everything one man can eat, and then write about

I usually consider my palette to be as well traveled as my feet, there are stones that I have yet to turnover in this vast international scavenger hunt. Indian food has been a long abandoned child resting in the woods awaiting rescue. Maybe I shouldn’t use my mouth as a metaphor for EMT service. Its not that I have never eaten Indian food, but in most cases (save this one and Sherpas) it has been unpleasant. Maybe I shouldn’t say most cases, there was this one time I got pulled into a restaurant against my will and someone made me eat some Indian curry with veggies and I was more or less disgusted by the whole event. That said, I had sworn off the stuff until my trip to Boston with the PingVision crew.

While wondering the empty streets of Cambridge MA, near the MIT campus, Matt Al and were stopped dead in our tracks due to a salivating aroma wafting in front of us. We had been in transit for several hours getting to Boston and none of us had eaten for at least 5 hours. The delicately pronounced seasonings and warmth drifted through our brains like a spell. Resistance was futile.

Hunger stricken, we begged the gracious wait staff at India Castle to prepare us a spread of Vegetable and Meat Pockets, Lamb, Chicken, Curry and a mysterious beverage known as the Flying Horse.

As a non Indian food expert I walked into the meal thinking that everything would be horribly hot and over curried, but much to my surprise and delight almost every single morsel had a voice and dance around my palette all its own. A rhythm of flavor delivered in a sequence that steps delicately through complicated combinations of herbs and spices.

Our appetizer, featured the aforementioned array of meats and various vegetables, wrapped in a thin dough and then delightfully deep fried to crispy perfection. They truly reminded me of a chinese wonton in many ways. The light flakiness of the wrapper and the juicy burst of flavors inside. We were also served three sauces to dip our foods in. One was green and at first glance resembled the texture of guacamole, it in fact became my favorite of the night and the waiters had a hard time prying my fingers from the small dish at all. It had hints of mint and several other little splashes that I cannot begin to decipher. The second, was a red tomato and onion salsa of sorts but was not really anything more than a light sweet distraction. The third, was a brownish sauce that was smokey and savory and slightly sour. It also found its way all over my plate and the shirt I was wearing.

I ordered the Lamb sausage and regret nothing. I really like lamb, and I often find it to be a complicated protein to decorate. Most Americans are really trained into the idea that red = beef and this can lead to some surprises. Fortunately for me I had no problem really assimilating the flavors of this very unique dish. It arrived on a plate sizzling like fajita meat. Mixed into the meat itself were various herbs, looked to be parsley, sage and garlic, along with some spices that I am not entirely sure of the names. It was really amazingly well balanced. And it seemed that the more you mixed combinations of the main dish with the sauces the more ever bite became a majestic scene. Sampling angle after angle of this flavor landscape I soon became totally full and forced myself to return to the hotel with a little doggie bag for a midnight snack.

But my co-worker Matt T., insisted that I sample his chicken before throwing in the towel. I am so glad that I did. It was the most unbelievably tender, juicy chicken breast I have ever enjoyed. It was absolutely unnecessary to bring a knife to the flash, Matt was able to quickly separate a small portion with his fork by simply dragging the tines through it.

Unbelievably impressed and forever entranced by these eastern delights, I leave you with this salivating memoir of a dinner few will enjoy but really should.

Zach

special thanks to the folks at:

INDIA CASTLE
928 Massachusettes Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 864-8100

I am a few things, hungry, thirsty and amazed by creativity. I also have a soft spot for anything video game related that can become a consumable product that is both unique and delicious.

Enter the greatest collection of awesome mixed drinks for the alcohol loving fanboy inside of a lot of us.

MARIO TASTES GREAT

http://scrollbar.dk/events/20080215.Mario.Bar/

This one is sort of a classic and appeared on Kotaku a while back. Luckily I had a public event coming up and I had a chance to experiment on the thirsty public.  The Most popular shot of the event turned out to be the Super Mario Shot. But I was unable to acquire the Blue Bols (mentioned in the recipe) and had to substitute with Blue Curaçao. As it turns out, many of the liqueur stores in Colorado have a very limited selection of Bols products.

In case you don’t know, Bols is European Liqueur company famous for making several flavors of alcohol  see link here. They could be compared with the brand Dekuyper, whose fame sadly is related to their Pucker line of sour sweet mixing liquids. Bols I found to be a slighter cheaper and superior tasting product. I would be amazed if some of the local shops started carrying this brand as a replacement for the aforementioned liquid peril.

Don’t forget to practice. These drinks are best if they are prepared slowly and carefully and it is not always easy. It takes some time to get used to pouring things at the speed as to not mix them together, till they get in your tummy.

FINAL FANTASY SWEETS

http://scrollbar.dk/events/20080509.Final.Fantasy.Night/

This is probably one of the most beloved game titles of all time and will continue to, bring out the creative urge in people, even if the vehicle or medium in this case are thirst quenching beverages. The fabulous Scrollbar has assembled yet another bang up collection of mixers that can transport you to nostalgic mess. But as in the list before, without the proper access to some of the more exotic Bols flavor selections you may not have a full bar ready to go. In fact, I would recommend that any of you out there thinking about using these drink recipes please try to find common threads. Don’t buy everything on the list. Pick out 3 – 4 drinks you like and see if you can line up all the ingredients so that you don’t waste all of your money turning your basement into a part time nerd bar.

MOST PROFESSIONAL

http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=9806

I think it is safe to say that Msoft could not be outdone, so they hired some professional cocktail wizard, and a great photographer, to come up with some really delicious and radically interesting drinks. And out of all of the sets this one seemed the most appealing. I think people could reasonably order these at a bar without much suspicion. The garnishes and ingredients are more refined, and there is less of syrupy texture to most of these.

The biggest disadvantage for drinks that are based purely on thick liqueurs, is the sugary density. One or Two of these is generally not to bad but after a few more, my mouth feels like leach stuck to a jaw breaker. Plus you look dumb carrying around “fruity ” looking cocktails at your favorite pub.

But all small thought aside these are really wonderful drinks that everyone can enjoy and they look really amazing. I recommend giving these a spin to freshen up the ol cocktail bar.

Thanks for playing,

Zach

Apple pie is without a doubt a keystone in the structure of American cuisine or at least what we identify with as Americans. And I am not talking about that strumpet Sara Lee’s take and bake nonsense. I mean real PIE. Like mom cut all the damn apples herself and soaked them in water with a little bit of lemon juice so that the flesh of the sweet little morsels doesn’t brown, HOME MADE PIE!

Anybody who comes around you with one of those pre-made frozen pie treats should immediately be shown the nearest exit and rebuked for their blind betrayal to the all amazing art of pie making. A craft not unlike wood working or steel smiting. Not often seen due to the technical skill required to complete the job at any high level of proficiency. Any of you who have ever tried to roll out a pie crust know exactly what I am referring to. The flour, the cracking, the tears, the success. If you don’t believe me try it. Or don’t, cowardly tromp your way to the super market and purchase the simplest take and bake crust you can and fill the thing with Apple preserves. Philistine.

Luckily for me, and the people who have had the honor of tasting it, I have a family of dedicated and skilled pie makers that simply confound mere skill and elevate the craft to that of the divine. But they have gone through the phases of traditional and non-traditional styles in their preparation.

Exhibit A – The crossed top dough is often displayed as a staple of the stereotypical American pastry, however I am not a big fan of this version for a couple of reasons. First, I hate breaking through those damn strips of dough to get to where I am going. Those bands can often be a real hindrance to the end game of tasting the warm delicious insides. And Secondly, this part of the production process requires a great deal of care and finesse on the part of the baker. Especially at high altitudes, it can be quite difficult to ge the desired baking texture to emerge.

Exhibit B – The covered top. This is like the previous example a complete nuesence and should be thrown out of the books altogether. How is one to know what lies beneath the crust. I am a pie snob after all and I want to see the damn filling before I make any rash decisions regarding my consumption of said treat. Also, the magma like temperature that the filling holds after baking will teach you a lesson about being over eager if you do not respect the cooling process.

Exhibit C – The crumbled top (or as I have seen called “Dutch Apple Pie”). This is my favorite method of preparation and delivery. It is like the happy hybrid love child of an Apple Crumble and an Apple Pie. The delectable Granny Smiths covered in a sprinkling of Cinnamon Sugar and Butter, could not provide a better amplification or compliment to the dish. Having grown up on this brand of baking for years I admit to my personal bias.

Certainly there is not a bad apple pie, but in terms of texture and taste I have to say that my wife’s crumbled top pies are the most delectable.

Enjoy your pastries America,

Zach

It may come as a shock to, all three of, you that I have never been to a Himalayan. I have been working and commuting to Boulder for over a year and a half and have never once stepped foot into a restaurant that served anything really unusual. A co-worker of mine, Joshua Hill, recommended that we go for the lunch special and that the dine in deal would be less than foraging for a burrito. I am so overwhelmingly pleased that I paid him the attention he was due. This was a gold mine.

The lunch special was a Chicken Tikka Masala, cooked in a Tandoor oven and then smothered in a delicious sauce. The meal also included with rice and Chutny and a basket of naan bread. Now  the fun doesn’t end here. All of this for a measly $7.00, and in the Boulder area finding a sit-down meal for under $10.00 is damn near a miracle. Imagine my dumfounded awe as I chewed through the melt in your mouth Himalayan chicken stew, prepared with the warmth and enthusiasm of a fellow food lover. 

Next there was the home brew, the Sherpa Ale. A golden and richtly bright sweet ale that semeed to not only compliment the food but sooth the soul. Microbrews in Colorado are not hard to come by, but what is unusual is going into a house that has been converted into a restaurant that serves Himalayan food that has a house microbrew that can stand toe to toe with any of the larger micro giants in Colorado. 

So for a quick byte that won’t puncture your bank account, I will always recommend a trip to SHERPA’s

Sincerely to you,

“still hungry” Zach

SHERPA’s
825 Walnut St
Boulder, CO 80302-5034
Phone: (303) 440-7151

Ah beer, one of the greatest treasures that man has made for himself. There is something so wonderfully rewarding, refreshing and renewing about a couple of cold brews. Even though your not chewing, at least you better not be, there is a palatable difference between each brew house and each type, style or method of creation. The results can range anywhere from awe inspiring to vomit inducing.

This last weekend I had the pleasure of trying a panel approach to reviewing the IPA. A friend of mine, David H., sat down and selected 8 different IPA’s and started grading them on a scale of 1 to 5. We graded them on overall presentation (which included design), palette feeling, flavor, fruitiness, hop levels and after taste.

We used fruit and cheese and water to clean our palettes between each delicious mouthful and even with this attempt to separate the contents of each bottle orally, they are very hard on the constitution all at once. In retrospect I may not have started IPA as my first beer panel guinea pig because of its strength, but it was still enjoyable.

The IPA can be a very misunderstood monster due to its characteristic sharp hoppy flavors and aromatic punch. People who have limited themselves to basic American ales and lagers may be in for quite a shock at first glass. Mind you, I am also still a beer neophyte by many standards but I know what I like and I think you will too. ON TO THE BEER….

Pyramid Thunderhead IPA

First up, THUNDERHEAD IPA by the Pyramid Brewing Company, 6.7% ABV & 64 IBU $1.52 (the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

We enthusiastically cracked THUNDERHEAD open first, due to some twist of fate, but quickly wished we had pumped the brakes a little and started with a slightly more “grown-up” brew.

The contents were (as you can see) a light amber gold and had an inviting aroma that would lead one to believe that the first mouthful would be nothing short of pleasing. Even the quickly evaporating white head that had formed gave one the sense that we were poised on the edge of averageness (I know this is not a word). We were of course wrong.

There is nothing terribly wrong with this beer but every component seemed to be a fake. It was the most effervescent of night but in the wrong way, like when someone leaves the CO2 tank turned up and your coke starts attacking the pores of your mouth. The label design and consideration was mediocre (what do pyramids have to do with India Pale Ale?), there was a twist off cap (I thought I was having beers, not Mike’s Hard Lemonade) and for whatever reason it went flat so quickly neither of could bring ourselves to finish the bottle.

Overall it could have been worse, there were some very smooth elements of the flavor but it didn’t seem very genuine and I think they should reduce the amount of carbonation and fire their designer before releasing something as distinguished as an IPA into the market.

Overall score 2 out of 5

Stone IPA

Second, STONE IPA by Stone Brewing Company, 6.9% ABV & 77 IBU $1.81(the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

The Stone IPA is actually a beer that I have  regularly at some of the pubs in Boulder during happy hour.

It has a fairly smooth finish and texture. This IPA you can definitely have in quantity due to its lightness as far as IPAs go. There are plenty of strong aromas and happy surprises but the overall sweetness or fruitiness of the contents really tone down the harsh bite that most IPAs leave you with.

This may be the only thing that stops it from being a real contender with other IPAs. No clear distinction. The color of the beer and the head were both adequate for the price of the bottle and I wouldn’t turn down a 6 pack of these if given the opportunity. This was one of the only two bottles to have no paper and get ink jetted directly onto the exterior.

Overall score 3.5 out of 5

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

Third, SNAKE DOG INDIA PAL ALE by Flying Dog Brewery, 7.1% ABV & 60 IBU $1.52

Darker, richer, more full bodied, aromatic and flavorful then any of the beers thus far, the Snake jumped ahead of the pack quickly as its rich tones, like a great bass player, and sharp hop accents created a refreshing and imaginative balance.

There seemed to be a decent lace created from the creamy head that stood up to the atmospheric oppression of our altitude and the light carbonation danced and faded into the rest of the band like a great improvisation.

The flavor came in like a great wave and washed away jush as smoothly after crashing against the shores of my pallet. There seemed to be very little (if any) after taste that bothered my experience. The Snake seemed to really be owning up to the identity or at least what I think a great IPA can offer. Something unique without being over powering. Enjoyable but accessible on many different levels.

I also really enjoyed the labeling, in fact this was the only label that featured a unique hand drawn image that really had a mind of its own.

Overall 4.5 out of 5

Deschutes Inversion IPA

Fourth, INVERSION IPA by Deschutes Brewery, 6.8% ABV & 80 IBU $1.45 (the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

If IPAs have evil-dark-secret relatives this must be one of them. There are no good feelings or memories coming into view as I reflect on that very first damning sip of Inversion.

Setting aside the great brown/gold appearance, firm frothy head and strong lumberjack like aromas, this thing is bitter and unpleasant. I can’t really recommend it to anyone because of its really rough entry and exit… …

The laughable illustration of majestic mountains on the label lead thoughts of supreme tranquility, while the cold indifferent liquid trap that lies within, prepares to utterly devastate your mouth and stomach. The cold calculating brew master who saw fit to summon this great evil into this world should take some time off and explore knitting, or some other vocation that will not evoke ruination.

Overall 1 out of 5

Red Hook Long Hammer IPA

Fifth, LONGHAMMER IPA by Red Hook Brewing Company, 6.5% ABV & 43 IBU $1.23 (the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

First let me just say that this was the most well designed bottle/label combo of the evening, which makes the mediocre contents all the more dissapointing.

The split label, colors, shape and the embossed wheat stalks give the appearance of care and consideration. The flavors, on the other hand, did not seem to get such a generous helping of creativity. Much like the Thunderhead, there was a great sense of shallow effort put into this IPA.

There were descent visual and aromatic markers that seemed to have all the right cues for a good middle of the road IPA but the final analysis revealed a shell of its promise. Overall there was no real strong punch of hops and the light texture of the beer overall seemed like the unfortunate result of mixing a lager with an IPA. Not authentic to say the least but not the worst beer of the evening.

Overall 2.5 out of 5

Avery IPA

Sixth, AVERY IPA by Avery Brewing Company, 6.3% ABV & 69 IBU $1.52  (the ABV and IBU were not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

This may be a point of contention for some people but I think that the finish and the punch in a beer should not be reversed in a beer. I like desert after dinner call me old fashion.

This beer overall does not really appeal to me because of the above established principal. There is a textural smoothness and a crispness of the liquid but the floral bouquet hits first and then as you swallow an overwhelming hop tidal wave crashes the party. It was jarring for me and I personally won’t be trying any other Avery products without some sort of incentive.

Oh and the label looks like one of the interns found a map on Google images and added a red line to represent the path of the boats traveling from England to India (which is supposed to be the reason for the name and brewing process). Not classy.

Overall 2 out of 5

Breckenridge Small Batch 471 IPA

Seventh, 471 IPA SMALL BATCH by Breckenridge Brewery, 9.2% ABV & 70 IBU $2.54 (the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

Wow. On further introspection Breck really hit this one out of the park. There are things about this beer that are so well executed that it seems to not belong in the IPA category.

A word on strength, this was the most expensive and luxury level beer of the evening but for all of its strengths, it never seemed like much of an IPA to me. It has IPA elements but it was so much smoother and heavier than any of the other beers participating that it seemed to be on a playing field of its own.

If there is an award for sexiest printed bottle and this 471 totally takes the cake. There is excellent lacing from the frothy head and a warmth from the golden brown liquid. I felt like I was eating the Dagwood of beers. Its mythical like a unicorn but somehow not really an IPA at the same time. I will revisit this little gem in the future to see if there is something that I missed.

Overall 4 out of 5

Odell IPA

Eighth (finally), INDIA PALE ALE by Odell Brewing Company, 7.0% ABV & 60 IBU $1.74 (the IBU was not listed on the bottle, I had to find it online)

I will admit that I have a bias here, I love the Odell IPA so much that before this little panel started I would have immediately claimed that they were the best thing on the block. Frankly, this is still true for me. Everything about this beer screams care and balance. The exact formula that makes me a dedicated consumer.

Its like alternating current bottled and sold. The parallel delivery of hops/sweetness/hops/sweetness totally leave your mouth satisfied and at the same time hungry, for more. There is an incredibly engaging texture and flavor that makes this brew not only hard to resist but hard to deny as a top level brew for a really decent price tag.

The bottle’s shape, wood block style artwork and total tasty delivery makes this beer the undisputed champ of my refrigerator. It may not take this position in yours, but that just means more for me.

Overall 4.5 out of 5

Thanks for sticking it out with me. I think next time I will only do six instead of eight because this was a lot of ground to cover.

Till next time,

Zach “still hungry/thirsty” Meyer

Photos (and fellow beer panel member) by Artist/Designer David Hilgier

Beers selected from the ever cool fridges at Total Beverage, Westminster Colorado.

IBU information was gathered from either the brewery’s official website or BeerTutor.com

India Pale Ale Samples

Its a little hard for me to rationalize seafood consumption in a state that is very plainly landlocked. Due to this internal prejudice, it can often be very difficult to acquire any passion to eat from any “sea food” related eatery, regardless of perceived value.

Gumbo’s will definitely land on the short list of restaurants in Denver that serve a fish meal that I would return to devour in the future. All of the foundational bases were certainly covered from the moment I walked into the building. Nice lighting and aesthetics, polite wait-staff that at least feigned interest in my meal enjoyment, decently priced (but not cheap mind you) dishes with excellent portions and a respectable happy hour.

One other detail to note would be my lack of exposure to any Cajun cuisine. Buckle up kids, if you don’t like the idea of gumbo or other such delectable shellfish related creole food please read no further. Your still here? Excellent. There is something classy and all together experimental about eating creole inspired food. Firstly its relationship to french preparation methods and second to its unique bouquet of smells and palette reactions.

I had a three course meal which included;

1. A cup of shrimp gumbo
2. The Mahi St. George (Fish of the Day)
3. Chocolate Bread Pudding Souffle (desert)

Also as the meal began were served some complimentary baked bread with a herb infused creamed butter that was a simple yet rich. With that under my belt the cup of shrimp gumbo was placed in front of me. Having not ever tasted Gumbo before I was immediately struck by the strange aroma and combination of spices both aromatic and heat related. The temperature levels of the soup were definitely pronounced but didn’t seem to erode the sharp saltiness of the broth.

Next the Mahi fish of the day. I have never been so completely surprised with delight about a fish prepared in Denver. The St George (which should be subtitled, delightful pan fried golden crust) preparation method left a wonderful herb infused crust on the top of the fish cutlet while the inside was warm, soft and moist. As I delicately attempted to peal the fish apart there was little to no resistance in the flesh of the little swimmer itself.

The pool of reduced liquid that the fillet, and the perfect scoop of mashed potatoes, rested in had a garlic, white wine and pepper potpourri. I am not guaranteeing this description’s accuracy but you get the idea, warm cream sauce infused with the very crust that was cooked on to the surface of the fish. Tasty…etc.

The dessert was a Chocolate Souffle Bread Pudding, most like an extremely moist brownie, perched on top of which was a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. The server later revealed that the breading component was also infused with cinnamon. I have to say that this was indeed a most unique if not clearly a glorified comfort food prepared ever so perfectly.

Once again, thanks to the careful recommendation of a friend of mine, Matsuura Kazuomi, I was pleased and surprised by another gem buried deep in the pocket of Denver. Hats off and nets open, to Gumbo’s.

Happy Eating,
Zach

“Feels like home to me.” – Randy Newman

Japanese Izakaiya are a unique experience. For anyone who has been to Japan, this will hopefully be a familiar and nostalgic journey into a type of atmosphere. Japanese cuisine has recently been put into the “above the common” understanding by some food critics, and not that anyone will enjoy, but anyone can enjoy it and they should at least give this type of restaurant a try.

Like “Tapas,” Japanese Izakaiya serve a number of small dishes meant to be consumed with friends over beers and other popular Japanese drinks, such as Shochu and Sake (more on these in the future). Dim sum would also be a decent way of categorizing this food, but for ease of understanding lets say glorified pub fair.

Unlike Denver, Las Vegas has an amazing location that does this very thing for reasonably priced good time. Ichiza, excels at delivering excellent service and an array of dishes that I only thought I would get to enjoy in Japan.

Their most popular item on the menu is Yakitori, which is a kabob of tender chicken that has been marinated and then quickly grilled to perfection. They also have a wall littered with Chef specials that range from soups and porridge to specialty fried meat and vegetable dishes.

Everything in the room from the seating to the open cooking area masked by little cloth shades where each cook greats you as you enter, is like a cruise down memory lame. The smells of vinegar, cooking sake and soy sauce permeate the building. The wooden booths and small cylindrical stools that we sat on were very similar to the sort of feux rustic feel of the izakaiyas in Japan.

Besides food, the drink menu featured a collection of mixed shochu items that will delight and surprise. My personal preferences being either a Mizu Wari (which is a water cut drink) or a Chu Hai (which has oolong tea cut with the aforementioned booze). Without skipping a beat our hostess was taking our orders and returning with the delectable appetizers in mere moments. She was also gracious enough to allow me the pleasure of using my broken Japanese with her, while I ordered my meal.

A steady flow and delicate timing allowed both unending flow of drinks and food to come out without interrupting the rhythm of our personal conversations or leaving any of us wondering when we would see our ordered items.

Ichiza, I hope to see you again soon. It was a delight and a pleasure for both my pallette and my heart.

Sincerely – the sentimental critic

ICHIZA
4355 Spring Mountain Rd # 205
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 367-3151

Las Vegas, is usually not the first place I think of when preparing for any amazing meal. Mainly because I don’t want to spend the national deficit to enjoy my meal. I understand that “lavish and plentiful” are the mantras of most of the establishments on the strip, but the buffet ritual has always been a mystery to me. In most of my experiences I have at some point been dragged, kicking and screaming, into a buffet and of course ruing my party members after the fact.

I see buffets as a trough, rather than a culinary experience. We all collectively stick our heads into the feedbag and consume everything until we are roughly double our initial body weight. How does one get the unique and delicate sensory pleasures from the quantity.

Wynn has some how solved this puzzle. The buffet itself is for brunch and like all good buffets there are endless rows of options, non of which at first glance seem unappetizing. White plates, good lighting, nice silverware, polite and timely wait-staff all seem to following the silent rhythm of the eatery. There is this sort of natural pace, like a ballroom dance that is going on all around me. I am enchanted to say the least.

On the food, which is why all three of you are reading this, there were not only excellent offerings and variety but an ingenious portion control system built into the display of excess. Excellent squid ceviche , smoked salmon, delicately rolled spicy tuna sushi, single serving eggs benedict and roasted meats were only some of the offerings on my plate.

The price tag was $40 for the champagne brunch, which was excellent I might add, there was an endless supply of mimosas that had a decently sweet alcohol added to it, the flavors of every dish there were precise, clean and fresh. There was no apparent overly oily texture to anything and with every countries favorite items available you could really take your time and enjoy a brunch from around the globe.

The beautiful thing about the portioning from the quiche to the waffles was the size. Nothing was too big. You could really have an expansive tapas like breakfast assortment and know exactly when you have had enough. There was no racing compulsion to consume everything I saw before me thanks to the presentation and execution of each dish.

I would gladly loosen a belt buckle to enjoy the offerings of the Wynn brunch anytime, and so should you.

Cheers!

Hungry man Zach

Just because its made at home and served at home doesn’t mean its not any less important. I was intending for my next few reviews to be the foundation for a series on Washoku (traditional Japanese cooking) but, I was able to enjoy a meal prepared by my Aunt Karen ( and company) in Cincinnati, and I said that I would review it due to the quality and levels of pure sensory joy that I had. So, I am a man of my word.

Because this was a home cooked meal I will do my best to stay exclusively close to describing the texture and flavor of the food rather than going into uncomfortable depth about what the service was like or whether or not the marble floors complemented the velvet curtains that were ornately decorated with silk line art depicting ancient chinese battles.

Here is the menu:

Sweet Corn
At first glance, these little yellow nuggets of flavor are not everyone’s choice vegetable, but definitely with the proper tender care in preparation these little morsels can be served up without any fuss. Aunt Karen made sure that the vitamins and flavor, as well as firm and crisp crunch were preserved during her cooking process. These are in fact leaps in the vegetable world.

Coleslaw
Little known factoid for the you three readers out there, I don’t like coleslaw. There has always been that bucket of slaw sitting idle at every picnic or party event that I turn my nose up at for various reasons. Such as, most people over sauce and over flavor the slaw to the point of mushy bland pull of clipped grass.

On to Karen’s dish however the rules apparently have change. There haven’t been many times when I would sample a new twist on an old least favorite of mine, and was more pleasantly surprised. There seemed to be something uniquely fresh and simple about the dish, from the disks of pear that decorated the serving platter to the light crispness of each byte (duh i work in computers). 

Unlike most slaws, there was no bitter tastes or unpleasant odors, simply nothing but pure, if even slightly sweet delight. There was an almost fruit like quality to the dish, this may have been a juice or in fact something like thinly sliced pieces of apple or some other firm flashed fruit used to soften the blow of the cabbage’s less than pronounced flavor.  

Noodle/Pasta Salad
Noodle salad is indeed one of the most coldly misunderstood dishes available on any table. Usually a slightly cooled dish with a single mixture of mayonnaise and curled pasta noodles. This particular version was in fact warm and had a slight cheese saltiness as well as several herbs nestled into the flavorful bouquet. Believe me I had seconds. 

Grilled Chicken &
A great chicken wing has a delicious exterior, but incredible chicken has fall off the bones well seasoned meat on the interior as well. There are few things more amazing than truly succulent chicken. Not wet but not dry, not salty but well seasoned, this sort of two step is very difficult with chicken and if you don’t believe me, feel free to give a whirl.

Beef Brisket
Again, brilliantly almost smoked like meat juicy and tender on the inside. Crisp hearty bark on the outside, any man in Texas would stand up and salute. 

I have nothing but wonder and joy that every single bite of this meal was satisfaction. A home with atmosphere, good conversation and delicious food is all one can ask of this life and in fact.

Happy eating

Zach
Thank you again Aunt Karen and Company

Most Fridays I decide that the week has been so busy and that I have accomplished so much, that I deserve to treat myself to some kind of edible reward. Often this will manifest itself in the afternoon with a beer at one of the local Boulder pubs (more on these in the future). But today’s unique experience lead me to pick up a grilled cinnamon roll from the Unseen Bean.

I always have a hard time convincing myself to enjoy sweet things at breakfast. I usually will go for the protein as my blood sugar will spike and I will feel really sick. With that in mind, it is a rare instance for me to order any sort of sweet first thing in the morning. But after pinning over the selection, I spied a small cinnamon roll sitting the front of the case all by its lonesome.

He seemed to be an omen of good fortune, and so I asked our baristess to prepare him for consumption. After about 2 minutes on the panini grill he had been transformed into some kind of warm morsel of comfort. Richly filled with chopped pecans, ground wheat, cinnamon and a light glaze, the swirled pastry tore apart in my hands soft but firmly bite after bite.

There really is nothing quite as spectacular as something so comforting and warm in the morning. The best part was that there was very little overbearing sweetness. If this had been acquired at a grocery store, the entire experience would have left me in a diabetic coma. But to my surprise and enjoyment, this tender offering was a well balanced combination of richness and texture. The pronounced aroma and taste of cinnamon was excellent and combined with the crunch of the now warmed pecan chunks, left a feeling of utter satisfaction lingering on until past the noon hour.

Thanks to the great staff at the Unseen Bean for making this morning’s non-traditional breakfast a pleasant one.

3 cheers!

Zach