Archive for November, 2008

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Le Bistrot Paul Bert – Paris

Monday, November 17th, 2008

18, rue Paul Bert, Paris 11th
Tel. 01 43 72 24 01
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday
Closed: August
Credit Cards: MC, Visa
prix fixe: lunch 16€-32€, dinner 32€
Prices: Moderate

Le Bistrot Paul Bert hidden on a small street that branches off another small street is a true Parisian bistro usually noisy although fun and vivacious. The congenial owner Bertrand Auboyneau moves around the dining room engaging his customers in conversation.
The entrecôte frites was as expected, an excellent example of the bistro classic, the steak that was ordered rare, proved to be bit al dente although the meaty flavors jumped right out at you.  The same management operates L’Ecailler du Bistrot another bistro serving all manner of fish dishes at inexpensive prices directly adjacent to Paul Bert.

If you order the 32 € prix fixe dinner menu it gives you a choice to choose almost every dish listed on the menu with only the most expensive items bearing a surcharge. It should be mentioned that Paul Bert has a well-chosen wine list to compliment the menu.

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Le Clou – Paris

Sunday, November 16th, 2008


132, rue Cardinet – Paris 75017
Tel : 01 42 27 36 78
Fax : 01 42 27 89 96
Subway : Malesherbes – Villiers
Opening Hours :
Lunch : Tuesday-Friday
Dinner : Monday-Saturday
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate

For traditional bistro fare, try Christian Leclou’s 50-seat Le Clou in the 17th Arrondissement. The three-course menu is on offer at 32 euros and is really a bargain considering the quality of the ingredients and the deft hands that are cooking.  Specializing in seasonal dishes from the Poitou-Charentes region in central-west France, a blood sausage or home-made foie gras is usually on hand and may be sampled on most days.

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Mangia Mangia Pasta Cafe – Key West, Florida

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

Mangia Mangia (Pasta Cafe)  Mangia Mangia
900 Southard Street,
Key West, Florida
Tel. (305) 294-2469
Website: http://www.mangia-mangia.com/
Opening Hours: Dinner 5:30 – 10 p.m. nightly.
Prices: Inexpensive

Mangia Mangia Pasta Cafe in Old Town Key West is located in a perfectly restored corner building with a wrap-around balcony and peaked roof, the restaurant is open every evening serving fresh pasta and other Italian fare. The pasta is made on premises as well as the sauces; and they have quite a variety to choose from. You may sit inside (cooler), or in the beautiful patio in the garden in back of the building surrounded by tropical foliage.
The wine list is well rounded with good selections in all price categories.
A few of the more interesting selections from the menu:
Broccoli Rabe – sauteed in olive oil, garlic, chopped tomatoes and a dash of red pepper flakes
Conch Minestrone – red chowder with kidney beans, fresh pasta, topped with grated Tomano Pecorino
Mostaciolli with Broccoli Rabe – wild broccoli rabe flash-sauteed in olive oil with garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped tomatoes and grilled sausage and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese

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Two Classic Tropical Cocktail Recipes from Two Famous Mixologists – Don the Beachcomber & Vic Bergeron (Trader Vic)

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

The Mai Tai was concocted by Trader Vic in 1944 and according to him, it was named as a result of the satisfaction expressed by two of his friends who first sampled his invention and then said, “Mai Tai Roa Ae”, which in Tahitian means “Out of the World . . . the Best.”

Mai Tai

To build this drink:
Fill a double Old Fashioned Glass (15 ounces) with shaved ice
1 1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz Orange Curacao
1/2 oz candy syrup
1/2 oz Orgeat (essential)
1 oz dark Jamaican rum
1 oz Martinique rum
Hand shake in glass shaker
Decorate with half lime shell, fresh mint, and fruit stick (usually fresh pineapple)

Navy Grog

Navy Grog

This drink came about thanks to Don the Beachcomber who opened on McCadden Place in Hollywood in 1934. This is my favorite tropical drink due mainly to its relative dryness compared to other exotic cocktails.

Fill a double Old Fashioned glass with shaved or cracked ice
1 1/2 oz dark Demerara rum from Guyana or dark *Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti
1 1/2 oz light rum
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 orange juice
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz guava nectar
1/4 oz Falernum
Decorate with mint sprigs, lime shell and a sugar swizzle stick

*Rhum Barbancourt is a superior premium dark rum distilled twice in copper pot stills. It is then barrel aged in white oak barrels. Unlike other Caribbean rums, Barbancourt is made directly from sugar cane juice, pressed from hand-cut locally grown cane then aged for 8 years.

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Bruno Jamais Restaurant & Club – Two Recent Events – New York City

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Bruno Jamais Restaurant & Club
24 East 81st Street
New York, NY 10028
Tel. 212-396-3444
http://www.brunojamais.com

On November 6th the 5th year anniversary party of Bruno Jamais Restaurant & Club at 24 East 81st Street was given in conjunction with Katherine M. Rothman, CEO of KMR Communications.  The event was attended by hundreds of media, dignitaries, socialites, and event planners. The restaurant was transformed into an art gallery for the evening featuring the works of famed French Artist Cyrille Margarit.

Recently Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club in New York and PR firm KMR Communications, Inc hosted the launch of Lokah Music’s “The Ivy Ceiling” CD featuring the talented artists Michael and Uma.
Celebrities at the event included:
Sting, who arrived with his wife Trudie Styler. . .

legendary recording bis producer Russell Simmons . . . cast members of Bravo TV’s “The Real Housewives of New York”: Countess Lu Ann De Lesseps, Jill and Bobby Zarin, Ramona and Mario Singer, Alex Mc Cord and Simon Van Kempen, and the newest addition to the show, Kelly Killoren Bensimon. . .

Cruiserweight boxing Champion BJ Flores was also in attendance.

Over 500 members of the media enjoyed the event and per Sting’s request, guests were served only vegetarian canapés and the champagne flowed endlessly. Upon Sting’s arrival, a usual blasé media crowd went wild, and three security guards had to be called in to shield him from the throng of paparazzi. This evening was a precursor to a special night for Sting.


The following evening was his last public performance ever with the Police. Proceeds from a raffle benefited PETA, one of Sting’s favorite charities. Sample tracks of “The Ivy Ceiling” can be heard at www.lokahmusic.com  Information on Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club can be found at www.brunojamais.com

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Nobu Matsuhisa – Global Sushi Expansion

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

Nobu Matsuhisa has built an empire of Japanese restaurants beginning in the United States and branching out over three continents along with his current partners Robert De Niro, Meir Teper and Richard Notar.
His training included working at a well-known sushi bar in Tokyo before traveling to Peru where he opened a sushi bar and found that his classic training in sushi was put to the test by his discovery of entirely new ingredients, and he responded with originating some very innovative new styles of serving raw fish. He opened his first sushi restaurant in the United States in Beverly Hills in 1987 and in 1994 opened Nobu in New York City with actor Robert De Niro and restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Presently, he is expanding his global-network of Japanese sushi restaurants internationally with his current partners.

I dined many times at his first restaurant in Beverly Hills on La Cienega Boulevard and quite often when it first opened, as I was living in the area. When I moved to the West Side of Los Angeles I did not go as frequently, although I recall the time that we brought a Japanese monk to dine there with a couple of Japanese friends, he was dressed in a pure silk robe the size of a horse-blanket and he weighed almost 400 lbs., we sat at the sushi bar and as the meal drew to a close the monk told the sushi man, “make four tuna hand rolls”. The sushi man politely asked, “who are these for sir”? “For me”, he said firmly. The sushi man watched in amazement as the monk ate the large cone shaped hand-rolls one by one, and this, after consuming a great quantity of food just previously. Although, he was a huge man after all!

Following are locations and information on branches as of 2008:

USA

Beverly Hills
129 N. La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Tel: 310-659-9639
Fax: 310-659-0492
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 10:15

Los Angeles
903 North La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Tel. 310-657-5711
Fax. 310-657-4299
Hours:
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 6 – 11:15
Friday – Saturday 6 – Midnight
Bar: Monday – Thursday 5:30 – 11:15
Bar: Friday – Saturday 5:30 – Midnight
Bar: Sunday 5:30 – 10:15

Malibu
3835 Cross Creek Road #18A
Malibu, CA 90265
Tel: 310-317-9140
Fax: 310-317-9136
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 5:45 – 10:00
Friday – Saturday 5:45 – 11:00

Aspen
303 East Main St.
Aspen, CO 81611
Tel: 970-544-6628
Fax: 970-544-6630
Opening hours changes seasonally

Las Vegas
Hard Rock Hotel
4455 Paradise Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel : 702-693-5090
Fax: 702-693-5091
Hours: Daily 6 – 11:15

Miami Beach
Shore Club
1901 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel : 305-695-3232
Fax: 305-695-3246
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 7:00 – 12:00am
Friday & Saturday 7:00 – 1:00am
Sunday 7:00 – 11:00

New York City

Nobu New York City
105 Hudson
New York, NY 10013
Tel : 212-219-0500
Fax: 212-219-1441
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 10:15

Nobu Next Door
105 Hudson
New York, NY 10013
Tel : 212-334-4445
Fax: 212-334-0044
Hours:
Monday – Thursday (Dinner) 5:45 – 12:00am
Friday & Saturday (Dinner) 5:45 – 1:00am
Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 11:00

Nobu Fifty Seven
40 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Tel : 212-757-3000
Fax: 212-757-6330
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 11:15

HAWAII

Nobu Waikiki
Waikiki Parc Hotel
2233 Helumoa Road
Honolulu, HI 96815
Tel : 808-237-6999
Fax : 808-237-6990
Hours:
Daily 5:30 – 11:00

DALLAS
Hotel Crescent Court
400 Crescent Court
Dallas, TX 75201
Tel : 214-252-7000
Fax: 214-252-7001
Hours:
Sunday 6:00 – 10:00
Monday Friday 6:00 – 11:00
Saturday 5:30 – 11:00

INTERNATIONAL

NOBU LONDON
The Metropolitan Hotel
19 Old Park Lane
London, W1Y 4LB, U.K.
Tel : +44-20-7447-4747
Fax: +44-20-7447-4749
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 2:15
Saturday – Sunday (Lunch) 12:30 – 2:30
Monday – Friday (Dinner) 6:00 – 10:15
Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:15
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:45

NOBU BERKELEY ST.
15 Berkeley St.
London, W1J 8DY, U.K.
Tel : 011-44-20-7290-9222
Fax: 011-44-20-7290-9223
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:15
Monday – Wednesday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00
Thursday – Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 12:00
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:15

UBON by NOBU (CLOSED)
34 Westferry Circus
Canary Wharf
London, E14 8RR, U.K.
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
TBA

NOBU TOKYO
4-1-28 Toranomon, Minato-ku,
Toranomon Towers 1st  Fl.
Tokyo, 105-0001 Japan
Tel : +81-(0)3-5733-0070
Fax: +81-(0)3-5733-0065
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:30 – 3:00
Monday – Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:30
Sunday & Holiday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 2:15
Saturday – Sunday (Lunch) 12:30 – 2:30
Monday – Friday (Dinner) 6:00 – 10:15
Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:15
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:45

NOBU MILANO
20121 Milano, ITALY
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
Hours:
Monday – Saturday (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:30
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 7:00 – 11:30

MATSUHISA ATHENS
Reception-Reservations: 210-8960510

Fax: 210-8962520

contact@matsuhisaathens.com

MATSUHISA MYKONOS
Belvederc Hotel
School of Fine Arts District,
84600 Mykonos, GREECE
Tel : +30-22890-27362
Fax: +30-22890-25126
Hours:
Daily 8:00pm – 1:30am
Open Seasonally

NOBU INTERCONTINENTAL
NOBU HONG KONG
18 Salisbury Road.
Kowloon Hong Kong
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
Hours:
Daily (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:30
Daily (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00

NOBU MELBOURNE
Crown Melbourne Australia
8 Whiteman Street
Southbank Vic 3006
Australia

Nobu México City
Arcos Bosques
Paseo de Tamarindos No. 90-21A, P.B.
Col. Bosques de las Lomas, C.P.05120, Cuajimalpa México, D.F.
Tel: (55) 9135-0060 Fax: (55) 9135-0063
www.noburestaurants.com.mx
Cuisine: New Style Japanese
Hours of operation: Monday – Wednesday 1:00 p.m. – 11:15 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 1: 15 a.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 7: 15 p.m.
Credit Cards: American Express, Visa, Master Card, Discover

Executive Chef / Owner: Nobu Matsuhisa
Owners: Robert De Niro, Meir Teper, Richard Notar
Worldwide Director of Operations: Luis DeCasas
Director of Operations: Eduardo Zepeda
General Manager: Francis Ramírez Mishaan
Assistant Manager: Mario Zurita Tapia
Assistant Manager: Melina Casco Casal
Head Chef: Jorge Arturo Mijangos Euan
Sushi Chef: Kobayashi
Date Opened: June 1, 2009
Architect: David Rockwell
Directions:
From Downtown: Take Reforma Avenue, exit in Bosque de la Reforma. Turn left on roundabout and follow “Paseo de los Ahuehuetes Sur” avenue, after 5 minutes you’ll see Arcos Bosques on your left.
From Constituyentes Avenue: Take México-Toluca free highway, exit in “Paseo de las Lilas” turn to the left on “Bosque de Alisos” street, Arcos Bosques is located on your left.

Nobu Cape Town, South Africa

Dock Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town 8001, South Africa
PO Box 51289, Waterfront
Cape Town 8002, South Africa
Resort telephone + 27 21 431 5888

Nobu Moscow
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
B. DMITROVKA STREET, 20
TEL: +7.495.645.3191
FAX: +7.495.629.5932
Reservation highly recommended. Please make reservations by phone only. Phone number is +7.495.645.3191

Cuisine: new style Japanese cuisine with South American and Western influences.

LUNCH 1:00pm – 6:00pm
DINNER
Sunday – Wednesday 6:00pm – 11:30pm
Thuesday – Saturday 6:00pm – 11:45pm
LOUNGE BAR
Sunday – Wednesday 1:00pm – 11:30pm
Thuesday – Saturday 1:00pm – 11:45pm

Bank Cards: Visa, Master Card, American Express.

Palm Jumeirah
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel. +971.4.426.0000
The Avenues
Opening hours:     Lunch     Fri 12.00pm to 3.00pm
Dinner: Sat-Wed 7.00pm to 11.30pm; Thurs, Fri and eve of Public Holidays 7.00pm to 12.00am
Bar: 6.00pm to 1.00am
Dress Code: Smart Casual

World-renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa continues to redefine Japanese cuisine in a contemporary space that mixes traditional and modern Japanese elements. At Atlantis, Nobu infuses his cutting edge style with Arabian influences to create a distinctly urban experience. Incorporating Nobu’s signature dishes as well as new surprises, the menu is complemented by a sushi bar and sake lounge.

NOBU ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS
Tel. 242 363 3000
ext. 65301 Reservations Dinner
ext. 65383 Nobu Restaurant

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Chita Ramen Yutaka-Tei – Bangkok

Friday, November 7th, 2008

Chita Ramen Yutaka-Tei – Japanese Ramen Restaurant
GFI. Terminal, 2/17-19 Soi 24, Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok
Tel. no telephone
Opening Hours: M-F- 11:30-22:30, Sat, Sun Holidays 11:30-21:30
Credit Cards: no credit cards
Prices: Inexpensive

Located in a simple shop next to the car park of The Emporium Shopping Mall on Sukhumvit Soi 24. All ingredients for the noodles come from Japan and the stock is properly made over 20 hours and the entire dish is clean and light. A regular bowl of ramen is 170 baht nett and ranges to 280 baht nett. The recipe for the ramen comes from Aichi Prefecture on the Chita peninsula in Japan. Pork is double cooked and marinated in special soy sauce.

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Escoffier Dinner, Pacific City Club – Bangkok

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

The evening’s event, “A Celebration in honor of Auguste Escoffier”, got off to a good start as guests mingled in the club’s main drawing room as they sipped a refreshing Gutswein Scheurebe Troken, Wittmann, Rheinhessen with enough acidity to balance the intense fruitiness of this German white wine or a red  Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Rene Lequin 2004.

After moving upstairs to the dining room, Peter Brongers, President of Escoffier Thailand Chapter introduced special guest Chef Robert Fontana, the President of Escoffier Greater China, as soon as all attending epicureans were seated, and following this, both gentlemen had a few words to say about the Escoffier Association.

Particularly interesting on Pacific City Club resident Chef Denis Lartigue‘s menu for the evening was the 1st course; a combination, put together in three mini-portions, of warm veal tongue, duck foie gras and spicy pork belly and lentils; next to follow, a light broth of Fine de Claire oysters, black truffle and braised celery; 3rd course filet of line caught sea bass steamed in a Varech seaweed stock and finished with a beurre Nantais.
A rose and cumin granite cleaned the palate and paved the way for the main course; Pigeon from Anjou, France caramelized with spices, which was followed by an interesting preparation of Roquefort cheese Bavarois enhanced with vanilla bean; the dinner finished with the dessert course, apple cider tart tatin with hydromel & lavender ice cream and caramel with fleur de sel.

Gastronomic products donated by Classic Fine Foods, Wines by Fin.



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Edison Bar & Lounge – Los Angeles

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008

108 West 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel. (213) 613-0000
Opening Hours: Wed-Fri 5:00pm-2:00am
Sat 6:00pm-2:00am
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate-Expensive

If you have had enough of makeovers of huge industrial complexes transformed into frenzied nightspots, and there are many around the world, than this is not the place to spend your time after dark. Although, if you appreciate the planning and effort of the individuals involved, spearheaded by Andrew Meieran (Mercury Liquors), to maintain the original structure of the Edison Power Plant (the first building to have electricity in Los Angeles) as it was, wherever possible and still windup with a reasonably comfortable space, sprinkled with old Edison Company murals and touches of art deco here and there.
The target market for this venue—bar, lounge, music, and dancing is—up scale loft residents in the immediate area. It seems that L.A. is now obsessed with renovating formerly seedy areas such as LA’s downtown and Hollywood’s Hollywood Boulevard and adjacent neighborhoods. There is massive on-going demolition to build more loft spaces. My guess is; do it or its out to the desert!
If all of this has not peaked your interest, then maybe a 35-cent martini will, every Thursday evening between 5-7pm.
The Edison Drink: lavender-honey infused Woodford Reserve Bourbon with pear liqueur accented with fresh pear juice, a selection of rare Bourbons, an extensive Scotch menu, hand-made cocktails to everyone’s requirements; all are available in the various bar lounges. They even have a dance floor but don’t get electrocuted—the static is extremely high.
There is a small menu of bar fodder and a very poor wine list; stick to alcohol selections.

The entrance that leads into the Edison Lounge is located in the alley off 2nd Street, between Main Street and Spring Street.
They have had the good sense to enact a strict dress code prohibiting athletic wear and sports shoes of any kind, regardless of the designer label or the cost. Shirts with collars are preferred for men; women should dress accordingly.
You should definitely take advantage of the “Happy Hour”: Save 40 percent on classic drinks during the “cocktail hour,” which takes place Wednesday through Friday from 5pm to 8pm, and Saturdays from 6pm to 8pm.

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L’Ami Jean and a Tribute to Restaurant Roger Lamazère – Paris

Saturday, November 1st, 2008

L’Ami Jean
27 rue Malar 75007 Paris.
Tel : +33 1 47 05 86 89
Opening Hours: from Tuesday to Saturday
Credit Cards: Visa, MC
Prices: Moderate

L’Ami Jean, in the Seventh Arrondissement happens to be the best place in the city now to sample South-West and Basque cooking, which some time ago was taken over by Stéphane Jego, a chef who in the past worked at a favorite of mine, the Parisian bistro, La Regalade.
I still have fond memories of going to the restaurant Roger Lamazère, which disappeared in 2000, it  was at the time the best choice for South-West cooking. I especially went there to eat Ortolans, during a very short season of two-weeks in October. Of course, today in France it is illegal to sell them but not to eat them, so if you know some farmers that are netting these birds you can still have them although they cannot be sold in restaurants.
The procedure to eat them is to view the little birds that were roasted whole with their heads and legs still attached on a platter in front of you, and as they were wild, field birds (buntings) they were kept in a dark place and fed grains to fatten them up and not cleaned, you ate them whole with a large napkin draped over your head in an attempt to savor and capture the delicate perfume of the little birds, and a snifter of Armagnac close-at-hand. You popped the whole bird into your mouth and slowly chewed it bones and all with frequent doses of Armagnac during the procedure that took a good five minutes to complete. It is one of the rare gastronomic experiences that one can have, and agreed it is not for everyone; it is indeed an amazing experience.
Another specialty of Lamazère was the whole black truffle eaten au naturale as well as the entire goose liver (foie gras frais). These delicacies were not inexpensive at the time although, compared to prices that you would pay today it is almost unbelievable how inexpensive they really were.
Also the Cassoulet was memorable as it had been enriched with a piece of confit de canard, in addition to the Toulouse sausage and pork loin. It was put to melt in the pan where the cassoulet completed its cooking. The incomparable creaminess of the beans was as much the result of a slow simmer, and the presence of goose fat and garlic formed a delicious crust. Roger Lamazère and his staff were so kind and helpful in giving us incredible service and wonderful friendship. Roger Lamazère was “A One of a Kind” restaurant!

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