i8tonite

Category: Restaurants

i8tonite: with Palm Springs’ Workshop Chef Michael Beckman

Chef Michael Beckman: Photo by Van Roo

Palm Springs is known as a resort town – an enclave for second homes, secret hotel pools, and cocktails. The cocktail culture is the town’s prevailing modus operandi. With a population of a little over 50,000, it’s never really been considered a food haven. Ask a few of the locals who live in the desert year round, and the answer is their private chef does the cooking. Or, they recommend one or two restaurants which are more about an elongated drink menu rather than a superbly pan-roasted fish or braised greens from the surrounding Coachella Valley farmers. There are a few notable exceptions to this observation. The first that comes to mind is the four-year-old Workshop, owned and cheffed by Michael Beckman, which can be the honest answer to the question: “Where to eat in Palm Springs?”

Workshop: Photo by Michael Horton

There are two reasons for this. The first is that Mr. Beckman is a classically French-trained chef with stints apprenticing, cooking, and learning in European kitchens, including Burgundy’s three Michelin-starred Lameloise and working under noted German chef Thomas Kellerman at the Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. Beckman maybe the only independent chef in the Southern California desert communities to claim to work in a Michelin-starred dining room.

Secondly, he’s smart enough to promote his restaurant outside the Palm Springs area, getting the first and the last reservations from area visitors. It’s been a very smart business move to market his talents to the gourmand set, rather than wait for visiting travel media shuffling through for an annual Palm Springs pilgrimage. Instead of getting the backend of travel pieces, Beckman put forth the effort and it’s paid off with stories in Sunset Magazine, Bon Appetit, Eater, and Wall Street Journal. But the question remained: how could someone with Beckman’s background become part of Palm Springs? Truthfully, he stated he was a private chef working with a client based in Rancho Mirage. He grew to love the area’s farmers markets and vendors, as well as the community’s natural beauty, so he stayed, opening Workshop and having a family.

Interestingly, Beckman – though successful — is so dedicated to his

Workshop: Photo by Michael Horton

craft that he recently completed a several month staaj (cooking apprenticeship) with celebrated New York City’s chefs Dan Barber, Blue Hill Farms and Daniel Hume, Nomad (also of the Michelin-starred Eleven Park Madison). Beckman, as a chef, wants to continue to creatively evolve.

Beckman will have another feather to add to his list of accomplishments – Truss + Twine, a bar serving handcrafted cocktails and small bites; a chef will work in tandem with the bartenders behind the bar in a dedicated cooking area. Palm Spring’s newest watering hole is slated to open fall 2016. Lastly, he also partnered to oversee the food and beverage program for an unnamed independent 44-room hotel concept that that will have a restaurant and rooftop pool area. The hotel’s construction will start at the end of 2016.

Beckman will soon be hailed as Palm Springs’ Emperor to All Things Culinary. Rightly so.

Chef’s Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

How long have you been cooking? 16 years.

Chicken Diavolo: Photo by Van Roo.

What is your favorite food to cook? Braises are most satisfying for me with deep flavors that develop, and the cozy aromas and feel of a braised dish is somehow emotional for me.

What do you always have in your fridge at home? Quesadilla mise en place. Eggs for omelettes. A perfectly made omelette is one of my favorite challenges to see a chef’s skill set.

Lentil salad

What do you cook at home? I love my Weber grill for smoking and grilling fish and meats. I also get nostalgic for the Lebanese food I cooked as a private chef in Beverly Hills and love those flavors. Super healthy and super flavorful.

What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? Someone who puts us in the drivers seat and trusts us.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a

Workshop Burger and Fries: Photo by Michael Horta

customer? People who lie at the host stand about their reservation. People who don’t even read the menu and want to order something they can get anywhere.

Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? None of the above. Deli cups.

Beer, wine or cocktail? Yes, please.

Your favorite cookbook author? Dan Barber for “The Third Plate”

Your favorite kitchen tool? My Chef de Cuisine Max.

Your favorite ingredient? Eggs.

Your least favorite ingredient? Balsamic reduction.

Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Cleaning the fryer.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook? Mediterranean basin.

Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Beef.

Favorite vegetable? Right now I’m digging parsnips.

Chef you most admire? I like Paul Kahan’s rustic straight-forward style and also how prolific he is with his projects.

The food you like the most to eat? Oysters

Outside Workshop: Photo by David A. Lee.

The food you dislike the most? Shitty banquet food.

How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? None yet. Never could figure out the first one…we’ll see.

Recipe: Beet Braised Lentils

Here’s a recipe from Feasting at Home, inspired by Chef Beckman’s dish at Workshop. She notes, “This recipe was inspired by a dish we had at a restaurant in Palm Springs, called Workshop. They topped their Beet braised lentils with a warm, crispy breaded goat cheese “cake”. It was divine. The chef, Michael Beckman, adds browned butter to the finished lentils, which brought it over the top.”

Beet braised lentils, inspired by Chef Beckman, Workshop. Photo & Recipe: Feasting at Home

Beet infused lentils are a healthy side dish, with chicken or fish, or serve it on its own, as a vegetarian meal in a bowl with crumbled goat cheese.

Ingredients
3 T olive oil
1 C diced red onion ( ½ a red onion)
1 C diced carrot
½ C diced celery
1 Cup peeled and diced beet (one large beet, plus 2 more for juicing)
4 cloves roughly chopped garlic
1 T fresh Thyme leaves
1 Bay leaf
1 1/2 C black caviar, beluga, or Puy lentils ( soaked overnight if possible)
4 C chicken or vegetable stock
½ tsp salt
salt and pepper to taste
splash balsamic vinegar
1 Cup fresh beet juice (either purchase from a juice bar, or juice 2 extra large beets)
2- 3 T browned butter (optional but delicious)
crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Directions
In a large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, beets and celery, and saute for 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Turn heat to medium, add garlic, lentils and herbs and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with lid, and turn heat to low, maintaining a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the beet juice, taste for salt, add more if necessary, and continue simmering on low for 10-15 more minutes or until tender. If you feel there is too much liquid for your liking, keep the lid off, and increase the heat, letting it reduce. (I like the braise slightly juicy, personally, so I just replace the lid.)

Stir in a generous splash of balsamic vinegar and browned butter (optional) but the brown butter is divine.

Serve in a bowl with crumbled goat cheese, or as a base for fish or chicken.

Read about this recipe – and see more gorgeous photos – here.

The end. Go eat.

February 10, 2016
i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo

You may have heard of Kalamazoo from one of the many popular songs about the city – from Glenn Miller to Ben Folds Five to my favorite, Walt Kelly’s Deck Us All with Boston Charlie – or poems, including one by Carl Sandberg. Kalamazoo has many nicknames, including Windmill City, Celery City, Mall City, and Paper City; it is the home of the Kalamazoo Promise, which offers college tuition to Kalamazoo Public School students. It is a city of entrepreneurship and hard work, including Upjohn Pharmaceuticals, The Peppermint King, Checker Cabs, Gibson Guitars (this is a very musical city), paper mills, and medical innovations, like those of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stryker, who invented the cast-cutting saw and a turning bed frame.

History of Kalamazoo at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

The name Kalamazoo is a Potawatomi Indian expression, meaning boils like a pot (one look at the surface of the Kalamazoo River and you will nod your head in agreement). This is a vibrant small town with more diversity than you’d expect, thanks to the large corporations in town, as well as Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. That means good food! There’s a fantastic farmer’s market, and plenty of great food trucks (both at the farmer’s market, and downtown at Bronson Park during lunch and events).

Inside the Kalamazoo Public Library

Speaking of Bronson Park, so much surrounds this public space – my favorite library, the Institute of Arts, the Civic Theatre – and it was the center of a deadly tornado, in 1980. Town founder Titus Bronson slept here in 1831, on his first night before settling in and founding the town; President Lincoln spoke here, as did Stephen A. Douglas, William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, and both John and Robert Kennedy. Today, you’ll hear bands in the bandshell and see kids splashing in the fountains in summer, and in winter, you can walk among the holiday lights.

Be alert when driving around town – you might catch a glimpse of the famous Banana Car! Kalamazoo is about 140 miles from Detroit and Chicago, and less than 35 miles from South Haven, if you’d like to see Lake Michigan on Michigan’s Sunset Coast.

It was extremely difficult to narrow these categories down. Kalamazoo is a food town, I’m lucky to say. I’m sure this won’t be the last you’ll hear this from me.

Breakfast at Nina’s cafe.

Breakfast: Nina’s Café
Since 1998, locals have been flocking to Nina’s café for their excellent, home-cooked breakfasts and friendly atmosphere. You’ll find people of all kinds here, but there’s one thing they have in common: they love a good breakfast. It’s a small diner-type restaurant, with under a dozen tables and some stools at the counter. Most of the bread is homemade, so ask when you order. They also serve lunch, but I’ve never tried that – WHO CAN RESIST a breakfast menu?

My Suggestion: Anything with hash browns. They are crispy, crunchy, and oh, so delicious. Eggs of any form are delicious, and be sure to try the biscuits and sausage gravy if you love them (ahem, me). Or the corned beef hash (ahem, me). And the homemade toast? Yes…

Price $5- $10
Hours 6:30am- 2:30pm every day except Sunday, 8am-2:30pm
Address 1710 W Main St
Phone (269) 373-6462
Website http://www.ninas-cafe.com/

Second Breakfast (Bakery)
There’s only one place to send you, and I hope that you’ve worked off breakfast, because Sarkozy’s Bakery is extraordinary. I’ve eaten their oatmeal bread my entire life, and their pastries are the epitome of deliciousness. On weekends, you’ll find live music from local musicians, and definitely pop in during Art Hop. If you’re coming to the area, sign up for Judy Sarkozy’s email list – it’s not only interesting, and a behind-the-scenes look at running a bakery, but you’ll also learn about local ingredients and and special offerings (paw paws this fall, paczkis for Fat Tuesday). You can get meals, too – quiche, soups, etc. – but save room for lunch!

Sarkozy Bakery’s apple pies

My Suggestion: I can’t decide. So I will give you several. The Chocolate Croissant is luscious. The Almond pastry – divine. The Cookies. The Apple pies, crisp flaky, with a tender Michigan apple filling with just the right amount of cinnamon and crunchy turbinado sugar. Hold on, I’ll be right back…

Price pastries are $2-4.
Hours Monday-Friday7:30am –5pm, Saturday7:30am–4pm, Sunday 8am–2 pm
Address 350 E Michigan Ave
Phone (269) 342-1952
Website under construction, try http://www.yelp.com/biz/sarkozy-bakery-kalamazoo-2

Lunch: Saffron
Let’s just pause a minute for the joy that is freshly baked naan. Now, pause another minute for this gorgeous salad with pomegranates. Do you want to eat anything else? The answer, at Saffron, is a resounding yes.

Composed salad at Saffron’s lunch buffet – look at those pomegranates!

My Suggestion: When you walk into Saffron and view the wonder that is the lunch buffet, you know you won’t need a menu. EVERYTHING on the buffet is delicious. Highlights for me are the composed salad that we definitely need a recipe for, tandoori chicken, chicken curry, and many other delicious dishes, but best of all, finishing up with a creamy rice pudding studded with my favorite spice, cardamom.

Price buffet $11, entrees around $15 at lunch
Hours M-Th, 11:30am-2pm, 5-9:15pm; F 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm; Sat 12-2:30pm, 5-10pm. Closed Sundays
Address 1710 W Main St (yes, just a few doors down from Nina’s)
Phone (269) 381-9898
Website http://saffronkzoo.com/

Coffeeshop: Something’s Brewing
There are several contenders for this spot (Black Owl, my favorite coffee in town, but closes at 3pm ; Water Street, crowded at times but open late; Chocolatea, but far down in Portage). The one that rose to the top like foam atop steamed milk is Something’s Brewing. Located just across the street from the main library, this is a small coffeeshop with a big heart. Kalamazoo’s original coffeeshop (opening in 1994), the shop has new owners in the last few years, and they know how to bake. I tell EVERY SINGLE PERSON about their homemade cinnamon pop-tarts. They have luscious chai latte ice cream smoothies in summer (!), and delicious drinks year round. The barista is so friendly that you feel welcome every time. Plus, she can turn a great espresso.

Something’s Brewing menu board. I know, so hard to choose…

My Suggestion: Frankly? Anything on the menu; I especially love the mochas. Our daughter gets the peanut butter peppermint mocha and swoons. I like their atmosphere (it’s small!) and the comfy chairs at the back, or the outside seating in the summer. If you like iced coffee, they use coffee ice cubes – a genius trick for not watered down iced coffee. Check their facebook page (their only web presence) for the baked goodies of the day. If you see the cinnamon pop-tarts, RUN. They sell out fast.

Price under $5
Hours M-F, 6am-5pm, Saturday 8am-1pm, closed Sundays
Address 120 W South St
Phone (269) 349-1295
Website https://www.facebook.com/SBCoffeeKzoo/

Happy Hour
Kalamazoo is the center of Michigan’s craft brewing scene, so if you love beer, you can’t go wrong in this town, annually named as a top beer town in the US (here’s a beer map to all 14 breweries). Perhaps the most recognized craft brewery is Bell’s (try their Oberon Ale, in the summer). But with a slew of breweries, where to go?

Arcadia Ales

My Suggestion: Head to Arcadia Ales. Located a few blocks east of downtown, and on the Kalamazoo River, Arcadia Ales offers more than a few beers. I took a Yelp Elite tour of the brewery, and came away amazed. Started in 1996, Arcadia Brewing offers year-round, seasonal, specialty, and draft only beers. Here’s the thing that will make you happy (besides the outdoor patio) – the smokehouse. HOLY SMOKES, this is good stuff (ha! see what I did there?). While I love the brisket the most, I also enjoy the house made sausage, dry-rubbed spare ribs, and mac and cheese. All meat is locally-sourced. The smokehouse offerings make the beer even easier to drink – it’s a complete package. Try a flight of beers if you can’t decide!

Price Beer flights $10-15
Hours Tues-Saturday, 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm, Closed Mondays.
Address 701 E Michigan Ave
Phone (269) 276-0458
Website http://arcadiaales.com/

Dinner: Food Dance
I recommend Food Dance for more than their delicious food. They embody a farm to table ethos that goes a bit further: “We support artisans who practice craft food processes that have been around for generations—growing, raising, preserving, curing, aging, pickling, butchering and more.” Not only can you get that at the restaurant, but also at the small shop outside of the restaurant, where you can purchase artisanal meat/bread/etc. The restaurant annually wins awards, and it’s easy to see why – elegant atmosphere, attentive waitstaff, and extraordinary food.

My Suggestion: While the entirety of the menu is delicious (or so my

Ultimate Mac & Cheese, Food Dance. Photo: MLive

family says), I would drive 24 hours straight to get their ultimate macaroni and cheese. This, too, wins awards for best Macaroni and Cheese in Michigan – take a look at the ingredients: rustichella d’abruzzo rigatoni, grafton aged cheddar, cream, caramelized onions, house made bacon, fresh spinach, toasted bread crumbs, field greens salad. You’ll thank me. I get it EVERY SINGLE TIME. Note: try the ginger mint lemonade – it’s scrumptious.

Price Ultimate Mac & Cheese, $19. Entrees range from $20-30
Hours Monday-Thursday 7am-10pm, Friday and Saturday 7am-11pm, Sunday 8am-3pm
Address 401 E Michigan Ave #100
Phone (269) 382-1888
Website http://fooddance.net/

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Downtown, in Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park

The End. Go Eat.

All photos courtesy and copyright Jessie Voigts, except where noted.

January 22, 2016
I8tonite with Miami’s Drunken Dragon Chef Xavier Torres: Recipe for Drunken Dragon Popcorn
Drunken Dragon Chef Xavier Torres cooked for both for his mother and brother while growing up in Puerto Rico. It’s what he loved to do. With his family’s support, the well-traveled chef sought out new flavors and cooking opportunities — but every step of the way his family had his back.

In 2014, the Johnson & Wales culinary graduate Torres was given the reins to create whatever cuisine he wanted by Homecookin’ Hospitality Group, owners of Miami’s Foxhole. The area is typically known for repetitive, albeit delicious international flavors consisting of sushi and sashmi bars, neighborhood bodegas with out delectable Latin food and American steakhouses. It was a welcome surprise when Torres settled on a speakeasy dining experience of Korean barbeque, the first South Beach restaurant devoted to this Asian cuisine.

Korean Ribs: Credit Drunken Dragon

Interestingly, Torres is classically trained in European cookery starting his career under Chef Paul McDonald at Ireland’s Adare’s Manor Hotel & Golf Resort. This led him to Lasarte, Spain where direction emanated from famed, three Michelin-starred Basque Chef Martin Berasategui at his eponymously named restaurant.

Upon returning stateside, Torres took a variety of chef positions at some of South Beach’s illustrious restaurants such as Andrew Carmellini’s The Dutch, Sushi Samba and Nobu. Torres says, “I worked at Sushi Samba, (the now defunct) Wish and Nobu. I wanted to stay with Asian flavors but allow the city to try something which we didn’t have in South Beach.” (Korean barbeque is incredibly popular in Los Angeles where the team sourced Los Angeles-based Studio Collective to design Drunken Dragon’s Asian gastro-pub space.)

Table: Credit Drunken Dragon

Ironically, his family never cooked Asian food, as they were steeped in the tradition of Puerto Rican cuisines. When asked how Torres’ family perceives his success, he answers, “They are happy with the job I’m doing. If I’m happy – they are happy.”

Chef’s Proustian Questionnaire:
- How long have you been cooking? Twelve years.
- What is your favorite food to cook? Basque cuisine – food from Spain.
- What do you always have in your fridge at home? Fresh fruit.
- What do you cook at home? Depends what I want to eat … sometimes fish.
- What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? When a customer calls me over to their dinner table to compliment my dishes and really express their gratitude for what I cook.
- What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer? When a customer tries to make their own dish with ingredients they see on the menu.
- Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? Tupperware.
- Beer, wine or cocktail? Wine.
- Your favorite cookbook author? James Oseland.
- Your favorite kitchen tool? Knife
- Your favorite ingredient? Garlic
- Your least favorite ingredient? Radish.
- Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Receive orders.
- Favorite types of cuisine to cook? Basque cuisine, food from Spain.
- Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Beef.
- Favorite vegetable? Asparagus.
- Chef you most admire? Thomas Buckley.
- Food you like the most to eat? Spanish Food. I like to cook food other than my own because I always learn something new.
- Food you dislike the most? Caribbean Food.
- How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? No tattoos.
Recipe: Drunken Dragon Popcorn
- 3 Tbsp coconut, peanut, canola oil or clarified butter
- 1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
- 1 3-quart covered saucepan
- 1 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter (optional)
- Salt to taste
In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the oil or clarified butter over high heat. Take a couple of kernels and place in the pot. Cover. Once these have popped, the oil is ready for the rest of the popcorn. Add everything in a single layer cover and take off heat. Everything should pop without burning.

In a mixing bowl add a little truffle oil, then toss with truffle salt. Add a little freshly grated pecorino cheese followed with nori powder. (Note: Nori powder is a staple found in most Asian markets or purchase through Amazon.com)

The End. Go Eat.
January 13, 2016
i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Boston’s Beacon Hill
Credit: David Fox

Colonial America boasts an astonishing number of great walking cities. For our forefathers –and mothers – let’s not be sexist, land travel was either horse, buggy or early American settlers’ feet. Rambling from the North End to Boston Common, Financial District to West End, visitors can walk with the ghosts while reading plaques denoting historical spots, great bars and shopping along 18^th-century cobblestoned streets. And Beacon Hill, Boston’s tony neighborhood is a microcosm of all three experiences.

Before the Revolution, Beacon Hill was a livestock grazing pasture with notable residents such as John Hancock, the flourished signer of the declaration. Now the historical area is home to over 10,000 occupants enfolded in restored early American brick row homes and carriage houses styled in Federal, Greek and Revival periods. Situated on a petite one-half square mile, the densely populated area is bordered by Beacon Street, Bowdoin Street, Cambridge Street and Storrow Drive, with Charles Street as its commerce hub. Ambling throughout the vital area to America’s birth, visitors are greeted with tree-lined lanes, gaslights, brass knockers and distinctive wrought iron decorations.

Credit: Greater Boston CVB

It’s hard to believe that the area, during the mid-20^th century was home to urban decay, now it’s considered to be one of Boston’s most desirable neighborhood with homes well over the million dollar mark. For visitors and residents alike, Beacon Hill is one of the most historically-laden and significant areas in the country. It’s also one of Boston’s best locations to discover great eats while getting a history refresher course on how the US began – right in time for an election year.

Breakfast: The Paramount, opened since 1937, has long been considered the place for breakfast and inexpensive dining. Families, students, and young couples gather to sip coffee, eat waffles and fortify themselves before heading starting their day. The restaurant has received many “best of” by Beantown’s local media. Don’t question, just eat. Dinner is also superb.
- My suggestion: The Buttermilk Pancakes are fluffy Frisbees of American goodness. Sprinkled with powdered sugar, served with whipped butter and pure maple syrup. Warming. Comforting. Fortifying.
- Price: $8 for a stack of three. Yes, that’s right. Eight dollars in an area with multi-million dollar homes. For some of us, it may be the closest we get to living in one.
- Hours: Breakfast is served daily until 4:30 pm
- Address: 44 Charles Street, Boston, Mass., 02114.
- Phone Number: (617) 720 – 1152
- Website: www.paramountboston.com
Credit: Figs by Todd English

Lunch: Figs by Todd English. Long before I’ve eaten Mr. English’s illustrious pizza, I’m headed to Umbria with a former wine client from Montefalco – before the blog. She’s drunk on ecstasy and champagne before we are even off JFK’s international runway. (Trust me, the relationship did not end well.) After knocking back a few to keep myself sane – sans drugs – she starts tapping and whispering in my ear, “Isn’t that the famous chef Todd England?” (That’s what she called him.) I look at her, then him and shrug. She does it again. I say with an irritated edge because she’s becoming a nightmare – all touchy-feely, “I don’t know. Why don’t you go ask him?” It turns out it is. Very nice man and on his way to Perugia to sample Italian produced foodstuffs for his restaurants. Yep, dedicated, handsome, with a lumberjack-like stature, Todd – as he suggests we call him, is very nice. She is all over him. Todd and I stayed in touch and hung out with him at Olives, one of his dining New York City outposts. Lost touch after a period of time. That was my Todd English experience. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.
- My suggestion: Pizza. Seriously. The man goes to Italy to source product for his customers. Get the pizza. Any of them will do.
- Price: $17.00 – $24.00
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 11:30 am – 10:00 pm. Friday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 11:00 pm. Sunday, 12:00 pm – 10:00pm.
- Address: 42 Charles Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
- Phone Number: (617) 742 – 3447.
- Website: http://toddenglishfigs.com/
Credit: Courtesy of TipTap Room

Snack: The Tip Tap Room. Okay, Boston is a beer town. It’s has a lot of swilling ale lovers of all persuasions who belly up to the bar. And The Tip Tap Room has a 100 of them and counting. The food – cheffed by Brian Poe — is delicious as evidenced by its accolades from places like Stuff, Urban Daddy, Maxim and Boston Magazine. After the food service is over, it becomes a hotspot for swinging singles. If you stayed for the food, stay for a little longer – you may not need Tinder.
- My suggestion: Drink a beer. Any beer. Order something to go with the beer like the Baked Brie, Boar Meatballs or Hoisin Riblets.
- Price: Who cares? You’re drinking beer in a Boston bar. Cheers!
- Hours: 3:00pm – 1:30 am
- Address: 138 Cambridge Street, Boston, Mass
- Phone Number: (857) 350 – 3344
- Website: www.thetiptaproom.com
Credit: Mooo Restaurant. (Love saying, “moooo.)

Dinner: Mooo Restaurant is a steakhouse housed under the roof of XV Beacon Hotel. Created in 2007, by Chef Jaime Mammano, who also opened the famous Mistral – the legendary restaurant which put both the chef and Boston on the culinary map. Since, Mooo serves the food for a luxury hotel you don’t really have to leave the building as the eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to the patrons of the property. (But get out – get some exercise and fresh air, unless you’re on a romantic weekend.). More importantly, Mooo (great name) features a Strube Ranch Wagyu steak on the menu. With fries. Steak and fries. In Boston. With beer. Sweet dreams are made of this.
- Credit: Mooo Restaurant
  
  My suggestion: Strube Wagyu Steak Frites. Strube is one of the leading bio-ranchers in the country. Their beef is well-marbled and succulent. If you’re going to eat a steak, make it a good one.
- Price: $38.00
- Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday, 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
- Address: 15 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass, 02108
- Phone Number: (617) 670 – 2515
- Website: www.mooorestaurant.com
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The End. Go Eat.
January 8, 2016
i8tonite: with Chef Jamie Lynch, Charleston’s 5Church & Broiled Oysters with Polenta and Quail Egg

Chef Jamie Lynch

Jamie Lynch is a New York native and graduated from New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, Vermont. He has worked at New York Time’s 4 star Le Cirque 2000 Restaurant in The Palace Hotel, Aureole under Charlie Palmer and Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud, and Touquevillle Restaurant in Union Square. Reflecting on his years cooking in NYC, Jamie notes, “At that time we had an all or nothing approach to cooking, we ate, drank and slept food. It was ether the very best we could do or it was garbage.” Chef Jamie has anchored some of Charlotte’s most notable restaurants such as Blue with Chef Gene Briggs and Barrington’s as Bruce Moffet’s Chef De Cuisine, and garnered many accolades such as being Voted BEST CHEF in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Charlotte Magazine’s BOB (Best of the Best) Awards.

Chef Jamie recently moved to Charleston in 2015 to serve as Executive Chef of 5Church Charleston. 5Church Charleston is a new restaurant in a historic old church (Church of the Redeemer and Harriott Pinckney House) in downtown’s bustling Market Street district. The restaurant’s elaborate, modern décor features awe-inspiring stained glass windows, a white concrete bar, black leather banquettes, eye-catching chandeliers, large-scale pop-art, and hand-painted written verbiage of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” on the church ceiling. The restaurant’s award-winning food, top-rate service and nationally-acclaimed design will mimic its sister property in Charlotte, N.C., which opened in 2012. Be sure to visit for the Sunday Brunch – swoon!

Crispy Szechuan Pork Belly

Chef Questionnaire from Chef Jamie Lynch:

How long have you been cooking?
I started cooking at the age of 16 at a small bar and grill. I have been at this for 24 years.

What is your favorite food to cook?
I really enjoy cooking fresh pasta. Pasta when cooked perfectly is the perfect vehicle to deliver a wide range of flavors to the palate in a most satisfying way!

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Hot Sauce… all makes and models. It is my favorite condiment by far!

What do you cook at home?
Frozen pizza, if anything at all. I do all of my cooking at the restaurants and there is rarely time for a proper meal at home.

S’mores Trifle

What marked characteristic do you love in a customer?
It’s a toss-up between open mindfulness and patience. The open minded guest can appreciate the fun and interesting things we do with food while the patient guest will understand to cook at an excellent level takes time.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer?
Rude or unpleasant. I do not like guests that are rude to their servers or bartenders. Dining out is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience.

Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex?
Rubbermaid

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Wine and beer usually – I’m a purist when it comes to booze, so I like my liquor to taste like liquor.

Your favorite cookbook author?
Andrew Carmellini. He taught me everything I know over the years, so I’m biased.

Your favorite kitchen tool?
A heavy, deep welled spoon that holds about an ounce is the most versatile tool.

Your favorite ingredient?
I am very fond of Ramps!

Your least favorite ingredient?
Salmon

Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen?
Leave! I find myself lingering around well after my “shift,” either talking with my staff about food or restaurant experiences they have. Those are the interactions that inspire what I do!

Crab Cakes Poached Eggs

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
My own style of cooking is rooted in traditional French and Italian technique, but “New -American” is the label that best suites my cuisine.

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Pork

5Church Lamb Burger

Favorite vegetable?
I was the Entrmettier at Le cirque 2000 and Cafe Boulud, I have a deep affection for fresh vegetables. I couldn’t pick one.

Chef you most admire?
Andrew Carmellini

Food you like the most to eat?
Anything traditionally ethnic. In Charlotte, N.C. we have really good Vietnamese, and one particularly good Korean joint.

Food you dislike the most?
Salmon Roe. It is the seed of salmon, which i can’t stand, so the egg has to be worse.

How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
Too many to count. They have sort of melded into one giant one. None of them are of food items specifically but more tell the story of my life in kitchens through imagery.
Broiled Oysters with Polenta and Quail Egg

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:
6 oysters, shucked on the half shell
1 cup cooked creamy polenta, preferably Anson Mills
6 quail eggs
6 dashes black truffle oil
1 small black truffle
Bull’s Bay Red Mash Sea Salt

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler in oven.
2. Cut aluminum foil into 8-inch pieces, and twist ends to create rope. Form into circle-shaped holder to hold the oysters in place, and put into oven-proof dish. Set oysters in dish.
3. Spoon ½ -ounce of polenta onto lip of each oyster to create a little dam, then crack quail egg on other half of oyster to completely cover.
4. Place oysters under broiler with 6-8 inches of clearance from heat. Bake until quail eggs are just set, approximately 4 minutes or until the quail eggs.
5. Remove oysters from oven and put a drop of truffle oil. Shave truffles with microplane, and place shavings on each oyster. Sprinkle with Red Mash Salt and serve.

The End. Go Eat.

December 23, 2015
i8tonite: with Chef Ruggero Gadaldi, San Francisco’s Delarosa & Spicy Holiday Italian Meatballs
Editor’s Note: This is a posting from contributor Penny Sadler, Adventures of a Carry-On.

Ruggero Gadaldi: Credit Aubrie Pick

From his childhood days helping out in the family market and churning butter on the farm near Bergamo, Italy, Chef Ruggero Gadaldi developed his love for and understanding of regional Italian foods. His passion for preparing only the most authentic Italian cuisine lead him to study at Italy’s prestigious San Pellegrino Hotel School. From there, he made his way to the US via a number of positions at five-star hotels throughout Europe, New York, and finally San Francisco, with a stop in Los Angeles to cook for Pope John Paul II.

Inside Delarosa: Credit, Aubrie Pick

In 2008, Gadaldi received the San Francisco Chronicle Visionary Chef Award. His restaurant, Antica Trattoria, was voted Best Neighborhood Italian, Bay Area Critics Choice Award, SF Chronicle, 1996 – 2008.

In a city known for great food and plenty of Italian options, Delarosa, Gadaldi’s latest venture, is the kind of place that locals favor for reliable and reasonably priced Italian food served in a casual and contemporary atmosphere. The newest location at Yerba Buena Lane has exactly the same look and feel as the Marina location: the kitchen is open, and space is light, with accents of orange.

Delarosa is only one of a number of celebrated Italian restaurants in the Bay Area to which Gadaldi has dedicated his passion for preparing authentic Italian food.

Chef’s Questionnaire with Ruggero Gadaldi

How long have you been cooking? Since I entered the “Scuola Professionale Alberghiera di Stato” for Chef in San Pellegrino, Bergamo, Italy in 1972.

What is your favorite food to cook? Regional Italian.

What do you always have in your fridge at home? Cheese, salami and pickles

What do you cook at home? My wife does the cooking at home, I’m the dishwasher. (Big smile.)

Photo By Aubrie Pick

What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? When a customer is served and they take that first bite, they pause and then a smile appears. We hope then that we have added to their day.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer? Being disrespectful.

Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? Pyrex

Beer, wine or cocktail? Wine with my meal, and a Negroni at the end of my day.

Your favorite cookbook author? Joyce Goldstein

Your favorite kitchen tool? Gnocchi paddle.

Your favorite ingredient? Piemontese white truffle.

Your least favorite ingredient? Can’t think of one.

Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Gutting sardines.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook? Italian.

Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Pork

Favorite vegetable? Dino kale or Tuscan Cabbage.

Chef you most admire? Mario Batali.

Photo by Aubrie Pick

Food you like the most to eat? Hearty stews

Food you dislike the most? There isn’t much I dislike. I love food !!!

How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? Zero. I admire some but cringe when I think about the pain they had to go through to get them.

Recipe: Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce (Serves 4 – 6)

Tomato Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Calabrese chili flake
- 16 oz. Tomato-basil sauce
In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add garlic and chili flakes. When garlic starts to get brown add tomato- basil sauce. Cook for 10 minutes at medium heat.

Meatballs
- ¾ lb. ground beef
- ¼ lb. ground veal
- ½ lb. Italian sweet sausage (out of casing)
- 1 cup Bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 Tbsp Finely chopped garlic
- 2 Tbsp Finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 Egg whites
- ½ C Grated Fresh Pecorino cheese
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly, though not over handling. Before creating balls, put a little bit of olive oil on your hands in order to minimize sticking. Spoon out mixture and create meatballs that are approx 1.5-inch balls. Place on a greased sheet pan and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Place meatballs in the Spicy Tomato sauce and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.

Plate: 2 to 3 meatballs on a plate and add a spoonful of sauce on top. Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

The End. Go Eat.
December 16, 2015
i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Dining in Oregon’s McMinnville, Best Town West of The Mississippi
McMinnville, Oregon is a town so wholesomely picturesque it borders on being a Stephen King settlement – meaning it’s so perfect a spot, something strange is bound to happen. A scant 45 minutes outside of Portland, it’s a charm-filled street scene with a couple of stoplights, red brick Victorian buildings, one post office, a few piercing and tattoo shops – it wouldn’t be Oregon without them — and the small town newspaper, right along their main drag, Third Street.

In 2014, Parade Magazine readers and editors named it Best Main Street, West of the Mississippi, an honorable distinction, second only to a Tennessee town (figures). During the summer, the leafy trees shade the sidewalks where couples stroll hand-in-hand while their little tykes pull their Fisher-Price telephones. In the colder months, people are doing the same thing, except in coats. The area wasn’t always a thriving economy, but it got assistance in the eighties by the burgeoning wine industry. With its red soil called jory, the Yamhill County area, where McMinnville’s located, is now the center of Oregon’s Pinot Noir country. It’s also one of my favorite eating destinations – in the world.

I’ve had meals in far-flung places that rocked my palate, but the element of surprise in a location, an ingredient or chef is what gets me. McMinnville, in my humble opinion, is one of the great small eating destinations in the country, and it was revelatory. I was smitten by the town’s quaintness but blown away by the sophisticated food. Every diner, restaurant, and café, there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch.

Breakfast: Crescent Café. Opened in 2007, this family owned and operated eatery offers locally sourced food and ingredients. Open only for breakfast, lunch and brunch, over a cup of strong coffee customers can talk forever to the staff about where the food is sourced. (Yes, it’s very Portlandia.) Best of all the bread is freshly made in-house including the English muffins. That alone is worth going the trip. Actually, if your in McMinnville, having breakfast here is a must – sort of like going to the Grand Canyon.
- My suggestion: Scrambles. They change daily. Light and fluffy eggs with a variety of choices of the day such as a Fontina Cheese, Bacon, and Sundried Tomato
- Price: Varies according to the market price.
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00am – 2:00pm. Saturday – Sunday, 8:00am – 1:00pm
- Address: 526 NE Third Street, McMinnville, Oregon 97128
- Phone Number: (503) 435 – 2655
- Website: www.crescentcafeonthird.com
Tuna Melt, Courtesy of Community Plate

Lunch: Community Plate. The menu was created by Chef Eric Bechard, from the nationally acclaimed restaurant and winner of Oregon’s “Best Restaurant” in 2011, Thistle. The owners, husband and wife team Scott and Courtney Cunningham, seized the opportunity to craft a humble American neighborhood place sprinkled with scrumptious sandwiches, house-made pastries and a social atmosphere. At this little spot, the food is completely made on-site – from nut butters, to bread, to pickles. It’s also not an arm and a leg.
- My suggestion: Grilled Cheeses. Oregon cheesemakers highlight this grownup white cheddar, chévre and Swiss sandwich with sautéed apples, a little fresh thyme on house-made bread. Simply one of the most delicious concoctions between two slices. One oozy bite and the eater receives a jumble of sweet, herbaceous and savory tastes.
- Price: $11.
- Hours: Monday – Sunday, 7:30 am – 3:00 pm
- Address: 315 NE Third Street.
- Phone Number: (503) 687 – 1902
- Website: www.communityplate.com
Snack Time: McMenamin’s Pub. Located in a historic, Victorian hotel, this Oregon-based, family run brewhouse, pub, restaurant, coffee roaster and winery crafts delicious beers. The carved wood-filled space has a Pacific Northwest camaraderie where you hunker down at the bar, order up a cold one or a coffee and make friends in a minute. There are several McMenamin’s throughout Oregon and Washington, but they’re located in a significant, historical building, which keep the integrity of the community.
- My suggestion: Get a beer. They many including IPAs, stouts and seasonal ales, all made in consideration of the environment.
- Price: Varies
- Hours: Sunday – Friday, 7 am – 11 pm; Saturday 7am – 1 am.
- Address: 310 NE Evans Street, McMinnville
- Phone Number: (503) 472 – 8427
- Website: www.mcmenamins.com
Dinner: Thistle might be an obvious choice, but I have to give it Nick’s Italian Café. In 2014, The James Beard Foundation honored this 40-year old restaurant with an “American Classic” award. When it first opened in 1977, McMinnville was a small farming town – now it’s a hub of the most sought after American pinot noirs. This casual restaurant with the pool table in the back has been producing some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest Northern Italian food. The audience has broadened incorporating more travelers, but Nick’s Italian Café is still a neighborhood place since the creation of Oregon Wine Country. For me, Nick’s was an epiphany of the idea of small-town restaurants. I remember entering the compact restaurant with an antique stove centered against the wall. The waiter mentioning we could wait in the “Back Room” for the table, watch a game of billiards. I thought this was not going to good. It turned out to be one of the most deliciously, memorable meals I’ve ever had.
- Dungeness Crab Lasagna: Photo, Nick’s Italian Cafe
  
  Oregon Dungeness Crab Lasagna with Local Pine Nuts. I know you are not to mix seafood with cheese but – goodness gracious…this is the reason why you should.
- Price: $16
- Hours: Opened Monday – Sunday: Lunch, 11 am – 3 pm; Dinner, 5 pm – 11 pm.
- Address: 521 NE 3^rd Street, McMinnville
- Phone: (503) 434-4471
- Website: www.nicksitaliancafe.com
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Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives

The End. Go Eat.
December 5, 2015
i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Dining in Downtown Las Vegas
Courtesy of Marc Cooper

On my fourth or fifth visit to Las Vegas, I wanted something different. I’ve danced at nightclubs, eaten the fancy meals with celebrity chefs, played slots and viewed the shows. On different occasions, I saw Bette Midler and Cher on both of their final farewell concerts before they came back with “I’m still here” tours. There are the repetitive Cirque de Soliel extravaganzas which are fun the first time around but by the third show, it’s schtick.

This time, I wanted food indicative of living in Las Vegas: What do the locals eat and where? I wanted to go beyond the Wynns and Arias, the Stratospheres and the MGMs. Nick and I were in agreement, walking through another smoke-filled casino to locate decent food should not be trying to get through a gauntlet.

Courtesy of Mob Museum.

Luckily, great food exists in Sin City – without the gambling — but it is in downtown Las Vegas. The rents are still cheap in the historic area. Restauranteurs have always been mavericks when it comes to selecting destinations for their outposts – fringe and marginal are words that come to mind. Moreover, downtown Las Vegas is no exception to that theory. Bright with a billion lights. Rowdy but there’s an honesty as the drunkards had all the intentions of getting drunk. No pretending it was post-theater. It is Las Vegas for the hipster set. Ignore – if possible – the Fremont Experience, which isn’t as fascinating as it sounds and Robert Urich has sadly long left the area. If you must, go ahead and at least do a one-time plunge down the Slotzilla Zipline. Once you’ve had the familiarity and said, “Okay, now I’ve done that”, head to the thought-provoking spaces such as Container Park, the Mob Museum and Emergency Arts building where artists, writers and other creative denizens showcase their wares.

Downtown Las Vegas Eats:

Courtesy of eat.

Breakfast: eat. Designed by Chef Natalie Young as a showcase for her creative breakfasts and lunch dishes in the Las Vegas’ downtown dining scene, eat features American comfort classics prepared with the chef’s culinary-trained twist, using the freshest and locally-sourced, organic ingredients.
- My suggestion: Shrimp and Grits with Two Poached Eggs, Pico de Gallo. It’s Vegas. Have shrimp for breakfast and Chef Natalie’s cooking will make you see the night-time twinkling stars.
- Price: $14.00
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 3 pm. Weekends, 8 am – 2 pm.
- Address: 707 Carson Street (at 7th), LV, NV, 89101
- Phone Number: (702) 534 – 1515
- Website: www.eatdtlv.com
Lunch: Carson Kitchen. The late celebrity chef Kerry Simon’s restaurant is an anomaly in the pantheon of Las Vegas eating establishments. First, it’s splendid and should be considered one of the city’s finest places to eat except the drinks don’t come in tumblers, there isn’t a slot machine, and I don’t remember seeing anyone smoking inside. It’s pure American comfort food with twists. Bacon Jam with Brie? Yep. Deviled Eggs with Pancetta and Caviar? Yep. Sophistication meets trailer-trash. Thank god they pulled the underwear from the clotheslines.…although, at Carson Kitchen, I probably would envision La Perla flapping in the desert wind.
- My suggestion: Crispy Fried Chicken Skins with Smoked Honey. This is revelatory. I will come back for this time and time again in Las Vegas. Who knew it was just the skin you needed to eat and not the chicken?
- Price: $6.00
- Hours: Sunday – Wednesday, 11:30 am – 10 pm, Thursday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 11 pm
- Address: 124 South Sixth Street, Suite 100, LV, NV, 89101
- Phone Number: (702) 473 – 9523
- Website: http://carsonkitchen.com/
Courtesy of Chillspot.

Snack Time: ChillSpot by SassaPops. Located in Container Park. The owner and creator of Zappos.com did something brilliant for the community and families of Las Vegas. He created an outdoor shopping mall and play area with interesting food – from high-end eating to handmade sweets. The park and mall are built entirely of shipping containers, and it includes a playground, a stage for music, and a screen for outdoor movies, plus food, glorious food. Chillspot’s conception is an outlet for the brother and sister team of SassaPops. Essentially, Sassapops or SassaSnow are freshly-made frozen desserts – ice cream, snowcones – without the use of additives. They make scrumptious chocolate brownies and cookies as well.
- My suggestion: International Snow. Asian iced treats such as Filipino Halo-Halo or Korean Patbingsu. Sweet, fun, and culinary.
- Price: $7
- Hours: Monday – Thursday, 11 am – 9 pm; Friday – Saturday, 11 am – 10 pm, Sunday, 10 am – 8 pm.
- Address: 707 Fremont Street, LV, NV 89101
- Phone Number: (702) 900 – 7873 (PURE)
- Website: www.chillspotlv.com
Courtesy of D Hotel

Dinner: Andiamo’s Italian Steakhouse in the D Hotel. Reminiscent of an old-school Las Vegas, when the Italian mobsters ran the town. The leather banquettes, smoky mirrors, and brick might have something to do with it, but the place is fairly new. I expected to see The Rat Pack – led by Frank Sinatra – walking through the joint with a martini in one hand, a showgirl in the other and a cigarette dangling from Dean Martin’s lips. Thankfully, guns are outlawed but singing is not.
- My suggestion: The enormous Andiamo Grande Meatball. Meat. Tomato sauce. Ricotta cheese. The size of a basketball.
- Price: $11
- Hours: 5 pm – 11 pm, nightly.
- Address: 301 Fremont Street, LV, NV 89101
- Phone: (702) 388 – 2220
- Website: http://www.thed.com/dining/andiamo-steakhouse/
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The End. Go Eat. –
November 13, 2015
i8tonite: Gratitude with a Corn Goat Cheese Savory Pudding
A Facebook “friend” asked that ubiquitous question the other day, “What are you grateful for today?” A lot.

Six years ago, I walked away from a car crash involving three big rigs and nine other cars on California Interstate 5. It was caused by a dust-storm that felt whipped up by Hades himself, near Bakersfield. Three people died. Whether it’s the grace of God or the fates intervening, I removed myself from my car before it exploded. Only seconds before, I sat in the driver’s seat…. breathed a sigh of relief I hadn’t hit the truck in front of me. In the passing of another second and almost on the second inhalation, a 1975 Dodge pickup plowed into my SUV’s backside turning it into an accordion. To the side, there was a fireball that hurled towards me. Produced by a car driven by a young family man as he rear-ended the truck’s trailer, the one I narrowly avoided had jack-knifed across two lanes. His exploding engine instantly cremated him, destroyed his vehicle and crafted an explosion pointed towards me from the 18-wheeler’s reserves tanks. There were milliseconds between the collision of automobiles and my ability to open my car door and get out. Had I not – I wouldn’t be in the Sonoran desert, hiking to the top of peaks, eating superb food, receiving kisses from my dogs, and love from Nick. I suffered a minor concussion and two cracked ribs.

After experiencing a trauma of that magnitude, it’s not uncommon for an accident victim to discover their life situations not working anymore. The next six months after the crash, I implemented changes. I left a toxic relationship which should have ended years before. I moved back to a city where I had support and love. Items that can never be bought. I even discovered a new relationship I wasn’t planning on having but am grateful that I’m alive to experience it.

Not one day passes I don’t think about the accident.

This past weekend marks the anniversary of that experience and the beginning of something new. As someone said to me recently, “You moved to Phoenix because you have risen from the ashes.”

—

At the end of 2013, former San Jose Mercury food editor, Carolyn Jung published her first cookbook, San Francisco Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes from The City by The Bay (Lyons Press). I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with Carolyn over the years. As a journalist and via her website FoodGal.com, she’s been supportive of my clients and their food endeavors. For me, I always think it’s important to recognize the writers who have helped along the way. A journalist’s life can be thankless especially from a public relations perspective.

To support the publishing of her book, I attempted to create a cooking and book-signing experience at a former San Francisco client. Unfortunately, the event never happened because the restaurant closed. I’m doing a little shout out about her book — saying thank you, hoping I can help sell even more cookbooks. I adapted this recipe from one of the many delicious dishes she curated in her cookbook from Bay Area chefs. This particular dish, from the owners/ chefs of Ame, I turned into a one dish casserole.

Sweet Corn-Goat Cheese Bread Pudding (adapted from Carolyn Jung’s San Francisco Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes from The City by the Bay).
- 1 whole baguette. Cut into approximately one-inch pieces.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- ½ tablespoon sage
- ½ cup of chicken stock
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup of sour cream
- 2 cups grated Parmesan-Reggiano
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- Corn cut from 2 ears.
Let’s make this puppy:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees to toast the croutons. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven but keep the oven on to bake the final product.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and crisp the chopped bacon. Once the bacon has been slightly browned. Add the vegetables and sage. Stir until soft. Stir in the croutons, letting them soak up the fat.

Pour in the chicken stock and allow the bread to become saturated. Season well. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, sour cream, and cheeses. Mix well. Assemble everything – croutons and wet ingredients including the corn.

Pour everything into a small casserole and place into a larger roasting pan creating a water bath. Pour water until halfway up the side of the casserole dish. Dot with extra goat cheese and grated cheese.Bake for about 30 minutes until golden. Serve warm.

(Recommendation: If there are leftovers, reheat in the morning and top with poached eggs. Awesome!

The End. Go Eat.
October 26, 2015
i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet for Eating in South Beach, Miami
When i8tonite came up with the idea of a dining out series highlighting neighborhood eateries, we were a little surprised by some of the suggestions which included South Beach. My partner, Nick, lived there for 20 years and the perception of South Beach – at least mine – is through a Hollywood camera. Beautiful but violent, with really pretty people in muted pinks and blues (“Miami Vice”) or hot crimson, emerald greens and bright yellows (“CSA: Miami”). It’s colorful, lively and murderous. (Let’s not forget “Scarface”).

Our cultural viewing of these shows cloud the real goodness of South Beach which is its very much an American city, a melting pot of cultures and cuisines. Smack dab in the South Beach’s presumed debauchery is a charming enclave of young families, vintage buildings and elementary schools. This is the area of South Beach that Nick hearts and that I know. Truth be told, South Beach is a neighborhood with superb, laid-back eating where the old and the young sit languishing with Cuban coffee in the tropical heat.

Photo by Taki Lau.

Animated with Cuban, Puerto Rican and Haitian music throughout the day, provided by street performers, the sun-drenched neighborhood is a showcase for the Caribbean culture, with a smattering of New York City’s Jewish retirees who defected from the harsh winters. Once visitors push past the paparazzi, the Latin and Hollywood stars and the world-weariness of the second-home owning Europeans, South Beach is a charming mix of American values and delicious foods which is really what gives it bragging rights — finding a new and exciting culture without having to drag out your passport or get on that plane – which is just a big expensive bus with wings.

Breakfast: Big Pink which was been opened for almost 20 years is a mainstay in the South Beach neighborhood. Serving breakfast to late night dinner – soaking up the alcohol, this diner is the place where people stroll or roll in (on skates). Big Pink is spotted by the pink VW “bugs” parked outside. Delivery is a popular way for tourists to order late night snacks if wobbling out your hotel is out of the question. The restaurant menu is not inventive as much as comforting and tasty. That’s okay because it’s guaranteed that serving up big burgers, hand-cut fries, waffles, breakfast burritos and of course, matzo brei, will satiate that American appetite. Swimming in the clear waters of South Beach will help burn those excess calories.
- My suggestion: Big Pink’s Pancakes served with fresh strawberries.
- Price: $12.50
- Hours: Monday – Wednesday, 8am – 12am. Thursday – Saturday, 8am – 5:30am (Why even bother closing?). Sunday 8am – 2am.
- Address: 157 Collins, Miami Beach, FLA. 33139
- Phone Number: (305) 531 -0888
- Website: www.bigpinkstakeout.com
Lunch: Las Olas Café has been featured in “Travel + Leisure”, Miami “New Times” and by Anthony Bourdain, who seems to have become a barometer for all things culinary. Take away all the fluffiness, and what you have is a Cuban-American family owned and operated neighborhood loncheria (luncheonette) serving up the best of Cuba. The best part about it, it’s good. Sometimes, the hype strips a business of its authenticity but that’s not the case for Las Olas. Nothing is over $10 and it’s a cash only affair which makes me feel I’m getting old world treatment and not something that’s been branded waiting for an IPO.

My suggestion: The Cuban. The bread, the roasted pork-loin, the ham, the cheese, the pickle and the pressing make mighty fine eating. Supposedly, the real test of a great Cubano is the bread which is made with lard – making it richer – and the “la Plancha”, the grill or the sandwich press. The combination essentially steams the inside without the use of extra moisture such as mustard or mayonnaise. One of the top ten dishes in the world…right up there with cassoulet and Filipino adobe. Only in Miami or Cuba. Luckily the borders are opening.
- Price: $8. You will come back the next day.
- Hours: Open seven day a week, 6am – 8pm.
- Address: 644 6^th Street, Miami Beach, Fla., 33139.
- Phone Number: (305) 534 – 9333
- Website: None. Refreshing, huh?
Snack Time: Okay, I know – Sushi Samba is a chain. Albeit, an interesting chain that started in New York City and now has five outposts including London. Sushi Samba celebrates South American culture that we don’t see very often, which is a triumvirate of Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian cuisine. The United States doesn’t have a hold on the patent of melting pots. At one time, I was in Seattle on a food-related marketing event and my colleague from Miami kept talking about Sushi Samba and their happy hour. Nick does the same. It sort of cements it in this South Beach listing.

My suggestion: Caipirinha. Sushi Samba has a happy called “Samba Hour”. Cute. It offers up some excellent sushi and food along with Brazil’s greatest export besides Gisele.
- Price: $5.00 for the Caipirinha. Everything else is extra.
- Hours: Monday, Noon – Midnight; Tuesday – Thursday, Noon – 1am; Saturday, 11:30am – 2:00pm and Sunday 11:30 am – Midnight.
- Address: 600 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla, 33139
- Phone Number: (305) 673 – 5337
- Website: www.sushisamba.com
Dinner: You would think a steakhouse is a just a steakhouse but it really doesn’t work that way. Steakhouses are a reflection of the city where they were created such as Brooklyn’s Peter Luger’s (working man’s dinner with big cuts of beef), Wolfgang Puck’s Cut in Beverly Hills (star sighting and pristine, untouchable vibe) and George & Georgetti in Chicago with big, oversized martinis. In South Beach, it’s Meat Market, a sexy, sleek eatery with a blush-centric atmosphere. Most diners are dressed like its a fashion runway strutting between tables in Hérve Leger and Tom Ford. (I’m not really sure where that rich food is going.) An excursion to Meat Market – which sounds like retro gay men’s leather bar in Manhattan – will set someone back easily $150 to $200 per person but it’s excellent and you won’t find this everywhere – only in Miami. (They are also in San Juan and Coral Cables — so it doesn’t count.)

My suggestion: Mixed Grill. This is a trio of two cuts of meat and seafood. It rotates daily and is never the same each day. It’s a good way to try different items. Call ahead.
- Price: $55 – $65, depending upon the chef selections.
- Hours: Sunday – Thursday, Noon to Midnight; Friday – Saturday, Noon to 1:00am. Kitchen is closed 4pm – 6pm daily. (That’s okay. You’re at Sushi Samba. See above.)
- Address: 915 Lincoln Road, Miami, FLA 33139
- Phone: (305) 532 -0088
- Website: www.meatmarket.net
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The End. Go Eat.
September 25, 2015