I Won a Raffle!

Posted on March 19, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

The next time someone asks you, “Hey, do you want to buy a raffle ticket? You could win __________.” Just say yes and buy the ticket. John and I did exactly that and won Chef Chris Palmeri of Naked City Pizza cooking for us and 8 friends in OUR kitchen.

It took a while to coordinate because of all of our busy schedules but we finally got it done. Originally it was supposed to be Palmeri and Chef Christian Dolias, but Dolias JUST got a great job working as Sous Chef for Todd Harrington at Yardbird Southern Kitchen at the Venetian. It’s an incredible opportunity for him and many congratulations. Poor Palmeri had to do everything himself.

A couple of challenges about this dinner:

Who to invite? We have so many friends who love to eat, so it was hard to choose. It was a weeknight, so that had to be kept in mind (a few of our friends work REALLY early in the morning). I had no control over the menu, so anyone with dietary concerns (vegetarian, gluten intolerant, picky eater) had to be taken off the list. A couple we love to dine with were out of town. We decided on my closest friends Lynn and Laurie, friend Jeff, dear longtime friends John & Holly and new friends and neighbors Melvin & Virginia. (FYI – Melvin is a Chef at Della’s Kitchen at The Delano). And our only son Jack was in town for spring break, so he was able to be in on the action.
Friends Laurie and Virginia

Friend John M shows off his appetizer plate

Chef Melvin, his lovely wife Virginia and dear friend Lynn
Can I really NOT be in my kitchen? Yes, I know he’s a pro, but it’s MY kitchen. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to have someone else in my kitchen and me NOT help them or be The Chick in Charge. Friend John M had an equally hard time with it when I kicked him out of his usual viewing/helping location.

Chef Chris Palmeri in my Kitchen

Chef Chris Palmeri in my Kitchen

Not knowing the menu was dramatic for me. I didn’t know how to set the table. I didn’t know what utensils or serving pieces would be needed. It made me nuts.

Dinner was served family style and the table settings were simple. It was like a holiday or celebratory dinner in any Italian family. Hubby John and I felt transported back to our youth in New York. The menu was as follows:

Charcuterie, cheese and relish tray with olive oil and bread
Charcuterie, Cheese and Oysters in the background
Oysters Rockefeller
Sautéed Spicy Frogs Legs
Spicy Frogs Legs
Gemelli Pasta with Braised Short Rib Bolognese
Gemelli with Short Rib Bolognese
Bay Scallops with Mixed Mushrooms and Arugula
Bay Scallops with Mushrooms
Turtle Cheesecake with Mixed Berry Compote
Turtle Cheesecake with Mixed Berries

Enjoy the pics. We enjoyed the meal, the camaraderie and the thought of knowing we helped out in a fundraiser for a fellow culinarian with health issues made everything even better.

Next up? Another in the series of Guilty Pleasures from a guest blogger. Be sure to subscribe by hitting the button on the right so you don’t miss a single issue. On Tuesday evening you will get an email with links to all the blogs from the past week. And of course you can follow along with Instagram, FB and Twitter.

Pop Art Dining

Posted on August 1, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

One of the most fun dining trends that has been growing over the past couple of years are the so called “Pop-Ups”. Chefs create special one-night-only menus to be served from their resto or an unlikely place. What makes these so much fun and so cool is that you NEVER know what to expect. Seating is ALWAYS limited and prices range the entire gamut. Locations are as diverse as our city’s dining landscape. Here are some to watch:

Project Dinner Table does their events as a fundraiser and they are limited to pleasant weather months because they are mostly outdoors (think Cashman Field, Downtown Third, Gilcrease Orchard). Their next event is September 13^th and even though this is the highest priced option on the list, they sell out FAST! They actually offer a membership so you never have to miss an event.
MTO’s Sunday Supper Series –usually the 4^th Sunday of the month and it is always fun. Chef Johnny Church gets some culinary buddies together and they whip up some truly inspired menus. Past events have been Swine & Wine (My fave), Not Your Daddy’s BBQ and El Chapo’s Cantina. Price is $65 and seating is limited to 65 people. Watch for upcoming dates.
Desnudos Tacos and Naked City Pizza on Paradise – The culinary brains behind these two properties – Christian Dolias and Chris Palmeri respectfully – plan to switch off every other month so one month at Desnudos and the following at Naked City. The most recent offering at Desnudos was “Unbreakable” and it was incredible. $75/pp and the seating is limited to 35, so my suggestion is to book as soon as you hear about it. The next event is at Naked City on Paradise – “The Mind of a Chef – Round 2” on August 24^th. $65/pp and seating is limited to 40 people, so call ASAP to reserve your seats.

What you will find at all of these events is fantastic food and artful plating in unexpected venues. The crowd will be as eclectic as the food served. All of this is done in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Rarely do you have to dress up beyond business casual. What you won’t find are rules. Rules are made to be broken and these events prove that. Enjoy the pics from past and very recent events!

Charcuterie plate from Echo & Rig at MTO's Swine & Wine event

Charcuterie plate from Echo & Rig at MTO’s Swine & Wine event

"Deviled Egg" - 3 eggs, 3 ways at Desnudos' Unbreakable

“Deviled Egg” – 3 eggs, 3 ways at Desnudos’ Unbreakable

Uni, Caviar and Parmesan pasta at Desnudos' Unbreakable

Uni, Caviar and Parmesan pasta at Desnudos’ Unbreakable

Bloody Mary Mussels at Desnudos' Unbreakable - this was "

Bloody Mary Mussels at Desnudos’ Unbreakable – this was “

Beet Salad at MTO's Not Your Daddy's BBQ

Beet Salad at MTO’s Not Your Daddy’s BBQ

BBQ Braised Beef Cheeks and Creamy Polenta at MTO's Not Your Daddy's BBQ

BBQ Braised Beef Cheeks and Creamy Polenta at MTO’s Not Your Daddy’s BBQ

Beer-centric Dinners

Posted on March 20, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

As per usual, I have been dining out A LOT. In case you didn’t know, while I love wine, it hates me, so going to a wine pairing dinner is nearly anathema for me. To that end, John and I seek out beer paired dinners and recently attended three. Since all featured local breweries, with Joseph James at two of them, at vastly different dining venues, I thought I would pair two of them together for you. Read about the third one here.

At the end of February John and I, together with Friend Erroin, attended a Joseph James Brewery dinner at The Pub inside the Monte Carlo. If you haven’t been there, you should go for the beer selection alone! They have a wide selection of several styles of beer on tap and even more in bottles. The room is huge and there is a private event space with a bar upstairs, which is where we were for this event.

This event began well and ended well with local brewery, Joseph James, clearly the star of this five act show. The apps were really good, especially the Curry Chicken Cucumber Cups and the dessert was fantastic, even though I didn’t taste any of the advertised raspberries. Everything in the middle was hit or miss. The choices of beers per course were great, it was the food that missed the mark. The lone standout in the three central courses was the Mac & Cheese Fritter which was a side for the St. Louis Ribs. Because I try to write more positive than negative, let’s focus on the beers! They were alternately spicy, malty, yeasty or smoky and each one had a specific note that worked really well for the dish with which it was paired. Our Joseph James beer expert, Matt Marino, did a great job working with Chef Damis Irizarry and the beer matched the food beautifully for each course, but the beer was the CLEAR star each time.

Friend Erroin Martin - he's the genius behind my site being so awesome!

Friend Erroin Martin – he’s the genius behind my site being so awesome!

Grilled Caesar Salad served with Weize Guy Hefeweizen

Grilled Caesar Salad served with Weize Guy Hefeweizen

Honey Spiced Chicken served with Magic Stick Brown Ale

Honey Spiced Chicken served with Magic Stick Brown Ale

Mesquite Smoked St. Louis Ribs served with Smokin' Poles Gratzer

Mesquite Smoked St. Louis Ribs served with Smokin’ Poles Gratzer (see that Mac & Cheese Fritter?)

Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Mousse served with Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Mousse served with Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

Last night John and I, together with son Jack went to a Local “Brewsy” Dinner at Naked City on Paradise. Each of four courses was paired with a locally produced beer. (Moment of Truth – Jack did not drink, he isn’t 21 yet, but we asked if we could bring him to enjoy the food and Chris Palmeri said he was more than welcome.) Featured breweries included Joseph James (with my fave, Hop Box), Tenaya Creek and Ellis Island. Once again, each course was perfectly paired with a fab beer. John and Jack loved the baby back ribs, paired with Tenaya Creek’s Calico Brown Ale. For me the winner of the night was the butter poached shrimp. Interestingly enough, it was paired with my least favorite style of beer, a Weiss beer from Ellis Island, but the beer was the PERFECT choice for the lushness of the shrimp and the woodiness of the mushrooms beneath it. Of course, because neither Naked City location is close to the house, we got a pie to go and I am eating that for breakfast as I write – not cold!

Braised Pork Belly Ravioli with Arugula Parmesan Pesto served with Joseph James Hop Box IPA

Braised Pork Belly Ravioli with Arugula Parmesan Pesto served with Joseph James Hop Box IPA

Baby Back Ribs braised with Tenaya Creek Calico Brown and served with the same

Baby Back Ribs braised with Tenaya Creek Calico Brown and served with the same

Butter Poached Shrimp with Weiss braised Mushrooms and Baby Spinach served with Ellis Island Weiss

Butter Poached Shrimp with Weiss braised Mushrooms and Baby Spinach served with Ellis Island Weiss

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwish served with Tenaya Creek Hauling Oats Stout

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwish served with Tenaya Creek Hauling Oats Stout

Tonight’s shenanigans? Grand Opening party for Sprinkles Cupcakes in The Linq.

And just a quick note to give props to food stylists everywhere, making white food look great in a pic is TOUGH!