La Petite Crêperie, Woodstock, Illinois

"Don't you guys ever just stay home on a weekend?"

Well, the short answer is, "No, there is just too much to see, do, experience, taste, savor, etc!"

So as fate would have it, upon our return from the Florida Keys (and for the next two consecutive weekends) we are privileged to attend the Woodstock Mozart Festival [http://www.mozartfest.org] in the quaint, and just a bit retro, village of Woodstock, Illinois... and as we are apt to do, this gives us an opportunity to sample the culinary efforts of a local hot spot and enjoy something new and exciting. For this week, it is all about La Petite Crêperie and Bistrot and all things French (with just a little Baroque thrown in for good measure).

So, what did the menu offer us? Well, suffice it to say, a great deal!

We began with cocktails; the Dirty Martini for her and I ventured into real France and ordered the absinthe. I do so love the gentle, licorice-tones and the sublime 'fogginess' that this drink offers.

As our eyes turned towards the appetizer course, we (I) found myself in a quandary... pate' or escargot... pate' or escargot, which to choose... oh my. Which to choose?

In the end, I took my lead from King Solomon and ordered both. The Pate' Trio, composed of duck, lamb and rib eye were good, with the rib eye playing first violin status and the duck a strong second and the lamb a somewhat weak third (it needed more zing).

The escargot, on the other hand was 'TO-DIE-FOR', with all of the garlicky-goodness and buttery-richness that any self respecting French dish is renowned for. Salty, flavorful, plenty of taste and texture... what else is there to say... except I wish there had been more bread available, so I could have soaked up more of that snail-love potion.

Sheb took the safer route and ordered the Tiger Shrimp in a Lemon Butter Sauce. She reports that this appetizer was most excellent and more than worthy of a big, fat, French thumbs up.

As we considered our main course options, I decided on the lighter fare of French Onion Soup. One would expect this to be most worthy at this French Bistro, and worthy it was indeed. The tang from the Gruyere and the sweet from the onion brought a tear to my eye... and it wasn't the onion, it was my nearness to greatness.

Sheb, on the other hand went for a savory crepe option and ordered the Country Crepe, filled with Brie, spinach and mushrooms. I can only assume that it was good since I heard no complaints from her side of the table and none was left on the plate to signify that there was a quality issue.

The dessert and cheese course soon loomed near and while Sheb was all about the cheese (not pictured) I was all about the Crepe Suzette, and while the flambe failed to perform as requested, the subtle orange notes and paper-thin crepe were an excellent ending note to a dinner composed of great food, good friends, excellent atmosphere and a quaint locale.

So... if you ever get to Woodstock, Illinois, give La Petite Crêperie a try. You might just find your 'inner Frenchmen (or woman)' and fall in love with the food of the continent!

- Chez

Marker 88, Islamorada, Florida

As our vacation came to a close we managed to sneak in one last restaurant and appropriately, one last restaurant review. The place is called Marker 88, just south of Key Largo, in Islamorada at… yup, you guessed it, Mile Marker 88.


The establishment offers both interior and exterior dining and while the outside might have added to the spectacular views at sunset, I’ll wait until it is just a bit cooler before I try that. Instead we chose inside, by a window and with that, fine dining took place.

We began with cocktails (of course) and Sheb had a Blood Orange Margarita and I had the Hemingway; an interesting concoction of vodka and rum, cola and citrus. I’m certain this is just the kind of drink that ‘Papa’ would order.


Our appetizer course was highly interesting and incredibly flavorful warm flat bread topped with goat cheese, herbs and sliced tomatoes. In a word, fantastic!

Salad course was just a house salad, but at Marker 88 they do simple salads up right, from the threads of micro greens, to the crumbled bacon to the chopped egg. You will be hard-pressed to remember that this is just a house salad. As for dressings I can only speak to the one I had, an Asian Ginger Dressing that added a nice zip and zing to the dish. Who knew salads could be so good.

Our main course was the Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail Combo with a side of sautéed button mushrooms. The steak was incredibly flavorful and had the consistency of butter. The lobster was poached in a house specialty broth that brought a succulent tenderness to the dish and complimented the sweetness of the lobster.

For dessert I again delved into the land of Florida Crème Brule and while it wasn’t the best thing I ever ate I can say that it was the best I had eaten on our trip to the Keys. If I had to give it a grade then I guess B+ is where it would land.

In all, Marker 88 is cozy, scenic and a provider of top-notch dining in the Florida Keys and is well worth Chez ‘Thumbs Up’.

- Chez

Old Tavernier, Islamorada, Florida

After close to a week of seafood indulgence it was time to give our palettes a break from the fishy sustenance that we had been enjoying. Fate would have us visit the OLD TAVERNIER, located just as you enter the Islamorada Isles of the Florida Keys from the north (US-1).


In truth neither my wife nor I were expecting much. After all, Italian and Florida are not exactly synonymous. It was with great surprise that we found this particular establishment to be one that offers Italian food that is well within the preferred offerings of any fine Chicago-based Italian eatery.


The obligatory Dirty Martini graced our table first, and while the bar did not have blue cheese olives on hand, the waiter assured us that he would pack us some… and he did. The service at Old Tavernier is excellent. (Well, at least our server was.)


We moved on to the appetizer which was a platter of Buffalo Mozzarella Carprese with pungent balsamic vinaigrette. Most excellent and worthy of any 5-star offering.



With the order of our main courses, we were optimistically hopeful. Sheb ordered the Spaghetti in Meat Sauce and I opted for the Baked Manicotti, and to both of our delights they were fantastico! Both dishes had all of Old World Italy imbued into them and while I could almost have asked for just the slightest increase in my oregano content (in the sauce), both were very good.


As the dessert course neared, I ask myself, “Should I risk it? Should I ask for the Crème Brule?”
Sadly, I answered yes and to my disappointment it was SO NOT right. The main culprit was the very dish it was served in… a soup bowl? What, no ramekins? Be still my Brule-wounded heart. Sheb took the easy route and ordered the Key Lime Pie, and she reports that it was great. Well, sure… they make the limes here, but to make the perfect Brule… that is skill.


So, what is the final evaluation? That’s easy! This place is a keeper and deserves to be on your culinary seeker-list when in the area. Just order something other than the Brule when the dessert cart rolls out.



- Chez

Banana Walnut Bread

Familiarity and nostalgia were the watchwords of the day for my brunch and dinner of 7/11. The fact that I was able to share the day with my Dad made it all the more special... so it comes as no surprise that this dish won the Star of the Day prize.

Moist and flavorful, just pure comfort food, just slather on a generous pat of butter, grab a glass of cold milk and sink into your favorite memory with this treat.

- Chez

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) plus more for pan prep
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with fork
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Whisk eggs and vanilla together and set aside.
• Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan (glass is preferred.)
• In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one egg at a time, incorporating each egg fully before adding the next one.
• Add bananas to mixture and mix until fully combined. Mixture will appear curdled.
• Remove from mixer and add flour, mixing until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
• Fold in walnuts and transfer to loaf pan.
• Bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
• Cool, in the pan, on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then de-pan and continue to cool.
• Once cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store. Bread is best if served after 24 hours.

356th Fighter Group Restaurant

So, there we were in Canton, Ohio on a Sunday night, enjoying our 4th of July Weekend and without a dining establishment in sight.

"What is an omnivore to do?"

Sure… we could have settled for some ‘chain’ or perhaps we could have ventured up I-77 to the big city of Cleveland, but we had our hearts set on dining local and enjoying what Canton had to offer.

With memories of our previous evenings dining extravaganza fresh in our minds (previous post) we sought a comparable experience. What we decided on was the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant (http://356fg.com/), nestled quietly beside the Akron/Canton Airport.

“Interesting place for a restaurant,” she said, “…and even more interesting choice of décor.”

“This place is most assuredly worthy of a visit,” I said, “… and so we will.”

As we walked the grounds and explored the exterior we were amazed. The level of attention to detail was astonishing and it really did feel like you were on a WWII American Airbase in England. From the ramshackle guardhouse to the vintage vehicles and equipment strewn on the grounds, it was indeed an astounding experience.

The visual assault did not stop there however and once we were inside we were accosted with the bric-a-brac of war; from broken pieces of Stuka dive bombers gracing the ceiling, to framed black-and-white photos of long ago aces, to ‘Kilroy was Here’ graffiti adorning the walls. It was a visual experience ‘to-die-for’. But we didn’t come here for the ‘visuals’… no, for us it was about the dining, and it was Cocktail Time!

Dirty Martinis were the call of the day and both arrived at the proper temperature, with the proper brine content and both were accompanied by the mandatory blue cheese olive. Things were looking very good for the Old 356th.

As appetizer time came around we chose the ‘Bomber Sauerkraut Balls’, served with a spicy mustard sauce. Both Sheb and I, while initially unsure about these but were pleasantly surprised once we tasted them. Nice texture, great taste and very unique.

The salad course on the other hand, had us a bit concerned, as the house salads arrived looking like something ordered off the local Denny’s menu. After tasting them, we found that they also tasted like they came from the aforementioned ‘fine dining establishment’.

“Well, it is only the salads.” we said, as we tried to convince ourselves that better quality was ahead of us. The main courses however had more in common with the salads than they did the appetizers.

Sheb’s choice, the Pecan Encrusted Tilapia served with a Honey Glaze, was neither pecan-encrusted nor flavorful. (A smattering of pecans strewn on a fish does not ‘encrusted’ make.) While the fish was cooked quite well, it had no flavor; no seasoning to speak of and to call it bland is to do a great disservice to that word. As for the Honey Glaze, it had apparently gone AWOL.

My choice was the General’s T-Bone, purported to be a 16 oz ‘hunk-O-meat’ smothered in mushrooms. What it was instead was a gristle-filled piece of low grade cow that had the texture of a wet combat boot and while I can not say with absolute certainty, I believe it had the flavor to match. In all, both of our main course selections were very disappointing.

Dessert was an Upside-Down Apple Walnut Pie, and while it had merit it didn’t make up for the terrain that was lost during the main course… there would be no victory here today!

So, if for some reason you are at the Akron-Canton Airport… and if you are feeling the pangs of hunger gnawing at your innards and if you are so inclined… go to the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant. Enjoy the ambiance of the grounds, marvel at the decorative details within the establishment, order a refreshing adult beverage and sample the ‘Bomber Balls’, perhaps even nibble on a dessert…

… But under no circumstance are you to order a meal there. That’s an order!


- Chez

The New Peter Shear's Downtown

4th of July weekend brought us to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While there, we managed to find two interesting establishments that are worthy of note and while ‘worthy of note’ does not necessarily denote ‘good’, that doesn’t necessarily mean ‘bad’ either. Confused? Well don’t be. Read on and clarity will come to you. Here is the review on the first of these finds.

We began our culinary quest on July 3rd, and while our plans had been to enjoy the offerings of ‘The New Peter Shears Downtown’ on Sunday, much to our chagrin we found out that all ‘worthy’ dining establishments are closed in Canton on Sunday. “Hey, Canton Chamber of Commerce… want some advice on how to weather these difficult economic times? Open your doors on 3-day holiday weekends!” Now that I have vented, let us continue…

We rearranged our dining plans and put ‘Peter Shears’ on our Saturday list and it was, in a word, FANTASTIC! Located in the sub-level of a 100-year old building, the décor is comparable to anything you will find in an upscale ‘Big City’ bistro and the place exudes a metropolitan chic and sophistication that I was not expecting in Canton, OH. If I have one negative about the place, it was the quality of the web site, which does not do this fine dining locale justice (http://www.petershears.com/).

We started with the obligatory cocktail order, Sheb had The Bahamas Martini (she was feeling particularly ‘fruity’) and I enjoyed the P.S. version of an Old Fashion. Both were good, but both paled in comparison to what was to come.

For the soup course I had the Creole Roasted Tomato Bisque garnished with Chive Oil and it was ‘Bliss in a Bowl’. The slight bite of the pepper coupled with the subtle tang from the tomato was beautifully tied together with the floral notes of the chive oil. This one is a real keeper!

When the soup course ended and the salad course drew near our expectations were running pretty high and we were not disappointed. I had the P.S. Goat Cheese Salad; tender greens with both dried and fresh strawberries, a few smokehouse croutons, candied walnuts and herbed goat cheese with just enough maple syrup vinaigrette to keep it interesting. Sheb, on the other hand opted for the daily special; a melding of arugula, Danish blue cheese and blackberries, dressed with a Muscat Grape vinaigrette. Bother offerings were outstanding!

Our main course choices continued the high level of quality with Sheb’s selection, a vegetarian linguine dish of pasta, sweet peppers, corn, baby spinach, roasted tomatoes, roasted button mushrooms all served in an herbed butter wine sauce. Sheb reports that is was blissfully delicious.

For me, it was all about the protein and I went for the Pistachio Minted Pesto Encrusted Rack of Lamb served with a sweet mint purée. Words cannot describe the tender melt-in-your-mouth texture and sublime taste. As I write these words I already miss them!

The dessert tray brought us two offerings to sample. One was very noteworthy and the other was a bit of a disappointment. The former was the Fried Banana Cheesecake topped with a bourbon caramel sauce. Salty, savory and sweet come together in this divine dish and had this been our only choice the evening would have ended on a very high note. Unfortunately, I had to ‘push the envelope’ and risk the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Crème Brule… but alas, they rushed it and the Brule had no ‘crack’ thus the top was grainy. (Call me a Brule snob, I don’t care. If you are going to do it, you gotta do it right and this just wasn’t right!)

In all this dining experience was very noteworthy and the efforts of Chef and Proprietor Nathan Mushrush are to be commended. Good job sir and keep up the great work. We may have been in ‘Little Old Canton’, but our dining experience had Chicago appeal!

- Chez