Hearth Restaurant, Brushstroke, Corkbuzz, Kunjip, and Seju Yang: New York

It's been awhile fellow readers!  I've been away... far, far, away... in many international places that even I myself am surprised at the rapid fervor of my ability to jet set.  From April 6 through May 28, I was on a perpetual 2 month holiday.  Yes that's right, SoleRockinIt! Tel Aviv -> SF -> SD -> SF -> HK -> Taipei -> HK -> Tel Aviv -> HK -> NYC, where I currently scribe this blog from my 30th floor flat in Murray Hill, with a breathtaking view of Empire State and other NYC landmarks.

All this traveling whilst on hols doesn't come without a cost.  I've been fighting a heinous cough which started post landing Tel Aviv from Hong Kong since May 6... then carried that same evil cough back to Hong Kong late May, shared it internationally with fellow VinExpo folks (who also brought their versions of the cough from Portugal and Italy), and gave my HK buddy Simtub a goodbye gift of the most evil of all hellatious flus which struck him down for 4 days!  Surely I also annoyed the two people next to me to no end on Cathay Pacific  toilet class from HK/JFK direct May 28.  16+ hours non-stop flight and non-stop "cough cough, cough cough."  Yup, I became one of those... "diseased people" if you will, who spreads germs globally.  :(  I know, I know.  But what can I do?  MUST. TRAVEL. FOR. FOOD.  :)

Anyhow, last night after two weeks back at work and two loooong weeks of day and night work hours (I don't eat grand every night mind you) naturally I needed  to redeem myself.  A few wine bar restos not yet checked off in my NY list - one included HEARTH RESTAURANT which rumor has it, has great food and a pretty extensive and "interesting" wine list by the well respected Paul Grieco.  Ie, things off the road less taken, lots of German/Austrian/Alsatian Rieslings (my kind of stuff), things like that. Yet, from personal experience, I've learned NOT to get my hopes up about any restaurant, until I show up and taste it myself with my very own eyes and mouth.  My trademark theory is that any restaurant might be "good" by one person's standard - but how do you know what they're comparing it to?  Maybe they eat dog food at night, so for all I know a Hungry Man Salisbury Steak Microwave Dinner might be the best thing since sliced bread to them!
                                                                                                                       
Ok ok, so that's not a very nice comparison but you know what I mean.  I've been duped and disappointed enough times in many years that I just can't take references seriously anymore.  I come from such an extreme global palate, that my expectations far exceed the typical "national" eater.  I didn't get dubbed "Ego" from Ratatouille for nothing, avec plaisir !  All that set aside though, one thing is certain. No matter how direct, honest, and perhaps sometime harsh I may be, you can always be assured that you will never, ever, EVER, have a bad meal with me.  It will always be stellar, and you'll be drinking some pretty damn good wines alongside too.

So yesterday afternoon, I updated my Facebook status with positive hopes (because I see things half full):
Saturday June 9 2012:  ok cool... if the wine list at hearth is any indication of how well the food will pair with the wine (not other way around, i know, i turned!), then im getting excited. wont hold my breath til see and taste for myself. something look forward to tonight after lounging around the city.

Fast-forward, and let's see how last night's evening unraveled with my quick Facebook status this morning:

Sunday June 10 2012:  Last night's quick review of a night started out disappointed, quickly turned FAB!! 

1) Hearth: fun wine list and quite vast, can get lost in it and confused if pairing with food (crikey, the sloppy food!!) but good for education. Food is pretty bad (note I didn't post any photos!!). --YET (keep reading!)--

2) Brushstroke: Precision, laser-like focused wine list, made by a gifted Sommelier Seju Yang http://starchefs.com/cook/chefs/2011-new-york-rising-stars/sommelier-seju-yang, with often low production, unknown, and top quality wines. A wine list by a pro Somm FOR Somms. Food, kaiseki style, beautiful Japanese, and a duo kitchen serving the most delicate, artisan sushi in USA (says the Japan raised Somm himself). 
3) Corkbuzz: best kept secret in NY, a wine bar by Somms for Somms. *** SoleStarEtoile!!***
4). Kunjip: Good Korean late night grub, you need to be Asian to understand how good it feels at 2am!

Basically, I was totally disappointed with the food at Hearth.  Disgusting.  Hate to do this, but couldn't stop myself - must share a photo (#nofilter!) so you can judge for yourself, and not think that I'm a hater.

Copy pasted straight from Hearth's online menu, dated June 9 2012:  http://restauranthearth.com/menu.pdf

Hearth Restaurant, NYC

Top:  LE T T U  C E  S  A  N  D   V  E G  E T  A  B L  E S (aka "The Titanic" - wilted lettuces subterfuged under oil)

Celery, Snap Peas, Cucumbers, Radishes, Tokyo Turnips,

Sunchokes, Red Wine Vinaigrette  $12.

Bottom:  O L  I  V E   O I L   P O  A  C  H E  D   S W  O R  D  F I  S H  (aka "Fished in Polluted Waters")

Freekah, Pickled Ramps, Snap Peas, Trout Roe  $32.

So umm... really???  That's one expensive salad $12 salad for wilted lettuces and produce, with totally over-drenched, subterfuged (they should have renamed the salad "The Titanic!") vinaigrette that tasted nothing like a fresh, tart, proper, red wine vinaigrette.  Maybe they used http://www.wish-bone.com/product/detail/96910/wish-bone-red-wine-vinaigrette-salad-dressing ??? It literally looks like an oiled up, bad hair day!  Then juxtapose that sad, pathetic, oily, sloppy, salad right next to my $32 "swordfish" - who could tell I was eating different things?  Disgusting!!!  The swordfish was overcooked, and also had a slightly unfresh "fishy" taste to it.  *explitive* #GROSS!  Not only was it NOT a fresh whole swordfish (for that price!!), but it was 3 chunks of the worst cuts of fish - usually left for making SOUP.  My buddy Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg http://chefhosea.com/ taught me well to notice these things in restaurants.  Caveat emptor!  Next time I order fish anywhere, I'll be sure to ask them - are you serving me a whole fish (for that price), or a few chopped up hunks of days old fish cubes fit for making fish stew?  IT'S A CRIME!!!  By the looks of these photos, Hearth makes even Cantonese style China Town fast-food stir-fry look bad.  Just a mess, as viewed and quoted by my British colleague here.

Looking back, I should have pushed my food away, and demand Hearth take the items off the menu.  Learned that from a cranky, uptight, Israeli older woman (dressed in outdated 1990s period detail with plastic and gold jewelry) I sat next to once at a bar of a Tel Aviv restaurant.  Heh heh.  Guess she had the right!  I learned from her!  The food at Hearth not only LOOKS disgusting, but it also tasted so bland despite the piling over of ten thousand ingredients and oil... and, it was not fresh!  CRIKEY!

For quick comparison just to level set, below I've attached a recent April 2012 photo of a beautiful, farm fresh, organic salad from BLUE PLATE SF.

Copy pasted straight from Blue Plate's online menu dated June 10 2012: http://www.blueplatesf.com/menu.php

BLUE PLATE, SF

Bibb lettuce salad, avocado, cara cara orange, crispy parsnip, tarragon, in raspberry vinaigrette dressing $10.  

My facebook comment later that night read:
June 9 2012:  What a REAL salad should look like. @ #blueplatesf. Bright, minimally dressed, dazzling and truest colors of pure Mother Nature just waiting to be masticated by you. Your salivary glands start drooling just at the sight of this natural, fresh, colorful, goodness. I ♥ SF. Shame on you HearthNY!

And here, just to make it simple for you and crystal clear, I quickly cropped up a side by side comparison.  What do you think?  Which salad would you want to eat?  Which would you pay $10 for versus $12 for?  Which would you not pay for at all, pay to NOT eat it!!??

West Coast (Left:  Blue Plate San Francisco) vs. East Coast (Right:  Hearth, New York)

Note:  No filters have been used in either photos.  Just pure, organic, Mother Nature goodness from the best in the West of farm:to:table approach.  Thank you, Alice Waters.  http://www.chezpanisse.com/about/alice-waters

<-- Facebook insert:
Okay just showed this pic to coworkers without commenting. They asked if the RIGHT (hearthNY) was chinese food, and that even for Chinese food it looked pretty bad!!!! #epicFAIL #hearthNY #crime
-->

When it's good, it's good.  And no need to cover up nor hide what you ain't got.  You'll just be found out anyway.  Honesty is key, even in cooking!

But not all is bad at Hearth NY.  They have a pretty extensive wine list, whilst long and educational, might also be perceived as a bit laborious and flabby, just all over the place, like a long winded professor or priest, and just like this sentence..... :(((((   Overall you can come here and try some interesting stuff by the glass.  That part is cool.  But if you're looking to pair the wines with food, then RUN and don't look back.  Cuz you won't be getting any edible good food with those nice wines.  Quite unfortunate.

What I drank at Hearth that night:  2009 Gruner by Aldo Sohm.  Pretty darn yum.

It was 1030pm and I was disappointed (pissed!) at my #epicfail "big night" of the week.  I was DETERMINED to redeem myself.  I quickly sauntered down to the respected Michelin Star David Bouley restaurant  "Brushstroke"  http://davidbouley.com/.  My good friend Seju Yang was and is the opening Sommelier here.  Seju comes from a respectable background in Jazz study  as well as being the opening Sommelier for Kyo-Ya and 15 East (two of New York's other well respected Japanese sushi establishments).  I LOVE the wine program Seju has developed at Brushstroke.  From its humbler beginnings of being just a few pages thin and only having Prosecco as its bubbly - to now a growing book with Seju's copyrighted "Rainbow" wine list by the glass.  And (drumroll!) an impressive selection of elegant, extremely small production champagnes that even industry wine aficionados covet.  In other words, time with Seju is guaranteed to be fun.  We both love acidity, minerality, and complexity.

Seju brought over a beautiful glass of wine to soften my crying, cringing, face (result of bad Hearth NY food).  He actually laughed at me for that.  Yeah, I guess it can be funny to see your friend post-eating a bad meal, and the look of truth on their facial expression.  Back to the glass.  100% Albarino, only 40 cases allotted for US distribution (that's 6 barrels for the world!), the revered "Muti" by Raul Perez.

I won't try to introduce the wine, as Seju does it perfectly below.

2010 Albarino "Muti" Rias Baixas Spain Paul Perez, at Brushstroke, New York

After 20 minutes at the bar at Brushstroke and sipping on some insanely searing, laser-like focused wine (yes!), I started to regain my composure.  Seju shared with me some personal insights on Brushstroke's fairly new sushi bar (below!).  Basically, when I get back from Paris in two weeks, I'm making a beeline to the sushi bar at Brushstroke.  And I know I'll love the wine list too.  Match made!

Voyeurism at the Brushstroke Sushi Bar, New York

It was only 11:30pm by now, so we rocked on up to Corkbuzz http://www.corkbuzz.com/ - a swanky wine bar made by Sommeliers, FOR Sommeliers.  My kind of place!  We went straight for the champagne, with a shimmer in our eyes, and low cackling laughs as we rejoiced in the decadence of our evening.  Heheheheh!

I let Seju have the honor of choosing whatever champagne.  Mind you, I had that 2004 Cristal Brut listed below in Israel 3 weeks back... disappointed... Seju says that's just too young to drink right now.  Perhaps.  In my nascent few years of studying wine part-time professionally (is that even..??) - I've discovered that the wine pros are very seriously... almost fanatic, about top line champagnes.  It wasn't until a few months ago, when I had my first dulcet, minerally, effervescent, few drops of heaven... That 1996 Pierre Gimonnet.  The champagne that changed my perception on wine... the "a-ha" moment, if you will.  And lucky for me, my source has a few more boxes of this tucked away in private wine storage, so I've had a few more bottles at my disposal over the months.  My palate learns ferociously quick!!!

So... scroll down to see our prized champagne for the eve... seemed eons away from that dreaded, fast-food-stir-fry salad and chunky swordfish dish at Hearth NY from just over an hour prior.  SoleSaved. Quickly.

Champagne List at Corkbuzz, New York

2004 Pierre Peters Les Chetillons Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru

But wait!  The night was not over yet.  We drank our champagne sillily (!) without anything to eat... truly, truly, in pure decadence.  Come 1230am, two hungry (maybe buzzed) Asians, and only one thing can do - go for Korean late night!  That's right.  So we topped off our delicious evening of 2004 Pierre Peters Grand Cru with... below.  :)  WELL DONE.  A night firstly gone wrong - quickly saved with the help of Seju and rare Albarino, Grand Cru Champagne, and KOREAN LATE NIGHT GRUB!  2am and it was time to say good night.  And a good night it was.

So stay tuned in upcoming days as I catch up on my backlog of world wind international extreme cuisines from Hong Kong!  Next stop - PARIS!!!!

Kunjip Korean Food Late Night, New York

Bourgogne Cote De Nuits with Seju Yang:
http://soledad-bleu-etoile.blogspot.com/2011/02/bourgogne-cotes-de-nuits-seju-yangs.html

More on Seju Yang (Brushstroke, Sommelier):  http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/06/sommelier_seju_yang_puts_his_musical_skills_to_work_at_brushstroke.php
http://starchefs.com/cook/chefs/2011-new-york-rising-stars/sommelier-seju-yang


Yours truly,

Soledad B.
@soledad_bleu

Shilin Night Market (士林夜市): Taipei, Taiwan

Date:  mardi 1 mai 2012

Location:  Shilin Ye Shi (Shilin Night Market) - the taxi driver will know!

I always make a stop through the famous Shilin Night Market whenever I visit Taipei.  No Taiwan trip would be culturally replete without it.  Upon visiting last night, my friend and I were pondering if there was any other place like Shilin in the world.  We couldn't conjure anything up. 

The night market is exactly as it sounds - a kitchy bazaar comprised of over 500+ small food stalls exhibiting traditional Taiwenese street foods and many more small shops selling all kinds of inexpensive crooks and curios from clothing items, to kitchen items, to beauty items, to electric fly swatters in the shape of tennis rackets with zapping metal strings (my personal favorite!).  Hours are daily 4pm-2am, catering to the first wave of students out of school, and then into the evening and late night for wanderers looking to laze some time away in search of a good bargain.  Always be sure to bargain! 

I guess the best way to relate the experience of walking through the night market is to describe the feeling and smells one will definitely encounter.  First of all, it's extremely humid.  Taiwan is a tropical island, and Taipei is a city on this island, surrounded by valley mountains.  Steamy hot!  Secondly, traditional Taiwanese street foods consist of many small plate items.  Oyster omelettes, oyster noodles, shaved ice with fruit, grass jelly, red bean, green bean, and condensed milk toppings. 

Most popular Taiwan street foods are the deep-fried or pan-fried items.  Imagine the oil particles wafting through the air and onto your skin mixed in with the steam of the night.  Just lovely.  Fried chicken, fried beef meat balls, fried fish balls, fried intestines, and one of my must tries - the infamous deep-fried fermented (preserved) tofu. 

You can smell the unmistakable sour, stench of the "stinky tofu" from many feet away.  It lures you via a game of "follow your nose" to the little fried fermented tofu food stall that is bustling around the large wok of boiling oil.  As rancid as this may sound (or smell), this is a traditional Taiwanese snack that must be experienced!  On the contrary it actually tastes quite good as opposed to its rank, foul odor.  The texture is a chewy, fried puff of tofu skin with a sparse bit of doughy, custard-like tofu inside, with hints of seared garlic oil.  Usually it is served with a side of pickled cabbage and drizzled with black vinegar.  You can add chili sauce on the side too as we usually do.         

Yumm!  Fermented Stinky Fried Tofu!  Locals love this dish every now and then.

View of the Stinky Tofu food stall from the side, where we sat and enjoyed our stinky little bite sized goodies.  

So, imagine yourself wading through the night market street stalls smelling of fried foods, oil in the air, feeling the natural Taiwan sticky steam on your face and skin, seeing the many random knick knacks the small shops are selling, and hearing the shop keepers sometimes advertising the sale of their goods through a megaphone, as if at an auction.  It is a bustling and thrilling experience indeed, and all of your sense will be tantalized.  This is a unique experience to Taipei and I love it!

Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: SFO International

Date:  mercredi 25 avril 2012
Location:  Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge at SFO International Airport

Asian hospitality is always taken to the next level.  Probably Americans, Europeans, and Middle Easterns could stand to learn a lot from the kind of courtesy that is demanded by businessmen in certain Asian environments and even in everday living.   

This kind of courtesy rooted in steep cultural tradition emanates from centuries of history, tradition, values, and wisdom.  Chinese and Japanese cultures especially, in ancient times, held high respect to others in all aspects of life.  Hence the selflessness and random acts of kindness in everyday living.  In general, the family unit in Asian cultures is very strong, so you'll easily see the traditional respects of courtesy passed down to today's Chinese and Japanese individuals.   

My professional work has me traveling 100% of the time around the globe for better or for worse.  The better part is that I experience many cultures, foods, and places that most individuals would never even fathom.  The worser part is - sometimes I must endure cultures and environments that are less than hospitable.  Those kinds of harsher environments don't make sense to me, and blaming the fault on a "young" nation just isn't good enough of an explanation for me either - because taking Taiwan as a positive example, it is a country that is only about 60 years old too.     

Therefore, it is important for me to spend time back in Asia yearly and reconnect with my roots.  To feel the energy and vibrancy of my steep traditional culture and values juxtaposed amongst the hustle and bustle of truly fast paced modern society pushing the envelope in technology, electronics, and mobile standards.  Sorry New York City, Hong Kong is on steroids compared to you and a whole lot more efficient too.  Finally - I return to Asia yearly to eat authentic Asian cuisine which offers the most exotic and finest delicacies in the world.  I know I'm right when I judge certain tastes, because frankly, I come from a global palate. 

Long story short - Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge in SFO International Airport held me by quite a nice surprise last week.  Upon entering, I was greeted warmly, hospitably, and efficiently.  No detail was left behind, as I was given the complimentary WiFi password and then courteously welcomed to the breakfast lounge.  Complimentary breakfast was served - a minimal standard - but low and behold what really pleased me was the made-upon-ordered traditional breakfast items.  Won Ton Noodle Soup, Dan Dan Noodles, and/or Shrimp Fried Rice.  Yes, I went for a second helping of the Won Ton Noodle Soup.  Better than any place in Chinatown San Francisco, perhaps better than I'd had in numerous places in Hong Kong too.  the broth was so tasty, savory, yet clean and light in texture.  The wontons were handwrapped and delicate and juicy.  The egg noodles were just right, and the few stems of bok choy lettuces were a healthy delight.  The kitchen was small but tidy, and very clean.  Each little dish came out freshly prepared and your remote beeper would flash as soon as your individual order was read.  Of course, efficency at its best, one of what Hong Kong culture does best! 

Great job Cathay Pacific for making me feel at home with your hospitality - and by offering me such a simple dish that was so perfectly created, so deliciously appreciated by my hungry soul, that I immediately connected back with my Chinese roots.  The perfect way to embark on my San Francisco to Hong Kong 14 hour non-stop flight. 

Yo'Ezer Meat and Wine Bar: Tel Aviv, Israel

Date: Various, Winter 2012

Location:  Yo'ezer ish habira 2, סמטת יועזר איש הבירה 2‎ Tel Aviv, Israel
The wine bar is on the inland (east) side of Yefet St, a few feet down an alley opposite the clock tower.
Telephone:  +972 03-683-9115

http://yoezer.com/

Pictured left, pioneer of journalistic food writing in Israel, Yo'Ezer owner Shaul Evron.

This is a cozy, sophisticated, gem of a find in the characteristic Old Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv. I was invited to have lunch here one day by one of the world’s finest wine connoisseurs around, Monsieur Yair Haidu.  Tasting blind is the only way this gentleman tastes fine wines - a pretty darn precise palate to say the least.  Suffice to say, fine meals to follow dining in his company. 

Most of you know that I’m a flexible vegetarian. If foie is on the menu, I’m ordering it. If Kobe Beef is on the menu, I’m ordering it. If escargot is on the menu, you know the drill. Basically I'm eating meat only if it is very excellent quality.

Yo'Ezer specializes in meats.  But we’re not talking hunks of meats here.  Yo'Ezer cures their own meats, smokes their own salmon, etc.  It’s a finessed take on the preparation of fine meats.  Not the average Israel chock-it-up and drop-it-like-its hot-on-your-table type of restaurant experience by any means.  Quite the opposite, with a seemingly xperienced European approach.  Dishes are savory, possess a great amount of acidity (yay!) coupled with mellifluous harmony of seasonal ingredients.  Altogether, an awakening concoction is created on your palate.  There is a zing to each dish here which I'm still remembering as I scribe this from Hong Kong.

We entered Yo'Ezer through an arched cave underway, tucked inside a building dating back to the Crusader era. Already feeling very good! We joined Shaul at the bar, my preferred dining seating.  The ambiance at Yo Ezer is for the mature, refined, food and wine lover. People are speaking in low tones here, partaking in the slow eating of savory cheese plates, delighting themselves in the myriad of fine meat dishes, indulging in the famous rich and creamy 40-eggs pasta dish. 

Yo'Ezer also has an impressive wine list, as also dubbed by my San Francisco wine specialist friend Laely Heron (http://www.heronwines.com/) who recently visited Israel and Yo'Ezer with her local wine foodie friends.  This is another indicator that those in the international food and wine scene know that this is a critic's choice place to dine.   

I requested Chablis to start off our lunch, since I was a kid in a candy store seeing the fresh raw oysters Shaul was deliciously eating up.  Shaul offered me an oyster from his plate too.  I was elated!  Harbinger to a guaranteed splendid long, languid, Soledad style luncheon.  I was quite happy.

Yo'Ezer also makes the best cocktails in Israel. Hailing from San Francisco (where we coined the term “mixologist” as opposed to “bartender”), I’m pretty snobbish about my cocktails. Tinctures vs. bitters, shaken vs. stirred, artisan ice vs. crushed, that’s the kind of detailed cocktail I’m talking about. Those details aren't just for looks or being trendy either.  They have every bit to do with temperature, composition, and refined taste per drink made that I expect in my glass.  I liked the Sidecar that the head bartender at Yo'Ezer made for me. I remembered it.

Below photos are what became a gastronomic feast that I would rate as one of my top lunch experiences globally.  For the international food and wine lover, Yo'Ezer is a gem of its kind in Israel and maybe even the world. I will definitely be back.

Sweet, delicate fresh oysters. Right amoubt of brine.

Sheeps brain, egg yolk, bread.  A rich and exotic surprise to my palate.

A medley of finely cured meats and salmon delight, with a paired side of egg salad with the right amount of acidity balancing the protein dishes.

Extremely memorable pairing of lox, mini pancake, and artisan cream cheese spread.  Again, showcasing proper acidity paired with right creamy texture and fluffy sweetness of mini pancake.

Savory beef bourguignon - if I were a carnivore I would not have shared this dish.

Perhaps my favorite dish of all!  A seemingly pedestrian style dish, however amazed with its succulent combination of savory and sour, right acidity, and absolutely perfect textural pairings of meat, smooth potatoe, crispy pickles, and pickled sauerkraut.  Not such a pedestrian dish afterall.   

Ahhh, very nicely prepared pasta al dente.   Just like they make it in Italy.  Prepared with juicy combination of stewed beef and fresh pecorino cheese shaved on top.

Pretty good Sidecar cocktail.  Soledad favorite still lies with Spuce SF, however (http://soledad-bleu-etoile.blogspot.com/2009/11/spruce-sf-san-francisco.html).

May very be the best Spanish style flan I've had all of my global culinary adventures... Perfect creaminess, perfect texture on top, perfect caramel butterscotch sauce.



Friday Shabbat Dinner: Tel Aviv, Israel

Date:  vendredi 10 fevrier 2012
Location:  Private home in Herziliya Pituach, Israel

Friday Shabbat dinner is a wonderful thing here in Israel, for better or for worse, according to some.  For me, as a foreigner and a foodie, it's always nice knowing that I have something to do on Friday night (revolving around warm food, of course!).  And very good food too, might I add. 

I've been extremely lucky in my world travels to have met some pretty fantastic people who have become lifelong friends.  One friend in particular took me under his wing for no particular reason at all - other than - as I like to think, his having a soft heart and feeling my need for genuine friendship and help acclimatizing to Tel Aviv from a multi-cultural perspective.  Amongst glib English speakers.  :)  His friends quickly became my friends.  I also received the selective invitation (more than once) to attend Shabbat dinner on Fridays at his parents' beautiful home in Herziliya Pituach (a very nice area, liken it to the Beverly Hills of Israel). Coming from Chinese culture, it is not every day that we invite  people into our home for family dinner (too paranoid of our dirty laundry being picked up on and spread out into the public!).  So, I am eternally grateful for these gestures.   Never to be taken for granted.  

At the Kolitz home, it is always warm inside and many hugs and kisses are shared as we arrive.  In these recent winter months, we arrived inside from the outside cold, wet, and windy night.  I am always especially excited to see what home cooked meals are going to be served on the beautifully arranged dining table.  Everyone speaks very well English, which actually is not the norm in Israel.

Mostly, I arrive feeling like the big bad wolf - tongue dripping and salivating, cannot wait to see and taste what's going to be served that night!  Ariel's Mom and their house keeper are excellent chefs.   And thank God they do not overly salt anything at all!

When I reflect upon my Israel Adventure-Journey, this is one of the events I feel most honored to be part of.  The open warmth and welcoming from one particular very generous and giving individual, and my life in Israel was suddenly very much more than OK. :)

I love proper place settings!  :)

This was DELICIOUS warm soup... prepared with lentil beans, tomatoes, onions, and light spices.  Of course, you can see I am a little bit of messy eater when I get excited!

There is always red wine at the table.  :)  2006 Castel Cabernet.

Home-made mustard from mustard seeds!  Can't get enough of this stuff!  The jar was empty by end of dinner.  :)  

YUM!!!  Freshy boiled winter artichokes.

I <3 roasted AUBERGINE (but not in Green Curry - NEVER!) prepared Middle Eastern way.  Always comes out a bit smoky tasting, love it!

Always a healthy, fresh, salad or vegetable.  

Beautiful roasted beef, prepared with herbs!  Wonderful!

Delicious freshly homemade tahini (please don't say it with the HGEBREGEEEWW accent, I can't stand it!).  

 Roasted juicy chicken and potatoes!  My favorite was the roasted parsnips in there!

It's always great eating POMELLO when someone else has already peeled it for you!

Private Blind Wine Tasting: Tel Aviv, Israel

Date: jeudi 7 feverier 2012
Location:  Private residence in Tel Aviv, Israel

One of my favorite things in life is enjoying intimate dinners with dearest friends around the world, over exquisite wines, delicious food (good food, not necessarily fancy), and chatting over worldly conversation through a minimum 3 hour affair.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am passionate about food and wine.  When I completed my Diageo project last year, my girlfriend/colleague Oihana in Madrid exclaimed to me, "Soledad!  We will really miss you and your crazy obsession with food, wines, trips..... hahahaha!"  And I was to miss them greatly too, for I had spent a year with the Madrid and Milan team. There was no shortage of European wine lovers to share and appreciate a glass of wine or digestif with while we collaborated chaotically over countless hours of challenging integration work late into the nights (while snacking on jamon and gruyere ham paninis!).  2010-2011 was my year of Euro. 

So, I moved to Israel with hopes of continuing this Soledad lifestyle.  I'd thus far taken it with me everywhere I already jet-setted to anyway, professionally packed away into my suitcase, so there was no reason to think it wouldn't continue.  In a nutshell, this meant a lifestyle of having rapid access to my hand picked Master Sommelier selections of wines in my San Francisco wine cellar (http://www.pwmwine.com/), having the luxuries that come wth living a bicoastal life in San Francisco and New York City (Blue Bottle Coffee, Cafe Grumpy, lots of great sushi!), and  partaking in many weekend jaunts to Paris or London for focused food and wine explorations.  All activities centered around easy accessibility to a very important component in my livelihood:  a diverse range of foods and wines at my fingertips. 

Not knowing what to expect other than being hopeful and positive about the local food and wine culture, I spent the first three months in Israel almost becoming a teetotaler.  With much frustration and denial, I finally accepted the fact I just couldn't get my hands on "my" kinds of wines.  German and Austrian Reislings, French Chardonnays and Pinots from around the periphery of the Alps, and Italian wines of the same character.  On the contrary, what I did have a lot of at my disposal was an abundance of heavy purple grape juice at 15% abv and up.  I felt as of my hands were tied.  My dear somm friends out there, you know this cringe.  The one that punches you in the mouth, leaving your teeth looking like they were stained from sucking on a heavy cheap dye purple sno-cone all summer long.

Fast forward a few short months through acclimitizing to a new country and culture, I was finally introduced to a fantastic wine tasting and eating partner - one that I liken to my kind of palate from my SF/NYC/Asian and European roots.  Luckily for me, he was of French decent (j'aime!), grew up locally in Tel Aviv, lived in Paris for many years, shared the same affinity for Old World wines (finally, someone in Israel who understands my palate!), and perhaps most importantly, he was generous enough to make some time for me and share some wine.  Little did I know, as I later came to find, that he was also the European GM for Riedel for many years (*gasp* proper stemware!) and also the founder of the Israel Academy of Wine.  Alright, so I was quickly humbled when I soon realized that I was in better hands than expected (*blushing!*).

And so began the thankful continuation of bridging previous Soledad lifestyle into the new-old Middle East, with support from those in the know.  It also happened to by my birthday week (yippee~!) which coincided with a fortuitous invitation to their private blind wine tasting gathering that same week.  Each person brings a wine they find interesting, cover the bottle with foil, and we go around slowly blind tasting and guessing where the wine is from and the vintage.  Yeah, just like in the movies.  I was the most novice in the room, instead of the smarty pants.  :) 

Below is just an idea of hopefully what is more to come.  :)  Oh, and I think I got the yellow card this time.  Shall redeem myself next time, luckily I think future invitations have not been revoked yet!

Other notable moments in Soledad's traveling wine blogs with my mentors!

1 Somm, 1 Master Somm, 1 Eve in NYC; 11 fevrier 2011:
http://soledad-bleu-etoile.blogspot.com/2011/02/1-somm-1-master-somm-1-eve-in-nyc-11.html

Bourgogne - Cotes de Nuits, Seju Yang's Monthly Wine Tasting: NYC:
http://soledad-bleu-etoile.blogspot.com/2011/02/bourgogne-cotes-de-nuits-seju-yangs.html

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia: Milan, Italy

Date:  jeudi 2 octobre 2011
Location:  Via Montecuccoli 6
Milano, Italy
Telephone:  +39 02 416886
http://www.aimoenadia.com/

At Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, I had one of the nicest, most beautiful, memorable eating experiences ever.  Big statement coming from me, a well traveled citizen of the world constantly in search of exquisite in food, wine, and service.  I have an affinity for all things Italian - espresso, pasta, pizza, buffala mozzarella, designer shoes, and of course, Italian wine.  Because some of my best friends live in Milano, my admiration of Italy continues to grow each year (the little Mafia - you know who you are!).

Currently based in Israel, I longed for truly authentic Italian food - was badly craving al dente pasta!  In my opinion, one must travel to the source.  I longed for authentic Italian dishes kneaded by Italian fingertips.  I was on a mission to replenish myself by eating and drinking well.  Prior my departure, I performed the obligatory restaurant search for top restaurants and sent my short list (Sadler, Aimo e Nadia, Cracco, Trussardi all Scala) to a fellow Italian consultant friend.  His remarks on Aimo were as follows:

"Aimo e Nadia, is considered the best restaurant in Milan (even in North Italy) and is very innovative in the type of food. It is superexpensive though – I think that for a ‘simple’ dinner you won’t pay less then 300 Eur (wine excluded) – there are some signature dishes that made the place very famous (you should check them out before going) . It was the only 10 few years ago on the guide to Milanese restaurant."

When I arrived at Aimo for lunch, it was a quiet, sunny, small street in Milan.  The doorway was well marked and gave me the feeling of entering an art gallery.  I smiled - because I felt welcomed into this comfortable, quiet, sophisticated landscape.  Outside the restaurant walls were also abstract paintings which further led to the art gallery feel.  Some with sketches of Aimo himself.  I loved walking into this kind of ambiance, a sophisticated and polished - yet still warm and inviting atmosphere.  There was someone to greet me as I entered.  In this case, it was Nicola Dell'agnolo, the Maitre D' - who shares that "Here, at Aimo e Nadia's, the most important thing is feeling welcomed."  I remember Nicola being the person who added the "human touch" to the already marvelously perfect creations prepared for me in Aimo e Nadia's kitchen.  It is the kind of warmth and service I seek - which can be somewhat of a lost art in today's world of "fine" dining.  It's a feeling of connecting and feeling welcome.  As an opinionated wine and food connoisseur, its these kind of personal and touching experiences that I remember most these days - behind a bevy of sublime artful dishes consumed over the years.

Since I'd been starved of nice wines in Israel, I was on  rampage to engulf myself silly with fantastic wines in Italy.  I was extremely pleased that Aimo had a very impressive wine list - served by the glass!  My ogling eyes went straight to the 2006 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles (French Chardonnay) - whoowhee!  And when in Rome do as Romans, so I also ordered an Italian 2008 Borgo Del Tiglio (Italian Chardonnay).  But, before Nicola helped me to my wines, he first graciously offered me a glass of Italian sparkling wine - NV Caves du Vin Blanc Extreme Brut Metodo Classico - and I did not refuse.  Perfect way to start a loooong, slow lunch... pampering myself in Italy... with a beautiful, light, creamy butter colored, bubbling glass of sparkling... 

For my red, I wavered between a Barbaresco and Barolo.  Nicola explained to me the 2005 Barolo Bartolo Mascarello was an excellent vintage, even though usually I prefer Barbaresco.  I trusted him and he was right.  :) 

NV Caves du Vin Blanc Extreme Brut Metodo Classico, an elegant way to start the long Italian lunch.

Nicola opening my two old world Chardonnays at my table for me... with ease and perfection.  I love my perfect stemware too.  Oh, and Wilson, my blue eating partner for the afternoon.  :)

A PERFECT glass of 2006 1er Cru Puligy Montrachet Les Pucelles.  Absolute dream on the palate.  Acidity, minerality, balanced, flint, aromas of lemon, baked lemon cake......  

2008 Borgo Del Tiglio vis a vis 2006 1er Cru Puligy Montrachet Les Pucelles... ah, even the Italians will admit the Leflaive is the more elegant of the two.  :)

 2005 Barolo Bartolo Mascarello

I chose the tasting menu after being torn between a la carte (because I needed to have pasta), and the tasting menu which providing many pleasing choices but didn't include any pasta dishes....  Somehow Nicola must have felt bad for me, because later on he snuck in a tasting of the most perfectly al dente seasoned pasta EVER... a bite sized morsel of gorgeous pasta, wrapped perfectly just for me and placed gently on my warm serving plate.  I have pictures to prove it.  I was absolutely elated!   

What later came throughout that afternoon was an orgy of gastronomic food fare... Aimo himself (in his 70s) also came out to greet every single one of his patrons.  This is a practice of his, constantly being engaged with his kitchen and his customers.  I was honored.  Aimo doesn't speak much English, so we exchanged nods as I let him know approvingly that each and every meticulous dish that arrived to me was an absolute work of art.

For anyone visiting Milan and is a true connoisseur of fine food and service - Aimo e Nadia is a MUST. 

Aimo himself, one of the most revered chefs in Italy... taking his time to personally welcome and greet each guest in his dining room.  Here, the table next to me was a group of low-tone speaking Italian men... all I imagined was that they were some kind of Italian mafia, in their fine Italian suits... :)  

  

A little amuse bouche before the grand lunch tasting begins..

Beautiful Italian breadsticks, perfect pairing with the Italian sparking wine.

Italian swordfish starter, on the house... a lovely welcome.  So delicate and savory... 

Fried fresh porcini mushrooms with zucchini, their flowers, buffalo's mozzarella, pine-nuts from Tuscany, with blueberry sauce and cocoa flavor.

Green tortellini made of nettles and semolina filled with shrimp, buffalo mozzarella and leeks, with sauce of shrimp juice and tomato.

"Pulcinella" Italian sword fish with "trombetta" zucchini, anchovies from Monterosso with green beans in their juice.

Rump of veal from Piedmont cooked pink in olive oil aromatized with herbs with vegetables and olives pesto and sauce of rubarb and vervain.

Close up shot before I take the savory bite...

The most delicious juices all over... and freshest, most sophisticated, fine quality ingredients.  

My perfect spoonful dollop of pasta... paired exquisitely with my Puligny Montrachet... as you look behind my blueman Wilson eating partner, you'll see another gentleman who also came to dine alone for lunch that day.  True food connoisseurs we are!

Small selection of Italian cheeses.  Wow these were just lovely with my wines.  All too perfect. 

Pre-dessert.  A delightful palate cleanser.  

Sweet garden:  eggplant hemisphere with chocolate, basil, and balm sorbet.  

Little macarons with smiley face. 

Of course, un espresso!  The Italian way.

A tour of the kitchen by Nicola... a small but extremely clean, tidy, and efficient kitchen.  This is where the magic is created.

My final bill... every Euro worth it!

And of course... Soledad would dream of nothing less than fine dining in Ferragammo's.  My lovely Princess Chiara tells me "Eheh, no wonder I like your shoes!"

Exquisite fine dining at Aimo e Nadia... I will be back soon.