Andrew Zimmern -

My Favorite Spot for Tuna

andrew.zimmern — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:13:10 -0600

Pictures bring back so many memories. My pal Oyaji’s restaurant Kurobotei, located in a small seaside village on the Japanese Big Island about 3 hours outside of Tokyo, serves some amazing tuna. The melting grilled tuna with soy-mirin syrup and sashimi tasting plate of 11 cuts from one fish is some of the best that I have ever had….Oh yeah, they also will roast a whole head on request and let you have at it. I love this place.

Fulfill Your B Roll Needs

andrew.zimmern — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:13:34 -0600

B Roll they forgot: A) Wrestling with a tangled garden hose, B) Painful hair removal processes (tweezing, shaving, waxing), and C) Temperamential blender exploding contents all over your clothes, face, wall and kitchen counter.

Bayou Teche Crayfish Gumbo

andrew.zimmern — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:08:04 -0600

Ever been intimidated by making gumbo? This is an easy recipe to try out for first timers.

Michael Symon, Peter Vauthy and Scott Popovic

andrew.zimmern — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:56:17 -0600

The South Beach Food and Wine Festival is one of the premiere food events in the world, and what better way to kick it off than with a serious "beef-a-palooza" dinner. AndrewZimmern.com talks to the three Cleveland born and bred chefs--Michael Symon (Lola, Iron Chef America), Peter Vauthy (Red, the Steakhouse) and Scott Popovic (Certified Angus Beef)-- behind the action.

AndrewZimmern.com: You three are teaming up for the Prelude Dinner to South Beach Food and Wine Festival, however, it sounds like you guys go way back. Where did you all meet?

Micheal Symon: We met in Cleveland. There is actually only nine people who live there and we’re three of them [laughs]. The thing that brought the three of us together is Brad Friedlander, one of the primary owners of Red. I’ve known Brad for close to 20 years. That’s how I met Peter, and I know Scott through the restaurant business.

AZ.com: So all three of you are from Cleveland, a city whose food scene has gotten a lot of press in recent years. What makes Cleveland rock, food-wise?

MS: For a city the size of Cleveland, a mid-market city, it’s the strongest food city in the country. It’s never going to be New York or San Francisco, but you can’t pick another mid-market city that has near the food scene as Cleveland—it’s just not possible. We’ve had a terrific farm-to-table movement there that’s been going on for over 20 years. We’ve got a lot of chefs that are extremely well-established, the Paul Minnillos that have laid the ground work for all of us. A lot of great up and coming young chefs like John Sawyer and some of the guys who work for me – like Derek Clayton or Matt Harlan It’s got a really great food scene.

AZ.com: What should diners expect at your SoBe dinner?

MS: Expect a lot of Certified Angus Beef. It’s just a giant beef-a-palooza at Red to kick-off South Beach and get the party started at one of the premier restaurants in South beach, which just happens to have Cleveland ties.

AZ.com: Michael, what’s going on with the new season of Iron Chef America?

MS: We finished up filming last season in July, and I did eleven battles. I go back in July to do anywhere from 8 to 12 this year. They usually ask me how many I want to do, and I typically say mo more than ten. Then they give me 11 just to piss me off [laughs].

AZ.com: Anyone you’d like to battle?

MS: I’m kinda a take-all-comers guy. I'd battle Andrew. The bigger the chef, the more excited I am to battle them. I always want to take on the big dogs when I have the opportunity. I’ve been threatening David Chang to come on for awhile, but he won’t do it.

AZ.com: Fave episode so far?

MS: Two years ago, I did a battle offal against Chris Cosentino. That was a fun one for me. There’s one coming up this season that I did against Spike from Top Chef. He actually used to be used to be my butcher at Parea in New York. So that was kinda fun.

AZ.com: Between filming Iron Chef America, other T.V. appearances and events, it sounds like you’re on the road a lot. How do you manage to stay on top of what’s going on at Lola?

MS: We’ve got five concepts, seven restaurants. I’ve worked really hard to surround myself with great people. I have two great business partners-- my wife Liz and Doug [Petkovic]. All the restaurants have fantastic chefs, some of them who have been with me for fifteen years now. We’ve taken the attitude that we’re only as good as the people we surround ourselves with.

I’ve been very fortunate in my career with awards and exposure. I have a lot of young, super-star chefs working for me now, and my goal is to make them famous. Cause I am the most handsome, I don’t care how famous the rest of them get [laughs].

AZ.com: Peter and Scott, is this your first major SoBe experience? What are you most excited about?

Peter Vauthy: Yeah, I did [South Beach] last year. I did a bqq on the beach last year, it was a great experience. A little intimidating at first, but when it was all said and done, I was very happy with what we did and the food the came out of the kitchen. I use the word “kitchen” loosely 'cause you’re on the beach and it’s raining and five minutes before the event starts, nothing is set up yet. At least this year it’s in my kitchen and I can somewhat control the things that are going on—aside from Scott showing up whenever he wants [laughs].

MS: The beatuful thing about doing a dinner like this is that I was literally able to come in today and Peter had all my work done for me. All our prep ready to go. He’s really given me the royal treatment, which allows me to come out here and get away form 90-hour weeks for a couple of days. I was telling these guys that last night, I was in the hotel with my wife. We were laying in bed, rented a movie and ordered room service. I mean, you don’t get to do that so much as a chef.

AZ.com: Michael, did you even pack your knives?

MS: No, no. I didn’t pack my knives. I’m using Peter’s knives. And I’m doing the Burger Bash, but you don’t really need a knife for that. And for cooking demos, they supply the knives too.

PV: You don’t have to worry about TSA on that one.

MS: I tried to carry the knives on with me, but Delta’s really funny about that [laughs].

AZ.com: How much planning goes into an event this size? Who came up with the recipes?

MS: The menu was a collaboration. The vast majority of the menu is Peter’s and things they do at Red. I did one of the courses with the entrée and one of the hors d'oeuvres and sent recipes to Peter and he got them all ready for me. So the recipes aren’t a collaboration, but the menu is.

AZ.com: What’s the story behind the Brisket Sliders with “Marrownaise”?

MS: I am a firm believer that everything is life is better with marrow. I put it on my toast in the morning [laughs]. It’s a dish we do at our casual restaurant, Bar Symon, and it’s a dish we do there with beef tongue and marrownaise. But we wanted to do something with Certified Angus Beef, so we did the brisket and roasted the marrow and folded it into an aioli and it’s rich and yummy and good.

AZ.com: Name one chef who you would love to cook an event like this with next year.

Scott Popovic: Actually, to cook in general, I love cooking with my grandmother. To me, it’s going back to my roots. But at something like a South Beach Food and Wine Festival, I would love to cook with Charlie Palmer. I actually worked for him several years ago and he’s an idol of mine. I’d love to cook with him again.

MS: I’ve been really lucky. I’ve gotten to cook with chefs who were boyhood idols of mine and people who I idolize in the business now. I feel very blessed in that sense. I like cooking with most chefs because of the camaraderie and stuff that goes with it. I’m just happy to be down here with everybody. I love cooking with Bobby [Flay]. I’ve cooked with him a lot in the past and still enjoy coking with him. I love cooking with Mario [Batali]. Actually, now thinking about it, two chefs that I would love to cook with that I haven’t had a chance to yet are Fergus Henderson and Marco Pierre White.

PV: Of course, I’d like to jump of the grandparents thing. A lot of my recipes come from cooking with my great-grandmother and grandmother. But I’ve had a chance ot cook with a lot of great people… For me, I think every chef you cook with gives you a chance to learn more about something you don’t know; learn a new way of doing something. I love having other people come in the kitchen and show me something that I haven’t seen or a new technique that they’ve picked up long the way. But if I had to pick someone, I’d probably go with Charlie Trotter. He’s got a great reputation for what he does. It’s over-the-top and I would like to take that sort of style and translate into something I can do here at Red.

I Heart Salty Tart

andrew.zimmern — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:22:47 -0600

This is what happens when Bon Appetit pastry chef of the year, JBA nominee 2010, co-author of Charlie Trotter's Desserts and all around goddess Michelle Gayer of Mpls' Salty Tart makes your kids birthday cake. Heaven.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette

andrew.zimmern — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:11:59 -0600

There are a lot of steps to this salad, but I like to do most of it the night before. It makes for easier assembly and more flavor when the vegetables can marinate overnight.

Best of Vegas: Restaurants

mmmogren — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:00:49 -0600

For food lovers, the sheer number of renowned restaurants makes it near to impossible to figure out where to eat. We've weeded through the best of the best so you don't have to. Without further ado, here are our top Sin City restaurant picks.

The Strip: Bartolotta

This elegant restaurant, located in the Wynn, offers something extra-special: the next best thing to dining in an Italian fishing village. James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Bartolotta hails from a big, Italian, Milwaukee-based family, and wanted his restaurants to pay homage to his roots. His goal? To transport guests to Italy--no small feat, given the fact you’re in the middle of the desert. However, this chef does just that, sourcing his fish from the motherland, daily.

If you can, opt for an outdoor, lagoon-side cabana. Even if it’s a little chilly, each table comes equipped with a heater (hot enough to cook your pesca crudo). Be sure to check out the cart teeming with the day’s fresh catch: clams, Sicilian amberjack, Mediterranean turbot, cuttlefish—a smattering of fish that were swimming in the Mediterranean just hours ago.

Opt for one of Bartolotta’s famous seafood feasts, a tasting menu served family-style. Start out with the fritto misto, an assortment of lightly fried fish, which included delcious moleches (brown, softshell crabs). A few small plates of simply prepared seafood dishes will follow; the perfectly grilled and subtly seasoned langoustines are a huge winner. Piles of homemade pasta courses come next. Spaghetti (which offer a nice al dente crunch) with lobster, shrimp, crab and langoustine in a light tomato and white wine sauce, mix textures perfectly. When the whole roasted Mediterranean turbot arrives, you'll likely not have any room left, but go for it anyway. Dinner wraps up with a “Symphony of Desserts,” which includes an assortment of Italian ice and gelato. If you skip the pear gelato, you're missing out.

This Italian meal tastes so authentic, you'll believe you’re in Siena. A post-dinner stroll to the Caesar’s Palace Trevi Fountain replica could be the perfect way to round out the night. Bartolotta at the Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, (877) 321-9966

Off the Strip: Lotus of Siam

Nestled in a neon-lit strip mall and surrounded by “Adult Social Clubs” (Google the Green Door… just for fun), billiard halls and ethnic grocers, is what may be the best restaurant you’ve never heard of. Lotus of Siam might not ring a bell, but one look around the restaurant’s press-covered entryway (including a clip from Gourmet, who dubbed Lotus of Siam “the single best Thai restaurant in the country”), will pique your interest. One taste of the food will brand their name in your brain.

There’s nothing fancy about Lotus of Siam. Pictures are hung awkwardly high, chandeliers dangle from a drop ceiling, and prices are extremely reasonable (noodle dishes run about $8-12, entrees $16-24). It’s probably a lot like your favorite neighborhood Thai place, save the fact that LOS’s chef, Saipin Chutima, has been in consideration for a Beard Award multiple times.

Servings aren’t over the top huge, so start out with the perfectly spicy garlic-pepper chicken wings. Where you go from there is up to you—everything is a good bet. The nam kao tod, a sweet and sour dish with crispy rice and sausage, is a beloved by regulars. Order the drunken noodles if you’re looking for comfort food, and any of the barbeque dishes (especially something with short ribs) is a good bet for meat-lovers. The khao soi, and authentic Northern Thailand dish made with hand-pulled noodles drenched in a rich, thick coconut sauce served with pickled vegetables and lime, might be worth the trip to Vegas on its own.

The thing with LOS to always remember? Make a reservation at least a day ahead. Without one, you can easily wait an hour for a table… on a Monday. Lotus of Siam is truly one of those rare Vegas gems that isn’t about the glitz and glam, it’s about the food. Lotus of Siam, 953 E. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, (702)735-3033

Honorable Mentions:

Shibuya at MGM Grand:
Satisfy your sushi craving at this fun, chic spot. The sushi and sashimi platters are great (the kampachi sashimi with yuzu sauce can’t be missed), but don’t over look non-raw items—the lobster and scallop with uni butter sauce rocks. And if you’re into sake and Japanese beer, they’ve got it all.

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand: Scoring a table at Joel Robuchon is reason to celebrate—hey, it’s not every day you get to eat food from the “Chef of the Century.” If you can swing it, opt for the Menu Degustation. The $385 price tag is nothing to sneeze at, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. While the seafood dishes are absolute winners, patrons can’t seem to get enough of the truffe noire (Shaved black truffles and potatoes, topped with foie gras carpaccio).

If that price tag is a bit hard to swallow, head to L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. More casual and less expensive than its big brother, L’Atelier offers mostly counter seating and caters to the pre-theater crowd (Cirque Du Soleil’s KA is literally steps from the restaurant). Order the quick $39 three-course meal before you hit the show (note: only available until 6:45pm). Joel Robuchon, 3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, (702) 891-7777

Mr. Lucky's at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino:
Sure, it’s not the pinnacle of fine dining, but Mr. Lucky’s is open 24 hours, perfect for soaking up the contents of your stomach, or wiping your tears of regret after blowing your kid’s college fund on one hand of black jack. No matter what time of day, breakfast is always a good bet. Mr. Lucky's, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, (800) 473-7625

Bartolotta photo courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas, Lotus of Siam photo courtesy Jess and Colin Liotta

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

andrew.zimmern — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:06 -0600

Check out www.lovinspoonfulsinc.org and see what my friends in Boston are doing to make the world a better place.

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Why are my two favorite NBA teams so gosh awful bad? My Knicks and Wolves need help.

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This is vintage GQ mag from 1997, the year after Tiger went pro, and, according to a NY Times article yesterday, the last time he permitted a journalist to see it all. Unbelievably prescient.

Finland and Namibia

andrew.zimmern — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:02:57 -0600

I'm headed to Namibia and Finland. What restaurants and markets do I have to visit? Any of your suggestions are appreciated-- we read 'em all, and the good ones really do end up in the show. Fire away!

Perfect Tomato Sauce

andrew.zimmern — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:09:09 -0600

If you get tired of jarred tomato sauce like I do, try making your own. This sauce goes great with pasta, meat and veggies. This recipe makes 3 quarts so there is plenty to freeze.