i’ll be back. i swear. i’ve been absolutely swamped and honestly I haven’t been able to cook in such a long time. good news though- i’m working at my favorite restaurant in the world. come visit me during brunch. also, lobster popovers and maple cotton candy atop brown sugar angel cake at towne stove and spirits in boston, best meal in a very long time.
I swear, this is my last birthday post. And to those who think I’m simply trying to relive my birthday from fifteen days ago- I’m not, it’s just my birthday meals are always some of the best meals I eat all year (that’s not true- please disregard that). So as a quick recap, the day after my birthday I was semi-surprised at Local 188 by 20 friends, and that Saturday I travelled to Boston and ate at Petit Robert Bistro. But what I haven’t shared with you all is what I did on my actual birthday.
Despite the rather passionate protest I staged regarding the movie Julie and Julia, I was given the dvd as a Christmas gift- in fact it was the only movie I received, and to continue the tradition, A & I sat down to watch it. I was obviously inspired to cook something out of Mastering the Art of French Cooking - so when I went to work the following day I asked my favorite colleague if she’d want to come over and cook soon. She was ecstatic- and she asked if it would work out if she came over on my birthday. Seeing as I had no intention to do anything on my birthday night, I said yes, and we began to plan the menu. From Julia Child we decided on creating Poulet au Porto. This was a delectable dish, that was in short, the most succulent, tender pieces of chicken that I’ve ever consumed.
The recipe is not as complicated as it may seem- it requires you to roast a chicken the same day you make the dish- and though we were skeptical, because the only seasoning the chicken called for was butter, salt, pepper, a carrot, and an onion, this roasted chicken conquered all my ideas of the perfect roast chicken. It was incredibly flavorful, and the meat was literally falling off of the bone. Ro & I almost didn’t want to make the port and creme sauce, but we gave into Julia Child’s invisible presence that we could feel watching over us in the kitchen.
One thing that both Ro & I were worried about was the idea of flaming cognac, simply because of all the cooking television I watch- ahem, IRON CHEF AMERICA(!!). The flame that we created, simply with a match, was not large at it, nor was it intimidating, so we created another just for kicks. Now we’re both confident in regards to flaming cognac. In short, what happens to the already delicious chicken, is absolutely blissful- you steep it in the port creme and mushroom sauce, which infiltrates the chicken to create an even tastier dish.
We served it with roasted carrots, sauteed green beans, and focaccia bread. The green beans were so fresh (so clean- for all my foodies who also double as gangsters), sauteed in olive oil, butter, lemon juice and lemon zest, and the roast carrots were incredibly earthy, and better than any other root vegetable that could have been prepared. And for dessert- we were lazy- but hey, we really weren’t we roasted a chicken and basted it every 8 minutes for an hour and a half- we got canolis and strawberry mochi! I think Julia Child would be proud, if I do say so myself. This by far was the most satisfying of birthday meals simply because it was created in my own house, enjoyed by A, Ro & myself, and gave me the opportunity to bound over a cooking hurdle, so to speak- (yes, the flaming cognac) all so that I can do it again and again in the future.
Look forward to upcoming posts-
My favorite breakfasts
The Best Iced Coffee You’ll Ever Taste
(the first installment of interviews with local chefs) Lee Farrington of Figa
Christmas Dinner (a little late- sorry)
Valentine’s Day Dessert (HEART TARTES)
-e
Part of the reason why I created Vin et Grub was because I frequently visited some beautiful food blogs- thus providing me with an ample amount of inspiration. Sprouted Kitchen, Smitten Kitchen, and Poires au Chocolat are just a few of my original blog muses. Simply Breakfast was another blog that provided that little extra oomph that made me think, “Hm… I suppose I could try and make of those,” and here am I, sitting in my kitchen, writing this post. Other honorable mentions go to Portland Food Coma- a blog that is full of wonderful satirical commentary, and Essays on Restaurant Debauchery written by the one and only Joe Ricchio, & of course Edible Obsessions- perhaps my favorite local food blog that is just a mod-podge of goodness (look at a Lithuanian Christmas Parts I and II).
But moving on, to my newest, and perhaps most aesthetically pleasing blog crush of the moment. B COMME BON. Good news for those who are fellow French enthusiasts like myself, it’s written by a real Frenchie! And it’s entirely French. But why do I like B COMME BON? Well, many reasons, my dears. The photos are top notch, crisp, well thought out, very natural, and they also convey a myriad of textures that are found within the realm of culinary arts. I mean, look at these photos.
Reason two, B comme Bon allows me to practice my French- but tying back into the photo portion of the blog, Valerie’s photos are worth a thousand words. Reason three, the recipes are simple, easy to translate, and rather delectable.
Read & Subscribe to B COMME BON by clicking here.
As you all know, I currently have an ongoing romance with Local 188. Never have I had a bad experience there- in fact, I would go to the extent of saying that Local earns the spot of my absolute favorite restaurant in Portland. Plus Jay Villani is a mastermind in the local culinary scene. It’s only natural that Local 188 would be the venue for my semi-surprise birthday party. But before we discuss birthday dinner part II, I must relay my experience at Local during Paella Feast 2011, hosted on January 1st, in order to clean house before the Local staff went on vacation for the first week of the new year.
A & I heard about Paella Feast through a little birdie- ie one of our favorite waitresses in all of town- Sarah who works close to nightly at Local. For those who didn’t hear about Paella Feast, I’ll give you a quick run down. All you can eat Paella, meat, veggie, or seafood, for $10 a head. You could purchase salads and desserts on the side for extra cost. And in all honesty, A & I lucked out. We didn’t make a reservation, but we squeezed our way into seats in the lounge and indulged, to say the least.
We began our meal with a garden salad, filled to the brim with baby arugula, spinach, kale, rainbow swiss chard, red peppers, carrots, goat cheese, and a simple lemon olive oil dressing. The salad ($9) was big enough to feed both A & myself twice- yes we had two servings. Along with the salad, the Local staff sent over their home baked bread- both baguettes and an olive loaf with the most fantastic butter. I can’t be entirely sure what Jay did with the butter- I think he must have added a lot of garlic and some other spice that I can’t quite identify, and whip it until it was light and fluffy and absolutely perfect and tangy for the bread.
For round one of Paella, I ordered the meat special, and A chose to do the seafood paella, as we both intended to sample off the others plate. Needless to say, when mine came, my eyes were wide and I had no intention of sharing, simply because of the ample amounts of steak, chicken, and chorizo. The chicken was incredibly tender, succulent, flavorful, clear traces of saffron and other indulgent seasonings. The steak, cooked medium, juicy, red, six pieces per plate- and of course the chorizo, that garlicky goodness that comes in form of a spanish sausage. Cut into bite size chunks, hiding beneath the layers of yellow rice with fennel and cumin seeds. Extraordinary. Out of this world. Better than I can even tell you.
Plate two yielded the veggie- green beans, rabe, red peppers, olives, and capers galore. While I love veggies, and I love paella, the meat stole my heart, and as if to be conservative at this all you can eat fest, my mom and I split our last plate of meat paella, bringing us both to the 2.5 plate mark that we promised ourselves we wouldn’t surpass. The veggie paella had a stronger taste of fennel, and while I like fennel, it was borderline overbearing, yet I enjoyed it nonetheless.
To finish off Paella Feast 2011, we decided to behave ourselves and split a dessert. Trent, aka homeboy, makes all the desserts at Local, and ever since I started eating there at age 9, I’ve always thought he was the coolest guy working at any restaurant in Portland. To be honest, he’s straight up gangster- even though people have told me otherwise, and the desserts that he makes are out of this world breath-taking and mind captivating. We settled on a lemon curd tart- without debate, and enjoyed every last morsel of that flaky crust, that tart filling, and those juicy blackberries used to garnish.
Now fast forward six days, and enter Local 188 at 7pm. A party of 22 are seated- all for my semi-surprise birthday party. 22 high school students, from Portland, Casco Bay, and Waynflete, piled in, making their rounds after the art walk, all to help me celebrate my 17th birthday. I had requested Sarah to be my waitress, and we were sat in the main dining room, a long table commanding attention from our fellow diners. I sat at the head of the table, next to my beau and one of my oldest friends, looking down at all my guests, enjoying every moment of their company- not to mention the absolute hospitality of the restaurant with what, doing 22 separate checks for all of us. The kitchen sent the entire table tastes of manchengo cheese and a radish chutney. We were all served our appetizers in a timely fashion- things ranging from green salads, to quail eggs, to scallops, to the soup de la noche.
I must tell you how lucky I am to have such cultured friends. The overall diversity in the food that was ordered, I found to be unreal. Especially from a group of high school students, but regardless, it was to my liking. Entrees ranged from paella, steak tartare, and quail, to gnocchi, tortilla de la noche, and the nightly prepared hanger steak. I suppose I had been craving more, because I ordered the house paella, full of seafood, chicken, and chorizo, which although went under-eaten, due to my incessant mingling, was rather delicious and satisfying.
As if out of a fairytale, my mother, the infamous A, crashed my party (though I must say it was rather staged) and brought in homemade chocolate chocolate cupcakes, that fed the entire table. After being serenaded with song, I contemplated whether or not I should blow out my candles. Impulsively I did, meaning no wish, but hey, what more could I wish for? I’ve got great friends, I eat great food, and I’m happier than I’ve been in a very long time. 2011 has been shaping up to be a great year, and it’s only been fifteen days!
As I’ve digressed I should return to the topic at hand- and just say that Local was so accommodating, letting us stay as late as we wanted, catering to our whims (though we didn’t have any unreasonable ones), and being incredibly welcoming and personal. This visit to Local defines my love of the place because everything turned out perfectly, the evening was better than I could have imagined, and I shared a spectacular memory with my favorite people in my favorite restaurant. So even though I’ve recommended Local countless times before now, I’ll be completely blunt and tell you that if you don’t go, you’re surely missing out on one of the best restaurants that Portland has to offer.
[PS] I’m going to Local tonight, right after I get out of work, to celebrate a dear yogis trip to Asia for the next six months. To Meg & Toji! Celebrate the good times to come, and safest travels. xxoxoxo.
-e
This year I had three separate birthday meals- one which I made courtesy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking & Julie and Julia, another at Local 188 with a party of 22, and then the last at Petit Robert Bistro in Kenmore Square in Boston. Believe it or not- this year my birthday was toned down, at least five notches.
This wasn’t my first time at Petit Robert- I had gone once before, though that visit was at the South End location- and as I’ve heard, Kenmore Square has a much better venue. Perhaps four days before the reservation- we had an expected group of 10, but as the date was approaching, we decided to make the guest list a bit more intimate. The staff was very accommodating- not to mention personal and expressed great hospitality when we arrived. Their first question was, “Who is celebrating a birthday?” and then they shared their sincere wishes for a happy birthday.
My party of six was seated downstairs which had a touch of a European flair to it. The decor could use a bit of updating, but all in all, the environment was pleasant. It was nice for the men in our party because a TV screen was showing the Saints game, and they all sat absorbed in their sports world.
We settled in, ordered drinks and shared a preliminary conversation about our day and about the menu. I was deep in thought- somewhat wistful to be honest- because I wanted fondue, but they only offer it if sitting at the bar- which we clearly weren’t.
The waitstaff was prompt, helpful, and professional- everything I like in proper waitstaff employees. They weren’t hanging around our table to stop and chat- in fact, they definitely could sense the boundary we set up for them, and with that being said, I was incredibly pleased with that aspect of Petit Robert Bistro.
You’re probably concerned as to why I’ve yet to mention food- I know… that’s a rare feat, but these aspects were also important, and I felt as though waitstaff and atmosphere also deserve somewhat of a spotlight when reviewing restaurants. But moving on to the highlight of our evening- LA CUISINE!
(yes that’s a vodka martini behind this chocolat chaud)
Since the fifth grade I’ve studied French, to the point where I have ended up teaching French at La Bibliotheque Francaise en Boston during the summers. Because of my love for la langue d’amour, it ought to be clear how much I love French culture and food. Perusing the menu I was up in arms. I couldn’t decide on a single dish, just because there was so many items that I adore. Coq au Vin, Steak Frites, Duck Confit, and Roasted Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille! I decided for an appetizer I’d opt for the Fried Duck Confit and Kimchi Sushi- (HELLO FRENCH JAPANESE FUSION), and for my entree the an-Seared Scallops Provençale. Others at the table decided on a Beet & Goat Cheese Salad, and a Green Salad with Pancko crusted Goat Cheese. My aunt Mary decided on Coq au Vin, my uncle John settled on the Rack of Lamb, my cousin Ben ordered Steak Frites, and my uncle Eiki decided on grilled salmon with a beurre blanc sauce.
The fried duck confit and kimchi sushi was out of this world. First I must emphasize how delicious duck confit is when it’s served without any cherries on top, so to speak. But duck confit that’s fried? With kimchi? In a MAKI roll? I’m sorry but that’s just in a league of its own. The duck was savory, succulent, crispy, the kimchi- nothing like that in Korea, but for American kimchi, pretty delicious, spicy with that tart taste that only hails from vinegar. The textures… for a texture fanatic this dish is without a doubt, dream-worthy. The sushi rice, crispy + the duck confit which had a bit of crisp from the frying treatment it received, yet tender nonetheless, the soft, cold contrast of the kimchi, plus the addition of the fresh garden salad served underneath- perfection… a heart attack waiting to happen. But that’s okay.
The Beet salad, according to my aunt and uncle, was a fantastic example of how good beets can be. Personally, I love beets, but I do understand that most people do not. Served with fresh goat cheese, the beets act as a cracker of sorts, an earthy undertone that helps cut the acidity of the cheese. My aunt Mary’s green salad with the pancko crusted goat cheese was delightful. I can say this because she gave me a bit. Who ever came up with the idea of encrusting goat cheese with pancko bread crumbs, ie: true sin, I applaud you.
The Pan-Seared Scallops Provençale was great. The portion size- six scallops, was a good amount, simply because scallops can be overbearing in their flavour at times. Plus it came with mashed potatoes (A+) and sauteed carrots (lack flavor) that just tied the entire dish together. The Provence sauce was acidic and fresh, basil, parsley, tomatoes and garlic. Every forkful that had a piece of scallop, some mashed potatoes, and a bit of carrot, was delicious- though there is a part of me that wishes I had gone with steak frites, simply because those frites looked delicious. The scallops themselves were cooked very well- warm in the center, a tender texture, no resemblance of rubberiness.
For dessert…. YES WE INDULGED- I decided on Crepes au Nutella. And both aunts ordered vanilla creme brulee. I also reluctantly ordered a hot chocolate, but overall I was pleased. It was the perfect temperature, had delicious whipped creme, and in addition, wasn’t too chocolatey. The crepes were beautifully thin- wrapped around this melty, gooey nutella, and served with vanilla bean ice cream. They were light… yes, I just dared to say that a French dessert was light- but it was the perfect night cap on my evening.
While I adore French food, and it’s sort of become a tradition to go to a French Restaurant- there were a few things lacking. What I would have loved to see would have been a more modern or a more traditional decor- Petit Robert could use a face lift if I had to be absolutely frank, and also, the carrots could have used a bit of a flavor tune up. All in all, I enjoyed my time- but I’ve been reassured that my initial love of escargot was meaningful, for I missed those garlicky little morsels of snails. Also- price wise, they could certainly go down a few dollars on entrees and drinks. But if you’re in Kenmore Square and you have a bit of cash to spare, and of course, craving steak frites or any sort of French food- Petit Robert Bistro is the place to go.
[PS] their homemade baguettes with sweet creme butter earn my utmost respect.
-e
** correctons from ms farrington herself:
I just wanted to clarify that the tofu is not a tandoori by any means..
it’s a spiced curry marinate and then finished with a orange soy glaze….
I once was a tofu-head…and found many ways to marinate it! Glad you enjoyed it! While it’s still fresh in my mind…the sweet potatoes have no additives, such as cinnamon or nutmeg…that’s too much for my liking!
Just good old butter…good old natural sweetness!!! Honest!!!!
guess who’s back.
It is I! Back once more, with a reliable source of blogging (hello new macbook pro & nikon dx 3000)! I hope all the 207 foodies had a good new year, and that you’ve been steadily maintaining your holiday diet without a trace of guilt. Unfortunately, I am not doing so- lots of spinach, greek yoghurt, and bananas until I get back to my pre-holiday self. To be honest, I like the detox.
Just as a reminder- remember me? E? I write reviews on restaurants, the occasional recipe, reminisce on past meals, discuss interrelated food culture type subjects with everyone? I know… it’s been a long time… too long, & hey I’m not even asking for a gracious reception- just be aware that I will be blogging regularly from now on. And what better way to start than a review on Portland’s much anticipated Figa.
I went with three close friends on the Wednesday preceding Christmas. We made a reservation for 7:30, but we weren’t actually seated until 8:30- and in addition, I have met the world’s worst waitress take two. Firstly, she told me to go to the snug to get a beer- I wasn’t really impressed by her weak attempt at telling me that there was no room to wait in the restaurant for thirty minutes, but I brought my posse and walked around anyway. When we returned she told us that we’d be seated in five minutes, and offered us seats at the bar. Five minutes turns into ten, and ten into twenty, and I began to become impatient. After talking with the bartender and with other patron’s asking my suggestions for where they should eat on New Year’s Eve and the day afterward, I called the woman over and asked her if it’d be alright if we placed our orders right then and there so the food could be sent to the table as we were sitting- in brief, I was just trying to lessen the waiting time that would have occurred otherwise. She was snippy and short about this, but she realized that I wasn’t joking, so she quickly took our orders and ten minutes later sat us down.
As I was passing my SLR camera across the table to one of my pals, the waitress attempted lighting a tea-light in the very close vicinity of my camera strap. I sort of made a verbal gesture at the fact that my camera would be the equivalent to two weeks of her tips. She wasn’t enthused- but nor was I. Then, as if she couldn’t be worse, she knocked over both of our tea-lights, one of which almost burnt my dear friend, and she didn’t even ask if she was alright. There was no apology- nor did she replace the silverware that was tarnished by the melted wax that spilled across the table.
But let’s move on from the world’s worst waitress, to the best food I had over winter break. Mere and I started with the tandoori tofu, sev crusted scallops, and Bang Island Mussels in a curry white wine sauce. Then I chose to highlight my evening with duck breast with a cumin fennel crust, a sweet potato mash, and a cranberry reduction sauce. My three friends also chose the same entree, making it easier to review, seeing as we could check for consistency. For dessert, I decided on a sliver- yes a sliver of chocolate chocolate cake, and Mere chose a sliver of the carrot cake. We split a nice two-cup french press, and left well after closing.
Now regarding our appetizers- I was very enthused because on my previous trip to Figa I also indulged in the sev crusted scallop, and this time it was cooked absolutely perfectly- regardless of the fact that I had thought it was cooked perfectly the time before. The jicama slaw was fresh, crunchy, and crisp, the scallop, cooked luke warm in the center, and the sev was a wonderful contrast to the soft, tender texture of the sea scallop. The tandoori tofu however, stole the show, all night long. From the first bite to the last, all I could think about was how chef farrington was able to capture that much flavor in a piece of tofu. How long did she marinate the tofu for? Every little morsel was coated and soaked in this wonderful Malaysian curry sauce, and the flavor was enchanting. Her choice to char-grill the tofu was also out of this world- the smokiness, the added texture, it simply cannot be outdone. And finally, we have the mussels. While I do like a good bowl of mussels every now and then, this order was to suffice the lady i split the apps with. It was a good serving, but there was an element of the sauce that didn’t please me entirely. Perhaps the white wine curry combo- (a bit too much fennel or cumin?) was poorly judged, or just didn’t please my palate. There was also a tremendous amount of garlic in the sauce… and for some reason, I was sensitive to that as well.
By the time our entrees arrived, I was honestly, tired of being inside of Figa. While it is a fantastic space, a grand total of two hours waiting for your main course wasn’t what I was hoping for. I ordered my duck well done- it came out well done, and it was still tender and juicy. I ordered it that way intentionally of course- the only issue I ever have with duck is the fat on breast pieces- but I’ve since discovered that by ordering it well done the fat melts away and you’re left with a good portion of meet opposed to fat. Everyone else ordered medium and they were met with the fat problem, but I must say we all agreed that it was rather flavourful indeed- and none of us really had a bad word to say. The sweet potato mash was delicious- I’m pretty sure she added some yams to the mixture, but it was full of nutmeg and cinnamon and matched perfectly with the duck and the cranberry reduction. It was a mini thanksgiving! the cranberries still retained their tart flavor (thankfully) and the whole dish just had this rustic natural feel that is one of the reasons why I am crazy about Figa.
To end our evening at Figa (where we ended up staying happily towards the end for three hours) I decided I’d better mind my calories to some extent and get a sliver of cake. The chocolate is no fail, at least for me, the ganache, a bit thick, but very good nonetheless. Paired with some coffee, which I must add is perfect because each french press comes with a little timer- like the ones you used to use when brushing your teeth, to let you know when the coffee was done brewing, but anyway, the cake + the coffee is a divine idea. Meredith settled on the carrot cake, which also looked good, but I wasn’t entirely into how sweet the creme cheese frosting was. But the desserts, I must say, added a happy ending- like a little exclamation point, on our evening.
While I did happen to encounter the worst waitress in the world, and while she almost caught my camera on fire, almost burnt one of the members of my party, and would never come up to us asking how we were doing, or if we were enjoying our food, the food at Figa does make up for her behavior. The decor and overall feel of the space is also top-notch, and Chef Farrington is a culinary genius amongst a few others here in Portland. I definitely recommend Figa for dining out- its relatively inexpensive (our cake cost $2) and as long as the worst waitress in the world isn’t working, you’ll be mighty impressed overall. Even if it is her shift, the food ought to win your heart like it has done to mine the past two visits! Remember- TANDOORI TOFU + SEV CRUSTED SCALLOP, how could you be disappointed?
-E
