Culinary Tidbits . . . Meredith Brody, one of the major restaurant critics in San Francisco, has been terminated from SF Weekly. They are searching for a new replacement and there may be a long queue, until applicants find out that for the most part critics are highly underpaid. In the meantime, Matthew Stafford, her predecessor, will temporarily fill her boots. However, under the surface, it might be that the Weekly wanted a change from long-form critical reviews to a more blogger-type, breezy and newsy style.
Meredith Brody, Restaurant Critic, Terminated by SF Weekly – San Francisco
November 4th, 2009Dal Rae Restaurant “Back to the Fifties” – (Pico Rivera), Los Angeles
November 4th, 2009
Contributed by: James Pease, Los Angeles
Dal Rae, Pico Rivera, California
9023 Washington Blvd
Pico Rivera, CA 90660
(562) 949-2444
www.dalrae.com
Opening Hours:Lunch served Monday through Friday 11:30 am – 3 pm.; Dinner served Sunday through Thursday 5 pm – 10 pm;
Friday and Saturday 5 pm – 11 pm.
Valet Parking
Dress Code: Dressy or Smart Casual
Full Bar; Wine List: Mainly California selections
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive
Dal Rae is a “retro” restaurant that abruptly takes you back into the “Fifties” the minute you drive up to the door. Use the parking valet as street parking is not advised due to the uncertainty of the area. Dal Rae is “kitschy” you have to admit, although it has been there for a long time and it was not considered so when it opened in 1958. Things have certainly changed, and even if it maintained its standards, what appeared to be good 50 years ago, may not be the case at present. Whatever the case, the food and service is mainly looked at in a positive light. The main reason to dine there is to sample some dishes that have not been in circulation for many years. They have a separate bar with live music and dancing and they specialize in making a “good” Martini.
This site, Restaurant Dining Critiques.com, specializes in featuring interesting venues, whatever they may be, as long as they fall into one of the following catagories: Dining, Wines, Bars & Clubs, Travel or “Lifestyles”.
Excerpts from these menus show many dishes that no longer exist anywhere else:
LUNCH
Hearts of Romaine 10.95
With Avocado, Maui Onions, Candied Walnuts, Grated Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette
Oysters Rockefeller 15.95
Chopped Bacon, Spinach, Pernod, Parmesan and Hollandaise Sauce
Caesar Salad, Creamy Parmesan Dressing 8.95
with Grilled Chicken, Avocado
Vine Ripened Tomato and Maui Onion 10.75
with old fashioned Grated Blue Cheese Dressing
Shrimp or Crab Louie 22.95
Iceberg, Tomato, Egg, Thousand Island Dressing
Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi (MR) 17.95
Napa Cabbage, Seaweed Salad, Lemon Sesame dressing
Mixed Green or Wedge of Lettuce 6.75
Choice of Dressing: Thousand Island, Ranch, French, House, Blue Cheese, Marinara, or Old Fashioned Grated Bleu Cheese
Original Reuben Sandwich 13.50
Corned Beef, Turkey, Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese
Monte Cristo 12.75
Turkey, Ham and Cheese in Egg Batter
DINNER
Fresh Oysters on the Half Shell 14.95
The Largest Available, World Over
Oysters Rockefeller 15.95
Chopped Bacon, Spinach, Pernod, Parmesan and Hollandaise Sauce
Oscietra Caviar (1 oz) 104.00
Grated egg, Capers, Sour cream, Toasted Points,
and Chilled Shot of Stolichnaya
Lobster Thermidor, Dal Rae 44.00
Over 1 Pound of Lobster Sauteed with Mushrooms and Onions, Cream Sauce, Hollandaise and Parmesan Cheese, Served in the Shell
Frog Legs Saute 26.95
Garlic-Lemon Butter, Caper Sauce, or Provencale
Farmed Raised Abalone (Morro Bay) 52.95
Almadine, Caper Sauce or Lemon Butter
Veal Oscar Seared loin of veal 29.50
Crab Legs, Asparagus and Bearnaise Sauce
Large Veal Chop 45.00
with Morel Mushroom Sauce
Dal Rae Famous Pepper Steak
LA Magazine’s Top 100 Tastes of LA…
“Often Copied, Never Equaled ”
Prime New York 16 oz 46.75
Filet Mignon 14 oz 37.95
Eastern Prime Rib of Beef
Served au Jus with Creamed Horseradish
Petite Cut 32.95
Regular Cut 37.95
Diamond Jim Cut 44.00
Poor Man’s Pepper Steak 17.50
Fresh Ground Sirloin with Our Pepper Sauce
Porterhouse Steak bone-in (24 oz) 54.00
The best of both worlds, New York and Filet Mignon
Steak Diane, Prepared at Table
34.95 per person
Chateaubriand, Bouquetiere, Bearnaise
37.95 per person
DESSERT
Bread Pudding (Allow 15 min) 7.95
with sundried cherries & Dal Rae caramel whiskey sauce
Crème Brulé 7.95
plain or with fresh raspberries
New York Style Cheesecake 7.50
with fresh berries 8.95
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Berries 7.95
served in a lace cookie
Warm Apple Cobbler 8.95
with Vanilla Ice Cream. (Allow 15 min.)
Strawberries Loaded with Grand Marnier 10.50
with Gold Brick chocolate and fresh whipped cream
Gold Brick Sundae (served in a lace cookie) 6.95
Chocolate or Grand Marnier Souffle (Allow 30 min) 10.50
with Chocolate Sause or Creme Anglaise and Fresh Whipped Cream
Prepared Tableside
Banana Flambé for two 8.50 per person
Cherries Jubilee for two 8.50 per person
Grand Marnier Supreme 10.50
Chocolate ice cream, raspberry sherbert hand whipped with Grand Marnier
Dal Rae Fresh Kirsch 9.50
Fresh fruit with Kirschwasser & French Cointreau & served over raspberry sherbert
Spanish Wine Tasting at The Bangkok Club presided over by H.E. Mr. Ignacio Sagaz, Ambassador of the Spanish Embassy – Bangkok
November 2nd, 2009
On the occasion of the “October Spanish Wine Event & Introduction” Maison du Vins S.A. and The Bangkok Club request the pleasure of your company at a reception on Friday 30th October, 2009
H.E. Mr. Ignacio Sagaz & Madam Aurora Sagaz, Ambassador of the Spanish Embassy, presided over the event.
The following wines were presented for tasting:
JUVE Y CAMPS
BODEGAS VALDUERO
BODEGAS RIOJA VEGA
Putahracsa Resort, Boutique Hotel & Spa – Hua Hin
November 2nd, 2009
22/65 Nahb Kaehat Rd.
Hua Hin Prachaub
Kirikhan 77110
Tel. +66 (0) 32 531-470
Fax. +66 (0) 332 531-488
www.putahracsa.com
Velvadi Sritrairatana, the present owner of Putahracsa Resort, inherited her grandmother’s property from her mother, a well-known Thai stage actress, who bestowed it upon her to manage. She has turned it into a beautiful boutique resort with the help of her husband, interior designer, Viboon Techakalayatum, owner of Design Scene Co. Ltd.
The exterior design is marvelous with its stark-white, thatch-roofed buildings and villas contrasting with the well tended, lush green foliage and deep blue, free-form swimming pools, interspersed with over-sized white umbrellas and king-sized pool chaise longues.
The property extends on both sides of the road with villas surrounding each of the three pools and a beach restaurant on the seaward side directly facing the beach. On the other side of the road is the lobby, another restaurant and two additional pools. Another added touch, is a network of Bose speakers that sprout out of the ground like giant mushrooms and blanket the entire property with soothing, rhythmic sounds that neither disturb nor are they too faint to hear. Well done!
The restaurant at the beach offers a well put together menu featuring a few Thai and International dishes; the few that I sampled were all deftly executed and the cocktails properly made. They have a properly-selected wine list and even the house wines chosen by the management were agreeably good.
The Hotel Manager, Franck Rodriguez, personally escorted us to the beach restaurant on our arrival and was very helpful throughout our stay. I would, and will, without hesitation return to Putahracsa Resort, a lovely and well-managed boutique hotel.
Fattoria Mancini Wine Makers Dinner at SPQR, Tuesday November 3, 2009 – San Francisco
October 29th, 2009
SPQR Restaurant
1911 Fillmore St.
San Francisco, California 94115
SPQR is delighted to welcome you to our first wine makers dinner on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 as we celebrate the wonderful wines of Fattoria Mancini from Le Marche. Luigi Mancini, will be present at SPQR to talk about his wine and he will be hand carrying his acclaimed red wine ‘Blu’ made from the rare local grape Ancellotta.
Mancini’s steep, coastal vineyards are located in the Parco Naturale del Monte San Bartolo, in the far north of the Marche region and a few kilometers from the city of Pesaro, and merely a few hundred meters from the shore. On these hills overlooking the Adriatic Sea, a cool microclimate and loamy soils–originating from calcareous sandstone– allow Mancini to obtain wines of structure, which maintain their depth, freshness and elegance. Luigi Mancini continues his heritage of five generations of winemakers and the production of Pinot Noir which was originally brought to the Marche in the early nineteenth century by the Emperor Napoleon. Mancini has been prized for their incredible, exotic production of a Pinot Noir vinified as a white wine the ‘Impero’, for the past thirty years. What a wonderful match for the incredible seafood of the Adriatic! Other indigenous grapes Mancini has revitalized include the Ancellotta (a deep colored red grape) and Albanella (a white grape) which are typical and exclusive of the Pesaro area of Marche.
Chef Matthew Accarrino will offer an additional menu along with our daily menu of a la carte dishes to pair with each of wines which we will offer in 3 ounce tastes, by the glass, half bottle carafe and bottles. We hope you will be able to join us.
Please make reservations on line at www.spqrsf.com
Saluti!!
BarSu, Oct 29, 2009 Sheraton Grande Hotel Sukhumvit – Bangkok
October 28th, 2009
The Australian Pub & BBQ, Wine Tasting, Oct 29, 2009 – Bangkok
October 28th, 2009
Diplomat Bar, Conrad Hotel – Bangkok
October 28th, 2009
87-3 Wireless Road, Nonthaburi
Tel. +66 2 6909999
Attire: Smart Casual
Opening Hours:
Mon.-Thurs.: 10:00AM to 01:00AM
Fri. & Sat.: 10:00AM to 02:00AM
Sun: 10:00AM to 1:00AM
Happy Hours: Buy 1 Get 1 Free from 4:00pm-6:00pm; Longest Friday Happy Hour: Buy 1 Get 1 Free from 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Afternoon Tea: 2:30pm-5:30pm
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate-Expensive
A comfortable bar room in the midst of Bangkok’s embassy row. Over the years it consistently attracts a mixed crowd of business and embassy people both expat and Thai. The room’s modern and contemporary look is enhanced by touches of Thai design. The adroit placement of back-lighting behind artifacts and decorations along with the use of silk upholstery in soft tones, make the room appealing as well as comfortable; quality acoustics combined with a top jazz singer, performing every night except Sundays, make this a very satisfying experience.
Valentino & Vin Bar, Open in Derek Hotel – Houston
October 27th, 2009
Valentino & Vin Bar Houston
Hotel Derek, 2525 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027
For Reservations call: 713-850-9200
http://www.valentinorestaurant.com
Opening Hours: The Bistro at Valentino serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The fine dining room opens at 5:00 p.m. nightly and is available during the day for private functions seven days a week.
Complimentary valet parking
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate – Expensive
Expect Piero Selvaggio, founder of Valentino, and partner and Executive Chef Luciano Pellegrini to present as many daily specials amalgamating local produce and specialties as possible. These will take the form of innovative dishes on a small plate or “primi” format and an ever-changing array of assorted cold crudo at the Italian raw bar; you might say similar to Italian sashimi. Selvaggio and Pellegrini love to experiment with food, fusing authentic Italian cooking with the best that local food markets have to offer. And, this is Houston after all, so no menu would be complete without beef—Italian style, of course. Try Pellegrini’s favorite baby back ribs cooked slowly in a smoker and basted with an original Tuscan barbecue sauce.
Sebastiano Mazzucato, a veteran of the Houston dining scene, a charming and hospitable Italian who is experienced at handling the front of the house, has been chosen to serve as “Direttore” for the new Valentino Houston at the Hotel Derek.
Following is an interesting menu, their rendition of “Italian Sashimi”:
CRUDO BAR
ITALIAN SASHIMI
CHEFS DAILY PICK
TWO FOR $8.5-FOUR FOR $16.5-SIX FOR $25
VIN COTTO AHI TUNA, RADISH
$4.5
PASSION FRUIT WHITE TUNA, FENNEL
$4.5
RED SNAPPER, LEMON AIOLI
$4.5
GREEN APPLE SCALLOP, APPLE TARTARE
$4.5
BLOOD ORANGE LOBSTER TAIL, BABY ARUGULA
$MK
RASPBERRY VINEGAR OYSTERS, MICRO MUSTARD
$MK
SOUR GRAPE TASMANIAN SALMON
$4.5
CARPACCIO
SMOKED SWORDFISH, LEMON SAUCE
$5
STURGEON, CREN AIOLI
$5
BEEF CIPRIANI
$5
VENISON, MIXED BERRiES RAGU
$5
TARTARE
TUNA AGRUMATO, CAPERS & SHALLOTS
$7
BLUE MARLIN, WATERCRESS & GRAPEFRUIT
$7
WAGYU BEEF THE TRADITIONAL WAY
$9
SPICY SCALLOP WITH CUCUMBER
$7
EXECUTIVE CHEF:
CUNNINGHAME WEST
The Valentino Restaurant Group has under its umbrella: Valentino, the flagship restaurant founded in Santa Monica in 1972 by restaurateur Piero Selvaggio. Following this success, Selvaggio opened Valentino Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel in 1999 and Giorgio, in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in 2004. He now has just opened Valentino Houston and Vin Bar in Houston’s chic Hotel Derek.
Brown Sugar Jazz Club – Bangkok
October 26th, 2009
Brown Sugar The Jazz Boutique
469 Phrasumen Rd. Banglumpoo
Bangkok, Thailand.
+66894991378, +66818057759
http://www.brownsugarbangkok.com
http://www.facebook.com/brownsugarbangkok
Brown Sugar has moved to its new location above.
Since 1985 Brown Sugar, although the old location was a shophouse with a minuscule stage, has been graced by some formidable jazz musicians both local and international. It has now moved to a new location on 469 Phrasumen Rd. Banglumpoo, Bangkok. They have to compete with other jazz venues in the large hotels who bring in top international jazz names. The music is good at Brown Sugar and you probably will enjoy it.
