LaRosa's: Italian Sandwiches, Catering & Cupcakes

Sometimes you find delicious foods in the oddest of places. For example, I never would have expected to find such excellent, home-made cupcakes in an Italian sandwich shop.

When I conducted my Saké tasting at the Wine Connextion, the event was catered by LaRosa's, a relatively new restaurant in Andover. I was impressed with their food, especially the spicy Arancini. Larosa's took over the spot where Mawby's used to be, and I knew that I would have to check it out.

I did make a recent visit there, and chatted with part-owner Mike Cammarata and part-owner/Chef Paul LaRosa. They told me more about their restaurant, as well as some of their future intentions. The restaurant is very much a friendly, neighborhood restaurant. At lunch, nearly everyone that stopped by seemed to know the owners. Both Mike and Paul seemed very sincere to me, desirous of creating a great little place. Rather than accepting what they have, they still are working on ways to improve the restaurant.

This casual restaurant opened in October 2009 and you can see the main counter pictured above. They primarily serve sandwiches, salads and soups, either to eat there or take-out. You will also find daily specials that may include pizza and calzones. Sandwiches average $6.95-$7.95, soups are $2.95/cup & $4.95/bowl, and salads average $7.95. Most everything is made fresh on the premises.

There are over twenty sandwiches, ranging from tuna salad to Portobello, from eggplant parmigiano to buffalo chicken. They are generally served on braided rolls, though you can have a whole wheat wrap instead. The chicken parmigiana was very good, with plenty of chicken and a tasty red sauce. The special chicken and broccoli pizza was also quite delicious, with very large pieces of chicken and a nice, thicker crust.

Above, you can see some of the salads and similar dishes that you can order. Everything looks quite fresh and tasty. LaRosa's also sells prepared meals that you can take home and heat up. It makes it easy to stop by after work and pick up a prepared dinner. You can get items like chicken marsala, baked ziti, meatballs or chicken piccata. Meals generally cost $9.99-$10.99, and should easy feed at least two people. I bought the meatballs and they were quite good, with plenty of ground beef and seasoned well.

Chef LaRosa seems very capable of much more culinary diversity, and that can be experienced through his catering services. Their catering menu includes many more items than are available at the restaurant, and he can also make many items that are not on the catering menu. His catering service is thus very flexible and Chef LaRosa will work with you to develop almost any type of menu you desire. Listening to Chef LaRosa speak, his passion was evident and he was very excited discussing all of the different types of cuisines he enjoys cooking. As the restaurant matures, I suspect the menu may increase, allowing Chef LaRosa to showcase more of his skills.

Chef LaRosa makes most of his own pastries, some of which are pictured above, including a variety of different flavored cupcakes. The jumbo cupcakes ($4 each) are made fresh each day, and look quite enticing. They look as good as any found in the specialty cupcake shops. But what about their taste? Can such a sandwich shop really make good cupcakes?

I had some initial doubts, thinking that they might be too dry. Even many specialty cupcake shops seem to make too dry of a product. I can be a harsh critic concerning cucpakes. But instead, the LaRosa cupcakes were fantastic, moist and flavorful. The chocolate cupcake, topped with a white chocolate frosting, thoroughly impressed me. It was one of the best cupcakes I have tasted in some time. I bought some to take home and some of my family were similarly impressed. Though they cost $4, their large size and high quality warrants the price. I believe the rest of their pastries are probably equally as good.

Overall, the restaurant offers very good food at very reasonable prices. Chef LaRosa is very talented, and his culinary passion is reflected in his food. Grab a sandwich for lunch or a prepared meal to take home for dinner. Or partake of their catering services and see even more of Chef LaRosa's culinary skills. Plus, the cupcakes are highly recommended! I'll be back for sure and may report here again of what I taste.

LaRosa's
7 Barnard Street
Andover, MA 01810
Phone: (978) 475-1777

The Dining Alternative: February Chef's Table Dinner

After my last compelling dinner at The Dining Alternative's Chef's Table, I was eager to return when I received an invitation to their February dinner. Chef Peter Ungár had thoroughly impressed me with his culinary skills. You can read my prior two-part review of the dinner here and here.

The Chef's Table dinner once again cost $75 per person for a five-course meal with wine pairings. All of the wines for the evening were specially selected to match the food by sommelier Scott Weinstein of the Martignetti Companies. Chef Ungár was only assisted this time in the cooking by Quynh Dang, one of those who helped him at the prior dinner. My friend, Dale Cruse of Drinks Are On Me, also attended this dinner.

Before attending the dinner, I had some obvious questions, the same ones I aways did when returning to a restaurant. Would the dinner be as good as the previous one? Would it be very similar to the prior one? Would consistency be maintained? Would I enjoy it as much as the first time? I would only receive answers at the dinner.


While milling around, chatting with and getting to know the other guests, we were served Gruyere Cheese Gougeres, just like the previous dinner. These looked slightly different though than before, with little peaks. Yet they still tasted as delicious, addictive little cheese puffs. These are an excellent hors d'ouerve.

They were accompanied by glasses of the NV Adami "Bosco di Gica" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, a delicious Italian sparkling wine. Crisp, dry and with nice green apple flavors.

The rest of the meal would be completely different from the previous one. We began with an amuse bouche, the Celeriac Veloute Sip, with black truffle coulis and foie gras cromesquis. The shot glass was filled with hot, thick liquid with a strong celeriac flavor as well as a touch of earthiness, likely due to the black truffle. Very different and appealing. On the spoon above, you can see the foie gras cromesquis, essentially like a bite-sized, foie gras tater tot. The batter was crunchy yet the interior was silky and moist. A heavenly mix and I could have easily eaten a dozen or more of these. One was just such a tease to my palate.

The first course was Terrine of Duck Confit with salsify, black trumpets, swiss chard, riesling quince, blackberry gastrique, and whole grain mustard sauce. This was not just a duck leg, as is most confit, but was actually whole duck. This was another interesting dish with a mix of flavors and textures, all that complemented each other. The earthiness was balanced by the sweet and the duck was fantastic, moist and flavorful.

This course was paired with the 2005 Isole E Olena Chianti Classico, one of my favorite Chiantis which even made my list of Top Ten Wines over $15 of 2008. It was a good match with this dish and is a very food friendly wine. I really love this wine and was happy to see it at the dinner.

Next up, Braised French White Asparagus with king trumpets, coddled farm egg, cured olives, white asparagus coulis, and paprika oil. I dislike asparagus so this was not a dish I particularly liked. I did enjoy the mushrooms and egg, and even tried the asparagus though I still did not care for it. But, those around me who liked asparagus, really loved this dish. Everything was really fresh and they very much liked the sauce too. Even though I dislike asparagus, I can appreciate the quality of this dish.

This was paired with a 2006 Alois Lageder Riesling, a biodynamic wine. This was a full bodied wine with a bit of sweetness to its citrus flavors. Asparagus is considered a very difficult food to pair with wine. This Riesling though was probably as good a pairing as possible, the bit of sweetness helping to offset the taste of the asparagus.

The Milk-Poached Lemon Sole with crispy ginger, fines herbes salad, red curry sauce, lime confit and powder was a compelling dish. The sole was fantastic, tender, flaky and moist and the spicy curry sauce added some "fire" to the taste. The limes helped to quench the fire of the curry. This was superb, and I loved its spiciness. Even the little things, like the crispy ginger, was delicious. The red curry sauce would be a versatile sauce that would go well with many different seafoods or meats.

The wine pairing, the 2007 Pieropan Soave Classico, was a nice match. This was not the forgettable Soave you might have had in the past. This was a dry, crisp wine with plenty of delicious citrus flavors and a nice minerality. Lots of character and the wine went well with the spiciness of the Sole.

For an Intermezzo, we had some Raita Sorbets, cucumber and yogurt. Raita usually is intended to help counter spicy foods so its place after the sole with red curry sauce was appropriate. I was a bit wary of cucumber sorbet, not sure how it would actually taste, but my worry was quickly put to rest. The cucumber flavor was subtle and it actually made for a tasty treat. Even the yogurt sorbet lacked that chalky flavor you sometimes get with yogurt. A good palate cleanser.

The Wagyu Beef Short Ribs came with dapple dandy pluot, vanilla bean & thyme, macomber turnip puree, radish salad, and sauce cacao. The braised meat was super tender, just melting in your mouth. The sauce added some intriguing sweet flavors to the meat and even the turnip puree was delicious. The pluot, an apricot/plum hybrid, was a tasty fruit with its own unique taste. Another top notch dish.

The wine was a 2007 Matane Primitivo/Merlot, Primitivo being similar to Zinfandel. A dark purple wine with bold flavors of ripe black fruit with spicy notes. Quite delicious with a lengthy finish. It went well with the chocolate sauce and beef.

Dessert was an Heirloom Carrot Cake with mascarpone icing, fig molasses, and carrot coriander ice cream. I have always liked carrot cake, though have never been a fan of cream cheese frosting. I always felt that it overwhelmed the taste of the cake. The mascarpone icing though complemented rather than hid the flavor of the carrot cake. In fact, everything on this dish complemented each other, nothing overpowering the other items. There was just the right amount of sweetness and I eagerly devoured the dish, despite all of the food I had already eaten.

With the carrot cake, was the 2008 Ascheri Moscato D'Asti, an excellent dessert wine. It is crisp, fruity, refreshing and with only hints of sweetness. An absolutely delicious wine and one I would highly recommend.

Yet there was still more to come, a dish of Mignardises, including a Coconut macaroon, Yuzu jelly cookie and Marzipan apple. Light, bite-sized treats which you just have to eat. I really enjoyed the macaroon, especially as they are one of my favorite cookies. And this was an exceptional macaroon, crunchy on the outside and soft inside.

So, as to my initial questions. Yes, the quality of this dinner was as good as the previous one and the dinner itself was very different. Chef Ungár maintained an excellent consistency and is not just a one-trick pony. He is a creative and talented chef. I enjoyed the dining experience very much and would return to the Chef's Table again and again. And once again, I did not hear a single complaint from anyone about the dinner. Everyone else seemed to love everything we ate.

The Chef's Table event remains one of the best dining experiences in the local area, though it still seems a culinary secret. But, if you get the opportunity to go, make sure you make reservations. You won't be disappointed.

The Dining Alternative & Chef Peter Ungár: Part 4

For the last part of this series, Chef Peter Ungár was kind enough to provide a few of his recipes, including two of the items I had at the Chef's Table. Please note that Peter does not usually use specific measurements when cooking so not all of the recipes have your usual measures.

First up, the delicious Gruyère Cheese Gougères that are pictured above. Gougères are made from a basic pâte à choux with gruyère cheese, which is savory instead of sweet (such as profiteroles and eclairs).

Ingredients
1 cup water
3 1/2 oz. butter (unsalted)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon finely cracked white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cup AP flour
5 eggs
1 cup Gruyère cheese (grated)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 egg (for egg wash)

Directions:

1. Oven at 450 - line baking sheet with Silpat (or parchment paper).
2. Combine water, butter, salt, pepper, mustard, and sugar - bring to boil - add flour.
3. Stir for at least 2 minutes on medium heat - mixture forms a ball and moisture evaporates.
4. Cool mixture slightly - add eggs, one at a time - mixing vigorously.
5. Mixture should form medium peaks - then add gruyère.
6. Pipe batter into 1 oz. size balls, with 2-3" between each - sprinkled with Parmesan.
7. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until they puff and hold their shape.
8. Mix 1 egg with splash of water - quickly brush each with fine coating.
9. Reduce oven to 350 - bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Serve immediately - hot out of the oven.

Next is the Sujeonggwa, a Korean punch, and Peter got the recipe from his mother-in-law.

Ingredients:
dark brown sugar
fresh ginger root
cinnamon sticks
pine nuts
water (as much as you want to make)
dried persimmons (optional)*
*Originally, this drink was sweetened with dried persimmons, instead of sugar. But quality of dried persimmons are unreliable.

Directions:
1. Peel ginger, slice, slightly beat with spine of knife to release juices.
2. Put cold water in pot with sugar (or dried persimmons) and ginger and bring just to a boil.
3. Put in cinnamon sticks and refrigerate until completely chilled.
4. Finely strain within a couple hours after chilling.
5. Garnish with a few cleaned and lightly toasted pine nuts per cup.
6. Serve cold - even in winter.

Lastly, Peter provided me a recipe for a holiday side dish, Sweet Potato Gratin.

Ingredients:

sweet potatoes
garlic
shallot
dried apricots
chicken stock
clarified butter
kosher salt
finely ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Finely dice shallots - sweat off in clarified butter - no color.
2. Once shallots are opaque, add minced garlic - cook until raw smell has dissipated - no color.
3. Add chicken stock and finely chopped apricots - reduce to sludgy consistency.
4. Slice sweet potatoes finely (about 1/8") - rinse in cold water - pat dry on towels.
5. Barely coat the bottom of an oven-proof skillet with clarified butter.
6. Stagger potato slices, starting at the center and working outward in spiral pattern.
7. Once one layer is formed, season with salt and pepper - spread a thin layer of the apricot mixture.
8. Form another layer of potatoes - continue in this fashion until there are 4-5 layers (with potato the final, top layer).
9. Heat the pan on moderate heat - when it begins to sizzle, pour a small amount of clarified butter around the entire edge of the potatoes.
10. Continue gently shaking the pan and forming the round shape of the gratin with spoon or spatula.
11. Once it slides around the pan as a whole, place in 350 oven for about 20-25 minutes (until a cake tester or paring knife can pierce without resistance).
12. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then place a like-sized plate on top the skillet and flip over.
13. Cut in pie shapes and serve.

Simpler methods:
--Made hours (or a day) in advance - reheated at 400 until sizzling.
--Made in a baking dish and cooked all the way in a 400 oven (covered with foil during first half of cooking - then uncovered).

Cook with passion!

The Dining Alternative & Chef Peter Ungár: Part 3

How can you get Chef Peter Ungár to prepare you such a fine dinner as the one I recently experienced?

If you are not lucky enough to get invited to one of his Chef's Table events, you can hire Peter to cook for you at your home through The Dining Alternative, which he considers to be his "private dining service." Peter differentiates this from traditional catering or a personal chef. What Peter's service entails is that he comes to your kitchen and cooks an entire meal there for you. He does not prepare any of the foods beforehand, like a caterer or personal chef would. Everything is prepared fresh before your eyes.

This service is generally intended to be to a special event, to have a high-end restaurant experience but within your own home for a group of your family and friends. Peter and his staff will do all of the work, from shopping to cooking, from serving to clean-up. You really have to do very little. They even have a sommelier available if you wish wine pairings. Plus, they have other extra services (such as flower arrangements and calligraphy seating cards), if desired, to enhance your event.

When you initially contact Peter, you can discuss the type of dinner you would like, and he can accomodate nearly any special dietary needs or requests. Together, you design the menu of your choice. Peter can supply wine or you could even have your own wine for the dinner. If you want to use your own wines, Peter can suggest dishes to pair with those wines. In general, Peter does multi-course dinners for 8-14 people, though he can do it for as many as 20 people. For larger groups, up to 50 people, he can prepare a hors d'oeuvre and cocktail reception.

Though I have not yet retained Peter for a dinner at my own home, I can attest to the quality of the food he prepares based on my Chef's Table experience. He is a very talented chef and his food was exquisite, similar to anything you would find at a fine restaurant.

I am sure this idea intrigues you but I know exactly the question you want to ask. How much does this cost? Obviously the cost will vary for each dinner dependent on the type of dinner you have, how many courses, the types of food, whether wine is included, etc. But, I can give you some idea for a comparison. I should also caveat this by stating that though the price might seem high at first, you need to examine the matter in its totality to see that it actually is very reasonably priced.

To duplicate the exact dinner I ate at the Chef's Table at your own home, it would have cost about $127 per person, without wine. This is how Peter would have broken down the cost of specific courses: Scallop Sashimi $19, Lobster Tortelloni $24, Fish/Foie/Truffles $36, Pork Belly $32, Pineapple Tatin $16. The amuse bouche, intermezzo, and mignardises would have been included in the price.

Though $127 per person seems expensive you must consider everything that is included in that price. You are basically hiring a team of servers and cooks to come into your home and prepare a multi-course dinner for you and your guests. Plus, consider the ingredients in the dishes I ate, from lobster to foie, from black truffles to pork belly. There are not cheap ingredients and your own dinner would not have to include so many luxury ingredients. Though Peter does always purchase the highest quality ingredients needed for the dishes he prepares.

There are no other hidden or extra fees though when you receive the contract price, the actual price can vary by 10%. This is because the market price of the ingredients that Peter uses wil vary, and Peter shops just before the date for the dinner to ensure freshness. But, you have a very good idea of the cost of your meal before you agree to anything.

One of the reasons why the price may be more reasonable than you initially think is the cost of wine. With the wine, you actually get a tremendous bargain that easily offsets the higher cost of the food. Peter only charges $10 per bottle above his cost, which is a wholesale price. So the wine will cost you far less than the exorbitant prices that restaurants charge.

Consider a bottle of wine that wholesales for $30 and which Peter charges you $40. It would normally retail around $50 but at a restaurant, the same bottle of wine would likely cost you at least $100, if not more. So, with Peter, you would have saved at least $60 off the cost of that wine at a restaurant. And if were dining with ten people, consider if you bought five bottles of that wine in restaurant, costing you at least $500. With Peter, those same bottles of wine would only cost you $200.

Now, if you had my Chef's Table five course dinner at a high-end restaurant, you would likely pay at least $75 and maybe up to a $100, dependent on the place. So while the food itself might be a bit less expensive at a restaurant, you will garner significant savings with the wine which will more than offset the increased cost of the food.

In the end, the price you would pay Peter for his dining service would be less than if you dined at a high-end restaurant, yet the food quality would be at least as good, if not better. The Dining Alternative is a service that would impress your family and friends. For your next special occasion, rather than dine out, why not call Peter and dine in. I know that I will be doing so in the near future.

Tomorrow, I'll post a few recipes from Peter....

The Dining Alternative & Chef Peter Ungár: Part 2

Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, now that we have finally taken our seats, it is time to begin our actual dinner. I am filled with anticipation, awaiting what culinary treasures I might soon find on my plate.

As a starter, we were presented with an Amuse-Bouche, Chawan Mushi with sea urchin, white truffle oil and white flake sea salt. This is a Japanese custard that was topped with a couple large pieces of sea urchin roe. This had an interesting taste, salty and savory with a dominant fish flavor. It was very smooth with the delicious silky sea urchin. A very nice beginning to the dinner, also indicating the promise of what was to come.

Interestingly, a couple days after the dinner I saw a recipe for Chawan Mushi in the January 2009 issue of Food and Wine magazine. Their recipe has different toppings though it appears you can top the custard with any variety of items.

Our first actual course was Sea Scallop Sashimi in Yuzu with avocado veloute, salmon roe, pomelo, and orange oil. This dish had large slices of Diver Scallop and the veloute sauce was made from avocado, soft tofu and three citrus juices. The scallops were topped by pieces of pomelo, salmon roe and Hawaiian black sea salt. The tender scallops were delicious with the combined flavors of the citrus and salt though I was not as fond of the veloute, mainly because I am not a big avocado fan. But that did not matter much to my enjoyment of the scallops. The black salt was especially intriguing and I will have to seek that out. I love sashimi so this was certainly a dish that appealed to my preferences.

To accompany the scallops, our second wine of the evening was the Non-Vintage Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial. This is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It was a creamier champagne than the Ruinart with a touch of residual sugar that only added a slight hint of sweetness. The dominant flavors were apple and pear and I really enjoyed this Champagne. It had lots of character and paired beautifully with the scallops. I think this is a Champagne that would appeal to a broad range of people as it is not too yeasty or dry. Yet it is not overly sweet either.

Next up was one of my favorite courses of the evening, Fresh Maine Lobster Tortelloni with cepes, honshimeji, veal jus, and lobster essence. The large tortelloni were stuffed plump with lobster and cepes, a type of mushroom. Then the lobster essence was poured into the bowl with the honshimeji, another type of small mushroom. Finally, you received a shot glass of veal jus!

Peter stated this was a version of surf and turf and though you might not think the veal jus would go with this dish, it actually worked perfectly, adding an intriguing meaty flavor to the dish. Everything was so flavorful and the pasta was cooked just right. I even enjoyed the different mushrooms. I am very picky about mushrooms and they must be prepared just right. Any chef that can get me to enjoy mushrooms is definitely doing something very good.

The wine for this course was a 2004 Chateau Beaucastel Blanc, a fascinating white wine from the Chateauneuf-Du-Pape region of the Rhone in France. It is a blend of Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne and a couple other grapes. It was fermented in 80% stainless steel and mostly old French oak. It had a tawny gold color with a potent, almost musty nose. Yet on the palate it exploded with flavor. It was a rich, full-bodied wine with tastes of apricot, lychi and exotic tropical fruits as well as having floral notes. A very unique wine which is supposed to pair well with pork. I thought it went well with the Tortelloni and was a fascinating wine on its own.

What was next? Halibut, Hedgehog, Foie Gras & Black Truffle that was steamed in Napa cabbage and had red and golden beet glazes. Essentially, the cabbage was wrapped around a long piece of the halibut which had been topped with the hedgehog mushrooms, foie and truffle slices. Another excellent dish with a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. the fish was pure white, tender and flaky while the foie and truffle were hedonistic delights. I even enjoyed the two different beet sauces, although I am not a fan of beets in general. Once again, this chef has gotten me to enjoy items that I usually would not like. With each course, Peter's culinary skills are impressing me more and more.

The wine to accompany this course was a 2007 Meyer Fonne Gentil, an Alsatian wine that is a blend of Muscat, Gewurtztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Blanc. I did not enjoy this wine as much as the others. It had a lemony nose and that lemon flavor was dominant in its taste as well. There was some interesting underlying spice, from the Gewurtz, but the lemon flavor overshadowed the rest of the flavors to me. Others at the table though enjoyed this wine very much. It just was not a favorite of mine.

It was now time for a bit of a breather and Peter had an Intermezzo for us to savor. It was Sujeonggwa, a type of Korean punch with ginger, cinnamon and pine nuts. He got the recipe from his Korean mother-in-law. It was almost like the flavor of spiced apple cider or even cold mulled wine. Yet it had its own individual taste and was a nice palate cleanser at this time. I could see this being an intriguing drink made at home if you were having a multi-course meal.



On to another favorite dish of mine, the Green Cardomon Brined Kurobuta Pork Belly with lentilles du puy, jerusalem artichoke mousseline, roasted romaine hearts, and butternut miso sauce. It basically took two days of cooking and preparation to make the Pork Belly and all that time certainly paid off. It was some of the most tender and flavorufl pork I have ever had, extremely meaty and with little fat. Each piece melted in my mouth and I treasured each savory bite. I think even vegetarians would have had a hard time turning down this pork. All of the accompaniments were delicious too, even the jerusalem artichoke mousseline. Yep, artichokes are not one of my favorites but this was quite good. I also eagerly devoured the lentilles which seemed to me to have an almost bacony taste.

Though I did not think this dish could get any better, it did. This was because of the wine pairing, the 2006 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge. I love this wine and it has long been one of my favorites. So, to have such a superb wine with the pork belly just made me ecstatic. This was foodie heaven, a perfect marriage of food and wine. This wine is 100% Mourvedre and is from what I consider the best winery in the Bandol region of France. This wine has everything going for it an it is something I highly recommend.

Dessert was a Pineapple Vanilla Bean Tarte Tatin with a persimmon and mascarpone mousse, sugared tarragon tempura, and tarragon creme anglaise. Even if you felt full, this dessert was sure to tempt you into eating more. An ecelctic combination of flavors that meshed very well together. The mousse was delicious, such a creamy rich taste. And who can complain about fresh pineapple slices? Definitely not me. Even the delicate tarragon tempura was a delightful and tasty touch. Peter admitted to not being much of a baker and that his desserts usually are fruit based. If they taste as good as this, that is fine in my book.

Our final wine of the evening was the amazing 1986 Pocas Colheita Tawny Port. This exemplifies the best of Port, that incredibly smooth taste with caramel, vanilla and even hints of butterscotch. It had no bitterness and such a satisfying and lengthy finish. A perfect ending to such a fantastic dinner.

Yet the food had not ended. We each received a small plate of Mignardise, including a rose water pomegranate gelee, kirschwasser chocolate truffle, and amaretti crisp. These homemade treats were each quite good and I ate them all, though I was not sure I had any room left in my stomach.

Our evening lasted almost five hours, and the time flew. It certainly did not feel that long, and it never does when you are enjoying yourself. This was a superb meal, as good as any that can be found at a high-end Boston restaurant. The quality, quantity and diversity of the dishes as well as the wine was exceptional, especially for only $75. You probably would be hard pressed to find any restaurant that would serve a comparable dinner with wine for that price.

Many of Peter's creations had an Asian flair, which I particularly enjoy. He certainly was creative in his dishes as well as having an excellent presentation. His culinary talent was quite evident and his assistants also well knew what they were doing. Everyone else at the dinner seemed as impressed and happy as I. I also did not hear complaints from anyone, only praise and compliments for the food and wine. I would return to the Chef's Table in a heart beat and I would heartily recommend it to everyone.

Tomorrow I will tell you more on how you can have Peter cook you such a delicious meal at your own home.

The Dining Alternative & Chef Peter Ungár: Part 1

I recently dined in someone's home and the five-course dinner was as exceptional as any fine dining restaurant in Boston. You can duplicate my experience and I strongly believe you will be thoroughly satisfied. Rather than making reservations at some high-end restaurant, you can eat at home and have the same high quality cuisine and still not have to cook or clean up after yourself.

How is that possible? Over the course of several posts during the next four days, I will explain all, as well as describing some incredible food and wine.

I was recently invited to attend a special Chef's Table dinner at the home of Chef Peter Ungár. Peter operates The Dining Alternative, a private dining service, and holds Chef''s Table events approximately once a month to showcase his culinary skills. I found Peter to be very pleasant, accomodating, down-to-earth, and mostly importantly, passionate. To me, it seems he cooks because he must, because he has a special drive within to excel in the culinary arts. His passion is quite evident and it is reflected in the food he prepares.

The Chef's Table dinner cost $75 per person for a five-course meal with wine pairings ($60 without wine), not an unreasonable price for such. Before making my reservation, I did not know what the menu would be. It was to be a secret, partially as Peter selects only the freshest ingredients so his menu is partially determined by what is available near the time of the dinner. I certainly had no problem with that, and I was able to peruse some sample menus from prior dinners so I had a basic idea of what I might find. The mystery of it all excited me and I very much looked forward what I would find.

Accompanied by my wife, we joined ten other strangers at the table above in Peter's living room/dining room/kitchen, a very spacious and homey room. This almost could have been anyone's home, with some children's toys in one spot, books shelves on another, a comfy couch, etc. Initially, we mingled with the other guests, learning who they were and why they had come. It was a diverse and fun crowd, obviously all people who savored good food and drink but also people from many different backgrounds such as a holistic health doctor and a financial advisor.

I did learn that a number of other food bloggers had been invited but none of them had decided to come. I don't know their reasons but I would have thought at least a few would have been intrigued by this culinary adventure. They did miss an excellent dinner and next time, if they are invited, they should make reservations for this event.

Above, you can see the kitchen staff. From left to right, you will find Quynh Dang, Antonio Lettieri, Chef Peter Ungár, and Scott Ryan. All of them were very pleasant and based on the food, quite skilled as well.

The kitchen was open and near the dining table so we had a close-up view of all of the work going during the entire evening. A true insider's view of a working kitchen. The kitchen staff had obviously worked together for some time as they operated as a well-oiled machine and I did not notice any misteps any of the times I watched them.

While we stood around mingling, we sipped some Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne. Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house in France. This wine is a blend of 100% Chardonnay from different vintages. It had a pale yellow color and very few and tiny bubbles. It had a nose of citrus and spring flowers and much of that came through on the palate as well. A dry champagne with a touch of yeastiness and a dominant taste of nectarine.

All of the wines for the evening were specially selected to match the food by sommelier Scott Weinstein of the Martignetti Companies. He was accompanied by his colleague, Garret Vandermolen, who also talked about the wines during dinner. Both were very knowledgeable about wine and good conversationalists.

To accompany the champagne, we were served some Gruyere Cheese Gougères, pictured above. These cheese puffs were so addictive! Warm, light, crispy and with that delicious taste of Gruyere I so love. These are probably so simple to make yet they hooked me, placing me in a good mood and very hopeful that the rest of the dinner would be delicious. It is like a restaurant that serves warm bread before your meal, it sets the mood so well and makes you anticipate what is to come.

I think a number of restaurants miss out on the opportunity to hook their customers from the start, before their meals arrive. Drinks alone don't always set a sufficient mood. It may not seem like much, but warm bread, cheese puffs, or some similar little item can mean so much. They can be a stepping stone for the food that is to come, a welcome mat that entices the guest to enter. The same can work in reverse as well. A guest who receives ordinary, unwarmed bread may not begin the meal with a fully positive attitude. Remember, the little things can sometimes mean so much.

We eventually sat down at our assigned places at the table, strangely enough with all of the women at one end of the table and the men at the other. Coincidence? Peter told me that though the seating was intentional, he had not intended to separate the men and women as it worked out.

As I sipped more of the Ruinart, I pondered over what dishes I would soon be eating.

To Be Continued Tomorrow....