Wine List Edits... Almost... Done

Nearly ready to unveil our updated wine list

BEING a restaurant manager is best suited for... perhaps... single folks. When I was interviewing at several different restaurants around the city for a more "upward" position one interviewer told me that as a manager, I could be working as much as ninety hours a week. I declined her offer (but did accept the comped lunch). 

I now am a restaurant manger, but my time at (and away from) the restaurant is apportioned between Service Director and maintaining our various 'web presences.' (My first project was a complete overhaul of our OpenTable page and currently, I'm maintaining three different Facebook "fan pages.") One project, which is taking a bit longer than both my superior and I had imagined it would, is a complete update of our completely-Campanian wine list. I finally got her to come down, into the wine cellar with me where we found more changes we wanted to make to the proposed final list. 

One thing I've learned over the past few weeks is that sometimes the only way to get something done is to set a deadline. I'll get to that in a bit.

What Was Your Best Soft Shell Crab of The Season?

Pan-Fried Soft Shell Crab with Vidalia Onion Chow Chow and Truffle Aioli at Corner Social, Harlem

A Complete Meal at Trois Canards

pâté maison  

AS previously mentioned, Trois Canards has been my Saturday afternoon lunch spot. Over the past few weeks, I've slowly been able to narrow down what's good (and what's not) on the menus. The pâté maison ($8.95) is as pleasing as it should be and comes with crostini topped with a delightfully-sweet onion salad! 

la tarte au cèpes

Last weekend, I had the wonderful la tarte au cèpes (porcini mushrooms)! For just $8.95, the rather large tarte could have easily been shared, or considered an entrée. I began with the mushrooms placed at three corners of the tarte, scooped up with a bit of diced tomato; then I cut into the pastry and met with its leek and mushroom filling... and smooth goat cheese center. I finished every last, tasty morsel and could not imagine eating another savory course after that. It was quite possibly equal in size to a main course offered on many prix-fixe menus.

mousse au chocolat

On my last visit, I also selected gâteau de fromage au chocolat (cheese cake topped with chocolate) which I thought was just okay. (the chocolate arrives in a silver boat which I wish would have been poured atop at presentation, rather than just left sitting at the table) If you're looking for variety (and are with a date), order it along with mousse au chocolat--so far, Trois Canards' winning dessert!

Wine List Revisions

ONE project I'm currently working on at the restaurant is revising the wine list... and making sure everything in our cellar is on it. (which sometimes calls for several hours in the cellar on my day off) I've only just begun jotting down some preliminary notes, but note-taking's been a breeze thanks to my trusty Oxford Companion to Wine ("The greatest wine book ever published." --The Washington Post).

I've already come up with some pairings like our piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes paired with taurasi. Both fruits are grown in the volcanic soil surrounding Mt. Vesuvius. How could you lose there?

And I've been learning so much about Campanian wines; we are proudly the only restaurant in the city with a completely-Campanian wine list!

Wine and Cheese, Please

I'd forgotten how tasty Ms. Beatrice can be

Tuesday evening, the second of my two days off this week, I decided to support my neighborhood with some local shopping. My first stop was at the Broadyke Meat Market for some cheese.

straight-forward, un-fussy blue cheese a. k. a. good stuff!

I'd asked the butcher if I could sample his blue cheese. He portioned out a small piece and handed it to me on a napkin. I was instantly impressed and asked for a pound. (just $8.50!) I also selected a half-pound of the more expensive gruyere ($14.50). My next stop at was at the reliable PJ Wine.

you won't find veins like that with supermarket cheese!

I wanted to pick up a sparkling and something that could be used as an apéritif (and saved for later). Looking for a sparkler that neither David nor I had had in a while, I selected Ca' Furlan prosecco. ($8.97) Scanning PJ's aisles for a wine to pair with the prosecco, I happened upon a bottle of pomegranate wine.

suspect I was, but I'd never had
pomegranate wine before...

As I was examining the bottle's label, a seller approached me from behind and asked if I'd needed any help. I told him I was looking for a wine to serve either as an apéritif or with dessert. He said the pomegranate wine would be good as an apéritif... and that it had a good acid. After confirming whether or not I should chill it, I was sold--for $7.99!

FOR DINNER, David made a "vegetarian cassoulet" with halved onions (held together by toothpicks) and freshly-soaked chickpeas. With the blue cheese, he made a dijon-blue cheese dressing for a parsley salad. The pomegranate wine somewhat resembled a fortified wine or perhaps even a liquer, with dark, heavy fruits on the palate. Paired with our meal, the Ca' Furlan carried a pleasant aroma of light fruits which were subtly flowery on the palate. David had said it was the best prosecco he'd ever had--it's not trying to be anything... but a prosecco. Later in the meal, I began concocting "kir royale"s with the prosecco topped of with a splash of the pomegranate wine. I must say it came as a close second!

A Moment of Respite

some tonic for my toiling soul...

It's been exactly three weeks and one day since I'd assumed role as Social Media & Service Director for █████████ ██████'s Chelsea restaurant, which has proven to be--at times--a rather daunting raison d'être. In fact, I was so worn the night I'd picked up the above-pictured wine that I'm sorry to say, I have little to say on its tasting notes... All I can tell you is that for $9.99--it did the trick (without tasting terrible). However, with the remaining oomph I'd had, I was able to read on the label that it was an AOC. I figured it probably would be decent. (This ends the pity segment.)

Trois Canards

The good news is: I've come accustomed to taking my Saturday afternoon lunch breaks at Trois Canards--a restaurant I'd long been wanting to try.

un mousse au chocolat à Trois Canards

On my first visit, I opted for the $14.95 brunch prix-fixe. My first mistake. I will say nothing of the brunch, other than I do not recommend it. However, the following week I returned to try one of their desserts. The mousse au chocolat with crème anglaise and raspberry coulis. The rather large dessert (easily shared between two) was satisfyingly rich and chocolate-y. Deduct a point for its presentation (and perhaps a little too much crème anglaise), but add one for its $8 price tag. (next weekend, I plan to bring one home for David and me)

I'd nearly forgotten how relaxing dinner at home can be!

Yesterday, I refused to go into the restaurant on my day off (something I'd been doing the last couple of weeks) and I'm glad I didn't because 1) the last time I did I ended up "organizing the wine cellar" for five hours and 2) David made dinner.

'eggs'-ellent!

We both started with vinho verde "apéritifs" (Casal Garcia is David's choice 'house wine') while David boiled a few eggs. He then topped Wasa crispbread with a mixture of "real mayonnaise" (preservative-free and unsweetened) from Trader Joe's, and Dijon mustard.

the best

I must tell you that for $2.50, Trader Joe's Dijon mustard is the best Dijon I'd ever had--very spicy, just how I like it...

a combination of tastes and textures...

topped with roe, to boot!

We finished dinner (which may seem rather light to some, but David and I are disciples of "French lady") with chocolate sundaes sprinkled with fleur de sel (the caviar of salts!). For now, I'm going to savor the rest of this day off!