Category Archives: Chefs

A Visit to Charlie Palmer Steak and the Archer Hotel in Napa

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The Flannery ribeye at Charlie Palmer Steak in downtown Napa.
The Flannery ribeye at Charlie Palmer Steak in downtown Napa.

The Flannery ribeye at Charlie Palmer Steak in downtown Napa.

Celebrated Chef Charlie Palmer operates a variety of restaurants from coast to coast. But he has only three Charlie Palmer Steak restaurants across the country: New York, Reno, and downtown Napa.

Recently, I had a chance to check out the Napa restaurant inside the Archer Hotel, when I was invited in as a guest of both establishments.

The swank boutique hotel that opened in 2018 on First Street is a perfect place to stay when you want to be in the thick of things, as it’s as easy walk to a variety of tasting rooms, retail stores, restaurants, the wonderful Moulin bakery, the lively Saturday farmers market, the CIA at Copia and Oxbow Public Market.

The hotel is a convenient walk to so many Napa attractions.
The hotel is a convenient walk to so many Napa attractions.
Steph Curry's bourbon whiskey is featured.
Steph Curry’s bourbon whiskey is featured.

The soaring hotel lobby includes a showcase of Steph Curry paraphernalia touting the Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon Whiskey curated by the Warriors point guard that’s a featured spirit at the bar.

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Zareen’s Irresistible Grilled Chicken Boti

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A home version of Zareen's fabled grilled chicken boti.
A home version of Zareen’s fabled grilled chicken boti.

The first time I had the pleasure of dining at Zareen’s in Palo Alto, my husband and I ordered chicken samosas, thali plates, and an obscene amount of flatbreads.

But apparently, that wasn’t enough. Because just as we began digging into it all, Owner Zareen Khan walked over with a plate of grilled chicken botti, sizzling away on a cast-iron platter and filling the air with the warm scent of garlic, cumin, and paprika. “You have to try this,” she said, proudly.

She was right. It is now a must-order for us whenever we dine there. We’re definitely not alone, as it’s the most popular dish at the restaurant.

You’ll find that “Grilled Chicken Boti” recipe in her new cookbook, “Zareen’s Pakistani Kitchen” (Sasquatch Books), of which I received a review copy.

The book was written with her husband, Umair Khan, who is the founder of Folio3 Software and a founding partner of Mentors Fund, as well as a visiting professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

She and her husband, who met in high school, were both born in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. The cookbook showcases the Pakistani and North Indian specialties of Zareen’s, as well as beloved home-cooking staples and street-food favorites.

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Watching Over Milk-Braised Pork Loin

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Lean pork loin gets cooked gently in milk -- a lot of it.
Lean pork loin gets cooked gently in milk — a lot of it.

Pork loin is a very lean cut. Good news if you’re watching your calories. But bad news if you’re not careful with the cooking and turn it as dry as shoe leather.

“Milk-Braised Pork Loin” gives you a leg up on that by adding milk — a lot of it — to the equation.

I’ve come across many recipes like this, in which the pork loin is submerged in milk to cover it, then simmered until tender. Those recipes always end with the milk reducing and curdling, a natural byproduct that leaves tasty yet lumpy curds that don’t make for the prettiest presentation.

This recipe differs in that the pork is simmered so gently that the milk never breaks, and remains completely liquid.

It’s from “La Cocina Vasca” (Ryland Peters & Small), of which I received a review copy.

The cookbook, which focuses on recipes from the Basque Country, was written by Madrid-born Maria Jose Sevilla, a former lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America, and writer for the award-winning BBC series “Spain on a Plate.”

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Oregon Travels, Part III: Jory Restaurant

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Squab breast and confit fried leg at Jory restaurant.
Squab breast and confit fried leg at Jory restaurant.

Newberg, OR — A private dining room behind closed doors holds work colleagues relaxing at a sit-down, the terrace is occupied by high schoolers in tuxes and gowns posing for prom photos, and a large table by the floor-to-ceiling windows is celebrating a birthday. From the get-go, you know that the Jory at The Allison Inn & Spa in the Willamette Valley is the place that people flock to for special occasions.

As for me, it was an invitation by Travel Oregon do dine last month that brought me to this fine-dining establishment, where the tables are candle-lit and come with warm towels overlaid with a sprig of rosemary from its own garden for your hands.

Indeed, the bounty from the 1.5-acre chef’s garden and greenhouse on the property is featured in the restaurant’s dishes. That includes 300 pounds of honey produced annually by its bee hives.

The executive chef is Jack Strong, formerly of the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, who co-authored the cookbook, “The New Native American Cuisine.” He grew up on the Oregon coast as a member of the Siletz tribe.

The entrance to Jory.
The entrance to Jory.
A view into the kitchen.
A view into the kitchen.

While his cooking at Jory can lean into modernist techniques at times, he also is a proponent of indigenous foods of the Pacific Northwest. Book a nine-course private Chef’s Table dinner and he’ll even prepare a special native foods tasting menu focused on indigenous culinary traditions.

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Oregon Travels, Part II: The Painted Lady Restaurant

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Pan-roasted ling cod at The Painted Lady Restaurant.
Pan-roasted ling cod at The Painted Lady Restaurant.

Newberg, OR — The stately Queen Anne-style Victorian on South College St. at East Second Street has endured a long while.

But it took husband and wife, Chef Allen Routt and General Manager Jessica Bagley-Routt to inject new life and spirit into this house that was built in 1895.

Last week, the couple celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Painted Lady Restaurant, the charming, fine-dining establishment they opened here after renovating this 130-year-old gem in Oregon Wine Country.

These days with so many increasing challenges, it gets harder and harder to maintain a business. That the Routts have managed to do so at such a high level is a true testament to their dedication to quality and standards.

Routt, who began cooking at age 16, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and interned with Chef Bradley Ogden at San Francisco’s One Market. That led to cooking stints at such iconic establishments as the Inn at Chef Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington, Chef Jean-Louis Palladin’s Pesce, and Chef Mark Militello’s Mark’s South Beach (where he would meet his future wife), then becoming executive chef at Brannan’s Grill in Calistoga.

The Victorian turned fine-dining restaurant.
The Victorian turned fine-dining restaurant.

His wife, who was raised in Southern Oregon, graduated with top honors from the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, where she interned at acclaimed Higgins restaurant, before helping open Mark’s South Beach. She eventually took a job at Chef Hiro Sone’s Terra restaurant in St. Helena before becoming a sous chef at Brix restaurant in Napa.

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