The top five U.S. restaurants I'd most like to try

Today.  The list changes often.  Right now, though, it's easy and remarkably consistent.  I exclude from it all the restaurants where I've already eaten, because at least I've gotten to taste their food once.

5.  Per Se

Though Thomas Keller's New York interpretation of his flagship French Laundry has been the subject of some controversy in the last few years, it still makes my list.  I've been a fan of Keller's food for years, and my one meal at The French Laundry was exceptional, so I'm itching to try Per Se.

4.  Masa

I've heard so much about the sushi and service at Masa that I've wanted to try it for years.  Having experienced The Araki in London, I now understand just how amazing sushi can be. 

3.  Le Bernardin

It's a testimony to the top two places on this list that one of my dream destinations, Eric Ripert's amazing seafood restaurant, is in third place.  I've tremendously enjoyed Ripert's menus at the Cayman Cookout and at Blue by Eric Ripert, and Le Bernardin is supposed to be even better.

2.  Vespertine

This new restaurant made Grant Achatz grin like a kid on his Instagram.  Everything I've read about it sounds like it's both a strange experience and a source of amazing food.  I'm ready to go.

1.  Eleven Madison Park

Currently the number one restaurant in the world in the influential best 50 rankings.  Three Michelin stars.  Chef Daniel Humm, whose food I've loved at past Cayman Cookout events.  If I had the time and could get a reservation, I'd fly to New York City just for this one meal.

I hope one day to get the chance to visit all of these fine places.

Keeping it simple and delicious at Bouchon

My colleagues and I dined tonight at Thomas Keller's lovely Bouchon in the Venetian. The bread and butter are so good that I could almost live on them, but instead I opted to add the steak frites, a dish in which the steak is good but the frites are better. I made them better still by asking to have truffles on them--a standard offering of the restaurant.

Wow, was it good.

Click the image to see a larger version.

In a stunning display of self-control, I scraped the butter off the steak and gave a chunk of my frites to a colleague. I still didn't come close to finishing them. The small steak, though a tough cut, proved to be perfectly prepared and delicious.

You really cannot go wrong with a Thomas Keller restaurant.

If only I'd had the time to eat brunch at Bouchon, my time there would have been complete.

The overdue Odd Saturday report

Last Saturday was one of those days of excess that I love but cannot afford to do often. After sleeping late, we headed out to dip into the river of cheese (i.e., eat at a favorite local Mexican place, where the queso is plentiful and good, and the marinade on the beef in the fajita quesadilla steak is strong and flavorful). We then put in some Halo time, followed by a little work.

Everyone arrived about 4:15, and the festivities began in earnest.

First stop was Dorton Arena for a Carolina Rollergirls double-header. The opening game was a blow-out, with the visiting Dixie Derby Girls taking the Carolina Bootleggers 86 to 76. (The final score is closer than the game ever was.) Less than five minutes into the second match-up, however, we realized that we'd been seeing the junior teams before, because these women were faster, stronger, better skaters, and far more effective users of various strategies. The Steel City Derby Demons started with a 26-0 scoring run, and it looked for a bit like the home team, the Carolina All-Stars, were done. Carolina came back, though, to win it 144 to 143 in a truly exciting and excellent match.

We didn't see the last several minutes, however, because we had to leave to make our nine o'clock reservation for a dozen at The Pit. After several shared plates of Barbecue Fries and an additional couple of pans of cornbread, followed by heaping plates of 'cue, we were all so stuffed we could barely move.

We rolled into our cars and headed home, where through the combination of Spike TV's free broadcast and the UFC's PPV event, we were able to watch all but one of the fights. Somewhere after midnight, we took a break before the main event and tore into many pints of various flavors of Jeni's ice creams, as well as trays of two different types of cookies and the namesake bouchons from Thomas Keller's Bouchon mixes. Yes, cookies from mixes--but Keller mixes, so they were awesome.

When the fights ended and most of the crowd headed out, a hardy few of us stayed up for a little more entertainment, and then off to work I went.

It was a great evening, but, as I said, not one I could do very often.

On the road again: World Fantasy Con, day 8

I'm on the plane from SFO to DFW and have done all the catch-up email work that I can. I'm really missing that in-flight bandwidth now, but so it goes. Today is all about travel--driving, walking, flying, walking, flying, walking, and driving again--so it's not particularly interesting. More to the point, I don't want it to be interesting; the more predictable and routine air travel is, the better.

The most important event since my last entry was dinner at The French Laundry, Thomas Keller's original restaurant and still, at least to me, the mothership of his many operations. This place is sufficiently legendary in foodie circles that it's almost impossible for a meal there to live up to the restaurant's reputation for perfection, inventiveness, and, above all else, wonderful food--yet, our dinner did. In the over four and a half hours we were there, the service was always impeccable and, when necessary, accommodating; the food was so good that the worst bite was better than anything I taste in a typical day; and the culinary surprises were many, including a few Brussels sprouts bites that I actually liked. I didn't think that was possible.

During the dinner, Chantrelle, who operates foodporn.com, interviewed me for a piece that she'll be posting on her site sometime soon. (When I'm aware it's up, I'll let you know.) We ran through a bunch of her standard questions for writers who are also foodies, and we also covered a lot of other topics. I have no idea what she'll write, but I had a fun time talking with her and everyone else at the table.

I certainly cannot afford--in either money or calories--to eat at The French Laundry often, but I will return there any chance I get. It was an amazing meal in which the real thing proved to be every single bit as wonderful as its legend.

*****
I'm finishing and then posting this entry from a plane that is descending to RDU as I type. I'm making a leap of faith in this posting, because the plane could always crash. Dave would argue that there are plenty of asteroids awaiting us, and one could take down this aircraft, but I'm opting to believe in a happy ending for this flight.

A coupon made the bandwidth on this plane free, so I was able to catch up on work while in the air. Technology is sometimes grand. Perhaps tonight I will be able to get a decent amount of sleep. That would be lovely.

On the road again: World Fantasy Con, day 7

Dinner last night was my first meal in one of Keller's newer establishments, Ad Hoc, where the motto is, "for temporary relief from hunger." The emphasis here is on comfort food, with everything served family style and a single menu with no options. We had squash salad, Catalan beef stew, a cheese and fruit course, and poached pears and ice cream. It was all very good, even the squash salad (and I am no squash fan, to put it mildly), with the stew simply outstanding. The casual atmosphere was fun and relaxing.

Lunch today continued the Keller theme, as we ate at Bouchon, a French-style bistro where I have eaten once before, many years ago. We grazed by sampling sides and appetizers, and as one would expect, it was all wonderful.

The hours between meals were entirely work, the beauty and the curse of the modern world being that one is never unable to do sales calls and email. Still, I am currently one hundred percent up to date, which is good heading into a day filled with travel.

Tomorrow, I will report on dinner at the Keller mothership: The French Laundry.

On the road again: Portland, day 4

I'd love to have more to tell you on these business trips, but I work so many hours and our work is so confidential that about the only things I can discuss are the meals. I'm tempted to rant, but I need to reserve the writing time for the novel, which is slowly coming along, so you'll have to put up with short entries. Sorry about that.

I can tell you that if you're ever in Portland you absolutely must eat at Sel Gris. Chef Daniel Mondok worked at several other places, including the famed French Laundry for all-star chef, Thomas Keller, before he opened his own place. His menu was delightful, and every dish I tried was delicious, flavorful, and fun. The foie gras two ways was particularly lovely. I'll definitely be back.

The more I visit Portland, the more I like this place. I don't ever plan to move from my home in North Carolina, but if I were ever to consider it, this area would have to be on the short list.