Monthly Archives: May 2022

My 2022 Trip to La Calenda Yountville CA

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La Calenda is an Oaxacan Style Mexican Restaurant located in Yountville California. This restaurant is part of the Thomas Keller Group of restaurants and is only steps away from Bouchon, Ad Hoc/ Addendum and is a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant.

The last time I was here I was so blown away with how fabulous the food was I ate here twice. That was back in 2019 before the pandemic. The menu has changed since my last visit and La Calenda now also takes reservations now.

Here’s how it looks on the patio.

Here’s the inside.

They set you up with silverware by giving it to you in a crock with your napkins.

The drink menus are different too. Today I tried some sort of Negroni with smoked mushrooms and mezcal.

I think it’s delicious and really different with that smoked mushroom flavor. (and often I don’t care for smoked things…not all but many are too smokey for me)

We started with the mushroom tacos. We had mushroom tacos before here that we REALLY ENJOYED here pictured below.

They differed tonight. Pictured below. (they differ a little)

The habanero salsa is very flavorful and good but these mushroom tacos have less flavors than before……..still good ….same tortilla…..but not Fantabulous.

We also tried the ensalada de sandia (watermelon pepitas, radish, Chile piquin, salsa macha, and mint).

This was nice flavorful and very light……Actually I would enjoy this as a light dessert anywhere…It is savory but also is lightly sweet. We both like it…anyone would like it.

For my main I had something very similar to before. pescado zarandeado (fish of the day (both times branzino) this time grilled adobo marinated with greens.

It was very good. The fish seems so fresh and the adobo marinate taste really great. But that hoya leaf marinated branzino from last time popped more….(pictured below with avocado tomatillo salsa)

My husband also got a dish very similar to a time before. This time he got the enchiladas de mole negro con pollo (chicken enchiladas with mole negro and queso fresco).

I tasted them….The mole is good and flavorful….The white meat chicken is very soft and tender but just taste boiled. I don’t remember how the dish he had last time tasted but he preferred the green mole dish from last time that he got with pork jowl beans.

On another visit we were absolutely CRAZY of the tacos they offered before. (these are old presentations and most are not on current menu)

Fish tacos

Crazy about the sour orange anichote pollo and pollo pibil tacos they used to offer.

Mushroom Tacos (old presentation)
Auguachile (not on current menu)

Well our most recent visit to La Calenda was good so I can’t be unhappy. But my last visits were OUT OF BOUNDS FANTABULOUS. I don’t know if some menus are more delicious than other or if they have had some changes in the kitchen.

That was my 2022 visit to La Calenda in Yountville CA.

www.LaCalendaMex.com

6518 Washington St Yountville CA

1-833-682-TACO (8226)

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Press Restaurant St Helena CA – Pretty but did I eat?

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Press Restaurant is an upscale Michelin Guide modern American restaurant located in St Helena California. The executive chef is chef Philip Tessier. He previously worked for Le Bernadin and most of the Thomas Keller Restaurants that include The French Laundry. I read a few reviews and looked at pictures of some of the dishes from Press on review sites. They differed from what I got……..

It’s on the masculine side looks wise inside.

Lots of wood inside and classic decor.

We tasted a lot of wine today so I went with a cocktail.

Tried a roadrunner. It’s made with mezcal, rum, Campari, amaro, and a brûlée pineapple. It’s strong but smooth and not too sweet.

They don’t start you out with anything. No amuse, no bread……

We started out with the ricotta gnudi ($24.) Our waiter suggested adding one more gnudi (4 gnudi instead of the normal 3) for sharing ($31).

The gnudi are light and delicious. They are packed into squash blossoms and are in an amazing very flavorful parmesan consommé. This was the one dish that truly was amazing. There wasn’t much of it…..The two gnudi are more than a half order…..Normally you only get One and one half gnudi per person.

My dinner was the yellowtail.

I had three pieces of mild fish topped with some pretty blue flowers, less than a teaspoon of fava bean tapenade, green almonds and in lemongrass nage. It was really good………. but it was more like a tasting. I guess each person would do better ordering two appetizers here or you get hardly anything to eat. There were no side dishes to order so all you can add on are appetizers………..I chalk the problem I had up to the service. I KNOW IF I WAS THE WAITER I would have suggested two appetizers a person. I wouldn’t want my guest to leave unsatisfied….

My husband got a slightly larger plate than me.

He got the Petrel sole.

It looks like this below if you take it apart some.

It’s described as dungeons crab, crisped pumpernickel, cara cara orange, and spring onions. My husband thought that the crab was missing. He told someone and it turns out that the crab is a very slight amount of liquid ( about a teaspoon of liquid foam) that is under the fish……that is also the seasoning but is not enough because the fish just taste plain…….Up top is a very evaporated piece of pumpernickel crisp topped with pretty flowers.

We had plenty of room to try dessert so we tried the one called brown butter maple cremeux.

I like the honey nut squash ice cream and the huckleberries. The little brown disc taste burnt to me so I don’t like them and the white creamy disc ….I’m not sure what it is………something called pain d’ epices (French Spice Bread?) we both really don’t like the taste or texture…….The manager notices that we don’t like some of this and offers to get us something else. We decline and find out latter that they generously took the dessert off the check.

(Maybe?) We would have had a better time if we knew that we should have ordered more appetizers……..(and ordered a different dessert).

Press for us was an expensive tasting of a few dishes and a dessert that was 1/2 good and 1/2 inedible. Your experience may differ.

Press Restaurant St Helena CA

Did I eat?

www.PressNapaValley.com

587 St Helena HWY St Helena CA

707-967-0550

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

My 2022 Trip to Acacia House by chef Chris Cosentino St Helena CA

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Chef Chris Cosentino is a Top Chef Master so naturally I’d want to eat at the Acacia House in St. Helena in California. On my last trip to Napa in 2019 this place was FORKING AMAZING! We enjoyed THREE COURSE LUNCHES for only $29 each. On our recent visit the menus have changed and the three course lunches are no more.

It still looks the same inside. It’s a mix of chairs and couches they use for benches.

I pick the tuna Niçoise salad today for lunch.

It’s a little different from other tuna Niçoise salads I’ve had. This is the only one that was made with tuna confit. It’s also missing the green beans but has chick peas and olives instead. Under the slow roasted tomatoes is a dip……It’s not in the description on the menu but it might be bagna cauda an Italian garlic anchovy dip? The gem lettuce is unusually crisp. I made little roll ups with the lettuce, fish, and well seasoned jammy eggs. It’s all high quality and painstakingly made.

My husband got the California Burger.

It’s a double flat top type patties with double cheese, lettuce, slow cooked tomato, roasted onions, pickle, mustard, and Acacia House Special Sauce (I asked what was in it and was told that it was like Russian Dressing…it did have an unique taste…) This was a really great burger.

The desserts sounded so good we had to go for one of them.

This was the lemon and pine nut tart with rosemary caramel, meringue, and huckleberry sorbet. Yes, it was VERY good!

This was very good but last time we did hit the jackpot with the three course $29. lunches.

Last time we both started with-

Caesar salads with bagna cauda (Italian garlic anchovy dip) and boquerones (marinated white anchovies)

My main was an avocado toast topped with smoked salmon and salmon caviar.

My husband had the pasta of the day. This pasta was made with 24 hour braised pork sugo.

And we had TWO desserts to share.

chocolate mousse

Lemon meringue

That was my 2022 trip to Acacia House by Chris Cosentino in St Helena CA.

1915 Main St St Helena CA

707-963-9004

www.AcaciaHouseRestaurant.com

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Loveski Jew-ish (ish = fusion) Deli at Oxbow Market in Napa CA

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Loveski Jew-ish deli is located in downtown Napa California. It’s maybe the most unique deli in the country. It’s unique for several reasons. The chef is a James beard award winner and has worked for the impressive THREE MICHELIN Star restaurant The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa that unfortunately burned down in a fire. He also is a farmer and some products in the deli come from his farm. Not all but some of the Jew -…ish deli food has some Thai or Asian flavors added. Those flavors are added to honor the chef’s wife.

Loveski deli is located in the Oxbow Market.

Oxbow Market

Not a lot to see it’s just a small deli.

They offer breakfast, an all day menu, and takeaway. They offer a limited menu but make their own sourdough bagels, and pickled and fermented items. They cure their own meats. They do offer wine, beer, some soft beverages. I’m pretty sure that I saw Dr. Brown’s soda there.

I tried the smoked whitefish sandwich.

It’s unique and delicious!

It’s on shaved white bread with smoked whitefish salad, crispy onions, thai chile, and mild horseradish mayo. We both think that the whitefish sandwich is the winner here. It really is great these flavors are awesome together. It just might be the best whitefish sandwich in the country.

My husband tried the Loveski reuben. (but with the kimchi and gochujang sauce on the side….he latter packed them into the sandwich after tasting them.)

How tasty! What a great twist to a reuben! I guess these flavors work because they used lots of restraint with the kimchi and gochujang…..Just enough so it’s there.

A few of the other offering are

Matzoh ball soup with lemongrass, Thai herbs and chilies.

Chickpea salad with fresh farm grown produce.

Mini potato latkes.

Cheesecake soft serve.

Loveski Deli is located in the Oxbow Market in DT Napa CA

www.LoveskiDeli.com

610 1st ST Napa CA

I haven’t found a phone number for Loveski Deli.

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

My 2022 Trip to Ad Hoc Yountville CA

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Ad Hoc is a family style full service restaurant by chef Thomas Keller listed in the Michelin Guide. They usually offer a multi course dinner for a set price. Additional menu items may be offered.

It’s not a fancy place but is always very neat and clean looking. You can sit at the bar or inside.

Tonight they started us off with crusty fresh baked bread and butter.

Next course was spring vegetable salad of snow peas, crisp English peas, fancy radishes, with creamy tarragon dressing.

Our main course tonight was the Famous buttermilk fried chicken.

It was seasoned to perfection…..It was incredibly moist and tender. It also was shattering crisp.

We also added on the additional Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese.

Maybe not 100% perfection but very good and better than most macaroni and cheese that you get out at restaurants. It does have a nice truffle flavor but I can taste flour in the sauce but maybe most people can’t.

Side dishes were green beans almandine.

Potato salad.

The potato salad taste like pickle juice..and mustard.

Incase you were wondering………

This was an enormous amount of food. We had to bring at least half back with us.

Not done yet there’s more!

One of the tastiest treats was the next course of Mahon cheese with pretzel epi and hot honey mustard……

Dessert tonight was called strawberries and cream…It was a parfait of pannacotta topped with strawberries that were topped with Chantilly cream.

That was my 2022 trip to Ad Hoc in Yountville CA

Some of the dishes we had here previously were- (pictures either were poor or I couldn’t find)

soda bread with honey butter

endive and watercress salad

corned beef with Guinness gravy (only dish I didn’t care for…it was more like beefy brisket)

cornbread stuffed quail

chicken and sausage Jambalaya

chateau

peanut butter ice cream sandwich

ice cream and Bailey’s laced brownie bites

The Current Ad Hoc Menu can be found on the Thomas Keller Website.

www.ThomasKeller.com

6476 Washington St Yountville CA

707-944-2487

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Newly Opened – Salt Tacos Y Tequila – Norterra Phoenix AZ

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Salt Tacos Y Tequila recently opened I The Shops at Norterra in North Phoenix Arizona. Two other locations are in San Tan and Glendale. This is a Mexican style restaurant and bar. It’s LOUD and energetic.

You can sit inside at the bar or a table or outside with really great misters that makes 103 degrees F seem almost cold.

The chairs are specially made for this restaurant.

We started out with margaritas. One house margarita and one Cadillac margarita.

I think they taste watery…….?

We try the taquito appetizer. We got two blue tortilla shredded beef, two yellow corn tortilla shredded chicken that were covered in chipotle cream, lettuce, avocado salsa, pickled onions, pico, and queso fresco.

The flavors are tasty……the meats inside dried out a bit but still tasty.

For dinner I tried the grilled salmon with asparagus, jalapeño mashed potatoes, and serrano garlic butter.

It came with a grilled lemon. This is reasonably good….Not fish house quality but better than from some places. They removed the skin and the bloodline. The fish is nicely grilled and is cooked all the way but still has some moisture. It doesn’t taste fishy at all. The portion is large and the flavors are good.

My husband tried the carne asada plate. It was a marinated skirt steak that was sort of burnt and crispy.

They forgot to give him one of the sauces that it comes with but they did give him fajita vegetables, sour cream, guacamole, grilled jalapeño, refried beans and tortillas.

He did complain about the steak and they quickly took the plate and replaced the steak with a much better one. They are newly opened at this time. (May – 17 – 2022)

Salt Tacos Y Tequila Newly Opened at The Shops at Norterra in North Phoenix.

2459 W Happy Valley Rd PHX AZ

www.Norterra.SaltTacosYTequila.com

Phone number is not listed on website

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Bistro Jeanty in Yountville CA is always Worth a Fork!

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Bistro Jeanty is a charming multi award winning Michelin Star French Bistro located in Yountville California. t’s decorated with all kinds of knit knacks and old kitchen pots, pan, knives, old ceramics and other stuff. It’s busy inside.

inside decoration

Outside they also offer patio dining accented with lots of shrubbery. The menu offers classic French Dishes.You can find dishes like country pate with cornichons, duck liver mousse, escargot, quiche, coq au vin, croque madame, and filet au poivre. They also offer specials and here were what they were offering tonight.

Tonight we added truffle butter to the complimentary bread basket.

On our second visit this week we did start with the famous tomato soup in house made puff pastry.

(it’s delicious you must try it)

On a previous visit we did start with the truffled deviled eggs.

On our first night we got our favorites again.

Sole Meunière – pétrole sole with mashed potatoes in lemon butter sauce.

Cassoulet – baked beans, duck confit, sausage, Nueke’s apple smoked bacon.

On our second visit I noticed that the house smoked trout appetizer looked like enough for a meal so I got that.

My husband got the rabbit loin wrapped in pancetta with the rabbit’s braised leg and pappardelle in morel cream.

I’m usually too full to try the amazing sounding desserts but this one time I could fit in some lemon sorbet.

It’s very good but a word of warning…It’s borderline not sweet enough.

Bistro Jeanty is always Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Bistro Jeanty

6510 Washington St Yountville CA

www.BistroJeanty.com

707-944-0103

Everything is subject to change

The Forking Truth

Dynasty Chinese-American Restaurant Newly Opened Cave Creek AZ with Return Visit

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Dynasty Chinese American Restaurant has recently opened in Cave Creek Arizona. They serve mostly Chinese-American favorites but they also offer other unique dishes like crispy Brussels sprouts, truffled filet mignon, and black truffle fried rice.

They are newly opened and on the day of my visit they are without a sign….The previous restaurant in that spot was J Chen and you see that very clearly where the sign was removed.

We walked in and were greeted ad seated quickly.

We started out by sharing the crispy Brussels sprouts.

The Brussels sprouts were crispy and tasty. They seemed like they were free of oil. They also gave us a very large portion and we sure didn’t mind taking some home for latter.

I was going to order the black truffle fried rice. I was told that they didn’t have truffles today but would have some tomorrow. I was thinking about ordering the sizzling sea bass but I didn’t know if they would do fish well so I thought for my first try here I’d try the Szechwan garlic chicken.

The chicken is masterfully moist (yeah!) vegetables are tender crisp. It has a nice heat to it. This is a very large portion….It is flavorful but it does run sweet.

My husband tried the kung pao with chicken, beef, and shrimp.

All the proteins are tender and moist. It is flavorful, a bit spicy, and it also runs sweet.

Went back for a second visit.

Started with the vegetable rolls.

They are expertly fried and are ever so slightly garlicky….

This time we got the black truffle fried rice with added chicken.

It does have a nice black truffle aroma….It’s really different. Most of the rice is steamed but some of the rice is crunchy and there’s soft fluffy egg. The chicken is very moist and tender. It’s subtle with truffle taste….I smell it more than I taste it until I hit a cluster of truffle dust. It’s also a little peppery. It’s really different…Never had a fried rice like this before.

We also shared the black pepper filet mignon. It comes out on a sizzling hot bubbling skillet. The filet is mixed with tender crisp red bell peppers and onions.

The filet is tender like butter. Honestly you can cut it with your fork. The sauce is slightly garlicky but you taste more black pepper like you should.

They have a sign now.

Dynasty Chinese Restaurant – Newly Opened in Cave Creek

29850 N Tatum Blvd Cave Creek AZ

480-513-8398

I haven’t found a working website.

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Beet Puree Recipe

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This recipe is sort of a spin off of Food & Wine Magazine’s recipe Sweet Potato Gyoza with Beet Puree. I wanted to make my own pasta instead of buying gyoza wrappers. I also needed to change a few things. But I did the beet puree almost the same. This recipe made me 22 half moon ravioli. Serving size is difficult to judge…It depends if you only want a couple of ravioli or a whole plate of ravioli. I’ll guesstimate this to be 4 servings for the majority of people.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

2 eggs – pasta

3 egg yolks + 1 egg white – (the egg white is for sealing the ravioli) – pasta

1 cup ap flour + a few tablespoons + a sprinkle for rolling (different brands are ground different you might need up to 1/3 cup more than one cup)- pasta

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil – pasta

2 pinches sea salt – pasta

8 oz beets -peel, cut in half or thirds depending on size -beet puree

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter – beet puree

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar – beet puree

2 Tablespoons cooking water from beets – beet puree

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest – beet puree

1 lb sweet potato – peeled, sliced 1 – 1-1/2 inch disk -filling

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter – melted – filling

2 Tablespoons hazelnut butter (I made mine in a spice grinder) – filling

1 teaspoon sumac – filling

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander – filling

1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt – filling

1.4 teaspoon ground black pepper – filling

2 Tablespoons scallions – sliced thin for finishing

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves – chopped or torn for finishing

Directions

Set oven to 400 F.

Put the sweet potato slices in a pan and add about 1.2 cup of water and cover the pan with foil. Do the same with the beets. Timing might differ some. In my oven on the middle racks the beets took 90 minutes and the sweet potatoes took 60 minutes. Take them out of the oven when you can piece them with a fork.

Make the pasta dough.

In a medium sized bowl mix up the two eggs with the three egg yolks, oil, and salt. Mix well. Add the cup of flour and mix well. I suggest to have up to 1/3 cup of flour on the side. Each brand of flour is ground different so it is impossible to give an exact measurement. Today I needed to add about half of the 1/3 cup of flour that I had on the side. You knead the dough and you can tell it’s right with it doesn’t stick to your hands. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap and leave out till you are ready to roll it out. (You will need a little more flour for rolling.

Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter, hazelnut butter, sumac, coriander, salt and black pepper. Set to the side.

Blend the beets with butter, rice vinegar, beet water, and lemon zest. Set to the side.

Roll out the pasta dough around 20 x 15 inches.

I used a three inch cookie cutter and painted the edges with egg white. (I also didn’t re-roll the pasta scraps. You can re-roll the scraps but the dough will be tough…Instead it’s a better idea to just hand cut the scraps into strips and make something like a macaroni and cheese….

Anyway…back to ravioli

Then I used my smallest scooper and scooped out the filling.

I think it is easiest to start in the middle……and just pinch your way down on each side.

Have a pot of salted water boiling.

Boil up your ravioli. They don’t need too long maybe up to two minutes. If you aren’t eating them all now you might want to give them a spray of oil so they don’t stick together.

Serve with beet puree and top with cilantro and scallions. (I had some leftover squash puree so I added that for a pop of color.

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Beet Puree

A Special THANKS!!! To Food & Wine Magazine for inspiring me to come up with what I did here.

Don’t waste the pasta scraps.

The Forking Truth

My FORKING Thoughts on Van Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio French Ice Cream

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I am kinda obsessed with better quality ice creams. I live in Phoenix were it is ice cream weather most of the time and by bad luck don’t have quality ice cream parlors nearby. I have to travel a crazy forty minutes for a decent ice cream shop. Most of the ice cream sold at local supermarket isn’t so great. It’s just a part of life gong out for ice cream in warm or hot weather once in a while….ANYWAYS….I came across this Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio French Ice Cream at my local Sprouts Grocery. This flavor of Leeuwen is a small batch flavor and is only made up from six ingredients.

I open it up.

It’s green from all the special Etna Mountain Sicilian Pistachios and it’s thick and rich from cream and egg yolks. It taste just like pistachios……We stopped at about one third down but it would be easy to keep eating more.

Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio French Ice Cream is FORKING GOOD…and is worth eating.

Anyone that likes pistachios and doesn’t mind a completely smooth ice cream should be pleased with the flavor.

The Forking Truth