TOQUE May 2016

By Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives

Bardot Brasserie- French Bistro Cuisine at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas

	Escargot	Lobster Thermidor

We love Las Vegas, French Bistros and Michael Mina restaurants, so the odds were 100 to 1 that we would dine at Bardot Brasserie, while we were staying at The Aria. Even though it is barely one year old, you could feel that the restaurant was on their game from the Bar with excellent cocktails to the professional service and of course the excellent cuisine. The décor is elegant and reminiscent of a classic 1920’s Champs- Elysees French Café, which was quite pleasing. The atmosphere is lively, which we enjoy as well. We chatted about Wine pairing with Sommelier Kelly Ford and opted for a 2015 Trimbach Riesling from the Alsace Region of France which did pair perfectly with our seafood dinner. The Hors D’oeurves that we particularly enjoyed were the unique Escargots Bardot served in Puff Pastry Shells with toasted hazelnuts and topped with chartreuse butter and the Foie Gras Parfait with ruby port gelee served with grilled country bread. They were both exceptional especially the delicate Foie Gras Parfait.

The main courses were all inviting and we knew Award Winning Chef MichaelMina really knows how to prepare lobster. We have enjoyed his signature Lobster Pot Pie in the past and tonight decided on the Maine Lobster Thermidor which is made with fines herbs, asparagus, mushroom cream and sauce béarnaise. The lobster was quite luscious, perfectly prepared and not too rich. Another excellent and very popular entree is Les Steak Frites which gives you the option of Dry Aged Prime Bone-In Rib Eye, Flat Iron, Angus Filet Mignon and Double Cut Prime Rib Eye. Each is served with beef fat fries and choice of Béarnaise, au poivre, blue cheese fondue, bordelaise or horseradish crème fraiche sauce.

Desserts	Sommelier Kelly Ford	Sophisticated Dining

The Desserts were absolutely incredible!  We just loved the Mille Feuille which was a caramelized puff pastry and vanilla crème patisserie. It was wonderful beyond words!  The Chocolate Macaron was a decadent French chocolate cookie with dark chocolate mousse. The excellent Epoisse De Berthaud En Croute-Normandy Cider Poached Apple, calvados flambé was a special from their 1stAnniversary Menu. We enjoyed after dinner drinks including Double Espressos and Chateau Haut – Mouleyre Cadillac, France 2009 with our desserts.

Michael Mina, whose career we have followed since his early days in San Francisco at Aqua, has created another gem with Bardot Brasserie which added to our enjoyment while staying at the Aria Resort & Casino. We look forward to visiting again soon.

Bardot Brasserie
Aria Resort & Casino
Second Level Promenade
3730 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89158
877.230.2742
https://www.aria.com/en/restaurants/bardot-brasserie.html

 

---

Capo’s Italian Steakhouse & Speakeasy

 

	Red Leather Booth	Mobster

A Delicious Dinner you can’t refuse!

We love Las Vegas and were quite pleased to find great drinks and cuisine on a recent visit both on and off the Strip. We had a fun and truly unique dining experience with one of our best pals off the Strip on W. Sahara at Capo’s Italian Steakhouse & Speakeasy. We learned about it from the Mystery Diners TV show and knew we’d love it. It is the classic “Mob” Steakhouse complete with red leather booths and mobster photos on the walls. You enter through the rear door and need the password to get in…which is posted on their website. We told them Auntie G. sent us and we don’t want to spoil your fun by telling you what happens next!

We had cocktails in the classic bar then their dapper Maître d’ escorted us to a comfortable booth. Our waitress made us an offer we couldn’t refuse, so we ordered Ma’s Meat Balls & Peppers made with Capone’s Family Secret Sauce which we absolutely loved!  Our favorite entrée was the delicious gigantic bone-in Tomahawk Chop for two, which was perfectly cooked medium rare. The Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Italian Red Blend and the Ecco Domani Pinot Noir both paired well with our monster steak. Save room for dessert as Tommy Gun’s Turtle Cheesecake is worth the calories. Double Espressos were the perfect finish to our excellent dinner.

Ma's Meat Balls	Tomahawk Chop

Capo’s has live entertainment which adds to the atmosphere.  We enjoyed the Lounge Singer/ Piano Player who belted out renditions of Chicago, New York New York and other Sinatra style songs. There was also a magician who visited each table with card and coin tricks. We could not have had a better dinner or more fun at Capo’s Italian Steakhouse & Speakeasy and will make it a regular stop when we are in Las Vegas. If you want better Italian food in Las Vegas you can foggetaboutit!

Capo’s Italian Steakhouse & Speakeasy
5675 W. Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, Nevada 89146
702-364-2276
http://www.caposrestaurant.com/

 

---

The Dorian

	Bloody Mary	Bar

Delicious, Fun Hip Brunch in San Francisco’s Marina District
We love Chestnut Street in San Francisco’s hip Marina District. The restaurants and shops are always very active and the people watching is great. We recently learned that the popular Dorian restaurant at the corner of Chestnut and Fillmore had added Brunch so we knew we’d better check it out! It was an unusually warm and sunny winter day and even though the Marina was quite crowded, we found a parking space within a block of our destination.

The Dorian has a fun upbeat atmosphere and was packed on this late Sunday morning. The décor designed by Shelly Amoroso, reminds you of a Victorian home at the turn of the 20th century with a modern edge. There is a Study area with “family portraits” and shelves with antique books, an ornate Bar and a large Dining Room with beautiful crystal chandeliers. These design elements are very unique transporting you to a previous era, with a current twist. We were seated in the main dining room where we had a full view up Fillmore to the San Francisco Bay.  We were told about the specials by our server then perused the focused brunch menu created by Executive Chef Chris Ricketts who is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy with classic French training.

General Manager Chris Goodyear	Oysters	Flatbread

Naturally, a Bloody Mary made with their house made Dorian Mary mix and fresh lemon was our first priority. It was quite spicy which is just how we like it! We started our brunch with fresh raw Oysters on the half shell, which were presented in a silver bowl accompanied by red mignonette sauce and fresh lemon in a squeeze bottle. Both the Miyagi Pacific Northwest and Buckley Bay Vancouver Island oysters were fantastic and perfectly chilled. Next, we enjoyed their simply delicious Deviled Eggs. They kept it simple and were topped with a small piece of bacon which added to the lovely presentation. We tried a few “entrees” as well. The Shrimp & Crab Cake Sliders with arugula and malt vinegar were light and right sized and had a true crab flavor, as they were not over-sauced. The “Cure All” Flatbread with Sunnyside up eggs, ribeye steak, aged cheddar cheese, and Dorian hot sauce was also delicious, beautiful and a very hearty portion that could be shared.  We chatted with our neighbors at the next table, who loved their Cast-Iron Chicken Hash with sweet potato, poblano peppers and Sunnyside-up egg.

We enjoyed wines by the glass with our brunch. The 2014 Tangent Edna Valley, CA. Sauvignon Blanc was lively, crisp and had citrus notes and the 2014 Soter Oregon Pinot Noir paired perfectly with the Flatbread and was more full bodied than most Pinots and perfect for our taste.

Be sure to ask for the dessert menu. You will be glad you did! The Butterscotch Pudding with vanilla bean whipped cream was light and just wonderful, as was the Banana Walnut Ice Cream! We enjoyed piping hot, fresh coffee with the desserts.

The Dorian serves an excellent brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM -3 PM and was very busy the Sunday that we dined. They also serve dinner nightly, have a fun weekday Happy Hour and their Dorian Whiskey Society has events the first Wednesday of every month. We had a great time and look forward to returning soon.

The Dorian
2001 Chestnut Street (at Fillmore St.)
San Francisco, CA. 94123
415-814-2671
www.DorianSF.com

 

---

The Dish

Excellent Creative Cuisine in Downtown Boise

Executive Chef Jered Couch	Spinach Pillows	Pork Chop

The Boise area is truly becoming “Boomtown” as more and more people find out how nice it is the live here in the Treasure Valley. Over the past few years, new restaurants have been opening to accommodate the tastes of both newcomers who are relocating from both the West & East Coast, as well as those who have lived here for their entire lives. We were introduced to The Dish by family and were quite pleased on our first visit, so we decided to return to try more of their cuisine. The Dish is a stylish Bistro with a friendly atmosphere that is proud to use mostly fresh and local ingredients.

The Dish	Short Rib	Granny Apple Split

The Dish is located on the ground floor of the historic Empire Building built in 1909.  We were greeted and checked our coats in the lobby. We chose to be seated in a comfortable stylish booth in the center of the intimate restaurant, which also features a Bar upfront, as well as tables upstairs and downstairs for dining. The restaurant was quite full fairly early and it was obvious that they have a nice following. We perused the focused Regular Seasonal Menu, as well as the robust Special Nightly Menu and began our dining experience with sparkling water and wines by the glass. The Appetizers that we tried were wonderful both in taste and superb presentation. Our favorite was the light and heavenly Spinach Pillows, which was a beautifully plated Potato-Fennel Fondue topped with Pine nuts, Romano cheese and pea shoots. The artistic plating was accomplished by abstract presentation of beet puree splashed across the bright white plate. It was a work of art!  We also loved the Calamari Picante, which was flavorful sliced Pan Roasted Calamari Steak accompanied by shallots, garlic, tomato, red chili, green onions, herbs and lemon. It was not too spicy, quite delicious and a “house favorite”.  The savory, sweet and spicy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Banana Bites made with a mango BBQ glaze and roasted pepper relish combined some of our favorite ingredients….was so much fun! It was a generous serving of 6… so we were able to take some home.

Next, we shared a Beet Salad made with sugar snap peas, pickled fennel, parsley, dill, sweet roasted pecans, goat cheese, apple chips and arugula which was topped with a tarragon vinaigrette dressing. This was actually large enough to have for your entrée and all the ingredients very worked well together.

The Entrees are all very hearty portions. We loved the Red Wine Braised Short Rib which was served with glazed vegetables and herbs. The meat was so tender that it fell off the bone and the glaze was a perfect compliment. Also the plating was very artistic with the short rib placed sidewise on the plate with the meat curved to resemble a large mushroom. Another generous entrée is the thick, juicy and flavorful bone in Pork Chop served with herb puree, beet spätzle, Brussel kraut and an apple chip. The flavor was excellent and again a superior presentation. On our previous visit we enjoyed the Shrimp & Grits which was made with jumbo shrimp, house made sausage, braised fennel, oven roasted tomatoes, shellfish broth and creamy grits. This traditional southern dish was so flavorful and also as a hearty portion.

We had to save room for Desserts and were quite pleased with both the Bananas Fosters which was flambéed bananas, chocolate chip banana bread topped with Vanilla-Coconut Ice Cream and the Granny Smith Apple Split roasted apple topped with caramel, fruit compote, candied pecans and topped with Cinnamon Ice Cream. Of course we took some home for breakfast the next day! The coffee service was impressive, as you get a lovely metal French Press accompanied by a glass sand timer to indicate when the coffee is ready to press.

The wine list features local, U.S. and international wines by the Glass and Bottle. We enjoyed the 2012 Coiled Dry Riesling from Snake River Valley, Idaho and 2014 Adelsheim Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley, Oregon with our starters and the Sean Minor Pinot Noir with our entrees.

The Dish has been open for over two years now and has something for everyone. They recently received the 2015 Open Table Diner’s Choice Award!  Executive ChefJered Couch brings a wealth of experience that translates into excellent creative cuisine and a really fun dining experience. The presentation, service and sophisticated atmosphere make The Dish a great place to dine. We felt like we were pampered and that the cuisine was being prepared with love for us. We look forward to returning soon, to enjoy our favorites and more from the Dishes’ Daily Specials Menu which is always changing adding creativity!

The Dish
205 N. 10th St.
Boise, ID 83702
208.344.4231
Open for Dinner 5PM-10PM
www.thedishboise.com

 

---

Ling & Louie’s

	Lettuce Wraps	Sashimi

Asian Bar and Grill

We enjoy Asian Cuisine and are especially fond of Sushi and Sashimi. We had driven by Ling and Louie’s numerous times and decided that we’d better check it out. The décor is very attractive with a Full Bar area to the right, and a Sushi Bar with a unique glass wall waterfall to the rear. You also have the option of dining at tables or booths in the front dining room or overlooking the waterfall.

We were seated in a comfortable booth and were quickly greeted by our knowledgeable waiter. The menu is quite extensive with both Asian and American choices. We asked about the appetizers and chose the Lettuce Wraps which consisted of wok’d marinated chicken with water chestnuts and Thai Basil served with a tangy sweet Asian dipping sauce. This was a hearty serving and we particularly enjoyed the interesting texture and the fresh taste.

Next, we enjoyed two of their soups. The Miso Soup is the Traditional Japanese soup served in most Asian restaurants. The Long Life Chicken and Rice Soup was excellent and quite unique. It consisted of spicy chicken broth, diced chicken, jasmine rice, cilantro and green onions and was our favorite!

Sushi Bar	Chocolate Volcano

As we were already starting to feel full we opted for Sashimi over Sushi. The 15 piece Sashimi Combo assortment was perfect to share. We loved the Ahi Tuna Maguro, White Fish Shiromi, Shrimp Ebi, Salmon Sake and Yellow Tail Tuna Hamachi. All of the fish is flown in daily so it is very fresh!

Even though we were quite full, we had to taste their Chocolate Volcano Dessert! Rather than have it the traditional way, we preferred to have it de-constructed with each component/topping separate so we could serve ourselves on individual plates. This Flourless Hot Molten Chocolate Cake was gluten free and actually quite light. We added the vanilla bean ice cream, strawberries, raspberry sauce, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce to taste. This made our dessert course quite a Party!

Ling & Louie’s is open daily at 11:00 AM for lunch and dinner.  There is a Full Bar with interesting Specialty Cocktails, as well as four types of hand crafted “Mules”. There are two Happy Hours on Monday-Saturday from 3:00 PM-6:00 PM and 9:00 PM- Closing with both Drinks and Appetizer Specials.

Ling & Louie’s exceeded our expectations and we look forward to returning soon to try the Sushi and other menu items.

Ling & Louie’s
The Portico
3210 E. Louise Dr.
Meridian, ID 83642
208-888-5000
http://lingandlouies.com/meridian/

 

---

Dining Around Sun Valley

Love of Lamb	Chef Cristina Ceccatelli Cook	Chef Scott Mason	Rominna’s Meat Balls

We always enjoy our short vacations in Sun Valley where we find some fun and interesting things to do, as well as excellent shopping and dining. A great excuse to go in October is The Trailing of the Sheep with events in Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey. We didn’t stay to see the sheep being herded through town on Sunday (we saw it on YouTube) but we did attend the “For the Love of Lamb” tasting on Friday evening in Ketchum. Nine restaurants offered free bites of lamb dishes and Sawtooth Winery added to the fun with free tastes of their wines.

The most popular spot was Cristina’s Restaurant where the lines were around the block!  We didn’t want to cut in line but snuck in to get a quick photo of Cristina who was smiling while scurrying around to please her guests. We heard that her Lamb Chili was outstanding!  Our favorite taste was Rominna’s Restaurant’s Lamb Meatballs with spicy Marinara sauce. Other standouts were Town Square Tavern’s Moroccan Lamb Tagine which won the Most Flavorful Award and Sawtooth Club’s All American Lamb Sandwich.

Chef Pierre Herrera	Love of Lamb Judges

While in town we also enjoyed Despo’sMexican with Altitude’s Carne Asada, Enoteca’s Idaho Trout, Cristina’s Fabulous Eggs Benedict Brunch, Konditorei’s Blueberry Crepes and The Sun Valley Inn’s Fish & Chips. We also enjoyed the Olympic Bar at Michel’s Christianas French Restaurant in Ketchum where we had cocktails and escargots.

Enoteca Idaho Trout	Fall Colors

The mild fall weather was fabulous and the trees changing colors added to our excellent weekend. We look forward to returning to see the snow!

 

---

Sippin’ In The City

		Wines With A Smile

Sippin’ In The City is the type of Wine and Food event that we really like! You get to mingle with just the right amount of people while tasting a limited number of wines and dining on a limited food selection. We particularly enjoyed the Crossing Winery’s 2013 Bubbles SRV and the Williamson Vineyards 2011 Homestead Red SRV. The Pulled Pork Quesadilla which was made with Fresca Tortillas, Glandia Idaho Cheese, Falls Brank Pork and fresh local tomato salsa was excellent. We also enjoyed the Chicken Salad Bruschetta made with Vogel Farms Chicken; both were provided by Castle Ranch Steakhouse. The Cinnamon Apple Cones made with Idaho apples in a crisp fresca tortilla cone topped with fresh Idaho whipped cream was a fabulous dessert! Sippin’ In The City was sponsored by the Idaho Wine Commission in the Linen Building in downtown Boise.

Chicken Salad Bruschetta	Eats

We had a great time and look forward to returning again next year in November.

www.Idahowines.org

 

---

Savor Idaho 2015

	Frenchman’s Gulch Wines	Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters

Idaho’s Premier Wine Event

We were pleased to attend the Seventh Annual Savor Idaho at the Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise where we sampled some of the best wines from Idaho and some tasty local cuisine! It was a spectacular June day as the weather was 82, sunny and there was a slight breeze which made it perfect for this outdoor event.  The event featured a few local Restaurants and Caterers, 50 Idaho Wineries, as well as representatives from Sponsors and Local Businesses. All attendees were there to celebrate and savor Idaho’s best food and wines. We enjoyed the afternoon, tasted some great reasonably priced wines and enjoyed the cuisine.

Kanak Attack Katering	Joe’s Crab Shack

There were some interesting Wines this year. We particularly enjoyed the Frenchman’s Gulch 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Fujishin 2012 Snake River Valley Amatino Blend. The Indian Creek Snake River Valley Rose of Syrah and the Coiled Wines 2014 Snake River Valley Rizza Sparkling Riesling were perfect for a summery afternoon. A great alternative to wine was the superb Iced Coffee offered by Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters.

Gourmet Cupcakes	Savor Idaho

The Food was great this year and we felt that it was much better than in 2014.  We loved the Hawaiian Style Fusion Cuisine Kaula Pig Tacos and Asian Tri Tip Tacos served by Kanak Attack Katering  www.Kanak.com .Joe’s Crab Shack stepped up this year serving delicious Crawdaddies www.joescrabshack.com. Idaho Preferred made a great Idaho Sweet Cherry Bruschetta www.IdahoPreferred.com and gave out the recipe which was a nice touch. We also enjoyed Tuscanos Brazilian Grill Garlic Parmesan Beef, Grilled Pineapple and Turkey wrapped with bacon www.tuscanos.com. Dessert was perfect as Leslie Charles Events served Gourmet Cupcakes www.incrediblecatering.com.

Savor Idaho was sold out in advance again this year! So be sure to get tickets as soon as they become available next year. We had a great time and are looking forward to tasting what is new and exciting next year!

www.Idahowines.org
www.SavorIdaho.org

 

---

The Eagle Food & Wine Festival

	Event Founder Mary May	French Vegetarian Foie Gras

We were pleased to attend the Ninth Annual Eagle Food & Wine Festival which was held at the scenic Banbury Golf Club. The evening event flowed both inside and outside the Clubhouse overlooking the stunning golf course. The weather was absolutely perfect and the colorful sunset provided a beautiful view of nature.

We enjoyed sampling local Idaho Wines and tasting cuisine which was paired by local restaurants and caterers. The setting was very social and everyone was chatting about food and wine. There were more than thirty wines to taste. Our favorites were 3 Horse Ranch 2014 Vivacious, Crossings Winery Bleu Noir. Frenchman’s Gulch 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Indian Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Sawtooth Estate Winery 2013 “Trout Trilogy” Carmenere and the Zhoo Zhoo 2010 Claret Red Blend. Everyone appreciated the generous tastes and appeared to find new wines that suited their palates. As with many wine events these days one could purchase bottles of what they liked at the event to take home.

	Panang Curry	Sunset

There was ample cuisine to taste as well.  Among the unique were the Le Coq D’Or French Vegetarian Foie Gras served on crostini topped with a tasty plum tomato and the Olive and Vyne skewer with cheese, grapes and drizzled specialty flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We also enjoyed The Porterhouse’s tasty chicken and cashew salad, Kanak Attack’s slow cooked fall off the bone Hawaiian pork tacos, Jakers’ Crab Stuffed Mushrooms which were stuffed with crab and topped with parmesan and jack cheeses, Rice Asian Cuisine’s delicious Panang Curry made with bell peppers, creamy curry, basil, broccoli and eggplant served over rice and last but not least Wild West’s decadent cinnamon rolls!

Eagle Food & Wine Festival was a very friendly and enjoyable event which this year benefited Special Olympics and the Eagle Food Bank. The tenth anniversary is next year and we hear that there will be some very special things happening! Put this on your calendar and buy tickets early as it will surely sell out like it did this year. We look forward to returning again next year to enjoy the cuisine, wine, beautiful setting and the lively repartee with friendly fellow foodies.

http://eaglefoodandwinefestival.com/

 

Until we eat again…..

 

Contact - Copyright 2006 Joe and Carol Davis
Site Design webDAKI