Have you ever set out to eat your way across a city, focusing on a single seasonal dish?

Well, I didn’t intend to go on a winter squash soup kick while in Boston in October, but one thing led to another, as the saying goes, and there I was at Sorellina on our last night in Boston eating my fifth winter squash soup.

And here’s the thing. I could have continued this madness for another week at least. It is highly instructive to see how top notch culinary artists across a major culinary mecca treat the same basic core ingredients and menu item, in this case, winter squash and a handful of flavor complements crafted into a smooth and silky soup.

Winter squash (which includes pumpkin) goes well with a surprising number of other flavors. Check out my Winter Squash Primer for a complete list. New to me on this tasting round, however, were pears, blue cheese, rye bread, and smoked maple syrup, all wonderful partners for winter squash.

The adventure began at Sel de la Terre on our first night in Bean Town. We sat at the bar overlooking the action in the kitchen and watched as dish after gorgeous dish made it to the pass. As I looked over the menu, I was hooked immediately by Chef Louis DiBiccari’s  winter squash soup with smoked maple syrup. The soup was spectacular. In fact, this is the most memorable winter squash soup I have ever eaten–bar none. The flavor pairing was completely harmonious and magical. Also perfect was the balance between the sweetness of the squash and an unnamed acidic counterpoint. The garnishes were lovely as well, but really, the soup stood on its own merit.

Sel De La Terre: Native Squash Soup, Smoked Maple Syrup, Sweet Onion-Date Vol Au Vent & Crème Fraiche

Sportello, one of Chef Barbara Lynch’s more novel restaurant concepts (with a focus on house-made pasta and counter-style seating) presented this classic example with a few interesting embellishments to keep me eating to the bottom of the bowl. The soup tasted brightly of cooked, pureed kuri squash and little else. I didn’t detect stock even. The color is a brilliant hue, as you can see, and the garnishes add visual interest.

Sportello: Kuri Squash Soup with Pork Belly, Rye Croutons & Pumpkin Seed Oil

Chef Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley’s Bistro pushed the concept a bit further using butternut squash with curry, diced, crunchy pears, and blue cheese crema. The sharp blue cheese paired with the sweet squash was surprisingly simpatico and the tiny dice of pears added textural interest.

Hamersley’s Bistro: Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Pear & Blue Cheese

At Sorellina, Chef Jamie Mammano chose pumpkin as the key ingredient for his winter squash soup. Curry, ginger, and pumpkin are a perfect flavor pairing with the diced pears adding a welcome textural contrast.

Sorellina: Heirloom Pumpkin & Ginger Spiced Pear Soup

And to top off the week of tasting, Chef John Welch of North 26 incorporated an Indian spin into his full flavored red kuri squash soup. Coconut milk and chile both mellowed and enlivened the creamy soup. Matchstick shreds of fried squash added an interesting textural as well as visual, contrast.

North 26: Bisque of Red Kuri Squash with Coconut Milk, Chiles & Ginger

So that’s it folks–five fabulous soups in five fabulous days in one of the most exciting food cities in the country.  I’m sure I missed a few equally stellar renditions, but there’s always next year.

Next Up

Check back for my own winter squash soup creation, inspired by a week of great eating in Boston: Warm Spiced Red Kuri Squash & Orange Soup with Cinnamon Harissa.

Resources

• Hamersley’s Bistro
• North 26
• Sel de la Terre
• Sorellina
• Sportello

When we are in Portland, Oregon and heading out on foot to dinner in town, Wildwood in the Northwest district is always at the top of our list of fave destinations. It’s a lovely mile walk, or if we are feeling exceptionally lazy, we can hop the streetcar almost to the front door. (You might have seen my earlier article on Wildwood titled, Sweet Briar Farms Pork Chop with Bodacious Corn Hush Puppies. Just looking at the photo of that amazing dish makes me go weak in the knees.)

What I love about this restaurant is well, EVERYTHING. We sit at the kitchen bar and watch enthralled as dish after inspired dish is constructed by the well orchestrated kitchen and then put onto the marble bar, oftentimes just inches from our twitching noses. It’s like watching a theatrical production. We take our sweet time looking over the ever changing, seasonal menu. If we stall long enough, we see some of the dishes the kitchen is preparing that night, which helps us decide what to order.

Executive chef, Dustin Clark, is always in the kitchen, usually manning the tandoori oven. It doesn’t seem to matter what evening or time we show up. The other chefs rotate, but he is always there, quietly, confidently manning the helm. After watching Wildwood’s What’s for Dinner video, I better understand why the wait staff is always so knowledgeable and engaged.

But you are probably wondering when I going to get to the Creamy Romaine Soup. Here’s the thing, I had never tried or even heard of this soup before we encountered it several weeks ago at Wildwood. Imagine–lettuce soup! It was a revelation. When I asked one of the chefs how they managed to pack so much color and flavor into it, he laughed and said, “We used a TON of romaine.”

When I created my own version of the soup this past week, I used 2 large heads of romaine. The result is flavorful and delicious but not as verdant green as Wildwood’s version. (If you want to try for that gorgeous green color, add one or two more heads of lettuce and let me know how that work’s out.) The color of my soup is a paler shade of green, but that gave me the impetus to add a fresh herb better swirl, which really spikes the flavor overall. Many thanks to Wildwood for inspiring this rendition.

Creamy Romaine Soup with Summer Herb Butter & Garlic Croutons

I often incorporate a coarsely chopped, fresh green sauce, chimichurri, gremolata, or herb butter into a creamy soup as a way to layer cooked and raw flavors. The fresh sauce provides vibrant color and flavor that lifts even the simplest soup to new heights. Together with the garlic croutons, there is plenty of contrast here to keep diners happily engaged all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

Summer Herb Butter
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup minced combined chives, parsley, and green onions
1½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste

Garlic Croutons
3 ounces fresh, 1-inch square French bread cubes, crust trimmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, peeled, and pressed or chopped

Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-large onion, peeled, trimmed, and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled, and pressed or chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, deribbed, and minced
2 large heads of romaine lettuce, trimmed and coarsely sliced (20 ounces sliced)
handful Italian parsley (10 ounces)
3-4 green onions, chopped (1 ounce)
small handful of chives, chopped (1 ounce)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

5 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish
Herb Butter
Garlic Croutons
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. To make the Herb Butter, in a processor fitted with the steel blade, chop the herbs and then add the butter. Pulse to thoroughly blend. Then add the lemon juice and salt, and pulse again to combine. Remove to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Bring to room temperature when you are ready to serve the soup.
2. To make the Garlic Croutons, in a saute pan set over medium heat, melt the butter and toss in the bread cubes. Turn the cubes frequently to lightly brown all sides, adding the garlic and salt about half way through the browning process. Remove to a paper towels to drain. Reserve.
3. To make the soup, in a large soup pot, melt the butter and add the onions. Cook slowly until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes, and then add the garlic and chiles. Cook slowly for another 2 minutes or so.
4. Add the romaine and toss repeatedly until wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the parsley, green onions and chives.
6. Add the flour and stir to distribute. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add the stock and cream and stir constantly while bringing the soup to a simmer. Simmer slowly to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.
8. Remove the soup from the heat, let cool a bit and then either ladle it in batches into a blender and puree or use an immersion blender to puree in the pot. If you want a very smooth soup, put it through a triple mesh, conical chinoise or a food mill fitted with the fine disk.
9. Return the soup to a clean soup pot and taste for flavor balance. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
10. To serve, reheat the soup to a simmer and then ladle it into soup bowls. Draw a spoonful of the Herb Butter very slowly in a circular fashion through the hot soup so that it melts onto the surface.   Add a few croutons to the center of each bowl and a grating of Parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes about 8 cups soup; serves 4-6.

You are looking at perhaps the most delectable pork belly in the world. No, the universe. According to one of the amiable chefs behind the kitchen bar from which MauiJim and I were watching the action, it was cooked sous-vide at 145 degrees–for TWO DAYS.

You won’t, however, find this mentioned on the menu. I only suspected it after the fatty portion of the pork belly melted on my palate like warm butter. Then I asked. If I had been paying better attention, the plastic pouch from which the chef removed the portion of pork belly would have been an immediate give-away.

But I wasn’t paying attention while the chef was preparing my pork. Instead, I was completely enthralled with the gorgeous, silky, minty, and very fresh tasting English Pea & Herb Soup with Tangerine Bubbles. And yes, there was some moaning.

I have always felt that one can accurately assess the palate, technical ability, and culinary philosophy of a cook by tasting his or her soups. This soup was breathtaking in its simplicity, with thoughtfully balanced, bright and full flavor. It was also perfectly seasoned, something of a rarity these days. After tasting this soup, I trusted the entire menu. Indeed, I now trust anything this chef might want to serve me.

As it turns out, a lot of other folks feel the same way. The tasting menu is a big draw. For 200 bucks a head, you can book the Chef’s Table for the evening and put yourself fully under the spell of chef-owner, William Belickis. But if that sounds a bit over the top, there is also an 8 course meal for 90 bucks and a four course meal for 60 bucks.

For a more casual experience, you aren’t going to go wrong ordering off the ala carte menu either. Everything here is prepared either on a conduction burner, in a sous-vide immersion cooker, in a large wood-burning oven, or all three. Not a gas burner in sight.

Take the Roasted Alaskan Halibut, Fresh Green Garbanzos, Parsnip Puree & Tangerine Oil for instance. We have never seen such LOVE lavished on a piece of fish. The chef started the fish in a sauté pan over a conduction burner. After a while, he checked the crust forming on the bottom and added a dollop of butter. Then he started spooning the by now browned butter over the fish again and again and again. Oh the aroma! Finally the pan with the fish was put into the oven where he carefully checked it every minute or so, then at last turned the fish over to crust the other side. It was cooked perfectly and completely infused with the flavor of the lemony brown butter. Every order of halibut got the same rapt attention. We were spellbound. MauiJim can’t stop talking about this dish. We’ll probably have to go back to Mistral next week so he can have it again. But hey, I’m not complaining.

The Arugula Salad with Fennel, Pecorino, Lemon & Fromage Blanc, which was part of three courses for $25 presented in conjunction with the Seattle Restaurant Week event, was simple and refreshing.

Keeping our selections on the light side, we had plenty of room left for dessert. I have an enduring love for the dense, slightly chewy, little French cakes called friands or financiers. Pastry chef, Neil Robertson, creates an inspired version with his Rhubarb Financier, Fromage Blanc Szechwan Pepper Sorbet & Rhubarb Soup.  Rhubarb is delicious but rarely elegant. This dessert proves it can be done.

And I never pass up Tres Leche Cake on a restaurant menu. Chef Robertson’s version, Lemon Tres Leche with Tuile & Fresh Strawberry Sorbet is exceptionally light, subtly sweet, and perfectly accompanied by a sorbet that tastes of summer field strawberries and an exceptionally thin praline cookie.

The last thing I asked the “halibut whisperer” chef was, “Does the menu change often?” Surprised, he responded with, “Oh yes, very often and with the seasons.” Perfect, because this is one Seattle restaurant that we want to return to again and again.

More Great Things to Eat

Amazing Charcuterie Platter

Manila Clams, Chorizo, White Wine & Orange Gremolata

Honey Glazed Pork Chop, Flowering Kale & Purple Potatoes

Catch the Buzz

Mistral Kitchen

Seattle Met: Mighty Meals by Kathryn Robinson

Seattle Weekly: A Mighty Wind by Jason Sheehan

Seattle Magazine: Sneak Peek: Inside Mistral Kitchen’s New Digs by Lorna Lee

Seattle PI: On Food: Mistral Gives Way for an Exciting Concept by Rebekah Denn

Seattle Restaurant Week

 West 5: Astral Mac & Cheese

When I posted our first Quintessential Mac & Cheese Roundup in 2008, I was certain we would soon run out of restaurants that served Mac & Cheese, and then the idea of a yearly roundup would be a thing of the past. Well, either I was way wrong about the number of restaurants that serve Mac & Cheese or an increasing number of restaurants have recently added the divine macaroni to their menus. Either way, there now seems to be no danger of running out of stellar renditions of this most delicious dish. My ooey-gooey-cheesy cup runneth over!

To get a bit of history on how this whole obsessive exploration came to be and to check out the photos and tasting notes for the first roundup, see the post, Quintessential Mac & Cheese Roundup 2008. Also check out the post, LunaCafe OtherWorldly Mac & Cheese, which features the absolute best, repeatedly tested recipe in the universe. I swear! And if you are really a diehard Mac & Cheese lover, you have to try my World Famous Green Chili Mac & Cheese as well, modeled after a version we tasted at the Roaring Fork restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona last winter.

For even more inspiration, check out this year’s top 6 finalists in the Tillamook Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Contest. Thousands of cooks submitted their treasured macaroni and cheese recipes for this year’s contest and then the top contestants competed in the regional cook-offs across six cities. I will once again be a judge at the live Grand Finale cook-off in Portland, Oregon. The event takes place on October 23rd at Kell’s Irish Restaurant. Last year’s winner was Angie Phillips’ Caramelized Sweet Potato, Garlic & Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese.

So, without further ado, here are the most noteworthy results of our 2009 Mac & Cheese adventure, in alphabetical order. The intention, as with last year, is to strike a balance between fancy-schmancy and let’s-eat-already venues.

The cities we hit for this year’s roundup include Seattle, Portland, Scottsdale, and Boston.

23 Hoyt (Portland, Northwest 23^rd)

23 Hoyt: Gruyere, Parmesan & Applewood Smoked Bacon Mac & Cheese

This Mac & Cheese is billed as “gruyere, parmesan, bacon, and crunchy topping,” but this is humble understatement. The recipe harkens from the now defunct Olea restaurant, and is perfection with a heady aroma and flavor of applewood smoked bacon.

Aquitaine (Boston, South End)

 Aquitaine: Parmesan Mac & Cheese

The presentation here is unextraordinary, but I assure you the taste is anything BUT pedestrian. The sauce is ultra creamy and suggestive of a range of aged cheeses. I asked the server to check with the kitchen to see which cheeses were actually used in the dish, but all that crafty chef would reveal was “parmesan.”

Bandera (Scottsdale, Old Town)

 Bandera: Wood-Fired Mac & Cheese

We were headed to the airport after a week of indulgent dining in Scottsdale/Phoenix, but we had not yet tasted the famed Mac & Cheese at Bandera in Old Town. So, like true culinary adventurers, we dashed in and ate fast. The Mac & Cheese is offered as a side but it is well worth singular attention.

BOKA (Seattle, Downtown/Pioneer Square)

Boka: Gruyere, Brie, Parmesan & Bacon Mac & Cheese with Crisped Onion Topping

We recently sampled this baked macaroni with creamy sauce of gruyere, brie, and crisp bacon, topped with parmesan and panko breadcrumbs. Perfection and also beautifully presented.

Café Castagna (Portland, Hawthorne District)

 Cafe Castagna: Baked Penne with Gruyere, Cheddar, Green Chile & Egg Yolk

This is what Mac & Cheese must be like in a Parisian café, if such a dish actually exists in Paris. Wonderful! Baked penne with gruyere, cheddar, green chile and raw egg yolk.  

Capitol Grille (Seattle, Downtown)

Capitol Grille: Lobster Mac & Cheese 

I admit that I was not quite sure why any cook worth their salt would think it necessary to add lobster to Mac & Cheese. But now I get it.The Lobster Mac & Cheese is almost buried under the Sides on the menu in this traditional, high-end steak house. A creamy, luscious, savory, baked Mac & Cheese with al dente campanelle pasta, an abundance of fresh lobster, and a divine sauce of mascarpone, havarti, aged white cheddar, and grana padano. Topped with panko bread crumbs and grated white cheddar. A must try if you are shopping and need a break in downtown Seattle.ClarkLewis (Portland, Northeast)ClarkLewis: Mac & Cheese with Toasted Bread Crumbs

ClarkLewis (Portland, Southeast River District)

 ClarkLewis: Mac & Cheese with Toasted Breadcrumbs

We encountered this unpretentious Mac & Cheese on the bar menu at ClarkLewis one cold, rainy Northwest night. The presentation is nothing fancy, but the flavorful medley of creamy cheeses and perfectly cooked macaroni are definitely well-considered and well-crafted.

Crave (Seattle, Capitol Hill)

 Crave: Shiitake Mac & Cheese

Sadly, Crave is now closed. Nevertheless, Chef Robin Leventhal deserves applause and appreciation for creating this most memorable, full-flavored Shitake Mac & Cheese, using a trio of cheeses: New York sharp cheddar, creamy fontina, and Parmesan. Plus seashell pasta and loads of succulent shiitake mushrooms. I miss this rich, creamy, delectable dish. The apple garnish was a brilliant touch. For the complete story, see my earlier post, Crave: Shiitake Mac & Cheese.

Heathman (Portland, Downtown)

 Heathman:  Lush Mac & Cheese

Offered as a happy hour selection, this excellent Mac & Cheese deserves greater importance on the menu of this highly regarded, fine dining establishment. As a bar offering, it’s a steal.

JoBar (Portland, Northwest 23^rd)

 JoBar: Cheddar, Wild Mushroom, & Beer Mac & Cheese

JoBar makes it into the roundup again this year because they offered a taste-worthy new rendition. It’s so delectable, that I have eaten it several times. Garganelli pasta with cheddar cheese, wild mushrooms, and beer.

Kenny & Zuke’s (Portland, Downtown)

 Kenny & Zuke’s: Just a Bowl of Mac & Cheese

It’s hard to order Mac & Cheese in this standout, retro delicatessen, because the house-made pastrami is SPECTACULAR, and I never tire of it. Plus, there is no description of the Mac & Cheese on the menu. Plus it’s only $5.50, which typically indicates the dish is an afterthought. But trust me and order it. It’s not fancy, but on a cold Northwest day or night, it warms the heart and nourishes the soul, just like my German grandmother’s Mac & Cheese always did.

Oba (Portland, Pearl District)

 Oba!: Green Chili-White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

What a lucky find to spot Green Chili-White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese on Oba!’s bar menu. It’s definitely the most unusual and colorful Mac & cheese we encountered this past year.

Roaring Fork (Scottsdale, Old Town)

 Roarng Fork: Green Chile Macaroni

Robert McGrath’s Green Chile Macaroni is world famous and deservedly so. If you are in Scottsdale, do make time to visit this rustic tome to cowboy cooking and order this little bit of heaven. (Note, however, that Robert McGrath is no longer head chef at the restaurant.

Google sends a fair share of the folks searching for McGrath’s recipe to LunaCafe, even though the recipe is located here and also in McGrath’s most excellent cookbook, American Western Cooking

But before you shout hallelujah and run off to grab that recipe, I must sadly confide that the recipe does not produce the same Mac & Cheese that you will eat at the Roaring Fork in Scottsdale. I know this because I bought a plane ticket to Scottsdale last year and then ate a good size portion of this masterful, ultra creamy concoction myself. When I got back to Portland, I spent three days in the OtherWorldly Kitchen trying to reproduce this dish. Check out the results in the post titled World Famous Green Chile Mac & Cheese.

Smash (Seattle, Wallingford)

 Smash: Black Truffle Mac & Cheese

I do not typically appreciate “stove-top” Mac & Cheese, but I am probably in the minority here. This version is tasty with its inclusion of shaved black truffle, which perfumes every last creamy bite.

SMITH (Seattle, Capitol Hill)

 SMITH: Smoked Gouda, Grafton Cheddar & Ham Mac & Cheese

If I lived closer to Seattle’s Capitol Hill, I would likely eat this Mac & Cheese weekly. It’s that good. Elbow macaroni with a creamy sauce of smoked Gouda and Grafton cheddar with ham and a light sprinkling of fine bread crumbs on top. Check out my earlier post: Eat. Seattle. Smith

West Five (Seattle, West Seattle)

 West 5: Astral Mac & Cheese

West Five’s Astral Mac & Cheese is quite possibly the best Mac & Cheese in the world, or in any world for that matter. I know, I know. I say that a lot. But truly, this Mac & Cheese is a solid contender for world-class status. Chef, Kelly Maclein, knows her Mac & Cheese! Her creation consists of radiatori pasta and FIVE cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, cotija, parmesan, and cream cheese), all brought together in a sauce so ooey, gooey, creamy, rich, and delicious that you may find yourself moaning as you are eating each bite. You’ve been warned. For the complete story, check out my earlier post, West 5: Astral Mac & Cheese.

You can follow our continuing Mac & Cheese posts on the Mac & Cheese page.

For easy reference, here are the standouts from the Quintessential Mac & Cheese 2008 Roundup:

Quintessential Mac & Cheese Roundup 2008

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Seattle, Pike Place Market)

Café Venus (Seattle, Eastlake)

Fratelli(Portland, Pearl District)

Heathman (Portland, Downtown)

JoBar(Portland, Northwest District)

Noble Rot (Portland, Laurelhurst)

Olea (Portland, Pearl District, now closed)

Pastini Pastaria (Portland, Northwest District)

Serratto (Portland, Northwest District)

Stephanie’s (Boston, Newberry St.)

Veil (Seattle, East Lower Queen Anne, now closed)