Bangkok in Downtown

Growing up here many years ago, there were no Thai places (nor Sushi) within a hundred miles of Fort Pierce, so being able to explore a dining establishment other than a fast food establishment in his hometown was a very exciting moment for Chez.

So what was his evaluation of the Bangkok in Downtown, Fort Pierce? Well, at best I would say it is a mixed review.


We began our dining experience with a quick look around the venue. The downtown area of Fort Pierce has made huge strides in its gentrification process and it bares very little resemblance to the FTP of Chez youth. As for the bistro, it had a clean, neat and decided Asian air, as was expected… and it looked like it was smooth sailing for this riverfront downtown.

Our drink orders (no bar, just beer or wine) went the non alcohol route with the Thai Coffee for Chez and Thai Tea for Chez wife. The ice coffee drink was only fair and leaned toward the too much, too strong, kinda bitter side while the tea was refreshing and flavorful.

For appetizers we went with Fried gyoza and steamed vegetable dumplings. These both were outstanding and served as a very fitting start to the meal.


For the main course Chez’ companion choose the Chicken Stir Fry and while it was pleasant to the eye it was lacking any zing and left little in the way creativeness.

Chez order the Bento Box A, composed of a few tempura, sashimi, maki and a side of Pad Thai. The Japanese element of the dish was decorative and tasty and overall it was outstanding, but that was due more to the expertise of the sushi chef and the quality of the fish. The Pad Thai however was abysmal and lacked any ‘pop’.


So what’s the final evaluation? Well, Fort Pierce has come a long way since 1977, but it still has a ways to go in the Thai Food Department.

- Chez

The Ruby Grapefruit Gimlet (makes 2)

Does the thought of grapefruit cause your taste buds to cry out in alarm and your pucker to go into overdrive?

Well, here’s an adult beverage that will supply you with all of that grapefruit goodness without all of that bitter/sour that haunts your grapefruit memories… honest!

- Chez

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (and don’t skimp here… make it fresh squeezed.)
• 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see below)
• 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice (and don’t skimp here either… make it fresh squeezed.)
• Ice cubes
• 2 Grapefruit slices (garnish)

PREPERATION

Place first 5 ingredients in cocktail shaker; fill with ice.

Cover and shake quickly and vigorously for 8 seconds.

Strain into 2 Martini glasses.

Garnish with grapefruit slices.

Simple Syrup:

To prepare the simple syrup Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Bring to boil; cool.

Mill Race Inn 12/5/10

Day Three brought us to the Mill Race Inn, a historic pub and eatery located on the east bank of the Fox River in Geneva, Illinois. Following on the heals of our outstanding experience of the previous evening, our hopes were high that tonight we would again experience a more-than-pleasant dining experience. Sadly, this was not to be.

We began with our cocktails, with Sheb ordering… yes, you guessed it, a Dirty Martini. For me, I chose a standard Manhattan. Sheb’s drink was fine but in mine was the harbinger of things to come for the evening. Too much bourbon, not enough sweet vermouth and no bitters? Well, then it isn’t really a Manhattan, is it! Well, it did have a cherry… three in fact, so sad.

With the appetizer course came the only ‘high spot’ for the evening, in the form of the Baked Mushroom Caps, which according to the menu were stuffed with spinach, onion and bacon, then drizzled with béarnaise sauce. We both found them to be quite acceptable.

Our second appetizer choice was the Crispy Coconut Duck Strips, supposedly tender strips of duck breast; coconut encrusted and fried golden brown, and served with a sweet and sour cherry dipping sauce and Asian-inspired coleslaw. Reality however was that while the duck was indeed succulent and flavorful, the heavy-handed coconut breading drowned out whatever ducky-goodness that might have been there and as for the sweet and sour dipping sauce… no sour, way too much sweet and not a good match for anything on the plate.

Now about that Asian inspired coleslaw… Note to Chef: Piling julienned red and yellow bell peppers on the side of the dish IS NOT the same as making coleslaw. What you made was a garnish and not a very good one.

Sheb’s main course for the evening came in the form of Swedish Meatballs in a sour cream sauce on black pepper fettuccine, topped with lingonberries. The pasta was acceptable and the sauce was a nice pairing with the dish, but the meatballs had the consistency of wet bread and were too soggy/mushy to be eaten.

Chez’ main course was the Grilled Ahi Steak, reported to be a fresh, Hawaiian tuna steak served medium rare with citrus lime butter, sided with wild rice blend and a fresh vegetable medley.

Reality was:

1. It wasn’t Ahi,
2. It was criminally over-cooked (despite my plea to the waitress to tell the chef to go sparingly with the heat) and,
3. It was over-salted and over-peppered at to make it ‘not fit for human consumption’ (Thank you Morimoto, for giving me just the right words to describe this dish!)

Even in the realm of service, the Mill Race Inn failed to deliver. Initially it was great, with a highly attentive server and visits from the manager. But with the arrival of a large party about thirty minutes after our arrival, we were relegated to the forgotten realm of the ‘corner booth’, in as much as there was only one server and the table of eight trumps the table of two. Filled with disgust, we left the restaurant and went to A & W for dessert.

So, as you can guess… we won’t be going back.


- Chez

Buckingham’s 12/4/10

Day Two of our Restaurant Marathon took us to Elgin, Illinois and the Grand Victoria Casino. Now casinos are renowned for having good food so let me preface this review by saying… “The Grand Victoria and Buckingham’s did not disappoint”. From the elegant surrounding to the stellar service to the high quality of the food, the dining experience will need to be repeated and if not every evening… (As this isn’t practical or particularly cost effective) it is on Chez’ Repeat List for 2011. I have only high-praise for the staff and chefs at Buckingham’s.

Cocktail Time consisted of Sheb’s standard choice, the Dirty Martini but I ventured outside the box and went with a Rob Roy, if for no other reason than to see if they would get it right. They did!

Appetizers for the evening consisted of (for her) the Bacon Wrapped Scallops and (for him) Carpaccio. Concerning the scallops, Sheb had high praise for these jewels of the sea and while she abstains from eating the bacon wrapping, that just means that it will be available for my consumption!

Concerning the Carpaccio, the thinly sliced, meaty goodness was grand and the shaved Parma was exquisite. The chef strayed from the ‘traditional’ and went with a truffle oil rather than olive oil, and it gave the dish a nice touch... but when the chef continued to veer off the traditional path and opt for sunflower seeds in lieu of pine nuts? Not sure about that. I am not saying it was bad… just that I am not sure it was good. Tradition does have its place, you know.

The only real disappointment of the evening, and a minor one it was, was the soup course. Sheb declined the course but I went with a Lobster Bisque and when it arrived I found that it tasted reminiscent of canned Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup. Sure, there were delectable bits of lobster in it, sure it had a cutesy cracker spoon, sure it was good soup… but it wasn’t lobster bisque. No ‘happy face’ here.

As our main courses arrived, we were both in a level of high anticipation that our culinary extravaganza would continue. For Sheb, it came in the form of several ‘small’ plates filled with Grilled Asparagus, Wine Sautéed Mushrooms, Potato au Gratin and Beef Tenderloin Kabobs. No negative comments here and all was quite well on her side of the table.

My main dining choice was The Tomahawk, twenty-six ounces of manly Beef Meat, served up on an eighteen-inch bone straight out of an episode of ‘The Flintstones’. Sure, there were potatoes and veggies with a cheese sauce, but who cares… and throughout the dining experience I had the strangest urge to utter a Neolithic grunt.

Dessert time brought two more items to our table. For her, a huge slice of Double Chocolate Cake that could, without a doubt, feed a family of four for a week. (Joy upon joy, there will be leftovers!) For me, it was a hope that this was where Brule Heaven resided. Sadly, not today, for the Crème Brule suffered from ‘density’ issues and was more of a flan than a crème.

Nonetheless, Buckingham’s is a topnotch steakhouse with excellent food, great service, wonderful ambiance and should be visited by anyone who comes within 100 miles of the Grand Victoria Casino.

- Chez

Wildwood 12/3/10

Over the course of three days (12/3 through 12/5) we managed to visit three distinct restaurants; a local gem, a casino steak house and a riverfront icon, all within 20 miles of each other. The first of these visits was to the Wildwood, the local gem that is located in the quaint, scenic Dodson Place in Geneva, Illinois.

Despite it being ‘Kick-Off Night’ of the annual Christmas Walk Weekend, reservations were available and the restaurant was busy but well organized, with a good traffic flow that allowed customers to come and go without disturbing the clientele who were dining… a major accomplishment when one considers the sea of humanity that avails itself to the Geneva Christmas Walk each year.

The views of the square, decked out for the season as well as the tasteful décor inside gave the entire experience a very festive overtone and bode well for the night’s dining experience, which began with; yup you guessed it, cocktails. As is our custom, we both selected the Dirty Martinis with Blue Cheese-stuffed olives. (What is there not to love with this concoction?)

For our appetizer course we went with the French Goat Cheese, consisting of baked imported goat cheese, served atop spinach and surrounded by a sea of tomato basil sauce, served with an olive tapenade garnish. My wife and I differed on our rating of this dish. She found it quite tasty… while I found the sauce to be on the bland side, with it tasting more like pureed red peppers and having no tomato-esque zing that I was hoping for.

For the soup course we went old school, and both had the classic French Onion Soup. With this dish the folks at Wildwood kitchen hit it out of the park. The onions were done to perfection; the cheese was at a flawless consistency and all elements of the dish were equally represented without any one flavor dominating the dish. This one is a big thumbs up!

The Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Crumbles and Bacon was standard fare, but there was an issue with the dressing. On my wife’s dish, dressing flowed like an endless sea of creamy goodness. Moresthepity too, when one considers she is a ‘light dressing’ type. My salad, on the other hand was a veritable desert with just the faintest hint of creamy goodness.

For the main courses, Sheb went with the Tuxedo Pasta, a dish of sautéed chicken and tender bowtie pasta, tossed with sundried tomatoes, spinach, garlic and mushrooms topped with creamy gorgonzola. She (and I concurred) felt that the dish was on the bland and lifeless side and could have used a lot more zip.

I chose the Baked Sausage Fettuccine, an Italian fennel sausage dish simmered with red and green bell peppers and broccoli with a red wine marinara cream sauce, tossed with fettuccine, topped with provolone and baked until golden. My choice was outstanding and if you are a fennel fan (and I am), this one is for you.

As the dessert cart appeared it was time to contemplate the sweeter things of life. Despite the warnings of my wife, I went ahead and ordered the Orange Crème Brule, delicate orange custard with burnt sugar crust. As followers of this blog know, I have been on the quest for the perfect Crème Brule ever since that incredible moment of five years ago when I experience Crème Brule Nirvana, while at sea enroute to Jamaica. Well, tonight came close… but not quite. The brule was perfect and most of the crème was too, but the bottom 1/4 inch was grainy, thus it is relegated to ‘Good… just not great’. Well, a snifter of their finest will help assuage the pain of this disappointment!

So, what is the final analysis? Overall, Wildwood scores an 8.5 out of 10 and garners a ‘worthy of a repeat’, if for no other reason than to evaluate their steaks. Hmmmmm … when can I fit that visit in?

- Chez

Old Fashion Molasses Cookies (Makes 2 dozen)

I like cookies… heck, what’s not to like!

But if you like your cookies on the chewy side (I’m not a cookie snob. I’ll take them anyway I can get them) then these are for you.

The cracked and craggy structure, the heady molasses aroma and the bite from the ginger, coupled with subtle brown-sugar sweetness come together in this chewy cookie concoction that is sure to win 1st prize at your house.

Give them a try!

- Chez

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 large eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy and beat in molasses. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well.

In a small shallow bowl put remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls (I find that a standard Ice-cream scoop does a great job) and roll in sugar.

On baking sheets lined with parchment paper, arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. (6 cookies will fit on a sheet.)

Bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.

Smokey Swiss Steak and Herb Egg Noodles (Serves 6)

In honor of the arrival of Albert Einstein in 1932, we had an 'All Swiss' day, and while Swiss steak does not originate from Switzerland, it does make a tasty addition to today's repertoire, and when its is paired up with these herb egg noodles, Das ist gud eats, ja?

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge the slices on both sides once more and set aside.

Add enough of the bacon drippings or vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.

Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the onions, garlic, and celery. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Herbed Egg Noodles

Ingredients

• 8 ounces wide egg noodles
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced or 2 tablespoons chives or basil, minced

Directions

Bring a stockpot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook, stirring frequently, until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Melt the butter.

Drain the noodles in a colander and return to the pot. Add the, butter, salt and parsley and toss.

Serve immediately.

Strawberry and Banana Smoothie (serves 6)

Want a healthy start to your day?

Well you can't go wrong with this Star Winner of Chez 11/21 All Vegetarian-Themed Day. Fruity, creamy and destined to be an essential part of your day, if you know what's healthy and good for you.

"What will we need Chez?"



1 lb strawberries (about 1 qt), trimmed and halved
1 ripe banana, cut into pieces
1 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar


"And what should we do then Chez?"

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Cheese Ice Cream with Sherry Vinegar Syrup

You want unique? Well you got it here! If you are willing to stretch your culinary horizons I can think of no better dish than this one to start you on your way.

Chez was having a “Movie Night” on November 14 and the feature of the evening was El Cid. Well, no sense in missing an opportunity to explore Chez’ Spanish side and this dessert was the spectacular close to an auspicious meal. Bear in mind that the sauce and the ice cream is a set. You may opt to only go with one, but don’t do it… this set is a powerhouse!

Think ‘Cheesecake ice cream with a tangy syrup!’… yum.

Sherry Vinegar Syrup

• 1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a 1-quart heavy nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes, but don’t go by time. Keep your eyes open. There is a thin line between delicious and yuck… so be diligent! Pour into a heatproof bowl and cool completely. Syrup can be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cheese Ice Cream

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces Fontina cheese, rind discarded and cheese coarsely grated (1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker

Bring milk just to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk together eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking. Pour custard back into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, then add cheeses and vanilla, stirring until cheeses are completely melted and incorporated. Cover surface of custard with a round of wax paper and chill until very cold, about 4 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

Let soften at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Top with cooled syrup.

Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana (serves 6)

Want a killer spaghetti recipe? Love the tomato goodness of this classic pasta dish but getting just a bit tired of the ‘same old thing’? Want to improve on perfection? Yearn to experience a level of smokey goodness previously unknown?

Well here is an option that Chez tried and found to be well worthy of a coveted Star, Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana, a spiced up version of the classic Italian sauce.

All'amatriciana hails from Amatrice, a town northeast of Rome. Classic all'amatriciana sauce is made from tomatoes, guanciale (salt-cured pig's jowl), and hot peppers. Here, Hungarian bacon stands in for the guanciale (Thank you Gary G.). If you don’t have garlicky, uber-smokey Hungarian bacon, you can us Applewood smoked, but know in advance… it just won’t be the same! Of course, you can always contact Gary.

On the down-side, sure, it is a bit labor intensive and yup, it will take a good portion of the day… but trust me. This ‘ain’t no jar spaghetti sauce’!

Meatballs:

• 6 ounces smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
• 2/3 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated onion
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 ounces smoked bacon (about 6 slices), cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

Pasta:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese


For meatballs:

Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.
Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

For sauce:

Puree tomatoes with juice and garlic in batches in blender until smooth.

Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp; transfer bacon to plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pot and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions and crushed red pepper to pot.

Sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by half, stirring up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and marjoram. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix bacon into sauce. Add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

For pasta:

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and marjoram, adding more oil to moisten, if desired. Divide spaghetti among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

The Walnut Speakeasy, Elgin, IL

Looking for fine dining establishments in and around the Hemmens Theater for the purpose of pre-symphony dining, Chez stumbled upon The Walnut Speakeasy in Elgin, Illinois. From their website (http://www.thewalnutspeakeasy.com/), their advertisements in the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Program and the reviews gathered from a host of locations, things looked promising.

The menu offered delectable choices, the pictures from the website documented the chef’s eye for culinary detail with his creations and the only negative that Chez could find from the reviews was the scarcity of suitable parking. Well-armed with this information, Chez and his dinner companion ventured forth to see if the ‘hype’ about this place was well deserved…

Sadly, it was not. The noise level of the placed had passed the ‘vibrant’ stage many dBs ago and was now operating in the ‘painful’ range. The background music and its over-amped bass setting was no doubt made all the worse by the presence of the plethora of televisions that festooned the walls, each on their own channel and adding to the cacophony.

The staff, who must have thought that it was still Halloween and all had decided to go as The Addam’s Family, did all of the ‘right things’ but from the demeanor of the host to the black fingernail adorned, waitress, to several of the clientele who wandered in during our stay, it gave the whole place a decidedly creepy feel.

Cocktails, our standard fair – the Martini, rated only a C-, due to the pronounced lack of ‘chill’ on the drink and the rather lackluster presentation… a bane of this establishment that was to permeate the entire evening.

The appetizer for the evening, the Saganaki (Flaming Cheese) was the savory highpoint of the evening and its distinct flavor won the day, but it too was lacking any panache in its presentation… so sad.

The salads, looking like refugees from the local Denny’s, failed to achieve any culinary points in either the taste department or in the presentation category. Now that I think about it, this statement might be doing a great disservice to Denny’s, since they DO NOT offer themselves out as a fine dining establishment.

For the main courses, Chez opted for the New York Strip with Au Ju and when it arrived, it did so:

a) Fatty and gristly,
b) Sans the Au Ju,
c) Served with over cooked veggie garnishes (no presentation points here),
d) And served with cold, limp, greasy French Fries.

The meal was a great disappointment and when you juxtapose this steak to the steak featured on their website… well, I am considering filing a Truth in Advertising Suit against the establishment, but I think my wife will talk me out of it.

For her main course, my wife chose the Chicken Piccata and she said that it was acceptable but hardly worthy of Star Status. (She is so much nicer than me.) I found the sauce to have a flour-taste reminiscent of library paste and it too lacked any beauty in presentation. No dessert course here. No sense adding insult to injury and besides… we were both getting a headache from the noise.

So, what is the bottom line evaluation? This one is easy…

The establishment may be a local hot spot and ‘The Place to Be’ in Elgin, but as a fine dining establishment, Chez warns you to steer clear of this place.

All it gets from him is the Big Raspberry!

Pork Wellington (serves 6)

On this spooky evening of Halloween 2010, Chez finally got the opportunity to try out Alton Brown’s spin on Beef Wellington, namely Pork Wellington. This dish really is super-easy and produces results that will 'wow' your audience with both the outstanding visuals as well as its excellent flavors. Chez served his with Ghostly Mashed Potatoes… but that’s another show.

- Chez

Ingredients

• 1 whole egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1-ounce dried apple rings
• 1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
• 4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions

• Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.
• Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.
• Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.
• Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.
• Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.
• Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.
• Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cauliflower and Stilton Soup (serves 8)

It was an abbreviated meal we enjoyed on the second to last Sunday of October, but it was all good, nonetheless.

With our choice as today’s star, the funk-factor of the Stilton is mellowed by the creamy cauliflower of this dish and the result blends together to make it an excellent accompaniment to any sandwich I can think of… except maybe PB & J.

Here at Chez Geoffrey’s, we served our soup with a big-boy version of a BLT, using pepper bacon, arugula, tomato and avocado on a whole wheat wrap, but feel free to expand your own horizons and try it with your favorite sandwich.

- Chez

• 1-pound frozen cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups canned vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• 5 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled
• Ground white pepper
• Fine chopped chives (garnish)
• Crouton Round (optional garnish)

Thaw cauliflower florets in medium pot of warm salted water, drain well. Reserve 1 cup of florets.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, leek, celery, and remaining cauliflower. Cover and cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually stir in vegetable broth.

Add 1 cup milk. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover partially and simmer until vegetables are very tender and soup thickens, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return to same saucepan. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more milk, if desired. Gradually add Stilton, stirring until melted. Add the reserved cauliflower and season to taste with white pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chives and crouton and serve.

Quiche Lorraine with Mushroom and Asparagus (serves 4)

So... on this day in history, the Year of our Lord 1610, Louis XIII celebrated his coronation as the King of France, and through this event ushered in the Age of Gilded Opulence for France. What better way to commemorate this event than having an 'All French' day.

So, it could have been the Vichyssoise that won the star... but it wasn't. It could have been the Grand Marnier Soufflés with their light, ethereal cloud-like texture with the heavenly Crème Anglaise... but it wasn't. Instead, it was a Quiche Lorraine with Mushroom and Asparagus, served with a simple side salad dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. Ooo la la, this one won the day. Here's how you can do it at home.

- Chez

Ingredients:

• frozen pie shell
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 pound Swiss cheese shredded
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 6 asparugus spears, top-half only

Preparation:

• Bake pie shell 10 min in 400F
• Reduce oven to 375
• Saute bacon till crisp and drain on paper towel
• Saute onion till clear in bacon grease
• Put bacon and onion in bottom of pie pan
• Add cheese
• Add mushroom
• Beat remaining ingredients and pour into crust
• Place the asparagus sticks on top
• Bake 40 min or until knife is clean at edge of quiche
• Rest for 3-4 minutes, slice and serve

Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

It was a day of 10s, but what did you expect on 10-10-10?

Well, the day’s Star pick came from the appetizer course, a small pizza for two, but filled with big taste. Below, I have up-sized the recipe in order to serve four…

… Unless you don’t want to share any of it! Now, where is my Chianti?

- Chez

• 1 frozen pizza dough
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella in water (ovoline), drained and cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves plus small leaves for garnish

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Roll dough on heavy large baking sheet; pull to about 14-inch disk, pinching any tears to seal.

Heat large skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add oil and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are charred and beginning to break down (about 6 minutes). Transfer to large bowl and mix in fennel and crushed red pepper. Using a potato masher, crush tomatoes in bowl leaving some chunks intact. Return to skillet and cook over high heat to drive off excess liquid (2-4 minutes).Season mixture with salt and pepper.
Ladle sauce evenly over dough, coming to within ½ inch of edge. Scatter the 1/3-cup of the basil over the sauce and add the cheese, leaving some space between the chunks. Bake pizza until crust is crisp and brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Loosen pizza with metal spatula and slide onto board. Garnish with remainder of basil leaves and serve.

Ratatouille Stuffed Bread (serves 8)

For the 46th Anniversary Weekend of the invention/discovery of Hot Wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, one would expect a killer Hot Wings recipe to mark this day... or perhaps a tangy, new version of a blue cheese dressing. But as far as Chez is concerned, it is the new addition to the Anchor Bar Lunch menu that earns the coveted distinction of Star for the Week.

Chez has taken a few liberties with the 'official recipe', and added a few tasty items that enhance the savory nature of the dish, but it is still true to the spirit of The Anchor Bar. Good job, Ivano Toscani, Executive Chef and Host at the Anchor Bar.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbs ground black pepper
• 1 small/medium eggplant, sliced into rounds about ½ inch thick
• 1 small zucchini, trimmed and sliced into coins
• 1 yellow squash, trimmed and sliced into coins
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
• 1 pint button mushroons, roughly chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• ½ tsp granulated sugar
• ½ cup hot wing sauce (If you want to be true to the recipe, use Anchor Bar Medium Sauce, but any wing sauce will do just fine. http://www.anchorbar.com/catalog/sauces/.)
• 1 tbsp shredded fresh basil
• 1 loaf frozen bread dough
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 tbs butter, melted

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the onion, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring often.

2. Add the remaining vegetables, mushrooms the garlic, sugar and hot wing sauce. Stir well. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still retain their shape. Stir gently from time to time.

3. At the end of cooking, drain mixture into colander, reserving ½ cup of liquid. Check the seasoning and sprinkle with the shredded basil. Toss to combine and set aside to cool to room temperature.

4. With a prepared dough ball that you have thawed in refrigerator overnight. Let rise, punch down and roll out into 9x5inch piece. Set aside.

5. Mix two cups of the cooled ratatouille mixture with cheese. Add back enough of the reserved liquid to maintain a moist mixture.

6. Place the mixture down the middle of dough. Brush all edges of dough with a small amount of water. Fold top flap onto bottom flap about 1in from the bottom. Press and seal with your finger. Lift bottom inch and fold over top and seal with your finger. Fold in both ends and press with your finger.

7. Apply melted butter to top of dough. Bake in a 350°F pre-heated oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Country Captain Soup (Serves 6)

Chez commemorated the Battle of Chickamauga from an all Southern perspective and for the brunch, Chez picked Country Captain Soup… a zesty soup that is based on a chicken and curry stew popular in the South. The origin of its name is unclear, but according to one account, it was brought to Savannah in the early 1800s by a sea captain who traveled the spice route from India. Give it a try but stick to the recipe. All of the ingredients are important and bring something to the dish, even the apple and the currants.

- Chez

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 4 cups (or more) canned chicken broth
• 2 cups canned diced peeled tomatoes with juices
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta; also called riso)
• 2 tablespoons dried currants
• Fresh cilantro
• Sour cream

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, curry powder, ginger and crushed red pepper; stir 2 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and apple and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Stir orzo and currants into soup and simmer until orzo is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro and dollop of sour cream.

Sweet Potato Chips (8 Cups)

We had this on NFL Kick-Off Sunday for dinner and found these super-simple treasures to be a real 'keeper'. Unfortunately, we mated this with the wrong dip, but that doesn't decrease the Star Status of this dish! Give this one a try and see if you don't agree that this is a great alternative to to 'plain old potato chips'... and they're healthy too.

- Chez

What you'll need:

• 2 (about 1 3/4 pounds) sweet potatoes or yams scrubbed clean
• 2 quarts canola oil for deep-frying
• coarse salt to taste

How you'll use it:

With a mandolin or knife cut the potatoes into 1/16-inch slices and pat them dry with paper towels.

In a deep fryer or cast iron Dutch Oven. heat enough oil to measure 2-4 inches to 380°F and in it fry the potato slices in batches, turning them, until they are golden brown.

Transfer the chips with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and sprinkle them with the salt.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill of Canton, MI

Our last evening in Canton, MI brought us to Carrabba’s Italian Grill, conveniently located in our hotel parking lot (I do so love it when I don’t have to strain myself too much after a meal!) and while it is true that Carrabba’s is indeed a chain (and Chez tends to shun chains), it is also appropriate to note that Chez has done reviews of chains before… so the precedent does exist. On to the review!

We begin with what must be the most outstanding attribute of this particular establishment… namely the service. From the time we entered into this enterprise we were warmly welcome, made to feel at home and treated like an amalgamation of royalty and family. From our entrance and greeting by our hostess to our ‘adoption’ by the bartender (whom we later found out was the proprietor – Kim Janes, who mixes a mighty fine Dirty Martini, mind you) the ‘anticipation’ bar was set very high for the evening.

As already mentioned, Sheb once again chose the aforementioned martini, I went for the Vodka Tonic with lime and my daughter went for the Watermelon Martini. Sheb loved hers (I had no worries there), I found mine quite refreshing but Jenni thought that hers was a bit too sweet and way too ‘watermellon-esque’. Well, such is to be expected with frou-frou drinks. Stick to the old standards, is what I say.

Our dining started with the simple and the sublime. Carrabba's (well at least this Carrabba’s) has an excellent bread and oil herb dip. The bread, served warm, is a slightly dense white bread with a hard (but thin) crust. It a word, delicious! The herb mix with the oil was a great combination and while it was on the slightly salty side, the two complimented each other quite well.

Our appetizer course was the Antipasti Plate, composed of breaded and fried Calamari, Bruschette and Fried Mozzarella with Marinara. I found the calamari to be done quite well, with neither the excessive ‘breadiness’ nor the rubbery texture that I have been accustomed to. Great job on this one! The Fried Mozzarella was acceptable but I thought the marinara to be a bit bland… and as for the bruschette, well this one gets a big ‘thumbs down’, for it was far too oily for my tastes.

My dining partners then delved into the land of salads (a house salad for Sheb and a Caesar for Jenni) but I went forth and sampled the Tomato Basil Soup. The soup had a good tomato-tang, as I was expecting but what it didn’t have was that ‘basil punch’… in fact, I failed to note any basil at all, save a few flakes floating in the sea of red. In all, good… but not GREAT!

Main courses for us were composed of Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (Sheb), Lobster Ravioli (Jenni) and Baked Manicotti with a side of Italian Sausage (Chez). Sheb greatly enjoyed her dish and the rich, robust flavor of the dish was offset by the al dente of the pasta. If there were a negative (and I am not saying there was) it would be the lack of artistry in the presentation of the dish.

Jenni’s choice of the Lobster Ravioli had both flavor as well as the aforementioned ‘missing artistry’ and was a joy to behold, both for the palette as well as the eye. You can’t go wrong with a creamy white wine sauce. The Baked Manicotti with Italian Sausage (my choice) was also flavorful but it too was missing a certain flair that would have garnered it more presentation-points on Iron Chef America. Suffice it to say that in the taste portion of this competition it scored very high and there were no left-overs.

As the dessert cart made its way to our table we asked ourselves, “Do we really need more?”
Well, as you might have guessed, the answer was in the affirmative!

For Jenni it was all about the Limóncello Bread Pudding; a baked Brioche bread pudding, topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a Limóncello liqueur sauce. Jenni found it a bit too lemony and a bit too ‘boozy’ for her tastes. I can respect that point of view since Limóncello is an aperitif that one must tread softly with, since the line betwixed too much and not enough is a very thin one indeed and one should always err on the side of caution. In this case, the chef erred in the opposite direction and a lower rating was the result.

For Sheb and myself, we went with ‘the old standard’, Tiramisú. Having it presented to us freshly prepared and ‘homemade’ rather than recently thawed and store-bought was a most pleasant experience and the addition of dark rum rather than Marasla was an interesting albeit non-traditional presentation. Rather than the coffee/cocoa dusting, as is also traditional, Carrabba’s garnishes this dish with shavings of milk chocolate… which I at first scoffed at, but then came to enjoy.

The two criticisms of this dish (small ones that they are) would be that I did indeed miss that coffee-flavor and I wish it could have found its way into the dish more prominently. As for the chocolate… call me an elitist but I think that a very dark chocolate (70% cocoa) shaving rather than milk chocolate would have better served the dish.

In closing, the evening at Carrabba’s was a pleasing dining experience, made all the better by the personal touches provided by the staff. Our server (Emily) was engaging, interesting and personable, with a gift for conversation and an abundantly cheerful attitude. Emily, you are hereby forgiven for forgetting my lime!

So, would Chez go back? Most certainly!

- Chez

O'Sushi of Canton, MI

Another long weekend (this one in observance of Labor Day), and another opportunity to get out and explore our ‘options’… This time we went ‘East’ and ventured to Canton, Michigan to visit our youngest daughter and our oldest grand-daughter, delve into the world of the Michigan RenFaire and of course dine at a few local hot-spots.

Our journey began in the ‘culinary far-East’ with a trip to O’Sushi, an eatery of Japanese roots despite the somewhat Irish sounding name. As we entered the store front establishment I was surprised how cramped it was. To call it cozy is to take great liberty with that word and for any groups of four or more, well… seating is a bit more than problematic. Since our party was five adults and two children (high-chairs) I think we taxed the proprietor to her limit and our accommodations (despite our previous reservations and forewarning that out party consisted of seven) was a hastily assemblage of tables and chairs close to the door. This resulted in harried wait-staff and a poor first impression. Not a stellar first act but I am open-minded, so on to the feast!

We opened our flavor-excursion with the appetizer round, consisting of traditional Edamame, Agedashi Tofu – a fried tofu in Ginger Bonita sauce, and according to the menu an Ahi Tune Tartare. The edamame were good but it hardly rates high praise, the Agedashi was excellent with just enough ‘tang’ to keep it interesting and the tofu’s creamy inner texture was in perfect balance with its crunchy outer skin.

The tuna tartare on the other hand was a bit of a disappointment. To begin with it wasn’t a tartare at all but planks of tuna done up in a ceviche. It would have been marginal at best had it been what was ordered but it certainly wasn’t what was advertised and in truth… the quality of the tuna was lacking. It struck me that in this dish the proprietor had found a place to use the sushi tuna that was no longer at its prime.

Our sushi course was also composed of three parts; a traditional sushi sampler platter of sashimi and nigiri (but sadly no maki), a vegetarian sushi platter and an interesting assemblage called Sunday Morning Sushi – a tempura coated maki with a spicy sauce. All three dishes were good, with plenty to go around. The only negative on any of the dishes would have to be that the carrots on the vegetarian sushi were on the wilted side and not very palatable.

So… what is the final verdict? Well, O’Sushi is a fair, (not good & certainly not great) addition to our dietary repertoire, but I don’t think I would venture back.

- Chez

Moroccan Carrot Soup (serves 4)

The motion picture 'Casablanca' was the theme for the meals served the last week of August and that meant an all-Moroccan day. The soup served at this day's brunch, Moroccan Carrot Soup, brought the best attributes of this hearty root vegetable... from the earthy tones of the root to the enigmatic notes of roasted cumin and finishing with the bright flavors brought by the yogurt. Give this soup a try.

- Chez

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen

Preperation:

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes.
3. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool.
6. Finely grind in spice mill.
7. Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth.
8. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice,sour cream and allspice.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.

Beef and Guinness Pie (Serves 4)

The anniversary of the English Civil War provided Chez with an opportunity to look for fine culinary offerings from England… and this is no mean feat!

Despite the reputation that English food has, several potential Stars did in the end, show bright… but it was the Beef and Guinness Pie that won the day.

Unique, pleasing to both eye and palette and hearty as the day is long … what else is there to say!

Enjoy,

- Chez

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• puff pastry dough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.


2. Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate.


3. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.


4. Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer,


5. Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven.


6. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)


7. Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.


8. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters.


9. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere.


10. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.


11. Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.


12. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

Tinga Pueblana (Pulled Pork)

August 15 is the anniversary of the completion of the Panama Canal so as expected, Chez did an all Panamanian Day, and while the day gave us many surprises (all of then good) like yucca root, plantains and Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)... it was the Tinga Pueblana that won the Star for today.

Viva la pig!

- Chez

• 3 medium or 2 large russet potatoes to equal about a pound, peeled and diced
• 1 (2 to 3-pound) pork loin
• 1/2 yellow onion, whole, plus 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 ounces raw chorizo, casing removed and crumbled
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped (seeded and ribbed for less heat)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• salt
  

For serving:

• 16 corn or flour tortillas
• Lime wedges
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped
  

Directions:
Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Add the salt, bring to a boil and cook until tender, 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Place the pork in a large pot of cold water. Add the onion half, the garlic, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the pork is cooked through and is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from the water and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle (discard the cooking liquid). Using your fingers or 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute crumbled chorizo until completely cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a paper towel lined plate. Add the chopped onions to the chorizo skillet and cook until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shredded pork, the tomatoes, and the chipotle chiles. Cook until the tomatoes break down and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Return the potatoes and cooked chorizo to the pan. Stir in the vinegar, thyme, marjoram and salt, to taste. Continue to cook over medium heat until some of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

While the pork cooks, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10 to 15 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and continue to warm until the tortilla is pliable and heated through, another 10 to 20 seconds. Place warm tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a plate, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside; repeat with the remaining tortillas (or warm the tortillas in the microwave: stack them on a plate and cover with a damp cloth; microwave for 30 seconds and keep them covered until you're ready to serve).

To Serve:
Place the pulled pork in a serving bowl or bring to the table in the cooking pot. Arrange the limes, avocado, and cilantro on a platter. Scatter the serrano on top of the pork. Pass warm tortillas so each diner can fill a tortilla with some of the meat and accompaniments. Squeeze lime juice over each serving.

Kyoto Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, Crystal Lake, IL

So, there we were in north-east Illinois on the second weekend of August in preparation to attend the second-helping of the Woodstock Mozart Festival. (Editor’s note: This is a MUST ATTEND for all Chamber Music aficionados out there.) With the pangs of hunger gnawing at our innards, we ventured to the Crystal Lake Region of Illinois to try out Kyoto Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. Sheb had had a hankering for Asian food for quite a few weeks and this place seemed like a safe place to sate those needs.

The décor was standard Japanese Steakhouse and nothing to get too excited about. The faux Japanese artwork, hibachi tables and shoji screens were in abundance but we hadn’t come to appreciate the furniture. Tonight it was about the food… so bring it on!

Round 1 –The Sake Martini: This one was a bit of a disappointment. Well, it actually was a bit more than ‘a bit’. When you order a sake martini you kind of expect sake to be the predominant tone but not in this case. Even on their second attempt, the sake was only a fleeting memory.

Round 2 –House Salad with Creamy Ginger Dressing: We were very glad that this was included in the cost of our main course because if we had been forced to pay for this we both would have been irate. Now in vegetal matters I tend to be more gracious than Sheb, but this salad was not good at all. The lettuce was wilted and flecked with brown age-spots that the chef had hoped to hide under a soupy abundance of cloy ginger dressing. So as my wife so aptly put it, “Ick!”

Round 3 –Sushi Appetizer Plate and Harumaki Plate: I refuse to go to a sushi house and not order sushi, even if it is just for an appetizer. Sheb on the other hand can refuse sushi 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Faced with this conundrum we each ordered our own appetizer, with Sheb going for the Haru-maki (Japanese Spring roll) and I venturing into Sushiville. Sheb was happy with her order and found the dish to be light, fresh and a good opening course. For her, it was the first ‘thumbs up’ of the day.

I found my choice as ‘just acceptable’. Why? Well one of the fine points of sushi is the artistry of the dish and in my view this was lacking. It appeared that the items were just piled on the plate… no flair, no eye for the dramatic. It was just raw fish and rice.

Round 4 –Miso Soup: Since it was not Miso Soup, I guess that this one doesn’t qualify for a grade in the Miso Soup course. Instead we were given an anemic version of Chinese Egg Drop Soup, which we both found tasty… however what that had to do with a Japanese restaurant still has us baffled.

Round 5 (Her) – Hibachi Chicken Teriyaki: Sheb thoroughly enjoyed the dish, while I thought the chicken was a bit dry… no doubt a function of the excessive cook-time that she had requested of our chef. Moresthepity, but it was her meal and she can have it any way she likes.

Round 5 (Him) –Hibachi Steak and White Tuna: I was disappointed that this was done with a ‘white’ Albacore tuna rather than a ‘red’ Yellow fin tuna. The subtle flavor of yellow fin would have complemented the steak portion of the dish better but alas, it was not offered, and while the steak was cooked to perfection I did find the dish in it’s entirety to be ‘only average’.

Honorable Mention: Bar none, the brightest spot of the evening was our chef… a Masaharu Morimoto look-alike who was also quite the comedian. We have seen the ‘standard show’ at Japanese steakhouses many times in our travels so the ‘initial flame-on, onion volcano and smoking choo-choos’ don’t hold our attention as much as they once did. Our chef, on the other hand, seemed to sense this and pulled out all the stops to make the dinner preparation the centerpiece of our evening. From his amalgamation of Spanish and Japanese to his self deprecation to his bumbling antics, he managed to salvage a mediocre evening and bump it up to ‘enjoyable status’. Thank you sir for a great show!

As for the restaurant as a whole… well, I am going to have to give this one a ‘Thumbs Down’. The food wasn’t special, the décor was cliché and I have to ask myself, “Is a Benihana-look-alike really the best we could have done?”

- Chez