Recipe: Carrot Macaroni and Cheese (low calorie)

This is another excellent concept from Jeremy Fox, chef of Napa’s Ubuntu, which is a much-buzzed-about new vegetarian restaurant. The silky carrot puree is a replacement for the usual fatty cream sauce. I prefer this version to the usual bland mac ‘n cheese. I changed the recipe a little to pump up the flavors.

Recipe: Chicory Salad (Radicchio, Orange, Date, Ricotta Salata)

This salad has big, bold, mouth-filling flavors and is essentially a meal-in-a-bowl.  I had a version of it at Lure in  San Mateo (see my restaurant review of this great spot on the blog) and it was so memorable that I developed my own version.  It’s a good fall/winter salad, during prime citrus season.  Among the wonderful things about this salad is the contrast of sweet/bitter, soft/crunchy and it’s beautiful to look at as well.

Recipe: Strawberry Gazpacho (David Kinch)

The simplicity of this recipe belies how out-of-this-world wonderful it tastes. I begged David for months for the recipe because I couldn’t duplicate it. He sometimes serves this as an amuse bouche before the meal starts. Great berries are a necessity, so go to a farmers market or buy the divine Swanton strawberries sometimes sold at Whole Foods. At Manresa (his superb restaurant in Los Gatos), he uses the freshest ingredients available, of course, so be choosy in your shopping. Higher-end grocery stores like Draeger’s are more likely to carry the quality balsamic vinegar and nut oil (best: imported French oil such as J. Leblanc; the only acceptable domestic oils are by LaTourangelle) called for in the recipe. David’s recipes are presented “chef’s style,” in weight measurements rather than the volume measurements typically found in home recipes. I’ve added some further explanations in the recipe.

Local Restaurant Wine Lists — What to Select?

Wine expertise can be like golf; lots of time and practice are required so you don’t embarrass yourself in public. This might be one reason why restaurant wine lists can sometimes resemble an old duffer rather than Tiger Woods when it comes to the selection. But with wine consumption growing, so is the quality of restaurant wine lists, which just increases the expectation that people who dine out will be knowledgeable about wine.

Modern Cooking in a Classic Victorian at Trevese

Chef Michael Miller never gave up on the South Bay, despite the sign-of-the-times demise in 2003 of his first restaurant, Umunhum, in San Jose. Unfortunately, his terrific food couldn’t overcome the shopping-mall location nor the then-grim economy, but this local boy isn’t a quitter. His recent comeback has everything right going for it this time, particularly what is probably the most spectacular site in downtown Los Gatos – now indisputably south county’s premier restaurant town. Opened in early spring of 2007, Trevese Restaurant & Lounge inhabits the imposing, turreted 1891 Coggeshall mansion. Its stately façade and gingerbread have been attracting second looks for years from its spot in the heart of the action on North Santa Cruz Avenue.