03
Apr

Ajax Tavern – Aspen

by ccwynne812   {8:15 pm}

AJAX TAVERN – ASPEN

The Little Nell, 675 E. Durant Avenue, Aspen, CO 81611

Date dined: 3.22.12

Rating: 7.0 

At the base of Aspen Mountain in Aspen, Colorado is Ajax Tavern, a restaurant that offers gorgeous views of the mountain while serving great cocktails and even better apres ski bistro fare. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner as well but the best time to go is right off the mountain in your ski gear for a snack and happy hour to relax and regroup with your friends. The bistro menu features dishes comprised of locally-grown seasonal produce and sustainable ingredients ensuring that everything is very fresh.

After our first day on the mountain my friends and I met up at the Tavern for a little snack and a glass of champagne.

We couldn’t resist the looks of these truffled fries. Covered in an approriately snowy looking mountain of grated parmesan cheese they were hot, crispy and definitely hit the spot.

Truffled Fries

What goes better with a glass of champagne than oysters? Fresh briney East and creamy West coast molluscs.

Selection of Oysters

Last but not least we needed a bit more starch and cheese…creamy, gooey, four cheese orecchiette topped with crunchy panko bread crumbs.

Mac and Cheese

Ajax tavern is the perfect apres ski hot spot to go after a long day on the slopes. Make sure you head over early because once the sun ducks behind the mountain things can get pretty chilly!

Also check out this post on www.Dwellable.com

Filed Under: Drinks, Family, Groups, Outdoor Seating, Travel Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment
27
Mar

Cloud Nine – Aspen

by ccwynne812   {11:05 pm}

CLOUD NINE ALPINE BISTRO –ASPEN

Aspen Highlands (On-Mountain)

Date dined: 3.24.12

Photo courtesy of: http://www.aspensnowmass.com/onmountain/dining

I have never been skiing in the Alps but I imagine if I did this is exactly what it would be like. The scenery, the outfits, the ski chalets- all of it. Chef Andreas Fischbacher’s alpine menu at Cloud Nine exhibits all the European flair one could ask for with items such as raclette, strudel, elk and other game meats.

At 10, 740 feet above sea level not only is this an incredibly gorgeous place to enjoy your meal but it is also a very unique experience and not necessarily because of the food, which is actually pretty mediocre. In the afternoon hours, skiers looking for a break will stop in for a bite to eat, a cocktail, oh, and don’t forget the dancing. Yes. Cloud Nine becomes a crazy dance party right on the mountain. Remember that mom that you saw in a full body silver ski suit flying down the slopes? She is on top of the table next to you, ski boots and all. If you cannot already tell, reservations here are compulsory.

The food is hit or miss. To begin, we had the option of a wilty salad or a soup (butternut squash) which I was told was “ok” for a mere $18.

Mixed Greens

Butternut Squash Soup

Each day there is a special in addition to the [understandably] very limited menu. I chose to share two main dishes with my friend and snuck my fork into a couple of others to get the full effect.

The elk osso bucco was decently flavorful but not very tender. Even the bone marrow inside was somehow tougher than usual. It was served with a side of average ratatouille and oven roasted garlic-rosemary potatoes.

Elk Osso Bucco

The seared duck breast came served on a flatbread baked with fontina and mozzarella cheeses, forest mushroom ragout and tomatoes. The duck was room temperature and almost tasted lightly smoked and was sliced on top of the flatbread which was a little soggy under all the cheese. The mushrooms added some earthiness while the duck added a gamey flavor.

Duck Flatbread

The cioppino was a traditional mix of seafood in a light tomato and fennel stew with saffron. I had a scallop which was nicely cooked and tender.

Cioppino

Maybe the best dish, though certainly not the lightest, was the gnocchi in a creamy truffle sauce. The airy pasta pillows were filled with a tender ragu.

Truffled Gnocchi

While the food may not be the main attraction at Cloud Nine, the atmosphere certainly is. Visitors to Aspen should absolutely make this a priority destination. A word of caution to those who over-imbibe – you do not want to be carried down the mountain in one of those stretchers. That’s just embarrassing.

The Whole Crew

 

Also check out this post on www.Dwellable.com

Filed Under: Drinks, Groups, Outdoor Seating, Travel Tags: , , 2 Comments
27
Mar

Lotus of Siam – Las Vegas

by ccwynne812   {12:45 am}

LOTUS OF SIAM – LAS VEGAS

953 East Sahara Avenue # A5  Las Vegas, NV 89104

Date dined: 12.31.11

Unassuming Front

Located in the middle of a seemingly abandoned strip mall hides a true gem of a restaurant with a long history to go with it. Chef / Owner Saipin Chutima was classically trained in the art of Thai cooking beginning at the age of 5. In 1994 she opened a restaurant in Norwalk, California and after becoming a huge success decided to move toLas Vegasand expand her business.

Today, Gourmet magazine calls Lotus of Siam “the single best Thai restaurant in Northern America.” And they are not alone in their thinking as Lotus has been awarded awards of excellence for six consecutive years by Wine Spectator as well as receiving two James Beard Foundation nominations and the 2011 Best Chef: Southwest award from the Foundation.

Doors open at 5:30 pm and not a minute before but by 5:25 there was a line halfway down the sidewalk. Most people would think of that as quite the early bird special but we specifically held out for this meal and were starving by the time we were seated.

Line outside at 5:30

The unassuming space was renovated and expanded a few years ago and the walls are plastered with framed and autographed photos of Saipin with various local and national celebrities. The service is friendly and quick with no frills and the food is absolutely outstanding. Having been to Thailand, and specifically Chiang Mai, I can say that the dishes we sampled were as good, if not better than anything I had there.

The menu is extremely difficult to navigate with well over 130 items to choose from so we decided to ask our waiter for his opinion.

To begin we had chicken satay which was tender and juicy with a thick peanut sauce.

Chicken Satay

Next we had a big pot of Bankok-style soup called Tom Kah Kai made of coconut milk, sliced chicken, straw mushroom galanga, lemongrass and lime. The combination of creamy and tangy with just a touch of heat was unreal. We did not let them clear the pot for the entire meal.

Tom Kah Kai

Of course we had to order the traditional pad-Thai – small rice noodles stir fried with egg, green onion and bean sprouts garnished with chipped peanuts. This was easily the best pad-Thai I have had anywhere in the US.

Pad Thai

The last two dishes we ordered were on the recommendation of our waiter – nam-prik-ong (red chili dip) and fried sea bass on drunken noodles.

The red chili dip was like a Thai Bolognese – meaty with ground pork, tomato and seasoned with Thai spices and served with freshly sliced vegetables and fried pork skins.

Red Chili Dip

The fried sea bass was very mild in flavor and served on a bed of rice noodles with Thai basil and homemade fresh chili.

Drunken Noodle with Sea Bass

This was a memorable meal and if you are looking for a true culinary adventure while in Las Vegas, make the effort to seek out Lotus of Siam.

A few accolades

A few more...

Filed Under: EPIC PICKS, Travel Tags: , , Leave a comment
22
Mar

Barbuto – NYC

by ccwynne812   {3:50 pm}

BARBUTO – NYC

775 Washington Street New York, NY 10014

Date dined: 3.18.12

Photo courtesy of: http://newyork.timeout.com

Barbuto is one my top go-to’s for any meal. I have been here for many dinners and brunches at all times of year and I have yet to be disappointed. Not only does it have delicious food every time but it also has a great atmosphere as is always packed but the wait is never ridiculously long.  

Everything about this restaurant is simple. From the finely curated menu and wine list to Chef Jonathan Waxman’s bold new Italian flavors with fresh seasonal ingredients to the sparse decor- nothing about it reads over the top. Probably the best feature of the restaurant is that it was built in a garage with fully functioning doors which are easily opened on a bright sunny day.

This weekend we were blessed with some gorgeous weather which basically means that everyone in New York (or so it seams) migrates to the Meatpacking district for some outdoor time. My roommate and I were no exception and headed to Barbuto for a late Sunday bite.

I have a thing for finely shaved vegetables (I even have my very own scar to show for it and have been afraid to use my mandolin ever since) so my eye immediately went to the shaved cauliflower, sunchoke and walnut salad. Salads like these make me think I could actually be vegan…until I receive my second course which usually involves meat and cheese. The salad arrived looking like some magical coral garden from the sea – paper fine cross sections of the cauliflower florets and pieces of sunchoke. The whole dish was simply seasoned with good olive oil, chives, walnuts and lemon juice and topped with crispy bits of taro. Delicious.

Shaved Cauliflower and Sunchoke

For my main dish I ordered the Uovo al Forno – runny baked eggs over creamed spinach and polenta. A little shaved parmesan turned into a cheesy, salty crust on top.

Uovo al Forno

Barbuto is a no-fail choice for brunch, lunch or dinner for almost any occasion.

Filed Under: Brunch, Date Spot, Outdoor Seating Tags: , , , , 1 Comment
21
Mar

Koi – NYC

by ccwynne812   {4:58 pm}

KOI – NYC

40 W. 40th St. (nr. Sixth Ave) New York, NY 10018

Date dined: 3.17.12

There are very few restaurants in midtown that don’t say “strictly business dinner”. While Koi could definitely be a good choice for a business dinner, it is also a pretty decent choice for a meal after work with friends especially if you are going out in the area that evening.

The original Koi was opened in LA and there are also outposts in Vegas and Bangkok which alone tells you the kind of sceney clientele they are after. Their strategic location in the Bryant Park Hotel above Cellar Bar helps them to capture some of that same clientele in NYC as well. The interior is clean dark wood accented by [fake] bamboo plants on several walls.  A giant meshy structure in the center of the room adds a sculptural element to the décor.

A few friends and I were going to a concert nearby so it was an easy spot to go for some small plates and drinks beforehand.

First we all shared the edamame dumplings. These soft noodles were filled with creamy puréed edamame and drenched in a thick buttery mirin sauce with some pieces of lobster and assorted mushrooms.  It was almost like a Japanese-French fusion dish.

Edamame Dumplings

Next was the Kobe beef carpaccio with fried shiitake mushrooms and micro greens dressed in a yuzu vinaigrette. The only off-putting aspect of this dish was the brown color of the meat but that certainly did not take away from the rich flavor. The bits of fried mushroom had the texture of a crispy salmon skin but with an earthy flavor.

Kobe Beef Carpaccio

We also shared the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna. These were a little bit heavier than your normal piece of sushi but had a nice bite as well as the heat from the spicy sauce and the slice of jalapeño.

Crispy Rice

I am a little bit wary when the same sauce is used on multiple dishes and that same buttery mirin sauce was definitely used on the hot lobster tail dish although this time masquerading under the title of “truffle butter sauce”. The dish came out neatly arranged in the shape of the lobster and the meat was nicely cooked topped with a yuzu gremolata.

Lobster Tail

I guess we were in a lobster mood because I ordered the lobster roll which came topped with a warm orange sauce. This was pretty good but the bland vegetables inside paired with plain rice did not add much to the already mild flavored lobster.

Lobster Roll

No Japanese meal is complete without a little bit of uni so a few pieces of uni sashimi were in order. The perfect Japanese dessert.

Uni

Filed Under: Drinks Tags: , , , , Leave a comment
19
Mar

Imperial No. Nine – NYC

by ccwynne812   {11:05 pm}

IMPERIAL NO. NINE – NYC

9 Crosby St. (nr. Grand St) New York, NY 10013

Date dined: 11.20.11

Photo courtesy of: www.in-nycsite.com

Located in the trendy Mondrian Hotel in Soho Imperial No. Nine is like a British garden oasis in the middle of the city. The Morgans Hotel Group developed this beautiful hotel with the sophisticated restraint of Philippe Starck and opened just about a year ago. Besides being located in a major haute-hotel chain, Imperial No. Nine got a lot of buzz about head chef and Top Chef star Sam Talbot (who has since departed for the Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY).

On an overcast day in November, a few friends and I decided to go for brunch. We were seated in the garden room which, I have read, is infinitely nicer than the main dining area. The décor is beautiful and you feel as if you are walking into an upscale greenhouse with ferns and pots strewn amongst chandeliers and comfy benches.

The Meal:

Every good brunch begins with a towering plate of seafood right? Well, maybe not but it’s definitely something I have come to appreciate. With five people at our table we thought it would only be appropriate to order the largest assortment on the menu.

Seafood Platter

We decided to get the scuffin and scone because none of us had ever had a “scuffin” before. Allegedly, this so called scuffin is a mixture between a scone and a muffin. Hmm. It turned out to be a decent pastry but don’t know if it really deserves a whole new category of baked good on its own.

"Scuffin"

I have to throw in my comment about the service here because they seemed a bit disorganized in the back. A different server attempted to bring us our second course multiple times before we had finished our first course. Considering there are not a huge number of tables, this seemed a little sloppy.

As you probably already know, I like my burgers medium rare and the No. Nine Burger came a bit more well-done than I like but many other factors allowed me to overlook this mishap. The accoutrements included crispy bacon, cornichons, chihuahua cheese with a tangy kale salad all topped with fried hen egg. I will be giving this one a second chance for sure.

No. Nine Burger

Burger Cross Section

I regrettably had already signed away half my burger before it arrived but the trade ended up being worth it. The butter poached lobster roll with celery salt and crispy shallot was delicious and brought me right back to the beach.

Lobster Roll

Although I did not order the bananas foster pancakes myself I had to sneak a little taste. These go up there with some of the best pancakes I have ever had. They came to the table super hot and browned topped with soft caramelized bananas and a hot rum maple syrup.

Bananas Foster Pancakes

We topped everything of with two decadent desserts – a bread pudding and an apple crisp. The pudding was banana bread pudding (because we didn’t get quite enough with just a taste of the pancakes) with a honeycomb semifreddo and a dash of chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Apple Crisp and Bread Pudding

Overall, Imperial No. Nine is a glamorous restaurant for a group brunch or for a romantic dinner for two. Just make sure you request the garden room!

 

Filed Under: Brunch, Date Spot, EPIC PICKS, Groups Tags: , , , , Leave a comment
19
Mar

Aria Wine Bar – NYC

by ccwynne812   {8:16 pm}

ARIA WINE BAR – NYC

117 Perry St. (nr. Hudson) New York, NY 10014

Date dined: 3.16.12

Photo courtesy of www.Urbandaddy.com

Late winter / early spring seems to be the hot time of year to host large birthday parties. I had another 28-person dinner this past Friday night and, as you can imagine, it is quite a task to find a place that is good and yet won’t completely demolish your bank account. The private room down below Aria winebar was a great venue to achieve both these things. For $65 we had a wide variety of small Italian plates (or cicchetti) accompanied by unlimited red and white wine and prosecco.

With weathered floors and furniture, a communal bar and partially open kitchen this tiny, rustic winebar becons you to enter from the street. Down some precariously placed stairs was a huge communal table large enough to fit our entire group.

We all sat down at the table to small plates and even smaller cups of wine. Overall, everything we had was good but nothing was truly excellent making this a perfectly fine place to eat but also don’t expect to have a life-changing meal. And a word of warning to those who do not eat cheese because almost everything on this menu contains cheese!

To begin we had plates of assorted meats and cheeses. The large meat plate included prosciutto, bresaola and mortadella with some artichokes and red peppers. The cheeses were a mixture of cow and goat’s milk and included one of my favorites – Humboldt Fog which is easily identified by the line of ash down the center of the soft goat cheese. Another plate had salami and chunks of parmigiano.

Assorted Meats

Assorted Cheeses

Salami

Next was a simple caprese salad with creamy burrata.

Caprese

Small dishes of meatballs were passed around with boards of mushroom bruschetta and montasio cheese.  The meatballs were kind of lukewarm and the bruschetta was more like a pizza with no sauce.

Mini Meatballs

Bruschetta

The pasta course ensued with three dishes- a simple gnocchi al pomodoro, a pappardelle and a truffled mac and cheese. The gnocchi and sauce were both light and tasty. The pappardelle was overcooked and the sauce was pretty bland and watery with some rogue bits of sausage. As for the mac and cheese, you would only know it was “truffled” by the tiny black speck used as a garnish – otherwise it made a fine regular mac and cheese.

Gnocchi

Pappardelle

Mac and Cheese

To finish we had an assortment of traditional Italian desserts- tiramisu, panna cotta and a simple cheesecake.

Cheesecake

Panna Cotta

Aria was the perfect choice for a large birthday dinner with friends or would also be great for a date upstairs in the cozy main dining area.

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Date Spot, Groups Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment
18
Mar

David Burke Kitchen – NYC

by ccwynne812   {7:47 pm}

DAVID BURKE KITCHEN – NYC

23 Grand Street, New York NY, 10013

Date dined: 3.3.12

Photo courtesy of: www.bigdesignloves.com

My mother and I lucked out on Saturday two weeks ago because she came into the city to celebrate her birthday and the weather ended up being more like a sunny day in late May than the expected chill of early March. To break up our walking tour of bustling Soho I made a reservation at David Burke Kitchen.

This is the latest addition to the David Burke empire and is a very spacious, homey-kitchen style restaurant below the James hotel in Soho. The James hotel itself is a trendy hotel with an artsy look of concrete with metal accents which are softened by more rustic touches like plants and bleached wood.

I should have been able to judge better by the photos of checkered table cloths but this place was a bit more low key than I was hoping for to celebrate a birthday brunch. The other thing which really annoys me in restaurants is LOTS of kids. Unfortunately, we hit the jackpot.

The food, however, did not disappoint.

To begin we were greeted by our waiter and two enormous airy popovers. Fresh out of the oven, crusty on the outside with a light, buttery inside.

Puffy Popover

As a starter, after sneaking a peak at my neighbor’s plate, I ordered the tuna tartare tacos. The fresh fish were served packed to the brim of crunchy mini taco shells and perched lined up in a little stand topped with lime, whipped avocado and spicy tobiko. Refreshing little bites that hit all the taste buds.

Tuna Tartare Tacos

For our mains, my mother and I both ordered the eggs benedict. They were actually more like eggs benedict and Florentine combined because they had both Canadian bacon and spicy spinach. The combination was very good. With runny poached eggs and a flavorful hollandaise (which can often be very bland) atop a well toasted English muffin this turned out to be a pretty good egg dish.

Eggs Benetine??

Getting my mom to order dessert was a bit of a challenge after the rich meal but since I had pre-ordered a birthday message I had to convince her that I was just dyingg for more carbs. We ordered the banana bread pudding which came steaming hot in a mini porcelain baking dish and I have to say the rustic farmhouse presentation was really cute here. The bread pudding was rich and custardy and very sweet. A few bites of this dish were just enough to top off our birthday brunch.

Banana Bread Pudding

 

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14
Mar

Bill’s Bar & Burger – NYC

by ccwynne812   {12:19 am}
BILL’S BAR & BURGER
22 Ninth Avenue (at West 13th Street) New York, NY 10014

Date dined: 3.7.12

Photo courtesy of www.zagat.com

Oops, another late night burger this week. But I don’t regret it at all ( I mean, it’s for the blog…). Bill’s Bar & Burger is one of the newer additions to the burger scene in NYC having only just opened in 2009. They have obviously done well for themselves because since then they have opened a larger location in Rockefeller Center and another one in Atlantic City.

Bill’s looks a little grungy from the outside and with checkered table cloths and brick walls inside this place is definitely low key and serves a seriously good burger. They are also known for their milkshakes which are by far the best I have had in the city (sorry Shake Shack) so my friend and I started with a black & white. Creamy thick and delicious.

Giant Shakes

I usually order the Fat Cat burger which is a cheeseburger with carmelized onions on an English muffin. Their meat is a custom blend of celebrity butcher Pat LaFrieda beef. All veggies optional on the side. This burger reminds me of home because growing up we always had burgers on the grill served on English muffins. You don’t see this too often but I think it really changes the taste of the burger. The hominess and the fact that it is a little bit greasy with fillings spilling out just a little beyond what the muffin can handle are the two differentiating features. Things might get a little sloppy. The burger somewhat stays together because the muffin is well toasted so that it holds up through the last bite. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Burgers- Fat Cat in front

Fat Cat- messy, messy

Bill’s also serves some really delicious sweet potato fries. They are thicker cut so a bit crispy and a bit tender and served super hot.

Sweet Potato Fries

Bill’s is a great casual place to grab a bite in the Meatpacking district that won’t break the bank and will definitely satisfy your taste for a delicious burger.

Filed Under: Cheap Eats, Drinks, EPIC PICKS Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment
09
Mar

P.J. Clarke’s – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:03 pm}

P.J. CLARKE’S – NYC

915 Third Avenue (at 55th st) New York, NY 10022

44 West 63rd Street, New York, NY 10023

Date dined: 3.5.12

Picture courtesy of www.pjclarkes.com

P.J. Clarkes’ claim to fame is that they have been an established burger joint in NYC for over 125 years. That fact alone makes you want to check it out but their burgers are also Top 10 worthy. They actually have two locations in NYC (Sidecar is definitely better) but you can get their signature burger at either one. More recently P.J.’s has expanded their influence into Washington D.C., Las Vegas and even Brazil but it still remains a classic NY institution.

My friend and I were near the UWS location after an event on Monday night and since neither of us had had dinner yet we decided to stop in for a late night snack.

Oysters and burgers are a match made in heaven so we started with a dozen. My six were Royal Miyagi from the Pacific Northwest.

Hama Hama, Royal Miyagi

We then had our burgers which are made with black angus beef, juicy medium-rare with sharp white cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and servced on top of an onion. This little trick allows the bun to have some of the onion flavor without actually eating the onion if that is too intense. The sharp cheddar is a very strong flavor on the burger even with the lettuce and tomato which I personally like a lot.

Classic Cheeseburger
Classic Cheeseburger
Full Oyster Bar

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