A Trip to California Wine Country
Friday, October 12, 2007
It's been a while since I've posted on the latest food and wine experiences for me and Isabell. For good reason: we got married on September 15th!
We honeymooned in Napa-Sonoma and that of course brought about plenty of amazing food and wine experiences, not to mention a fantastic hotel we stayed in. Instead of trying to cram something about each winery into one post, I figured that I will provide commentary over the next several months as we open some of the wine we brought back. But in installment number one I will review all the happenings of our first stop: Healdsburg.
After the wedding we flew to San Francisco, hopped on the 101 across the Golden Gate Bridge toward Sonoma Valley. For the first three nights we stayed in the cool little town of Healdsburg, at the Hotel Healdsburg. This hotel was easily one of the most enjoyable hotel experiences for both of us. Amazing place. In the hotel is a Charlie Palmer (of New York's Aureole fame) restaurant called Dry Creek Kitchen. The restaurant was recently awarded a Michelin star and did not disappoint. We had a 2003 Hafner Cabernet Sauvignon that was very good.
A day latter we walked down the street to Cyrus, a two star Michelin restaurant. This is bold but Isabell and I both agreed that it was the best restaurant we have ever been to - absolutely epic. The wine we selected was a 2005 Unti Grenache and it was very lively and fun. The food, service, atmosphere, wine, and obviously the company were perfect. Definitely a evening we will never forget.
Houston
Saturday, June 23, 2007
In late April of this year Isabell met me for a weekend in Houston. Most reasonable people would ask, "Why meet in Houston? It's not a destination." ... and they would be right. But after having lived in Houston for just over a year myself, I found the city is tough to beat when it comes to restaurants and the arts. Here is a run down of a few of the places Bell and I hit up - some of my Houston favorites:
~ Mark's, from chef Mark Cox. This is the best restaurant I have ever been to - hands down. Everything from the excellent and constantly changing menu of American cuisine to the great wine list to the old church-turned-restaurant atmosphere makes Mark's number one in my book. One of my good friends, Emily Resling used to be the wine director at Mark's, making each visit a even more of treat. On the night Bell and I came in to the restaurant she pulled what we both agree is the best bottle of wine either of us has ever had: a 2004 Joseph Swan pinot noir. Amazing. Emily's since moved on to a new position in Seattle (the new hometown for both of us), but remains a great wine insider for me.
~ Empire Cafe ranks right near the top of my list of favorite coffee houses. The cafe serves a great breakfast, has excellent coffee and espresso drinks and has nice outdoor patio - a must-have in Texas.
~ The Menil is the home of John and Dominique de Menil's personal art collection. Two things stand out about the Menil: 1) the range of the art work (Greek antiquity artifacts to Picasso's and Warhol's) and 2) the gallery is free to the public. It is pretty amazing to find a museum that is both world class in quality and free.
Las Vegas
Isabell and I recently took a trip to Las Vegas with some friends. Las Vegas does not top my list of favorite travel destinations, as I am neither a big gambler nor one who loves to stay up until 4am. However, over the past few years Las Vegas has evolved into a place for top-class restaurants. So Bell and I decided we would go to Vegas not for the usual attractions, but so we could we what we do best: eat.
Here are a couple of highlights from our trip:
~ Breakfast at Bouchon, the famous younger sibling of Napa Valley's French Laundry. Renowned chef Thomas Keller offers an excellent breakfast menu - a true rarity in Vegas. The restaurant sits in a quiet courtyard area in The Venetian Towers. Bell and I didn't plan on going here... we sort of stumbled across the place. Needless to say it was a great find for two people looking to escape the noise of slot machines and eat a tasty breakfast.
~ Dinner at Delmonico Steakhouse, of chef Emeril Lagasse fame. To begin with the steaks were great, but not the best either of us has had. But two things did stand out: the wine list and the atmosphere.
The restaurant won a Wine Spectator "Grand Award" and that did not surprise me in the least when I saw the wine list was literally a book. It was fun to skim through the list and also refreshing to see that they were many wines that were approachable price-wise - rare for high-end steakhouses. But after a few minutes of browsing I decided to call upon the services of the sommelier, Paul Rakovich. Bell and I wanted to try something new and unique to go with our steaks and Paul did not disappoint. We had a 2004 Mas Doix Salanques, from Spain. The wine was inky, bold, and had a candy-like finish. It was excellent and more importantly, memorable.
The atmosphere of Delmonico is striking simple, yet elegant. Unlike most traditional steakhouses that are full of wood and brass, the restaurant had white walls, vaulted ceilings, and track lighting. It was a nice setting for our "big dinner" in Las Vegas.
