MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
Founded in 1996
ARCHIVE Penn Station, 1942 by Marjorie Collins
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IN THIS ISSUE JAMES BOND'S TASTES: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER BAAZI By John Mariani ANOTHER VERMEER CHAPTER NINE By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR AN ARRAY OF NEW RED WINES IN A RANGE OF PRICES By John Mariani ❖❖❖ On this week's episode of my WVOX
Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. MARCH
2 at 11AM EST,I will be
interviewing Peter Madonia, formerly CEO of the Chairman of the Belmont Business
Improvement District (BID) owner of the
historic Madonia Bakery on Arthur Avenue
in the Bronx. Go to: WVOX.com.
The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.
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JAMES BOND'S TASTES,
Part Six:
Diamonds Are Forever (1956) was Ian
Fleming’s fourth novel, adapted for the screen
in 1971, starring Sean Connery after he’d left
the series after You Only
Live Twice. Fleming was inspired by a Sunday
Times story about diamond smuggling, and
it gave him the opportunity to send 007 to many
locations where he had a good number of
opportunities to wine and dine.
❖❖❖ NEW YORK CORNER BAAZI
2588 Broadway
646-861-3859
By John Mariani
I’m not
sure why
there is such a current uptick in the number
of fine new Indian restaurants around town and
outside of the traditional Indian
neighborhoods like Jackson Heights and Curry
Hill, but I could hardly be happier to find
them showing more and more regional and
contemporary flair than in the past. Baazi,
meaning “bet” in Hindi (as well as the name of
a Bollywood action movie), is a significant
entry and a departure, which is what I’ve come
to expect from chef/owner Gaurav Anand (left),
who for the past dozen years has opened a slew
of restaurants both here and in New Delhi and
Goa. In New York they have included Bhatti
Indian Grill, Awadh and Moti Mahal Deluxe
(which still does the best butter chicken
anywhere).
Anand is an ebullient fellow, bounding from
the kitchen to the front door (there is outside
dining) and from table to table, genially assisted
by the engaging and lovely general manager Abla
Atoubi. Baazi is set on two levels in a motif of
royal blue and daffodil yellow, with a live olive
tree inside and a wall of flowers. The bar is a
smart place for Upper West Siders to meet, and,
for once, I actually enjoyed the spiced-up
cocktails, like the Old Monk Daiquiri with
Old Monk 7-year aged Indian rum, pomegranate,
lime, and a Spicy Ginger Margarita.
The size of the menu makes perfect sense,
just as the size of old-line Indian restaurants’
do not, filled with
columns
of dishes offering beef, lamb, chicken or shrimp
cooked up in the same five sauces. At Baazi you
find what you do not elsewhere, so the number of
dishes—12 appetizers ($15-$26) and an equal number
of main courses ($22-$29), all easy enough to
share and to allow the kitchen to take the time
focusing on their individuality.
Peruse the menu and you’ll
find dishes wholly new to New York, beginning with
kali kachori ($15), a snack dish from Uttar
Pradesh, made
with a charcoal cracker plumped up as moist lentil
dumplings, along with chickpeas with aromatic
mint, thick yogurt and pomegranate pearls. Shakarkandi
($15) has nothing to do with the “Sharknado” comedies or
candy: it is a chaat dish of crispy yams
and fingerling potatoes dusted with chili lime and
a sweet sour tamarind emulsion. If you like Indian
paneer cheese dishes the ke sholey
($15) is a form of bread roll made with house made
cottage cheese stuffed with raisins and a more
cheese that is grilled. Papad kebab ($15)
is presented in an elegant wooden box as a
bite-size morsel of lentil cracker crusted with
tangy Greek yogurt and a saffron aïoli. The
only way I like to eat cauliflower is at Indian
restaurants as aloo gobi ($16), a
classic vegetarian dish at Baazi served with a
sweet coating and onion seeds. Chicken cafreal
($19), whose origins in Goa derive from
Portuguese merchants, is quite hearty for an
appetizer, made with juicy Cornish hen marinated
in mint and coriander. So, too,
the lamb ribs ($26) are delectably glazed with a
sticky sweet tamarind-based sauce and the surprise
of a coriander-sesame
crunch (below). There are of course meat
kebabs, here minced lamb patties breaded with papadum
cracker crumbs with Greek tzatziki yogurt,
pickle onions and the Tamil Nadu street bread paratha
($20).
Although popular in India, you don’t expect
to find cod (rohu) on an Indian menu in New
York, but here it is as koliwada ($22), a
Mumbai specialty of beautiful, succulent white cod
with a salty and crispy okra and tartar sauce,
while shrimp balchou (below) is
another Goan dish of pan-seared prawn with a
very spicy, hot with chili pickle ($22). Anand
does a vegetarian twist on butter chicken with his
butter kala ($16) made with mushrooms and
chickpeas. Butternut
squash
kofta with sweet corn curry, toasted pepitas
and pumpkin oil ($16) is a gorgeous dish and will
persuade any carnivore of the unique excellence of
Indian vegetable curries.
Onion kulcha ($5) with whole wheat
flour makes for a good side dish, and the basmati
rice ($4) is flavored with lemon.
Desserts, too, are far from the usual
Indian sweets: a jalebi sandwich is a
turn on the pastry funnel cake here with masala
chai ice cream; Coconut sago payasam
is a luscious dish of shaved roasted coconut, soft
tapioca pearls, honey and served with mango
sorbet.
Baazi’s food by any name would be
exciting, and as Indian food goes in New York
Anand is expanding the palette of the myriad
styles of cuisine in the South with color, dash
and tantalizing aromas, all served with
exceptional grace. Open
nightly
for dinner. Note: NYC Health Dept. rules require both staff and guests 12 or older to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. ❖❖❖ ANOTHER VERMEER To read previous chapters of ANOTHER VERMEER, go to the archive CHAPTER NINE
Just
as Katie had predicted, Alan
Dobell readily agreed to
the Vegas
trip—without even reminding her
of the ‘long leash’ he’d
put her on, saying, “I wouldn’t
mind, though, if you did get
an interview with a casino owner
like Wynn as to what he thinks
this ‘new’ Las Vegas is going
to look like.”
“No more than three at a time.”
The cheap United Airlines flight to Vegas, with a stopover in Chicago, was long and uncomfortable. Exhausted, Katie and David checked into the Baccarat Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, jammed up against smaller, squat casinos on each side where hawkers stood outside shouting “FIRST DRINK FREE” and proffering massage parlor cards with pictures of young girls taken years before.
The Baccarat was a rehab of one of the older, neon-besotted casinos in the city, like the Sands, the Flamingo and the Tropicana. Katie and David had considered staying at the Mirage, but, after making contact with Steve Wynn, the hotel offered to comp them, which they could not accept. They had not yet been able to contact Harry Balaton, but hoped they could, if Steve Wynn put in a word for them—or if they told Balaton that Wynn had already been interviewed about his art collection.
Their
meeting with Wynn was the next morning.
Katie and David walked through the
Baccarat, past dozens of craps and Keno
tables, blackjack counters, roulette
wheels, bingo tables and lanes of hundreds
of slots, amidst a cacophony of bells and
chuggings, the sound of coins falling into
the slots’ basins, yelps of instant
exaltation and groans of repeated loss. Cocktail
waitresses wandered by on high heels some
had not yet mastered on thick carpeting
while carrying trays of drinks. David took
a certain pleasure in pointing out which
guys on the floor were plainclothes
security.
“Know any place to eat around here?”
asked Katie. “I’m starving.”
“The Golden Steer goes back to the ’50s and is kind of fun. Big red leather booths—one of them named ‘Sinatra’s’—and they claim to get a lot of celebrities, but I think most of them date back to the days when Bobby Darren was dating Sandra Dee.” (below)
Katie said it sounded like fun. So, a half hour later she met David, who was wearing a blazer she’d seen a lot of.
She was wearing a black dress, whose hem stopped mid-thigh, and a string of pearls, her hair piled atop her head. As she approached David she put her arms up, twirled, and said, “Ta-dah!”
“Well, look at you, Sandra Dee. You look perfect. Maybe we should ask for Sinatra’s booth tonight.”
David was so happy to be with Katie, looking as she did, smelling lightly of a floral perfume, with just a little more make-up than she usually wore. In heels, she was maybe a half-inch taller than he was. Katie didn’t really know much about Sandra Dee and couldn’t remember if she’d ever seen one of her movies, but she took the comparison as a high compliment from a man in his fifties who obviously thought Sandra Dee was pretty terrific. For her part, Katie was delighted to be dining with David again, remembering the adventure they’d had the year before along the Amalfi Coast and how she always felt she was in very good company if anyone got out of line. Which came in handy at The Golden Steer an hour later.
They
didn’t get the Sinatra
booth—it was reserved for
an NFL quarterback and his
party later that
night—but, because Katie
looked so beautiful, the
maître d’ “decorated” the
room by giving the couple
a very good booth nearby.
David slipped him
ten bucks.
David started to
rise from the table, but
Katie put her hand on his
wrist and said to the guy,
“No, but I am
the type to stick this
steak knife between your
fingers and count to five.
I’ve already had
one cocktail, so I don’t
know how good my aim is.
So I’d appreciate it if
you’d just leave.”
“I was
impressed,” said David, “but he was getting
a little . . . fresh, and I thought he
needed some persuasion to leave. Of
course, in the old days when I was still a
cop, I could have slugged him, or whipped
out my gun and pistol-whipped him, but, ah,
those days are long gone.”
All David could
muster was, “Sure. See you then.
© John Mariani, 2016 ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
A Wide Array of New Red
Wines
Two of my
favorite pastimes are to visit a local hardware
store or a wine shop—not an overwhelming cavern like Home Depot,
or some wine-stocked warehouse, but smaller venues where strolling through the aisles always reveals a new tool or a new wine I was unaware I needed. In wine shops I
like to meet an owner who looks for unusual wines
and good bargains that are not going to
be found among best-selling bottles. If one is a
regular, the shop owner will be eager to show you those new bottlings he is enthusiastic about within your budget. Here are some
I’ve found and enjoyed recently.
Landmark Hop Kiln
Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2018 ($85)—Founded in 1974 and
committed strongly to Chardonnay until 1995, when
they started making this Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir,
Landmark acquired the Hop Kiln estate in 2016, where
their best Pinot Noirs are now made. Its 14.2%
alcohol is admirable and shows the wine’s finesse,
while exhibiting the bold, fruity pleasure of Sonoma
Pinots.
La Valentina ‘Spelt’
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2018 ($23)—La Valentina is not
associated with another, better known, Abruzzese
producer named Valentino Valentini, and is a much
younger winery, showing off why the wines of this
eastern Italian region have attracted more and more
attention. "Spelt"
is named for a local wheat variety. The wine is 100%
Montepulciano and, while it doesn’t have the
off-putting tannins of lesser examples, it still has
an earthiness that matches up with grilled meats,
especially rabbit. Alois Lageder
Schiava Alto Adige 2020 ($18)—Schiava is a red
varietal grown in Italy and Germany, where it is
called Trollinger or Vernatsch. It is really only
planted far north and is rarely high in alcohol.
Alois Lageder’s biodynamic issue is only 10%
alcohol, so it’s easy to drink with appetizers and
charcuterie, even a flavorful fish like salmon or
mullet. Justin Justification
2018 ($65)—You’ve got to like
California Paso Robles blockbusters to appreciate this 15% alcohol
Bordeaux-style blend of 66% Cabernet Franc
and 34% Merlot, along the lines of Right Bank
Bordeaux producers. It was barrel-aged for 20
months in new French oak, and, though the tannins
are slightly tamed and the merlot gives it a
certain mellowness, I’d hang onto this big red for
another two to five years. Drink it now and do so
with something cooked over an open fire outside. Blackbird
Vineyards Illustration 2017 ($135)—Unlike
Justification above, Illustration achieves
something of the same heft at only 14% alcohol, as
a proprietary blend of 49% Merlot, 28% Cabernet
Sauvignon and 23% Franc. Thus, the ballast of the
Cabernet Sauvignon underpins the Merlot, rather
than the other way around. It ain’t cheap, but it
really has a fine balance of fruits, acids and
tannins that have melded into an impressive Napa
Valley red.
Tascante "Ghiaia Nera" Etna 2019 ($21)—The Tasca d'Almerita
family is now in its third century and eighth
generation with current scion Alberto Tasca. Tenuta
Tascante estate (a combo of Tasca and Etna) was
founded in 2007 with four parcels in the communes of
Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo, with a cool,
northern exposure. Ghiaia Nera (“black gravel'') is
made from the indigenous Nerello Mascalese grape,
known for its minerality from volcanic soil, which
makes it a good marriage with hearty Southern
Italian fare. ❖❖❖
DEPT. OF THINGS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN
“Are
Restaurants in Car Showrooms the Future of Fine
Dining?”—By Joshua David
Stein, Esquire.com (1/31/22) ❖❖❖ Any of John Mariani's
books below may be ordered from amazon.com.
The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
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FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: 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."
Eating Las
Vegas JOHN CURTAS has been covering
the Las Vegas food and restaurant scene
since 1995. He is the co-author of EATING LAS
VEGAS – The 50 Essential Restaurants (as
well as the author of the Eating Las
Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher
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