MARIANI’S

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  June 12, 2005                                                         NEWSLETTER


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June 16, 1904: "Leopold Bloom ate with relish the inner organs of beasts and fowls.  He liked thick giblet soup, nutty gizzards, a stuffed roast heart, liver slices fried with crustcrumbs, fried hencod's roes.  Most of all he liked grilled mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine."
--James Joyce, Ulysses (1922).


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Away in Alsace: Strasbourg  by John Mariani

NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR: Alsatian Wines Gain Cachet by John Mariani

NEW YORK CORNER: Mario's by John Mariani

QUICK BYTES


Away in Alsace: Strasbourg by John Mariani
Photos by Galina Stepanoff-Dargery

Travel poster by Roger Broders, 1926

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      When I am very hungry, which is my usual state of appetite after an overnight flight to Europe, I want nothing dainty to eat.  So when I arrived in Strasbourg, I wanted choucroute à l'alsacienne--that steaming platter of sausages and sauerkraut cooked in goose fat, spices, and riesling wine, served with mustard and horseradish on the side--just the thing to take the edge off the rigors of the red-eye.
       The history of the dish is rich, its local popularity evident from the number of restaurants in Strasbourg that serve it and the crowds of locals that pack them, and the enjoyment of the dish is amply increased with either a glass of Alsatian beer or a bottle of Alsatian wine (see next story).  Astonishingly, the latest (2001) English-language edition of Larousse Gastronomique does not even have a separate listing for the dish, nor is there any recipe listed in the index.  You have to look under  "sauerkraut" (choucroute in French) to find one, provided by the beloved Alsatian artist called "Hansi."
 
   We checked into the very pleasant, centrally located Beaucour-Baumann Romantik (5 Rue des Bouchers; 03-88-76-7200; www.hotel-beaucour.com), l
ocated
just steps from the Quai Saint-Nicolas in an 18th-century timbered building that was once a cane and umbrella factory. Just up the block,  we sated our aching  hunger for choucroute à l'alsacienne at Au Pont de Corbeau (21 Quai Saint-Nicolas; 03-88-35-6068).  666666666So, apparently was everyone else, for the place was packed with locals and businessmen in cramped but convivial quarters, with every square inch done up in wood--walls and ceiling--except for a tile floor (right).  We took a cozy alcove with risqué Alsatian cartoons above it, and chatted with the silver-haired owner, Cristophe, a fine fellow who is the very soul of Strasbourg joie de vivre.
     At lunch there is a remarkably priced €11 ($13.40) menu that includes a generous salade frisée aux lardons, with its typical mix of greenery, saltiness, texture and tang, and an outstanding, creamy onion tart.  There was also a delicious sauerkraut tart, and then the dish we'd be waiting for--a huge portion of choucroute à l'alsacienne that met expectations and immediately restored our spirits. Two local fellows at the next table regretted we hadn't tried the restaurant's Alsatian hamburger, a kind of Salisbury steak that they were mopping up with mashed potatoes and brown gravy. But by then but we were on to a good cherry custard tart and a glass of
Vendange Tardive gewürztraminer.
 

    That afternoon we toured the city, whose interior, historic center takes but a  couple of joyous hours to walk around, by which time you will have a clear sensibility about the prim, impeccably proper way of the people here. pppppThey keep the historic architecture of their beloved home on the River Ill as intact as could be imagined  after thousands of years of warring history, first as an important Roman city called Argentoratum, then, after being destroyed by the Huns, as Strateburgum ("city of roadways"), central to commerce in the Middle Ages.  Culturally the city's native son, Gottfried von Strassburg, was the most important figure of medieval German literature, and there is evidence Gutenberg may have invented his printing press here.
      After the severe deprivations of the Thirty Years War (1618-48), the city came under French rule, then a century later went back to German hands in the Franco-Prussian War, then returned to France after World War I by the Treaty of Versailles.  In the next war the Germans exacted heavy damage to the city,  but its historic integrity has survived, nowhere better appreciated than in its magnificent Cathedral ['(right) and fine museums full of medieval and Renaissance artwork.
      Make no mistake, however, whether the Alsatians think of themselves as French or German, for while many family, town, and street names, including Strasbourg itself, are Germanic and everyone has German relatives, the Alsatians are resolutely French, even if they have a streak of Teutonic reserve about them.

(One of the best ways to take advantage of it all is to obtain a "Strasbourg Pass," which for €10.60 [$13] gives you three days free admission or 50% reductions to museums, a riverboat, and more.)


            Later that  evening, my wife and I dined at the city's premier seafood restaurant, L'Alsace  à Table
(8 Rue Francs-Bourgois; 03-88-32-5062; www.alsace-a-table.fr). Guy-Pierre Baumann is the guiding light of the restaurant ==(left), which offers a generous three-course dinner at €25.50 ($32.50), with many choices from the menu.  Inside the door is a lavish display of seafood on ice, and the decor is a blend of Belle Époque and art nouveau motifs, with figured mirrors and historic photographs on the walls.
      Baumann claims to have  invented "seafood choucroute," which doesn't seem much of a stretch, but I was much happier with grilled and roasted fish done simply or with rich cream sauces. It is difficult not to order platter after platter of grilled langoustines once you see them displayed here. They are sweet and delicious and meaty. There are also several options for platters of fruits de mer--oysters, shrimps, and clams in various portion sizes.
     The wine list has a good selection of Alsatian labels. The fact that the restaurant is open seven days a week is also appealing for anyone hungry on a Sunday afternoon or evening in Strasbourg.
       The next day's lunch was at
Au Vieux Strasbourg (5 Rue du Maroquin; 03-88-32-4189), located "à l'ombre de la cathédrale," done up prettily on two floors in the traditional decor of this beautiful medieval city, with timbers, isimple wood chairs, hanging lamps with grandmotherly shades, and murals of Strasbourg.  The red tablecloths are topped with paper mats, there is a daily blackboard menu, and tables outside in good weather.  It was hard not to be taken in by the evocative, lovely old façade of the place (left), and we were happy to find that the upstairs dining room was non-smoking and had a good local crowd.
     The food here was hearty and good--excellent quiche lorraine and a jarré de porc with sauerkraut--though the onion soup gratinée was thin and the onions not well caramelized. There was no attempt at finesse in the cooking, but we certainly did not leave hungry, and the bottle of Zotzeberg Riesling 2001 went down easily. Our bill came to about $60 for the two of us. 
   It would have been easy to linger over coffee and brandy here, but jet lag took its toll and we repaired to bed for a short winter's nap.

      Strasbourg has its share of Michelin stars, most notably Buerehiesel (three) and Au Crocodile (two), which I've visited in the past and feel they deserve their recognition. This time we went instead to La Vieille Enseigne (9 Rue Tonneliers; 03-88-32-5850), 7;which lost its single star just weeks before our arrival,  but it is still a very fine and beautiful restaurant (right) with a good balance of the classic and the modern on its menu.  The comfort of the restaurant is ideal; you get a warm welcome without effusiveness,
and the place has sophistication without pretense even down to the chairs that move smoothly and quietly over the carpet and the sconces that cast a soft glow on everyone.  Tables are nicely separated from each other; wood mouldings are topped with calligraphy of bistro food items; exotic flowers are set in Lalique bowls on a pedestal; and the guests seem as polite as the staff: two gentlemen at a table adjacent to ours asked us if they might smoke.
                                                                                                                                     Photo courtesy of La  Vieille Enseigne 
       Chef  J. Christophe Langs cooks  in a thoroughly French style with modern flourishes, So, we began with a shooter of liquefied salmon sipped through a straw and little samosa-like pastries stuffed with crab meat. An appetizer of foie gras with apricots was of the high quality you expect from the region that perfected foie gras, and langoustines were done in a light tempura batter accompanied by a lovely eggplant terrine.  Poached pike with a sauerkraut pancake was a tad bland, but squab cooked pink was delicious as a main course.  This was followed by an odd shooter of pudding as a pre-dessert, unidentifiable as a flavor, and the meal ended with some decadent chocolate beignets. 
       The wine list is among the best in Strasbourg, leaning heavily on the local offerings but with a good selection of other regional French wines.  Prices for a meal here are very reasonable: a 5-course seafood menu is €59 ($72 ); otherwise, main courses à la carte run €27 ($33) to €31 ($38).
        The next day we were off on the Wine Trail and on to Colmar and Selestat, which are stories for another time in the not-too-distant- future.


NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR

Alsatian Wines Gain Real Cachet
by John Mariani

     The wines of France's Alsace region may not yet have the cachet of those from Bordeaux and Burgundy, but with 50 grand crus now produced, their status is growing fast.
      
  Believing that when in Alsace, drink as the Alsatians do, I did nothing but on my trip, especially the Grand Crus which the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine began selecting in 1983.  (For a complete listing of the Grand Cru Vineyards, visit www.alsacewine.com).  Grand Cru wines may only be made from four varieties--riesling, muscat, gewürztraminer, and pinot gris. Vineyard yields must be lower than basic appellations. Minimum sugar levels and alcohol levels are set higher. The label must mention the vineyard name, the grape variety, the vintage, and the Grand Cru status.rth
     Although some of the better-known estates, including Trimbach and Leon Beyer, do not choose to use the Grand Cru name on the labels of their best wines, the appellation carries enormous prestige. Grand Crus only account for 10 percent of
Alsace's land devoted to wine grapes, and only 6 to 7 percent of the region's total wine production. Excellent producers like Gustave Lentz, Trimbach, Beyer,  Albert Mann, Zind-Humbrecht, Schlumberger, Hügel, and Marcel Deiss, all well represented in the U.S. and Great Britain.
     ``I think we Alsatian vignerons are quickly overcoming the image of being merely `regional' wines,'' says Georges Lorentz, 39, managing director of the Gustave Lorentz winery in Bergheim in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. ``We have seven principal grape varieties here and we're distinguishing our wines from German wines made from the same grapes.'' After tasting ten of Lorentz’s wines at his winery, I was persuaded that he is among the young movers in the region, committed to using modern vinicultural techniques that were not available to his ancestors, who have been making wine here for 250 years ago.
   
  The best way to appreciate the wine country is to drive through the winding, carefully marked, 170-kilometer Route des Vins d'Alsace (www.alsace-route-des-vins.com), which rambles from Thann in the west to Marlenheim in the east. While touring the area, do visit the Museum of Alsace Wine and Winegrowing at the Château de Kientzheim.
    

NEW YORK CORNER
by John Mariani

Mario's
2342 Arthur Avenue, Bronx
718-584-1188

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Mario's is testament not only to the enduring favor of Italian-American food but to the notion that a family-run restaurant is likely to express the best virtues of the American restaurant business.  Hard work, often seven days a week, refinement of dishes over decades, dependability and consistency, and, above all, a very intimate relationship with generations of customers--these are the things that make restaurants like Galatoire's in New Orleans, The Berghoff in Chicago, Bern's Steak House in Tampa, and Mario's in the Bronx thrive and become beloved.
     Indeed, a few years ago Mario's was recipient of the James Beard Award as one of "America's Classics," which it most certainly is.
    Located since 1919 in the Belmont section of Fordham (where Dion and the Belmonts began singing doo-wop on a street corner of Arthur Avenue and  187th Street), Mario's has been run by five generations of the  Miglucci family, including Rose, now the materfamilias of the clan, who is still there most days and nights making sure all is done as her late husband did it,  as his father did it, and as her son Joseph and his son, Mario, and daughter, Regina, continue to do it. It's an unbreakable chain of commitment, day in, day out, six days and  nights a week.  When  the Migluccis go on vacation, Mario's closes.

          The pizzas here are legendary—perfect Neapolitan pies of impeccable crust, not thick but not too thin, beautifully seared on the bottom, bubbly and charred, with a topping of nothing more than fresh tomato, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, and basil—the epitome of a great pizza. poiuMario’s serves pizzas during the day, but in the evening only as an adjunct to a meal.  And, given the size of Mario’s portions, the thought of a pizza as an appetizer can be a little daunting.  Somehow my family and I always manage, because we are helpless to resist.  We are also helpless at refusing Rose’s hot peppers and carrots along with the good warmed seeded Italian bread.  Incidentally Joseph is still the best pizzaiolo in the place, ever since his dad passed away five years ago.
          The pasta sauces are all made to order here, and several of the pastas are themselves made on the premises; the rest are purchased from first-rate shops in the neighborhood. I love their ricotta cavatelli with fresh tomato sauce; the perfectly al dente spaghetti teeming with huge amounts of chopped clams (or in the shell, if you prefer),   rigatoni glistening with broccoli di rabe in oil and slivers of garlic with chunks of fennel sausage; luscious and creamy manicotti, and baked ravioli. The stuffed eggplant is first rate, the fried calamari perfectly golden, crisp and tender. If they have langoustines, order them simply grilled, although seafood is not Mario's strong point; better are their lamb chops and all their veal dishes, including the Italian-American cliché of clichés, veal alla parmigiana, made the way it should be, with excellent veal, fresh tomato and melting mozzarella—a superb dish in every scrumptious way.  Even a broiled chicken, accompanied by a cheese-rich potato croquette and some sautéed spinach, is a feast at Mario’s.
       Desserts are afterthoughts here--a trolley of Italian-American specialties not unlike everyone else's--but the cheesecake is of good quality, and they know how to make a rich cup of espresso.  The wine list has long needed expanding, but I don't think this is likely in the near future. Everyone seems pretty happy with the same chiantis and pinot grigios they've had here for years.
          00Mario’s looks have changed little over the years, although the place is always happily festooned with family photos, varnished paintings of Mount Vesuvius, Italian statuary, pink banquettes, and plenty of photos of famous people who have dined here, meaning every New York sports figure and pol, rock-and-roll stars, famous restaurateurs like Sirio Maccioni and Julian Niccolini, and actors who grew up here, like Chazz Palmentieri, who wrote the play and subsequent movie "A Bronx Tale," his personal fantasy about life in the neighborhood.
      Arthur Avenue has a lot of old-fashioned Italian-American eateries, some known for one or two dishes, others, like Dominick's, known for its communal tables and lines out the door, and one, Roberto's, known for its superb regional and personalized Italian cooking.  There's also a new branch of Umberto's Clam House on the Avenue, and a very fine Omaha Steakhouse around the block. There are good pizzerias (though none as good as Mario's) and cafés, and seafood markets where you can slurp raw shellfish with a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce at an outdoor counter. 
     Mario's, whose roots are Neapolitan, is part of this very American fabric, and, for its longevity and commitment, it has had a role in holding the neighborhood together through thick and thin.  Things are thick right now, the neighborhood doing very well, and it's as safe a place as you'll find in the very safe City of New York.   If you want to see the real Little Italy in action, go up to the Bronx, not down to the edge of Chinatown in Manhattan. Take in a Yankees game, visit the Bronx Zoo or the Botanical Gardens, then retire to a banquette at Mario's. You'll never spend a better day.
                Pastas run $10.50-$12, main courses $14.75-$18.95.


OY VEY, SAMMY DAVIS JR. IS GONNA PLOTZ!
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"The young and sophisticated have a new place to ‘check-in’ at Motel, 600 W. Chicago, Chicago, IL. Co-owners Hubie Greenwald and Chef John Manion, of the famed MAS restaurant, invite you to be a guest when they delve into Chicago’s bar scene with an innovative concept featuring classic cocktails and `room service style' fare in a retro-hip setting. . . . As you enter, step into L.A…the early 1960’s…sans the kitschy, `vintage' vibes. An antique pool table and shuffleboard set the stage, where guests can mix and mingle with friends both old and new. `This is more Peter Lawford than Frank Sinatra,' explains Greenwald." --From a press release for Motel.




KEEP IT QUIET! EVERYONE WILL WANT ONE!t


In Changsha, China, restaurant patron Li Juan, upon complaining that he'd found a fly in his noodles, insisted to the manager that the waiter removed the insect and ate it.  According to the Xiaoxiang Morning Post, the manager refused to acknowledge that the alleged fly was ever in the bowl.
   









DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
In an article on New York cheesecake two weeks ago, I erroneously noted that Patsy's restaurant no longer makes its own.  It most certainly still does, and, as previously noted, it's a great one.


QUICK BYTES

* On June 16  at the Time Warner Center, NYC photographer Alan "Battman" Batt will display 150 photographs from his new  books, Summer in New York and New York Sweets, featuring thematic creations and recipes from  chefs in NYC, Miami and Chicago. "The Great Gathering of Chefs" will bring  over 125 chefs to autograph 200 copies to be sold to benefit The Children's Storefront. Chefs include Christian Albin, Florian Bellanger, Ed Brown, David Burke, Andrew Carmellini, Cesare Casella, Andy D'Amico, Christian Delouvier, Karen DeMasco, Wylie Dufresne, Chris Gesualdi,  Gabriel Kreuther, Waldy Malouf, Sam Mason, Suvir Saran, Ari Nieminen, Wayne Nish, Tadashi Ono, Charlie Palmer, Cyril Renaud, Eric Ripert, Michael Romano, Pierre Schaedelin, Claude Alain Solliard, Brad Steelman, Bill Telepan, Tom Valenti, David Waltuck, Patricia Williams, Bill Yosses et al.  Visit www.battmanstudios.com.

* On June 19,  Father’s Day, the Washington State Buty Winery's winemaker Caleb Foster, will be hosted at NYC’s Tocqueville at a 5-course dinner designed by chef/owner Marco Moreira, Chef de Cuisine George Mendes and Pastry Chef Ryan Butler.  $150 pp. Call  212-647-1515.

 * On June 22 Gabriel’s Restaurant in Highwood, IL, Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Viti will hold a dinner with Spencer Clark, owner/winemaker of Napa's Amizetta Vineyards. $125 pp. Call 847-433-.0031 or visit www.egabriels.com.

* On June 23 PJ Wine’s Second Annual Spanish Wine Festival to benefit City Harvest will be held at Landmark on the Park  in NYC, with Flamenco dancing, Sherry poured by a Venenciador, Spanish cheeses from Cheese from Spain; jamon from Redondo Iglesias USA, tapas from La Naçional, and other food purveyors. $75 pp. Register online at www.pjwine.com or call 212 567-5500.

* On June 24 in Woodville, WA,  Willows Lodge, Woodinville Women and Wine, Molbak’s and The Herbfarm Restaurant present “Girlfriends’ Weekend,” with a welcome reception on Fr., a  Sat. morning mimosa party at The Herbfarm Restaurant’s South 47 Farm, a tour at Molbak’s Plant Farm; winemaker’s dinner with Hightower Cellars, Bergevin Lane Vineyards, Buty Winery, and Saviah Cellars. Call 425- 424-3900 or visit www.willowslodge.com.  Priced from $323.

* On June 26 The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Seattle will host its Second Annual "Sea into the Future" benefit dinner and silent auction for the Marine Stewardship Council, with Oceannaire’s Chef Kevin Davis and colleagues, incl. Rick Moonen of RM in Las Vegas, Greg Higgins of Higgins in Portland, Rob Clark of C-Restaurant in Vancouver B.C., and Seattle's own "Dessert Diva" Sue McCown of Earth & Ocean.  $125 pp. Call 206-267-2277.


* On June 28 Chef Walter Manzke of L’Auberge Carmel in Carmel, CA, will host a rare Abalone 6-course dinner, with Art Seavey from The Monterey Abalone Co.   $120 pp. Call 831-624-8578.

* On June 28 in Atlanta, Sotto Sotto will explore the cooking of the Veneto at a dinner in its “Tour of Italy” series.   $39 pp. Call 404-523-6678 or visit www.sottosottorestaurant.com.
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MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly.  Editor/Publisher: John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani,  Naomi  Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson,  Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein, Lucy Gordan, Suzanne Wright. Contributing Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery,  Bobby Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.

 John Mariani is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, and Bloomberg News.  He is author of The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink (Lebhar-Friedman), The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink (Broadway), and, with his wife Galina, the award-winning new Italian-American Cookbook (Harvard Common Press).

 Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com by clicking on the cover image.


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copyright John Mariani 2005