[WEEK of June 30 2008]

Top 10 Most Dedicated Farm-to-Table Restaurants
Epicurious.com’s Joanne Camas identifies eateries across the country that are regularly using locally grown fruit, vegetables, meat, and herbs:

• AR Valentien, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, 11480 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA
• Manresa, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA
• Montagna at the Little Nell, 675 E. Durant Ave., Aspen, CO
• Woodfire Grill, 1782 Cheshire Bridge Rd., Atlanta
• North Pond, 2610 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago
• Cinque Terre, 36 Wharf St., Portland, ME
• Chester Creek Cafe, 1902 E. 8th St., Duluth, MN
• Tupelo Honey Cafe, 12 College St., Asheville, NC
• Poppy Hill Tuscan Cafe, 1000 Charles St., Fredericksburg, VA
• Trellis, 220 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, WA   

The (Current) Largest Restaurant in the World
GoogleSightseeing.com reports, "Syria’s Damascus Gate restaurant has recently been certified by Guinness as the “World’s largest restaurant”, stealing the crown from Thailand’s Mang Gorn Luang. Seating up to 6014 diners at one time, it easily tops the previous holder’s 5000 capacity.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Behind the Scenes with Gordon Ramsay: ABC’s Nightline recently featured controversial star chef Gordon Ramsay: "When Gordon Ramsay was a child, he never dreamed of becoming a star chef with restaurants around the world. "Soccer was my first love," says Ramsay, who hoped to play professionally." Here’s the story and video.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From Cincinnati’s Taste magazine

SMOKED PAPRIKA RATATOUILLE
Courtesy of Nathan Jolley, Executive Chef at Cincinnati’s Teller’s of Hyde Park

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Garlic oil
6 tbs. All purpose flour
2 pounds Zucchini, large dice
2 Spanish onions, peeled and diced
1 large Eggplant, large dice
2 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 Yellow pepper, seeded and diced
3 tbs. Garlic, minced
7 four x four Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tbs. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 tbs. Smoked sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. Fresh thyme, picked
1/2 tbs. Fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tbs. Italian parsley, stemmed and chopped

Method:
• Heat 1/3 of the oil (about 8 tbs.) in pot over low heat.
• Add garlic and onion and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add peppers, cook 5 minutes more, stirring frequently, then stir in remaining oil.
• Toss eggplant and zucchini with flour, shake to remove excess.
• Add to pot with thyme, basil and parsley, stir thoroughly and cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Carefully remove cover, add tomatoes, smoked paprika, white pepper, black pepper and salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Chef’s Notes: Garlic oil can be made by simmering pomace olive oil with peeled garlic cloves until garlic is lightly browned but not burned. Strain and reserve oil. Garlic can also be reserved for use as ‘garlic confit’ or as roasted garlic in other recipes. Holds very well under refrigeration. Freezes well also. Can also be used for sauteing and marinades. Recipe can also be made with regular olive oil.
Recipe as written is as a side dish. It can be served as a soup, or a sauce if cooked longer.

Yield: About 15 servings as a side dish. 6-8 servings as a soup or sauce.

IEAT BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Lula Cafe, Khan B.B.Q. Top ‘Chicago Reader’ Polls
Highlights of The Reader’s Best of Chicago issue include Best Restaurant, Lula Cafe (readers), 2537 N. Kedzie, lulacafe.com) and Khan B.B.Q. (critics). chicagoreader.com

Dickey’s Barbecue Bidding to Become National Chain
The Dallas Morning News’s Karen Robinson-Jacobs reports, "Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. plans to "take barbecue mainstream" in a risky bid to become a national chain. Dickey’s, which opened Oct. 1, 1941, but only began franchising in 1994, has more than 85 locations in 13 states. It’s already the third-biggest barbecue chain in the U.S., according to Keith Gellman, publisher of Restaurantchains.net, an Irvington, N.Y., research firm that tracks chain growth. And the company’s planning a growth spurt that Roland Dickey Jr., president and grandson of founder Travis Dickey, calls "exponential." Dickey’s plans to end 2008 with 115 restaurants in 21 states – 95 percent of them owned by franchisees, Mr. Dickey said. Next year, the barbecue brand plans to open 85 restaurants – more than triple the number opened in 2007,when the company had $175 million in sales." dallasnews.com.

Giuliani Favorite Nicola Paone Closes in NYC  
Crain’s reports the closing of New York City’s Nicola Paone, the favorite Italian restaurant of a long line of mayors including Rudy Giuliani, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in April. crainsnewyork.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of June 23 2008]

As Cod Is My Witness, Fish Fry Costs Soar
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Scott Williams reports, "An ailing economy that has seen price increases at gas pumps and grocery stores now is hitting consumers where it really hurts: the Friday fish fry. Fish fry operators throughout the Milwaukee area say the rising cost of fish and other products is hurting the profitability of their wildly popular Friday night dinners. Especially hard hit are those restaurants that depend on Icelandic cod, a perennial favorite that has jumped 50% in cost because of the depressed value of the U.S. dollar. Some fish fry operators are holding down their prices for fear of losing customers, while others have tried switching to a cheaper variety of fish. One that has taken the plunge and boosted its prices is Serb Hall in Milwaukee, which serves 1,000 or more fish dinners each week. Serb Hall management is asking customers to swallow a nearly 60% price increase, from $9.50 to $14.95 for the standard fish fry. Officials have posted a special notice in menus, explaining to customers that they have experienced ìrecord-breaking price increases. jsonline.com

Mag Selects Best Chains for Kids
Parents magazine (www.parents.com) just asked their readers to rank chain restaurants’ child friendliness. Here were the top 10:

1. Legal Sea Foods
2. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes
3. Mimiís Cafe
4. Uno Chicago Grill
5. Chiliís Grill & Bar
6. Red Robin
7. The Old Spaghetti Factory
8. P.F. Changís China Bistro
9. Dennyís
10. Claim Jumper

No Trans fats in NYC Restaurants as of July 1
The Associated Press reports that New York City eateries must remove artificial trans fats from all menu items by July 1. "When first implemented last year, the Health Department ban applied only to fry oils and spreads. It now will also include baked goods, frozen foods, cannoli and doughnuts. Foods served in original, sealed packaging - such as candy and crackers - are exempt. The Health Department says that, as of last month, about 98 percent of inspected restaurants were in compliance. Some food chains and cooking oil manufacturers also have reduced saturated fat by 20 to 35 percent in certain fried foods." ap.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The Portland Oregonian recently named two restaurants — Le Pigeon and Beast — its co-Restaurants of the Year. Here are videos spotlighting both:

 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

From SeriousEats.com:

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Remolif Shere.

Serves 12
You can easily cut this recipe in half, but the only reason I can imagine for doing so is that you could afford only 2 pints of precious strawberries. They can be expensive at the farmerís market, and you really shouldnít use giant, white-hearted grocery store strawberries here. Although the recipe says it serves 12 people, 6 could easily polish it off, as could 4 who really like strawberry shortcake. My biscuits did not puff up in the oven the last time I made this (I canít remember if theyíre supposed to), but they tasted marvelous.

About the author: Robin Bellinger recently escaped a career in book publishing, which was cutting into her cooking time. Now she’s a freelance editor and can bake bread on Tuesday afternoon if she feels like it. She lives in Midtown Manhattan with her husband and blogs about cooking and crafting at home*economics.

Ingredients
4 pint baskets strawberries
About 6 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream (for shortcakes)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream (for whipped cream)

Procedure
1. Wash, dry, and hull the berries. Crush about one-quarter of them and slice the rest into the crushed berries. Toss with sugar to tasteóa tablespoon or so per basketóand chill until serving time. The strawberry mixture should be very juicy.

2. When youíre ready to make the biscuits, get the berries out of the refrigerator to come up to room temperature. Mix the flour, salt (unless you are using salted butter), baking powder, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal with a few larger pieces of butter in it. You can use a pastry blender, two knives, or quick rubbing fingers. (I use two knives and then fingers, and honestly, it never looks like cornmeal. It is very dry. This is okay.) Stir in 3/4 cup cream, just until most of the dry mixture has been moistened; it will still be quite dry. Turn out on a board and knead just a few times, until the dough just comes together. It might still be a little crumbly at the edges. Roll or pat 1/2 inch thick and cut into squares or circles or whatever shape you like. This recipe will make 12 individual shortcakes. You can use cookie cutters, but then youíll have scrapsóI prefer simply to carve up the patted-out dough into 12 pieces.

3. Put the shortcakes on an unbuttered baking sheet. If you used cookie cutters, lightly knead together any scraps and roll again and cut. Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream. I like to sprinkle them with a little turbinado sugar at this point, too, but it isnít necessary. Bake in a preheated 425?F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and the dough is set. Cool on a rack and serve while warm. Make the whipped cream while the biscuits cool a bit.

4. To serve: Warm the shortcakes if necessary, split them, and spoon berries liberally over the bottom halves. Set the tops back on and spoon some whipped cream over them. There should be lots of berries and lots of cream.

 

IEat Blog Highlights

Michelle Branch to Open Nashville Bakery
Pop/country singer-songwriter Michelle Branch will open a bakery in Nashville named The Sugar Bar and is now looking for a site, the Nashville Business Journal, the Nashville Scene, The Tennessean and others reports. "Besides music, one of my dreams has always been to open a bakery," Branch says on her Web site. "When I was a little girl I would sneak into the kitchen and sift out a few cups of flour and mix it with water just to play with the dough." Rebekka Seale, the pastry chef, will blog about the process of opening and working at the bakery. "It will be an old-fashioned bakeshop and bar where you can go grab a drink after dinner and a slice of Bourbon Chocolate Cake or Summer Berry Pie," says Branch. Branch, 24, plans to support local farmers by using their butter, milk, eggs and fruit. nashville.bizjournals.com

Fort Worth, Dallas Brunch Spots Honored
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy reports that Fort Worth’s Blue Mesa Grill (1600 S. University Drive, Fort Worth, or 1586 E. Southlake Blvd., www.bluemesagrill.com) has won third place for "Best Brunch in the World" juried prize from the first International Restaurant & Hotel Awards, a California-based travel awards company. Blue Mesa won the award in the "value" category, up against other $17 brunches instead of the $42 hotel spreads like Fearingís in Dallas, which won second place in the luxury category. star-telegram.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of June 16 2008]

What’s Next for ‘Top Chef’ Winner?
The Chicago Tribune’s Joe Gray writes in The Stew blog about newly crowned "Top Chef" winner and Chicagoan Stephanie Izard, "Well, she told Bravo in a Q&A that some of the $100,000 prize will go toward paying off debt, and some she’ll use for travel. But certainly a portion will go to her next venture, a new restaurant in downtown Chicago [due next spring]. As she announced to the cheering crowd after the finale: She loves Chicago and she’s staying." chicagotribune.com

Meanwhile Besha Rodell from Creative Loafing in Atlanta offers a podcast of her interview with "Top Chef" runner-up Richard Blais of Atlanta’s new Home restaurant.

Montana Finally Lands Namesake Ted’s
Bozeman, Mont. - With 56 restaurants in 18 states, Ted’s Montana Grill is finally coming to Montana, the Associated Press reports. The 57th Ted’s Montana Grill opened recently in the Baxter Hotel in downtown Bozeman. The restaurant co-founded by media mogul Ted Turner specializes in bison. Turner visited the restaurant last week for the first time since the space in the Baxter Hotel was restored. "We’re really excited," Turner said while greeting restaurant staff preparing for the opening. ap.com

Burger-Mania Still Reigns Supreme
From the San Antonio Express-News’s John Griffin: "The popularity of the burger cannot be denied. In the last two years, 7 percent more restaurants nationwide, from quick service to fine dining, are offering burgers on their menu. And burgers made up 14 percent of all restaurant orders in 2007. That’s 8.5 billion burgers, folks. Those statistics were prepared by the NPD Group, which monitors restaurant sales and trends. Burgers are the No. 1 food, followed by fries and then pizza. How far behind is pizza? During the same period, 5.5 billion pizzas sold, the NPD said. NPD breaks these statistics down by gender. Men, as you might expect, prefer burgers to all else, while they landed at No. 2 on the list for women (fries were their first choice). "You may have thought salad, but no," the NPD Group spokeswoman Kim McLynn said of the women’s choice. Not all burgers are created equal. Angus burgers, for example, have experienced double-digit growth over the last two years, the NPD Group said. Kobe burgers are experiencing growth as are burgers made from chicken, soy and other products. Cheddar is still the most popular cheese for burgers, but people are developing a taste for Pepperjack, Parmesan and Tillamook. Burgers with a chipotle sauce grew by 55 percent in the two-year period, while those with an aioli, or garlic mayonnaise, grew by 33 percent. "The burger is an American classic, right up there with mom and apple pie," said Michele Schmal, vice president of foodservice product management at the NPD." mysanantonio.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Here’s a video of Chicago Tribune reporter Joe Gray’s interview with newly crowned "Top Chef" winner Stephanie Izard.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From Amy Stumpfl of the Nashville City Paper. From Jeremy Barlow, chef/owner of Nashville’s Tayst (2100 21st Ave. S., 615-383-1953): "This dish was brought about during one of our playful moments. It has evolved through the years depending on which season it is. … The remainder of the dish is a spicy shrimp doughnut and pickled ramps."

BACON AVOCADO ICE CREAM

2 cups bacon, diced very small
8 egg yolks
1 quart half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar
6 avocados, diced small
4 limes, juiced and zested
a pinch of salt

Render bacon in 400 degree oven until very crisp, strain off fat and reserve for mix. Keep bacon in towel until ready to use.

Mix half-and-half, sugar and bacon fat in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Whisk egg yolks in a bowl and temper the scalded mix into the eggs, a little at a time until the eggs are incorporated. Add a couple inches of water to the saucepot and place the bowl over it like a double boiler. Cook slowly until the mix coats the back of a spatula without running. Test it by running your finger along the back of the spatula after removing it from the mix. It should create a line that holds for a short period.

While the ice cream is cooking, zest your limes and add the zest to the cooking mixture. Juice the limes and then dice the avocados, placing them into the lime juice.

When the ice cream is finished cooking, pour the avocado with the juice into the mix and beat with a whisk to incorporate the avocado. Place the bowl over another bowl filled with ice while you are mixing and it will be chilled enough to pour into your ice cream machine when the avocado is incorporated. Do not worry about completely dissolving all the avocado ˜ it will finished in the machine.

Spin until it freezes. Fold in the bacon at the very end. Place in freezer.

IEat Blog Highlights

‘Surrender’ to Cheap Trickster’s Pizza
Chicago magazine’s Dish column interviews Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, part-owner of Chicago pizza place Piece (1927 W. North Ave.). chicagomag.com

Scottsdale Lands Hollywood Sushi Transplant
The Arizona Republic’s Howard Zeftel reports, "… Hollywood‚s oh-so-cool Sushi Roku ˆ investors include Ryan Seacrest and Tori Spelling ˆ is finally getting ready to unveil a Scottsdale branch later this summer, probably in August. Set in the new, boutique W Scottsdale Hotel, Sushi Roku‚s 6,000 square feet promises to be sleekly designed, with black slate flooring, a curved, grotto-like ceiling and steel staircase leading to a rooftop patio overlooking the pool. Chef Tim Fields, a Boulders resort alum, will be showcasing traditional Japanese fare with modern twists." Sushi Roku (7277 E. Camelback Road, W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences, Scottsdale, sushiroku.com). azcentral.com

‘Top Chef’ Spike Set to Open D.C. Eatery
DCFoodies.com details the upcoming opening of recent ‘Top Chef’ finalist Spike Mendelsohn’s restaurant Good Stuff Eatery (303 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, www.goodstuffeatery.com).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of June 9 2008]

Chicago’s Achatz Wins Top James Beard Honor
From Jerry Shriver of USA Today: "Grant Achatz of the Chicago restaurant Alinea, who last year overcame a mouth cancer that threatened his life and his ability to taste, was named the country’s outstanding chef Sunday night [June 8] at the 18th James Beard Foundation Awards in New York. Achatz was among more than 50 culinary professionals who won engraved bronze medallions at the gala at Lincoln Center.

The 34-year-old chef, known for his cutting-edge cooking, underwent aggressive chemotherapy last summer and in December announced that his cancer appeared to be in full remission. Joining him among the winners in top categories: Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali, named outstanding restaurateurs for Babbo in New York; Gramercy Tavern in New York, outstanding restaurant; Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C., best new restaurant; Gavin Kaysen of CafÈ Boulud in New York, rising star (age 30 or under) chef; and Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, outstanding pastry chef. Winners in other major categories (for a full list of nominees, visit www.jamesbeard.org):

• Restaurant service: Terra, St. Helena, Calif.
• Wine service: Eleven Madison Park, New York.
• Wine/spirits professional: Terry Theise, Estate Selections, Silver Spring, Md.
• Great Lakes region chef: Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago.
• New York chef: David Chang, Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York.
• Southwest chef: Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, Colo.
• Mid-Atlantic chef: Eric Ziebold, CityZen, Washington, D.C.
• Northeast chef: Patrick Connolly, Radius, Boston.
• South chef: Michelle Bernstein, Michy’s, Miami
• Pacific chef: Craig Stoll, Delfina, San Francisco
• Midwest chef: Adam Siegel, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee
• Northwest chef: Holly Smith, CafÈ Juanita, Kirkland, Wash.
• Southeast chef: Robert Stehling, Hominy Grill, Charleston, S.C.

Food & Wine Names Best New Chefs 2008
From "Food & Wine" magazine’s newly released July issue: "Twenty years ago, we picked our first Best New Chefs, which included future megastars Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. We’re sure this year’s winners will make us as proud as any of those who have preceded them. These cooks come from all around America, from California to Missouri to Vermont–and include two from Chicago, two women and a chef at a vegetarian restaurant." Here’s the 2008 list of Best New Chefs:

• Jim Burke: James, Philadelphia
• Gerard Craft: Niche, St. Louis
• Tim Cushman: O Ya, Boston
• Jeremy Fox: Ubuntu, Napa
• Koren Grieveson: Avec, Chicago
• Michael Psilakis: Anthos, NYC
• Ethan Stowell: Union, Seattle
• Giuseppe Tentori: Boka, Chicago
• Eric Warnstedt: Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT
• Sue Zemanick: Gautreau’s, New Orleans

Zagats Pull Survey Off the Market
From The New York Times’s Michael J. de la Merced: "Zagat Survey, publisher of the popular user-generated reviews of restaurants, hotels and other leisure businesses, has ended its effort to sell itself, the company said June 5. "While we considered some very attractive options, given our company’s strong performance and continued momentum and in light of the current economic climate, we have decided to continue to grow our business organically," Tim and Nina Zagat, the companyís founders, said in a statement. The Zagats put the company up for sale in January. At the time, people briefed on the company’s finances suggested that it could be valued at more than $200 million, but would-be buyers appeared to balk at the price." nytimes.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
From Jeff Houck’s The Stew blog in The Tampa Tribune reports on Michael Stern, co-author of the landmark culinary travelogue "Roadfood" with his wife, Jane, who are celebrating the 30th anniversary of its publishing. Hungry for more? Hereís a video of the Sterns vising the home of the original hamburger, Louis Lunch in New Haven, Conn. (Cool tidbit youíll see: All of the burgers are cooked vertically):

 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Adapted from celebrity chef Mario Batali’s new cookbook "Italian Grill." Batali won a James Beard Foundation award as Outstanding Restaurateur (with partner Joe Bastianich) at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards Sunday night, June 8, in New York CITY

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS

(Serves 6)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 anchovy fillets, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
3 shallots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, 4 tablespoons of the oil, anchovies, parsley, and bread crumbs. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth.

2. In a large roasting pan, sprinkle the chicken thighs with the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat them all over. Arrange in a single layer and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, drop in the sugar snaps and cook for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to a bowl of very cold water.

4. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling (one side should be hot, the other cool).

5. Place the chicken thighs on the cooler part of the grill, cover with the lid, and cook, turning once, for 15 minutes on a side, or until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and anchovy paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the shallots soften. Add the sugar snaps and cook, tossing them, just until they are heated through.

7. Arrange the sugar snaps on a platter. Set the chicken on top. Sprinkle with jalapenos.

 

IEAT Blog Highlights

Wolfgang Puck to Open Dallas Restaurant
The Dallas Morning News’s Joyce Saenz Harris reports, "Superstar chef Wolfgang Puck is the big name behind the new restaurant and catering operation that will be a major attraction of the restored Union Station and Reunion Tower at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. The 1916 landmark railroad station will reopen in the southwest corner of downtown Dallas by the end of 2008, and when it does, Mr. Puck’s catering operation will oversee events in the Grand Hall on the second level." dallasnews.com

Country Transplant Jessica Simpson Loves Flapjacks
IN THE NEWS: In coverage of the opening night of the annual CMA Music Festival in Nashville, CMT.com’s Edward Morris writes, "Singer-actress and country newcomer Jessica Simpson came out between acts to greet the fans. She said she hoped to be playing the festival next year "and the next and the next" and remarked that she should have made the country album she’s currently working on six years ago. Simpson also revealed, at the host’s urging, that Pancake Pantry is her favorite Nashville restaurant."

Former Oprah Chef Opening D.C. Eatery
The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema reports that two-time James Beard Foundation award winner and former Oprah Winfrey chef Art Smith (Table 52 in Chicago) is set to open his new restaurant, tentatively named Art and Soul, in August in the new, 343-room Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia Hotel (415 New Jersey Ave. NW). washingtonpost.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of June 2 2008]

America’s Most Junk Food-Obsessed Cities
From OKC Talk (www.okctalk.com/food-court): Craving a Twix bar? If you live in Oklahoma City, chances are you’re in good company. It tops the list of American cities with residents that buy the most junk food per capita. Pittsburgh, Memphis, Little Rock, and St. Louis round out the top five. To find others– Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Birmingham, Indianapolis and Nashville, among them — data was consulted from The Nielsen Company, a New York-based market research firm.

The data covers 52 Nielsen Scantrack markets for the year ending March 22, 2008. It ranks each market by Category Development Index (CDI), which is the percentage of category sales in a market divided by the percentage of all commodity volume for a market, times 100. An index between 80 and 120 is generally considered average. An index of 120 or more is above average for a market its size. An index of 80 or less is below average for a market its size.

Of the 52 markets tracked, the top five was composed of cities in the Midwest and South. Pittsburghers, for example, scream for ice cream. This city was rated No. 1 in the category, with a CDI of 142. Oklahoma City ranked in the top 10 of all eight categories surveyed. Folks in the area like all sorts of junk food, but they’re particularly keen on snacks like potato chips and pretzels, as well as cookies and ice cream. In these categories, the market ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 2, respectively. Eating habits like these might be contributing to the city’s 27.5% obesity rate.

Fryer Grease Flying the Coop
Fast-food chains around the country don’t need to worry about protecting their cash registers from burglars, since it’s the fryer grease they’re after these days. www.nytimes.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
From Menu Pages Chicago, "In honor of the recent National Waiters and Waitresses Day, we present "Waiters Who are Nauseated by Food," a skit from the Dana Carvey Show featuring Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell way back in the mid-1990s. On this day in which we honor those who bring us our food in restaurants, let’s all thank God that they don’t act like this pair. Waiters who are Nauseated by Food [YouTube]

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From MSP St. Paul magazine’s Karl Lichtfuss www.mspmag.com

JOE’S GARAGE’S SPICY ASIAN PORK BURGER:

Pork Burger:
2-1/2 lbs. coarsely ground pork
2 T. minced fresh garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 T. garlic chili paste
2 T. chopped fresh mint

Roasted Red Bell Mayonnaise:
1 red bell pepper
1 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Japanese Coleslaw:
1 head julienne-cut Napa cabbage
2 peeled and julienne-cut medium carrots
2 c. julienne snow pea pods
1/2 c. bean sprouts
1 bunch scallions, cut on bias
1 c. seeded cucumber, cut on bias
2 T. julienne pickled ginger
1/2 c. lightly salted roasted peanuts
1 T. toasted sesame seeds

Soy Vinaigrette:
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice vinegar
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 T. fresh garlic minced
1/2 c. peanut oil
1/4 c. sesame oil

Pork Burger: Gently mix all ingredients together and form 6 equal burgers. Grill pork burger over medium-hot grill until thoroughly cooked, top with roasted red bell mayonnaise and a generous portion of Japanese coleslaw. Serves 6.

Roasted Red Bell Mayonnaise: Lightly oil pepper and char on hot grill until lightly charred on all sides; place in bowl and wrap with plastic wrap until cooled and sweated. After pepper is cool, peel and seed. Puree pepper and mix puree into mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Japanese Coleslaw: All ingredients should be approximately the same cut to have the shredded coleslaw appeal. Toss all ingredients together and mix with enough soy vinaigrette to lightly coat everything.

Soy Vinaigrette: Put all ingredients into a blender and puree to mix all ingredients thoroughly.

 

IEAT BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Mobile Shake Shack May Head to Brooklyn
The New York Daily News’s Ellizabeth Hays reports, "Famed Manhattan restauranteur Danny Meyer is close to bringing his beloved Shake Shack burger joint to Brooklyn. The owner of the popular Madison Square Park stand - famous for its juicy burgers, frozen custards and unbearable lines - wants to bring a mobile "shake truck" to downtown Brooklyn, sources said. … The truck would be a third spin-off for the Shake Shack, which opened in 2004. Later this year, Meyer is expected to open an outpost at 77th St. and Columbus Ave. on the upper West Side. Meyer, who runs a lineup of big-name restaurants that include Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern and The Modern, declined to comment." www.nydailnews.com

DeNiro’s Nobu to Open 1st Hotel
Nobu, the pricey sushi restaurant chain co-owned by actor Robert DeNiro, is branching out into the hotel business, the Associated Press reports. A developer plans to build a 62-story glass tower near the New York Stock Exchange that will house a 128-room, five-star hotel; 77 luxury condominiums and the city’s fourth Nobu restaurant. Nobu Hotel and Residences would be the first Nobu hotel in the country; another is being developed in Herzliya Marina along Israel’s Mediterranean coast. A transparent glass facade at the 650-foot tower’s base would rise six stories, while the restaurant, Nobu at 45 Broad, will be on the third floor, according to the developer, Swig Equities. The tower will feature film screening rooms, private wine and sake cellars and a 13,000-square-foot health club. www.ap.com

Spaghetti Factory Owners Open Lucier
The long-time owners and operators of the Portland, Ore.-based Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant chain have opened Lucier, a European-infused restaurant at Portland’s RiverPlace, the Portland Business Journal reports. Restaurateurs Tyanne and Chris Dussin have teamed with chef Pascal Chureau to open the restaurant, which occupies a riverside building constructed by Onder Development as part of the three-building Strand complex of condominiums and is one of the most high-profile restaurant locations developed in recent years. www.portland.bizjournals.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of May 26 2008]

No Surprise: Men Eat More Meat
From Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press: "If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then Mars is a land where the refrigerators are stocked with meat and frozen pizza and Venus has a bounty of yogurt, fruits and vegetables, a new study suggests. The study of eating habits of adults — called the most extensive of its kind — was a telephone survey of 14,000 Americans. It confirmed conventional wisdom that most men eat more meat than women, and women eat more fruits and vegetables. But there were a few surprising exceptions: Men were much more likely to eat asparagus, brussels sprouts, peas and peanuts. They also were bigger consumers of frozen pizzas, frozen hamburgers and frozen Mexican dinners. Women are more likely than men to eat eggs, yogurt and fresh hamburgers. Men also showed a little more of an appetite for runny eggs and undercooked hamburgers — two foods that health experts say carry a higher chance of contamination that can make you sick. Women were more likely than men to eat only one risky food, raw alfalfa sprouts, which in the past 15 years have been linked to outbreaks of food poisoning. The survey was done in 10 states, a collaboration between state and federal health officials. The results were presented last week by Dr. Beletshachew Shiferaw, an Oregon health official, at a recent meeting of infectious disease experts in Atlanta. ap.com

Not to Mention Locally Grown
From the Philadelphia City Paper’s Felicia D’Ambrosio: Top 5 Overused Menu Terms:
1. Seasonal
2. Crispy
3. Artisanal
4. House-made
5. Seared

Quote of the Week
From Salt Lake City Weekly’s Ted Scheffler (slweekly.com):
 
"Playwrights are like men who have been dining for a month in an Indian restaurant. After eating curry night after night, they deny the existence of asparagus."
— Peter Ustinov

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The Washington Post’s Joe Yonan visits the annual Memphis in May Barbecue championship. www.washingtonpost.com

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Karin Welzel:
"Brandy Stewart, executive chef at Soba Lounge in Shadyside, has just added Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice to the restaurant’s menu. Ramps — also called wild leeks — are in season now, but supplies are very limited. Look for them at farmers markets and natural-foods stores.

Yu choy is a variety of bok choy that also is called edible rape. The green stalks and tips are used in cooking. Stewart says to look for them in the produce section of Asian grocery stores, such as Lotus Food Market in the Strip District. She makes her own sweet-and-sour sauce from rhubarb, but any recipe or bottled sauce will do in this recipe.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH FRIED RICE

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 airline chicken breast, skin on, 8 to 10 ounces (see note)
• Soybean or other vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• About 1 cup chopped fresh ramps, or green onions, or cleaned leeks
• 1 cup cold cooked rice, such as jasmine
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 2 cups yu choy leaves
• White wine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Your favorite sweet-and-sour sauce

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Salt and pepper the chicken breast on both sides. Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet. When the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet, skin-side down, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned (see Photo 1). Flip the chicken over and brown the other side.
Move the skillet to the hot oven to finish cooking the chicken, for 10 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees in the center of the meat.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 tablespoons oil in another skillet and saute 1 teaspoon garlic and the ginger until aromatic, for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the ramps or green onions, rice, fish sauce and sesame oil (Photo 2). Cook, stirring frequently over medium-high heat, until the flavors are mixed and the rice is light brown.

In another skillet, pour about 1 tablespoon oil and place over high heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon garlic, then the yu choy. Stir a few times, then add a splash of white wine. Saute, tossing, to wilt the yu choy (Photo 3). Stir in the butter to finish and season with salt and pepper.

To finish the chicken: Drain the excess grease from the skillet in which the chicken was cooked. Place the skillet, with the chicken still in it, over medium-high heat and add the sweet-and-sour sauce. As the sauce bubbles, turn the chicken in it to form a glaze.

To plate the dish: Place the rice in a small bowl or timbale mold, packing it tightly, then turn the bowl over in the middle of a serving plate to form a rounded shape. Place the yu choy to one side of the rice. Dredge the chicken a final time in the glaze, and place over the yu choy and rice (Photo 4). Pour the remaining sauce in the skillet over the dish.

Makes 1 serving.

IEat Blog Highlights

Fiorella’s Remains KC Barbecue King
The Kansas City Star’s Rick Alm reports, "Kansas City’s tourists’ favorite barbecue is still Fiorella’s Jack Stack. The restaurant was one of 20 winners in the second annual Visitors’ Choice awards announced [May 20] at the annual tourism celebration luncheon of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association. Fiorella’s, one of 13 repeat winners, was selected in online balloting by more than 2,500 recent visitors from outside the five-county metro area. First-time winners this year included Stroud’s. kansascity.com

Paula Deen Opens Tunica Casino Eatery  
The first phase of a $45 million renovation and rebranding of Grand Casino Tunica into Harrah’s Tunica is complete, the Memphis Business Journal reports. A head-to-toe renovation of the Veranda Hotel and the first Paula Deen Buffet in the country as well as a new restaurant, bar and renovations to the casino floor will give gamers a new experience to go along with the casino’s new name. The Paula Deen Buffet is the first time Food Network star Deen has licensed her name and concepts to an outside company. The renovated casino will also feature six Paula Deen-themed slot machines. The 12,000-square-foot buffet is based on designs in Deen’s home in Savannah, Ga. The restaurant is divided into dining rooms that can be used for private dining. One room is a replica of Deen’s living room; another is a replica of the screened-in porch at her home. The menu has been personally overseen by Deen and her staff. The food will be similar to the dining fare of customers at Deen’s Savannah restaurants. It will feature Deen staples like hoe cakes, skillet cornbread and chargrilled oysters. memphis.bizjournals.com

‘Top Chef’ Spike Out at NYC’s Mai House
New York magazine’s The Grub Street blog reports, "Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn has left Mai House, but don’t assume his departure is related to winning a reality show of some sort. According to Eater, Mendelsohn got the mitten after publicly stating that he would soon concentrate on his new D.C. burger restaurant. Eater also reported that Top Chef’s Lisa "The Gorgon" Fernandes would replace Mendelsohn on the line." newyorkmagazine.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of May 19 2008]

Wine-Making Patriarch Mondavi Dies
California winemaking patriarch Robert Mondavi died May 16 at age 94, various media sources report. Robert Mondavi Winery spokeswoman Mia Malm said Mondavi died peacefully at his home in Yountville, Calif. After being ousted from a family-run venture with his younger brother, Mondavi started his own winery in 1966 at the age of 52. … The San Francisco Chronicle’s wine editor Jon Bonne weighed in thusly: "A popular and tireless figure in the wine world, Mr. Mondavi was relentless in his drive to make wines that could compete with the finest in the world. His winery, established in 1966 when Mr. Mondavi was 53, became a symbol not only of California’s emergence as a wine powerhouse but of the lifestyle that Mondavi embodied - one that placed wine in context with good food and a culture of hospitality." www.sfgate.com
 
Portland Lands Pair on ‘Esquire’ Best Bars List
From Portland, Oregon’s Willamette Week (wweek.com): Esquire published its “Best Bars” issue and tapped two Portland establishments, Clyde Common (1014 SW Stark St.) and Jimmy Mak’s (221 NW 10th Ave.), as a couple of the best booze dens in the country. Here’s the complete list from the June Esquire: http://www.esquire.com/bestbars/

Healthy Fast Food? Mag Ranks Them
1. Noodles & Company
2. Chipotle Mexican Grill
3. Cosi
4. Panera
5. Au Bon Pain

CBS Buys Chowhound Parent CNet for $1.8B
From Eater Los Angeles: "In a "hefty" deal worth a cool $1.8 billion, CBS has bought CNet, the parent company of Chowhound, among others. ‘Hound master Jim Leff, whose basement enterprise has now grown into an asset of a major media company, isn’t yet sure what the move means, but is hopeful that it will be a boon, so long as the pesky wannabe food snobs stay away." eater.la.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Here’s the Edith Ann’s sandwich bit, vintage Lily Tomlin from The Amateur Gourmet.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From the Today show, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23372134/, Washington, D.C. Where the Locals Eat Top 100 entry Equinox Restaurant (818 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC, (202) 331-8118, www.equinoxrestaurant.com and its recipe for jumbo lump crab cakes with young arugula and roasted sweet peppers.

JUMBO LUMP CRAB CAKES WITH YOUNG ARUGULA AND ROASTED SWEET PEPPERS
 
INGREDIENTS
 
• 1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, cleaned
• 1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 Cup fresh mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 3 Cups young arugula salad greens, cleaned and washed
• 1/3 Cup capers, drained
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 Cup brioche bread, crust removed, small dice
• 3/4 Cup sweet red peppers, roasted, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 
DIRECTIONS
 
Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions
 
    * In a large stainless mixing bowl, combine the crabmeat, mayonnaise, mustard, capers, brioche, cayenne, seasoning, & olive oil.
    * Mix well (be careful not to break up lumps of crab).
    * Form mix into 6 cakes.
    * Heat a 10 inch nonstick sauté pan to medium temperature; add a touch of oil.
    * Brown cakes on both sides (approx. 5 minutes).
    * Meanwhile toss arugula with sweet peppers, lemon juice, and olive oil; season to taste.
 
    * On six plates, put arugula and peppers in the center and top each with a crab cake.
    * Serve immediately.

IEAT BLOG HIGHLIGHTS
 
Chicago Repeal’s 2-Year-Old Fois Gras Ban
From Chicago magazine’s Dish column, "Chicago’s city council repealed the infamous two-year-old foie gras ban on [May 14] by a vote of 37 to 6, thus ending one of the stranger episodes in local politics. Alderman Tom Tunney (44th ward), along with cosponsors Emma Mitts (37th) and Bernard Stone (50th), introduced the repeal with no debate, reportedly over the strenuous objections of Joe Moore (49th), who, according to the Sun-Times, said it would be “the first time in my 17 years on the city council that a matter was discharged from committee without a hearing.

Repealing an ordinance passed by a 48-to-1 vote just two years ago deserves at least a hearing. Local chefs rejoiced at the prospect of serving fattened duck or goose liver again. “I can’t wait to get it back on my menu,” said Rick Tramonto (Tru, Osteria di Tramonto, Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood), who became a poster child for foie gras. “I’ve had so many people making pilgrimages up to our places [in Wheeling] to eat it. Now everyone’s going to eat it—some just for the novelty factor. And since people are more educated about the farms, it’s great. I’m thrilled that everyone kept fighting to get the ban overturned.”

Sheila O’Grady, the president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, immediately released a defiant statement commending Tunney for his role, and reiterated her organization’s stance that menu decisions are best left to restaurant operators “rather than being dictated by government.” The original ban, which Tramonto called “a mark on Chicago” and Mayor Daley referred to as the “silliest ordinance that was ever passed,” certainly made a statement worldwide. “Didn’t Chicago make its reputation by slaughtering livestock, gangsters, and innocent bystanders?” asked Alan Richman, the always-outspoken food writer for GQ and Bon Appétit, who found the ban ridiculous. “I always thought it odd that the only living creatures the city cared about was ducks.” chicagomag.com
 
‘Top Chef 3’s Kleinberg Set to Open Miami Barbecue Spot   
The Miami Sun Post interviews "Top Chef 3" contestant Howie Kleinberg as he readies for the opening of his new Bulldog Barbecue (Northeast 154th Street and  Biscayne Boulevard, North Miami, in the smallish space formerly occupied by Sun City Crepes. miamisunpost.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of May 12 2008]

Where the Candidates Compute to Chow Down
Where would Hillary Clinton eat? What type of restaurant would be John McCain’s favorite? And Barack Obama? In the Orlando Sentinel, Chris Muller, who teaches about chain restaurants at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, makes some predictions based on the candidates’ behavior, background and bearing. Here’s the story.

Targeting Wine to Gen-Xers
From Fred Tasker of The Miami Herald: "It had to happen. Wine consultants survey the country and find that 21- to 35-year-olds prefer wine to beer. And, while they like wine, they know little about it, and have no strong brand loyalties. In other words, they’re tabula rasa, empty pallets with willing palates. Fair game for advertisers. So, given their age and affinities, what could work better than viral advertising? Viral advertising, the opinion-building method of the 21st century, is defined as ad techniques that use existing social networks to create brand awareness and sales. No billboards, TV or print ads here. Rather, video clips, video games, e-mail blasts and on-the-scene advertising at music events and other gatherings. One of the first new wines to grasp this opportunity is Sacre Bleu, a 45,000-bottle-a-year operation with a Minneapolis-based president, Galen Struwe, and a French winemaker, Gustave Viennet. … Sacre Bleu’s MySpace page (myspace.com/sacrebleuwine) is filled with tasting notes, photos of attractive young people holding wine bottles and links to music, art and video clips. The company worked on word-of-mouth among music fans as the official wine of the Langerado Music Festival [recently] at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. miamiherald.com

Men Cooking More, Study Finds
From the Chicago Tribune’s Emily Nunn: "There is a greater chance than any time in history that the man of the household will be cooking dinner tonight, according to The NPD Group, a consumer information company that included a helpful bar graph with their recent press release, just in case you don’t believe words alone. Women still cook 78 percent of the meals prepared at home, says the study, but since 1993 man-made in-home meals have leapt a full 4 percent. The study did not mention whether any of these men were professional chefs, nor did it mention a strict definition of the terms “prepare” or “dinner.” But one finding was crystal clear: with the increase has also come a rise in year-round grilling. So a lot of men cooking “in the home” are actually cooking “outdoors,” something that has probably been true since beginning of culinary history, i.e., the discovery of fire. (Pardon the sexist attitude, and correct us if we’re wrong.)" chicagotribune.com/thestew

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Reason.tv host Drew Carey takes a look at the illegal bacon hot dog trade in downtown Los Angeles. Selling bacon dogs without county-approved equipment can result in fines and jail time for vendors, creating an illicit black-market trade by unlicensed vendors.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Courtesy of Ted Scheffler, restaurant critic for Salt Lake City’s City Weekly. slweekly:

"I never eat sushi. I have trouble eating things that are merely unconscious." — George Carlin

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From Amy Stumpfl of the Nashville City Paper: “We are driven by the seasons," says Margot McCormack, chef/owner of Margot Café & Bar (1017 Woodland St., Nashville, TN, 615-227-4668)." We use what is available until it’s not anymore, and then we are glad to see the newest crops spring up. Peas are probably my favorite spring items. I have always loved their fresh clean flavor. We use them everywhere at the restaurant — in salads, soups, pastas and nearly every entree. There is one dish that seems to be everyone’s favorite — pea crostini.”

PEA CROSTINI

• Tuscan bread
• olive oil
• garlic
• fresh peas
• chopped shallots
• feta cheese
• salt
• pepper

Brush a slice of Tuscan bread with oil and garlic and then gently grill.
Lightly blanch the fresh peas until just done and then shock in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Pulse half the peas lightly in a food processor and mix with chopped shallots, a little garlic, olive oil and some feta cheese. Fold in the whole peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon generously onto grilled bread and drizzle with olive oil.
This makes a great appetizer or luncheon entree with salad.

IEAT BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Mag Spotlights Cancer-Battling Chicago Chef
The New Yorker magazine profiles superstar chef Grant Achatz (of Chicago’s Alinea) and his battle against oral cancer, in remission since December. newyorker.com

Tavern on the Green Expanding to SF
The San Francisco Chronicle’s James Temple reports the expected summer 2009 opening of a San Francisco branch of New York City’s famed Tavern on the Green. The restaurant will be located at the Metreon shopping center. sfgate.com

Reef, Del Frisco’s, Becks Top Houston Poll
Reef Restaurant is the Best New Restaurant of 2007, according to voters in the Houston Business Journal Dining Guide Survey, with Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse earning the No. 2 spot. Survey-takers this year overwhelmingly selected Becks Prime LINK as the top choice in the Best Burger category. houston.bizjournals.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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[WEEK of May 5 2008]

Food & Wine Selects Annual ‘Go List’
In the May issue, Food & Wine magazine publishes its annual Go List of restaurants around the world, including domestic markets such as…

• Boston: Craigie Street Bistrot,
  O Ya
• Chicago: Blackbird, Custom House
• Honolulu: Downtown, Kaiwa
• Las Vegas: Strip House, Wing Lei
• Los Angels: Bastide, Comme Ca
• Miami: Michy’s, Palme d’Or
• New Orleans: Galatoire’s, Patois
• New York: Alto, Gramercy Tavern
• Phoenix: See Saw, Yasu Sushi Bistro
• San Francisco: Coi, Rubicon
  foodandwine.com

‘Details’ Picks Top 12 Barbecue Spots
The May issue of Details magazine picks 12 of America’s best barbecue spots:

• Smitty, Lockhart, TX
• Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que,
  Llano, TX
• LC’s Bar-B-Q, Kansas City, MO
• Skylight Inn, Ayden, NC
• Lexington Barbecue, Lexington, NC
• Cozy Corner, Memphis, TN
• B.E. scott’s Bar-B-Que, Lexington, TN
• Sweatman’s, Holly Hill, SC
• Memphis Minnie’s, San Francisco
• Big Bob Gibson’s, Decatur, AL
• 17th Street Bar & Grill, Murphysboro, IL
• Lem’s Bar-B-Que House, Chicago

Here Are 25 Favorite Seafood Dives
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "The editors at Coastal Living magazine have named Sunfish Seafood in Seattle one of their 25 favorite "seafood dives" in the U.S. The popular stand at Alki Beach (2800 Alki Ave. S.W.) earned points for its "fresh seafood (including prawns and oysters)" that arrives "lightly breaded and not greasy." The magazine also liked Sunfish’s "nicely flavored" clam chowder. The only other place in the Pacific Northwest cited by the magazine is Pacific Oyster in Bay City, Ore. Check out the whole story.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
From New York magazine: "If you haven’t had your fill of Adam Platt from his magazine reviews, his Gobbler posts, or his weekly post–Top Chef IM exchanges, sit back and settle in for a veritable Platt glut: Our critic sat down with the site Big Think and shot twenty videos of his immense, silhouetted head discoursing on everything from Top Chef to his review of Momofuku Ko to the ins and outs of being a restaurant critic."

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
From Amy Stumpfl of the Nashville City Paper, a recipe from Debra Paquette, chef/owner of Restaurant Zola, (3001 West End Ave., Nashville,TN, 615-320-7778, www.restaurantzola.com):

“Spring is the time for the mystical rebirth of all that is given to mankind. The herbs are the first to leave their winter home — rosemary with tiny purple flowers, laces of lavender, shells of mint and bright green hues of garlic chives. As I pinch each herb, my senses vicariously place me in the French countryside with a cool breeze and a great glass of wine to celebrate the inauguration of a new season.”

LAMB SANDWICH
Small lamb roast or boned leg (3–4 lbs.)
3 leaves garlic chives
2 tbsp. chopped rosemary
2 tbsp. thyme
1/4 cup chopped oregano
pinch of lavender
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 cup olive oil

Chop all herbs by hand and combine with oil. Cut a pocket into roast and rub herbs, inside and out. If lamb needs trussing, use some cotton twine and tie around roast. Wrap and refrigerate for two hours. Place in a small roasting pan on a rack with 1/4 inch of water. If you like, place some whole carrots in the bottom of the pan.

Place in a 275–300 degree oven, basting occasionally, until roast reaches 140 degrees. Cool, cover with Saran wrap and refrigerate. Pull chilled meat from the fat and slice for your sandwich.

Grill or toast slices of focaccia, French bread or a nice Tuscan loaf. Slice lamb very thin (deli-style), and heap on the bread with aioli and olive brined tomatoes (see recipes below). Garnish with a little lemon zest and mint leaves or radish sprouts.

AIOLI VERDE
1/4 cup chopped parsley (garden or store)
1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 tbsp. chopped capers
1 tbsp. chopped mint
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 chopped black olives (optional)
Mix well.

BRINED TOMATOES
Pull out a jar of last summer’s canned tomatoes. Drain. (You can use good quality canned or home roasted tomatoes.) For 1 quart, mix 1/4 cup olive brine (or caper juice), with 1/2 cup olive oil and one or two cloves of roasted garlic and a pinch of salt. Allow to sit overnight, drain and rough chop.

IEAT BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Gordon Ramsay Opening Spots in L.A., Chicago
Drive-Thru reports, "Chef/Restauranteur Gordon Ramsay has confirmed that he will open a restaurant in Chicago next year. Speaking at a recent book signing event in Macy’s department store, Ramsay said: "Chicago is at the forefront of the culinary world right now and I want a piece of that action." Take cover!! gapersblock.com/drivethru … Meanwhile, Eater Los Angeles reports the mid-June opening date for Gordon Ramsay at the London hotel has been upped to May 27. eater.la.com

Dallas Standout Abacus Reopens After Renovation
The Dallas Morning News’s Joyce Harris reports that Kent Rathbun’s award-winning, five-star Abacus LINK restaurant has reopened after being closed for a few weeks for a major renovation to both the decor and the menu. guidelive.com

‘Times’ Critic Lists Casual NYC Favorites
The New York Times’s Frank Bruni ranks his casual favorites in local restaurants, starting with The Little Owl (90 Bedford Street, New York, N.Y. between Grove and Barrow Streets). nytimes.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

 

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