Last May (1995), my wife and I posted an article to this newsgroup on our dining experiences in Northern Italy. We have received some nice responses from those of you who enjoyed it. We recently took a three week tour of the Northeastern part of the USA and Province Quebec. Here is the report on how we fared there: Sue & Jim's Manhattan/New England/Quebec Province Dining Experiences Thursday - 9/21/95 "Cheers" (Charlotte, NC) Lilith's grilled chicken sandwich (J) Rebecca's chicken strips with robust BBQ sauce (S) "No Name" chardonnay Comments: Arrived at the Charlotte Airport late afternoon with about a three hour layover. We would be getting into NYC quite late, so decided to have an early dinner at Cheers. Not bad for an airport restaurant; the pop rock music was a bid loud but we got a table in the back room (a little quieter) and were entertained by old "Cheers" reruns on a big screen TV. Is this a way to begin a vacation? Friday - 9/22/95 "Carnegie Deli" (NYC) Breakfast: Toasted bagel, cream cheese, lox, tomato and onion (J/S) Comments: Whenever we have the opportunity to visit Manhattan, the Carnegie Deli is a must for breakfast or lunch. The food is excellent, but the portions are out of this world (which we always seem to forget). A single order would be enough to feed two big eaters. The thickness of the cream cheese and lox is measured in inches. Don't miss it. By the way - "It's great to be back in New York City". An important thing to remember when in NYC "he who hesitates looses". "San Domenico" (NYC) Aperitif: Tio Pepe - Dry Sherry Antipasti: Medaglioni di animelle arrostite al limone e aglio - medallions of crispy sweetbreads, lemon and greens in a garlic sauce - (J) Tegamino di lumache con funghi - braised snails with mushrooms - (S) Primi Piati: Uovo in raviolo con burro nocciola tartufato - soft egg yolk filled raviolo with truffle butter - (J) Garganelli al pettine con caviale ed erba cipollina - handmade pasta quills with caviar & chives - (S) Secondo Piati: Capretto arrosto con patate al rosmarino - roasted baby goat with rosemary potatoes - (J) Petto di fagiano in salsa di ginepro - pheasant breast in a juniper berry sauce with apple-spumante sauerkraut - (S) Dessert: Polenta Nera - chocolate, hazelnut & polenta souffl‚ in a white chocolate sauce Sample of three ice creams: chocolate, vanilla w/hint of lemon, and pistachio Assorted small cookies - homemade of course Wine: 1990 Nebbiolo d' Alba - Vignagae - Gaja Total: $300.00 including tip Comments: The meal was very, very good, each dish well prepared and presented, and service was good. Notable was the raviolo(that's ONE - a big ONE) filled with the soft egg yolk; "how'd they do that"? It was wonderful. A sampling of the clientele: at the next table two men throughout their meal discussed working with people in the entertainment field, only on occasion throwing out a recognizable (movie star's) name. We concluded that they might be agents for some of the stars they were talking about. It was fun speculating. Saturday - 9/23/95 "Lespinasse" (NYC) Aperitif: Tio Pepe - Dry Sherry We made a wise decision to select the "Chef's Tasting Menu": "Crispy lobster tail in lobster consomm‚ & tomato coulis" The crispy coating was a combination of sesame seed and rice flakes; the dish included a touch of watermelon, cantaloupe, fresh dill, oregano & fennel - full of surprising tastes - wonderful. "Tagliatelle pasta with roasted quail and a side dish of chanterelle mushrooms" The quail was cooked perfectly; the pasta in a very rich cream and wild mushroom sauce. The side dish of chanterelles included very tiny marinated & slightly sweet ramps (ramps are between the leek & garlic family). Both dishes had wonderful tastes (non-identifiable, as they should be). "Grilled swordfish with Napa cabbage and lemon grass citrus emulsion" The fish was cooked perfectly then topped with the cabbage and a sauce that was out of this world. "Saut‚ed crusted shrimp - liquid polenta and tarragon sauce with corn then topped with a tiny squid" Excellent; we tried to guess the spices/herbs in the sauce - hint of almond?, No; nutmeg?, No; star anise, Yes! - answers provided by the waiter. "Medallion of veal on caramelized onions and apple on a sauce of Syrah reduction" Rich and delicious; tiny diced potatoes and slices of carrot added to the dish. "Concord grape soup with elderflower ice cream topped with a shaving of white chocolate" Added to the dish were concord grape halves, tiny, tiny red grapes and cookies; a refreshing treat - and the grape soup, well it's much better than Welch's "Caramelized banana in a tartlet crust filled with lime custard - pineapple sorbet and pomegranate sauce" And again, excellent. Coffee served with miniature chocolate candies, cookies, and crabapples. Wine: `93 Puligny Montrachet Verget Les Caillerets Vielles Vignes- $115 Total: $440.00 including tip Comments: This was an exceptional and wonderful meal; service was impeccable; the restaurant is beautiful. Lespinasse will be added to my list of great restaurants. Sunday - 9/24/95 "The Place - At Yesterday's" (Newport, R.I.) Appetizer: Crab ravioli's with chevre and ginger - crab meat with fresh ginger and Vermont goat cheese; tamari beurre blanc with stir fried Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushrooms - (J) Grilled shrimp with blue corn cakes, chipolte beurre blanc, finished with cilantro tomato salsa and sour cream - (S) Entree: Grilled veal tenderloin with wild mushrooms; sun dried tomato demi glace and pesto rice; grilled vegetables, fried leeks and ratatouille - (J) Grilled tenderloin of beef; black bean chili sauce, red pepper and cumin ketchup; Cajun onion rings, served with a tamale and puree of sweet potatoes - (S) Wine: "Flight #2" Included a choice of 4 wines and spring water (by the glass) served with crackers. Our selection was: `94 Frog's Leap (Napa) - Sauvignon Blanc `92 Hugel (Wild Horse-Monterey) - Pinot Blanc `93 Ravenswood (Vintner's Blend) - Merlot `92 Sterling (Caneros) - Pinot Noir Total: $110.00 including tip Comments: Meal was satisfactory. The standard question along with serving the appetizer and main entree was "Fresh ground pepper?" It was sometime during the meal that we noticed all the male waiters wearing a belt holster used to carry their pepper grinder - always at the ready to blast your dish with fresh ground pepper. A young waitress stopped by the table. We were about HALF way through the entree, and she says "How ya doing here - Are you still working on that?" Didn't know what to think about that question. Monday - 9/25/95 "Red Hill Inn" (Centre Harbor, N.H.) Stayed here for two nights while wandering around the White Mountains. Aperitif: Rusty Nail's We know! We know! Supposed to be a dessert drink. And what is a sophisticated couple like us doing slurping down something like this? Well, it's one of our few digressions from wine to hard liquor - resorted to when a place cannot come up with an aperitif offering we like. Don't remember how we developed the habit. Appetizer: Baked preserve glazed brie cheese, served with crackers - (J) Corn-cob smoked gouda cheese, served with fresh sliced apples and crackers - (S) Salad: Green salad with Italian dressing - (J) and honey Dijon mustard and chutney dressing - (S) Entree: Roast Pheasant with peach glaze; roasted red potatoes and green beans - (J) Roast Long Island duckling with peach and Amaretto glaze; roasted red potatoes and beets - (S) Wine: Kendall Jackson - Chardonnay Total: $96.00 including tip Comments: The portions were substantial, e.g., the baked brie was a whole little brie cheese; and slices of gouda and apple and crackers covered the entire plate. I felt like singing "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK......dah dee dah dee dah - ya know what I mean". We were not expecting fabulous fare at a place like this, and were not disappointed. Best part of the meal was - from out of the woods came a lone young adult moose that just meandered across the road and field. The first (and last) time we saw a moose in person. The Inn is situated on its own rather isolated property on a hill with a long driveway up to it. We saw many "MOOSE CROSSING" signs, but this was the only actual sighting. Tuesday - 9/26/95 "The Chequers Harbour" (Centre Harbor, N.H.) Appetizer: Peel and eat shrimp (J) Mussels Provencal - must have been between 30-40 mussels in the dish - (S) Entree: Scallops Suzanne alla linguine - (J) Spaghetti carbonara - (S) Wine: Antinori Orvieto Total: $82.00 including tip Comments: Again, the portions were very large, and tasty. New Hampshire is a beautiful state (what we saw of it). The people are extremely friendly, ayep! Drove the "Kancamagus Highway" doing a little leaf peeping. Even though it was overcast and raining slightly, the scenery was still impressive. Colors were at about 60%. All over New Hampshire there are signs along the roads that say: "Brake for Moose" It Saves Lives 193 Collisions to Date Wednesday - 9/27/95 "The Harraseeket Inn" (Freeport, ME.) Stayed here for two nights while exploring the coast (Booth Bay Harbor) and the outlet shops including L.L. Bean. Freeport is "Outlet City" - heaven for shoppers. Aperitif: Dry Sherry Appetizer: Pemaquid region oysters with pineau, wasabi, and garden greens - excellent - (J) Steamed Maine soft-shelled clams with broth and butter - very good - (S) Entree: Grilled Maine lobster with bourbon, mushrooms, and hasty pudding -very good - (J) Maine's farm-raised Atlantic salmon with Peeky-toe crab risotto and chervil - good - (S) Dessert: Bittersweet Chocolate Fondant - prepared at the table - soft, warm chocolate hazelnut souffl‚ cake, warm vanilla-bean passion fruit butter sauce, cognac, and fresh berries - (J & S) Wine: `93 Babcock Chardonnay - Grand Cuvee Total: $190.00 including tip Comments: The meal and service was extremely good. But, I (Sue) either ate too many or got one bad clam (at least that's what I think) and this is the first time ever that I got so, sooo sick from something I ate - about three hours later. Jim ate about a third of the large portion of clams with no dire consequences. As we came into Freeport, around noon, we stopped at the Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Restaurant (which is actually in South Freeport and not associated with the Harraseeket Inn) and shared a lobster roll - uhmmm good. This place is right on the wharf where many fishing boats come and go. Thursday - 9/28/95 "Jameson's Tavern" (Freeport, ME.) Aperitif: Dubonnet blonde on the rocks Appetizer: Pemaquid Oysters on the half shell - (J & S) Entree: Broiled lobster (1 ¬ lb. ea.) with French fries - lobster was fabulous - like the broiled flavors better than steamed/boiled - (J & S) Salad: Tossed salad with blue cheese dressing - (J&S) Dessert: Tavern chocolate chip pie and coffee Wine: `93 Sonoma Cutrer - Chardonnay Total: $103.00 including tip Friday - 9/29/95 "Laurie Raphael " (Quebec City, Canada) Aperitif: House Kir - sparkling white wine with blackberry liqueur Appetizer: Chef's treat - wonton filled with salmon and halibut served with soy sauce - (J&S) Prelee de foie gras de canard a la compote de pomme a l'ail doux et vinaigre de cidre - sauteed goose liver, light and delicate with a delicious sauce - (J) Charlotte de tartare de saumon frais et fume, creme au yogurt, aneth et concombre - smoked salmon with dill cream and cucumbers, added touch of caviar in the yogurt sauce - very good - (S) Soup/Salad: Potage - Lentil soup - ok - (J) Salade - green with a raspberry vinaigrette - ok - (S) Entree: Cuisseau de cerf, jus de roti aux amandes et grelots bleus en confit d'ail el d'oignon - venison tender, rare and good. blue potatoes, stewed tomato and roasted onion and garlic - (J) Mignon de veau, jus aux olives, tian d'aubergines et poivrons doux au chorizo - veal with chopped olives & juice of olives, eggplant with red peppers and chorizo - unusual combination of flavors just didn't seem to work well together - (S) Dessert: Maple creme brullee baked in an apple shell, shredded apple on the side, and a scoop of maple cinnamon ice cream, and a "ground cherry" - excellent - (J & S) Wine: `91 Pommard - Les Fremiers Domaine Costi Caurmartin Total: $291.00 CN - $225.00 US including tip Comments: The "ground cherry" included with the dessert is the second time during our trip that we had this fruit/vegetable. It's slightly tart, reminiscent of tiny tomato, is yellow-orange in color. We asked the waiter what they were and how do they grow, he was unable to provide much information. From here on out we were on a crusade to find out about ground cherries. We had a beautiful drive from Freeport, Maine to Quebec City. The colors this far north were at 100% and absolutely breathtaking. We made a stop at Jackman, Maine one of the last towns before the Canadian border to buy gas and have a bite of lunch at "Jackman's Finest Cafe". Lunch was our first experience with a dish called "Poutine". I think everyone should try it once; for junk food, it was quite good. So you say, what is Poutine? Well it's a large plate of French fried potatoes topped with chicken (or beef) gravy and cheese. Enough cholesterol/fat for a lumberjack to make it through winter. Saturday - 9/30/95 "A La Table de Serge Bruyere " (Quebec City, Canada) Aperitif: House Kir made with champagne and Grand Marnier and one other orange liqueur (a pleasant change and refreshing) We selected the special His Discovery Menu "Back from hunting" and it was an excellent dinner. "Deer consomme flavored with herbs" Included small diced celery, carrot & onion - a very rich, slightly gamey flavor - very good "Draughtboard from the swamp with duck foie gras" Green beans in gelee diced, on top of a very light and delicate pate de foie gras, served with julienne of potato & carrot. The pate had a faint hint of goat cheese in it. Excellent "Sweetbread and pheasant in filo pastry with a spices coulis" Absolutely delicious - the coulis was reminiscent of mulled wine. "Sherbet" Rhubarb with a touch of vodka - very good. How often do you get rhubarb? "Deer filet medallions with a wild woods sauce" The medallions were wrapped with bacon, the sauce was richly delicious; served along side was baby corn, pieces of cauliflower, baby squash, tomato, eggplant ratatouille and shredded marinated beets - all of it uhmmm, uhmmm good "Shortbread biscuit with russet apples, caramel and walnuts" Great dessert - served along side was kiwi, blueberries, strawberries and that elusive ground cherry "Cheese selection by the waiter" Triple cream brie, local goat cheese called Saint Basilo, and a blue cheese This was an addition we made to the menu and a good one - with the cheese course we had a glass of `85 Burmester - Colhert: a port Wine: `90 Bichot Volnay ($95 CD) Total: $327.00 CD - $250.00US including tip Comments: The meal at "Serge Bruyere's" was excellent and service very good. Sunday - 10/1/95 "Le Graffiti " (Quebec City, Canada) Aperitif: Kir royale - sparkling white wine with cassis Appetizer: Veal sweetbread with endives and caramelized apples - (J) Pastry of lobster with wild mushrooms - (S) Soup: Consomme - (J) Vegetable cream - (S) Entree: Deer medallion with red currant and pepper - served with broccoli, cream carrots and fried potatoes - (J) Lamb noisettes with a flavor of anise and home made chips - served with assorted small vegetables: carrot, green beans, corn, tomato, grilled garlic cloves, celery, peas & zucchini - (S) Dessert: Apple tart with a maple sauce - thick crispy crepe topped with very thin slices of apple and a delicious maple sauce - (J) Trio of profiteroles with a chocolate sauce - 3 tiny cream puffs each filled with a different ice cream: vanilla, mint and pistachio, topped with the chocolate sauce and accompanied with slices of kiwi and strawberry - (S) We were offered a glass of a slightly sweet Greek wine called "Samos" on the house - it was quite good. Wine: `85 Chateau La Croix - Pomerol, J. Janoueix ($69 CD) Total: $180.00 CN - $140.00US including tip Comments: The meal was very good, pleasant atmosphere, good service and background music. Le Graffiti and Laurie Raphael are two of several newer restaurants in Quebec City which support each other by recommendations to customers. When we told the waiter at the Laurie Raphael restaurant we would be dining at the Le Graffiti, he offered and provided us with a nice little note to take with us. The note (in French) basically asked his friend (& manager) at Le Graffiti to "take care of these nice people". Monday - 10/2/95 "Toque" (Montreal, Canada) Aperitif: House Kir - Sparkling white wine with blackberry liqueur Appetizer: Foie gras chaud fraichement Toque - livers stewed in a fig base, topped with raspberries, served with a salad of pea leaves, julienne of apple and French fried potato strings - outstanding - (J) Gratin de chevre frais, espinards et poireaux-pommes de terre au bouillon de poivrons jaunes a l'huile d'ail - small potato cubes topped with spinach & goat cheese then broiled; tomato coulis, small greens salad with a delicate yellow pepper juice sauce - outstanding - (S) Entree: Magret de canard poele a l'infusion de reglisse et cerises de terre, galatte de pommes de terre et aubergines chinoises confites - base of potato slices topped with eggplant confit then slices of duck and lastly sweet potato crisps - excellent - (J) Faisan de Cap St-Ignace simplement roti et jus de roti aux amandes, puree de courge "hubard grise" beignet de pomme-fruit - base of creamed yellow winter squash topped with pheasant then fried breaded apples; there was a touch of almond in the sauce - this was sooo good - (S) Cheese Selection: We shared a selection of six cheeses: three goat cheese, blue, brie, & ? served with toasted hazelnuts and raison-citrus nut bread. With the cheese we each had a glass of `80 Smith Woodhouse Port. Dessert: Gratin de fraises du Quebec au miel tuile aux amandes - strawberries & blueberries served in a cookie shell with a honey sauce - very good - (J) We each had a glass of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Wine: `90 Chateau de Chamirey - Mercurey Total: $259.00 CN - $196.00 US including tip Comments: Toque is a small but outstanding restaurant, the meal prepared perfectly and absolutely delicious. Service was very good and pleasant atmosphere. Tuesday - 10/3/95 "Beaver Club" in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel (Montreal, Canada) Aperitif: Dry Sherry Chef's Offering: Oyster broiled with a light cream mushroom sauce. Appetizer: Grilled gulf shrimp marinated in coriander and fennel salad with tangerines & mint - (J) Lobster and fine green beans with crisp leeks and light shellfish & truffle sauce - (S) Entree: Salmon with champagne sauce - (J) Salmon under pastry with a port wine & soy sauce - (S) Wine: `93 Chablis Premier Cru - vin de vey - Domaine Clolide Total: $189.00 CN - $143.00 US - including tip Comments: The worst meal ever - the meal was just awful in all aspects; preparation, taste, presentation. Service was strange, every few minutes someone (at least four different people on the staff) would stop at the table and ask: How is everything? Enjoying the meal? The wine steward all but forced his choice of wine upon us. The waiter made it a point to describe what ingredients were in some of the dishes, and or how they were prepared - whether we wanted to hear it or not. And this place is rated 4 stars and expensive. Highly over-rated and over-priced. I think they specialize in beef, maybe that was one of our mistakes; the other mistake was going there. We didn't have coffee let alone dessert - couldn't get out of the place fast enough. The sad thing is that the place we were planning on going to (and had reservations for), Le St-Amable, was in the process of remodeling and hadn't completed the job by the time we got to Montreal. We decided to gamble on the Beaver Club and lost - BIG TIME. Wednesday - 10/4/95 "Les Halles" (Montreal, Canada) Aperitif: House Kir Royale - Champagne with strawberry liqueur This is the evening we had dinner with our friends Lonnie & Peta (from back home - there on vacation also) and some of their friends Ken & Lesley and Pete & Millie (from Montreal and nearby Vermont) - very nice, friendly and funny people - we enjoyed their company. We also learned the term used to describe people who travel to the New England states to see the colors - "Leaf Peepers". Thanks, Millie! All but one of us had the "Surprise Menu", where each person (7) got a different dish at each course and we didn't know what until we got it. Both meal and service was very good. Appetizers: Half lobster with sauternes sauce and coconut - (J) Sauteed quail salad with a raspberry dressing and a crouton topped with a pate - (S) Snails and preserved giblets served with lettuce - (J) Flan of mussels topped with scallop slices, sauternes sauce and a dollop of curry flavored mustard - (S) Sorbet: Apple with Calvados - (J) Apricot with Poire William - (S) Entree: Fillet of beef with a red wine sauce; green beans and baby carrots - (J) Rack of lamb with a red wine sauce; red cabbage and potatoes - (S) Dessert: Chocolate crisps with strawberries - (J) Assorted fresh fruit with fruit sorbets and coconut - (S) Wine: `93 Enri Bourgous - Pouilly Fume (with the appetizers) `86 Chateaux Sinard - St. Emillion (with the entree) Total: $280.00 CN - $212.00 US including tip Comments: The weather is beginning to threaten rain with the remnants of hurricane "Opal" on the way. We spent the day walking around several areas in Montreal seeing the sights and doing some window shopping. We stopped at "Schwartz's Deli" for lunch. According to all the tourists books, it's a must. Schwartz's is known for their smoked meat sandwiches (basically a smoked corned beef). We each ordered a petite plate with a pickle. The small plate had at least a half pound of sliced meat, a side dish of six slices of French bread and a huge pickle. Once again, it was a lot of food - and it was pretty good. Thursday - 10/5/95 "Le Latini" (Montreal, Canada) Aperitif: Spumanti (Italian sparkling wine) Antipasti: Mozzarella in carozza - deep fried breaded mozzarella - (J) Antipasto in Bella Vista Latini - platter of assorted vegetables; terrine of vegy's, ratatouille, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli, sliced beets topped with capers - (S) Primi piatti: Gnocchi rosa al gorgonzola e noci - creamy, rich gorgonzola sauce with nuts - excellent - (J&S) Secondo piatti: Filet mignon iseo tartafato - truffle sauce & sliced truffle on the filet, fried potatoes, green beans - (J) Filet mignon aux morilles frais - sauce with fresh morels, new potatoes, green beans - (S) Dolci: We were each given a glass of sparkling muscato on the house - quite good. That's right - No Dessert - by the time we finished dinner, neither of us had room. Espresso: With the coffee they also served us a few small bunches of tiny red grapes. Wine: `85 Bricco Rocche Barollo - great wine - $100 CN Total: $320.00 CN - $245.00 US including tip Comments: The meal was excellent, the filets were tender and prepared perfectly, vegetables al dente, and service was good. During the meal we observed the owner receiving a special Fed Ex package, and watched from a distance as he opened it. We could tell that he was excited and proud of whatever it was he got, as he immediately took it to a table of other customers and was showing it off - we figured from what we were able to see that it was a large fresh white truffle. At the end of our meal he happened by our table and we asked him about it - and yes he received a white truffle which valued in the $1,000+ range. He then shared a story of when in Italy, he asked if he could harvest a truffle - he explains "they blind folded me and we walked for three hours; they took the blind fold off and showed me where the truffle was; then they blind folded me again and we walked for five hours to get back to where we started". Considering the cost of truffles, you can see why they would keep the growing locations a secret. Friday - 10/6/95 "The Highland House" (Londonderry, VT.) Appetizer: Escargot with butter and herbs - (J) Baked clams with herbs, butter and topped with bread crumbs - (S) Salad: Green salad - (J&S) Entree: Scallops and fusilli with a pesto sauce - (J) Saut‚ed jumbo shrimp and spaghettini with a sauce of sun dried tomatoes - (S) Dessert: Profiteroles with coffee ice cream topped with a chocolate sauce - (J&S shared) Wine: Stags Leap Chardonnay Total: $110.00 including tip Comments: This meal was at the B&B where we're staying, which turned out to be ok. The B&B itself is in a very scenic area, the rooms (or our room) very small. Saturday - 10/7/95 "Chantecleer" (Manchester, VT.) Aperitif: Tio Pepe - Dry Sherry Appetizer: Maine smoked seafood plate served with sauce picante & chutney - included smoked bay scallops, salmon, and a white fish - (J) Crab cakes with chutney and topped with an avocado mousse - chutney was made of red & green chile peppers, cilantro & ginger - (S) Salad: Tri salads: carrot salad, tabouleh, and greens with celeriac - (J) Mesclun (greens) with a maple mustard dressing - (S) Entree: Crispy roast duck a l'orange with green beans, carrot with fennel, and pumpkin puree - (J) Roast Pheasant stuffed with onion quarters and garlic cloves and a sauce with fresh morels; served with saut‚ed spaetzle with a hint of dill - (S) Cheese Selection: Shared a Gruyere and Ementhaller served with some grapes, strawberries and raspberries Dessert: `89 Joseph Phelps Johannisberg Riesling, Special Select Late Harvest Wine: `91 Marlstone - Clos du Bois Total: $213.00 Comments: The meal was very good, service was good. The timing was off as the entree was ready before we ever received the salads. It turned out ok, as we just went the way of the Europeans and had our salads afterwards. It reminded us of France. Chantecleer does not have a cheese selection on their menu, and we were really in the mood for cheese. They were extremely accommodating by putting one together for us, even though the offering was very limited. The cheeses we did get were very good and the presentation quite nice. I have one added suggestion for this place. Don't sit at a table close to the fireplace. There is an intermittent problem with the draft and smoke backing up into the room. Sunday - 10/8/95 "Cornell Inn" (Lenox, MA.) Appetizer: French onion soup - (J) Stuffed mushrooms - (S) Salad: Green salad with the house dressing - (J & S) Entree: Baked scrod with well done summer squash and roasted potatoes - (J) Broiled swordfish and butter dill sauce with well done summer squash and roasted potatoes - (S) Dessert: Shared Decadent chocolate cake Wine: `94 Benziger Fume Blanc Total: unknown - dinner included in room rate Comments: The cook tried hard, but this was one of those meals you don't really want to remember. We were lucky to get a room reservation for one night on a Columbus Day weekend in this area, so we didn't expect a whole lot - AND GOT IT! Monday - 10/9/95 "Bouley" (NYC) Aperitif: Tio Pepe - Dry Sherry Chef's choice: Small crab canape, diced cucumber with a hint of dill and tarragon, and a small goat cheese tartlet We decided to go with the "Special Degustation Dinner Menu", a six course meal with a choice from 2 or 3 items in each course. Cape cod squid fresh herb ravioli with large pink shrimp, cape cod clams, ocean herbal broth - (J) West coast Kumamoto oysters steamed in the shell with fresh Ohba leaves - (S) Maine young skate roasted with cherry tomatoes, local cucumbers (Kirby) pickled to order with coriander and celery seeds, chardonnay wine - (J) Maine day-boat halibut wrapped with yellow squash with an early harvest of fall squash, butternut, acorn and hubbard, verjus sauce - (S) Chatham day-boat lobster roasted in an exotic manner with Tahitian vanilla - (J) New York State trout smoked to order over apple, pecan and maple wood, with apple and pear julienne, mesclun salad - (S) Organic duck breast baked in a salt crust, with a tilleul honey glaze, young spring wheat, brussel sprout leaves and local peach puree - (J) New York State foie gras roasted with lemon thyme, puree of organic quince, glazed apple chips - (S) Organic veal chop roasted with spinach puree, Nova Scotia chanterelles and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms, glazed knob carrots and fingerling puree - (J) White fallow venison roasted with orient point baby leeks, gold sugar beets, Swiss chard and rhubarb in red wine sauce, seckle pears and mission figs - (S) Sorbet: Several sorbets; concord grape, passion fruit, green apple and pineapple served in a melon (cantaloupe) soup. This was an unexpected treat. Hot valrhona chocolate souffle with hot chocolate sauce, caramel and vanilla ice cream and banana tart - (J) Fresh berry tart with pistachio cream and pignoli sable with raspberry sauce - (S) Wine: `93 Puligny Montrachet - Carillon `91 Morey St. Denis 1er Cru - H. Lignier "Vieilles Vignes" Total: $307.00 including tip Comments: Our meal and service were superb, each dish prepared perfectly and presented beautifully. The restaurant itself was beautifully decorated, and continually filled with customers. A popular place. The only complaint was that we felt a bit rushed during the meal. Tuesday - 10/10/95 "C.T." (NYC) Aperitif: Lillet (felt like being home - another of our at home favorites) Chef's choice: Clam soup with croutons and chives - very tasty We had the "Menu Confiance" or shall I say the "Secret Menu" Seared tuna coated with sesame and a ginger vinaigrette with daikon radish (bit of soy in the sauce) Big ravioli with taro root mousseline and truffle oil; shiitake, chanterelle and oyster mushrooms topped with chives and fried lotus root and a creamy mushroom sauce Pan seared red snapper on top of tomato coulis and a slice of eggplant, then topped with some rosemary, sage and roasted garlic Saddle of lamb with angel hair pasta and a black olive, tomato and red wine sauce; then decorated with a piece of fennel; a garlic mayonnaise was served with the lamb Chef's treat: Espresso mousse topped caramel and Italian cream Dessert: Chocolate mousse - looked like a chocolate snowball dusted with cocoa powder and had a soft, syrupy, chocolate, liqueur flavored center. The mousse was placed on a cookie base - mousse was so very light, like a cloud - (J) Passion fruit crousant - fluffy like a souffle - (S) Served cinnamon twirls and ginger crisps with coffee Wine: Sancerre - by the glass St. Francis Cabernet - by the glass Total: $240.00 including tip Comments: The food and service was very good. The restaurant had a somewhat relaxed atmosphere, as we were able to watch the chef and staff in action. They were pretty much in view of all the customers. The food was a combination of French and Brazilian, as the chef spent several years cooking in Brazil. Most of the wait staff had South American accents - Portuguese/Spanish. Wednesday - 10/11/95 "Chanterelle" (NYC) Aperitif: Kir Royal Chef's choice: Smoked trout on crouton topped with salmon roe Small crab cake with tartar sauce We selected that evening's "Tasting Menu" Terrine of duck and foie gras with pistachio - served with a bit of endive and radiccio salad and gelee Pemaquid oysters with white truffles - oysters in the shell topped with a delicious cream cheese sauce and thin slices of truffle on top - extremely good Striped bass sauteed with thyme, tomato and manila clams - the clams were topped with diced red pepper and tomato Roast squabs with red wine - served with sugar peas, cabbage and garlic potato chips Selection of 5 different cheeses each, served with a wonderfully light onion nut bread; and a glass each of Tokay - "5 Putunos" (not often do you get a "5") - not sure we spelled this right, but it's a Hungarian late harvest dessert wine and the "5" is a sweetness/selection rating like the spaetlese/auslese/beerenauslese system in Germany. Dessert: Peppered pear tart tatin with creme fraiche (pear poached with pepper on a flaky pastry - (J) Banana cashew mille feuille with chocolate sauce - (S) Treated with chocolate truffles, chocolate creams with cinnamon and miniature cookies with our coffee Wine: `93 Chassagne Montrachet - Jean Noel Gagnand Total: $375.00 including tip Comments: Chanterelle was a fine dining experience the first time we went there(about ten years ago); and it is still a fine experience on this our last evening in NYC. Unlike the last time, the mayor didn't join us for dinner(it was "How'm I doin'?" Koch, then). One thing for sure, competition is stiff when there are so many good restaurants to choose from in this great city. We did find out what "Ground Cherries" are - they're "Gooseberries". We found this out after getting home and looking through our gardening information. We even found them at our local market where we shop. Doesn't that beat all?
New Hampshire