Adventure Palm Beach: Buccan, a Go-To Destination

Any town populated with tourists in high season is usually not a destination for foodies. Restaurants experiencing high traffic in touristy vacation spots are infamous for lackluster food, second-rate service, over-priced run-of-the-mill drinks, and the typical chicken-finger kids' menu. On a recent vacation to Palm Beach, I was proven wrong.

Palm Beach has beautiful-old buildings, great weather, and an ocean view that is unmistakably gorgeous. It is also filled with wandering tourists, snowbirds, and mediocre restaurants. After a few abysmal dinners, I started to worry if we would have to settle for pizza every night. That was until my sister spotted a Tweet by foodie and author Michael Ruhlman, who was happening to visit Palm Beach at the exact same time. His suggestion? Buccan. With his recommendation in hand, I immediately made a reservation for my husband, my two young boys, and me. Buccan was so outstanding, we ended up going twice.

Buccan is not a family restaurant but if you go early, children are welcome. In fact, the food, our service, and the treatment of our four year old were unbelievable. The menu is comprised of mostly small plates that are approachable and utterly delectable in every way. The brick chicken served with Parmesan fries in a small, aluminum pot is delish. My son had it on both of our visits—the juices from the chicken were so amazing that I managed to get him to eat arugula if he dipped the leaves in the sauce.

Everything we had at Buccan including a spicy conch and octopus ceviche, beet salad, spring pea risotto, a squid ink orecchiette with house made sausage and conch, and a bacon-wrapped tuna were delicious. The Hamachi on a crispy lotus salad with spicy chilies, steak tartare with a crispy egg yolk, and a three-inch grilled swordfish steak are eats that I think about in the middle of the night. Because it was the best tartare of my life, my brain is still trying to determine how to recreate a crispy egg yolk. Desserts and cocktails were equally yummy and the wine list selection, both glass and bottle, were lovely. If you ever make it to Palm Beach, Buccan is a go-to destination. I would actually visit Palm Beach again, if only to dine there. Details: http://www.buccanpalmbeach.com/

Gastronomy: The Perfect Winter Meal is Seafood Chowder

When I think of the ultimate winter meal, soup is always on the top of my list. What better way to spend a winter evening than a hearty bowl of soup, a chunk of crusty bread, and a frosty mug of beer?

This recipe for seafood chowder is savory and rich without being too thick, as many cream soups tend to be. It is sure to warm your heart, fill your belly, and make the bitter cold seem bearable. I recommend picking up some Goose Island Matilda to go with—it’s a top-notch, Chicago brewed, Belgian-style ale (and my obsession as of late).

3 strips bacon, diced
1 large shallot, chopped
1 T thyme, chopped
3 celery ribs, diced
½ c white wine
½ stick butter
¼ c flour
6 c fresh chicken stock or three cans
2 potatoes (skin on), cubed
1 c heavy cream
½ lb salmon
½ lb mini sea scallops
1 lb whitefish, cod, sea bass or tilapia (I usually use two of these—1/2 lb each)
¼ c parsley, chopped
1 c white cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large Dutch oven, sauté bacon until golden (about ten minutes). Add shallot, thyme and celery and cook until translucent. Deglaze with white wine, scraping the bits off the bottom of pan; simmer until liquid is reduced. Add butter and flour to form a roux. Cook roux over low heat until gold in color, about twenty minutes. Add chicken stock and potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook on medium heat about 45 minutes. Add heavy cream and seafood. Cook another 30 minutes over low heat; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in low bowls with grated cheese and a bit of parsley. Serves 8.

Gastronomy: Luscious, No-Brainer Brownies

I have previously blogged about my loathing of baking and my love of cooking. Precision and time consumption are not only against my nature, but also my lifestyle. Having a small child, our home on Friday nights is often filled with neighbors and friends who have small children as well. As a result, I am always left scrambling for a dessert option that is easy and the little ones will enjoy as a special treat. This usually means that I stop at my local, corner bakery, Dinkel’s, and pick-up cupcakes or cookies.

When I tire of the bakery pick-up, however, the other Mod City Mom has a fab recipe for brownies that has become a staple in our house (it has been in use so long, that she can’t remember where she first found it). They are everything that you would expect a good brownie to be—rich, chocolate flavor, velvety texture, and perfectly decadent. And they are what our mom would call a "no-brainer"—perfect for the active mom who doesn’t like to bake. These brownies are easier than a box mix—the only difference is the rich taste. All you need is six simple ingredients and thirty minutes (seriously).

Luscious Brownies

2 c sugar
1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs
1½ c flour
2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and stir. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring only until blended. Add the flour and vanilla. Stir until all the ingredients are blended. DO NOT OVERMIX. Transfer to pan and shake to even out. Bake in the top half of the oven for 20 minutes, until the center if firm to the touch.

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Adventure Chicago: The Publican-Heavenly Eats

In a world where the term "gastropub" is commonplace, bars serving upscale cuisine instead of greasy hot wings are just about everywhere you look. In Chicago, the gastropub is not only mainstream, but as universal as the hot dog joint. In the case of Paul Kahan's gastropub, however, the Publican (much like his Blackbird and Avec) is not just another gastropub—it's a destination not to be missed.

Publican is focused on beer and that list is so extensive and eclectic that it would surprise the connoisseur and certainly delight the enthusiast. Serving up delectable, mostly midwest, pork and fish-centered eats in an environment reminiscent of an aging beer hall meets mod-hip eatery, it is maybe as close to heaven as any of us ever intend to get.

Start with the yummy, spicy, crunchy Slagel Farm (Fairbury, Illinois) pork rinds that melt in your mouth and a half dozen oysters from the raw bar. These two are the perfect accompaniment with a good Belgium beer. Ask your servers for their favorite picks and parings, as they are all incredibly knowledgeable. Next up—the chef selection of three hams served with house-made goat butter and crusty peasant bread. You could stop there, but why? If you are a fan of charcuterie, don’t miss the platter with a pork pie, guinea hen galantine, sausage, pickles & mustards. The Waygu beef entrée is amazingly tender buttery. And the showstopper is Publican’s roasted chicken—yes, chicken. The chicken, also from the Slagel family farm, is served with slices of house-made summer sausage and perfect frites. The chicken is seasoned to perfection and some of the juiciest I have ever had. Don’t miss the sides at Publican either—creamy, cheesy cauliflower au gratin; frites topped with a fried egg; organic, summer white asparagus; or the amazing beet, creamy buratta cheese salad.

The menu changes seasonally and is never quite the same as the time before, so foodies, BEWARE! If you liked something, it may not be on the menu your next visit. But one thing always remains unchanging at the Publican—quality, never compromised and pretty close to flawless. Details: www.thepublicanrestaurant.com

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Obsession: Spread Holiday Cheer, Great Gifts for All

The Mod City Mom’s are taking a brief hiatus over the holidays. Before we saunter off to eat, drink, and be merry, we wanted to recommend some of our favorite websites to purchase gifts. Many are from previous obsession articles, others are newly discovered, but all are sure to satisfy that special someone in your life. Peace and joy to all of our readers over this holiday season!

Gifts of Wine
www.pelotoncellars.com
This small vineyard makes quality wines from lush soil in the Paso Robles wine region located in California. Order 4, 6, or 12 bottle shipments.

www.robertsinsky.com
Organic vineyard located in Napa delivering terrific wines, recipes, and cookbooks. Order a bottle or join the club.

Gifts of Yummy Eats
www.zingermans.com
Delicious deli and bakery food gifts including their famous Reuben sandwich making kit.

www.boccalone.com
Tasty salted pig parts…who wouldn’t like that? You will salivate just looking at their website. YUM!

www.loumalnatis.com
Chicago pizza delivered right to your door!

www.mrspeters.com
Smoked Fish…delish!

www.graeters.com
Irresistible, creamy ice cream since 1870 delivered and packed on dry ice. Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth!

Gifts of Relaxation
www.smallflower.com
Unique herbal remedies, homeopathies, and natural bath and body care.

Gifts of Clothing, Accessories, and Textiles
www.sosillystuff.com
Darling, one-of-kind graphic shirts for the little ones.

www.heathceramics.com
Beautifully handcrafted tiles and tableware for the pottery enthusiast in your life.

www.twotreedesigns.com
Whimsical, practical, unique bags at mind blowing prices!

Gifts of Playfulness
www.littleotsu.com
Our favorite small press shop, delivering one-of-a-kind journals, zines, and prints.

www.mimoco.com/shop/mimobot-designer-usb-flash-drives/c-3po.html
How about a USB flash drive in the shape of Hello Kitty or C-3PO?

www.etsy.com/shop/pixelparty
Pins, cufflinks, and barrettes for the digital geek! Don't miss out on the Yoshi and Pacman-featured items!

www.breadandbadger.com/glassware/mustachepint.html
For the person who has everything but a mustache and a pint glass.

Adventure Chicago: A Diamond in the Rough, Lula Café

When you visit a large city like Chicago, there are many decisions to be made when it comes to dining. The choices are endless—ethnicity, food-style, location, and price. Sometimes it's difficult, if not totally overwhelming, to weed through the thousands of options, forcing many visitors to stick to the downtown area, which is more familiar.

In my travels, I have found the most noteworthy restaurants are the ones where the locals dine. Usually the place where the resident foodies gravitate to repeatedly are the restaurants not just worth trying, but the ones that stand out in your mind for years to come. They may be slightly off the beaten path, but truly worth the effort in the end.

Lula Café is one of those places. It is located in a storefront in a transitional neighborhood called Logan Square. Driving by, you probably wouldn't even blink an eye. Once inside, however, you are instantly filled with warmth, even on the most blustery winter evening. And, if the atmosphere doesn’t do it for you, the strong, delicious cocktails will.

The waiting area is small and dimly lit with little votives placed randomly along a dark wood, vintage bar. It is incredibly inviting from the moment you set foot into the restaurant. The drink list consists of wine, beer, and cocktails. Their signature cocktails includes house-made sangria and margaritas. They also offer “old school” cocktails including Sidecars and Manhattans. Their signature Sidecar is a drink not to be missed—the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and smooth…delicious.

Like the restaurant space itself, the menu at Lula Café is small—using only seasonal organic produce and local fish, meats, and poultry. The menu changes daily or weekly in order to deliver customers the freshest meats and produce available. We ordered a chestnut risotto appetizer with turnips followed by a beet salad with blue cheese and warm wilted greens. The risotto was perfectly cooked and the flavor combinations were incredibly savory. The cold beet salad with warm mesclun greens and subtle blue cheese was perfect. The scene stealer of the evening was the pork belly entrée—pan seared and almost crispy on the outside with exceptionally tender, perfectly cooked meat inside that melted in my mouth.

Lula Café offers breakfast, brunch on weekends, and dinner daily and the prices are extremely reasonable. The service is friendly, the atmosphere is just right, and the food is near flawless in its execution. Lula Café is truly a diamond in the rough—a Chicago jewel not to be missed. Details: www.lulacafe.com.

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Adventure Las Vegas: Bouchon, A Food Lover's Home Amid the Neon Lights

I love to explore and travel—it is one of the reasons my sister and I embarked on this website journey in the first place. There are many places that I want to see before I die and Las Vegas is not one of them. For starters, I hate crowds—the idea of hoards of people crammed into a small space does not appeal to me. I am also not a fan of tourist traps or any travel option that bills itself as a Disneyland-esque experience. That being said, you may find it odd that several weeks ago, I decided to venture to Vegas with my husband for the weekend. He has been there on several occasions and has tried to convince me that I would be amazed at the Vegas food scene. Being a skeptic and a foodie, I usually raise my eyebrows when the subject comes up. However, over the past several years, I have read many-an-article on the evolving food scene in Las Vegas. You can barely pick up a magazine or newspaper without reading about the famed chefs who have invaded the desert—turning a once over-the-top cheesy, buffetland into a foodie’s paradise. So we went for the weekend to relax, drink lots of wine, and eat our way through sin city.

There are hundreds of restaurants to go to in Las Vegas, but this article is about one—one that ranks supreme on food quality, atmosphere, and service—Bouchon. Dining at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon will make you forget that the congested streets, neon lights, and ringing slot machines lurk beyond its doors. From the moment you step into the restaurant, you feel like you are in an authentic Parisian bistro—leather booth-lined walls, warm lighting, and a bustling atmosphere that would make any Francophile proud. Since we had not made our way out of Chicago (alone) since our son was born, we wanted to share a really great bottle of red wine to compliment our dinner. The house sommelier, Paul Peterson, offered many different options and varieties. He also recommended his favorite entrées to pair with the wine we chose. I have worked in many restaurants and have dined out enough to be able to say that this sommelier really knew his stuff. Everything he suggested was perfect—he even brought a glass of white wine to go with our oysters while our bottle decanted.

The meal that followed went like this: Delectable beet salad with horseradish vinaigrette, classic frisee with lardons and a perfectly poached egg, flawlessly executed juicy roast chicken with a beautifully crispy skin, and mind-blowing braised pork shoulder with root vegetables that left me wanting to lick the plate. Every morsel of our dinner was tastier and more mouth-watering than the bite before. We finished our meal with a crème brulee that was the best I have ever had in my life—creamy on the inside with a perfectly hard, caramelized shell on top.

As we sat at our table savoring our last drops of Chateauneuf du Pape, obsessing about our amazing meal, I couldn’t help but think that maybe I would return to Vegas every year just to immerse myself in the delectable food world of Thomas Keller. Through Bouchon, I now have a new affection for Las Vegas. As Keller’s website describes, Bouchon is “a casual place, a social place, a place where people come to relax and eat. A kind of home.” Details: www.bouchonbistro.com.

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