on Filipino food

Have you ever eaten at an Asian restaurant and wondered why the dessert choices are limited, if anything is offered at all?

In my experience, Asian desserts have not been all that enticing to people who are not Asian.


So this is Halo-Halo.  This is a Filipino dessert that I grew up with.  This is the only way that I know how to eat beans - in this sweet dessert.

I have been in Seattle where there happens to be a huge Filipino population - so huge that at the Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, WA, there are 3 Filipino restaurants tucked inside the large Seafood City (a Filipino supermarket).  What's even more remarkable is that all of this Filipino goodness is directly across from Nordstrom in this vast mall boasting even more South East Asian restaurants on the upper level.

So, back to Halo-Halo...

I have had this dessert 3 times in the last 4 days I have been here.  This dessert is just that good.

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain tried my beloved Halo-Halo on a recent episode of "Parts Unknown" on CNN.


“Dig deep and you hit delicious strata of red beans, white beans, chickpeas, cubes of red and green jello, young white coconut, shaved ice and… flan… I love it!”

His guide described the dessert as “part of every Filipino’s life,” to which Bourdain replied, “I’ve got to take a picture of that. It’s oddly beautiful.” He later posted the photo on his Twitter account.

Bourdain is famous for his New York Times best-selling book “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly,” and his travel and food television shows “No Reservations” and “The Taste.”

So why exactly isn't Filipino food the next big thing yet?

Caymus Vineyards Wine Dinner - May 2007

Caymus Vineyards Wine Dinner

May 10, 2007

Chicken and Spinach Canneloni

with Asiago Cream and Tomato Concasse

Mer Soleil Chardonnay 2005

Poached Sablefish with Chipotle Orange Butter Sauce

over a Supersweet Corn and Black Bean Relish

Conundrum 2005

Duck Rillette over Morel Mushroom Duxelle

on a Roast Garlic Crostini

Belle Glos "Clark and Telephone" Pinot Noir 2005

Chargrilled Kona Coffee dusted Sliced Kobe Flank Steak

over Foie Gras Potato Mash with Grilled Zuchinni

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Bavarian Cream and Fresh Berry Mille Feuille

Mer Soleil Late 2002

OK, to my legions of fans that have been waiting with baited breath ... so this is over a month late but here's my review of the Caymus Wine Dinner at Dusty's in Okemos, MI.

Overall, the dinner was fair. The wines, thankfully, were just incredible. The first course is not all that different from a canneloni that currently is on their lunch menu. So, nothing special or imaginative there. The Mer Soleil Chardonnay was just exquisite. Not at all oaky and just a smooth wine. I've got a couple of bottles of this in my fridge.

The sablefish course was just OK. The Conundrum is a wine that I've had before and it was just as I remembered -- smooth and nice nose to it ... a smell of perfume almost in the glass.

Duck rillete was good but the Belle Glos "Clark and Telephone" Pinot Noir was even better. The wine was just out of this world and it is now my wine of the moment. If I can find it anywhere on the shelf, I pick up a bottle for my collection. Incredible nose to it, fruity and just a real pleasure to drink on.

The Kobe steak was the course I was most looking forward to with the Caymus Cabernet. The Kobe was a real disappointment. The chef came out at the end of the meal to explain that on the spectrum of Kobe beef -- 1 being the lowest quality and 10 being the highest, he would rate the beef he served us at a 6 or 7. I would disagree. I would have called it more a 3. I've had London Broil with more tenderness and flavor. For the wine, you can never go wrong with anything that has "Caymus" on the label.

The Mer Soleil Late Viognier was just great! The taste of ice wine at a fraction of the cost. The Mille Feuille was a bit of a disappointment. "Mille Feuille" is supposed to be a thousand folds in French. The crust was not all that flaky or delicate. It was tasty though and it stood up to the wine pretty well.

I was glad that I went to the dinner to at least be able to experience the Belle Glos Pinot Noir. I don't think I would have gone if they weren't pouring Caymus.

The Philippines in Manhattan

The Philippines in Manhattan: Dining at Grill 21 on the East Side. It’s well known to Filipinos, but awaits discovery by others. (Photo: NYTimes.com)

This article from The New York Times briefly touches on some Asian food options in NYC besides Chinese and Indian. Asia is a big continent and there are more choices besides General Tso's Chicken and Lamb Roganjosh. Filipino food gets a nice mention here with a restaurant called Grill 21 on the East Side.

Growing up in an Italian neighborhood, I learned over time that my own culture's cuisine was not widely appreciated by my friends. My friends would have me over to their apartment for dinner, I would learn to appreciate homemade gravy (usually a family recipe for red sauce passed down from generation to generation and is top secret ... my younger sister married into an Italian family and she can't share her mother-in-law's recipe with me!) and meatballs, eggplant parm, veal parm and spicy chicken parm on linguine.

At our apartment, the rice cooker was on for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I thought it was normal to eat white rice with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. And, to have salty fish, eggs (sunny side up) with white rice and fatty sausage for breakfast. Lunch or dinner could be pork marinated in vinegar or oxtail stew with peanut sauce with plenty of white rice. When my friends would come over for a meal, they wouldn't eat a thing. If my Mom made lumpia (Filipino egg rolls with minced pork, celery and carrots -- no cabbage like the Chinese version), my friends would fill up on that because it at least looked familiar. I think my friends were scared of our food and it took me a while to figure that out.

My cousin in Chicago, a successful corporate accountant, told me a few years ago that she stopped bringing in lunch to her office altogether. Co-workers would remark to her, "What died in here?" after heating up her lunch in the break room.

No wonder Filipino cuisine hasn't taken the US by storm! My Dad had a Filipino restaurant in Jersey City for many years (and, yes, I worked in it!) and we rarely saw caucasian people inside the restaurant ... that is unless they were married to a Filipino! When your country of origin's food appears on "Fear Factor" and not on the Food Network ... you're way outside the mainstream.

From the NYT article:Philippines
They may be one the biggest immigrant groups in the United States, but for some reason Filipinos never flocked to New York. But they will be flocking to St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. for the Feast Day Mass of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint. If you can’t make that — or even if you can — a more tangible feast is available anytime at Grill 21 in the Gramercy Park neighborhood. With its burger-and-fries name and side-street location, it has done a fine job of hiding from everyone but Filipinos, who head there for comfort food around brunchtime on weekends — and a menu that features tysilog, which is garlic rice, eggs and a dried, salted fish called tuyo that you dunk in a salty sauce.

ZAGAT.COM: How Much? Gawking at Outrageously Expensive Food

I've had more than my fair share of some adventurous meals, but this is probably too much for even me (from the article below):

Kopi Luwak coffee, for instance, is harvested from the feces of Asian Palm
Civets who eat raw coffee berries but can't digest the actual coffee bean.

That's not coffee. It might say coffee on the menu, but I'm not buying it.

But, as far as food trends go, I'm totally done with molecular gastronomy. A close second is the "luxe meal" just for the sake of throwing money away. You know... an omelette made from a dinosaur egg. Or perhaps a brontosaurus burger. A martini made with diamonds. A "Big Mac" but instead of the "special sauce" there's just a hunk of gold bullion. You get the idea.

The article on this crazy food trend is from Zagat.com. I'd write more but I've got to go light up my Cuban Cohiba with a $100 bill. Just another Wednesday night in the Lumanog house...

The FleurBurger 5000

How Much? Gawking at Outrageously Expensive Food
Those shocked by conspicuous consumption dropped their jaws yesterday when the Guinness Book of World Records announced the world's most expensive dessert, the $25,000 frozen "hot" chocolate at Serendipity 3 made of cocoa, milk and several grams of 24-karat gold. Of course, the costly concoction's excesses didn't end there: topped with whipped cream, La Madeline au Truffe and yes, more gold, it's served in a gold-crowned diamond-encrusted goblet with a gold spoon.

Serendipity's Frrrozen Haute Chocolate may be the swankiest sundae around, but it has lots of company. Across the globe, restaurants and hotels looking to draw attention to themselves are offering outrageously overpriced fare. Just this Monday, chef Frank Tujague at the Westin in Times Square announced the following menu addition: a $1,000 bagel topped white truffle cream cheese, goji berry–infused Riesling jelly and the obligatory gold leaf.

And that isn't the only 1K breakfast treat. If bagels aren't your thing, you could always head to Norma's in NYC for its $1,000 "Zillion Dollar Breakfast Fritatta" made of eggs, lobster and 10 oz. of caviar (the menu "dares you to expense" it).

Besides premium price tags, what these dishes have in common are highly coveted ingredients – think gobs of caviar and mounds of white truffles. Chicago's Blue Water Grill recently honored national seafood month by selling a $100 maki roll constructed from lobster, sea urchin, gold leaf and an ounce of Osetra caviar.

And since those famous white fungi are especially rare this year (they run about $275 an ounce), truffle-bedecked delicacies are seeing their prices rise. Most notably, the infamous truffle-topped mac 'n' cheese at New York's Waverly Inn, which once cost $55 a serving, is now $85.

Burgers, one of America's favorite meals, aren't immune to the insanity either. If the $120 "double truffle" burger at db Bistro Moderne in New York is too cheap for you, there's always the FleurBurger 5000 served at Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay (pictured above). Not only does it come with truffles, foie gras and Japanese Kobe, it replaces the usual Coca-Cola with a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus poured in Ichendorf Brunello stemware (bonus! the crystal is later shipped to your home).

Of course, there are extremely pricey items out there that don't have anything to do with fish eggs or fungus. Kopi Luwak coffee, for instance, is harvested from the feces of Asian Palm Civets who eat raw coffee berries but can't digest the actual coffee bean. Buying Kopi Luwak coffee beans can run up to half a grand per pound. Or if you're a bit strapped for cash, you can always head to Silks at the Mandarin Oriental in San Francisco where you can drop a mere $40 on a cup.

Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA

The Wall Street Journal has been making me sad lately. First, they did a wonderful story about one of my favorite restaurants, Bluestem in Kansas City. They went on and on about their experimental cuisine and the cute little dining room as well as their star, Chef Colby Garrelts. I've eaten at this place quite a few times and once even with my esteemed food and wine group, La Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, where not one of these foodies went away with a bad word to say about the place. (I even made a point of having my "last supper" in Kansas City at this very place)

In a recent edition of WSJ, they raved about Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA. My wife and I went there for dinner on our food and wine pilgrimage to Napa Valley. The place was probably still in its first year of business and they knocked our socks off. We ate from the Chef's Tasting Menu which meant they prepared an entire menu just for us. They even gave us a copy of our special menu as a souvenir. In case you cared, here it is:

Thursday, August 3, 2006

Canapes
*
Amuse Bouche

*
Thai marinated lobster, avocado, mango and fresh hearts of palm

Riesling Spatlese, Ziliken "Saarburger Rausch", Germany 1993

*
Seared foie gras with peaches, blackberries and buttermilk biscuit, bourbon verjus sauce

Tokay Pinot Gris, Ernest Burn "Grand Cru Goldert-Clos St. Imer", Alsace, France 2001

*
Pen shell with sweet corn and pickled ramp greens

Gruner Veltliner, Nigl "Kremser Freiheit", Kremstal, Austria 2005

*
Duck breast with red curry braised soybeans and cinnamon cap mushrooms, tamarind glazed eggplant, kaffir lime sauce

Pinot Noir, Cep, Sonoma Coast 2004

*

Ume'-glazed pork belly, caramelized baby leek and cherry blossoms
Rioja Crianza, Sierra Cantabria, Spain 2001

*
Artisanal and farmhouse cheeses with complementing breads and fruits

*
White nectarines with almond financier and white chocolate ice cream
Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise, Domaine de Durban, Rhone Valley, France 2004

-and-

Caramel soup with kettle corn sorbet and chocolate filigree

*
Mignardises

Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine is probably one of my places to be. It will always have a special place in my heart because of the great memories I've had there as well as the new things my wife and I discover as we return.

So, for our big 10 year wedding anniversary, I thought why not go back to a place that has been such a special landmark in our married time together? And, what a great decision that was.

The food was still amazing, the sights still spectacular but Portland has grown in popularity so there were more people there just discovering what we've known for a while now.


Our first food stop at Duckfat -- French fries fried in duckfat with truffle ketchup and curry mayo
lobster on a bed of linguine in garlic and butter sauce at Street & Co - could I be any happier?
Amy tackling her lobster lunch at Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in Freeport, Maine
The quintessential Maine meal - lobster roll. This one was from The Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth. I'm still on the search for the best one in Maine. The best one was in Bar Harbor, Maine (can't remember the name of the restauarant, though!)
Hugo's in Portland wishing us a Happy Anniversary!
Portland Head Light in the background -- one of my favorite pics from our trip
The breakfast of champions at Becky's Diner right on Hobson Wharf in Portland -- that's a pound and a half of lobster in that omelet, my friends.

car slams into Hop Kee -- my favorite restaurant from my childhood

Food is a pretty big deal to me. I have such wonderful associations with food and my growing up. A while back, when I was home in New Jersey, I had to have a number of various food items while on my trip:

- slice of pizza at Filippo's Pizzeria in Hoboken, NJ -- sprinkled with garlic salt and a can of Ginger Ale
- bar pie (pizza) at Leo's Restaurant in Hoboken, NJ -- see above for side dish
- anything at my Dad's restaurant (Subic Filipino BBQ - now closed) in Jersey City, NJ
- Mallowmar cookies - sold anywhere in the Tri-State area of NJ, NY & CT
- a Sabrett Hot Dog - sold on street carts anywhere
- spicy linguine with chicken parm and shrimp parm at Little Charlie's outside Little Italy in NY
- a Ferrara's Cannoli - Little Italy

And, of course, a pilgrimage to the Hop Kee Restaurant in Chinatown for dim sum. A few years ago, my sister and I went over to Hop Kee for the same meal we've been having since we were kids. We were devastated to see the place closed and boarded up. My sister and I even tried to look through the windows to see if it was a joke. We looked at each other and my wife says we almost cried. Isn't it strange how a silly thing like re-living a tradition from your childhood can hold such sway in your life now?

Apparently, the restaurant has re-opened recently and someone celebrated that fact by running their car into the place last week. Congratulations on your re-opening... CRASH!

Please, no more foams

at Bluestem in Kansas City

I'll admit that once upon a time, I thought the picture above was just the height of culinary achievement. I am pretty tired of foams, clouds, pillows, etc., etc. as side dishes. 

Even though Bluestem -- one of my all-time favorite restaurants -- seems to still be obsessed with this culinary fad, I'll overlook it because the food is just incredible. I did a 5-course menu and everything was just out of this world. Spectacular looking plates that were also delicious.

Here is a recap of my meal:
- My amuse bouche of melon juice with a watermelon foam (pictured above)

- Torchon de foie gras - served with a pour of Sauternes

- Wagyu tartare - served with Gosset Champagne (excellent pairing)

- Deconstructed Bouillabaise with scallop and shrimp (yummy)

- Wagyu striploin - served with some "baby Brunello" (not a big fan of the wine but the Wagyu was just incredible)

- Tres Leche cake with roasted peaches and praline - served with Moscato D'Asti (also excellent)

The Saveur 100

Now I consider myself to be a foodie. A lot of foodies I know subscribe to Saveur magazine. And, most of those people also have money to burn to travel to all kinds of exotic places to sample these great foods first hand. I don't subscribe to the magazine because it would just be torture reading about all these foods that I'll probably never have ... at least not yet!

Even as a foodie, I'm still a novice. Out of the list of this year's Saveur 100, I've experienced 6 of these delectable treats (I've bolded the 6 treats that I've had on the list of 100 that follows below). Plus, when I was in Birmingham, Alabama last week for the Anglican Mission conference, a bunch of us from church went to #18 on the list -- Jim n Nick's Bar-b-Q. This BBQ joint was just out of this world. I had the very beef brisket and collard greens. What a happy surprise to see that I'm not alone in my admiration of this wonderful BBQ restaurant that we all kind of stumbled into when looking for a late night snack!

Saveur magazine's eighth annual list of favorite restaurants, food, drink, people, places and things:

1. La Chassagnette Restaurant – Arles, France
2. Trishna Restaurant – Bombay, India
3. Pohutukawa Honey – New Zealand
4. Anchovy-stuffed olives – Spain 
5. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks – New York City
6. Hendrick's Gin - Scotland
7. Hamburger America – Various states
8. Coffee Cup Coin Purse – New York City
9. Chef Chan's Restaurant - Singapore
10. Goan Avocado Salad – New York City
11. Water Buffalo Milk Yogurt – South Woodstock, Vt.
12. Sun Gold Tomatoes – Various states
13. Bramante Roof Terrace – Rome, Italy
14. CLA Grills and Service – Little Rock, Arkansas
15. Adam Perry Lang – New York City
16. El Cardenal Restaurant – Mexico City
17. Chocolate Sparkle Cookies – Toronto and Vancouver, Canada
18. Jim n Nick's Bar-b-Q – Birmingham, Alabama & various other states 
19. IKEA Swedish Food Markets – Various states
20. Compass Box Crafted Whiskies – Scotland
21. Dan Bing – Taipei, Taiwan
22. Debauve & Gallais – Paris
23. Sushi Susaki – Tokyo
24. Pudding Basin – United Kingdom
25. Costco Birthday Cake – Various states
26. Ossera Serrat Gros – Spanish Pyrenees
27. Mason Jar
28. Chef Musa Dagdeviren – Istanbul, Turkey
29. Magnetic Poetry Kits 
30. Robert Lawrence Balzer – California
31. Allagash Brewing Co. – Portland, Maine
32. Martin's Pretzels – Theresa, New York
33. Le Timbre – Paris
34. Daniel Boulud Brasserie, Las Vegas
35. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare, Las Vegas
36. Bouchon, Las Vegas
37. Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, Las Vegas
38. RM Seafood, Las Vegas
39. Alex, Las Vegas
40. Bradley Ogden, Las Vegas
41. Mix, Las Vegas
42. Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
43. Wild Smoked Salmon jerky – Washington
44. Chablis in Screw-cap bottles - France
45. Kakáwa Cocoa Beans – Austin, Texas
46. Linen Apron
47. Boqueria Restaurant – Cork, Ireland
48. Dry Austrian Golden Muscat – Austria
49. Hoedeopbap – Korea
50. Frescobaldi Wine Bar – Rome, Italy
51. California Dessert Wines – California
52. Fluffy – New Zealand
53. Fallen Fruit (Web site) – Los Angeles, Calif.
54. Duck Eggs
55. The Unprejudiced Palate – Seattle
56. Lee Stewart – Napa Valley, California
57. Palais Coburg's Wine List – Vienna, Austria
58. Camargue Caramels – Los Angeles
59. Cheese Popovers – New York City
60. Hunn's Private Stock Hot Bread & Butter Chips – Celina, Texas
61. Tillen Farms Pickled Crispy Snappers – Yakima Valley, Wash.
62. Talk O' Texas Crispy Okra Pickles – San Angelo, Texas
63. Rick's Picks GT 1000s – Brooklyn, N.Y.
64. Julio Ramirez – Monterey, Calif.
65. Aga Companion
66. Hermosillo Hot Dog – Sonora, Mexico
67. Cointreau
68. Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls – Philadelphia
69. Gripper Smartmat
70. Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven – New York City
71. Lobmeyr – Vienna, Austria
72. West Alabama Icehouse – Houston
73. Bar Code Beef Label at La Cabana Restaurant – Buenos Aires
74. Rich Man's Purses at Gundel Restaurant, Budapest
75. Marche Du Vieux-Port Quebec – Quebec City
76. Minervois La Liviniere – France
77. Spicy Thai Kettle Chips
78. El Bohio Restaurant – La Mancha, Spain
79. Fish Pate in Tubes – Sweden
80. Ballina (Australian Prawns), Ballina, Australia
81. Davidoff Entreacto Cigars
82. Acetoria Vinegars – Italy & Germany
83. Japanese Freshwater Crabs
84. Martin Ray – Santa Rosa, Calif.
85. Typhoon Cooking Tools – United Kingdom
86. Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix
87. Royal Project Foundation - Thailand
88. Original Condiment Package Museum – Orange County, Calif.
89. Rafal Spice Company – Detroit, Michigan
90. Crispy Buffalo Wontons (Ruby Tuesdays) – Various states
91. Karen Hess – Nebraska
92. Fritada – Ecuador
93. Du-Par's – Los Angeles
94. Kaffir Lime Leaves
95. Fromagerie Pascal Trotte – Paris
96. Modern Spirits – Monrovia, California
97. Roast Chicken and Other Stories Cookbook – England
98. Silicone Spatulas
99. Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery – Oxford, England
100. New Orleans

just some of my best meals

Well, it's day one of vacation and I'm trying very hard not to do any work. I thought instead of working, I'd put this post together on my favorite meals!

Fleur de Lys - San Francisco, CA

Definitely in my Top 10 meals of all time. For my main course, I selected the Kobe beef cheeks, veal sweetbreads and broccolini.


Cafe Claude - San Francisco, CA
My wife and I were out exploring the city and found this restaurant completely by accident. We decided to give it a try for dinner and we happened to go on a night with live jazz music! I had the Filet Mignon and frites - amazing.


Yank Sing - San Francisco, CA
James Beard Award winning restaurant with the best dim sum I've ever had! My wife and I went here twice for lunch over our four days in San Francisco! I grew up with dim sum but every single item that they had to offer was so artfully prepared.


Restaurant Taste - Plymouth, CA
I was in Stockton, CA for a ministry trip and my host took me wine tasting in Amador County and we stopped in at this great restaurant between tastings. For lunch, I ordered the Trenne Pasta with Colorado lamb ragu, artisan pasta, shaved parmesan reggiano and fresh basil. Pasta cooked perfectly and the ragu was just spot on.


Joseph Decuis - Roanoke, IN

My wife and I were in Ft. Wayne, IN for a ministry trip and on our way out of town, we stopped in at this culinary gem in Roanoke. Beautiful dining room, exceptional service and we even scored the Chef's Table! Our starter was the lobster mac and cheese with caviar.


My main course was the Wagyu Ribeye. Meat perfectly cooked and the veal reduction was a great match. My only criticism was that my potatoes were lukewarm.

Port of Spain - Hoboken, NJ

Now this restaurant is probably more of a nostalgic go-to than anything else. Growing up, this was one of my favorite restaurants. Before my wife and I got married, I took her here for dinner. I just could not understand why she didn't love the place as much as I did. Probably because I'm used to it being dim, not the cleanest restaurant and pretty inattentive service. But, the food is exactly as I remembered it. I almost always order the Veal Extramena - sliced veal with peppers and sausage. When the entrees come (be prepared for a wait!), you get their homemade chips, rice and veggies for the table. Also, everything tastes better with a pitcher of sangria.


Leo's Grandevous - Hoboken, NJ

Here's another stop on the nostalgia tour - this time right in my own neighborhood. A must order for me is the Bar Pie with extra cheese and sausage. If you visit, you better like Frank Sinatra because he's all over the walls and playing nonstop on the sound system.


Taste of Tuscany - Clifton, NJ
This was a new place for me. My sister and brother-in-law wanted to bring us here before we left for Michigan and I'm so glad that we tried something new! I had their Chicken Valdostona - chicken, spinach, mozzerella and marsala sauce on a bed of beautifully prepared al dente linguine. I can't wait to go back there when I visit home!


Panzon's - Lenexa, KS
I had this meal twice during a business trip to Kansas City. Another stop on the nostalgia tour. On Tuesday nights, Amy was teaching at church. Every Tuesday night, I would take Ainsley to Panzon's for dinner and it was always a standing date night on the calendar. And, it just so happened to be the taco special night so we would both eat for just a few bucks. I always get 4 tacos - 2 chicken, 2 beef.


Jack Stack BBQ - Overland Park, KS
Crown prime ribs with cheesy corn bake. A must have in Kansas City right after you go to Arthur Bryant's (unfortunately, I couldn't get a trip in to Bryant's before I had to leave for Michigan - next time!).


Thai Princess - Okemos, MI
This restaurant has only been open for a few weeks. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I've been here 5 times since they've opened. I think I can say that this is the best Thai food in Lansing. I've had their Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao ("Drunken Noodles") and am determined to try some of the other traditional favorites on their menu.


Dusty's Cellar - Okemos, MI
Grilled Cobia and fries - it wasn't on the menu. The fish of the day was a cobia that was grilled with a pomegranate reduction and served with a sweet potato hash. The preparation and the side dish didn't sound great. I asked if I could have the fish simply grilled with a side of fries. It was amazing. I appreciate the Chef's willingness to go along with me on this!

The Omnivore's 100

I found this from a fellow food blogger, Runs With Spatula, and it looked like a fun little distraction from my rather stressful day.

Here’s how this works:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Jack's Omnivore’s Hundred (82/100)

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (Sabretts in New Jersey and New York are the best!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese (just once -- it looked awful and tasted worse)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat (Korma Sutra in Kansas City had this on their lunch buffet)
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (I crave this more than I should!)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine (I'd like to try this but it looks like a heart attack on a plate! I almost ordered this when at Duckfat in Portland, Maine but I had enough going on for one meal!)
60. Carob chips (only because of my Mom's health food phase when I was a kid)
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (Zeppoles at outdoor Italian festivals should also be in this line item...also yummy!)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (apple is the best!)
78. Snail (always when in butter garlic sauce!)
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

dinner at Charlie Trotter's

Charlie Trotter's legendary restaurant in Chicago is now closed.

But before he closed up, I am one of the lucky ones who has dined at this place.

This dinner was one for the record books. Wow. Again, I dined with my pal, Dustin, who is the only other person in my life who is as enthusiastic about culinary adventures as I am. We clearly demonstrated our eagerness to be at Trotter's as soon as we walked in -- we're easy marks, I suppose.

So, we were rewarded with four ... yes, four ... desserts. Before that, we enjoyed lamb prepared sous-vide, duck and the most wonderful steak dishes.

There were many surprises at dinner. The one that stuck out to both of us was that one of the desserts was served with spicy chorizo...as in the sausage. It was a bold idea, to be sure, but it just didn't go with the ice cream as hoped for. We did eat nearly all of it, but we still didn't like it. Is that commitment to one's hobby or what?

Here's a list of the 101 Best Restaurants in America from The Daily Meal. 

I've been to just a few of these (I highlighted the places I've been to in yellow - my notes are off to the side.)  A lot of these restaurants I expected to be on the list.  Biggest surprise has to be #18 - Arthur Bryant's BBQ in Kansas City.  Definitely well-earned recognition for Bryant's among some of the giants in the fine dining scene.

101 Best Restaurants in America 

101. McCrady's
99. Rasika (tie)
99. Hot and Hot Fish Club (tie)
97. L'Espalier (tie)
97. Oklahoma Joe's (tie) - not the best BBQ joint in Kansas City but worth a mention.
95. Lonesome Dove (tie)
95. Ad Hoc (tie)
94. Neptune Oyster Bar
93. Beast
90. Bar Masa (tie)
90. Urasawa (tie)
90. '21' Club (tie)
88. Animal (tie)
88. Lucques (tie)
87. Quinones at Bacchanalia
85. Hungry Mother (tie)
85. 17th Street Bar & Grill (tie)
84. Moto
83. Everest
82. Michael Mina
81. Radius
78. Valentino (tie)
78. The Barn at Blackberry Farms (tie)
78. Boulevard (tie)
75. Incanto (tie)
75. Redd (tie)
75. Mustard's Grill (tie)
74. Arun's Thai Restaurant
72. SriPhraPhai (tie)
72. Grand Sichuan International
69. Restaurant Eve (tie)
69. Michael's Genuine (tie)
69. L20 (tie)
68. Fore Street - great place in the Portland, Maine food scene!
67. The Fearrington House
66. Eugene
65. Al Forno
64. Osteria
63. Le Pigeon
62. Reef
61. Publican
59. Jitlada (tie)
59. Hominy Grill (tie)
58. Bouchon Bistro - a definite favorite of mine!
57. Fearing's
54. Vetri (tie)
54. o ya (tie)
54.  Lambert's Downtown Barbecue (tie)
53. Restaurant August
51. Slanted Door (tie)
51. Le Bec-Fin (tie)
 50. Herbfarm
48. Marea (tie)
48. Locanda Verde (tie)
47. Joël Robuchon 
45. Osteria Mozza (tie)
45. CityZen (tie)
43. The Four Seasons Restaurant (tie)
43. Cut (tie)
40. The Hitching Post II (tie)
40. Casa Mono (tie)
40. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (tie)
39. Guy Savoy
38. Kreuz Market
37. Galatoire's
35. Spago (tie)
35. Coi (tie)
34. Pizzeria Bianco
33. Frasca
31. Cochon (tie)
31. Canlis (tie)
29. Lotus of Siam (tie)
29. Fonda San Miguel (tie)
28. Del Posto
27. Minibar
25. The Pit (tie)
25. Momofuku Ssäm Bar (tie)
24. Joe's Stone Crab
21. Zuni Café (tie)
21. Frank Pepe Pizzeria (tie)
21. Clio (tie)
20. Frontera Grill
19. Bazaar
18.  Arthur Bryant's - One of my favorite restaurants ... ever!  Not a lot of atmosphere, but you are eating a part of history.  Pork BBQ sandwich with fries is my go to order.  Hit the place up at 11a or 1p to miss the lunch rush.
16. Commander's Palace (tie)
16. Babbo (tie)
15. WD-50
14. Katz's Delicatessen
13. Peter Luger - be sure to bring cash, no cards accepted!
12. Bern's Steak House
11. Masa
10. The Inn at Little Washington
9. Citronelle
8. Jean Georges
7. Chez Panisse
6. Blue Hill Stone Barns
5. Alinea
4. Daniel
3. Le Bernardin
2. Per Se
1. French Laundry

my intro to the Court of Master Sommeliers



Setup for our classroom lectures and wine tastings for the 2 day intro Sommelier course

This is my "home" for two days - trying to be a good student with my reference materials handy

This wine tripped me up in the blind tasting portion of the class - we presented in teams of 5 on what we thought the wine was after analyzing color, aroma and taste.  I'll never forget this wine now!



The wine tasting flight aftermath

A very full lecture hall for the Intro Sommelier Course

The very comprehensive notebook of the presentations given by the Master Sommeliers - a souvenir from my time in class!

(For another first person account of the two day introductory Sommelier course, read this by Mary Orlin.  She's a much better writer and she actually passed the course!)

I just got back from taking the two day introductory course with the Court of Master Sommeliers.  It's the first step of a two step process necessary to become a "Certified Sommelier."  I went into my time pretty prepared having dusted off books like The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil and picking up a copy of Sales and Service for the Wine Professional by Brian Julyan.

There were 90 course participants - all (except at least me - maybe others) working full time in the restaurant or beverage business.  I felt a little like an interloper since food and wine are passions for me - but not how I earn my living.  I wanted to broaden my wine education by basically getting a "jet tour" through the wine regions of the world and to understand how to do a proper Champagne and decanter service.  I really enjoyed watching the demonstration of both the Champagne and decanter service by the Master Sommeliers!

The course lectures were given over a day and a half with the exam at the end of the second day.  The lectures split up between four Master Sommeliers - all extremely knowledgeable and very good presenters.  The lectures were fast-paced and the info was all very helpful in broadening my knowledge base.

One of the main features of the Sommelier Course is teaching and practicing the Court of Master Sommeliers deductive tasting method.  There is a method for blind tastings on how to describe the color of the wine, nose (smell), alcohol and acidity - all to determine where the wine is from, the type of grape, and the vintage (year) of the wine.

Each and every one of us had to stand up in front of the classrom and present on a blind tasting in teams of five.  I got completely tripped up by a 2009 Nickel and Nickel Chardonnay Searby Vineyard from the Russian River Valley.  I got some of what the Master Sommeliers were looking for in my palate presentation, corrected a couple of times along the way, but I was still missing some crucial aspects that would lead me and my team to the final correct result.

I'm pretty positive about taking the course - not so positive on the outcome of the exam.  I've heard from two others who took the intro course where everyone passed.  This was not the case in my course.  I wasn't keeping track of how many passed - but there weren't anywhere near 90 diplomas and pins handed out.  There were more than a few (myself included) who were surprised by the outcome.  I saw one person in particular who slumped into a chair in aggravation when his name wasn't called by the Master Somms handing out diplomas and pins. (I'm not going to lie, but for a moment there, I almost joined him.)

This course had a lot of young 20s and 30s in attendance and they were either aspiring Sommeliers backed by their restaurants (it costs money to take this course and sit for the exam) or they were waiters hoping to make a switch and they paid out of pocket.  The reaction of those who did not pass was either: "Great, I'm out this money and time and didn't even pass" (if you paid out of pocket like me) -or- "How am I going to explain this to my boss?" (if you were backed by your restaurant or wine shop).

It was exciting to see the reaction of those who passed after their hard work and heartbreaking at the same time for those who were hoping to make it to the next level.

My takeaways:
1) I'm going to take the course and exam again.  I learned so much and it barely scratched the surface of 6,000-8,000 years of wine production!  It's a rich history and I loved what I learned so far.

2) I have an even greater amount of respect for those who are in the service industry.  My family has been in the restaurant business for most of my life.  My Dad is a chef and I saw first hand how the work takes its toll on you physically and relationally.  Watching aspiring Sommeliers in action and talking with them and hearing their stories - it's encouraging for the overall future of the business having young and passionate people starting out with this level of education. 

3) I was encouraged to continue my pursuit of becoming a Sommelier.  It came up that I'm not working in the "business" (restaurant or beverage industry).  As far as I know, I was the only non-professional at this particular course offering.  But, the others taking the class with me said that food and wine critics are not interested in taking the course and the exam because it places them against an international standard of knowledge about wine. 

4) I'm proud to be a member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs.  I have been with The Chaine for 10 years now.  I see the importance of our organization holding an international Young Sommelier competition every year to encourage young wine professionals in their ongoing education and training.