locavores in indianapolis (late harvest kitchen, indianapolis)

It just so happens that I am in Indianapolis visiting a best friend one week before Super Bowl XLVI, and the pre-game madness has already begun. Hotels are sold out, streets are closed, and 800 feet of zip lines have been erected over Super Bowl Village. Friday night was the official opening night of the Village drawing some 30,000 people to downtown Indianapolis, thus our plans to venture to the area for the first traveling-high-heeled-foodie action were quickly scrapped. Luckily for us, we had a backup restaurant in mind (which ironically was our top choice initially): Late Harvest Kitchen.

Late Harvest Kitchen: 8605 River Crossing

Late Harvest Kitchen, an upscale restaurant serving "seasonal American cuisine," is Ryan Nelson's first restaurant (former chef of Indy's Oceanaire Seafood Room). It opened just a few short months ago in the former Smith & Hawken space at The Shops at River Crossing, and as our server informed us, they pride themselves on their use of local, seasonal ingredients and low carbon impact. Yes, that's right. The locavore trend has made it's way to Indiana! (Where recycling is optional and costs extra, too. Hm..)

As we pulled into the parking lot, I was somewhat worried about its strip mall location (albeit a relatively fancy strip mall zone -- a Saks Fifth Avenue is across the street), but those feelings of apprehension were quickly forgotten as we walked into the restaurant. The hostess promptly greeted us and led us to our table -- a warm wood lacquered table set with simple silverware, glasses, and homey dishcloth striped napkins. The main dining room was abuzz with lively conversations, and nearly every table was full. I couldn't help but notice the significant number of middle-aged diners who filled the restaurant, but I suppose that's mostly an indication of the overpopulation of young professionals that I'm used to seeing in Seattle.

Table set for four.

We had a very talkative server who enthusiastically recommended the most "phenomenal" and "ahh-mazing" dishes in great detail, and we ended up ordering based on his recommendations. We began with what he claimed was becoming the restaurant's signature small plate, the brandade. Their version of this Provençal dish is prepared with salted cod steeped in milk, garlic, and olive oil. Once it's cooked down, the salted cod is removed and fresh shredded cod is added and baked until it's bubbling hot and browned on top. The abundance of finely shredded fish gave it a surprisingly light and fluffy consistency -- not runny or heavy like an artichoke dip. It was served with thick slices of toasted, house-made brioche. The first few pieces of brioche were slightly over-toasted and dry, but the brioche from our second serving (we ran out halfway through the dish) was much improved -- golden yellow and lightly toasted with a rich buttery, eggy flavor.

Small plate: Brandade with toasted brioche.

For our main course, we again took our server's advice and ordered the pork cheeks, pork chop, and side of Potatoes Minneapolis. The pork cheeks were braised in a style similar to ossobucco with a deep, meaty glaze. It's served atop a winter vegetable risotto and finished with a pinenut gremolata. The meat was extremely tender, and the risotto with roasted brussels sprouts was creamy and cooked just past al dente. As I made my way through the dish, I continued to find little surprises in the darkly colored sauce -- whole mushrooms, big slices of cooked green apples, and some small pieces of crunchy mystery topping (almost like potato chips!) scattered with the pinenuts.

Big plate: Pork cheeks with winter vegetable risotto
and pinenut gremolata.

Our second entrée was the Fischer Farms pork chop -- a thick slice of grass-fed, hormone-free pork that was brined, smoked, and then grilled. The pork chop was served with perfectly prepared butter beans (not too soft and not too firm), vinegar peppers, and a sweet bacon marmalade. The bacon marmalade and rich sauce combined with the grilled meat created an irresistibly complex sweet and smoky flavor. I only wish the food was plated more purposefully and the meat itself was a tad more tender, but both of these flaws were easily overlooked while enjoying the bold flavors of the dish.

Big plate: Fischer Farms pork chop with butter beans,
vinegar peppers, and bacon marmalade.

As if that wasn't enough food, we added a side of what our server referred to as "heart attack on a plate" -- Potatoes Minneapolis, a side dish adapted from the Oceanaire's dish of the same name. Essentially hashbrowns, it's an upside dome of shredded potatoes fried until crispy and golden brown. It's then topped with generous chunks of bacon lardons and a large dollop of sour cream. While this might have been one of the best preparations of hashbrowns I've tasted, I still don't understand the logic of hashbrowns with dinner (and I really don't understand why it originated at a seafood restaurant -- hashbrowns + fish seems like an odd combination).

Side dish: Potatoes Minneapolis.

We were already over-indulging with triple servings of pig, so why not finish our meal with some "diabetes in a cup" (phrasing is again courtesy of our server)? The sticky toffee pudding was described as essentially a bread pudding with dates and figs covered in a hot caramel sauce and whipped cream. I would say this was not a very accurate description. The bread itself was fluffier than a bread pudding pudding and more reminiscent of a spice cake, and the hot caramel was unanimously declared by the two of us as hot Werther's sauce (and we are both Werther's-loving experts). Regardless, the dessert was decadent and delicious (even if a little too sweet) and a nice end to the meal.

Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding.

hhf says: Don't be fooled by its strip mall location -- Late Harvest Kitchen serves excellent, contemporary food with complex flavors, highlighting local and seasonal ingredients. If you're ever traveling through Indianapolis, you'll definitely want to stop by. (It's also a great place to go if you're avoiding the Super Bowl crowds this week.)

Prada peep-toe heels in cream patent leather with black piping.

Shoes: Squared, peep-toe heels in cream patent leather with black piping by Prada. A classically stylish color combination with a modern silhouette.

a very happy snow day (betty & molly moon's, queen anne)

The snowfall continued today in Seattle with no reliable forecast in sight -- even Cliff Mass, UW professor or atmospheric science and local weather expert, admitted in his blog posting earlier today that this week's weather forecasting was "not my profession's finest hour." Regardless, Snowmageddon 2012 was greeted with happy children all over the Puget Sound who happily sled down snow-covered, carless hills for the past two days. Personally, I took advantage of these unexpected snow days by making snow angels all over the neighborhood and visiting two of my favorite spots on Queen Anne hill: Betty and Molly Moon's.

Snow angel.

Snow days are perfect for happy hour, thus we braved the 28-degree weather and trudged through the icy snow, heading straight for the bar towards the back of Betty. We arrived just after 5 (happy hour is daily from 5-6:30), and the tables and bar counters were already half full. Grabbing one of the open tables, we unzipped our layers of winter gear and got down to business.

Betty: 1507 Queen Anne Ave. N.

Who can pass up $1.50 raw oysters on the half shell? Not us. The oyster selection here varies, and tonight's oysters were Totten Inlets from the south Puget Sound. These medium-sized oysters with beautifully, ruffled shells were briny and full of seaweed flavor with a smooth, creamy texture. They were served nice and cold with lemon wedges and a red wine mignonette.

Totten Inlet oysters on the half shell.

Continuing on the seafood trend, we ordered one of our usual happy hour items, the clams in tomato broth. At just $4, it's one of the best values on the menu (other $4 items include grilled manchego-stuffed grape leaves, crostini du jour, salami plate, and pulled pork tacos). The clams are notably fresh and not too fishy (as sometimes is common with happy hour clams/mussels), and the tomato broth is nicely seasoned. The best thing about this dish is that you really get two dishes in one -- delicious clams as well as dipping sauce for the always free and unlimited servings of a golden crusted, mildly sweet baguette (confession: nice restaurants that charge for bread tend to rub me the wrong way).

Clams in tomato broth.

Free and unlimited crusty baguette.

I should also add that the bread (made by Grand Central Bakery) is always served with a small bowl of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. That's not out of the ordinary, but their olive oil has a wonderfully rich, fruity flavor that I absolutely love.

Another happy hour favorite of ours is the pulled pork tacos with Sergio's mole. I don't know who Sergio is, but I'm glad we're back to the original Sergio and not the bland one that made a short appearance last summer. This Sergio's mole was mildly spicy with a subtle sweetness and deep flavor, and it generously coated the tender, juicy pulled pork. The pork was topped with a crunchy mix of shaved carrots and red and green cabbage. There's just enough filling in these tacos to satisfy each bite without falling out the other end of the soft corn tortilla.

Pulled pork tacos with Sergio's mole.

For those of you wondering about the happy hour drink specials.. You should easily find something tasty to drink with their $6 well martinis and manhattans (made by Betty's cheerful bartender), $6 wines by the glass (all wines offered by the glass are included), and $3 draft beer (rotating selection; all are included).

We left Betty with happy stomachs but decided to take it one step further and end our snow day with a visit to Molly Moon's. Any small, local business whose employees insist on making the snowy trek up the hill rather than closing for the day is worth visiting, especially when they're offering free hot fudge for snow day patrons. We were the only customers in the shop when we arrived, but several others strolled in, stomping off the snow from their boots, while we were enjoying our post-dinner treats. Here's to very happy bellies and organic vanilla bean and Theo chocolate ice cream with complimentary snow day hot fudge!

Molly Moon's vanilla bean and Theo chocolate ice cream
with complimentary hot fudge.

hhf says: Snow days are made for eating! It helps when you're hiding out on Queen Anne hill.

Related Post:
unpretentious and utterly delicious (betty, queen anne)

wintry lunch special (le rêve, queen anne)

The snow has arrived, and thankfully I've positioned myself for excellent car-less, eating options this weekend. A short walk in the softly falling snow led us back to Le Rêve for a lovely lunch of baguette and croissant sandwiches.

Le Rêve Bakery and Café: 1805 Queen Anne Ave N.

Le Rêve's croque monsieur is made of thin, juicy slices of ham, melted gruyère, and dijon mustard inside of a crusty baguette. It's lightly toasted, allowing the gruyere to melt across the salty-sweet ham and warmed baguette. There's no layer of béchamel sauce on this version, but it's not missed and allows for a lighter yet still indulgent French ham and cheese sandwich.

Croque monsieur: Jambon ham and gruyère cheese
with Dijon mustard on a crusty baguette.

The La Mer sandwich is made of a golden, buttery croissant sliced in half and filled with richly flavored Italian tuna, artichoke, red onion, green olives, brie, and lettuce. The thick slices of creamy brie added a complexity of flavor and balanced the briny tuna, while the flaky croissant and lettuce gave each bite a delightful crunch.

La Mer: Italian tuna, artichoke, red onion, green olives, brie
and lettuce on a flaky croissant.

A steaming, hot cup of cappuccino was a perfect addition to lunch on this snowy, picturesque day.

Cappuccino.

hhf says: Très bien!

Related Post:
twice baked and extra yummy (le rêve, queen anne)

south meets northwest (pomegranate bistro, redmond)

On Friday night, we ventured over to the eastside to try Lisa Dupar's Pomegranate Bistro. A well-established caterer (she's cooked for President Bill Clinton, Julia Child, Martha Stewart, and Bill and Melinda Gates, to name a few), Dupar opened Pomegranate Bistro in 2005 and recently released her first cookbook, Fried Chicken and Champagne.* Her style of food reflects a combination of her Southern roots, French training, and life in the northwest -- I guess you could say it's refined comfort food for the locavore.

Pomegranate Bistro: 18005 NE 68th Street

Pomegranate Bistro is oddly located in a small business park next to some Microsoft offices and directly across the street from the Redmond Whole Foods. Without its large sign, it would be easily missed by passersby, and I can only guess that this location was selected because of its ample space for the catering side of her business. Once inside the restaurant, the industrial space still feels slightly cold, but it's offset by the warm, orangy-red walls, glowing glassybabys, and firey oven as the focus of its kitchen.

View of the center of the dining room with the fiery oven in the back.  

The restaurant was completely full on this particular evening, and I've heard this is common on most weekends. Reservations are only accepted for parties of 6 or more, but you can call ahead and be put on the waitlist for a table. Beware that doing so may make others who have been waiting in person complain that you're getting a table when they were there first! This happened to us, and we let that couple go ahead of us.. allowing them to take the drafty table by the hostess stand knowing that a quieter table for two was just being set :)

Quiet table for two.

We started the night with two recommended small plates: crispy calamari and artichokes and sharper mac and cheese gratin. The calamari and artichoke hearts were wonderfully seasoned and fried in a light, crispy batter and served with a caper citrus aioli. At first I wasn't sure what to think of calamari-fried artichoke hearts, but they were bright and sweet and a refreshing complement to the salty calamari. It was a more than generous portion of food, and we enjoyed every mouthwatering bite. In fact, it may be one of the best plates of calamari I've ever had! (Leave it to a Southerner to know how to fry food.)

Crispy calamari and artichokes served with citrus caper aioli.

The mac and cheese consisted of springy, spiral noodles that gave the dish a playful feel and a creamy, sharp cheddar cheese sauce. It was topped with crispy breadcrumbs and what I assume was a basil leaf. While tasty (as most mac and cheese dishes are), it was nothing spectacular and was left behind in the shadow of the delightful calamari. There was the option to add oil cured tuna or sliced prosciutto to the dish, and I would recommend trying either one to future diners.

Sharper mac and cheese.

We ordered the braised beef short ribs and Painted Hills beef burger for our two entrées, deciding against trying one of the firebreads (oven-fired pizza breads) on this visit. The braised short ribs rested atop horseradish and rosemary grits and braised greens, and finished with au jus. Overall the dish was very good, but seemed to miss the mark in a few places. It arrived lukewarm (the worst!), and while the meat was tender, I still picked up my knife a few times while eating (a disappointment when it comes to braised meats). And while I'm no expert in grits, these seemed to be slightly undercooked and noticeably chunky rather than smooth and creamy. Yet, the flavors of the dish were wonderful, and I have hopes that it would be a knock-out dish if better executed.

Braised beef short ribs with horseradish and
rosemary grits and braised greens.

The Painted Hills beef burger was served on a house-made onion bun with bacon-orange juice aioli, white cheddar, and slices of tomato, lettuce, and pickled onions. To one side was heap of coleslaw; on the other, golden fries served with house-made ketchup. Again, everything tasted great, but some things were slightly amiss. The beef itself had the wonderful, meaty flavor typical of this Oregon raised beef, but unfortunately we weren't asked how we'd like it prepared and it arrived medium-rare -- generally not our preference for ground beef. Also, the coleslaw was underdressed and rather bland.

Painted Hills beef burger.

As many of you now know, I'm skeptical of restaurants' desserts in Seattle, so it's hard to say what made me go ahead and order one given the slightly off characteristics of our entrées. I'll blame the yummy-looking baked (and unbaked -- like cookie dough) goods on display upon entering the restaurant and the fact that I figured a successful caterer with Southern roots should make good pecan pie. Unfortunately, the chocolate bourbon pecan pie was a letdown. I mean, it was good.. it just didn't stand out and wasn't very chocolatey, which is what I was looking for when ordering chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Oh well.

Chocolate bourbon pecan pie with spiced
whipped cream and caramel.

There were two things that made up for the not-so-spectacular food (besides the calamari): the wine and our server. On the wine list were two Zinfandels from Seghesio Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA. We ordered the 2009 Home Ranch Zinfandel, and it was (as to be expected of Seghesio's Zins) excellent. Also, our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive throughout our meal. While pouring the wine, there was a little drop on the table which she promptly came back to clean up. During our enjoyment of the calamari, we were nearing the bottom of the aioli dish and she surprisingly showed up with a new one. She pleasantly carried on conversations but also knew when to simply check in and let us enjoy the food. I don't know whether she forgot to ask how we wanted the burger prepared or if that's typically left up the chef at Pomegranate Bistro, so I'm willing to let that possible mistake slide. Unfortunately, she did forget our request for espresso with our dessert so we were left with a sleepy drive back across the bridge..

Seghesio Home Ranch Zinfandel (2009).

hhf says: Pomegranate Bistro has lots of potential, and it's hard for me to say whether this was an off night or how it always it is. The types of dishes and flavor profiles were very appealing, and I'd recommend giving it a try if you're in the area. However, the 30-mile roundtrip plus new 520 bridge tolls make this a place I may not revisit for a while.

Prada brown suede boots.

Boots: Prada brown suede boots with pointed toe. Warm and cozy for this freezing Seattle weekend!

* Book Larder, the charming community bookstore in Fremont, is hosting an event with Lisa Dupar on Feb. 1. Meet the caterer/chef and learn to cook recipes from Fried Chicken and Champagne!

on taste

We're 12 days into 2012, and I can't believe this is my first posting! If only I could say that it was all part of a new year's resolution to eat healthier and cook more, but that actually sounds horrible to me. Well, the eating healthy part sounds horrible; the problem with cooking more frequently is that cooking in heels feels a little scandalous or, at best, Stepford wife-ish. I'm also a pretty messy cook and any outfit that matches my heels usually isn't one that I want to wear while cooking (I own a ridiculous amount of adorable aprons, and still I manage to ruin clothes). So if I wrote about my adventures in the kitchen, I'd have to re-name this blog "homely foodie," and who wants to read that? Anyway, I promise a new restaurant posting this weekend. Until then, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on taste.

I've been reading Adam Gopnik's latest book, The Table Comes First, and I'll admit that his writing is a bit esoteric and dry at times. However, if you can withstand the dense prose, you will also find his writing to be clever and entertaining, and for a food-lover, he'll push you to think philosophically about what you love and appreciate about good food, good eating, and good company. For example, Gopnik has this great chapter on taste -- what taste is, how it's shaped, and how it shapes us -- and defines it using two distinct yet related categories, "mouth taste" and "moral taste." Mouth taste refers to the actual taste and feel of food in our mouths (obviously), whereas moral taste is about our general beliefs and convictions about food that are heavily influenced by our personal experiences and societal norms. Watch this clip of Portlandia for an extreme, satirized exhibition of moral taste:

I mention Gopnik's writing on taste because taste is what drives this blog. In particular, my taste. And if you agree with Gopnik, taste is as much about flavor preferences as it is about an individual's moral convictions about food. For those of you who frequently read my postings, you probably already have a sense of my taste when it comes to food (and shoes). But for newcomers or for those simply wondering if our tastes align, I'll briefly describe my preferences below.

On moral taste...
I like my food fresh and local. I guess you could call me your typical Seattle locavore -- but without the hipster clothes and shoes! I container garden in the summer, enjoy strolling through the farmers' market, and pay extra money for food at Metropolitan Market, Whole Foods, and PCC. I think in-season fruits are far superior to greenhouse grown fruits. I buy eggs laid by free-ranging chickens and meat from grass-fed cows. But at the same time, I love fancy salts that are imported from thousands of miles away, and I'll always choose Honey Nut Cheerios over Kashi GOLEAN Crunch.

Garden blueberries.

On mouth taste...
Foods I love: cheese, crackers (esp. Lesley Stowe raincoast crisps and La Panzanella croccantini), crusty baguettes, salt, steak, fried chicken, salmon, halibut, sushi, eggs benedict, sungold tomatoes straight from the vine, garden-fresh herbs, peas, grilled zucchini, arugula, lemon-flavored desserts, french pastries, Fran's gray salt caramels, and pretty much all things pig.

Foods I avoid: octopus/squid, raw onions, licorice, tapioca, meringue, liquor-soaked desserts (think: tiramisú), and "organic" wine (it's just not good).

On shoe taste...
I am addicted to shoes. Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Gucci, and Prada (especially Prada boots) are my favorites. My preferred heel height is 90 millimeters (~3.5 inches), and I avoid platforms because they make me walk funny. If Christian Louboutin offered fewer platform shoes and made any attempt at comfort, I'd probably be a bigger fan. Shoes, even heels, should be comfortable and easy to walk in -- there is nothing worse than a lady stumbling like a drunkard in her fancy shoes.

D'orsay heels signed by Tamara Mellon, OBE,
co-founder and chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo.

Autographed shoes: I met Tamara Mellon, OBE, co-founder and chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo at a Nordstrom event last year. She signed this pair of d'orsay heels that ironically are one of my least comfortable pairs of shoes. I'm also not typically a 36.5, so the off-sizing should have been a hint. Oh well, they're still pretty and remind me of a fun day!