New Year's Eve 2016

Leah and I stayed in for New Year's Eve this year. We wanted to take it easy so instead of going out to a party or restaurant, we opted to prepared some fancy NYE food for ourselves, which we enjoyed while watching the live Phish stream from Madison Square Garden (a hallowed New Year's tradition). 

Harvest Moon Rippleton Original

As we don't actually drink much champagne, we instead opened a bottle of dry cider from Critz Farm in central NY. 

Caviar

Sterling White American Sturgeon, Blinis, Crème Fraîche

This is my favorite American sturgeon, and always a treat to enjoy with the traditional accompaniments. 

Raw Bar Platter

Whole Chilled Lobster, King Crab Leg, Warm Lemon Butter, Lemon Mayo

You can get whole frozen king crab legs at Fairway or Citarella. They're actually really good. 

Sea Urchin

This Citarella sea urchin is actually not the best. It's dirt-cheap, but it's not remotely comparable to the plump, sweet varieties from Japan or Santa Barbara. 

Caesar Salad

Homemade Dressing, Croutons

Beef Wellington

Puff Pastry, Prosciutto, Mushroom Duxelles, Dijon Mustard, Sea Salt, Red Wine Sauce

The main event and a real labor of love. I followed Gordon Ramsay's recipe, which came out excellently. 

Spiced Pot de Crème

Walnuts, Maple Cream

Leah's wonderful dessert. I love a good pot de crème, and she did a great version here using cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Betony w/ Al

I had taken Leah to Betony for her birthday dinner earlier in the year. We had a wonderful evening and thought we had found a new fine dining gem (especially their incredible cocktail program), but learned shortly after that they would be closing their doors.

I did manage to make it once more for dinner with Al for our annual dining excursion. It wasn't quite the lavish experience full of complimentary courses that Leah and I experienced, but still a fantastic night out, especially considering it was Betony's second-to-last service before shutting down for good. 

Final view of the spectacular ceiling and bar area. 

We started with drinks from their aforementioned incredible cocktail program. Unfortunately I can't say what exactly some of them were on this evening, as they de-listed the website shortly after our visit and I wasn't able to make notes for my records. I do know that the bottom drink was their stellar milk punch, one of my favorite cocktails ever consumed. 

Once again I have to apologize for my phone, which kept processing images in this restaurant with these bands. Strange, as it only ever happened at Betony. 

Truffle Broth

Butter, Thyme

The aroma from this fragrant amuse-bouche was already in the air when we sat, and we continued to notice it throughout the evening as other guests who sat later received theirs. 

Bread Service

Dill Rolls, Whipped Yogurt

Scallop (Al First Course)

Cured, w/ Horseradish

Extremely light, clean, and refreshing. 

Toasted Grain Salad

Sprouts, Lebne

I would never order something like this, usually opting for richer and less, well, "vegetarian-y" cuisine. However, I recalled Mike Colameco raving about this when he visited Betony on an episode of Real Food, so I was very interested. It turned out to be a great, hearty dish with many contrasting textures. 

"Stone Soup"

Wish I could remember what was in this "premium" cocktail, as it cost $25. It was delicious though!

Squid "Noodles" (Al Second Course)

Squid and fluke sliced to resemble noodles. There was a light but buttery broth in the bowl, along with a few pieces of what Al guessed to be crispy fried fish skin. 

Foie Gras (Darren Second Course)

Seared w/ Wood Ear Mushrooms, Duck Broth

The mushrooms provided a pleasing textural contrast, and the rich broth gave the whole dish a wonderfully comforting flavor. 

My third cocktail (Al switched to a glass of white wine at this point). The ingredients listed were simply, "Scotch, Acorn, Parsnip". The parsnip foam was added table-side from an air canister. It was very fun and interesting tasting, and paired perfectly with my woods-y foie gras. 

Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso Ca' del Merlo 2008

Their wine guy was pushing some of the more expensive bottles pretty hard (I'm sure they had inventory to move on their last week of service), but this turned out to be quite worth it. A wonderful near-raisin-y flavor, but without being too rich. 

Whole Wild Scottish Pheasant for Two w/ Sides

Breast Meat w/ Jus, Roasted Shallot and Apple, Fried Sage, Potato Purée

Warm Potato Rolls w/ Butter

Foie Gras Parfait w/ Thyme Aspic and Savory Stuffed Rolls

Leg Meat w/ Cabbage and Herbs

Red Cabbage Gratin

Needless to say, this mesmerizing spread was a joy to behold and to eat, similar to the pig's head course Leah and I enjoyed previously. 

Al pulled a little hard bit out of his mouth thinking maybe he got a piece of bone. Upon closer inspection we realized it was a pellet of buckshot! Proof that the pheasant was indeed wild-hunted. He wanted to keep the shot to show his wife, but I accidentally lost it when he stepped away. Sorry buddy!

Classic Cheese Course (Al Dessert)

Candied Nuts, Black Currant Spread

Betony offered the option of a cheese course instead of dessert. Al opted for the "Classic" interpretation, with just the cheese and a few accompaniments. 

Composed Cheese Course (Darren Dessert)

I chose the "Composed" cheese offering, which arrived on this crispy fried noodle-like nest. 

I can't remember what this final dessert was for the life of me, but it was tasty. 

Hot Chocolate

Ambergris

On a whim, I decided to order their hot chocolate. For a supplement you could include ambergris - yes ambergris, the waxy substance found only in sperm whale intestines. It did add an interesting perfume-y quality - I wouldn't say it tasted great, but it was fun to try and ranks among some of the stranger things I've consumed. 

Mignardises

Final bite was two tasty little caramels. Another successful dinner with my best bud!

NoMad Bar - Wylie Dufresne Guest Spot

Regular readers of this blog will know that I was a huge fan of WD~50 before it closed its doors in November 2014. Wylie Dufresne has since remained active in the NYC food scene, however, and one such partnership occurred in 2016 when he guest-stinted at the NoMad Bar, serving a limited-time menu consisting of some of his most famous dishes. 

The always-awesome bird's eye view of the bar area from up on the balcony. It's a lot of fun to watch the amazing pros behind the bar at work. 

Coq-tail for Two

Absolut Elyx Vodka, Chambéry Blanc Vermouth, Green Apple, Apricot Liqueur, Yuzu, Nori, Tarragon

This delightful cocktail was served in an ice-cold copper vessel shaped like a "coq" (rooster), with two copper straws slotted into its back. The cocktail itself was light and refreshing, and came with two little additional shots served in quail eggs.

Eggs Benedict

Egg Yolk, Canadian Bacon, Fried Hollandaise

This was arguably WD~50's most iconic dish, and with good reason, as it put eggs, Wylie's favorite food, at the forefront. We never got to eat it at the restaurant while it was open, but it was true to form here and every bit as wild and delicious as I had always imagined. 

Eater did a fantastic article on this particular dish a few years back:
https://www.eater.com/2015/1/14/7533485/wd50-eggs-benedict-wylie-dufresne-eater-elements

Pigs In Blankets

Chinese Sausage, Compressed Hot Dog Buns, Japanese Mustard, Sweet Chili Sauce

This dish actually first appeared on the menu at Wylie's short-lived pub concept, Alder. It may not have had the history of the eggs benedict, but it was still delicious. 

Carrot Tartare

Quail Egg, Sunflower Seeds, Rye Crisps

Not a WD~50 dish of course, but we order this NoMad Bar classic every time we eat there - I maintain that it's the best thing on the menu. 

Humm Dog

Bacon-Wrapped, Black Truffle, Celery, Gruyère

Another NoMad Bar favorite of ours, though I was surprised that the excellent Wylie Dog (topped with deep-fried mayo breaded in hot dog bun crumbs) offered at PDT was not on the menu in its place. 

Rye Pasta

Shaved Pastrami, Pastrami Jerky Dust, Green Tomatoes, Mustard Sauce

This (relatively) straightforward dish, also from the menu at Alder, was our favorite of the night - all the flavors of a classic Jewish deli sandwich in one hearty, satisfying bowl of pasta. 

Burger & Fries

NoMad Bar's excellent cheeseburger and french fries, with assorted pickles and condiments. 

????

I actually have no notes for this meal, so everything I've written up to this point has been via memory or online research. This dessert I have minimal recollection of, however - I THINK it was a passion fruit panna cotta with shortbread biscuits. 

Maine 2016 Part 2 - Portland

Our Maine trip continued as we departed Mt. Desert Island and drove toward Portland. Unfortunately, no less than 10 minutes on the road and we got into a pretty bad car accident. A driver in the opposite lane wasn't paying attention to the road and didn't see that the cars in front of him had stopped due to construction. He swerved into my line, coming straight at me, subsequently forcing me to skid off the road so as to avoid a 50mph head-on collision. I lost control of the vehicle and smashed into the side road barrier, totaling the rental car. It was a chilling experience, but ultimately nobody was seriously injured (I had some relatively minor neck problems afterward) and I try to remind myself that my quick reaction averted a much more serious disaster.

Part one of the trip here: Main 2016 Part 1 - Southwest Harbor

Deviled Eggs

Bacon, Pickled Onions, Pickles

House-Made Soft Pretzels

Beer Mustard

Fresh Honeycomb

Blue Cheese, Sesame Crackers, Nasturtium

Smörgåsbord

Assorted pickles, spreads, olives, cheeses, crackers, breads, cured meats, warm octopus with peppers, lobster & dill salad, gravlax, pork belly toast with fennel, and two shots of chilled aquavit. INCREDIBLE. 

William Larue Weller Barrel Proof

This incredible bourbon was recommended to me by my cousin, who was turned on to it by the bartender at this very place. Arguably better and definitely cheaper (though still expensive!) than the over-hyped Pappy Van Winkle, this was a real eye-opening experience for me as a bourbon lover.

S'More

Saffron Marshmallow, Passion Fruit Sauce (I think)

Portland Hunt + Alpine Club

We had formal dinner arrangements for our first evening in Portland, but then the car accident happened. We spent most of the day dealing with that and getting our fried wits back in order. We decided to cancel dinner and go somewhere more relaxed. Upon my cousin's recommendation we headed to the amazing Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, which was exactly what the doctor ordered. We lounged at the bar for a few hours, sipping cocktails and watching the tiny one-man kitchen staff do everything - make pretzels, assemble dishes, prep for the later service, etc. We hit it off with the staff and they comped us the S'More dessert. 

The Holy Doughnut

Duck Fat Fries

Tomato Soup

Grilled Cheese Croutons

Duck Confit Panini

Bok Choy, Pickled Daikon, Cilantro, Black Garlic Mayo

Doughnut Holes

Duck Fat-Fried, Cinnamon Sugar, Duck Fat Caramel Sauce

Milkshake

Vanilla Gelato, Crème Anglaise, Vanilla Bean

Duckfat

Portland's food scene really is something else. This absolutely packed lunchtime eatery was worth the hype. Everything was super-indulgent, as expected from a place that incorporates duck fat into many of their dishes. 

Octopus

Mussels

Pasta Fatta In Casa

Cavatelli, Lamb Neck Ragu, Eggplant, Cerignola Olives, Orange, Aged Pecorino

This was the restaurant's signature dish, which we had enjoyed back at the James Beard House. It was just as amazing here!

Orecchiette

Pork Sugo, Ricotta

Roasted Cauliflower

Orange Semifreddo (I think)

Figs, Pistachios

Chocolate-Hazelnut Budino

Piccolo

We had enjoyed a memorable evening the previous November when the husband/wife chefs/owners of Piccolo cooked at the James Beard House in NYC. Visiting them at their cozy little restaurant in Portland was at the top of our to-do list, and we left feeling totally satisfied and well-cared for. 

The Bearded Lady's Jewel Box

After dinner at Piccolo we decided to go out for a drink. I will forever regret that we chose not to visit the legendary Vena's Fizz House, and instead went to the awful Jewel Box. It's entirely possible we went on an off-night, but we hated everything about this place, from its pretentious, hipster-y "too cool to care" vibe, to the decor that looked like it had been sourced from a garbage dump, to the singularly awful cocktails that were so off-putting as to boggle the mind (one overloaded with way too much Fernet, the other tasting identical to melted lemon cough drops). We choked down our drinks, paid the bill, and walked out the door. 

Lobster Fritters

Smoked White Fish Croquettes

Bone Marrow Toast

Fontina, Horseradish Creme, Red Onion Jam

Caramelized Sheep's Cheese

Pear, Quince Saba

Foie Gras Torchon

Chive, Candied Kumquat

Central Provisions

The hits just kept on coming. We ate our final lunch at the incredible Central Provisions, which served a variety of delicious, competently prepared small plates. 

Novare Res

Before our big final dinner we popped into this awesome underground beer hall and enjoyed a few unusual brews from their extensive list. 

We ate at the bar, where we had a front-row seat to watch the staff put everything together. 

The menu was divided into three themes - you could enjoy a full, cohesive progression or mix and match from each column. 

Cocktails

Amuse-Bouche

Wish I could remember what this was. Some sort of marinated fish with rice pearls on a cracker. 

Buttermilk Biscuits

Allagash Sixteen Counties

Instead of a traditional wine pairing, we were delighted to be able to order a beer pairing consisting entirely of local Allagash brews. At the end of the meal we realized that the lady dining to our right was in fact an Allagash representative - we had a nice post-meal conversation together. 

Short Rib Crudo - Darren 1st Course

Nuoc Cham, Peanut, Cucumber

Allagash Confluence

Sour Cream & Allium - Darren 2nd Course

Crème Fraîche, Leek, Cippolini Onion

Special shout-out to this wildly inventive dish, which recreated all the flavors of sour cream and onion chips in one little bowl, topped with crème fraîche "dip n' dots". 

Crab Salad - Leah 2nd Course

Pickled Shimeji, Radish, Bánh Xèo

Heart

Can't remember if it was beef, lamb, etc. but we were presented these two amazing little bites partway through the meal. 

Allagash Tiarna

Lamb - Leah 3rd Course

Poblano, Autumn Squash, Smoked Granola

Swordfish - Darren 3rd Course

Congee, Shiitake, Miso

Gratis Course

What was this mystery course we were apparently served that's not on the menu? I have no recollection but it looks great!

Allagash James Bean

Bread

Corn Agnolotti - Leah 4th Course

Celery, Potato, Corn Chowder

Cod En Croûte

Sandwich Oil, Giardiniera, Salami Cotto

Coffee

Desserts

Again, wish I could remember what these were as they were really quite spectacular. But unfortunately they're not on the printed menu and I have no notes. Oh well!

Allagash Fluxus

Mignardises

Hugo's

Our big final meal for the whole trip was at Hugo's, an upscale, inventive restaurant in the heart of Portland's downtown area. The dinner was nothing short of spectacular, as you've no doubt seen above. The format of the restaurant has since changed from what I understand (not sure if for better or worse), but we are very happy to have experienced what we got while it was there. 

One last box of Holy Doughnuts for breakfast before we hit the road and came home to NYC. It was a fantastic trip (other than the car accident). Portland is truly a one-of-a-kind food town.