Howard Fishman Quartet at Club Helsinki

This weekend we saw the Howard Fishman Quartet at the Club Helsinki in Great Barrington, Mass. with Steve & Lil Barker. The group is desribed as post-modern pop with music influences ranging from Hoagie Carmichael to Bob Dylan. In fact he has recent CD's focusing on both of them. Chris has originally discovered him from a small article in the Times a number of years ago, and we see him whenever we can. Note: He is currently playing at Joe's Pub in the Village.

The quartet consists of Howard Fishman playing a classic acoustic guitar (picture), a tuba, a violin and a trumpet. They played many selections from the Bob Dylan "Basement Tapes" collection, which they've recently released and original compositions. They also have a tribute to Hoagie Carmichael coming out later this year.

All four of us really enjoyed the show, which ran just under 2 hours (for a cover charge of $20). I have often complained about how hard it is to hear music in intimate settings in NY (for a reasonable price). The room holds 75 people and was sold out. We were sitting about three feet from the stage. This was a really pleasant surprise.

Club Helsinki is attached to the Helsinki Cafe Great Barrington and serves the same pseudo-Finnish food. Not bad, but not exceptional. I had Blini with Gravlax (cured salmon) and Chris had Gnocchi (one of her favorites). We both had the daily special Rosemary Roast Chicken. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but it's fine with a show.

Koi chinese restaurant in Great Barrington

We generally avoid Chinese Restaurants (actually, all ethnic food except Italian) outside of NY and China. However, Scott and Jory had gone to this newly opened Hunan Restaurant and recommended it. Even then, it took a snow storm to get us there.

The restaurant is in a large, standalone building on Rt 23 entering Great Barrington. The interior is traditional Chinese restaurant, but in orange. It looks like they tried for red, but it faded. Chris gave the restrooms an A+, not easily done.
We started with Shrimp Soong (served in a lettuce cup) and steamed pork dumplings. The lettuce was good, the shrimp tasteless. The dumplings frozen and re-heated. The wrapper soggy and limp.

We followed that with Tangerine Beef which was pretty good with a niced sauce. But they used the hard, thin beef slices. I prefer the more tender beef slice at Shun Lee in NY. The Roast Pork Fried Rice was tasteless except for the oil. Even chili oil and mustard couldn't redeem it.

We had Tsing Tao beer that was cold and delicious.

Koi
300 State Road (Route 23)
Great Barrington, Mass
413-528-5678

Snow Storm in Mid-March

This is the front of the house after the storm on March 15!

Multimedia message

Barack Obama - an interesting politician

Barack Obama's new book, "The Audacity of Hope" is his attempt to explain his outlook and worldview. It is well written and avoids too much oversimplification and demonizing but is not really clear on how to get from here to there. Still, he has identified a real need for someone focused on solving problems rather than getting elected. It can be summarized as -

"offering a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. "

He acknowledges he's gotten a "free ride" so far and has much to prove. The campaign will be interesting.

Sfoglia means great Italian food on the UES

Our 7:00pm class at the 92nd Street Y has made dinnertime a challenge. Not only do we find ourselves having to eat at 5:30, but need to find a location near the Y. We've been pretty lucky so far, but this week we hit the jackpot! For weeks, we'd been hearing the 'buzz' outside a little place right across the street. After peeking in the window we decided to make a reservation for the following Tuesday. We figured reservations at 5:30 would be a snap! The first week they were booked. The next week was booked too. The only thing they had was a seat at the bar! At 5:30! We took it! Figured we'd found the proverbial 'little neighborhood restaurant' that all NYers are looking for...

The very next day. The NEXT day! Frank Bruni reviews it in the Times - gives it 2 stars and a rave review. Now we can't even get into the bar. Who asked him!

Our experience at the restaurant was positive from the beginning. The restaurant is small (it seats about 40, including the bar) but very attractively rustic - with a large, friendly, staff. The large comfortable bar is welcoming and seemed to get the same pleasant service as the tables around us. The restaurant is owned and run by a young husband and wife team, Ron and Colleen Suhanosky who have another restaurant in Nantucket and three young children (one born this week!). Colleen is in charge of desserts and responsible for the creation of the rustic crusty Italian bread that, with an olive oil dip could make a meal on it's own.

The menu is quite modest with only 7 pasta and 4 main courses (plus several specials) but there were a number of items we found interesting. We decided to share the appetizers, ordering an Antipasto and a Pasta. The Antipasto was very unusual and included 'Poulet Gras' (chicken liver) on toast, a variety of grilled vegetables as well as beets with goat cheese. No meats or caponata. It was good, but nothing special. The pasta was Cavatelli with broccoli rabe, and lemon walnut pesto. It was fabulous. Perfectly prepared and the pesto just kissed the pasta without overwhelming it. The pasta would have been plenty for two!

For the main course we both ordered the specialty "Chicken Mattone" which is grilled with garlic and olive oil and then placed under a hot brick to crisp. It was really wonderful! Chris described it as the best chicken she'd ever eaten in a resturant. I thought I'd had chicken just as good, but none better. We had a turnip and prune vegetable dish served at room temperature that Chris thought was good.

They have an extensive list of wines by the glass. We both had a glass of a nice Montepulciano (I might have had 2). We did not have dessert which might have been a mistake given that one of the choices is bread pudding made with the above mentioned wonderful bread.

Overall, a very good restaurant. Just what you hope to find. A new, small, restaurant the serves interesting food at not unreasonable prices. Unfortunately, we'll probably never get in there again.

Sfoglia

1402 Lexington Avenue (at 92nd St.)

212-831-1402

Val McDermid - A Place of Excecution

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid

This is a superb novel. It's December 1963 and teenage girls all over Britain are swooning to the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand." In the tiny, remote village of Scardale, Derbyshire, 13-year-old Alison Carter is envied by her peers because her stepfather buys her all the latest records. When Alison goes missing one dark night, Dist. Insp. George Bennett takes control of the case. Other children have gone missing recently from towns and cities in the north, but somehow Alison's case is different. Although the police feverishly track down clues and organize searches over the moors, any hope that they'll find the girl fades as the days go by. Obsessed by the case, George is tormented by his lack of success and by the suffering of Alison's mother. Little more can be said without giving away the plot, but McDermid spins a haunting tale whose complexity never masks her adroitness at creating memorable characters and scenes. Her narrative spell is such that the reader is immersed immediately in the rural Britain of the early '60s. She clearly did extensive research on how police work was done at the time, and it has paid off beautifully. The format of the novel is unusual, with much of it purporting to be a true crime book, but McDermid keeps the suspense taut, and her pacing never flags. This is an extraordinary achievement, and it's sure to be on many lists of the best mysteries of the year.

Mas farmhouse in the Village

One of the joys of living, and eating, in New York are the times you get really surprised by things. We recently had that kind of experience at "MAS". Our friends, Joe and Sheila Malvagna asked us if we had ever been to this small restaurant in the West Village, about two blocks from Scott and Jory and about a half a block from our favorite, AOC Bedford. We hadn't been to Mas, and didn't know quite what to expect, so I checked it out in Zagat's. I was surprised to find them rated 26 for Food and 25 for Decor. Pretty fancy ratings with a price to match!

The restaurant is small with conventional seating around the perimeter and a family style rectangular table in the center. The menu leans towards New American with a Prix Fixe formula that allows you to select anything from the menu to make up a Starter, two Mains and Dessert. The menu, made up daily features fresh ingredients and lots of variety. They also make their own bread, offering a choice of sourdough, wholewheat and multi-grain. Not typically, all were delicious with a wonderful crust!

We all decided on the tasting menu; three of us started with Sushi quality Tuna that was flavorful with just the right amount of fat. Chris had smoked trout which was chopped and made up like a sushi roll in it's own skin--also tasty. It was almost as good as my tuna. For the main course I had the Chicken Stuffed with Wild Morels and Fava Beans followed by Seared Diver Scallops. Joe and Sheila also ordered the same combinations. Sheila and Chris both enjoyed the duck breast which was perfectly cooked and Chris selected the Bass which was served with fennel and a potato puree.

For dessert, I had the cheese plate. In my view, Cheese is one of the best and most interesting desserts. The variety is unlimited and you can always find something new to try. Chris enjoyed an Apple Tart with homemade ice cream which she refused to share.

For wine, Joe picked a young, but very good Pinot Noir.

Overall, a wonderful meal. Some people might find the portions a little on the small side, To me they were perfect. We had a four course meal and left full, but not stuffed.

Mas (farmhouse)

39 Downing Street

(between Bedford and Varick Sts in the West Village)

212-255-1790

AOC Bedford

One of our favorite restaurants in NY is AOC Bedford in the Village. It's just a couple of blocks from Scott and Jory and is one of their favorites too. The room is small, comfortable with a very friendly and informative staff. The menu is French/Southern European and leans toward specialties like Paella and Suckling Pig.

It seems lately we've become 'early birds' at dinner. The reasons are varied, but usually there's something else on the agenda later in the evening and rather then a quick something at home, going out is always the first choice for Paul. The upside of this is that we've been able to get a table at some of the more challenging places with long waiting lists. At AOC, they offer a Prix Fixe menu before 7:00. they also have a BYOB policy on Sunday and Monday which is really great, although it does not apply to the prix fixe.

Our meal was wonderful as usual, I started with the "Octopus Carpaccio (pictured)" with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Chris had the "Braised, Shredded, Duck" with a butternut squash puree also quite good. Even though we usually order different things each time we go to a restaurant, I have had the Octopus several times.

For the main course, I then had the "Duck Breast with a Bosc Pear and Potato Puree". The Duck was perfectly prepared. Crisp on the outside and pink on the inside - not easy but wonderful when done right. Chris had the "Scallops with an emulsion" which were tender and sweet.

We were weak and had dessert. I had the "Crepes Suzette" and Chris had "Creme Brulee". YUM!

Our wine choice was a nice carafe of Cote du Rhone.

All in all, one of our favorite places in NY.

AOC Bedford

14 Bedford St.(bet. Downing & Houston Sts.)
212-414-4764

Peter Spiegelman - Black Maps and Death's Little Helpers

The first of a new mytstery series featuring John March, the scion of a NY banking family. Series has wonderful descriptions of Manhattan and Wall Street.

Black Maps
Death's Little Helpers

New: Red Cat

A BBQ Restaurant in the Berkshires

Chris and I don't usually indulge in BBQ, not because we don't like it, but because it's generally an invitation to over-indulge - comfort food extrordinaire - especially since ribs are among my most favorite foods. However, every month when we get our current issue of Berkshire Living we scour it for things to do - shows, exhibitions, sales and restaurants. Among the restaurants featured this month was a new BBQ restaurant, Route 7 Grill in Great Barrington.

We went Sunday at a little after 5 (we were at the movies). If we had been later our chances for a table would have been slim since it was a beautiful snowy weekend; and this seems to be a good stop for skiers on their way home and families with young children. The room is informal, with a fireplace and clean, well-spaced tables. We got there right after opening so had our choice of tables.

The menu favors local and artisinal producers (predominately Niman Ranch for pork). We were torn between ordering old favorites or trying some of the interesting new dishes. Predictably we did a little of both. I started with the special house- smoked pheasant with beans and shitake mushrooms. The Pheasant was OK (it can be hard to deal with on the bone) but the mushrooms and bean combination was excellent. I had to fight Chris for them. We followed with ribs. I had the 'Texas Beef Ribs' which were big and brawny but falling off the bone. Chris had the 'Baby Back Ribs' that were unusually meaty. I usually avoid the baby back ribs because they aren't worth the trouble but these were different and one order can easily be shared by two people with normal appetites. We had a selection of sides, coleslaw (Chris likes it without mayonnaise), Kale (yech, but Chris likes it), an unusual Baked Bean dish (good) and Mac & Cheese (outstanding). All washed down with a pint of ale.

All in all, a pretty good meal (and pretty cheap). By the time we left the place was filling up with families coming from skiing. We counted 9 children right around us, all under 10. Fortunately, they were exhausted and pretty quiet. I think we'll go back, but during the week (note: I tried to go back with our neighbors Steve and Lil Barker but they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays!)

Route 7 Grill

999 Route 7

Great Barrington, Mass.

413-528-3235

What is the name of the "nameless" restaurant?

Our Tuesday night routine is a class discovering "Film Noir" at the 92nd St Y. The 7:00pm start time requires an early dinner so consequently, we're always looking for someplace to eat an early dinner. The good news is that it allows us to explore some of the more popular places that are usually booked solid at the hours past "the early bird special" times! This week we went to a great new Italian place on 81st Street near Second Avenue, whose name we're not going to divulge because, it's small and we don't want anyone to know about it because we want to go back!

It's a small, relatively simple. room that feels almost French. Comfortable, but not cozy. While it has the "neighborhood" feel of a Canaletto or a Jubileee, the bare tables and bustle make it feel a little bit more like you want to eat and leave.

On the other hand, the food is outstanding. I started with "Open Ravioli" with duck confit and foie gras. It was the best new pasta dish I've had in a long time. I had to fight Christina for my fork! She started with "Asparagus with Prosciutto and Figs" which were also quite good. Not a bad beginning--we did see at least three other things that we would have liked to start with (gnocchi, grilled octopus, a variety of interesting salads and the special soups).

For the entree, I had grilled "Baby Chicken with Polenta" that was fabulous. Chris had "grilled Barramundi" a very tender white meat fish, stuffed with greens and sun dried tomatoes--it was delicious, sweet, tender cheeks and crispy skin. We had an assortment of sides, including mixed cauliflower with browned bread crumbs and butternut squash with toasted pecans, I thought the squash was great and Chris liked the cauliflower- that's why marriage is so great. We had an undistinguished "Vino Nobile de Montepulciano (Derose)

Overall, we thought the restaurant was great and are looking forward to going back.

Spigolo

1561 Second Ave.(81st St.)

Manhattan, NY 10028

212-744-1100

Quatorze Bis

Quatorze Bis is a French Bistro/Brasserie on the upper east side. We had passed it frequently, and been attracted by its bright red entrance, but never stopped in. We finally got there this week after a recommendation from our neighbor, Jane Parver.

It's a small, simple room, with very attentive service. The menu is heavy on French "comfort food" - Cassoulet, Roast Chicken, Liver, fish stew. We started with traditional favorites, escargot and warm leek salad. Chris liked her starter quite a bit, but I thought the 'Escargot' were dried out and the garlic sauce was almost tasteless.

The roast chicken was OK but the Pommes Frites were extraordinary. Almost as good as our all time favorite - Jubilee.. Chris loved her 'fish stew'. It consisted of a tomato base chock full of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and a generous piece of monk fish. There was plenty of fresh crusty bread to dip in the left over sauce. A real hit for me!

Overall, Quatorze Bis is OK for a quick local bite if you're prepared to pay the premium prices.

We had a fun celebrity sighting--Tim Robbins and his wife Susan Sarandan with a group of friends. We seem to see them around town a lot--guess we like the same kind of food.

323 E. 79th St.
(bet. 1st & 2nd Aves.)
Manhattan, NY 10021
212-535-1414

Supreme Conflict by J. C. Greenburg

Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court (Hardcover)
by Jan Crawford Greenburg

The story of the Court's recent decades and of the often-thwarted attempts by three conservative presidents to remake the Court in their image. A really fascinating book by the very interesting NPR/ABC correspondent. Makes the story a fascinating suspense tale.

William Boyd Restless

Restless: A Novel (Hardcover)
by William Boyd

William Boyd is a veryh interesting British author of historical spy novels. This is an absorbing thriller, loosely based on the history of a covert branch of British intelligence created to coax America into the Second World War.

A very interesting read. I'm working my way through his other books as well.

Lunch at Cafe Gray

We had Lunch at Cafe Gray for Valentines Day. It was the first time we had been here. It's a large, glass and steel room overlooking Central Park. There is an open kitchen, strangely placed between us and the Park. The bar also faces the Park and there several very cosy tables where you can enjoy a more limited menu. They call it a brasserie but the menu is distinctly bistro with no, or very few, Alsation dishes typical of brasseries. It is named after 'Gray Kunz', former chef at 'Lespinasse'.

-

Since Chris was buying, we started with a Coupe de Champagne (actually a Blanc de Blancs). Chris started with the 'Risotto with Mushrooms' which was perfectly prepared. The rice chewy and the mushrooms "mushroomy". I had the 'Quail, Foie Gras and Beets' which had a lovely pate and four small quail legs. It as a perfect starter to the 'Seared duckling with Spaetzle and red cabbage'. Chris had the 'Lobster Ragout with Noodles and Green Curry' which was a very nice change of pace. We both had glasses of wine from their substantial list.

Overall, we liked the restaurant and will probably return. While not inexpensive, it is probably the cheapest marquis restaurant in the Time Warner Center.

Cafe Gray

Time Warner Ctr.
10 Columbus Circle, 3rd fl.
(60th St. at B'way)
Manhattan, NY 10019
212-823-6338

Overall

We visit the Lower East Side - The Orchard restaurant

Growing up, we would visit the Lower East Side once or twice a year to buy linens and luggage at small discount shops. We would see the remaining vestiges of the many Jewish immigrants shops; (e.g. Katz's, Russ and Daughters, Jona Schimmel and Gus, the Pickle Man). Even then, the neighborhood was changing, mostly becoming Hispanic. It is now, along with the East Village, the new vanguard of small, interesting restaurants opening in the City. It's clearly an area in transition, with many interesting restaurants and shops popping up among the clubs and slums.

One of the larger of these restaurants is "The Orchard" on Orchard Street. The room is very 'clean' in design with lots of wood, chrome and mirrors. The false ceiling panels and huge florals and branches give it a warm and inviting feeling. The menu leans towards Italian (especially pastas) but with a strong New American influence.

We shared both our starters -

• Flat bread with Robiola Cheese, Spinach, Cranberries and bacon--it was wonderful. We don't usually go for flat bread or pizza, except at a bar but these sounded so interesting. We'll try another one when we return (maybe the braised short ribs and cherry tomatoes with horseradish cream!)
  
• Tuna Tartare - Crispy tostones (plantains), guacamole and creme fraiche . Chris is the one who usually likes plantains and guacamole. but this was exceptional. We scraped every crumb off the plates. It's really nice to be surprised with something new.
  
• Butternut Squash Ravioli with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms. The ravioli was a little limp, but the mushrooms were outstanding.
  
• Halibut which Chris thought the was a little overcooked but loved the accompanying greens..
  
• We departed from our tradition and shared a dessert, Tartufo, that was just OK. We've renewed our no-dessert pledge.
  
• We both had wines by the glass from a reasonable list.
  

Overall, we really enjoyed our meal and will return. Perhaps a drink and flat bread at the bar. The only quibble was that it was a bit expensive for a place in that area.

The Orchard

162 Orchard St.
(bet. Rivington & Stanton Sts.)
Manhattan, NY 10002
212-353-3570

What's your favorite restaurant?

One of the questions we frequently get asked, in fact, one of the questions we frequently ask ourselves, is "what is your favorite restaurant?

It's an especially difficult question for us because we share a preference for trying new places, rather than returning to ones we already know. The risk of having a bad meal seems small compared to the opportunity to discover something new. Missing a meal is not the worst thing that could happen to us! Our preferences extend beyond just the place, to the dishes we order. We (especially me) will frequently order something that seems completely new or different. Chris will also try new things, but first she wants to know what they are - that can be problematic. I didn't eat 'Sweetbreads' for years because I knew what they were; and still can't quite manage 'Tripe'. Sometimes, its just better to not know until after!

There are no generally accepted criteria for judging restaurants. Michelin has clearly established criteria, but they are widely disputed; and "Favorite" is different than "Best". The following reflect our criteria on Feb. 10, 2007 at 12:15.

• Cuisine - we really have no strong preference. Any food well prepared can be wonderful; in fact, after avoiding Greek and Mexican food for years, new restaurants have proved me wrong.
• Food - over the years we have increasingly leaned towards high quality, fresh ingredients, simply prepared. No, or very few, heavy sauces or breaded and fried foods. This is a substantial evolution for both of us. We probably started down this road to avoid "empty" calories, but now strongly prefer these preparations. On the other hand, I do make exceptions for important cultural icons like cheeseburgers, chicken wings, pizza, bacon and ice cream. This probably explains why we both are not fashionistas.
• Ambiance - we both favor small, cosy restaurants with a nice buzz. Service should be good, but not stifling. I'd rather sit 2 feet away from somebody in a small restaurant than have plenty of room in a cavernous hall.
• Location - obviously, we prefer restaurants we can walk to, but we also love the Village (East, West and Center). Partially because Scott and Jory are there; but also because the ambiance is great. Tribeca is OK, but the meat packing district is too far (both in distance and style). Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island are out. New Jersey is almost out but gets a marital exemption once a year.
• Price - this is one of the hardest to judge. Clearly, it depends on all the factors above. But everyone has their own sense of what something is worth, and what they can afford, even if it's "worth" it. We have a pretty wide range of what is acceptable, but still balk at the prices at some restaurants. I cannot imagine spending over $600 for sushi (or anything else).
• Other biases - we are not "foodies" and we are not "trendy" (this will not come as a surprise). We usually avoid restaurants frequented by both.

Given last year's "Restaurant Challenge" (whereby we couldn't go to any restaurant more than once in a year) the following list reflects current favorites, but not necessarily restaurants we've been to recently, They have been drawn from a list of over 100 restaurants that we choose from. I hope you find some places on the list you haven't tried before. All of these restaurants are current favorites. The blue listings have a web link to the restaurant. The list is alphabetic:

• AOC Bedford (14 Bedford St. 212-414-4764) One of our all-time favorites. A small (34 seats), romantic French/Spanish restaurant. We like table #1 by the window. A favourite of Scott and Jory too!
• L'Absinthe Brasserie (227 E. 67th St. 212-794-4950) An absolutely authentic-looking and tasting (almost) Parisian Brasserie.
• specializing in gourmet "comfort food" (e.g suckling pig, rack of lamb, paella).
• Blue Hill (75 Washington Pl. 212-539-1776) A brand new favorite after only one visit! Meets all our criteria in spades!
• Campagnola (1382 First Ave. 212-861-1102) A favorite of Paul's. A little pricey, but worth it for traditional Italian favorites. Bring your big hair and chains.
• Canaletto (208 E. 60th St. 212-317-9192) Our local favorite. Solid food. Warm welcome. Always busy. Chris's favourite for Veal Milanese.
• I Trulli (122 E. 27th St. 212-481-7372) One of our long-time favorites serving regional specialties from Apulia in a cosy room - with a fireplace in winter and a garden in summer. Wonderful grilled baby octopus!
• Jubilee (347 E. 54th St. 212-888-3569) A local favorite for Moules and "frite" to die for. Always busy with neighborhood people. Some of the best french fries in NYC.
• Oceana (55 E. 54th St. 212-759- 5941) My favorite high end seafood restaurant in the city. Tops in every criteria. Chris is a little less enthusiastic. She likes the Greek seafood restaurant 'Milos' better.
• Pampano (209 E. 49th St. 212-751-4545) This Mexican restaurant has quickly become one of our favorites for elegant preparations of traditional Mexican dishes

Blue Hill Restaurant

As a general rule, Chris and I stay away from anything too trendy. We don't want to embarrass them with our sophistication and taste! But Blue Hill in the Village was a must. Chef/Owner Dan Barber and Chef Juan Ceuvas have made a name for themselves serving farm fresh food (some from the Stone Hill farm in Westchester). The NY restaurant is in the basement of a townhouse on Washington Square. The room is simple but very comfortable with tables nicely spaced and a VERY knowledgeable and attentive staff who will give you the history of every ingredient of every dish. Because of their friendly and unassuming style it does not come off as precious or pedantic. It was recently given 3 stars by the Times and we agree.

Both restaurants rely heavily on meat and game from Stone Hill farm supplemented, when necessary by green-markets. The ingredients are clearly excellent and the preparations reasonably straightforward to take advantage of them. You can see the seasonal menu at their web-site (see link below).

Chris started with 'Squash Soup', the only item we found mildly disappointing. My own starter with the unusual sounding 'This Morning's Farm Fresh Egg with Foraged Mushrooms', was incredible. I love mushrooms and these retained their earthy flavor, while the poached egg provided a rich sauce.

I followed with the 'Berkshire Pork with Spaetzle and Stone Barns Arugula'. In recent years I have been increasingly enjoying pork in lieu of beef. I find it has more variety and interesting preparations. This is especially true when heritage Berkshire Pork (with all its wonderful fat!) is available. This particular dish included a nice piece of the loin and a piece of bacon - one of my favorite splurge items. I had to fight with Chris because she loves Spaetzle. Her selection of the 'Hudson Valley Venison' with the same foraged mushrooms was exceptionally tender and flavorful (I think it was prepared with the "Sous Vide" vacuum process Dan Barber is known for). We also had locally grown brussel sprouts (not Chris' from Otis). Our wine selection was a wonderfully ripe and smooth Amarone della Valpolicella (2001).

Unusually, we had cheese and dessert - Chestnuts with crepe and hot chocolate sauce that was lovely with only a hint of sweetness.

Blue Hill Restaurant

75 Washington Place

New York, New York 10011

212-539-1776

March goes Nish!

In the latest reflection of the egomania of the "chef as celebrity" world we live in, 'March' has been reopened as 'Nish' in tribute to Chef Wayne Nish. It is still in the lovely townhouse on 58th Street and still features Asian-inspired New American specialties. The menu has been revamped somewhat and now features a la carte selections as well as a Prix Fixe menu offering any four courses from the menu (including cheese and dessert) for $59,

We went last night after seeing a notice in Zagats. It was completely empty when we arrived and only two other tables had been seated by the time we left at 9:30 pm.

We were pleasantly surprised by a very creative menu (the complete menu can be seen at Menupages.com) featuring many non-traditional items. We had the Tasting Menu which was supposed to have the portion sizes adjusted. They did not seem to be and were very generous. That may change when they have a crowd.

• We started with a glass of Guy Larmandier champagne which was a winner in Chris's eyes. (Cotes de Blancs" Vertus NV Premier Cru Brut). Apparently available here in NYC.

• Warm salad of baby bock choy and mushrooms with a light sauce of some kind
• Littleneck Clam Ravioli with preserved lop chueng sausage and salted black beans
• Calf's Sweetbreads with raater bastuma and wild mushrooms
• Ballotine of Marraganselt Turkey with sweet fennel sausage and broccoli rabe
• Braised and Grilled Squab and Quail with cumin and apricot pilaf
• A Selection of Handmade Raw Milk Cheeses
• A lemon Raspberry dessert
• A California Zinfandel a delightful surprise

The menu thoughtfully provides a lengthy glossary of all the unusual ingredients.

Overall, we were delighted by our meal. Everything was prepared beautifully prepared and contained many new tastes. We especially liked the Ravioli, the Sweetbreads (the best I've had outside France!) and the Squab. We found ourselves fighting over who's selections were better.

To my mind this represents what I love about the NY restaurant scene - small, initimate, places serving innovative and unusual dishes in lovely surroundings. I avoid the Meatmarket behemoths and the ultra-trendy Asian and Greenmarket places. Maybe I'm just getting old!. I suppose I would have tried them when I was at Pfizer and entertaing a lot.

Nish

405 E. 58th St.
New York, NY 10022

212-754-6272

RE-ENTRY!

Today it's a week since we've come home and I feel like I'm doing penance for our recent travels. I FEEL TERRIBLE! My eyes are dry, I'm up at all hours, can't seem to find a normal routine anymore and am getting very impatient. To top it off, I have a cold, am not in the mood to exercise and have been whining and pretty unbearable for this whole time!

Picture this....being awake, showered dressed and ready to go at 3:00am in the morning! It's dark outside, too early to order a bagel with lox and cream cheese, television choices are the test pattern or infomercials--do you have any idea what they're selling at this time of the morning????? We've just about considered Scott and Jory's suggestion of going out clubbing--if only we knew where to go!

I've balanced the cheque book, written a months worth of Birthday cards, researched many things on my list, sorted out my mother, organized pictures, caught up with all outstanding correspondance and planned meals for a month! I'm exhausted and think I need a vacation!!!!!!!!!

Little Owl is a new, small (about 28 places), restaurant in the West Village. In order to get in we had to go at 5:00! I'm not sure whether it was a late lunch or an early dinner.

The room is small, but cozy with an open kitchen and approximately 8 tables and a small bar. The menu is Mediterranean/New American. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I started with a single Crab cake on a bed of jullianed greens and Chris had Gnocchi topped with an interesting pork bolognese sauce. Both were excellent. My grilled pork chop with parmesan butter and perfectly done butter beans which was very tastey. Chris had monkfish surrounded with tiny clams and zucchini also with a light butter sauce--great! We shared an order of grilled seasonal greens and washed it all down with a lovely Chablis.

Overall, we thought the restaurant was cute, but didn't live up to its hype. We also thought it was expensive for an informal West Village restaurant.

The Little Owl, 90 Bedford St (at Grove St), 212-741-4695

An open letter to Air France

Mrs. Christina del Balso
16 Sutton Place, #9C
New York, N.Y. 10022


An Open Letter to Air France
Service Client
TSA 6001
60035 Beauvais CEDEX
FRANCE

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am currently sitting in Business Class on AF183, a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong to Paris wondering what happened to the service I was expecting. Never before have I flown with any carrier even in Tourist class and received less service than on this flight. During the announcements there was no introduction of staff, they have remained in the kitchen area and we have seen very little of them. No one comes to collect empty glasses that we ourselves have filled, nor do they seem to care about our comfort level.

We were served an appalling meal shortly after getting on the flight at 11:00 am and have not been offered food or drinks since. Your literature says there is Buffet service available, but when I went to get a plate of assorted tea sandwiches (4 items on the plate), I was told that I was taking too much! Granted this was the only plate left on trolley, but I expected that more would be provided. There was a small bowl of dried fruit, almost empty, one container of dried noodles and water and soft drinks on offer. Hours later—it is now 10 hours after boarding and during that time only ONE person has come through our portion of the cabin to offer anything and that was water. We did see crew when an announcement called for passengers to fasten seatbelts. When I inquired about the sandwiches, they said they had none, but a colleague would go and see if they could find some. I never saw her again. Someone in an adjoining seat retrieved two small finger sandwiches which were slightly more appetizing then the meal we were served. Needless to say, we were more then disappointed. In the end an hour before arrival at our destination, we were offered a second meal which was no better then the first. Noodles stuck together with a congealed and unappetizing substance on top and several triangles of pale processed meat that were supposed to be pork. The three small pieces of fruit were brown around the edges and equally disappointing. The salad with two small pieces of smoked meat was the only really edible portion of this meal. I have NEVER seen food like this in business class before!

The seats, although roomy, were not comfortable. The seat backs did not recline, but rather slide down and under the seat in front. Once you have lain down you cannot get up or move without hitting the upright button - sort of like a sardine in a can. Because the back of the seat does not move you can’t lean back. You can raise the footrest but only in the upright position. This was not very comfortable for the 13 hour trip.

In fairness to the staff, when we did see them, they were pleasant enough but the difference in service levels between Air France and the other airlines we used during this recent three week sojourn were stark. (Continental, China Eastern Air and Cathay Pacific). The best thing we can say, is that we received plenty of hot towels. We can only assume that this is a money saving measure and will seriously think twice before making our next booking with your Airline.

Sincerely,


Christina & Paul del Balso
Flight #183, 23/January/07
From Hong Kong to Paris
Seats 9A & 9B

Some thing we'll remember about Asia

Some things we’ll remember. . .

We’ve written about some of the highlights of our trip, but there is so much more that we’ll remember

Paul

Christina

· The beautiful, soft spoken, Chinese women · Cleanliness of the city streets, the improving pollution · How cheap it is; taxi rides $1.50, Four Seasons Hotel $350 for the Executive Suite, $10.00 for two Mao watches! · How easy it was to get around—great signage in English everywhere · A plethora of travel documents; visas, arrival/departure forms, Customs in/out · How well we were taken care of by the various guides in each city—there was nothing they didn’t think of to make the trip hassle free ·

· The warm welcome wherever we went · Incredibly great service, especially in Vietnam and Beijing · Being a local curiosity—people staring and wanting to take our picture · Dim Sum—especially the variety of dumplings · Dragon fruit, winter dates and so many other new tastes · Bargaining—I’m sure I was usually on the losing end! · Just when I was beginning to get comfortable with ‘Ne hao, ding hao, shay, shay and more, it’s time to leave · Beautiful Shanghai Museum · The neon lights everywhere! · Incredible architecture – the skylines in all the cities were so unique · Feng Shui – we’ll never look at things the same way again! · The fact that everything has a reason and a story in China · Driving the boat on the Mekong River · The European feeling of Shanghai · The history everywhere and the pride of the people in each country · The beautiful Silver Whisper and the friends we met on the ship

There was Bullfrog on the menu - three ways!

Shanghai—January 20, 2007

It was probably our most memorable meal on this trip although, the food has been very good (Paul would say “not exceptional”). We’ve been exposed to many new tastes, styles of eating and have gladly partaken of three meals a day since we’ve left home, which isn’t all that good for our waistlines! That being said, our dinner this night was exceptional. We asked the concierge to recommend a restaurant where local people enjoyed going and were sent to what on the outside looked to be an ordinary very western looking building (the sign read ‘881 South Beauty’). We were surprised because this was in sharp contrast to the norm of large, flashy restaurants. Chinese people really enjoy going out to eat in ‘buffet’ style restaurants. We discovered later that this is becoming a large successful chain in China!

Once inside we were lead upstairs past cozy lounges, a lovely looking bar, a dance floor with couples practicing ballroom dancing and private dinning rooms. It felt good to be sitting at a table without a ‘lazy-susan’ in the center!

We had been told that the menu would be in English but were not prepared for 15 pages of strange and wonderful things. Not only was ‘bullfrog’ on the menu but every conceivable type of fish and amphibian. The selections of ‘shark fin’ alone took up two pages. We were at a loss about what to order and in what quantities. On the few occasions when we’ve been on our own, we noticed that the dishes seemed to arrive in odd sequences. For example, the appetizers come only moments before the main course and the soup may be served last. Also, rice and noodles often come last, after we’d almost finished everything else. This time we (Chris, actually) decided we would ask for advice—trouble was that our waiter spoke very little English, So we (Chris again) decided to ask a Chinese woman at the next table for help. This done, our meal was ordered and we enjoyed our glass of jasmine tea which is often a meal starter with glasses being continually filled throughout the meal. This was a Szechwan style restaurant so we were looking forward to our first real spicy meal and weren’t disappointed. The meal, which came pretty much all at once, included a selection of appetizers (spicy peanut chicken, green beans arranged like a lotus flower, a local ‘fungus’, some smoked duck and marinated asparagus); Rapidly followed by a tasty hot and sour soup (our third version of this dish); sautéed shrimp with peppers and shredded duck with dumplings. Thank goodness the steamed seasonal greens arrived along side this because the heaps of red chilies, under the shrimp made us both reach for tea and water in a hurry! The food was perfectly cooked, served and presented like a work of art and tasted GREAT.

The ‘piece de resistance’ however was the dessert. Paul ordered something called “Four Scholars” and as you will see from the picture, it looked like a paint brush with ink, a tablet for writing, a stone for grinding the ink and some paper along side. All was edible but it seemed a shame to eat any of it! It was hard to believe that the entire meal including gratuities and taxes (of which there are plenty) came to less then $75.00 before wine. It was a great night which we capped with a nightcap at the Jazz bar in our hotel.

Ding Ding Hao

Each day our guides in China have helped us say a few new words in Chinese. We were told that if someone asks us how our day is and we reply, “Ding Hao”, it means very good. Well, here in Beijing, our experience has been Ding Ding Ding Hao! We’ve found the city to be extraordinarily clean—no litter in sight, and haze free with blue skies the entire time we’ve been here. There’s much excitement as they prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games in 2008 and everywhere you look there’s scaffolding and billboards covering buildings being cleaned, and or repaired or painted and many new structures being built. We saw two of the venues near completion and they look to be fantastic. The main stadium will look like a giant bird’s nest and the swimming pool area is a large square with an outside surface that looks like bubbles rising to the top. It’s going to be spectacular, but how they’ll deal with the millions of visitors is still a question they haven’t answered. Here the number one issue is traffic. Our trip from the airport which in the best of times would take about 20-30 minutes took over 1 ½ hours!

In the short period of time we’ve had in Beijing we’ve accomplished and seen a lot. Each day we toured, ate endless buffet lunches and or dinners and had opportunities to shop. The hotel has a shopping center with EVERY imaginable designer shop. Besides that, there are the local craft houses specializing in pearls, jade, cloisonné, embroidery - you name it. And, of course the street vendors (known as “hello boys”) who find you at every corner. They love to negotiate with you and we have become “expert” at bargaining and have grown to really enjoy it. The vendors are very good natured and seem to be having fun, although with high quality Pashmina scarves at less then $10 and T-shirts 3 for a dollar it’s hard to go wrong. Despite the strength of the Yuan, you can actually get better prices everywhere for dollars (cash) which are converted at 8 to 1 vs the official rate of 7.70 – and no conversion fees. So you save about 10% vs charging.

Here those of us from the West are known as “Big Noses” and we’re a source of curiosity, especially to those who’ve come from more remote regions and haven’t had much contact. People often stop and stare, point us out, seek to have their photo taken with us or just approach and say “Hi” looking to practice their English. Everyone now takes English at school beginning at kindergarten. It’s interesting to note that Mandarin speakers have an easier to understand accent then those Cantonese speakers from Hong Kong.

It’s been exciting to see the famous places like the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square, but the most incredible sight was our visit to the Great Wall. Our group went to a more remote section, not frequented by hordes of visitors (the Wall gets 10 million visitors a year), so we had the place pretty much to ourselves. It’s the place where they take the important visitors (Bill Clinton is a local hero here and there is a picture of him with the Premier). It was a long walk uphill before taking a cable car to the summit. Once there, we were rewarded with a vista for miles in either direction. It’s hard to imagine the manpower it took to complete this 3,000 mile wonder. They tell us it took a million men 16 years to build (many of them buried in the foundations of the wall). Sections of the wall have been recently rebuilt but there are many areas not open to the public because of disrepair. As much fun as it was to climb and see the wall, the experience coming down was fun in a different way. It’s the slow season and the “hello people” are like a carnival. Paul’s favorite line was to point to me and say I had the money! This worked until he negotiated to buy, not ONE, but TWO Mao watches (the arms are the hands if you can imagine!). Well, I couldn’t believe that he did this and refused to give up the Yuan he had promised to pay. “Absolutely Not!” was my response and the whole corner was chuckling as I continued down the path shaking my head saying NO, NO, NO! Well in the end, the price came down to $12 for the two watches (Barry will be proud)! The experience was fun for both sides and the negotiations friendly with back and forth banter that often resulted in a sale.

We had many opportunities to talk to our guides and ordinary people in the shops and on the street. It’s absolutely clear this is not a “free” society. For example, the area around the “Forbidden City” used to be full of squatters who built shacks against the outside wall. The government decided to move them away. They rounded them all up and checked their identity cards. All those not born in that neighborhood were illegal and were shipped home. The few who were born there were relocated to new housing. Everywhere we went, all the old houses (Hutongs—alley ways with housing) had been torn down and replaced with high-rises. The residents had very little to say about it. There is very little of the “old China” left to see except in museums—the city wall was torn down to ease the traffic congestion. Our guide told us that the government has recently begun to preserve some of the historical districts (three areas of Hutongs are being renovated) and new buildings are incorporating some traditional styles of building. We also talked about religion. Only authorized religions are allowed to pray in authorized locations. Recently a group of Catholics were arrested for praying at home! Also, ordinary people cannot have satellite TV so access to Western shows are limited to only hotels and authorized persons.

The one topic that really got everyone’s juices flowing was the integrity of China’s borders. Every time they talked about the political organization of the country Taiwan was included as a “Special Administrative Region”, the same as Hong Kong. We were informed that China had lost enough territory in the Opium Wars and would not stand for any more. They were still upset about Mongolia being stolen after WW II. I guess we had a better idea about the way they feel after seeing how real the history of last 3,000 years is to everyday people.

We’ll be sad to leave here and can only wonder what the city will look like in another 5 years.

Xi-An

China is definitely a ‘Ying/Yang’ experience; and here in Xi-An the examples are all around us. The city is very old having been the capital through at least two dynasties. It’s location in a bowl ensures an overwhelming haze much of the time—in fact, we never saw the sun while we were there and by the end of the day our eyes were gritty and tired.

Our first impressions as we entered the city were of gray sad industrial bleakness. Cars bicycles and motor bikes are everywhere and this is in sharp contrast with the new luxurious Shangri-La Hotel where we stayed. There is evidence of much renewal, and at night the neon lights make everything look brighter. The nine mile circular city wall is impressive and still surrounds the city centre with gates at the North South East and West sides. The wall is beautifully maintained and provides a recreational area and a great view of the city in all directions. It’s built in the old style and you can still see traditionally dressed guards policing the perimeter.

The best reason for coming to Xi-An is to see the famous “terracotta warriors”. These are the life-size defenders placed in the tomb of a Chinese emperor in the 2^nd Century BC (2,200 years ago). It’s similar to what the Egyptian’s did with the pyramids but with less of a focus on art and more on practical defense. We were really excited to be seeing them and were not disappointed. The entire burial ground covers 25 sq. miles. It includes a complete standing army of 8,000 warriors and a complete town to provide the needs of the emperor after death. A stadium-sized building covers the site of the major find. Only a small part of the site has been restored to protect it from the elements and thieves. It duplicates a real army with soldiers and chariots and archers and a command post. Each face is based on a real person and is unique. It took 800,000 people 34 years to build it (this is the same person who sent 1,000,000 people to build the Great Wall!). The tomb where the Emperor is believed to still be buried is being left alone until they work out better preservation techniques in the future. They’re very proud of this area and continue to develop the site as a major tourist attraction. They estimate that in high season over 5 million visitors come to view the ‘Warriors’ many of them from within China.

As with every major tourist site we’ve been to, we’re surrounded by the “Hello People”. “Hello, want to buy??? only one dollar! How about three for one dollar—we give you good take home price!