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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Camdenton (MO): Der Essen Platz ... A Taste of Bavaria in Central Missouri

Der Essen Platz ... 
A Taste of Bavaria in Central Missouri


If visiting the Lake of the Ozarks, as far as restaurants are concerned, I highly recommend a trip back to Camdenton and Der Essen Platz (German for “the Eating Place”) for some excellent and affordable German fare.


They have a small, but affordable wine and beer list, and the food is excellent. I started with the Weihenstephaner Korbinian Dopple Bock ($6.50 - .5 litre), a dark, rich, robust beer with hints of chocolate and coffee, it was excellent. 

The soups are very good and homemade. I tried the German tomato soup which was better than most tomato soups, but nothing I would order again. The schnitzel dishes are amazing.  I had the schnitzel cordon bleu (pork cordon bleu – two breaded cutlets with ham and cheese in the middle, then baked and covered with a cream mushroom sauce) and my wife had the Jaegerschnitzel (pork cutlet served with Hunter’s Sauce, a savory brown gravy made with Jaegermeister and mushrooms).  

Dinners are accompanied by soup or salad, warm homemade bread, and vegetables, potatoes, or spaetzel (a German potato dish similar to gnocchi only smaller). The Bavarian wheat loaf is homemade and delicious, so do not be too shy to ask for another! I also tried the German potato pancakes with hunter sauce (normally they come with applesauce, but I prefer the savory pancake with gravy).  

Unfortunately, we were so full by the time dinner was over, we did not have time for dessert, but I am sure they are amazing as well.  Owners Noelle (the chef) and Daniel (front of house) are warm, friendly, and helpful, so do not be afraid to ask questions.  And do n ot forget the view over one branch of the expansive Lake of the Ozarks, a romantic setting for a special occasion or a weekend dinner … Guten Appetit!

CombatCritic Gives Der Essen Platz 8 Bombs Out Of 10


Key Words: Lake of the Ozarks Camdenton Der Essen Platz German Weihenstephaner Korbinian Dopple Bock schnitzel pork cordon bleu cutlet Jaegermeister spaetzel Bavarian wheat loaf German potato pancakes hunter

Kansas City (MO): A Taste of India in the Northland of Kansas City

Saffron Authentic Indian Cuisine
8140 NW Prairie View Road
Kansas City, MO 64152
Phone: 816.505.5576
Fax: 816.505.5586

Saffron is a new, excellent Indian (as in India) restaurant with a family atmosphere in the Northland just south of Zona Rosa.

Lamb Vindaloo
In a strip mall off I-29 near Barry Road, it does not look like much from the outside. Looks can be surprising because the interior is clean and tastefuly, although sparsely, decorated.
The staff welcomes you warmly and quickly, particularly Navnet (pronounced nov-neet) the lovely and charming hostess from Northern India, providing a menu that is almost overwhelming. There are far too many options to choose from, but based on our experience, you will not be disappointed no matter the choice. Vegetarian, chicken, and lamb options dominate the menu. You will not find beef here because India is a predominantly Hindu nation and cows are sacred...SO YOU CANNOT EAT THEM!

The dishes are well prepared and presented, offering reasonable quantities at more than reasonable prices. Not extremely overpriced, the restaurant was empty at 8PM on a Friday night, so shaving a few dollars of the almost completely ala carte menu would probably draw more customers as would additional advertising and possibly some coupons.

Sag Paneer
Navnet was delightful, dressed in traditional Indian fashion and an accent to match.  She quickly took our order both times we have been there, asking if we had any questions.  Having lived in England for three years while in the military, I became quite familiar with Indian cuisine, so we did not need the help.  She brought the traditional (complimentary) papadum (crispy spiced lentil wafers) accompanied by two relishes, one green and one red.  


I ordered the lamb vindaloo combination plate on our first visit ($18.99 – lamb rogan josh, a classic curry, and pasanda served in a mild walnut cream sauce, were other options), including a generous copper bowl of lamb vindaloo (lamb and potato in a spicy sauce) accompanied by dal (a lentil stew), raita (a creamy sauce similar to Greek Tzatziki used to temper the spiciness if desired), and nan (traditional handmade, baked flatbread).  My wife, preferring vegetarian dishes and not a fan of lamb in particular, had the sag paneer ($11.99), a copper tureen of creamed spinach baked with chunks of white farmers cheese inside.

Classic Nan Bread
My combination plate was delicious and a fair value for the amount and quality of the food. It could have been priced a dollar or two less, $16.99 would be fair, if they hope to generate more business, but I was not disappointed.  The vindaloo was delicious although the chunks of lamb were not abundant, the dal was a little dry, but delicious, the raita was creamy and a nice compliment to the spicy vindaloo, and the nan bread scrumptious.  The sag paneer was also delicious and plentiful, but at $11.99 ala carte, quite a bit overpriced for some creamed spinach, a few chunks of cheese, and spices.  We ordered the kabuli bread ($3.99) for my wife, a leavened bread stuffed with nuts, cherries, raisins, and coconut, which was tasty, but a little to sweet for a main course accompaniment.  There are 13 bread choices, so I think we will pick a more savory option next time if ordering ala carte.


On our second visit, we decided to go ala carte.  I started with the lamb samosa, at $3.99 for two, they (2) were cooked to perfection and one of the best values on the menu.  An accompannying sauce or chutney would be nice, but I just used to leftover sauces from the papadum. For my main course, I ordered the lamb rogan josh, a traditional red curry, medium in heat, and my wife ordered the malai kofta, a vegetarian dish with fried vegetable and cheese balls in a mild cream sauce reminiscent of some butter chicken dishes I have tasted, both were delicious!  I have to say that at $13.99 and $11.99 respectively for an ala carte dish, the lamb and vegetarian cheese balls were sparse.  I am not saying the dishes were not delicious, only that they are very overpriced, $10.99 and $8.99 would be more reasonable and at the top-end of the scale if you ask me.  My wife ordered th kabuli nan again, she is a creature of habit, and I tried the paneer nan this time, whole wheat bread baked with a layer of farmer's cheese inside.  It was excellent and savory, just right to accompany the rogan josh.

In all, our meals have been delightful, even though the prices are a bit high and Saffron has not received their liquor license yet, beer and vindaloo were born for each other, but staff says they should have it "any day".


There is a 15% off dinner "special" on their website (link above), but make sure you print off a copy of the page and the offer and bring t with you if you hope to get the discount.

CombatCritic upgrades Saffron to 7 out of 10 BOMBS ... more bombs are good ... still leaving room for improvement in the decor, pricing, and liquor options.




Saffron Indian Restaurant on Urbanspoon

HOURS

Lunch Buffet 7 Days a Week
Mon- Fri 11.00 to 2.30
Sat- Sun 11.30 TO 3.00
Dinner
Mon - Sat 5.00 to 10.00
Sun 5.00 to 9.00


MENU






Sunday, July 1, 2012

I Ristoranti di Firenze...The Restaurants of Florence, Italy


Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori
Via dei Magazzini, 3R
50122, Firenze (Florence, Italy)
Tel: 39.055.293.045
Prices:  € €  €  

We, literally, stumbled upon Vini e Vecchi Sapori while heading for the Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria, the busiest and most famous square in Florence. The streets in Florence are made of large stones, not so evenly laid and sometimes causing tourists to stumble. I had heard of this restaurant through word of mouth and reviews on Yelp, but was not sure where it was. We almost missed it if not for my clumsy feet, hurling me toward the menu outside the door.

The menu says, in English, “NO PIZZA NO STEAK  NO ICE” and consisted of five to seven each of the antipasti (appetizers), primi (first courses), and secondi (second courses) followed by a few contorni (side dishes) and dolce (desserts). The menu changes each day depending on what the chef feels like cooking and the fresh ingredients available. The choices on our first visit were enticing, so we asked if we could get a reservation that night…WRONG!

Thomaso, the 3o something owner and front man, is thin with Harry Potterish glasses and wavy brown hair. He was extremely nice as he explained that the restaurant was sold out for the next week, so we asked for the first available table, which was seven days away on the following Saturday at 9:00PM (fairly early by Italian standards). We snatched the reservation quicker than turtle tucks his head and waited, and waited, and waited…

When Saturday rolled around, we arrived at the appointed hour and Thomaso greeted me at the door…Signor Sorrentino, welcome! Impressed that he remembered my name after only one encounter, the festivities began. The restaurant is very small in a very old building with tall (18 foot) ceilings and tile floors. Beside the five or six tables, there is only a glass refrigerator case, like you would see in a deli, a small counter, and the door to the bathroom and to the kitchen (different doors). The walls are smothered, but tastefully so, with an eclectic variety of original art and prints, making the small room, I mean restaurant, warm and inviting.

pappardelle con ragu di anatra
The restaurant sits on a short, narrow, quiet street just north of the Piazza della Signoria and has five tables or so, holding about 20 people. It reminds me of my favorite Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, Palermo, run by my old friend Tony, an immigrant from Palermo, Sicily and a warm, wonderful person. When Palermo opened back in the late 1970’s, it was just as small and quaint. Now Palermo is huge and packed every night of the week, a few blocks west of its old location. I hope that the same does not happen to Vini e Vecchi Sapori for it will lose much of its charm.

paccheri con fiori di zucca e zafferano
Thomaso sat us, then sat with us to explain the night’s menu. My wife’s dear friend Maddalena was with us and we were celebrating her birthday. We had visited Pistoia and Lucca by train that day, and had eaten foccacia con mozzarrella, prosciutto cotto, e carciofi (thin, herb covered bread with mozzarella, cooked ham, and artichoke inside) in Lucca that was larger than expected, so we decided to skip the antipasti and save room for the wonderful selection of primi and secondi. We started with the pappardelle con ragu di anatra (pappardelle are very wide fettucini-type pasta and they were covered in a rich minced duck sauce - €9) and paccheri con fiori di zucca e zafferano (yellow zucchini flowers and saffron - €8). The papparedelle con ragu di anatra was out of this world, just enough to satiate the palate for the time being, but never to be forgotten.   The paccheri con fiori di zucca e zafferano was delightfully done in a rich, creamy sauce and the pasta was thick and al dente, just firm enough to hold all of the wonderful sauce. I had never had saffron, a spice used mostly in the Middle East, in an Italian pasta sauce before, but it was creamy and dreamy. I hinted to Thomaso about obtaining the recipe, but will wait until we establish ourselves as regulars to make such a proposition.


ossobuco con piselli
Having trouble deciding whether to have the scaloppine alla pizzaiola (similar to veal parmigiana, but much better - €14) or the ossobuco con piselli (veal shank - slow cooked with peas), Thomaso decided for me, it was the ossobuco (€14) and I was not disappointed! The veal shank was cooked to perfection, not huge by American standards, and falling off the bone with a hint of marsala wine sauce. It was delicious, the best ossobuco I have eaten and I have had a few. My wife had the torta ai carciofi (artichoke omelette - €8), but she wolfed it down while I was talking to the couple from Shang Hai at the table next to us, so I did not have the opportunity to get a taste.

 Friends from Shang Hai & Jordon...Thomaso (back)
Our meal was accompanied by a litre of sparkling water (€2) and a litre of Chianti wine (€14), which was dark, rich, and flavorful with hints of berry and chocolate. Being so small, you easily fall into conversation with the table next to you. The first diners were a couple from San Francisco, she a teacher on break, and very nice, he a silicon valley marketing executive, seemingly very impressed with himself and eager to end the conversation. The next couple was from Shang Hai and it turns out that his family was from Glendale, California where I spent much of my childhood and college years, moving to Hacienda Heights after his graduation, where I had spent all of my school years. What a small world! Emma is Chinese, a native of Shanh Hai, and extremely engaging and sweet. The couple on their other side, I thought were from Holland by the accent, turned out to be from Jordon and were equally as warm and engaging. It was one of the most delightful dinners I have experienced in a long time.

Front Door & Tall Ceilings
Finally, the dessert was ordered, while I was talking to Emma about her soon to be baby (due on Christmas day), so I did not have a choice in the matter. We tasted the tiramisu (€5), which was light and refreshing and minus the coffee, which by this time in the evening would probably have kept us awake all night, and the meringato (“big meringue” with cream and chocolate - €5), which was good, but not outstanding.

The bill came to €86, but Thomaso rounded it off to €80 even, so we left a generous tip, which usually is not required in Italy. On the way out we met the chef, Thomaso’s mother, and congratulated her on her wonderful meal, telling “ritorniamo prossima Sabato” (“we will return next Saturday”) and the Saturday after that, and the one after that…



HOOAH...it's the "BOMB"!

Vini e Vecchi Sapori gets 9 BOMBS OUT OF 10 (“bombs” are good) from CombatCritic…my highest rating yet!




Trattoria da Giorgio
Via Palazzuolo 100r, 50123 Firenze 
Tel: 39.055.28.43.02
Fax: 39.055.28.43.02 
Email: info@trattoriadagiorgio.it
http://www.trattoriadagiorgio.it
Prices:  €  € €  

A hidden gem! At €13 for a 3 course, excellent dinner (€12 for lunch), wine and water included, Trattoria da Giorgio is a terrific BARGAIN! 

Diners select from a primo (first course, usually pasta or soup), second (secondo...that wasn't so hard! - usually a meat dish, but not necessarily), contorno (side dish - vegetables, salad, french fries - accompany the secondo), 1/4 litre of wine or a can of Italian beer, and 1/3 litre of water...ALL INCLUDED IN THE PRICE...NO TAX...SERVICE INCLUDED (although you should always leave a little something extra if the service was good).

Primi
Pasta and risotto dishes are moderate in size, just large enough to allow room for your secondo and maybe a little dessert. The ravioli with butter & salvia (sage, not something to smoke) was perfectly cooker light with a hint of sage and the ravioli slightly al dente as they should be.  The bigoli tartufo nero (thick spaghetti with black truffle cream sauce) were also excellent, thick and rich as you would expect from a truffle sauce. The risotto (rice) with asparagus and radicchio (not, radish, but a red cabbage-type vegetable) was of a perfect consistency and delicious while not overwhelming. The farfalle (butterfly) pasta bolognese (creamy meat sauce originating in Bologna...where else) with peas and mushrooms was outrageous and the pasta, again, cooked to perfection. 

Secondi
On our first visit, my wife and I both had the scallopini al tartufo (pork tenderloin in a cream and black truffle sauce) and it was WONDERFUL!  The pork tenderloins were medium in thickness and the sauce rich and creamy, softening the somewhat stale bread as I sopped-up what was left on my plate...not much! On our second visit, my wife had the prosciutto e melone (thinly sliced, cured (not cooked) ham, usually from Parma and white melon, similar to a cantaloupe in size and consistency, but not quite as sweet). The prosciutto was a bit dry, but delicious and the melon perfectly ripe. I, on the other hand, could not make up my mind between the insalata caprese (sliced tomatoes and mozzarella di buffala with freach basil and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil) or the scallopine marsala (thin veal medallions covered in a rich marsala wine reduction with walnuts). I love caprese and it rarely varies much in Italy, so I went for the scallopine...I was not disappointed! The veal was thin and tender as it should be and the marsala sauce was the best I have had in an Italian restaurant, and I have ordered it in many restaurants all over Italy, thick and rich....YUM! 

Dolce (Desserts)
The tiramisu, €3, was icing on the cake on our first visit, an excellent mixture of mascarpone cheese, savoiardi cookies, coffee, cocoa, sugar, egg, amaretto...and two spoons of course! We tried the pear tort, all desserts are €3, smothered in warm chocolate sauce on our second visit and were not disappointed. The tort was warm and fresh, fresher than the bread unfortunately, and the chocolate sauce equally so, tasty and not overwhelming.

Service
The service on our first visit was excellent and friendly, even though the place was packed (the place seats only around 50 diners at a time) and when the bill (conto) arrived, the extra 1/4 litre of wine we ordered and the service charge (servizio or coperto) were missing, so we left a generous tip. On our second visit, we arrived very early (by Italian standards), around 7:00 PM, and the trattoria was basically empty. The tattoo covered waiter seemed a bit overwhelmed by our arrival and spent more time surfing the internet than taking care of customers. We had to ask the chef for wine and my wife had to get up to get the dessert menu becaise our waiter had mysteriously disappeared. The chef seemed embarrassed by all of this, as he should be, but it really did not detract from our wonderful meal.

The only other disappointment remains to be the bread, while tasty, is obviously leftover from lunch, possibly yesterday's.  In any event, we will be returning again over the next month and will add menu items as we go...buon appetito da Giorgio!
Trattoria da Giorgio - Florence, Italy
Trattoria da Giorgio gets a very respectable 8 BOMBS (bombs are good) out of 10 from CombatCritic:







Abondanza...Simpatico...Buonissimo...La Vinaina is a Bargain and Treat in Residential Florence!



La Vinaina Firenze
Via dell'Agnolo, 48r, 50122 
Florence, Italy
Phone: +39.055.234.4120
Prices:    € €  


My wife and I visited La Vinaina on several occasions with the students of the University of Kansas in July 2012. Our apartment was just around the corner and we enjoyed the proximity, warm welcome, fresh ingredients, and very reasonable prices for lunch.
Being a chef and food restaurant critic, having traveled to 46 countries around the world, I have eaten at few restaurants with the impeccable quality and value as we found at La Vinaina.

The pasta and bread...always fresh; the meat and fish...always prepared to perfection; the service...always attentive and friendly. I would recommend this restaurant to anybody...on a budget, like students, to more EXCLUSIVE and seasoned travelers alike. There is something for everyone at La Vinaina!

Watch my video collage dedicated to our friends at La Vinaina on CombatCritic TV:

Watch My Video of La Vinaina and Surrounding Area on CombatCritic TV!

or read more about this wonderful cucina tipica toscana in The CombatCritic Chronicle: 

http://www.CombatCritic.blogspot.com

I have also posted reviews on Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Fousquare...search for "CombatCritic" and send a Friend request.







CombatCritic gives La Vinaina 7 BOMBS OUT OF 10...bombs in this case are good!

LIKE La Vinaina on Facebook!


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Parkville (MO): CombatCritic Upgrades Café Italia from 6 Bombs to 7 Bombs





We returned to the NEW Cafe Italia in Parkville last November.  Because they had only been open a few weeks, it was obvious they had some “bugs” to work out (not literally, thankfully).  We returned on January 21st, 2012 and were pleasantly surprised by the changes.

The atmosphere is sparse with few furnishings, but modern and warm with a touch of elegance as opposed to their old locaton on North Oak. The menu was still missing one of my favorites, vitello saltimbocca, but Paulo, the owner, promised he would have it made for me next time we came. My wife is Italian, born in Sicily, so she and Paulo share a common family heritage site and Paulo speaks decent Italian, so my wife enjoyed the conversation.

Again, we started with wine from the limited wine list, with prices being reasonable, from $6-$7.50/glass.  We decided to forego the stuffed artichoke which, while tasty, and hot, was much too "cheesy" and drenched in olive oil on our first visit. My wife surprised me and instead of having the ravioli con funghi again (stuffed with chicken, prosciutto, and capicolo in a mushroom crème sauce), she had the vitello picatta, veal medallions with capers and mushrooms in a white wine and lemon reduction, which was excellent.  I had the vitello marsala (veal cutlets covered with a marsala wine and mushroom sauce), rather than the vitello alla parmigiana which I had last time. The veal was very good, but a little thick and tough for my liking.  Paul told me that he prefers not to “pound” the veal as is normally done with these dishes and I have to respect his choice although I would do otherwise.  I also prefer to have my veal lightly battered before being sautéed, another missing step as far as I was concerned.  The dish was excellent and the sauce perfect, even if Café Italia chooses to do it differently than I like.

Again, we were too full for dessert.  We plan on making a return visit on Valentine’s Day, so we will have to save room for dessert and try the tiramisu!

CombatCritic Upgrades Café Italia (Parkville, MO) from 6 Bombs to 7 Bombs (“Bombs”, in this case, are good)







Read more reviews by CombatCritic at http://www.CombatCritic.blogspot.com