Rant: Breakfast Fail & Unresponsive Management

During the last several days, I stayed at a hotel at Marlborough, and a buffet breakfast each morning was included. It was a typical buffet with scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, home fries, French toast sticks, fruit, cereal, oatmeal, etc. On two of those mornings, I was there when the buffet opened, watching as they put the first trays of scrambled eggs onto the table. 

On both of those mornings, the scrambled eggs were far less than hot, and certainly not what I expected from the first tray of eggs to be placed onto the buffet when it just opened. The French toast sticks also weren't really hot either. I was disappointed, but I didn't say anything to the management at the time.

Then, while waiting for an elevator, I was greeted by the general manager who asked about my experiences at the hotel. I was honest, and told him about my negative issue with the scrambled eggs. First, he evidenced disbelief, stating that their buffet was one of the best in the area, well loved by many. He didn't actually offer an apology, and basically ignored my concerns. He ended the conversation by stating that I, and all the guests, would be sent a survey about their hotel experience and hoped I would give them 9 or 10 stars in all of the categories. 

This was a management fail! However, it wasn't unexpected. I've been to this hotel a number of times during the past years, and the breakfast buffet has never been as hot as it should have been. Plus, I've experienced other negative issues, including other problems with their restaurant and elevators. I've spoken to management about these matters, and they too have never been properly addressed. 

I attend a conference at this hotel each year, so generally have to stay there. It's not a place I would stay on my own or recommend to others. They have been engaged in significant renovations recently, but they need to "renovate" their management too. They need to address the concerns of their guests, and not basically ignore them. 

   

Ventozelo Hotel: Staying in the Douro

During my recent trip to Portugal, we stayed in the Douro region for three nights at the Quinta de Ventozelo, located in Ervedosa do Douro, on the left bank of the Douro River. The property includes various hotel rooms (in different buildings), a winery, vineyards, a museum, garden, wine shop, restaurant and more.  It was a very pleasant experience and I'd stay there again if I ever return to the Douro. 

The vineyards of Quinta de Ventozelo were once managed by Cistercian monks, and the first historical mention of Ventozelo is from 1288. Around 1500, the land was transferred to the hidalgos of Casa do Poço. Over the centuries, ownership has changed multiple times, and in 2014, it was acquired by the Gran Cruz group, which is now known as Granvinhos. 

The hotel has 29 rooms, located in several different buildings, and we stayed in the Casa dos Cardanhos, in a building which was once housed temporary farmworkers, but which now has seven double superior rooms. Each room has a private porch, that looks over the Douro River. The rooms were comfortable and clean, and the only caveat would be that to reach the reception and the restaurant, you need to walk up a cobblestone hill, so if you have difficulty in walking, that might be an issue.   

This is a view from a distance of the building where we stayed. We were in the room at the end of the left side. 

Gorgeous views of the Douro and some of the Ventozelo vineyards. It was cloudy or raining much of the time we were there. 

The Garden of Aromas. A small garden with various plants and trees, all with their own aromatic profiles. It's located across from the Reception building. 

This is a front view of the restaurant.

At one end of the restaurant patio is this fire pit, which was lit every night. 

A couple cats that wandered the property. During breakfast, both cats walked around the patio, hoping some of the diners might give them some food. And the cats were successful in receiving some treats.

The Centro Interpretativo de Ventozelo is a small museum, located next to the garden, which discusses the estate and the Douro region.  

Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe: The First Sherry Hotel

Sherry has a special place in my heart and I've written numerous articles about this special Spanish wine. Back in 2010, I visited the Jerez region and it remains one of my favorite wine trips, an excellent combination of great wine, delicious food, fascinating people, beautiful architecture, and much more. I've love to return to the region, to see how it has changed in the last ten years, and to drink more Sherry, bottles unavailable in the U.S.

I visited González Byass, and enjoyed some wonderful aged Sherries, and now they state they have recently opened the "first Sherry Hotel in the world." Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe is situated in a corner of Jerez’s historic Old Town, opposite the Alcázar de Jerez and the city’s Cathedral. It has been constructed in 150-year old renovated buildings that were once winery workers’ cottages. "Every space, room and restaurant at the hotel is imbued with the culture and essence of Sherry, wine and Brandy de Jerez, .."

It is a boutique hotel, with only 27 rooms, which are divided into Classic, Premium, Deluxe and three suites: The Oloroso Alfonso y Amontillado Viña AB Junior Suite, the Superior Palo Cortado Leonor Junior Suite and the Fino Tío Pepe Presidential Suite. "Spacious and elegantly decorated, they all have very special views over some of Jerez’s loveliest and most historic corners."

The hotel possesses a swimming pool, a spacious solarium, a bar and restaurant and the Pedro Nolasco gardens, a beautiful, leafy garden, which opens out onto one of the prettiest streets in the world, Calle Ciegos, and La Recachita, a secluded, tranquil terrace, perfect for a rest after sight-seeing in Jerez. There are modern, comfortable installations, such as a fitness zone, gym and a Oenotherapy and massage programs.

The Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe experience has a strong focus on gastronomy, with different bars and restaurants offering a wide range of culinary experiences – from the most traditional Andalucian flavors to the most Avant-guard creations. The Sala La Reservada, Restaurante Gran Bodega and Restaurante Villa Ricardo allow guests to enjoy delicious dishes made from the very best quality, local ingredients, all matched with the aromas, nuances and flavors of the González Byass wines. Cocktails can be found at Bar Solera 1847, nestled between the hotel’s vestibule, the Pedro Nolasco, and the Bar Terraza La Atalaya.

Guests have the ability to go on personalized trips through the winery, exclusive tastings, walks through the vineyard, tours of the winery’s Historic Archive, the old bottling room and much more, allowing them to be immersed in the world of Sherry. This opportunity allows people from around the world to learn more about the wines and history of Jerez and González Byass.

Once travel to Europe is safer, you might want to consider visiting the Sherry region and staying at the Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe. Sherry is one of the most fascinating wines in the world, and is very much under-appreciated in the U.S. It's slowly making a comeback, as it has done multiple times during its lengthy history. Once you've experienced Sherry in Spain itself, especially the Jerez region, you'll understand why it is such an amazing wine.

Rant: Hotel Restaurant Fail

With a relatively captive audience, it almost seemed like the hotel restaurant had little incentive to provide proper service. In addition, it wasn't the first year the restaurant's service had failed on multiple levels. Will it ever change?

During the last several days, I attended a convention at the Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center in Marlborough. The main restaurant for lunch and dinner within the hotel is the All Star Bar & Grill.  Due to the scheduling of the convention, time for lunch and dinner was somewhat limited, so many of the participants chose to dine at the hotel rather than drive elsewhere. They have a rather simple menu, from chicken tenders to burgers, nachos to steak tips.

Now, connected to the Trade Center, you would expect this hotel often hosts numerous conventions, so that the restaurant would be used to dealing with large crowds of customers. It is more of a medium-sized restaurant, and based on their menu, they should be able to handle a full house, especially if they do so on a regular basis. And if they had service issues before, you would expect they would work to correct those problems to prevent them from happening again.

However, the restaurant failed. The same way they failed last year. They didn't learn anything from their prior failures.

Last year, at the same convention, I and many other participants, encountered multiple service issues. Lengthy wait times, receiving the wrong dish, lost orders, surly servers, and more. This year, it was as if nothing changed. All of the same service problems, and plenty of irate customers. I had service e issues last year and once again, had them this year too. Little seemed to be done to remedy problems or alleviate dissatisfied customers. A total failure, for a second year in a row.

This is unacceptable, especially for a restaurant which frequently deals with conventions. If they didn't have a captive audience, they would have very little business. And I suspect that next year, that "captive audience" is going to find ways to work around the restaurant, such as dealing more with delivery services, or sending someone out on a take-out run. I suspect this restaurant isn't going to change, and will continue to disappoint people in the future too.

Douro Palace Hotel: The Creativity Of Eça Restaurant

A stunning view of the Douro River from my room's balcony at the Douro Palace Hotel Resort & Spa, one of the hotels I stayed in during my recent trip to Portugal. The next four photos were also taken from my balcony.

This 4 Star hotel is located in Quinta de São João, in Santa Cruz do Douro, Baião, only a few from the Aregos Train Station, where you can travel the course of the Douro River. We would later take this train to Régua, catching some beautiful views of the Douro region.

The hotel has 60 rooms, all with balconies providing a view of the Douro River. The hotel also has an outdoor pool, spa, three bars, and a restaurant.

One evening, we dined at the hotel's restaurant, Eça Restaurante, an eighty-seat spot that uses regional products and traditional flavors with a modern cuisine. It was one of the most memorable of our dinners, the cuisine being both delicious and creative, and presented in such a fun way.

One of our servers spoke about each course as it was being presented, speaking in a theatrical voice, almost as if we were at a Broadway play, introducing each new Act. It added a fun element to the evening, and we eagerly anticipated what would be said about each new dish.

We also began the evening with a glass of Raposeiro Blanc de Blancs Bruto Sparkling Wine, which was crisp, dry, fruity and with a touch of toast. It was a nice pairing with the first three small plates that were served.

The written menu for our dinner was rather terse, making the dishes sound relatively simple and plain, but that was far from the case. As soon as the first dish was presented to us, I understood that this would be far from an ordinary dinner, that the chef was more of an artist.

The first dish was Octopus Rice, thin slices of tender octopus atop a light, crispy rice cracker, presenting a nice contrast of textures. A tasty and light flavor of the sea. And beneath the octopus and rice cracker was a sheet that stated "Welcome," a greeting from the chef.

Next up was My Chicken Piri-Piri, a moist, tender and flavorful piece of chicken with a lightly spicy sauce, accompanied by a crisp, fried potato. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the entire dish was well balanced and enticing. An elevated rustic dish.

The next dish, Veal Stuffed with Mustard, resembled a Chinese bao, a steamed bun. The soft bun contained a couple thinly sliced pickles, a hint of mustard, and a tender slice of veal. The meaty veal was the star of this sandwich, enhanced by the other ingredients. A taste of Portugal with a nod to China.

Our Starter was then a dish of Lucius, wrapped in vine leaves, with asparagus and topped with a meat sauce. Lucius is more commonly known as the Northern Pike, a freshwater fish that is more commonly consumed in Europe than the U.S. This dish was a favorite of many of us, the pike possessing a firm texture, closer to monkfish than cod. It had a mild, almost sweetish flavor, with a type of savoriness from the light sauce. Quite intriguing and now I want to find pike locally.

Our Main Course was a Veal Leg with potatoes and peas, another excellent dish, with tender and savory veal, creamy potatoes and sweet peas. A fine piece of meat, and a fine end to our savory dishes.

Dessert was also creative, an Almond Cartuxos, with egg custard, cream and a Maria wafer. It resembled a ice cream cone, though it didn't have any ice cream. A pleasing blend of textures and flavors, crunchy and creamy, sweet and a touch of savory. With dessert, we had a glass of Recua 10 Year Old Port, a delicious, silky smooth and well balanced Port.

Eça Restaurant is worthy of my top recommendation, as is the Douro Palace Hotel. When you're traveling in the Douro region, please keep these places in mind.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Start the New Year off right with a pop-up brunch at Juniper, located in Wellesley, on Sunday, January 8, from 11:30am-2:30pm, featuring Avi Shemtov, chef/owner of The Chubby Chickpea and author of “The Single Guy Cookbook.” For one day only, Juniper chef/owner Dave Becker will open for brunch and welcome Shemtov into the kitchen to prepare a Middle Eastern-influenced mid-day meal.

Shemtov’s signature Shakshuka – a classic Middle Eastern tomato and egg dish – will form the cornerstone of the menu, alongside other tasty brunch fare, such as Lamb Belly Hash, Confit Duck Benedict, Fried Bacon Gravy and more. Juniper will be mixing up creative takes on the classic brunch cocktails to accompany the feast.

Juniper is a Mediterranean bistro, in the heart of downtown Wellesley, and offers creative, generously portioned plates filled with the “feel good flavors” synonymous with Eastern Mediterranean cuisine in an eclectic, colorfully adorned space.

Founded in 2010, The Chubby Chickpea aims to be at the cutting edge of Middle Eastern Cuisine, fusing traditional favorites and authentic recipes with fresh local ingredients and contemporary styles. As a fast casual restaurant, Mobile Food Truck and full service catering company, The Chubby Chickpea is committed to delivering the very best in ethnic comfort food.

Walk-ins to this special Brunch are welcome or reservations can be made by calling 781-446-6950

2) The Hot Toddy is often said to be an excellent way to ease cold and flu symptoms, and has been used for that purpose for centuries. At its most basic, a Hot Toddy is a mix of a spirit, such as whiskey, rum or brandy, with hot water and honey. It also commonly includes spices and sometimes tea or a lemon slice. There are plenty of variations and it is a perfect winter drink. January 11 is National Hot Toddy Day.

TAMO Bistro & Bar, in the Seaport Hotel, is now offering three different Hot Toddies, which will be available all winter, to warm you up. Each of their Toddies is made with honey harvested from the more than 1 million bees housed on the roof of the Seaport Hotel and then infused with different flavors in-house. So check out these Toddies now, on National Hot Toddy Day, or sometimes else during this winter.

· Traditional Hot Toddy – Seaport honey, lemon, cloves, whiskey ($10)
· Spicy Hot Toddy – Sriracha-infused Seaport honey, dried pepper, whiskey ($10)
· Sweet Hot Toddy – Cinnamon-infused Seaport honey, cinnamon stick, whiskey ($10)

Vacationing In Provincetown: Land's End to John Randall (Part 2)

On a sunny summer morning, you wake up and step out onto your porch, looking out at the ocean, the boats in the harbor, the beach. Serenity engulfs you, and for that time, any and all of your problems vanish. The essence of a relaxing vacation.

There are over 90 inns in Provincetown and the writers on our trip were split up, staying at different inns across the length of the town. I ended up at the inn that was the farthest from the downtown but that was not an issue as I got to spend two wonderful nights at the Land's End Inn, located on Gulf Hill near the end of the West End region.

Back in the later 1800s, the main road ended at this point, the rest of the land being primarily tidal flats and marshes. So this location was then known as the "land's end." Since that time, the surrounding area has been built up so that now roads and land extend beyond this region. It may not longer be the literal land's end, but it still is fairly close to the end. This neighborhood is more a residential area, a quieter region, with a few inns scattered around.

The Land's End Inn has an interesting history, extending back to Charles Lothrop Higgins, who was born in Provincetown and eventually purchased the Gull Hill area in 1903. Higgins could trace his ancestry to the Mayflower, a descendant of Peregrine White, who had been born aboard ship in Provincetown Harbor in 1620. As a young boy, Charles left Provincetown and became a hat maker in Boston. After buying Gulf Hill, he decided to build a summer house atop it and he became known as a supporter of the theater and arts.

After his death in 1926, the Buckler family purchased the house and began to rent rooms. They were world travelers and brought home numerous intriguing souvenirs, placing them within the inn, and some of those items can still be found there. Eventually, in 1972, David Schoolman purchased the inn and his renovations and additions brought the inn close to its current form. He added more antiques, artwork and other unique items to the decor of the inn and one of the suites at the inn is now named after him.

In December 2012, the current owners, Stan and Eva Sikorski purchased the property. They first started visiting Provincetown back in 1966 and always have had a special love for the town. Seeking a new career, they decided to enter the hospitality industry and purchase an inn. As they were seeking an opportunity, their daughters, Natalia and Julia, somehow found a listing for the Land's End Inn. The Sikorskis fell in love with the inn and now are doing their best to continue its tradition as a superior accommodation. They were quite welcoming to me, and their passion for Provincetown and the Inn was quite clear. They have no plans to make any significant changes to the Inn, preferring to maintain its charm and eclectic style.

The inn currently has 18 different guest rooms, each distinctive and with its own name, roughly priced at $300-$600 a night with discounts during the off season. About 70%-80% of their guests are return guests, and some people have been coming here for over thirty years. It is a place that has engendered customer loyalty. About 75%-80% of their guests are from the New England/New York region though they have some international guests, as well as Hollywood celebrities during some of the film festival weeks. Weddings are also held here so a large wedding party can sometimes take most of the rooms. During the winter, most of their guests are from Cape Cod.

The Inn provides a continental breakfast each morning, including fruit, bagels, hard boiled eggs, cereal, coffee, tea and more. In the afternoons, they also have a wine reception, where you can sip a glass of wine while sitting on the porch, enjoying the stupendous view. The common rooms in the inn are packed full of an eclectic and fascinating mix of antiques and exotic items. You'll find items from all over the world and you will find similar items in the various inn rooms as well. You never know what you might find in any particular corner, shelf or niche. I found so many intriguing items scattered around the inn.

The antique that most caught my attention was a Chinese urn with a fascinating and creepy backstory. The urn is supposed to be a representation of Meng Po, the Lady of Forgetfulness in Chinese mythology. Meng Po lives in the Chinese realm of the dead, and it is her function to give a mystical tea of forgetfulness to all the souls who enter the realm. That tea will wipe their memories so that they can be reincarnated without remembering anything of their prior lives. This particular urn allegedly contains the ashes of a revered Buddhist monk. That is intriguing on its own, but the legend gets eerier.

The legend of this urn states in the 19th century, a drunken American sailor stole it from a Buddhist monastery. Somehow, after all of its travels, it ended up at the Land's End Inn where it is thought to be cursed. It is claimed that grave misfortune, and even maybe death, comes to anyone who dares touch it. The urn has been placed up high on a shelf so that no guest can touch it, intentionally or accidentally, and suffer the curse. Would you risk touching it?

The Schoolman Suite, where I stayed, is an expansive and luxurious room, with two bedrooms, one on a small second floor. The arc window, visible above, looks into that second bedroom, a stunning and romantic room. There is a large living room, with a flat screen TV, and it leads out to an expansive deck where you could probably have a party with twenty friends. The view from the deck is amazing, looking out at the shore and sea, a superb panoramic scope. This is luxury suite sure to please most any guest and I felt fortunate to have stayed here. If you want to splurge for a special occasion, like an anniversary or birthday, this would be a perfect place to do so.

The inn is located roughly a mile from the downtown area, which is an easy and pleasant walk on a nice day. At night, or in inclement weather, you might want to take a cab or pedicab. It is far enough away to give you more quiet and privacy, while being close enough to easily access the more vibrant downtown area.

I also spent a single night at the John Randall House, an inn located on Bradford Street, only a short walk from Fisherman's Wharf. Rooms are more reasonably priced, from about $150-$220, though they are also smaller, more like a typical quaint inn. My room was clean and comfortable, and it is at an excellent location. On vacation, sometimes you just want a simple place to sleep and this inn would serve that purpose quite well.

To Be Continued....