“…so what now???”

I was asked this tonight, during dinner. What do I want now?….

Let’s first talk about what we ate tonight…. we were at The Local, one of my favorites in my area, which I’m sure you have heard me rage about on my facebook, twitter, and probably even on here (although I don’t do quite as many food posts on here anymore)

We started off with the Salt & Pepper Calamari with pickled peppers, ginger salsa, and cilantro…. which was delicious! I kind of wish they didn’t have the sauce on the bottom of the plate though which makes some of it kind of soggy after awhile.  But the plate was HUGE!  They have really upped their portion sizes since they first opened!

We also had the Roasted Garlic Hummus with “garden vegetables” (today was just carrots and cucumber slices) and grilled pita (which definitely had cardamom in it – which gave it a super “Indian” feel…)  Delicious as usual… just too much EVOO and herbs/garlic in the middle of the hummus, which, I personally stayed clear from.  The hummus was rich, yummy and garlicky enough as it was.

It was quite tasty…. I love hummus myself, so I was enjoying it like a mofo.  Plus I love carrots and recently found a love again for cucumbers…I think it’s the way they sliced it.

Then came our entrees.  My lovely lady date got the Herb-Marinated Half Chicken that came with garlic mashed potatoes and over sautéed spinach – which I have had before, so I highly recommended it.  It was loved.  Everything was perfectly seasoned – but, like I said, a HUGE portion.  Seemed a whole lot larger than the last time I got it.

I was craving beef… and I’ve had the short ribs and the steak tips and the salads with the steak so I noticed they had something new… a Chimichurri Skirt Steak on top of braised kale with steak-cut sweet potato fries.  The steak, while I got it ‘medium rare’ was still cooked medium/medium-well.  Which is why I always ask for things rare to medium rare, or else you’ll just get it well-done and overcooked.

The steak was delicious, as was the chimichurri, though I felt it could’ve been more present – it was pretty…. not “bland” but light. Present, but not really there.  The kale though, tasted overpowering and the salt was just crunching through…. wasn’t my fav.  I stole some spinach from the chicken dish instead.  My dinner date wasn’t too big of a fan of the kale either.  Meh.

[ps. for a nice chimichurri sauce check out Bon Appétit – my fav goto place for inspiration]

I got a nice Californian Cabernet Sauvignon [Red, duh] which took me forever to sip on. Strangely so. [I’ve been cutting down on my alcohol so it doesn’t take much lately]

Delicious.

So  now back to the question…. what am I …. wait what?  I think I’m tipsy now.

Ohhhh so what NOW?!  What now????  After what?  “After taking a chance at love and moving to another country and coming back, so soon after, broken hearted”?  Well, I take that and I continue on. [BTW have you noticed how awesome my hair is? Yay for my new waves/curls]

I can say that I went to another country with full on intentions of nothing but the best… and yes I came home, a bit sad.  I wouldn’t call myself broken.  I’ve been broken so many times, it’s more about who can piece me back together, has the patience to, now, than to say who broke me apart.  How do  you break when you’re already broken?

Am I just damaged goods?

I don’t think so.  I just think that the one who should be with me hasn’t realized it yet.  Or found me yet?! Who knows.  I hope it’s…

…

…

… does it even matter who I say, unless it’s mutual?!

So there it is.  A splendid  dinner and a so-so answer to the question asked.

Buenos Noches mis Amores <3

Happy Mothers Day 2014 at Cottage Wellesley

I’m behind on my Mother’s Day Post….. I took my mama to The Cottage in Wellesley for the special day…

We got there in time for the reservation but still had to wait awhile for our table… which was kind of disappointing – and annoying.

Me and my beautiful mommy…

I got her flowers delivered to the restaurant… which she loved because she loves purple roses and we both took a million pictures… this is one of my favorites… she will always be the most beautiful woman I know in my life.

We got a half bottle of champagne to celebrate the day.

Cheers to you mommy for being the most amazing woman in my life.

We said no to bread but they gave it to us anyway and it was SO GOOD.  Warm creamy butter and hot delicious fluffy bread. YAY – so bad for us since we’re both carb-o-holics.  It was kind of foccacia-y….

For appetizers we got  a grilled vegetable salad and fried eggplant fries.

DUDE.

FRIED. EGGPLANT. FRIES.

They came with a sauce that kind of tasted like a tartar sauce mixed with a thousand island dressing…. but just on it’s own it was…. light, fluffy, crisp outside and soooo soft and yummy inside – NOT OILY AT ALL.

They actually split our salad for us.  It came with avocado… like a split whole avocado between the two of us… grilled red peppers… asparagus… corn… squash… different kinds of greens… it was just beautiful… you didn’t even need the dressing to make it delicious.

This was my duck duo – which was duck leg confit and duck breast. BEAUTIFUL.  Pickled Cabbage and mandarin slices.

Mama got the sweet potato crusted cod with Potatoes and corn…. also completely amazing.

 

When we got home I made us Watermelon Margaritas with just Fresh Watermelon and Patron in my vitamix. YAYYYYYY

 I love you Mommy

吉凡尼的花園 Le Jardin de Giverny in the 美術館 area

Woke up super hungry…… time for some delicious eats at 吉凡尼的花園 Le Jardin de Giverny – I’ve been here before, years ago and it was pretty bad but they changed owners and have definitely improved 10 fold.

I so hangry

We ordered two add on lunch meal sets and two a la cartes to share.

Delicious Fresh Foccacia Breads

[You can actually buy breads and pastries in the front of the house]

You can also buy different vinegar, oils and balsamics in the front as well… yay for dipping yummy warm bread…

Fresh Veggie/Fruit Juice

My clear vegetable soup… which tasted a bit buttery to me so I wasn’t that into it. The flavors were great though.

And of course for my “drink” that came with my meal I got a nice glass of white wine.

Fresh salad with walnuts and starfruit.

Appetizer: Ratatouille

It was absolutely delicious and one of the few times I’ve ever had it.  I’m so glad I ordered this.. it was between this and escargot.

My aunt’s appetizer: A Crab “Tart” which is so not a tart, but it was good and fresh none-the-less

And for her main dish she got the seafood risotto.  YUM.  I had a bite and you could taste yummy saffron…. reminded me of a paella but creamier…

Mama, of course, got the pan-fried duck breast, but which was cooked really well and just fatty enough. So so tender.

My other aunt got the pan-fried sea bass, which was one of my choices….

But I ended up getting, DUH, the spicy seafood stirfry :]

And then we went straight into dessert….

A mini Creme Brulee… which I gave to my aunt since she rarely gets to eat these things….

But I enjoyed my delicious iced coffee…. MMM froth

地址：台中市五權七街58號 (台中綠園道)
電話：886-4- 2376-9755

I ended up staying for tea time as well but while my aunts chatted I explored the area a bit…..

Craigie on Main – 8 Course Tasting Menu

The one and only Woo Bear, my favorite NYPD PoPo/Detective/Bodyguard/Bestie came to visit me in Boston and being so busy with work lately we FINALLY got a chance to meet up, rant, chat, laugh and just have a jolly awesome time.  I picked him up from his hotel and even though we got there early they had a table for us already set for us.

Woo Bear & Peep Peep unite!!!!!

AKA

He’s the Gru to my Agnes

I told him we had to go to Craigie on Main.. it’s farm to table and seasonal and just one of my favorite places MUST GO TO EAT AT places in Boston… well it’s in Cambridge but same difference. I adore their open kitchen. And everyone there is SO friendly and awesome. PLUS every time you get the tasting menu you get different and new things it’s NEVER the same.

After careful, not so careful thinking we decided to order the everything 8 course tasting menu.  We started off with a champagne for me and a “manly” scotch drink for him. I think the waitress said it was a scotch rimmed with absinthe?!… I thought it was delicious!!!!

We also ordered a bomb ass bottle of French Burgundy Pinot Noir – mad $$ but soooo worth it

I asked for them to write out the menu for us so I could have it when I went home… obviously so I could blog!!!

And then it began….. as we sipped our yummy drinks, the food started flowing….

Trio of Amuse Bouche

Citrus Cured Striped Bass, Avocado, Red Onion, Pickled Pine Nuts

This was Woo Bear’s favorite… mainly cuz of the avocado he said.  It was good and reminded me of tuna tartare, I think mainly cuz of the color, would’ve never thought it was striped bass – but I guess it was cuz of the citrus cure.  You couldn’t really taste the citrus but it was a good bite.

Razor Clams, Uni Vinaigrette

Texturally wise, this was my favorite of the three. It was obviously clams… and I LOOOOOVE razor clams.. I’ve never had it sliced before and it was amazing.  Need to start taking my razor clams not whole on a shell… hehe…

Smoked Bluefish Rillettes, Hackleback Roe

Taste-wise this was y favorite. It was a beautifully soaked fish… and with the caviar and everything it was pretty divine.

The waitress loved that I had a champagne glass tattooed on me haha..

Sea Trout Pastrami
Winter Chicories, Blood Orange, Pistachio Vinaigrette

I actually expected a smokier tasting salmon, from the looks of it, but the taste was impeccable.  The texture of the salmon was of smoked salmon but it definitely had that “pastrami” kick to it.  With the added crunch of the chicory and pistachio it was heaven in each bite.  It actually would’ve been an amazing salad with more chicory and pistachios but deeeeeelish!!!!!!!

Roasted Sturgeon à la Poêle
Camargue Red Rice, Red Onion Soubise, Beurre Rouge

When the last dish came out we finally finished our first drinks and got to get into the the wine, which paired PERFECTLY, as waitress said it would, with the food… It was salty was soooooo gooooood.  Not sure what the greens were but the rice was just barely el dente and chewy and amazing, I almost thought it was wheat berries…the surgeon [this was the first time Woo Bear ever had it, but I have] was soooo buttery and beautifully cooked.  Like I said, it was salty but it still tasted awesome….

Delicious wine with an amazing friend!!!

Spice-Crusted Striped Bass Kama

Wait. What? KAMA? UM, I LOVE YOU CRAIGIE.   I love Fish Collar Bone [aka Kama]

Even the waitress told me to make sure to take a pic – I think she saw me taking pictures before… and probably assumed since I was asian HAHA

It’s all about this:
the Tuscan Olive Oil, Citrus Vinaigrette

And cuz we were “her friends” she poured it on for us. AWWWWW I felt so loved….!!!! She even said “Of course Tiff, you’re my friend” hahahaha… maybe she remembers me from my past eatings there…. LOLOLOL… I always eat SO much here

This was my piece… Woo Bear and me both picked our pieces CLEAN!!!!!… We ASIAN YO.  We waste NOTHING!!!

House-Made Red Beet Conchiglie Pasta
Boudin Noir Ragoût, Fava Leaves

This was beautiful. Fucking beautiful. BEET PASTA? It’s like taking a veggie I love with a pasta I love and combining the two.  When I first looked at it, I was like UHHH.. meat? blah? WHAT? But it was delicious.   The sauce didn’t overwhelm the beet taste in the pasta and the lava leaves added a nice green freshness to it.   Will definitely try to make a beet pasta in the future… altho I’ll probably make pappardelle or gnocchi.

Slow-Roasted Veal Sweetbreads
Wild Mushrooms, Farm-Fresh Egg, Chorizo Sauce

This may have been my favorite dish of the night, minus the bone marrow later, but I can never not LOVEEEEEEEEEE and orgasm with bone marrow.  But the poached egg was SOOOO beautiful.  The sauce, the mushrooms and of course SWEETBREADS.  I really need to find a place that sells sweetbreads so I can start cooking them.  They’re one of my favorite delicacies.. even more than bone marrow and foie gras cuz I can never find them to cook them myself… and because of that, I ALWAYS ALWAYS have to order sweetbreads when it’s on the menu.. well I guess the same with the other two but still….

And then when we thought it was all over….

Axis Venison Two Ways: Spice-Crusted Leg, Crepinette
Mustard Spaetzle, Hakurei Turnips, Red Cabbage Purée

And obviously we got it with the BONE MARROW!!!!

Can you believe they asked us if we would rather have duck fat roasted carrots OR bone marrow? UMMM… we didn’t even look at each other and Woo Bear and I both screamed BONE MARROW!!!

It was all so freaking delicious….  the crepinette was SOOOOOOOO delicious. It was a yummy venison meatball!!!… and the venison leg, sliced and cooked rare was just SOOO tender and delicious.  I ended up eating the marrow on toast and then the rest of the marrow all over my veal dish and licking it up. The spaetzle was crunchy and divine and while it was from “mustard” it had almost a delicate “cheese” taste to it.  Definitely some of the yummiest spaetzle I’ve had.  The turnips were great.. I thought it was daikon – which I guess is basically a turnip/carrot – and just all of the items combined was ORGASMIC. We had SOOOOOO much bone marrow it could feed a family of 10.

Palate Cleanser
House-made Lime Frozen Yogurt
Basil Seeds

Delicious. Refreshing. YUM.

We got this amazing Bourbon:
Michter’s 20yr Cask Strength Single Barrel 114.2°

At 67$ a glass it better be fucking amazing and it was… smelled like caramel and was soooooo tasty. Yeah disgustingly expensive but also disgustingly delicious.

Dessssert time.. so it was definitely more than just 8 courses….

Moroccan ‘Upside Down’ Carrot Cake
Goat Cheese Sorbet, Dates, Caramelized Almonds

I told them no goat cheese but they gave me some anyways.  I ate it anyways.  But the cake was super dry, even though I loved the look/concept of the cake.  Next time I make carrot cake I’ll have a beautiful slice of carrot on top.  It didn’t go with the goat cheese even tho I tried it together to make it “wetter” and neither did the sauce.  It was kinda sad to see such a fantastic meal end so badly.

Chocolate-Fernet Branca Crémeux
Roasted Lemon Puree, Tarragon Ice Cream

I don’t really think that was what we got… it tasted like mint ice cream on chocolate mousse and crunchy sticks hahahaha…. it was good but didn’t feel like a FULL dessert, like a side to a dessert…

BUT AT LEAST THIS SAVED THE NIGHT

We had a special complimentary Hot Cocoa to warm us up… there was definitely some chilies and cardamum in it <3

Everything was talked about, we definitely spent a good few hours there… and in the end we realized:

Love you Woo Bear. Can’t wait to play again soon!!!!! Miss you dearly already!!!!

Miami Day 1 & 1500° Restaurant

J and I have been planning a getaway from everything since January.. we were planning on going to Ultra in March but the prices were sky high so we decided to wait a month.  So one drunken food coma night…. as J was passing out and I was still on a drunken high…. I bought us tickets to Miami for 3 nights 4 days. Somehow we got booted up to first class. OH YES. First class bitches!

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY. I’ve been SO excited to go back…. last year I went but wasn’t really able to enjoy much… didn’t leave the resort and had to play solo… but this timeeeeee… my partner in crime were ready to eat drink and RELAX. I think I deserve it considering my car accident, almost breaking my spine, almost slicing off my finger, 2 trips to the ER, etc all in the past 3 weeks.. yes I deserve a break… and J just works really hard and needs to REEELAX :]

On the way to LGA airport I said bye bye to my pale ass ghost legs.

BYE BYE BYE

We finally got to the airport… got REJECTED from the Admirals club cuz even though we’re first class it has to be international or we need a platinum Amex or a Black card uhhh… good thing we got there with only minutes to spare.

Yeah barely there makeup – was too excited and forgot to put much on.

Front Row, First Class Bitches…

And warm nuts <3 You’re gonna love my nuts!!!!

Altho there was a choice pre-flight online for a buffalo salad or beef wrap they only had beef wraps on this trip.  Not sure about the presentation but at least it was a pretty healthy/decent “snack” – Some Carrots and Cucumbers to dip [I actually didn’t get any dip but J got some on his] and while the beef wrap was a bit small and soggy it was pretty decently tasty.  I also hadn’t eaten anything all day… sooooo…. big factor. I WANT MORE NUTS

And while  not the underbaked cookies I remember from previous AA flights…. these were warm and crispy.. and I got it all over myself. Yep. Completely covered in crumbs and chocolate.

Beautiful….

Our gorgeous Eden Roc Hotel Resort..

Unfortunately we were like this:

Since as soon as we got in the taxi from the airport it was raining like crazyyyyy…

OH so we get to the front desk and it’s “I’m sorry our standard rooms are fully booked, we have to upgrade you for free to an Ocean View Room in our new with with a Balcony and a Hot Tub.

Ohh shucks. Life sucks :]

Our hot tub <3

So since it was raining out, we decided to hot tub it inside… with some champagne of course. OF COURSE.

And then it was time to get ready to get pretty for dinner and play.  I had already, in advance, booked us resos at 1500°.. and than later finding out it’s quite a big big deal.

1500°.. Farm to Table eating with the famous Hell’s Kitchen competitor Paula DiSilva as exec chef.

Everything local.  And our waiter was kind enough to tell us where all our food was coming from :]

Add a FRIED DUCK EGG TO MY STEAK? Sold! Obviously I have to get it……

And of course we tried the Black Garlic Truffle Butter for our steak [on the side]

We got a lovely bottle of Rioja and some chamapgne… but I found a bucket of these waters next to us hahaha for other tables

Wine art? This belongs in MOMA or the Guggenheim…

We started off with a half dozen Kumomoto Oysters [hehe J usually leaves it up to me for food while he picks out the wines]

The famous Palmetto Creek Farms Pork Belly Tacos with Homemade Kimchi

These were good but not THAT impressive. The fried wonton shells and the kimchi [totally NOT kimchi] were more chinese food than anything.. like chinese takeout-ish… but the pork belly itself was delicious and melt-in-your-mouth

Grilled Octopus on a Zucchini puree, frisse, roasted tomatoes, sheep’s milk feta and kalamata olives

This was amazing. Me and J were tearing this APART – but I gave him the olives and he gave me the tomatoes.  Refreshing and the octopus was sooo tender with just amount of chew. Perfection. SOO tender and the smokiness from the char from the grill. AMAZE BALLS.

And then our “Sides”

Swank Farms Shishito Peppers with just simple Sea Salt and Lime

This was actually a sharing plate but we used it as a side dish. I LOVE Shishito peppers… these were so tasty.  We both thought the red ones were gonn be really spicy but they weren’t.  They were lighter and sweeter.. a few green ones had some kick to them tho. YUM.

Spicy Grilled Zellwood Florida Corn with Cotija

This was my MUST HAVE side dish. I LOVE Mexican Corn and Cotija. AHHH…reminds me of summer in Chicago. This was DELICIOUS!!!!!!  Slight heat to it but only to be cooled down by the light tang of the creamy cheese. YUMMMMM

And the main dish, the star of the show

….. we split a 14oz Florida Grass Fed Wagyu Ribeye…. Medium Rare of course…. with the Black Garlic Truffle Butter on the side. And smudge of… red stuff.. hahaha. I think it’s something sweet and tomato-y.

With a fried duck egg [of course] – this they couldn’t split for us since  it’s gooey so they just gave it to us in the middle in a skillet.

Best piece of meat I’ve ever had methinks.

This is one of the most amazing pieces of steak I have ever had.  Meat even.  Tender, melt in my mouth and the perfect size.  J and I were so glad we split the steak so we could still move and play after dinner instead of just dying and food coma-ing out.

I’ve had a LOT of meat in my life and a LOT of steak, a lot of good steaks… especially ribeyes, but this was just perfection.

Afterwards we walked around the resort and headed to  the Cabana Beach Club for a drink or two…..

Than to the Lobby Bar we picked up a Mojito and a Margarita, put on the hot tub again and enjoyed our amazing view.

O

OH Miami how I love you so.

And so it begins… with AKA Bistro

It’s that time of the year, again, when I turn 21.. AGAIN.

No wait, I think last year I turned a sweet 16 with a party at Momofuku, Carnival, Maze and Blue Ginger. And while Family birthday dinner is ALWAYS at Blue Ginger… every single year… we thought we’d change it up a bit this year and go try out a new suggestion from my mommy… AKA Bistro – “boast[ing] the best of two distinct and sophisticated cuisines.  Half the menu offers French fare; authentic recipes derived from the owner’s mother, a native of Marseilles.  The flip side of the menu features a creative roster of Japanese dishes, with an emphasis on elegant sashimi.  Ingredients are sourced from a handful of small farms [within] a few miles of the bistro, and pristine (often sustainable) fish is sourced from around New England and the world.”

AKA Bistro [pronounced “ah-kah” not “A KAY A” like the abbreviation hahaha] is definitely something fresh and new and not what I’d expect in Lincoln, MA.. especially next to a train station….

I was excited – we had reservations for 7:30… but by 5 I was STARVING.. it didn’t help that my mom was making some of her famous spicy beef noodle soup to freeze for later… [yes after dinner I had a bowl back at home… and some marrow.. #fattie]

Me getting ready :]

The weather was kinda gloomy and wet but inside it was popping.. the atmosphere was loud and it was a little.. not hot.. but it felt stuffy and humid inside – slightly – decor was really nice tho :] Happy chipper place.

AKA Bistro
145 Lincoln Rd.
Lincoln, MA 01773 

Bread.

Cold. Chewy. A bit hard. But COLD :[ Sad. I want French CRUSTYYYY bread… fluffy inside… alas, no.

DOT DOT DOT

But let’s get to the fun part. Or in the case of my daddy “at least the champagne was really good tonight…” yeah that’s kinda a preview of what’s to come.

We popped a bottle of bubbly :] I got ID’d :[ The hostess also treated me like a little kid. BOO!

Escalope de foie gras poelée et compote de fruits secs
Seared foie gras and dried fruit compote

Not my favorite Foie Gras…  definitely not the worst.. but it was okay.. I thought it tasted slightly off… but mommy liked it. Daddy didn’t like it so mommy got most of it :] The fruit compote was plums and was pretty tasty.. loved the wilted spinach underneath the foie.. the tart on the bottom was kind of madeline like…

So pretty tho…

Hamachi Collar

This was a special of the day – AND cooked to medium rare – altho definitely more rare than cooked… the outside was slightly burnt…. MEH.

Scallop Ceviche

Banuyls vinaigrette and fresh winter black truffle

This was my favorite dish of the night. But it was SOOO SMALL… thinly sliced fresh scallop sashimi.. a very light vinaigrette and delicious truffle..OMG.. the truffle.. subtle and not overpowering – a little goes a long way – LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. I wanted MORE!

This was SUPPOSED to be a Kumomoto Oyster with Uni and Caviar.. but they didn’t have the oysters and had another West Coast Oyster… and no Uni so they said they’d give me extra caviar. They didn’t but it was still good – wayyyy tiny tho :T

Os à moelle, fleur de sel aromatique,pain de campagne grillé

Bone Marrow, aromatic sea salt and toasted country bread

Delicious. Wish the Bone Marrows were bigger tho… I miss big fat delicious bones filled with marrow… MMMMM. This marrow was fatty, drippy, creamy… SOO GOOD and came with a little dish of a salt/pepper concoction to sprinkle over. This is the first time my parents have had Bone Marrow like this and they really enjoyed it :] Altho daddy thought it wasn’t that flavorful – which is why I said sprinkle more salt teehee.. but they both LOOOVED it…

Mommy’s Confit de canard et pommes Salardaises

Duck Confit, potato roasted in duck fat

The duck was cooked perfectly.. the skin was a bit TOO fatty and not crispy but still delicious.. a bit soggy tho.. the crispy bits of the sliced potatoes were delicious but even with the salad everything was WAY too greasy from all the duck fat from the potatoes and the confit.  The salad was DRENCHED in duck fat…. but I ended up eating all of the potatoes and the rest of my mommy’s salad and duck for her :] #tummyache

Daddy’s Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I can’t find the exact dish on their old menu on the website but the stuff on the bottom was very herbby and gnocchi like… Even if you didn’t get a bacon piece the pork was cooked sooo tenderly and the bacon flavor totally infused itself into it. DELICIOUS.  The “gnocchi” like pasta or “dumplings” I suppose weren’t too bad either.. a little too mushy for my liking.. but probably the lightest dish out of the three we ordered.

My Saumon poche, beurre fines herbes, courgettes, fenouil et rattes

Poached Salmon with “beurre fines herbes”zucchini, fenneland fingerling potatoes

I… hated it.

But they were nice enough to take it off the bill. It was.. ick. Too buttery.. I hated the consistancy of the salmon.. which was bland… the fennel and zucchini I liked but the sauce it was in and the butter it was cooked in was just TOO MUCH…. :T I wanted to like it, I wanted to love it – I love salmon but I just hated it. Which is why I went to eat my mom’s duck fat drenched leftovers… if

Creme Brulee

Perfect.  Just wish maybe a little warm inside of cold custard on the inside.  BUT. Nice thick, but not TOO thick, perfectly burnt sugar crust.  Delicious innards… beautifully speckled with fresh vanilla bean. MMMMMM

FUNNY story. My mom and her friends had come here before when it JUST opened… the got the Lunch tasting menu and each had their own creme brulees for dessert. They had NO idea that it was vanilla bean and all took a bite, saw the black specks and freaked out – thought it was bugs or mold or dirty.. hahahahaha my mom JUST told me this story a few days ago and then AGAIN tonight…  Silly ladies :]

Complimentary Guava Jellies

They gave these at the end of the meal – SOOO good.. methinks there was grapefruit in it too?!… But can’t really remember… a little sweet but sooooo guava-y :D JOY! Made me miss Taiwan…

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

SOOOOO FLUFFY!! The cheesecake part was SO light and delicious… like whipped cream consistancy… the chocolate crust was flakey and cookie like – delicious.  The cherries were SOOOOOO GOOOOD and juicy!!!!

I wanted to have some family photos but part way thru the dinner my parents, especially my dad got super reminiscent and I got all emotional and teary and burst out crying and ended up being blotchy and sniffly for the rest of the meal – until I got a funny phone call from my sis Kate ;D but yeah… so no pix… I was splotchy in the above pic but it was far away enough that you can’t tell TEEHEE.. BUTTTTTT. PROPS to my makeup.. NOOOO gross masacara lines!!! :D Not ONE bit of makeup out of place.. I’m like halfsobbing and giggling with my mom about how my makeup wasn’t drippy.. LOL

OKAY so this wasn’t exactly a good meal – the desserts were great… the food was subpar :T The salmon was horrendous, the texture the flavor.. bland and fishy… overly buttery.. mommy’s greasy overly soaked with duck fat – even daddy’s delicious pork looked a little sketch and on the pink side… so far no food poisoning though, all three of us had some… but it seems like the Japanese food seems to be going more towards my liking… if I ever come back here, slim to none chance, I’ll get sushi.  I’ll stick to L’Espalier and Sel de la Terre and others for my French choice. Speaking of which.. I miss Chef Ed Cotton’s food at Plein Sud. NYC Trip ASAP! Sorry AKA Bistro. Good concept, poor execution. At least tonight… for my table :T Servers were nice, altho as soon as our waiter got the check he BOUNCED… how rude. At least the other servers said bye.

Happy – Almost – Birthday to Me :D

I’m SUPER excited about the coming week…s…. :] Vegas. Friends. Special Birthday Day :] Super psyched about it all….. Life has been so good to me lately. I’m glad to be pushing out all the negativity in my life and just focusing on the positive and the good people.. the good things… :] I may be “young at heart” forever, but some people are just freaking immature, childish and I don’t need them in my life. So good riddance. The past year and a half I’ve been dealing with a lot of negativity… settling for things even though I wasn’t happy – with where I was, who I was with.. what I was doing.. where I was going… with age comes wisdom… for most people – I’m blessed that I’m one of those people.

Thank you to all the amazing people in my life. Friends, family…. DIOR <3 This is gonna be a good good year – “21” is a good age ;D

@ChefSamTalbot’s amazing Imperial No. 9

After high anticipation I finally made it out to the GORGEOUS Mondrion SoHo to Chef Sam Talbot‘s Imperial No. 9! To be honest, I’m tired of going to places that are all hype and decor but total lackluster in food.. This was SO not the case. I have been on a crazy good streak of delicious seafood… especially with just having gotten back from a trip filled with fresh seafood in Hawaii… and now this? Most places would not be able to compare, but THIS is definitely one of the best meals I’ve ever had – especially one that was ALL seafood.

Let’s begin with the chef….

Feel like you’ve heard the name or recognize this gorgeous face?

Of course you have, Top Chef Season 2 where he finished third….

Other things about him… he’s diabetic so he promotes diabetic awareness. This is a big deal to me since both my parents are diabetic, as are many members of my family.

Wherever he goes, Sam’s cooking is always a reflection of his insistence on fresh, healthy ingredients. That is part and parcel of who he is as a diabetic—one who also volunteers extensively with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and who uses his newfound celebrity to increase awareness of the disease. To that end, Sam and JDRF have established an annual series of events to raise money for their fight against juvenile diabetes.

Very awesome. Also, Imperial No. 9 is a sustainable seafood restaurant – how awesome is that?! Makes it even more appealing….

“At the highly anticipated Imperial No. Nine, located just off the lobby, Chef Sam Talbot introduces his sustainable seafood concept with a 150-seat restaurant. A long bar serves as a casual imbibing spot with a selection of handcrafted cocktails by John Lermayer, for which Morgans Hotel Group’s nightlife destinations are famous. The garden building at Imperial No. Nine boasts a timeless setting complemented by an elegant crystal chandelier collection and accented with potted plants and natural ficus trees, all beneath the shelter of a dramatic glass roof. The delicate, over-sized glass sculpture centerpiece, crafted by acclaimed artist Beth Lipman, serves as a reference to Cocteau’s story in which seduction takes the form of an elaborate feast, prepared nightly.”

He’s also the exec chef at The Surf Lodge in Montauk…. haven’t been but if it’s anything close to my meal here at Imperial, it’s a must-go :]

All dolled up and ready to chow down!!!

The gorgeous walkway to the hotel… [looking out towards the street]

Sam next to the gorgeous chandelier….

Ok ok, enough beauty shots of the restaurant and the chef, time to get down and dirty [in an oh so good way] to the main reason why we’re here and I’m writing about this. The food, food, food and THE FOOD!!! Okay, because we DO continue though, I need to apologize for the horribly lit photos.  The room was dark and I didn’t wanna ruin the atmosphere with stupid flashe of light from my camera.. you’re just gonna have to go on my description to make up for my crappy photos.. My b.

Iberico Lardo & Sea Urchin
Charred Scallion, Pressed Stecca, Maldon Salt

The bread was soooo crispy and delicious. Buttery [in a yummy EVOO sort of way], a delicious large slice of lardo and milky delicious uni on top.  There were four pieces and I was MELTING over the amazing bread. Usually bites like this are too much bread but this was just perfect.  Great textures, crunch and creaminess… the tart yogurty sauce that the bites were put on top of was a GREAT addition to the flavors. I love how this was IBERICO lardo, not just regular.. usually you just hear of the jamon and not much else…. YUM

Craving more stecca [the bread]…so we asked for some…

Pressed Stecca

They were steamy hot and delicious!  Just a touch of EVOO and a hint of garlic… soooo delicious and crispy.  Tasted almost buttery without the fatty animal taste. Amazing!!!

Special of the Day: Mussels

To be honest, I don’t remember the specifics of the dish.. it was absolutely freaking delicious.  The mussels were steamed/cooked to perfection. Tender and just super fresh.  There was a light broth of what I’m guessing to be an Italian large leaf parsley and shallots?!?!.. it was very subtle and light.  Great broth to dip the stecca in. YUM!

Slow Cooked Octopus
Jalapeno Soffrito, Lime, Soy

I found this to be perfectly cooked.  I always get slightly nervous with octopus… it can be easily cooked wrong – basically overcooked.. but this was tender and FULL of flavor. Tasted like an asian dish out of my mother’s kitchen or something.. Definitely not overpowering though.

Jumbo Fluke
Frozen Coconut, Chili Water, Chinese Black Vinegar

This was so super unique.. I kind of wanted to try the raw cubed tuna, but what got me was the thinly sliced frozen coconut on top of the fresh fluke.  Not fishy at ALL – which sometimes I find fluke to be, clean but definitely fish tasting… the black vinegar totally cuts through the sweetness and the whole bite finishes off with a touch of heat from the chili water. Clean, delicious and addicting.

Heirloom Blue Corn Shrimp and Grits
Aged Cheddar, NY State Maple Jus, Slow Poached Egg, Coffee Oil This just may be my most favorite shrimp and grits I have ever had.  The grits were fine and creamy… and then the chunks of blue heirloom corn kernels just added so much texture and chew to the dish.  The egg was perfectly cooked, lightly lightly poached, so much that the egg white was just barely past translucent.  The shrimp were fresh and cooked to a tender chew which just added to the plethora of textures and flavors of the dish.  I think this may have been the best dish of the night, and, like I said, the best shrimp and grits I’ve ever had.

Special of the Day: Pacific Halibut a la Plancha
Served on top of a fresh Tabuleh

To be fair, I will say that the first plate we got was cold :[ But they were quick to change it with a plate of freshly cooked tender halibut.  I rarely get halibut that is so succulent and sweet… usually I find it to be slightly overcooked and more stiff – kind of like a swordfish – but this is one of the first and few times I’ve realized that halibut can have a silky soft texture.  The star of the show was most definitely the tabuleh though.  Wait, is that fair to say? I adored it, usually there’s too much cracked wheat, but this was perfection… great balance. AND they have some delicious sundried tomatoes. OMG… amazing!!!…  tub of this please.

We actually wanted to get the seared scallops as well, but our waiter felt like it would be too much food — so not the case, totally could’ve eaten more… but they accidentally still brought it out for us – confused – but afterthefact, I wish we had accepted it or had ordered it anyways….. it looked amazing… and I can always eat more.. I guess that’s why I have to come back again to try the rest of the menu [since it’s sustainable and seasonal, I’m guessing it’s ever-changing!]

Banana Bread Pudding
Maple Bourbon Fluid Gel, Honey Comb Semi Freddo, Nutella

The bread pudding was warm and the semifreddo was cold.  So fun to eat.  The semifreddo was TO. DIE. FOR. Like, literally.  I could NOT get enough of it — slight taste of honey and fluffy like a marshmallow :D  I LOVE banana bread so I was a HUGE fan of this… I could NOT stop eating it

Caramel Corn
Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Sweet Popcorn Powder

This was actually one of our waiter’s favorite desserts.  BTW, I forgot his name but he had sick ass glasses and looked like Lenny Kravtiz… swanky… anyways. THIS WAS SO GOOD.  Salty Ice Cream, reminiscent of Resto’s…. but then more salty a la L’Artusi’s sea salt gelato… OMG FREAKING AMAZING…. I know this is a PG..er.. PG-13? Sort of porno food blog but I want to break out in a song of dirty words to describe this… well this dessert and those SHRIMP AND GRITS [gawddamn I can’t stop thinking about it]  The powder was soft and fluffy like Smartfood Popcorn [okay weird comparison but it’s true]  BUT OMG POPCORN POWDER!!!…

And because I’m sure no one will complain…. :] Another photo of the chef ;D

Valentines Day on a Farm

Guess what I was surprised with for Valentine’s Day?

Special heart shaped donuts from Doughnut Plant [Creme Brulee, Coconut Cream, Ginger *heart*, Rosepetal *heart* and a Passionfruit] and a 50th Anniversary edition of Hello Kitty :] Best ways to this girl’s heart… thru her stomach and her kitty ;D The Hello Kitty is squishy and comfy and the doughnuts were even tastier than they were pretty!!!! Favorite of the bunch were def the tres leches and the coconut cream. I. LOVED. FILLED. DONUTS.  Apparently he got me an Oatmeal Donut too [he knows my obsession with oatmeal] but they didn’t put it in the box. I bet he just ate it ;D JK.. maybe.

“Be my Valentine”

Okay, okay okay…. Ya’ll must know by now that Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday *sarcasm* and was ready to boycott it… but……….. :] Things change.

I was surprised with an hour long drive to a farm for a special 8-course dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns all the way out in Westchester, NY. Now THAT’S planning….

Car rented, and trying to get there by a 9:30pm reservation – off we went on an adventure….. we actually got there, FREEZING, at 9 and immediately got seated…

We’re on a farm….

Hmm.. kinda funner to say “We’re on a boat…”

Kinda creepy late at night and in the winter… cozy but creepy.. especially watching the Ghost Adventures marathon the other day on Travel Channel… hahaha [sorry I don’t really like the show, the main guy Zak is kinda douchey.. but I’m excited for the Salem episode this week… AND… I love creepy things – the Vday epi was mad cheezey tho, couldn’t stop watching… it was filmed in my hometown :D] Oh sorry, tangent, onwards…

The Walkabout Map…

Must be SO gorgeous in the summertime :] Gonna make him take me here again… hahaha hopefully they have animals to play with… MOO. Cluck cluck. BAAAAA *sheep poo*

We got seated at a gorgeous and spacious booth and were handed the set menus for the special Valentines Day meal…

Now USUALLY, the just give you a list of ingredients and you tell them what you can’t or won’t eat and they’ll make a set menu for you.. but tonite was special. :] Waiter comes over, I nod and drool over the menu…. all is well, no changes for meeeee [aka no lamb or goat cheese] so All of the Above plus Wine Pairings…. :]

I loved the ambience… the restaurant was quiet [for once.. my mom always complains about how American restaurants, no matter how fancy, are super noisy] and very cozy. With high ceilings and a very cottagey feel to it.

“If we were stuck in a natural disaster or end of the world I’d like to be stuck here” – Z
Hard to see, but there were GORGEOUS huge vases of flowers as centerpieces in the middle of the room. GORG!

By the way, date was ninja and stole me the tulip as my Valentine’s Day flower after the dinner ;D SO Ninja. Stealthy.. melikes.

Before we continue I have to apologize for the dark pictures. But trust me, the ones with flash are tacky and gross looking. You’ll have to go on blurry dark and mysterious ;D And my descriptions… which are fantasmic [of course]

Amouse-BoucheFarro Crisps and Add-ons…

Lardo, Sweet Potato/Onion Chutney, Pork Confit, Ricotta and Butter…

They were soooo good.. crisp… I loved it most with the sweet potato and onions… omg so good.. the pork tasted a bit gamey too me and super asian… :] The ricotta just tasted like butter to me… haha…

…and they came with juice shooters to cleanse the palate

Grapefruit and another fruit… sorry forgot.. citrusy and sweet :]

First pours of champagne…

Z has been telling me about Blue Hill’s poached eggs and bread and butter since last year…. so even though the waiter said the bread didn’t come til 3 or 4 courses in…. Z, being Z, asked for some bread anyways… and did it live up to the expectations?

OH BOY DID IT!!!.. and then some… they were warm, crusty on the outside and chewy/soft on the inside…

PLUS, it came with the butter… a cheesy butter.. tasted cheesy, maybe an aged butter? AMAZING

STONE BARNS PANTHEr SOYBEANS

tofu, oyster, american caviar
Paired with: Schramsberg Brut Rose Calistoga, California 2006

I was surprised that the tofu came out speckled and brown… I wish there was more caviar in it… or more incorporated/tasted in it… they were scattered on the bottom. There was a citrus gelee on top [which I thought was caviar at first haha] which was kind of on the sweet side. The tofu was super tender and the oyster was really really fresh. Adored the soybeans – so good.

FARM EGG
brioche, pancetta, spinach, leeks
Paired with: Vinatigo Gual Canary Islands, Spain 2007

How gorgeous is this? As soon as we got this dish, we realized we were sitting WAY too far apart, so he scooted on over to my side of the table :]

Simple yolky egg with a sprinkle of black pepper…

The pancetta was so fatty, salty and delicious….. the leeks were melted down and super fresh and leeky tasting… the spinach tasted just steamed and delicious. I liked my egg most with just black pepper sprinkled on top tho… the brioche was soooooo buttery and delicious tasting – I immediately lost interest in the other bread and wanted a loaf of this stuff. *sniffs it like crack*

“I’m getting full…” – Z

WHATTTTT?? My eyes bulged out… he also wasn’t super excited about the next dish.. that’s cuz he didn’t realize how amazing it would be… [btw he insisted he was just STARTING to get full… I blame the bread… but he ended up eating more bread anyways… and all of his food ;D]

GREENHOUSE GREENS
winter flavors and textures
Paired with: August Kessler Riesling Trocken’Rudesheimer Bischofsberg’ Rheingau, Germany 2001

Olives, Ham&Cheese, Pickled Radishes

The greens were super fresh and delicious.. so crisp and clean tasting… bursting of flavor. I actually enjoyed the salty black olive puree the best with my bites of the greens… the ham & cheese were an interesting and delicious touch as well. Z ate most of the radishes [hahahahaha butthead] and tasted a sort of lemongrassy-ness to it [even tho it didn’t have it, there were other elements that kind of mimicked the flavors], I didn’t tho and was expecting KIMCHEEEEEE… cuz I’m Corean ;D Obviously.. hahahaha [btw, I’m NOT Korean]

Honestly I could’ve done with more greens!!! You know me, I love my veg.. esp fresh veg :D

And then out came more breaddddd!!!!!
We found bunnies in our bread!!! We buttered him up with the cheesy butter and ate him up… I got the head/ears :D CHEEEEEEZY BUTTER… omg I want a whole stick of it right now… and that piping out steamy crusty chewy soft bread…. nom nom nom.. I should get back into baking again…

And finally.. some protein….

TURBOT & MAINE SCALLOPS

curried cauliflower, grapes, almonds
Paired with: Dirler Muscat Grand Cru ‘Saering’ Alsace, France 2005

The turbot was a lot firmer than I imagined/remembered it to be… perhaps slightly overcooked? It was extremely oversalted…. I adored the curried cauliflower with the grapes and the almonds on the bottom, it was cooked perfectly… the scallops were sliced thinly atop the turbot and panseared.. I had a few perfect bites that weren’t over-salted.. but me and Z both concluded it was too salty.

[btw, Z had warned me that their veg dishes were better than their protein ones.. and that they had a tendency to oversalt… curious]

BOURBON RED TURKEY CREPINETTEjerusalem artichokes, romaine, portobello, truffle
Paired with: A&G Fantino Barolo ‘Vigna dei Dardi’ Piedmont, Italy 2003

I loved this presentation. I expected REAL crepes.. but they were little deilcious turkey meatballs wrapped in different “wraps” as a “crepe”… L-R was romaine, pear [altho now reading the menu, I feel like it’s artichoke? Still tasted kinda like pear tho.. *confused*] and portobello.. the brown sauce in the front was truffle sauce. SO good….  I’m not huge on sauces but I did a tiny dip and went left to right. I adored the portobello the most, bursting with mushroom flavor.. loved the sweetness from the pear and the brunch of the romaine…. can I just have it all in one bite? I adored the meatballs, I’m such a meatball girl ;D

Good thing we told our waiter ahead of time we like our steaks rare.. extra rare….. these came out a little more cooked than expected… which leads me to think that they’d be TOO overcooked if we didn’t say anything at all [strange that they didn’t ask us actually, how we would’ve liked it cooked]

GRASS FED BEEFchickpeas, hummus
Paired with: Señorio De Peciña Rioja Reserva, Spain 2001

Beauty isn’t it? I didn’t enjoy the beef tho… and actually only ate a piece and gave the rest to Z… I loved the chickenpeas… but something was off about the sauce and the beef to me :T I couldn’t figure out the herb in the green pesto sauce but it was totally throwing me off taste-wise and I could barely stomach that one slice… sadness… I love cow…

BLUE HILL FARM YOGURT SORBET granny smith apple and celery gelee, noble sour vinegar

This was amazing. The yogurt sorbet was sooooo creamy and amazing.. Z and I were craving Red Mango after but it was almost past midnite so we knew we missed last call for Red Mango back in the city *sad* I loved how it wasn’t overly sweet and the subtle apple and faint faint taste of celery in the glee. Amazing. Simple always goes a long long way….

CHOCOLATE BRIOCHE granola ice cream, milk jam
Paired with: Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon Loire Valley France 1996

It was like a molten lava cake with lots of texture.. it tasted like healthy lava cake hahaha… the ice cream actually tasted like granola.. mind blowing… granola with raisins.. but NONE of it were in it *mind-blowing* I would like a pint of that please… or a gallon ;D

My double espresso ;D So I wouldn’t fall asleep on the ride home… hehehe [which btw, it did it’s job quite well!!!]

We also got more desserts at the end.. chocolates and mini milkshakes…

Shiesty lighting, my apologizes again, but these chocolates.. completely hidden into the marble slab…. were delicious. They were little sandwiched chocolates… with chocolate :] Dark and velvety smooth and creamy on the inside….with the crunch of a thin hard chocolate on the outside.

Nice candle tho huh?

Picture by the fireplace…

Thanks for such a delicious Valentines Day ;D

Salts Makes Tummies Happy

Z was back in the Bean for Thanksgiving so we decided to let loose Saturday night and go all out and grab a bite [or two, or three] at Salts… we started off at M Bar at the Mandarin Hotel… the Monsieur is DELICIOUS if you’re into bubbly and vodka :] They also have great olives and almonds to snack on while you drink!! But onwards… usually I only come ’round here for Craigie… but today was all about Salts!!!!

The restaurant reminds me of a cute little home-turned restaurant in NYC or Europe. Definitely reminds me of a little farm restaurant. YUM!

Warm rolls.. still not sure why the look different… but both were good… 

Creamy delicious butter…

Amuse Bouche
Parsnip Soup

It actually just reminded me of pumpkin soup, it was good and warm in my belly tho – super creamy and was a super tease. SO HUNGRY SO HUNGRY….

I put my trust in Z for picking the wines for the night, we’re both big Spanish wine fans [bold & spicy] so that’s what we decided to drink….

Bottle #1

Nantucket Bay Scallops

Salts Farm Heirloom Turnips, Bartlett Pear, Foie Gras, Sichuan Peppercorn

One of the best dishes of the night…. perfectly cooked scallops – they were tiny but full of flavor, not overly salted [I don’t like salting scallops since they’re naturally already so salty]… Little bites of Foie really upped the dish. The radishes gave a great refreshing crunch to the dish… not sure what the cream was… creme fraiche?

Wild Japanese Hamachi
Salts Farm Radish, Heirloom Apple, Honey Soy Gelee, Petite Shiso Leaf

EDIBLE FLOWERS!!! Me thinks Salts like flower petals.. apples gave a nice crunch but I wasn’t obsessed with this dish. It was really fresh and not fishy at all… but sashimi dishes, to me, are getting played out… they all end up tasting pretty much the same. Of course, except for Black Bean Tuna at Toro haha…

Coriander Fried Veal Sweetbreads

Spiced Squab, Compressed Green Apple, Banana, Curry, Coconut

They cut the sweetbreads in half and then fried them – this is the first time I’ve ever had fried sweetbreads.. they were so light. Foam Foam Foam… hahaha… don’t really recall the creams and flavors, but LOVED the sweetbreads. SUPER creamy and delicious.

Bottle #2…

This stuff is SO good that I found some at a local wine shop and bought two bottles :]

 

Sturgeon

Heirloom Potato Gnocchi, Pickled Beets, Black Truffle “Caviar”, Dill Emulsion

Before I continue, Z picked this. Hahahaha.. it was okay. *meh face* It was a bit tough and overecooked?!.. the gnocchi was good though. I like gnocchi. Z likes gnocchi, we ate the gnocchi…

Roasted Local Cod

Petite Root Vegetables, Razor Clams, Ginger Lemon Grass Beurre Blanc

Wait… razor clams?!… I didn’t see razor clams.. I loved the carrot balls tho, those were a hoot.. I don’t know why I called them a hoot, but they were cute and even cuter in my belly. But wait, seriously? Razor clams?!… But the cod was great. I love things wrapped in lettuce and steamed.. don’t know why.

Whole Roasted Boneless Duck for Two
Lavender Honey Glazed, Roasted Pears, Heirloom Carrots, Petite Farm Turnips

I love that they take it out and cut it up tableside :] How AMAZING does this look?!.. FABULOUS!!!

His Plate:

Her Plate:

I look like a psychotic serial killer

I’m usually more of a crisp crisp duck skin girl [but sometimes the meat gets overcooked and dried out]  but this perfectly glazed duck was fatty, meaty and delicious…. It was LUSCIOUS!!! I DE-VOURED it… DEEEE-VOURED… Loved the veggies and adored that they had roasted pear in it as well.

Btw, there WAS bone.. helloooo?!?!.. LEGS?!?!.. I duno I just thought that was funny…

We were super full and ready for more drinking so we opted out of dessert [told you it was a trend] But they gave us a little something something anyways :]

A little ice cream some almonds, yum yum yum… creamy, crunchy and not too sweet :] Loves.

The staff at Salts were amazing and soooo friendly – the hostess is absolutely adorable. Definitely a go-to place if you want something delicious and homey <3

Salts
798 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139-3510
(617) 876-8444

The Ultimate Brewmaster’s Degustation

I’m a bad friend… one of my friends used to work here at MAS and I never visited :[ it’s not my fault… NYC has soooo many restaurants and this was always on my list. Too bad he doesn’t work here anymore….This is DEFINITELY going to be a frequent favorite.

This was definitely the most unique beer dinner I’ve ever been to. The beers were a-flowing, we had great speakers, familiar faces, and delicious fresh food. The flavors, texture and pairings were right on the mark.

For the beer geek who forays into foodiedom, the Ultimate Brewmaster’s Degustation is a must. Six courses of refined farm-fresh fare will be served alongside an array of impressive brews, in a collaboration between Mas chef and owner Galen Zamarra and Sean Paxton (the “Homebrew Chef”).

We started off with a light beer :] Lagunitas Pils, Czech Style Pilsner – delish!

We didn’t know the menu or the beers planned until we got there.