Where: Giverny (To get there, take the train from Paris, at the Gare St. Lazare Station, to Vernon. It's about a 45 minute ride. In Vernon, exit the train station. Across, the street, rent a bike from the cafe. Take a map, buy a croissant at the bakery a block away to eat along the way, and set out for Giverny. It's about 5 km.)
Menu: Unnecessary.
What: Late lunch, after checking out the home and gardens of Claude Monet.
Scene: Dining al fresco, at wrought iron tables, under giant orange umbrellas. The umbrellas create a dreamy, glowing semi-haze. You're surrounded by flowers and French speakers, and it's hard to tell what's more delightful. You can also wander through the hotel itself, which is full of paintings--ranging from poignant countrysides to funny renditions of the Blues Brothers. And cows. But not together.
The waitresses are scattered, tattooed, inattentive, sweaty, very French...and hopelessly charming. You'll wait ... a long time ... for your food and drink, but you won't mind.
Drinks: Start with their signature cocktail. I can't recall the name, but it involves sparkles and apple flavored liqueur or brandy. You'll only need one; then, move on to the house rose, by the carafe. I don't generally drink rose, but when in France in the sunmer, do as the French do.
Unlike most places in France, they are very generous with their carafes of water--if you can get their attention.
Food: Dear sweetness. It was both the best salad and one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. I never thought a salad would crack the top 20, but there you go. Even my boyfriend, who is avowedly anti-salad (and soup, which is a tale for another time) couldn't get enough of (my) meal. I ordered the duck salad. It was very simple: mixed greens, perfect duck confit, homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted potatoes (sliced thin) and a divine vinegarette. That's all she wrote. But through some kind of French alchemy, this humble mix was elevated to the sublime. If I were on death row, and granted one last meal... this would be a serious contender.
I will warn: I'm not sure everything on the menu is this perfect. The BF ordered something centered on jamon, and most of it was left when we finished. But the duck salad...
Bonus: Check out the hotel's gardens--they're gorgeous. We spent well over an hour just walking around. Also, watch the aspiring artists paint behind the hotel. Not everyone's a Monet, but they're good spirited about it.
Extra Bonus: As you head back to Vernon, stop at Au Bon Coin. Sit outside and have a Printemps beer. Walk across the street to the little bakery. Buy some macarons and a fruit pastry. Go back to Au Bon Coin. Eat the sweets with some rose. Love your life.
Au revoir,
The U.E.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Samar
Where: 2100 Ross Ave Dallas, TX 75201
Menu: http://www.samarrestaurant.com/Samar_by_Stephan_Pyles_Lunch_Menu.pdf
What: Work lunch
Scene: Eclectic Moroccan. It's like what would happen if you took an Anthropology store and placed it in Marrakesh.
Drinks: Chai tea. It was a work lunch... I do love their chai though-- not too sweet, not too spicy. I feel like Goldilocks. It's just right.
Food: Please, please. Please. Order the Mussels Escabeche. I'm not going to lie. I wasn't sure what it was, and I didn't want to order it. My friend insisted. But it is a creamy--but not too creamy, sweet, salty taste of heaven. It was delicious hot, when we got it, and it was delicious cold, when we finished it at the end of the meal. (We saved it for the end because it was so good.)
Also delightful: the carmelized orange and endive salad. You're responsible for balancing your own bites, but when you hit it, you knock it out of the park.
The naan and dips were great--try the moutabal with the labne on the exceptional naan.
Less exciting were the tiger prawns and the duck. I've had the prawns before, at dinner, and really enjoyed them. The okra strips taste like a perfect late summer day with grandma, the chutney is sunshine on a plate. But here, the prawns were slightly...off. I'll try again, but only once more. The duck itself was wonderful and flavorful, but it was served with a couscous that tasted disconcertingly like artificially flavored Sunny D.
Bonus: Lunch is surprisingly affordable.
Overall: I love it, for lunch or dinner. Word on the street is that 4 people can get a chef's tasting for $120--and I want to go to there.
Namaste,
The U.E.
Editor's Note: You might be thinking "I don't like Stephen Pyle's. It's very expensive and not that good." Look, I agree. But Samar stands alone, and it stands WELL.
Menu: http://www.samarrestaurant.com/Samar_by_Stephan_Pyles_Lunch_Menu.pdf
What: Work lunch
Scene: Eclectic Moroccan. It's like what would happen if you took an Anthropology store and placed it in Marrakesh.
Drinks: Chai tea. It was a work lunch... I do love their chai though-- not too sweet, not too spicy. I feel like Goldilocks. It's just right.
Food: Please, please. Please. Order the Mussels Escabeche. I'm not going to lie. I wasn't sure what it was, and I didn't want to order it. My friend insisted. But it is a creamy--but not too creamy, sweet, salty taste of heaven. It was delicious hot, when we got it, and it was delicious cold, when we finished it at the end of the meal. (We saved it for the end because it was so good.)
Also delightful: the carmelized orange and endive salad. You're responsible for balancing your own bites, but when you hit it, you knock it out of the park.
The naan and dips were great--try the moutabal with the labne on the exceptional naan.
Less exciting were the tiger prawns and the duck. I've had the prawns before, at dinner, and really enjoyed them. The okra strips taste like a perfect late summer day with grandma, the chutney is sunshine on a plate. But here, the prawns were slightly...off. I'll try again, but only once more. The duck itself was wonderful and flavorful, but it was served with a couscous that tasted disconcertingly like artificially flavored Sunny D.
Bonus: Lunch is surprisingly affordable.
Overall: I love it, for lunch or dinner. Word on the street is that 4 people can get a chef's tasting for $120--and I want to go to there.
Namaste,
The U.E.
Editor's Note: You might be thinking "I don't like Stephen Pyle's. It's very expensive and not that good." Look, I agree. But Samar stands alone, and it stands WELL.
Nonna
Where: 4115 Lomo Alto Drive, Dallas, TX 75219
Menu: It changes, but: http://www.nonnadallas.com/images/menu.pdf
What: Ladies' Night (and the feel is right)
The Scene: Understated class. Soft lighting, spare furnishings, warm brick walls, and high ceilings, great acoustics. A zen by way of Tuscany feel.
The Drinks: The sommelier is your friend here. He has fabulous wines at every price, and he's more than happy to walk you through the menu. We had a good Pinot Nero from Puglia (three bottles, actually!) and an absolutely lovely quartino of Barolo. Mmmmm....
The Food: Largely delicious. We began with a mixed plate: Crostino, carmelized criminis, porcetta, and burrata. I want to lay on a bed of burrata. It's a buttery, creamy style of mozzerella that they make in house. It will rock your socks, promise. We also had a salad of grilled romaine with avocado, pancetta, and parmigiano. It was pleasantly salty and creamy, although it could have stood a bit of bite...maybe some pepper?
Then, we split a white truffle pasta. The pasta is made in house, and had an unmistakable, delightful, homemade toothsomeness. Sadly, the chef was a bit timid with the spices. I think his instincts -- to showcase the fresh truffles -- were fantastic, but it needed salt, pepper, and a bit of nutmeg. But...BUT. Then we had the Waygu short ribs. If short ribs have a Socratic form, it was here. They were gently falling apart, and perfectly flavored. Meaty and earthy, but sophisticated. I would eat them weekly, if my pocketbook allowed.
Bonus: The service. Our waiter was charming, knowledgeable, and magically kept everything perfectly filled. A true delight.
Extra Bonus: Chef Julian. He was making the rounds, and he spent some time with our table. The man knows his food, and his wine, and he's charmingly humble...and talented.
Overall: This is worth saving up for.
Ciao,
the U.E.
Menu: It changes, but: http://www.nonnadallas.com/images/menu.pdf
What: Ladies' Night (and the feel is right)
The Scene: Understated class. Soft lighting, spare furnishings, warm brick walls, and high ceilings, great acoustics. A zen by way of Tuscany feel.
The Drinks: The sommelier is your friend here. He has fabulous wines at every price, and he's more than happy to walk you through the menu. We had a good Pinot Nero from Puglia (three bottles, actually!) and an absolutely lovely quartino of Barolo. Mmmmm....
The Food: Largely delicious. We began with a mixed plate: Crostino, carmelized criminis, porcetta, and burrata. I want to lay on a bed of burrata. It's a buttery, creamy style of mozzerella that they make in house. It will rock your socks, promise. We also had a salad of grilled romaine with avocado, pancetta, and parmigiano. It was pleasantly salty and creamy, although it could have stood a bit of bite...maybe some pepper?
Then, we split a white truffle pasta. The pasta is made in house, and had an unmistakable, delightful, homemade toothsomeness. Sadly, the chef was a bit timid with the spices. I think his instincts -- to showcase the fresh truffles -- were fantastic, but it needed salt, pepper, and a bit of nutmeg. But...BUT. Then we had the Waygu short ribs. If short ribs have a Socratic form, it was here. They were gently falling apart, and perfectly flavored. Meaty and earthy, but sophisticated. I would eat them weekly, if my pocketbook allowed.
Bonus: The service. Our waiter was charming, knowledgeable, and magically kept everything perfectly filled. A true delight.
Extra Bonus: Chef Julian. He was making the rounds, and he spent some time with our table. The man knows his food, and his wine, and he's charmingly humble...and talented.
Overall: This is worth saving up for.
Ciao,
the U.E.
Nosh European Bistro
Where: 4216 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, TX 75219
Menu: http://www.nosheurobistro.com/menu.asp
What: Dinner with a girlfriend
The Scene: Mainly middle to late-middle aged couples and foursomes; bad carpet; cute napkins; very loud; something like an airport lounge; a sommelier pushing hundred dollar bottles of wine on a Tuesday night
The Drinks: We had two bottles of wine: a syrupy pinot noir (Las Perdinas) and a bland Rosso di Montalcino (San Felice)
The Food: I am SO OVER Pat, the food critic from Texas Monthly. She has steered me wrong far too many times, and this time, she goes too far. She gave Nosh a stunning review, so I was very excited to try it...Big mistake. Sorry, dolls, but this place was the pits. I wouldn't even recommend it to someone suffering from ageusia.
The escargot fritters tasted like..."fried." Just like deep fried oil. If I'm being kind, they taste like hush puppies that were fried in the same oil as popcorn shrimp. Uck. We also tried the pates, which were...serviceable. However, the lavash crackers tasted like raw flour, and the accoutrements (even the cornichons!!) were floppy and bland. But...it gets worse.
I hate to do this, but we sent the entrees back. As my dinner companion put it, the "duck confit" tasted like "cafeteria chicken." It was rubbery, grey, and frankly, inedible. I didn't bother to try the sides. We also ordered the pork shoulder, but we got the short ribs. At least, I think it was short ribs. It was really more like a salt lick. But I presume that deer don't really care about the nuances of a dish.
After sending back the entrees, we were still starving so we ordered the hazelnut financier that Pat raved about ... Sorry, it's a blonde brownie. Like, the Betty Crocker kind of blonde brownie. With mocha chocolate chunk Breyers ice cream...
So, now I'm furious, and eating Triscuits. Because despite the eyepopping tab (MINUS the entrees), I'm still hungry...
Bonus: We were free to leave...
Overall: Never again.
Love and (hopefully) happy stomachs,
the U.E.
Author's Note: I know that this review seems harsh, but I really, truly have not been so disappointed in...I don't know how long.
Menu: http://www.nosheurobistro.com/menu.asp
What: Dinner with a girlfriend
The Scene: Mainly middle to late-middle aged couples and foursomes; bad carpet; cute napkins; very loud; something like an airport lounge; a sommelier pushing hundred dollar bottles of wine on a Tuesday night
The Drinks: We had two bottles of wine: a syrupy pinot noir (Las Perdinas) and a bland Rosso di Montalcino (San Felice)
The Food: I am SO OVER Pat, the food critic from Texas Monthly. She has steered me wrong far too many times, and this time, she goes too far. She gave Nosh a stunning review, so I was very excited to try it...Big mistake. Sorry, dolls, but this place was the pits. I wouldn't even recommend it to someone suffering from ageusia.
The escargot fritters tasted like..."fried." Just like deep fried oil. If I'm being kind, they taste like hush puppies that were fried in the same oil as popcorn shrimp. Uck. We also tried the pates, which were...serviceable. However, the lavash crackers tasted like raw flour, and the accoutrements (even the cornichons!!) were floppy and bland. But...it gets worse.
I hate to do this, but we sent the entrees back. As my dinner companion put it, the "duck confit" tasted like "cafeteria chicken." It was rubbery, grey, and frankly, inedible. I didn't bother to try the sides. We also ordered the pork shoulder, but we got the short ribs. At least, I think it was short ribs. It was really more like a salt lick. But I presume that deer don't really care about the nuances of a dish.
After sending back the entrees, we were still starving so we ordered the hazelnut financier that Pat raved about ... Sorry, it's a blonde brownie. Like, the Betty Crocker kind of blonde brownie. With mocha chocolate chunk Breyers ice cream...
So, now I'm furious, and eating Triscuits. Because despite the eyepopping tab (MINUS the entrees), I'm still hungry...
Bonus: We were free to leave...
Overall: Never again.
Love and (hopefully) happy stomachs,
the U.E.
Author's Note: I know that this review seems harsh, but I really, truly have not been so disappointed in...I don't know how long.
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