Charlotte and I spent Valentine’s Day in New York City. Valentine’s dinner found us at Morton’s Steakhouse for a pretty prodictable dinner with a good filet and an amazing souffle to top it off. However, I decided to venture out and try some new places for our remaining days in the city.
La Petite Auberge is definitely out of the way and off the beaten path. I discovered this little French gem while waiting on Charlotte to complete her shopping adventures. Having nothing to do but while away my time I began looking for a traditional French restaurant with moderate prices.
Arriving at the restaurant after our walk in the sleet and snow we were welcomed by a warm host who was expecting us and had our table ready. The restaurant probably seats about sixty people at fifteen white tableclothed tables. The walls were constructed of amber-stained pine planks and lent an air of old-worldness to the the place. We elected to get the prix fixe menu at a very reasonable cost of about $25 per person.
The waiter and his assistant were attentive all evening and were most helpful in moving the dinner along at our pace… not too fast. The menu was traditional French… escargot, soup, salad, beef burgundy, duck, rabbit, lamb and the like. After studying the menu we both decided to get escargot for our starter and the confit of duck for our main course. In retrospect we should have ordered two different menus, but not tonight. We also ordered a bottle of Pommard to wash it all down with.
The meal was exceptional. The escargot, served our of it shells, was garlicky and buttered just right. The duck was as good as any I’ve had in Paris. We each got a thigh, leg, breast and wing. Way too much meat, but I was not complaining. The thigh/leg combo was cooked just right with the tender meat falling off the bone. The breast was fried in the same manner and was a little over-down and dry for my liking, but still tasty. The main course was serves with french cut green beans and a wild rice mix. There was desert as well, but I could not eat but a few bits of my chocolate mousse due to being full already.
La Petite Auburge receives my highest recommendation for a traditional and rustic French dinner. If you are looking for a little bit of rural France in the big city, don’t miss out on the opportunity to dine here!
I was happy to visit with my friend, Hermann Weidenger, at his hotel in Ruette, Austria. After a long day of driving and touring the king’s castles, it was good to see a welcoming smile and familiar face.
Hotel Ernberg-Zum Dorfwirt, is located less than twenty minutes from the castle area in Reutte, Austria. All the rooms are decorated in the traditional Tyrolian style with lots of wood paneling and comfy beds covered with warm duvets. There is not a bad room in the hotel, so visit here with confidence.
Hermann’s hotel restaurant is very popular, so you would do well to get a reservation as soon as you arrive in town. Luckily, we obtained a reservation at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night, during the height of the Christmas season. The meal was wonderful! The only negative was the smoke due to Austria not banning smoking inside.
It seemed that beef was the speciality of the evening, so both Charlotte and I ordered it. I had a filet and Charlotte had a T-bone. Both came with vegetables, french fries and plenty of special homemade pepper sauce. The entire dining experience was great, but jet-lag began to catch up with us half-way through dinner. We skipped desert and were sound asleep in bed before eight o’clock!
I’ve been dining at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida, since 1984. On that first visit, it was Roger, a friend and gracious host, who walked my “good buddies” and me through the experience of fine dining. The service, food, wine and desert were amazing. I’ve gone to Bern’s at least once a year since that first visit.
Dining at Bern’s is a experience, one which you must make the main event of the evening. I plan for at least four hours to savor the food and ambiance. Mike was our waiter way back in 1984, and to this day I still request that he be my waiter. He won’t steer you wrong. Mike is very knowledgeable on their wine selections, as well as abreast in making menu suggestions. I’ve tried many cuts of their dry-aged steaks and have come to settle on their chateaubriand most often. Order it medium-rare and it will melt in your mouth! The steak comes with all of the fixings: soup, salad, a potato, fresh veggies and their amazing sauteed carrots all at one fixed price (about $40 per person). The price can rise steeply depending on your taste for beverages other than water, tea, soda and coffee.
Don’t forget to tour the kitchen and wine cellar after your dinner. Then, waddle your way up to the desert room and indulge on a huge selection of sweets, coffee, desert wines and digestifs.
Over the years I have taken many people to Bern’s to dine with me. The table has turned since 1984, for I am now the “wise old man” showing my friends the ins and outs of fine dining at Bern’s. Thanks Roger and Mike for making dining an experience!
This morning, I heard a NPR story featuring three restaurants in Paris. Paris is loaded with restaurants but these places seem to be a good find. All three featured restaurants are owned by the same chef and are located just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower. Next time you are in Paris, check them out and let me know what you think. Here’s the NPR link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114250336
On a recent trip to Ireland my group and I did some shopping at the Saturday morning market in Galway. My friend Chuck and I roamed the market selecting fresh fish and vegetables for our dinner. Here’s the “McGuffin Cooking Show.”
When traveling in Europe, I think half the thrill is experiencing good food and good drink with good friends. Over the years, I’ve developed this uncanny knack for searching out and finding cool little places to eat and drink. My rule is always go for the local stuff. To do that, you’ve often got to get out of your comfort zone, venture sometimes into the unknown, and even be willing to accept embarrassment or ridicule… but the pay-off is most always worth the effort.
Eating in Ireland is a lot different than it used to be. We’ve all heard stories about the Irish living on nothing but potatoes, stew, whiskey, and Guinness, but all that has changed in the last 15 years or so. Now-a-days you can have a traditional “pub grub” experience or a gourmet meal all within 100 meters. Ireland has the fastest growing economy in all the European Union and consequently, many fine restaurants have opened their doors on this formerly poor island in the north Atlantic.
Tonight I’ll confine my comments to traditional pub food. Later, I’ll address the diverse multicultural dining choices that rival anywhere I’ve ever traveled.
PUB GRUB
Earlier in a previous blog entered, I discussed how to get a drink at a pub. Before the pub served only drinks, now it serves food. Traditionally, food is served in a pub from noon to 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. Before and after that, only drinks are sold… HA, go figure. So, you might wonder what is there to eat at a pub in Ireland? I’ll give a rather broad answer based on my extensive pub dining experiences.
There are two types of pubs: those for the locals, and those for the tourists. Sometimes if you are lucky you’ll happen to fall on a mix of the two, but then you’ve got to be very careful not to offend the drunken local patrons (usually men and women in their 60’s). Just keep your cool and take it all in.
Here is a typical pub menu:
Fish and Chips – fried fresh cod and french fries
Irish Stew – lamb and potatoes in a rich broth
Beef and Guinness Pie – chunks of beef, mushrooms, carrots and onions in a rich Guinness and thyme sauce.
Bangers and Mash – pork sausages served with mash potato and onion gravy.
Boiled Bacon and Cabbage – enough said.
Seafood Chowder – usually in a white sauce
Joint of the Day – a roasted delight of beef or pork served with veggies. Although it sounds yucky, it really is tender and tasty. Each pub has its specialty and there is certainly more to every menu, but I think this covers the basic “pub grub” server up in Irish pubs. These meals normally cost no more than 10-12 euro per plate.
Ordering food is different than ordering a drink. Simply walk into the pub (during eating hours), grab a seat and someone will come and take your food order. Often you’ll have to place your drink order at the bar, but even that is changing with the “new” Ireland. Once your order arrives, often from the basement kitchen below, dig in and enjoy.
Here’s a hint… don’t eat too much if you plan to stay for the “trad session” (traditional music) later because then you’ll want to have a pint in your hand and a spring in your step. Too much stew can spoil the experience!! Trust me, I speak from experience.
Many pubs are getting mighty “uppity” in modern-day Ireland. Take the Brazen Head in Dublin for example. This is the oldest pub in Ireland, according to the promotional material. Yet it is loaded with tourists and its dining menu is is filled with so many “gourmet” choices I have a hard time deciding if I’m in a pub or a fine restaurant. Add in the semi-traditional music and you’ve got a tourist trap nightmare.
In my next entry I’ll recommend some of my favorite pubs around Ireland.
-David
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