SW Steakhouse.............You will Wynn when you dine at this Wynn location

As much fun as i'm having here in Las Vegas at my Machinery Dealer's convention, I have been taking advantages of any meal opportunity I have been given to me.

Last night was a smart move on my part to join my parents and two other couples that we are friendly with.  The SW Steakhouse is located downstairs near the lake of Dreams. When you take the circular (yes circular) escalator down in front of the small lake, you have SW on one side and Daniel Boulud on the other.  The Space is very Steakhouse like with a lot of dark colors but very well lit.

The Menu was also very Steakhouse like with your usual raw bar selections as well as some high end additions like a Caviar plate and Kobe beef Carpaccio.  They had an excellent selection of Salads.  Two of us got Caesar Salads, two of us got the Roasted beet salad, and the best looking salad was the chopped salad with Avocado topped with crisp thin potatoes.  I got the Beet salad and it had an excellent amount of these tender morsels.  there were three different vibrant color beets to choose from as well as it being bathed in a hazelnut dressing and sliced hazelnuts mixed in.

Most of us ordered the steak as well that is what we came for.  Both my father and Susan (one of the women with us) don't eat meat, so they ordered fish.  My father got the Halibut and I got to try a small piece before he completely devoured the dish.  It was juicy and flaky and just down right delicious.  It was soy glazed before the sear so it had a nice sweet flavor.  It mixed well with the miso lemongrass sauce it was sitting in.

I ordered the Bone in Rib-eye.  I'm always a big fan of a bone in rib-eye because the bone adds so much flavor.  Both my mother and I got that dish. Now I know I often talk down about steakhouses because....well, there isn't much to it and they don't differ really from one place to another.  the steak that is.  What you need to make a good steak is first good quality meat, and freaking hot ass broiler.  Many of the high end steakhouses have a line to top brands and quality of beef.  The ovens on the other hand does the magic.  If you had an oven that can produce a heat of 1250 degrees, you too can make a great steak.  That super high heat will char the outside while leaving the inside nice and pink.  That char is where you get all the great flavor.

One of the people with us, Frank, got the Tomahawk Filet.  A rare selection to find and if you do, please get it.  Yes, it's above the top when it comes to pricing it.  At almost $80, you best enjoy steak.  The Tomahawk cut is a bone in Filet Mignon.   It gets the name from.......well take a look:

I normally don't get the Filet because I find the rib-eye is much more full of flavor.  But this steak was awesome.  I got to taste a little bit and really enjoyed it.

Now what really sets a steakhouse apart are what it offers in addition to the steak.  The side dishes were fantastic.  We ordered a very regal Black Truffle Creamed corn.  Very rich in truffle flavor and the right amount of creaminess to it. We also got Balsamic glazed Chipoline onions and jalapeno peppers.  The bite of the jalapeno against the sweet balsamic was an excellent mix.

For dessert we pre-ordered a chocolate soufflé.  I'm not a big soufflé fan, but I had a taste of it and it was very good.  the accompaniment of sour cherries I thought was an excellent touch as well as it looking beautiful

All in all a great meal and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a good steak house out here in Las Vegas.

SW Steakhouse can be found in the Wynn Hotel or online at www.wynnlasvegas.com

Day one in Las Vegas again..................Lunch for two....for one at Carnegie Deli

Yes, I'm back in my favorite city again.  This will be the last time I'm here till November.  This was a unique year for me as I was able to go to Las Vegas so often in such a short time.  I belong to two business organizations that move their yearly conventions from one place to another.  both of them coincidentally had them here.

So I got in met up with a fellow machinery dealer who I have been friends with now for many years.  We each got in early today (Wednesday) to have a little bit of extra fun.  We started off the day by going to the famous New York eatery Carnegie Deli located at the Mirage Hotel.

It is smaller than the original but the taste was the same.  As you walk past this place the smell draws you in.  You can't beat true New York style Corned Beef and Pastrami.  Yes a stumbling block for my low salt diet but I have been super good the past few weeks and felt I can afford a cheat.  I wanted a corned beef and pastrami combo.  it's called the "Woody Allen".  It should be called the meat towers.  It was ridiculous.  As were most things coming out of the kitchen.  This place takes portion control and annihilates it. The sandwich is so big that it is held together with Skewers.  I took a photo but it was blurry.  But I can easily say, it was stacked about 10" high.  A true Dagwood.

The Pastrami was juicy and peppery the way pastrami should be.  The corned beef was very lean and therefore dry in my book. I like a fattier piece of corned beef.  I think my mother and I are the only ones who order corned beef fatty.

We both ended up controlling ourselves and eating just 1/2 the sandwich and taking the other 1/2 back.  I think I can make three sandwiches with what I brought back.

If you go to any type of New York Style Deli, bring an appetite.

Carnegie Deli can be found on the Strip in Las Vegas at The Mirage Hotel.  www.mirage.com

leFarm in Westport Ct...........Farm to Table food has never tasted this good

Anita and I had the pleasure of dining at leFarm again last night.  And I mean pleasure.   His inventive farm to table cuisine puts it at the top of our favorite dining locations.

Now I know I have said in the past that I wouldn't take photos of the food at the restaurants but I draw exception to the new rule with Chef Bill. He said he has no problems with me taking photos of the food and I could take as many as I wanted. While I was tempted to walk through the restaurant and photograph patrons and their meals, I decided not to.  For Anita's sake.

So for those who don't know leFarm, the rustic barn interior of the space seats around 30 but feels bigger than that with high ceilings and light tones and mirrors on the walls.  The appetizers are quite diverse including a selection of cheeses, Long Island Fluke Crudo (served raw), many salads, and small fish plates and of course my favorite the roasted bone marrow.  I usually get the bone marrow but told Chef I wanted something different.  I noticed that there were Sardines on the menu.  No one locally makes Sardines as I think they have a bad reputation of being the sibling of the Anchovy.  I think that they are a sibling and personally I see that as a good thing since I love Anchovies.  But not many people do.  Sardines are similar in that they are small fish, but they have much different flavor.  Chef said they are excellent and decided to get those.  And he was right. The small filet's are paired with a unique type of grapefruit that is sweeter than most. it also looked like it had a hint of green color.  It also had cucumbers and slivered onions and the entire dish was circled with a harissa sauce which added some nice heat to the dish.

Anita wanted a salad as Chef Bill always makes strong vibrant salads.  We always steer towards any of his salads that have beets in them.  That is one vegetable that I want to start to use more.  I think they too have a bad reputation as been a heavy red colored vegetable that is only associated to Borscht and Greek Salads.  A lot of the Beets he gets are so colorful and rich in flavor.  Her salad had yellow beets and lentils but what really crunched up the dish were the pecans.  They were sweet and crunch and worked great with the thinly sliced and salty La Quercia ham.  I have never heard of this kind of ham but I loved it.  It was similar in texture and taste to Prosciutto but not as strong a flavor.

Our Server Frank, who we have known for years, had gotten upset with us because we didn't hear what the special was this evening for the appetizer.  Frank knows us and knows that we enjoy almost everything and said we would enjoy it so he brought us out a dish.   It was octopus that was grilled and also had some harissa mixed into the sauce.   The dish was served with scallions (I think) chorizo (I know) and shaved Fennel.  Octopus normally has a chewy texture but Bill did something to it that made it soft.   The perfect bite was a bit of fennel, chorizo and octopus.  If you ever see this on the menu, get it.

leFarm's main dishes have a selection of pastas that can be ordered as an appetizer or a main dish.  His bolognese is really great.  Other main dishes had something there for everyone.  His Chicken dish is always on the menu and everyone always talks about it.  personally I have never gotten it because there are so many other amazing ones.  Last night they ran out of the Lamb meatballs that is served over polenta.  His Pork belly dish is one I usually get but again wanted to go down a different road last night.  I asked Bill what he thought and asked if I liked Sweet Breads.  I have to admit, I have never had Sweet Breads as I have sort of been turned off to what they were.  Which is not really like me.  But he said they make them real well and I should give it a try.  For those of you who don't know, Sweet Breads are a gland in either a calf or a lamb.  Bill said if I didn't like them, that the rest of the dish is a meal in itself.  I have to say I'm now a fan of Sweet Breads.  Bill made them Asparagus, ramps, smoky bacon in a rich meaty sauce.  The Sweet Breads themselves reminded me a little of a really extra firm Tofu but had a meatiness to them.  I also had tried ramps for the first time with this dish and they were delicious.  Ramps are a short seasoned leek or green onion that have a nice subtle onion flavor.  I'm sure a nice dish of these just sautéed in  olive oil would be great.

Anita loves the way Bill makes his Halibut and he delivered last night.  It was a real big piece of fish that sat on a bed of white coco beans and spinach with chunks of chorizo.  Yes lots of chorizo last night.  I really hate when that happens.  The fish was topped with a romesco sauce that was delicious.

While we sat and enjoyed out drinks, Frank dropped off a dessert menu that listed many sweet treats.  I'm not a major dessert fan but I love Bill's cornbread.  It is topped with Maple ice cream and candied bacon.  Its so good.

Yes I started in without a photo as you can see  but I couldn't resist.

If you live in the Fairfield County Ct area I highly suggest you come here.   Reservations are highly recommended and they are open from Tuesday through Saturday.   If you go, tell Bill I said hi when he is walking around the restaurant.  He enjoys mingling.

More information can be found online at www.lefarmwestport.com

Being Married to a Woman who bakes has it's advantages

Both Anita, my wife, and I love to cook. Well let me rephrase that. I love to cook. She loves to bake. The funny thing about how we look at both crafts are that they are easy. I personally think that if you know how to read, you know how to cook. Obviously there is more too it but that is the basic necessity. You just need to follow a recipe and there you go. Food.

There are differences between cooking and baking. The major one is the ingredients and how you use them. What I mean by that is that with cooking, you can add more of something on the fly just for kicks. With baking, the majority of the ingredients must be exact. You almost never substitute something in baking. That is for the most part. Yes you can change certain acids and certain bases and get similar results, but everything stays the same for the most part.

So as I was saying, whipping up something for Anita and I is pretty easy. For example, this morning Anita realized we have no cookies in the house. Her signature cookie is the Chocolate Chip. I personally like them frozen with a very cold glass of milk. With each holiday, she whips up something appropriate. Ruggalah and Bobbka for the Jewish High Holidays and Pecan Meringue's and coconut macaroons for Passover. She is also known to make a fabulous Cheesecake at a moments notice.

Back to today, she made up a batch of Chocolate Chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. Take a look why I'll never be known as slim.

Yeah, waking up or just sitting down somewhere close by can be so rewarding when these are being baked.  Really.  In the back you see the signature chocolate chip cooling down before being placed in a baggie and then put in the freezer.  In the front are her peanut butter cookie.  Playfully done with a Hershey's Kiss in the middle.

I've been messing around with photographing some of the food I make so hope this makes you water.

I made sure I have milk tonight when I get home from Dinner.

Reading Labels to watch Salt and discovered I was reading them wrong.......Are you reading them better?

As many of you may know I have been putting in a better effort to lower my salt intake.  The FDA recommends 2 to 2 1/2 grams ( 2000 to 2500 mg ) of salt (or sodium) a day.  I've been trying real hard to stay below that as well as help my family stay below that as well.

Before I got on this kick, I had purchased some things that are not on board with my new lifestyle. Not many items but one in particular was a bowl of Japanese Udon Noodles.  I don't get into a habit of buying stuff like this but thought it might be good for something hot and filling and real easy to make.  So after I said Sayonara to sodium, I looked at that label and was shocked.  Take a look at the sodium count

No your not misreading.  It does say 1520 mg.   click the photo to make it bigger.  You'll see it.  That is almost a full day of salt in one bowl of noodle soup.  Why I didn't throw it away right then and there I don't know.  But I kept it in the pantry.

When shopping at Trader Joe's I came across some of these noodle bowls which looked smaller and I looked at the label and thought these were not great but better than the big bowl I had in my pantry.  So I bought some.  Look at the difference in the sizes.

Packaging plays a huge part here.  The bowl on the right looks huge compared to when you remove the bowl from it's packaging on the left.   Anita pulled the bowl on the left out of the pantry and I told her to take the one on the right and throw it away because it was high in sodium.  She looked at it and was as shocked as I was when she saw that 1520 number.  She looked at the smaller bowl and said, like I did, not great but better  than the other one.  But then she looked closer.   She said did you know that the smaller bowl contains two servings where as the bigger bowl contains one.  Here is the label for the smaller bowl

It has 970 mg of sodium for each serving.  Times two that is 1940 mg.  almost a whole days worth of salt in one small bowl.  Take another look at the serving size on top.  The big bowl is 221 grams in a serving and the smaller bowl has 85 grams for serving, 170 grams total.

So in this situation, the smaller bowl of soup was actually worse than the bigger bowl.  One thing that I know I won't buy anymore are these quick fix bowls.  I think I'll make my own and freeze it for my quick fix.

I have heard that the FDA is now talking about changing the way manufacturers make their labels so it clearly states what the entire portion contains.  For example, an idiot like me won't have to worry about looking at the label and seeing that the small bowl actually contains two servings vs. one.

I hope that this has helped you to look closer at labels as it has for me.

Dinner for one?............... Easier than you think.

The one thing I hear the most that makes me nuts is when people tell me that they would love to cook but if it's only for one person (themselves) what is the point.  In my opinion, that is the exact point!!!!

What better a crowd to cook for when you want to experiment than just yourself.  You can make as much as you want or as little as you want.  You can try something new you saw in a cookbook one day and didn't have the time before.  You can experiment.  If you screw up, who will know?

I do love to cook for a crowd.  I also love to cook for just Anita and I or another couple.  But I also love to cook for myself.  I don't have to worry about if a person doesn't eat pork or shellfish.  Allergies?  I have none!!!!  I can strategically round out a meal with a protein, vegetable and starch.  Or just load up on protein like when I did Atkins.   Or go for a mega salad with only veggies.  You can do what you want and you're not out to impress anyone.  You just want for you.  Yes it sounds selfish and self centered.  I can see that.  Don't get me wrong, if given the choice to cook for more than me, I would jump all over it.  The pleasure I get from seeing a person enjoy a meal I made is very fulfilling to me.

Tonight for example, I'm making Tuna steak.  Now usually I go with the easy safe bet of marinating the steak in low sodium soy sauce, fresh grated ginger and fresh grated garlic.  But since I'm trying to go real low sodium, I didn't drown it in Soy.  Instead I broke out the food processor and threw in three cloves of garlic, a whole bunch of parsley, a bunch of cilantro, mustard powder, garlic powder ( I like Garlic) and ginger powder, and a dash of low sodium soy.  Turned it on and drizzled in Olive Oil to emulsify the entire mixture.  Put it in a baggie and let it chill for about 1 1/2 hours.

On the grill it goes.  5 minutes or so on each side and it is done.  Squeeze a little lemon on it and your good to go.

Now If I were eating with Anita, I wouldn't make this because she isn't a fan of Tuna. I love Tuna.   I got two pieces of Ahi frozen at Trader Joe's so I made them both.  I'll have one for dinner tonight and I might have the  second one for lunch tomorrow.  Or for dinner tomorrow.  So it's dinner for one, two times with one time of the cooking and prep.

And by the way........It was delicious.

Matzo Brie (pronounced Bri) gives me a true Salt test

So it's a week after the Passover Holiday and I had no dinner.  I was thinking omelet but then I remembered over the past holiday I had no Matzo Brie.   But what is Matzo Brie you say.  I'm glad you asked.

You start off with a bunch of sheets or squares of Matzo and crush them in a bowl.  Wet down the crushed bits with water till they are soft but not a bit of mush.  Take some eggs and scramble them in a bowl then mix it in with the bowl of Matzo.  In case you need specifics, I used 4 sheets of Matzo and 3 eggs.   I was hungry back off.  Now the bit issue here for me personally is salt.  I have been trying and succeeding to cut down my salt intake.  I have pretty much cut it out completely in my cooking.  Usually I add a a bunch of salt to the mixture and then it goes in a hot pan but this time, just a little salt. (back off Roger, just back off, it was a little)  Then it goes into the pan and you cook it up like you would Scrambled Eggs.  

You know when it is done when you know scrambled eggs are done.  I like mine on the more well done side.  In the past I would actually add more salt to the dish so the flavor was well salty.  Many people add syrup to the top like they would to pancakes or waffles.  I'm not a syrup guy so I never have it that way.

So if you want to try something different, give Matzo Brie a Try.  ( I didn't plan the pun)

Bob Chinn's Crabhouse..............Crab's in Chicago? I didn't know Lake Michigan had crustaceans

About 12 years ago I was introduced to Bob Chinn's.  Bob Chinn's is located in Wheeling Illinois about 20 minutes north of O'hare airport.  It's a huge place that seems to go on forever.  When you arrive, you are placed in one of three lines.  Parties of 4 or less, 5-8 people, 8 or more.  From there you are escorted to about a 1/3 of the way into the seating area where you are met by yet another hostess who then seats you at your table.

Years ago when I was first introduced, the menu was hand written on both sides everyday.  All fresh fish was flown in every day and posted on the top of the menu.  Obviously the main feature was crab.  All sorts were to be had there.  King, Dungeness, Jonah, Snow and even blue.  

Today, similar handwritten typeset is on one side of the menu only but it does change everyday.  Insuring that all the items on the menu were delivered fresh that day.  

I'm a sucker for Dungeness Crab because it's pretty much native to the waters of the San Francisco Bay area.  Its getting more and more popular and you see it more on menus so if you do see it, get it.  Aside from King Crab, it's real easy to eat.  Big meaty knuckles allow large chunks of flesh to come out easily.  So when I saw that on the menu this time, I knew what I'd be having that night,  But what to start with .

I saw they had Gumbo on the menu so I started with a cup of the soup.  It was very good with large chunks of green pepper and Okra.  It had a little spice to it which was nice but not too spicy for those who are sensitive to it.

I also had some Oysters on the 1/2 shell which were real nice.  Only argument was the fact that they really weren't shucked well.  the oyster was still connected to the shell so if you were to just try to scoop it into your mouth, you would rip the mollusk in 1/2.  Since this happens more times than not, I always get into a habit of checking this first before I don them with horseradish and cocktail sauce.

One of the great things that I forgot about Bob Chinn's are the rolls.  Ordinary rolls are served in a basket topped with a garlic parsley oil mixture.   You see people licking their fingers all over the dining room eating these.   I broke my rule and took a photo:

Now for my main dish of Dungeness Crab, I had the choice of having them served cold, steamed, with garlic and oil or Ginger and onion.  The ginger and onion sounded good but in reality, I should have gone with one of the other three.  One large crab was cooked and covered in a syrupy sauce that I guess had ginger flavoring.  It lacked the flavor.  

But when you got through the sauce, the meat was tender and delicious.  The only negative with a meal like this is that it is work.  You can't just dive in with silverware and eat.  you have to crack, and poke and scoop to get the meat out.  You do risk a slight cut when handle the crabs but that is a risk I just love to take.  

When you eat like this, you are bound to get a bit dirty.  At many places, you get a nice little wet nap.  At Bob Chinn's, you can go to any sink that is strategically located throughout the restaurant.  They are shaped like old wooden barrels and they are constantly being used.

So if your in the Chicago area and are close to O'hare airport, give Bob Chinn's a try.  Everyone knows the place there and you'll have a great meal.  

For more information about Bob Chinn's Crabhouse, go to:http://bobchinns.com/

Vegas Trip in March...............Quick trip and good eats

It was supposed to be a nice long weekend.  Part fun, part work.  My original plan was to go out on Friday night and just Chill Saturday and ½ day Sunday before my convention started.  The convention was to take place at the Ritz Carlton in Lake Las Vegas from Sunday night to Tuesday night.  I didn’t want to stay 30 minutes away from the strip as that is where all the action is.  So I chose my usual Bellagio location and for the first time rented a car to drive back and forth.  Taxi’s would have cost $70 each way so the car was the cheaper move by far.  I had made a reservation at L’Atalier de Joel Robuchon where I enjoyed a fabulous meal in November ( search through here and you will see what it was like and why you should go).  I made a reservation for 4 just in case I was able to find some people who were going into Vegas Early for some fun and wanted to have dinner with me. 

All that fun and planning came to an abrupt crash when two weeks before my trip on the first run of a beautiful warm ski day, my 6 year old hit a jump and came down hard breaking his femur in two.  Long story short, got to the hospital where we eventually had to wait till 7:00 pm before he could go into surgery to repair the break.    Over a month later he is doing amazing now and will probably be running around like nothing happened in 6 weeks or so.

But then, I had all the plans to cancel my trip.  My wife had said I shouldn’t and to take one day at a time.  Which I did. Since he and we were doing great up to when I was leaving, I changed the trip to go out on Sunday instead of Friday.  I canceled L’Atalier and made another one for Monday. 

Sunday night found me on the old strip of Las Vegas’ Freemont Street.  Our convention started at the Golden Gate Hotel, home of the original $ 0.99 Shrimp cocktail.  One of the members of our organization is now the owner of this hotel and hosted a cocktail party out in front of the hotel on the now pedestrian only street.  I haven’t been there since they first put the cover on the street and closed it to cars.  Back then it was cheesy and dirty and not anywhere near as flashy as what the new Vegas had become.  Now it boasts the world’s Largest HD TV in the world.  The canopy that covers the street is a huge TV. How huge?  How about 4 blocks huge.  At 7:30 and every hour after that the screen fills up with music and videos from the Doors, to CCR and Kiss.  One of the cool video portions was a rocket that started at our end of the street and went all the way down to the far end.  I have to admit, it was real cool.  Derrick the owner, said that they (meaning everyone who has properly on the street) have done a lot to bring people back to this area.  Including three concert stages with great acts.  I’m told that year round, Friday and Saturday nights are similar to Times Square on New Year’s Eve.  I’m glad I went not just for the business end but to see what Old Vegas has done.   I would say I would probably come back one day.

Now at a cocktail party like that, I don’t tend to eat a lot.  Even though there were some good food being passed around, I try not to eat so that I can pay attention to conversing with others.  Plus I would hate to talk and all of a sudden I’m spitting food on someone that I want to sell a quarter of a million dollar machine to.  So I sip my drink and talk.  After a few hours of this the crowd dispersed for everyone to go their own way.  I went back to the Bellagio where I found myself hungry.  I walked around and decided to go to Fix.  It is located near the stores that lead you over to the Caesar’s.  It is also located across from a very popular sushi place called Yellowtail.  The place was bustling so from where I sat across from there, I had a great view of some very beautiful people getting ready for a late Sunday night frolic.  I think it was stripper night at the night club there because the last time I have seen so many tight outfits propped up on 4” heels was at a strip joint.  

So at Fix, I just wanted a little nibble, so after my drink came, I ordered the Kobe Beef slider appetizer.  It was three small sliders done up with caramelized onions on small buns.  They were very tasty but I have to admit I think the “Kobe” is wasted on sliders.  Because the burgers are done small, there is a tendency to overcook them.  Now the onions and ketchup bring moisture back to the burger, you don’t get it from the beef at all.  I have had regular Kobe beef burgers that needed no condiment on them at all.  The interlaced fat retains all the delicious juicy flavor that you need.   I have had one at Burger Bar at Mandalay and it is spectacular.    So after my burgers and $100 donation, I went to bed early.

Monday was meetings and golf all day and I couldn’t find someone to join me on the strip for dinner that night.  Most people wanted to stay local, so I went back and tried to figure out what to do.  I cancelled my L’Atalier reservation because I didn’t know if I wanted to get in a taxi.  The beauty of the Bellagio is it’s location. I can walk to Caesar’s, Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Bally’s, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, the Orleans, and the Venetian.  There is lots to see and lots of places to eat all within a 15-20 min. walk.  I was in the mood for Steak or at least I thought I was.  I first went to Jean-George Vongdericten’s Prime in the Bellagio.  It was now 8:15 and the first table for one would be available at 9:30.  Monday night with a long wait like that, I was happy to see Vegas is coming back.  But I didn’t want to wait.  So I know there are a few places in Caesar’s.  So I make my way over the bridge and into the Palace.  While walking around, I noticed the famed New York Eatery Rao’s.  I glace over and it looks like they have availability, but at that point, steak was still on my mind.  I made my way to the forum shops of Caesar’s where it is home to many shops and restaurants.  At the end on the 3^rd floor is BOA Steakhouse.  I walk over and notice it’s a dark looking place and as I get closer, aside from the hostess, the place is empty.  Not a good sign.  I didn’t even stop to glace at the menu.  So I took the circular escalator, yes circular it’s really cool, down to the first floor where it is home to Joe’s Steak and Crab.  This is satellite restaurant from the famed Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami.  If you have never been there on south beach you have to make it there one day.  I hope to get there again soon to write about it but better yet, to eat there. 

The location where Joe’s is, is mostly out in the mall area.  While it’s good for people watching, the location isn’t very good for high traffic and I wasn’t in the mood for a brightly lit area while eating.   So what do I do?  Should I make my way back to Prime and wait another 45 min. at this point?  I remember Rao’s.  I walk back there and see that I could just come in so I glance at the menu outside.  It is classic Italian fare but I have heard done better than anyone else can do it.  So I go up to the front and was seated in a minute.  The menu looked great.   All Classic Italian dishes.  My problem was what to try.   I changed my plan from Steak to Veal.  Yes I know it’s the same animal but we all know it’s different.  All veal dishes looked amazing and I was really having a hard time deciding.  I saw at the last minute that there was Osso Buco on the menu and that was a heavy contender.  Glancing at the appetizers I saw Clams Oreganata.   When done right, the clam is left whole and the topping is a breading mixture of oil, clam juice, lots of finely chopped garlic and parsley and then topped with even more butter.  It is baked and then broiled for a minute to crisp up the tops.   Growing up in Long Island, there were lots of Italian places that did these right.  We used to get an extra loaf of bread to mop up the juices.  The plates would literally come back stark white.  Not clean mind you, but stark white.   But in Connecticut, I am yet to have a clam done like I did growing up.  Yes they have the clams casino and the big heavy stuffing chopped up baked clams.  But a Clams Oreganata done right is probably the best thing you can put in your mouth. 

Just a short story about Clams Oreganata.  Our entire family plus spouses had gone to my grandmother’s unveiling of her cemetery stone in Long Island a year after her death.  There is usually a small ceremony and that is it.  After, being that every fairly large event in the Jewish religion revolves around food,  we decided to go eat at La Parma.  Another classic New York Italian family style eatery.  There were 10 of us all together.  I think we were all drooling at the idea of the clams as they do them fabulous there.  When the waiter came, we ordered 6 dozen.  Yes 6 dozen for a group of 10.  Normal families usually have 1 or two clams as a morsel to start the meal.  We don’t believe in morsels.  We asked for many loaves of bread to so we can mop up the juice when we finished the clams.  If there were professional clam eaters, my family would be champions.   We devoured these clams so that there wasn’t any bits of mollusk or bread crumb left.  There were noises coming from our table that would sound like it was meal in the medieval days.  One of us was facing the servers who were watching all of us and noticed one of them saying to another, “look at those pigs”.  We were all hysterical.  But we were happy and we were together so they could have called us whatever we wanted. 

So knew I was ordering the Clams, but what to have for the main.  As I usually do, I ask the help of the server.  He said if this is your first time, it has to be the veal. I said I was only looking at the Veal.  He said then the choice is between the Veal parm or the Osso Buco.  I said the Osso Buco it is. 

The clams arrived and they sat in an oblong ramekin in a bath of butter. The tops were browned perfectly.  But they were scalding hot. So I had to just wait a moment before diving in.   The crumb topping was perfect with just the right amount of seasoning and moisture that you would expect in dish.  I would say I have two gripes with the way they prepared the dish.  One was that the clams weren’t shucked so if you didn’t eat them right, you would have to take two bites, one with all the topping, then another with the clam.  The way to get the most out of the dish is to have them together in one smooth motion with your front teeth acting like spoon removing it from its shell.   Then you can go after and get any last remaining bits.  So this one required some work with a knife and fork.  But in the end it was still worth it. My second gripe was the fact that none of the topping spilled over into the dish for mopping.  The bottom of the dish was basically clarified garlic butter.  Delicious yes, but not for mopping.   Would I order it again, I’m not so sure If I would for two reasons, one it’s $17.00 for 6 clams.  And two there are probably other things on the menu that are amazing. 

The main dish came and it looked pretty as a picture.  I still kept in my new no picture policy at restaurants and this one I should have broken the rule.  This massive bone in Veal shank sat atop a bed of saffron risotto and looked so beautiful. I was given a steak knife and I don’t know why.  It was so tender, and when it is done right it should be, that you only needed a fork to remove the meat.  The dish was cooked in a veal reduction sauce that enhanced the flavor that much more.  The sauce mixed in the risotto making it creamy and rich in flavor.  The portion was huge.  I didn’t finish the rice but I did finish the meat.  And yes, I did get a small spoon for the buttery marrow inside.  Truly a decadent dish.  I would highly recommend this to everyone. 

No dessert as I was filled to the gills.   I had a nice walk back to walk off the meal.   I am looking forward to another visit there.

My final food experience was at a place I went to the last time I was there.  Hot and Juicy Crawfish.  I really went there for a t-shirt because they didn’t have my size last time I was there.  And sure enough, they didn’t have it this time as well.  But I got an amazing meal of spicy crawfish for lunch.  They were just as good as the first time and I guess I’ll be back for that shirt in a few weeks when I return. 

I’m not sure where I’ll eat then but I’ll be sure to let you know.

Papaya Thai.........Taste of Thai done locally good.

Last weekend (yes I need to catch up) my youngest sister Emily had surprised us by saying she had nothing to do Saturday night so she ordered us out on the town while she watched the boys.

So Anita and I took off to Norwalk to Papaya Thai where we haven't been to in a long time.  We were quickly seated but moved due to the chill near the door.  We settled in and looked at the extensive drink list.  I don't remember what Anita got but my drink was called the Mind Bender.  Tequila with Lime Juice, and another juice that I can't remember.  Guess it bent my mind.

They have a great menu but we always seem to get a bunch of small plates to share.  So we stuck to our plan and each ordered Tom Yum Goong which has shrimp and mushrooms in this amazing broth.  It had some heat to it but not too much.  It would be awesome to make this soup one day.   It would be great with on a really cold day.  We both really enjoyed the soup.

The first of the small plates came which was Larb Gai Lettuce Cups.  A spin off of the lettuce cups from P.F. Chang's but less mass produced tasting.  Flavor was good and served in red leaf lettuce instead of Iceberg.

Our next dish was one of my favorites, Beef Short Rib Satay.  But without the Satay.  It is a piece of short rib, off the bone that must be marinated and grilled.  The meat is so tender as a short rib should be cooked.  But the taste is really what gets you.  I could have had two of these.

The last dish we got was the Curry Sampler, which is a small portion of three different curry dishes.  This I would personally pass on next time.  The sauces were each too watery for me.  I picture a curry dish to have a thicker sauce that these had. They weren't bad.  Don't get me wrong.  But I would get another Satay or starter to nibble on.

Its a fun place to go to and in the summer they have outdoor seating.

Papaya Thai can be found in Norwalk across from the Maritime Aquarium.  You can learn more about them by going here: www.papayathai.com

Marly's of Wilton......Fun for Family, Great for Dates

Just finished a great meal at Marly's in Wilton CT tonight.

Now I want to preface that I'm going to change the way I write about restaurants here.  I've seen in a bunch of cooking shows that talk to the chefs or the owners and most of them have said that they really dislike that people take pictures of the food.  They said it takes away from the experience.  I tend to disagree but I have seen enough of the shows to make me think that unless it absolutely requires a photo, I will try to refrain from taking photos at restaurants.  But I will torture you with stuff I cook.

So onto Marly's.  The location is tucked away in the center of Wilton Center CT.  The space is handsomely decorated and in the warmer months, outdoor seating is available.

The  menu is a terrific blend of everything.  Appetizers include two types of chicken wings, fried calamari which you would find in many places that are safe bets.  But Marly's kicks it up a bit by adding P.E.I Mussels and a Pan seared Scallop dish. They also offer two different kinds of sliders.  Kobe beef and Pulled Pork.

On the same side of the Menu were 7 different kinds of salads.  Some of which I'm sure would be big enough for a whole meal.  I was in the mood for Caesar Salad and order theirs as my appetizer.  The romaine was crispy and fresh and the dressing was not too heavy.  It had great salty flavor to it but the best part about it was the long pieces of shaved Parmesan.

On the right side of the menu were the main dishes.  Your choices go from Burgers to Steak and everything in between.  The burgers are not just simple burgers though.  You have your choice of 8. I have had the pleasure of trying three of them in a previous posting and let me tell you, it is difficult to choose just one.  You can also choose to go lighter and select one of five different sandwiches.  Other main dishes included steaks, a few fish dishes including Salmon, Tilapia and Cod.  They also have a number of pasta dishes that you can order 1/2 order of if you want it as an appetizer or just a lighter dinner.  I chose the Buccatini pasta and clams.  The sauce that it came with was a red sauce that was rich and bold.  It was also quite spicy.  Just how I like my meals.  The clams circled the pasta when it arrived so there were plenty.  I enjoyed the sauce so much I had to get more bread for mopping.
Anita ordered off the specials menu tonight which was seared Scallops over an Arugala Salad.  The Scallops were very big and the dish was very pretty and colorful.

We had our kids with us tonight and a friend of theirs.  The kids menu comes on the kids activity book to keep them busy.  All the kids dishes were either $5 or $6 which is perfect.  And the fries were perfect.  One of the greatest things they do is on Sundays.  For families, they have movie night.  in a smaller section of the restaurant, they set up a TV and show a movie.  Kids also get served a meal while watching the movie.  So while they are enjoying a movie and dinner, you can have a little alone time with your loved one.

Oh, and I know I started by saying I wouldn't take photos at restaurants again unless they are real special.  Well I couldn't resist.

Marly's can be found on the web at www.marlysofwilton.com