Sonoma County Dispatch

I recently returned from a wine-soaked week in Sonoma with my mom. It was my first visit to wine country, and I'm already starting to plot when I can conceivably get back there again this year. While there was a lot to love about Sonoma, here are a few of my favorite things from my journey through wine country.

1. Everything is local. Unlike other vacations when you return from a week of eating and drinking feeling like you need to detox, I came back from Sonoma feeling, well, pretty great. The access to local produce, meat and dairy products is plentiful and knowing that everything on your dinner plate came from within a 30 mile radius makes every dish cleaner, fresher and healthier.

Picnic lunch overlooking Lake Sonoma
with Longboard Zinfandel 

2. The people. It's clear that most everyone working in wine country is passionate about what they do and deeply committed to their craft. It's evident when you visit a tasting room, chat with a wine maker or talk to local shop owner.

3. The sunshine. One day our forecast was "abundant sunshine." As someone in the depths of a sun-deprived winter in Chicago, this forecast made me tear up a little.

4. Picnics are the preferred lunch option. Why go to a restaurant when you can sit at a lush winery amid rolling hills or on top of a mountain? One of my favorite meals of the trip is pictured at right. As we were in California, it was only necessary that we tasted some Humboldt Fog (one of the Drunken Goat's favorites...)

5. The vacation souvenirs. We naturally ended up buying a lot of wine on our journey. What's fun is that every time you open a bottle once you return, you get to relive a little piece of your vacation with every sip.

Cheers from the Drunken Goat!

Best Dishes of The 2012 Hiatus

Work, travel, dinner, work, deadlines, chores, sleep, life...seasons pass and suddenly it's fall. And so is the highly uninteresting story of the Drunken Goat Hiatus of 2012.

I wish I could say the hiatus was spent in the Basque region of Spain learning new cooking techniques and taking weekend trips to San Sebastian and southern France. Sadly, it was not. It was, however, filled with a lot of delicious meals, many enjoyed with wonderful friends and family. Here are a few of the standout dishes I enjoyed most during the blogging hiatus.

Succulent Sicilian pork shoulder at Next

• Spalla di Maiale Brasato at Next: If you asked anyone who went to Next for the Sicily menu, there was one dish that was unanimously agreed to be the best: the pork shoulder. Sous-vide and braised for six hours, the fork-tender pork melted in your mouth with every bite. I'd like to find a way to recreate this dish one day.  
• Taglionini Nero with Crab and Sea Urchin at Balena: This dish is the dish that made me fall in love with sea urchin. After a not so great sea urchin experience at Nellcote (it was paired with burrata, and the texture didn't work for me), this pasta dish finally made me understand what the sea urchin buzz was all about. 
• Burger at Au Cheval: I don't eat burgers very often, so when I do, my expectations are high. Needless to say, this burger met - and exceeded - my expectations. Top it with a runny egg and Au Cheval's famous thick cut bacon to really put it over the top (but honestly it doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles). 
• Butter Cake at Mastro's: This dessert is so good it has a Facebook page for the people who love it. Served warm with a side of whipped cream, I almost had to pay the waitress to take Mastro's signature dessert away from me. 
• Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes at The Lady and Sons. Located in Savannah, Georgia, The Lady and Sons is the cathedral of Paula Deen and all things southern comfort food. So much butter; so much goodness, ya'll. While I had to double up on classes at Flywheel Chicago to work this meal off, it was worth every calorie. 
• Secret Hamachi at Arami: Comprised of yellow tail, mushroom and truffle oil, we had to wait a while for this simple yet incredibly flavorful sashimi dish. It was well worth the wait. Truffle can be overpowering if not weilded correctly, especially with a light and mild fish like yellow tail. The restraint demonstrated in this dish made all the difference. 



Crispy, juicy and positively sinful  

• Tea Smoked Duck Breast at Belly Q: Served with sweet buns and chinese broccoli, this dish was so good my dining companions and I ordered a second helping. 

After meals spent with good company and, let's face it, usually good wine, these were the dishes that had me thinking about them the next morning. 

What meals, dishes and restaurants have caught your attention lately? Leave a comment and let me know. 

My Childhood Menu

Earlier this month I had the unique opportunity to eat at Next for its childhood menu (more on that in my Magic of Childhood post). Ever since, I've been thinking about the favorite meals and treats of my own childhood. If I were shaping the Childhood menu, what would be on it?

Fish and Chips at Next Childhood. Far more
glamorous than the fish sticks of my childhood,
but both equally delicious.

While some of these dishes, like the macaroni and cheese, were captured beautifully at Next, everyone has their own meals that defined their childhood.

In retrospect, my childhood menu would look a little something like this:

• Macaroni and cheese out of the blue box (also known as Kraft Dinner). To this day, this is still a staple in my pantry.
• Grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup. Especially great with generously buttered bread and extra cheese.
• Lipton's Noodle Soup and Ritz crackers, each with a smear of cream cheese. My mom would make this for me when I was sick, and I still keep a box of noodle soup around for when I'm feeling under the weather.  
• Fish sticks with ketchup and mayonnaise dipping sauce. Loved it as a kid, but probably wouldn't be caught dead eating it today. 
• Yodels (frosted, cream-filled cakes). Ditto.  
• Swedish fish. Still one of my preferred movie theater treats.
• Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls. Haven't had these in years, but I have no doubt they'd still be great on a Sunday morning. 

If you were writing the childhood menu, what would be on it? 

The Magic of Childhood

Wagyu jerky, truffled oreo, apple-brandy leather
nutella snack back and homemade funyun.

Last Wednesday night I visited Next as it entered its final month of service for Childhood. In the coming weeks, Next will shed its menu and transform into another persona, the famed Ferran Adria restaurant ElBulli.

But last week, it was still about being a kid. The menu was inspired by Chef Grant Achatz and Dave Beran's childhoods in the Midwest in the 1980's, but it had universal elements that kids of all ages and generations would appreciate and relate to.

What I remember most about the meal was the simple details. The fact that Star Wars and Doogie Houser, MD theme songs played as we ate. The sweet note from Mom and folded paper towel in the lunch box. Having to patiently wait for my marshmallow to toast on the fire. The excitement of the unknown - be it opening a present or exploring a winterly forest (complete with the smell of pine and the crunch of leaves.)

It was a whimsical dinner unlike any other I've ever experienced. It made me ache for being a kid again, and a part of me was sad to return to the world where the email is relentless and time seems to pass faster with every new year.

 A most delicious forest. 

Achatz and Beran put it best:

Wonder. Excitement. The feeling of the world unfolding before you in unexpected ways. Discovery. And even fear of the unknown and the future. 


There is a nostalgia we all carry for childhood innocence and naivete. As we grow older, too often we lose the sense that our lives are magical. 


Eating at Next was a reminder about the importance of keeping life magical.

Winter Comforts at the Slurping Turtle

As I've noted in a recent blog post ("Falling Back"), one of the best things about winter is taking comfort in hearty and soothing food. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Slurping Turtle, a new Japanese comfort food restaurant in River North specializing in dumplings, sashimi, bincho grill and noodle soups.

Take comfort in this bowl during
Chicago's deep freeze. 

Given its proximity to Hubbard Street "to be seen" type places like EPIC (and my natural aversion to these places), I was skeptical at first. However, this all changed upon walking into the warm, inviting and casual restaurant.

The large communal table anchored the dining room and despite the 20 foot-plus lofted space, it wasn't overly noisy. The staff was laid back but attentive, and the wine and sake list was affordable and varied.  

I order shumai at most Japanese restaurants (they are a favorite), and the steamed pork and shrimp shumai at The Slurping Turtle were among the best I've had in the city, especially with a dash of spicy dipping sauce.

The bincho grill plates were small, leaving ample room to sample several types of meat and fish over the course of the meal. We had seared tuna and scallops, both of which were cooked perfectly and enhanced further with the lingering flavor of the charcoal and wood bincho grill. (Interested in learning more about the bincho grill? Check out this great video from Grub Street in which The Slurping Turtle's Chef Takashi Yagihashi explains this traditional japanese cooking method.)

The noodles, although difficult to share, are a must. We tried the Slurping Noodle with tiger shrimp, napa cabbage, fish cake and cilantro. Sharing soup is always a messy endeavor but certainly well worth the effort in this case.

I'm looking forward to going back to the Slurping Turtle in the dead of winter when I can settle in with a fragrant saki flight and a steaming bowl of noodles. While many Chicagoans tout the greatness of deep dish pizza during the winter, I'd argue that the type of meal served at The Slurping Turtle is just satisfying and warming (if not more so). With many vegetarian, seafood and grilled options, it's also lighter comfort food for the post-holiday winter months. Unfortunately, this does not include the Slurping Turtle's duck fat fried chicken dish, which I've heard is as decadent and addicting as it sounds.

In Appreciation: Blackbird

On a frigid January night several years ago, I had one of my first truly amazing dining experiences in Chicago. I was relatively new to the city and was more focused on getting to know my new home through its various bars, more so than its acclaimed restaurants. I guess we all go through those phases.

As it so happened on this night, I received an unexpected dinner invitation from an old friend who was in town for a few days. He recommended we meet at Blackbird. At the time, I remember thinking how the West Loop seemed light years away from my comfortable and familiar north side confines.

Blackbird's gorgeous and understated dining room.

As is the case with friends who you haven't seen in ages, we had a lot to catch up. Lives, loves, careers, families. The high-points, the low points. We sat at the bar in Blackbird's elegant white dining room and caught up for hours.

I remember drinking champagne, eating wild boar, sipping on a west coast seafood chowder and winding the meal down with a luxurious cheese course. I remember the invigorating feeling you get when you pick right back up with an old friend after many years out of touch. I remember the attentive, knowledgeable, unpretentious and wonderful staff.

Most importantly, I remember realizing how much of Chicago there was to see and taste and how much I had been missing. It was a perfect evening, and the first of many special meals I've been fortunate enough to experience. It was also the official start of my love affair with eating out in Chicago, and I'm happy to report that I've returned to Blackbird many times since this first visit.

Earlier this week, Blackbird received a coveted four star review from the Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel.  Congratulations to Chef Posey and the entire team on this much deserved accolade. Blackbird is truly one of Chicago's treasures that is consistently a beautiful, flavorful and exciting dining experience.

2011: A Year in Eating

December is always a time for year end lists. Best albums. Best songs. Best concerts. Best new restaurants. Best desserts. Best new bars. It seems like there's a list for everything.  

This got me reflecting on the best things I ate in 2011. But, how to rank? How to compare an appetizer or one simple ingredient to a full entree or ten course prix fix? So in no particular order, the best things I ate in 2011: 

Fresh Brazilian starfruit
plucked right from the tree. 

• The delice de bourgogne cheese plate at Maude's Liquor Bar. Absolute decadence. It was the dish that spurred me to launch The Drunken Goat Dispatches in May, and I'm still in love. 
• The deluxe focaccia at Avec, with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil and fresh herbs is salty, savory and more addicting than a Big Mac.  
• An authentic Brazilian fish feast prepared by the lovely people at Salto das Nuvens, a small, waterfall-side restaurant, bar and resort located in the Matto Grosso state. It was like being on an episode of No Reservations.
• Fresh starfruit picked off a tree (also in Matto Grosso) and eaten. Nature's sweet tart.  
• Mom's stuffing at Thanksgiving. So incredibly simple (bread, onions, celery, stock and pork sausage) yet delicious and flavorful. The memory of Thanksgiving leftovers is still lingering.  
• Served with crisp sourdough bread, sea salt, parsley and red onion jam, the bone marrow at Longman & Eagle is savory and rich.  
• While I love the cheese and charcuterie at The Purple Pig, the olive oil poached tuna with lima beans, fresh herbs, red onion and vinaigrette is still the dish that I keep thinking about. 
• Fetucine a la Pasquale at my family's favorite restaurant, Pasquale's Osteria in Norwalk, Conn. Homemade pasta, shrimp, ham, asparagus, tomatoes, fresh basil in a garlic red sauce with a touch of cream. It's ultimate Italian comfort food made by Pasquale, a former Vatican chef (more on that in a future post).   
• The lobster roll at B&G Oyster in the South End of Boston served just the way I like it: heaping mounds of lobster, slightest touch of homemade mayo, herbs, S+P, on a butter toasted roll. 
• I'm still blissed out from The Lair of the Minotaur burger at Kuma's Corner. The brie, pancetta and bourbon poached pear made the burger worth the wait...and the calories.    
• The cheese cart at Tru. An unpasteurized heaven on wheels.   
• The hen at Graham Elliot: a savory and memorable dish that embodied fall with every bite.

What was your favorite dish or dining experience in 2011? 

Falling Back

The clocks have fallen back, the turkey has been eaten and the leftovers devoured. The cold Chicago wind is howling and rattling apartment windows. It's before the deep freeze of winter, and the buzz of the Christmas season is just starting to take hold.

This time of year, I always fall back to those things that are familiar and comforting. They are my winter traditions (but are great any time of year actually)...

It's coming.

...Roasting chicken on a Sunday. Braising short ribs for hours. Stocking up on soups, stews and sauces for the cold months (when going to the grocery store is simply not an option). Hunkering down in a cozy, candlelit wine bar. Entire weekends spent cooking and under blankets. Sipping whiskey. Reading a book in a weekend. Baking things both savory and sweet. Eating the same dinner you had as an eight year old (Campbell's tomato soup and grilled cheese). Not worrying about that summer detox diet.

When you consider this, a Chicago winter doesn't seem so daunting (at this point).

Blogger's Note: I reserve the right to completely revoke this blog post come February.

Graham Elliot's Collection

And then once in awhile you a have a meal that is lovely, unexpected, creative, fun and unforgettable. Last week, I made my way through ten courses of Graham Elliot's Collection, one of the restaurant's three coursing options. Clocking in at approximately three hours, the Collection is certainly a commitment for a Thursday night, but well worth it.  

The menu was largely inspired by fall flavors and sensations. The standout dish for me was the hen, which started with a few sips of smoky tea. It tasted like raking leaves in Vermont. Shortly thereafter they presented the hen, which was tender and delicious and not overpowered by the earthy supporting flavors (kale, pine nuts, matsutake).

Graham Elliot's signature deconstructed caesar, rich lobster risotto, savory pumpkin soup and perfectly seared scallops (read: slightly raw in the middle) were also standouts.

I was so in the moment of enjoying this meal that I honestly didn't take any pictures - and I think that's ok.

Of all the fine dining restaurants in Chicago, Graham Elliot is one of my favorites for a few reasons. It's got a casual vibe, but the service flawless. It's flexible - if you don't want to commit to a long, coursed out menu, you can certainly order a la carte. The best part? The front of the house staff will turn up the music on request.

Note: A special thank you to my wonderful GE dining partner, who continues to go out of his culinary comfort zone and try new things. Thank you. You're the best.

Sao Paulo Dispatch

I recently had the fortunate opportunity to travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil -- my first visit to South America. I was immediately struck by the warmth of the Brazilian people, the lush landscape and the flavorful and fresh food around every corner.

While the business trip offered little time for exploring during the day, our Brazilian hosts were proud to show us around over lunch and take us to their favorite local establishments. Like their European counterparts, Brazilians do lunch right. They take at least an hour, even if it's sitting outside taking in the warm spring air.

I didn't see one person eating a sad turkey sandwich on wheat at their desk, and I think they're on to something.

A few other observations on eating and drinking in Sao Paulo:

Coffee in style...at McDonald's?
Delicioso!

• The coffee is among the best I've ever tasted. For many, the venti-sized "to go" coffee is not an option - even McDonald's takes their coffee seriously! I was pleased to see espresso machines in several offices and conference rooms, which naturally got me thinking about whether or not I could perch such a machine on the windowsill of my office.
• The Brazilians love their pastries - especially for breakfast. Chocolate frosted cakes were a regular occurrence at my hotel's breakfast buffet. My favorite was the savory "pao de queijo." This classic Brazilian cheese bread is a breakfast staple and can be small (like an olive) or larger (like a scone). It's texture is light and airy, but it's flavor is sharp and buttery. There's nothing quite like this in the U.S.  
• I was reminded during this trip about how much I love hearts of palm. Whether served grilled with giant capers and a fruity vinaigrette or cold on a salad with parmesan cheese and frites, this vegetables takes many shapes and flavors.  
• Brazilian churrascaria (or what they call "BBQ") is quite the feast and even better than you might have had at similar Brazilian steakhouses in the states, such as Brazzaz or Fogo de Chao in Chicago. Various sausages (including blood sausage), lamb, multiple cuts of beef and the most succulent pork loin I've ever seen crossed our path over the lunch hour. The salad bar was a feast in an of itself.  



Beautiful colors of Brazilian sushi

• 
  
• Even traditional sushi has a distinctly South American flare. One of the most memorable dishes of my trip was a simple salmon ceviche flavored with thinly sliced onion lime juice and parsley, surrounded by salmon sashimi. Clean, fresh and enormously flavorful.  

While my visit was short, I was fortunate enough to try a small sampling of Brazilian staples, of which there are many. There are certain places that you visit that you just know you'll be back. For me, Brazil is one of the those places.

Sins Of Restaurant Service

In a city with so many well-run restaurants, I always find it a bit shocking when I have a meal out that is so epically bad that it leaves me wondering, "What the heck is going on in this establishment?"

I recently scoped out a newer gastropub that opened last fall. An outstanding menu, ample outdoor space and enticing beer and cocktail offerings made it a great option for a mid-week summer night. From service to food quality to pacing, the entire experience was very unfortunate.

While I'm not going to spend this post dissecting what went wrong, the experience did get me thinking about the deadly sins of restaurant service. These are the things that make me crazy when I'm dining out. Granted, this meal didn't have all of the faux pas outlined below, but it was definitely batting .500.

1.  If our water glass is empty, we have a problem. I probably should have seen the writing on the wall when it took 15 minutes for us to even get water the other night.

Overripe, mealy tomatoes make for a caprese disaster.
What a mess. 

2. If it's not fresh, don't serve it. If it's overripe, don't serve it. If the protein seems questionable, don't serve it. If a restaurant doesn't want to deal with these fundamentals, then it should strip down the menu, rebrand itself as a bar and start serving frozen chicken fingers.

3. Don't bring the appetizer at the same time as the entree.  An appetizer is an appetizer for a reason, so pace it accordingly.

4. "Are you ready to order yet?" "Are you ready now?" "Are you done yet?" "Do you want dessert?" The last question is my favorite, especially when we're still working on our entrees. I totally understand and appreciate a restaurant's need to turn tables, I really do. Even if the food is outstanding, though, rushing a diner out ruins the experience.

'"Lay off me, I'm starving!" Don't
comment on how much a
patron orders. 

5. So let's just say it's winter, and the Chicago Bears have lost a particularly devastating playoff game. And, let's just say that three hungry, mildly over-served Bears fans are looking to drown their sorrows in some deep dish on a frigid Sunday night. Making comments such as, "Wow, you guys sure ordered a lot of food for just the three of you..." and "You sure must like to eat" are totally unnecessary. Maybe we want leftovers? Maybe I like to try a lot of different things? Maybe it's none of your business?!  

6. When things aren't going well, managers should acknowledge the issue and do what they can to right the experience. No, a shot of Old Crow will not make me feel better, please just bring me my caprese salad. And, in what universe does a shot of Old Crow go with a caprese salad anyway? (Yes, this actually happened.)

What restaurant service sins make you crazy?