Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Portland / Vancouver

How can I possibly choose my best bite from my trip to the Pacific Northwest? It might have been the White Truffle-Pink Salt Macaron; or maybe the Lamb Shank with Cilantro Black Beer Sauce; lest I forget the Bacon, Egg and Cheese on an Apple Fritter; perhaps even a sip of the Passionfruit-Habanero Vodka Martini...it's nearly impossible to choose, folks. I'll do my best to highlight some of the most outstanding spots we visited for nosh.

Mom and me in Willamette Valley, wine-tasting. Our happy place!

Portland
This city has a happening food and beer scene, if you didn't already know. It can be quite overwhelming to navigate your way through the city without some recommendations. Here are some of mine!

-Cheryl's on 12th: the aforementioned egg sando on an apple fritter was the ultimate sweet and salty breakfast dish. Just slice a glazed, apple-studded fritter in half and stuff it with a fried egg, gouda (NOT SMOKED), arugula and onion-bacon jam and you will feel a wave of euphoria.

-Andina: currently the #1 restaurant in Portland per TripAdvisor. The lamb shank and martini were perfect accompaniments to stuffed Piquillo Peppers and Scallops with Brown Sugar Tamarind sauce. Literally every bite was perfection at this Peruvian gem.
Monstrous lamb shank with unctuous cilantro black beer sauce

-Pok Pok: for adventurous eaters only. I didn't recognize a single dish on this Thai menu. It's not your average Pad Thai (not on the menu). Spicy and sour glass noodle salad was our favorite here, because of the dried shrimp. Mind the heat!!

-Salt & Straw: it would be a sin to visit PDX and not try this infamous ice cream joint. I tasted flavors like Pear & Blue Cheese and Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper before deciding on Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons. This has ruined all other ice creams for me. I would eat this after (or for) every meal of my entire life.

Pre-life-altering ice cream.

Vancouver
A dear friend likened this city to "Tomorrowland" which could not have been a more accurate description. Multicultural. Stunning views. Incredible food.

-Granville Island Public Market: not unlike Reading Terminal Market in Philly (or any other metropolitan indoor market). You absolutely must visit Bon Macaron Patisserie for flavors like Goat Cheese & Fig, Blueberry & Taro, Sake, and the most interesting thing I think I've ever tasted: a White Truffle-Pink Salt Macaron. It absolutely blew my mind. Earthy, salty, sweet and umami all at the same time.
Our collection of macarons!
-Cactus Club Cafe: the view at the Coal Harbor location is absolutely spectacular. The menu almost sounded too good to be true, until you eat and realize everything really is delicious. I have to remove salmon from my "Do Not Eat List", because this rendition with lentils, bacon, daikon, carrots and a port wine reduction was so overwhelmingly flavorful and delicious.
See what I mean?  THIS VIEW.

-Nightingale: these folks know how to elevate a dish. Halibut Ceviche is made sexy with watermelon radish, avocado and crispy quinoa. Roasted Cauliflower gets an upgrade with green harissa for heat and sunflower seeds for crunch. Sticky Toffee Pudding stays stellar with Maple Chantilly Cream.

I realize I'm leaving out a lot of fabulous bites like the FRESH Cherry Pancakes with cream cheese custard and the Cheddar Waffle at Cora in Vancouver, and the Banana Caramel Pie at Lechon in Portland. But then I would literally be telling you about every meal I had on my vacation. But the food scene there is so exciting! OH, and if you happen to find yourself in Willamette Valley, first of all - lucky you! And secondly, stay at La Bastide Bed & Breakfast for yummy dishes like Brie and Apricot-stuffed French Toast. Divine!

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Table 16: The Reboot

Table 16 has been one of my favorite restaurants in Greensboro since I moved here 5 years ago. In the past year, there have been some shake-ups in the kitchen, leaving many people wondering if Table 16 is still "as good as it once was". I'm here to tell you that yes, it is still absolutely fabulous. The front of house and kitchen staff are both working incredibly hard to remind people why this restaurant is so special. I dined on the first night of their new menu, and had a difficult time not ordering every item. And I found out they're serving Sunday brunch, to boot!

Appetizers are quite adventurous, including a lovely presentation of Foie Gras. A sliver of tender foie rests on a smooth pistachio butter, drizzled with raspberry coulis and topped with fresh greens. Crispy brioche croutons provide great crunch and a savory element. This could almost be interpreted as a dessert dish! The sweetness of the pistachio and raspberry brought out the sweetness in the foie, and the pop of bright pink against the earthy green was beautiful on the plate.

I loved the Tiger Shrimp appetizer, with slices of avocado, tangy balsamic tomatoes, red onion and crispy tortilla strips atop a sriracha aioli. This was a burst of flavor, and one of the best appetizers I've ever had. 5 large shrimp made this a pretty decent serving that you could easily turn into an entree with a side salad.

Every Wednesday, Table 16 has a Steak & Scotch special pairing. This week featured a Laphroaig 10, a peety, smoky Scotch (not recommended for Scotch novices!) alongside a petite tenderloin with romanesco, potatoes, crispy leeks and an insane butterscotch demi-glace. This made the dish. The umami flavor in the butterscotch went surprisingly well with the flavor of the meat. This needs to be a steak sauce option on every menu everywhere!! (Yes, I've allotted two exclamation points for that.)

I'm a sucker for scallops and Table 16's presentation sounded right up my alley. Three beautifully plump scallops rested on a bed of quinoa, with an orange hue from romesco sauce peeking out underneath it all. Nicely seasoned kalettes (so tasty in fact, that I never would have guessed it was kale!) and crispy leeks round out this stunning dish.

Desserts at Table 16 have always been memorable, and this was no exception. We enjoyed a honey-mint creme brulee, boasting flavors of fresh mint, which is perfect for this time of year. It was like eating mojito custard. Delightful. Then this show-stopper came out:
Key lime curd, strawberry mousse, fresh berries and edible flowers rest on a honey-drizzled filo dough. Thin sheets of chocolate stand upright, to give the dish a 3D feeling. It seemed too beautiful to eat, until we tasted it. Then we had no trouble devouring it. The fresh key lime was the star here - I'll take one of these over key lime pie any day. Such creativity!

The chef stopped by to ask about our meal, and he said he has worked hard to make this menu finally "all his". I am so thoroughly impressed with his vision, flavor profiling and execution. Table 16 is definitely worth a re-visit if you haven't been in a while.