Eats. Drinks.

I dropped in for lunch at Myer’s Bagel Bakery in Burlington, Vermont. Although it’s not far from home, I hadn’t really known much about it until I saw it featured on Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” (http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/man-v-food/episode-6-season-2/burlington-vt/1086929/). Myer’s has “been bringing Montreal-style bagels since 1996.” It had a casual ambiance and provided a great environment to eat in.

The bagels are made in a wood-fired oven and are cooked beautifully. They are smoky and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I ordered the 377 which included smoked brisket, Horseradish mayo, lettuce, red onions and sprouts on a “rotating tap beer bagel” which is made with beers from local breweries. The bagel was incredibly smoky and crunchy with a great taste. The smoked brisket was very nice and fell apart in your mouth. It was seasoned beautifully and had the right amount of salt. The horseradish mayo added a little kick to the sandwich which was nice. The whole sandwich was salted perfectly. The sprouts added a good pop to the sandwich and the veggies were all fresh which made it even better. The sandwich was amazing overall with nothing to complain about accept it being gone too soon.

I plan to go to Myer’s Bagel Bakery many more times and would suggest it to anybody who gets the chance.

While in Florida recently visiting Disney World, I had an amazing meal at The Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios. The ambiance in the restaurant was great and the service was solid.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Togarashi-crusted Ahi Tuna which was served with House-made Kimchi, Sesame Jasmine Rice and a Sake-Ginger-Soy Glaze. The first bite was smooth with a great tuna taste that was very fresh. The jasmine rice was interesting with its consistency being both crispy and smooth. The kimchi was a great bite with a big kick of spice on the end. The plate overall was seasoned well.

For my entree I ordered the Duck Two Ways. The dish featured a Pan-seared Duck Breast and a crispy Duck Confit, Sweet Onion Silk, Farro Risotto, Tuscan Kale and Blueberry Gastrique. The breast was cooked beautifully. It was salty and had a nice bit of crispiness. The risotto was seasoned excellently with a nice little pop. The hidden hero of the plate was the blueberry gastrique which provided a needed sweetness to the richness of the dish. The kale also provided a nice crunch to the plate. The duck confit was truly amazing. It was cooked perfectly which allowed for it to melt in your mouth. It was salty with a smooth finish. It fell of the bone which showed how well it was cooked. Once again, the blueberry gastrique paired amazingly with it. The confit was an amazing, silky piece of food.

For dessert I ordered the Mini Dessert Trio of Brown Derby Original Mini Grapefruit Cake, Warm Blueberry Cobbler and Lemon Cheesecake. The cobbler came with crème fraîche and orange blossom honey. The lemon cheesecake featured a white chocolate cream and local blueberries. The desserts were delicious and the fruit from each of the separate desserts complemented each other beautifully.

If you are in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you should try to get to the Hollywood Brown Derby. It was a great experience with great food that left me more than satisfied.

I have been to many wonderful restaurants but few have topped the experience and meal I had at Tempo Dulu in Portland, Maine. Located in the Danforth Inn, I started the meal in the bar area where their mixologist (bartender) suggested great mocktails all night. Each drink was different and had my taste buds working in hundreds of different ways. After about 20 minutes, I took my seat for dinner.

I evaluated the menu which had many promising offerings but what intrigued me the most (and what I ordered) was the Chef’s tasting which featured four different courses of the meal. What made this outing an experience rather than just another meal was that each course was so layered. They first brought out a palate teaser that featured a Poached Shrimp, Miso glaze, Fennel sauce, and Chili oil. The Shrimp was cooked perfectly, not too chewy which can sometimes be hard to do with shrimp. The bite had a calm mellow flavor with a great earthy taste. The chili oil added an explosion of flavor which topped off the dish.

The next course that came out was the first part of the Chef’s tasting. It  was Scallops with Watercress, Citrus, Magic sauce, and Caviar. This dish was very refreshing with the perfectly prepared Scallops offering a smooth finish. Caviar built the taste with a punch of salt. The watercress had a nice freshness that topped off the bite. Overall the dish had a crazy combo of flavors that were both a pleasant surprise and delicious.

Next came the Lobster broth which was phenomenal. The Lobster was cooked beautifully. All the parts blended marvelously together. The herbs gave an amazing earthy taste. It had a great balance of spice in it. You mostly got the kick in the aftertaste which was nice because that was what you remembered. It was a nice touch to the meal.

The last part of the meal was filled with many different elements including Lobster and Pork Spring Roll, Braised Lamb Bumbu Bamboo, Curried Steamed Fish, Egg in Tomato Sambal, and Moo Ping. Each offering was small but together made a nice main course. The spring rolls were sweet, crispy, and salty all at the same time which made it a very enjoyable taste. The lamb was great with a salty aftertaste. The curried steamed fish was cod which was nice and flaky with a mild fresh fish taste. The egg in the tomato sambal was creamy and delicate with an explosion from the sambal (a hot sauce or paste made from a mixture of chili peppers). Finally the Moo ping (skewers) were pork that was tender and had a mellow taste and were an intriguing bite.

Overall the experience at Tempo Dulu was one of the best I’ve ever had at any restaurant and it truly blew me away with something that many other restaurants lack – attention to detail. Detail of the flavor. The little things made the meal so incredible. It truly embodied what is so great about the food industry – creativity. I can see myself returning as soon as possible. If you can make the trip, you won’t regret it.

I was recently in Boston and had the chance to eat at Bar Boulud, one of many restaurants by famous chef Daniel Boulud. With a very modern ambiance that invited you in, I found myself impressed with the meal.

For my appetizer, I ordered a half dozen oysters. They came with a red wine mignonette, cocktail sauce and a lemon. They were a real palate-pleaser with a nice briny taste that had just a touch of sweetness. The oyster had a very nice sea salt taste that made them taste super fresh. Overall the appetizer was very pleasing.

For my entree I enjoyed Steak Frites cooked medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. When you took a bite it melted in your mouth. It was very juicy which helped with the flavor. A side of hollandaise was a nice touch. The fries were a great side that added the right amount of salt to the meal.

For dessert I had madeleines, a small sponge cake that Boulud is famous for. The cakes were freshly baked and still warm when they got to the table. Topped with powdered sugar, this dessert is the perfect way to end the meal. If you are feeling ambitious, you can even make these at home (http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/daniel-bouluds-madeleines).

Overall the meal was amazing proving once again why Daniel Boulud is my favorite chef. I highly encourage everyone to go if they get the chance.

I recently attended the upscale Italian restaurant Trattoria Delia in Burlington. With a classic Italian feel, this small restaurant with a warm ambience offered a great experience.

For my appetizer I chose the Batu which was a Crispy Duck leg confit that came with Umbrian lentils, Arugula, and olive oil. The Duck was tender and falling off the bone which I always love. I also loved the seasoning on the skin. It was salty and cooked perfectly. The Umbrian lentils I was conflicted about. They had a nice crunch in the initial bite and then they finished smooth which was very nice. But it didn’t add much in terms of taste and I needed to ask for salt because there was almost nothing in terms of a taste. The Arugula on the other hand was the surprise hit because it just added a nice peppery taste.

For my Entree I had the Spaghetti Neri which was squid ink pasta with Manila clams, gulf shrimp, toasted garlic, and salsa pomodoro. The dish came out looking refined and very appealing. The spaghetti was smooth and very easy to eat. The clams were seasoned well and added a nice bite to the plate. The shrimp were sadly slightly underwhelming and underseasoned as a matter of fact. I did however love the Sauce which provided everything on the plate with a boost in flavor. It was salty and had the right amount of tomato.

Overall the meal was good but not great. Some of the elements on the plate just needed seasoning very badly. That’s not to say there weren’t highlights because there definitely were. It was a solid meal and I’d return again but order differently.

Recently I had the chance to dine at Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe in Disney Springs. With an upscale twist on the past it brought a certain flare from the world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck.

I started my meal with Hamachi Sashimi that was surrounded by a sesame wasabi ponzu sauce and touch of roe on the top of each piece of fish. Hamachi is pacific yellowtail fish. My first bite was a smooth and salty piece of fish that was not too thin or too thick. Although it was fish, it wasn’t fishy. The Ponzu sauce was tart and had a hint of lemon in the aftertaste. The wasabi added a slight kick that had you coming back for more. The fish paired perfectly with the ponzu sauce.

For my Entree, I had the Roasted Duck Breast. It was cooked beautifully with that perfect duck taste that makes it my favorite protein. The Duck was salty with a crispy sear on the outside. On each end of the breast it seemed to be lightly fried with a great crispy, salty taste. It came with a huckleberry reduction which was slightly too sweet for me. It also came with a carrot-ginger puree which paired perfectly because it counteracted against the salt in a good way.

Overall the meal was great with a refined taste and I definitely recommend that you check out the restaurant. It offered a great view of the Disney Springs area. I suggest you spend some time after dinner walking around the recently renovated Downtown Disney – it’s a fun time.

On March 6, 2017, I had the privilege to dine at the Hen of the Wood in Burlington, Vermont.

I sat down to the meal and looked over the menu when the appetizer “Grilled Octopus” caught my eye. I decided to order it and when it came out, I wasn’t disappointed. The octopus came out plated very refined with a rustic feel to it. It came with sunchokes, ginger, scallions, and cilantro. My first bite was very fulfilling and the octopus had a nice char to it. The sauce added a delicate, mild taste that enhanced the flavor of the octopus. Octopus has a strange texture which can be an acquired taste but if you’re feeling adventurous then definitely give it a try. I personally love the texture and taste of well prepared octopus and this was definitely an example of that. 

For my entree I decided to go with the Hanger Steak which on the menu comes with Smoked Sweet Potato, Grilled Red Onion, and Bayley Hazen Blue cheese. I substituted out the Smoked Sweet Potato for a side of fingerling potatoes and asked for the Bayley Hazen Blue to be left off since I personally am not a fan of blue cheese. I ordered the steak medium rare and it came out cooked perfectly. The steak was moist and well seasoned with the right amount of saltiness but not too much. The steak melts in your mouth and delivers a perfect bite. The onions gave a certain sweetness that counteracts the salt and the potatoes deliver a nice balance to the dish while being crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside.

Finally for dessert I ordered their selection of sorbets for the night which included Lemon Berry, Apple Cider, and Strawberry Rhubarb. The Lemon Berry had a crisp blueberry flavor, and the lemon blends in well as more of a background flavor. The Apple Cider tasted just like a frozen motts apple sauce that was turned into a sorbet, but with that being said it was a very mild, sweet and relaxing taste. Finally, the Strawberry Rhubarb had a slight bitterness but was still very sweet and the texture was great with what seemed like seeds from a strawberry.

Overall the meal was amazing and I would definitely suggest going there if you get the chance.