Thursday, December 25, 2008

Mark and Lynn are impressed by The Patio's bartender in West Hampton but the food gets an incomplete...




The Patio in West Hampton NY is a low key iconic (with a small "i") place in low key West Hampton (low key for one of the Hamptons). It has been around for almost 80 years and because of the proximity of the place to the West Hampton Beach Theatre it has hosted many a famous performer (most recently, Susan Lucci according to the manager).

Lynn and I ate there on the fly recently, trying to get something to eat before a performance at the WHB Theatre. We had some items from the bar menu including fried calamari, and fried zucchini & lemon chips. A very expert bartender made nice drinks for us including a negroni which she made without batting an eye (even great bartender we know are sometimes thrown by this somewhat obscure drink). The food was good, not great and we were there by ourselves as we dined at the bar at an offbeat time (around 3:30) which throws off the dining experience.

The Patio gets a bit of an incomplete from M & L. Great drinks, pretty good bar food...Will give it another shot soon...

Monday, December 15, 2008

Cheesecake Factory at Smith Haven Mall (Lake Grove NY) is a First Rate chain...



Last year a guy got mad at Mark for breaking in line to put his name on the list to get in the Cheesecake Factory at Smithhaven Mall in Centereach. Mark is known for his gentlemanly demeanor and he took exception to this and gave the guy a nice thrashing. Then, Mark and Lynn went and had a nice lunch at this high end guilty pleasure. Mark and Lynn are not big chain restaurant connoisseurs but Cheesecake Factory raises the bar by offering one of the best bargains in food on Long Island with the 1/2 price bar menu from 4-6. The chain serves great small plates within this menu like Calamari, and chopped salad. The restaraunt has plenty of lightweight drinks like a whisky sour, fruit martinis and the like. However, there are also excellent, top shelf spirits like Belvedere and Hennessey. First rate second rate stuff...

(Hampton Blues part 1)-Citarella in East Hampton is fine, except for the customers...


Citarella is a kind of mini-whole foods with great offerings of cheese, meat, fish and coffee (among many other things). It is the most artistic arrangement of food you are likely to see outside of Manhattan and it is nearly impossible to take because of the customers. The atmosphere is an almost comic stereotype of the pushy New Yorker who is obnoxious and competitive to the core. People crowd the deli counter in yoga pants and Ivy League sweatshirts with only one thought in mind: Getting my half pound of cous cous first! Needless to say, this kind of thing cuts into the fun of Citarella and Mark and Lynn are all about fun especially when it comes to this kind of thing. As with Rowdy Hall which you will read about in the next post, Citarella is merely an accomplice in this, but somehow it counts against them the same...

2 Pantigo Rd.
East Hampton, NY

(Hampton Blues Part 2) Rowdy Hall in East Hampton is a great restaraunt, except for the customers...



Mark and Lynn have been going to Rowdy Hall for years and we will no doubt continue to go there for years to come. It is a great place to grab a bite before or after a movie and it is the rare place that has a lot of consistent, unbroken energy through the afternoon so that even if you eat lunch at 2:30 there is usually a nice crowd and a full staff.

The bad about Rowdy Hall is that it is often crowded with clueless patrons who lack even the most basic ideas about courtesy. This is especially true with regard to the bar which is well-stocked with fine beers, good, inexpensive wines and a mixture of old school and hip spirits. The space of the bar is small and it can feel crowded even with five patrons. It is rare that Mark and Lynn sit at the bar without some jerk acting annoying in some form or fashion. There behavior is mostly of the variety of being passive aggressive and not letting you move to a seat. There is little a place can do about this kind of thing and it is typical of the Hamptons where the entitlement of the citizens is often unbecoming.

The good is that the food is excellent pub fare with great, beefy fish and chips, elegant frise salad and the best and coolest bartender in the Hamptons, Dermont...
Go and enjoy, but consider yourself warned.

10 Main St.
East Hampton, NY
T: 631.324.8555
www.rowdyhall.com

Tate's Bake Shop in Southampton is touched with perfection...




Tate's Bake Shop in Southampton, NY has always been a particular favorite of Lynn's for its great, inexpensive cookies, brownies and most of all the great Marie Antionette cake. The staff has always been helpful and composed with a real commitment to service and cordiality. As with other places Mark and Lynn love, it is harder to write about places touched by perfection...

43 North Sea Rd.
Southampton, NY
T: 631.283.9830
www.tatesbakeshop.com

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Salsa Salsa raises the bar for creative Mexican food in Bayport, Long Island...




Salsa Salsa in unfashionable Bayport is the latest offering in the Salsa Salsa Empire in Suffolk County. Lynn and I have always loved the Salsa Salsa restaurant in Port Jefferson where Chef Chris Jehle added great selections like duck to traditional Mexican dishes. They also were almost over-accommodating to Mark as he often made special requests like melting gorgonzola over the salad offerings and even concocting his own salad.

The Salsa Salsa in Bayport is a great step forward for Brookhaven as there are plenty of bloated, expensive restaurants in the area (Le Soir, Louis XVI) and plenty of junky delis but nothing to have a quick, satisfying moderately priced meal of exceptional quality. Believe me, we have looked and there is nothing in Brookhaven.

The Bayport version of Salsa Salsa brings much of the staff and spirit of the Port Jefferson version. It was great to see some familiar faces and for them to remember our preferences. We have already visited the place several times and have noticed that the restaurant has smoothed out some of its rough spots and is clicking away on par with the exceptional efficiency that we had admired in Port Jefferson. The prices remain modest and the eatery is beginning to experiment with key ingredients as the Port Jefferson SS was known to do….It is a relief to Mark and Lynn that there is no need to trek up to Port Jefferson from the South Shore of Long Island to get exceptional food in this price range (except for old time’s sake)


Salsa salsa Bayport
893 Montauk Highway
Bayport, NY 11705
Ph: 631.419.6464
Fx: 631.419.6462

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

A mano Osteria and Wine Bar continues the trend of exceptional dining on the North Fork of Long Island....




A mano in Mattituck on the very beginning of the North Fork of Long Island is one of the latest entries into the ever-expanding, ever more impressive dining options on the rustic North Fork area of Long Island. Lynn and I ate there the other night and enjoyed a great swordfish and cheese plate (featuring local Catapano cheeses). Lynn had an exceptional Italian red and I had a martini that was a bit of a misfire as it appeared to be stirred, not shaken (with a warmish glass no less). This is small complaint, however as the service was sublime and the menu full of reasonable choices (especially with regard to the pizza and starters). The trend towards excellent dining with local food and wine on the North Fork continues...

www.amanorestaurant.com
13550 Main Road | Mattituck, N.Y. 11952 | Tel # 631-298-4800

Monday, November 24, 2008

Editorial: Bring back the Epicurian 007...


Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond film is a dissapointment from the standpoint of Bond the coneisseur of food and drink. The previous 007 film, the very fine Casino Royale saw the introduction of the Vesper cocktail to movie audiences. The origin of the drink goes back to 1953's original Bond novel Casino Royale:



"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"
"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.
Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."
-Ian Fleming, Casino Royale

In the 2006 Casino Royale, 007 (Daniel Craig) orders the drink in almost exactly the same way. The 1953 drink would have been much stronger as those brands are less potent in 2008. However, a great cocktail is a great cocktail and the Vesper is a pleasenatly retro masculine drink with a great story behind it.


The dissapointment with QOS is that 007 is not the drink and food conneusuer of the novels nor of the films. Craig's Bond gets smashed in QOS (on six Vespers no less which should be potent enough to kill even Bond). Bond should drink, but never be drunk. 007 is often thought to be an alcoholic which is not true. He is a sensualist and man of the world. In none of the books nor the films does 007 get drunk.


Craig is the best Bond since Connery and he has a lot of the qualities that made Connery so sublime as 007: A great physical prescence, a particularly masculine point of view and a sense of a toughness that is authentic and intimidating. What Craig does not have is Connery's easy, gliding manner, nor his natural comic timing. I don't think this is because Craig is incapable of being witty or sleek. I recently watched Munich again and he has a very warm, re-assuring prescence in the film that is not in his two performances as Bond. I think the problem is that his Bond is not written in the way Connery's was. Without the food, drink and wit, Connery's Bond could have come off as a brute or a thug.
The writer's need to concoct a more sophisticated 007 or he runs the risk of being a blank superman like Jason Bourne. Craig is an absolutely talented actor at the peak of his powers and there is no reason that he could not bring some of the world weary sophistication of the early Bond films to modern audiences.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mark and Lynn Meet Jamie Oliver, the Famous Naked Chef...






Mark and Lynn enjoy mingling among the common folk. So, it was with a good deal of anticipation that we went to the Barnes and Noble in Lake Grove on Long Island to meet the charming chef and television host in person. He was signing copies of his books, in particular Jamie at Home (Hyperion) which focuses on his personal experiences and philosophy more and his own interest in developing a personal garden which helps sustain his coooking.


We got there at about 5 and got a number for his scheduled 7 pm appearance. We then got a bite to eat and meandered back to the bookstore. The word came down about 6:30 that he was running about a half hour late. We then went to Macy's and killed some time. Finally, at about 8pm the Naked Chef strolled in easily, apologizing even as he got a rousing welcome. He quickly got down to signing books and even though patrons were discouraged from asking for personal pictures he charmingly complied.

Mark and Lynn were able to talk with him a second. Lynn asked Mr. Oliver what his favorite cocktail was.

"A sidecar," he said. "Have you had one?"

Lynn mentioned that she had just seen a recipe and had asked for one at Painter's (a nearby favorite of ours).

Mark mentioned that he had made a tempura based recipe from one of Mr. Oliver's early books and he had enjoyed the challenge of it.

"It was all over the kitchen." Lynn remarked.

Jamie laughed and said "Please don't blame me,sir."

Sidecar
The Original from Harry's Bar - Paris

1 1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Mckiernan's in Montreal warms us up in cold Canada...




Just a couple of doors down from Joe Beef (with the same owner) was McKiernan’s which was our lunch spot over the weekend. It was very small (tables had to be moved around to be seated due to the limited space) but hardly claustrophobic. As was the custom the hostess warmly greeted us and we picked out a nice Spanish red (see my drawing) to warm us up from the chill of the day and we ate a nice pate with pistachios along with a nourishing cheese plate. The quirky interior made it seem like eating at a bohemian friend’s apartment. Best of all was a picture of Burt Lancaster in the Crimson Pirate on the wall…


McKiernan

2485 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal
Métro Lionel-Groulx
Téléphone: 514-759-6677

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mark and Lynn are mostly happy with the Marriot Chateau Champlain in Montreal...





Our hotel (the Marriot Chateau Champlain) on our recent trip to Montreal was on the whole very nice. The best thing was the incredible view of Old Montreal that we had which was equally breathtaking day or night. Lynn also got a tremendous massage at the hotel's spa L'Ultime. We had a nice lunch one day at the Le Senateur lounge where the bartender made up a special cheese plate not on the menu. The parking situation was tough as it cost about 20.00 per day to park and it was no picnic to get in and out of the parking garage. The valets in the front were either not helpful or overly helpful. We did not eat in the Champlain restaraunt but it looked appealing. Forgive me but it was nice to have a Starbucks downstairs as well....


Montreal Marriott® Chateau Champlain

1050 de la Gauchetiere West Montreal, Quebec H3B 4C9 Canada

* Phone: 1 514 878 9000
* Fax : 1 514 878 6761
* Sales: 1 514 878 9000
* Toll-free: 1 800 200 5909

Monday, October 27, 2008

Deus Ex Machina (look it up) Itsi Bitsi Cupcakes makes Lynn happy...




Lynn is not completely complicated. Economic crisis...Have a cupcake. Conflicted electorate...Have a cupcake-Rising rate of foreclosure...Have a-Well, you get the idea...After braving the Atwater market and the "Circle C" (the Canadian equivalent of Pathmark, just with more panache), Lynn needed sustanace and a sugar rush. Mon Dieu, a Dues Ex Machina popped up in the guise of Itsi Bitsi Cupcakes a very sweet, very cool cupcake bakery a couple of years old near the very hip, very cool, very hip Rue Notre Dame...The smell alone was enough to intoxicate Mark and Lynn into a coma, the taste...Well, you can guess the rest (as the song says).

The Atwater Market in Montreal save Mark and Lynn from Starvation (not really)...




There was a lot of "Atwater Market" that popped up when we Googled "Montreal Food" or "Montreal Gourmet." We made a point of checking this place out near the Rue Notre Dame on Saturday the 25th as we were quite hungry. The Market was a mixed bag with commerical stuff (ordinary cheeses' for instance like Shopshire Blue, Diet Coke and the like), in combination with exceptional chocolates, great coffee and superior magazines in various languages.

Is Joe Beef in Montreal the best restaraunt in the world....the short answer is yes




Joe Beef in Montreal is the most satisfying dining experience I have ever had. It had the drama of a great play for me and I will never forget it. I thought about why it had the effect on me and I am still at a loss. Maybe it was like a great opera, or a great magic show, something that is touched by magic but is unexplainable in the regular ways...

In any event, the salad we had was near perfect (translated from the French it was "The Glutton's Salad") with rich pate and confit. Our wines were perfect, and we were so drunk with the sensuality of the place that it was all a blur...Our very pregnant waitress was lovely, directing us and offering advice (as she navigated us through the menu written on a huge bulletin board) in an intimate purr. We were crammed into the smallest of spaces, but people treated us like long lost friends offering compliments on our choices of wines, food, etc...

Lynn looks great in her new dress but Les Tois Petit Bouchons doesn't impress...



By far our most dissapointing eating experience during our recent visit to Montreal, this restaurant was not a disaster by any means. There was simply some awkwardness because we got a relatively mild reception by the staff there (by our last night we were used to being greeted very warmly). The space we were seated at was awkward and dark. The menu was written on a blackboard in the bar area so we had to stand there like we were waiting for a train trying to make up our minds about what to eat. (Many of the restaurants had blackboards for menu items, but most were situated where they could be read comfortably from where you might be seated). The reviews we had read praised the wine, but our server could do little to tell us about the wines available (nor did he seem terribly interested in going into it with us). There was no convenient place to put our coats, and again, none of the staff seemed interested in helping out even as we struggled to figure this out.

For what it is worth the food was very good. The duck I had was exceptional. We were sorry we could not really recommend this place as it has much to be desired lacking the French-Canadian charm we had grown so fond of...

Pullmans in Montreal lives up to the hype...




Pullmans in Montreal is one of the most high profile restaraunts (really a tapas bar) in Montreal. It was the centerpiece of a recent high profile ad campaign for Montreal tourism and its striking and witty interior (with a chandelier of wine glasses as the restaraunts centerpiece). This image and a promise of hip eating and drinking are what caused us to formulate a short excursion to Montreal from Long Island (about 7-8 hours of driving). We got in last thursday the 23rd and immediately headed out to Pullmans.

We saw the characteristic chandelier and the host greeted us with a warm "Bonjour" and lead us up to the bar area (the restaraunt is somewhat tiered with multiple levels) giving the small space a horizontal dynamic which makes it seem larger than it is).

Lynn and I had drinks, a great negroni for me (a drink that is often made too sweet, but this time with made with a nice citrus bite). We ate a great blate of endive salad, a nice bit of fried calamari and a brilliant cheese plate. The only misfire were the cupcakes which tasted dry and were fine to eat, but rather pedestrian.

Our server was very warm and helpful and she took great pains to make sure we were content and was helpful in recommending other restaraunts in the city to check out...

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Isabella Gardner Museum's Cafe in Boston would make Ms. Gardner proud....




The Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston is certainly one of the most intriguing museums in the US with a mystique and panache that other art museums like The Met, MOMA and the Whitney simply don't have. There are reasons for this that mainly have to do with the physical place itself. Other reasons: the tragic theft of 13 paintings in 1990 that has, ironically, added to the allure and mythology of the musuem (see the film Stolen for more about this). The effect of visiting there is that one has stumbled onto a set concocted by a character out of Jules Verne, or HG Wells. The space is several stories high and the interior is a magnificent garden with tremendous light and a sense of awe is hard to shake off as one winds through the place. Isabella Gardner, a woman ahead of her time was many things, but most of all she was a sublime character and patron of the arts. Her friends included artists John Singer Sargent, Whistler and the author Henry James (whose characters in works such as Daisy Miller seem indebted). Her passions included the Red Sox, and Harvard Football and mainly, assembling a collection of art that reflected all of her moods, whims and contradictions.



Mark and Lynn were lucky enough to get a chance to see this wonderful, sensual, tactile legacy of Ms. Gardner's well-lived life. The intimacy of the place is such that Mark and Lynn thought they might run into the great woman in the elevator or coming around the corner of the gift shop. The art is definitely an interesting mix, but, as different as it is, it all somehow makes sense as a collection. There is a mix of grand pieces such as Sargent's El Jaleo ( a real jaw-dropper near the entrance)
and smaller works like Lippi's The Meeting of Christ and John The Baptist that signals the physical manifestation of Ms. Gardner's fine tuned mind at work.

The Gardner Museum also has a fine cafe for patrons to re-charge their batteries after being assaulted with so much sensual beauty. We staggered in exhausted and were pleasantly rewarded with an excellent lunch that captured the spirit of offhand elegance and graceful living that Ms. Gardner would have approved of. Mark and Lynn had a simple salad and cheese, a serving of pate along with a dessert of English sticky pudding (that Lauren was especially proud of) and a couple of glasses of Quail Hill chardonnay. Luckily, the weather was perfectly Indian Summer and Mark and Lynn could sit in the outdoor seating section of the museum and try to make sense of all the beauty of the place. Our service was first rate both by the hostess and our waitress. The cafe apparently has special menus throughout the year celebrating the artwork and life of Ms. Gardner (including experimentation's with special cocktails and nasturtium blossoms which intrigued the two of us). Ms. Gardner would be proud of it all and if she were around we like to think she would have joined us for lunch...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Hotel Indigo Riverside near Boston is the coolest hotel in New England (just don't tell anyone)



Mark and Lynn had stayed in the Hotel Indigo near Boston in May and it was one of the best hotel experiences we had had in many a year. All the better because we were not expecting that much. On our recent return trip the hotel had taken a huge leap forward on several different levels. The pool area was finished and it was warm enough last weekend to contemplate taking a dip in the heated pool. Beautiful cabanas and lounges lined the pool area making it look like the scene out of Goldfinger when Bond is in Miami Beach.


We had a drink on the patio of restaurant Boxx 109 sitting before a beautiful gas generated firepit that looked like an art object. The waitstaff and management were great to us the whole time expressing there familiarity with us and putting up with our offbeat requests (like fetching six champagne glasses for us to take to our room for an impromptu family celebration) without batting an eyelash.


Hotel Indigo is also a great bargain at well under 200.00 a night (on the weekend no less!). Just don’t tell anyone about it and spoil our secret ok?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Interview-Author Iain Gatley explains the history and mythology of spirits in his book DrinK: A Cultural History of Alcohol...


Author Iain Gatley has made a name for himself in examining the everyday substances of human existence and extrapolating universes of history, mythology and fascinating detail out of them. His work on Tobacco did this and now he is back with a history of Alcohol called Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol (Gotham). Mark and Lynn were fortunate enough to correspond with Mr. Gatley from Spain and he was nice enough to answer a few questions about his work...

MLAF: In some ways this work might seem to be a natural follow up to your work on the history of Tobacco. Did you see a connection between the two?

IG: Whilst both Drink and Tobacco belong to the same genre, and each subject is treated in a similar manner, they posed very different challenges when I was writing them. I conceived of Tobacco as akin to a detective story - with plenty of bodies at the end - and arranged the book around a single question: why smoke? Drink in contrast deals with a far more equivocal substance – a sort of Jekyll and Hyde - which has been part of western culture for far longer than the evil weed, and which has done more good than harm. Alcohol, in moderation, is beneficial, and alcoholic beverages have an intensity and sophistication of flavour that other drinks lack. Most importantly, booze has been part of our diet for nearly 10,000 years. As a consequence, I had to consider a wider strata of each culture and era I examined."

MLAF: Were you surprised that the subject of Spirits and Wine was somewhat unrepresented in in popular histories?

IG: "In terms of a general history, yes. Whilst there is a vast body of work dealing with individual drinks – one could assemble an entire library dedicated to the wines of Bordeaux for instance - and also with alcoholism, few have attempted a synthesis of the influence of alcohol on our culture over time."

MLAF: Was there anything that you found particularly interesting in the research or writing of this work?


IG "Plenty – interesting, surprising and amazing. The sheer volume of alcohol people used to consume is staggering. King Edward II of England, for example, ordered over a million bottles of wine to celebrate his wedding in 1307, when the population of London was only 80,000; between the dark ages and the industrial revolution men women and children seem to have averaged a gallon of beer or a litre or two of wine a day. Viewing history through the bottom of a glass also introduced me to new things in each era I examined – the poetry of John Skelton, the correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, the settlement of the American West, to name but a few."


MLAF: Do you feel that the US has the most complicated ideas about alcohol and its consumption?

IG: "Absolutely. Prohibition has cast a long shadow. Americans have the greatest variety of attitudes towards alcohol in the world. Whilst some are connoisseurs of fine wines, or happy to put away a bellyful of beer when out drinking with their buddies, others choose to live in dry communities. Similarly, America produces – and consumes, a tremendously diverse range of alcoholic beverages, ranging from Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon through Jim Beam Bourbon to Bud Light, and while some places have honourable and ancient connections to specific beverages, there’s not the ingrained localism of many European countries. I’m writing in Spain right now, where it’s very hard to find any imported drinks, aside from premium brands of spirits."


MLAF: Did writing this change your attitudes or tastes with regard to alcohol?

IG" Yes. Studying the beliefs and prejudices of prior ages made me want to put some of them to the test: do beer drunks really only fall over backwards, as Aristotle hypothesised? The book also affected my choice of drinks, in a number of ways. Firstly it made me more open to trying different beverages like mead and absinthe, partly with the aim of finding out if they had the peculiar effects attributed to them by Vikings or 19th century Parisian boulevardiers; and secondly it focused me on quality rather than quantity: knowing how, for example, a style of wine is made, and what the vintner was aiming to achieve, have enhanced my appreciation of each glass I drink."

MLAF: Any films you think are fun with regard to spirits?

IG: "How about Breakfast at Tiffanys-or Tom Jones - both have splendid boozing scenes."

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Annalise is at Perabell in Patchogue!-Why are we excited? Read on...



For Mark and Lynn so much of the restaraunt experience is wrapped up in personality. We rarely say "Let's go to Painter's tonight." Instead, it is "Let's go see Kevin tonight." (A favorite bartender of ours at Painter's). This is especially true when we find ourselves gravitating towards a place simply because a favorite bartender has relocated there. So it is with Parabell, a nice restaraunt/bar in Patchogue where Analise, one of our favorites from Mangia Mangia (from our first post ever) has taken up residence behind the bar. Why do we like her so much, well it might be because of her freakishly upbeat personality, her preternatural ability to remember what we like to eat and drink...There are other reasons as well. As a result, we have been frequenting Perabell more than ever (as opposed to never). We will continue to do so (unless she moves somewhere else)...

114 West Main Street;
Patchogue, New York, 11772
(631)447-7766
www.perabellfoodbar.com

Monday, September 29, 2008

Food Innovator Paul Newman...




There is not much more to say about the well-lived life of Paul Newman. He was a great innovator with his charitable Newman's Own series of food and drink which has generated over 250 million in proceeds for charaties all around the world. Newman also co-owned the Dressing Room on the grounds of the Westport Playhouse in Westport, CT. Mark and Lynn have made it a holiday ritual to visit there around Lynn's birthday for great organic, local, Yankee style comfort food. Our only regret was that we didn't run into old blue eyes while sitting at the bar to give us the chance to buy him a drink...(or for him to buy us a drink)


www.newmansown.com
www.dressingroomhomegrown.com

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Mark and Lynn get primitive at Obryckis in Baltimore...




As the world gets more sophisticated and we have more culinary, wine and spirit choices it is easy to lose touch with the primal aspect of eating. Eating for sensual pleasure, eating for survival, even preparing food as a skill. Dining at Obrycki's in Baltimore helps bring this notion back to the present tense. Mark and Lynn have wanted to go to Obrycki's, the famous mecca of crab and seafood perfection located in Baltimore (recommended by our friends John and Carol Cheskay) for many years. Driving to Wilmington from Long Island is grueling and it is difficult to take a detour as it can easily turn a 12-13 hour trip into a 14-15 hour trip. Luckily, Mark and Lynn stretched a point as we hit the Baltimore area early in the afternoon and found ourselves at the legendary restaraunt.



Obrycki's is located in the historic Fells Point section of Baltimore in a building that is over 150 years old. The area of town the place seemed untouched by gentrification and felt authentically urban. We got the the place around 2 and we were the only patrons in the sizable restaraunt. We ordered the specialty of the house, a huge platter of steamed crabs with the restaraunts flavorful spice generously applied. Our waitress showed us how to prepare and eat the crabs with great deftness. Lynn and I looked at the huge, crimson plate of crabs and wondered how we could eat so much food. Forty-five minutes later we looked at each other and wondered how could we have eaten so much food. We both remarked that we couldn't help but think of the famous carnal eating scene in Tom Jones where Albert Finney and Susannah York physically anihilated a meal in much the same way that we had. (Although we still had several hours of driving ahead of us)....


Mailing Address:
Obrycki's
P.O. Box 38218
Baltimore, MD 21231-1817

Street Address:
Obrycki's
1727 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21231

Phone: 410-732-6399

www.obryckis.com

Friday, September 26, 2008

Ruth and Chris' at the Wilmington Hilton comforts hardened New Yorkers Mark and Lynn who are frightened by downtown Wilmington North Carolina...







Ruth and Chris' in the Hilton in Wilmington North Carolina was a breath of fresh air in downtown Wilmington which seems to have fallen on hard times. A quick drive down Front Street after getting in from Long Island at 11 pm reminded me of some of my favorite films: Night of the Living Dead, Escape from New York, etc.



If I exaggerate it is not by much. Co-ed types staggered down the street, scuzzy looking dudes lurked about. The next day a quick jog around the same area saw a Downtown that seemed to have morphed from a place with some real promise into a place with bar after seedy bar, over-flowing trash bins for blocks and quite a few guys rumaging through the trash and stealing newspapers from businesses.

So much for that. For what it is worth, Ruth and Chris' in the Hilton was one of the few places in the Downtown with a serious upgrade since we left. The Hilton has been the only Hotel of consequence in the Downtown for many years and the Hotel's farily recent renovation has simply placed the bar even higher.

Our daughter works there during the night shift and we were amazed at how chic and sleek the place has become (it was a bit on the frumpy side when we left in 2000). Lynn and I had a drink in the bar. I had my favorite vodka martini with Campari ("I have never heard of that combination," the bartender said) which was really nicely made (with a frozen glass!).

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I (Mark) have written for The Christian Science Monitor, Clear Magazine, Picture Magazine, Film Score Monthly, Dan's Papers, Rue Morgue, In Flight USA and a lot more publications that I can't remember.... My wife Lynn was a model with the Ford Agency and her photography has been featured in most of the publications I have written for...

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