San Francisco and Las Vegas

This week I went on a bit of a whirlwind trip - left Austin Wednesday at 8 AM; flew to San Francisco and stayed only 8 hours; flew to Las Vegas that night; had meetings all day Thursday and flew back to Austin to arrive at midnight.  This all after almost a week in Florida 2 days earlier.  I didn't even realize how tired I was until this weekend, when my normally active self wanted to be a vegetable on the couch.  Yawn.  In any case, despite the large amount of time spent either in the air or at meetings, I did manage to get a few fun things in.... 

In San Francisco, I got to kick it in the Ferry Building for an extended lunch hour.  I took myself out to the Slanted Door, the venerable Vietnamese restaurant that's been wowing diners for years.  They are always packed and so, in the past, I've just gotten take out from their to go front - Slanted Door Next Door.  This time I got a spot at the bar and started ordering away.  I had their chue farm Japanese eggplant  with green onions and coconut milk  and the shrimp and pork wonton soup  with five spice pork and egg noodles.  The soup was very good, but quite filling.  I was expecting the pork to be in the wontons themselves, but instead it was sliced, floating in the broth.  There were also crispy pork cracklings and tons of sliced scallions. The wontons were delicate and sweet with shrimp.  If I wasn't a bit of a fanatic about having my vegetables, I would have been filled by the noodle-soup.  However, I'm really glad I had the eggplant as it was delicious.  It had a bit of a kick, but the eggplant was tender and the coconut based sauce was addictive.  The bar tender was very nice and allowed me to order a half portion, thankfully, because I couldn't finish all of the food.  I also had their lychee tea, which was too cloying and sweet.  I wouldn't get it again.  I do, however, look forward to me next time in Slanted Door's airy restaurant and its perfect bay view.  

While in the Ferry Building, I also made pit stops at Miette, for their delightful macarons, Blue Bottle Coffee, for a killer cappuccino, and Recchiuti, for their decadently luscious chocolates.  If I had more time and were checking a bag, I also would have gotten Stonehouse Olive Oil which is peppery and grassy.  I did notice that the Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Cafe is gone - I used to hang out there and have caviar and champagne.  I love caviar. Oh well.

Before I headed back to SFO for my Las Vegas flight, I was able to meet up with one of my best friends, Jessica, at a great little wine bar and Italian trattoria on California St, called Barbacco.  Not to be confused with Perbacco (it's sister restaurant), which I have been to before and is almost right next door, this wine bar offers a great array of international wines in many different tasting options.  I enjoyed flipping through their selection on their Ipad menus.  I've read about the I Pad trend, and I think it is a good one.  You're able to see as little or as much information as you want on a wine.  We tried tastes of the French Eric Texier-2009 Roussanne, the Slovenian Simcic-2007 Sauvignonasse (Friulano), the Italian Bera-2006 Monferrato Dolcetto, and the Austrian Becker-Landgraf-2007 J2 Spatburgunder. Lovely.  I just wish I had had some time to eat before jumping on BART....

 In Las Vegas, it was my first time staying at the Palms.  I'm not a huge fan.  I stayed in their new condo tower, which was nice, and I enjoyed their workout facilities.  But that's about it.  In general, the place seemed a bit small and shabby.  Oh well.  Most of my time in Vegas was spent in meetings anyhow; I did get to scarf down a great meal in the Summerlin neighborhood at Vintner Grill.  I had the summer salad which consisted of arugula, shrimp, avocado, fennel, orange segments, toasted almonds and some kind of lemon vinaigrette.  It was light and flavorful.  The restaurant is also very elegant and relaxed in soft greens and whites.  Altogether a nice surprise from my usual Vegas strip experience. 

I am very happy to be back home in Austin.  While I love to travel, I hate to fly and, after close to 50 flights thus far this year, I am so happy to have a slight respite. 

Florida in September

This past week I spent in Florida, mostly Orlando, for a work-conference.  I did manage to tack on some personal travel down to Miami as well.  Before I headed down to Miami to see friends, I took myself to Epcot!  I know, who goes to a Disney park by themselves?  Only crazy people like me.  In any case, I’m glad I did.  I stayed in one of the Port Orleans Disney properties (I would NOT recommend) and caught a showing of Eat Pray Love at Downtown Disney (also not a high recommendation) on Thursday night.  

On Friday, I headed to Epcot itself, which I would recommend.  I had a great time wandering around the world showcase, visiting 11 countries around a large, placid lake.  It was really pleasant and I enjoyed wandering through all of the food and curio stores, as well as the fantastic designs.  My favorites were the UK, France and Japan.  I ended up eating at the median-priced Les Chefs de France, and I had a very passing French lunch.  I was surprised by how much alcohol was at Epcot.  I mean, I guess I have only been to the Magic Kingdom before, so I don’t have much to compare to, but every country had some kind of tasting – wine, beer, sake – and there were little stalls selling such beverages outside as well.  Crazy!  It was a little too hot and early in the day for me to feel like partaking, but you could have quite the pub-crawl there.

On Friday night I headed down to Miami, to stay with my friends, Natalie, Jeff and Sophie.  We had a great, early dinner at Matsuri, a Japanese restaurant that is quite hidden in an unassuming strip mall (the good ones always seem to be).  I was feeling a little stuffed after my French lunch, so I tried an intriguing roll that was made without rice and wrapped in cucumber.  It was refreshing, but hard to eat.  Otherwise, this restaurant turned out classics and creative dishes alike.  A Coral Gables gem.  While we spent most of the weekend relaxing (finally!) we also ate at two other newish restaurants.  Natalie and I had a tasty brunch at George’s in the Grove (the chef and owner used to own Le Bouchon du Grove.  I’m always a fan of a place that starts out by giving you a free mimosa.  The menu is decidedly French, but has a lot of other cultural references.  We enjoyed our meal and the somewhat crazy décor.  I think this place is going to do very well.  

The best, and craziest, meal was Saturday night at Hakkasan in the remodeled Fontainebleau Hotel on the beach.  The hotel is beautiful and satisfyingly scene-y (I love people watching).  The restaurant is actually upstairs.  The décor is intense and amazing.  It feels like you’re walking into an old, but hip Chinese house.  There are tons of dark wooden screens and carvings, and the lighting is very dim.  My only complaint is that the background music was not background, but club music.  I like being able to hear my dining companions!  The sommelier at Hakkasan, David Mokha, was awarded one of the best sommeliers of the year for 2009 by Food and Wine, so we wanted to see what he would recommend.  Alas, he was not available, but another sommelier was very helpful.  In general,  I really like the list - there were so many reasonably priced bottles from great regions.  We had the 2008 Adelsheim Pinot Noir – lovely, light fruit, with a pleasing earthy undertone, but not too much tobacco like some Oregon pinots.  It was a suitable counterpoint to our large, and intense meal.  We had everything from fried rice, to hand-pulled noodles, to lettuce wraps and braised short ribs.  I think my favorites were the crispy duck rolls (succulent duck meet with a spring onion and a hoisin dipping sauce), the short ribs (slowly braised in a clay pot with soy and five spice – ridiculously tender), and the hand-pulled mushroom noodles (it was like lo mein on crack – fantastic).  The desserts were great too.  I really loved the pandan soufflé with coconut ice cream.  All together, it was a gastronomic delight! 

I was sorry to leave Miami this morning, but I am glad to be heading home after so many days away, even if it is only for a little bit….

Southern Italian Wines - Cheat Sheet

Lessons learned or everything you need to know about Northern Italian Wines (to sound like a wine geek!)

Overall, southern Italy is experiencing some of the same, broad changes as those of the north – namely an evolution from a bulk or industrial wine industry to a boutique or artisanal wine industry. The south has generally lagged the north. Only recently has modernization begun to take hold…

Le Marche and Abruzzo – Coming Out of Isolation

Le Marche is located in the center of Italy, on its eastern edge. It has a long, Adriatic coastline in close proximity to the Apennine mountain range, divided between river valleys. The climate is moderated due to the maritime influence. The soil is full of limestone and mineral-rich clay. Both literally and figuratively, le Marche is somewhere in between the north and south - it has wines that straddle the divide. It produces both floral aromatic whites, like verdicchio, and soft, rich reds like montepulciano.

Verdicchio is the main white varietal of the region. It is late-ripening and a unique varietal-characteristic. It has scents of pine nuts, resin, herbs and pears with a lot of acidity. A specific sub-region, Castelli di Jesi, produces great wines. Its location in the foothills is ideal, with a long and dry growing season. Le Marche was not immune to the cooperative movement of the 50s and 60s. It too went down the road of mass-production - verdicchio was their answer to wines such as pinot grigio and soave. Much like those wines, it has benefited from modern technology - steel tank, controlled temperature fermentation - and modern quality sensibilities. Vintners now, on average, produce a clean, delicate, acidic wine.

Abruzzo is located just south of le Marche and has the highest point in the Apennine mountain range - the Gran Sasso d’Italia or “great rock of Italy”. This is not green, lush land, but a barren, rocky region. Nowhere is more dominated by the mountains, than Abruzzo and the distance between mountains and sea is very short. Indeed, the mountains effectively walled off this region from the rest of Italy until the introduction of the autostrada. Though they have been affective at producing fine bottlings of wine, this is a region still dominated by mass-market impetus.

The montepulciano grape produces soft, generous wines that are the antitheses of the landscape. The best come from the northern section of the region. The soils are a mix of iron-rich wine and limestone. The climate is cool and dry due to the sea and the higher elevations. The wine is deeply colored, with naturally sweet tannins and low acidity - fruity softness. Inky-purple in color and syrupy in texture, with scents of black berries and a touch of earthy funk.

Campania and Puglia – A Return to a Storied Past

The wines of Campania, historically, have been great, however, since the Italian unification; they have lost ground to the noble wines of the north, like Barolo, etc. This region produces a wide array of white and red wines, indeed it produces a tremendous amount, but only 7% is classified as DOC. This region is also a major agricultural player - the name is derived from Latin - Campania Felix - or “lucky country”. This area has been producing wine for a very long time - the Greeks probably brought the varietal greco di tufo to Italy around 500 BC.

There are three main white varietals - greco di tufo, falanghina and fiano. They are all light, delicate, aromatic and acidic wines. Greco is the fruitiest and is usually planted in the volcanic soils in the hills near Avellino. Fiano is more savory - tasting of pine nuts and herbs. And then Falanghina has some of the pine essence of the fiano and the juiciness of the greco. It is grown along Amalfi coast and is usually blended.

The main red varietal is Aglianico and it recalls the faded elegance of Naples. It traditionally comes from the sub-region of Taurasi, but is produced throughout Campania as a whole. It is known to have an aggressively tannic structure along with a tarry spiciness. There is a lot of limestone in Taurasi and it gives a mineral structure to these brooding wines.

Located in the heel of Italy’s “boot”, Puglia is too all about agriculture. It has iron-rich soils, in a rich fertile plain. The region is known for its red wines - particularly primitivo, a precursor to zinfandel, and negroamaro. Negroamaro is a thick-skinned, deep-colored grape producing tannic wines. It is age-worthy given its structure, flavor concentration and tannins. Primitivo is its opposite. It is soft and generous and able to be quaffed young. It is produced in a sweet, syrupy, oaky-style that is very popular with Americans.

Sicily and Sardinia – Islands Apart

Sicily is a large island in the south of Italy – it is so large that it has a range of climates - from searing Mediterranean (thanks to the North-African wind, Scirocco) to mountain snow. It is yet another agricultural powerhouse. Sicily is really most famous as the producer of Marsala wine - a fortified wine created to survive the long journey to Britain during the War of the Spanish Succession. Another feature of Sicily is its latifondo and cantina movements - both land redistribution schemes to rectify the very unequal treatment of peasants (as compared to the north). This created an environment for large cooperatives, mass-market wine, and lots of Marsala. Unfortunately, Marsala became less popular in the last century and the wine industry tanked. Slowly, in the 1990s, smaller producers have come back, making lovely red and white wines.

Red wines have been doing especially well in Sicily, particularly those produced from the nero d’avola varietal. It has a dark, tarry, chocolately undertone with lovely black fruit and violet aromas. The tannic structure gives it aging potential.

Marsala actually is derived from the Arab phrase “marsah-el-Allah” or “port of god”. It is characterized by color, age and sweetness. It can be either oro (gold), ambra (amber), or rubino (ruby). It has age-designations similar to Sherry - fine are the simplest and aged one year; superior are aged two; and vergine or solera are the most complex and aged three years. Finally, marsala can be dry or sweet. It has caramel tones, along with nuts, orange and spice.

Sardinia is the other large island of Italy. It is set apart, a bit foreign and different from the rest of the country. It is also affected by the Scirocco and has the intense Mediterranean climate akin to Sicily. The main red varietal is cannonau, a version of Grenache and the main white is vermentino. Cannonau is a dark wine, with savory, earthy flavors of tar and tobacco along with a touch of red fruit. Generally, the best vineyards are located in the foothills on the eastern coast.

Southern Italian Wines - Tasting 9 7 10

The Southern Italian wine tasting had the cheapest average price of wines.  There was a lot to like, but we also got the sense that the wine industry in southern Italy is still developing.  Even though wine has been produced for millennia, the wines are underdeveloped, mostly due to poor land-management regulation and antiquated methods.  In another 10 years, if things continue as they are, this is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the wine industry.  

Florio Marsala Fine Dry ~ $11

Marsala, Sicily

Grillo

This classic fortified wine from Sicily was more of a favorite than I expected.  It had the quintessential candied fruit and citrus aromas.  The palate continued with caramel, candied fruit, and citrus peel over a creamy texture.  A great aperitif with salty dishes are a late night sipper.  

Umani Ronchi “Exclamation Point” 2008 ~ $14

Castelli di Jesi, le Marche

Verdicchio

This was definitely the least favorite white, and perhaps the least favorite wine of the tasting.  It was classic verdicchio - dry, almond with a lemon finish.  The nose had a bit of citrus, but was muted.  A bit on the heavier side.  

Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina 2008 ~ $18

Sannio, Campania

Falanghina

The favorite wine of the evening.  This had a lovely, floral-citrus nose.  The palate had notes of apple, pineapple and flowers, with a finish of citrus and minerals.  A delightful summer wine.  Great with seafood.  

La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 ~ $15

Spoltore, Abruzzo

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

This was not that well-received.  It was a rather restrained notes, with light red fruit aromas.  The palate was very dry and earthy with a tannic finish.  Hints of red-fruit also appeared.  The mouthfeel was soft and generous.  

Brotomagno Primitivo Rosso 2008 ~ $18

Manduria, Puglia

Primitivo

The favorite of the tasting.  This lovely dark wine definitely reminded me of zinfandel.  It had great aromas of black fruit with a hint of earth.  The palate opened with more black fruit, cream, vanilla and mint.  This is a soft, fruity wine, and if you're in the mood for it, it's a great deal. 

Morgante Nero D’Avola 2007 ~ $19

Grotte, Sicily

Nero D’Avola

I thought this was going to be more of a crowd-pleaser.  Overall, I think it was a bit too intense.  The nose had hints of black berries, spice and tobacco.  The palate had the chocolate notes I've come to associate with the varietal.  There was also a jammy dark fruit and tar edge.  

Terredora Di Paolo Aglianico 2008  ~ $20

Montefusco, Campania

Aglianico

This more elegant wine, had quite a bit of black-berry on the nose.  However, the fruit did not continue on to the palate. This is a medium-bodied wine, with a lot of tannic structure.  Hints of spice and earth were combined with a slight gamey character.

Liveli Passamante 2008 ~ $13

Salento, Puglia

Negroamaro

This wine was produced from eighty-year-old negroamaro vines.  The nose had hints of dark cherries and earth.  The palate was more fruit-forward, with a lighter mid note of spice and perhaps tar.  Not the tannic structure I expected from this varietal, which is supposed to be Puglia's age-worthy hope.  

Argiolas Costera 2007 ~ $18

Serdiana, Sardegna

90% Cannonau, 5% Carignano and 5% Bovale Sardo

This wine was more elegant than I expected, and also more gamey.  The nose had black fruit and earth.  The palate had more fruit, as well as earthiness, mint, spices, and perhaps bacon fat.  Given grenache's exuberance in other climes, I was surprised by how lean this wine was.  

Lambert's ☆☆☆

Lambert's Downtown Barbecue

401 w. 2nd st

Austin, TX 78701

(512) 494-1500

Lambert's is fancy-schmancy BBQ in downtown Austin.  Stephen and I happen to love going there – it’s really close to our house, the food is well-prepared, and it is creative.  However, if you’re looking for classic, stick-to-your ribs, Texan BBQ, this is not the place for you.  Even so, I would recommend checking it out at least once.  

The restaurant is housed in the Historic Schneider Brothers Building that was saved from demolition during one of Austin’s recent building crazes.  The interior is very well down, all-most hipsterish.  It has exposed brick walls, long, green banquettes, and an old-timey bar.  There’s also a small, live-music venue upstairs that has food service as well.  Overall, it's a design coup.

Another thing that sets this BBQ joint apart is its wine list, or the fact that it even has one.  It has a great selection by the glass, as well as by the bottle.  Plus they also will have special wines on offer periodically – I had a great Viader recently.  The cocktail list is inventive as well and involves the usual suspects – fresh fruit to muddle, hand made mixers and quality liquors.  And of course there is a well-rounded, somewhat Texas-focused beer list.  This is a nice place to grab a drink.

BBQ is more of an inspiration than even a guide for a lot of the menu.  It has great starters and salads – the deviled eggs are fantastic and the achiote seared chickpeas and goat cheese are unexpected and a healthy/filling alternative.  I will say that while I love the fried green tomatoes at Uchi, they are not that great at Lambert's.  I would avoid.  The main course section of the menu has undergone some revisions over the last few years.  There are now two sections – oak smoked and oak grilled.  I really like the brisket – brown sugar and coffee rub – and the jalapeno hot links.  If you want to have lighter fare, the fresh market fish is always excellent and the cold smoked bandera quail is consistent as well.  Lambert's does have that irritating habit of not providing enough veggies with their mains, and so there is a “family style sides” section.  I usually will get the spinach or the collard greens, though you haven’t lived until you tried the green chili cheese grits.  Quite frankly, I’m usually too stuffed for dessert, but I have managed to eat the fried pear pie, and it was nice but not stunning.

I really love going to Lambert’s for brunch.  It’s one of these all you can eat affairs.  They have an amazing house-smoked salmon, and usually also offer a spicy, egg hash, as well as other breakfast regulars, BBQ staples, and lovely desserts.  It’s a little pricey, but it’s worth it.  

Head down to Lambert's to check out a little variety in your BBQ.  The restaurant is fun just to see – it’s quite well-designed.  The food is inventive and well-prepared and you could always just grab a drink and listen to some of Austin’s famous live music.  Not a bad way to spend an evening….  ☆☆☆

Vancouver Trip - Day 3 and 4

Day 3

On day three, we got up early-ish and headed over to the University of British Columbia to see the Museum of Anthropology.  It has a stunning location - looking over the pacific ocean on a cliff.  It also has a magnificent collection of first peoples arts and artifacts.  I loved the grand hall with the massive totem poles.  It’s worth the journey over.  

After the museum, we had lunch at the revamped restaurant, Refuel, in the Kitsilano part of town.  Refuel used to be a fine dining establishment called Fuel, however, they closed down and reopened in a more casual vibe.  We had my favorite meal of the trip there.  The place was not too crowded and we were able to interact with the waiter and one of the chefs quite a bit.  I had the amazing soft poached eggs with tomatoes and fresh ricotta as well as a glass of BC wine.  Again a lovely light white.  Stephen had their buttermilk fried chicken with a biscuit and watermelon - which was pretty darn good.  The place is very sparse in its decoration, but the staff are lovely.  The website says that they are attempting to serve honest food in a relaxed atmosphere.  They are succeeding.  I would highly recommend going there.  

In the afternoon, we went to the wedding, which was beautiful, and then had a break.  We decided to check out this tea place we had seen downtown, the Urban Tea Merchant.  This place has a fantastic selection of teas from The O Dor.  We had an afternoon tea service.  While nibbling on macarons and chocolates, we sipped a Gyokura Tokywa and Fen Xie.  We liked them so much we bought some to take back home in these nifty tins.  The tea sommelier, Reza Nasooti, was wonderful.  If you go, strike up a conversation with him!  After the tea, we headed to the wedding, which was at the Vancouver Convention Center.  The Convention Center has an amazing view across the harbor and is extremely green in design (it even has a green grass roof).  It was stunning.

Day 4

On our last day, we only had the morning.  We drove over to East Vancouver to eat dim sum at Sun Sui Wah.  We had specifically targeted this spot because it was supposed to have carts!  Alas, there were no carts.  There was a very large, crowded dining space filled with happy diners.  We ordered very unceremoniously from a flip book with pictures and descriptions.  Overall the quality was very good and the place was hopping by the time we left.  If you’re craving dim sum this might be a good spot for you.  

I really enjoyed Vancouver; can't wait to go back... 

Vancouver Trip - Day 1 and 2

Day 1

We only had a half day in Vancouver on day one, but we managed to make it count!  Upon leaving the airport, we noticed that Granville Island was on our way to our hotel, so we decided to stop, eat some lunch and peruse the Public Market.  Apparently we were not alone in our decision to check out Granville - trying to find parking was a mild nightmare and the sidewalks were overflowing with tourists.  Details.  We wandered through the immense market and selected some lunch from the vendors.  They have everything from great butchers to specialty foods to lunch spots offering global cuisine.  We had an enjoyable, simple lunch on the water, staring out over to downtown Vancouver.  It was a glorious day.  We traipsed about the Island a bit after lunch.  It’s a lot of kitschy places, but I was excited to try the Artisan Sake Maker boutique - under the guidance of Masa Shiroki.  We did a quick sake tasting and snagged a few bottles to take home.  The sake was intriguing, a bit rustic, but delish.  I would recommend checking them out if you are at all into your sake.

After Granville, we checked into our hotel - The Sutton Place.  The Sutton Place is really nice, well-located, and apparently a B-list celebrity magnet.  We saw a ton of celebs over our weekend.  Our hotel room wasn’t quite ready, so we wandered down the shopping venue, Robson St.  It is packed full with stores, most of the familiar to the American eye.  I did spy an immense Lululemon and resolved to go back before we left for the States.  We walked all the way down to Stanley Park.  Stanley Park is huge - larger then NYC’s central park - and it is very wild.  I’m used to more manicured city parks, like Central Park, or the Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens, or London’s Hyde Park.  This is beautiful, but essentially a forested peninsula jutting out from downtown Vancouver.  We took a nice stroll along the waterfront, admiring the stunning view of Coal Harbor.  Definitely not hard to take - I can understand why everyone is in such good shape.

After, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the Wedding rehearsal dinner.

Day 2

I woke up nice and early - thanks time change - on Day 2.  Stephen had to work, so I wandered out to grab some Starbucks - this city loves it some Starbucks.  I've been told that the two highest grossing Starbucks are both on Robson St in Vancouver - right across the street from each other! I wandered down the pedestrian only Granville street, checking out all of the stores, including a rather fancy Sears.  After I returned, Stephen and I headed across the Lions Gate Bridge to north Vancouver and the Grouse Grind...  The Grouse Grind is a hike up Grouse Mountain, the city’s closes ski mountain.  At the top there’s supposed to be a great view of the city, etc.  The Grind is known as Nature’s Stairmaster.  Once you start, you can’t turn around and it should take you an hour and a half to complete.  It was the worst decision of the trip.  It ended up being an interminable series of roughly hewn steps, tree roots and rock outcroppings at like an 80% grade.  Half way through it began to pour on us, ten minutes later it began to hail.  Yes hail.  By the time we scrambled to the top almost two hours later we were exhausted, soaked to the bone and freezing.  Luckily, the ski outpost is stocked with all manner of hiking and outdoors gear.  Stephen, who attempted the climb in jeans, purchased a new outfit.  We got some hot drinks, tried to see Vancouver through the fog, and ultimately loaded up on the Gondola for the 10 minute ride down.  Do not do the Grind unless you are in great shape and you know for sure that the weather is going to be beautiful....

The rest of the day was much better.  After cleaning up, we had a lovely lunch at Cafe Medina.  The restaurant is on a quiet street and is a tiny oasis to wonderful food.  It is Moroccan influenced - I had a delicious rocket salad, Stephen had a mereguez sausage wrap and we enjoyed the signature waffles.  Not too pricey, and definitely worth a visit - no reservations though... I hear their brunch is ridiculously good.  We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through Chinatown, Gastown and Yaletown.  In Chinatown we saw the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.  It was a beautiful garden, however, I would just go to the public side.  It’s free and just as pretty if you’re looking to save some money.  We saw all the quirky stores in Gastown as well as the steam clock.  Yaletown definitely had a yuppy vibe and its two main streets, Mainland and Hamilton, are a diner’s paradise - two rows of fashionable restaurants with large sidewalk seating.  

For dinner we headed over to Vij’s.  Vij’s is a very famous, Indian restaurant that is widely considered one of the best restaurants in Vancouver, and has been so since it opened in 1989.  They do not take reservations.  We arrived at 6 and there was already an hour and a half wait!  Vij himself was there entertaining the waiting crowd.  We enjoyed their signature ginger drink - reminded me a lot of my favorite tamarind drink from Tamarind Springs in Koh Samui, Thailand - as well as a few cocktails and tons of free apps as we waited in the beautiful weather.  When we sat, we ordered the samosas, the marinated beef shortribs (yum!), and the grilled sablefish, as well as a bottle of BC wine made from a somewhat obscure grape, eherenfelser (cross between a riesling and silvaner).  The BC wine was quite lovely - a full bouquet of melons, apples, etc.  The meal was amazing, but we could not finish.  I ended up buying a cook book I enjoyed it so much.  If you have the time and the inclination, check out Vij’s.  

We finished our evening at the Sutton Place bar - Gerard Lounge.  It was not much - a small space with dark wood paneling and comfy seats.   We had two BC beers - which were tasty.  We also apparently sat next to the cast of Stargate Universe (I don't watch the show).  I didn’t even notice....  

Aquarelle ☆☆☆

Aquarelle

606 Rio Grande Street

Austin, TX 78701-2718

(512) 479-8117

Aquarelle has been providing a classic, French, fine dining experience to the Austin public for more than a decade.  The restaurant is located in a quaint, little, yellow house on a side street from the main thoroughfare, sixth street.  The atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed - an ideal date spot as well as a great spot to go for happy hour.  

The wine list is by no means expansive.  It is decently edited with a strong focus on French wines (though you can find wine from other locales such as Argentina and the USA).  They do make a consistent effort to offer well-priced wines.  The most expensive one on the list, the last time I ate there, was around $100.  This commitment to general affordability has forced them to be a bit more daring in their selection.  My last time in, we sampled a nice Chénas – a lesser-known Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape.  You would be hard pressed to find this wine in any retail shop – it’s nice to treat yourself to something unusual when you go out!

As I mentioned, the food is pretty classical French, but it does vary to incorporate ingredients that are more locally abundant.  If you have the time and inclination the set menus – the Menu Rapide and Menu Marché – are good options.  The courses are different from the a la carte menu and seem to be more seasonally focused.  In addition to the set menus, there is an a la carte menu which is not too huge.  It is divided simply into starters, mains and desserts.  We recently went there and had the Menu Marché.  Highlights included the Herbed Laura Chenel Goat Cheese in Butter Puff Pastry, which was excellent, and the Pan-Seared Day Boat Scallops, which included a potato pancake and a smoked salmon-jalapeno mousse.  I really enjoyed their profiteroles as well.  Everything is lightly and delicately prepared, with a nice seasonal focus.  Though I've been generally pleased with every dish I've had, I've never been wowed.  It's all good, just not fantastic.  Still it's a excellent place for a nice night out.  

If you're looking for elegant, yet unpretentious, french fare with a seasonal focus in downtown Austin, check out Aquarelle.  You're in for a pleasant experience.  ☆☆☆

Summer Fruit Salad

I make this dessert during the heat of the summer when all of the luscious stone fruit appears.  I know it's time because I can smell the sweet aroma of peaches and nectarines as I wander through the farmer's market. It's extremely simple to make and so delectable sweet, yet refreshing on a long hot day....

2-3 ripe peaches

2-3 ripe nectarines

2-3 ripe plums

any other stone fruit (plucots, apricots, etc.) that might be available, cherries are good too if fresh (but then you have to pit them....)

2 limes

a bunch of mint

1-2 tbsp rum (make sure it's fragrant)

1.  Wash and dry the various stone fruit.  Pit and dice all of the fruit into uniform-size cubes.  No need to be super particular, but try to get the pieces the same size.  Place all of the cut fruit in a large bowl.

2.  Remove the mint leaves and finely julienne.  Sprinkle over the fruit.  Juice the limes over the fruit.  Add the rum to the bowl and stir!  Serve immediately or refrigerate.  It lasts up to 3 days.

*  Now obviously the success of this dish depends a large part on the ripeness of your fruit.  If you are working with greener specimens, I recommend making this dish a day ahead of time and letting the fruit macerate a bit in the lime juice and rum.  

Northern Italian Wines - Tasting 8 17 10

This August we tasted the noble wines of Northern Italy.  We focused on three main areas - the TreVenezia of the northeast, Piedmont in the northwest, and Tuscany in north-central Italy.  These were some amazing wines that possessed quite a bit of finesse.  Enjoy!

Joseph Hofstatter Pinot Grigio 2008 ~ $18

Alto-Adige

Pinot Grigio

Unfortunately, this wine was corked!

Inama Soave Classico 2008 ~ $17

Veneto

Garganega

Everyone liked the light and approachable soave.  This light white is made entirely from the garganega grape.  It has nice aromas of flowers and peaches on the nose.  The palate has more minerality, however it has a citrus-acidity that would go very nicely with seafood and a nice summer night. 

Bastianich Tocai Friulano Colli Orientale 2007 ~ $20

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Tocai Friulano

A heavier white.  This wine was favored by some and hated by others at the tasting.  It had notes of pear on the nose and a nice minerally edge on the palate.  The acidity was balanced by a certain weight to the mouthfeel.  A nice, more substantial white.  

Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto D’Alba 2007 ~ $25

Piedmont

Dolcetto

I love Bruno Giacosa wines.  They are always well-made, but not ostentatious.  This dolcetto was no different.  The nose was a bit restrained, however, you got light notes of red fruit and maybe violets.  The tannins in this wine were quite light and supple and supported the fruitiness of the palate.  It had a nice spice to the finish as well.  

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina 2008 ~ $18

Tuscany

Sangiovese

I was really excited to do this tasting because I felt I knew so little about sangiovese and that what I did know was not so great.  I really liked this wine from one of the outer regions of Chianti.  It possessed a lot of red-fruit earthiness on the nose.  The palate continued with earth, red fruit and a hint of smoky spice.  A great bargain.  

Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 2005 ~ $35

Tuscany

Sangiovese

My favorite wine of the tasting.  I thought that this wine was an amazing deal for the price point.  It had a nose of berries, spice, earth and tobacco.  The palate continued with dark berries, earth, herbs, spice and tobacco.  This elegantly tannic wine had a long finish as well.  Yum! 

L’Arco Rosso del Veronese 2004 ~ $18

Veneto

Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara & Croatina

This was the favorite wine of the tasting by far.  It is not a usual wine from the Veneto, but is in between a Valpolicella and an Amarone.  It had an amazing juiciness to it that was balanced with a nice earthy, tannic structure.  There were aromas of red fruit and spice that continued through on the palate.  

Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo delle Langhe 2008 ~ $28

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

I have loved this simple nebbiolo from Langhe for a while now.  It is a great price point and it shows off the varietal very well.  It has a classic nose of red fruit, truffles and earth.  The palate continues lightly with the dark fruit and earthiness and adds a touch of spicy smoke.  Lovely clarity as well.  

Foxen Williamson-Dore Vineyard Sangiovese 2006 ~ $40

Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara

Sangiovese

Because the pinot grigio was corked, we added this last minute.  It is a Californian sangiovese.  The tasters really liked it.  I found it to be a great example and contrast to the old world wins - it was smooth and bursting with fruit and oak.  It had aromas of cherry on the nose.  I think the tasting notes from the winery best describe the palate - "black currant-gummi bear flavors, with a characteristically dry finish."

Northern Italian Wines - Cheat Sheet

Lessons learned or everything you need to know about Northern Italian Wines (to sound like a wine geek!)

Italy is a patchwork of small regions and producers.  There is an amazing wealth in terms of varietals and styles.  The three most important regions of Northern Italy are TreVenezia (really three small regions combined), Piedmont and Tuscany.

First, a little introduction to the laws and regulations of Italian wines - they are a bit confusing....  Italian wines are all about regional names, similar to France.  Much like you have Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc. you have Chianti, Barolo, etc. in Italy.  A caveat though, you also will get varietal names like Sangiovese and Nebbiolo when you are buying the entry-level wines and then there are some exceptions like Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Montepulciano grape of Abruzzo).

Italian wines are also labeled using the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOCG) system (similar to French AOC).  It is is the modern legislation governing Italian wine production since 1963.  There are several levels of classification in increasing order of pedigree:  Vino da Tavola (VdT or table wine); Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT or typical geographic indication); Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC or controlled origin); and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG or controlled and guaranteed origin).  It is important to note that there are some brilliant wines, like Super-Tuscans, that do not follow the strict regulations of the DOCG system (often include outside varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon) and so are considered table wines even though they command prices in the hundreds of dollars.

There are a ton of varietals in Italy, so I will highlight the ones I think are important for Northern Italian wines, it would be impossible to cover the probably more than 800 distinct varieties of grapes in Italy in just 2 tastings.

TreVenezia - Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige & Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

This region is the in the far northeast, has been influenced by many different forces - slavic, germanic and italian.  Indeed, until WWII, it wasn’t officially a part of Italy!  The region is enclosed by the Carnic and Julian Alps to the north and the east - which separate it from Slovenia and Austria.  The other main dominating feature of the geography is the Adriatic Sea.  The proximity provides temperature moderation and cooling breezes.  Vineyards planted in the limestone hills of the collio produce the most intriguing wines.  This region pioneered the usage of stainless-steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.  The white wines do not undergo malo-lactic fermentation, so they produce crisp, bright, fruity wines.  The main white wine grapes are tocai friulano, pinot grigio, ribolla gialla, sauvignon blanc, pinot bianco and picolit.  Red wines, though not as renowned, are also produced usually from merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and refosco.

Trentino-Alto Adige

To the north and west is the mountainous region of Trentino-Alto Adige or Tyrol.  This region is quite Germanic and in many ways it still feels like it is a part of Austria.  The signature wines are crisp and aromatic whites - think gewurztraminer, muller-thurgau, etc.  Everything is more extreme here - cooler, higher, rockier.  The wines taste like bright green apples and are accompanied by a range of aromas - from flinty, mineral to tropical fruits.  Pinot grigio is the most common varietal.

Veneto

The Veneto region produces both red and white wines as well as the sparkler - Prosecco.  The vineyards are inland, close to Verona.  The region has been battling an image of quantity over quality for some time, especially with regards to Soave.  Soave is made principally from the Garganega grape - which matures later in the season, which works, since the climate is actually quite hot.  The vineyards are planted in mineral-rich, balsatic rock.  In an effort to combat mass-production issues, the original Soave zone is now known as Soave.   The wines are somewhat aromatic with a flinty, appely edge.  Red wine is defined by Valpolicella, which is north of Verona on mountainous ridges containing lots of marble known as rosso veronese.  Valpolicella is made from corvina,a dark, thin-skinned grape with nice firm tannins and a rich, smoky, red-cherry scent.  Another grape that is commonly used is Rondinella which is more aromatic. Two special wines of the region are the sweet Recioto and rich and intense Amarone.  They are produced through the process of appasiamento - grapes are left to dry and lose 30% of water weight.

Piedmont

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy.  It is surrounded by mountains - the Maritime Alps shut it off from France and the Swiss Alps cap the region in the north. It was part of the Duchy of Savoy for a long time and so has ties to both Italy and France, though it was one of the first regions of Italy to join the nascent country in the 1860s.   There are several extremely famous regions, specifically, Barolo and Barbaresco of the Langhe hills in the southeast which flank the Po river, however there are many interesting, lesser-known wine regions as well.

All of the vineyards are planted in limestone rich soils at high altitudes.  Despite the relatively cool, damp climate, white wines are not king, though they are tasty.  Roero arneis is the most interesting white producing fruit driven wines with grapefruit and floral aromas. Gavi is another white varietal.  The red varietals produce wines with aromas of truffles, mushrooms, hazelnuts, coffee. Really,  red wines are the king!  South of the Po River, the nebbiolo grape shares the langhe and monferrato hills with plump and purple dolcetto and the super-prolific barbera, along with a bunch of others.  As compared to nebbiolo, barbera and dolcetto are more fun and accessible.  Dolcetto, or little sweet one, is all soft tannins and plump grapey fruit.  Barbera has  aromas of violets and black fruits and licorice and even coffee.  The varietal is all about acidity and so has a more sour, spicy red fruit character as compared to dolcetto.

Nebbiolo comes from the Italian word nebbia, which means fog, and refers to the damp conditions the wines are produced in.  Nebbiolo is behind the most elegant wines with aromas of light red fruit, tar, leather, truffles and spice.  It is also ridiculously tannic and so needs time to age before consumption.  The vineyards of Piedmont are all about subtlety, especially when it comes to the famous Barolo and Barbaresco.   Barbaresco is slightly cooler climate, feminine and produces finer wines. Barolo is more brawny  and produces intense, masculine wines.  Both are amazing regions for world-class wines.

Tuscany

If Piedmont is Italy’s Burgundy, Tuscany is Italy’s Bordeaux.  The most famous and recognized region of Tuscany is Chianti (including Chianti Classico).  It has been a delimited wine region since the 1700s.  During the last century, however, it became known for mass-quantity, cheap wine.  This was a result of a geographical expansion of the region, bad blending rules and large-scale plantings.  Today, the superior wines come from the smaller region of Chianti Classico.  There are 7 sub-regions within Chianti, including Rufina.  In response to the bad situation, some vintners created super-tuscans - which are wines outside of regulations.  These include Sassicaia, Solaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello.  Others worked on upgrading the winemaking process, regulations and raw ingredients - better standards, better clones, and controlled temperature fermentation in stainless steel.  As a result there has been much improvement in the last few decades.  Beyond Chianti, there are two other main regions - Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano.

There are really only two grapes in Tuscany - white trebbiano and red sangiovese.  Sangiovese has lots of sub-varieties which fall into two basic categories - sangiovese grosso which has large berries (brunello) and sangiovese with small berries.  Grosso’s thicker skins are what give brunellos a more tannic bite and ability to age.  From the schist-like soil, wines exhibiting aromas of cherry with a foresty, smoky edge emerge.  Sangiovese is a very vigorous grape that is difficult to get fully ripe - which is why old-style chiantis were such acidic messes.

Brunello di Montalcino, which was unknown until the 1970’s, has a dryer, hotter, more mediterranean environment.  The soils are different as well with more limestone and sand - they are perhaps superior.  Due to the climate, the harvest is early and the wines are bigger, blacker and more tannic.  Vino Nobile de Montepulciano is the last of the big three and it tends to be forgotten.  As a result, the wines are often a good deal.  The wines have softer tannins and broader, less acidic profiles.

Somnio's Cafe

Somnio's Cafe

1807 South First Street

Austin, TX 78704

512-442-2500

Somnio's Cafe is a little restaurant that's just down the block from my house.  It's been open for over 2 years now, but, until recently, I was never intrigued to venture over for a meal.  Stephen and I ate there last night and I'm pleased to report that, along with Thai Fresh, Enoteca and Torchy's, this place is going to become a regular.  Somnio's claims to offer eclectic, South Austin cuisine with a vegetarian edge - the restaurant definitely delivers.  

The restaurant is housed in this little house on a busy part of South First - I have to admit, the outside is part of the reason I wasn't intrigued.  It just didn't look good.  The inside continues with the South Austin vibe - as my husband said, it looks like they went to town at Goodwill.  Nothing matches - chairs, tables, plates, lighting fixtures, etc. - however, the overall look is one of slightly worn, comfyness.  It's not a place for a fancy date, but a great spot for tasty food in a low-key environment.

They do not have a liquor license and so are BYOB, which is awesome.  They charge a $2 per person corkage fee.  Stephen and I enjoyed a 2007 Melville Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara that we'd been meaning to drink for a while.  Lovely!

The menu is another part of the reason I wasn't initially interested in Somnio's.  It just looks too vegetarian/health food.  I'm glad I overlooked my instincts in this case as I found everything I ate to be really tasty and flavorful.  We ordered a hummus plate to start - lots of coarse hummus, feta cheese, carrots and olives with pita - filling and garlicky in a good way.  Then, I had to order one of their salads - the Sissy.  It was my favorite thing of the evening - spring mix, apples, jalapenos, pecans, avocado and a light vinaigrette.  We each had a taco.  I sampled the famed Nynavae tacos - mushroom fritters (like really good hush puppies) with a cabbage slaw - and Stephen had the orange pork tacos (a great non- vegetarian option!) -  succulent shredded pork, spinach and feta.  They definitely have a way with tacos.  We will be ordering those again. 

We were too stuffed for dessert, but I was not intrigued anyhow - vegan brownie.  I'm sorry, that just sounds bad.  

Besides their regular menu, they have a daily specials page that tempted.  I will definitely be trying in the future.  Check out this little hole in the wall on South First - it's worth it!