Around the BLOCK

Making Pizza at Home–Kansas City Star Food section

Written By: Mary Bloch - Jan• 26•12

What a fun assignment!  I interviewed three of Kansas City’s finest pizza makers–Jake Imperiale, Quillan Glynn and James Landis–to get their take on translating the art of pizza making to a home kitchen. I also got to try my hand at shaping crusts, spreading the sauce and  toppings and using a peel to rotate the pizza while it cooked in one of those red-hot wood-burning ovens.

If you missed it in last Wednesday’s paper, here’s a link to the story.  Because the newspaper doesn’t archive its stories, I’ve also reprinted it below for future reference.

DIY Pizza | Making the perfect pie at home
Pizza pros offer pointer on how to make a savory pies at home
Pros offer pointers on achieving a satisfyingly chewy crust.
BY MARY BLOCH
Special to The Star

Kansas City has its share of artisan pizza parlors, but you really don’t have to venture out to enjoy restaurant-quality pizza. With a modicum of patience, it’s possible to make chewy and crusty pizza in the comfort of your own home. And no, you don’t have to own a commercial-grade, Neopolitan-made wood-burning oven.

A few of Kansas City’s finest local pizzaioli reveal tips that the casual cook can emulate to create a savory pie.

Just how did these guys learn their craft?

Jake Imperiale didn’t start making pizza until six years ago, when he journeyed to Naples, his mother’s birthplace. This Italian-American visited Sorbillo’s restaurant there and struck up a conversation with owner Gigi Sorbillo.

Sorbillo taught Imperiale on the spot how to make pizza dough and then emailed him the recipe once he returned home. After a month of experimentation, Imperiale perfected the recipe, and he has been making authentic pizza pies ever since at Jake’s Bella Napoli in Brookside.

James Landis, a relative novice when it comes to pizza-making, acquired his skill from an Italian flour distributor after taking the reins of Blue Grotto’s kitchen a couple of years ago. The trendy restaurant is also in Brookside.

Owner/chef Quillan Glynn of PizzaBella learned the art of pizza-making from his mother when he was only 8 years old, and he continues to use her recipe when making pizza at home. At his restaurant in the Crossroads, Glynn uses a more sophisticated formula, which includes beer and a longer fermentation process.

Basic pizza dough is simple to turn out, even for the unaccomplished bread-maker. All you need is yeast, water, flour and salt. Some recipes also call for a splash of olive oil, but it’s not essential. Using anything beyond the four basic ingredients is “a sin,” according to Imperiale.

“We’re all about tradition,” he says. “No sugar in the sauce, the finest tomatoes and flour. They’ve been doing it this way in Naples for generations, so why mess with it? You can’t improve on perfection.”

Choosing a flour

Many pizza dough recipes call for bread flour, which has a higher gluten content. When flour and water are mixed and kneaded, an elastic dough is produced called “gluten.” The more protein in flour, the more gluten, and the higher the percentage of gluten, the chewier the pizza will be.

Glynn prefers all-purpose flour. “Just look. We’re obviously doing something right,” he says pointing to the pizzas emerging from his red-hot wood-burning oven.

Imperiale and Landis swear by 00 flour (double-zero flour) from San Felice, Italy. “It’s the only flour they use in Naples, so why would I use anything else?” Imperiale says.

00 flour is finely ground, and much of the germ and bran have been removed. The amount of protein in 00 flour ranges from 10 percent to 12 percent, the same as in all-purpose flour, but it absorbs less water than all-purpose or traditional bread flours do.

00 gives bigger bubbles and a lighter spring because of greater elasticity than all-purpose flour, but 00 flour dough also is less forgiving of unskilled handling, so bread flour or all-purpose is fine for the casual pizza-maker. In addition, when using 00 in an oven with a temperature under 750 degrees, the crust is not likely to brown.

Where to find 00 flour? Bella Napoli, 6229 Brookside Blvd.; Carollo Gourmet Grocery, 9 E. Third St.; Dean and DeLuca 4700 W. 119th St., Leawood.

Take time to rise

When making pizza dough, time is important; the longer the dough rises, the better the results, regardless of whether in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter. The number of rises also affects the quality of the crust. “Slow and low” is the preferred way to go, giving the crust complexity, character and those professional-looking air holes.

Landis allows for a 24-hour rise; four at room temperature and the rest in the refrigerator to add fermentation.

“It’s better to add less yeast and then let it rise longer,” he says. “With more yeast it rises really fast, but it also goes down fast. Wherever it sits, cover your dough while it’s resting; otherwise it will dry out within five minutes.”

Toppings

When it comes to tomato sauce, San Marzano tomatoes are Imperiale’s choice, but Landis finds Alta Cucina tomatoes the most desirable. Look for San Marzano tomatoes at Dean and DeLuca, Carollo Gourmet Grocery and Marco Polo Italian Market, 1201 W. 103rd St.

“If you have quality tomatoes, the balance of sweetness and acidity is already there — no need to add anything else,” Landis says.

Cookbook recipes often suggest sautéing onions, a bit of garlic and canned tomatoes in a pan to cook down and make tomato sauce. But most professionals prefer to puree uncooked canned tomatoes or run them through a food mill.

Simply puree one 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes and a pinch of salt to taste. Spread sauce on an uncooked pizza.

Glynn adds dried oregano, dried basil, roasted garlic and sugar to his tomatoes.

Forming a round

Home cooks generally roll out the dough or push it out with their fingers until stretched to the desired size. But Glynn says that to avoid a flat pizza, never use a rolling pin. Instead, he advises tapping the center of the dough to flatten it slightly, while leaving the outer edge untouched. He considers this step to be crucial in creating a bubbly and airy rim á la the upscale pizza bistro.

Landis adds, “if you put the pizza toppings in the middle, that part of the crust stays down and the rim is lighter and tends to bubble up.”

Pizza stone

Before transferring the pizza to your oven, preferably with a floured wooden or metal peel (a large, flat paddle), place a pizza stone on the floor of the oven or on the lowest rack for an electric oven and preheat to 500 degrees, or as high as your oven controls will go. A pizza stone distributes heat evenly, helping to achieve a crisp crust. If you don’t own one, the underside of a thick baking sheet is an adequate substitute. Keep an eye on the oven, but resist the temptation to open the door until the pizza is dark brown and the toppings are cooked through.

On the grill

More free-form and certainly less traditional, cooking pizza on the grill gives a char and adds a smoky quality that is hard to beat.

Before trying this method, keep in mind that meat toppings need to be precooked, and you should have all ingredients at the ready for quick assembly.

Shape the dough on an olive-oiled cookie sheet or pizza pan. Take it to the grill and, as delicately as possible, lift and place it on the grates. The pizza will taste the same regardless of whether the round shape is retained. In fact, an oblong or asymmetrical design brings creativity to the table.

Within 1 minute, as the bottom starts to char, monitor it carefully. As soon as the dough appears cooked on that side, flip it and add your toppings. Cook until the cheese is melted and the other side is crisp and charred the way you like it. Take the pie off the grill and slice for sharing or serve it whole.

Mary Bloch is a freelance writer who lives in Kansas City. Her blog is aroundtheblockkc.com.

Nancy Silverton’s Pizza Dough
If you’re looking for detailed instructions on how to roll out pizza dough, Nancy Silverton of the highly acclaimed Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles offers this recipe in “The Mozza Cookbook.” She makes a “sponge” first, using bread flour and a bit of rye flour. After she combines them with yeast and water, the mixture ferments for several hours to make the dough more pliable and thus easier to shape. When baked, the crust develops pockets of air that give it fabulous texture, similar to yeast bread.
Makes enough dough for 6 pizzas; each pizza serves one
22 ounces warm tap water (2 cups, 6 ounces)
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) compressed yeast or 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
26 ounces (5 1/2 cups) unbleached bread flour, plus more as needed
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) dark rye flour or medium rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons barley malt or mild-flavored honey, such as clover or wildflower
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) kosher salt
Olive oil, grapeseed oil or another neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil, for greasing the bowl
To make the sponge: Put a scant 2 cups water and the yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer and let it sit for a few minutes to dissolve the yeast. Add 2 3/4 cups bread flour, the rye flour and the wheat germ. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Wrap the bowl tightly in plastic wrap and tightly wrap the perimeter of the bowl with kitchen twine or another piece of plastic wrap to further seal the bowl. Set the dough aside at room temperature (ideally 68 to 79 degrees) for 11/2 hours.
Uncover the bowl and add remaining scant 1 cup of water, the remaining 2 3/4 cups bread flour, and the barley malt or honey. Fit the mixer with the dough hook, place bowl on the mixer stand and mix the dough on low speed for 2 minutes.
Add salt and mix on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Note that the dough will not pull so much that it completely cleans the bowl, but if the dough is too sticky and is not pulling away from the sides at all, throw a small handful of flour into the bowl to make it less sticky.
While the dough is mixing, lightly grease with olive oil a bowl large enough to hold the dough when it doubles in size. Turn the dough out of the mixer into the oiled bowl. Wrap the bowl as before. Set dough aside at room temperature for 45 minutes.
Dust your work surface. Acting as if the round has four sides, fold the edges of the dough toward the center. Turn the dough over and return it, folded side down, to the bowl. Cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and set it aside for 45 minutes.
Dust your work surface again lightly with flour and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Divide the dough into six equal segments. Gently tuck the edges of each round of dough under itself. Cover the dough rounds with a clean dishtowel and let them rise for 5 minutes.
Lightly flour your hands and use both hands to gather each round of dough into a taut ball. Dust a baking sheet generously with flour and place dough rounds on the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with the dishtowel and set them again at room temperature for 1 hour to proof the dough. (Or leave the dough on the counter to proof instead.)
To assemble and bake your pizzas: Prepare your topping ingredients.
Remove oven racks from the oven and place a pizza stone on the floor of the oven if it’s gas; place on the bottom rack of an electric oven.
Preheat oven and the stone to 500 degrees, or as hot as your oven will go, for at least 1 hour. Create a pizza station that includes bowls full of olive oil, kosher salt and other necessary ingredients. Have a bowl of flour ready for dusting your countertop. Have a bowl of semolina ready for dusting your pizza peel.
When your dough is ready, generously flour your work surface and place one round of dough in the center of the floured surface. Dust the dough lightly with flour.
Using your fingertips as if you were tapping on piano keys, gently tap on the center of the dough to flatten it slightly, leaving a 1-inch rim untouched. Pick up the dough, ball both of your fists, and with your fists facing your body, place the top edge of the dough on your fists so the round stretches downward against the backs of your hands, away from them. Move the circle of dough around your fists like the hands of a clock so the dough continues to stretch downward into a circle. When the dough has stretched to about 10 inches diameter, lay it down on the flour-dusted surface.
Brush the rim of the dough with olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt over the surface of the dough. Dress the pizza how you have chosen, making sure to leave a 1-inch rim with no sauce or toppings around the edge.
Dust a pizza peel with semolina and slide the pizza peel under the pizza with one decisive push. You are less likely to tear or misshape the dough with one good push of the peel than several tentative pushes. Reshape the pizza on the peel if it has lost its shape. Shake the peel gently to determine whether the dough will release easily in the oven. If it is sticking to the peel, carefully lift one side of the dough and throw some more semolina under it. Do this from a few different angles until there is semolina under the entire crust.
Open the oven door and slide the dough onto the preheated stone. Again moving decisively, pull the peel toward you to leave the pizza on the stone. Bake the pizza until it is golden brown and the rim is crisp and blistered, 8 to 12 minutes. Cooking times vary depending on the power of your oven. When the pizza is done, slide the peel under the crust, remove it from the oven, and place it on a cutting board or round. Use a rolling pizza cutter to cut the pizza.
Repeat.
Per crust: 486 calories (8 percent from fat), 5 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 93 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams protein, 895 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
Mary Lou Glynn’s Pizza Dough
Most restaurants guard their pizza recipes, but even if they shared, the quantity would be too much for the home cook to handle. This recipe is from Quillan Glynn’s mom, Mary Lou Glynn, and is the one he uses to make pizza at home. The recipe can be doubled.
Makes 2 (9-inch) pizza crusts
1 tablespoon dry yeast, add 3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Tomato sauce
Your choice of toppings
Combine yeast and warm water; allow to sit 5 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble.
Add oil, sugar or honey and salt and stir. Continue to stir, adding 1 cup of flour at a time until a dough forms. You may need to add a bit more flour so dough isn’t tacky. It should be smooth. Work with hands and make a ball and place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume.
Roll and pat dough into a lightly oiled pizza pan. Paint lightly with pureed tomato sauce and add desired toppings. Bake in 450-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until crust is done.
Per pizza crust: 537 calories (14 percent from fat), 8 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 99 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, 1,071 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber.
No-Knead Pizza Dough
Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery supplies bread to New York City’s finest restaurants. But it was his no-knead bread dough recipe, printed in the New York Times in 2006, that propelled him into the spotlight. He also owns a pizzeria, called Co., which produces bubbly and chewy pies based on the same simple concept.
Makes 4 (12-inch) pizza crusts
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water, at room temperature
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky) and forms a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70 degrees.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough balls with it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, placing a pizza stone on a rack in the oven.
Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape, and cover with sauce and toppings. Transfer to oven and bake on top of a very hot pizza stone 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Per pizza crust: 342 calories (2 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 72 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 801 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

 

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Restaurant Week Jan 20-29, 2012

Written By: Mary Bloch - Jan• 20•12

Hooray! Kansas City’s second annual Restaurant Week starts today and continues through the 29th of January, with 127 restaurants participating for lunch and/or dinner. At lunch two courses will be served for $15 and at dinner 3 for $30. Check out Restaurant Week’s website where most restaurants have posted the lunch and or dinner menu they will be serving. Restaurants typically offer a combination of dishes that are normally featured and some that have been created specifically for this event. Diners will have a choice of several appetizers, entrees and desserts, but be forewarned that it is a limited menu.

Restaurant Week was originally devised during the 1992 Democratic Convention in New York City. For an interesting account of what its goals are and what has been accomplished in NYC, click here.

As the story suggests, it’s a terrific way for restaurants to promote themselves and for diners to try a restaurant that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford (or several, judging from the way in which some diners attack the Week, trying one or two a day to take advantage of the great offers). It also drives traffic to restaurants during what is traditionally a slow time of year for the industry.

But wait, it gets even better! Ten precent of the proceeds from Restaurant Week will go to Kansas City Harvesters. Last year nearly $80,000 was raised, which provided 400,000 meals to the hungry in our area. So by eating well, we’ll also be doing good.

To make it easier to keep track of all the restaurants and their menus, consider downloading the new mobile app that’s been created. The app will even direct you to Open Table so you can make a reservation and get a map. Again, refer to the Restaurant Week website for more information.

I was fortunate to be asked to preview a few of the restaurants that will be participating in this year’s Restaurant Week, and Kansas Citians are in for a treat!

Chaz is in the Raphael Hotel, and based on my prior meals there, I knew I would be eating well. Chef Charles d’Abliang recently moved over there after a very successful stint at Webster House and he has continued his winning formula at Chaz. The three course Restaurant Week meal is a steal. Great quality and service, in a quiet setting where you can actually converse with your table mate without the need to shout.

My son and I sampled the sweet potato soup with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, the arugula salad with grapefruit vinaigrette, Diver scallops with beet spatzle and beef tenderloin with asparagus (when checking out the photo, please note that it is minus the potato because we had cried “Uncle” and asked for smaller portions). With both presentation and quality, Chef Charles lived up to his growing reputation.

Next up was Urban Table. I’ve always been more of a fan of the Corinth restaurant for breakfast or lunch, so I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of our dinner. Tom and I sat at the bar, and and loved our vantage point. The restaurant was pulsing with activity and everyone seemed very happy to be there.

Entrees include scallops with fennel puree, an enormous pork chop with mashed potatoes, mushroom risotto, proscuitto and fig stuffed chicken breast, braised short rib with sweet potato and blue cheese gratin, and homemade pasta with bolognese. The menu also features a daily creation, which on the evening we dined there was amberjack (similar to swordfish) with crab fried rice and an Asian peppercorn sauce.

For a first course, diners can choose soup or salad, or can share polenta fries or poutine (french fries with cheese curds and chicken gravy). For dessert, we had our choice of white chocolate bread pudding, sticky toffee cake or black currant & milk chocolate pot de creme. We picked the first two and, though there was no chocolate in sight, we weren’t disappointed.

The last of my three previews was at the American Restaurant. Knowing what a treat it would be, I took my son, who hadn’t been there in more than a decade. Not only is the service always second to none, the setting is incomparable.

We tried two of the three RW starters–a 63 degree egg with cauliflower, black garlic and kale, and a English cucumber salad with mache, salmon roe and square bits of crispy chick pea. Both were as interesting to eat as they were to gaze upon.

The Restaurant Week menu features a choice of Campo Lindo chicken, braised Berkshire pork, or salmon. The salmon is served with a chestnut veloute, spaghetti squash and puffed wild rice. The sauce was layered with a multitude of flavors that are missing from the description, so don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a boring dish: it was anything but. The pork dish was gorgeous, with bite-sized balls of root vegetables and crispy pieces of polenta as the perfect foil for the rich chunks of tender meat.

Because the RW desserts weren’t yet available, we had to(!) settle for desserts from the regular menu. No hardship, I assure you, and I’m confident that these were representative of what will be offered during RW. Nick Weseman, the restaurant’s pastry chef, is incredibly talented, and all of his desserts are worthy of love.

Chef Debbie Gold is clearly executing at the top of her game. What I found so appealing is that while each dish exhibits an artistry that not all chefs can achieve, her fare is not fussy or pretentious. Snag a table while you still can to sample her elegant cuisine.

Now in it’s third year, Kansas City’s Restaurant Week keeps getting better and better. With more restaurants hopping on board and becoming more creative with their offerings, now is the time to get out there and EAT to your heart’s content without breaking the bank. And, more importantly, it’s an opportunity for us to support our local restaurants that do so much for our community.

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Mestizo

Written By: Mary Bloch - Jan• 15•12

Aaron Sanchez of the Food Network recently chose Leawood as the site of his first restaurant outside the New York City environs.  In keeping with his roots  (he grew up at the knee of NY acclaimed restaurateur Zarela Martinez),Mestizo features upscale Mexican fare with a flair. The contemporary interior comes alive with bright colors, red light fixtures  and a funky wrought iron bar chandelier. Busy servers streak by in dark purple shirts that complement the orange chairs and booths.  In the evenings, when the music is turned up and the bar is five deep with “youngsters” are on the prowl, it can be quite loud. By contrast, the lunch hour is tame and civilized. There’s also a cool looking deck on the roof, complete with fire pits and heaters. One can only imagine what it will be like on hot summer nights.

The first time I went to Mestizo our server encouraged us to start with an assortment of drinks from the extensive cocktail list. He was helpful in steering us away from the many sweet concoctions.  I ordered a Prickly Pear Margarita, with Charro Silver, Agave Nectar, Cointreau, Prickly Pear Juice and sugar. As much as I enjoyed it, it resembled fruit punch more than an alcoholic drink. After sampling some of my table mates’, I think I’ll stick with the basic margarita in the future. If you’re a tequila drinker, the list is extensive and impressive.

I usually judge a restaurant by its salsa, but in this instance I’m glad I got past it. The fire roasted salsa that comes complimentary with crisp tortilla chips tasted to us more like spaghetti sauce (although on a subsequent visit I was the only one of my group who thought so). Not a good start, but that was the extent of my dismay as the evening progressed.

Fortunately, there we was a large enough group that we able to sample a wide assortment of dishes.The guacamole was solid– well seasoned and fresh.  Moving onto the Small Plates section of the menu, we opted for the scallops.  Pepita crusted, they were properly cooked and sat atop a creamy picadillo, essentially a lima bean-free succotash. The pairing worked beautifully.

 

Crisp pork belly with agave-chipotle glaze on a bed of slaw is much more substantial than the term “small plate” would indicate. It was crispy (read:fried), so not the best option for those watching their cholesterol. Pork belly is by definition a somewhat fatty cut of meat, but each chunk was quite meaty and tender.

The chilaquiles were fabulous….and rich. Layered with chicken and cheese along with tortillas and salsa, these are more substantial than Port Fonda’s and don’t sport an egg on top. Sharing them is the way to go so as to leave room in your stomach to explore the rest of  the menu.

There are four types of tacos–pork belly, skirt steak, mahi mahi and braised tongue. I think skirt steak is an underrated cut of meat, but it’s perfect for Mexican fare. Fresh corn tortillas are made in- house in full view of diners, and it’s worth asking your server which dishes feature those tortillas just so you can sink your teeth into them. My only gripe is that the salsas that accompanied them are all lacking.  As food aficionado Jenny Vergara pointed out, they only need a touch of salt to perk them up and, though I usually never think a restaurant needs to turn up the salt, in this case I think she’s right.

On another visit we started with Queso fundido so we could have those fresh tortillas again. We chose the queso with rajas–green chile strips, but chorizo and potato or huitlacoche are also options. Though it’s intended to spoon the bubbly cheese mixture on the tortillas, scooping it up with the crisp tortilla chips isn’t a bad way to go either.

The sautéed shrimp with creamy guajillo sauce is another stunner.  The sauce has a kick which is offset by the mold of pozole that accompanies it.

Our server also recommended trying one of the entrees, and he steered us to the Grilled Recado chicken, an extremely tender 1/2 chicken that has been marinated first in roasted garlic, lime, and chipotle.  It’s not for the faint of heart, but I loved it.

Service is attentive, but on my second visit, it was almost too solicitous.  Our server interrupted our conversations way too many times to ask how everything was. It’s better than having to flag someone down I suppose, but they need to find a happy medium.

Personally, because of where I live,  I’m sorry Aaron Sanchez picked Leawood over the Plaza to put his new restaurant, but I don’t think he’ll have any regrets. His first foray into our area is certainly solid enough to keep diners coming back for more.

Mestizo on Urbanspoon

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Gram & Dun

Written By: Mary Bloch - Jan• 09•12

Gram &Dun is the latest restaurant under the Bread and Butter Concepts flag, an independent and local group that also owns BRGR and Urban Table in Corinth. The owners decided to jump the state line and open on the Plaza, where it’s getting a ton of buzz. Evidently, I’m not the only one delighted that there is now another non-chain worth going to  in addition to seasoned veterans like the Classic Cup, Starker’s and Blanc Burger. 

Housed in the old Baja 600 and Parkway 600 space, you’d have to look hard to see the vestiges of those restaurants. The re-do is striking and the neutral colors the designers chose are very effective. The overall effect is a soothing one, though the place has been anything but calm each time I’ve been there.

At a preview event right before the restaurant opened, I sampled a number of appetizers, including shrimp fries, bison meatballs, shishito peppers and not-so-standard potato chips with three ketchups (guacamole, vanilla bean, blood orange-habañero), the last being the only one of the bunch I would consider ordering. Rather than being thin chips, they were a thick cut round, with a dollop of sauce on top. I wasn’t wild about any of the ketchups,  but it’s a visually appealing appetizer and a worthwhile concept.

On another occasion I tried the French Onion Dumplings, and they were quite good, bursting with slurps of traditional soup by the same name.

I had heard great things about the Brussel sprout salad, but I think the main appeal is that the sprouts are not roasted, but rather raw and shredded. They are tossed with Manchego cheese, celery, cranberries, walnuts, arugula, and a rather bland lemon vinaigrette. Similar to a slaw, the texture is pleasing, but the dish would benefit from stronger flavors.

The salad with ahi tuna didn’t need more oomph, just less dressing.The salad comes vertically, with the tuna layered precariously between lettuce and crisp won ton strips. Had it not been drenched with the chili vinaigrette or totally lacking in vegetables besides watercress, it would have been a triumph. I’d probably order it again, but with the dressing on the side. The Flat Iron Steak salad with oyster mushrooms, roasted red peppers, golden raisins, watercress, spinach and chimichurri vinaigrette was not overdressed and had more going on.

My husband tried the Roasted Mushroom Trio, a sandwich on sourdough that pairs mushrooms with radicchio, watercress, balsamic, pecorino and truffle aioli. It tasted as good as it sounds, but the bread to filling ratio was off. I’d rather have more “stuff” and less bread. The house salad that accompanied it was dressed with a tart sangria vinaigrette, along with cherries, bleu cheese and pistachios.

Shrimp and grits has expanded well beyond the South, and it’s become a hit on every menu in town that it graces. Webster House has a masterful rendition, as does Gram & Dun. The shrimp here were coated with blackened (Cajun) seasonings, the grits were creamy (but not as addictive as they are at Webster House and Chaz) and the jalapeno avocado gravy took the dish beyond the traditional. On my first visit, though the shrimp were cooked perfectly, they were too salty. The next time I went to the restaurant my companion couldn’t resist ordering them despite my admonition and fortunately, the kitchen didn’t use such a heavy hand. She practically licked the bowl. (Unfortunately, that was the one dish that I have no pictures of…I must have been too focused on eating the dish rather than photographing it.)

Chicken and waffles used to be served only at soul food restaurants, but the last couple of years this combination has gone mainstream.

While I’ve never understood the appeal of eating two fried/starchy items together or why the two foods would even be paired together, after eating the CFC & Waffles at Gram & Dun, I get it. The corn flake fried chicken was crisp and devoid of grease, and the waffles got an upgrade from the addition of cheese and herbs. But what won the day was the vinegary hot pepper sauce for dipping.  Just as the maple syrup was a natural for the waffles, so too was the hot pepper sauce for the chicken. For a town that loves its barbecue to distraction, we might all have to consider that chicken and hot pepper sauce is also worthy of love.  It’s really just an upscale version of hot wings, but oh so much better.

The servers must love the Gram & Dun bar, because they push it hard. With good reason as it turns out. Billed as a faux Snickers bar, if you love peanut butter and marshmallow, this is for you. They come two to an order, so ask for an extra spoon.

The profiteroles are less inspired. The pastry was a bit gummy, and they were way too stingy on the chocolate sauce. It was more a decoration than for enjoying with the ice cream filling, and where’s the fun in that?

Even on chilly nights, groups can be seen huddled by the gorgeous firepits that grace the restaurant’s patio. In warmer weather, seats on the patio will surely be a hot commodity. Right now the restaurant is packed in the evenings, and loud. The bar is unfortunately too small to handle the current crowds, but no one seems to mind waiting for a table, especially since a hostess will text you when your table is ready. How 21st Century is that?

Gram & Dun on Urbanspoon

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The Girl and the Goat

Written By: Mary Bloch - Jan• 04•12

Stephanie Izard has been on a roll ever since winning Season 4 of Top Chef on Bravo. Shortly after becoming the first and to date only woman to win that competition, she opened her own restaurant. The Girl and the Goat has been packed since the day she opened the doors and, after a recent visit, I’m not at all surprised. This gastropub has everything–an oh-so-cool ambiance, killer small plates, marvelous service and reasonable prices.

It’s difficult to adequately describe the interior or the experience. It’s in a converted warehouse in the West Loop. enormously high ceilings and a scattering of  wood tables. The kitchen, which spans the entire back wall,  is in full view, hidden only by rows of shelves that hold dishes of assorted shapes. A gigantic wood-burning oven is the focal point, and its aroma makes the restaurant smell like a campfire. The bar is off to one side of the huge restaurant, but it is very much a part of the scene. Communal tables are in these days, and they are a major seating component at The Goat. We were fortunate to snag a table for 3 in the corner of a row of booths that runs the length of the restaurant, making it easier to converse with two lifelong friends whom I rarely get to see, yet we still felt part of the action.

The menu trots around the globe, with an emphasis on the Mediterranean. It’s divided by Vegetable, Meat, Fish, Bread, Oysters and Goat. The ingredient pairings are incredibly exciting,  and unusual to the point of being the first time I had experienced many of the combinations. But it all works; each dish is properly balanced but with bold flavors, and complex without any fussiness.

Our server walked us through the menu and suggested ordering 2-3 dishes per person.  After a civilized negotiation we created our meal and ordered. For the most part the dishes  came out nicely timed, though at one point we had to ask them to slow down their delivery. Our request was met with profuse apologies.

We took our waiter’s recommendation and ordered the Culture Club bread. House-made butter and beer cheese sauce accompanied a chewy sourdough type loaf. We were just getting started, but it set the right tone.

From the vegetable list, we ordered Roasted Beets with green beans, anchovy and avocado creme fraiche, and Roasted Cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts and mint. I’ve been eating more than my share of beets lately, they seem to be on every menu and we just finished off the ones in our garden, but the anchovy made them stand out. The cauliflower  was exceptional–I’ve never thought of this lowly vegetable as being a star, but it was splendid.

I had read about the grilled octopus and though I’m sure its partners change occasionally, I loved this particular rendition, with guanciale, wax beans, romano beans, radish, pistachio-lemon vinaigrette.  The octopus was smokey and the vinaigrette’s citrus mellowed the dish.

When I think of brandade, my mind goes to salt cod, but fortunately that didn’t stop me from giving this a try. It was one of my favorite tastes of the night. Seared scallops were layered with pumpkin brandade, fried brussels, pomegranate and spiced pecans. Wow.

Wood fired Walter’s Chicken was not your mother’s traditional roasted variety. The flavors were tantalizing and it was fun to eat with yuzu harissa, fried pickles, brussel slaw and grilled naan. We fought over the last piece and would have ordered another if we hadn’t had to pace ourselves.

With an entire menu devoted to goat dishes, the restaurant’s namesake, we of course had to sample a goat dish. Our very knowledgeable server suggested the goat rillette empanadas, but I was drawn to the Confit Goat Belly with bourbon butter, lobster ‘n crab and fennel. The goat was tender and rich enough on its own not to need the bourbon butter, but why not gild the lily a bit?

At this point, we were sated and happy…and we thought we were through. But as we were sipping the last of our wine, out came Wood Oven Roasted Pig Face with sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro and potato stix.  It was visually appealing, but it turned out to be our least favorite item of the evening… perhaps because we were full, or maybe because the meat was a bit gamey and dry.

The portions are substantial and can easily be shared among 3-4 people. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert, one of many reasons I can’t wait to return.  Someone had told me that if I could score a reservation (no easy task I should warn you), it would be worth extending my Chicago trip, and she was right. It was an energizing evening and I am in awe of what Izard has created, both in terms of ambiance and food. She is one talented woman.

Girl & the Goat on Urbanspoon

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Nica’s 320

Written By: Mary Bloch - Dec• 29•11

Nica’s 320 recently took over the old Shiraz space on Southwest Boulevard. The original Nica’s Cafe was out south before its owners negotiated for a bigger space in the Crossroads. Loaded with the same charm and a courtyard as Shiraz, Nica’s 320 looks like it’s been around forever.

The menu is quite unique. Diners devise their own dishes using potatoes, mac ‘n cheese, pasta, salad, pizza or a typical entree (steak, fish, chicken, scallops) as the basic platform. The “flavor choices” sound like a trip around the world–Thai, Caribbean, Cajun, French, and Italian, with Veghead and Ranchero rounding out the selections. Each style is described on the menu, and mixing and matching is encouraged. As an example, Nico’s noodles can be baked Margarita style with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, basil, and artichoke hearts; Ranchero with chorizo, corn, roasted peppers, candied jalapenos, Cajun with Andouille, shrimp, chicken, candied jalapenos and olive tapenade; or Veghead with candied pecans, spinach, roasted peppers and wild mushrooms. It looks like the menu is huge, but the same ingredients are used repeatedly.

In addition to trying the noodles, we had a grilled Caesar salad with a Thai Caesar vinaigrette. The dressing was fine, though I’m not sure I would have recognized it as being Thai. The Pupusa Medusa appetizer is Salvadoran in style, a cross between a tamale and a tortilla. But don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s going to be as authentic as what can be found at El Pulgarcito. The pupusa looked similar, but wasn’t as soft or fluffy, nor was the slaw topping as spicy.

We also ordered the 3 Stooges, an appetizer with three “tacos”. I use that term loosely, because they were unlike any tacos I’ve ever seen. There were three fillings–supposedly Cajun, Carnitas , and Thai chicken, served with sesame slaw and jerk salsa, though we were we were clearly eating steak and pineapple, not Andouille and shrimp, so we must have been given a Caribbean filling instead of the Cajun (but we liked it, so it wasn’t a big deal). In any event, they were served with three very thin and greasy tortillas that were so brittle there was no way to form a taco. The best we could do was break them into chips and add a bit of each filling on top. It’s a dish that clearly needs to be reworked (and maybe it has since that particular visit in October).

The restaurant is new, having only been open a few months, and it always takes time to get the kinks out, but it’s a fine effort and reasonably priced. I admire the creativity, but the dishes were a bit too contrived. Perhaps the other combinations will be more successful, certainly putting some of these ingredients in an omelette at breakfast, or in a sandwich at lunch is an appealing notion. And I’ve seen pictures of the beignets, housemade ice cream sandwiches and chocolate stuffed wonton, so I definitely will be going back for breakfast….and dessert.

Nica's 320 on Urbanspoon

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Favorite Photos of 2011

Written By: Mary Bloch - Dec• 18•11

This was such a fun post to put together. Each of the photos I selected has a particular meaning to me, either because of its composition, the presentation of the dish, or the memories it conjures up when I recall where I was and who I was with at the time the picture was taken.

Ceviche with corn nuts--Boulevard Brewery Brewmasters Luncheon with Howard Hanna

Pork shoulder at el comedor/Port Fonda

Green Dirt Farm cheese appreciation event

Chilpachole de Mariscos--Topolobampo

Bibimbap--The Publican

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad--the Pump Room and ABC Kitchen

Some people keep diaries; I never have. But I realized my blog and photo album represent a diary of sorts. They are a visual reminder of the companionship and good times associated with dining out. Until my memory fails me I can look at any of my pictures and know who I was with…..and, though it may come as a surprise to those who know me best, that’s every bit as important as what I was eating!

Wood-fired Chicken--The Girl and The Goat in Chicago

Reuben and fries--Cafe Europa

Pushups from Fresher Than Fresh at Hammerpress

Peach and Pork Belly salad--the Truffle Pig, Steamboat Springs

French fries--Julian

Spaghetti Mare at Fiola DC

Spicy Pork Sausage and Rice Cakes--Momofuku

Lobster club sandwiches at the Source, DC

homemade chips with gorgonzola cream--BRGR

tomato and goat cheese bruschetta--my house

Pork buns at Momofuku in NYC

Tomato and Brie salad–Naples, FL

the BEST chilaquiles--Port Fonda food truck

Chocolate Mousse--Story

Amigoni Rosé and small plates at Genessee Royale Bistro

Spanish tacos--Michael Smith

Spring Pea soup--ABC Kitchen, NYC

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Locanda Verde–New York City

Written By: Mary Bloch - Dec• 14•11

Locanda Verde has been on the map for quite some time. This charming Italian hot spot in Tribeca is owned by Andrew Carmellini, who just added The Dutch to his resume. Securing a reservation for dinner is no easy task, so rather than eat super early or late, we opted for brunch. Tables started filling slowly at 11:00 am, but by the time we left at 12:30, the place was packed and people were hanging out on the sidewalk waiting for people like us to abandon our table. To the waiter’s credit, we were never rushed as I’ve heard often happens in New York City restaurants. (In Kansas City would you ever be offered a dessert menu only be told by your server a few minutes later that you couldn’t order dessert because they needed to turn the table? True story…..)

No such issue at Locanda Verde as we took our time settling in and perusing the menu, which had so many appealing options that we couldn’t decide what to order.

At Locanda Verde I only took two photos before I was informed by management that they don’t allow diners to take pictures. That must be a new policy because there are photos of their dishes all over the Internet which, in fact, helped me decide what to order.

We started with Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with truffle honey and burnt orange toast for the table, though we were tempted by the pastries that were beautifully displayed on a nearby counter. The server also brought some very soft and spongy focaccia which we had no trouble devouring.

Moving on, I ordered shrimp and grits with a poached egg, and it was as luscious as the server described. Other dishes at the table included a soft scrambled egg crostini with leeks and mushrooms, wood-fired baked eggs with corona beans, mozzarella and black Tuscan kale, and lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberries and Meyer lemon curd. Not a dud in the group. In fact, everyone was happy and sated when we left, and I suspect a return visit is in our future. It would be hard for me not to repeat the same meal, but the dinner menu looks so amazing, I might try a little harder to score a night-time reservation.

Locanda Verde on Urbanspoon

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El Patron

Written By: Mary Bloch - Dec• 09•11

It was a real struggle to get my husband to go to El Patron with me. He remembered vividly, as did I, our last visit there several years ago and it wasn’t pretty. Though it occurred right after the restaurant opened, our meal was so abysmal I made no pretense of eating my dinner and Tom didn’t finish mine as he usually does.

I have always heard such positive comments about El Patron, and it was recently mentioned in the new Food Lover’s Guide to Kansas City. That got my attention; I figured it was time to check it out again.

We’re both glad we did.

Perhaps we had different dishes, perhaps there’s someone else cooking in the kitchen. Whatever the reason, we enjoyed the experience and would readily go back.

The chips were fresh and crisp, but I’d say the salsas are pretty standard. They do have a hot sauce that has a nice kick, but it could easily be eaten on its own without needing to mix in the mild salsa. The bowls the chips come in are ridiculously small–they must not have many customers like my husband who eats chips the way most people eat grapes–but at least they were quick with the refills.

I had the Burrito Puerco en Salsa Verde, a burrito stuffed with braised pork, onions and green chiles and topped with green salsa. Wanting to try the red chile sauce as well, I asked if I could have my burrito “Christmas” style with half red and half green, and they obliged. I preferred the salsa verde because, though it wasn’t as spicy as the red, it also wasn’t as salty. The pork was tender and not at all fatty.

Tom had cheese enchiladas smothered with molé sauce, and I mean smothered. It was chocolaty, fruity and decadent, just as it should be. The only thing missing was some rice to soak up all that goodness. Plates come with rice or beans, though the way we read the menu we thought rice and beans were included, not one or the other. You do have a choice of refried beans (which are listed as pintos, leading me to think they would be whole), or soupy black beans.

The menu is quite extensive, with a heavy emphasis on seafood. El Patron also specializes in the use of parrilladas, tabletop grills that come to the table with sizzling meats and shrimp on them. Similar to how we think of fajitas, but capable of serving an entire table.

The interior has to be one of the prettier Mexican restaurants on the Boulevard, with brick walls, spacious booths and a modern back-lit bar. It was obvious from the steady flow of customers coming in the front door that this hotspot is doing something right.

El Patron on Urbanspoon

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Zocalo

Written By: Mary Bloch - Dec• 02•11

Zocalo is the new Mexican restaurant that recently opened in the space vacated years ago by Mi Cocina. I was so happy to see another independent restaurant open on the Plaza and it was time that building saw new life. The good news is that it’s been packed since day one. It’s attractive and lively. The bad news is the owners have some work to do to keep customers coming back.

The first time I tried Zocalo was right after it opened, and they were slammed. The servers couldn’t keep up nor, did it seem, could the kitchen. With the exception of the crab cakes with corn relish and a spicy aioli, which were very good,  the food was mediocre at best.  The salsas were bland and lacked complexity, the tortilla soup was pretty but tasted like burnt chile sauce, and the tacos were uniformly tired and unremarkable. No one in our group of six had an interest in returning, but I couldn’t get a good read on  the restaurant based on just one visit, so I made myself give it another try.

My second impression was definitely more favorable, but I would still maintain that food is not the focus of Zocalo. With two outdoor patios (including one that was creatively carved out of the back alley), and a huge bar, the owners are  going after the singles and drinking crowd. It’s unfortunate (but smart) that Frida’s owners chose to leave the partnership before the establishment opened, having recognized that the other partners were seemingly more interested in creating a happening scene than an authentic Mexican restaurant.

This time there were four of us and we started with  guacamole and chips, a substantial portion but not exciting. The avocado dip had been freshly made but lacked seasoning and spice. The Ahi Nachos sounded interesting on the menu but looked unimpressive on the plate, owing to the dearth of ingredients.  Diced raw tuna sat atop a saffron rice mold with guacamole, a bit of mango salsa and a few trickles of cheese sauce on the surrounding tortilla chips. It got a passing grade, but barely.

Though the carnitas tacos were dry, the chicken tacos were more successful. Shredded chicken in a corn tortilla was accompanied by a bit of pineapple, queso blanco, serrano and chipotle.  Tacos are served with rice and beans, the best part of the meal. The beans are soupy and have a kick, and the saffron rice  has flavor and a nice texture.

We also tried the chicken enchiladas which come with half red and half green salsas. Though the sauces are definitely the Tex-Mex variety, I was pleasantly surprised by their flavor and zip. It’s the best entrée I’ve sampled.

In the sandwich category we tried the chicken BLT and a Cubano, both of which were served on soft, fresh rolls. The chicken was moist and plump, and the sandwich was quite substantial. The cubano was not traditional in that it was not griddled and pickles were not part of its make up, but this rendition was quite tasty. Fat slices of pork tenderloin were layered with ham, melted swiss, arugula and Habanero mustard. Both sandwiches were accompanied by crisp cubes of fried potatoes similar to what you’d see at breakfast with an omelette.

Service was also much better the second time around, a sign that the servers are learning their way around the menu and getting the training they need to be competent and attentive.

Were this restaurant located anywhere else, I would have serious doubts as to its long-term viability. If it had to fill the large dining room with hard-core foodies, they’d be sunk. But nights and weekends of party or movie goers may give the restaurant enough followers to sustain it. The owners spent a good deal of money revamping the space; I hope they devote equal attention to what goes on in the kitchen.

Zocalo Mexican Cuisine & Tequileria on Urbanspoon

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