Time for a retroactive update on my food and travel adventures.
(click restaurant name or point of interest)
It is always a challenge to discover new spots and still get to all my favorites. So please forgive my repetitions. They will merely confirm that the old places are still good.In August we were in San Francisco. On the top of my pile of receipts is one from Zuni Café: “Mojito, Summer Ice (6), Caesar, Clams, Gruner Veltliner, Espresso Granita $69.77” is what it says. Summer Ice must have been oysters. I wish I were there tonight. I really think it is one of the perfect restaurants for unpretentiousness, fresh, tasty foods and steadiness. I did not get to Swan Oyster Depot since it is a lunch place and it is hard to work and eat lunch at the same time. Saturday at the Ferry Building market or the Alemany farmer’s market is a regular treat, though my friend Niloufer was in Bombay and couldn’t accompany me.
You must buy her book My Bombay Kitchen. Stories, recipes and a charming perspective on food unlike any other.
The highlight of Los Angeles was being able to snag 2 seats at the bar of the new Mozza and watch Nancy Silverton prep all the plates behind the mozzarella bar. The top of the bar is full of jars and bowls filled with beautiful and delicious things to eat, and the food is fresh, tasty and beautiful. ( She has a new cookbook called A Twist of the Wrist which is handy and clever.) Angela had already eaten, but we had a delicious burata dish and a tagliata with arugula, etc. I think I remember excellent fruit granita for dessert.
New York is always an eating adventure, and we were there both in September and November. New places: Petrarca on White Street with Mel Dwork (Christo and Jean-Claude were eating at the next table). Mel ate branzino and I, of course, an onion-gorgonzola pizza that tasted as if it had been deep-fried in olive oil. I wanted to return for another round. I also tried virtually everything on the menu at the new, enlarged Momofuku Noodle Bar with Calvin Trillin. The big bowl of kim-chee noodles and the pork buns were the best. This was preceded by some excellent dumplings chez Trillin from Super Taste on Eldredge Street. Next time, I will swing by there and get some frozen to take back home. We tried to get into Tia Pol but failed and went to Red Cat instead. Good, but noisy at the bar. La Esquina on Lafayette Street was tasty, cheap and cozy.
Old favorites revisited included Tabla, Giorgione, Cafe Boulud, Grand Central Oyster Bar (Totten Virginicus oysters cannot be beat), Taste, The Bar at The Modern (Danny Meyer is desperately needed at the Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City), Mezza Luna, etc.
Boston is new on our schedule, and we are learning about the Copley Plaza neighborhood. I actually had 3 meals at B&G Oysters. Sheer inertia and love of shellfish (lobster rolls especially). Across the street is The Butcher Shop which also looks just as inviting and stylish, but how can someone living in the Midwest eat meat in Boston? The owner of these lovely places also has a charming greengrocery next door. Very talented woman!
In Chicago we went to our old favorites: Wow Bao for takeout lunch; Avec and Hot Chocolate for dinner and also back to Cafe Spiaggia.
I just cannot think of food anymore. Christmas will soon be upon us and its arrival demands some inspiration on my part. If I could just order the lemon meringue cake from Taste in New York, endless dozens of Totten Virginica oysters, and some buratta from Mozza ……