Where to Go!
When friends come to town and invite me for lunch, asking me to chose the restaurant if it’s downtown in my neck of the woods my mind leaps to Gotham Bar and Grill. if it’s uptown, it’s Alto. And I’ve never been disappointed.
My friend Anna Schwartz, who owns a wonderful art gallery in Melbourne Australia was making one of her all too rare visits last week and staying a mere few blocks from Alto. it was an easy choice. And happily, after something like 15 tests, I had just perfected my ideal of a German chocolate cake for my new book. so I walked up town with two pieces—one for Anna to share with her husband Morry and one for chef Scott Connant.
Anna and I enjoyed a great catch-up lunch partially silenced by extraordinary food in an atmosphere that was calm, elegant, and at the same time comfortably unpretentious. We shared an appetizer of black fettuccine with seafood and sea urchin sauce. Anna loved my braised short ribs so much she bought Scott’s new book when she checked that the recipe was in it, promising to send it to me. I also loved the the glass of red wine from the Alto Adage that perfectly stoody up to the intensity of the rich shortribs.
It was a hard choice between the six desserts: Warm Orange Brioche, Caramelized Lady Apples, Spiced Mango Cannelloni, Tiramisu, white chocolate passion fruit mousse and warm gianduia cream. I asked Anna to make the decision and she chose the gianduia cream. An exercise is futility as all six desserts magically appeared and all were wonderful—my personal favorite the Lady Apples! I was so glad Scott was there to taste my newest cake in return.
My next out of town dear friends have invited me for lunch two weeks from now. But they are not yet from out of town—they are sadly going out of town. Well not so very sadly as they are moving to Sausilito so I’m happy for them and know I will see them there.
Their choice for lunch: Scott’s other restaurant which I also adore: L’Impero. Last time there for dinner I fell in love with the wild mushroom agnoletti and the roasted goat. I hope they’re both on the lunch menu but if not, I’m perfectly prepared to fall in love with another of Scott’s wondrous dishes!
