Welcome to our Tom Douglas Restaurants Summer Newsletter. If
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please e mail office@tomdouglas.com
and let her know. Thanks.
From Tom -
Hours before the first customers arrived, I was prepping lunch at the
Dahlia when I realized there was an awful thud banging over and over
again in my head. The cause of my headache turned out to be the prep
cooks' idea of music - Jane's Addiction - blaring from the kitchen boom
box. I am rarely given control of this essential piece of kitchen
equipment considering that I prefer Barbara Streisand, Johnny Cash and
the soundtracks from musicals like A Chorus Line or Oklahoma. I realized
a few things at that horrible, awful moment: 1) I hated Jane's
Addiction, 2) everyone around me was ten or twenty years younger and 3)
they needed a lesson on the effect music has on what you're cooking.
When Fred and Ginger worked together, they didn't tango to a waltz.
Star Wars would never have been the same adventure if it was set to the
music of the Beatles instead of John Williams. Choosing the right music
while you are cooking dinner is like choosing the right wines to go with
the meal. It seems to me that to make good barbecue, the music of Van
the Man Morrison, BB King or Aretha needs to be playing in the
background. It's a given that osso buco will be at its most succulent,
tender best when it's been serenaded by Claudio Villa or Louis Prima
(try the soundtrack from the movie Big Night). A little Edith Piaf or
Debussy makes any chocolate soufflé with raspberry crema taste even
grander. So while I'm not anti-rock and roll, if I'm going to listen to
Jimmie Hendrix or Janis Joplin, or even Jane's Addiction, there better
be a damn good hot chile relleno on the menu that day.
We were in New York New York so big they had to name it twice for the
Fancy Food Show. While selling spice rub was our main focus, if you know
me, you know that I couldn't stop myself from checking out a few
restaurants; some new ones and some old favorites. I hope we sold enough
spice rub to pay for the visit.
After a twenty year hiatus I returned to the Four Seasons Restaurant.
While the room is still gorgeous with its twenty five foot trees
anchoring a reflecting pond in a grand atrium, the food and service have
not quite kept pace. But the prices have. Had a terrific meal at the new
Mario Batali restaurant Esca near Times Square (402 West 43rd St).
Refreshing, simple seafood and pasta dishes served all the way until
midnight, with a great wine list to boot. Once again I had a crispy
plate of fried chicken at the Blue Ribbon (97 Sullivan Street, between
Prince and Spring) a favorite late night hang out in Soho that serves
until 4 AM. If you have to be in Manhattan in July, try the umbrella'd
deck at the Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center. My lunch of lightly
scrambled eggs with smoked sturgeon and caviar on peppered brioche was
to die for.
The Seattle restaurant scene remains hot, hot, hot with new ones
opening quicker then even this restaurant junkie can try them out.
Wild Ginger - probably the most anticipated opening in Seattle
history. I'll have to remember the last meal I had at the old Ginger
before it closed, because I have not yet been able to get a reservation
at the new place. So far I've had apps at the bar and can't wait until I
can get in for the full meal deal.
Le Pichet - delicious new Parisian style restaurant in the old
Kaleenka space at First and Virginia. Love the charcuterie plate, and
the grilled sardine salad.
Tango - hip new place on the corner of Pike and Boren with delicious
little bites that remind me of my trip to Spain. Try the cumin spiced
skirt steak with apricot onion jam or the Coctel del Mar of fresh
seafood in a tomatillo vinaigrette.
Now that the new Harry Potter books are in every bookstore in
America, there's a chance for publishing houses to buy paper for some
other books...like mine! Finally, after eight years, Tom Douglas'
Seattle Kitchen is scheduled for release this fall. Published by Harper
Collins, the cookbook will be available on bookshelves across the
country on December 5th, just in time for the holidays. In our next
newsletter we will include a form to take advance orders for signed
first editions and we will offer gift wrapping if you would like us to
send them out as holiday gifts.
Enjoy the summer!
— Tom & Jackie
