Carpe Diem – a quaint wine bar in downtown Napa specializing in small plates. On first glance, I expected the place to be pretentious, but I was pleasantly surprised. Aside from a 10 minute wait despite the face we had a reservation, the experience was enjoyable and memorable. My dinner partner and I opted to have a glass of wine whilst we waited for our table, and we perused the menu – “Quack and Cheese” caught my eye, and so did the Ostrich Burger. Though we appreciated the guidance from our hostess in choosing our first glass of wine, my dining partner did not enjoy his, and this was promptly replaced with something much more to his liking. Once we sat down, the food was promptly ordered and was in turn promptly delivered to the table. We ordered the Roasted Wild Mushroom Pizza, the ‘Quack and Cheese’ (Mac & Cheese with Duck confit and Crisp pancetta) and the Ostrich burger – cooked medium. The pizza and ‘Quack and Cheese’ arrived first and were promptly devoured. The mushrooms on the pizza were delightfully ‘meaty’ in that they were not thin feeble slices but rather thick cut. They were also succulent but not mushy – something quite difficult to do. The ‘Quack and Cheese’ was devastatingly rich and it was too much – the richness of the cream, cheese, duck confit, pancetta and pasta was too much. One bite was all that was needed.

Carpe Diem Wine Bar in Napa CA – Menu

Carpe Diem Wine Bar in Napa CA – Quack & Cheese

Carpe Diem Wine Bar in Napa CA – Roast Mushroom Pizza

The Ostrich Burger came about 5 minutes after the first two dishes came, and they had pre-cut the burger since they noticed we were sharing – love the attention to detail. The ostrich was moist and so so tender. Almost like ground fillet mignon but with an ever so slight gamey note – I however hardly noticed the gaminess till my dinner partner pointed it out. Very rich, but again, very satisfying, especially for a small plates tapas style restaurant. All in all, Carpe Diem Wine Bar in Napa is a great value for money and is highly recommended.

Carpe Diem Wine Bar,

1001 2nd St  Napa, CA

94559

The post Restaurant Review – Carpe Diem Wine Bar, Napa appeared first on Modernist recipes and Restaurant reviews - the foodie cooks authored by Leo Leonard.

I was in sunny San Francisco this past weekend and boy was it warm! I checked out the park with a bunch of friends and had a few beers. It was an awesome relaxing time. The heat, however, tends to get me a little peckish and my friend just happened to have some ripe bananas that needed using. What else would be better than a Banana Tart with vanilla ice cream? This tart is super duper easy to make and as long as you like bananas, you’ll definitely be wanting a second or even third slice.

Impromptu Banana Tart

 

Print

Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

 

A delicious and simple-to-make banana tart. Best served with vanilla ice cream

By: TheFoodieCooks

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

You will Need

• For the crust:
• 2-1/3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp fine salt
• 7 oz (around 1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
• 6-10 tbs ice water
• Filling:
• 4 large ripe bananas
• ⅓ cup spiced rum
• ¼ cup cream
• ⅓ cup sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. For the Pastry:
3. Add dry ingredients into large mixing bowl. Mix ingredients until well blended. Add butter and work butter into flour mixture using fingertips, trying to handle the mixture as little as possible. The idea is to end up with a fine mix of butter and flour that resembles a ‘crumble’ – be sure to keep your hands cold!
4. Add enough water to bring mixture together into a dough ball. Flatten and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate to allow to rest for 30 mins – 2 hours.
5. In the mean time, slice bananas into ¼” slices and place in baking dish. add ½ of the sugar and mix throughly. Cook for 20 minutes, drain if necessary. Add remaining sugar and rum, cook on 350F for 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Allow to cool.
6. Add cream to banana mixture and mix gently.
7. Roll out and blind bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove crust from oven and add banana mixture, smoothing it out ensuring an even thin layer. Sprinkle extra sugar if desired. Cook for 15-20 minutes at 375 F, or until pastry is golden and filling is caramelized.
8. Allow to cool, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

3.2.1215

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Well I know that I have been a little inconsistent in my posting frequency here. Life has just been quite a bit hectic up here in Nor-Cal. I did however, manage to get away one lunch break to check out Red Wood – one of Yountville’s newest restaurants, and a serious contender for the title of “best gourmet pizza in Napa Valley”. Let me explain why.

Pizza is obviously a food that people take very seriously. Whether your cravings are for the New York style ‘fold the slice and eat it’ pizza, or the quintessentially American cheese and meat laden ‘pie’, people know how they like their pizza. I personally prefer mine to be thin, with a crisp yet slightly chewy crust, and interesting toppings. Also, easy on the cheese. This is exactly what I got at Redd Wood.

The restaurant is unassuming yet well decorated and fits in with the northern californian theme of ‘modern-rusticity‘ – (AKA reclaimed wood paneling, dark leather, an oversized retro clock and photo-art).

Service was prompt yet also typical of a new restaurant, with the usual mishaps of being unable to accommodate people even though half the restaurant was empty  (“Those tables are reserved…We are waiting for people to arrive”). When we did get seated however, I was throughly impressed with the menu, and several of the Pizzas immediately caught my eye:

tomato, oregano, garlic and chili (no cheese). 11

anchovy, tomato, garlic, olive, pecorino, capers & chili. 15

goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, smoked bacon, potato, leeks, scallions. 16 (sounds very similar to a pizza at Urbano Pizza bar in LA)

ricotta, maitake, kale, pancetta, percorino, garlic, oregano, red onion. 16 (this is the one we ordered)

We also ordered the winter fruit, endive, frisee, hazelnut, gorgonzola and whole grain mustard salad, which unfortunately, was rather disappointing (I blame the sour under-ripe fruit).

The salad and pizza arrived together, and it was quite a beautiful sight.

The pizza was covered in roasted maitake (one of my favorite mushrooms) and oven-crisped kale. The scent of crisp pancetta was mouthwatering and we could not resist. My lunch partner and I annihilated the pizza in under 10 minutes  There was very little talking during this time.

If you are ever in Yountville, or Napa, I highly recommend checking out Redd Wood. They take open table, and have ample parking.

Redd Wood

6755 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599

The post 2013 – Redd Wood – Yountville, CA appeared first on Modernist recipes and Restaurant reviews - the foodie cooks authored by Leo Leonard.

My friends over at WineInvestment wanted to ring in the holidays with this post on their favorite Mulled Wines! – The traditional one is my favorite, though the “Glogg” sounds like a must-try for this christmas.  

Mulled Wines – An Introduction

It’s easy to imagine how special one’s next holiday party could be spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and citrus flavours. Sharing stories and reminiscing with friends over a warm mug of mulled wine is a relaxing and special time to spend the holidays. Because of the drink’s rich heritage dating back many centuries, there are many different recipes to try during the winter season.

Mulled wine always reminds me of traveling in Europe

History of Mulled Wine

Back in Roman times, mulled wine used to be known as Hipocris. It was named after Hippocrates the ancient philosopher and physician, and was thought to be a healthy drink to help people through harsh winters. The drink did not gain the popularity it sees now until the 14th century. Mulled wine got its name from an Old English word meaning “muddled”, referring the groggy feeling people get after drinking alcohol. For long time, this preparation of wine was a way many people would use old and leftover wine to prevent it from spoiling. It was even used as a drink for children at their birthday parties as part of the celebration.

Traditional Mulled Wine Recipe

 

Print

You will Need

• 1 bottle red wine (preferably a Zinfadel or Sirrah)
• ½ Cup Sugar (some recipes call for honey)
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 orange, sliced and seeded

Instructions

1. All of this needs to be slowly brought to a boil and simmered for 15 -20 minutes, making sure to serve it hot or warm. Other ingredients that one could add to the cooking process for a flavour variant could be ginger, peppercorns, cardamom, vanilla pods, juniper berries, or star anise.

3.1.09

Other Mulled Wine Recipes

Some people prefer a white wine because it is lighter in body and pairs better with different kinds of foods. Make sure to choose a non-acidic white wine, because a harsh flavour can be produced from the heating process. Something like a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. The preparation for a white mulled wine is the same, and some recipes may even call for savoury flavours such as rosemary or thyme.

A typical preparation of a mulled white wine could be:

• 1 bottle white wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Bay leaf
• Ginger
• 1 Lemon zest

Alcohol Free Mulled Punch

At most holiday parties, there will be a gathering of children and teenagers partaking in the revelry. It might be prudent to offer a non-alcoholic version so all can partake in the cheer and tradition. The kids will enjoy drinking what the adults are drinking. Instead of using a red or white wine, using 2 litre of non-alcoholic grape juice should create the warm flavours of a traditional mulled wine.

Here is a recipe using cranberry juice:

• Cranberry juice
• 2 oranges (rind)
• Cloves
• Dried cranberries
• Vanilla
• Honey
• Cinnamon sticks
• Nutmeg (optional)

Heat slow and low, removing the rind, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cranberries before serving.

Mulled Wine from Across the World

In Europe, mulled wine is sold by street vendors during the winter months and holidays. Sometimes it is served with traditional English fare such as almonds or biscuits. In the Scandinavian counties, mulled wine is called Glogg, and less formally, the Viking drink. Traditionally, it is prepared the day before to allow the spices time to develop and can use raisins, almonds, or dried figs in the actual preparation.

A traditional Glogg would look like this:

• 2 bottles red wine
• Orange zest
• Cinnamon sticks
• Cardamom
• Whole cloves
• Blanched almonds
• Raisins
• Sugar Cubes
• Brandy

One common addition in these other countries is the addition of a brandy or other liquor as a way to really spice up the wine.     France serves a “hot wine” that is inexpensive wine and is not as sweet as a traditional mulled wine. Romania is a country that uses white wine as part of their traditional recipe, unlike the more common red wine variants. In Germany it is called “Glühwein”. Most countries with a traditional winter season and holiday tradition have some variant of a mulled wine. More often than not wine is the starting base as the drink is a very popular winter comfort drink.

As long as there is a holiday tradition, warming oneself by the fire with a cup of mulled wine will always be a part of many winter to come. There are now even mulling spice packets to be purchased to make the process even a bit simpler. Just add spices and a bottle of wine to the heat and wait for the aromas and smells to fill the house with the smells of the season.

Guest Post by WineInvestment -Fine Wine Investment specialists

The post Spice Up Winter with Homemade Mulled Wine appeared first on Modernist recipes and Restaurant reviews - the foodie cooks authored by Leo Leonard.

TheFoodieCooks: I usually blog about great restaurants across the world, but never about what makes them successful aside from the obvious; the food. Below, my dear friend Claire wanted me to feature this. It is a welcome and much needed post!

A restaurant is an eating place; but it can be so much more. Dining in an eatery or bistro can be an experience especially if you go to a place that offers something unique. An example of such an establishment is a destination restaurant. A destination restaurant is a place that offers great food, unique setting, exceptional concept, and other features that are not found anywhere else. Some people travel long distances just to eat in these kinds of distinctive eating places.

Creating a Destination Restaurant

So, how can you make your place a destination restaurant? Well, here are a few vital issues that you should consider.

1. Amazing Location

Location is an important element in any business. Your restaurant must be located in a beautiful place. The streets, surrounding shops and other business establishments should also be nice, and it will help if the area also caters to the target market that you also want to reach. This way, shoppers and local citizens who are strolling around can jus drop by your restaurant if they like. Many destination restaurants are also located in places that offer a breathtaking view to visitors. For example, there are eating establishments on top of mountains or near rocky cliffs that offer a panoramic view of the sea.

2. Distinctive Concept

The concept of a restaurant is what pulls everything together, and it is the basis of every feature of an eating establishment, from the furnishings to the paint color. Here, you have to think of something that is not usually found anywhere else. Some examples of very distinct concepts include pitch black restaurants where people cannot see anything, even their food. The idea here is that blocking other senses will enhance the dining experience. Then, there are vampire-themed restaurants, maid cafes, hobbit houses, and many others.

3. Exceptional Cook or Chef Equals Delicious Food

A restaurant won’t be a huge success if it is not headed by a great chef. The chef is primarily responsible for producing scrumptious and even memorable food. He is the force that will push your restaurant to the top.

4. Great Service

Customers value good service. They want to feel important, respectable, and pampered. So, your serving staff must be trained in the art of providing top quality service. Being a server is a challenge that requires patience and understanding aside from skills and knowledge. What you need to keep in mind is that the actions of your workers will greatly reflect on you and your restaurant.

5. Special Events

If you want to make people more interested in your restaurant, you can also consider staging unique events. Maybe you can offer free drink specials or serve up your award-winning sandwich only during lunch at half the price to really draw in the lunch crowd.

6. Fresh Products

Lots of people today like to eat organic produce. So, if you want to capitalize on this, maybe you can embrace this idea in your theme. Then, serve dishes made from fresh fruits and vegetables or meat. Don’t forget to build a relationship with local farmers to get great deals on fresh goods.

• 

  Hotel Zugspitze. “Restaurant, Hotel Zugspitze, Garmisch-Partenkirchen”. October 4, 2010. Online image. Flickr. December 9, 2012.

Claire Griffin is a freelance blogger who regularly contributes articles about the food and wine industry. She covers many issues, such as menus, marketing, different kinds of dining services, and other related issues. She also blogs for a restaurant consulting company that provides advice and assistance to entrepreneurs who want to make a name in the restaurant business.

The post How to Make a Name As a Destination Restaurant appeared first on Modernist recipes and Restaurant reviews - the foodie cooks authored by Foodie Fan.

Ah, Hong Kong. My home. I had not been back in over a year and as usual so much has changed. New buildings, new people, but most importantly, new restaurants, and my new favorite dim sum place is Dragon King Restaurant, located in the heart of Causeway Bay, on the 12th floor of the World Trade Center, with a spectacular view of Hong Kong harbor. 
A perfect piece of dim sum must look like a work of art and taste sublime with contrasting textures and harmonious flavors. Dim Sum used to be only for royalty a long time ago, but I bet that even then, they did not have food this beautiful in terms of visual beauty as well as taste.

We went to Dragon King Restaurant for lunch and it was crowded but my smart aunt had a table reserved. I can’t remember the names of the food well enough to translate effectively, but I know we had:

Steamed “Crystal” dumplings stuffed with vegetables and black truffle (the most amazing thing ever)

Deep Fried Taro dumplings stuffed with pork. (these were so delicate, I could not work out how someone could fry these and retain the shape)

Deep Fried Radish dumplings (amazingly sweet radish and a delicate pastry)

Shanghainese Pork Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)

Steamed Rice flour rolls with Chinese barbecued  pork (Cha Siu Cheung Fun)

Fried Bread Buns stuffed with pork and chives (Shan Tzeen Bao)

My favorite were the crystal dumplings – these were interesting as truffle is not often used in Chinese cooking, but they were divine, and oh so pretty. And not to mention relatively healthy. Though all the deep fried stuff certainly negated any health points I might have gotten for eating my veggies.

If you are ever in Hong Kong, I highly recommend Dragon King Restaurant. It’s conveniently located in Causeway Bay, right near an MTR station in the World Trade Center building (next to the Excelsior Hotel).

Dragon King Restaurant Address:

銅鑼灣告士打道280號世貿中心12樓

Hong Kong

+852 2895 2288

Pictures Follow:

The post Dragon King Restaurant (龍皇酒家), Hong Kong appeared first on Modernist recipes and Restaurant reviews - the foodie cooks authored by Leo Leonard.

I do love being asked to fly out to cook for people. It is quite a compliment to be asked to travel somewhere and cook, albeit I was asked by one of my best friends and not a random client, but still. Being asked to fly out and cook is being asked to fly out and cook. Anyway, on to the actual event-

The event was a charity fundraiser cocktail party for LIVESTRONG sponsored by +plus modern skin.

I was told that around 60 people would be there and that I would have access to a fully equipped kitchen. I also had a helping hand to help out with prep the day of, making the entire event rather stress free and enjoyable. I also only nicked my finger once this time, on the same mandoline no less.

Onto the Menu:
Beet crisp + Chèvre Espuma- fried thin beet slices topped with goat cheese espuma, topped with micro greens 

Mushroom Phyllo Purses - Phyllo pastry stuffed with minced mushrooms, shallots and cream

Ham and Leek Phyllo Purses - Phyllo pastry stuffed with smoked ham, caramelized leeks and cream

Tomato “Terrine” - Layered slices of fresh mozzarella, watermelon, heirloom tomato, garnished with basil and balsamic jus

Chicken Satay Skewers - Chicken marinated in Thai spices, skewered with roasted scallions served with peanut sauce

Peach, Ricotta, Proscuitto Crostini - Roasted peaches with fresh ricotta topped with a proscuitto crisp on long crostini.

Banana Petit Fours - Thin banana cake made with whole yogurt, nuts and chocolate topped with caramelized rum-soaked banana slices.

I marinated the chicken overnight in a my special secret marinade. This is always a hit at parties, so I made lots extra. The fillings for the phyllo purses came next, and of course, I overestimated how much filling I needed by a long shot. I think I only used half of it all but it made delicious leftovers. Soon the kitchen was turning into an intense mix of smells… the chicken browning on the grill, the peaches roasting in the oven above the banana cake and the slight char of smoke from Proscuitto crisps all mixing together. To me it was divine. To the lady who’s kitchen I was using, it was a reason to open her windows (she lives in a loft and never cooks).

By the time guests started to arrive, I was ahead of schedule. My banana cake bites topped with rum roasted bananas were plated and ready for service, and I had my phyllo purses lined up ready for a quick reheat in the oven before they went out. The chicken was cooked to just a little rare and set aside allowing me to finish cooking small batches at a time. No one likes tough overcooked chicken.

The only blooper of the night occurred when I was using my Mandoline. I was a little zealous slicing beet chips and sliced off a bit of my finger (it was not quite that bad, I’m being a little dramatic). Luckily I had band-aids on hand so I soldiered on. Before I knew it, all the guests had come and gone, and so had most of the food.

All in all it was a great experience. I really appreciated the opportunity +plus modern skin! Thank you!

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Omakase – Japanese for “leave it to you”, and I am certainly glad I did at Kappa. Though the prix fixe is a little steep, the food was well worth it in terms of quality, selection and presentation. It was also a special occasion. Kappa is a very small, very well hidden gem of a [...]

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Omakase – Japanese for “leave it to you”, and I am certainly glad I did at Kappa. Though the prix fixe is a little steep, the food was well worth it in terms of quality, selection and presentation. It was also a special occasion. Kappa is a very small, very well hidden gem of a sushi restaurant in San Francisco’s Japan-town. The door literally looks like the side entrance to the kitchen of the neighboring business. However, once inside, it is almost like one has been transported to Tokyo, or maybe a quieter part of Japan like Kyoto or Osaka.

The head sushi chef at Kappa welcomed us and who I suspect was his wife, ushered us to sit down after confirming our reservation. The place was clean and minimal, yet not sparse, it was actually rather cosy.

 

Our first course was the egg custard tofu with leg of boiled snow crab. This was garnished with a snow pea and a light soy broth. The custard was well made; silken but not overly so. The crab was sweet and succulent which paired nicely with the semi-rich custard tofu.

The next course was seared tuna – it was not albacore, but not toro or maguru either. It definitely was delicious however. The fish was served with braised leeks and a miso sauce. Presentation on this dish was a little lacking, however the quality and freshness of the fish made this not a concern.

The next course, and arguably the main one was a bento-sushi box with 12 small bites. These ranged from alright to divine. In fact most of them were brilliant. Perfectly fried chicken, roasted eggplant, tamago, chicken yakitori and a corn fritter come to mind. Some were a little too adventurous for my limited raw seafood palate, which included the monk fish liver and the roe roll.

After the amazing array of small bites, we were told that there was still more. A whole course of sashimi to be exact. Oh Kappa, will you be my first sushi overload?  I cannot remember the names of the fish exactly, but the portions were generous and each fish had a distinct delicate taste. Each piece was extremely fresh and better than the last. The shiso leaf was delicious and always a welcome addition to sashimi.

After the sashimi we were served a smaller course of cooked sushi; seared salmon and unagi. Both were delicious, rich and thankfully not fishy. Also on the plate was a baby local scallop which was sweet and tender. It was so good, that despite me being so full I secretly wished there was more fish.

Desert was included but we did not want to ruin our meal with too much food so we opted out of the last course. Overall, the experience was memorable and well worth the trip.

Kappa Japanese Restaurant, San Francisco, CA

1700 Post Street  San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 673-6004

 

 

 

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Maven- its quite a fitting name for this adventurous little eatery in the Lower Haight neighborhood of San Francisco. A perfect place for a slightly hungover sunday brunch – really good food and spicy but light and fresh bloody marys. My friend and I shared their Blueberry Crumb Cake with hazelnuts and Yogurt to start. [...]

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Maven- its quite a fitting name for this adventurous little eatery in the Lower Haight neighborhood of San Francisco. A perfect place for a slightly hungover sunday brunch – really good food and spicy but light and fresh bloody marys.

My friend and I shared their Blueberry Crumb Cake with hazelnuts and Yogurt to start. This cake was fluffy and light, yet moist and rich, a very difficult combination to achieve. It was topped with a delicious semi-crisp crumb, which provided a rich contrast to the rest of the cake.

Regretting ordering one course each after the cake, we tucked into our bloody marys. These were a little too spicy with the heat dominating the drink, but they did wake me up, and they were refreshing.

Our mains arrived promptly after the cake, and I had ordered a duck hash with fried duck egg and braised sofrito- this was truly an amazing dish. The duck was almost as rich as a confit, with deep hints of clove that paired so well with the velvety duck yolks. The potatoes were excellent- they were breakfast style, yet retained much of their fresh baby potato character- sweet and earthy. Not smothered in spices or onions. Perfection.

My brunch buddy had a souffléd German pancake, which was quite a spectacle when it arrived on a cast iron skillet – looking like an omelet puffed up as a football. The soufflé was not to dense and the accompanying apple sauce lent the dish moisture and depth. Quite a unique dish.

 

This place is a must go if you are in Lower Haight !

Maven San Francisco

598 Haight Street  San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 829-7982

The brunch menu is available here

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Its been a long long time. I’ve moved to napa and settled in nicely. The weather is great, and the food is even better, but don’t get me wrong I do miss LA. Napa can get a little ….’country’. The fact that San Francisco is only an hour away is a godsend. Anyway, onto Farm [...]

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Its been a long long time. I’ve moved to napa and settled in nicely. The weather is great, and the food is even better, but don’t get me wrong I do miss LA.

Napa can get a little ….’country’. The fact that San Francisco is only an hour away is a godsend.

Anyway, onto Farm at the Carneros Inn. The Carneros Inn may sound familiar to you as it should; its right next door to Domaine Carneros and its magnificent opulent vineyard estate. Every time I drive past I fight the urge to pull over for a flight of champagne.

The Carneros Inn is an interesting establishment. For one thing, its built on land zoned for mobile homes, so, concealed secretly under all structures are trailer chassis. Theoretically no structures are supposed to be permanent on the property, but you cannot tell at all. Walking in you feel like you are at a mash between a ultra high end lodge-hotel-resort and luxury spa. Expensive wood floors are polished to a high gloss which contrast nicely to the tranquil open-air feel of the place.

The menu at Farm does not change much, well it has not changed it’s main courses for about a year. It is available here

 

Amuse-Bouche: Beets

We started with an amuse-bouche of garden beet with Crème fraîche. Simple but the quality of the beet really came through.

 

Chilled Cucumber Soup

The soup was refreshing and was just what I wanted after a warm day at the office. Chilled just right, it was a sort of cucumber gazpacho with slices of strawberries and a dollop of Crème fraîche in the center.

Liberty Farms Duck

The main course was definitely remarkable. The Liberty Farms duck breast was likely sous-vide, but it was done well; it did not have they typical overly soft texture- a dead giveaway of sous-vide overcooking. The meat was flavorful, but not gamey. It was a well thought out dish with the classic sweet element of figs, paired farro and pistachio, both of which lent a nice nutty overtone to each bite.

Definitely will be back!

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