August 12, 2008
L2O Comes to Chicago
After 20 years of working with some of the world’s top chefs, including Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse, French chef Laurent Gras has established his own signature venue, L2O. Opened in May in Chicago’s Belden Stratford Hotel, the name references the marriage of Gras’ highly refined cuisine and the seafood that makes up the majority of his menu—the L stands for his first initial and the 2O references the second part of the chemical symbol for water. Diners can sample à la carte items in the 14-seat lounge, or try a 4-course prix fixe or 12-course tasting menu in the 80-seat main dining room. For a more intimate experience, the Tatami room can accommodate a party of up to eight people and serves a 14-course tasting menu for $225 per person. Chef Gras showcases flawless technique in dishes such as his hamachi, where perfect cubes of yellowtail and ahi tuna are arranged into a miniature checkerboard and dressed with soy sauce, yuzu, and olive oil. (773.868.0002, www.l2orestaurant.com)
—Oliver Slosser
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July 29, 2008
Top Tomato
With tomato season in delicious, full swing, Martini House chef Todd Humphries will pay homage to the fruit with his third annual Tomato Dinner. His inventive menu includes a chilled yellow tomato soup, warm oven-roasted tomato tart with basil cream, and a beefsteak tomato tartare. Held on August 13 at the Martini House, which is nestled in the heart of Napa Valley, the event begins with a sparkling-wine reception in its picturesque garden courtyard, followed by a four-course menu paired with wines chosen from the Peay Vineyards in northern Sonoma County―all for $165 per person. But the tomato experience doesn’t stop there. Guests are invited to view a screening of the film Killer Tomatoes Eat France, and mingle with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! director John De Bello and his director of photography, Kevin Morrisey. Tomatoes not for you? This restaurant is still a must-see. Designed by internationally renowned architect Pat Kuleto, it was previously owned by opera singer Walter Martini, who once ran a bootleg whiskey and wine business out of the basement. (707.963.2233, www.martinihouse.com)
—Jessica Pogash-DiMarco
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July 8, 2008
Stockholm’s Rising Star
Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren’s restaurant Matsalen—located within the Grand Hôtel Stockholm—recently received its first Michelin star, less than a year after opening in May 2007. The award came shortly after Robb Report editors selected Matsalen as one of only nine restaurants to receive Best of the Best honors in the June 2008 issue. Matsalen—an à la carte dining room with a chef’s menu—is one half of a dual restaurant concept that also includes a food bar, Matbaren. Dahlgren credits his use of high-level Swedish favorites, such as brown butter, potatoes, and berries in simple presentations for his rising success in the culinary world. Dishes in his à la carte dining room include a raw and smoked reindeer appetizer with Kalix whitefish roe and marrow toast, and a main course called “The Taste of a Swedish Cow,” which features grilled tenderloin with a sauce made from the trimmings, mashed potatoes seasoned with bone marrow, and wild vegetables. (+46.8.679.3584, www.grandhotel.se)
—Oliver Slosser
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June 24, 2008
To Drink and Dine in L.A.
The City of Angels has been undergoing a culinary renaissance, with more and more restaurants cropping up showcasing daring new bar chefs. Among the inventive new establishments is Restaurant Kumo, a Japanese eatery opened last year by entertainment mogul Michael Ovitz. Kumo’s bar chef, James Bobby, stirs up an inventive selection of cocktails, including a “black margarita” made with Patrón tequila, Citrónge, homemade sour, shaken with Japanese black vinegar and served with lavender sea salt. Though it may sound odd, the concoction is one of Bobby’s most requested and is a refreshing complement to Chef Haya Saito’s equally inventive sushi and seasonal Japanese fare. (323.651.5866, www.kumo-la.com)
―Jessica Taylor
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June 17, 2008
Cooking with a Master
Trump International Hotel & Tower New York is offering an exclusive culinary course with famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This three-day experience will give two to four guests the opportunity to learn directly from the chef at Jean Georges, his Michelin three-star restaurant. For more than two decades, Vongerichten—who oversees more than a dozen restaurants— has been hailed for his reinvention of classic French cuisine, using vegetable juices, fruit essences, and herbal vinaigrettes in the place of classic stocks such as veal. The Jean Georges Culinary Master Course costs $9,000 and includes, among other things, accommodations in an executive Park-view suite as well as a three-course dinner and bottle of champagne at Jean Georges. (212.299.1000, www.trumpintl.com.)
—Oliver Slosser
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June 3, 2008
The Lanesborough Opens Apsleys
Apsleys, the new restaurant that opened in London’s Lanesborough hotel, is a destination for wine connoisseurs. Its expansive wine cellar―featuring 500 celebrated Italian and French vintages―is open for guests to peruse personally. Tempting selections include a Chateau Lafleur Pomerol 1947 in magnum for about $23,000 and a 1997 Sori San Lorenzo Angelo Gaja for about $2,000. The sommelier serves wines by the glass to highlight a different Italian region as well as to complement the current menu. Current wines by the glass include Petrus 1985, Mouton Rothschild 1996, and Sassicaia 2001 chosen to pair with beefsteak Fiorentina with bone marrow sauce, made by head chef Nick Bell, formerly of London’s Cecconi. (44. 20.7259.5599)
―Alexandra Foster
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May 20, 2008
Sevva: Hong Kong’s New Dining Experience
The newly opened Sevva—pronounced “savor” —offers a menu as diverse as the city it calls home. Located on the roof of the 28-story Princes Building in Hong Kong’s Central District, the 233-seat restaurant features a selection of dining experiences—from fine to casual to tapas style—all in a single space. An outdoor wraparound terrace provides 360-degree views of the city and Victoria Harbor. The menu is equally eclectic, with dishes such as wagyu beef cheek and ox tongue pot pie, as well as South Indian crepe with masala potatoes, peas, and chutney. Ingredients are sourced internationally offering diners an array of exotic items such as La Ionica chicken flown in from Australia, foie gras from France, and Graffeo dark blend coffee from Colombia, Costa Rica and New Guinea. For those who didn’t save room for dessert, the restaurant’s Cake Corner offers treats such as a pear and chocolate tart for guests to take away and enjoy at their leisure. (+852.2537.1388)
—Oliver Slosser
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May 6, 2008
Signature Chocolates
Just as fragrances are commonly customized to satisfy a client’s personal desires, chocolate can now also be created to fulfill any taste preference. The latest addition to the world of bespoke chocolatiers is Sir Hans Sloane Chocolate House in Surrey, England. Master chocolatier Bill McCarrick consults with clients to learn their preferences in a variety of spices, wines, fruits, and fillings. Next, they’re offered a tasting of different couvertures―chocolate coverings―and fillings. McCarrick creates a chocolate profile for each customer and maintains records for future orders. The 60 customized chocolates are presented in a handmade rosewood and maple inlaid box, and another 60 chocolates are held in reserve. The package, including tastings with McCarrick and two 60-count boxes, is $2,400. (www.sirhanssloane.com)
―Alexandra Foster
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April 22, 2008
Ducasse Adours His Wine
Adour Alain Ducasse at the St. Regis is named for the Adour River that flows through the southwest region of France where the famous chef spent his childhood and developed his “passion for authentic ingredients,” he says. The chef’s personal touch is evident in everything from its namesake to its inventive menu, decor, and extraordinary wine list with approximately 500 references. The artful pairing of flavors and wines is at the cornerstone of the dining experience, and wine aficionados can even purchase one of Adour’s private wine vaults, located within the Private Vault Room, an intimate lounge space, to house their personal collections and have first access to limited and collectible wine selections. Architect David Rockwell designed the space, which includes the 10-seat Private Vault Room and a four-seat Wine Library (shown), which provides information about each wine’s origin, producer, varietals, flavors, and character through “cellar notes” projected onto the surface of the bar. (212.753.4500, www.adour-stregis.com)
―Alyson Gerber
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April 8, 2008
Pure Tranquility in New York City
Provençal for farmhouse, Mas restaurant in Greenwich Village delivers all of the peace and serenity expected from a place tucked away in the French countryside. Wood stumps carved by proprietor Thomas Wilson from a naturally fallen butternut tree serve as stools in the lounge, while rich oak floors and paneled walls are composed of timbers reclaimed from a barn in western Massachusetts. The elegantly warm atmosphere and welcoming tone at Mas is complemented by chef Galen Zamarra’s ability to bring together ingredients that would be found together in nature. For instance, this season Zamarra will pair trout with wild ramps, a pungent wild onion found along the bank of the streams where the trout is caught. The team in Mas’s kitchen also uses unexpected techniques to bring out the essence of the ingredients. Zamarra, for example, uses rich hon shimeji mushrooms to bring out the powerful flavor of lobster. The combination of all of these elements results in a culinary experience ideal for diners with a passion for food at its purest. (212.255.1790, www.masfarmhouse.com)
―Daniel Curtis
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March 25, 2008
A Tale of Two Restaurants
San Francisco’s Embarcadero is now home to two Pat Kuleto restaurants: Waterbar at the south end of Rincon Park and EPIC Roasthouse at the north. These new additions to the Embarcadero are situated in the first privately owned waterfront buildings to break ground in almost 100 years. They share a European-style patio and view of the city skyline, but Kuleto’s menus and designs for each venue are unique. Waterbar features a Mediterranean-style menu created by chef and co-owner Mark Franz of Farallon and executive chef Parke Ulrich and features fresh sustainable seafood dishes like sea scallop and crabmeat melt and pressed lobster. Aromas from the open kitchen waft into the main dining room, and a 19-foot floor-to-ceiling aquarium adds to the Pacific theme. EPIC Roasthouse showcases chef and co-owner Jan Birnbaum’s soulful interpretation of classic steakhouse dishes, and the design offers a custom-built wood-fired grill, large wood-burning oven, and fireplace. The full menu―and breathtaking water views―are available in the upstairs bar and lounge. (415.284.9922, www.waterbarsf.com; 415.369.9955, www.epicroasthouse.com,)
―Alyson Gerber
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March 11, 2008
A Fresh Take on Fish
The signature dish at the newly opened Paperfish on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles plays off its name: seasonal fish and vegetables baked en papillote―the French technique of wrapping the ingredients in parchment paper to infuse the flavors while cooking. The new venue is headed by Patina Restaurant Group’s Joachim Splichal, who opened Patina in Hollywood nearly 20 years ago. Under the direction of executive chef Yianni Koufodontis, who worked as sous chef at Spago before running the kitchen at Maple Drive, which previously occupied the Paperfish location, dishes are prepared with an unexpected mix of flavors such as oysters on the half shell with pomegranate-ginger granite and steamed turbot with dried fruit couscous and eggplant-oxtail tagine. (310.858.6030, www.patinagroup.com/paperfish)
―Alexandra Foster
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February 26, 2008
Corbett Brings the World to Louisville
Set on the first operating dairy plantation in Louisville, Kentucky, chef Dean Corbett’s latest eatery, An American Place, features regional cuisine with an international kick. The historic Von Allman Mansion, where American Place calls home, combines classic architecture with contemporary renovations integrating 14-foot ceilings and handcrafted woodwork with an impeccable sound system and digital interactive tasting room that seats eight. The menu showcases local and international ingredients and also offers a five-course tasting. The three intimate dining rooms serve dishes like Sonoma veal with smoked sweet potato, chestnuts, and truffled jus. Corbett’s cuisine is complemented by additional highlights like artisanal cheese courses, award-winning bourbon infusions, and an extensive wine list housed in a limestone cellar. This spring, outdoor dining will be offered on the climate- controlled front porch and fireplace-heated patio. (502.327.5058)
―Alyson Gerber
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February 12, 2008
Chicago Gets a Powerhouse Team
With the opening of Powerhouse in December, well-known Chicago chef John Peters is finally running his own kitchen. Prior to his new venture, Peters worked at several celebrated establishments including Naha, Alinea, and Trio. Peters isn’t the only veteran of Chicago eateries on the Powerhouse team: Mitchell Schmieding, general manager, spent 18 years at Charlie Trotter’s. Powerhouse, located in what was once the Chicago Railway Terminal Complex, is serving contemporary American cuisine. Dishes include red wine-braised short ribs with polenta and a radish-herb salad; grilled wild striped bass with Spanish chorizo, fennel, and saffron; and roast Peking duck with braised endive. (312.928.0800, www.powerhouserestaurant.com)
―Alexandra Foster
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January 29, 2008
Italian Soul Food
Two popular fixtures on the fast-paced New York food scene have teamed up to open the West Village’s dell’anima, which is Italian for “of the soul.” Joe Campanale, former sommelier at Babbo, and Gabriel Thompson, who worked at Del Posto, Le Bernardin, and most recently served as sous chef at Bread Tribeca, are serving rustic Italian cuisine accompanied by a selection of more than 100 Italian wines. The bustling, open kitchen with a six-seat chef’s counter displays fresh ingredients that Thompson uses in his menu, which change daily based on the availability of fresh, local, and sustainably harvested items. But, many dinners are likely to be drawn to its daily aperitivo hour from 4 to 6, which offers a wide selection of infused grappa and limoncello, along with food tastings. (212.366.6633, www.dellanima.com)
―Aly Gerber
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January 15, 2008
The Caviar Crop
As high-quality caviar from the Caspian Sea declines in production as a result of overfishing, poaching, and an increasingly polluted habitat, some caviar aficionados are turning to farm-raised versions of the delicacy. One of the newest entries is the Black River Sturgeon Oscetra, farmed in Uruguay’s Rio Negro by Esturiones del Rio Negro S.A., which is the first sturgeon farm in the southern hemisphere producing Siberian Oscetra. The state-of-the-art, ecologically sustainable facility rinses the eggs with bottled Fiji water to ensure its purity is not compromised. The Black River Sturgeon Oscetra, $69 per ounce, is probably the closest to wild Caspian Oscetra in terms of taste and texture. (888.315.0575, www.southernstarcaviar.com )
—Jill Newman
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January 2, 2008
Wine Too Good for the Cellar
The Landau restaurant, which opened in November in London’s historic Langham Hotel, features a vaulted wine corridor with nearly 1,400 wines and champagne in an atmosphere that emulates the cozy interior of a traditional St. James wine merchant. Paved in limestone and lined with glass-fronted cases, the immense wine selection, assembled by John Atkinson, the venue’s master of wine, is on display in the corridor for wine aficionados to purvey. Adding to its impressive selection is its head sommelier Zach Saghir, who joined the Landau after 27 years at the Savoy Grill. The corridor connects the newly renovated hotel’s lobby to the dining room, where chef Andrew Turner, most recently of the Latymer at Pennyhill Park Hotel, has created five- and six-course grazing menus that feature specialty dishes as Scottish halibut, curried mussels, apple and fennel salad, and roast breast of Challans duck. (www.thelandau.com)
—Alexandra Foster
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December 11, 2007
Myers Goes French with Comme Ça
David Myers’ Comme Ça re-creates the mood of a bustling Parisian brasserie in Los Angeles with a warm, welcoming, and casual ambiance: Tables are covered in butcher paper, a chalkboard runs the length of space, and a picture ledge presents the chef’s favored artwork. The menu, created by Myers and chef Michael David (former chef at Café Boulud and DB Bistro Modern in New York), features a chorus of classic favorites including coq au vin, bouillabaisse, onion soup, and salade frisée aux lardoons (frisée salad with a poached egg and warm bacon vinaigrette). The duck confit alone is worth the visit: Its perfectly crisp skin and a light dusting of salt and spices make it absolutely delicious. Comme Ça’s “no reservations” raw bar offers some inventive cocktails including the Rumble, a mix of rum, lemon, and blackberries, and the Penicillin, a combination of scotch, ginger, lemon, and honey. Comme Ça is Myers’ second Los Angeles venture—he opened Sona, a few blocks away, in 2002.
—D.W. Scraggs
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December 4, 2007
Ripert Unveils Chic Bistro in D.C.
Eric Ripert, the acclaimed chef who received three Michelin stars while at New York’s Le Bernardin, opened Westend Bistro in Washington, D.C., in November. Ripert and Leonardo Marino, his former Le Bernardin sous chef of six years, created a simple menu inspired by Ripert’s own family recipes, and made with fresh seasonal products from local farmers throughout the mid-Atlantic region. This casual American bistro, which has a bustling bar scene, offers signature dishes such as a fish burger with saffron aioli and oven-roasted tomato, braised veal cheeks, and Chesapeake Bay stew. Upbeat lounge music and arresting tones of amber, currant red, and blood orange, coupled with rich browns and gold, underscore the clean design from award-winning architects Adamstein & Demetriou. (Westend Bistro, 202.974.4900, www.westendbistrodc.com)
—D.W. Scraggs
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November 1, 2007
Park Views, Excellent Food
There’s a new BLT in town. Laurent Tourondel, the chef/owner of the BLT restaurants Prime, Fish, Steak, Burger, and Fish Shack, has opened his latest restaurant, BLT Market, in New York’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Central Park South. Chef Tourondel’s Market menu will concentrate local and seasonal produce, with special attention on the unusual. Even the decor was designed to exude the fresh market ambiance with fruit and vegetable paintings by Marilyn Sommer, along with a display of vintage farm tools.
—Alexandra Foster
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November 1, 2007
Paying Homage to a Bygone Era
Gray Kunz, the chef behind New York’s Café Gray, has opened his highly anticipated Grayz restaurant in a landmark townhouse once owned by the Rockefeller family. The intimate midtown Manhattan venue features private alcoves and dining on its lower level, and a bar lounge on the main floor with a wine cellar and tasting room. The stylish bar lounge offers finger food and an array of signature cocktails like its Agava Agava, which combines Herradura Silver, elderflower syrup, agave, lime, and mint. Grayz pays homage to its former tenants with a drink christened the Rockefeller Manhattan, mixing up Knob Creek bourbon, Averna Amaro, brandied cherry juice, and orange juice. (212.262.4600, www.grayz.net)
—Alexandra Foster
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