Rant: Menu Secrets & Sacrificing Choice

You might assume that if you dine at an expensive restaurant, you'll have lots of choices, that all of your money means they will cater to your whims. However, that is actually not the case for most expensive restaurants. In fact, it is the much less expensive restaurants which provide diners with the most choices and greatest control. It seems counter intuitive but it is reality.

As I mentioned last Monday, I've been immersed in a fascinating new book, The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu by Dan Jurafsky. The book explains and expounds upon various food-related words, as well as examining the role of words in everything from menus to restaurant reviews. It is part history and science, psychology and etymology. If you love food, it is an excellent read, one which will intrigue and interest you, as well as make you think of food in different ways. I highly recommend this book and I'm back discussing issues raised in the book.

In one of the chapters, How To Read A Menu, Jurafsky explores some linguistic issues with restaurant menus, also analyzing the differences in menus due to the price of the restaurant. For example, more expensive restaurant menus use longer and fancier words, such as "decaffeinated, accompaniments, complements, traditionally, specifications, preparation, overflowing, magnificent, inspiration, exquisitely, and tenderness."  Less expensive restaurants use abbreviated or shorter words for much of the same descriptions, like "decaf instead of decaffeinated, sides instead of accompaniments or complements."

That difference might seem largely irrelevant but those longer words actually translate into higher prices! "Every increase of one letter in the average length of words describing a dish is associated with an increase of 18 cents in the price of that dish!" In addition, the use of the words "exotic" and "spices" also raise the price of the dish. In contrast, less expensive restaurants use certain adjectives, which actually are associated with lower prices. For example, vague terms like "delicious, tasty, or terrific" generally indicate a dish that costs about 9% less than average. Other adjectives, like "rich, chunky, or zesty"  generally indicate a dish that costs about 2% less than average.

The term "real" is rarely used on menus at expensive restaurants. With other restaurants, the most common uses of that term varies dependent on their price level. Cheap restaurants will mention real whipped cream, mashed potatoes and bacon while moderately priced restaurants more often mention real crab and maple syrup. As an aside, around the turn of the 20th century, menus tended to mention "real" in the context of beer and turtles, as their was plenty of fake beer and turtle meat being used in restaurants. It should also be mentioned that expensive restaurants reference the origin of their ingredients over 15 times more than less expensive restaurants.

Lack of choice is also a common element of menus at expensive restaurants. On average, they have half as many dishes as less expensive restaurants. They are also three times less likely to mention "diner's choice"in any way. Less expensive restaurants often mention "your choice" or "your way," giving diners even more choices. At expensive restaurants, what is more important is the chef's choices. Diners may cede control to the chef, eating whatever the chef decides to send out.  At some expensive restaurants, there is not even a written menu. You may have no choice at all, or only very limited options.

Why do we pay more but then give up control? Shouldn't we have more options because we are willing to pay so much? I think that at expensive restaurants, we are paying for more than just the food. We are paying for an experience, paying for the knowledge and expertise of the chef. We place ourselves in the hands of an expert, the chef, and allow him to guide our meal. We have trust in the chef and his cuisine. With less expensive restaurants, and more ordinary food, diners feel more confident about being able to order. It is more familiar to them and they see less need to rely on the chef's expertise.

Why are you willing to sacrifice your choice when dining at an expensive restaurant?

Herdade do Esporão: Value White Wines

I can't say it enough. Portuguese wines offer some of the best values in the wine world. You'll find plenty of Portuguese wines under $15, and even a fair share under $10, that provide more depth, flavor and complexity than comparably priced wines from most other wine regions. If you aren't drinking Portuguese wines, then you need to immediately check them out because you are clearly missing out.

One of my favorite Portuguese producers is Herdade do Esporão and you can read some of my prior posts about their wines, including Portuguese Rosé From Herdade do Esporão, Boston Wine Expo: From Portuguese Pleasures to Jerky, Esporão and Murças: Wines Spawned By Love and The Passion of Portugal: Esporão and Murças. I've recently tasted media samples of the latest vintages of three of their value-priced white wines, and they continue to be worthy of a hearty recommendation.

The 2013 Monte Velho White ($9.99) is a white blend of three indigenous grapes: Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Perrum,  A crisp, clean and delicious wine, it presents pleasing peach and citrus flavors with a hint of herbal notes on the finish. For less than $10, this is an excellent value, delivering more complexity and flavor than many similarly priced wines from other regions. It isn't a one-note wine, but rather an inexpensive wine that presents some character. An excellent food wine as well.

The 2013 Herdade do Esporão Duas Castas ($12.99). is a white blend of Gouveio and Verdelho, two grapes which once were thought to be the same. "Duas" means "two" and "Castas" means "grape varietals," so the name has a clear meaning. The Duas Castas, which has seen some aging on the lees, offers a fuller mouthfeel, but offers the same crisp, clean taste as the Monte Velho. It presents more citrus flavors with a mineral backbone. Another excellent value wine, and very good food wine,, that is easy drinking but far from simple.

The 2013 Herdade do Esporão Verdelho ($12.99) is made from 100% Verdelho, and was also crisp and clean, with plenty of character for the price. The tastes tend toward citrus fruits, including some grapefruit, with some minerality notes. Easy drinking, and with a pleasing finish, this wine will pair well with many foods, from seafood to light chicken dishes.

Though all three wines are perfect for the summer, they will please you year round. They present excellent values, delicious tastes, and plenty of character. Seafood is a great choice with these wines, though I'm sure you'll find they will pair well with plenty of other choices as well.

Get on the Portuguese wine wagon now. What are you waiting for?

Sushi Titans Battle! O Ya vs Sushi Iwa

An epic battle of two Sushi titans. The U.S. versus Japan. Three arenas of engagement: Sashimi, Nigiri & Makimono. Five judges to determine the outcome. Who will prevail as the Champion of Sushi?

A couple weeks ago, I participated as a judge in a grand Sushi battle, pitting local Chef Tim Cushman, of O Ya Restaurant, against Chef Hisayoshi Iwa, of Sushi Iwa in Japan. The event was held at the Clarke Studio in Milford and was filmed for ABC Asahi Broadcasting, a national Japanese TV network, for their prime time cooking competition. You can check out one of their prior episodes here, though please know that it is all in Japanese. So, when this new episode airs, everything I said will be dubbed into Japanese.

Chef Tim Cushman is well known in the Boston area, having won a James Beard Foundation Award as the Best Chef Northeast 2012. O Ya has received many awards and kudos over the years, being recognized nationwide as one of the top restaurants in Boston. Chef Cushman has recently opened a spot in New York City called Roof at Park South and is planning to open their second Boston restaurant, an izakaya, Hojoko at the Verb Hotel.

Chef Hisayoshi Iwa, who was very soft spoken at the event, opened his own restaurant in 2012 in the Ginza, which has already garnered a Michelin star. He has a second restaurant in Hong Kong. His restaurant has received much positive press, and though he doesn't have as much experience as Chef Cushman, it seems his sushi skills are well honed. Based on the experience of both chefs, I knew this was going to be a well-fought competition.

The other four people joining me on the judging panel included: Alison Arnett (a food writer and restaurant consultant), Dr. Merry White (Professor of Anthropology at Boston University & the author of several books on Japan), Jolyon Helterman (a food writer at Boston magazine), and Robert Goree (Assistant Professor of Japanese at Wellesley College). An excellent team with plenty of knowledge and experience. I was honored to be a part of this group.

At the beginning of the day, we all had to sign a release as the event was being televised, but there apparently was a mix-up. The first release form they gave us had a strange paragraph, "8. I am not gangster." Maybe that was for a different show, Sleeping With The Fishes. We quickly got the correct release, which didn't have such language and we were set to go.

Filming for the show began several days before the competition. Some of the filming took place at O Ya Restaurant, where Chef Iwa got to sample Chef Cushman's cuisine, while other filming occurred while Chef Iwa shopped at the Boston pier for seafood. This was very different for Chef Iwa, having to rely upon the seafood available at the Boston pier, rather than the usual fish he could get at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. In addition, film crews visited some of the judges, including myself, to get some footage of us at work. On the day of the actual competition, we were at the studio for about seven hours.

For this contest, each chef had to prepare three courses, including 3 Sashimi dishes, 6 different pieces of Nigiri, and 1 Lobster Maki roll (as they wanted to highlight a famed, local ingredient). And the chefs only had one hour to complete all of their dishes. The chefs had already done the shopping for their dishes, and knew what they wanted to prepare when they arrived at the studio kitchen. This wasn't really a timed competition as such, but more a comparison of techniques and styles.

We got to watch the two chefs prepare all of their dishes within an hour, and it was fascinating to see how each chef worked. Chef Iwa was so precise, a master of the knife, able to cut the thinnest slices of fish. Above, you can see a smaller amount of a much larger piece which at first I thought might be Wagyu beef due to all the marbling, but it actually was a beautiful tuna. Chef Iwa's most intricate work may have been the squid he sliced into paper thin pieces.

Chef Cushman resembled an artist, creating intricate combinations of ingredients, textures, colors and flavors. These were items that appealed to your eyes, drawing you into their beauty. These were some of the Nigiri pieces that he created, which even included a Potato Chip Nigiri, topped by a truffle. It might not be traditional, but one bite will make you not care.

After the hour of preparation passed, the judges' table was moved and we were readied to taste the chef's creations. The chefs actually had to prepare and/or cook their dishes a second time, so that everything was fresh for us to taste. We began by sampling all of Chef Cushman's dishes and then sampled Chef Iwa's dishes. And as we ate, the filming continued, though I'm not sure anyone actually wants to see me chewing a piece of sushi. After we tasted some of the sushi, we were asked our impressions about a number of the items. With all the editing that will occur for the TV show, I'm sure much of that will end up on the cutting room floor.

I didn't dislike a single item I ate, and didn't leave any fish on my plates. Both chefs excelled, creating a compelling collection of sushi. However, there were significant differences between the styles of the two chefs, which made judging even more difficult. How do you choose between two different styles, when both are so excellent? In some ways, it was not a fair comparison, but we judges needed to make a decision.

Chef Cushman prepared a number of dishes which you can find at his restaurant, creative and innovative sushi which are anything but simple. From a Fried Kumamoto Oyster with yuzu kosho aioli and squid ink bubbles to Hamachi with a spicy banana pepper mousse. From Maguro with soy braised garlic & microgreens to Foie Gras with balsamic chocolate kabayaki, claudio corallo raisin, cocoa pulp, and a sip of aged Sake. (We could have used some Sake for the entire competition.) His Hamachi with Viet mignonette, Thai basil, & shallot  was especially compelling. All of the dishes were well balanced, flavorful and intriguing. His reputation is well deserved.

On the other hand, Chef Iwa went more for simplicity of flavors and preparation. He was more traditional, letting the seafood largely speak for itself. There was Abalone and Ayu, Hamachi and Otoro, Ika and Eel, Fluke and Salmon. Chef Iwa also engaged in some firsts, as he had never previously worked with either Salmon or Lobster in creating sushi. I have to say that his Ika Nigiri (squid) was some of the best I've ever had, silky smooth and it was primarily due to his knife work. The grilled and marinated Ayu, sweetfish, presented a delicious meaty and smoky taste. His reputation too is very well deserved.

These were two very different experiences. Simplicity vs complexity. Subtlety vs boldness. Purity vs Harmony. Both experiences were equally compelling, but for different reasons. Trying to compare them is a formidable task. In some respects, it may devolve down to a matter of personal preference. In other respects, it may come down to the tiniest of differences. I certainly faced an enormous dilemma in trying to determine a winner, and my own difficulties were mirrored by the other judges. A winner had to chosen though.

Unfortunately for my readers, I can't tell you who I voted for, or who won the competition. I'm currently bound by confidentiality so that I cannot say anything until the episode airs in Japan. Once it does, I will be sure to update this post and tell you all what happened.

What I can say is that both of these chefs are winners, having created excellent dishes which any Sushi lover would thoroughly enjoy. They each gave it their all, valiant competitors who showcased their skills and experience. Each chef should be absolutely proud of their efforts and hold their head up high.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) On Friday, November 7, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, Rock the Boat will be hosting a fund raiser to support the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA). The event will be held at the Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville. The event is a tasting and music event that will highlight local-dayboat seafood tastings from area restaurants, live music, chef demo, a fisheries and ocean-focused art exhibit, raffle, and an auction.

The evening will be joined by folk rock singer-songwriter Chelsea Berry, currently touring with Livingston Taylor, and the Bob Marley tribute reggae band, Hope Road, whose lead singer is a commercial fisherman.

NAMA works with coastal communities that depend on fishing to protect our marine environment, strengthen local leadership, and give voice to independent, community based fishermen. NAMA advocates for policies that advance social, economic, and environmental justice throughout the entire seafood value chain.

COST: $40 per adult, $20 for children under 18
Ticket includes food samples, a free beverage or drink (beer/wine); cash bar available
Children under 6 free
AGES: All Ages; 21+ for free beer and wine drink

2) Located in Somerville’s Union Square, Brass Union is debuting their first seasonal menu change highlighting local bounty. Designed by Executive Chef Jon Kopacz, the new carte du jour at this eatery and interactive lounge will dish out autumn delights brimming with ingredients from the area’s local farmers markets and purveyors.

For soups and salads, seasonal options include the Celery Root Soup (crispy parsnip - $7), Baby Spinach Salad (pickled baby beets, savory granola, Great Hills blue cheese - $8) and Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup (jack cheese, fig jam, greens - $11).

There is also an array of sharable dishes, including the Mushroom Toast (wild mushrooms, lightly poached egg yolk, Bloody Mary vin, toast - $10), Cod Cakes (fresh local cod with no filler, citrus aioli, fennel, garlic, blistered tomato, olive - $10), Roasted Parsnips (parsnip puree, arugula & pine nut salad, hard cider reduction - $10), Sautéed Calamari (spicy Italian sausage, fava beans, Swiss chard, bread crumbs - $10) and Jerk Chicken Thighs (roasted cauliflower, curry coconut milk - $10).

For fresh pasta selections, Chef Kopacz will feature the Drumlin Farms Sunshine Squash Ravioli (creamed corn, sage - $10) and Fettuccini (pasta, late summer succotash, corn, fava beans, tomato – half: $11; full: $16). Heartier entrees include the new Grilled Lamb Sirloin (stewed French flageolet beans, lamb bacon, roasted turnips, mustard greens - $18) as well as seasonally refreshed dishes like the Market Fish (grilled eggplant, beluga lentils, baby carrots, yogurt sauce - $14) and Roast Chicken Breast (grape risotto, Chinese broccoli, Concord grape jus - $16).

Chef Kopacz will continue to serve up additional signature favorites, including the Choripán (Argentinian-style chorizo “hotdog,” chimichurri, Portuguese pop - $5), the Vegan Plate (Chef’s selections - $10), Lobster Pappardelle (grilled lobster, fresh pasta, roasted tomato, English peas – half: $12; full: $20), Grilled Pork Loin Sandwich (chile, arugula, kewpie, black pepper, herbed house-cut fries - $13), a Cheeseburger (grass-fed beef, Cabot cheddar, onion marmalade, green aioli, house-cut fries - $14) and Steak Frites (7oz. sirloin, porcini butter, herbed house-cut fries, petite salad, béarnaise - $18).

3) Red Heat Tavern is kicking off the fall season with a new Executive Chef and a new seasonal menu. Red Heat Tavern debuted in Wilmington during spring 2014 and is locally owned and operated by Burtons Grill restaurant group. Red Heat Tavern  now showcases the talents of Executive Chef Alan Frati and his reimagined menu that is fueled by fire and flavor.

Chef Frati’s new menu utilizes the restaurant’s state of the art Josper Charcoal Broiler Oven by Wood Stone. The Josper’s variable high heat and smoke control generates a unique flavor that has made the oven an in-demand item for world class kitchens like Gordon Ramsay’s The Savoy Grill in London and Hakkasan in Miami and London. Red Heat Tavern is the only restaurant in Massachusetts, and only one of three in New England, where guests can enjoy food cooked in the Josper’s unique style, combining traditional European charcoal cooking technique with state-of-the-art construction.

“The Josper by Wood Stone is at the core of the Red Heat Tavern menu, as nearly all menu items pass through the specialized oven at one point or another,” said Executive Chef Alan Frati. “Our talented culinary team is able to harness the oven’s heat to cook fresh ingredients at different temperatures with varying levels of smokiness, giving the perfect amount of flame-kissed nuance to everything from prime cuts of proteins and caramelized vegetables to sauces and even desserts. This method of cooking is an art to be mastered as the wood and charcoal must be tended to throughout the day to achieve the best results. The culinary team’s dedication to mastering this very special oven allows us to harness the simplicity of fire to produce unparalleled flavor.”

The Red Heat Tavern kitchen cooks all dishes from scratch using seasonal, fresh ingredients. Highlights of the menu include: Mesquite Smoked Wings that are smoked slow and low and served with Buffalo style sauce or with sweet Thai chili sauce; the Farmhouse Burger with American cheese, bacon horseradish mayo, Applewood-smoked bacon, and a sunny-side-up egg on thick-cut toast; the Turkey Pot Pie with roasted root vegetables and roasted turkey in a savory gravy topped with a flaky herb-parmesan crust; Fire Roasted Meatloaf with ground beef, veal and pork blended with smoked cheddar, homemade ketchup, mashed potatoes, green beans and BBQ gravy; Blackened Chicken Alfredo with mesquite chicken, chipotle and red peppers, cheddar cheese, sour cream and fire roasted salsa verde; and Kettle Chip Baked Cod with tomato beurre blanc, jasmine rice and spinach. A children’s menu offers fun, nutritious options designed to please even the pickiest of palates. Additionally, Red Heat Tavern takes careful consideration when preparing menu items for those with dietary restrictions and sensitivities.

At Red Heat Tavern, an extensive selection of craft beers and unique spins on classic cocktails complement the bold cuisine. Guests can enjoy everything from a selection of 14 seasonal rotating drafts to over 37 selections of bottles and cans which include a unique, ever changing list of large format beers. Classic craft cocktails abound on the drink list, as well as signature Red Heat Tavern standbys such as the Lowell Street Punch, Red Heat Tavern Sangria and Tavern Mules. For those guests who want to combine the best of both beer and liquor, revolving selections of innovative on-trend beer cocktails are also available. Additionally, an approachable list of sparkling, red and white wines are available by the glass and by the bottle.

Kanpai, It's Sake Day!

Raise an ochoko today and celebrate Nihonshu no Hi, or as known in English, Sake Day.

Saké Day originated over 35 years ago, in 1978, by a declaration of the Japan Sake Brewers Association and is now celebrated worldwide. Why was October 1 chosen? Interestingly, the Chinese character for Sake (酒) is very similar to the Chinese zodiac sign for the Rooster (酉), the tenth sign. Thus, the first day of the tenth month, October, became Sake Day. It may also be due in part to the fact that October is generally considered to be the official start of the Sake brewing season.

What are you doing to celebrate Sake Day? Let me provide some additional ways to learn about, experience and support Sake.

1) Tomorrow, and tomorrow only, you can get a FREE copy of the e-book of my first Tipsy Sensei novel, Gods, Demons & Sake, This exciting, supernatural thriller pits Nate Randall, a Boston-based Sake expert, against a terrible Japanese creature which seeks an ancient artifact of great power. In his quest to thwart this evil, Nate encounters other adversaries, including a ruthless Yakuza clan. However, he also acquires a mysterious ally, a sword-wielding man with his own secrets. The action spans the globe, from Boston to Japan, and the stakes have never been higher for Nate. Grab a copy of this novel tomorrow, which has ten 5-Star reviews on Amazon, while it is FREE.

2) Throw your support to the Kickstarter for Blue Current Brewery, an artisan Sake brewery located in Maine. As Dan Ford states, "the new brewery is ready and filled with an ever-growing array of shiny new equipment, ready to brew up the incoming ingredients. I just need a little financial push to make it over this last hump, to get our final smaller bits of equipment, oh, and to get that perfectly milled rice from Minnesota to Maine. There are also some marketing costs I’ll start accruing as soon after we begin brewing." Sake breweries are starting to pop up all across the country, and there are at least three in the planning stages for New England, including ones in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Blue Current is seeking to raise $33,000 "to ship the rice from Minnesota, to get bottling and pasteurizing machines to speed things up, and to help with the marketing and packaging expenses. There will be some setup costs to tie everything together," They have  already reached about 50% of their goal and there are about ten days remaining. Check out all the incentives you can get for a donation, including the chance to be a brewer for a day! They need a boost in donations so if you can give, then please support this local Sake brewery.

3) Have lunch or dinner, some sushi or Asian fusion, at Thelonious Monkfish in Central Square, Cambridge.  Besides enjoying some tasty food, you should also select some Sake to accompany your meal. I helped to design and select their new Sake list, so there are some very good choices available. For example, you could choose the Manabito Kimoto Junmai Ginjo, the Wataribune 55 Junmai Ginjo or the Shichi Hon Yari Junmai. The Sake prices have been kept at a reasonable level and a tasting flight should be available too.

4) If you want to learn more about Sake, check out my numerous educational posts at All About Sake. You'll learn about the basics of Sake, pairing Sake & food, Sake customs and legends, and much more. There are links to over 90 posts, so there is plenty to explore and learn. In addition, if you want some Sake recommendations, then please check out my Collected Sake Reviews, which has over 100 reviews of a diverse range of Sake. This is all an excellent starting point for your exploration of the wonderful world of Sake.

What has been the most popular Sake post on my blog? The clear choice is The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, an exploration for some of the scientific reasons why Sake pairs so well with many foods. Not only is it my top Sake post, it is also the fourth most popular post of all time on my blog. More recently, my most popular new Sake post has been Kibo Sake: A Drink Of Hope, a review of a new Sake from a brewery that recovered from the complete destruction of their brewery from the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

5) For more Sake reading, I highly recommend that you check out John Gauntner's newest Sake book, Sake Confidential. This book, from one of the world's top Sake experts, goes beyond the basics of Sake to provide more advanced information, though it is still very approachable. You can check out my review of his book, and hopefully it will encourage you to buy this book. John Gauntner is also part of another Sake project, a new magazine called Sake Today. This magazine is dedicated to all things Sake and you can read my review of the first issue here. The second issues has been recently released and you can now get a subscription to the magazine too.

6) Please know that I am available for hire for all your Sake related matters. I can work with restaurants, wine shops, distributors, schools, and other businesses as well as private individuals. I provide a diverse selection of services, including: Educational seminars, from basic classes to more advanced; Sake tastings, from small private affairs to larger groups; Sake and food pairings, from appetizers to dinners; Consultations on Sake recommendations for stocking in wine stores or restaurants; and other Sake events and activities.

If you are looking to hold a different event, something beyond the usual wine tasting, why not try a Sake event instead. Sake pairs with all types of cuisines so a Sake dinner could be held at any restaurant, from Italian to French, Spanish to a Burger joint. If you are interested in any of these services, just email me and we can discuss the possibilities.