Before Taavo Somer was a restaurateur he designed a T-shirt line, as we learned in this week’s magazine. His partner in that endeavor (and someone who might just be able to skip the line at Freemans) was Scott Morrison, also the founder and designer of Earnest Sewn, best known, of course, for its jeans. Morrison himself wears a slim-cut size 33, but he doesn’t skimp on meals to fit into them. In fact he considers McDonald’s to be the best restaurant of all time and is such a beer lover that his home bar in Woodstock, designed by Somer, was featured in Food & Wine. We asked him where he went this week for food and beer.
Saturday, May 3
I was at my house near Woodstock, trying out my new BBQ. Upstate, I cook almost every meal whereas in the city I don’t cook at all. I have a 178-acre place with a restaurant kitchen in the house. It’s a large place — it’s got seven bedrooms, and the whole first floor is set up as a guest place. There’s a movie theater and game room. I do a lot of my own gardening. In the last three weeks I’ve been planting everything — tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers…
I made a chipotle burger for lunch with some grilled asparagus and a pint of French country ale, which I buy at Hercules Fancy Grocery, the best beer source in New York City.
For dinner I went to a restaurant called the Bear Café and had their endive and beet salad with polenta croutons. A couple beers with dinner and a decaf cappuccino for dessert.
Sunday, May 4
I ate a late breakfast upstate on Sunday morning at Sweet Sue’s. I had one raspberry pancake (the best I’ve ever had) and two eggs cooked over easy with home fries. That was gulped down with coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
I stopped at the McDonald’s drive-through on I-87 and ordered a Big Mac value meal and a Coca-Cola. As a kid, whenever we had perfect scores on a test, my parents always let us go to whatever restaurant we wanted to go to. We always chose McDonald’s. I still have a good little feeling whenever I go there.
For dinner I met up with my girlfriend and her friends and grabbed a pre-dinner drink at the Ear, then met up with a few people at Mr. Chow in Tribeca. Dinner consisted of lobster, chicken sate, noodles, blistered peppers, and a couple Ketel One–tonics. I try to stay away from Mr. Chow— it’s good in its own right, but I’m trying to stay away from fried foods.
Monday, May 5
Coffee and a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. I took a few of my design and marketing team to Los Dados for lunch in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. I ordered a chicken burrito with rice and beans. We also had chips, salsa, and fresh guacamole (extra spicy).
Dinner was at EN Brasserie, where I ordered some strange Blue Shrimp, a variety of sashimi and sushi (tuna, eel, mackerel, and toro), and split an order of edamame. I had a bottle of flat water, a large Sapporo, and for dessert, a scoop of green-tea ice cream.
Tuesday, May 6
We had our weekly retail-staff breakfast meeting at the office, which consisted of coffee and doughnuts. I had one French cruller, a cup of coffee, and a Spicy V-8, which I’d bought from the deli downstairs. Lunch was ordered from Swich eaten in my office while working. I ordered a side of couscous and a chicken sandwich.
For dinner I met a couple friends uptown at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse to watch the NBA playoff games. We ate at the bar and had an appetizer of calamari and an entrée portion of Caesar salad. A couple of Kettle One–tonics and a bottle of flat water for beverages.
Wednesday, May 7
Coffee and a Spicy V-8 for breakfast. Lunch at Macelleria, which consisted of an iceberg wedge with blue-cheese vinaigrette, a bottle of flat water, and fresh ravioli in tomato sauce.
That night was Joe’s Pizza (fresh tomato and cheese) and a bottle of Fiji water.
Thursday, May 8
Breakfast next to the office at Florent, the same as usual: two eggs over easy with home fries. Coffee and orange juice.
For lunch a bowl of potato-and-leek soup, plus a pint of Stella, at one of my usual lunch spots, the Brass Monkey. It’s always quiet, and it has the best bar food I’ve ever had.
For dinner I’m eating at August, where I’ll probably order the halibut and have a few oysters to start. They also have a great selection of artisanal beers as well.
Related: A Denim & Cocktail Guru’s Mexican Fiesta [F&W;]
