January 4th, 2009
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Several months ago I penned a tirade against upscale casual (UC) restaurants that call themselves “fine dining”. I received some hits when I published my piece that were interesting to read, but made me both laugh and cringe at the same time.
From my perspective, society has evolved or de-evolved in this case to the point where most people have their own definition of what “fine dining” is and who am I to question it? Everything is relative and if some dweeb from the suburban Washington D.C. area wants to call a restaurant “fine dining” because of how great the food is and the fact he can wear his pajamas to “feed” there…it’s ok with me, but I stand by my original definition.
Convenience in all things has made what used to be memorable easily forgotten. However, there is a new restaurant where I live that calls themselves “fine dining without all the fuss”. I kind of like that. It’s much better than the (shudder) “upscale casual” moniker that plagues us now. It’s just the “fuss” is what I found to be the element of the dining experience that I always craved.
Those old enough to relate to what I’m talking about know what true fine dining really is. I’ll just leave it there.
“Society is designed for idiots and it’s the intelligent people that must suffer for it.”
- Count Mourvedre
October 12th, 2008
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In lieu of a recent personal experience, I sat down and wondered….does fine dining still exist? And if it does, how do you define it? Since I comment about all things related to food and wine, I thought I would offer up my opinion on the subject and hope you’ll do the same.
When I here the term “fine dining”, I’m immediately transported back to a distant time when going out to eat was a special event. As a member of the baby boom generation, I was raised on meals cooked by my mother in our home. That was the order of life back in the 60’s. Every once in a while, maybe every three months we were treated to a night out at a restaurant. For our very dysfunctional family (don’t get me started on that subject), it was usually fairly expensive and my brother and I were required to “dress up”. Sportcoat, clip-on tie, pressed slacks, and shined shoes were all de rigueur for the experience.
It seems there were numerous restaurants classified as “fine dining” establishments back then and they all shared a few elements that made them stand out as such. First, they all had this sort of mystique about them. There was an ambiance in the decor. Usually that meant lots of dark wood and red leather. Warm colors and enticing aromas beckoned upon your arrival as to what awaited. There was a Maitre D’ to greet you and show you to your table. The waiters were impeccable in their presentation and they were always there when you needed something, but disappeared into the woodwork when you didn’t. The food was usually European in nature or should I say Continental. Lavishly presented, the portions were small, yet adequate which usually meant the food was rich with butter and cream. Desserts were all made at the restaurant and there were even several made at the table, flambeed with great aplomb and showmanship.
Those were the “fine dining” memories of my youth and when I started working in restaurants in the ’70’s, I wanted to work in those kinds of places. In the latter part of that decade, I was fortunate to get experience in some of the best restaurants my city had to offer and they were all classified as “fine dining”. When I went off to New York to attend the Culinary Institute of America in the early ’80’s, I was well served by my fine dining restaurant experiences. It was those experiences and subsequent extensive dining room training that put me ahead of my chef want-to-be peers, at least in the dining room service classes.
But then something happened. Fine dining as I knew it started a long slow decline in to the dreadful abyss now known as…casual dining. There are many reasons this occurred, but I believe when women started to discover themselves and wanted careers and children, the trend veered towards convenience. Time became a huge factor and cooking meals at home with both parents working just didn’t cut it anymore. Fast food restaurants boomed and places like Applebee’s, Chili’s, and Outback Steakhouse became popular almost overnight. A decent meal at a decent price where you could get in and out fairly quickly became a boon to the average family. What was classified as the “fine dining” segment fell precipitously in the wake of these new found eateries. The term “dining“ fell out of favor in lieu of just “eating” or “grabbing a quick bite”. The masses wanted casual dining…uh….feeding, but they still longed for something special. Concepts soon sprang up like weeds offering an enhanced “dining” experience that’s now known as …. upscale casual (UC).
Now, UC restaurant chains litter the landscape with their overly friendly service and fantastic value for the dollar head trip. All done in a cookie-cutter, Better Homes and Gardens style, cutsie atmosphere. It sickens me to what has happened to restaurants over the past 30+ years. There’s nothing special about going out anymore and that’s why I rarely do. I have a running joke about opening a restaurant called The Trough. “Come feed at the The Trough” or “Lets go graze at the Trough”. We’ve hot-wired the herd mentality into our day to day living and what was once special and unique doesn’t exist anymore. Sad. Very sad.
Having said that…let’s answer the question, does true fine dining still exist? The answer is a resounding YES! It exists, but only conditionally in some selected places. You will fine numerous fine dining restaurants in New York City, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, Las Vegas, etc. Large metropolitan cities known for food all have traditional fine dining bastions that defy the odds and will remain relevant forever. However, there are some places that categorize themselves as “fine dining” that have no business doing so. So, what defines fine dining? What makes a restaurant a fine dining establishment?
In my learned opinion, “fine dining” is more about the feeling and the experience and less about the food. Now you may argue that point, but let me continue. You can have a plain Jane facade, but upon entering, the true fine dining (FD) restaurant will have these elements:
- Maitre D’/Floor Manager - a powerful presence is a must! No gum chewing, text messaging young girls (no matter how attractive) can be entrusted to greet and seat in a FD restaurant. This is where first impressions are made and a mistake here can make or break the experience.
- Dress Code - FD translates into, “NO SHORTS, NO FLIP-FLOPS! Business casual with a sport coat preferred. No hats, no bandannas (you laugh, but I’ve seen it) and men must have their shirts tucked in. If there’s no dress code, then you are NOT fine dining. Period. Got it?
- Servers - must be impeccable in their presentation and training. Consistency is key and the management staff must enforce the accepted standards. Servers should be on their stations when on duty to anticipate guest needs. They should be seen and rarely heard. Professionalism is paramount in a FD restaurant.
- Sommelier/Wine Steward -well trained and preferably certified to be able to suggest wines that will compliment the guest’s meal. They need to be able to offer choices at multiple price points and not just try to build up the check by suggesting expensive wines. Earning the guest’s trust is important in developing a repeat customer (a regular).
- Food - Attractively presented. Hot food hot, cold food cold. Yes, even steakhouses can be FD, but presentation is extremely important. In my mind, a $40 steak better look the part as well as taste it.
- Langniappe (Louisiana-speak for “a little something extra”) - Give the guest something they are not expecting. True fine dining is expensive….make it worth it.
- Ambiance - All FD restaurants have it and cutsie doesn’t cut it.
Fine dining needs all the above, but more importantly it needs a dedicated owner, managers, and service staff to pull it off. Without true professionals, a real fine dining restaurant is just a dream. Good help, especially in metropolitan suburbia is hard to find and keep. I wouldn’t want to attempt to open a fine dining concept with college students as my primary staff. Hell…knowing what I know, I would never want to open a restaurant of ANY kind at ANY time for ANY reason!
I have but one thing to say to these restaurant owners that call their places “fine dining” just because they have high prices and a reputation based on past glory…..SHAME, SHAME, SHAME! It kind of reminds me of the answer to the riddle I was told as a child. Just because you call a dog’s tail a leg, doesn’t make it so. So stop embarrassing yourself and insulting the intelligence (and cherished memories) of those who know better and categorize yourself as to what you really are…..UPSCALE CASUAL.
The Count has vented and now rests.
September 23rd, 2008
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Today is the 25th anniversary of my graduation (8th out of 64) from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Wow! It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. The memories I have of that day are as crystal clear as what happened to me yesterday. I look at my diploma, I look at the program of events, I look at the menu that was served, I think about how the day unfolded and the 21 previous months of hell and I’m still dumbfounded as to how I did it.
Up to that point in my life, I had accomplished (in my mind) very little. Yeah, I was an Eagle Scout, but a lot of credit for that I have to give my mother for her relentless pushing me to achieve. Yeah, I graduated from high school, but I had dropped out of college with no apparent future direction. Then one March day in 1981, it hit me while taking a shower (I’ve always had my best revelations there). If I was going to make restaurants my career, then I needed some formal training. After some parental discussions on the subject, I applied to become a student at the CIA. After my acceptance, I had to wait another seven months before I could start.
So on January 26, 1982, this Southern boy from Baton Rouge began the somewhat arduous process of earning a degree in Culinary Arts at the most prestigious cooking school in the world. Now, I won’t bore you with the details, but over the course of my schooling I learned a great deal about cooking AND myself. Plus, I had the good fortune of working at a Playboy resort (way cool for obvious reasons!) and at a couple of great restaurants. I also discovered that I had no desire to spend my life in a hot kitchen. A very expensive discovery….yes, but I’ve never regretted it for a second. The enjoyment of cooking has never left me, but to make a living at it….no way. Own a restaurant?…..you’ve got to be kidding.
Be that as it may, my CIA degree has opened many doors for me over the years and is still doing so. I even got the honor to return to my alma mater four years later and work as a manager for the school’s restaurant operations department. My goal was to become a table service instructor, but the CIA is an old boys network and if I wanted to pay my dues (read… work here for a decade or so) I MIGHT get a shot. That didn’t pan out, but the experience and what it did for my resume was invaluable.
Years later because of my alumni magazine, I learned about the CIA’s Professional Wine Studies program at the Napa Valley campus and became the first culinary graduate to become an Advanced (Level II) Certified Wine Professional. You know, I get emotional talking about the CIA and what it means to me. Aside from meeting and marrying my Contessa, it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced!
Twenty five years today. Wow! I wonder what wine I will drink to commemorate the occasion? I’ll let you know.
September 18th, 2008
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Last Saturday, I wanted a piece of fish for dinner ( the Contessa heartily concurred) and I found some Coho fillets at my local Whole Foods Market. Looking for a comparable white wine, I decided to go with a Pinot Gris (PG) from Oregon. The 2005 offering from the Four Graces ($17) was my choice.
I anointed the fish with a little olive oil and then a commercial salmon rub while my charcoal fire was getting started. Soaked alderwood chips were sprinkled over the medium hot fire just before I placed the fish basket over the coals. I smoked the salmon for about 12 minutes and then removed it to rest while I prepared some red quinoa and a broccoli, carrot, onion saute to complete my menu.
The peach, vanilla and honeysuckle flavors of the Pinot Gris along with a twinge of minerality on the backside was a pleasant foil for the rich smokiness of the fish. Advertised as “Spring in a glass”, I found it to be an accurate analogy as to what I was tasting.
The Four Graces Pinot Gris was as complex a PG as I have ever sampled. Big, juicy fruit and the balancing minerality made for a very refreshing wine. I urge you to try Oregon Pinot Gris as a change of pace from those simple Pinot Grigios from northern Italy. It may cost a few dollars more, but you’ll find so much more flavor in your glass AND on your palate. As a food wine…there is no contest. Oregon (and Alsatian) PG’s ARE the best!
September 16th, 2008
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Like many of you, I subscribe to a couple of food magazines. I saw a recipe for an Indian dish called “Green Chicken Masala” in the October ‘08 issue of Food and Wine magazine (page 124) and just had to try it. Basically, it’s chicken thighs in an Indian spiced (turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom) coconut milk sauce that’s finished with a puree of cilantro, mint and jalapeno. Lots of flavors here with some heat on the finish.
Spicy Indian food is the perfect vehicle for Gewurztraminer and for $12 I wanted to try the ‘06 from Pacific Rim (PR). PR is a spin-off brand of Bonny Doon that’s making Riesling, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer using Washington and Oregon grapes. Riesling is their BIG thing, but they have done some great work crafting this value priced Gewurztraminer.
The wine is soft and round with some true varietal flavors of lychee, tangerine and honeydew melon. It’s got about 1.7% residual sugar that helps balance out the natural, but restrained acidity that’s evident in this wine. Stainless steel all the way and no malolactic fermentation helps preserve the crisp flavors. With the chicken and all its exotic spice, this wine melded beautifully! I think I’m going to try it next with some Point Reyes blue cheese.
The yellow label represents enlightenment in the Indian culture and the meditating elephant on the back of the bottle beckons those unbelievers as to what a fantastic flavor adventure awaits them, if they would only unscrew (yea!) the top.
Go for it and let me know what you think.
September 3rd, 2008
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I’m a big fan of Argentinian Malbec and when I saw this one, I just couldn’t resist. Black and chewy; aromas of ripe plums and dark cherries were most prevalent. Intense flavors of juicy blackberry jam and more subtle ones of earth and dark chocolate made for a memorable experience. When I paired this wine with some linguine and roasted red pepper pesto, the mood in my mouth turned almost surreal. The way the fruit and tannin played off the garlic, cheese, pine nuts and the sweet red peppers made me stop and really concentrate on just how delicious a match this was! Oh, I almost forgot that I added some hunks of thick sliced applewood smoked bacon (no nitrates or preservatives mind you) that really cranked up the slightly smoky/earthy aspect in the wine. It was so damned good!
Mendoza Malbec grown at altitude has to be one of the most underrated red wines in the world today. This one lists for around $18 and at that price it’s almost a steal. I’m always looking for inexpensive quality and this ‘06 Santos drinks like a wine that’s twice the price.
Enjoy it with full flavored hard cheeses, grilled or roasted meats, and pasta with red sauce. It’s definitely a food wine to be savored.
August 26th, 2008
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Susana Balbo makes some fantastic wines and this Malbec under her Crios label has to be one of the best I’ve tasted for the price! At $12, this deep dark blackberry and violet scented wine will make you think twice about opting for a more costly California Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s got huge blackberry and black cherry fruit up front, a very manageable tannin structure, hints of tobacco and smoke on the mid palate and a long satisfying finish.
Any kind of beef, pasta with red sauce, slow roasted pork shoulder or even a big hunk of sharp cheddar would be a fitting accompaniment to this outstanding wine.
“Crios” roughly translated means offspring and that’s illustrated on the label by the interlocking hands of Ms. Balbo and her children. She makes more expensive and complex wines, but for the price anything under the Crios name translates into an outstanding value. Especially this powerful, juicy Malbec.
Try it and you’ll see for yourself that good wine doesn’t have to be expensive.
August 13th, 2008
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Yes, another Gewurz. But this one is good…and cheap! By accident, I came upon an empty box of this and said “Why not?” I found it with the other under $10 wines and grabbed a bottle. First, I tried it by itself and then with some spicy jambalaya I made.
The aromas of lychee, flowers and ripe melons were there as was a hint of honeysuckle. The first taste brought a big smile as the ultra ripe fruit flavors and slightly glycerin like mouth-feel made me think of Alsace. There was some balancing acidity and I expected a little residual sweetness on the back end. What I got was all dry. Finally, a domestic (CA) Gewurztraminer that delivered the goods! At $9, a real steal and with spicy food…a must try. Fantastic! I went out and immediately told people what a great wine it was and was met with some upturned noses. You know, most people don’t get it. I find an outstanding inexpensive wine true to the varietal and get this, “I bet it’s sweet” comment or “I don’t drink sweet wines” response. It’s very sad that people are so closed minded to new things. If they don’t have an oaky (blah) Chardonnay or an expensive overly tannic 90+ Napa Cabernet…they would rather drink a Bud light. I’m still shaking my head wondering when the wine drinking society in the United States is going to see the light (pun intended)?
But you know what? The learned oenophiles can savor the fact that good wines don’t have to cost a lot. Let the ignorant be hip..mo..tized by the magazines and their cash stimulated ratings. I’ll drink good inexpensive wine, enjoy it and tell you about it. Don’t want to listen and explore the yet undiscovered wine bargains out there….GOOD! That means more for me and those with half a brain and a sense of adventure!
The Count has spoken!
July 14th, 2008
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For a long time dessert wines were something I occasionally tasted, but never really got into because frankly they’re expensive. Most are in 500ml or 375ml bottles which really amps up the cost per ounce. Lately, I discovered a Semillon Ice Wine from Columbia Crest that was reasonable AND exemplary!
As you probably know, Semillon is the major player in the great sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac in the Bordeaux region of France. There, the Botrytis Cinerea mold does its magical work to help produce fantastic dessert wines. Here in Washington, the grapes are left on the vine until the middle of December before picking. This lengthy “hang time” concentrates the sugar in the fruit. When the grapes freeze solid the picking commences. The sugary sweet juice melts faster than the water in the grapes and is separated quickly and fermented in stainless steel tanks.
The resulting wine is just marvelous with its tropical pineapple and coconut aromas. The honeyed pineapple and melon flavors make this a great wine to enjoy with creme brulee or even a nice fat slice of cheesecake. The $16 price tag is amazing to me for such a quality wine.
Columbia Crest is well known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay, but seek out this affordable gem of a REAL ice wine and you’ll be very glad you did.
June 9th, 2008
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It was but two short years ago today, that we entered the state of matrimony and toasted each other with Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial. I raise a glass of this same wine to you, my love on this, our most special day!
Ahhhhh, the mousse is so heady and the bead so very tiny and constant. A very lively wine of great depth in both aroma and flavor. Raspberries, cherries and strawberries seem to jump out of the glass as the effervescence tickles my nostrils. I sip…… and all that red fruit explodes in my mouth with a body that can’t be believed! This wine, this beautiful deep pink wine with hues of purple is the essence of you, my Contessa in a glass.
Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial is the wine I hold in reverence on this day. My love for sparkling wine has no measure, but I save wines of this grandeur for special occasions only. Not too expensive at $50, but not an everyday quaffer either. If the occasion demands, then you can count on excellence here.
A special wine for a special time.