Gagit

Location-933-955 W.Fulton St.,Chicago,Ill.

Cuisine-Cocktail Tasting and Bites

In this trip to Chicaga, Foodiechic and I had a few musts to do during the day  but unfortunately on Monday and Tuesday nights , Next was closed and the next best alternative is The Aviary,”Grant Achatz’s foray into the world of cocktails.”

We enter the unassuming Aviary entrance ,as shown, into the world of cocktail creativity by the genuis  of Alinea,Grant Achatz.We are led to the cocktail kitchen and are seated at our own private table to watch, eat,and of course drink. The bar  in front of us,above, and we are introduced to our server for the night Jonathan,also above, and the drink and bite parade begins right in front of us in all the shaking and stirring splendor   and all are shown .

We are first served  a Watermelon Amuse served  before  Champagne Cocktails, with lovage and strawberry,nice flavors  along with a bite of Cantalope and bacon. We next get  a drink/ bite of Watermelon,granita,lime,tequila in a ice cream cup. Next, Margarita, ,paychaud’s,fresno chile cube and tequila,  liquid fire,and a Chowda bite to wash it down with. We now get Ginger , icey bits of paychaud’s,shiso,lime, with celery stick stirrer and Karlsson’s gold Vodka,distilled  once only for premium  taste,along with Crab bites,the end of the starters:)

The next rounds are the mains;Dark & Stormy,bottled home grown ginger and black seal rum in home made paper bag,what gingerrr flavor and served with pork belly and lettuce bites,Blueberry, an amazing drink presentation ,with verjus,sweet vermouth, Pappy  Van Winkle Rye,(I Wish),the drink gets stronger and darker as it sits,pics above, with this we are served Wagyu bites, perfection,and Bitter,amaro,bonal,apple brandy and cognac ,with potato bites ,whew need  breadsticks  to stay upright ,Jonathan.

The desserts are now served;Peach,maple sap,angostura,white port ,wheat whiskey filled with flavored ice balls and served with a peach bite,White Russian ,milk ,restretto ,rum with chocolate Brioche bites,Cream Soda,Distilled  vanilla, rummmm,and the last and my favorite Cold Chocolate,JTS Brown Bourbon, Finet Branca,Equadorean chocolate,vanilla ice cream cubes ,and Tobacco smoked foam for that cigar flavor on top. The video below shows the making of this drink as well as the experience of the Chef’s table with Jonathan  giving us  the Aviary’s  personal service.

Let the Truth be Told, we would have opted for a spot at Next if it was open but the experience at Aviary was the next best thing:)The only complaint I might have that with all that alcohol ,I might have appreciated it  if we could BYOBread, to keep us fully sober to the end,instead of needing a slice of pizza on way back to hotel.

1 of a kind experience priceless!!!

Location-738 East Burnside Street, Portland ,Oregon

Cuisine-French Bistro

I usually write up the Gagit’s vacation based on the order that we dined, however, Le Pigeon was so outstanding that I want to share the meal experience  with all my friends as soon as possible.We enter the restaurant  with the Pigeon on the door,see above, and into one of the most comfortable restaurant settings we have experienced.We are greeted by the smiling friendly Jennifer, and shown to the only two seats left at the communal table.We had hoped to seat at the Bar in front of the Chefs,again above, but the communal table turned out to be  the ultimate Foodie experience.

We order our drinks from our server for nite, Tom Bird, really forgot his name so called him Tom. Foodiechic orders a  Pilsner  Urquall  and I order one of my new drink favorites,Aspall  British  Draft Cider,see above. We are  wined out from our Pinot tasting this afternoon.We are having a tough time selecting our starters and mains,and are looking or staring at our neighbors food ;   Echo and her mother Dawn,shown, also with  Dad and friends. .This began the beginning of our first Foodie friendship at Le Pigeon.The family treated us as we were all friends from  South Florida Foodies .They really explained all their favorite dishes and we were also joined by Chef Gabriel Rucker,Rising Star  Chef Award Winner this year  James Beard in helping with our selections.

All the dishes we selected are shown above as we continue our Foodie conversation with our new friends,on where and what to eat in the area.The starters arrive, my dish the Quail, pepper stew,saffron,potato chip,a wow dish to say the least with the crispy skin of the quail  coming through among all the other flavors. Foodie orders the fresh water Eel,watermelon , sweet corn,lightly pickled mushrooms ,cilantro vinagrette ,very appetizing but the Eel did not deliver the flavor  that Foodie had hoped for.

And the conversation continues with our new friends, try Podnahs Pit for BBQ , the Naan Food truck for Chicken and Rice,and the Park Kitchen from Dad.Our mains now arrive,Foodie gets the Burger with Strawberry Mountain Farms Beef with Tillamock Cheddar on Chibitta Roll,aoili  and onion,ketchup,djon mustard,iceberg lettuce slaw.This is served with Salad on side with sherry vinaigrette.This is not a Burger  ,this is a main course of the first magnitude and only  $12 bucks This also would be a tough to beat in the Burger Bash at SOBEWFF,@Lee_Shrager. My main  now arrives, Sweetbreads,cherries,veal,bread pudding,with slaw on top, this is a wow wow dish.The Sweetbreads moist ,tasty,and of course filling ,and the cornbread ,cherries ,slaw  a perfect pairing.

The conversation continues as one set of Foodie friends leave and new friends arrive, Doug and Jeanne from San Diego.Foodies who ask us now for advise on what to order and where else to go,Pok Pok, Park Kitchen and Tasty n sons.They add The Little Bird and tommorow night ,they are going to Le Beast a reservation we cancelled in favor of Park Kitchen. We now are served our dessert, Foie Gras  Ice  Cream Profiteroles,caramel sauce, sea salt,Chocolate Shavings  this is wow wow wow and the best dish eaten on our trip to Chicago /Portland,dessert or main.

Let the Truth be Told, the trip to Chicago/Portland was one of the best vacations the Gagit’s have had in the U.S.The meal at Le Pigeon assured this  not only for the food and  service,but for the new friends we made , a true  Foodie experience,wow wow wow,and wow.

[rating:4.0]

4 wows ,Thank you Le Pigeon !!!!

Location-Rua Haddock Lobo,1002, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Cuisine-Sophisticated French and Contemporary

Another trip to Sao Paulo,another chance for a great meal,where to go?Tweet your personal  Sao Paulo restaurant critic, Alexandre Forbes,Food Editor GQ Brazil,along with other credits,and the tweet returns, Epice for sure,and I am there.Tonight, I am joined by Fernando of Casa Sanchez fame as well my Argentinian friend TheBadTennis player and his Brazilian partner.We enter Epice on this slow Tuesday night and are seated by our very nondescript and boring server NoName,what can  I get you to drink he asks,Caiperoskas of course, is this not Brazil.

We get our drinks and NoName  wants our choices before we can even lift our glasses ,hold on Mr.,let us enjoy our drinks we are the customers here not just numbers.We study the menu and having read Alexandre’s description of the Salmon starter  order it for three of us, while Fernando orders the  Entrecote Carpaccio.

The Salmon starter arrives as shown above  along with all all dishes served to our group. The Salmon dish is spectacular,salmon sliced thin,with al dente asparagus and the Gagit must, egg yolk soft ,perfection in simplicity.Fernando’s Entrcote Carpaccio is great meat but really overpowered by the salad on top,this dish really misses the mark on presentation as well.

The mains now arrive, I order the Crispy Pork Belly and it is cooked to perfection, the outside crispiness and the inside juiciness ,on a bed of tasty  beans and herbs.My other three guests ordered the Hacke,cooked perfectly with smoked Hearts Of Palm with Bacon. The guys thought this dish was truly worthy of a great restaurant.

Our server ,No Name  drops the dessert menu on the table no smile ,no suggestions,just a mechanical it is my job attitude.I order the pineapple ,sliced very thin,ice cream,fine brunoise of cooked fruit,and clouds of coconut to complete.  This is the dish Alexandre shows in her Boa Vida article on Epice and it even tastes better than it looks. The final disappointment from No Name was instead of the lovely mignardises Alexandre was served we only get the check and not even a thank you.

Let the Truth be Told,Chef Alberto Landgraf has tremendous culinary credentials;Pierre Gagnaire in Paris and Ramsey’s  on Royal Hospital in London and his dishes truly show his skills.However on this slow Tuesday night ,even though his food skills shined brightly, his wait staff treated us as an annoyance to their night.I should have asked for the Chef and told him how much we enjoyed his food and how the front of the house did not do justice to this meal,all it needed was enthusiasm, a smile ,and a thank you to hurry me back.

[rating:3.5 ]Food

[rating:1.5] Service

Location-131 Sullivan Street, New York, New York

Cuisine-American Restaurant and Oyster Bar

Dutch the  hottest restaurant in New York,right now,  Gagit has to get there and check it out. A reservation for 10:30pm ,not happy but I take it. I am going tonight with Fernando of Casa Sanchez fame , and a good Foodie friend ,Joanna of Sugarcanerawbar fame We agree to get there about 7:30pm and see what we can do about a table earlier than 10:30pm. Fernando and I check in first  for our later reservation, and ask the hostess if we can be seated earlier while we wait at the bar.

The bar what a scene, wall to wall people drinking ,spending  and waiting for a table, of course.We join the fray ,order our drinks, Bourbon Old Fashion for me and Vodka and for Fernando,and fight for a place to stand even near the bar.This is New York, two drinks ,$30 plus what a bargain to be able to stand up near the bar.Wait !!!!,three seats open at the back counter, we sit down and say wow,lucky us.No such luck, one of the hostesses comes over and tells us not for us we have a 10:30pm reservation,huh,then cancel it I retort,cannot do that she answers, I then ask for the manager. She comes over I tell her the story and give her my Gagit card, o Mr. Gagit we have a free table for you no need the counter and we sit at a comfy table and wait for Joanna.

while we wait for Joanna , Fernando orders an unbelievable tasting Eggplant  Dip  and Savory Chips and I a Little  Oyster Sandwich and another round . The Eggplant Dip ,not my thing until I tasted it and I admit I liked it, the Oyster deliciously fried to perfection.Joanna, arrives from work and is shocked ,we really have the house table. Joanna orders a glass of Greek wine that the sharp waiter suggests, Domaine Tselepos Matinia 2010,pleasant surprise , dry ,light, and tasteful and  our new  house wine for the night.

We order our starters , Oysters for Fernando and myself,and Dressed Crab, Bloody Mary, and Green Goddess Dressing for Joanna, nice presentation but no wow.We finish our starters and our mains arrive,Fernando has the Steamed Black  Bass ,Mussel-LemonGrass Curry and Peanuts, again nice dish but no wow,Joanna has the Smoked Ricotta Ravioli, Tomato & Soft Herbs ,shown above and almost a wow for the perfectly prepared dish.My main arrives and wow,wow,wow,Rabbit Pot Pie,Hard Cider,Spring Vegetables,and Mustard, see the three shots of the Pie above, 1 closed crust and two open. Miami Chefs  get ready you need to try this juicy, tasty, full meat flavored delicate crust Pie,who will be first to try.

We are now ready for our dessert and decide on sharing the Summer Sundae,shown above in all its splendor,Pluot Sorbet,Frozen Custard,Sauteed Stone Fruits,Caramel and Rasberries,and in short order all gone.Caffe Macchiato for all, we then thank our server, the manager ,and Fernando and I  thank Joanna for joining and we are on our way back to New Jersey.

Let the Truth be Told, Dutch is a noisy, crowded ,expensive ,and more importantly the place to be and to be seen.If you get a reservation you are lucky or in the star power group but there are ways and Gagit did find one. In all honesty, the place was too noisy to carry on a conversation, so  a perfect place to drink, eat, and be seen in New York City.Although, I cannot say the menu was  expansive, I can say my Rabbit Pot Pie is now in the Gagit Hall of Fame, I hope they are now happy they gave me a table:)

[rating:3.0]

location-119 Washington  Street, Miami, Florida

Cuisine-Not Only  A Steakhouse

This South Florida Foodie event was not only one of the best but also one in which  the Chef /Owner Peter Vaughty  proved that Red is not only a steakhouse but a great restaurant.The menu and wine pairings  were  planned and developed by the Diva and she really did make this happen.Let the party begin!!!

We arrive at Red for  the sold out event  and are greeted by the staff, led into the bar ,and start the party with Mojitos ,as shown.We are then led to the dining area and served our first course of the night , all shown of course.The first appetizer,Lemon Garlic Shrimp , a taste delight of zing and zest,and along with it as well as the next we are served a glass of Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc. We were served this wine by Fred , the Sommelier ,who really explained the notes and flavors to expect from all of the wines served. The other appetizer of the night was  Maine Mussels & White Wine,Chiles , Tomato& Garlic and this was so good it would be a main course in most restaurants.

The next course was one that Peter has worked on for two days,Bucatini/Sunday Gravy . I always thought  Steve Martarano ‘s gravy was the best of South Florida but Peter’s gravy was as good as I have ever been served. The portion  as shown, was more than enough for our table of 8 ,but is the portion for 1 at Red.The Bucatini ,cooked al Dente,and  included meatballs, sausages, and chicken which  was  served with a Villa Mt. Eden,Pinot Noir,perfect pairing.

We are now served  a Meat Duo, Lamb Milanse ,a very unique dish of  delicately breaded  Lamb and a Filet Mignon, that I challenge the other steakhouses in Miami to match in quality and taste,and of course cooked to medium rare perfection. The Steak was served with a Diane Sauce & and a Green Peppercorn Sauce,although  I could not pour a sauce on this perfect Filet. This course , Fred poured a 14 Hands Merlot ,again the perfect pair or should I  say trio.

With the Meat Duo, Peter prepared a trio of not only appetizing vegetables but all taste treats,Summer Creamed Corn,Seared Mushrooms,and green Beans w/Pancetta,I really hate veggies but I really ate these three.

We are now really served desserts although we are at our breaking point of fullness. We are given a first a palette  cleanser of Creamcicle pudding with whipped cream ,followed by another trio , Chocolate Milk  Cake served in a  big Drinking Cup,Red Velvet Cupcake with whipped cream, and finally , home made Doughnut holes with a trio of sauces;chocolate, berry, and apricot . We give up Peter. O yes, I forgot to mention Fred served us a Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon to enhance the great flavors of the desserts.

Let the Truth be Told, this spectacular meal that Maude planned and Chef Peter delivered is one I wish every South Florida Foodie could have  attended. The enjoyment in the room during each course in anticipation of the next course was electric. Please, keep the noise down at your table Ed, you are having too much fun:)This is what the SFLFoodies are all about and we have added many new members just talking about this event.

Red Steakhouse was a perfect venue for this event,for Chef Peter went all out to show us that Red is not only a steakhouse,but a restaurant  that could deliver many different and varied cuisines.I can only recommend to those reading this review to not only think of the restaurant around the corner when thinking Miami first class cuisine at a Steakhouse but think and then try Red.

[rating:4.0]

Location-261 Moore St., Brooklyn, New York

Cuisine-Pizza and Eclectic Fare

After hearing the” Foodies “rave about Roberta’s, especially my virtual good friend, @docsconz ,I dragged a few of my fellow workers to Roberta’s under penalty of job loss.We did not know what to expect in the neighborhood known for savory characters not savory food but were pleasantly surprised.We parked close to the front of the restaurant,shown above, hoping the car would be there when we came out.

We walked into the restaurant and are  right in front of the pizza oven,piled up with pizza boxes,ready to go ,this place must have good pizza.We sit down at one of the family style tables and are greeted by our lovely server Lily,shown in the last picture  and the perfect server for Roberta’s style.We start off ordering one of the many choices of local brewed Brooklyn ,beer and ale.My choice was Six Point Sehr Crisp,Czech Style Pilsner , Red Hook , Brooklyn ,served in a jar as shown, and luscious. My associate Juan Mendoza was served the Nebraska I.P.A. from Papillian, Nebraska and of course,a great choice.

We start the meal with a specialty Pizza,Beastmaster,tomato,mozzarela,Berkshire pork sausage, onions,capers, jalapenos ,as  shown.The pizza taste was better than  expected ,although the crust and dough were thicker that this Bostonian prefers.We now move into the mains ,all shown,I try the  Fois Gras ,perfectly cooked, with rhubarb and black pepper and share with the rest ,home made Farfelle,with snap peas and parmigiano,this is no pizza only restaurant.

Juan and Leon the Lion both have the Lamb Breast, mint, spring onion,yogurt, this is the best  belly flavor we all have ever tasted from the Lamb,wow.

It is time for dessert , I usually pass but we all tried a choice to get a sampling. My choice,the non veggie person, Watercress Gelato,strawberry sauce,and wow a pepper taste that pops.Juan has a Lemon Verbena, berries and chocolate brownie and  Leon ,a chocolate crisp ice cream ,all good but not up to the Watercress .

Let the Truth be Told, a Pizza parlor in Bushwick ,not worth the trip to most ,but not to Gagit and fellow foodies.Roberta’s will not only be recommended to all my foodie  friends and even  non foodie friends but a place that I will be back and back and back,even if my guests are forced to come at gun point:)

[rating:4.0]