New York – Momofuku Ko

Finally clicked fast enough to get a seat at Ko, it helps that they recently relocated to a bigger space with more seats. I had really high expectations after eating at Shoto in Toronto a few times and while the food was really good I still think Shoto is a tad better. I think part of the problem was the drink pairing at Ko was too heavy on bubbly white and white. There was also a beer that didn’t sit well with me, talking to the maitre d’ as I was leaving about the meal and she agreed that the Goose Island was a bit much and thanked me for giving her ammo to talk to the chefs about changing it up.

Aging some meats

More aging meat and cheese

Riff on campari and soda

Lobster salad and mint (r) and squash and cheese

Daikon roll: seabass and mint

Mille feuille: trout roe and matcha tea

Japanese sea bream, finger limes, chili

Razor clam, basil seed and oil, pineapple

Grilled sunchoke, tarragon, dry aged beef

Sake

Hokkaido uni, chickpea, hozon

Bacon wrapped scallops

Mackerel dashi, king oyster, Asian pear

Mackerel consumme (roasted the bones of the fish and then turned it into this incredibly rich broth, but it was a bit salty)

Soft scramble: potato, osetra, herbs

Celery root: celery root agnolotti, black truffle, tandoori spice

Halibut: artichoke, watercress, olive

Lobster: sweet potato, tonburi, spicy lobster sauce

Fermented apple and carrot soda

Foie gras: lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

Goat cheese, lychee

Duck with lime sauce

XO sauce bok choy, creme fraiche

Clementine sorbet

Chocolate: wintergreen ice cream

New York – Eataly

Little snack at Eataly before heading to Ko for dinner after arriving in the late afternoon. Was much busier than the one in Milan and had more area dedicated to eating food than buying. Makes sense as having lived here people love to eat out and not cook as much.

Crostini was really good, the liver was very smooth and had the right amount of truffle to add that extra kick. The red wine was really good too, too bad I forget what it was.

Eastern BC – Ski Lodge

Skiing is my other passion besides food and always great to combine the two at remote lodges. Snow was great over four days and had some tasty meals.

Lunch on arrival day. Ribs, brats, smoked salmon, caprese, etc.

Dessert spread after lunch, the berry crumble in the back was fantastic since it wasn’t too sweet and more tart.

Buttermilk panna cotta and berry compote

Black truffle (oil I’d say by lack of black flakes) risotto, confit tomatoes and arugula

Alberta beef with mushrooms, morels, potatoes and broccoli

Beef and mushroom in yorkshire pudding (when it’s hard to get fresh food in, you use all of it)

Scallop and grapefruit trio, Madagascar vanilla bean (the fresh grapefruit didn’t match well with the scallops, their sourness was too much)

Porkchops, brown butter, white wine & tarragon sauce, kale, beets and yam puree

Blackberry chocolate torte (I had two)

Breakfast was slightly different everyday, here was blackberry stuffed french toast (I had three pieces). Notice the huge jug of maple syrup too.

Sushi with unconventional Japanese garnish

Sabelfish, fried rice & stir fried veggies

Passion fruit custard, tropical fruit & orange tuile