Gwen

Conrad gets back later today, gone to Chicago for conference since this past Saturday.  Ugh, what a drive to the airport that was, what with ramps onto the 110 closed off and with no warning as we approached.  Sigh.

Anyway, Conrad made it to Chicago no problem, and Van and I decided to get out of Pasadena for a date night out.  Gwen was his suggestion, and it was a good suggestion, indeed.

I'd seen Chef Curtis Stone appear as a judge or guest on Top Chef a couple of times, and I know that he is respected, but I didn't know much else.  I had assumed that because he was Australian, his restaurants were all there.  Apparently not, though.  Gwen is parked in Hollywood and is a Michelin one-star, I believe.  Based on the terrific service (the food was good, I promise), I can see why.  Van and I both commented on how much we appreciate the service there.  It really makes a difference in a dining experience.

So then, Saturday afternoon we got a little dressed up

(I always feel like I should, but then I see how other people dress for dining out nicely and I wonder why I bother) and drove over.  What a handsome space it is there. 

Love the Art Deco touches.  We waited a short bit and then were seated.  Again, a nice space.  Maybe too loud for Conrad, but a nice space.Cocktails to start, a Mai Tai for Van and a Vesper for me. 

We settled in for a nice meal.

We could have greatly indulged.  The wine list was terrific, and there were many smaller plates that looked appealing as well as some mighty fine meats.  We kept it relatively light and simple, though.  There was a trip of amuses-bouches: 

a consomme with shitake mushroom, a gougere, and a little beef tartare in a shiso leaf

(I ate Van's).  We also shared the English peas appetizer which, as the server promised, was more about the morels that were filled with shrimp. 

That foam/sauce was so good, and we really needed more of the hot, crusty bread to mop it all up.

Gwen prides itself on butchery and sells cuts of meats for cooking at home.  Given that, we knew we had to have a steak.  We opted for a 14 ounce New York strip.  What was interesting was, they didn't ask us how we wanted it cooked.  Van likes his steaks a little less rare than I do, but he didn't have a problem with it.  The steak came out sliced for us with a little roasted onion on the side. 

We also had the duck fat potatoes,

and there was a jus to spoon over the meat.  It was entirely satisfying.  Everything was salted just right, too, which I greatly appreciated.  We didn't rush over the dining, just enjoyed each bite.

We told the server we were saving room for dessert, and we didn't lie.  All of them sounded tempting, and in the end we chose the apple mille-feuille with miso-caramel. 

A good mix of sweet, tangy, and salty/savoury.  Yum!

Gwen is not an inexpensive meal although you don't have to break the bank to go there.  It's also not near us, so it won't be a regular place to go back to.  But I can happily see returning for another date night or to take visitors there.  Heck, I'd love to meet a friend like, say, Denny at the bar and have a cocktail and bite.  I'm glad Van suggested it.  We had a lovely date night all in all. 

two meals in Lezzeno

On two different evenings in Lezzeno we had a dinner that was featured the warmest hospitality and a dinner that was the biggest meal we had while on vacation.  That isn't meant to be a backhanded compliment.  I'll get to it.  Let's start out with dinner at Osteria Il Governo.

It was about an eleven minute walk along that narrow road with only occasional sidewalks to get to the osteria.  The restaurant has been in the family for seven generations, which is pretty darn cool.  The building had multiple dining rooms, and we were in the first, not far from the entrance, able to watch the bar and the comings and goings.

I'll talk about the food and drink in a moment, but here is what I loved about the place:  the people who tended to us.  All men, one of them the owner and host, they provided service that felt genuine.  Polished?  No, not entirely.  Who cares?  They made us feel as if it was their very real pleasure to take care of us, to bring us the food and drinks they were proud of.  The bartender came over and asked if he might make a special drink for any of us - I told him I liked gin and out came this fizzy and refreshing cocktail. 

The owner consulted with us on wine and we found ourselves yet again enjoying a delicious Italian red. 

Better still, when we asked him about a local amaro, he poured us some then comped the servings and even produced a bottle for us to buy when we inquired. 

That amaro is one of my prize items I returned with, and I plan to share it with friends to return that feeling of care and hospitality.

I also liked the food.  Yes, we had fancier food on the trip, but again, who cares?  The cold smoked lake trout carpaccio was very good. 

The duck breast with sweet and sour pink onion was also very good. 

The desserts - pavlova and brownie - again, very good. 

And then they brought out a dessert sampler. 

Was it on them, or did we pay?  I don't recall.  We enjoyed it all.  The restaurant interior felt cozy but not close. 

The night was an utter pleasure.  We walked home, stopping at the lovely little cemetery to admire it,

then made it back to the hotel and to bed.

Our last night in Lezzeno we had dinner at our hotel, the Filario.  The restaurant dining room had a fantastic view of the lake,

and although I will complain that they almost never had tables for more than two people with views at the windows, we could still see it getting darker over Lake Como.

As always, we started with cocktails,

though we opted for the wine pairing option for me and Conrad through dinner (Van didn't want to drink that much, so he stuck to his cocktail and maybe one more).  The wine pairing gives the game away - we did a tasting menu rather than a la carte.  Chef's choice, but we asked for it to veer more to meat for a change on the trip.  The various amuses and small bites then followed, each one quite good. 

I'll try to remember, with the help of the online menu, what else we had.

There was the duck egg with duck.

A pasta with truffles.  One of the best things I ate the entire trip.  Simple, so good.

A filled pasta topped with shavings of raw porcini.

Quail filled with sausage.

A palate cleanser of two carob - I think - filled pasta with a little gelato and olive oil.  This was extraordinary.

Crispy bread with butter ice cream.  Loved it!

An assortment of sweet treats ended the meal,

and I am fairly certain I once again had an amaro.  I think I also had a decaf cappuccino.  I think.  It was all so so very good.  And it was all so very much.  That pasta with truffles was not a small serving.  None of them really were.  All of us had a rough night after that, clutching our bellies.  Our own fault - our own greed got the better of us.  But ah, how awesome to taste it all!

a very fine dinner, indeed!

When I was in Vancouver the first time this month, I caught up with Sherri after too many years over coffee one morning.  She suggested that when Conrad and I came back later in the month, we should go for dinner, and yes, Marie should join us.  And she suggested Published on Main.

I said yes.  And then I looked at the menu, and I thought, oh yes.  Yes, indeed.

So we went.  And ah, what a lovely dinner.  Good cocktails, good food, catching up. 

I enjoyed it a lot.

Highlights:

Chips and dip.  A smoked fish dip that wasn't too smoky or fishy and yet was very flavourful.  Also, the prawns were lovely.

Abelskiever.  One of my favourite items.  Savoury, filled doughnouts.  So very good!

Burrata with tomatoes.  I gave away my portion of this because I took a little more abelskiever.

Spring salmon.  Lovely, fine, not as memorable, but good.

Chicken fried maitake mushrooms.  Marie was shocked I ate them, but I don't hate ALL mushrooms, and these were deep fried, so....

Pork belly with scallops.  Get a little of everything on a fork, and mmmmmm...

Carrots.   Definitely one of the best items we had.  So so good.

Dessert, highlighting coffee flavours.  Fine, not my choice.

Dessert, featuring aerated hay mousse and green apples.  This surprised everyone, truly.  It was remarkable.  One of those things that seem so esoteric, but wow, this was good.

We drank well, too.  I rather liked the Into the Mist. 

I liked the Still In Touch less, and wish I had had it first, but it was nicely done.

It really was a great dinner.  The food and drink and company - so fine.  I'm glad Sherri suggested it.  I'm not an awards chaser, but I was startled to learn at the end of dinner that the restaurant was a one Michelin star place.  Cool!  And deserved.

We had an excellent weekend in Vancouver, to be sure, but this dinner was a very fine time and a real highlight indeed.