bettyjoan

I love the idea of putting zest into the crust!!! Will definitely try next time.

I make a pretty big crust (not sure of the exact diameter), so my filling does not come up all the way to the top. And of course, as with any baking, the cooking times are approximate. In my oven, 20 minutes is enough to set things with plenty of jiggle left over.

You're right that it takes a bazillion key limes to get one cup of juice. It's a labor of love!

Last night, made spicy "fried" chicken breasts (marinated in OJ and chili garlic sauce, then rolled in breadcrumbs and baked), saffron rice, and sauteed greens (collards, kale, and rainbow chard). I added a little rice wine vinegar and red pepper flakes to the greens, and it really amped up the flavor.

The greens came from my produce delivery gal, who only brings things that a) are local, are organic, and c) she helps harvest herself. While I am THRILLED to be supporting local farmers, I cannot wait for warmer weather. Greens are about the only things that grow in Georgia in the winter, so I can safely say that I've never eaten this many collards in my life. And I'm a southern girl!

Key lime pie is my most requested dessert, which is funny because it's also the easiest. Make/buy a graham cracker crust, then combine 6 egg yolks, 1 cup of key lime juice, and 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl until it reaches a custard-like consistency. Pour filling mixture into crust; bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (the pie should be set, but it shouldn't be dry--I always like to see a little jiggle left in the middle). Let cool for 30 minutes on a rack, then refrigerate overnight. I like mine totally unadorned--no whipped cream, no nothin'.

As for the juice, I agree with DanielK that you shouldn't use limes other than Key limes, and you definitely shouldn't use the juice that comes in a lime-shaped plastic bottle. However, I find that in a pinch, if you either can't get Key limes or don't have time to juice those little suckers, Nellie and Joe's makes a very respectable 100% key lime juice. I have found it in nearly every supermarket, and it's usually in either the juice aisle or the baking aisle.

Our recent dinner at The French Laundry was perfection in almost every way imaginable. It was worth the hype. It was worth the pricetag. It was worth the transcontinental flight, and the hour-long drive from San Francisco to Yountville. It was worth snaking into my sleekest, classiest dress, even though I knew I'd be busting at its seams by night's end. It was, without a doubt, the most amazing and complete dining experience of my life. Yet, somehow, magically, there was no pretention to be found within its hallowed walls. Here is the menu I enjoyed:

Before the official start of the meal, there were two amuses: a gougere (warm pastry filled with cheese) and the signature "cornets" of salmon tartare and sweet red onion creme fraiche. The former were light, tasty, and a warm and inviting start to our four-hour dining adventure. The latter were mind-blowingly delicate, yet intensely flavorful.

"Oysters and Pearls" - "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and California Sturgeon Caviar. This dish is out of this world. Somehow, the saltiness of the oysters and the caviar combine with the buttery sabayon to transport you to a beautiful French seascape. No ingredient overpowered the dish, which is quite something considering that two of the components are oysters and caviar. Magnificent.

Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm - Cucumber, Radish, Cilantro and Avocado Puree. Compared with the foie gras that was also available for this course (for a $30 upcharge), this salad may seem unremarkable. However, I found it really satisfying and interesting and balanced, particularly each time I got a burst of flavor from a cilantro shoot. The avocado puree was also impressive in its smoothness and intensity.

The bread service was impressive and full of many lovely carby varieties, including mini-baguettes, sourdough, multigrain, and ciabatta. I personally tried the sourdough and the multigrain, and they were both incredible (as were the other choices, according to the peanut gallery). The breads were made even more special and delicious by the availability of salted and unsalted butter, both from small, artisan dairies, and both served at the appropriate temperature.

"Tartare" of Japanese Bluefin Tuna - Sacramento Delta Asparagus, Navel Orange, Perilla and White Sesame. This was one big bowl of concentrated flavor. The tuna practically melted in my mouth, and was really fishy - in a good way. Because it was so rich and velvety, the oranges provided a welcomed acidic punch.

"Beets and Leeks" - Maine Lobster Tail "Pochee au Beurre Doux" with King Richard Leeks, "Pommes Maxim's" and Red Beet Essence. This course was INCREDIBLE. I am still thinking about it, salivating with joy each time I remember the tender, butter-poached lobster'the sweet and oniony leeks (which almost had a consistency like dip) - the beet essence that was exactly that - and the pomme that was the crispiest, most decadent example of a potato chip I've ever tasted. As with each preceding course, the components were delicious on their own, but they reached their peaks when combined as a cohesive whole.

Sauteed Veal Sweetbreads - "Chou-Fleur a la Grenobloise." Absolutely delicious, and perfectly cooked/seasoned.

"Navarin d'Agneu" - Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Rib-Eye with French Laundry Garden Vegetables. I am not normally a huge lamb fan (I'll eat it, but I rarely make a point of ordering it), but this dish was the pinnacle of lamb deliciousness. There were two thick, perfectly cooked (rare to medium rare) slices of meat, accompanied only by their own jus and some colorful, adorable baby vegetables. This course represented, for me, the height of culinary excellence - no frills, no foams, no fancy-shmancy distractions. Just meat, cooked properly, with vegetables.

"Zamorano" - Globe Artichokes, Iberico Ham Croquette, Black Truffle and Mache. This was the cheese course, and I was so very thrilled that we weren't presented with something from the blue family. Instead, we were served a delicious Spanish cheese - it had more bite than a manchego but not as much funkiness as cabrales. I guess it reminded me most of an idiazabal. In any case, yum! The cheese paired beautifully with the artichokes and the ham croquette (which was delicate yet powerful in flavor).

Second bread service included a crusty white bread and a couple of different types of sweet slices (with dried fruit and nuts). I opted for the plain, and I only took a few bites because I was really starting to feel full, but everyone seemed to enjoy their selections.

Andante Dairy Yogurt Sorbet - Cream Scone, Sour Cherry and Black Tea Foam. This was technically the palatte cleanser, but it was like an extra dessert. The sorbet was perfectly creamy and had an amazing yogurty tang, and the sour cherry was the perfect accompaniment.

"Mousse au Chocolat Amedei" - Toasted Cashews, Curry "Arlette" and Gros Michel Banana Ice Cream. This dish was the definition of decadent - rich chocolate mousse, thick banana ice cream, and some wonderful nuttiness from the cashews and the little curry cookie. Even though I was pretty darn full at this point, I was quite tempted to lick the plate.

Mignardises - While I knew that little candies would be part of the end-of-meal service, I had no idea that we were basically in store for two more desserts. First, the server came around with a beautiful silver container full of homemade sweets like meringues, salted caramels, nougatines, pates de fruits, and caramelized macadamia nuts dusted with powdered chocolate. Everything was just wonderful, but the table seemed particularly fond of the macadamia nuts. THEN, the server appeared with a huge tray of homemade truffles - in SIX different flavors (salted caramel, lime, white chocolate yogurt, peanut butter, praline, and one more that I simply don't remember). My sister asked how many she could take, and the server said, "As many as you want!" Music to our ears. Not surprisingly, the truffles were absolutely fabulous - my personal favorite was the white chocolate yogurt, though the lime and salted caramel were also superb.

Throughout the evening, the service was formal, but somehow it felt accessible and friendly rather than stiff and stuffy. We were dining for approximately four hours, but it didn't seem overly drawn out or like there was too much pomp and circumstance. The staff took great care of us, but I didn't get that sense of fakeness and butt-smooching that I've felt at some other restaurants. Just like the food, the service was simultaneously intricate and straightforward.

As we drove away from The French Laundry, full of food and good cheer, it was hard to believe that such a "bucket list" experience had come and gone. Thankfully, everything about the night will remain in my fondest of memories.

Whew. We crammed so much into our short trip to California, it took me a whole week to recover and even THINK about posting. We did go to The French Laundry, and I'll post a menu/report in the Napa thread one of these days, but we also ate at some good places in San Francisco proper.

After our flights landed (at about 10 PM), we were definitely ready for cocktails and snacks. Enter Absinthe, a cool little brasserie in Hayes Valley whose executive chef is Jamie, from this most recent "Top Chef" season. We were too late for full dinner service, but they have a fairly extensive bar menu and a VERY impressive selection of spirits. I opted for the Croque Monsieur (with an added egg, of course), with black forest ham, gruyere, and Dijon mustard. Served with a large green salad, it was a LOT of food for $12.50, and it definitely hit the spot. The house-made hot dog with Guiness mustard, chili ketchup, and sauerkraut, was just fine--but the yogurt-dill potato chips were crunchy, full of flavor, and the star of the plate. The fries were just okay, but the cocktails were all really interesting and tasty. Service was attentive and friendly. Our experience was somewhat marred by our fatigue and the incredibly loud and annoying middle-aged women cackling at the bar, but I still left with a positive impression of the place.

Lunch the next day was dim sum at Yank Sing. We tried a LOT of stuff (which resulted in a LOT of numbers on the bill), with the highlights being the soup dumpings, the pork sticky buns, and the sauteed green beans. I did not care for the chicken feet or the turnip cake, but all of the other offerings (we had a few types of dumplings, spring rolls, and Peking duck) were tasty. The tea was actually surprisingly good as well. Not a cheap lunch outing, but we didn't have to eat for the rest of the day.

I had to get a little bit of regional fast food while I was out west, so we stopped at In 'N Out Burger on our way back into the city after our wine country jaunt. I tell you what, for my money, In 'N Out kicks Five Guys' ass. That was a tasty burger! The fries were just meh (Five Guys does have most joints beat on that count), but I really enjoyed my double double, animal style. The sauces and toppings had lots of flavor, but I could also taste the meat (which was surprisingly non-greasy). And the bun was fresh and soft! I don't know if I would take In 'N Out above Whataburger (tough call), but I'd definitely take it over anything we have here in GA.

Toward the back end of our trip, we had lunch at Monk's Kettle, a cute little joint in the Mission with a great beer selection and an interesting take on bar food. We had wanted to visit on a Friday night, but we were told that it was WAY too small for four people to get in during busy times. It IS really tiny, with a maximum occupancy of no more than 50 or so, but it was lunchtime on a weekday and we practically had the place to ourselves. We started off by sharing a soft pretzel, served with house-made beer cheese sauce (really good) and stone ground mustard; it was a chewy, salty, perfect start to the afternoon. My fiance opted for the grilled chicken sandwich with house-cured pepper bacon, herb aioli, and brie. It was HUGE, but it was so tasty, it disappeared in no time flat. I chose the lamb burger, which came with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and a cucumber tzatziki sauce. YUM. The meat must have had some cinammon in the seasoning mix, as it had a sweet-salty-spicy taste that really wowed me. The fries that came with both sandwiches were excellent--crispy, hot, tender, and well-salted. We really enjoyed our experience, and we had a great time talking to the bartender about the various beer offerings. No wonder this place gets so crowded on the weekends!

On our way back to the airport after a lovely trip, we had to stop for some tacos and burritos in the Mission. Every San Franciscan has his or her preferred Mexican joint, and I find that folks are pretty loyal to their favorites. My sister and her boyfriend swear by Taqueria Cancun. The first time I went, I really didn't enjoy my burrito--I asked for a lot of modifications (my fault), and most of them got screwed up (their fault). This time, I opted for marinated pork "super" tacos, served on corn tortillas and topped with salsa, sour cream, fresh avocado, and cilantro. Much better! The meat was tender, the salsa was spicy, and the balance of flavors was spot-on. I don't usually love corn tortillas, but these were obviously homemade and delicious. What I found was that, unlike a burrito (which can get stuffed in such a way as to segregate ingredients), the taco allowed me to taste every component in each bite. I enjoyed it mucho.

Congrats to Chef for his James Beard award nomination!!!

Just swapping canned tomatoes for fresh won't make that much of a difference. You've got a lot of mild, sweet flavors in your dish and you need some contrast. For more oomph, I'd suggest 1) garlic; 2) red pepper flakes; 3) a little bit of acid in the form of white wine, wine vinegar, or lemon juice; 4) capers; 5) chopped fresh herbs, like basil, Italian parsley and/or rosemary.

Good ideas--I really thought the bitter arugula and the salty cheese would balance out the sweet, but more acid (the tomatoes weren't enough) would probably do the trick. I was actually surprised that the recipe didn't call for garlic, and I almost added some, but I wanted to see what the unadultered version would taste like. I'll know for next time!

When Jason and I visited Serpas on Saturday night (which had only been open for about two weeks at the time), I tried to think of our first meal as merely an introduction.

(For those of you not familiar with the Atlanta scene, Serpas is the name of the chef/owner, who has been a fixture in the local culinary community for quite some time. Most recently, he was the executive chef at TWO urban licks, a restaurant that we have enjoyed on numerous occasions. He also worked with Kevin Rathbun and some other notable names.)

We arrived early for our 8 PM reservation in order to grab a drink at the bar. I absolutely adore the bar space - there are plenty of stools, and it's set up on one side of the restaurant so the servers don't have to walk through a mosh pit of customers in order to deliver food and drinks. As a former waitress, I can definitely appreciate a flow of movement that allows guests and staff alike to have a more comfortable experience. The bartendress was very sweet, and she conversed with us as we drank our Abita Amber and Sweetwater 420 drafts (I was a little bummed that there were only four taps, and one of them was out). Then there was a mix-up with another party, so two free drinks appeared before us - I'm not sure what they call the concoction, but it consisted of sweet tea vodka (!!!), peach schnapps, and not a whole lot else. It was delicious, though you'd have to keep careful track of how many you were downing.

Once we got to our table, we decided to start with some appetizers. Crispy duck rolls with chili syrup and five spice were meaty and full of flavor, though they were also fairly greasy and had a bit too much of the sauce. Texas crab toast with chipotle aioli had great texture, but again the sauce was too much (and this time it was more obvious, as the sweet crabmeat just couldn't hold up). The presentation of both dishes was simple and elegant, though, and we agreed that the concepts and flavors were pretty solid.

We had a lot more appetizers that we wanted to try, so we decided to order two each instead of entrees. Jason opted for the chopped Caesar onion ring tower, which sounded a lot more intriguing than it was. This was my least favorite dish of the night, comprised of a stack of onion rings (which were actually pretty tasty on their own) with some chopped caesar salad in the middle. It was just really heavy, and I'm not the biggest Caesar salad fan to start with, so the components didn't come together well for me. He also ordered the eggplant hushpuppies with blue cheese. The hushpuppies themselves were absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked (I got a bite without any of the blue cheese, and it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside), but again they were oversauced. The blue cheese was more of a dressing than merely crumbles, and Jason felt like it really overpowered the rest of the flavors.

I opted for the flash fried oysters with pickled chiles and mirliton, and the dish was very successful. The breading on the oysters was substantial but not heavy, and the end result wasn't greasy at all. The accompaniments brought out the briny flavor of the bivalves and really created an interesting, delicious dish. I also ordered the shrimp and crab chowder, and it was probably the best thing we ate all night. The texture was creamy but not oppressively so, and you could really taste each individual ingredient. There were large portions of crabmeat and shrimp (the latter of which were just slightly overcooked), and with a little bit of additional salt and/or spice, it would have been perfection in a bowl.

We were too full for dessert, but there were definitely items that intrigued me. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, and you can definitely have a nice night out for a reasonable sum (I think, including our drinks at the bar, we got out for about $100). I found the beer prices to be pretty steep, but except for their reserve list, all bottles of wine are $25 and all glasses are $6.50 - which I think is a great, affordable touch.

While Serpas didn't give me a flawless first impression, it's very early in its journey and I believe that it will continue to develop and improve. It pleased me enough that I want to return, probably in a few months, to see how the restaurant is growing and learning from its inaugural days. If what the bartendress said turns out to be true and they utilize the outdoor space in the warmer weather, I'm sure that Jason and the puppy and I will be frequent visitors.

This past weekend, for the first time in a LONG time, my fiance and I were both in town and not sick. When I started brainstorming about places we could try, my mind kept going back to Craft. I wanted to revisit the restaurant, but I didn't want the formality and expense of the upstairs dining room. Instead, I wanted to put on my nicest pair of jeans, walk into the downstairs area, and see what the experience would be like at the bar. So, that's exactly what we did.

We got there at about 7:30 PM, and most of the Craftbar tables were empty. The bar was full, though, presumably of people waiting for their upstairs reservations. Casey was the main bartender who was taking care of us, but his partner in crime (whose name I cannot recall, sadly) was also available to help us out. They were both amazing - incredibly knowledgable and passionate about the food and drink offerings, honest about what they loved and what they didn't, and friendly without being phony or overbearing. Really, they were a great team.

There was a lot to choose from on the starters menu, so we chose one ourselves (lamb sausages with saffron pickled cauliflower and a yogurt sauce) and went with one of Casey's recommendations (grilled quail with turnips, apples, and smoked bacon). The former was very tasty, with a great salty kick and a nice cool finish thanks to the yogurt. I believe my fiance actually said, "I would have this sausage's baby." The saffron pickled cauliflower made me so very happy - I think I'm going to have to experiment in the kitchen to see if I can recreate that part of the dish. The quail was a little less punchy in terms of flavor (it had a sweeter tinge), but it was cooked absolutely perfectly and had a lot of meat for a little bitty birdie.

For entrees, I opted for the veal ricotta meatballs over papardelle and tomato sauce. The simple, rustic preparation was one of the best dishes I've eaten over the past six months. The pasta was flavorful and impeccably cooked, the sauce was tangy (and not over portioned), and the meatballs were substantial without being heavy. Bravo. Jason ordered the pulled pork, country ham, and swiss cheese panini (with house made mustard and pickles). It was quite tasty - stuffed with piggy goodness, it reminded us of a Cuban, especially since the bread was pressed nicely and had a great crunch.

We were almost too stuffed for dessert, but it was a highlight of our meal upstairs, so we wanted to try one more thing from the sweets menu. We decided to order the s'mores, but Casey saw Jason's disappointment at not being able to order the carrot cake (because I hate it) and decided to bring him a slice on the house (and in the interest of full disclosure, he had already bought him a round earlier in the evening). The s'mores were messy and yummy, just the way s'mores should be. My only complaint was that the marshmallows were a little heavy on the char, but that was a minor quibble. Jason loved the carrot cake, and I even tried it because it didn't have raisins in it (one of my main objections to the dessert). I still didn't like the flavor (too spicy for me), but the texture of the cake was lovely and the cream cheese icing was great. The toasted pecan ice cream that accomanied the dish was amazing - ice creams are definitely one of the strong suits of Craft's pastry chef.

While our Craftbar experience wasn't cheap, I walked out feeling like our money was well spent and that the experience, both food- and service-wise, had lived up to its pricetag. We may still be hesitant to return to Craft (unless someone else is paying), but Craftbar definitely made up for its sibling's missteps and created two loyal fans in the process.

Nonfat organic vanilla yogurt and homemade granola! Yum.

Pasta with arugula, tomatoes, caramelized onions, and lentils. There was some parmesan cheese in there, too. It was tasty, but it was missing a little oomph. Perhaps, in the winter, it would be better to use fire-roasted canned tomatoes instead of fresh.

Hopslam season is so sad here in Atlanta--it looks like Bell's does not currently distribute to Georgia (no wonder, with all of our ridiculous blue laws).

Anyone want to ship me a case? Haha...

Omelette with mushrooms, prosciutto, and herbed goat cheese.

I love breakfast for dinner.

Risotto is one of my favorite things to improvise with, too. As previously mentioned, once you get the basic technique down, you can come up with infinite combinations. I always keep the risotto basics on hand for those "clean out the fridge" nights. I have also found that risotto fritters are a great way to utilize leftovers.

I was riffing on bruschetta the other day and came up with some tasty stuff. I made a "classic" version with the tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, but then I did a Mexican version (hot) and a Greek version. The former had a black bean and corn relish with onions and cilantro, and then I topped it with pepper jack and popped it in the broiler to melt. For the latter, I mashed some chickpeas and mixed them with diced cukes and Greek yogurt. I splashed a little lemon juice on top, and yum. The only thing that would have made it better was maybe a little dill.

This week has been all about soup, since a) I am trying to watch the ol' waistline, and my fiance and I have been trading a nasty cold back and forth.

I made my grandma's famous "Long Island" clam chowder, which turned out better than expected despite not being able to find Quahog clams in any local markets (next time, I'll prepare better and order them in advance). The Littleneck clams that I ended up using are okay, but they don't have as briny of a flavor as the bigger guys, so I had to compensate with more salt. Next time, I'm also going to order some datil peppers from St. Augustine and turn it into a more Minorcan chowder.

I made a lentil soup (one of Martha Stewart's recipes) that also turned out well--really rich and flavorful.

My one soup failure (okay, not failure, but not a rousing success) was a creamy parsnip soup, also from Martha Stewart. It was just...meh. Despite a POUND of leeks and copious additions of salt, it was very bland and one-note. Maybe I'll try it again with some herbs? Garlic? The texture was good, though, thanks to my new blender.

Aw, sad to hear about the stuffed mushrooms--I used to work at Houlihan's, and they were my fave.

Glad you had a good trip to Atlanta! If you do come back in March, send me a message and maybe we can meet up for a meal.

Thanks for asking! I had a great time. Friday night dinner at Proof was spectacular, and I also enjoyed my inaugural (pun intended) trip to Ray's Hell Burger on Sunday night. Saturday afternoon I went to Pizzeria Paradiso, expecting it to be a madhouse, but we were seated immediately and had a great lunch. The rest of the time, we cooked in.

I went to Wonderland Ballroom for my 20-people get-together, and it was pretty darn crowded--but it was fun. And, as luck would have it, only about 5 of my friends actually showed up, the others citing the cold as their reason for wimping out. Amateurs.

We also hit the Reef and Napoleon in Adams Morgan on Saturday night, and while both places were chock full of revelers, everyone was in a really good mood and people were pleasant and understanding of the extra time it was taking to get drink refills. Overall, even though the city got busier and busier as the days wore on, I found that the atmosphere was contagiously joyous.

A successful trip, no doubt. Hope you all had a great weekend, too!

Came all the way from Atlanta to get a Hell Burger, and I was not disappointed. My girlfriend who accompanied me was skeptical at first, but she is now a Ray's convert. I ordered the Soul Burger (with bacon, a cheese I cannot remember, mushrooms and onions, lettuce, and tomato), cooked recommended, and it was the closest thing I've ever found to my dad's backyard burgers--thick, juicy, TASTY (as in, you can taste the meat), and immensely satisfying. I don't know what the buns were like before, but this one handled the patty and the toppings with minimal issues. My friend got a burger with blue cheese, mushrooms, and onions, cooked medium, and she really enjoyed it.

I have to say, I kinda dig that ownership makes policies they believe in and then sticks to them. There are multiple signs that say to order first, THEN get a table (presumably so people who have received their food don't have to eat standing up or have their burger get cold while someone just sits there waiting). Seems simple enough. A large party came in while we were eating, and they kept moaning about how they wanted to sit down while they thought about what they wanted. The manager (???) stood his ground and reminded them that they would take up half the restaurant, and that he'd help them finagle seating once they had ordered. Good for him.

My favorite Atlanta burgers have nothing on Ray's...

I was looking forward to a lot of things during this weekend's visit to DC, and dinner at Proof with the girls was at the top of the list. As I expected, the evening was a great success. My main disappointment was not getting to catch up with Mark! Hope you're feeling better.

We started with a few items from the charcuterie list: the jamon serrano, the speck, and the housemade pate. I focused on the latter, and it was rich and incredibly flavorful. My friends enjoyed the meats as well. We also had two hot appetizers, the pumpkin gnocchi (with sage, spinach, and yummy yummy wild mushrooms) and the pork belly confit. The gnocchi was outstanding, as has been every other seasonal preparation of that dish. The pork belly was tender and flavorful, but the Asian slaw that accompanied it seemed to contain peanuts, so I couldn't really get into the dish as a whole (because I am allergic). I don't remember seeing peanuts in the menu description, as I don't think I would have ordered it if I had, but I certainly could have overlooked it. That's what wine does to ya. ;-)

We split two main courses, the seared scallops and the duck breast. The scallops, in addition to being perfectly cooked, were served with a delicious wasabi-onion emulsion that I would like to buy by the bottle. The duck breast was also impeccably cooked and had an amazing spicy crust. Both plates were practically licked clean. I would definitely order both again.

We ordered the new cookie plate for dessert, and we were pleasantly surprised by the wonderful fruitiness of the strawberry meringues. The salty oatmeal cookie was probably the table favorite, though I also liked the madelines and the chocolate chip cookie. The flavor of the ginger-molasses cookie was intense and would have been delicious at my holiday parties. I like the addition of this menu item, as it is a (seemingly) lighter option and great for sharing.

Our server was great and made some nice wine selections, and the atmosphere was buzzing as usual. I continue to think that prices are appropriate for the quality of the food and wine. Mark, you and your crew are doing an excellent job--so keep up the good work, and if you ever want to branch out into the Atlanta market, I'll be the first in line to invest. Thanks so much for an amazing evening!

I haven't been to Spice Market, but I've heard decent things (not great, not bad). My fiance LOVES South City Kitchen. Ecco is also supposed to be very good in Midtown, and if you're willing to take a quick cab ride, you can be in Inman Park/Virginia Highlands, and there some great places in that neck of the woods (Wisteria immediately comes to mind, as does Rathbun's).

For a more casual meal, if you have time, try to get to the Vortex for a burger. Drool.

Let me know where you ended up!

Fianceés birthday is this week, so I told him to pick any restaurant in Atlanta for dinner on me. After perusing menus and online reviews, he chose Craft Atlanta, the newest of Tom Colicchio's chain of restaurants. The atmosphere as a whole is lovely--lots of wood, warm lighting, and a vibe that is inviting in an accessible yet luxurious way. My only minor complaint is that the tables are a little close together, but we ended up sitting next to some great folks, so it was a minor offense.

We arrived about 20 minutes early and decided to have a cocktail at the bar. A "Tom's Collins" (oh, that clever Colicchio), consisting of Hendricks gin, bitter lemon soda, and cucumber, was refreshing and tasty. Jason's "Sunshine Squeeze," which had vodka, citrus, and ginger, was sweet and tart and well-balanced. The bartendress was very friendly and knew her stuff. After our first round, Jason had a beer and I had a glass of rose brut, and then we settled out our approximately $40 bar tab and journeyed upstairs for the main event.

Our server greeted us fairly quickly and gave us the menu rundown. Bread arrived, and it was pretty good, but the butter was rich, flavorful, AND served at the proper temperature (just a touch colder than room temp). I asked for a bottle of Sancerre, but that prompted the server to make a different recommendation in the same flavor and price range; we trusted him and were quite happy with the result, an Italian white that was dry and acidic while still maintaining a fruity quality. I wish I could remember what it was. I also wish that hadn't been the height of the server's usefulness.

When he returned to take our appetizer orders, we opted for sweetbreads ($17, roasted and served with candied kumquats) and slices of Wagyu tongue torchon, served with pickled jalapenos ($16, I believe). I also asked for one each of the three oysters available that night ($3 per). The oysters came out first, with a lovely mignonette, a few lemon slices, and an adorably teensy tiny bottle of Tabasco (Jason said that when he was in the military, each MRE came with one of those same bottles). The hot appetizers came next, and I recognized the Wagyu, but on the other plate were a few fried dumpling-esque bites and a gelatinous mass. Thinking that I had maybe misunderstood the preparation of the sweetbreads, I took a bite of the jelly. DEFINITELY not sweetbreads--somehow, the waiter heard me order "head cheese." Even though the mistake gave us a chuckle and enabled us to bond with our neighboring table (they were an awesome couple, and we ended up chatting and sharing bites throughout the remainder of the meal), it really was an awful error. I mean, I am STILL talking about how nasty that one bite was. In terms of the other appetizers, the Wagyu was good but not terribly memorable. The sweetbreads, however, were quite possibly the best I've ever had. The outside was perfectly caramelized, and the inside was firm yet tender. And the flavor? Out of this world, especially with the nice touch of sweetness at the end from the fruit. Delicious.

For entrees, Jason ordered the roasted swordfish ($27). He expressed some concern about its preparation to the server, since he wanted to make sure the fish would keep its firm texture without drying out. The server said that they were actually poaching it in olive oil, which sounded like the perfect way to get the desired result. Unfortunately, the server must have misled us a bit, because the dish was quite dry and really didn't seem like it had been poached. It still tasted fine, but I could tell that Jason was a bit disappointed. I opted for the braised beef short ribs with root vegetables ($28), which were absolutely delicious. The meat was tender and flavorful, and it reminded us of the best pot roast we've ever had. Everything is done a la carte, so we also ordered side dishes of cauliflower gratin ($7) and roasted Jerusalem artichokes ($8), both of which were superb.

Sometime in the middle of our meal, we were visited by a favorite waiter from another restaurant, who is now working at Craft and loving it. He gave us recommendations for dessert, and we trusted him wholeheartedly. So, we ordered glazed chocolate cake donuts ($11), roasted bananas ($4), and brown sugar ice cream ($4). The individual items were amazing, but the combination just knocked everything out of the park. It was insanely good, and it managed to be rich and decadent without feeling oppressively so. We tried our neighbor's Valrhona chocolate cake, which was good, but I would order our dessert trio again any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Jason had a glass of 20-year tawny port ($16), and I had coffee with a shot (read: magnum) of Bailey's. Sadly, our server had pretty much abandoned us by then, so when I needed a refill on the coffee he was nowhere to be found. Jason actually had to get up and find a servers assistant to fill my cup.

The server did eventually return to present the check, which I perused only to find that the head cheese was still on the bill. I flagged our server down to alert him to the error, and he fixed it when asked, but I thought it was a pretty careless mistake. It was as if that disgusting stuff was destined to stay in my memory forever, as it just kept inserting itself into our experience. After all was said and done, the total dinner tab, with tip, was $290. So, with our previous rounds at the bar, the whole evening rounded out for just under $350.

I knew Craft was going to be expensive. I have paid similar amounts for other dinners, and I truly believe that an amazing meal is worth that kind of money, as it is an experience for all of the senses. But did Craft live up to its billing? There were some incredibly high points, but there were also some significant flaws, specifically with the service. Craft touts itself as specializing in simple food, but forming an overall opinion has been anything but simple. I think, in the end, that I liked Craft--but I didn't love it. Perhaps with a different waiter, I could have loved it. Unfortunately, without a hefty expense account, I don't think I'll be able to find out anytime soon.

Aw, I didn't realize it hadn't been run (I thought things only made it to On Demand if they had already been aired)! Sorry if I spoiled anything for anyone...

And what's the story about Vietnam?

I just watched the DC episode, too. At first I thought that the CIA agent bit was too long and irrelevant, but I reminded myself that it's a travel show and not JUST a food show. I was ready to hate the stuff about Ben's, but it was done quite well, I think (even though every other DC travel show has covered that place). I loved the impromptu trip to El Pollo Rico! The stuff with Jose Andres was hilarious--that man is just a tad insane, but it is great to see a chef who doesn't take himself too seriously and who seems to really be having fun with the food. The DCCK bit was interesting, and the footage from Eden Center/Falls Church was too, but I kinda wanted to punch Tim Carman in the face. I mean, he sounded like he was lecturing Bourdain about eating ethnic food. Come on, this is a guy who ate warthog rectum in Namibia. I think he gets that you have to be openminded about other cultures and their traditions.

Looking forward to the new No Reservations season!

In between some quickie Trader Joe's meals, I have made a few notable dishes over the past week or so:

"Schnitzel with noodles"--chicken schnitzel with a stovetop mac 'n cheese (both with a good mustardy tang). Yum.

Chicken soup with lemon and orzo--tasted even better after sitting for a day or two, so the flavors could really mingle.

Bacon chipotle twice-baked potatoes--a little too spicy for my liking, but a really zingy side dish. The chicken that went with it was an epic fail, though.

Thanks, qwertyy! My only reservation about Cowgirl is that the potential recipient lives in San Francisco and shops at their Ferry Building location quite frequently. I know he would still appreciate cheese, particularly since he wouldn't be paying for it, but I don't want to give him something he can easily get on his own (this is partially why he's so hard to shop for--if it's food-related and he wants it, he usually just goes out and gets it himself).