VittlesVamp

Deviled Eggs Are My Culinary Kryptonite

A little over a year ago I wrote about fear of rice. Admittedly it's hard to get it right on the stovetop. From time to time I've mustered some small success with basmati rice. Even so, it took buying a rice cooker for rice to start making regular guest appearances at dinnertime.

Sadly, there is no device or advice that has yet to help me when it comes to another staple -- one that has proven to be a formidable frenemy. I'm talking about Satan's favorite high-cholesterol snack, the Deviled Egg.

Some downright gorgeous specimens from The Long Island Bar & Restaurant are pictured above. Delicious.

Would I like to replicate these beauties for a Southern-style dinner party opener (someday, when we can have dinner parties again)? Yes! But, alas, all my attempts at hard-boiling and peeling eggs has come up short. I am never able to peel away the shell clean. I am always ending up with whites with major pockmarks. Not a pretty sight. And Deviled Eggs must be pretty. That's in the Deviled Egg bylaws. It's pretty strict about the need for Deviled Eggs to be pretty.

I have tried many methods. All have failed. I have officially given up and I will leave the "Deviling" to those more capable. I think we'll all be better for it. I know the eggs will be better for it for sure.

I Went To Lancaster And All I Got Was A Pretzel

The title of this post is wholly inaccurate. Even if it wasn't, that was one heck of a soft pretzel. Lancaster's Shot and Bottle delivered on that front.

There is no question that I ate and drank well on a recent trip to Lancaster, PA.

The real win? An Italian spot called Luca. We were so impressed during our dinner there that we promptly made a reservation to return the next evening.

Yes, it was that good. Even my before-dinner drink was stellar...

...a Torino 'Sbagliato' Bianco, combining Antica Torino Bitter with Vermouth Bianco. A refreshing sipper to start the meal.

And, here are just a few dishes that inspired me and my pal to return for "seconds" the following night.

Let's start with a take on the classic Beef Carpacccio...

---in this case, made with wafer-thin slices of melt-in-your-mouth tongue, the meat brined for several days with garlic and peppercorns, and then braised until tender. Served over a slathering of bone marrow aioli, then showered with toasted bread crumbs and fresh herbs, this could have been the dinner's showstopper. Would have been. Except for what came next.

How could you resist this? Housemade Gnocchi with sweet corn, smoky pancetta, shishito peppers, grana pandano cheese, and some slices of summer black truffle to take it over the top.

Try to top that? Well, one way would be with Rabbit and Heritage Pork Sausage, cooked on the kitchen's wood-fired grill and served with summer beans, fennel, olives and cherry tomatoes.

And, what's for dessert? Was too full for a sweet from the chefs, but couldn't resist one from the bartenders...

This concoction is called an Espresso Nonna, a heady, not-overly-sweet meal capper that marries Averna amaro, anisette liquor, fresh espresso, and orange bitters, shaken till icy cold. Strained into a Nick and Nora with an orange peel twist, it went down awfully easy.

As you can see, it was worth a return visit. And, if I am honest, if we'd stayed any longer in Lancaster, there may have been a third visit to Luca. And, if I am completely honest, I would say that there might have been another pretzel from Shot & Bottle on the docket too.

Puebla By Way Of Philly

For those that pay close attention to this blog, you may recall that I took MamaVamp to South Philly a couple years ago to indulge in sublime Mexican food at Chef Christina Martinez's Casa Mexico.

We were more than overdue for some killer Mexican in the City of Brotherly Love. This time around, I took her to a spot called El Chingon.

This place is not just a gem - it's a full-on treasure.

Just take a look at our app above, Remolacha. At the base is Sikil Pak, a creamy, smoky dip made of pepitas. Piled on top are perfectly marinated beets, along with avocado, darkly roasted and sliced thin. Add a bit of goat cheese crema and caramelized sesame seeds, and I promise that you won't give a moment's thought before grabbing one of the crispy Totopos to start scooping it into your trap.

As if that wasn't enough, we had two entrees.

Whoa.

Let's talk about the Tacos Arabes. As pictured below, these were sourdough tortillas filled with pork marinated in fresh herbs, a spoonful of chipotle salsa atop. A few rings of grilled onion sat alongside, a caramelized, sweet addition if desired...

And then there was the Cemita - a classic Pueblan sandwich - which in this case was a Cemita Pierna Adobada.

This was a thing of pure beauty. It started with the bread. That's right. This is served on a homemade roll made by El Chingon's Chef/Owner Juan Carlos Aparicio who used to bake bread at Rittenhouse Square's Parc. This bread was gluten-filled gloriousness. It was stuffed with Adobo-rubbed pork butt, a slathering of ayocote beans, red onions, avocado, a slice of grilled pineapple, and a shower of shaved Oaxacan Quesillo cheese.

To be clear, I plan on eating each and every item that Chef Aparicio offers. It won't happen any time soon. But it will happen.

A birdie told me that he wouldn't say "no" to opening a branch in New York City. Well, I would not say "no" to that.

I have a feeling that El Chignon would fit in with the NYC food scene quite nicely. After all, the name translates to "bad ass." And the food that Chef Aparicio serves is bad ass, indeed!

Good Thai-mes in Brooklyn

I may have traveled to Bangkok a few years back, but I am not an expert on Thai food by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, I know what I like - and I've been liking some of the newer Thai restaurants in Brooklyn as of late.

Sukh in Fort Greene was a winner from the get-go. The starter of Pak Mor (seen above) started things off extremely well. Think thin homemade rice crepe wraps stuffed with sweet radish and peanuts, heavily drizzled with coconut milk, and topped with a fiery chili pepper. So good.

Heck, I even enjoyed their Green Papaya Salad, a dish which I am decidedly "meh" about. Sukh's rendition features shredded green papaya, tomato, salted egg yolk, dried shrimp, and peanuts mixed with Thai chili lime dressing.

It is absolutely addictive.

And, I recently visited The Nuaa Table in Prospect Heights. Take a glance at a menu standout...

...Grilled Coconut-Glazed Duck Skewers with a bright green chili-mint espuma for dipping. I am also inordinately fond of their Fresh Banana Blossom Salad. I don't have a pic, so you will just have to trust me.

Speaking of not having pics, I enjoyed the food at Williamsburg's Kru so much that I never even got around to shooting photos.

Next on my Brooklyn Thai wishlist is Untable in Carroll Gardens. It's a highly popular spot and they don't take reservations. Not sure when I will be up for the challenge, but considering my positive Thai taste trajectory I expect a table at Untable to be in my future.

In-Freakin-Credible Churros

These lovelies? Can you say "Wowza"?

Freshly made at New York City's Noho Mexican cafe Atla, these Churros are deep-fried, sugar-coated wonders. In all honestly, I have never been taken by Churros before. Now? I am completely ravished -- and all the happier for it,

'Nuff said.

Peru By Way Of Queens

Back in October I interviewed wine merchant–turned–archaeologist and art historian Robert C. Bradley, talking about his book "Eating Peru." Ever since, I have been daydreaming about a trip to Peru - not necessarily to visit Macchu Picchu or the gourmand hot spots in Lima, but to get a taste of the real Peru. Robert made the everyday sound exceptional - visiting coastal seafood shacks to dine on fish that had just been swimming in the ocean. And, from the sounds of it, there are lesser known archaeological sites that I should be checking out.

Will I get there this year? Not sure. Still in physical therapy, post-ankle surgery. But even in a cumbersome aircast, I was able to make it to Queens for a preview of some Peruvian delights - visiting Jora in Long Island City.

First up was a lipsmacking ceviche topped with kernels of choclo corn from the Andes and crunchy corn nuts, known as cancha.

Mind you, the fish hadn't been swimming just moments ago in the East River - alongside Jimmy Hoffa's remains, perhaps? - but that was okay by me. It was an undeniably gorgeous dish. And, continuing the coastal theme, we dove into Arroz con Mariscos that made us swoon...

That shrimp was a beauty, but damn if those rings of squid weren't perfectly tender, as were the scallops, clams and mussels.

We went to the red meat on the menu to finish things off right...

What, pray tell, is this? It is Lomo Saltado, an umami-packed dish if ever there was. Chunks of sirloin sauteed with onions and tomatoes in soy sauce, topped with a mound of French fries and finished off with a few leaves for greenery.

Did I mention that this is packed with umami?

Oh, mami!

Going to keep on keeping on with my daily exercises and physical therapy. I will get to Peru. That's a promise.

Eat Your Vegetables

I was shocked. This dessert before you? Celery Root Ice Cream. Yes. Celery root. Served with celery glacé, coffee oil and preserved cherries.

A gorgeous finale to a dinner by Chef Nick Tamburo, which I had a while back at Fulgurances in Brooklyn. I am still thinking about it. Not only because it was so delicious, but because it made me question myself.

Have I been sleeping on vegetables for dessert?

Yes, there is Carrot Cake. I have had the Indian pudding known as Carrot Halwa and a Carrot Halwa Ice Cream as well. Rhubarb is also categorized as a vegetable. Goodness knows it gets strong play in many a sweet.

And, now that I think about it, there was Otto, the Berlin restaurant where I had the most glorious, sweet beets -- prepared in such a way that I thought they could pass for dessert. I am happy to say that I will have the chance to enjoy them again on this side of the Atlantic. Heading shortly to Ft. Greene, where they are having a pop-up residency. Let me see if those beets still give me a dessert vibe.

Any which way, clearly I need to stop discriminating down the produce aisle. Why should a red bell pepper be relegated to a savory dish? Could a Sweet Red Pepper Sorbet be in my future?

Not so sure about spinach, asparagus or eggplants, but I am game to be proven wrong.

Link Love

The link in question is Chef Donald Link.

Many friends have asked if I hit any great new restaurants on my recent trip to New Orleans. In truth, besides the market stalls, dives, luncheonettes and holes-in-wall that I ventured to during my walking tour, my standout faves where two old faves from Chef Link - Peche and Cochon.

In fact, first meal of the trip was a late dinner at Peche, kicking off with a half dozen of Gulf oysters. Those lovelies did not disappoint. Neither did his Cajun rendition of "Shrimp Toast" enrobed in sesame seeds and topped with slices of pickle. And, the main was spectacular. Pictured above, it was a whole Speckled Trout, flash-fried and served atop a tamarind sauce, showered with pickled carrots and daikon, roasted peanuts, and loads of cilantro. Also gobsmackingly good were the turnips. Yes, you read correctly. Take a look...

This seemingly banal side dish was featured in the New York Times Magazine with a recipe. Seriously. If the Citrus-Glazed Turnips are on the menu, they're a must.

Now, lets talk about my late lunch at Cochon. This where we sat, with the wood-burning oven throwing off a heady scent that made my mouth water.

That oven was put to good use in the service of the kitchen's Wood Fired Oysters with Chili Garlic Butter...

And, that was followed by the restaurant's namesake - Louisiana Cochon served with Braised Green Beans, Pickled Pears, and Pork Jus...

Hellz to the yassss.

And, in case you are wondering, some real warmth and hospitality came our way from both the back and front-of-house at both Peche and Cochon.

These are what you call oldies, but goodies - so, so good. So, while looking for the shiny new hot spot is certainly with merit, don't sleep on the merits of a standby that consistently stands and delivers.

Proximity

Tasty treats in close proximity? Sounds good at first, but it can quickly become a problem.

Case in point: donuts.

I have never been a big donut person. Dunkin' has never been a go-to. (Then again, I am not from Boston.)

But, back in September 2022 I tried the Maple Cruller at Daily Provisions. It was freakin-fantastic. Thankfully, though, it was near Union Square.

That changed a couple of months ago. Now, there is a Daily Provisions in walking distance, located in Cobble Hill.

If that wasn't bad enough, also in walking distance, Downtown Brooklyn's Gage & Tollner is offering up a rotating selection of sublime donuts at lunchtime. Check out the Lime and Coconut lovely above.

Gah! So good! So close! Too close!

To make matters worse, Henry's End, which is all of three blocks away from me in Brooklyn Heights, makes some seriously delectable donuts on the weekends.

Three blocks away.

I live in the danger zone.

Getting Ready For Blowback On This Post

So I am going to sound like a fullon 1-percenter right now - but, I have noticed an incredibly inordinate amount of Truffles and Caviar on menus as of late. For some, I am sure it is about "revenge dining" post-Pandemic. For others, there is surely a deep appreciation for these umami-packed ingredients.

Yet...

I am just starting to think that there are other options that are more affordable - and, are less knee-jerk than these indulgent luxury staples.

For example, last weekend I dropped by Red Hook Tavern one weekend morning. Instead of ordering their deservedly-hyped burger, I thought I would try their French Omelette with Truffle.

Was it good? Sure. Was it great? Not really.

I kept thinking how much a bright herb salad - maybe with Italian Parsley, Chives, and Tarragon - could have been an even better option than the generous shaving of Black Truffle showered on the perfectly cooked eggs.

And, then there are pieces of nigiri from Sushi Lin with fish that melts in your mouth.

Is a hit of Beluga Caviar balanced on top of Otoro Tuna and Uni a crowd pleaser? Sure. It it as good as the seared Tomato they put on top of King Salmon? Not really.

I know that complaining about too much Truffle and Caviar makes me sound like Marie Antoinette. But, I am not saying "Let them eat cake."

I am saying "Let me eat fresh herbs and tomatoes." Different. Besides, it comes at a much more manageable price tag - and hopefully doesn't inspire anyone to break out a guillotine.

Best Bites in Berlin

I went to Europe, came back, and didn't lose my affinity for alliteration. Deal with it - and enjoy some of my favorite food finds in Berlin. (Ack! Almost had it going with that string of "f's," but Berlin needed to be named Ferlin for it to really work. Nonetheless...)

First off, let me say that I most definitely have a favorite restaurant in Berlin. Its name is Trio. The food is decidedly German, decidedly farm-to-table, and quite honestly, decidedly delicious.

The room is modern and understated. The clientele has an air of hip, but not hipster. The owners were warm and welcoming.

Back to the food. Above, is a Herring Salad with Apples. This was salty, creamy, sweet and savory goodness. It disappeared from the plate lickety split. The dish that really had me at "hello" though was a bowl of soup...

Drop dead gorgeous, ain't it? That's the kitchen's version on Flädlesuppe, an intense mushroom broth with ribbons of a thin crepe-like pancake, topped with chopped chives.

The rest of the food is marvelous as well - from Goulash with Bread Dumplings to Schnitzel. It was so good, in fact, that we ended up going to Trio twice. Would have liked to make it a completely ironic third time, but we had just so much time in the city.

Another spot I took to was just a couple short blocks from where I was staying in Mitte - a very homey pub called Schwarzwaldstuben, serving very traditional fare. Yes, I had their Schnitzel. Yes, I had their Späetzle. But it was their Flammkuchen that was the real winner...

A classic dish from Alsace, it is a savory tart that is sometimes referred to as "German pizza." This one was topped with cheese, apple, onion and bacon and was utterly addictive.

Then, a little farther afield, was the contemporary restaurant Otto, which promised a view overlooking an open kitchen and refined fare in a relaxed, yet lively dining room. It was all of those things and more.

The standout dish? No contest...

Beet, Sloe Berry, Labneh and Brown Butter. This, to my mind, was dessert. Decadent dessert. Soooo good.

I found the recipe, but considering that making this dish is a two-day commitment, I think I'd rather just return to Berlin to enjoy it again.

Do you want to come with? Might make it to Trio too - for that completely ironic third dinner!