What I'm Drinking These Days

Recently was introduced to a Tequila that shattered all illusions of the "best". Hear me out, I still adore my Gran Centenario. However Deleon brought me to my knees. The bottle itself is turn on. Handblown glass decanter, silver stopper that's an intricately carved skull designed by biker jewelry designer Bill Wall. But how does it taste?

The Tequila Whisperer calls it a "very exceptional tequila". Deleon won Best in Show Grand Champion at the World Beverage Competitions 2010 and 2011.

Quite frankly for the price ($140 per bottle) I think this tequila is one you save for special sipping. Don't leave it out for Uncle Irving to swill during the football game. This baby is best poured in a snifter and shared with your honey or sipped alone while smoking a Nat Sherman on a cool winter evening.

Belmont's Redemption

Been getting a lot of flak for a post last year in which I dissed the Belmont Tavern. My friends were not happy. How could you they chided? So it was with resignation that I trundled off to Belmonts, the day before Xmas Eve.

The newbies to Belmonts raved about the salad. What IS it about oil, vinegar and simple Italian herbs that makes a salad so intriguing? That's followed by Cavatelli with Pot Cheese and the Beeps. A couple orders of Mad Chicken, Chicken Savoy and the daily special of Pork Francese. All accompanied by the thimble sized cocktails.

The waitress (who's also the owner of the restaurant) takes to shine to my friend AR. She brings extra pepper flakes, extra plates and when it comes Sambuca time, she even brings him a jigger of coffee beans! Whoa, did we enter an alternate universe? You'll know the service here is terse at best.

The evening ends on an even better note. I've been severely chastised for requesting cream with my espresso. Lord knows why this is such a point of contention. Not like they have to trudge out to the field to milk old Bessy. But every time I do this I take a beating. This time I'm prepared. When the espresso arrives I whip out my non dairy creamers and gleefully sip my espresso like the demure lady I am...

From my perspective, Belmonts is redeemed.

5 out of 5 Tasters Say

I think I can take them. The Pot Pie establishments that is. Recent new years day attempts have bolstered my faith in the pie. Spent half the day simmering chickens in homemade broth which rendered the poultry unctuously moist - the perfect conduit to lap up aromatics. Main contenders are Blarney Station in East Rutherford and The Orange Squirrel in Bloomfield. While the Orange Squirrel does an elegant bechamel heightened by a liquor reduction. Cognac perhaps? Blarney's pie on the other hand is pure Irish fare.

I'm not shy about my culinary prowess but I have to say my pot pie does rock. This opinion was echoed by my weekend guests. All 5 of them! As my cousin Amit boldly rumored on Facebook: Best Pot Pie EVER.

All this talk of pies and casseroles reminds me of possibly the funniest cooking blog ever captured in interactive media. Jean Paul Sartre's Cookbook. Offered here for your culinary amusement.

From the Foothills of the Tatra Mountains Springs an Exceptional Vodka

Weekend frolics included a circus act trying to nail down a Friday nite venue. Contenders included Belmont Tavern, Truvatos, Il Villagio but Gianna's won out. Boy am I glad it did. Not for the Basa, my favorite white fish. Not for the shrimp in an ooh-so-lite garlic bath. Sounds like I'm prepping for the Feast of the 7 Fishes doesn't it?

No, I'm grateful to have dined at Gianna's Friday night for as I requested a Ketel One Martini with olives, Val the woman seated next to me suggested I try Double Cross instead. Never heard of it but I'm always game for a new adventure, especially if it's imbibed. So glad I did. It was smoother and oddly creamier. Not sweet like Grey Goose but softer on the tongue and silkier on the throat. Must be the 7 step distillation process, or perhaps it's the spring water from the foothills of the Tatra mountains.

The bottle is oddly rectangular and solid as you could wish any blunt object to be. Definitely a masculine bottle in a world of shapely round frosted barrels. The purveyor is barely discernible. Republic is the best we can make out, assuming it's Czech. Later we discover this product is made by the Slovak Republic with "winter grown estate wheat." First Croatia blows us away with it's indigenous Zinfindel. Now more Eastern European libation surprises. Who knew winter wheat could be so delightful?

Having been a Ketel fan for the better part of 13 years I'm ready to hand the Dutch spirit over to the sexy boys club and embrace the more feminine Double Cross as my own.

By the way, that's Dean the bartender kindly holding the bottle for the photo op.

Giannas Restaurant
843 Washington Avenue
Carlstadt, NJ 07072
201-460-7997

Dinner party season kicks off

Big lavish soirees where guests dress to the hilt. Casual Sunday afternoons to cook with chef buddies. Intimate dinners with candles burning and the scent of pine and cinnamon wafting through the air. All which mean bubbly time has arrived.

In the past Nicolas Feuillatte Rose won my starry-eyed devotion. Still love my Nic but my adoration for pink has now shifted to pale straw. That's the color of the La Marca Prosecco my buddies at Shoppers Vineyard turned me on to. I purchased it this summer and loved the lemony accents it gave to hearty BBQs. Winter-time however is whole new ballgame. The sparkling is far colder (what a treat to leave Champagne out on the deck to chill ice cold! No fridge ever did as good a job.) Matter of fact I stored an entire case outdoors for a recent dinner party. Yes, my liver is pleading for agua, please agua.

Speaking of cases, the wine is so affordable it makes sense to purchase by the case. Wine Spectator rated it 90 and it recently received a DOC rating.

Birthday time is food time

Birthday week kicked off with dinner at an old Spanish standby Segovia. Dad and friends join me for an intimate little soiree. Staple starters of Clams Casino, Shrimp Ajillo, a watery vegetable soup and the standard iceberg lettuce. I will say however that Segovias has the BEST bleu cheese dressing I've tasted in long years. It's creamy with a bite of piquant real gorgonzola. It's Dad's all time favorite. Matter of fact he packed away three, count 'em three gravy boats of dressing in one sitting.

There's rarely a time I'm not in the mood for Paella. Perhaps I should have been last night. The Paella I shared with my bud Kenny was dry and almost flavorless. So much so I had to liberally douse the dish with Tabasco. Blasphemy! Luckily Dad's order of Spare Ribs was so massive I had plenty to nosh on. Matter of fact, so did everyone else. Stu's whole lobster stuffed with crabmeat was the clear winner. Toasty crust with soft savory stuffing inside.

The house brought out a chocolate mousse cake - all very ok. Better was the serenade by the waiters singing Happy Birthday Miss America. Awesome.

Even better were the cupcakes Kenny brought along from Mr. Cupcake. Mr. Cupcake is a young Jersey guy who's made it big time. TV Food Network, local news, throngs of followers - mostly women. Come on, who doesn't love a guy who can bake? Kenny sweetly brought Average Joes (anything but yellow cake dipped in dark chocolate ganache), French Toast (just like it sounds), Apple Crisp and Vanilla Chip (more mocha-ish with dreamy buttercream...)

Nice way to kick off bday festivities.

Segovia Restaurant
150 Moonachie Road
Moonachie, NJ 07074
201.641.4266
Open for lunch and dinner daily except Monday

Viktor & Spoils Tequila Bar

While I'm a proponent of taxation proportionate to income there are some exclusivities of the riche that make my lil ole heart aflutter. Like Quintessentially the self proclaimed "club for those who believe that life is too short to waste time on the mundane or second-best".

While I'm not a member I do receive invitations to food and beverage events. Like this week's launching of Viktor and Spoils, the newest Loisaida - pronounced Loui-eas-ida - (Lower East Sider, get it?). Viktor & Spoils serves authentic small bites like lobster and cactus tempura. Yo! Unadulterated tacos and stuffed and fried rolls called Taquitos. But wait, saving the best for last. The Tequilas and Mezcals. Difference? Tequila is made specifically from the blue agave where Mezcal is derived from Maguay and is typically smokier...the better to marinate worms...

A little industrial on looks. Could use a haunting Mexican chanteuse moaning about her lost love. But then that's just the way I prefer to drink my Tequila. A bit refined for now, will be interesting how this joint evolves given the location.

Let the Winter Feasting Begin

The cooler weather brings those breathtaking blue skies. The can-you-believe-these-colors pageantry of foliage. Lengthy, brisk bike rides that remind you of long forgotten muscles. But best of all it brings cold weather eating. Rose's Place, a Lebanonese restaurant off busy Route 4 comes highly recommended by my chef buddy Kenny. We take a bottle of Prosecco to pair with the vibrant but not overly aggressive spice palette. We're served a complimentary plate of pickled cornichons, beets and cured olives accompanied by toasted pita points. Something about the purity of rustic bread topped by brined goods makes me happy. The Italians do it well, as do the Spainards. Apparently so do the Lebanonese.

To start we chose a few salads, garlicky cucumbers, tomatoes and yogurt. For mains we're recommended the kabob platter of chicken, lamb and beef. The salmon catches our eye as the second entree. The meat kabobs are good- hearty, well seasoned and adroitly cooked. The best of the lot are the chicken kabobs, which are addictive and somehow dismiss the red meat to a corner. How can this be so? I'm guessing long marination gives these chickies the burst of flavor. The salmon turns out to be the surprise winner. While Kenny adores seafood salmon is not one of the pesce that floats his boat. No more, Omega 3 be damned! To western propensities, this salmon redefines how fish can be prepared. Of course I've been cooking salmon curry for years in tamarind, chillies and tomatoes. But that's another post, another recipe.

Rose's Place. What you need to know:
32-01 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ (201) 475-8800
BYOB.
Shareable plates, ask the waitstaff for recommendations. Hunker down for a leisurely meal. The food is cooked upon request and deserves the requisite preparation time.

Last Days of Summer

Something about the inevitability of Autumn that propels one to indulge in the last of summer's delights. Hamburgers (albeit gourmet), hot dogs (better yet kielbasi) and over-chilled white wines. Best of the summer bounty - lobster bakes!

A new strip mall arose in Clifton from the ruins of an antiquated car dealership. The occasional clothing store is outnumbered by the food joints. Hohum Fridays, locally owned Greek, Italian and pizza venues. A yogurt bar with lines half way down the street. And a very attractive street at that. Manicured pathways, fountains and music soaring over speakers all night! Seriously, Ella Fitzgerald while gnoshing on a yogurt cup? Tres civilized.

The biggest draw in the mall is undisputedly Joes Crab Shack. You know, those goofy commercials with diners getting waylaid by claws on their way to "bland" fast food joints. Joes relishes an eccentric atmosphere. Take the waitstaff outfitted in tied dyed or humorously suggestive tees like "Down, Dirty, Messy". Then there's the Macarena, the house dance that the waitstaff breaks into every hour or so. It's like Glee meets Lucky Changs. The kids love it, shaking their tushes to the other forbidden dance. My dinner companion and local pub buddy is a native Jersey boy who's delight in seafood is only surpassed by his love of wrestling big game fish. Of course his name is Joe.

Inevitably it all comes down to eats and Joes is all about seafood with an emphasis on Crab. Starters include a gluey chowder, decent fried oysters with a spicy remoulade dip. Best of the lot - Crab Nachos.

Skip the salads, the token chicken and pasta dishes and go straight to the steampots and buckets. Not too complicated - pick the type of shellfish combo, the seasoning (Old Bay, Ragin Cajun, Diablo). We opt for 2 Samuel Adams pots for the lure of meaty meaty lobster claws and a prerequisite for a lobster bake - sausage. Given the devotion to New Orleans style cookery, this sausage turns out to be Andouille. Old Bay seasoning adds a salty back note to the beer reduction. The potatoes are meaty but bland red bliss. Corn on the cob however is superb. Not overly steamed, sweet, crunchy and daintily sheared of husk and silk.

Get a gigantor sized 22 oz beer for like $5 but stay away from the cocktails. Way too much sugar and calories for a drink. Save those for the Key Lime Pie or Sea Turtle Sundae.

Joes Crab Shack

405 Allwood Road Clifton, NJ 07013

(973) 777-5114

Better Than Belmonts?

While rotting destruction and shredded vocal chords surround me these days one truth remains inescapable: a foodie must eat.

I wait at the bar at Truvatos for my friend Jen to arrive. Now Jen and I are polar opposites. She blonde, peaches and cream. Me, dark and bronzed. We've been likened to a black and white cookie. I sip a Cosmo 'cause we all know Vodka's good for the throat. The guy to the left of me says you have the sexiest voice I've heard outside of a 900 number. The guy to the right of me orders Escargots. They look good, smell even better. He offers me a butter drenched nugget on the tip in his tiny fork. Why thank you! Good way to start the night.

Jen and I are seated and immediately order the Shrimp Beeps. If I've heard correctly beeps originated at the Belmont Tavern, a revered Newark establishment originally located next to a chicken butcher. Hence the extended list of chicken dishes and the term "beeps." The Beeps at Truvatos are fatter, juicier and more plentiful, nestled in a more complex sauce, somewhere between a marinara and scampi sauce. Robusto!

Jen opts for the chicken breast Diavolo while I'm jonesing for dark meat on the bone. I'm not claiming this Chicken Abruzzio, roasted chicken in vinegar is better than Belmonts chicken Savoy. I'm just stating that the vinegar reduction with a touch of wine in which shitake mushrooms and slivers of red hot peppers bathe is slap-my-ass-and-call-me-Betty delicious. Just saying.

We order a dessert of strawberries and cream. Heavy whipped cream is just about my favorite topping to lavish on anything. Truvatos pushes the envelope even further. Theirs is not just whipped cream, or even a marscapone blend, but made with cannoli cream. The strawberries are tart and crunchy enough to counter the velvety folds of cannoli clouds.

To our supreme disappointment our waiter Uwaldo informs us "no more strawberries." The bitter shock on our faces is enough to send him scurrying off to make amends. Uwaldo returns carrying a 3 foot tall vial of Grappa in which 2 bosc pears have been fermenting. Like many family style Italian restaurants Truvatos offers a signature digestive to their patrons. Grappa happens to be theirs. He fills our snifters with priestly ritual. The pears however are in an adventurous mood and tumble out of their vial, onto our table, splashing me with their heady juices. My lime green top is splattered with Grappa to our waiters dismay. I shush him. Stained chiffon is a small price to pay for this elixir.

I might not be able to speak but it's sure good to eat.

Truvatos Restaurant, Closed Mondays
206 Route 46 East, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
Tel: 201-797-7552

Food to Storm by

Hurricane Irene, downgraded to a Tropical Storm blasted through the eastern corridor Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Dumped 8 inches of rain in 12 hours, hence my very flooded basement. Luckily I had packed all my outdoor furniture into my garage, so no damage other than hefty fallen branches and leaf debris making my yard look like a woodchipper went insane.

So what's a foodie to eat in such chaos? My kind neighbor brought over a plate of his wings to snack on while I clean. Now these wings are crazy good. Crispy salty but shellacked in a sweet Teriyaki sauce that's culinary crack. Porn on a plate baby!

If he ever shares the recipe I'll post for your enjoyment. Till then, all you get is a picture to drool by...