3 Country Bistro: New Asian in Woburn

Downtown Woburn, a strip on Main Street, is becoming a mecca for small restaurants, from Brazilian to Mexican, from Pizza to Asian. I have recently had my eye on two new restaurants, the Brickyard and 3 Country Bistro. The Brickyard will be a pizza and burger joint, scheduled to open in the beginning of May. 3 Country Bistro just opened about a week ago and I stopped by yesterday for lunch.

The restaurant is small, seating only about 18 people, and offers Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine. It is a casual place, with a tiny sushi bar, and is open for both lunch and dinner. They do takeout and also deliver within Woburn. It is a BYOB spot, so you can bring your own wine or beer.

It has an extensive menu, with plenty of sushi options, especially makimono, sushi rolls. Sushi prices are average, and sashimi orders consist of five slices of fish, not the usual three at most other places. There are five Korean entrees, ranging from Bi Bam Bab to Bulgogi.  Thai entrees include about twenty choices, including four curries and a few Pad Thai options. I was disappointed though that they did not have Massaman Curry. Japanese entrees include Tempura, Teriyaki and Agemono. Many of the lunch choices are under $10, and most dinner options are under $15.

For lunch, I tried some sushi, including maguro, unagi, tamago and a sweet potato tempura maki. The maki was so-so, with not enough sweet potato and lacking a sufficient crispness. The other sushi though were tasty, good-sized and seemed fresh.  I also tried a few of their appetizers, Gyoza, Tatsuta-Age and Tempura. The fried Gyoza were cooked well, plump and with a nice crunch. The Tatsuta-Age were larger pieces of chicken than many other places serve, which I like, and it had a pleasant tasting coating over moist, white meat. The tempura was good, though the batter could have been a little lighter. Presentation was very nice, with some nice mukimono, vegetable carvings, on the sushi plate. After lunch, they served me a dish of fresh, sliced fruit, with some fruit carvings.

As the restaurant has only been open for a week, matters could change. Hopefully it will improve over the next couple months as they work out the initial kinks. I had enough tasty food here that I will return to try more of their dishes, maybe some Thai next time. It may not replace any of my local Asian favorite restaurants, but it is worth checking out.

3 Country Bistro
379 Main Street
Woburn, MA
Phone: 781-376-8030

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) On May 4th, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a special dinner featuring wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma County’s Ramey Wine Cellars. David Ramey, Owner and Winemaker of Ramey Wine Cellars, will be the guest of honor. Ramey will highlight his wines by pairing them with a unique Legal Sea Foods’ four-plus-course menu that will be presented as follows:

Hors d'oeuvres
Smoked West Coast Oysters
Cheddar Polenta Rondelles & Exotic Wild Mushrooms
Pulled Pork Empañadas & Pea Tendrils
Paired with 2008 Ramey Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

First Course
Hake Ceviche (Micro Cilantro, Aji Amarillo Peppers, Red Onion, Citrus Segments)
Paired with 2008 Ramey “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Carneros

Second Course
Wood Grilled Shrimp & Clam Pizzetta, Aged Gouda, Arugula Salad
Paired with 2008 Ramey “Hudson Vineyard” Chardonnay, Carneros
Third Course
Wood Grilled Marinated Rack of Lamb with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Quinoa Salad
Paired with 2007 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa

Cheese CourseMorbier, Vermont Grafton Aged Cheddar, Taleggio with Bone Marrow Pâté, Toast Points
Paired with 2007 Ramey Syrah, Sonoma Coast

When: Wednesday, May 4th at 6:30pm
Cost: $85 per person (excludes tax and gratuity)
Reservations required by calling: 617-530-9397

2) Tamarind Bay announces “Spice & Wine,” a monthly dinner series held in conjunction with local specialty wine shop vinodivino. The three-course meal pairs Indian cuisine’s exotic blends of spices and complex flavors with wines from vinodivino. Examples of pairings include:

§ Loire Vallery Chenin Blanc | Crispy Samosas
§ Piedmontese Barbera | Spicy Tandoori Chicken
§ Rose of Southern France | Spicy Spinach and Mustard Sag Paneer

The “Spice & Wine” dinner also features:
§ Live cooking demonstration
§ Spice collection and recipes to take home
§ Wines from the dinner available for purchase at a discount

The “Spice & Wine” dinners are held once a month at both Tamarind Bay locations.
Harvard Square’s Tamarind Bay Indian Bistro & Bar
§ Every second Monday at 6:00 PM
§ May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14

Brookline’s Tamarind Bay Coastal Indian Kitchen
§ Every fourth Monday at 6:00 PM
§ April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, August 22, September 26, October 24, November 21

Cost: $27/per person, excludes tax and gratuity
Please call to make a reservation.

3) Join Blue on Highland, located in Needham, this Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8th, for a day of celebratory elegance featuring menu specials and complimentary roses for the woman who makes it all possible.

Guests can indulge in the classic culinary stylings of Executive Chef Peter Tartsinis as he presents all-day specials such as: Lobster Cocktail with homemade cocktail sauce ($16) and Jumbo Shrimp and Grilled Filet with bernaise ($29), created exclusively for this year’s Mother’s Day celebration.

From 11am-3pm, their brunch menu will be offered featuring early morning classics like French Toast with blueberry butter and maple syrup ($10) and Sirloin and Eggs with brioche bread, mushroom truffle-butter and home fries ($14). Or try Margherita pizza with fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella ($9) or Lobster Bisque served with paprika oil and fresh cut scallions ($7).  Complement your selections with specialty cocktails such as the Peruvian 75 (cachaca, fresh lemon, champagne, $11), or "Coming Up Roses,” a delicate blend of champagne, razzberry rum, muddled rose petals and rose syrup (both $11), while taking in the smooth melodies of the Tom Wandell Trio during Blue on Highland’s live Jazz brunch. Dinner will be served 3pm-9pm. 

Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling 781-444-7001.

Mercado Central in Chile: Fish Heads

Visting the Mercado Central in Santiago, Chile brought back visions of the International Boston Seafood Show, at there was so much fresh seafood displayed at the market.  And lots of fish heads!

The market contains dozens of stalls selling a diverse selection of local seafood, as well as booths selling produce, souvenirs, wines, and more.  It is worth a stop to check out the market, though the strong fishy odor in parts of the market might turn off some people.  It can also seem like a bit of a maze, as you wander down narrower side aisles.  I picked up some merken, a Chilean spice, and some Yerba Mate, herbs used to make a tea-like hot drink. I'll be talking more about those items in the near future.       

You'll also find numerous restaurants, many specializing in seafood, with assertive individuals trying to get you to dine at their restaurant.  Walk twenty feet through the market and it will seem as if a dozen people try to harangue you to dine at their place.  To avoid that, just keeping looking at all the displayed seafood, making eye contact only with the fish. Yes, that might be unnerving but would you rather deal with the hordes trying to get you to sit in their restaurant?

Sea urchins, with that tender, salty roe within them.

Barnacles may not seem like a tasty seafood, but they are related to crabs and lobster, and actually do have a good taste. It all depends on the method of preparation. These are the Picoroco Barnacles, a species of giant barnacle found off the shores of Chile.

These Conger Eels are very popular in Chile, and we were told repeatedly that they were not really eels. But later research seems to indicate they actually are a type of eel.  Maybe more people eat Conger if they think it is merely a different type of fish, and not an eel.  Try fried conger or conger eel soup.

Just some random fish shots, none of which look too happy to be there.

And I'll leave you with a photo of actual Fish Heads! 

"Fish heads fish heads
Roly poly fish heads
fish heads fish heads
eat them up, yum!"
--Barnes & Barnes

Green River Sake: Consumer Friendly

Sake can be intimidating to many people so efforts to make it more consumer friendly are certainly welcome as well as needed. That is one of the primary reasons I found Green River Sake to be so compelling.

Though I previously posted Some Choice Selections from the New England Food Show, my favorite booth of the entire show belong to Green River Sake. I was fortunate to meet K. Mike Masuyama, Ph.D., (pictured above) from their US marketing office. He led me through a tasting of four of their sakes, as well as discussed the company, from its philosophy to its marketing. He was a fascinating man, obviously passionate about sake, and desirous to spread his passion throughout the U.S.

In Japan, Green River Sake Company is known as Midorikawa, as "midori” means “green” and “kawa” means “river.” The brewery, located in the Niigata region, has a history extending back to the early 18th century though it was not incorporated until 1884. It is a relatively small brewery, and though it relies on technology, it still avoids mass production. It is more a boutique brewery, using technology to help produce high quality sake on a small scale.  And based on what I tasted, they have been successful.

I really was intrigued by the pitcher they used to pour sake, which kept it chilled, but not diluted, by ice. Classy, aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Green River has created a line of sakes intended for the U.S. market. These sakes are meant to be consumer friendly, to avoid confusing and intimidating people. Their labels are simple, and almost completely in English except for the large kanji on the front label.  The labels also do not contain any technical details, such as the Sake Meter Value or Acidity level. The idea is to make the labels simple, to primarily describe the flavor profile of the sake without using any confusing technical terminology. When they sell their sake in Japan, the labels are different.  In addition, the color of each bottle and label is different, so consumers can more easily realize that they are different products.

Their sake sells for about $14-$21 for 300ml bottles, dependent on the specific sake.  It was thought that the smaller bottles would also be more consumer friendly, seeming like less of a risk to buy and sample. I have previously encouraged local wine stores to carry this bottle size as I agree it seems less of a risk for consumers. Green River has even geared the taste of the sake toward being being amenable to an American palate, though not by trying to make it sweet.

The four sakes I tasted included: Koide 12, Snow-Aged, Five Seasons and Beyond the Sea. Typical Niigata sake is often described as tanrei, which roughly translates as "clean-smooth-gracious," and it is a style that I greatly enjoy. Thus, these four sakes, which seemed to reflect the tanrei style, all appealed to me. I should also note that they all taste dry.

The Koide 12 is a Junmai Ginjo, and the rice has been milled down to 55%. It also has a slightly lower alcohol level, at 14%-15%, than usual sakes.  It has a smooth, clean taste with subtle yet complex flavors of melon, peach, steamed rice, and more.   

The Snow-Aged is also a Junmai Ginjo, milled to 60%, and has undergone "snow-aging."  The bottled sake is actually stored in an open warehouse, for about one year, where it is open to the elements. As this area of Niigata can receive up to 12 feet of snow, the sake can be buried beneath snow for much of the winter. Interestingly, though I thought this might be more subtle and elegant than the Koide 12, it actually seemed more assertive and bolder, though still being smooth and complex. The fruit elements were more subtle than the Koide and there was a more prominent herbaceous taste.

The Five Seasons is a Junmai sake which "can be enjoyed in four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, and an additional season of sake throughout the year."  The rice was milled to 60%, which technically would make it a Ginjo but they have chosen to label it as a Junmai.  This sake had a flavor profile somewhere between the Koide and the Snow-Aged.

The Beyond the Sea is also a Junmai sake, with rice milled to 65%.  It was the most full bodied of the four sakes, with more of a sense of umami.  It was smooth and clean, with subtle flavors of melon, Asian pear and hints of ginger. 

I would enjoy drinking any one of these four sakes, and agree they are very consumer friendly. They would make excellent introductory sakes, which could help correct a person's misconceptions about sake. Plus, sake lovers would find them very enjoyable as well.

I was also excited to know that they carry Sparkling Star, a dry sparkling sake in a 500ml bottle for about $20.  I did not get to taste this sake, but note that it is not sweet, like most of the other sparkling wines on the market. It is also completely clear, unlike many sparkling sakes which can be cloudy with some of the sake lees. I look forward to tasting this sake when it becomes available.

These sakes should be available in the Massachusetts market in the near future, distributed through Atlantic Importing Co., and I strongly recommend you seek them out when they are available. It would be good if other sake breweries tried to make their products more accessible to U.S. consumers.

Kanpai!

Rant: Throwing Wine Away

Imagine throwing away a $100 bottle of wine after drinking and enjoying a single glass. That would be a terrible waste of a good bottle of wine. You might believe that such an occurrence happens only rarely in real life, that such instances are quite isolated.  Yet in actuality, it occurs quite frequently, all across the world. And the ones most often wasting the wine are wine lovers, including many professionals involved in the wine trade.

Recently, this matter came to my thoughts again while I spent about two weeks with nine other wine writers. We visited about a dozen wineries, tasting many different wines, including during meals. Most often we tasted and then spit the wine into buckets.  The buckets would eventually fill to the brim and need to be emptied, awaiting the next round of spat and discarded wine. There was so much waste and it poked at my sense of injustice. Just imagine how much money all that wine cost, and most of it ended up being discarded.

Such waste occurs at all large tasting events, as well as many smaller ones too. It is an accepted part of the wine industry yet is it truly necessary? Can the amount of waste be mitigated in some manner, and if so, how do we implement such a plan on a larger scale?  Could the reduction of such waste help to reduce wine costs?  And why doesn't anyone seem to care about all this waste?

The reasons for spitting at such events are clear, and justified. You don't want to become intoxicated, unable to taste any more or to embarass yourself in front of others. You may be there to take notes, to assess the wines for later review or purchase.  You thus need to remain sober, so that your mind is clear to make the decisions you need to make. This type of waste cannot be prevented.

But, spitting alone is not the problem. When you are poured a glass of wine to taste, you might only try one or two mouthfuls, leaving the rest in your glass. Those remnants will likely then be poured out into a bucket, more waste. And that waste can be an even greater an amount than what you spit into the bucket.

But that waste can be reduced. The simple solution is to reduce the amount of the pour so that you only receive a mouthful or two of wine in your glass. There is no need to overpour a sample glass, cognizant that much of it would be wasted. I have often seen overgenerous pours at tasting events, knowing that much of the glass will be thrown away.  It needs to stop, and is easily rectified. It only takes the will to put into action.

Stop discarding so much good wine!