The New Napa Valley 2023

We returned to Napa Valley to attend the Chaine des Rotisseurs Bailliage des Etats-Unis 2023 National Mondial Weekend. This is the first meeting since Covid and the last one was 4 years ago. So everyone was excited to be there and we had a great time experiencing fine dining and way too much wine. We went a few days early so we could meet with some Vitners and taste a few extra wines, why I am not sure, as always at Mondial meetings there is again way too much wine. We flew into Sacramento which some have questioned. Believe me, if you are traveling to Napa especially Sacramento is a much easier way to get there. It is a one-hour drive from the airport on 99% of 4-lane highways. For years we flew into San Francisco and driving to wine country from SFO and especially going home is a nightmare with frequent traffic jams. I once spent 5 hours on the Oakland Bridge and I said never again. Some days the schedules are not ideal for Sacramento but our return flights were almost direct, quick, and stress-free.

Westin Verasa Napa

We very much enjoyed our stay here and felt its location was great and the luxury of the place was great. We had a great comfortable room. Housekeeping was some of the best and they always met our requests without our having us repeat ourselves. The front desk was similarly always professional and helpful. Their poolscape and hot tub area were also one of the best we have seen. They are well-located downtown within reasonable walking distance to Copia, Oxbow Market, and Main Street. My only criticism is they need to improve their dining choices. We look forward to staying there again.

Restaurants

Bard at Westin Verasa

This is the hotel's cafe and casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot. Frankly, it is very small as well as the menu choices. Arriving late our first evening we had dinner there. The service was inexperienced and way too casual and had a hard time understanding what we wanted. There were few choices on the menu but the food preparation was good and we had an OK dinner. For a quick bite, it is adequate but sometimes when we arrive late after a long day of travel we liked to be pampered and cared for and this was not that kind of place.

La Torque Westin Verasa Napa

Sadly our greatly anticipated dinner at Le Torque at the Westin Hotel in Napa California was a huge disappointment. We had researched the restaurant and had found that it is Michelin-starred and it has a well-known chef, so our expectations were very high. Regrettably, our expectations were not met. To begin with our reservations for some reason were not clearly made and in addition, when we made our reservations with the hotel concierge, unknown to us, we were charged an upfront deposit that we were not told about and we only found out about it when our check was delivered which I find somewhat concerning. We had just arrived from a tasting at the vineyards and had a bottle of wine so we figured we would drink that and see how it went with the restaurant's cuisine. We were immediately told that their policy, not the law, was that they would not serve us a bottle of wine that had already been opened. Regardless of whether we paid the corkage or not. I find this unacceptable. They should clearly be aware that people are gonna be in The Valley doing tastings and might just bring some of those wines to have or finish at the restaurant. I find that policy unacceptable. But that policy did not stop their sommelier from asking us if he could taste that wine because he had smelled the cork and was intrigued. Being polite, We allowed him to have a taste but I find it hypocritical that I cannot drink it but the sommelier can. After we were seated our wait staff began hovering and frequently interrupting our conversation just to tell us how wonderful everything was. I have previously written that when this occurs it's almost as if they tell you this enough you might believe it, we were not fooled. The menu was interesting. There were some highlights and we were all able to find something. We decided against a tasting menu primarily because we felt it would take too long and we're not into long sit-down dinners anymore. The ladies had an asparagus appetizer which was good. I did not find it particularly unique though it had a simple Bearnaise zabion sauce with a very small garnish of caviar. I had a salad that was fairly simple and in fact, it tasted pretty much the same as the salad my wife makes at home. The French Onion soup was basic and not gourmet. The same for our entrees. Dessert was the highlight of the evening and was good. Overall our dinner was simply basic food and not particularly unique in any special manner that we could tell. The wait staff was overbearing and frequently interrupting which was a distraction. You could fool me they had a Michelin star.  There are multiple 1-star reviews on Trip Advisor that management has failed to respond to.  I guess they don't care.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g32766-d346529-r886061443-La_Toque-Napa_Napa_Valley_California.html#

Hog Island Oyster Bar

Located at Oxbow Market next to the Westin primarily an oyster bar but with other items as well. I had wonderful Mussels along with 4 fried oysters. I have gotten very ill eating raw oysters twice so I no longer do that but have never had a problem with well-cooked oysters. Except for my visit to Hog Island, as the fried oysters I had, I thought tasted a little off but not enough to not eat them only to have a brief stomach upset 6 hours later. Oysters are dangerous so beware. Otherwise, the food and service here are good and there is always a line to be seated.

Mustards

Mustards is our go-to place to eat in Napa for lunch or dinner. We have never had a bad meal here and this trip was no different. They are the ones who invented the wine list “Way Too Many Wines” and in two pages in small print they list over 1000 different wines and you can find something to satisfy your palate and budget. Our whole table started with a potato and leek soup that was to die for. It was just over-the-top wonderful. I had a pasta dish that was superior and took half home for dinner the next night. Service as usual was professional, prompt, and frankly fun. I will always go to Mustards in Napa on every trip.

Black Bear Restaurants

This is a growing chain all over the country but is primarily located on the West Coast. It is similar to a Denny’s and maybe Cracker Barrel but much more upscale. An extensive menu of comfort food for all meals. We had our last breakfast there and it was excellent and filling. It is a 5-minute drive from downtown Napa with plenty of parking so I recommend it for a quick meal.

Morimoto

Owned by the master himself located on the Napa Riverfront complex and outstanding Japanese restaurant worthy of its namesake. We took Drew Neiman there for lunch and he was shocked I ordered beer and not wine. My reason was they had Ashai Japanese beer which I rarely see anywhere so I simply could not pass up the chance to enjoy a bottle. There are many unique sushi and sashimi menu items along with cooked oysters so we had a variety of dishes all of which were tasty and great. Service was very professional and prompt. I have eaten at Morimoto's in London and this one was to me even better I recommend it for an authentic Japanese lunch with that Napa twist.

Gott’s Oxbow

Sister to Gott’s in St. Helena with the same menu plus some. Located at the Oxbow Market it is the same famous food as the original Gott’s and a bucket list place. Probably the best hamburgers and hot dogs on the planet. I had one of each. I have been told every time you eat a hot dog you lower your life expectancy by 15 minutes. So if you want to commit hot dog suicide clearly this is the place to do it. They do have other options. When we had lunch they had a Cuban Sandwich option that looked perfect. We will always try to eat at Gott’s when we are in town.  Both places are always busy.

Oenotri, 1425 1st Street downtown Napa

We had dinner there as one of our La Chaine dine-around dinners. It is an Italian place with a Napa flair. It is very crowded and noisy. I enjoyed the food and thought it was excellent especially the pasta. They served a lamb dish that turned out to be shredded lamb that at least on presentation was poor. It didn’t taste bad but it just was not a high-quality dish. For what you received the price was fairly high but it appears to be a favorite of locals and it was one of the few Italian places around. But truthfully if I am in Napa again and want Italian my choice would be Bistro Giovanni on Highway 29 north of town.

Angele

Owner Bettina Rouols has put together an amazing culinary team led by Chef Josue Alvarado under the direction of manager Kelly Mitchell-Jacks. We had lunch here last year with our Napa agent and remember it as a good and relaxing lunch. I am uncertain why I did not mention it last year but my overall memory was good so we decided to have lunch there. It is easy to find as it is on the Napa Riverfront shopping area next to the Napa General Store. We were immediately seated inside and after reviewing the menu and wine list choose our selections. I for one had a memorable Sole dish that was perfectly prepared and tasty. Our server Greg Oranges was professional and provided some of the best service during our visit. We had been disappointed in our dining choices the previous day but lunch at Angele restored our faith in the Napa dining scene. Both the lunch and wine menus provide a good mixture of choices, everything is prepared in-house from fresh ingredients, and the atmosphere is calming and relaxing. Frankly, it was our best lunch all week. I highly recommend it.

Napa General Store breakfast

At the south end of the Napa Riverfront complex, this is a small quaint local general store that primarily is a breakfast and lunch place. It has local products as well as a small wine bar and a nice outside seating area. We had breakfast there and were pleased with the food and service and the price was reasonable. I recommend it.

Oxbow Market

A small market with multiple small local shops and restaurants or cafes. It continues to be a fun place and we went there daily to do or get something. The wine shop is a favorite run by Michael Myers and he gets some rare and good stuff as well as a lot of cheese you will enjoy. There are two places open for breakfast and coffee that are good as well as a small produce market for those interested.

Vineyards and Vitners

Neiman Vineyards, Napa California

I was able to make another half-day trip to visit Drew Neiman of Neiman Vineyards, especially to taste his world-famous Chardonnay. For those who don’t remember Drew was an assistant winemaker at John Konnsgaurd Wines, arguably the best French style Chardonnay in the USA with Drew racing to overcome them.   After working for John for many years Drew now makes his own wine under his own label and so far has sold out every vintage, a testament to the high quality and taste of his wines.

2019 Neiman Chardonnay

I have just drank 4 bottles of this wine in the past 2 days. It is outstanding. The grapes come from the Haynes vineyard in Coombsville. These old Wente selection vines were planted in 1967. These grapes always made their way into the Newton unfiltered Chardonnay along with Kongsgaard estate grapes through the 2005 vintage when Kongsgaard left Newton to start his own brand Kongsgaard Wines. The Kongsgaard estate(Stonecrest vineyard) now goes solely into the Kongsgaard Judge Chardonnay which is $275 a bottle on the mailing list but $800-$900 a bottle in the secondary market. A complex floral bouquet with pear, nectarine, honeysuckle, and apple is followed by a highly balanced complex mixture of the same tastes with moderate acidity and a hint of oak. When you first open the bottle and drink immediately you notice more oak but once exposed to air for a few minutes the wine settles down into a pleasant complex tasting wine. Drew corrected me saying his wines are not ‘over Oaked” which in general I agree with, but sometimes as he puts it may be a little “under wined”. The finish of the 2019 is long and smooth. It seems to get better and better as it ages and has a few more years of aging before it reaches its full potential. I can’t wait to taste it say around 2026. Drew corrects me in that he says I won't have any to drink in 2026 at the rate I currently drink it.  In terms of the 2019 being slightly oakier than the 2016 and 2020 Drew points out that the 2019 was 100% new French oak with M+ toast. The wood came from the Allier forest same as the 2016 and 2020. The difference is that in 2019 one barrel was from the Vosgues forest which is slightly warmer than the Allier forest. The Allier wood is lighter, which gives off fewer wood aromatics and flavors. The Vosgues wood grows faster so it is less tight yielding slightly woodier aromatics and flavors.

2020 Neiman Chardonnay

A triumph of almost spiritual caliber. I was the first human to taste the 2020 out of the bottle, a true honor from Drew. The description of the 2019 applies to the 2020, in many ways it is the same wine. But there was a higher level and smoothness to the 2020 elevating it. To me, it was much more smooth and seamless, and more hedonistic. Regrettably, 2020 was a low production year and there will be less to buy. But get what you can now, or what Drew will let you have as you will not regret it. Hopefully, 2021 will be as good with higher production.

2018 Fallen Red

To me, this red from Drew exhibited beautiful fruit. It certainly was not “under wined”. I thought it has a “sweet” bouquet, most likely just an abundance of fruit. There was a good tannin backbone and I did “pucker” up with the wine. That I believe was from the 30% of Cab Franc’s presence. But it still was balanced and pleasant and will age for decades.

2019 ‘Las Posada” Cabernet Sauvingnon

Drew buys grapes from this vineyard and the wine is 100% Cab. The owner of the vineyard is David Abreu, a friend of Drew’s, who is the vineyard manager of Screaming Eagle. It turns out that a friend of the vineyards also likes Screaming Eagle and he gets together with his buddies to drink Screaming Eagle and compare it to Drew’s and David’s Las Posada Cab. According to the sources I spoke with they think Drew’s Cab is “Drew Screaming Eagle’ and comparable to Screaming Eagle. The Las Posada’s was well balanced and complex with moderate acid. Again I found a slight sweetness to the bouquet and taste demonstrating the fruit-forward appeal of the wine. I could find no flaws and I felt the oak was light and not overly done. I am looking forward to comparing it to Screaming Eagle in a future tasting.

2019 Red Wine Blend

The same grapes above from Las Posada's Vineyard only blended with 30% Cab Franc.  It is tighter and bolder than the pure Cab one which you expect with the addition of Cab Franc. It is just not the style I prefer. Other than more tannin and bolder it was close to the above wine. It certainly will age for a very long time and needs age to calm down a little, maybe 10 years. Price wise it is a lower price point than the pure Cab. Tasted side by side they clearly were similar as the grapes from Cab are the same. It should be easier to obtain due to the blending so should be more widely available and the wine of choice for many. But if you can I still recommend the pure Cab as a higher luxury.

Sequoia Grove

Our friend Oscar(707-815-7602) who helps us out when we are in Napa is the manager at Sequoia Grove. I give you his phone number as he is our go-to guy in Napa when we need recommendations and help. Feel free to call him if you are in the area and arrange a visit and meet him. He is a great resource to have. We purchased their current Chardonnay for our house Chardonnay and it was a fresh fruity straightforward wine with a hint of pleasant oak. They have good reds but we just don’t drink enough red to justify buying any. Sequoia Grove is one of the vineyards whose claim to fame is cheap shipping. I recommend stopping and tasting and if you like the wine buy it as they will ship it for you for $10 a case which is a huge bargain.

Ramey Vineyards with David Ramey

We tasted the Ramey 2018 Pinot Noir and 2020 Ramey Chardonnay and both were ok with the Pinot being the best one. David has been making Chardonnay in the Valley for over 40 years and has a ton of experience and stories to match. It was nice to attend a tasting with him. I learned a couple of new things from him as well as reinforcing some old things. He emphasized that there is in fact tannin in white wine as tannin primarily comes from the skin. He is big on batonnage where they daily punch down and stir the initial must of the wine to extract flavor from the skin. He is using Diam corks now as they are more consistent with oxygen exchange for the wine while in the bottle, known as OTR or oxygen transfer rate. Diam corks are corks from Portugal cut up into tiny pieces treated and then pressed into new corks and there is a number of different OTRs for these corks dependent on what the winemaker hopes to achieve. So far Diam corks have not contaminated wine with TCA. He does experiment with concrete egg barrels but feels the lime in concrete neutralizes the acid being a detriment to the wine so he has different treatments and cleansers for the barrels prior to putting wine in them. He was clear that new oak should be used in small amounts as new oak means more oak in the wine.

2020 Ramey Fort Seaview Chardonnay

Not a lot of fruit on the nose but I could smell acid on the nose.  The taste is the same with a predominance of acid on the palate.  To me, the wine had more acid than the fruit and was not as balanced as I would like.  Again Ok and with the acid concentration would be a good match with the right food.

2018 Ramey Russian River Pinot Noir

Overall better than the Chard.  It had a nice smoky nose and cherry smell and taste.  The flavors were well integrated.  Not particularly complex but still nice.  It had a good finish and light oak.  Overall a nice basic California Pinot.

Rams Gate Vineyards

2019 Estate Chardonnay

Starts with a light bouquet with a low fruit smell and taste and light oak.  The taste was tart so some tannin.  There was some complexity with the tastes of pear and apple.  Again an increased prominent acid that should go well with food.  The finish was OK but overall it was not anything unique though well made.  I pegged it as a good $35 bottle of wine and was surprised the vineyard price was $75.

2019 Rams Gate Pinot Noir

A rustic nose with some cherry smell but light.  Not complex mostly cherry flavor but also very tart and made me pucker up so a lot of tannins.  It had a short finish.  The issue price is $70 which to me was too high for what you get.  

2019 Rams Gate Syrah

Of all the Rams Gate wines this was the best.  Plenty of good fruit on the nose and taste with some complexity.  I tasted licorice.  It is a basic Rhone-style wine with a moderate finish and moderate acid balanced well with the tannin.  Again a high price for a Syrah at $70 a bottle.

Chateau Montalena 2016 Chardonnay poured out of double magnum

Plenty of oak and fruit on the nose with some mild residual sugar but well balanced.  A feminine wine with light oak and low tannin.  It had a moderately pleasant finish.  A good basic Chardonnay consistent from year to year and a good buy usually on a restaurant wine list.  

Pella/KNA wines

2021 SANNA Sauvignon Blanc * Napa Valley

Seventy-five cases were bottled in 2021 from 100% Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc grapes, following a cold-fermentation in stainless steel, with primary fermentation finishing around 4 weeks and no residual sugar. Named for the winemaker’s daughter, SANNA Sauvignon Blanc is the personal label of Kristof & Jennifer Anderson, known for vins de terroir of distinction. 100% dry. 12.5% alcohol. There was a tart acid nose. The taste was light and velvety with mostly apple taste with a hint of grapefruit. A nice basic Sauvignon Blanc at $42 a bottle.

2019 Keller "oro de Plata" Petaluma Gap Sonoma

Stainless steel fermented and aged in neutral oak, it is a lovely take on the cool-climate appellation. Comparable to a Chablis style Chardonnay. It still has tartness and tannin which to me was a little bitter along with high acid.

Ski Utah

A lot of people ask me why we only ski in Utah every year. For close to 20 years we skied all over the Country. Initially learning to ski at Mount Snow in Vermont we eventually joined a ski group that went west for spring skiing every year. During that time we skied most resorts in Colorado as well as Lake Tahoe. My family would return to Mount Snow during the President’s birthday weekend in February staying at the Hermitage. They say if you learn to ski in the East you can ski anywhere in the world and I believe that is true. In the East, you learn how to ski in narrow and ice-covered runs which hone your skill level. Skiing on packed groomed powder out West becomes an obsession. The very first time I ever spent overnight at a high altitude I had altitude sickness necessitating me to go to a lower altitude so I initially took a drug called Diamox out west to acclimatize to the altitude but over a course of years by following common sense rules like no alcohol the first day or two and drinking lots of water I found I could do OK without medication. But what I really learned was I needed to sleep under 7000 feet elevation. It’s the old mountaineering rule, sleep low, hike high. Utah offers accommodations for the most part under 7000 feet and lots of packed groomed powder runs that are relaxing and fun. We settled into Deer Valley years ago as they have no hotdog snowboarders and the best gourmet food at any ski resort. We had friends who owned a house on top of Powder Mountain which is above Eden, Utah that offers condos at 5500 feet elevation so over the years we do a week in Powder Mountain and a week in Deer Valley. Powder Mountain has been upgraded and developed over the years and is one if not the largest ski terrain in the world and I have skied there on wide open runs with almost no one else. It does not hurt that both resorts are close to the Salt Lake City Airport with short drives and mostly interstate roads. So we now only go to Utah for easy access, pristine comfortable skiing, and gourmet food at Deer Valley.

Weather this year

The weather this year was epic. When we arrived they had already had 200% of their normal annual snowfall and by the time we were there, there were days where snow was falling 1 foot an hour and at least 2 or 3 days they could not keep the roads clear due to the heavy snowfall. On the days I skied there was an abundance of snow and those who love powder skiing(I am not one of them) were ecstatic and skied fresh 2 feet deep or more of powder every morning. It was just announced that the California ski resorts will remain open until June due to the abundance of snow.

Transportation

Uber

Transportation Options from SLC to the resorts are readily available and plentiful. Because the Public Bus system in Park City/Deer Valley is so good dependent on our circumstances we just use Uber initially taking an Uber to where we are staying in the Park City area. We use the bus most of the time and occasionally use Uber to go to dinner at times. The only problem we ever had was waiting until the last minute to get an Uber back to the airport and almost did not make it so for a future visit we reserve and book an Uber back in advance for our day of departure. Be aware Uber costs are significantly higher since Covid and basically 2X what they used to be.

Bus

I say again the Public Bus System in Park City is the best in the world. It is easy to navigate, pretty much always on time, and you can get anywhere in the immediate area in 30 minutes or less. During this last trip, the main advantage was the buses are designed to operate in deep snow and bad conditions and while riding the bus we passed many stranded cars that could not drive in the conditions. The buses are safe, clean, and comfortable and we rarely stayed outside for more than 5 minutes waiting to get on a warm cozy bus and never missed a reservation.

Rental Car

There are times you want a rental car. But to be clear here you ALWAYS need to rent an AWD/4WD SUV or pickup truck with snow tires or a snow transmission system and the ability to downshift an automatic. At Powder Mountain it is MANDATORY. The road from Eden to Powder Mountain Resort has a 16% grade, one of the steepest in the world. You cannot get up or down the mountain without the proper vehicle. Even in Park City on this trip normal cars were stranded all over the place as a regular car could not get through the snow on the roads. Also if you choose to rent a car make sure you have underground parking or you will be shoveling off snow 3 and 4 feet deep around your vehicle. At Powder Mountain, there is a shuttle bus that goes from the Eden grocery store to Powder Mountain every 30 minutes but there is no Uber there so you really need to rent. We rented an SUV this trip and at Park City/Deer Valley it was parked underground but we needed it for Powder Mountain and we only spent 4 days this year at Deer Valley so we kept it for the convenience and ability to go to the airport when we wanted.

Restaurants

Grub Steak, Park City

As stated we go to Park City/Deer Valley to ski and for the food. We have been going to Grub Steak for over 10 years at least every year. We always gave it 5-star reviews and the owner always emailed me back thanking us for our good review and patronage. This year was no exception despite the owner selling to a corporation and retiring. The food and service were outstanding. The décor is a Western Steak House as opposed to an NYC steakhouse but don’t be fooled the food is 5-star. Our entire table had Prime Rib and it was one of the best any of us had had. The servers were excellent and fun to work with and the price was one of the lowest we paid in the area. We will continue to have dinner there every time we return to the area

Golden Hirsch, Deer Valley

One of the best Scandinavian restaurants in the world is Fireside Dining at Empire Mountain at Deer Valley. For the first time ever we could not get reservations and were told all reservations had been full since October which I find hard to believe. So to enjoy rachelete and Weinerschnizel the only other opportunity was the Golden Hirsch at Silver Lake. We have eaten there many times before and the food is usually close to Fireside Dining but sadly this year it wasn’t that good. The menu selections were a lot less, a victim of Covid I assume, but everything just seemed off and not as good as years before. It didn’t help that it took twice as long to get there due to a whiteout blizzard and I suspect they were short-staffed as a result. But the place was packed with patrons so plenty of folks went. Maybe it was just an off night.

Stein Erickson, Deer Valley

Continuing to be the 5-star restaurant in the world, certainly in our opinion one of the top 10 ever is at the Stein Erickson Lodge at Silver Lake. This is a bucket list place and you will never experience this high-quality food and service anywhere else. They have an opulent skiers buffet for lunch daily but the Sunday Brunch which we attended is decadent and over the top. You name it they have it. Prime Rib carved beef, caviar, mussels, shrimp, clams, multiple salads, breakfast food, fish, and poultry, just an immense display of food with the service and wine to go along with it. We had a white Burgundy by Madame Leroy who made DRC wines until 1978, which you rarely see anywhere outside of France except maybe Blackberry Farms in Tennessee who seem to have a monopoly of her wines. Brunch was almost a spiritual experience and even if you don’t ski it is worth the trip out there just to have Sunday Brunch.

Royal Cafe, Deer Valley

Operated by Deer Valley and located at the Silver Lake ski lodge this is the only sit-down, table service restaurant at Deer Valley for lunch. Everything else is a buffet. We had a delightful lunch here with great wild game chili, prime meat sandwiches, and the other usual lunch fare. Service was excellent and not rushed and they also have a good drink and wine menu. We have had lunch here, for the most part, every year for the past 10 years and will continue to return.

Fresh Market, Park City

Fresh Market is known to most of us, we have a couple in the Jacksonville area and they are known as an upscale grocery store with unique offerings and high-grade food such as prime steaks and precooked meals. On arrival, we stop here to stock up on basics and for those nights you want to stay in and cook they have an overwhelming number of choices you can take home. The store is one of the biggest I have seen and they have most other sundry items, cosmetics, etc. It is right on the main drag in Park City.

Riverhorse on Main, Park City

We have been almost every year except years when some billionaire rents out the entire place for a week. It is hard to get into this place and despite having a reservation this year for some reason they decided to give me a hard time and briefly held up our being seated so they could “check things out”. I guess when you are overbooked every night with a hundred on the wait list you can afford to be picky but it does not set well with me. Despite this the food was exceptional. Some of the best of the trip. Innovative tasty well prepared dishes cooked perfectly. Service was friendly and knowledgeable but at times slow but it was snowing a foot an hour outside and we had nowhere else to go so what’s the rush, we could have been somewhere much worse. It is also a bucket list kind of place but you must make reservations far in advance and you need to make them the day you know you are going to the Park City area.

Edge Steakhouse, The Canyons

Without a doubt probably one of the top 10 Steakhouses in the USA. We have now gone yearly for at least 6 or 7 years and it is one of the main reasons we go to the Park City area just to eat there. What has always drawn us is as best as I can tell they have the largest selection of genuine A5 Japanese Kobe meat in the US at least. A wide selection of cuts and sizes. I had a totally decadent “Surf and Turf” with Australian Lobster and an A5 filet, pure heaven. Plenty of other selections to satisfy any palate. They are known for A5 steak caps which to my knowledge I have seen nowhere else. They have an extensive wine list with most cult wines from France and California(think Screaming Eagle, Scarecrow) and of course with the prices to match. Sometimes you need to mortgage your house to eat here and there are much more economical places to get great food, but not A5. In the end to me, this is one of only 2 or 3 places where I feel I get my money's worth for what we pay and it is always a wonderful experience. A true bucket list place to go once in your life.

What makes a good restaurant, a great restaurant, a Michelin Star restaurant?

I have spent a significant portion of my life eating at restaurants and over the decades initially becoming a hobby for me, eventually became a passion. Most of my trips and travels now are planned primarily with where do we eat when we get there. I like a variety of places from one extreme to another. From the best and most expensive fine dining place to the local food truck. Having just returned from a culinary Olympic trip to New York City, arguably one of the top restaurant destinations in the world I could not but think what exactly am I searching for and what exactly defines a good, a great, and an exceptional restaurant?

I have a good friend who turns out is a Michelin star restaurant expert. He and his family have eaten at most of the top Michelin restaurants in the world including a significantly high number of 3 star places. I have only eaten in a few 2 and 1 star Michelin places where two of them had previously been 3 star but then downgraded to a 2 star. So I asked why. In discussing this with my friend I was surprised to learn the many variables that go into grading a Michelin place and the vast majority at least to me have little to nothing to do with food that I call substance. There is a lot more going on in the grading scheme that I would call show. For example one criteria to be a 2 or 3 star Michelin restaurant involves changing table cloths, changing silverware, and having flowers on the table.

Remember the Clinton Presidential Campaign, “It’s the economy stupid!”. Well to me when it comes to restaurants “It’s the quality and presentation of the food, stupid!:”. I want the silverware clean of course, but who cares how often they change the flowers unless they are dying. Last year we had an interesting dinner at the pool restaurant at Pelican Hill at Newport Beach, California. On their menu they offer a section that says “Perfectly prepared meal”. The restaurant explains the food is not fancy, is not a work of art but they offer 1 chicken, beef, or fish dish and they guarantee it will be most perfectly prepared dish of that kind you will ever have in your life. Nothing pretentious just perfectly prepared dinner. Should that not be more important than flowers on the table?

I have had more than one dinner at a famous fine dining place where the chicken dish is served either underdone or raw, or where the sauce breaks down and becomes running or lumpy? This tells me the kitchen staff and chef are not paying attention to detail and my opinion is they assume because the decor is massive and beautiful and the servers are jumping to every whim that you won’t notice maybe the food isn’t that good. Well, I notice.

To me good food is well prepared, tasty, and usually comfort food. Think Cracker Barrell. Great food is a step above and fancier with white table cloths and the works. Anything above that is to me just fluff. I rarely look for or eat at Michelin stars anymore. For most they are overpriced and do not guarantee a perfectly prepared meal. As with anything there are exceptions, Les Climates a 1 star place in Paris right behind the Museum Orsay that I highly recommend. I am sure there are others. To me what the top places offer is food you simply cannot have except in a few places. Our recent most expensive meal at Le Pavilion in NYC served us absolutely perfect Epoisse cheese sauce that I have found in maybe half a dozen places in the world including Burgundy France where the cheese actually comes from. They also had 1 day old white truffles almost unheard of. Trust me try and buy white truffles that are less than weeks old.

I say again it is the food that is what is important and not the show and fluff, though when paired with exceptional food preparation makes for an unforgettable dining experience.

The Holidays in the Big(Grand) Apple, New York City

We just returned from a week in New York City celebrating the Holidays and it was our first trip back to NYC in decades. It turned out to be one of the best trips we have ever taken and from day one everything was wonderful. We could not have asked for anything more. What follows are some of my observations regarding NYC and restaurant recommendations.

1. The city is saturated with young people. 30 years ago when we came and were young we thought the city was saturated with old people and it probably was then, but today no matter where we went we were, in fact, the oldest people there and frankly, I did not see a lot of older people. This tells me that the young people are taking over and I'm happy to say I was fine with it.   Everywhere we went everybody was courteous, kind, and helpful. On the Subway people automatically got up to let us sit down so they had high respect for their elders. Unlike Socrates who 2000 years ago said that young people were ruining the country and had no respect for their elders, I would say I saw the exact opposite. It made me very hopeful optimistic and proud.  They were also obviously employed and making and spending money despite the current inflation.

2. Speaking of the Subway truly there is not a better way to get around in New York City. Don't get me wrong we love Uber and we took Uber on many occasions but Uber is now twice the price it was a year ago and more importantly, the traffic in New York City is pretty bad and it takes some time, 2 to 3 times the time to take an Uber anywhere. Of course there are times when you want to take an Uber, late at night, you're tired of walking and you can't walk another foot, so there is a place for Uber but again we were able to get anywhere in town pretty easily using the Subway. They now have a system where you just lay your credit card at the gate and it automatically takes it and In a week after 12 uses the rest of your trips are free until the next Monday. In most cases, there are elevators on the platforms and in many cases when we had to change trains we got off the train and stayed in place and got on the next train to get to where we wanted to go. We did not have to walk up more than 1 or 2 flights of stairs but again when we could we used the elevators.   We felt very safe on the Subway as everybody was courteous and helpful and It did not hurt that there was friendly New York City policeman at most every stop.  Overall we spent $34 a day on Uber and $10 a day average on subways.  With routine parking $80 to $100 a day Uber is a bargain.

3. We did not see much homelessness. There were a few but it was significantly less than in San Francisco. Of course if you're gonna be homeless why would you want to go North where it's cold when you can go South where it's warm. It's also possible we did not go to any of the areas where homelessness was a problem. Having said that there were plenty of newspaper articles where New York City is one of the more progressive places trying to solve their homeless problem and building affordable housing as much as they can. Though it was interesting one article we read said they were building a affordable housing project where each condo is gonna cost $800,000 a piece, not what I would call real affordable housing.

4. We stayed at the Mint house at 70 Pine Street one or two blocks from the New York stock exchange. It's hands down one of the best places we have ever stayed. We were completely comfortable and left totally relaxed and refreshed. The décor is very modern, the room had plenty of electronic hook ups and I really should not say room because it was a 700 or 800 ft² one bedroom apartment that could easily sleep 2 couples privately. You could easily have all of your meals as it had a complete full size kitchen. Everything was super convenient and within 1 or 2 blocks there were 3 Subway stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, high-end restaurants, pubs, and delis. You really could stay your entire trip in that one place and do fine. I could easily envision returning and staying a month here to really explore the city better.

5. Museums and comments on Broadway shows.  Another main reason folks go to NYC is to see a Broadway show and visit museums and art galleries.  We took advantage of the museums and art galleries and had a great time.  I cannot say the same for Broadway shows, however.  For any main Broadway show the price for most tickets in the orchestra area and not in the nose bleed section were around $500 a person, even for something as long standing as "The Lion King".   I was frankly shocked and cannot see paying that for a 2-hour show I can eventually watch on TV in my PJs.  I have never been a fan of live theater so it made no difference to me but I will go once in while to take Clark as she does like the shows.  But we just could not justify those prices for a basic ticket.  If you want to stand in line for hours to get discount tickets by all means do but at our age, today standing in line is not an option.  We were pleased and surprised that the galleries and museums either comped us or charged a significantly lower admission price with me being a veteran.  I always show my veteran card as you never know but at least in NYC over 90% of museums fully comped me and Clark being a veteran.

6. Plenty of people like ourselves go to New York with the primary goal of eating well. There is no question some of the best food in the world is served in NYC. One area of disappointment is the pricing for fine dining. There were more than one article in The Times that we read going over how ridiculous dinner for two had become price wise. One article mentioned 2 restaurants La Pavillion and Saga. We had dinner at La Pavillion and Saga was at the Mint house. At both of those places dinner for two with wine is around $1000. Saga interestingly requires payment in advance with no refund for their basic prefix dinner which works out to around $700 a couple with nothing else added. Our dinner at Le Pavilion was in fact $1000. It was wonderful and overall we felt it was worth the price but again you simply can't afford that on a regular basis unless you're a billionaire. Daniel Boulard's other place we went to Le Gratin is clearly a better and more economical choice. Outside of fine dining the other reason to go to New York City is for great ethnic food and we were able to have truly authentic Chinese, Greek, and Italian and you really shouldn't miss these opportunities in New York City. We enjoyed going to Wu's Wonton King. When you walk up the duck and pigs are hanging in the window which immediately tells you it's authentic. We had Greek food at Milo's at Hudson Yard that was out of this world and we went to Morini for Sunday brunch which is authentic Italian as you can get in Little Italy. Of course in every city block, there's an excellent deli where you can get great sandwiches. Most of them have a hot bar and pastries, you really can't go hungry in New York. At 70 Pine there is a hole in the wall deli called Taz which you can easily miss it doesn't look like much but when you go in at the back is in fact a great deli and hot bar with extremely friendly owner and servers that will take great care of you and you will get good food.

Classic Lyon French Cuisine at a reasonable price, Le Gratin

Le Gratin by Daniel Boulard is a classic restaurant and makes you feel that you are in the heart of Paris or Lyon. The décor reminded me of Mollard up by the opera in Paris. We enjoyed a wonderful dining experience. The food is classic French and very importantly it is very reasonably priced compared to other fine dining restaurants in New York City. We had a delightful dinner with the usual classics and I had Pike Quinells which were quite good and something you almost never see. It is not a Bouchon restaurant as many think and why Daniel uses that name is beyond me but it is clearly a classic Lyon French restaurant. I highly recommend it, the only deficit if there is one is the wine list is somewhat small but the prices are some of the most reasonable in town. As an added bonus next door there is a hopping happy bar in I believe what is called the Temple Court, it looks like The library at Trinity College in Dublin Ireland it was very well decorated and a lot of people just a happening place.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d24007645-r872196439-Le_Gratin-New_York_City_New_York.html#

Classic French Burgundy, Batard

Dinner at Batard in New York City is a classic experience. It is basically a French burgundy restaurant and for the most part 95% of the wine list is French burgundy which is one of the main reasons we went. Our 1st dishes were Russian caviar and Country pate both excellent and paired with a Chassange Montrachet from the Drouhin vineyards. We also had classic duck and Dover Sole that were perfectly prepared and further prepared at the table side. We were pretty full so passed on dessert though the dessert menu looked good. We were pleased with our meal understanding that it was very expensive. In general, you can't go to a top restaurant in New York and get a bottle of wine under $250, there are a few but truly most ones that you would want are gonna be about $250 regardless of where you go which adds to the bill. Batards prix fixe menu was reasonably priced the only reason we had a higher bill is that we pretty much ordered everything with a supplement. I recommend Batard and would go back.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d6663091-r871895999-Batard-New_York_City_New_York.html#

Spectacular Seafood Greek Style, Milos Hudson Yards

I have always loved Greek restaurants and Milos is one of the best. Located in the New Hudson yard complex in New York City the view is spectacular overlooking the Hudson river. The place was packed when we were there for lunch and based on current restaurant pricing in New York City I highly recommend you restrict your restaurant visits to these types of establishments at lunch. Even then the price for many is cost prohibitive. We had a perfectly prepared meal. I have always loved the way Greek restaurants prepare their fish using an almost perfect combination of Olive oil garlic and lemon. I started with a hummus platter that had 3 different types of hummus that were outstanding. Dessert was a joy. They have an extensive menu of fresh fish and shellfish in fact they had fresh stone crab which I would think is fairly rare in New York but again all fresh. We had a great bottle of wine and I was familiar with the vineyard and knew the owner it was a French white burgundy from Chateau Fuisse and it couldn't have been better. Service was 5 star and the meal was just memorable and spectacular. I highly recommend this restaurant.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d17327191-r871894844-Estiatorio_Milos-New_York_City_New_York.html#

Best Epoisse sauce ever, Le Pavillion

Le Pavilion is one of Daniel Boulards many restaurants in the New York area. It is located at One Vanderbilt which is directly next to Grand Central Station. Interestingly the main entrance is right across from the entrance to the Campbell Apartments which has an old art deco bar that we have been to many times , we visited last night and it is the same as it's been since the 1920s. We were warmly greeted on arrival and throughout the evening staff was professional accommodating friendly and helpful. Overall the food was excellent there were some exceptional dishes one of which I had probably the best Epoisse cheese sauce I've ever had in my life it could not have been made more perfectly and tasty. I could not refuse shaved white truffles on Dover Sole. The wine list was extensive with plenty of great wines including cult ones to experience but be aware the prices were 300% retail so very expensive though I was able to find a reasonable White Burgundy that satisfied our taste buds for the evening. Overall the dinner was elegant and expertly prepared the chef was able to accommodate special requests and in general we thought we received value for our dinner understanding of course that this restaurant is an expensive evening out but it is also in line with what you would expect in New York City from a top shelf restaurant.

 
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d23423222-r871605664-Le_Pavillon-New_York_City_New_York.html#

Excellent Italian Sunday Brunch, Osteria Morini, Little Italy

An excellent place for Sunday brunch with great Italian food. They have a very good Italian wine list that though smaller than usual packs a lot of good stuff. I ended up having 3 different glasses of Italian white wine that one usually never sees like a Pecorino wine. The food was so good we order dinner to go as it was our last night in town and we needed to stay in our room and pack to catch the next day's flight home. Pasta is made in-house and I had an exceptional ravioli stuffed with ricotta in a white truffle sauce that was to die for. I am still tasting the finish 2 days later. Service was attentive and helpful. We came for one reason the chef or owner is also associated somehow with Ai Fiori which used to be our favorite restaurant in NYC but our lunch there this week was disappointing. But I am happy to say brunch at Morini was wonderful and recommended.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d1995049-r872305798-Osteria_Morini-New_York_City_New_York.html#

No Bad Wine Before it's time

Remember Ernest and Julio Gallo’s old-time TV commercials. We will sell no wine until it’s time? I know I have said over and over again no one makes bad wine anymore. Winemakers don’t get up in the morning and say let's see how we can make cheap undrinkable wine today. In fact, I am certain they say the exact opposite. What can I do today to make the next great 100-point wine in the world? To a point wine making technique is pretty much made the same the world over. Close to 100% of winemakers graduate from the University with a degree in winemaking. The most famous most of us know is the University of California at Davis. And even after that many winemakers continue to go to school. In Burgundy, France all winemakers are required to take a specific one-year winemaking course peculiar to the Burgundy region.

So if no one makes bad wine why am I dedicating a new article to the subject? Last month I went to a charity function and as part of the games and prizes offered was a ring toss game where when your ring landed on a bottle of wine you won that bottle or any one of your choosing. As part of the game, there were approximately 50 different wines to throw your ring at. As I watched the festivities I realized I would never buy or drink any of those wines and there were quite a few to choose from. So if none of them were bad why would I not want any of them? I sort of felt a dilemma coming on and frankly, maybe my own opinion was hypocritical.

So what is going on? I have been to vineyards all over the wine and spent weeks watching and learning how winemakers make wine and especially their philosophies on how to craft a specific style of wine. After thought, it dawned on me basically why these lower-priced and less recognizable wines are there and I for one am, not interested in buying or drinking them, it really goes back to the Ernest and Julio Gallo commercial. They will sell no wine “before it’s time”. Making good wine takes a lot of time, years sometime, and can be very expensive. The key to making great wine is harvesting wine when the grapes have grown to perfect maturation. Winemakers have all kinds of tools to help them make the decision as to when to pick the grapes. They have computers that track the day-to-day weather changes and compare them to years past to get a read on what is going to be the best day to pick. They use Brix meters, a small tool with a needle they stick into a grape to measure the sugar or Brix level in the grape. The better ones who have been around a lifetime put a raw grape in their mouths and taste the grape which elevates it to an art form. Winemakers know that the best day to pick is at optimal maturation which means just the right amount of sugar concentration in the grape that when fermented will produce the best wine.

So what do the less expensive wine makers do? They pick the grapes early and pick before optimal sugar maturation has occurred. Time is money so they pick too early but not so early that the wine is not at least good. They also don’t spend a lot of time aging wines or pampering the wines in the production facility. The way they make wine is to speed up the process to get the wines in the bottle and onward to your wine shop in the shortest time they can get away with. Hence drinkable pleasant wine but nothing that will age or get any better and those wines will certainly never develop with complexity.

No the wine is not bad. But it is picked and made fast before the grapes have had enough time to mature to perfection. Ernest and Julio Gallo were right on. You don’t pick and make wine before it’s time. It’s funny but as a physician, I am aware that most medical schools in the world have a minimum age to enter medical school so that you have a minimal level of maturity to excel at the medical curriculum in regards to not only the technical aspects of medicine but also to be able to have a level of emotional and spiritual maturing to deal with the rigors of day to day practice. I have not heard anyone say they cannot wait to see the new 16-year-old doctor even though he is probably a genius having graduated from high school at 10.

The Restaurant and Shopping Scene, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

St. Catherine's Street, Eaton Mall

St. Catherine’s Street is the main shopping boulevard in Montreal much like 5th Avenue in New York City and is fairly extensive. Underneath Montreal, there are over 20 miles of underground shopping malls, stores, services, and restaurants due to the brutal winters. With the temperature hovering under 20 below everyone goes underground and they are all connected. We didn’t have that much time but our hotel the Montreal Renaissance which we highly recommend was next door to the Eaton Mall which had most of what you would want. I assume other malls in the distance probably have similar stores though I expect they all have some unique stores. Walking from mall to mall would be a great exercise to boot. We just did not have the time or energy to even go to a second one. If you go to Montreal I recommend you look up online a map of all the malls and underground and try and map out the tour that would meet your needs and interests.

Costco

I get it, what were we thinking? Look, there is a Costco now in almost any city you visit. And trust me none of them carry the same stuff. For one thing, we were able to stock up on winter ski wear here as our one in Jacksonville simply does not carry a lot of winter wear. We found great bargains. When we were in Napa Valley we visit Costco there which had the largest wine selection we have ever seen with prices significantly lower that right out the door. For us visiting Costco is usually entertainment and we usually find something at a great price we don’t find elsewhere. Costco in Montreal was a short Uber drive from downtown and worth the trip.

Bar Kabinet

A very interesting wine list and menu. We booked here after researching and reading reviews. It was not what we expected but in a good way. For one thing, it is a bit far out for an Uber ride on the outskirts of town and is at a very busy automobile intersection. We sat outside as cars and people wisked by next to us. The wine list was extensive with local wines most of which we would not care for. Sort of sweet wines. The server helps us pick one we liked and it was like a sauvignon blanc but different. The menu had some good choices and the servings were small but we had a chicken dish that was very good. Overall we enjoyed our dinner but in truth, this is really a bar with a modest wine and food menu with mostly Tapas.

Schwartz’s

We learned about this place by watching "Feed Phil" on TV. It is a must-visit place. The location is in a small community area and Uber knows how to get you there. There are two doors and we initially got a little confused. There is a take-out section with a very long line and then the actual restaurant which is limited seating at tables and then a long bar to sit at. The food was some of the tastiest and best pastrami I have had in my life. The menu is limited but wonderful and everything is great and the atmosphere is super casual and lively. I would look forward to returning. I question the negative reviews and know everyone has a bad day from time to time. It is nowhere close to a fancy place and is old but the service and food were just what I expected.

Campos Portuguese Chicken at Time Out Eaton Center

We went to the one at Time Out at the Eaton Center in Montreal. Another bucket list kind of food. It is somewhat spicy Portuguese Chicken to die for. Marinated and then slow roasted in a grill basket the meat just falls off the bone and is succulent. I don't see the less-than-stellar reviews. Our food was exceptional and we had no problems with service either. I would definitely return next trip to Montreal. It is just a unique combination of spices and marinate and specialized slow cooking that makes this dish exceptional. The fries were pretty good too.

Au Pied De Cochon

We learned about this place by watching "Feed Phil" in Montreal. It is one of the best know places in Montreal and it is somewhat out of the way via Uber but we had no issue finding it and are we glad we did. Unquestionably the most unique and best choices of Foie Gras we have had in years. We ended up having both for an appetizer and dessert what they call a Foie Gras Parfait. The Foie Gras is a very delicate mousse on toast with maple syrup, truffle oil, and something else but just a sublime hedonistic taste that we could simply not get enough of. We had a fresh fish dish that was excellent for our entree and a good bottle of wine. Their wine list was good with some at reasonable prices. For us service was outstanding and the vibe of the place was energetic yet pleasant and controlled. We cannot wait to go back again. Clearly, a top place to hunt down in Montreal.

Henri’s Brassier Francais

Let me first state that we were aware of the negative reviews prior to dining here. Our hotel was right next door and we had passed by a couple of times where we witnessed exceptional decor and architecture as well as an establishment full of happy well-fed customers. So there was a disconnect between the reviews and what we witnessed ourselves so we decided to see for ourselves and are glad we did. Our dinner and the service were wonderful. I should say that the staff during the meal when we were commenting on how good everything was told us new staff had recently been brought in to improve the dining experience here telling me that management was aware of the negative reviews and making the necessary changes. Everyone comments on the decor and architecture which is exceptional. You feel you are in the middle of downtown Paris. It is old-time beautiful art deco which for us was very relaxing. For us, the service was professional and polite, and not overbearing. The wine list was extensive and there were many reasonably priced wines along with some priced way too high. Our food was perfect all prepared perfectly. From what I can see whatever problems they had in the past they have corrected and I highly recommend the place and will return.

Holland America Cruise Boston to Montreal

My 1st impressions of our Holland America cruise to Montreal Canada were not the greatest. To begin with, a lot of paperwork was required prior to the cruise and obviously through no fault of anyone Covid was a large factor. We received frequent emails which basically stated we had to download their app to keep up with whatever was going on and in order to conduct any inquiries or business with Holland America. The problem was from day one we had difficulty with the app as it did not always work. The app never acknowledged our reservation until 48 hours prior to embarkation and the staff advised us when we got on the boat their computer system frequently did not work. One example when we entered the boat staff tried to look us up and scan us in and the staff member stated the computer is not working again I have to manually input everything taking us time. In general there were multiple times we were requested to provide the same exact information over and over and it became tiresome. At embarkation we were required to show passports and vaccination cards at least 3 separate times despite being “scanned” in. When we went to our rooms our keys immediately did not work we had to go to guest services and get new keys. When we got in the room there were a few maintenance issues chief of which was some of the bathroom equipment had essentially fallen off and had not been mounted correctly. So before the ship ever left port we had already had multiple frustrating times.

We were on the Zaandam which is one of their older ships. Overall it was adequate and comfortable. We were in what they call a Vista “mini” suite which in truth was a basic cruise ship room. The major difference was the outside balcony which was one of the largest we have ever seen. The only problem was we almost never stay outside on the balcony that long so the increase in space was not that much. The room was well stocked and our steward was always helpful and willing to meet our requests and other than initially being placed on top of the loudest nightclub on the ship with the loudest drummer we slept well. And that is why I will never sail with Holland America again because Guest services was worthless and lied to us. It turned out our beds were directly above the drummer who was in an enclosed plexiglass cage which dampened the sound in the nightclub but directed the sound directly upward under our beds. The ship was not full and we found out there were 600 open rooms, yet Guest Services told us there were no available rooms to move us too and they would give me ear plugs. We clearly benefited from the services of a travel agent on this trip as we complained to them and they had direct communication with Holland America corporate offices who sent an order to the ship to move us and when they did it was an identical room on the other side of the ship with no noise. They knew all along they could move us but were too lazy to do so and lied to us. We heard from others that Guest Services(the old Purser desk) were not helpful with them. So in general Guest Services was one of the worst we have seen and will prevent us from sailing with Holland America again.

One reason to take the cruise was the availability of specialty restaurants and we were booked at all of them with the exception of two nights where we dined in the main dining room. Our 1st dinner was the Pinnacle Grill Steakhouse and again 1st day problems persisted as the 1st item I ordered off of the menu I was told sir we're sorry we don't have that tonight we are already out. Overall the food at the specialty restaurants was very good and worth the cost and time and effort. I must mention however that the two dinners we had in the main dining room were also very good and as we reviewed the menus every day we noticed that the main dining room would always have 2 or 3 dishes from the specialty restaurants and again the service and food was very good. I actually wished I had done dinner more in the main dining room.

One of the worst experiences with dining was dessert. We only had one acceptable dessert and that was a chocolate souffle at the Pinnacle Steakhouse which was perfectly prepared but every other place we had dessert they were awful, under cooked, sometimes raw, etc. It appeared they do not have a pastry chef to oversea this and deliver a quality product.

Our ports of call were fine though the cities and areas close to the ship did not offer much. The best port was Quebec City and the tour there was good and I recommend including a day or two next time to better explore Quebec City. We had planned to stay in Montreal for a few days after the cruise so it was not an issue there.  I also should mention one reason to take this cruise is to see the fall colors.  Oops, climate change has changed that.  There was no color change and it looks like it will be November before that happens so best to check the past years history when the leaves changed prior to booking.

Overall we have had better cruises. We learned a lot from this one and will do a better job in the future of researching cruises. I will say that in all of our years of cruising problems with Guest Services has always been the area that has failed and resulting in our not booking that cruise line in the future. Why companies do not put their best people in those positions with a skill set of solving problems and being people friendly is beyond me. To me it is the most important job on a ship and the one that will encourage future bookings.