Chronicles Of Consumption

Blackbird - Restaurant Review; Domaine Tempier, Bandol

Restaurant week in Chicago gave us the opportunity to go to one of the city's best-known restaurants - Blackbird. For those not familiar with restaurant week, various eateries in Chicago (I don't know if it happens in other cities, I assume it must do) do a 3-course prix-fixe menu for $32, which ought to allow the discerning diner to sample their food at reduced rates - our food costs would have almost doubled had we paid the full price for our dishes. In reality, though, you don't really save much as one tends to think that one can spend more on wine as a result.

The restaurant: Quite small, minimalist decor (which I like) and brightly-lit (though I did have dilated pupils following a visit to the eye doctor, which probably affected my judgement), and unfortunately not very intimate. In fact the only way it could be described as intimate is the way they allow you to get intimate with your neighbours, since there is only about a foot between the tables. If you look at their website, I'm sure that they have taken out a couple of tables for the main picture to give you a different impression. We had the first seating at 5pm though (the only time we could get in - not necessarily a bad thing though, as it allows for extra time for consumption for the rest of the evening) which meant that the place was pretty quiet to start with. BUT... even with the place 80% empty, when another couple came in around 30 mins after we started, they were seated right next to us when there were plenty of other seats they could have had away from anyone - a very strange call IMHO. And later on when it filled up the place was pretty loud. The service was excellent too, our server was attentive without being overbearing, very knowledgeable, and suggested some good wines for us.

Languedoc - Domaine L'Aigueliere Tradition (Again)

I have already waffled a bit about this wine, but I have to rant about it again because we had it for a second time tonight and I think it is so bloody good for the price ($20). This wine, Domaine L'Aigueliere 'Tradition' 1996 (reviewed before here) is awesome, one of those gems that you find in the South of France if you look hard enough. Traditionally being a region that mass-produced very cheap Vins de Tables, there is definitely a good deal of average wine down south. Since the advent of the Vin de Pays classification and with the increase in demand for varietal wines, however, some folk are learning that the way forward for them is to produce smaller quantities of higher quality wines. Some of the best wines come from appellations like Corbieres, Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Faugeres and the Coteaux de Languedoc, which has prominent sub-appellations that you should look out for, especially Pic St. Loup and Montpeyroux (my favourites), St. Chinian, Picpoul de Pinet, and the amusingly-named La Clape. This has to be just about the most exciting wine-producing region in France at the moment, as they are producing some awesome wines now at very affordable prices, and who knows how it's going to develop.

But back to the wine: We didn't decant the wine tonight, but it still tasted excellent, I noticed more leather and peppery notes this time and a very slight hint of chocolate (maybe from a touch of grenache), but it still had the same black cherry, smoke and spice as before and the same excellent structure. Very good, 

As I write I am supping on a pretty good value fortified Aussie dessert wine, Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat (NV, $12 for 375ml), whilst trying to expel all the gas I've had trapped inside (we were at friends and I was being polite) after eating a mountain of MSG-saturated Chinese take-away tonight, and I am feeling better by the second. Unfortunately for me my wife is doing the same and she has just gone to bed, causing me to fear for my safety when I retire later... Dammit.

Russian Winter Comfort Food (+ French Wine)

Russian food at our friends: borsch, meat pancakes, lamb pilaf, and chocolate, walnut, prune and brandy cake brought over by the other guests. Borsch: a splendid, blood-red, beetroot-based vegetable soup, garnished with sour cream and parsley, often served with meat to make more of a stew-like full meal, but on this occasion without as we had protein to come in the following courses - awesome. Meat pancakes: stuffed with ground beef, folded perfectly into beautiful little parcels, and topped with either melted butter or sour cream (in the interests of science and in my capacity as Fatboy, I had both so that I could determine which was better and report back - the sour cream won for me) - outstanding, I wish I had taken up the offer of a second one, but I didn't want to spoil the rest of the meal. Lamb pilaf: browned rice with vegetables and lamb, excellent flavour, a fantastic winter dish. Chocolate cake: with walnuts, prunes and brandy - perfectly moist, not too heavy. I don't need to say any more - divine!