I was excited for a presentation and tasting for wines of Masciarelli the other week during Milano Wine Week. Yes, there was a Milano Wine Week, and it was in Houston, too, at least as a part of it, via videoconference.  I was familiar with Masciarelli as a value producer of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.  I knew that it had some well regarded wines but I had just experienced its base wine, a very affordable rustic red that would adequately wash down a weekday dinner.  This tasting highlighted some of its best bottlings, both Montepulciano and the white Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, all of which turned out to be quite good.  That wasn’t surprising.  Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, along with Barolo, are the favorite wines of legendary restaurateur Piero Selvaggio, who won a James Beard Award for wine and whose Valentino in Santa Monica had, for decades, one of the very best wine collections in the country
 
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ("mohn-tay-pool-chee-AHN-oh duh-BROOTZ-oh) translates to the native red Montepulciano grape from the largely mountainous Italian region of Abruzzo that is east of Rome and abuts the Adriatic in the center of the country. Both the mountains and sea give the wines its often unique character. From Burton Anderson's The Wines of Italy these are generally, "full-bodied, even robust, with a capacity to age but with a supple smoothness that can make it eminently drinkable even when young." These wines have gotten much better in the past couple of decades, especially at the higher price points. These are the ones that Selvaggio really likes. But, bargains still abound.  Eric Asimov in The New York Times had an informative piece some years ago, "For Wine Lovers on a Budget, Try Montepulciano d'Abruzzo."

The better Montepulciano’s from Masciarelli, from the Marina Cvetic and Villa Gemma, provide something a little different, even for those familiar with Italian wines – a leanness to the wines, a lean structure.  Still deeply rub red colored, but the rusticity, maybe the most noticeable facet of the inexpensive versions of Montepulciano, is not much in evidence in these.  There are still noticeable tannins, but are firm and smooth, but the nose in each is noticeable, exuberant for the Villa Gemma Rosso Riserva 2017. The wines are smooth and flavorful.  Delicious, especially, with the Villa Gemma, which retails for around $80. The Marina Cvetic sells for roughly $30.

To note, it's not related to the similarly named Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Tuscany. That is made with a clone of Sangiovese. These can also be very fine wines, too, and a wine label with even more syllables.

The foot-long hot dog was my sustenance during the Game 2 victory over the Yankees; much better than the Chick-fil-A sandwich that my friend had and complained about.  The ‘Stros won and the roof was open.  The dog wasn’t too bad, either.  The concession options where I sat were pretty basic, nothing like the fancy dogs of some years back when concessions might have been the highlight near the end of the often hapless and usually annoying tenure of the Astros previous owner, Drayton McLane.
 
I had fun with one in a post back in 2011:
 
“Ken Hoffman says he will no longer touch his wiener….”
 
The one real reason to still make it out to MinuteMaid to catch the historically dreadful Hooks, er, ‘Stros, is the major league ballpark experience.  Part of that experience is the concessions, which have improved quite a lot in recent years at our hometown park.
 
On yesterday’s Richard Justice Show on 1560 AM – which airs each Wednesday from 10 to noon – beloved columnist Ken Hoffman openly disavowed the hot dog named after him that is sold at MinuteMaid. 
 
The Ken Hoffman New York Dog served with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard is one of the usually tasty Extreme Dogs that are available near sections 125 and 154.  As you would expect, the Hoffman dog is not the best – that honor likely goes to the Diablo – nor is it anywhere close to being the most popular – “the Blue Dog is our stadium favorite dog topped with roasted red peppers, blue cheese and bacon,” according to the ballclub.  But, the Hoffy dog is actually a very good hot dog. 
 
So, it was odd to hear Hoffman say on the air that he was going to forsake his namesake, one that he worked so hard to claim as his own.  In so many words, he said he was no longer going to touch his wiener. 
 
Though he is probably partial to the traditional “dirty-water dogs” of New York from his formative years, it was not the grilled aspect that is making him forgo these in the future.  But, just to be clear, Hoffman did not actually state that he was not going to eat the dog that bears his name.  He said that he has begun eating healthy. 
 
And, healthy eating, by definition, means the exclusion of hot dogs, including his grandiosely named wiener.

Following Game 4 in Yankees Stadium, AP

The e-mail awaiting me this morning from The Mucky Duck was touting The Mark Portugal sandwich, it's best-selling sandwich.  As most diners know, what is primarily a live music venue has  a very adept kitchen makes the Mucky Duck a worthy stop even when there are no performers.  The food is far better than it has to be.  One of its best sandwiches - and sandwiches are certainly one reason to visit for lunch - is The Mark Portugal, which is sliced turkey with avocado slices and topped with melted Muenster cheese and large strips of bacon on a crusty, quality French roll that is served warm and with properly crispy fries and a pickle wedge.

Who is or was Mark Portugal?  Mark Portugal was plump-when-he-was-playing starting pitcher for the Astros who was a regular at the Mucky Duck while he pitched here in the 1990s. The Astrodome, where the team played until 2000, was just a few miles straight down Kirby from The Mucky Duck and Portugal along with several players for the team including Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell frequented the bar for beer and food.  Portugal might have enjoyed those more than his teammates spending a lot of time at the place and even helping to devise the sandwich that bears his name.  Turkey, yes and expected for a professional athlete, but buttressed with fatty melted Muenster cheese and avocado and thick slices of bacon, befitting someone who looked like Portugal in a uniform.

Portugal became good friends with Chris Black who devised the beer program at bar and who later moved to Denver opening along with his brothers The Falling Rock Tap House, the best beer bar in the Mountain Time Zone for about a quarter century.  Longtime friends with Chris's brother, Steve, and knowing Chris, too, I happened to be the recipient of Portugal's players' tickets in the field box for a game at Coors Field when I was visiting Denver some years ago and The Rockies were at home against the Phillies, Portugal's team at the time.  So, I have special regard for The Mark Portugal Sandwich beyond its evident qualities as a sandwich.

The Mark Portugal Sandwich from The Mucky Duck

Though it is on a Bagby and Gray Streets on a much-traveled section of Midtown blocks from the edge of downtown, I sense that Izakaya is one of the more underappreciated restaurants in Houston.  That is good for me, as it is always easy to get a table during lunch and enjoy one of its midday dining specials, which are terrific values.  I’ve drifted to the attractively presented bento boxes in recent months that are especially wallet-friendly for the quality.
 
For between $11 and $13, you’ve got a choice among four proteins to anchor the order: sliced beef steak, chicken teriyaki, miso-glazed salmon and curry tofu.  And another choice of two sides to go along with the steamed rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds, a green salad with the recognizable creamy dressing, and pickled vegetables that come with each.  Six preparations in all, all done quite well in my several recent trips to the restaurant.
 
The flavors are expected for each item, highlighting informed technique and good quality ingredients.  The miso-glazed salmon has been my favorite thus far with the chicken teriyaki a close second.  The salmon initially seemed a little dry and overcooked at first but was still moist throughout and with a very pleasant taste helped by a marinade that did not overwhelm the fish.  The chicken is made with thigh meat, nicely.  The steak was pretty good, I thought, with a nice reddish center evident in the thin pieces, but certainly not a prime cut of Prime with beef prices as they are.
 
For the sides – which have been the highlights for me – there are chicken karaage, edamame, agedashi tofu, tykoyaki (octopus), chicken wings, roasted vegetables, and cucumber salad.  Chicken karage that comes with an interesting lemon-tinged dipping sauce, agedashi tofu and the cooling cucumber salad have been items I’ve enjoyed the most along with the side salad, as much I as enjoy the dressing.
 
A sibling of Kata Robata, one of the best restaurants in Houston, Izakaya also produces excellent fare that is largely also Japanese but with some thoughtfully tuned influences from elsewhere in the world.  Though usually slow during lunch, it can be lively in the evening but still seemingly flying under the radar, which is somewhat odd as it is serving easily the best food in that part of Midtown.  The lunch menu is an affordable way to experience some of it.
 
Izakaya
318 Gray (at Bagby), 77002, (713) 527-8988
izakayamidtown.com