Happy new year...

We've started the New Year right by revising our menu and adding some interesting specials - pheasant fricassee with braised red cabbage and a mushroom strudel just to name two. Mushroom strudel made the menu in a fun way which illustrates Rick's spontaniety and the adaptability of our kitchen. Sarah called from the Marche Central one morning to say that morel mushrooms were in - I said to bring back half a kilo. Later that afternoon I went upstairs to rest before evening service and read a bit of "Kitchen Confidential." In it Anthony Bourdain referred to another chef's Mushroom Strudel as being one of his favorites. I came downstairs, Googled mushroom strudel and came up with a delicious-sounding recipe. Not even translating it into French or converting to metric I ran it to the kitchen and gave it to El Baz, our pastry chef. He made an absolutely divine puff pastry roll which was put on the menu immediately. A few days before New Year's I came downstairs through the kitchen and one of the waiters said there were two Americans who had come to surprise me. Very curious, I entered the dining room and there at Table 9 were Mary and Norman Tolman from Tokyo! I was absolutely floored, and speechless for a nanosecond. They had seen the New York Times and CNN pieces and were determined to work Casablanca into their travel schedule…which was done when they decided to have Christmas in Paris.