5 Ninth

This restaurant was recommended by a friend almost three years ago. But it was tonight when it would be the right time to sample its delights. 5 Ninth is located right in the middle of a busy cross section of the meatpacking district of New York and yet seems almost invisible tucked inside a beautiful townhouse right next to some of the trendiest boutiques and restaurants.

This evening we sat in the gorgeous back garden,
it is summer
and how beautiful it is
to eat with fairy
lights
and warm
breezes
ruffling the leaves
and flowers
around you

We proceeded to eat some of the most exquisite food I have had in the vicinity of the Meatpacking district in New York City. Originally known as Gansevoort Market, the area just south of West 14th Street and from Hudson Street to the Hudson River, was once home to 250 slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants. Tonight we had decided to try an unusual medley of wines not often seen in most restaurants:

Les Muirettes, Chasselas from Switzerland
Leo Zillinger, Zweigelt 2005 from Austria
and lastly! Triton 2005 from Spain

Risotto with white truffles, tomato and asparagus
Soba noodles with edamame and seaweed
Grilled Prawns served with creamy Polenta
and for dessert:
A blueberry short cake that melted on my tongue with a trio of fresh fruit sorbets.

This restaurant has a very unique vibe and could be popular for different kinds of mood and people. Trendy and yet subtle, romantic and quiet, yet able to take on the role of a slinky night-spot in the area next to their bar. Maybe this weekend will be another time for a visit?


5 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10014
tel: 212 929 9460

Jimmy's Corner

There are times when your senses get a shock. And after the initial shock one notices things that are quite extraordinary. Jimmy's Corner is a little bit like that. Tucked away in one of the very few frumpy old buildings on 44th street, in the theatre district- between modern skyscrapers and the bright lights of Times Square this bar takes one back years and sometimes centuries.

This is a bar where you can sit next to locals from all walks of life, actors, writers’, businessmen, the window washer from some high-rise or a car mechanic from the Bronx. The tourist factor here is less than 3 percent! Amidst laughter and loud talk there is cheer and company. This is not a bar for polite conversation or a romantic seduction but a place for loud talk, laughter and sometimes a little fight.

It is owned by former boxer and trainer, Jimmy Glenn and you can see years of history captured by probably a thousand photographs vying for space on the walls. I saw him myself, walking through the tables greeting everyone and once in a while buying free rounds of drinks for a couple of tables.

140 W 44th St
New York, NY 10036
tel: 212 221-9510

Fresco by Scotto

There are Italian restaurants in NY and then there are Italian Restaurants in NY. Fresco by Scotto falls into the second category. This evening seemed to call for an extraordinary wine and a bottle of Ornellaia 2003 was produced. A very young wine by all standards

but regardless of its youth
it seduced me completely
I had not yet encountered
so many
layers
Depths that had not been imagined
in the world of wine
were mine
to savor
with closed eyes
and bated breath.
It was lust
at first sip..

Potato and Zucchini chips baked with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3 types of Plum salad
followed by
Pappardelle with Duck and Wild Mushroom Ragu as the middle course and the
Red Snapper with an Almond Risotto and lightly baked Salmon with Vegetables as our main course
and for dessert.......Bombolina with Raspberry preserve
and a Brownie Fudge Sundae with malted milk ice-cream.

34 E 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022
tel: 212 934 3434

Hurley's

This evening I was dining with Doug and Ryan Hill along with Bruce from the Hill Family Estate. We met at their tasting room located in Yountville and then walked from there towards Hurley's. The hot, afternoon Napa sun had given way to a refreshingly cool evening breeze. Yountville is about a 10 minute drive from Napa, a tiny little town with one main street...and this little street is full of some of the most famous restaurants in the world.

We sat
in the
garden
with a fountain
bubbling
right across from the hills
as the sun was setting,
setting the hills onto fire....

Chef Bob Hurley used to be the sous chef for Philippe Jeanty at Domaine Chandon and then was the chef at the Napa Valley Grille. The cuisine at his present locale has a Mediterranean influence and the emphasis is on wild game and seasonal fare.

Corn Chowder with Salmon
Squash blossom flower fritters
Braised Wild Boar
Heirloom Tomato salad
Spicy vegetarian Moroccan tagine
Grilled medallions of Cervina Venison


6518 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599
tel: 707-944-2345

Angele

Angele's....the quintessential Napa restaurant. Not much compares to

a lunch outside
on the patio
overlooking the river,
with a gentle wind
blowing
whispering sweet nothings
into your ear
or the
scent of flowers
from the garden
blending
with the lazy
buzzzzzzzzing of a bee
near your
shoulder.

The restaurant is situated within the Historic Napa Mill, a National Registered Landmark built in 1884. The building also houses an Inn, a pastry shop, a tea and breakfast place, an art gallery and a little boutique which specializes in all bath products made with lavender.

Along with Edith Piaf, Angele's menu includes ' Soupe a l' Oignon', 'Asiette de Charcuterie', 'Poulet Rotie', and the most amazing 'Croque Monsieur' with Parisian ham and Gruyere on country bread. The wine list is extensive and amongst the diners you can usually spot local winemakers who also often drop by to sample and pour. Every body seems to know every one, this being a small town indeed! So if you're sitting by yourself,
between the bee
and the breeze
and bites
you can watch the Napkins mix and mingle.

540 Main St.
Napa, CA 94559
tel: 707-252-8115

Ceja Winery

Amelia Ceja had professed her love for cooking with ingredients from her own garden since we met a year and a half ago. So on this trip I begged her to cook some traditional Mexican food for us. A most memorable evening was spent in her kitchen along with her mother in law, Juanita and the rest of the Ceja clan. From the slightly steamed fresh corn layered with cheese from Oaxaca Mexico, to the lightly cooked salmon and rice with cilantro - paired with their wines, the evening was perfect. All the boys played Bocci Ball while I walked in and out of the kitchen with a quesadilla or slices of freshly picked heirloom tomato.

The Ceja wines are hand crafted wines that are both subtle and made to pair with all kinds of foods. Unlike the usual high alcohol and fruit forward styled wines predominant in California, these wines exhibit a freshness and balance that is not easy to find.

Surrounded
by the Mayacamas
mountain range
in the horizon,
the bursts of evening light
from a receding sun
and the sound of grape leaves
rustling...
what else could a woman ask for?

1016 Las Amigas Road
Napa, CA 94559
tel: 707 255-3954

Bouchon

I want to be chic and say that I pay my homage to Bouchon on every visit to Napa Valley. This French bistro is located in the very gourmetastic town of Yountville where the destination for many is the French Laundry whose chef and owner, Thomas Kellar is also the owner of Bouchon (the word "bouchon" describes a particular style of cafe that existed in the province of Lyon for centuries).

The interior always features a gorgeous flower display, a raw bar, mosaic tiled floors and one of the most beautiful hand-painted murals. For me the most important aspect of this bistro is their service which is always well orchestrated by professional servers who take great pride in presenting each item on the menu and are adept at picking the right wine for their guests. The extensive raw bar is a favorite with almost everybody who visits, on display is some of the freshest seafood available for the day. Along with a bottle of Sancerre or a glass of chilled Cava, (in this case definitely Cava), I am in heaven.

6534 Washington St.
Yountville, CA 94599
tel: 707-944-8037

Summit Lake Vineyards

Summit Lake Vineyard, the name sounds like a far away distant land. The vineyard is actually quite isolated, located on Howell Mountain on an elevation of over 2200 ft, just east of the town of St. Helena. The tiny outpost town of Angwin maintains a rural atmosphere which is in sharp contrast to the sophistication of it's neighbouring towns of Yountville and St. Helena. Summit Lake winery has been owned by the Brakesman's for over 30 years producing limited quantities of very fine Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The vineyard is established over red Aiken clay, three feet deep throughout the whole property whereas towards the southeast side of Howell Mountain whiter, tufa-based volcanic soil is found.

Besides being a winery, Summitlake vineyards is also a small farm complete with ducks, pigs, goats, dogs, cats and a pony. On every visit to the valley we always spend an evening underneath the stars drinking wine and enjoying food prepared by Heather Griffin, Bob Brakesman's daughter and manager of the vineyard.

On this visit,
we spoke
softly
underneath a pink sky
surrounded
by wild flowers
and
sunflowers
and heavy trees,
some with figs
or almonds
and others with
apples
pears......and
the perfume of a hundred roses
got me drunk
even before my lips
had touched
a drop of wine.

we were
digging into lamb,
rice
and the most delicious cheese
accompanied by older vintages of the winery.

The photo above is of Heather who had run out to gather eggs from the hencoop.

2000, Summit Lake Drive
Angwin, Napa 94508
tel: 707 965 2488

Sweetie Pies

Sweetie Pies is located in the Hatt Building along with the Napa River Inn where I was staying for my current visit to Napa. As breakfast is provided every morning, you just have to decide whether you want it served in bed or in this little old fashioned cafe specializing in morning fare. Home made oatmeal, fresh croissants, chocolate Danishes, grapefruit juice, and an assortment of teas served in big bowls with honey... I could live for breakfasts like this every morning!! I am spoilt rotten and I love it! You can also take 2 hours to drink your coffee or hot chocolate and read a newspaper next to one of the big bay windows.

520 Main St
Napa, CA 94559
tel: 707 257-7280

One Market

I love going to San Francisco and on every visit discovering a new venue to dine in. This time it was One Market, which besides its culinary delights offers a wonderful view of the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge. This Michelin starred restaurant opened celebrating the return of Chef Bradley Ogden in 1993 and continues it's journey featuring a a wood-fired grill, private dining rooms, and a top-notch staff. On arrival at our table we were told by the sommelier that for the month of July the restaurant would be conducting a special where every wine on their wine list was half off. Music to my ears as there were 8 people on our table and each was eager to try a different wine. We started with a

sparkling wine from Roederer Estate California
and then moved on to
Brogan's Chardonnay,
William Selyem Pinot and then
topped it off with a
Richard Partridge Cabernet.

And yes, we did indulge ourselves even further by sipping luxuriously on some fine port, a sherry and an amontillado. The restaurant also supports an all-American Wine List because they believe that the Bay Area and its environs are home to the finest collection of wines produced anywhere in the world.


1 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
tel: 415 777-5577

Boon Fly Cafe

After an exhausting early morning flight from New York to San Francisco, Boonfly cafe is the ideal place to unwind. Located on the Sonoma highway just a few minutes from the town of Napa the cafe is found inside the complex of the Carneros Inn. Open in the morning for great coffee, fresh juices and house-baked breakfast items - including the signature Boon Fly donuts, the Café also offers tasty lunches and dinners on premises or packed to go in tiffins.

The menu features a modern rustic cuisine based on the agricultural heritage of the region. Boon Fly cafe is named after a Carneros pioneer who planted orchards and vineyards in this valley in the mid-1800s, land that is now partially occupied by Bouchaine Vineyards. Descended from settlers of the early New England Colonies, Boon was part of the great tradition of Wagon Trains that brought many of the early families west.

Potato Leek soup served cold
Kobe Burger
flatbread with salmon and cowgirls cheese
Stony Hill Chardonnay.
Yummm..so nice to be back in Napa!!!

The Carneros Inn
4048 Sonoma Highway
Napa, California 94559
tel: 707-299-4900