Sweet Willie

This is new and bad less than two weeks ago they had it, (used it in my sukiyaki)

Had the Don PX the other night, delicious is an understatement, incredible IMO.

We did not get to the Porterhouse in Dublin. I never did see Caffery's bitter which I was really looking forward to as I'm a bitter lover. (no puns please). A highlight was Kinsale Stout which we had in Kinsale (who would have guessed?!?!) After getting in one morning at 4:30am at which point I just could not drink anymore stout, the next day was a cider all day day, Great stuff and never filling like the stouts.

no, not at all. In my bartending days I would have made the drink stronger. Hopefully biz wouldn't have been too busy and I would have the opportunity to lend an ear if they wanted one. I'm surprised how polite you were when the other bartender commented on him receiving a smaller tip, but I suppose that this was one of your regular places so I could see how politics may have dictated your response.

You and me both.

yes, I will have a car. I would love to get together, however my dinner time will be dictated by corporate. If I find out we are cut free for dinner, I will make sure to contact you.

Had dinner here with a group of 6 last night, mucho tequila again. Staff was not upset this time I really really wanted to try something different but could not bring myself to steer away from the pork w/red chile or Queso Panela, niether could the rest of our group.

I'll be in Costa Mesa in a month for training. A full week. I did a search and came up the restaurant Troquet. Any other suggestions in the Costa Mesa area? We prefer ethnic (but no Italian), sushi, CA "inspired" cuisine would be fine. Also any place that is uniquely California. Down and dirty or haughty doesn’t matter.

thanks for clarification skchai, looks like I've got another spot to try when we are in Honolulu area soon. email me if anyone would like to go to lunch with my wife and I, we'll be in Honolulu for two days on Dec 25 & 26 (I realize some places may not be open then).

Sugar is a dessert bar, a supposed cool, hipster hangout place. We had finished our sushi at Sushi Samba and felt like dessert. Sugar is only a few blocks away so we walked. We arrived at 7pm on a Saturday night, so it was not crowded. We were greeted by the eye candy hostess and seated at a booth. She left us with the comment, “you have the booth for 1 ½ hours, after which it is reserved” Wife made the comment that it is a good thing the lights are low as if you were to turn them up the place would look like someone’s badly designed basement. A true comment. But hey, we were there for the dessert, which I believe is created by a pastry chef who used to be with Charlie Trotter’s. The menu is a fun play on words with desserts such as the desserts we had of Banana Karenina and Et Tu Frute? Or such as Pearadise Lost, The Interpretation of Creams, MacDeath By Chocolate. Nice booze selection. Under each dessert listed are suggested drinks. Wife choose champagne, I choose a (don’t have the whole name) Don PX which tasted like a raisin liquor. This was delicious, I could have just drank this as my dessert. Wife is dairy free and hence she choose a fruit based dessert, she did have it w/o the caramel/dairy topping that was supposed to come with it, so I don’t think her dish would be a fair review. That’s fine, onto my stellar dessert. Chocolate chewy meringue (sp?) with carmelized banana slices, with carmelized banana pudding, surrounded by a hot fudge that was more dark chocolate taste than milk chocolate. All slightly warm. WOW WOW WOW. Incredible. Sugar is sure a nice place to end the dining portion of one’s evening. I usually don’t have a sweet tooth, but after my great dessert, I’ll be back. Sugar – A dessert bar 108 W. Kinzie (just west of Clark) Chicago, 312.822.9999

I was wondering too. Found the following: From: http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/roving/...us_okazuya.html

funny you should ask, I did ask that question, answer is no.

I will go here for breakfast on the morning of December 26th, What is on a breakfast plate?

I'm not a resident, I love HI but would miss Fall & Winter too much. I'm one of those sick people that love our US Midwest weather, Chicago to be specific. We will be visiting Honolulu, Molokai and the northern half of Kauai this upcoming trip and it will be our last trip to the islands for quite awhile as having been to all the islands by then we will be off to other destinations. We don't really go back repeatedly to the same locals as there is just too much to see and do in this world. If anyone is in Honolulu on December 26th, perhaps you would like to join my wife and I at Gina's for lunch? email me to let me know.

Of course I'm going to try Champion, do you happen to have an address?

looks GREAT, will try in a few weeks for sure.

Have been meaning to go to Sabor for awhile now, finally went for lunch today. Sabor is located in the Schaumburg Town Square, near the Schaumburg Library and a Dominicks. (SW corner of Roselle and Schaumburg Road). Décor is funky purple high couch seating along one wall and windows on the other side. Some small outdoor seating existed. The chef/owner graduated locally from Schaumburg’s James Conant High School and Kendall College in Evanston. I started out with the Empanadas – picadillo of ground beef, tomatoes, raisins, and capers in a puff pastry shell with a roasted red pepper coulis & sour cream. WOW! Terrific. The puff pastry in place of the normal dough used with empanada made it very light, also the addition of the coulis/sour cream was stellar. 4 are served, makes a great appetizer for 2 or more. I had a favorite when trying Cuban, Ropa Vieja or “traditional Cuban beef stew made w/shredded beef in a red wine tomato sauce, carrots and peas on a bed of white rice served w/maduros (sautéed sweet slices of plantains)” This was very good, ok great. although I don’t know how traditional the carrots or peas are as I’ve never had it that way any other place. I also picked up two sandwiches for co-workers who could not get out to lunch. For payment of my delivery services, all I asked for was a small section of each sandwich so I could try it, seeing as they normally eat Subway crap, they readily agreed. One sandwich was a Cuban or Cubano – roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles on Cuban bread that has been toasted flat. Great sandwich, one of the best Cuban sandwiches in Chicago for sure. Bread still lacks something IMO, but I don’t know what. Other sandwich was a Vaca Frita – garlic marinated shredded steak with carmelized onions on an onion roll with mayo. The shredded steak was a little dry, perhaps should not have been sautéed as long, if it was not for that a very good sandwich. A flyer with the bill mentioned that on Thursday nights Sabor offers a Tapas menu. Sabor Restaurant 160-E South Roselle Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60193 847.301.1470 all major cc accepted

nice description, I agree. French comfort food (as I see it) in a comfortable, casual setting.

In no particular order Stone King Soft shell (blue crab correct?) the crabs used in Singapore for either the chili crabs or pepper crabs dish. OMG.

I wish I had not put good $ down on a New Year's Eve dinner at Trotters. The whole dinner consisted of truffles in some way. Unfortunately I found out that I'm not a fan.

To clarify I was referring to Asian.

I was able to make this happen by changing seats, you're welcome Dean. Food was terrific as well as the company. Cheers to next time. Happy Birthday Lady T. edited to add: Thanks NSM for the incredible chocolates, the ganache was my fave for sure.

sounded good, what do I do with it?

too funny, I have a block as well, with no ideas until now.

Not in Japan, but French Pastry/Japanese take related: Mitsuwa Marketplace in Chicago (actually Arlington Hts, corner Algonquin & Arl. Hts. Rd.) has a terrific French bake shop in it called Hippo. Some of the best pastries in Chicago for sure.