CHARLOTTE'S SCHMICK'S

Speaking of McCormick & Schmick's. I wanted to compare the one in Manhattan to the one of two locales in Charlotte, this being Uptown at South Tryon Street. It's the same as far as fresh fish of the day menus, etc. The difference lies in the seafood chosen by the Executive Chef and its preparation. I did a tasting and wasn't alone. Thanks to waitress Roxanne Gardner for supplying me with the descriptions and manager Bryan Konar for actually preparing the following with a few left out for purposes of length.

Sampling of oysters on the half shell including three from Virginia.

Crab Bisque: cream based bisque served with white rice lump crab meat with a tawny port reduction, which is at the bottom of the bowl and the bisque poured around the white rice that's covered with the crab meat.

Grilled Shrimp and Fruit Salad: mixed greens and baby spinach tossed with a fresh pear dressing, dried dates, apricots, and cranberries topped with fresh blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Wild Chilean Sea Bass: sea bass marinated with miso paste and stir fry sauce seared then served on udon noodles and stir fry veggies with a side of miso broth.

Dessert Trio: restaurant made ice cream chocolate chip cookie; Grand Marnier Dark Chocolate Patte; chocolate mousse on a dark chocolate shell.

McCORMICK & SCHMICK'S TASTING

I decided to "go into the city" today. You'd think I didn't live in New York City when I say that. Whether you live in one of the four other boros of NYC or even in the tri-state area, it means MANHATTAN. I was spending the day with my friend Joanna and it was time to chow down for lunch. When it comes to midtown Manhattan the only place I could think of is McCormick & Schmick's as they have the freshest seafood going.

Executive Chef Christopher Sellati always seems to come up with some fantabulous items for the menu. I simply said, "Chris, bring it on. I want to do a tasting" Servers Megan Davis and Scott Woltz got the word from Chris and the menu items appeared.

We began with an amuse bouche of a this thin slice of rare filet mignon with wild mushrooms. That was followed by beer battered soft shell crab with a mango aioli. The crab was perfectly cooked to have the bit of crunchiness on the outside while retaining the juiciness of the not so tiny crab.

Next came the Ahi Seared Rare that was served with a Yuzu Vinaigrette, a grapefruit citrus flavor with Aisan influences. There's a wasabi dressing, Asian slaw, some fried won-tons and avocado salsa.

The tummy yummy continues with juicy and un-fishy (you know what I mean) Steamed Wild Halibut. It's steamed in a cilantro lime broth. Capture that flavor in your mouth. Let's add that that halibut is surrounded by fresh asparagus and colossal lump crab meat!

Yes, there's more! Grilled Mahi-Mahi sitting atop...get ready...a mound of sweet potato-crab hash that's surrounded by a butter BBQ sauce and then topped with a fennel salad. Wow...all of those taste buds are dancing the horah!

They have a new dessert on their menu that resembles a Smores! It starts with a walnut brownie, topped with Rocky Road Ice Cream, housemade marshmallow that gets toasted and a graham cracker. It's also surrounded by nuts...just like Joanna and myself.

I thought that this was a great idea until another dessert appeared. OMG! This chocolate hazelnut mousse is surrounded by a group of chocolate (I think) meringue roll-ups with some hazelnut mousse in them. Not for those who dislike hazelnuts. This is absolutely the perfect dessert that full of flavor, texture and "airiness" due to the absence of cake. There's nothing to chew. It all melts on your tongue and slides around those happy little taste buds.

I think I might be able to get Chef Chris on my next radio show!

Let Them Eat Lobster

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating! Although it’s the official Thanksgiving here in the United States, the true date has absolutely nothing to do with turkey or Plymouth Rock. In fact, the Mayflower could have just crashed into the rock when they made there way from Provincetown, Massachusetts. Provincetown?

That’s correct. The first landing of the Mayflower took place at the tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown, on November 21st, 1620. It was there where they signed the Mayflower Compact in Provincetown Harbor and not Plymouth Rock, where they landed five weeks later, a year prior to the famous harvest feast. It was in Provincetown that the compact was about governing the new colony and they ate lobster and other fish from the waters, as well as corn and cranberries. In other words, Thanksgiving should be celebrated with an old fashioned Clam Bake!

As for that tiny rock in Plymouth, just feast your eyes on the Pilgrim Monument, the 252-foot, 7.5 inches tallest granite structure in the United States!

So, what did I do for Thanksgiving? Since I didn't get an invite and not wanting to sulk at home, I decided to go to McCormick & Schmick's in Manhattan for a lobster dinner.

I took public transportation into Manhattan. It's not unusual to find a Latino singer playing a guitar, or simply someone giving a "story" as to why he needs money, but this one was different! It was a portable magic act. The guy brings a wheelable table with stuff in it including a rabbit and dove.

Meanwhile at McCormick & Schmick's...I first had the pleasure of talking with Executive Chef Chris. Although each lunch and dinner menu are different, depending on the fresh fish that Chris gets, there were some new items on the menu as well that involved sushi and sashimi.

I started with the Salmon Lomi Lomi tossed tableside with chopped tomato, pineapple, onions and lime juice, followed by Kona Kampachi Sashimi with avocado, soy and truffle oil. Kona Kampachi is an Hawaiian yellowtail.



Then came my two-pounder! All meat was found and eaten. It came with a small ear of corn and I ordered a side of the sweet potato casserole, which was a sort of sweet potato pie. Chunks of sweet potato with marshmallows, cinnamon and maple syrup...I think. I saved it for dessert.

As I walked back to the subway I saw a group of dancers performing to hip-hop music and hoped for perhaps someone playing a violin on the way home. Wrong. It looked like we got some guy who seemed to know everything about everything and sharing it all the way to when I happily got off. What a day!

New York Sharktini

While I was at McCormick & Schmick's here in Manhattan I asked bartender Cris Vegas to concoct a drink for the New York Sharks women's profootball team. It's called a NY Sharktini and will soon be on their menu. It's composed of: 1 1/4 oz Peach Vodka, 1/2 oz Triple Sec, 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps, Splash lime juice, 3 oz, white cranberry, and float of Blue Curacao. Here is a photo of this really delicious drink.

McCormick & Schmick's Mediterrean Sea Bronzini

General Manager Rick Jurmark of Manhattan's McCormick & Schmick's served my most fabulous tasting Mediterranean Sea Bronzini.

McCormick & Schmick's fish preparation

This one is of Executive Chef Chris Sellati preparing halibut at McCormick & Schmick's in Manhattan.

McCormick & Schmick's fish preparation

I am two videos of Executive Chef Chris Sellati doing some fish preparation. The first is one of a coho salmon.

McCormick & Schmick's revisited

I went back to McCormick & Schmick's in Manhattan to talk with Executive Chef Chris Sellati about fish preparation. He first displayed some of the fresh fish of the day as the menu changes for each meal, to make sure that the fish is always fresh. Here are some photos of the Mediterranean Sea Bronzini that arrives already gutted and ready to "stuff" for preparation. Here is what little is needed to stuff it and here is a photo of how it is served, with this delicious sauce, rice and vegetables. The fish is broiled and thus the skin, already edible, gives just a bit of a crunch. Bronzini has been deboned as well, thus other than the tail and head, the whole fish goes down just fine. Mediterranean Sea Bronzino, by the way, is in the sea bass family. It does not have a "fishy" taste and is more on the flaky side vs tuna or swordfish.

Sharks Party

NY Sharks had their end of the season party at McCormick & Schmick's in Manhattan. Great food. Salmon Penne Pasta, lasagna, meatball sliders and Caesar Salad. Best was the oysters that were sent by the Oyster Farm in East Dennis. We all agreed that they were the best oysters ever...including chef Stephen McCormick (no relation) who did the shucking and GM Rick Jurmark