QUICK BITES
Rosengarten report full of food details
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
One of the more annoying things about the TV Food Network (besides the fact that Emeril is on every half hour, it seems), is the way that nobody ever has a bad meal or expresses a strong opinion: It's smile, smile, smile, taste, taste, taste, kick it up a notch and thanks for tuning in.
David Rosengarten is closely associated with the network (for his series, "Taste," and for co-anchoring "In Food Today") but apparently felt the need for a more personal outlet for his knowledge, suggestions, instructions and — most importantly — opinions. The result was The Rosengarten Report, published every six weeks and more proof that print still has a place in the universe. No way Rosengarten would ever get sufficient air time to pack in the kind of detailed instruction and forthright viewpoints that are the heart of this well-designed periodical.
Admittedly, the Cult of Rosengarten gets a little heavy-handed here. A subscription enrolls you in the Rosengarten Table club, which allows you to get perks arranged by Rosengarten when you visit certain hotels, restaurants and wineries. Wonder how long that will last when the proprietor of some small hotel greets his 10th Rosengarten's Table member of the week and is expected to roll out the red carpet? And you know somebody is beginning to take themselves a bit too seriously when they have one of those cruise-with-me deals. His is to Alaska in July.
But self-indulgences aside, this newsletter will be valued by those who are very serious about food, who never get tired of talking about it, shopping for it, cooking it, seeking out new experiences in restaurants and products. Hint: If you like the technique-driven Cook's Illustrated magazine, you'll like this. The November issue includes eight full pages on smoked salmon (how it's made around the world, sources of salmon from four-star to one-star, how to use it, sauces to serve with it); more than two pages on Scandinavian holiday meals and aquavit (with brand guide); two pages on tawny ports of Portugal, making a strong argument for this maligned member of the port family; and an article on little-known bouchons (mom-and-pop cafes of Lyon, France) with an introduction to "Thirteen dishes that blew me away. in descending order of ecstasy"); an article on wines of the moment and some ideas for food gifts.
In other words, a LOT of information, all written in the first person, though the magazine does have a staff of five. Though there are no pictures, the newsletter is easy to negotiate, with lots of sidebars and drop-ins and bulleted lists. Subscriptions: $35 when paid online at DavidRosengarten.com; $42 by telephone, toll-free (866) 321-7654 or check or money order to The Rosengarten Report, P.O. Box 20459, New York, NY 10025.
Sergio's will be back at the Hilton
Sergio's, the once-popular Waikiki eatery, will reappear at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel with a staff that includes the original management team (general manager Larry Schmaus and executive chef John Stack). The menu, too, will echo the past, with dinner-house specialties and tableside Caesar salads and flambé desserts. A lighter late-night menu will be served 11 p.m.-1 a.m. It will be in the Rainbow Bazaar and will offer views of the Hilton lagoon and the ocean, though the decor will be most nontropical, in the style of a Tuscan farmhouse. The new owners are George and Wini Vandeman, who divide their time between California and Hawai'i. Watch for an April opening.
April 23 dinner to benefit center
Plan to go out to dinner April 23: That's "Dine Out for a Change" night, when select restaurants will offer a portion of the proceeds to the Sex Abuse Treatment Center. Participating: Murphy's Bar & Grill, Big City Diner, Sunset Grill, Pomodoro Cafe, Indigo Eurasian Cuisine. Information: Angela Smith, 535-7613.
Send items of culinary interest to Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: taste@honoluluadvertiser.com.
