Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. For my night in Omaha before my flight back to Atlanta, that meant beef. Brother Sebastian's delivered great beef and very welcoming service. These folks really go all the way with the monastery theme, starting with the Gregorian chants in the parking lot. My meal started with a trip to the salad bar and a welcome serving of roughage. Brother Sebastian's regards its prime rib as its signature dish. I ordered the king size slice which was impressively thick. Cooked medium rare, it was the perfect temperature and wonderfully tender. My server reacted quizically at my request for a plain baked potato but I thought that the basic potato went well with the beef. The asparagus was nicely tender and flavorful. The plain baked potato also left at least a little room for dessert. This chocolate cake delivered wonderfully on its promise of multiple chocolate delivery modalities. The crumb was very moist and delicate, the buttercream...

A casual drive around Lincoln led me to this charming spot. C & L Dairy Sweet is a callback to earlier, simpler times of both motoring and food. This tiny shed is surrounded by green. Seats and tables allowed folks to eat and enjoy. The smell of burgers was extremely tempting but I ultimately decided on this cone. Chocolate was out in the swirl machine so I ended up with a swirl of banana and vanilla. I carefully licked my cone as I enjoyed the green and watched the cars go by.

My UNL friends took me across the street to the Haymarket and lunch at The Oven. We enjoyed engaging discussion and very good Indian food. I started with a smooth and aromatic mulligatawny soup. This dish went by a different name on the menu but it sure seemed like chana masala to me. The chick peas always make for a very hearty dish. The spices were up front and very pleasing. My bread came out piping hot and very tasty.

On my last morning in London, I faced a quandry: hearty breakfast or healthy breakfast? The English breakfast is famous---or perhaps notorious---for its stick-to-the-ribs qualities. Luckily, my hotel offered a vegetarian version of the classic English breakfast that allowed me to steer a middle course. I'm not sure what they do to the eggs to get that orange tint but they were wonderfully fluffy. The large mushroom cap was an excellent meat substitute and went particularly well with dabs of avocado. The beans featured a nice acid touch from the tomato sauce. The spinach had a superb texture, soft but still substantial. Don't you love that toast rack? I favored the orange marmalade for my toast. And of course, the tea was supremely soothing.

Brittany's tip about Cultiva was a great suggestion for breakfast. This location is in a small, tree-lined neighborhood not too far from the capitol building. The staff and the space are both very inviting. Breakfast was superb. Cultiva roasts its own coffee, which is excellent. The omelet was fluffy, tall, and perfectly cooked. The veggie fillings included artichoke and red pepper. It came with potatoes, which were also excellent. I also ordered a johnny cake, which was huge. Its corn flavor was delivered on a thick and fluffy crumb. This chocolate bar is made by a local chocolatier with coffee nibs from Cultiva. I haven't tried it yet but I look forward to enjoying it.

After ordering poached pears several times, I decided to try to make them myself. I picked up a few pears at the store. I peeled one, split it into two pieces, and cored it. I boiled it for about 20 minutes in water, sugar, and a little bourbon. After cooking the pears, I let them cool while I boiled down the syrup a little more. Some whipped cream finished them off. The result was good, but my pears weren't as ripe as they should have been. I tried again with another pear a few days later and the result was much softer. This dish works well with several poaching fluids: straight syrup, syrup with wine. Its simplicity adds to its elegance. And it doesn't take a lot of effort.

Indian food is a reliable English treat. After a day of touring, I enjoyed a nice dinner at Indian Lounge near King's Cross. I started with some veggie samosas. My main course was chicken korma and garlic naan. The naan, with its buttery smell, was particularly enjoyable.

My last visit to Simpson's was thirty years ago, a blink of the eye in the life of this venerable institution. Simpson's has satisfied English appetites for nearly two hundred years. Their dining room speaks of both history and quality. My meal started with delicious crusty bread. I faced a difficult decision: the beef cart or the lamb cart? I decided that lamb was the proper English choice. A few minutes later, this beautiful cart rolled out and a member of the staff got to work carving my meal. The result was this spread (although a moment later, a gracious person brought me a Yorkshire pudding). I ordered a side of creamed leeks, a very delicate variation on my steakhouse favorite creamed spinach. The cabbage was uncreamed but similarly delicate. The potatoes were wonderfully crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside. My lamb came with two condiments. The berry jelly was good but the mint sauce was a revelation. This was not a mint jelly but a concent...

I enjoyed good food and good conversation with my colleague at MK Bar and Grill, located near Imperial College and the London museum district. My pea soup was very aromatic and luscious in texture. My pasta with Bolognese sauce was meaty with a nice tomato twang. A creamy cappuccino gave us a chance for more discussion.

I had rushed to make it to Bletchley Park and hadn't had time to eat. Bletchley Park is the home of both the British codebreaking effort during World War II and the birthplace of modern computing. I wanted to see everything but first I needed lunch. Luckily, just inside the entrance I found a very nice cafeteria. After some pea soup, a roll, lemon pudding, a nice slice of cake, and a cup of tea, I was ready to explore history. The museum also has a tea service and a small cart offering rum drinks for those in the mood.

London taxis are very comfortable but I was ready for a meal after traveling. Plum + Spilt Milk was both close and elegant, a refreshing end to the day. My chicken was plump and delicate with little bits of bacon and mushrooms. The fries were the big star---fried in beef tallow for rich crispiness on the outside and tenderness on the inside. I also enjoyed this wonderful plate of English cheeses.

This branch of Leonidas is in the travel plaza outside of security at the Amsterdam airport. I usually only see the inside of the airport and was very happy to find this branch. The selection is much larger compared to the terminal branch and I think the prices are a little better. The shop has a huge selection of individual chocolates. To simplify my packing and travel, I bought a box of dipped chocoaltes and four bars. The bars are dark chocolate with nibs. I picked up another on my arrival for nibbling---rich, dark, and the nibs give nice little nuggets. These bars will keep me happy for quite some time when I get home.

My friends and I arrived at the Stegenberger Hotel near Amsterdam Schipol airport. We prepared for our meeting with a good dinner, starting of course with bread. My squash soup was creamy and very flavorful. I couldn't pass up the risotto of the week: creamy texture, rich flavor. I finished up with a nice slice of cheesecake.

My flight to Amsterdam gave me the chance to try breakfast on KLM. Given the choice between sweet and savory breakfast, I chose sweet. Luckily, the breakfast wasn't smothered in sugar. When I opened up this warm plate, I wasn't sure what I was eating. It turned out to be bread pudding. The warm dish was very soothing after a night on the plane. The blueberries were a nice touch.

I was on a break from my meeting at Tech Square and needed a little pick-me-up. I walked over to Peachtree and found Vinny's which gave me just the lift I needed. This slice is, in fact, real New York-style pizza. The crust combines crispy outside and chewy center. The cheese gives that low-moisture mozzarella flavor that is distinctive of NY slices. The sauce was good. The slice brought back fond memories of days and evenings in New York.

I walked to the train station to head to the airport. I needed something to eat before my journey. No. 17 gave me a very pleasing and relaxing dining experience. My meal started with bread. My rumpsteak satisfied my protein hunger. The potatoes were soft and comforting. The roasted vegetables gave a nice contrast. I took a few minutes to enjoy an espresso and the afternoon.

It isn't a break without baked goods. Joerg and I headed to his new favorite bakery for our break. They offer a very nice selection and welcoming service. Joerg recommended their cheesecake, which was rich and satisfying without being overly sweet. The case displayed two types of quark items. Of course, we had to try both. My favorite was the quark ball, similar to zeppole but very tender and with a bit of quark in the center. I also found these at the airport hotel. I clearly have to add these little treats to my fried dough repertoire.