Bottega- Napa Valley

Well… we’ve finally made it.  The #1 question I was asked upon my return to the East Coast was “How was Bottega??”  Well… in case you didn’t get it from the Top 10 Noms of 2009, Michael Chiarello’s restaurant did NOT disappoint.

The ambiance was beautiful, though Mike and I were both surprised that the restaurant was in the middle of what we would term a “strip mall” (though much nicer).  I guess land there is so valuable that all of the places have to be on the same space!

We ordered Burrata Creamy mozzarella burrata with roasted butternut squash, caramelized mushroom & shallots, brown butter vinaigrette, balsamic caviar.  Um… HELLO!  I would like to go back in time so I can eat this again.

But then the entrees came.  Mike got the short ribs.  The flavor of these was so incredible that I had a tough time not asking for additional bites!  They were sensational.

I went with Wood Grilled Grass-Fed Lamb Rib Chops fresh figs with tarragon, fennel seeds, white balsamic vinegar, California olive oil, creamy ancient grain  .  OH SO GOOD! 

The hotel (which made the dinner reservation, and that we REALLY liked) had asked me if we were celebrating anything.  I tried to think of a good thing to say and mentioned we were celebrating our 2 year anniversary (it was 2 weeks prior).  I guess they really took it to heart and even told Bottega who did a lovely yet reserved nod to our celebration on our dessert plates (see photos below).

Looking at the menu is conflicting with my memory and the picture.  I THINK I ordered the chocolate and caramel tortino with espresso stracciatella gelato and milk chocolate peanut butter bar.  But now I see bananas in the picture below.  Hmmm.  Either way, it was REALLY good. If I hadn’t just had the tart at lunch from Mustards, it probably would have shined even more.

Mike got the apple and honey panzerotti with apple grappa mash, vanilla bean gelato, and pink peppercorn apple pearls.  Another hit!

Overall, this meal was just so enjoyable from first bite and every bite there after right up until the very sad moment when it ended.  They took such care with every little detail and it showed in every morsel of their food.  If you go to Napa, go to Bottega.

Total Nom Points: 9 out of 10

Homemade Short Ribs

FreshDirect had a sale on short ribs, and since I’ve been loving them so much at restaurants lately (especially at Bottega… teaser), I went with it.  They also had a recipe on the site that sounded especially appealing considering my new fascination with kale.

I even ate the stems!

The short ribs got browned first (this is where I decided it was time to get a cast iron pot… which I did a few days later).

Then it was veggie prep and softening time (including these beautiful, huge portobellos).

Then  the short ribs went back in the pot and I let it cook for a good long time.

The meat then came out and the kale leaves were added to the pot.

The meat was SO tender at this point that the bones literally slid out (and we had to fish for them).

When I added the veggies, it just looked great.

It was a very nice recipe, though next time I think I’ll add more tomatoes.

Our dessert was also a Fresh Direct sale item: Frozen chocolate souffles.

They were… just okay… I wanted more chocolate!

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RECIPE
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Short Ribs with Mushrooms and Winter Greens

From “The Mushroom Lover’s Mushroom Cookbook and Primer” by Amy Farges and Christopher Styler

The flavors in this stew pot are intense, the meat meltingly tender, and the sauce – with its wine-coated mushroom nuggets – irresistibly mouth-filling. The do-ahead factor makes it a best bet for winter entertaining.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

20 small (about 12 ounces) white or pearl onions
1 bunch (about 1 pound) of swiss chard, ruby chard, or kale
8 pieces (2 1/2-inches each) short ribs of beef about 31/2 pounds
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces small button mushrooms
3 medium (about 1 pound) portobellos, trimmed and cleaned, caps cut into 8 wedges each
3 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup canned diced tomatoes or chopped drained canned plum tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

1.            Heat a medium-size saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Trim the root ends from the onions, leaving the core intact. Drop the onions into the boiling water. Bring back to a boil and cook the onions 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until they are cool enough to handle. Slip the skins off the onions, leaving the onions whole.

2.            Remove any wilted or damaged leaves from the greens. Pull the leaves from the stems. Trim the stems and cut them crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Wash and dry the stems and leaves separately and set aside. (If making the stew in advance, store the leaves in zipper-top bags in the refrigerator box up to 2 days.)

3.            Rub the short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and cook, turning as necessary, until they are well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. If the bits that stick to the pot start to burn, reduce the heat to medium. Remove the short ribs.

4.            Add the button mushrooms, portobello wedges, onions, and stems from the greens to the pot. Pour in the stock, wine, and tomatoes. Tuck the ribs into the mixture. Heat the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the beef is tender, about 2 1/2 hours. About halfway through, add salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind the liquid will be further reduced and the seasoning will be intensified. (The short ribs may be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance. Cool completely, then refrigerate until needed. Bring the stew to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes before continuing.)

5.            Remove the short ribs from the pot. Heat the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the leaves from the greens and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Divide the contents of the pot among 4 shallow serving bowls and top each with 2 short rib pieces.

Excerpted from THE MUSHROOM LOVER’S MUSHROOM COOKBOOK AND PRIMER copyright © 2000 Amy Farges, Christopher Styler.

Reprinted with the permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A welcome Times Square Addition: Montenapo

There aren’t a lot of options in Times Square for fine dining, so when a new place opens up with a lot of buzz, we all get a little excited.  Montenapo is a brand new Italian restaurant in the New York Times building (and look! they even have a Twitter).  The restaurant itself is set up very well, with very high windows on the inside wall facing a pretty internal courtyard with trees.  It had the effect of feeling as though you were no where near where you really were… the center of the center of Manhattan.  The details were perfect in the decoration, with a nicely lit bar that looked hip yet not hipster while still looking classic without being stodgy.  We had great, attentive service the entire time.

The menu itself is drool-worthy and I went in with the fear that I wouldn’t know what to choose.  Luckily our wonderful hosts were just as excited about the food and we ordered to the nines. 

We began with a sampler that I cannot even find on the menu.  It was cheeses (aged parm and mozzarella if memory serves) with prosciutto and salami.  There was also a lobster dish and some amazing shrimp.  Everything was fresh and fabulous.

Next we had the “pasta course” where everyone got a perfectly plated sample of two pastas on the menu.  We tried the Pappardelle (ribbon pasta with lamb ragout, fresh thyme, and parmesan cheese) and Agnolotti (ravioli pasta filled with braised veal cheeks, served atop celery root puree and veal stock reduction).  Both were absolutely phenomenal and SO fresh!

We all ordered our own entree.  I went with a special on the Restaurant Week menu: Brasato Di Manzo (slowly cooked boneless short ribs with fava beans and mashed potatoes).  Again, it was sensational.  Fresh and done perfectly.

The woman next to me went with the Dentice which was a red snapper filet baked with cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, black olive tapenade and fresh time in a white wine sauce.  I tried a bite and it was delicious.

There was an order of the boneless spring lamb wrapped in pancetta that I also sampled (much to my delight) but was too far away for picture taking.  The winner of the ordering, however, was the Osso Bucco with saffron risotto.  If I hadn’t had osso bucco the night before, I would have ordered it, but I was happy just to taste it.  It was perfection.  Probably the best I’ve ever had.

We decided on a dessert sampler and were informed that their pastry chef was “the best in town.”  Now I am quite the pastry critic, however, they may not have been lying! There was not a bad dessert on the two plates, and for a sampler they were of AMPLE size. 

On plate one we had something I can’t remember, a baked apple in a pastry (YUMMO!), ricotta cheesecake, and a flourless chocolate souffle.

On plate #2 was creme brule, fresh fruit, one of the best chocolate mousses (mees?) I’ve ever had, and tiramisu (I don’t even like tiramisu and I thought this was outstanding!)

We rolled out of the restaurant and truly struggled to get any work done all afternoon.  This is a very welcome addition to my office area and I highly recommend it! 

Total Nom Points: 9 out of 10