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| photography by Elizabeth Lavin |
Chef Joel Harloff’s latest challenge: working with owner Paul Pinnell to create wine pairings that break through the traditional white-with-fish and red-with-steak barriers.
Culinary background: Culinary Institute of America in New York, Immigrant Restaurant & Winery and Osteria del Mondo in Wisconsin, Bistro 1401/Joshele in Plano, Nana Grill, Mi Piaci, The Landmark Restaurant at the Warwick Melrose Hotel.
My favorite dish at Dali: Our rack of lamb from Oregon or the scallop appetizer. I like to use cold salads with hot seafood and protein—it’s the definition of what my food is about.
When I cook at home: I always make a big steak, and I’ll eat it with a bottle of red wine and some mushrooms. I splurge a little at home.
Favorite cookbook: The New Spanish Table, by Anya von Bremzen; and Cheese: a Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best, by Max McCalman and David Gibbons. Both are in the Dali kitchen.
Worst cooking disaster: Once, at The Landmark, we were doing a wedding, and one of my chefs forgot to turn the oven on before he put in the steaks and fish. When it came time to plate, the food was raw. We had to do some schmoozing to make up for it, but it worked out in the end.
Produce we should buy in November: Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, or pumpkin squash.
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Recent Thanksgiving memory: Last year, I got to go home to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had been back in 11 years. My mom made the entire meal, and I didn’t have to do a thing.
Favorite ingredient: Smoked paprika. It’s not super hot, and it’s better than plain-Jane paprika.
On my nights off: I take advantage of invitations I get to eat dinner at other people’s homes. I’m lucky—people like to spoil me.
Guilty pleasure: I like cigars and tequila, preferably Cuban cigars and room-temperature Cazadores tequila.
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I refuse to use: Mint jelly. I’ll throw it out if I even see it on the shelf. I also don’t like white pepper.
Dining pet peeve: When people come to the restaurant, order a steak well done, and say they have to leave in 10 minutes.
Favorite grocery store: Jimmy’s Food Store. I buy pasta and wine there, and they always have a great prime rib.
Favorite wine: I like sparkling wine. It’s a painful thing to recover from, but if it’s got bubbles, I like it.
Wine store of choice: Cost Plus World Market. I can always find obscure labels there, and the prices are reasonable.
Sweet or salty: Salty. Although I do enjoy a piece of cheesecake or some butterscotch pudding once in a while.
Favorite cheese: Pierre Robert. When you let is sit out for 10 minutes or so, it almost melts. I eat it with flatbread.
