To optimize this fine dining experience, one should begin by taking a seat on a teakwood recliner under the Autograph Trees around the pool and sip their favorite cocktail. It is a very relaxing way to begin this evening of culinary adventure. Just before dinner time the pool is empty of guests, except for the few who will be joining you for this late afternoon extravagance. If the timing is right, you may watch the sun set between the palm trees and the masts of the sailboats in the marina just below. Me? I was fortunate enough to have good timing. As I sipped my very smooth single malt scotch the sun slipped into the ocean.
Now that I was totally relaxed I casted that aside to enter the very vibrant, modern world of Morimoto's. A very friendly greeting topped by a warm smile smoothed my transition from my mellow state to this place of high activity. I elected to sit at the sushi bar so that I could observe the kitchen's wizardry.
The restaurant has a very diverse menu. Also, the wine and sake list extremely extensive. I began with a nice 10 year old sake to accompany my course of Morimoto's Shashimi. This course stacked thinly sliced toro, salmon, eel, tuna, and hamachi and accompanied it with five wonderful sauces. After adding a touch of wasabi to each sauce, I topped each delicious bite with a different sauce. The texture was so tender and the combined taste so mouthwatering that I was sorry to finish this selection.
Next came a serving of Wagyu Carpaccio which was very nicely presented and quite tasty. Myself, I am not a big fan of Australia's Wagyu Beef but this was very good. However, the next course was beyond belief. The third course was Oxtail Soup with sides of fried rice and shoyu with herbs and wasabi. The broth of the soup was deliciously rich. The meat was amazingly tender. The fried rice was perfectly seasoned and perfectly done. Each time I dipped my spoon into the broth I was rewarded with an amazing taste of golden richness. When I dipped the oxtail meat into the shoyu and wasabi a taste was created that made me close my eyes, drop my chin to my chest and moan in deep enjoyment. This was, by far, my favorite part of this meal. I savored each bite.
I was becoming full but I wasn't quite there, so I elected to have three servings of sushi. I selected Anago (eel), Kani (king crab) and Ika (squid). Each was prepared in front of me using fresh pieces of the seafood. Each was accompanied by freshly gound wasabi and freshly slice white Japanese ginger. The textures and the tastes were different but the combination was amazingly excellent. The sushi chef smiles at me. As I finished the final morsel he bowed to me and my joy of eating. I smiled, returned his bow and bid him good night. I retreated to the bar for my dessert. The bartender was happy to serve me a slightly oversized portion of 30 year old sake. It was a perfect finish to a delicious evening. I shall definately return to this place.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Michel's Restaurant of Honolulu
Weaving my way through the heavily touristed Waikiki Beach area and into the park near the Honolulu Zoo, I came upon the somewhat dated Colony Surf Condominium Resort, which housed Michel’s Restaurant, a French restaurant under the tutelage of Executive Chef Eberhard Kintscher. I walked through the lobby and around back to the Restaurant’s entrance where I was greeted and taken to my table.
The restaurant was open air to the ocean and a wonderful sunset view. However, the sunset view was the only saving grace for an obvious lack of any other ambiance. The decorations are garish and the place is very loud, not only due to the ocean but because of the diners talking loudly so that they can be heard above the ocean’s roar.
The service was very good and the staff was very friendly. The staff was elegantly dressed, as if from another era, but the patrons demonstrated that this was a casual place. Also, I must admit that I was surprised when the quality of the food greatly outshone the quality of the establishment. While it was not gourmet food, it was nicely presented and well prepared.
The restaurant had a very limited wine list but the 2007 Hahn Meritage was very nice with the courses I had selected. I began with a very French Helix Escargots Bourgogne. The snails were tender and the butter was very nicely spiced. Next I selected the Steak Tartare. One of the three staff that served me, Nolan, prepared the dish at tableside. He prepared the raw, chopped Snake River Farm Sirloin and did an excellent preparation. The dish was perfectly seasoned and simply delicious. Lastly, based on the recommendation of the staff, I selected the Prime New York Café de Paris. The sliced beef had been smoke-roasted and glazed with a delicious truffle butter sauce with a topping of lightly battered, crisply fried sweet onions. This course included nicely prepared vegetables and bits of gnocchi. The steak was placed on a bed of mashed potatoes. The course was drizzled with a very nice cabernet reduction sauce. It was a great recommendation. The final course was rich and perfectly prepared, as well as nicely presented. I finished my meal with a dessert of a very nice Hennessey XO Cognac and a cup of espresso.
While I would not rush back to this restaurant, I did have a very nice meal at a price that was not outrageous. The ambiance was less than desirable but the service was very good. It was a nice evening.
Chef Mavro's of Honolulu: a fine dining experience
Located right on the corner of the busy city intersection of King and Mcully Streets, I expected a somewhat less than intimate dining experience. However, the door opened to a nicely intimate enclave of subdued elegance. Soft colors and subtle lighting created a soothing atmosphere for fine dining. The dining space was configured in such a way as to create an environment of hushed tones from the widely varied sorts of patrons and to minimize any distraction from the outside activity.
My reception was very welcoming. The service was crisp but very friendly. Even the Chef’s wife and business partner was kind enough to visit each dining patron, welcoming them. The staff was ever-present, providing excellent but not overwhelming service. When I say staff, I mean staff because no less than six people helped in my service. It was explained that the Chef’s culinary philosophy was to create a dish from the seasonally available fresh food supply and then find the best wine to match the texture and taste of that dish. For me, dining under this culinary philosophy will be an interesting contrast to those chefs with whom I’ve dined lately that espouse a culinary philosophy of finding a great wine and then create a dish to match that wine.
I elected to give this seemingly excellent dining establishment the ultimate test. I selected their Grand Degustation, which provided 13 different servings to demonstrate the range of Chef Mavro. The restaurant changes its menu each quarter, so it will not be necessary to discuss each of those courses. However, I shall relate to you those courses that I enjoyed the most. Also, I shall give you my overall impression of the meals achievements.
The serving that I enjoyed the most was the Kurobuta Pork. This course was an excellent combination of tastes, textures, colors and smells. The pork loin was roasted and served with sautéed shallots in a Szechwan peppercorn crust. In addition there was a bacon-wrapped pork shank and the entire course was delicately wrapped in a delicious black garlic sauce. It was a beautiful presentation and was accompanied by a perfectly matched 2004 Gevrey Chambertin from Domaine Dupont Tisserandot.
Also, I was delighted with the Truffle Poached Egg “Osmose”, a rich and elegant course. The slow poached truffle infused egg was served atop a bed of potato mousseline and garnished with freshly diced onion greens and thinly sliced ham. This combination of tastes and texture was so excellent and a deliciously dry 2008 Riesling accompanied the course from the vintner, Marcel Diess from Alsace.
Other courses I enjoyed very much were the Colorado Lamb “Djerba”, the Meli-Melo Winter Vegetables and the cheese course of “Mousse de Brie de Meaux”. There were four seafood courses and there were three meat courses. Each course was distinctive and, in its own way, delicious, but I must admit to preferring the meat courses to the lovely seafood servings. At the end of the evening it was obvious to me that the wine pairings were excellent with each course. Also, the pace of the meal was outstanding. I will definitely return to this excellent purveyor of fine dining.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A Good Wine Shop Might Be The Answer
Thoughts on Visiting Australia
The most significant thing has been, with few exceptions, that the people were exceptionally friendly. They went out of their way to be helpful and kind.
The second most notable memory of the trip was that everything was very expensive. There were no values to be found at any level of the social structure.
The wines were occasionally excellent but were, overall, not exceptional.
The culinary experiences were sometimes excellent but were mostly unremarkable.
The countryside was occasionally picturesque, but in general, was the same as many places around the world.
The bottom line for me was that, while I enjoyed the trip, it is not a trip that I would repeat.
For What It's Worth
Thoughts on Australian Wines:
I am certainly not a wine expert but will remark on what I enjoyed.
The Shiraz in the Barossa Valley was full bodied and required food to enjoy.
The blended Shiraz wines in the Barossa were excellent. The best blends were with small amounts of Viognier.
The Shiraz in the Coonawarra Valley was smooth and easy to drink without food.
The sparkling Shiraz from the Barossa was excellent, whereas the same wine from other regions was thin.
The Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills was rich and full bodied.
The Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley was thin.
The Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills was distinctive and rich.
The Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley was good, but not as good as the few I tasted from the Hills.
The Reisling from the Eden Valley was dry and full bodied; it was much different than the very sweet European Reisling.
I have mentioned specific wineries and wines in other pieces.
Final Days of Wine Tasting
Wine Tasting in the Yarra Valley with Grades
Day 1
Tarra Warra Estate Very Good
Has a very nice modern art museum and a beautiful site
2008 Reserve Chardonnay
2008 Reserve Pinot Noir
Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Very Good
2010 Pinot Gris
2008 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay
2008 Tarraford Pinot Noir
Punt Road Estate Good
Apple Cider
Pear Cider
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Day 2
St. Hubert’s Vineyards Very Good
2010 Roussanne
2009 Chardonnay
2010 Chardonnay
2010 Pinot Noir
2008 Cabernet Merlot
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak Ridge Winery Excellent
2009 Chardonnay
2009 Lieu Dit Chardonnay
2008 Pinot Noir
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Cabernet Merlot
Madden’s Rise Wines Excellent
2009 Pinot Noir
2008 Reserve Shiraz
2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Yarra Yering Excellent
2008 Chardonnay
2006 Pinot Noir
2004 Shiraz
1998 White Bordeaux
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Coonawarra: the region of big reds
Wine Tasting in the Coonawarra
In general the Shiraz from this region is lighter and smoother than the Shiraz wines in the more northern wine regions…the Cabernet Sauvignon is light, too.
The small wine region just north of the Coonawarra is the Wrattonbully wine region, which is much less well-known but has good red wines.
Stayed at The Coonawarra Motor Lodge…never again
Dinner at Fodder…a very nice little slow food restaurant
Tasted at:
Brand’s Laira Good
2007 Two Row Merlot…a unique merlot
2008 Shiraz
2007 Blockers Cabernet Sauvignon
Zema’s Estate Very Good
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Family Selection Shiraz..very good
2007 Shiraz…excellent
Majella Wines Excellent
2008 Shiraz…good
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Majjer Maileem…excellent
55% Cab, 45% Shiraz
Katnook Estate Very Good
2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon…very good
2006 Prodigy Shiraz…very good
Redman Wines Excellent
2002 Redman…outstanding
a Cab, Shiraz, Merlot Blend
2005 Shiraz…very good
A Wonderful Departure from Adelaide
Our first full day to focus on wine tasting in the McClaren Vale had begun poorly. We had gotten lost in the suburbs of Adelaide. We followed that by tasting a few too many wines and topped that with a very average lunch. We were determined to not have such a below par day for the next and final day here.
The final day in the Adelaide area began very nicely. We had a small breakfast and gathered our things for the trip south to the McClaren Vale. We intended to visit two more wineries to taste wines followed by a light lunch and then a light dinner with Dave and Gail. The intention was to slow our pace so that we wouldn’t become a total balloons from all of the wine tasting and fine dining. We were to fail miserably.
The drive south was very pleasant. It was a warm, sunny day and the traffic moved quickly into the country. We arrived at our first tasting at Samuel’s Gorge in great spirits. It was an excellent start to the day. The wines were very good and the vineyard was a pleasant place for a short stroll. The ancient stone buildings, which had been faithfully restored, were beautiful and the view across the vineyards to the ocean was breath-taking.
As the day became increasingly warmer, we drove to the nearby vineyard of Oliver’s Taranga. The wines we tasted there were superior. One of the wines was so good, a 2003 Museum Release Shiraz, that I purchased a bottle for Dave and Gail.
We had decided earlier that, while it might be a rush, we wanted to try the restaurant Fino in the nearby town of Willunga. We promised ourselves that we’d try just a couple of things since we had a dinner. Well, our enthusiasm and the ambiance of the place carried us to a whole new level. We ordered an excellent bottle of Ashton Hills 2008 Estate Pinot Noir to go with the tasting menu. Three hours later was extracted ourselves from this lovely little restaurant.
Our feast began with a delicious portion of sheep’s brains and potatoes topped with fresh herbs. Second came a platter of venison carpaccio with pickled carrots. Next came a beet salad resting on a bed of fresh greens. Fourth was a bed of nicely spiced mashed potatoes topped with a piece of snapper, which was in turn topped with a poached egg, which was in turn topped with small sheets of fresh parmesan cheese. It was mouth-watering. The next to last course was a spicy rabbit sausage spread in a bed of poached rabbit and vegetables. Lastly was a portion of sliced duck on a bed of lentils, beets and broccoli. Yes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions and we did intend to not overdue this meal. Each course was delicious and we had so much fun comparing life’s experiences with the people at the table next to us that the time just drifted by. It was suddenly 3pm and we were to be at Dave and Gail’s at 4pm…for dinner. In a flash we paid the bill and were out the door and down the road.
Luckily, we didn’t get lost and we arrived for dinner in a timely manner. On the way we discussed how we hoped that Gail had not prepared too grand a meal. We arrived to discover that she had prepared a wonderful meal. I steeled myself for the challenge. While we couldn’t drink another glass of wine, we did enjoy a range of excellent local cheese and stuffed olives before dinner was served. Gail announced that she had prepared kangaroo for our meal. Dave opened the wine from Oliver’s Taranga and we enjoyed the light and tender kangaroo meat served with fresh greens and delicious herbed rice. The meal was quite a surprise and, even on a moderately full stomach, at least I devoured every bite. Yes, there was a, fortunately, light dessert of homemade ice cream and Pavlova (a New Zealand delicacy).
Now we were indeed satisfied for this day. The wines had been superior, the food outstanding and the company exceptional. However, at this pace, we really needed to leave Adelaide for a less friendly environment. All of this kindness might kill us. So, tomorrow we head south for more adventure.
One Day but More to Come
McClaren Vale-Day 1
Chapel Hill Winery Good
Coriole Vineyards Very Good
2008 Estate Grown Shiraz
2008 Old Barn Cabernet Shiraz
d’Arenberg Vineyards Good
had a very nice lunch at d’Arry’s Verandah
(very good salad, good entrée, outstanding soufflé for dessert)
Alpha Box & Dice Winery Good
use Wine Merchants of Hawaii: Tim Uarrad 808-487-5355
2003 Apostle Shiraz
Penny’s Hill Vineyard Very Good
2009 Experimental Grenache
2009 Yacca Paddock Tempranillo
2008 Shiraz/Viognier (5%)
Day 2
Samuel's Gorge very good
http://www.grrge.com.au/
2010 Reisling
2008 Shiraz
2008 Grenache
Oliver's Taranga excellent
http://www.oliverstaranga.com/
2009 Sagrantino
2009 Expatriate Shiraz
2003 Museum Release Shiraz
Day 2
Samuel's Gorge very good
http://www.grrge.com.au/
2010 Reisling
2008 Shiraz
2008 Grenache
Oliver's Taranga excellent
http://www.oliverstaranga.com/
2009 Sagrantino
2009 Expatriate Shiraz
2003 Museum Release Shiraz
More Fine Wines
Adelaide Hills-Day 1:
Bird-In-Hand: Nothing memorable
Shaw & Smith Vineyards: Very Good
2003 M3 Chardonnay
Lane Vineyards: Very Good
2008 Reunion Shiraz
Petaluma Vineyards: Good
2007 Coonawarra
Johnston Vineyards: Good
NV Sparkling Shiraz/Merlot
Lucy Margaux Excellent
2007 Pinot Noir
Lunch at Petaluma’s Bridgewater Grill: very good but not great…a no return
Langhorn Creek-Day 2:
Bleasdale Vineyards Excellent
Sparkling Shiraz
2008 Double Take Malbec
Bremerton Vineyards Excellent
2007 Best of Vintage (Shiraz/Merlot)
Fortified Chardonnay
Ciel (Botrytised/Fortified White)
Ballast Stone/Currency Creek Not Memorible
Lunch at Acquacaf in Goolwa: good but not worth a return
Some Very Good Wines from The Barossa
Day One: Rockford (excellent) info.contact@rockfordwines.com.au
Phone: 1800 088 818; Fax: 08 85633787
Black Shiraz
2003 Shiraz Vintage Port
Charles Melton (not inspiring) www.charlesmeltonwines.com.au
Pindari (very nice) www.pindariwines.com.au
Blended
Black Hinge Temperanillo
Day Two: Winter Creek (excellent) www.wintercreekwine.com.au
2005 Shiraz
le Sommelier Tawny Port
2008 Old Bastard Shiraz
2008 Padec Cabernet Sauvigon
2008 Shiraz Special Release
2008 Shiraz/Mataro
Barossa Valley Cheese Company (excellent gourmet cheeses)
Excellent spreadable goat cheese
Day Three: 2 Hands Winery (very good) www.twohandswines.com,
2007 Aphrodite
2007 RunRig
2007 Descendant
2008 The Celts
2008 Clos Otto Shiraz
2008 The Beauty
Day Four: A Day of Reflection
Day Five: A Day for Follow-up Purchases
Celebrity Chef's Dinner
We strolled into the vaulted entryway, between the koi ponds, stopping for a moment to watch the fish, and then into the giant atrium. Taking notice of the huge palms and various flowers, we descended the grand staircase. We departed the lobby, walked along a path lighted by tiki torches, crossed a wooden bridge, skirted a garden of ginger, crossed another wooden bridge and entered the realm of fine cuisine.
The Canoe House Restaurant, overlooking a grand shelf of A’a lava continuously pounded by the surf, is an elegantly appointed open-air eatery. Although it is partially covered, on this beautiful evening all diners were seated under the stars.
Before dining we sipped a lovely L’Orange Cielo Russo cocktail and nibbled on Foie Gras Meatballs with Yuzu and Radish on a Spicy Pork Belly Crouton with Ginger Papaya or Hamakua Mushroom and Black Truffle Bruschetta along with a Red Pepper Pancake, Smoked Salmon and Caviar or a Keahole Lobster Croquette with Lilikoi Drizzle, as the sun dipped below the horizon. The pupus were a good sign of what was to come.
Then, with a background of rolling surf and light Hawaiian music, the 6-course culinary adventure began. First came the shaved market vegetables with Hirabarra greens and covered with a Meyer lemon dressing. A Bombay Sapphire Lemongrass Hibiscus Collins constructed by famed mixologist, Manny Hinojosa, accompanied the salad.
Second came Kauai Shrimp, Kona Clams and Mussels with a Coconut Brodo. The wine was a 2007 Martin Ray Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The third and, for me, the most delicious course was comprised simply of lightly grilled Ahi Tuna served with heirloom tomatoes. Simplicity and extremely high quality is often the best. A delicious 2006 Hahn “SLH” Pinot Noir accompanied the third course from the Monterey Peninsula. It was an excellent wine and was a perfect compliment to the wonderful fish.
The fourth course was a locally raised suckling pig served with a perfect polenta and salsa verde. The polenta was perfectly smooth and extremely well seasoned. It was an excellent compliment to the sweetness of the suckling pig. The wine was a 2002 Benzinger Sonoma County Merlot. The fifth course and second meat course was Kahua grass-fed lamb prepared in three different ways. The three preparations were a slow cooked leg, a braised lamb neck, and an EVOO poached saddle. The meats were accompanied by al dente locally grown vegetables and white beans with fresh winter black truffles. The textures were so nicely varied and the tastes complimented each other perfectly. The wine was a 2006 Lake Sonoma Winery Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
The meal had moved from very light to rather heavy, so a light dessert was in order. The dessert course was a Waialua Chocolate Dome covered with a Raspberry Mousse and Kona Sea Salt. There was a side scoop of Cassis Sorbet. A Cazadores Mexican Macadamia Nut Chocolate Vanilla Cognac was served to cap off the event. The cognac was as delicious as the event was perfect.
After dinner the chefs, Micheal Symon of Cleveland and Iron Chef fame (he won), Jonathan Waxman of New York and Master Celebrity Chef fame, and Master Mixologist Manny Hinojosa spoke for a few minutes about how they had prepared what the diners had so lovingly consumed over the past three hours.
We milled about for a bit afterwards, exchanging stories and promising to return next year when this event will again be held. I am certain, life permitting, I will attend.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
My First Day in Adelaide
While Kangaroo Island was nice, it is very good to be back in the midst normalcy. I had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, exchanged a bit of money for Australian Dollars, filled the Audi with gas and headed for the country.
I met with my friend Sue’s friend, Gail Barth, at her lovely country home just outside of Adelaide near the village of Oakbank. We chatted a bit and then headed out for wine tasting at a couple of nearby vineyards.
Our first stop was the Bird-In-Hand Vineyard, which presented a very nice 2010 Sparkling Pinot Noir but was otherwise unremarkable. The only memorable thing for me was that I greeted a small group of Chinese wine tasters in Japanese, which gave them a giggle.
Our second stop was at the Shaw and Smith Vineyard, which had a beautiful tasting facility and some very nice wines. The most remarkable of those wines we tasted was the 2009 M3 Chardonnay. While I don’t drink much white wine, that wine could change my mind.
The next stop was at the Lane Vineyards, where Gail had arranged lunch. While waiting for our table we sampled a couple of their wines, which were fine. We sat down for a very nice lunch overlooking the beautiful rolling hills covered with vast vineyards. Our lunch began with a nice Buffalo Mozzarella served with Beet Root and Anchovies served with Sourdough Bread balls. Next we had a delicious serving of Venison along with a beautifully prepared Spatch Cock. Both entrees were succulent and nicely spiced. We finished with a vanilla ice cream served with a dark chocolate tart and a crème brulee topped with coriander placed on a slice of pineapple. I each case I have said we because we shared each course and each was beautifully presented and very tasty.
After a coffee we returned to Gail’s home for a rest. We lounged until Gail’s husband, Dave, returned home. I lounged al fresco on their vine-covered verandah. It was perfect to listen to the birds’ chat and the wind whistle through the trees. I really enjoyed the rays of the sun filtering through the vines and dancing across the varied shrubs in the garden surrounding the verandah. It was very peaceful.
When Dave arrived home we had a lovely chat over a cup of tea. After tea we headed down the road to the village of Hahndorf for a hearty German meal and a beer. After too much food and a full day, I found my way back to the hotel and my very comfortable bed. Such was my first day in the Adelaide Hills.
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