Category: Restaurants

Tidy Tidbits: Books & Local Scene

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RECENT READING

Love is Blind by William Boyd

I have known of Boyd’s work and watched the TV production of Any Human Heart, but until now had not read any of his novels.  Love is Blindwas a very satisfying read.  Set in the years from 1894 to 1906 and in a variety of venues ranging from Edinburgh, Paris, Nice and a remote island, it details, as the subtitle states, The Rapture of Brodie Moncur.  A Scotsman with a domineering and abusive father, Brodie is a gifted piano tuner who escapes his gray tumultuous home life for the light and beauty of Paris.  

(thetimes.co.uk)

His talents enable him to find a job wherever he goes, and with a diagnosis of tuberculosis, he often needs to seek out warmer climes.  But what really propels and drives him is his obsession, call it love or infatuation, with a young Russian singer named Lika Blum.  The fact that Lika is in a relationship with one of his clients, the past-his-prime pianist John Kilbarron, doesn’t deter Brodie, and they enjoy brief periods of togetherness.  

Scotsman Boyd is a good storyteller and his prose provides enough local color to differentiate the various locales while detailing the changing times as automobiles replace horses in the early 20thcentury.  I found myself caring a great deal about Brodie and his peregrinations. (~JWFarrington)

Just Mercy:  A Story of Justice and Redemption  by Bryan Stevenson

In today’s news, there are more reports of prisoners wrongly accused or punished being released or having their sentences reduced.  Prisoners on death row for decades for crimes they didn’t commit or those whose punishments far exceeded what was just for the nature of the crime.  This was not always the case. Author and lawyer Stevenson was a pioneer in these efforts with his creation of the Equal Justice Initiative in the early 1980’s.   Based in Alabama, Stevenson and his small team challenged the death row sentences of innocent individuals and those who were sentenced when they were mere children, thirteen or fourteen.  

Bryan Stevenson (the sunflower.com)

An account of Stevenson’s work over more than twenty-five years, the book offers up details about some of the people whose cases he appealed, some successfully, some not.   The heart of it, however, is the story of Walter McMillian, one of his first cases, and a man who’d already spent several decades on death row for a murder he did not commit.  What Stevenson uncovers about faulty justice, indifferent lawyers and law enforcement officials, lying eyewitnesses, and easily led townspeople is chilling; what Stevenson is able to achieve for Walter and his family is a testament to perseverance and dedication.  This book, published in 2014, won several awards and appeared on six best books of the year lists.  Thanks to our Pennsylvania friend Mark for recommending it. (~JWFarrington)

LOCAL COLOR

MUSEUM EXHIBIT

If you’re a fan of animals, then you might trot over to the South Florida Museumto see the new National Geographic “Photo Ark” exhibit by Joel Sartore.  Gorgeous up-close photos of fifty animals (mostly taken in zoos) against stark black or stark white backgrounds.  The exhibit just opened to the public and runs into July.

POWERFUL THEATER

Set in Reading, Pennsylvania, against the backdrop of the 2000 presidential election and the financial crisis of 2008, playwright Lynn Nottage’s Sweat at the Asolo, packs a punch.  The language is raw and the emotions even more so.  Focusing on three women who are union workers in a local factory, two young men who are the sons of two of them, and the local bar where they all hang out, it’s a portrait of working-class America that many of us haven’t experienced. The bar set is realistic-looking and TV videos overhead as a transition between scenes make for effective staging.   I thought the acting was uniformly excellent.  We came out exhausted, but appreciative of the high caliber performances we see here. It’s a play that could be required viewing for all adults—it’s that good!  

DINING NOTES

A friend and I had lunch at Mar Vistarecently and it was lovely!  This waterside restaurant on Longboat Key has been totally remodeled and is almost unrecognizable.  It’s been spiffed up and is very inviting with three options for seating—inside, in the open air on a covered terrace, and fully outside at tables on the sand. We opted for the terrace and both enjoyed Cobb salads which were very fresh and tasty.  Service was pleasant and efficient.  To learn more, see the write-up in this week’s Herald Tribune.

Poke salad (courtesy TripAdvisor)

If you’re enough of a stalwart to brave St. Armand’s Circle during the season, then lunch at Shore is a great choice.  Located upstairs almost next door to Chico’s, the outside tables are airy with a view of the street.  The menu offers lots of fish and plenty of salads and sandwiches.  We three friends opted for a poke salad and the fish tacos with a green salad (instead of the menu fries).  The tacos were tasty and the service super-efficient.  Perfect for getting on with more shopping!

Note: Photos by JWFarrington unless otherwise noted. Header photo is a white-fronted lemur from the “Photo Ark” exhibit.

Tidy Tidbits: Eating Around

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FORMAL DINING

Back in the day, as they say, both my grandmothers set a formal table.  Particularly for dinner.  Starched white linen tablecloths were the norm along with starched napkins and a napkin ring.  Using the ring meant that the napkin could be identified as yours and re-used several times.  Flatware was real silver and there were silver salt and pepper shakers, or, in the case of my maternal grandmother’s setting, little salt cellars with tiny spoons.  They were such fun to toy with—despite my mother disapproving look.  

When I was growing up, my mother had standards for her dinner table as well.  We ate in the dining room together, all six of us, almost every night. The highly polished blonde wood table wore a tablecloth (a color or patterned) or placemats, and we used my parents’ wedding silverware.  In a concession to modern times and four kids, the napkins were usually paper except on holidays and special occasions.  One cardinal rule was that you never cleared the table (and we kids took turns doing this) until everyone had finished eating.  This was drilled into us, probably more than any other dictum—except “get your elbows off the table, just as fast as you are able.”

Today’s restaurant staff seem never to have learned to wait until everyone is finished—or have conveniently forgotten.  Is a shortage of clean dishes in the kitchen prompting this snatching of plates before everyone is done?  It is rude and makes the lone eaters feel rushed and singled out.  In my recent dining experiences, even better restaurants aspiring to fine dining are guilty.  Whenever possible, I put a halt to the early removal of plates, but more restaurants should slow down their wait staff and let the meal play out in a more leisurely fashion.

ELEGANT ITALIAN DINING IN SARASOTA

Friends introduced us to CasAntica in downtown Sarasota which we had probably passed many times, but never really noticed.  The restaurant is in an historic house with an outside patio, small dining rooms throughout, and a rooftop garden.  We ate in a quiet alcove near the bar which happened to be unoccupied except for the bartender.  The menu includes homemade pasta dishes, veal, chicken and fish entrees, and a selection of salads and other appetizers.  The salads are large so sharing a tricolore (arugula, cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan) was the right move.  The Chief Penguin and I ordered veal preparations, veal piccata and veal saltimbocca, and both were luscious. The best veal we’ve had in this area.  Our friends ordered the salmon and were equally pleased with their choice. Definitely a place to return!!

Salmon Piccata at A Casa Tua

ITALIAN FARE IN OUR BACKYARD

Since its move farther up Cortez Road, A Casa Tua, is practically next door.  This unprepossessing Italian restaurant is family owned and has just seven tables, so reservations are recommended.  The menu offers a nice selection of pastas, chicken and salmon entrees as well as a rack of lamb, along with appetizers and salads.  The Chief Penguin and I snagged a table the other evening and really enjoyed the salmon piccata and the ravioli of the day stuffed with broccoli and sausage in a thick tomato sauce.  The C.P. also sampled and was wowed by the special appetizer of three long plump sardines baked with lemon Mediterranean style.  And the Caesar salad was a most generous portion with plenty of shaved Parmesan.  Overall, a welcome addition to the local dining scene!

SARASOTA FAVORITE

Burrata Salad

We have dined at Bijou Cafe in downtown Sarasota near the opera house several times recently. It’s always excellent and is one of our longtime favorites. I usually order the chicken cutlet with sautéed spinach or the Carolina trout with almonds and veggies. This time I tried a new salad of burrata, heirloom tomatoes and strawberries which was colorful and delicious!

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved). Header photo is the ravioli of the day at A Casa Tua.

Manhattan Dining: From Low to Haute

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DINING OUT IN MANHATTAN

We ran the gamut on our recent visit to Manhattan from lunches at diners to meals at moderate and splurge-worthy restaurants.

We were initially dismayed to see that the Lenox Grill on Lexington had closed.  While it wasn’t the best diner in the world, it was reliably good, convenient to where we wanted to be, and never so crowded you couldn’t get a table.

Here are some notes on where we did eat most recently.

DINER LUNCHES (Upper East Side) 

E & J Luncheonette

This old-fashioned diner on 3rd Avenue is probably the best one we tried.  We’d eaten here in the spring and it was very popular.  They serve a satisfyingly good grilled bacon and cheese, with the usual cole slaw and optional French fries.

Nectar Café

This cozy, I’d call it snug, little place operates on a cash only basis and you wonder where they’ve tucked away the kitchen!  But, if you don’t mind being cheek by jowl, then the food is very good and the service friendly.  I liked my tuna salad sandwich on multi-grain toast.

Gracie’s Corner Diner

Don’t bother.  This large diner on E. 86th Street has an extensive menu, and perhaps it was because I was tired of sandwich and so-so salad fare, but I was decidedly underwhelmed. Like so many diners, quantity was the byword here, bypassing true quality.  I ordered a green salad with grilled chicken on top, huge with a strange house dressing on the side and lots of chicken, but with little flavor.  The corn beef Reuben was open face and smothered with a thick layer of cheese and, frankly, didn’t look that appetizing.  The CP didn’t eat much of it either.

Gina Americana

This little hole-in-the-wall burger joint boasts a row of American flag posters in frames and other flags around its walls.  Bypassing all the varieties of burger meat and toppings, we opted for items from the Mexican Connection section of the menu.  The guacamole was excellent and the chicken quesadilla and the chicken taco very good—the only surprise was the lack of any salsa or hot sauce whatsoever!  Lime wedges came with the taco and the guacamole.

 

MODERATE DINNER FARE  (Upper East Side unless noted)

Island

Embracing a New England nautical flair, Island is a very popular spot for locals and the occasional hotel guest from down the block.  They cater nicely to folks of all ages, even kids.  We dined here two nights and found the chicken paillard, chopped Cobb salad, and fried calamari all to our liking!  The calamari was all rings and perfectly cooked.  The Cobb salad was not the usual mass of large pieces of lettuce and great gobs of avocado and chicken, but rather a nice melange of chopped greens with the chicken, avocado, bacon and blue cheese in appropriately sized small pieces.  The sum was definitely greater than the parts!

Little Frog

Very friendly French place and reliably good.  We like the charming and urbane maître d’ (who think is also the owner).  The cheese fritters were a wonderful starter, the salads are good, and the braised short ribs were sublime!  Perfect for a chilly evening.

 Table d’Hote

Snug little restaurant on the Upper East Side about the size of a tearoom and very popular.  We enjoyed lunch here so much we returned for the perfectly executed comfort food dinner!  Little gem romaine salad with an oregano vinaigrette and then roast organic chicken served with silky puréed potatoes and some mini carrots all in tarragon jus.

Jing Fong  (Upper West Side)

This Chinese restaurant on Amsterdam sports dim sum on its sign, but the night we were there there were no carts, just what was on the menu.  To be fair, the menu includes a wide variety of dumplings, a number of which our large group sampled.  They were good.  We also ordered a chicken and vegetable dish, beef and onions, steamed buns, and for the two kids, several orders of soup dumplings.  Very busy on a Friday night so best to make a reservation.

Via Carota  (West Village)

I consider this a very special place even though it isn’t at all fancy.  In fact, it’s almost rustic with its wooden floor and wooden tables and chairs with the menus rolled up in a back pocket.  We eat here at least once every time we come to New York and dig into several must-have dishes:  grilled artichokes, and either Meyer lemon risotto or the chicken with lemon.  All the pastas are delectable, the salad is a perfectly tangy mound of greens, and it’s hard to go amiss with any dish you order.  They don’t take reservations so we often arrive unfashionably early, whether lunch or dinner.

Pascalou

Disappointing. We really wanted to like this French restaurant as the menu was very appealing.  Our waiter had a twinkle, our table upstairs was quiet, and everything was going fine.  The first courses, salad for me and pate for him, were acceptable, but then the service deteriorated.  It was almost an hour between courses and one entrée had clearly been cooked the day before, and the other wasn’t quite done the way I had requested.  The place was full so I hope others had a better experience.

 

SPLURGES

Paola’s

A traditional white tablecloth Italian restaurant serving both lunch and dinner.  It’s another popular Upper East Side dining venue and reservations, at least for dinner, are essential.  Salads are fresh and tasty and the pastas and veal shine.  I’m especially fond of the veal-stuffed agnolotti dusted with black truffle.

 Boulud Sud 

This is Chef Daniel’s (as in Boulud) Mediterranean restaurant and it’s an elegantly simple dining room offering impeccable service.  We’ve had lunches here in the more distant past, and this trip went for the prix fixe dinner before going across the street to Lincoln Center.  Everything was delicious from my saffron linguini with lemon and bottarga to the grilled dorade on a red pepper emulsion to the  light chocolate gateau with an oval of sorbet.

Cosme

Superb Mexican-influenced cuisine on 21st Street.  The dining room is what I’d call chic industrial with high ceilings, exposed metal, and light wood tables and finishes.  Most of the dishes on the menu are not familiar so you, like us, might need some translations.

We tucked into the herb guacamole (chunky style with an aromatic bunch of herb leaves) to go with the slightly astringent margaritas.  We then followed with branzino that was light and delectable and the house specialty, duck carnitas, basically a whole duck deconstructed and then put back together under the skin and served with two sauces and blue corn tortillas.  For dessert, we ordered the meringue filled with corn mousse (very different, but quite tasty) and a combo of a pastry ball and a ball of orange sorbet.  This restaurant is definitely pricy so be prepared to spend a lot, but it’s definitely worth it!

 Note:  All photos by JWFarrington except for header photo of an E&J sandwich from foursquare.com

San Francisco Interlude

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SAN FRANCISCO
OLD HOME WEEK AT THE ACADEMY
The Chief Penguin and I had the great pleasure of returning to San Francisco and the California Academy of Sciences for the 10th anniversary celebration of its new building. Ten years ago, when he was the Chief Penguin of this wonderful museum, we sat on the since named Patterson Plaza, and celebrated the opening of Renzo Piano’s airy, light-filled creation. The mayor and other dignitaries were there to bless the occasion, the sun burst through the clouds, and butterflies were released to the sky. It was a glorious day and the line for entry wound down the sidewalk and around the building for almost a mile. 

This time, besides the expected speeches, we were treated to songs from the San Francisco Boys Choir and testimonials from two youth. The 10 year old girl was an infant when the new academy opened and has been visiting since those early days. She loves the place and shared her enthusiasm for it and her goal of becoming an academy scientist. A 15 year old young man spoke eloquently about his experience as a Careers in Science intern, his involvement with the planetarium, and his plans to become an astrophysicist. Both were memorable demonstrations of the importance and power of the academy’s education mission!  A champagne toast on the Living Roof, the scattering of seeds there, and a reunion lunch with former colleagues and friends rounded out the day.  

The next day we returned for tours of the new Giants of Land and Sea exhibit and Big Picture as well as a showing of the newest award-winning planetarium show, Expedition Reef.  I was pleased to see that exhibit labels are now in four languages and that there were so many informative interactive screens in Giants.

I’ve been through the redwoods several times, but was in awe of the giant slice of an 800 year old redwood tree that came down in a storm; for me, it was the highlight of that exhibit.  Big Picture, the annual exhibit of the winners of the Academy’s photography contest, is now five years old and better than ever. I particularly liked the shot of the mother flamingo’s feather encircling a baby whose nose is just poking through.

Watching the planetarium show, I gained an greater understanding of the role played by coral reefs around the world and why it’s critical to work to preserve them.

And if you think this is all a plug for going to the academy, it is!  I’m shameless about promoting it.

DINING BY THE BAY 
Lest you think we didn’t do anything else in our short visit, we also ate very well!
Pizzeria Delfina. Upon arrival we started in our old neighborhood and had lunch at this pizza place off Fillmore. Old favorites, insulata tricolore and the sausage pizza, were as good as we remembered!

Coqueta.  This restaurant on the Embarcadero is another one we love, and we had dinner here our first night. Their menu of tapas always pleases and we had some of our usuals—-chicken croquettes, meatballs, patatas bravas, smoky potato chips, and a couple of cheeses.

Potatoes & Chips at Coqueta

Mel’s Drive-in Diner.  On busy Lombard Street, Mel’s serves as hearty a breakfast as you could want in a setting complete with jukebox and crayons and balloons for kids.  A complete array of omelettes plus bacon, sausage and toast.  Our waitress was friendly and the place has an inviting vibe.

A16.  On Chestnut Street, a short walk from our hotel, A16 is the sister restaurant to SPQR and a more casual place. Lots of pizzas on their menu plus salads and some slightly different pasta dishes. The panzanella salad was excellent and the simple long pasta with ragu perfect comfort food. Have to admit that the fusilli with walnuts was a bit oddly flavored, but worth trying. For dessert, we settled on a plate of small cookies which provided the requisite amount of sweet.

Pacific Catch. This Bay Area chain serves excellent fresh fish alone, in sandwiches, tacos and poke, and atop salads or rice bowls. Located a short walk from the Academy, it’s long been a lunch favorite for staff. I and the C.P. both dined there separately with former colleagues, and I had the hard choice of either the taco plate or the grilled salmon sandwich. The sandwich won out.

Zuni Cafe.  An old standby downtown (40 years young), but still excellent, was the venue for our last dinner. We were joined by a good friend and, while none of us ordered their famous roast chicken, we liked very much our heirloom tomato and Caesar salads, fritto misto, simple risotto, and a made-to-order veggie plate.

Note: All photos by JWFarrington.