2012: Favorite Restaurants

What were some of my favorite restaurants of the past year?

I have already posted several of my drink-related Favorites' lists and and now I want to concentrate on my Favorite Restaurants of the past year. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of memorable matters I have experienced and/or posted about over the past year. You will even find Favorites from outside Massachusetts as I traveled some this past year.

There is also a section later in this post called Consistent Favorites, and it includes a list of a number of restaurants which have been my favorites for subsequent years. Restaurants which are consistently good certainly deserve recognition, and I have tried to note some of those places to which I return again and again. I hope you enjoy all of my recommendations.

Favorite High-End Restaurant: Superb cuisine, an amazing wine list and impeccable service combine to make L'Espalier a Boston treasure. I have dined there before, and always been impressed, and this past year I attended an amazing Barons de Rothschild Champagne lunch and Cheese Tuesday. The restaurant can transform even the simplest of dishes, such as roast chicken, into a wonder. It is well worth the splurge.

Favorite Restaurant Comeback: My last visit to Avila Modern Mediterranean had been a few years ago and my dinner was disappointing. A few others who I spoke to at that time had also reported less than pleasant experiences. However this year, I recently attended a Glenmorangie Scotch dinner at Avila and was surprised at the high quality and creativity of the food. It was an amazing meal with such compelling items like goat cheese croquettes, creamy corn soup, chicken liver ravioli, and braised Waygu beef cheeks. It seems Avila has greatly improved and I will definitely return.

Unfortunate Tragedy to a Favorite Restaurant: Prezza, in the North End, has been one of my favorite high-end Italian spot but this past July the restaurant suffered a kitchen fire. For the last six months, they have been closed as they have conducted extensive repairs and remodeling. This has been a great loss to the community but fortunately it appears the restaurant is set to reopen any day now. When they reopen, please dine there and give them your support. Their food is exceptional and I am sure you will enjoy whatever you order. Good luck to Chef/Owner Anthony Caturano and all his staff.

Favorite Local Food Dinner Series: Numerous Boston area restaurants are emphasizing local ingredients but special kudos must go out to Post 390 for their monthly Farm to Post dinner series. Each month they emphasize a different local purveyor, from farmers to fishermen, and not only use their products but also bring in the purveyors to talk to diners. That helps diners better understand the sources of their food and it also helps immensely that the food is creative and delicious. Check out their Farm to Post dinners.

Favorite North End Restaurant, Old School: Lucia Ristorante, with a second location in Winchester, opened in the North End back in 1977 and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. It is very much old school yet the food is actually quite tasty. Their chef's skill was quite evident at a fantastic polenta dinner and their anniversary celebration also emphasized their culinary skills. You may not consider Lucia when selecting a North End restaurant, but you should give it some consideration. Their Winchester location also carries excellent pizzas.

Favorite Italian Restaurant Outside the North End: For some of the most creative Italian fare in Boston, you can't go wrong with Erbaluce, Chef Chuck Draghi continues to impress with his unique take on many traditional Italian dishes and the restaurant also has a compelling Italian wine list. How many other restaurants in Boston make fried sunflower heads? His dishes, generally prepared without butters and creams, are often lighter yet still full of flavor. Dine there and check out their ever changing menu or attend one of their compelling events.

Favorite Spanish Restaurant: Chef Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro in Brookline continues to invest great passion into her Spanish cuisine. The restaurant has recently expanded in size, nearly doubling, and have added a bar. They are also adding more Spanish wines to their already expansive wine list, including more Sherries. One of their newest culinary events is Roasted Sucking Pig Tuesdays, which I haven't yet attended but plan to do so soon.    

Favorite Mexican Restaurant: Chef Joe Cassinelli of Pizzeria Posto, one of my favorite Italian spots, opened a second restaurant, The Painted Burro, which offers Mexican cuisine. The food I tasted during my two dinners and brunch there have all impressed, including the Yucatan Meatloaf. I am usually not a meatloaf fan but this opened my eyes to the potential and I cannot recommend it enough. The Burro also has an extensive list of tequilas and mezcals, with plenty of tasty cocktails. A great addition to the local area.

Favorite Suburban Restaurant, Italian: Italian restaurants are ubiquitous in the suburbs, but too many of them are simply average. However, the new A Tavola in Winchester, the second restaurant of Chef Vittorio Ettore (who also owns Bistro 5 in Medford) rises above the masses. Lots of Piattini, small plates, make a great way to start your dinner from their homemade charcuterie to seafood dishes. Then you can move onto their killer pasta, their exceptional risotto, smoky Porchetta and more. It is an intimate restaurant, showcasing the culinary genius of Chef Ettore, and can compete with any Boston restaurant.

Favorite BYOB Restaurant: In the suburbs, you can find a number of BYOB restaurants and one of them is my usual go to spot when I want to bring my own wine or Sake. Kyotoya, in Stoneham, is an inexpensive Japanese restaurant with delicious food, such as superb tempura, and they do not charge a corkage fee. I have dined there numerous times, usually bringing wine or Sake, and those I have introduced to the place have all very much enjoyed it.

Favorite New Hampshire Restaurant: Moxy, situated in Portsmouth, would shine wherever it was located. Chef Matt Louis, with an impressive culinary resume, has created a superb restaurant which emphasizes Spanish inspired tapas, using local ingredients and a New England flair. The food is excellent and the menu concept works well. They also have a good drinks program, from wine to cocktails and including numerous local beers. I would even stop there just for their desserts, such as mini-Whoopie pies. It gets my highest recommendation and I eagerly look forward to my next visit.

Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, Casual: At the Mohegan Sun Casino, there are plenty of restaurants but which one should you select? For amazing fried chicken, in a casual atmosphere, check out Big Bubba's BBQ. The restaurant serves BBQ and southern cuisine and the plates are quite large, stacked high with food. The Finger Lickin Fried Chicken plate included two large chicken breasts and two wings, more than enough chicken to satisfy any craving. It was superb, perfectly cooked, with a nice crispy and well seasoned coating and very moist, tender white meat.

Favorite Connecticut Restaurant, High-End: If you are seeking something more elegant for dinner at the Mohegan Sun, then Bobby Flay's Bar Americain would be a good choice. It has a menu of American favorites, some with a southern flair, as well as plenty of fresh seafood. The food is delicious, well prepared, and worth the high prices. Enjoy their Buttermilk Fried Chicken or Duck with Dirty Wild Rice, Pecans, & Bourbon. I would also highly recommend ordering a side of Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce, a decadent delight with crisp chips and a creamy, tangy sauce.

Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Casual: Sometimes you stumble upon a restaurant and end up having a delicious meal. Seeking a quick lunch, I stopped at the Bluegrass Burgers in Louisville, Kentucky, knowing nothing about it beforehand. This burger joint prides itself in serving mostly local ingredients, from their meats to their produce. The Kentucky Grass Fed Bison Burger, topped by local Bleu-Gouda cheese, was an excellent burger, moist with plenty of tasty flavor and the cheese added an intriguing and compelling element. Their sweet potato fries were also addictive, with a bright sweet potato flavor and a crisp exterior. I wish we had a burger place like this in the Boston area.

Favorite Louisville Restaurant, Mid-Range: Another restaurant dedicated to local ingredients, Harvest has huge portraits of the farmers they use on their walls. The food, from the Buttermilk Fried Chicken to Crispy Pork Confit, is tasty and reasonably priced. And for dessert, their Bourbon Bread Pudding was amazing, one of the best bread puddings I have tasted. It has a casual ambiance, a good wine list and service was excellent. A great choice in Louisville, Kentucky.

Favorite Louisville Restaurant, High-End: After attending the Kentucky Derby, a group of us went to Corbett's for a special post-Derby prix-fixe menu. From a Smoked Salmon Parfait to a Creekstone Tenderloin, the food was exquisite, with killer wine pairings and superb service in an intimate dining area. The cuisine could compete with any high-end restaurant in Boston.

Favorite Nova Scotia Bakery: While visiting Dartmouth, my hotel was just around the corner from the Two If By Sea Cafe, where I had heard they made exceptional croissants. I found that was not an understatement. They are heavier than the usual croissant, containing far more layers, and probably weigh at least twice as much than the usual croissant. Yet they remain flaky and soft throughout the croissant, each bite a pure delight. Their prosciutto & cheese was my favorite, the prosciutto adding a salty flair to the croissant and some of the ham that stuck out the ends was satisfyingly crispy. This is one of the best croissants I have ever tasted, putting to shame so many meager ham & cheese croissants. Highly recommended.

Favorite Nova Scotia Restaurant: In Halifax, Chives Canadian Bistro offers a menu based on seasonal produce from local farmers, artisan cheese and meat producers, and sustainable seafood. The cuisine offers contemporary Canadian bistro dishes rooted in European culinary history. It is an intimate place, with cool decor, and the food and wine impressed. General Tao's Bacon, New Orleans Po' Boy Sandwich, Lobster Tagliatelle and more. The chef has won numerous awards and they are well deserved.

Favorite Carnivore Dinner: It is no secret that I love meat. When I traveled to Tuscany, I had a dinner that would have satiated even the most demanding carnivore. At the Officina della Bistecca, famed butcher Dario Cecchini offers an incredible prix fixe meal, which includes five courses of beef. All of the meat was superb, especially the beef tartare, which melted in my mouth. Cecchini uses high quality beef, simply prepared, and the flavor fills your mouth with joy. Seated at communal tables, dinner is more of an experience than simply a meal. My highest recommendation.

Favorite Dessert: At the Red Lantern in Boston, their Pineapple Bread Pudding, with coconut ice cream, was superb, a perfect blend of tropical flavors. The bread pudding had a nice firm, but soft, texture and it was bursting with fresh pineapple flavors. I really think an enterprising baker should open a bread pudding dessert shop, offering a variety of different bread puddings. Forget cup cakes, let us see more bread puddings.

Consistent Favorites

Favorite Brunch, Traditional Fare: For a third year, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.

Brunch, Traditional Fare-Honorable Mention: For a third year, my choice is Tupelo in Inman Square.

Favorite Brunch, Non-Traditional Fare: For the fourth year in a row, the winner is Myers & Chang in the South End.

Favorite Suburban Restaurant: For the third year in a row, the winner is AKA Bistro in Lincoln.

Favorite Japanese Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Oishii in the South End.

Favorite Chinatown Restaurant: For a third year, the winner is Gourmet Dumpling House.

Favorite Somerville Restaurant: Last year, Bergamot was my Overall Favorite Restaurant and it continues to be worthy of kudos. I haven't been there as much this past year but need to remedy that in the new year. My highest recommendation.

Favorite Underappreciated Restaurant: For the third year, the winner is T.W. Food in Cambridge.

Favorite Asian Buffet: For a fourth year, the winner is Taipei Tokyo Cafe in Woburn.

Favorite North End Restaurant, High End: For a third year, the winnner is Prezza.

Favorite North End Restaurant, Moderate: For a third year, the winner is Nebo.

Favorite North End Restaurant, Fusion: For a third year, the winner is Taranta.

Favorite Italian Restaurant, Somerville: For a third year, the winner is Pizzeria Posto.

Favorite Suburban Steak House: For a fourth year, the winner is Beacon Grille in Woburn. 

Favorite Fried Seafood: For a third year, the winner is the Clam Box in Ipswich.

What were some of your favorite restaurants this year?

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2012: Top Ten Wines Over $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my second Top Ten Wine List. Last Friday, I posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, which I hope you enjoyed and found useful. Now it is time for my Top Ten Wines Over $15, though these wines also cost less than $50.

Like the prior list, it includes wines that during the past year I have enjoyed very much and which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out for some particular reason above the other wines I tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I highly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers will also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1) 2010 Tikal Natural Malbec ($20)
Produced by Ernesto Catena in Argentina, this wine is made from 100% Malbec, certified organic grapes, and the vineyard is moving toward becoming Biodynamic. The wine spent about a year in oak, mostly second-use French oak, with a small portion of American oak. With a dark purple color, the flavors of the wine burst into your mouth, a pleasant blend of ripe plum, dark cherry, intense spice and bits of mocha. The tannins are moderate, there is good acidity, and the finish is long and satisfying. A hearty fine that will pair well with hearty food, from Bolognese to short ribs.

2) 2006 Eder Raubern Single Vineyard Grüner Veltliner ($17-$20)
The Eder winery, in Austria, is small, possessing about 12 hectares of vineyards and produces only about 20,000 bottles annually. The Raubern is a single vineyard wine that thoroughly impressed me. The melange of flavors fascinated me with their complexity, with plenty of spice and floral notes, yet still with noticeable stone fruit components. Despite its age, this seemed still very fresh and it was a clear winner, sure to please any wine lover. An excellent value at this price point.

3) 2009 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($43.99)
In general, I enjoy Oregon Pinot Noirs and some are superb. This wine was a stunner, subtle and seductive as well as elegant and complex. The melange of flavors ranged from bright cherry to ripe plum, from cinnamon to black pepper. You need to slowly sip and savor this wine, to perceive all of the diverse flavors within. Well balanced, this wine provides an alluring finish that seems to caress your palate with silk, lingering long within your mouth. A killer wine, I highly recommend this one.

4) 2011 Prieure de Montezargues Tavel Rosé ($20)
This is one of my favorite French Rosé wines, and the 2011 is equally as good as the previous year. The Rosé is a blend of 8 grapes, including 55% Grenache (red & white), 30% Cinsault, 13% Clairette, and 2% Others (Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan & Bourboulanc). It is produced through pressing and underwent stainless steel fermentation and then a short term of aging on the lees. It was a pale pink color, crisp, dry and elegant. Delicious and complex tastes of cherry, strawberry, and grapefruit with a mineral backbone. You should drink this Rosé year round.

5) 2008 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia ($35-$45)
One of my favorite wines from my Chianti Classico trip, the Rancia is made from 100% Sangiovese, all from a single vineyard named Rancia. That vineyard derives its name from a historic farm that once was a Benedictine monastery. The wine was barrel aged for 16-18 months in new and one year old 225-liter oak barrels and then spent an additional 6-8 months aging in the bottle. The Rancia possessed an alluring smell, a melange of wonderful aromas that beckoned to me like a siren. It was a traditional style, with a delightful earthy component, and a compelling taste of black cherry, blueberry, violets, spice, and hints of leather. It was elegant and intriguing, with a lengthy, satisfying finish. Just a superb wine.

6) 2011 Halter Ranch Cotes de Paso Blanc ($24)
Paso Robles seems to be a great region for  Rhône grapes and this Halter Ranch wine is an enticing Southern Rhône blend of 33% Grenache, 26% Roussanne, 20% Picpoul Blanc, 12% Marsanne, and 9% Viognier. It was fermented in French oak, stirred twice a week to mix in the lees, and doesn't undergo malolactic fermentation. The aroma was spectacular, a complex and harmonious melange of floral, fruit and herb notes, all of which also came out on the palate. Peaches, lemons, melons, white flowers, minerality and so much more. Well balanced, complex, a lengthy and satisfying finish, and excellent acidity. A highly recommended wine.

7) 2004 Rodano Viacosta Chianti Classico Riserva ($30)
This is another winner from Chianti Classico. The winery produces traditional style Chianti Classico and I was impressed with all of their wines I tasted. The Viacosta was a stand out, made from 100% Sangiovese that was aged for about 24 months, 60% in French oak and 20% of that is new. It had an alluring aroma and on the palate it was stunning. Complex, elegant, rustic, spicy, and with a lengthy and pleasing finish. A great food wine, this should be in your wine cellar.

8) 2011 Blomidon Estate Winery Rosé ($15.99)
Several years ago, I toured some of the wineries of Nova Scotia but plenty more have sprung up since that time. One of those new ones is Blomidon Estate Winery, which is committed to producing wines using only Nova Scotia grown grapes. Their 2011 Rosé is a blend of three hybrids: New York Muscat, L’Acadie Blanc and Baco Noir. It was crisp, dry, and clean with subtle strawberry and watermelon flavors and hints of floral notes. It was far more Provence style than California, and paired very well with a variety of foods. You never would have known this was made from hybrids. In a blind tasting, you might assume this was a French Rosé.

9) 2010 Planeta Carricante ($36)
Sicily possesses a number of indigenous grapes including Carricante, a white grape thought to extend back to the 9th century and is primarily found in the Etna region. It is a late maturing grape, thrives in high altitudes and has a high acidity which allows it to age well. This wine was made from 100% Carricante and remains on the lees until the February after harvest when it is then bottled. It had a light gold color with an exciting aroma of apples and floral notes. On the palate, it was crisp, clean and complex with a dominant steely minerality and subtle fruit flavors, including pear and green apple. A lengthy and satisfying finish, this would be an excellent seafood wine and it should age very well too. I heartily recommend it.

10) 2010 Joel Gott Alakai ($24)
This California red wine blend is comprised of 77% Grenache, 17% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre, and 2% Petite Sirah. It had an alluring nose, great fruit and hints of spice and was compelling on the palate. Complex, with a delicious melange of reds fruits and spice, with hints of earthiness. It was more on the lighter side with smooth tannins and a lengthy, pleasing finish. An excellent food wine, or something you can savor on its own. Just plain delicious

This is always my toughest list to compile because there are numerous other excellent wines which I could have added. I had to ponder long over which wines to actually add to this list. Like my previous list, no single country dominated though Italy once again occupied three spots, due to my trip to Chianti Classico. California took two spots while Argentina, Austria, Oregon, France, and Nova Scotia each took one spot. The list is also broken down into 2 Rosé, 3 Whites and 5 Red wines. Half of the wines on the list also cost less than $25.

I have plenty of other recommendations for wines at this price point on my blog. There are top notch wines from countries all over the world, made from an incredibly diverse selection of grapes and you can still find plenty of values too. My advice is that you seek out wines outside of your comfort zone. Explore the multitude of diversity in the wonderful world of wine. Taste and try anything new, unique or potentially interesting. I am sure your search will lead to new favorites.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines that are over $15 but under $50, please add them to the comments.

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Chives In Halifax: Compelling Local Flavors

I love how Twitter can connect people from all over the world. Recently on Twitter, I was contacted by George Davis, the General Manager of Chives Canadian Bistro in Halifax, Nova Scotia. George was making plans to visiting Boston in September and wanted some recommendations. This was days before I was to leave for a visit to Nova Scotia. I checked out the website for his restaurant and was intrigued by its philosophy and menu. I had been seeking a place to dine in Halifax and had not previously checked out this place. In the end, I made reservations to dine there during my trip.

Chef Craig Flinn opened Chives in December 2001 and since then it has gained quite an excellent reputation. For example, the Coast City Guide: Best of Halifax 2012, an annual guide, awarded Chives a Gold as Best Fine Dining, a Gold to Chef Flinn as Best Chef, and a Gold to Chives for Best Use of Local Ingredients. The Chives website states: "The restaurant menus are based on seasonal produce from local farmers, artisan cheese and meat producers, and sustainable seafood with the core menu changing every 6 to 8 weeks. The bistro’s clientele enjoy contemporary Canadian bistro dishes rooted in European culinary history."

The medium-sized restaurant is casual but with an intimate feel, and the decor evokes a sense of nature, from its colors to the unique tree sculpture near one wall. There is a bar in the main dining area but it is not a place to sit, but rather a place for their bartender to work and servers to pick up drinks. On some of the walls were a series of rather unique paintings, old buildings that lacked any windows. The tables are spaced far enough apart so you don't feel crowded and have an element of privacy. You will feel very comfortable here, a place for an intimate dinner or a get together with some friends.

Chives emphasizes local ingredients and has not failed to follow through with this philosophy on their wine list. Though their wine list contains wines from all over the world, they also sell seven Nova Scotia wines by the glass and fifteen by the bottle. Plus, they sell about 9 other wines from other parts of Canada. Glasses are available in either 5 ounce ($7.25-$10.75) or 9 ounce ($13.25-$19.50) pours, and the list has a fair-sized selection of wines priced $36-$60 a bottle. Markups seem fairly reasonable, with a number of bottles priced under 2X the usual retail price. For example, the 2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, often found at retail for about $75, only costs $110. Wine lovers will fine plenty of wines to interest them on this list.

We decided to stick to Nova Scotia wines, to get a small sense of the current state of their wine industry. I have had Nova Scotia wines before, and even visited a few of their wineries, but it has been a number of years since my last experience. Since then, new wineries have opened and I figured that the overall quality of their wines had likely improved as well. Based on the five wines we tasted, I was impressed and think a deeper exploration of their wines is warranted.

My favorite of the wines was the 2011 Blomidon Estate Rose, of which I have previously raved. It was an excellent food wine and something I could easily enjoy on its own as well. The Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 was a pleasant apertif, a sparkling wine made from New York Muscat and Pearl of Csaba grapes. It has intense aromatics, reminiscent of Muscat, with delightful green apple, orange and melon flavors. Crisp acidity, hints of sweetness and a light effervescence make this a fun and delicious wine.

The Avondale Sky The Landing is made from the Leon Millot grape and is an opaque red, almost purple, in color. It is easy drinking with intense cherry flavors and hints of spice, especially on the finish. Not too complex, but a very pleasant wine. The Jost Vineyard Cote St. George is made from the Marechal Foch grape and was light and smoky with subtle red fruit flavors. This would be delicious with some BBQ or a hearty pasta dish.

And if you don't like wine, they have a fully stocked bar with a list of special cocktails ($8.25) and martinis ($10).

The food menu is small, based on seasonal and local ingredients, but with plenty of interesting choices. They usually have 7 Appetizers ($8.99-$12.99), 7 Entrees ($23.99-$28.99) and 4 Desserts ($4.99-$9.99). The size of the menu is not a negative in the least. I also like the fact that they provide 2 wine recommendations for each dish on the menu, making it much easier for customers to decide on a pairing. Besides the regular menu, there will usually be at least a few specials of the evening too. The menu includes vegetarian options, gluten free choices, as well as noting which menu items can be modified to gluten free. In addition, I suspect that if you have food allergies, they will cater very well to you.

Entrees come with a buttermilk biscuit, served in a paper bag, with soft butter and molasses. A great start, both flaky and soft, and shows that Southerners are not the only ones to make good biscuits. My only minor quibble is that you must pay for extra biscuits ($0.75), though many other restaurants provide additional bread or biscuits for free. And that is my only complaint about the entire meal.

For appetizers, we chose two different ones. The Farmer's Market Salad ($9.99) varies dependent on what is available at the local market. Our salad came with greens, peaches, Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese (from Nova Scotia), almonds, and topped by a balsamic dressing. The ingredients were quite fresh and meshed well together. The blue cheese was on the mild side yet flavorful and the peaches were lush and juicy. A refreshing and tasty beginning.

The General Tao's "Bacon" ($10.99) is a generous piece of braised Nova Scotia pork belly topped with a ginger sesame glaze and placed atop a crunchy cashew coleslaw. The pork belly was tender, with a compelling Asian glaze, making for a decadent dish. The cole slaw was also intriguing, with the addition of a crunchy texture and nutty flavor from the cashews.

The restaurant provided us a complimentary middle course, their version of a New Orleans Po' Boy Sandwich. They topped a soft brioche bun with flash fried local oysters and a chipotle corn relish. My picture above is missing the top part of the bun, just so you could get a better view of the inside of this scrumptious sandwich. This was a perfect sandwich with clean, crisp oysters and a compelling relish that had a delightful spice and slight crunch. The soft, buttery bun complemented the sandwich and didn't overpower the oysters with too much bread. I could have easily eaten two or three of these sandwiches.

For entrees, one of our choices was the CCB Surf N' Turf ($39.99/market price), which includes a Prince Edward Island beef tenderloin, grilled sea scallops, spinach and old growler gouda risotto, candied field tomato, and buttermilk onion rings. The tenderloin, which is organic and grass fed, was ordered rare and it was cooked perfectly, absolutely tender and the sauce added plenty of savory flavor to the umami-rich and gamey beef. The scallops had a nice char and the tomato was juicy and tasty. A big surprise was the risotto which I didn't think I would like because of the spinach. Yet it was fantastic, bursting with flavor, a great texture and a pleasant creaminess. You would never have guessed it had spinach. An excellent dish and highly recommended.

Our other entree was one of the nightly specials, a Lobster Tagliatelle ($26.99) with homemade pasta and plenty of lobster. The thin tagliatelle was cooked nicely, a good al dente, and the sauce was creamy without being cloying, complemented by the sweet lobster. This was a large portion, though I did pretty well in completing most of it. A good choice, I would also highly recommend this as well.

We were fairly full by the end of dinner so decided to split a simple dessert, some Peach Sorbet, accompanied by whipped cream and a fruit sauce. The sorbet is made on premises and was refreshing, with a rich and fresh peach flavor. The restaurant also provided us complimentary glasses of a Jost Vidal Ice Wine, which had plenty of good acidity that balanced the mild sweetness, and flavors of apricot, dried fruit and honey.

Our server was George, and the service was excellent. The restaurant was fairly busy for a Monday night and everyone else seemed to be quite satisfied with their service and food. The quality and quantity of the food is well worth their reasonable prices, and the wine list is interesting and affordable. It was an impressive dinner and I give Chives my highest recommendation. They have a great culinary philosophy, serving local, seasonable ingredients, and the cuisine, though often familiar in many respects, has plenty of excellent creative touches as well. I will return here again the next time I visit Nova Scotia.

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Rant: Hybrids Get No Respect

I feel sorry for grapes like Baco Noir, Marechal Foch and Seyval Blanc. Though they are used to make wine, they often get very little respect because of their parentage. These grapes are hybrids, not pure vitis vinifera like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. Because they are not "pure," a fair number of people look down upon them, sometimes even shunning them. Is this grape racism? Shouldn't these hybrid grapes be judged by the quality of their wine rather than the identity of their parents?

Vitis vinifera is the "common grape vine" and the one most used for making wine. All of the major grapes of which you are familiar are likely these types of grapes, from Pinot Noir to Syrah, from Sauvignon Blanc to Pinot Blanc. Hybrids are a cross of two or more Vitis species, such as vitis vinifera and vitis labrusca. They are often created by people seeking to create a hardier grape, especially for harsher northern climates. Because they are not pure vitis vinifera, some people turn up their noses at these hybrids, refusing to believe they can produce quality wine. Drop that pretentiousness and judge these wines by their taste.

Sure there are poor quality wines made from hybrids, but there are plenty of poor quality wines made from vitis vinifera too. Yet there are some excellent wines made from these hybrids as well, and a wine lover would be hard pressed to guess they were hybrids simply from tasting the wine. You should approach a wine  without prejudices or biases, willing to taste the wine and let it stand on its own. If you do so, you will probably find plenty of delicious wines that you might never have experienced otherwise.

When I was in Nova Scotia last week, I dined at Chives, a restaurant located in Halifax which specializes in using local ingredients. Their wine list also includes a number of local, Nova Scotian wines, including the 2011 Blomidon Estate Winery Rosé. As I love Rosé wines, I was curious about this selection and our server gave it a hearty recommendation. So I ordered a glass and enjoyed it so much that I ended up ordering a couple more glasses during the course of dinner.

Blomidon Estate Winery is located in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and they are committed to producing wines using only Nova Scotia grown grapes. That is an admirable mission. When I tasted the 2011 Rosé ($15.99 per bottle at the winery), I did not know what grapes were in the blend. I found it to be a crisp, dry, clean and refreshing wine, with subtle strawberry and watermelon flavors and hints of floral notes. It was far more Provence style than California, and paired very well with a variety of foods. It was easy drinking and would make an excellent summer wine, though I could easily drink it year round too. I would give it a strong recommendation.

I later learned that this Rosé is a blend of three hybrids: New York Muscat, L’Acadie Blanc and Baco Noir. The Muscat is not actually from New York, it is just the name of the hybrid. From its taste, there was nothing that would have indicated to me that this wine was made from hybrids. It was very European in style, and you easily might have thought it was made from Rhone grapes. It was simply an excellent wine that any wine lover would have enjoyed, including any hybrid haters.

So stop being a snob about hybrids and judge the wine on its taste, not its parentage.

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Two If By Sea Cafe: Compelling Croissants

It took us about 12 hours to drive to Nova Scotia, a lengthy ride through the dark night, some fog, construction delays, and more. We journeyed there to attend a family wedding and stayed for five nights, at a hotel in Dartmouth near the waterfront. Though the hotel provided a continental breakfast, it certainly was not exciting. But culinary deliverance was just around the corner, at the Two If By Sea Cafe.

The Cafe, which also has a location in Halifax, is owned by Zane Kelsall and Tara MacDonald and opened in November 2009. Zane is the coffee expert while Tara is the baking genius, and used to sell her baked goods at local farmers' markets. It is a medium-sized shop with tables inside as well as several tables outside on the sidewalk. It has a hip and casual coffee shop feel, a fine place to while away a part of your morning or afternoon.

The menu is relatively small, drinks and baked goods, but that is a strength as they can concentrate their efforts onto those items. To drink, you can choose coffee, tea, hot chocolate, hot cider and more. Their coffee apparently receives raves though as I am not a coffee drinker, I did not partake. But I had some iced tea, which is freshly brewed and they will make iced tea from any of their teas, from black tea to white tea. It comes in a mason jar, with plenty of ice, and was quite refreshing and tasty.

Their baked goods include muffins, scones, cookies, bagels and croissants (amazing!) though they limit the amount of each they bake. At the time of one of my visits, there were only two muffins ($3), including Mixed Berry and Carrot & Spice and two scones ($3), the Roasted Pepper & Basil and Lemon Poppy Seed. The flavors change frequently, considering what is in season, and they are all large, making them a good value. Though the muffins and scones were enticing, it is the croissants which stole my heart and I do miss them.

They serve several types of croissants, including Plain ($3), Chocolate ($3.50), Almond ($4), Prosciutto & Cheese ($5) and their Special of the Week ($5). Like the other baked goods, these are big croissants, large enough that two people might even want to split one. They are heavier than the usual croissant, containing far more layers, and probably weigh at least twice as much than the usual croissant. Yet they remain flaky and soft throughout the croissant, each bite a pure delight. I fell in love with their croissants, and stopped there every morning to buy one or two.

The plain croissants have a delicious buttery taste but the prosciutto & cheese was my favorite. The prosciutto added a salty flair to the croissant, and some of the ham that stuck out the ends was satisfyingly crispy. A perfect combination of ham, cheese and flaky bread. This is one of the best croissants I have ever tasted, putting to shame so many meager ham & cheese croissants.

One of the Special croissants of the week was the Ain't Life Peachy, which contained peaches, vanilla, sugar, and toasted coconut. Another delicious choice, though I would have liked to see a few more peaches inside it. But the flavor combination worked very well, and it was not overly sweet. Another good choice.

If you are in Dartmouth or Halifax, then you must stop by Two If By Sea Cafe for their croissants. They are well worth the stop and I bet you will love them as much as I did. When I return to Nova Scotia, they will be at the top of my list. Highly recommended!

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