:00.006-05:00

I may have just had the best cocktail of my life this past weekend in Charleston. I typically go for wine or beer before cocktails, but we came across this fairly new place called The Gin Joint and they almost exclusively do cocktails. Seemed to make sense. Plus, I like gin.

Started off with a snack of fingerling potato skins with aged cheddar, bacon, and sour cream. I am a sucker for potato skins. I've always like them. Nice to see someone do this in a more gourmet fashion with fingerling potatoes (including purple ones!), which I really enjoy, and really excellent bacon.

Now, on to the important stuff....

My first drink was pretty safe. It was called "Aeromexico" and was featured on their seasonal "Fall Harvest" menu. It included pecan wood smoked honey, Cuervo Tradicional tequila, maraschino, and lemon. Pretty solid. More or less an alternate margarita, but good. More of a summertime drink, in my opinion, than a fall drink, though.

Brandy, on the other hand, went out of her comfort zone. She ordered "The Original New Orleans Fizz." Wow...what a cocktail. Made of Plymouth Gin, lemon, lime, Fleur d'Orange, egg white, and cream, this thing was unlike anything we'd ever had. More of an aromatic and texture experience than just focus on flavor. Excellent!

On to the next round...

I ordered "The Old Metropole" from the "Fancy Cocktails" list. OH MY GOD. This was THE BEST cocktail I've ever had - right up my alley. It was super simple - Cles des Ducs Armagnac, orange bitters, and Carpano. It was smoky, vanillay, super smooth, dark, and awesome! AMAZING.

Brandy went for another fizz. This time, the "Blackberry Imperial Fizz," featuring Goslings Rum, blackberry, lemon, and sparkling wine. This was sweeter and richer than the other fizz. It also had a big chuck of old-school ice block in the middle. Very good, too.

All drinks are $10, so it's not the cheapest place in the world, but two cocktails from The Gin Joint will do you right.

Empire Eats Menu from Raleigh Anthony Bourdain Show

2010-11-16T18:59:00.003-05:00

Here's the menu from Empire Eats. I received this prior to the event. I think it's an accurate representation of what they actually served. The roasted pig was great, as were the short ribs. The local cheese was a surprise for me. I had no idea Chapel Hill was producing such great cheese. I wish I had tried everything!

Grilled Octopus with Spicy Apple and Green Papaya Salad

Kibbee Nayah in Mini Pita Pockets

Hummus with Pita

Marinated Lamb Chop Lollipops

Mediterranean Shellfish Salad with Avocado, Grappa Cured Salmon, Over Lavosh Bread

Italian Holiday Rainbow Cookies

Honey Stuffoli

Roasted Pig

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Smoked Brisket, Sweet and Sour Pickled Collared Greens, and Mustard Sauce

Bourbon-Spiked Crab Apples with Local Goat Cheese

Local Cheese Plate

Asian Braised Boneless Short Ribs, Parsnip Puree, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Banana Creme Puffs

Blueberry and Lemon Curd Squares

Assorted Petit Fours

No Reservations: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain

2010-11-14T21:50:00.014-05:00

I normally wouldn't post things about my work life online, but I figure this is the one exception to the rule...

Just spent the weekend in Charleston, SC, and Raleigh, NC, promoting two Anthony Bourdain shows. I've done three shows with Bourdain (the first of three being Knoxville back in April 2009) with another to come (can't say anything else about that yet). Tony is a really nice, appreciate person and a great artist to work with professionally. I am lucky to have had these opportunities and proud of the experiences we've been able to create for the fans.

Tony's show is basically two parts - a talk consisting of bits from his books, travel show, and other "test" material for upcoming work, followed by a short Q&A session with the audience. The talk is fantastic. Definitely go if you are a Bourdain fan.

The most exciting part for me, though, has been the VIP receptions we've done following the shows, as it's allowed me an opportunity to blend my professional career and skills with my personal interests in the food world. At each show we've sold a limited number of VIP tickets to a post-show meet & greet / book signing with Tony plus an on-stage reception with food and drink. It's been great to work with the venues and our local food and drink partners to offer an unique, unforgettable experience for the fans with these receptions.

In Knoxville, we worked with my favorite restaurant, Northshore Brasserie, and Downtown Wine & Spirits. Charleston featured Maverick Kitchens (operators of popular Charleston restaurants such as High Cotton and Slightly North of Broad) and local distillers Firefly Vodka (known for their sweet tea vodka), while in Raleigh we worked with Empire Eats (known for The Pit, The Raleigh Times Bar, The Duck & Dumpling, and more) and local craft brewers, Big Boss Brewing Company.

Here are a few pictures...

Tony's autograph on the North Charleston Performing Arts Center's backstage wall

Book signing at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

Party! on-stage at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

Big Boss "Aces & Ates" Coffee Stout and "Blanco Diablo" Wit Ale taps

Empire Eats welcome to Bourdain

Cheese, fruit, and cracker spread from Empire Eats

Empire Eats dessert

Empire Eats raspberry chocolate cups #1

Empire Eats raspberry chocolate cups #2 (cause they look so good)

Mr. Piggy from The Pit

Me tearing into Mr. Piggy

Wine Review: Buoncristiani 2006 "The Core" Cabernet Sauvignon

2010-11-05T20:56:00.003-04:00

Finally opened our bottle of Buoncristiani 2006 "The Core" Cabernet Sauvignon tonight. Maybe should have waited longer, but, well, it was here, and I knew it would be good. It's one of the more expensive bottles I've ever bought ($120, I think), so I was a little nervous about opening it. I shouldn't have been - it's a Buoncristiani! By far one of the best vineyards I've tasted wine from. This wine has a super concentrated, dark inky purple color with a dense flavor. The Buoncristiani website references a pencil lead aroma - which is totally accurate. I noticed some herb in there, too.

*Update* Later in the evening, I noticed dark chocolate / coffee, nutty fruit tart, and red meat in the aroma. Spicy licorice and sweet vanilla unfolded in the flavor profile. There's a ton of structure with this wine!

The Public House

2010-11-05T20:38:00.002-04:00

Went to The Public House Wednesday night for a soft opening. Great new spot in downtown Knoxville run by friend Laura Sohn. I mostly avoided alcohol (with a developing cold), but chowed down on the awesome food. Amongst four of us we split 2 orders of the Carolina smoked trout dip (yes, it was that good), blue cheese dip & potato chips, Benton's prosciutto, another cured meat (I cannot remember the name), a cheese from Blackberry Farm, beet pesto dip, an awesome local bread, and gigande beans in herbed oil. The highlights were the trout dip, cheese, and gigande beans. (Well, and the Benton's ham, but I already knew that was awesome. More excited about the new things.) The gigande beans are the best bar food ever. And great for my new attempt a diet - a pleasant, tasty, nutritious treat!

Looking forward to the wine (they're going to feature one of my faves - Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo) and cocktails once those are added to the menu...

No Reservations

2010-09-06T21:23:00.002-04:00

Watching the Labor Day marathon on Travel Channel. Forgot how awesome some of these episodes are. Watch seasons 1-3 - especially season 1. And look for "A Cook's Tour" online. Bourdain's work is the best food TV today. "A Cook's Tour" is probably the start of my real interest in food. Check it out.

The best beer in a while

2010-09-06T21:17:00.002-04:00

Meant to post this weeks ago...

Went to the Breslin in New York. Had a Brooklyn Bitter served in a proper 20 oz mug. Best beer I've had in ages. I've been in a wine mood for a long time, and this got me thinking beer again. Go - and get a bitter! Yes, it's $9, but just do it.

Wine Review: 2005 Used Automobile Parts

2010-08-29T22:00:00.005-04:00

Used Automobile Parts is a Napa Valley Bordeaux-style red blend produced by Three Loose Screws, a division of Don Sebastiani & Sons. It's seemingly really hard to find; in fact, there's little-to-no information available anywhere online - not even on Don Sebastiani & Sons website. According to other blogs, it is their only high-end wine, priced at approximately $50 a bottle. I bought it because of the quirky name and simple bottle, plus the fact that it was a Napa red blend.

It's a fantastic wine. Very typical of Napa red blends. Dark fruit. Quite tannic. Really elegant wine. Served with grilled ribeye, "woodshed" potatoes, and broccoli casserole at Ye Olde Steakhouse in South Knoxville. Helped make for an awesome Sunday semi-country dinner.

New Year's Resolution Update: What's Left?

2010-08-29T15:22:00.002-04:00

I needed to get an idea of how many I've visited - let's take look....

Been there:

Le Parigo

Coolato Gelato

Dead End BBQ

S&W Grand

Steamboat Sandwiches

Savelli's

T. Ho Bistro / The Pint House

Need to go:

Cafe 4

R.T. Lodge

Dancing Bear Lodge

Apple Cake Tea Room

501 Arthur

Longhorn Steakhouse

Echo Bistro & Wine Bar

Bonefish Grill

RouXbarb

Seasons Cafe

Ho Ho

Pizza Palace

Chandler's

Sunspot

La Rumba

Altruda's

Red Onion Pizza

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

Hmmm....my progress is not so good. I am seven months into the year and have only gone to 7 of 25 - one a month! Regardless, I can no longer go to R.T. Lodge, as it is now closed to the public, and I doubt I will go to Fleming's as I just spent way too much money at Ruth's Chris, so that will probably come off the list. I'd like to add, however, Restaurant Linderhof in place of R.T. I went there years ago, but want to re-try.

New Year's Resolution Update: Steamboat Sandwiches Review

2010-08-29T14:59:00.003-04:00

Ventured over to Steamboat Sandwiches on Market Square in downtown Knoxville last week to continue my New Year's resolution challenge.

My immediate reaction to Steamboat is laid out in a really odd manner. The restaurant is long and narrow and they've unfortunately not handled it well. The open kitchen runs all the way down the right side of the restaurant, while tables are scattered all along the left and middle. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is off. Regardless, I like the colors and photos and they've added a cool artistic touch to the otherwise boring concrete floor.

The other thing I noticed is that the staff is not terribly speedy. While they were very nice and informative, for a grab and go sandwich shop that's not really cooking anything, I have to say it's a little slow. I'm not expecting an assembly line like Subway or Lenny's, but it's pretty lax.

I ordered a half smoked chicken sandwich on their homemade wheat with lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and mayo. It was, in fact, pretty good. I wish I'd gotten chips or something with it, as it didn't quite do it for me as a complete meal, but the whole sandwich looked way too big. The pricing was consistent with other downtown Knoxville sandwich shops, which I'd argue are all a $1 or $2 too high...

If I'm not in a hurry and want a sandwich, I will check it out again.

Steamboat Sandwiches - 3/5 stars

S&W Grand

2010-08-29T11:49:00.004-04:00

S&W Grand continues to become the place to be downtown Knoxville. Last weekend, I enjoyed a fantastic dinner there with a meal that included their daily special, John Dory with preserved lemon and gigande beans, plus a bottle of one of my favorite wines, 2006 Bell Claret. And the garlicy, buttery pop-overs that's served with your meal are to-die-for. I can't imagine anyone else in Knoxville is offering food on this level, other than the Northshore Brasserie, of course. The restaurant was completely full and buzzing. There was such a great vibe...

Follow that up with a stop by this Friday night to another packed house for Donald Brown's jazz night. Once again - amazing energy. We sat on the patio and enjoyed a couple of new-to-me wines - Spellbound Petite Sirah from Northern California and Clean Slate Riesling from Mosel, Germany. I've never had Riesling. I'm not a sweet wine fan and was under the impression all Rieslings were sweet. This wine was simply fantastic - full of minerality while not being too sweet at all.

I think there's great things ahead for the S&W!

Red Sauce

2010-08-28T22:36:00.004-04:00

If you haven't seen the "Techniques" episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, you should keep an eye out for it. It's not only one of the best episodes of this series, but hands-down some of the best 60 minutes of culinary instruction I've ever seen on television.

One of the foods covered in the episode is red sauce. Presented by Scott Conant of New York's Scarpetta restaurant, red sauce is made in a way that's easy to prepare at home. I modified this recipe to use canned tomatoes from my grandparent's farm in Jonesborough, TN (as opposed to all fresh - though I did supplement with 1.5 fresh tomatoes), and did not have any garlic around, but otherwise stuck to the basic recipe/technique.

After a few other attempts at a homemade red sauce, I finally got close to what I am looking for with this process. Basically you cook down your tomatoes for 45-60 minutes with salt and add a basil and red pepper flake (and garlic, ideally) infused olive oil, plus a pinch of additional red pepper flake. Combine cooked noodles (I used parpadelle noodles for this preparation) in a saute pan with the sauce and toss with fresh chopped basil fresh grated parmesan. Delicious!

Zucchini

2010-08-22T13:05:00.001-04:00

Zucchini ala Red Lobster, circa 1993

Not sure if Red Lobster really used cornmeal, but it tasted close to what I remember. I think I am going to try using seasoned breadcrumbs next time and incorporate grated parmesan cheese into the batter.

Okra, Revisited

2010-08-19T22:07:00.003-04:00

Fried Baby Okra
Parmesan and Lemon

A slightly different approach tonight...

Dipped whole baby okras in buttermilk and rolled them in cornmeal, then fried the baby okras in vegetable oil. Squeezed on a bit of lemon juice and then topped with shaved parmesan and a bit of salt. It was sort of inspired by two different dishes - first, fried zucchini "chips" with parmesan at Red Lobster (yes, Red Lobster) back in the late 80s / early 90s, which I loved as a kid, and, second, whole fried okras I had at Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery in the Haight in San Francisco a couple of years ago. I could have eaten these all night. Really nice eating the small ones whole.

Next...I'm going to try to re-create the Red Lobster zucchini and maybe try frying various pickles. Also, going to try to substitute panko for cornmeal...

Okra

2010-08-17T09:08:00.004-04:00

As Brandy said, things you have to pat dry after cooking are awesome. Case in point - fried okra. Served with cube steak and my grandmother's green beans and corn bread. Awesome.

Before

After

The Patting

The Meal

Appalachia, Two Ways

2010-08-15T18:48:00.013-04:00

Had two amazing food experiences this weekend at "home" in the northeast Tennessee / southwest Virginia region.

Saturday night found us back at Town House in Chilhowie, VA to try to the new summer menu - about seven months since we'd last visited in the dead of winter.

My opinion on the food last time was somewhat undecided, as it was the first time I'd truly experienced molecular gastronomy. I honestly didn't quite know what to think.

This time, all was certain. The food was amazing. They've really focused some of the dishes and plating. The restaurant was full and buzzing. The wine was excellent. Charlie Berg and his team's service was top-notch, once again. And, John Shields, recently named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs 2010, visited the table briefly. A new element this time was a take-away gift from John's wife and executive pastry chef, Karen Urie Shields, of garlic and sesame buns.

I could go on and on. Overall, it was an amazing experience. No doubt it's in my top five restaurant experiences ever. I can't wait to go again and share this experience with friends.

I forgot got to get a copy of the dang menu, but I think this is the meal. (Don't quote me on the names.) I've included photo approximations of some of the dishes we had below. All photos courtesy of Town House Blog; these are not my personal photos!

Savory Cookie (Amuse Bouche)

Chilled Vegetable Minestrone

The Orange from Valencia

Soup of Cherries

Scrambled Egg Mousse

Blue Crab in Brown Butter & Lime

"Risotto" of Squid

Squab, Foie Gras Royale & Crisp Chicken Skin

Cap of Beef Cooked in Ash

Stones

Blueberries & Lychee

plus...

"House" Sparkling Wine - glass

Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay - 1/2 bottle

Louis Latour Beanue 1er Cru Vignes Franches (Burgundy Pinot Noir) - 1/2 bottle

2002 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank (Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend) - bottle

And then...

We visited my grandparents today for lunch in Jonesborough, TN. Wow, what an opposite, but equally amazing culinary experience. Fried green tomatoes. Fresh corn. Macaroni salad with orange tomatoes from up the street and red peppers from the back garden. Canned green beans from the farm. Corn bread. Pot roast with fresh carrots and potatoes. Fresh peach and blueberry cobbler. One amazing thing after another. I wish I could eat like this every day. The most exciting thing - you can't buy food this good anywhere. I'm lucky to be able to have this.

After that, we picked a few fruits and vegetables from the garden with my papaw and grabbed some canned beans and tomatoes from 2009.

Check them out:

2006 Chiarello Family Vineyards "Roux" Old Vine Petite Sirah

2010-08-09T20:38:00.003-04:00

Oh, Napa Valley, why did I leave you?

After going wine-less for a few days, it was about time to open a bottle. Brandy and I decided on the 2006 Chiarello Family Vineyards "Roux" Old Vine Petite Sirah. We originally had it at Michael Chiarello's restaurant Bottega back in July.

It's dark purple, almost black. Think ink. Really concentrated, dark fruit flavors. Not much sweetness on the palate, but a little oaky, sweet vanilla in the aroma - almost fine bourbon-like. Pretty tannic. Reminds me alot of the '05 and '06 Bell Clarets. I wish I could describe this wine so that every sommelier would know exactly what I want.

I wish I had more...must order soon!

Patton Oswalt on his drive to Asheville

2010-08-07T15:46:00.002-04:00

"Just passed a place called 'Meal Barn.' Good to see Thomas Keller experimenting."

http://twitter.com/pattonoswalt

Finally, a full wine fridge!

2010-08-07T13:22:00.002-04:00

Thank you, Napa Valley, for a full fridge of wine.

Let's see...what do we have here?

2007 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards "Right Bank Cuvee" Napa Valley Merlot (60%) / Cabernet Franc (40%)
2006 Buoncristiani Family Winery "The Core" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Buoncristiani Family Winery "O.P.C." Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine
2008 Buoncristiani Family Winery "Dolcetto di Nonno" Dry Creek Valley Dolcetto
2006 Chiarello Family Vineyards "Roux Old Vine" Napa Valley Petite Sirah
2006 Ghost Horse Vineyards "Shadow" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Ghost Horse Vineyards "Fantome" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Melka Wines "CJ" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
...and then a few more Napas purchased locally...

The Best Wine Ever?

2010-08-02T21:47:00.002-04:00

Isn't it ironic that the best wine I've ever tasted in fact came from the very vintner who told me he couldn't rightfully say to anyone that any wine was the best wine ever? Don't ya think?

Brandy and I opened a bottle of 2006 Ghost Horse 100% Cabernet Sauvignon last Monday. I feared that the wine (all of the Ghost Horse offerings, that is) for which I'd had such fond memories from Todd Anderson's Ghost Horse Vineyard would be nothing more than a decent to really good wine served at a really special moment. But, no, when the bottle was opened and a small portion poured me to smell, I was floored. Oh my god. How can this be? How can wine, hell, anything, smell this good? Other Cabernets should be ashamed. And then the taste, oh my. I never wanted the bottle to be empty. How can I ever drink another wine? I know, to remind me how damn good Ghost Horse is!

Luckily, I have a couple more bottles to go. I have no idea how I'm not going to drink them immediately. I figure I need to sit on them for a couple for a couple of years. If I could only afford a case...

Oh, and I still have the Ghost Horse Fantome to go!

New Year Resolution - Quick Update

2010-08-02T20:56:00.003-04:00

A quick update on my goal to visit 25 new-to-me restaurants. These three visits/reviews will make 6/25.

Coolato Gelato

I went to Coolato Gelato for lunch last week and ordered the club panini. I'm not a huge panini fan, but it was pretty decent. It was a really big, filling sandwich with an interesting addition of pickled green tomato, but for $8.50 including a side, I'd honestly rather go to a different downtown establishment and pay less (or the same for a full-service experience). I just didn't love it, but I don't suppose I hated it either. I did not particularly enjoy the decor or vibe in there, either. I was also a little miffed to find out the next day (via their storefront board) that each sandwich came with a free serving of gelato in the month of July and they didn't offer this to us. Other than that, the service was typical of an order and wait sandwich type place, i.e. no real interaction outside of ordering and paying.

3/5 stars

S&W Grand

I've been to the S&W a few times recently, but I will highlight two, mainly. Once for dinner before going on vacation and once last week for lunch.

The vibe has improved in the downstairs area. They recently knocked down a wall that separated the bar, which made it feel more comfortable. Still, it's a large space to fill and can be a bit overwhelming at times.

At dinner, I order the daily special ribeye (simply grilled) with sauteed swiss chard. It was a really solid steak, actually. Nice, clean flavors - not a heavy steak, somehow, despite that it was a ribeye. For lunch I had the skirt steak salad with beets, grilled radicchio and pink Roquefort dressing. Individually, the flavors were solid, but the overall dish struggled to find balance for me. Despite the the sweet beet flavor balancing the strong Roquefort, there was simply too much bitter blackened radicchio on the plate, which overwhelmed everything else, in my opinion. Maybe I am just not a radicchio fan... (The skirt steak entree with black beans, etc. is TO-DIE-FOR, however. And, yes, I like steak.)

The service has always been good at the S&W for me. I prefer to sit a the bar, so I generally always get the same server/bartender, who is excellent. The manager, Jordan, is also top-notch and takes good care of us.

My overall feelings towards S&W are sort of "slightly better than neutral," or, perhaps "mixed" is a better term, right now, so my rating would be 3.75/5 stars. However, I know they are planning to fine-tune the menu and work on the environment. I have high hopes. Their other restaurant, Northshore Brasserie, is not only my favorite in town, but is one of my all-time favs.

Savelli's

Finally stopped at Savelli's after having driven by what seems like a million times.

The decor and ambiance struggle for me. It's a hodge-podge of tables, chairs, "art," etc. Lots of empty wine bottles, too. Sometime things like this come off as cool (e.g. Chez Guevara in Knoxville) and would be considered by most to be hip dive bars/restaurants, while other times (and most times) it just comes off as tacky. Savelli's suffers from the latter.

The food is pretty good. I've been twice. The first time was better overall. The salad was really enjoyable, featuring a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The fettuccine alfredo is the best thing I've had, well, beside their garlicy grilled ciabatta bread (which is AWESOME). Their not-so-crispy fried calamari was not good. Don't get it - unless you like limpy, soggy breaded calamari.

The service is pretty middle of the pack. They allow outside wine for a nominal $3.00/head corkage fee, but let you handle the opening, etc. Usually paying a fee gets you a little service, but not here. Oh well, I'll open my own wine if I'm only paying $3.00 and can drink whatever I want. Other than that, I can't say much about the service. It's not great, and it's not bad.

3.25/5 stars

(Reminder/FYI - my ratings are "gut feeling" reactions based on decor/ambiance, food/drinks, and service. I judge the restaurants in-and-of-themselves for the type of establishment they are. I figure it's not fair to rate In-N-Out Burger against The French Laundry, as they provide two totally different types of experiences.)

Bouchon - The Meal

2010-07-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

Pimms Cup (Brandy) - The best damn Pimm's Cup I've ever had, and certainly one of the best overall cocktails I've ever had.

Hendricks & Tonic (Charlie) - A solid standby

1/2 VDC Rouge (500 mL House Red Wine) - Perhaps the best deal of the trip - a 500 mL serving of a pre-release 2008 Realm Cellars Cabernet Franc / Merlot 80/20 blend from Sagecoach Vineyard by Michael Hirby. A fantastic wine and only $25.00! Why can't anyone else's "house red" be this awesome???

1/2 Dozen Oysters - We got an assortment of 3 types of oysters. Can't recall the types, but 2 were sweet and one was very salty. First time I've had a large, sweet and a small, salty. I'm used to it being the other way around...

House Cured Fluke (Daily Special) - Absolutely amazing. Came with a balsamic vinaigrette with red sweet peppers and I don't know what else. Just goodness.

"Poulet Roti" - Roasted Chicken with Red Rice, Pickled Grapes, Wilted Arugula, Candied Hazelnuts, and Tarragon Chicken Jus (Charlie) - I'd heard Keller's roasted chicken was amazing. And even though the combination of flavors of this dish did not particularly interest me, I had to try it. Boy, am I glad I did. Wow. What an amazing plate. And, again, a great deal at only $26.00.

Olive Oil-Poached Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes and ? (Brandy) - I only took one bite of this, so I'm not really fairly positioned to comment.

Macaroni au Gratin - A solid pasta and cheese side. Honestly, I preferred Cindy Pawlcyn's at Mustard's, but this was still good.

Haricot Vert - I'd had Bouchon's haricot vert with the pan-roasted trout in Vegas a couple of years ago. Once again, they did not disappoint.

This meal took place on 7/6/10.

The French Laundry - The Wines

2010-07-31T21:21:00.003-04:00

2006 Shramsberg "Blanc de Blancs" Sparkling Wine (Glass)

2007 Hudson Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay (Glass)

2009 Bodegas Shaya, Verdejo, "Old Vines," Rueda* (Glass)

2004 Vineyard 7 & 8 "7" Cabernet Sauvignon (Bottle)

The Vineyard 7 & 8 "7" Cabernet Sauvignon was silky smooth and luscious. I plan to order a bottle of the current release as soon as I can!

*No website

Five Recommended Small-Production Wines

2010-07-25T21:10:00.002-04:00

Five of my current favorite small-production ("boutique") wines:

Axios Wine - Worthy, "Sophia's Cuvee"

Don Sebastiani & Sons - Used Automobile Parts

Chiarello Family Vineyards - Roux Old Vine Petite Sirah

Vineyard 7 & 8 - "7" Cabernet Sauvignon

John Anthony Vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon

The Hess Collection Mountain Cuvee Mount Veeder Napa Valley 2003

2010-07-17T22:58:00.002-04:00

Enjoyed a bottle of The Hess Collection Mountain Cuvee Mount Veeder Napa Valley 2003. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. This is my kind of wine. Deep, rich opaque purple color. Dark, somewhat sweet, mysterious aroma. Silky smooth mouthfeel; well-integrated tannins. I wish I could describe it better because it is exactly what I look for in a wine. Amazing! Great buy at $28.99.

Mental note - visit The Hess Collection next time in Napa!

The French Laundry - The Best Meal Ever?

2010-07-14T13:30:00.007-04:00

A few people have asked, "How was the French Laundry?" Or, more specifically, "Was the French Laundry the best meal of your life?" Well....

The French Laundry is housed in a beautiful building. Their dinnerware is exquisite. I'm sure their formal service is the best you can experience. Their bread and butter is the best you'll ever taste. Their sous-vide then grilled steak will literally melt in your mouth - really, I mean it - melt! Their wine list is like an encyclopedia; I had one of the best bottles I've ever had there. My hero Anthony Bourdain swears it was the best meal of his life. It has three Michelin stars. I could go on and on, but I am sure you get the point...

I spent a lot of time thinking about the question of whether or not TFL was the best meal of my life. I quickly realized I wasn't even certain what qualifies the best meal ever. Presumably, in order to determine the best meal ever, one would have to be able to objectively evaluate the meal. I am sure I could set several categories to rate the meal, such as decor & ambiance, food & drink, service, etc., as I have previously attempted to do in my few Yelp reviews, but I am starting to think this is nothing more than me over-analyzing these experiences, as I tend to do. Isn't it a lot simpler and yet more personal than this allows?

This got me thinking back to my time with Todd Anderson, owner of Anderson's Conn Valley, and his perspective on "the best." Specifically, Todd spoke to Robert Parker's famous wine ratings, asking who's to say that because Robert Parker rates a wine 100 points that makes it the best, that is, the best for me? Todd went on to say (I am paraphrasing here):

You know more about wine than I do. When you take a sip of a wine, all you know is whether you like it or not. I can't tell you it is the best. If you say it's the best wine you've ever had, what you're really saying it is the best wine you've ever had at that moment...with that food...and that setting...and those friends...and that music...etc.

I tend to support this view, and based on that, I definitely can't say that my experience at TFL was my best meal ever. Yet, I do still consider my experience at TFL to be very important in my food and wine journey, as it helped me realize why I've enjoyed many other meals more than what I experienced at TFL. My favorite meals have been those where highly-executed food and magnificent drinks were served in an inviting, comfortable setting with friendly, casual service. This is where Keller truly succeeds in my mind - at his French brasserie, Bouchon, and New American restaurant, Ad Hoc; both serve (affordable) perfectly-executed food and beautiful wine in vibrant, yet relaxed environments, coupled with unpretentious, seamless service. And beyond all of that, my favorite meals have been highlighted by the right company, the right music, the right conversation, the right mood, etc. for that particular moment. That's where Todd is so on-point.

So, what is the best meal I've ever had? Well, it's hard to say, really, as there's so many. But if I had to pick just one, I'd have to say the best meal of my life was experiencing the Menu Decouverte at L'atelier De Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Napa - Day 6 (The Final Day)

2010-07-11T00:41:00.007-04:00

When I called to make a reservation at Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards in St. Helena this past June for this trip, I was informed we'd be visiting on one of their special "barrel luncheon" days at which we'd get to sample various wines straight from the barrel and enjoy a traditional Mexican lunch, plus the usual other tasting/tour benefits. Sounds fun, right? And, all for $25.00? This sounded a little too good!

On Friday, July 9, our last day in Napa, we headed up to the ACV vineyard, which is situated about 15 minutes off Highway 29. It's a windy, but lovely drive off the highway, with small rolling hills and vineyards. Ronene Anderson, ops director, welcomed us and introduced us to the assistant winemaker Ennio (sp?), who showed us to a few wines to enjoy while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive. While exploring the caves, we encountered Todd Anderson, Ronene's husband and owner/founder of Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards.

After tasting a few different vintages and varietals directly from barrels with Todd, Ennio informed us that lunch was ready. We headed out to the wine cave patio along with the four other folks to what would become an absolutely unforgettable experience...

Lucky for us, the four other people were Todd's friends, so he pulled out some wines we may not have otherwise gotten to taste. While I would have been stoked to simply enjoy Anderson's flagship Eloge and Right Bank blends, in addition to a their Cabs, Todd also brought out a few "cult wines." Huh? Cult wines? This sounded interesting.

I'd never heard of "cult wines" before visiting ACVV. Apparently, cult wines are wines typically characterized by very limited production and a really high price tag (if not at retail, then in the secondary market). Plus, one usually has to pay some absurd amount of money to get on the mailing list or at least wait a ridiculous amount of time (like five years) to even get considered to become a patron. If you want to check this out, look up Screaming Eagle or Harlan Estate.

For a variety of reasons, a few years ago Todd decided to get into the cult wine biz and began producing his private label, Ghost Horse. Interestingly enough, he refuses to this day to submit his wines to be reviewed by the wine media (Wine Enthusiast, etc.), so Ghost Horse has taken on a more genuine meaning of "cult" status, as you seemingly have to be "in-the-know" to have even heard of it.

Now, before I continue, I must interrupt the wine-talk and say the food and the conversation we had at the table over the seven, yes, seven, hours we sat there might just have been the best of the trip. The meal consisted of various home-cooked grilled meats, chiles, green onions, and tortillas, plus fresh guacamole and salsa, etc. The conversation, well, let's say that beyond Todd's very enjoyable, informative perspective on wine and the wine industry, it was politically charged. Me, the (not-so-wealthy) "Tennessee liberal long-haired hippie," along with Brandy, were the minority amongst the (apparently wealthy) California cult wine conservatives, which was quite an interesting (and perhaps backwards) mix. Regardless of our political differences, the energy of the group, the food, and the wine (plus the cigars, moonshine, and Maker's Mark) produced a one-of-a-kind afternoon.

Now, back to the wine. My god, THE WINE! It was undoubtedly the best on the trip. Maybe my mind was clouded (no, not drunk!) from the simple, beautiful food, the views, and the vanilla-laced cigar smoke, but Todd's (unreleased) 2006 Ghost Horse Fantome Cabernet Sauvignon was the best wine I've ever tasted. (Well, as Todd will tell you, the best I've ever had at that moment.) I could not refuse getting a bottle - not after this experience. I had to take some of it with me to enjoy and remember with a few years from now. So, I went completely overboard and bought a bottle, but not one of the fancy standard-issue etched glass bottles (which are cool, too). I asked for one right out of the cardboard box with Todd's handwritten name and year of the wine on the bottle, just like we drank at the table. I think it's one of the coolest things I've ever bought.

And if you take the time to research Todd Anderson and his Ghost Horse label, you'll see a ton of bitching and complaining about his persona and pricing, typical of the anonymous nature of blogs. I am proud to say while Todd and I probably are not the types to ever hang out with one another, Todd's efforts to make us feel "at home" and openness to share his thoughts on wine with us were far beyond anything we'd experienced elsewhere. Without a doubt, I had one of my best food & wine experiences with Todd, and I don't regret my purchase. Eat that, bloggers. (Wait, I'm a blogger...)

Unreleased 2006 Ghost Horse Fantome Cabernet Sauvignon, hand-labeled and signed by Todd Anderson

Oh, and to top that, Todd invited us to dinner at this house, but, regrettably, we had to turn him down. After all of that, we still had our final dinner reservation at Thomas Keller's casual "locals" restaurant, Ad Hoc!

What a great last meal. Ad Hoc features a 4-course prix fixe menu, priced at $49.00. AD Hoc probably deserves a bigger and better review than this, but, simply put, it might just be the best deal in the valley.

Here's the menu for Friday, July 9th:

Every bite was delicious. 5/5 stars!

Napa - Day 5

2010-07-11T00:35:00.009-04:00

Began our fifth day at Oxbow Public Market, just off downtown Napa. Oxbox is a collection of artisan food and drink producers similar to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. We started with a refreshing iced tea at Tillerman Tea (wish I'd bought some loose tea leaves) and then made our way over to The Fatted Calf to procure some charcuterie for our "brunch." We picked a selection of smoked ham, proscuitto, salami, and cornichons. We also added house-made beef jerky. To complement our charcuterie, we grabbed a small loaf of crusty sourdough bread. Wish we had a charcuterie shop at home, wow...

Next up today was Vinter's Collective, a small tasting room in downtown Napa featuring "boutique" wine producers too small to offer their own tasting establishments. Can't say I was thrilled with our service there, as it was a a bit pretentious, but the wine was solid. Ended up snagging 2 bottles of 2007 Melka "CJ."

I hoped we'd be able to visit Gustav Thrace, another nearby tasting room, but it was closed each time we checked throughout the early afternoon, so we made our way back over to the Oxbow Wine Merchant and Wine Bar. I had a great 2007 Cab Sauv from a small producer called Maroon Wines at the bar. I wish I would have bought a bottle or two to ship back. It was excellent. They had a few other $25-$40 bottles that looked awesome, as well.

After more wine, we figured a snack was in need, so we grabbed a taco from C Casa. I had a shrimp taco that was quite good, but I must say - $6.50 was too high. I'd rather stick to my $2.00 La Esperanza fish tacos. Wish we had time for a beer - they had Negra Modelo on draft. Only my second time seeing it on tap!

Our winery appointment today was our first in the afternoon. (I was actually getting used to drinking wine starting at 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning.) We made our way up to Franciscan Estates after Oxbow for their Magnificat: Art of the Blend seminar. This was the first that was strictly educational (no scenic views); it focused on the 5 Bordeaux vartietals that go into their flagship wine, Magnificat. We got to try each varietal individually, blend the five varietals into our own custom Bordeaux-style wine, and then compare our blend to the real Magnificat. Lots o' wine and lots o' fun. And lucky us, it ended up being another private experience, as the other group cancelled. Too bad for them, we drank some of their wine....

After all that tasting, we needed more food. I'd heard good things about the Hog Island Oyster Co. in the Oxbow, so we headed back there. It was really expensive, as oysters often are, coming out at about $50+ for 14 oysters, but they were all really excellent. Eight were grilled with fresh tomato and basil. They were certainly the highlight.

Following all that we ate at a little quaint place called The French Laundry. I think that deserves it's own post.

More to follow from our last day...

Napa - Day 4

2010-07-11T00:28:00.015-04:00

Started the day off at Bouchon Bakery. Had a lovely Orange Pistachio Brioche. Perhaps a little too much sugar for breakfast for me. Would have been perfect with a cappuccino - hey, why didn't I think of that then???

While we enjoyed our Bouchon Bakery breakfast we walked around in Napa Style, the gift shop started by former Food Network star / chef Michael Chiarello. While walking over, we actually saw Chiarello at the back of his new (and only current) restaurant, Bottega, taking a delivery. Definitely did not expect to see a celebrity chef taking deliveries at 10:30 in the morning!

We soon headed back down Washington St. (the main road in downtown Yountville with all the awesome restaurants) to Bell Wine Cellars. We drink Bell's Bordeaux-style blends often in Knoxville, so we were excited to visit. (Their 2005 and 2006 Claret and 2006 Canterbury Vineyard Syrah are fantastic $25-$30 wines.) Happened to run into a couple of other (former) Knoxvillians in the tasting room (world is always smaller than you think) and then got started on the tour, which turned out to be only us, as the other folks cancelled.

This tour was much more informative and personal than Newton. Our guide was excellent. Got to learn about why the grapes are planted the way (and where) they are, how they are crushed, the differences in the clones, while also leaning about the winemaker, etc. We then got to taste several of Bell's offerings alongside cheese pairings, which was a nice addition. Ended up grabbing a half bottle of the 2006 Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon. Always wanted to try it, but the price stopped me short. Nice to be able to acquire it in a half bottle.

Followed Bell up with a stop at a Pacific Blues Cafe to catch the end of the Germany-Spain game. Again, I think it was bad luck for me to stop and start watching at the end....Germany lost....boooooo.....

In an effort to recover from the loss, we began our search for the La Esperanza taco truck. It has outstanding reviews all over Yelp. After about 15 minutes of de-tours and wrong roads, we found them in a closed auto auction lot. Incredible fish tacos (the best I've had) and awesome carnitas. Also, it was great to have a Mexican coke with their spicy salsa. Search out their blue truck!

Followed the tacos up with a visit to Francis Ford Coppola's Rubicon Estate winery. Amazing property off Highway 29. The view from the highway doesn't do it justice. I'd like to go back another time to take the tour. On the wine...well, I was a little disappointed. I've eyed the Rubicon cabs for a while. Not quite what I hoped for, especially not for the price. Oh well...glad I tried it.

Dinner tonight had us back at Michael Chiarello's Bottega. Unfortunately, reservations were about 1/2 hour behind (the restaurant was packed), but I made that shorter by enjoying a glass of Don Julio 1942, my favorite tequila.

Botegga was fantastic. We shared the following dishes, all of which were excellent.

-Monterey calamari, crisped with Arborio rice flour, aioli nero

-Wood-grilled octopus, olive oil braised potatoes, pickled red onion, salsa verde

-Crispy potato gnocchi, English pea and Tallegio fonduta, spring vegetables, prosciutto crisp

-Grilled "angry" gulf prawns, heirloom tomato steaks, crispy garlic, basil, orange and Calabrian chili dressing, lemon aioli

-2007 Chiarello Family Vineyards Roux Old Vine Petite Sirah

The grilled gulf prawns were the best (especially the juices in the head). I was also impressed with the Chiarello petite sirah. It was one of my favorite wines on the trip. (I subsequently ordered a bottle to be shipped home.) Great prices, too, especially on the wine, for Yountville.

Napa - Day 3

2010-07-07T12:06:00.009-04:00

Another great day in Napa. Thought it was going to be rainy when I woke up, but soon realized it was the typical morning fog. Kind of amazing - it completely disappears by about noon each summer day to reveal a completely clear sky. (You should see the stars at night. Wow, I am used to a bunch of light pollution.)

Started at Newton Vineyards for a private tour/tasting. It's a ways off Highway 29 in St. Helena up a private road to the mountain top. Amazing views and delicious wines. Cool architecture, too. Got to try their unfiltered premium offerings plus their flagship wine, 'The Puzzle." Good deal for $40 including the views.

Next we stopped at a cool small Mexican bar/club called Ana's Cantina to catch the end of the Uruguay / Netherlands World Cup game. Shouldn't have stopped...Uruguay lost. Bummer.

Off to Cindy Pawlcyn's Mustard's Grill for lunch. Had a fantastic casual, homestyle meal there - Onion Rings with Apple Ketchup, Daily Lamb Burger with Paprika Aioli, Sauteed Red Onion, Watercress, and Manchego Cheese, House Fries, and Macaroni & Cheese. Added a Bordeaux -style Napa red wine flight to that. Fairly expensive for lunch, but it was really good and a place we wanted to visit.

After that we made a quick stop at Alpha Omega winery, which caught our eye immediately off Highway 29. Hoped that the expensive proprietary red blends ($85 range) would deliver, but I was not a fan. Nice building, though.

Headed back to hotel to chill and decided to grab some Mint Chocolate Chunk ice cream from Ben & Jerry's and saw a big Bonnaroo Buzz poster. Nice to see Bonnaroo making it's way all the way out here in Napa Valley.

Hung out on the most-excellent Avia terrace for a bit and then walked around downtown Napa to work off the Mustard's Grill lunch in preparation for Thomas Keller's Bouchon.

I probably will and should write a full review of Bouchon, but the quick version is - Bouchon is amazing. Very casual, but perfectly executed classic French bistro fare. Best roast chicken I've ever had. Great value, too, when you consider what you're getting for the money. More to come...

Napa - Day 2

2010-07-06T11:41:00.010-04:00

Started the morning off with a quick visit to Whole Foods. Figure we needed some water to drink with all the vino we were going to consume. I wish we had one of these in Knoxville. It has basically everything a foodie needs.

From there we met Matt Buoncristiani with the Buoncristiani Family Winery to do our first tour. It's goingto be hard to beat this one. We were the only people on the tour - just us with Matt (one of the four owner-brothers), 6 fantastic wines, a cave winery-in-progress, and amazing views from the Soda Canyon. Can't wait to come back in a year or two and see the finished product.

(Unfortunately, we didn't have a camera on the mountain top, but this is a photo of the vineyard they manage at the hotel and spa Villagio.)

From there itwas off to In-N-Out Burger for a Double-Double with Animal-Style Fries and a Chocolate Shake. I'd never actually had the Animal Style Fries. If you're unfamiliar, it's a secret menu item. Take their perfect fresh cut fries and add sauteed onions, cheese, and their special sauce (thousand island). Excellent.

Back to the wine. Checked out Darioush Winery. I'd had their alternate label cabernet sauvignon called "Caravan," but never Darioush proper, mostly because of the price, despite seeing it in Knoxville quite often. Pretty over the top decor (see photos below). Wine was underwhelming - especially for the retail price tag.

Decided to drive down Silverado Trail from there and happened to land in Yountville. Pulled into a convenient parking spot off the road and realized we were next to a nice small garden. Hoping that we could walk around, and then seeing someone already in there, we made our way over. But this was no ordinary garden - this was the French Laundry's private garden. Wait, where are we? I looked across the street (across from my convenient parking spot) and quickly realized we were at The French Laundry. It was like a magnet drew us there.

Followed up a walk in the garden with a visit to Ma(i)sonry - an art and wine gallery and tasting room. Probably some of the best sculpture I've ever seen. Lots of skulls, too, which are always fun. A great hang spot for late afternoon. They serve wines from 15 or so local boutique wineries that are too small to offer their own tasting rooms. Great spot.

Finished the night with our first big dinner at REDD. So many items on the menu looked so good, we had to go for the 5 course tasting menu plus wine pairings. We each got a different item each course, so 10 total dishes. Same for the wine - 10 different wines. Highlights were:

Sashimi of yellowfin tuna, sticky rice, edamame, lime ginger sauce

Carnaroli risotto, maine lobster, meyer lemon confit, truffle oil

Crispy duck confit, lentils, foie gras meatballs, crispy spaetzle

Prime new york steak and shortribs, crispy potatoes, bacon, and cipollini onion ragout

Overall, I've got mixed opinions about REDD. The decor and design is top notch. Very minimalist with earthy tones. Nice bar, too. The ambiance is OK. Didn't notice the music, but the old people around us were kinda annoying. (I guess that has nothing to do with the restaurant itself.)

The food was mostly really good. I thought the desserts fell short for a James Beard award-winning pastry chef (maybe I was just too tired to care) and the pork belly was waaayyy over salted. Disappointing. The rest of the food, though, was either really good or excellent. The wines, on the other hand, were forgettable for me.

The service was a little clunky. I expected more. Items arrived in an inconsistent manner and I didn't really feel taken care of.

For the price ($75 per tasting menu plus $45 per wine pairing), I would rate REDD at 3.75 stars out of 5.

I'm baaaaack....in Napa - Day 1

2010-07-06T11:24:00.005-04:00

Back again, at least for a little bit while I am on vacation and actually want to use my computer outside of the office life...

Got to Napa 2 days ago.

Clunky start with crappy Avis rent-a-car, but after we finally got out of SFO, we had an enjoyable drive up the bay area through Oakland and Berkeley to Napa.

We're staying at Avia, which is probably the best hotel I've ever stayed in. Fantastic decor. Makes me want to re-decorate my own house...

While most of the town was at the Fourth of July fireworks display down the street Sunday night, we took advantage of the suddenly empty restaurants and started at Taqueria Tres Hermanos for dinner with some fantastic carnitas tacos and Bohemia beer. Excellent diced onion, cilantro, lime, and ranchero sauce (?) toppings. Glad to see shredded cheese and lettuce aren't options. Pretty typical rice and bean sides, but with better flavor.

Followed that up with a stop at a brand new tasting room in our hotel called John Anthony. It has a very upscale/hip/modern feel, but without being stuffy. Excellent wine. Definitely plan to go back before we leave. John Anthony was there too - nice to meet the owner, always.

Good start...

Dinner Tonight: Fajitas, Rice, and Gelato

2010-05-09T22:45:00.004-04:00

Fajitas with Skirt Steak, Poblano Peppers, Onions, and Tomatoes

Mexican-style Rice with Carrots, Corn, and Peas

Vanilla Gelato with Scharffen Berger Semi-Sweet Chocolate

707-944-2380

2010-05-09T19:34:00.000-04:00

For the past four days at 1:00 PM eastern / 10:00 AM pacific sharp, I spent my lunch break dialing 707-944-2380. For 20-30 minutes it would just ring busy...unlike most phone lines these days, which usually send you to some sort of wait line. But, no, not when you call Napa Valley's The French Laundry, America's most coveted restaurant. So many people are dialing the number, you can't even get to call waiting. And you better be sure you're calling two months to the calendar day out from the day you want to visit (the day reservations open), because this is the only day you have a shot at actually getting a reservation. So you dial again...and again....and again, only to hear that horrid busy signal. If you're lucky in the first half hour, you'll hit the hold line with an automated message telling you "thanks for calling" and "there are other customers in front of you." Eventually the line rings through to an actual human being, who informs you there are no reservations available for two, but they'll be glad to put you on the wait list. Damn....

Such was my luck for the first three days. But on the fourth, I actually got a reservation for 9:00 PM on Thursday, July 8! I was shocked. I'm still shocked. Thomas Keller, here I come!

Memphis

2010-02-28T21:29:00.001-05:00

If you're reading this, you've probably noticed 2 reviews have popped up from Memphis. I had an amazing experience in Memphis this past weekend. More to come...

Beer Review: Blanche de Bruxelles

2010-02-27T14:03:00.003-05:00

Last night I visited The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in Memphis, TN. It's a beer-lovers dream. I started off with a lovely Hoegaarden on draft, which is not available in my neck of the woods. Following that, I ordered a beer I'd never had - Blanche de Bruxelles - which may just be my new favorite beer.

Similar to Hoegaarden, Blanche de Bruxelles is a Belgian witbier, produced by Lefebvre Brewery in Quenast, Belgium. The beer was served on draft and poured into a classic Belgian-style beer glass. The beer was a cloudy yellow with a little white head.

The aroma was sweet and enticing.

The mouth-feel was incredibly smooth. The taste was light and luscious. Very mellow with low-medium spices and faint orange flavor. I could drink many of these beers.

Blanche de Bruxelles would certainly be an excellent spring/summer session beer. I can only imagine what this would taste like with a bowl of curry mussels and pommes frites. This beer is highly recommended.

Restaurant Review: Restaurant Iris

2010-02-26T11:47:00.007-05:00

Bryan and I went to Restaurant Iris this past Thursday. I found it on Yelp, but ultimately decided to go there after we learned Restaurant Iris Chef Kelly English is a semi-finalist for a 2010 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast and was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs of 2009. The 5/5 star average rating on Yelp and reasonable prices for such a restaurant ($29 average entrees) didn't hurt, either.

Check out my complete review on Yelp.

The bottom line - Restaurant Iris is unbelievable. The food is amazing and the the service is absolutely out-of-this-world. Possibly the best service I've ever had...

Restaurant Iris - 5/5 stars

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2146 Monroe Ave.

Memphis, TN

901-590-2828

http://www.restaurantiris.com/

Dinner Last Night

2010-02-20T23:41:00.004-05:00

Created a fabulous meal last night with Brandy, Bryan, and Danielle.

Here's a couple of shots....

Juicy Pan Roasted NY Strip Steak with Rosemary & Thyme

More steak with Danielle's Potatoes and Pan Roasted Carrots from Tom Colicchio's Craft of Cooking

Restaurant Review: Town House

2010-02-15T23:02:00.010-05:00

TOWN HOUSE - 5/5 Stars

We visited Town House, an exciting molecular gastronomy restaurant located, oddly enough, in Chilhowie, VA, on a snowy Tuesday night in early February. The "excuse" for this extravagant meal was my not-so-exciting 26th birthday. Woo Hoo! 26! (In all honesty, we'd wanted to go for a while.)

This meal was really challenging for me. Almost none of the flavors or textures were familiar. And although I can't say the food at Town House is something I'd want to eat everyday, I can certainly appreciate its excellence.

Oh, I shouldn't fail to mention that Charlie Berg, sommelier, took us back to meet Chef John B. Shields and to see the kitchen upon completion of the meal. Awesome, right?

Here is a photo of the menu.

We went all-out and ordered the 10-course menu plus wine pairings. It actually ended up amounting to 16 courses (as several surprises came out from the kitchen) and probably 10 different wines over 3.5 hours. Unbelievable.

Check out my complete review on Yelp.

You can see photos of some of the dishes we had at Town House Blog and The New York Times Dining & Wine article on Town House.

Dinner Tonight

2010-02-07T23:00:00.008-05:00

A pre-birthday dinner celebration tonight with:

Charlie Trotter's Darjeeling Tea & Ginger Cured Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese, Cucumber, and Water Crackers
Caramelized Sea Scallops from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home
Risotto with Corn
Falesco Vitiano Umbria 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Sangiovese Merlot

Charlie Trotter's smoked salmon is available locally in Knoxville at EarthFare for approximately $8.00. It might just be the best smoked salmon I've ever had.

The caramelized sea scallops entree was my first attempt at a recipe from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home, one of my awesome birthday presents. Pretty simple, but I need to practice to get the perfect sear.

We enjoyed the Vitiano wine with our new Riedel O wine tumblers, another birthday present.

Wine Review: Chappellet 2005 Napa Valley Merlot

2010-02-06T22:40:00.008-05:00

I recently received a bottle of Chappellet 2005 Napa Valley Merlot as a thank-you gift. This was the second time I've had wine from Chappellet - the first being a Cabernet Sauvignon at Boulud Brasserie in Las Vegas.

This particular Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.

Aroma: succulent med-rare red meat with pepper, dark chocolate, smoky oak, alcohol underneath

Color: blackish purple, little-to-no no red tones, dark and opaque

Taste: grilled/smoked meat/BBQ, fruit cobbler, med-high tannins, high alcohol, full bodied

We drank this wine with pappardelle with vodka sauce and parmesan cheese. The "meatiness" of the wine helped round out this relatively simple dish.

I believe this wine is priced around $40. I don't typically drink merlot (except when its part of a red blend), but I would definitely seek this out again.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Dinner Last Night

2010-02-02T19:29:00.006-05:00

Last night we made Pappardelle with Vegetables and Lemon-Parmesan Sauce. This is a variation on the Tagliatelle with Baby Vegetables and Lemon-Parmesan Sauce recipe from the April 2009 issue of Bon Appetit.

We normally use tagliatelle, as the recipe calls for, but this time we tried pappardelle - a large, broad fettuccini-type noodle that is bigger than tagliatelle. They were really excellent. Look for Bionaturae's pappardelle at EarthFare in Knoxville.

We substituted asparagus for baby green beans and used normal zucchini instead of baby zucchini.

This is a really quick, easy dish to make a a normal weeknight after work. The key to this dish tasting great is using freshly-grated (not shredded!) Parmigiano-Reggiano. This pre-grated stuff does not melt as well. Also, it's worth spending the extra money on the real stuff every once in a while. Domestic parmesan just doesn't have the intense, nutty flavor Parmigiano-Reggiano has.

Enjoy!

Baconfest 2010

2010-02-01T13:41:00.003-05:00

If you haven't heard about Knoxville's own BaconFest 2010, make sure to check it out:

http://www.knoxbaconfest.com/

I will unfortunately be out of town for this year's event (which is produced by Mockingbird Events), but I recommend going if you can.

TasteSpotting

2010-02-01T10:06:00.003-05:00

We came across this website in the latest issue of Saveur.

Check it out under "Other Cool Websites."

McDonald's Mac Snack Wrap - Revisited

2010-02-01T00:10:00.002-05:00

So, I keep seeing these advertisements for McDonald's Mac Snack Wraps. And I keep seeing TV shows and articles on the web about all these awesome burgers. And then I folded. I got a McDonald's Big Mac for the first time in years. It was awesome. Just don't do it too often...

Wine Review: 2007 Kaiken Malbec, 2006 Creta Roble Tempranillo

2010-01-31T20:01:00.005-05:00

2007 Kaiken Malbec
I got this bottle as an early birthday present from my friend John. From reading the label, it appears to be a mix of Argentinean and Chilean Malbec ("the best from both side of the Andes"), although the location of Kaiken is Mendoza, Argentina.

The wine is a a dark purple color with little-to-no translucency.

The aroma is initially dark grape, sweet cherry, and tobacco, but is followed by strong alcohol if you delve deep into the glass.

Quite acidic wine. Fairly tannic. Prevalent vanilla pipe tobacco flavor.

Looks like a $12.00 bottle (according to the web). Nice buy at this price. We enjoyed it while re-watching Sideways on a sunny winter Sunday afternoon. I would definitely recommend this wine as a great value all-purpose red wine.

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2006 Creta Roble Tempranillo

The 2006 Creta Roble is a 100% Tempranillo from Spain. We enjoyed this wine after the Kaiken Malbec. I have this, this wine even better than the first.

The color is also a dark purple, but a little more maroon than the Kaiken.

The aroma is somewhat similar to the Kaiken with a strong alcoholic nose, but is a little sweeter. Faint oak.

The wine is super smooth and incredibly drinkable. The flavor is of dark, rich fruit. Light tannins.

God bless Tempranillo. This might beat out Ramon Bilboa's Tempranillo. I have to have it again. No doubt it's a steal at the $12 we paid at Ashe's in Knoxville.

(Photo: Brandy Blaylock)

Lunch Today

2010-01-31T15:46:00.004-05:00

Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Smoked Bacon and Creamy Cucumber Pico de Gallo

(Photos: Brandy Blaylock)

Dinner Tonight

2010-01-30T23:49:00.014-05:00

White Wine & Herb Rotisserie Chicken (from The Fresh Market)

Sweet Potato Risotto (homemade)

Sauteed Swiss Chard (homemade)

Ken Wright Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard

(Photos: Brandy Blaylock)

Restaurant Review: Kanpai of Tokyo

2010-01-30T22:21:00.002-05:00

I ate at Kanpai of Tokyo today in snowy Knoxville, TN. Check out my review on Yelp.

The quick and dirty:

Kanpai of Tokyo - 4/5 stars

Solid traditional Japanese food in a enjoyable sushi bar setting; the freshly-made crispy spring rolls are to-die-for!

New Year's Resolution Update: T. Ho Review

2010-01-27T22:41:00.005-05:00

I recently ate at T. Ho Vietnamese Oriental Restaurant, one of my 25 "new-to-me" restaurants to visit in 2010. The full review is up on my Yelp page.

The down low:

T. Ho Vietnamese Oriental Restaurant - 4/5 stars

Inexpensive, tasty noodle bowls. Charcoal grilled pork was a highlight.

The Best Meal...Ever

2010-01-25T09:56:00.003-05:00

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Las Vegas, NV
Friday, December 4, 2009
Menu Decouverte
with Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir

(Click image to enlarge.)

My Favorite Red Wine Experiences...

2010-01-23T14:31:00.012-05:00

I often keep the corks from some of my favorite bottles of wine to help me remember what I enjoyed and on what occasion. After going through a bag of corks today, I figured it was about time to actually write some of them down. Here's a list of what I consider to be some of the top red wine producers and recommended releases from those wineries, along with the awesome places I drank them.

Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I first had Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards wine at Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas on a recent vacation. The 2004 Conn Valley Eloge was recommended to me as a substitute for another wine that was out-of-stock. Wow, what luck, as this was one of the best Bordeaux-style red blends I've had.

Bell Wine Cellars - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Another one of my fabulous finds on the Northshore Brasserie's wine menu was the 2006 Bell Claret. Much like the Newton Claret, the Bell Claret is a rich, dark full-bodied Bordeaux-style red blend. I like to pick up a bottle every couple of months from Harvest Towne Wine & Spirits in North Knoxville.

Buoncristiani Family Winery - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Before visiting Tom Colicchio's Craft in Atlanta, GA, my girlfriend and I did a little research on the wine menu. After finding five or so New World reds in our price range, we checked the online reviews. It was hard to beat the raving comments about the Buoncristiani 2005 O.P.C. Napa Valley Proprietary Red. So, when went, that's what we ordered. This wine alone was worth the visit. It's an amazing deeply-colored, rich red blend.

Franciscan - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I first had Franciscan's red wine blend, Magnificat, at Knoxville's fabulous Northshore Brasserie on half-price wine night. It was the recommendation of our server, who said it was a favorite of the bartender. It immediately became one of my favorites. I also regularly buy their 2004 to 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, which are some of my go-to bottles in the $25 range. Franciscan is a great place to visit, too, in Napa Valley.

Jack Larkin - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I discovered Napa Valley's Jack Larkin at the bar of the Yountville, CA restaurant REDD. My girlfriend and I stopped in for a pre-Ad Hoc dinner drink and enjoyed a half bottle of Jack Larkin's Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately, I don't have a record of the vintage. I believe it was 2005 or 2006. I hope to find it again one day.

Ken Wright Cellars - Carlton, OR, USA

I typically don't drink Pinot Noir. I've just never really enjoyed the flavor; that is, until I had Pinot Noir from Ken Wright Cellars. When pondering which wine to order to accompany my Discovery Menu meal at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas, a fellow diner recommended Ken Wright Pinot. Both he and our server thought it would be a good fit for the menu, which included seafood and red meat, but also still be enjoyable to a non-Pinot Noir fan, while also being affordable. They were right, no pun intended. I think I had the 2006 Carter Vineyard, but I am not 100%, as there are many different Ken Wright releases from various vineyards.

Lail Vineyards - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I randomly picked the 2005 Blueprint Red, a cuvee of Bordeaux varietals, while dining at Charlie Palmer's Aureole in Las Vegas. Luckily, it was a great one and it has a nice bottle with a cool etched bird drawing on it.

Louis M. Martini - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I had heard of Louis M. Martini before visiting Napa Valley, but had somehow confused it with wines more like Beringer. Little did I know Martini is an amazing producer of red wine. I did a tasting of various red wines from their Monte Rosso Vineyard at their tasting room, from their Syrah to Cabernet Sauvignon. I often buy their 2004 to 2006 Cabernet Sauvignons, which range from $18 - $30, depending on the vineyard (Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, or Monte Rosso) and vintage. Make sure you ask them to go to the cellar under the tasting room and get a piece of the amazing prosciutto if you visit.

Newton Vineyard - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Back in 2008, before I really started drinking red wine, a group of co-workers bought a couple of bottles of red wine for an after-party to celebrate a big group accomplishment. One of those wines was Newton's 2006 Claret. Oddly enough, we drank the wine in black plastic solo cups, but this was the defining moment in my "wine career" thus far. The Newton Claret was a dark purple - almost black - and had the most amazing aroma and taste. It was certainly the start of my love for red wine.

Roy Estate - Napa Valley, CA, USA

On a summer 2008 trip to Las Vegas, I took notice of the nice bar at Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico Steakhouse, and made a mental note to stop in on a future trip. This past winter, I did just that and ordered a glass of Roy Estate's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a little pricey ($25 per glass), but was quite enjoyable (and fresh, I might add). I'm on the lookout for a full bottle.

Other great recommended red wines:

Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon, Richland, WA, USA

Bogle Vineyards Phantom 2006 Phantom, Clarksburg, CA, USA
Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA, USA

Hahn Estates Meritage Central Coast, Soledad, CA, USA

Langtry Estate & Vineyards Guenoc North Coast Victorian Claret, Middletown, CA, USA

Luca Vineyards Syrah Double Select (no website)

Kokomo Winery Cuvee, Heraldsburg, CA, USA

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia

Ramon Bilbao Crianza, Haro, La Rioja, Spain

Rex Hill Pinot Noir, Newberg, OR, USA

You Dropped It on the Floor - Do You Eat It?

2010-01-21T22:02:00.002-05:00

Check out this funny flow chart from Andy Wright at SFoodie (SF Weekly) that will help you decide whether or not you should eat food that you've dropped on the floor:

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/01/you_dropped_food_on_the_floor.php

Emeril Green

2010-01-17T21:18:00.007-05:00

Emeril Lagasse was one of the first chefs I watched on television, alongside Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Curtis Aikens, and others on the Food Network. Emeril was my favorite, but I became disinterested as his shows became incredibly "commercial" throughout the 2000s.

Fortunately, it's been really exciting to watch his new show, Emeril Green, on Planet Green. If you haven't seen Emeril Green, make sure to check it out. It's by far one of the most informative cooking shows on television and certainly much better than Emeril's last program on Food Network, Emeril Live. No "bams." No Doc Gibbs & the Emeril Live Band. And no clapping for "gaaarrrliccc!" Instead, it's a return to form for Emeril - reminiscent of his presence on the classic Food Network show, Essence of Emeril, from the mid-to-late 90s.

Keep an eye out for the "Divine Wine" episode, where Emeril visits the Frog's Leap Winery in Napa Valley to discuss wine pairings with food. It's a great episode.

Mockingbird Favorites in Knoxville

2010-01-17T19:12:00.000-05:00

This is a great list of Knoxville favorites from Mockingbird:

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2009/12/26/mockingbird-favorites-in-knoxville/

Knoxville Food Finds from Mockingbird Events

2010-01-17T19:01:00.004-05:00

Check out these Knoxville food finds from Mockingbird Events:

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2009/12/22/knoxville-food-finds/

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2010/01/07/more-knoxville-food-finds/

McDonald's Mac Snack Wrap

2010-01-16T21:13:00.000-05:00

I just saw a commercial for the new McDonald's Mac Snack wrap - a new way to enjoy a Big Mac. Not so sure about this one. Looks like a Big Mac taco. I kinda like the Big Mac the way it was (even though I haven't eaten one in years.) Check it out for yourself:

http://www1.mcdonalds.com/macsnackwrap/#/home

(The music is kind of fun, isn't it?)

Wine Review: 2005 Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja

2010-01-16T20:34:00.001-05:00

Ramon Bilbao's 2005 Crianza Rioja is a 100% Tempranillo Spanish red wine. According to the bottle, it is aged for 14 months in the barrel and 8 months in the bottle.

The color is a medium magenta / purple.

The wine initially has a strong alcoholic nose, but ultimately softens up. (This wine needs about an hour to reach full potential.) There's an array of aromas - sweet, dark berries, light roasted coffee, slight smoke, and even a little herb. It's almost like a dark (not so sweet) dessert in a glass.

The wine is medium bodied. It's tannic, but really smooth.

This wine has enough structure to stand up to roasted red meats, but can also work with poultry and fish.

Ramon Bilbao's Crianza Rioja has become my "go-to" wine lately. Priced at approximately $15.00, I recommend it for any occasion, from casual weekday home-made meals to parties to, of course, pairing with tapas.

The Grub Scout Challenge: Dead End BBQ, Le Parigo

2010-01-16T19:40:00.002-05:00

I knocked out 20% of my challenge to eat at all ten of the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top ten restaurants of 2009 yesterday, eating lunch at Dead End BBQ and enjoying late night snacks and wine at Le Parigo. Check out my reviews on Yelp.

The quick and dirty:

Dead End BBQ - 3/5 stars

Average, affordable BBQ in a hip, modern restaurant in Bearden. Pulled pork was the highlight. Service was solid.

Le Parigo - 4/5 stars

Amazing French food in an out-dated space. Yes, the crispy pork belly was to-die-for, but update the damn decor! Nevertheless, I'll be back to try the entrees.

Wine Review: 2005 Casa de la Ermita Crianza

2010-01-10T20:36:00.000-05:00

I am currently enjoying a bottle of 2005 Casa de la Ermita Crianza, a Spanish red wine blend. I've recently become interested in Spanish red wine after having a couple of excellent bottles from Ramon Bilbao, so I picked up this bottle (along with a few other Spanish reds) at Smoky Mountain Wine & Spirits in South Knoxville.

"Crianza" generally refers to Spanish wine that has been aged at least one year in oak barrels, although the label states this particular wine spent 9 months in new oak. The label also reveals this wine is composed of 40% Monastrell (a grape I am unfamiliar with), 25% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Petit Verdot.

The wine is translucent with medium brownish ruby color. The aroma is actually fairly typical of New World blended red wines, especially California clarets. It has a light wood and herbal smell and a light to medium body with medium to high tannins. The prevalent flavor is dark fruit (mainly grapes and blackberries) with a vanilla finish.

The Casa de la Ermita Crianza is a great value, priced at approximately $15.00. Though I most likely will not seek it out in the future for myself, I would recommend it as an approachable solid red wine for group events, parties, etc.

Beer Review: Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

2010-01-07T22:36:00.001-05:00

I recently had a bottle of Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, as an after-dinner drink at home. I've enjoyed Sam Adam's Chocolate Bock in the past and was excited to try Ommegang's attempt at a chocolate beer.

The beer was poured from a 750 ml bottle into a glass bourbon snifter. It had a dark, thin appearance with seemingly little to no carbonation, yet it also had serious lacing around the glass.

The aroma was (unsurprisingly) sweet and rich with hints of dried fruits. The mouth-feel was thin and silk-smooth, but was followed-up by a dryness similar to red wine or chocolate. The hops cut through the flavor along with a coffee-like bitterness. Each drink leaves you with an appropriately strong chocolate after-taste.

I would recommend splitting this beer amongst 2-3 people. Though it is excellent by itself, I suspect Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence would pair well with roasted lamb, mushroom risotto, and a cheese plate.

Metro Pulse "Yummm!" Guide, 2010 New Year Resolution: Visit 25 "New" Knoxville Restaurants

2010-01-07T19:52:00.003-05:00

Knoxville's alternative weekly newspaper, Metro Pulse, released their winter 2010 "Yummm! Guide to Knoxville Area Restaurants" a little over a week ago. It's easy to forget how many restaurants this town has and, thus, how many I've not visited, until you see them in one huge list. So, for one of my new year's resolutions, I have picked 25 "new-to-me" Knoxville-area restaurants to visit in 2010.

(It's important to note, however, that I have actually been to a couple of these previously, but I feel like they're worth re-visiting for one reason or another. I'll point these out.)

First up are the 10 restaurants I've promised to visit from the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville restaurants of 2009. These include:

1. Cafe 4*

2. Le Parigo

3. R.T. Lodge

4. Dancing Bear Lodge

5. Apple Cake Tea Room

6. 501 Arthur

7. Coolato Gelato

8. Dead End BBQ

9. Longhorn Steakhouse

10. Echo Bistro & Wine Bar

In addition to these 10 restaurants, I've picked the following 15 restaurants from the Metro Pulse's restaurant guide:

11. S&W Grand**

12. Steamboat Sandwiches

13. Bonefish Grill***

14. RouXbarb

15. Seasons Cafe

16. Ho Ho

17. Pizza Palace

18. Chandler's

19. Sunspot

20. La Rumba

21. Altruda's

22. Red Onion Pizza

23. Savelli's

24. T. Ho Bistro / The Pint House

25. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

---

Notes:

*Cafe 4 - I have been to Cafe 4 previously, but I plan to re-visit solely to complete the Grub Scout's list in its entirety.

**S&W Grand - I have been here a couple of times already; however, it is a very new restaurant and I think I want to start giving new restaurants at least 6 months of being open before I write an official review.

***Bonefish Grill - I went here once with a large group and don't really remember the food, but ever since then I've heard great things, despite the fact that it's a chain.

Top Knoxville Restaurants of 2009

2010-01-07T13:46:00.001-05:00

I just came across the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville eateries of 2009.

Read the list here:

http://www.knoxville.com/news/2009/dec/28/grub-scout-our-resident-foodie-picks-his-top-10-lo/

I was shocked and amazed to see Longhorn Steakhouse on the list. How could that possibly be one of the top 10 restaurants in this city...for anyone? Even more shocking were the restaurants not included. How could this list not include, say, the Northshore Brasserie? I tried to be fair and took a step back to really evaluate the list.

I soon realized that I actually haven't dined at most of these restaurants. In fact, I've never even heard of a few of them, namely Dancing Bear Lodge, Apple Cake Tea Room, and 501 Arthur. Being a "foodie" (for lack of a better word), I am suspicious that after nearly four years in this city I am not familiar with these restaurants. Perhaps I am truly missing something...

This also got me thinking - what are my top Knoxville restaurants of 2009?

So, I've decided I am going to visit and review all 10 of the Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville restaurants of 2009. I'll post updates here and on Yelp with my progress.

In the meantime, I've listed my top Knoxville restaurants of 2009 below. It's important to note these are my local favorites of 2009, not my all-time best-of-Knoxville list. I've also included some of my favorite food and drinks from these establishments from 2009.

Charlietuna's Top 7 Knoxville Restaurants of 2009:

1. Northshore Brasserie

-Beef Short Rib, Calamari Steak, Pomme Frites, Charcuterie Plate, Chef's Specials, Hoegaarden

2. Soccer Taco (Market Square)

-Carnitas tacos from the "Real Mexican Team" menu, Top Shelf Margarita with Don Julio Anejo

3. Manhattan's

-Blackend Fish Tacos, Magic Hat #9

4. Hard Knox Pizzeria

-Marciano Pizza, "Heavyweight" Beer (Woodruff Alt)

5. Sangria's

-Black Ink Calamari, Bread & Olive Oil, Ramon Bilbao Crianza Tempranillo

6. The French Market

-Turkey Baguette, Chocolate Croissant, Fruit Crepes, LavAzza Coffee & Cappuccinos

7. Sitar Indian Cuisine

-Vegetable Korma, Bengan Bhurtha, Indian Tea

Honorable Mentions:

Chez Guevara

Taste of Thai

Cigar Bar (closed)

Pete's Coffee Shop

The Bistro at the Bijou

S&W Grand

Tomato Head

Da Vinci's Pizza

Solid "Chain" Restaurants:

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Romano's Macaroni Grill (surprisingly, yes)