Bern's Steak House

At last, COVID is beginning to loosen its grip on us, we’re becoming stronger in our battle against it, and life dawns into normalcy once again. And just in time for my month-long birthday celebration. With this visit to Bern’s, we’re making up for a failed attempt last year as we went into the throes of the pandemic lockdown. A reservation for Bern's Steak House is not easy to come by, three months advance planning being the norm. However, as doors begin to reopen, a weekday slot is more achievable, so on this Tuesday, the first day of June 2021, we entered this much-loved and much-talked about restaurant.

    The atmosphere is rich, to say the least. Everything about the service and the surroundings is elegant and classic, especially the dessert room, which we will explore later. I want to, but I just don't like the decor in the main dining floor. The red velvet walls are covered with classic paintings, niches are homes to busts that could be Roman, Greek, Victorian, Edwardian, you name it. The furniture in the entrance leans toward Louis XXIV Rococo. Nonetheless, once you sit down and service begins, you're willing to forgive, or perhaps forget, the interior design style.

    I regret to say that John and I are not wine connoisseurs, but if you are, you MUST watch the video about their world famous wine cellar on Bern's website. I've never seen anything like it! Instead of wine, John added a new craft beer to his collection, Chimay from Belgium, and I inhaled the Flower Sour, a glorious mixture of vodka, St. Elder, Orgeat syryup, and fresh lemon juice.

    We began our adventure with a subtle onion soup topped with a melt of fontina, provolone, and parmesan cheeses, followed by a bright mixed salad, both unremarkable but satisfying. Then, the main courses arrived. John had a 14-ounce Delmonico steak, cooked medium rare though he asked for medium, but he gushed over it. He waxed lyrical about the flavor and said he wanted to return on a yearly basis just from tasting the steak. I assure you nothing else that followed would have prompted such a reaction. Besides the soup and salad, the steak dinner included a baked potato with all its paraphernalia, onion rings, and the vegetable of the evening, sauteed green beans and mushrooms. They feed you at Bern's, no question.

    I thought I'd sample one of the other entrees sanz beef, so I opted for the Goat Cheese and Portobello Ravioli which came with sauteed Catalan Spinach, all in a sublime sauce of oven dried tomatoes, golden raisins, and pine nuts. The ravioli were not spectacular, but flavorful nonetheless. That dish also included the soup and salad, and a side dish, which I chose to be the baked potato so I could take it home for John.

    Now, to be honest, the reason I wanted to come to Bern's and share this unique experience was their internationally famous "dessert room". Besides a significant list of specialty coffees and drinks, some of the delights offered include Baked Alaska, Twelve Layer Chocolate Cake, Espresso Brownie, Roasted Pineapple Cake, gluten-Vintage Chocolate Lush Sundae, and Brazilian Snow, Bern's original vanilla ice cream infused with freshly ground espresso. A wide variety of sorbets are also available. Many people, myself included, expected a room with desserts on display. That is a misconception. The reality is better, the second floor of the building, decorated in ultra-modern blacks and metallics, is dedicated exclusively to the dessert experience. In fact, to gain access, your server downstairs must make a reservation for you while you enjoy your meal, and you get a separate bill. So, my conclusion is that should I want to, I could just make a reservation for the second floor and bypass the meal altogether. However, my meat-loving husband will have none of that. We shared the Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle with banana caramel ice cream and the Strawberry Key Lime Tart with graham cracker ice cream, this last element being particularly memorable.

    So many things to explore in Bern's menus (yes, plural) beg for repeat visits. The cheeses, the sauces, MORE desserts, and another Flower Sour are in my future, surely. This is not just another meal at a fancy restaurant, it's a full epicurean adventure for which you need to meditate and prepare yourself mentally and physically to enjoy fully. Leave behind the diet guilt, and skip a couple of meals before you go so you can "feel the Bern's" in all its splendor.

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The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Kitchen Feast

   

Meet Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome, an adventurous 19th century lady who traveled the world in search of new and inventive ways to infuse chocolate into complex recipes with the help of her faithful sidekick, Jacque The Robot. At the end of her long tour, she returned home with a vision to share her new and fascinating knowledge with the world by creating an emporium that everyone near and far could visit.

     And that's exactly what the people who designed this fantasy have done. The Emporium at Universal Studios, Orlando, is a steampunk feast for the senses that includes visits to each table by the main characters in the backstory behind this concept. There was a surreal moment when I found myself discussing Cuban pastries (pastelitos) with a Victorian English upper class lady in a bustled dress, and a robot.

     

    Not to mention that as you open the door, you enter a wondrous retail space, the aptly named Emporium, crammed with displays of all things sweet, moslty chocolate, and staff in period dress flashing those big theme park smiles and personalities.

     Let's not forget that there's food here too. The brown leather-bound, gold embossed book they call menu is busting with popular fare and a sprinkling of intriguing novelties like Chocolate Almond Bread with Salted Caramel Butter for an appetizer, or a Fire Grilled Pork Chop with Bitter Chocolate Mole Sauce, or Chocolate Brioche S'mores French Toast for brunch. This is the extreme tip of the iceberg, so if you visit, I encourage you to take time to review the menu carefully before you make your choices.

     After an enchanting visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, mecca for avid fans like me, this fantasy place offered the perfect finale to a magical day. Exhaustion precluded us from ordering overly complex dishes, but my Croque Monsieur offered melted Gruyere, crunchy toasted bread, and good country ham. What I never seem to get is enough Bechamel sauce. I'm starting to think my expectations are too high on this issue.

     John had a standard, or classic, as he calls it, cheddar bacon burger. For him, the brioche bun is all the luxury he needs. Although unremarkable, it satisfied his hunger. Our choices came with fries and sweet potato wedges. Both were also satisfying, but predictable. I'm ashamed to say that I let fatigue get the best of me, and I decided to forgo enticing items from the dessert menu like Brookies, Cookies and Cream, and Cream Puff and Eclair for the equally intriguing but less overwhelming Jacque's Specialty Milkshakes menu. I ordered the Heavenly Hazelnut and John tried the Key Lime Pie, and both were refreshing and comforting, but I feel they could've packed a stronger flavor punch.

     It's not gourmet dining, but the menu has something for everyone, and all of it is gratifying. Without a doubt, the Emporium is an experience that should not be missed. Fun for the whole family!

BB Free ©2018

Leopold's Ice Cream

In 1919, three brothers from Greece brought hand-crafted ice cream to Savannah, and the people of this charming city, and its visitors, remain faithful. At all hours of the day, long yet fast-moving lines fringe the street where iconic Leopold's stands. It has a '50s vibe, and the menu offers fountain classics, freshly baked pastries, and café items for those who wish to make a meal out of the experience.

   

    But the magic is in the ice cream, without a doubt. By the time I discovered what the flavors of the day were, John was already in line and out of sight while I saved our table, and I couldn't change my order from pistachio to the Dutch Utopia, chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips and orange candies. Or the Savannah Socialite, milk and chocolate ice cream with bourbon infused caramel and pecans. Now, don't those sound like a lot of time and love were put into creating them?
     My regret soon evaporated when I got the first taste of my pistachio. Not only was the flavor distinct and rich, but I didn't have to dig for the pistachios. They were everywhere, every spoonful covered in chewy nuttiness. John had classic chocolate, and once he started his gentle shoveling, he didn't come up for air until the cup was empty. I can safely assume he liked it.

   
     We did sample the Leopold's Club sandwich from their café menu. It had good ham, turkey, and bacon, but it wasn't any different than the sandwiches Mom made hastily to put in our lunchboxes. It didn't really matter. We weren't there for the sandwich, were we? It's all about the ice cream, and for good reason. Had we spent more time in Savannah, I know Leopold's would have been a daily stop in our gastronomic tour.

BB Free ©2017

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

     Ever since our return from Italy four years ago, John and I have been in search of gelato made authentically outside of The Old Country. Our Quixotic quest may not have yielded great results as of yet, but the journey has had its enjoyable moments, McConnell's being one of them.
     McConnell's is on State Street in trendy downtown Santa Barbara, California. Founded in 1949, they have stores only in the West Coast at this time, but I'm crossing my fingers all the way from the other coast for speedy expansion.
     Their ice cream is made in small batches, with sustainable and organic ingredients provided by local farmers and artisans. This attention to detail results in finely crafted ice creams with bold yet balanced combinations of ingredients, well-defined flavors, and perfectly textured density.
     I counted 32 flavors on their list, and Olive Oil and Salted Almonds just screamed to be tasted. I figured whatever I felt about this combination would be a benchmark for all the others. When something has two flavors, my expectation is to be able to taste each flavor separately and for the mix to be harmonious. I asked for a sample, and that's exactly what I got. The almonds softened the olive oil's potentially overbearing presence, but it was certainly there.
Emboldened by the execution of this risky flavor, I ordered the Churros con Leche and the Salted Caramel Chip with hot fudge and salted chocolate covered nuts. I went too far. The salty elements were delectable, but they cast such a shadow over the Churros con Leche, I forgot it was in my cup until I was almost done. By then, it was too late to assess that layer of flavor. It still made it into my list of top ten favorite ice creams.
     John had the Dutchman's Milk Chocolate and the Sea Salt Cream and Cookies. He actually waited for a fresh batch of waffle cones to be ready so he could have his warm. He went into transcendental meditation mode when he ate his ice cream, so it's clear that he had no objections.
     There's a special place in our hearts for small scale merchants that take pride in providing quality products and services, a lost art in this the age of the conglomerate. McConnell's is such a place, and supporting these family businesses while enjoying their delicious offerings is how John and I like to help the economy.

BB Free ©2015

Low Carb Lemon Sour Cream Pie Recipe | All Day I Dream About Food

Low Carb Lemon Sour Cream Pie Recipe | All Day I Dream About Food

     It takes a lot for me to consider reblogging someone's recipe. I must take it into my lab (kitchen), carefully scrutinize the complexity of each ingredient, the ease of preparation, and of course, the final outcome. This dessert is made with ingredients I always have in my pantry, it requires no baking, and it was easy as... well, pie, to make. Not only did I find it satisfactory, but my discerning lab partner (husband) qualified it as "a keeper". Thanks, Carolyn at "All Day I Dream About Food".

     Click on the link above for the recipe. Enjoy!

Brain Freeze Nitrogen Ice Cream & Yogurt Lab

The word is spreading. Nitrogen ice cream is here to stay, I hope. Our monthly pilgrimage to ChillN is always worth every mile traveled, but the thought of having this delectable treat in my neighborhood is titillating.
    

     Brain Freeze does ice cream with whimsy. No detail has been overlooked in making the place into a fun science lab. The main wall is splashed with formulas, a behemoth of a nitrogen tank stands guard in the far corner against wallpaper patterned into a gigantic Einstein head. Shelves are bedecked with beakers, lab flasks and syringes full of colorful ice cream toppings. My greatest delights were the 'scientists' behind the counter with their crisp white lab coats.

     The flavor offerings include all the usual suspects plus some combination specials and seasonal options. I was too late to sample the eggnog or the gingerbread, so I opted for Nutella yogurt with brownie bites, and John chose a mix of almond butter and chocolate ice cream. Their 'bites' are more like bits, and the ice cream is not as dense as at ChillN, but the flavors were distinctive.

     I will say this, though. We went back for a second visit before this posting, and we found the texture much improved. Things can be better the second time around. You have to give a new establishment time to work out the kinks. John tried Nutella with brownies this time, and I had their Nutella frozen yogurt, crushed pistachios and a syringe of chocolate fudge. I feared my next syringe would have to be full of insulin, but it was totally worth it.
     My science grades would've been much higher if I'd been allowed to experiment with these chemicals and substances back in my school days.

BB Free ©2016

Royal Scoop

I was born too late. I should've been a child of the '40s. Then I could've been a teenager in the '50s and met up with my friends at the local ice cream parlor on Saturday nights. That's ok though, I got to do something like that during my weekend in Naples.
     It appears that Royal Scoop is the regular hangout for the 40-65 crowd on Saturday nights in Bonita Springs, Florida. I heard a man ask his wife, "Is anyone we know inside?" and minutes later a cluster of friends formed, all exchanging lively greetings and just happy to be there. I wanted to join in, I wanted to be their friend. How many years to retirement?
   Benches line the front of this ample shop, and every seat is taken as the gang enjoys the rich ice cream while telling jokes and simply enjoying the company. The selection of flavors is extensive, and I felt like, well, a kid in an ice cream shop. My eyes darted from one flavor to another, from the predictable to the playful. Here's the mess I made: Chocolate Tri-Scrumptious (chocolate ice cream, English walnuts, chocolate chunks and white chocolate chips) with Trick-or-Treat Bag (orange marshmallow ice cream, Kit Kat, Nestle Crunch, Twix, Heath Bar, fudge), on a waffle bowl dipped in chocolate and nuts. Yes folks, I went there, and I feel not one ounce of regret.

     John had a waffle cone with chocolate and vanilla mixed with Heath bar. Ice cream is one of the few edibles that seldom displeases my partner.
     Rich, sweet, creamy and a lot of it- everything good old American ice cream should be.

BB Free ©2015
     

Dolce Vita Gelato Café

No matter how many gelato stands open on this side of the pond, speaking strictly from my experience, gelato-making continues to be Italy's best-kept secret. I conclude it must have something to do with their cream. Italian cows are my new spirit animals.

     Dolce Vita in Coconut Grove came highly recommended. The word 'authentic' was used, and that perked up my ears. Alas, it didn't quite meet expectations, and yes, I know, my expectations seem impossibly high.
     Rows upon rows of containers filled with colorful options were displayed with labels that said all the right things- Dulce de Leche chips, Ferrero, chocolate orange, Nocciola, pistaccio. My friend Michele chose the Passion Fruit and Oreo. I picked the Ferrero and the chocolate orange, because you should always have two flavors, never one alone. It's gelato law. It was good. Better than the average ice cream shop offerings, but that dense velvet texture, that rich, full-body flavor was simply not there. Even the surprise strips of candied orange rind in my chocolate couldn't make up for the deficit.

     I will say this: If you've never been to Italy, or if the memory of that gelato has faded, this is a fun and satisfying alternative. However, I am cursed with the vivid memory of rich Italian ice cream, and the hunger to duplicate that experience will have me searching everywhere for that elusive frozen food of the gods until I return to its birthplace.

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Bobboi Natural Gelato

Here it is! Our first encounter with authentic gelato outside of Italy. Bobboi is located in LaJolla, California, a lovely suburb of San Diego. The Italian owners take pains to demonstrate to the employees the slow, loving process of making real flavors daily, fresh and on the premises, using only California milk and organic fruit and sugar. The employees, in turn, share the information with any patron that shows interest. They speak their knowledge in near reverence, as they should.
     You won't find the infinite rows of flavor options that you see in most Italian gelato counters, but the dozen or so choices are masterfully crafted and well thought out, so ingenious combinations can be made in a cup. John had the strawberry and 'Bacio', or chocolate and hazelnut, and I mixed the 'Mediterraneo', a combination of pistachio, hazelnut and almond, with the salted caramel. Each flavor had that distinct personality we have come to expect from gelato. Any two can dance well together but one never takes away from the other.
 

      I was starting to wonder if there was anyone in the U.S. that could make gelato like it's done in Italy. I figured we must have the technology, there are many Italo-Americans in the country, we produce quality raw materials, so what's the secret? Why is it so elusive? Having found one place that can craft this mystical and powerful substance, my faith is renewed and my quest for more places will continue.

BB Free ©2015
     

Bailey's Coffee Bar

It's good to be a Bailey on Florida's Sanibel Island, or at least it was back in 1899 when Frank P. Bailey founded his General Store. Even today, it's the island's favorite place for grocery shopping and morning coffee. We tried it by accident. If you're not familiar, it can look like a neglected strip of stores, except there's constant traffic in and out of the store. I wanted to find a swanky coffee shop, but John convinced me to give their Coffee Bar a try. So glad I listened!
     Turns out Bailey's is more Trader Joe's than country store. The bakery is what inspired me to blog about this deceivingly sleepy place. I got two cookies for breakfast. 'Cookies?' You say. The biggest, moistest, cakiest Black and White cookie I have ever seen, and I've had the best you can find in New York. This one beat them all. My other cookie was a chocolate chunk. Also the size of a saucer, gooey, with chocolate mixed in the dough and so many bubbling boulders of milk chocolate, shards of dark chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate kisses, you could ask, 'Would you like some cookie with all that chocolate?'
    That's just what we ordered. Every cookie, cake, brownie, muffin, scone, and piece of fudge is made fresh daily, and the selection made me feel greedy and hungry and dangerously close to throwing caution to the wind and binge to the edge of a diabetic coma. Fortunately, my temperate husband was there to keep me away from the overgrown eclairs, the stuffed croissants, the apple crisps that looked like huge gnarled blobs of glazed ecstasy, the lemon bars, the cream horns... I'll stop now.

    The coffee was good too. On my first visit, I was greeted by a poster of a Butterbeer frozen latte inspired by my beloved Harry Potter. No need to look further. It was a big cup of sweet butterscotch fun. On my second visit, I had a moccha latte and I must say, love my Starbucks but didn't miss it at all on this fine spring morning.
     Goes to show you can't judge a coffee shop by it's façade.

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