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Saturday, April 29, 2006
What's Good Tonight?
While growing up in New Orleans, I was fortunate to have parents that appreciated
good food and exposed me to the finer skills of eating and drinking. When dining out, my sister would frequently order
the hamburger from the menu, but I was more inclined to get the fried shrimp or a seafood influenced dish, leaving the kids
menu in the dust. My somewhat indecisive father generally made his meal selection by asking the chef or the waiter "what's
good tonight?" The responses generally included soft shell crabs that were caught earlier in the day or maybe the homemade
seafood stuffed pasta shells that were going fast (there was always one "last" order that they could put aside for us).
Whatever the dish, the question seemed legitimate, as there had to be a couple of dishes from the large menu that were especially
good that night. A couple of weeks ago while dining in New Orleans, I asked that very same question to a chef and was
met with a surprisingly different answer.
On a recent trip to New Orleans, we had the pleasure of dining at the food
bar of One Restaurant and Lounge in the Riverbend. Dining at One is an intimate experience, especially with the opportunity to interact with
the kitchen staff when sitting at the food bar. Since I was a regular at the restaurant and personally know the
chef, Scott, I figured I could get an inside opinion on the best of the best that particular evening. When I asked "what's
good tonight," he responded with a statement in the form of a question that I felt to be a testament to his cooking - "see
everything on that menu in front of you?"
I quickly realized that the compact menu of One IS what is good, with no
room for pages of fluff. A menu that changes frequently (it's already changed since my visit), you will generally find
only four or five selections from the appetizers, soups and salads, and entrees. To an indecisive diner accustomed to
a six page menu, picking from such a limited selection may seem like a daunting task. On the flipside, as a sometimes
indecisive diner, I know that whatever I order will be good.
The change in the restaurant scene is a constant, and the trend toward
smaller menus seems to be the current trend. If you find a restaurant with a chef who's passionate about their food,
a smaller, changing menu can help to showcase the best of the best. I've also heard the opposite, from those who don't
believe that their selection should be so limited. How do you feel about smaller menus? Good? Or Bad?
After this experience, I will think twice about the questions I ask, but regardless of what's on the menu, I'll still continue
to ask the chef "what's good tonight?"
Sunday, April 23, 2006
It's been a blurry month.... Key West
Well, the Key West Beach diet was a noble idea and I'm glad I partook in
two solid weeks of healthy eating, but it didn't exactly benefit me while on vacation. My whole weekend in Key West
was sort of a blur, and a majority of the calories I consumed came in the form of alcohol, with the exeption of the great
pizza I ate on Duval street on Friday and Saturday evenings at about 2am. Other people were paying, so obviously we
all indulged. The weather was perfect and the scenery was great; a bunch of us rented mo-peds and drove around
enjoying the island, and I even got a parking ticket! I finally felt like I was back in NOLA. The open container
laws were comparable, and Duval street was similar to Bourbon, lots of bars, strip clubs and t-shirt shops. I've decided
that Key West is, simply, New Orleans on the water.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Key West Beach Diet, Day 7: Popularity of Shish-Ka-Bobs
Apparently shish-ka-bobs are a popular dish right now in central Florida;
I had the hardest time finding bamboo skewers to use for my dinner tonight. My first stop at Target left me staring
into the empty bin where they WOULD have been. My second stop at Linen's and Things was successful, but I snagged the
last bag of skewers in the place. So I guess I wasn't the only one with that idea, and for good reason. Cooking
with skewers is an easy way to prepare a healthy tasty and attractive meal with minimal cleanup.
Unfortunatley I don't have pictures to illustrate my version, but the great
thing about the meal is that there is no limit to your imagination. Skewer a combination of proteins and veggies,
drizzle with a little olive oil, season (salt, pepper and cayenne) and throw on the grill, under the broiler or on a
stovetop grill pan. For the protein, my favorites are steak, shrimp or chicken. Some skewer-friendly veggies are
red, green and yellow bell peppers, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, red onion and asparagus tips.
Shish-ka-bobs can be made ahead of time for a party and refrigerated until
needed, or you can present your guests with an assortment of ingredients and let them make their own favorites. Gather
around the grill and serve on regular plates, or for an informal pool party with easy cleanup, use paper plates. One
last hint about cooking: shrimp are best cooked on their own skewer without veggies; the shrimp cook fast so otherwise
you would end up with overcooked shrimp or undercooked veggies.
Monday, April 3, 2006
Key West Beach Diet, Day 6: Mediterranean Monday
The weekend is over, so it's time to jump back into my diet. Although
I didn't exactly go overboard this weekend, I did enjoy some fantastic thin crust pizza Friday night/ Saturday morning at
The Deck (my favorite in Tampa), a lot of Corona on Saturday and a grilled ribeye with blue cheese butter on Sunday.
I met a great group of people on Sunday and several guys who enjoy cooking and eating almost as much as I do. I learned
how to make Asian sticky rice and a spicy sauce that makes an outstanding appetizer, and I met a guy who grew up in Lebanon.
All the talk of Mediterranean food had me wanting, and while at Publix this evening, I came across some Hummus and Taboule
and couldn't resist.
Although I cooked chicken tonight, one of the best ways to make a
meal tasty is to do it in an ethnic style. The days of plain grilled chicken breast are over; ethnic food is more
popular than ever. Last monday I did chicken breast with mango salsa. This week, I sliced up a chicken breast,
drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, then seasoned them with Cavender's Greek Seasoning. I
broiled the chicken in the oven with some grape tomatoes, then paired it with a mound of store bought Taboule and Hummus with
some pita bread. Just as easy would have been some chicken shish-ka-bobs on the grill.
Eating healthy is all about making food taste good; and this dish
accomplished that task. Next time you are trying to dress up a boring dish, add some fresh herbs and good seasonings.
Chicken is on sale this week, so can you take a guess what's on tap for tomorrow? Don't worry, it'll be good!
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