Ramen Wars!

London has entered into an interesting time for foodies. In recent months three large ramen noodle bars have sprung up around the city offering delicious bowls of ramen made of slow cooked broths and fresh made noodles.  The city is buzzing about the options and the different atmosphere of each noodle bar.  I've tried two so far and and this is a bit about each!

Tonkotsu

My first London ramen experience was Tonkotsu in Soho.  Tonkotsu gives you an authentic noodle house experience.  When you enter, you walk past two large vats of slow cooking, steaming broth and into a super crowded space.  On their homepage, Tonkotsu says "No booking required. ....we'll find a table for you.".  And they do not exaggerate this statement at all.  Chairs and people and pints of Japanese beer are all crammed across entire lengths of long tables.  The people on the outer edges have to get up in order to let you past them so you can get to your seat.  It's really an atmosphere well suited for the British if you think about it.  Everyone is politely ignoring bumping elbows and overreaching waiters.  I could just imagine Dallas diners being a little overwhelmed by the tight quarters.  As far as the food is concerned,  the broth is made by slow cooking pork bones for 18 hours and adding pillow soft ramen noodles along with pork and eggs.  My ramen was really quite tasty.  The broth is super smooth with a deep, rich flavor.  The garnishes were fresh and the egg and pork were perfectly cooked.  I'm always a little weary of the pork because it can sometimes come out a little over cooked and dry.  This pork was very enjoyable.  I'll go back.

Bone Daddies

Bone Daddies is a little bit different in that the ambiance is definitely more rock and roll.  And, I mean that in a vinyl-record-player-blasting-hair-band-ballads sort of way.  When you walk into Bone Daddies, you have to squeeze past a small, yet posh, bar where hipsters crowd together and sip Japanese whisky.  I will say, though, the authenticity of the ramen bar still finds you in that you still get squeezed into impossibly cramped tables.  The other thing that sets Bone Daddies apart is their extensive snacks and extra toppings offerings on the menu.  We noshed down on yellowtail sashimi and pork ribs before our ramen.  The pork ramen was smooth and had a little more spice to it than Tonkotsu.  I felt like we were served a little less broth here, though.  The pork was cooked nicely and the extra egg was a nice final touch.

The tables at Bone Daddies have garlic cloves and garlic presses available to enhance your ramen -- this was my first time seeing this option in a ramen house.  My favorite touch is the jar of black hair rubber bands at each table just in case a lady's hair is getting in the way of her ramen enjoyment.  Brilliant!

Our next stop on this ramen tour MUST be Shoryu Ramen.  I can't wait to see what they have to offer.  By the looks of things, they have also have an array of sides to choose from, similar to Bone Daddies.  I'm not sure we have a clear winner or loser here.  Both noodle houses have great food and unique atmospheres.  I guess we will just have to keep trying new ramen places until we find a definite winner in these Ramen Wars!..... that's going to be my excuse at least. :-)

A little Italian right around the corner

Before I came to the UK the first time, I had really low expectations on the food.  I'm glad to say that there is the same caliber of food preparation that you would expect from a leading world city.  I'm also glad to say that we found the most magical little Italian restaurant just around the corner from our flat.  You know the kind.  The maitre d knows you by name.  The wine list is extensive, but just enough to be accommodating and not overwhelming (they have my Bellavista on the menu).  The type of place where they just start bringing meats, and breads to your table before you even order.  Behold! Osteria dell'Arancio!!

Below is a sampling of the items we enjoyed.  The standouts were the octopus salad, which the waiter said was the most "chef-y" item on the menu (which, of course, sold us on the item) and the spicy pappardelle dish I had as my main.  Oh, and, yes, that is bacon wrapped around those lamb chops!

I'm excited because we are headed back for dinner on Jan 29 for a Barolo tasting.  We are going to bring some friends and try some free top of the line wines.  Can you think of a better reason??

Tuscany on Valentine's Day

During our Tuscan road trip, we were in the hill town of Montepulciano, Italy, on Valentine's Day.  We didn't make any restaurant plans ahead of time (good going E!), so we relied on TripAdvisor.com for recommendations.  After a quick search, we found Borgobuio.  The dinner was a blast!  The owners are a married couple, Piers and Elda.  Elda is the chef and Piers runs the front of the house.  While waiting for the wine to breathe, Piers brought over a leather bound book which showed Borgobuio ranked in the top 100 restaurants in Tuscany and had me read the entry aloud for all the guests -- he was VERY proud!  Piers gave us the best wine service either of us have ever received.

The atmosphere is intimate and comfortable.  The food was arguably the best meal I have ever had.  I loved dining in a former cellar.  The architecture was so interesting.  Also interesting was the flat screen TVs playing concert DVDs during the meal.  That element prompted some bad reviews on TripAdvisor.  I feel like seeing "Cool and the Gang" in concert was just the quirky touch that really revealed Piers sense of humor.  As soon as we walked in the front door, we knew this was going to be a special night!

We had a very special Valentine's Day together.  What is your favorite romantic evening?  I'd love to hear about your special night stories!

Gruene, Texas Float Trip

Last weekend, we packed it up and headed south to float the Guadalupe River.  We left Dallas early Friday morning and got to New Braunfels mid day.  The river trip was full of the usual road trip shenanigans.  First, we floated the wrong river than the group we were trying to meet up with.  Who knew there are many different Rockin' Tubes?!  Then, we lost the tube that had the cooler on it while going through some rapids. Eek!  Luckily, Kara is a former ballerina and gracefully climbed back up the rocky bank of the river to retrieve the lost tube!  Kara immediately received hero status for her feat!!  It was fun talking Housewives and Gypsy Weddings with the women and men alike in our 16 person group.  We met some new people and had tons of laughs on the water!

Supplies!  Snacks, sunscreen, games and water toys.

We headed into Gruene for dinner at the Gruene Cotton Gin

Walking up to the cotton gin

The hostess writes your name on the board when your table is ready.  So cute!

Diners inside cotton gin

Our cabin was as close to the water as you could get.  This is the view from the our deck!

The river is peaceful -- at least after the tubers leave!
via Kara Legako

I'm looking forward to this weekend.  It's always a good time when my family comes to Dallas.  My little brother's band, Till Metro, will be playing in the Dallas Music Festival Saturday night.  I can't wait to see those little rockers jam out!

Have a good weekend!!!

South American Wine Dinner

South America has brought a lot to the world.  We have Machu Pichu, Amazon Rain Forest, the Andes, Inca ruins, and, of course, wine.  Wait, what?!  Yeah, I said wine!  Until recently, all I knew about South American wine was Malbec.  And, as a self proclaimed student of all things Vino, I'm always open to experiencing new wines.  The wineries of Dona Paula from Argentina and Carmen from Chile contributed some incredible wines for a four course wine tasting dinner at Abacus.


The stand out wine was the Dona Paula, Estate Torrontés 2010 from Argentina.  This white is incredibly light and aromatic.  Comments about this wine at our table included "It's like Champagne without bubbles" and "This wine is like tasting a light perfume".  I totally agree with both.  This was my first encounter with Torrontés.  I am by no means a white wine drinker, but after experiencing the airomatic, but not overly sweet flavor of a Torrontés, I can see myself enjoying this wine in the future!


Of course, when you're attending an event at Abacus, you expect exceptional food.  This time was no different.  The first course was a lovely "pizza".  There is a large Italian immigrant population in South America, so this course was certainly more appropriate than one first expects.


The second course was the best chicken I have ever eaten.  The meat was pasture raised and incredibly decadent.  Think "happy chickens".  I can't say enough about how well treated animals make the best tasting dishes. 


Third course was Kobe hanger steak with a pecan tortilla.  Both items melted in your mouth.  Who doesn't like steak you can cut with a butter knife?


Last, we had brown butter cherry tamales.  These things were RICH.  Texturally, they were a little much for me.  The sensation of swirling course brown butter around my mouth wasn't really my bag.  The genius of this choice in dish was the wine pairing.  Our entire table was a little unsure of the choice because of the strength in the Carmenere.  Alone, you would expect this wine to be served with a meat dish.  Next to the tamale, the wine was immediately subdued and rounded out the course nicely.

First Couse
"Porteno Pizza": Fugazza con Queso, Carmelized Cippolinis, Heirloom Tomatoes, Salchicha Parrillera
Second Course
Pollo la Plancha: Grilled Windy Meadows Pasture Chicken, Roasted Corn-English Pea Hash, Natural Jus
Third Course
El Parilla: Chargrilled Kobe Hanger Steak, Yellow Tomato-Pozole Stew, Crispy Pecan Tortilla
Fourth Course
Brown Butter-Cherry Tamale, Caprino Royale Cajeta

Destination: Arezzo, Italy

Upon leaving Bologna, we headed South towards Arezzo, Italy.  Arezzo rests atop a very steep hill.  This placement allows for steep sloped streets and wonderful views once you've trekked to the top.  In Arezzo, we had our first taste of authentic Tuscan food.  I loved the iron work, the vanishing frescos in the churches, and the beautiful painted crucifixes hanging behind the church alters.

We happened to be there during the feast of the Virgin Mary so the city was alive with activity.  The chapel dedicated to her in the duomo was decorated with the most beautiful roses.

First stop, lunch!

We didn't know what to order, so the owner picked the courses for us.  He was wonderful, it's so great to be in Italy!!
Top
(L) Traditional Tuscan bread soup with olive oil on top
(R) Antipasto and buffalo mozzarella
Bottom
(L) Bolognese sauce
(R) "Tuscan Sampler" - Beans, roasted meats (I loved the one in the wine sauce), mushrooms, spinach

We declined a coffee service, so the owner brought us a surprise anyway.  An espresso cup with a fresh, still warm muffin inside!

I love these little dedications all over the city.

Basilica of San Domenico

I love picturing the walls covered with these beautiful frescos

Crucifix by Cimabue; this work is so amazing in person, delicate, simple, yet, so moving

View of the town below the old part.  If you can tell, it's much more modern than the ancient hilltop portion of Arezzo.

Example of the medieval ironwork.  Beautiful!! -- You'll begin to notice a trend as this journey continues.

Roman tribute statue.  Just outside the amphitheater.

We were there on such a glorious day.  The clouds and blue sky were so inspiring.

Duomo

The chapel was decorated for the Feast of Virgin Mary

City street

Main shopping street

If you're keeping up with our trip, this was actually Valentine's Day!  We left Arezzo and headed into Montepluciano, next.  If you happen to be a "Twihard", you'll recognize some of the sites we see as they play the backdrop in "New Moon"!

Niman Ranch Dinner - Abacus Dallas

We're suckers for food and wine pairing dinners.  Sometimes we miss (*ahem* The Grape's attempt at "gnocchi" that tasted like mushy potato soup at their "Tuscan" wine dinner, gross!) and sometimes the tasting dinner is a major hit. Well, the Niman Ranch Dinner at Abacus was one such hit!

We went into the dinner expecting to get a superbly prepared meal accompanied by some nice wines -- if you're not familiar with Abacus, the restaurant is one of the most important establishments in Dallas.  How often do you get to be hosted by an Iron Chef?!  What we took away from the event was knowledge about sustainable farming and how a simple choice to support sustainability benefits more than just your taste buds.

In a time where corporate farming systematically treats their livestock inhumanely, Niman Ranch looks to produce a superior product that was cultivated using humane, traditional farming practices.  The Niman grassroots movement faces its challenges when it comes to scalability and consistency.  To ensure that the livestock are treated in strictly humane practices, Niman uses tough evaluations of adherence to Niman protocol with lucrative rewards as motivation.  The result is consistently superior quality meats.

Via NimanRanch.com

Host Chef Kent Rathbun kicking off the dinner

Host Paul Willis - He is such an amazing advocate for sustainable farming

Menu for the evening

First Course
Shiner Bock Beer Braised Niman Ranch Pork Cheek
Creamy Smoked Onion Brussels Sprouts
Stephen Vincent, Pinot Noir, California 2008

Second Course
Jalapeno Beer Battered Lobster
Niman Ranch "Ham Hock Mac"
Castello Banfi, Rosso di Montalcino 2008

Third Coursed
Hickory Grilled Niman Ranch Lamb T-Bone
Toasted Garlic-Balsamic Glaze, Carnival Cauliflower Puree
Ferrari-Carano, Siena, Sonoma County 2009

Fourth Course
Niman Ranch Prime Ribeye Filet, Crispy Morel Mushroom Sauce
White Cheddar Smoked Bacon Twice Baked Potato
Caravan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2008

Fifth Course
Tart Washington Cherry Cheesecake
Mint Chocolate Fudge
Ferrari-Carano, Eldorado Gold, Sonoma County 2007

Yours truly and Iron Chef Kent Rathbun

We had an amazing time at the dinner.  Do you ever do wine dinners?  I'd love to hear your suggestions on wine dinner locations!