Posts Tagged With: restaurants

Antica Corte Pallavicina – When Life Gives You a Pig

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Ziggy

When we were young and down on life, my mama had this strange saying: When life gives you a pig, you make Culatello! Black pigs preferred, raised in Emilia Romagna or Lombardia she proceeded to explain. You take the muscular side of the back legs, aka the “heart” of the prosciutto, cure it, put it inside a pig’s bladder and let it age in the moldy caves and cellars somewhere near Zibello, north of Parma. As close as possible to the foggy Po river. “Its all about the Terroir” she proclaimed. And only then, it can be designated Culatello di Zibello DOP, essentially Prosciutto on crack. Prosciutto so prized, it has a different name. Just don’t tell anyone that Culatello means “Little Ass” as it may take away some of that power from the name, she warned. Or maybe she was talking beets and borscht, I may be confusing things.

Last month we spent a magical day and night at Antica Corte Pallavicina, the most famous producer of Culatello di Zibello out there. In fact, “You can use the bikes to bike all the way to Zibello on the bike path” our trusted host told us. Done, and doner, assuming spotting Zibello inland from a distance was close enough for our own aching “little asses”. But if I would have to pick 5 memorable moments on this trip, riding those bikes along the Po on that day, with those views, passing farms, and with the sun Arrivederciing in front of us, was one of those moments. Minutes earlier, we visited their famous black pigs, snacked on their own Strolghino (salami), Parmigiano-Reggiano (also aged in their cellars) and drank their own bubblies while sitting on the antique couch in the antiques filled room, watching their antique dog and antique cat very closely (Mrs Ziggy isn’t fond of animals and some humans. Ok, most humans)

For Massimo Spigaroli the journey started over 20 years ago, when he bought the 14th century castle with his brother. A castle and farm that saw Massimo’s great grandfather as a tenant (after he worked for Verdi who lives nearby). At the time it was more like ruins, after years of heavy beatings from Po flooding. Nowadays, its a farm, 6 room hotel, a Michelin star restaurant, and a major Culatello producer. Tourists from all over the world flock to the Corte to see one of Emilia Romagna’s greatest attractions, the cellar of dreams. Dreams as in if you want them to cure one of those Culatello’s for you, you are dreaming my friend. And you will keep dreaming for the next 3 years (waiting period). But meanwhile you can check out the tags of the black pig Culatello hanging in the front. Armani, Rene Redzepi (Noma), Alain Ducasse, Francescana (“my friend” Massimo Spigaroli tells me if I understood correctly), Prince Albert, Prince Charles, Prince Ziggy, Prince. We all have our dreams as you can see!

As for the meal, other than a few minor hiccups, it was exceptional. The restaurant has a fancy feel, but at the same time its unpretentious and comfortable. You feel like a guest of the estate rather than at a dining establishment. The combination of antique, modern, floor to ceiling glass windows, and the overall spaciousness felt unique. This is not Farm-to-Table. This is 50 yards-look-outside-your-window-what-do-you-see-to-Table

Once you settle down you are greeted with the homemade butter, Grissini, and a Cuban cigar box filled with delicious bread. I love a good bread and butter, especially when the butter is of perfect spreadable temperature. “When in Rome…” you go for the “Podium”, three Culatello aged 18, 27, and a black pig aged 37 months sitting at the top of the podium lip syncing the Italian national anthem. The 18 month was silky smooth, sweet, and in a bizarre way reminded me of delicious small dried fish. While the 37 was brinier, and packed in a lot more flavor. The 27 was somewhere in between.

Basic but fantastic Tortelli with ricotta and spinach. And an even better al dente Risotto crowned by green beans and surrounded by three gentle sauces that somehow worked nicely together. Very high degree of raw material throughout, though it didn’t quite work with the rabbit. Great ingredients, looks fantastic but the rabbit “cubes” a bit dry and uneventful. For the white Ox they add another large table to yours and carve the beast right in front of you. It was expertly cooked, on the rare side with great flavor, if not a tad too cool. The Ox plate included an exceptional supporting cast of mushrooms, various garden veggies and a fine tasting zucchini topped with Parma cheese and breadcrumbs.

For dessert we were lucky to be joined by our new friend who lives not too far away. And as expected, marvelous desserts here, especially the “Baba” rum cake which was just about the best rum cake I ever had. The top notch Mousse, was a great finish to a magical evening

Massimo Spigaroli is very proud of his place, a celebrated one Michelin star. While in NYC Michelin stars are distributed like candy (I got one!) in Italy there are standards that must be met. I normally dont pay as much attention to service as others do, but it was hard to overlook this kind of hospitality. Since we had to leave early to a dairy producer and couldnt stay for breakfast, the staff prepared a box filled with more Culatello, and various homemade goodies. In a food oriented trip such as this, Antica Corte Pallavicina fit the itinerary like a glove

Categories: Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Tags: Antica Corte Pallavicina, Best restaurants in Emilia Romagna, Culatello, Culatello di Zibello, food, restaurants, Travel | 4 Comments

Root and Bone – As Simple as ABC

Posted on December 7, 2014 by Ziggy

Before I tell you more about this gem in Alphabet City (the last of the Manhattan neighborhoods that hasn’t received a hip name), there are a few developments in my personal life I would like to share with you. Well, more like events really, not so much developments and not so interesting to the average reader Really. Two milestones in one day (yesterday) that are fairly significant in one’s growth as a parent and more importantly as an American parent. The first event was taking my youngest daughter, who is suddenly obsessed with hockey, to her first Islanders game. Only those readers who experienced this can understand the magnitude of this thrill. Especially those sport fans who never produced sons experiencing this a bit later on.

One can argue that the second event is even more significant, as it made me connect with the American people like never before. Everyone, including tourists should do it at least one time during the holidays to show solidarity and patriotism. We are Americans! Some of the strange things we do, like tipping and brunch, may seem different to some foreigners but this is who we are, and this our culture. You dont question it, just like I dont question taking my shoes off in other countries, and not assuming that all those wonderful little plates they give you in Portugal when you sit down at a restaurant are free. I’m talking about, you guessed it because what else could it be, wearing my first Ugly Christmas Sweater. Although all I have is a spray of Poo Pourri to show for as my consolation prize in the ugliest Sweater contest, it felt great I tell ya. You see I realized that there’s really no such thing as a fashion failure anymore. Any fashion faux pas is either brought back by hipsters at some point or makes a big comeback once everyone in the world agrees that its ugly. Or like in this case, its both! I’m thinking perhaps I should hold on to those 80’s Hawaiian shirts after all, before Mrs Ziggy cleans the ‘hers and hers’ closet again.

Remember that little girl I was talking about earlier? Other than hockey, she particularly likes mac and cheese and fried chicken. So when I was looking for a place that serves both last Sunday, a return to Root and Bone was a no brainer. I first tried their much hyped bird in the summer, not too long after they opened, but I may have been under some heavy Barolo influence which makes me like everything. This time it was for brunch, affectionately called in my house and every other country, lunch! But we don’t question, remember? Southern homey soul food by two Top Chef veterans that look more like “The Bachelor” veterans, via Miami. Famed Miami Beach Yarbird’s lose is NYC gain. Well, Yardbird probably didn’t lose anything, its just an expression people.

We started with Grandma Daisy’s Angel Biscuits. If you ever see something called Grandma Daisy’s Angel Biscuits on a menu and neglect to order it, you are an enemy of America! These were light, airy and awesome, and once dipped in the gravy-like Honey Chicken jus, awesomer. Benne seeds (fancy for sesame) and salt on the side for you to dip may be there purely for esthetic reasons, as I didnt feel the need. Terrific Mac ‘n’ Cheese topped with more biscuit and featuring elbow pastas that will make you donate the elbow pastas in your kitchen cabinet to charity.

I feel like there’s some sort of a chicken renaissance going on in NYC at the moment with both Rotissarie and the fried kind. You got the new Bird and Bubbles, The Habanero in Ma Peche, Somtum Der’s version, and so many other notables all over town. The fried chicken here should at least be mentioned in the same discussion. Its sweet tea brined, and dusted with dehydrated lemon magic powder that gives it that extra zesty tone. Although, the dusting was more liberal the first time around (perhaps too liberal) there was no flavor lose this time. The chicken, featuring no greasiness whatsoever is just a solid, juicy fried chicken, with flavors enhanced by the accompanying spiked tabasco honey sauce. I preferred to sprinkle it on the white meat only. And in true southern style we paired it with the Buckwheat Waffle that came with Cheddar and Whiskey Maple Syrup

Having eaten the chicken before, perhaps the most interesting item for me was the so called Trumansburg N .Y. Stone Ground Cheese Grits (top). They came loaded with corn and ‘pimento cheese’, a spreadable hybrid of cheese and Pimiento (cherry) peppers. The entire dish is a beautiful medley of textures and flavors. And in a city filled with mediocre desserts as it seems as of late, the sticky toffee pudding with whiskey sauce and beer flavored ice cream was perhaps the best finish I’ve had this year.

Update: The Poo Pourri works! Dont think I need it honestly, but it works. I may have to bring some to some of my coworkers. You know who you are!

Root & Bone
200 E 3rd St
$$$

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best Fried Chicken in NYC, Best restaurants in East Village, food, restaurants, Root and Bone, Root and Bone NYC, Travel | 4 Comments

Trattoria La Coccinella {Serravalle Langhe} – Game Changer

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Ziggy

November 2024 Update

Original Post:

I’m having a writer’s block of the worst kind. Earlier this evening I burned some of my more useful fingers on both hands in a freakish oven accident, so the process of typing is hampered a bit. Lets just say DO NOT USE OVEN MITTS BOUGHT IN PUERTO RICO GIFT SHOPS. I’m strongly considering unfriending the person who gave it to me on Facebook. Only problem is I’m not sure exactly who that person is, and I dont have a Facebook account. It hurts almost as much as listening to Ariana Grande in the car, a condition that millions of dads these days are suffering from at the moment. Why would anyone buy cheap oven mitts anyway. Oven mitts got only one job really when you think about it. Like the hideous looking car bumper protectors you see on the roads used to protect and preserve bumpers from scratches, purchased by the same people who can no longer wrap their remote controls in plastic due to public pressure. One job: PROTECT YOUR HANDS FROM SECOND DEGREE BURNS. Failed!

This is extremely unfair of me to write about my damaged precious fingers in a post about one of our favorite, most talked about meals in recent memory. But I’m also using the blog in a way as a diary in case I’ll have to write a book at some point. I was told that that is the next step for a successful food blogger. The only minor hurdle is the “Successful” part, and learning how to write properly. Or spell!

La Coccinella was particularly memorable in many ways. Starting from the spectacular drive to Serravalle Langhe from Barolo where at some point the sudden silence from Mrs Z meant that she wanted me to concentrate on the road and not look at all the beauty surrounding us. I remember clearly the majestic Lady of the Snow church in Monforte D’alba that we found on the way. The Israeli couple we met in the parking lot of the restaurant. The drive to Serralunga d’Alba after the meal that made me want to go to the bathroom, partly out of fear but mostly just because I needed to go to the bathroom. But most of all it was the meal and the hosts, the three stooges, Alessandro, Massimo and Tiziano, who dished out one magical plate after another. The anticipation, and a quick glance at the menu meant cancelling all post meals appointments. We are staying for another marathon.

I opted for the truffle menu. Three dishes shaved with white truffles resting comfortably on the table. Carne Cruda, while quite exceptional, I couldnt help but compare it to the artistry in Priocca the day before which was one of the top dishes of the trip. A lone Raviolone stuffed with potato and egg, oozing with greatness. At this point I realize this is perhaps the most flavorful truffles of the trip. The truffle finale was the outstanding egg with Bra cheese fondue. Truffles and eggs – could not get enough of them during the trip

The menu also features antipasti with the option of trying all of them. Guess what option we chose. Salmon, shrimp and cheese ball set the tone nicely. A lovely Porcini tart followed. When Mrs Ziggy eats anything with mushrooms that means you just did something special. Perhaps the most interesting thing we ate here came in the form of an onion. Upon arrival, the first signal from the brain is that there’s no conceivable way this thing tastes good. Its an onion! An onion that is baked with salt then filled with chicken liver, baked some more, sprinkled by some more salt and Voila! One of the most unique and delicious dishes of the trip. Lastly an outstanding veal terrine with a supporting cast that would make Woody Allen envious: An onion marmalade and a veggie tart.

Mrs Z was also especially taken by the Plin stuffed with cheese. Surprising big flavors coming out of these unassuming little things. The leaning tower of Porcini with potato was nice and meaty, though could have used a touch more seasoning. Hazelnut/chocolate cake was the perfect finish to a very enjoyable meal. One of a handful marathon meals we did during this trip, and one I would love to repeat. I can not recommend this one more highly. Well, judging by the start of this post I guess I could but choose not to.

Trattoria La Coccinella

Via Provinciale A3, 5, 12050 Serravalle Langhe CN

Categories: Italy, Piedmont | Tags: Best restaurants in Langhe, Best restaurants in Piedmont, food, restaurants, Trattoria La Coccinella, Trattoria La Coccinella Serravalle Langhe, Travel | Leave a comment

Sale Grosso – Is This Bologna’s Top Seafood Option?

Posted on November 23, 2014 by Ziggy

Reports of the seafood demise in Bologna may have been Sale Grossly exaggerated. You like it? I thought of that line while shaving this morning, which is were I do most of my deep thinking. Whenever I say that for some reason the usual reply is “You should think about growing a beard”. With a beard not only I would not be mistaken for Russell Crow anymore, but I would also be single and unemployed. My full time job involves solving software related issues and very often the solutions come to me when I shave. It also helps me with the various daily First World Problems like figuring out where I left my iPhone, what to have for lunch, who really shot Jr, and why are my shoes wet. Turns out the shoes were wet due to exhilarated excitement of some nieces and nephews playing hide and seek in the closet the night before. Yes, they get excited and they pee in your shoes.

Also during shaving I normally devise the all important action plan of where we’ll be eating seafood on our next trip. We normally find ourselves craving seafood at some point of any trip, especially in Italy, regardless of our proximity to the sea. La Tellina in Sienna was a nice find last year, while Le Mani in Pasta in Rome was less successful but hit some marks. In this case, I figured after a week of heaviness in Piedmont and ER, Bologna would be the place for seafood, and all signs pointed to Sale Grosso. Hidden in some alley in the university area, and with some locals never even heard of it, the “hidden gem” cliche comes to mind. In fact some locals even turned up their noses at the idea of eating seafood in Bologna

I don’t mean to set you up for another feast as it actually turned out to be a rather light lunch, at least for our vacation standards. Burratina (Burrata) with Bottarga (salted dried tuna roe “sticks”), shockingly good, and grows on you as you are nibbling on it. Bottarga is not something you normally see on NY menus. The Burrata was oozing with richness and went very well with the salty dried tuna, and the olive oil used was especially noteworthy. Octopus, simply grilled, tender and absolutely delicious, arrived with some of the best tasting grilled veggies we had on this trip.

Rolled breaded fish stuffed with raisins, pine nuts and other unidentified objects came with expertly cooked Broccoli Rabe and creamy tomato water. Perhaps the dish of the day, which included a very nice dinner later on. Spaghetti with Seafood was perfectly al dented with generous amount of fresh shellfish and fish. This is what every basic Spaghetti with Seafood should taste like.

Smiling, friendly owner, slightly overdressed for the occasion, unless we all were underdressed. Wife who wasnt there is the brainchild of the Mediterranean inspired menu. She’s from Bologna but with southern roots. And the cook during lunch was from Puglia where some of the lunch dishes get their inspiration from. Nice and comfortable room, popular with locals and nearby university students and staff. Looked like we were the only tourists there. While the lunch menu showed plenty of market freshness and creativity, during dinner things pick up a notch. Check out Sale Grosso guys

Now if you excuse me I need to go shave in order to figure out what to wear tomorrow. Ciao!

Categories: Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Tags: Best seafood in Bologna, Bologna, food, Italy, restaurants, Sale Grosso Bologna, Travel | Leave a comment

Louro – Another Fun Option For the Village People

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Ziggy

November 17, 2014 Update:

Another fantastic meal at Louro a few nights ago. The place hasn’t skipped a beat since it opened two years ago. Sometimes you get caught up with all the sexy new openings and forgetting about the current neighborhood spots that continue to hit on all cylinders. The place is packed every night seems like, with the ultra talented chef Santos still doing his thing. In addition to the constantly rotating seasonal menus, Santos continues his Supper Club tradition with the popular Monday night theme dinners like “Lobster night”, “Breaking Bad”, and “Breaking Bald” for those villagers suffering from Frontal Baldness. Ok, not really, but tonight they do have “White Man does Szechuan” which looks very interesting.

We tried a variety of items again including some of the old favorites, and on this night new favorites emerged. Like the tremendously flavorful Kimchi Fried Rice (below) which comes sizzling hot loaded with calamari, mussels, shrimp, clams, and egg juice poured table side for you to mix in. Plenty of pleasant heat and plenty of joy with this one. More great flavors came out of a simple Lobster soup from its clean, well balanced broth. And then came the Venison (below). Two medallions expertly cooked, rare, just slightly seared on the outside. Because venison is so tender and lean, cooking this more will result in eating two hockey pucks. It came with some pasta (looked like Cavatelli) as part of a groovy smoked onion jus. Only the why-so-bitter Broccoli Rabe stood in the way of perfection.

The chicken last time caused me to start seeing other chickens! On other menus that is. While this time the chicken was still juicy, tender, very nicely sauced and veggied (Yummy Yam and nicely cooked Brussels Sprouts), it was missing that perfectly crisped skin. Still a very solid dish overall. The Monkfish delicate tomato sauce and rice was replaced by a wintery bean cassoulet, and the Octopus Bolognese is still the same old hearty, rich Octopus Bolognese. One of the staples on the menu along with the Piri Piri Shrimp

This is just about the most eclectic, fun, constantly changing menu I know. Each dish is well crafted with great tasting sauces and veggies, and the missing “Sides” column almost feels refreshing, as you get plenty of “Sides” with each dish. Choosing what to order from this menu is as complicated as choosing the manliest umbrella on a rainy day. Do I go with the white circles, colorful polka dots, or black with pink piggies. Why cant we have a black umbrella like normal families

April 8th, 2013 Post:

My house smells of fish! It smells of fish for the past week now. And get this.. we haven’t cooked any fish in the past 2 weeks and so don’t have the slightest idea where the smell is coming from. Wish it would smell of curry or cumin instead. Don’t get me wrong, I love fish, but I don’t want my house to smell like it. Same goes for chicken soup. When Mrs Ziggy starts making it early in the morning its as if a guest just came in, said hello, threw up, and immediately left without cleaning his mess.

What does it have to do with Louro? Absolutely nothing. I’m not even gonna make a clever transition with this like “we had to escape the house and go eat at Louro” because its not really true. I’ve been planning this meal ever since I saw the Best Dishes of 2012 thread on Chowhound. I just had to try that much talked about gnocchi dish since my family sort of became gnocchi junkies over the past few years.

5 month old Louro by David Santos is another great addition to the West Village dining scene. At first glance inside I was a little surprised at the upscale diner look. Booth tables right by a long bar. It gets less diner-ish in the back however. The food is sort of Portuguese, Italian, American and as usual we tried quite a few items. Here’s a great, good and ugly breakdown.

The Great:

Piri Piri Shrimp – Really enjoyed them. Not as good as Aldea’s preparation and similar dishes we’ve enjoyed in Portugal but cooked and seasoned very well nonetheless. Not too spicy so the kids were able to enjoy as well. Love anything Piri Piri

Octopus Bolognese – So good. All about the sauce. Tiny bits of octopus and goose pancetta? (sort of a Pancetta goose blend I suppose). Anything would taste great with that sauce including car keys. Thankfully the waitress convinced us to get more bread.

Monkfish – Delicate, perfectly textured and absolutely delicious. And with that light Portuguese tomato sauce and rice, YUMMO! I couldn’t stop eating it. Until I tasted…

Roast Chicken – Wow! I did not want to order it. But wife and kids wanted to try and I’m glad I lost that argument. I suppose I forgot that the Portuguese can crank out some delicious chickens. Comes with a nice rye berry risotto and spinach, but that chicken was very flavorful and that skin was so perfectly crisped I could eat just that.

The good:

Seafood fritters – Enjoyed them. Not bad at all. Like those seafood beignets you get in New Orleans

House Made Tortellini (top) – Pleasant, light, filled with Nettles among other things. Not very memorable but tasted good.

Striped Bass – A popular dish here normally with a snapper instead. Bok Choy, shiitake, coconut ginger broth. Very pleasant dish and well done. Thank you baby Jesus for sending me a family that doesnt eat mushrooms

The Ugly:

Gnocchi Romana – Ahhh, the irony. As often is the case the first thing I wanted to try was the least favorite. I dont think its the same dish the chowhounders were raving about. The cream sauce just tasted like a regular cream sauce to us (they call it permesan foam) and the gnocchi was semolina but had the texture of tiny breakfast potato cubes. I just kept trying it just to see what I was missing until me and the kids finished the plate.

The menu OCD chef keeps changing the menu and it did not match the menu on their site at all. Overall a very good meal and something to keep in mind when visiting the village. The wife much preferred the food here over future Michelin star Aska the day before. Check out Louro readers. Both of yous

Categories: New York City, West Village | Tags: food, Louro, Louro nyc, NYC dining, NYC food, NYC restaurants, restaurants | 3 Comments

Locanda Mariella {Calestano} – The Perfect Meal

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Ziggy

Why are we here? How did we get here? What exactly made Kim Kardashian famous? When is an egg no longer an egg? I feel like starting this one like Anthony Bourdain starts some of his shows, with deep, philosophical nonsensicalness that grabs your attention and never lets go… until commercials. Its the perfect prelude to what’s to come, whether its “The best soup in the world” (Vietnam – last episode), “Best Duck Feet I ever had” (Beijing), or “Best Meal I ever had” (French Laundry). Because somehow “The Perfect Meal” or “Best Egg Dish I ever had” would simply get lost in the shuffle of this blog if I dont start with a deep Kim Kardashian question. Makes sense? I thought so

What makes a perfect meal? When you are hard-pressed to find any little detail that worked against your enjoyment of the meal. From the food, the host, the wine, the room, the environment, there is absolutely nothing negative I can say about Locanda Mariella. And while I usually ignore any imperfections in meals I greatly enjoy, its hard not to notice when everything goes right. Sure someone may be bothered by its location, 1 hour south of Parma, in the North Apennine Mountains. But to us the location just added to the fun and intrigue. Especially considering it allowed us to visit the town of Felino, the home of “King of Salami” where the Italian version of Rick Steves tried to sell his entire Salumeria to us. And on the way back, it was the magnificent Torrechiara castle which deserves its own post.

Mariella is Slow Food at its finest. In a way it reminded me of the one man show of Roberto in the village of Montisi, while the two got almost nothing in common except for their true Slow Foodness and that passion to deliver to you the finest ingredients available to them. It almost felt like you are visiting a three Michelin star chef who retired in the mountains in the middle of nowhere and cooks to those brave and willing souls simple mountain food

Alloooora! At Mariella all this melodramatic stuff came from sampling just 5 dishes, with wine pairing and dessert, with each dish making me shake my head with hand gestures Andrew Zimmern style. Mariella had a white truffle menu, black truffle menu, and a regular menu that included black truffle filled classics which we mostly took advantage of. Did I use “Allora” there correctly? Two hours into the meal I still did not have the heart to tell Mariella that we don’t speak Italian. She explained every single detail of the meal in Italian. My entire Italian is solely based on menu Italian, so when I wanted to ask if the egg was baked at some point, I said “Umm.. Uovo..Al Forno?” Mrs Ziggy had a “Fish Called Wanda” moment, and now I occasionally have to speak Italian to her

Started with a very nice Strolghino salami with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. And continued with some of the staples on the menu, potato Sformatino with pumpkin cream, and polenta with cheese fondue and black truffles. Both outstanding! A great start aided by a fine Sauvignon Blanc/Gewürztraminer blend from Le Fate Furbe (Tuscany). Mariella, I find out later from my host in Parma what I suspected all along, is a great sommelier

Two sunny side up eggs with black truffles would have been the best egg dish I ever ate even without the truffles. It hits you like a smack in the face as soon as you taste the whites. So rich, so creamy, so good I didn’t want to share. I believe with my menu Italian understanding that she blends cheese instead of butter with the eggs. A truly remarkable dish in every way, aided by black truffles which had more flavor than some whites we had on this trip. Gnochetti with light cream and black truffles, by far best Gnocchi of a few gnocchi dished we enjoyed on this trip. Mariella matched a beautiful Nebbiolo with this course

For the third course we shared another outstanding veal cheek with mashed potatoes (since we had polenta in the first course, she suggested mashed instead), along with a Voerzio Barolo 08. I say “another cheek” as this was about the 4th of the trip. Another thing we couldnt get enough of on this trip was Cachi (Perssimon). We like eating it and we liked saying it. Here it was a splendid chestnut mousse with a cachi purée, along with an excellent preserved sour cherries with ice cream

Simply Perfect!

Categories: Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Tags: Emilia Romagna, Emilia Romagna Slow Foood, food, Italy, Locanda Mariella, Locanda Mariella Calestano, restaurants, Travel | 2 Comments

Seven Provo Bites – October 2014

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Ziggy

A sample of some of Provos top dishes as featured in the latest issue of Where When How. For past Provo Bites, click here.

Grouper at Three Queens – Any more “local” than this, and you are waking up early to milk the cow, play a game of dominoes, and take the kids to school. The cliche “like eating at someone’s house” was born when someone ate at Three Queens. Fresh grouper, lightly seasoned and sautéed to flaky perfection, comes with rice and peas, and slaw. While other groupers on the islands require heavy dressing and extra seasoning to compensate for their unfreshness, this one needs no messing around with. Just stop by at the church first on the way to pray the fish is on the board today. Or jus call Dick. Whatever works!

Yellowfin Tuna at Le Bouchon Du Village – Touchdown! Score another one to column favorite Le Bouchon which keeps producing dishes more robust than the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Squad (Let me know when it becomes obvious that I’m watching Football while writing this. My Fantasy team is losing so I need to focus on something else. Its not working). Black sesame crusted, lightly seared tuna, gently dressed with ginger tomato reduction just enough to bring out the flavor of the fish and take it to the next level. Add Jasmine rice, fresh veggies action on the side including avocado and you got yourself a winning dish. Plugging another classic to the list that already includes the Conch Chowder, Escargot and the Steak au Poivre. That’s a great meal right there

Ribs at Chinson’s – Ribs, the official cure to summertime sadness! These babies were wet rubbed, super tender, with a little kick, and quite possibly the best ribs I ever had in Provo. Helped by an owner that redefines “Hospitality”. Combine the ribs with their Jerk Chicken, the homemade ginger beer and the highway view in front of you transforms into a field of tulips… with potcakes, rainbows and an ocean in the background.

Fish and Chips at Hemingway’s. While we can debate who has the best fish tacos (hint: Hemingway’s) until the conchs come home, there’s no debating who got the best Fish and Chips. An absolute must for us on every visit. “Meaty”, flaky fried grouper, along with Belgian style fries cut and seasoned to perfection. Let me put this another way.. The dish is so good, it will make your kids put their phones down and tell you about their day!

Octopus at Caicos Café. Just Octopus! Not mixed in with pasta, risotto, dehydrated shrimp and scallop sauces. Just the octopus please. A selfie worthy beauty from Portugal, via Miami. You can tell sometimes by the size of those things that Portugal is the source. And no one on the island can make it as tender and flavorful as “Mad Max” from Caicos Cafe. Last time I ordered an octopus dish like this in NYC it was as much fun as a vasectomy consolation.

Jerked Gherkin at Danny Buoy’s. One of the most surprisingly tasty little bites as of late came from Danny Buoy’s during the World Cup final. We had to double down on this to lower the agony of defeat. Jerky Dill Pickle, cheese, and bacon, essentially all the basic necessities wrapped in pastry with spicy chipotle-like sauce. Like tiny pickle/bacon Wellingtons.

Tuna Sashimi with Wasabi mustard at Seaside (Top) – Young chef Francois has more moves than Nicky Minaj. He takes South Caicos caught tuna “cubes”, adds fresh radishes, scallions and tomatoes, dresses it lightly with wasabi mustard and layers it all nicely on Teriyaki glazed tortilla chips. A tuna festival in your mouth. And if you don’t order the lobster risotto and the now legendary Peruvian Conch Salad, we are no longer in speaking terms. “Hi”, “bye”, that’s it!

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: food, Provo Bites, restaurants, Travel | 1 Comment

Top NYC Pastas

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Ziggy

Last update: August 23, 2016

Just a quick note that some of these pastas are seasonal and arent on the menu the entire year, but worth mentioning anyway

Trenette Al Pesto Trapanese at Mercato.

From the port of Genoa sailors brought Trenette al Pesto to Trapani, Sicily where the dish was perfected even further with the addition of almonds. Homemade chewy dried Trenette cooked to al dente perfection, with almonds, garlic, tomato and basil. Its fresh, simple, and quite tasty. I havent seen this dish anywhere else, and at $12, I feel like I negotiated something at the shuk with a simple stare

Fusilli with Octopus and Bone Marrow at Marea

One of two NYC classics on the list, and perhaps the most celebrated pasta in ~~NYC~~ America. Articles, blog posts, children books (Goodnight Fusilli with Octopus!) have been written about this clasic. The twisted homemade Fusilli is tossed with the most addictive fresh red sauce you will ever taste, with Sangiovese braised octopus, and bone marrow being the culprits. A no brainer on this list

Strozzapreti Con Aragosta at Lincoln (top)

One of the best pastas I ever had is on, off, on in the seasonal Lincoln menu. Calling it simply Strozzapreti with lobster should be punishable by Italian law. The beautiful Strozzapreti, which most likely were invented when someone envisioned a pasta shape while witnessing a priest being strangled to death (Strozzapreti means priest chokers) are made with lobster coral hence giving them the orange look. They are mixed with not only sweet chunks of lobster but also lobster and scallop sausages (my favorite part) which is like eating the most glorious chicken skin you can imagine. The sauce is zesty, light, and the perfect compliment to this delicate dish. A classic in the making. Not always on the menu, and preparation may differ based on season.

Black Spaghetti at Babbo

A menu staple at a NYC staple. How can one go wrong. I’ve seen Babbo post a picture of this dish on Twitter one day, and the rest as they say, is history. Squid ink Spaghetti, Rock Shrimp, Spicy Salami Calabrese and Green Chilies. Its another good example of a fairly dry pasta, that is packed with wonderful flavor and texture. The Spaghetti has that wonderful sweet inky richness, with that crunchy salami, shrimp, and occasional garlic, like the gift that keeps on giving. This is one of those dishes that makes you Google recipes when you get home. Until your mind get intercepted by more Kardashian news. Apparently Kim already lost 80% of her baby fat.

Babbo Black Spaghetti

Malfadini at Lilia

Choosing a favorite pasta at Lilia is like choosing your favorite current presidential candidate. But for opposite reasons. The ‘imperfect’ conveyor belt-like Malfadini is essentially Cacio e Pepe on crack. Take your average Cacio e Pepe, change the pasta to something with more texture, add sharper cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, and pink peppercorns, and you essentially got Cacio e Perfect

Agnolotti del Plin at Pasquale Jones

I dont care if this wintery delicatessen is not on the menu as of this writing. You should be eating pastas here regardless. They do have a lovely sounding Tajarin with summer truffles which just adds to the impression that Tim Caspare just knows how to handle those Piedmontese classics. This is the only del Plin in NYC that stays true to its origin, and would make any Piedmont nonna blush. Buttery, pillowy, explosive little dumplings, packed with Guinea hen, sage and Pancetta. PANCETTA!

Pasquale Jones Agnolotti

Uni Mushroom Ramen at Jun-men Ramen

Calling this one Ramen is like calling Maialino’s Cacio e Pepe, Ramen. Its essentially a nicely crafted, rich, and gorgeous looking pasta. Mushrooms, salty Pancetta, Porcini butter, truffle oil, noodles, and Uni that gets better and better in quality. I keep returning to Jun-men for this.

Jun-men

Pasta with Crab at Ulivo

If you are scoring at home, or if you are alone (stupid old Baseball joke) we have more than 10 pastas this time. Which is why I had to remove the “10” from the title. And while you are alone, you should try this messy beauty by Mercato’s baby sister, otherwise you will find yourself alone in a hurry. The sauce featuring spicy slow braised stone crab is worth the price alone. Add an entire meaty stone crab to play with, and its party time. No one that I know, makes this.

Ulivo Crab Pasta

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Basil at Scarpetta

Simple isnt it? Well, why dont you try it, and invite me for a tasting. Recipes are all over the internet. Chances are unless you are Scott Conant reading this (sup man) you will not succeed in matching the flavors of this classic. Its fresh, bright, and utilizes the highest quality raw material. Scarpetta’s signature dish and the most celebrated Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Basil this side of wherever they make the best Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Basil. Pure awesomeness on every bite. The smell alone will cause shaky hands, and blurry pictures. See?

Clams Grand Lisboa at Nishi

While polishing up on their policies, and any identity issues, one thing remains constant at Nishi. Executive chef, Joshua Pinsky dishing out some of the most unique pastas in NYC. The clams are dressed with Oregano based sauce, sitting on top fried Chow Mein noodles and cabbage. Calling this Cho Mein almost sounds like an insult to this dish. Its cooked with apple sauce which gives it this sweet deliciousness you wont find anywhere. This is David Chang’s favorite dish here and I can see why

Nishi Grand Lisboa Clams

Agnolotti at All’onda

As of this latest update, not on the menu, but All’onda continues to make killa pastas. This is a tricky one since its not even the most popular pasta at All’onda (that honor goes to the Bucatini or Garganelli), nor the second or third most popular actually. But in this town, its more unique and interesting to me than the others. Not your average Agnolotti, nor “Plin”. They are Mortadella filled with pistachios, and a crazy tasting homemade XO sauce made with dried shrimp, scallops and soppressata. XO is a sauce that Cognac laden Hong Kong chefs invented in the 80’s, except they forgot to add the key ingredient, Cognac. This version of the sauce adds a funky aroma, and plenty of depth to otherwise just fine Agnolotti

Tonnarelli a Cacio e Pepe at Maialino

Open the drawer in the kitchen where you keep the pens, ribbons and paper clips (just in case that paper clip emergency comes), take a pen and write the ingredients for Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe… Tonnarelli, Cacio, Pepe! The Romans like to keep it simple (Carbonara, Gricia). And when I was in Rome, in a way I was disappointed that I wasnt exactly blown away by all the wonderful Carbonaras and Cacio e Pepes because Maialino quite frankly spoiled it for me. If you’ve never had this dish before perhaps because “pasta with cheese and pepper” doesnt sound very enticing, now is a good time to have it.

Stracci at Osteria Morini

From the one who knocks I bring to you the one dish that you will not find in Emilia Romagna out of that splendid ER inspired menu. Wonderfully chewy wide ribbon pasta inherits the juices of the succulent braised mushrooms. I would be happy with just the mushrooms. It was love at first Stracci at one of my favorite Italians in town

Pasta with White Truffles At ??

Ok for this one you need to do a little bi of homework. Its white truffle season at the (original) time of this writing and you can enjoy your Tagliatelle, risotto, scrambled eggs, pizza, car keys or anything else you desire with White Truffles from Alba, Tuscany or Umbria. I know Lincoln, Maialino, Marta have it currently and last year The NoMad (below) offered it at cost. Its a feast for all senses, especially the nose. Me? I’m not touching the stuff this season in this town, as I’m heading to the source, Alba white Truffle festival. Buon Appetito! Ciao, Ziggy

Categories: Brooklyn, Chelsea, East Village, Gramercy, Flatiron, Midtown West, New York City, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, West Village | Tags: All'onda, Best Italian in NYC, Best Pastas in NYC, food, Lincoln, marea, Nishi, Osteria Morini, Pasquale Jones, restaurants, Scarpetta, Travel, Ulivo | 6 Comments

I Rank Empanada Mama’s Empanadas

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Ziggy

A Hell’l Kitchen Guide staple from day one, this mama hasnt skipped a beat since it opened. Even when things seem slow everywhere else in the neighborhood (between lunch and dinner), these guys are busy. I’ve gone on a special empanada diet for the past few weeks. And for the purpose of this post, I picked 10 Empanadas which consists of all the popular ones, plus a few I was just curious about (e.g. polish). Scoring is 1 to 10 Z’s, with 10 Z’s being the best. Congratulations to the winners.

ZZZZZZZZZ (9) – SPICY CHICKEN. The creme de la creme. Chunks of chicken breast slowly cooked in mama’s special picante sauce which is reminiscent of the Israeli S’chug, a fiery delicious Yemeni spread. This is the definition of “pleasant Heat” that stays with you for a few hours. Fairly spicy, not for everyone

ZZZZZZZZ (8) – BRASIL – Traditional Brazilian style empanada with ground beef, olives, sauteed onions, and potatoes. Juicy, flavor packed with excellent depth.

ZZZZZZZz (7.5) – CUBAN – Slowly roasted pork, ham with mozzarella cheese and a touch of sofrito sauce. Very nice! The ham and the sauce take this to another level

ZZZZZZZz (7.5) – DESAYUNO COLOMBIANO – Colombian sausage, cheddar cheese, eggs and Spanish onion. A solid breakfast snack that’s available throughout the day.

ZZZZZZZ (7) – VIAGRA – Seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, and crab meat. The shrimp half is a bit boring, but then when you get to the other stuff.. oooh boy! Nice fishy flavors. The Viagra especially goes well with the Brazil!

ZZZZZZZ (7) – TJC – Mama’s tuna melt with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. While I didnt rate it here because I havent had in a while, the Tuna/Jalapeno Empanada (no cheese) may be even better

ZZZZZZZ (7) – MAMBO ITALIANO – Roasted Italian sweet sausage with red and green peppers, onions, mozzarella cheese and a touch of tomato sauce. Pretty much exactly what you’d expect… Sausage and Peppers

ZZZZZZ (6) – POLISH – Polish sausage (Kielbasa) sauteed with sauerkraut. Good if not a bit bland. I like my Kielbasas a bit tangier.

ZZZZZ (5) – REGGAETON – Caribbean style roast pork with sofrito seasoned yellow rice and peas. I’ve enjoyed this in the past but now finding it a little dry and in desperate need of that green sauce. Would have been better without the rice

ZZZZ (4) – CHEESESTEAK – Skirt steak with mozzarella cheese and a Latin twist. The latin twist is it squirts all over the place when opened! Steak a bit tough, no flavor, no likey

Even though I ranked the Polish and Reggaeton at the bottom, the only one I would avoid is the last one. Reggaeton is fairly popular.

The green sauce is nice. Red sauce not so much

Categories: Midtown West, New York City | Tags: Empanada Mama, food, restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Somtum Der and Hava Nagila Shoes

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Ziggy

The other day I went to a fairly lavish wedding. There was caviar, lobsters, oysters, and all sorts of opulence. Heck, I even had to not only wear a suit and tie, but also the special shoes that are hidden in the hers and hers closet. The special Hava Nagila shoes! You know, the ones that you only ~~allowed~~ can take out when there’s Hava Nagila involved. Another words, a big, special event. So we danced, we laughed, we cried, and we met some unexpected familiar faces which was a big surprise since I came expecting to know no one. In fact when someone asked me how I’m related, I said “you know the mother of the bride? I know her boss” Meaning my wife. That’s the only person I knew. But on this day, with all the caviar and all the wonderful things I ate, the best things I ate was fried chicken and grilled marinated pork, just 5 hours earlier at Somtum Der with none other than the Hummus Whisperer.

Somtum Der is the type of place you wouldnt caught me dead wearing Hava Nagila shoes. Meaning she will kill me if I ever attempt this terrible crime. But the place is pretty neat. I normally avoid eating Thai outside of Hell’s Kitchen since Hell’s Kitchen is fairly represented. You want Isan cooking, we got that. You want Ratchaburi, Hell’s Kitchen got that too. But there were two places outside of HK that I wanted to try for a long time. Somtum Der and Uncle Boons. One down, one to go.

Somtum Der is a newish Isan, joining Zabb Elee, Larb Ubol and the great Queens Isan joints. Isan is the historically poor Northeast Thailand region. Normally poor means a lot of seasoning to compensate for the otherwise uneatable meats and fish. Poor = creative = opportunity. Like the folks in Turin, Italy back in the day, who added hazelnuts to chocolates to compensate for the great cocoa shortage, hence opening the doors to Nutella, Ferrero Rocher and every chocolate with hazelnut out there you’ve enjoyed all those years.

Papaya salad

This Isan feels different than the rest. The Papaya here is king as the name implies (Somtum means Green Papaya Salad. Der means Dare as in “I dare you Americans to eat our Green Papaya Salad”). In fact, “Papaya King” was replaced in the title by “Hava Nagila shoes” midway through the article. Yes, thats how I operate. Sickening isnt it? But dont worry, I’m seeking help. The menu is filled with 8 papaya salads. Like kindergartners, we chose the one on the menu with the biggest picture, the one that says “Recommended”, while the rest of them either said “Not Recommended” or “Not Obamacare Friendly” (meaning, Thai spicy). Our Tum Thai Kai Kem, papaya salad with salted egg was just right. Just what one would expect from a Papaya Salad. Some traditionalists may expect something more fiery but it was just right.

“Sharing is Caring” is the motto here, eating with forks and fingers, no knives (just like in Laos inspired Khe-Yo. Laos is Isan’s neighbor, sharing some of the dishes and traditions. Papaya salad was actually invented in Laos). The Khao Moo Tod Kratiam Prik, fried garlic pork with jasmine rice and fried egg was good, Sa Poak Kai Tod Der der-style deep-fried chicken thigh was one of the highlights. Moist, juicy, very flavorful, and not greasy at all. Moo Ping Kati Sod grilled coconut milk marinated beef skewers was another winner. “Moo” oddly means pork, not beef, but you can sub it with beef. A tiny bit dry but excellent profound sweet coconut flavors. Perhaps the dish of the day was the Moo Rong Hai Der, house special grilled marinated pork. Fantastic seasoning producing deep lasting flavors, with two coconut rice sticks to help cool things off. Just about each dish came with the house made hot sauce, other than the rice dish which came with fish sauce. The only disappointment was the Sai Krok Isan, fried Isan sausages. Not much flavor, or crunch on those sausages. We tried to revive them with fish sauce, hot sauce, mouth to mouth to no avail

Marinated Pork

Dont leave without trying their refreshing Lemongrass Juice, and Thai Iced Tee. In that order. They were sadly out of the Taro in Condensed Coconut Milk, but the Thai Tee Panna Catta was surprisingly scrumptious. It tasted just like Thai Iced Tea. Cant wait to try the rest of the picture friendly menu

Somtum Der
85 Avenue A
$$
Recommended Dishes: Lemongrass Juice, Sa Poak Kai Tod Der, Moo Ping Kati Sod, Moo Rong Hai Der, Tum Thai Kai Kem

Rice and Pork

Beef Skewers

Chicken

Sausages

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best Thai in NYC, East Village Thai, food, restaurants, Somtum Der, Somtum Der NYC, Travel | Leave a comment