The Pub by Wegmans

Posted on January 23, 2016 by melsmosaic

Wegmans is already heaven on earth. And now they have another element…a full restaurant. I’m not just talking their fancy salad bar or the locations where you sit at the counters and can order and be served. No, it’s The Pub by Wegmans. There are only a few of these in the country. A couple friends and I had to check it out the other day. While doing some research on the website we noticed they use OpenTable. We decided to make a reservation just because we could. It was a good thing we decided to. This place was packed — and we went at noon on a Monday (granted it was a federal holiday)! Had we not done so, we not have gotten a table.

The three of us split a half pitcher of sangria to start while looking over the menu. It wasn’t that exciting of a drink. For the first course we decided to split their White Bean Hummus Platter; Italian Classics Cannellini Beans, roasted garlic, Toscano olive oil, topped with truffle spread; served with roasted baby peppers, mini cucumbers and rosemary fontinella cheese flatbread (and got some non-cheese laden stuff).

These were non-bell peppers and were so good. Since they were roasted they were nice and warm. They also made sticks out of the cukes vs just simple slices. Very tasty!

All of us opted to get the same thing as a main course — Portobello ‘Steak’ — balsamic-marinated roasted portobello mushroom topped with artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper and fresh mozzarella, accompanied by bulgur wheat and arugula salads. I went cheeseless, my friends took it on.

A nice balance of flavors all around. Had to eat every bite.

There were also some Tuscan Fries brought to the table, which were fries accented with rosemary, sage, Italian parsley and garlic. I don’t even like fries and had to help eat them.

We also each had a glass of wine — so nice with the logo on there.

This was such a fun lunch. Delicious all around. Great shopping afterwards, too.

The Urban Winery

Posted on January 23, 2016 by melsmosaic

There is a relatively new wine place in Silver Spring, MD that I finally checked recently — The Urban Winery. They serve their own wine, local wine and a few other wines.

Went on a Friday night and it was pretty quiet (maybe 10 people there). Was a bit surprised at that. Several wine options on the menu and opted for a flights of the house-made wines. They limit what you can get, unfortunately, in their flights. So I finally opted for their un-oaked Chard and two reds (Syrah and Philotimo).

It took about 15 minutes to get our wine. The Chard was half decent. The Syrah was ok at the start but after a sip or two it really just tasted like grape juice. The Philotimo tasted like dirt.

As we were tasting the wine, we ordered some food. Flatbreads were on happy hour special for $4. Sure! A simple pizza-like dish. We requested it with no mozzarella, just feta because of the lactose intolerance. It took over 25 minutes to get this simple dish. Ok.

My friend and I finished our first (not great) wine and opted for a second round and more food, too. I opted for a glass of Hungarian red and my friend got a local wine.

We also ordered a mezze platter and the avocado toast. At this point there were about 6 people in the restaurant. It took over 45 minutes to get our food, which didn’t seem normal since it was not really a cooked meal. Another problem, once the food came out, the avocado toast had cheese on it after the waitress knew I was lactose intolerant. So, had to be returned. It took another 15 minuted to get the proper order, which is just guac spread on bread.

If you can’t tell, I’m not overly impressed with this place. Long wait, high prices, not great wine, bad service. Not going back.

Ratat-oooo-ille

Posted on January 12, 2016 by melsmosaic

Was in the mood for something hot and veggie-y and for some reason ratatouille came to mind. Hadn’t made it for awhile and couldn’t find a recipe on hand, so what else to do than google it? Came across a recipe on Bon Appetit that received many stars.

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons olive oil
a 3/4-pound eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small zucchini, scrubbed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 pound small ripe tomatoes, chopped coarse (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves (totally forgot to grab this so had to use dry)

Preparation

In a large skillet cook the onion and the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat it over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking.

Add the eggplant and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the eggplant is softened. Stir in the zucchini and the bell pepper and cook the mixture over the moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook the mixture, stirring occassionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the oregano, the thyme, the coriander, the fennel seeds, the salt, and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the basil and combine the mixture well.

The ratatouille may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated before serving.

I added some extra tomatoes (had some canned ones that were easy to throw in). I also added plenty of extra garlic, which never hurts. This recipe hit the spot! The first time I had it, it was enjoyed with some roast chicken and delicious french bread at my friend’s place.

Slow-Roasted Char with Fennel Salad

Posted on December 26, 2015 by melsmosaic

The meat of my Christmas Eve dinner this year was a tempting recipe from Bon Appetit. A delicious fish with one of my favorites flavors; Roasted Char with Fennel Salad.

Ingredients

½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandoline, divided
1¼ pounds arctic char or salmon fillet (we used salmon)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon peel (didn’t get that fancy, I threw some dried lemon zest in there)
½ cup dill fronds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°. Bring vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, 2 tsp. salt, and ⅓ cup water in a small saucepan to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and add garlic. Let sit until garlic is slightly softened, 10–15 minutes.
Add half of fennel and toss to coat. Let sit until fennel softens slightly and tastes pickled, 8–10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place char in a 2- or 3-qt. baking dish and coat with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until flesh easily flakes apart and a paring knife inserted into fish meets no resistance, 15–18 minutes.
Drain fennel mixture; discard liquid. Toss in a small bowl with lemon juice, preserved lemon, remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, and remaining fennel; season with salt and pepper. Mix in dill.
Serve char topped with fennel salad.

Do Ahead: Garlic and fennel can be pickled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Melt…in…your…mouth. That explains it all. There was hardly any left. The combo of flavors in the fennel, and the balance of soft and crunchy in the fennel from how it was prepped so was good. I even forgot to mix in the dill, which would have made it even better. I want more!

Cava Mezze

Posted on December 15, 2015 by melsmosaic

It’s definitely the time of year to try new places. A recent restaurant visit took me to Cava Mezze in Rockville, MD. This is the real restaurant vs the fast-food version, which is Cava Grill.

The restaurant offers a wide selection of shared plates (like tapas) and good drink menu.

They start you off with super warm pita bread and nice olive oil and harissa.

After looking over the wine list, we opted for a house wine, Black of Kalavryta. Wow! It’s labeled as a dry Greek red. Got a slight hint of leather and some great dark cherries and strawberries.

Jumping ahead, we asked if we could buy bottles to take home, and it was not possible. Going to do some research as to who makes this stuff.

The waitress suggested 2-3 tapas per person, so we ordered 2 each to start and sort of share.

Taramosalata — salmon roe, lemon, breadcrumbs. First I had to look up what this really is. Per Wikipedia: Taramasalata is a Greek and Turkish meze made from tarama, the salted and cured roe of the cod, carp, or grey mullet mixed. Let me tell you: tasty!

Roasted Cauliflower — cumin, olive oil, fried capers, lemon yogurt. Such a nice taste from the roasting and apparently the yogurt was amazing!!

Octopus — grilled octopus, black beluga lentils, green harissa. OMG, enough said.

Lamb Chops — two baby chops, crisped potatoes, extra virgin olive oil. Perfectly done.

This was a phenomenal dinner. The only thing bad is that it had taken me so long to get there. It is a small place so when you check it out, make a reservation.

La Paloma

Posted on December 11, 2015 by melsmosaic

Venturing down the Riverwalk in San Antonio a few more times in San Antonio of course means more restaurants had to be enjoyed. This was also because I was there for a week-long work event.

Another place I decided to try was La Paloma. Since I love mexican food I have to eat it any chance I get.

Of course had to start with margaritas, chips, guac and salsa. Unfortunately it took a good while to get all of these items because even though the restaurant was near empty, it was a good 10-15 minutes before we got a waiter, even though the hostess was watching over us.

I was lured to this venue because when glancing at the menu I noticed they had ceviche, one of my favorite ‘things’ — had to get that.

It was Ceviche de Camaron, fresh shrimp marinated in olive oil, lime and orange juice, oregano, and pico de gallo. When it finally arrived, I was a bit disappointed. They used cocktail shrimp instead of decent size shrimp. And it tasted like they’d been cooked first then tossed with the juices. This is versus being ‘cooked’ in the juice. It was not that good, but still edible.

My friend opted for Camarones a la Diabla; jumbo shrimp sauteed in Chipolte butter and garlic seasoning. Served with Spanish rice and black beans.

He said it was quite good and the black beans were amazing. Can’t go wrong there.

So, I personally don’t give the place a resounding endorsement, but it was nice to sit outside and, it was nice out by the end of the week so there were decent temps to enjoy the evening while sipping the decent margaritas.

Boudro’s

Posted on December 11, 2015 by melsmosaic

Continuing travel took me to San Antonio, TX. I had only heard good things about Boudro’s so had to check it out. It is known as a Texas bistro per their website. Was able to snag a table outside — though it only in the upper 40s in late November in TX (why???). They do have nice blankets to cover you if you get cold.

Of course, a margarita is the #1 priority here. It came in a nice martini glass in this case. Very smooth and a perfect start to the evening.

The menu had way too many great options on it, but guacamole was a must. They make it at your table, too. It was delicious! They use orange juice in it, versus a more traditional lime or lemon. They also use roasted tomatoes which made it even better. You can snag the recipe from their site.

When going to restaurants I usually try to order something I won’t make at home so I finally opted for the Mesquite Grilled Quail. I was able to get grilled veggies vs the traditional pepper jack grits with fried parsley and jalapeno chips and chipolte demiglace due to my lactose issue. This stuff was amazing! I hadn’t eating quail for ages. The flavors all around were amazing.

I can see why this restaurant has such a great reputation. Check it out when you’re in San Antonio.

Cauliflower Meets Immersion Blender

Posted on November 25, 2015 by melsmosaic

Another new magazine… This time it’s a recent issue of Food & Wine and a recipe that caught my attention was Cauliflower Soup with Goat Cheese. I read through it and it does call for dairy but it can so easily be eliminated. It’s an accent (and really just unnecessary extra calories). The recipe is another great vegetarian (I used veggie stock because it’s what I had on hard), lactose free (you can nix the cheese, too, if needed, though goat cheese is good for most lactards) and gluten free one.

Ingredients

One 2 1/2-pound head of cauliflower, cored (went for a bag of frozen stuff, did 2-12oz bags)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth (used veggie stock — great option for the vegetarian version)
3 thyme sprigs tied in a bundle, plus 1 teaspoon chopped leaves (used dried)
8 brussels sprouts (6 ounces), trimmed and separated into leaves (back to the freezer…so much easier)
4 ounces cold fresh goat cheese, crumbled (I actually used feta because I needed it for the next night, tasted great)
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1/4 cup heavy cream (nixed this so I could eat it)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°. On a work surface, cut one-fourth of the cauliflower into 1/2-inch florets. Coarsely chop the remaining cauliflower.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the leek, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the potato and the chopped cauliflower, then add the wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half, 4 minutes. Add the stock and the thyme bundle and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the thyme bundle (since I used dried stuff, it stayed in there).
Meanwhile, at either end of a large rimmed baking sheet, separately toss the cauliflower florets and brussels sprout leaves each with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring each halfway through, until lightly browned and tender. In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese with the chives and chopped thyme.
In a blender (I used the much handier immersion blender), puree the soup in 2 batches until very smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream (did do this). Rewarm over moderate heat, adding water if the soup seems too thick; season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the roasted brussels sprout leaves and cauliflower florets. Sprinkle the herbed goat cheese on top and serve hot.

Delicious soup! The flavors all came together and worked so well. Totally worth trying.

Make Ahead

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Seasons 52, North Bethesda

Posted on October 28, 2015 by melsmosaic

Visited Seasons 52, in North Bethesda, MD. They have locations across the country, as well. Their name stems from the (four) seasons in the year, and the 52 weeks that comprise it. The menu is very seasonal, so if you go often, you better not have a favorite. And they use this theme so everything can be very fresh.

Since it’s fall, squash and pumpkin is everywhere. They even had it in the bar. I went with a Pumpkin Pisco Sour, Crop Organic Pumpkin Vodka, Pisco, Aromatic Bitters. Tell you what, pretty good.

Took awhile to choose the main course, so my friends and I decided to split a flat bread. The one with the goat cheese caught my eye since I can eat that stuff. I’ll always give it a chance since many goat cheeses are now made less goat-y, as in a bit harder than they used to be. So we went for the Artichoke & Laura Chenel Goat Cheese with leaf spinach, balsamic onions, roasted peppers. Was a very nice start to the meal.

Then main course selection became harder, because of my lactose intolerance. Many of the dishes had some form of dairy (from cow) and normally it can be eliminated. But when I asked the waiter he said it would be tough. It wasn’t that easy to find something I could eat, which was surprising with the type of restaurant it is. Fresh, seasonal. He then mentioned they have a ‘special’ menu for those with allergies, intolerances, etc. The menu was cut more than 1/2. Then when ordering you had to be sure to ask for the elimination of specific ingredients in dishes. This is an extreme case, but if I ordered mac & cheese, I would need to be sure to ask for it without the cheese and milk. Some weren’t that bad, but some were complex.

I was a bit disappointed. I ended up ordering the Asian-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass from the lactose-free menu – Organic black rice, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, micro wasabi **request without brown butter sherry vinaigrette (wouldn’t that be the glaze? — as I had no glaze on mine).

Overall the whole dinner was good, I was just a bit disappointed with the overall feel of the menu. The service was also very slow. Took over 20 minutes to get drinks and then a glass of wine. But, was there with friends to catch up so it wasn’t that bad.

Tuna Steaks, Ginger and Broccollini…oh yeah!

Posted on September 30, 2015 by melsmosaic

Dinner time, new recipe, bring it on. Found something with some Asian flair that had to be tested recently.

Pan-Seared Tuna Steaks with Ginger Vinaigrette, from Food & Wine

Ingredients

5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
5 tablespoons sake
2 1/2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons minced shallot
1/2 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 bunch of Broccolini, trimmed
Two 1-inch-thick yellowfin tuna steaks (grabbed frozen Ahi from Trader Joe’s)
2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

In a small saucepan, simmer the soy sauce, sake, mirin and shallot until the liquid is slightly reduced, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the ginger. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a steamer basket set in  a large saucepan of simmering water, steam the Broccolini until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plates.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Sear over high heat until golden brown but still rare within, about 30 seconds per side. — Ok, I actually had a BBQ to use to I did this thing called grill the tuna. Short, sweet, to the point. Delicious!

Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. (So didn’t have to do this part).

Slice against the grain and transfer to the plates. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serve with lemon wedges and the remaining vinaigrette.

To be honest, I almost forgot the brocollini because there was so much going on in the kitchen and I don’t serve stuff just like the recipe, but then I realized something was missing. This was a great combo of flavors, and I often forget about brocollini. Was pretty quick to make, too. So, give it a try if you’re looking for something new.