I took a friend to John Bentley's over the weekend for dinner. It's been a restaurant that I've frequented over the past few years, starting from my 24th birthday celebration.
The first JB's was right next to The Village Pub, up in woodside, but the newer one has a more central location in Redwood city. I've kept coming back, but this time that I visited, I was so much more convinced that consistency is the recipe to a restaurant's success.
It was unfortunate that during this visit, a couple of things were just not quite what I was expecting (crab salad was a little too tart, hot foie plate was ice cold, foie and lamb was overdone, etc.), and it made me think about whether I would want to go back next time.
I might be overly critical sometimes, but to give me some credit, I do set reasonable expectations; especially, when I feel like it's something I've experienced and can count on.
For a new restaurant, you should always go in with no expectations - after all, there really isn't anything you can base your standards on, just quite yet. However, the second, or third time you visit, generally, it is very acceptable to think that you can hope to experience the same kind of standard that you did the previous times; which is why you continue going back. You re-visit simply because you know what to expect.
When a restaurant has an exceptionally great night (the cooks are all on target, the produce is extra fresh), it sometimes can have the reverse effect on the consumer. A visitor that evening will probably expect the same kind of standard the next they dine, and if the average standard was, well, average, then chances are, the returning visitor would be disappointed, often anticipating the same kind of experience the had the previous time. Disappointment is often much harder to overcome - you'd be pressed to find a customer that would give an establishment recurring business, versus one that that may have thought the food was always just acceptable.
I like to say that it doesn't matter if a restaurant is good or bad - it just always has to be good, or, always has to be bad; that way, customers will always know what they are getting.
Take McDonald's for example - there's just no arguing that the food is just plain bad. However, every time I visit, I am never disappointed. I know that I am paying $5 to get greasy, tasteless, nutrition-lacking, everything bad, food. I go anyway, and go back repeatedly.
Why? Because the food is ALWAYS bad - there's never been a time when I said to myself "Wow, this is the best McDonald's I've ever had, I have got to go back." There's no such thing - the next time I go, I've probably got the munchies and want something awful. (Ok, trivia here, MD's in Asia is definitely better than in other parts of the world, but it's still bad)
There are many factors that are involved in a restaurant's success, many have argued over this - location, food, chef, service, etc; but for me, it's definitely consistency. If a restaurant can achieve absolute consistency, it will most definitely do well in the long run.
Is this reasonable though? After all, there is so much humanity and feeling involved in food; it happens to me as well. If I'm in a good mood, or love who I'm cooking for, the food probably tends to come out better, and vice versa of course. Of course, since consistency is my philosophy is well, I've learned some ways around making sure that my emotions don't affect my food too much. One of them is just practice - the more your practice, the more skilled you will get, and the less room for error. There's no two ways about this - the better chef is almost always the one with more experience, simply because they've done it more times (all other things being equal).
Second, discipline - never serve up anything that is sub-par. I've canceled courses out from menus the day of just because I felt the dish wasn't up to the right standard. It's tempting, especially since each dish cost money; but in the long run, it's worth it.
Third - set the right expectations. I can't dwell on this enough. It's the same in every client facing business. If your consumers have the right expectations, they should never be disappointed. Train the staff well; just because there was a lot of yesterday's beef, doesn't mean that you should upsell it today. Make sure your servers have tried everything on the menu and know exactly how to recommend. As a diner, I always ask my server what they think is best - I always appreciate an honest answer like "well, the lamb is alright, but the chicken is absolutely fantastic." That kind of advice has definitely saved my perception of a restaurant on more than one occasion.
So, possible, but difficult; - I guess that's why there's only one French Laundry, but a McDonald's around every corner.
NB: To give JB's some credit, after expressing my disappointment, their server apologized that the dish didn't meet my expectations and they did something about it. (That's your responsibility as a consumer as well, to give objective feedback).
At the end of writing this, I almost forgot which expert I was writing as - was it the Client Service one, or the Chef one? I now realize that they compliment each other so well, after all, you can't be a chef without servicing your clients.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The long awaited update (Pictures coming soon)
It's been a while since I've blogged anything, but I did have a highlight for July, (yes, I'm several months behind), where I gave another cooking class for a blushing bride to be!
It probably was a really good gift, come to think of it - Young brides these days seldom spend too much time in the kitchen, but will probably be expected to host a dinner party or two, now that they're married. The bride loves to cook as well, so it was also a really fun time for her. Her maids all put on their aprons and whipped out their spoons to produce a spectacular meal that was easy, fresh, and absolutely delicious. It was definitely a meal that she could prepre in the future!
As we cooked, I gave demonstrations on proper sautee methods, some basic knife skills, like the chiffonade and mincing, and some other cooking techniques that were learned were the art of slow roasting salmon, dessert making, and plating 101.
Here's the menu:
Spring Pea Soup
Garnished with truffle scented scream
Wild Mushrooms on Polenta Cakes
Slow Roasted Salmon
Served with Gremolata
Panzanella , Italian Bread Salad
Olive Oil Cake
Served with Roasted Peaches and sweet crème fraiche
We lunched over the feast, and discussed flavors, favorite dishes, and also cooking and eating best practices at home.
It probably was a really good gift, come to think of it - Young brides these days seldom spend too much time in the kitchen, but will probably be expected to host a dinner party or two, now that they're married. The bride loves to cook as well, so it was also a really fun time for her. Her maids all put on their aprons and whipped out their spoons to produce a spectacular meal that was easy, fresh, and absolutely delicious. It was definitely a meal that she could prepre in the future!
As we cooked, I gave demonstrations on proper sautee methods, some basic knife skills, like the chiffonade and mincing, and some other cooking techniques that were learned were the art of slow roasting salmon, dessert making, and plating 101.
Here's the menu:
Spring Pea Soup
Garnished with truffle scented scream
Wild Mushrooms on Polenta Cakes
Slow Roasted Salmon
Served with Gremolata
Panzanella , Italian Bread Salad
Olive Oil Cake
Served with Roasted Peaches and sweet crème fraiche
We lunched over the feast, and discussed flavors, favorite dishes, and also cooking and eating best practices at home.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
It'll always work out with spinach
After a long pasta hiatus, I decided to go easy, and doth exercise of making dinner with whatever I had in my kitchen.
The goods:
Garlic, Frozen Spinach, Anchovies, Parmesan
The Dish:
Oglio Olio with Spinach and Anchovies
It qualifies as a 10-minute meal, and now I have a new recipe!
Serves 2
12 oz Frozen Spinach
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
4 ea Anchovy Fillets, chopped
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 servings of noodle pasta, cooked
1. Heat 2 tbs of oil in a saute pan
2. Add garlic and cook till fragant and translucent, and browned on the edges
3. Add spinach and cover, steam till tender and hot throughout
4. Toss pasta, anchovies, cheese, and garlic
5. Season with salt & serve with fresh black pepper
The goods:
Garlic, Frozen Spinach, Anchovies, Parmesan
The Dish:
Oglio Olio with Spinach and Anchovies
It qualifies as a 10-minute meal, and now I have a new recipe!
Serves 2
12 oz Frozen Spinach
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
4 ea Anchovy Fillets, chopped
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 servings of noodle pasta, cooked
1. Heat 2 tbs of oil in a saute pan
2. Add garlic and cook till fragant and translucent, and browned on the edges
3. Add spinach and cover, steam till tender and hot throughout
4. Toss pasta, anchovies, cheese, and garlic
5. Season with salt & serve with fresh black pepper
Friday, June 25, 2010
Keep Calm & Carry On
I can never turn away a hungry person.
Largely, the joy in cooking comes from seeing others enjoy my food, and while it's a rare gift to always be able to satisfy an appetite, I've learned to use it well.
I've also made it a habit to always have something available in my fridge, so that I can put together a meal quickly and easily, because often, there isn't time to go to the store when I have surprise guests.
By far, my most outstanding meal, was a dinner that I prepared for 6 people (myself included), with about 5 minute notice. I had some friends stop by, and invited them to dinner - so it was originally just 3 people at the last minute. Then, friends of friends showed up, and within minutes, the dinner table had expanded 100% to 6 people.
The initial dinner plan for 3 people was a light & casual gnocchi dish with bacon and peas, tossed in that awesome Pesto a le Monde. However, with this extended guest list, I had to think of something more appropriate (That would severely undermine my talent as a chef). The bacon and peas were already in the pan cooking, and so I decided to extend this and make a creamy pesto sauce, and toss it with spaghetti instead.
Pancetta and Peas is always super successful, so I brought the technique of mixing in egg yolk and cream into the sauce to stretch out that last bit of pesto that I had left.
In line with my philosophy to always store something in the fridge, I quick braised some frozen OMG meatballs in a half bottle of red wine that I also had left from spaghetti & meatballs a week ago.
Now that I had the entree and side protein sorted out - the only thing that was missing was a salad. My cheese drawer had some fresh bocconcini, so I tossed that with some fresh avocado, good olive oil (a must have in anyone's pantry), and ripe apricots, which are of course in season right now.
To much surprise, it really wasn't that difficult to pull off, and really, I could never turn strangers away, for without knowing, some have entertained angels in disguise.
Pesto, Peas, and Pasta
Serves 6
8 oz Bacon Rashers, diced
12 oz Frozen Peas
1 cup Pesto
1 cup Half & half
4 ea Egg Yolks
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
6 portions Noodle Pasta, like linguine, fettucine, or spaghetti
1. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil, and add the noodles
2. In a smaller pot, add scald the half and half, and reduce by about half
3. Heat a heavy sautepan, and add the bacon rashers, until browned
4. Remove most of the bacon drippings, leaving about 2 tablespoons
5. Add the frozen peas, and cover, cooking till peas are thawed out and hot
6. Quickly whisk the egg yolks and slowly temper in the hot half and half
7. Strain pasta, and then toss egg mixture, peas, bacon, and parmesan together
8. Season with freshly cracked pepper and serve immediately
Largely, the joy in cooking comes from seeing others enjoy my food, and while it's a rare gift to always be able to satisfy an appetite, I've learned to use it well.
I've also made it a habit to always have something available in my fridge, so that I can put together a meal quickly and easily, because often, there isn't time to go to the store when I have surprise guests.
By far, my most outstanding meal, was a dinner that I prepared for 6 people (myself included), with about 5 minute notice. I had some friends stop by, and invited them to dinner - so it was originally just 3 people at the last minute. Then, friends of friends showed up, and within minutes, the dinner table had expanded 100% to 6 people.
The initial dinner plan for 3 people was a light & casual gnocchi dish with bacon and peas, tossed in that awesome Pesto a le Monde. However, with this extended guest list, I had to think of something more appropriate (That would severely undermine my talent as a chef). The bacon and peas were already in the pan cooking, and so I decided to extend this and make a creamy pesto sauce, and toss it with spaghetti instead.
Pancetta and Peas is always super successful, so I brought the technique of mixing in egg yolk and cream into the sauce to stretch out that last bit of pesto that I had left.
In line with my philosophy to always store something in the fridge, I quick braised some frozen OMG meatballs in a half bottle of red wine that I also had left from spaghetti & meatballs a week ago.
Now that I had the entree and side protein sorted out - the only thing that was missing was a salad. My cheese drawer had some fresh bocconcini, so I tossed that with some fresh avocado, good olive oil (a must have in anyone's pantry), and ripe apricots, which are of course in season right now.
To much surprise, it really wasn't that difficult to pull off, and really, I could never turn strangers away, for without knowing, some have entertained angels in disguise.
Pesto, Peas, and Pasta
Serves 6
8 oz Bacon Rashers, diced
12 oz Frozen Peas
1 cup Pesto
1 cup Half & half
4 ea Egg Yolks
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
6 portions Noodle Pasta, like linguine, fettucine, or spaghetti
1. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil, and add the noodles
2. In a smaller pot, add scald the half and half, and reduce by about half
3. Heat a heavy sautepan, and add the bacon rashers, until browned
4. Remove most of the bacon drippings, leaving about 2 tablespoons
5. Add the frozen peas, and cover, cooking till peas are thawed out and hot
6. Quickly whisk the egg yolks and slowly temper in the hot half and half
7. Strain pasta, and then toss egg mixture, peas, bacon, and parmesan together
8. Season with freshly cracked pepper and serve immediately
Monday, June 21, 2010
Pesto a le Monde
Pesto is one of things things that you always want to have in your fridge. It keeps and freezes well, and you can use it on almost anything - from pasta sauce to chicken marinade, and then a sauce for meats.
Most international cuisines have some sort of pesto - a mixture of herb, garlic, and oil. There's gremolata, chimichurri, and of course, by far the most famous, the pesto classico - a gorgeous combination of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and then some good olive oil. Yum. Now that summer is here, my basil plant is a lot like my life right now - overflowing with abundance :)
Don't get me wrong - while the original is still the best, mixing it up here allows me to get creative, and also shows what a simple ingredient switch can make a dish completely different, but still delicious; somewhat of a deja vu.
Pine nuts tend to be ridiculously expensive, so this time, I chose to go with roasted almonds instead. You can actually use almost any kind of nut, but roasted nuts bring out a smokier flavor than the blah uncooked ones.
I made about 2 cups with this, and then had a bit leftover, which saved my life the next day, when I had to make dinner for 6 on 5 minutes notice.
That's another pasta recipe, but here's the pesto - there's only one secret to good pesto. Never ever use pre-grated Parmesan.
Almond Pesto
1 cup loosely packed Basil leaves
4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup Roasted Almonds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 ea Lemon, juiced
2/3 cup Good Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Makes about 2 cups
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor
Process until roughly chopped
Gradually add olive oil in a stream until pesto is finely minced
Season with salt & pepper
Toss with pasta for a quick meal, serve hot or cold
Most international cuisines have some sort of pesto - a mixture of herb, garlic, and oil. There's gremolata, chimichurri, and of course, by far the most famous, the pesto classico - a gorgeous combination of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and then some good olive oil. Yum. Now that summer is here, my basil plant is a lot like my life right now - overflowing with abundance :)
Don't get me wrong - while the original is still the best, mixing it up here allows me to get creative, and also shows what a simple ingredient switch can make a dish completely different, but still delicious; somewhat of a deja vu.
Pine nuts tend to be ridiculously expensive, so this time, I chose to go with roasted almonds instead. You can actually use almost any kind of nut, but roasted nuts bring out a smokier flavor than the blah uncooked ones.
I made about 2 cups with this, and then had a bit leftover, which saved my life the next day, when I had to make dinner for 6 on 5 minutes notice.
That's another pasta recipe, but here's the pesto - there's only one secret to good pesto. Never ever use pre-grated Parmesan.
Almond Pesto
1 cup loosely packed Basil leaves
4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup Roasted Almonds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 ea Lemon, juiced
2/3 cup Good Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Makes about 2 cups
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor
Process until roughly chopped
Gradually add olive oil in a stream until pesto is finely minced
Season with salt & pepper
Toss with pasta for a quick meal, serve hot or cold
Monday, June 14, 2010
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?
I first dined at Vue de Monde in 2008, and remember the cozy bistro for their coddled eggs, topped with a truffle foam. Mmmm.. I love eggs, and a pairing with truffles is my favorite combination. It did strike a chord with me, so on this Melbourne trip, I made a special request to go back there.
The food on this occasion wasn't as memorable, but we did have a salad that Mom liked very much, and wanted to make for a dinner party. She asked me for the recipe, so I'm hacking it out here. The key to the salad is the fresh ingredients, so don't be tempted to use sub-par produce, although it might be more cost effective. Also, the presentation was perfect - a very organized mess, looking like not a lot of care was put into plating it, but really, requiring a lot of work for each individual component.
Here's the gist of it - it's not for the fainthearted, and is one of those "looks easier that it actually is" dishes.
Salade C'est Complique
Serves 4
1 ea Zucchini, Shaved into long thin slices with a peeler
1 ea Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 ea Yellow Pepper
1 ea Red Pepper
8 ea Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4 ea Anchovies
1 portion Batter
1/4 cup Dressing
1 portion Eggplant Caviar for base
1 cup Croutons for garnish
For the Salad:
Preheat an oven to 450F. Roast Peppers in oven until tender, but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel, halve lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice each piece crosswise into four (16 pieces total)
Before serving, dip the zucchini rounds in the batter, and fry in 350F oil until browned and just tender, remove from oil, and blot with paper towels
In the remaining batter, coat the anchovies, and fry in 350F oil, until batter is crisp and brown. Remove from oil, and blot with paper towel
Combine all the vegetables together, and toss with dressing, making sure to taste, reserving 2 tbs of dressing
To serve, spread a layer of eggplant caviar on 4 plate, top with tossed salad, making sure that each has equal portions of each ingredient
Top with fried anchovy, and garnish with croutons
Drizzle each plate with remaining 1/2 tbs of dressing
Batter for Zucchini Rounds & Anchovies
1/2 cup Cake Flour
2/3 cup Ice Water
1 ea Egg Yolk
1 tsp Baking Soda
Combine ice water with egg yolk. Sift baking soda into cake flour, and quickly whisk liquid into dry ingredients. Do not overwhisk, mixture should be a little lumpy. Make this only just before using
Dressing:
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbs Minced Italian Parsley
1 Tbs Mint Chiffonade
Salt & pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together, season to taste
Eggplant Caviar
1 ea Large Eggplant
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, finely mashed
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 450F. Prick the eggplant all over and rub with olive oil. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender when pierced. Remove from oven and let cool.
Strip the skin from the meat, and wrap eggplant meat in cheesecloth. Hang over a drip pan in the fridge overnight to drain excess liquid.
Spin eggplant and garlic in a food processor, and gradually add the 1/4 cup olive oil to combine. Season with salt & pepper
The food on this occasion wasn't as memorable, but we did have a salad that Mom liked very much, and wanted to make for a dinner party. She asked me for the recipe, so I'm hacking it out here. The key to the salad is the fresh ingredients, so don't be tempted to use sub-par produce, although it might be more cost effective. Also, the presentation was perfect - a very organized mess, looking like not a lot of care was put into plating it, but really, requiring a lot of work for each individual component.
Here's the gist of it - it's not for the fainthearted, and is one of those "looks easier that it actually is" dishes.
Salade C'est Complique
Serves 4
1 ea Zucchini, Shaved into long thin slices with a peeler
1 ea Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 ea Yellow Pepper
1 ea Red Pepper
8 ea Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4 ea Anchovies
1 portion Batter
1/4 cup Dressing
1 portion Eggplant Caviar for base
1 cup Croutons for garnish
For the Salad:
Preheat an oven to 450F. Roast Peppers in oven until tender, but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel, halve lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice each piece crosswise into four (16 pieces total)
Before serving, dip the zucchini rounds in the batter, and fry in 350F oil until browned and just tender, remove from oil, and blot with paper towels
In the remaining batter, coat the anchovies, and fry in 350F oil, until batter is crisp and brown. Remove from oil, and blot with paper towel
Combine all the vegetables together, and toss with dressing, making sure to taste, reserving 2 tbs of dressing
To serve, spread a layer of eggplant caviar on 4 plate, top with tossed salad, making sure that each has equal portions of each ingredient
Top with fried anchovy, and garnish with croutons
Drizzle each plate with remaining 1/2 tbs of dressing
Batter for Zucchini Rounds & Anchovies
1/2 cup Cake Flour
2/3 cup Ice Water
1 ea Egg Yolk
1 tsp Baking Soda
Combine ice water with egg yolk. Sift baking soda into cake flour, and quickly whisk liquid into dry ingredients. Do not overwhisk, mixture should be a little lumpy. Make this only just before using
Dressing:
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbs Minced Italian Parsley
1 Tbs Mint Chiffonade
Salt & pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together, season to taste
Eggplant Caviar
1 ea Large Eggplant
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, finely mashed
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 450F. Prick the eggplant all over and rub with olive oil. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender when pierced. Remove from oven and let cool.
Strip the skin from the meat, and wrap eggplant meat in cheesecloth. Hang over a drip pan in the fridge overnight to drain excess liquid.
Spin eggplant and garlic in a food processor, and gradually add the 1/4 cup olive oil to combine. Season with salt & pepper
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Re-Purpose this!
I secretly hid some of the leftover frozen meatballs from the Mother's Day tea that I did earlier in the month, and was craving some good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. I update the recipe a little so the sauce has a more contemporary character, but still very easy.
Following the "use what's leftover" philosophy that I (and my purse) are so fond of, I dug out from my fridge, sweet pepper, basil, and from the pantry, canned tomatoes, of course!
I pureed the sauce to give it a nice thick consistency, so you could keep it in the fridge and use it as a dip, or even thin it out and use it as a soup. I love recipes that can multi-task like that!
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Red Spaghetti Sauce
Makes 1 quart
1/2 ea Yellow Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 ea Red Pepper, but yellow or orange works too
1 can Fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup Basil, chiffonade
2 tbs Olive Oil
1. Heat the oil in a saute pan and saute the onions until lightly browned
2. Add the Garlic, and cook till lightly browned
3. Add the Red pepper and saute for another 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and basil
4. Cook for another 10 minutes, then puree mixture in blender
5. Bring red sauce back to a boil, and lower to a simmer until desired consistency is reached
6. Season with salt and pepper
Leave to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge
If serving with meatballs, add the frozen meatballs, cover pan, and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through
Toss with spaghetti, and top with parmesan cheese
To serve as a soup, thin out sauce with an equal portion of chicken stock
Following the "use what's leftover" philosophy that I (and my purse) are so fond of, I dug out from my fridge, sweet pepper, basil, and from the pantry, canned tomatoes, of course!
I pureed the sauce to give it a nice thick consistency, so you could keep it in the fridge and use it as a dip, or even thin it out and use it as a soup. I love recipes that can multi-task like that!
Red Spaghetti Sauce
Makes 1 quart
1/2 ea Yellow Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 ea Red Pepper, but yellow or orange works too
1 can Fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup Basil, chiffonade
2 tbs Olive Oil
1. Heat the oil in a saute pan and saute the onions until lightly browned
2. Add the Garlic, and cook till lightly browned
3. Add the Red pepper and saute for another 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and basil
4. Cook for another 10 minutes, then puree mixture in blender
5. Bring red sauce back to a boil, and lower to a simmer until desired consistency is reached
6. Season with salt and pepper
Leave to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge
If serving with meatballs, add the frozen meatballs, cover pan, and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through
Toss with spaghetti, and top with parmesan cheese
To serve as a soup, thin out sauce with an equal portion of chicken stock
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