Los Claveles. Rascafria. Madrid's Sierra

It was a wet and cold winter day in the mountains next to Madrid, Spain. As much as you planned to take a hearty, long hike, what you really wanted to do is to get indoors and have a hot and heavy meal; not just any meal; one that leaves you with little or no desire to even walk to the parking lot. And that's what we ended up doing. The chorizos, morcillas and other appetizers were just an add to what was coming. Imagine this: a escarole salad with little roasted local quails, chevre cheese, pears finely sliced, walnuts and a dressing that had hints of an apple puree... An appetizer of Boletus wild mushrooms in a foie sauce. The soups could have been main courses in their own right: Alpine Soup with beans and wild local mushrooms and your "classic" Fabada Asturiana (Bean stew) with the overwhelming flavors of the chorizos, morcillas, etc
When we got to the main course, amazingly enough, we were ready for more. The "Rabo de Toro" (Bull's tail stew) in the picture, was bathed in a juicy wine sauce and accompanied by crispy, but soft inside, french fries. The sauce caressed the potatoes enough to infuse them with the deep and tantalizing flavors of a stew cooked for hours by the heat of a high mountain stove.
I just want to cry.
The also local Wild Board was cut in slices and a thick sauce was "drawn" across the tender lomitos de Jabalí. The beef steak, was well done but not hard or dry, as you would expect it, it was juicy and tender!!!
Fried eggs and fries were a beautiful portray of simple but well cared ingredients. What else did we eat? Does anyone remember? Just let me know in the comments section of this blog.
I do remember the profiteroles and the Ponche de Segovia. To die for!!!
The digestion didn't take that long. By the time we were back in town (Madrid) an hour later, I was feeling great.

Rustic Bakery in Kentfield, California. A simple pleasure

It is hard to find. Once you have you may not want to drive by, otherwise you will have to walk in and enjoy a plain croissant, the Ham and Gruyere croissant of the Bread pudding of the day. They have soups, salads and sandwiches. In the summer the Gazpacho is refreshing, delicious and very much like the one I have in Spain. Otherwise their turkey chili is nutritious and satisfying, if you need to get warmer in a cold summer day in Marin County. The Quiches are moisture and delicious, wether you have the spinach one or the ham and cheese. Salads are organic and the cookies and other sweets are full of tastes that you can recognize; it is very natural!!! The coffee is good but not great ( I am a coffee expert by years of experience). I like my coffee a bit stronger and darker, but it is just me. The service is very good and with a smile, rare to find in Marin County. If you have a chance try the almond croissant and the apple one too. And the lemon meyer one to is aromatic and soothing.

Brouchon. Too busy for its own good in Yountville, Napa Valley, California

The seafood platter was decent: 3 years ago it was great. The freshness was undeniable, but I don't think they use the same seafood purveyor they used to.
A delicious and reliable Quiche... but 2 years ago it was like a custard. It is denser than it used to be. It was good, very good, but I wasn't bowled over by it.
The salad was very good and then we went to their bakery next door. Try the chantilly cream eclair: simple yet unbelievable.
Brouchon is always busy, which is great for business, but it has become the place to go if you are a foodie tourist. One day it may become a museum for the French Laundry down the street, or vice-versa.

Jolé. The future of fusion in Calistoga

Matt Spector is the adventurous chef who owns this beautiful restaurant in Calistoga. His wife makes the sweets and He prepares the most delicious tapa-size plates with the great natural resources of the Napa and Sonoma counties.
Asia, USA and Europe come together in simple and exciting dishes that seem to defy the laws of the gods of the flavors and textures. Foiegras cooked in the wood-fire oven, turned into a dessert-like savory dish served with homemade cornbread and blueberry compot. The menu changes every day depending on the quality of available ingredients (that alone is a guarantee for a worthwhile meal)
How about the lambs tongue reuben? A miniature of the original reuben with all the traditional fixings, the result is the essence of the reuben that you will have in New York.
The Lardens (fatty bacon strips) was crispy and dusted in flour on a watermelon and cucumber salad and chinese Hoison sauce.
Textures complimented the risky but successful creations.
The mascapone cheese cake was refreshing and let you taste the cheese instead of a weird processed block of yellow oversweetened cake.
The staff was very nice and we had a chance to chat with Mr. Spector and his right hand man Gregg. We went every night we were in town, and we will come back

Mama's Fish House in Paia, Maui. Fish paradise and Hawaian food history

What they say is true: Mamma's Fish House has ambience and class. The menu, full of mouth-watering appetizers and entrees, leaves you perpetually wondering if you should have ordered more. But we decided to restrain ourselves... even so we ate well! First a Ceviche presented in the popular martini glass format, but brimming with island flavor: Maui onions and avocados in a delicate ceviche vinegrette and accompanied by house-made Taro Chips. Next, Caledonian Grilled Prawns with the essence of vanilla bean infusing its delicate coconut sauce-wow! Next we went for the Polynesian Lau-lau--something we would not find on the mainland--and were so surprised by the lightness of the grilled salmon, mahi-mahi and pork accompanied by fragrant and tasty greens-- called Luau Leaves--and grilled bananas and papaya all topped with a gentle coconut milk sauce served in a coconut shell. We left dessert offerings for our next visit and commented on how many ways we tasted coconut during our meal.

Spago in Wailea, Maui. Busy, but high standards kept.

Despite the crowd on Christmas Eve, the food at Spago held its own. We started with the Poke appetizer and it was playfully delicious...instead of seaweed, the hand roll was created with a caramelized and spiced sesame cone. The Tomatoe and Goat Cheese Salad was very good; the Beet Salad left one looking for more beets. But never mind, the entrees were delicious!! The Lobster Curry was a surprise of fresh flavors: Asian herbs drizzled with a hint of curry. The $140 Japanese Wagyu Steak melted in your mouth--excellent! We finished with house-made tropical fruit sorbets--coconut, guava and mango--all creamy and true to their fruit flavors. We'd like to return when the stress and bustle of the holidays has passed.

Kauai Grill in Princeville. At last... gourmet tropical flavors on Kauai.

The Kauai Grill at the St. Regis in Princeville, showcases tropical ingredients with modern French finesse. There is steak, as their name implies, but please be adventurous and try at least one appetizer: they are amazing! The Frois Gras with Roasted Mango gave a fabulous twist to a classic. The Grilled Octopus was unbelievabley tender with a maui onion salad that had a sweetness and crunch like fennel. The Beet Carpaccio appetizer with Kauai made goat cheese was refreshing as was the Salmon Tatare with avocado, a beautiful sauce and radishes that reflected the color of the dish: how beautiful and delicious. And we ended our meal by sharing the main course of Lobster. Add a demi-sec Vueve Cliqot and you have one great meal--and don't forget that beautiful view of Hanalei form your window seat!!!