Park City, UT - A Quick Guide

My husband, Stephen, and I have back to back birthdays and so we usually will take a fun trip as a birthday present to ourselves. Thus far we’ve done Zihuatanejo, Mexico and Santa Barbara. This year, after having a fantastic skiing experience in Red Lodge Montana over New Years, we decided to go skiing at Park City. Neither of us had been before. We were particularly attracted to it because there are direct flights to Salt Lake City from Austin and the drive to the ski area is only about 40 minutes! Additionally, there were supposed to be excellent restaurants. We were not disappointed on either front.

Park City is a quaint little town with a main street full of little shops and restaurants. There are three main ski resort areas - Park City Resort, Deer Valley Resort and The Canyons. We skied Park City Resort and Deer Valley. Park City was particularly convenient for us since we stayed down town - there’s a lift straight out of town up to the resort. Additionally, the range of runs is amazing! We highly recommend going there! Deer Valley is more luxurious and doesn’t allow snow boarders. While we really liked the cushy experience, we found

the runs to be really great for intermediate-advanced skiers, but not beginners. Stephen just began skiing over New Years, so we skied all of the greens. If you’re a beginner, we would recommend Park City; intermediate or advanced, check out Deer Valley!

Below, our dining experiences:

Zoom

60 Main Street

Park City, UT 84060

435 - 649-9108

Zoom is located in a beautiful old building that actually used to be a train depot. It is owned by Robert Redford and part of his Sundance empire. The restaurant is laid back but rustically elegant. The food is similarly comforting with Americana favorites. We particularly enjoyed the buffalo onion rings and the grilled pork tenderloin with pistachio mole and whipped yams. Yum! The wine list is California focused, but has a nice variety. While not necessarily going to knock your socks off, a meal here will definitely satisfy after a hard day on the slopes.

Sky Club at the Sky Lodge

201 Heber Avenue

Park City, UT 84068
435-658-2500

We stopped in here for a quick drink before dinner on our first night in Park City. It has a nice little wine list and a well-equipped bar. I had a Qupé Viognier and Stephen had a local beer, Squatters Hop Rising Double IPA (a whopping 9% alcohol!). The decor is on the modern side, but the seating was still comfy. Also, there is a nice view over Park City out to the mountains. Stop by for an après-ski drink.

J&G Grill at the St. Regis

2300 Deer Valley Drive East

Park City, Utah 84060

435 940.5760

I had high hopes for the J&G Grill as it is a Jean-Georges Vongerichten venture (I fell in love with his food dining at the Mercer Kitchen almost ten years ago, egad!). Unfortunately, I was less than pleased with our dining experience. The restaurant is very elegant and luxurious with a large fireplace and windows overlooking the gorgeous mountain views. The menu is Americana with a bit of fusion thrown in. I really enjoyed their goat cheese fondue - served with roasted beets, grapes, walnuts and endive - as well as their passion fruit souffle (I have a small passion fruit addiction). Stephen’s filet mignon was prepared to perfection. Now for the cons. I found the waitstaff to be wanting. They were polite, but left us sittin

g forever before bringing us water or our next course, etc. The sommelier was awful. I was excited because the wine list was supposed to be great. We get there and everything has been marked up 300-400%, literally; the average price was $100+! When I asked the sommelier about his Rhone offerings, he only recommended the

most expensive bottle - $300 - and then when I demurred he muttered a few things about vintages before scuttling away. Highly irritating. Overall, I think this place thinks extremely highly of its self but has yet to deliver!

Spruce at Dakota Mountain Lodge

2100 Frostwood Drive

Park City, UT 84098

435-647-5566

Spruce, a San Francisco transplant, is located in the brand new Dakota Mountain Lodge. It is gorgeous. All dark mahogany, delicate, filigree chandeliers, and soft leathers inside. The service is excellent - our waiter was very helpful and the sommelier was fantastic (a great contrast to J&G Grill). We each started with a glass of white wine - I had one of the many Reislings on offer and Stephen had a Malvasia - and then split a half bottle of a Bandol. The food was interesting - a strong farm to market focus combined with subtle exotic flavors. I had a roasted chicken coated in Moroccan spices while Stephen had a lovely elk loin wrapped in bacon. The desserts were tasty as well! A lovely, elegant experience - I highly recommend!

Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge

7700 Stein Way

Park City, Utah 84060

435-649-3700

The Stein Eriksen Lodge is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the Deer Valley Resort. It is the epitome of ski-in ski-out. Stephen and I had brunch at the Glitretind Restaurant on our last day in Park City. It was one of those all you can eat buffets, but oh the quality. We had several kinds of smoked salmon and trout, huevos rancheros, sushi, roast tenderloin, salads, a smorgasbord of desserts. All of it was well-prepared and delicious. Plus we had a view of the mountains before us. The lodge is rustic, but elegant with a lot of pine wood, leather, and woven fabrics. If you can afford to stay here, I would. If you can’t, at least check it out for a meal. I hear that dinner is fabulous as well.

Nueva Onda ☆☆☆

Nueva Onda

2218 College Avenue

Austin, TX 78704

512-447-5063

Nueva Onda serves some of the best breakfast tacos in Austin, and that's saying something. My husband, Stephen, and I consider Austin the be the best place to get breakfast tacos in the entire USA. We've tried to get breakfast tacos elsewhere - Houston, San Diego, San Francisco - but the offerings in these various locales always fall short of the mark.

What we particularly like about Nueva Onda is that they serve beautiful tacos with the freshest and healthiest ingredients (though you can add many un-healthy options as well) and not much else. It is low stress and low fuss. I always order an egg, avocado, pico de gallo and bacon

taco. Stephen gets more adventuresome, occasionally sampling bean based combinations and chorizo. They have a simple red salsa that I liberally pour all over my tacos. I usually have a Topo Chico to go with my tacos. Additionally, the service has always been fantastic - fast and friendly.

Nueva Onda is a funky little building located on a side street off South Congress.

It generally has a garage sale or "found object" feel as none of the chairs seem to match and the tables seem scavenged from many places. On the weekends, it's great to sit out in their little patio area, reading the Chronicle while listening to a local band play. I highly recommend checking out this fun and tasty Austin original. ☆☆☆

San Diego Restaurants

From My Recent January Trip:

Amarin

3843 Richmond Street

San Diego, CA 92103

619-296-6056

Located in Hillcrest, this quaint Thai restaurant serves up classic fare in comfortable surrounds. While the menu is quite extensive and a bit creative, the core dishes ring true. I would suggest trying the Pad Thai, Summer Rolls and various curries as they are all excellent. In addition, they have a reasonable selection of wines and beers. If you’re looking for authentic, Thai cuisine, venture forth to Hillcrest!

Tartine

1106 1st Street

Coronado, CA 92118

619-435-4323

Located on the bay-side of Coronado Island, Tartine offers French-European fare in a relaxed cafe environment. The restaurant offers pastries and coffees for breakfast. For lunch, the menu expands to include several excellent paninis - try the turkey (with marinated artichokes and gruyère) or the simple ham and brie - as well as salads and other small dishes such as quiche. Dinner includes a range of entrees from mussels to duckling. Altogether, Tartine is an excellent, light dining experience that hits the right note on Coronado’s main drag.

Extraordinary Desserts

2929 Fifth Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103

619-294-2132

Apparently there are two locations of this divine dessert locale. I went to the one situated in the little white house on near Balboa Park. There was a line snaking out onto the sidewalk when we arrived one Saturday night around 8PM, however, the waitstaff moved quickly to manage the volume and we did not end up standing around too long. The brainchild of pastry whiz Karen Krasne, this dessert shop offers amazingly sized cakes, pastries, etc. that are delicious and elegant. I had the passion fruit pavlova - meringue, passion fruit creme, fresh fruit - while my dining companions sampled some of the chocolate cakes - raspberry and dark chocolate, chocolate and praline. The whole aesthetic is traditional french-style desserts with global flavors and exotic panache. The average size of the desserts is enormous, so don’t be afraid to ask for a to go bag. If you can’t make it out to Balboa Park, there is another location in Little Italy. Enjoy!

Starlight

3175 India Street

San Diego, CA 92103

619-358-9766

I ventured to Starlight with my sister and her husband for an after-diner drink on a chilly Saturday night. My sister had heard that it was an intriguing and well-designed spot in an odd part of town, right off of the San Diego Freeway. It was indeed interesting. You enter through a hexagonal opening of wooden slats and immediately come upon the large central bar under a high ceiling with dangling star lights. There are tables pushed to the edges around the bar that are for dining. If the interior bar is full, make your way to the back, where there is a second, out door bar and seating area. We had a glass of sparkling rose vin du table out there and enjoyed the atmosphere. They have a large list of specialty cocktails as well. I understand their dinner menu to be locally, and seasonally focused Americana-fusion fare. Check it out.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines

11480 North Torrey Pines Road

La Jolla, CA 92037

858-453-4420

Nestled into the ocean-side cliffs north of La Jolla, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is an architecturally stunning resort, golf course, and great place to grab a cocktail before dinner! I’ve hung out in the bar at Torrey Pines several times. It’s very relaxing to sit either outside on the porch or inside next to the roaring fire while sipping a California Pinot or Chard. Designed in the Craftsman-style, it is all warm woods, stained glass and delicate wrought-iron details. If you have the time, wander about the property - it is gorgeous! I highly recommend stopping by at some point, if you are in the area.

From Past Visits:

Cafe Chloé

721 9th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92101

619-232-3242

Cafe Chloé is a cute little french eatery located in downtown San Diego. It offers lovely pastries and breakfast items in the morning followed by more traditional french bistro fare for lunch and in the evenings (think duck confit and steak-frites). The café is well-appointed emulating “Parisian-chic” with little tables inside and out, as well as a central dark wood bar. They have a decent wine list, heavily tilted towards france, as well as an informed selection of local and international beers. Overall, well worth a stop for a quick café au lait or a light meal if you’re in the area.

Sushi Ota

4529 Mission Bay Dr

San Diego, CA 92109

858-270-5670

This little sushi spot is regularly touted as one of the best in San Diego, if not the best. It’s location would belie all such aspirations as it is situated next to a 7 Eleven in a back corner of a little strip mall. You can make reservations, but they often don’t seem to mean much, as I’ve had to wait a good while to eat there every time I’ve gone. People just don’t want to leave! This is a classic sushi-joint. They do amazing pieces - luscious tuna, salmon, yellowtail, etc. They also have rolls and other japanese fare (like tempura and gyoza, e.g.) however, I wouldn’t waste my time on these creations. I would go straight for the good, old-fashioned sushi. It can’t be beat!

Hash House a Go Go

628 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103-4220

619-298-4646

This mainly breakfast joint is constantly packed (though they serve lunch and dinner as well). You could go at 3 PM on any day and still probably encounter a wait. Known for their huge flapjacks and amazing hashes, this place is worth the wait. You will be so full, you won’t nbeed to eat anything for the rest of the day anyhow! I recommend the veggie HH Eggs Benedict, the House Smoked Salmon Hash and any of the Flapjacks (though particularly the Blueberry Pecan or the Brown Sugar Banana). Get one to share with your table!

Tractor Room

3687 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103-4218

619-543-1007

The sister restaurant of the Hash House, it is actually located right down the street! I went here one morning after being turned away from Hash House. It was a lucky chance, as I like the Tractor Room even more than Hash House. It has the same over-sized approach to breakfast/brunch as the Hash House, but it is a little more refined. They serve up amazing rosemary corn bread to start while you sit and peruse the concise but broad menu. I highly recommend the Fresh Ground Lamb Scramble, the Elk Sausage Hash, and the Free Range Boar Hash. They are all delicious. Of course, they also have Flapjacks much like Hash House. They are huge, so again, get one for the table to share. Finally, they are whizzes with Bloody Mary’s. Sit outside on their porch, order yourself a cocktail, and while your Sunday afternoon away.

Creamy Asparagus Soup with a Poached Egg on Toast

I am making Jamie Oliver's Creamy Asparagus Soup with a Poached Egg on Toast from his fantastic cookbook - "Jamie at Home". It's a really cold rainy day in Austin, after a seemingly endless string of rainy days. Soup is just the thing to make me feel warm and cozy!

"Jamie at Home" is all about simple recipes focused on seasonally available produce. Asparagus and Eggs are part of his Spring section - let's just say I'm hoping the weather starts matching the meal.


So far, I've dumped a bunch of reasonably chopped leeks, onions and celery into a large stock pot and sauteed them in olive oil along with a sprinkle of sea salt and a turn of pepper. Mild upset, as they started to burn a bit, but no matter. I think I stopped it in time to have it taste ok (finger's crossed). I then added chopped asparagus (minus the tips) and stock and waited for it to come to a boil - it took a while. Once it began to boil, I turned it down to a simmer.


The poached eggs are the real challenge of the evening. First off, I have some lovely eggs from the Austin Farmer's Market, specifically from Smith & Smith Farms. I bought them over almost two weeks ago, so I thought it best to work through until I had a good batch. Unfortunately, it appears only 2-3 out of the remaining 5 are viable, so to speak. Lordy. In any case, the next part is the true challenge. I need to time it well too so that the eggs won't be cold by the time my husband, Stephen comes home from work... basically, I need to get a deep pan of water boiling, according to Jamie, and then I just need to dump in the eggs, and voila, they're poached. So simple, right? Well I've read differently elsewhere. The approach I'm going to take is to gently bring the water to a boil, add some vinegar (a tablespoon - it's supposed to help the eggs maintain their shape - though Harold McGee says they'll be misshapen....details), and then swirl. While swirling, I add the eggs, pre-cracked, from dishes. Tricky.


In the meantime, I've pureed the soup with an immersion blender and added the asparagus tips. I've also sliced up a lovely prosciutto and pepper ficelle from Central Market. I'm going to toast it lightly and attempt the eggs....


The first egg was a disaster, but the second shaped up well enough. Now, I'm just adding a touch of lemon to the soup, before plating it with an egg, some scrumptious prosciutto toast, and a drizzle of olive oil. It all tastes very spring-like and fresh (an thankfully not burnt). It is a bit of an odd combination. I think my eggs ended up a little too over cooked, but other than that, this is a pretty simple recipe that gives a lot of panache. I like it!

Santa Barbara Wines - 2 4 2010

This tasting was the most geographically restricted thus far - we tasted wines solely from the small AVAs of Santa Barbara County. Only 100 miles north of Los Angeles, this region has come of age in the last decade producing extraordinary Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Rhone Varietals. What became increasingly clear throughout the tasting is that region and vineyard are paramount in determining the style of the wine. Because the area has so many diverse micro-climates, the range is quite diverse. Finally most of the wines we tasted were all sourced from local Austin establishments including Austin Wine Merchant, Central Market and Specs. A few were sourced from the wineries themselves (Foxen and Melville).

Renard Rousanne 2005, Santa Ynez Valley, Westerly Vineyard

The nose is quite floral - apricot, honey and almonds - however, the delicate aromas belie the strength of the wine. This is actually a bit heavier than expected both in taste and mouth feel. There is a definite minerality to the wine, as well as a hint of melon and almond. I expected much more out of the wine, and was disappointed. This was the least favorite white wine of the group. ~$23
Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 2008, Santa Maria Valley

This was the favorite white of the evening. A lovely, lemon tinged nose gives way to a light, mineral driven wine. While there is a touch of the characteristic buttery - perhaps brioche - flavors of Chardonnay, this is not overly oaked and is well balanced. A not overly complicated wine, I would recommend this for a light dinner or as a refreshing summer aperitif. ~ $22
Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay 2007, Santa Rita Hills

This is a very complex wine. The nose hints at lemon, lime, and mineral earthiness. This wine has much more pronounced oaky tannins that manifest themselves in a light butteryness. The flavor profile begins with lemon, sage, and finishes with nuanced slate/flint tastes. There is a lot going on here. This richer wine would go well with a heartier dinner selection. ~ $45
Cambria Pinot Noir 2006, Santa Maria Valley, Julia’s Vineyard

Heralding from the northernmost AVA in Santa Barbara County, this is a well-constructed and elegant wine. The nose has lots of cherry and violets with an earthy edge. The palate continues with the red fruit and adds in a toasty component. This wine has nice mouth feel. Not overly complicated, this is a good every day wine. ~ $18
Melville “Terraces” Pinot Noir 2006, Santa Rita Hills, Melville Vineyard

This was my favorite wine of the evening. The wine has a lovely clarity set against a complex flavor structure. The nose has tons of cherry and floral elements. The palate has raspberry and red currants, followed by an earthy finish with hints of pepper. The wine keeps evolving after you taste it. Lovely! This is representative of the Santa Rita Hills in that it is a well-crafted, complex wine that emulates the French style of Pinot Noirs. ~ $50
Ampelos Syrache 2006, Santa Barbara County
This is an intriguing blend of Syrah and Grenache, two Rhone varietals. This is from the warmer climes of Santa Barbara County. The wine is full of bright cassis tones and hints of cherry. The taste profile is more structured, with touches of pepper and earth as well as light oak support. A nice everyday wine. ~ $24
Qupé Syrah 2008, Santa Barbara County

Unfortunately, this wine was oaked! ~ $20
Foxen Syrah 2007, Santa Ynez Valley, Williamson Doré Vineyard
A last minute add in - this is a very rich wine. The color is deep purple, red and it is quite opaque. The nose is a riot of black cassis and vanilla. The palate continues the explosion of black fruit but gets subtle nuances from pepper, cedar and other spices. This is quite an intense wine that would be suitable for a heavier meal, like roast lamb. ~ $44

Santa Barbara Wines - Cheat Sheet

Lessons Learned or the Top 10 Things to Know about Santa Barbara Wines (to sound like a wine geek!)

1. Santa Barbara is actually a decently old wine growing region. When it was colonized by the Spanish, they b

rought vines to the area. In fact the first vines were planted in the 1770’s.

2. Santa Barbara wine country is actually part of what is known as the Central Coast, along with Monterrey and San Luis Obispo. It is the southernmost region, about 100 miles from L.A.

3. Santa Barbara is almost rain free and experien

ces very mild temperatures year round. There are two main influences on the region - the pacific ocean, and the various s

mall mountain ranges. These have a cooling impact on the average temperature. In fact, Pinot Noir, especially, and Chardonnay do very well because of the influence of the pacific ocean. One area, close to Cape Concepcion, called the Santa Rita Hills has eternal sea fogs that create cooler conditions than even the Russian River Valley in Sonoma.

4. While the vines have been here since the 1770’s, the wine industry has not. It did not start to take off until the 1970’s. It has blossomed into prominence somewhat due to the popularity of the movie Sideways.

5. The area is mostly known for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, Rhone varietals also thrive. This range is due to the diverse micro-climates - foggy valleys, windswept mountains and warmer valleys. While you can find a reasonable range of styles, the main focus has been to emphasize more restrained, Burgundian Pinots and Chardonnays.

6. There are 3 American Viticultural Areas (AVA) in Santa Barbara County - Santa Maria Valley to the north, Santa Ynez Valley to the Southeast, and Santa Rita Hills to the Southwest. Wines from the region can also be labeled as being Central Coast or Santa Barbara County.

7. Santa Maria Valley - the northernmost AVA. It experiences a lot of fog and wind. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay do very well. Some standout producers - Au Bon Climat, Qupe, Foxen and Byron. Vineyards of note - Bien Nacido and Julia's.

8. Santa Ynez Valley - the largest AVA. It runs along a long east-west corridor. Consequently, it has a range of temperatures and micro-climates. The closer to the ocean, the stronger the maritime influence and the cooler the temperatures. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay do better in the cooler climes, while Rhone varietals dominate in the warmer eastern regions, as well as Cabernet. Some standout producers - Fess Parker, Foxen, Firestone and Andrew Murray. Vineyards, Regions of note - Westerly, Williamson-Dore, Foxen Canyon.

9. Santa Rita Hills - the newest AVA. It is located far west, close to the Pacific ocean, and as such, is dominated by the marine layer. It has very cool temperatures and is excellent for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Some standout producers - Melville, Sanford, Brewer-Clifton, Babcock, Lafond and Seasmoke. Vineyards of note - Seasmoke, Fiddlestix, Cargasacchi, Melville.

10. While a winery might be located in a particular region, it does not necessarily follow that all of the wines produced there are from that area. Wineries very commonly source grapes form different regions and particular vineyards. As a result, it is very important to pay attention to the vineyard designations!

George's at the Cove - California Modern

George’s at the Cove - California Modern

1250 Prospect Street

La Jolla, CA 92037

858-454-4244

On my recent trip to San Diego I had an opportunity to dine at George’s California Modern with my sister, Amanda, and her husband, Andy. Located in scenic La Jolla, just on the edge of the pacific ocean, the restaurant is a fine example of California modern cuisine - all organic ingredients, light flavors, and gourmet touches. We were lucky enough to go during restaurant week, so we were able to eat there for the relatively low price of $40 a person for three courses.

While this is not an inexpensive restaurant, it is well worth visiting, even outside of restaurant week.

The interior of George’s is very sleek, gray and minimalist - California. Waiters scurry about between the white-table clothed tables. All of the windows open out over the water and you can hear the surf below. It is all comfortable elegance. Upon seating you are confronted with a rather large wine list. Now while it displays an impressive range of expensive bottles, there are also reasonable deals to be had. Since my sister’s husband is just getting into wine, I ordered a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut for the table, a classic. If I dine there again, I will definitely be perusing the list more deeply.

The bread they serve you is fantastic - earthy, whole wheat still warm from the oven. We went through our initial allotment rather quickly as we perused the menu. They obligingly supplied more immediately! The menu has an omnivore side, as well as a vegetarian side (another sign you’re in Cali). We mainly stuck to the omnivore. The appetizer and salad options were so intriguing, we opted to order two and an entree, rather than a dessert! I ordered the fish tacos, the smoked and grilled local octopus and the roasted organic chicken; my sister dittoed on the tacos and the roast chicken, and then ordered the curried Chino Farms carrots; Andy ordered the Japanese hamachi, the date salad, and the braised Colorado lamb shank.

Everything was delicious and artfully prepared. In particular, the tuna taco was fantastic. They pound the tuna out thin into a circle and coat it in corn nuts (to make your tortillas) then add chopped tuna tartare, avocado and cabbage in the middle. Totally creative

approach to sushi and mexican food! My octopus and chicken were also quite tasty, if less inventive. Amanda seemed to really enjoy her curried carrots - they were a subtle blend of sweet and spicy. I think that George’s California Modern does a great job handling the seasonally and locally focused dishes they prepare with a light hand. None of the flavors are overpowering - everything melds beautifully. I hope to go back sometime soon so I can sample some sure to be tasty dessert!