Earth - Enjoying a Locavore Meal in Toronto

Amongst all the hustle and bustle, we managed to sneak away while we were in Toronto and have a nice dinner for two.  We decided to check out Earth, the newest restaurant from Ed Ho (who nicely stopped by our table prior to our meal).  He is the same guy who opened Globe Bistro, the restaurant we enjoyed the last time we were in Toronto.  

Walking into the restaurant, we immediately notice Earth's sleek and modern interior - blacks and greys offset by funky light fixtures.  It's a cool space, but our favourite parts were the two rose inlays (the flower in the photo above) that were saved from the original flooring and integrated into current flooring. 

With a wine list of 50 wines under $50, there were many options, both local and New World.  We opted to try a few Ontario wines by the glass (left to right):
2006 Semillon, Rosewood (Beamsville Bench, ON, $9) - This tasted closer to a crisp sauvignon blanc or a Chablis with tart, green apple rather than a buttery Semillon.  It did have some honey sweetness and good acidity.
2007 Merlot, Rosewood (Beamsville Bench, ON, $9) - This wine was not too ripe and tasted like sweet oak and cherry with a medium body.  We like to try 2007 vintages from the Niagara region because it was one of its best years.
2007 Gamay, Malivoire (Beamsville Bench, ON, $8) - We like the cherry fruit taste with an earthy nose and a hint of smokiness of this wine.  It was very food friendly.

Homemade biscuits with butter - a nice change from the usual bread basket.

Pig Bits ($5): This plate of pate with allspice, pressed pork terrine and flash seared pork skin (with mustard in the middle) was the best value of the night.  It's a great sharing plate and was perfect for pork lovers like us!

John's Elk Tartare ($12):  We like elk because the meat is rich without being too gamey.  This tartare was nicely seasoned, was mixed with capers, and topped with a couple of garlic chips (they looked like eyes to us).  On the side was a hard-boiled quail's egg,

Tamworth Suckling Pig Roast ($25):  We were looking forward to this dish (we love pig, after all), but unfortunately the pork was overcooked and the braised local beans a little too chewy.  The pork tasted great with the accompanying boudin noir but it couldn't save the dryness of the pork.

Canada's Finest Plate ($26): We liked this lighter dish of B.C. halibut with small bits of pork belly and Brussels sprout leaves.  On the side was a bright salad of blood orange and braised fennel.

Our love of sheep's milk cheese made us choose the Ewenity Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta ($6) with blueberry compote.  It was more savoury than sweet, but we still enjoyed this light dessert.  With a citrus or lemony taste, it was a nice palatte cleanser after our rich meal. 

Overall, we were a tad disappointed with our experience due to the dry suckling pig and 30 minute waits for our entree and then our dessert.  The restaurant had only been opened for 4 weeks, so hopefully the kinks will be worked out soon.  We'll probably come back again as we really enjoyed our starters, the price-points are very affordable, and we liked the friendly staff.  The restaurant had a comfortable bar and lounge area as well so we can always return for a quick bite. 

Earth is located at 1055 Yonge St (btwn Roxborough St and MacPherson Ave; just north of Rosedale subway station) in Toronto, ON, Canada.

Recipe - Cozy Country Meal in the Big City

Though we would love to get away to Blue Hill at Stone Barns every chance we get, the distance and our wallets unfortunately get in the way.

So we were overjoyed when the country came to us with the opening of tiny (only seats 26) new restaurant Recipe in our neighborhood.  Its concept is using fresh, local ingredients to create a "chef's table" experience for the diner.

The owners also run Land, the nearby Thai restaurant that also happens to be our favorite on the Upper West Side.  Suffice it to say, we were expecting a good meal and came away with a a wonderful experience.

 

Hands down, this was the nicest bottle of tap water we've ever been served!

We started off with a couple of drinks. The first drink ($5) was the Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog Brewery.

It's a dark, rich, malty beer that we thought would stand up well to the rich, earthy food we were about to enjoy.













Next was a beautiful cocktail ($12) made with pear puree, simple syrup, and gin.  It was fresh and bright with that wonderful seasonal pear fruit flavor.

 

We could not resist getting the $9 pate.  The Foie Gras Terrine had black mission figs and apricots in it and came with cornichons and toast.  How could you not like foie gras in a jar like this!

 

My husband...spreading it on thick!

We also got a glass of red wine - a glass of Costieres de Nimes ($9).  It's a Rhone blend that generally pairs well with food.

The wine had a little too warming with a tad too much alcohol, but it was nice that it was not too fruity.

Overall, though the beverage list is small, the selection was well edited and the prices were fairly affordable.

 

Oven Roasted Halibut ($20):  The fish was flaky and buttery while the mixture of eggplant, melted leek, green olives, tomato confit, and baby brocollini made for a nice hearty vegetable medley.

 

Seared Hudson Valley Duck Breast ($20):  The duck was cooked medium-rare (on the rarer side) just as we like our meats so it was soft and tender.  The sauce was savory without being too salty and the vegetables (wild mushrooms and baby turnips) gave the dish warm, rustic flavors.  The blackberries added a light tang to slightly offset the richness of the entree.

 

Chocolate Pignoli Tart ($7):  We love desserts that mix sweet and salty flavors as well as creamy and crunchy textures.  Here we indulged in a decadent molten chocolate tart with creamy caramel, sea salt, and mascarpone gelato.  It was a perfect way to end a relaxing meal.

Recipe is located at 452 Amsterdam Ave (btwn 81st and 82nd Sts) in NYC.

Tarry Lodge - Enjoying Batali in the Suburbs

Mario Batali - the chef with the orange clogs, along with the Bastianich family both sure know how to open restaurants!  We have been fortunate to dine at their NYC restaurants Esca (fresh seafood), Babbo (haute Italian), and Otto (creative pizzas) and have never been disappointed.  

So when we were just north of the city visiting some family, we were happy to find another Batali & Bastianich restaurant to add to the list:  Tarry Lodge.  After all, with Batali and his business partner Joseph Bastianich (Lydia's son!) as owners and Chef Andy Nusser (formerly of Babbo) at the helm in the kitchen, we knew we would be in for a great meal.

Our beverages of choice included brews from nearby Westchester brewery Captain Lawrence and wines from the Bastianich cellar, including a 2008 Tocai Fruilano and a 2007 Langhe Rosso by the glass.

Grilled Octopus with Baby Potatoes ($8):  How can something so simple be so good?  With only a simple preparation of extra virgin olive oil, this dish of grilled octopus and baby potatoes was full of natural flavor. 

 

Gorgonzola and Walnut salad ($11):  We loved the color and textures of this salad.  The frisee was peppery, the walnuts crunchy, and the gorgonzola rich and earthy. 

 

Sausage with Stracchino cheese and roasted Shiitake pizza ($13):  We love the rustic flavors on this brick oven baked pizza.  The crust was toasted and flavorful on its own. 

The atmosphere was warm and cozy - like a country inn.  The food was a nice mix of fresh local produce made with an Italian .  There were so many more pizzas we wanted to try (including Guanciale and Black Truffle with a Sunny-side up egg pizza and the Clams, Garlic and Oregano pizza).  We will definitely return.

Tarry Lodge is located at 18 Mill Street in Port Chester, NY.

{Travel Tuesday} Commonwealth in San Francisco, CA

Elegant food in a casual atmosphere, with proceeds going to charity - dinner at Commonwealth was the perfect way to end our San Francisco trip earlier this month.  We were really cutting it close - enjoying a multi-course dinner in the Mission District before rushing to the airport to make our red-eye flight.  But it was well worth it!

We debated between the 6 course $60 tasting menu ($90 with wine pairing) or the a la carte menu.  For every tasting menu order, Commonwealth will donate $10 to charity, which made me want to get the tasting menu.  But the night we were there, both proceeds from both tasting menu and a la carte menu went toward Meals on Wheels.  So instead, we decided to order off the a la carte menu to try more dishes.  Our first taste of the night were complimentary (and addictive) homemade chips with seaweed and pimenton (Spanish paprika) with a malt vinegar mousse (similar to an aoili) for dipping.  A tasty and playful alternative to bread and butter - we were in for a fun dinner.    

The kitchen provided us with a complimentary taste of their Shaved Carrots and Radishes dish.  It was a great starter with ash coated goat cheese, quinoa, spicy greens and walnuts.  

Asian Pear with chicory, pomegranate, cured ham, idiazabal cheese and peppers ($12).  The cheese, presented in a spherical shape, becomes runny and adds a creamy texture to the salad to match the tart pear, bright and sweet pomegranate, and soft fatty ham.  My husband loves salads like these - with so much cheese and salty ham that he does not realize he's eating a salad.

Kabocha Pumpkin with black kale, yuba, sprouting broccoli, coconut milk and peanuts ($12):  I love Kabocha pumpkin - it's sweet like butternut squash, with a pumpkin/sweet potato-like texture.  Yuba is a tofu skin that was fried and added a nice crunch.  Loved the deep, earthy kale and broccoli with the light coconut milk foam too.

Sea Urchin with sweet potato tempura, chrysanthemum leaf, shiso, scallion and yuzu kosho ($15):  I haven't been a fan of uni (sea urchin), but after having it at Marea in NYC and now here, I'm gaining a greater appreciation for this dish.  My husband loved the briny urchin with the sweet tempura, tart yuzu, and herbal chrysanthemum, shiso, and scallion.

Squid and Pork Belly with jidori egg salad, potato croutons and a drizzle of a herb vinaigrette ($13):  Two of my husband's favorite things to eat - squid and pork belly - combined on one plate.  Pork belly is one of those ingredients that we gravitate towards on a menu.  The vinaigrette and crispy squid keeps the dish from tasting too heavy. 

By now, we were both full, but I could not pass up on dessert.  I ordered the cinnamon mille-feuille with cardamom marshmallow, chocolate ganache, and burnt honey ice cream ($8).  I love mille-feuille (it's a French pastry that is normally filled with vanilla or custard cream in between layers of puff pastry) and found this cinnamon version interesting.  My favorite part of the dessert, however, was the homemade cardamom marshmallow.  I love the taste of cardamom and how it balances the sweetness of marshmallows. 

And then the chef came out to bring us a complimentary dessert of Olive Oil Cake with yuzu curd, huckleberries, pinenut brittle, and creme fraiche ice cream.  I was contemplating getting this dessert too, so I was thrilled when we were presented this dish by the chef. The cake itself was moist and the yuzu and creme fraiche ice cream was nice and light. 

We enjoyed briefly chatting with the Chef, who had also worked with the equally friendly, generous, and talented Chef Kate from Plum.  We found the staff superb and timely throughout the evening.  And though the plates are relatively small (similar to a tapas restaurant), we were very full by the end of dinner.  Overall, we had a great time and enjoyed dishes that reminded us of Coi but at a fraction of the price.

 Commonwealth is located at 2224 Mission St. in San Francisco, CA.

NY Blogger Lunch at Ma Peche (actually, The Chambers Hotel lobby)

When fellow food blogger Jen from Tiny Urban Kitchen came up to NYC from Boston for a visit, a few of us local foodies decided to welcome her in style.  We met up at the brand-new extension of David Chang's Momofuku restaurant portfolio:  Ma Peche in the Chambers Hotel (or more specifically, its abbreviated menu being served in the hotel's mezzanine).  It would be a great lunch filled with stories, laughter, and of course, tons of photos!

The decor of the Chambers Hotel was very sleek and modern.  It will be interesting to see if Ma Peche's decor (which will be located in the former Town. spot) will reflect the natural woodwork of the other Momofuku spots. 

A Momofuku lunch for only $10?! 

The goi calamare was a squid salad with fish sauce, thai basil, and greens.  Jen and Cindy from Chubby Chinese Girl shared this dish.  Though the dish looked pretty, albeit small, Cindy mentioned it was just ok.

This was the banh mi au poulet which had chicken, lemongrass, lettuce, and mint.  Christine from Fresh, Local, and Best ordered this dish and enjoyed it.  The mix of lemongrass and mint sounds like it would make a nice

The aroma of the bun du riz (rice noodles with pork ragout and saw leaf herb) was very enticing.  It was the most ordered dish by our group, including by Michelle from Taste as You Go.  They all enjoyed the noodles,  - it seemed to be a comforting warm dish perfect for a cool, windy day.

My choice?  Terrine, terrine, terrine!!  I went with the banh mi maison with three terrine, daikon, and cilantro.  If you're a pate lover like myself, this would be your choice.    

The sandwich was so hearty and despite the small size, surprisingly substantial.  I loved the fresh flavor from the cilantro and daikon offset by the richness of the terrine.

For dessert, we splurged on the extra $1.85 for the momofuku milk bar peanut butter cookie.

This cookie was thick and buttery.  It was like taking a spoonful of melted peanut butter and drizzling it on your tongue.  All we needed were glasses of milk!

Thanks Christine, Michelle, Jen, and Cindy (plus Jen's husband who patiently watched us take mulitple photos of our food) for a wonderful meal!

Ma Peche in the Chambers Hotel is located at 15 W 56th St (btwn 5th and 6th Aves) in NYC.  It was definitely worthwhile to check out.  Just get there early - by noon there were only 2 tables (for 2) available and by 1pm every table was taken (with a large group of people waiting for a seat)

Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Sweets of the Season

We can't believe it's already the holiday season (though many stores have been decorated for Christmas since before Halloween!).

Though we're not ones to condone this early behavior, we are completely open to free desserts from A Voce, Bouchon Bakery, Landmarc, and Porter House New York.

So we headed out to the Time Warner Center event we mentioned yesterday, watched the stars (and children's eyes) light up, and ate desserts to our hearts' content!

Set to the tune of familiar holiday carols, the stars light up in different colors every evening at 5pm.

Here were the desserts (apologies for the blurry photos - the sweet treats were going fast!):

Chocolate Shortbread Star cookies from Bouchon Bakery

Double Truffle Brownies from Porter House New York

Italian-style Hot Chocolate from a voce (it was rich and thick - pure chocolate!)

Nutella Profiteroles from Landmarc (our favorite of the 4...a light pastry with a nutella filling can't go wrong with us!)

What are your favorite holiday treats?

{Travel Tuesday} Plum in Oakland, CA

My husband missed the Coi dinner I enjoyed the last time I was in San Fran.  And even though he got to try many of Daniel Patterson's tasting at the Le Fooding event in NYC, I knew he would want to dine at his restaurant.  He suggested Chef Patterson's newer, more affordable restaurant Plum.  After the wonderful, intimate service (thanks to Chef Kate who took the time to chat and explain the dishes to us) we enjoyed on a lazy Sunday night, I was so happy he took me here.

Plum carries a small and accessible wine list.  The list includes food friendly options by the glass, such as the dry 2009 Copain 'Tous Ensemble' Rose and the fleshy, yet fruit forward, 2008 Unti Dry Creek Grenache.  We both enjoyed the house-made Ginger Pear soda ($2), because it was a refreshing cold drink without being syrupy sweet.

Artichoke Terrine ($10) topped with Andante dairy fresh cheese, chervil, black olive vinaigrette.  This terrine had good acidity and the fennel salad on top could be a dish on its own.  It was refreshing and adds to the depth of flavor of this dish.  This dish makes us want to make vegetable terrines at home now.

New Harvest Potatoes ($12) staffan's lardo, shallots, chanterelles, wild arugula.  Who doesn't like crisped lardo?  An earthy dish with the nice touch of the peppery arugula.  We would've liked the potatoes crisped a little more, however, the soft creamy texture of the potatoes still worked with the warmed lardo and mushrooms.

Our favorite dish of the night was the Slow-Cooked Farm Egg ($16) with chicken and jus, savory fried farro, fennel, carrot, and sprouts.  We loved this take on "fried rice".  The jus was not overly salted and the runny egg added that nice creamy richness. 

Roasted Pork ($18): warm salad of fall vegetables and greens (including kohlrabi and brussels sprouts), spicy squash puree, vadouvan vinaigrette.  A perfectly tender sous vide pork shoulder paired with fall veggies is a hearty meal for a blustery fall day in the Bay Area. 

Beef Cheek and Oxtail Burger ($15): Autumn pickles, topped with horseradish aoili (and minced fennel cooked on la plancha) and olive.  Baby fennel is a common theme throughout the menu and a lovely reminder of autumn.  The burger itself was rich, juicy, and messy.  So good!

After chatting with us about the desserts on the menu, Chef Kate insisted that we try a taste of her favorite one.

Milk Chocolate Cream (above was a complimentary taste, the regular larger dish is $9): tarragon, hazelnuts.  Being a chocoholic, I'm surprised we've never tried the chocolate/tarragon combination.  Loved it! The delicate tarragon (hint of licorice) balances the sweetness of the cream and completely made the dish.  It makes us feel like going through our parents' herb garden to flavor our chocolate desserts!

I loved the Roasted White Chocolate Parfait ($9) - it's the dessert made for people (like me) who don't like the overly sweet taste of white chocolate.  It was rich and crispy, and topped with fennel and huckleberries.  We completed the meal with a French press of Blue Bottle Coffee (at $3, cheaper than the spot we frequent at the Ferry Building)

Plum is located at 2214 Broadway in Oakland, CA.