Michy's

I was able to escape the cold this past weekend and visit South Florida, which among other things made for a few remarkable dinners, none quite as good as Michy’s in Miami. Michy’s is a reasonably young restaurant that gets a ton of press, in part because it won last year’s James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast U.S. The chef, Michelle Bernstein, cooks mostly Italian and French rooted dishes with accents from her Jewish and Argentine background. The menu’s filled with unique and ambitious flavors, but most dishes come together to actually comfort your tastebuds rather than shock them.

Located in what would be generously called an up and coming area of Miami, the restaurant is housed in a very basic space, enough for about 20 tables, a small bar, and the kitchen. Upon walking in you are immediately struck by the décor, bold and striking in its change from the norm. There are a mix of flowered designs along the walls and on the furniture, giving off both a South Florida and 70’s feel. A huge mirror ran across one entire wall of the restaurant while the other wall had a simple white drape across.

Aside from the décor, the first standout feature of the restaurant was service. The front of the house is run by Bernstein’s husband, David Martinez, who oversees a small army of incredibly knowledgeable staff ensuring that every diner receives the same great service. At one point early in the evening we counted 16 staff tending to a half-empty 20-table restaurant; detailed for sure but also possibly overkill. Either way, the restaurant ran beautifully throughout the night with a cycle of waiters and staff tending to each table in addition to both the chef and husband making rounds at different points to greet diners.

The menu was unique both in form and cuisine. For one, Michy’s offers almost every dish in half and whole sizes, in my opinion a brilliant and underutilized concept. Not only can you eat portions that fit your size and hunger level, although these "half portions" were quite generous, diners can also try more dishes and really make the meal their own creation. On a side note, I really wish this trend would catch on more, I think restaurants would see happier customers and more of them. As for food, the menu was both ambitious and unique, but the final creations often tasted like great classics – keeping both adventurous and traditional eaters happy.

For the first course we had the white gazpacho soup ($9) and the veal sweetbreads over a mini cassoulet ($14). The soup was a puree of cucumber, almonds, and grapes poured on top of a few cucumber slices, almonds, white grapes and breadcrumbs. I’ve never seen gazpacho without tomatoes before but it was so simple and excellent, an innovative take on a basic soup. As for the sweetbreads, there was one large piece that looked like a thick chicken finger and tasted crispy on the outside but soft and fleshy inside. The cassoulet under was incredibly light and juicy, just a few bites of beans, duck sausage, and chorizo in a dark red sauce. For such distinctly heavy French food, this had real finesse.

For the second course, we had half courses of the pappardelle with whole shrimp and steamed salmon with horseradish cream, both $20. Showcasing Italian skills, the homemade pappardelle was light and airy and would hold its own against any good Italian restaurant. The shrimp with heads attached (below) were enormous, plump, and fresh. Sprinkled with some chopped parsley on top, the juicy shrimp is just one clear advantage of cooking in a coastal area. While the shrimp shined, the fish stock broth did not. A house made stock that was then cooked with cold butter, it suffered from an overload of pepper that overwhelmed the pasta and would’ve done the same to the shrimp if they weren’t placed on top of the pasta.


Pappardelle with whole shrimp in a fish broth

On the other hand, the salmon was excellent throughout. I’m no fan of cooked salmon, but my fellow diner is a salmon expert, consuming it nearly six days a week, and attested that this was the best salmon dish she’s had in years. The steamed fish came just as ordered, med-rare, with a bright orange center that screamed of just undercooked deliciousness. The garnishes, however, really made the dish. The salmon was served with steamed spinach, a soft deep purple roasted beet, thin slices of reddish pink raw beets, and a few mandolined slices of a crisp apple on top with horseradish cream sauce throughout. The textures, flavors, and colors were all so different and vibrant but really worked together, soft and crisp, savory and sweet, yet none overwhelmed the salmon. Nor did the horseradish cream sauce, which with just a hint of heat was practically licked dry from the plate.


The salmon with beets, spinach, crisp apples, and horseradish cream sauce

Different angle to see the roasted beet and horseradish cream sauce

Our stomachs already reaching our limits, we moved on to the next course: half portions of the shrimp pappardelle and braised short ribs in a mashed potato puree with caramelized carrots and toasted breadcrumbs on top ($20). Slow roasted for over four hours, the short ribs were served as a long boneless strip that literally fell apart at the first touch. The meat was surrounded by pureed mashed potatoes that were light and airy, not the least bit cumbersome or too thick. For a South Florida Mediterranean restaurant, this was an incredibly delicious, hearty, and homey dish, just another example of finesse in their cooking. If this wasn’t comfort food, I’m not sure what is.

But those short ribs weren’t used just for the main course. They were also featured in an appetizer as thinly sliced strips below an arugula salad with cherry tomatoes. Versatile for sure, the table next to us swore by its flavor as well. As for other meat dishes, there was also a churrasco, a thick cut of skirt steak, which paid homage to the chef’s Argentinian roots.

Completely full by now since I probably would’ve been more than satisfied after a half appetizer and half main dish, the dessert menu came. Our waiter, who had given great advice so far, put us on notice that for our first time dining here the bread pudding ($8) simply could not be missed, a salute to the chef’s Jewish upbringing. Growing up in a Jewish home, I’ve had more than my share of bread pudding and have never been in love with it. It’s always so lumpy and usually hit or miss. Well, this could not have been different. The pudding was smooth yet thick with a crisp apple flavor and rich chocolate running throughout (from chocolate chunks that melted in the hot dessert). Served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top, it was both elegant and traditional home cooking - and wildly good.

Far from DC and certainly expensive (especially in these times), Michy’s was a true eating experience. If in Miami and in the mood for a nice meal, I absolutely suggest it, few South Florida meals compare (Costs range between $30 and $70 per person including tip depending on just how large your appetite is). While obviously geared to adventurous eaters who enjoy new and exciting flavors, the menu had something for everyone. Their half portion system allowed for us to try more of their menu, a real bonus here, but also gave us the feeling that we had some ownership over our meal. I was both wowed and reassured throughout, eating foods that surprised the palette as well as reminded me of simple great dishes from my childhood. I really can’t convey just how satisfying the meal was; probably my favorite since coming back from Argentina.

Michy's

6927 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33138
(305) 759-2001

More press for the Malbec

Compounding on my post about Argentinian Malbecs a few weeks back: 

This month's Food & Wine magazine has a profile of the best Argentinian reds between $10-$20. There are a number of malbecs on the list in addition to a group of cabernets and syrahs. It's no surprise anymore that Argentinian wines are a great value for the price, but the article gives more tested options if you are interested in trying one on your next trip to the wine store. 

My favorites from the list include the Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec ($19) and the Finca El Portillo ($11). One wine left off that I think deserves it's due praise is the Zuccardi Serie A Malbec. I sampled it in Argentina and loved it: it was a deep dark red that was bursting with flavor yet wasn't too strong to be overwhelming. For roughly $16 it's a great buy and is sold at select stores in DC, including de Vinos wine store in Adams Morgan. 

A shot of some of the wines sampled at the Familia Zuccardi winery, including the Serie A Malbec front and center. 

DC Food and Wine Festival

I went to the DC Food and Wine Festival this past Sunday and left generally satisfied. It was my first since the summer Virginia wine festival, and needless to say, this was dramatically better. Rather than a full review here are a few thoughts from the day:

The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center was an incredible venue for the festival. The main atrium was a stunning place to sample wines in; while the outer rooms provided much needed space. The expo probably could’ve used an extra room since the crowds were large and the lines sometime three deep, but holding it at a venue like the Convention Center would’ve been way too large and lacked the character the Reagan Center had.

This might have technically been the Food and Wine Festival, but it was really a wine festival with a couple snacks. The festival had a few food demonstrations (including Hook’s Barton Seaver on Saturday), but in terms of sampling there were a rare group worth trying, including one of the olive oil stands, the specialty vinegar stand, and a chocolate shop. That part was especially disappointing since friends that have gone in past years saw Anthony Bourdain, Roberto Donna and other celebrity chefs. Alas, at least the chocolate shop was cool. With 22 unique flavors they were jammed the whole day giving out samples like Japanese Wasabi, Grapefruit, Sea Salt and Pepper, Mango, and one chocolate with cayenne pepper that was disturbingly spicy. No doubt delicious and the culinary highlight of the day.

On the whole the wine was (at best) average, but I’m coming to realize that’s sort of the point here. There were about 150 wineries represented, roughly half American and half a mix of Italian, French, Argentinian, Chilean and a few others. The majority of wines on display retailed for roughly $8-$16 and were almost uniformly from well-known sellers, many you’d recognize in a basic liquor store. Sampling wines we already knew was a little boring, although it was definitely helpful for future purchases. Even though many were old news, I always enjoy tasting wineries' entire lines since it helps me learn the (sometimes) subtle differences between each wine.

It’s hit or miss whether people contain their liquor at these kinds of functions. Any event where you combine a thousand people with a wine glass, a limited amount of time, and hundreds of bottles of wine, you’re asking for an intoxicated affair. To be honest, this was a more restrained group than the summer vinofest, but there were still plenty of people who were barely walking out; the little slices of bread provided simply did not cut it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you were next to one of the especially drunk ones.

Outside of a few standouts, the consensus seemed to be that finding a vendor who poured large glasses (as opposed to the four drops at some!) was the best bet. After getting a few drops from each different wine, they generally tasted the same everywhere anyway, so why not find a larger pour.



There were a few standouts and they were quite good. Our favorites were the Argentinians, including the wines from Luigi Bosca and the Trapiche winery’s Malbec aged in an oak cask, as well as a Chilean merlot called Marques de Casa Concha from the Concha y Toro winery. At $20 that wine might not be an outstanding buy, but it was one of the few clear standouts from the day.

While I would've much preferred a wine and food festival with actual food options, this was all in all a successful day and I'd definitely consider going back in future years.

First Thoughts: The Gibson

Last night I finally went to The Gibson, DC’s newest hit bar, modeled after a 1920’s speakeasy. My delay in going was not for a lack of trying, since unlike most bars, getting into The Gibson is no small feat. Reservations are required for the 10 or so tables, and there are about 10 seats at the bar reserved for walk-ins. After trying to make reservations for a while on weekends, we finally settled on a Monday night at 8pm. In fact, when we asked for Sunday night, there was only one available table 9pm for two. Needless to say, the Gibson has not been hurt by the recession.

Although at 14th and U, The Gibson can be practically impossible to find if you don’t know what to look for. Situated on the first floor of a completely unmarked building, the exterior looks like a shuttered warehouse with a simple black door on the side. Upon entering, there is a skinny hallway and a flight of carpeted stairs that feels more like a group of old apartments than a bar. I was met in the hallway by a suit-wearing host who quickly whisked me inside and to my table. Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the darkness of the room, the large and beautiful bar, and the unique seating options. The walls and furniture are wood paneled and painted black, while the main area is lit by five pendent lights that snake down from the ceiling to a wiry bulb that hangs above the bar’s counter. The bar is long, sleek, and beautiful, ten seats across and stocked with the finest liquors around. The stools are adorned with luxurious brown leather upholstery while the legs are wooden and painted black. The main room also includes a front area with three white marble tables for two (crammed next to each other) as well as three seductive and private booths across from the bar, probably the best seats in the house.

Besides the black panels, our booth was upholstered with deep red cushions and had it’s own private ceiling with track and recess lighting, as well as a bright orange ceiling upholstery (made with cloth) that literally POPPED with life. Without question, I was more drawn to the orange cloth ceiling than any other accent in the whole bar. The other booths and the second room also have divided cloth ceilings, each of a different color: burnt orange, tangerine, cream, and rose. As for the rest of the second room, its far simpler with a square design, no more than 20x20 feet, with three tables on either side and a beautiful serving table in the middle. Usually used for large cheeses or charcuterie in fine restaurants, this table held garnishes and water jugs.

The Gibson clearly paid a great deal of attention to décor, and I believe it set the tone deservingly well. The incredible attention to lighting alone created a scene that was dark enough for a private occasion, although no area was unlit or too dark to see the rest of your party. In our booth, we felt completely private yet could still feel the buzz from the bar so it was never solemn or dull. That privacy is also largely due to their restrictive entrance policies, we never felt overcrowded or were distracted by people walking by.

Once at our table, our waitress served water, provided the menus, and gently informed us that our check would be brought in two hours, since all reservations are two hours long. Dressed in a uniform black dress, she was more concierge than waitress, answering questions and providing interesting details about the menu and the space, but was far from overbearing. The only glaring service problem was that it took 20 minutes to actually receive drinks after ordering – if the company hadn’t been good it might have been more of an issue.

As for the actual drinks, the menu is split up by gin/vodka drinks, rum/tequila, whiskey drinks, brandy drinks, champagne options, red and white wine selections and one non-Alcoholic lemon drink. Prepared by two mixologists, the menu includes both classic cocktails and house-created recipes, using both unique liquors and high quality basics. I started with a bourbon Manhattan ($10), which was deliciously smooth and rounded. A Manhattan certainly isn’t the most complex drink, but often bartenders either overpour the bourbon or the vermouth and you end up with either a drink that’s too sharp or too sweet. Not at The Gibson. The second drink I tried was a Sazerac ($8), America’s first cocktail. In another tribute to the days of the Speakeasy, this New Orleans born drink is served with rye, absinthe, bitters, and a burnt orange peel. It was strong, yet the orange flavor was distinct and added a delicious extra component. For that drink and others served with peels, the peel was lit on fire tableside by the waitress and then touched along the rim of the glass and dropped in, just one of their distinguishing touches.

While we didn’t sample the whole menu, the whisky drinks were more of a hit and we were less enamored with the sweeter concoctions that tasted more like strange desserts than actual drinks. One friend ordered a specialty drink with fig infused rum that looked like a gold sprinkled mango puree, but had a distinctly vanilla taste to it, not necessarily bad but clearly a drink you only have for the experience.

All in all, I was impressed by the décor and ambience, and appreciative of the unique idea and drink options. The classics were made beautifully and for around $10 a-piece, they are certainly worth coming back for. Other specialty bars and lounges around town are comparably priced, but few afford the privacy or the unique feel of being at a speakeasy. On the flip side, I wouldn’t recommend The Gibson for a long night of drinking or for those looking to meet and mingle with others, you’ll quickly be disappointed and your wallet will leave considerably lighter. As long as you can get a reservation and are accompanied by someone you’d like to spend a few hours in conversation with, The Gibson is more than worth the effort.

James Beard Awards honor Washington with 13 nominations

The James Beard Awards semifinalists were announced today and Washington has a lot to celebrate. Often thought of as the Oscars of food, the James Beard Awards celebrate both restaurants and individuals at the pinnacle of cooking and restauranteuring, with both national and regional awards spanning the spectrum of dining experiences. With seven national and six regional nominations, DC is likely to have a few winners, not just nominees.

DC restaurants received national nominations for outstanding chef, outstanding new restaurant, rising chef of the year, and TWO nominations for outstanding restaurant – Kinkead’s and Vidalia.

A number of these restaurants are participating in restaurant week, so check out Opentable and if you’re lucky you might still be able to grab a table and judge for yourself. In the coming weeks I’m going to post reviews of the nominated restaurants (that I’ve eaten at), but for now below are the nominees from Washington, DC. Click here for a list of all nominees.

NATIONAL

Outstanding Chef: José Andrés of Minibar

Outstanding Restaurant: Kinkead’s
Vidalia

Outstanding New Restaurant: Cork

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Jonny Monis of Komi

Outstanding Restauranteur: Ashok Bajaj (The Oval Room, The Bombay Club, Ardeo, Bardeo, 701, and Rasika)

Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional: Todd Trasher of Restaurant Eve


REGIONAL

Best Chef Mid-Atlantic:

Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve

Anthony Chittum of Vermilion

Haidar Karoum of Proof

Peter Pastan of Obelisk

Tom Power of Corduroy

Vikram Sunderam of Rasika

Taylor Gourmet

Taylor Gourmet is a model of contradictions: classic but trendy, basic yet innovative. One of the latest additions to H St. NE, Taylor Gourmet, which sees itself as the DC incarnation of a Philadelphia deli, is part Italian deli and part gourmet Italian goods shop.

Upon arriving at Taylor, one immediately realizes this is no basic Italian deli. The space, very long but only 20 feet wide, is a paradigm of modern trendy patterns. Designed by DC firm Grupo 7 (Mate, K Street Lounge), the restaurant has exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood adorned throughout, and a balance of natural light in front and modernistic track lighting behind. The visual attention Taylor’s owners paid to the space is especially obvious given the dilapidated and shuttered buildings immediately surrounding in every direction.  


The entrance of Taylor Gourmet...

The market inside combines high quality basics with trendy concoctions, ranging from fine Italian olive oils and a nice selection of Italian wines to champagne and wine flavored ice cream, including pinot noir and merlot. Other interesting additions include their soda fountain, which serves drinks that use suger cane rather than corn syrup.

But the real focus here is not ambience, setting, or specialty product, it’s the sandwiches and they are spot on. There’s scarcely something more classic or basic than deli meats served in a hearty roll, but Taylor Gourmet distinguishes themselves with only the best ingredients: meats and aged cheeses imported from Italy, tomato sauce homemade daily, and rolls delivered daily from Sarcone’s Bakery, the (literally) legendary Philadelphia Italian bakery. This fundamental respect for classic, basic, and delicious ingredients is what makes the difference in their sandwiches.

The deli counter

Further playing on the Philadelphia theme, all their sandwiches and salads are named after Philly streets and roadways. I ordered their signature sandwich, the 9th street Italian ($7 for 6-inch, $9 for 12-inch), which was prosciutto, salami, capicola, aged provolone, oil, and shredded lettuce in a seeded roll. The sandwich was heavenly. The overflowing meats and cheeses were top quality and more than enough food, but Taylor clearly isn’t the first DC deli to serve enormous portions of great cured meats (The Italian Store anyone?). However, the seeded bread from Sarcone’s was unlike any I’ve eaten in DC: golden, crisp, and crackly on the outside while soft and light on the inside. It was easily the best roll I’ve eaten in DC, the bread fundamentally changed and distinguished the sandwich.

The 9th Street Italian

My friend had the breaded chicken cutlet sandwich, served with tomato sauce on a seeded roll, a no cheese variation of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway ($7 for 6-inch, $9 for 12-inch). The chicken was nicely breaded and cooked well, while their homemade tomato sauce was light and fresh. Here, as well, the Sarcone’s roll reigned supreme and was the sandwich difference maker. The bread crackled on the outside, but sopped up all the tomato sauce inside for a delectable treat.

Taylor Gourmet may be a contradiction in many ways, but it works. Their respect for great classic ingredients, innovative products, a trendy and unique atmosphere, and a slew of food most anyone enjoys work together to make a successful Italian deli, err, hoagie shop, err, gourmet food store, err, well whatever you want to call it.

Taylor Gourmet

1116 H St. NE

Washington, DC 20002

202-684-7001

http://www.taylorgourmet.com

Aioli, Biryani, Café Trope close; Saigon Bistro opens in Dupont

Three, restaurants on one block in Dupont (P St. btwn 21st and 22nd) closed this month, showing just how badly the recession is hitting the restaurant industry. Just after New Years Aioli Meditalian gourmet shut it’s doors and now just this week the same fate met Café Trope and Biryani Corner. Here’s the (obvious) bad news: the economic downturn’s hurting the restaurant business in a very tangible way, and newer places are being hit especially hard since all three had been open less than a year and a half. Here’s the good news: a couple of overrated restaurants are gone now and better places are already coming in to fill the void.

I never went to Café Trope but I’ve eaten at both Aioli and Biryani and both were underwhelming. Biryani was a takeout Indian counter, which replaced Naan and Beyond a year ago and never even came close to filling Naans shoes. It’s not as if you expect much with takeout Indian, but on my last trip there I ordered the chicken tikka sandwich (wrapped in naan) and received chicken that hadn’t been marinated, alongside peppers and onions making for the first Indian chicken fajitas ever created. Enough said.

Aioli, on the other hand, was gourmet Italian takeout with a few tables in house. The food was reasonably tasty but also incredibly overpriced along with a generally unfriendly staff. More than anything else, I think Aioli was a case of a restaurant simply not understanding their customers. They could have garnered a very sizeable lunch business in Dupont but that never happened since they charged $13-$16 for takeout pastas and never offered lunch deals or lunch portioned sizes. They styled themselves (and charged) as a nice Italian restaurant, but in essence they were just takeout. I understand paying higher prices when being served at a restaurant, but Aioli had all of ten tables throughout the room, staffed by one waitress who was also the cashier. That’s not a restaurant, that’s takeout with some tables to sit at. The food was reasonably good but it was never worth the price, especially in an area where you can get wonderful pastas for little more money.

Now the good news… Within three days of Aioli closing, a Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon Bistro had already opened. I’m actually not exaggerating when I say for being three days in, it was really impressive. Their tables are filled, they actually have waiters, and their prices for entrees are mostly just under $10, with many options for less.

I have a cursory (at best) understanding of Vietnamese cuisine so I can't judge authenticity, but I was satisfied after visiting. The manager was behind the counter taking orders and could not have been more welcoming or helpful in selecting dishes. I ordered pork spring rolls, Vietnamese chicken pad thai, and a specialty soup called Pho Dac Biet (pictured at top). The spring rolls were light and crunchy while the chicken pad thai was fiery hot with chili pepper flakes sprinkled in - so don't expect Thai style pad thai here. The Pho Dac Biet soup was also a highlight. The soup was a mix of three meats: sliced rare beef, brisket, and tripe. The tripe was the highlight and the rare beef was good too, but the brisket could use some work, it was needlessly tough. It also had thin asian noodles, sprouts, a number of fresh herbs, and the normal accompaniments - sweet and fiery sauces. 

Saigon seems to have already gotten their act together, with some luck the crowds will sustain and they’ll be able to stick around. As for the other locations, hopefully they’ll be filled soon but I think that’s doubtful in this economy, especially Café Trope’s space.

Saigon Bistro

2153 P Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20037

http://saigonbistrodc.com

Teaism: Relaxed and simple brunch

I had a great simple brunch today, and I’m really not a brunch guy. I know, everyone and their mother has a bizarre fanatical addiction with breakfast foods and the idea of brunch, but it just doesn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s because breakfast is mostly made up of grains with only a few protein (red meat) selections, whereas lunch and dinner are the opposite. Maybe it’s because I don’t like to be bombarded with food early in the day, who knows.

Nevertheless, I had a really good experience today, at Teaism. I wasn’t looking for an expensive or necessarily enormous brunch and Teaism was a great alternative from the normal restaurant brunch fare.

Like their normal lunch and tea menus, brunch is Asian inspired. With that said, it’s diverse enough that you can find classics like French toast, eggs, and oatmeal. Plus there are a whole slew of cool teas and drinks, ie ginger limeade. And it’s cheap.

I had two slices of the French toast ($8), which came with strawberries, powdered sugar and syrup. The toast was extra crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. It took a little work to cut through but was well worth each bite. Often it’s served with pears instead of strawberries, my preference, but any fresh fruit would do the job.

French toast with strawberries

My guest ordered cilantro eggs with smoked salmon ($8). Usually I’m hesitant to get smoked salmon outside of Jewish delis but the salmon here passed the test with flying colors. The cilantro eggs were light and fluffy while the salmon was fresh, brightly colored, and salty. The salmon added a ton of flavor and color to the dish.

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon

To drink we had the ginger limeade, which was incredibly strong, and the iced Morroccan mint green tea. The tea list is expansive (to say the least) and there were also cool fruit drinks, like mango juice. The only drink complaint was that for brunch we couldn’t order a soda or even coffee (!) but I moved on rather quickly.

The ambience is both Asian and homey; the food can be either unique or classic, but always satisfying; and the prices are always great. For a non-traditional brunch, Teaism is a great option.


Teaism Dupont Circle
2009 R St. NW
Washington, DC 20009