MARIANI’S

  May 3,  2004                                                         NEWSLETTER

Cover Story: Way Out in Old Santa Fe by Edward Brivio
 
 New  York Corner:  Barbès by John Mariani

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers may now access an Archive of all
past newsletters--each annotated--dating back to July, 2003, by simply                                                            clicking on   ARCHIVE .

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WAY OUT IN OLD SANTA FE
by Edward Brivio

 
 For someone who has spent most of his life in the Northeast, the high desert landscape of northern New Mexico is definitely an acquired taste. Eyes accustomed to the dense green foliage and loamy soil of New England forests--or even of Central Park-- find little comfort in the endless parade of small hillocks, dubious topsoil, and sparse groundcover, alternating between bone-dry tumbleweed and stunted, shrub-like junipers, of the countryside between sprawling Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
   Dried-up arroyos with margins of dusty greenery just clinging to life bespeak the drought-like conditions that have plagued the area for years. Never have I appreciated water so much. Only the mountains of the Sangre de Cristo and the Jemez Ranges in the background give relief to the eye.

Photo:  Bobby Pirillo

Once in Santa Fe, however, perched on its plateau 7,000 feet above the dessert, one is soon won over to New Mexico's beauty.  One becomes aware of the clarity of the light, the purity of the air, and the intensity of the brilliant, deep blue sky. The beautiful adobe style architecture begins to exert its charm. A simple sheath of mud over thick walls of sun-dried bricks, flat roofs and rounded corners gives the haciendas the feeling of having been heaved up out of the soil rather than built.  
    Around the tree-lined main plaza cluster some of the oldest government buildings in the U.S. Under the portico of the Governor's Place, Native Americans, most returning at day's end to the pueblos their tribes have inhabited for centuries, display their hand-made jewelry and hand-thrown pottery. They rely on native crafts, as well as the casinos to make a living. As in Old Mexico, shade is a godsend. Coming upon a lush, shadowy garden, such as the one next to the hacienda El Zaguan on Canyon road, is  like stumbling upon an earthly paradise.

For some of the most luxurious and centrally located accommodations here, stay at the Inn at Loretto (211 Old Santa Fe Trail; 505-988-5531; www.hotelloretto.com) a member of the small, exclusive Noble House Hotels group. Built in the Pueblo-style, the various terra cotta cubes that make up its facade seem to tumble down onto the Old Santa Fe Trail, behind a stockade-inspired main entrance. Whereas many of the new large hotels here were built as straightforward high-rises with little or no respect for their surroundings, the Inn softens the visual impact of its large mass by seamlessly blending in. Its name derives from the Sisters of Loretto who were brought to Santa Fe in the mid-19th century to assist the missionaries, act as nurses, and educate native Americans girls. The small neo-Gothic chapel and its miraculous staircase sit right on the hotel grounds. Located about three short blocks from the main Plaza, the Inn provides instant access to town, yet, as you walk back after a busy day, you can still feel pleasantly removed from its bustle.
    Once inside the hotel lobby, cool white walls, stone floors, and deep shade await you. Authentic Southwest decor is the order of the day, with a ceiling of pine saplings, Navajo blankets, log furniture, and plain white walls adorned with pictures. Just past reception and the concierge's desks is a beautiful lounge/bar with a large fireplace and another ceiling of uniformly-sized Aspen saplings. Our good-sized, comfortable, corner room,  with marble-clad bathroom, opened onto a large private terrace through French doors--the perfect place for coffee in the early morning before the heat comes on or for lounging with cocktails in the approaching coolness of the evening. The rooms next to ours shared a long, common terrace. Behind the hotel, just outside the comfortable lounge is a good-size swimming pool that offers relief from the noonday sun.
    We had dinner on the restaurant's outdoor patio (below, right), overlooking the chapel, under a large wooden gazebo hung with sheer, flowing white drapes. Large comfortable chairs surround tile topped tables set with fine china and cutlery, while a kiva fireplace fills one corner. A fence of saplings manages to screen diners from the parking lot next door. (Why are there so many above-ground parking lots in Santa Fe?) Beautiful for breakfast, the patio is even more so at night, bathed in candlelight and the orange glow of the kiva. A local guitarist entertained the evening we were there.
     At dinner, the appetizers overshadow the entrees. A beautifully presented Maine lobster and Gulf shrimp black enchilada, with the head and tail placed at either end, and the enchilada itself making up the carapace, arrived awash in a sea of salsa verde and carefully diced red peppers, green scallions and black olives repeating the colors already on the plate. Delicious duck confit was served atop a nicely turned-out salad of frisée, dressed with a truffle vinaigrette,             Photo: Bobby Pirillo                                          and a sprinkling of whole walnuts to add a welcome crunch.  The grilled sirloin steak that followed was perfectly fine, as were its accompaniments of horseradish mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and snap peas, but the dish had little local tang to it.  A pan-braised chicken breast served with red-chile posole, delicious Serrano ham-wrapped shrimp, and a wonderful chorizo/corn bread pudding was much better, albeit a little massive taken as a whole.  Our wine was a Briggs Pinot noir ($80), a big, robust red from Carneros, with plenty of well-ripened fruit and pinot personality, that was just too sweet for my taste.
     Desserts were a very credible New York-style cheesecake with fresh berries, but even better was the kitchen's signature dish, a sopapilla filled with an ancho chile chocolate ganache, fried and dusted with cinnamon sugar, then served with a butterscotch caramel sauce. The crisp pastry, that hint of earthy, smokiness from the chile, and top quality chocolate made all the difference.
     At dinner appetizers run $5.95-$14.95,  entrees $22.95 to $29.95.

 
   Fortunately, two of the town's best eateries are within walking distance. At the O'Keeffe Cafe ( 217 Johnson St.; 505-992-1065; www.okeeffecafe.com), adjacent to  the O'Keeffe museum, half the dining area is outside on a small patio. Two small interior dining rooms are minimally furnished. The one we were in  had a couple of large framed photos of O'Keeffe, appropriately enough, working in the kitchen making tea and stirring a pot.  This night it was still quite warm so we choose to eat inside.
     The quail that make up one of the signature dishes here are free-range,  from the Diamond H ranch in East Texas. Beautifully browned, and served on a goat cheese risotto cake surrounded by a pear and port coulis, the brace of birds certainly had much more flavor than I usually expect from this dish. The organic beef filet that makes up another entree is from Roy, NM. Dusted with rosemary, and stuffed with oyster mushrooms, it was a beautiful piece of meat made even better by a foie gras and roasted peach sauce with only a hint of sweetness. I've never been a big fan of fruit in my savory dishes, but in skillful, subtle hands the combination works quite well indeed. The plump sea scallops that make up one of the appetizers--here called tapas--may not be local, but quickly seared and served on a bed of mashed potatoes studded with shrimp, they were light and delicious, their sweetness turned to caramel by the fire. Another starter from the sea is the ginger shrimp roll, a tasty filling of shrimp and crisp vegetables enclosed in a home-made wonton shell. Fresh yet flavorful, especially when dipped in the sweet soy and hoisin sauce provided.  For dessert, we both had the cappuccino crème brûlée, baked in a shallow ramekin to maximize its crunchy burnt-sugar top.
     Our wines were a crisp, delicate '02 Henri Bourgeois Sauvignon blanc from the Loire ($32), an understated '00 Meursault from Joseph Drouhin (65), and a rich, meaty, yet well-balanced Napa valley merlot from Havens ('99 $52). There are lots of bottles in the $30 to $50 range.
     Appetizers range from $5.50-$7; entrees $14 to $29; desserts. Five-course Tasting menu: $65, $100 with wines.

The Old House (El Dorado Hotel, 309 West San Francisco St., 505-988-4455)  has a long low pueblo style dining room (right) with bright white stucco walls, a ceiling of small sapling trunks, and a kiva fireplace in one corner. Paintings and sculptures add splashes of color, while large, widely-spaced tables, comfortable chairs, and beautiful dinnerware, cutlery and napery invite one to linger.
     A good way to start is with the pan-seared foie gras, served with cèpes, duck confit, and a purée of parsnips just lightly flavored with vanilla; its slightly charred exterior made it all the better. Equally good were a glazed boneless breast of quail, on a bed of truffled jerusalem artichoke purée with a raspberry and Moroccan mint reduction, served alongside delicious prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears, and a roasted yellow and red beet salad with Sweetwood goat cheese, and a green apple citrus emulsion.    Chef Martin Rios uses superb Colorado lamb for his mustard and pepper crusted rack of lamb, and partners it with a stir-fry of spring vegetables, a couple of potato and goat cheese tortellini, and a wonderful thyme infused lamb jus. If seafood is what you're after, order the shiso and panko-crusted Ahi tuna, preferably quickly seared so the inside is warm but still red. It came with black Thai rice the color of charcoal, baby bok choy, oyster mushrooms and a light red curry sauce.
    Desserts were crème brûlée and panna cotta, both flavored with bourbon vanilla beans. The first came with a little, perfectly turned-out financier cake that was delicious in its own right, while the panna cotta, spiked with a touch of Grand Marnier, sat beside a strawberry-rhubarb "salad" that would also have made a satisfying dessert on its own.  An excellent Merry Edwards Russian River Pinot noir ($75) was the perfect accompaniment. Fruity but not sweet, with lovely acidity and perfect balance, it was exactly the Burgundian-style pinot that I was looking for.
   Appetizers cost  $9 to $17; entrees $23 to $30.
    Fine dining is only part of what Santa Fe has to offer. The town is a major  tourist mecca, and many of those who flock here have come to buy art on Canyon Road, a two-mile stretch of adobe houses and compounds, most of which house galleries. When they say “Art” in Santa Fe, they mean it. Although schlock there is, as there is just about everywhere, the vast majority here is serious, heartfelt work created by artists dedicated to their craft and to the task of capturing the natural beauty that surrounds them, rather than by hacks just trying to make a buck. This is about as far as you can get from Montmartre's Place du Tertre. Whether its gorgeous, beautifully-painted landscapes, utterly simple or imaginatively intricate Native-American pottery--now fetching the same stratospheric prices as other art--or hand-crafted turquoise jewelry, most of what you find here is of the highest quality.  Another treasure here is the American Indian museum, filled with paintings by living native artists who manage to blend their age-old ancestry and contemporary expectations. 
     How did the Native Americans who first lived in the area survive? For a quick and easy introduction to the cliff-dwellers of the Southwest, visit Bandelier National Monument, little more than an hour's drive from Santa Fe, and named after Adolph Bandelier, a self-taught anthropologist, who "discovered" the dwellings here in 1880. Actually, he was led there by men from the Cochiti pueblo who considered them the homes of their ancestors. Built up against the sheer cliffs of Frijoles canyon are honeycombs of cubelike rooms. All that remains are the crumbling first floors of what were originally multi-story structures, using the cliff wall not only as support, but also to cover their backs.. The Long House at Bandelier, about an hour's walk from the Visitors Center, contains hundreds of rooms, and the cliff behind it is pock-marked, to a height equivalent to 3-stories, by excavations into the wall, "cave rooms" that provided either additional living space or room for the storage of grain etc.

NEW YORK CORNER

    North African restaurants are not particularly well represented in NYC (the last with any serious pretensions to authenticity were Layla and  L'Orange Bleue in SoHo), so the addition of the delightful little Barbès, named after a trendy section of Paris between Sacre Coeur and Pigalle, adds measurably to this tantalizing but underrated cuisine.  Chef Abdulleh Ksiyer,  a Moroccan with long experience in French kitchens,  and partner, Omar Balouma, who is also a caterer, are the most recent up to bat, and after just two months they've built up a word-of-mouth following sure to increase beyond their Murray Hill neighborhood..
     Barbès' decorative charms are simple and warm--brick walls, wooden floor, candles on the tables, beamed ceilings hung with some lovely chandeliers made of goatskin, and an arc of a back-lighted bar (left).  Throughout the evening management keeps fiddling with the decibel level of the canned music, which runs from thudding bass lines to sinuous Moroccan melodies, and after 9 PM they turn the lights  down low, so you can neither read the menu easily nor see the colorful presentation of the food. (Incidentally, those who might feel a twinge of nostalgia upon entering must be recalling 37-year-run of Bienvenue here, a French bistro where many New Yorkers enjoyed their first taste of saumon beurre Nantais and  poulet au Calvados.)   The service staff, some with cute French accents, is all in black,  young and well meaning, alert to every request, and good enough to offer us a glass of wine on the house when they noticed that delivery of our entrees lagged too long. 
     The menu is too long for such a small kitchen (visible through a window slit), with plenty of French bistro items on it like onion soup, salade Niçoise, steak au poivre, confit de canard, and four different mussels dishes, including Moroccan style, mariniére with shallots, herbs and white wine, and au basilic with basil, tomato, and garlic.  On my recent visit I went mostly for the Moroccan specialties and was well rewarded.  I did, however, begin with an excellent, very Provençal tomate Montrachet,  a hetfy napoleon of warm tomato and goat's cheese with a tangy red wine vinaigrette. 
     There are many varieties of brochettes listed, and I couldn't have been happier than I was with a generous platter of truly jumbo shrimp with a ginger lime dressing atop greens. In fact,  a table of four could easily make a major meal from the diversity of appetizers, which range from $6.75-$11.75 at dinner (less at lunch), with main courses $16.75-$26.75. There is also a pre-theater dinner at $21.75, and brunch on weekends that includes several French omelets, wraps, and brochettes.
    The entrees include three kinds of couscouses (is that the plural for more than one couscous?)--chicken, lamb or vegetables, but you can enjoy all of them in the formidable couscous royale, with the addition of tender, spicy merguez sausages. They also bring you a bowl of marvelously seasoned broth to add to the steaming mix of ingredients as you wish, and there is a harissa condiment for those like various levels of peppery heat. As in Morocco the ingredients are served together at Barbès, whereas in Algeria they are commonly served separately.
     I also enjoyed a first-rate pistilla--of which Moroccan food authority Paula Wolfert has written,  "For me everything great in Moroccan culture (the influence of the Arabs and Spanish Muslims, and the indigenous culture of the Berbers) is represented in this fabulous dish."  Pistilla (or bisteeya, or bistayla)  is basically a square of fragile, buttery pastry leaves called warka stuffed with chicken, almonds, cinnamon, coriander and onion, and it is both rich and savory, delicate and sweet, its pastry crust crisscrossed with cinnamon and sugar.  There is also a Moroccan tagine with chicken, preserved lemon and olives.
    My only real disappointments were the commercial-tasting, unheated pita breads brought to the table with an olive oil dipping sauce, and a weak wine list.  Desserts are, curiously enough, wholly French--crêpes, chocolate mousse, and Tarte Tatin..
     I wish Barbès luck in attracting a wider audience.  New York could use more Moroccan restaurants this good and this much fun.

A report from the Ananona News Service contends that an unnamed restaurateur in Vienna, Austria, quickly ushered his staff out the back door of his restaurant but neglected to inform his dining room guests that the kitchen had caught fire.

GOOD THING HE DIDN’T SERVE FRANKS AND BEANS

Q. Booty Food is a rather original title.  How did you come up with the idea?

A. Well, I was inspired by my husband when we dating in 1999.  He invited me over to his house to cook with him—and it was only our second date? I walked in and he was rolling out pasta dough and I thought, “Hey, a guy who takes his time making noodles will call you back.” He served the pasta with his grandmother’s tomato sauce.  When he put the wooden spoon to my mouth to taste the sauce, it was incredibly sexy—and we hadn’t even kissed yet.
           --From an interview in USA Today (3/12/04) with Jacqui Malouf, author of Booty Food: A Date-by-Date, Course-by-Course, Nibble-by-Nibble Guide to Cultivating Love and Passion Through Food. 

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QUICK BYTES

* Correction: The price for the May 3 Annual Windows on Long Island Wine event listed in last week's newsletter is $125 pp.

* On May 10 NYC's  Naples 45 presents an evening in Piedmont and Tuscany with  Italian winemakers Stefano Chiarlo and Giovanni Folonari will lead  a  tasting of their wines during a 4-course Neapolitan pairing menu.   $39 pp. Call 212-682-4726; or visit www.restaurantassociates.com.

* NYC’s `21’ Club winemaker dinner series continues: May 11—An Evening with Robert Drouhin; $150 pp; June 14—Spring Mountain Vineyards, with Kathy Meeks. Call 212-582-7200; www.21club.com

*  Chef  Patricia Williams of NYC's Morrell's hosts 2 wine dinners this spring: May 12--Tuscany, with Lamberto Frescobaldi. A 5-course dinner paired with  Frescobaldi estate wines. $195 pp; June 15: Australia, with  5 Aussie Winemakers from d'Arenberg, Penley Estate, Cullen, Teuwin Estate, Jasper Hill & Giant Steps; 5-course Tasting Dinner - 2 wines with each course. $165 all inclusive pp. . . . Free wine tastings every Monday, 5:30-7 PM. Also, customers may bring their own wine without a corkage fee. Call 212- 253-0900,

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EDIITOR'S NOTE: This newsletter is also available on the very comprehensive food site www.sautewednesday.com
which has dozens of other links to food articles from around the world.  TNew York Corner reviews are also available at
 www.nycvisit.com/johnmariani

MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly.  Editor/Publisher: John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani,  Naomi  Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson,  Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein, Lucy Gordan. Contributing Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery,  Bobby Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.

 John Mariani is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, Diversion and the Harper Collection. He is author of The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink (Lebhar-Friedman), The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink (Broadway), and, with his wife Galina, the award-winning new Italian-American Cookbook (Harvard Common Press).   To  purchase from amazon.com, click on the image below.

copyright John Mariani 2004