Spring is here, Ramp Tasting Menu @ Marc Forgione

Last time I was supposed to come eat at Marc Forgione the day I got back from Miami… I met Marc at the Let Them Eat Cake Party in South Beach for the SOBE Wine&Food Festival 2011 earlier this year… SUPER nice guy!!!!

Totally rocks the fauxhawk!.. I think Z might want to get one too now haha PLUS the newest, and super BAD ASS Iron Chef!!!! :] Who knew even though he’s all sorts of awesomeness, fame and DELICIOUS cooking that he was SO down to earth and so hands on, still, at his restaurant – SO awesome. RESPECT! I love it when a chef still cooks at his own place!

He’s freaking ONLY 32 years young and already has accomplished SO much….

“Marc was most recently coveted with a single Michelin star in the 2011 guide, making him the youngest American-born chef and owner to receive the honor in consecutive years (2010, 2011). In addition, Marc received a two-star review from Sam Sifton of The New York Times.^[5]

The restaurant also earned the distinction of being named “Key Newcomer” by Zagat Guide 2009, “Top 25 Restaurants in NYC” by Modern Luxury magazine and “All Star Eatery” by Forbes magazine. Marc was awarded “Star Chefs Rising Star of the Year Award 2010,” named “Rising Star 2008” from Restaurant Hospitality magazine and mentioned “New Formalist” by Esquire magazine in 2008.”

Anyways I was sad I missed last time’s reservation due to a super delayed flight *sad face* – BUT he wasn’t gonna be cooking there that night anyways so I hoped he would this time. I tweeted him and soon got a tweet back! WOOHOO!!!…

Look how freaking excited I am. I’ve been SO busy with work lately and been working til around 730 every night, so I made some resos for 845. NOM NOM NOM. So freaking excited.

LOVE the ambience.  We got a nice corner table in the back and just loved the rustic coziness of the place. It was late and it was PACKED. On a weekday – amazing!!!!  I also freaked out the table of Southerners next to me, I couldn’t stop talking to them and asking them about their food :] Silly me….

Bottle #1… and #2 — yeahhh we got two bottles of this :D It was really really good!!

As soon as we sat down we ordered a delicious bottle of red… and while we had planned on ordering from the regular menu and the special [spaghetti] as soon as I saw RAMP TASTING on the bottom of the menu, I KNEW I had to get it…. RAMPS RAMPS RAMPS… I love Ramps, now it really feels like Spring is here and Summer is coming *swoon*

We got some delicious Hot Rolls.. buttery salty tops and some butter…

Tasted like a soft soft pretzel, the skin wasn’t chewy like a pretzel – in heaven! LOVE! Look at that glistening crust… an the little specks of salty crunchiness, YUM!

Amuse Bouche —
Local Fluke Crudo, Shaved Ramps, Ramp Oil
White Asparagus Gazpacho, Ramp Chips
Hangtown Fry, Ramp Remoulade

We were told to eat the Local Fluke Crudo, Shaved Ramps, Ramp Oil first.  Just wrap up the fluke in the ramp leaf and chew chew chew. Cheers and down the hatch. So much flavor. The fish was so fresh and perfectly seasoned. MMMM, the ramp had so much delicious flavor. Simple and yummy.

Next up was a nice cooling “shot” aka spoon of White Asparagus Gazpacho, Ramp Chips… a slight crunch with the nice cooling gazpacho. Delicious. The asparagus flavor was definitely very subtle but great.

OH EM GEE.  The Hangtown Fry, Ramp Remoulade tastes like Honey BBQ Frito Chips!!! NO LIE!!! And I mean it in the best way.  The top is an omelette and underneath is delicious fried goodness. Creamy remoulade on the bottom – OH EM GEE x 100 So much texture and flavors.

Yep, after this course I had serious ramp breath, ALREADY — delicious!!!! So satisfied and yet still craving more and moreeee…… I even tweeted about it.. yep, my delicious RAMP BREATH.. so SEXY!!! Come on guys, you know you love a girl with stinky ramp breath…. no? NO? :[ Not even an Asian one? Any yellow fever guys raising your hands? HAHAHA.. jk jk :] My mommy loves me for who I am… sometimes, but my puppy always loves me and my stinky ramp breath. As does Z [hopefully teehee]

So for the next course…

You take the Sechuan Button, which is like a chinese mint leaf but has a numbing effect like a sechuan peppercorn….. AMAZING and TOTALLY opens up your palate!!! And then you take the spoon, which is basically the “first bite”

Hiramasa, Ramp Essence, Avocado, Sechuan Buttons, Saratoga Chips, Pinenuts

Amazingly fresh fish atop HUGE chunks of beautiful vibrant green avocado.  The sauce was a bit on the sweet side, but unlike the last time I was faced with a sweet sauce, I really adored this dish. The chips also paired SO well beause it gave a needed crunch with the tartare.  This was SO refreshing and the Sechuan Button, I COULD NOT GET OVER IT!!!!

~~~~~

Sechuan buttons, a trade name for Brazil’s native “Toothache Plant,” don’t actually taste like much, but chew a few petals and the tongue tingles fiercely for a few moments, and then a curious half-numb, half-effervescent feeling spreads through the mouth. 

Source: Esquire

~~~~~

Still Attached Diver Sea Scallop, Ramp-Roe Vinaigrette, Marcelli’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil, American Caviar

Up close, sexy and personal!

The scallop was just QUICKLY cooked, like SUPER quickly so it’s basically JUST cooked on the outside but raw on the inside.  It was warmed through perfectly and the salty caviar added SO much flavor to it.  The ramp wasn’t as pronounced as the other previous dishes but it was extremely delicious.  I love scallops as simple as possible! #scallopaddict

And then came what we really wanted… okay not the finger bowl, but as soon as the finger bowl was brought out we KNEW what it was..

This wasn’t part of the Ramp Tasting [obviously] but I had been daydreaming about trying Chef Forgione’s FAMOUS Chili Lobster for awhile now….

Chili Lobster, Texas Toast

Chef brought it out to us himself! OMG. So awesome. Even more points added to his fantastic-ness!!!! MAD PROPS!!! RESPECT x 100

While I wish there were more lobster in it the lobster was SO perfectly cooked. PERFECTLY COOKED. Now, mind you, I’m SO picky with my lobster and usually ONLY eat it steamed… and I also avoid lobster from NYC and tend to just go back to New England [Boston or Maine] to give in to my lobster cravings. OMG. This stuff is CRACK. This SAUCE is AMAZING.. and the Texas Toast?!?!?!… We had to order another plate of it.

This sauce is NOT going to waste!!!! Sopped it up with the delicious toast – NOM!

Ok, after licking the bowl CLLLLLLLEAN…. onwards with our Ramp Tasting…

Ramp Ice Cream, Shaved Foie Gras

This would be an AMAZING dessert… the saltiness with a, kid you not, SWEET ramp ice cream. I mean who would’ve thought… totally should put this at the end of the meal, ALTHOUGH it’s a nice creamy cool “palate cleanser” of some sort hehe. YUM!… I love shaved foie!!

Ramp Spaghetti, English Peas, North Country Bacon, Morel Mushrooms

This was like a Carbonara… except even richer and super delicious!  The night “meaty” morels were amazing.. the pasta was cooked al dente – perfect and was just SO delicious… the peas were SO fresh and a vibrant green color… unlike last time we ate [or didn’t eat because they looked mush narsty] some peas – I could’ve eaten a HUUUUGE bowl of this stuff, what a tease… so creamy and succulent. Totally naughty :] In the best way possible…

“Steak & Eggs”, Yellowfin Tuna, Dickson’s Tasso, Feather Ridge Farm Egg, Grilled Ramps, Ginger Ketchup, Koppert Kress Pea Shoots

PERFECTLY cooked egg. This was a freaking 40 minute egg – INSANE… cooked at a low temp… OOOOOOOMG. Z’s came out a little bit more cooked than mine, but still yolky just a little more solid than mine:

Isn’t it so freaking sexy?!?!!?… I usually don’t like Seared Tuna [unless in Nicoise Salads] but this was really good…, definitely cooked a little more than I’m used to… all the flavors and textures weren’t even overwhleming…. the plate looks like SO much but it all went together SO well.  The crisp tasso.. the silky egg… the egg whites were so creamy… the grilled ramps and a nice solid tuna. YUM!

Ramp Crusted Lamb Loin, Green Garlic Croquettes, North Fork Asparagus, Ramp Sea Salt, Natural Jus

I must admit, this was pretty delicious. Rare and not lamb-y [gamey] at ALL!  Z adored it and thought it was perfectly cooked. Demolished!

But since I’m not a huge lamb eater, I asked to replace my main entree with the Monkfish. Chef did suggest either the Steak or Duck course [I guess since it’s all red meat] but I was pretty set on Monkfish before we even got to the restaurant that night haha.

Maine Monkfish, Satur Farms Carrots, Currants, Walnuts, Thai Red Curry 

… I spy with my naked eye, some ramps in there, Chef, you clever thing you :D SO delicious. I LOOOVE red curry, it’s my favorite type of Thai curry, in fact [other than Jungle curry hehe] the carrots were glazed and super sweet, yum.. cut right through the curry sauce and the SUPER succulent monkfish. Monkfish is amazing, why don’t I eat it more?  I don’t remember walnuts in here… but I got the description off the website haha…  but yes let me talk about those sexy ramps again <3 RAMPS!!!!

Bottle #3

Kitchen Tour after the savory courses…

It’s pretty small, SO insane that SO much food comes out of it and such a good pace and absolutely delicious! Props!!! MADDDD props :] We talked to the sous Chef, SO nice and then he said that it was NOT even CLOSE to the end yet.. wait what?! We didn’t even look at dessert menus.. but they have it prepared for us already ;D I don’t know if it was on the house or not but they were amazing choices.. and I was already onto our third bottle of wine… but this is good.. its’ always so hard to make choices for myself when it comes to dessert… and lushed up. I want ike 10 of everything at that point.

Jameson Ice Cream Cones

If I wasn’t such a lush I TOTALLY would’ve gotten drunk off of these. HOLY MOLY. The most amazing Jameson infused ice cream. Creamy, sweet [but not too sweet] and BOOOOOOOZEY!!!.. What’s NOT to love. Ice cream always makes me happy :] When I’m sad, an ice cream cone always puts a smile on my face. [and rainbow sprinkles of course hehehe… but I forgive you Chef, you didn’t know haha]

Blueberry Cobbler Sundae, Candied Walnuts

I saw Chef’s tweet about this just recently.. and OMG… this was amazing. I don’t even remember breathing inbetween bites of this deliciousness… nom nom nom nom nom… all sorts of textures and the crumble, the blueberry.. the ice cream OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG… even just thinking back on it makes my brain turn to mush. THAT good! Get it while you can!

Cooked to Order Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Shot of Milk

YES. YOU HEARD ME RIGHT.  Cooked to F-ing ORDER! WARM, GOOEY, delicious. And the shot of milk – GENIUS. Dip dip in the WHOLE FAT milk [hahaha as you can see I was deprived as a kid, I’ve only ever drunken skim milk]

AND THEN… OK.. I was pretty tipsy by now… Z and I both think this was some sort of Toffee Brownie Bite… it’s like if a BLONDIE and a Brownie had babies… but definitely more of a Blondie taste :D NOM!

I feel like I’m cheating on Resto… but SHHH don’t tell Bobby, I’m in love with Marc’s food tooooooooo :D We were still drinking and nibbling when Marc left for the night, and he even came over to say byeeeee… and during the dinner he even said he saw my tweets *blush* I’m such a #twitterwhore HEHE. OMG coolest chef!!!

MUST. COME. BACK. ASAP!

MENTON just may be the best of Boston

Not to sound snotty.. but I’ve been having some pretty delicious meals. FREAKING AMAZING meals to be exact.. and mainly in the seafood area. I’ve been on a seafood craze/binge – every dinner I crave some sort of fish and shellfish ;D Can’t help it!!! I was born by the ocean and grew up in freaking New England.

Now before I begin, I admit, while I’ve had good food in Boston, very few places really blow my mind.  I feel like I’m cheating on L’Espalier, but I think I may have found my newest favorite Boston Restaurant where I’ve had one of the BEST meals of my life!!!

Menton

Yep. As soon as we sat down Barbara, yes THE Barbara Lynch, walked by and waved hi to us *faints* Lovely!

The Bubblies & Wines of the Night:
NV Simmonet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne
MV Roagna Barbaresco “Opera Prima XVI”
NV Margaine Champagne 1er Cru Brut Rose Willers – Marmery

Amuse Bouche —
Tarragon Veloute
Blood Orange, Beets, Guanciale

Creamy and super buttery tasting. Of course, as an amuse, you gotta eat it all in one bite… but I savored it in many bites.. teehee…

Mini Hot Buttery Croissant #1 of 20… hahaha

Words can’t even begin to explain how freaking delicious these things are – crack crack crackity crack!!!! Trust me, even if you come here ONLY for these, it’s SO worth it!!!! But then everything else is great too!!!

Asparagus Gelee
White Sturgeon Caviar, Lobster Crudo, Wild Onion Flower

This gelee actually didn’t taste like asparagus. It was a soft, but firm consistency.. I LOVED the raw lobster – I’m so glad I’m finding raw lobster someplace other than Japanese sushi restaurants!!!… So fresh and tender… one of my favorite sashimi’s… and the caviar on top gave a nice salty balance to the whole dish!

Black Bass
Sea Urchin, Clams, Little Gem Lettuce

From the creamy uni to the slight chewy snap of the cooked down lettuce… and the delicious cute little clams…and then of course the perfectly cooked black bass. Flaking apart with a crisp seared skin. ALL was consumed and licked up clean!

GM gave me and UNI our own crossiants ;D

East Coast Halibut En Croute
Ramp Puree, Fennel, Puffed Wild Rice

When my mom was pregnant, she basically ate halibut every single day. So I guess it was meant to be that I’d love this firm white fish.  A perfect light sear on the halibut with a little salad of fennel and other herbs on the side… and of course the puffed rice. SO so so good. Such a simple element that took this dish to a WHOLE new level. Fantasmic.

Gorgeous Bottle of Wine

Rolls :D

Sour dough, french and wheat. We ate them – but then asked for more croissants [of course!!! I told you we had like 20 of them, AT LEAST!!!!]

Complimentary —
Fava Leaf Agnolotti
Fava Bean, Parmesan Cream

This was so creamy and literally just melted in your mouth… a little bit more bite to the pasta would’ve been nice or a chewier middle but I thought it was heavenly. Z seemed to want more of that bite/chew to it – but I was happy gobbling mine up and the thought of it was just afterthefact. Hahaha. #fattie AND have I mentioned my love of fava beans?! LOVE LOVE LOVE. Perfectly cooked… just enough snap to them… yummm…. spring is a-coming :]

Terrine of Foie Gras, Ris de Veau and Rabbit
Muscat Grape, Cepa Vieja, Rosemary Raisin Toast

The terrine was sooooooo creamy!!! We ended up eating it on the croissants [of COURSE]… the chutney it came with was as beautiful as it was THE PERFECT additional element to the bite! Perfect bite of salty sweet, creamy, chewy… oh MAN!.. and of course with the croissants, BUTTERYYYY and flakey!!!… The terrine NEVER lost the spotlight but wasn’t overpowering either….

Seared Foie Gras de canard
Ginger, Rhubarb, Tellicherry Pepper

I’ve only had one seared foie gras go wrong, this was the exact OPPOSITE of that bad experience. Delicious, silky with just enough sauce.  The leaves provided a nice fresh element to the semi seemingly-“heavy” bites.

Assiette of Rabbit
Black Trumpet, Almond

Rabbit Sausage,Meatball, Kidney [in the puff pastry] etc..
It was like a deconstructed rabbit made into delicious forms of yumminess. To be honest I was slightly hesitant about the kidney pie but it was my favorite!!! Flakey outside and a creamy inside full of flavor – didn’t taste like organ meat at ALL, if you didn’t tell me it was kidneys I would’ve had NO idea!  More kidney pies please!

Marcho Farm Veal
Vidalia Onion, Fava, Radish

Tongue, Sweetbreads, Loin

Super super tender tongue… as was the loin, but the sweetbread was just fantastic. Super creamy and amazing…. I’m a sucker for sweetbreads and this was a great surprise. I’m liking these deconstructed animals on my plate. It’s also a great way to get people to eat different parts of an animal.

Artisanal Cheeses

Condiments

Thin crisps, pistachios, cooked apples & raisins, white honey and candied almonds

In no particular order —
Winnimere, Vermont
Brillat-Savarin, Normandy
Challerhocker, Toggenberg
Veendekaas Reserve, Netherlands

The cheese at 9 o clock was my favorite but freak me sideways [haha trying not to be too vulgar] I can’t FREAKING remember what kind of cheese it was – obviously they’re all cow’s milk… but OH MAN, I was devouring it like no other. Dip dip in the honey <3

Extra Honey and Almonds

Blood Orange and Cocoa Nib Sorbet
Almond Biscotti

I don’t like eating blood oranges, but I love them in desserts – the flavors are just explosive. This was a light little dessert – the nibs totally pack a punch and add such an great crunch factor [which I LOVE]  The thin thin crispy “biscotti” on top was the perfect additional crunch and flavor. So well thought out but oh so simple.

Double Espressos

Spiced Chocolate Cake
Madeira Sabayon Mousse, Banana Glace, Dehydrated Marshmallow
Okay, it technically WASN’T our anniversary but still – cute :] Even the menus that they gave us had happy anni on it!!! Just a week off so it’s okay :]

Mini Macarons

These were SO yummy. I’m obsessed with macarons so this was SUCH a perfect little sugar sweet finish to the end such an amazing night.

Even though the dinner ran super late, they still gave us a kitchen tour.  Awesome.

The staff already had their beers of the night ready for their nightly meetings – haha. I felt like I was intruding but everyone was super nice to us.

Me and Aya

She’s the adorable petite pastry Chef who created those amazingly orgasmic buttery crossiants…. she even sent me home with a box of 8 buttery frozen creations to bake on my own <3 Look how ecstatic I am holding my bag of ready-to-bake croissants :D

GM Alec Riveros and I

This guy was SO nice – the entire night he made sure our croissant plates were full and was just a blast to talk to… he even playe along and talked to UNI ;D Now THAT’S dedication [come on giving UNI his own serving of croissants?!?!? Fatties galore!!] OBVIOUSLY this fat girl benefited from getting doubly the amount :D

This place is AMAZING and I will be back very very soon! Romantic, quiet setting and amazing staff – great service and just a great great great restaurant. A little hidden, definitely my new seafood happy place! YUM! Thanks Barbara for making me have faith in the Boston food scene again!

Market by Jean Georges

We got to the W Hotel, where Market is located, around 9ish so we checked in, put our coats at coat check and decided to grab a drink at the W Lounge. Pretty swanky, REALLY crowded.. not particularly sure why…. curious

After waiting forever and asking multiple times for our cocktail waitress to come over, as soon as she left with our order our table at the restaurant was ready. Since it was a half hour earlier than we anticipated  we decided to stay for our drink first. 10 minutes later, the waitress comes back to check our IDs… LAME, we just left and went to eat.

Market WAS the star of the show anyways.

We had an amazing cozy corner table :]

Bottle of Champagne, Bread, Butter and Salt

Maine Diver Scallops

Green Chili, Pistachio and Mint

This was delicious. Such a great way to start off the meal — all the other raw items on the menu, salmon, tuna, etc… I could already taste them [heavily asian influenced] before even ordering.. this was SO refreshing and unexpected.  The scallop was So tender that it was buttery and melted in my mouth. SUPER clean tasting — I LOVE scallop sashimi and this is some of the freshest scallops I’ve ever tasted [viva la Boston seafood]  The strong mint and the crunch of the pistachios were amazing with the creamy scallops… after all the flavor and texture explosion, you get blown away with a great bam of heat from the chili. So hard not to devour in seconds, we savored every bite slowly…

Peekytoe Crabcake

Pink Grapefruit, Avocado and Ginger

The crabcake itself, I would’ve liked it with a crunchier sear, but the flavors were fantastic. The soft inside with the crunch of the outside, great. But the sauce it was laying in was way too sweet for me.  Too much sugar – although I adored the acidity of the grapefruit, the subtle hint of ginger and the creamy slices of avocado. Z, on the other hand, adored the sauce and ate most of the dish.

Black Truffle Pizza with Fontina Cheese

Oh derrriiiicious <3  Who could resist a truffle pizza?  The black truffle was ground into bits and spread across the pizza with a bit TOO much salt.. I would like a little more cheese on it as well but overall the flavor was great.  The frisee definitely helped cut the saltiness and added a nice refreshing crunch to the pizza. The dough was amazing – perfectly cooked and a bite of the pizza with the saltiness and then a bite of the crust really balanced it out. Z wanted the crust [on the bottom] to be thicker but I loved how thin it was!

Grilled AsparagusLemon Zest, Olive Oil

Cold :[ A bit too overcooked and mushy.. I like a good crunch on asparagus.. and while I loved the charred flavor of the grill on the stalks, I really wish they were less cooked. And hot… hot is key ;D Either make it known and obvious that it’s a CHILLED side or else keep it hot, kthanx <3

Hand Cut French Fries

Our first batch was cold so we asked for a hot basket. While they were really piping hot and fresh. A great fluffy crunchy fry, perfectly salted… I was slightly disappointed that it was boring. I could’ve just gone to Mickey D’s to buy delicious plain fries for a dollar instead of coming here… add some spunk to it plz ;D Parm, Rosemary, Truffle, etc.. keep it interesting.. nevertheless I gobbled them up!!!

Cheese Fritters

Jalapeno and Cheddar

I was looking forward to these but they were cold. I think because of this the cheddar hardened up and it was just bleh. I also adore Mozzarella cheese so I bet they’d be even yummier with mozz and jalapenos :] HMMMM.. definitely expected a ball of hot cheese that tasted like Chile Rellanos… sigh*

Roasted Maine Lobster

Oregano and Chili

I didn’t even taste this. I was SO excited to get this dish as soon as I obviously memorized the menu online earlier in the day.  BUT I smelled it before it was even right in front of me. Stinky stinky stinky fishy smell :[ Gross. I ended up exchanging it.  Since Z also wanted lamb chops we swapped this dish for some lamb chops.  Z gave me his striped bass [which had been my second choice of dish anyways]

Striped Bass

Nut and Seed Crust, Sweet and Sour Broth

The sauce was a bit too buttery for my taste [but still delicious, I mean COME ON, it’s freaking BUTTER], but the fish was perfectly cooked – the skin was crunchy and delicious. I loved the onions, tomatoes  and edamame garnishing it.  So so tender and really good.. Z and I shared this together while we waited for the lamb chops to arrive [kiiiinda slow.. the whole night was really slow…]

Speaking of slow… we actually had to reach around over to get our champagne because our waitress didn’t help pour us more and we kept having empty glasses the whole night. It wasn’t until I made Z pour in front of her while she ignored us and talked to other customers and I exclaimed “SERIOUSLY?!?!” loudly that she finally came over and filled our… FULL GLASSES #solame. Ok, //End Rant

Since the lamb took awhile I started eating the fish slower and slower just so Z could get his chops….FINALLY they came…

Grilled Lamb Chops

with Mushroom Bolognese and Pecorino

To be honst, they just didn’t smell or look appetizing.  Z didn’t like this and we ended up returning this dish too.  The bolognese and pecorino overpowered the lamb and apparently just didn’t go together well. Very depressing… since the meal started off well and was just going downhill from there :T

We weren’t TOO sure about dessert at first [it happens when I get depressed at meals] but our waitress offered us two complimentary desserts, so we immediately perked up and ordered THREE!!! — it’s how I roll, you know how it is. *wink

Key Lime Pie

Blackberry Ice Cream

This was definitely no Joe’s Stone Crabs Key Lime Pie or the one Z made me but still quite tasty. I really loved the creamy blackberry ice cream… completely bursting with flavor!!!

Champagne Mango Tart

Basil Meringue, Passion Fruit

A very light dessert.. the basil meringue [which was really more like a basil ice cream or just cream to me] was SOOOO goooood.. it was great with the light flakey refreshing tart.  So fruity and bursting with tropical flavor. Not quite sure where the champagne came in [the custard?] but really good.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sundae

Peanuts, Popcorn and Chocolate Sauce

This was my favorite dessert of the night, for obvious reasons… OBVIOUSLY. Hahahaha.. Salted Caramel. Chocolate/Fudge Sauce. Peanuts and Caramel Popcorn. UM, hellooooo, Miss Tiffie’s land of happiness and happy eats!!!! Flavor, texture explosssssion!!! Crunchy, sweet, salty, creamy, sticky, chewy OMG…. all that would be needed would be a sprinkling of fresh bacon bits on top and they would be the icing to that cake… cherry on that sundae? MMMMM <3 Pork fat makes everything better!!!

Overall, the entrees were kind of disappointing but the apps and desserts were enjoyable.  Definitely stick with seafood and go for simple.  The service is kind of slow so be patient, in the end they were really nice :] PLUS they have a great list of drinks/wines and the place is really modern-looking and beautiful, awesome interior design [yeah I’m a geek] We had a really late nite reservation [10pm] which doesn’t really give them an excuse to slack on the food but perhaps that was a reason. Doubtful I’ll return but I’m glad I finally got to try it out – another check off my list.

Eat+Pray+Heal Japan

A Night to Benefit the Children of Japan
@ the Bowery Hotel

April 14, 2011 7-10

omg GREEEEEEEEEE <3

I bought 10 raffle tickets for 45$ [you could get one for 5$] and ended up winning #2 raffle prize: Case of CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon (2008), Pure Dark Chocolat gift set, Bethenny Frankel’s ‘A Place of Yes’ & a bottle of SkinnyGirl Margarita

— Menu for the Night —

7:00
Cocktail hour, wine, spirits. Hor d’oeurves courtesy of Chef Miguel Morales, Mandarin Hotel

7:15 – Chef Kevin Sbraga
Charred Pork, Edamame, Dashi Vinaigrette

7:45 – Chef Hung Huynh
Bacon & Crab Croquettes, Herb Aioli

8:00
UNICEF & Candice Kumai
Top Chef introduction, kanpai for the kids, toast to Japan

8:30 – Chef Harold Dieterle
Steamed Taylor Bay Scallops with Baby Asparagus, Chu Chee Curry

8:4 – Chef Angelo Sosa
Tomato Curry Soup

9:15 – Chef Mike Isabella
Tuna Crudo, Crushed Pine Nuts, Aged Balsamic

9:45 – Chef Seth Caro
Yuzu-Matcha Ice Cream Cake  with Strawberry Kuromitsu

Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga and me ;D He is THE man!!!!… totally down to earth, super super nice guy :]

I love this guy, no seriously, I really do  <3 Mike Isabella is THE man!! As much as I love Blais I really wanted Isabella to win this season — he has grown SO much as a chef and he’s j ust a BLAST!!! So so funny and goofy :D Super talented – I want his pepperoni sauce [say what?!?!?] We’re super giggly [as is Seth in the background] because Mike stood on his tippy toes to look taller ;D Adorable *squeezes his cheeks*

Me and the ever gorgeous Angelo Sosa

Miss Tiffie & Hung Huynh

Seth Caro, Moi, Miguel Morales, Richard Blais, Laura

Richard Blais and I, yep this season’s Top Chef All Stars <3  Laura accidentally took a video of us, so here’s a screen capture – HAHAHA, as soon as I saw him walk in I hugged him and said I LOVE YOU!!! *blush*

Me, Laura and a few other girls complained about not getting enough food so Hung took us into the kitchen for more of his croquettes… yum!!

The most beautiful classy lady, Ms Candice Kumai….

Seriously, the slide show of the kids brought tears to my eyes – so touching <3 I’m SO happy this most memorable, beautiful, event was thrown. Super congrats to the beautiful Candice for an amazing event/party! For bringing awareness to something serious and for using her fame for the most amazing cause… the world is blessed for such giving people like her, and everyone who attended.

Josie Smith-Malave, Harold Dieterle, Seth Caro, Candice Kumai, Richard Blais, Miguel Morales, Hung Huynh, Angelo Sosa, Mike Isabella, Kevin Sbraga

xo

Cheers to some amazing chefs ;D
I ended up taking to Hung for awhile, and his sous chefs, about food, travel, cooking, restaurants, inspirations and randomness…. in the middle, the reporter for the following article [link below pic] came over to interview Hung.  Yeah, I MAY or MAY NOT have done the “L” sign to my forehead when she had no idea what was going on or what she was talking about… oops, she caught me *blush* but it’s all good – a cute picture came out of it :D

Source: NearSay New York

Ok enough dorkiness.. this was a gorgeous event and while I only got to eat a cupcake or two, have lots of wine and only had a foie hor d’oeurves and the croquettes… [all which were delicious] – I left hungry but really happy, this was SUCH a great GREAT GREAT event! Good cause, delicious food, great raffles and auctions and amazing people.

EDIT: Can you spot me in this video?

Piggies and Beans… the Best Brunch Ever

“Can you take us to the Bean?”
“Which one?”
“THERE’S MORE THAN ONE?!?!?!?!?”

We’ll get back to that a bit later…

What can I say? Publican is king <3 Everytime I think of Publican I think of pork rinds, the other way around as well ;D

Mimosas

Left: Mimosa, Pascual Toso Brut [Argentina] w/ fresh squeezed OJ
Right: Publican “Mimosa”, Berliner Style Weiss [Germany] w/ fresh squeezed OJ

Spicy Pork Rinds round #1

I remember having these awhile back at the James Beard event/dinner here at Publican – freaking life changing. Cheesy, spicy crunchy super fresh, crispy and not at all greasy pork rinds! They were hot and so addictive we finished them so fast we ordered a round two.. what can I say?! It’s how we roll…

Buttermilk Biscuit w/ Honey Butter & Peach Jam

My only gripe was that I wish it was piping hot… some gravy and fried chicken would’ve been a delicious edition… flakey yumminess….

Chicken Schnitzel, Fried Eggs & this Scallion Relish
This just may be one of the most delicious schnitzels I’ve ever had. Sorry Schnitzel & Things I’m cheating on you… this was fried to perfection, crispy, pounded thin… not greasy at all and just SO full of juicy tender flavor. There was a scallion/garlicky relish on top which made it very asian-y [to me]  The eggs were fried to perfection, the schnitzel was SO good with the yolk dripping all over it… thick crusty crunchy perfectly grilled toast tasted even bette than it looked :D We actually ordered the Monsieur Croque but SO glad we changed it to this <3

Bouchet Mussels w/ Gueuze, Bay, Celery, Butter & Garlic
We ordered the half portion. Light, fragrant mussels.  It was off balanced compared to the rest of our flavor heavy meal – but delicious none the less.. PLUS you get a whole baguette, which is always awesome.

Maple Syrup Braised Publican Bacon

Some of the most amazing bacon I have ever had… and I’ve had a lot of bacon [Baconfest 2010 and 2011 anyone?] Thick and dripping in maple flavor…. only place in competition is Resto’s :D

Spicy Pork Rinds round #2

SEE!!! I told you we got more :D I have to admit, I ate most of both *blush*

Hash Browns

Z devoured them :D Nom nom nom nom style…

Red Wine Poached Egg w/ La Quercia Prosciutto, Sourdough and Bearnaise

We actually sent back our first plate, the eggs were overcooked – the yolk was still soft, but solid *sad face* but the waiter was SO kind and immediately brought out a new plate for us – score. The red wine gave a nice pretty color on the egg and had a fruity delicious subtle red wine flavor. I’m not a sauce girl but the sauce was amazing… it came with really really delicious prosciutto. and fresh greens on the side.

Bloody Mary – Tito’s Vodka [Austin, TX] Publican Mix, House Made Celery Bitters….. Sweet pickles, Pickled Red Onions… Accompanied with a beer…

The bloodys were delicious and came with a mini cup of beer.. I chose the lightest beer while Z opted for a slightly darker one – both delish!

Afterwards we went to the Bean, and yes there’s still only one :D

Til next time Chitown, it’s been fun.

XO

Italian Night @ il Brigante

Too lazy to cook or to go anywhere…. so we walked down the block, literally, to il Brigante at the Seaport. We were between this place and Barbarini but ultimately chose this place for three reasons, 1. We would eat there next time we want Italian, 2. Opentable points 3. My main entree [craving]

We were greeted with a basket of bread with the most delicious EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar dipping bowl.

We got a bottle of this, it was really good and paired well with all of our dishes…

Parmigiana di Melanzane

A tower of eggplant, tomato, basil, and mozzarella baked in our brick oven

I was thinking it was gonna come out like the Portamella I had at Cafe Formaggio on Long Island awhile back but this was cooked down and gooey – still delicious but not so pretty looking.

Broccoli di Rape e Salsicce

Spicy broccoli di rape topped with hot Italian sausage

We were trying to choose between this and just the plain broccoli rabe, but ended up choosing this one because… WHY NOT?! Sausage is delicious!!!! This instantly took us back to the Sausage Guy days clubbing in Boston… ahhh memories…

FYI, I have ACTUALLY gone out ONLY to get a sausage afterwards… all of us girls were so excited about the sausage after dancing that we only stayed at the club for maybe 20 minutes before promptly leaving in our cute little outfits, pretty hair and makeup and walking around the area chomping on our sausages :D NOM!

Handmade Fettucine alla Carbonara

Italian smoked pancetta with onions, egg yolks, Parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino cheese

It was actually paired with spaghetti but as soon as we saw “handmade” on the fettucine alla Bolognese, we substituted the spaghetti for some of that. GOOOOOOD PLAN – it was amazing!

Special of the Day

Sablefish, Mussels & Clams in Tomato Broth

I was slightly disappointed in this, I was expecting something like a Cioppino but got this.  The fish was tender.. the only mussel I ate tasted a little off so I didn’t eat anymore. But then again I was super excited for what I came here for:

Branzino al Forno

Whole branzino baked in our wood-burning oven, served with roasted potatoes and zucchini

Yep! Nothing EVERE like a nice whole branzino, grilled or baked to perfection with some fresh lemon. The zucchini was quite tasty too and you could taste the delicious char on it. DELISH!!!!

After dinner we went to BIN No. 220 next door for two bottles of wine, some charcuterie and cheeses.. We were INTITALLY looking for dessert, bt all they had was freaking a Nutella sandwich – WHAT THE FREAK?! – ok nutella is freaking awesome, but too much carbs and heavy food tonight – *sigh* but the wine was good ;D

Brunchy Lunchy at Sel de la Terre

We were supposed to go to Bullfinchs for brunch but since we were up to a late start [it was a long night out haha full of drinks, *shame* McDonalds and homemade dumplings and ramen til like 4 or 5 in the morning….] Yeah we had the worst stomachaches – sad – and were popping pepto tablets all day…. Onwards to the main event though, Sel de la Terre brunch!

Extra Spicy Bloody Marys

Of course we’re gonna start off our meal with a bloody, no matter how bad our stomachs feel – no brunch is brunch without one or two or three ;D Only thing missing was a celery stick :D *hint hint*

House duck liver terrine, whole grain mustard, toasted brioche, apple
I loved it with the buttery garlic toast.  The chutney was amazimg with the liver. OMG this was just SO delicious!!!! Z and I devoured i up and licked everything clean!

Baby romaine hearts, crispy parmesan tuille, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, sherry vinaigrette

Tiny but super super fresh – gorgeous green leafs, tasty bacon and perfectly cooked eggs. YUM!  The tuille wasn’t crispy enough but the cheese was subtle and tasty.

Pan seared Atlantic salmon, blood orange glaze, black quinoa, roasted fennel, parsley

Even though they said the suggested cooking time was a medium. it was definitely not evenly cooked… parts were way overcooked but the middle was tender. I ordered this because I was curious about the blood orange glaze – unfortunately I didn’t taste any of the blood orange, neither did Z, but I ate the fish and fennel :] I love fennel…

Duck confit hash with fried egg and English peas

Z didn’t enjoy this at all and barely touched any of it.. the peas were overcooked, mushy and a gross gray green poo color… I had a bite of the duck which was good but not that usual fatty creamy melt in your mouth duck confit… the potatoes were also soggy :[

Applewood Smoked Bacon

Delicious crispy bacon with the perfect amount of fat and meat, a little on the thin side but very tasty and satisfying.

Free serving of Rosemary Pomme Frites thanks to FourSquare

Piping hot and full of rosemary flavor – SOOOO good.. I love a nice thin, crispy, perfectly salted fry – POPPING with flavor!

Confession: Afterwards we went to the Food Court and had some Teriyaki Chicken at Sakura Japan.

Cheesy Grits with Bacon and Shrimp

grits + water
3 tbs butter
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cups pepper jack cheese, grated [optional]
paprika, to taste [optional]
black pepper, to taste
chopped scallions [optional]

cook the grits per instructions [water:grits ratio] and cover fo 12-14 minutes. add in butter and cheese and add the paprika and black pepper to taste. since the cheese is already salty, i didn’t find extra salt necessary. i just added additional pepper jack cheese for more spice and a kick to the grits. right before serving, i stirred in the scallions and served hot.

1 lb shrimp
1/2 minced onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, juiced
splash of white wine
salt & black pepper, to taste

sautee the onion and garlic til soft, add the shrimp, lemon juice and splash of wine to the pan… salt & pepper to taste

a few slices of bacon, small chunks
2 large eggs
avocado, chopped
cilantro [optional garnish] 

after frying the bacon, save the bacon fat and fry the eggs in it to top the grits.

i plate by putting grits in a bowl, put shrimp on top of that. sprinkle bacon bits on top, add the fried egg. avocado on the side, a slice of lemon and a sprinkle of black pepper and cilantro on op. NOM!

For some extra oomph, drizzle some bacon fat on top <3

Chicago Baconfest 2011

This year’s Baconfest Chicago was a little different from the previous years… it took place in a huge venue at the UIC Forum with a huge whopping amount of restaurants/chefs.

Since Z and I had VIP tickets we got to get in an hour early.. we left the hotel around 1030 and got there in time to sign in, get our baggies and wait around breathing in the bacon-y air that kept wafting in everytime someone went in and out of the main doors….. TEASE

– – – – –

Sable Kitchen & Bar
Chef Heather Terhune

Applewood Smoked Bourbon Bacon Jam, Crispy Polenta Cake, St. Andrew Cheese Fondue

The flavors were good but it was cold – which was a bit disappointing, I love polenta and wish this was piping hot…. it was probably because the chefs were preparing for the VIP crowd and things were failing a little behind [time-wise] so things got cold?!…. the next few dishes down the row were all cold :[

– – – – –

South Water Kitchen
Chef Roger Waysok

Bacon Cheddar Grit Waffle

Cold but tasty. I love waffles… which there was a little more grit to the texture of the waffle – but it was definitely the heat that was missing.. I couldn’t taste any cheddar in my waffle piece but the bacon was definitely, subtley, there.

– – – – –

Terzo Piano
Chef Margaret Colleran Sahs

Empanadas with Dreymiller and Kray Cinnamon Bacon, Dried Seedling Strawberry, Toasted Almond, Salsa Verde

Once again, cold. It was a slightly sweet empanada, and while the flavors were great, the cold empanada and lack of crunch made it less appealing…

– – – – –

Stanley’s Kitchen & Tap
Chef Jaysen Euler

Bacon & Eggs: House-Cured Duroc Pork Belly, Quail Egg, Aged Wisconsin Cheddar Grits, Smokey Bacon Broth

I adore quail eggs, partially because they are so small and cute… once again, cold… and the grits were disappointing… :T Made me crave some good cheezy grits in my belly [which is why I decided to make my own for dinner tonight… that post coming tomorrow hehe]

– – – – –

The Southern
Chef Cary Taylor

Smoked Bacon, Blue Cheese and Roasted Apple Mac and Cheese

We had one there and took one to go. I’m not even a huge blue cheese fan but this was delicious. Perfectly stinky and cheezy and creamy. The bacon and cheese were so perfectly balanced. Delicious! Z was a huge fan of this too…

– – – – –

Small Bar
Chef Justin White

Braised Bacon Brioche with Salted Maple Butter and Crispy Egg Yolk

I actually enjoyed this – It looks kind of Halloweeny and funky but it was pretty tasty… The crisp bacon-y brioche and the egg yolk actually kind of tasted like a yummy fake powdery cheese. Wait, that sounds kind of gross right? But it was delicious… pretty sure that wasn’t the intention but it still satisfied my taste buds

– – – – –

one sixtyblue
Chef Michael McDonald

Pastrami Cured Pork Belly Reubens with one sixtyblue Sauerkraut

I LOVE pastrami but this was…. not that good to me. I didn’t like the flavors throughout the sandwich. Sad – I love pastrami sandwiches!!!!…

– – – – –

– – – – –

Signature Room
Chef Patrick Sherrin Jr.

Bacon-Stuffed Bacon, Maple Egg Jam, Whipped Pancakes

This was one of my favorite dishes. It was really creative.. seriously?! Whipped pancakes? That little fluff ball of creamy goodness was deliciously amazing! The Bacon-stuffed Bacon was delicious…. this was a perfect dish. Maple Egg Jam?! What the freak! I bow down to you oh creative genius.

– – – – –

– – – – –

Old Town Social
Chef Jared Vancamp

Tijuana Dog Triple S Farms Smoked Bacon wrapped around a Monterey Jack stuffed housemade Hot Dog, Pickled jalapenos, Salsa Fresca, Lime Aioli

Nom nom nom.. while the Bacon wasn’t apparent in the Dog, it was a delicious Hot Dog.. the bun was fluffy.. the innards were hot, the toppings were fresh and spicy yum nom nom!!!

– – – – –

Longman & Eagle
Chef Jared Wentworth

Bacon Rillete Lollipop with Maple Bacon Cotton Candy

Not fond of the lollipop but I loved the Cotton Candy… nom nom, but then again I’m just a cotton candy whore :D

– – – – –

Lillie’s Q
Chef Charlie McKenna

Pork Belly & Grit Hash, Smoked Gulf Shrimp, Bacon ENC Vinegar Sauce

Good shrimp, yicky grits. SIGH. What’s up with the grits lately? And I’m not too happy with the sour vinegar sauce….

– – – – –

Cafe Des Architectes
Chef Greg Biggers

Ziggy Piggy: Bacon Sundae Bar

Bacon toppings and Chocolatey delight for the Ice Cream NOM NOM

– – – – –

Bakon Vodka

Chocolate Martini

Last yr’s was so much tastier.. although I really wanted to gnaw on the cup and possibly eat it… it was SOOO strong I choked on it when I took a tiny sip…

BLT Martini

Also Super Strong. No Bueno…..

I DID love the Bloodys though….

Bloody Marys

Some of the most delicious bacon of the day were in these Bloody Marys and Z was sweet enough to let me have both Bloody Mary tickets :D I shared of course hehehe… adore adore adore *swoon*

– – – – –

Atwood Cafe
Chef Derek Simcik

Cherrywood Smoked Bacon and Black Currant Fruit Rolls-ups; Bacon “Cannoli” filled with Maple and Bacon Marscapone

This was Z’s favorite and one of mine… this was SO good.. A chewy outside and creamy yummy delicious innards… perfect balance of sweet, maple and bacon!!!

We saved our fruit roll up for later, which was super interesting… super fruity, sweet with a LOT of bacon taste in and through-out it.. yep with REAL chunks of bacon….. Not so much a fan, couldn’t eat a bucket but definitely thought it was innovative.

– – – – –

Heaven on Seven
Chef Jimmy Bannos, Sr.

Chicken, Bacon Creole on Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Grits and Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Cornbread

– – – – –

Cafe Spiaggia
Chef Sarah Grueneberg & Aaron Diener

Aleppo Pepper cured Pancetta with Vandenboom Farm egg, Tuscan Kale and Warm Onion Vinaigrette

I am obsessed with Kale, I thought this was really good…which is was a runny egg instead of just pieces of omelette… the kale was cooked down perfectly – yum – great flavors and mixture of textures [just needed that gooey egg!!!]

– – – – –

Hearty
Chef Dan Smith

Cinnamon Bacon Sangaree Sucker – Bacon Infused Bourbon Lollipop, Cinnamon Syrup, Nutmeg, Sage and Cherry wood Smoked Bacon Bits

Here is some of that paired with a pork loin….

Pork was cooked perfectly but bland.. the brittle was delicious, a bit TOO much sage though. We ended up taking home two giant lollipops :D

– – – – –

Veerasway
Team Veera

Chocolate rispy Pork Turtles: Rich Chocolate Covered Crispy Cardamom Pork with Cashews and Rain Chutney

I loved this, Z didn’t. I love the curry and spice to it. In addition to chocolate and bacon which is already, a given, a great pairing…

– – – – –

Big Jones
Chef Paul Fehribach

Bacon & Foie Gras Moon Pie

This was SO FREAKING delicioius. Just a tad of bacon taste to it but all that foie gras was SOOOO GOOD.. did NOT except this to be a sweet bite – expected a savory moon pie – but it was sweet livery and delicious..!!!

– – – – –

Black Dog Gelato
Chef Jessica Oloroso

Banana and Bacon’s Foster

This was really delicious… the ice cream was a beer or bourbon I think… the bananas were sweet and the bacon was salty and crunchy. Great balance. Desserts FTW this year!!!

– – – – –

Chizakaya Japanese Pub
Chef Harold Jurado

Grilled Bacon Nigiri with House Made Kimchi Sushi Rice and Smoky Baco Ikura

I was SO super curious about this… and while I think the rice was overpowering, the rice was DELICIOUS!!! Hahaha. it was toasted and crunchy but just completely took over the whole bite.. the bacon flavor was lacking but I would eat a bucket of that toasted crunchy rice.

– – – – –

Spacca Napoli
Chef Jonathan Goldsmith

Pastiera Rustica: Savory Pasta and Cheese Pie with Guanciale

I wanted to like this, I wanted to love this… I love the concept, leftover pasta made into a frittata…. the Chef was super nice and taught me how to say Pastiera Rustica with a thick Italian accent and using my hands when I speaked [haha] speakage :D BUT the dish was cold [a trend I’ve noticed at the event] Very porky [yum to guanciale] but the pasta was dry and even thought I got an edge piece hoping for crunch, it was just rubbery through-out :[

– – – – –

Province
Chef Randy Zwelban

Smoked & Spice Cured Pork Belly Sandwich with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa on Pretzel Bread

Wait, this was pretzel bread? I have to admit this was pretty tasty although hard to eat without it spilling all over your fingers and losing some avocado salsa [also very tasty] but sad, SO had NO idea this was pretzel bread. SIGH. Me and Z are obsessed with pretzels…

– – – – –

Gamba Ristorante
Chef Troy Graves

Crispy Pork Belly with a Salad of Grilled Ramps, Peas and Farro drizzled with Bacon Agrodolce

To be honest, SO many restaurants had just a slab of pork belly with some dressing and garnish that it got a bit boring. Just from the looks of this I think this was one of the drier ones…. COME ON MAN, what happened to all the creativity from last year?!?!?!

– – – – –

Blue 13
Chef Chris Curren

Honeydew Melon Salad: Honeydew Melon, Honeydew Gelee, Frisee Candied Walnut Dust, Bacon Vinaigrette

See that little bacon speck? That was all the bacon that was IN the salad, which  found delicious and refreshing. In fact, I adored this dish and wanted more.  The little gelee and melon ball, YUM! Totally counterparted the salty smokey bacon and the subtle vinaigrette on the frisee. YUM!

– – – – –

The Bristol
Chef Chris Pandel

Bacon Banh Mi

This was super tasty… the condiments were spicy and tasty – with a nice hint of sweetness.. the filling was great and the bread was crunchy, chewy and fluffy all at the same time. ADORE.

– – – – –

The Bedford
Chef Mark Teuer

Crispy Bacon Meatballs, English Pea Mash, Pickled Mushrooms, Blue Cheese, Bacon Fat Bearnaise

Sad cold mushy meatball with no texture :[

– – – – –

Naha
Chef Carrie Nahabedian

Slow Roasted Slab Bacon with Rhubarb and Burton’s Sorghum

The meat was actually really tender, fatty and delicious… [although I could use more fat] I loved the sweet sauce that cut the saltiness. YUM.

– – – – –

Socca/Redd Herring
Chef Roger Herring

All-Bacon Chicago Style Italian Beef…well, Pork

I LOVE Chitown Italian Beef… um, YUM much? Definitely needed a dip or two but the bread was perfect – SO soft and fluffy… the fillings were great… nice and porky – weeeeeee <3

Remember this moment? NOM NOM NOM!!!

Portillos, Sept ’09

– – – – –

Vie
Chef Nathan Sears

Roasted Pork Belly with Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Buttermilk Biscuit and Pinenut Aillade

Another slab of pork belly… don’t remember anything about the biscuit except it was lacking in volume.. a whole biscuit please :D

– – – – –

– – – – –

Chalkboard
Chef Gilbert Langois

Bacon Manhattan Milkshakes with Cherry Pearls

While Z was in the stand over getting champagne with a sprinkle of black pepper and some syrup.. I was getting this. OMG delicious. So thick I couldn’t suck it up the fat bubble tea straw :D I loved the pearls while they didn’t really taste like cherry – loved the texture.

– – – – –

Piccolo Sogno
Chef Tony Priolo & Miguel Solorio

Paccheri all’Amatricana: Flat Tubular Pasta Tossed with Ragu of House Cured Pancetta, Red Onion and Tomato Ragu

Tasty… the pasta wasn’t super tender but cooked all dente with a nice ragu. Nothing spectacular but I ate it :D

– – – – –

Gemini Bistro
Chef Jason Paskewitz

The Elvis: Homemade crunchy Peanut Butter, Fried Banana, Honey Peppered Bacon, Griddled Banana Bread

I LOVE banana bread!!! I love pb and bacon and all that good stuff. I love maple and I love anything fried, griddled and amazing. Savory and sweet is awesome. Super awesome. The bread was a bit thick/heavy but it was delicious!!!

– – – – –

redFlame Pizzeria
Chef Marty Gallagher

Bite Sized BLT Pizza [left] and Bacon-Inspired Bruschetta with Garlic Goat Cheese

Would call these pizzas but they weren’t bad. BLT pizza, fun concept, could’ve been yummier…

– – – – –

The Black Sheep
Chef James Toland

Banana Panna Cotta, Cherrywood Smoked Bacon Brittle and Peanut Butter Froth with a Lady Finger Spoon

I had to eat one of these.. freaking Elvis in a red jumpsuit was passing them out. I thought I got a picture of him but I guess it’s in limbo.. sad. But this was creamy and delicious with a strangely tart banana flavor to it – but it worked, it worked SO well :D

– – – – –

Forest Grill
Chef Brian Polcyn

Roasted Bacon Bratwurst Sausage on Caramelized Onions

I was actually surprised how bacon-y the brat was. Pretty good.. should’ve just given out the brats :D Or like, as corn dogs NOM

– – – – –

Custom House Tavern
Chef Perry Hendrix

Bacon Manhattan: Templeton Rye Braised Pork Belly, Sweet Vermouth & Onion Marmalade with Tart Cherry Mustard

Fatty pork belly #2942034829.  And trust me, I LOVE pork belly, and while it’s delicious stuff… I need some creativeness, some oomph please!!!

– – – – –

La Madia
Chef Jonathan Fox

Spinach and Bacon Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Parmesan

We had seen these raviolis earlier on in the event and Z was craving them.. brown butter sauce [mm who could forget the brown butter sauce from L’Artusi]

Unfortunately it was all cheese and spinach and had no bacon taste.

– – – – –

Park Grill
Chef Bernie Laskowski

Bourbon Bacon Cream Float: Maple Bourbon Ice Cream, Candied Bacon Jimmies

Berkshire Pork Maxwell Street Burger: Butterkasse Cheese with Crisp Belly Bacon

Another sexy up close shot of the burger….

The milkshake shot was DELICIOUS!!!! boozey and amazing.. sweet and creamy — the bigger was cold but had good flavor to it. Bacon & Cheese on a thick beef patty and delicious bun – what’s not to love?!

– – – – –

Meatyballs Mobile
Chef Phillip Foss

Coq in Balls: Chicken and Nueske’s Bacon in Red Wine Sauce

Looks gross, but tasted pretty good – REALLY tender, succulent and oozed of red wine flavor – really really creative :D

So funny that the chef asked me to try his “cock n balls” ;D

– – – – –

RB Grille
Chef Christopher McCoy

House Cured Apple Bacon: Cider Braised with Jicama, Red Onion, Chile, Granny Slaw & Nueske’s Bacon Brewery-Cured Mexican-style Chorizo

Crunch crunch crunchity sweet apple…

– – – – –

LOKal
Chef Artur Wnorowski & Ruben Torres

Apple Cider Gastrique Glazed Pork Belly on Potato Beer Bread

I like gherkin :D

– – – – –

The Red Canary
Chef Neal Harper

Bacon Cured Steelhead Trout on Top of Nueske’s Cherrywood-Smoked Bacon and a Bacon & Mushroom Salad

Bacony trout. It was definitely interesting and I’m glad that trout was used instead of the usual smoked salmon [love both]

– – – – –

I somehow managed to not take a picture of one of my favorite dishes of the day… a simple roasted suckling pig <3

Paddy Long’s
Chef Patrick Berger & Chris Latchford

Whole Berkshire Hog wrapped in a Nueske’s Bacon Weave

Do I need to repeat this? a BACON WRAPPED HOG!!! Like a WHOLE pig… this was SOOOOO juicy and tender… we had a big plate of it… while it wasn’t that appetizing looking just some meat and skin… COME ON MEAT AND SKIN.. ok it was definitely appetizing to me :D But I’m a pig lover…. *wets self*

– – – – –

Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Chef Bill Jacobs & Jonathan Cutler

New Haven Style Pizza & Big Black Mariah: American-Style Porter Brewed with a Small Percentage of Smoked Malt for a Rich, Full Mouthfeel and Flavor

I took a picture of the pizza, but not the bear.. the beat was quite tasty though :D Nice dark smokey beer… MMMM….. delicious… a little heavy and thick but delicious!

– – – – –

Girl & the Goat
Chef Stephanie Izard

Look it’s Steph!!!

Bacon & Rogue River Smokey Blue Cheese “Bread Pudding”

The last time I had her food…she made me fall in love with goat. This I actually thought was more of a soup. It looks pretty gross [haha] but quite tasty… not super bacony and the blue cheese wasn’t overpowering – especially for me, since I’m not a huge blue cheese girl- not bad Stephy, not bad :D #topcheffetish

– – – – –

Miramar Bistro
Chef Gabriel Viti

Caramelized Pork Belly with Wilted Escarole and Maple Pineapple Chutney

– – – – –

Wow Bao

BBQ Pork Bao

Tasted like asian :D Hahaha.. the bao was SOOO fluffy and perfectly steamed!!!

Bacon, Egg & Cheddar Bao

This was okay, really eggy but not bacon-y or cheddar-y at all… I think I enjoyed the bbq pork bao more but both were steaming hot and fluffy. NOM! The second one was definitely really breakfast-y :D

– – – – –

Magnolia Cafe
Chef Kas Medhat

Pork ‘n’ Beans: Sourdough Bread with White Bean Spread Topped with Thick Cut Bacon and Greens

– – – – –

Nonna Santi’s Biscotti
Chef Jo-Marie Frigo

Bacon Biscotti

David Burke’s Primehouse
Chef Rick Gresh

Bacon Daddy: Whiskey Caramel Bacon Candies

Rick can never do no wrong… although I do miss his bacon tacos from last year and him dressing up :D Miss miss miss… SO happy I got to see him this trip :D

Baconfest Chicago 2010

– – – – –

Nana Organic
Chef Alan Krueger

Life’s Little Pleasures Candy Bar: House Smoked Bacon Cake, Koval Whiskey, Burton’s Maplewood Farm Syrup, Caramel

Those jellos are WHISKY gelees. OMG this was SOOOO delicious and made me OH SO HAPPY… Why can’t all candy bars be like this? The Bacon Cake was like a super soft shortbread with bacon flavor bursting throughout… a delicious dark chocolatey covering and the refreshing jellys. AHH another favorite.

– – – – –

Quince
Chef Andy Motto

BACON: “Magic of Roses” Tea Gelee, Daikon, Bee Pollen

To be honest, I remember this dish being super pretty with the colors but I don’t remember the taste at all #fail

– – – – –

iNG Restaurant
Chef Thomas Elliott Bowman

Bacon “Drumstick”

This was so freaking delicious. So amazing… think of the regular drumsticks you get off the icecream truck but then add tons of bacon and caramel, delicious ice cream and chocolate in it. Yep yep happiness in a cone!!! I ate it ALL. FAST. More please.

Bacon Dumpling with Bacon Date Consomme

This cute little wonton had a delicious, but unfortunately cold, consomme on the bottom of it in the spoon. The skin was tender and cooked perfectly.

– – – – –

We played some Black Jack and and got shots of these two together. CREAMY BACON-NESS <3

The colognes were pretty disgusting. She squirted me with the girl one and Z with a muskier “man” one – although they’re both unisex. Honestly, they smelled like ass.. The “man” one was by far the worst… she sprayed ALL over our arms and we were airing them out of the taxi on the way back to the hotel [which we both promptly took showers lol]

We ended the day with some refreshing PBRs…. cold bubbly and oh so refreshing. So fresh and so clean clean….. ghetto fabulous!!

To be honest I was slightly disappointed.. the venue seemed to big and cold and just wasn’t as warm and cozy as last year.. the food was cold too :[ And less creative *sigh* Hope next year they go back to their roots ;D But we had large appetites still – enough to forgo a veggie dinner at Green Zebra and just go straight for two large deep dish pizzas and then some… ;D

Land of Deep Dish Pizza…

Even though we had devoured so much pork belly and bacon at Baconfest just a few hours earlier.. we decided to forgo the Green Zebra all veg meal and get some deep dish… Z has never had real Chicago deep dish and I had been craving it like crazy. Perfect opportunity. After walking and shopping around Mag Mile and grabbing a sundae at Ghirardelli’s
There were SOOO many to choose from.. but I finally decided on the Cable Car

The Cable Car

Rocky Road Sundae — Rocky Road, Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Ice Cream, smothered with creamy, marshallow topping and freshly homemade hot fudge… surrounded by a halo of whipped cream, topped with chopped almonds, a cherry and a Ghirardelli Milk Chooclate Square

OMG WTF, where was our square?!?!?! It was SO delicious though…. worth every calorie.. I was licking all the marshmallow topping clean — amazing!!! And right before dinner :D Scandalous!!!

Afterwards, we headed to Giordano’s for their famously deliciously Deep Dish… it was an hour and a half wait so we actually got a few drinks at the Peninsula Hotel bar for an hour and then headed back to the Giordano’s bar inside to get more drinks while we pre-ordered our pizzas and waited for our table…

We had some freshly made mozzarella sticks at the bar. OMG, steaming hot, light, crunchy and SUPER delicious mozz on the inside.

We finally got seated… we got a Caesar Salad… anchovies on the side [yum]

And a Caprese Salad… I love cheese <3

And two SMALL stuffed 10″ pizzas, which were HUGE….

Special [Sausage, Mushrooms, green Peppers, Onions] w/ Pepperoni
& a Super Veggie [Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Onions, Broccoli, Black Olives & Tomatoes] w/ Jalapenos….

My first Super Veggie slice… delicious cheezy goodness!!!

Everybody should believe in something, I believe I’ll have another pizza…