A full 69 days after the cork pops seems a bit late to be writing a "best of" list, but with the true beginning of MOD it seems a good place to start. The year of 2013 took me far and wide over three continents and four countries. Last year was when I truly spread my culinary wings after dabbling the previous few years. In addition to experiencing great meals in more locales and different cuisines, I also expanded my personal culinary talents in expanding my activities in the kitchen.
While I've had an entire life of experience with food, 2011 was when I began examining my experiences with a more critical eye. I began building a web of experiences with enough context and perspective to place the techniques and flavors in their proper echelon instead of being hopelessly spellbound by the intricacies of a well-run kitchen. With a few great experiences under my belt, it opened the door for 2012. That year saw my first tasting menus and experiences with world-famous chefs, and provided a solid foundation for 2013.
My favorite anecdote from 2012 comes from two coasts. Knowing I had a reservation at Eleven Madison Park later that month, I made sure to dine at Campton Place in San Francisco. Daniel Humm had cut his teeth in the US at Campton Place, and I wanted to experience what lingering impact he had on that restaurant before trying Eleven Madison Park. Chef Sri and the entire staff at Campton Place had a very solid but un-inventive menu, with two very notable exceptions. The first was an appetizer that he'd been working on with Daniel Humm when he'd been in town two weeks before, and the second was a "triple-A foam" with flavors of avocado, green apple, and arugula. The foam opened my eyes to true culinary inventiveness, and the same appetizer was served three weeks later as the second course at Eleven Madison Park. A concrete example of culinary arts as a social endeavor was a unique experience and contrast to the elusive genius ideal that many apply to famous artists and chefs.
Last year took me to both coasts as usual, and also to Barcelona, Sydney and Melbourne on my travels. Each was an example of how fresh ingredients make an incredible difference, and how simplicity can be its own reward. From a fantastic steakhouse in Atlanta to a mind-blowing lunch deal in Barcelona (note: looks like that deal was too good, as the restaurant is now closed) and line-out-the-door cheap eats in Melbourne, sometimes simplicity is best. That said, the opposite end of the spectrum had me experiencing some of the most exclusive and excessive, dining at Next Restaurant twice, Grace and Everest.
With that context, I move on to the lists.
Best Meals Yet:
1. Herm Farm, Seattle
2. NoMad, NYC
3. Grace Restaurant, Chicago
4. Eleven Madison Park, NYC
5. Marea (2011), NYC
Best "Courses" Yet:
1. Lobster with Gewurztraminer butter, Everest, Chicago
2. Laksa. Laksa King, Melbourne.
3. Chicken (w/ crisped skin, stuffed w/ truffle and foie. Dark meat w/ gravy and potatoes), NoMad
4. Black cod with butter sauce, Herb Farm
5. Jalapeno coconut dessert, North Pond
Best meals of 2013:
1. NoMad
2. Grace
3. Rockpool Bar and Grill (Sydney)
4. Senza, Chicago
5. Goosefoot, Chicago
March 10, 2014
Ruxbin - 851 N Ashland (**)
As we were seated at our table, nestled into the back corner, I had no idea what to expect. My initial exposure to the restaurant was a quick jaunt to the facilities to wash my hands after an ever-so-hygienic CTA trip. The entrance to the restroom had been borrowed from a darkroom, and between that and the light fixtures straight out of ABC Raw I have no idea to expect. Though I continued to be surprised by Ruxbin's quirky innovation, I was far from disappointed.
Ruxbin is a BYO ($5 corkage per table). We took advantage of that by bringing a 2011 Tamber Bey Tovero, a 75% petit verdot blend with great depth and a smoky finish. Rather than a traditional bread service, Ruxbin starts you with popcorn covered in sea salt and seaweed. It might not pair perfectly if you're starting with a white, but the salt whet the appetite perfectly alongside the Tovero.
We started the meal with their octopus and mushroom toast appetizers. The octopus was a delicately balanced dish, with chickpeas, radish and onion balancing out the rich octopus. All was drizzled with a ginger-scallion vinagrette, sweet enough to encourage using every last piece of anything on the plate. My sole complaint was the lack of any char on the grilled octopus; additional smoky flavor would have rounded out the dish quite well.
The mushroom toast was the best execution of the evening, turning simple ingredients into a deceptively savory appetizer. The oyster mushrooms were loaded atop a biscuit slathered with ricotta and accented with sweet peppers and hazelnut to complete the dish. Fork and knife ready, the three pieces didn't last long enough to contemplate their presentation.
For the main course we went with the scallops and the venison. The venison, a generous portion of farm-raised New Zealand variety, was impeccably accented with horseradish and bourbon jus. Some bacon and chestnuts were balanced with poached pear and berries to round out the dish. While the farm-raised venison doesn't have the same depth of flavor as those served at the Musket Room, it's more than solid enough to highlight the subtle riffs on the preparation.
The twist on the scallops is the pork carnitas. The slow roasted carnitas served as an excellent counterpart to the seared-in crisp flavor of the scallops. Accented with roasted carrots (soft and sweet), raisins, fine whipped potatoes and pine nuts, the pork transforms a pedestrian but well-executed dish into something memorable.
If I had to describe Ruxbin in two words, it would be character and innovation. They don't try to reinvent the wheel, and they give you the latitude to ruin your own meal with a bottle of Barefoot if you do so desire (shame on you, people two tables down). Now that they're taking reservations (on their website, through Yelp's SeatMe), there's no longer much of an excuse not to try them out.
The facts:
Entrees 25-35
Appetizers 8-15
BYO ($5 table corkage)
**
Ruxbin is a BYO ($5 corkage per table). We took advantage of that by bringing a 2011 Tamber Bey Tovero, a 75% petit verdot blend with great depth and a smoky finish. Rather than a traditional bread service, Ruxbin starts you with popcorn covered in sea salt and seaweed. It might not pair perfectly if you're starting with a white, but the salt whet the appetite perfectly alongside the Tovero.
We started the meal with their octopus and mushroom toast appetizers. The octopus was a delicately balanced dish, with chickpeas, radish and onion balancing out the rich octopus. All was drizzled with a ginger-scallion vinagrette, sweet enough to encourage using every last piece of anything on the plate. My sole complaint was the lack of any char on the grilled octopus; additional smoky flavor would have rounded out the dish quite well.
The mushroom toast was the best execution of the evening, turning simple ingredients into a deceptively savory appetizer. The oyster mushrooms were loaded atop a biscuit slathered with ricotta and accented with sweet peppers and hazelnut to complete the dish. Fork and knife ready, the three pieces didn't last long enough to contemplate their presentation.
For the main course we went with the scallops and the venison. The venison, a generous portion of farm-raised New Zealand variety, was impeccably accented with horseradish and bourbon jus. Some bacon and chestnuts were balanced with poached pear and berries to round out the dish. While the farm-raised venison doesn't have the same depth of flavor as those served at the Musket Room, it's more than solid enough to highlight the subtle riffs on the preparation.
The twist on the scallops is the pork carnitas. The slow roasted carnitas served as an excellent counterpart to the seared-in crisp flavor of the scallops. Accented with roasted carrots (soft and sweet), raisins, fine whipped potatoes and pine nuts, the pork transforms a pedestrian but well-executed dish into something memorable.
If I had to describe Ruxbin in two words, it would be character and innovation. They don't try to reinvent the wheel, and they give you the latitude to ruin your own meal with a bottle of Barefoot if you do so desire (shame on you, people two tables down). Now that they're taking reservations (on their website, through Yelp's SeatMe), there's no longer much of an excuse not to try them out.
The facts:
Entrees 25-35
Appetizers 8-15
BYO ($5 table corkage)
**
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