Vince’s in Detroit, Michigan

Posted on February 7, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Contrary to the old saying, you can go back home again.  Though the neighborhood has changed as well as the store fronts, one of the old establishments of my youth has still prevailed.  This establishment is known as Vince’s.  When I was a kid, they were a pizzeria on the corner, and I always remember going there to get a pick-up order and they would collect the money and deliver the pie through the top half of a screen door, where the screen had been removed.  There had always been a lively debate among the locals of who made the best pie, and Vince’s has been in the top two of that debate since I can remember.

MI Vince's BC

 

Over the years, Vince’s has evolved from the pizzeria to a little “Mom and Pop” restaurant, to today where there is a full restaurant with back rooms for groups and parties.  They are still known for their pizza, but they also pride themselves on their home-made pastas and some great veal dishes.  Even though the restaurant has changed over the years, they still have that great “Mom and Pop” feel to it, and have survived all the economic changes that has befallen the city of Detroit.  They proudly hang an autographed picture of “Old Blue Eyes” himself, Francis Albert Sinatra.  You really can’t get much more Italian then that.

 

 

I was just there for a planning meeting and we met in one of the back rooms.  Somehow I was bestowed the honorary title of President for this year’s reunion.  As funny as it may sound, we are planning the Third annual non-year reunion for Wilson Junior High School in Detroit.  I say funny because most people talk about their High School reunion, but Wilson Junior High School has more great memories for the alumni, then their assorted High Schools will ever have.

Bolla Bardolino 2010

 
While most of the committee ordered beers to go along with the two big party pizzas, I opted to order a bottle of wine with some extra glasses, but I had no partakers of my largesse.  I had ordered a bottle of Bolla Bardolino 2010.  Now Bolla is a big supplier of blended regional wines from Italy and this was a decent bottle of Bardolino.  This wine is the lighter wine from Verona which also gives the world Valpolicella and Amarone wines.  Bardolino wines have a majority of Corvina grapes, and then blended with Rondinella and Molinara varietals which produce this distinctive wine with its unique aftertaste that just seems to be enjoyable with traditional Italian food.

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The Old Fish Market in Windsor, Ontario

Posted on February 6, 2013 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and I were in downtown Windsor one day just making a day of it, shopping and acting like tourists.  We were getting hungry for a late lunch when we wandered into The Old Fish Market.  The outside did not give the appearance of a sea food restaurant as there were emblems of a coach and horses and in close proximity to one of the establishments known in the vernacular as “The Windsor Ballet.”

 

ON The Old Fish Market MB

It was a summer afternoon day and as we walked by, there were very enticing aromas of prepared fish in the air, so we walked in.  The restaurant, more of what I would call a tavern, in Canada was a bar with a band stand and a nice menu that we looked at before we decided to go in and have lunch.

 

 

It was a more casual menu, but they proclaimed to be purveyors of fresh fish served properly.  I really got a kick out the slogan “Just for the Halibut.”   My Bride had halibut and I had some trout.  Since we were having a late lunch, we didn’t mind that this was more of a bar, then a restaurant, but the service and the food was very good.  The food matched that good aroma we discovered as we were walking by.

B&G Vouvray 2003

 

Since it was the summer time, I ordered a bottle of Barton & Guestier (B&G) Vouvray 2005.  This company has always been a safe haven, both as a distributor of single estates as well as a Negociants of fine district wines.  Vouvray is a district in the Loire Valley and they are known for a good dependable dry white wine made from the Chenin Blanc varietal and the chalky terrain that adds to the unique taste of this wine.

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L’Auberge de la Bastille in Windsor, Ontario

Posted on February 5, 2013 by thewineraconteur

This restaurant was owned by the same people as Ye Olde Steak House, but it was much more casual in atmosphere and it its cuisine.  I would say that L’Auberge de la Bastille was more of a bistro, before that word became bandied around.  They also were more French Canadian, then French in their cuisine.

ON La Bastille MB

 

The restaurant offered perch fillets done in wine, poached salmon and lamb dishes.  Since I had grown up eating lamb at home, I had an innate bias against trying lamb that was not prepared in the dishes that I was used to.  This was the first time that I had ever encountered crepes as an entrée, rather then as a dessert, which they also offered.  At that time, I had never tried salmon, which I later discovered can be wonderful, I opted for the seafood crepes, which were about as adventurous as I was to be at that young age.  As I look back I was very parochial in my views and selection of foods, and dare I say, I still am.

Veuve du Verney Brut Blanc de Blancs

 

As for the wine with the dinner I tried a sparkling wine from the Bordeaux district.  The wine is a non-vintage bottle of Veuve du Vernay Blanc de Blancs Brut.  There is no way the French would allow this wine to be called a champagne, as it is not from the proper area, and of all places Bordeaux, but it was a fun wine.  This sparkling wine is a combination of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Colombard varietals which were blended in a very flavorful way.  If you ever see this wine being offered, go ahead and try it, to discover a totally different wine offering from Bordeaux.

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Ye Olde Steak House in Windsor, Ontario

Posted on February 4, 2013 by thewineraconteur

As I continue my memories of that far and exotic land of Canada, another fine restaurant was Ye Olde Steak House in Windsor, Ontario.  I have always felt that Canadian steakhouses have a different feel about them then their American counterparts.  The old steakhouses in Canada were more genteel and had a charming “old-school” feel to them.  Ye Olde Steak House was no exception.

ON Ye Olde Steak House MB

 

Since my Father’s family had grown up in Windsor after moving from Hamilton, Ontario we spent time in Windsor.  I always felt that Windsor was more of a suburb of Detroit, then a city of its own, but that may have been because I remember Detroit in its hey-day and Windsor was still quiet and had not blossomed to the city it has now become.

 

 

Ye Olde Steak House specialized in steaks, of course, and they also had seafood.  They were known for their prime rib, and it was the first restaurant that I ever went to that wrapped fillets with bacon.  They had a classic shrimp cocktail and a good basic salad that accompanied their steakhouse menu.  The service was excellent, in that very “old school” tradition and it just helped with the feeling of elegance.  This was a restaurant to go to for that classic two to three hour dinner, and cocktails were king at the time.  They also had a stellar Black Forest cherry torte for dessert.

Ch Guiraud-Grimard 1975 Bourg

 

The wine list was not large, but at the time very few places had large wine lists, as it was not as popular as it has become today.  When I was there, in my youth I felt that French wine was the only thing to order, of course, to be truthful, that was what was usually carried.  The American wine revolution was just under way, and in Canada wine was not being produced like it is today as well.  I remember being proud of myself for trying a lesser know area of Bordeaux, the Cotes de Bourg.  The wine was listed under Bordeaux and even the label says Grand Vin de Bordeaux, because that is the type of wine produced from this area.  I had a bottle of Chateau Guiraud-Grimard 1975 and it was just a great choice to pair with a steak.  While the Cotes de Bourg is not as lush and bold as a First Growth, neither is it priced like one.  This area reminds one of a Bordeaux Superior or even some wines from the Medoc.  It is well worth the investment, I feel, as it is easy on the wallet and yet it still delivers that taste, one is looking for in a Claret.

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La Guardia in Windsor, Ontario

Posted on February 3, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Since I feel like being so continental and going to a foreign land, one restaurant memory recalls another.  One of my late Father’s favorite restaurants was La Guardia, which was located in downtown Windsor.  It was a charming Italian restaurant with dim lighting and tables a little crowded together.

ON La Guardia MB

 

We would start off with an Antipasto plate as this is my favorite type of an appetizer and I can call it a salad.  They make a great bowl of Pasta Fagiole which I always seem to request.  The first time we were there I was touted to have their Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp.  I was told it was the richest version of this dish that I would ever had.  I had to wait for another time to try one of the great veal dishes, as I ordered the fettuccine.  I have to admit, it was extremely creamy with a wonderful Parmesan cheese flavor.  So often I have had this dish where the cheese must be inferior and it hinders the taste of the dish, but not that evening.  The dish was so rich; I could barely finish my meal, so I was a happy camper.

Antinori Orvieto Classico Campogrande 1992

 

Since I knew that I was going to be having the Fettuccine Alfredo I wanted to order a white wine for dinner.  I settled on a bottle of Orvieto Classico Campogrande Secco 1992 by Antinori.  The Antinori firm is a large wine house of Italy and I have never been disappointed by their wines.  An Orvieto Classico is from Umbria in Italy and is known for its unique straw colored wine.  It is typically made from Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), Verdello (Verdelho), Drupeggio (Canailo Bianco) and/or Malvasia Bianca varietals.  This wine can be found both secco (dry) and abboccato (sweet).  I was also very happy when this wine was presented in a classic wine bottle as opposed to the pulcinella, which is a straw covered flask.  This wine paired very well as it did not fight the richness of the dish.

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La Cuisine in Windsor, Ontario

Posted on February 2, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Be it ever so humble there is no place like home and that describes La Cuisine in downtown Windsor, Ontario.  The restaurant was located on the second floor above a retail shop and was probably the original shop owners residence in past days, when this was a common occurrence.  When we felt like having dinner in a foreign land where else but a quick trip to Canada.

 

The restaurant was in a flat that had been converted into a restaurant with seating in what would have been the parlor, dining room and one of the bedrooms.  Where the original kitchen was, had been maintained, but the wall to the dining room area had been removed so that you could watch the chef prepare all the meals.  The wall behind him was covered with assorted accoutrements of the trade, all neatly arrayed waiting for his hand to grab an item for the next dish.  The restaurant was a family affair, the chef was behind the stoves cooking and his wife was the hostess and also the waitress.  Such a lovely couple, they greeted everyone as if you were entering their home.  During one of our trips there we were informed that the Chef had at one time worked in early television in a soap opera, whether that was in France or Canada, I can not recall.  This may have been lore that they created for him, but he was quite theatrical and he would regale the diners if they were seated I the dining room area of the flat.  He would sing, tell jokes and stories all the time he was preparing the dishes.  Knowing this, we also requested a table in the dining room area to savor the experiences even more.

 

We always enjoyed starting of with a Foie gras that originated in Montreal and was served with very buttery covered toast points and a Madeira sauce.  We always diverged on the salads, because they were so different.  There was a Salade de Provence with a tarragon dressing and a Montmartoise that had a lot of “stuff” on the salad (my preference).  Over the years we had sampled his Bouillabaisse, which had his secret ingredient of a touch of Pernod.  There were times when we tried his Beef Marchads de Vin, a house Terrine and Lamb Provencal.  We also seemed to end our meal with a crepe of bananas and chocolate that was sinfully rich.

Chateau des Charmes Brut Niagara-on-the-Lake

The wine list was always small and selected by the chef to complement what he was serving and the list always was different.  I always felt that he shopped for the wines after he shopped for the daily ingredients as the menu always seemed to have something new.  One night we were celebrating and we picked a bottle of champagne that was from the Niagara Peninsula, made in the Methode Traditionelle by Chateau des Charmes in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  This was a non-vintage bottle of champagne, but it fit the bill as the evening was full of enjoyment, good food and great entertainment furnished by the chef and the waitress.

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Trattoria Bruschetta

Posted on February 1, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Trattoria Bruschetta appeared during the time that this appetizer seemed to be the new rage among restaurants.  This restaurant was at The Hotel Baronette in Novi which is a wonderful little continental style hotel that was built to cater to the affluent business traveler to the Detroit area.  The hotel is not a big high rise edifice with a “cookie cutter” approach to the rooms, but more for the demanding traveler who has certain expectations when on the road.

 

MI Trattoria Brushetta MB

The restaurant itself was a good workman like Italian styled eatery.  I didn’t feel that there was enough there, to compete with some of the classic Italian restaurants that have proven themselves over time in the Detroit area.  I guess my presumptions proved correct as this restaurant was later converted over to an establishment that was more in the flavor of the hotel.  I do not remember much of the meal, other then the fact that it was enjoyable, just not as stellar when compared to some of my stand-by Italian eateries.  I know that hind-sight and Monday morning quarterbacking is an easy thing to say later on, but that was my opinion of the evening.

Rene Barbier Cabernet Sauvignon Spain 1999

 

I remember having a rather curious at that time bottle of wine.  We ordered it as more of a curiosity rather then a need for the evening.  It was a Spanish Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Rene Barbier 1990.  It was listed as a “Mediterranean Select” wine.  It had the mandatory good color and good nose that is expected from a Cabernet Sauvignon, but not the depth of a good Claret or a “Super Tuscany,” though it was not priced as dear, as some of those wines are.  We found the wine to be the most enjoyable part of the meal, though I would not go out of my way to recommend it, but I would order it again, if it was the best option on a wine list.

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IL Posto Ristorante

Posted on January 31, 2013 by thewineraconteur

This was one of the original high powered Italian restaurants in the Detroit area, and it was geared to the expense account crowd.  The story I had heard was that a power business magnate was so impressed by this restaurant in Florida that he brought the restaurant to Detroit, so that he could enjoy it in town.

MI Il Posto Ristorante MB

 

This was the first Italian restaurant that did not bring out a plate of pasta as one of the courses, as was standard at most of the restaurants of the era.  This created some discussions among the diners, because they were used to such a dish, being part of the entire meal.

 

 

This was a dining experience more akin to a fine French restaurant, then an Italian restaurant.  There were wonderful veal, chicken, seafood and beef dishes that were works of art in presentation and in their culinary details.  It was one of the first venues that used a large plate with the food placed artistically on the plate, which was a novel concept at the time.  At that time, most people were used to having large plates filled with food with out the artful arrangements.

Allegrini Amarone Classico 1969

 

The restaurant also had a very fine wine list, that was very Italian in theme, while there were some traditional choices, they had a some very esoteric choices and some very expensive wines that were unknown except to only the most knowledgeable wine enthusiasts at the time, I was not that well schooled, still not sure how well schooled I am, looking at all of the wines.  I opted for a F.LLI Allegrini Amarone Classico 1969.  I am very partial to Amarone wines, as I have discussed the special way this wine is produced in other articles.

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Accents, Mexican Food and Wine

Posted on January 30, 2013 by thewineraconteur

There was an out of the way Mexican restaurant called Accents, which was in a converted house, that you could pass by, if you weren’t paying attention.  The building was painted black and recessed among some other businesses, so it hardly stood out on a busy road.  If you discovered it, then you had found a unique restaurant.  Most restaurants of this genre are more Tex-Mex or as I like to say Mexican food for Americans.

MI Accents MB

 

Accents was a different experience for a Mexican restaurant, and you had better like spices, because they had a heavy hand using spices.  They also liked the heat turned up in their dishes.  Starting from the salsa and chips that were brought out, almost every dish had hot spices.  They also had some of the greatest mole sauce we had ever encountered.  Mole sauce is made with Mexican chocolate, but do not think that it is sweet, if it is made well, there is fire in that sauce.

Longevo La Mancha 1991

 

Consequently because of the “hotness” of certain dishes, most people drink Margaritas or beer with this type of cuisine.  We discovered a Spanish wine that was extremely pleasant with the food we always ordered.  It was simply labeled La Mancha Red Table Wine by Longevo.  La Mancha is the largest continuous vine growing district in the world.  There are over 300 wineries licensed to be listed as Denominacion de Origen, which is the Spanish regulating system.  By law the wines can be Cencibel (also known as Tempranillo), Garnach, Moravia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.  As you can see there is a wide range of tastes that can be found in La Mancha wines.  This wine worked very well with the spices and made the dinner all that much more enjoyable.

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L’Escoffier in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Posted on January 29, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Ann Arbor is known as an academic center in the state, being the home of the University of Michigan.  The university is located right downtown of the city, and right off of the quad of the university is the Bell Tower Hotel.  This gracious old world style hotel offers sixty rooms of comfort with in walking distance of the university and the very cosmopolitan downtown with an assortment of restaurants and shopping.

MI L'Escoffier MB

We once dined in a wonderful restaurant that was located in the Bell Tower Hotel called L’Escoffier, a beautiful establishment featuring Continental Cuisine.  The French influence of the menu was very apparent, especially when you consider that the restaurant was named after a much heralded chef in this own rights Georges Auguste Escoffier who is credited with updating classic French culinary arts in the Nineteenth Century.  He is also known for his collaboration with Cesar Ritz at the Savoy Hotel in London, and from there the two men changed the hotel industry.

 

 

At L’Escoffier we had a wonderful dinner that displayed the Continental touch.  Starting with seared Foie Gras and then a charming salad, the dinner experience began.  My Bride had a salmon dish that was prepared with a marinade and spices and I enjoyed medallions of beef with a very rich sauce and both dishes were not only presented perfectly, but prepared perfectly as well.  We finished off with a fine dessert that we shared with some wonderful coffee.

Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1999

 

We had with our dinner a Premier Cru wine from Beaune in the Burgundy region.  The particular wine Clos de la Mousse 1999 is from Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils, a monopole for this particular wine.  There are many monopole wines in the Burgundy region, left over from the time of Napoleon.  These are wines that are estate grown and bottled by a single concern, instead of the use of a Negociants.

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