Eating, Drinking, Madison and elsewhere

Nostrano its whats for Dinner!

2012-02-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

We ventured out on a snowy evening about a week ago on a Friday evening in search of a restaurant that was not participating in restaurant week. Before we made it to our dinner spot we stopped by our favorite distillery - Old Sugar Distillery to have a Queen Jennie Old Fashion. If you have not been to OSD it is one of the hottest micro distilleries in the Midwest. Check it out here http://www.madisondistillery.com/

We finally landed at Nostrano - despite not participating in restaurant week the dining room was full with a smart looking crowd of Madisonians. We decided to dive right into one of the best meals we have had in the last few months. Since the first week they opened over a year ago they have continued to deliver some of the most professional service and top notch food in Madison. We often say a trip to Nostrano is like going to a restaurant in Chicago - simply a complete experience! We had a wonderful bottle of a French Cabernet that got better with food. Here is what we had from the menu - we tend to share a lot so we can taste a lot.

Dinner
Marinated Olives
Sourdough Focaccia 5 - these are always fresh and tasty and the Focaccia is a great foil for the marinating oil of the olives. It really gives your palette a nice jumpstart.

Celery Salad
Heirloom Apple Chickories Parmesan Pistachio Vinaigrette 10 - fresh and vibrant the flavors took a quote "Waldorf salad" idea and spun it into something new and exciting. The crunch and crisp greens were a great lead into the next course.

Charcuterie Board
Pâté Salsiccia Salame Grain Mustard Pickles 17 - sounds simple but the combination of flavors and textures are a symphony for the mouth! If you don't order this board here you are missing out on some of the finest Charcuterie anywhere. And they will pickle anything and it is delicous

Orecchiette
Fennel Sausage Brussels sprouts Parsnips Fiore Sardo 21 - wow another amazing combination of flavors, the pasta was perfectly cooked and tender combined with the caramelized parsnips, slight bitterness of the greens and the house made sausage delivered a flavor explosion that had so many layers. Each layer of flavor was easily identified as we enjoyed every savory bite of this dish.

Dessert

Tortino
Chestnut Crumble Cake Bourbon Gelato Moonglow Pears Fior di Latte 10 - you have to order dessert here it is a must - both the chef owners have very deep pastry backgrounds. The flavors of the crumble cake with the Bourbon gelato were simply sublime.

Linda and I look forward to more frequent dining at Nostrano this year - it is one of our new "go to" places to share with fellow chefs when they are in town. And the gang at Nostrano also deliver the most underrated and overlooked lunch in town. Same quality and care at about 40% the price of the dinner menu which is a steal and would be a lot pricier if the restaurant was located 122 miles further south.

Cheers!
Jim

Madison Hot Spots

2011-12-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Where do we think is the best place to eat and drink in Madison right now! In no particular order here it goes

Nostrano- if you have not been here you are missing some of the best food and cocktails in the city. Just had lunch today and the meal was amazing. The head cheese and country pate with the assorted pickled goodies was a great way to start the meal for the four of us. Then I moved onto the smoked pork shank sandwich…an open face beauty! It was served with some delightful greens. The pork is succulent and moist with crisp pops of a spice gardinera. We have had cocktails here on several occasions – one of the best sazaracs any place as well as the cognac old fashion both incredibly well crafted cocktails. And since Nostrano is owned by two pastry chefs, dessert is not to be missed. Trouble is deciding which of the 5 mind blowing ones to try – give the Afogado a whirl – tender pillowy donuts with caramel gelato melting in rich warm espresso. So if you only want dessert this is the place, but it is great anytime for any meal and the service is crisp and professional unlike some of the other spots around town.

Coppers Tavern – looking for the best Rueben in town – it is here – house made corn beef, dark marbled rye topped with in-house braised sauerkraut (cabbage slow cooked in Lake Louie Scotch Ale) it is off the hook. Great selection of beers on tap as well as a stellar selection of Whiskies and a fine bloody mary

Green Bush Bar– like thin crust pizza – here is the best in Madison. The wine selections are updated on a regular basis with the "by the glass" program always yielding something new and different. Ask for a taste before you buy it – they are always happy to provide that special service. Looking for the most comprehensive selections of scotch, bourbon and assorted whiskies, Green Bush delivers without breaking the bank. And recently they added flights of whiskies for a reasonable price with 3 – half shots to compare and enjoy

Lombardinos – what can I say winter is a great season for enjoying all things porky that Patrick has on the menu and specials list. There are too many great things to mention. If you are not eating here on a weekly basis you do not know what you are missing. Get in and say hi to Matt, Patrick and the whole gang.

Umami – looking for a great food experience this is it. There are some really unique dishes off a tightly focused menu that is executed well. The pork bun, the tuna poke and the arugula salad are all stars from the starter menu. They are known for their dumplings (very good ) and ramen something we have not had yet. Only issue is the inconsistent service we have had on all occasions

Hopefully that tempts you to get out and check out what is happening in the local scene in Madison, one of the best food towns around with some of the most talented people dishing up tasty treats!

Cheers

Holiday time! Oyster Time

2011-12-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

Well it is time for celebration and how about something for your holiday get together! Seafood is always a great item for a gathering and so are oysters. I know most folks are not excited about raw oysters so I have included our second most favorite way to enjoy them, broiled. There is nothing better than the creamy texture of a properly cooked oyster. This recipe is for our typical oyster house grilled oyster dish, I have created about 4 versions of grilled oysters. Each of them unique to a type of cuisine. So have a bunches of friends over and shuck and grill the holidays with a toast of oysters and champagne! Cheers!

Broiled Oysters on the ½ shell 4 servings

12 Oysters, fresh shucked on the shell
¼ lb Butter, softened
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Onion, minced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
To Taste Salt & Pepper
¼ c Parmesan Cheese, grated
As need Rustic Bread, grilled

1. Shuck the oysters and reserve on their shell make sure to loosen from bottom shell. Place on a plate and refrigerate until needed.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the softened butter, garlic, onion, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt and pepper, mix well to incorporate all ingredients.
3. Place a heaping tablespoon of the butter mixture on top of each oyster, make sure that it is completely covered.
4. Place oysters on a hot grill and close the lid or place under a broiler set on high.
5. Cook until the butter is bubbling and the oyster begins to curl. About 4 to 5 minutes depending on size of oyster and temperature of grill or broiler.
6. Top each oyster with the grated Parmesan cheese and allow to cook for 1 more minute to melt the cheese.
7. Remove and serve with slices of grilled bread.

Beef its what’s for dinner (salad)

2011-11-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

So it is the busy holiday season and you might not have enough time to make a big dinner one evening. How about using some left over grilled steak from that doggie bag the other night. While this recipe calls for Beef Tenderloin any quality left over steak sliced thin will work just adjust the amount of steak to use what you have left. This recipe is very satisfying in the sense it is about the freshness and brightness that cilantro and lime bring to the dish. Like any of our recipes you could alter this one to make it more southwest and less Asian by simply changing some of the ingredients. Swap out the fish sauce for some smoky salsa and add a little avocado or jicama in place of the carrot. Enjoy!

Asian Beef Salad servings 4

1 lb Beef Tenderloin, grilled and cooled (left over steak)
1 Cucumber, peeled & seeded, sliced
½ Red onion, shaved
1 Carrot, julienne
1 Red Pepper, julienne
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Green onions, sliced
2 cup Salad Greens

Dressing

1/4cup Lime juice, fresh
1/4cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 T Thai Fish Sauce
2 t Stevia
2 t Red Pepper Flakes

1. Take the chilled grilled tenderloin and slice into very thin pieces and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, place the sliced cucumber, carrot, red pepper, cilantro and green onions – toss to evenly distribute the vegetables.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and mix well with a wire whip.

4. Add the meat to the bowl containing the vegetables, add half of the dressing and toss to mix.

5. Add the greens to the large bowl and toss to completely coat and evenly distribute the salad mixture.

6. Divide the salad between four plates and drizzle the remaining dressing over each salad.

Calories Fat Fiber WW Pts
Per serving 282 12.33 1.4 6

We are BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

Just a quick thank you to those who have mentioned to us recently how much they had enjoyed our blog. Well we are back and in a big way. Linda and I promise at least one update a week. We also will be including even more recipes, restaurant reviews, travel tips and new for 2012 - video demos and cooking techniques. We love to share what we have learned and discovered when out and about around the globe. We are so grateful for those folks that have taken time out of their busy day to visit our blog. We honor you by providing more of what we love to share Cooking with love and wild abandon! Happy Holidays

Jim & Linda

Who knew…..you can make soup out of lettuce!

2010-02-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

And a really tasty soup that it is, Roasted Romaine and Tomato Soup with Crispy Prosciutto. I created this one while at the Produce First Conference at the Culinary Institute of America. This conference focused on how we as chefs can make sure that we are able to help double the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables over the next 10 years. This is part of the National Restaurants Associations key Health & Wellness initiative to work to help chefs and operators to provide more choices to the dinning public. While at the conference we each were paired with teams that included produce growers. I had the fortune of being paired with the folks from Church Bros. a major grower of lettuces. I love a challenge and when they said how about a soup using lettuce I got excited – I thought how about a play on BLT – and so the following recipe was born. We had the opportunity to be mentored by some very talented chefs that day – our team had Michael Tuohy, Executive Chef of the Grange, located in Sacramento, Ca. He was a pleasure to cook with and we had fun creating and tasting the soup that morning. So without further delay – here for you to try is a wonderful some that hints at spring when made late in winter on a cold day. Happy cooking!

Jim

Roasted Romaine & Tomato Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Yield is 2 gallons

1 cup Leeks, sliced
½ cup Carrots, diced
½ cup Celery, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
¼ cup Olive oil
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
¾ cup Tomato paste
1 bag, 5# Cut Romaine Lettuce
2 heads Green Leaf Lettuce, chopped
6 quarts Vegetable stock
½ cup Arugula, chopped
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
¼ cup Basil, chopped
3 cups Crushed Italian Tomatoes
To taste Salt
To taste Pepper
12 slices Prosciutto, crisped

1. In a large stock pot sweat the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes
2. Add the crushed red pepper and tomato paste and continue to cook and slowly caramelize the tomato paste coated vegetables until a deep burgundy color is achieved
3. Start to add the cut romaine and green leaf in handfuls and stir in and cook down until all the cut lettuce is incorporated and cooked down to soft
4. Add the vegetable stock to the mixture and cook for about 30 minutes at a simmer, using a stick blender puree the soup to a chunky consistency
5. Add the arugula, parsley and basil to the pot as well as the crushed tomatoes
6. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste
7. Serve with whole grain croutons and Prosciutto crisps on the side

Prosciutto Crisps
1. Place 12 slices of thin slice prosciutto on a parchment lined baking sheet pan
2. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the slices and cover with another pan to create a weighted pan sandwich
3. Place in a 350° oven and bake until crisp
4. Remove top sheet pan and parchment and allow to cool before serving
5. Cut crisp into bite size fingers and serve as a garnish for the soup

Recipe Credit: Jim Doak, Created at 2010 Produce First Conference, use with permission of author. All rights reserved.

Back from the West Coast

2010-01-29T14:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! May your 2010 be an amazing year of food, wine, love and joy!

What a wet trip to wine country this January, we had a nice time expect we grew webbed feet. Seriously I attended the 6th Annual World of Healthy Flavors at the CIA at Greystone while Linda worked on some of her own projects. This event is attend by luminaries in Public Health from Harvard, John Hopkins and other prestigious schools all in the name of helping the American public eat better and be healthier. Additionally several well known chefs and industry peers are in attendance to work on applying what we learn to our business segments. It was an action packed three and half days of some great insights and information as we work on cooking and feed people in the future. I really enjoyed learning more about nutrition and flavors to make everyday eating better. The benefit for you is that you will see our new health and wellness recipes reflect these influences as we move forward into 2010. And of course we had some wine and great food while in the valley. We will talk more about Go Fish, Martini House, Rutherford Grill, Staglin Winery, Quivara Winery, White Oak and of course our dinner at the French Laundry. We have some much to share so stay tuned over the next several weeks as we highlight the best of a soggy trip to wine country.

Jim & Linda

With much gratitude.....

2009-12-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays and many Happy Wishes for the New Year

Well we wrap up another year and give thanks and gratitude for all we have and experienced in 2009. We had a wonderful year of eating, drinking and cooking together and with many other food enthusiasts. What does 2010 hold? It holds even more great adventure, travel, food, wine and friends to share it all with as the year unfolds. We look forward to publishing our first cook book in 2010 and sharing the joy we have found in food and love. We hope to explore new places and old ones and share our discoveries with you. So thank you for watching , reading and following our adventures this year. I leave you with a great recipe to use to jump start your new year.

Love
Jim & Linda

Southwest Shrimp Salad for 4 people

1 lb White or Brown Shrimp – peeled & de-veined
¼ cup Southwest rub
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 Lime
1 Jicama, medium, julienned
½ Red onion, thin sliced
¼ cup Roasted Red Peppers, sliced (piquollo peppers preferred)
1 Avocado, sliced thin
½ cup Tomatoes, large dice
2 oz Tortilla chips, crushed
4 cups Salad Greens

Dressing
2 Limes, juiced
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Honey
½ cup Roasted Tomato Salsa
¼ cup Cilantro leaves
2 tbsp Cider Vinegar
To taste Salt & Pepper

Place shrimp on a plate and toss with Southwest rub to coat completely, then set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil, then add the shrimp, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes until opaque.

Deglaze the pan with the juice from one lime, remove from heat and transfer shrimp to a plate to cool.

In a large mixing bowl place the jicama, red onion, red peppers, avocado and tomato. Add the cooled shrimp and toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.

In a blender place the lime juice, garlic, honey, and salsa and blend until mixed.

Add the cilantro leaves, cider vinegar and salt and pepper to the dressing mixture, blend well.

Add the greens to the salad and shrimp mixture and half of the dressing, and toss to coat.

© Doak & Krantz 2009

Tired of the same old Friday Fish Fry

2009-11-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

Well then it is time for something new and easy to replace that tradition fried cod. We really enjoy cooking something simple when the days grow shorter and the weather cooler. This is a great time to get fresh East coast cod from your fishmonger. Give this dish a whirl and serve it with some wonderful roasted squash like acorn or butternut to really enjoy the flavors of fall. As with any of our recipes the fish can be changes, try to use a large flake fish that will oven roast and stay succulent.

Jim & Linda

Oven Roasted Cod serves 4

4 6 oz. Cod filets, skinless (if using Black Cod, leave skin on)
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Thyme, fresh, chopped
4 T Butter
2 T Parsley, Chopped
½ Lemon , juiced
To taste Salt & Pepper

1. Place a cast iron skillet in a 450° oven and heat for at least 30 minutes.

2. Lightly coat the filets on both sides with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and chopped fresh thyme.

3. Place the seasoned and oiled filets in the pan, arranging them so they do not touch.

4. Roast filets for about 9 minutes.

5. During the last minute of cooking, place a tablespoon of ice cold butter on each filet and allow to melt.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the filets from the pan.

7. Place the pan over medium high heat and add the chopped parsley, then add lemon juice to deglaze the pan.

8. Spoon a little of the pan jus over each filet

© Doak & Krantz 2009, all rights reserved

The Haze is nothing but Foggy!

2009-11-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Well we checked out the Haze an east meets west BBQ joint that Shinji Muramoto and his gang have opened in the original Muramoto location on King St. What a huge disappointment this visit was – we loved the vibe, the menu was cool, the self serve and sit not co much. But wait the food arrived and what a huge disappointment. I have the Peking Crispy duck – what little there was for $19 I got maybe a ¼ duck with about 3 ounces of meat taste was nice but boy did I leave hungry. The sides, Collard greens not well cooked and very bitter were a poor attempt at something that should have been really tasty, and the fries – hand cut were simply limp and tasteless. Linda had the dry rubbed brisket, what arrived was a pile of sauce falling apart over cooked meat in some loose liquid that had no smoke flavor or flavor at all! Her sides – some gingered roasted beets lacked any ginger notes and were very one dimensional. And the Cole slaw that we were told was great was bland, boring and much better at KFC. All in all for $40 bucks were you have to bus your own table we should have gone to find something more filling. I hope they figure it out but we will not be back any time soon. Too bad what could be a really hip new spot is not!

Fall - cool crisp air moves in - time for shellfish

2009-10-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a rather cool October here in Madison. The farmer's market is winding down its time outside around the square soon it will move indoors for the winter. And so do most of us when the mercury drops below the freezing point it makes it hard to be outdoors even when the sun is shining. So if we are headed indoors lets whip up something warm and tasty to eat. Why head out to a local restaurant for mussels when you can make a great dish for you and your friends right at home. From our come out of your shell class her is our recipe for Bleu Mussels - Linda's favorite way to enjoy mussels these days.

Bleu Mussels servings 4

2 lb. Mussels, cleaned
¼ cup Bacon, lardons
2 Tbs. Olive oil
¼ cup Cipolini onions, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
¼ cup Tomato, diced
1 cup Baby spinach leaves, whole
1/3 cup White wine
3 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled
To Taste Salt & Pepper

1. Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the bacon, and cook until crisp.
2. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels, discard any remaining bacon fat.
3. Return the pan to the burner and add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until soft.
4. Add the mussels, tomato, and spinach; toss and coat all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the white wine, then cover the pan with a lid – steam until all mussels open.
6. Add the cooked bacon and gorgonzola to the pan.
7. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve with olive oil fried bread

© Doak & Krantz 2009

Greenlight Gourmet - Quick and Easy Meals!

2009-09-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

Well it is that time of year again - busy schedule, sun is setting earlier and we seem to have less time to cook and put together a meal. We try out this recipe - it is quick, easy and very tasty, it will take about 20 minutes to make leaving you lots of time to enjoy the evening with your sweetie!

Shrimp and Pearls servings: 4

1 lb Large shrimp, peeled & deveined
½ Medium onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
½ cup Fennel, julienne
1 can Diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup Greek olives, sliced
1 T Fresh oregano, chopped
1 T Fresh mint, chopped
1 T Fresh orange zest
2 T Olive oil
½ cup Pearl pasta
1-1/2 cup Vegetable stock
¼ cup Bulgarian Feta, crumbled

1. Place a large sauce pan or deep sauté pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil.
2. Add the onion, garlic and fennel; sauté until soft.
3. Add the shrimp and quickly sauté for about a minute just to develop flavor. (Shrimp will be cooked more later in recipe.)
4. Remove the shrimp from the pan and allow to rest.
5. Add the pearl pasta and stir to coat. Cook for 4 minutes to toast the pasta; stir constantly.
6. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes, then bring to a boil, cook until the pasta is tender.
7. Add the shrimp, olives, herbs, and orange zest, mix well and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes until the shrimp is completely cooked.
8. Plate and garnish with the crumbled feta cheese.

Calories Fat Fiber
Per serving 504 20.5 6.4

© Doak & Krantz 2009

Wine - 10 under $10 great everday sipping!

2009-09-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Well we are always looking for a great wine to drink that does not break the bank. We call it the best under 10 we can find. We even have an exchange program with a dear friend in California. We are always trying to out do each other with who can find the best red, white or bubbly under $10 bucks. It is time to share our top ten picks!!!!!!

#10 Casilla del Diablo, Carmenere 2005, Argentina
- nice fruit, good depth great with grilled meats about 9 bucks

#9 Hatdog, Cabernet 2005, Central valley Chile
- nice fruit, strawberry, blackberry great with chocolate, pizza and burgers about 8 bucks

#8 Yalumba, Wild Ferment Chardonnay, 2005, Eden, Valley, Australia
- crisp light style with lots of fruit notes - wonderful on a hot day - a patio wine 9 bucks

#7 Wakefield Shiraz/ Cab, Promise land, Australia, 2004
- 64% Shiraz/ 36% Cab - this wine has lots of bright cherry with nice depth - goes well with steak, steak fish cost about $10

#6 Gran Feudo, 70% Tempranio, %25% Grenacha, 5% Cabernet, Navarra, Spain
- very lush , easy drink with or without food, well balanced for a wine costing about 9 bucks

#5 Yard Dog, blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet, Australia
- jammy with nice fruit notes, raspberry, currant a good stand by for 8 bucks

#4 Kenwood, Red Table Wine, this is what they bottle when the crop is not good enough for either the Artist Series or the vineyard label, We win a great wine with lots of fruit, depth but very drinkable and for about 7 bucks - wow!

#3 Raw Power, Shiraz - Australia - punk rocker turned wine maker , this wine is all jammy shiraz with great structure for pairing with roasted meat, pizza or burger or even by itself - a go to wine for about 8 bucks

#2 Pillar Box Red, Australia, blended red - a consistent go to for wonderful shiraz and cabernet notes, with the rounding out of 8% merlot making this wine full of fruit with depth that can stand up to big bold flavors of food or provide a supple sipper by itself about 10 bucks

#1 St Hilaire Limoux Blanc de blanc, vintage 2005, France's first sparkling wine, this is the most wonderful find - it drinks like a bubbly at 3 times the price - for only 9 bucks a bottle we buy it by case and everyday is a celebration!

So get out and hunt down a few of these tasty wines to have with dinner or just enjoy with friends. As Linda always says "find a wine you like, that suits your tastes and enjoy it". Happy sipping!

Late Night Eats - the good , the bad and the hard to find

2009-08-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yes we have not been asleep at the wheel. It just seems harder to get time to write and share with everyone the things we love. Well how about late night eats, mostly in Madison, but we have a few others. We look for those places we can get a nice drink and good nosh when the evening is done. Our favorites are Sardine (the bar menu), Tornado Room (the late night bar menu), Green Bush Bar (Pizza) and in NYC I love the Blue Ribbon. All of these have great wine lists, cocktails and wonderful service.

Sardine - Serves until 12 or 1 am depending on the night. Two killer burgers, a high end hot dog, a sopresat sandwich with house made hot gardinera. And the best bartenders in the city of Madison. Serving great Mojitos, Cosmos and wine by the glass. Always ask for a taste of wine before buying and ask for a recommendation - Gabe, Nate or Bobbi always have a good idea of what is hot.

Tornado Room - crowded, a hopping bar menu is not even available until after 10 pm. Killer wine selection, good scotches and whiskys. But the best $7 beef tenderloin sandwich anywhere and an amazing $5 jumbo shrimp cocktail. The service is professional but can tend toward serving the younger crowd a little more quickly....

Green Bush Bar - the best pizza in Madison. Serving until 11 or 12 depending on the night. Stay away if these is a Badger game of any kind. The bar is located in the basement of the Italian Laborers hall and is small, charming and a killer place to finish the evening due to the massive selection of scotches, bourbons and Irish whiskys. The pizza is sublime a cracker thin crust with just the right amount of toppings that you never feel stuffed.

Blue Ribbon - serving in GV until 4 am this is the place to eat serious food if you fly into NYC late. They have the best oysters on the half shell, and are know for the bone marrow with oxtail marmalade. Both ends of the spectrum succulent and decadent - and dam yummy. Also they have the best hanger steak when paired with an amazing bottle of pinot will delight any one. The service at Blue Ribbon is always spot on and very courteous and friendly.

So get out an about after the music stops to grab a late night bite that is sure to send you to dreamland with a full tummy and satisfied soul.

NRA – Chicago – and a Celebrity Chef – what a weekend

2009-05-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend of food, fun, friends and celebration the weekend of May 16th in Chicago. Linda’s hometown is our favorite place to visit – we do often when we can – it is usually a 3 hour drive to downtown. Unfortunately, Friday the 15th was not to be a simple drive – we had rain and hit the wall around O’Hare. Let’s say it was not a wonderful 5 hour excursion but one that was so painfully slow we started to count out of state plates and ended up with 24 states and 2 Canadian provinces by the end of the weekend. But once we made it to our hotel the beautiful downtown Marriott (ugh) we checked-in, had an overpriced cocktail and then made our way to dinner. Did I mention it was raining, yes this is mid May, Chicago, NRA and that spells weird weather – 50’s and wet, not just wet but stormy! I digress, dinner time we had an eight o’clock reservation at C-House, Marcus Samuelsson’s new Chicago seafood and chop house concept in the Affinia Hotel, we arrived on time. I am usually happy and cheerful but when you try to seat us at the worst table in a half full dining room I get a little cranky, the five hours in the car helped I am sure. So we opted to “wait” at the bar – it was like 3 minutes and they sat us at the premier table in the dining room, what a spot. Ok the recovery was swift but then it gets better who pops by the table to greet us and suggest a menu items or two – Marcus himself in town is working the dining room. What impressed me most was that he was authentic, reserved and himself, just a warm and hospitable host! He suggested that we not miss the tuna tacos (mini) and the heirloom tomato salad, cool we made sure to order both and they were spectacular. The service the rest of the meal was wonderful, prompt, informed and oh yes the GM of C-House stopped by as well on two occasions. What started out as a dark and stormy night was turning into an awesome start to our weekend. The menu at C-House is very reasonably priced and has lots of variety with nods to Marcus’s background and Scandinavian style of cooking here is what we ate!

The – C-Bar – menu section that is a sampling section were you select either individual pieces or 3,5, or 7 piece samplers – we went for the 5 piece

Tuna with pine nut and toasted rice vinaigrette – was delicious almost tarter or ceviche in style it was wonderfully rich with meat notes
Octopus with smoked romesco and fennel – sorry to say one of the misses – too over fishy due to the preparation of being cooked confit, oily and unpleasing
Yellow Tail – mini fish tacos served on a bed of dehydrated sweet corn – what an awesome little bite yum!
Cobia – with Kumquat relish, rye toast and juniper – the acid of the relish really balanced the richness of the fish it was wonderful item
Waygu Tartare - chopped with roasted beets, quail egg and pineapple – it was an utter delight and we enjoyed it with gusto

Oysters – with honeydew granite, mignonette and house made cocktail sauce
We had a variety we have never before seen Stingray – it was briny and sweet with a nice plump bite, also we enjoyed a few Sunset Beach oysters, another favorite of ours

We bypassed the entrée selections and shared 3 different appetizers instead because they had greater appeal to us that evening. Here is what we shared

Heirloom Tomato Salad - at Marcus’s recommendation we enjoyed this dish completely – the tomatoes were lush and rip large chunks of brandy wine and ox heart served with a wonderful group of little accompaniments they tasted yummy. The black olive sponge cake was a wonderful surprise

Porchetta – what an amazing dish – a very different approach that was so wonderfully rich that it was complimented by the pickled green beans, pecans and candied fennel that was better with every bite we will have this dish again!

Salmon Pastrami – well this one sounded better than it was with beet, pickled radish and bitter sweet chocolate the dish just did not live up to the rest of the meal

Marcus sent out two sides as complimentary dishes to try – the Pea Tendrils with lemon and sesame fell flat but the Chorizo Mac & Cheese was a wonderful delight we enjoyed it – even Linda liked it and she is not a huge fan of mac & cheese

For Dessert we took the same sampling approach from what they call the Candy Bar our favorite item the sour candied citrus was simply the best way to finish the meal. We also tried the rocky road clusters, pistachio brittle, salted fudge brownie, and a boring vanilla bean cupcake. I would make the sour candied citrus and eat it every day – that is how good it is!

But wait the evening is not over…….we head up to the C-Vue lounge on the 29th floor for an after dinner drink – a small high end lounge with outdoor terrace that has the most wonderful views – tonight a lighting show from the storms moving in off the lake. Service was very good again but what a great space to drink and have a wonderful conversation and we did.

From here we headed out into the night to a private party at Buddy’s Guys to hear emerging legend Ronnie Baker Brooks rock the house with awesome Chicago blues. We played into the wee hours and had a wonderful Friday night in our favorite town, Chicago!

Korean BBQ it is HOT HOT HOT!

2009-05-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the second recipe we created for the Value Cuts Summit in Austin. Just know that this is a spicy one, but not as hot as the proto-type. While developing this one Linda said it might be a little too hot for the average consumer. And after eating three tacos during development she was absolutely on the mark, it took a couple of hours for my tongue to cool off! So give these a try when you want to spice up your dinner – these can be either wok cooked or on the grill for even better smoky flavor. Happy eating

Korean BBQ Beef Tacos servings: 4

1 lb Delmonico cut steaks
12 each Tortillas, flour or white corn

Marinade
1/2 cup Korean soy sauce
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 T Fresh ginger, grated
¼ c Brown sugar
2T Toasted Sesame oil
1 t Black pepper, fresh ground

Kimchi Slaw
1/2 c Romaine, shredded
1/2 c Napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 Cucumber, peeled & seeded, julienne
1/4 Red onion, shaved
1 Carrot, julienne
1/2 Red pepper, julienne
¼ c Cilantro, chopped
2 Green onions, sliced

Slaw Dressing
1/4c Lime juice, fresh
1/4c Rice wine vinegar
2 t Red chili paste
2 t Sugar
1/2 t Red pepper flakes

Red Pepper and Sesame Hot Sauce
3T Red pepper paste
3 t Sesame oil
3 t Brown sugar
2 T Rice wine vinegar

Preparation:

Take the chilled Delmonico steaks and slice into ¼” slabs. Place in a container for marinating.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade, pour over the Delmonico pieces, coating well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

In a large mixing bowl add all the Kimchi slaw ingredients and refrigerate until ready to dress.

In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for slaw dressing and mix well with a wire whip. Add to the slaw ingredients and toss to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the red pepper and sesame hot sauce; mix well with a wire whip. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.

Grill the marinated Delmonico slices over medium high heat until medium degree of doneness. Set aside to rest. When ready, slice into smaller strips.

Heat the tortillas and wrap in a towel to keep warm.

Assemble the tacos as follows:

Place a warm tortilla on a plate
Add approximately 3 ounces of Delmonico steak strips
Top with a generous portion of Kimchi Slaw
Drizzle the Red Pepper and Sesame Hot sauce over the slaw
Serve immediately

New Cuts of Beef - it is what's for dinner!

2009-05-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Austin last week where we did a demo for the value cuts summit put on by Plate and Meatingplace magazines. We had a wonderful time at the Texas Culinary Academy a state of the art culinary school with 600 students. I created 2 recipes for the event using new cuts of beef from the National Cattleman’s Beef Association. We had a lot of fun and I wanted share these new recipes with you. All of the new cuts are becoming available in your local supermarkets. Give these a whirl when you get a chance – I will post the other one later this week.

Coffee Crusted Denver Steak with Spring Hash

Coffee Rub Marinade for 3 pounds of meat

1/8 c Instant coffee
1 T Kosher salt
1 T Brown sugar
2 t Cumin, ground
1 t Black pepper
¼ t Onion powder
¼ t Garlic powder
1/8 c Olive oil

Prepare Marinade:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add Olive oil; mix completely.
3. Rub on Denver Cut steaks and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 8 hours.

Cooking:

1. Remove Denver Cut steaks from marinade.
2. Place marinated steak on a medium high grill or in a cast iron skillet; cook for 4 minutes. Turn and cook for additional 4 minutes to Medium Rare with a nice crust on both sides.
3. Remove from heat; allow to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing.
4. Slice the Denver Cut steak on the bias into 6 or 7 slices.
5. Fan slices around a portion of Spring Hash.
6. Sauce plate and lower half of the sliced Denver Steak with Red-eye Chipotle Glaze

Spring Hash servings 4

2 c Asparagus, cut 1” pieces, blanched
1 1/2 c Fingerling potatoes, diced, blanched
1 c Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ c Red onion, diced
1 bunch Ramps, sliced
2 sprigs Thyme
2 T Olive oil
To taste Salt & Pepper

Preparation:

In a sauté pan over medium high heat add the olive oil, onion, ramps, garlic and thyme, sauté until just tender.
Add asparagus, mushrooms and potatoes to pan; toss while sautéing.
Cook until everything is heated through, adjust seasoning.
Set aside and keep warm until needed for service.

Red-eye Chipotle Glaze

1/3 c Corn syrup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T Ketchup
1 t Instant coffee
2 t Brown sugar
1 T Tabasco Chipotle sauce
3 T Butter, cold
To taste Salt & Pepper

Preparation:

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients except the butter and bring to a low simmer - stirring well.
Remove from the heat and add the butter by whisking in one piece at a time.
Adjust seasoning and reserve in a warm place until needed.

© Doak & Krantz 2009

New in the city - The Bayou

2009-04-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

Linda took me to this exciting new little place in downtown right near her office. We had dinner on Friday night. The Bayou has a wonderful New Orleans feel and a menu to back it up. The service was good but you can tell they are still working through the opening weeks with a new staff. The menu is extensive with the usual selection of seafood items : appetizers- crawfish tacos, oysters on the 1/2 shell, seafood and artichoke dip, stuffed portobello, shrimp and andouille nachos. The sandwich selection was a total Po-boy bonanza - great choices and even a Muffaletta and then the entree selection looked wonderful with etouffees and jambalaya's. We can't wait to try more of the menu since what we had was so darn tasty. Make sure you sit downstairs to get the full feeling of the place - upstairs did not have the warmth and atmosphere!

What we ate

Blue point oysters - with bloody mary sauce and Champagne mignonette
- yum but the sauces need a little work to deliver on the expectation

Blackened Crawfish tacos - yum - the two of these were tasty - add one more for a meal

Bourbon St Po-boy - a dressed po-boy with shrimp and crawfish (could of used a little more seafood) with remoulade sauce

Sweet Potato Fries - amazing fresh cut and lightly dusted with seasoned flour - these are great!

Check it out we can't wait to go back!

Spring time is salad time - big flavors

2009-04-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here is one of our favorite salads - a great way to enjoy steak without feeling overly filled up. Give it a try - the recipe calls for tenderloin but any left over steak works well for this - strip, sirloin. Enjoy and happy eating!

Jim & Linda

Asian Beef Salad servings 4

1 lb Beef Tenderloin, grilled and cooled
1 Cucumber, peeled & seeded, sliced
½ Red onion, shaved
1 Carrot, julienne
1 Red Pepper, julienne
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Green onions, sliced
2 cup Salad Greens

Dressing

1/4cup Lime juice, fresh
1/4cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 T Thai Fish Sauce
2 t Splenda
2 t Red Pepper Flakes

Take the chilled grilled tenderloin and slice into very thin pieces and set aside.

In a large bowl, place the sliced cucumber, carrot, red pepper, cilantro and green onions – toss to evenly distribute the vegetables.

In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and mix well with a wire whip.

Add the meat to the bowl containing the vegetables, add half of the dressing and toss to mix.

Add the greens to the large bowl and toss to completely coat and evenly distribute the salad mixture.

Divide the salad between four plates and drizzle the remaining dressing over each salad.

Per serving

Calories282.25

Fat 12.33

Fiber1.375

WW Pts6

Spring is here - at Lombardino's

2009-04-13T07:37:00.001-07:00

It is spring for sure - the outdoor farmer's market starts this week. But on last Friday night we experienced the new spring menu at Lombardino's. Oh my too many good things to try in one sitting. Here are the highlights - we will do a full review soon.

BEEF TICINO
Thinly pounded beef tenderloin quickly grill seared & served with baby arugula, lemon, olive oil and Tuscan pecorino $12

ASPARAGUS alla MILANESE
Sauteed asparagus topped with an olive oil-fried organic egg* garnished with Sicilian lemon oil, Garden to Be micro greens& Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese $9

CREAM of FENNEL SOUP
with spicy fennel sausage, tarragon oil and snipped chive $6

SPRING LINGUINI with CLAMS Littleneck
clams sauteed with zucchini, white wine, butter, sweet chili and lemon $20

PHEASANT RAGU
Braised Wisconsin pheasant with white wine, thyme, spinach, pancetta and peas, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano $19

Can't wait to try the Asparagus, the Spring Linguini and the Pheasant Ragu - just to say the Fennel soup and the Beef Ticino were spectacular. You got to go and try this menu is up until early June.

Happy eating with love
Jim & Linda

We are back with tons to share

2009-04-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

Where have we been? – It is April and we have not been on the blog for awhile – it was just a darn busy March. Lots of thing work related, lots of house renovating and improvement projects waiting for spring to break. Well we are back and have some pretty cool things to share over the next several entries as we catch you back up. He is a short list of what to look forward to:

· Lots of dining out: Sala Thai, Jolly Bobs, Sardine, Lombardinos
· Events: A few: Madison Malt Society whiskey tasting – more to come - still recovering
· Travel: Chicago, Milwaukee more trips to come!
· New finds: Templeton Rye Whisky – my (Jim) new favorite
· Best Late night eats in Madison Wisconsin
· Top 10 wines under $10 - why spend $15 to 40 when you can enjoy amzing taste at a value
· Spring recipes for the bounty of the Farmer’s Market – opens 4/18 Woo Woo!

Happy Spring

Jim & Linda

Spring is coming!!!!! New Fish Recipes - One fish, Two fish, red fish, blue fish

2009-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Well come on spring! We have had a wonderful winter of cooking and creating all sorts of new dishes together. This winter we really enjoyed lots of seared, oven roasted and even BBQed fish dishes. Today I am starting a series of feature three new fish recipes with a unique side item to enjoy. As Linda and I continue to work on our cook book (out later this year is the intent) we explore finding ways to eat healthful but with big bold flavors, I think each of the new fish recipes delivers on this expectation. So print one of these out and give it a whirl in the kitchen, make sure you cook with love and from the heart because you can always taste it on the plate!

First Up - Sweet Potato Crusted Mahi - Mahi - a good use for those stored winter root vegetables (you can substitute regular potato if you prefer) . Also I am adding a bonus to this never before seen a Bourbon Butter Glaze to finish the dish off ! Yum! We like to serve this with either Frosted Sweeten Spinach or Braised Swiss Chard - both hearty greens that deliver great flavor from a simple preparation.

Sweet Potato Crusted Mahi- Mahi serves 4

Crusting
1 medium Sweet potato, peeled
½ c Bread crumbs
1 T Fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, parsley)
2 T Olive Oil
To taste Salt & Pepper

Fish
4 each 6 ounce skinless filets, Mahi- Mahi
(substitutions – any firm, low oil white fish such as: cod, haddock, halibut, corvina, grouper)
2 T Olive Oil
To taste Salt & Pepper

Bourbon Butter Glaze

1/4 cup Bourbon

4 tbsp Butter, cold

To make the crusting – use a box grater with larger holes – grate the sweet potato completely.

Place the grated sweet potato into a bowl and add the bread crumbs, chopped herbs, salt and pepper, and mix well. Add the olive oil to form a paste, mix well to incorporate all the flavors.

Pat the fish filets dry with paper towel and place on a cutting board so the side that had the skin on it is on the board surface (usually the darker side).

Brush the filet with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place about 1/3 of cup of the crusting mixture on the filet and spread with fingers, pressing to form an even layer about ¼” to 3/8” thick.

Repeat to crust all filets, then place on a plate and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
To cook: place a large, non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil and heat. When the olive oil has heated, place the filets crust side down, and allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until set and golden.

Carefully turn the filets over and cook for 1 minute, then transfer to a roasting or sheet pan.
Place the crusted fish into a 400° oven for 3 to 4 minutes until done – but not over cooked.

General rule of thumb is a total cooking time of 9 minutes per inch of thickness of a fish filet.

Place the saute pan back over medium high heat and add the 1/4 cup of Bourbon be careful it will flame up. Continue to cook until the bourbon is reduced to a bout a tablespoon.

Remove the pan fro the heat and them slowly whisk in the cold butter to incorporate set a side and top fish with a tablespoon of glaze as needed

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 173 g, servings 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 383 Calories from Fat 184
Total Fat 20.5g
Saturated Fat 4.3g
Cholesterol 54mg
Sodium 208mg
Total Carbohydrates 15.6g
Dietary Fiber 1.6g
Sugars 2.7g
Protein 32.7g
WW Pts. 9

Speck-wrapped Scallops at Lombardino's

2009-02-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a meal when you can actually taste the love and care that went into preparing it? I believe we all have. Contrast that with a meal that was made hastily, perhaps, or one that was slapped together. I believe one of the reasons that chefs are enjoying so much celebrity right now is that food is love. Think about it: food nourishes us, it inspires us, it is creative, close to the earth, and can be an act of love in its preparation. If you've ever watched Iron Chef, you can see the love going into the ideation and preparation of each dish. And so it is with many chefs....

...so it is with Lombardino's. Years ago, Lombardino's built its reputation on the traditional style of Italian food. Darned good Italian food, but traditional just the same. Turns out someone there was paying attention, because they have gradually turned the direction of the restaurant toward a combination of the Italian traditional with nouveau cuisine. ...consider this: pizzas with poached figs, gorgonzola....truffles!

We have become Lombardino regulars- we eat at the bar. Recently, we went back for the scallops, which had caught my eye the first time we spied them on the menu. However, Jim is not a huge fan of scallops, so at that time we feasted on the duck papardelle, which is reviewed in another post. But, back to the scallops....and not just any old scallops, but SPECK WRAPPED SEA SCALLOPS, served on a stew of Borlotti beans & escarole with stracotto of beef short rib & horseradish sauce. Talk about scrumptious! Not for the seafood-eating vegetarian, these are a wonderful combination of flavors, deep and wide on the palate. Just the thing to fill you up- and I feel compelled to add a side note here that we share plates to add variety. One salad, two diners...one entree, two diners....just the perfect amount of food, lovingly prepared and served. This is one example of what I mean when I say "food is love". Just as I have made a beet-loving convert out of Jim, this dish has made him decide that scallops (at least prepared in this manner) are something he loves.

More elsewhere - Milwaukee - Bacchus

2009-02-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

Time to chow down with long time friend and fellow chef Kerry Chace. The Chaceman travels a ton, so it was great to catch up with him over a nice meal. Linda and I had a grand time working through a huge and some what over-priced wine list to start. Bacchus is part of the Bartollota restaurant group based in Milwaukee, a collection of high-end, chef-driven venues serving on-trend food with spot on service. The service was fine - a little haughty since the server tried to sell two chefs a $88 porterhouse for two when asked what was a "not miss" on the menu. Come on, I know Tuesday evening is slow, but really read the guest better. We did find him to continue to be a bit competitive as it related to talking about food, wine and beverages through the whole meal (I'm getting this for my house, etc.). The menu was a smart list of starters, salads and entrees that echoed the seasonal goods available.

Linda and I shared the Tuna tartar with Wasabi tobikko as appy. Cucumbers and won ton chips rounded out the dish. The tuna was well seasoned and ice cold perched atop diced cucumbers that really gave the dish a bitter note instead of enhancing the sweetness. The won ton chips were super crispy platform for enjoying the tuna and the wonderful bursts of the wasabi tobikko really made your taste buds stand up and notice, all in all a solid 'B'. Kerry worked over the Seared Sea Scallops “Bartolotta” with sauteed mushrooms, truffle vinaigrette and Parmigiano: two beautiful day boat scallops that were perfectly seared. He must have enjoyed them because they were gone in a matter of minutes. The first course was in the books and all of us enjoyed the beginning of the evening. As far as wine, we selected a bottle of 2004 Paraduxx from Duckhorn - a meritage blend that was damn fine and tasty even though a bit over marked up.

Next up a walk through the garden - salads arrived - Linda and Kerry had Roasted Beets & Hidden Springs Cheese with grapes, Marcona almonds, arugula and “Blis” sherry vinegar salad. I had the Baby Spinach Salad with a grainy mustard dressing, house cured bacon lardons and a soft poached egg . Well, the beets on the beet salad were very one-dimensional and lacked any real seasoning or flavoring - I know beets. Linda is the one who introduced me to the joys of a well roasted beet, and this salad lacked any of the pizazz of hers. I think they both said their salad seemed deconstructed and did not deliver on the description. My salad also fell short of delivering the experience I was expecting. The house-cured lardons ended up being maple-cured, delivering a shock of sweetness I had not planned on. And the poached egg was actually soft boiled, which made the yolk firm and did not allow it to deliver the creaminess to the rest of the salad greens. Give this course a 'C' for showing up. I was hoping that this did not tip the hand for the entrees!

Here comes dinner - and none too soon... we all were very hungry! Kerry had the yummy Red Wine Braised Shortribs with sweet potato puree, parsnips and pearl onions a nice winter braise! Linda and I had the same thing, American Red Snapper with sweet potato puree, caramelized fennel and red wine-honey sauce. Both dishes were plated in an almost old-school style: an over worked and sauced plate that was a step back in time. Lots of demi glace and contrived use of orange, red, brown and white on both plates. Even though we 'eat with our eyes', these dishes tasted far better than they appeared. We enjoyed our entrees and finished the evening with an after dinner cocktail: Oban scotch for us and a Woodford Reserve for Chef Chace. We suggested he try it with a twist of orange to bring out the caramel and orange notes of the single batch bourbon, I think he found a new drink! We wrapped the evening and scooted out the door to our next stop, having a wonderful full tummy, and ready to rock out the rest of the evening.

Would I go back to Bacchus? Yes - I think it is a place worth visiting and getting to know when you go to Milwaukee!

Time for some elsewhere - Milwaukee - Steaks

2009-02-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a few days of business in Milwaukee and had a chance to dine out a couple of times with good friends. On this sojourn we had a meal at Capital Grille , yes a chain restaurant but a high end one. Capital Grille is part of the Rare Hospitality group that was bought by Darden last year. The atmosphere is high end clubby steakhouse with warm lighting, the dinning room was about 1/3 full - what you would expect on Monday night in this economy for a $60 per person average ticket. As always we are looking for interesting wines to try so we went by the glass - A Fisher Unity Cabernet - it was wonderful -nice depth, good fruit really all round red. We decided to share a couple of appetizers since the only oysters they had were East coast - not that we are snobs we just prefer the sweetness of West coast bi-valves over the briny East coast clan. We opted for a Waygu Beef Carpaccio and the Lobster/ shrimp cakes both enough to share. The carpaccio was good and classic in appearance - dressed baby arugula, shaved Reggiano, drizzle of olive oil, cracked pepper - then when we tasted it surprise - CUMIN. They had dusted the beef before slicing it paper thin - I like cumin but do not expect it on a high end beef carpaccio. It was ok - I have to say we would not order this again. The Lobster/ Shrimp cake was fine - a little fishy but very meaty - served with roasted corn salsa (out of season) and a fairly bland tarter sauce. So far about a B minus for the first courses the wine really opened nicely but then it hit.

The cigar smoke from the bar area became so over whelming I felt I was smoking a cigar the rest of the evening. In this day and age in a restaurant that cost 3 million dollars to build they should be able to separate the air handling. I love cigars but this was out of place and a real detractor from the evening. So after feeling like a smoked ham our dinner arrived

I had the dry aged sirloin cooked medium rare, Linda had the special a marinated filet that was seared and topped with roasted tomatoes and peppers served on two croutons - it was was very tasty. My steak was nice but lacked any dry aged flavor - none of that nuttiness you expect. All in all the steaks seemed to be under whelming I have cooked better ones on the grill in the back yard and at these prices .... I don't know how long the steak segment can have so many players. The best part of the evening was getting to know friends better and focus on life out side of work it was truly great to get to connect with our friend on a new level.

Saturday breakfast - something new!

2009-02-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Well this last weekend Linda had a craving for pancakes, pancakes? This is a rare occurrence because when she craves pancakes they are usually her light and fluffy ones she has made for me on occasion. Being Saturday meant we have a list of epic proportions of things we wanted to get done, so cooking breakfast was not an option.

So we headed out to Bradbury's coffee house a small place on Hamilton and Dayton that serves coffee and crepes - sweet and savory. What a tiny place with only about 4 tables and 12 window counter seats. The space is a wedge in the bottom of the condo building - the decor is post modern industrial - they really have done a great job with a unique space. Right off the bat the chalkboard identifies the source of the products they use by calling out the 12 to 15 local suppliers or farmers. The group running the place are a nice looking bunch of folks that really seem passionate about the food they are producing. The menu is on a chalk board on the other wall and it highlighted 4 sweet and a couple of savory crepe offering all in the $6 to $8 range including grits as a side. We opted for two of the savory offerings - roast pork with apples and the scrambled egg and bacon with cheddar this way we can share. Both the crepes were hot, fresh and substantial in size - the taste was great - just a little under seasoned. The meats in both crepes were from Fountain Prairie Farms which is known for flavorful grass feed beef and pork. The roasted pork was tender and flavorful against the sweetness of the sauteed apples from Ella Orchards each bite was wonderful. The scrambled egg crepe was stuffed with local cheddar and maple cured bacon that was a nice sweet contrast to the richness of the eggy crepe. The side of grits really lacked a lot of flavor - simple salt and pepper would have helped highlight the side that was doused with Tabasco as a flavoring agent. We enjoyed this wonderful breakfast with a couple of nice skim lattes. It was a great start to the day - expect for the fact that getting a seat here is the tough part of the visit.

We hovered until a few folks left a counter seat and then made our way to the opening. Lesson learned here that if you are over 35 you are not part of the in crowd. We will be back but now know that you need to get your seats as soon as you hit the door to ensure you can have seated breakfast.

You can tell how much love is something you are eating simply by the taste and care with which it is made, here there is some love coming through, stop in for a bite.

He saw his shadow - now it is recipe time!

2009-02-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

That is it - I have had it with winter already and now that meaty little groundhog rodent has the nerve to confirm we have 6 more weeks of this, ugh! I have always thought that the perfect recipe for groundhog would be fajitas. Marinate the meat and eliminate that grassy taste, since they are herbivores. Serve it with all the wonderful salsas and condiments to make tasty tacos!!!!! Add a side of wonderful tart margaritas, and you have the perfect...... OK- JUST KIDDING, FOLKS!!!!

After a beautiful and warmer weekend we can feel Spring is peaking over the horizon. We are so excited about the coming months we just want to hold the vision and feeling of the warm sunshine on our face.

So happy Ground Hog Day to everyone - and hey lets hope he got it wrong this time - his average is better than our local weather guy!

Happy Monday - it is still too cold

2009-01-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

What a nice weekend - lots of sunshine but oh my, cold, cold, cold! So how about another soup recipe to warm your cockles and keep you on track with your better for you eating program you started in the new year. Great taste can be less filling as you will see if you whip up this tasty winter soup.

Apple and Butternut Squash Bisque servings 6

4 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
3 Apples, peeled and diced
1 cup Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
5 sprigs Sage
2 sprigs Thyme
¼ tsp Nutmeg
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 qts. Fat Free Chicken Stock
1 cup 2% Milk
To taste Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp Wildflower honey

In a heavy stock pot over medium high heat place the olive oil, butternut squash, apples, onion , garlic and sauté until a light golden color is achieved

Now add the sage, nutmeg , salt and pepper and cook while stirring and cook for an additional 5 to 8 minutes

Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil, cover then reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender

Remove from the heat and use a blender to puree the soup smooth return to the pan

Place on medium heat and add the milk – bring up to a boil then turn off

Place in a soup bowl and garnish with a drizzle of honey, serve with your favorite crusty bread

© Doak & Krantz 2009

Per serving
Calories 162
Fat 4.0
Fiber 4.0
WW pts 3

Out and About on a Thursday

2009-01-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

Well we had a one day temperature break, it hit the low 30's that is a heat wave for this winter. Linda and I decided to head out and check out the fare at our "not so usual places". So we started on the east side and stopped at the Alchemy Cafe.

A nice neighborhood joint that is run by a group of young up and comers. The place has refurbished wood interior with wood floors - it has a worn feel like a pair of comfortable jeans. We elected to have a cocktail a nice scotch on the rocks - we sipped on some Oban, one of our favorites. We looked at the menu for a little nosh and decide on some hand-battered onion rings because the sauces sounded good. We had a large plate of thick cut onion rings with a wonderfully crunchy batter not too greasy. The dipping sauces where a chili arbol sauce that was kethcup like with a little heat on the back end the other was a buttermilk herb aka Ranch. Both of these were made in house with love and you could taste the freshness that went well with the rings. We relaxed had great conversation and then decide to forge west to our next stop.

Magnus the next stop on places less traveled. We remember why we had not been to Magnus in 2 years. The menu is just not that appealing we have never been impressed with the combination of tapas items. Tonight we settled on a glass of wine - one we had not had before. The service was stellar - we asked to taste a couple of wines before selecting and the bartender cheerfully accomidated us. We really wanted a Zinfandel but they only had these by the bottle. Our bartender guided us to a Spanish blend - 2006 Montsant, Acustic, Spain. This wine had a wonderful quality similar to a Ripassa with notes of raisin and prune with an under tones of port. We really enjoyed our glass of wine and listened to a pianist start his first set. Since we did not find anything we loved to munch on, we decided to head further west.

We needed to find some protein to round out the evening - how about sushi - we head to Murimoto Sushi at Hilldale. We love to come here when we can, the fish is fresh and the sushi chefs do a very nice job. Tonight it was a light crowd at 8:30 also for the first time we noted a bit of fishiness in the air. Typically this place just has a wonderful combo of fresh food and sea air but tonight something was suspect. We still ordered a couple of rolls - the Ecuador roll and traditional California roll. Both were tasty - the Ecuador is an inside out special roll with yellow tail, tuna, fresh jalapeno, nori and crusted with tempura crumbs. It is served atop a masago sauce with siracha - a taste explosion that was topped off with the spiciest pickled ginger. The California was classic rock crab, avocado and cucumber both rolls just fit the bill. It was just a great way to fill that void or so we thought. We packed up and head out of Murimoto and walked by David Bacco's chocolates - they were still open.

We had to duck in and look at the beautiful hand-made chocolates - some of the best and most creative in the world. The unassuming master himself was behind the case filling orders. We elected to put together a four piece box of some of his best flavors. In order of our favorite - we selected some of his seasonal flavors - first the Fromage Blue - with hooks blue, balasamic syrup, fig and pear notes wrapped in chocolate - a stunning and complex flavor that was simply the best. Second favorite was the Pomegrante with malbec ganache wrapped in chocolate it was complex and you could really taste the wine. Our third favorite was the Thai Peanut Butter one of his classics from the Air selection it had subtle hints of curry with peanut and a little heat on the back what a wonderful combination. The final sample was good but did not live up to my preconceived thought - the Chardonnay Smoked Bacon was nice - smoky with notes of chardonnay and oak - it was good but I expected more flavor complexity and notes.

What a nice way to spend a Thursday evening - good food, good drink, good conversation with the one you love. So take a trip out and about and see what is shaking in the real world less traveled!

Baby it is cold out! How about something grilled

2009-01-15T10:16:00.001-08:00

You know with the temperature at -9 today I am looking for any way to bring on a little summer. So I have decide to post a Summer grilled vegetable pasta salad. I know for most of you it is really cold and the grill is shut down for the season, but you can do this either under the broiler or with a grill pan on the stove. Just make a few adjustments - if you want to make this a main course add either grilled shrimp or chicken to it and you have a healthy and fulling dinner. Happy cooking and enjoy a little ray of summer - in the dead of winter!

Grilled Summer Vegetable & Pearl Pasta Salad servings 4

4 Zucchini, medium sliced
1 Red onion, sliced thick
½ Fennel Bulb, sliced thick
1 Red Pepper, split
12 Mushrooms, whole
2 Tsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Basil, Chiffonade
2 cloves Garlic, minced
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
2 cups Pearl Pasta, cooked and cooled
2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp Olive Oil
To Taste Salt & Pepper

Drizzle the zucchini, onion, fennel, red pepper and mushrooms with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place vegetables on a medium high grill and sear on both sides cooking for about 2 to 4 minutes per side or just enough to caramelize the vegetables
Remove from the grill and allow to rest and cool
Once cool – quarter the mushrooms, slice the zucchini into 1” squares, slice the fennel pepper and onion into julienne strips and add to a large bowl.
Add the basil and garlic to the bowl and toss all the ingredients, add the chilled pearl pasta, rice wine vinegar and olive oil.
Salt and pepper then add the Parmesan cheese to the salad and toss one last time
Serve at room temperature

To Cook Pearl Pasta
Place 4 cups of water over high heat in a stock pot and bring to a boil add salt to the water.
Add the pearl pasta and stir frequently bring back to a rapid boil and cook until tender – 7 to 9 minutes
Drain and rinse with cold water – set aside – add a little olive oil and toss to prevent clumping.

© Doak & Krantz 2009

Lombardino's and Patrick never fail

2009-01-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

We had a great dinner at the bar at Lombardino's last week. The food and menu they featured were left from New Year's Eve, so it was a bit more upscale than usual. The main entree selection was so tempting it was hard to select. We settled on sharing the PAPPARDELLE with DUCK RAGU, a slow simmered sauce of duck, pancetta, chianti, tomato garlic, rosemary & cinnamon tossed with wide ribbon pasta, garnished with Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is a stunning dish. The sauce was light but full bodied in flavor with moist pieces of duck confit, crispy pieces of duck skin and pancetta, and orange zest making the flavors simply amazing. I think this is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had anywhere, it is that darn good! We so love what Patrick does with traditional flavors by adding a twist - he is, in our humble opinions, the best chef in Madison right now. Consistent, confident but always playful in his menu ideas. There is a new menu coming soon so we have to get back in to try the speck wrapped scallops before they are gone. Give Lombardino's a whirl you will not be disappointed!

To see the current menu click on the link http://www.lombardinos.com/

Caesar Salad? Not!

2009-01-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

I picked up a Chicken Caesar salad from the Kitchen Hearth's downtown location today. Unfortunately, it wasn't even in Caesar's neighborhood - have you ever had a Caesar salad with carrots, cucumbers, head lettuce and grape tomatoes? Well, that's exactly what was on my salad - with nary a Romaine leaf in sight...no garlic, either. It was simply a plain old tossed salad with some very dry chicken strips placed on top. Caesar dressing was on the side, but my goodness, folks....a Caesar needs more than its dressing to bear the name.

On the 'up' side, I also bought a multi-grain roll to accompany the salad, and it was outstanding! Unlike some mutli-grain bakery items which can be dry and unappetizing, this was moist and chewy on the inside, and crackling crusty on the outside. I'm glad I picked it up...it helped fill the void left by the salad.

Leftovers can be so yummy!

2008-12-31T12:10:00.000-08:00

Well we finally cleared the last of the holiday leftovers - yummy shrimp and some sausage put to good use in making a paella inspired couscous dish. I love making one pot wonders they are quick, easy and tasty. So here is the recipe if you dare

1/2 cup Smoked Sausage, diced
1/4 cup Red onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 cup Broccoli florets
1/2 cup Carrots, diced
1/4 cup Green olives, crushed
8 Large Shrimp, pre-cooked, diced 1/2"
1/2 cup Couscous
1 tbsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
1 tsp Coriander
2 tsp Turmeric
3/4 cup Water
To taste Salt & Pepper

Place the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat
Add the sausage, onion, garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the paprika, coriander, turmeric continue to cook
Add a little water if the pan becomes sticky, now add the broccoli, carrot , olives and shrimp
Stir to coat everything add the couscous and stir to coat each grain
Add the water, bring to a boil and then cover
Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes
To serve taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add orange slices
Use lobster or scallops instead of shrimp or just add them for a multi-seafood taste
Add leftover roast chicken
Add fresh peas or asparagus in season
Use chicken stock or shrimp stock instead of water
Add capers

See you can create a lot of variations by simply adjusting to what you have on hand in the pantry or refrigerator.

Happy Cooking !

Pizza Night!!!!

2008-12-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

When we want the best pizza in Madison we head to the basement of the Italian Labors Hall to Greenbush Bar. They serve the best super thin crust with just the right amount of toppings and have a stellar wine list too. Last night was Monday night an evening that is usually a slow one but with the Lady Badgers playing and everyone out because the temps were warmer it was a zoo!!! We chose not to wait for a table but bellied up to the bar and had a glass of wine while we waited for our delicious pizza - a large with sausage, mushroom and banana peppers - yum! The pizza here is not super filling so you can share a whoel pie and not feel stuffed but really satisfied with the flavors and texture. It was so busy that they had run out of Cabernet, Tempranillo and Zinfandel - wow we settled for a Shiraz that was very nice just right with dinner. One of the best things about the Greenbush is that they serve until late - 11 PM they are part of our late night dining club ..more on that in another post. Service is usually friendly and prompt -even on a busy night the bartender did a very good job of keeping everyone happy! So if you wan to try the best thin crust in Madison - head over to the Greenbush Bar - open after 4 PM - except on Sundays they are closed.

In a special side note - Greenbush Bar has one of the best and most affordable selections of Scotch & Irish Whiskys and Bourbons in Madison. If you can't find it here it is not in the city of Madison. And the prices - pretty unbelievable too.....go have a drink and relax!

Christmas Dinner 2008 - one for the books

2008-12-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas meal with family and friends, we sure did. It was a holidaypalooza, we had Linda's traditional Holiday fare - pirogi, polish sausage, horseradish, oysters on the half-shell, and shrimp all very tasty (I love these traditions) and then combined it with some more fare - Roasted prime rib, broccoli with cheese sauce, au jus. It was a feast that everyone enjoyed as we celebrated the joys of being together and giving thanks for a wonderful holiday. After dinner some yummy baked goods that Linda has being making for a number of years hit the table - Chocolate scotcharoos, her almond toffee, bear paw cookies and the classic chocolate chip all added a sweet finish to the evening. Lets just say we had enough for 15 people but only five of us to tackle the feasting table.

As we wind down 2008 I want to thank some off the folks that make our life special as it relates to food and drink.

Jim Goggin who's $10 wine exchange has been great fun all year - we sent some good one s and he returned the favor. If you can't find something for $10 or less you are just not tasting enough wine.
The gang at Seafood Center - we could not live without our fish mongers - Bob, Bob and Tom you guys always have the freshest fish in town. Thank you for your wonderful service.
Nate and Gabe at Sardine - thank you for always making us feel special every time we come in for either a drink or meal.
Micheal and Patrick at Lombardino's - you always deliver an outstanding and thoughtful dinning experience - innovative too!
Joesf and his gang at Monroe St Bistro - you guys rock and your attention to personal service with great food and drink is simply the best.

We so appreciate everyone that touches our lives when it comes to service, food and beverages. The common denominator is the love and passion that is shared around something as simple as a meal or drink. Thank you so much!

Looking to eat lighter during the Holidays - try the Chopped Chicken Salad

2008-12-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

We love to eat salads for dinner we find them to be full of flavor while lower in calories. This is one of the ways I have managed to reduce my weight this year by about 20 pounds. That and a lot of fun exercise which is harder to do now - but I am thinking Linda will teach me how to cross-country ski - maybe this weekend. Goodness knows we have enough snow on the ground. Last night we pulled together one of our favorites - Chinese Chopped Chicken Salad - lots of crunchy vegetables with convenience roasted chicken in a zippy peanut sauce dressing. Here is the recipe - give it a try - total prep time is only about 20 minutes and like all of my recipes you can easily add other ingredients to this one - like pineapple or oranges, or substitute shrimp for the chicken - lots of possibilities. Give it a spin

Chinese Chopped Chicken Salad 4 servings

½ Rotisserie roasted chicken, meat pulled and shredded
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
¼ cup Red pepper strips – fresh or jarred
1 Mango, diced
¼ cup Red onion, shaved
1 Carrot, shredded
½ cup Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 pkg Ramen noodles, coarsely crushed
2 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
2 cup Salad greens

Dressing
1/4 cup Thai peanut dressing (bottled)
¼ cup Rice vinegar
2 tbsp Orange juice
S&P To taste

1. Pull the meat from the chicken and shred with fingers into ½ inch wide strips; place in a large bowl.

2. Place the rest of the salad ingredients into the same bowl and toss together to evenly mix all the items.

3. Add the desired amount of dressing and toss to coat all ingredients.

4. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

5. Pile in a mound on 4 plates and top with a little remaining dressing.

Salad is best served with chilled chicken.
Dressing is good for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

© Doak & Krantz 2007

Per serving
Calories 283.47
Fat 7.04 g
Fiber 1.6 g
WW pts 6

Soups On!!!! - Tortilla Soup

2008-12-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

Since it is -3 degrees outside with a 20 mph "breeze", I thought it was a perfect time to cook up a batch of chicken tortilla soup. I take the leisurely approach on this by using a crock pot so I don't have to watch the stove. Here is the recipe - note it is a fairly healthful soup - give it a try!

Chicken Tortilla Soup servings 10

2 cup Onion, large dice
1 cup Carrots, large dice
½ cup Celery, chopped
1 Jalapeno, diced
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp Olive oil
3 ears Corn, removed
1 cup Mushrooms, quartered
4 Medium Zucchini, 1” chunks
14 oz Whole Canned Tomatoes
4 Whole Bay leaves
1 Roasted Chicken, meat pulled
2 qts Fat Free Chicken Stock
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp Chili powder
½ tbsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander, ground
12 Corn Tortillas, strips
To Taste Salt & Pepper

Garnish
1 cup Tortilla Chips
½ Avocado
½ cup Cotija Cheese

In a heavy stock pot over medium high heat place the olive oil then add the onion, carrot, celery, jalapeno and garlic cook until soft about 8 to 10 minutes

Add the corn, mushrooms and zucchini to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes

Add the tomato by hand crushing them into the pot then add the bay leaf, chicken meat, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, coriander and cook for an additional 5 minutes while stirring

Add the chicken stock and the corn cobs bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes

Remove the corn cobs and bay leaves, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper then add the tortilla strips and cook for an additional 15 minutes

Serve in a bowl and top with your favorite condiments such as cilantro, tortilla chips, avocado and Cotija cheese.

Recipe of the week - Ruby Red Scallop Ceviche

2008-12-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

It is time for a little taste treat, we enjoy this dish and feel like we have traveled to a warmer place. You can substitute shrimp or lobster for the scallops for an added recipe twist. I love to use Texas Rio Star Ruby Red grapefruits this time of year they are so wonderfully juicy and sweet. Linda and I will be teaching at Orange Tree again in January. Check out their cooking school website for more information on classes. Happy Saturday and good cooking.
**NOTE: ALL RECIPES ARE ORIGINAL

Scallop Ceviche servings 4

8 Diver scallops, sliced in half
1 Ruby Red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
¼ cup Lime Juice
¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tbs. Mirin
½ cup Red onion, shaved
¼ cup Peppadew pepper, sliced
2 Tbs. Cilantro Leaves
As needed Salt & Pepper

Place the scallops on a cutting board and remove the abductor muscle from the side. Slice in half through the equator of the scallop to form two disks. Repeat until you have cut all eight scallops.

In a mixing bowl place the sections of the grapefruit, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, Mirin, red onion, Peppadew and cilantro leaves. Toss to mix.

Add the scallops and season with salt and pepper.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to “cook” for about 2 hours.

Remove and stir mixture before plating.

Divide the ceviche between four plates with 4 pieces of scallop on each plate, adding a little of the grapefruit-onion mixture.

Garnish with a small drizzle of the marinade juice and serve.

© Doak & Krantz 2008

Recommended beverages:

Lighter lager beers
Chablis
Champagne
Chenin Blanc
Riesling, esp. Alsatian or German
Sake

Why? Ceviche has a lot of acid, and so the wrong wine can finish sweet against the acid. Choosing a wine that has acid tastes (lime, lemon, etc.) will compliment the ceviche.

Monroe St Bistro for Saturday Lunch

2008-12-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

Another blustery Saturday of running around town left us hungry to get out of the cold and something warm in our tummy's. Like I said we had made the complete circuit around Madison, east side to the west and then downtown. We both craved something delicious with a bit of holiday cheer on the side. We headed to Monroe St Bistro for a burger and a Bloody Mary two of our favorite Saturday lunch items. Why MSB, because the chef uses local beef from Fountain Prairie Farms, cheese from Hook's and they make amazing frites the old fashion way. So we dropped in and sat at the bar - the real treat is having the owner Joesph wait on us. We love that he always remembers us and ask a question that signals he truly cares about getting to know his customers. We order a couple of bloody Marys and to our surprise the mix is made in house - it is fresh, lively with multiple layers of flavor that tickle our taste buds. A salad in a glass basically to go with our burgers. We ordered the MSB Burger - cooked to order with think sliced fried onions that are caramelized to bring out the sweetness, thin sliced ripe Roma tomatoes and Hook's white cheddar cheese all served on a toasted ciabatta roll with house-made aoli. What an awesome burger warm and tasty to take away the chill of the now falling snow. You know I know burgers - I do them for a living but Linda is a burger lover from way back and she has had a lot of good and bad burgers in her travels. This one she says is so good because the meat and the flavor of the meat is just amazing. The flavor is steaky and beefy with lots of juiciness - not greasy but juice running down her hand. I think they have built a wonderful signature burger that for $12 delivers a great dining experience served with a stack of salted frites that amek the meal complete. This was our first lunch visit to MSB the other two times have been for late night dinner - and the menu delivers on those occasions. So if you have not had the pleasure of dining at the Monroe St Bistro by all means stop by and have a drink or a nosh with Joesph, Rebbecca and the rest of the crew. Once you stop in you will go back again and again to a place you can call your own.

Monroe St Bistro
Hours
MONDAY-SATURDAY - 11am-bar time
SUNDAY - closed
LUNCH 11am-4pm
SMALL PLATES 4pm-5pm
DINNER 5pm-11pm
LATE NIGHT MENU until 1:30am

Location
MAP 2611 MONROE ST., MADISON, WI 53711

Party all night long at the Brink

2008-11-30T09:34:00.001-08:00

Well sort of - it was time for some fun music and Midlife Crisis was playing at the Brink lounge in the "nightclub". If you have not seen Midlife Crisis - I suggest you do since they are non-stop til you drop music that is for dancing. This was one of the first times the dance floor was never empty and these guys don't stop between songs and chit-chat, they came to rock and they did. We really had a great time sipping some Irish Whisky, dancing and listening to the band. You know these guys played hour and 10 minute sets full out.

It was a great evening - they only rant I have is the lack of cocktail service the Brink provides. Having been in the bar business for years it pains me to see a lounge full of thirsty guests to only have one or two service folks on, it is like selling drinks is an after thought. I am talking about a room with an easy 50 to 75 people who could not get a drink. I sure hope that someday Curt Brink and his team figure out how to provide service to match the quality of entertainment at the Brink. It would seem to me that making money on drink sales is more attractive than the $5 cover at the door. We will keep coming to listen to the great line up of bands they book we just might not drink here - maybe before hand at the Malt House....that is another story.

Saturday and a lunch in Gotham

2008-11-30T09:33:00.001-08:00

It was a busy Saturday day running errands we must have hit 8 places up and down State St. before 1:30 when we stopped to take in some lunch. We were in the downtown area and decided to go to Gotham Bagels, what a great call. Linda had been for lunch a couple of weeks ago and raved about the sandwich she had so we came back together. What a nice treat we each had a cup of Matzo ball soup and then split the Spanish Harlem sandwich and for dessert they had bagel dogs so I grabbed one to go. Gotham is owned by a New York chef that came to Madison to teach at MATC, it is clear that he knows his food and has a staff that is well versed in it as well as great service.

The Food:
The Matzo ball soup was ok - the broth was rich but needed a little more depth and the matzo ball tasted a little old - the soup was garnished with perfectly cut brunoise of carrot, celery and onion -nice knife skills.

On the sandwich - the Spanish Harlem is roasted pork shoulder with capocollo ham, baby Swiss, pickles and Dijon on your choice of bagels - we chose the onion. The bagels are no ordinary bagel - the are hand rolled and baked on a rotary hearth oven. The sandwich is served hot and what a sandwich - by far some of the best roast pork I have had in a couple of years - moist, tender and full of flavor. The Spanish Harlem is Gotham's spin on a Cuban sandwich and I have to say it delivers beyond expectation. This is one of the top 5 sandwiches in Madison, you have got to try it!!!!

For dessert - I had split the sandwich with my love but was still a little hungry so I grabbed a Saturday special a bagel dog for $2 - what a deal. This was a wonderfully roasted dog wrapped in thin layer of bagel dough and then baked golden - it was crunchy outside with wonderful tender and juicy hot dog in the middle. It was a taste treat and a deal!

Get to Gotham and enjoy a true culinary trip to Manhattan without the hassle of airport security...oh yeah "if they holler at you is because they care" and you know what they really do. It shows in the food, service and hospitality we will be back often and even for breakfast - remember these bagels are not just for breakfast

A beer dinner that could have been great!

2008-11-25T13:34:00.001-08:00

Well we are fans of the guys at Sardine so when the chance to attend their first beer harvest dinner was presented we jumped at the chance. We love to sit at the bar and have dinner often because the gang at the bar deliver some of the best service in Madison. When Nate suggested that we sign up for what was going to be an evening of great Belgian Beer and hearty fare we thought what a great way to spend a Monday evening.

So we rolled in on Monday October 27th to enjoy some hors d'oeuvre and ale, sadly the snacks were some cheese and crackers not very exciting for a bar area full of folks really quaffing the brew. So we chalked it up to just a small miss. They promptly seated everyone at 7:15 to serve a family style meal. We sat with a lovely couple who enjoyed dining and travel and seemed quite pleased with the evenings fare. We started out with a bang - some wonderful roasted mussels on the half shell with a herb crumb mixture with butter - quite tasty with a hint of tarragon that paired the dish well with the Leffe Blonde. The beer was a Belgian ale with just a hint of anise on the finish this was a great pairing with the mussels. The other first course was a salad of frisee with shaved fennel, apple, blue cheese and walnuts lightly dressed - it was light, crispy and tart which also went nicely with the Leffe Blonde. It was at this point in the meal that we had expected either John or Phillip to greet the crowd and share their insights for the evening meal, however they remained in the kitchen. It was a huge miss that no one discussed the beer or the food as we have experienced at wine dinners around town.

Instead the next two beers were served in preparation for the entree courses being served, these were the Spaten Oktoberfest and the Kasteel Brune. Both heavier beers designed to go with the braised chicken, roasted fall vegetables, and a platter of various sausages. The food was ok - tepid - the sausage platter with fresh sauerkraut was just that - not interesting again no really explanation or guidance from our hosts. The beers were great with these items so a lot of thought was put into the pairing but no one shared the thinking or insights - a huge miss for a number of foodies in attendance. The Spaten had nice caramel notes with a light hoppy finish - pleasing to drink, the Kasteel Brune was rich, dark and coffee, like it held up to the boldness of the roasted squash and brussel sprouts with out over powering their flavors. All in all the second course was disappointing on many levels. So we hoped that the dessert course would pull the evening out of the sub par experience but it failed to do so.

What arrived for dessert was an apple strudel that was ok but tended to have a gummy crust and it did not pair well with the Floris Framboise. Which was a light and bubbly lambic with a lovely raspberry nose it would have been better with something chocolate that would have provided a contrast to the beer. Ok now is someone going to come out and talk to the crowd, maybe say a few words and thank everyone (all very regular guests) for coming tonight. Nope the next thing that shows up is the check. So we cash out say goodbye to the couple we sat with and the gang behind the bar. What we hoped to be a stellar evening turns our to be a B- at best.

Part of what makes Sardine and Marigold Kitchen special is the hospitality and the people who have passion to serve. We go to Sardine as I said for the excellent service at the bar from Gabe, Nate and Bobbi it is too bad that hospitality was lacking on what could have been a great evening. I think maybe John and Phillip should attend a wine dinner at Harvest to see how gracious Tammi and her team execute what is a lovely evening of food, wine and knowledge with their guests. We will give the gang at Sardine another try on a paired dinner - we hope this first outing provided some good feedback for the team and will help them raise the bar. We know that a number of folks dinning at the harvest dinner were interested in more than just chowing down, they came thirsty for knowledge with a willingness to learn and grow.

Happy Hour at Broccah

2008-11-21T06:55:00.000-08:00

If you love Scotch and Irish whisky like we do then do not want to miss happy hour at Broccah. When we get the chance we love to get there to enjoy half price, yes half price premium whisky and half price pints of Guiness. They have this daily M-F 4-6pm and it is just a great place especially when the temps have dropped outside and you are looking for a treat to warm your cockles. The service is always friendly and professional at the bar where as you know by now we prefer to be in most establishments. Looking at the spirits list here gives you a chance to try many wonderful whiskys at reasonable prices - even Middleton rare is only $11 for a 2 ounce pour during the happy hour. We tend to stick to favorites on the scotch side, Oban 14 yr and on the Irish whisky side it is Tellamoredew or Knapouge Castle both yummy. We hope you get a chance to get by for a pint and a sip of some tasty whisky. We will be there this winter on occasion to enjoy the warm atmosphere and good music.

Friday night dinner at Lombardino's 11/21

2008-11-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

We love having dinner at Lombardino's the chef/ owner Patrick is by far one of the most consistent and innovative chefs in Madison. He really creates a wonderful menu and specials sheet using local and seasonal ingredients that really tempt the taste buds.

As with most trips to Lombardino's we like to sit at the bar - the service is always excellent with personal attention from Micheal Banos the GM of the restaurant. This evening we had to sit at one of the high top tables at the end of the bar. - A great spot to watch people and enjoy the energy of the dining room near by. As usual we ordered off the specials sheet - not that the main menu items are not great - we just love the items that are featured - this evening we shared three of the antipasti items - the Beet Salad, the Duo of Scallops, Sausage & Peppers - all three really fun and delicious. While dining we each had a glass of the Zenato Ripassa - one of our favorites - rich fruit, with a little raisin and dried currants and Amarone at half the price.

The beet salad was a classic with roasted beets, greens, Gorgonzola, nuts and lightly dressed greens. It was great way to start the evening it really was nice since we had happy hour downtown at Broccah but that is another story. The nice thing about splitting items at Lombardino's is that they split them in the kitchen when the dish allows, we love this extra little special attention. Next up the duo of scallops which combined a chilled slice of salmon and scallop mousse over baby arugula on one end of the plate with a hot offering of a seared scallop with truffle and brown butter crumbs pasta. The cold half of the duo the mousse was not very pleasing a slight miss in our opinion. The salmon in the mousse was to over powering for the scallop and made the entire item taste really fishy. On the other end of the plate the hot half of the duo really delivered a nice punch. The scallop was perfectly cooked the black truffle with the brown butter crumb was just rich and luxurious on the palate. We quickly noshed on the scallop and sopped up every last crumb with their wonderful bread. The flavors of the earthy truffle with the scallop's freshness of the sea taste all tied together with the light caramel notes of the brown butter make this dish a must repeat, yum!

We rounded out the meal with the final course, a classic sausage and peppers. Patrick puts a nice spin on this favorite by first using a wonderful piece of Frabonis coiled Italian sausage. The sausage it self had been grilled which added a nice smoky note to the dish, He then combined peppers and onions that are almost caramelized, but he used poblano peppers instead of just bell peppers. The poblano provided a wonderful glow of heat to the dish that separated it from being ordinary.

We enjoyed the rest of our wine and then headed back to the eastside since we could not find any music we were interested in this evening. We always look forward to the great food from Patrick and the awesome service from Micheal and his team. Thanks for making our Friday night a tasty one!