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….  ☆☆☆