Chinese New Year "Tea of Togetherness" - Mandarin Oriental Lobby Lounge

新年快

Happy New Year!!!  No, I am not a little late, because January 23rd marked the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year—the Year of the Dragon!  The Chinese New Year is your opportunity to truly close the door on last year—think of it as a redo since you probably didn’t stick with your resolutions thus far.  It is Chinese custom to start the New Year fresh by cleaning the house and buying new clothes—I especially like the latter part of that custom!  I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year then to go visit the Mandarin Oriental Hotel right in the heart of New York City!   Imagine my excitement when I found out the Lobby Lounge—aka LOLO—was celebrating the Year of the Dragon with their “Tea of Togetherness” Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea.  Since I loved the Nutcracker Tea so much I knew it had to be something special.

LOLO's Chinese New Year "Tea of Togetherness"

This was the perfect opportunity for me learn about some Chinese customs and to hopefully FINALLY learn how to use chopsticks!   It was also a great way for me to unwind after my exciting day at the Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown.  This fourteen day celebration is from January 23rd thru February 5th and it just so happens that the LOLO’s tea runs alongside this season of good fortune.  The “Tea of Togetherness” has a selection of Dim Sum, Chinese Tea Cakes and a selection of teas which all symbolize—the Year of the Dragon.

Scones, Music & Tea

烏龍—CHINESE TEA CEREMONY

Tea originated in ancient China and has been part of her history for centuries.  The Mandarin Oriental has one of the BEST tealeaves selection of teas.  I decided to go with an Oolong tea since it means “Black Dragon”.  There are many legends about how the black dragon--Oolong--got its name but the scholars agree that it originated during 16th century Ming dynasty.  I thought it would be perfect for me to toast the Chinese New Year with the "Black Dragon" tea.  It didn't hurt that I got to eat the famous Mandarin ginger scones with devonshire cream and marmalade.  Simply perfect!  With the gorgeous views of Manhattan and Central Park and the lovely music of the three-man Chinese orchestra, this was an end to a perfect day.  In case you are wondering, the gentleman is playing the Yangqin also known as a santur.  It sounds beautiful, especially when he played one of my favorite Beethoven sonatas.  He also shocked me a bit when he played the score from The Godfather!  

玉帝- THE JADE EMPEROR

The Jade Emperor is the ruler of Heaven.  Legend has it that there was a monster named Nian who was terrorizing the people of China centuries ago.  Some believe that the Jade Emperor stepped in and kept the Nian away from the villagers all year except for the 1st and 15th of the New Year.  This arrangement between the Jade Emperor and Nian brought peace to the ancient people of China.

Jade Vegetable Dumpling

The Jade Vegetable Dumpling symbolizes happiness, good fortune, liveliness and good luck.   All of these things represent what those ancient people felt after the Jade Emperor solved the problem of the Nian.  Sitting in a lemongrass broth and containing pickled cabbage, these dumplings are simply delicious.  You must be careful because they are also very slippery.  These were NOT the ideal choice for me to attempt chopstick usage for the first time.  I gave up after the first try and decided that I could still honor Chinese traditions with my fork!

生肖-CHINESE ZODIAC

When the Jade Emperor created time, he called all the animals to him and set up a race in a river.  He promised the first twelve animals that could cross the river a place in the zodiac.  How and when the animals crossed the river determined some of the characteristics of the zodiac.  In China, the zodiac is referred to as Shēngxiào. The first twelve animals to cross the river are:

1. Rat 
2. Ox
3. Tiger
4. Rabbit
5. Dragon
6. Snake
7. Horse
8. Goat
9. Monkey
10. Rooster
11. Dog
12. Pig

The Pig was last but definitely not least when it comes to the "Tea of Togetherness"!  The Emperor Pork and Watercress Wontons will help bring you strength, wealth and close family ties.  Three crispy pork filled wontons sit in a scallion-soy dipping sauce and you might want to go with family and friends so you can “help” them eat some of their wontons.

The legend doesn't really tell you what happened to the shrimp but the chefs got it right when they made the Mandarin Shrimp and Mango Roll which symbolizes a positive start this New Year and promotes togetherness.  This was my personal favorite.  A HUGE shrimp wrapped with papaya and sprouts and is covered with a mouthwatering ginger-coconut reduction.  I certainly felt like I had a positive start for the new year after I ate mine!

Emperor Pork and Watercress Wonton & Mandarin Shrimp and Mango Roll

年的-THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

2012 is the year of the “Water Dragon”.  The dragon is the mightiest of all the zodiac signs.  They symbolize dominance and ambition and are very driven and unafraid of challenges.  At times this fire is difficult to contain but the water dragon brings a good balance to all of its fire--it is the yin to the dragon's yang!


The Year of the Dragon Duck Wrap represents cleverness, prosperity and joy.  For me the duck wrap brought me sheer joy.   I LOVE duck and this chilled duck in a Hoisin-Tamarind glaze with toasted sesame made me feel very prosperous for having it all for myself--I would share it if I had to but thankfully that wasn't the case!

The Year of the Dragon Duck Wrap

弄獅—THE LION & DRAGON DANCE

The Lion Dance is commonly mistaken as the Dragon Dance.  Chinese New Year celebrations always includes both of these dances.  Both the lion and dragon are considered good luck in Chinese culture.  At the end of every Chinese New Year people anxiously await the parade where the Lion and Dragon dances are performed.  I was greatly anticipating the dessert part of the tea just as much as I wanted to see the dances at the end of the  parade.  Both were well worth the wait.  The dessert selections include:

• Green Tea Cookies
• Almond Cookies
• Coconut Tarts
• Mandarin Orange Sponge Cake

The Lion & Dragon Dance with Dessert

新年快—HAPPY NEW YEAR

My Chinese New Year “Tea of Togetherness” was more than I had imagined.  It was the perfect conclusion to my Dragon Day.  There is still time to participate in this good fortune tea because it does not end until February 5, 2012.  I promise you do not want to miss this one—it’s not going to come around for another 12 years!

Epicurean Girl’s Conclusion: 5 VIPs

Mandarin Oriental’s “Tea of Togetherness” gets our highest rating of 5 VIPs.

Sullivan's Steakhouse (Super Bowl XLVI Special) - Indianapolis

I learned three things on my recent trip to Indiana:

1. There is a sport called Mushroom Hunting and it is quite popular with the locals—Morels are the preferred mushroom.
2. The New England Patriots are playing the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on February 5^th at Lucas Oil Stadium. 
3. Sullivan’s Steakhouse is the place to be for some REALLY GOOD food in Indy.

How good is “really good” you may ask?  Well, it is good enough for J-Girl and me to drive 60 miles from Bloomington to eat there two nights in a row!  For my fellow math geeks out there, that is 240 miles for food!  And it was sooooo worth it.  J-Girl and I ate so much our first night we had to call a timeout and finish up the following evening.  I actually could not even eat dessert the first night—shocking right?!

I learned three things about Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Indianapolis:

1.  John Stanley—General Manager—and Mark Dafforn—our fabulous waiter—and the entire Sullivan’s team go over and beyond to ensure their patrons have an excellent dining experience.
2. There is a live band EVERY night in the bar/lounge area.

Japonaise Bakery & Cafe - Boston, MA

The Bruins brought me to Boston and “The Beans” brought me to Japonaise Bakery & Café.  I actually have to give Vodka and Ginger the credit for sparking my interest in “The Beans”.  And no, I didn’t drink too many Moscow Mules at the game!  Vodka and Ginger are actual people.

Let me start by telling you a little bit about them.  Vodka and Ginger are two New York ladies who are on a mission to eat at every restaurant featured on the Best Thing I Ever Ate show.  Their target locations are in Manhattan, however they have gone “Off the Map” and visited other places from the show such as Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and of course Boston.  Their blog is called “It’s Not Even Noon Somewhere” and I am hooked!  These women are HILARIOUS.  They give honest opinions about the dishes certain “food experts” claim to be truly the “best thing they ever ate”.  Like all things in life you should make your own decisions but it is nice to hear other people’s opinions—especially Vodka and Ginger’s.

Now back to my story, I was getting all snug and nestled in my plush hotel bed after an enjoyable evening of hockey when I saw a tweet from Vodka and Ginger about “magically disappearing croissant cream filling” in Cambridge.  I immediately contacted them to inquire about this place where magic happens!  I was happy to have somewhere different to go for breakfast on my way out of Boston.

Japonaise Cafe & Bakery @ 1032 Commonwealth

Japonaise Bakery & Café (JB&C) is the place where this magic happens!  I didn’t really feel like venturing out to Cambridge—especially after reading about Vodka’s experience—so I was glad to discover that there are three locations: Brookline, Cambridge and Boston.  Here are a few facts about Japonaise Bakery & Café:

1.      Japonaise is French for Japanese;

2.      Hiroko Sakan is a self-taught pastry chef and owner of Japonaise Bakery & Café;

3.      I believe Japonaise Bakery & Cafe is the ONLY place where one can get French pastries with a Japanese twist AND an African Queen Cake!

Trying not to look like a complete cow to young Chris B. who helped me out, I ordered only four items as a sampler—although the entire case was very enticing.



Yummy Pastry Case

TWIST CROISSANT

I figured it would probably be best for me to start with something simple and sweet.  The Twist Croissant had the perfect amount of sugar and wasn’t heavy.  I thought it was going to taste like a basic sugar twist donut—similar to the ones you can get at the chain a few doors down.  But it was very light and it literally melted in my mouth.  It also tasted like it had just come out of the oven.  The first goal goes to JB&C.  I was very excited for my next selection.

Twist Croissant

AFRICAN QUEEN CAKE

By now you all are aware of my chocolate problem and there is nothing that I can do about it.  So of course when I go in and see a chocolate cake fittingly called the African Queen Cake, I had no choice but to get it.  I decided to wait until I made it back home to try it so I could eat it in private and in the comfort of my house.  IT WAS SO WORTH THE WAIT!!!  It is super light—seems to be a theme so far—and not too sweet.  Something about it reminds me of the Mozartkugel at Café Kristall.  Second goal goes to JB& C.

The African Queen

ICHIGO CREAM

I learned that Ichigo or (いちご) means strawberries in Japanese.  This is not to be confused with Ichigo Kurosaki a character in the famous Bleach magna and anime series.  He has an actual Facebook Fan Club Page and I am seriously thinking about starting one for the Ichigo Cream Pastry at JB&C.  It is another super light puff pastry with yummy creamy custard in the middle and fresh strawberry slices.  The croissant is flaky and buttery and is good on its own but something about the custard and strawberries wedged in the middle makes it worthy of praise.  I had no shame using my fingers to make sure EVERY morsel was accounted for.  Just look at the picture!  What a thing of beauty, mmmmmm!  The score is now 3-0! 

Ichigo Cream

AZUKI CREAM

This is what brought us all here.  If it hadn’t been for Ming Tsai on the Best Thing I Ever Ate, then Vodka wouldn’t have gone to Cambridge to try it out and tweet about it and I would have never read about “The Beans” which is what ultimately brought me to the Japonaise Bakery & Café location across the street from Boston University.

The best way for me to describe the Azuki Cream is to imagine a croissant ball filled with a light cream and Azuki at the bottom.  I think some of the Harvard folks in Cambridge must have been having some fun with Vodka since she was so adamant about her quest for Harvard, because from her pictures it does appear as if the cream in her Azuki Cream had somehow disappeared.  Mine on the other hand was filled to the brim!

(L) picture of Azuki Cream courtesy of Vodka & Ginger's blog post & (R) picture of Epic girls Azuki Cream

I appreciate Vodka preparing me for the special treat at the bottom of the Azuki Cream—The Beans!  Azuki (アズキ) is a red bean that is cooked into a paste and typically used in Japanese sweets.  I will admit after my first bite my chewing action slowed down as I was really trying to figure it all out.  I am a big texture eater and there was so much going on that it took me a few bites to finalize my opinion.  I had to cut the pastry in half and eat the Azuki by itself before I could properly appreciate Chef Hiroko Sakan’s creation!  I think everyone should try the Azuki Cream at least once.

Azuki Red Bean Paste

NOLA Girl and I are planning a trip to Boston in February so I will take her to JB&C to get her opinion.  I will keep you posted.  If you are in the Boston area you should pay a visit to Japonaise Bakery & Cafe because I know you will not be disappointed.

Epicurean Girl’s Conclusion: 4 VIPs

Japonaise Bakery & Cafe gets an overall rating of 4 VIPs.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse - Houston

Keep Calm and Eat On!  It is 2012, the Year of the Dragon and according to some possibly even the end of the world as we know it.  If this is the case then you better get your life right and eat as much good food as possible!

2012 Gourmand Girl's Anthem

While I was in Houston for the holidays, I decided to take a break from my last minute Christmas shopping at the Galleria and stopped in for lunch at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Houston.  I have had dinner at this location several times but the lunch was a first for me.  I know this is the week that New Year’s resolutions are being “revised” since you realize a week into the year that some things just are not going to happen.  While you are making changes to your list, I would like for you to add “have lunch at Del Frisco’s Houston”.

With such an amazing menu you can create your own memorable lunch or you can try the Business Lunch.  I decided to do both with the help of my parents as my special guests.  Below are our favorite selections:

The Business Lunch

Gourmand Dad (aka G.D.) was mentally drained from shopping that he decided he wasn’t going to have to make any more choices so he went with the Business Lunch.  This is perfect for the person looking for a quick Prix Fixe lunch.  For only $28 you get a 3-Course meal with a salad or soup selection, main course and of course my favorite part of any meal—dessert.

Starters

You can choose a salad or soup:

·         Del’s Salad

·         Caesar Salad

·         ‘Turtle Soup’

·         Seafood Soup

Gourmand Dad decided to go with the Seafood Soup.  This is NOT to be confused with Gumbo; two totally different soups but both very good.  The Seafood Soup was packed with fish, crab meat and shrimp.  Every mouthwatering bite had some form of fish in it.  I helped G.D. finish this off.

Del Frisco's Seafood Soup

Main Course

I think Del Frisco’s is quite generous by giving you four (4) choices where some other places might only give you two or three:

·         6oz Filet Mignon

·         Filet Medallions

·         Sautéed Salmon w/ Tchoupitoulas Sauce

·         Pan Roasted Chicken Breast

All four (4) dishes are served with creamy Chateau Potatoes which goes well with everything.  And yes, that is a big ol’ chunk of butter sitting on top!  Gourmand Dad wanted the Filet Medallions “well done”.  There were three (3) tender and just perfect pieces of beef in a red wine demi-glace.  He was thoroughly satisfied and I hate to admit it but I was hoping he would be too full to eat his dessert so I could have it all for myself!  Unfortunately that wasn’t the case but at least he shared.

Del Frisco's Filet Medallions

Dessert

Two choices nice and simple.  Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse.  I typically go for chocolate in most dessert situations but when it comes to Del Frisco’s there is no choice but to go for the Cheesecake.  You will have the option to choose strawberry or praline toppings.  Let me introduce you to something NOLA Girl and I invented 10 years ago at Del Frisco’—it is called the “Half and Half”!

What exactly is the “Half and Half”?  It is something very special and the Trademark is pending!  It is the famous Del Frisco’s Cheesecake with half strawberry and half praline topping.  The combination of the strawberry and praline mixed together is pure ecstasy.  If you eat cheesecake then this should be on your bucket list!  Needless to say Gourmand Dad, Mom and I devoured the “Half and Half” and left NOTHING on the plate!

The "Half and Half"

Epicurean Girl’s Lunch Selection

Since I am a water sign, I was in the mood for an aquatic lunch.  Who says you have to eat steak at a steakhouse?!  I chose the Chilled Shrimp Tasting Starter and the Crab Cake Dinner.

Chilled Shrimp Tasting

You don’t have to worry about this place skimping on the shrimp.  These were the biggest shrimp I have ever seen in my life!  You get five (5) huge tasty shrimp with three (3) sauces.  The sauces include:

·         Classic Cocktail – if you are a traditionalist then stick with

           this one,

·         Creole Remoulade – for those with a more refined palate,

·         Garlic Italian Sauce – very nice and light.

Shrimp Tasting

If you want to know which one was my favorite, I mixed them together and created my own sauce.  All of them are delicious you have to make your own decision on this one.  What I can suggest is if you are dining with a group of people, you might want to order more than one because you cannot just eat one shrimp—seriously, I dare you to try.

Crab Cake Dinner

I have mentioned the Cajun Jumbo Lump Crab Cake before as one of my favorite dishes at Del Frisco’s Grille New York.  Lucky for you and me you don’t have to travel to New York to try these scrumptious crab cakes.  You can get them at any Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse (10 locations), Del Frisco’s Grille (2 locations and growing) or Sullivan’s Steakhouse (20 locations) in the country!

Cajun Jumbo Lump Crab Cake

The only difference between the Crab Cake Starter and the Crab Cake Dinner is that you get two (2) crab cakes with the dinner.  There are two things that make these the best crab cakes I have ever had:

1.      These are 100% jumbo lump crab meat!  NO BREAD!!!!

2.      The Cajun sauce

Need I say more?  This is another item you might want to rethink sharing with your guests.  You can never order too many crab cakes.  This was the perfect amount of food for me not to feel stuffed and still have room in my tummy to assist Gourmand Dad’s dessert!

Gourmand Mom’s Lunch Selection

Gourmand Mom was nice enough to allow me to order her lunch.  I like to think of myself as an Ambassador of Del Frisco’s so I am pretty good at pairing dishes with peoples taste—hence the name Gourmand Girls!  I started with the fried calamari and then added a nice steak selection for her lunch. 

Shanghai Calamari

The first thing you have to understand is that this is not just fried calamari!  It is Shanghai Calamari!  The second thing you must know is that this wasn’t always on the Del Frisco’s menu.  This dish was originally created and exclusive to Del Frisco’s Houston by Chef Steve Haug.  Modern Luxury Media featured Steve Haug as one of Houston’s Master Chefs and said “this is the best calamari that Houston has to offer”.  This is not an exaggeration!  This calamari is sweet and spicy and melts in your mouth.

Chef Steve Haug's Shanghai Calamari

The Duo

The Duo is one of the specials which you will NOT find on the menu so make sure you pay attention!  I like this option because it is for people who have a difficult time making up their minds about what they want to eat.  The Duo allows you to have multiple selections without looking like a glutton.  You get two (2) 4oz filets cooked to your liking with the following toppings:

Uno – Oscar Style

Duo – Jack Daniels Chipotle Glaze with Seared Shrimp

Gourmand Mom was totally satisfied by this choice and was still able to help Gourmand Dad with his dessert! 

The Duo

The Texans Room

If you are interested in Private Dining to host a business luncheon/dinner or maybe you just want to host a watch party while the Houston Texans play some football, then you should check out the Texans Room.  Like the AFC South Divisional Champs, this is a room for winners.  You are sure to impress a business client or even your friends if you host your next event here.  Rumor has it there have been a few engagement proposals in this very room!  If you really want to get someone’s attention, you should open that bottle of Louis XIII Cognac which sits comfortably in the corner of the room.

One of the Private Dining Coordinators can help you and/or your company select the perfect private dining menu for your event.  I have hosted lunches for some of my clients using the private dining rooms and I highly recommend booking this room, you won’t regret it!



Texans Private Dining Room

Del Frisco’s Houston Lunch Summary

Whether you decide to have the business lunch, private dining lunch or just go a la carte, you will not be disappointed.  Del Frisco’s Houston is an excellent choice for either lunch or dinner and you should make sure you stop in and enjoy.  Remember, no matter what 2012 holds, you must “Keep Calm and Eat On”!

Gourmand Girl’s Conclusion: 5 VIPs

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Houston gets our highest rating of 5 VIPs.