Category Archives: We’re Dining

Animals eat. People sometimes dine. Usually not often enough.

Pasta With Roe, A Recipe Inspired by a Dish at Keii Chi

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And, now for something completely different.

We recently went to Keii Chi, with the Dallas Eclectic Foodies meetup.  Many people say Keii Chi is one of the best Sushi restaurants in the state, if not the country.  A former reviewer from the Dallas Morning News commented, “Finally, a reason to go to Denton”.

We had omakase which is a one word Japanese phrase that means “I’ll leave it to you” (from Japanese “to entrust”).  It may also mean, “I’m on an expense account.”  We had 7 or 8 courses, each better than the last.  Rodney, the guy who arranged the dinner, told the owner, “Can you make the pasta with roe?  You made it last time I was here, and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since!”  The owner is a good sport, thought a second and smiled.  He asked, “for everyone?”  Heck yeah! Continue reading →

“I don’t like German food. Or Greek food.”

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We were at a local Meetup dedicated to sharing food from different countries,  The event sponsor researches a cuisine, posts some recipes, and the people who are interested pick recipes, prepare them, and then share them at a pot luck dinner.

This time it was Madagascar cuisine.  I really enjoyed preparing food from a different cuisine, though I do wonder if someone from Madagascar had dropped in would the reaction have been, “OH WOW!  It’s like being home again!”  or “Where did you say this was from?”  It doesn’t really matter the main thing is that we enjoy it.  And we did,

Dinner was winding up, and people were talking about other possible cuisines.  The woman across the table said it, “I don’t like German food.  Or Greek food.”

Continue reading →

Steak house flop?

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On a recent episode of “Suits”, two of the main characters went to a steak house.  Lewis Lit was trying to get a younger lawyer, Mike Ross, to become enthusiastic about a case that could save the steak house, which was Lewis’ favorite.  Mike cut into the steak and hadn’t had more than a few seconds to chew when Lewis said, “What do you think Mike?”

Mike replied, “There’s no doubt about it Lewis, this is the best steak I’ve ever had!”

Lewis seemed almost annoyed, “No Mike, this isn’t the best steak you’ve EVER had, this is the best steak you WILL EVER have!”
Continue reading →

Fettucine Alfredo, revisited

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Fettuccine Alfredo two ways, good and right

Last week, in a still unnamed restaurant, I had some of the most ghastly Fettuccine Alfredo I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter.  Was it straight off the food service truck?  Was the cook just clueless? Does it matter?  One reason I haven’t named the restaurant is that I just can’t believe they’ll be there much longer.  However, they do seem to be doing a lively business in “to go” pizzas.  Maybe I’ll try one.  Or not.

Anyway, this weekend, I just felt like I needed to make some GOOD Fettuccine Alfredo.    I knew I could make better than those jokers, if only because I have made better, repeatedly.  So, to clear my memories of that ghastly Alfredo, I decided to make two Fettuccine Alfredos.  C’mon along for the ride!

Continue reading →

Warning Signs That This Restaurant Visit Will Dissappoint You

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Even though we don’t go out to eat as often as many people we know, Beth and I really enjoy going out to eat.  Since it’s not an everyday thing, and since it is usually a special deal for us, we tend to have fairly high standards.  We aren’t going to have a fit if a fish fillet has a bone or two.  Stuff happens, and our parents always told us to assume there were bones in a fish fillet.  And, over the years, we’ve found they were right more often than not.

Still, we want good quality food, presented well, at least consistently with the projected image of the restaurant.  Or, we don’t expect a white tablecloth at burger joint.

Yesterday, Sunday April 14th, 2013, we decided to go out to eat.  After a day of lawn mowing and weeding and on and on, I just didn’t feel like cooking.  We’d been driving by a new Italian restaurant in Sanger for a while, a few friends had recommended it, so we thought we’d give it a try. Continue reading →

At the corner of ennui and apathy…

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I sometimes wonder how professional chefs do it. Cooking the same dishes again and again and again and again. Most chef’s don’t add new dishes to the menu. And when they do, those new dishes just become another dish to make again and again and again.

Home cooks have a similar problem. You open the fridge, getting ready to cook a meal, and nothing looks interesting. You’re tired of it all. And you’re just too meh to learn a new technique right now. Some people say insanity is doing the same thing and expecting the results to be different. Sometimes it’s just something that happens at the corner. The corner of ennui and apathy.

When I find myself there, I try to do something simple that will give me a blast of additional flavor, something that will take a dish I’ve made a number of times for the family to the next level. But something that doesn’t require much thought or effort. I’ll talk about a few of these in days and weeks to come. Continue reading →

Don’t let me boar you

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Last weekend marked Beth’s and my 15th wedding anniversary.  So, we decided to go off and have some fun.   This time that meant we visited Austin, TX.  I lived there for 20 years and like visiting the town again.  I haven’t lived there in 20 years, and I don’t think I’d want to live there now.  It’s not the same city – its grown too big with all that means..  Still, there’s a lot to love in Austin.  One thing we love is Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.  If you love cheese, sausage, breads, chocolate, wines, beers, olive oils and other exquisite foods, you should visit Antonelli’s if you’re in the area.  (Scardello’s in Dallas also gets my praise, and money.)

As we were looking at Antonelli’s meats I saw a prosciutto.  It was stunningly 5beautiful.  The meat was translucent, and somehow glowed with its own inner light.  They wanted $40 per half pound.  I laughed and looked at some of the salume.  But my eyes kept going back to the prosciutto.

Then I noticed a sign in front of it that said the prosciutto was La Quercia’s  Acorn Edition.  A prosciutto made from Berkshire hogs that had been fed on 60% acorns.  Oh. Wow. Continue reading →

Franklin BarBeQue, Austin, TX June 17, 2012

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Forward:  In a web design class I am being taught that a post shouldn’t be more than 200 to 250 words.  This is going to be longer.  A LOT longer.  If you don’t like reading, that’s OK.  Don’t.  But please don’t bore me with complaints about how long this is.  You can’t compress something like this.  Not really.  If you just want to cut to the chase, scroll down to the line that starts, “So, how was the barbeque?”  Anyway, here goes.  My American pilgrimage…. Continue reading →

What IS Barbeque?

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At times, I think we should have a separate category for barbeque.  It’s just such a wonderful food.  Sadly, the word has been so widely used and abused that it really isn’t terribly descriptive.

To me, barbeque is not a social event, it is not cooking food by exposing it to high and direct heat.  One is a party, the other is grilling.  I like both.  Really. Continue reading →