Rant: Restaurants & Wine Lists

For some people, a restaurant's wine list can be intimidating, especially if it's lengthy, so they will tend to select wines familiar to them. For adventurous wine lovers, a restaurant's wine list can be exciting and intriguing, offering a plethora of interesting choices. Unfortunately, not all wine lists are accurate, and that can be frustrating for the consumer. I encountered such a situation recently, and it was certainly frustrating to me. 

Initially, I was intrigued by the wine list, which was predominantly French, but with other interesting choices as well. I selected a wine which I expected would pair well with our dinner. When the wine was brought to the table, and I examined the label, I discovered that the vintage differed from the wine list, that is was from 2019 rather than 2016. Obviously, the server hadn't checked the vintage before bringing it to our table. With this wine, I believed the vintage mattered, so I rejected the wine.

I then selected a different wine, a similar style to the first, but was later told that it was not available, and they were awaiting a delivery. Strike 2.

After reviewing the wine list again, I chose a different wine. When it was presented at the table, I found that once again, the vintage was different from the wine list, although this time, the list stated it was 2019 but the wine brought to the table was from 2017. The server had once again not checked the vintage before bringing the wine to the table. Strike 3. 

I accepted this wine, of which I was familiar, and it was a delicious choice. It was also reasonably priced. 

Wine lists should be as accurate as possible, and I understand the occasional error, which might be a typo or just a simple mistake. However, when I select three different wines, and one isn't available and two have the wrong vintage, then that wine list has issues. This wine list had been recently updated, with specific recommended options for the dinner, so I would have expected it to be more accurate. If it had been an older list, which hadn't been updated in some time, maybe I would have expected less. 

One more issue dismayed me about their wine service. We ordered a second bottle of the third wine, and after our server removed the cork, the server poured the wine directly into our glasses, which still had a small bit of wine from the first bottle. The server did not allow us to taste this bottle, to ensure it was good. It might have been the same wine as our first, but it was a different bottle and one never knows what bottle variation you might find. It might have been corked for all we knew. Fortunately, there weren't any problems with the second bottle.

I hope restaurants take more care with their wine lists, to ensure they are as accurate as possible. 

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Kane’s Donuts is introducing three new "loveable" flavors for the month of February: Chocolate Orgasm, Pink Boa, and Red Velvet Ganache, available February 1st through February 28th, as well as special Valentine’s Day Donut Pops, available February 7th through Valentine’s Day, at all Kane’s Donuts locations. 

The Chocolate Orgasm is a moist chocolate cake donut hand-pumped with a chocolate Bavarian cream, doused in Hershey's chocolate syrup and coated in crunchy chocolate cookie crumbles. The Pink Boa is a brioche yeast donut frosted with a thick layer of strawberry frosting and dusted with shredded sweetened coconut. The Red Velvet Ganache donut is a rich red velvet cake donut dipped in a silky chocolate ganache and finished with a dollop of delicious cream cheese frosting in the middle, topped off with a sprinkle of red velvet crumbs.

The special V-Day Donut Pops are available for pick up at all three locations from February 7th through February 14th. Each heart-shaped box will be filled with six, three-bite K-pops ($15). Available in three flavors: Chocolate, Plain, and Red Velvet, each cake-style K-pop will be hand-dipped in silken white or milk chocolate, and coated in pearly white nonpareils, edible glitter, chocolate drizzle, or sprinkles. The V-Day Donut Pops are available through pre-order only through kanesdonuts.com.

For those celebrating a Gluten-Free Valentine’s Day, there will be Kane’s signature GF flavors festively decorated with pink, white, and red frosting. 

2) Abe & Louie’s, Boston’s Back Bay steakhouse, has officially reopened after being closed for renovations due to water damage caused by a clean-water sprinkler break. Abe & Louie’s looks forward to welcoming back guests to the beautifully warm, meticulously restored, welcoming dining room and bar to enjoy the restaurant’s classically delicious award-winning lunch, brunch and dinner menus. 

“Abe & Louie’s is the heart of the Back Bay dining experience,” said Tom O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer for Tavistock Restaurant Collection. “Getting our team back to work and taking care of our guests as quickly as possible was a priority for our entire team,” added O’Brien.   

Hours of operation are as follows:
Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

To make reservations, please call (617) 536-6300. 

Lunar New Year with Doris & Her Famed Peking Duck

Back in December 2020, Doris Wang, owner of the China King restaurant in Chinatown,  had to close her restaurant. The pandemic was largely to blame as she lost about 90% of her business. One of her claims to fame was her exquisite Peking Duck, which is truly missed. Fortunately, some people were able to experience her Peking Duck once again, at a pop-up celebration for the Lunar New Year. 

Last evening, Frenchie Wine Bistro owner Sandrine Rossi invited Doris to hold a one-night-only, Peking Duck Popup, to celebrating the kickoff to Chinese New Year -- the Year of the Tiger. Sandrine's favorite cuisine (after French) is Chinese. “I lived and worked in Beijing for 18 months in 2013-2014 as an engineer,” she says. “Doris’s incredible food reminds me of that special time.” 

The dinner cost $88 per person (including tax and gratuity) and included two Starters, three courses of Peking Duck, and Dessert. This was a very reasonable price for the quantity and quality of the food. We also ordered some wine, the 2017 Chateau Musar "Hochar Pere et Fils" ($55/bottle), an excellent red wine from this famed producer in Lebanon. 

Frenchie Wine Bistro is a cozy little spot on Tremont Street, with tables to the left side and a bar to the right. There is also a small dining room at the end of the restaurant. During the course of the dinner, Doris, and one of her sons, were hard at work in the kitchen, which is visible from the dining room. By 7pm, the restaurant was full of guests eager for Peking Duck. 

The dinner began with the two Starters, including Scallion Pancakes, "Homemade, multi-layered and pan-fried crisp. Served with ginger-soy." These were a delight, thicker than many other scallion pancakes because of the multiple layers, and with a great crispiness to them. The added layers added a bit of chewiness to the interior, a nice contrast to the crispy outer layers. A nice way to start the meal.

The other Starter were Shumai, "Steamed, homemade Dim Sum, stuffed with ground pork and shrimp." These were much larger than the usual Shrimp Shumai you find at other Asian restaurants. And they were dense with the pork and shrimp mixture, providing a juicy and flavorful taste. Definitely more complex than the usual Shrimp Shumai and another excellent Starter. 

The Signature Peking Duck Three-Wave began with "Sliced, crispy duck skin, served with homemade pancakes, julienned cucumbers, scallion brushes, and hoisin sauce." This was my favorite dish of the night! An ample portion of tasty pieces of duck, with plenty of crispy and flavorful skin (who doesn't love crispy, duck skin?), and two duck legs. The pancakes were very thin, almost like crepes, and held together well with the scrumptious duck and fillings. As I've often said, I think duck legs are better than chicken legs, and these duck legs delivered. This dish is one reason why Doris has received so much acclaim. 

The next course included "Shredded duck meat, wok-fried Chinese rice noodles, julienned carrots, pea pods, scallion, and bean sprouts." The noodles were nicely chewy, bathed in the flavors and with more of the tasty duck bits. Once again, it was a hearty and delicious dish, with a nice variety of textures and flavors. 

The last duck course was the "Duck bone soup with young tofu and napa cabbage." It possessed a very tasty broth, and the tofu was silky and soft. The duck bones had little bits of meat still on them, which you could chew off if you so desired. 

For Dessert, we received Fried Sesame Donuts, which were filled with a sweet red bean paste, and which is also a traditional Chinese New Year snack. A nice way to end the meal, with a bit of sweetness within the chewy donut, enhanced by the nuttiness of the sesame seeds. 

What an amazing dinner, and I was pleasantly stuffed at the end. The first course of Peking Duck, with the crispy skin and pancakes, will probably be one of my Favorite Dishes of 2022. Boston is a lesser place without Doris Wang and China King, and I fervently hope that Doris starts a new restaurant in the near future. Or at least, does more Pop-Ups. 

For more info on the history of Peking Duck, in the local region and Chinatown, as well as info on Doris, check out my prior article.

WeSake: A Canned Junmai Ginjo

Sake in a can? Japanese Sake, especially in Japan, comes in a variety of different packagings, from cans to tetra-paks. It's also not just inexpensive Sake that comes in these alternative packagings. Premium Sake, the top 25% of all Sake, can be found in cans and tetra-paks. Some of those alternative packagings are available in the U.S. and I've previously enjoyed a number of them. 

One of the newest canned Sakes to hit the U.S. market is the WeSake Junmai Ginjo, and I recently received a media sample.  WeSake was established by Pablo Rivera, who formerly worked at ZX Ventures/AB InBev. He thought Sake wasn't as popular in the U.S. as it should be and wanted to change its perception, to make it more accessible and alluring to U.S. consumers. Certainly a worthy sentiment, and one I have long supported. 

The rice for this Sake is grown in Tagocho, by local farmers, although the type of rice is not identified. Then, the Sake is said to be brewed by a "280 year old brewery in Kobe, Japan." That brewery is not specifically identified although it's likely Hakutsuru Brewery, which was founded in 1743, and will thus be 280 years old next year. 

As a Junmai Ginjo, this is a premium Sake, produced with only four ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji-kin. In addition, the rice was polished down to at least 60%. It's also vegan friendly, sulfite free, gluten free, and non-GMO. Their website states: "We brew Junmai Ginjo style sake because it’s elegant enough for seasoned sake drinkers, but also bright, fun and easy for all those who are starting to drink it." 

The Sake is packaged in a 200ml can, has a 13% ABV, and costs about $18.99 for a four-pack. The traditional single serving size of Sake is 180ml, known as 1 go. The usual Sake bottle consists of 720ml, or 4 go, and is known as a yongobin. In comparison, the normal wine bottle has 750ml. So, the WeSake can has a little more than a traditional single serving of Sake. It is also lower in alcohol than most other Sake, which generally runs from 15%-17% ABV. 

How does it taste? It is quite tasty, being smooth and medium-bodied, with pleasant flavors of melon, steamed rice, and tropical fruit. I enjoyed it chilled with a dinner of Sockeye Salmon, and it went well with the fish. This is a Sake that would work well with many different foods, even burgers and pizza. It has more body than many other Ginjo Sakes, and I think it would taste well warmed too. I''ll have to experiment with that another time. There's enough Sake for a full glass and you might want a can for each person. 

The WeSake Junmai Ginjo is a premium Sake in a can, and is delicious on its own or paired with food. As it's in a can, it can travel well, whether to the beach, the mountains, on a boat, or anywhere else. Give it a try and experience the marvels of Sake!

So why aren't you drinking more Sake?

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) For Valentine's Day Dinner, several local restaurants are offering specials.

Select Oyster Bar is celebrating from Friday, February 11th through Monday, February 14th from 11:30am-9:30pm with a special prix fixe menu designed for two that is available for take-out or dine-in. For $75 per person, guests can enjoy the special prix-fixe menu or order off the regular menu for a beautiful seafood-focused feast created by Chef Michael Serpa featuring specials like Faroe Islands Salmon Crudo and Icelandic Arctic Char. Reservations recommended, and please call (857) 239-8064.

Grand Tour will be celebrating February 11th through Monday February 14th from 11:30am--9pm. There will be a special, three-course prix fixe menu that is priced at $75 per person and is available for takeout or dine in and will feature specials like gougère, endive salad, and steak frites. Guests can also order off of the regular menu that is created by Chef Michael Serpa. Wine pairings will be offered for an additional fee. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 857-277-0800.

Puritan & Company. on Valentine's Day, os offering a $75 prix fixe menu will include multiple options per course and offer a wine pairing for an additional cost. Course options will include Foie Gras Brûlée with griddled muffin, spicy pineapple chutney and currant; Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with horseradish, watercress, soy pearls and oyster emulsion; Marinated Lobster and Shrimp Salad with blood orange, mint, basil and lemongrass dressing ($10 supplement); and Beef Tagliatelle with ricotta salata black kale and candied walnut crumble. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (617) 615-6195.

Bistro du Midi is celebrating from Friday, February 11th through Monday, February 14th, offering a five-course prix fixe menu for $125 per person, with an additional wine pairing available for $175. The delicious menu will feature choices like an Island Creek Oyster Trio, A-5 Japanese Wagyu Duo tartare, Black Truffle Tagliatelle périgord,and Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée. To make a reservation, please visit www.bistrodumidi.com.

Rochambeau, for Valentine's Day,  will be offering French-inspired specials including torchon of foie gras with pomegranate strawberry gelee, preserved fruit conserve, and toasted brioche; black tie scallops with truffle,roasted cauliflower, caviar citron butter, surf and turf with rilled filet of beef, butter-poached lobster, potato galette, and sauce perigourdine; poached cod with chorizo shellfish mousseline, potato ecrasse, vermouth emulsion. Reservations are recommended and can be made at www.rochambeauboston.com.

2) Chef Will Gilson invites guests to celebrate Valentine’s Weekend with a special meal at Cambridge Crossing’s The Lexington and Geppetto. Featuring seasonal, chef-driven fare, Gilson’s The Lexington will offer a four-course menu for $75 on Friday, February 11th and Saturday, February 12th. Newly opened, Italian-inspired Geppetto will offer lovebirds a five-course menu for $85 on Friday, February 11th and Saturday, February 12th.

The Lexington’s four-course, $75 per person Valentine’s Weekend menu includes:
First course: Steak tartare with salsa verde, cured egg yolk, salt and vinegar chips -or- Cauliflower flan with mushroom ragout, crispy onions, fried rosemary
Second course: Pumpkin bisque with parmesan foam, sage, pumpkin seeds -or- Burrata with poached pears, pear butter, delicata squash, truffle vinaigrette
Third course: Grilled bavette steak with potato gratin, confit leeks, peppercorn jus -or- Pan-roasted ora king salmon with sweet potatoes, squashes, saffron butter
Dessert: Taza with key lime

Geppetto’s five-course, $85 per person Valentine’s Weekend menu includes:
First course: Tuna tartare with green olive, lemon, pistachio -or- Smoked beef carpaccio with tonnato, capers, arugula
Second course: Grilled romaine salad with potatoes, stracciatella, black truffle vinaigrette -or- Burrata and chicory salad with cara cara, hazelnuts, basil
Third course: Parsnip ravioli with taleggio fonduta, marjoram, fennel pollen -or- Campanelle with crab, ‘nduja, olives, toasted garlic
Fourth course: Cranberry and soy-glazed short rib of beef with tempura broccoli rabe, brussels, celery root -or- Grilled swordfish spiedini with seared radicchio, bagna cauda, pickled peppers
Dessert: Tiramisu with coffee, spiced cocoa nib tuile, chocolate -or- Fiori panna cotta with cara cara, basil, almond

3) In celebration of Lunar New Year on Tuesday, February 1, Encore Boston Harbor’s Cantonese-style restaurant Red 8, will be offering a prix fixe, Lunar New Year feast from Monday, January 31st through Sunday, February 6th. Available in addition to Red 8’s regular menu for and portioned for either two, four, or six guests, Michelin-starred chef Richard Chen’s Lunar New Year menu, priced at $90 per person, includes:

Appetizers:
Braised Sliced Beef Shank
Seasoned Jellyfish
Fried • Steamed Mushrooms • Tofu Sheet
Sliced Five-Spice Duck
Crispy Shrimp and Taro Roll
Soup:
Braised Fish Maw Soup wolfberries
Entrees:
Braised Pork Knuckles sea moss with golden oysters
Steamed Fresh Loup de Mer with ginger, scallion, soya broth
Crispy Chicken
Pea Leaves, Bamboo Pith
Desserts:
Fried New Year Sweet Cake
Bird Nest Egg Custard
Chrysanthemum Jelly Cake

Reservations can be made by calling 857-770-7000.