This year my American Voyage took me to beloved cities I visit every year, such as San Francisco and New York, and has reunited me with my old stomping round, Chicago, after 10 years of separation.

My itinerary began in the classiest manner: a Brunello di Montalcino event in San Francisco – 50 top producers of this regal wine were presenting their finest creations. I was attending the event with Tenuta di Collosorbo – fantastic guys that really know how to craft a wine. Among the participants of the event were some of the top sommeliers on the west coast.

The next night I had the chance to dine again in Gary Danko’s restaurant.  The level of Gary’s cuisine has always been superlative, and his sommelier is a real expert, especially with the French wines. Gary is in fact an award-winning chef renowned for his sophisticated contemporary cuisine. His restaurant, located in san Francisco, seats 75 guests and carries the prestigious Relais and Chateaux designation. Gary’s cooking style and taste is clearly Californian, and he is truly committed to the finest ingredients and to balancing flavors. All this was confirmed by a heavenly appetizer I tasted at the restaurant: frog legs with pancetta. Worth a journey.

 The next day we ate in Zuni Cafe, and it was a wonderful experience. Open since 1979, it’s a culinary institution. Their brick oven roasted chicken is nothing less than a legend. Though I did not taste the chicken, I did try their fragrant home-made bread, and an assortment of juicy meats. I must also compliment them on the selection and the quality of their extra virgin olive oils. That night I dined at Zuni with my friends Sally & Joe Fernandez, and a great artist Philip Claypool who sang pretty much continuously all night long. His voice, and his country songs, were the best digestivo one can imagine after a rich dinner.

Then I flew over to Seattle where I participated at a really lovely event organized by Paolo Rossi Italian Details Srl and by Deborah de Maio of Travel 4 Real – it took place in a charming culinary school called Diane’s Market Kitchen. Diane LaVonne, the founder of the school, is a very special lady that leads culinary lessons that always start with a market visit.  

Afterwards I flew to Chicago – my return after 10 years of absence to a city that has given me so much during the 4 years that I lived there. We have organized a really great event in a restaurant Cliffbreakers in Rockford where the founder Jimmy Vitale hosted a jolly dinner for 30 guests,  mostly doctors. They all loved the wines we have presented. The mastermind behind this event was Laura Johnson, a great friend, who lives in Florence and in the winter, to keep herself young and to combat against aging, returns to Chicago, where she seems to enjoy the -20, -30 temperatures.

Another Chicago restaurant where I had the chance to eat something special was L2O. Lead by chef Laurent Gras, it’s a modern seafood restaurant that has won fans in its Lincoln Park neighborhood and beyond. In the kitchen, Chef Gras draws on his French roots, and at the same time leaves ample spaces for freshness and experimenting. His attention to details is meticulous: for example, all bread, butter, and yogurt are made in-house. The butter, which I tried, was superb. In fact the ample, original, and beautifully expressed flavors of each dish (the menu was really fascinating) fitted perfectly into the minimalist setting of this restaurant.

My next destination was New York – the much loved obligatory stop whenever I travel in the US. The first night was dedicated to a sumptuous dinner in restaurant Il Bagatto   It’s warm, welcoming and with really honest prices, which was a pleasant surprise since we are talking about New York. To put it simply, Il Bagatto is a non-nonsense trattoria, the perfect stop if you want to spend a night in good company, eat really well, and take it easy on your wallet.

On my last night in the US, January 28, I attended a evening dedicated to Welcoming Brunello – a presentation of the new 2004 vintage. The dinner was held in a restaurant called Falai. These guys really know their food, and keep it interesting. They do Italian cuisine with a twist: recomposing a dish slightly, or switching an ingredient, thus creating a new and delightful experience for the palate. The guys at Falai were really fantastic, and after dinner we went to the next door  Falai caffè where I met my old friend Alberto, the former sommelier to the legendary Enoteca Pinchiorri. 

On January 29, after all these amazing wine and cuisine experience, and evening spent with friends all and new, I returned to my beloved Italy.