Mac’s Favorites

 

Favorite Restaurants

Portland:

El Gaucho – fancy steakhouse

Ringside – local steakhouse, think dark lit red leather booths and a roaring fireplace

Triple Lindy – better bar (and brunch) food and fantastic drinks

Nuestra Cocina – fantastic Mexican and hard to get in to cooking classes

Paymaster Lounge – classic bar food, sadly temporarily closed due to COVID

Yur's Bar & Grill – great burgers, dogs and biscuits and gravy until 2pm – yes, please

Gearhart: 

Great Wall - think video poker, stiff cocktails with a side of Chinese  

 Washington, DC:

Rasika – modern Indian with a fantastic cookbook
Le Diplomate – bustling French bistro
Chaplins – some of the best ramen in DC 
Bad Saint – delish Filipino food
Barmini – swanky, all white, two Michelin star restaurant, sadly temporarily closed due to COVID
Convivial – French/American bistro 

Pebble Beach: 

Cassanova – family French/Italian – the must have:  spinach gnocchi
Bosie/Sun Valley: 
Chandler's Steakhouse – upscale steak house 
Bacon – umm, brunch served all day – need we say more!?!
Pioneer Saloon – mounted game, antique guns and BEEF

Tokyo/Kyoto: 

Aman Tokyo Bar – unique Japanese cocktails and Tokyo views
Park Hyatt Bar – polished bar with amazing views of the city that never sleeps
Daigo – listed on the world’s 50 best restaurants – this is a vegetarian destination in a lovely setting
Bifteck Kawamura Ginza – authentic spot for all of the real kobe beef you could possibly want
Gen Yamamoto – modern bar serving fresh, seasonal Japanese drinks 
Mixology Salon (Ginza 6) – mixology salon serving inspired Japanese take on cocktails 

 Recipes

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Cubra Libre

  • 2 oz white run

  • 1/3 oz fresh lime juice

  • 4 oz cola 

Add ingredients to a high ball glass with ice, stir gently and enjoy!

 
Rasika Sweet Potato Samosa Purses

  • 1 green onion, dark green tops only, cut lengthwise into 8 strips

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch-cubes

  • 1/4 cup canola oil, plus 6 cups for deep-frying

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Thai green chili

  • 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala

  • 1/4 teaspoon deggi mirch

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 8 6 x 6-inch spring roll pastry sheets, such as Spring Home Brand

1. Set up a small bowl of ice and water. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Dip the green onion strips into the boiling water, then transfer them to the ice water. Drain them and blot them dry on paper towels. You will use these as “strings” to tie the purses.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a small baking sheet with foil or parchment.

3. Coat the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and spread them on the baking sheet. Bake until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. (You can do this right on the pan.)

4. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the ginger, green chili, chaat masala, deggi mirch and salt, stirring to combine. Sauté for 1 minute, then mix in the mashed sweet potatoes and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let the filling cool.

5. Lay the spring roll wrappers on the counter. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling the center of each. Join two opposite corners, then bring up the other two to create a purse and hold it together by tying a green onion string around it with a double knot.

6. Line a plate with paper towels. Pour the 6 cups of oil into a wok or kadai and heat to 350°F. Fry the samosas until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them constantly with a spider strainer or skimmer so they brown evenly. Transfer to paper towels to blot them and serve with cranberry chutney or sauce.

 Rasika Chicken Tikka

  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (KOD: usually a mix of cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves and Sichuan pepper – I substituted 1 star anise pod and a smidge of cinnamon)

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (KOD note: a hunk the length of your thumb)

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

  • salt to taste

  • 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into two-inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  1. In a spice grinder, pulse mustard seeds with five spice powder (or alternatively, 1 star anise pod and some cinnamon bark), turmeric, cayenne, cayenne and bay leaf until fine. Transfer spice powder to a medium bowl. Add ginger, garlic and yogurt and season with salt (For two pounds of chicken, I added 2 teaspoons coarse salt). 

  2. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for two hours.

  3. Light a grill (alternatively, you can broil). Remove chicken from marinade and brush pieces with melted butter. Season with salt, if desired. Oil grate and grill chicken over high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about eight minutes. (If broiling, place chicken on a baking sheet; after five minutes, use tongs to turn chicken for even charring.)

  4. Serve with warm naan, roti or paratha. 

    P.S. Chicken can be marinated for up to eight hours. Makes four servings.