I was sifting through a pile of things sitting next to my desk -- a pile which began when this blog began. It has newspaper articles and magazines, little pamphlets aquired here and there that refer to food. It includes a page on the Fellenz Family Farm, a community sponsored agriculture program near Geneva and the recipes from Le Cordon Bleu classes I took a few years ago in Ottawa during American thanksgiving. Sifting through it made me think of all the wonderful meals I have had over the years, so I thought I would offer a few recommendations of absolutely over-the-top-but-absolutely-worth-it places I have eaten . . . . Here are a few "best meals ever," made that way by the company and the food. The appear below in no particular order.
Le Toque in Montreal: Absolutely the most amazing meal ever. We arrived circa 5:30 and left many hours later. Ok, why 5:30 -- poor planning and a wonderful concierge who got us a reservation anyway. And we stayed and stayed. The food was modified to fit a low fat diet for one of us -- and included a small cream soup in a shot glass garnished with microgreens that still reverberate on my tongue.Who knew that such small phenomena could taste so much?!??! In cruising the web, I discovered that the place I went likely is the "old" Toque which has since closed; the new one sounds less over the top but still worth the trip. And, the owners are the same, just the location has changed. . . . . Here's a review of the new place.
Charlie Trotter's in Chicago is a place I have always wanted to visit. And, this past year we did. I had a terrific migraine the days before, which made the meal risky. But it turned out to be delicious. I even had the non-wine, non-alcoholic juices along with the meal -- and have become a convert. Among the delightful aspects of the meal itself were the bright beautiful green sorbet accompanying one fish dish, burgeoning with the taste of parsley and greens. We left with a bit of a treat awarded to all diners on their way out (in this case gingerbread) and I was heady from the brief kitchen tour and meeting Charlie Trotter himself.
Frasca Food and Wine is a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado that I went to in May 2006. Among other things, the sommelier was trained at the French Laundry (a restaurant in Napa I dream of visiting someday) and talked us into a splendiferous (yes, it is not a word, but words failed me) Chardonnay. I ordinarily am not rah rah Chardonnay -- but this was a truly unusual wine. I had pork belly. And I loved it.
Other possibilities: Bistro Bis in Washington DC. The Zuni Cafe (where I ate on my own, had the best chicken ever what seems like decades ago, spilled my beer and a stranger bought my meal) in San Francisco. I impulsively jumped out of a bus to eat at Zuni (okay, I got off when the bus stopped) years later and had an equally wonderful meal -- not the case with Chez Panisse which, I have to admit, has been wildly uneven over the years, despite being one of those pilgrimage sites for us all. Now Greens, though. That's where I discovered vegetarian food that was not weighty. Not to mention the view of sunsets.
Best meals. And. . . . your favorite neighborhood joint. Best meals ever. Yes.
