review: imitated by many, but never duplicated…

There’s a surly fellow behind the counter at Central Grocery Co., I heard. In fact, I know someone who had such a terrible experience with him that she vowed she’d never go back (and she hasn’t). Well, I didn’t get to the meet the muffuletta Nazi on my latest trip to New Orleans. Given all […]

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review: imitated by many, but never duplicated…

There’s a surly fellow behind the counter at Central Grocery Co., I heard. In fact, I know someone who had such a terrible experience with him that she vowed she’d never go back (and she hasn’t). Well, I didn’t get to the meet the muffuletta Nazi on my latest trip to New Orleans. Given all […]

Continue

review: this little piggy…

Misticanza Maialino, New York Though I be wee, I’m fairly certain that my cheeks haven’t seen a booster chair in twenty-some years. A recent brunch with a friend gave us both the opportunity to revisit our infancy. The booths at Maialino look normal, and the benches well-cushioned and soft. Indeed, they are. But settle down […]

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review: this little piggy…

Misticanza Maialino, New York Though I be wee, I’m fairly certain that my cheeks haven’t seen a booster chair in twenty-some years. A recent brunch with a friend gave us both the opportunity to revisit our infancy. The booths at Maialino look normal, and the benches well-cushioned and soft. Indeed, they are. But settle down […]

Continue

review: apotheosis interruptus…

Cannoli Sundae Pulino’s, New York Say you arrive into New York late, and the taxi stand has a tail that coils halfway to New Jersey. There is no way you’re going to get into Manhattan before 11 p.m., when most restaurant kitchens close. And suppose that you haven’t had dinner yet. Where do you go […]

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review: apotheosis interruptus…

Cannoli Sundae Pulino’s, New York Say you arrive into New York late, and the taxi stand has a tail that coils halfway to New Jersey. There is no way you’re going to get into Manhattan before 11 p.m., when most restaurant kitchens close. And suppose that you haven’t had dinner yet. Where do you go […]

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review: italia overnighted…

Classified Wanchai, Hong Kong Because I’m a glutton, after wrapping up our dim sum lunch at Summer Palace, I solicited my friend’s advice for last nibbles and bites on my last day in Hong Kong. I had about five hours to kill before dinner. He recommended, among a few places, a nearby restaurant opened by […]

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review: italia overnighted…

Classified Wanchai, Hong Kong Because I’m a glutton, after wrapping up our dim sum lunch at Summer Palace, I solicited my friend’s advice for last nibbles and bites on my last day in Hong Kong. I had about five hours to kill before dinner. He recommended, among a few places, a nearby restaurant opened by […]

Continue

review: riserva…

11-month dry-aged Porterhouse Carnevino, Las Vegas, Nevada Reports of an eight-month dry-aged steak seemed like a figment. I had to check it out. What: Carnevino (the logo, a cow kowtowing to a bottle, translates this Italian name rather effectively: “meat wine”) Who: Batali-Bastianich (and it looks very Batali-Bastianich) Where: Palazzo in Las Vegas I had […]

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review: riserva…

11-month dry-aged Porterhouse Carnevino, Las Vegas, Nevada Reports of an eight-month dry-aged steak seemed like a figment. I had to check it out. What: Carnevino (the logo, a cow kowtowing to a bottle, translates this Italian name rather effectively: “meat wine”) Who: Batali-Bastianich (and it looks very Batali-Bastianich) Where: Palazzo in Las Vegas I had […]

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review: pasta primacy…

Though we feasted for five hours at ubuntu, my buddy Aaron and I decided to keep our 9:30 p.m. dinner reservation. Chef Michael Tusk first appeared on my radar six years ago when he opened Quince. Since, the restaurant has quickly climbed the ladder of culinary esteem in San Francisco and beyond, its local cult […]

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review: pasta primacy…

Though we feasted for five hours at ubuntu, my buddy Aaron and I decided to keep our 9:30 p.m. dinner reservation. Chef Michael Tusk first appeared on my radar six years ago when he opened Quince. Since, the restaurant has quickly climbed the ladder of culinary esteem in San Francisco and beyond, its local cult […]

Continue

review: get it together…

Antipasto: Octopus Carpaccio Insieme It’s astonishing how powerful three words, strung together, can be. Beef heart risotto. See? It didn’t take much to convince me to put Insieme on my itinerary. Sure, I had heard wonderful things about Insieme from valued sources. That it’s one of Marco Canora’s and Paul Grieco’s restaurants was also encouraging. […]

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review: get it together…

Antipasto: Octopus Carpaccio Insieme It’s astonishing how powerful three words, strung together, can be. Beef heart risotto. See? It didn’t take much to convince me to put Insieme on my itinerary. Sure, I had heard wonderful things about Insieme from valued sources. That it’s one of Marco Canora’s and Paul Grieco’s restaurants was also encouraging. […]

Continue

review: of the place…

Canapes, Del Posto I was assured that Mark Ladner, Executive Chef of Del Posto, was cooking for us when the server came to our table to apologize that he had no clue what the chef was preparing. Apparently, Ladner had remained “tight-lipped” about our dinner. The courses would be revealed to our servers as the […]

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review: of the place…

Canapes, Del Posto I was assured that Mark Ladner, Executive Chef of Del Posto, was cooking for us when the server came to our table to apologize that he had no clue what the chef was preparing. Apparently, Ladner had remained “tight-lipped” about our dinner. The courses would be revealed to our servers as the […]

Continue

review: bait and tackle…

Antipasto: “Porri Selvatici” “There are no baby eels,” our server solemnly announced. I was crestfallen. But, only for a second. Good, that meant that I could order the “Fegatini di Pescatrice,” monkfish liver, as an antipasto. Or, did I want the “Fritti” – crispy halibut cheek? But it’s ramp season, and there was an entire […]

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review: bait and tackle…

Antipasto: “Porri Selvatici” “There are no baby eels,” our server solemnly announced. I was crestfallen. But, only for a second. Good, that meant that I could order the “Fegatini di Pescatrice,” monkfish liver, as an antipasto. Or, did I want the “Fritti” – crispy halibut cheek? But it’s ramp season, and there was an entire […]

Continue

review: cork-covered rusticity…

Sardinia Ristorante I was pretty set on taking the family to Talula for dinner on my last night in Miami. The main reason for that decision was that my mom, who turned 60 (and for whom the trip to Miami was taken), greatly prefers gentle, quiet, and linen-serviced restaurants to those that are more boisterous […]

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review: cork-covered rusticity…

Sardinia Ristorante I was pretty set on taking the family to Talula for dinner on my last night in Miami. The main reason for that decision was that my mom, who turned 60 (and for whom the trip to Miami was taken), greatly prefers gentle, quiet, and linen-serviced restaurants to those that are more boisterous […]

Continue