Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

Dinner at Glen Ellen Inn – April10, 2012 – Sonoma

A half a block from The Chauvet, The Glen Ellen Inn is a martini and oyster bar, but don’t let that fool you, they have so much more to offer. They were unable to accommodate a stay for me, maybe next time, but the food is worth the trip down the street. The interior is so charming, very small but filled with a magical ambiance. Our server Marek was another sparkling star in my evening. With so much personality, but the right amount of expertise to guide me through my meal. It was all one big surprise after surprise with Marek presenting me a variety of excellent fare, all by the chef’s choice.

I had a proper martini, up, 2 olives, no wine pairing, but the martini was spectacular. They have so many wonderful martinis to choose from, I, however am the traditional type when it comes to my martini.

Here’s what I tried:

Scones, they make them fresh and are so wonderful.

Lobster Bisque Soup, packed full of fresh lobster flavor, with an astounding presentation.
Asparagus Soup with dynamic green vegetable essence and just the right amount of cream.
Wicked Awesome Oyster Trio, one raw, one grilled, and one fried. The grilled one was my favorite, but the other two are also not to be missed.

Grilled Romaine Salad, with Caesar dressing, pine nuts, parmesan. With all the action of a Caesar salad; with an added punch of grilled flavor.

Mussels and Garlic Fries, with proscuitto, saffron, dried tomato, white wine sauce. The mussels melt in your mouth, and the fries are wonderful as well.

Petite Filet Mignon, and Tiger Prawns, with tarragon-caper butter, and lyonnaise potatoes. The presentation is piled high, and the steak is very tender. The sauce binds this dish, and the prawns make it work in true surf and turf fashion.

Artichoke and Stilton Cheese Ravioli with saffron tomato cream sauce, very rich and creamy, needs to be split between too people.

My Deserts:
That Fabulous Glen Ellen Inn Sundae, French Vanilla Ice cream rolled in crispy toasted coconut in bittersweet caramel sauce. Way yummy and amazing to look as well.

Frozen Meyer Lemon Bavarian trapped in a Chocolate Cage, with sweet pecans and whipped cream. Artistically done, great lemon flavor.

The night I went it was pouring rain, but it just added to the already cozy atmosphere. Rain or shine I would take The Glen Ellen Inn for a spin, and while you’re at it, take those martinis for a test drive as well.

Glen Ellen Inn
Oyster Grill, Martini Bar & Cottages
13670 Arnold Drive
Glen Ellen, Ca 95442
email reservations [email protected]
restaurant reservations 707-996-6409

Dinner at The Ledson’s Hotel – Centre Du Vin – April 9, 2012

All of Centre Du Vin’s fine food is paired with Ledson’s even finer wines. Steve and Michelle Ledson broke ground on their hotel in 1999. It is right on the square in Downtown Sonoma. They also have a castle winery on Highway 12 on the way to Santa Rosa. The restaurant is elegant with beautiful architecture, and lovely furnishings. Not too gaudy or ornate, just the right amount of everything, and is very tastefully done.
Here’s what I had:
Prawns with tomatoes and olives, in a white wine garlic sauce. Paired with Zina Hyde, Sauvignon Blanc ’10, Russian River Valley, CA. Nice large prawns with enough garlic for any garlic lover. The olives and the tomatoes gel fantastically with the garlic and the prawns. The wine is grassy, fruity, gives this dish an extra zing.
French Onion Soup, topped with French bread and gruyere cheese then crisped in the oven. Paired with Zina Hyde, Sauvignon Blanc ‘10, Russian River Valley. They boil veal bones to make this deep broth, and caramelize their onions for 4 slow cooked hours. It has just the right amount of everything, and paired very nicely with the wine.
Frisee Aux lardoons with frisee, Applewood smoked bacon, poached eggs, croutons & vinaigrette. Paired with Ledson, Carneros ‘Tres Frais’, Chardonnay ’09, Sonoma, CA. The lardoons make this salad a great menu item. The soft egg yolk spreads onto the lettuce and gives all of it such a creamy texture.
Steak Au Poive, Pink Peppercorn Encrusted 8 oz. New York Strip Steak, with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables with cognac and a cream pan sauce. Paired with Zina Hyde, Condeal ’08, North Coast. The steak has a killer crust and is medium rare. The sauce is what really excited me; the cognac is the best way to make this sauce come to life. Sweet, but savory and the cream brings it all together. The pink peppercorns are a great addition as well. The wine is bold and full-bodied and pairs so wonderful with the steak.
Desert:
Chocolate Moose, very velvety smooth, with lots of great chocolate taste.
Paired with Ledson Madera ‘Zinfandel’ Port, Sweet Ida May, Sonoma, CA. This Madera is spectacular with the moose.
The service here was impeccable, and the staff makes you feel very much at home. I really enjoyed the customers as well, the night I was there they had a very large party from New Jersey, and they looked like they were having a ball. The location could not be better, so close to the only movie theater in town, The Sebastiani Theater. I highly recommend this restaurant, and would gladly make this part of my Sonoma travel.
Centre Du Vin
480 First Street East
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: (707) 996-9779
Fax: (707) 996-9776
http://www.ledsonhotel.com

Dinner at Absinthe – April 6, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

This brasserie has been around for 14 years, but who knew that it would pack such a punch. With it’s superb food and fun atmosphere it really needs to be taste tested again. It has recently won some note worthy awards: San Francisco Chronicle, April, 2012 – Absinthe named one of the top 100 restaurants in the Bay Area, Absinthe featured on SFGate.com. Eater SF, April, 2012 – Absinthe named one of the 38 Essential San Francisco Restaurants, Absinthe featured on Eater.com.

The first time I ever went to a Brasserie was in Paris with my father. He loved Parisian food, especially Onion Soup Grantinee. He took me to a place called Aux Trois Petits Couchon, 3 little pigs. The onion soup was out of this world. When I visited him in San Francisco years later he took me to Perry’s on Union Street, and it was just as good, if not better then Aux Trois Petits Couchons. (You can see a photo of my Dad and I at Perry’s below.) Absinthe will give both of these places a run for their money. By far the best onion soup I have had since I was a kid. This review is dedicated to my dear father Philip Henry Jackson, if not for him, I would have never been exposed to such an eclectic variety of foods at such an early age.

Brendan, my server, really made my night complete. With his slick demeanor he managed to compliment me in ways I never knew were possible. He said “You’re the best customer ever, and you can’t do anything wrong in my eyes.” He added just the right amount of charm to my already fun-filled experience.

Here’s what I tasted:

Marinated Mixed Olives with herbes de Provence, Meyer lemon. Salty, fresh and lovely, perfect start to a great meal.

Soft Garlic Pretzels with Vermont cheddar Mornay sauce. This sauce oozes with cheese and adds a great creamy texture to these nice soft mini pretzels.

Hearts of Romaine with garlic croutons parmesan, Caesar dressing. The croutons are so crunchy and filled with lots of garlic flavor.

French Onion Soup Gratinee – they caramelize their onions all day, and add a bit of sherry to the mix. It doesn’t have a lot of melted cheese on the top, but is still so rich. The best I have ever had!

Oysters, Beau Soleil, New Brunswick. They gave me 2 little oysters that were fresher then fresh, fantastic.

Hawaiian Hamachi Sashimi with salmon roe, pixie mandarin, Easter egg radish, and spicy-lemongrass ponzu, basil. The yellow tail was so shiny, and the salmon roe added that extra zing.

Atkins Ranch Lamb Sugo with pappardelle paste, pancetta, peas and fava, mint, crumbled-herb croutons, and fruity olive oil. Wow, what an amazing pasta dish, I am at a loss for words.

Potato-Crusted Arctic Char with little gem lettuce,
Yellow wax beans, red radish, and niçoise olives. This is a feast for your eyes as well as your stomach. Artfully presented, with rows of thinly sliced crusty potatoes, a must have menu item.

Absinthe Hamburger with Storm Hill Angus beef,
aioli, baby lettuces, red onion, smoked gouda, gruyère, gorgonzola, sautéed mushrooms, house-made pickles, and French fries. A crazy good hamburger, with all the fixings and then some.

For Desert:

Meyer Lemon Tart with basil meringue, Meyer lemon curd, candied Buddha’s hand.

Parsnip Cake with iced buttermilk, cocoa nib, mild jam, and oxalis. The pastry chef is from Michael Mina’s restaurant. Both of these deserts were works of art…very delicious.

The wines I tried:
Mungeard-Mugneret Bourgogne Pinot Noir ’09, France. It paired so perfectly with the French Onion Soup and the olives.

Luc Lapayre, “L’Amourier,” Minervois, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre,’09, Languedoc-Roussillon France. A perfect accompaniment to the lamb pasta.

Copain “Tous Ensemble,” Syrah ’10, Mendocino County, CA. This wine is so perfect with the hamburger.

Ojai, Biennacido, Chardonnay ’08, Santa Maria Valley, CA. ’08. The wine went great with the 2 deserts.

Chef Adam Keough, who worked for Michael Mina in Southern California, has completely revamped this 14-year-old spot. I met him at Best Chefs last year in Union Square in SF, and he kindly invited me to try his culinary expertise. Add to that the always great cocktails and the bustle of pre-and post-performance revelers and you have an enticing package in the heart of the Hayes Valley.

I can honestly say that my father would have been proud, and put his seal of approval on everything that Adam presented to me. When in Rome, do as Romans, but when in San Francisco come to this wonderful newly charged brasserie.

http://www.absinthe.com
Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
398 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 551-1590

Dinner at Pasion – April 4, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

In the cold foggy Sunset district of San Francisco lays a culinary paradise, straight from Peru. Owner Jose Calvo Perez has created this Nuevo Latino restaurant. Never have I had so many dishes that were all done to perfection, each one better then the next. With an eye for amazing presentation, and glorious blending of flavors. Passion is truly astonishing and needs to be tried by everyone!
Ceviche Quattro: tasting of four ceviches.
Ceviche De Langosta with Maine lobster, cacao fruit puree, mango, papaya, tarragon, vanilla bean oil, red onion, serrano chilies. The lobster has a floral flavor; it is so fresh with nice bits of mango and papaya that accent the floral fragrances, and the citrus tanginess. Ceviche De Atun with ahi tuna with coconut leche, red jalapeño, ginger, jicama, onion, scallion oil, honey cashews. The coconut is fantastic, and never tasted this kind of combination before. The sweetness and nuttiness of the cashews are really a treat for your palate.
Ceviche De Camarones, Ecuadorian shrimp with tomato gazpacho juice, red onion, chives, roasted garlic, plantai. The shrimp is salty, but not overly, with lots of citrus flavor.
Ceviche Limeno with local halibut, calamari, shrimp, scallop with rocoto, onion, cilantro, sweet potato, Andean corn. Traditional ceviche with very fresh fish, great lime and lemon flavors, guaranteed to perk up your taste buds. The plantain chips have just a hint of garlic and are so perfect with all the different types of ceviche.

Ensalada Verde with mixed greens, avocado tempura, tomato, currants, candied walnuts, manchego cheese, guava vinaigrette. Never had a cooked avocado, but it doesn’t lose any of its texture, and is very exciting.

Albondigas, lamb meatballs, with sherry foie gras cream, manchego cheese, green peas, Fresno chilies, black truffle essence. The lamb is very tender, and the added ingredients are very welcoming.
Conchitas, seared diver scallops with sweet plantain tostone, cilantro mojo, and black quinoa sofrito. This is a lovely savory dish, nicely appointed.

Mejillones, steamed p.e.i. mussels with Spanish chorizo, creamy tomato sofrito, grilled garlic bread. This dish Jackson insisted I try, and boy was he right, another unbelievable item.

Paella with saffron rice, pimentón sofrito, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, scallops, chicken and chorizo, green peas. I have tried a lot of Paella, but this one is truly remarkable. All the seafood is tender and fresh while the seasonings are blended flawlessly.

Vaca Caballo, grilled estancia farms Uruguayan rib eye steak with plantain chorizo hash, fried egg, chimichurri, cabrales demi. The best part about this Steak is the fried egg on top. The yolk adds a velvety smooth topping, and the steak is medium rare, and filled with goodness.

Arroz Con Pato with roasted maple leaf farms duck breast with duck confit cilantro rice, sweet pea sauce, tomatillo-jalapeño marmalade. The duck is good, rich, and another great achievement.

Hongos, with sautéed mushrooms, herbs, white wine. Very tasty, and a must have.

Esparragos with grilled asparagus with panca vinaigrette, manchego. cheese. The asparagus is still semi-raw, and the vinaigrette adds a unique twist.

Espinacas Catalan with sautéed spinach with garlic, butter, white wine, pine nuts, golden raisins. The spinach is sweet and crunchy, a nice addition.

Platanos with sweet plantains with aji verde aioli, salsa criolla. Very simply done with all the flavors encapsulated.

Desert:
Chocolate Coconut Bread Pudding with passion fruit sabayon, lucuma ice cream. Just what you would expect from this awesome meal, the perfect desert!

Canela Tres Leches with three milk cinnamon cake, chocolate sauce,
Chantilly cream. Rich, smooth, melts in your mouth, really a terrific ending.

Jackson, my very fun server, was really instrumental in my wine selections. The whites went well with all the lighter dishes, and of course the reds were an added bonus to the meatier dishes. I recommend them all, they were outstanding.

The Wines I Tried:
Trajadura, Trajarinho, Alvarinho ‘10, Vinho Verde, Portugal.
Abad Dom Bueno, Godello ‘09, Bodegas Del Abad, Bierzo, Spain.
Viña Alberdi Reserva, Tempranillo ‘05, La Rioja Alta, Spain.
Bodegas Atamisqsue, Malbec, Catalpa ‘09, Mendoza, Argentina.
Robledo, Merlot ‘09, Carneros, Sonoma.
Vineyard Montage, Pinot Noir Crú ‘08, Central Coast.
Dacalier, Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, ‘08, Lake County.
In a city filled with more restaurants on any given block, Pasion is one that needs to be celebrated time and time again. I just can’t say enough about the quality, the creativity, and the service. What a delightful experience.
Pasion
737 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122.
(415) 424-4656
http://www.pasionsf.com

Dinner at Amelie Le Bar a Vin – April 3, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

Wines bars are sprouting up in all the hippest cities across America. You can get great expensive wines paired with small plates of delicacies. It’s an ever – growing concept that is guaranteed to stick around for a long time. Amelie is in a cool part of San Francisco, on Polk Street. It is very European, and all the staff is from different parts of Europe. My bartender was from France, and then some of the other servers were Italian. The night I went was Tuesday, and it was jam-packed also, the crowd was very elegant and upscale.

This is what I tried:

3 Cheese plate: Cantal, pasteurized cow, France. The smell of earth and pasturelands, and is reminiscent of the rich meadows of Auvergne. Fourme d ambert, pasteurized sheep, France. Blue semi soft, more supple and dense then most blues, The Flavor is savory and nutty. Formaggi zafferano, sheep, Italy. This cheese has a saffron flavor. The presentation was very beautiful, and the cheese was served with apples and pecans, with 3 different dipping sauces.

Crab Meat Salad with avocado and mix green. This salad was very fresh, and the crabmeat was nice and sweet.

Oven Grantinee Escargots. It has a luscious, delicate sauce with a slight bit of unknown liquor.

Quiche with crème fraiche, eggs, ham, comte grutere, mozzarella, leeks, and mix greens. This quiche is stacked high, with lots of melty cheese, truly an outstanding quiche.

Smoked Salmon Tartare with green salad, and toasted baguette. The salmon has capers, onions and is very tasty.

Flatbread with portabella mushroom, watercress, grenadine syrup, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and parmesan. This is a wonderful rendition of this popular dish. Especially the grenadine sauce, adds a certain sweetness that bring this whole dish together, a must have.

Oven Duck leg confit served on top of a bed of arugula, cherry tomatoes, baby carrot, and vinaigrette dressing. They score the top of the duck leg that adds to the crispiness that makes this duck so wonderful. It is crackly and crispy on the skin and tender on the inside.

The Wines I Tried:

Beaucanon Estate, Chardonnay ’09, Napa Valley. This went nice with the crab salad, kept the essence of the crab flavor.

Crèche Louis Latour, Chardonnay ’09, France. It is elegant and ambitious yet easy to drink, a great pair with the smoked salmon.

Etude Estate Grown, Chardonnay ’09, California. This wine has notes of caramel and vanilla, and works well with the variety of cheeses.

Marietta Lot 56, Alexander Valley, Zinfandel. This is the perfect wine to go with the flat bread; it picks up the grenadine sweetness.

Ottimino Little, Zinfandel ’06, Russian River. This wine goes perfect with the duck, just the right amount of fruit.

Justin, Cabernet Sauvignon ’09, Paso Robles. A good pair with the cheese, and the escargot.

I really enjoyed this wine bar. It is very lively and has all the perks you would expect from a new hot spot. I really like how they put the wine bottles right behind the tastes, so you can read the bottle while tasting. Make sure you talk to the bartender about what he recommends. The staff there is very knowledgeable. I would come back here once a week, and continue trying all the great wines they have to offer.

Amelie Le Bar a Vin
www.ameliesf.com
1754 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 292-6916

Dinner at Vin Antico – March 31, 2012 – San Rafael, CA.

San Rafael is the gateway to wine country, and this restaurant can revel in the fact that they have the most astounding wines to pair with their down home food. Chef Ed Vigil’s philosophy is to get the best local farm ingredients and add his own touch to every plate that goes out of his open kitchen.
I tasted a lot but these were the dishes I would recommend:
Flatbread Pizza, they use organic Giusto’s flour,
pancetta, ricotta, roasted garlic, capers, tomato sofrito, and a grated cheese trio. The pizza had a nice crispy crust, and the sausage was delicious.

Asparagus Risotto, the asparagus is cooked al dente, and the Arborio rice is cooked plump, and it pops in your mouth.

Parmesan Fries, the fries had a great truffle flavor with a layer of good parmesan.

Seasonal Vegetable Sauté with sautéed greens, beets, baby carrots,
rapini, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and root vegetables. This dish really spoke to me, with all its farm fresh goodness.

Stemple Creek Steak Tartare with house – made potato chips, fried capers, shallots, smoked sea salt, dijon aioli. Stemple Creek raises organic, all natural, grass-fed beef on beautiful farmland in Marin County near San Francisco, California. The animals eat organic clover, grass and are never subjected to artificial hormones, growth promotants, or antibiotics. They treat their animals with the utmost care, using humane animal welfare practices. The average age of their cattle at harvest time is 18-24 months old. This dish was one of my favorites, with this grass – fed meat, how could you go wrong.

Sausage Pasta, hand made pasta, the sauce had just the right amount of everything, definitely a keeper.

For Desert:
Fruit Crisp, great berry flavor, with a flaky pastry topping.

Churros with mascarpone cheese gelato, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce. The 2 sauces really make this desert a great accomplishment.

These are the wines I tasted:

Weissburgunder, Erste & Neue, Alto-Adige Pinot Blanc ‘10. This wine went well with the asparagus risotto, well balanced, very light.

Sangiovese, Stolpman “La Coppa” ‘09, Santa Ynez Valley. This wine worked great with the pizza and the vegetable sauté.

Old Vines Red Blend, Sean Thackrey “Pleiades XXI”, California. A nice fit with the steak tartare.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Broadside “Margarita Vineyard” ‘10, Paso Robles. A great accompaniment to the sausage pasta.

Chef Ed Vigils saying is “food raised with love tastes better.”
Vin Antico supports all things local, local farms, local winemakers, and even local artists. They feature a new artist every month. As much as the food makes a statement about the restaurant, so does the art. With the same passion Chef Ed Vigil changes the menu to maximize the full potential of his local ingredients. The curator of Vin Antico, Lindsey Scott, selects a local artist each month to keep the dining experience fresh, exciting, and alive. Their current show this April is with artist Stacey Kamp.

This is a nice break from all of the ethnic restaurants that Fourth Street seems to gather. The atmosphere matches the food, clean, fresh and simple. Next time you are either coming or going to wine country try Vin Antico, you will enjoy your gateway to California Wine Country.

Vin Antico
www.vinantico.com
881 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-4492