More Real Housewives, Restaurant Wars on Top Chef

Plus: Restaurant Week chatter and the Top Chef power ranking

Thanks for the support San Diego diners! Restaurant Week was huge success again all around the county for the restaurants and the guests. Everyone stopping by the Oceanaire has great stories of all of the great food they have had the opportunity to try. It’s a huge spark plug to our local economy at a time when we are in dire need, so thank you to all who took part. Now, don’t think you get off so easy … My mom always taught me praise and then critique — or shall we say, “encourage.” Most of the restaurants that took part in Restaurant Week are still offering prix fixe menus at great prices to encourage visits. Look it up and enjoy.

I’m a huge fan of Nathan Coulon and am so excited he has been named executive chef of Quarter Kitchen. Maybe I’ll see you over there trying out his new menu.

Thanks for your responses last week on the “Naked Drunk” blog and to answer a few of the questions asked: I wouldn’t mind winning the lottery, McMansions, and if you want those oysters, just give me a call at the Oceanaire and I’ll make them for you: 619-858-2277.

If you would like to have a dinner party at your house just like the one on Real Housewives — I’m talking about my food and wine, not the tequila chaos — take a look at my Web site and let’s plan a party: www.brianmalarkey.com. Chaos is entirely up to you and we’ll leave the camera behind — or that too can be optional!

Enjoy my Top Chef Blog, and until next week … GO OUT AND EAT! I would love to hear some restaurant reviews.

Restaurant Wars on Top Chef!

Finally I get to return to some sanity after my week with The Real Housewives of Orange County. In case you missed it and you watch Bravo for the competitive, entertaining and almost classy Top Chef (except for the Hosea and Leah hook-up), I was in the middle of the “Naked Drunk” episode last week. I really wasn’t and am still not much of a fan of the Housewives, but I had a great time watching my team cook our own menu on our own time in our own way. Minus the tequila frenzy of emotionally unstable plastic ladies, the show was a blast. Ouch! Sorry ladies but it’s the truth. You all told me the show was for entertainment and drama: Mission accomplished!

WANTED: The real housewives of Orange County or Southern California who are interested in a phenomenal dinner party paired with great wines. Look me up and let’s plan it: www.brianmalarkey.com (Had to put it out there…)

Restaurant wars have always been one of my favorite episodes every season, and this season delivers on several levels. You can’t get a better judge for a restaurant challenge than Stephen Starr, who has some of the best concepts on the planet. I remember this as being the longest of several long days. It’s impossible to open a restaurant from concept, to menu, to service, ambiance, timing and, most importantly, personality in this short of a time period and be proud of it. You always know that everyone is going to go down in some way or another and we had no exceptions. Actually, we did: The “Sarcastic Cooking European Stefan” pulled it off again and won it for his team. Stefan had it right when he said Leah should pick her team for business and not friendship or clustered, emotional, isolated confusion.

The Quick Fire Challenge looked like a good time. How often to you get to design an entire concept around a dish? Leah and Radhika put out some food that Stephen Starr saw potential in and that was the biggest compliment either of them have probably had thus far in their careers. Take note, future restaurateurs: When he said the global cuisine was emerging as the concept of the tomorrow, I did.

Lets break it down:

Team Sahana: Radhika wins and first selects Jamie (a great choice and definitely one of the better chefs) because she can’t stand Stefan. Then she takes Jeff, who is easy to work with and has some good ideas. She fails with Carla, who has been melting like her yogurt soup for several episodes. Picking Carla over Stefan only highlights her own insecurities, and the clouds darken over team Sahana. You saw me go down on restaurant wars when I was in the front of the house in Miami, but the difference is I helped with the menu and I went down sweating and screaming for my life, literally. Radhika was hiding in the kitchen rather then expediting and motivating her team, and when she was on the floor her position was just as passive and confused. I have enjoyed her success with her Indian-inspired cuisine. Was she the right choice? I don’t know. She sure could have taken Carla with her and I wouldn’t have cared. I know I’m not sending that out with any love, but I am sending out a good dish!

Team Sunset: Leah put together a team with her cuddle-buddy, Hosea, who, if they were focused, is as good a choice as any (and better than most). Picking Fabio only guarantees they could serve “monkey ass” as long as he’s in the front of the house charming the guests and still win. Nice suit! Getting Stefan off the bench last was a goldmine and won the challenge for the team. I loved how he named the team without Leah even being involved. The desserts looked so polished and he handled the element of a broken refrigerator in stride.

Malarkey Power Ranking:

1. Stefan: Let’s cut to the chase: He is going to win this thing pulling away. What a COCK! (Reference to last weeks henhouse episode… Love IT!) You don’t have to be the most likable guy to be the best cook, but Stefan is not really unlikable. He’s just what is needed to be a great chef: demanding, perfectionist, confident, talented and, ok, a bit of a pain in the ass.

2. Fabio: “Monkey ass” charm goes a long way on this competition and in life. Plus he has shown that he can cook some nice food — maybe not this week with his “frozen, second-rate egg roll” — but he was hilarious in the front of the house!

3. Jamie: True leader, Queen of Scallops and in the top consistently. I have to give her some grief for calling her Quick Fire concept dish “sustainable and organic” and then serving Chilean sea bass, one of the most depleted fish stocks on the planet. She almost carried team Sahana to victory.

4. Jeff: “A hummingbird on cocaine.” Whoa! You don’t get sound bites like that every day. I see him going to the finals but out-of-the-box thinking is going to keep him from winning.

5. Hosea: I really enjoyed his cooking and his personality on the show except for the Leah hook-up. This is a competition and you both are in relationships AND this is on national TV. I think he is going to feel so awful knowing that he is going to have to explain his actions to his girlfriend back in the mountains of Colorado that it going to ruin his game. I had a friend text me in the middle of this episode and say, “That’s why you don’t hook up on Top Chef!”

6. Leah: The guilt is going to get to her and I foresee an exit very soon. She can definitely make some good dishes but the finals and the title are not hers.

7. Carla: I feel the LOVE; I just don’t feel the skills!

I missed last week’s Top Chef blog, so I just wanted to say that I thought Ariane got set up and went down for the couch-kissing contestants. She had a great run and I give her great respect for her victories.

Bravo: Can you please not post the results until the West Coast has had a chance to enjoy the show? You spend so much time, energy and money keeping it a secret and then blow it three hours early.

Next week’s episode looks to be entertaining with the “New York All-Stars” taking on the contestants, but if they were really the “all-stars,” then why are Hung and Harold missing? I have a challenge: New York vs. California … Let’s get it on! Me, Stefan, CJ, Antonia, Fabio and our new transplants, Ilan and Casey, are ready to bring it! Gather your best from all seasons and let’s see who comes out on Top State!

Cheers! Would love to read your opinions…

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