Sel de al Terre – WIne Dinner – Wines for the Harvest Table

I can never say no to a Wine Dinner when I’m in town……

Wines for the Harvest Table

Amuse Bouche
ASF Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

The problem tonight was that they poured the first wine for the first course WAY before the amuse came out. Good thing I drank slowly and it paired well with the first course AND the amuse.  In fact it turned out to be my favorite wine of the night.

First Course
Young Greens, Cucumber, Almonds, Citrus Vinaigrette

This was a nice night salad. Delicious and licked it up.  No cheese, simple and amazing.  Crunch and texture from the almonds AND the greens were amazing.

Paired with 2006 Westport Rivers, “Cuve RJR: Brut, Westport, Massachusetts

Second Course
Pan Seared Atlantic Salon, ASF Braised Greens, Raspberry Butter Sauce

Aside from the raspberry butter sauce I loved this dish. The salmon was cooked to perfection.  The greens were cooked down t amazing-ness.  Microgreens fr some fresh crunch… but the sauce was too sweet and buttery.. too rich for my liking.  Raspberry Butter Sauce? Gag. It wasn’t my sort of thing…….. and hopefully not too many other ppls. Sorry SDLT. Not so good. The pairing was good though.. a nice light red.. I guess more of a rose.

Paired with 2010 Elio Perrone, Bigora Rosato, Castiglione, Italy

Side Dish of Sauteed ASF Tatsoi – basically 塌棵菜 a chinese Mustard Spinach

Great green…. not well cooked. SAD.

Main Course
Grilled Hanger Steak, ASF Turips, Carrots, Red Wine Demi-Glace
Paired with 2011 Peloverga, Comm. G.B. Burlotto, Verduno, Italy

I loved the fall vegetables but I actually wasn’t too into the steak… not that it wasn’t cooked well or anything, maybe I was just full.  I don’t think I finished the wine either.  The beef, though, almost tasted gamey. But remember I’ve been sick for awhile and things just taste weird to me lately.  All my medications make me less hungry and have different tastebuds.

Formage Course
Shelbourne Cheddar
Paired with 2006 Concha y Toro, Late Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc, Chile

DElICIIIIIOUS I ate it all. ALL

And I came home to a black cat in the house. GASP. Many years of Cute Luck.

Sushi Taro — Kaiseki & Sushi Tasting

Me and my W wanted Sushi… so after a day of work we finally decided to go find sushi. We KNEW we wanted sushi and didn’t know where to go.

THANKFULLY we met up with L and some of W’s friends and we decided on SUSHI TARO - a tiny walk up next to a CVS

Mr Octopussy says hi

So I’ve been back and forth about how to blog about out food since we both got different tastings.. So I’m gonna do it separately.  We shared our food but it’s easier to separate it.

We decided to get two different tastings.   W got the sushi tasting minus shellfish…

Sushi

Liver……. something….. and eggplant

Sashmi

Sushi

He’s so Jiro

We actually both got this soup so you can see more detail on my tasting.. except his didn’t have shellfish i it.

More sexy sushi

W totally shared his sushi with me…

Looked gross.. but very very soft and tender… W wasn’t into the texture as much.. i think it was beltfish.. but still.. NOM

More sushi sexiness..

And for the last course he got MY spicy tuna roll…

And I got the Kaiseki with wine pairing for me…

Kaiseki

Delicious aperitif sake with flower petals…

The most beautiful soft tender tofu

With a yummy pairing

Monkfish, oyster and eggplant

By this point my pairing kept coming super super late.

My Sashimi – DEEEElicious

The soup I talked about before…

Squeeze some lime…

Shrimp, fishcake, fish, etc.. YUM

SOOO GOOOOOD….. fried soba, fried fish, wasabi lotus root, squid, sweet potato, pome seeds, tomato and squid ink fried wakame.

OH and a escargot W helped open for me.

I got a yummy fish… that tasted SUPPPER sweet.. shisito pepper and then some… YUM

A duck meatball in a daikon wrap and surrounded by crabmeat. Sadly the duck meatball was COLD so  only ate around it.

I got W’s sushi in exchange for him getting my maki roll. Eel. Scallop and Salmon. <3

Next time we will try TURTLE!!!

For dessert, W picked the chocolate cake:

And I picked the chestnut cake…

YUMMMMMMMMMM. Will go back.

Sel de la Terre: Wine Tuesday “South America”

I haven’t been to one in ages.  Or maybe it was with Kelly? I keep wanting to but end up being busy or away.  They still know me tho.. so this Tuesday I had my usual corner table waiting for me.

South America, a favorite of mine for wines… MMMMM Argentinian and Chilean wines!!!

Amuse Bouche
Smoked Salmon Crostini with Chive Creme Fraiche

Delicious bite.  I ate this in a few bites so I wished that the smoked salmon was in smaller pieces so I didn’t have to use my finger to help bite off bits of it.  It could’ve used a bit of caper and onion tho. :]  I’m OG like that.

There were only two other tables and our wine pourer remembered me so we got BIG BIG pours :D

First Course
ASF Vegetables, Jonah Crab, Citrus Vinaigrette
Paired with 2010 Torrentes, Crios de Susana Balbo, Salta, Argentina

This was delightful.  I tend to get dressings on the side so my salad doesn’t wilt or is overly dressed and soggy but this was fantastical.  A nice slightly ocean-y crab taste on top of  a nice variety of fresh greens, tomato and thin radish. YUM

Second Course
Roasted Garlic and Herb Sole, ASF Heirloom Tomatoes, Braised ASF Greens
Paired with 2010 Erraszuriz, “Wild Ferment”, Chardonnay, Chile

Pan Fried and stuffed with… stuffing? Some sort of sop. it was good, a bit salty so I ended up picking some of it out.  The Sole filet was folded over so the stuffing was cooked inside, and then set atop of raw heirloom tomatoes.  Which was nice, refreshing, but also surprising, I expected cooking tomato.  Under the tomato was braised greens, that tasted super asian-y YUM.. I’m guessing sweet potato grees?!… Anyways back t the sole: The outside was crisp and the inner was fluffy and flaked away. YUM.

Main Course
BBQ Braised Pork, Sweet Corn Relish, Apple Gastrique
Paired with 2009 Malbec, Alfredo Roca, Mendoza, Argentina

The pork was super tender and I loved the mixture of corn and apples.  It seemed like the perfect, end to Summer. hello to Autumn dish. BUT it was SO overly sweet… And the fact that I was already full on the dishes before and a ton of wine

Fromage Course
Bayley Hazen
Paired with 2006 Concha y Toro, “Lourdes Vineyard”, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Maule Valley, Chile

This was a nice moldy not too stinky blue cheese… I’ve been trying not to eat too much dairy products lately since W suggested that my tummyaches may be a result of eating them.  Seems like he may be right.I still have some cheese, just not in overabundance like I usually do ;D  The plate was also filled with fruit preserves, chopped up dried figs, pecans, almond slices, pistachios, halved grapes, slices apple and some truffle honey. SOOO good.  All the contrasting textures and flavors with the fruits, nuts, cheeses were amazing, you didn’t even need the crostini.  I had my cheese with some honey on apple slices MMMMM….

Another amazing meal.  Thanks SDLT see you next time when I’m back in town!

I finally didn’t order the Cioppino at Legal’s…

Family weekend so we’re headed to Legal’s!

I slipped on my Chloe’s… they’re old but still lovely and look new…

And first we headed to Barnes and Nobles… it’s right by the restaurant and we had a 7pm reservation.  BTW I love pork fat.

This book was so cute, almost bought it

Ended up buying these two <3

And then headed next door to Petsmart to buy dogfood for Didi :]

This pic is for W

SO CUTE

AND THEN off to Legal Seafood’s… FINALLY cuz I was starving.. I only had a spicy chicken wrap all day for lunch so I NEEDED FOOD!!

We started off with the special appetizer & two tubs of steamers!!! YEP TWO…no pics because they were devoured immediately… and I have too many pictures of steamers… hahaha… OOOOO but excitment!!! The crabs are in…. softshelled that is…

Tempura Fried Softshell Crab
Togarashi Aioli, Cucumber-Carrot Slaw, Sesame

Spicy!!! It was small but deeeeelightful :] I inhaled the pickled cuc and carrots too, SO GOOD

Daddy’s Lemon Caper Grey Sole
Lemon Beurre Blanc with Steamed Spinach and Green Beans

Daddy LOOOOOOOVED it!!!  And licked the plate clean!  He usually sticks to salmon so YAY for him changing things up!

Mommy’s Grilled Hake and Shrimp
Shrimp, Charred Tomato-Scallion Sauce, Garlic Green Beans and Seaweed Salad

We ended up trading because she loooooves softshell crab!  The green beans were perfectly done, I hate soggy overcooked green beans, these still had a nice snap to them.. and while the shrimp and hake were delish and cooked perfectly, so tender, I wish there was less sauce, or preferably on the side.  Wasn’t a HUUUGE fan of it.

And yes I didn’t get cioppino…. hahaha which I get like 99% of the time….

My Softshell Crab Provencal
Mushrooms, Scallions, Grape Tomatoes, Garlic White-Wine Sauce

SOOO GOOD.  I got steamed broccoli on the side and the huuuuge crab was on a bed of steamed spinach. SOOO GOOD, the sauce was amazing and I LOOOVE cooked grape tomatoes… warm and pop pop pop in your mouth.  But like I said, mommy and I traded – she LOOOOVED it. DE-VOURED.

And I got the wine pairing to go with it… a Quadri Pinot Grigio, delle Venezie IGT, Italy, 2010 which was tasty.

Got this for W and I :]

And instead of getting dessert at Legal’s.. I stopped by Whole Foods and got dessert there!

Most amazing HUUUUUGE cream puff <3 JOY

Small Bites at Blue Stove

I had to go to the eye doctor’s today… After finding out I had spots in my right eye, I’m stuck with glasses for a few days and hopefully it’ll clear up…

Along the way to dinner I managed to goof around a bit…

And then off to Nordstroms for dinner at Blue Stove.  It’s sort of an Americanized Tapas place.  Or more like, all sorts of tastes from around the world… the menu is constantly changing, but they do have amazing constants.. we’ll get into that once the pictures start rolling…

Since it’s restaurant week I decided to order one set of 3 courses w/ wine pairings along with other dishes.  I’ll write “RW Course #” by the dishes that were in the set.  That’s a REALLY good price for 30.12$, app, entree, dessert, ALL with delicious wine pairings. Winner winner chicken dinner.. and yes I had chicken tonight too

As soon as you sit down they give you water, take your drink order and give you some yummy bread to nibble on while you look over the small, but still extensive menu.

bread with olives and evoo

The must have? Their sweet potato fries.. no seriously.

sweet potato fries with cilantro lime aioli

For some strange reason I feel like the portion is a lot smaller than what it used to be?! Or maybe I’m just fatter.. or actually, I think I used to order two servings at a time…. anyways, DELICIOUS.  The fries themselves are seasoned so well you don’t even need to dip it in anything.  I’m not a huge sauce person so I loveeeee them without the dippity – which is also good.

salt & pepper calamari with lemon zest

Not greasy at all… a good amount of tentacles – my fav – nicely breaded, and not heavy. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, not overly fried, and like I said, not drippingly greasy like some places. YUM!  The squeeze of the lemon just adds more pop to the zest.

RW Course 1: mango & apple salad, red belgium endive, great hill blue cheese

I wasn’t sure if I’d like this.  I’m iffy about blue cheese, some I love some I don’t.  But I had some recent GOOD times with blue cheese.. I wanted something light and refreshing to nibble on, crunchy, fruity, sweet and salty… I LOVE SALADS, good salads, so why not?!  Fresh chunks of mango, thin slices of apple…. endives around the plate and chopped up in the salad, tossed in a light dressing and tons of delicious creamy blue cheese…

paired with: pacific rim riesling, columbia valley, washington 2009

The wine went SO well with the salad, and really cut thru the light stinkiness of the blue cheese. IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD, and went SOOO well together. I LOOOOOVE endive, crunchity. Slightly bitter and supppper pretty and fresh MMMM, all the textures, creamy, cheesy, salty, sweet, crisp.. juicy MMMMMMMM I could eat a TUB of this.

And then one of my favs..

cilantro lime chicken tacos

SOOOOO delicious. These are tiny little things, but FULL of amazingness.

And then one of the first things that jumped out from the menu when I looked at it – new additions!!! And the most intriguing one?

bahn mi vietnamese chicken sandwiches

SCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCORE!!!!

It had a nice slice of hot pepper on top.. the bread was fluffy and had a delicious daikon carrot slaw with cilantro and a perfectly cooked chicken… SOOO GOOD

Confession, I ONLY eat the classic super fatty bad-for-you but OH OH SO GOOD Banh Mi. I think the grilled meats and all that other stuff is “fake” HAHAHA…

“The classic version bánh mì thịt nguội, sometimes known as bánh mì đặc biệt or “special combo”, is made with various Vietnamese cold cuts such as sliced pork or pork bellies, chả lụa, and head cheese, along with the liver pâté and vegetables.” – Source

It’s ALL about the headcheese.. okay, so this didn’t have headcheese but it was DELICIOUS, PLUS the delicious lotus root chips on the side. NOM!  I wish there was more filling cuz I ate it all up but even inhaled the bread by itself, the sauces were THAT amazing!

roasted garlic chicken with grilled corn & arugula

This is a classic and I’ve had this dish here since… well it was considered a salad… hahaha now it’s a dish… but still oh so good.. get the dressing on the side cuz they tend to overdress the arugula… but yummy kernals of corn sprinkled thru-out it and delicious tender, slighty fatty chicken with a nice crisp skin.

RW Course 2: pan seared red snapper filets, early spring vegetables, meyer lemon emulsion

paired with: acacia pinot noir, carneros, california 2008

This was tender, with a nice crispy skin…. two small pieces on top of a creamy succotash of asparagus, corn, peas and potatoes…. it was a bit on the salty side but delicious nonetheless.. kinda wish they were meatier.. or bigger pieces, but for some weird reason I was already getting full.. [been having stomachaches] so it ended up being the right size.

And then spur of the moment we added on some tuna.

ahi tuna stack with ponzu & crisp wontons

MMMM nothing like a delicious fresh raw tuna, roughly chopped and stacked up with mangos and lightly dressed greens…  scoop it on top of a perfectly crunchy wonton chip and you’ve got a great asian alternative to nachos…. and dairy free ;]

RW Course 3: butterscotch pot de creme

paired with: ceretto muscato d’asti 2009

I LOOOOVE butterscotch… and I looooove pot de cremes… and while this was no foie gras this was nice, rich, airy but also light… SOOOOO freaking good with the muscato… which wasn’t as sweet – or the dessert was more sweet, but either way they enhanced each other’s flavors incredibly!

And of course, ended the meal with their complimentary mint chocolate sticks.

NOM!

For some strange reason I was super full after this meal… and a bit tipsy… so OBVIOUSLY I’d go shopping in Nordstroms for jeans #fattie – hahahaha DON’T try on clothes after eating makes you feel pudgey.. BUT I still managed to get a new top and two new jeans…. woohooo.. I bought these AWESOME neon sky blue kiddie jeans that turn into capris on me.. for only 44$ YAYYYYYYYY so happy!

Valentine’s Day 2012

Be My Valentine

I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day person. Most Vdays are linked back to BAD memories or no date at all.  In fact one of my best ones was when a crush of mine in HS took me out, bought me a rose and taught me how to drive. :]  Unfortunately for us, he never knew I liked him, he admitted to liking me later on…. annnnd he had a gf at the time. Woot? Anyways. Tragedy.  While I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day I can’t help but give into it if it’s in my face. This was a great Valentine’s Day :]

Last year I was at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and the Patricia Fields Valentine’s Day Costume Ball.. this year was a bit more low key :] But super tasty and fun!!!

Last Year

This Year
This dress looks like a tube top but somehow stretches out into a dress….

Red lips to match my red platform 6″ heels ;]

I worked most of the day and didn’t even start getting ready til late in the day… but I did get a beautiful surprise in the afternoon.. the largest bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received… this tiny little old man who looked like he was 90 carried it all the way to my front door – people who know my house and where I live and how to get to my front door KNOW that sucks balls… but yeah… this was bigger than him.. AND SOOO BEAUTIFUL.

Thanks Love <3

I have late dinner plans with M… so OBVIOUSLY that means we’re gonna pre-drink.. and more importantly, PRE-DINNER!!! So off to DRINK we go.  I love Barbara Lynch…. Obviously… so I was super excited to come here.. it’s in the basement of Sportello – also a Lynch establishment. WOOO!!! Seriously, M knows me way too well… #stalker ;] I had champagne cocktails the whole time, deliciousness and each one was unique~ WOO! He also immediately ordered two things that I LOOOVE

Fried Oysters & Fried Pig Tails

Absolutely AMAZZZZZZZING!!! M knows that I’m IN LOOOOOOVE with pig tails.. these were meaty, fatty and just deliciousness…. while Craigie’s are kinda on the sweet side, these were somehow light fluffy and SUPER fatty and FUCKING AWESOME!  M was sweet enough to let me have most of it. HAHAHA… :] Methinks he enjoyed me nomming on them and licking my lips and dropping it on my legs hahaha #perv ;]

“What else do you want?!”

Yep M REALLY knows me TOO well.. #stillhungry… So hard to choose since there was so much yumminess on their menu…. but obviously I needed to continue my obesssion with Steak Tartare… I still miss my true love.

Steak Tartare: Brioche, Truffle Parmesan Aioli

I LOOOOOVE super chunky tartare and this was a btit finer than what I like but the taste was AMAZING. The meat was super fresh, tender, tasty and YUM YUM I love brioche!

Seriously?

A few drinks and pre-dinner apps later… we were off to our final destination… No. 9 Park :] We already decided the last time we were here to come for Vday… :] Planning ahead hahaha.. altho we WERE supposed to be wearing sweats…

We got the Valentine’s Day Chef’s Tasting Menu with Wine Pairings, there were a few courses that had two options so we got one of each :] at No. 9 Park.. we had resos at 9:45 but didn’t get seated til well past 10 something… good thing we were already getting our drinks on….

Hawaiian Hearts of Palm

Mushroom Vinaigrette, Petite Greens, Black Truffle
Paired with: NV Aubry 1er Cru Champagne Brut

These were SO delicious and definitely made me happy from the truffle fail with M a few weeks ago…  I loooove hearts of palm, and I love that they were the focus of this dish. Amazing.

Pour pour pour

Chilled Peekytoe Crab

Chevril Vichyssoise, Crème Fraîche, American Caviar
Paired with: NV Aubry 1er Cru Champagne Brut

Deliciousness.  LOOOOVE crab everything!!!!!  Looooove caviar everything :] HAPPY HAPPY.. plus I always giggle when I hearcreme fraiche cuz of South Park hahahahha…

Maine Diver Scallop

Smoked Guanciale, Cauliflower, Sauce Périgueux
Paired with: 2008 Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune

Is there anything about the flavors and ingredients that are bad at all?! FUCKING BOMB!!!

Seared Yellowfin Tuna

Maine Shrimp, Couscous, Black Olive
Paired with: 2010 Bison Ciliegiolo Rosato 

Super fresh and tasty Tuna. I’m not a huge any kind of cooked tuna girl. I love my tuna rawwwww.. but this was just BARELY seared and delicious. HEHEHE, cute little shrimps and it was super yummy!

Boule de Quercy Raviolo

Celeriac, Dandelion Greens, Bread Crumbs
Paired with: 2007 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Riouge “La Croix du Roy”

We both got one, these were DELICIOUS!  Beautiful fresh pasta, crumbly crunchy bread crumbs… great combo of textures and deliciousness. BOMB diggity of flavors :]

Soooo many wine glasses and we sucked each one down dry

Terrine of Foie Gras

Persimmon, Hazelnut, Quince
Paired with: 2003 Château de Suronde Quarts de Chaume

Creamy and salty… we each had our own, they were HUGE slices and oh so yummy :] I think this was around the time our neighbors yelled at us for speaking too much profanity.. HAHAHA.. srsly, SO much awkward dates going on tonight…

OK I have to say after this the night gets a little fuzzy, more wine was poured, more drinks came and while, yes, the food was banging, I don’t really remember much.

Pekin Duck Breast

Chestnuts, Rillette, Poached Pear
Paired with: 2008 Monpertuis, Châteanuneuf-du-Pape “Suvée Classique”

Prime Ribeye of Beef

Potato Mille-Feuille, Grilled Porcini, Vegetable Blanquette
Paired with: 2009 Margerum “M5″

You are a sexy beast

Out of all the things I don’t remember eating I remember eating this, YUM!

Pomegranate Sorbet

Hibiscus

Chocolate Cream Tart
Pistachio, Banana, Tonka Bean
Paired with: EL Maestro Sierra Pedro Ximenez, Sherry 

Ricotta Cheesecake
Red Currant, Blood Orange, Cornmeal
Paired with: 2010 Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui “Pineto”

Complimentary mini Muffins and Truffles

I actually remember trying a muffin. I think I may have had a frowny face hahaha…. not that it was bad but it was LITERALLY a muffin!

How the hell did we finish EVERYTHING?! Including the wine… How is my liver still alive?! And how am I not 200lbs yet?

OK.. so I don’t exactly remember ALL the details, a bit hazy here, sorry, I blame all the booze beforehand :] Still want more piggie tails, those fried oysters from DRINK… and then the Chicken Fried Foie from last time… I have a feeling I’ll be back soon :]

I love you my Didi baby… my favorite Valentine

Fun, Play & Wine + Chocolate SDLT “Wine Tuesday”… oh and Bieber Fever… with @hiieitskel

My Kelly Belly is in town….which means craziness together. I love this bitch ;] <3

And look she’s got red lips too, just like me ;]

Since it was her Birthday while she was here :] Feb 6 for the Nick Carter concert :D

I AM An Epic Dance Party. All the time.

I met Bieber… his personality was “flat” hahaha… [props to M for coming up with that one LOL]

Adventures of Giraffe and Koala… what sounds do they make?!

This is for Mike: SO GREEN!! OH MY GREEN!!!

Still Sober…

We finally got old and tired and went to Sel de la Terre early after crashing a bit on the comfy chairs in the mall… hahahaha… we got some cocktails before the dinner began. What can I say?! We’re old and loud. We were fob-talking all day. Now we can’t stop.

How can we refuse Wine AND Chocolate?

Fig Manhattan

SOOOOO Bourbon-y, one sip and it knocks you out.

Peche Royale

The girliest drink hahaha but I love it.. sweeter than usual tho…

“Why you get bread and no eat? Back in day, I don’t get bread, I eat AIR!”

Everyone else got a bread basket but us. I got bread basket envy and asked for one – WOOOOOO!!!!!

First Course
Bacon and Frisee Salad with White Chocolate Vinaigrette

Paired with: 2009 Joh. Haart, Piesporter Treppchen, Riesling, Mosel, Germany

This was surprisingly good. White Chocolate Vinaigrette? Super interesting.. it wasn’t a strong taste and it wasn’t heavy at all, it was OH-SO very lightly tossed in it.. the frisee was fresh and oh so refreshing.. some candied pistachios and delicious crisp fatty bacon chunks on top. YUM!

Even Kelly ate some of her bacon [she's not a bacon girl] but she did leave some on her plate.. I was trying to be a lady and not pick off her plate :] My heart did cry a little when the plate was carried off with some pork belly still on it… *dripping tears* hahaha…

Second Course
Cocoa and Coffee Crusted Vension with Spaetzle and Roasted Root Vegetables

Paired with: 2009 Vina Sastre, Tinto, Ribera del Duero, Spain

The venison was cooked Medium Rare and oh so juicy and good. The spaetzle was tender and delicious and I looooved the root veggie mix with it.  BUT oh the venison.  Our neighbors actually didn’t even want it. But it was also the same girl who ate no frisee and only ate the bacon haha weird. But me and Kelly ate this right up – I told her not to eat too much bread but she had like SO much that after this dish she was stuffed…

I didn’t really taste the coffee/cocoa crust but it was perfectly seasoned! Not gamey at all, so so tender, melted in my mouth… Sometimes I find their dishes a bit salty but this was yummy!

Kelly approved!!!

We had to start double fisting the drinks… hahahha…

Main Course
Chicken Mole with Toasted Sesame Seeds, Farro and Spinach

Paired with: 2010 Vigneti Zabu, Nero D’Avola, Sicily, Italy

We were SO full but this was SO good. A nice crisp chicken skin, DELICIOUS farro [we kept calling it rice] with some greens on the bottom, OMG… slightly spicy and nice tender chicken that just fell apart at the fork. HOLY MOLY. SO FULL but I licked the plate clean anyways.

Hahaha somehow I ended up with sesame seeds all over me. WTF… too much wine ;]

And then I ate more bread… oh and then there was these:

Rosemary Pommes Frites

I may have ate the whole tower of them….. #guilty

Cheese Course
Robiola, Italy

Paired with: 2006 Westport Rivers, “Cuvee RJR”, Brut, Westport, Massachusetts

At this point we were ready to burst… the cheese was creamy [half cow, half sheep] and a bit pungent so I had half of it, bread, the nuts and fruits and called it quits. No dessert for me #imdone..

Afterwards we came home, rested up a bit and made boozey cupcakes :]

Upside down Banana Rum Champagne Cupcakes with Vanilla Ice Cream!

Recipe coming in next post….

I FUCKING LOVE YOU KELLY <3

Truffle Dinner at CLINK

After our pre-eating at No. 9 Park.. the restaurant got us a cab back to the Liberty Hotel!  Quick ride later, we were back at CLINK and ready to eat – okay we were a little bit late ;]

“Set on the lobby level of The Liberty Hotel, a national historic landmark that was once the storied Charles Street Jail, CLINK. offers Bostonians and hotel guests Modern American Cuisine prepared by classically-trained Chef Joseph Margate. Each dish reflects his intense focus on flavor and dedication to seasonal, sustainable, and local ingredients.

Vestiges of original jails cells create cozy nooks for dining, and an open kitchen displays the theater of cooking as each stylish dish is prepared. Warm gold leather seats, butcher block tables and granite accents add contemporary style to the dining experience.”

We had a cute little table by one of the jail cell windows… :]

I looove the look and feel of this place… outside the place was POPPING!!!! Very crowded.. lots of pretty peoples.. but we were busy inside eating….

The Menu:

Deep in conversation… no recollection of what they were talking about….

HUGE pours!!! We started off with some bubbly.. and then instead of wimpy “Tasting” pours of wine, they gave us HUUUUGE full glasses. YUM!

Sashimi of Yellowtail with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Black Truffle Butter Powder

Paired with: 2010 Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris

The fish was fresh but was WAY overpowered by the truffle butter powder.. I suspect a bit of “faux” truffle flavors.. truffle oil? Truffle essence?  Could not taste the fish at all… which is strange since it’s Yellowfish, very oily and pretty strong tasting… It paired BEAUTIFULLY with the wine tho.. a bit oversalted. We ate it all anyways!

Fresh Pasta with Truffled Pecorino and Domestic Black Truffles

Paired with: 2007 Saia Nero d/Avola, Sicily, Italy

Not really truffle-y and just had more of the Black Trumpets from the first dish.  The pasta was fresh and actually tasted great but I needed more than just two shavings of truffle on top.  I might have been spoiled already from our pre-dinner.

Beef Shortribs with Brussel Sprouts, Potato Puree and Black Truffle Jus

Paired with 2008 NXNW Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Washington

The menu said fingerlings but we got Brussel Sprouts. Which is great cuz I LOOOOOVE Brussel Sprouts and I devoured them. AHHH!!! :] SO GOOD!  The Shortribs had the two shavings of truffle on top – didn’t really taste the truffle in it but it was so tender, fatty and falling apart. NOM NOM NOM.

And then came the dessert… was kinda excited to try a dessert with truffles… butttttt… this is what we got…

Truffled Rice Pudding Brulee

Paired with 2006 Mulderbosch Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

Ok, I LOVE rice pudding but when I think brulee, I def think of something at least lukewarm. This was cold :[ A bit of truffles on top, and yes you could taste the truffle... flavors weren't bad but it was COLD!!!!

:[

While the truffle dinner was disappointing, the wine was a-flowing, the company was great, awesome conversations!!!! :] And of course many travel destinations being planned for M & I hahahaha…. we’re fat and sexy and we know it! LOL…. Thanks for a great time and for my water and your scarf HAHA, I’m holding it hostage. Keep those mimosas on ice for me ;] Piggie tails SOON!

Sel de la Terre: Wine Tuesday “Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere!”

Guess what?? Guess what?? I finally went to another Wine Tuesday!!! I’ve been failing and falling behind… 

Okay, I admit, I suck. I’ve been canceling out on Wine Tuesdays for the past few weeks :T YIKES.  I’ve missed out.. :[ And seriously I've missed some good ones.. pork belly and udon, SDLT's famous steak and frites, etc etc... not to mention delicious varieties of wine and information.  I almost missed out on this one.. but it was bubbles.. and I love my champagne/sparkling wine so I HAD to... I think sparkling wine goes with anything.  From apps, to any meat, heavy or light, rich and creamy.. thick and fatty, anything and everything.. sweet and savory.  When in doubt order bubbles!!!

First Course
Adami, "Garbel", Brut, Prosecco, Treviso, Italy
Melon & Coconut Soup with Spiced Pistachios and Crisp Bacon

I'm usually not too big on cold soups.. especially cold sweet/savory soups - it's confusing.. not to mention one of the worst cold soups I've had is a really bad white gazpacho at a Green City Market Chef's BBQ in Chicago a few years ago...

This was really tasty.. really sweet.. hopefully naturally from the melon... it was a green tint - I'm guessing from honeydew, and super creamy from the coconut but you could still see and feel the texture of the pureed melon.. there was a drizzle of EVOO on top... I'm thinking flavored but I couldn't quite grasp what... I think my mind was tricking me with curry since there was coconut... the bacon added crunch and a touch of saltiness and I loved the pistachios.. needed more!!!

The prosecco paired beautifully with the soup, cut through the soup really well without overpowering it with flavor and bubbles... the bubbles were light.. not overwhelming.. no case of the bubbles

Second Course
Roederea Estate, Brut, Anderson Valley, California
Pan Seared Scallop Succotash with Gooseberry Conpote

Some of the most tender amazing scallops I've had in ages... I opt for raw scallops or scallop ceviches because I find scallops get overcooked WAY too easily.. it's a pain in the butt and super disappointing when they're leathery and over salted. These were PERFECTION.  The most delicate gorgeous sear on the outside.. definitely cooked but so silky smooth... perfectly seasoned and melted in my mouth - almost of raw quality but barely opaque. OMG. HAPPY.  The gooseberry compote added a nice slight tart/sweetness to it but the succotash seemed a little bit out of a can.  I mean come on.. corn and peas and red pepper? Just seemed too.. elementary... OMG the ladies sitting next to us tho ate everything but the peas and then pushed off their plates of peas to another table. WTF. So rude. If you're not gonna eat it don't make a scene. They made a point to tell the waitress that there were too many peas in it.. OMG how can you ever have too many peas? As much as I thought the peas and corn were surprisingly not... what I'm used to, I guess, here... it was perfectly cooked.. YUM

This bubbly was really good - not too sweet and a lot bubblier than the first.  My dinner date got caught off guard and got the bubbles thru nose syndrome for taking such a quick huge sip. HEE HEE..

Main Course
Pierre Sparr, Rose Brut, Cremant D'Alsace, France
Pork Loin with Cider Jus and Confit Red Potatoes

While I don't really drink roses anymore, who am I to say no to a glass.... rose bubblies.. are.. I'm torn between how I feel about them.  But this was tasty, not too sweet and great bubbles.  It paired beautifully with the pork.  The pork was cooked just right and even tho I had a side piece it was soooo tender with just enough fat.  Such a lovely simple dish and the cider jus was slightly sweet.. which also enhanced the bubbles.. or maybe the bubbles enhanced the sauce.. eiher way :] YAY

Cheese Course
2009 Beppe Marino, “Muray”, Moscato D’Asti, Piedmont, Italy
Fromager d’Affinois, France

This milk cheese was SO good.. it tasted like a triple creme but it was actually just a double.. I’ve never heard of a double creme cheese but YUMMMM… it was like a tasty brie.

Fromager d’Affinois pronounced: [fʁɔmaʒe dafinwa] is a French double-cream soft cheese made from cow’s milk. It is produced by the Fromagerie Guilloteau company.

Fromager d’Affinois is similar to Brie in production, appearance and flavour. Unlike in Brie production however, before cheese making the cow’s milk undergoes a process called ultrafiltration. Ultrafiltration removes water from the pasteurised milk, concentrating all other components. ^[1] One effect of this process is that it allows the acceleration of the cheese making process. Whereas classic Brie takes eight weeks to make, Fromager d’Affinois can be made in two weeks. Ultrafiltration also results in a milk that retains more nutrients and proteins, and the cheese has a relatively high fat content of 60%.

The cheese is made in 4.4 pound wheels, and has a soft oozing texture inside with an edible white rind on the outside.

Source: Wikipedia

SO super creamy and delicious with the jam and honey on toasted baguette with some apples!!!  Raisins and sunflower seeds also came on the side… nom nom nom all which added texture, crunch and different varieties of chew and sweetness to go with the cheese.

Another amazing dinner.. and the ones coming up until I’m off to Taiwan are just as yummy – I’ve already booked my usual corner table til the end of November and I’m always ready for wine/food buddies to come with me :] So if you can get to the Natick area let me know.. Tuesdays at 7.

Sel de la Terre: Wine Tuesday “Summer Sippers”

It’s that time of the week again :] Every Tuesday night, chances are you’ll find me at my usual corner booth table in the Natick Sel de la Terre – calling all stalkers [apparently I should stop joking about this because it does happen.. so if you're creepy I WILL eat your arm!]

BREAAAAAAD… the usual, french baguette, foccacia and whole grain

Yes after the millionth meal at SDLT I’m still taking pictures of the bread basket… because I can! It’s myyyy blog, I DOOO WHAT I WANT!!! ;D

Cartman is my hero <3  – currently watching Southpark while I blog :]

First Course
Tuna Crudo, Melon, Radishes, Lemon Emulsion
Paired with: 2010 Huber, “Obere Steigen”, Grüner Veltiner, Traisental, Austria

This wine was delish… I’ve been such a red wine obsessed girl for the past few years that I’ve forgotten how yummy a good white wine is :] Thank goodness for wine pairings!!!! I rarely order a white wine on my own anymore.. teehee…

The tuna was super fresh…. MMM so tasty.. I had been craving some good sushi.. a LOT.. recently anyways so this made me super duper happy!!!! I actually wasn’t too much of a fun of the emulsion and the sweetness of the melons with the tuna…. I prefer my crudo to be a lot thinner… super thinly sliced so that it just melts in your mouth – these were just two pieces of sashimi, basically…

Second Course
Grilled Branzino with Tomatillo Nage and Native Corn Succotash
Paired with: 2010 Domaine de Houchart, Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France

I had to look up what Nage was…

“Nage - An aromatic broth in which crustaceans are cooked. The shellfish is then served with this broth. The most notable of these dishes is lobster la nage.”  – Source

Rosé is usually too sweet…  and, to me, is an introductory “girly” wine that is bipolar and having an identity crisis -am I red of white?!- hahahaha… I’m being mean, no no, this wasn’t too bad – not sweet at all – I think I ended up drinking most of it :]

This was my favorite dish of the night.. I LOOOOOOOOOVE Branzino.. the original menu was supposed to be Mackeral but they switched it last minute to Branzino OMG delish!!!!  I love going to little Italian eateries and ordering a whole branzino, oven roasted or grilled with just lemon slices, salt and pepper [obviously] and some olive oil :] YUM!  The succotash was delicious, and very fresh but had a slight sour/tart taste to it, which was weird since it was also creamy.. it confused my taste buds a bit but I licked up the plate anyway… I like curious flavors :]

Main Course
Roasted Pork with Herbed Spatzle, Stone Fruits and Asparagus
Paired with: 2009 Bielsa, “Viñas Viejas” Campo de Borja, Spain

While I’m prone to spanish wines this isn’t my favorite – it paired well with the dish though, I drank it with the dish and had a few sips on it’s own… maybe it’s cuz I tried it with some of the other side dishes and/or still had some fish in my mouth… who knows…

The pork was nice and lean, I wish it was fattier, altho I did get a bite or two of a bit of that wonderful pork fat :] BUTTTT… it was a bit tough, still tasty though, loved the accompaniments tho… asparagus <3 My favorite! I’m also obsessed with spatzle.. wait isn’t it spelled spaetzle?!  Or something.. am I wrong or is the menu wrong? Who cares, the stuff is delicious! I even at the rest of my dinner date’s :D Super herby, doughy, “QQ” to be super fobby ;D TEEHEE

Side Dish: Rosemary Pommes Frites

My favorite – per usual :] I usually get these to go and actually nosh on them on the carride home #fattie I know :D

Side Dish: Sauteed Spinach with Parmesan

The spinach is always cooked to perfection with a beautiful sprinkle of parm :D Best of all worlds… and makes me feel semi-healthier :D

Cheese Course
Aged Gouda
Paired with: 2009 Beppe Marino, “Muray”, Moscato D’Asti, Piedmont, Italy

Light but sweet, yum yum, not a hugeee fan of sweet white wines anymore but it went great with the cheese!!!

CHEEEESE… well GOUUUUUUUUDA.. nice and aged :] MY FAVORITE.. while it wasn’t crunchy it was SOOO YUMMY!!!!!… Once again it was paired with more baguette… fig jam, apple slices, walnuts, hazelnuts, dried cranberries and a nice smudge juuuuuuggggeee or honey :] NOM!

Dessert Course
Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Gastrique and Champagne-Basil Seed Sabayon
This was more goopy than I imagined it would be.. I thought it’d be beautiful grilled peaches on a plate with a drizzle of the gastrique and the sabayon… it was really good though, the balsamic made it savory and the peaches were sooo sweet and had a delicious smokey grilled taste to them!!! YAY

Made some friends with our neighbors – the elder man was really really nice and asked if I was in the business hahaha… we also giggled around with the waitress who was super sweet :] She actually forgot the dessert at first and kicked herself for hearing wrong, silly girl :] Once again a beautiful meal, amazing wines and a wonderful time! Until next week……

XO