Dining

Heston Blumenthal's London Restaurant Takes Fine Dining Back In History

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 1st 2011 at 9:01PM

Chef Heston Blumenthal has dazzled diners at his restaurant the Fat Duck since 1995 and unlike many acclaimed chefs he has been slow to expand. His other two venues, the Hinds Head and the Crown, are also in the village of Bray, west of London. But Dinner by Heston Bluementhal, the new restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park changes all that. Bloomberg reports that Blumenthal cut the ribbon on the restaurant this week. Let the feeding frenzy begin. The restaurant seats 130 and took 6,000 bookings in the first day. Diners will have to make a reservation months in advance.

The restaurant is a British brasserie serving historically inspired dishes. The menu has a unique feature, it lists not just the food but the date of the dish. The oldest is Rice & Flesh, a starter with saffron, calf tail and red wine that can be traced back to other items. Other starters include roast marrowbone with parsley, anchovy and mace and picked vegetables that dates back to 1720 and roast scallops with cucumber ketchup and borage that dates back to 1820. Main courses take you back in time with powdered duck, smoked fennel and potato puree from 1670 and spiced pigeon with ale and artichokes from 1780 among others. Dessert is a time travel as well with items such as the Taffety Tart from 1660 which comes with rose, fennel, lemon and blackcurrant sorbet and baked lemon suet pudding with lemon, caramel and jersey cream from 1630.

The restaurant will also feature a three-course set lunch for 28 pounds ($44.60). For now dinner remains a la carte. A chef's table which can seat up to six people directly overlooks the open kitchen. There is also a private dining room is available for up to 10 people which has a wood beamed ceiling, rust colored leather-clad walls, cobalt blue dining chairs and an antique oriental rug.

Tags: dinner by heston blumenthal, heston blumenthal, mandarin oriental hyde park

Affiorato, An Olive Oil Rises To The Top

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 29th 2011 at 3:01PM

Like wine, olive oil carries some of the magic of its place of origin with it. Each year, Albert Baussan, the chairman and CEO of O&CO, a Mediterranean foods merchant, and his team of dedicated experts travel the Mediterranean to hand-select O&CO.'s Extra Virgin olive oils from the regions' finest artisanal growers.

This year, O&CO. has chosen a truly remarkable Affiorato, pressed from 100% Nocellara del Belice olives from Sicily's Nicola Ravida, whose family estate, "La Gurra," has been producing award-winning Extra Virgin olive oil since the mid-1700s. The term "Affiorato" means "surfacing" in Italian and is used to describe a traditional oil pressing technique. Once the olives have been picked and pressed, oil naturally separates from the olive juice and rises to the surface of the storage vat. The "floating" oil, or "Affiorato," is then skimmed, processed and bottled. The oil was harvested in mid-October 2010 and was just recently bottled and shipped to O&CO. boutiques around the world.

Sicily with its volcanic, fertile soil and long periods of Mediterranean sunshine, results in ideal growing conditions and an outstanding quality of oil. Production of the new Affiorato is limited in quantity (only 800 tins are available in the U.S.) and is exclusive to O&CO. Tasting notes describe it as an all-occasion finishing oil (not to be cooked with) with notes of freshly cut grass, raw artichoke and green apple with a hint of spice and almond. It's a natural for bread dipping but also adds a welcome snap of rounded flavor to fresh vegetables, goat cheese, sashimi or as a finishing drizzle on soup. A liter sells for $60.

Tags: oco, olive oil, olive oil flavor, olive oil production, olive oil tasting, olive oils, oliviers co

Cupcake Wars Find Peace in Laguna Beach

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) — Jan 28th 2011 at 11:01AM

Who doesn't love a good cupcake? Cupcakes have replaced cakes in the hearts and minds of all the cool kids, and it's been downright entertaining to watch how elaborate cup-caking has gotten. There's even a Food Network TV show "Cupcake Wars" that brings high drama to the art of what was once the simplest thing to throw together in your kitchen for when the kids got home from school.

One of the players in the cupcake battles has been Casey's Cupcakes, the brainchild of Casey Reinhardt, whose parents own the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, Ca. Her first shop opened in her parents' hotel in December 2009 and she just announced that a second shop will open on Feb. 14th -- Valentine's Day -- in her home town of Laguna Beach.

Tags: casey reinhardt, caseys cupcakes, cupcake, cupcakes, Laguna Beach High School

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Danish Chef Nabs Bocuse d'Or Trophy

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 27th 2011 at 2:01AM

It's not the easiest name in the world to remember but globetrotting foodies might want to acquaint themselves with Rasmus Kofoed of Denmark. The chef was victorious in the Bocuse d'Or, the biannual cooking contest that draws the elite of the culinary world to the French city of Lyon. He had won the European Bocuse d'Or Championship in Geneva last June and had won the bronze medal at the Bocuse d'Or 2005 and the silver medal at the Bocuse d'Or 2007 and was the favorite going into this year's event.

The event is sponsored by several luxury brands including Hublot and Perrier. Chefs representing countries around the world compete in a live competition packed with spectators. Chef Thomas Keller is president of the Bocuse d'Or USA foundation and Daniel Boulud is chairman. Bloomberg News reports that they were Lyon to support the U.S. competitor James Kent, sous chef at Eleven Madison Park.Denmark's victory was part of a Nordic sweep, the runner-up was Tommy Myllymaki of Sweden and the third place went to Gunnar Hvarnes of Norway.

Rasmus Kofoed has his own restaurant, Geranium, in Copenhagen. Menu items include lightly smoked potatoes with dried peas and lovage; freerange pork with raw, crunchy and soft Jerusalem artichokes; and sheep's milk yogurt with scent of pine needles. Copenhagen is becoming a global culinary hot spot, it is also home to Noma, a restaurant chosen as the world's best in the San Pellegrino awards last spring.

Tags: bocuse dor, copenhagen, denmark, rasmus kofoed

Gwyneth's Favorite Female Chef Snags a Second Michelin Star

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Jan 24th 2011 at 6:02PM

Hélène Darroze (above), who runs the chic eatery in her name at London's posh Connaught hotel, has just been awarded a second Michelin star making her the only female chef in the UK with two of the coveted étoiles under her toque. Gwyneth Paltrow, who lived at the Connaught for a month and was a regular visitor to the restaurant while renovating her house in London, is one of Darroze's biggest fans. Reinforcing the legendary Mayfair hotel's 114 year old legacy of fine dining, Darroze, a protegé of Alain Ducasse, has established a loyal following among other notables and gourmets as well with traditional dishes from her native Southwest France combined with the best seasonal ingredients from the British Isles.

Gallery: Helene Darroze at The Connaught

Tags: Alain Ducasse, chef, Connaught, France, Gordon Ramsay, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hélène Darroze, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, London, luxury hotel, Mayfair, Michelin, UK

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Michael Psilakis' New "Fishtag" Opens In Manhattan

by David Kiley (RSS feed) — Jan 24th 2011 at 2:01PM

Sea urchin crudo in ocean water. Sheep milk dumplings. Grilled Branzino stuffed with headcheese.

These are a few of the creations on the menu at Manhattan's Fishtag, the newest restaurant opened by Chef Michael Psilakis, who has been reinventing what restaurant patrons think of as Greek cuisine for the last five years in New York.

Psilakis will never be called a crowd pleaser. But the patrons and critics who have followed this unique chef the last five years or so around New York City are pleased every time he opens a new place, which has been often.

In the last five years, Psilakis has been Chef-owner or part-owner in six Manhattan restaurants. Fishtag makes seven. They have ranged from fine-dining Anthos and Dona to brew-pub Gus & Gabriel and the original Onera, which opened in 2005 in the current location for Fishtag.

His Onera, Anthos, Dona, and Mia Dona, each earned two stars from The New York Times. Anthos received two, and might have had three but for some of the highly questionable design decor chosen by his former partner Donatella Arpaia. Currently, he has ownership in just Fishtag and Kefi, the latter being a highly successful casual dining experience on the upper West side where Psilakis's Mediterranean expertise shines through in everything from the luscious spreads I can't bring myself to call mere hummus to the Cypriot sausage, meatballs, souvlaki and sheep milk ravioli.

Psilakis has competed on The Food Network's "Iron Chef America," and been named Chef of the Year by Esquire and "Best New Chef" by Food and Wine Magazine.

Don't get the idea that Psilakis is not successful just because he has opened and closed a lot of doors. It is more that he has been exploring the ups and downs of having business partners, eating trends, the economy and the intersection of his own imagination and that of the serious diner. His food has always been excellent and imaginative. And Fishtag is no exception.

Psilakis is an artist with crudo and sashimi, with a reputation for expert layering of flavors. The Sea urchin crudo in ocean water with lemon and cracked tellicherry peppercorn, served in a stemware glass should be a signature appetizer. The water, in case you want to know is flown from Asia; and while sounding like a pretentious ingredient, is sublime, giving the urchin a quality not unlike an oyster pulled from the water, shucked and eaten all in the same motion.

Tags: Branzino, Charcuterie, Fishtag, Greek Restaurant in Manhattan, Headcheese, Kefi, Michael Psilakis, prosciutto, restaurant review

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Paris Celeb Haunt Le Bristol to Unveil One of World's Most Expensive Suites

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Jan 24th 2011 at 8:02AM

Paris' luxurious Hotel Le Bristol (above), opened in 1925 on the famed rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, is a favorite of celebs including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalia Vodianova. Now, the elegant property is getting ready to to unveil a $33 million revamp that includes an ultra-luxe penthouse suite occupying the top floor, poised to become one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world. The 2,583-square-foot, two bedroom suite encompassing the entire eighth story will feature incredible views of the rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré and the Le Bristol's famed private gardens – the largest of any Parisian hotel. In May, the French-style Le Bristol Spa will double in size to include ten treatment rooms as well as a separate fitness center, while the property's signature Michelin three-star Gastronomic Restaurant will move into a new space featuring expansive views of the hotel's garden, a chef's table and fireplace.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Hotel Le Bristol

Tags: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, France, George Clooney, hotel, Hotel Le Bristol, hotel suites, Le Bristol, Leonardo DiCaprio, luxury hotels, Natalia Vodianova, Paris, penthouse, rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, Spa, worlds most expensive

World's Highest Restaurant Opens In Dubai

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 24th 2011 at 12:01AM

The world of sky-high restaurants just got a new summit. At.mosphere, is a restaurant 1,350 feet in the sky, on the 122nd floor of the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The new restaurant unseats the revolving 360 Restaurant in Toronto's CN Tower which previously had the honor.

The new restaurant has two separate areas, lounge and grill. The restaurant can host over 210 guests total. It has a large arrival lobby, main dining floor, private dining rooms and display cooking stations.

Diners enter through Burj Khalifa's Corporate Suites lobby and exit via the express elevator on Level 123 to face a two-story glass atrium. A flight of cantilevered staircases lead them to the arrival lobby where they can enjoy panoramic views of the city. The restaurant features mahogany walls and ceilings, Adam Tihany furnishings, and floors of cafe au lait limestone and hand-tufted carpet.

Arabian Business reports that diners will be charged a minimum of AED450 ($122) a head. Those booking the private dining area will pay at least AED650 ($176.90) per guest. Afternoon tea costs nearly $100 (AED350) and for drinks and snacks in the lounge area guests are required to spend AED200 ($54.45) per head. The restaurant was booked solid for the first couple days.

Tags: burj khalifa, dubai, worlds highest restaurant

Fairmont Hotels Debut Specialized Menu for the Health Conscious

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Jan 20th 2011 at 6:01PM

Guests at any one of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts 60+ locations worldwide will no longer have to sacrifice flavor for health or vice versa as the chain just launched a new Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu that accommodates special diets including those related to medical conditions, food allergies, and lifestyle choices like vegan, raw, or macrobiotic. And although nutritional guidelines are the same across the board the food is not: each Fairmont chef is able to design and personalize his or her own menu to reflect the unique flavors and seasonal offerings of their location, and guests are encouraged to speak with the chef directly regarding any special dining needs they may have during their stay.

Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menus are available as of January 1, 2011 in all Fairmont Hotel restaurants as well as on room service and banquet menus.

Tags: dining, fairmont, restaurants

Food Network Chefs Take Part In James Beard Event

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 20th 2011 at 12:01AM

Food Network star chefs Michael Symon and Anne Burrell are taking part in a special event in Southern California. The James Beard House is hosting its Friends of James Beard Benefit at Zov's Bistro in Tustin on January 29. Longtime Beard Foundation supporter and restaurant owner Zov Karamardian will be the host chef with Symon and Burrell as special guests.

Tickets for the dinner are $500 ($400 for James Beard Foundation members). The seven-course dinner begins with zucchini fritters with Scottish smoked salmon and crème fraîche, soujouk popovers, and pork tenderloin and tapenade crostini hors d'oeuvres with glasses of Champagne Gosset Brut ExCellence NV. The main dinner includes spicy Greek cured beef with shaved truffles paired with the Bergerie L'Hortus Rosé de Saignée 2009; herb-crusted Cypress haloumi cheese paired with the Boutari Moschofilero 2009; branzino with vegetables and jasmine rice confetti paired with Faiveley Bourgogne Chardonnay 2005 and Niman Ranch roasted rack of lamb with the Chateau Ksara Red 2002. For dessert a brandied apple parfait with Tahitian vanilla ice cream and caramel Sauce is paired with the R.L. Buller & Son Premium Fine Muscat NV and a selection of mignardises.

A second event on January 30 which costs $250 ($200 for James Beard Foundation members) includes cooking demonstrations by Symon and Burrell. Visit the James Beard House website for more details.

[via LA Weekly]

Tags: anne burrell, food network, james beard, james beard foundation, michael jackson

Dario Cecchini to Prepare Special Five Course Meal at Mario Batali's Del Posto

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) — Jan 18th 2011 at 5:31PM

On Monday, January 24th, Mario Batali's Del Posto restaurant in Manhattan will feature a unique five course meal specially prepared by by Dario Cecchini, world famous butcher and chef, who will travel from Italy for the event.

"Dario is the Maserati of butchers, the Bob Dylan of the Tuscan cow, the Jimi Hendrix of juiciness," an enthusiastic Batali told Luxist. "There is not one person more integrally involved in the true Italian beef experience than this single heroic figure. He can recite Dante and sing Verdi while taking a half a cow down to individual portions in an hour."

Often referred to as the "Michelangelo of Meat", Cecchini has a unique philosophy of respect for each and every part of the animal. He works with whole animals, beef and pork, utilizing each cut to its greatest potential, transforming what some might regard as lesser cuts into tasty dishes. Dario's consideration for the entire animal follows his family's traditions-they've been butchers for over 250 years, and at home they prepared the cuts that clients weren't interested in.

Cecchini's passion, hospitality and expertise have won him recognition from the likes of Alice Waters, Anthony Bourdain, Jamie Oliver and Prince Charles. His butcher shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini and restaurants Solociccia, Officina della Bistecca and Dario+ in the Panzano village of Chianti, Italy, are well-known culinary destinations for food-lovers from all over the world.

The evening on January 24 will begin with a cocktail reception from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm featuring Del Posto Executive Chef Mark Ladner's selection of passed assaggi (hors d'oeuvres), Bellinis and Fontodi Chianti.

Guests will be seated at 8:00 pm in the Piemonte room at Del Posto for the five course meal.

Gallery: Mario Batali's Del Posto

A view of the interior of Del Posto from the lounge

Tags: Alice Waters, Anthohy Bourdain, Dario Cecchini, Del Posto, dining, dining out, Jamie Oliver, Mario Batali, Mark Ladner, Prince Charles

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Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver Take Eel Off The Menu

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 17th 2011 at 10:03PM

Chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver are making a menu change. They both served European eel at some of their restaurants while taking part in campaigns to highlight overfishing and have been called out as fish hypocrites. European eel was listed as an endangered species in 2008 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. After being contacted by The Sunday Times both chefs removed the eel from their restaurant menus. There is some controversy over whether or not the eel is endangered but Greenpeace has said the population has declined dramatically and that it is in danger due to pollution in the water. The unagi freshwater eel served in sushi restaurants is also on the Monterey Bay Aquarium avoid list because although it is mostly farmed the young are captured in the wild.

The Dutch Eel company, which has supplied both chefs, posted an open letter on its website saying in part that it feels that the eel is not in danger at this time. The Dutch Eel company does use farmed fish and other sustainable means of procuring its eels.

Ramsay recently appeared on an English television program: Gordon Ramsay: Shark Bait, which had him campaigning against the shark fishing industry. Chef Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall who is also part of that program has his own website, Hugh's Fish Fight, which details his own journey toward learning more about sustainable fish and creating a healthier ocean. That website also highlights the issue of discarded fish. Fisherman often cast back dead fish they don't want. The website says that part of the action needed is not just to stop eating certain fish but to diversify our fish eating habits, and change policies so that it works for fish, fishermen and consumers.

Tags: eel, endangered eel, european eel, gordon ramsay, jamie oliver

Denver Restaurant Week Starts Soon

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 17th 2011 at 7:01PM

Over 260 restaurants are participating in Denver Restaurant Week which takes place from February 26 to March 11. The event provides a chance for people to dine out at a reduced price. For $52.80, two can dine on a prix fixe menu usually featuring three courses. Most restaurants are providing the same deal for only $26.40 for solo diners (the 5280 also refers to Denver's altitude). The restaurants range from steakhouses and pubs to fancier fare as well as catering to special diets (gluten-free Italian anyone?). National chains including Melting Pot, Ted's Montana Grill,and Carrabba's Italian Grill are also offering special deals. This is the seventh year of the event and Huffington Post recently compiled a list of the top ten restaurants you might want to sample during this promotional period.

Tags: denver restaurant week, denver restaurants, restaurant week

Marcus Samuelsson Serves Up Luxe Comfort Food In Harlem

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 15th 2011 at 8:02PM

Celebrity chef and Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson recently opened his new restaurant, Red Rooster in Harlem. The restaurant is an amalgamation of several different cuisines. As he describes it in a video interview with the Atlanta Post, it's American comfort food seen through his lens. Samuelsson's lens includes Sweden, where he was raised, Ethiopia, where he was born as well as American and European influences. The menu include gravalax and his grandmother's Swedish meatballs as well as comfort food like macaroni and cheese and shrimp and grits. Entree prices range from $14 to $32. Check out the recipe for Helga's Meatballs at the NY Daily News website.

In the video interview, speaks about his desire to create a local spot in Harlem, one that appeals to the people who live and work in the community as well as attracting artists and other creative types. The restaurant is decorated with original art from local artists and the restaurant will have a downstairs room that will be a late-night hangout and performance space.

Tags: harlem red rooster, harlem restaurants, marcus samuelsson, new york restaurants, red rooster

Rolling Stone LA Restaurant and Lounge Set to Open

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) — Jan 14th 2011 at 11:01AM

Rolling Stone, the magazine, has grown up along with its readers. How do you translate that political edginess that's the magazine's trademark into a Los Angeles restaurant and lounge? To do that, Rolling Stone turned to designer Gavin Brodin. The result, which opens to the public on Feb. 1, is time travel adventure set in vintage industrial with an urban street vibe.

The restaurant and lounge, located at Hollywood and Highland, debuted with a private VIP party after the American Music Awards in November. This is the first time the Rolling Stone name has been licensed for a U.S. restaurant. Designer Brodin describes it as "entering a world of privilege." He called it a place where "The travel lounges of the British ruling class meet the conceptualized Paris of the 1870s -- a place and time reminiscent of the rise of Bohemia, of Edouard Manet, Jean Paul Sartre and the famed art salon once housed under the sky-high glass and steel girdered domes of the Palais Royale."

Basically, it's a 10,500-square-foot two-story space that fuses classic and modern culture. We're hoping the food is good.

Patrons enter at the second level into a lobby with cobblestone-like limestone floors and an antique floor cart salvaged from an old citrus factory that serves as the reception desk. The upstairs dining room can accommodate up to 140 diners, with another 40 on the patio. Larger-than-life images of famous musicians are hammered into the concrete walls. And antique ceilings, curved caged domes of glass and iron hang from the ceilings and the room is lit by street lamps and custom-made crystal chandeliers right out of a Jack the Ripper London scene.

There is a dedicated bar and DJ booth. The room has 80 speakers and computerized lighting.

So is this the beginning of a Planet Hollywood-like chain?

Gallery: Rolling Stone Los Angeles