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 2 Beach, Yardbird & Nikki Beach Club

After a nice relaxing, semi-early, night in…. uhhhh…. actually okay, fine, not so “early” :] We woke up around 1030 for our FREE BREAKFAST

Dressed for the beach and ready to tan and swim after brekky… OFF WE GO…

How did we somehow get upgraded to an insane room AND get free brekky?!?!?!

One of our first plates of many….

And an omelette bar <3 UGH love

And then we were off to the beach. I swear we were the youngest/sexiest ones there. Check out my hot beach date.

My view for the whole day.

Is that a flying dino?

OH also decided to turn Mormon after finding this book in our hotel room….

HA. Just kidding. PS. This bikini is dedicated to Elliot Wronski :]

Our hotel.

Booze since 11am…

We later got ready, chilled on our balcony…..

 

And then headed to LUCKY STRIKE to watch the HEATS game. YAY Basketball.

J with his sexy cousin G and her fiance S [from the group Stellar Revival] 

Yeah, the band is pretty killer…. go to some shows in their next tour.. if it’s east coast I’ll probably be there :] Def any Boston or NYC shows :D

Live:

Ok i keep trying to put up the link to The Crazy Ones on here.. but it’s just the lyrics to Saving Grace…

Something about some punk and rock that just gets a girl going….

I’ll hopefully go help out at a few East Coast shows on their next tour so look out for me :D *grin* and also check out the drummer’s food blog — The Hungry Dummer .

We played a game of pool [worst game ever] but me and J won <3 WOOT. Nerds unite!!!!

G asked where I wanted to eat in Miami and I said YARDBIRD and her and S had JUST had brunch there… but then they decided to take us there after the game…. AWESOME.

Sadly no Chef Jeff McInnis here :[  HASH TAG #topchefcrush

Of course when I saw this I had to get it.  G and S warned that it was a lot of food but I was up to the challenge…

G ordered milk. I think I love her.

The cute soon-to-be-married-couple <3

Kale Salad for J and I

And our Chicken n Waffles n Watermelon!!!… we DEVOURED, DEMOLISHED, KILLLLLLED this <3 Hahahaha…… we’re fatties

Altho I did lose a watermelon in the feed fest. So I pour a little bit out to my homie watermelon…

My Feedback:

And then G and S kindly dropped us off at Nikki Beach Club…

Yeah the mojitos were overly sweet and sucked… I had lots of champagne and lots of douchebag Jersey Shore guys here….. probably never coming back to  Nikki Beach Club… but it was definitely an experience and fun..

Ended up going back and having fun enjoying Eden Roc late late night ;D

PS. Best line of my night to a guy “Catch me if you can, POKEMON” and I LITERALLY ran away”

PPS. I also had a guy ask me: “If I took you away tonight do you think your bf would mind?” UHHH YES. FUCKA.

PORC OUT 2012

PORC OUT 2012 happened at Bourbon Steak DC the other sunday.  It was a rainy day but it didn’t stop pork lovers everywhere to show up.

Split Roasted Whole Pig * Buffet Style Dining * Oyster Bar* 

Grilled Corn on the Cob *Warm Jalepeno Cheddar Corn Bread *

Taco Stand * Home Made Soft Serve Ice Cream *

Warm “Everything Cookies *

and much more!!

Plate number one of many…
Delicious corn, ribs, roast pig.. mmmm pig skin!!!!

And the famous Pork Tacos!!!

I got mine with everything on it… MMMM…

And the dangerous vodka soaked watermelon.. I had endless slices… oopsies ;]

More more more… also had beer, wine, spiked lemonades and punches, etc.. SOOO GOOOOD..

They also had hot dogs in a cute OG hot dog cart outside in the rain haha – same ones we ate the other day.

Bourbon Blind Tasting…  how well do you know your bourbon?

Dessert Sundae Bar time!!! WOOT

Strawberry and Chocolate Ice Cream with an everything cookie, boozey Cherries, marshmallows and a Bacon Caramel! NOM

And since W and I got there a bit late we missed the oyster bar… so Chef Sobel was sweet enough to bring me out some :D NOM

YAYAYAYAY… can’t wait for next year :D  Went back home and slept off the booze.. only to go out drinking all night hahahaha – I love pig. Life is good.

After BBQ there’s still room for Burgers and Adult Milkshakes at Bourbon Steak Detroit

We are not in Kansas anymore.. this is taking Burgers & Milkshakes to a whole new level.  Although it did make me want an oreo milkshake from Johnny Rockets… nostalgia

After a few hours at the Pig & Whiskey 2012 event out in Ferndale… we went to the pool and then after a shower I slept off the beer and whiskey.  Previously we were thinking of heading to Lodge Diner for some chicken noodle soup but we decided just to head downstairs for a burger at Bourbon Steak.  If you haven’t noticed yet, W and I LOOOOOVE our burgers, especially him.  We sat in the lounge area and got the burger menus. WEEEE… fun!!!!

The menu said up to five toppings but me being me I loaded up on my burger.  It ended up being so big I couldn’t fit it in my mouth :[ HAHA.  Before we even ordered though, we were given some delicious red wine and the signature Bourbon Steak duck fat fries trio. YUM

I got a Market Garden Salad to start… delicious crunchy crostini on top… some butternut squash, pom seeds, red onions, goat cheese and delicious greens.  The dressing was a bit on the heavy side but it was still very tasty.

W and I also split an adult milkshake.  We each got our own half-glass :]

Bourbon Malted, Jim Beam, Salty Caramel

It was super strong and oozed of booze.  W and I could feel it after a few sips.

Dinner is served.

W’s Burger…

Beef, Bacon, Blue Cheese, Pickles, Fried Egg, Shredded Romaine and “Secret Sauce”

My Burger

Beef, Butter Lettuce, Fried Egg, Cheddar Cheese, Pickles, Vidalia Onions, Shaved Jalapenos, Tomato, Avocado… NOMMMMM

Super thick Onion Rings.  They were piping hot.. the crust/breading was on the thick side, I like a lighter crust but it was definitely super tasty!!!

We got another set of Duck Fat Fries Trio.  W loves the horseradish sauce and asked for “a shit ton” of it.  Apparently this is the “shit ton” bowl size :D

Another delicious burger dinner with my burger boy <3  Also the last time having a burger in Detroit hahahaha…

Wed Night is All You Can Eat Crab Legs at Palette and a Midnight Boozie Adult Brownie

All dressed down and somewhere to go… I’ve been to Detroit for awhile now and I know that Wednesday nights here at the MGM Detroit is all you can eat CRAB legs night.  Being the Asian that I am and in my genes, I knew I had to get my tummy in on this deal…. and so I totally did.

There were two sides of this.  AMAZE BALLS and they were ALWAYS full. I never saw the piles go down, seriously….. I so so dig this.

This was one of my many many plates. I took 3 crab halves at a time, with 5 legs each, 1 giant claw.  I think I may have done this at least 6+ times…. including a few plates of salad.. and chinese food and other stuff…

See?!… i stopped taking pictures and just ate and ate.  Although these dumplings were so-so, some where cooked perfect, some were a bit under done and the skin was hard :P lame.

A plate of dessert that I got…. I may have had more ;]

This lady had bomb diggity rainbow neon nails!!!

Instagram’d Crab Leg gorgeousness

Later that night when W got out of work, he got a Turkey Reuben and I got a Brownie Sundae.  I originally wanted the kid’s menu one but they screwed up and gave me the adult version.  Kid version had chocolate AND vanilla, whipped cream and a cherry.. this one had Bourbon Fudge, Beer Caramel, Nut Brownie, Vanilla Gelato and SUPPPPPPER Boozie Cherries.  They made my cheeks red and made me a bit tipsy, DELISH.

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

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

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

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

I AM An Epic Dance Party. All the time.

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

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

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

Still Sober…

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

How can we refuse Wine AND Chocolate?

Fig Manhattan

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

Peche Royale

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

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

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

First Course
Bacon and Frisee Salad with White Chocolate Vinaigrette

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kelly approved!!!

We had to start double fisting the drinks… hahahha…

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

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

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

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

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

Rosemary Pommes Frites

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

Cheese Course
Robiola, Italy

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

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

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

Upside down Banana Rum Champagne Cupcakes with Vanilla Ice Cream!

Recipe coming in next post….

I FUCKING LOVE YOU KELLY <3

Balling out at Craigie on Main, 8 Course Tasting

You guys may know by know that one of my favorite restaurants in the area is Craigie on Main.  Not really in Boston, Cambridge near MIT but still :] I still say I live in Boston even tho I live in the woods hahahah….

BTW on the way  I witnessed a crazy car crash RIGHT in front of us.  Our taxi was getting onto Storrow Drive and there was a car in front of us who got smacked COMPLETELY in the front half and 90degree’d blocking one of the exists.  HOLY CRAP.  It was so loud and I screamed haha.  Thankfully no one was, at least not obviously, hurt but it was CRAZY and mad damage to one of the cars. YIKES.  Our cabbie kept complaining about it too hahaha… “Night driving is bad for people who don’t know their way around here” lol…. YIKES.

…but yes back to the point. The topic.  The main reason why I’m blogging here this afternoon and procrastinating at work [shhh!!! Hi Boss!!] What can I say about Craigie that I haven’t yet before? It never fails to disappoint, and plus I love pig.  They have the most amazing pig tails and pig’s head :] YUM

LOVE the atmosphere…

LOVE the open kitchen

Source

hipster bartenders with the pornstaches kinda freaked me out a bit… not gonna lie… *cough

Just LOVE LOVE LOVE everything :]

So what we get drunk?
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how its supposed to be
Living young and wild and free

So why not go all out after a huge brunch and eat a 8+ Course Tasting meal :] And perhaps get a little drunk…. and minus the weed [altho it’d probably help with the consuming of all this food yeah? HA!]

Ready to gooooo gooogooooo?!… We started off with some drinks while they set up the table.  I requested a nice big corner table and we got one :] Yay! So comfy!  We did have amazingly amusing neighbors.. including a poor guy who looked like he was trying to get laid but was doing a total womp womp job. Also he inhaled the hard rolls in like 4 bites smothered in butter.. over and over again LOL, and then the long table of  loud Japs.  OMG. LOUD!  THE TEETH! HAHAHA… OH the stories I could tell about it, but onwards to more interesting things and the reason why you’re here.

Seafood Amuse Trio

I remember getting a seafood trio the first time I ever ate here so I was excited to get delicious little bites again. I LOVE restaurants that constantly change their menu and work with what they got and what’s in season. YUM. Fresh and delicious.

Squid Noodles, Nuon Cham, Toasted Garlic

I LOOOVE raw squid, these were SO good!  From the crunchy strong garlic on top to the fish sauce OMG.. it was like a little bite of Thai heaven. Happy dance in my mouth and into my belly.

Foie de Lotte [Monkfish Liver], Miso-Mustard Vinaigrette, American Sturgeon Roe

It was super creamy but all I tasted was the roe :[   They were running around in my mouth and I was busy catching them between my teeth to pop them. Salty roe taste but no monkfish liver :[ But like I said, super creamy aside from the eggs hehe.

Smoked Scottish Salmon, Buttermilk Vinaigrette

Very delicious. I love smoked fish!!!

Crispy Fried Nove Scotia Smelts
Preserved Lemon, Pickled Peppers, Squid Ink Anchoïade

I adore fried smelts. The last time I had them were when they were a special at Legal’s.. [ugh they SO need to put it permanently on their menu! ADORE!] But this was to another level. Screw the forks and knives we dug in with our fingers.  Bones and all [obviously] It was delicious. And the squid ink?! Freaking amazing!  This dish was SOOO major!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I could’ve eaten a bucket full of this.. and you could dunk my shoe in that squid ink and I’d devour it.

Dayboat Cod à la Plancha
Cumin and Daikon Salad, Savory Carrot Ju

Soft flakey cod with a nice skin – a light delicious carrot jus and I LOVED the sunflower seeds. For some weird reason, sunflower seeds always remind me of the salad bar at Sizzler when I was like 4 hahaha. Is that weird? Sunflower seeds and bacon bits. OH SIZZLER lol. Do they even exist anymore? Why am I going off in so many tangents today? Maybe I am high.. HA! Kidding… but yes this fish is SOOO GOOD. Cod is always a good go-to fish if you want a nice tender mild not too fishy fish.  The salad had some nice acidity to it so I was eating it all together. MMMM and sunflower seeds. Yep, I’m back on them seeds…

Spice-Crusted Baquetta Grouper Kama
Lemon Vinegar, Tuscan Olive Oil

This was amazing!!!! You know Hamachi Kamas right? If you don’t you are a BAD READER OF MY BLOG!  I eat them at least once a week… hahaha.. but this is Baquetta Grouper… and was very similar to Hamachi, Yellowtail.  Oily, almost fatty like texture, SOOOOO tender,  so meaty, so fresh with the most amazing crust.  The crust was some of the best part :] Hahaha. I was fed the most amazing juicy delicious meaty bite with crust and meat and fat and all; YAY #spoilt

Haha on a side note, I’m one of those people that if you feed me I will eat. Bites wiggling in front of my mouth and I will CHOMP at it, no matter HOW full I am… usually even if I don’t REALLY want it… unless it’s absolutely revolting, I will ingest. One day I’m gonna be 600lbs and rolling around, until then, I will eat til I burst!

House-Made Rye Flower Casarecce
Venison and Arugula Ragoût

They make amazing fresh pastas here.. and Venison!!! YAYYY as soon as I heard venison my heart, and tummy skipped a beat. This could’ve also been my downfall to getting so full.  INHALED. Like, literally, I ate it so fast I barely breathed. SO good..  tender venison, a great sauce, beautifully made and cooked pasta… the slight bitterness of the wilted arugula, the fresh sprouts on top. OH ME OH MY!  The textures were beyond amazing.  I love with my mouth and senses feel a million things at the same time.

Crispy-Fried Pig’s Tails
Pickled Peanuts, Nuoc Cham, Cilantro

Honestly?! Is this old age?! A few years ago I downed 8 courses and then some.. two bottles of wine, last year I did the same thing and had pig’s head and etc… and now I’m ready to ass out head first in pillows after 2.5 glasses of champagne and wine and this course.  But I looooooove their pig tails.  It’s like chinese takeout in delicious gourmet fatty pig tail form.

Veal Four Ways 
Roasted Sirloin, Grilled Tongue, Braised Cheek & Sweetbreads
Kasha, Turnips, Bok Choy, Satsuma Tangerine, Pomegranate

I managed to down at least a bite or two of each taste before I called it quits.  A bit salty and heavy on the sauce for me but they were also super tender and quite delicious. MMMM sweetbreads!!!

Duck Fat Brussel Sprouts

I love duck fat. I love brussel sprouts.  And since we already had bone marrow earlier in the day and then there was my binging on delicious marrow the night before, we ordered the brussel sprouts.  They had amazing flavor and a great char, but I was kinda disappointed at how mushy they were :[ I like my brussel sprouts to still have a bite and a crunch to them.

The rest of the chops after they cut our pieces :]

Dessert Amuse:
Vermouth Jelly with Herb Granite
White Chocolate Crumbs

SOOO refreshing. It totally cleansed my palette and got me ready for dessert time!!! MMMM delicious!!!  All sorts of different textures – the cold granita, icy and herbal, the jiggly jelly and the chew of the white chocolate. Amazing.

Cajeta Crème Caramel
Candied Kumquats, Sweet Potato Croustillant

Creamy salty and a delicious sweet potato crisp on top that reminded me of thanksgiving.  Rich and delicious but also light and almost had a fluffy texture to it. Delicious.  Two bites and I was done.  Plus I was nibbling on the ice cream tart next to me ;]

Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream Tart
Bacon Chocolate Crust, Mexican Chocolate
So stuffed but I couldn’t resist and couldn’t stop licking. This was SO good, so much flavor… and while I didn’t get too much bacon this was ALL DELICIOUSNESS.  I’m such a sucker for ice cream, it was creamy, delicious, full of pecans and a bourbon taste to it. Amazing and not too sweet.  The crust was great as well… :] MMM CRUST! Best part of tarts and pies..hahahah

We both got teas and Craigie was going to give us a complimentary Whiskey tasting… which now that I think about it, would it have helped me digest better? Ah so worthless after all that food teehee.

Thanks W, mr Chefy Chef, for being a FAB foodie partner in crime this weekend – visit soon :] 

Amazing food, good company and fun times :] #foodcoma

Sel de la Terre: Wine Tuesday – “Home for the Holidays”

* This post is long due… along with the next Wine Tuesday post…. but since I went to a new Wine Tuesday today I’ll be posting them up :] FINALLY!!!!

Sel de la Terre holds a Wine Tasting Dinner/Pairing every Tuesday… :] I’ve had the opportunity to go to a few… here are some favorites – obviously this next one was back last winter.. November 23, 2010!

Wine Tasting Dinner
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Bread Basket.. not so sexy but delicious nonetheless…

First Course: Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Chutney and PEI Mussels

Slightly sweet and very tasty… I loved the apple with the squash… MMM.. I’m not a huge creamy soup person but I LOOOVED the spices and subtle flavors in this….. the mussels were a delicious touch. I LOOOOVE mussels!!! And I love all sorts of squash soups!!! so VOILA…. I love it!!!

Paired with 2009 Grandes Perrieres, Sancerre, Loire, France

Second Course: Sole Meuniere

Succulent, tender, fragile and creamy in the mouth. I love sole and the way this was cooked just melted on the tip of my tongue. Delicious… and of course the pairing was amazing as well.

Paired with 2008 Albert Mann, Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France

Rosemary Pomme Frites

I adore their pomme frites… thin, crispity, salty, full of flavor and not greasy at all. DELISH!

Main Course: Roast Free Range Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes and Sauce Chasseur
Paired with 2007 Quevira, Zinfindal, Dry Creek Valley, California

Super juicy chicken, roasted to pure perfection – dressed in a delicious sauce and made my stomach happy, all the way down :]

Cheese Course: Garroxta, Spain
Paired with 2005 Westport Riversm “Cuvee RJR”, Brut, Westport Massachusetts

Dessert Course: Apple Street Farm Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Pear Jam and Bourbon Sabayon
The best of all worlds and one of the best bread puddings I’ve had.. a delicious creamy sauce and topping it was a soft but not soggy pumpkin bread… MMMMM…. bread pudding always seems so heavy but this was happy – not too rich and delicious – okay so it was on the sweet side, but have you ever had a sweet bread pudding that wasn’t? LOVE!