Greg and I drove to Portland last night to see David Sedaris with my sister and a friend of hers. We met at Portland Flatbread Co. for dinner and I have to say, I really like this quirky place. Its easy to meet people there, centrally located, and the pizza is ok too. All I wanted was cheese, so I ordered a half asiago and mozzerella with herbs. Excellent. Greg had the carmelized onion and sun dried tomato and as he said, "I burped up onions all night after that" We got up after the meal and went to sit in front of the pizza oven (they have a big piece of granite to sit on) and watched. Of course I wondered if it was hot enough to fire ceramics in!
One whole pizza (organic sausage) and two half pizza, two salads and four glasses of wine came to $75.00. A bit on the hefty side for pizza, but what do you expect, its the big city!!!
Enjoy,
Seth
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
We were in Bermuda last week and had the great fortune to have dinner at a five star restaurant called the Newport Room. The Newport room is an homage to all the sailors who sailed in the Bermuda Race from Newport to Bermuda (my father did this race three times), however, my mother was agast that the place looked more like the interior of an ocean liner. I loved the warm rosewood and brass interior and felt as if I was on the Queen Mary or something, the effect was pretty cool. We arrived to be one of the only table of diners in the place, but by the time we left three hours later, the place was packed. Coat and tie was the norm, however there were some black tie clad tables.
There were six of us (my whole family) and we were presented with choices of: 1. a seven course meal with wine parings that would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 hours to eat ( my dad would never have the patience for that...though I know of a local couple of friends here in Belfast with whom I would love to share the experience); 2: a three course meal for $75 a person ; 4. a four course meal for $100.00 a person. People chose what they wanted, I ended up having the four course meal. The whole experience was very theatrical and the staff really relished the drama surrounding the food to the point that when our main course was served, everyone's arrived at the table covered with silver domes. When all were in place, the server said "ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served" and all the domes were wisked away to a golf clap round of applause on our part. I chose to order the butternut squash tortolini with parmesan foam that was good but nothing to write home about, the truffle and porcini powder mushroom soup which was just amazing, the seared lamb shoulder and the chocolate souflee...why not? My dad, who doesn't believe that food should cost so much and is really happy when the server is attentive to his drink needs and his steak is cooked properly had his usual salad with rocqufort, steak, and chocolate soufle. Greg had his lobster bisque flambeed at the table, and a monkfish napoleon that he said was out of this world. My sister Jennifer asked for wine parings with each course, speaking in Arabic to the Egyptian sommolier, who thought my blond haired sister a goddess because she spoke his language. Talk about drama, she made a big production of being a vegetarian that night.."I don't eat fish" she sniffed at one point and then pleaded with all of us not to order meat. (I'd be a bit more sympathetic if she hadn't ordered the beef tenderloin our last night out at dinner) My mother had the lobster hot and cold which consisted of a lobster salad and tempura lobster with olive oil and rosemary sorbet to start and then the Dover Sole which she said was quite excellent.
What was perfect about the place was the European portions. My tortolini dish had three pieces of pasta, not two dozen as in America. My lamb was also very small proportion wise. It was really nice to be taken care of by seven servers who made sure that the bread plates were full and the water flowed.
The bill was about $1000 by the time we had coffee and tea and dessert. Our chocoate souflees were decadent! Warm cream was poured into the top and a plate of white and dark chocolate shavings with candied orange peel went around the table as sprinklings.
The courses were spread apart by an amuse bouche of basil custard with an anchovie breadstick and a palate clearer of mango juice with a lemon foam. Just and incredible experience I wish everyone could have at least once in their lives. This is the way to eat!
Enjoy,
Seth
There were six of us (my whole family) and we were presented with choices of: 1. a seven course meal with wine parings that would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 hours to eat ( my dad would never have the patience for that...though I know of a local couple of friends here in Belfast with whom I would love to share the experience); 2: a three course meal for $75 a person ; 4. a four course meal for $100.00 a person. People chose what they wanted, I ended up having the four course meal. The whole experience was very theatrical and the staff really relished the drama surrounding the food to the point that when our main course was served, everyone's arrived at the table covered with silver domes. When all were in place, the server said "ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served" and all the domes were wisked away to a golf clap round of applause on our part. I chose to order the butternut squash tortolini with parmesan foam that was good but nothing to write home about, the truffle and porcini powder mushroom soup which was just amazing, the seared lamb shoulder and the chocolate souflee...why not? My dad, who doesn't believe that food should cost so much and is really happy when the server is attentive to his drink needs and his steak is cooked properly had his usual salad with rocqufort, steak, and chocolate soufle. Greg had his lobster bisque flambeed at the table, and a monkfish napoleon that he said was out of this world. My sister Jennifer asked for wine parings with each course, speaking in Arabic to the Egyptian sommolier, who thought my blond haired sister a goddess because she spoke his language. Talk about drama, she made a big production of being a vegetarian that night.."I don't eat fish" she sniffed at one point and then pleaded with all of us not to order meat. (I'd be a bit more sympathetic if she hadn't ordered the beef tenderloin our last night out at dinner) My mother had the lobster hot and cold which consisted of a lobster salad and tempura lobster with olive oil and rosemary sorbet to start and then the Dover Sole which she said was quite excellent.
What was perfect about the place was the European portions. My tortolini dish had three pieces of pasta, not two dozen as in America. My lamb was also very small proportion wise. It was really nice to be taken care of by seven servers who made sure that the bread plates were full and the water flowed.
The bill was about $1000 by the time we had coffee and tea and dessert. Our chocoate souflees were decadent! Warm cream was poured into the top and a plate of white and dark chocolate shavings with candied orange peel went around the table as sprinklings.
The courses were spread apart by an amuse bouche of basil custard with an anchovie breadstick and a palate clearer of mango juice with a lemon foam. Just and incredible experience I wish everyone could have at least once in their lives. This is the way to eat!
Enjoy,
Seth
Monday, October 09, 2006
I was asked by a friend to make her wedding cake, which sounded great until her fiancee asked me if I could make a representation of a Sudanese Pyramid (with or without the temple door?) because he is an archeologist working in the Sudan. So though I am happy to do what I can, how does one make a pyramid and make it look good...where does the plastic bride and groom go, and do I tint the frosting to look like dirt, what can I make look like sand...raw sugar? and can anyone help me with the hierogriphics?....how high does the pyramid have to be to feed 100?
Answers to these question and more will be answered next season.
Enjoy,
Seth
Answers to these question and more will be answered next season.
Enjoy,
Seth
There is a sign in the window of Murphy Coffee House in Belfast that says "who cares?" Apparently the owners and the staff inside! We tried to go down to Dudley's for breakfast on Sunday and there was a line out the door. While circling, we saw the breakfast sign at Murphy Coffee House (There was no " 'S " on the end of Murphy) and so decided to try. They have a wonderfully intricate front porch with lots of nooks for two over 6'3" guys and their 2 Giant Schnauzers. It was a gorgeous day to sit outside. Too bad the tables weren't set up, umbrellas weren't open, and the day's dew hadn't been dried off the seating area.
Inside, there was a long line in front of us and one server behind the counter. We waited about 10 minutes and then I went and got the dogs out of the car and we cleaned off an area outside ourselves. Greg waited to order and got us a rag for the wet table and chairs. When we finally got our breakfast, my scrambled eggs were overcooked, flat, and skimpy and my home fries were just plain grill fried potatoes, no garlic, or onions or other spices. Dry is about the way my mouth felt after two bites of breakfast. When our inquiry about jam was rebuffed, with "we don't have that right now" said with attitude, I had had enough of the place. Greg paid ($17.00 for self serve ordering of two plates of scrambled eggs and bacon (fatty) with homefries and toast, a cup of juice and a cup of coffee) and decided against a tip. Heres my tip: One more server at least during sunday morning hours, a server who gives a F*** about her customers, better food, and an exterior seating area where 5 tables of diners don't have to set up their own tables!
Enjoy,
Seth
Inside, there was a long line in front of us and one server behind the counter. We waited about 10 minutes and then I went and got the dogs out of the car and we cleaned off an area outside ourselves. Greg waited to order and got us a rag for the wet table and chairs. When we finally got our breakfast, my scrambled eggs were overcooked, flat, and skimpy and my home fries were just plain grill fried potatoes, no garlic, or onions or other spices. Dry is about the way my mouth felt after two bites of breakfast. When our inquiry about jam was rebuffed, with "we don't have that right now" said with attitude, I had had enough of the place. Greg paid ($17.00 for self serve ordering of two plates of scrambled eggs and bacon (fatty) with homefries and toast, a cup of juice and a cup of coffee) and decided against a tip. Heres my tip: One more server at least during sunday morning hours, a server who gives a F*** about her customers, better food, and an exterior seating area where 5 tables of diners don't have to set up their own tables!
Enjoy,
Seth
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