Wine Corks at Hunkar
Restaurant, Istanbul
(2006) by Galina
Stepanoff-Dargery
NEW YORK CORNER: ANTHOS by John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR: Feudo Arancio Makes Quality Sicilia Wines at Great Prices by John Mariani QUICK BYTES TRYING TO TRAVEL IN STYLE by
John Mariani
For several years now a friend of mine has never gone on a trip without packing what we calls his "travel suit"--a shiny, ill-fitting bottle-green number he bought years ago in Hong Kong that he says he wears only when he absolutely has to put on a jacket and tie. "It's terrific," he exults. "I can crumple it up, shake it out, wear it and not really care if it gets torn or stolen. It's just a cheap, crappy suit I wear out of necessity." If that seems like a nifty item to have in your luggage, consider also that he looks like he's working a cheap, crappy suit. In other words, concierges, restaurateurs, and shop owners take one look at that awful green suit of his, wring their hands and say, "Here comes another one." I am not suggesting that clothes always make the man, nor that the pleasure of travel be encumbered by the kind of wardrobe only George Hamilton would bring for a weekend in There are certain rules--simple ones that don't take up much room in the luggage--that I think both ease one's passage through gates and lobbies and give an air of sophistication that is always preferable to being regarded as a close cousin of the Simpsons. None of these rules requires extra baggage--they may even require less--nor discomfort, unless you're the type of man who thinks wearing a jacket is somehow more constricting than wearing a windbreaker or jogging suit top. The guiding principle of traveling in style is always to look comfortable in one's clothes, not stiffly dressed to the nines. "A good style should show no signs of effort," said W. Somerset Maugham, who also said that "only a cad would wear a brown hat to town." Which reminds me of a woman I met who once attended a party where Cary Grant showed up. After returning home, the woman asked her husband, "Did you see how beautifully Cary Grant was dressed?" To which her husband shrugged and said, "No, what was he wearing?" Her reply: "Oh, I don't know what he was wearing." So, here are a few do's and don'ts of traveling in style that I think are completely reasonable, usually rewarding, and don't cause chafing. THE LAND'S END SYNDROME One of the chronic mistakes Americans abroad make is to dress in a style that suggests everything was purchased from a mail order catalog. Tennis shirts the color of strawberry sherbet, a blue poplin blazer with welted seams and white buttons, uncuffed chinos and brand new sneakers, that sort of thing. Such an ensemble is perfectly adequate on vacation in I've nothing against chinos (I own a pair or two) or blue blazers (which I also own two of), but it has become the American traveler's uniform and gets an appropriate response. It's fine--as are shorts in hot weather climates and anoraks in wet--but wearing such an outfit to a fine restaurant in CULTIVATING CASUAL CHIC The whole world has become more casual in its dress, but that doesn't mean slovenly. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the finest restaurants in So, too, Italian or Spanish loafers are supple, while English laced shoes are more comfortable after a long day on your feet. Nikes and Reeboks are fine for traipsing through the ruins of By the same token, it is useless to object to restaurant policies that insist upon a jacket and tie and pure folly to arrive in expensive, casual duds and expect to be seated anyway. Most restaurants that require a jacket courteously have on hand several discreet jackets in a range of sizes. Others try to punish your indiscretion by giving you something embarrassing to wear. While dining at the Savoy Hotel in 007 KNOWS BEST If you've ever read any of Ian Fleming's James Bond books, you will see that super-suave super spy 007 is anything but the fop he became in the Roger Moore films. Bond, by the very nature of his assignments (forty-eight hours to find and defuse an atomic bomb in choppy waters off A blue suit is essential to traveling in style. It is never out of place, dressy enough for more formal occasions and always correct in business meetings. Medium to dark gray is fine too, but tan, khaki, green, and brown get boring--both for the wearer and the onlooker. A well-made lightweight wool blue blazer--without welted seams--will always be welcome just about anywhere and at any time, with or without a tie, but with gray flannel slacks, not chinos. The former makes you look like a gentleman; the latter like a member of a college glee club. A PROPER COLLAR A man can get by in most echelons of society in a well-fitting, moderately-priced suit. But nothing can disguise a cheap shirt. If there is one item of clothing that betrays a loser's style, it's a shirt with a collar that doesn't sit correctly around the neck, a sheer fabric of a kind that makes you look like an insurance claim adjuster on the job, and cuffs and seams that pucker after two trips to the cleaners. Clothes may not make the man, but bad shirts mark the man, and an investment in good, all-cotton shirts--and you can get excellent quality starting at about $60--is the best one a traveler can make if he wants to make an effortless impression. Bring a variety--a couple of button downs, a straight or spread collar, perhaps a tab. Skip pin-collar shirts. French cuffs are beautiful, but they take extra thought, and you can't afford to lose a cuff link. And take enough shirts for a week: You're unlikely to have them sent out to a cleaner, which would cost a fortune anyway. Also, while this may seem obvious, dress shirts should have collars. But these days, many of the high fashion shirts don't, giving the wearer that ineffable dentist or barber look. Save such collarless fashions for Oscar night in ONE GOOD BAG I am adamantly against buying exorbitantly priced leather luggage or anything with little, intertwined L's and V's on brown vinyl, unless I wanted them banged around by the baggage handler terrorists. Good, sturdy luggage with good locks is a necessity. Suiters, rarely handsome, are the best way to avoid losing your luggage, of course. But buy a good carry-on bag: You might think your old Carnival Airlines bag from your cut-rate trip to UPGRADE ONE-UPMANSHIP I'm old enough to remember the days when people driving their friends and relatives to an airport or picking them up at one would really dress up for the occasion. Now, even in first-class, you'd be lucky not to be sitting next to a tattooed doofus in a sleeveless t-shirt and baseball cap or a jacket reading "GO BULLS!" across the back. (Ever try to pack one of those heavy, satin sports jackets? Fuh-ged-aboud-it!) Not too long ago the airlines themselves requested jackets and ties for gentlemen in first class, then "appropriate dress." Few pay much attention any more, but I have found that showing up at the counter in a jacket and, preferably, a tie can work wonders with the gate and flight attendants in getting you a bit of preferential treatment, whether it's in a better choice of seating, a little lagniappe with cocktails or food, even an upgrade. On a recent occasion I showed up in jacket and tie for my coach seat, only to upgraded to business by a gate attendant who was in a particularly good mood, had the room, and thought she'd do me a favor. Couldn't hurt. THROW THEM IN JUST IN CASE I always carry a few items that don't take up much more space than if I didn't, and they can sometimes make for a more elegant appearance and acceptance at my destination. Pocket squares and neckties in two or three colors to add variety to a basic wardrobe. White cotton handkerchiefs. One cotton turtleneck to be worn under a jacket. A lightweight cotton raincoat--never one of those hideous plastic things that fold into a pouch or a poncho that makes you look like a tour guide in JUST ONE MORE I try never to check my bags, but if I do, I never put anything in there I can't afford to do without. I make the reasonable assumption that anything of value will be summarily stolen. I do try to bring one extra suit of clothes in case they lose the bag, or get spilled or splashed upon. It creates a little more bulk in the baggage, but it's worth it for peace of mind. ONE NIGHT STANDS But the key element to traveling in style is always to remember that you are probably not going to see the same people more than once or twice on your trip. That means you need not take more than two outfits and a few accessories, because no one is going to see you in them again. I once drove back and forth across the As I said up front, traveling with a certain elegance can be as comfortable as traveling in bad taste. For those who couldn't care less, go right ahead. But don't blame me if a maître d' in a posh restaurant leans over to say, "Are you dining with us today, sir, or are you here to check the gas meter?" DRESSING FOR DINNER TIMELINE 1 Million B.C. 500 B.C. 50 A.D. 1789 1898 1935 1975 1988 2007
NEW YORK CORNER by John Mariani Anthos 36 West 52nd Street 212-582-6900
The
sudden closing of Dona, the East Side 52nd Street restaurant run
by Chef Michael Psilakis and Donatella
Arpaia (below),
after less than a year in business was a real downer for
those of us who went there for first-class, modern Greek-Mediterranean
cuisine. As often happens in such cases, a new owner of the
building made
staying in that location exorbitant, so after a brief respite, Psilakis
and Arpaia have opened Anthos,
on the same street but just across Fifth Avenue and facing `21'
Club. And while they insist this is not Dona (which may re-open
elsewhere in the future), their re-emergence is great news for those of
us who have come to regard Psilakis, 37, as one of the new
masters of New York cuisine.
Appetizers at dinner
run $15-$20, entrees $28-$44. Anthos is open for lunch Mon.-Fri. and
for dinner Mon.-Sat. Arpaia, whose first restaurant was Bellini, partnered with Chef David Burke three years ago to open burke & donatella on Joining Arpaia at Dona, Psilakis featured what he called "First Generation Cuisine," combining modern ideas on Italian and Mediterranean food, with a good deal of raw seafood items and mezes appetizers. At Anthos he is toeing much the same line, refining further those elements he innovated at Dona. The new space, formerly occupied by an Italian seafood restaurant named Aquapazza run by Arpaia's brother Dino, is far more beautiful than Dona, basically a long, sleek, glowingly lighted 95-seat room with pleasant bar-lounge upfront and a staircase leading to private dining rooms. White tablecloths, good glassware and silver, and a conversational decibel level make this one of the west side's most congenial and civilized new dining venues, and, though not required, most of the men at dinner wear jackets and ties. The 215-label winelist, with a slew of good modern Greek wines, has a decent price range starting at $35, and a good sommelier, mark Du Mez. So far--at less than two months old--the staff at Anthos is not quite up to the food or wine here. They seem overwhelmed by early success, and the bar is confused by even the simplest cocktail order. I trust this aspect of Anthos will only improve once they all get in synch. Psilakis's food is wholly in its groove, though. For while he is extremely proud of his Greek heritage and wholly knowledgeable about old country culinary traditions, he has brought them into the new century with panache, from the mezes straight through to desserts. The Our main courses were somewhat simpler and heartier, as they should be. We began with Beautifully composed desserts by Bill Corbett included a trio of baklavas--for once not overly sweet!--pistachio, honey custard, and walnut cake with cinnamon ice cream; yogurt with spoon fruit and the unexpected flavors of olives, with a mint gelée and crushed mastic kourambiedes shortbread cookies; a rose and white chocolate crema with passion fruit purée and almond crumble; and goat's cheesecake with Pink Lady apples, goat's milk caramel, and wispy, crisp kataifi pastry. The menu at Anthos is just the right size to allow Psilakis and his team to bring everything off with finesse, despite the number or exotic ingredients used. It is to their credit that none comes across as gimmicky, nothing that might be called "experimental." Everything works here on the principle of good flavors and impeccable ingredients combined in very precise ways to make something that is wonderfully new rather than tellingly novel. NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR Feudo Arancio Makes Quality Sicilia Wines at Great Prices by John Mariani
HINT: IT AIN'T ABOUT THE VODKA MAYBE IT'S JUST. . . YOU ! "Dining in [ QUICK BYTES * Silks
restaurant at Mandarin Oriental San Francisco announces additions to
the
schedule of winemaker dinners hosted by Wine Director and Master
Sommelier
Richard Dean. Each event is preceded by an hour-long tasting seminar
with the
winemaker or winery representative. Chef de cuisine Joel Huff will
create menus
to complement the wines.
* During
The
Tribeca Film Festival from April 25-May 6, Cercle
Rouge is offering special $19.95 lunch and $34.95 dinner prix fixe
menus
for guests in the area, featuring chef Pierre Landet's cuisine. Call
212-226-6252.
*
From April 28-May 6 in NYC
all three Dos Caminos restaurants
will lead in to Cinco de Mayo with special Hass Avocado dishes and a
specialty
cocktail, the Zaragosa. On Cinco de Mayo
* On April 29
*
On April 30, the Washington, DC Chapter of
Les Dames d'Escoffier
*
Whistler's Dine & Unwind program returns May
1-June
28, offering visitors multi-course menus starting at just $20 pp.
Participating
restaurants incl. Araxi, Bavaria
Restaurant, Cinnamon Bear Bar & Grille, Crêpe Montagne, The
Den at Nicklaus
North, Fifty-Two 80 Bistro, Hy's Steakhouse, La Rua Restaurante,
Milestone's
Whistler, The Mountain Club, Quattro at Whistler, Ric's Grill, Rimrock
Café,
Tandoori Grill, The Wine Room, and Zen Sushi. Stay in Whistler during
Spring
Dine and Unwind for as little as $99 per night. Call 1-800-WHISTLER.
*
On May 14 in
*
As part of the new
"Art de Cuisine" series at Sivory
Punta Cana, in the
Everett Potter's Travel Report: I
consider this the best
and savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a columnist
for USA Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and
Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski
and a frequent contributor to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com and Elle Decor. "I’ve designed this
site is for people who take their travel seriously," says Potter.
"For travelers who want to learn about special places but don’t
necessarily want to pay through the nose for the privilege of
staying there. Because at the end of the day, it’s not so much about
five-star places as five-star experiences." To go to his
blog click on the logo below:
Tennis Resorts Online:
A Critical Guide to the World's
Best Tennis Resorts and Tennis Camps,
published by ROGER COX, who has spent more than two decades writing
about tennis travel, including a 17-year stretch for Tennis magazine. He has also
written for Arthur Frommer's Budget
Travel, New York Magazine,
Travel & Leisure, Esquire, Money, USTA Magazine, Men's Journal, and The Robb Report. He has
authored two books-The World's
Best Tennis Vacations (Stephen Greene Press/Viking Penguin,
1990) and The Best Places to Stay in the Rockies (Houghton
Mifflin, 1992 & 1994), and the Melbourne (Australia) chapter to the
Wall Street Journal Business
Guide to Cities of the
Pacific Rim (Fodor's Travel Guides, 1991). Click on the logo
below to go to the site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher:
John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani, Naomi
Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson, Edward Brivio, Mort
Hochstein, Suzanne Wright. Contributing
Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery, Bobby Pirillo. Technical
Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
Any of John Mariani's books below
may be ordered from amazon.com by clicking on the cover image.
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