Rocker O's

Am trying to be "on vacation" this week, and hence am trying to avoid any heavy lifting when it comes to computers/thinking/etc. Thus, this post will be short: simply to sing the praises of the Drakes Bay oysters -- especially the Louisiana Hot -- at Rocker Oysterfeller's kitchen + saloon in Valley Ford. Chef/owner Brandon has done a great job: awesome setting, different dishes (things you don't see on other menus), and fantastic food. Check em out sometime: Rocker Oysterfeller's. (Oooo, and I almost forgot: $1.00 oyster night every Thursday -- score!)

P.S. Coming soon: my adventures with wild boar sausage and a Napa Valley Vodka tasting....

Vegas in the 70's

So with my Vegas trip postponed (see previous post), I did do a little mini-Vegas on Friday and Saturday: poker with my friends JS and Jimmy Z at both River Rock Casino and the 101 Casino. I played well: three tournaments, two final tables, one victory. Food wise, we went old-school (surprise, surprise) on Friday, eating at the City Limits Restaurant within the 101 Casino. Why is it 'like Vegas in the 70's"? The food is great, focused on beef, and very inexpensive... because they want to take your money gambling!

Anyway, when the City Limits Restaurant first opened, I thought to myself, "No way is this going to work." But it's flourishing. The card players like it and the word has gotten out among the locals how inexpensive it is. I love it. I love the decor and the fact that the staff, led by Food and Bev Director John Timberlake, treat you like they want you to come dine with them. (For my rant on soul-less, plastic hostesses, see my earlier post: Shin-kicking the Hostess.) Check it out. Great food, very well priced... and the card room is only steps away.

Alas, There is No Joy...

...in Every Meal A Feast land, for my Vegas, Baby! trip got cancelled at the last minute, due to my friend J's sudden illness. Oh, well. I'm disappointed, but especially so for J., who is both disappointed AND sick. Oh, well. Perhaps the biggest disappointment may come in a few moments, when I cancel our reservations at the Triple George Grill.

Here, from their web site, is their "Guide to Using Class and Cool as a Catalyst for a Good Time". (The 'Frank' in the last point refers to, of course, well... this is one of those things that, if you don't know, you wouldn't understand even if I told you....)

1. Concentrate on well-roundedness: know your scotch and gin.

2. Be able to tie a good Windsor knot, no matter how many cocktails you’ve had.

3. Don’t complicate tipping with math or percentages. Remember, it’s less a gratuity than it is an investment in above-and-beyond service next time around.

4. Speaking jazz is a password to cool. If you’re not familiar, start with Coltrane.

5. Not sure if you’re the most charming person in the room? Don’t let it stop you from acting like it.

6. Romance tip: Knowing how to flirt is like knowing how to dance—it’s all about getting someone to bend a little without stepping on their toes.

7. If you’re gonna be loud, you’d better be funny.

8. You know that irritating guy you went to college with? Be the opposite of that (see above).

9. Buy a round for everyone. It’ll make your drink taste better, too.

10. Before you call it a night, make sure you’ve covered item #1.

11. Ask yourself: What would Frank do?

Oh, well. I am thus going to splurge this weekend on SOME food and wine experience, drown the sorrows, mask the disappointment, etc. Stay tuned...

LV: Vegas, Baby!

You know you're in Vegas when... you're drinking coffee at 10:30 p.m. and cocktails at 10:30 a.m.

~ BigNightFan, August 2007

Ah, the beginning to this year's Vegas, Baby! trip is now roughly 48-hours away. I am starting to get into serious prep mode: doing laundry; counting bills; (mentally) packing; stocking up on Aleve, grapefruit (for the Vitamin C) and Visine.

For those who would like to take a peak back at my last year's trip, go to my Blog Archive, click on 2007, then click on August. It's all right there: the good, the bad, and the, well, crazy-ness of Vegas. (Here's one of my favorite posts from that time: LV: Craps.)

I go this time a little wiser, a little more... low-key, having played so much poker over the past year. But I know that during that taxi ride from the airport to the hotel (we're going old-school again -- I know, I know: surprise, surprise -- staying at Fremont Street), one of the greatest rushes ever, the adrenaline will start pumping hard, the veins will bulge just a bit, the shirt collar unbuttoned one (or two) more... and it will be Vegas, Baby! all over again. Thinking about it now, I believe one of LV's biggest appeals is not that you can gamble. (Hell, I do that everyday, with my business, my mortgage, etc.). No, I believe that LV's biggest appeal is that the results are so immediate. (Unlike, say, starting a business -- say, a restaurant--which can take months to get up and get going.) No in Vegas, you not only put your money on the table and see what cards are dealt to you, you see them now. Anything can be yours in minutes. Anything. And ThAT is the rush of Vegas -- the infinite succession of now this, now this, now this, now....

Looking for the Big "C"

Perhaps the best thing chefs can do is cook, whenever possible, with heart.

~ Tony Bourdain, The Nasty Bits

Ah, yes, the fantasy rages.... And now, I'm happy (and, admittedly, a bit scared) to say is that others have been swept up, too. You see, I shared my idea with C., a young woman I met while schlepping drinks at Ms. M's (no web site) catering gig. Turns out, C's husband is from Italy... and has a dream of being a chef.... and, having heard about my idea from C, is VERY interested in being my chef.... (And C, of course, would make a GREAT hostess.) And that, of course, is what I need: a chef. You see, I can create a great place, and I can get people to go there--once. But you need a chef to keep those people (a) coming back and (b) telling their friends to go. (Ah, how old fashioned that sounds: 'telling their friends to go.' These days, with Yelp and TripAdvisor and blogs, you not only tell your friends, you tell the all-important Holy Grail-to-business-people OPLY--Other People Like You.) So lets just say that wheels-are-in-motion re: meetings, plans, sample menus. Here, for example, is a report from C re: her husband's culinary 'reach':

There are many dishes specific to that region. Delicious pasta dishes like "orecchiette, salsiccia e funghi" -- orecchiette means 'little ears' I seem to have trouble describing it! (We have been trying to perfect the art of making this pasta! His mother is the queen!) Anyway, so they do this pasta with sausage and cardoncelli mushroom (which is the MOST DELICIOUS mushroom you have ever eaten!) which we don't have here. A situation I plan to remedy!

They also do pasta with "cime di rape" which I have found the translation is turnip greens. I haven't come across them here but I guarantee this dish is delicious. It is sort of like a bitter broccoli. They also do pasta with broccoli, garlic, chili pepper and olive oil.

Simpler dishes would be chick peas in a broth, with rice, a couple tomatoes and garlic and olive oil. It is delicious. You can use cavatellini pasta instead of the rice. They do a similar dish with regular peas and rice. Seems nothing special but were some of my favorites!

Panzerotti: These are sort of what we know as a "calzone" It is a fried dough pocket with cheese and tomato mixed with oregano and a little olive oil. Simple and delicious!

They have special kinds of focaccia that are delicious! They use a lot of lamb's meat in some of the more traditional dishes. He knows some interesting things to do with fish as well! There are many holiday specific dishes that they do around Christmas and Easter and during other such events! Having worked all over Italy together with his passion for cooking he has also picked up on many other regional dishes. He can make delicious risottos, minestrones, and even a great vegetable broth that you can do with little pastas!

To end, a quote from Nietzsche: Live as though the day were here. Ciao. (And please, stay tuned for my coming Vegas jaunt, part 2. IF I hit big there, this might happen VERY QUICKLY. Jimmy Z: I leave Thurs. Think good thoughts for me, man.)

Upcoming Events...

I'm a bit distracted today, with a pending airport run, so will make this short, letting you know about some of the upcoming food and wine-related events happening in and around Every Meal A Feast land here in Sonoma County and the Napa Valley. As always, please check directly with the organization for exact dates, times, costs, etc. Enjoy!

Aug 15-16

Food and Wine Fun at the Sonoma Coast Villa

SC Villa Blog

Aug 29 - 31

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend

SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com or call 800-939-7666

Aug 29 - Sept 1

Slow Food Nation 08 (in San Francisco)

SlowFoodNation.org

Sept 27

A Taste of Petaluma

TasteOfPetaluma.org

The Fantasy Rages: Shine On

The butcher arrives, looking like he woke up under a bridge. I rush downstairs, hot on his heels, to pick up my meat order: a towering stack of milk crates, loaded with plastic-wrapped côtes due boeuf, entrecotes, rumpsteaks, racks of lamb, lamb stew meat, merquez, saucisson de Toulouse, rosette, pork belly, onglets, scraps, meat for tartare, pork tenderloins larded with bacon and garlic, pâtés, rillettes, galatines and chickens.

~ Tony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

My restaurant, of course, will need wine. And since it's my restaurant (well, maybe the concept, anyway), it should have my wine in it, right? Anyway, let's just say that wheels-are-in-motion re: my friends at the Wine Country Inn coming out, in 2009, with their own wine label. How does this work? Do we have to make the wine? No! Let me let you in on a little secret in the wine world, one only spoken about in the most hushed tones: not every winery sells all its wine. There! It's been said in public. (I feel better, somehow.) So what we're doing is talking to several wineries who have, shall we say, extra wine... which they bottle but then don't put their labels on. Later, when they find someone like us, we put our labels on their wine. Viola! Our wine. These unlabeled wine bottles even have their own name: shiners (see pic).

Anyway, Jim and I are now involved in a very intensive exploration, tasting various wines, negotiating prices, etc. In my mind, I'm playing with label concepts, names, the all-important (to me, the marketing guy) story behind the wines, if you will. Things are coming together: spreadsheets, notes scribbled on napkins, and so on. All so that one day when you walk into my restaurant, I can offer you a very small, hand-selected list of wines... including one of our own. Shine on.

Two Words: Vegas and Chocolate

"Like jewelry or perfume. A blend, a shape, a texture. Creating a candy with precision, emotion, and passion. Give yourself the pleasure of gods."

~ Jean-Philippe Maury

My Friday/weekend got off to an awesome start this morning when my friend Debra Newby (an attorney, but we don't hold that against her!) gave me a thank you gift for referring a client to her: a box of very high quality chocolates from famed chef Jean-Philippe Maury, who runs Jean-Philippe Patisserie at the Bellagio, in Las Vegas. Cool! Looks like tonight it'll be some Prager Port and a Cool (fresh mint infused ganache, dark chocolate coated)... or perhaps a Sevillian (orange marzipan, Grand Marnier ganache, dark chocolate coated)... or perhaps... well, you get the idea. Thanks Debra!

P.S. Speaking of LV, my trip to the Big City is now only two weeks away. I'm on a strict sleep and nutrition program, have refilled my vitamins, etc. -- all to build up my reserves, so to speak, for the dash/tear/tremor/tumble through LV town. More of course on this soon....

Ein Grosse Bier, Bitter*

Yes, I have beer on the mind of late. Maybe it's from talking online with Noah, who just opened Barley and Hops Tavern in beautiful downtown (I'm sincere--I love the town) Occidental. Or maybe it's because I just rented and watched In Bruges (which I LOVED), in which roughly 30% of the scenes take place in a Belgium beer pub. Or maybe it's simply the 100+ degree heat...

Anyway, I turned to an old standby this week: Spaten's Optimator. Spaten, of course, is a Munich-based beer maker, making beer in the strict German purity law tradition (the Reinheitsgebot) since 1397. I love the Optimator because of its dark color and flavor: which I call "caramel" but which Spaten calls "roasted malt flavor." The Optimator is a bottom fermented "Dopple-Bock' (whatever that means)... and one of my favorite beers. Anyway, check it out sometime... And N: see you soon.

*A large beer, please

Beer Me... and Tony, Too

Was a great fourth -- warm, a cook-out, swimming, etc. And, of course (with the heat, the cook-out, etc.) some beer. I am disappointed to say, though, that I didn't make it over to the grand opening on July 4 of the new Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental. Noah, the new owner along with his wife, Mir (wtf?), has been keeping a great blog about the renovation (much of which Noah did himself) and the beginning of the beer pub. I have to admit, having restaurant ambitions myself, I'm not sure from a logistical standpoint that Occidental is big enough for another drinking and eating establishment, even if they do serve Really Good Beer. It will be interesting to see what happens. Brew Pubs are a growing thing in Sonoma County, though, as it seems like every city must have one: Russian River Brewing Co. (Santa Rosa), HopMonk Tavern (Sebastopol), Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma), etc. I plan to visit Barley and Hops this week. I will -- I know, I know: surprise, surprise -- let you know my thoughts and impressions. Cheers.

P.S. Oh, yes, by the way: Tonight at 10:00 p.m. on the Travel Channel kicks off the new season of Tony Bourdain's show No Reservations. I'll be on the couch with, well, a beer, so see you there.

P.P.S. O.K., I have to admit, I have another reservation about Barley and Hops. Where's their marketing? I haven't heard or seen one mention of them in the papers, the blogs, etc. If I hadn't of stumbled across them by chance.... It still amazes me how restaurant people pour thousands and thousands of dollars into things (buildings, kitchens, etc.) and then have no money (or don't want to spend any) for marketing. You need the marketing, too!

Simple, Simple, Simple

"Good food is very often, most often, simple food. Some of the best cuisine in the world -- whole roasted fish, Tuscan-style, for instance -- is a matter of three or four ingredients. Just make sure they're good ingredients, fresh ingredients, and then garnish them. How hard is that?

Tony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

I was with A. and MAD last night at my/our favorite haunt, Pizzio's Restaurant, and two things happened that had my mind racing for hours afterwards. One, I told them about my fantasy of opening a restaurant, explained the concept I had in mind. They liked the idea. I mean, they really liked it liked it. I've shared my idea now with a few people, and they all get it. It all makes sense. In other words, my idea doesn't seem completely nuts.

And then Chef Roger blew my mind. We ordered, and Andy brought some bread and some olive oil to dip. Standard stuff (though great). But immediately I noticed that the olive oil didn't have the usual dab of balsamic vinegar. It had what looked like pepper in it. Anyway, I tried it, and WOW -- Zing! Olive oil with pureed garlic and herbs. WOW, WOW, WOW. I immediately dashed into the kitchen to try to get the recipe, but Roger gave me a quick kick in the groin, chased me back to the table with a boning knife. He did come out later to chat, though, and told us how that wonderful concoction of his was born out of necessity. One day he came in to work (as if anyone in the restaurant biz calls it 'work'!) only to learn that... the restaurant had run out of balsamic vinegar. So on the fly, so to speak, he threw this together. The mother of invention. What struck me most was the simplicity... and how any restaurant (i.e., mine) could make an IMMEDIATE and POWERFUL impression on guests with this simple, yet different, wine country recipe.

Anyway, that's it from Every Meal A Feast land. I vaguely remember what we had for dinner. But that olive oil: WOW!