CORDUROY ~ Washington D.C.

I've been dreading writing this post. Why? Because when I started this blog, I wanted to support chefs and somms and restaurants of different ilks all across the country. I wanted to write sassy reviews about amazing food. And every time I've walked into a new spot, I have so much excitement at its potential. 

My experience at Corduroy was not amazing. It wasn't bad, but what made me not want to write this post is simply that Corduroy was... fine. Just... fine. And that actually makes me more upset than if it was BAD. 

On my first night in a new city, as you all know, I try and find a good foodie spot, something perhaps with a yummy tasting menu. Corduroy came up, and the 5-course $70 tasting menu seemed quite reasonable. Maybe I should have been tipped off when the server didn't know any of the dishes on tonight's degustation (I was asking as I was looking at the wine list for pairing ideas.) I mean, usually a tasting menu is where the chef flexes his culinary muscles, am I right? It is a special event, something to get excited about, isn't it?

Anyway, I ordered it, and started taking notes. Decor... fine. Service was very good. Prices were appropriate. Wine list (though unbalanced,) was fairly solid. (Although there were a number of half-bottles, which I love to see on a list, the by-the-glass options were sparse; only four whites and three reds.) However, the meal was a yawner. Boring. Uggghhh I can't believe I just wrote "boring," to me that's worse than "awful." 

But I kept trying to give Corduroy the benefit of the doubt. 

Amuse: a chilled traditional Greek soup with lemon, egg yolk, cream... definitely eggy and creamy, acidity of the lemon lifts it, fairly rich flavors, but underwhelming. 

Tuna tartare: with crunchy potato and Tamari. Probably my favorite course; hard to screw this up. Good flavor and texture, but not really memorable.

Scallops: seared beautifully. Served with Jerusalem artichoke puree and green beans. I mean, the sear was truly gorgeous, and the scallops were so well cooked I actually wondered if they were under! But the puree was watery. Green beans were... fine. (GREEN BEANS, though, I mean, regular old green beans. Yawn.)

My notes then say: "Everything is FINE. Is it me, that I want innovation when I dine? Risk-taking, at least. I mean, yes, put out good food... Maybe I'm just frustrated w myself I couldn't find a "better" resto to fit my desires." (Like, say, Kali from the previous post.)

And then the real WTF moment happened: Pork loin with BBQ sauce and beans. What The Francisfordcoppola? 

Notes again: "Don't love this. Beans are starchy, pork is bland and a bit chewy. Sauce is ok. If you're gonna do Pork n' Beans, YOU MUST SLAY ME. This ANNOYS me. What's the point?!?!"

I even was getting mad at my wine, the half-bottle of 2013 Ken Wright Abbott Claim Vineyard Pinot Noir. "Even the KW, as good as it is, isn't intoxicating."

Trying to keep my frustration and annoyance at bay, I found the final savory course at least flavorful. Beef, with creamy spinach and a port wine and mushroom reduction. Safe. Bo-ring as all get out. But at least it was tasty. 

When the dessert course arrived I just wanted to drain the last of my wine and go. It was a strawberry tart thingie with a kind of creamsicle thingie. Nice. Fine. I was almost jumping out of my skin with boredom.

Listen, if you have a business dinner and an expense account, go for it. No one will be offended. IT'S FINE. But I had to wonder, is this how they do it in D.C.? Safe, boring, blah? I hope not. At least I have a few more nights off during our stay here so I can find out. But man, was I bummed I wasted one on Corduroy. Life is too damn short for "fine."

Bon appétit (I hope next time!)

KALI ~ Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood/Larchmont)

When you arrive at a restaurant and realize they've only been open for twelve weeks, you feel like quite the insider — especially when the food is this AMAZING. 

Opting for an early meal (as I was still on east coast time,) when I arrived at the dot of opening, Chef Kevin Meehan was still finishing up payroll. Whatever the restaurant version of "new car smell" is, Kali has it... but it also is operating like a well-oiled veteran of a machine. 

I grabbed a seat at the bar (always a fan of being able to watch a kitchen work!) directly across from a meat fridge holding, among other things, a whole pig's head. This was going to be good.

Of course I had to do the tasting menu, and wine pairings, of course of course! Sommelier Drew Langley has cultivated a heavily-California wine list with a lot of gems. My aperitif was the 2013 Smith-Madrone Riesling, with a nose of petrol and honeysuckle. It had good acid with key lime on the finish. I toasted to Mr. Pig Head.

The next wine was the 2013 Palmina Malvasia Bianca — a side project of Steve Clifton, producing only Italian varietals — super aromatic, with wildflowers, melon, sweet basil. SweeTart candy on the dry finish, lots of minerality. 

  

Tonight's amuse bouche was a sous vide egg yolk with rosemary. Wow. Great consistency, flavor, light and almost fluffy, one nugget of salt, mmmm. Perfect bite. Or, "shot," I guess. 

Next up was the Yellowtail and uni — and Chef Kevin was not stingy with the uni!!! A delicate dish, bright, with a tomato coulis and radish accompaniment, it paired very well with the Malvasia. Beautiful and elegant. 

Next wine up: the 2014 Lompoc Wine Co. Pinot Noir — killer nose, spot-on varietal berries and a sweet merde-y funk with smoked meats. (Served chilled, yay.) Tannins kind of sneak up on you, rounded out with a plummy grape-juice high tone. 

This was paired with a wheatberry "Risotto" with black garlic and cheese "wafer" on top (?!) The saltiness of the cheese adds good flavor, and the wheatberry consistency is a nice riff on risotto (little pops in your mouth as you chew) and I love the playful burnt wafer thingie. Pairing-wise, the fruit of the Pinot comes along for the ride, though its structure gets a little lost. 

Next pour was the 2013 Roark Syrah, really a Southern Rhône blend. Red berry compote, white pepper, bit of green stemminess. Very juicy! Tart and tangy with blue and black fruits. 

It went with the meat course, of which my notes say verbatim, "Tenderloin TENDER!!! Onion jam is my JAM. Caramelized onions amazing. Listen, all the flavors are familiar and you know why they go together, but this feels new." Couldn't have (re-) said it better.

To sip with dessert, Somm Drew poured the Caraccioli MV Brut Rosé — fruit for this is bought from Talbott, quite a pedigree. Medium-pale onion skin color. Strawberry-lime, very very very tart, but YUMMERS. But for dessert? I wondered... 

And the dessert: meringue topped with CANDIED EGG YOLK. As the kids say, "I die." Deceptively simple looking... gelato light as air... bit of salt and fat from the yolk... creamy, unctuous, rich and light at the same time. And Drew is right; the Brut bubbly pairs outrageously well. Might be one of my fave resto desserts ever. Not too sweet, pleasant, and a little sexy. 

And a final sweet bite was a white chocolate truffle and "yesterdays wine" jelly. Mmmm.

Chef Kevin, trying to get some
work done as I obviously snapped a candid.

Chef Kevin and Somm Drew met as co-workers at L'Orangerie in 2001 and have been friends ever since. The idea of collaborating on a restaurant had been brewing since then, and we are very lucky indeed to experience the fruits of their labor. When I mentioned to Kevin that I thought the whole meal was a relative bargain, and would the price go up as popularity rose, he firmly replied no — Kali was meant to be a place its patrons enjoyed regularly. A neighborhood joint, not only a "special-occasion" restaurant. 

Well, I, for one, will absolutely make it MY Los Angeles "neighborhood joint," and will be back soon! 

Bon appétit! 

TALDE Miami Beach, FL

Dale Talde may never have won Top Chef, but he has easily risen to the upper echelons of "Celebrity Chef"-dom, with his impressive resume and a solid point of view. This is Asian comfort food, hearty and, well, comforting, yet with a professional sheen. Talde's eponymous Miami Beach outpost is open late, so a few friends and I popped by for a post-show nosh one evening. 

The decor is dark and a little playful, like a Deco tavern, with a DJ spinning great music (is having a DJ a Miami Beach thing, or a Talde thing? Too tough to tell.) Expect to see noodles (lots of noodles,) ribs, dumplings, and so on, but with a twist. The wine and cocktail list isn't huge, but solid, and matches the cuisine. 

Of course we had to have the famous Kung Pao Chicken Wings, with their delectable glaze. I could also nom-nom dumplings all day, and the Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings with their spicy mustard dip were gobbled up in minutes. 

The Lobster Tom Kha was packed with flavor, and -- though difficult to share -- was slurped up gleefully, and the rosetta of Chow Fun with braised pork shank was very tasty as well (if a bit disjointed; the clever presentation made combining the noodles with the rest of the dish a little difficult.)

As a bit of a Charles Smith junkie and a rosé advocate, (especially with hearty Asian food,) I jumped on the Charles & Charles rosé, while my friends each had a Lychee Martini and a Plum Basil Margarita, both of which sips' were delish. 

Talde Miami Beach was a solid choice, especially in Miami Beach, where good food can be a little finicky and overpriced. My only regret was that I didn't get to go back (I mean, it was only two blocks from our hotel!) but the food is so scrumptious and filling, I'd have likely gained 10 pounds there alone. 

Bon appétit!

Talde

Inside the Thompson Miami Beach hotel 
4041 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140 
T: (786) 605-4094

VALKYRIE, Tulsa OK

Y'all know I am a die-hard Wineau. (If you're unsure about that, see what the Wine Minx has to say lately!) But I seem to be touring the land with a bunch of folks who love the almighty cocktail, and I have fallen under the spell of an artisinal cocktail bar more than a few times.

Having arrived in Tulsa, OK, quite unsure about its foodie/wineaux bounty, I was thrilled to stumble across Valkyrie in the Brady district. I popped in for a few bevvies before heading around the block to Phryme for my dinner. (Post on THAT delectable meal to come!)

The decor at Valkyrie is rustic, homey, and unpretentious. The feel is: let the cocktails do the talking, we don't need to display our array of tinctures and bar implements to show we're good at this. (Although one of the bartenders admitted he will sometimes wax up his 'stache for the weekend.)

They have a number of specialty seasonal cocktails, but often prefer to whip up a classic, or their own twist on a classic, instead. Plus there are a few handpicked wines by the glass, and over a dozen interesting beers on tap. If cocktails are your thing, but the potential of HUNDREDS of drink options is daunting, they're more than willing to chat with you and tailor something to your mood. There even is a spiderweb of descriptive words on the back of the menu to help inspire you. (I.e., I'd like something "daring," "floral," and "herby.")

Knife Fight

I rattled off a few descriptors (along those lines above,) adding "smoky" and "weirdo" -- my own choice of words -- and was steered toward a "Knife Fight," kind of a version of a mezcal negroni. Delicious.

But the uniqueness of my second drink made me go gaga with glee: the "Schrute of All Evil," made with gin, beet, lemon, thyme, salt, bitters, and habanero shrub. Earthy (obviously, I mean, hello BEET,) but zingy from the lemon and gin, and spicy from the habanero and thyme. Anyone who loves a good juice bar, this is the drink for you!

Schrute of All Evil

They press their own beets for the juice, and locally source many other cocktails ingredients. Plus, in a town that likes to roll up its sidewalks fairly early, they're open until 2 every night, bonus! One small drawback (especially for theatre people after a show,) they don't serve food, but do have some snacks like homemade rice krispy treats. And they're pretty liberal about your bringing food in.

Bottom line: I can't wait to go back, with my fellow cocktail-loving Kinksters in tow.

Cheers!

Valkyrie Tulsa

13 East Matthew B Brady St.

Tulsa, OK 74103

918-295-2160

THE BAZAAR BY JOSE ANDRES, Miami, FL

It was rainy and the Uber prices were skyrocketing, but I would have done anything to get to my reservation at the Bazaar by José Andrés. Not only is he in the top echelon of what we term "celebrity chefs," but I found his playful idea of mixing and melding cuisines in this Miami Beach hotspot intriguing.

I opted for a seat at the bar so I could watch some of the chefs work — something I usually adore, however in this case, the way the bar was structured, it was difficult to catch sight of much of anything. (Next time I'll go for a table... although one of the chefs was gorgeous, so I still enjoyed the view!)

The dishes are organized by concept and by style (meat, vegetables, etc.) and are tapas-like, so you can order 3-5 and structure a little degustation however you'd like. It was tough for this foodie to choose, I'll tell you that much. My server was very helpful; in one case steering me away from an initial choice to something else that ended up being the highlight of my meal.

Of course I had to splurge on the ossetra caviar cone. While it was a wee bite, it was delicious! (But it just made me want a huge spoonful of caviar so I could more greatly appreciate those gorgeous pearls.) Next, the pork and shrimp shumai was quite flavorful, if not knockout-memorable, save for the flecks of gold leaf on top (the first two courses were both gold-leaf adorned, which made me laugh thinking that they might all come out that way — luckily, no!)

The seared scallops served with a Pedro Ximenez sauce were cooked to perfection, and when I was able to combine all of the flavors of the sauce, pine nuts, and raisin adornments, the bite was spectacular.

And then it happened: another addition to the TOP 10 DISHES OF MY LIFE appeared. (A previous entry was the squid ink risotto at Sin Manieras in Lisbon. To die for.)

It was a Cuban-coffee-rubbed skirt steak, with passion fruit, coffee foam, and slightly caramelized pearl onions. OH MAH GAWD, it was so good! The steak on its own was incredibly flavorful, but the addition of the passion fruit was a stroke of pure genius. Its sweet-tartness married impeccably with the coffee char of the meat. I honestly got a little misty-eyed, it was so freaking good. Each bite was savored and I didn't want it to end. (I truly don't have enough superlatives to continue raving.)

The steak floated me into a state of bliss, somewhat sated but craving more deliciousness, so I figured I'd go for a dessert. I wanted something on the lighter side, and was torn between the deconstructed key lime pie, and the mojito sorbet with caramelized bananas. I finally chose the sorbet, but the "pie" came out — perhaps it was a mixup, but my waiter covered it by saying he wanted me to try both, and the key lime dish was on him. It was very good, but indeed presented a little sweeter than I'd been wanting, so when the sorbet came out, it was PERFECT. Served in a chilled banana; playful, but light and rich at the same time. Both dishes had marshmallow dollops to boot, and I could've spooned that into my mouth all night.

For wines, I chose a rose Cava, which paired quite well with most of my dishes, and then a robust Tempranillo to go with the steak. I also went with an Oloroso sherry for the dessert, taking it from the sherry list rather than the dessert wine list, as I didn't want it too sweet.

Due to the tapas-like nature of The Bazaar, one's bill can escalate quickly. But the overall quality of the food was incredibly high, and standouts like the steak especially make it worth every penny.

The Bazaar by Jose Andres

1701 Collins Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-455-2999

ANISE GLOBAL GASTROBAR Tampa, FL ~ December 2015

This is a charming yet modern space in downtown Tampa, perfect for a bite before the theatre if you're going to the Straz (or, say, in-between shows if you're PERFORMING at the Straz!) The sticky buns were delicious and I loved my glass noodles with shrimp.

Definitely Asian flair (as if you couldn't tell,) although they have other styles of cuisine infused in the menu as well. I didn't partake, but the cocktail and wine lists are good, and apparently the bar scene is strong on the weekends.

Very solid, good service, reasonable prices — all a plus in my book!

Anise Global Gastrobar

777 N. Ashley Drive

Tampa, FL 

813-225-4272